Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint has a housing, a ball pivot (3) mounted pivotably in the housing, and a sealing bellows (1), which is fastened to the housing and is mounted on the ball pivot (3) slidably via a sealing ring (4) provided with two legs (5, 6). A first leg (5) of the two legs (5, 6) is in contact with the ball pivot (3) under tension and the second leg (6) meshes with the wall of the sealing bellows (1). The second leg (6) is, furthermore, fastened in an anchoring ring (7) arranged at least partially in the wall of the sealing bellows (1).

Abstract: A plug-in connector for hollow sections of spacer frames for insulating glass panes with two connector parts which can be plugged together. The connector parts have one of an essentially U-shaped and box-shaped cross section. The connector parts include side walls which are adjacent to each other in a plugged-together position of the two connector parts. A positive-locking connection is arranged on the connector parts and acts on all sides at the side walls.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling operation of an engine coupled to an exhaust treatment catalyst. Under predetermined conditions, the method operates an engine with a first group of cylinders combusting a lean air/fuel mixture and a second group of cylinders pumping air only (i.e., without fuel injection). In addition, the engine control method also provides the following features in combination with the above-described split air/lean mode: idle speed control, sensor diagnostics, air/fuel ratio control, adaptive learning, fuel vapor purging, catalyst temperature estimation, default operation, and exhaust gas and emission control device temperature control. In addition, the engine control method also changes to combusting in all cylinders under preselected operating conditions such as fuel vapor purging, manifold vacuum control, and purging of stored oxidants in an emission control device.

Abstract: A method to determine and control engine torque in an internal combustion engine. The method may significantly reduce torque strategy calculations and the calibration complexity.

Abstract: A method to deliver fuel during a start for an internal combustion engine is described. The method provides individual cylinder fuel control based on the number of fueled cylinder events. The method offers improved engine emissions while maintaining engine run-up performance.

Abstract: A heater diverter valve (20) is provided in an engine cooling system having a radiator and a circulating pump, The valve has a first inlet (31) connected to a heater so that coolant flowing through the engine and then through the heater is returned to the pump return line through the valve via the first inlet and an outlet (33). A second inlet (32) is connected to engine and transmission oil coolers so that coolant which flows from the engine supply line through the coolers is returned to the pump return line via the second inlet and the outlet. The valve includes a shuttle (24) which at lower coolant temperatures closes off the second inlet (32) to prevent coolant flow. The second inlet (32) is opened at higher temperatures when a wax type thermal actuator pushes the shuttle towards the first inlet (31).

Abstract: Various systems and methods are disclosed for carrying out combustion in a fuel-cut operation in some or all of the engine cylinders of a vehicle. Further, various subsystems are considered, such as fuel vapor purging, air-fuel ratio control, engine torque control, catalyst design, and exhaust system design.

Abstract: An ornamental lamp strings assembly is disclosed. It comprises a plurality of lamp strings each unit in one string being composed of an electric conductor, a lamp socket, a lamp holder and a lighting element, and the lamp socket is provided with a slanted support; and a base plate having a drilled hole for fastening to the slanted support of the lamp socket with its inner fringe. With this scheme, each lamp socket is slantly erected on the base plate forming an acute angle with the base plate.

Abstract: A warning device for a respirator product with a valve (11), which comes into action in a state of warning and releases a gas flow. The warning does not hinder the user of the apparatus and only a very small portion of the gas supply carried with the user is used by the warning device. The gas flow is brought into the range of perception of a person via a scent cartridge (9).

Abstract: An anesthetic metering system includes an anesthetic reservoir (1) having an anesthetic reserve (2), which is limited by a flexible material wall and to which pressure is admitted by means of a propellant (3) acting thereon via the wall material. The anesthetic reservoir (1) has a first valve (4), which is in flow connection with the liquid anesthetic reserve (2) and can be inserted into a mounting element (6) of an anesthesia apparatus. The metered release of anesthetic to the anesthesia apparatus takes place via a volumetric nozzle (8). The present invention provides an anesthetic metering device which avoids, on the one hand, the drawbacks of the anesthetic evaporators used previously, which are to be refilled with anesthetics at the workplace, and makes possible the refilling of the anesthetic reservoir (1) at the anesthetic manufacturer, on the other hand.

