Abstract: A fly ash composition is provided which includes a blend of Class C fly ash, potassium carbonate, and lithium carbonate, which, in combination, reduce alkali silica reactivity when the fly ash composition is used in concrete applications. The fly ash composition includes from about 65 to 99 wt % Class C fly ash, from about 0.1 wt. % to about 4 wt % potassium carbonate, and from about 0.1 wt. % to about 4 wt. % lithium carbonate.

Abstract: An open throat crop material processor for disintegrating baled crop material comprises a container having front and back walls and two side walls, a disintegrator and at least two rollers for manipulating the bale mounted within the container in parallel between the front and the back walls and a discharge opening that is at the bottom of the first of the side walls of the container. The sides of the discharge opening are defined by the front and back walls, the bottom of the opening is defined by the second side wall that extends under the disintegrator and the top of the opening is defined by the first side wall that extends down to below one of the manipulator rollers. The crop material processor further includes an elongated baffle located adjacent the disintegrator on the discharge opening side of the processor. The baffles may have a planar or curvilinear surface facing the disintegrator and the ends of the baffle may be fixed to or moveably mounted to the front and the back walls.

Abstract: A liquid hydrocarbon stabilizer including a hindered phenol, and a peroxide decomposer selected from sulfides having a general formula R4—S—R5 and phosphine compounds having a general formula PR6R7R8 where R4, R5, R6, R7, and R8 are the same or different and are each alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, hydroxyaryl, hydroxyalkylaryl, hydroxyarylalkyl groups, or heteroatomic alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, hydroxyaryl, hydroxyalkylaryl, hydroxyarylalkyl groups containing nitrogen, sulfur, or oxygen. A method of treating liquid hydrocarbons with the liquid hydrocarbon is also described.

Abstract: A motorized golf buggy or cart that is readily convertible between a “ride on” condition in which the golfer sits on the buggy and a “walk” condition in which the golfer walks behind the buggy or cart in a forward direction is described. The buggy or cart can be readily converted between the two different positions as desired by the golfer during the round of golf. The golf buggy or cart has a steering member pivotally connected to a wheel assembly such that movement of the steering member causes the golf buggy or cart to turn. The steering member can adapt to at least two different positions in which one of the positions corresponds to the “ride-on” position and another position corresponds to the “walk” position by movement in a substantially vertical plane containing the steering member. The steering member is also provided with at lease two steering elements so that the buggy can be steered by the golfer in either mode.

Abstract: The present invention permits a screw or male member to align prior to entering a threaded section and being driven. This alignment can avoid cross threading of the screw and the internal threads as often happens with power driven screws. The present invention generally includes a device with an unthreaded section and a threaded section. A screw or male member passes through the unthreaded section prior to entering the threaded section and causes the screw or male member to be aligned before being driven.

Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed utilizing a silicon-containing barrier layer. A method of forming a barrier layer on a semiconductor device is disclosed. A semiconductor device is provided. A silicon-containing material is deposited on the semiconductor device. The silicon-containing material is processed in a reactive ambient. The barrier layer can be made primarily oxide, primarily nitride or both by the reactive ambient selected. A semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate oxide, a silicon-containing barrier layer and a gate electrode. The gate oxide is formed over the substrate. The silicon-containing barrier layer is formed over the gate oxide by causing silicon atoms of a precursor layer react with a reactive agent. The gate electrode is formed over the silicon-containing barrier layer. Other embodiments utilizing a barrier layer are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to chemical vapor deposition processes related to the manufacture of integrated circuit devices. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a process for forming an electrical contact to a silicon substrate is provided wherein a semiconductor wafer is positioned in a reaction chamber wherein the semiconductor wafer includes an insulating layer disposed over a semiconductor substrate, and the insulating layer defines a contact opening therein. The contact opening defines insulating side wall regions herein. The insulating side walls extend from an upper surface region of the insulating layer to an exposed semiconductor region of the semiconductor substrate. A set of reactants are introduced into the reaction chamber, RF plasma is generated in the vicinity of the semiconductor wafer, and the temperature and pressure of the reaction chamber is regulated.

Abstract: A mobile containment pad stores liquid washed from vehicles. At least two modules are attached end-to-end. Each of these modules has a base, side walls and end walls to form a shallow tank. Spaced support members within the tank divide it into a series of troughs and also support a grating to mount a vehicle. A ramp permits the vehicle to be driven onto or off the grating. In accordance with preferred aspects, there are provisions to facilitate cleaning the modules.

Abstract: An improved window frame is provided. The window frame utilizes one or more locking panels coupled to the frame body via a living hinge. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the window frame includes a plurality of frame segments extending between respective corners of the window frame. Each of the frame segments defines a cross section comprising a frame body including a locking structure catch formed therein, a frame locking structure arranged to engage the locking structure catch, and a locking panel secured to the frame body via a living hinge. The living hinge is arranged to permit the first locking panel to pivot relative to the frame body between a closed state and an open state. The locking panel is arranged to engage the frame body and define a window securing dimension between the frame body and the locking panel upon pivoting to the closed state.

