Abstract: A pole sander is provided including an elongate body having a first end and a second end, an electric motor, and a sanding head attached via a pivot mechanism to the first end of the elongate body. The sanding head includes a hood including a plate and a peripheral wall formed on the underside of the plate around an edge of the plate; an output spindle that projects from the hood and is rotatably driven by the electric motor around a rotational axis; and a brush ring mounted on the underside of the plate adjacent the edge of the plate inside of the peripheral wall. The brush ring is attached to the plate via a spring comprising at least one of a leaf spring or a wave spring.

Abstract: A pole sander is provided including an elongate body including a passageway for passage of air, an electric motor, and a sanding head attached via a pivot mechanism to a first end of the elongate body. The sanding head includes a hood including a plate and a sidewall to form a chamber, an output spindle projecting from the hood and rotatably driven by the electric motor, and a tubular passage including a first end forming an opening and a second end coupled to an aperture formed through the plate. A flexible pipe is disposed between the passageway at the first end of the elongate body and the opening of the tubular passage to fluidly connect the passageway to the chamber. The tubular passage is oriented at least partially around a portion of the output spindle in a turning direction of the output spindle and extending angularly from the plate.

Abstract: A power tool stand includes a base and a projecting frame connected to the base. The power tool stand also comprises a power tool carriage moveably mounted on the projecting frame. The power tool stand further comprises a tool interface mounted on the power tool carriage arranged to secure a removeable power tool. The power tool carriage comprises at least one duct having a duct inlet in fluid communication with a duct outlet.

Abstract: A power tool stand comprises a base; a projecting frame connected to the base; and a power tool carriage moveably mounted on the projecting frame. The power tool carriage comprises a first interface arranged to electrically connect with a removeable power tool and a second interface in electrical connection with the first interface and arranged to electrically connect with a removeable battery.

Abstract: A power tool stand comprises a base; a projecting frame connected to the base; and a power tool carriage moveably mounted on the projecting frame. The power tool carriage comprises a first electrical interface arranged to electrically connect with a removeable power tool and a second electrical interface in electrical connection with the first electrical interface and arranged to electrically connect with a removeable battery.

Abstract: In a field device for process automation, a reprogammable logic device is used, in order to achieve a high flexibility as regards hardware components.

Abstract: A diffusion media for use in a fuel cell stack and that is adjacently aligned with lands of a reactant plate of the fuel cell stack. The diffusion media includes a sheet having a permeable material with a thickness. A plurality of water transport pores are defined through the sheet. Each of the pores has a pore diameter that is greater than 1.5 times the thickness.

Abstract: A fuel cell that includes specially configured bipolar plates that separate the reactant gas flow field in an active area of the fuel cell into a primary flow channels and a secondary channels. In one embodiment, the primary flow channels are in use over the entire operating range of the fuel cell and the secondary flow channels are only in use at high cell current outputs. At low power demands, the primary channels operate at a voltage below 0.8 volts and provides a gas current density of more than 0.2 A/cm2. The secondary flow channels have no gas supply and operate at mass transport limited conditions. Because of this design, voltage cycling is significantly reduced or eliminated, thus increasing the life of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A diffusion media and a process for its fabrication are provided for addressing issues related to water management in electrochemical cells and other devices employing the diffusion media. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a process for fabricating a diffusion media is provided. A diffusion media substrate is provided comprising a porous fibrous matrix defining first and second major faces. The substrate comprises an amount of carbonaceous material sufficient to render the substrate electrically conductive. A mesoporous layer is applied along at least a portion of one of the first and second major faces of the substrate. The mesoporous layer is applied to the substrate by providing a coating comprising a hydrophobic component, a hydrophilic component, and a pore forming agent. The substrate is free of fluorinated polymers outside of regions of the substrate carrying the mesoporous layer.

Abstract: A gas diffusion electrode and method of making the same. According to one embodiment, the electrode comprises a support layer, a first cushioning layer positioned on top of the support layer, a second cushioning layer positioned on top of the first cushioning layer, and a catalyst layer positioned on top of the second cushioning layer. The support layer is a mechanically stable, electrically-conductive, gas porous substrate, such as carbon fiber paper. The first cushioning layer, which is also gas porous, comprises a non-woven mat of electrically-conductive, chemically-inert fibers, preferably carbon nanofibers, bound together with a polymeric binder, such as polytetrafluoroethylene. The second cushioning layer is similar to the first cushioning layer, except that carbon black or a similar electrically-conductive, chemically-inert particulate material is included in addition to or instead of the fibrous material for the purpose of fine-tuning pore size.

