Author: claimsbot

1. A liquid run-off disposal system comprising:
an elongate tank structure having one or more sections adapted to be arranged end to end in a substantially horizontal orientation below ground, each section of the tank structure taking the form of a culvert section having first and second side walls; in cross-sectional view the first and second side walls each include an inner surface and outer surface, and the first and second side walls each have a substantially constant thickness measured between the respective inner surface and outer surface;
the first and second constant thickness side walls each include a plurality of apertures provided therein, each of the apertures being louvre-shaped and in cross-sectional view each aperture includes an upper surface and a lower surface which are substantially parallel to each other and are angled downwards from the inner surface to the outer surface, and for each aperture the distance between the upper surface and the lower surface at the outer surface is the same so that each of the apertures have substantially the same height at the outer surface,
each louvre-shaped aperture is in the form of a louvre-shaped insert received in a louvre-locating cavity provided in one of the first and second side walls of the culvert section, and
the upper and lower surfaces are angled at such an angle and are of a length so as to substantially overlap in a horizontal direction so as to admit the exit of water but substantially inhibit the entry of soil wherein, in use, when liquid run-off is piped into the tank structure it can drain away by passing through the apertures and soaking into the surrounding soil.
2. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 1, wherein between one quarter to one half of the length of the respective upper and lower surfaces overlap, measured in a vertical direction.
3. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 2, wherein about one third of the length of the respective upper and lower surfaces overlap, measured in a vertical direction.
4. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 1, wherein the louvre-shaped apertures are provided in a uniform rectangular array comprising a plurality of rows and columns, the apertures in each row being arranged at spaced intervals, and the apertures in any row being offset horizontally from the apertures in an adjacent row.
5. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 4, wherein the louvre-shaped apertures are of generally rectangular shape.
6. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 4, wherein the louvre-shaped apertures are cylindrical in shape.
7. The liquid run-off disposal system as claim 1, wherein the tank structure has an end wall at each end, in use, so as to form an enclosed below-ground tank or tunnel.
8. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 1, wherein each culvert section is of generally rectangular cross-section.
9. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 1, wherein each culvert section has a rounded top.
10. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 8, wherein each culvert section has an open base.
11. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 1, wherein each culvert section is generally cylindrical in shape with the louvre-shaped apertures in the bottom half of the cylinder.
12. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 1, wherein each culvert section has interlocking edges provided at each end adapted to interlock with an adjoining culvert section.
13. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 1, wherein concrete footings for the culvert sections are provided in an excavated trench prior to installation of the liquid run-off disposal system where it is subject to heavy vehicular traffic.
14. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 1, further comprising one or more vertical liners arranged at predetermined locations on top of the culvert sections for maintenance purposes andor human access.
15. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 14, wherein each liner is provided with a manhole cover or a grating for back-pressure relief and to collect stormwater from sealed surfaces other than a building.
16. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 11, wherein each culvert section further comprises one or more vertically oriented elongate drain pipes which are mounted inside each culvert section.
17. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 16, wherein each drain pipe is of hollow cylindrical cross-section and has an opening at the bottom end which connects to a drain hole provided in the floor of the culvert section.
18. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 17, wherein the opening at the bottom end of the drain pipe is provided with a one-way valve for inhibiting the reverse flow of liquid through the drain hole back into the culvert section.
19. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 18, wherein each drain pipe is provided with a series of apertures at spaced intervals about its circumference and along its length whereby, in use, any liquid which accumulates in the lower half of the culvert section is allowed to drain away in a controlled manner through the drain hole in the floor of the culvert section.
20. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 19, wherein the culvert section is a normal drainage soakwell or gully pit in a car park area of a development with the stormwater cylindrical tanks system installed between manholeaccess chambers.
21. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 1, wherein each culvert section is of generally parabolic or semi-elliptical cross-section.
22. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 21, wherein each culvert section is provided with one or more reinforcing ribs.
23. The liquid run-off disposal system as defined in claim 1, wherein the louvre-shaped insert is provided with a flange designed to secure the insert in the louvre-locating cavity.

