A housing shell for electrical measuring, controlling and communication devices, in particular the lower housing part of a cellphone, has very great flexural and torsional rigidity in spite of an extremely small wall thickness if it is formed as a part created by a forming operation from the planar blank of a thermoplastically impregnated long-fibered multi-layered mat. Fine-membered functional elements of likewise thermoplastic material are then molded onto the housing shell in an injection mold.

A catheter assembly including an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end has at least one drainage opening. A hydrophilic coating is provided on at least a portion of the elongate end of the catheter. A fluid containing member is provided and is either arranged on the elongate member or within a separate area of the container. The fluid containing member contains sufficient hydrating fluid to hydrate the coating of the catheter. A container contains the elongate member and the fluid containing member and incorporates at least one foil layer to prevent evaporation of the hydrating fluid. A method of using the catheter includes inserting a catheter into a user's body and draining fluid from the user's body.

A bottled drink includes a cap and a bottle where a granular supplement containing multiple constituents in a stable manner is stored in the cap and a solution suitable for dispersing the granules is filled in the bottle. Granules which contains mutually incompatible multiple chemical agents or nutritional constituents and whose surface is coated with polyglyceryl fatty acid ester are stored in the cap of the bottle and the bottle is filled with a solution whose viscosity at a shear deformation speed of 0.01 s−1 is 10 to 300 Pa·s.

An apparatus and system for housing a device include a housing that is configured such that a device may be fitted within the housing and thereby be protected, such as from shocks and/or liquid. The housing may include top and bottom members that may be removably coupled together so as to form the housing. Each top and bottom member optionally includes front and back surfaces surrounded by a perimeter. The perimeter is defined by proximal and distal ends as well as opposing sides. The top and bottom members may include respective clasping mechanisms that extend along the perimeter of the top and bottom members. The clasping mechanisms are configured for coupling the top and bottom members with one another thereby sealing the housing, for instance, in a shock-proof and/or water tight seal.

A method for producing a continuous web of printed material for use in creating mailpieces. The continuous web has a width and a length, the length comprised of a series of attached sheets. The series of attached sheets are comprising envelope sheets and rectangular content pages. The content pages are rectangular in shape and may be oriented relative to the envelope sheets in a number of different configurations. In some configurations, two sets of content pages and/or envelope sheets can be printed across the width of the web. Sheets for forming business return envelopes may be printed in series with the content pages and envelope sheets. BREs may include individualized return addresses. A control code may be printed on one or more of the sheets for a given mailpiece, providing information for controlling assembly of the mailpiece. Two sets of sheets may be printed across the width of the web by printing content pages onto the continuous web such that two end-to-end content pages are printed across the width of the web. Positioning of mail content pages and envelope sheets for a given mailpiece may be optimized based on respective processing times determined for the system.

A binding system for binding a set of media sheets, including first and second binder pieces, each including an end cap, a retainer, a cylinder and a connection mechanism. The retainer has an arc-shaped cross-section having an associated arc angle thereby providing an opening slot that extends along a length of the retainer. The retainer and the cylinder are connected to the end cap such that the cylinder is positioned within the retainer. The binder pieces are adapted to bind the set of sheets of media by inserting the set of media sheets into the first and second binder pieces such that the media sheets are wrapped around the cylinders and extend out of the opening slots in the retainers, and engaging the connection mechanisms to connect the first and second binder pieces together.

A binding system for binding a set of media sheets, including a cylinder having an outer diameter and a length, and a retainer fabricated from a flexible material. The retainer has an arc-shaped cross-section having an inner diameter and an associated arc angle thereby providing an opening slot that extends along a length of the retainer. The binding system is adapted to bind the set of media sheets by wrapping the media sheets around the cylinder and inserting the wrapped cylinder into the retainer with the wrapped media sheets extending out of the opening slot in the retainer. The inner diameter of the retainer is less than the sum of the outer diameter of the cylinder and a total thickness of the wrapped media sheets so that the retainer flexes to provide a clamping force to bind the media sheets.

