A lifting girdle apparatus for enhancing the performance of a harness racing horse includes a lifting girdle affixed to a harness and sulky at two points on each side of the horse with a clip that attaches to the harness, behind approximately the front quarter of the horse, and with a securing strap that runs vertically towards and around the shaft of the sulky. The securing strap is preferably made to be adjustable, for example by constructing the securing strap as a belt and utilizing a belt buckle. The ability to adjust the distance between the attachment clips and the lifting girdle allows for a trainer to configure the lifting girdle device apparatus for different sized horses for producing an optimum setting for horses of almost any size.

Methods, apparatuses and systems for detecting defective sectors on a recording medium, the method including calculating a servo gain for each servo sector of a track of a recording medium of a storage device; determining whether the servo gain of each servo sector exceeds a threshold value; and upon determining that the servo gain of a servo sector exceeds the threshold value, determining data sectors included in the servo sector to be defective sectors.

First and second signal patterns are used to write corresponding portions of first and second adjacent tracks to a magnetic storage medium. A characteristic of the first signal pattern is changed based on the second signal pattern, the changing of the characteristic reducing an adjacent track interference affecting the second track.

An apparatus includes a slider body of a disk drive. The slider body is electrically coupled to a plurality of end bond pads. A voltage applied to one more of the end bond pads sets a surface potential of the slider body.

A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: collecting performance data corresponding to a tape drive and/or a magnetic tape head, storing the performance data in memory, and using the data to perform problem analysis. The performance data includes a resistance of the tape drive and/or magnetic tape head and a resolution of the tape drive and/or the magnetic tape head. Moreover, performing the problem analysis includes: determining a condition of the tape drive and/or the magnetic tape head, wherein the condition is selected from a group consisting of: wear, corrosion, defective leads and wire bonds. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

Water-free compositions suitable for application as a surface size to a cellulosic substrate, and methods of applying the water-free compositions to the surface of a cellulosic substrate.

Methods and apparatus are provided for finishing a composite floor. The apparatus includes a grouting pan configured to be affixed to the rotating head of a finishing machine. The grouting pan has a planar bottom surface and a curved sidewall. Grouting pans are rotated over a prepped surface such that the curved sidewalls trowel the mortar onto the rough composite surface and the bottom surface which is in contact with the prepped floor forces the mortar into the surface voids such that a grouted surface.

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

A method for forming an organic coating on a surface of nickel or nickel alloy is disclosed. The method includes contacting the nickel surface with a composition comprising a specific pyrazine derived compound to prevent corrosion of nickel without forming known gold emersion film on the surface of the nickel.

Methods for preventing the transmission of viral and bacterial diseases are disclosed. Disease transmission is inhibited through the application of an antimicrobial film to touchpoints, the antimicrobial film having at least 60 percent copper and being at least 0.0001 mm.

A light emitting module includes a circuit board, a light emitting device mounted on the circuit board, and a lens dispersing light emitted from the light emitting device. The lens includes a lower surface formed with a concave section defining a light incident surface through which light enters the lens, an upper surface through which light exits the lens, and legs coupled to the circuit board and disposed farther outside the lens than an area of the upper surface. The light emitting device is disposed within the concave section of the lens.

A method and apparatus for generating a sphere-like mobile user interface is described including receiving search terms and search results, generating a sphere and blobs of the sphere and expanding a touched or swiped blob of the sphere.

An apparatus that includes two separate reservoirs wherein the first reservoir is molded into the body of the larger artificial body of water and filled using a standard pump from the main body of water. From the larger body of water, the water is then moved upward through the apparatus through the manual opening of a valve assembly. Once the valve assembly is opened, the water moves through the valve assembly and through a grate and into a second reservoir. From this second reservoir, the water is pulled by the force gravity over the spillway into the main body of water, creating a clean, sheer waterfall effect.

A kit for calibrating an amount of water required by a toilet with an amount of water to be supplied to the toilet has a first recorder for determining an amount of water in a toilet bowl, a second recorder for determining an amount of water in a toilet tank if the water in the toilet bowl reaches a determined level, and a valve for setting an amount of water delivered to the tank if the water reaches a determined level in the tank.

