Abstract: A Coulomb friction damped disc brake rotor, wherein damping is provided Coulomb friction in generally coextensive relation with the braking surfaces of the one or more rotor cheeks. The Coulomb friction damped disc brake rotor has at least one interfacial boundary formed in at least one rotor cheek disposed in generally coextensive relation to the braking surface thereof. The interfacial boundary provides a mechanically distinguishable surface boundary between two surfaces which are in mutual contact such that a state of Coulomb friction exists therebetween.

Abstract: A fuel cell including an anode-side catalyst coated membrane and a cathode-side catalyst coated membrane. At least a portion of a reduced-permeability layer is disposed between the ionically conductive membrane and the anode-side and cathode-side gas diffusion media, wherein the reduced-permeability layer is formed of a material that has a permeability that is less than a permeability of the ionically conductive member. The reduced-permeability layer may also be formed of a material that is softer than the ionically conductive membrane.

Abstract: A machine for processing optical work pieces having a work piece spindle for the work piece driving rotationally about a work piece rotation axis. At least one processing unit has a tool that can machine the work piece and an adjusting mechanism causes a relative movement between the work piece spindle and tool to selectively enable loading, unloading and processing of the work piece. The adjusting mechanism has a linear drive unit and a swivel drive unit that are stacked on each other to rotate the swivel drive unit and the work piece spindle about a swivel axis that is perpendicular to the work piece rotation axis, and has the linear drive unit move the work piece spindle along a linear axis that can be perpendicular to one of the swivel axis and the work piece rotation axis and parallel to or aligned with the other axis.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method of joining two substrates with multilayer thermo-reversible dry adhesives and separating the two bonded substrates by completely thermally reversing the adhesion via heating.

Abstract: A sound damping material for use in a sound damping laminate having one or more rigid layers, such as those used in the automotive industry. The sound damping material is preferably a viscoelastic material that damps or otherwise inhibits the transmission of vibrational or acoustical energy through the laminate, and also acts as an adhesive for bonding the rigid layers together. In its cured form, the sound damping material layer can include an acrylate-based polymer matrix, and one or more of the following components: a precipitated phase, a viscous phase, and miscellaneous constituents. The acrylate-based polymer matrix is the reaction product of at least one acrylate-based monomer, such as isobornyl acrylate.

Abstract: A metal composite for use in electrochemical devices is disclosed. The metal composite comprises a stainless steel interior component and a deposited nitrided metal exterior layer, wherein the nitrided exterior layer has lower electric contact resistance and greater corrosion resistance than the stainless steel interior component. A bipolar plate made of such metal composite and methods of producing the metal composite and bipolar plate are also disclosed.

Abstract: A carburetor includes a main body defining a bore, a main passage and a venturi defined within the bore, and a fuel nozzle carried by the main body and including a fuel nozzle outlet communicating with the venturi. The carburetor may also include a valve member translatable across an axis of the bore, such that in a closed state, the valve member closes the main passage but maintains the venturi at least partially open. The carburetor may also include a needle valve disposed at an end of the fuel nozzle substantially opposite of the fuel nozzle outlet to variably control flow of fuel into a fuel nozzle inlet, and a needle valve transmission may be coupled between a throttle shaft and the needle valve to convert rotation of the throttle shaft to translation of the needle valve.

Abstract: A spark plug having a particular firing end configuration that satisfies numerous dimensional ranges for improved performance. The spark plug generally includes a shell, an insulator, and center and ground electrodes, with the electrodes each having a copper core for improved thermal conductivity and a noble metal insert for improved erosion and corrosion resistance. The noble metal insert for the center electrode is preferably in the form of a cylindrical Ir-based tip, which is received within a complimentary recess formed in the center electrode. The noble metal insert for the ground electrode is in the form of a flat Pt-based pad attached to a surface of the ground electrode. Various dimensional ranges are provided for the various components of the spark plug assembly, both individually and in combination with other dimensions.

Abstract: The invention concerns a vehicle outside mirror module with a heatable mirror glass assembly group, whereby the mirror glass assembly group exhibits at least one mirror glass and an at least one layered, foil-like heating foil, flexibly configured on the back side of said mirror glass, provided with power supply points. To this end, there are configured or integrated, on or in the heating foil, at least one means of lighting and at least one additional power supply point. On or in the heating foil, between the one or the several lighting means and the one or the additional power supply points, are configured or integrated conductive tracks providing current which contact said power supply points. Each lighting means has at least one main light exit surface whose spectral centroid lies above the mirror back surface.

Abstract: A scraper tool for removing material such as surface treatments, metal coatings, and other material layers from an edge region of a metal work piece where they could potentially contaminate a nearby weld. According to one embodiment, the scraper tool includes a body having a base portion and a tab portion, and several scraping elements attached to the base portion. During operation, the scraping elements scrape one or more surfaces of the edge region so that the depth to which the scraping element engage the metal work piece is generally affected by the amount of rotation of the scraper tool about a pivot axis.

Abstract: A modular electrical bus system for a valve manifold has a main communication module with a plurality of modular I/O units each having a plurality of I/O fittings being both electrically and mechanically connectable together via a bridge member connecting adjacent units and the main communication module. At least one of the modular I/O units is also mechanically separable from and maintains communication connection to the main communication module. One or both of the modular IO units and main communication module may have an alpha-numeric display.

