The present invention relates to a device for wetting or lubricating a rail head (7). The device has at least one outlet (30) for a wetting agent and/or lubricant. To ensure that the noise generated by a track-bound vehicle is reduced safely and regardless of the weather, a rail head-side end portion (33) of the at least one outlet (30) is movably mounted between a position at a remote distance from the rail head (7) and a position in closer proximity to the rail head.

A lubrication device for a hybrid vehicle power transmission device including a gear member, a first electric motor, and a second electric motor within a transaxle case, the lubrication device includes: a first pipe supplying oil forcibly transferred from an oil pump to the second electric motor; an oil passage branched from the first pipe; a first catch tank supplied with oil from the oil passage; a second pipe connected to the first catch tank to supply oil accumulated in the first catch tank to the first electric motor; an oil flow outlet disposed in the first catch tank and located above the second pipe; and a second catch tank disposed vertically beneath the first catch tank to receive oil outflowing from the oil flow outlet.

An air compressor with oil pump inlet strainer bypass features, including a bypass valve assembly in fluid communication with the air compressor crankcase to provide lubricating oil to the dynamic compressor components, or simply to the air compressor. The bypass valve assembly includes a valve housing defining an interior chamber and an oil strainer screen engaged with the valve housing to filter the lubricating oil entering the interior chamber. A bypass valve is in fluid communication with the interior chamber and includes a valve body having a bypass port and an indicator port. An optional suction tube is connected to the bypass port on the valve body. An indicator assembly is connected to the indicator port on the valve body.

A lubricant flow suppressor positioned proximate a rotating component for receiving ejected lubricant therefrom and reducing the kinetic energy of the ejected lubricant. The suppressor includes at least two perforated walls with a lubricant flow path formed therebetween.

A system and method for lubricating gears in a wind turbine blade pitch drive are provided, wherein the pitch drive comprises a drive pinion gear with gear teeth that engage a pitch bearing gear coupled to a respective wind turbine blade. A grease distributor is configured to mount onto and rotate with the pinion gear, and is configured to deliver grease from an external grease supply to at least one valley defined between adjacent teeth of the pinion gear in a contact area of the pinion gear with the bearing gear without the distributor contacting inter-engaging teeth of the bearing gear.

A gas turbine engine includes a geared architecture with a multiple of intermediate gears, and a baffle with an oil scavenge scoop adjacent to each of the multiple of intermediate gears. A geared architecture and method are also disclosed.

An article of footwear having an upper secured to an outsole in combination having three toe pockets, the first toe pocket having a configuration to separately receive within a big toe of a wearer, and the second toe pocket having a configuration to separately receive within a second toe of the wearer, and the third toe pocket having a configuration to receive within the remaining third toe, fourth toe and fifth toe of the wearer.

An illumination system is housed in a footwear, the footwear including a sole and an upper. A structure and a liner form inner layers connected to the upper. A plurality of illumination sources are electrically connected to a power source and positioned adjacent to the liner. The illumination sources are positioned between the liner and upper. A batting is designed to be light diffusing, while the upper has a light diffusing section. The light emitted from the plurality of illumination sources is diffused as it passes through the batting and light diffusing section. Aesthetic designs can be creating, either through the arrangement of the plurality of illumination sources or the provision of a light impermeable section on the upper. The light impermeable section, in combination with the light diffusion section, can be used to form or outline an aesthetic design. The result is an internally illuminated footwear with diffused light.

A waterproof breathable sole for shoes, which comprises, for at least part of its extension, at least two structural layers, a lower one provided with a supporting structure so as to form the tread, and an upper one that is permeable to water vapor. The lower layer has portions that are open onto the upper layer. A coating obtained by means of a plasma deposition treatment for waterproofing is provided on the upper layer. A layer is thus obtained that has structural functions and characteristics of resistance to damage and is at the same time waterproof and breathable.

