An apparatus for locating a central axis of a spinal column and method of using the same is disclosed. The apparatus and method includes one or more members capable of spanning a center line which may then be identified by at least one additional member positioned therebetween. Furthermore, the device may contain or be capable of accommodating various additional tools for marking the location of the central axis of a spinal column.

A method of indicating an interference magnetic field at an electronic device includes: displaying a first arrow indicating a direction of magnetic north on a display of the electronic device, the direction of the first arrow corrected to remove interference caused by an interference magnetic field; and displaying a second arrow indicating a direction of a source of the interference magnetic field on a display of the electronic device.

To enable firm bonding to a member including a polyaryl ether ketone resin. A bonding method including: a bonding material applying step for applying, to the surface of a member including a polyaryl ether ketone resin, a bonding material including (A) a polymerizable monomer and (B) at least a portion of components for configuring a polymerization initiator, the content ratio of polymerizable monomers at least having two or more polymerizable functional groups in a (p2) molecule among all polymerizable monomers being 50% by mass or greater, and the content ratio of polymerizable monomers at least having one or more polymerizable functional groups and one or more functional groups capable of hydrogen bonding in a (p1h1) molecule being 5% by mass or greater; and a curing step for curing the bonding material. A bonding material and bonding kit using the bonding method.

A post for a dental crown is disclosed having improved structural features—including increased post strength and reduced likelihood of root fracture. In one embodiment, the post includes a quadrangle (4-way) split shank for increased compliance and root stress reduction while providing very high mechanical grip strength and pull-out resistance. In another embodiment, a shortened threaded section and a thread-free shank tip minimize the possibility of root fracture while still providing high grip strength and pull-out resistance. Embodiments also include a radiused transition from a primary thread to a secondary thread portion of the shank for stress reduction; and axial grooves, cross-axis through holes and other shape features of the post head for increased crown retention strength.

The present invention provides a modified cellulosic fiber having reduced hydrogen bonding capabilities. The modified fiber formed in accordance with the present invention may be useful in the production of tissue products having improved bulk and softness. More importantly, the modified fiber is adaptable to current tissue making processes and may be incorporated into a tissue product to improve bulk and softness without an unsatisfactory reduction in tensile.

The invention discloses a laundry article used for both cleaning and conditioning fabrics comprising a water-insoluble nonwoven substrate and coated thereon into at least one zone each a detergent composition and a fabric conditioning composition. The fabric conditioning composition comprises a quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant, an alkoxylated fatty alcohol and a fatty acid.

A high-voltage electronic switch includes first and second transistors defining a current flow path between an input and output of the switch. The transistors have a common point of the current flow path and a common control terminal. A control circuit includes a voltage line receiving a limit operating voltage and first and second branches coupled between the voltage line and the common point and common control terminal, respectively. Further transistors are activated, upon turning-off of the first and second transistors, for coupling the branches to the voltage line. The branches include a parallel connected resistor, diode, and string of diodes with opposite polarities. The diode of the first branch plus string of diodes of the second branch and diode of the second branch plus string of diodes of the first branch provide coupling paths between the voltage line and, respectively, the common point and common control terminal.

A method includes optically interacting a bulk material or powder stored in a hopper with an integrated computational element (“ICE”) configured to detect a characteristic of the bulk material or powder. The method also includes generating an output signal corresponding to the characteristic of the bulk material or powder, and receiving and processing the output signal with a signal processor to yield a value for the characteristic of the bulk material or powder. Also, the method includes transmitting a message flagging the hopper when it is determined that the bulk material or powder is not suitable for usage.

A method includes optically interacting a bulk material or powder stored in a storage bin with an integrated computational element (“ICE”) configured to modify an electromagnetic radiation according to a characteristic of the bulk material or powder. The method also includes detecting the modified electromagnetic radiation with a detector, and producing an output signal correlated to a value for the characteristic of the bulk material or powder, and receiving and processing the output signal with a signal processor to yield a value for the characteristic of the bulk material or powder. Also, the method includes transmitting a message flagging the storage bin when it is determined that the bulk material or powder is not suitable for continued storage. The bulk material or powder includes a dry cement or a dry cement component.

A heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) write apparatus is described. The HAMR write apparatus is coupled with a laser that provides energy. The HAMR writer has a media-facing surface (MFS) and a laser-facing surface. The HAMR write apparatus includes a free-standing reflector and at least one waveguide. The free-standing reflector resides on the laser-facing surface and has a concave reflective surface oriented to receive the energy from the laser. The waveguide(s) are optically coupled with the free-standing reflector and direct energy from the laser toward the MFS.

