A laundry drying unit includes a process air circuit and a component arranged in the process air circuit. Provided above the component is a washing tank for dispensing a cleaning fluid, with a flow of cleaning fluid dispensed from the washing tank to the component being controlled by a controllable valve. The valve can be controlled on the basis of an amount of cleaning fluid in the washing tank.

Nail gel curing devices emitting ultraviolet light, as well as methods of their making and use are disclosed. The devices are useful for curing, inter alia, acrylic compositions, more particularly, acrylic nail gel compositions, and typically employ ultraviolet and/or visible light emitting diodes (“LED”) to cure such ultraviolet and/or visible light curable nail gel resins.

A centrifugal pellet dryer with a self-cleaning rotor seal, replaceable wear plates, and a fluid powered dewatering tower is presented. The self-cleaning rotor seal includes a plurality of grooves that are structured to eject pellet debris that migrates into between the seal and the housing for the rotor. The replaceable wear plates are secured to the rotor at locations such that they contact pellets that are entering the rotor housing. The dewatering tower includes a helical augur that dewaters a pellet slurry and delivers partially dried pellets to the rotor housing.

Vaporizable material is supported within a vessel to promote contact of an introduced gas with the vaporizable material, and produce a product gas including vaporized material. A heating element supplies heat to a wall of the vessel to heat vaporizable material disposed therein. The vessel may comprise an ampoule having a removable top. Multiple containers defining multiple material support surfaces may be stacked disposed within a vessel in thermal communication with the vessel. A tube may be disposed within the vessel and coupled to a gas inlet. Filters, flow meters, and level sensors may be further provided. Product gas resulting from contact of introduced gas with vaporized material may be delivered to atomic layer deposition (ALD) or similar process equipment. At least a portion of source material including a solid may be dissolved in a solvent, followed by removal of solvent to yield source material (e.g., a metal complex) disposed within the vaporizer.

A method of decontaminating a room or space, comprising the steps of providing a cold-mist decontamination device capable of generating an atomized mist comprised of a decontaminant and water, inputting into an internal processor the parameters of the room or space and the concentration of the decontaminant in the decontamination solution, measuring the temperature and humidity in the room or space, and determining the maximum amount of the decontamination solution that can be introduced into the room or space in atomized form without condensing the decontaminant on surfaces within the room or space.

A method of operating a clothes dryer having a treating chamber for receiving a laundry load, an air system for supplying and exhausting air from the treating chamber, a heating element for heating the air supplied to the treating chamber, and a controller implementing a cycle of operation, wherein the controller estimates a cycle time of a drying cycle of operation.

A method of producing an endodontic file that involves grinding in a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of a rotating dental instrument blank. By grinding the dental instrument blank in this manner, the torsional strength of the resulting endodontic file is not eroded during its production, thereby providing a file that is less susceptible to breakage during its use.

Earth-boring tools include a body, one or more blades projecting outwardly from the body, and cutting elements carried by the blade. The cutting elements include at least one shearing cutting element and at least one gouging cutting element. Methods of forming an earth-boring tool include mounting a shearing cutting element comprising an at least substantially planar cutting face to a body of an earth-boring tool, and mounting a gouging cutting element comprising a non-planar cutting face to the body of the earth-boring tool. The gouging cutting element may be positioned on the body of the earth-boring tool such that the gouging cutting element will gouge formation material within a kerf cut in the formation material by the shearing cutting element, or between kerfs cut in the formation material by a plurality of shearing cutting elements.

A method of manufacturing a tool bit includes machining a working end into a piece of hexagonal bar stock. A shank adjacent the working end is machined, leaving a hexagonal drive portion adjacent the shank. The tool bit is heat treated, and a coating is applied to the working end, the shank, and the hexagonal drive portion of the tool bit to inhibit corrosion of the tool bit. At least a portion of the shank is polished to remove the coating from the portion of the shank.

A woodturning tool according to embodiments of the present invention includes a shaft with a shaft tip, wherein the shaft tip is made of a first metal, and a cutting edge insert, at least a portion of an outer surface of the cutting edge insert rigidly joined to an inner surface of the shaft tip, the cutting edge insert formed of a second metal, the cutting edge insert being fluted and sharpened to form a cutting edge for woodturning, wherein the second metal is different from the first metal, and wherein the second metal is more wear-resistant than the first metal.

