Author: claimsbot

1. Method of controlling fuel injection to a combustion chamber, comprising the steps of:
supplying fuel to a pump (2), which comprises a piston (7) reciprocating in a cylinder (6),
pressurizing the fuel by applying a force to the piston (7) by means of an actuator (8), so that the piston (7) is moved from a first end position (9) towards a second end position (10), and
injection of fuel, corresponding to a partial volume of the fuel pressurized in the cylinder (6), into the combustion chamber (4),

characterized by returning the piston (7) towards the first end position (9) by means of the pressurized fuel, so that the piston (7) acts with a driving force on the actuator (8).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the point in time of injection of the fuel into the combustion chamber (4) and the fuel volume injected into the combustion chamber (4) are controlled by means of a needle control valve (20).
3. Fuel injection device for carrying out the method according to claim 1, comprising:
a pump (2) arranged to pressurize fuel,
an injection valve (3) arranged to inject a partial volume of the pressurized fuel into a combustion chamber (4),
an injection needle (14) arranged in the injection valve (3), and constructed to cooperate with at least one injection opening (15) arranged in the injection valve (3), said injection needle (14) being provided with first and second fuel pressure-receiving surfaces (17, 18), and
a control unit (21) disposed to control the injection of the fuel into the combustion chamber (4),

characterized by a needle control valve (20) coupled to the injection valve (3), said needle control valve being disposed to control, by means of signals from the control unit (21), the fuel pressure acting on the first pressure-receiving surface (17) of the injection needle (14) without substantially affecting the fuel pressure acting on the second pressure-receiving surface (18) of the injection needle (14).
4. Fuel injection device according to claim 3, characterized by a first fuel channel (22), which connects the pump (2) to the first receiving surface (17) of the injection needle (14), and a second fuel channel (23), which connects the pump (2) to the second pressure-receiving surface (18) of the injection needle (14).
5. Fuel injection device according to claim 4, characterized in that the needle control valve (20) is connected to the first fuel channel (22).
6. Fuel injection device according to claim 4, characterized in that a choke valve (24) is arranged in the first fuel channel (22).
7. Fuel injection device according to claim 6, characterized in that the flow-through area of the choke valve (24) can be regulated and that the control unit (21) is disposed to control the flow-through area of the choke valve (24).
8. Fuel injection device according to claim 4, characterized in that the needle control valve (20) is constructed as a two-way valve (29) and is joined to the first and second fuel channels (22, 23), so that when the two-way valve (29) is set in a first position, the pump (2) is connected to the first and second pressure-receiving surface (17, 18) of the injection needle (14), and when the two-way valve (29) is set in a second position, the pump (2) only communicates with the second pressure-receiving surface (18) of the injection needle (14).
9. Fuel injection device according to claim 3, characterized in that a spill valve (27) is coupled to the pump (2) and to the injection valve (3) to reduce the maximum pressure of the fuel in response to signals from the control unit (21).
10. Fuel injection device according to claim 3, characterized in that a pressure sensor (25) is coupled to the pump (2) and to the injection valve (3), said pressure sensor (25) being arranged to send signals to the control unit (21) concerning the fuel pressure.
11. Fuel injection device according to claim 3, characterized in that the pump (2) comprises a piston (7) reciprocating in a cylinder (6), said piston being acted on by an actuator (8) in the form of a rotating camshaft.
12. Fuel injection device according to claim 5, characterized in that a choke valve (24) is arranged in the first fuel channel (22).
13. Fuel injection device according to claim 4, characterized in that a spill valve (27) is coupled to the pump (2) and to the injection valve (3) to reduce the maximum pressure of the fuel in response to signals from the control unit (21).

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 bending tool that is configured to bend an orthopedic implant that includes a first implant portion and a second implant portion, the bending tool comprising:
a first jaw assembly that includes a first jaw that defines a first engagement surface;
a second jaw assembly that is movably coupled to the first jaw assembly, the second jaw assembly including a second jaw, the second jaw including a base and an adjustment member that defines a second engagement surface, the adjustment member movably coupled to the base such that the second engagement surface is movable with respect to the first engagement surface along a lateral direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the bending tool, wherein the first and second engagement surfaces are offset from each other along the lateral direction so as to define an adjustment distance that extends from the second engagement surface to the first engagement surface with respect to the lateral direction, such that the first and second engagement surfaces are separated by a gap, wherein the adjustment member is movable with respect to the base so as to adjust the adjustment distance,
wherein movement of the first and second jaw assemblies relative to each other from an open configuration to a closed configuration a) causes at least one of the first and second jaws to move in at least the lateral direction to decrease the adjustment distance, and b) causes the first and second jaws to apply a force to a portion of the orthopedic implant that is disposed in the gap, thereby bending the orthopedic implant such that the first implant portion is offset relative to the second implant portion by an offset distance that is partially defined by the adjustment distance.
