Abstract: Systems and methods related to the near elimination of second-hand smoke or vapour from the process of smoking or vaporizing tobacco or Cannabis are provided. A vaporizing article is provided whereby a user may exhale into the article to capture a high percentage of the smoke and contaminants before they are released back into the surroundings. The article also provides for filtering gaseous by-products when the article is in idle mode. A prepackaged container for use with a vaporizing article is also provided. The container may be configured so as to optimize the heat distribution and consumption of product within the container.

Abstract: A cladding system for covering an exterior wall is provided. The cladding system includes a panel for assembling on the exterior wall and an anchor for securing the panel to the exterior wall. The panel has a body with channels formed on a rear side thereof for draining water on an interior surface of the channel which is spaced away from the exterior wall. The anchor comprises tabs for fitting in to the channels and preventing a pull-out and/or a push-in of the panel relative to the exterior wall. The anchor cooperates with the panel to direct water into the drainage channels, and to define a continuous drainage path from top to bottom of the cladding system.

Abstract: A cladding system for covering an exterior wall is provided. The cladding system includes a panel for assembling on the exterior wall and an anchor for securing the panel to the exterior wall. The panel has a body with channels formed on a rear side thereof for draining water on an interior surface of the channel which is spaced away from the exterior wall. The anchor comprises tabs for fitting in to the channels and preventing a pull-out and/or a push-in of the panel relative to the exterior wall. The anchor cooperates with the panel to direct water into the drainage channels, and to define a continuous drainage path from top to bottom of the cladding system.

Abstract: A holder for securing a phone, smartphone or tablet device while driving in a vehicle. The holder has a frame for supporting the device including a base or socket shaped to receive at least a portion of the device, and a clamping mechanism configured to secure the device in the socket; a locking mechanism connected to the clamping mechanism, the locking mechanism comprising a motor actuating a driving member to engage and disengage a driven member of the clamping mechanism to cause the clamping mechanism to lock while tightening its grip on the device and to unlock while loosening its grip on the device.

Abstract: A cladding system for covering an exterior wall is provided. The cladding system includes a panel for assembling on the exterior wall and an anchor for securing the panel to the exterior wall. The panel has a body with channels formed on a rear side thereof for draining water on an interior surface of the channel which is spaced away from the exterior wall. The anchor comprises tabs for fitting in to the channels and preventing a pull-out and/or a push-in of the panel relative to the exterior wall. The anchor cooperates with the panel to direct water into the drainage channels, and to define a continuous drainage path from top to bottom of the cladding system.

Abstract: A wall panel, a masonry wall system, and a method are described. Masonry units are used with wall panels to make a masonry wall. The wall panel has a back face and a front face. The front face has multiple ribs which engage the masonry units, where each rib has top and bottom sides. The bottom sides of the ribs have multiple compressible projections with cavities which can be deformed so as to retain the masonry unit in the panel. Each masonry unit has a body with a front face, a back face, and top and lateral faces. The back face and top lateral face form a back peripheral edge, and the top lateral face has at least one tooth for securing the masonry unit in the panel. In operation, the tooth compresses the projections of the horizontal ribs, thereby securing the masonry unit in the panel.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus and a system are provided for assessing at a security checkpoint the threat status of a liquid product comprised of a bottle at least partially filled with liquid. Generally, an X-ray image of the liquid product is obtained and processed to derive a level of fill of the bottle and the threat status of the liquid product is determined at least in part based on the level of fill of the bottle. In some examples presented, an X-ray image of the liquid product is processed to derive location information associated with a meniscus formed by the liquid in the bottle and an estimated length of a path followed by X-rays through the liquid held in the bottle is used to determine the threat status of the liquid product, the length of the path being derived in part based on the location information.

Abstract: A wall panel, a masonry wall system, and a method are described. Masonry units are used with wall panels to make a masonry wall. The wall panel has a back face and a front face. The front face has multiple ribs which engage the masonry units, where each rib has top and bottom sides. The bottom sides of the ribs have multiple compressible projections with cavities which can be deformed so as to retain the masonry unit in the panel. Each masonry unit has a body with a front face, a back face, and top and lateral faces. The back face and top lateral face form a back peripheral edge, and the top lateral face has at least one tooth for securing the masonry unit in the panel. In operation, the tooth compresses the projections of the horizontal ribs, thereby securing the masonry unit in the panel.

Abstract: A modular siding panel for mortarless application to a building structure is disclosed, which includes a structure for capturing and draining infiltrated water within the panel. In a preferred embodiment, the siding panel includes a rigid facing panel made of weather resistant material and having a front face exposed in an installed condition of the panel and top, bottom and side edges for engagement with like panels positioned adjacent thereto; and a supporting spacer fastened to the rear surface of the facing panel, the spacer including a mounting portion for attachment of the siding panel to the building structure and a water management portion for capturing infiltrated water which has seeped past the front face along one or more of the edges and draining the captured infiltrated water while sealed within the modular siding panel and away from the building structure.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a masonry wall panel assembly comprising a panel and a plurality of bricks. The panel is provided with a plurality of horizontally extending contiguous channels bounded by upper and lower protruding ribs, for fitting a row of bricks. Each channel is also fitted with a plurality of compressible retaining tabs positioned along the upper rib of each channel for retaining bricks inserted therein. The bricks are provided with at least one cavity and at least one compression area so that when a brick is inserted into a channel of the panel, the brick is positioned between the ribs such that the cavity of the brick faces one or more of the tabs located on the channel so that the tabs protrude into the cavity of the brick while at the same time compressing the compression area, thereby retaining the brick within the channel.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a masonry wall system consisting of a plurality of panels and artificial masonry units. The panels are provided with channels sized to receive the artificial masonry units and delimited by protruding ribs. The protruding ribs have a predetermined width w and also have notches uniformly spaced along the ribs. The artificial masonry units have protuberances devised and positioned on the masonry units to be fitted in the notches of the protruding ribs so that the masonry units are equally spaced-apart from each other by a predetermined gap (g).

