Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to routing data through a distributed communications network (DCN) including several communication devices. Each communication device may include or be in communication with a computing device which causes the communication device to perform actions including: calculate a utility score for a subset of the plurality of communication devices, the utility score quantifying transmissibility of a data packet from the transceiver assembly to another communication device. The utility score may be calculated based on: a distance between the transceiver assembly and the communication device, a transmission queue at the transceiver assembly, a remaining life of the power source, a power consumption to transmit the data packet to the communication device, and a data throughput of the communication device. The computing device may generate instructions to transmit the data packet to at least one communication device in the subset, based on the calculated utility score.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to routing data through a distributed communications network (DCN) including several communication devices. Each communication device may include or be in communication with a computing device which causes the communication device to perform actions including: calculate a utility score for a subset of the plurality of communication devices, the utility score quantifying transmissibility of a data packet from the transceiver assembly to another communication device. The utility score may be calculated based on: a distance between the transceiver assembly and the communication device, a transmission queue at the transceiver assembly, a remaining life of the power source, a power consumption to transmit the data packet to the communication device, and a data throughput of the communication device. The computing device may generate instructions to transmit the data packet to at least one communication device in the subset, based on the calculated utility score.

Abstract: A pump piston and/or elements sealing the pump piston, in particular a sealing ring of elastomeric material with an additionally applied coating are/is proposed. To improve the durability characteristics, the pump piston and/or the elements sealing the pump piston have a coating which is formed at least predominantly of halogen-, silicon-, carbon-containing and/or metal-organic monomers. Furthermore, a device and a method for coating an object of elastomeric material utilizing a plasma are proposed.

Abstract: A method is proposed for vacuum-coating a substrate using a plasma-CVD method. In order to control ion bombardment during the vacuum coating, a substrate voltage, produced independently from a coating plasma, is applied to the substrate. The substrate voltage is modified during the coating. The substrate voltage is a direct voltage that is pulsed in bipolar fashion with a frequency of 0.1 kHz to 10 MHz. A wear-resistant and friction-reducing multilayer structure of alternating hard material individual layers and carbon or silicon individual layers is proposed.

Abstract: An interferometric measuring device for measuring layer thicknesses of partially transparent layers on substrates, especially of wear protection layers based on carbon, having a scanning device which scans these layers automatically in its depth direction, using which an interference plane is displaceable relative to the layer structure, having an interferometer part that has a white light interferometer and/or a wavelength-scanning interferometer. Also described is a corresponding evaluation method.

Abstract: A method and device for sterilizing containers in which a plasma treatment is executed through excitation of an electromagnetic oscillation so that the plasma is excited in a vacuum in the vicinity of the container regions to be sterilized. Between arrival and discharge, the container regions to be sterilized are moved closer to the oscillation-generating device in the chamber, with continuous movement of the container and/or of the oscillation-generating device for one or more predetermined time intervals in such a way that a plasma is excited in these regions inside and/or outside the container. The chamber is provided with a transport apparatus inside it, which produces an essentially rotating motion of the container during the transport from the arrival to the discharge in the chamber.

Abstract: A pump piston and/or elements sealing the pump piston, in particular a sealing ring of elastomeric material with an additionally applied coating are/is proposed. To improve the durability characteristics, the pump piston and/or the elements sealing the pump piston have a coating which is formed at least predominantly of halogen-, silicon-, carbon-containing and/or metal-organic monomers. Furthermore, a device and a method for coating an object of elastomeric material utilizing a plasma are proposed.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting cylindrical objects, in particular containers, has at least two shafts that rotate in the same direction, axially perpendicular to the transporting direction of the objects. While being transported, the objects come to rest with their cylindrical wall on one shaft and with one face end on an adjacent shaft. By means of the axial spacing and/or the respective diameters of the shafts a predeterminable angular position of the objects to the plane of the axes of the shafts and an intrinsic rotation of the objects can be effected.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting cylindrical objects, in particular containers, has at least two shafts that rotate in the same direction, axially perpendicular to the transporting direction of the objects. While being transported, the objects come to rest with their cylindrical wall on one shaft and with one face end on an adjacent shaft. By means of the axial spacing and/or the respective diameters of the shafts a predeterminable angular position of the objects to the plane of the axes of the shafts and an intrinsic rotation of the objects can be effected.

Abstract: A method is proposed for vacuum-coating a substrate using a plasma-CVD method. In order to control ion bombardment during the vacuum coating, a substrate voltage, produced independently from a coating plasma, is applied to the substrate. The substrate voltage is modified during the coating. The substrate voltage is a direct voltage that is pulsed in bipolar fashion with a frequency of 0.1 kHz to 10 MHz. A wear-resistant and friction-reducing multilayer structure of alternating hard material individual layers and carbon or silicon individual layers is proposed.

