Author: claimsbot

1. Joint arrangement comprising:
a first component having a longitudinal side;
a second component having an upper surface;
two clamping elements;
at least two cooperating bands (41a, 41b; 42a, 42b; 51a; 51b; 61a, 61b; 71a, 71b), which are secured with first ends (E1) thereof respectively on opposite sides of the first component (T4), and which are secured with second ends (E2) thereof on respectively one of the clamping elements (45, 46; 52a, 52b, 62a, 62b; 72a, 72b) arranged on the second component (T3), in such a manner so that the bands intersect a longitudinal center axis (A) of the first component (T4) in opposite directions in a joint area between the components;
a pressure element (15) positioned on at least one of the clamping elements for supporting the first component (T4); and
a respective connection element that secures a respective one of the bands and a respective one of the clamping elements;
wherein the bands extend laterally next to the pressure element and crosswise relative to one another as seen in an axial direction (R1), and wherein the bands (41a, 41b; 42a, 42b; 51a; 51b; 61a, 61b; 71a, 71b) are secured between respectively one of the clamping elements (45, 46; 52a, 52b, 62a, 62b; 72a, 72b) and the second component; and
wherein the bands (41a, 41b; 42a, 42b; 51a; 51b; 61a, 61b; 71a, 71b) are respectively guided through an area between one of the clamping elements (45, 46; 52a, 52b, 62a, 62b; 72a, 72b) and the second component up to an upper surface of the clamping element positioned opposite this area, and the bands are respectively secured by the connection element (54a, 54c), that protrudes through the second component, the respective clamping element, and an area of the respective band positioned between the respective clamping element and the second component as well as an area of the respective band on the respective clamping element.
2. Joint arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the bands (41a, 41b; 42a, 42b; 51a; 51b; 61a, 61b; 71a, 71b) are formed of at least two plies of a fiber-reinforced composite material or a synthetic plastic or a textile material.
3. Joint arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the bands (41a, 41b; 42a, 42b; 51a; 51b; 61a, 61b; 71a, 71b) each extend in a longitudinal direction thereof at an angle \u03b2 relative to the axial direction, whereby the angle \u03b2 amounts to not equal to 90 degrees for taking up shear forces to be transmitted through the joint arrangement.
4. Joint arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective clamping element comprises a hollow space (H) that is deformable by the respective connection element in order to change an extension dimension of the respective clamping element extending in a longitudinal direction of the respective band for tensioning the band.
5. Joint arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the bands (41a, 41b; 42a, 42b; 51a; 51b; 61a, 61b; 71a, 71b) are arranged one behind another as seen in the axial direction.
6. Joint arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a contact element that is arranged on a side of the pressure element (15) facing toward the first component (T4).
7. Joint arrangement according to claim 6, characterized in that the contact element comprises a sliding layer, which is positioned on a surface of the pressure element that faces toward the first component (T4).
8. Joint arrangement according to claim 6, characterized in that the side of the contact element facing toward the first component (T4) comprises a larger radius of curvature than the surface of the first component (T4) facing toward this side, in order to reduce arising compressive stresses.
9. A joint arrangement comprising:
a first component and a second component, wherein said first component is arranged with a longitudinal edge thereof adjacent to and running in a longitudinal direction along a major surface of said second component, and wherein a joint area is formed between said longitudinal edge of said first component and said major surface of said second component;
a pressure element that is arranged in said joint area between said longitudinal edge of said first component and said major surface of said second component, and that is adapted to support said first component relative to said second component;
a first clamping element and a second clamping element that are respectively secured on said major surface of said second component;
a first band that has a first portion thereof secured on a first side of said first component and has a second portion thereof secured between said first clamping element and said second component;
a second band that has a first portion thereof secured on a second side of said first component opposite said first side, and has a second portion thereof secured between said second clamping element and said second component; and
securing elements that secure said bands and said clamping elements to said second component;
wherein respective third portions of said bands between said first and second portions thereof respectively intersect a major plane of said first component in said joint area, and wherein said third portions of said bands extend through said joint area laterally next to, or between portions of, said pressure element; and
wherein said second portion of each one of said bands extends between a respective one of said clamping elements and said second component and around a side of said respective one of said clamping elements onto a surface of said respective one of said clamping elements facing toward said first component, and wherein said bands and said clamping elements are secured to said second component by said securing elements that respectively pass through said second component, a respective one of said clamping elements, and a respective one of said second portions of said bands at a location between said respective one of said clamping elements and said second component and a location on said surface of said respective one of said clamping elements.