2. The bending tool according to claim 1, wherein the offset distance is defined by a difference between the adjustment distance and a thickness of the portion of the orthopedic implant along the lateral direction.
3. The bending tool according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment member is configured to translate relative to the base.
4. The bending tool according to claim 1, wherein the offset distance is a first offset distance of a plurality of offset distances, and the base includes a plurality of base markings, each base marking corresponding to one of the plurality of offset distances, the adjustment member including an adjustment marking, and the adjustment marking is configured to be substantially aligned with one of the plurality of base markings such that the first implant portion can be bent relative to the second implant portion by one of the predetermined offset distances.
5. The bending tool according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment member is configured to move incrementally relative to the base.
6. The bending tool according to claim 5, wherein the adjustment member includes an adjustment body and adjustment teeth that protrude from the adjustment body, and the base includes a base body and base teeth that protrude from the base body, the base teeth are configured to mate with the adjustment teeth such that the adjustment member is configured to move incrementally relative to the base.
7. The bending tool according to claim 1, wherein the base is a second base, the adjustment member is a second adjustment member, and the first jaw includes a first adjustment member and a first base that is movably coupled to the first base.
8. The bending tool according to claim 7, wherein the first adjustment member is configured to translate relative to the first base.
9. The bending tool according to claim 8, wherein the first adjustment member is configured to move incrementally relative to the first base.
10. The bending tool according to claim 7, wherein the first base defines the first engagement surface.
11. The bending tool according to claim 1, wherein the first and second jaws are configured to move relative to each other in the lateral direction and in a transverse direction that is substantially perpendicular to the transverse direction.
12. The bending tool according to claim 11, wherein the first jaw assembly includes a first handle member that is coupled to the first jaw, and the second jaw assembly includes a second handle member that is coupled to the second jaw, and the movement of the first and second handle members toward each other causes the first and second jaws to move toward each other toward the closed configuration.
13. The bending tool according to claim 12, further comprising a biasing member that is connected between the first handle member and the second handle member to bias the first and second handle members away from each other.
14. The bending tool according to claim 1, wherein the second jaw assembly further comprising a jaw fastener that is connected between the adjustment member and the base, and the jaw fastener is configured to move between an unlocked position and a locked position to fix a position of the adjustment member relative to the base.
15. The bending tool according to claim 1, wherein a first movement of the first and second jaw assemblies relative to each other cause at least one of the first and second jaws to move in a toward a closed configuration in a first direction that is aligned with the lateral direction, and a second movement of the first and second jaw assemblies relative to each other cause at least one of the first and second jaws to move toward the open configuration in a second direction opposite the first direction so as to increase the adjustment distance.
16. The bending tool according to claim 1, wherein the second jaw assembly is pivotally coupled to the first jaw assembly.
17. The bending tool according to claim 1, wherein the first adjustment member is coupled to an elongated member, and rotation of the elongated member causes the first adjustment member to move relative to the base.
18. The bending tool according to claim 17, wherein the base defines a bore that receives a portion of the elongated member, the base includes inner threads that surround the bore, the elongated member includes external threads that are configured to mate with the inner threads such that rotation of the elongated member causes the elongated member to move relative to the base in the lateral direction.
19. The bending tool according to claim 17, further comprising a handle that is coupled to the elongated member, wherein the handle is configured to allow a user to rotate the elongated member.
20. The bending tool according to claim 17, further comprising a support member that is coupled to the elongated member, wherein the support member defines a socket that is configured to receive a driving tool capable of rotating the support member, thereby rotating the elongated member.
21. The bending tool according to claim 1, where the first engagement surface and the second engagement surfaces are planar surfaces.
