Abstract: An energy conversion system includes a reactor vessel, a jacket disposed within the reactor vessel, the jacket having a wall that defines a chamber, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end, and a nozzle coupled to the reactor and arranged to direct a continuous flow of fuel at a flow rate into the chamber. The fuel including a mixture of a metal compound and water at a pressure that is greater than 221 bar. A cooling space is formed between the jacket and the reactor vessel and is operable to maintain a temperature of the fuel within the chamber between 374 and 800 degrees Celsius. A first gas outlet is in fluid communication with the chamber and is arranged to discharge a gas, and an outlet is in fluid communication with the chamber and is arranged to continuously discharge a reaction product and water.

Abstract: A vehicle comprises: a low-voltage battery to provide low-voltage power; devices configured to operate using the low-voltage power, each of the devices coupled to the low-voltage battery by a corresponding conductor, wherein the devices comprise all consumers of the low-voltage power in the vehicle; switches to selectively interrupt the low-voltage power between the low-voltage battery and any of the devices, each of the switches positioned in a respective conductor of the conductors; and a central processing unit configured to detect an overload condition regarding any of the switches, and to open, in response to detecting the overload condition, the switch of the conductor between the low-voltage battery and the corresponding one of the devices.

Abstract: In order to detect possible leaks of fuel into oil used in an aircraft engine when their circuits are connected via a heat exchanger liable to deteriorate, a gauge measuring the liquid level in a tank in which the oil is stored, and incorporated into the oil circuit, is designed so that its float sinks to the bottom of the tank in the event of sufficient leakage, when the density of the mixture becomes lower.

Abstract: A power distribution system is provided that ensures that a car is able to operate safely in an autonomous mode. The system includes multiple power rails, including a pair of safety critical power rails. Associated with each safety critical power rail is a safety switch, vehicle sensors (e.g., vehicle location and obstacle sensors), vehicle actuators (e.g., braking and steering actuators) and an autonomous control unit. If a fault is detected during vehicle initialization or general operation, the safety switch which detected the fault opens and that particular power rail is decoupled from the general purpose power rail as well as the remaining safety critical power rail. The remaining safety critical power rail is then able to provide power to a sufficient number of sensors, actuators and controllers to allow the car to safely and autonomously complete an emergency stop on the side of the road.

Abstract: A transmission comprises: a first planetary stage including a first ring gear defining first internal teeth; a ground component defining second internal teeth; a compound planetary stage including a one-way clutch with an inner race and an outer race, the outer race having a first tapered surface; and an adaptor defining external teeth and a second tapered surface, the adaptor being movable into at least a first position where the first tapered surface and the second tapered surface are connected with each other, and into a second position where instead the first internal teeth are gear coupled with the second internal teeth.

Abstract: A turbine rotor for aircraft turbine engine includes a mobile disc supporting mobile blades, the mobile disc including a plurality of slots into which are inserted the roots of the mobile blades a passage being formed between the bottom of the slots and the roots of the mobile blades inserted into the slots. The rotor also includes a circulation channel configured to allow circulation of fluid, the circulation channel including the passage, and a calibration device configured to allow the flow of a first fluid flow rate in the circulation channel when the temperature within the channel is less than a predetermined temperature threshold value, and to change state so as to allow the flow of a second fluid flow rate, greater than the first flow rate, in the channel, when the temperature within the channel is greater than or equal to said predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A power distribution system is provided that ensures that a car is able to operate safely in an autonomous mode. The system includes multiple power rails, including a pair of safety critical power rails. Associated with each safety critical power rail is a safety switch, vehicle sensors (e.g., vehicle location and obstacle sensors), vehicle actuators (e.g., braking and steering actuators) and an autonomous control unit. If a fault is detected during vehicle initialization or general operation, the safety switch which detected the fault opens and that particular power rail is decoupled from the general purpose power rail as well as the remaining safety critical power rail. The remaining safety critical power rail is then able to provide power to a sufficient number of sensors, actuators and controllers to allow the car to safely and autonomously complete an emergency stop on the side of the road.

Abstract: A dome-actuator structure for use in a dome switch is disclosed. The dome-actuator structure comprises a lower substantially horizontal lower dome, an upper actuator portion attached to the lower dome and that is positioned vertically over the lower dome such that depressing of the actuator portion operates to depress the lower dome, and a lateral arm that couples the actuator portion to the lower dome. The lateral arm and the lower dome are formed from a common piece of material. The actuator portion comprises an actuation block, made of plastic or synthetic material or made of natural or synthetic elastomer, fixed to the lateral arm.

Abstract: An electrical switch includes a base, an actuating rod comprising a lateral wall guided in a bore of the base, a return spring for the rod which moves with respect to the base. The return spring comprises a last elastic turn which, during the actuating travel of the rod, bears against an abutment surface of the base and which cooperates with a ramp formed in the side wall which deforms it radially. The bore has a series of axial ribs projecting into the bore, each of which is slidably received in a complementary axial groove formed in the side wall. A radial upper end facet of each axial rib forms a portion of the abutment surface.

Abstract: In a general aspect, an electrical device assembly (e.g., a battery module) can include a first electrical contact surface, a second electrical contact surface, and a ribbon wire extending along a longitudinal axis. The ribbon wire can include a first portion, a second portion and a third portion. The first portion of the ribbon wire can be coupled with the first electrical contact surface via a first wedge bond. The second portion of the ribbon wire can be coupled with the second electrical contact surface via a second wedge bond. The third portion of the ribbon wire can extend between the first portion and the second portion. The first portion can have a first width transverse to the longitudinal axis of the ribbon wire, and the third portion can have a second width transverse to the longitudinal axis, the first width being greater than the second width.