In one embodiment, an article of footwear includes a sole and an upper attached to the sole. The upper and sole and configured to envelop at least a portion of human foot. The upper further includes a forefoot member attached to a forefoot portion of the sole and a heel member attached to a heel portion of the sole. The forefoot member and heel member are detached from each other at a location above the sole to enable individual adjustment of the forefoot member and the heel member.

An interchangeable cleat system for an article of footwear includes an outer sole member with a plurality of fixed cleat members and a plurality of removable cleat members. The spacing between the removable cleat members and the fixed cleat members may be approximately constant in at least one portion of the article of footwear. The differences in height between the removable cleat members and the fixed cleat members may be approximately constant within a portion of the outer sole member. The cleat system can include at least three sets of cleat members that can be interchanged over different portions of the outer sole member.

Systems and methods for toning footwear include a combination of a support ring, an insole with a cushioning material configured to contact a user's foot, and an outsole with one or more convex regions to create instability in the footwear. The support ring or stiffener band can be coupled to the outsole between the insole on one side and the forefoot and heel toning convexities on the other side. In some embodiments, the stiffener band can be formed of a material different from and stiffer than the material of the outsole. In accordance with various embodiments, when a user wears the toning footwear while walking, an increase in both the toning and strengthening of the calves, hamstrings and/or glutes results.

An article of footwear includes an upper and a midsole positioned beneath the upper. The midsole includes an upper portion formed of a first material and a lower portion formed of a second material and positioned beneath the upper portion. The lower portion includes a plurality of support members spaced from adjacent support members. A plurality of connecting members extend between and are connected to adjacent support members, with the connecting members having a height that is less than a height of the support members to which the connecting members are connected, and an upper surface that is substantially flush with an upper surface of the support members to which the connecting members are connected.

An article of footwear with a hydroplaning-resistant outsole and camouflaged toe cap is disclosed. In one example, an article of footwear includes an outsole with a ground contacting surface including a first and second plurality of angled channels angled relative to longitudinal and lateral axes of the footwear. Each angled channel in the first plurality of angled channels extends from the toe to an outer edge of a mid-foot region of the outsole, and each angled channel in the second plurality of angled channels extends from a back portion of the heel to a front portion of the heel. The ground contacting surface also includes a plurality of lateral waved grooves intersecting the first and second plurality of angled channels, and a plurality of lateral waved sipes intersecting the plurality of lateral waved grooves and the first and second plurality of angled channels.

A removable heel assembly, a shoe having a removable shoe assembly and kit containing a shoe body having a heel base and a plurality a assorted removable and interchangeable heels. The heel assembly includes the heel base and a removable and interchangeable heel. The removability relies upon at least one tapered groove ending in a dimple. The heel utilizes a locking connector which contains components which fit within a cavity within the heel base and which locks in place upon engagement thereof when the components engage the at least one tapered, groove and dimple.

A sole structure for an article of footwear and a method of making the sole structure is disclosed. The sole structure can include an outsole and a midsole. The midsole includes a cavity with a protruding portion. A U-shaped transparent member is configured to cover the cavity so that the protruding portion remains visible from within the cavity.

An article of footwear with a ball contacting member is disclosed. The ball contacting member enhances the ability of a wearer to kick a ball with a low trajectory. The ball contacting member can be attached to the article of footwear in various different ways.

A shoe (1) is disclosed comprising: an insole (1) fixed to the upper (T) and comprising a slot (10) in the heel area and a plurality of holes (11) in the plantar surface area. A ventilation system (2) comprises: a pump (4) disposed in the slot (10) of the insole, a membrane (3) fixed in the lower surface of the insole (1) under the holes (11), a connection pipe (20) connecting the chamber (40) of the pump with the spaces (32) of the membrane and an outlet conduit (21) connecting the chamber of the pump (40) with the outside to exhaust air. An outsole (9) obtained by directly injecting expandable material in a mold covers the ventilation system, insole and lower part of the upper (T). A mold (S) for performing said direct injection is also disclosed.

