Abstract: A method for preparing a stabilized nitrocellulose article includes providing a nitrocellulose-containing mat of fibers. The nitrocellulose-containing mat of fibers is treated with a solution that comprises a solvent and a stabilizer to produce the article. The stabilizer is soluble in the solvent. The solvent dissolves the stabilizer and the nitrocellulose in the nitrocellulose-containing mat of fibers is substantially insoluble in the solvent at ambient pressure and temperature. An inflatable bag comprises a shell and the stabilized nitrocellulose article. The shell is formed from a foldable material and has an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface defines an interior cavity of the inflatable bag. The stabilized nitrocellulose article is disposed upon the inner surface of the shell in the interior cavity and is foldable in conformity with at least one fold of the shell.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing a recurrent bidding process is disclosed.

Abstract: A jigsaw drive shaft is connected to a blade by the blade clamp of the present invention. The blade clamp comprises a clamp body mounted securely to the drive shaft by a bracket. The clamp body has a hollow portion formed to receive an upper portion the jigsaw blade. The clamp body also includes a hollow tubular extension. A cam body is pivotable about an axis through a cylindrical bore such that cam surfaces move in and out of contact with an interior surface of the clamp body to engage or release the blade. A spring biases the cam body into engagement with the clamp body surface. The user must press on a protrusion of the cam body to pivot the cam surfaces way from the clamp surface and against the force of the spring.

Abstract: The invention concerns a vehicle wheel, in particular for passenger vehicles and motorcycles, comprising a rim for receiving a tire and a spoke unit or a wheel disc connecting the rim to the hub. The rim is made of plastic material and the spoke unit or the wheel disc of metal. The rim is connected to the spoke unit or wheel disc by form-closure and/or by force-closure of the material. The invention aims at enabling the wheel disc to be accurately positioned relative to the rim base and at providing a wheel with an attractive design. Therefore, the spoke unit, or the wheel disc are connected via at least one connecting element guided through the rim base and the connecting element is housed in the spoke unit or the wheel disc so as to be completely covered by a tire or by the spoke unit or the wheel disc.

Abstract: A system provides file aware block level deduplication in a system having multiple clients connected to a storage subsystem over a network such as an Internet Protocol (IP) network. The system includes client components and storage subsystem components. Client components include a walker that traverses the namespace looking for files that meet the criteria for optimization, a file system daemon that rehydrates the files, and a filter driver that watches all operations going to the file system. Storage subsystem components include an optimizer resident on the nodes of the storage subsystem. The optimizer can use idle processor cycles to perform optimization. Sub-file compression can be performed at the storage subsystem.

Abstract: A zip fastener including fabric tapes having coupling elements thereon is provided. A coating layer of thermoplastic material is provided on at least one first surface of the fastener tapes. The coating layer extends continuously along the first surface, extends over an edge of the fastener tapes and extends along at least one second surface of the fastener tapes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plunge-cut action circular saw having a double pivot hinge mechanism. Problems associated with this hinge mechanism, in particular axial end flow are reduced by urging a component of the hinge against a fixed component of the saw, such as a base plate component or the like. The urging force is applied by a resilient member, such as a spring washer.

Abstract: The present invention is a breakaway mounting bracket assembly for a wiper system that displaces components of the wiper system below the impact line of a vehicle in the event of, for example, a vehicle-pedestrian impact. The assembly includes a mounting bracket and a grommet removably attached to the mounting bracket. The assembly also includes a ferrule disposed within the grommet that includes a column having an internal passage and a platform connected to the column by a plurality of bridges disposed therebetween. The assembly also includes an attachment member to connect the mounting bracket to the vehicle where the attachment member includes a body engaged to the internal passage. The mounting bracket is adapted to break away from attachment with the grommet in the event of a predetermined load acting on a pivot shaft assembly and to displace the pivot shaft assembly and a portion of the wiper arm below the vehicle's impact line in the event of a pedestrian impact.

Abstract: The present invention is a breakaway mounting bracket assembly for a wiper system that displaces components of the wiper system below the impact line of a vehicle in the event of, for example, a vehicle-pedestrian impact. The assembly includes a mounting bracket and a grommet removably attached to the mounting bracket. The assembly also includes a ferrule disposed within the grommet that includes a column having an internal passage and a platform connected to the column. The assembly also includes an attachment member to connect the mounting bracket to the vehicle where the attachment member includes a body engaged to the internal passage. The platform breaks away from the column in the event of a predetermined load acting on the pivot shaft assembly, which disconnects the grommet from the ferrule and thereby displaces the pivot shaft assembly and a portion of a wiper arm below the impact line of a vehicle.

