A flap detector can detect significant flapping with magnitudes of state deltas (i.e., differences between values representing events or states). The flap detector aggregates monotonic state deltas. Aggregating monotonic state deltas yields a magnitude of monotonic state deltas. A magnitude of a series of same direction state deltas can be considered the magnitude of flap because the end of the series corresponds to a beginning of a state delta series in a different direction. When directional transition occurs (i.e., flapping occurs), the flap detector generates multiple monotonic state delta magnitudes. The determined magnitudes can be used to filter out insignificant flapping that could be considered noise.

A computerized monitoring system and method for detecting electrical equipment failure. The system includes a sensor that detects a sound level representative of ultrasonic emissions radiating from electrical equipment to be monitored. A computer system in communication with the sensor is programmed to determine whether the electrical equipment is experiencing one or more of arcing, tracking, or corona based on the sound level detected by the sensor. In some embodiments, the computer system continuously monitors for these conditions based on the sound level detected by the sensor.

A glucose meter with an adjustable alarm and an integral wireless transmitter to send a user a reminder to take a second glucose level measurement. The glucose meter with an alarm features a housing with a display and input buttons connected to a microprocessor. The housing has a slot designed to accept a strip with a sample of blood. A glucose level sensor within the housing is adapted to measure the glucose level of the blood sample. After the measurement is taken, an alarm is set to activate after a predetermined period of the time, reminding a user to take a second glucose level measurement. The alarm can be an auditory or a vibrating alarm. Additionally, the wireless transmitter is designed to send an email or text message to a user as a reminder to take a second glucose level measurement.

The present invention relates to a personal protection service and method, comprise: a user terminal requesting a personal protection service by transmitting basic user information, a situation setting message, and etc., when an emergency arises; a personal protection service server connecting to the user terminal through a mobile communication network to provide an Individual Safety Guard service; and a terminal of an institution connected to the personal protection service server and a social safety network. When an emergency arises, a user who encounters danger presses an emergency button on a terminal to immediately request to the personal protection service server that the emergency be transmitted to the terminal of a guardian or an institute linked to the social safety network to respond within a short period of time, and the location of the user terminal requesting rescue is tracked so that safety personnel can be immediately dispatched to provide safety.

A monitoring and alert system for retro-fitting to latching mechanisms. A master control unit is located proximate to an operator of the system. It includes a user interface having: an input enabling an operator to arm the system and then allow it to operate with minimal interaction of the operator. It also includes an output alerting the operator as to the status of the system in relation to a plurality of prescribed conditions. One or more slave units having sensing units detecting a latched and unlatched state are attached to a discrete latching mechanism for detecting the latching status thereof. Each slave unit comprises sensing means to detect whether the latching mechanism is in a latched state or an unlatched state.

Processes and apparatuses for co-processing pyrolysis effluent and a hydrocarbon stream in which a char produced by the catalytic cracking of the pyrolysis effluent is recovered and utilized to provide energy, such as heat to the catalytic cracking zone. The char can be burned in various combustion zones associated with the catalytic cracking zone. The char is produced from a renewable resource.

Helical wick candle and method of manufacturing this candle. The candle typically comprises a candle with meltable fuel such as wax, and at least one helical wick with a helical radius of at least ¼″ or greater. This helical wick is configured so that as the candle burns, the burning tip of the wick doesn't remain stationary, but rather circles the axis of the wick so as to burn more of the wax than would otherwise be possible with a prior art straight wick candle, at least when the diameter of the candle is larger than the pool of melted wax surrounding the wick. This results in higher fuel burning efficiency, often 1.5× or higher, as well as various interesting artistic shapes as the wick burns. Various wick sheath methods to improve the rigidity and burn resistance of the wick during the burning process are also discussed.

A burner control valve with speed control includes a speed control assembly for metering loading pressure into a loading pressure chamber to prevent pilot light blow out and/or backfire in a downstream burner.

