Abstract: A pyrotechnical ignition system with integrated ignition circuit for an occupant restraint system for motor vehicles includes electrical components for triggering or communication functions integrated therein, a capacitor arrangement, having a flat non-conductive external surface is used as a substrate or carrier element on which the other components are directly arranged and carried. A conductor structure linking the components can be formed by insertable metal parts that are arranged in the housing and project into the holding chamber in which the capacitor arrangement and the circuit component are arranged, and make contact with contact zones on the upper side of the circuit or the capacitor arrangement.

Abstract: An electrostatic paint atomizer connected to a discharge station at high voltage is supplied, via an isolating conveying line, with individual divided-off quantities of paint enclosed between two pigs from a loading station at the other end of the conveying line. The paint is conveyed by a transport device supplying a thrust medium (compressed air or insulating liquid) to discharge the paint in the discharge station. A reverse transport device operating with compressed air transports the pigs back to the loading station. The length (L) of the conveying line between the loading and the discharge stations and the length (l) of a divided-off quantity of paint, are dimensioned to provide a sufficiently long isolating path (L-l) to avoid a voltage flashover. A continuous supply of paint is achieved with two parallel conveying lines, through which quantities of paint are metered with an offset from each other.

Abstract: An electric connector is connected to an electric wire of a first article, and is to be fitted onto the first article and/or a second article. The contact of the electric connector shall directly contact a conductive part of the second article. To prevent the electric wire or the wired contact from coming of the housing of the connector, a retainer is provided. The electric connector's housing has a receiving groove that is recessed into the front housing face which faces the second article, and that has an open groove end at one housing side face and a closed groove end at another housing side face. A contact is inserted into the receiving groove and includes a connecting part to be connected to the electric wire of the first article and a contacting part which is located closer than the connecting part to the closed groove end and which is to contact the conductive part of the second article.

Abstract: A rechargeable lithium battery includes a lithium-aluminum-manganese alloy negative electrode containing lithium as active material, a positive electrode, and a nonaqueous liquid electrolyte containing a solvent, a solute and at least one additive selected from trialkyl phosphite, trialkyl phosphate, trialkyl borate, dialkyl sulfate and dialkyl sulfite.

Abstract: Two structural components are releasably connected to each other by a clamping mechanism (CM) which engages two interface rings (9, 10) secured to the respective structural component. The clamping mechanism is formed by tensioning elements (5) held together by at least one, preferably two tensioning members such as straps (1, 2). A lock (15) with two hinged tensioning levers (18, 19) hinged at (21) to a mounting (17), holds the tensioning strap or straps releasably together. For this purpose each strap end is journalled by a journal bolt (3, 4) to the respective tensioning lever (18, 19). Locking elements (25, 26, 28, 30) hold the tensioning levers (18, 19) in a locked position. An electromagnetic drive or the like is used to unlock the tension levers for releasing the tensioning strap or straps in a controlled manner without completely opening the ring formed by the clamping mechanism. The position of the journal bolt (3, 4) relative to its tensioning lever (18, 19) is adjustable by an adjustment screw (22).

Abstract: To correct the gray levels or pixel intensities of images provided by a digital infrared camera having a two-dimensional array of detector elements with non-sensitive areas therebetween, correction coefficients respectively allocated to the detector elements are stored in a memory of an image processing system. The gray levels of image pixels are corrected by the respective corresponding correction coefficients. The correction coefficients are progressively updated and improved by means of a dynamic correction process. To distinguish stationary features in a scene being viewed from non-uniformities among the detector elements so that such stationary features do not influence the updating of the correction coefficients, the image of the scene incident on the detector is moved relative to the detector, by means of a microscanner deflecting the image beam incident, on the detector.

Abstract: In a sensor arrangement for sensing temperature and strain, an optical fiber with a Bragg grating therein is arranged on a substrate and embedded in a cover layer. The fiber is initially adhered onto an adhesive carrier, which then positions and applies the fiber onto the substrate. The fiber is point-wise fixed onto the substrate by a binder applied through holes in the adhesive carrier. Next, the carrier is stripped off to leave the fiber on the substrate. A cover layer is applied over the fiber and the substrate. Temperature and strain variations are transmitted from the cover layer into the fiber as non-circularly-symmetrical strains. The strain and temperature can be independently determined using this single sensor, by feeding quasi-depolarized light into the fiber and measuring the overlapping birefringent reflections from the Bragg grating. The full width at half maximum value indicates the temperature, while the Bragg wavelengths indicate the strain and the temperature.

