Abstract: This invention relates to a polymer-clay nanocomposite having an improved gas permeability comprising (i) a melt-processible matrix polymer, and incorporated therein (ii) a layered clay material intercalated with a mixture of at least two organic cations. The invention also relates to processes for preparing a nanocomposite and articles produced from a nanocomposite.

Abstract: Bale collector comprising a roller bed with a number of horizontal rollers, which are positioned at right angles to a direction of travel and which are suitable for receiving thereon successive bales from a press outlet of a baling press and for having bales pushed backwards onto each other, whereby the roller bed comprises, viewed in the direction of travel, a front part and a rear part, which can swivel about a horizontal axis under control of control means which are coupled to the roller bed parts for moving a rear end of the rear roller bed part between an upper position at a height which allows conveyance of the rear end of the rear part of a bale over the rear part and from the rear part onto the ground, and a lower position of the rear end of the rear part at a height in which the rear part is inclined downwards with respect to the front part for allowing expedited conveyance of the bale from the rear part onto the ground.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing (folding) cartons or for closing the same by applying adhesive strips (13) to folding flaps (11) during an upward movement of the cartons (10) by a closing conveyor (21), the closed cartons (10) being transferred in the region of an upper transfer station (33) to a removal conveyor (22) and defective cartons (43), previously detected by monitoring, being able to be conveyed past the removal conveyor (22) into the region of a transfer station for such defective cartons (43).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for the production of a single-piece woven garment which can be converted into a full-body garment, similar to an overall or a hospital gown, using a minimum number of seams and a minimum amount of cutting. The garment is made a two-dimensional fabric, with the various parts produced as a single piece. Additionally, the garment can include an integrated infrastructure component for collecting, processing, transmitting and receiving information, giving it intelligence capability.

Abstract: An ink-jet printer several pixels lying, for example, on different image lines are formed essentially simultaneously by sending the necessary ink droplets to the appropriate pixels and by intercepting the ink droplets not required. In order to prevent ink droplets which are sent to different pixels from influencing each other, the invention provides for the ink droplets which are sent to a pixel to be distributed essentially homogeneously over the series of ink droplets.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for controlling the quantum state probability distribution of one quantum object of a pair of entangled quantum objects, which include providing a pair of entangled quantum objects, each of these objects having a uniform quantum state probability distribution, providing a system for controlling the quantum state probability distribution of the one quantum object by using the controlling system to choose the probability distribution of the observable quantum states of the other quantum object of the pair of entangled quantum objects, using the controlling system to choose the probability distribution of the quantum states of the other quantum object, choosing whether to observe the quantum state of the other quantum object, and subsequently observing the quantum state of the one quantum object of the pair of correlated quantum objects to determine if the prepared quantum state probability distribution of the one quantum object has been altered by an observation of the quantum

Abstract: The leading edges of wings, nose assemblies, tails, fins, struts, and other components of aircraft, atmospheric entry vehicles and missiles in which the leading edge is blunted and the flight Mach number is supersonic, are provided with passive airflow channel, resulting in significantly reduced wave drag and total drag, significantly increased lift-to-drag ratio, and reduced sonic boom.

Abstract: The invention relates to a roller vane pump suitable for pumping transmission fluid in an automatic transmission for motor vehicles. The pump is provided with a pump housing (2), a rotatable carrier (3) being located in the interior of the pump housing (2), a cam ring (5) surrounding the carrier (3) in radial direction, and roller elements (7) being provided in slots (6) in the carrier periphery. The spaces between the pump housing (2), the carrier (3), the cam ring (5) and the roller elements (7) define a number of pump chambers (8). Furthermore, the pump is provided with feed apertures (9) for allowing a flow of fluid to a pump chamber (8) and with discharge apertures (10) for allowing a flow of fluid from a pump chamber (8). According to the invention constructional measurements are taken to avoid the occurrence of cavitation and to obtain higher pump efficiency.

Abstract: The invention relates to a roller vane pump suitable for pumping transmission fluid in an automatic transmission for motor vehicles. The pump is provided with a pump housing (2), a rotatable carrier (3) being located in the interior of the pump housing (2), a cam ring (5) surrounding the carrier (3) in radial direction, and roller elements (7) being provided in slots (6) in the carrier periphery. The spaces between the pump housing (2), the carrier (3), the cam ring (5) and the roller elements (7) define a number of pump chambers (8). Furthermore, the pump is provided with feed apertures (9) for allowing a flow of fluid to a pump chamber (8) and with discharge apertures (10) for allowing a flow of fluid from a pump chamber (8). According to the invention constructional measurements are taken to avoid the occurrence of cavitation and to obtain higher pump efficiency.

Abstract: An eraser for use on an electronic whiteboard with a protrusion area on the erasing surface forming a convex area on the erasing surface for establishing a positive point of contact with the whiteboard; an electronic whiteboard system including such an eraser, a controller for storing data relating to information written on and erased from the whiteboard data, and a filter for preventing the storage of digital data relating to contacts with the whiteboard not attributable to normal writing or erasing actions.

Abstract: A plasma pinch having an inner/outer coaxial tube arrangement, which nested tube arrangement yields a higher-performance pinchlamp than is capable with a single-tube configuration. Further, each tube contains a separate gas, the inner tube filled with Argon, and the outer tube filled with Helium. The inner/outer coaxial tube arrangement of the present invention facilitates the use of an inner tube to contain a volume of Argon gas as the working gas. The outer tube is coaxial with the inner tube, surrounding the inner tube with contained Helium gas. The configuration of an outer tube filled with Helium presents external pressures to the inner tube. The contained Helium gas in the outer tube, among other things, compresses and supports the walls of the inner tube, enabling the inner tube to be smaller in diameter than prior art plasma chambers, which chambers would shatter if made with as small a diameter as the present inner tube.