An article of footwear with an undulating sole provides a different and unique ride and/or feel to the article of footwear, while also providing a unique aesthetic appeal and adequate cushioning and support. The midsole has an undulating shape substantially similar to a sine wave with a series alternating peaks and troughs, and may include one or more support elements disposed on the midsole to provide desired stiffness or cushioning properties to the midsole.

A shoe wedge includes a support structure. The support structure includes two longitudinally extending wall portions that are biased towards one another such that the wall portions define a channel extending between the wall portions and an opening that extends from an upper surface of the support structure to a lower surface of the support structure. The opening has a larger cross sectional area at the upper surface than at the lower surface. The shoe wedge further includes a body portion that extends from the support structure. The body portion is configured with a surface that substantially conforms to a portion of a sole of a shoe.

The sole section of a shoe includes a midsole and an outsole, with the midsole being made from a translucent material. An illumination system is located inside the translucent midsole, causing the translucent midsole to be internally illuminated when the illumination system is active. Due to the translucent nature of the midsole light from the illumination system reflects internally throughout the midsole, increasing illumination. The light will also illuminate adjacent translucent components, such as the outsole if it is also made from a translucent material. Light from the illumination system can be blocked, such as by an opaque outsole or colored mold injection, and used to form an illuminated design or logo. By blacking out or covering sections of the translucent midsole, shapes and letters of visible light can be created in the negative space of the obstruction sections. This allows illuminated designs to easily be incorporated into footwear.

A fluid-filled chamber, which may be incorporated into articles of footwear and other products, may include an outer barrier and a tensile member. The outer barrier may have an upper portion, an opposite lower portion, and a peripheral edge. The upper portion and lower portion may be bonded together in a bonded region spaced inward from the peripheral edge. The bonded region may have a convex shape. The tensile member may be located within the outer barrier, and may be formed to have at least one gap. The bonded region may extend at least partially into the gap.

Footwear according to the present disclosure includes an upper and a sole assembly coupled to the upper, with the sole assembly including an outsole with a ground-contacting surface and a midsole positioned above the outsole. The midsole includes a peripheral lasting member that defines a central aperture, and a cushioning member positioned at least above the peripheral lasting member. In some embodiments, the footwear further includes a heel and the midsole includes a heel strike projection that engages the heel. In some embodiments, the midsole further includes a shank. In some embodiments, the cushioning member defines the optional heel strike projection, and in other embodiments, the optional shank defines the optional heel strike projection. In some embodiments, the footwear includes a spur support.

A waterproof breathable boot is disclosed. The boot includes an outsole, a three-piece bootie, a toe cap, a heel cap, a center front panel, an instep panel and a rear panel.

An article of footwear has an upper that includes a knitted component and a sole structure secured to the upper. The knitted component may define a tube formed of unitary knit construction, and a strand may extend through a length of the tube. As another example, the knitted component may have a pair of at least partially coextensive knitted layers formed of unitary knit construction, and a plurality of floating yarns may extend between the knitted layers. In some configurations, the knit type or yarn type may vary in different regions of the knitted component to impart different properties. Additionally, the knitted component may incorporate a thermoplastic yarn that is fused in different regions of the knitted component to impart different properties. A flat knitting process or a variety of other knitting processes may be utilized to form the knitted component.

A shoe, such as an athletic shoe, includes a pump assembly integral therewith. The pump assembly includes a pump which produces a stream of pressurized air and a delivery assembly which operates to deliver the stream of pressurized air to an end use location exterior of the shoe. The shoe may comprise an athletic shoe and may be utilized to inflate sports balls such as basketballs, footballs, and volleyballs.

A smartphone app that causes a smartphone device to actively control a configuration of footwear structural elements located in a footwear sole or removable inner sole insert of a user of the smartphone device, and one or more sensors located in either one or both of the sole or the removable inner sole insert the user's footwear and a sensor including a gyroscope and/or an accelerometer in the smartphone device; and the footwear structural elements being configured for computer control by the smartphone device when the smartphone app is operating on the smartphone device; and wherein instructions of the smartphone app, when executed, cause the smartphone device to, first, process measurement data received from the footwear and smartphone sensors and, second, use the processed measurement data to alter a configuration of the footwear structural elements based on the output from processing measurement data.

