Abstract: A bearing unit includes two hydro-deflector sealing systems, each positioned on opposite axial ends of the bearing unit. Each hydro-deflector sealing system includes an external seal having a first radially outer lip, a second radially outer lip, and a radially inner anchoring lip formed at an opposite end. An angled connecting portion connects the second radially outer lip to an intermediate portion that extends to the radially inner anchoring lip. At least two ridges are formed on the intermediate portion. The first and second radially outer lips and the angled connecting portion define a W-shaped groove that deflect contaminants away. The hydro-deflector sealing system also has an internal seal having a primary lip, an anchoring lip formed, an intermediate portion connecting the primary lip and the anchoring lip, and a secondary lip toward the external seal that does not contact the external seal under normal operating conditions.

Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to piezoelectric devices and methods of patterning piezoelectric layers for piezoelectric device fabrication. In certain embodiments, a piezoelectric layer disposed over a bottom electrode layer on a substrate is selectively etched via a laser etching process to expose portions of the bottom electrode layer. The laser etching process of the piezoelectric layer facilitates improvement of throughput and reduces hazardous byproduct production during fabrication of piezoelectric devices.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for depositing uniform layers on a substrate (201) for piezoelectric applications. An ultra-thin seed layer (308) having a uniform thickness from center to edge thereof is deposited on a substrate (201). A template layer (310) closely matching the crystal structure of a subsequently formed piezoelectric material layer (312) is deposited on a substrate (201). The uniform thickness and orientation of the seed layer (308) and the template layer (310), in turn, facilitate the growth of piezoelectric materials with improved crystallinity and piezoelectric properties.

Abstract: A battery pack assembly method includes compressing at least one cell stack, inserting the at least one cell stack into a cell-receiving opening of an enclosure structure, and pushing at least one cell of the at least one cell stack out of the enclosure structure using a pusher. Another traction battery pack assembly method includes moving a cell stack into an enclosure structure from a compression fixture that compresses the cell stack. The cell stack includes a plurality of battery cells. After the moving, the method compresses the cell stack using the enclosure structure. The method then includes establishing electrical connections between the battery cells of the cell stack, and testing the electrical connections prior to securing a busbar to the cell stack.

Abstract: A battery pack assembly method, including: positioning at least one cell stack within an enclosure structure; moving a compressing wall against the at least one cell stack to a position where the compressing wall applies a compressive force to the at least one cell stack between the enclosure structure and the compressing wall; and securing the compressing wall to hold the at least one cell stack in the position.

Abstract: Seal assembly 100, useful for repairing an uncontrolled surface such as pipeline 110, comprises seal 102 which is subjected to pressure and temperature and remains operable under, e.g., subsea conditions. Seal assembly 100 is capable of sealing pipelines of diameters up to 48 inches. Seal assembly 100 is actuated/energized by axially compressing/loading seal assembly 100 between one or more controlled surfaces and an uncontrolled surface and can be used for repairing and providing sealing in flowline or pipelines of either subsea or other petrochemical industries where the pipelines. Spool assembly 700 comprising seal assembly 100 may be used to repair a damaged pipeline section after the damaged section is removed to provide a sealed replacement fluid path for the pipeline.

Abstract: Seal assembly 100, useful for repairing an uncontrolled surface such as pipeline 110, comprises seal 102 which is subjected to pressure and temperature and remains operable under, e.g., subsea conditions. Seal assembly 100 is capable of sealing pipelines of diameters up to 48 inches. Seal assembly 100 is actuated/energized by axially compressing/loading seal assembly 100 between one or more controlled surfaces and an uncontrolled surface and can be used for repairing and providing sealing in flowline or pipelines of either subsea or other petrochemical industries where the pipelines. Spool assembly 700 comprising seal assembly 100 may be used to repair a damaged pipeline section after the damaged section is removed to provide a sealed replacement fluid path for the pipeline.

Abstract: A vapor deposition system and methods of operation thereof are disclosed. The vapor deposition system includes a vacuum chamber; a dielectric target within the vacuum chamber, the dielectric target having a front surface and a thickness; a substrate support within the vacuum chamber, the substrate support having a front surface spaced from the front surface of the dielectric target to form a process gap; and a signal generator connected to the dielectric target to generate a plasma in the vacuum chamber, the signal generator comprises a power source, the power source configured to prevent charge accumulation in the dielectric target. The method includes applying power to a dielectric target within a vacuum chamber to generate a plasma in a process gap between the dielectric target and a substrate support and pulsing the power applied to the dielectric target to prevent charge accumulation.

Abstract: A vent for a motor vehicle transmission includes a housing attached to a bell housing of the transmission. A plate is mounted in the housing, and the plate has an open position to enable heat to dissipate from the interior of the bell housing through an opening of the housing and a closed position to prevent debris or water from entering through the opening of the housing into the interior of the bell housing. The vent is a passive vent with a biasing mechanism that moves the plate to the open position when an interior temperature of the bell housing reaches a predetermined temperature threshold and moves the plate to the closed position when the interior temperature of the bell housing falls below the predetermined temperature threshold.

