Abstract: A system and a method for controlling the quality of an industrial process, of the type that comprises the steps of: providing one or more reference signals for the industrial process; acquiring one or more real signals that are indicative of the quality of said industrial process; and comparing said one or more reference signals with said one or more real signals in order to identify defects in said industrial process.

Abstract: The method comprises the steps of: storing a curve or characteristic of torque transmitted by the friction clutch as a function of the position of the clutch, calculating a desired value of the torque to be transmitted by means of the clutch, and modifying the position of the clutch so as to bring it to the position to which the desired transmitted torque value corresponds according to the stored curve or characteristic, upon the occurrence of predetermined operative conditions, estimating the value of the torque transmitted by the clutch, by means of an algorithm, as a function of the detected instantaneous values of the torque delivered and of the angular velocity of the shaft of the engine, and detecting the corresponding instantaneous position or estimate position of the clutch, and then modifying the previously stored curve or characteristic in accordance with predetermined procedures in dependence on the difference between the estimated value of the torque transmitted and that value of the torque tra

Abstract: The control system comprises detectors or estimators capable of supplying electrical signals or data indicative of the values of predetermined state variables including the angular velocity of the crankshaft of the engine, the difference between this angular velocity and the angular velocity of the primary shaft of the gearbox, and the torque delivered by the engine crankshaft and the torque transmitted by the friction clutch; calculating devices capable of supplying signals indicating the errors between the values of the state variables and respective reference values; filter devices capable of incrementing, within a predetermined frequency band, the relative weight selectively of the error of angular velocity of the crankshaft of the engine, and of the error of the abovementioned difference of angular velocity; processing devices capable of generating, in accordance with predetermined transfer functions, output signals or data indicating a torque partial value or contribution to be delivered by the engin

Abstract: The system allows the generation and distribution of energy on board a motor vehicle provided with a propulsion unit, a tank for fuel at least one distribution network or line for electric energy, electrical energy generation devices connected to the at least one distribution network or line, and a plurality of selectively activatable electrical utilizer devices or apparatus connected or connectable to the at least one distribution network or line. The electrical energy generator devices includes (at least) a microcombustor electricity generator matrix or battery connected to the fuel tank, and a supervision and control unit associated with this generator matrix or battery and coupled to the distribution network or line and arranged to control the operation of the generator matrix or battery in a predetermined manner as a function of the electrical power required or consumed by the network or line.

Abstract: A light concentrator is described, for a device for the conversion of solar radiation into electrical, thermal or chemical energy, capable of conveying the radiation towards a surface of the conversion device. The concentrator comprises at least one portion of Fresnel lens of rotational symmetry, one face of which has a plurality of crests disposed concentrically about a center so as to form a segmented transverse profile of the portion of Fresnel lens. The profile is formed in such a manner that the focal distance of the Fresnel lens is variable in dependence on the radial distance from the center of the lens. The variation of the focal distance is determined such that, when the Fresnel lens is illuminated by polychromatic radiation, the superposition of the distributions of irradiance, produced by the lens at the individual wavelengths constituting the spectrum of the incident radiation, generates a substantially uniform distribution of polychromatic irradiance on the conversion device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical biosensor comprising a porous matrix. In the specific case, reference is made to anodized porous alumina, on the surface of which the biological component specific for the analyte in question is immobilized, and to an optical-signal detector connected to said matrix. The present patent further relates to a biosensor having the porous matrix and the optical detector integrated in a single structure, in particular to biosensors with porous matrix other than porous alumina, for example porous silicon.

Abstract: A system with a multifunctional integrated visual sensor using a CMOS or CCD technology matrix having a sensitive area divided into Sub-areas dedicated to a series of specific functions.

Abstract: The transmission comprises a gearbox having first and second input shafts coaxial to one another, wherein the second input shaft carries driving gearwheels associated to the even gears (second, fourth and sixth) and to the highest gear (sixth or seventh); and a clutch unit having first and second dry friction clutches arranged to couple a drive shaft of the motor vehicle respectively to the first and second input shafts of the gearbox. The first friction clutch associated to the first input shaft is normally disengaged, whereas the second friction clutch associated to the second input shaft is normally engaged.

Abstract: A powertrain control system for management and supervision of engine and servo-assisted gearbox control modules is arranged for determining the power to be applied to the drive wheels of the vehicle as a function of signals indicative of commands imparted by the driver, of the engine and gearbox state parameters and of possible requirements from the engine and gearbox control modules and supplementary on board vehicle traction/drive control systems; calculating data indicative of the torque to be delivered at the engine drive shaft, the torque transmissible by the clutch and the required transmission ratio, as a function of the determined value of the power to be applied to the drive wheels, of the state parameters and of the requirements of the engine and gearbox control modules and the traction/drive control systems; and transmitting the calculated data as signals to the engine and gearbox control modules.