Abstract: A method is proposed for vacuum-coating a substrate using a plasma-CVD method. In order to control ion bombardment during the vacuum coating, a substrate voltage, produced independently from a coating plasma, is applied to the substrate. The substrate voltage is modified during the coating. The substrate voltage is a direct voltage that is pulsed in bipolar fashion with a frequency of 0.1 kHz to 10 MHz. A wear-resistant and friction-reducing multilayer structure of alternating hard material individual layers and carbon or silicon individual layers is proposed.

Abstract: A method and device for sterilizing containers in which a plasma treatment is executed through excitation of an electromagnetic oscillation so that the plasma is excited in a vacuum in the vicinity of the container regions to be sterilized. Between arrival and discharge, the container regions to be sterilized are moved closer to the oscillation-generating device in the chamber, with continuous movement of the container and/or of the oscillation-generating device for one or more predetermined time intervals in such a way that a plasma is excited in these regions inside and/or outside the container. The chamber is provided with a transport apparatus inside it, which produces an essentially rotating motion of the container during the transport from the arrival to the discharge in the chamber.

Abstract: A pump piston and/or elements sealing the pump piston, in particular a sealing ring of elastomeric material with an additionally applied coating are/is proposed. To improve the durability characteristics, the pump piston and/or the elements sealing the pump piston have a coating which is formed at least predominantly of halogen-, silicon-, carbon-containing and/or metal-organic monomers. Furthermore, a device and a method for coating an object of elastomeric material utilizing a plasma are proposed.

Abstract: The invention is based on a method for coating at least one wiper blade element (10) made of an elastomer material, in which first, the surface of the wiper blade element (10) is cleaned and activated by means of a plasma, and then in a CVD process, a coating material is brought into a plasma state and at least one protective coating (64) forms on the surface of the wiper blade element (10), where a high-frequency voltage is applied to the region of the wiper blade element (10) oriented away from the protective layer (64) by means of an electrode (56). The invention proposes that before being brought into a treatment chamber (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 74), the wiper blade element (10) be cut to a useful length (66) from a profiled band and placed on an electrode plate (56) so that its wiper lip (18) stands approximately perpendicular to the electrode plate (56), which extends to both sides of the wiper blade element (10), and is subjected to a plasma flow (50).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for sterilization, depyrogenization and/or annealing of containers and their closing elements (12) is proposed, in which in at least one method step, in a low-pressure chamber or vacuum chamber (4), a plasma treatment is performed jointly or separately for the containers and the closing elements (12) before the containers are filled, by means of excitation of an electromagnetic oscillation. The regions of the closing element or closing elements (12) and containers that are to be sterilized, depyrogenized and/or annealed are made to approach the oscillation-generating apparatus (15; 48) by means of a suitable conveyor device for one or more predetermined periods of time.

Abstract: The invention is based on a method for coating at least one wiper blade element (10) made of an elastomer material, in which first, the surface of the wiper blade element (10) is cleaned and activated by means of a plasma, and then in a CVD process, a coating material is brought into a plasma state and at least one protective coating (64) forms on the surface of the wiper blade element (10), where a high-frequency voltage is applied to the region of the wiper blade element (10) oriented away from the protective layer (64) by means of an electrode (56).

Abstract: A method is proposed for vacuum-coating a substrate using a plasma-CVD method. In order to control the ion bombardment during the coating, a substrate voltage (US), produced independently from the coating plasma (20), is applied to the substrate, this voltage being modified during the coating. The substrate voltage (US) is usefully a direct voltage that is pulsed in bipolar fashion with a frequency of 0.1 kHz to 10 MHz. Moreover, a wear-resistant and friction-reducing multilayer structure of alternating hard material individual layers and carbon or silicon individual layers is proposed.

Abstract: A method is proposed for vacuum-coating a substrate using a plasma-CVD method. In order to control ion bombardment during the vacuum coating, a substrate voltage produced independently from a coating plasma is applied to the substrate. The substrate voltage is modified during the coating. The substrate voltage is a direct voltage that is pulsed in bipolar fashion with a frequency of 0.1 kHz to 10 MHz. A wear-resistant and friction-reducing multilayer structure of alternating hard material individual layers and carbon or silicon individual layers is proposed.

Abstract: A device for vacuum coating bulk material includes a rotating holder for accommodating the bulk material, a plasma coating source arranged within the rotating holder, as well as a device, arranged within the rotating holder, for cleaning the bulk material using plasma. During the coating process, the rotational speed of the rotating holder is less than the speed necessary for producing a centrifugal force for fixing the bulk material against the inner wall of the rotating holder. The plasma coating source and the plasma cleaning device are arranged in such a way that their spheres of action overlap.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a self-supporting measuring probe suitable for application in a highly corrosive environment such as for example in a muffler or suction channel of a motor vehicle, is disclosed. The probe is provided with a protective foil which is applicable on a rigid substrate carrying the measuring layers, by means of a heat sealing process in which heat and pressure are simultaneously applied on the foil. In a preferred embodiment, the edges of the foil are fused to the substrate by a laser beam.