A lockup clutch for a torque converter is provided. The lockup clutch includes a clutch plate and a piston assembly. The piston assembly includes a base section and a shim fixed to the base section. The shim is arranged for contacting the clutch plate to cause engagement of the lockup clutch. A method of forming a lockup clutch is also provided. The method includes fixing a shim to a base section to form a piston assembly; and arranging the piston assembly adjacent to a clutch plate such that the shim is arranged for contacting the clutch plate to cause engagement of the lockup clutch. A torque converter is also provided.

The invention relates to an epilatory mixture comprising a fructan, preferably inulin. Furthermore, an epilatory composition is disclosed comprising said epilatory effective mixture. Also a method of use of said epilatory composition of the invention for the removal of unwanted hair from the skin is disclosed, as well as a method of use of said composition for carrying out an epilatory treatment which can be carried out by a professional person as well as by a non-professional person.

The present invention relates to a hair dye composition, and more particularly, to a foam-type hair dye composition comprising: a first agent including a dye and an alkaline agent and a second agent including an oxidant; and a nonionic viscosity increasing agent of a PEG-aliphatic acid ester or a PPG-aliphatic acid ester in one or both of the first agent and the second agent, thereby largely improving dyeing properties without dripping after the composition is coated on hair.

In a device on a spinning room preparation machine, for example a fiber flock feeder, carding machine, cleaner or the like, for supplying and/or discharging fiber material, a tray-like guide element having a guide surface co-operates with at least one conveyor roll located opposite, the fiber material being guided towards and along the guide surface. In order to provide a simple way of supplying and/or discharging fiber material without undesirable adhesion of fibers, the guide element located opposite the at least one conveyor roll is arranged to be set in vibration by at least one actuator.

The front top roller (20) includes a fiber contacting portion (30) and a reduced-diameter portion (31). The fiber contacting portion (30) has a substantially uniform outer diameter. The reduced-diameter portion (31) is provided at both ends of the fiber contacting portion (30) in an axial direction, and is formed with an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the fiber contacting portion (30). The fiber contacting portion (30) has a width (W1) in an axial direction of 18 mm and the outer diameter (D1) of 30 mm. An outer diameter (D2) of the reduced-diameter portion (31) is 25 mm.

A fiber laying machine includes a laying head with a roller able to pivot about an axis of rotation and to apply a plurality of preimpregnated fibers to an application surface by rolling over the application surface. The fibers are distributed along a lower generatrix of the roller and in contact with an exterior surface of the roller over an angle of wrap. The roller includes a cylindrical body, pivoting rings around the body, and means for immobilizing the pivoting rings with respect to the body in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation. The pivoting rings are able to pivot independently of one another.

A pumping system frame assembly for use in supporting a horizontal pumping system on a platform includes a central body assembly, a motor plate connected to the central body assembly and a plurality of platform support assemblies connected to the central support member. The central body assembly includes a central support member that has an upper face and a pair of side rails connected to the upper face. A central brace extends along at least a portion of the central support member.

A pipe clamp for mounting a pipe on a stud mounting bracket includes a main body having a central pipe engaging portion and opposed first and second transition portions. The main body has a horizontal axis extending through a center of the main body and a vertical axis extending through the center of the main body. The first and second transition portions are positioned on opposed sides of the horizontal axis and on opposed sides of the vertical axis. First and second arms extend from the respective transition portions in a direction away from the vertical axis. First and second fingers extend from the respective arms in a direction toward the horizontal axis. First and second hooks extend from the respective fingers in a direction toward the vertical axis.

An intermediate support structure for an escalator or moving walk having a dampening device with slots formed therein allowing a supported escalator truss to be free to move laterally to accommodate lateral displacement caused by story drift during an earthquake or seismic event.

A hanger for supporting a pipe, which comprises a split ring structure for receiving the pipe, a threaded rod to receive a circular clamp, an adapting mechanism for coupling a pair of c-shaped arms of the split ring structure and a plurality of nuts for adapting the split ring structure. Further, the split ring structure is configured to form a c-shaped saddle support strap by the plurality of nuts.