Abstract: State-of-the-art electronic structure calculations provide the likelihood of the availability of AlLi2MgHn, ScLi2MgHn, TiLi2MgHn, VLi2MgHn, CrLi2MgHn, MnLi2MgHn, FeLi2MgHn, CoLi2MgHn, NiLi2MgHn, CuLi2MgHn, ZnLi2MgHn, GaLi2MgHn, GeLi2MgHn, PdLi2MgHn, AgLi2MgHn, CdLi2MgHn, InLi2MgHn, SnLi2MgHn, SbLi2MgHn, PtLi2MgHn, AuLi2MgHn, HgLi2MgHn, TlLi2MgHn, PbLi2MgHn, and BiLi2MgHn (here n is an integer having a value in a particular compound of 4-7) as solid hydrides for the storage and release of hydrogen. Different hydrogen contents may be obtained in compounds having the same XLi2Mg crystal structures. These materials offer utility for hydrogen storage systems.

Abstract: A rearview mirror assembly for a motor vehicle includes a mirror bracket fixedly secured to the motor vehicle. A mirror case is secured to the mirror bracket. The mirror case defines a primary opening. A backing plate is operatively connected to the mirror case. A mirror is fixedly secured to the backing plate. The mirror defines a substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The second surface defines a primary mirror surface and a spot mirror surface formed within the second surface. The rearview mirror assembly also includes a heating element fixedly secured to the second surface of the mirror for heating the mirror. The heating element includes a primary portion fixedly secured to the primary surface and a secondary portion fixedly secured to the spot mirror surface.

Abstract: A workholding apparatus includes a body, and a workholding sleeve composed of metal and carried by the body. A fluid chamber receives a fluid between the body and the workholding sleeve. Under fluid pressure, the sleeve is radially displaceable and recoverable to a high degree. For example, the sleeve is radially displaceable to at least one percent in diameter with runout within about 0.03% of its diameter, and after release of fluid pressure repeatably recovers to within about 0.01% of its original relaxed diameter. In another example, when displaced under fluid pressure, the sleeve experiences substantially complete and repeatable strain recovery of at least about 2% of its overall cross-sectional area. Preferably, the sleeve is composed of Nitinol.

Abstract: An authentication method that can be used by a telematics-equipped vehicle to authenticate an SMS message and provide additional security features above and beyond those inherent to the SMS protocol. Generally speaking, a call center uses a mathematical function to derive a security code, and then sends an SMS message to a telematics-equipped vehicle that includes information related to the derived security code. The telematics-equipped vehicle can utilize the transmitted information to authenticate the sender of the SMS message and/or its contents. One group of suitable mathematical functions utilizes keyed-hash message authentication codes (HMACs).

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for treating ailments of the human body by electromagnetic waves. The body part to be treated is located inside an induction coil and the coil is energized by a switching device that supplies the coil with current pulses that include higher frequency components that occur during at least a portion of the pulse. Both manual and electronic switching devices are disclosed. The manual switching device uses manually operable striking contactors and the high frequency components are generated by arcing between the contactors. The automatic switching device is an electronic controller that simulates the current pulses produced using the manual method.

Abstract: An after-treatment system architecture and method for oxidizing the nitric oxide component of an exhaust stream from a hydrocarbon fueled power source operated with a fuel lean combustion mixture.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides a system for methods of producing and releasing hydrogen from hydrogen storage compositions having a hydrogenated state and a dehydrogenated state. In the hydrogenated state, such a composition comprises a hydride and a hydroxide. In a dehydrogenated state, the composition comprises an oxide. A first reaction is conducted between a portion of the hydride and water to generate heat sufficient to cause a second hydrogen production reaction between a remaining portion of the hydride and the hydroxide.

Abstract: A drying apparatus with a vaporized-solvent-recovery function including: a concentration-at-the-end-of-drying data memorizing device to memorize a concentration of a vaporized solvent at the end of a drying operation of an object to be dried in a processing path; a vaporized solvent; an end-of-drying judging device to judge an end of drying of the object by comparing the concentration measured by the vaporized-solvent-concentration measuring device with the concentration memorized by the concentration-at-the-end-of-drying data memorizing device; and a drying-operation controlling device to control the drying operation of the object in a processing bath and to end the drying operation in response to a judgement by the end-of-drying judging device that the concentration measured by the vaporized-solvent-concentration measuring device is equal to the concentration memorized in then concentration-at-the-end-of-drying data memorizing device.

Abstract: A method for providing vehicle services to a user of a motor vehicle includes receiving a text message from the user via a handheld communication device in wireless communication with a call center and requesting vehicle information from a telematics unit in a vehicle associated with the user via a wireless connection. At least one vehicle service is provided based on the text message and the requested vehicle information. Another embodiment provides a method for transmitting a text message to a hearing impaired user of a motor vehicle includes receiving a trigger-based request from a telematics unit at a call center, via a wireless communication and determining a handheld communication device associated with the telematics unit. A text message is transmitted to a hand-held device associated with the user.