z Bezel assembly for use with an automated transaction device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT The bezel assembly for data reception, for use with a bill validator in a financial transactional device, includes a bezel housing and a data reception assembly. The bezel housing includes a customer-facing front portion and a back plate connectable to the bill validator that is mounted within the transactional device cabinet. The front portion includes an insertion/dispensing slot for receiving currency and a projecting protrusion forward of the casing. The forward-extending protrusion accommodates at least a portion of the data reception assembly. The bezel assembly can include a wireless communication function that is communicably connectable with a mobile device via a wireless communication method, a manual entry function, a biometric reader, one or more cameras for scanning and decrypting 2D barcodes and the like, thus enhancing the overall functionality of the financial transactional device. Full Article
z Gas turbine exhaust nozzle divergent flap seal By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A seal assembly for a nozzle in a gas turbine engine includes a connector having a first hinge portion for attaching to the nozzle, a flat portion for sealing against a wall of the engine; and a first hinge for attaching the connector to the flat portion wherein the connector is adapted to rotate relative to the nozzle and the flat portion is adapted to rotate relative to the connector. Full Article
z Zero emissions reciprocating pump By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A sealing system for a pump having a plunger includes a housing having an internal chamber adapted to receive a portion of the plunger. Primary and secondary seals are located within the internal chamber and adapted to sealingly engage the plunger. The primary seal communicates with the fluid being pumped. A barrier fluid chamber contains a barrier fluid in contact with the primary seal and the secondary seal. A pressure referencing device has an inlet port in communication with the pumped fluid and an outlet port providing fluid at a pressure magnitude equal to a peak pressure of the pumped fluid. A pressurizing device is in communication with the fluid at the peak pressure and the barrier fluid to maintain the barrier fluid pressure at a magnitude greater than the peak pressure of the pumped fluid such that the pumped fluid is restricted from leaking past the primary seal. Full Article
z Ceramic collars for active brazing in sodium-based thermal batteries By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present application provides for ceramic collars and metal rings for active brazing in sodium-based thermal batteries. The ceramic collar may be an alpha-alumina collar configured for active brazing, and thereby sealing, to outer and inner Ni rings for use in NaMx cells. The portions of the alpha-alumina collar active brazed to the outer and inner Ni rings may be outwardly facing and include inwardly extending recesses. The portions of the outer and inner Ni rings active brazed to the outwardly facing portions of the collar may be inwardly facing. The alpha-alumina collar may include a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than each of the outer and inner Ni rings, and the alpha-alumina collar and outer and inner Ni rings may be configured such that a portion of the outer and inner Ni rings is deformed into the inwardly extending recesses of the alpha-alumina collar after active brazing thereof. Full Article
z Systems and methods for optimizing low frequency output from airgun source arrays By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Systems and methods for optimizing low frequency output of marine sources are described. The marine source arrangements and associated methods disclosed herein seek to fully frequency lock bubbles emitted by airguns in close proximity to one another. In this manner, larger effective bubble volumes can be achieved, thus increasing low frequency output. Full Article
z Optimized pattern of a damping layer for wall, floor, and ceiling constructions By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An acoustic damping article includes a substrate, wherein the substrate has a surface area S. The acoustic composition further includes a polymer resin. The polymer resin coats partially the surface area with a set of areas. The ratio of the coated areas over the surface area S is less than 1 and the polymer resin coverage is not greater than about 500 g/m2. Full Article
z Method for optimizing performance of a multi-transducer earpiece and a multi-transducer earpiece By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT There is provided a method for optimizing performance of a multi-transducer earpiece, where the multi-transducer earpiece includes a perpendicular flange that partitions the cross sectional area of the acoustic delivery channel in a manner where mixing of signals from both the high frequency transducer and the mid/low frequency transducer is carried out in the ear canal of a user during reproduction of audio signals. Full Article
z Windowed muzzle system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A windowed muzzle has left and right side sections, a lower section, an upper section and a rear section. A left window is in the left side section and a similarly configured right window is in the right side section. A left flap is configured and sized to cover the left window and a similarly configured right flap is configured and sided to cover the right window. A securement assembly selectively retains each flap in a raised orientation above the window or in a lowered orientation covering the window. Full Article
