What is claimed is:
1. A crankshaft for use as a component of an internal combustion engine and for converting reciprocating motion of pistons in the internal combustion engine to rotary motion, said crankshaft comprising:
a plurality of interconnected crank webs;
wherein one of said crank webs forms a primary drive gear, which is a helical gear; and wherein another one of said crank webs comprises a split crank web which is connected to the primary drive gear via a crankpin.
2. A crankshaft for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the helical gear is integrally formed with the crank web by grinding helical teeth along the periphery of the crank web.
3. A crankshaft for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the split crank web comprises a main crank web portion integrally formed with the crankpin, and a supplemental crank web which is removable from the main crank web.
4. The crankshaft of claim 3, wherein the diameter of the main crank web portion is larger than the diameter of the primary drive gear at the base of the teeth thereof.
5. A crankshaft for use as a component of an internal combustion engine, said crankshaft comprising a crankshaft body comprising:
a gear formed on a crank web located at one side of a crankpin;
a first balance weight mounting portion formed on a crank web located at the other side of the crankpin;
said crankshaft further comprising a first balance weight adapted to be mounted to the first balance weight mounting portion of the crankshaft body;
wherein the crankshaft body is formed with a second balance weight mounting portion separate from the first balance weight mounting portion, and wherein said crankshaft also comprises a second balance weight for attachment to the second balance weight mounting portion.
6. A crankshaft according to claim 5, wherein the first balance weight has a first mass, and wherein the second balance weight has a mass substantially equal to the first mass.
7. A crankshaft according to claim 5, wherein the first balance weight mounting portion is provided on the outside of said crankpin which is located at one end out of a plurality of crankpins, and wherein the second balance weight mounting portion is provided on the outside of a crankpin located at the other end of said plurality of crankpins.
8. A crankshaft according to claim 5, wherein the gear is a helical gear.
9. A crankshaft for use as a component of an internal combustion engine, said crankshaft comprising a crankshaft body which comprises:
a plurality of journals situated along a longitudinal axis of said crankshaft;
a plurality of crank pins displaced from said longitudinal axis;
a plurality of crank webs interconnecting said crank pins with said journals;
wherein one of said crank webs is configured as a helical gear with teeth formed externally thereon;
and further wherein one of said crank webs is formed in two parts including a first balance weight mounting portion and a first supplemental balance weight which is removably attached to the first balance weight mounting portion.
10. The crankshaft of claim 9, wherein the first supplemental balance weight includes a flange which extends away from an edge portion thereof.
11. The crankshaft of claim 9, wherein another of said crank webs is formed in two parts including a second balance weight mounting portion and a second supplemental balance weight which is removably attached to the second balance weight mounting portion.
12. The crankshaft of claim 9, wherein said two-part crank web is disposed at a first end of said crankshaft.
13. The crankshaft of claim 9, wherein said supplemental balance weight is attached to the balance weight mounting portion using a plurality of fasteners.
14. The crankshaft of claim 9, wherein the supplemental balance weight has a cylindrical hole formed therein to receive a portion of the crankshaft body.
15. The crankshaft of claim 9, wherein the supplemental balance weight has a plurality of mounting holes formed therein to receive fasteners, and wherein the mounting holes include conically tapered portions to receive fastener heads therein.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A detector comprising:
a receptor material that upon being impinged by an activator a by-product of a radioactive decay is generated, wherein said receptor material lacks a photoluminescent material and said by-product causes light via the Cherenkov effect to be generated, wherein said receptor material comprises a glass with an activator sensitive isotope dispersed therein, wherein said activator sensitive isotope becomes radioactive and emits said by-product when exposed to said activator; and
a light detector that receives said light and identifies a signal characteristic of said activator.
2. The detector of claim 1, wherein said activator is a neutron and said receptor material is a neutron sensitive material.
3. The detector of claim 1, wherein said activator is ionizing electromagnetic radiation and said receptor material is an ionizing electromagnetic radiation sensitive material.
4. The detector of claim 3, wherein said ionizing electromagnetic radiation has an energy above 1.69 MeV.
5. The detector of claim 1, wherein said activator is a charged particle and said receptor material is a charged particle sensitive material.
