Abstract: A nutcracker utilizes a conical member with a textured exterior surface rotatably mounted and centered inside a vertical cylinder with a textured interior surface. The nuts occupy a cracking zone between the textured exterior surface and the textured interior surface. As the conical member rotates, gravity rolls the nuts down in a spiraling path into an increasingly smaller cracking zone until the pressure on the nuts between the textured exterior surface and the textured interior surface causes the shells to crack and the nuts to break into halves and thirds.

Abstract: A first surface mirror includes a reflective layer (e.g., Al or Ag), at least one dielectric layer and at least one protective layer of or including high density diamond-like carbon (DLC). The high density DLC enables the protective layer to be applied at a relatively small thickness which enables undesirable color often associated with DLC to be prevented or minimized, while at the same time good protective characteristics (e.g., scratch resistance) can be realized.

Abstract: A first surface mirror includes a reflective layer (e.g., Al or Ag), at least one dielectric layer and at least one protective layer of or including high density diamond-like carbon (DLC). The high density DLC enables the protective layer to be applied at a relatively small thickness which enables undesirable color often associated with DLC to be prevented or minimized, while at the same time good protective characteristics (e.g., scratch resistance) can be realized.