10. The joint arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said pressure element is arranged on one of said clamping elements, with said one of said clamping elements interposed between said pressure element and said second component.
11. The joint arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said third portions of said bands extend through said joint area respectively at positions that are offset one behind another in said longitudinal direction of said first component along said major plane of said first component.
12. The joint arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said bands each respectively comprise at least two plies of one or more materials selected from the group consisting of fiber-reinforced composite materials, synthetic plastic materials, or textile materials.
13. The joint arrangement according to claim 12, wherein said at least two plies are not secured to one another respectively in said third portions of said bands extending through said joint area.
14. The joint arrangement according to claim 9, wherein each one of said bands extends with a longitudinal extension thereof running at an angle not equal to 90 degrees relative to said longitudinal direction of said first component.
15. The joint arrangement according to claim 9, wherein each one of said clamping elements respectively has a hollow space therein so that said respective clamping element is deformable by said securing element in a direction so as to apply a tension to a respective one of said bands that is secured by said respective clamping element.
16. The joint arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said first clamping element extends on said second component on a side of said major plane opposite said first side of said first component, and said second clamping element extends on said second component on a side of said major plane opposite said second side of said first component.
17. The joint arrangement according to claim 9, wherein each one of said bands respectively intersects and crosses over said major plane of said first component only once.
18. The joint arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said first clamping element extends on said second component on a side of said major plane corresponding to said first side of said first component, and said second clamping element extends on said second component on a side of said major plane corresponding to said second side of said first component.
19. The joint arrangement according to claim 9, wherein each one of said bands respectively intersects and crosses over said major plane of said first component exactly twice.
20. The joint arrangement according to claim 9, further comprising a contact element arranged on a side of said pressure element facing toward said first component.
21. The joint arrangement according to claim 20, wherein said contact element comprises a sliding layer.
22. The joint arrangement according to claim 20, wherein said longitudinal edge has a first curved surface facing toward said contact element, said contact element has a second curved surface facing toward and contacting said first curved surface of said longitudinal edge of said first component, and said second curved surface has a larger radius of curvature than said first curved surface.

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 spiral wound filter element comprising:
a) a radially outer prequalifying section having perforated filtering layers,
b) an intermediate prequalifying section having perforated filtering layers, wherein the filtering layers of the intermediate prequalifying section have fewer perforations than the filtering layers of the radially outer prequalifying section;
c) a radially inner prequalifying section having perforated filtering layers, wherein the filtering layers of the radially inner prequalifying section have fewer perforations than the filtering layers of the intermediate prequalifying section; and
d) a radially inner qualifying section having imperforate filtering layers.
2. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 1, wherein the filtering layers are separated from one another by diffusion medium.
3. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 2, wherein the diffusion medium is defined by a continuous sheet of bi-planar mesh material.
4. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 3, wherein the filtering layers and diffusion medium are wrapped about a perforated cylindrical core.
5. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 1, wherein the filtering layers are defined by a plurality of discrete sheets of filter medium.
6. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 1, wherein the filtering layers are defined by a continuous sheet of filter medium.
7. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 5, wherein each sheet of filter medium has a consistent pore size.
8. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 5, wherein sheets of filter medium have different pore sizes.
9. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 5, wherein sheets of filter medium have different fiber geometries.
10. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 2, wherein an outermost portion of the diffusion medium is wrapped at least once around the outermost layer of the filter element to form an outer layer of diffusion medium.
11. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 1, wherein the radially inner qualifying section defines about between fifteen to fifty percent of the radial depth of the filter element.
12. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 1, wherein the radially inner qualifying section defines about one-third of the radial depth of the filter element.