6. The detector of claim 1, wherein said receptor material is a substance selected from the group consisting of a glass, a ceramic, plastic, crystal and a liquid.
7. The detector of claim 1, wherein said receptor material lacks scintillating materials.
8. The detector of claim 1, wherein said glass is optically clear.
9. The detector of claim 1, wherein said glass comprises a lead phosphate composition.
10. The detector of claim 1, wherein said activator-sensitive isotope is an isotope selected from the group consisting of scandium, Ag, Gd, Nd, In, Zn, Si, As, and rare earth elements.
11. The detector of claim 1, wherein said by-product is an energetic charged particle having a sufficient velocity to generate said light.
12. The detector of claim 11, wherein said energetic particle is a beta particle.
13. The detector of claim 11, wherein said energetic particle is a positron.
14. The detector of claim 1, wherein said by-product is ionizing electromagnetic radiation that interacts with an electron or positron so as to impart sufficient energy to said electron or positron so that said electron or positron has a sufficient velocity to generate said light.
15. The detector of claim 14, wherein said activator-sensitive isotope is an isotope selected from the group consisting of Ag, Gd, In, Zn, and As.
16. The detector of claim 1, wherein said glass comprises a high-Z element.
17. The detector of claim 16, wherein said high-Z element is selected from the group consisting of Pb, W, Bi, Hf, and Ta.
18. The detector of claim 1, wherein said receptor material comprises alternating layers of matrix materials and activator sensitive isotope materials.
19. The detector of claim 18, wherein each layer of matrix materials is a substance selected from the group consisting of a glass, a ceramic, plastic, crystal, and a liquid.
20. The detector of claim 18, wherein each layer of activator isotope materials contains an isotope of an element wherein said isotope become radioactive and emits said by-product when exposed to said activator.
21. The detector of claim 20, wherein said matrix comprises a high-Z element that is selected from the group consisting of Pb, W, Bi, Hf, and Ta.
22. The detector of claim 20, wherein said by-product is an energetic particle having a sufficient velocity to generate said light.
23. The detector of claim 22, wherein said energetic particle is a beta particle.
24. The detector of claim 22, wherein said energetic particle is a positron.
25. The detector of claim 22, wherein said by-product is ionizing electromagnetic radiation that interacts with an electron or a positron so as to impart sufficient energy to said electron or positron so that said electron or positron has a sufficient velocity to generate said light.
26. The detector of claim 1, wherein said receptor material comprises alternating layers of matrix materials, moderator materials and activator-sensitive isotope materials.
27. The detector of claim 1, wherein said receptor material comprises alternating layers of matrix materials and moderator materials.
28. The detector of claim 1, wherein said light detector is a counting apparatus.
29. A portal monitor comprising:
a frame defining a path;
a detector incorporated into said frame, said detector comprising:
a receptor material that lacks a photoluminescent material and is positioned to receive an activator that is present in an object on said path, wherein upon being impinged by said activator a by-product of a radioactive decay is generated and said by-product generates light via the Cherenkov effect, wherein said receptor material comprises a glass with an activator-sensitive isotope dispersed therein, wherein said activator-sensitive isotope become radioactive and emits said by-product when exposed to said activator; and
a light detector that receives said light and identifies a signal characteristic of said activator.
30. The portal monitor of claim 29, further comprising a conveyor that moves along said path.
31. The portal monitor of claim 29, wherein said activator is a neutron and said receptor material is a neutron-sensitive material.
32. The portal monitor of claim 29, wherein said activator is ionizing electromagnetic radiation and said receptor material is an ionizing electromagnetic radiation-sensitive material.
33. The portal monitor of claim 32, wherein said ionizing electromagnetic radiation has an energy above 1.69 MeV.
34. The portal monitor of claim 29, wherein said activator is a charged particle and said receptor material is a charged-particle-sensitive material.
35. The portal monitor of claim 29, wherein said receptor material is a substance selected from the group consisting of a glass, a ceramic, plastic, crystal, and a liquid.
