Abstract: A light-weight structural system is provided by a panel system having at least one pair of adjacent panels (10) and a clip (60) positioned between the adjacent panels. A groove or channel (26) in each panel receives an outwardly-extending tongue or tab (70) on the clip. Built-up gussets (28, 30) on the panels above and below the groove or channel provide structural strength. Upwardly-extending support members (64, 66) on the clip bear weight from the panels. A base section (62) of the clip allows the clip to be fixed to a roof or wall substructure. The panels can be formed from thermosetting or thermoplastic polymers, especially fiber-reinforced polymers.

Abstract: The electrical resistance aging properties of a coating intended for use on a base material in a primary alkaline cell battery are be tested by manufacturing at least one test device, measuring a first and a second electrical resistance across two distinct circuits in the device, and calculating the effective electrical resistance at the interface between a cathode mix and a coated surface of the base material as the difference between the two electrical resistances. By storing the test device at temperatures above ambient, the aging properties of the coated surface resistance are estimated by repeating the electrical resistance measurements at predetermined time intervals at ambient temperature.

Abstract: A coil car has a pair of deep side beams and a trough structure mounted to, and suspended between, the deep side beams for carrying coils. The trough structure may have three parallel, longitudinally extending troughs—a central trough lying between two laterally outboard outer troughs. Each trough is shaped to cradle steel coils, or other similar loads, between its inwardly and downwardly sloping shoulder plates. The car has movable coil stops to discourage longitudinal shifting of loaded coils. Retractable rollers or sliders mounted to a movable coil stop facilitate the repositioning of the coil stop during loading, and the coil stop has a mid-span step and hand grabs to facilitate climbing over the coil stop by personnel walking along the trough structure.

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to provide for a bipolar transistor and a method for producing the same. Said bipolar transistor should have minimal base-emitter capacities and very good high frequency characteristics. The static characteristics, especially the base current ideality and the low frequency noise, of a bipolar transistor with weakly doped cap layer (116) should not significantly deteriorate and process complexity should not increase. According to the invention, the problem is solved by inserting a special doping profile in a cap layer (116) (cap doping) which has been produced epitaxially. A minimal base emitter capacity and very good high frequency characteristics can be obtained by means of said doping profile. At the same time, the efficiency of the generation/recombination active boundary surface between the cap layer (116) and the isolator (117) in the polysilicon overlapping area in the relevant working area of the transistor is reduced and the base current ideality is improved.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a device for crimping a stent onto a balloon of a balloon catheter. The stent is arranged on the balloon so that an outside surface of the balloon and an inside surface of the stent contact each other to form a combination of balloon and stent. The combination is compressed to crimp the stent onto the balloon. The invention is distinguished in that the combination is compressed to varying degrees along the longitudinal axis of the combination.

Abstract: A decorative electrical switch actuator (50, 150) acts in combination with a conventional light switch (10) having a toggle switch arm (12) mounted in a base such that when the toggle switch arm pivots from a first position to a second position, electrical contacts in the base are moved from a contacting condition to a non-contacting condition or vice versa. The decorative switch actuator has a face plate (52), an actuating assembly (54), and a cap assembly (56, 156). The actuating assembly is mounted on the face plate, and has a means (106) for receiving the toggle switch arm such that a linear movement of the receiving means moves the toggle switch arm from the first to the second position or vice versa. The cap assembly (56, 156) is mounted on the face plate, and is structurally independent of the actuator.

Abstract: A center beam car has a main deck structure extending laterally from a main center sill, a laterally extending top truss structure, and a central vertically oriented web work structure for carrying vertical shear loads between the top truss and the center sill and decking. The center beam so formed defines bunks upon in which to carry cargo. The upper region of the web-work structure includes a deep upper beam structure that has downwardly extending skirts. The skirts provide an extended bearing area upon against which bundled loads can be secured. The skirts are inwardly reinforced to discourage deflection between adjacent upright members of the vertical web work.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac pacemaker (1) comprising a control device (2) including a position detector connected to a movement sensor, wherein the position detector has a classification device (23) for recognizing short movements. Preferably the position detector has a memory device (25).

Abstract: A high-voltage oscillating circuit (I) is connected in parallel with an auxiliary circuit-breaker (Ba) by firing a switching spark gap (SGhv) and the oscillating current (ihv) is superimposed on the high-current (ihc) with opposite polarity just before the high-current zero crossing. The spark gap (SGhc) is fired at the artificial current zero, causing: short-circuiting of the high-current source (a), series connection of the high-voltage oscillating circuit with the test circuit-breaker (Bt), oscillating current from the auxiliary circuit-breaker is transferred with constant parameters to the test circuit-breaker there—in following the eliminated high current. Transient high voltage follows the zero crossing of the synthetic current continuously.

Abstract: An electrically active medical implant has a circuit (5), at least one first battery (1) to supply low current, and a second battery (2) to supply high current into the circuit (5), and a control device (4) designed to disconnect the at least one first battery (1) from circuit (5), and to connect second battery (2) to circuit (5), where a capacitor (3) connected in a parallel arrangement with battery (1), where the capacitor can be charged by the first battery both during a first circuit status, during which the first battery is connected to circuit (5), and during a second circuit status, during which circuit (5) is connected only to second battery (2), where control device (4) again disconnects second battery (2) from circuit (5) at the end of the second circuit status, and connects the parallel arrangement consisting of first battery (1) and capacitor (3) to circuit (5) for further energy supply.