Abstract: A bridge mandrel construction is provided which is simple to manufacture, light weight, and easy to mount and dismount from underlying printing cylinders in flexographic and gravure printing systems. The bridge mandrel includes a generally hollow, cylindrically-shaped tube adapted to fit over a print cylinder. A channel extends substantially around the circumference of the inner surface of the tube, and a plurality of orifices extends generally radially outwardly from the channel to the outer surface of the tube. The channel and orifices permit pressurized air to be provided from the interior of the mandrel to its surface for the mounting of a print sleeve onto the mandrel. In one embodiment, the bridge mandrel includes a locking mechanism which is adapted to engage the print cylinder to prevent movement of the mandrel during printing operations.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a hydraulically movable tool carried by a machine in order to maintain a selected horizontal orientation and a selected elevation relative to an external light reference. The apparatus is a control device, having a light detector, placed at a known location along a longitudinal axis of the tool and a single-axis gravity-based sensor. The gravity-based sensor is also provided within the housing of the control device to measure the horizontal orientation (side-to-side slope or pitch) of the longitudinal axis of the tool relative to true horizontal at the known location. Finally, with internal valve drivers, the control device individually controls the lift mechanism(s) of the hydraulically movable tool to maintain both a selected elevation and a selected horizontal orientation with only the signals provided by the light detector and the gravity-based sensor.

Abstract: A horse blanket is provided. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a blanket is provided comprising a body of blanket material and a closure fastening assembly. The body of blanket material defines a major blanket portion, a wither/shoulder portion, a neckline, and a front closure portion. The front closure portion comprises a first closure flap including a first closure flap end portion positioned along the neckline and a second closure flap including a second closure flap end portion positioned along the neckline. The closure fastening assembly is coupled to the body of blanket material and comprises a first releasable wither/shoulder attachment arranged to couple the first closure flap end portion to the wither/shoulder portion substantially along a portion of the neckline, and a second releasable wither/shoulder attachment arranged to couple the second closure flap end portion to the wither/shoulder portion substantially along a portion of the neckline.

Abstract: Methods, compositions and boat hulls are disclosed using and forming a wood replacement surface. The wood replacement surface is used as a replacement or substitute for wood surfaces. The wood replacement surface of the present invention has improved characteristics, such as strength and water resistance, compared to conventional wood surfaces. The wood replacement surface is resistant to environmental conditions such as water, heat and sunlight. The wood replacement surface is easier to apply than conventional wood surfaces.

Abstract: An involute spiral wrap scroll-type device uses two pairs of spiral wrap members connected together at opposite ends of a common rotational shaft. The device can be operated in either an expansion mode or a combination hybrid mode where each pair of spiral wrap members functions as a compressor and expander, respectively. In an expansion mode, electric current is produced via generator electrically responsive to shaft rotation. In hybrid mode, a first spiral wrap member pair functions as an expander with the second spiral wrap member pair functioning as a compressor. In this mode, the balance of shaft power between that produced by the expander and that absorbed by the compressor is either supplied by the motor/generator functioning as a motor, or converted into electricity by the motor/generator functioning as a generator. The housing can be hermetically sealed, thus promoting contamination-free operation.

Abstract: A semiconductor die is provided with an internally programmable router to assign signal paths to select connection points. A switching matrix incorporating at least one antifuse is utilized to selectively route signal paths on the semiconductor die. The chips can then be used individually, for example to reconfigure chip pin assignments to operate in a plurality of different socket layouts, or where features or controls of a chip are selectively enabled or disabled. A further alternative involves programming a first chip, then stacking piggyback, or one on top of the other, the first chip onto a second chip. The contact pins are electrically coupled together, thus avoiding the need for external frames and pin rerouting schemes to form stacked chips. In the stacked chip configuration, control pins are rerouted to align with unused pins on the chip stacked against.

Abstract: A lubricant flinger, for providing lubricant fluid to bearings on a horizontal shaft within a wet-sump bearing housing, has a rotationally balanced body with portions extending radially sufficiently to reach below a lubricant level in the wet-sump. The body has provisions for fixing it on the horizontal shaft and is capable of insertion, while mounted on the horizontal shaft, into the housing through a bearing bore of radius smaller than that of the body. Outer portions of the body may have features which enhance lubricant pick-up.

Abstract: A capacitor useful with semiconductor devices and a method for forming such a capacitor is provided. The capacitor comprises a contact formed in a layer of an insulating material of a semiconductor device; a first electrode formed on the layer of insulating material, the first electrode contacting the contact and having a nodular shape; a layer of a dielectric material formed on the first electrode; and a second electrode formed on the layer of the dielectric material. Desirably, the dielectric layer of the capacitor is formed from a high dielectric constant material. In another embodiment, the capacitor includes a layer of a barrier material positioned between the contact and the first electrode.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a water heater which includes a material having a thermal energy capacity of at least about 25 cal/g and having a freezing/melting temperature from about 20° C. to about 100° C. The water heater include a source of water, a heating element for heating the water, a heat exchange unit which contains the material, and a plurality of heat exchange tubes positioned in the heat exchange unit, which tubes are in heat transfer relation to the material so that heat stored in the material can be transferred to the water.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for atomic layer deposition that minimizes mixing of the chemicals and reactive gases is disclosed. The first precursor and second precursor are only mixed with other chemicals and reactive gases when and where desired by installing and monitoring a dispensing fore-line. Also, independent and dedicated chamber outlets, isolation valves, exhaust fore-lines, and exhaust pumps are provided that are activated for the specific gas when needed.

Abstract: A card display packages is provided comprising front and rear panels and a card secured to the rear panel, wherein the panels and card are arranged so as to preserve uniform package thickness, provide for enhanced packaging security, and, is some cases, eliminate the need for making die cuts in manufacturing the package. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a card display package is provided comprising a front panel, a rear panel, and a card. The front panel height is less than the rear panel height. The front panel is secured to the rear panel such that a card mounting zone is defined in a lower portion of the rear panel. The card may include a magnetic stripe and may be secured within the card mounting zone such that the magnetic stripe and a portion of the card extend beyond the bottom edge of the rear panel.