Abstract: A self-sustained current supply device based on a modular concept with an energy-autarkic generator module being connected with appliance-specific exchangeable battery/electronics modules wherein an additional battery matching the small appliance can be charged within a short time.

Abstract: A method of processing Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry (FTMS) data comprises carrying out a Fourier Trans-form of a part of a time domain transient and identifying from that transformed data signal peaks representative of the presence of ions. Once the peaks have been identified, the full transient is then transformed, and the peaks identified in the partial transient transform are used to locate true peaks in the transformed full transient. The number of ‘false’ peaks resulting from random noise has been found to correlate to the resolution, so that using a partial transient to identify true peaks reduces the risk of false peaks being included; nevertheless this information can then be applied to the full data set when transformed. As an alternative, different parts of the full data set can be transformed and then correlated; because any noise will be random, false peaks should occur at different places in the two partial transforms.

Abstract: This invention relates to mass spectrometry that includes ion trapping in at least one of the stages of mass analysis. In particular, although not exclusively, this invention relates to tandem mass spectrometry where precursor ions and fragment ions are analysed. A method of mass spectrometry is provided comprising the sequential steps of: accumulating in an ion store a sample of one type of ions to be analysed; accumulating in the ion store a sample of another type of ions to be analysed; and mass analysing the combined samples of the ions; wherein the method comprises accumulating the sample of the one type of ions and/or the sample of another type of ions to achieve a target number of ions based on the results of a previous measurement of the respective type of ions.

Abstract: An apparatus for ejecting sheets from a sheet transport path onto an auxiliary stack disposed upstream of a main stack, includes a planar sheet guide surface having a sheet ejection opening formed therein. The sheet ejection opening is closed by a sheet separating element and a flap, in a closed state. The separating element and the flap also serve as guide elements during the ejection of sheets.

Abstract: This invention relates to a mass spectrometer including a reaction cell and to a method of using such a mass spectrometer. In particular, although not exclusively, this invention relates to a tandem mass spectrometer and to tandem mass spectrometry. The invention provides a method of mass spectrometry using a mass spectrometer having a longitudinal axis, comprising guiding ions to travel along the longitudinal axis of the mass spectrometer in a forwards direction to pass through an intermediate ion store and then to enter a reaction cell, to process the ions within the reaction cell, to eject the processed ions to travel back along the longitudinal axis to enter the intermediate ion store once more, and to eject one or more pulses of the processed ions in an off-axis direction to a mass analyser.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of trapping ions and to an ion trapping assembly. In particular, the present invention has application in gas-assisted trapping of ions in an ion trap prior to a mass analysis of the ions in a mass spectrometer. The invention provides a method of trapping ions in a target ion trap of an ion trapping assembly that comprises a series of volumes arranged such that ions can traverse from one volume to the next, the volumes including the target ion trap, whereby ions are allowed to pass repeatedly through the volumes such that they also pass into and out from the target ion trap without being trapped. Potentials may be used to reflect the ions from respective ends of the ion trapping assembly. Optionally, a potential well and/or gas-assisted cooling may be used to cause the ions to settle in the target ion trap.

Abstract: A device and a method for evaluating a signal that can indicate the respiration of a person, particularly suitable for examining a patient with respect to the occurrence of sleep-related breathing disturbances. In one example, a device for evaluating a signal indicative of the temporal course of the respiration of a patient, in particular a respiratory flow signal, includes an electronic evaluation program or circuitry which is configured in such a manner that it evaluates the signal by continuously generating intermediate evaluation results for short signal periods and for longer signal periods being parallel thereto, and performs an identification of respiratory patterns in the time signal or in specific time periods on the basis of the position of the intermediate evaluation results of the short signal periods relative to the intermediate evaluation results of the longer signal periods.

Abstract: A spring-force terminal point for an electrical conductor (8) with a clamping spring (1) and with a busbar (2) such that, in a clamping position, the conductor (8) bears against the busbar (2) under the pressure of the clamping spring (1), a tension lever (11) holding, with a latching cam (12), the clamping spring (1) in an opening position, and the tension lever (11) being capable of being triggered by means of a rotary movement so as to move the clamping spring (1) out of its opening position into its clamping position.

Abstract: A method of depositing sheets coming out of a sheet-processing machine includes decelerating the sheets and depositing the sheets of a main pile. Certain sheets are decelerated and fed to a second sheet pile. The system includes a device for decelerating the sheets arriving from the sheet-processing machine and for depositing the sheets on a main pile. A chain gripper system is configured to hold and decelerate a trailing edge of the sheets. The chain gripper system includes an adjustable gripper opening cam.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of improving a mass spectrum collected from a mass spectrometer comprising a detector for collecting a mass spectrum from ions stored in or released from an ion trapping volume, wherein assignment of masses to peaks appearing in the mass spectrum is sensitive to an experimental parameter related to the mass spectrometer or the operation thereof, such as ion abundance, the method comprising: determining a positional value of a peak; determining the experimental parameter associated with the mass spectrum; comparing the determined positional value with positional values of peaks contained in a calibration dataset; and improving the determined positional value of the peak from adjacent peak positional values by interpolation thereby to provide a corrected mass assignment for the peak. The present invention also provides a method of calibrating such a mass spectrometer.