A screwdriver blade has faces formed on front and back sides of a shank. Each face has a drive surface extending from each side edge inward toward a longitudinal axis. Each drive surface is inclined relative to a plane containing the axis and bisecting each of the side edges. A thickness of the blade increases from the shank distal end. Each of the drive surfaces appears curved when viewed in a distal end view. Each of the drive surfaces extends from the shank distal end to a face proximal end. A central portion between each of the drive surfaces may also appear curved when viewed in a distal end view, or it may be flat. The drive surfaces and the central portion may be formed at a single radius of curvature. The central portion may have a increasing width from the distal end or it may have a constant width.

Embodiments of the invention relate to superabrasive compacts including multiple superabrasive cutting portions and methods of repairing a rotary drill bit that employs at least one of such superabrasive compacts.

The present invention is a sharpening tool and sharpening system for sharpening snowmobile carbide wear rails and studs and a kit of parts that includes the sharpening tool and a steering member having a carbide wear rail. The sharpening tool is attachable to the chuck of a hand held drill and includes a shaft attachable to the chuck of the hand held drill and cylindrical head affixed to the shaft. The cylindrical head includes a rail groove surfaced in an abrasive material for sharpening wear rails.

In some examples, a laminated tooling die may include multiple sheets or plates used in conjunction in any of a number of forming operations such as, for example, hydroforming, compression molding, and stamping. The sheets or plates can include an open interior that, when used in conjunction with neighboring sheets, produce a cavity into which a deformable workpiece can be placed and subjected to the forming operation. In some examples, one or more sheets can be coupled with a heat exchanger to impart a heat transfer with the workpiece.

A method of manufacturing a drill bit having a bit body and a plurality of blades extending radially from the bit body is disclosed, wherein the method includes adhering a first matrix material to at least a portion of a mold cavity corresponding to an outer surface of the bit body, loading a second matrix material into the other portions of the mold cavity, and heating the mold contents to form a matrix body drill bit.

A cutting table includes a cutting surface, an opposing surface, a cutting table outer wall, and one or more fins. The cutting table outer wall extends from the circumference of the opposing surface to the circumference of the cutting surface. The fins extend from a portion of the cutting surface to a portion of the cutting table outer wall. The cutting table is optionally leached prior to forming the fins. One or more fins are positioned in parallel with at least another fin in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the fins are positioned circumferentially around the cutting surface. In some embodiments, the cutting table is coupled to a substrate to form a cutter. The fins are formed either after or during the formation of the cutting table.

Various embodiments of the invention may be used to verify that a person being authorized by biometric techniques to use a device is a living person and not some form of recording intended to spoof the system. Some embodiments may try to cause a change in a measured biometric feature, and compare images taken before and after the change to verify the change occurred. In some embodiments, multiple stages of verification may be used, either to increase the difficulty of spoofing the security system, or to provide different levels of security for different levels of access to the device's functionality.

The kitchen knife with the sharpener includes: a cutout recess formed in an end of the handle; a locking space extending from the cutout recess; and a sharpener, including: a locking part removably received in the locking space; a sharpener body extending from the locking part; a whetting groove transversely formed in the sharpener body; plate-shaped whetstones inclinedly installed on opposing sidewalls of the whetting groove so that the whetstones form a V-shaped arrangement; and a rubber cushion placed below a rear surface of a whetstone.

A method of manufacturing a roller cone drill bit may include forming a body of a single piece having an upper end and a lower end; machining at the lower end of the body at least two journals extending downward and radially outward from a central axis of the body; machining at least one of a ball passage, a hydraulic fluid passageway, a grease reservoir, and a lubricant passageway; and mounting roller cones on the at least two journals.

An apparatus and method for manufacturing a downhole tool that reduces failures occurring along a bondline between a cemented matrix coupled around a blank. The cemented matrix material is formed from a powder and a binder material. The blank includes an internal blank component and a coating coupled around at least a portion of the surface of the internal blank component. The internal blank component includes a top portion and a bottom portion. The internal blank component is substantially cylindrically shaped and defines a channel extending through the top portion and the bottom portion. The coating is a metal in some exemplary embodiments. The coating reduces the migration of the binder material into the blank thereby allowing the control of intermetallic compounds thickness within the bondline.

The application comprises a blank for producing a cutting tool with at least one inner bore for conducting fluids, wherein the blank comprises at least a first and a second portion along, its longitudinal axis, wherein the inner bore in the first portion is formed substantially in a straight line and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the blank, and the inner bore in the second portion has a first twist with a first twist angle greater than zero, wherein the blank can be obtained by a continuous pressing operation, in particular a continuous extruding operation. The application also describes an extrusion device for producing a blank, wherein the extrusion device comprises a control element for controlling the twist angle, in particular the first and/or second twist angle.

