Abstract: Described herein are conductive elastomeric foam materials and methods of making and using the same. The conductive elastomeric foam materials include a polymeric matrix, one or more conductive fillers, and one or more foaming agents. The polymeric matrix can include a thermoset polymer or a thermoplastic polymer. Also described herein are methods of making conductive elastomeric foam materials. Further described herein are molded products including the conductive elastomeric foam materials as described herein and wearable devices including the molded products.

Abstract: A double-sided cold plate includes a manifold comprising openings extending from a first surface of the manifold through the manifold to a second surface of the manifold forming recesses within the manifold and an inlet channel and an outlet channel fluidly coupled to the recesses within the manifold, a plurality of first heat sinks coupled to the first surface of the manifold enclosing the openings on the first surface, and a plurality of second heat sinks positioned adjacent each other along a length of the manifold and coupled to the second surface of the manifold, enclosing the openings on the second surface, a width of the plurality of second heat sinks is greater than a width of the manifold thereby forming an overhanging portion on each lengthwise side of the manifold, the overhanging portion configured to mechanically support a plurality of electrical components positioned around a perimeter of the manifold.

Abstract: Various implementations power homes and businesses without needing to connect to electric utility company-provided power, i.e., they can operate off-grid. The system may include a first power source (e.g., solar, generator, fuel cell, etc.) and an enclosure installed at a premises. The enclosure may at least partially enclose or otherwise provide one or more batteries, one or more inverters, one or more switches, and one or more electrical wires. The switches may include an isolation switch, where, when the isolation switch is closed, a second power source separate from the first power source provides power to the building and the one or more batteries. The electrical wires may electrically connect the system to a main panel of the building, where the main panel is configured to provide power received from the system to the building.

Abstract: A cold plate having a manifold includes a recess extending from a first side to a second side of the manifold, where the recess includes openings to the recess positioned lengthwise along the first side and a single opening to the recess on the second side, an inlet and an outlet fluidly coupled to the recess, a plurality of plates fastened to the first side enclosing the openings, a heat sink fastened to the second side enclosing the single opening on the second side, and a plurality of fluid cores one of each positioned between each of the plurality of plates and the heat sink. The plurality of fluid cores include a flow distribution insert, a first plate fin positioned between the flow distribution insert and the heat sink fastened to the second side, and a second plate fin positioned between the flow distribution insert and the heat sink.

Abstract: Various implementations power homes and businesses without needing to connect to electric utility company-provided power, i.e., they can operate off-grid. Generally the system includes solar panel racks (e.g., photovoltaic cells on sheets stabilized using ballasts, anchors, or mounting) that generate electrical power used to provide power to a building or that is stored on batteries. The system includes the solar panel racks and an enclosure to be installed at the premises and separate from the building. The enclosure includes the batteries and inverters that are electronically connected to the solar panel racks and batteries. The inverters are configured to convert direct current (DC) electricity from the solar power racks and batteries to alternating current (AC) electricity to provide power to the building via wires electrically connecting the inverters to the main panel of the building.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to apparatuses for enhanced thermal management of an inductor assembly using functionally-graded thermal vias for heat flow control in the windings of the inductor. In one embodiment, a PCB for an inductor assembly includes a top surface and a bottom surface. Two or more electrically-conductive layers are embedded within the PCB and stacked vertically between the top surface and the bottom surface. The two or more electrically-conductive layers are electrically connected to form an inductor winding. A plurality of thermal vias thermally connects each of the two or more electrically-conductive layers to a cold plate thermally connected to the bottom surface. A number of thermal vias thermally connecting each electrically-conductive layer to the cold plate is directly proportional to a predetermined rate of heat dissipation from the electrically-conductive layer.

