Image sensors and methods of operating the same. An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels. Each of the plurality of pixels includes a photo sensor, the voltage-current characteristics of which vary according to energy of incident light, and that generates a sense current determined by the energy of the incident light; a reset unit that is activated to generate a reference current, according to a reset signal for resetting at least one of the plurality of pixels; and a conversion unit that converts the sense current and the reference current into a sense voltage and a reference voltage, respectively.

A carbon fuel combustion process, employing an air gas separation unit, a combustion unit operating either with air or with an oxidizer leaner in nitrogen than air, coming from the air gas separation unit, and a unit for compressing and/or purifying the CO2 coming from the combustion flue gas, wherein the power consumed by the air gas separation unit and/or the flow of oxygen produced by the air gas separation unit and/or the capture of the CO2 coming from the combustion flue gas are variable over time is presented.

A waste disposal plant includes a combustion chamber (2) inside which waste laid on a combustion grate (3) is burnt, which permits the entrance of an adequate quantity of combustion air in the chamber. The combustion grate includes at least a handling group formed by of fire bars or plates (7), which move alternatively one with respect to the other by advancing the waste on the grate. A handling group permits the alternate movement of the fire bars (7) which are divided in movable fire bars (7a) and fixed fire bars (7b), alternately disposed one with respect to the other, on transversal rows resting one upon the other according to a longitudinal placement with alternate steps.

A combustion device in the form of an elevated fixed-grate that includes arcuately shaped solid refractory brick with ribs placed thereunder so as to allow horizontal air flow for fuel combustion. The brick are arranged atop one another in a stacked concentric configuration that forms a central fuel passageway and allows cascading of a fuel pile throughout the combustion stages. The device provides the benefit of proper de-ashing online while distributing the underfire air radially around the fuel pile. The elevated design of the bricks allows the air to be evenly distributed throughout the fuel pile and further allows the isolation of overfire and underfire air. Segregating overfire and underfire air in an evenly distributed manner allows the burner to combust a wide range of fuel moisture contents without modifying the mechanical components of the burner.

The present invention provides a photoelectric conversion material comprising a fullerene derivative represented by the formula C60(R1)5(R2), wherein each R1 independently represents an organic group having a substituent; and R2 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C30 hydrocarbon group. Further, the present invention also provides a photoelectric conversion device having a self-assembled monomolecular film of the photoelectric conversion material, and a solar cell having the photoelectric conversion device.

A vacuum roller for a web handling system comprises a hollow, cylindrical, rotably driven drum and an end cap threadingly mounted onto the rear end of the drum. Together, the drum and the end cap define a plurality of individual, externally communicable vacuum paths. A spherical, metal movable element is internally disposed within each vacuum path and regulates the passage of air therethrough. A plurality of magnetic elements is fixedly mounted on a stationary annular holder. In use, each magnetic element selectively displaces each movable element when disposed in close proximity thereto to the extent necessary so as to permit the passage of air through its corresponding vacuum path. As such, the vacuum roller is provided with a predefined range of suction, or vacuum zone, about the outer surface of its rotating drum that directly corresponds to the angular arrangement of the plurality of stationary magnetic elements.

Groups of phase shifted Pulse Width Modulation signals are generated that maintain their duty-cycle and phase relationships as a function of the period of the PWM signal frequency. The multiphase PWM signals are generated in a ratio-metric fashion so as to greatly simplify and reduce the computational workload for a processor used in a PWM system. The groups of phase shifted PWM signals may also be synchronized with and automatically scaled to match external synchronization signals.

The present disclosure relates to a vacuum interrupter capable of easily installing a central arc shielding plate in alignment without biasing in a radial direction. The vacuum interrupter includes a protruding guide unit protruding from a stationary electrode seal cup in a perpendicular direction to guide the installation of the central arc shielding plate such that the central arc shielding plate can be aligned in a radial direction.

Disclosed are a power transmission device for a vacuum interrupter, and a vacuum breaker having the same. The device includes: a driving link coupled to an adjuster; a driven link coupled to a movable electrode of a vacuum interrupter; connection links configured to connect the driving link and the driven link with each other, and coupled to the driving link and the driven link such that an interval between the driving link and the driven link is varied; cams coupled to the connection links in a perpendicular direction; and cam guides having guide recesses for slidably coupling the cams, and configured to guide the interval between the driving link and the driven link to be changed.

