A biodegradable device for maintaining the alignment of the edges of a trocar defect, consisting of two bases joined by a connector, a first base to be positioned below the defect and a second base above. The first base has a threaded hole from its upper surface but not through the lower surface. The connector attached to the bases such that there is a hole aligned with the threaded hole in the first base allowing a device to mate with the threads in the first base. The second base has a hole aligned with the hole in the connector and wide enough to allow a device to mate with the threads in the first base. The device is arranged so the distance between the lower surface of the second base and upper surface of the first base holds but does not compress the fascia around the trocar defect.

Devices, systems and methods for dynamically stabilizing the spine are provided. The devices include an expandable spacer having an undeployed configuration and a deployed configuration, wherein the spacer has axial and radial dimensions for positioning between the spinous processes of adjacent vertebrae. The systems include one or more spacers and a mechanical actuation means for delivering and deploying the spacer. The methods involve the implantation of one or more spacers within the interspinous space.

A medical device used in a medical robotic system has a conduit and an orientable tip. An optical fiber coupled to a laser source and/or a catheter coupled to one or more biomaterial sources extends through the conduit and tip so that the tip of the medical device may be robotically directed towards a target tissue for laser and/or biomaterial application as part of a medical procedure performed at a surgical site within a patient. A protective sheath covers the fiber as it extends through the conduit and tip. A first coupler adjustably secures at least the sheath to the medical device and a second coupler adjustably secures the fiber to at least the sheath. A similar dual coupler mechanism may be used to secure the sheathed catheter to the medical device.

A substantially radiolucent cranial stabilization pin is adapted for use with a fixture for immobilizing a patient's head during a medical procedure. The pin includes a tip and a body, which are secured together to form the pin. The tip and body are constructed from non-ferrous, non-magnetic materials that are biocompatible. The tip and body are safe for use with, and compatible with, imaging techniques including MR imaging and CT imaging. In some examples the tip is a titanium insert and the body is molded within and around at least a portion of the tip. In some versions, the tip includes a hollow portion and one or more openings providing access to the hollow portion. The molded body flows into and around portions of the tip creating a secure pin suitable to withstand torque and axial forces observed in use.

The invention relates to a method for configuring a mobile device capable of reproducing, for a user, multimedia content previously provided by a remote content server. The invention relates to using a client installed on said electronic device to relay authentication requests between a card, preferably complying with the provisions of the Mobile Commerce Extension standard, and an authentication server that is accessible via an access point.

A targeting jig apparatus for targeting interlocking holes of an intramedullary nail. The targeting jig includes a support-arm extending substantially parallel to the intramedullary nail. A targeting mechanism including a pair of targeting mechanism drill-guide orifices is adjustably disposed on the support arm for aligning the targeting mechanism drill-guide orifice with the interlocking holes of the intramedullary nail. The targeting mechanism includes a saddle having a U-shape including a base and parallel legs that are slidable along the support-arm. A connection mechanism includes a horizontal slot on the support-arm aligned with a vertical slot on the targeting mechanism and a pivot screw extending through the slots for facilitating adjustment of the targeting mechanism relative to the support arm.

An adjustable drill is provided comprising a drill body having at least one face surface with a plurality of serrations provided therewith. The drill further has at least one cartridge having a cooperating plurality of second serrations, to be driven with the drill body when assembled therewith. The at least one cartridge includes at least one insert pocket, and at least one insert is releasably affixed in the insert pocket provided in the cartridge. In further examples, the adjustable drill may have a central cutting system in combination with the adjustable cartridge type system, wherein the central cutting system may be modular. There may also be provided a modular type of holder arrangement to provide flexibility to adapt the system for various applications.