22. A bending tool that is configured to bend an orthopedic implant that includes a first implant portion and a second implant portion, the bending tool comprising:
a first jaw assembly that includes a first jaw, the first jaw defining an engagement surface and an outer surface opposed to the engagement surface along a lateral direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the bending tool;
a second jaw assembly including a second jaw, the second jaw assembly movably coupled to the first jaw assembly such that the first jaw is movable with respect to the second jaw so as to at least partially define a gap, the gap disposed between the first jaw and the second jaw when the first and second jaws assemblies are in an open configuration,
wherein movement of the first and second jaw assemblies relative to each other from the open configuration into a closed configuration a) causes at least one of the first and second jaws to move toward each other along an angular direction that includes the lateral direction and a transverse direction that is perpendicular to the lateral direction, and b) causes the first and second jaws to apply a force to a portion of the orthopedic implant that is disposed in the gap to bend the orthopedic implant such that the first implant portion is offset relative to the second implant portion by an offset distance that is aligned with the lateral direction.
23. The bending tool according to claim 22, wherein the lateral direction is substantially perpendicular to the transverse direction.
24. The bending tool according to claim 22, wherein the engagement surface of the first jaw is a first engagement surface, and the second jaw assembly defines a second engagement surface, wherein the first and second engagement surfaces define an adjustment distance that extends from the second engagement surface to the first engagement surface along the lateral direction.
25. The bending tool according to claim 22, wherein the offset distance is partially defined by the adjustment distance.
26. The bending tool according to claim 25, wherein the offset distance is defined by a difference between the adjustment distance and a thickness of the portion of the orthopedic implant along the lateral direction.
27. A method of bending an orthopedic implant with a bending tool including a first jaw assembly that includes a first base and a first adjustment member that is movably coupled to the first base along a lateral direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the bending tool, the first base defining a first engagement surface, and a second jaw assembly movably coupled to the first jaw assembly, the second jaw assembly including a second base and a second adjustment member that is movably coupled to the second base along the lateral direction, the second adjustment member defines a second engagement surface, and an adjustment distance is defined from the second engagement surface to the first engagement surface along the lateral direction, the method comprising:
moving the second adjustment member relative to the second base from an initial position to an adjusted position to set the adjustment distance such that the bending tool is configured to bend the orthopedic implant at an offset distance that is defined by the adjustment distance;
positioning a portion of the orthopedic implant between the first jaw assembly and the second jaw assembly; and
moving the first jaw assembly and the second jaw assembly relative to each other so as to deform the portion of the orthopedic implant from a first shape to a second shape that is different from the first shape.
28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the second moving step includes pivoting the first and second jaw assemblies relative to each other.

1. A grill support apparatus for mounting a grill to a bumper of vehicle which permits the grill to be positioned in a stowed position where the grill is directly behind the vehicle and a deployed position where the grill can be positioned between the stowed position and a position approximate a side the vehicle, the grill support apparatus comprising:
a pivot assembly comprising:
a pivot collar; and
a first clamp means for securing said pivot collar to a bumper of a vehicle in a vertical orientation;
a support arm having first and second ends, and a horizontal portion intermediate to and extending between said first and second ends, said first end extending vertically downward from said horizontal portion and said second end extending vertically upward from said horizontal portion, said horizontal portion including an offset bend made at a location that is intermediate said first and second ends and being made such that the entire horizontal portion remains in the same plane and such that said first and second ends are offset from each other;
said first end of said support arm is inserted into said pivot collar and rotatable therewith such that said pivot collar supports said support arm in a cantilever fashion and said support arm is permitted to rotate about said first end;
a grill support platform having a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface including at least two grill mounting flanges, said bottom surface including a centrally located and downwardly extending attachment collar;
said second end of said support arm is inserted into said attachment collar and rotatable therewith such that said grill support platform is rotatable about said second end; and
a retainer assembly comprising:
a retainer means to removably receive said horizontal portion of said support arm and retain said horizontal portion of said support arm such that said support arm can not be rotated about said first end thereof; and
a second clamp means for attaching said retainer means to the vehicle bumper at a spaced distance along the bumper from said first clamp means.
2. The grill support apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first end of said support arm includes a bearing surface in bearing contact with an upper edge of said pivot collar.
3. The grill support apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a thumb screw threadably received by a hole formed through said pivot collar that when tightened prevents said first end of said support arm from rotating in said pivot collar.
4. The grill support apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a thumb screw threadably received by a hole formed through said attachment collar that when tightened prevents said attachment collar from rotating about said second end of said support arm.
5. The grill support apparatus of claim 1, wherein said grill support platform is at least 1.5 times the length as a grill to be attached to said at least two mounting flanges and wherein said mounting flanges are positioned such that grill is attached to said top surface of said grill support platform towards one side thereof, thereby leaving a portion of said top surface uncovered for use as a working surface.