13. A spiral wound filter element comprising:
a) at least three radially successive prequalifying sections of filter medium commencing with a radially outer prequalifying section of filter medium and concluding with a radially inner prequalifying section of filter medium, each prequalifying section of filter medium having filtering layers with a number of perforation formed therein, wherein the number of perforations in the filter medium of each radially successive prequalifying sections is less than the number of perforations in the filter medium of a radially preceding prequalifying section; and
b) a radially inner qualifying section of filter medium succeeding the radially inner prequalifying section, the radially inner qualifying section of filter medium having imperforate filtering layers.
14. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 13, wherein the filtering layers are separated from one another by diffusion medium.
15. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 14, wherein the diffusion medium is defined by a continuous sheet of bi-planar mesh material.
16. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 14, wherein the filtering layers and diffusion medium are wrapped about a perforated cylindrical core.
17. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 13, wherein the filter medium is defined by a plurality of discrete sheets of filter material.
18. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 13, wherein the filter medium is defined by a continuous sheet of filter material.
19. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 14, wherein an outermost portion of the diffusion medium is wrapped at least once around the outermost layer of the filter element to form an outer layer of diffusion medium.
20. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 13, wherein the radially inner qualifying section defines about between fifteen to fifty percent of the radial depth of the filter element.
21. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 13, wherein the radially inner qualifying section defines about one-third of the radial depth of the filter element.
22. A spiral wound filter element comprising:
a) at least three radially successive prequalifying sections of filter medium commencing with a radially outer prequalifying section of filter medium and concluding with a radially inner prequalifying section of filter medium, each prequalifying section of filter medium having at least one circumferential perforated filtering layer, wherein the number of perforations in the at least one circumferential perforated filtering layer of each radially successive prequalifying section of filter medium is less than the number of perforations in the at least one circumferential perforated filtering layer of a radially preceding prequalifying section; and
b) a radially inner qualifying section of filter medium succeeding the radially inner prequalifying section, the radially inner qualifying section of filter medium having imperforate filtering layers.
23. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 22, wherein there are about between one and ten prequalifying sections of filter medium between the radially outer prequalifying section of filter medium and the radially inner prequalifying section of filter medium.
24. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 22, wherein each prequalifying section of filter medium is defined by a single circumferential perforated filtering layer.
25. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 22, wherein the filtering layers are separated from one another by diffusion medium.
26. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 25, wherein the diffusion medium is defined by a continuous sheet of bi-planar mesh material.
27. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 25, wherein the filtering layers and diffusion medium are wrapped about a perforated cylindrical core.
28. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 22, wherein the filter medium is defined by a plurality of discrete sheets of filter material.
29. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 28, wherein each prequalifying section of filter medium is defined by a single circumferential perforated filtering layer defined by a discrete sheet of filter material.
30. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 22, wherein the filter medium is defined by a continuous sheet of filter material.
31. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 25, wherein an outermost portion of the diffusion medium is wrapped at least once around the outermost layer of the filter element to form an outer layer of diffusion medium.
32. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 22, wherein the radially inner qualifying section defines about between fifteen to fifty percent of the radial depth of the filter element.
33. A spiral wound filter element as recited in claim 22, wherein the radially inner qualifying section defines about one-third of the radial depth of the filter element.

I claim:

1. A dolly for selectively lifting and transporting a power tool mounted on a stand, the dolly comprising:
a first platform including a wheel system extending downwardly therefrom, said first platform further including an actuation surface or member for receiving downwardly applied pressure in order to lift the stand and tool off of the ground;
a second platform including a wheel system extending downwardly therefrom;
connection means for rigidly affixing said first platform to one portion of the stand, and for rigidly affixing said second platform to another portion of the stand;
said actuation surface or member of said first platform being located above at least a portion of said second platform; and
lift means for moving the dolly from a passive position to a lift position thereby lifting the stand and power tool off of the ground and enabling the power tool to be moved on the ground via said wheel systems, said lift means including a selectively actuated coupling means for selectively coupling said first and second platforms, and being actuated in response to downwardly applied pressure being applied to said actuation surface or member that forces said wheels downward so that said wheel systems, as opposed to the stand, support the power tool on the ground.
2. The dolly of claim 1, wherein said connection means for affixing said first and second platforms to the stand includes means for affixing said platforms so that said platforms, when affixed to the stand, are disposed entirely within the outer periphery of the stand so that the footprint of the power tool and stand is not enlarged by the dolly during use of the tool.
