Abstract: An earpiece includes an electro-acoustic transducer and a housing. The housing supports the electro-acoustic transducer such that the housing and the electro-acoustic transducer together define a first acoustic volume and a second acoustic volume. The electro-acoustic transducer is arranged such that a first radiating surface of the transducer radiates acoustic energy into the front acoustic volume and such that a second radiating surface of the transducer radiates acoustic energy into the second acoustic volume. A front port couples the first acoustic volume to a space outside the housing, and a rear port couples the second acoustic volume to the space outside the housing. Respective outlet ends of the front port and the rear port combine before exiting the housing via a combined exit volume and an exit port.

Abstract: A device for descaling flow passages of a pod-type beverage machine, comprising: a container having a bottom wall and a sidewall extending from the bottom wall, the sidewall defining an opening at a top of the container, wherein the container is configured to be received by the beverage machine; a dry, liquid-absorbing material disposed within the container adjacent to the bottom wall, and configured to retard a flow of liquid therethrough; a dry powder descaler disposed within the container, wherein at least a portion of the dry powder descaler is disposed on a surface of the absorbing material opposite the bottom wall; and a cover over the opening at the top of the container and configured to seal the liquid-absorbing material and the dry powder descaler in the container.

Abstract: A device for descaling flow passages of a pod-type beverage machine, comprising: a container having a bottom wall and a sidewall extending from the bottom wall, the sidewall defining an opening at a top of the container, wherein the container is configured to be received by the beverage machine; a dry, liquid-absorbing material disposed within the container adjacent to the bottom wall, and configured to retard a flow of liquid therethrough; a dry powder descaler disposed within the container, wherein at least a portion of the dry powder descaler is disposed on a surface of the absorbing material opposite the bottom wall; and a cover over the opening at the top of the container and configured to seal the liquid-absorbing material and the dry powder descaler in the container.

Abstract: A container within which is a liquid absorbing material that is wetted by a wetting liquid. The liquid absorbing material has a liquid retention characteristic for retaining the vinegar—such that the liquid retention ability reduces as a surface tension of the wetting liquid reduces due to a temperature rise of the wetting liquid over time. The temperature rise of the wetting liquid comes about when heated water at a higher temperature than the wetted liquid comes into contact with the wetting liquid. Preferably the liquid absorbing material is cotton and the wetting liquid is vinegar, such as apple vinegar. The container has an open top closed by a cover or lid and has a bottom. After piercing the cover of lid, heated water to pass through to enter confines of the container and heat the vinegar and mix with it for cleaning a machine that uses single serving beverage filter cartridges.

Abstract: A device and method for descaling flow passages of a pod-type beverage machine is provided. The device includes a container having liquid absorbing material and dry powder vinegar contained therein. As the brewing cycle is started, water is injected into the container causing the dry powder vinegar to dissolve into a cleaning solution. At least a portion of the cleaning solution is absorbed by the liquid absorbing material, which retards the flow of the cleaning solution from out of the container. The increased retention time of the cleaning solution within the container improves the cleaning effectiveness.

Abstract: The premise of the device's operation is employing the Peltier Effect—using thermoelectric coolers—to keep smaller amounts of consumable liquids or food either cold or hot during short distances of travel. The device is a portable metal container with an inner container encompassed by an outer container to provide an insulation moat that aids in maintaining a level interior temperature. The inner container has adhered cascaded thermoelectric coolers—powered by a rechargeable battery (or batteries) using on-board inductive and photovoltaic charging systems—that are equidistance apart. The adhered thermoelectric coolers—depending on the configuration—extract heat from or add heat to the interior of the inner container, resulting in a cooler or hotter temperature respectively. The resulting effect is that consumable liquids or food are made or kept cool or warm.