An input receiver circuit including a single-to-differential amplifier and a semiconductor device including the input receiver circuit are disclosed. The input receiver circuit includes a first stage amplifier unit and a second stage amplifier unit. The first stage amplifier unit amplifies a single input signal in a single-to-differential mode to generate a differential output signal, without using a reference voltage. The second stage amplifier unit amplifies the differential output signal in a differential-to-single mode to generate a single output signal.

An apparatus is described that includes an audio power amplifier having an input and an output. An alternating-current to direct-current power converter is coupled to the audio power amplifier in a single package to supply power to the audio power amplifier.

A pop-free single-ended output class-D amplifier includes: an input signal generator for generating an input signal; a power supply for supplying input power; a reference voltage generator for generating a reference voltage; a gain-adjustable stage for generating an amplified signal according to the reference voltage and adjusting a gain of the single-ended output class-D amplifier; a pulse width modulation module for outputting a pulse width modulation signal according to the reference voltage, the amplified signal, and the input power; a low-pass filter for low-pass filtering the pulse width modulation signal to generate an output voltage; and a logic controller for generating at least one control signal to control the reference voltage generator, the gain-adjustable stage, and the pulse width modulation module according to the input power, the reference voltage, and the pulse width modulation signal.

Differential power amplifier circuitry includes a differential transistor pair, an input transformer, and biasing circuitry. The base contact of each transistor in the differential transistor pair may be coupled to the input transformer through a coupling capacitor. The coupling capacitors may be designed to resonate with the input transformer about a desired frequency range, thereby passing desirable signals to the differential transistor pair while blocking undesirable signals. The biasing circuitry may include a pair of emitter follower transistors, each coupled at the emitter to the base contact of each one of the transistors in the differential transistor pair and adapted to bias the differential transistor pair to maximize efficiency and stability.

A scan head assembled to a scan arm for an ion implanter and a scan arm using the same are provided, wherein the scan head is capable of micro tilting a work piece and comprises a case, a shaft assembly, an electrostatic chuck, a first driving mechanism and a micro-tilt mechanism. The shaft assembly passes through a first side of the case and has a twist axis. The electrostatic chuck is fastened on a first end of the shaft assembly outside the case for holding the work piece. The first driving mechanism is disposed within the case and capable of driving the shaft assembly and the ESC to rotate about the twist axis. The micro-tilt mechanism is disposed within the case and capable of driving the shaft assembly and the ESC to tilt relative to the case.

A pin-and-collet assembly, a longwall shearer comprising a ranging arm attached to a lifting bracket with such assembly, a method for the secure fastening of one piece to another, such as securely fastening the ranging arm to the lifting bracket of a longwall shearer using such assembly as a bushing, and a method for longwall mining of ore, such as trona, using such longwall shearer. This assembly is easy to install, does not have to be tightened during longwall operation of an ore panel, and is also demountable when it is time to stop the longwall mining operation and time to remove/replace the ranging arm for maintenance and/or when the end of the ore panel is reached.

An apparatus of semiconductor process including a chuck and a vacuum source is provided. The chuck has a plurality of holes for holding a semiconductor substrate, and the vacuum source is used for providing vacuum suction through the holes to make the semiconductor substrate be subjected to varied suction intensities according to a warpage level thereof.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for positioning and pressing surgical needle blanks. The apparatus includes a needle blank transferring system which transfers needle blanks between a gripping position and a pressing position. A side press system presses a portion of the needle blank when the blank is in the pressing position, and a gripping member is provided to hold the needle blank at least during the transfer and press operations of the apparatus. The method according to the present invention includes inserting a needle blank into a needle blank gripping member at a gripping position, transferring the needle blank between the gripping position and a pressing position, and pressing a side portion of a body portion of the needle blank with pressing dies.