The hydrogen combustion catalyst includes a catalyst metal supported on a carrier made of an inorganic oxide, wherein: a functional group having at least one alkyl group with three or less carbon atoms is bonded to a terminal of a hydroxyl group on the carrier surface by substitution; platinum and palladium are supported as the catalyst metal; and a chlorine content is 300 ppm to 2,000 ppm per 1 mass % of the total supported amount of a supported amount of platinum and a supported amount of palladium. The total supported amount of platinum and palladium is preferably 0.1 to 5.0 mass % based on mass of a whole catalyst. In the hydrogen combustion catalyst according to the present invention, when treating a gas that contains iodine and hydrogen, catalyst poisoning by iodine is suppressed.

Helical wick candle and method of manufacturing this candle. The candle typically comprises a candle with meltable fuel such as wax, and at least one helical wick with a helical radius of at least ¼″ or greater. This helical wick is configured so that as the candle burns, the burning tip of the wick doesn't remain stationary, but rather circles the axis of the wick so as to burn more of the wax than would otherwise be possible with a prior art straight wick candle, at least when the diameter of the candle is larger than the pool of melted wax surrounding the wick. This results in higher fuel burning efficiency, often 1.5× or higher, as well as various interesting artistic shapes as the wick burns. Various wick sheath methods to improve the rigidity and burn resistance of the wick during the burning process are also discussed.

Systems and methods for a pyrolytic oven for processing waste include multiple zones associated with multiple independently-controlled heating sources. The pyrolytic oven may have multiple sensors also associated with each zone. The pyrolytic oven may also include a fuel management system which adjusts a power level of each heating source for each zone independently based on a reading of the corresponding sensor.

This disclosure relates generally to valves, and more particularly, to gas valve assemblies. In one example, the valve assembly may include a valve body with an inlet port, an outlet port, and a fluid path extending between the inlet and outlet ports, one or more valves situated about the fluid path, one or more valve actuators for selectively moving respective valves, one or more sensors for sensing one or more parameters within the fluid path, and a controller secured relative to the valve body and in communication with the one or more sensors for determining one or more valve assembly conditions based on the one or more sensed parameters. Illustratively, the controller may be configured to communicate information from the valve assembly to a combustion appliance controller that is located remotely from the valve assembly through a communications interface of the controller and across a communications bus.

A monitor for a natural gas-fired appliance is provided. The monitor comprises: a natural gas cycle-monitor interface configured to receive cycling signals from one or more of: the appliance; and a monitoring device located in the appliance and/or proximal to the appliance; a processor, in communication with the interface, configured to monitor cycles of the appliance based on the cycling signals; one or more indicators, in communication with the processor, configured to provide an alarm when the processor determines that the cycles of the appliance meets a threshold value; a first reset device configured to temporarily reset the one or more indicators to turn off the alarm when actuated, the one or more indicators again providing the alarm after a given time period following a temporary reset; and, a second reset device configured to reset monitoring of the cycles at the processor when actuated.

An charge element disposed proximate to a combustion reaction is caused to carry a voltage while also being prevented from arc-discharging or arc-charging to or from the combustion reaction, by a current limiting element in electrical continuity with the charge element.

A sealpot for a combustion power plant includes a downcomer standpipe which receives solids of the combustion power plant, a bed including a first end and a second opposite end, the first end connected to the downcomer standpipe, a discharge standpipe disposed at the second opposite end of the bed, and an orifice plate disposed between the bed and the discharge standpipe separating the discharge standpipe from the bed. The orifice plate includes apertures disposed at a height above the bed which allow transport of fluidized solids and gas through the orifice plate.

The present invention relates to materials and systems useful for increasing the safety profile of a candle. In particular, the present invention provides a thermally-protective material that is useful to prepare labels or wraps to encircle or surround a candle. The present invention further provides a cool-touch thermally-protected candle assembly.

A system and method for electrically charging a combustion flame with a power supply.

A candle assembly for making a personalized scented candle including a candle body comprises a coring device that is configured to remove a core from the candle body, the coring device including (i) a leading edge that selectively extends into the candle body; and (ii) a plurality of measurement markers that measure a depth of the leading edge within the candle body. The coring device can be configured to remove the core from the candle body to form a cavity in the candle body. Additionally, the measurement markers can be utilized to determine a depth of the cavity formed in the candle body by the coring device.