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 control device for an internal combustion engine, said internal combustion engine including a purge mechanism for implementing purge control which causes evaporated fuel generated within a fuel tank to flow into an intake pipe, utilizing a negative pressure within said intake pipe which varies in accordance with an opening degree of a throttle provided in said intake pipe, said control device for the internal combustion engine comprising:
a determination unit determining whether or not to implement said purge control in accordance with predetermined implementation conditions
a switching unit switching an upper limit value of the opening degree of said throttle based on a determination result of said determination unit, wherein,
when it is determined by said determination unit to implement said purge control, said switching unit sets said upper limit value to a first value, and when it is determined by said determination unit not to implement said purge control, said switching unit sets said upper limit value to a second value larger than the first value; and
a throttle opening degree control unit controlling the opening degree of said throttle to a fuel efficiency-optimizing opening degree for optimizing fuel efficiency of said internal combustion engine, when it is determined by said determination unit not to implement said purge control.
2. (canceled)
3. The control device for the internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein
said first value is a limited opening degree of said throttle which can secure a negative pressure required to cause said evaporated fuel to flow into said intake pipe by said purge mechanism, and
said second value is a maximum opening degree of said throttle.
4. (canceled)
5. A hybrid vehicle including a control device for an internal combustion engine as recited in claim 1.
6. A method for controlling an internal combustion engine, said internal combustion engine including a purge mechanism for implementing purge control which causes evaporated fuel generated within a fuel tank to flow into an intake pipe, utilizing a negative pressure within said intake pipe which varies in accordance with an opening degree of a throttle provided in said intake pipe, said method for controlling the internal combustion engine comprising the steps of:
determining whether or not to implement said purge control in accordance with predetermined implementation conditions;
switching an upper limit value of the opening degree of said throttle based on a determination result as to whether or not to implement said purge control,
the step of switching said upper limit value including the steps of
setting said upper limit value to a first value when it is determined to implement said purge control, and
setting said upper limit value to a second value larger than the first value when it is determined not to implement said purge control; and

controlling the opening degree of said throttle to a fuel efficiency-optimizing opening degree for optimizing fuel efficiency of said internal combustion engine, when it is determined not to implement said purge control.
7. (canceled)
8. The method for controlling the internal combustion engine according to claim 6, wherein
said first value is a limited opening degree of said throttle which can secure a negative pressure required to cause said evaporated fuel to flow into said intake pipe by said purge mechanism, and
said second value is a maximum opening degree of said throttle.
9. (canceled)

1. An apparatus comprising:
a transformer comprising at least one winding, wherein said at least one winding has a first tap and a second tap, and having a magnetizing inductance; and
a bypass inductor having a first terminal coupled to said first tap, and a second terminal coupled to said second tap, and providing a bypass path around the transformer.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for redirecting a DC current to flow through said inductor, said means for directing DC current being arranged between said first tap and said first terminal of the inductor.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said means for redirecting a DC current comprises a resistor.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the resistor has a resistance value greater than the resistance value of the inductor.
5. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the means for redirecting a DC current further comprises a capacitor arranged in parallel with said resistor.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transformer comprises at least a primary winding and a secondary winding, and wherein said transformer is configured as a voltage combiner.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a first voltage is connected between first and second taps of said primary winding.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a second voltage is connected to a first tap of said secondary winding, said second voltage comprising a DC component, and wherein said at least one winding comprises said secondary winding.
9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein an output voltage being the combined first and second voltages is provided on a second tap of said secondary winding.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second voltage is a coarse voltage signal.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first voltage is a fine voltage signal representative of an error in the coarse voltage signal.
12. A power supply including the apparatus of claim 1.
13. The power supply of claim 12, wherein said power supply is configured to provide a modulated supply voltage to a power amplifier.
14. A voltage combiner comprising:
a transformer having a first and second winding each having a first and second tap, and having a magnetizing inductance; and
a bypass inductor connected between the first and second taps of the second winding,
wherein:
the first tap of the first winding is adapted for connection to a first voltage, the first tap of the second winding is adapted for connection to a second voltage, and the second tap of the second winding is adapted to provide an output being the first and second voltages combined,
and further wherein:
the bypass inductor is adapted to provide a bypass path for the current associated with the second voltage.
15. The voltage combiner of claim 14 further including a resistor connected between the first tap and the inductor for directing the DC current to the bypass path.
16. The voltage combiner of claim 15 further including a capacitor in parallel with the resistor to provide a low resistance path for AC current in the second voltage.
17. The voltage combiner of claim 16 wherein the second voltage is provided by a switchable voltage source and the first voltage is provided by subtracting the output voltage from a reference voltage.
18. The voltage combiner of claim 16 wherein the ratio of the resistance value of the resistor and the resistance value of the inductor determines the DC current flow in the inductor.
19. A method of reducing DC current in a winding of a transformer having a magnetizing inductance, the method comprising:
applying a voltage including a DC component to a first tap of the winding; and
providing a bypass inductor coupled between the first tap and a second tap of the winding;
wherein a proportion of the DC component of the voltage is bypassed around the transformer through said bypass inductor.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising controlling the proportion of the DC component that is bypassed around the transformer by providing a resistive element coupled between the first tap.

