A friction element assembly for a transmission of a motor vehicle includes a set of plates and friction members. A piston assembly is configured to apply a force to the set of plates and friction members. The friction element assembly also includes a housing with a mounting groove; a pressure plate having first and second edges; and a snap ring positioned in the mounting groove. The snap ring is positioned such that first edge of the pressure plate contacts the snap ring and the second edge of the pressure plate extends across a portion of the snap ring. The snap ring is L-shaped and includes a leg portion that contacts the second edge of the pressure plate when the piston assembly applies a force to the set of plates and friction members.

An attachment mechanism, method of manufacture and method of use are described for releasably attaching a first component and a second component of an orthopaedic apparatus. The attachment mechanism comprises a boss extending from a surface of the first component, and having a free end and a side wall. A retaining mechanism is provided in the second component. The retaining mechanism comprises a plurality of walls defining an aperture in the second component to receive the boss therein. At least part of one of the plurality of walls is a resiliency flexible member engineered to apply sufficient force to a part of the side wall of the boss when inserted in the aperture to provide an interference fit between the boss and the plurality of walls of the aperture to releasably retain the boss within the aperture.

A wiper blade device with a holding unit (10) which is provided at least for holding a wiper strip (12), and with at least one end cap (14). The holding unit (10) has at least one vertical recess (16) for receiving the end cap (14) in a vertical direction (18).

The present application discloses methods and apparatus for installing fitting components, such as a conduit gripping device, on a conduit to form an assembly. The assembly is joinable with at least one other fitting component to form a fitting. The present application also discloses methods and apparatus for evaluating characteristics of components of a mechanically attached connection. Characteristics that may be evaluated include, but are not limited to, the position of a conduit gripping device on a conduit, an amount of axial compression or stroke of the conduit gripping device, an amount of clamping force applied to the conduit gripping device as the conduit gripping device is compressed, and an amount of torque applied to members that compresses the conduit gripping device.

A fastener for insertion into aligned openings in articles and method of use, the fastener having a head having a width greater than a width of the opening, a neck having a width less than the width of the opening, a resilient shank having a width greater than the width of the opening. The shank having a tapered end and a U-shaped channel, to define a line of weakness to permit the shank to articulate between a normal position where the shank has a width greater than the width of the opening and an insertion position where the shank is bent to have a width less than the width of the opening. The shank resiliently returns to its normal position once pushed in and through the opening with the neck received within the opening, locking the fastener within the opening.

A plug for closing a hose connector termination includes a hollow cylindrical body closed by a rounded end portion and open at the opposite end. The plug comprises tensioned fibrous material that extends in a continuous manner across the width of the rounded end and to the sides of the body.

An electrical box support is provided for coupling to the side wall of an electrical box to support the electrical box in an opening formed in a hollow core building block. The support has a flange at the front edge and tab at a front edge that clips onto the side wall of the electrical box. A spring member extends from a rear side edge and curls toward the front edge. The spring member has an end that is directed toward the front edge and spaced from the flange a distance to contact the inner surface of the block while the flange contacts the outer surface of the block. The tab at the front edge of the support has a hook for engaging an inner edge of the electrical box to couple the support to the electrical box and to prevent sliding of the support on the electrical box.

Processing O-rings in an automated mass production system includes advancing an O-ring retainer toward a loading position in alignment with an output end of a feed device, discharging a leading O-ring from the output end in electronic synchronization with advancement of the O-ring retainer to the loading position to initiate loading of the O-ring into the retainer prior to the retainer arriving at the loading position, after loading the O-ring into the retainer, advancing the retainer away from the loading position toward an unloading position, and moving an end effector in electronic synchronization with advancement of the retainer to the unloading position to synchronize arrival of the retainer at the unloading position with arrival of the end effector at a pick-up position in alignment with the O-ring at the unloading position for pick up of the O-ring by the end effector.

Methods for fabricating a hermetic seal to seal a portion of an apparatus, for example and without limitation, a portion having a MEMS sensor. One such method uses crimping devices to compress a seal in a cavity formed in a housing that includes a MEMS sensor attached to a stress isolator. Under such compression, the seal deforms to hermetically seal surfaces around the inside, outside and bottom of the stress isolator.

This invention relates to a joint housing (10) of a ball joint (12), comprising a sheet-metal part (14) for accommodating a ball head (16), which is substantially rotationally symmetrical with respect to a joint axis (A) and includes a circumferential wall portion (18), wherein the circumferential wall portion (18) includes a housing opening (26) at an axial end (24), through which a joint pin (28) can extend, wherein the sheet-metal part (14) is formed with two layers at this axial end (24) of the circumferential wall portion (18).

Furthermore, the invention also relates to a method for mounting such joint housing (10) on a carrier element (34).