z Sizer for a hanger, a combination thereof, and a method of use By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 08:00:00 EDT A sizer for a hanger lacking a hook boss includes a pair of longitudinal walls spaced apart from each other by a pair of end sections. The sizer may include a pair of protrusion, wherein a first is disposed on a first wall of the pair of longitudinal walls and directed toward a second wall of the pair of longitudinal walls. A first jaw is disposed on one of the pair of end section. The pair of longitudinal walls flexes apart when the jaw passes over a flange of the hanger. The first jaw includes a lower portion having a curved edge. The first jaw further includes an upper portion. The lower portion and upper portion meet at an abrupt jaw point. Full Article
z Crown type sizer for a hanger By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT A crown-type sizer for mounting on a hanger includes a body and a hook extending from a mid-point of the body. The sizer includes a pair of parallel walls and a pair of non-parallel walls, each wall of the non-parallel walls being joined to each wall of the parallel walls, the pairs of walls defining a lower open base and an open base in an upper part of the sizer for passing over the hook. Each of the parallel walls has a single boss disposed in a corner of the respective parallel wall and each non-parallel wall is shorter in height than at least one parallel wall. Full Article
z Bubbling bed catalytic hydropyrolysis process utilizing larger catalyst particles and smaller biomass particles featuring an anti-slugging reactor By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 08:00:00 EDT This invention relates to a process for thermochemically transforming biomass or other oxygenated feedstocks into high quality liquid hydrocarbon fuels. In particular, a catalytic hydropyrolysis reactor, containing a deep bed of fluidized catalyst particles is utilized to accept particles of biomass or other oxygenated feedstocks that are significantly smaller than the particles of catalyst in the fluidized bed. The reactor features an insert or other structure disposed within the reactor vessel that inhibits slugging of the bed and thereby minimizes attrition of the catalyst. Within the bed, the biomass feedstock is converted into a vapor-phase product, containing hydrocarbon molecules and other process vapors, and an entrained solid char product, which is separated from the vapor stream after the vapor stream has been exhausted from the top of the reactor. When the product vapor stream is cooled to ambient temperatures, a significant proportion of the hydrocarbons in the product vapor stream can be recovered as a liquid stream of hydrophobic hydrocarbons, with properties consistent with those of gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuel. Separate streams of gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuel may also be obtained, either via selective condensation of each type of fuel, or via later distillation of the combined hydrocarbon liquid. Full Article
z Process and device for fluidized bed torrefaction and grinding of a biomass feed for subsequent gasification or combustion By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 08:00:00 EST A process and a unit for fluidized bed torrefaction and grinding of particles of a biomass with a largest dimension of 2 cm to 5 cm, and which unit contains an envelope having a general shape of a sector having a) two substantially vertical walls delimiting that sector; and b) at least one inclined wall defining three zones, from bottom to top: a lower zone provided with a fluidization means, and provided with a grinder placed at the bottom of that zone; an intermediate zone (2) provided with a fluidization means; and an upper zone (3) provided with a fluidization means; and a pipe (11) for introducing the particles reaching into the unit to the level of the intermediate zone. Full Article
z Carbonization method and device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 03 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST The invention relates to a method of manufacturing charcoal. It is characterized in that: first hot gases are generated by at least one heating means; its first gases are mixed with second gases in order to form a gas mixture; this mixture is sent into a charge of wood in order to generate therein a pyrolysis front; an overpressure is created between the upstream end and the downstream end of the charge so as to force this front to pass through it in one direction, namely from the upstream end to the downstream end; and third gases are recovered downstream of the charge, at least a first portion of said third gases, in the form of a stream of said second gases, is conveyed by a conveying means. The invention also relates to a device for implementing this method. Full Article
z Depolymerizatin of plastic materials By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 03 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EST A styrene monomer reclamation process and system is described. The styrene monomer reclamation process includes providing a waste plastic. The waste plastic includes styrenic polymers. The waste plastic is formed into polymer particles. At least a portion of the polymer particles are dissolved in a solvent to form a polymer stream. The dissolved polymer particles are depolymerized to form a styrene monomer stream. Full Article
z Optimization of UV curing By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A system and method of preparing a flexoplate so it is suitable for the printing of high resolution patterns. The method includes controlling the curing conditions of the flexoplate, thereby controlling the properties of said flexoplate such as floor thickness, pattern cross-sectional geometry, repeatability of printed features during the printing process, and durability of the flexoplate during the printing process. Full Article
