Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing the delivery of component parts and tooling to a robotic welding assembly positioned on a motor vehicle body assembly line. Automatic guided vehicles deliver component parts from a source of parts to a parts staging area on the robotic welding assembly including a substage awaiting area, a substage in-use area and a substage empty area, and further automatic guided vehicles deliver tooling from a tooling management area to the robotic welding assembly whereafter the tooling, upon model changeover, is moved to a tooling use area proximate the assembly line whereafter, upon further model changeover, the tooling is removed from the tooling use area and loaded onto an automatic guided vehicle for return to the tooling management area.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of lancing devices for use with a lancet having a lancet body and a sharp tip covered by a removable cap. One lancing device comprises a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, a drawer received within the housing at the first end and movable between an open position and a closed position, the drawer having a drawer face and a drawer body, the drawer body configured to receive the lancet, and a decapping arm disposed within the housing and connected to the housing via a pivot at the second end of the housing, the decapping arm movable about the pivot between a storage position and a decapping position.

Abstract: An improved deflector structure for an updraft classifier mill for coal and ore is described. The improved deflector structure has an impingement surface which is characterized by a pattern of surface irregularities, either raised geometric figures or recesses of varying sizes and shapes to create turbulence in the air emerging from a rotating vane structure and impinging the deflector as it travels upwardly through the mill housing.

Abstract: A feature of a computing device application may be selected by user or other input and then demonstrated using a demonstration application. The demonstration application may select simulated user inputs from a script or other source that, when input to the computing device application, drive it to demonstrate the selected feature. The demonstration application may then begin to input the one or more simulated user inputs to the computing device application. Before all of the simulated user inputs have been input, the demonstration application may determine that the user has interrupted the demonstration. In response to the determination, the demonstration application may cease inputting the simulated inputs, leaving the computing device application in the state it was in at the time of interruption, thereby enabling the user to explore the application or feature of the application being demonstrated at a time and in a manner of the user's choosing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing motor vehicle sub-assemblies with unrestricted model mix and quick changeover between models. The apparatus includes a track; a carriage mounted for longitudinal movement along the track between first and second positions; and first and second turrets rotatably mounted on the carriage at longitudinally spaced locations and each including a plurality of circumferentially spaced individual faces and unique tooling fixtures on the respective faces for receiving unique work piece components corresponding to a plurality of motor vehicle body styles.

Abstract: A system for smooth zooming in web applications includes a structured document defining a plurality of display elements including a scalable element defined to be located at least partially within a resizable container element when rendered; a rendering component operable to receive the structured document as an input, execute a rendering function that calculates a display position for each of the plurality of display elements, and define rendered content based at least in part on the display position for each of the plurality of display elements; a display component operable to output a viewable area of the rendered content; and a scaling component operable to receive a scaling input, redefine the scalable element based at least in part on the scaling input, and selectively redefine the resizable container element based at least in part on the display position of the resizable container element with respect to the viewable area of the rendered content.

Abstract: A weld gun in which the first weld arm is fixedly but removably connected to the weld gun body and the second weld arm includes a first arm segment, pivotally mounted at one end thereof on the gun body and pivotally connected at another end thereof to the gun actuator, and a second arm segment fixedly but removably connected atone end thereof to an intermediate portion of the first arm segment. Conversion of the gun from an X axis configuration to a Y axis configuration is achieved by removing the second arm segment from the first arm segment, removing the first weld arm from the body, rotating the second arm segment and the first weld arm through 90°, attaching the first arm to the first arm segment, and connecting the second arm segment to the body.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment supplemental heating system is fluidly connectable to a vehicle cooling system and includes a liquid heat generator operable for heating a cooling fluid delivered to the supplemental heating system from the vehicle's cooling system. The liquid heat generator includes a discharge passage connectable to a heater core of the vehicle and a inlet passage connectable to the vehicle's cooling system. The supplemental heating system further includes a control valve having an inlet connectable to an exit passage of a heater core of the vehicle, a discharge passage fluidly connected to the liquid heat generator, and a second discharge passage connectable to the vehicle's cooling system. The control valve is operable for controlling the proportion of cooling fluid exiting the heater core that is returned to the vehicle's cooling system and recirculated back to the liquid heat generator.

Abstract: A battery structure for improving a heat dissipating property and a vibration absorbing performance. The battery structure comprises a plurality of unit cell layers, each formed by alternately stacking a cathode active material layer formed on a surface of one collector, a separator for retaining an electrolyte and an anode active material layer formed on a surface of another collector. The battery structure also comprises a heat dissipating member disposed between at least one unit cell layer and another unit cell layer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a fuel tank assembly and fuel pump module for a vehicle. One embodiment disclosed herein comprises fuel pump module with a body portion having an outer surface and a fuel level sender located on the body portion. The fuel level sender comprises a float arm movable along a movement range between an empty position and a full position and a fuel level sender protector. The protector comprises a guard portion positioned at a predetermined distance from the float arm such that the float aim is positioned between the guard portion and the outer surface of the body portion and configured to maintain the predetermined distance.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of vehicles and vehicle body assemblies incorporating slide rail reinforcements. One embodiment of a vehicle body assembly comprises an inner body panel and an outer body panel spaced a distance from the inner body panel in an outboard direction of a vehicle. The outer body panel has an outer surface and an opposing inner surface. An elongated slide track is mounted on the outer surface of the outer body panel. A force distribution member has a support surface fixed to the inner surface of the outer body panel directly opposite a portion of the elongated slide track and first and second distribution legs extending from the support surface and fixed to the inner body panel.

