Abstract: This invention relates to the production of holographic devices. The holographic devices include a transparent high refractive coating that is applied selectively to provide additional security and moisture resistance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a portal washing facility for motor vehicles, in particular passenger motor vehicles, that includes a portal device that can move relative to the motor vehicle in its longitudinal direction, has at least one horizontal washing brush that is height-adjustable on the portal device, and at least one side washing brush that can move transverse to the direction of motion of the portal device. In order to have an effective, brushless high-pressure washing, in addition to washing with conventional washing brushes, at least one lateral high-pressure washing device is provided on the portal device and is used for high-pressure cleaning of the side surfaces and of the front and rear surfaces of the motor vehicle and can be driven along at least one traverse of the portal device transverse to the direction of motion of the portal device.

Abstract: This invention relates to capacitor films that have increased moisture and breakdown resistance. The capacitor films include a polymer coating that helps prevent air entrapment.

Abstract: A vehicle-washing system for vehicles has high-pressure lateral spray devices with spray nozzles stationary in their height, which high-pressure lateral spray devices are arranged on both sides of a vehicle-washing position. An elevationally adjustable carrier is furthermore provided, on which carrier is arranged in particular a horizontal washing brush for cleaning the roof of a vehicle. With each lateral spray device is associated a further spray nozzle, which is connected to the first-mentioned spray nozzles through a flexible fluid pipeline. The further spray nozzles are provided on the carrier and are adjustable in their height following the upper contour of the vehicle to be washed. The vehicle-washing system of the invention achieves with few structural requirements a good cleaning result in the upper area of the sides of a vehicle, also for higher vehicles or for passenger vehicles with a sharply pulled-in area of the edge of the roof.

Abstract: A porous metallic layer is incorporated in one of the electrodes of a plasma treatment system. A plasma gas is injected into the electrode at substantially atmospheric pressure and allowed to diffuse through the porous layer, thereby forming a uniform glow-discharge plasma. The film material to be treated is exposed to the plasma created between this electrode and a second electrode covered by a dielectric layer. Because of the micron size of the pores of the porous metal, each pore also produces a hollow cathode effect that facilitates the ionization of the plasma gas. As a result, a steady-state glow-discharge plasma is produced at atmospheric pressure and at power frequencies as low as 60 Hz. According to another aspect of the invention, vapor deposition is carried out in combination with plasma treatment by vaporizing a substance of interest, mixing it with the plasma gas, and diffusing the mixture through the porous electrode.

Abstract: A drying device for drying of vehicles in vehicle washing systems, in particular portal vehicle washing systems, comprising a nozzle housing, which is elevationally movable in dependency of the contour of the vehicle, extends transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and is pivotal about a horizontal axis of rotation extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle by means of a servomotor, is being described. The nozzle housing has at least one slot-shaped outlet nozzle extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and is connected to a blower. A control acts onto the servomotor in order to adapt the outlet direction of the outlet nozzle to the contour of the vehicle. The nozzle housing can be rotated through at least 360°.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for plasma modifying a substrate are disclosed along with associated techniques for applying coatings to the substrate. Particular utility has been found using a hollow cathode to generate the plasma along with magnetic focusing means to focus the plasma at the surface of a substrate.

Abstract: In this method for washing motor vehicles in a gantry-type washing installation with two movable gantries, washing is performed with a single pair of vertical brushes which wash between two horizontal brushes and are located on one of the two gantries. During a forward movement of the gantries, the washing process is commenced with the first horizontal brush in the front third of the vehicle, while the nose is washed with the two vertical brushes. Then the nose and the top of the vehicle approximately up to the rear third of the vehicle are washed with the second horizontal brush. The direction of travel of the gantries is reversed as soon as the tail wash has been executed with the two vertical brushes and before the second horizontal brush has reached the tail of the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for plasma modifying a substrate are disclosed along with associated techniques for applying coatings to the substrate. Particular utility has been found using a hollow cathode to generate the plasma along with magnetic focusing means to focus the plasma at the surface of a substrate.

