Abstract: A unitary optical ferrule is molded to include one or more elements for receiving and securing one or more optical waveguides one or more elements for affecting one or more characteristics of light from the optical waveguide while propagating the light within the ferrule. The optical ferrule also includes one or more first alignment features and one or more second alignment features that, when the ferrule is mated with a mating ferrule, each controls alignment of the ferrule with the mating ferrule along three mechanical degrees of freedom. The surface of the optical ferrule can be divided along the thickness axis into a first section and an opposing second section, wherein the first section of the surface includes the receiving and securing elements, the light affecting elements, and the first alignment features and the second section of the surface includes the second alignment features.

Abstract: A condensation management apparatus comprises a microstructured film arranged to condense water vapor on an underside of a substantially horizontal surface. The film comprises channels disposed at least on a first major surface and configured to support capillary movement of condensate. The channels have a channel axis substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the film. A capillary siphon structure of the film comprises a fold in the film, a condensate collection region proximate the fold, and a siphon region between the fold and a condensate release location of the film. At least a portion of a second major surface is attached to the underside of the substantially horizontal surface such that longitudinal openings of the channels of the condensate collection region are oriented towards a direction of gravity and the condensate release location is positioned lower along the direction of gravity than the condensate collection region.

Abstract: Adhesive tapes include a plasticized polyvinyl chloride backing, a primer including an ethylene/carbon monoxide-containing terpolymer and a styrene-containing block copolymer and an epoxidized polymer, and an adhesive.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods that include contacting a skin surface with a first liquid composition; and then contacting in the skin surface with a cationic coated article loaded with a second liquid composition, while at least some portion of the first liquid composition remains on the skin surface, wherein one or both of the first liquid composition or the second liquid composition includes acrylate copolymer particles dispersed therein, the acrylate copolymer particles including the reaction product of a reaction mixture, the reaction mixture including monomers, the monomers including from about 5 wt % to about 50 wt % of at least one high Tg monomer where the wt % of the high Tg monomer is with respect to the total weight of the monomers in the reaction mixture; and from about 20 wt % to about 80 wt % of at least one low Tg monomer where the wt % of the low Tg monomer is with respect to the total weight of the monomers in the reaction mixture, wherein the particles have a number average diameter of at lea

Abstract: An additive layer manufacturing method, preferably using selective laser sintering, for manufacturing a solid article, the method including applying a layer of a powder, the powder including at least one powdered (co)polymer, onto a solid substrate in a processing chamber; fusing the powder layer onto the solid substrate; subsequently depositing successive layers of the powder, wherein each successive layer is selectively fused prior to deposition of the subsequent layer of powder so as to form the article. In some embodiments, the powder further includes abrasive particles having a hardness greater than or equal to that of aluminum oxide.

Abstract: A ring-shaped cushion for a hearing protector or audio headset. The cushion has a circumferential contact pad for sealing on a wearer's head and an attachment for sealing with an earmuff. The cushion further has a sound insulation tube that inwardly defines an inner space. The sound insulation tube extends between the contact pad and the attachment. The cushion has a ventilation passage that extends entirely through the cushion between an inlet opening in the contact pad and an area outside of the inner space. The cushion may further include one or more physiological sensors to monitor the health of a wearer.

Abstract: A display film includes a transparent glass layer having a thickness of 250 micrometers or less, or in a range from 25 to 100 micrometers. A transparent energy dissipation layer is fixed to the transparent glass layer. The transparent energy dissipation layer has a glass transition temperature of 27 degrees Celsius or less, a Tan Delta peak value of 0.5 or greater, or from 1 to 2 and a Young's Modulus (E?) greater than 0.9 MPa over a temperature range of ?40 degrees Celsius to 70 degrees Celsius. In a preferred embodiment, the transparent energy dissipation layer comprises a cross-linked polyurethane layer or a cross-linked polyurethane acrylate layer.

Abstract: Provided are nozzle assemblies for a spraying apparatus having an outer wall (146) having opposed inner and outer surfaces, a central aperture (136) extending through the outer wall, and a pair of auxiliary apertures (158) disposed on the outer wall (146). Each auxiliary aperture is aligned along a respective auxiliary axis (162) and areas of the inner surface (164) of the outer wall (146) adjacent to the auxiliary apertures (158) are countersunk to define ledges (166) that are axially symmetric about the auxiliary axes (162). These assemblies obviate problems associated with rotatable molding pins and also provide the unexpected advantage of providing axial alignment of the air flow profile as air is emitted from the auxiliary apertures.

