Abstract: An infant support for an incubator or an infant warmer or a combination thereof is disclosed. The support comprises a frame, a mattress tray disposed above the tray, an x-ray tray and one or more weight cells having an actuator supporting the mattress tray above the frame. The x-ray tray is received in a space below the top surface of the mattress tray. The support is configured to be received on a tilt mechanism of the incubator or an infant warmer or a combination thereof to provide an inclination to the mattress tray. The support is configured to permit x-rays to be taken of an infant supported above the mattress tray and to provide an indication of the weight of the infant supported on the mattress tray regardless of its inclination.

Abstract: Trainline controller including testing of signal quality on a trainline network by commanding each node to transmitter calibration signal. A signal detector is connected to the trainline at a common junction with a head end termination circuit. A stuck-on transmitter is determined by a transmission current drawn by the transceiver is on for a present amount of time.

Abstract: A fiberoptic transceiver system for use in an industrial paint spraying apparatus where analog information from flow sensors in the flow meter on the spray head is converted to a single channel digital signal for transmission on a fiberoptic cable to a receiver for decoding into an analog signal representing flow rate and a signal indicating flow direction. The encoding of two signals onto one channel is accomplished by encoding the flow rate as the frequency of the digital signal and the direction as the pulse width. The direction of the flow is determined by comparing the two analog signals from the flow meter and determining which signal is lagging the other.

Abstract: A heating arrangement for protecting a building eave from build-up of ice and snow: The heating arrangement includes an elongated, heat conductive strip adapted for installation along a building eave and an elongated heating element extending within the strip. The strip is formed to be attached to the building eave, and includes an elongated attachment flange which is secured by a plurality of fasteners. Depending on heating requirements, two or more of the elongated heating elements, spaced from one another, can be employed, and a further heating element can be installed within any rain gutter extending along the building eave.

Abstract: An optical component comprising a plurality of optical input ports and a plurality of optical output ports. A polymer amplifying medium is provided within the component which is pumped by a pump source for exciting the polymer amplifying medium. Signals passing through the optical component are routed through the polymer amplifying medium. This, provides amplification using a polymer amplifying medium which is integrated into the structure of the component. This amplification can then compensate for the loss resulting from the other functions of the component.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treatment of wastewater. More particularly, the methods of the present invention are designed for the biological removal from wastewater of contamination in the form of insoluble suspended solids and soluble and insoluble organic and inorganic material, including nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients. A wastewater treatment process is described, which process is a hybrid continuous flow, cyclic operating, substantially constant level, activated sludge process with a symmetric functional cycle. In this functional cycle each compartment of a reactor is subsequently in a different functional phases, which functional phases are continuously separated: phase 1, phase 2, phase 3, phase 4, phase 1, phase 2, phase 3, phase 4, etc. . . . The symmetric functional cycle allows for symmetric (equal) influent distribution and therefore symmetric sludge and oxygen demand distribution.

Abstract: A method of constructing a frame (10) for a filtering screen from a polymer material is described in which a wire frame reinforcement is wholly encapsulated during the frame moulding process so that two parallel spaced apart wires extend through each of the intersecting orthogonal ribs (14, 16) which define the open area of the frame (10) across which the wirecloths (158, 159) are stretched. The surfaces of the frame (10) in which the wirecloths (158, 159) are embedded are formed with ridges (22, 30, 32) and the crests of the latter extend to different heights. The crests are softened by heating during the manufacturing process and the wirecloths (158, 159) stretched over the frame (10) are forced into the softened crests after which the assembly is allowed to cool and cure. The frame (10) is re-usable by stripping wirecloths (158, 159) from the top of the frame (10) and fitting fresh wirecloths over the plastics material and heating the regions which are to encapsulate the fresh wirecloth.

Abstract: A method of operating a fuel reformer to regenerate a NOX trap includes operating the fuel reformer to produce a reformate gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide and advancing reformate gas through the NOX trap so as to regenerate the NOX trap. The method further includes determining if a SOX regeneration of the NOX trap is to be performed and generating a SOX-regeneration control signal in response thereto. The temperature of the NOX trap is raised and reformate gas is advanced into the NOX trap in response to the SOX-regeneration signal so as to remove SOX from within the NOX trap. A fuel reformer system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A second operational amplifier (11) of a core unit (1) shorts an inverting input terminal and an output terminal. A signal line (19) is connected to a non-inverting input terminal. A capacitive sensor (18) is connected to the signal line (19). A first operational amplifier (12) earths the non-inverting input terminal. One end of a first resistance (15) and one end of a second resistance (16) are respectively connected to the inverting input terminal. The other end of the first resistance (15) is connected to an alternate current voltage generator (14). The other end of the second resistance (16) is connected to the output terminal of the first operational amplifier (11). A signal output terminal (21) of the core unit (1) is connected to an inverting amplification device (2). An alternate output terminal (22) of the core unit (1) and an inverting output terminal (42) of the inverting amplification device (2) are connected to an addition device (3).