An apparatus for forming armed sutures has a swaging station for receiving, holding and swaging needles that are deposited therein. A linear motor drives a suture insertion gripper, which pulls suture from a supply reel and inserts a cut end thereof into a needle held in the swaging station. A ganged needle transfer assembly with a plurality of spaced needle gripper units carries needles along a line substantially at right angles to the suture line and transfers them to and from the swaging station and other needle processing stations. A precisor orients needles prior to placement in the swaging station and a pull test assembly tests armed sutures in both destructive and non-destructive modes. Both ends of the production line may be automated, e.g., by robots which load and offload needles prior to and after swaging, respectively. The apparatus is capable of forming double armed sutures by using a rotatable mount for the suture insertion gripper and a secondary, loop gripper. A suture transfer gripper extending up to the suture from a multi-tiered stack of slide tables. The suture transfer gripper cooperates with the suture insertion and loop grippers to hold the suture during cutting, insertion and transfer to the pull test apparatus and thereby protects the suture during processing.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for efficient endothermic processing of liquids and the precipitation of dissolved elements and chemical compounds. Improvements over prior systems include system layout, components and modes of operation of the system. Applications of the system include destruction of toxic wastes and sewage treatment, precipitation of chemical compounds and elements including metals from solution (brine, sea water, industrial waste), sterilization and water purification, catalytic formation of chemical compounds, and processing of hydrocarbons.

Graphite and/or carbon surfaces are coated with a titanium nitride coating by exposing the substrate to electric arc thermal spray process wherein titanium wire as the source of titanium and nitrogen is used as the propelling (atomizing) gas.

A geared motor actuator having a simplified mechanical structure for driving a closing part, such as a vehicle window, moved as far as at least one end position by an electric motor (MO) via a gear (G), preferably a worm gear. Shortly before the end position is reached, switch-off of the electric motor (MO) is performed in accordance with a control device (ST). The gear (G) is drive-connected to an output driver of the closing part without any damping means. The worm wheel (4) of the worm gear, being a solid, integral component that is preferably injection-molded from plastic, is preferably designed to include the output driver as part of the integral component, and provided with a drive pinion (4.1).

Methods and devices are disclosed for identifying objects over a surface and for tracking the position of said objects in relation to the sensing surface. The methods include the steps of providing an array of electrodes or coils that generating electromagnetic radiation having a individual characteristic frequencies of oscillation. Objects in proximity to the sensing surface(s) couple electromagnetically to the array of electrodes or coils, which then alters the characteristic frequency of one or more elements in the array. By monitoring the individual frequency shifts among the array elements, one or more objects in proximity to the surface can be sensed and identified. Quantitative identification and enhanced detection of the objects is achieved through the use of electromagnetic markers affixed or embedded in the objects in specified geometric patterns. In addition, a method is presented for scanning the sensing array, through the use of a second layer of electrodes that selectively mask or modulate the sensing field.

An indirectly heated cathode C1 comprises a heater 1, a double coil 2, a mesh member 3, and a metal oxide 10. An electrical insulating layer 4 is formed on the surface of heater 1. Heater 1 is inserted into and positioned at the inner side of double coil 2. Mesh member 3 is disposed along the length direction of double coil 2 at the outer side of double coil 2. Double coil 2 is grounded by being connected to the ground terminal of heater 1 via a lead rod 7. Metal oxide 10 is held by double coil 2 and disposed to be in contact with mesh member 3. Metal oxide 10 and mesh member 3 are exposed to the outer side of indirectly heated electrode C1 so that the surface of metal oxide 10 and the surface of mesh member 3 make up a discharge surface and mesh member 3 is in contact with the surface part of metal oxide 10.

A bridge for crossing a passage of a navigation channel includes a section in the form of a single span, which may be displaced by vertical translation between a base position spanning the passage, in which the span rests on fixed support sections of the bridge, and a raised position, for opening the passage, and a support structure for the span on displacement of the span, and a drive for lifting the span. The bridge has only one support structure, with the drive, located on one side of the passage to be spanned.

Provided herein are methods of treating a proliferative disease in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of AC220 and a nucleoside analog, a topoisomerase inhibitor or an anthracycline, or a combination thereof.