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can determine respective geographic locations of a set of users associated with a page that is accessible through a social network. At least one centroid for the page can be generated based at least in part on the respective geographic locations of the set of users. At least one area of influence of the page can be determined based at least in part on the centroid. At least one page recommendation can be presented to one or more users in the set of users based at least in part on the area of influence of the

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a search query input comprising one or more n-grams; parsing the search query input to identify keywords; generating query commands for the keywords. Each query command may specify: a particular object-type; one or more identifiers of one or more objects that match the search query input; and one or more types of relationships with respect to the objects. The method may further include searching a particular vertical that stores objects of the particular object-type having a relationship of the type of relationship with respect to one or more of the objects; generating a plurality of search-result modules corresponding to the query commands, each search-result module comprising references to objects of the particular object-type specified by the query command; and sending, to a client device, instructions for presenting an interface comprising one or more of the search-result modules.

A harvesting header includes a cutter bed having a plurality of cutting elements arranged transverse to the header and a crop chopping and conditioning region having a crop chopping device and a crop conditioning device. The crop chopping device is configured to chop crop cut by the cutter bed into smaller lengths and the crop conditioning device is configured to crimp the crop to aid in drying. The first chopping roller has a tubular, cylindrically-shaped body and a plurality of parallel knife-mounting lugs extending radially outward along substantially the full length of the body. A plurality of chopping knives are attached to the knife-mounting lugs and arranged around the body, each chopping knife having a length that is shorter than the length of the knife-mounting lug to which it is attached such that each chopping knife covers only a portion of the lateral length of the first chopping roller.

A conditioning device for a forage harvester is equipped with a first roller, profiled in the axial direction, and a second roller, also profiled in the axial direction. The two rollers are rotated, around their axes, in opposite directions and are aligned parallel to one another. An element, profiled, in the axial direction, in a manner complementary to the profile of the first roller and adjacent to the circumference of the first roller, for the removal of crop residues from the roller, extends in a circular arc over a part of the circumference of the first roller.

A method of ultrasonically bonding semiconductor elements includes the steps of: (a) aligning surfaces of a plurality of first conductive structures of a first semiconductor element to respective surfaces of a plurality of second conductive structures of a second semiconductor element; (b) ultrasonically forming tack bonds between ones of the first conductive structures and respective ones of the second conductive structures; and (c) forming completed bonds between the first conductive structures and the second conductive structures.

The invention relates to a brake shoe (1) for disk or drum brakes, which comprises a supporting plate (2) with a friction pad (3) attached thereto and at least one wear indicator (4), characterized in that the wear indicator (4) has a wear sensor (6) for continuous or multi-stage measurement of the wear of the friction lining and a receiver and transmitter unit (5) for wireless signal transmission, the receiver and transmitter unit being a passive RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) or SAW (Sound Acoustic Wave) transponder.

A binding screw for a wire connection assembly comprises a driving section, a threaded section, and a contact section. The contact section has a tapered penetration portion establishing electrical contact with a stranded wire. A length of the penetration portion is at least three-quarters of a diameter of the binding screw in the threaded section.

An electronic device system can include an electronic device. The electronic device can include a receptacle, and a device logic driving status unit configured to generate a status signal indicating activity of the electronic device, and a communications cable. The communications cable can include a first plug configured to connect to the receptacle and receive the status signal, wherein the first plug includes a status indicator configured to indicate activity of the electronic device based on the status signal.

An abrasive article including a bonded abrasive having a body formed of abrasive grains contained within a bond material, wherein the body grinds a superabrasive workpiece having an average Vickers hardness of at least about 5 GPa at an average specific grinding energy (SGE) of not greater than about 350 J/mm3, at a material removal rate of at least about 8 mm3/sec, and wherein grinding is a centerless grinding operation.

A radar sensor for detecting at least one object, having a control device to receive a control input signal; a signal generator to generate a transmit signal having a multitude of signal cycles, each signal cycle having a multitude of signal sequences, and a series of blocks being formed, each block having precisely one frequency ramp of each signal sequence, and the signal generator furthermore being designed to select a predefined quantity of blocks from the transmit signal based on the control input signal and to output them as output signal; an antenna device to transmit the output signal that is output by the signal generator and to receive a receive signal; and an evaluation device which is designed to ascertain, by superpositioning the transmit signal and the receive signal, a quantity with regard to an angle and/or a distance and/or a relative speed of the at least one object.