An insert for vapor-permeable and waterproof soles, which has a monolithic sheet-like structure, made of a polymeric material that is impermeable to water in the liquid state and permeable to water vapor. At least one functional portion of the insert for soles has such a thickness as to give it a penetration resistance of more than approximately 10 N, assessed according to the method presented in chapter 5.8.2 of the ISO 20344-2004 standard.

An article of footwear may include an upper and a sole structure fixedly attached to a bottom portion of the upper. The sole structure may include a sole component including a baseplate having a bottom surface and at least a first ground engaging member extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, the first ground engaging member having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape. In addition, the sole structure may also include a tapered support structure having a substantially pyramidal shape and extending substantially downward from the bottom surface of the baseplate, abutting the first ground engaging member at a side portion, and partially surrounding the first ground engaging member such that a portion of the first ground engaging member is exposed between edges of the tapered support structure. Also, the tapered support structure may extend downward from the baseplate less than the first ground engaging member.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a footwear sole including a midsole and an outsole. The midsole includes of a plurality of protrusions extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the midsole toward the outsole. The outsole may include a plurality of recesses positioned to mate with a corresponding protrusion from the midsole. The outsole may also include one or more protrusion extending downwardly from the bottom of the outsole. The outsole protrusions may correspond with an associated recess of the outsole top surface. The protrusions may be hemispherical in shape at their distal ends so that a portion of the distal end may be received by the corresponding recess of the outsole top surface.

A footwear accessory comprising a reversible footwear cover, the cover adapted to cover an article of footwear's uppers, sole and heel counter; a two sided sole attached to the cover, the sole adapted to provide both a frictional surface between the footwear and the cover and between a walking surface and the footwear; and, a cover retainer for securing the footwear cover to the footwear, the retainer being integral to the cover and adapted to be inserted into the footwear and positioned between a user's foot and the footwear.

An article of footwear with an integral upper and sole and a method of assembling the article of footwear are disclosed. The method includes folding the article of footwear from a flat configuration and attaching top and bottom lateral edges to form the article of footwear. A kit of parts containing an article of footwear with an integral upper and sole and a set of instructions is also disclosed.

An article of footwear includes a first ball control portion, a second ball control portion and a third ball control portion. Each ball control portion includes a group of gripping members configured to facilitate various types of ball control. Each group of gripping members is arranged so that the ball control portions present a series of approximately continuous edges to a ball, which can help maintain a smooth trajectory for a ball.

A composition comprising a refrigerant and a lubricant is disclosed, wherein the refrigerant comprises (i) a fluorocarbon selected from the group consisting of R125, R134a, R32, R152a, R143a, R218 and mixtures thereof, and (ii) a hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of propane, n-butane, isobutane, n-pentane, isopentane, dimethyl ether, and mixtures thereof; the lubricant comprises (iii) a hydrocarbon-based lubricant component; and (iv) a synthetic lubricant component; and the synthetic lubricant component is less than 30% by weight of the total lubricant. Also disclosed are methods of replacing refrigerants in refrigeration or air conditioning systems containing a refrigerant comprising a CFC or HCFC and a lubricant. The methods involve adding to the system (a) a replacement refrigerant comprising (i) a fluorocarbon selected from the group consisting of R125, R134a, R152a, R32, R143a, R218 and mixtures thereof, and (ii) a hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of propane, n-butane, isobutane, n-pentane, isopentane, dimethyl ether, and mixtures thereof; and (b) a synthetic lubricant component; wherein after refrigerant replacement the synthetic lubricant component is less than 30% by weight of the total amount of lubricant in the system.

Methods are provided for cooling data centers based on a cooperative system including a plurality of Indirect Air-Side Economizers, also referred to as Recirculation Air Cooling Units, that are advantageously operated in conjunction with one or more Side Stream Filtration Units or filters inclusive to a portion of the IASE/RACUs, and one or more Make-Up Air Dehumidification/Humidification Units for the introduction of ventilation air and control of humidity within the enclosed space. An objective of the systems and methods according to this disclosure is to provide the necessary rejection of heat, removal of particulate from the air, and control of the absolute moisture content of the air within a data center.