Abstract: A turbine rotor for aircraft turbine engine includes a mobile disc supporting mobile blades, the mobile disc including a plurality of slots into which are inserted the roots of the mobile blades a passage being formed between the bottom of the slots and the roots of the mobile blades inserted into the slots. The rotor also includes a circulation channel configured to allow circulation of fluid, the circulation channel including the passage, and a calibration device configured to allow the flow of a first fluid flow rate in the circulation channel when the temperature within the channel is less than a predetermined temperature threshold value, and to change state so as to allow the flow of a second fluid flow rate, greater than the first flow rate, in the channel, when the temperature within the channel is greater than or equal to said predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A power distribution system is provided that ensures that a car is able to operate safely in an autonomous mode. The system includes multiple power rails, including a pair of safety critical power rails. Associated with each safety critical power rail is a safety switch, vehicle sensors (e.g., vehicle location and obstacle sensors), vehicle actuators (e.g., braking and steering actuators) and an autonomous control unit. If a fault is detected during vehicle initialization or general operation, the safety switch which detected the fault opens and that particular power rail is decoupled from the general purpose power rail as well as the remaining safety critical power rail. The remaining safety critical power rail is then able to provide power to a sufficient number of sensors, actuators and controllers to allow the car to safely and autonomously complete an emergency stop on the side of the road.

Abstract: An electrical switch includes a base, an actuating rod comprising a lateral wall guided in a bore of the base, a return spring for the rod which moves with respect to the base. The return spring comprises a last elastic turn which, during the actuating travel of the rod, bears against an abutment surface of the base and which cooperates with a ramp formed in the side wall which deforms it radially. The bore has a series of axial ribs projecting into the bore, each of which is slidably received in a complementary axial groove formed in the side wall. A radial upper end facet of each axial rib forms a portion of the abutment surface.

Abstract: A powertrain backlash control system is provided for use with an electric vehicle (EV), where the EV uses at least one powertrain to provide forward vehicle motion and at least one additional powertrain to provide rearward vehicle motion. The control system eliminates backlash by maintaining a positive motor torque within each powertrain when the vehicle is in-gear, thus applying a minimum forward torque demand to the powertrain dedicated to forward motion and applying a minimum reverse torque demand to the powertrain dedicated to rearward motion.

Abstract: The invention provides an axially actuating tactile electrical switch comprising a casing; a plurality of independent fixed electrical contacts arranged in a base of the casing, and a movable electrical contact comprising a peripheral portion resting on a portion of a fixed peripheral electrical contact and a central portion movable vertically downwards; a single piece actuating body made of elastic material comprising a peripheral portion, an actuating central part comprising a lower portion for actuating the movable electrical contact, and an upper portion for receiving an actuating force, forming a casing comprising an upper cover having a hole whereby a free upper end section of the upper portion extends axially; the cover has an internal retaining surface; and the actuating body has an abutment surface cooperating with the internal retaining surface of the cover to determine an upper rest position of the actuating body with respect to the casing.

Abstract: The invention provides an axially actuating tactile electrical switch comprising a casing; a plurality of independent fixed electrical contacts arranged in a base of the casing, and a movable electrical contact comprising a peripheral portion resting on a portion of a fixed peripheral electrical contact and a central portion movable vertically downwards; a single piece actuating body made of elastic material comprising a peripheral portion, an actuating central part comprising a lower portion for actuating the movable electrical contact, and an upper portion for receiving an actuating force, forming a casing comprising an upper cover having a hole whereby a free upper end section of the upper portion extends axially; the cover has an internal retaining surface; and the actuating body has an abutment surface cooperating with the internal retaining surface of the cover to determine an upper rest position of the actuating body with respect to the casing.

Abstract: A power distribution system is provided that ensures that a car is able to operate safely in an autonomous mode. The system includes multiple power rails, including a pair of safety critical power rails. Associated with each safety critical power rail is a safety switch, vehicle sensors (e.g., vehicle location and obstacle sensors), vehicle actuators (e.g., braking and steering actuators) and an autonomous control unit. If a fault is detected during vehicle initialization or general operation, the safety switch which detected the fault opens and that particular power rail is decoupled from the general purpose power rail as well as the remaining safety critical power rail. The remaining safety critical power rail is then able to provide power to a sufficient number of sensors, actuators and controllers to allow the car to safely and autonomously complete an emergency stop on the side of the road.

Abstract: An electric switch of the normally closed type has a housing including a lower part that supports a fixed contact track, an internal contact blade that is resiliently deformable in order to assume a bottom rest position in order to establish an electric switching way, a first high non-stable position, in which the switching track is interrupted, and a second high stable position, in which the electric switching track is interrupted and in which the internal contact blade is locked such as by retractable locking structure, and an actuator to control the deformations of the internal contact blade.

Abstract: An assembly includes an electrical switch and an elastically deformable control blade for controlling change of state of its trip member. The control blade comprises: (i) a fixing branch; (ii) an actuation branch which, in the absence of application of an actuation effort, stresses the trip member in the direction of closure of the electrical switch, and (iii) a control branch which can pivot about an axis to provoke tilting of the actuation branch against its elasticity to keep the electrical switch in an open free state. The assembly may include a locking device for locking the control blade in an initial position of delivery of the assembly. The unlocking of the control blade may be provoked automatically upon a first application of an actuation effort on the control blade.

Abstract: A power management system for an electric vehicle is provided which maintains power to the various vehicle ‘always-on’ components and subsystems during periods of vehicle non-use without requiring the low voltage battery to undergo frequent charge/discharge cycling. The system uses a secondary DC/DC converter that has a lower output voltage, and operates at a higher efficiency, then the primary DC/DC converter. As a result of this system, the life of the low voltage battery is prolonged and power consumption efficiency is improved, thereby minimizing range loss while the car is parked.