Embodiments of the inventive concept provide a double-sealed high-temperature resistant DC ignitor for use with a wood pellet burner assembly. The DC ignitor includes a non-heating element portion. The non-heating element portion is connected to at least one of a battery or an AC to DC electrical transformer attached to the wood pellet burner assembly. A heating element is connected to the non-heating element portion, and extends by at least one inch into a combustion region of the wood pellet burner assembly. The heating element portion is configured to be heated by power received from the battery or the AC to DC electrical transformer. The DC ignitor provides safe, reliable, and fast combustion of wood pellets that congregate in a combustion region of the wood pellet burner assembly.

A cracking furnace includes a combustion volume defined in part by a burner wall having a refractory lining. A plurality of perforated flame holders is arranged in an array that is spaced away from the wall, with fuel input faces facing the wall. Each of a plurality of fuel nozzles is positioned and configured to emit a fuel stream toward the input face of a respective one of the plurality of perforated flame holders. Combustion reactions, supported by the fuel streams emitted by the fuel nozzles, and held by the flame holders, release heat, which is emitted by the flame holders as thermal (blackbody) radiation, a portion of which impinges upon, and heats the inner face of the refractory lining. Thermal radiation from the flame holders and the wall impinges upon a load positioned in the approximate center of the combustion volume, between burner walls.

A wedge apparatus for a stirrup for reducing alleviating pain on a horseback rider's knees and ankles, the stirrup comprising a pair of opposing side bars, a hangar bar portion and a footrest bar, the wedge apparatus comprising (a) a wedge associated with the footrest bar, the wedge having a lateral portion and a medial portion, the lateral portion being thicker than and tapering toward the medial portion; (b) an impact-absorbing material; and, (c) an attachment mechanism for attaching the wedge and the impact-absorbing material to the footrest bar.

A horse blanket allowing freer movement of a horse in use, comprising a generally rectangular piece of material with a front edge, a rear edge and two side edges. The blanket is split, from each side edge to the center line thereof, into a front section and a rear section, the front and rear sections being connected together at the center line of the blanket to define a flexible joint therebetween, about which the blanket articulates. The flexible joint extends to a position to each side of the center line. The flexible joint is positioned, in use, at a location to the rear of the horse's withers where the pommel of a saddle would be properly positioned. The articulation of the blanket about the flexible joint facilitates up and down movements, side to side movements, as well as twisting movements of the front section relative to the rear section in response to movements of the horse.

A saddle horn assembly attached to the tree of a saddle in lieu of a conventional saddle horn consisting of a post of rectangular prismatic configuration with a receiving chamber for insertion of a quick release locking pin, a cap with a quick release locking pin attached to and protruding from the bottom thereof that allows the cap to be detached and reattached to the post within seconds, and a dally traction device with a central void of complimentary dimensions to the post, having a hyperboloid external configuration and being symmetrical in both the horizontal and vertical planes such that the device may be rotated and/or inverted about the post so that it may be quickly and easily manipulated to numerous positions to generate even wear about the exterior, thus increasing the longevity of the device and improving the safety and effectiveness of dallying.

A halter having a continuous headstall strap that fits over the poll of the horse's head and includes a lead attachment ring at the bottom of the headstall strap.

Disclosed is a horseback riding animal and article carrier attachable to a horse saddle. The device comprises a housing having upstanding sidewalls, a plurality of securement straps and an elastic contact pad. The housing is an open enclosure having upstanding sidewalls, a base and an open upper to support a pet or a plurality of personal items therein. Along the underside of the base and extended along a forward side of the housing is a contact pad that bears against a horse croup and the backside of a horse saddle cantle. An upstanding, horizontal and diagonal strap are provided along the sides of the housing connect to a saddle strap connectable to a saddle girth along both sides of the horse. The straps are length adjustable to tension the straps and draw the housing toward the horse and the saddle during use.

A head covering that protects a dog or other animal against the intrusion of harmful things or elements such as insects, foreign matter, and weed seeds, which can enter the animal's ears, eyes, or nose and cause discomfort or damage.