A pillow is provided herein which includes a cover having opposing first and second panels. A gusset perimetrically bounds, and joins, the first and second panels. The gusset is formed of an open cell construction. Compliant fill material is disposed within the cover. Advantageously, with the subject invention, a pillow is provided allowing for lateral ventilation between opposing panels. This permits a cooling effect while a user is resting or sleeping.

A head support for stopping snoring of a sleeping individual, wherein the head support has a head resting surface for the head of a sleeping individual to rest on, including an active layer with an arrangement of neighboring deforming elements for controlling the height of the head support section by section, and a sensing layer which is arranged between the head resting surface and the active layer to detect a position of the head resting on the head resting surface.

A reconfigurable support pillow comprising an elongate center section with a short, curved arm on each end. Between each of the arms and the center section is a substantially flat connecting section with inwardly curved side edges. This shape allows the pillow to be placed into several configurations. In a first configuration, the center section is bent and the connecting sections overlap each other without creating a thickened area at the point where the connecting sections cross. Additionally, the curved ends of the pillow arms can be overlapped providing an oval configuration with a double thickness at one side. Still further, the pillow can be used with the center section straight and curved arms turned inward towards each other. Each configuration provides different advantages and use. The pillow may comprise a washable cover with removable inserts.

The embodiments disclosed herein are related to a supportive head and neck pillow with a supportive bone structure inside the pillow. The pillow is used for head and neck support, and comfort while sleeping sitting up during transportation. It can also be used for head and neck support for people who have neck injuries, or to prevent neck injuries during transportation. The sleepy heads neck pillow disclosed comprises a pillow with a bone structure support inside it.

An acupressure pillow includes pressure members that are interconnected by an elastic member and arranged so that, when the user rests a body part (e.g., head or neck) on the pillow between the pressure members, the pressure members automatically adjust to accommodate the body part and produce pressure on the body part due at least in part to the elastic member, which biases the pressure members toward one another. Thus, the pressure exerted on the body part may have different vector components, including some pressure produced essentially perpendicular to the pillow surface on which the body part rests and some pressure produced at other angles due to the shape of the pressure members and the inward force on the pressure members produced by the elastic member.

The present invention is directed to a pillow for supporting and enclosing a portion of the head of a user, the ears in exemplary use. The pillow includes a fabric shell, which in turn encompasses padding of soft compliant material. A pivotable frame is disposed within the shell. In one embodiment, the pivotable frame includes unitary semi-rigid leg, flexible substantially along its entire length. In an alternate embodiment, the pivotable frame includes of a length of a plurality of interconnected leg and joint sections. Each of the joints is connected with two legs and defines a pivot about which the legs rotate, whereby the user can manipulate the pillow from an open state to an enclosed state around a portion of his or her head.

A universally adjustable pillow for use in healthcare and/or therapy includes a base board (1), and pillows for, respectively, right lateral recumbency (4), supine recumbency (2), left lateral recumbency (5) and for the neck (3) that are arranged on said base board (1). The pillows for left and right lateral recumbency (5,4) each include an external cushion, a mechanism enabling adjustment to fit vertebral curvature (52, 42), a mechanism enabling adjustment to inhibit too great an angle of lateral tilt (53, 43) and height adjustment members (51, 41). The longitudinal axes of the pillows for left and right lateral recumbency (5, 4) are set an angles α and β to the longitudinal axis of the pillow for supine recumbency (2).

A support pillow includes a flexible outer sleeve and a deformable inner cushion positioned wholly inside the outer sleeve. Both the outer sleeve and inner cushion are elongate. The outer sleeve is longer than the inner cushion and defines a pair of free end portions extending beyond the inner cushion. The inner cushion is moveable inside the outer sleeve such that the length of each of the free end portions is adjustable. A gripping device can be moved along each end portion to close the outer sleeve around the inner cushion and fix the length of the free end portion extending beyond the inner cushion. The free end portions extend far enough to enable a user to connect the end portions together to fix the support pillow in a desired shape.

