Author: claimsbot

1. Method of manufacturing high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite including the steps of
(a) providing an aluminum or aluminum alloy skeleton structure having open porosity of 50-95 vol. %;
(b) filling said skeleton structure with the powder of a reactive matrix metal andor reactive alloy to obtain an aluminum skeletonmatrix powder composite preform;
(c) compacting said aluminum skeletonmatrix powder composite preform by cold rolling, cold die pressing, cold isostatic pressing, andor hot rolling in any combination;
(d) consolidating the initial or compacted aluminum skeletonmatrix powder composite preform by sintering, hot pressing, hot rolling, hot isostatic pressing, andor hot extrusion in any combination to provide, at least partially, a reaction between aluminum skeleton and matrix metal powder;
(e) diffusion annealing andor additional sintering followed by any type of heat treatment needed to provide predetermined mechanical and surface properties of the resulting metal matrix composite.
2. Method of manufacturing high-strength hybrid titaniumtitanium aluminide composite according to claim 1, wherein the porous aluminum or aluminum alloy skeleton structure is manufactured in the form of metal foams, grits, fibrous structures, compacted powder or granular structures, sintered powder or granular structures, perforated plates, perforated foils, andor structured inserts.
3. Method of manufacturing high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite according to claim 1, wherein the aluminum or aluminum alloy skeleton structure is filled with an elemental powder blend having a composition corresponding to the predetermined composition of the matrix alloy.
4. Method of manufacturing high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite according to claim 1 wherein any powder of the matrix metal andor alloy contains a titanium hydride andor zirconium hydride.
5. Method of manufacturing high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite according to claim 1 wherein any matrix metal andor alloy powder, used for filling the aluminum skeleton structure, additionally contains (a) low weight powders such as titanium aluminides, aluminum, aluminum-lithium alloys, and other metal powders, andor (b) reinforcing particles of carbon, boron, titanium diboride, titanium carbide, silicon carbide, silica, alumina, silicon nitride, and other ceramics and ceramic-forming components, in any combination, andor (c) alloying elements such as vanadium, chromium, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, hafnium, manganese, boron, silicon, and others to obtain a matrix of multi-component titanium-based, zirconium-based, nickel-based, or niobium-based alloy.
6. Method of manufacturing high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite according to claim 1 wherein the reactive powder alloys are pre-alloyed powders (produced by atomization, plasma rotated electrode process, mechanical alloying, or other means), blended elemental powders, hydrogenated powders, andor a combination thereof.
7. Method of manufacturing high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite according to claim 1, wherein the aluminum or aluminum alloy skeleton structure is preliminarily deformed prior to filling it with the matrix powder to tailor the skeleton structure andor to obtain the final shape of the resulting composite article.
8. Method of manufacturing high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite according to claim 1, wherein the aluminum or aluminum alloy skeleton structure is deformed after filling it with the matrix powder to tailor the skeleton structure andor to obtain the final shape of the resulting composite article.
9. Method of manufacturing high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite according to claim 1, wherein the preform filled with the matrix powder is encapsulated in a metal container before hot working especially by hot isostatic pressing andor extruding.
10. The high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite formed by the method according to claim 1 which consists of a metal andor alloy matrix at least partially intercalated with a three-dimensional skeletal metal aluminide structure, whereby ductility of the matrix metal andor alloy is higher than that of the metal aluminide skeleton.
11. The high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite according to claim 10, wherein the matrix metal andor alloy is selected from a group consisting of titanium, zirconium niobium, nickel, titanium-based alloy, zirconium-based alloy, niobium-based alloys, nickel-based alloys, other reactive alloys, andor a mixture thereof, and the metal aluminide is selected from a group consisting of titanium aluminide alloys, zirconium aluminide alloys, niobium aluminide alloys, nickel aluminide alloys, andor aluminide alloys of other reactive metals, andor a mixture thereof.
12. The high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite according to claim 10, comprises (a) at least one core layer of the high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite consisting of reactive metal andor alloy matrix intercalated with the three-dimensional skeletal metal aluminide structure, and (b) at least one layer of sintered, wrought, or cast reactive metal andor alloy metallurgically bonded to the core layer.
