Author: claimsbot

1. A 5-link independent suspension system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a steering knuckle;
a trailing link extending along a single axis, wherein the trailing link is connected to the steering knuckle and is configured to attach to a frame rail of the vehicle; and
an integral link connected to the steering knuckle and configured to attach to the trailing link.
2. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the steering knuckle is configured to be disposed within an internal space of a rear wheel of the vehicle.
3. The suspension system of claim 1, further comprising:
a camber link connected to the steering knuckle;
a toe link connected to the steering knuckle; and
a spring link connected to the steering knuckle.
4. The suspension system of claim 3, wherein each of the camber, toe, spring, trailing, and integral links has a spherical joint or a rubber bushing at each of its respective ends.
5. The suspension system of claim 3, wherein each of the camber, toe, spring, trailing, and integral links comprises a tensioncompression link.
6. The suspension system of claim 5, wherein the spring link supports a vertical load.
7. The suspension system of claim 3, wherein the camber link, the toe link, and the spring link are configured to be substantially laterally disposed with respect to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle when the suspension system is in use.
8. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the trailing link and the integral link are configured to be substantially longitudinally disposed with respect to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle when the suspension system is in use.
9. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the integral link is configured to decouple caster stiffness from wheel recession rate when the suspension system is in use.
10. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the integral link is configured to counteract a rotation of the steering knuckle when the suspension system is in use.
11. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the trailing link is connected to a lower end of the steering knuckle and the integral link is connected to the steering knuckle above the trailing link.
12. A 5-link independent suspension system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a steering knuckle disposed within an internal space of a rear wheel of the vehicle;
a trailing link connected to a lower end of the steering knuckle and extending along a single axis between the steering knuckle and a frame rail of the vehicle; and
an integral link connected to the steering knuckle above the trailing link and extending between the steering knuckle and the trailing link.
13. The suspension system of claim 12, further comprising:
a camber link connected to the steering knuckle;
a toe link connected to the steering knuckle; and
a spring link connected to the steering knuckle;
14. The suspension system of claim 13, wherein each of the camber, toe, spring, trailing, and integral links has a spherical joint or a rubber bushing at each of its respective ends.
15. The suspension system of claim 13, wherein each of the camber, toe, spring, trailing, and integral links comprises a tensioncompression link.
16. The suspension system of claim 15, wherein the spring link supports a vertical load.
17. The suspension system of claim 13, wherein the camber link, the toe link, and the spring link are substantially laterally disposed with respect to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle.
18. The suspension system of claim 12, wherein the trailing link and the integral link are substantially longitudinally disposed with respect to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle.
19. The suspension system of claim 12, wherein the integral link is configured to decouple caster stiffness from wheel recession rate.
20. The suspension system of claim 12, wherein the integral link is configured to counteract a rotation of the steering knuckle.

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 thermal management system, comprising:
an anisotropic graphite planar element having a relatively high thermal conductivity in the plane of the planar element and having a relatively low thermal conductivity across a thickness of the planar element in a direction normal to the plane of the planar element, the planar element having a cavity defined therein; and
a core closely received in the cavity, the core being constructed of an isotropic core material so that heat from a heat source can be conducted via the core into the thickness of the planar element and then out across the plane of the planar element.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the planar element is shrink fit with the core by thermal expansion and contraction of at least one of the planar element and the core.
3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a lubricant layer between the core and the cavity of the planar element, so that the lubricant layer provides a thermal interface between the core and the planar element.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein:
the planar element comprises a plurality of anisotropic graphite sheets laminated together, the sheets being oriented parallel to the plane of the planar element.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the graphite sheets are resin impregnated.
6. The system of claim 4, wherein the core extends completely through the laminated graphite sheets.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the core material is a metal.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the core material comprises copper.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the core is a cylindrical shaped core having a cylindrical axis oriented normal to the plane of the planar element.
10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a heat source having a heat conducting area defined thereon in contact with the core.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein:
the heat conducting area of the heat source is a top surface of the heat source; and
the entire top surface of the heat source is covered by and in contact with the core.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a heat spreader.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a heat sink.
14. A thermal management system, comprising:
a heat source having a heat transmitting surface;
an anisotropic graphite planar element, said element having x and y dimensions defining a generally planar extent of the planar element and having a z dimension defining a thickness of the planar element, the planar element having a relatively high thermal conductivity in the x and y directions and a relatively low thermal conductivity in the z direction, the planar element having a cavity defined therein extending at least partially through the thickness of the planar element; and
an insert received in the cavity in heat conducting engagement with the planar element, the insert having a heat receiving surface operatively engaging the heat transmitting surface of the heat source, so that heat from the heat source flows across the heat transmitting surface and the heat receiving surface, into the insert in the z direction and then out through the planar element in the x and y directions.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein:
the heat transmitting surface of the heat source is entirely covered by the heat receiving surface of the insert.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein:
the insert is constructed from an isotropic material.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the isotropic material of the insert is copper.
18. The system of claim 14, wherein:
the insert is constructed from an anisotropic material.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein:
the anisotropic material is graphite.
20. The system of claim 14, wherein:
the cavity and the insert both extend completely through the thickness of the planar element.
21. The system of claim 14, wherein:
the cavity and the insert both extend partially through the thickness of the planar element.
22. The system of claim 14, wherein:
the planar element comprises a plurality of graphite sheets laminated together.
23. The system of claim 22, wherein:
the graphite sheets are resin impregnated.
24. A method of dissipating heat from a heat source, comprising:
(a) providing an anisotropic heat dissipating element having relatively high thermal conductivity in x and y directions, and having relatively low thermal conductivity in a z direction perpendicular to the x and y directions, the heat dissipating element having a cavity defined therethrough in the z direction, and having an isotropic heat conducting insert disposed in the cavity;
(b) placing the insert in heat conducting relationship with a heat source;
(c) conducting heat from the heat source through the insert and into the anisotropic heat dissipating element; and
(d) conducting heat through the heat dissipating element in the x and y directions.

