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|38th week of 2010 patent applcation highlights part 7
|Patent application number
|Headgear connection assembly for a respiratory mask - A respiratory mask assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a frame and at least one locking clip. The frame has a main body and a side frame member provided on each lateral side of the main body, at least one of the side frame members including a locking clip receiver assembly. The at least one locking clip has a main body providing a front portion adapted to be removably coupled with the at least one locking clip receiver assembly and a rear portion adapted to be removably coupled to a headgear assembly. The rear portion includes a cross bar that forms an opening through which a strap of the headgear assembly can pass and be removably coupled with the cross bar, and the front portion includes at least one resiliently flexible spring arm that is flexible within the plane of the main body.
|Asymmetrical and complexly-curved, passive, device for relieving back and spinal postural mechanical pain - A device avoiding the use of any motor or perpendicular or rectangular elements, having a convex asymmetrical longitudinal curve, a central longitudinal groove, and mirrored perpendicular and latitudinal, symmetrically-matched convex curves extending from the central groove to the sides, and optimally surfaced with a soft dense foam, uses gravitational force on the body of a user to provide an effective, yet gentle stretch along the length and across the width of the back, particularly at the thoracic vertebrae thereby relieving postural mechanical shoulder, back or spine pain. Additional alternative embodiments using a heating, cooling, or vibrational element along the central longitudinal groove are also described and claimed herein.
|APPARATUS FOR INSERTING OBJECTS INTO A FILTER COMPONENT OF A SMOKING ARTICLE, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD - An apparatus and associated method is provided for forming a rod for use in the manufacture of cigarette filter elements. A continuous supply of a filter material is formed into a continuous filter rod by a rod-forming unit. An object insertion unit is configured to insert a plurality of first objects and a plurality of second objects into the continuous filter rod. A rod-dividing unit is configured to subdivide the continuous filter rod, at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal axis thereof, into a plurality of filter rod portions such that each filter rod portion includes at least one first object and at least one second object disposed therein, with the first objects being different from the second objects.
|INHALABLE COMPOSITION - A pressurised container containing a composition comprising oxygen, nicotine or a nicotine derivative or salt and a solvent, wherein the container is pressurised to at least 3×10
|WEARER'S OWN HAIR UTILIZING TYPE WIG - The object of the present invention is to offer a wearer's own hair utilizing type wig which is worn stably on the wearer's head, capable to reduce the exposure to the outside, mixing the wearer's own hair with the false hair of a wig, and making hair rich in quantity as a whole. The present invention is characterized in that it is the wearer's own hair utilizing type wig (
|Crosslinked nail varnish film - The invention relates to a flexible article which is used to make up and/or care for nails and/or false nails, comprising: at least one adhesive layer which is used to fix the article to the nail, and at least one cross-linked film.
|NAIL GROOMER - The invention is a hand held nail and foot groomer for people, which includes a spherical nail groomer body having at least one compartment for batteries and tips; a semi-spherical tip cover assembly having an opening, being in substantial contact to the nail groomer body and being movably connected to the nail groomer body; a combination battery, motor and tip compartment; a tip assembly for attachment of various shapes and sizes of nail files and brushes. The preferred embodiment of this invention is one in which the nail body optionally includes a flat bottom section which includes one or more detachable ringed or recessed sections, said ring sections or recessed sections capable of holding rounded and optionally recessed files and/or pumice stones and/emery files and/or foot scarpers useful in grooming feet.
|BUTTERFLY CLIP - A butterfly clip includes a body section, a first clip section and a second clip section. When pressure is applied to the body section to invert the body section from a concave orientation to a convex orientation, the first clip section and the second clip section secure a user's hair between the clips and the body section. Since there are two clip sections applying pressure against the body section, the butterfly clip securely remains in place in the user's hair. To release the butterfly clip, an opposing pressure is applied so that the clip sections move away from the body section.
|Cosmetic Substance Dispenser - Disclosed are a dispenser and related methods for dispensing substances having fluid or liquid, semi-liquid, quasi-liquid, or paste-like properties (e.g., mascara, lip moisturizer, or the like).
|HAIR-SUPPLEMENTING AND STYLING HAIRPIECE - A hairpiece (
|COSMETIC COMPOSITION COMPRISING A BRANCHED SULPHONIC POLYESTER AND A THICKENER AND USES IN HAIR STYLING - The present application relates to a cosmetic composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium: at least one fixing branched sulphonic polyester and at least one polysaccharide thickener comprising at least one glucose unit. The present application also relates to the uses of this composition for example for the styling and the shaping of the hair.
|HEAD HAIR DYEING METHOD - There is provided a head hair dyeing method using a two-part hair dye composition which contains: a first part containing a first part stock solution and a propellant, the first part stock solution containing an alkali agent and a surfactant; a second part containing a second part stock solution and a propellant, the second part stock solution containing hydrogen peroxide and a surfactant; and two aerosol containers for respectively discharging the first part and the second part as foam, the method including respectively discharging the first part and the second part as foam from the containers, applying the foam mixture to the head hair, and then re-foaming the mixture on the head hair.
|Environmentally safe hairbrush with automatically disentangling removable handle, magnetic rollers and removable bristles - A hairbrush comprises a detachable handle; a metal roller including linear apertures and disposable bristles, and a coupling mechanism allowing the roller to automatically rotate on an axis of rotation when it encounters a tangle during use. A degree of resistance of the roller to rotation varies to correspond to a hair type of the client. A ribbed inner wall of a receiving portion of the roller receives a top portion of the handle. The top portion may have within it prongs and a movable piece inward of the prongs that varies the pressure against rotation of the roller. Ball bearings extend outwardly from the prongs to the ribbed inner wall. Bumps on the prongs keep the handle from detaching from the roller unless an exertion is made. A magnetic attraction between the rollers emplaces the rollers firmly in the hair and allows the brush to be extended.
|Device for application of a cosmetic powder to a sponge - In accordance with the invention the device has a housing (
|METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WASHING SAND - A sand washing apparatus may be used for separating organic material from a mixture comprising sand and organic material. The apparatus may comprise: a wash chamber for accepting a mixture comprising sand and organic material, the chamber including a lower portion; and an agitator comprising a screw having two or more flights extending into the lower portion. A method for recovering sand from a mixture comprising sand and organic material may comprise the steps of: introducing a mixture comprising sand and organic material into a water-filled chamber having a net flow of water in an upwardly direction; allowing organic material from the mixture to ascend in a net upwardly direction and allowing sand from the mixture to descend in a net downwardly direction; subjecting at least a portion of the descending sand to a turbulence; and recovering sand that has descended past the turbulence.
|CLEANING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AIR-COOLED CONDENSER BUNDLES - A system and method for cleaning components of an air-cooled condenser has a spray cleaning system configured to spray cleaning fluid onto at least part of the air-cooled condenser; and a line that draws off condensate from the condenser that has been condensed by a condenser. The system feeds the drawn-off condensate to the cleaning system for use as the cleaning fluid.
|METHOD FOR THE DRYING TIME CONTROL IN DISHWASHERS - A dishwasher and a method for controlling a drying time in the dishwasher. The dishwasher may comprise a washing compartment for receiving items to be washed, wherein the items to be washed are heated to a defined initial temperature which is above the temperature of a condensation surface communicating with the washing compartment. The method of the invention may include detecting a temperature gradient of a characteristic temperature during the drying of the items to be cleaned, and using the temperature gradient of the characteristic temperature to detect a property that is characteristic of the degree of evaporation of water on the surface of the items to be cleaned.
|Stage device and stage cleaning method - A stage device for use in a vacuum includes a frame-shaped movable stage having a sample mounting surface, a fixed stage surrounded by the movable stage, an air bearing to float the movable stage by supplying gas to a gap between the stages, a pressure regulator to regulate a pressure of the gas, a differential pumping portion to prevent the gas from flowing outside the gap, and a controller. The controller moves the movable stage within a predetermined range under a pressure in the differential pumping portion set equal to that for movable stage in use when setting a floating height of the movable stage lower than that for movable stage in use, and under the pressure in the differential pumping portion set higher than that for movable stage in use when setting the floating height of the movable stage equal to that for movable stage in use.
|VACUUM CLEANING APPARATUS AND CLEANING METHOD THEREOF - The invention relates to a cleaning method, and in particular, to a vacuum cleaning apparatus and a vacuum cleaning method thereof. A vacuum cleaning method comprising (a) positioning a dust receiver joined to one end of a vacuum suction device in the vicinity of the object of cleaning, (b) positioning a spray nozzle joined to one end of an air spray system adjacent to the object of cleaning, (c) operating the vacuum suction device, and (d) removing the foreign substances adhered to a surface of the object of cleaning by adjusting the pneumatic pressure of the air sprayed from the spray nozzle, may efficiently remove foreign substances adhered to the object of cleaning located in a narrow space.