13. Method of manufacturing high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite according to claim 12, includes:
(a) providing an aluminum or aluminum alloy skeleton structure having open porosity of 50-95 vol. %;
(b) filling said skeleton structure with a titanium powder, a titanium hydride powder, andor a titanium alloy powder to obtain an aluminum skeletontitanium powder composite preform;
(c) compacting said aluminumtitanium composite preform by cold rolling, cold die pressing, cold isostatic pressing, andor hot rolling in any combination;
(d) depositing at least one layer of titanium andor titanium alloy powder on at least one side of the compacted aluminumtitanium composite preform to form a multilayer composite package;
(e) cold die pressing andor loose sintering of the multilayer composite package;
(f) consolidating the multilayer composite package by sintering, hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing, hot rolling, andor hot extrusion in any combination to provide a reaction between aluminum skeleton and titanium matrix powder, as well as to provide metallurgical bonding between the core composite layer and titanium andor titanium alloy powder layers;
(g) diffusion annealing andor additional sintering followed by any type of heat treatment needed to provide predetermined mechanical and surface properties of the resulting multilayer metal matrix composite.
14. Method of manufacturing of high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite according to claim 12, includes:
(a) forming the first layer of titanium andor titanium alloy powder,
(b) applying an aluminum or aluminum alloy skeleton structure having open porosity of 50-95 vol. % on the first powder layer,
(c) filling said skeleton structure with a titanium powder, a titanium hydride powder, andor a titanium alloy powder to obtain an aluminum skeletontitanium powder composite preform,
(d) depositing the second layer of titanium andor titanium alloy powder on the aluminumtitanium composite preform to form a multilayer composite package,
(e) compacting said multilayer composite package by cold rolling, cold die pressing, andor cold isostatic pressing in any combination,
(f) loose sintering of the multilayer composite package,
(g) consolidating the multilayer composite package by sintering, hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing, hot rolling, andor hot extrusion in any combinations to provide a reaction between aluminum skeleton and titanium matrix powder, as well as to provide metallurgical bonding between core composite layer and titanium andor titanium alloy powder layers, and
(h) diffusion annealing andor additional sintering followed by any type of heat treatment needed to provide predetermined mechanical and surface properties of the resulting maltilayer metal matrix composite.
15. Method of manufacturing high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite according to claim 12, includes:
(a) providing the first flat or shaped sheet of titanium andor titanium alloy;
(b) applying a flat or shaped aluminum or aluminum alloy skeleton structure having open porosity of 50-95 vol. % on the first titanium sheet;
(c) filling said skeleton structure with a titanium powder, a titanium hydride powder, andor a titanium alloy powder to obtain an aluminum skeletontitanium powder composite preform;
(d) applying the second flat or shaped sheet of titanium andor titanium alloy on the aluminumtitanium composite preform to form a multilayer composite package;
(e) compacting said multilayer composite package by cold rolling, cold die pressing, andor cold isostatic pressing in any combination;
(f) consolidating the multilayer composite package by sintering, hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing, hot rolling, andor hot extrusion in any combination to provide a reaction between aluminum skeleton and titanium matrix powder, as well as to provide metallurgical bonding between core composite layer and titanium andor titanium alloy sheets;
(g) diffusion annealing andor additional sintering followed by any type of heat treatment needed to provide predetermined mechanical and surface properties of the resulting multilayer metal matrix composite.
16. Method of manufacturing high-strength metal aluminide-containing matrix composite according to claim 12, includes:
(a) providing at least two aluminum or aluminum alloy skeleton structures having open porosity of 50-95 vol. %;
(b) filling said skeleton structures with matrix metal powders, that are different for each skeleton structure, to obtain at least two aluminum skeletonmatrix powder composite preforms;
(c) assembling the aluminum skeletonmatrix powder composite preforms in one multilayer composite package;
(d) consolidating the multilayer composite package by sintering, hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing, hot rolling, andor hot extrusion in any combination to provide a reaction between aluminum skeleton and matrix metal powder, as well as to provide metallurgical bonding between all layers of the multilayer composite;
(e) diffusion annealing andor additional sintering followed by any type of heat treatment needed to provide predetermined mechanical and surface properties of the resulting multilayer metal matrix composite.

