Abstract: A corona discharge ignition system comprising a plurality of corona igniters is provided. The system includes a control and drive electronics unit for directing the energy from a power supply toward the corona igniters; and a single transformer disposed between the control and drive electronics unit and the plurality of corona igniters. A plurality of igniter switching units is connected to the control and drive electronics unit and each igniter switching unit is connected to a separate one of the corona igniters. Each igniter switching unit allows current to travel from the transformer to the one connected corona igniter when activated and prevents current from traveling from the transformer to the one connected corona igniter and from the one connected corona igniter toward the transformer when deactivated. Only one of the igniter switching units is activated at any given time during operation of the system.

Abstract: A static gasket and method of construction thereof is provided. The gasket includes a functional layer constructed of one type of metal having an opening bounded by an inner periphery an outer periphery. The gasket further includes a carrier layer constructed of a different metal than the functional layer. The carrier layer has an opening bounded by an inner periphery configured to receive the outer periphery of the functional layer in a line-to-line or loose fit. The functional layer is configured in substantially coplanar relation with the carrier layer with a first portion of the outer periphery of the functional layer being welded to a radially aligned first portion of the inner periphery of the carrier layer. A second portion of the outer periphery of the functional layer remains detached from a radially aligned second portion of the inner periphery of the carrier layer.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for measuring the light gap tightness of a piston ring, that is provided with a joint and produced so as to be non-round by clamping the open piston ring, while substantially closing the joint, by way of an accessory device in the circumferential direction, and by exerting a defined force in the region of at least one of the joint ends of the piston ring in the direction of a wall of the accessory device, wherein optical means are used to establish whether the joint region of the piston ring which is subjected to the action of the force is seated against the wall of the accessory device in a light-tight manner.

Abstract: A piston ring for sealing a cylinder wall to a piston body is provided. The piston ring includes a ring body of an elastically deformable material which extends substantially circumferentially around an axis and has an inner face that faces the axis. The inner face includes a plurality of axially spaced and radially inwardly extending contact features. The ring body configured to bias the contact features into engagement with the piston body to establish a seal therebetween. At least one of the contact features extends substantially continuously around a circumference for establishing a substantially continuous seal around the piston body, and at least one of the contact features is non-continuous and has at least one recessed area for allowing the passage of oil and gas therethrough.

Abstract: An igniter (20) includes an outer insulator (24) formed of an outer ceramic material hermetically sealed to a conductive core (26). The conductive core (26) is formed of a core ceramic material and a conductive component, such as an electrically conductive coating applied to the core ceramic material or metal particles or wires embedded in the core ceramic material. The conductive core (26) is typically sintered and disposed in the green outer insulator (24). The components are then sintered together such that the outer insulator (24) shrinks onto the conductive core (26) and the hermetic seal forms therebetween. The conductive core (26) fills the outer insulator (24), so that the conductive core (26) is disposed at an insulator nose end (34) of the outer insulator (24) and the electrical discharge (22) can be emitted from the conductive core (26), eliminating the need for a separate firing tip.

Abstract: In a process for producing a lead-free sliding bearing material, a material which is based on copper and contains iron and phosphorous is atomized to form a powder.

Abstract: The invention provides a low tension piston ring having a finished outer diameter and negligible tangential tension. The method includes the steps of machining a stock bar to an initial outer diameter slightly greater than the finished outer diameter of the piston ring, finishing the initial outer diameter of the stock bar to a rounded profile having a nominal diameter equal to the finished outer diameter, and machining the stock bar to the preferred cross-section. Dykes-type piston rings can have keystone or semi-keystone shaped cross-sections. The method continues by detaching the piston ring from the stock bar using a parting tool in response to completing all tension inducing operations including the steps recited above. The method continues with the steps of lapping the piston ring to a final longitudinal thickness and cutting the piston ring longitudinally to form a final gap.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wear-resistant layer, which is preferably used on piston rings for internal combustion engines. The wear-resistant layer comprises: 15-25% by weight iron (Fe), 10-25% by weight tungsten carbide (WC), 30-40% by weight chromium (Cr), 10-25% by weight nickel (Ni), 10-25% by weight molybdenum (Mo), 1-10% by weight carbon (C), 0.1-2% by weight silicon (Si), wherein Cr is present in elemental form and/or as a carbide in the form of Cr2C3. A method for applying the wear resistant layer and a piston ring having such a wear resistant layer are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present application relates to a sliding element, in particular a piston ring, having at least one sliding surface which has a coating which has, from the inside outwards, a metal-containing bonding layer and a DLC layer, where the DLC layer is an amorphous hydrogen-free diamond-like carbon layer which has a DLC main layer which extends from the bonding layer to an adjoining DLC covering layer and has a carbon content of more than about 98.5 at %, oxygen and/or hydrogen and/or nitrogen in a proportion of in each case less than about 0.5 at % and an sp2/sp3 ratio of the carbon in the range from about 1 to about 3, and a DLC covering layer which extends from the DLC main layer to the surface of the sliding element and has a lower carbon content and/or higher oxygen content and/or higher hydrogen content compared to the main layer and also metals and/or metal oxides and an sp2/sp3 ratio of the carbon in the range from about 1 to about 3.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sliding element, in particular a piston ring, having at least one running surface. The running surface comprises a coating, which from the inside to the outside has at least one first adhesive layer, a hard hydrogen-free DLC layer, a second adhesive layer, a soft hydrogen-containing, metal and/or metal carbide-containing DLC layer, which is softer than the hard hydrogen-free DLC layer, and a hard hydrogen-containing DLC layer, which is harder than the soft hydrogen-containing, metal and/or metal carbide containing DLC layer.

