Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making an ophthalmic lens intended to correct the visual acuity of a user, comprising the steps of determining the shape of a base optical corrective element, determining the profile of a phase element structure, said determination comprising the steps of defining a desired depth of focus of said ophthalmic lens; calculating the phase distribution to be created at the entrance pupil of the lens, selecting a phase distribution and performing an iterative calculation to obtain the depth of focus, finding the phase which minimizes the differences between the effective phase distribution and the desired phase distribution and of converting the phase data into geometrical data to define the profile of the phase distribution structure and juxtaposing the resulting phase element structure and the base optical corrective element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the configuration of an ophthalmic lens intended to correct the visual acuity of a user, this method comprising the steps of determining the form of a base optical corrective element according to at least one of the following parameters: the desired power of the ophthalmic lens; the desired resolution or modulation transfer function MTF; the desired extent of the correction of the spherical aberrations (SA) of said ophthalmic lens; the desired extent of the correction of the spherical aberrations (SA) of the cornea of the user; the desired extent of the correction of the chromatic aberrations of said ophthalmic lens; the desired extent of the correction of the chromatic aberrations of the cornea of the user; the desired extent of the correction of high order aberrations (HOA).

Abstract: A combined system for cooling drive units and for heating the inner space of a hybrid vehicle comprises a cooling circuit, in which are connected in series an internal combustion engine, a thermostat valve, a cooler and an electrovalve. The system comprises a cooler bypass in which are arranged an electric heater and a heat exchanger for heating the inner space of the vehicle. According to the mode of operation of the hybrid vehicle, the heat exchanger (68) may take up heat from the internal combustion engine or from the electric heater (80), wherein, in the electric operating mode, i.e. with the internal combustion engine not running, for the purpose of keeping the heat losses low, an uncoupling of the internal combustion engine and cooler (26) from the heat exchanger (68) is made possible by means of the thermostat valve and electrovalve.

Abstract: The method according to the invention is based on the discovery that the pollutant emissions in the first minutes of operation of an internal combustion engine also depend on the preceding operation and switching off procedure. It is suggested to subject the internal combustion engine and the catalytic converter to a cleaning or a scavenging phase before the standstill of the motor. With this cleaning or scavenging phase the movement of the internal combustion engine is still maintained for a certain time before standstill of the motor either by sparking or by an external drive and at least temporally in at least individual cylinders of the internal combustion engine the supply of fuel is interrupted and exclusively air is delivered. By way of this it is achieved that the remaining pollutants accumulated in the internal combustion engine are supplied to the catalytic converter which is still at the operating temperature and the catalytic converter is enriched with oxygen.

Abstract: The series hybrid traction assembly comprises an electric generator set, a static converter and at least one tandem traction set intended to drive two driving wheels of a vehicle. The traction set (1) comprises two back-gear motors each comprising an electric motor (4, 14) and a reducing gear (7, 17) which drives the wheel by means of a transmission shaft. The two reducing gears are adjacent to a median plane (24). The motor driving the wheel situated on one side of the median plane is on the other side of such plane, so that each driving line preferably has a Z-shaped outline and the axial space requirement of the traction set is reduced. The assembly also comprises a generator set (40) formed of a heat engine (41) and a generator (42), this set being arranged facing one (4) of the electric motors, on the other side of the median plane. A very compact assembly results.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle and operating method, wherein, given a pending change in the rotational speed of a combustion engine of the hybrid vehicle, provides for a battery, independently of the power to be transmitted to the driving wheels, to be so charged or discharged in a directed manner that the change in rotational speed is effected as swiftly as possible. With regard to fuel consumption, pollutant emission and/or care of the engine, optimal operating points are passed through. On the one hand in the case of a pending increase in power of the combustion engine, it is provided for the battery to be more heavily discharged or less heavily charged according to the initial situation, and in the case of a pending reduction in power, to be more heavily charged or less heavily discharged.

Abstract: The invention concerns a driving system for a hybrid-powered motor vehicle. It includes a generator set producing a direct current used by a driving set with an electric motor for driving at least one driving wheel of the vehicle. Using an accelerator, the driver gives a power set-point signal that is used by a first adjusting device which acts on the thermal engine, the generator, and the AC/DC converter of the generator set. A second adjusting device adjusts the power of the driving set as a slave of the generator set, according to the variations in the voltage of the supply circuit with respect to a desired voltage, without considering the signal from the accelerator.