Abstract: A double-sided cold plate includes a manifold comprising openings extending from a first surface of the manifold through the manifold to a second surface of the manifold forming recesses within the manifold and an inlet channel and an outlet channel fluidly coupled to the recesses within the manifold, a plurality of first heat sinks coupled to the first surface of the manifold enclosing the openings on the first surface, and a plurality of second heat sinks positioned adjacent each other along a length of the manifold and coupled to the second surface of the manifold, enclosing the openings on the second surface, a width of the plurality of second heat sinks is greater than a width of the manifold thereby forming an overhanging portion on each lengthwise side of the manifold, the overhanging portion configured to mechanically support a plurality of electrical components positioned around a perimeter of the manifold.

Abstract: Inverters that interface dc and ac power sources and loads are provided. An example application is solar power systems, in which a dc source of power is an array of solar panels; the inverter converts the dc power supplied by these panels to ac power that is fed into the utility grid. Another example is battery energy storage; the inverter changes the dc power of the batteries into ac power that is fed into the grid, and also can convert (rectify) ac power from the grid for charging the batteries. In one embodiment, for example, an inverter comprises slow switches that generate a three-level ac voltage, followed by a plurality of fast-switching half-bridges that introduce high-frequency pulse-width modulation into a plurality of ac output voltages.

Abstract: A cold plate having a manifold includes a recess extending from a first side to a second side of the manifold, where the recess includes openings to the recess positioned lengthwise along the first side and a single opening to the recess on the second side, an inlet and an outlet fluidly coupled to the recess, a plurality of plates fastened to the first side enclosing the openings, a heat sink fastened to the second side enclosing the single opening on the second side, and a plurality of fluid cores one of each positioned between each of the plurality of plates and the heat sink. The plurality of fluid cores include a flow distribution insert, a first plate fin positioned between the flow distribution insert and the heat sink fastened to the second side, and a second plate fin positioned between the flow distribution insert and the heat sink.

Abstract: A method and system for deploying high volume listings in a network based commerce system are described. The system uploads listing data that includes a first listing. Next, the system creates a first profile and a second profile based on the listing data. Finally, the system automatically generates a second listing based on the first and second profiles.

Abstract: A bidirectional composite converter is provided. The bidirectional composite converter can be used with power electronics, such as but not limited to electric vehicles and other applications. In some implementations, for example, the composite converter may be used in a powertrain of an electric vehicle to couple batteries to a high voltage bus of the vehicle to provide power to the motors and to one or more integrated charging ports (e.g., ac grid wired connections or a wireless charging port) for extremely fast charging. In various implementations, the bidirectional converter architecture may comprise one or more dc transformer modules (DCX's) arranged with output port(s) coupled in series at an output port of the composite converter.

Abstract: A method and system for operating an enterprise via an optimized business model. An output benchmark value is generated. An initial benchmark value for a resource of an enterprise is updated based on the output benchmark value. The business model is updated. A process is iteratively performed based on the updated benchmark value and model, until the benchmark value is changed by less than a predetermined threshold to generate the optimized business model. The enterprise is operated in accordance with the optimized model which includes: generating performance measures of usage of a computer resource, dynamically displaying a dashboard of the performance measures, determining from the displayed performance measures that the computer resource is a current bottleneck or is likely to become a bottleneck in the near future, and optimizing the computer resource's usage using the displayed performance measures to reduce data throughput delay and increase throughput of bottleneck operations.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to apparatuses for enhanced thermal management of a planar inductor assembly. In one embodiment, a cooling package for an inductor assembly includes a cold plate and a heat-spreading bracket mechanically coupled to the cold plate at a first end of the heat-spreading bracket. The cold plate has a slotted recess for mounting a first inductor core along a first end thereof. The heat-spreading bracket is configured to apply a clamping force to a second inductor core at a second end opposite to the first end of the heat-spreading bracket.