6. The grill support apparatus of claim 1, wherein said receiver member is generally U-shaped and includes a pair of legs having longitudinally aligned holes formed therethrough, and said support arm having a through hole formed therethrough that is in cooperative alignment with said longitudinally aligned holes when said support arm is received between said pair of legs.
7. A grill support apparatus for mounting a grill to a bumper of vehicle which permits the grill to be positioned in a stowed position where the grill is directly behind the vehicle and a deployed position where the grill can be positioned between the stowed position and a position approximate a side the vehicle, the grill support apparatus comprising:
a pivot assembly comprising:
a pivot collar; and
a first clamp means for securing said pivot collar to a bumper of a vehicle in a vertical orientation;
a support arm having first and second ends, and a horizontal portion intermediate to and extending between said first and second ends, said first end extending vertically downward from said horizontal portion and said second end extending vertically upward from said horizontal portion, said horizontal portion including an offset bend made at a location that is intermediate said first and second ends and being made such that the entire horizontal portion remains in the same plane and such that said first and second ends are offset from each other;
said first end of said support arm is inserted into said pivot collar and rotatable therewith such that said pivot collar supports said support arm in a cantilever fashion and said support arm is permitted to rotate about said first end;
a grill support platform having a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface including at least two grill mounting flanges, said bottom surface including a centrally located and downwardly extending attachment collar;
said second end of said support arm is inserted into said attachment collar and rotatable therewith such that said grill support platform is rotatable about said second end; and
a retainer assembly comprising:
a retainer means to removably receive said horizontal portion of said support arm and retain said horizontal portion of said support arm such that said support arm can not be rotated about said first end thereof and
a second clamp means for attaching said retainer means to the vehicle bumper at a spaced distance along the bumper from said first clamp means;
said first end of said support arm includes a bearing surface in bearing contact with an upper edge of said pivot collar;
a first thumb screw threadably received by a hole formed through said pivot collar that when tightened prevents said first end of said support arm from rotating in said pivot collar; and
a thumb screw threadably received by a hole formed through said attachment collar that when tightened prevents said attachment collar from rotating about said second end of said support arm.
8. The grill support apparatus of claim 6, wherein said grill support platform is at least 1.5 times the length as a grill to be attached to said at least two mounting flanges and wherein said mounting flanges are positioned such that grill is attached to said top surface of said grill support platform towards one side thereof thereby leaving a portion of said top surface uncovered for use as a working surface.
9. The grill support apparatus of claim 7, wherein said receiver member is generally U-shaped and includes a pair of legs having longitudinally aligned holes formed therethrough, and said support arm having a through hole formed therethrough that is in cooperative alignment with said longitudinally aligned holes when said support arm is received between said pair of legs.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A landfill gas extraction system for controlling the extraction of gas from a landfill having a plurality of gas well cells, each cell including one or more gas wells, and a source of vacuum in fluid communication with the cells, comprising:
a computer; and
a plurality of control valves, each control valve being in fluid communication with a respective cell, each control valve being controllable by the computer for controlling gas extraction from the cell.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising, for each cell, at least one sensor for generating a feedback signal representative of a parameter from the group consisting of: pressure, temperature, flow rate, oxygen concentration, methane concentration, and carbon dioxide concentration, wherein the feedback signal is communicated to the computer and the computer controls the respective control valve in response thereto.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the sensor is a flow rate sensor and the feedback signal represents flow rate through the cell, and the computer controls the respective control valve to establish a predetermined flow rate.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the predetermined flow rate through each cell is based on a predetermined landfill total flow rate.
5. The system of claim 3, further comprising, for each cell, a pressure sensor for generating a vacuum signal representative of pressure in the cell, and the computer includes computer readable code means for comparing the vacuum signal to a predetermined vacuum setpoint and controlling the control valve in response thereto.
6. The system of claim 5, further comprising, for each cell, an oxygen sensor for generating an oxygen signal representative of oxygen concentration in the cell, and the computer includes computer readable code means for comparing the oxygen signal to a predetermined oxygen setpoint and controlling the control valve in response thereto.
7. The system of claim 2, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor and the feedback signal represents vacuum pressure in the cell, and the computer controls the control valve of each cell to establish a predetermined vacuum pressure.
8. The system of claim 7, further comprising, for each cell, an oxygen extraction sensor for generating an oxygen extraction signal representative of oxygen extraction from the cell, and the computer includes computer readable code means for comparing the oxygen extraction signal to a predetermined oxygen extraction setpoint and controlling the control valve in response thereto.
