Abstract: A vibration damper for vehicles comprises a work cylinder in which a piston is guided axially by a piston rod. The piston divides the work cylinder into two work spaces filled with damping fluid. A tension stop is provided between the piston and a piston rod guide, wherein a tension stop element including a flexible part and a reinforcing ring is arranged between a support fastened to the piston rod and the piston rod guide. The reinforcing ring limits the deformation of the flexible part of tension stop when subjected to force during operation so that permissible shearing stresses of the flexible part are not exceeded.

Abstract: Damping element having a container tube, a piston mounted with freedom of movement in the damping medium-filled tube, a piston rod connected to the piston, and a fastening part for connecting the damping element to the first of the masses which are to be isolated from each other as effectively as possible with respect to vibration, where the piston rod is connected to the other of the masses. The fastening part includes a shaft and a fork, which serves to connect the fastening part to the first mass, where the fork is permanently connected to the shaft outside the area of the fork which is subject to dynamically alternating loads.

Abstract: Immunoapheresis treatment for cardiomyopathy comprises passing the patient's plasma over a column having coupled thereto a specific ligand for human immunoglobulin, thereby removing a significant portion of the immunoglobulin from the patient's plasma, and then reinfusing the plasma to the patient. The invention is the use of a specific ligand for human immunoglobulin in the manufacture of a column having the ligand coupled thereto, the column being useful for immunoapheresis treatment of a patient with cardiomyopathy. The specific ligand binds, and thereby removes, human autoantibodies which are harmful to cardiac tissue such as antibodies against ?1-adrenergic receptors, ADP-ATP carriers, ? and ? myosin heavy chains, and adenine nucleotide translocators.

Abstract: A vibration damper includes a damping element and a pneumatic spring, where the damping element has a container tube, a fastening part, and a piston rod, and where the pneumatic spring consists of a spring bellows acting as a roll bellows, an outer tube connected to the mass whose vibrations are to be minimized, and a roll-over tube carrying a roll-over profile. The spring bellows forms one boundary of an elastic space filled with a pressurized gas, whereas the roll-over tube seals off the gas space from the container tube and is attached thereto. A stamped and formed support ring, which supports the roll-over tube on the container tube and serves to suppress tilting movements, is installed between the container tube and the roll-over tube.

Abstract: Damping element between two masses, consisting of a container tube, a piston mounted slidably therein in a damping medium, a piston rod connected to this piston, and a fastening part for connecting the container tube to the first of the two masses which are to be isolated from each other with respect to vibration, where the piston rod is connected to one of the masses. The fastening part, consisting of a stem and a fork and serving to connect the fastening part to the first mass, is manufactured as a one-piece component, preferably by forging.

Abstract: Vibration damper, including a damping element and a pneumatic spring, wherein the damping element has a container tube, which is connected to a roll-off piston of the pneumatic spring. The roll-off piston is connected via an air suspension bellows acting as a rolling diaphragm to an external guide mounted concentrically and with freedom of axial movement with respect to the roll-off piston, the air suspension bellows and the roll-over piston forming the boundaries of a space filled with pressurized gas. The container tube is prepared for the installation of the roll-off piston by a non-cutting procedure suitable for mass production, wherein a length of tubing having the diameter of the container tube is mounted on a mandrel and clamped at both ends so that its length cannot change, and a pair of flow-turning/rotary-swaging rolls is pressed against the tubing and advanced toward each other to form an area of squeezed material.

Abstract: Damping element having a container tube, a piston mounted with freedom of movement in the damping medium-filled tube, a piston rod connected to the piston, and a fastening part for connecting the damping element to the first of the masses which are to be isolated from each other as effectively as possible with respect to vibration, where the piston rod is connected to the other of the masses. The fastening part includes a shaft and a fork, which serves to connect the fastening part to the first mass, where the fork is permanently connected to the shaft outside the area of the fork which is subject to dynamically alternating loads.