z Screen printing device and an image recognizing method in the screen printing device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An imaging part in a screen printing device which images a board and a screen mask includes a single camera which is disposed with a posture of horizontally facing towards an incidence optical axis, a half mirror which makes an imaging light, which is incident through a lower imaging optical axis, to be incident on a camera, and a mirror which makes an imaging light, which is incident through an upper imaging optical axis, to pass through the half mirror and to be incident on the camera, and further has an upper illuminating part and a lower illuminating part which individually illuminate respective imaging objects. Imaging light is taken in the camera in a state that the upper illuminating part and the lower illuminating part are individually operated in a mask imaging step and a board imaging step, respectively. Full Article
z Lithographic printing plate precursor, lithographic printing plate platemaking method, and polymerizable monomer By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT There is provided a lithographic printing plate precursor that enables image recording using a laser and that provides an excellent scumming resistance and an excellent developability while maintaining a satisfactory printing durability. Also provided are a platemaking method, and a novel polymerizable monomer. A lithographic printing plate precursor has a support, and an image recording layer disposed thereon and containing a radical polymerization initiator and a polymerizable monomer that has a sulfonamide group and at least two ethylenically unsaturated groups; a lithographic printing plate platemaking method uses this lithographic printing plate precursor; and a polymerizable monomer has a sulfonamide group and at least two ethylenically unsaturated groups. Full Article
z EQUALIZER CIRCUIT AND RECEIVING APPARATUS USING THE SAME By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT An equalizer circuit includes an phase-to-phase connectors including an phase-to-phase capacitor and four phase-to-phase switches, four output buffers, and control signal generation circuitry. One terminal of each phase-to-phase switches is connected to one of four connection paths on which four conversion signals being different in phase by 90° are input. The other one terminal of each phase-to-phase switches is connected to the phase-to-phase capacitor. Each output buffer is connected to one of the four connection paths and outputs an output signal. The control signal generation circuitry outputs control signals to control turning-on/off of the respective four phase-to-phase switches. A closing of the first, second, third, and fourth phase-to-phase switches are started from any one of phase-to-phase switches in one of a first ascending circulation and a first descending circulation based on the 4-phase control signals. Full Article
z PHASE NOISE IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR WIDEBAND FRACTIONAL-N SYNTHESIZERS By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT The disclosure provides a frequency synthesizer. It includes a PFD that generates an up signal and a down signal in response to a reference signal and a feedback signal. A charge pump generates a control voltage in response to the up signal and the down signal. A low pass filter generates a filtered voltage in response to the control voltage. An oscillator circuit generates an output signal in response to the filtered voltage. A feedback divider is coupled between the oscillator circuit and the PFD, and divides the output signal by a first integer divider to generate the feedback signal. A sigma delta modulator (SDM) generates a second integer divider in response to the feedback signal, the reference signal, the output signal and the first integer divider. A digital filter is coupled between the SDM and the feedback divider, and filters quantization noise associated with the SDM. Full Article
z SENSOR ARRANGEMENT WITH VARIABLE CARRIER FREQUENCY AND GOERTZEL FILTERING By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A method for processing a signal modulated with a variable carrier frequency includes calculating a coefficient for demodulation of the signal. The method also includes demodulating the signal by calculating discrete intermediate values utilizing the coefficient for a predefined maximum number of steps and calculating the signal with the aid of the intermediate values of the coefficient. The value of the coefficient is respectively calculated on the basis of carrier frequencies for each step. Full Article
z PIEZOELECTRIC DRIVING DEVICE, MOTOR, ROBOT, AND PUMP By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 08 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A piezoelectric driving device includes: a substrate including a fixed portion, and a vibrating body portion which is provided with a piezoelectric element and is supported by the fixed portion; and a contact portion which comes into contact with a driven body, and transmits movement of the vibrating body portion to the driven body, the contact portion is provided at an end portion in the longitudinal direction of the vibrating body portion, and a difference between a distance between the end portion when the contact portion is not pressed against the driven body and a tip end of the contact portion, and a distance between the end portion when the contact portion is pressed against the driven body and the tip end, is smaller than a total amplitude in the longitudinal direction in a case where the vibrating body portion is driven. Full Article
