Abstract: In some embodiments of outer rear-view mirrors, a mirror head (12) and a mirror base (11) are joined together in an articulated manner by a hinge (15, 16). The mirror head (12) can pivot out of a normal operational position in or against the travelling direction (10) and be fixed in the position swivelled against the travelling direction (10). For the outer rear-view mirror to be pivotable out of its normal operational position in or against the travelling direction (10), the intermediate joint (30) has two parallel joint axes arranged between the mirror base and the mirror head, and a U-shaped projection (37). The outer rear-view mirror is advantageously used in motor vehicles.

Abstract: Improved systems, methods, apparatus and compositions for generating, extracting and distributing the renewable heat energy produced by microbial decomposition of organic biomass within a contained and controlled environment. This heat energy is preferably transferred and distributed, preferably by the use of heat pipes, to the interior of a greenhouse or other structure to be heated, either directly or via heat exchange apparatus such as hot water heating systems. In one embodiment heat transfer and distribution mechanism customized to the application requirements of a greenhouse heating batch-type process is disclosed, along with a recipe for a readily available biomass material composition. Additional continuous and batch process embodiments of biomass heating systems are also disclosed that extract heat energy from decomposing biomass for heating uses.

Abstract: A fuel tank assembly includes a fuel tank, a bracket carried by the fuel tank and having a portion accessible from the outside of the fuel tank to permit the assembly to be mounted to a vehicle, and an outer layer disposed around at least part of the fuel tank and a portion of the bracket to connect the bracket to the fuel tank. In one implementation, the fuel tank includes layers of composite material that have fibers embedded in resin or the like. The bracket is carried or trapped between adjacent layers of the composite material so that the bracket is fixed to the tank. The bracket preferably is connected to the tank at one end and is flexible in at least one direction to accommodate changes in the shape or dimensions of the fuel tank.

Abstract: A hydraulically-operated press-driven tool actuation system includes a press-driven hydraulic power device and/or a hydraulically-powered tool actuator. In the tool actuator, at least two pistons are carried by a housing, and at least one return device is carried by the housing laterally inboard of the pistons. In the power device, a pump includes a piston disposed in a pump cylinder for pressurizing hydraulic fluid therein. An accumulator is in fluid communication with the pump cylinder, and includes a piston disposed in an accumulator cylinder that houses hydraulic fluid on one side of the piston. A body supports the pump and accumulator thereon and is in fluid communication between the pump and accumulator cylinders. The body includes a pressure relief valve downstream of the pump cylinder and upstream of the accumulator cylinder, and a check valve downstream of the accumulator cylinder and upstream of the pump cylinder.

Abstract: A method for machining particularly spectacle lenses by means of a machine which comprises at least one cutting unit and at least one turning unit in a common working space, wherein at least two spectacle lenses are machined at the same time in the working space, one of said spectacle lenses being cut while the other is turned. The machine frames of the cutting unit and of the turning unit are essentially decoupled from one another in terms of vibration and/or at least two machining units of the machine comprise workpiece spindle units for generating a transverse movement of the spectacle lens to be machined with respect to the respective tool, the workpiece spindle units being arranged essentially perpendicular to one another. As a result, it is possible for spectacle lenses to be machined in an extremely short time with high machining performance and with high surface precision and quality.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling a light-duty combustion engine and, more particularly, a method and system that use an engine speed governor to limit the engine speed to a level that is less than a clutch-in speed of a centrifugal clutch. If it is determined that an operator is attempting to throttle or accelerate the engine, the engine speed governor is disengaged so that normal operation can commence.

Abstract: A child-resistant dispensing closure includes a base having a deck with a dispensing opening, a peripheral skirt extending from the deck, and an inner wall extending from the deck for securing the closure to a container. An axial passage extends from the deck between the peripheral skirt and the inner wall, and opens radially outwardly through the peripheral skirt. A pair of spaced ledges are disposed in the axial passage. A lid is molded integrally with the base and is coupled by a hinge to the base so as to be pivotable between a closed position overlying the deck and an open position spaced from the deck. The lid has a latch arm that resiliently extends from a periphery of the lid. The latch arm has a pair of oppositely extending tabs for engagement with the ledges to lock the lid in the closed position.

Abstract: The hot stretch forming of sheet metal alloys, such as highly deformable aluminum alloy materials, is improved by using a lubricant comprising bismuth between the forming tool and the engaged surface of the sheet metal. A precursor of bismuth, such as bismuth subsalicylate, may be dispersed in a liquid and applied to the sheet metal before the sheet is heated to its forming temperature. Other lubricants such as boron nitride may be combined with the bismuth precursor. The precursor compound is decomposed to bismuth (or bismuth and carbon in the case of bismuth subsalicylate) which lubricates contact between the surface(s) of the sheet and the forming tool during forming and removal of the formed part from the tool.