Abstract: A method for the synchronous control of a plurality of handling devices, such as industrial robots, having a control command to be implemented by controls of the handling devices participating in a synchronization is initiated on a random control and is subsequently further processed therein as a function of the nature of the command.

Abstract: A method to select cylinder and valve operational modes in an internal combustion engine with valves that may be deactivated. A simplified method to select cylinder and valve modes is presented.

Abstract: A method to control valve patterns in a cylinder operating in a multi-stroke cylinder mode. Valves are controlled to improve drivability and emissions.

Abstract: A metering pump made of plastic for the metered dispensing of liquid and/or pasty media from a bottle-like container, can-like container or tube-like container with a follower piston. A pump chamber delivering the medium is connected via a suction valve with the container and has as the pumping member an elastic bellows that forms the pump chamber and is arranged between a dimensionally stable lower housing part and a likewise dimensionally stable upper housing part that is telescopically movable in relation thereto. The upper housing part has the discharge opening, which is connected via a discharge channel and a discharge valve with the pump chamber. The bellows has an upper ring collar sealingly surrounding a ring wall of the upper housing part. The ring wall is provided with a displacement piston that has a smaller diameter and protrudes into the bellows.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a supply unit for accommodating medical instruments. A middle part, which is located at an instrument (12) and is equipped with lateral guide surfaces (3), engages a height-adjustable middle part of the supply unit (1) with side cheeks (2) in an accurately fitting manner. So-called end position sensors (4), e.g., photoelectric cells, which send a signal to an evaluating and control unit when the height-adjustable middle part of the supply unit (1) has been moved upward to the extent that pins (14) arranged there are completely accommodated by complementarily designed pin mounts (15) at the middle part of the instrument (12), are provided at the middle part of the supply unit (1). The evaluating and control unit now releases a plug-type connection for the power supply (6, 7), for the data transmission (8, 9) and for the pneumatic supply (10, 11).

Abstract: An incubator for premature and newborn patients is provided with a heater (6), and a fresh air flow (13) fed in with oxygen metering, characterized in that the incubator has an electrically operated oxygen concentrator (12), and an oxygen sensor (5) for measuring the oxygen concentration in the incubator, wherein the oxygen metering device (7) meters the oxygen released by the oxygen concentrator (12) into the fresh air flow (13) fed into the incubator.

Abstract: A transponder inlay for a document for personal identification is provided which has at least one ID page with a layered construction. The layered construction has a transponder substrate for positioning a transponder unit, and includes a chip unit and an antenna, and two inlay cover layers, which receives the transponder substrate between them. The transponder substrate is formed from a thermoplastic, and the inlay cover layers are made of a foamed plastic.

Abstract: A system is described using a fuel quality sensor or an estimate of fuel volatility for controlling various aspects of engine operation. For example, improved fuel tank leak detection may be achieved using an estimate of fuel volatility obtained from fuel purging operation.

Abstract: A process is provided for obtaining or refreshing the illustration of a printing form, preferably in wet-offset printing. Instead of clearing the illustration over the entire area, the printing form is acted on during the production. For this, a processing agent can act on the printing form in different areas for images. A processing agent preferably acts over the entire area of the printing form, in which case the layer of ink located on the printing form leads to a locally different intensity of the action, corresponding to the illustration of the printing form. Photocatalytic effects are preferably used. A hydrophilization of non-image areas is brought about by irradiation in the presence of water molecules. Since printing ink containing little water lies on the image areas, hydrophilization cannot occur on the image areas. Thus, in spite of the entire-area action on the printing form, an image-related refreshing or obtaining of the illustration is automatically achieved.

Abstract: The invention relates to an internal combustion engine comprising a fuel injector (2) for each cylinder; a fuel injection control unit (4) for controlling fuel injection quantity and a piston (5) in each cylinder whose compression action causes a mixture of air and fuel to be ignited. The engine is further provided with inlet and outlet valves (6, 7) and various sensors (12–16) for measuring various engine operating parameters. During compression ignition mode, the control unit (4) is arranged to select a ?-value from a map stored in the control unit, which value is a function of engine load and engine speed, and to compare the actual ?-value with the selected ?-value; whereby the control unit is arranged to adjust the intake manifold pressure as a function of the difference between the said ?-values in order to obtain the selected ?-value. The invention further relates to a method for operating the engine and a computer readable storage device (4).