Abstract: A thermostatic expansion valve controls a flow of refrigerant. The valve includes a body defining a fluid chamber. A refrigerant inlet is defined within the body. The inlet communicates with the chamber such that the refrigerant can flow through the inlet and into the chamber. First and second outlets are defined within the body. The first outlet communicates with the chamber such that the refrigerant can flow from the chamber to an evaporator during normal and low refrigerant charge. The second outlet communicates with the chamber such that the refrigerant can flow from the chamber to a compressor during low charge. A moveable needle controls the flow of the refrigerant into and out of the body. A notch is defined within the needle such that, during low charge, the refrigerant that flows into the chamber can flow to the second outlet and to the compressor without flowing through the evaporator.

Abstract: The present invention provides a controlling apparatus and a controlling method for a mode change type refrigerating system allowing the most appropriate temperature control even with respect to various heating loads. When a person sets a target temperature setter and a fan setter in a motor vehicle as desired, a unit to be connected with a mode change condition circuit 101 is determined from among control units and from among calculation units of speed revision. A capacity control instruction value (Duty 1) calculated by controlling a temperature and a capacity control instruction value (Duty 2) calculated by revising a speed are added, then the capacity of a variable capacity type gas compressor is controlled with reference to a capacity control instruction value (Duty 3) as the added signal.

Abstract: A sealed well direct expansion geothermal heat exchange unit, whose sealed well can be placed in ground and/or in water, consisting of a conventional direct expansion, or other heat pump, system wherein the exterior refrigerant heat exchange lines are placed within an insulated and sealed container, which container is supplied with a circulating heat conductive liquid from and to a sub-surface sealed well encasement, which container liquid may be supplemented with heat from a solar heating system, and which unit's hot refrigerant vapor line may be supplementary cooled by means of condensate water evaporative cooling.

Abstract: A heat pump includes a compressor having an inlet and an outlet, an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat exchanger, and an outdoor thermal expansion valve. The heat pump further includes an auxiliary heat exchanger. An auxiliary fluid line and an auxiliary fluid pump circulate an auxiliary heat transfer fluid through the auxiliary fluid line. The compressor outlet, the indoor heat exchanger, the outdoor thermal expansion valve, the auxiliary heat exchanger, the outdoor heat exchanger, and the compressor inlet can be placed in respective serial fluid communication to thereby circulate a refrigerant fluid through the heat pump. The auxiliary heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant fluid and the auxiliary heat transfer fluid. The auxiliary fluid line is in thermal energy communication with a primary source of auxiliary heat. Preferably, the primary source of auxiliary heat is a fluid contained within a septic tank.

Abstract: Heat is absorbed from a first heat emitter and a second heat emitter is cooled by an adsorption type refrigerator operating by that absorbed heat. When the amount of emission of heat of the first heat emitter exceeds a predetermined amount of heat, the heat absorbed in the heat medium by a first heat collector is discharged to the outside air by an outdoor unit without being supplied to the adsorbent of the refrigerator. On the other hand, when the amount of emission of heat of the first heat emitter falls below a predetermined amount, the heat medium which had been supplied to a first heat exchanger for heating the adsorbent is switched to return to the first heat collector without flowing to the outdoor unit.

Abstract: An assembly (10) of a component (12) of a vehicle air conditioning system to a support structure (14), wherein the component (12) has a first connection element (32) and the support structure (14) has a second connection element (28). According to an important aspect of the invention, either the first or the second connection element (28) comprises a recess (30) therein for receiving the other connection element (28, 32) and a lateral opening (34) for allowing lateral introduction of the other connection element (28, 32) into the recess (30).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting a device is provided in which characteristics of the device used at low temperature such as a high temperature superconductive filter are measured and adjusted without deterioration of the device. The device used at low temperature is disposed within an atmosphere of substitutional gas such as nitrogen and the like. The device is cooled by using cryogen, for example, liquid nitrogen, stored in a bath which is disposed in a glove box. The cryogen has a temperature near the temperature at which the device is used. The device is placed on a cooling stage which is partially soaked in the cryogen, thereby said device is cooled by the cryogen having a temperature near the temperature at which the device is used. Characteristics of the device are measured and adjusted while cooling the device by using the cryogen.