Obtained is an air-conditioning apparatus that is capable of saving energy. A pressure in a passage of the second refrigerant flow switching device in which a refrigerant from an outdoor unit flows into is higher than a pressure in a passage of the second refrigerant flow switching device in which the refrigerant flows out to the outdoor unit regardless of switching states of a first refrigerant flow switching device, the second refrigerant flow switching devices, and a third refrigerant flow switching device.

A variable capacity screw compressor for use in a refrigeration system is provided. Compressed refrigerant gas from the compressor is expelled into a discharge port in fluid communication with the refrigeration circuit. The volume associated with the discharge port can be periodically varied, allowing the efficiency of the compressor to be varied periodically. The discharge port volume includes a penetration that houses a movable member or plug that permits the volume to be periodically varied. This movable member is accessible from the exterior of the compressor housing to adjust the position of the movable member within the discharge port volume. The movable member may be adjusted to a full open position in which the discharge port volume is maximized, to a full closed position in which the discharge port volume is minimized, and to any position between full open and full closed.

A slide assembly for a drawer inside a refrigerator employs both side and central rollers which control both horizontal and vertical movement of the drawer through a first set of rollers employed at front and rear portions at each side of the drawer to control vertical movement within side tracks while the drawer is moved between an extended position and a retracted position. A second set of rollers is mounted along axes which are arranged 90 degrees relative to the first set of rollers and underneath the drawer. This second set of rollers control side-by-side movement of the drawer as it is opened and closed. In one embodiment, the second set of rollers is mounted in a refrigerated compartment and travel within a track or guideway mounted on the bottom of the drawer.

Certain disclosed embodiments pertain to controlling temperature in a passenger compartment of a vehicle. For example, a temperature control system (TCS) can include an air channel configured to deliver airflow to the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The TCS can include a one thermal energy source and a heat transfer device connected to the air channel. A first fluid circuit can circulate coolant to the thermal energy source and a thermoelectric device (TED). A second fluid circuit can circulate coolant to the TED and the heat transfer device. A bypass circuit can connect the thermal energy source to the heat transfer device. An actuator can cause coolant to circulate selectively in either the bypass circuit or the first fluid circuit and the second fluid circuit. A control device can operate the actuator when it is determined that the thermal energy source is ready to provide heat to the airflow.

The electronic control has an electric control which incorporates circuitry which will generate heat in use. A cooling channel placed in contact with at least one surface on the electric control. The cooling channel has a portion which receives an enhanced heat transfer surface. At least one electrode pair is mounted on an inlet channel portion upstream of the portion of the channel that receives the enhanced heat transfer surface. A source of current is provided for the electrode. The electrode induces an electric field in the inlet channel, to drive a dielectric fluid across the enhanced heat transfer surfaces.

A wastewater geothermal heat system is supplied with processed wastewater through a drip field in proximity to a thermal array part of a geothermal heat pump system. The wastewater treatment system portion provides a periodic source of treated wastewater. Several sensors and a control system regulate a pump that discharges wastewater from the treatment system and enters a drip field where it is released into the surrounding soil. The dampened soil provides an efficient vehicle to transfer heat into or out of a thermal array which is positioned adjacent to the drip field such that it is in contact with the soil that is dampened by the discharged wastewater.

An ice maker has an ice-making vessel having a cylindrical shape, a cooling means, a block ice making mold which is placed inside, and an agitator. The mold includes a main mold body having a plurality of connected L-shaped plates projected radially outward from the central axis; a base plate which is joined to each L-shaped plate, and the top side of the L-shaped plates form a screw insertion part of the mold body such that the agitator fits between the L-shaped plates at a second end of the central axis.