|CYLINDER HEAD CLEANING METHOD AND CYLINDER HEAD CLEANING DEVICE - A cylinder head cleaning method capable of cleaning a cylinder head with an enhanced foreign matter removing rate. The method is used to clean a cylinder head having therein a water jacket including a narrow space portion having a narrow flow path and a large space having a flow path wider than the narrow space portion, and the cylinder head further including holes communicating with the water jacket. Cleaning nozzles are inserted into the water jacket from the holes selected from the holes, clearing liquid is ejected from the cleaning nozzles toward the narrow space portion, and the cleaning liquid flowing from the narrow space portion to the large space is discharged to the outside of the cylinder head from the hole communicating with the space.
|SUBSTRATE TREATING APPARATUS AND SUBSTRATE TREATING METHOD - A substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method are capable of restraining or preventing the generation of streaky particles on a substrate surface by excellent removal of a rinsing liquid therefrom. The substrate processing apparatus has a substrate inclining mechanism for inclining a substrate held by a substrate holding mechanism. After a rinsing liquid has been supplied onto a substrate to form a liquid mass, the substrate is inclined at a small angle by the substrate inclining mechanism. Then, the liquid mass is downwardly moved without being fragmented and then falls down without leaving minute droplets on the substrate top. Thereafter, the substrate is returned to a horizontal posture and then dried.
|METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REMOVING PCBs FROM SYNTHETIC RESIN MATERIALS - A system that removes PCBs from synthetic resins in an environmentally safe and economical manner. The system includes a solvent wash subsystem (
|METHODS FOR CLEANING INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT WITH PRE-TREATMENT - A method of cleaning equipment such as heat exchangers, evaporators, tanks and other industrial equipment using clean-in-place procedures and a pre-treatment solution prior to the conventional CIP cleaning process. The pre-treatment step improves the degree of softening of the soil, and thus facilitates its removal. The pre-treatment solution can be a strong acidic solution, a strong alkaline solution, or comprise a penetrant. A preferred strong acidic solution is an acid peroxide solution. In some embodiments, the pre-treatment may include no strong alkali or acid ingredient; rather, the penetrant provides acceptable levels of pre-treatment.
|Cleaning compositions for hard to remove organic material - An oxidizing cleaning composition comprises a low concentration of aqueous hydrogen peroxide that is environmentally friendly and has good stability in strong alkaline solutions. The aqueous hydrogen peroxide composition contains a synergistic combination of one or more hydrophilic surfactants having an HLB of 10 or greater, one or more hydrotropes, one or more UV-analyzable surfactants having an aromatic detectable functional group, and optionally a surfactant having an HLB of less than 10. The cleaning composition when mixed with an alkaline compound is very effective in removing dried or baked residues of polymers, modified or natural celluloses starches, natural gels, and the like at low concentrations and temperatures.
|Cylindrical Dedusting Apparatus for Particulate Material - A cylindrical dedusting apparatus has an upper material infeed opening to introduce material into a frusto-conical infeed hopper centered over the tip of a conical wash deck supported over an air infeed conduit. Air is blown through slots and openings in the surface of the wash deck to separate dust and debris from the particulate material. The dust-laden air is discharged by passing between the infeed hopper and a cylindrical sleeve to enter into a circular collector for discharge from the apparatus. Flow rate of material over the wash deck is adjusted by vertically moving the infeed hopper within the sleeve relative to the wash deck, the tip serving as a stopper to define the dimension of the gap through which material flows onto the wash deck. Cleaned material passes through a lower discharge opening while dirty air is removed through a radially oriented discharge conduit from the circular collector.
|METHOD FOR CLEANING HEAT MODE TYPE RECORDING MATERIAL LAYER, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING PIT-PROJECTION PRODUCT, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING LIGHT EMITTING ELEMENT, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING OPTICAL ELEMENT - A method for cleaning a heat mode type recording material layer to remove debris generated when a plurality of recessed portions are formed in a thermally deformable heat mode recording material layer by application of condensed light is provided, which method includes using a liquid inactive to the recording material layer, to thereby remove the debris. This method for cleaning a heat mode type recording material layer is applicable to a method for manufacturing a pit-projection product, a method for manufacturing a light emitting element, and a method for manufacturing an optical element.
|HIGH-PRESSURE LIQUID ATOMISATION NOZZLE FOR A MACHINE FOR CLEANING OPTICAL LENSES OR OTHER SUBSTRATES - High-pressure washing liquid spray intended for use in a washing machine for ophthalmic glass or other substrates, consisting of an entry opening (
|CLEANING DEVICE FOR CLEANING NOZZLES OF SMT MACHINES - A cleaning device to clean a plurality of nozzles of a surface-mount technology (SMT) includes a first cleaning container, a supporting board, a filtering member, a second cleaning container and a connection member. The first cleaning container defines a first opening in a bottom thereof. The supporting board to fix the plurality of nozzles is connected to the bottom of the first container. The filtering member is located at a bottom of the supporting board. The second cleaning container is connected to the filtering member, and operable to receive cleaning fluid. The connection member is connected the first cleaning container and the second cleaning container. Injection of air to the first cleaning container and the second cleaning container allows the cleaning fluid to circularly flow through the second cleaning container, the connection member, the first cleaning container, the supporting board, and the filtering member to clean the plurality of nozzles.
|SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS - An interface block is constituted by a cleaning/drying processing block and a carry-in/carry-out block. The cleaning/drying processing block includes cleaning/drying processing sections and a transport section. The transport section is provided with a transport mechanism. The carry-in/carry-out block is provided with a transport mechanism. The transport mechanism carries substrates in and out of an exposure device.
|WATER-BEARING DOMESTIC APPLIANCE WITH A WATER DIVERTER - A water-bearing domestic appliance, in particular a dishwasher or washing machine, at least having a water diverter which has a fluid distributor body which has at least two passage openings. The invention is characterized in that the passage openings are accommodated in an adjustable manner in an accommodation container which is arranged between a washing liquor outlet region and a washing liquor discharge region of the pump pot.
|CLOSURE SYSTEM FOR A DISHWASHING APPLIANCE AND ASSOCIATED APPARATUS - A closure system for a dishwasher and associated apparatus is provided. A door is pivotably engaged with a tub, and defines a latch pocket, configured as a grasping member, having a latch aperture in communication therewith and extending therethrough to the tub. A latch actuation member is received by the latch pocket, and a latch device engaged therewith extends through the latch aperture to releasably secure the door to the tub, the securement being releasable by actuation of the latch actuation member. A pull-latch is receivable by the latch aperture, in place of and interchangeably with the latch device and latch actuation member, and releasably secures the door to the tub, the securement being releasable by exertion of an outward force on the grasping member. A latch pocket insert member operably engages the latch pocket to separate the latch aperture therefrom, when the pull-latch is received by the latch aperture.
|Mobility device - An improved mobility device for assisting in the movement of the limbs is set forth. The device includes an arm support section. A vertical shaft is also provided. A handgrip section connects the arm support section to an upper angled section of the vertical shaft. The handgrip section is angled below a vertical plane perpendicular to the shaft. The handgrip section is substantially centered over the vertical shaft. A method of forming an improved mobility device is also set forth. The method includes the following steps. First, a tubular aluminum bar is provided. Next, the bar is bent outwardly, away from a central plane of a shaft of the bar to form an upper angled shaft portion. The bar is then curved back toward the central plane of the bar at an angle below a plane perpendicular to the central plane to form a handgrip section, wherein the handgrip section is substantially centered over the shaft. The bar is then bent to form an arm support section.
|Ambulation Assistance Apparatus and Methods - Aspects of the inventive technology include, in various embodiments, novel ambulation assistance apparatus with upper and lower force absorbers, perhaps with different displacement per force rates, novel crutches or canes that are convertable and/or foldable, and novel axilla area force receivers that may conform to part of a user's thorax, for use as part of a crutch.
|ERECTABLE SHELTER WITH COLLAPSIBLE CENTRAL ROOF SUPPORT - A telescoping pole assembly for an erectable, collapsible shelter, includes first and second hollow telescoping sections slidably connected together, the first telescoping section being slidably disposed within the second telescoping section, and a spring loaded detent pin mounted to the second telescoping section. A weighted internal stop member is slidably disposed within the first telescoping section for movement between a first position and a second position. The internal stop member blocks the spring loaded detent pin in the first position, and the internal stop member does not block the spring loaded detent pin in the second position.
