Abstract: The present invention relates to a flexible ear mould fitting a large number of users while providing a high level of comfort and comprising a base and at least one sidewall that is attached to the base and has an edge that extends substantially from the base to an opening of the earpiece, the width of the opening fitting within the ear canal of the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for open content model Web service messaging in a networked computing environment are described. In one aspect, a transport neutral message is generated that includes message recipient, endpoint addressing information, and one or more reference properties. The reference properties include selectively opaque message context. The transport neutral message is bound to a transport protocol for communication to the message recipient. At least a portion of the selectively opaque message context is. not directed to the message recipient.

Abstract: The external urinary catheter for use as an external catheter comprises a tip portion (3) and a sheath portion (1). The external urinary catheter is manufactured by thermoplastic processing of a material comprising at least one transparent and/or thermoplastic elastomer and at least one plasticizer.

Abstract: The conduit device (1) is intended for conducting a fluid from a fluid source to a recipient. A tubular portion (2) of the conduit device has an inner side that is intended for contact with the fluid. Means are provided for adapting the surface tension of the inner side of at least the tubular portion and/or the fluid.

Abstract: The invention provides a vacuum cleaner comprising in particular a structure mounted on transport members (R, R?) and carrying an electrically-driven turbine (T) for acting through a filter membrane (M) to establish suction in a collector (S) of particles picked up from the floor and entrained to the collector by a flow of air via a transfer duct (C), characterized in that said turbine (T) comprises a set of blades (P) and a nozzle (1) having a box constituted by an upstream portion (11) in the form of a volute centered on the axis of the blades and a diverging downstream portion (12) into which the upstream portion opens out and that communicates with the outside.

Abstract: Several primitives form the minute essence of services, which are organizational primitives of decentralized operating systems. These primitives include a designation primitive, which comprises a port, such as the ports identifiable by the URI; a behavioral primitive, which comprises the unilateral contract; and a communication primitive, which includes a set of message types known by all services for exchanging messages in accordance with unilateral contracts.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention transform devices into Web services or special-purpose servers that are capable of communicating with personal computers. Various embodiments of the present invention allow various low-level aspects of device drivers to reside in the devices, eliminating the need for the devices to be compatible with legacy specification. Various embodiments of the present invention allow various devices to be shipped from the factory with low-level software already built in so that users are liberated from having to deal with the experience of installing and upgrading device drivers. In various embodiments of the present invention, each device is preferably a network node identifiable by a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI).

Abstract: In various embodiments of the present invention, a customizable, tag-based message is a unit of information transmitted electronically from one device to another that may contain one or more references to one or more pieces of information without the need for these pieces of information to be embedded in the customizable, tag-based message. The customizable, tag-based message can comply with any suitable protocol. One suitable protocol includes a customizable, tag-based protocol, such as SOAP, but other protocols can be used.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating communications over a protocol is provided. The system includes a class factory that holds identifiers associated with determining which, if any, registered protocol object creator should be employed to create a protocol object. The protocol object implements an abstract network protocol base class. The protocol object is employed to abstract details of communicating over a protocol and to provide a byte stream interface to communications occurring over the protocol, while removing protocol specific code from an application program. The method includes creating an instance of a protocol object from a source of registered protocol handlers based on a request to communicate over a protocol and using a base class API to communicate over the protocol through the protocol object.

Abstract: An earpiece is provided that is adapted for insertion into the ear canal and has at least one resilient fibre that is connected to the earpiece for abutting a surface of the outer ear when the earpiece has been inserted in the ear canal thereby providing retention of the earpiece in the ear canal of the user.

Abstract: A system (1) generating saturated steam is replaced by at least one gas turbine set (29, 30, 31, 36), at least one waste-heat boiler (32) and at least one back-pressure steam turbine (37). The back-pressure steam turbine (37) is coupled to the gas turbine set (29, 30, 31, 36), which back-pressure steam turbine is supplied by the steam generated in the waste-heat boiler (32). The exhaust steam of the back-pressure steam turbine (37) is supplied to the saturated-steam medium-pressure steam turbine (4).