A surface-mountable over-current protection device comprises one PTC material layer, first and second connecting conductors, first and second electrodes and an insulating layer. The PTC material layer has a resistivity less than 0.2 Ω-cm, and comprises crystalline polymer and conductive filler dispersed therein. The first and second connecting conductors are capable of effectively dissipating heat generated from the PTC material layer. The first and second electrodes are electrically connected to first and second surfaces of the PTC material layer through the first and second connecting conductors, respectively. The dissipation factor depending on the ratio of the total area of the electrodes and the conductors to the area of the PTC material layer is greater than 0.6. At 25° C., the value of the hold current of the device divided by the product of the area of the PTC material layer and the number of the PTC material layer is greater than 1A/mm2.

A surface mountable over-current protection device having upper and lower surfaces comprises a PTC device, first and second electrodes, and first and second circuits. The PTC device comprises a PTC material layer and first and second conductive layers. The PTC material layer is disposed between the conductive layers and comprises crystalline polymer and conductive filler dispersed therein. The first electrode comprises a pair of first metal foils, whereas the second electrode comprises a pair of second metal foils. The first circuit connects the first electrode and conductive layer, and has a first planar line extending horizontally. The second circuit connects the second electrode and conductive layer, and has a second planar line extending horizontally. At least one of the planar lines has a thermal resistance sufficient to mitigate heat dissipation by which the over-current protection device undergoes a test at 25° C. and 8 amperes can trip within 60 seconds.

A surface-mountable over-current protection device comprises a PTC material layer, first and second conductive layers, first and second electrodes, first and second electrically conductive connecting members. The PTC material layer has a resistivity less than 0.18 Ω-cm. The conductive layers are in contact with opposite surfaces of the PTC material layer. The first electrode comprises pair of first metal foils and is insulated from the second conductive layer. The second electrode comprises a pair of second metal foils and is insulated from the first conductive layer. The first electrically conductive connecting member connects to the first metal foils and conductive layer. The second electrically conductive connecting member connects to the second metal foils and conductive layer. The first electrically conductive connecting member comprises 40%-100% by area of the first lateral surface, and the second electrically conductive connecting member comprises 40%-100% by area of the second lateral surface.

A surface mountable over-current protection device comprises one PTC material layer, first and second conductive layers, first and second electrodes, and an insulating layer. The PTC material layer comprises crystalline polymer and conductive filler dispersed therein. The first and second conductive layers are disposed on first and second planar surfaces of the PTC material layer, respectively. The first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second conductive layers. The insulating layer is disposed between the first and the second electrodes for insulation. At the melting point of the crystalline polymer, the CTE of the crystalline polymer is greater than 100 times the CTE of the first or second conductive layer, and the first and/or second conductive layers has a thickness which is large enough to obtain a resistance jump value R3/Ri less than 1.4.

A system and method of painting parts of large dimensions that present a certain amount of flexibility that makes their shape geometrically unstable in the event of being moved. The surface of a part is moved in front of a paint spray device by an arm of a robot, while the spray device remains stationary relative to the robot and while the part is being deformed. Other elements include a gripper for gripping parts of large dimensions, the gripper being adapted to implement the method; an installation; and a booth for performing surface treatment of parts.

A c-shaped clamp tool system preferably includes slider arms, one or more slider arm supports, pads, one or more threaded rods, and turning knobs. The clamping system preferably includes multiple slider arms and slider arm supports of different lengths. In a preferred embodiment, the slider arms are made of unidirectional pultruded carbon fiber and the slider arm support is made of woven carbon fiber.

A retractable assembly for introducing an insertable device into a container through a container opening, comprising: a linear guide, which is releasably mountable on the container via a holder; and, guided along the linear guide, a slider, on which an articulated head is so seated, that it has at least two degrees of freedom perpendicular to the linear guide, wherein the insertable device is at least axially guided in the articulated head in the mounted state.

Assisted-GPS for a portable biometric monitoring device is provided. The portable biometric monitoring device may obtain updated ephemeris data from an associated secondary device via a short-range, low-power communication protocol. The secondary device may be a computing device such as a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Various rules may control when the ephemeris data is updated. The ephemeris data may be used in the calculation of the global position of the portable biometric monitoring device. Additionally, the portable biometric monitoring device may communicate downloaded position fixing data to the associated secondary device. The associated secondary device may then calculate the global position from the position fixing data.