A trigger arrangement for an animal training apparatus, the trigger arrangement including a fluid pump having a pump actuator, the pump including an inlet and an outlet and a sound emitter configured to be actuated by the pump actuator, wherein actuation of the pump pumps fluid from the inlet to the outlet accompanied by a simultaneous emission of sound from the sound emitter.

An insect repellent compound that includes naturally occurring oil that emits an odor which repels insects is described. The compound is not harmful to animals, to humans or to the environment. The compound may be incorporated into materials such as yarn that is woven to form a mesh. The material may be used for making an animal mask, for screen doors and other applications. A method of making the compound and incorporating it into materials and products is described.

A seat support device for a riding animal or a pack animal, a saddle tree, and a saddle with such a saddle tree. The seat support device comprises a right multi-linked lug arrangement with a first link section and at least a second link section and a left multi-linked lug arrangement with a first link section and at least a second link section. A pivoting device with a pivot axis is each formed case between two adjacent link sections, so that two adjacent link sections are pivotable towards one other around a pivot axis substantially within a pivot plane which penetrates the pivot axis substantially perpendicular.

Methods and apparatus for recording and retrieval of optically readable data employ a recording medium (100) which comprises an optically active material (108) able to induce a change in properties of the medium in the presence of optical radiation having a first characteristic, such as a first optical frequency, and wherein the change in properties can be inhibited by optical radiation having a second characteristic, such as a second optical frequency. During recording, a region of the recording medium (100) is irradiated with a first beam (506) of optical radiation having the first characteristic, the beam having a sufficient intensity within a central portion of the irradiated region and being of sufficient duration to cause an optically induced change in properties of the recording medium. Simultaneously, the region of the recording medium (100) is irradiated with a second beam (508) of optical radiation having the second characteristic, the second beam having a local intensity minimum within the central portion of the irradiated region, and a local intensity maximum in at least one portion of the irradiated region adjacent to the central portion which is sufficient to inhibit the optically induced change in properties of the recording medium. A similar method is employed for retrieval, however the intensity of the first beam (506) is reduced to prevent changes in material properties within the recording medium (100).

An apparatus includes a slider of a recording head comprising a plurality of electrical bond pads coupled to bias sources and a ground pad. Each of a plurality of electrical components of the slider is coupled to at least one of the electrical bond pads. At least one of the electrical bond pads is a shared electrical bond pad coupled to at least two of the electrical components. At least one diode is coupled to at least one of the electrical bond pads and at least one of the electrical components.

A main pole has a front end face including a first end face portion and a second end face portion. A plasmon generator has a near-field light generating surface. A surrounding layer has a first surrounding layer end face and a second surrounding layer end face located on opposite sides of the first end face portion in the track width direction. A gap film has a first gap film end face and a second gap film end face located on opposite sides of the near-field light generating surface in the track width direction. Each of the first and second gap film end faces includes a portion located between the first and second surrounding layer end faces, but does not include any portion interposed between the first surrounding layer end face and the first end face portion or between the second surrounding layer end face and the first end face portion.

A device including a near field transducer, the near field transducer including gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), or aluminum (Al), and at least two other secondary atoms, the at least two other secondary atoms selected from: boron (B), bismuth (Bi), indium (In), sulfur (S), silicon (Si), tin (Sn), manganese (Mn), tellurium (Te), holmium (Ho), lutetium (Lu), praseodymium (Pr), scandium (Sc), uranium (U), barium (Ba), chlorine (Cl), cesium (Cs), dysprosium (Dy), europium (Eu), fluorine (F), germanium (Ge), hydrogen (H), iodine (I), rubidium (Rb), selenium (Se), terbium (Tb), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), carbon (C), antimony (Sb), gadolinium (Gd), samarium (Sm), thallium (Tl), cadmium (Cd), neodymium (Nd), phosphorus (P), lead (Pb), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), erbium (Er), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), palladium (Pd), vanadium (V), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), lithium (Li), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), sodium (Na), strontium (Sr), calcium (Ca), yttrium (Y), thorium (Th), beryllium (Be), thulium (Tm), erbium (Er), ytterbium (Yb), promethium (Pm), neodymium (Nd cobalt (Co), cerium (Ce), lanthanum (La), praseodymium (Pr), or combinations thereof.

