Author: claimsbot

1. A continuous process for reacting synthetic poly(carboxylic acids) (A) containing at least 10 repeat structural units of the formula (I)
in which
R9 is hydrogen, a C1- to C4-alkyl group or a group of the formula \u2014CH2\u2014COOH
R10 is hydrogen or a C1- to C4-alkyl group
R11 is hydrogen, a C1- to C4-alkyl group or \u2014COOH,
with amines (B) of the formula (II)
HNR1R2 \u2003\u2003(II)
in which
R1 is a hydrocarbyl radical which has 3 to 50 carbon atoms and may be substituted or contain heteroatoms, and
R2 is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl radical which has 1 to 50 carbon atoms, which may be substituted or contain heteroatoms, or
R1 and R2 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded form a ring, by introducing a reaction mixture comprising at least one synthetic poly(carboxylic acid) (A) and at least one amine of the formula (II) in a solvent mixture comprising water and, based on the weight of the solvent mixture, 0.1-75% by weight of at least one water-miscible organic solvent, where the organic solvent has a dielectric constant measured at 25\xb0 C. of at least 10, into a reaction zone, and exposing it to microwave radiation as it flows through the reaction zone, the reaction mixture in the reaction zone being heated to temperatures above 100\xb0 C. by the microwave irradiation.
2. The process as claimed in claim 1, in which the poly(carboxylic acid) (A) is a homopolymer of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, crotonic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid or itaconic acid or a copolymer of two or more of these monomers.
3. The process as claimed in claim 1, in which the poly(carboxylic acid) (A) is a copolymer of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, crotonic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid andor itaconic acid, and at least one further ethylenically unsaturated monomer.
4. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 3, in which the poly(carboxylic acid) has a mean molecular weight of at least 700 gmol.
5. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 4, in which the amine is a primary amine.
6. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 4, in which the amine is a secondary amine.
7. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 6, in which R1 is an aliphatic radical.
8. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 7, in which R2 is an aliphatic radical.
9. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 8, in which the amine is a polyether amine of the formula (III)
\u2014(R3\u2014O)n\u2014R4 \u2003\u2003(III)
in which
R3 is an alkylene group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms and preferably having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, for example ethylene, propylene, butylene or mixtures thereof,
R4 is hydrogen, a hydrocarbyl radical having 1 to 24 carbon atoms, an acyl radical of the formula \u2014C(\u2550O)\u2014R12 in which R12 is a hydrocarbyl radical having 1 to 50 carbon atoms, or a group of the formula \u2014R3\u2014NR5R6,
n is a number between 2 and 100, preferably between 3 and 500 and especially between 4 and 25, for example between 5 and 10, and
R5, R6 are each independently hydrogen, an aliphatic radical having 1 to 24 carbon atoms and preferably 2 to 18 carbon atoms, an aryl group or heteroaryl group having 5 to 12 ring members, a poly(oxyalkylene) group having 1 to 50 poly(oxyalkylene) units, where the polyoxyalkylene units derive from alkylene oxide units having 2 to 6 carbon atoms, or R5 and R6 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded form a ring having 4, 5, 6 or more ring members.
10. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 9, in which the amine is a polyamine of the formula (IV)
\u2014R7\u2014N(R8)m\u2014(R8) \u2003\u2003(IV)
in which
R7 is an alkylene group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms and preferably having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, for example ethylene, propylene or mixtures thereof,
each R8 independently of any other is hydrogen, an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl radical having up to 24 carbon atoms, for example 2 to 20 carbon atoms, a polyoxyalkylene radical \u2014(R3\u2014O)p\u2014R4, or a polyiminoalkylene radical \u2014R7\u2014N(R8)L-(R8), where R3, R4, R7 and R8 have the meanings given above, and q and p each independently are 1 to 50, and
m is a number from 1 to 20 and preferably 2 to 10, for example three, four, five or six. The radicals of the formula (I) contain preferably 1 to 50, in particular 2 to 20, nitrogen atoms.
11. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 10, in which the reaction mixture used for conversion contains 10 to 99% by weight of a mixture of water and a water-miscible organic solvent.
12. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 11, in which the ratio between water and water-miscible organic solvent is between 10:1 and 1:5.
13. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 12, in which the water-miscible solvent is a protic organic liquid.
14. The process as claimed in claim 13, in which the water-miscible solvent is an alcohol.
15. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 12, in which the water-miscible solvent is an aprotic organic liquid.
16. The process as claimed in claim 15, in which the water-miscible solvent is selected from formamide, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N-dimethylacetamide, acetone, \u03b3-butyrolactone, acetonitrile, sulfolane and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).
17. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 16, in which the reaction is performed at temperatures above 100\xb0 C.
18. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 17, in which the reaction mixture comprises an acidic catalyst.
19. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 18, in which the reaction mixture comprises a strong electrolyte.
20. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 19, in which the microwave irradiation is effected in a flow tube made from microwave-transparent, high-melting material.
21. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 20, in which the longitudinal axis of the reaction tube in the direction of propagation of the microwaves is within a monomode microwave applicator.
22. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 21, in which the microwave applicator takes the form of a cavity resonator.
23. The process as claimed in one or more of claims 1 and 3 to 22, in which the synthetic poly(carboxylic acids) (A) is a copolymer which contains the structural units of the formula (I) derived from ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids in block, alternating or random sequence.
24. Hydrophobically modified synthetic poly(carboxylic acids) preparable by the process as claimed in one of more of claims 1 to 23.

