Abstract: A flow-control passive valve controls flow of fluid between an upstream space at high pressure and downstream space at low pressure. The valve comprises a valve body in fluid communication with the upstream and downstream spaces and within which are defined first and second spaces. A movable member is slidably received in a body chamber, and a force is applied to the member tending to keep it in a given “non-working” position. Metering discs meter the flow from the upstream to downstream space through the body and comprise first, second, and third fixed restrictors and first and second variable restrictors. Pressure in the first space is lower than that in the upstream space via a pressure drop through the first fixed restrictor while pressure in the second space is variable between the pressure in the first space and that in the downstream space depending on the position of the member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for improving vaporization of a fuel used for an engine that can work according to a conventional mode and/or according to an at least partly homogeneous mode, said engine comprising at least one cylinder (10), a combustion chamber (18), at least one intake valve (26) associated with an intake pipe (28), at least one exhaust valve (32) with an exhaust pipe (34), control means (36, 38) for controlling opening/closing of the valves and fuel injection means (40, 44).

Abstract: At least one embodiment of a method is described including: (1) collecting probe sensor data in an area containing roads and other drivable features; (2) processing the probe sensor data in a first manner so as to create a geospatial map database including road segments, and in a second manner to derive a subset of data related to at least one segment within the geospatial map database and being indicative of an attribute thereof, (3) statistically processing the subset data per road segment to determine one or more inferred attributes thereof, (4) comparing the created geospatial map database, in particular the road segments identified therein and said inferred attributes thereof with a pre-existing geospatial map database containing road segments and attributes thereof, and where an inconsistency in the presence or absence of a road segment, or in its geometry or topology, or in any of its attributes, is identified, (5) effecting a further action, being one of: (a) Generating a change notification, (b) Gene