Abstract: The invention uses mobile app technology to make herbarium information available on devices with easy-to-use interfaces. With the mobile app, the herbarium information is more easily accessible. This portion of the invention was disclosed in Provisional Application No. 63/404,960, filed on Sep. 9, 2022. This invention further supports the functionality to add new herbarium and/or live plant images. A user can use machine learning technology to identify the plant in the image or add taxonomic information with the aid of autocompletion feature. The invention allows a user to specify licenses for images. The images can be displayed to other users for information sharing, purchase and download. There is also a functionality to show only herbarium or live plant images in the app. This portion of the invention was not disclosed in Provisional Application No. 63/404,960 and built upon the foundation established by Provisional Application No. 63/404,960.

Abstract: RAPPs comprise a housing, a swash plate with an inclined surface, and a rotor assembly positioned adjacent the swash plate. The swash plate and/or the inclined surface are ceramic. The rotor assembly comprises a rotor-drum having at least one cylinder bore having a piston disposed therein, wherein the piston has a ball-shaped end. A slipper is interposed between the swash plate and the rotor-drum, and includes a socket joint for accommodating the piston ball-shaped end therein. A plastic material may be disposed within the socket joint. The slipper has a ceramic interface surface in contact with the inclined surface. A stator plate is positioned in the housing, and a rotor plate is interposed between the stator plate and the rotor-drum. The stator plate has a ceramic interface surface in contact with the rotor plate. The rotor plate has a ceramic interface surface in contact with the stator plate.

Abstract: RAPPs comprise a housing, a swash plate with an inclined surface, and a rotor assembly positioned adjacent the swash plate. The swash plate and/or the inclined surface are ceramic. The rotor assembly comprises a rotor-drum having at least one cylinder bore having a piston disposed therein, wherein the piston has a ball-shaped end. A slipper is interposed between the swash plate and the rotor-drum, and includes a socket joint for accommodating the piston ball-shaped end therein. A plastic material may be disposed within the socket joint. The slipper has a ceramic interface surface in contact with the inclined surface. A stator plate is positioned in the housing, and a rotor plate is interposed between the stator plate and the rotor-drum. The stator plate has a ceramic interface surface in contact with the rotor plate. The rotor plate has a ceramic interface surface in contact with the stator plate.

Abstract: A pumping machine, that can serve a system as the sole main pump for pressurizing a primary liquid flow, incorporates, in a single machine, a rotor-drum type AP (axial piston) pump and a PX (pressure exchanger) that recovers energy from a secondary liquid flow such as the brine discharge from an RO seawater desalination system, with benefits including fewer moving parts and small machine size along with lower capital and operating costs. A single rotor-drum containing the cylinders and pistons is located between two end blocks, one or both configured with manifold passageways, ports and sliding valves. A swash-plate at one end reciprocates the pistons axially when the rotor-drum is rotated.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for on site pouring of pre-stressed concrete structures. A form, having elongated sides spanned by first and second bulkheads at each end, is assembled on a building site. The form defines the size and configuration of a structure, and has an upper edge determining the upper surface of the structure. A transportable cable pre-stressing frame is provided, having a first end and a second end with respective outrigger assemblies and at least one pre-stressed cable extending therebetween. Adjustable means are provided for positioning and maintaining the frame over and generally in longitudinal alignment with the form, the pre-stressed cable lying below the form's upper edge. Concrete is poured into the form, covering the cable. After curing is complete, the portions of the cable extending outside the concrete structure are cut, releasing the tension on the cable and transferring it to the concrete.

Abstract: A system for implanting a wire antenna in a contactless smart card includes an ultrasonic implanting head with a voice-coil actuator to control the pressure at which a heated wire is forced into a plastic card substrate. The force produced by the actuator is proportional to the current in a coil winding in the actuator. A controller uses a feedback system to maintain a relatively constant applied pressure. The feedback system monitors the current in the coil and the controller issues electronic signals to increase or decrease the current in the coil in response to the monitored current.

