Abstract: A fryer filtration arrangement utilizes certain automated components.

Abstract: Coal-based cellular products that can be custom designed to have integral stiffeners or load paths, directed heat transfer paths, and/or directed mass transfer paths and methods for their production are described. Such design and production is made possible by the appropriate selection of starting materials, thermal treatment conditions and mold materials combined in at least some instances with segregation of different starting materials in different regions of a forming mold.

Abstract: A system and method for heat treating castings and removing sand cores therefrom. The castings are initially located in indexed positions with their x, y, and z coordinates known. The castings are passed through a heat treatment station typically having a series of nozzles mounted in preset positions corresponding to the known indexed positions of the castings passing through the heat treatment station. The nozzles apply fluid to the castings for heat treating the castings and degrading the sand cores for removal from the castings.

Abstract: First and second shelf sections are positioned side by side in an outer frame having front left and right doors. The first self section is fixed to a rear wall of the outer frame, and the second shelf section is secured to the front left and right doors. By opening the front left and right doors, access to the first self section is facilitated for storing a plurality of racks therein, the racks holding sample containers. A transfer section is movable along a linear space defined between the first and second shelf sections. The transfer section includes a pair of rack pull-out mechanisms each for pulling out each rack stored in the shelf sections. A repacking mechanism including a picker mechanism is provided on the transfer section for moving a sample container from the rack on the first rack pull-out mechanism to a rack on the other rack pull-out mechanism.

Abstract: Delivering electronic content includes providing instructions that cause a computer to collect information including an e-mail address and transmitting the collected information to a receiving computer. The computer that receives the transmitted information selects electronic content based on the received information and sends the selected electronic content to the e-mail address included in the received information.

Abstract: A jet mill has a disk-shaped hollow part in the interior of the mill body. The hollow part is divided into an annular grinding zone for grinding a material by high-speed swirling air flows supplied through plural air nozzles and an annular classifying zone provided inside the grinding zone and communicated to an exit space for classifying the ground material by the swirling air flows in the grinding zone. An annular first constricted passageway is arranged between the grinding zone and the classifying zone to thereby divide and communicate them, and preferably an annular second constricted passageway between the classifying zone and the inside exit thereof. Accordingly, a jet mill realizing a high classification precision for a desired particle size of ground material with a narrow size distribution and having a simple inner configuration to allow easy cleaning before and after operation can be provided.

Abstract: A system and method for securely streaming encrypted digital media content out of a digital container to a user's media player. This streaming occurs after the digital container has been delivered to the user's machine and after the user has been authorized to access the encrypted content. The user's operating system and media player treat the data stream as if it were a being delivered over the Internet (or other network) from a streaming web server. However, no Internet connection is required after the container has been delivered to the user and the data stream suffers no quality loss due to network traffic or web server access problems. In this process of the invention, the encrypted content files are decrypted and fed to the user's media player in real time and are never written to the user's hard drive or storage device. This process makes unauthorized copying of the digital content contained in the digital container virtually impossible.

Abstract: The method and system of the invention is directed to a process for the optional acquisition of receivables. The method of the invention, which may be characterized as an Optional Purchase Commitment (“OPC”) is a process by which a potential grantee, for example a buyer, may pay for the right, but not the obligation, to acquire receivables from a grantor, for example a seller. The OPC process of the invention enables a grantor of such receivables, typically a credit grantor, to estimate the amount of its future receivables and enter into OPC agreements to convey those expected receivables under a fixed arrangement at a specific time in the future to a grantee, for example a buyer. A grantor, a grantee, or a third party acting on behalf of either a grantor or a grantee, or independently, may initiate the OPC process of the invention. The OPC process may be utilized in conjunction with existing marketing processes. The OPC process of the invention provides a time horizon or option period.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided to cool and/or protect chilled food in a food pan from warmer ambient air by passing low velocity chilled air from air vents proximate the food pan into and/or over the food pan to form a relatively stable mass of cooled air within the interior of the food pan. The low velocity air may also form a slowly moving barrier of chilled air that hinders warmer ambient air from reaching the food pan. Various embodiments employing numerous arrangements of food pans, cooling system and air ducts configured to direct the chilled air at a low velocity into and/or over the food pans are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to a gas grill or add-on component for a gas grill that provides the additional functionality of permitting grilling with either gas, charcoal briquettes, or wood chips. The additional functionality of being able to cook with charcoal or wood chips on a gas grill is achieved by positioning moveable flaps in a second position thus providing a horizontal surface above the gas burner, yet below the cooking surface, upon which to place charcoal briquettes. Spaces on either side of each pair of flaps allow the gas burners to be used to ignite the charcoal briquettes or wood chips. Once the charcoal briquettes or wood chips are ignited, use of the gas burner is discontinued. The charcoal or wood chips are permitted to burn to complete ash, then the moveable flaps are placed to a first position thus forming an apex that permits the ash to fall into an ash pan located in the bottom of the firebox.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device having a pressure roller. The surface of the pressure roller is coated with a PFA resin and has an average surface roughness Ra of 0.05 to 0.13 ?m. A thermister is provided to detect the surface temperature of the pressure roller. The thermister includes a metal plate, a resister element attached to the metal plate, and a pair of fluorocarbon-resin films sandwiching the metal plate and the resister element. The fluorocarbon-resin film has a thickness of 15 ?m to 80 ?m.

Abstract: An oil activated fuel injector which provides a pilot quantity of fuel prior to the main fuel injection event. A control system for a fuel injector includes a sensor for providing a signal to a control which is indicative of an opening motion of a spool. The control initiates a pull back of the spool, upon receipt of the signal, to eliminate a bounce back phenomenon of the spool during an injection of a pilot quantity of fuel. The signal may be representative of a pressure of working fluid or fuel, as well as a position or acceleration of the spool.

Abstract: A source of viral induced obesity has been discovered. A virus known as AD-36P adenovirus type 36 has been found to be associated with obesity in both animals and humans. Diagnostic DNA sequences are presented so that DNA based tests for the presence of the obesity associated virus can be conducted.