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 method for generating a reverse patch for reversing a forward patch on an electronic device, wherein the forward patch generates a new binary image from an old binary image, the method comprising the steps of:
generating an index file at a server, the index file identifying regions of similarity between the old binary image and the new binary image for use in obtaining at least a portion of the old binary image from the new binary image;
transmitting the forward patch and the index file from the server to the electronic device;
applying the forward patch to the old binary image to create the new binary image at the electronic device; and
generating the reverse patch from the new binary image, the old binary image, and the index file at the electronic device.
2. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein said steps of generating the index file, applying the forward patch, and generating the reverse patch are performed on a sector-by-sector basis.
3. The method claimed in claim 1, further including a step of generating the forward patch.
4. The method claimed in claim 3, wherein the new binary image occupies a plurality of sectors, and wherein said steps of generating the forward patch and generating the index file include:
setting a current image as the old binary image,
selecting one of the plurality of sectors from the new binary image,
computing a binary difference algorithm to generate a delta file for obtaining said one of the plurality of sectors from the current image,
overwriting an old sector within the current image with said one of the plurality of sectors, while retaining a copy of the old sector,
generating a sector-specific index file, wherein the sector-specific index file identifies regions of similarity between said old sector and said current image, and
repeating the steps of selecting, computing, overwriting, and generating once for each of the plurality of sectors,
and wherein the forward patch comprises a plurality of delta files created from the computing steps, and wherein the index file comprises a plurality of sector-specific index files created from the generating steps.
5. The method claimed in claim 4, wherein the steps of applying the forward patch and generating the reverse patch include:
setting a current image as the old binary image,
selecting one of the plurality of sectors from the new binary image,
applying one of said plurality of delta files to the current image to generate said one of the plurality of sectors,
overwriting an old sector within the current image with said one of the plurality of sectors while retaining a copy of the old sector,
generating a sector-specific reverse patch from the current image, the old sector, and one of the sector-specific reverse index files, and
repeating the steps of selecting, applying, overwriting, and generating once for each of the plurality of sectors,
and wherein the reverse patch comprises a plurality of said sector-specific reverse patches.
6. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of generating the index file includes performing an indexing operation, and wherein said indexing operation includes hashing or suffix sorting.
7. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting includes packaging said forward patch and said reverse index file together as a deliverable, and transmitting said deliverable over one or more communications networks.
8. The method claimed in claim 7, wherein said electronic device comprises a mobile wireless device, and wherein said communications networks include a wireless network.
9. The method claimed in claim 1, further including a step of storing said reverse patch in non-volatile memory on said device.
10. A method for generating a reverse index file for use in generating a reverse patch for reversing a forward patch on an electronic device, wherein the forward patch generates a new binary image from an old binary image, the method comprising the steps of:
generating an index file at a server, the index file identifying regions of similarity between the old binary image and the new binary image for use in obtaining at least a portion of the old binary image from the new binary image; and
transmitting the forward patch and the index file from the server to the electronic device.
11. The method claimed in claim 10, further including a step of generating the forward patch.
12. The method claimed in claim 11, wherein said steps of generating the forward patch and generating the index file are performed on a sector-by-sector basis.
13. The method claimed in claim 12, wherein the new binary image occupies a plurality of sectors, and wherein said steps of generating the forward patch and generating the index file include:
setting a current image as the old binary image,
selecting one of the plurality of sectors from the new binary image,
computing a binary difference algorithm to generate a delta file for obtaining said one of the plurality of sectors from the current image,
overwriting an old sector within the current image with said one of the plurality of sectors, while retaining a copy of the old sector,
generating a sector-specific index file, wherein the sector-specific index file identifies regions of similarity between said old sector and said current image, and
repeating the steps of selecting, computing, overwriting, and generating once for each of the plurality of sectors,
and wherein the forward patch comprises a plurality of delta files created from the computing steps, and wherein the index file comprises a plurality of sector-specific index files created from the generating steps.
14. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein said step of generating the index file includes performing an indexing operation, and wherein said indexing operation includes hashing or suffix sorting.
15. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein said step of transmitting includes packaging said forward patch and said reverse index file together as a deliverable, and transmitting said deliverable over one or more communications networks.