Abstract: A vibration damper for vehicles comprises a work cylinder in which a piston is guided axially by a piston rod. The piston divides the work cylinder into two work spaces filled with damping fluid. A tension stop is provided between the piston and a piston rod guide, wherein a chambered tension stop element is arranged between a support fastened to the piston rod and the piston rod guide. The tension stop does radially deflect impermissibly when subjected to force during operation.

Abstract: A shock absorber includes a damping element and an air spring, the damping element having a container tube, a fixing part and a piston rod. The air spring has a spring bellows acting as a rolling bellows, an outer tube connected to a mass to be held with little oscillation, and a rolling tube bearing a rolling profile. The spring bellows bounds a gas chamber provided with a gas filling under pressure, while the rolling tube seals off the gas chamber with respect to the container tube and is fixed to the latter in the axial direction. Between the container tube and the rolling tube there is arranged a compression stop cap having three webs and thickened ends, which serve as a stop on the container tube for the rolling tube and to dissipate the radial force component acting on the latter.

Abstract: Vibration damper, including a damping element and a pneumatic spring, wherein the damping element has a container tube, which is connected to a roll-off piston of the pneumatic spring. The roll-off piston is connected via an air suspension bellows acting as a rolling diaphragm to an external guide mounted concentrically and with freedom of axial movement with respect to the roll-off piston, the air suspension bellows and the roll-over piston forming the boundaries of a space filled with pressurized gas. The container tube is prepared for the installation of the roll-off piston by a non-cutting procedure suitable for mass production, wherein a length of tubing having the diameter of the container tube is mounted on a mandrel and clamped at both ends so that its length cannot change, and a pair of flow-turning/rotary-swaging rolls is pressed against the tubing and advanced toward each other to form an area of squeezed material.

Abstract: A vibration damper includes a damping element and a pneumatic spring, where the damping element has a container tube, a fastening part, and a piston rod, and where the pneumatic spring consists of a spring bellows acting as a roll bellows, an outer tube connected to the mass whose vibrations are to be minimized, and a roll-over tube carrying a roll-over profile. The spring bellows forms one boundary of an elastic space filled with a pressurized gas, whereas the roll-over tube seals off the gas space from the container tube and is attached thereto. A stamped and formed support ring, which supports the roll-over tube on the container tube and serves to suppress tilting movements, is installed between the container tube and the roll-over tube.

Abstract: A shock absorber includes a container tube, a piston arranged therein such that it can be displaced in a damping medium, a piston rod connected to the piston, and a fixing component to connect the damping element to one of two masses to be held with little oscillation in relation to each other, the piston rod being connected to the other of the masses. The fixing component, which includes a base with a centering attachment, a stem, and a fork for connecting the fixing component to the first mass, is made as one piece, consists of steel and is preferably a forged component. The fixing component is a multifunctional part whose configuration can be worked into a forged shape in order to facilitate large-scale mass production.

Abstract: A shock absorber includes a damping element and an air spring, the damping element having a container tube, a fixing part and a piston rod. The air spring has a spring bellows acting as a rolling bellows, an outer tube connected to a mass to be held with little oscillation, and a rolling tube bearing a rolling profile. The spring bellows bounds a gas chamber provided with a gas filling under pressure, while the rolling tube seals off the gas chamber with respect to the container tube and is fixed to the latter in the axial direction. Between the container tube and the rolling tube there is arranged a compression stop cap having three webs and thickened ends, which serve as a stop on the container tube for the rolling tube and to dissipate the radial force component acting on the latter.

Abstract: Immunoapheresis treatment for cardiomyopathy comprises passing the patient's plasma over a column having coupled thereto a specific ligand for human immunoglobulin, thereby removing a significant portion of the immunoglobulin from the patient's plasma, and then reinfusing the plasma to the patient. The invention is the use of a specific ligand for human immunoglobulin in the manufacture of a column having the ligand coupled thereto, the column being useful for immunoapheresis treatment of a patient with cardiomyopathy. The specific ligand binds, and thereby removes, human autoantibodies which are harmful to cardiac tissue such as antibodies against &bgr;1-adrenergic receptors, ADP-ATP carriers, &agr; and &bgr; myosin heavy chains, and adenine nucleotide translocators.