A portable bracket is removably attached to a structure, such as a tree, for the purpose of relieving the strain on a hunter who is holding and aiming their firearm. A bracket comprising a back plate and a horizontal plate is secured to a tree using a strap and binder arrangement. The firearm support is portable and lightweight and maybe useful for other purposes within a campsite, such as holding a lantern and a like.

An equipment complex for deploying and recovering marine geophysical seismic or electric-survey bottom stations is mounted on a ship. The complex includes—a powered capstan, —rotatable turntables and rolls, —load-bearing units connected to the bottom stations by various fasten means and capable of winding onto the capstan and turntables, a work platform supporting a bottom station placed thereon, —an indicator for registration of the bottom stations' coordinates, mounted on the platform, —a limit switch mounted on the platform, switching ON when the bottom station is placed on the work platform, and OFF when it's removed therefrom providing for operation of the indicator. The complex may include floating buoys, damping loads, and halyards for deploying the stations. Methods for deploying and recovering the bottom stations using the equipment complex are described. Some recovering methods contemplate winding the load-bearing units onto the capstan, while switching the turntables for each subsequent load-bearing unit.

A watercraft body includes a hull made of an aluminum-based material and a separately fabricated superstructure that is mounted on the hull via adjoining flange plates. To fabricate the hull, frame elements are spot-welded onto the inner surface of initially-flat hull plates or plank elements, which are then curved according to the required hull contour and assembled onto the flange plate. The frame elements are screwed together via gusset plates and transverse beams to form transverse frames, and then longitudinal seams between plank elements are continuously welded from the outside. Additionally, the longitudinal seams may be welded from the inside, for example by temporarily removing gusset plates to allow continuous access to the longitudinal seams. Additionally, stand-offs may form a spacing gap between the frame elements and the plank elements, and an adhesive may fill this spacing gap to adhesively bond the framework to the hull plating.

A foldable bimini for a boat that is rigid and bi-directionally stable in an erected orientation, the bimini including a rigid arch-shaped frame fixedly mountable onto the boat having a disengageable bimini mount; and a foldable bimini support, including a rigid arch member pivotally mounted to the rigid arch shaped frame and at least one rigid leg pivotally mounted to the rigid arch member and releasably connectable to the frame.

A seat assembly for use on a stand-up paddleboard includes a base member which defines a base axis. A support shaft, with an affixed seat member, is engaged with the base member. In detail, the support shaft defines a shaft axis and is formed with diametrically opposed slots along the length of the support shaft. Protrusions, formed on the base member, are engaged with respective slots on the support shaft to selectively move the support shaft on the base member between a stowed configuration wherein the shaft axis is substantially perpendicular to the base axis, and a sitting configuration wherein the shaft axis is coaxially aligned with the base axis. In operation, a reconfiguration of the seat assembly is accomplished to provide the stand-up paddleboard user with a place to sit during an on-the-water operation of the stand-up paddleboard.

Disclosed is a bicycle for water and land including: a first floating means, which is provided on and rotates with a front wheel frame that rotates in conjunction with a handlebar, for unfolding on both sides by means of buoyancy to buoy the front wheel frame when entering water; a second floating means, which is provided on a rear wheel frame, for unfolding on both sides by means of buoyancy to buoy the rear wheel frame when entering water; and propellers, which are provided on a plurality of spokes that are installed on the rear wheel frame so that the surfaces face the direction in which the rear wheel rotates, for generating propelling force in water.

A mooring system, and connector assembly, which in a preferred embodiment is a vessel mooring and fluid transfer system. The connector assembly has a first portion (2A) configured to be coupled to one or more mooring lines (1), and a second portion (2B) configured to be coupled to a vessel. The first and second portions are rotatable with respect to one another to permit a vessel coupling on the second portion to swivel about the mooring coupling on the first portion. In a preferred embodiment, the connector assembly comprises a guide (2E) for a conduit, which may be a fluid transfer conduit such as flexible riser (6). The invention also provides methods of use of the mooring systems described.

A method and device to permit a water vessel to releasably capture a line in a towing station, remote from a parent ship. The towing station may be attached to the parent ship via a tow line. The line capturing device is an actuated catch that includes a hook assembly that is moveable between a release mode and a retrieval and holding mode. The actuated catch also includes a spring biased retaining catch that prevents a captured line from being inadvertently released.

Marine or underwater vehicle designed to be secured to a recovery cable includes contactless elements (6) for detecting the recovery cable (2), the element being capable of guiding the vehicle (1) towards the cable (2) and elements (7) situated at one end (3b) of the vehicle (1) for coupling the cable (2).