Abstract: A system (1) generating saturated steam is replaced by at least one gas turbine set (29, 30, 31, 36), at least one waste-heat boiler (32) and at least one back-pressure steam turbine (37). The back-pressure steam turbine (37) is coupled to the gas turbine set (29, 30, 31, 36), which back-pressure steam turbine is supplied by the steam generated in the waste-heat boiler (32). The exhaust steam of the back-pressure steam turbine (37) is supplied to the saturated-steam medium-pressure steam turbine (4).

Abstract: A system (1) generating saturated steam is replaced by at least one gas turbine set (29, 30, 31, 36), at least one waste-heat boiler (32) and at least one back-pressure steam turbine (37). The back-pressure steam turbine (37) is coupled to the gas turbine set (29, 30, 31, 36), which back-pressure steam turbine is supplied by the steam generated in the waste-heat boiler (32). The exhaust steam of the back-pressure steam turbine (37) is supplied to the saturated-steam medium-pressure steam turbine (4).

Abstract: In a method of operating a gas-turbine group and of cooling the units subjected to high thermal loading, a portion of compressor air (18) is diverted upstream of a first combustion chamber (2) and fed through a generator (14) working toward conversion and as a heat exchanger. A natural-gas/water or natural-gas/steam mixture (15) flows in counterflow through the same generator (14). With the cooling of the compressor air (18) inside the generator (14), the energy required for an endothermic reaction of the mixture (15) is released.

Abstract: The cooling air cooler (10) for power plants of combined operation is designed as a helix steam generator which works on the countercurrent principle and is located in a vertically arranged cylindrical pressure vessel (23) and the spirally coiled tubes (30) of which fill the space between an inner (26) and an outer (41) jacket tube, water (12) being capable of being supplied to the tubes (30) via a conduit (32) and steam (14) being capable of being discharged from the tubes (30) via a conduit (33), the evaporating water (12) flowing through the helix from the bottom upward and the cooling air (11), capable of being supplied by the compressor (1) via an inflow conduit (24), flowing through the helix from the top downward, and the air (11) experiencing deflection before reaching an outflow conduit (25) at the lowest point in the pressure vessel (23) after flowing out of the helix.

Abstract: A drip coffee maker comprises a housing (10), and in the housing (10) a filter holder (20) into which ground coffee (23) is to be poured. A measuring device (25) is provided for the ground coffee poured into the filter holder (20). The filter holder (20) is mounted movably in the housing, and the measuring device (25) comprises at least one deformable mechanical member (33) connected to the filter holder (20) and reacting by deformation to the quantity of ground coffee (23) poured into the filter holder. This deformable mechanical member (33) drives by its deformation a member (35) for visual indication of the desired quantity of ground coffee. The deformable member (33) is in stable position when that desired quantity of ground coffee is obtained.

Abstract: In a method of and an apparatus for operating a power station plant, essentially comprising a gas-turbine group (40, 41, 46), a waste-heat steam generator (8) and a downstream steam consumer, for example a steam turbine (1) having a generator (2), the exhaust gas of the gas-turbine group (40, 41, 46) releases heat to the water fed via a feed-water line (15) and directed in counterflow through the waste-heat steam generator (8). The steam generated is fed to the steam consumer (1) via at least one steam line (6). The water fed by the feed-water line (15) is directed through the waste-heat steam generator (8) in a once-through arrangement. The exhaust gases of the gas-turbine group (40, 41, 46) are directed through the waste-heat steam generator (8) at every operating instant. The steam generated in the waste-heat steam generator (8) is directed into the gas-turbine group (40, 41, 46) via an injection steam line (23) when the steam consumer (1) is shut off.

Abstract: In a method of operating a power station plant, essentially comprising a gas-turbine group (40, 41, 46), a waste-heat steam generator (8) and a downstream steam consumer (30), the exhaust gas from the gas-turbine group (40, 41, 46) releases heat to the water conducted in counterflow through the waste-heat steam generator (8), and the steam produced is fed to the steam consumer (30) via at least one steam line (6). The water is at any temperature and is fed directly into the waste-heat steam generator (8) via at least one water line (11) having an allocated regulating valve (20) for limiting the flow. During the use of fuels having sulfur contents, the regulating valve (20) is controlled via the temperature of the exhaust gas at the discharge from the waste-heat steam generator (8), at a temperature measuring device (24).