A portable electronic device includes an electronic module and an electronic module fixing structure. The electronic module fixing structure includes a main body, a sliding component, a rod and an elastic component connected between the main body and the sliding component. The main body has a track with a positioning portion. The sliding component is slidably disposed on the main body. The rod is rotatably connected with the sliding component. An end of the rod is adapted to move along the track. When the end is located at the positioning portion, the end and the positioning portion are interfered with each other to position the sliding component. When the electronic module pushes the sliding component, the rod is rotated to drive the end to move away from the positioning portion, and the sliding component pushes the electronic module away from the main body through elastic force of the elastic component.

A new type of portable USB mass storage gadget is disclosed which provides the user with upgradeable high speed mass storage and processing for use with portable computer appliances such as smart phones and tablets as well as standard desk top computers and laptops. Various modifications to the embodiment referred to as a UDRIVE are disclosed including a battery option, wireless connectivity, security, and additional internal electronics and external interfaces that allow processing of the data stored or sent to the portable gadget.

A method in which the driving behavior of a vehicle is influenced as a function of data on the surroundings in order to assist an avoidance maneuver, as soon as a risk of a collision is detected on the basis of the data from one or more environment sensors, in particular radar sensors and/or cameras, and the data from one or more vehicle sensors, in particular a steering angle sensor and/or yaw rate sensor and/or wheel speed sensors, and the vehicle has an electronically controlled brake system which permits a driver-independent buildup and modulation of the braking forces at the individual wheels of the vehicle, wherein when a risk of a collision is detected, in a first phase a turning-in operation by the driver is assisted and/or in a second phase a steering operation by the driver is damped. Furthermore, an electronic control unit for a brake system is defined.

A method is provided for operating a parking brake module that is at least partially integrated into a compressed air generation system in the event of defects, having a control unit, solenoid valves, and a relay valve for aerating and deaerating at least one spring-loaded brake cylinder. A pressure in the parking brake module which is elevated compared to a normal pressure is determined. A constant compressed air delivery is stopped. A reduced switch-off pressure of the compressed air generation system is set. The pressure level in the parking brake module is lowered to the reduced switch-off pressure through repeated activation of the relay valve.

A vehicle yaw stability control method and a vehicle yaw stability control apparatus are provided. The yaw rate {dot over (ψ)} of the vehicle is measured. A first reference yaw rate {dot over (ψ)}ref is set. A difference yaw rate Δ{dot over (ψ)} is set. Stabilizing braking intervention is triggered when a value of the difference yaw rate Δ{dot over (ψ)} exceeds limits defined by difference yaw rate threshold values Δ{dot over (ψ)}min, Δ{dot over (ψ)}max. Information regarding the shape of the road ahead of the vehicle is acquired. The reliability of the driver steering input δ is evaluated upon stabilizing braking intervention being triggered. In case the driver steering input δ is deemed unreliable a replacement reference yaw rate {dot over (ψ)}refroad is set based on the acquired road shape and a replacement difference yaw rate Δ{dot over (ψ)}road is set whereupon stabilizing braking intervention is performed based on the replacement difference yaw rate Δ{dot over (ψ)}road.

A computer-implemented fan control method includes measuring a temperature within a computer system and dynamically selecting a fan speed step in response to the temperature received, wherein the fan speed step is selected from a fan speed table defining a finite number of fan speed steps each having an associated fan speed. A fan is operated at the dynamically selected fan speed step, wherein the fan is positioned to drive air through the computer system where the temperature is being measured. The fan output variation is measured over a prescribed time interval and the fan speed table is automatically modified to change the fan speeds associated with each fan speed step, wherein the fan speeds are changed as a function of the measured fan output variation while continuing to drive the fan.

