Abstract: A blower includes a housing including an inlet and an outlet, a bearing-housing structure provided to the housing and adapted to rotatably support a rotor, a motor provided to the bearing-housing structure and adapted to drive the rotor, and an impeller provided to the rotor. The bearing-housing structure includes a bearing shaft having a bearing surface that rotatably supports the rotor. The bearing shaft provides only a single bearing of the non-ball bearing type for the rotor.

Abstract: An exemplary thermal management system includes, among other things, a heater loop, a battery loop, a radiator loop, and a power electronics loop operating within a glycol system. A first valve is in fluid communication with one or more of the heater loop, the battery loop, the radiator loop, and the power electronics loop. A second valve in fluid communication with one or more of the heater loop, the battery loop, the radiator loop, and the power electronics loop. The second valve is fluidly connected to the first valve to provide at least one operational condition where there is battery heating within the battery loop while a vehicle is off charge, and while also being able to independently heat a cabin.

Abstract: An exemplary thermal management system includes, among other things, a heater loop, a battery loop, a radiator loop, and a power electronics loop operating within a glycol system. A first valve is in fluid communication with one or more of the heater loop, the battery loop, the radiator loop, and the power electronics loop. A second valve is in fluid communication with one or more of the heater loop, the battery loop, the radiator loop, and the power electronics loop. The second valve is fluidly connected to the first valve to provide at least one operational condition where waste heat from power electronics in the power electronics loop is used to heat a battery in the battery loop.

Abstract: An exemplary thermal management system includes, among other things, a heater loop, a battery loop, a radiator loop, and a power electronics loop operating within a glycol system. A first valve is in fluid communication with one or more of the heater loop, the battery loop, the radiator loop, and the power electronics loop. A second valve is in fluid communication with one or more of the heater loop, the battery loop, the radiator loop, and the power electronics loop. A refrigerant system cooperates with the glycol system under at least one operational condition to actively chill power electronics in the power electronics loop and a battery in the battery loop while actively heating a cabin area.

Abstract: Apparatuses are provided for manufacturing a rod member for a cigarette filter element. Each rod member defines a longitudinal axis and includes a generally longitudinally-extending filter material and a plurality of objects disposed therein along the longitudinal axis. Such an apparatus comprises a rod-forming unit configured to form a continuous supply of a filter material into a continuous cylindrical rod member. An object insertion unit is configured to introduce a plurality of objects into engagement with the rod member. A rod-dividing unit is configured to divide the rod member into a plurality of rod portions such that each rod portion includes a plurality of the objects. Associated methods are also provided.

Abstract: Devices and methods of use for treating atrial arrhythmias. A single-pass lead includes a body portion having at least two electrodes configured to be positioned within or adjacent a right atrium of a heart of a patient, and a distal portion having at least two electrodes configured to be positioned within a blood vessel proximate the left atrium. The lead is configured to operated by an implantable therapy generator programmed to deliver a multi-stage therapy by activating various combinations of at least one electrode of the body portion of the lead and at least one electrode of the distal portion of the lead.

Abstract: A seamless unitary deflection member may comprise a plurality of regularly spaced protuberances, which may be semi-continuous units disposed in a regular, spaced apart configuration in at least one of a machine direction (MD) and a cross-machine direction (CD).

Abstract: A system for analyzing fluid flow in unconventional, hydraulically-fractured porous media. In one embodiment, the system comprises a reservoir test sample, wherein the reservoir test sample comprises a core barrel, annular fluid, a synthetic tubing, supporting layers, and a core sample stack, wherein the core sample stack comprises one or more core slots.

Abstract: One or more computing devices, systems, and/or methods for controlling an output device are provided. For example, features are extracted from data points of an object. A set of data points are identified from the data points based upon the set of data points having features corresponding to target features. Marker elements are assigned to the set of data points. A mapping structure is used to assign output indicators to the marker elements. The output device is controlled to provide output indicators assigned to marker elements as the marker elements become a current focus of the user navigation.

Abstract: One or more computing devices, systems, and/or methods for controlling an output device are provided. For example, features are extracted from data points of an object. A set of data points are identified from the data points based upon the set of data points having features corresponding to target features. Marker elements are assigned to the set of data points. A mapping structure is used to assign output indicators to the marker elements. The output device is controlled to provide output indicators assigned to marker elements as the marker elements become a current focus of the user navigation.

Abstract: One or more computing devices, systems, and/or methods for controlling an output device are provided. For example, features are extracted from data points of an object. A set of data points are identified from the data points based upon the set of data points having features corresponding to target features. Marker elements are assigned to the set of data points. A mapping structure is used to assign output indicators to the marker elements. The output device is controlled to provide output indicators assigned to marker elements as the marker elements become a current focus of the user navigation.