z INTEGRATED FUEL CELL AIRCRAFT PRESSURIZATION AND COOLING SYSTEM By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 15 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT According to one embodiment of this disclosure an integrated fuel cell and environmental control system includes a turbo-compressor. The turbo-compressor includes a rotatable shaft, a compressor rotatable with the shaft to generate a flow of compressed air, a motor connected to the shaft, and a turbine connected to the shaft. The system further includes a fuel cell connected to the compressor by a first compressed air supply line that supplies a first portion of the flow of compressed air to the fuel cell. The fuel cell is connected to the turbine by a fuel cell exhaust line that supplies a flow of fuel cell exhaust to the turbine and causes the turbine to rotate. The system further includes an environmental control system connected to the compressor by a second compressed air supply line that supplies a second portion of the flow of compressed air to the environmental control system. Full Article
z Carbon pyrolyzate adsorbent having utility for CO2 capture and methods of making and using the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A particulate form carbon pyrolyzate adsorbent, having the following characteristics: (a) CO2 capacity greater than 105 cc/gram at one bar pressure and temperature of 273° Kelvin; (b) CO2 Working Capacity greater than 7.0 weight percent; (c) CO2 heats of adsorption and desorption each of which is in a range of from 10 to 50 kJ/mole; and (d) a CO2/N2 Henry's Law Separation Factor greater than 5. The carbon pyrolyzate material can be formed from a polyvinylidene chloride-based polymer or copolymer, or other suitable resin material, to provide an adsorbent that is useful for carbon dioxide capture applications, e.g., in treatment of flue gases from coal-fired power generation plants. Full Article
z Liquid-metering device for a gas analyzer By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A liquid-metering device comprising a droplet generator including a reservoir and, connected to the latter, a displacement space which is modifiable by an electromechanical transducer and which has an outlet opening and, upon excitation of the transducer, shoots a liquid droplet from a cold area into a heatable area through or counter to a gas stream generated by a gas source. To make the device suitable for automatic and quasi-continuous liquid metering in process analysis, a heatable evaporation chamber is provided through which the liquid to be metered flows via valves, and, between the evaporation chamber and the reservoir, a condensate chamber is connected via further valves. The condensate chamber and the reservoir are connected via additional valves and a pressure regulator to the gas source. Full Article
z Fast gas chromatograph method and device for analyzing a sample By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A fast gas chromatograph (GC) method and device for obtaining fast gas chromatography analysis, in which a capillary gas chromatography column is inserted into a resistively heated metal tube located mostly outside a heated oven, which serves as a heated transferline to a flexible column that enters a resistively heated metal tube from a gas chromatograph injector and exits into a gas chromatograph detector. The resistively heated metal tube of the fast GC device has an internal diameter that is over twice the external diameter of the GC column so as to enable the insertion of several capillary GC column loops. The process of column insertion into or removal from the heated tube is aided by touching it with an ultrasound vibrating device that remarkably reduces the friction during column insertion into the metal tube heater. Full Article
z Window covering sizing method and apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method and apparatus for cutting a window covering comprises saw for cutting the window blind. A clamp assembly moves the window covering relative to the saw. A controller moves the clamp assembly to automatically position the window covering relative to the saw. The saw is moved into engagement with the window covering to cut the window covering. Full Article
z Method for optimizing lumber derived from a log By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT In some embodiments, the disclosure includes method for optimizing lumber derived from a log. The method may include the steps of debarking the log and cutting the log to provide a plurality of boards. The plurality of boards are then scanned to determine knot properties and/or warp stability for each of the plurality of boards and a lumber upgrade process is selected based on the knot properties and/or warp stability. Finally, one or more of the plurality of boards are planed after being subjected to the lumber upgrade process. Full Article
z Method of increasing paper surface strength by using acrylic acid/acrylamide copolymer in a size press formulation containing starch By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 07 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT The invention provides methods and compositions for increasing the strengthening effect of a starch coating on paper. The method involves contacting the starch with a synthetic polymer before the starch is cooked. This changes how the starch gelatinizes and how the polymer gets distributed on the paper resulting in greater paper surface strength. Full Article