An improved rearward-hinged and forward-hinged, rotatable and tiltable receiving table for a agricultural bale transport vehicle that selectively tilts and rotates a layer of bales resting thereupon 90 degrees relative to a preceding bale layer on the transport vehicle to criss-cross tie a load of bales (a plurality of layers of bales) together in a load stack offloaded from the transport vehicle to the field for later pickup and movement or deposit in a bale storage area. Preferably, the bale transport vehicle is a mid-size or big bale stack wagon having a Mil-Stak® bale loader previously installed or concurrently being installed. The invention enables the lifting, tilting, rotating, and depositing of one mid-size or big bale or a plurality of mid-size or big bales from a rearward-hinged and forward-hinged bale receiving table of the bale transport vehicle onto a rear-hinged stack load table for consolation into a load with other layers of bales for transport from the field. The invention allows selective 90 degree rotation of a layer of bales relative to a preceding layer of bales of the bale stack on the rear-hinged stack load table.

Source support arm of a liquid crystal panel transportation device is provided, which includes a primary arm section. The primary arm section includes a plurality of ancillary arm sections that are rotatable to open mounted thereon. A liquid crystal panel transportation device is also disclosed, which includes a support arm having a primary arm section and ancillary arm sections that are mounted to the primary arm section and are rotatable to open.

An apparatus for transferring articles is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a layer formation table. The apparatus also includes means for supplying articles to the layer formation table. At least one row of the articles is formed at a first end of the layer formation table. The apparatus also includes a programmable robot including an end of arm tool for transferring the at least one row of the articles towards a second end of the layer formation table. The programmable robot is configured to form a plurality of rows of articles on the layer formation table. Each of the rows comprises a plurality of articles in side by side contact creating a void between adjacent articles in each of the rows. The programmable robot is configured to nest the articles of one of the rows in the voids of an adjacent row. The end of arm tool includes a multiplicity of guides which form lanes. The rows of articles fill the lanes. The end of arm tool includes clamping tools which lock the individual rows of articles between the guides.

Presented is a near field communication system and method to automatically establish an interconnection between two electronic devices. The system includes a first electronic device including an NFC chip communicatively coupled to a passive NFC tag, where the NFC tag having an integrated circuit with a predefined information content, a second device including an active NFC reader configured to read the predefined information content from the NFC tag based on an identification of a proximate distance therebetween, and where the NFC tag is capable of transmitting an activation signal to the NFC chip to enable transition of the NFC chip from a first state to a second state such as to establish a near field wireless communication link between the two devices to enable exchange of digital content therebetween.

A wireless media player and a related system and methodology are disclosed. One aspect of the wireless media player system pertains to a virtual connector system, apparatus, and method for the automatic establishment of wireless connectivity with other electronic devices. In one embodiment, the media player device employs the use of integrated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to exchange communication settings, media capability, and other parameters with an external device that also has integrated RFID technology. The automatic exchange of settings and other information via a proximity-based RFID data exchange allows a media player to quickly establish a secure communication link with another device via a commonly supported wireless protocol such as Ultra Wideband (UWB) or Bluetooth. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a method of using the captured media capability of the connecting device to customize certain menu options and software parameters in the media player.

A punch includes a base, a plurality of punch pins, a lever and a plank. The base includes a lower member defining a plurality of holes and an upper member defining a plurality of holes corresponding to the holes defined in the lower member. Each of the punch pins is for insertion through one of the holes defined in the upper member and one of the holes defined in the lower member. The lever is pivotally mounted on the base. The plank defines a plurality of holes. The plank is movably attached to the lever between several positions in each of which it pushes a different set of the punch pins when the lever is operated.

The present invention discloses a log sawing system comprising multiple cutting blades. The multiple cutting blades are positioned to cut laterally or perpendicular to the centerline of the log which is to be cut. The logs are transported into cutting position using some type of log positioner. The multiple cutting blades are rotatably mounted on an arm which is pivotally mounted on a shaft in groups, being driven by an electrical or like motor, all of which are mounted onto a platform positioned adjacent to the log to be cut. Hydraulic lifters are used to partially rotate the saw blades into the cutting position adjacent the log. Means utilizing a computer and lasers are provided to develop a log cutting solution to best utilize the logs.