Abstract: An inhibitor composition contains a urease inhibitor (e.g., alkyl thiophosphoric triamide) and a nitrification inhibitor (e.g., a natural nitrification inhibitor such as neem oil and the like), solubilized in a liquid medium comprising at least one organic solvent and, optionally, at least one stabilizer, useful in making fertilizer compositions (e.g., urea prill coatings) and in methods of fertilizing target plants.

Abstract: A vent for a motor vehicle transmission includes a housing attached to a bell housing of the transmission. A plate is mounted in the housing, and the plate has an open position to enable heat to dissipate from the interior of the bell housing through an opening of the housing and a closed position to prevent debris or water from entering through the opening of the housing into the interior of the bell housing. The vent is a passive vent with a biasing mechanism that moves the plate to the open position when an interior temperature of the bell housing reaches a predetermined temperature threshold and moves the plate to the closed position when the interior temperature of the bell housing falls below the predetermined temperature threshold.

Abstract: A vent for a motor vehicle transmission includes a housing attached to a bell housing of the transmission and a plate mounted in the housing. The housing has an opening, and the plate has an open position to enable heat to dissipate from the interior of the bell hosing through the opening of the housing and a closed position to prevent debris or water from entering through the opening of the housing into the interior of the bell housing.

Abstract: A vent for a motor vehicle transmission includes a housing attached to a bell housing of the transmission and a plate mounted in the housing. The housing has an opening, and the plate has an open position to enable heat to dissipate from the interior of the bell hosing through the opening of the housing and a closed position to prevent debris or water from entering through the opening of the housing into the interior of the bell housing.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods to mix In-Band (IB) and Out-of-Band (OOB) signaling mechanisms under the Private Network-to-Network (PNNI) protocol for optical control plane connectivity. The present invention provides mechanisms for establishing and controlling OOB control plane communications. By default, the mechanisms treat all links as IB to discover nodes and links using IB mechanisms. For any blocked links, the link can be configured as OOB if there is a data communication network (DCN) connection to the remote node.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of N6-(aminoiminomethyl)-N2-(3-mercapto-1-oxopropyl)-L-lysylglycyl-L-?-aspartyl-L-tryptophyl-L-prolyl-L-cysteinamide, cyclic(1?6)-disulfide of formula (1), which involves assembling a peptide chain comprising of six amino acids and a thioalkyl carboxylic acid in a required sequence on a solid support to obtain a peptide bound resin of formula (2), capping the free amino groups after each coupling, cleaving Dde group in the peptide of formula (2) from the solid support to obtain peptide-solid support of formula (3), guanylating the peptide of formula (3) at ?-lysine-NH2 in an organic solvent to obtain peptide-solid support of formula (4), cleaving and deprotecting all groups in the peptide of formula (4) from the solid support to obtain peptide-amide formula (5), oxidizing the SH-peptide of formula (5) with an appropriate oxidizing agent to obtain the crude peptide-amide of formula (1) and purifying the crude peptide-amide of formula (1)

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods to mix In-Band (IB) and Out-of-Band (OOB) signaling mechanisms under the Private Network-to-Network (PNNI) protocol for optical control plane connectivity. The present invention provides mechanisms for establishing and controlling OOB control plane communications. By default, the mechanisms treat all links as IB to discover nodes and links using IB mechanisms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of N6-(aminoiminomethyl)-N2-(3-mercapto-1-oxopropyl-L-lysylglycyl-L-?-aspartyl-L-tryptophyl-L-prolyl-L-cysteinamide, cyclic(1?6)-disulfide of formula (1), which involves assembling amino acid residues and a thioalkyl carboxylic acid with appropriate protecting groups on a solid phase resin, cleaving the peptide thus obtained from the resin with concomitant removal of side chain protecting groups except Acm protecting group of thiol moiety to obtain peptide amide of formula (3), converting lysine residue of peptide amide of formula (3) having protected thiol group to homoarginine residue by guanylation to obtain peptide of formula (4), preparing silver peptide of formula (5), followed by simultaneous deprotection, obtaining silver peptide of formula (5) and oxidation of silver peptide to obtain crude peptide amide comprising compound of formula (1) and finally subjecting to chromatographic purification.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of N6-(aminoiminomethyl)-N2-(3-mercapto-1-oxopropyl)-L-lysylglycyl-L-?-aspartyl-L-tryptophyl-L-prolyl-L-cysteinamide, cyclic(16)-disulfide of formula (1), which involves assembling a peptide chain comprising of six amino acids and a thioalkyl carboxylic acid in a required sequence on a solid support to obtain a peptide bound resin of formula (2), capping the free amino groups after each coupling, cleaving Dde group in the peptide of formula (2) from the solid support to obtain peptide-solid support of formula (3), guanylating the peptide of formula (3) at ?-lysine-NH2 in an organic solvent to obtain peptide-solid support of formula (4), cleaving and deprotecting all groups in the peptide of formula (4) from the solid support to obtain peptide-amide formula (5), oxidizing the SH-peptide of formula (5) with an appropriate oxidizing agent to obtain the crude peptide-amide of formula (1) and purifying the crude peptide-amide of formula (1) b