|Frame Structure For A Quickly Erectable Canopy Shelter - A frame structure comprising a plurality of leg members, a plurality of top-corner fittings, a plurality of slide fittings and a plurality of flexible-pole members. Each leg member comprises a first end and a second end. A top-corner fitting is attached to the first end of each leg member. A slide fitting is coupled to each leg member and is adjustably movable along a length of the leg member between the first end and the second end of the leg member. Each flexible-pole member corresponds to a leg member, and each flexible-pole member comprises a first end and a second end. The first end of each flexible-pole member is coupled to a slide fitting, and a second end of each flexible-pole member is coupled to a central hub member. Each flexible-pole member forms an arching shape when the frame structure is in an erect, unfolded position.
|INTEGRATED PORTABLE SHELTER - An integrated, portable shelter including a frame and at least two supports hingedly connected to the frame. The supports being movable between a storage position and a support position, where in the support position, the frame is positioned above an underlying support surface. The shelter also includes a bottom wall supported by the frame, a peripheral wall structure connected to the frame, where the peripheral wall structure includes a front wall, a rear wall and at least two sidewalls and the front wall defines an opening, and a top wall connected to the peripheral wall structure. The peripheral wall structure and the top wall define an interior space. The shelter further includes a front panel hingedly connected to the front wall. The front panel is movable between an open position away from the front wall and a closed position adjacent to the front wall.
|Thermoelectric power generator for variable thermal power source - Traditional power generation systems using thermoelectric power generators are designed to operate most efficiently for a single operating condition. The present invention provides a power generation system in which the characteristics of the thermoelectrics, the flow of the thermal power, and the operational characteristics of the power generator are monitored and controlled such that higher operation efficiencies and/or higher output powers can be maintained with variably thermal power input. Such a system is particularly beneficial in variable thermal power source systems, such as recovering power from the waste heat generated in the exhaust of combustion engines.
|ANISOTROPICALLY ELONGATED THERMOELECTRIC MATERIAL, PROCESS FOR PREPARING THE SAME, AND DEVICE COMPRISING THE MATERIAL - An anisotropically elongated thermoelectric nanocomposite includes a thermoelectric material.
|PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE - The invention relates to a photovoltaic module. Such a photovoltaic module is also referred to as a "string" and consists of a plurality of plate-shaped cells, what are known as solar cells, which are arranged at a distance from each other and flush with each other.
|EMBEDDED RFID SOLUTION FOR SOLAR PANELS - A method for producing a solar photovoltaic panel with an embedded RFID, and resultant product, are disclosed. A layup is formed of at least a first lamination layer and a plurality of electrically connected solar photovoltaic cells. At least a second lamination layer is added to the layup, and a lamination process is applied, forming a solar photovoltaic panel. An RFID tag is embedded in the panel before, during or after applying the lamination process. The RFID tag may be embedded between a front layer and a back layer, between sheets of ethylene vinyl acetate, between a backside of the layup and a junction box, or in an adhesive, sealant or polymerizing material. A solar photovoltaic panel with an embedded RFID tag is thereby formed. Instantiation information pertaining to the individual solar photovoltaic panel, including installation location information or test information, and product information are stored in the RFID tag.
|PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRANGEMENT - The photovoltaic arrangement for producing electric current from light has a photovoltaic installation with a predetermined area, which has a plurality of photovoltaic modules and a number N of reflectors, each reflector having a area which is greater than the area of the photovoltaic installation and being arranged to reflect at least part of the light incident on the reflector onto the photovoltaic installation.
|PARKING SOLAR ENERGY COLLECTORS - Disclosed are various apparatus and methods that may reduce or prevent damage to fragile components of solar collectors during storms, especially more violent storms such as hurricanes and sand-storms.
|SOLAR CELL, CONCENTRATING PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER GENERATION MODULE, CONCENTRATING PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER GENERATION UNIT AND SOLAR CELL MANUFACTURING METHOD - A solar cell includes a solar cell element that converts sunlight concentrated by a concentrating lens into electricity, a receiver substrate on which the solar cell element is placed, and a resin sealing portion that resin-seals the solar cell element. The solar cell further includes a reflecting member that has an irradiation window that is disposed facing the solar cell element and through which sunlight is directed to the solar cell element, a light introducing window that is formed larger than the irradiation window and disposed facing the concentrating lens and through which sunlight is introduced, and a reflecting face that is formed between the irradiation window and the light introducing window and that reflects and guides sunlight toward the solar cell element.
|Solar Concentrator with Self-Tracking Features - Solar collection systems are provided herein that includes a mobile, self-tracking receiver support member which is suspended from a support beam spanning the two sides of an immobile solar trough concentrator. The self-tracking receiver support member has photovoltaic cells of equal power affixed to two or more downward facing surfaces of the support member. These photovoltaic cells face downward into the solar parabolic trough concentrator and respond to the concentrated light of the path of the points of focus being reflected upwards from a parabolic concentrator. The solar cells are wired to a DC electric motor so that the motor rotationally responds to the disparity in the power output of the solar cells. As the path of the points of focus of the solar concentrator moves to one side or the other of the center of the self-tracking support member, the motor automatically moves the support member, along with and the receiver it is carrying, into the parabolic concentrator's path of the points of focus. This self-tracking member combines the functions of tracking the sun while also transporting the receiver attached thereto into the concentrator's path of the points of focus. The power to drive the motor is preferably provided solely by the power of the sun.
|Concentrator-Type Photovoltaic (CPV) Modules, Receiver and Sub-Receivers and Methods of Forming Same - CPV modules include a back plate having an array of 1 mm
|VERTICAL SOLAR PANEL ARRAY AND METHOD - A vertical solar panel array including a portable base with a rotatable surface and a plurality of double-sided solar panels each having a plurality of solar cells mounted on each side thereof. The plurality of double-sided solar panels are mounted vertically on the rotatable surface of the base. Electrical circuitry couples each solar cell of the plurality of solar cells to an output terminal. An electric motor is mechanically coupled between the base and the rotatable surface to provide rotation and a controller is coupled to the electric motor and to a light sensor. The controller is programmed to analyze readings from the light sensor and to control the electric motor to align the plurality of double-sided solar panels with the sun for maximum output.
|VENTILATED PHOTOVOLTAIC RECEIVER - A photovoltaic receiver comprising an elongated structure bearing a plurality of photovoltaic cells. Said structure carries a plurality of finned dissipators, mounted on which are said photovoltaic cells, and ventilating means, designed to convey a flow of cooling air towards said dissipators
|PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE AND SOLAR CELL, AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING THE PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE - A photoelectric conversion device wherein a lower electrode, a photoelectric-conversion semiconductor layer of a compound semiconductor material, and an upper electrode are formed in this order on an anodized substrate in which an anodized oxide film as an insulating film is formed on an aluminum base arranged at at least one surface of a metal substrate. The lower electrode is formed on the anodized oxide film. The main component of the photoelectric-conversion semiconductor layer is a compound semiconductor material with a chalcopyrite structure of Group Ib, IIIb and VIb elements. The photoelectric conversion device includes at least one insulative alkali supply layer formed between the anodized substrate and the lower electrode, and at least one insulative antidiffusion layer being formed between the anodized substrate and the at least one alkali supply layer, and suppressing diffusion, toward the anodized substrate, of one or more alkali and/or alkaline earth metal elements.
|MONOLITHICALLY INTEGRATED SOLAR MODULES AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE - A monolithically integrated cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic (PV) module includes a first electrically conductive layer and an insulating layer. The first electrically conductive layer is disposed below the insulating layer. The PV module further includes a back contact metal layer and a CdTe absorber layer. The back contact metal layer is disposed between the insulating layer and the CdTe absorber layer. The PV module further includes a window layer and a second electrically conductive layer. The window layer is disposed between the CdTe absorber layer and the second electrically conductive layer. At least one first trench extends through the back contact metal layer, at least one second trench extends through the absorber and window layers, and at least one third trench extends through the second electrically conductive layer. A method for monolithically integrating CdTe PV cells is also provided.
|Photovoltaic module with heater - The photovoltaic module with heater is a solar panel with a heated upper surface, thus preventing snow and ice from collecting on the upper surface and diminishing the intensity of sunlight to be converted into electrical power. The photovoltaic module includes a frame formed from aluminum or the like, and at least one photovoltaic cell supported by the frame. A transparent panel is attached to the frame to cover and seal the photovoltaic cell(s) within the frame in a fluid-tight manner. A plurality of heating filaments are embedded within, or disposed on, the transparent panel. The heating filaments are electrically connected to an external power source by a switch for selectively heating the transparent panel and melting any snow or ice that collects thereon.
|PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR PANEL MOUNTING SYSTEM - A system and method for mounting photovoltaic solar panels onto a roof. The system includes first and second strut rails spaced from the roof employing a series of standoffs, the strut rails having a length, cross section, a base and side walls, side walls terminating with first and second turned in edges First and second mounting fixtures are attached to the photovoltaic solar panels which are of a type and geometry enabling the solar panels to be removably appended to the strut rails. The first and second mounting fixtures can be applied to the photovoltaic solar panels before being elevated to a roof
|Mounting System for Solar Modules - Methods and devices are provided for rapid solar module installation. In one embodiment, a photovoltaic module is provided comprising of a plurality of photovoltaic cells a plurality of photovoltaic modules; at least a first type of mounting bracket in contact with the module; at least a second type of mounting bracket, wherein the brackets are configured to interlock and connect multiple modules together.
|SOLAR CELLS - The present invention concerns a photovoltaic device comprising a wavelength conversion layer with an assembly of oligo atomic metal clusters confined in molecular sieve.
|Inverter for a Distributed Power Generator - Provided is a maximum power point (MPP) tracker for a PV cell inverter, and a PV cell inverter. The MPP tracker decouples output power oscillations from the input power generation and extracts maximum available power from the PV cell. The PV cell inverter uses the MPP tracker and generates a sinusoidal output current from the MPP tracker output. The sinusoidal output current may be fed to a power distribution grid. The PV cell inverter may use a pulse width modulation technique to cancel harmonics in the sinusoidal output current. The circuits use a minimum number of components and avoid use of large electrolytic capacitors.
|Single Heterojunction Back Contact Solar Cell - A back contact single heterojunction solar cell and associated fabrication process are provided. A first semiconductor substrate is provided, lightly doped with a first dopant type. The substrate has a first energy bandgap. A second semiconductor is formed over a region of the substrate backside. The second semiconductor has a second energy bandgap, larger than the first energy bandgap. A third semiconductor layer is formed over the first semiconductor substrate topside, moderately doped with the first dopant and textured. An emitter is formed in the substrate backside, heavily doped with a second dopant type, opposite of the first dopant type, and a base is formed in the substrate backside, heavily doped with the first dopant type. Electrical contacts are made to the base and emitter. Either the emitter or base is formed in the second semiconductor.
|HYBRID PHOTOVOLTAICS BASED ON SEMICONDUCTOR NANOCRYSTALS AND AMORPHOUS SILICON - Semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) are promising materials for applications in photovoltaic (PV) structures that could benefit from size-controlled tunability of absorption spectra, the ease of realization of various tandem architectures, and perhaps, increased conversion efficiency in the ultraviolet through carrier multiplication. The first practical step toward utilization of the unique properties of NCs in PV technologies could be through their integration into traditional silicon-based solar cells. Here, we demonstrate an example of such hybrid PV structures that combine colloidal NCs with amorphous silicon. In these structures, NCs and silicon are electronically coupled, and the regime of this coupling can be tuned by altering the alignment of NC states with regard to silicon band edges. For example, using wide-gap CdSe NCs we demonstrate a photoresponse which is exclusively due to the NCs. On the other hand, in devices comprising narrow-gap PbS NCs, both the NCs and silicon contribute to photocurrent, which results in PV response extending from the visible to the near-infrared. This work demonstrates the feasibility of hybrid PV devices that combine advantages of mature silicon fabrication technologies with the unique electronic properties of semiconductor NCs.
|Integrated Semiconductor Structure with a Solar Cell and a Bypass Diode - An integral semiconductor device having a sequence of layers of semiconductor material. The semiconductor device may include a first region in which the sequence of layers of semiconductor material forms at least one cell of a multijunction solar cell including a metamorphic layer with a graded lattice constant. The semiconductor device may also include a second region, spaced apart from the first region, in which the sequence of layers in the second region forms a support for a bypass diode that functions to pass current when the solar cell is shaded.
|CIGS SOLAR CELL HAVING THERMAL EXPANSION BUFFER LAYER AND METHOD FOR FABRICATING THE SAME - A copper/indium/gallium/selenium (CIGS) solar cell including a thermal expansion buffer layer, and a method for fabricating the same are provided. The thermal expansion buffer layer is configured between an alloy thin film layer and a CIGS thin film layer. The thermal expansion buffer layer is deposited by executing a thin film deposition process with a continuous sputtering machine bombarding a cuprous sulphide (Cu
|Stacked Structure Solar Cell Having Backside Conductive Contacts - A solar cell having back side conductive contacts and method for forming the solar cell is provided. One embodiment is a solar cell having back side conductive contacts. The solar cell has a first region of a first material having a first conductivity over a front side of a substrate, a second region of a second material conformably on the first material, and a third region of a third material having a second conductivity conformably on the second material. The first region, the second region, and the third region form a structure that generates charge carriers from solar radiation. The solar cell has a first conductive contact and a second conductive contact exposed on the back side of the substrate. The first conductive contact is in electrical contact with the first material and the second conductive contact is in electrical contact with the third material.
|METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL AND A PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL OBTAINED WITH SUCH A METHOD - A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic cell, such as a solar cell is disclosed. The method includes: providing a silicon substrate; applying to a side of the silicon substrate, a first layer of a metal with a relatively high optical reflectance, such as a layer of silver; applying to the first layer, a second layer of a metal with a relatively high electrical conductivity coefficient, such as a layer of aluminum or an Al alloy; and then firing the substrate having the first and second layers in order to obtain an alloy of the metals of the first and second layers and the silicon, wherein the alloy formed comprises a maximum amount of metal dissolved in the silicon in amounts up to the eutectic point of the alloy. In one implementation, the alloy is substantially an n-type Si—Al—Ag alloy. Thus, an improved Back Surface Field is formed in the substrate. The invention further relates to a photo voltaic cell obtained with the aid of such method.
|LIGHT TRANSMISSION TYPE SOLAR CELL AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME - The present invention provides a light transmission type solar cell excellent in both power generation efficiency and light transparency, and also provides a method for producing that solar cell. The solar cell of the present invention comprises a photoelectric conversion layer, a light-incident side electrode layer, and a counter electrode layer. The incident side electrode layer is provided with plural openings bored through the layer, and has a thickness of 10 nm to 200 nm. Each of the openings occupies an area of 80 nm
|THIN FILM SOLAR CELL AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME - According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thin film solar cell comprising a substrate, a photoelectric conversion layer formed on said substrate, said photoelectric conversion layer having a thickness of 1 μm or less, and said photoelectric conversion layer comprising a p-type semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer, and are i-type semiconductor layer placed between said p-type semiconductor layer and said n-type semiconductor layer, a light-incident side electrode layer formed on a light-incident surface of said photoelectric conversion layer and a counter electrode layer formed on the surface opposite to the light-incident surface. Said light-incident side electrode layer has plural openings bored though said layer, and the thickness thereof is in the range of 10 nm to 200 nm. Each of said openings occupies an area of 80 nm
|GLASS COMPOSITIONS USED IN CONDUCTORS FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS - An objective of this present invention is to provide a conductive paste that could obtain good electrical property, for example series resistance in an electrode. An aspect of the present invention relates to a conductive paste which comprises electrically conductive powder; glass frit which comprises, based on weight percent (wt %) of the glass frit, 8-26 wt % of SiO
|REFLECTIVE LIGHT WAVELENGTH MODULATOR - A reflective light wavelength modulator includes a reflection module with a reflective arc surface, at least one thermal conducting column installed at the reflective arc surface, at least one optoelectric conversion module, particularly an illumination module, a solar cell or an photocell, installed on a distal surface of the thermal conducting column, and a reflective mask installed at an appropriate distance from the optoelectric conversion module. The reflection module or the reflective mask is made of a wavelength modulation material, such that when the light produced by the optoelectric conversion module or the received light source is reflected from the reflective mask, the wavelength of the light source is changed to achieve the effects of providing a wavelength modulation function of a light source with a color and a cost-effective optoelectric equipment.
|SOLAR CELL MODULE - In the solar cell module
|INTERFEROMETRIC PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL - Certain embodiments include interferometrically tuned photovoltaic cells wherein reflection from interfaces of layered photovoltaic devices coherently sum to produce an increased field in an active region of the photovoltaic cell where optical energy is converted into electrical energy. Such interferometrically tuned or interferometric photovoltaic devices (iPV) increase the absorption of optical energy in the active region of the interferometric photovoltaic cell and thereby increase the efficiency of the device. In various embodiments, one or more optical resonant cavities and/or optical resonant layers is included in the photovoltaic device to increase the electric field concentration and the absorption in the active region.