A portable consumer device includes a base, and a computer readable medium on the base. The computer readable medium comprises code for an issuer verification value and a supplemental verification value. The issuer verification value is used by an issuer to verify that the portable consumer device is authentic in an on-line transaction and the supplemental verification value is used to verify that the portable consumer device is authentic in an off-line transaction.

A portable consumer device includes a base, and a computer readable medium on the base. The computer readable medium comprises code for an issuer verification value and a supplemental verification value. The issuer verification value is used by an issuer to verify that the portable consumer device is authentic in an on-line transaction and the supplemental verification value is used to verify that the portable consumer device is authentic in an off-line transaction.

A suction duct for a compressor such as a scroll compressor may include a plastic ring body with a metal screen heat staked in a window of the ring body to filter refrigerant gas entering the motor cavity. The ring body may be in surrounding relation of the motor and resiliently compressed in the housing through intermittent contact with the inner housing surface to better seal around the inlet port. Oil drain channels and stabilizing ribs may be along the outside surface of the ring body.

A mobile device case defining an aperture and a camera protection module within the aperture. The camera protection module may be a separate element from the case shell or may be formed as an integral part of shell.

A portable support for supporting equipment above a surface having an opening to a subsurface space. The support includes a head, an elevator on the head, and legs connected to the head for supporting the head above the surface. Each of the legs has a foot for engaging the surface when supporting the head above the surface. The support also includes an elongate rod vertically mounted on the elevator for movement between a raised position, in which an upper end of the rod extends above the head, and a lowered position, in which a lower end of the rod extends below the feet of the legs to extend into the subsurface space. The support includes an instrument platform positionable on the lower end of the rod when in the lowered position to support the equipment in the subsurface space when the rod is in the lowered position.

The present invention discloses an inflatable lamp assembly a bladder and a light emitting apparatus that assembled together. The bladder includes a first bag portion, a second bag portion connected with an opening of the first bag portion, an air nozzle disposed on the firs bag portion, and a flange disposed at the opening of the second bag portion. The first bag portion and the second bag portion are co-formed an inflatable cell which is capable of being inflated and deflated by the air nozzle. The light emitting apparatus is received in a recess defined between the second bag portion and flange. As such, the light emitting apparatus can be firmly clamped in the recess when the inflatable cell is filled with air.

A toy construction system is provided that includes, in a toy construction system having a multiplicity of interconnecting members adapted for constructing a variety of projects, a rotator head device including a device housing having a conical-shaped cavity formed therein. The housing includes a plurality of female twist-lock connectors formed on the outer surface thereof, and the female connectors are adapted for attaching a first member of the toy construction system to the rotator head device housing. A rotating member, which is conical in shape and slightly smaller in size than the cavity formed in the device housing is included. The rotating member is rotatably disposed within the cavity and has a male twist-lock connector stem extending from an end thereof for connecting a second member of the toy construction system to the rotating member, whereby the first member is rotatable with respect to the second member.

A communication module according to the present invention includes a substrate, a laser element and a light receiving element provided on a front surface of the substrate and separating from each other, a transparent resin package collectively sealing the laser element and the light receiving element, and a diffusion unit provided to be opposed to a light emitting surface of the laser element at a prescribed distance for diffusing a laser beam emitted by the laser element, while the distance T between the laser element and the light receiving element satisfies the following formula (1): T≧t1·tan θ+(t1+t2)·tan θ' . . . (1) (in the formula (1), t1 represents the distance between the light emitting surface of the laser element and the diffusion unit, θ represents the maximum angle of emission of the laser element, t2 represents the difference between the height from the front surface of the substrate up to the light emitting surface and the height up to alight receiving surface of the light receiving element, and θ' represents the maximum diffusion angle of the diffusion unit.)

