Abstract: The invention relates to a medical instrument having an elongated shaft, a movable tool at a distal end of the shaft, a handle with a movable grip part at a proximal end of the shaft, and a force transmission element which can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the instrument and is operatively connected to the movable grip part and to the tool such that an actuation of the movable grip part is converted into a movement of the tool. The instrument has a spring assembly that is arranged on the handle and has at least one leg spring, which has at least one winding and two legs, and a pin, wherein the at least one winding extends about the pin. When the movable grip part is actuated, a force is applied to at least one of the legs of the leg spring, said force reducing the friction between the winding and the pin such that the leg spring can be rotated about the pin and the force transmission element and the tool can be moved.

Abstract: A method of mechanically securing a first object including a thermoplastic material in a solid state to a second object with a generally flat sheet portion, with a perforation of the sheet portion, and with the sheet portion having an edge along the perforation is provided, wherein the first object is positioned relative to the second object so that the edge is in contact with the thermoplastic material and wherein mechanical vibration energy is coupled into the assembly including the first and second objects until a flow portion of the thermoplastic material due to friction heat generated between the edge and the thermoplastic material becomes flowable and flows around the edge to at least partially embed the edge in the thermoplastic material. After the mechanical vibration stops, the thermoplastic material is caused to re-solidify, whereby the re-solidified thermoplastic material at least partially embedding the edge anchors the first object in the second object.

Abstract: A method of controlling an industrial process by a programmable process control has the steps of taking data in form of resulting values which are decisive for the process, storing the data in a storage of a programmable process control, during starting a control program reading pre-defined configuration data which are stored in a storage in the control and connected with a control program, based on the configuration data selecting a subset of the resulting values adapted to a resulting value storage available in the control, and subsequently storing it in this storage.

Abstract: A method of controlling an industrial process by a programmable process control has the steps of taking data in form of resulting values which are decisive for the process, storing the data in a storage of a programmable process control, during starting a control program reading pre-defined configuration data which are stored in a storage in the control and connected with a control program, based on the configuration data selecting a subset of the resulting values adapted to a resulting value storage available in the control, and subsequently storing it in this storage.

Abstract: Carbonate-containing mineral fillers, pigments and similar materials are disclosed which are characterized by a combination of four features. These carbonate-containing materials can be used in particular in dyes, paints, paper pulps, paper coatings and plastics to great advantage. In addition, a method of preparing these carbonate-containing materials is disclosed.