Abstract: BACnet objects and methods for efficiently monitoring the communication status of networks and devices in a building automation and control system are presented. A pair of bus communication status objects, including a server object and a client object, provide the communication status of an MS/TP network as an OCTET String transmitted only upon a change of value (COV) of the communication status of a device on the network. Individual devices may be monitored with a device communication status object, in conjunction with or apart from the bus communication status objects. For MS/TP devices, automatic configuration and monitoring in a controller is provided. For other devices, a user interface is provided through a graphical tool to allow configuration to specify the desired device and/or network for monitoring.

Abstract: The present invention is a breakaway mounting bracket assembly for a wiper system that displaces components of the wiper system below the impact line of a vehicle in the event of, for example, a vehicle-pedestrian impact. The assembly includes a mounting bracket and a grommet removably attached to the mounting bracket. The assembly also includes a ferrule disposed within the grommet that includes a column having an internal passage and a platform connected to the column by a plurality of bridges disposed therebetween. The assembly also includes an attachment member to connect the mounting bracket to the vehicle where the attachment member includes a body engaged to the internal passage. The mounting bracket is adapted to break away from attachment with the grommet in the event of a predetermined load acting on a pivot shaft assembly and to displace the pivot shaft assembly and a portion of the wiper arm below the vehicle's impact line in the event of a pedestrian impact.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing a recurrent bidding process is disclosed.

Abstract: Computer devices (10) that are resistant to contamination by microbes are provided. The device (such as a keyboard (10), mouse or other computer device) is treated or manufactured with a photosensitizer compound that is activated by electromagnetic radiation (16) to provide an antimicrobial effect. One or more light sources (14; 19) may be utilized to activate the photosensitizer compound and these may be incorporated inside or outside of the computer device (10). A laptop computer in which the electro-magnetic radiation is provided by the display screen (30) so as to provide an antimicrobial effect to the keyboard (13) is described.

Abstract: BACnet objects and methods for efficiently monitoring the communication status of networks and devices in a building automation and control system are presented. A pair of bus communication status objects, including a server object and a client object, provide the communication status of an MS/TP network as an OCTET String transmitted only upon a change of value (COV) of the communication status of a device on the network. Individual devices may be monitored with a device communication status object, in conjunction with or apart from the bus communication status objects. For MS/TP devices, automatic configuration and monitoring in a controller is provided. For other devices, a user interface is provided through a graphical tool to allow configuration to specify the desired device and/or network for monitoring.

Abstract: The invention concerns a vehicle wheel, in particular for passenger vehicles and motorcycles, comprising a rim for receiving a tire and a spoke unit or a wheel disc connecting the rim to the hub. The rim is made of plastic material and the spoke unit or the wheel disc of metal. The rim is connected to the spoke unit or wheel disc by form-closure and/or by force-closure of the material. The invention aims at enabling the wheel disc to be accurately positioned relative to the rim base and at providing a wheel with an attractive design. Therefore, the spoke unit, or the wheel disc are connected via at least one connecting element guided through the rim base and the connecting element is housed in the spoke unit or the wheel disc so as to be completely covered by a tire or by the spoke unit or the wheel disc.

Abstract: The present invention presents a metallic nanoparticle-ligand-photosensitiser conjugate, a method of making such conjugate, and a method of using such mixture for killing or preventing the growth of microbes.

Abstract: The present invention presents a mixture comprising charge-stabilized metallic nanoparticles and a photosensitizer, a method for making such mixture, and a method of using such mixture for killing or preventing the growth of microbes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plunge-cut action circular saw having a double pivot hinge mechanism. Problems associated with this hinge mechanism, in particular axial end flow are reduced by urging a component of the hinge against a fixed component of the saw, such as a base plate component or the like. The urging force is applied by a resilient member, such as a spring washer.

Abstract: A circular is provided which can operate in two modes. In a first mode, the circular saw operates in a conventional manner; in a second mode the circular saw can turned through 90° to operate in an undercutting mode, for undercutting a wall mounted door, for instance. To achieve this, the blade shroud comprises an outer surface facing away from the saw's motor housing which is flat for engagement with a floor surface or a guide rail. Advantageously, the outer surface might comprise a groove or channel arranged to cooperate with a guide rail rib.

Abstract: The present invention is a breakaway mounting bracket assembly for a wiper system that displaces components of the wiper system below the impact line of a vehicle in the event of, for example, a vehicle-pedestrian impact. The assembly includes a mounting bracket and a grommet removably attached to the mounting bracket. The assembly also includes a ferrule disposed within the grommet that includes a column having an internal passage and a platform connected to the column. The assembly also includes an attachment member to connect the mounting bracket to the vehicle where the attachment member includes a body engaged to the internal passage. The platform breaks away from the column in the event of a predetermined load acting on the pivot shaft assembly, which disconnects the grommet from the ferrule and thereby displaces the pivot shaft assembly and a portion of a wiper arm below the impact line of a vehicle.