Abstract: An environmental control system (ECS) includes an air cycle machine (ACM) subsystem that is in a heat exchange relationship with one or more liquid cycle subsystems. Compressed air which exits a compressor section of the ACM is communicated to a reheater and a condenser to further cool the water vapor bearing air by condensing and separating the water into a water extractor. Dehumidified air exits the extractor and is communicated to an air-liquid heat exchanger to absorb a first heat load. The heated dehumidified air recovers thermal energy from the air-liquid heat exchanger and is expanded over a first turbine. The expanded air is communicated through the condenser and reheater such that the expanded air absorbs thermal energy therefrom. The recovered thermal energy in the expanded air then used by a second turbine to increase its efficiency. The expanded air from the second turbine is placed in the thermal exchange with a second air-liquid heat exchanger to absorb a second heat load.

Abstract: A refrigerator which stores food having an ideal storage temperature range that is different from a predetermined storage temperature range of a storage compartment of the refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a cabinet which defines an appearance of the refrigerator, a storage compartment which is defined in the cabinet and has an opening, a door which selectively opens and closes the opening, and a storage container which is removably received in the storage compartment to store the food. The storage container has a double container structure and includes a box-shaped outer container part, a lid, and an inner container part. The outer container part defines an appearance of the storage container and has an opening. The lid selectively opens and closes the opening of the outer container part. The inner container part is removably set in the outer container part.

Abstract: A multi-function receiver attenuates pressure fluctuations of refrigerant flowing from an evaporator to a compressor in an air conditioning system. The receiver includes a body housing having an inlet for receiving the refrigerant from a condenser and an outlet for sending the refrigerant to the compressor. A cap housing covers the body housing. The receiver also includes first and second ports defined within the cap housing. The first port communicates with the evaporator for sending the refrigerant to the evaporator, and the second port communicates with the evaporator for receiving the refrigerant from the evaporator. An internal wall defines an outer and an inner cavity. The outer cavity communicates with the inlet for receiving the refrigerant from the condenser and with the first port for sending the refrigerant to the evaporator. The inner cavity communicates with the second port to receive the refrigerant from the evaporator and to attenuate the pressure fluctuations.

Abstract: The present invention provides an accumulator 21 for evaporating and condensing a refrigerant in a pressure vessel 22 thereof to control pressure or the like in a closed-loop type controlled unit. The accumulator comprises liquid-phase refrigerant holding means 23 for holding the refrigerant in liquid phase, heating means 25 for heating and evaporating the refrigerant in liquid-phase, cooling means 24 for cooling and condensing the refrigerant in vapor-phase, and a connection port 28 in fluid communication with the controlled unit. The liquid-phase refrigerant holding means 23 includes a vane 32 made of a material capable of absorbing the refrigerant in liquid phase, and the end 35 of the vane 32 has a shape in contact with the inner surface of the pressure vessel 22.

Abstract: A concentric tubing apparatus prevents heat gain in an air conditioning system. The heat gain results from heat generated in an engine compartment of a vehicle. To accomplish this, the tubing apparatus includes a first and second refrigerant tubes. The first refrigerant tube is in fluid communication with a receiver and an evaporator of the air conditioning system to accommodate the flow of the refrigerant from the receiver to the evaporator, and the second refrigerant tube is in fluid communication with the receiver and the evaporator to accommodate the flow of the refrigerant from the evaporator to the receiver. The second refrigerant tube is disposed concentrically about the first refrigerant tube such that the second refrigerant tube insulates the refrigerant flowing in the first refrigerant tube from the heat generated in the engine compartment. Thus, heat gain in the refrigerant flowing in the first refrigerant tube to the evaporator is prevented.

