Abstract: An electric machine includes a rotor rotatable about a rotational axis, by which an axial direction is defined, and a stator with stator windings, a coolant distributor space and a coolant collector space. The coolant distributor space communicates fluidically with the coolant collector space to cool the stator windings with a cooling duct. The stator includes stator teeth supporting the stator windings and protruding radially inward from a stator body of the stator. A stator groove is formed between two stator teeth which has a radially outer groove zone extending radially inward away from the stator body into a radially inner groove zone, the radially inner zone width of which is smaller than the radially outer zone width, when measured along the circumferential direction, of the radially outer groove zone. At least one stator winding is embedded, for thermal coupling, into an electrically insulating plastic arranged in the stator groove.

Abstract: An electrical machine includes a rotor, which can be rotated about an axis of rotation, with which an axial direction is defined, and a stator having stator windings, a coolant distribution chamber and a coolant collecting chamber arranged axially at a distance thereto, the coolant distribution chamber fluidically communicates with the coolant collecting chamber for cooling the stator windings, a cooling duct and a stator winding are embedded in an electrically insulating plastic for thermal coupling, the stator has stator teeth which extend along the axial direction, are spaced apart from each other along a circumferential direction and bear the stator windings, the electrically insulating plastic is arranged together with the cooling duct and the stator winding in an intermediate space, and the electrically insulating plastic is formed by a first plastic mass of a first plastic material and by a second plastic mass of a second plastic material.

Abstract: A method for producing a stator for an electric machine includes providing a stator with an annular stator body, from which a plurality of stator teeth protrude radially inwardly, wherein an intermediate space is formed in each case between two stator teeth that are adjacent in a circumferential direction, encapsulating two stator teeth adjacent in the circumferential direction with a first plastic mass, arranging a stator winding on a stator tooth, fixing the stator winding on the stator tooth by encapsulating said stator winding with a second plastic mass, following the encapsulation with the first plastic mass and before the fixing of the stator winding, a first mask is introduced into the intermediate space between the two stator teeth, such that the volume of the intermediate space that is filled with the first mask remains free from the second plastic mass to form a cooling duct during the encapsulation.

Abstract: An electrical machine includes a rotor, which can be rotated about an axis of rotation, with which an axial direction is defined, and a stator having stator windings, a coolant distribution chamber and a coolant collecting chamber arranged axially at a distance thereto, the coolant distribution chamber fluidically communicates with the coolant collecting chamber for cooling the stator windings, a cooling duct and a stator winding are embedded in an electrically insulating plastic for thermal coupling, the stator has stator teeth which extend along the axial direction, are spaced apart from each other along a circumferential direction and bear the stator windings, the electrically insulating plastic is arranged together with the cooling duct and the stator winding in an intermediate space, and the electrically insulating plastic is formed by a first plastic mass of a first plastic material and by a second plastic mass of a second plastic material.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a toilet and components thereof, including a toilet bowl, a toilet seat, a toilet lid, and flushing apparatus. Also described are methods for manufacturing such toilets and components, and materials suitable therefore. A disclosed toilet may be used in a squatting posture and includes toilet a bowl including a flat base for contacting a floor, the base including an outlet, the flat base defining a plane that includes a forward direction and a transverse direction perpendicular to the forward direction. The toilet bowl is shaped to define a rearward portion including the base and an elongate frontal extension for a user to straddle, the frontal extension extending generally in the forward direction from the rearward portion; and at least some of the frontal extension is elevated or inclined relative to the base to provide a clearance between the toilet bowl and the floor.

Abstract: A method of producing a container for retaining fluid, the method comprises the steps of: providing a blank which, when assembled, forms a container; folding the blank along one or more fold lines across the blank's width to form a substantially rectangular side wall such that first and second ends of the substantially rectangular side wall are brought into close proximity; sealing the first and second ends of the substantially rectangular side wall to one another; deforming one or more deformable portions which span across the one or more fold lines such that the deformable portions are disposed inwardly in order to force the remainder of the side wall outwards to create an opening within the blank; and sealing a base around the circumference of a first edge of the side wall.

Abstract: The present invention relates to fire-resistant pipe couplings (100) for connecting together two plain-ended pipes in a fluid-tight manner. The pipe coupling (100) comprises: a tubular casing comprising: an outer tubular casing (102); and an inner tubular casing (104), fitting entirely inside the outer casing (102); a tubular sealing gasket (106) disposed within the inner tubular casing (104); and means (116) for tensioning the casing around the gasket (106). The casing further comprises: at least one layer of fire-resistant material (124) disposed between the inner (104) and outer (102) casings; and at least one layer of thermally-insulating material (128) disposed between the tubular sealing gasket (106) and the inner casing (104), whereby the outer casing (102) and tubular sealing gasket (106) are thermally insulated from one another.