Abstract: A method for determining blood glucose levels by measuring the glucose concentration in the ocular aqueous humor using optical refractometry by passing laser light the aqueous ocular humor, measuring the laser light's optical refractivity, and comparing the refractivity with known data, the comparison yielding the blood glucose level.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for producing cigarette packs (10) which are provided with a band (13) which butts against the outside of the packs and is fastened by glue. The band (13), which is positioned on the cigarette pack (10) and glued, is pressed onto the cigarette pack (10) by a pressure-exerting subassembly (26), heat being transmitted by a heated pressure-exerting member (29) for the purpose of setting the glue.

Abstract: A process for controlling and thus predicting the microstructural bias of multi-phase composites to obtain preferential positioning of the component compounds in their morphology and position in the resulting microstructure to cause the grains of a first phase either to locate at the grain boundaries of a second phase, or to be homogeneously distributed in the second phase using both conventional manually mixing and advanced self-propagating high-temperature processing technologies. A process whereby a lower cost composite material performs comparably to a more expensive monolithic nature of higher performance material by causing the higher performance first phase grains to preferentially locate at the grain boundaries of the second phase during densification/fusing. A process to optimize the performance properties by preferentially biasing the microstructure to cause the phase which intrinsically has the preferred properties to influence and enhance the desired properties of the bulk composite material.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for separating condensable substances from gases or gas mixtures with the use of porous materials including the steps of employing as adsorbents substances or materials suitable for capillary condensation and cyclically performing the method. The method can be used to separate water from air. The porous materials have a pore structure adapted to the environmental or climatic conditions present at the site of utilization of the method. The step of cyclically performing the method can be performing a plurality of times in succession separation by capillary condensation of the condensable substances in the porous materials and desorption of the condensed substances from the porous materials.

Abstract: A stream conditioning system for a fuel cell gas management system or fuel cell engine. The stream conditioning system manages species potential in at least one fuel cell reactant stream. A species transfer device is located in the path of at least one reactant stream of a fuel cell's inlet or outlet, which transfer device conditions that stream to improve the efficiency of the fuel cell. The species transfer device incorporates an exchange media and a sorbent. The fuel cell gas management system can include a cathode loop with the stream conditioning system transferring latent and sensible heat from an exhaust stream to the cathode inlet stream of the fuel cell; an anode humidity retention system for maintaining the total enthalpy of the anode stream exiting the fuel cell related to the total enthalpy of the anode inlet stream; and a cooling water management system having segregated deionized water and cooling water loops interconnected by means of a brazed plate heat exchanger.

Abstract: Tray packs (12) are packs made of cardboard or the like which are open at the top and have side walls, namely longitudinal walls (13, 14) and transverse walls (15, 16), of a low height. In order to improve the dimensional stability of the tray pack (12), upright corner supports 925, 26) which are angled in cross section are provided in the region of corners, the height of said corner supports corresponding approximately to the height of the individual packs or articles. A base wall (17) comprises base tabs, namely transverse tabs (18, 19) and longitudinal tabs (20, 21), which correspond, in shape and size, to recesses (29, 30) which are formed above the side walls (13 . . . 16) in conjunction with the corner supports (25, 26). This means that blanks for the tray pack (12) can be produced in a largely waste-free manner from a continuous material web.

Abstract: The invention relates to a roller vane pump suitable for pumping transmission fluid in an automatic transmission for motor vehicles. The pump is provided with a pump housing (2), a rotatable carrier (3) being located in the interior of the pump housing (2), a cam ring (5) surrounding the carrier (3) in radial direction, and roller elements (7) being provided in slots (6) in the carrier periphery. The spaces between the pump housing (2), the carrier (3), the cam ring (5) and the roller elements (7) define a number of pump chambers (8). Furthermore, the pump is provided with feed apertures (9) for allowing a flow of fluid to a pump chamber (8) and with discharge apertures (10) for allowing a flow of fluid from a pump chamber (8). According to the invention constructional measurements are taken to avoid the occurrence of cavitation and to obtain higher pump efficiency.

Abstract: Cigarette pack of the hinge-lid box type, comprising a box part (11) and a lid (12), there being formed, in the bottom region of the box part (11), an opening (25) which can be closed by a closure flap (24) formed as part of a blank of the hinge-lid box. The opening (25) and closure flap (24) extend around the corner in the region of a box rear wall (14) and of a base wall (17). In the region of the opening (25), a chamber (35) is formed within the hinge-lid box in order to accommodate, for example, folded printed carriers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a roller vane pump suitable for pumping transmission fluid in an automatic transmission for motor vehicles. The pump is provided with a pump housing (2), a rotatable carrier (3) being located in the interior of the pump housing (2), a cam ring (5) surrounding the carrier (3) in radial direction, and roller elements (7) being provided in slots (6) in the carrier periphery. The spaces between the pump housing (2), the carrier (3), the cam ring (5) and the roller elements (7) define a number of pump chambers (8). Furthermore, the pump is provided with feed apertures (9) for allowing a flow of fluid to a pump chamber (8) and with discharge apertures (10) for allowing a flow of fluid from a pump chamber (8). According to the invention constructional measurements are taken to avoid the occurrence of cavitation and to obtain higher pump efficiency.