Abstract: A snowmobile includes a frame having side walls and a support platform. The side walls cooperate with the support platform to define a tunnel. The snowmobile further includes an endless belt assembly supported by the frame, a motor supported by the frame, and a running board removably coupled to the tunnel.

Abstract: A case for supporting a communication device includes a casing defining an interior space for protecting a communication device therein, a back portion defining an interior area beneath the outer surface. The back portion defines a first channel in communication with the interior area and extends between side edges of the back panel, a pair of first grooves in communication with the first channel, and a pair of second grooves in communication with the pair of first grooves. The case includes a pair of first leg assemblies, each including a first leg portion slidably received into the first channel, a second leg portion coupled to the first leg portion and removably received in the first groove, and a third leg portion coupled to the second portion and removably received in the second groove. Each second leg portion is pivotally coupled to a respective first leg portion with a ball joint.

Abstract: A snowmobile includes a frame having side walls and a support platform. The side walls cooperate with the support platform to define a tunnel. The snowmobile further includes an endless belt assembly supported by the frame, a motor supported by the frame, and a running board removably coupled to the tunnel.

Abstract: An air intake system for a vehicle is disclosed. The air intake system may include a first plenum housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and a fluid directing member which receives air from the fluid inlet of the plenum housing and directs the air away from the fluid outlet of the plenum housing.

Abstract: An air intake system for a vehicle is disclosed. The air intake system may include a first plenum housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and a fluid directing member which receives air from the fluid inlet of the plenum housing and directs the air away from the fluid outlet of the plenum housing.

Abstract: An improved design for hammermills. The invention contains a centered rotor from which eight rows of hammers pulverize material against cutting plates inside a working chamber. The cutting plates have slots that are angled. The hammers may have a beveled, angled leading edge. Both the angled cutting plate slots and the angled hammer leading edges work to drive the material through the working chamber in a helical fashion, with a preferred travel profile of 450 degrees, but the helix length is adjustable depending on the specific needs. There are no perforated screens in the hammermill, thus the material is placed in an inlet, is urged through the hammermill by the action of the rotating hammers where the material is comminuted and then removed via an exit.

Abstract: An improved design for hammermills. The invention contains a centered rotor from which eight rows of hammers pulverize material against cutting plates inside a working chamber. The cutting plates have slots that are angled. The hammers may have a beveled, angled leading edge. Both the angled cutting plate slots and the angled hammer leading edges work to drive the material through the working chamber in a helical fashion, with a preferred travel profile of 450 degrees, but the helix length is adjustable depending on the specific needs. There are no perforated screens in the hammermill, thus the material is placed in an inlet, is urged through the hammermill by the action of the rotating hammers where the material is comminuted and then removed via an exit.

Abstract: Nanostructures (18) and methods for production thereof by phase separation during metal organic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE). An embodiment of one of the methods may comprise providing a growth surface in a reaction chamber and introducing a first mixture of precursor materials into the reaction chamber to form a buffer layer (12) thereon. A second mixture of precursor materials may be provided into the reaction chamber to form an active region (14) on the buffer layer (12), wherein the nanostructure (18) is embedded in a matrix (16) in the active region (14). Additional steps are also disclosed for preparing the nanostructure (18) product for various applications.

Abstract: An improved design for hammermills. The invention contains a centered rotor from which eight rows of hammers pulverize material against cutting plates inside a working chamber. The cutting plates have slots that are angled. The hammers may have a beveled, angled leading edge. Both the angled cutting plate slots and the angled hammer leading edges work to drive the material through the working chamber in a helical fashion, with a preferred travel profile of 450 degrees, but the helix length is adjustable depending on the specific needs. There are no perforated screens in the hammermill, thus the material is placed in an inlet, is urged through the hammermill by the action of the rotating hammers where the material is comminuted and then removed via an exit.

Abstract: A front snowmobile suspension of the type having a ski carried at the front end of a trailing arm. The front end of the trailing arm is pivotably secured to the chassis by a pair of generally transversely mounted radius rods. The rear end of the trailing arm is pivotably secured to the chassis at a position sufficiently closer to the chassis centerline than the front end of the trailing arm that the trailing arm is oriented at an angle of at least about 8°, and preferably at least about 10°, with respect to the chassis centerline. In this location the rear end of the trailing arm may be positioned inboard of at least a portion of a body panel (typically the side panel)—i.e. the rear end of the trailing arm is disposed between the body panel and the centerline of the chassis.

Abstract: A front snowmobile suspension of the type having a ski carried at the front end of a trailing arm. The rear end of the trailing arm is pivotably secured to the chassis and the front end of the trailing arm is pivotably secured to the chassis by a pair of generally transversely mounted radius rods which in turn are pivotably secured to the chassis. Each radius rod has an inner end pivotably attached to the chassis and an outer end pivotably attached to the front end of the trailing arm. The outer ends of the radius rods are positioned forwardly of the inner ends of the radius rods a sufficient distance that the radius rods, viewed from the top, form an angle of at least about 15° with respect to a transverse plane that is perpendicular to the chassis centerline.

Abstract: A front snowmobile suspension of the type having a ski carried at the front end of a trailing arm. The rear end of the trailing arm is pivotably secured to the chassis and the front end of the trailing arm is pivotably secured to the chassis by a pair of generally transversely mounted radius rods which in turn are pivotably secured to the chassis. Each radius rod has an inner end pivotably attached to the chassis and an outer end pivotably attached to the front end of the trailing arm. The outer ends of the radius rods are positioned forwardly of the inner ends of the radius rods a sufficient distance that the radius rods, viewed from the top, form an angle of at least about 15.degree. with respect to a transverse plane that is perpendicular to the chassis centerline.