Abstract: A coupling unit includes a light coupling element comprising an attachment area for receiving and permanently attaching to a plurality of optical waveguides. One or more grooves are provided at the attachment area. Each groove is configured to receive an optical waveguide and defined by a bottom surface, a first region, a second region, and an opening. The first region is defined between the bottom surface and the second region. The first region in cross section has substantially parallel sidewalls separated by a spacing. The second region is disposed between the first region and the opening. A width of the opening is greater than the spacing.

Abstract: Rolls of film are described. In particular, rolls of film including a multilayer birefringent reflective polarizer and a polyvinyl alcohol layer are described. Such films exhibit low variation in pass axis across a full crossweb width.

Abstract: A respirator device having an elastomeric sleeve is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a respirator device as described herein includes a rigid nozzle element and a body including a receiver having an elastomeric sleeve. The elastomeric sleeve defines a channel, and the elastomeric sleeve is configured to deform around the nozzle element when the nozzle element is inserted into the channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for objectively assessing acoustical performance of an in-ear device having a passageway extending there through use a dual microphone probe that removably engages the passageway. The acoustical performance of the in-ear device is performed with the in-ear device inserted into the ear canal of the user and a reference sound source. A clip holding the probe in an acoustic near field of the sound source permits real time calibration thereof. The method and apparatus allow on-site and in-situ measurement of a predicted personal attenuation rating of the device, a subject-fit re-insertion test, an acoustic seal test, a rating test, a stability and reliability test, as well as a protection test of the device with an assessment of a filtered predicted exposure level at the ear for a specific noise exposure level. The apparatus may be simply housed along with the sound source for in-field evaluation tests.

Abstract: An article having anti-microbial effect is provided. The article includes an occlusive layer and a substrate having a nanostructured surface. The nanostructured surface is coated with a metal oxide layer and the metal oxide layer includes a metal oxide.

Abstract: Modified adhesive layers are prepared by contacting an adhesive layer to a modified microstructured release liner. The modified release liner has a release layer surface with a set of microstructured depressions and a discontinuous pattern of ink material located on the surface of the release layer. A portion of the discontinuous pattern of ink material overlaps with and is located within some of the depressions. The ink material comprises a non-adhesive but adhesively transferrable material, or an adhesive material. Upon removal of the adhesive from the release liner, the ink material transfers to the adhesive surface.

Abstract: A custom tool for forming a dental restoration in a mouth of a patient includes a mold body providing for a customized fit with at least one tooth of the patient. The mold body includes a facial portion forming a facial surface corresponding with a facial surface of the tooth, and a separate lingual portion forming a lingual surface corresponding with a lingual surface of the tooth. The mold body is configured to combine with the tooth of the patient to form a mold cavity encompassing missing tooth structure of the tooth.

Abstract: A patterned optical retarder including non-overlapping first (21) and second (27) regions with respective first and second major surfaces having different RMS surface roughnesses. For substantially normally incident light over a wavelength range from about 400 nm to about 1000 nm, the optical retarder has different retardances in the respective first and second regions.

Abstract: Techniques, systems and articles are described for monitoring electrical equipment of a power grid and predicting likelihood failure events of such electrical equipment. In one example, a sensing device is configured to couple to an electrical power cable. The sensing device includes a plurality of concentric layers and a monitoring device. The plurality of concentric layers include a first layer, second layer, and third layer. The first layer is configured to concentrically surround a central conductor of the electrical cable and includes an insulating material. The second layer includes a conducting material. The third layer includes a resistive material configured to resist electrical flow between the second layer and a ground conductor exterior to the third layer. The monitoring device includes a sensor and communication unit configured to output data indicative of the sensor data.

Abstract: At least some aspects of the present disclosure feature systems and methods for obfuscating data. The method includes the steps of receiving an input data stream including a sequence of n-grams, mapping at least some of the sequence of n-grams to corresponding dictionary terms using a dictionary, and disposing the corresponding tokens to an output data stream.

Abstract: Organic light emitting diode (OLED) devices are disclosed that include a first layer; a backfill layer having a structured first side and a second side; a planarization layer having a structured first side and a second side; and a second layer; wherein the second side of the backfill layer is coincident with and adjacent to the first layer, the second side of the planarization layer is coincident with and adjacent to the second layer, the structured first side of the backfill layer and structured first side of the planarization layer form a structured interface, the refractive index of the backfill layer is index matched to the first layer, and the refractive index of the planarization layer is index matched to the second layer.

Abstract: The disclosed aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane composition is well suited for use in thin, flexible light directing articles to impart flexibility, toughness, or protection to the light directing articles that contain optically active elements. The disclosed aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethanes have improved thermostability at higher temperatures. Specifically, the disclosed aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethanes have a cross-over temperature greater than 110° C. In one embodiment, the cross-over temperature is greater than 130° C. In one embodiment, the cross-over temperature is less than 170° C. and a Tg greater than 35° C. and less than 70° C.