1-13. (canceled)
14. A system for applying loading ledges onto a unit load positioned on supporting means, the system comprising an application machine,
means for separating the unit load from the supporting means in the vertical direction,
means for applying at least one loading ledge to at least two opposite, lower edges of the unit load when separated from the supporting means.
15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the application machine is placed between a loading conveyor and a feeding conveyor.
16. A system according to claim 14, wherein the application machine is provided with at least one pair of ledge feeders.
17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the means for separating the unit load from the supporting means is a vertically movable separating frame.
18. A system according to claim 16, wherein each ledge feeder comprises an essentially L-shaped frame having a vertical frame part, a horizontal frame part, and a support frame placed under the two frame parts.
19. A system according to claim 18, wherein each ledge feeder further comprises a detachment device for automatically removing a lowest loading ledge from a loading ledge above it.
20. A system according to claim 19, wherein the detachment device is a pneumatically, hydraulically, or electrically driven mechanism.
21. A system according to claim 14, wherein the supporting means are fixed supports.
22. A system according to claim 14, wherein the supporting means are conveyors.
23. A system according to claim 17, wherein the vertically movable separating frame is made of flat bars placed edgeways.
24. A system according to claim 23, wherein the vertically movable separating frame comprises at least one part having a shape when seen from above essentially corresponding to a H.
25. A method according to claim 14, comprising the steps of:
placing a unit load in a first application position in the application machine;
separating the unit load from the supporting means in the vertical direction so that the unit load is positioned in a second application position;
applying at least one loading ledge onto at least two opposite, lower edges of the unit load;
moving the unit load in the vertical direction into contact with the at least two loading ledges;
removing the unit load with loading ledges from the application machine.
26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising the steps of transporting each unit load into the application machine by means of a loading conveyor, and a subsequent step of transporting each unit load with loading ledges out of the application machine by means of a feeding conveyor.

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 knitted spacer fabric comprising:
an upper textile;
a lower textile; and
mutually crossing supporting threads arranged between the upper textile and the lower textile which connect the upper and the lower textiles to one another wherein at least parts of a plurality of the supporting threads are connected to one another at crossing points by one of adhesive bonding, chemical dissolving or heat welding and wherein if connected by adhesive bonding or heat welding a plurality of the supporting threads include a coating or sheath disposed over a thread core having a higher melting point than the coating or sheath.
2. The knitted spacer fabric according to claim 1, wherein the supporting threads comprise monofilaments, twisted supporting threads or spun coresheath assemblies.
3. The knitted spacer fabric according to claim 1, wherein the supporting threads are coated or sheathed.
4. The knitted spacer fabric according to claim 3, wherein the coating or sheathing has a lower melting point than a core of the supporting thread.
5. The knitted spacer fabric according to claim 3, wherein 20% to 80% of the supporting threads are coated.
6. The knitted spacer fabric according to claim 3, wherein the coating comprises a synthetic material or a thermally activatable adhesive.
7. The knitted spacer fabric according to claim 1, wherein the supporting threads have different diameters.
8. The knitted spacer fabric according to claim 1, wherein the supporting threads are connected to one another in a materially integral manner or are adhesively bonded to one another.
9. A method for producing a knitted spacer fabric comprising the steps of connecting an upper textile to a lower textile in a spaced manner by supporting threads, wherein at least parts of a plurality of the supporting threads are connected to one another at their crossing points by one of adhesive bonding and heat welding and wherein the supporting threads include a coating or sheath disposed over a core having a higher melting point than the coating or sheath.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the knitted spacer fabric is heated to a temperature below a melting point of the core and above a melting point of the coating to connect the supporting threads.
11. The method according to claim 9, wherein between 20% and 80% of the supporting threads are connected to one another, in order to set a hardness of the knitted spacer fabric.
12. The method according to claim 10, wherein after the supporting threads are connected to one another, the knitted spacer fabric is heated to a temperature below the melting temperature of the coating for a defined period of time.
13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the supporting threads are coated with a thermally activatable adhesive, and wherein the knitted spacer fabric is heated to an activation temperature.
14. A method for producing a knitted spacer fabric comprising:
providing an upper textile and a lower textile;
connecting the upper textile and the lower textile to one another by supporting threads such that the upper textile and the lower textile are spaced apart from one another; and
connecting at least parts of the supporting threads to one another by chemically dissolving at least parts of the supporting threads at crossing points.
15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising coating a core of the supporting threads.
16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising heating the knitted spacer fabric to a temperature below a melting point of the core and above a melting point of the coating.
17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising heating the knitted spacer fabric for a defined period of time after the supporting threads are connected to one another.