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

1-5. (canceled)
6. A vehicle suspension including a subassembly constituted by a coil spring mounted to bear between two supports of variable spacing, wherein at least one support among said two supports is constrained to move along a trajectory that is curved relative to the other support among said two supports, and wherein the variation in the pitch of an end portion of a corresponding end turn bearing against said at least one support is negative or zero.
7. A vehicle suspension according to claim 6, wherein said end turn is off-center relative to a general axis of said spring.
8. A vehicle suspension according to claim 6, wherein said end turn is of a diameter smaller than a mean diameter of other turns of said spring adjacent to said end turn.
9. A vehicle suspension according to claim 7, wherein said end turn is of a diameter smaller than a mean diameter of other turns of said spring adjacent to said end turn.
10. A vehicle suspension according to claim 8, wherein said end turn is substantially tangential to a cylinder defined by said other turns when said spring is in a non-stressed state.
11. A vehicle suspension according to claim 8, wherein said at least one support includes a stud shaped and dimensioned so as to fit in said end turn.
12. A vehicle suspension according to claim 10, wherein said at least one support includes a stud shaped and dimensioned so as to fit in said end turn.

1. Aerodynamically constructed covering part for the underside of a passenger motor car, having an air guiding element arranged adjacent to an inflow opening such that a partial flow of cooling air flows in the driving operation through between the covering part and the roadway and is guided through the inflow opening and the air guiding element to areas above the covering part to an assembly situated above the covering part to be cooled,
wherein the air guiding element is inserted into a receiving opening of the covering part and is connected with the covering part by way of slide-detent connections.
2. Covering part according to claim 1, wherein the inflow opening is constructed on the air guiding element.
3. Covering part according to claim 1, wherein the air guiding element has a plate-shaped basic body with an approach flow duct disposed in front of the inflow opening, which approach flow duct is followed by an upward-projecting air guiding duct which is provided with an outflow opening.
4. Covering part according to claim 2, wherein the air guiding element has a plate-shaped basic body with an approach flow duct disposed in front of the inflow opening, which approach flow duct is followed by an upward-projecting air guiding duct which is provided with an outflow opening.
5. Covering part according to claim 1, wherein the slide-detent connections comprise detent elements constructed on opposed sides of the air guiding element, which detent elements interact in a locking manner with holding sections provided on the edge side at the receiving opening of the covering part.
6. Covering part according to claim 5, wherein each detent element of the air guiding element is in an operative connection with two spaced holding sections of the covering part.
7. Covering part according to claim 1, wherein the air guiding element is inserted into the receiving opening from a side of the covering part facing the roadway.
8. Covering part according to claim 1, wherein, in a top view, the receiving opening has a four-cornered rectangular or trapezoidal basic shape.
9. Covering part according to claim 1, wherein two longer opposites sides of the receiving opening extend in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle.
10. Covering part according to claim 8, wherein two longer opposites sides of the receiving opening extend in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle.
11. Covering part according to claim 8, wherein the receiving opening tapers conically.
12. Covering part according to claim 10, wherein the receiving opening tapers conically.
13. Covering part according to claim 5, wherein several mutually spaced holding sections respectively are constructed on opposed sides of the receiving opening, in the top view, one approximately U-shaped recess respectively being constructed between two adjoining holding sections.
14. Covering part according to claim 13, wherein the holding sections provided away from the forward and rearward edge of the receiving opening are each formed by holding lugs which are arranged in a step shape and are situated behind one another, the holding lugs extending flush with the skin with respect to the covering part but the holding lugs being bent away from the covering part in the upward direction.
15. Covering part according to claim 5, wherein several mutually spaced, outward-projecting detent elements respectively are molded to the two opposed longitudinal sides of the air guiding element one recess respectively, which is approximately U-shaped in the top view, being provided between two adjoining holding elements.
16. Covering part according to claim 13, wherein several mutually spaced, outward-projecting detent elements respectively are molded to the two opposed longitudinal sides of the air guiding element one recess respectively, which is approximately U-shaped in the top view, being provided between two adjoining holding elements.
17. Covering part according to claim 14, wherein each detent element has a diagonally upward projecting, forward insertion section, an adjoining first supporting section and a following second supporting section, the second supporting section extending flush with the covering part.
18. Covering part according to claim 16, wherein each detent element has a diagonally upward projecting, forward insertion section, an adjoining first supporting section and a following second supporting section, the second supporting section extending flush with the covering part.
19. Covering part according to claim 17, wherein, when the air guiding element is inserted, the bottom side of the first supporting section is supported on the top side of the lower-lying holding lug, whereas the top side of the second supporting section rests on the bottom side of the higher-lying holding lug.