z Web substrate having optimized emboss design By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present disclosure provides for a fibrous structure having an initial total wet tensile strength of greater than about 118 g/cm and at least one embossed ply having a surface thereof. The surface has a surface area comprising from about 10.0 percent to about 20.0 percent line embossments. Also, a fibrous structure having at least two plies is disclosed. One of the two plies has an initial total wet tensile strength of greater than about 118 g/cm and at least one embossed ply having a surface thereof. The surface has a surface area comprising from about 10.0 percent to about 20.0 percent line embossments. Full Article
z Method of sizing paper By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT This technology relates to a method of sizing paper through the use of an aqueous solution of ketene dimer and vinylamine-containing polymers. It also relates to the stability of the ketene dimer/polyvinylamine solution. Full Article
z ANALYZING DEPLOYMENT PIPELINES USED TO UPDATE PRODUCTION COMPUTING SERVICES USING A LIVE PIPELINE TEMPLATE PROCESS By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT Techniques are presented for managing a deployment pipeline using an inheritable and extensible source code template—generally referred to as a live pipeline template (LPT). As described, live pipeline templates may be used to manage deployment pipelines which, in turn, are used to launch, maintain, and update the services and systems used to host and provide computing services. Full Article
z DYNAMIC RECONNECT OF WORK PROCESSES IN A ZERO DOWNTIME MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT The disclosure generally describes methods, software, and systems, including a method for updating an application. At least one application instance of an application is managed. Each application instance is associated with a plurality of executing work processes connected with a first database schema. A bridge database schema is generated that is related to the first database schema. The bridge database schema represents a copy of the first database schema and is generated in response to initiation of an update to the application. In response to determining that the generation of the bridge database schema is complete, for each of the plurality of work processes, a commit work action performed by the particular work process is determined. In response to determining performance of the commit work action, the particular work process is connected to the bridge database schema. Full Article
z METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CUSTOMIZING SOFTWARE By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A system facilitates modification or adaptation of a software object or platform, developed by a software developer, by a plurality of entities, each entity is assigned a hierarchical level, the lowest hierarchical level being assigned to a software developer and the highest hierarchical level being assigned to an end-user. At each level, when a modification or adaptation is implemented, a separate layer file or layer of a layer file is created and stored in a database. Subsequently, the changes of the respective layers are implemented in sequence according to the hierarchy, so that a higher hierarchical level's modifications that are in conflict with a setting of a lower hierarchical level replace the implementation of the lower hierarchical level's setting during runtime. Full Article
z Distributed code repository with limited synchronization locking By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A system for a distributed repository includes an input interface and a processor. The input interface is to receive a request to change a portion of code. The processor is to determine a change reference and an existing reference, indicate to lock one or more repositories, determine whether swapping references is approved by a vote, and in the event that swapping references is approved by a vote, swap the references and indicate to unlock the one or more repositories. Full Article
z TECHNIQUES FOR PROVIDING PERSONALIZED BEHAVIOR-BASED CONTENT By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT Techniques for providing personalized content in substantially real time are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for providing personalized content in substantially real time includes providing first content including a plurality of user-selectable content elements, detecting an interaction of a user with respect to the provided content including a selection by the user of one of the plurality of the user-selectable content elements displayed on a page of the first content, and providing second content in response to a request. The second content includes at least a portion of the first content modified according to the detected interaction by moving the user-selectable content element up on a page of the second content relative to a position of the content element on the page of the first content. Full Article
z SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ANALYZING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS TO DYNAMICALLY IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND VISUALIZATION OF COLLABORATIVE WORK ENVIRONMENTS By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT Systems and methods for managing a collaborative environment are provided. A plurality of sheets is stored in a collaboration system. The collaboration system tracks user interactions with the plurality of sheets and generates a collaboration graph based on the interactions. The collaboration graph is analyzed to determine similarities between the sheets and/or the users. One or more visualizations are generated based on the collaboration graph and the determined similarities. In some embodiments, the collaboration system is able to provide project management information even for dynamic workflows that are not explicitly defined. Full Article