Method and apparatus for tri-axially aligning, folding, trimming and edge stitching a cloth sheet particularly adapted for making pockets for garments.

A yttria sintered body is provided which includes yttria as a principal ingredient and 5 to 40 vol. % silicon nitride, and which exhibits enhanced corrosion resistance and mechanical strength.

A brake cylinder for pneumatic vehicle brakes, especially for commercial vehicles, includes in addition to a pneumatic locking mechanism, a manual release mechanism for manually releasing the spring brake section, and a device designed to visually recognize the manual release condition of the spring brake section outside of the housing.

A device for the pulsed release of an amount (3) of fluid that is stored in a storage housing (2) includes a piston (5) biased by a first spring (4) and movable within the storage housing (2) to dispense the fluid by the spring bias, when triggered by an actuator (6) to release a lock holding the piston in place (7). The lock (7) has individual catches (8) keeping the piston (5) in its pretensioned position and, when actuated by the actuator (6), releases the piston (5).

Disclosed herein is a drying apparatus for a vehicle using vehicle induced wind. The drying apparatus is capable of drying a wet object using vehicle induced wind generated by the driving of the vehicle. The apparatus includes a storage cover that is rotatably coupled to a rear bumper cover via a hinge module, to form a storage space between the storage cover and the rear bumper cover. In addition the apparatus includes an inlet cover that is coupled to the rear bumper cover to form an inlet passage through which the vehicle induced wind flows into the storage space when the vehicle is being driven. A plurality of outlet holes are formed in the rear bumper cover, and are configured to operate as a passage to allow air to be discharged from the storage space to an exterior of the vehicle.

The assembly is for mounting to a motor vehicle having a bumper skin and it comprises a body part forming at least a portion of a bumper skin. The body part is defined by bottom and top edges. The top edge includes a first portion to be masked by a member of the vehicle that is to be fitted to the body part. The assembly includes at least a first masking element masking at least one portion of the bottom edge and at least a second masking element masking at least one second portion of the top edge of the body part, complementary to the at least one first portion of the top edge of the body part. The first and second masking elements are fixed relative to the body part once the assembly is mounted to the motor vehicle.

A bumper (10) created using a resistive implant welding process. The bumper includes a mounting plate portion (12) and a composite bumper portion (14). The mounting plate portion (12) is connected to the composite bumper portion (14) using a resistive implant welding process. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a bumper for a vehicle having a mounting plate (12) and a bumper portion (14). The bumper portion (14) includes at least one flange (24) formed as part of the bumper portion (14), a first contact area (28) formed as part of the mounting plate (12), and a second contact area (30) formed as part of the flange (24). A connection point is used to bond the first contact area (28) and the second contact area (30) such that the mounting plate (12) is connected to the bumper portion (14).

A method of forming an electrode is disclosed. A carbon nanotube is deposited on a substrate. A section of the carbon nanotube is removed to form at least one exposed end defining a first gap. A metal is deposited at the at least one exposed end to form the electrode that defines a second gap.

A method and system is used to process slag material to yield by-products including a finished iron rich product and a finished low iron fines product. The by-products may include a finished high iron product and a finished medium iron product. The method and system include size classifying the material into a plurality of sized groups prior to using magnetic separation to separate at least one of the sized groups into two portions having differing magnetic susceptibilities. The method and system may include more than one phase of size classifying the material into a plurality of sized groups and using magnetic separation to separate at least one of the sized groups into portions, where the average size of the material remaining after one phase is reduced prior to the subsequent phase.

The present invention provides a method of separating nickel bearing sulphides from mined ores or concentrates of mined ores that contain talc particles is disclosed. The method comprises adjusting the Eh of a slurry of mined ores or concentrates of mined ores and making particles of nickel bearing sulphides less hydrophobic than talc particles and floating the nickel bearing sulphide particles from the slurry.

The separation of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), by electronic type using centrifugation of compositions of SWNTs and surface active block copolymers in density gradient media.