Abstract: A high yield diamond and method of producing same. The diamond includes a plurality of main crown facets adjacent a table lying at an angle of between 23° and 40° relative to the table, a girdle, a plurality of upper pavilion facets below the girdle lying at an angle of between 45° and 80° relative to the girdle plane, and a plurality of lower pavilion facets formed between the upper pavilion facets and the culet. The upper pavilion facets extend from between one fifth to four fifths the height of the pavilion. The method is directed to a process for blocking the pavilion of the diamond prior to performing any brillianteering steps.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is taught for preheating of glass batch materials by direct contact with glass furnace exhaust gases. Furnace gases 15 flow through a batch hopper 1 in horizontal tunnels formed by open bottom tubes 6, with a free surface of batch forming the bottom portion of the tunnel. The tubes are electrically grounded and a high voltage discharge electrode 18 is located axially in each tunnel. The corona discharge from the electrode acts to retain batch and prevent it's entrainment into the flowing gases. Particulate matter from the gases is simultaneously precipitated onto the batch surface. Acidic gas components such as SO2, HCl, and HF are chemically reacted with batch constituents, thereby removing them from the gas stream. Heat is transferred from the gases to the batch by direct contact. Cooled gases 16 exit the hopper, cleaned of pollutants to levels in compliance with strict environmental regulations.

Abstract: In a method of grinding side end surfaces of substrates, spacers are interposed between the substrates to form a stack of the substrates and the spacers. The spacers are slightly smaller in size than the substrates. The stack of the substrates and the spacers are ground by a rotatable brush or pad on the side end surfaces of the substrates so as to smooth chamfered portions of the substrates together with the side end surfaces.

Abstract: An optical waveguide substrate is prepared by forming grooves in a silicon substrate in accordance with the pattern of a desired waveguide device, thermally oxidizing the silicon substrate to form a peripheral quartz layer surrounding the grooves, burying in the grooves a doped quartz glass layer having a higher refractive index, abrading the surface of the resulting structure to be flat, and forming on the flat surface a glass layer having a lower refractive index. An optical waveguide substrate featuring no distortion of the core pattern, little warp, and a low loss can be produced in a simple manner.

Abstract: A method of depositing a core layer for an optical waveguide structure of a planar lightwave circuit. A GePSG core for an optical waveguide structure of a planar lightwave circuit is fabricated such that the optical core comprises doped silica glass, wherein the dopant includes Ge and P. In depositing a core layer from which the optical core is formed, two separate doping gasses (e.g., GeH4 and PH3) are added during the PECVD process to make Ge and P doped silica glass (GePSG). The ratio of the Ge dopant and the P dopant is configured to maintain a constant refractive index within the core layer across an anneal temperature range and to reduce a formation of bubbles within the core layer. The ratio of the Ge dopant and the P dopant is also configured to reduce refractive index birefringence within the core layer across an anneal temperature range.

Abstract: A nonwoven fabric is constructed of a highly flat glass fiber which is a glass fiber whose section is flat and has a flatness ratio of 2.0 to 10 and which has such a section that the packing fraction is at least 85%, preferably at least 90%. In this nonwoven fabric, the glass fiber section has a shape near rectangle, and hence, the glass fibers can be arranged very densely to form a thin nonwoven fabric having a high bulk density, and when it is used as a laminate material, the glass fiber content can be increased and the surface smoothness can simultaneously be enhanced and can be used appropriately as a reinforcing material for a printed wiring board. Moreover, the above flat glass fiber can be produced by use of, for example, a nozzle having such a shape that one side of the major axis walls of a nozzle chip having a flat nozzle hole is partly notched.

Abstract: A method for producing a closed end hosiery seamless knitted article, on a circular machine, comprising: knitting of the article starting from the end to be closed, forming a knot for retaining a closure thread by way of a set of contiguous needles, weaving the closure thread and feeding it to a preset number of needles to connect needles arranged opposite with respect to a central plane passing through the needle cylinder axis and through a central region of the set of contiguous needles, interrupting feeding the closure thread to the needles forming a few rows of knitting by using other threads and at least part of the needles of the machine, applying traction to the closure thread to close the initial end of the article, and continuing production of the article to completion.

Abstract: A warp knitted fabric (1) including an open framework (2) of longitudinally and transversely extending knitted threads (3,4,5). The longitudinally extending threads (3) are spaced apart a predetermined distance (D). A plurality of material strips (9) laid in the open framework (2) along the spaces (8) between the longitudinally extending threads (3). The material strips (9) each have a width (W) which is greater than the predetermined distance (D) between adjacent longitudinally extending threads (3) so as to extend fully between the adjacent threads (3) and maintain that full extension upon lateral stretch of the fabric (1).