The invention relates to a tap changer for the interruption-free switchover between winding taps of a tap-changing transformer. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a novel vacuum interrupter which is particularly suitable for such a tap changer. The tap changer according to the invention is based on the general concept of combining in each case one main contact (V1) and one mechanical switching means (U1), connected in series therewith, of a first load branch and an additional resistive contact (V3) of a second load branch in only a single vacuum interrupter (1) with a common housing (5). The vacuum interrupter (1) according to the invention is furthermore based on the general inventive concept of replacing the functionalities of two required vacuum interrupters in accordance with the prior art and an additional mechanical switching means with a single vacuum interrupter (1) according to the invention by virtue of combining the design of a vacuum interrupter (1) with a plurality of moveable contact systems (I, II, III), which are arranged in separate vacuum interrupter chambers (2, 3, 4) which are sealed with respect to one another.

In a vacuum circuit breaker corresponding to three-phase, which is configured by linearly arranging three pressure tanks respectively corresponding to one-phase, in which insulation gas is encapsulated, and a vacuum valve is installed, each pressure tank has a nearly longitudinal shape or a nearly square shape, viewed from a plane surface, and the vacuum valve is arranged in each of the pressure tanks in a state where a drive direction of the movable conductor is aligned with an upper lower direction, and the movable conductor is positioned lower than the vacuum valve, and keeps a sufficient insulation distance with respect to the movable-side connection conductor, and is neared to a position in one of diagonal directions or longitudinal directions of the pressure tank having a nearly square shape or nearly ellipsoidal shape, and moreover, the operation mechanism is arranged and configured at a position, which is lower than the vacuum valve.

Equipment protection systems, arc containment devices, and methods of assembling arc containment devices are disclosed. In one example, an electrical isolation structure includes a conductor base, a cover coupled to the conductor base and defining an isolation chamber, a containment shield disposed on the conductor base within the isolation chamber, and a biasing assembly positioned between the cover and the containment shield. The containment shield defines a containment chamber configured to enclose the plurality of electrode assemblies. The containment shield is configured to at least partially contain the arc products within the containment chamber. The biasing assembly is configured to permit the containment shield to move away from the conductor base to thereby define a gap between the conductor base and the containment shield to enable at least some of the arc gases to vent from the containment chamber.

An electrode assembly for a circuit breaker is provided. The electrode assembly includes a conductive assembly and a heat transfer assembly. The conductive assembly includes a stem portion and a contact portion. The heat transfer assembly includes a number of elongated bodies, a first heat transfer surface, and a second heat transfer surface. The first heat transfer surface is disposed on the conductive assembly. Each heat transfer assembly body includes a second heat transfer surface. Each heat transfer assembly body is coupled to the conductive assembly with the first heat transfer surface coupled to a number of second heat transfer surfaces.

A flexible shunt for a vacuum circuit breaker can have a reduced straight length and improved flexibility even with an increased thickness within a predetermined accommodation space of a main circuit part. The flexible shunt comprises a pair of conductive plates, each including a clamp connecting portion configured as a flat conductive member, the clamp connecting portion being connected the clamp, a terminal side connecting portion configured as a flat conductive member, the terminal side connecting portion being connected to the terminal side, and a flexible curved portion configured to connect the clamp connecting portion to the terminal side connecting portion, the flexible curved portion being formed to be projected outwardly.

An electrode assembly for a vacuum interrupter is configured such that supporting members can support most of a contact electrode plate and a supporting electrode plate in an axial direction with coil conductors interposed therebetween. Accordingly, an impact generated between electrode assemblies upon a closing operation of the vacuum interrupter may be evenly distributed onto the supporting members, which may result in preventing each of the electrode plates and the coil conductors from being deformed. Also, the supporting members are inserted into the electrode plates and the coil conductors, thereby effectively preventing a current from flowing via the supporting members. In addition, the supporting member may be wide and large so as to simplify an assembly operation and reduce an assembly time.

A removable faceplate for a portable electronic device is provided. The faceplate permits a user to change the physical appearance of a surface of the device while retaining access to the mechanisms for controlling the function of the device. Preferably, the removable faceplate and electronic device are configured with a means for association and dissociation that can be activated without the use of a tool and the means is not visible when the faceplate is attached. Additionally, an improved packaging system is provided to enable a vendor or manufacturer to package faceplates with the devices that they will cover and to allow substitution of faceplates in the packaging without disturbing the packaging of the electronic device itself. Further, there is a method for distribution of the packaging system.