In a case where (i) a reflectance calculated from a reflected light amount obtained from a longest pit (P1max) or a longest space (S1max) in a first pit row is defined as a first reflectance and (ii) a reflectance calculated from a reflected light amount obtained from a longest pit (P2max) or a longest space (S2max) in the second pit row is defined as a second reflectance, the first pit row is formed such that the first reflectance becomes substantially identical with the second reflectance.

Various embodiments concern a suspension assembly of a disk drive. The suspension assembly includes a load beam comprising a major planar area formed from a substrate. The load beam further comprises a window in the substrate, a dimple formed from the substrate, and a flange. The flange is a region of the major planar area that extends partially around the dimple but does not extend along an edge of the dimple. The edge of the dimple is adjacent to the window. The dimple is in contact with the flexure. A HAMR block or other element can extend through the window. The lack of a full flange can minimize the necessary clearance between the dimple and the HAMR block or other element and thereby allow the window to be enlarged to accommodate the HAMR block or other element.

An optical-information recording/reproducing apparatus of the present invention is capable of carrying out position detection of a reproduction image even if reproduction image data with incomplete alignment marks (markers) is obtained. A relative correlation value is calculated from a first correlation value retained by a first correlation-value retaining unit and a second correlation value retained by a second correlation-value retaining unit, and pass/fail of a position detection result of the marker is judged according to the relative correlation value. The pass/fail of the position detection result is judged by mutually comparing the detection positions of the markers judged as passes by the relative correlation-value judgement, the positions of the markers judged as fail by the relative correlation-value judgement or the mutual position judgement is complemented, and the position of two-dimensional data is detected based on the pass-judged markers and the complemented markers.

There are provided an optical disk and an optical disk recording method which are capable of stable data reading in a case where a recording linear density is increased. According to an optical disk of the present disclosure, a run-in pattern recorded in a groove track and a run-in pattern recorded in a land track are made different patterns so that no great change is caused in the amplitude of an acquired signal due to interference between adjacent recording patterns, and thus, data may be stably read.

First and second signal patterns are used to write corresponding portions of first and second adjacent tracks to a magnetic storage medium. A characteristic of the first signal pattern is changed based on the second signal pattern, the changing of the characteristic reducing an adjacent track interference affecting the second track.

The present disclosure relates to a reproduction apparatus. The reproduction apparatus may comprise an optical filter and electric filters. The optical filter may be configured to provide electrical signals corresponding to regions of an optical beam returning from an optical medium, the optical beam being incident on the optical filter, the regions of the optical beam corresponding to different bands in a line density direction and/or a track density direction. The electric filters may be configured to provide outputs based, at least in part, on the electrical signals provided by the optical filter, wherein the reproduction apparatus is configured to obtain a reproduced signal by combining the outputs of the electric filters.

The system and corresponding process includes a system for producing a mechanical image of original audio source media and a system for encoding the mechanical image information into a digital file. A processing system recovers the mechanical image information from the digital file at a receiving end. Audio processing is used to produce the original audio source material without the standard losses associated with digital encoding of audio material

An optical medium reproduction device includes: a detection unit configured to form detection signals of respective channels by dividing a cross-section of a beam returning from the optical medium into a plurality of regions and performing division into at least one channel corresponding to the region at an outer side in a radial direction, at least one channel corresponding to the region that is different in position in a tangential direction, and a channel corresponding to the other regions, and, in a case of forming the detection signals of the channels, form the detection signal of at least one of the channels by weighting and adding a signal in a predetermined region among the plurality of regions; a multi-input equalizer unit configured to include a plurality of equalizer units to which the respective detection signals of the plurality of channels are supplied, and configured to form an equalized signal on the basis of the detection signals of the plurality of channels; and a binarization unit configured to perform a binarization process on the equalized signal to obtain binary data.

Provided is an optical information recording medium including: a continuously wobbling groove formed in advance by a CAV or a zone CAV. Information is allowed to be recorded on the groove and a land adjacent to the groove, address information is recorded by modulating the wobble, the address information includes a sync pattern indicating a position of the address information and address data, and the sync pattern includes a plurality of first wobble patterns and a second wobble pattern between the first wobble patterns, and at least part of intervals of the first wobble patterns are set to unequal intervals.