Abstract: In a motor vehicle driving system comprising several asynchronous electric machines (11, 12) each coupled to a driving wheel (13, 14), a polyphase supply device (2) and a regulating device (6) using a reference signal (SR) representative of a speed of one of the driving wheels, the invention provides a method and a device allowing an optimum electric supply to be assured when one or more of the driving wheels skid in drive mode or locks in the event of braking. For each driving wheel, a measured speed signal (NM1, NM2) is processed in a detection unit (23, 24) which detects skidding or locking and delivers binary skid (P1, P2) and locking (B1, B2) signals and a corrected speed signal (NC1, NC2) representing, as required, the speed prior to skidding or locking. A selection unit (25) selects one of the corrected speed signals as reference signal. Applications to electric or hybrid-powered vehicles.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for adjusting the electric power distribution in a direct voltage supply circuit (2) in a motor vehicle, e.g. a hybrid-powered vehicle comprising an electric generator set (1) and one or several electric elements (3, 6, 7, 8) capable of consuming and/or producing power in the supply circuit, one of said electric elements being an electric driving set (3) capable of driving the driving wheels (4) of the vehicle.The power of the generator set is adjusted on the basis of a power demand given by the driver. One (3, 7) of said electric elements is defined as a power balancing element. A desired voltage (U.sub.0c) of the supply circuit is determined, the effective voltage (U.sub.0) of said circuit is continuously monitored, and the power of the balancing element is adjusted so as to maintain the effective voltage at the level of the desired voltage.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for marking refillable containers, more especially plastic bottles, with code symbols for later ascertaining whether a container has to be refilled or separated. The part of the container in which is situated a manufacturer's code present from the outset is photographed at a detection station by a camera. Using code symbols applied previously as a reference marking, the place is determined at which a new code symbol of a round trip code is applied at a marking station with a laser. The number of such code symbols gives the number of fillings of the containers, and the data content of each code symbol contains a statement concerning the filling inserted in the container, the bottler etc., in each case. With the aid of this, a certain filling sequence can be adhered to, for example, prevent a plastic bottle which previously contained a cola drink being filled with mineral water, whereas the reverse sequence would be permissible.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for marking refillable containers (112), more especially plastic bottles, with code symbols with the aid of which it can be Later ascertained whether a container has to be refilled or separated, are described. The part of the container (112) in which is situated a manufacturer's code present from the outset is photographed at a detection station (130) by means of a camera (164). Using code symbols applied previously as a reference marking, the place is determined at which a new code symbol of a round trip code is applied at a marking station (140) by means of a laser. The number of such code symbols gives the number of fillings of the containers (112), and the data content of each code symbol contains a statement concerning the filling inserted in the container, the bottler etc., in each case.

Abstract: What is described is a process for reading a chain (34) of code characters which is arranged annularly on a transparent bottle (10) in the bottom area of the same, by photographing at least the bottom area of the bottle through the bottle neck by means of a camera (24) and simultaneously illuminating the bottom area of the bottle from below. With a zero relative speed of rotation between camera (24), bottle (10) and illumination source (32), a snapshot of the bottom area of the bottle with the complete code character chain (34) is taken from the inside of the bottle with the camera (24) and is stored as an image for the later decoding of the code character chain. The code-reading process is a very rapid process, because the fraction of a second in which the bottle (10) is in a line with the camera (24) and the illumination source (32) is adequate for reading the code.

Abstract: The apparatus is used for testing the surface structure of hollow, cylindrical regions of transparent, hollow bodies (e.g. bottles) moved along a track. It comprises an illuminating device (10), a conveyor (14) by means of which the hollow bodies (34) are moved through an inspection region, and an imaging device (12). The illuminating device (10) has several light sources (26) which are arranged so that, in every position within the inspection region (9), the hollow bodies (34) receive light at an angle of incidence such that the hollow bodies (34) act as wave guides and appear as secondary light sources with respect to the imaging device (12), so that the imaging device (12) yields a high-contrast image of the surface structures of the hollow bodies. The device is principally used for the testing of recycled bottles.

Abstract: A conveyor (12) moves the hollow bodies (18) over a circular path through an inspection region (20) in which the hollow bodies (18) are homogeneously illuminated by an illumination device (16). The light issuing from the hollow bodies (18) passes via a group (34) of four mirrors (34a-34d) and a deflecting mirror (36) to a matrix camera or line scanning camera (30). The mirrors (34a-32d) are plane mirrors which are inclined at an angle in relation to one another. The hollow bodies (18) execute one complete revolution about their longitudinal axis while passing through the inspection region (20). Therefore, the group (34) of four mirrors views a quarter of the circumference of the hollow bodies each time in succession. The inspection apparatus is particularly suitable for inspecting the threaded region of bottles and has the advantage that is does not need any moving parts.

Abstract: Photographs for detecting defects in the upper end face of the lip (43) of the mouth are taken by a camera (18) arranged on the axis of a bottle to be examined. An annular, coaxial light-conducting member (30), which is surrounded by a light source (28), is disposed between the lip (43) and the camera (18). It has a central viewing opening (40) with the shape of a double truncated cone (40a,40b). The generated surface of the truncated cone (40a) adjacent to the lip forms a light exit surface (46a) to illuminate the lip (43). The angle of slope of the truncated cone (40a) is selected so that an annular truncated cone of light (52) falls on the upper face of the lip (43) and has an angle of incidence of about 45.degree. in the middle thereof. This results in a dark-ground illumination of the lip (43). Should a defect be present in the region of the upper end face of the lip (43), this becomes visible as light on a dark background.

Abstract: A power line cord filtering assembly for use with an electrical device and comprising a plug adapted to be connected to electrical mains, a power line cord and filter apparatus arranged in series with said plug, power line cord and electrical device, the filter comprising resistor apparatus, capacitor apparatus and inductor apparatus.

Abstract: The piston metering pump has a motor operated eccentric which reciprocates a piston assembly. The piston assembly has two separate portions connected by spaced wire or rod members. One of said portions supports the piston and the other portion supports a coaxial stroke adjustment member.