The present disclosure relates to a grouting and welding combined connection joint and an offshore installation method thereof, characterized in that: it comprises a set of grouting systems disposed inside of the annular space formed by an inner shell of the central pore canal of a column with large cross section and an outer wall of a column with small cross section, as well as a group of brackets welded on a top deck of a column with small cross section and an inner shell of the central pore canal of the column with large cross section. The grouting and welding combined connection joint provided by the present disclosure has advantages of being able to adapt to the connection of different dimensions of columns, and having simple offshore installation, highly reliable structural safety and low cost.

An arrangement for dynamic control of running trim, list and/or yaw of a boat, having a housing member comprising a front plate a and rear plate, an interceptor member, an actuating means, a drive unit, and a guiding arrangement, arranged to guide said interceptor member between a first position and a second end position, said actuating means being arranged to displace said interceptor member in a movement between said first and second positions in relation to said housing member wherein said guiding arrangement has a first guiding member and a second guiding member arranged to interact with each other to provide a parallel movement of said interceptor member in relation to said housing member, said first guiding member being a torque transferring, rotatable element having a base body arranged to extend transverse to the direction of displacement of said interceptor member.

An arrangement and a method for implosion mitigation, and in particular a structural arrangement of a water vessel and a method thereof for mitigating implosion loads. The water vessel includes first and second end portions connected by a middle portion, with one portion structurally weaker than the others so that when the vessel experiences an overmatching load, only the structurally weaker portion of the vessel fails. The vessel may further include energy absorbing structures.

Marine vehicle systems and methods are disclosed. The marine vehicle can be buoyancy controlled, enabling efficient, extended use of the marine vehicle. Buoyancy actuation can enable roll, pitch, and yaw of the marine vehicle, as well as translation in any direction. One or more elastic bladders can be disposed on or in the marine vehicle. The bladders can be selectively inflated and deflated to control movement of the marine vehicle.

An adaptor for an unmanned vehicle for inspecting an object, the adaptor includes a moveable ring assembly and a fixed ring. The moveable ring assembly rotates around a periphery of the unmanned vehicle and allows the unmanned vehicle to move along a surface of the object while maintaining a fixed stand-off distance between an exterior surface of the adaptor and the surface of the object. The fixed ring is connected around the exterior surface of the unmanned vehicle and secures a lateral position of the moveable ring assembly with respect to the unmanned vehicle.

A paddle for stand-up paddle boards includes a paddle blade at a lower end of the paddle shaft and a sail assembly slidingly stowed within the shaft, with the sail deployed by sliding the sail assembly distally out of the shaft upper end. The sail assembly may include a sail and support frame. A method and system for transporting a user across water or other surfaces has a board for the user to stand upon and a paddle with sail slidingly deployed from inside a paddle shaft via an opening in the upper end. To propel via paddling, the user leaves the sail stowed within the shaft. The propel via wind, the user deploys the sail out of the shaft, places the blade onto the board upper surface, and angles the paddle and sail to catch the wind and propel the user across the water.

A system comprising a surface vessel floating on a body of water; an oil leak located in the body of water; a remotely operated vehicle located near the oil leak; a connection between the surface vessel and the remotely operated vehicle; wherein the remotely operated vehicle comprises a mixer and a dispersant injector.

Cutting device, method and use are for cutting of a line extending from a floating vessel. The cutting device is structured for placement on the vessel. The cutting device comprises: at least one guide structured for directional steering of the line past a cutting area for the line; and at least one of the following cutting-promoting devices: at least one induction coil device directed inwards toward the cutting area and structured for heating, hence weakening, of the line within the cutting area; and at least one moveable cutting knife with an opposite contact surface directed inwards toward the cutting area and also structured for cutting of the line within the cutting area.

The present invention discloses an inside mobile ballast arrangement for sailboats, said arrangement using a dense material and being preferably in a watertight/gas-tight compartment, the whole system on low friction bearings and being close to the bottom of the hull, this arrangement being able to move longitudinally from front to rear and vice versa, along the X axis, independently or simultaneously with a perpendicular displacement, i.e. from port to starboard and vice versa, along the Y axis.