An automotive tool for servicing air-conditioning (AC) systems equipped with quick-connect adaptors. May be used to service modern refrigerant R132A-compatible systems or retrofitted older systems. The tool is adapted for attaching, detaching, opening, and closing valved T-adaptors used to attach gas lines and pressure gauges such as required for adjusting pressure in AC systems at full operational pressure and temperature, and particularly finds use when the “hi-tap” and “lo-tap” fittings are in hard to reach places around the engine block or chassis. The tool includes swappable extension arms so that length and angular geometry may be adjusted as needed. The tool aids in avoiding injury on dangerously hot surfaces and moving fan blades or belts. Surprisingly, using two such tools, one for the high tap and one for the low tap, a mechanic may work each tool singlehandedly to complete any necessary pressure adjustments.

An educational word game designed to be played with cards or with card squares with three level and three series. The game is entertaining and competitive and functions for the entire family with its multitude of games. It is a developmental tool, a teaching tool and an ongoing learning process of vocabulary building skills. In the Level I game the three letters selected are used independently of each other in the first position of each word, Level II Game in the second position, and Level III in the third position. The first series focus on single letters for all three game levels, the second series on the double letters, and the third series on triple letters. The alphabet letters and the corresponding numbers guideline have many useful purposes.

A novelty apparel includes multiple attached conformable, selectable and viewable occupational role playing indicia. A baseball cap includes a dome shaped crown of compound curves and a forward facing sun visor brim portion, a display region in a central front face portion of the dome shaped crown, where the display region displays a first permanent occupational status identifier and a mounting region for a secondary occupational status identifier selectable from a number of different indicia carried on a display surface conformable to said dome shaped crown. The selected indicium is displayed centered above the brim. The display surface conforms to the curved exterior of the dome shaped crown, wherein the baseball cap does not deviate substantially from the look of a typical baseball cap with a single permanent indicium.

A method and system for suspending a target above a surface that provides for supporting a support member above the surface. A hanger is used to suspend a target from the support member. When the target is hanging from the support member, it is induced into an angle so that its top portion is closer to a shooter. When the target is struck by an incoming projectile, it is allowed to pivot downward from its initial position and the target is also restrained from rotating about the axis of suspension.

Provided is an air-conditioning device for a vehicle, including: a cooling device configured to cool air passing through a duct; a heater core, which is arranged in the duct on a downstream side of airflow with respect to the cooling device, and is configured to use an engine coolant as a heat source to heat the air; a water valve provided in a coolant circulation system on an upstream side of the heater core; and a controller configured to control those components, in which the controller is configured to decrease an opening amount of the water valve in a predetermined cooling mode. The control is configured to, when the opening amount of the water valve is decreased, decrease a rotational speed of a compressor of the cooling device, and increase a target evaporator temperature of an evaporator of the cooling device, thereby decreasing cooling performance of the cooling device.

A wall-mounted air conditioner indoor unit includes a housing having a front housing and a rear housing, main air intake portions formed on the housing, a mixed air outlet formed on a lower portion of the front housing, a non-hot exchange air inlet formed on the rear housing, and an air delivery apparatus disposed inside the housing. The hot exchange air passage has an upper portion with a size greater than that of its lower portion. A volute and a centrifugal fan located inside the volute are disposed inside the housing and above the air delivery apparatus. An air output portion of the volute faces the hot exchange air passage, and includes a surrounding portion extending to the air delivery apparatus and surrounding the hot exchange air passages, and air mixed cavities are formed between the surrounding portion and the hot exchange air passages.

There is disclosed a vehicle air conditioner which is capable of enlarging an effective range of a dehumidifying and heating mode to environmental conditions and smoothly dehumidifying and heating a vehicle interior. A vehicle air conditioner 1 executes a dehumidifying and heating mode in which a controller lets a refrigerant discharged from a compressor 2 radiate heat in a radiator 4, and decompresses the refrigerant by which heat has been radiated and then lets the refrigerant absorb heat in a heat absorber 9 and an outdoor heat exchanger 7, the controller decreases an outdoor blower voltage FANVout of an outdoor blower 15 and decreases an air volume into the outdoor blower 15 in a case where a temperature Te of the heat absorber 9 is high even when the controller adjusts a valve position of an outdoor expansion valve 6 into a lower limit of controlling in a situation in which a temperature TCI of the radiator 4 is satisfactory.

A method for growing crystals in solution is suitable for the rapid, controlled and effective preparation of crystals of large dimensions from a solution supersaturated with a compound. The crystal growth is carried out under static conditions. To do this: the growth is performed in a crystallization chamber kept at a constant temperature Tc, which chamber is in fluid communication with a saturation chamber at a temperature Ts, similarly constant and different from Tc, with solubility of the compound at the temperature Ts greater than the solubility of the compound at the temperature Tc. A continuous circulation of the solution between the crystallization and saturation chambers is established, thus maintaining a constant supersaturation rate within the crystallization chamber. Furthermore, the circulating solution is subjected to a treatment for eliminating and inhibiting the formation of aggregates, enabling the nucleation of parasitic crystallites to be inhibited.