16. A method for generating a reverse patch for reversing a forward patch on an electronic device, wherein the forward patch generates a new binary image from an old binary image, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving the forward patch and an index file from a server, the index file identifying regions of similarity between the old binary image and the new binary image for use in obtaining at least a portion of the old binary image from the new binary image;
applying the forward patch to the old binary image to create the new binary image at the electronic device; and
generating the reverse patch from the new binary image, the old binary image, and the index file at the electronic device.
17. The method claimed in claim 16, wherein said steps of applying the forward patch and generating the reverse patch are performed on a sector-by-sector basis.
18. The method claimed in claim 17, wherein the new binary image occupies a plurality of sectors, the forward patch comprises a plurality of sector-specific delta files each for obtaining one of said plurality of sectors, the index file comprises a plurality of sector-specific reverse index files, and wherein the steps of applying the forward patch and generating the reverse patch include:
setting a current image as the old binary image,
selecting one of the plurality of sectors from the new binary image,
applying one of said plurality of sector-specific delta files to the current image to generate said one of the plurality of sectors,
overwriting an old sector within the current image with said one of the plurality of sectors while retaining a copy of the old sector,
generating a sector-specific reverse patch from the current image, the old sector, and one of the sector-specific reverse index files, wherein said sector-specific index file identifies regions of similarity between said old sector and said current image, and
repeating the steps of selecting, applying, overwriting, and generating once for each of the plurality of sectors,
and wherein the reverse patch comprises a plurality of said sector-specific reverse patches.
19. The method claimed in claim 16, wherein said step of receiving includes receiving the forward patch and the index file over a communications network, and storing the forward patch and the index file in memory on the electronic device.
20. The method claimed in claim 19, wherein said electronic device comprises a mobile wireless device, and wherein said communications network includes a wireless network
21. The method claimed in claim 16, further including a step of storing said reverse patch in non-volatile memory on said electronic device.
22. A system for generating a reverse patch for reversing a forward patch, wherein the forward patch generates a new binary image from an old binary image, the system comprising:
a server having a processor and memory for storing the new binary image and the old binary image, and for storing the forward patch, and having a indexing module executable by the processor for generating an index file, the index file identifying regions of similarity between the old binary image and the new binary image for use in obtaining at least a portion of the old binary image from the new binary image, the server including a communications interface for transmitting the forward patch and the index file from the server to the electronic device; and
an electronic device having a device processor and device memory for storing the forward patch and the index file received from the server via one or more communications networks, the electronic device including a patch manager for applying the forward patch to the old binary image to create the new binary image, and including a patch generation module for generating the reverse patch from the new binary image, the old binary image, and the index file.
23. The system claimed in claim 22, wherein said indexing module is configured to generate said index file on a sector-by-sector basis, wherein said patch manager is configured to apply the forward patch on a sector-by-sector basis, and wherein said patch generation module is configured to generate the reverse patch on a sector-by-sector basis.
24. The system claimed in claim 22, wherein said server further includes a binary difference algorithm for generating said forward patch.
25. The system claimed in claim 24, wherein the new binary image occupies a plurality of sectors, and wherein said binary difference algorithm and said indexing module include:
a component for setting a current image as the old binary image,
a component for selecting one of the plurality of sectors from the new binary image,
a component for computing a binary difference algorithm to generate a delta file for obtaining said one of the plurality of sectors from the current image,
a component for overwriting an old sector within the current image with said one of the plurality of sectors, while retaining a copy of the old sector, and
a component generating a sector-specific index file, wherein the sector-specific index file identifies regions of similarity between said old sector and said current image,
and wherein said components for selecting, computing, overwriting, and generating are configured to operate once for each of the plurality of sectors, and wherein the forward patch comprises a plurality of delta files created by the component for computing, and wherein the index file comprises a plurality of sector-specific index files created by the component for generating.