An ultra removable booklet with label for application to media is described. The booklet with label includes a release liner, an ultra removable adhesive layer, a paper stock layer, a booklet, an adhesive layer, and a clear plastic cover layer. The clear plastic cover layer has the adhesive layer applied to a bottom surface thereof and the bottom surface is positioned over the booklet. The booklet is positioned over the paper stock. The ultra removable adhesive layer is attached to the lower surface of the paper stock. The release liner is applied to the ultra removable adhesive layer. A process for forming an ultra removable booklet with label for application to media is also described.

A highlighter strip including adhesive to form a removable bond with a substrate, constructed from a translucent and colored material. The highlighter strip can be affixed over writing or other markings, which highlights the indicia that remains legible. One or both ends of the strip can omit the adhesive, thereby providing a grabbing portion to facilitate removal from an initial position and optionally subsequent positions. The strip can be included in a set of strips affixed to each other and optionally affixed to another base; such as a notebook, binder, or other entity where one would expect writing, text, or other indicia requiring highlighting.

A variable gain amplifier (100) includes a transistor (110), an FB impedance section (120), a source impedance section (130), a drain impedance section (140), a gain controller (150), and a frequency characteristic controller (160). The gain controller (150) varies impedance of one of the FB impedance section (140), the source impedance section (130), and the drain impedance section (140), and outputs a gain control signal. The frequency characteristic controller (160) varies the impedance of different impedance section, based on the gain control signal.

A voltage converter can be switched among two or more modes to produce an output voltage tracking a reference voltage that can be of an intermediate level between discrete levels corresponding to the modes. One or more voltages generated from a power supply voltage, such as a battery voltage, can be compared with the reference voltage to determine whether to adjust the mode. The reference voltage can be independent of the power supply voltage.

An apparatus, particularly a chuck for retaining a thin part for micro-machining processing, is disclosed. The chuck is formed of a plate-shaped body having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The plate-shaped body includes a light-transmissive material, and at least one of the first surface or the second surface is a roughened surface. The chuck can be incorporated into a micro-machining system using a chuck support that allows light through to backlight a processed part for inspection.

A radial piston pump has a plurality of cylinders within which pistons reciprocally move. Each cylinder is connected to a first port by an inlet passage that has an inlet check valve, and is connected to a second port by an outlet passage that has an outlet check valve. A throttling plate extends across the inlet passages and has a separate aperture associated with each inlet passage. Rotation of the throttling plate varies the degree of alignment of each aperture with the associated inlet passage, thereby forming variable orifices for altering displacement of the pump. Uniquely shaped apertures specifically affect the rate at which the variable orifices close with throttle plate movement, so that the closure rate decreases with increased closure of the variable orifices.

A liquid flow rate control valve is provided in which since a total area of overlapping sections of a communication hole group (38c, 38d) of a distributor (38) and an outlet opening (37a, 37b) of a sleeve (37) changes when the distributor (38) is rotated by a first electric motor (46), if a rotor (42) is rotated by means of a second electric motor (47), an input port (31e) communicates with an output port (31f) through an inlet opening (42c, 42d) of the rotor (42), the communication hole group (38c, 38d) of the distributor (38), and the outlet opening (37a, 37b) of the sleeve (37) when the inlet opening (42c, 42d) of the rotor (42) passes through the overlapping sections, thereby making it possible to carry out PWM control of a flow rate of liquid. Since a thrust load in an axis (L) direction does not act on the distributor (38) and the rotor (42), supporting the distributor (38) and the rotor (42) becomes easy, thereby enabling the cost and weight to be cut.

A method of actuating an assembly of a transmission, with which are associated a plurality of actuators with whose help the assembly can in principle be actuated, such that out of the actuators available in principle for actuation, a control unit selects at least one actuator for the actual actuation and activates the selected actuator with an output signal in such manner that a status parameter of the actuated assembly corresponds to or follows a control-side nominal value, such that out of the actuators available in principle for actuating the assembly, the control unit selects at least one actuator for the actual actuation of the assembly in such manner that, for all the actuators available in principle for actuating the assembly over the operating life of the transmission, the extent of their utilization is approximately uniform.

A control valve comprises a first spool 22, a second spool 24 encircling at least part of the first spool 22 and angularly moveable relative thereto, and a sleeve 32 encircling at least part of the second spool 24, the second spool 24 being angularly moveable relative to the sleeve 32, the first and second spools 22, 24 having first and second series of ports 28, 30 registrable with one another, depending upon the relative angular positions of the first and second spools 22, 24, to control communication between at least a pressure line 16, a return line 18 and a control line 50 provided in or connected to the sleeve 32, the second spool 24 and the sleeve 32 having third and fourth series of ports 66, 68, axially spaced from the first and second series of ports 28, 30 and registrable with one another, depending upon the relative angular positions of the second spool 24 and the sleeve 32, to control communication between at least the control line 50 and the return line 18, and latch means 56 operable to resist movement of the second spool 24 relative to the sleeve 32.