An adjustable skeg has a body formed by sidewalls including a closed bottom or base. The sidewalls converge to form a leading edge and a trailing end. The top is generally open and the top and sidewalls define a cavity for receiving a skeg or stub. The skeg may also be of unitary construction with the lower drive unit/gear case of a boat motor. The top and bottom portions of the trailing end project rearwardly to form extensions beyond a central portion of the trailing end. A torque vane is pivotally mounted between the top and bottom extensions. The vane is pivotable to subtend a preselected angle with a respective sidewall for eliminating steering torque. A plurality of receivers is positioned on either the top or bottom extension for locking the vane in place following adjustment. The receivers are identified by respective indicia for calibrating adjustment of the torque vane.

A concealable fender assembly comprising a fender; a cover having an external surface form compatible with the lateral surface form of the boat hull in closed position; mechanism for actuating the cover for closing and opening thereof with respect to the boat hull lateral surface; wherein the cover is associated with the fender such that when the cover is in open position, the fender outwardly extends from boat hull lateral surface.

A mooring system for a floating structure (1) in which a floating structure or fixed tower is provided with a turntable (80). A floating structure is moored to the turntable via at least one rigid arm (51,51') and two tension members (41, 41'). The rigid arm is provided on one end with a ballast weight (61, 61') and includes a damping system formed of least two separated liquid tanks (70, 70') that are partly filled with liquids and placed at the same distance from the horizontal center line (100). The tanks (70, 70') are fluidly connected with each other so that liquid can be exchanged between the tanks damps a swinging yaw motion of the rigid arm (51, 51') around the vertical axis of the turntable (80).

A keel pad is provided for a hull of a boat. The keel pad contains a main body and two fingers extending from the main body in a direction of a front of the hull. Due to curved shape of the fingers, drag is reduced allowing the boat better planing properties and greater fuel efficiencies.

A craft includes a rigid hull (1) that consists of a V-shaped bottom (5) and a bridge (4) on which a load can rest. The hull includes plating consisting of compartmentalized pneumatic floats (2), the rear compartments (32) of which are combined with an inflation and deflation system so as to vary the buoyancy of the craft. The craft also includes a submergible hull (1), the central cavity (9) of which is formed between the bottom (5) and the bridge (4) and is open at the rear so as to be automatically filled or emptied, the central cavity (9) containing at least one bag (10) that is combined with an inflation and deflation system enabling the buoyancy to be varied and consequently the level of immersion of the stern (7) to be changed as needed.

The present invention provides an improved height adjustable tower with integrated cargo rack apparatus for wakeboard boats. The inventive apparatus enables the adjustability of the height of the cargo rack/bimini which is accomplished by lowering or raising the lower tower legs with an actuator after releasing a locking mechanism. The apparatus also includes a displacement mechanism which allows the cargo rack to be simultaneously translated and rotated. The benefit to the user is the ability to control the amount of shade/sun for the people in the general cockpit area. It also allows a user to achieve a higher walk-through height for ease of maneuvering in the boat and provides easy access to items stored on top of the cargo rack.

An air vent that passes from the deck of a surfboard through to its bottom. The vent may have a wide variety of shapes. The trailing boundary of the vent's lower portion is preferably inclined forward toward the surfboard's nose. The inclination serves to prevent water flowing upward. Instead, air is entrained by the water flowing across the vent's bottom exit and pulled downward. A portion of the entrained air flows rearward out of the bottom exit along the surfboard's bottom. This entrained air forms an air film between the board's bottom and the surrounding water, thereby reducing friction.

An oil spill clean-up apparatus and method, and more specifically to a self-contained oil spill clean-up vessel with ice displacement capabilities. One preferred oil spill clean-up system includes a vessel subsystem, an ice displacement subsystem, and an oil spill skimming subsystem. Preferred oil spill clean-up systems may include at least one storage subsystem. Preferred oil spill clean-up systems may include an oil/water separation and removal subsystem.

A process for producing dispersion powders by spray drying of aqueous polymer dispersions and addition of antiblocking agents in a rotary atomization dryer, wherein the antiblocking agent is conveyed by delivery air, wholly or partly, into an annular gap which is formed by a moulding arranged concentrically around the housing of the rotary atomizer, and which ends at a distance above the upper edge of the atomizer plate of the rotary atomizer.

A rack of the type for circulating air interiorly for drying multiple pairs of boots and/or gloves, where the articles to be dried are sprayed with a liquid sterilizing agent while on the rack. The blower housing, manifold and hollow members of the rack have no exterior horizontal surfaces to prevent pooling of the sterilizing agent. In addition, drain holes are provided in the blower housing, rack tubes and manifold to prevent interior trapping of sterilizing agent or moisture from condensation. In one version intended for sterilizing with power connected, a conduit in the manifold drains any liquid in the blower housing directly into the rack tubes. Another lower cost version is intended for sterilizing after electrical power has been externally disconnected and has liquid/moisture drain holes in the blower housing. Either version may be wall mounted or arranged as portable free standing single or double sided rack drying systems.