|Solar Modules Including Spectral Concentrators and Related Manufacturing Methods - Described herein are solar modules and related manufacturing methods. In one embodiment, a solar module includes: (1) a photovoltaic cell; and (2) a resonant cavity waveguide having a non-planar configuration and optically coupled to the photovoltaic cell, the resonant cavity waveguide including: (a) an outer reflector; (b) an inner reflector; and (c) an emission layer disposed between the outer reflector and the inner reflector with respect to an anti-node position within the resonant cavity waveguide, the emission layer configured to absorb incident solar radiation and emit radiation that is guided towards the photovoltaic cell, the emitted radiation including an energy band having a peak emission wavelength that is substantially matched to a bandgap energy of the photovoltaic cell.
|REFLECTIVE SURFACE FOR SOLAR ENERGY COLLECTOR - Concentrating solar collector systems that utilize a concentrating reflector to direct incident solar radiation to a solar receiver are described. In one aspect, the reflective surface is arranged to direct light to the receiver in a non-imaging manner in which the solar rays reflected from the opposing edges of the reflective surface are generally directed towards a central portion of the solar receiver. Rays reflected from selected central portions of the reflective surface are directed closer to the edges of the receiver than the solar rays reflected from the edges of the reflective surface. The described reflectors are generally intended for use in solar collector systems that track movements of the sun along at least one axis.
|SUBSTRATE FOR SOLAR CELL AND SOLAR CELL - A substrate for a solar cell, containing a metal substrate and an insulating anodic oxidation film provided on the metal substrate, wherein the thickness T
|Composition and method of forming an insulating layer in a photovoltaic device - A solar cell includes a first electrode located over a substrate, at least one p-type semiconductor absorber layer located over the first electrode, the p-type semiconductor absorber layer comprising a copper indium selenide (CIS) based alloy material, an n-type semiconductor layer located over the p-type semiconductor absorber layer, an insulating aluminum zinc oxide layer located over the n-type semiconductor layer, the insulating aluminum zinc oxide having an aluminum content of 100 ppm to 5000 ppm and a second electrode over the insulating aluminum layer, the second electrode being transparent and electrically conductive. The insulating aluminum zinc oxide having an aluminum content of 100 ppm to 5000 ppm, may be deposited by pulsed DC, non-pulsed DC, or AC sputtering from an aluminum doped zinc oxide having an aluminum content of 100 ppm to 5000 ppm.
|CIGS Solar Cell Structure And Method For Fabricating The Same - A copper/indium/gallium/selenium (CIGS) solar cell structure and a method for fabricating the same are provided. The CIGS solar cell structure includes a substrate, a molybdenum thin film layer, an alloy thin film layer, and a CIGS thin film layer. According to the present invention, the alloy thin film layer is provided between the molybdenum thin film layer and the CIGS thin film layer, serving as a conductive layer of the CIGS solar cell structure. The alloy thin film layer is composed of a variety of high electrically conductive materials (such as molybdenum, copper, aluminum, and silver) in different proportions.
|CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION OF CuInxGa1-x(SeyS1-y)2 THIN FILMS AND USES THEREOF - The subject application relates to a chemical vapor (CV) deposition technique to form CuIn
|Thiazolothiazole derivatives and organic electronic device using the same - The present invention relates to novel thiazolothiazole derivatives and an organic electronic device such as an organic light emitting device, an organic transistor, and an organic solar cell using the same. In the compound of the invention, various substituents are introduced to the core structure, so as to satisfy the requirements such as suitable energy levels, and electrochemical and thermal stability, and also have amorphous or crystalline property depending on the kind of the substituents, so as to satisfy the characteristics individually required for each of the devices. Further, an organic semiconductor of p-type or n-type can be fabricated by introducing various substituents to the core structure having a property of n-type. Therefore, the compound of the present invention can provide a device having higher stability.
|VALVE ACTUATOR SYSTEM - Valve actuator system and a system for operation of valves, which valve comprises a valve housing, which valve housing comprises at least one inlet and at least one outlet, which valve housing further comprises a valve closing element, which valve element is mechanical connected to a valve actuator, which valve actuator comprises at least one piston, which piston is moved in a housing by a pressurised fluid in at least one direction, which valve actuator is connected to a control valve which control valve regulates a flow of a liquid medium from a pressure source to a first cavity chamber in the hosing of the valve actuator where the valve is a sanitary valve primarily for regulation of a flow of Fluid food, which valve actuator is activated by a liquid medium.
|PIPES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR TRANSPORTING FLUIDS - There is disclosed a system adapted to transport two fluids and a gas comprising a nozzle comprising a first nozzle portion comprising the first fluid and the gas, and a second nozzle portion comprising the second fluid, wherein the second nozzle portion has a larger diameter than and is about the first nozzle portion; and a tubular fluidly connected to and downstream of the nozzle, the tubular comprising the first fluid and the gas in a core, and the second fluid about the core.
|Method of Formation of Hydrate Particles in a Water-Containing Hydrocarbon Fluid Flow - The present invention relates to a method of adding nucleation seeds in order to promote the formation of hydrate particles in a flow containing hydrocarbon fluids and water. The method may include adding nucleation seeds at a point in the flow before the hydrate-forming area, the nucleation seeds being available for the promotion of the hydrate formation when this area is reached. The invention also relates to use of various compounds for the promotion of hydrate formation in such a fluid flow, thereby forming a transportable hydrate slurry.
|DEMAND VALVE FOR GAS MIXING - A demand valve for gas mixing comprises two or more flow control valves that are connected to separate gas supplies. The demand valve includes a common actuation mechanism, such as a diaphragm arranged to displace levers, each of which, in turn, opens and closes proportionally in a substantially constant ratio a respective flow control valve. Inhalation flow drawn through an outlet causes displacement of the diaphragm and hence opening of the flow control valves. Gas from the separate supplies is therefore mixed in a main chamber to a substantially constant composition, regardless of the flow rate demanded, before being dispensed via the outlet.
|FLUID DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM - A system for distributing a fluid via a packing disposed in a container, the packing configured to have the fluid trickle from a top to a bottom thereof, includes at least one distributor member including a pressure conduit having at least one nozzle configured to discharge the fluid therethrough and a distributor channel adjoining the distributor member. A width of the distributor channel does not substantially exceed a diameter of the distributor member. The distributor channel defines at least one outlet slot disposed at a lower end of the distributor channel. The at least one outlet slot has a specified width and is configured to discharge the fluid from the distributor channel to the packing via a guide member. The distributor channel is configured to receive the fluid discharged from the at least one nozzle so as to provide a specified level of the fluid in the distributor channel. The distributor channel forms a ventable chamber above the specified fluid level. The ventable chamber is configured to maintain a pressure corresponding to a pressure in the container in which the packing is disposed.
|Surface Ventilator For A Compliant-Surface Flow-Control Device - A compliant-surface flow-control device for reducing drag on objects moving through fluids is described. The device has a substrate having a plurality of ridges, a porous membrane covering the substrate, and interior spaces between the porous membrane and the substrate ridges.
|VALVE CONTROL WHEN REFUELING PRESSURE TANKS - A device for capturing a refueling process is described, in which the device has a pressure signal input that is equipped to receive a pressure signal, which reproduces the pressure in a tank; a comparator that is equipped to compare a capturing signal to at least one minimum value; and includes a status output that is connected to the comparator. The status output is equipped to emit a refueling signal when the received capturing signal is more than the minimum value. The refueling signal indicates that the refueling process is taking place. The capturing signal corresponds to the pressure signal and/or the first time derivative of the pressure signal. Also described is a controller, a corresponding control method and the use of a tank pressure sensor, which include each of the features of the device and the method.
|System And Method For Accessing A Pressurized Gas Pipeline - A system and method for inhibiting gas release while accessing a pressurized gas pipeline includes a magnetic plug holder for magnetically engaging a pipe plug to a rod. A housing is sealingly engaged to a valve attached to the pipeline, and the rod is movable through the housing in a sealing fashion such that the plug holder can be moved linearly and rotationally relative to the housing. The housing can be sealingly attached to a portion of the valve, the valve can be opened, and the plug holder with a threaded plug magnetically engaged thereto lowered through the valve. The rod can be rotated from outside the housing to thread the plug into the threaded hole in the pipeline.
|LIQUID DISCRIMINATING FUEL VENT VALVE - A valve assembly for a fuel tank includes a housing. A membrane supported by the housing such that the membrane covers a vapor passage defined by the housing. The membrane allows the passage of vapor through the membrane and prevents the passage of liquid through the membrane. A flow control feature is supported by the housing to assist in controlling flow of a vapor through the membrane and the vapor passage. The flow control feature assists in controlling flow by one of shielding liquid from the membrane and providing variable flow through the vapor passage.