9. The system of claim 8, further comprising, for each cell, a temperature sensor for generating a temperature signal representative of gas temperature in the cell, and the computer includes computer readable code means for comparing the temperature signal to a predetermined setpoint and controlling the control valve in response thereto.
10. The system of claim 3, further comprising an oxygen sensor for generating an oxygen feedback signal, and the computer controls the control valve of each cell to maintain oxygen concentration below a predetermined oxygen concentration setpoint.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer includes computer readable code means for controlling the control valves such that the sum of the gas flow rates through all the cells is maintained within a predetermined field flow rate range.
12. The system of claim 3, further comprising a methane sensor for generating a methane signal, wherein the computer controls the control valve of each cell in response to the methane signal.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the computer includes computer readable code means for controlling the control valves such that the sum of the gas flow rates through all the cells is maintained within a predetermined field flow rate range, and wherein the computer causes relatively more gas to be extracted from cells having relatively high methane concentrations.
14. The system of claim 2, further comprising a respective vault for holding each control valve, each vault including a respective pressurized enclosure for holding the sensor therein with the control valve being external to the enclosure, wherein the control valve is a pneumatically-operated valve.
15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a vault controller disposed in the enclosure, the vault controller being in communication with the computer.
16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a solenoid valve disposed in the enclosure and electrically connected to the vault controller for control of the solenoid valve to selectively isolate the sensor, whereby a positive pressure is maintained within the enclosure to prevent the flow of gas into the enclosure, and whereby no electrically-powered components of the vault are located outside the enclosure.
17. A computer program device comprising:
a computer program storage device readable by a digital processing system; and
a computer program on the program storage device and including instructions executable by the digital processing system for performing method steps for controlling at least one valve disposed in a landfill cell gas extraction pipe to thereby control gas extraction from the pipe, the method steps comprising:
receiving a feedback signal representative of at least one of: gas pressure in the pipe, gas flow rate through the pipe, oxygen concentration of gas in the pipe; and
moving the valve in response thereto.
18. The device of claim 19, wherein the method steps further comprise moving the valve in response to methane concentration in the pipe.
19. The device of claim 18, wherein the method steps further comprise:
determining a desired gas flow rate through the pipe based on the number of wells in the landfill and at least one of: landfill flare capacity, methane concentration in the pipe.
20. A digital processing apparatus for controlling a valve in a landfill to regulate the flow of gas from the landfill through the valve, comprising:
computer readable code means for receiving a feedback signal representative of at least one of: gas pressure in the pipe, gas flow rate through the pipe, oxygen concentration of gas in the pipe; and
computer readable code means for causing the valve to move in response to the feedback signal.
21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising computer readable code means for moving the valve in response to methane concentration in the pipe.
22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:
computer readable code means for determining a desired gas flow rate through the pipe based on the number of wells in the landfill and at least one of: landfill flare capacity, methane concentration in the pipe.
23. A landfill, comprising a piping system for extracting gas from the landfill through a plurality of landfill cells, each cell including one or more wells, comprising:
a computer; and
for each cell:
a pneumatic control valve disposed in the cell for selectively blocking gas communication therethrough;
an enclosure;
a source of air for pressurizing the enclosure to prevent gas from leaking into the enclosure;
at least one sensor disposed in the enclosure for generating a feedback signal representative of an attribute of gas in the cell; and
at least one solenoid valve disposed in the enclosure and configured for selectively establishing fluid communication between the cell and the sensor, wherein the computer generates, in response to the feedback signal, a control signal for controlling the control valve.
24. The landfill of claim 23, further comprising, for each cell:
a controller disposed within the enclosure and electrically connected to the solenoid valve for sending control signals thereto, the controller also being electrically connected to the control valve and the sensor to communicate feedback signals to the computer.
25. The landfill of claim 24, wherein the computer includes:
computer readable code means for receiving the feedback signal, the feedback signal being representative of at least one of: gas pressure in the pipe, gas flow rate through the pipe, oxygen concentration of gas in the pipe; and
computer readable code means for causing the control valve to move in response to the feedback signal.
26. The landfill of claim 25, wherein the computer further comprises computer readable code means for moving the control valve in response to methane concentration in the pipe.
27. The landfill of claim 26, wherein the computer further comprises computer readable code means for determining a desired gas flow rate through the pipe based on the number of wells in the landfill and at least one of: landfill flare capacity, methane concentration in the pipe.