The present invention provides a method for measuring reflective intensity of display surface, including: obtaining a luminance value of a first display and a luminance value of a second display when displaying, the first display and the second display having the same observed luminance, the peripheral of the surface of the first display being surrounded by light-shielding object, the first display and the second display being placed side by side; and obtaining the reflective intensity of the display surface in the ambient based on the luminance value of the first display and the luminance values of the second display when displaying. As such, the present invention provides convenient and accurate means to measure the reflective intensity of display surface.

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

A method for forming a vehicular brake rotor involving loading a shaped metal substrate with a mixture of metal alloying components and ceramic particles in a dieheating the contents of the die while applying pressure to melt at least one of the metal components of the alloying mixture whereby to densify the contents of the die and form a ceramic particle-containing metal matrix composite coating on the metallic substrate; and cooling the resulting coated product.

A disc brake rotor including a hub portion and a brake disc is provided. The brake disc extends radially outward from the hub portion and includes an outboard disc face and an inboard disc face. A plurality of channels are disposed in the brake disc that are circumferentially spaced from one another. Any one channel in the plurality of channels is open to either the outboard disc face or the inboard disc face. The brake disc includes an outer ring and an inner ring that are circumferentially continuous and uninterrupted along at least the outboard disc face and the inboard disc face. The outer ring is radially spaced from the inner ring with the plurality of channels disposed radially between the outer ring and the inner ring. Advantageously, this arrangement increases shear strength of the brake disc while providing enhanced cooling.

A brake rotor assembly can include a structural part having a receiving surface and at least one friction surface parts having a contact surface. The friction surface part can be fixably attached to the receiving surface of the structural part such that the contact surface faces away from the receiving surface of the structural surface to form at least part of an annular braking surface arranged concentrically around an axis of rotation of the structural part.

A hydrogen generator system and a fuel cell system including the hydrogen generator system are disclosed. The hydrogen generator system includes a replaceable cartridge that is removably contained within the system, and an external pump disposed outside the cartridge housing and configured to pump a fluid. The cartridge includes a cartridge housing, a liquid reservoir disposed within the cartridge housing and configured to contain a liquid including a reactant, a reaction area disposed within the cartridge housing and within which the reactant reacts to produce hydrogen gas, a liquid flow path disposed within the cartridge housing and through which the reactant liquid can flow from the liquid reservoir to the reaction area, and an internal pump disposed within the cartridge housing that can be operated by the external pump and is configured to transport the reactant liquid through the liquid flow path.

The invention provides a M.2 interface memory device and a M.2 interface connection seat insertedly provided thereof. The M.2 interface memory device comprises a M.2 interface card and a housing provided with at least one guide groove. The M.2 interface connection seat is disposed on a circuit board, and comprises two arms and a base comprising a M.2 interface slot. At least one arm is provided with a guide rail. An opening direction of the M.2 interface slot is horizontal to a surface of the circuit board. When the M.2 interface card is inserted into the M.2 interface slot in a horizontal direction, the M.2 interface memory device will be fixed within the M.2 interface connection seat by embedding between the guide groove and the guide rail. Thus, M.2 interface memory devices of a variety of specification lengths are able to be inserted into the M.2 interface connection seat.

A flexible flat cable structure capable of improving crosstalk interference includes plural telecommunication signal conductors separated from one another and provided for transmitting differential signals, two support members installed on two lateral sides of the telecommunication signal conductor respectively, at least one filled material disposed between the telecommunication signal conductors. The ratio of the equivalent dielectric constant of the filled material to the equivalent dielectric constant of the support members falls within a range of 0.39˜0.27, and the ratio of the thickness of the filled material to the thickness of the support members falls within a range of 1.49˜1.37. Therefore, the flexible flat cable structure achieves the effects of reducing the time delay of the signal transmission of the flexible flat cable (FFC), suppressing the ringing noise of resonance, and improving the eye height of amplitude measurement, so as to suppress crosstalk interference and improve signal transmission quality effectively.

A plastic soft composition is formed of soft base material constantly provided with plasticity, porous fine particles for polishing contained in the base material, and the like, and a polishing process and a coating process are performed to a painted surface and the like using the plastic soft composition. The fine particles for polishing are impregnated with a coating agent (a surface protective agent) added with an activator which is emulsified by contact with water, and the coating agent is held in concave portions formed in the fine particles. Both polishing work and coating work are achieved by sliding the plastic soft composition on a painted surface by a palm pressure of a user.