36. The portal monitor of claim 29, wherein said glass is optically clear.
37. The portal monitor of claim 29, wherein said glass comprises a lead phosphate composition.
38. The portal monitor of claim 29, wherein said activator-sensitive isotope is an isotope selected from the group consisting of scandium, Ag, Gd, Nd, In, Zn, Si, As, and rare earth elements.
39. The portal monitor of claim 29, wherein said by-product is an energetic particle having a sufficient velocity to generate said light.
40. The portal monitor of claim 39, wherein said energetic particle is a beta particle.
41. The portal monitor of claim 39, wherein said energetic particle is a positron.
42. The portal monitor of claim 29, wherein said by-product is ionizing electromagnetic radiation that interacts with an electron or positron so as to impart sufficient energy to said electron or positron so that said electron or positron has a sufficient velocity to generate said light.
43. The portal monitor of claim 29, wherein said glass comprises a high-Z element.
44. The portal monitor of claim 43, wherein said high-Z element is selected from the group consisting of Pb, W, Bi, Hf, and Ta.
45. The portal monitor of claim 29, wherein said receptor material comprises alternating layers of matrix materials and activator-sensitive isotope materials.
46. The portal monitor of claim 29, wherein said receptor material comprises alternating layers of matrix materials, moderator materials and activator-sensitive isotope materials.
47. The portal monitor of claim 46, wherein each layer of matrix materials is a substance selected from the group consisting of a glass, a ceramic, plastic, crystals and a liquid.
48. The portal monitor of claim 46, wherein each layer of activator isotope materials contains an isotope of an element wherein said isotope becomes radioactive and emits said by-product when exposed to said activator.
49. The portal monitor of claim 48, wherein said matrix comprises a high-Z element that is selected from the group consisting of Pb, W, Bi, Hf, and Ta.
50. The portal monitor of claim 48, wherein said by-product is an energetic particle having a sufficient velocity to generate said light.
51. The portal monitor of claim 50, wherein said energetic particle is a beta particle.
52. The portal monitor of claim 50, wherein said energetic particle is a positron.
53. The portal monitor of claim 50, wherein said by-product is ionizing electromagnetic radiation that interacts with an electron so as to impart sufficient energy to said electron so that said electron has a sufficient velocity to generate said light.
54. The portal monitor of claim 29, wherein said receptor material comprises alternating layers of matrix materials and moderator materials.
55. The portal monitor of claim 29, wherein said light detector is a counting apparatus.
56. A method of detecting an activator, the method comprising:
impinging a receptor material lacking a photoluminescent material with an activator, wherein said receptor material comprises a glass with an activator-sensitive isotope dispersed therein,
generating a by-product of a radioactive decay due to said activator impinging said receptor material, wherein said activator sensitive isotope become radioactive and emits said by-product when exposed to said activator;
generating light from said by-product via the Cherenkov effect; and
identifying a characteristic of said activator based on said light.
57. The method of claim 56, wherein said activator is a neutron and said receptor material is a neutron-sensitive material.
58. The method of claim 56, wherein said activator is ionizing electromagnetic radiation and said receptor material is an ionizing electromagnetic radiation-sensitive material.
59. The method of claim 56, wherein said activator is a charged particle and said receptor material is a charged-particle-sensitive material.
60. The method of claim 56, wherein said receptor material is a substance selected from the group consisting of a glass, a ceramic, plastic, crystal and a liquid.
61. The method of claim 56, wherein said glass is optically clear.
62. The method of claim 56, wherein said by-product is an energetic particle having a sufficient velocity to generate said light.
63. The method of claim 62, wherein said energetic particle is a beta particle.
64. The method of claim 62, wherein said energetic particle is a positron.
65. The method of claim 56, wherein said by-product is ionizing electromagnetic radiation that interacts with an electron or a positron so as to impart sufficient energy to said electron or positron so that said electron or positron has a sufficient velocity to generate said light.
66. The method of claim 56, wherein said receptor material comprises alternating layers of matrix materials and activator-sensitive isotope materials.
67. The method of claim 56, wherein said receptor material comprises alternating layers of matrix materials, moderator materials and activator-sensitive isotope materials.
68. The method of claim 56, wherein said receptor material comprises alternating layers of matrix materials and moderator materials.