Technologies for verification include storage with private keys, wherein each private key is associated with a group affiliation. The storage also includes characteristic information about an apparatus. The technologies also include a wireless interface configured to receive a request from a reader for verification of membership of the apparatus within a group affiliation. The technologies further include a controller with programmable logic for configuring the controller to determine whether to verify membership of the apparatus within a given group affiliation. The controller is also configured to verify membership of the apparatus within the given group affiliation by signing data with a private key associated with the given group affiliation. The signed data is sent to the reader. Membership within the given group affiliation conveys a subset of the characteristic information.

A flame powered intermittent pilot combustion controller may include a first power source and a second power source separate from the first power source, a thermal electric and/or photoelectric device, an igniter and a controller. The thermal electric and/or photoelectric device may charge the first power source when exposed to a flame. The controller and the igniter may receive power from the first power source when the first power source has sufficient available power, and may receive power from the second power source when the first power source does not have sufficient available power.

A flare pilot assembly has inner and outer tubes, defining inner and outer passages. A manifold delivers air and fuel to the outer passage. A bleed off passage directs a portion of the fuel and air entering the manifold to the exterior of the manifold. A diversion port in the inner tube diverts into the inner passage a portion of the air and fuel flowing through the outer passage. An electrical sparking device ignites air and fuel flowing through the inner passage. An evacuating tube extends from the manifold through the inner passage to the distal portion of the inner tube. The evacuating tube conveys moisture that may accumulate at the distal portion of the inner passage through the bleed off passage to the exterior.

The invention is directed to a piece (2) for a saddletree (1) of mat-like general shape conformed to have both a first overall concavity in a first direction of a longitudinal plane of symmetry and a second overall concavity in a second direction of a transverse plane, delimited by an exterior free edge (14) including a pommel portion, a cantle portion and two longitudinal portions, the exterior free edge being adapted to cooperate with a complementary interior free edge of the saddletree, the mat including a plurality of individual portions at least partly separate, placed in the vicinity of each other so that each individual portion can absorb forces and be deformed in bending or in torsion at least partly independently of the other individual portions, the piece being provided with elements for associating it with the saddletree.

A method and apparatus for detecting tightness of a pick-up head, and a method and apparatus for controlling the moving of the pick-up head are disclosed. The method for detecting the tightness of the pick-up head includes moving the pick-up head to an inner area of the disc reading device when then disc reading device is powered on, moving the pick-up head to an outer area of the disc reading device within a predetermined time period, moving the pick-up head from the outer area of the disc reading device to the inner area at a constant speed by a first fixed force, and recording the moving duration for moving the pick-up head from the outer area of the disc reading device to the inner area at the constant speed.

Embodiments of the invention provide a device for measuring pitch and roll torques. The device comprises a sensor plate having a horizontal cross member, a vertical cross member and a surrounding member connecting ends of the horizontal and vertical cross members, wherein the horizontal cross member and the vertical cross member intersect each other at a centre region of the sensor plate; a VCM coil attached to the sensor plate and configured to generate a pitch and a roll torque when an electrical current is applied to the VCM coil; a first strain gauge attached to a surface of the horizontal cross member and configured to detect a horizontal strain caused by the pitch and roll torques; and a second strain gauge attached to a surface of the vertical cross member and configured to detect a vertical strain caused by the pitch and roll torques.

Methods and apparatuses for detecting mode hopping in a laser diode or other optical energy source in heat-assisted magnetic recording. An output power of the laser diode or other optical energy source is measured and the output power is differentiated over time to determine a rate of change. If it is determined that the rate of change exceeds a threshold value, a fault signal is asserted indicating a potential mode hopping event.