An energy-saving valve includes a spool-driving unit which changes the position of a spool to a position at which compressed air is discharged from a first output port without pressure control and includes a pressure control unit which changes the position of the spool to a position at which compressed air is discharged from a second output port in a predetermined pressure level due to pressure control. The pressure control unit includes a pressure control piston, a pressure-receiving surface which enables air pressure in the second output port to act on the pressure control piston, a cylinder chamber, a pressure control channel, and an elastic member which applies biasing force to the pressure control piston in a direction opposite to the action of air pressure on the pressure-receiving surface to determine pressure.

An electronic controller for a variable ratio transmission and an electronically controllable variable ratio transmission including a variator or other CVT are described herein. The electronic controller can be configured to receive input signals indicative of parameters associated with an engine coupled to the transmission. The electronic controller can also receive one or more control inputs. The electronic controller can determine an active range and an active variator mode based on the input signals and control inputs. The electronic controller can control a final drive ratio of the variable ratio transmission by controlling one or more electronic solenoids that control the ratios of one or more portions of the variable ratio transmission.

A manual release valve is provided for a electro-hydraulic actuator of the type including a piston movable in a cylinder and defining a piston side chamber and a rod side chamber, the valve threadedly attached to the housing of the actuator and extending at least partially within the fluid housing conduits, the valve moveable from a closed position fully seated in the housing to an open position for fluidly connecting both the piston side chamber and the rod side chamber to the reservoir, the valve further including a pressure relief portion that is operable when the valve is in the closed position for relieving pressure from at least one of the piston side chamber or the rod side chamber.

A radial thermal engine with an improved valve system is disclosed herein comprising intake and exhaust port valve assemblies fluidly connected to respective intake and exhaust ports contained within a cylinder head assembly. Each intake and each exhaust port valve assembly comprises at least one rotatable port cover having spaced apart openings which are periodically alignable to the intake and exhaust ports, respectively.

A cup for an air valve assembly in a positive displacement pneumatic motor includes a cup body, a gas cavity, and a first pilot slot. The cup body is rectilinear and has a sliding face as one side, and the gas cavity is concave and extends into the cup body through the sliding face and terminates within the cup body. The first pilot slot extends from the gas cavity and into the cup body through the sliding face and terminates within the cup body.

Valve control device includes a body with a longitudinal axis, a control member housed at least partially in the body in a bottom portion along the longitudinal axis, a piston movable along the longitudinal axis and housed in a portion of the body forming with the piston a control chamber of the piston, an element movable in rotation with respect to the longitudinal axis on a top portion of the body, and sealing means between the movable element and the control chamber in the area of the connection port and/or of the passage.

A fluid-working machine has a working chamber of cyclically varying volume, high and low pressure manifolds, and high and low pressure valves for regulating the flow of fluid between the working chamber and the high and low pressure manifolds respectively. A controller actively controls at least one said valve to determine the net displacement of working fluid of the working chamber on a cycle by cycle basis. At least one said valve is a variable timing valve and the controller causes the valve to open or close at a time determined taking into account one or more properties of the performance of the fluid working machine measured during an earlier cycle of working chamber volume.

In a swash plate type variable capacity compressor that changes a stroke of a piston by controlling the pressure of a crank chamber (6), lubrication oil contained in refrigerant gas is maximally prevented from being circulated outside the compressor. Some of discharged refrigerant gas in a discharge chamber (22) flows into the crank chamber (6) through a communication passage (25) (25a and 25b) and a control valve (27), while some of the discharged refrigerant gas flows out to a suction chamber (21) from the crank chamber (6) through a second communication passage (26) and an orifice (28), and the pressure of the crank chamber (6) is controlled through a balance between an inflow amount and an outflow amount. Oil storage chamber (30) extends downstream of the control valve (27) on the first communication passage (25) to separate oil and store the separated oil. Oil return passage (31) returns the oil stored in the oil storage chamber (30) to the crank chamber (6).

