Abstract: A two-stage supercharger for an engine having a radial high-pressure turbine and an axial low-pressure turbine. The high-pressure turbine has a spiral housing with an exhaust-gas inlet connected to an exhaust line and via which exhaust-gas flows from the engine to the high-pressure turbine. A partial flow of the exhaust-gas flows past the high-pressure turbine in a bypass unit and is adjustable by a shut-off valve. The bypass unit includes a branch line and an annular duct housing integral with the spiral housing. The branch line branches off the exhaust-gas inlet at a point where the shut-off valve is arranged and issues into a duct of the annular duct housing. The partial flow flows through the branch line into the duct and an axially arranged annular gap into an exhaust-gas duct. The partial flow merges with a main exhaust-gas flow from the high-pressure turbine and flows into the low-pressure turbine.

Abstract: A two-stage supercharging device for an internal combustion engine having a radial high-pressure turbine and an axial low-pressure turbine. The high-pressure turbine has spiral housing with an exhaust-gas inlet connecting piece connected to an exhaust line and via which an exhaust-gas flow flows from the internal combustion engine to the high-pressure turbine. A partial flow of the exhaust-gas flow can flow past the high-pressure turbine in a bypass unit and can be adjusted by a shut-off valve. The bypass unit includes a branch line and an annular duct housing which are integrally formed on the spiral housing as a single-piece component. The branch line branches off the exhaust-gas inlet connecting piece at a branching point and issues into an annular duct formed by the annular duct housing. The shut-off valve is arranged, at the branching point. The partial exhaust-gas flow flows through the branch line into the annular duct and from there through an axially arranged annular gap into an exhaust-gas duct.

Abstract: An off-road vehicle, a pickup, or other such vehicle has an underprotection device with an impact plate fitted to the underside of the motor vehicle. To provide an improved underprotection device, the impact plate is fitted to the underside in a manner such that it is movable between retracted and extended positions.

Abstract: A tailgate ramp system for use with a loading ramp. The tailgate ramp system is used to support one end of the loading ramp on the tailgate of a motor vehicle. The tailgate ramp system includes a tailgate adapter having a tailgate mount adapted to lie on a portion of the tailgate and a ramp support adapted to be coupled to one end of the loading ramp and to the tailgate mount.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of filters in which a filter material in the rm of a continuous web is pre-embossed, perforated with a laser beam, and then pleated. The pleated filter element is fixed in a subsequent operation in an apparatus and the perforated scrap areas and are removed from the filter element.

Abstract: Coating defects are overcome which occur in the prior art as a result of positional tolerance variations between an automatic spraying device and a part, as the part, e.g., an automobile body, is transported along a conveying system into the spray booth of a coating station during a series coating operation using lacquering robots to apply paint. The distance between at least one fixed reference point on the coating apparatus and a reference point on the automobile body is measured during a preparatory coating operation and stored in the processing program of an operation controlling computer as a standard reference distance value. The reference distance is remeasured for each automobile body during subsequent series coating operations and then compared to the standard reference distance value. The processing program then corrects the movements of the lacquering robots as a function of the calculated deviation to elimate the coating defects arising out of positional tolerance variations.