Hinged assemblies, and children's products including at least one hinged assembly, include a base member and a hinged member operatively and pivotally coupled to the base member to define a hinge. The hinge is configured to release if an obstruction is positioned between the hinged member and the base member while the hinged member is being closed and if a closing torque is greater than or equal to a release torque. The hinge also may be configured to not release when an opening torque is applied when the hinged member is in its open position even when the opening torque is greater than the release torque.

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.

Methods, processes, compositions and systems for preventing leaching effects from water pipes (such as lead, steel and copper) having an inner diameter of at least approximately 12 mm. 2-part thermoset resin coating is applied to the inner surfaces of the pipes where the curing agent can be a phenol free and plasticizer free adduct type. The coating can reduce heavy metals, such as lead, from leaching from installed pipes to less than approximately 10 μg/L (10 ppb). When cured, specific leachates, Bisphenol A and Epichlorohydrin from the coatings will be (less than)

A method for manufacturing a protective concrete weight coating for pipelines The invention relates to materials for application to the outer surfaces of pipes as a protective negative buoyancy coating. It allows achieving accurately a desired density of the concrete protective weight coating of the pipeline in the range of 2600 to 3400 kg/m3 by claimed method of manufacturing a protective concrete weight coating for pipelines which includes mixing cement, aggregate, a plasticizing additive and water, pumping the resultant mixture into an annular space formed by the outer surface of a pipeline and a permanent form mounted with clearance thereon, and setting the resultant coating.

Discussed are a backlight unit and an autostereoscopic 3D (three-dimensional) display device including the same, in which a 3D image can be displayed without using a 3D light controller that includes a liquid crystal layer. The backlight unit may include a 3D light guide plate having first light output patterns, first light sources irradiating light to at least one side of the 3D light guide plate, a 2D (two-dimensional) light guide plate arranged below the 3D light guide plate, and second light sources irradiating light to at least one side of the 2D light guide plate. The first light output patterns are a plurality of line prism patterns spaced apart from each other.

In one embodiment, a method includes deriving input topics based on a content item, generating a matrix of scores for the input topics according to a first set of cross-indexed topics, where each of the scores indicates a degree of similarity between a corresponding one of the input topics and a corresponding one of the first cross-indexed topics, calculating a total score for each of the first cross-indexed topics based on the scores for the first cross-indexed topic across all of the input topics, and selecting one or more of the first cross-indexed topics based on the total scores of the first cross-indexed topics. Deriving the input topics may include using a topic tagger to identify the topics based on the content item. The first set of cross-indexed topics may be generated from a database of topics, such as an online encyclopedia.

Apparatus for use in generating a mapping using ontologies, the apparatus including at least one electronic processing device that determines ontologies having respective ontology terms, determines a group of ontology terms from at least one of the ontologies, determines alignment between ontology terms in the ontologies for at least some of the group of ontology terms, the alignment being determined at least partially in accordance with an ontology term meaning of the ontology terms and generates a mapping in accordance with the alignment.

A clamping device for mounting a sink to a counter, includes a clamp having a clamp body and a binding tab, a binding post for insertion through a first opening in the clamp body and into a hole in a surface of the sink adjacent to a clamped article, the clamp and binding tab connected to the post and extending away therefrom at least partially over an edge of the clamped article, and a clamp screw for insertion through a second opening in the clamp body and against a solid portion of the binding tab interposed between the clamp screw and the edge of the clamped article.

The present invention relates to a baler ejection system that may be used with an agricultural harvester, such as a round baler, waste baler, combine, or cotton harvester. More particularly, the bale ejection system uses the motion of two pairs of parallel arms that extend transversely from the sidewalls of a bale chamber at two sets of distinct pivot points. When activated by the operator of the bale ejection system, the two pairs of parallel arms raise simultaneously to expose an outlet through which the bale may be ejected. The bale ejection system is designed to allow a larger outlet for the bale evacuation as compared to existing bale ejection systems that employ circular motion to expose the bale outlet. A formed bale may become ejected by one or more conveyer belts that exert a rearward force on the bale within the bale chamber.