An assembly of valve sections includes an inlet section, an outlet section, a working section, and a working section. The working section is a conventional pressure compensated working section. The working section includes a directional control valve, a pressure compensator valve, and a pressure limiter valve. The valves are of integral construction, such that each is an essential part to complete the other. The pressure compensator valve includes a pressure compensator spool movable between an opened position and a closed position in response to a pressure differential across the spool. The pressure limiter valve includes a pressure limiter spool that moves to an open position to change the pressure differential and close the pressure compensator valve when a selected limit pressure is reached.

An arrangement for providing a throttle cross-section for a fluid flow. The throttle cross-section can be varied depending on a pressure difference present across the throttle cross-section. The arrangement is designed such that the polarity of the pressure difference, by which the throttle cross-section can be varied and/or changed. It is thereby possible to use the arrangement for fluid flows that alternate in the flow direction thereof.

A volume booster for a fluid flow control device comprises a supply path for supplying a fluid boost to facilitate actuation of an actuator in a first direction, and an exhaust path for enabling controlled exhaust to facilitate actuation of the actuator in a second direction. The supply path defines a supply resistance that is set by the geometry of a supply trim component. The exhaust path includes an exhaust resistance that is set by the geometry of an exhaust trim component. The supply and exhaust trim components are independently removable and replaceable with replacement components to customize the exhaust and supply resistances, and therefore, the exhaust and supply capacities for specific applications.

An analog-to-digital converter can use a variable sampling rate. By using a variable sampling rate analog-to-digital converter and an anti-aliasing filter lower sampling rates, and accordingly, generally lower power consumption may be achieved. For example, a lower sampling rate can be used when it is determined that no undesirable signals are present and a higher sampling period can be used when an undesirable signal is present. Determining the presence of an undesired signal can be based on signal-to-noise ratio, over-sampling, bit error rate, using a detector, etc. An undesirable signal can be any signal that is close in frequency to a signal of interest or a signal farther away in frequency that has a relatively high amplitude. Sampling rate can be varied in a binary fashion, stepwise, continuously, etc.

A system that encodes a sequence of integers using a variable-length compression technique is described. During operation, the system scans the sequence of integers and observes the sizes of the integers to determine a threshold value K from the observed sizes. For a given integer which is N bits in length, if N−K is greater than or equal to zero, the system generates a tag for the encoded integer which comprises a sequence of N−K zeros followed by a one, and generates a set of remaining bits for the encoded integer as a sequence of the N bits which make up the integer. Otherwise, if N−K is less than zero, the system generates a tag for the encoded integer as a single one, and generates a set of remaining bits for the encoded integer by padding the N bits which make up the integer with zeros so that the set of remaining bits is K bits in length.

In a method for correcting a calibration table T(n,k) of a CT apparatus that contains calibration values, the CT apparatus having a detector system with N≧2 rows of detector elements following one another in the z-direction that include a first active row of detector elements in the z-direction and a last active row of detector elements in the z-direction, for correcting the calibration values of the aforementioned first and last active rows of detector elements, a reference vector R(k) is produced, the error is determined with respect to the first and last active rows of detector elements, and the error F(n,k) of the first and last active rows of detector elements is subtracted from the corresponding calibration values of the calibration table T(n,k) for determining corrected calibration values Tcor(n,k) with respect to the first and last active rows of detector elements.

In order to achieve seal durability and bring about a damping action for a piston-type pressure regulating valve, a pressure regulating valve of the present invention is characterized by a valve moving member moving in such a manner as to cause communication or block communication between a primary chamber and a secondary chamber within a case, wherein a plurality of central members are arranged between the case and the valve moving member and the plurality of central members are taken to be different materials. It is then possible to bring about both a damping action and seal durability using the central members by providing central members of different materials.

A linear actuator for a variable-geometry member of a turbocharger includes a piston/rod assembly that can axially translate and also pivot to a limited extent. A permanent magnet is mounted in a fixed position within the actuator. A non-magnetized flux carrier is mounted in the piston/rod assembly, and its movement alters the magnetic field of the magnet. A Halls effects sensor detects the magnetic field and the signals produced by the sensor are used for determining axial position of the piston/rod assembly.

The present invention provides a variable displacement swash plate type compressor that reduces wear of cylinder bores and the amount of blow-by gas. Each piston of the compressor has a piston main body, which has a distal portion located at an end corresponding to the compression chamber. A tapering portion and an arcuate portion are formed in the distal portion. The arcuate portion is continuous with an end of the tapering portion that is closer to the compression chamber. The tapering portion and the arcuate portion each have a diameter that increases toward the skirt. The tapering portion has a tapering angle that is in a range from 0.45 degrees to 1.5 degrees. The distance between the distal end of the piston main body and a starting point of the tapering portion on an end closer to the skirt is set in a range from 1.5 mm to 5.0 mm.