A multi-rod hand-held sharpener includes a handle with an outer grip surface for a hand of a user, a first abrasive rod having a first outer abrasive surface with a first abrasiveness level, and a second abrasive rod having a second outer abrasive surface with a second abrasiveness level different from the first abrasiveness level. At least one guide surface extends toward the first sharpening surface at a selected guide angle non-orthogonal to the first sharpening surface. The user contactingly engages a side of the tool against the guide surface and a cutting edge of the tool against the first abrasive surface, and then advances the side of the tool away from the guide surface and the cutting edge against the first abrasive surface while maintaining the tool at the selected guide angle. An optional second guide adjacent the second abrasive surface at a different angle facilitates micro-beveling.

A stationary strength training equipment includes a frame assembly, a lockable bilateral user interface installed on the frame assembly, a balancing structure connected to the lockable bilateral user interface, a plurality of user selectable weights supported by the frame assembly and connected to the balancing structure, a load detecting strain gauge disposed on the user selectable weights to detect a weight of the user selectable weights being lifted, and an informing device connected to the lockable bilateral user interface to detect and show a warning signal to a user. The lockable bilateral user interface further includes a locking mechanism assembly and a central pivot assembly; the balancing structure is able to rotate along the central pivot assembly, and the locking mechanism assembly selectively restricts a rotation of the balancing structure.

An apparatus (100) for gait training has a movable base (200) comprising at least one drive unit (210) for moving the movable base, an arm arrangement (300) extending from the movable base, a weight support system (400) to enable a person to be at least partially suspended from above via said arm arrangement, a movement detector to detect a movement of the person and a control unit adapted to control said drive unit(s) in response to a movement of the person detected by the movement detector such that the movable base follows the person in a predetermined distance range and in a predetermined angular range with respect to a movement direction of the person.

A multiple position locking handle for an exercise machine for that is movable into a plurality of different positions when unlocked and that is retained in a single secure position when locked. The multiple position locking handle for an exercise machine generally includes a tubular base having a lower end and an upper end, an elongated member extending through the opening of the upper end of the tubular base and extending downwardly through at least a portion of the tubular base, a handle extending outwardly from the elongated member at an angle, and a locking device. The elongated member is movable within the tubular base when the locking device is in the unlocked state and is substantially not movable within the tubular base when the locking device is in the locked state.

A core fitness system for efficiently exercising the core muscles of a persons body. The system involves working a user's core muscles by rotating the user's body while holding the body at an angle.

A layered exercise contact counter display tracking and showing repetitive contacts with the lens contact surface of a housing covering a sensor pad, which responds to contacts sending a signal to a powered circuit board and remote tracking devices to record and display the number of repetitive hits adapted for mounting on an exercise device or a support surface to encourage an exerciser to complete and exercise or contact event.

An exercise machine includes a motor that drives a belt to move, and an analysis system to collect a peak energy from the motor and to convert the peak energy into different user exercising data.

Systems and methods for fitness tracking are provided. An exercise apparatus is in networked communication with a fitness tracking computing system. The configuration and location of movable components of the exercise apparatus is determined based on sensors. This information is provided to the fitness tracking computing system via networked communication.

A combination massage table with one or more resistance bands (hereinafter, a combination table) is disclosed. In some embodiments, the combination table may comprise: a massage table; the one or more resistance bands; and a means for attaching the one or more resistance bands to the massage table; such that a client using the combination table receives at least one improved health benefit as compared against massage therapy without any resistance band use. Furthermore, methods for using the combination table are disclosed. Such methods may comprise: preparing the combination table for use; preparing the client so the client is laying on top of an upper surface of the combination table; and massaging the client while the client at least intermittently engages one or more resistance bands that are attached to the combination table; wherein in the at least intermittent engagement of the one or more resistance bands while the client is being massaged results in the at least one improved health benefit to the client.

An apparatus and system whereby a user can move by guidance of a return track on a challenger course. The return track may extend away from the challenge course and overhang its main frame so the user can experience an element outside of the main frame.