Abstract: A filler neck closure assembly for a vehicle fuel tank filler neck includes a filler neck closure housing adapted to be coupled to the fuel tank filler neck. The filler neck closure housing is formed to include an outer aperture sized to receive a fuel-dispensing pump nozzle therein. The assembly also includes a dust shield mounted for movement relative to the filler neck closure housing to open and close the outer aperture of the filler neck closure housing. A lock of the assembly is coupled to the filler neck closure housing and is movable between a locked position to prevent the dust shield from opening the outer aperture and an unlocked position to allow the dust shield to open the outer aperture.

Abstract: A model-based strategy is provided for determining casting roll operating temperature in a continuous thin strip casting process. A first temperature sensor produces a first temperature signal indicative of the temperature of cooling liquid supplied to the casting rolls and a second temperature sensor produces a second temperature signal indicative of the temperature of cooling liquid temperature exiting the casting rolls. A computer determines a heat flux value as a function of the first and second temperature signals, and computes the operating temperature of the casting rolls as a function of the heat flux value, the second temperature signal and a number of constants defined by fixed-valued operating parameters of the continuous thin strip casting process. A control strategy is also provided to modify one or more operating parameters of the continuous thin strip casting process as a function of the casting roll temperature.

Abstract: A brake body, for a brake pad or a disk brake lining, comprising: a support body having at least one recess; at least one friction material element arranged in the at least one recess with the at least one friction material element being movably inserted in a longitudinal direction in the at least one recess and, together with the support body, forming a friction surface; and a share-elastic intermediate layer inserted in a space along the at least one recess between the at least one friction material element and the support body.

Abstract: A blowout latch is provided to latch a first panel to a second panel. The latch is coupled to the first panel and engaged with the second panel. The latch includes a biasing mechanism which is disengagable under pressure to move the first panel relative to the second panel. The latch may also be selectively disengaged with a lesser force than that required to overcome the biasing mechanism by bypassing the biasing mechanism. When manually disengaged, the latch maintains a biasing load on a bolt of the latch. A trigger of the latch is provided to bypass the biasing mechanism and disengage a roller assembly of the latch from the second panel.

Abstract: In a photonic network, signals are degraded by passing through amplifiers. A maximum number of amplifiers may be traversed before regeneration is necessary. Regeneration (typically carried out in an optical cross-connect) involves relatively expensive hardware and is to be avoided if possible. An algorithm is set out which operates in two stages. In a first stage untenable paths are rejected and in a second stage the shortest path analyzes are carried out which maximizes the number of amplifiers interspersed between regenerative nodes thereby to minimize the use of regenerative nodes but ensures that all paths have regenerative nodes spaced at no more than a maximum interval of non-regenerative nodes.

Abstract: A control system for use with a vacuum bandage over a wound includes a vacuum pump, a waste canister operably coupled to the pump, and a fluid source. The canister is coupled to the bandage such that, when a vacuum is applied to the canister, the vacuum is applied to the bandage. The fluid source is coupled to the bandage to selectively introduce fluid into the wound.

Abstract: Call center supervisors require information about the performance of call center agents in order to manage them appropriately. Previously this information has been provided in two general forms. Current information in the form of statistics such as queue lengths, numbers of active agents, etc. and historical information in the form of aggregate data such as the average waiting time over a 15 minute period. At present supervisors have no means of accessing information about the state of a call center at a particular past time instant. The present invention provides this information by using a pegging engine to extrapolate from statistics about behavior of the call center at a past time instant to values of those statistics at a required past time instant. Information about events occurring in the call center is used in order to carry out this extrapolation.

Abstract: A thin, flexible member is provided for use in a vacuum bandage connected to a vacuum source. The member is provided for use with a wound having a wound surface. The member includes a wound contacting surface adapted to be in contact with and generally conform to the wound surface. The member further includes a plurality of discrete holes formed in the wound contacting surface, a port configured to communicate with the vacuum source, and communicating means from the holes to the port. The member is formed from a generally non-porous material.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of black walnut tree (Juglans nigra L.) which is distinctly characterized by extremely rapid growth rate, very strong central stem tendency, and excellent straightness, thereby producing excellent timber qualities. The new variety has good nut bearing qualities. Nut crops are annual. This new variety of black walnut tree (Juglans nigra L.) was discovered by the applicant near South Raub, Tippecanoe County, Ind. in a black walnut planting of seedling progeny from a previously selected tree for outstanding timber producing potential. This selection has been designated as BW502, a seedling progeny of patented Purdue-1 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,543) in records maintained by the applicant on the performance of the selection and grafts made from the selection and will be known henceforth as ‘Beineke 6.