Abstract: A laser beam source and an operating method thereof is provided for a directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) weapon system for defensively countering guided missiles having infrared seeking heads, by directing an infrared laser beam at the guided missile so as to disorient, saturate, or irreversibly destroy the IR detectors and circuitry arranged in the target seeking head. The power, pulse frequency and spectral composition of the laser beam is adjustable and selectable as required to adapt to any particular defensive engagement. To achieve this, the laser beam source comprises an Nd:YAG pumping laser and an optical parametric oscillator including an oscillator crystal arranged in a resonator cavity. The crystal includes a plurality of different periodically polarized crystal zones having different lattice constants. The adjacent zones can be grouped together into selectable crystal zone groups.

Abstract: A further miniaturization of known optoelectronic components with internal screening is not possible. In addition, inhomogeneities occur in the embedding material. Separate screening plates cause additional costs to arise during component assembly. The task is to design an optoelectronic component with a conductor strip element such that screening can be effected without any additional external screening measures. Optoelectronic component with a conductor strip element, with electronic and optoelectronic semiconductor components being arranged on a first conductor strip element area connected to ground and encapsulated by a housing made of thermo- or duroplastic synthetic material. A second conductor strip element area protrudes from the housing and is folded around the housing such that it screens the semiconductor components against electromagnetic interference radiation.

Abstract: A seating space such as an aircraft passenger cabin has rows of seats along an aisle, identified by a row number and a seat location letter. A seat row indicator is arranged on the side flank of the seat back of each aisle seat, at the corner where the side flank and upper edge of the seat back meet. A seat location indicator is arranged at the middle of the upper edge of the seat back of each seat. The row numbers and seat letters are indicated on or in the indicators by paint, printing, engraving, inserts, illumination or tactile indicia. The indicators are conspicuous and easily visible to a passenger standing or walking in the aisle without bending or leaning over. Boarding of the aircraft is facilitated and expedited. Emergency evacuation is assisted by appropriate illumination of the indicators.

Abstract: A roll changer for splicing starting piece and end pieces of material webs to each other in an apparatus for producing hygienic products, includes carriers for web rolls, holding and guiding elements, severing elements and embossing rolls. The starting piece of a new material web can be fixed to an embossing roll. At least one embossing roll can be driven and at least one embossing roll can be moved selectively toward and away from the other embossing roll.

Abstract: A positive active material for sealed alkaline storage batteries is obtainable by subjecting &bgr;-nickel hydroxide, together with at least one additive selected from yttrium, gadolinium, erbium and ytterbium, and oxides, hydroxides, fluorides and chlorides thereof, to an oxidation treatment with an oxidizing agent in an aqueous alkaline solution. The positive active material contains nickel with a valence number in a range from 2.1 to 3.4.

Abstract: To correct the loading moment due to the test bench related frictional losses in the simulation of masses on stationary test benches, a correction circuit (10) is connected to a weather detection device (13) which detects the air pressure (P), humidity (&phgr;) and temperature (T), and calculates the air density (&rgr;) which is transmitted to the correction circuit (10). A loss characteristic function stored in the correction circuit defines the total frictional losses of the test bench, including mechanical friction losses and aerodynamic friction losses which are dependent on the velocity, the weight loading and the air density for a particular test. From the actual existing air density (&rgr;) and/or the actual weight loading of the roller bearings (G), the correction circuit (10) calculates the air frictional losses and the bearing loading losses, which are then combined with the nominal rated rotational moment so that the loading moment is corrected to the extent of the losses.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage alloy, for use in alkaline storage batteries, having a CaCu5-type crystal structure and represented by the compositional formula MmNixCoyMnzMl-z (wherein M represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu); x is a nickel (Ni) stoichiometry and satisfies 3.0≦x≦5.2; y is a cobalt (Co) stoichiometry and satisfies 0≦y≦1.2; z is a manganese (Mn) stoichiometry and satisfies 0.1≦z≦0.9; and the sum of x, y and z satisfies 4.4≦x+y+z≦5.4). The hydrogen storage alloy includes a bulk region having a CaCu5-type crystal structure and a substantially uniform composition and a surface region surrounding said bulk region and having a graded composition. When the sum in percentage of numbers of cobalt (Co) atoms and copper (Cu) atoms present in the surface region is given by a and that in the bulk region by b, the relationship a/b≧1.3 is satisfied.