A method for configuring and operating one or more fitness studios each comprising a plurality of exercise stations at which users perform associated exercise routines, each station having an associated display, the method comprising, for each fitness studio, periodically retrieving, by a server from a database, fitness information for the studio in question for a specified period, from a multi-period fitness library; communicating, by the server to a studio computer, the retrieved fitness information over a communications network; periodically receiving, by the studio computer, the retrieved fitness information; configuring the exercise stations dependent upon the received fitness information; and communicating, by the studio computer to the exercise station displays, dependent upon the received fitness information, station directions to users exercising at the stations for performing an exercise.

A weight loading system for fitness equipments includes a fitness equipment support, a rally rope, a motor, a motor driving and a motor control unit. The motor is a permanent magnet brushless DC motor with an external rotor structure, and the motor includes a stator mounted onto the fitness equipment support and an external rotor sheathed on the stator and rotatable with respect to the stator, and the rally rope is wound around the external rotor of the motor, and an end of the rally rope is coupled to the external rotor of the motor, and the other end of the rally rope is coupled to the power driving mechanism of the fitness equipment; the power driving mechanism is provided for driving the external rotor of the motor through the rally rope to rotate and generate a rally, and the motor control unit controls the motor to rotate in an opposite direction through the motor driving module, so as to produce a load force opposite to the rally. The weight loading system for fitness equipments structure is simple, lightweight, and achieves the effect of a stepless weight control.

A composite trampoline enclosure system has a trampoline with a trampoline frame and a trampoline bed. The trampoline enclosure is mounted to the trampoline. The trampoline enclosure further includes an enclosure pole formed as a tubular post, and an endcap. The endcap fits over the tubular post. A flexible top line is made of polyethylene or polypropylene. The flexible top line connects to the endcap. The flexible top line supports the trampoline enclosure netting. An extended coil spring is whipped in a helical orientation around an external circumferential periphery of the flexible top line. The trampoline enclosure netting is extended around the trampoline bed. The trampoline enclosure netting is supported by the trampoline pole. The extended coil spring is preferably made of spring steel. The flexible top line is preferably made of a high density polyethylene tube.

A training apparatus with adjustable travel distance includes a base frame including a pair of guide rails extending along a transverse axis, a pair of sliding units each including a pedal coupled to and slidable along one respective guide rail and a stopper located on one lateral side of the pedal, and a pair of travel distance adjusting units each including a guiding member mounted in the base frame and extending along the transverse axis and a rear position-limiting member mounted on the guiding member for stopping against the stopper of one respective pedal and position adjustable relative to the guiding member along the transverse axis to adjust the travel distance of the respective pedal.

An assisted chin/dip exercise apparatus has a main frame and an assist or foot bar pivotally mounted on the frame and linked to a weight stack or resistance for assisting a user standing on the foot bar during performance of chin and dip exercises. The main frame has a first, overhead handle assembly and a second, dip handle assembly below the first handle assembly. The first handle assembly includes a pair of adjustably mounted handles freely pivotable between a first, chin-up position in which the handles extend towards one another at a rearward angle with a small spacing between the handles and a second, pull-up position in which the handles extend in a forward direction and are spaced apart by a larger spacing sufficient to provide head clearance for a user stepping onto the foot bar or while performing a dip exercise.

Exercise machine with load rolling simulation substitutes training in the open air in which a load is rolled or pushed. The exercise machine comprises a continuous moving track (2) of adjustable incline. Above the housing (1) and in front of the continuous moving track (2) is mounted a wheel (4) with paddles (5). The paddles (5) on the outer circumference of the wheel (4) are performed in the shape of teeth, ribs, panels or bars. The wheel (4) is connected by a transmission (20) with the track (2). The track (2) is connected with the brake system (32) for change of resistance to motion of the track (2), and thereby also to turning of the wheel (4). The control panel (6) with display contains commands for adjusting and monitoring the inclination of the track (2) and the resistance to turning of the wheel (4) and for monitoring the velocity and travelled distance of the moving track (2), as well as the duration of the training on the continuous track (2). The exercise machine is used in at least three ways of exercising, it has exceptional ergonomic characteristics, and enables safe training.

A insensitive explosive comprises: 34.9 wt % diethylenetriamine trinitrate (DETN),33.4 wt % ethylenediamine dinitrate (EDD),25.4 wt % methyl-guanidine (MeNQ), and6.3 wt % guanidine (NQ). This quaternary eutectic is used in combination with a sensitive explosive. A low melting temperature facilitates melt casting to fill 155 mm artillery shells.