3. The dolly of claim 1, further comprising latch means, operatively associated with said actuation surface or member, for joining a portion of said first platform to a portion of said second platform in order to force said wheel systems downward and lift the stand and tool off of the ground.
4. The dolly of claim 3, wherein said latch means includes a male member affixed to one of said platforms and a corresponding female member affixed to the other of said platforms for receiving said male member.
5. The dolly of claim 3, wherein said actuation surface or member includes a foot receiving surface so that the operator can lift the stand and tool off of the ground by stepping on said foot receiving surface so that said latch means joins said first and second platforms together and causes said wheel systems to be forced downward relative to the stand so that said wheels support the stand.
6. The dolly of claim 3, wherein at least part of said latch means is located on an elongated member connecting opposite sides of said second platform.
7. The dolly of claim 1, wherein each of said platforms includes a frame which is one of (i) triangular-shaped; (ii) rectangular-shaped; and (iii) trapezoidal-shaped.
8. The dolly of claim 1, wherein said connection means for affixing said first platform to the stand includes first and second members pivotally attached to said first platform.
9. The dolly of claim 8, wherein said first platform includes a frame having first and second elongated members, and said first pivotally attached member is connected to said first elongated member proximate an end thereof, and said second pivotally attached member is connected to said second elongated member proximate an end thereof.
10. The dolly of claim 9, wherein the wheel system of said first platform includes a pair of wheels and said wheels of said first platform are attached to said first and second elongated members, respectively.
11. The dolly of claim 1, wherein said first platform includes first and second rigid elongated members connected by a crossbar member, and said second platform also includes first and second rigid elongated members connected by another crossbar member, and wherein said first and second rigid elongated members of said first platform contact the top of said another crossbar member of said second platform when the dolly is in its lifting position so as to lift the stand and tool.
12. The dolly of claim 1, wherein said first portion of the stand includes first and second legs of the stand, and said second portion of the stand includes third and fourth legs of the stand.
13. A method of lifting and transporting an object mounted on a stand having first, second, third, and fourth legs, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a lift dolly including first and second rigid members selectively connectable to one another by way of a latching mechanism;
(b) affixing the first rigid member of the lift dolly to the first and second legs of the stand;
(c) affixing the second rigid member of the lift dolly to the third and fourth legs of the stand so that when the first and second rigid members of the dolly are affixed to the stand but are not connected to one another via the latching mechanism, the stand is the primary ground support for the object to be lifted; and
(d) forcing a part of the first rigid member downward relative to the stand, said forcing step causing the latching mechanism to be actuated and couple together the first and second rigid members and lift the stand and object from the ground so that a wheel system of the dolly, as opposed to the stand, is the primary ground support for the object when the latching mechanism is actuated and couples the first and second rigid members together, thereby enabling transport of the object.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein said forcing step includes the operator stepping on a foot-receiving surface or pedal in order to force downward the part of the first rigid member.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and second rigid members each include a platform having a plurality of rigid elongated members, and the latching mechanism includes a male portion mounted to the first rigid member and a female portion mounted to the second rigid member.
16. A power tool device which may be selectively transported from one location to another along the ground, the power tool device comprising:
a stand having first, second, third, and fourth elongated legs;
a power driven tool mounted on said stand;
a lift dolly affixed to said stand, said lift dolly including a wheel system, and being able to define each of a passive and a lifting position, said passive position being defined as when said stand is the primary ground support for said tool, and said lifting position being defined when the stand and tool are lifted off of the ground and said dolly is the primary ground support for said tool;
said dolly including a first rigid member affixed to said first and second legs of said stand, a second rigid member directly affixed only to said third and fourth legs of said stand, and a selectively actuated connection means defining a first state and a second state, said dolly being in said passive position when said selectively actuated connection means is in its first state and in said lifting position when said connection means is in its second state;
actuation means for moving said connection means from its first state to its second state in response to pressure being downwardly applied to said first rigid member thereby lifting said stand and tool off of the ground and enabling transport of same via said wheel system; and
deactuation means for moving said connection means from its second state to its first state in response to another downwardly applied pressure being applied to said first rigid member thereby causing said dolly to shift from said lifting state to said passive state so that said tool can be used.