A MEMS piezoelectric device includes a monolithic semiconductor body having first and second main surfaces extending parallel to a horizontal plane formed by first and second horizontal axes. A housing cavity is arranged within the monolithic semiconductor body. A membrane is suspended above the housing cavity at the first main surface. A piezoelectric material layer is arranged above a first surface of the membrane with a proof mass coupled to a second surface, opposite to the first surface, along the vertical axis. An electrode arrangement is provided in contact with the piezoelectric material layer. The proof mass causes deformation of the piezoelectric material layer in response to environmental mechanical vibrations. The proof mass is coupled to the membrane by a connection element arranged, in a central position, between the membrane and the proof mass in the direction of the vertical axis.

The present disclosure relates to a dose indicator comprising, a chassis comprising a 42 chassis frame and a displacement portion, an indexable first display unit, mountable on the chassis, the first display unit being indexable about a first display axis, the indexable first display unit comprising a plurality of indexing teeth, a first display non-return arm, and a drive pawl connected at its proximal part to the displacement portion, the drive pawl comprising a socket at its distal part, the socket being adapted to engage an indexing tooth of the first display unit during indexing. The disclosure further relates to an actuator for an inhaler, wherein the actuator comprises a dose indicator as described above. The present disclosure is also directed to an inhaler comprising such actuator.

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for an antenna-based detection method and system for sensing an environmental change condition. The method and system is adapted such that the states comprising the environmental change condition are capable of being determined at the location of the detection point utilizing only the magnitude component of the antenna impedance as altered by the discrete change in the environmental condition.

A sputtering cathode includes a magnet having a body of length L1 defining a north magnetic pole at a first end of the body and a south magnetic pole at a second, opposite end of the body. A sputtering target of length L2 surrounds the body of the magnet, but not ends of the magnet.

An expanding plunger rod for a syringe is configured to transition from a packaged configuration to an expanded configuration for operation. The rod includes a substantially cylindrical outer sleeve having a closed-off bottom end and an open upper end, and an inner rod having a lower end and an upper end. The inner rod is slidably disposed coaxially within the outer sleeve. In the packaged configuration, the inner rod is nested within the outer sleeve. In the expanded configuration, the inner rod is disposed substantially axially above the outer sleeve, and the inner rod locks axially in place to prevent transition from the expanded to the packaged configuration.

The invention is directed to a dose indicating mechanism for drug delivery device (1) configured for the delivery of a medicament contained in single medicament cartridge (2), the medicament comprising at least one first drug and one second drug, wherein the dose indicating mechanism comprises a body (3), a dose dial component (7) configured to move relative to the body (3) during dose setting and first dose indicator means (10) configured to display a set dose of the medicament and/or of first drug in dependence of the displacement of dose dial component (7) during dose setting. In order to provide the user with further information, a second dose indicator means (15) is provided that is configured to display a set dose of the second drug during dose setting. The invention is also directed to a respective drug delivery device.

Systems and methods are disclosed for on-line monitoring of the condition of insulation in electrical devices employing a differential current sensor. In certain embodiments a monitor that can be fitted to existing electrical devices by attachment of the sensor to a pair of phase cables is provided. In other embodiments, an electrical device configured with an insulation monitor is provided.

The invention provides a breather tube indicator device which includes a sealing body which is adapted to fit within a breather tube of a grouted rock support installation to allow passage of air past the body, without the body moving relatively to the tube, but to resist passage of an adhesive material thereby to cause movement of the body relatively to the tube to an indicating position.

In a method of operating a sensor assembly for a fluid tank of a motor vehicle, plural sensor elements of the sensor assembly are electrically connected to a sensor controller. The sensor controller determines measuring data from the sensor elements, and transmits the measuring data from at least some of the sensor elements separately and at least in part sequentially to a reprogrammable control unit.

A method for manufacturing an oxygenated gasoline-blend by blending a hydrocarbon Basestock for Oxygenate Blending (BOB) with an alcohol such as ethanol to a required octane specification first blends the BOB to an octane number, (RON+MON)/2 based on the octane sensitivity (RON−MON) of the BOB and the proportion of alcohol to be added to the BOB, such that when the BOB is blended with the specification proportion of alcohol to form the oxygenated gasoline blend, this blend will have the required octane specification. The blending of the BOB with the alcohol will typically be done at a location remote from that where the BOB is blended, e.g. at the product distribution terminal after being transported from the refinery by pipeline or tank car.