Abstract: In a drum-type washing machine according to the present invention, a drum 5 is inclined so that the opening 5a of the drum 5 is angled slightly upward. In the extracting process, a balancing operation is performed where the drum 5 is rotated at a speed lower than a speed where the centrifugal force and the gravitational force acting on the laundry are balanced, whereby the laundry in the drum 5 is moved toward the rear end and gathered there. Thus, even when there is an eccentric load due to an uneven distribution of the laundry around the rotation axis, it is highly probable that the position of the eccentric load along the axial direction is in the rear end of the drum 5. In this state, since the distance between the eccentric load and a bearing member 10 for supporting the drum 5 by a cantilevered structure is small, the shaking movement of the drum 5 is relatively small, and the load working on the bearing member 10 is also small.

Abstract: A process for introducing a textile treatment material into a textile treatment system, particularly a supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SCF—CO2) treatment system. The process includes the steps of providing a preparation vessel in fluid communication with a textile treatment system; loading a textile treatment material into the preparation vessel; dissolving or suspending the textile treatment material in near-critical liquid carbon dioxide or supercritical fluid carbon dioxide in the preparation vessel; and introducing the dissolved or suspended textile treatment material into the textile treatment system. The textile treatment material can be selected from a group including a brightening agent, a whitening agent and a dye. A system suitable for use in carrying out the process is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for fleshing, stretching and drying leather or similar flat materials such as skins and furs. The device consists of movable lamellae which can be extended from the center outwards and which under vacuum and the cooperation of a pressing device provides a smooth, gliding heatable contact surface on which the stretched and fixed piece of leather is simultaneously dried thereby minimizing any frictional forces encountered when stretching leather in a vacuum. Moisture is evacuated through channels, raised areas, perforations in one of the lamellae thereby improving the stretching effect and uniformity of the stretched leather across its entire surface without wrinkling.

Abstract: A cuff device comprising an elongated body, a flexible cable within the body, a loop extraction system for extracting a loop of the cable from an end of the elongated body large enough to fit over an extremity of a suspect, and a loop retraction system for retracting the loop to fit snugly over the extremity. A second cable is preferred, with one cable deployed from each end of the elongated body, preferably a PR-24 form factor baton.

Abstract: A vending machine locking arrangement operates electronically by way of an electric motor. In particular, the arrangement is a retrofit of an existing, mechanical-key operated T-bar, which is used to close and lock the machine's doors, to provide an electronic locking system not reliant on the use of a mechanical key. The arrangement substitutes for the conventional barrel lock at the handle-end of the T-bar a small electric motor (e.g. a camera re-wind motor) which acts upon the resident locking piece in the T-bar by, e.g., a cam arrangement. The inventive arrangement also makes use of an existing hole near the locking piece for making an electrical connection to the motor. An alternative embodiment places the motor outside the T-bar, the motor then having its own locking piece in the form of, e.g., a rocker arm engaging with an opening in the T-bar. Also disclosed is a smart-card system for driving the motor to trigger the unlocking process.

Abstract: An anti-theft system for motor vehicles. The preferred embodiment is designed to prevent theft by preventing a vehicle's wheels from turning when the system is activated. In the preferred embodiment, there are inhibitors in the disc rotors of each wheel. Next to each wheel, there is a solenoid, within which is a locking pin or piston rod. When the user enters an activation coded key in an ignition, the solenoids are energized, causing the piston rods to move outward into arcuate recesses, thus preventing the rotor discs from turning. A deactivation code must be entered in the ignition to de-energize the solenoids, causing the piston rods to move back into the solenoids and releasing the rotor discs. Optionally, the parking brake may also be locked when the system is activated.

Abstract: An electronic locking system comprises a cylinder housed within and rotatable with respect to a shell. A key has a power supply. At least one of the key and the cylinder is capable of generating a signal when the key is electrically connected with the cylinder. An electrically powered locking mechanism is housed within the cylinder and includes a lock member moveable between an open position and a locked position. The lock member in the locked position interferes with movement of the cylinder. A power source is connected to the locking mechanism in response to the signal. The locking mechanism allows movement of the lock member from the locked position to the open position in response to the signal so that the cylinder may be rotated within the shell. The cylinder further includes an interfering member that resists movement of the locking member. In addition, a biasing mechanism urges the cylinder toward a home position when the cylinder is rotated away from the home position.