Abstract: A locking hinge assembly (32) has first and second hinge members (38, 40) having a respective hinge section (50, 51), proximate wall (46, 47) and mounting flange section (42, 43) for mounting on respective first and second panels (24, 26). The first and second hinge members are pivotably connected together at the hinge sections and are pivotably movable between a first position and a second position. The mounting flange section (42) has a channel (54) extending along the proximate wall section (48) for slidably receiving a locking member (56). The locking member (56) has at least one locking flange (60) extending through aligned apertures in the proximate walls. The locking flange has a hook section (62) at a distal end such that when the locking member slides to a locking position, the hook section engages a proximate wall to lock the hinge members in the first position.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for storing an alert message request for a vehicle communication system into a message queue by initiating an acquisition task to determine service availability, receiving an alert message request from a wireless communication system, storing the alert message request into the vehicle communication unit message queue, and servicing the alert message request until completion.

Abstract: One embodiment includes a substrate having a plurality of molecular chains, each chain comprising a hydrophilic group, a hydrophobic segment, and a reversible crosslinker.

Abstract: This present specification provides, amongst other things, an electro-optical monitoring system for obtaining a once-per revolution signal based on the surface reflection of a rotating device that mandates non-contacting sensor input in potentially hostile environments. The system can use optical and electronic sections to illuminate and detect surface reflections from the rotating surface using existing mounting locations on the periphery of the machine to be measured. The electronic portion is configured to determine a unique mark as the once-per-revolution marker or allow an attending operator to assign a specific marker based on the observed reflected pattern. The optical portion consists of a light source, receiver, and optics that allow for focused and directed light paths.

Abstract: A multi-way valve has a housing with a stepped bore forming two piston guiding regions and a shoulder ring with two sealing shoulders. The housing also has a first, second and central transverse bores which are spaced along the cylindrical bore. A contact piston has a piston rod and sealing members secured thereon. The guide members are pressed fit onto opposite ends of the piston rod.

Abstract: The inventive discharge rate and pressure control solenoid valve (1) is used for a circuit consisting of a low pressure part and a high-pressure part and controls the discharge rate of a low-pressure fluid with the aid of a sliding spool (18) in a liner (22) provided with at least one fluid feeding orifice (20) and one fluid exhausting orifice (21) respectively. Said spool (18) is electrically actuated by means of an electromagnet acting in an opposite direction to recoil means (26) for closing the passage between the feeding (20) and exhausting (21) orifices when a control current for the electromagnet is equal to zero and for gradually opening said passage according to a threshold value of the flow, the pressure control being applicable to a high-pressure fluid.

Abstract: A check valve for a combustion engine fuel system includes a polymeric poppet valve including a valve stem and a valve head that terminates the valve stem. A valve seat is adapted for cooperation with the valve head of the poppet valve, and includes a valve seat body and an elastomeric valve seat seal supported by the valve seat body and adapted for sealing against the valve head of the poppet valve. The check valve is particularly adapted for use with a fuel pump within a fuel system.

Abstract: A child-resistant closure includes a base, and a lid integrally molded and coupled to the base by a hinge. The lid has a latch arm resiliently extending from a periphery opposite the hinge and having oppositely extending tabs adjacent to a free end of the latch arm. The base has an external recess for receiving the latch arm and spaced ledges in the recess for engagement by the tabs to lock the lid in a closed position. The latch arm is engageable by a user to pivot the latch arm radially inwardly within the passage and release the tabs from the ledges so the lid can be pivoted toward an open position. The tabs and the ledges are recessed radially inwardly from the outer surface of the latch arm in the closed position of the lid with the tabs engaged beneath the ledges.

Abstract: A speech recognition adaptation method for a vehicle having a telematics unit with an embedded speech recognition system. Speech is received and pre-processed to generate acoustic feature vectors, and an adaptation parameter is applied to the acoustic feature vectors to yield transformed acoustic feature vectors. The transformed acoustic feature vectors are decoded and a hypothesis of the speech is selected, and the adaptation parameter is trained using acoustic feature vectors from the hypothesis. The method also includes one or more of the following steps: the speech is observed for a certain characteristic and the trained adaptation parameter is saved in accordance with the certain characteristic for use in transforming feature vectors of subsequent speech having the certain characteristic; use of the trained adaptation parameter persists from one vehicle ignition cycle to the next; and use of the trained adaptation parameter is ceased upon detection of a system fault.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention contemplates a proton exchange membrane for use in a variety of fuel cells. The proton exchange membrane may comprise a solid phase organic based copolymer material in which a first structural unit is derived from a polymerizable organic super acid. The organic super acid may comprise an acid group such as a sulfonic acid group or a carboxylic acid group.