Abstract: A method of generating a mass spectrum from an FTMS is disclosed. A first quantity of ions from a source, having a first m/z range, is captured and detected in the FTMS measurement cell to produce a first output. A second quantity of ions, having a second m/z range which at least partially does not overlap with the first m/z range, is then captured and detected so as to produce a second output. The two outputs are then combined using a processor so as to “stitch” together the outputs, which may be FTMS transients or may first be Fourier Transformed into the frequency mass domain, into a composite output from which a composite mass spectrum covering the full range of m/z ratios included by the first and second ranges can be produced.

Abstract: A data compression technique is disclosed for Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry (FTMS). A statistical analysis is applied to the data in the frequency domain since most of this data is a result of randomly distributed electronic noise. A fit of the whole frequency dataset to the distribution is made to determine preliminary moments of the distribution. The data in the tail of that distribution (which is mainly the peak data) is then removed and the remaining data points are re-fitted to the distribution, to identify the moments of distribution of that remaining noise data. A noise threshold for the mass spectrum is then applied using the calculated moments. The data above the threshold is kept.

Abstract: The present invention relates to mass spectrometry and, more particularly, to the scheduling of the steps involved in performing mass spectrometry. The present invention will be of particular benefit to types of mass spectrometry that generate large quantities of data and hence give rise to lengthy data-processing. The present invention provides a method of mass spectrometry comprising a plurality of cycles, each cycle comprising the steps of (a) preparing ions to be analysed by a mass spectrometer; (b) using a detector of the mass spectrometer to collect data from the ions prepared in step (a); and (c) processing the data collected in step (b) with processing means; wherein at least a part of step (a) and/or a part of step (b) of a cycle is performed concurrently with part (c) of a previous cycle.

Abstract: A clamp/plug connector for through-wall connection includes a clamp housing of an insulating material. A locking element is provided for attaching the clamp housing to a wall. A pivotable actuation wedge is connected as a single piece to the locking element.

Abstract: A draw spring clamp has loopshaped draw springs with an attachment leg to contact a current bus and with a spring leg and clamping leg, whereby the latter is interrupted by a clamp window in order to form the clamp leg. By means of an actuation element into which a tool blade may be inserted, the spring leg of the draw springs may be loaded with tension in order to open the clamp window. This actuation element is located between the two spring legs of the draw spring that oppose each other. In order to enable time-saving actuation, the actuation element in its loaded position also rests against the two spring legs. Thus, the actuation element possesses rest positions on its opposing exteriors whose separation increases along a first direction of travel of the actuation element and decreases along the second, direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to an aircraft window case (10) that can be artificially illuminated in an indirect manner, comprising a connecting cone (20) for connection of the aircraft window case (10) to the inner face of an aircraft window (22), a panel (12) closing off the window case (10) from the aircraft interior, a hollow-cylindrical transition element (18) made of translucent material for spanning a distance between the connecting cone (20) and the panel (12), and an illumination device (24) which radiates light on to the outer face of the transition element (18).

Abstract: A draw spring clamp has loop-shaped draw springs with an attachment leg to contact a current bus and with a spring leg and clamping leg, whereby the latter is interrupted by a clamp window in order to form the clamp leg. By means of an actuation element into which a tool blade may be inserted, the spring leg of the draw springs may be loaded with tension in order to open the clamp window. This actuation element is located between the two spring legs of the draw spring that oppose each other. In order to enable time-saving actuation, the actuation element in its loaded position also rests against the two spring legs. Thus, the actuation element possesses rest positions on its opposing exteriors whose separation increases along a first direction of travel of the actuation element and decreases along the second direction.

Abstract: An electrical terminal, for example a terminal block which includes a terminal housing having at least one terminal element located within, such as a tension spring terminal, and with at least one current bar. The terminal housing also includes at least one lead insertion opening for inserting an electrical lead to be connected, at least one actuating opening for inserting an actuating tool for opening the tension spring terminal and at least one test plug opening for inserting a test plug which is laterally offset from the plane of the actuating opening. This electrical terminal enables a test tap while also having smaller size than conventional electrical terminals.

Abstract: A piston internal combustion engine with at least one gas exhaust valve (2) for each cylinder (1), which is actuated by an actuator (7), in particular an electromagnetic actuator, controlled by a fully variable engine control unit (15). Based on the predetermined operating cycle, the valve can close off the cylinder interior space against a gas exhaust channel (13) that follows the valve seat (3) of the exhaust valve. This channel is connected to an exhaust gas system and is provided with a means for example a constriction (14) for reducing the pressure gradient during the start of the opening of the gas exhaust valve (2). A specific pressure fluctuation is used for a further reduction in the pressure gradient behind the exhaust valves during the opening through a corresponding layout of the pipe geometry and the container volumes in the exhaust gas system or corresponding installed components.

Abstract: The increasing number of mobile battery-powered small appliances with different feed voltages and connecting devices is calling for a universal and compact energy supply apparatus which provides for an uncomplicated and at the same time cost-efficient adjustability to as many small appliances as possible. To this end, the present application proposes a universal power supply unit consisting of an energy station with an integrated voltage converter in combination with various appliance-specific adapter cables with a group of electronic components. This generates an individual programming signal in the adapter cable which when coupling the adapter cable to the energy station causes a corresponding setting of the required output values. This leads to a simple matching of the unit with various small appliances and provides for a large field of applications. In particular, by feeding solar energy the power supply unit may be rendered autarchic in terms of energy.