Methods of making a superabrasive tool precursor are disclosed, along with such precursors and associated tools. Particularly, methods are disclosed for orienting superabrasive particles in a viscous binding material in order to provide tools based thereupon and having desired performance characteristics.

An apparatus may include a plurality of antenna elements forming an antenna array. The apparatus may further include a beamformer that determines one or more of phase and amplitude shifts to cause the plurality of antenna elements to produce a beam in the direction of a target. The apparatus may further include a null limiter comprising dither circuits. The dither circuits may dither the one or more of phase and amplitude shifts by adding noise to cause a side lobe of the beam to increase above a threshold value. The dither circuits may be enabled by a control signal, and the dithered one or more of phase and amplitude shifts may be provided to the antenna elements to produce the beam in the direction of the target with the side lobes above the threshold value.

A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for improved switching speed and/or tunability for radio-frequency (RF) devices are described. In one embodiment, a liquid crystal (LC) component comprises an LC structure in a mixture with right-handed (R) and left-handed (S) chiral dopants.

A method is disclosed for determining the position of an RFID transponder. Separate signals of at least two electromagnetic alternating fields are emitted from at least two antenna to one RFID transponder. The antenna are spaced at a distance from each other so that the two electromagnetic alternating fields are emitted at a distance from one another. The emitted electromagnetic alternating fields to the one RFID transponder are reflected so that the reflected electromagnetic alternating fields are sent back to the antenna. The transit times of the electromagnetic alternating fields are determined from emission to receiving back at the antenna. The distances between the antenna and the RFID transponder are determined, and the position of the RFID transponder from the at least two distances is determined relative to the at least two antenna.

A fill level measurement device for determining a topology of a filling material surface in a container including an antenna apparatus, a receiver and control circuitry. An emission angle of the antenna apparatus and a spatial position of the antenna apparatus relative to the filling material surface is settable by the control circuitry. A resultant emission direction of the fill level measurement device is changeable by the control circuitry by controlling a position of the antenna apparatus and by controlling an emission and/or receiving angle of the antenna apparatus.

Turf (1) for sports, recreational activities and/or for ornamental purposes comprising a mat of flexible material (10) equipped with a first face (11) and a second face (12) opposite to each other. To the mat (10) a plurality of fibers (20) are connected of an artificial material in such a way that it forms an artificial turf (50) that protrudes from the first face (11). The turf (1) comprises, furthermore, a measured amount of a loose infill material (50), for example of granular type, distributed on the face (11) of the mat (10). The turf (1) comprises, furthermore, natural vegetable material, i.e. plants, belonging to one, or more plant species (30) put in the loose infill material (50) by means of sowing, transplantation of portions of plants, or a combination of the two solutions. The fibers of artificial material (20) have a profiled shape comprising a main blade (21) and at least one side wing (22). More precisely, the side wing (22) has a curved profile suitable for forming a channel (25) arranged substantially parallel to the main blade (21) in order to form a channel that is substantially parallel to said main blade, so that the profile of the channel partially or completely encircles the spaces that are occupied by water, roots and loose infill material, creating a water reserve for roots.

A pneumatic system of an agricultural implement includes a radial fan coupled with a plenum. The plenum contains outlets which distribute the airflow into a plurality of product distribution lines for application to a field. An airflow deflector plate has a back face fixed on a sidewall of a region interconnecting the fan outlet and plenum inlet to modify the airflow pattern and obtain an airflow that is at a uniform pressure and flow rate for each product distribution line. The deflector plate is tapered with a narrow edge pointed upstream and includes front face having at least one generally rectangular groove with a bottom surface extending generally parallel to the deflector back face.

Described herein are putty compositions comprising: an initiator component comprising a thermal initiator and a photo initiator; an acrylate-functional resin; and a filler composition comprising: calcium carbonate particles; and glidant particles; wherein the calcium carbonate particles and the glidant particles are present in a weight ratio ranging from about 4:1 to about 1:1.

This invention relates to thermal spray coatings and processes onto non-smooth surfaces. The coating and processes can coat non-smooth surfaces without substantial degradation of the underlying surface texture or profile of the non-smooth surfaces so as to sufficiently preserve the underlying surface texture or profile. The ability for coating fractional coverage to maintain the surface profile while maintaining wear resistance is unprecedented by conventional thermal spray processes

An example composite material composed of a metal or multilayered metal substrate onto which an elastomer or elastomeric mixture is positioned by electrophoretic disposition. The elastomer or elastomeric mixture forms a flexible non-rigid elastomeric coating, which imparts a soft touch tactile feeling to the metal base substrate.