Abstract: The control system including four actuating forks, each associated to one or two gears and having a first engagement member, and a first hydraulically-operated actuator for controlling engagement of all gears. The first hydraulically-operated actuator includes: a shaft provided with four second engagement members for engagement each with a respective first engagement member of the actuating forks and arranged to turn about and translate along its axis; a cylinder coaxial to the shaft and arranged only to translate in the direction of its axis; and a pin drivingly connected either to the shaft or the cylinder and engaging in an S-shape groove provided either in the cylinder or shaft, respectively, so as to link the rotational and translational movements of the shaft with the translational movement of the cylinder. A second hydraulically-operated actuator is arranged to lock or release selectively the translational movement of the cylinder.

Abstract: A method for controlling the quality of an industrial process, of the type that comprises the steps of: providing one or more reference signals for the industrial process; acquiring one or more real signals that are indicative of the quality of said industrial process; and comparing said one or more reference signals with said one or more real signals in order to identify defects in said industrial process.

Abstract: A system for controlling the quality of industrial processes including the steps of: having one or more reference signals relating to the industrial process, acquiring one or more real signals which are indicative of the quality of said industrial process, obtaining a transformed signal from the reference signal, obtaining a transformed signal from the real signal, calculating energies of the transformed reference and real signals, comparing the one or more reference signals to the one or more real signals to identify defects in the industrial process. Also, the comparing step includes: comparing the energies of the transformed reference and real signals to each other to extract corresponding time frequency distributions for selected frequency values, calculating energies of the time frequency distributions, and comparing the energies of the time frequency distributions with threshold values to identify energy values associated to defects.

Abstract: A method for controlling the quality of industrial processes, of the type comprising the steps of: making available one or more reference signals relating to the industrial process acquiring one or more real signals, indicative of the quality of said industrial process, comparing said one or more reference signal to said one or more real signals to identify defects in said industrial process. Said method further includes the operations of: obtaining a real part and an imaginary part from said reference signal; obtaining a real part and an imaginary part from said real signal; computing said real part first comparison dimensions between and said imaginary part from said reference signal; computing second comparison dimensions between said real part and said imaginary part from said real signal; comparing said first comparison dimensions and second comparison dimensions to obtain time location information associated to the presence of defects.

Abstract: A lock device which includes a bolt actuated by a flexible shape memory element. The memory element can assume an extended or a shortened configuration as a result of heating. A constraining element which includes two points between which an intermediate portion of the shape memory extends is also provided. The two points belong to a moveable transmission element which moves when the shape memory element extends. As a result, a controlled element is moved from between an operating position and a non-operating position.

Abstract: A magnetic pressure sensing device for rotatably moving parts, of the type including at least one magnetic field source element associated with the rotatably moving part and a magnetic field sensing element associated to a fixed part to measure parameters of a magnetic field determined by the magnetic field source element, the parameters of the magnetic field being a function of the pressure applied to the rotatably moving part. The magnetic field source element includes a device for rotating around at least one axis the direction of the magnetic field as a function of the pressure applied to the rotatably moving part.

Abstract: The wheel device including a shaft, a reversible rotary electrical machine mounted coaxially about the shaft, an energy storage device coupled to the electrical machine, an electronic control unit for controlling the electrical machine and the energy storage device according to predetermined methods, and solar energy converters connected to at least one lateral portion of the wheel to convert the incident solar energy into electrical energy, and connectable to the energy storage device.

Abstract: A control system including: first and second actuator devices for controlling the engagement of first and second sets of gears by selection and engagement movements, respectively; a first solenoid valve arranged to put the first or the second actuator device alternatively into communication with a fluid supply; a second solenoid valve arranged to control the selection movements of the actuator device which is in communication with the fluid supply; a distributor interposed between the fluid supply and the actuator devices and displaceable under the control of the first solenoid valve between a first position in which it puts the fluid supply into communication with the first actuator device and a second position in which it puts the fluid supply into communication with the second actuator device; third and fourth proportional pressure solenoid valves arranged to control the engagement movements of the actuator device which is in communication with the fluid supply.

Abstract: The invention describes a system with a multifunctional integrated visual sensor using a CMOS or CCD technology matrix having a sensitive area divided into sub-areas dedicated to a series of specific functions.

Abstract: The system includes at least one transmission belt for coupling the shafts of auxiliary devices to a pulley which can be coupled for operation to the shaft of the combustion engine, and an electromagnetically operated clutch between this pulley and the shaft of the engine. An overrunning clutch is interposed between the pulley and the shaft of the engine. The clutch is normally disengaged and de-energized. The pulley has a hub fitted on an extension of the shaft of the engine with the interposition of the overrunning clutch, and has a channel-shaped cross section with a concavity facing the internal combustion engine. The electromagnetically operated clutch comprises a winding which is fixed to the engine and which extends into the concavity of the pulley, and a ferromagnetic ring carried in an axially translatable way by a support element fixed with respect to rotation to the extension of the shaft of the engine.

Abstract: On-off valve intended to be arranged at the outlet of the gas accumulation reservoir in an electronic gas injection system for an internal combustion engine, presenting a valve member made of metallic material, co-operating with a valve seat made in a body, which is also made of metallic material, to ensure the good quality of tightness in all operative temperature and pressure conditions, with prolonged reliability in time.