26. The system claimed in claim 25, wherein said patch manager and said patch generation module include:
a component for setting a current image as the old binary image,
a component for selecting one of the plurality of sectors from the new binary image,
a component for applying one of said plurality of delta files to the current image to generate said one of the plurality of sectors,
a component for overwriting an old sector within the current image with said one of the plurality of sectors while retaining a copy of the old sector, and
a component for generating a sector-specific reverse patch from the current image, the old sector, and one of the sector-specific reverse index files,
and wherein said components for selecting, applying, overwriting, and generating are configured to operate once for each of the plurality of sectors, and wherein the reverse patch comprises a plurality of said sector-specific reverse patches.
27. The system claimed in claim 22, wherein said indexing module for generating the index file includes an indexing operator, which includes hashing or suffix sorting.
28. The system claimed in claim 22, wherein said electronic device comprises a mobile wireless device, and further including a wireless network over which said server transmits the forward patch and the reverse index file to the mobile wireless device.
29. The system claimed in claim 22, wherein said electronic device includes non-volatile memory for storing said reverse patch.
30. A server for generating a reverse index file for use in generating a reverse patch for reversing a forward patch on an electronic device, wherein the forward patch generates a new binary image from an old binary image, the server comprising:
a processor;
memory for storing the new binary image and the old binary image, and for storing the forward patch;
a indexing module executable by the processor for generating an index file, the index file identifying regions of similarity between the old binary image and the new binary image for use in obtaining at least a portion of the old binary image from the new binary image; and
a communications interface for transmitting the forward patch and the index file from the server to the electronic device.
31. The server claimed in claim 30, further including a binary difference algorithm for generating the forward patch.
32. The server claimed in claim 31, wherein said binary difference algorithm is configured to operate on a sector-by-sector basis, and wherein said indexing module is configured to operate on a sector-by-sector basis.
33. The server claimed in claim 32, wherein the new binary image occupies a plurality of sectors, and said binary difference algorithm and said indexing module include:
a component for setting a current image as the old binary image,
a component for selecting one of the plurality of sectors from the new binary image,
a component for computing a binary difference algorithm to generate a delta file for obtaining said one of the plurality of sectors from the current image,
a component for overwriting an old sector within the current image with said one of the plurality of sectors, while retaining a copy of the old sector, and
a component for generating a sector-specific index file, wherein the sector-specific index file identifies regions of similarity between said old sector and said current image,
and wherein said components for selecting, computing, overwriting, and generating are configured to operate once for each of the plurality of sectors, and wherein the forward patch comprises a plurality of delta files created by the component for computing, and wherein the index file comprises a plurality of sector-specific index files created by the component for generating.
34. The server claimed in claim 30, wherein said indexing module includes a component for hashing or a component for suffix sorting.
35. The server claimed in claim 30, wherein said communications interface includes a component for packaging said forward patch and said reverse index file together as a deliverable, and transmitting said deliverable over one or more communications networks.
36. An electronic device for generating a reverse patch for reversing a forward patch, wherein the forward patch generates a new binary image from an old binary image, the electronic device comprising:
a device processor;
a communications subsystem for receiving the forward patch and the index file from a server via one or more communications networks;
device memory for storing the forward patch and the index file;
a patch manager for applying the forward patch to the old binary image to create the new binary image;
a patch generation module for generating the reverse patch from the new binary image, the old binary image, and the index file.
37. The electronic device claimed in claim 36, wherein said patch manager is configured to operate on a sector-by-sector basis, and wherein said patch generation module is configured to operate on a sector-by-sector basis.
38. The electronic device claimed in claim 37, wherein the new binary image occupies a plurality of sectors, the forward patch comprises a plurality of sector-specific delta files each for obtaining one of said plurality of sectors, the index file comprises a plurality of sector-specific reverse index files, and wherein the patch manager and the patch generation module include:
a component for setting a current image as the old binary image,
a component for selecting one of the plurality of sectors from the new binary image,
a component for applying one of said plurality of sector-specific delta files to the current image to generate said one of the plurality of sectors,
a component for overwriting an old sector within the current image with said one of the plurality of sectors while retaining a copy of the old sector, and
a component for generating a sector-specific reverse patch from the current image, the old sector, and one of the sector-specific reverse index files, wherein said sector-specific index file identifies regions of similarity between said old sector and said current image,
and wherein said components for selecting, applying, overwriting, and generating are configured to operate once for each of the plurality of sectors, and wherein the reverse patch comprises a plurality of said sector-specific reverse patches.