17. The power tool device of claim 16, wherein said connection means includes latching mechanism having a male portion mounted to said first rigid member and a female portion mounted to said second rigid member.
18. A lift dolly adapted to lift and enable transport of an object, the lift dolly comprising:
a first rigid platform adapted to be rigidly affixed to one part of the object;
a second rigid platform adapted to be rigidly affixed to another portion of the object;
latch means for selectively coupling said first platform to said second platform;
lift means for lifting the object off of the ground by applying downward pressure to said first platform which causes said latch means to couple together said first and second platforms; and
lowering means for lowering the object to the ground by applying additional downward pressure to said first platform which causes said latch means to decouple said first and second platforms.
19. The dolly of claim 1, wherein each of said wheel systems includes a pair of castor wheels.
20. A latch mechanism for selectively coupling first and second rigid members, the latch mechanism comprising:
said first rigid member including a male member pivotally mounted thereto, the male member capable of being biased in first and second different directions, and including a first surface having a notch defined therein and a second surface opposite said first surface;
said second rigid member including a female portion mounted thereto, said female portion having each of a crossbar member for engagement with said notch, and a cam surface;
actuation means for securing the first and second rigid members to one another via the latch mechanism by directing said male member through an aperture defined in said female portion when said male member is biased in said first direction toward said crossbar, so that said crossbar comes to rest within said notch thereby securing said first and second rigid members together; and
deactuation means for decoupling said first and second rigid members by directing said male member further through said aperture so as to cause said male member to become biased in said second direction and thereafter directing said male member rearwardly out of and away from said aperture so that said second surface of said male member contacts said cam surface thereby causing said male member to again become biased in said first direction toward said crossbar so that said notch will become engaged with said crossbar when said male member is again directed through said aperture in said female portion.

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 fabricating a magnetoresistance sensor, comprising:
providing a sensor structure including a free layer deposited upon a lower layered structure; and
depositing an oxide structure overlying the free layer, wherein depositing the oxide structure includes
depositing a buffer layer overlying the free layer, the buffer layer being a buffer-layer metal when deposited, thereafter
depositing an overlayer overlying and contacting the buffer layer, the overlayer being an overlayer of metallic oxide of an overlayer metal, and oxidizing the buffer layer to form a buffer layer metallic oxide,
wherein depositing a buffer layer includes depositing the buffer-layer metal selected from the group consisting of tantalum, aluminum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, yttrium, chromium, magnesium and silicon.
2. A method for fabricating a magnetoresistance sensor, comprising:
providing a sensor structure including a free layer deposited upon a lower layered structure; and
depositing an oxide structure overlying the free layer, wherein depositing the oxide structure includes
depositing a buffer layer overlying the free layer, the buffer layer being a buffer-layer metal when deposited, thereafter
depositing an overlayer overlying and contacting the buffer layer, the overlayer being an overlayer metallic oxide of an overlayer metal, and
oxidizing the buffer layer to form a buffer layer metallic oxide,
wherein the overlayer metal and the buffer-layer metal are the same metal.
3. A method for fabricating a magnetoresistance sensor, comprising:
providing a sensor structure including a free layer deposited upon a lower layered structure; and
depositing an oxide structure overlying the free layer, wherein depositing the oxide structure includes
depositing a buffer layer overlying the free layer, the buffer layer being a buffer-layer metal when deposited, thereafter
depositing an overlayer overlying and contacting the buffer layer, the overlayer being an overlayer metallic oxide of an overlayer metal, and
oxidizing the buffer layer to form a buffer layer metallic oxide,
wherein oxidizing the buffer layer is performed at least in part after depositing the overlayer is complete.
4. A method for fabricating a magnetoresistance sensor, comprising:
providing a sensor structure including a free layer deposited upon a lower layered structure; and
depositing an oxide structure overlying the free layer, wherein depositing the oxide structure includes
depositing a buffer layer overlying the free layer, the buffer layer being a buffer-layer metal when deposited, thereafter
depositing an overlayer overlying and contacting the buffer layer, the overlayer being an overlayer metallic oxide of an overlayer metal, and
oxidizing the buffer layer to form a metallic oxide,
wherein oxidizing the buffer layer includes oxidizing substantially none of the free layer.