An optical disk drive and a digital servo method for the optical disk drive includes controlling functions of the optical disk drive with a microprocessor. Low-pass filtered and gain adjusted versions of individual photodetector output signals resulting from an illumination of an optical disk are received. Versions of the individual photodetector output signals are digitized to produce digital signals. A focus control signal and/or a tracking control signal is determined through at least one servo algorithm executed by a digital signal processor based on a focus error and/or tracking error, respectively, determined from the digital signals. The digital signal processor is an integrated circuit structured and arranged for manipulation of digital signals in accordance with programmed commands, and in a manner that operates faster than the microprocessor.

An apparatus includes a storage medium operable to store a number of data tracks, a read channel circuit operable to process the data tracks read from the storage medium, and a track quality classifier circuit operable to determine a track quality metric for the data tracks read from the storage medium. The track quality metric indicates whether a corresponding one of the data tracks that has failed to successfully process in the read channel circuit can be reprocessed within a track gap period.

An apparatus includes a slider body of a disk drive. The slider body is electrically coupled to a plurality of end bond pads. A voltage applied to one more of the end bond pads sets a surface potential of the slider body.

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus and method thereof which compensate for the effect of mechanical instability on holographic data storage. A time dependent deviation profile of an optical beam during recording is determined. The time dependent deviation profile is related to a phase profile to be applied to a reference beam during recording or reproduction of a hologram, and the related phase profile is applied to the reference beam during recording or reproduction of the hologram.

Electro-mechanical and electronically controlled access devices are described for controlling access to a building, premises or area in a secure manner such that a subject who is deemed ineligible for access will be barred entry and may be optionally retained. The devices can contain multiple rotatable door panels, which can be positioned behind one another. The door panels can be controlled by mechanized arms or other control devices in order to control the passage through the device. The direction of flow through a device according to these embodiments is electronically controlled and may be changed at any point in time. At any instant in time, the flow through the device is unidirectional. Multiple devices can be stacked together to form clusters, which can be controlled according to traffic, time of day, or other factors.

A sealing member for a vehicle opening includes a first co-extrusion layer formed from a first elastomeric composition, a second co-extrusion layer formed from a second elastomeric composition, and a third co-extrusion layer formed from a thermoplastic vulcanizate composition. The first co-extrusion layer defines a mounting channel, a window channel, and a front face spaced from the mounting channel and the window channel. The second co-extrusion layer has a portion disposed on the front face of the first co-extrusion layer and a sealing lip disposed on the first co-extrusion layer abutting the portion and extending away from the first co-extrusion layer towards a distal end. The third co-extrusion layer is disposed on the portion and the sealing lip of the second co-extrusion layer for covering segments of the second co-extrusion layer that are visible from an exterior of the vehicle.

A demountable modular wall system including a series of individual wall panels that can be positioned adjacent to each other. The demountable wall system includes a doorway defined by a pair of spaced vertical posts and a horizontal header. In one embodiment, a sliding glass door is movable along a sliding door track mounted to the horizontal header. A lower trim assembly mounted to the bottom end of the sliding glass door adjusts the overall height of the door. The doorway can also include a pivoting glass door. The pivoting glass door includes a bottom pivot assembly having a bottom clamp adjustably positioned along a bottom end of the pivoting glass door. The adjustable bottom clamp can be moved along the bottom end of the pivoting glass door and receives a pivot pin supported on the floor. A top pivot assembly includes a movable plunger that defines a portion of the pivot axis for the pivoting glass door.

A roll-up door seal that may be monolithically formed from a single material of uniform density. The seal is sized and adapted to assemble to a standard roll-up door frame without a separate or dedicated frame structure. The seal provides redundant sealing surfaces, positioned to cooperate with both the door and door frame, which ensure an effective and durable fluid tight seal between the cargo space enclosed by the roll-up door and the ambient environment. The seal may be produced by extrusion from a flexible, weather resistant material such as EPDM, thereby providing a low cost solution for sealing roll-up doors having industry standard door frame constructions. The seal is firmly engageable with the door frame, such that the seal may be installed with little or no secondary fixation.