In an embodiment, a fuel decontamination unit comprises a decontamination region containing fuel; and an ultraviolet light located in the decontamination region; wherein the ultraviolet light is configured to irradiate the fuel. In an embodiment, a method of decontaminating fuel comprises flowing a contaminated fuel into a decontamination unit; irradiating the fuel with ultraviolet radiation that is emitted from the ultraviolet light such that the contaminated fuel becomes a purified fuel; flowing the purified fuel out of the decontamination unit; wherein a microorganism level in the purified fuel is less than that of the contaminated fuel.

A dispensing system includes a detection device and a dispenser configured to dispense at least one of ice and a liquid. The detection device is configured to detect a container positioned with respect to the dispenser and generate a first signal representative of the container position. The dispensing system also includes a controller coupled to the detection device and the dispenser. The controller is configured to determine a stability of the container and activate the dispenser to dispense at least one of an amount of the ice and an amount of the liquid into the container based on the first signal and the determined stability of the container.

The main objective of this invention is a Mobile plant for dosing, mixing and packaging of powdery products, characterized because it is comprised of a carrying structure and several areas for: reception and weighing, loading, mixing, sack filling, sewing and labelling, metal detection, palletizing and cleaning. This invention is included within the industrial plants technical sector of manufacturing and mixing of powdery products.

There is provided in one aspect a nozzle boot arrangement for supporting a nozzle of a fuel dispensing unit, the nozzle including a spout and a base portion including a grip. The arrangement includes a nozzle boot including means for supporting the nozzle at the base portion thereof, and a section for receiving at least a portion of the spout. The arrangement also includes a stopper provided at said receiving section and formed separately from said nozzle boot. The stopper is arranged to cooperate with the spout to prevent the nozzle from falling about from the nozzle boot arrangement by rotation of the nozzle about said supporting means. According to further aspects, there is provided a fuel dispensing unit, a nozzle boot module and method of manufacturing a nozzle boot arrangement.

A refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet and a refrigerating compartment within the refrigerator cabinet. A beverage dispensing system is operatively connected to the refrigerator cabinet, the beverage dispensing system configured to dispense a stream of a beverage. The beverage dispensing system includes a light source and a light sensor positioned on opposite sides of the stream of the beverage. The beverage dispensing system is configured for detecting if dispensement of the beverage is occurring and characterizing the volume or amount of the beverage being dispensed.

A processing system according to embodiments has an article supplier which supplies an article; a first conveyor which conveys an object to be processed; a workbench which is provided on the downstream side of the first conveyor and places thereon the object to be processed, conveyed by the first conveyor; a robot which takes out the article from the article supplier and subjects the object to be processed, placed on the workbench, to an operation using the article according to a previously instructed operation movement; and a second conveyor which is provided on the downstream side of the workbench and conveys the object to be processed, which has been subjected to the operation by the robot.

The phase margin compensation method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: outputting reference voltage (Vout2); outputting a first reference voltage (Vout1) actually supplied to the target circuit; comparing the reference voltage (Vout2) with the first reference voltage (Vout1) by the comparator; counting any section of an output signal (pulse signal) from the comparator by a predetermined frequency by the duty cycle calculator; and controlling a phase margin of a frequency of output voltage supplied to the target circuit by controlling buffer current based on the duty cycle ratios and the output bit information fed back from the duty cycle calculator.

Efficiency of a switch mode power supply (SMPS) is optimized by operating the SMPS in an asynchronous mode when current being supplied therefrom is less than a certain current value and operating the SMPS in a synchronous mode when the current being supplied therefrom is equal to or greater than the certain current value. When the SMPS is operating in the synchronous mode high-side and low-side power transistors alternately turn on and off. When the SMPS is operating in the asynchronous mode only the high-side power transistor turns on and off and the low-side power transistor remains off. When charging a battery with the SMPS discharge of the battery is eliminated when operating in the asynchronous mode at a low current output.