|BOTTLE FOR FORMING AND SAFELY HOUSING ELEMENTAL IODINE AND DISPENSING ATTACHMENTS - A bottle for the creation, storage, administration and dispensing of elemental iodine is disclosed. An amount of crystal iodine is safely housed at the bottom of the bottle. Water is poured into the bottle and contacts with the crystal iodine to form elemental iodine. With the crystal iodine safely secured at the bottom of the housing, the formed elemental iodine maintains contact with the crystal iodine to maintain its stability and extends is shelf life. Several dispensing device are also disclosed for dispensing or administering the elemental iodine, as needed, in order to treat internal and external areas of a human's or animal's body.
|CONSTRUCTION MACHINE - A hose looping supporter (
|System and Method for Flow Monitoring and Control - One embodiment of the present invention can include a flow control device that comprises an inlet, an outlet in fluid communication with the inlet, a pressure sensor, which may or may not be the only pressure sensor of the fluid control device, and a controller coupled to the pressure sensor. The controller can be configured to generate a valve control signal based on a measured pressure at a single pressure sensor.
|Methods of Operating Microvalve Assemblies and Related Structures and Related Devices - A valve assembly may include a main housing and first and second electro-statically actuated valves. The main housing may define at least three chambers, with a first chamber configured to be coupled to a high pressure supply port, a second chamber configured to be coupled to an output port, and a third chamber configured to be coupled to a low pressure exhaust port. The first electro-statically actuated valve may be provided between the first and second chambers, and the first electro-statically actuated valve may allow or substantially block fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber responsive to a first electrical signal. The second electro-statically actuated valve may be provided between the second and third chambers, and the second electro-statically actuated valve may allow or substantially block fluid communication between the second chamber and the third chamber responsive to a second electrical signal. Related methods are also discussed.
|Disposable drain filter - The present invention provides a disposable drain filter comprising a central shaft having a first end region and second end region, and a plurality of snaring discs having a central opening to accommodate the shaft. The snaring discs having radially emanating fins that form a fin snaring disc, wherein each fin is defined by a flat upper wall and a pair of side wall surfaces that meet at a single point, the flat upper wall having a plurality of upwardly projecting protrusions placed at the junction of the upper wall and side walls, to further grip materials. The fin has a narrow first end region affixed to the hollow tube, and a wide second end region. The second end regions of adjacent fins are separated by a 0.25 inch gap. A barb snaring disc is placed sequentially after each fin snaring disc, thereby forming an alternating sequence of snaring discs, wherein the barb snaring discs have radially emanating bristle extensions with barbs to further grip materials. The filter is dimensioned to take a resting position above the trap region of a shower drain. The filter can also be applied to a kitchen and lavatory drain.
|FLOW METER ADJUSTING METHOD, FLOW RATE MEASURING DEVICE AND ADJUSTMENT DATA CONTROLLING SYSTEM - A body section having a main channel through which a fluid to be measured flows and sections for shunting the fluid to be measured from the main channel, and a fluid measuring section provided removably from the body section and measuring the flow rate of the fluid to be measured flowing through the main channel based on the detection results of the fluid to be measured introduced from the shunting section. The fluid measuring section is fixed to the body section and shunt ratio data, i.e. the adjustment data about measurement processing inherent to the constitution of the body section, is registered in the fluid measuring section before adjusting measurement processing.
|COLLAPSIBLE WATER CIRCULATION SYSTEM FOR ENCLOSED TANKS - A collapsible water circulation system for relatively small, enclosed tanks such as used by municipalities, fire districts, and industries. The system in its collapsed configuration is designed to fit through the often small access opening in the tank and then to automatically expand to its extended operating configuration, all without the need for any personnel to enter the tank. The system includes a draft tube extending downwardly from a distribution dish to an inlet anchored on the floor of the tank. The system also includes at least three, elongated flotation arms that can be deployed to extend substantially horizontally and outwardly of the dish. An impeller within the dish is operated to draw water up from the anchored inlet through the draft tube to the dish. The water subsequently passes upwardly through the dish over its upper lip and substantially radially outwardly of it. The flotation arms are pivotally mounted to the system above the dish and are free to pivot between their collapsed and predetermined deployed positions.
|FILLING MACHINE FOR HIGHLY COMPRESSED GAS - The present invention refers to a filling machine for highly compressed gas, comprising: an electric driver, a reduction gearbox, a driving shaft, an eccentric driving mechanism, an high-compression mechanism, a cylinder manifold and a framework, wherein the eccentric driving mechanism consisting of at least two eccentric driving wheels is mounted on the driving shaft, the high-compression mechanism consists of at least two oscillating type compression gas cylinders connected in series by a plurality of one-way valves and hoses, and a slip ring, a piston rod and a piston are joined into an integral block wherein the slip ring is fitted over the eccentric driving wheel and the other end of the piston rod is connected to a gas cylinder barrel so as to be fitted over a supporting shaft; the supporting shaft is provided in the framework and the framework is provided with a cylinder manifold on the top thereof, which is provided with a pressure switch, a pressure gauge and a safety valve; the outer circumferential portion of the compression gas cylinder is provided with bump-and-depression textures for heat elimination, the framework is provided with a cooling fan therein, and the framework is provided with a transparent cover; the electric driver drives the reduction gearbox to transfer rotation movement to the driving shaft so as to rotate the eccentric driving wheels, and subsequently drives the integral block of the slip ring, the piston rod and the piston to reciprocate linearly with respect to the gas cylinder barrel in order to compress gas so that the output gas subjected to multistage compression can be filled into a high pressure gas tank.
|Adaptor for hot water storage tank and method of use thereof - An adapter allows a hot water storage tank of the kind having an electrical immersion heater fitted into a base of the tank via a flange. The adapter includes a flange having peripheral holes corresponding to holes in the flange of the electrical immersion heater. A cold water outlet mounted project through the flange and allows connection to a cold water inlet of an external heater. A hot water inlet projects through the flange and allows connection to a hot water outlet of the external heater. The hot water inlet is configured so that in use hot water entering therethrough is directed to an uppermost location of the tank.
|BUTTERFLY VALVE COMBINED WITH CHECK VALVE - A combination valve comprises a butterfly valve mounted to pivot within a valve housing, and to control the area of a flow path within the valve housing. The butterfly valve is provided with an actuator to pivot the valve. A check valve is mounted at an outlet end of the valve housing.
|VALVE DAMPING SYSTEM - A valve is provided including a first valve member and a second valve member. The first valve member includes a first step and a first orifice adjacent the first step. The second valve member includes a second step and a second orifice adjacent the second step. The second valve member is movable relative to the first valve member between an open position, in which the first orifice is fluidly connected the second orifice, and a closed position, in which the first orifice is substantially fluidly disconnected from the second orifice. The first and second steps are fluidly connected to the second orifice and substantially fluidly disconnected from the first orifice when the second valve member is in the closed position, and the first and second steps are fluidly connected to the first and second orifices when the second valve member is in the open position.
|VALVE UNIT - A valve unit
|Compressed-Air Supply Device with Improved Regeneration Capacity - A compressed air supply device for a utility vehicle includes a valve housing and an air-drying cartridge, wherein compressed air can be supplied to the air-drying cartridge via the valve housing. The compressed air flows through the air-drying cartridge in a first direction of flow. An electrically controllable valve is provided in the valve housing, which ensures a return flow of compressed air counter to the first direction of flow through the air-drying cartridge for regeneration purposes. A valve that can be controlled pneumatically by the electrically controlled valve is provided in the valve housing, via which compressed air can be supplied to the air-drying cartridge for regeneration purposes.
|Fluid Conduit with Self-Healing Protective Sleeve - A fluid conduit having a self-healing sleeve in a spaced relationship from the conduit to provide protection against leaks due to ballistic projectiles, such as small arms fire.
|HYDRAULIC SUPPLY HOSE INCLUDING AN INTEGRAL TENSILE LOAD MEMBER - A supply hose includes a core tube, a first layer, a second layer, and a sheath. The core tube defines a hollow interior that surrounds a central axis and is configured to transport fluid therethrough. The first layer and/or the second layer provide tensile strength to the supply line. The first layer is disposed about the core tube and includes a plurality of first fibers. The first fibers are braided about the core tube at a first angle, relative to the central axis. The second layer is disposed directly on the exterior surface of the first layer and includes a plurality of second fibers. The second fibers are braided about the exterior surface of the first layer at a second angle, relative to the central axis. The sheath may be disposed about the second layer.
|Heat- and Corrosion-Resistant Fabric - A fabric for supporting a fibrous web is disclosed. The fabric has a layer that includes a plurality of weft yarns and a plurality of warp yarns interwoven with the plurality of weft yarns. The warp and weft yarns define a web-facing side and an opposite machine-facing side. The warp yarns include at least one of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK). In addition, a yarn count, weave pattern, and yarn shape of the fabric are configured such that molten polymer drops are scrapable from the web-facing side leaving an upper support surface that does not blemish a fibrous web supported by the fabric.