Abstract: An LED-based light can include a highly thermally conductive base having multiple radially outward projecting nodes. The nodes can be spaced apart in an axial and circumferential directions of the base. An electrical connector and at least one LED can be attached to the base, and a light transmitting bulb can be attached to the base and can cover the at least one LED. The geometry of the base can promote heat dissipation, which can allow the at least one LED to use enough power to produce an amount of luminosity that allows the LED-based light to replicate, for example, an incandescent light without overheating.

Abstract: A process for hardening an annular groove of a piston head of a piston of an internal combustion engine by means of laser beams, in which, at least the annular groove to be hardened is provided before or directly during the hardening process with a coating which absorbs the energy of laser beams. The coating is subsequently irradiated by the laser beams. The absorbing layer can be a manganese phosphate coating or is formed in situ by treating the component surface with a process gas comprising oxygen and inert gas. Furthermore, the laser beams are directed at the piston during hardening at an oblique angle to the direction of rotation. The advantages achieved are avoidance of reflections and undesirable hardening of the bottom of the groove, an increased degree of absorption and reduced distortion of the piston.

Abstract: A gripper assembly including at least one gripper jaw and an actuator head linked with the at least one gripper jaw. An actuator selectively operates to move the actuator head between a plurality of positions. A support is fixed relative to the actuator and includes a guide slot that guides the actuator head. One of the actuator head or the guide slot includes a channel and the other of the actuator head or the guide slot includes a guide member extending there from at least partially into the channel.

Abstract: A portable apparatus for monitoring on site near an emergency field at least one vital sign of a patient reclined thereon includes a fluid bladder transformable between a stowable arrangement and a deployed arrangement. The fluid bladder in the deployed arrangement has a comfortable top surface of sufficient size to fully support at least a torso of the patient in a reclined position, and the fluid bladder has a ruggedized puncture resistant bottom layer. A sensor is configured to detect a pressure within the fluid bladder. A controller is configured to determine the at least one vital sign based on the pressure within the fluid bladder. A triage condition indicator is configured to indicate a care urgency level based on the at least one vital sign.

Abstract: A method of compressing video data having at least one frame having at least one block and each block having an array of pixels is provided. The method transforms the pixels of each block into coefficients and creates an optimal transmission order of the coefficients. The method also optimizes the speed of processing compressed video data by partitioning the data bitstream and coding each partition independently. The method also predicts fractional pixel motion by selecting an interpolation method for each given plurality or block of pixels depending upon at least one metric related to each given block and varies the method from block to block. The method also enhances error recovery for a current frame using a frame prior to the frame immediately before the current frame as the only reference frame for lessening quality loss during data transmission. Enhanced motion vector coding is also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for encoding at least one video frame having a plurality of blocks including a current block, including determining motion vectors for each of at least some of blocks surrounding the current block, identifying surrounding blocks having that have the same motion vector and assigning the identified surrounding blocks to a plurality of groups, determining a number of blocks in at least two of the plurality of groups and selecting a motion vector to encode the current block based on the determined number of blocks in the at least two groups.

Abstract: A laser micro-machining system includes a laser source positioned to direct a laser pulse through a scan lens to a work piece mounted on a work surface and a mirror positioned between the scan lens and the work piece and tilted with respect to the work surface to reflect the laser pulse toward the work piece. The mirror can be indexed to a number of positions so that only portions of the mirror are used for a number of processing steps, extending the life of the mirror.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for selecting input video signals in a video conference for transmission. The method bases its selection decision on the momentary voice activity of the participants, but does so while observing constraints aimed at: improving stability of the image seen by each participant; decreasing flickering of the image; choosing comfortable and helpful swapping times between different image configurations; and reflecting the importance which is attributed to persons having a higher past average activity in a natural conference. In one embodiment of the invention, the set of constraints includes an override, by which one or more participants can be selected irrespectively of the selection decision. In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided video selector hardware comprising units to perform the steps of the method.

Abstract: A method of forming a LED-based light for replacing a conventional fluorescent bulb in a fluorescent light fixture includes forming a heat sink by shaping an elongate sheet of highly thermally conductive material to increase a surface area to width ratio thereof mounting LEDs in thermally conductive relation with the heat sink, and enclosing the LEDs within a light transmitting cover.