Abstract: A power-supplying device is adapted to generate different voltage outputs, and includes an input power providing unit for providing an input power signal, a selector unit operable so as to generate a voltage select signal corresponding to a selected one of the voltage outputs, a processor unit connected to the selector unit so as to receive the voltage select signal therefrom and so as to generate a converter control signal corresponding to the voltage select signal, and an adjustable dc-to-dc converter connected to the input power providing unit and the processor unit so as to receive the input power signal and the converter control signal respectively therefrom. The converter is controlled by the converter control signal so as to process the input power signal in order to generate the selected one of the voltage outputs.

Abstract: A power converting device is adapted for use with a battery pack. The power converting device includes a housing formed with a battery receiving space that is adapted for receiving the battery pack therein, a battery connector mounted on the housing inside the receiving space and adapted to be connected electrically with the battery pack when the battery pack is disposed inside the battery receiving space, at least two output connectors mounted on the housing and accessible from an exterior of the housing, and a power converting circuit mounted inside the housing and connected electrically to the battery connector and the output connectors. The power converting circuit is adapted to be connected electrically to the battery pack via the battery connector, and is adapted to convert electrical power of the battery pack into at least two voltage outputs that can be tapped at the output connectors, respectively.

Abstract: A programmable electronic real-time load controller includes: a plurality of load control circuits, each being adapted to be interconnected with a load; a hardware clock; and, a programmed data processor for responding to real-time information from the hardware clock to effect control of the status of each load control circuit in accordance with a predetermined time schedule that has been entered into the data processor. The data processor includes: a CPU; a program memory; an event memory; and a plurality of ports which permit a plurality of devices, including a keyboard, a plurality of displays, and the hardware clock, to interchange information with the data processor. The event memory includes a plurality of event memory locations for storing one or more control events and corresponding event times for each load.

Abstract: In an electrical load control system, an analog signal representing the actual rate of power being consumed by a plurality of loads has a nominal level when the actual rate is at a desired rate, or set point. As the level of the analog signal deviates from its nominal level, the electrical load control system functions to add or shed one or more of the loads to maintain the actual rate at the set point. During times of low power consumption, the electrical load control system may not act to optimize energy usage if the set point is not lowered. A set point control circuit is provided which senses the on/off status of one of the loads, or control load, and which provides a set point modification signal whose level represents a desired reduction in the set point and which varies in a predetermined range between minimum and maximum levels representing, respectively, no reduction in the set point and a maximum reduction in the set point.

Abstract: To maintain power consumption within predetermined limits, the ON/OFF states of a plurality of electrical loads are controlled by a digital load control circuit that forms part of a closed-loop control system. The power consumed by the ON loads is monitored and compared with a reference and in response to such comparison command signals are produced that instruct the digital circuit to add or shed loads as required, to increase or decrease, respectively, the power consumption. Inputs to the load-control circuit are in the form of one or more add or shed command pulses wherein the former instructs the circuit to add a load, and the latter instructs the circuit to shed a load. To execute these commands, the load-control circuit includes a reversible, recycling address generator that successively addresses a bank of addressable latches, one for controlling the ON/OFF state of each load.

Abstract: In a closed loop control system for monitoring and regulating the rate of electrical power delivered to a plurality of electrical loads, an improved circuit is disclosed that is responsive to an analog input signal representing a measured power rate and has a digital pulse output for conditioning a digital switching circuit to add one or more loads when the measured power rate falls below a predetermined rate and to shed one or more loads when the measured power rate exceeds such predetermined rate. The analog input signal is compared with a reference signal to produce an analog error signal that is first compensated for certain types of power rate deviations and is then fed to an analog to digital conversion circuit which includes a threshold detection circuit and a pulse generator circuit and produces one or more output pulses in response to a predetermined threshold magnitude of the compensated error signal.

Abstract: In an electrical load control system, method and apparatus are provided for selectively, individually connecting and disconnecting a plurality of loads to and from a power source. The loads are selectively connected (added), disconnected (shed), and reconnected (restored or added), in a predetermined sequence, wherein the ranking of the loads in such sequence is selectively rotated in a manner which results in a sharing of on and off time and an equalizing of wear among all of the loads. As an example of this operation, a load control system is disclosed in which the consumption of electrical power is varied by periodically shedding and adding individual loads in order to maintain the level of power usage below predetermined limits and yet make full use of the available power within such limits.