Abstract: A substance separation structure comprises a base material including a porous material having a continuous hole with an opening of the hole formed on at least one surface, a porous layer, formed to fill up the opening, having a hole smaller than the hole of the base material and a permeable membrane of not more than 1 &mgr;m in thickness formed on at least one surface of the base material formed with the porous layer to selectively permeate ions or neutral elements or molecules, and the surface roughness of at least one surface of the base material formed with the porous layer is not more than 0.3 &mgr;m in Rmax. The surface of the base material is polished with abrasive grains containing a porous material so that the opening of the base material can be filled up with the porous layer, and the permeable membrane is formed by ion plating.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of providing a large semiconductor crystal at a low cost are provided. The apparatus of producing a semiconductor crystal includes a reactor tube having an open end at least one end side, formed of any one material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, and aluminum oxide, or of a composite material with any one material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, boron nitride, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, mullite, and carbon as a base, and having an oxidation-proof or airtight film formed on the surface of the base, a kanthal heater arranged around the reactor tube in the atmosphere, a flange attached at the open end to seal the reactor tube, and a crucible mounted in the reactor tube to store material of a semiconductor crystal. The material stored in the crucible is heated and melted to form material melt. The material melt is solidified to grow a semiconductor crystal.

Abstract: A guide device includes a shaft member and a column. The column has a through hole formed therein and the shaft member penetrates the through hole of the column. A plurality of pockets are formed on an inner circumferential surface of the through hole of the column. The pockets are disposed on a plurality of cross sectional planes that are perpendicular to an axial direction of the column. In each pocket, there are provided an outer race or roller rolling axially on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft member, and a supporting shaft supporting the outer race rotatably. The column is formed of a plurality of splittable members that are divided on cross sectional planes each perpendicular to the axial direction of the column and that pass through a center line of the supporting shaft. The adjacent splittable members are centered by the supporting shaft.

Abstract: In order to fold folded products having sealing flaps with or without mating flaps, such as packaging bags including envelopes with or without self-adhesive glue, the envelopes are moved against a stationary stop and the mating flaps and the sealing flaps are then turned over by suction elements arranged on a mating flap roll and on a sealing flap roll. The mating flap roll, which bears the suction element that turns the mating flaps over, has a radius that is reduced on a part of the roll's circumference that is not equipped with the suction element. The mating flap roll can be locked in such a rotational position, that a folded product not having a mating flap can be moved past this roll to the stationary stop without contacting or virtually without contacting this roll.

Abstract: An aircraft door has a trough substantially closed by an outer planking (21) except for a vent that vents the space enclosed by the trough and the planking to the atmosphere outside of the aircraft. The door also includes a door stiffening door framing that is preferably but not necessarily mounted inside the trough or between a radially inner wall of the trough and an inner door cladding or covering. The trough is formed by a radially inwardly recessed portion of the outer door skin.

Abstract: An etching gas mixture containing CHF3, SF6 and a non-oxidizing gas such as Ar is used as an etching gas mixture for the anisotropic plasma-chemical dry-etching of a silicon nitride layer differentially or selectively relative to a silicon oxide layer. The gas mixture does not contain oxygen, chlorine, bromine, iodine or halides in addition to the above mentioned constituents, so that the process can be carried out in reactor systems equipped with oxidizable electrodes. By adjusting the gas flow rates or composition ratios of CHF3, SF6, and argon in the etching gas mixture, it is possible to adjust the resulting etching selectivity of silicon nitride relative to silicon oxide, and the particular edge slope angle of the etched edge of the remaining silicon nitride layer. A high etch rate for the silicon nitride is simultaneously achieved.