20. Covering part according to claim 17, wherein one transversely extending, protruding knob-shaped supporting rib respectively is constructed at the forward edge of the bottom side of the first supporting area section at the rearward edge of the top side of the second supporting area of the detent elements.
21. Covering part according to claim 1, wherein at least one longitudinally extending guide rib, which is in an operative connection with a slot opening of the air guiding element, extends adjacent to the edge of the receiving opening on the interior side of the covering part.
22. Covering part according to claim 15, wherein at least one longitudinally extending guide rib, which is in an operative connection with a slot opening of the air guiding element, extends adjacent to the edge of the receiving opening on the interior side of the covering part.
23. Covering part according to claim 17, wherein the inflow opening is constructed on the air guiding element.
24. Covering part according to claim 1, wherein the assembly to be cooled is a rear axle transmission.
25. A covering part assembly for an underside of a passenger motor vehicle comprising:
a covering part which in use is disposed at an underside of a vehicle and includes an aerodynamically smooth surface facing a roadway over which the vehicle is traveling,
an air inflow opening in the covering part, and
an air guiding element for guiding flow of air from the air inflow opening to a vehicle assembly to thereby cool said assembly,
wherein the covering part includes a receiving opening, and
wherein the air guiding element is inserted into the receiving opening and is connected with the covering part by way of slide detent connections.
26. An assembly according to claim 25, wherein the inflow opening is constructed on the air guiding element.
27. An assembly according to claim 26, wherein the air guiding element has a plate-shaped basic body with an approach flow duct disposed in front of the inflow opening, which approach flow duct is followed by an upward-projecting air guiding duct which is provided with an outflow opening.
28. An assembly according to claim 27, wherein the slide-detent connections comprise detent elements constructed on opposed sides of the air guiding element, which detent elements interact in a locking manner with holding sections provided on the edge side at the receiving opening of the covering part.
29. An assembly according to claim 28, wherein each detent element of the air guiding element is in an operative connection with two spaced holding sections of the covering part.
30. An assembly according to claim 29, wherein the air guiding element is inserted into the receiving opening from a side of the covering part facing the roadway.
31. A method for making a covering part assembly for an underside of a passenger motor vehicle comprising:
disposing a covering part at an underside of a vehicle, which covering part includes an aerodynamically smooth surface facing a roadway over which the car is traveling during use thereof,
providing an air inflow opening in the covering part, and
connecting an air guiding element for guiding flow of air to the covering part from the air inflow opening to a vehicle assembly to thereby cool said assembly,
wherein the covering part includes a receiving opening, and
wherein the air guiding element is inserted into the receiving opening and is connected with the covering part by way of slide detent connections.
32. A method of making a covering part assembly according to claim 31, wherein the inflow opening is constructed on the air guiding element.
33. A method of making a covering part assembly according to claim 32, wherein the air guiding element has a plate-shaped basic body with an approach flow duct disposed in front of the inflow opening, which approach flow duct is followed by an upward-projecting air guiding duct which is provided with an outflow opening.
34. A method of making a covering part assembly according to claim 33, wherein the slide-detent connections comprise detent elements constructed on opposed sides of the air guiding element, which detent elements interact in a locking manner with holding sections provided on the edge side at the receiving opening of the covering part.
35. A method of making a covering part assembly according to claim 33, wherein the air guiding element is inserted into the receiving opening from a side of the covering part facing the roadway.

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 spectacle frame assembly including:
a pair of arm members,
a link member adapted to hold two pieces of optical lenses, and
two nose pads engaged with said link member each via a ball and socket joint, each said ball and socket joint comprising a rod with a rounded head having an outer surface forming the ball, the rounded head being received within a generally cubic bracket having a plurality of walls, the bracket forming the socket of the ball and socket joint, said walls of said bracket bearing on said outer surface of said rounded head to prevent retrieval of said rounded head from said bracket.
2. A spectacle frame assembly according to claim 1 wherein each said nose pad is fixedly engaged with a respective rod with a rounded head having an outer surface.
3. A spectacle frame assembly according to claim 2 wherein said link member is fixedly engaged with a generally cubic bracket.
4. A spectacle frame assembly according to claim 1 wherein each said nose pad is fixedly engaged with a respective bracket.
5. A spectacle frame assembly according to claim 4 wherein each said link member is fixedly engaged with said rods each with a rounded head having an outer surface.
6. A spectacle frame assembly according to claim 1 wherein each said nose pad is movable relative to said link member about a plurality of axes with one common centre.
7. A pair of eyeglasses including a spectacle frame assembly according to claim 1 holding two pieces of optical lenses.