Singlet oxygen metastables can be formed. A catalytic coating is formed on an interior surface of a flow reactor, and an oxygen containing species is flowed into the flow reactor to produce singlet oxygen metastables by a chemical reaction in the presence of the catalytic coating.

A method for providing a feedback circuit for a three dimensional projector. First and second input devices and a sensor for determining the rotational speed of the second input device are provided. A control device for controlling the rotational speed of the second input device and a phase locked loop (PLL) are provided. A phase reference signal is created based on the signal rate of the first input device. A phase signal is created based on the rotational speed of the second input device. The PLL compares the phase reference signal and the phase feedback signal to determine whether the first input device and the second input device are synchronized. A signal is sent to the control device for the second input device to change the rotational speed of the second input device in response to determining that the first input device and the second input device are not synchronized.

A round rod guide (10) for mounting a stud bolt attached to a container side includes a plastic body, the stud bolt shaft (30) of the stud bolt being insertable onto and attachable to the plastic body. The plastic body has in its interior a channel (35) for receiving the stud bolt shaft (30) and on its free end, a receiving opening (19) for insertion of a round rod. The plastic body is formed as two parts with a first, cup-shaped base part (11) and with a second insertion part (16) insertable into the cup-shaped base part (11) in at least two different insertion positions that are rotated relative to one another at a predetermined angle. The receiving opening (19) for the round rod and the channel (35) for receiving the stud bolt shaft (30) and for attaching the round rod guide (10) are formed on the insertion part (16), whereby the receiving opening (10) formed in the insertion part (16), when the insertion part (16) is inserted in the base part (11) in the first insertion position, has a different spacing to the foot of the stud bolt shaft (30) than when in the second insertion position.

An apparatus and method for providing a removable anchor for use in tying down a load, or for securing a winch cable for use in recovering a disabled vehicle or other load. The anchor may be removably attached to the deck/bed of a trailer or vehicle (e.g., a car carrier or wrecker/tow truck), using one or more slots or stake pockets located on a cargo surface of the deck. The removable anchor may include: a projection member shaped and sized to fit into a slot on the cargo surface, or to protrude through a stake pocket; a crown attached to, or integrally forming a part of, the projection member, and configured to receive and anchor one or more tie down connectors; and a key attached to, or integrally forming a part of, the projection member. The key can be passed into the slot and manipulated between removable and locked positions. Alternatively, the key may be used to removably secure the anchor to the stake pocket.

A steplessly adjustable hydraulic insert valve has a housing defining a radial direction and an end side in an installation direction. An inflow connector on the end side is connectable to a pressure medium source. First and second working connectors and a return connector are arranged in the radial direction. The return connector is connectable to a pressure medium tank. The housing has an axial bore and an actuator guided movably therein. The actuator can be held in an axial center position by at least one spring and is adjustable steplessly axially out of the center position by controllable actuation. At least one of the working connectors is fluidically connectable to the return connector by axial adjustment of the actuator. The actuator has a radial widened portion with first and second control edges for steplessly opening and/or closing first and second radial openings, respectively, of the return connector.

In a conventional bistable liquid crystal device, switching characteristics fluctuate among panels and there is a problem in mass productivity. As an intermediate layer, an uneven film is inserted between a low anchoring layer and ITO. The uneven film has an average surface roughness of 2 nm or less, which is measured by an atomic force microscope. In this manner, the low anchoring layer is not affected by the surface shape of the ITO film which differs among panels, and the switching characteristics are stabilized.

A chair assembly for selectively charging an electronic device includes a frame. A back portion of the frame is operationally coupled to a front portion of the frame. A supporting panel is coupled to the frame. The supporting panel may support a user. A leg is coupled to the frame. The leg abuts a support surface so the leg supports the frame above the support surface. An arm rest is operationally coupled to the frame. The arm rest may support the user's arm. A bag is coupled to the arm rest. The bag may contain the electronic device. A charger is operationally coupled to the arm rest. The charger is selectively operationally coupled to the electronic device. The charger may charge the electronic device.