z UNIVERSAL ADAPTOR FOR RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF WEB-BASED DATA VISUALIZATIONS By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT A method of web-based data visualization includes: a Frontend sending a request over a computer network to a server configured as a Backend; a web server of the second server fetching data responsive to the request; the web server sending a response to the Frontend in a format compatible with a plurality software adaptors located on the Frontend, the response including information about objects to be presented on a web component; logic of the Frontend passing the response to a selected one of the software adaptors; and the selected software adaptor rendering the using a web visualization library associated with selected software adaptor. Full Article
z AGGREGATING DATA FOR VISUALIZATION By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Jun 2017 08:00:00 EDT Data items are aggregated based on information relating to a display capability of a display device, to produce aggregated data. The aggregated data is for display in a visualization presented by the display device. Responsive to user selection in the visualization, dynamically created data at a second hierarchical level different from a first hierarchical level of the aggregated data is for display in the visualization. Full Article
z Handheld cable cutter with stabilizing base By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 07 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A handheld cable cutter is provided with two handles, a stationary cutting blade, and a rotatable cutting blade pivotally connected to the stationary cutting blade. One of the handles is movable such that movement of the movable handle toward and away from the other, stationary handle drives the rotatable cutting blade toward the stationary cutting blade. The stationary handle includes an enlarged, integral stabilizing base which rests upon a support surface when the movable handle is actuated to cut a cable. Full Article
z Razor cartridge with skin contact element By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A razor cartridge has a housing, a guard located at a front of the housing and a cap located at a rear of the housing. A skin contact element is disposed in the housing partway between the guard and the cap. A skin contact plane defines a plane tangential to the guard and the skin contact element and a plane tangential to the skin contact element and the cap. One or more blades are located between the guard and the skin contact element, each of the blades having a cutting edge located at a distance y1 between 70 μm and 300 μm and at an angle α1 between 20° and 45° below the skin contact plane. One or more blades are located between the skin contact element and the cap, each of the blades having a cutting edge located at an angle α2 above or below the skin contact plane, wherein α2 is lower in magnitude than α1. Full Article
z Pizza cutter By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A pizza cutter includes at least one blade, a handle attached to the blade, and extenders for positioning the cutter in a pizza box to cut uniform slices of pizza. The blade may be a single blade or two blades forming a 90 degree “X”. The handle is attached across the top of the blade and may include slots to better grasp the handle. The extenders are attached to opposite ends of the cutter and may be fixed or rotating, and intersect opposite corners of the pizza box to align the blade to cut uniform slices. Full Article
z Razor blade technology By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A razor cartridge includes razor blade assemblies having an inter-blade guard attached to a side of a razor blade. The razor blade is formed from strip that is manufactured including a thermal oxidation process to form a chromium oxide layer on the side surface of the razor blade. This oxide film prevents electrochemical corrosion of the razor blade that may be visible to a user and prevents real or perceived premature failure of the razor blade and thus the razor cartridge during its extended life. The razor blade assembly may also have an array of closely spaced droplets of a liquid adapted to inhibit corrosion of the razor blade applied to the side of the razor blade visible to a user. Full Article
z Indicia for razor with a rotatable portion By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A razor comprises a first component comprising a first indicia on a surface of the first component. The razor also comprises a second component configured to rotate relative to the first component about a first axis of rotation, the second component comprising at least one blade and a second indicia on a surface of the second component, the second component configured to rotate relative to the first component about a second axis of rotation, wherein the second axis of rotation and the first axis of rotation are non-coplanar. The second component is in a preloaded neutral position when at rest such that rotation about the second axis of rotation generates a return torque and wherein the first indicia and the second indicia are in alignment at rest and out of alignment when the second component has been rotated about the first axis of rotation. Full Article
z High-pressure homogenizer with an epicyclic reduction gear unit By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT A high-pressure homogenizer including: a fixed body (7) housing a rotating crankshaft (10);a motor (3) for driving the crankshaft (10);a reduction gear unit (4) interconnected between the crankshaft and transmission elements (5, 6), characterized in that the reduction gear unit (4) is an epicyclic reduction gear unit. Preferably there is provided a lubricant feed line (15) which passes through the fixed body and reaches the epicyclic reduction gear unit (4). Preferably the epicyclic reduction gear unit (4) is constructed integrally with the fixed body (4). Full Article
