Abstract: A method of making a magnetically loaded pre-impregnated tape uses a drum 1 that is heated and which is associated with a heated bath 2 containing a thermoplastic resin solution. A fiber tape material 4 is fed onto the drum 1 and, just prior to the fiber tape material meeting the periphery of the drum, the fiber tape material 4 is impregnated with an isotropic magnetic particle material 6 to form a pre-impregnated tape 8. The pre-impregnated tape is fed to a heating station where it is bonded with a thermoplastic resin impregnated fiber tow to produce a magnetically loaded composite tape. The heating station includes a rotatably driven heated mandrel (20) having a magnetic field (41, 42) embedded therein to provide the pre-impregnated tape (8) with a desired magnetic configuration.

Abstract: A flywheel for kinetic energy storage and its construction using composite materials. The present invention provides a flywheel assembly having a longitudinal axis and comprising an annular rotor and a rotor support for coupling the rotor to an axial shaft, wherein the rotor comprises fibers in a matrix material, and a ring comprising fibers in a matrix material is mounted on the outer circumference of the rotor support and the rotor is mounted on the outer circumference of the ring, the rotor, rotor support and ring each having longitudinal axes which are coincident with the longitudinal axis of the assembly. The presence of the intermediate ring formed of a composite material assists in the fabrication of the assembly and increases its durability by providing a suitable interface between the rotor and a rotor support.

Abstract: A magnetically loaded composite rotor is formed by providing a mandrel 1 having a longitudinal axis 2. A release agent 3 is coated on the mandrel and a fiber material 4 of woven or non-woven material having fibers extending in the direction of the axis 2 is applied over the release agent. A thermoplastic resin impregnated tow 24 including magnetic particles 28 is wound over the fiber material 4, the fiber material substantially preventing the magnetic particles penetrating through to the mandrel.

Abstract: A flywheel used for kinetic energy storage and the construction of the flywheel using composite materials. The present invention provides a rotor support for coupling an annular flywheel rotor to a shaft for rotation with the shaft, the support comprising a body having a longitudinal axis about which it rotates in the finished flywheel assembly, wherein the body comprises a stack of sheets of a composite material including fibers, the stack includes at least two unidirectional sheets, each having substantially all of their fibers extending in the same direction, and the fibers of one of the unidirectional sheets are orientated at a different angle to the longitudinal axis of the body to the fibers in another unidirectional sheet. The body includes at least one side layer of woven fabric provided over a side of the stack of sheets. The rotor support configuration of the present invention provides a stiff construction.

Abstract: A magnetically loaded composite rotor is formed by providing a mandrel 1 having a longitudinal axis 2. A release agent 3 is coated on the mandrel and a fibre material 4 of woven or non-woven material having fibres extending in the direction of the axis 2 is applied over the release agent. A thermoplastic resin impregnated tow 24 including magnetic particles 28 is wound over the fibre material 4, the fibre material substantially preventing the magnetic particles penetrating through to the mandrel.

Abstract: A flywheel for kinetic energy storage and its construction using composite materials. The present invention provides a flywheel assembly having a longitudinal axis and comprising an annular rotor and a rotor support for coupling the rotor to an axial shaft, wherein the rotor comprises fibres in a matrix material, and a ring comprising fibres in a matrix material is mounted on the outer circumference of the rotor support and the rotor is mounted on the outer circumference of the ring, the rotor, rotor support and ring each having longitudinal axes which are coincident with the longitudinal axis of the assembly. The presence of the intermediate ring formed of a composite material assists in the fabrication of the assembly and increases its durability by providing a suitable interface between the rotor and a rotor support.

Abstract: A flywheel used for kinetic energy storage and the construction of the flywheel using composite materials. The present invention provides a rotor support for coupling an annular flywheel rotor to a shaft for rotation with the shaft, the support comprising a body having a longitudinal axis about which it rotates in the finished flywheel assembly, wherein the body comprises a stack of sheets of a composite material including fibres, the stack includes at least two unidirectional sheets, each having substantially all of their fibres extending in the same direction, and the fibres of one of the unidirectional sheets are orientated at a different angle to the longitudinal axis of the body to the fibres in another unidirectional sheet. The body includes at least one side layer of woven fabric provided over a side of the stack of sheets. The rotor support configuration of the present invention provides a stiff construction.

Abstract: A method of making a magnetically loaded pre-impregnated tape uses a drum 1 that is heated and which is associated with a heated bath 2 containing a thermo-plastic resin solution. A fibre tape material 4 is fed onto the drum 1 and, just prior to the fibre tape material meeting the periphery of the drum, the fibre tape material 4 is impregnated with an isotropic magnetic particle material 6 to form a pre-impregnated tape 8. The pre-impregnated tape is fed to a heating station where it is bonded with a thermoplastic resin impregnated fibre tow to produce a magnetically loaded composite tape. The heating station includes a rotatably driven heated mandrel (20) having a magnetic field (41, 42) embedded therein to provide the pre-impregnated tape (8) with a desired magnetic configuration.