Abstract: A lock device having a rotatable identification brand includes a lock body defining a receiving space and formed with at least one view window, a rotatable member rotatably mounted in the receiving space of the lock body and provided with identification information that may be seen through the view window of the lock body, and a drive mechanism mounted on the rotatable member for rotating the rotatable member. The rotatable member may be driven and rotated by the drive mechanism, so that the user may watch the information printed on the rotatable member through the view window, thereby facilitating other people identifying the owner of the lock device, and thereby enhancing the aesthetic quality of the lock device.

Abstract: A lock for a door has a casing, a bolt, a pivoted operating handle operable to retract the bolt, and lock structure comprising a lock cylinder. The lock cylinder is secured to the housing by a screw covered by a rose around the part of the housing, the rose being secured in place by fixing screws which can only be accessed upon removal of the casing assembly from the door and with the bolt in a retracted position. In this state, the shank of the screwdriver to undo each fixing screw can easily be passed through respective aligned openings in a cover plate of the housing assembly, the bolt, and the housing, thereby allowing removal of the rose and subsequent replacement of the cylinder without the need to remove components of the door lock itself.

Abstract: A picklock-proof key slot for a lock device and a key thereof, which comprises a rotary cylinder and a lock casing, between which plural upper tumblers and lower tumblers are furnished; the center of the rotary cylinder is provided with a key slot; under lock up condition, the lower tumblers are pushed into the key slot; the center of the tumbler groove is furnished with a salient plate, of which both sides are furnished with symmetrical guide slots; a guide slot is furnished between the two symmetrical guide plates on the key plate; a plurality of unlock-tumbler holes is furnished on the guide slot between the two guide plates; the hole has a curved surface to fit with the curve surfaces on both sides of the lower tumbler so as to reduce the pushing-up space of the lower tumbler, and also to reduce the possibility of unlocking the lock device with a master key to push the lower tumbler.

Abstract: A sensor for an interconnected lock assembly which can sense whether the door is in an opened or closed state. The interconnected lock assembly comprises a first lock assembly operably connected to a deadlatch assembly. A second lock assembly operably interconnected with the first lock assembly by a rack mounted on a carrier component. The second lock assembly is operably connected to a deadbolt latch assembly. The deadbolt latch assembly comprises a deadbolt movable between an extended position when the carrier component is in a lowered position and a retracted position when the carrier component is in a raised position. The lock assembly further includes a sensor component positioned within said deadlatch assembly in a predetermined manner to detect when said door is an open or closed position. The information is relayed to an electronic control module.

Abstract: A door lock includes an outside spindle tube, an insert tube which is disposed inside the outside spindle tube and which has a latch operating tab, and a clutch member disposed inside the insert tube and having first and second axial grooves. The clutch member is movable axially between a first position, in which the first axial groove engages a first engaging member projecting inwardly from the outside spindle tube, and a second position, in which the first axial groove disengages from the first engaging member. The insert tube does not engage the first engaging member of the outside spindle tube, but has a second engaging member in engagement with the second axial groove of the clutch member. When the door lock is placed in a locking position by pressing an inside press button of the door lock, the spindle shaft connected with the press button moves the clutch member to the second position, thereby permitting the outside spindle tube to turn independently of the insert tube.

Abstract: Equipment and method for the rapid and easy extraction of formed metal parts from forming dies while in a press and operating at elevated temperatures. The invention features the controlled supply of streams of air or other inert gas to the interface of the hot surface of the forming die and the formed panel to augment removal so that flaws from removal equipment are minimized for optimized production of high quality parts. High velocity air is discharged through nozzles onto the forming surfaces of hot forming dies to cool the forming die and the part that contract at different rates and pop the part from the surface.