Abstract: In this method for washing motor vehicles in a gantry-type washing installation with two movable gantries, washing is performed with a single pair of vertical brushes which wash between two horizontal brushes and are located on one of the two gantries. During a forward movement of the gantries, the washing process is commenced with the first horizontal brush in the front third of the vehicle, while the nose is washed with the two vertical brushes. Then the nose and the top of the vehicle approximately up to the rear third of the vehicle are washed with the second horizontal brush. The direction of travel of the gantries is reversed as soon as the tail wash has been executed with the two vertical brushes and before the second horizontal brush has reached the tail of the vehicle.

Abstract: With this device for positioning motor vehicles (F) in front of vehicle washing plants, especially portal washing plants, at least one transmitting-/receiving device (5, 6) in the portal is assigned to each terminating plane (E1, E2), which portal has a clear space of a predetermined clearance width (D), which clear space is delimited laterally by imaginary, substantially vertical terminating planes (E1, E2) extending in the direction of movement. Said transmitting-/receiving device emits signals, which extend substantially in the terminating plane (E1, E2) in the space in front of the portal (1), and receives said signals.

Abstract: A plasma treater incorporates a porous metallic layer in one of the electrodes. The porous layer is selected with pores of average size within one order of magnitude of the mean free path of the plasma gas at atmospheric pressure. The plasma gas is injected into the electrode at substantially atmospheric pressure and allowed to diffuse through the porous layer, thereby forming a uniform glow-discharge plasma. The film material to be treated is exposed to the plasma created between this electrode and a second electrode covered by a dielectric layer. Because of the micron size of the pores of the porous metal, each pore also produces a hollow cathode effect that facilitates the ionization of the plasma gas. As a result, a steady-state glow-discharge plasma is produced at atmospheric pressure and at power frequencies as low as 60 Hz.

Abstract: In this underbody washing device for motor vehicles, on a frame which is movable relative to the vehicle (F) in the latter's longitudinal direction (L) there are provided two pairs of spraying arms (3a, 3b; 4a, 4b) fitted with multiple spray nozzles, which arms are each pivotably disposed about a vertical pivoting axis (A1, A2) near to the ground on opposing sides (1a, 1b) of the frame. To the spraying arms (3a, 3b; 4a, 4b) are assigned actuating motors (6a, 6b), by means of which the spraying arms can be swung in under the base of the vehicle into their swung-in position running transversely to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (L) and swung out into a second, swung-out position running parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (L).

Abstract: The vehicle washing installation comprises at least one conveyor chain (1) in the form of a sprocket chain, by means of which the vehicles are moved through the installation, and a plurality of treatment units arranged along the path of movement of the vehicle for washing and optionally drying the vehicle. At least one of the treatment units is mounted in a carrier adapted to move forwards synchronously with the vehicle over a path length and to be moved back by means of a resetting device to its starting position. The carrier can be coupled mechanically to the conveyor chain (1) for the forward movement. The coupling device comprises a coupling member (8) which can be brought into direct engagement with the conveyor chain (1). The coupling member (8) is of comb-like form and comprises a plurality of teeth (8a) spaced in the longitudinal direction (L) of the chain at a distance (b) from one another, with gaps (8b) therebetween.

Abstract: An apparatus and process are disclosed for depositing a barrier layer, such as an SiOx barrier layer, onto a moving web of substrate material in a continuous process at atmospheric pressure using a gaseous phase precursor and an oxidizer.

Abstract: The vehicle drying or polishing apparatus is equipped with device moving the vehicle relative to the apparatus. A flexible, drivable, endless conveyor member (3) is guided in a horizontal plane above the path of the vehicle by a plurality of deviating wheels (7, 8) arranged on both longitudinal sides of the apparatus and rotating about vertical axes (V), and is provided with a plurality of narrow strips (5) of absorbent material, connected to the conveyor member and hanging down vertically therefrom, being movable by means of the conveyor member transverse to the path of relative movement of the vehicle. The conveyor member (3) has two strip-free sections (3a) whose respective lengths (L) correspond at least to the greatest vehicle width.