A system is provided that automatically stops a tractor as a function of a status of a round baler. This may include a controller such as a baler controller directly or indirectly detecting initial movement of an actuator that moves a wrapper assembly. Based on this detection, conditions for starting a wrap procedure may be determined either by actuator position or by a time period required for moving the wrapper assembly from a home position to a wrap start position. A time period required to bring the tractor to stop may be determined and compared with the time period required for the wrapper assembly to move from the home position to the wrap start position. The baler controller may send a tractor halt command signal for stopping the tractor to coordinate and synchronize bringing the tractor to a complete stop at the same time that the wrapping material is inserted and applied onto the bale at the beginning of a wrapping procedure.

A nut tree pickup and debris separator comprising three separate but serially interconnected stages, each including optimized structural and functional features for nut harvesting. The first stage includes a rotary pickup brush and an endless conveyor. The conveyor is constructed from a plurality of parallel bars with flights therebetween, the rods being arranged in spaced relation to retain nuts and pass debris. The second stage comprises an inclined rotating drum whose sidewall includes a plurality of elongated apertures passing therethrough, sized to retain nuts and pass debris. An inner side of the sidewall has a helical flight, sized, configured, and arranged to convey and tumble nuts and debris through the drum, with debris falling through the apertures. The third stage includes vertically offset, tandem conveyors and a cleaning fan to remove any remaining debris from the nuts as the stream falls from the end of one conveyor onto the other.

A windguard mechanism comprising a pair of arms attachable to an agricultural machine and a windguard plate extending between the pair of arms and positioned to hold down crop material processed by a pickup mechanism. The windguard plate comprises a first plate fixed between the pair of arms and a second plate positioned movably with respect to the first plate, wherein working surfaces of the first plate and of the second plate form a windguard working surface of an area independent on the position of the second plate.

A first photoresist pattern and a second photoresist pattern are formed over a substrate. The first photoresist pattern is separated from the second photoresist pattern by a gap. A chemical mixture is coated on the first and second photoresist patterns. The chemical mixture contains a chemical material and surfactant particles mixed into the chemical material. The chemical mixture fills the gap. A baking process is performed on the first and second photoresist patterns, the baking process causing the gap to shrink. At least some surfactant particles are disposed at sidewall boundaries of the gap. A developing process is performed on the first and second photoresist patterns. The developing process removes the chemical mixture in the gap and over the photoresist patterns. The surfactant particles disposed at sidewall boundaries of the gap reduce a capillary effect during the developing process.

A method is provided for making smooth crystalline semiconductor thin-films and hole and electron transport films for solar cells and other electronic devices. Such semiconductor films have an average roughness of 3.4 nm thus allowing for effective deposition of additional semiconductor film layers such as perovskites for tandem solar cell structures which require extremely smooth surfaces for high quality device fabrication.

Flexible retaining structures for body jewelry and method for their use.

A wire gripping assembly for securing an electrical box or light fixture to a support. The wire gripping assembly includes a wire gripping device having a body with open channels and a through bore, a clip member having legs for sliding engagement within the channels, a cable having an end connector thereon, and a thumbscrew for adjusting the clip member with respect to the body. The thumbscrew includes a head having an outer circumference with serrations to enable hand tightening and an end with a slot for engagement by a screwdriver or similar tool. The wire gripping assembly eases installation of an electrical device to an overhead support by enabling a two-step connection including initial hand tightening using the serrated outer surface of the thumbscrew and subsequent secure tightening by engaging the slot of the thumbscrew with a screwdriver or similar tool.

A respiratory mask assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a frame and at least one locking clip. The frame has a main body and a side frame member provided on each lateral side of the main body, at least one of the side frame members including a locking clip receiver assembly. The at least one locking clip has a main body providing a front portion adapted to be removably coupled with the at least one locking clip receiver assembly and a rear portion adapted to be removably coupled to a headgear assembly. The rear portion includes a cross bar that forms an opening through which a strap of the headgear assembly can pass and be removably coupled with the cross bar, and the front portion includes at least one resiliently flexible spring arm that is flexible within the plane of the main body.