Abstract: A container within which is a liquid absorbing material that is wetted by a wetting liquid. The liquid absorbing material has a liquid retention characteristic for retaining the vinegar—such that the liquid retention ability reduces as a surface tension of the wetting liquid reduces due to a temperature rise of the wetting liquid over time. The temperature rise of the wetting liquid comes about when heated water at a higher temperature than the wetted liquid comes into contact with the wetting liquid. Preferably the liquid absorbing material is cotton and the wetting liquid is vinegar, such as apple vinegar. The container has an open top closed by a cover or lid and has a bottom. After piercing the cover of lid, heated water to pass through to enter confines of the container and heat the vinegar and mix with it for cleaning a machine that uses single serving beverage filter cartridges.

Abstract: A container within which is a liquid absorbing material that is wetted by a wetting liquid. The liquid absorbing material has a liquid retention characteristic for retaining the vinegar—such that the liquid retention ability reduces as a surface tension of the wetting liquid reduces due to a temperature rise of the wetting liquid over time. The temperature rise of the wetting liquid comes about when heated water at a higher temperature than the wetted liquid comes into contact with the wetting liquid. Preferably the liquid absorbing material is cotton and the wetting liquid is vinegar, such as apple vinegar. The container has an open top closed by a cover and has a bottom. Both the open top and the cover are punctured to form an inlet and an outlet to allow the heated water to pass through to heat the vinegar and mix with it for cleaning a machine that uses single serving beverage filter cartridges.

Abstract: Continuous haulage system (10) suitable for use in the mining industry, including an extendible conveyor belt (20) adapted to extend when a tensile force is exerted on the conveyor belt, and to retract when the tensile force is removed, the extendible conveyor belt being biased to the retracted condition; and an extendible cable (30) adapted to extend when a tensile force is exerted on the cable, and to retract when the tensile force is removed, the extendible cable being biased to the retracted condition. The extendible cable is located at least partially adjacent to the extendible conveyor belt, so as to provide support for the extendible conveyor belt when the conveyor belt is extended.

Abstract: A schema-based service for Internet access to per-user services data, wherein access to data is based on each user's identity. The service includes a schema that defines rules and a structure for each user's data, and also includes methods that provide access to the data in a defined way. The services schema thus corresponds to a logical document containing the data for each user. The user manipulates (e.g., reads or writes) data in the logical document by data access requests through defined methods. In one implementation, the services schemas are arranged as XML documents, and the services provide methods that control access to the data based on the requesting user's identification, defined role and scope for that role. In this way, data can be accessed by its owner, and shared to an extent determined by the owner.

Abstract: A schema-based service for Internet access to per-user services data, wherein access to data is based on each user's identity. The service includes a schema that defines rules and a structure for each user's data, and also includes methods that provide access to the data in a defined way. The services schema thus corresponds to a logical document containing the data for each user. The user manipulates (e.g., reads or writes) data in the logical document by data access requests through defined methods. In one implementation, the services schemas are arranged as XML documents, and the services provide methods that control access to the data based on the requesting user's identification, defined role and scope for that role. In this way, data can be accessed by its owner, and shared to an extent determined by the owner.

Abstract: A schema-based contacts service for Internet access to per-user contact data, wherein access to data is based on each user's identity. The contacts service includes a schema that defines rules and a structure for each user's data, and also includes methods that provide access to the data in a defined way. The contacts schema thus corresponds to a logical document containing the data for each user. The user manipulates (e.g., reads or writes) data in the logical document by data access requests through defined methods. In one implementation, the contacts schemas are arranged as XML documents, and the services provide methods that control access to the data based on the requesting user's identification, defined role and scope for that role. In this way, data can be accessed by its owner, and shared to an extent determined by the owner.

Abstract: Processing a response to a network request using information that was transplanted into the response from a specific portion of the request. A requesting computer system generates an electronic request that includes the specific portion. The requesting computer system then submits the request to a responding computer system, which processes the request to form a response to the request. During processing of the request, the responding system transplants the specific portion of the request to the response. The responding computer system then transmits the response to the request to a processing computer system that processes the request. The processing computer system receives the response and extracts the information from the specific portion of the response. The processing computer system then uses the extracted information to process the request.