A method for selective deposition of an organic solderability preservative coating on a copper surface of an article is disclosed. The method includes two steps of organic coatings by two solutions; the first step contains contacting the copper surface with a first solution including azole compound and the second step contains contacting the copper surface treated by the first solution with a second solution including a specific pyrazine derived compound.

Provided is an elastic infill for artificial turf. The elastic infill is produced by pelletization of an elastomer composition comprising a silane coupling agent and a mixture of an olefin copolymer-containing base resin and an inorganic filler. The silane coupling agent is present in admixture with the mixture. Alternatively, the silane coupling agent may be grafted onto the olefin copolymer to allow cross-linking of the olefin copolymer in the presence of water.

There is provided a surface-treated copper foil including a surface coating layer provided on at least one surface of a copper foil, the surface coating layer being mainly composed of silicon with a hydrogen content of 1 to 35 atomic % and/or a carbon content of 1 to 15 atomic %. This foil can be manufactured by forming a surface coating layer composed mainly of silicon with the above hydrogen and carbon contents on at least one surface of the copper foil by PVD or CVD. The present invention can provide a copper foil with a surface coating layer that can achieve a high bonding strength to a resin layer even if the copper foil has an extremely smooth surface such as one formed by vapor deposition, for example, sputtering and also has a desirable insulation resistance suitable for achieving a fine pitch in a printed wiring board.

The present invention board relates to a game system using a portable terminals and a game board therefor. According to the present invention, there is provided a board game system, including: one or more pieces configured to correspond to respective game players; a game board configured to display a path through which the pieces move, and to detect a changed location of each of the pieces on the path; and one or more personal portable terminals each configured to check the changed location of the piece detected by the game board while communicating with the game board, and to output information about operations, which will be performed by each of the game players, or options, which can be selected by each of the game players based on a location of one of the pieces corresponding to each of the game players.

An inflatable dummy target comprising a chassis of inflatable ducts wrapped with a sheet. The chassis of inflatable ducts can include one or more ring shaped ducts and one or more elongate ducts. The chassis can include at least two ring shaped ducts interconnected by one or more elongate ducts. The dummy target can include several attached axi-symmetrical sections, each section have a chassis of inflatable ducts. Each section can be conical, frustoconical or cylindrical, thereby achieving a concave or convex dummy target geometry.

A motor interface assembly configured to be operably coupled to a blower assembly, wherein the motor interface assembly is configured to measure a discharge air temperature, determine a difference between the discharge air temperature and a predetermined temperature, and operate the blower assembly based in part on the difference between the discharge air temperature and a predetermined temperature.

A heat exchanger for a battery has fluid-carrying panels and defines a multi-sided enclosure for enclosing at least two sides of the battery. The heat exchanger has first and second fluid-carrying panels defining first and second flow channels, where the first and second fluid-carrying panels are arranged at an angle to another. The heat exchanger may also include a third fluid-carrying panel defining a third flow channel, and being arranged at an angle to the second fluid-carrying panel. The heat exchanger has first and second plates sealingly joined together along their peripheries and defining a fluid flow passageway between their central fluid flow areas. The second plate may be compliant, its central fluid flow area being deformable away from the central fluid flow area of the first plate in response to a pressure of a fluid inside the fluid flow passageway.

Coatings for enhancing performance of materials surfaces, methods of producing the coating and coated substrates, and coated condensers are disclosed herein. More particularly, exemplary embodiments provide chemical coating materials useful for coating condenser components.

A formable structure comprises a first material having a first level of viscosity and a second material having a second level of viscosity, wherein the second material is formed to hold at least a portion of the first material in a particular position or a particular shape. The first material can be configured to function as a thermal interface between two or more hardware components. The second material can be configured to have a higher viscosity than the first material. In one illustrative example, the second material can include a light-activated resin that is configured to harden when exposed to one or more treatments. By the use of the first material and second material, the techniques disclosed herein are adaptable to gaps having a wide range of sizes, which is difficult to do with traditional thermal interface materials. The second material can also function as an EMI shield.