Abstract: A metal composite comprising a milled and compacted mixture of powdered aluminium or aluminium alloy and ceramic particles, wherein, on loading of the aluminium with the ceramic particles, the ceramic particles are of an average size of between 0.85 ?m and 0.6 ?m.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system (1) comprising a controllable device (10) for executing a program; and a carrier (30) having a surface comprising a plurality of surface markings (34, 36), each marking being located over a RF tag embedded in the carrier, each RF tag comprising a unique identification code, wherein the program, when executed on the controllable device, is adapted to generate a plurality of selectable options, each of said options being selectable by one of the unique identification codes. In an embodiment, the system further comprises an RF reader (20) for communicating said identification codes to the controllable device (10), wherein the controllable device (10) is arranged to interpret each identification code as an input signal for said program. Such a system may be controlled by means of the carrier (30), thus obviating the need for button-based remote controllers. This is particularly useful in gaming applications.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a programmable device (10) comprising a controller (14) for processing a sequence of program instructions to control the programmable device; and a near field communication device (12) for retrieving the program instructions from at least one transmission tag (24) and for providing the controller (14) with the retrieved sequence of program instructions. In an embodiment, the controller (14) is arranged to receive individual instructions from respective transmission tags (24). This facilitates the programming of the device (10) by means of instruction-carrying transmission tags, which, amongst others, allows for easy programming of programmable toys such as robots.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of manufacturing a doped i X—Ba—Cu—O material, the method comprising the steps of: a) mixing an X—Ba—L—O or X—Ba—Cu—L—O material with an X—1 Ba—Cu—O material; and b) crystallising the mixture; 1 wherein each X is independently selected from a rare earth (Group IIIB) element, yttrium, a combination of rare earth elements, or a combination of yttrium and a rare earth element; and L is selected from U, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Zr, Hf, Ag, Pt, Ru and Sn. The invention further provides a doped material manufactured by the method of the invention.

Abstract: There are provided superconducting materials (2) comprising a substrate (4); an interface layer (6) on the substrate, comprising a material of formula XwBaxCuyLtOz, and a superconducting layer (8) on the interface layer comprising a compound of formula XaBabCucOd? Also provided are methods of manufacturing superconducting materials and materials produced by these methods.

Abstract: A method of providing travel related information to a user is disclosed together with corresponding apparatus for the same. The method comprising the steps of recording a history of journeys undertaken by the user, determining a current journey of the user, identifying one or more recorded journeys which correlate with the current journey; and providing travel related information to the user relating to that or those recorded journeys.

Abstract: A system for managing a computer network having a multiplicity of users, applications programs and servers, comprises a) user interface means for displaying a list of tasks appropriate to a given user at a given time, b) administration means comprising a software object including a set of rules defining the relationships between users, applications programs and servers, c) a module comprising database means and one or more LDAP compliant directories for storing user records, application program records, and server records, to enable updating of said records in a systematic way, and d) synchronisation means for managing the exchange of data between said administration means, module c), and the computer network. The administration means in use performs tasks such as user record or server creation, updating, and deletion; application program installation, commissioning, and program updating, in response to user input.

Abstract: An energy storage and conversion apparatus (1) comprising a containment (5) defining a vacuum chamber (7), a substantially vertical shaft within the vacuum chamber (7), a stator (11) on the shaft (9), and a cylindrical rotor (13) which, in use, is driven by the stator (11) to store energy as kinetic energy of the rotor (13) and acts with the stator (11) as a generator to release energy, wherein the rotor (13) is supported by the shaft (9) via an end cap (29), positioned at the upper end of the cylindrical rotor (13), which engages the shaft (9). The rotor (13) is suspended from a pin bearing (31) which is attached to an end cap (29). The pin bearing (31) sits in a bearing cup (37) mounted in a damper (39) at the end of the shaft (9). A magnet bearing (43) is provided at the lower end of the rotor (13) to assist in positioning the rotor (13) relative to the stator (11).

Abstract: An energy storage and conversion apparatus (1) comprising a containment (5) defining a vacuum chamber (7), a substantially vertical shaft within the vacuum chamber (7), a stator (11) on the shaft (9), and a cylindrical rotor (13) which, in is driven by the stator (11) to store energy as kinetic energy of the rotor (13) and acts with the stator (11) as a generator to release energy, wherein the rotor (13) is supported by the shaft (9) via an end cap (29), positioned at the upper end of the cylindrical rotor (13), which engages the shaft (9). The rotor (13) is suspended from a pin bearing (31) which is attached to an end cap (29). The pin bearing (31) sits in a bearing cup (37) mounted in a damper (39) at the end of the shaft (9). A magnet bearing (43) is provided at the lower end of the rotor (13) to assist in positioning the rotor (13) relative to the stator (11).