ACT for America, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated as an anti-muslim hate group, showed up on Saturday morning in cities nationwide, dubbing its protest a "March Against Sharia." Berkeley was spared, but the group appeared in nearby Santa Clara, and in Roseville, a suburb of Sacramento.…

A package includes a conductive pad, with a plurality of openings penetrating through the conductive pad. A dielectric layer encircles the conductive pad. The dielectric layer has portions filling the plurality of openings. An Under-Bump Metallurgy (UBM) includes a via portion extending into the dielectric layer to contact the conductive pad. A solder region is overlying and contacting the UBM. An integrated passive device is bonded to the UBM through the solder region.

The adhesive system of the invention is especially useful in bonding replacement windows into vehicles. They allow for sufficient working time while still realizing a fast drive away time. The adhesive system is comprised of a moisture curable adhesive and a cure accelerator that may be applied using a simple single caulk gun and may be applied at ambient temperatures such as −10° C. and about 45° C. The cure accelerator is comprised of a polyol having a backbone that has at least one amine in the backbone. The moisture curable adhesive typically is comprised of an isocyanate terminated prepolymer.

A winding device includes: a separation unit that separates sheets layered and simultaneously transported; a winding unit that winds one of the sheets separated by the separation unit; and a pressure contact unit that presses the one of the sheets wound by the winding unit from outside of the wound sheet toward the winding unit.

A surface machining method for a single crystal SiC substrate, including: a step of mounting a grinding plate which includes a soft pad and a hard pad sequentially attached onto a base metal having a flat surface, a step of generating an oxidation product by using the grinding plate, and a step of grinding the surface while removing the oxidation product, wherein abrasive grains made of at least one metallic oxide that is softer than single crystal SiC and has a bandgap are fixed to the surface of the hard pad.

Provided are a substrate chuck and a substrate bonding system including the substrate chuck. The substrate bonding system includes a lower substrate chuck and an upper substrate chuck disposed on the lower substrate chuck. The lower substrate chuck has a non-flat lower substrate contact surface, and the upper substrate chuck has a flat upper substrate contact surface.

The present invention generally relates to an improved winding apparatus useful in the production of filament wound products and particularly wound tubular products having high length to diameter ratios. The improved winding apparatus comprises a support means for supporting a rotatable mandrel during the manufacture of wound products, the support means comprising a plurality of axially spaced pins extending circumferentially around the mandrel, and a support assembly having a semicircular inner face and an opening, wherein a portion of the plurality of pins is brought into contact with the inner face of the support assembly when the mandrel is rotated.

A machine (1) and a method for thermobonding using an emission of electromagnetic waves (13), for example microwaves, to activate one or a plurality of adhesive layers located between a support and one or a plurality of layers of flexible covering, through a bed of particles (4) fluidized by a humidified gas. A multi-layer upholstery item including at least one non-permeable layer and produced in a single operation is also described.

A heat exchange apparatus includes a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat between a refrigerant and another medium, a plurality of second heat exchangers configured to transfer heat between the refrigerant and the liquid, a compressor configured to pressurize the refrigerant and a plurality of expansion devices for each of the plurality of second heat exchangers and configured to expand the refrigerant pressurized by the compressor, wherein the refrigerant flows through the plurality of second heat exchangers in parallel, and the liquid flows through the plurality of second heat exchangers in series.

A desiccant air conditioning system for treating an air stream entering a building space, including a conditioner configured to expose the air stream to a liquid desiccant such that the liquid desiccant dehumidifies the air stream in the warm weather operation mode and humidifies the air stream in the cold weather operation mode. The conditioner includes multiple plate structures arranged in a vertical orientation and spaced apart to permit the air stream to flow between the plate structures. Each plate structure includes a passage through which a heat transfer fluid can flow. Each plate structure also has at least one surface across which the liquid desiccant can flow. The system includes a regenerator connected to the conditioner for causing the liquid desiccant to desorb water in the warm weather operation mode and to absorb water in the cold weather operation mode from a return air stream.

The present invention provides for a system for calibrating operation of a compressor unit in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. A measuring device measures an operating parameter of the HVAC system at a position where the measuring device is mounted on a refrigerant line of the HVAC system. The measuring device switches states when the value of the measured operating parameter reaches a switching value. A controller estimates a value of the first operating parameter at the position where the first measuring device is mounted on the refrigerant line, and the controller determines whether the estimated first operating parameter is within a threshold percentage of the switching value.