The invention relates to a combination cylinder, including a service brake cylinder as an active service brake with at least one service brake piston actuated by a pressure medium, the piston actuating a brake mechanism via a service brake piston rod, and further including a spring-loaded brake cylinder as a passive parking brake with a spring-loaded brake piston actuated by a pressure medium against the action of at least one pre-loaded spring, wherein the spring-loaded brake piston in the event of the parking brake is actuated transmits the power of the at least one pre-loaded spring by means of a power-transmitting transmission to the service brake piston rod. According to the invention, the transmission is designed such that the movements of the spring-loaded brake piston and the service brake piston rod are coaxial and the power transmission increases with increasing stroke of the spring-loaded brake piston.

Disclosed is a wobble plate type variable displacement compressor that uses a constant velocity universal joint mechanism, which comprises an inner ring and an outer ring, balls that are held between guide grooves of the inner ring and the outer ring to transmit power, wherein a wobble plate is connected and fixed to the outer ring. In the compressor, the wobble plate is provided with a cylindrical part which extends in the axial direction of a swash plate, and in the relative rotation structure between the swash plate, and the wobble plate and the outer ring, the swash plate is supported to be able to relatively rotate only in relation to the wobble plate via a bearing interposed at least between the cylindrical part and the inner diameter portion of the swash plate, without being supported to be able to rotate relative to the outer ring. With this wobble plate type variable displacement compressor using the specified constant velocity universal joint mechanism, the relative rotation structure between the wobble plate and the outer ring, and the swash plate, can be improved, workability and productivity can be improved, and the cost and weight can be reduced.

A variable displacement fluid working machine includes an inward ring and an outward ring, one of the inward ring and the outward ring including a rotatable ring cam coupled to a drive shaft, the other including a plurality of radially extending piston cylinders circumferentially spaced around the respective ring. The outward ring has first and second axially spaced structural members and a plurality of demountable blocks demountably retainable therebetween, the demountable blocks having either piston cylinders or ring cam segments. The demountable blocks are removable radially to facilitate maintenance and repair and to facilitate radial access to the inward ring.

A hydraulic cylinder includes a cylinder assembly having a cylinder, defining an inner hydraulic chamber and being for reciprocating receipt of a piston and piston rod therein; a piston rod extending from the inner hydraulic chamber exteriorly of the cylinder; and a piston head assembly connected with the piston rod and disposed for reciprocation within the cylinder assembly. The piston head assembly includes a piston head and a valve assembly including a passageway defined in the piston head and a valve member having an outer surface and being sized and configured for reciprocation in the passageway between extended and retracted positions therein, the valve member defining at least one flat defined along the outer surface and at least one transition surface between the outer surface and the flat, the transition surface forming an angle with the flat of between about 40 and 50 degrees.

A membrane valve comprising a first and a second valve housing part and a membrane clamped between the valve housing parts comprises a peripherally surrounding bead on the membrane and a thin, axially movable membrane portion adjacent thereto. The bead is supported by the two valve housing parts and is provided with an undercut at a radial inner side. Further, a membrane for installation in a membrane valve is provided.

A disc for use in a pneumatic valve includes a stiffening insert encased in a flexible body. The stiffening insert acts to protect a central actuation region of the disc against radial compression, which may arise if the disc is used to seal against a bore hole, and against material flow towards the actuation region away from a clamped periphery. The behavior of the disc in a valve assembly is therefore more predictable and reproducible. The flexible body may further be tensioned across the stiffening insert.

A vehicle bumper for use with police and other emergency vehicles for pushing another vehicle which is fabricated of a tubular loop defining a generally oval cross-section. The oval cross-section tubular loop is oriented such that the major axis of the oval cross-section extends front to back with respect to the host vehicle while the minor axis extends up and down. The vehicle bumper further supports a plurality of resilient pads to aid in controlling the pushed vehicle and to cushion impact transfer between the bumper and the pushed vehicle. The inventive vehicle bumper is substantially stronger and substantially lighter in weight while simultaneously providing a more attractive front view cross-section when mounted on a host vehicle. A plurality of attachments are secured to the tubular loop and are used in securing the vehicle bumper to a suitable portion of a host vehicle.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing activated nano carbon from food waste material and a method for preparing a polymer nano composite, wherein the activated nano carbon at least one polymer are blended.