39. The electronic device claimed in claim 36, wherein said electronic device comprises a mobile wireless device, and wherein said one or more communications networks include a wireless network.
40. The electronic device claimed in claim 36, further including non-volatile memory for storing said reverse patch.
41. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions for generating a reverse index file for use in generating a reverse patch for reversing a forward patch on an electronic device, wherein the forward patch generates a new binary image from an old binary image, the computer executable instructions comprising:
instructions for generating an index file at a server, the index file identifying regions of similarity between the old binary image and the new binary image for use in obtaining at least a portion of the old binary image from the new binary image; and
instructions for transmitting the forward patch and the index file from the server to the electronic device.
42. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions for generating a reverse patch for reversing a forward patch on an electronic device, wherein the forward patch generates a new binary image from an old binary image, the computer executable instructions comprising:
instructions for receiving the forward patch and an index file from a server, the index file identifying regions of similarity between the old binary image and the new binary image for use in obtaining at least a portion of the old binary image from the new binary image;
instructions for applying the forward patch to the old binary image to create the new binary image at the electronic device; and
instructions for generating the reverse patch from the new binary image, the old binary image, and the index file at the electronic device.

1. A method of making a medicinal inhalation device or a component of a medicinal inhalation device comprising a step of: applying to at least a portion of a surface of the device or the component, respectively, a composition comprising a multifunctional polyfluoropolyether silane.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the polyfluoropolyether segment of the polyfluoropolyether silane is not linked to the functional silane groups via a functionality that includes nitrogen-silicon bond or a sulfur-silicon bond.
3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the polyfluoropolyether segment of the polyfluoropolyether silane is linked to the functional silane groups via a functionality that includes a carbon-silicon bond.
4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the polyfluoropolyether segment of the polyfluoropolyether silane is linked to the functional silane groups via a \u2014C(R)2\u2014Si functionality where R is independently hydrogen or a C1-4 alkyl group.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the polyfluoropolyether segment of the polyfluoropolyether silane is linked to the functional silane groups via a \u2014(CR2)k\u2014C(R)2\u2014Si functionality where k is at least 2 and where R is independently hydrogen or a C1-4 alkyl group.
6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the polyfluoropolyether segment of the polyfluoropolyether is a perfluorinated polyfluoropolyether segment.
7. A method according to claim 6, wherein in the repeating units of the perfluorinated polyfluoropolyether segment the number of carbon atoms in sequence is at most 6, in particular at most 4, more particularly at most 3, and most particularly at most 2.
8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the multifunctional polyfluoropolyether silane is a difunctional polyfluoropolyether silane.
9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the weight average molecular weight of the polyfluoropolyether segment is about 1000 or higher, in particular about 1800 or higher.
10. A method according to claim 1 or 9, wherein the weight average molecular weight of the polyfluoropolyether segment is about 6000 or less, in particular about 4000 or less.
11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the composition is applied to said surface, such that polyfluoropolyether-containing coating provided on said surface has a thickness of at most about 300 nm.
12. A method according to claim 1 or 11, wherein the composition is applied to said surface, such that polyfluoropolyether-containing coating provided on said surface has a thickness of at least about 20 nm.
13. A medicinal inhalation device or a component of a medicinal inhalation device made according to claim 1.
14. A medicinal inhalation device or a component of a medicinal inhalation device comprising a polyfluoropolyether-containing coating bonded to at least a portion of a surface of the device or the component, respectively, said polyfluorpolyether-containing coating comprising a plurality of cross-linked, multifunctional polyfluoropolyether-silane entities and said polyfluorpolyether-containing coating sharing at least one covalent bond with said surface.
15. A device or a component according to claim 13 or 14, where said medicinal inhalation device is a metered dose inhaler or a dry powder inhaler.