Various methods and systems are provided for cryogenic heat transfer by nanoporous surfaces. In one embodiment, among others, a system includes a cryogenic fluid in a flow path of the system; and a system component in the flow path that includes a nanoporous surface layer in contact with the cryogenic fluid. In another embodiment, a method includes providing a cryogenic fluid; and initiating chilldown of a cryogenic system by directing the cryogenic fluid across a nanoporous surface layer disposed on a surface of a system component.

A rack airflow monitoring system is configured to measure airflow through an equipment rack having a housing and a perforated front door to enable air to flow into an interior of the housing. The system includes a control module, and a plurality of airflow sensors secured to the front door of the equipment rack and coupled to the control module. Each airflow sensor is configured to detect a parameter used to measure airflow and communicate detected parameters to the control module. The control module is configured to obtain temperature, airflow velocity, and airflow directionality from the plurality of airflow sensors at the front door of the equipment rack.

A liquid separator system having a gas phase zone, an aqueous phase zone and a denser liquid zone is used to separate mixtures of fluids. The separator can be used for separating molten sulfur from liquid redox solution or reslurry water. The system includes a vessel with a top part and a bottom part. The vessel has a larger diameter at the top part than at the bottom part. The system also includes an inlet for introducing a redox solution or reslurry water and molten sulfur, which is denser than redox solution or reslurry water, into the vessel. An outlet near the bottom part of the vessel allows a flow of the molten sulfur from the vessel. An interface control structure senses an interface level between the redox solution or reslurry water and the molten sulfur, and the interface control structure controls the flow of molten sulfur from the outlet. The interface control structure is adjusted to optimally alter the vertical height of the interface level within the vessel so that the residence time of the molten sulfur in the vessel does not decrease as the sulfur production throughput decreases, and so that the interface area of the molten sulfur and the redox solution is reduced as the sulfur throughput decreases. A pressure controller monitors the pressure in the vessel and adds or removes gas from a gas phase zone in the vessel to maintain a predetermined pressure regardless of the vertical height of the interface.

A method of producing a surface-treated carbon black powder dispersion includes subjecting carbon black fine particles having a volume average particle size of 100 nm to 20 μm to wet granulation and drying by heating to obtain granulated carbon black having a hardness of 12 cN or less and a pH of less than 7, grinding the granulated carbon black to obtain a ground product having a volume average particle size of 20 nm to 20 μm, and subjecting the ground product to wet oxidization in an aqueous medium. The resulting surface-treated carbon black powder dispersion exhibits excellent print density, print quality, discharge stability, and storage stability when used as an inkjet printer aqueous black ink.

A device used to smooth a material's surface with abrasion. More specifically, the device is in the form of a glove or mitten with an abrasive layer that is placed over, and secured on, a user's hand to protect the user's hand and to provide an agile and flexible range of motion while sanding a material's surface.

A method for processing a music performance, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a first media signal from a media source; analysing the first media signal to extract any media signal characteristics; creating a reference media signal by suppressing at-least a predominant sound source of the first media signal; reproducing the reference media signal while receiving a users media signal from an input device to generate a second media signal; analysing the second media signal to extract any media signal characteristics; processing the characteristics of the second media signal in isolation or in combination with the characteristics of the first media signal; and generating feedback for the music performance based upon the processed media signals.

The specification discloses a novel drumstick configuration with an enhanced grip and performance characteristics. Included in the drumstick are a plurality of preferably continuous circumferential longitudinally spaced-apart grooves disposed in an outer surface of an elongate body portion. The grooves each contain a grip-enhancing material which has an upper surface disposed slightly above the outer surface of the body portion to enhance the grip and general performance characteristics of the drumstick.

A surface covering kit is disclosed, comprising a plurality of generally rectangular panels (100). Each panel is provided with grooves (301, 302, 301', 302') forming an insertion channel (303) when two panels (100) are laid next to each other along their transverse sides (105, 105') in a common laying plane (101). An extraneous locking element (210) is received by the insertion channel (303), the extraneous locking element (210) having a longitudinal dimension and a cross-section perpendicular to said longitudinal dimension which forms a cross with at least four cross arms. The corresponding cross arms of the insertion channel have two parallel flank surfaces (1603, 1604) each, and each of the cross arms is oriented diagonally in a plane perpendicular to the panel plane (102).