Abstract: A winch-winding assembly for use with a flatbed winch, for example. The winch-winding assembly can be used for winding tie-down straps. The winch-winding assembly can include a gear system, a drive shaft connected to the gear system in order to cause rotation of the gear system and an engagement arm being configured to engage with and rotate part of the flatbed winch. A drill-support mechanism can be further provided to guide or support a body of a hand-held drill during engagement and rotation of the drive shaft. The engagement arm can comprise a stem and a finger mounted to the stem and being displaceable between a retracted position disengaging the flatbed winch, and an extended position engaging the flatbed winch, to rotate the winch drum in response to rotation of the stem.

Abstract: There is provided a solder bump structure comprising an under bump metallurgy (UBM) layer, a first solder portion over the UBM layer, the first solder portion having a first composition, a barrier layer encapsulating the first solder portion, and a second solder portion over the barrier layer, the second solder portion having a second composition different from the first composition.

Abstract: The present relates to a chip assembly, a flow cell and a cytometer for characterizing particles in a sample solution. The chip assembly comprises a pair of chips, at least one of the chip defining on its inner surface at least two channels, the two channels defining therebetween a common intersecting area. Each channel is adapted for receiving one or more optical fibers. The chips define a through-hole extending throughout the chip assembly in a transverse direction relative to the channels and passing through the common intersecting area. The flow cell comprises the chip assembly, an excitation fiber and at least one collection fiber extending through respective channels; the collection fiber for collecting light scattered or emitted by particles flowing through the through-hole and excited by an excitation light transported by the excitation fiber. The flow cytometer comprises a light source for generating the excitation light and the flow cell.

Abstract: The present relates to a chip assembly, a flow cell and a cytometer for characterizing particles in a sample solution. The chip assembly comprises a pair of chips, at least one of the chip defining on its inner surface at least two channels, the two channels defining therebetween a common intersecting area. Each channel is adapted for receiving one or more optical fibers. The chips define a through-hole extending throughout the chip assembly in a transverse direction relative to the channels and passing through the common intersecting area. The flow cell comprises the chip assembly, an excitation fiber and at least one collection fiber extending through respective channels; the collection fiber for collecting light scattered or emitted by particles flowing through the through-hole and excited by an excitation light transported by the excitation fiber. The flow cytometer comprises a light source for generating the excitation light and the flow cell.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field characterization of particles in a sample solution. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a flow cell and a method for characterizing particles by means of collected non-Gaussian temporal signals. The present flow cell and method rely on an excitation fiber with a channel. The excitation fiber has a core for transporting an excitation light generated by a light source, and defines a channel through a portion of its core. The channel of the excitation fiber directs a flow of the sample solution. The excitation fiber, the channel and collection fibers characteristics are selected, proportioned and positioned to generate collected light with a non-Gaussian temporal intensity profile.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field characterization of particles in a sample solution. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a flow cell and a method for characterizing particles by means of collected non-Gaussian temporal signals. The present flow cell and method rely on an excitation fiber with a channel. The excitation fiber has a core for transporting an excitation light generated by a light source, and defines a channel through a portion of its core. The channel of the excitation fiber directs a flow of the sample solution. The excitation fiber, the channel and collection fibers characteristics are selected, proportioned and positioned to generate collected light with a non-Gaussian temporal intensity profile.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for analyzing a fluid with particle analytes, where the fluid is fed through a passageway within an optical fiber and excitation light is guided by the optical fiber across the passageway and intersects the fluid therein. The optical core is made multimode and is adapted to shape the excitation light with a uniform spatial illumination over a cross-section of the optical core and the passageway is configured relative to the optical core such that the particle analytes are exposed to substantially equal excitation light while circulating in the passageway.