The present disclosure is directed to a voltage-to-current sensing circuit having a bias terminal configured to receive a reference voltage, an offset terminal configured to receive an offset current, and an operational amplifier configured to output a low voltage signal. The device includes a first amplifier having first and second high voltage inputs configured to receive a first voltage difference across a sense component on a high voltage line and to generate a first current, a second amplifier having first and second low voltage inputs configured to receive a second voltage difference between the bias terminal and the offset terminal and to generate a second current, a summing circuit configured to provide an intermediate voltage corresponding to a sum of the first and the second currents, and a low-voltage transistor coupled to an output of the amplifier and controlled by the intermediate voltage to generate the output current.

There is provided a DC-DC converter which converts an input voltage into an output voltage for supply to a load, in which an input terminal receives the input voltage, an output terminal outputs the output voltage, power stages each includes: a high side switch, a low side switch and an inductor, the control unit executes a first mode and a second mode wherein the first mode controls the high side switch and the low side switch in each of the power stages so that a ratio of an output current in each of the power stages to a load current flowing through the load becomes a set value and the second mode controls the high side switch and the low side switch in each of the power stages so that duty ratios of the high side switch and the low side switch are equalized among the power stages.

A casing window assembly for completion of a lateral wellbore. The casing window assembly includes a tubular casing sleeve with a casing window and an inner sleeve releasably secured within the casing sleeve at a pre-released position adjacent the casing window.

Use of two different methods, either each by itself or in combination, to enhance the stiffness, strength, maximum possible use temperature, and environmental resistance of thermoset polymer particles is disclosed. One method is the application of post-polymerization process steps (and especially heat treatment) to advance the curing reaction and to thus obtain a more densely crosslinked polymer network. The other method is the incorporation of nanofillers, resulting in a heterogeneous “nanocomposite” morphology. Nanofiller incorporation and post-polymerization heat treatment can also be combined to obtain the benefits of both methods simultaneously. The present invention relates to the development of thermoset nanocomposite particles. Optional further improvement of the heat resistance and environmental resistance of said particles via post-polymerization heat treatment; processes for the manufacture of said particles; and use of said particles in the construction, drilling, completion and/or fracture stimulation of oil and natural gas wells are described.

A shaped charge casing cutter is constructed with the cutter explosive formed into radial section modules aligned in a toroidal cavity between a pair of housing plates. The center sections of the plates are contiguously aligned with opposite parallel surfaces of a center disc. The plate rims are offset from respective center disc planes in opposite directions from each other to form a toroidal cavity. The toroidal cavity is enclosed by a circumferential belt secured to said plate rims. V-grooved shaped charge explosive in the form of multiple pi sections is distributed about the cavity to intimately contact a pair of frusto-conical liners.

A system for diverting fluids from a wellhead in a subsea environment has a capping stack with a connector suitable for connection or interconnection to the wellhead, a flow base fixedly positioned in the subsea environment, and a conduit connected to the outlet of a diverter line of the capping stack and connected to the inlet of an interior passageway of the flow base. The conduit is suitable for passing fluids from the capping stack toward the flow base. The flow base is a modified horizontal Christmas tree. The interior passageway within the horizontal Christmas tree has a plug therein located a level below the level of the inlet to the flow base. The flow base can be attached to a wellhead or to an anchor pile in the subsea environment.

A method for determining position of a wellbore in the Earth's subsurface includes actuating a plurality of seismic energy sources each disposed at a known geodetic position. Seismic energy from the sources is detected at a selected location along the wellbore. The geodetic position at the selected location is determined from the detected seismic energy. A corresponding method includes actuating a seismic energy source at a selected position within the wellbore. The seismic energy is detected at a plurality of known geodetic positions. The geodetic position of the source is determined from the detected seismic energy.

A technique includes processing seismic data indicative of samples of at least one measured seismic signal in a processor-based machine to, in an iterative process, determine basis functions, which represent a constructed seismic signal. The technique includes in each iteration of the iterative process, selecting another basis function of the plurality of basis functions. The selecting includes based at least in part on the samples and a current version of the constructed seismic signal, determining a cost function; and interpreting the cost function based at least in part on a predicted energy distribution of the constructed seismic signal to select the basis function.