Abstract:
A system and method for locking a door. An assembly has a first engagement surface. A door is coupled to the assembly, the door including a latch member having a second engagement surface for engaging the first engagement surface. A movable member is capable of generating a force against at least one of the assembly and the door to press together and substantially prevent disengagement of the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface.
Abstract:
A system and method for pumping fluid using a pump cassette. The system includes a control assembly for operating the pump cassette. A force assembly having a movable member is capable of applying force to the pump cassette to press the pump cassette against the control assembly. The movable member may be an expandable member, such as a bladder.
Abstract:
Methods for producing clean liquid/wax products from a slurry used in a Fischer-Tropsch reactor are disclosed. In general, one embodiment of the present invention comprises a solid/liquid filtration system having a filter medium comprising a substrate and a filter cake deposited on the substrate, wherein the filter cake is generated by deposition of solids from the slurry. The thickness of the filter cake can be maintained within a desired range by controlling the slurry velocity and/or the pressure differential across the filter medium. This invention relates to a method of operation of such filtration system which increases filtration cycle time and improved filtrate quality resulting in very low solid content in filtrate.
Abstract:
A biopsy system is provided including a housing and a biopsy instrument operatively associated with the housing and configured and dimensioned to remove a tissue sample from a patient. A firing module is included that is detachably engageable with the housing and operatively associated with the biopsy instrument to facilitate selective rapid advancement of at least a portion of the biopsy instrument toward a targeted location with the patient. The biopsy instrument includes a tissue receiving portion. The system may include an indexing assembly disposed within the housing and configured to cooperate with the biopsy instrument to selectively orient the tissue receiving portion. The indexing assembly may include a manual gearing assembly configured for selective orientation of the tissue receiving portion. The system may include a linear advancement control assembly disposed within the housing and configured to effect linear actuation of a tubular knife member. An optical sensor may be disposed adjacent a portion of the tubular knife member and oriented to detect the orientation of a lateral opening formed through the tubular knife member. A carriage may be slidably disposed within the housing and configured to releasably retain at least a portion of the biopsy instrument. A method of performing a surgical biopsy is disclosed.
Abstract:
The padded ladder protector is an easily attachable and detachable device for mounting on edges of a ladder to cushion and protect the user from injury. The protector is made of a foamed polymer with an adhesive surface covered by a peel strip. By removing the peel strip, the protector may be temporarily attached to edges of the rungs or tray or other parts of the ladder as desired by the user. After a specific use, the protector can be easily removed and another protector may be placed on the same parts or other parts of the ladder. The protector may also be adhesively attached to a rigid support which can be attached to the ladder.
Abstract:
A method for enhancing the cooling capability of a turbine component made from a ceramic matrix composite. The method improves the thermal performance of the component by producing a surface having increased cooling capacity, thereby allowing the component to operate at a higher temperature. The method tailors the available surface area on the cooling surface of the composite component by depositing a particulate layer of coarse grained ceramic powders of preselected size onto the surface of the ceramic matrix composite component. The size of the particulate is selectively tailored to match the desired surface finish or surface roughness of the article. The article may be designed to have different surface finishes for different locations, so that the application of different sized powders can provide different cooling capabilities at different locations, if desired. The compositions of the particulates are chemically compatible with the ceramic material comprising the outer surface or portion of the ceramic matrix composite. The particulates are applied using a slurry and incorporated into the article by heating to an elevated temperature without melting the matrix, the particulates or the fiber reinforcement.
Abstract:
The method of encoding a given recorded signal made up of a host of different frequencies comprises modifying the recorded signal to selectively alter in a known manner a portion of the recorded signal to produce a machine recognizable start code which is generally unperceptible to human recognition when the recorded signal is played in its intended manner. The signal is scanned and immediately after the start code, an identity code is generated based on the particular signal characteristics which collectively are unique to the recorded signal and by means of which the recorded signal can be identified. A recorded signal which has been encoded in accordance with this method has a start code which can be machine recognized during playing of the recorded signal. This recognized start code locates a portion of the signal used to identify the same. Apparatus for carrying out this particular method, both in encoding of the recorded signal and scanning of signals which have been encoded, form part of the present invention. This invention is particularly useful for monitoring of broadcast signals having included therein material covered by copyright.
Abstract:
Process for preparing metal complexes of organic 1,3-diketones, which comprises, reacting in the presence of an alkylene oxide, a metal halide or hydrates thereof, and an organic 1,3-diketone.
Abstract:
A process to assess and quantify the quality of a reserve funding plan for long term replacement/repairs of real property components via an easily recitable and graspable metric. This process is driven by a computer software application and is employable for common interest development entities, real property with joint ownership, and real property owned by a single entity, if that ownership is a group (i.e. trusts, churches, municipalities or ESOPs), and for other real property. For use by reserve study engineers, property managers, and others, it creates reserve studies for common interest entities. The new metrics that the software produces are useful in the real estate industry for succinct presentation to prospective buyers in assessing the quality of a common interest development which is appurtenant to residential dwelling units, commercial units, or similar, and for other purposes. It replaces a metric which has little value due to a mathematical flaw.
Abstract:
An embodiment of the invention is directed to retaining customers for a wireless-service provider (“carrier”). A ratio is calculated based on a number of incoming calls received by a mobile device and a number of outgoing calls originating from the mobile device. The ratio is also based on locations of callers that originated the incoming calls. The ratio is compared to an influencer threshold. When the ratio is greater than the influencer threshold, then a subscriber associated with the mobile device is indicated to be an influencer that potentially affects decisions of other subscribers regarding whether to cancel or maintain their subscriptions with the wireless service. An incentive is provided to the influencer to increase the likelihood that the influencer will retain a subscription with the wireless service, thereby increasing the likelihood that other subscribers who might be influenced by the influencer will retain their respective subscriptions.