Abstract: A parting tool for continuous chipless separation of identical parts from a rotation-symmetric workpiece, includes a cutting roller having a main body advancing a workpiece in a transport direction from an entry side to an exit side. The main body has a slip bevel at the entry side and a cutting screw including a screw thread having coils which define a helix line and are configured with an increase in height. The screw thread includes in series an entry portion, a substantially cylindrical primary portion and a separating portion, whereby the coils in the entry portion, primary portion and separating portion having different slope angle, with the slope angle determined by a combination of a thickness of the screw thread and a root width between two neighboring coils of the screw thread, wherein the increase in height of the coils correlates to the helix line.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method to control the flatness of a metal sheet or plate by effectively preventing waviness from occurring at the edge portions of the sheet or plate when it is cooled to the room temperature after completing hot rolling, and an apparatus to carry out the method: and relates to a method to control the flatness of a metal sheet or plate by homogenizing the surface temperature distribution of the metal sheet or plate through; measuring the surface temperatures of the metal sheet or plate at the edge portions and the center portion across its width between two rolling stands of a tandem finishing mill, or at the entry to and/or the exit from a reversing finishing mill, or after completing hot rolling, or after hot leveling; controlling the heating temperatures of the edge portions and/or the center portion based on the measured surface temperatures; and then cooling the metal sheet or plate after completing the finishing rolling.

Abstract: A plate width adjusting apparatus 1 for adjusting a strip 53 for a predetermined plate width, which is installed on a production line for the strip 53, is provided with bridle rolls 2 and 3. The bridle rolls 2 and 3 give tension in the transfer direction to the strip 53 being transferred on the production line to elongate the strip 53 in the transfer direction, by which the plate width of the strip 53 is adjusted.

Abstract: A method for making a support (6) for a valve stem in a lever-type cam follower made of sheet metal is proposed. According to the invention, this support (6) with its guide walls (7, 8) is made by cold forging.

Abstract: Metal coldworking tooling and a method of employing such tooling. The tooling is used to produce deformation in a workpiece, preferably via use of stress waves, to provide a selected beneficial residual stress profile in the workpiece, in order to provide high fatigue life structures in a minimum number of manufacturing steps. Preferably, action of an indenter causes propagation of stress waves to coldwork a workpiece, causing dimples in the workpiece. Preferably, the dimples are provided with a shape formed by application of a pre-selected pressure profile to the workpiece surface. By optimized use of the method, a relatively uniform beneficial residual stress profile is provided at both the surface and at the midplane apertures in a workpiece, so as to improve overall fatigue life.

Abstract: A screw is incorporated into a heating barrel. A ball screw is connected to a rear end portion of the screw through a load cell, and a servomotor for injection is connected to the ball screw. First, the heating barrel is retreated and separated from a mold, and the screw is moved to the half stroke position. After the screw is advanced for a preset period of time, the servomotor is stopped by automatic decompression to detect an output of the load cell. Similarly, after the screw is retreated for a preset period of time, the servomotor is stopped by automatic decompression to detect an output of the load cell. An average of outputs of the load cell after the screw advances and retreats is calculated and considered to be an output of the load cell under no-load conditions, thereby performing zero adjustment of the load cell.

Abstract: A device is described for gravimetric testing of multi-channel pipettes having two or more pipette channels. The device has one receptacle (9) per pipette for a test volume or for a container (2, 20) containing the test volume, and in addition, one weighing cell (1) per receptacle (9) for weighing of the container (2, 20) and/or of the test volume.

Abstract: A seal for preventing leakage of fluid from between a first member and a second member the second member is capable of moving toward and away from the first member, the seal is adapted for engaged contact with the first member and the second member so as to prevent leakage of fluid between the first member and the seal and between the second member and the seal, the seal being more easily deteriorated than the second member such that friction between the seal and the second member wears the seal faster than the second member, the seal being adapted to retain a fluid tight seal against the second member as long as the seal has not worn beyond a specified depth; and a conductor for placement about the second member, the conductor being attached to the seal at the specified depth so as to contact the second member when the seal has worn to the specified depth, such that the existence of electrical discontinuity between the conductor and the second member indicates that the seal requires replacement, the conducto

Abstract: A fine friction and wear test apparatus for a plate specimen comprises a fixing unit a driving unit installed on the fixing unit for fixing and moving a certain plate specimen, a ball specimen support member for rubbing and wearing the plate specimen, a rotation plate position controller fixed on the fixing unit for controlling the position of the ball specimen support member, a ball specimen controller for controlling the ball specimen support member, a controller for detecting the degree of a friction and wear of the plate specimen and controlling each mechanical and circuit part; and a power supply unit for supplying a power to a part which requires a certain power.