Abstract: A method, an apparatus and a system are provided for assessing at a security checkpoint the threat status of a liquid product, where the liquid product is comprised of a bottle at least partially filled with liquid. In accordance with a broad aspect, the level of fill is used as a factor in the determination of the threat status of the liquid product. In accordance with another broad aspect, an X-ray image of the liquid product is obtained and processed to derive a level of fill of the bottle and the threat status of the liquid product is determined at least in part based on the level of fill of the bottle. In accordance with yet another broad aspect, an X-ray image of the liquid product is processed to derive location information associated with a meniscus formed by the liquid in the bottle. An estimated length of a path followed by X-rays through the liquid held in the bottle is derived in part based on the location information and is used to determine the threat status of the liquid product.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selectively reciprocating a downhole device in a wellbore relative to an upper portion of production tubing, so that the upper portion of production tubing does not need to be lifted to operate the downhole device. A shift tool between the upper production tubing and the deflector assembly is designed to lift a deflector assembly independently of the upper production tubing. The shift tool is operated by pressurized fluid delivered from the surface, for example with a fluid-delivery device on the end of coiled tubing lowered through the production tubing.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus and a system are provided for assessing at a security checkpoint the threat status of a liquid product comprised of a bottle at least partially filled with liquid. Generally, an X-ray image of the liquid product is obtained and processed to derive a level of fill of the bottle and the threat status of the liquid product is determined at least in part based on the level of fill of the bottle. In some examples presented, an X-ray image of the liquid product is processed to derive location information associated with a meniscus formed by the liquid in the bottle and an estimated length of a path followed by X-rays through the liquid held in the bottle is used to determine the threat status of the liquid product, the length of the path being derived in part based on the location information.

Abstract: A modular siding panel for mortarless application to a building structure is disclosed, which includes a structure for capturing and draining infiltrated water within the panel. In a preferred embodiment, the siding panel includes a rigid facing panel made of weather resistant material and having a front face exposed in an installed condition of the panel and top, bottom and side edges for engagement with like panels positioned adjacent thereto; and a supporting spacer fastened to the rear surface of the facing panel, the spacer including a mounting portion for attachment of the siding panel to the building structure and a water management portion for capturing infiltrated water which has seeped past the front face along one or more of the edges and draining the captured infiltrated water while sealed within the modular siding panel and away from the building structure.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a masonry wall panel assembly comprising a panel and a plurality of bricks. The panel is provided with a plurality of horizontally extending contiguous channels bounded by upper and lower protruding ribs, for fitting a row of bricks. Each channel is also fitted with a plurality of compressible retaining tabs positioned along the upper rib of each channel for retaining bricks inserted therein. The bricks are provided with at least one cavity and at least one compression area so that when a brick is inserted into a channel of the panel, the brick is positioned between the ribs such that the cavity of the brick faces one or more of the tabs located on the channel so that the tabs protrude into the cavity of the brick while at the same time compressing the compression area, thereby retaining the brick within the channel.

Abstract: A pre-cast siding panel for mortarless application to a building structure is disclosed, which includes a structure for capturing and draining infiltrated water away from the building structure. In a preferred embodiment, the siding panel includes a cast facing panel made of settable material and having a front face exposed in an installed condition of the panel and top, bottom and side edges for engagement with like panels positioned adjacent thereto; and a supporting spacer partially embedded in the rear surface of the facing panel, the spacer including a mounting portion for fastening the siding panel to the building structure and a water management portion for managing infiltrated water away from the building structure, by capturing infiltrated water which has seeped past the front face along one or more of the edges and draining the captured infiltrated water away from the building structure.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a masonry wall system consisting of a plurality of panels and artificial masonry units. The panels are provided with channels sized to receive the artificial masonry units and delimited by protruding ribs. The protruding ribs have a predetermined width w and also have notches uniformly spaced along the ribs. The artificial masonry units have protuberances devised and positioned on the masonry units to be fitted in the notches of the protruding ribs so that the masonry units are equally spaced-apart from each other by a predetermined gap (g).

Abstract: The present invention concerns a masonry wall panel assembly comprising a panel and a plurality of bricks. The panel is provided with a plurality of horizontally extending contiguous channels bounded by upper and lower protruding ribs, for fitting a row of bricks. Each channel is also fitted with a plurality of compressible retaining tabs positioned along the upper rib of each channel for retaining bricks inserted therein. The bricks are provided with at least one cavity and at least one compression area so that when a brick is inserted into a channel of the panel, the brick is positioned between the ribs such that the cavity of the brick faces one or more of the tabs located on the channel so that the tabs protrude into the cavity of the brick while at the same time compressing the compression area, thereby retaining the brick within the channel.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a masonry wall system consisting of a plurality of panels and artificial masonry units. The panels are provided with channels sized to receive the artificial masonry units and delimited by protruding ribs. The protruding ribs have a predetermined width w and also have notches uniformly spaced along the ribs. The artificial masonry units have protuberances devised and positioned on the masonry units to be fitted in the notches of the protruding ribs so that the masonry units are equally spaced-apart from each other by a predetermined gap (g).