Abstract: A device for breaking glass articles, such as bottles, the device comprising an inlet to receive an article. A conduit links the inlet with a glass-breaking chamber, and the chamber houses a glass-breaking member, said glass-breaking member being rotatably mounted for rotation in a vertical plane, and to impact a bottle as a bottle enters the chamber. A motor is linked via a horizontally rotating axle to rotate the glass-breaking member. An obliquely mounted crusher plate is located such that as the glass-breaking member rotates and impacts a glass article, which is forced against the crusher plate by the glass-breaking member to aid breakage of a glass article. A collector is included in which broken glass is retained ready for removal from the device. An intermediate collector is also included to temporarily retain broken glass, including a release valve allowing broken glass to pass from the intermediate collector to the collector, via an aperture therebetween.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a glass disposal system. A device (10) for breaking glass articles is provided, which comprises an inlet (12) and an outlet (26) in fhrkl communication with one another and having a rotating member (16) interposed therebetween. The rotating member (16) is attached to, and capable of being rotated by, a motor (24). The inlet (12) to the device (10) opens onto the rotatable member (16) and the outlet (26) is substantially tangential to the rotatable member (16). The rotatable member (16) comprises portions to create an overall flow of air from the inlet (12) towards the outlet (26), and subsequently expels the particles of the broken object away from the rotatable member (16) through the outlet (26). The invention extends to a conduit (60) for the system.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a glass disposal system. A device (10) for breaking glass articles is provided, which comprises an inlet (12) and an outlet (26) in fhrkl communication with one another and having a rotating member (16) interposed therebetween. The rotating member (16) is attached to, and capable of being rotated by, a motor (24). The inlet (12) to the device (10) opens onto the rotatable member (16) and the outlet (26) is substantially tangential to the rotatable member (16). The rotatable member (16) comprises portions to create an overall flow of air from the inlet (12) towards the outlet (26), and subsequently expels the particles of the broken object away from the rotatable member (16) through the outlet (26). The invention extends to a conduit (60) for the system.

Abstract: According to a first embodiment, a feeding bottle comprises a vessel, collar, and nipple. The nipple comprises a base portion, a teat portion, an areola portion allowing movement of the teat portion towards and away from the base portion. According to a second embodiment, a feeding bottle comprises a vessel, collar, nipple and handle portion removeably secured to the vessel by the collar. The invention includes a flexible region or regions to provide a more natural feeding by closely mimicking the human breast.

Abstract: According to a first embodiment, a feeding bottle comprises a vessel, collar, and nipple. The nipple comprises a base portion, a teat portion, an areola portion allowing movement of the teat portion towards and away from the base portion. According to a second embodiment, a feeding bottle comprises a vessel, collar, nipple and handle portion removeably secured to the vessel by the collar. The invention includes a flexible region or regions to provide a more natural feeding by closely mimicking the human breast.

Abstract: According to a first embodiment, a feeding bottle comprises a vessel, collar, and nipple. The nipple comprises a base portion, a teat portion, an areola portion allowing movement of the teat portion towards and away from the base portion. According to a second embodiment, a feeding bottle comprises a vessel, collar, nipple and handle portion removeably secured to the vessel by the collar. The invention includes a flexible region or regions to provide a more natural feeding by closely mimicking the human breast.

Abstract: Processes for reducing fraud risk in credit transactions, particularly those involving airline ticket purchases, include collecting the following additional transaction variables and their use in real-time authorization decisions: credit card holder name, reservation code, passenger name, origin city, destination city, travel date, routing description, class of service, e-ticket indicator, number of passengers traveling and carrier code. The additional transaction variables received during a transaction involving the purchase of airline tickets are passed, in addition to the transaction variables traditionally included in a real-time authorizations request, to a fraud risk evaluation model maintained by a financial institution or other entity responsible for authorizing a payment for the transaction. The fraud-risk models use historical behavior and optimal risk decision-making factors to authorize or reject the transaction in real time, without slowing standard authorization processing times.

Abstract: A mat having a resiliently deformable mat portion and a securing element provided thereon for securing an item attached thereto against movement and relative to the mat portion is provided. The mat is arranged to grip a support surface on which the mat portion is laid, in use, by formation of at least a partial vacuum between the mat portion and the support surface upon deformation of the mat portion. The mat comprises a projection arranged to urge the item away from the mat when held by the mat, thereby to create a deformation in the mat portion.

Abstract: According to a first embodiment, a nipple for a feeding bottle or a soother comprises a base portion, a teat portion, an areola portion and a flex region allowing flexing of the teat portion towards and away from the areola portion. According to a second embodiment, a nipple for a feeding bottle or soother is provided with a helical flow formation on the inner face of the teat, which allows continuous flow of liquid even when the teat is collapsed via the helical flow path which allows extension at the teat, in particular rotational or torsional extension.

Abstract: A projectile launcher for launching a projectile is provided. The projectile launcher is arranged to be connected to a trampoline having a frame and a jumping mat, the jumping mat connected to the frame by resilient members, the projectile launcher including a propulsion element adapted to provide a motive force to propel a projectile and an energy extraction element arranged to be connected to a trampoline and to extract energy from the action of a user bouncing on the trampoline to provide power to the propulsion element.