A USB interface to provide power delivery negotiated through a dedicated transmission channel includes a transmitter circuit including a digital-to-analog converter having an output coupled with an input of a transmission filter, a receiver circuit including an analog-to-digital converter having an input coupled with an output of a receiving filter, and a switching circuit configured in an operating mode of the USB interface to connect an output of the transmission filter and an input of the receiving filter to a connection node of the dedicated transmission channel.

An interconnect switch is provided including switching logic executable to facilitate a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe)-based interconnect, and further including a control host embedded in the switch to provide one or more enhanced routing capabilities. The control host includes a processor device, memory, and software executable by the processor device to process traffic received at one or more ports of the switch to redirect at least a portion of the traffic to provide the one or more enhanced routing capabilities.

The present application relates to a serial data communications switching device and a method of operating the serial data communications switching device. The serial data communications switching device comprises one host port for connecting to a host device; a plurality of client ports each for connecting to one of a plurality of client devices; an arbiter configured to arbitrate the permission to send a message sequence between the plurality of the client devices according to an arbitration scheme; and a TX flow analyzer adapted to detect a client transmission received at one of the client port from a current client device currently having granted the permission and to instruct the arbiter to maintain the granted permission for the current client device for the ongoing client transmission.

A method of switching an apparatus state of a first apparatus having a first universal serial bus (USB) interface connected via a connecting wire with a second USB interface of a second apparatus is provided. The method may include receiving a state switching instruction, setting a level of a configuration channel (CC) in a USB interface circuit corresponding to the first USB interface from a first high level to a first low level via a logic controller of the first apparatus when the state switching instruction instructs the first apparatus to perform a master-to-slave switch, and setting the level of the CC in the USB interface circuit corresponding to the first USB interface from the first low level to the first high level via the logic controller of the first apparatus when the state switching instruction instructs the first apparatus to perform a slave-to-master switch.

A serial bus is provided with a device (sometimes herein referred to as an I2C serializer device) including circuitry and machine logic that operates as follows: when one of the master devices is using the bus for data communication, then the other master(s) will receive a wait signal until the bus becomes available again. This wait signal allows the master devices to wait as a “hardware response,” rather than requiring the master devices to be equipped with software and/or firmware to control the operation of waiting until the serial bus is available. In some embodiments, the use of the I2C serializer device allows a bus operating under a bus serialization protocol (for example, I2C) to be simultaneously connected to multiple master devices even in the case that one, or more, master device(s) do not include any currently conventional form of multi-master support.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for storing an address in a memory of a switch. One of the systems includes a switch that receives packets from and delivers packets to devices connected to a bus without any components on the bus between the switch and each of the devices, a memory integrated into the switch to store a mapping of virtual addresses to physical addresses, and a storage medium integrated into the switch storing instructions executable by the switch to cause the switch to perform operations including receiving a response to an address translation request for a device connected to the switch by the bus, the response including a mapping of a virtual address to a physical address, and storing, in the memory, the mapping of the virtual address to the physical address in response to receiving the response.

A communication system with train bus architecture is described. The communication system with the train bus architecture comprises a coupling device for transmitting a first instruction packet string having instruction packets via first path; the controlled module for receiving the first instruction packet string via first path, wherein the controlled module selects one instruction packet from the instruction packets, replaces the selected instruction packet by first response packet for forming second instruction packet string, and processes the selected instruction packet to generate a second response packet; and a terminal device for receiving the second instruction packet string via the first path, and for transmitting the second instruction packet string back to the coupling device via the at least one controlled module along a second path from the terminal device to the coupling device wherein the first path is connected to the second path to form train bus architecture.

A physical layer network interface module (PHY-NIM) adaptation system provides a PHY-NIM device and an attachable media access control (MAC) device. The PHY-NIM device interconnects with the attachable MAC device and the attachable MAC device interconnects to a network appliance to provide at least one of network switch capabilities and MAC device capabilities for use by the network appliance. The PHY-NIM device interconnects directly to the network appliance where the network appliance has at least one of an internal network switch and an internal MAC device in a southbridge input/output (I/O) interface chip of the network appliance.