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 linear motion return mechanism, comprising:
a frame;
spring means, fixed relative to said frame, having one or more elastic arms which provide a force when shifted outwardly;
a movable body, shiftable within said frame between a first at rest position and a second activated position, having a pair of extensions located between said one or more arms of said spring means;
and a pair of rollers, each rotatably coupled at the end of a body extension, contacting said one or more arms of said spring means;
such that when said movable body is shifted from said first at rest position to said second activated position, said body is returned to said first at rest position by the force applied to said rollers by said spring means when said arms are shifted outwardly.
2. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said spring means comprises a torsional spring.
3. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said frame further comprises a pair of rails for guiding said movable body in a linear direction.
4. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the cross section of said spring arms is circular.
5. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the cross section of said spring arms is rectangular.
6. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said rollers each contain a groove for guiding said spring arm.
7. The mechanism of claim 6, further comprising a retaining member enclosing said groove of each roller to contain said spring arm within said groove.
8. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said spring means comprises a torsional spring having a concentric loop connecting said first and second arms.
9. The mechanism of claim 8, wherein said spring means comprises a first concentric loop coupled to said first arm, a second concentric loop coupled to said second arm, and a linear section coupling said first and second concentric loops.
10. The mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a first compression spring coupled to said first arm and a second compression spring coupled to said second arm wherein said first and second compression springs bias said first and second arms toward one another.
11. The mechanism of claim 1, further comprising guide means, affixed relative to said frame, having a first channel for limiting the outward travel of said first arm and a second channel for limiting the outward travel of said second arm.
12. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said spring means is affixed to said frame.
13. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said first and second arms of said spring means are angled toward one another.
14. The mechanism of claim 13, wherein said first and second arms comprise linear arms.
15. The mechanism of claim 13, wherein said first and second arms comprise curvilinear arms.
16. A return mechanism for use in a fastener driving tool of the type having a body, a fastener containing magazine affixed to said body, a trigger for actuating a drive cycle in said tool, a cylinder within said tool and an assembly located within said cylinder movable between an actuated position and a fastener driving position, said mechanism comprising:
a frame affixed within the cylinder;
spring means, affixed to said frame, having a pair of downwardly depending elastic arms which provide a force when shifted outwardly;
a piston, movable within said frame between an unactuated position and an actuated fastener driving position, having a pair of extensions located between said arms of said spring means;
a pair of rollers, each rotatably coupled to the end of a piston extension and contacting an arm of said spring means;
and a driver blade, affixed to said piston between said extensions, for driving a fastener from said magazine;
such that when said trigger is actuated, said piston and driver shift from said unactuated position to said fastener driving position to drive a fastener from said magazine, said piston and driver are returned to said unactuated position by the force applied to said rollers by said spring means when said arms are shifted outwardly.
17. The mechanism of claim 16, wherein said spring means comprises a torsional spring.
18. The mechanism of claim 16, wherein said frame further comprises a pair of rails for guiding said piston in a linear direction.
19. The mechanism of claim 16, wherein said pair of downwardly depending arms are angled inwardly.