Abstract: A front snowmobile suspension of the type having left and right skis being secured to the chassis by left and right trailing arm ski suspension systems. The front end of the trailing arm includes a generally cylindrical sleeve for pivotably receiving the ski spindle. The top end of the cylindrical sleeve is located rearwardly of the bottom end, giving the sleeve and the ski spindle a rearwardly angled caster. The rear end of the trailing arm is pivotably secured to an adjustable link which in turn is secured to the chassis. The adjustable link is movable to change the caster of the cylindrical sleeve and the ski spindle.

Abstract: A low pressure drop hot film/swirl air flowmeter (10) for an automotive engine is disclosed. The flowmeter includes a main air flow passage (18), a relatively small venturi (20) disposed within the passage for receiving a portion of the air flow, a constant temperature thermal anemometer (48) positioned to sense the air flowing in the throat (44) of the venturi, and a set of swirl vanes (22) operative to impart a swirl to the remainder of the air in the main passage, thereby creating a reduced pressure at the venturi outlet for forced aspiration therethrough without appreciably increasing the pressure drop across the flowmeter. The anemometer includes a bridge circuit (114), one leg of which comprises a resistive sensor (70) within the throat of the venturi. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, an ambient air temperature sensor (72) is included as another of the legs of the bridge to provide temperature compensation for the flowmeter.

Abstract: A low pressure drop air flowmeter (10) for an automotive engine is disclosed. The meter includes a main air flow passage (26), a relatively small venturi tube (28) receiving a portion of the air flow, a pressure port (74) for sensing stagnation pressure in the main passage, a pressure port (70) for sensing static pressure in the throat of the venturi, and a complimentary pair of sets of stationary swirl vanes (30 & 32) disposed adjacent the outlet of the venturi and operative to jointly impart a swirl through the remainder of the air in the main passage, thereby creating a reduced pressure at the venturi outlet for amplifying the pressure difference between the stagnation and static pressures without appreciably increasing the pressure drop across the flowmeter. The sets of swirl vanes are rotationally displaceable with respect to one another, allowing some of the air to bypass the effect of the swirl vanes without being diverted to a separate passageway.

Abstract: A low pressure drop air flowmeter (10) for an automobile engine is disclosed. The meter contains a main air flow passage (24), a relatively small venturi (20) to receive a portion of the air flow, pressure ports (98a and 120) for sensing stagnation and static pressure and a set of swirl vanes (22) disposed adjacent the outlet of the venturi and operative to impart a swirl to the remainder of the air in the main passage, thereby creating a reduced pressure at the venturi outlet for amplifying the pressure difference between the stagnation and static pressure without appreciably increasing the pressure drop across the flowmeter. A tertiary passage (28) provides a path of fluid communication between points upstream and downstream of the swirl vanes. This passage includes a flow restricting throat (29) which is manually calibrated during or after assembly. Air exiting the tertiary passage impinges upon the swirl to modulate the vortex velocities.

Abstract: A low pressure drop air flowmeter for an automobile engine is disclosed. The meter contains a main air flow passage, a relatively small venturi to receive a portion of the air flow, pressure ports for sensing stagnation and static pressure and a set of swirl vanes disposed adjacent the outlet of the venturi and operative to impart a swirl to the remainder of the air in the main passage, thereby creating a reduced pressure at the venturi outlet for amplifying the pressure difference between the stagnation and static pressure without appreciably increasing the pressure drop across the flowmeter. A tertiary passage provides a path of fluid communication between points upstream and downstream of the swirl vanes. This passage can be selectively opened or restricted by a valve which, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, opens the tertiary passage with increasing overall flow rate.

Abstract: A low pressure drop air flowmeter for an automotive engine is disclosed. The meter includes a main air flow passage, a relatively small venturi tube receiving a portion of the air flow, a pressure port for sensing stagnation pressure in the main passage, a pressure port for sensing static pressure in the throat of the venturi, and a set of stationary swirl vanes disposed adjacent the outlet of the venturi and operative to impart a swirl to the remainder of the air in the main passage, thereby creating a reduced pressure at the venturi outlet for amplifying the pressure difference between the stagnation and static pressures without appreciably increasing the pressure drop across the flowmeter. Also disclosed is a solenoid valve having a single valving member operative in one position to communicate the stagnation pressure to an absolute pressure transducer and operative in another position to communicate the static pressure to the transducer.

Abstract: A low pressure drop air flowmeter for an automotive engine is disclosed. The meter includes a main air flow passage, a relatively small venturi to receive a portion of the air flow, a pressure port for sensing stagnation pressure in the main passage, a pressure port for sensing static pressure in the throat of the venturi, and a set of swirl vanes disposed adjacent the outlet of the venturi and operative to impart a swirl to the remainder of the air in the main passage, thereby creating a reduced pressure at the venturi outlet for amplifying the pressure difference between the stagnation and static pressure without appreciably increasing the pressure drop across the flowmeter. A geometrically reconfigurable element is included in the main passage resulting in a swirl rate which increases with increasing air flow but at a decreasing rate. This characteristic results in an output pressure differential signal which varies substantially linearly with flow rate over a relatively large range of operation.