In one example, a connector includes: first and second pins protruding from opposite sides of a panel or a frame; first and second receivers on opposite sides of the other of the panel or the frame to receive the first and second pins; a first distance between the receivers shorter than a second distance between the protruding ends of the pins such that the first pin may be inserted into the first receiver and then the second pin inserted into the second receiver but both pins may not be inserted simultaneously into the receivers; and a movable retainer integral to the panel and the frame to retain the pins in the receivers. The retainer is movable between a first position to limit axial travel of the pins in the receivers and a second position to not limit axial travel of the pins in the receivers.

A removable handle assembly for a cooking vessel a gripping body, a front end of which forms a flared jaw. The flared jaw has projections adapted to clamp the wall of a vessel. The projections are substantially linear in shape in directions that intersect in front of the gripping body. A flared mobile jaw is mounted on the gripping body to rotate about a first axis between a release position and a clamping position. The flared jaw has two projections (504) of substantially linear shape in directions that intersect in front of the gripping body. An actuating lever mounted on the gripping body rotates about a second axis between a deployed position and a retracted position. A mechanism actuated by the actuating lever locks the mobile jaw in the clamping position.

A handle has at least one fastening plate or holding part which can be fastened in a through-hole in a thin wall such as a sheet-metal wall by means of snap devices. According to the invention, the fastening plate forms or carries a pivot bearing for the at least one end of a handle, or the like, which is bent, for example, from a round material such as thick wire, this end having a round cross section.

A detector with a telescopic carrier/guide rod at which a measuring probe is disposed at one end, wherein the carrier/guide rod features at least two tubes longitudinally movable inside one another, in which respectively two tubes disposed adjacently in radial direction form an outer tube and an inner tube, whereby the respective outer tube at its overlapping tube end facing the measuring probe features a clamping means for engaging the inner tube. In accordance with this invention, the clamping means is formed as a clamping device that features a profile clamp with a quick-locking device. The profile clamp comprises a holding ring with two half shell-shaped clamping ring segments that are interconnected flexibly on one side and on the opposite side they can be clamped together with a clamping lever. The holding ring features ring breakthroughs and the outer tube the corresponding tube breakthroughs for the accommodation of clamping pieces that are pressed against the inner tube when clamping the clamping ring segments together under pressure. Preferably a clamping ring segment is formed on the holding ring.

A device is provided to assist the opening of a covering element pivotably mounted relative to an edge of a frame. The device includes an assistance cylinder (6). The assistance cylinder (6) includes a hollow shaft (7), a guide pin (10) inserted in the hollow shaft (7) and comprising at the end thereof opposite the end wall (8) of the hollow shaft (7) a yoke (11), a spring (13) inserted in the hollow shaft (7) surrounding the guide pin (10) and mounted pre-stressed when unloaded between the end wall (4) of the hollow shaft (7) and the yoke (11) of the guide pin (10), and a screw (14) secured to the end of the guide pin (10) and engaging with the end wall (8) of the hollow shaft (7) for keeping the pre-stressed spring (13) in the released state thereof. The invention is useful in the field of road systems.

An image forming apparatus includes a first casing, a second casing, an arm, a guide unit, a support part, and an urging member. The second casing is supported on the first casing and configured to pivot relative to the first casing. The arm has a first end portion rotatably coupled to one of the first casing and the second casing and a second end portion slidably coupled to the other of the first casing and the second casing. The guide unit is provided at the other of the first casing and the second casing and configured to slidably guide a shaft. The guide unit includes a first guide and a second guide. The support part supports the first guide such that the first guide is movable toward and away from the second guide. The urging member is configured to urge the first guide toward the second guide.