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

A method and an apparatus for drying a piece of textile which is impinged upon by an air flow having a varied partial steam pressure to evacuate moisture. The method and apparatus are particularly suitable for drying a piece of textile with a layered structure having a semi-permeable membrane.

A laundry transport apparatus and method includes a container defining an interior area configured to accommodate a plurality of laundry carts, the container having a door movable between closed and open configurations to selectively allow access to said interior area. The apparatus includes a ventilation network to pass air to and from the interior area, the ventilation network including a pathogen identification and containment apparatus to detect, isolate and treat potentially harmful material within the soiled laundry. At least a portion of intake and outlet ducts are immediately adjacent one another to influence temperature of air passing through each duct, warmer air passing through one of the intake duct or the outlet duct becoming cooler and cooler air passing through another of the intake duct or the outlet duct becoming warmer.

The invention relates mainly to an apparatus comprising a chamber for physically and/or chemically treating one or more samples or products, said apparatus comprising a door for introducing samples inside the apparatus chamber or bringing samples outside the apparatus, said apparatus comprising a membrane or film defining a chamber wall inside said apparatus when the door is closed.

An adaptor can convert a conventional hot air clothes dryer to draw air from outside instead of inside a building, and comprises an adaptor housing securable over the air intake region of the dryer in fluid communication with the air inlet of the dryer, with an adaptor housing inlet connectable to an air intake linkage. A filter and filter bypass assembly can be used in combination with the adaptor. The assembly comprises an outer enclosure and an inner enclosure inside the outer enclosure. An inner enclosure inlet and inner enclosure outlet define a first airflow path through the inner enclosure and an outer enclosure inlet and outer enclosure outlet define a second airflow path through the outer enclosure and bypassing the inner enclosure. The inner enclosure and the outer enclosure have a common aperture for insertion of a filter into the inner enclosure across the first airflow path.

Methods and apparatuses for drying electronic devices are disclosed. Embodiments include methods and apparatuses that heat and decrease pressure within the electronic device. Some embodiments increase and decrease pressure while adding heat. Other embodiments include a desiccator for removing moisture from the air being evacuated from the electronic device prior to the air reaching an evacuation pump. Further embodiments detect humidity within the low-pressure chamber and determine when to increase and/or decrease pressure based on the humidity. Still further embodiments determine that the device is sufficiently dry to restore proper function based on the detected humidity, and in some embodiments based on the changes in humidity while pressure is being increased and/or decreased. Still further alternate embodiments automatically control some or all aspects of the drying of the electronic device. Additional embodiment disinfect the electronic device.

Energy efficiencies are achieved in a dryer or washer/dryer by selectively varying temperature ranges, time periods, heater power levels, and air flow rates. Efficiency improvements on the order of 16% were obtained over typical constant power, constant temperature, timed drying cycles by varying one or more of these parameters. Efficiencies can also be improved by drawing air from alternative warm sources such as an attic or warm external environment, or by heat recovery from dryer exhaust passages.

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

A robot system according to one aspect of an embodiment includes a robot and an instructing module. The robot holds one of a plurality of feed materials used for processing a workpiece. The instructing module gives instructions to the robot, when the feed materials are used for processing the single workpiece, for an operation in which the feed material held last in the previous round of processing a workpiece is used first in the subsequent round of processing a workpiece.

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

The invention relates to a device for the flow-through treatment of web-shaped, gas-permeable material, in particular for drying woven or non-woven fabrics, having the following characteristics: a sieving drum (5), which is rotatably supported and which is connected to a vacuum generator and which has a permeable outer circumference, wherein the material web (M) to be treated rotates around part of the outer circumference of the sieving drum (5);a treatment chamber (BH), which accommodates the sieving drum and to which the gas to be treated, preferably heated air, is supplied;inside the treatment chamber (BH), a sieving cover (SD) or corresponding flow-conducting elements, which surround the sieving drum (5) in the area around which the material web (M) is wound and by means of which the gas flowing into the treatment chamber (BH) is conducted in the direction of the sieving drum surface. According to the invention, the wall (W) of the treatment chamber (BH) facing the outer circumference of the sieving drum (S) in the area around which the material web (M) is wound has a decreasing distance (a1, a2, a3) from the surface of the sieving drum (S) in said area.