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 vehicle wheel service apparatus, in particular a wheel balancer or a tyre changer, comprising:
a mounting device arranged to rotatably receive a wheeltyre assembly comprising a tyre and a wheel rim,
a load means for applying a predetermined load onto a peripheral surface of the wheeltyre assembly,
first driving means arranged to move the mounting device and the load means relative to each other so that the peripheral surface of the wheeltyre assembly (14) comes into contact with the load means,
a control device arranged to control the movement of the mounting device and the load means relative to each other, and arranged to control the predetermined load applied by the load means,
second driving means arranged to drive the mounting device andor the load means for rotating the wheeltyre assembly at least while it is in contact with the load means,
a sensor device arranged to determine forces acting between the peripheral surface of the wheeltyre assembly and the load means, wherein the forces comprise at least a first force (Fz) acting in a radial direction of the wheeltyre assembly and a second force (Fx) acting in a circumferential direction of the wheeltyre assembly, and
an evaluation device arranged to determine a rolling resistance coefficient of the tyre on the basis of the first and second forces (Fz, Fx) determined by the sensor device.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1,
further comprising at least one first force sensor, preferably a load cell, arranged to detect the first force (Fz) at a support element of the mounting device or at a support element of the load means.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the load means comprises a load belt apparatus.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the load means comprises a load roller.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1,
further comprising at least one second force sensor, preferably a load cell, arranged to detect the second force (Fx) at a support element of the mounting device or at a support element of the load means.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1,
further comprising a torque detecting means detecting a driving torque of the second driving means; and
wherein the sensor device is further arranged to determine the second force (Fx) on the basis of the detected driving torque.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1,
further comprising a power detecting means detecting a driving power of the second driving means; and
wherein the sensor device is further arranged to determine the second force (Fx) on the basis of the detected driving power.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1,
further comprising a rotary deceleration detecting means detecting a rotary deceleration of the idling rotary system including the tyrewheel assembly and the load means; and
the sensor device is further arranged to determine the second force on the basis of the detected rotary deceleration and a moment of inertia of the idling rotary system.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the control device is further arranged to perform a calibrating procedure prior to a measuring run.
10. The apparatus according to claim 9,
wherein the calibrating procedure comprises deactivating the second driving means, applying the predetermined load onto the peripheral surface of the wheeltyre assembly by the load means and setting a force measured by the second force sensor as a reference value, and
the measuring run comprises activating the second driving means to rotate the wheeltyre assembly with a constant speed, and determining the second force (Fx) by subtracting the reference value determined during the calibrating procedure from a force currently measured by the second force sensor.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the rolling resistance coefficient is determined for different rotary speeds of the wheeltyre assembly.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the evaluation device is further arranged to receive specific tyre data of the tyre, wherein the specific tyre data comprises at least one of an official fuel efficiency classification provided by the tyre manufacturer of the tyre, and an elapsed operation time of the tyre; and
wherein the evaluation device is further arranged to provide at least one of the following evaluation results, based on the specific tyre data and the determined rolling resistance coefficient of the tyre:
a current fuel efficiency classification of the tyre,
a comparison of the current fuel efficiency classification with the official fuel efficiency classification of the tyre, and
an estimation of a remaining operation time of the tyre up to the degradation to a lower fuel efficiency classification.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12,
wherein the evaluation device is further arranged to receive specific vehicle data of the vehicle on which the tyre is mounted, wherein the specific vehicle data comprises at least one of a vehicle type, a vehicle model, a vehicle weight, and a specific fuel consumption of the vehicle; and
wherein the evaluation device is further arranged to provide at least one of the following evaluation results, based on the specific vehicle data, the specific tyre data and the determined rolling resistance coefficient of the tyre:
an estimation of a future specific fuel consumption of the combination of the vehicle and the tyre, and
a difference in specific fuel consumption of the combination of the vehicle and the tyre between the current fuel efficiency classification and the official fuel efficiency classification of the tyre.
14. The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the apparatus further comprises printing means for printing at least one of the determined rolling resistance coefficient and the evaluation results of the tyre.
15. The apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the apparatus further comprises means for determining at least one parameter of a group comprising an ambient temperature, a temperature of the tyre, a vehicle type, the predetermined load applied to the peripheral surface of the tyre by the load means, a rolling radius (rL) of the tyre, a tyre inflation pressure, a diameter of the load roller, a rotary speed of the tyrewheel assembly during measurement, a texture of the contact surface of the load means, an aerodynamic drag resistance of the tyrewheel assembly andor the load means; and
wherein the evaluation device is further arranged to correct the determined rolling resistance coefficient on the basis of the determined at least one parameter.