|Fuel Fill Adaptor - A fuel-fill adapter for use in conjunction with a manually-controlled liquid supply nozzle for filling a fuel reservoir is disclosed. The adaptor mates with liquid supply nozzle as well as the filling port of the fuel reservoir. The fuel fill adaptor includes two main fluid pathways: an incoming pathway for liquid to fill the reservoir and an outgoing pathway for vapor venting or excess liquid draining. The fuel-fill adaptor includes a low-pressure differential vacuum-breaking valve to prevent the siphon effect that would otherwise naturally occur if liquid were to enter the gas venting hose. The vacuum-breaking valve permits air to enter the adaptor, wherein the air is then drawn down the drain hose instead of any additional liquid. The vacuum breaking valve can be connected to either the incoming liquid or vent/drain pathways.
|Portable Fuel Dispensing System - A portable fuel dispensing system comprises a fuel pump assembly, a conduit, and a fuel tank cap assembly. The pump assembly comprises a handle assembly, a cylinder assembly, and pump body assembly, and the conduit is a flexible hose or tube capable of channeling fuel from the pump assembly to the external fuel tank. The conduit and the fuel tank cap assembly comprises mating couplers having valves biased closed when disconnected from the mating coupler. In use, the fuel tank cap assembly is threaded to the external fuel tank, and the conduit coupler is connected to the cap coupler, thus forming a fluid-tight connection between the conduit and the fuel tank cap assembly. Thereafter, the external fuel tank may be replenished by manipulating the pump assembly. In other embodiments, the portable fuel dispensing system has a dual line conduit permitting vapor in the external fuel tank to be evacuated via a vapor line in the conduit and collected in the reservoir of the portable fuel container. In another embodiment, the pump assembly further comprises release valves disposed in the pump body assembly to alleviate pressure differences between the reservoir of the portable fuel container and the external ambient pressure.


text:
Julia Wittrock has achieved something that only a handful of other student have done in the history of Coon Rapids High School.
Wittrock placed third in competition at the international DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) competition in Salt Lake City, Utah, earlier this month.
"Julia is just the fifth DECA member in the history of Coon Rapids High School DECA to place either first, second or third at international competition," said teacher Blake Bodenburg, DECA coordinator.
"That's quite an accomplishment."
Ironically, Wittrock qualified for international competition by placing second, not first, at the state event.
But she finished ahead of the student who was first in the state DECA competition. He did not even make the international finals.
From a field of 160 students from all over the world competing in the professional selling category, Wittrock had to finish in the top two of her preliminary flight to be among final round of 16 students, which she did.
Then she had to make her professional selling presentation before another judge in the final round.
According to Bodenburg, the competition had students selling language learning software to a pharmaceutical company that was expanding overseas in Brazil, Canada ad Mexico.
The top 10 were called on stage at the awards session and Wittrock was awarded the third-place trophy; she was also recognized as having a top 10 written test score in the event.
Earlier that evening, Wittrock was awarded a $1,000 national DECA scholarship, Bodenburg said.
"This was Julia's fourth national conference and final DECA competition," he said.
"She ends her high school career as one of the most decorated Coon Rapids High School DECA members ever."
It was her older sister Angela's involvement in DECA in her senior year that prompted Wittrock to join the DECA program her freshman year.
"Angela had a really good experience in the DECA program," Wittrock said.
"I wanted to see what it was like and I have really enjoyed it, too," she said.
According to Wittrock, what she has liked about DECA is the opportunity to meet a lot of new people and other students in the state, country and the world, as well as more students at Coon Rapids High School than she otherwise would have done.
"We have a common goal of giving back to the community," Wittrock said.
This has included DECA-sponsored fund-raisers for charities like fashion shows and car washes, she said.
In addition, DECA has also provided her with a lot of leadership opportunities, Wittrock said.
In her junior year, Wittrock was president of the Coon Rapids DECA chapter and this year, she was elected a state DECA vice president.
Her internships through the DECA program have involved working at the school store, which is operated by the DECA students.
In fact, she is in charge of the store this school year.
The store sells healthy foods and beverages, apparel and school supplies, Wittrock said.
Another reason Wittrock has enjoyed the DECA program is that she really likes to compete, she said. "I like to do my best," Wittrock said.
Indeed, Wittrock enjoyed success in state competition as a freshman, sophomore and junior, qualifying for international competition all three years.
At state, she was third in two events in fashion merchandising as a freshman, fifth in fashion merchandising her sophomore year and took first place her junior year in role playing, Wittrock said.
But she did not enjoy success at the international level until this year.
She made some changes in her professional selling presentation in the two months between state and international competition based on the comments she had received from the judges at the state level, according to Wittrock.
"I got a lot of good ideas from the judges," Wittrock said.
But Wittrock went into the international event with the goal of "just hoping to do my best" without any great aspirations of making the finals, she said.
"There was a lot of really tough competition," Wittrock said.
Students from all over the country as well as from Europe, South America and Asia compete at the international DECA event.
Wittrock's professional selling category involved role playing before a judge who acts a buyer as well as a written test.
There can be three judges or one judge depending on the competition, but in Salt Lake City, there was only one judge in each case – preliminaries and finals.
They were not only different people, but different in how they approached the judging session, Wittrock said.
The judge for the preliminaries was more passive and did not ask many questions, but the judge in the finals was much more interactive because he had experience as a buyer for a pharmaceutical company, she said.
"You have to adapt to the type of judge you have," Wittrock said.
And there was little time to make changes in her presentation between the preliminaries and finals, she said.
The scores from the written test scores and presentation were combined to determine the finalists.
"I was so excited," Wittrock said when she was announced as a finalist. "I ran down to the stage."
Then she had only 20 minutes to prepare for the finals presentation as she was the first of the finalists to go before the judge.
"I felt comfortable," Wittrock said. "I don't think I could have done much better."
The presentation lasted 15 minutes with five minutes set aside for questions from the judge.
But after making their presentations, Wittrock and the other finalists had to wait over two hours for the awards ceremony to find out how they had fared.
Wittrock was even more excited when her name was announced as the third-place winner, she said.
"I was so happy and had a really big smile on my face," Wittrock said.
"I was surprised, but it was so cool and I feel really proud of what I have accomplished because it's something I have worked hard on for a long time."
Wittrock graduates from Coon Rapids High School June 1 and plans to attend Wheaton College, which is located just outside Chicago, Ill., this fall to major in business/economics and possibly physics as well.
Her goal is a business career as either an entrepreneur or salesperson, Wittrock said.
Besides her involvement in DECA, Wittrock has been a member of the National Honor Society both her junior and senior years and is co-president of the school's Amnesty International chapter.
Outside of school, she is active in her church, Redeemer Lutheran, which has campuses in Coon Rapids and Fridley.
According to Bodenburg, in her four years in the DECA program, Wittrock has "done really, really well."
As a freshman, Bodenburg said that Wittrock was a "very sharp student," but in the years since, she has developed leadership skills and with a great deal of positive energy, she has become a leader at the school.
Attending the DECA leadership academy provided Wittrock with the skills to become a leader and she has applied those skills, challenging herself to do even better and taking on more responsibilities, he said.
"She has passion, drive and energy that she brings to every aspect of DECA and other areas and she has enjoyed great success," Bodenburg said.
"She is a wonderful young lady."
Peter Bodley is at [email protected]

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Newby here...need advice.
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December 12, 2012, 02:47 PM
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Join Date: December 17, 2007
Location: SOUTHEAST, OHIO
Posts: 5,950
thanks for the suggestion...think I'll think 'bout it a little longer...after I shoot 'er a bit, before I name her. Might wind up having to call her sumpin' I can't put in here, if you get my drift....
You do your part and I'd almost guarantee you, you'll name her somethin as sweet as candy. Just remember, findin out what she likes is half the fun.
Go huntin and do somethin like let her powder get damp, when that trophy buck walks by and you hear nothin but your primer goin off...well...you'll name her all kind of baaaaddd things.
It just won't be her fault.
Speakin of which, after she lets you know what load she likes and you and her are on a date at your fav. deer stand, if it's raining, a piece of tape or a balloon over the muzzle works wonders at helping to keep moisture out of the bbl.
Too, I don't like taking my bp rifle or powder in the house every night during our bp deer hunting season. It's usually cold here and bringing it in a warm house is a sure way to create condensation. Once I take her out, she stays in the garage till close of season. I load my speed loaders and they stay outside as well.
Also remember, if your rifle is cold and you throw it in a heated car/behind seat of truck for the trip home...more condensation. Either put it in trunk or in bed of truck.