Abstract: An example system for synchronizing dosing events between a plurality of spaces includes: a plurality of dosing subsystems, each dosing subsystem corresponding to one of the spaces and configured to administer sanitizing media doses to the corresponding space, wherein each dosing subsystem comprises: a dosing mechanism; and a controller coupled to the dosing mechanism, the controller configured to: obtain a shared dosing schedule, wherein the shared dosing schedule is shared between each of the plurality of dosing subsystems; detect a trigger event for a dosing event in the space; and in response to the trigger event, control the dosing mechanism to administer the sanitizing media in the space in line with the shared dosing schedule. Doses may therefore be scheduled to avoid or minimizes overdoses to humans or other living organisms.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments include a reinforcement learning model configured at a given point in time to receive digital data about a state of a user at the given point in time, receive digital data about an environment at the given point in time, receive digital data about a campaign at the given point in time, optimize total expected future number of positive rewards at the given point in time, and to execute an action at the given point in time. The state of the user at the given point in time may be a number of communications the user has received in a particular time period, a time since a last communication, the user's past behavior, and/or the user's engagement score from a predictive model to engage with a communication.

Abstract: An actuator includes a drive body including a torque-transfer surface configured to receive a torque. The actuator further includes: a drivable body including an output shaft such that rotation of the drive body causes movement of the output shaft; a first bearing configured to transfer thrust forces from the output shaft in a first direction; and a second bearing configured to transfer thrust forces from the output shaft in a second direction. At least the first bearing extends in a radial dimension beyond the torque-transfer surface.

Abstract: Methods and corresponding systems are provided for configuring communications to customers when there are multiple campaigns scheduled in a given period. An optimal number of communications are sent prioritized according to business or performance measures where send times are spaced out in a manner that strives to attain the highest value. An example method includes determining a number of electronic communications, for a plurality of campaigns to send to the particular customer during a particular time period; determining the optimal send time during the particular time period; determining for which campaigns the particular customer is eligible; for each determined optimal time: determining a strategy including selecting an electronic communication for one of the campaigns to send to the eligible particular customer so as to maximize the value over the particular time period; and causing the selected electronic communication to be sent to the particular customer at the determined optimal time.

Abstract: A drop-in insert for a valve cage is adapted for use with a subsurface pump. The insert can be positioned in a valve cage housing. The insert includes a cradle, a base, a plurality of angled ribs, and an upper ring. In one embodiment, the insert may also include an extended nose region. Upper ring can abut an interior diameter of the housing, providing a smooth transition for pumped fluid, thereby decreasing turbulent fluid flow and promoting improved fluid flow during pumping operations. The insert can be dropped into position in the housing. Alternatively, the insert can be positioned in the housing by an interference fit or the like. The housing and insert can be part of a valve cage assembly that includes a ball, seat, seat plug, and end cap. The assembly may include an O-ring component which can cushion the insert, thereby prolonging the life of the insert.

Abstract: A drop-in insert for a valve cage is adapted for use with a subsurface pump. The insert can be positioned in a valve cage housing. The insert includes a cradle, a base, a plurality of angled ribs, and an upper ring. In one embodiment, the insert may also include an extended nose region. Upper ring can abut an interior diameter of the housing, providing a smooth transition for pumped fluid, thereby decreasing turbulent fluid flow and promoting improved fluid flow during pumping operations. The insert can be dropped into position in the housing. Alternatively, the insert can be positioned in the housing by an interference fit or the like. The housing and insert can be part of a valve cage assembly that includes a ball, seat, seat plug, and end cap. The assembly may include an O-ring component which can cushion the insert, thereby prolonging the life of the insert.

Abstract: A roller coupling apparatus for securing rods and other threaded components together in a pumping system. The roller coupling apparatus can include a body with a plurality of radially-positioned wheels rotatably coupled to the body. The arrangement of the wheels can uniformly spread the rod load within the interior diameter of the tubing. The body can include flat outer surfaces to facilitate increased fluid flow capacity around the apparatus. In operation, the wheels contact and roll along the interior diameter of the tubing, preventing surface-to-surface wear of the coupling body exterior and tubing interior, thereby prolonging coupling and tubing life. In one embodiment, the wheels can include wear grooves that can indicate wear areas in the wellbore. In one embodiment, the body can include grooves to permit retrieval of the apparatus when needed. Multiple apparatuses can be utilized to form rod strings of various lengths.

Abstract: Devices and methods of use for treating atrial arrhythmias. A single-pass lead includes a body portion having at least two electrodes configured to be positioned within or adjacent a right atrium of a heart of a patient, and a distal portion having at least two electrodes configured to be positioned within a blood vessel proximate the left atrium. The lead is configured to operated by an implantable therapy generator programmed to deliver a multi-stage therapy by activating various combinations of at least one electrode of the body portion of the lead and at least one electrode of the distal portion of the lead.

Abstract: A rod centralizer and solids control assembly can be mounted on a rod string. The assembly allows well fluid containing high solids to pass through the pump while eliminating the solids from being swept back into the pump barrel or accumulating in the tubing. The assembly can include a body portion coupled to a bristle positioned helically around the body portion. The bristle can be coupled to a piston, allowing the bristle to extend during upward fluid movement and retract when rod rotation stops. The bristle can trap solids, leaving the solids higher and away from a pump intake. This can allow the solids to be lifted out of the pump, preventing solids from collecting on a bottom portion of the pump or tubing. The assembly can include centralizer components that center the rod, preventing it from rubbing against the tubing. Multiple assemblies can be incorporated into the rod string.