Abstract: A gas sensor is provided which includes a first cylindrical insulation porcelain having a gas sensor element installed therein and a second cylindrical insulation porcelain disposed in contact with the first insulation porcelain. The first insulation porcelain is disposed on a seat surface formed on an inner wall of a housing through a packing ring. A contact between the first and second insulation porcelains being located within a contact permissible range defined by projecting outer and inner edges of the packing ring onto an end surface of the first insulation porcelain, thereby minimizing a lateral shift between the contact and the packing ring to avoid the breakage of the first insulation porcelain during assembly or use of the gas sensor.

Abstract: A tool for conducting localized testing of the integrity of a pressure seal on an aircraft. The tool comprises a body having an exterior surface and an interior cavity. A peripheral edge on the body defines an opening to the interior cavity. The tool is positioned on an aircraft over the pressure seal to be tested with the interior cavity communicating with the pressure seal. A sealing member is positioned between the aircraft and the peripheral edge so that a fluid tight seal is formed between the tool and the aircraft. A vacuum is created in the interior cavity. After a predetermined length of time the amount of vacuum in the interior cavity is observed and the integrity of the pressure seal is determined.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products determine absorption, specific gravity, and/or porosity of construction materials undergoing analysis corresponding to different measurements of material samples divided from a “parent” construction material sample. Dry and wet weights of the samples are obtained under different conditions. In certain embodiments, the material sample is an aggregate that is held in liquid in a volumetric container and the container with the liquid and aggregate is weighed. Another weight of a second sample can be obtained. The second sample is encased in an evacuated vacuum-sealed bag that is opened while immersed in a liquid bath, at which time the weight can be obtained. The weight data can be used to calculate the parameter of interest.

Abstract: Method for correcting the signal (30) of a sensor corresponding to the passage of teeth (20b) and of hollows (20d) of a target (20) secured to an engine camshaft, characterized in that duration measurement is used to evaluate the angular values (&agr;T,&agr;N) of the alternations (30b, 30d) of the signal corresponding to the teeth and to the hollows, these angular values are compared with the mechanical angles (&ggr;T,&ggr;N) of the teeth and of the hollows, and from this a phase shift (&agr;1,&agr;2) of the rising (30a) and falling (30c) fronts of the signal with respect to the corresponding flanks (20a, 20c) of the teeth of the target is deduced. When said teeth and hollows extend over equal angular sectors, the phase shifts are calculated directly by comparing the duration measurements of two consecutive alternations (30b, 30d) of the signal.

Abstract: An ignition apparatus including a primary and a secondary winding for producing a spark voltage, an ion current detection circuit for producing an ion current signal, a slope detector and a knock detector. The slope detector determines when the ion current signal exhibits a slope indicative of a time period when knock is likely to occur, and de-asserts a knock reset signal. The knock reset signal holds the knock detector in reset, thus disallowing or masking the processing of signals by the knock detector that may be mistaken for knock.

Abstract: A method of measuring a rate of change of carbon dioxide concentration in recirculated air of an engine, is disclosed. The method includes installing a conductive sample tube into an engine's pre-combustion/air-mixing chamber, and installing a carbon dioxide sensor, remote from the chamber, to measure relative concentrations of carbon dioxide. The method may also be used to measure nitrogen oxide exhaust gas levels.

Abstract: A failure detection apparatus for a cooling system of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The cooling system has a radiator, a cooling water pipe for circulating a cooling water in the engine to the radiator, and a thermostat provided in the cooling water pipe for opening and closing the cooling water pipe. An estimated cooling water temperature of the engine is calculated according to the engine operating condition. The estimated cooling water temperature is compared with a determination threshold set according to the detected vehicle speed at the time the detected cooling water temperature has exceeded a predetermined water temperature. If the estimated cooling water temperature is lower than or equal to the determination threshold, it is determined that the thermostat is normal.

Abstract: A system for acquiring, processing, storing, analyzing and reporting data relating to the condition of a road or other pavement surface (102) in real time. The system includes a digital camera (104) mounted on a vehicle and positioned relative to a pavement surface (102) so as to capture images of the pavement surface (102) while the camera (104) is moving relative to the surface (102). The system also includes an illumination assembly (100) to illuminate the region from which an image is taken and an interface between the digital camera (104) and at least one computer. The system also includes a processor in the computer for processing the images to detect and classify cracks and other pavement surface (102) features.