z Crankshaft having optimized crankpin lubrication, and related engine and method for producing the lubrication system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 24 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT The invention relates to a crankshaft comprising at least: a journal; a first crankpin; a second crankpin; a first arm connecting the first crankpin to the journal; a second arm connecting the second crankpin to the journal; a first pipe extending away from the first crank pin toward the journal and leading onto the surface of the first crankpin on the transverse median plane thereof, and substantially passing to the center of the median plane of the second arm; and a second conduit extending away from the second crankpin toward the journal and leading onto the surface of the second crankpin on the transverse median plane thereof, and substantially passing to the center of the median plane of the second arm, characterized in that the shape of the crankshaft is such that it cannot also comprise a diametric pipe within the transverse median plane of the journal fluidly adjoining the first pipe and the second pipe, and the crankshaft comprises a third non-diametric pipe within the transverse median plan of the journal fluidly connecting the first pipe and the second pipe. Full Article
z Customization of inner sole board By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT An inner sole board having varying regions of flexibility is provided for use in an article of footwear. The inner sole board may include different materials along its length at different locations that vary its flexibility. An inner sole board is manufactured in an injection molding process requiring only one mold. The process includes a first step of providing a mold, a second step of providing an injection molding assembly, a third step of preparing an injection molding assembly and mold, a fourth step of injecting material into the mold, and a fifth step of establishing the dimensions of a first portion. During the injection molding process, the flow rate of at least one material may be controlled by a nozzle gate to control the shape and size of the flex zone it creates. In this manner, the inner sole board may be customized for a specific sport or individual. Full Article
z Orthopods and equipment to generate orthopedic supports from computerized data inputs By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT Systems and methods of measuring feet and designing and creating orthopedic inserts are described. The method can include measuring a pressure the foot exerts during a stride at a plurality of points over a period of time, and analyzing a pressure at the plurality of points over the period of time and designing the orthopedic inserter based on the analysis. The system can include a device that measures a pressure exerted by foot at a plurality of times at each of a plurality of points and a computer connected to the device, the computer having a memory that stores the measured pressures and a program operable to analyze the measured pressures to create a design of an orthopedic insert. Full Article
z Indoor expansion valve initialization sequence for an air conditioner By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT This invention relates to a multi-room air conditioning system with a plurality of indoor expansion valves. A method for sequencing the initialization of each indoor expansion valve upon system startup is disclosed. The method includes the following steps: 1. Initializing expansion valves corresponding to active indoor units,2. Turning on the compressor,3. Adjusting the indoor expansion valves corresponding to active indoor units,4. Initializing and adjusting indoor expansion valves corresponding to inactive indoor units. Full Article
z Apparatus and method for separating droplets from vaporized refrigerant By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for separating droplets from vaporized refrigerant. The droplet separator according to the invention has a separation vessel, where the droplets gravitationally separate from the vaporized refrigerant. A partition plate has been arranged in the separation vessel, which partition plate divides the separation space into two separation parts. Thereby the refrigerant is arranged—to pass firstly through the first separation space on the first side of the partition plate, —then to transfer to the second side of the partition plate, i.e. to the second separation space—then to pass through the second separation space on the second side of the partition plate. Full Article
z Refreezable ice barrel By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Provided is an environmentally friendly refreezable barrel for chilling a plurality of items in an energy efficient manner that also conserves water. The refreezable barrel includes a cooler body defining an open end and a closed end portion. The cooler body defines a cavity extending from the open end towards the closed end portion. The cavity is configured to receive the plurality of items. A cooling element is disposed within the cooler body and is refreezable to mitigate temperature rise within the cooler body to prolong the melting of ice within the barrel, thereby reducing the overall amount of water used by the barrel. The refreezable barrel also includes a cooler stand defining a recess configured to engage with the closed end portion of the cooler body. Full Article