A mechanism for vertically adjusting a component on a shaft has a collet sleeve riding on the shaft. A spiral track of the component's hub receives a radially outwardly projecting pin on the collet sleeve. The outer surface of the collet sleeve and the inner surface of the hub are tapered so that the hub can rotated one direction to advance the hub on the collet sleeve and compress the collet sleeve onto the shaft to frictionally lock the collet sleeve to the shaft. Because the hub is joined to the collet sleeve by the pin, this also locks the vertical position of the component. Conversely, the hub can be oppositely rotated to release the compression of the collet sleeve so that the collet sleeve, and therefore the vertical component, is slidable on the shaft.

The present invention provides a central frequency adjustment device and adjustable inductor layout; wherein, the central frequency adjustment device is applied in an inductor/capacitor tank (LC tank) for adjusting the central frequency of the LC tank. The device comprises a first inductor with a first end and a second end; a second inductor with one end coupled with the second end of the first inductor; and, a first trimmable wire connected to the first inductor in parallel and to the second inductor in series, which adjusts the central frequency by cutting off the first trimmable wire.

One embodiment relates to a circuit for active loss compensation. The circuit includes a parallel inductor-capacitive (LC) tank circuit having a first single-ended output. A first adjustable capacitor, which includes a first terminal and a second terminal, is coupled to the first single-ended output. The circuit also includes a first pair of transistors having sources coupled to a first common node. One transistor of the first pair of transistors has a drain coupled to the first single-ended output and the other transistor of the first pair of transistors has a gate coupled to the second terminal of the first adjustable capacitor. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

A combination support stand and carrying handle apparatus for use with an associated tablet device having a generally rectangular conformation with opposite front and back substantially planar surfaces. The apparatus includes a mounting member, a handle member, and a support stand for holding the associated tablet device on surfaces at selected angles for convenience of use of the tablet device. The carrying handle is grippable by the hand of an associated user. The support stand apparatus and carrying handle apparatus may be provided individually without the other.

A securement device to make it much easier for a user to securely hold onto a personal, hand-held, tablet-shaped device such as an electronic reader, a tablet computing device, a cellular phone, a personal data assistant, and a common clipboard, including any of these items that are at least partially contained in protective housings—while minimizing the fatigue and discomfort on the user's hands: A typical device solves this problem by providing a system of one or more finger holds formed with a fabric or pliable material that are disposed on the back side of the personal, hand-held, tablet-shaped device. In many devices, the position and fit of the finger holds are easily adjustable by a user via hook-and-loop schemes.

A trash spearing tool and method are provided. The tool includes a spearing pin, a trigger assembly, an inner tube, and an outer tube. The trigger assembly is movable between a normal position and an activated position. The outer tube is slidable between a storage position and a use position. The spearing pin is operatively coupled to the trigger assembly in such manner that, when the outer tube is in the use position and the trigger assembly is in the normal position, the spearing pin is normally biased to an extended position in which a portion of the spearing pin extends from the outer tube and, when the outer tube is in the storage position and the trigger assembly is in either the normal position or use position, the spearing pin to in a retracted position in which the spearing pin does not extend from the outer tube.

An apparatus for monitoring nuclear thermal hydraulic stability of a nuclear reactor, contains: a calculation unit configured to calculate a stability index of a nuclear thermal hydraulic phenomenon based on nuclear instrumentation signals, the signals being outputted by a plurality of nuclear instrumentation detectors placed at regular intervals in a reactor core; a simulation unit configured to simulate the nuclear thermal hydraulic phenomenon based on a physical model by using information on an operating state of the nuclear reactor as an input condition; a limit value updating unit configured to update a limit value of the nuclear thermal hydraulic phenomenon based on a result of the simulation; and a determination unit configured to determine, based on the stability index and the limit value, whether or not to activate a power oscillation suppressing device.