If I'm hunting in rainy damp weather, the load comes out every evening ( via air blown through nipple from air compressor...bullet blown into rag box in garage so it doesn't get deformed) the bore is swabbed with a dry patch and left in garage. The next morning, another swabbing with a dry patch, she's loaded and I'm off.
One more thing, check your laws as to what your state considers to be a
bp rifle.
In this state, I can load my bp rifle and as long as it's uncapped(no primer on nipple) I can transport rifle in vehicle, ATV etc.
Last edited by shortwave; December 12, 2012 at
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text: Howdy folks. Just published another MA article in my blog. I wrote this being as big a fan of MMA & Kickboxing as everyone else, but also wanting to bring to light the fact that as combat systems, neither one of them is still perfect. Particularly since at the end of the day, they are both still sports. Hope you find it to be an enjoyable read! http://chuck-n-action.blogspot.com/2012/03/limitations-of-mma-kickboxing-in-self.html


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- 1. Are there any other health conditions that could be causing my sleep problems? What do you think is the underlying cause?
- 2. Could any of my current medications, vitamins, or supplements be interfering with my ability to fall asleep?
- 3. How will you determine if I have a sleep disorder?
- 4. Will my sleep problem or disorder have any short-term or long-term effects on my overall health?
- 5. Are there any other lifestyle factors I can change to help with this problem?
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" Brand: Janod / Type: Kitchenwares "
When asking my daughter what she wanted for her birthday, she was very quick to answer, reeling off a list of toys that she had become very fond of at school in there role play area, these included things like a wooden kitchen, a wooden dolly bed, a wooden chair, everything wooden and everything make believe.
She loves role play and she is one of those children whom is very happy to play on her own as well as with others and gets lost in her world of imagination.
One of the favourites on her birthday list was a wooden shop. We had told her maybe the birthday fairy could not bring this as she had asked for many other things that cost lots of pennies, and maybe she'd have to wait for Santa to come. But as usual in our house ....somehow Nanny gets to find out!!! My mother in law, being a terribly kind grandma is terrible when it comes to birthday and Xmas presents and totally spoils the children and she decided she would buy this for Isabella's birthday.
We did some research and there was not that much on the market and the ones you could buy came with no accessories, and by the time you brought all them you were looking at not much change from 100 pounds.
In the end my mother in law settled on the Janod Toy Market Stall and purchased this from EBay for a buy it now price of 45.00.
When my mother in law brought the present round on the morning of her birthday I must say to begin with I was totally shocked at the size, it was much smaller than I was imagining.
The diameters of the toy are 38 x 24 x 43 cm.
But although to begin with I did think this was too small for the money paid and thought my mother in law may have been ripped off, with use I have realised that it's a perfect size, my hubby read the leaflet and it said that for children that are older than to use this on a table top etc for better enjoyment, so I have been putting my daughters on top of her wooden toy chest and its been great, and there's just enough room to then get on her till next to it.
My husband got the lucky job of putting together all her toys this year.... And this one was defiantly one of the easier of ones, it all comes flat packed, and he found this very easy the instructions provided they were really clear and good and had it all together within 5-10 minutes.
The stall is quite attractive and defiantly with the colours mainly being pink and yellow and natural wood colours, I would say it would be better suited to girls, although my nephew whom is three has loved playing with it also. Some boys I suppose don't mind pink. It also has a very nice pink candy stripe roof and a heart embellishment on the top panel.
It has a blackboard with clock on the back of the stall for your little ones to write down the days specials etc. I have found this a great way to encourage her to learn more on telling the time and also the blackboard has been great for her to practice her name when we are writing "Isabella's Shop" and also we have practiced other words and numbers on it. There is also two pieces of chalk included also.
It also comes with 4 mini little blackboards for you to write down the price of the fruit, again really good for practicing numbers, maths and communication skills although my only little nag would be its in Euros, but my hubby had some white blackboard paint and he has made the euro signs look like pound signs, we just did not want to confuse her.
This item came with eight wooden crates and 24 pieces of wooden fruit which consists of;
Green apples
Red/orange apples
And to complete the list of items included is 10 pink paper bags for your little one to bag your purchases up with. The shop has a little peg on the side so that you can hang the bags to. The bags are quite a thick paper bag so I think she has eight left, which I think after playing with it non stop in the last few weeks and with the arguing with her cousin over whom is the shop keeper and playing tug and war with these bags to have eight out of ten in tact is not bad going.
I have also loved watching my daughter playing with this, watching her being polite and helpful when serving her customers, and understanding the concept of money. But by far the best bit has been when she screams at the top of her voice " Half a pound of Bananas" and " Apples, Apples, Apples for sale", she sounds so sweet and so funny.
Overall my daughter has loved this stall; she has learnt and played at the same time and has had great fun which I love in turn.
She has kept it really lovely and claen and she is very proud of her shop. Also durability wise, it's quite sturdy, despite being quite thin panels of wood, which had worried me, there are no signs of wear and is not as flimsy as I thought it was going to be.
I still think the price is slightly too high and could do with being a tenner cheaper in my opinion, but that's certainly does not detract from the enjoyment my daughter has had with this toy.
Wooden toy fruit stall which includes 8 small wooden crates and a variety of fruits to display. Blackboard at back of stall and clock feature, plus 4 slates to write up your prices on, chalk and 10 paper bags


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Born in Wichita, Kansas, Worley enrolled at Wichita State University in 1965. "Because I changed majors seven times as an undergraduate (finally settling on an English major), and because I wanted to retain my II-S draft status and so took only 7-8 credit hours some semesters, it took me 5 1/2 years to complete my B.A.," he says.
In 1972, Wichita State University initiated a Master's of Fine Arts program in creative writing. Worley was accepted into the program and became the second M.F.A. graduate of the program in 1975.
Worley is the editor of Odyssey Magazine, published by the University of Kentucky. He has published his poetry in numerous periodicals and is the author of two chapbooks : Natural Selections (with Lance Olsen; Still Waters Press, 1993) and The Other Heart (Devil's Millhopper Press, 1991). His collection of poems, A Simple Human Motion, was published in a limited, letterpress edition by Larkspur Press in 2000.
Worley recently won Atlanta Review's 2002 International Poetry Competition. He lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with his wife Linda and their "four or five cats."


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Your selfie with the butter sculpture could be a winner for you and the Food Bank of CNY
Wed, 27 Aug 2014 17:12:20 GMT —
If you love taking selfies and also love the Butter Sculpture you may want to enter the American Dairy Council's, "Great American Milk Drive Butter Sculpture Instagram Contest.â??
To enter the contest all you have to do is snap a selfie in front of the Butter Sculpture, then post it on Instagram with the hashtag #donatemilkny.
The grand prize winner gets a milk-themed gift bag from the Dairy Council worth up to $500 dollars.
In addition, The Dairy Council will donate 100 gallons of milk to the Food Bank of Central New York.
Beth Meyer of the Dairy Council says this yearâ??s contest helps to raise awareness about the need for milk donations at the food bank.
"It's really a win-win for everybody. We know you're taking the pictures, we know you love to come out and see the butter sculpture. So this is a great way to take those pics and help your local food bank," she says.
Those wanting to make a donation to help with the milk drive can do so by sending a text, going online or in person at the fair.
For more information on the contest, click here.


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Faith Hill recently had surgery to repair an old knee injury but isn't letting up on her busy schedule.
"Who has time to slow down?" the country star said in a statement. "Doctors had told me to stay off my feet for a bit and now I m following their rehab program. I intend to be back better and stronger."
Hill, 40, underwent an operation called chondroplasty to realign her kneecap, which she first injured playing softball in high school.
Still, the singer is pushing right ahead with her plans to participate in the MusiCares tribute to Aretha Franklin next month and to continue recording a Christmas album, due for release later this year.
– By Gerri Miller


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Piaget Heart pendant
Pendant G33H1600
Piaget Heart pendant in 18K pink gold set with 68 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.77 ct).
Piaget Heart pendant
A heart in all ways. This pink gold and diamond classic with its unique curves has all the extravagance of exceptional love stories. A dazzling, luxurious piece of jewellery whose different forms illuminate the neckline with gleaming rays of brilliance. Deliberately VIP, resolutely couture, the Piaget Heart pendant casts its light with diamonds that capture all the radiance of passion.
Metal: Pink gold
Metal weight (gr): 10.80
Precious stones: Diamond
Necklace length: 42 cm
Motif size length: 24 mm
Motif size width: 32.2 mm
Sizing guide: Download the sizing guide
*Piaget luxury watches and jewellery are individually produced and thus the weight and carats of each product can vary from the displayed data.