The present disclosure relates to compositions comprising at least one fluoroolefin and an effective amount of a stabilizer comprising at least one ascorbic acid, terephthalate, or nitromethane, or mixtures thereof. The stabilized compositions may be useful in cooling apparatus, such as refrigeration, air-conditioning, chillers and heat pumps, as well as in applications as foam blowing agents, solvents, aerosol propellants, fire extinguishants, and sterilants.

Gas-generating devices with grain-retention structures and related methods and systems are described. In particular, gas-generating devices having at least one retention structure fixed to a frame and positioned between adjacent gas-generant grains arranged in a longitudinal stack. Fire suppression systems comprising such gas-generating devices are also described. Additionally, methods of manufacturing gas-generating devices, as well as methods of generating a gas and methods of suppressing a fire utilizing such gas-generating devices are described.

A group of tertiary amine azides are useful as hypergolic fuels for hypergolic bipropellant mixtures. The fuels provide higher density impulses than monomethyl hydrazine (MMH) but are less toxic and have lower vapor pressures that MMH. In addition, the fuels have shorter ignition delay times than dimethylaminoethylazide (DMAZ) and other potential reduced toxicity replacements for MMH.

Disclosed are thermite charges for use in well perforation and downhole fracing. The thermite charges have a core, and optionally a case, where at least one of the core and the case includes thermite material.

The present invention is directed to an explosive composition comprised of heavy ANFO and expanded polymeric beads that have a density that is less than the density of the heavy ANFO. The expanded polymeric beads have a size that is determined or based on the size of ammonium nitrate prills used in the heavy ANFO portion of the composition. In one embodiment, the expanded polymeric beads that are utilized in the composition are at least 70% of the lower limit of the mesh size of the predominant ammonium nitrate prill mesh size. In another embodiment, the expanded polymeric beads are at least 70% of the a size that is related to the average mesh size of the ammonium nitrate prills.

A gas generator for a safety device for a motor vehicle, comprises at least two distinct chambers which communicate with each other through at least one opening or nozzle. A first chamber is isolated from the outside. A second chamber or “diffusion” chamber is able to receive gases generated by the combustion of a solid pyrotechnical charge placed in the first chamber, and to discharge them towards the outside. The solid charge is a mixture consisting of at least one oxidizing charge and a reducing charge, the oxygen balance of which is equilibrated. A heat generator is provided which generates sufficient heat for triggering and sustaining the combustion of the charge without any other interaction, notably of the chemical type, between the heat generator and the charge.

The invention relates to the field of explosives, and more particularly relates to particles of an explosive, wherein they are in crystalline form, have a rounded shape and a majority of them contain no internal defect. Particles of an explosive in crystalline form include a volume fraction of closed pores of less than or equal to 0.05%. A method for preparing explosive particles includes preparing crystalline particles, a majority of which are without an internal defect; and rounding the crystalline particles.

Methods of forming energetic compositions include forming a premix comprising a nitrate ester, a polymer, and a stabilizer, and combining solids with the premix. Additional stabilizer may be added with the solids and may remain in a crystalline state. Some methods include dissolving a stabilizer in at least one of a plurality of nitrate esters. Energetic compositions include a continuous matrix and a stabilizer. The continuous matrix includes a nitrate ester and surrounds a solid energetic material. Some compositions include a first nitrate ester, a second nitrate ester having a decomposition rate lower than the first nitrate ester, and a stabilizer. An article includes a housing and an energetic composition in the housing.

A substantially nitrocellulose-free insensitive gun propellant for barrel-type weapons is provided. The gun propellant includes at least one nitramine, such as HMX and/or RDX, a second energetic, and an inert binder system. The gun propellant is capable of producing a maximum projectile velocity exceeding 2680 ft/sec when fired from a 5 inch 54 caliber gun and gives a response to slow cook-off insensitive munitions testing of Type 4 or higher, and a response to fragment impact insensitive munitions testing of Type 3 or higher as measured by STANAG 4382 and STANAG 4496, respectively. Also provided is an ammunition round assembly, and an armament system.

Perchlorate-free flare compositions are disclosed which, when burned, produce yellow smoke and flames. Methods of producing the compositions are also disclosed.

A gas generator 10 includes an autoignition composition that contains an alkali metal chlorate such as potassium chlorate as an oxidizer, a carboxylic acid such as DL-tartaric acid as a fuel, and a desiccant in operable communication therewith. Gas generating systems 180 such as vehicle occupant protection systems 180, containing the gas generator 10, are also provided.

A lead-free pyrotechnic and primary explosive compositions including metal iodates as an oxidizer in nanocomposite energetic compositions including metal powder fuel.