Abstract: Various implementations power homes and businesses without needing to connect to electric utility company-provided power, i.e., they can operate off-grid. Generally the systems includes solar panel racks (e.g., photovoltaic cells on sheets stabilized using ballasts, anchors, or mounting) that generate electrical power used to provide power to a building or that is stored on batteries. The system includes the solar panel racks and an enclosure to be installed at the premises and separate from the building. The enclosure includes the batteries and inverters that are electronically connected to the solar panel racks and batteries. The inverters are configured to convert direct current (DC) electricity from the solar power racks and batteries to alternating current (AC) electricity to provide power to the building via wires electrically connecting the inverters to the main panel of the building.

Abstract: An electronic throttle control assembly for a vehicle has a housing that mounts to a handlebar of the vehicle and defines an interior. A rack gear is mounted in the interior for movement in a linear, translational, and/or radial direction. A pinion gear within the interior moves the rack gear upon rotation of the pinion gear. A sensor target is coupled to the rack gear. A sensor detects a position of the sensor target and generates an electric signal for a vehicle control unit. A grip is coupled to the pinion gear, rotation of the grip moving the rack gear and sensor target in a linear, translational, and/or radial direction, the electric signal varying based on the change in position of the sensor target. Opposing springs within the housing resist movement of the rack gear and rest in a normally preloaded state.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to apparatuses for enhanced thermal management of an inductor assembly using functionally-graded thermal vias for heat flow control in the windings of the inductor. In one embodiment, a PCB for an inductor assembly includes a top surface and a bottom surface. Two or more electrically-conductive layers are embedded within the PCB and stacked vertically between the top surface and the bottom surface. The two or more electrically-conductive layers are electrically connected to form an inductor winding. A plurality of thermal vias thermally connects each of the two or more electrically-conductive layers to a cold plate thermally connected to the bottom surface. A number of thermal vias thermally connecting each electrically-conductive layer to the cold plate is directly proportional to a predetermined rate of heat dissipation from the electrically-conductive layer.

Abstract: A continuous method for improving the firmness of vegetable products uses a continuous vegetable product treatment device comprising a vegetable product treatment chamber having a vegetable product inlet, a vegetable product outlet, a vegetable product transport mechanism for urging the vegetable product toward the vegetable product outlet, and at least one liquid introduction orifice for introducing a liquid. Vegetable product is continuously treated in the chamber at a temperature of from about 125° F. to about 160° F., and the liquid in the treatment chamber is maintained at a pH of from about 5 to about 7. Individual vegetable products reside in the treatment chamber for a time of from about 20 minutes to about 60 minutes. The heat-treated vegetable products are blanched in a subsequent blanching step at a temperature ranging from about 190° F. to 210° F. for a time of from about two to about 10 minutes.

Abstract: A method and system for operating an enterprise via an optimized business model. An output benchmark value is generated. An initial benchmark value for a resource of an enterprise is updated based on the output benchmark value. The business model is updated. A process is iteratively performed based on the updated benchmark value and model, until the benchmark value is changed by less than a predetermined threshold to generate the optimized business model. The enterprise is operated in accordance with the optimized model which includes: generating performance measures of usage of a computer resource, dynamically displaying a dashboard of the performance measures, determining from the displayed performance measures that the computer resource is a current bottleneck or is likely to become a bottleneck in the near future, and optimizing the computer resource's usage using the displayed performance measures to reduce data throughput delay and increase throughput of bottleneck operations.

Abstract: A method and system for operating an enterprise in accordance with an optimized enterprise level business model. A model optimization engine is iteratively processed based on an updated benchmark value and model, until updating the benchmark value involves changing the benchmark value by less than a predetermined benchmark value error threshold to generate the optimized enterprise-level business model. The enterprise is operated in accordance with the optimized enterprise level business model, including: generating and dynamically displaying real-time performance measures of usage of a computer resource during execution of a business process, determining from the performance measures that the computer resource is a bottleneck, and the computer resource's usage is optimized using the performance measures to reduce data throughput delay and increase throughput of bottleneck operations during execution of the business process.