Abstract: A diffusion media is provided for implementation with a PEM fuel cell. The diffusion media is a permeable sheet that is rigid along a transverse axis, flexible along a lateral axis and has a substantially incompressible thickness. The diffusion media is able to be mass produced in large sheets and rolled along the lateral axis for transport and storage. The rigidity of the transverse axis is provided by either inclusion of larger fibers or metallic strips aligned in the transverse direction and prevents tenting of the diffusion media into flow channels of the PEM fuel cell. The diffusion media is water and gas permeable and electrically conductive.

Abstract: A diffusion media and a scheme for spatially varying the parameters of the diffusion media to address issues related to water management in electrochemical cells and other devices employing the diffusion media are provided. A device is configured to convert a hydrogenous fuel source to electrical energy and comprises an electrochemical conversion assembly, first and second reactant inputs, first and second product outputs, and first and second diffusion media. The device is configured such that a mesoporous layer is carried along at least a portion of a major face of one of the first and second diffusion media substrates. The mesoporous layer comprises a hydrophilic carbonaceous component and a hydrophobic component. The mesoporous layer occupies a substantially greater portion of one of the high or low H2O regions of the device, relative to the other of the high or low H2O region of the device.

Abstract: A porous diffusion media according to the present invention is positioned against a catalyst layer of the membrane electrode assembly, the porous matrix comprises carbon paper, and the water transfer particles comprise carbon fibers or powders. Relatively high and relatively low water transfer particle density regions alternate across the porous diffusion media. A first major face of the media may be collectively more hydrophilic than the second major face and the second major face may be collectively more hydrophobic than the first major face. The diffusion media is positioned against the catalyst layer along the first major face of the diffusion media and against a flow field of the fuel cell along the second major face of the diffusion media. The porous diffusion media comprises hydrophobic material disposed along the second major face of the diffusion media.

Abstract: The present invention discloses various methods in which a quality of a diffusion media for use in a fuel cell assembly can be qualitatively evaluated. The material constant, an internal contact angle, a ratio of high and low energy pores, and an external contact angle can be calculated for the diffusion media and compared to a predetermined standard to evaluate the quality of the diffusion media.

Abstract: Gas diffusion media for use in fuel cells are provided that contain a pattern of deposited hydrophobic polymer such that less than 100% of the surface of the diffusion media is covered with hydrophobic polymer. The media are made by first wetting a sheet of carbon fiber paper in an aqueous emulsion of the hydrophobic polymer. The wetted sheet is contacted with a pattern member containing one or more openings oriented to correspond to a predetermined or desired pattern of hydrophobic polymer deposition. While still in contact with the pattern member, the sheet is heated or otherwise treated to cause evaporation of the water from the sheet. Evaporation while in contact with the pattern member takes place in such a way that hydrophobic polymer is concentrated in the sheet at the openings of the pattern member by the process of evaporation.

Abstract: In a variable field device for process automation technology, wherein the field device is connected to an external communication medium for data transmission and wherein functionalities of the field device are application-specifically adaptable, the field device provides only few, basic functions (e.g. measured value production) and application-specific functionalities (e.g. frequency/pulse outputs) are implemented by separate function units, which are connected to the communication medium.

Abstract: A diffusion media for use in a fuel cell stack and that is adjacently aligned with lands of a reactant plate of the fuel cell stack. The diffusion media includes a sheet having a permeable material with a thickness. A plurality of water transport pores are defined through the sheet. Each of the pores has a pore diameter that is greater than 1.5 times the thickness.

Abstract: The present invention discloses various methods in which a quality of a diffusion media for use in a fuel cell assembly can be qualitatively evaluated. The material constant, an internal contact angle, a ratio of high and low energy pores, and an external contact angle can be calculated for the diffusion media and compared to a predetermined standard to evaluate the quality of the diffusion media.

Abstract: A fuel cell that includes specially configured bipolar plates that separate the reactant gas flow field in an active area of the fuel cell into a primary flow channels and a secondary channels. In one embodiment, the primary flow channels are in use over the entire operating range of the fuel cell and the secondary flow channels are only in use at high cell current outputs. At low power demands, the primary channels operate at a voltage below 0.8 volts and provides a gas current density of more than 0.2 A/cm2. The secondary flow channels have no gas supply and operate at mass transport limited conditions. Because of this design, voltage cycling is significantly reduced or eliminated, thus increasing the life of the fuel cell.

Abstract: The present invention discloses various methods in which a quality of a diffusion media for use in a fuel cell assembly can be qualitatively evaluated. The material constant, an internal contact angle, a ratio of high and low energy pores, and an external contact angle can be calculated for the diffusion media and compared to a predetermined standard to evaluate the quality of the diffusion media.