A clothes dryer has a cabinet forming a drying chamber and a drying rack slidably mounted to the cabinet and movable between a retracted position where the drying rack is within the drying chamber and an extended position where the drying rack is exteriorly of the cabinet. A removable dividing panel is retained by the drying rack and divides the drying chamber into two horizontal and vertically extending drying chambers. A control system associated with the dryer has selectable modes to operate the divided drying chambers independently or concurrently as a single large drying chamber. A recycle system associated with the dryer permits recycling of heat air to increase drying efficiency.

A skate blade dryer is provided for removing moisture from a skate blade after use to prevent rust, discoloration, pitting, and premature dulling of the skate blade. The dryer includes a housing having an interior, a top, and a front face. A blower is positioned in the interior of the housing. A conduit extends from the housing. The conduit includes a slot configured for receiving a skate blade coupled to a skate boot. The blower has an output port in fluid communication with the conduit for directing air flow through the conduit.

A drying furnace (20) for drying an object (11) by hot air is provided with a heater (36, 38, 43, 45) that applies radiant heat to a hard-heating region (35, 42) having a larger heat capacity than the other region (37, 44) in the object (11) so as to heat the hard-heating region (35, 42) to a temperature approximate to a temperature of the other region (37, 44).

An operating method for a laundry drier which has a rotatable drum mounted inside a main body, a heater for heating the air flowing into the drum; and a scent supply module for spraying scent into the drum, comprising: a drying step of drying the laundry by supplying hot air heated by the heater; a pre-treating step of tumbling the drum while supplying air with the heater off; and a scent treating step of spraying scent onto the laundry which has passed through the pre-treating step. Since the scent is sprayed on after the pre-treating step, the scent can be effectively deposited on the laundry.

A clothes treatment apparatus and a method for controlling a clothes treatment apparatus are provided. The clothes treatment apparatus may include a drying duct, a first blower fan located in the drying duct that circulates interior air within the drying duct, and a filter located in the drying duct. The method may include sensing clogging of the filter, and switching a flow of air passing through the filter from a first direction to an opposite second direction if clogging of the filter is sensed. The method may further include a washing cycle for washing clothes, and a drying cycle for drying the clothes. An implementation time of the washing cycle may be less than an implementation time of the drying cycle.

An expandable and collapsible enclosure is provided for a garment refreshing appliance. The appliance has at least either a top or a bottom rigid housing structure. The enclosure comprises a wall structure extending substantially an entire height of the enclosure. The wall structure is made of a flexible material. An opening is provided in the wall structure through which garments can be introduced into or removed from the enclosure. A zipper is attached at the opening to selectively open and close the opening. A snap attachment mechanism is located at either or both of the top and a bottom of the wall structure for securing the wall structure to the top and/or bottom rigid housing structures.

Disclosed are an evaporator, an evaporation method, and a substrate processing apparatus, which can increase the concentration of generated vapor of an organic solvent and efficiently heat the organic solvent. The evaporator includes a fluid tube, a liquid organic solvent supply device for supplying the organic solvent liquid to one end of the fluid tube, and heating units for heating the fluid tube. The fluid tube has a cross section that increases from the one end to the other end. When the organic solvent liquid supplied to one end of the fluid tube is heated, the organic solvent vapor is discharged from the other end of the fluid tube. The substrate processing apparatus includes the above-described evaporator.

A process for lyophilizing a solution of an active agent in a container is provided. Solution of active agent is deposited into a container, the container is covered with a covering plate and placed inside a lyophilizing apparatus. Lyophilization can be conducted to dryness by radiation, convection or both. Also provided is a device made by this process, an active agent-plastic administration device (e.g., a syringe), containing an active agent in the form of lyophilized cake, and an array of such administration devices.

A gas wiping device for preventing splash on a steel band including a box-shaped body enclosing the steel band and gas wiping nozzles is provided with a plating bath for storing molten metal, and a box-shaped body placed above the plating bath. The box-shaped body is provided, in the interior, with gas wiping nozzles disposed facing one another on the respective tubular members so as to sandwich a band-shaped body. Gas wiping nozzle is provided with a first spraying unit capable of spraying gas to the steel band, and a second spraying unit and a third spraying unit capable of spraying gas towards the direction of gas wiping nozzle. Gas wiping nozzle is provided with a fourth spraying unit capable of spraying gas to the steel band, and a fifth spraying unit and a sixth spraying unit capable of spraying gas towards the direction of gas wiping nozzle.

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

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