Abstract: A device for the therapy of supraventricular and ventricular bradycardial and tachycardial disrhythmias and/or for influencing the heart pumping force, including: electrodes for electrical and/or magnetic stimulation of parasympathetic nerves which innervate the sinus node, the atria, the atrioventricular node or the ventricles; electrodes for electrical and/or magnetic stimulation of the atria and ventricles and/or for ventricular cardioversion/defibrillation; a device for producing electrical and/or magnetic stimulation pulses which are passed to the electrodes; and a device for detecting the rate at which the human atria and ventricles beat, wherein said device measures atrial and ventricular contractions.

Abstract: The invention concerns an instrument for medical purposes, comprising a housing (8) which can be introduced into an animal or human body, a movably mounted electromagnetic or acoustic transducer unit (7) arranged in the housing (8), preferably in the distal end thereof, for producing electromagnetic or acoustic waves, in particular ultrasonic waves, and a drive (1, 2) for driving the transducer unit (7), wherein the transducer unit (7) is connected to at least one first contact element (9a) and arranged on the housing (8) is at least one second contact element (8a, 8b; 12a through 12j) provided for sliding contact with the first contact element (9a), wherein the first and second contact elements (9a and 8a, 8b; 12a through 12j) jointly form a radial mounting for the transducer unit (7).

Abstract: A process for the production of contacts for electrically operated II/VI semiconductor structures (for example laser diodes). The contact materials palladium and gold hitherto used in relation to electrically operated II/VI semiconductor lasers are distinguished by a relatively great, not purely ohmic specific contact resistance in relation to the II/VI cover layer. The consequentially necessary higher operating voltages result in the unnecessary generation of heat and thus substantially accelerate degradation of the entire laser structure. That effect causes a limitation in terms of the service life of II/VI semiconductor laser diodes. The invention permits the operation of semiconductor laser diodes with lower operating voltages. The II/VI semiconductor laser diodes produced with our invention are distinguished by a longer service life. That permits inter alia commercial use of semiconductor laser diodes in the blue-green spectral range.

Abstract: A rail road car has a deck for carrying wheeled vehicles. The car has deck access fittings mounted between the trucks near a collapsible hitch to provide access to the highway trailer landing gear crank, and flush mounted internal bridge plates. The rail road car has side sills having flared ends to act as a guide for the highway trailers as they are backed up. The hitch is trimmed to a relatively narrow width to lessen the likelihood of fouling the tyres of the highway trailer bogies. The car has intermediate bridge plates having a flush mounted portion to facilitate hostler truck operation. The car includes dual use cross-beams suitable for supporting the deck, acting as jacking beams to permit the car to be lifted, and as container pedestal support beams, if required.

Abstract: This invention relates to a portable illumination device (1) for the production of light effects, with a carrier (3) and a light-emitting device (2) operated with an open flame and connectable to this carrier. Carrier (3) comprises a handle (4) essentially designed as a hollow cylinder, which carries a shield-type flame protector (5) at one end. The light-emitting device is a gas lighter (2) arranged inside handle (4).

Abstract: A center beam car has a main deck structure extending laterally from a main center sill, a laterally extending top truss structure, and a central vertically oriented central beam structure. The center beam so formed defines bunks upon which to carry cargo. The upper region of the web-work structure includes a top chord mounted to run between two end bulkheads. The deck has a central portion and end portions. The end portions of the deck are carried at a greater height than the center portion, the difference in height corresponding to the height of a bundle of lumber. The car has a center sill having a depth corresponding to the depth of the step in the deck. The end portion of the center sill has an internal plate defining a draft gear pocket upper wall. The medial portion of the center sill is narrower than the end portion, and of deep section, such that it has a high aspect ratio.

Abstract: An auto rack rail road freight car is provided for carrying low density, relatively high value, relatively fragile lading. The car has a relatively soft suspension and an empty vertical bounce natural frequency of less than 2.0 Hz. The car also has additional ballast to increase the dead sprung weight of the car relative to the weight of the lading. In the embodiments in which multi-unit articulated freight cars are employed, such as for auto rack rail cars, the ballast is located preferentially toward the coupler end trucks. The trucks for the railcar have an increased wheel base and damping located to provide a greater moment arm and bearing face to encourage a higher threshold for rail car hunting.

Abstract: A sheet material is useful as a waterproof underlayment for a roof of a structure. The sheet material has upper and lower surfaces and comprises a web of reinforcing mat comprising fire-resistant fibers and a continuous non-porous matrix of water-resistant modified bitumen saturating the web of reinforcing mat, wherein the modified bitumen is self-adhesive.

Abstract: A coil car has a pair of deep side sills and a trough structure mounted to, and suspended between, the deep side sills for carrying coils. The side sills extend between the rail car trucks and act as a pair of deep side beams for carrying vertical loads. The deep side sills are arranged to extend above and below the center sill of the coil car to give vertical stiffness to the coil car. The top chord members of the side sills are outwardly splayed relative to the bottom chord members of the side sills. Cross-bearers extend outwardly and away from the center sill to attach to the side sills. The trough structure has three parallel, longitudinally extending troughs—a central trough lying between two laterally outboard outer troughs. Each trough is shaped to cradle steel coils, or other similar loads, between its inwardly and downwardly sloping shoulder plates. The shoulder plates are lined with cushioning to buffer coils during loading or travel.