Abstract: A spark plug (24) of an internal combustion engine is provided with an integrated capacitor feature to increase the intensity of its spark. The capacitor feature is formed by applying metallic film (62, 64) to the inner (30) and outer surfaces of a tubular insulator (26). The insulator (26) forms a dielectric and sustains an electrical charge when an electrical differential is established between the inner (64) and outer (62) metallic films. The stored electrical charge is discharged with the firing of a spark. The metallic films can be applied as a paint or ink directly to the surfaces of the insulator (26), or can be mixed with a glazing compound to form conductive coatings simultaneous with the glazing operation. Ganged (62?) or serpentine (62?) micro-plates can be formed within either or both of the inner and outer metallic films to increase the charge-carrying surface area.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tool for machining sliding surfaces of a bearing shell (30), comprising a rotary drive for driving a drilling spindle (20) that can be rotated about a rotational axis and at least one first cutting cartridge that is mounted on the drilling spindle (20) in order to cut the bearing shell (30) to a certain wall thickness by rotating the drilling spindle (20). The tool is characterized in that the first cutting cartridge can be adjusted by an adjustment means in a direction of adjustment that has a component in the radial direction of the drilling spindle, while the drilling spindle (20) is rotated by the rotary drive. The invention further relates to a bearing shell (30) comprising a deliberately structured sliding surface (31) and to a method for producing a bearing shell (30) comprising a deliberately structured sliding surface (31).

Abstract: A windscreen wiper device is provided. The windscreen wiper device includes an elongated wiper strip of a flexible material for sealing against the windshield and at least one elongated groove. At least one flexible and elongated carrier element is disposed in the at least one groove of the wiper strip for biasing the wiper strip into a predetermined configuration when in a relaxed state. The at least one carrier element presents at least one upwardly facing curve and at least one downwardly facing curve when in a relaxed state.

Abstract: A multi-layer cylinder head gasket is provided. The cylinder head gasket includes a plurality of layers of material, each of the layers has a plurality of openings including at least one cylinder bore opening and at least one pushrod opening. Each of the layers has an edge which surrounds the at least one pushrod opening, and the pushrod openings of the layers are aligned axially with one another. An eyelet extends axially in each of the pushrod openings and covers the edges of the layers for protecting a pushrod extending through the respective pushrod opening. The eyelet is made of a material that is softer than the material of the plurality of layers.

Abstract: A ball joint assembly includes a ball stud, a generally cylindrical bearing, a housing and a retainer which retains the bearing in the housing. The generally cylindrical bearing has an upper end, a lower end, a generally cylindrical exterior sidewall, an upper flange located between the upper end and a ring groove formed in the exterior sidewall, a lower flange proximate the lower end and extending outwardly from the exterior sidewall and a socket cavity that opens toward the lower end. The ball portion of the ball stud is engaged in and retained within the socket cavity. The bearing is secured within the housing in a bore within the housing by virtue of the working of the lower flange which is located within a counterbore of the housing and the upper flange and retainer located in the ring groove. Ball joints of the type described are able to resist a pull-out force of greater than 650 lbs and up to about 1200 lbs.

Abstract: The present application relates to a sliding element, in particular a piston ring, having a coating (10) on a substrate (12), which forms at least one sliding surface of the sliding element. The coating (10) has, from the inside outwards, a carbide or nitride layer (16), then a carbide-containing (preferably PVD-) TLC layer (17), then a metal-free PVD-TLC layer (22) and then a metal-free PACVD-TLC layer (18).

Abstract: A self-wrapping nonwoven sleeve for routing and protecting elongate members and method of construction thereof is provided. The sleeve includes a non-woven wall having a thickness extending between inner and outer sides. The wall has opposite edges extending along a length of the sleeve between opposite ends. The opposite edges are biased into a self-wrapped configuration by heat-set material of the nonwoven wall to define a tubular cavity. The non-woven wall includes first and second portions extending between the opposite edges. The first portion and second portion have respective first and second thicknesses extending between the inner and outer sides, wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness and wherein the first portion provides flexibility to the wall and the second portion is heat set to bias the wall into its self-wrapped configuration.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sliding element with a substrate and at least one layer of a sliding layer material applied onto the substrate. The sliding layer material can consist of an antifriction lacquer comprising at least one cross-linkable binder or at least one high-melting thermoplast material or of a material that contains a matrix of at last one high-melting thermoplast material or at least one duroplast material. Said sliding layer material contains Fe2O3 with a preferred fraction of 0.1 to 15 vol. %.

Abstract: A windscreen wiper device of the flat blade type comprising an elastic, elongated carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade of a flexible material having one groove, in which groove a longitudinal strip of the carrier element is disposed. Free ends of the wiper blade are connected to a respective connecting piece. The wiper blade is provided with a spoiler and at least one connecting piece having an internal reinforcement rib connecting lateral sides of the connecting piece. The spoiler is removed along a portion of the length of the wiper blade at a free end of the wiper blade facing the connecting piece. In the mounted position the internal transverse reinforcement rib; abuts the spoiler.

Abstract: CuFe2P is used in a plain bearing or as a plain bearing material. A plain bearing composite material which comprises a supporting layer is provided with a bearing metal layer based on CuFe2P.