Abstract: The present invention provides a voltage converter circuit for the clocked supply of energy to an energy storage based on an input voltage applied at an input applied at an input of the voltage converter circuit. The voltage converter circuit includes an energy storage and a switch arrangement, wherein the switch arrangement has a first switch and a second switch which are connected in parallel to each other and coupled to the energy storage. The first switch of the switch arrangement has a smaller turn-on voltage according to amount than the second switch, wherein a control terminal of the first switch is wired up such that the first switch is active in a startup phase of the voltage converter circuit to supply energy to the energy storage, and wherein a control terminal of the second switch is wired up such that the second switch is active after the startup phase to supply energy to the energy storage in a clocked way.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus are disclosed for a compact processing assembly to remove carbon dioxide from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The gas stream is cooled, expanded to intermediate pressure, and fed to the top of a mass transfer means. A distillation liquid stream from the mass transfer means is heated in a first heat and mass transfer means to strip out its volatile components and form a bottom liquid product. A distillation vapor stream from the mass transfer means is combined with any vapor in the expanded cooled gas stream, and the combined vapor stream is cooled in a second heat and mass transfer means to partially condense it, forming a condensed stream that is fed to the top of the mass transfer means. A portion of the bottom liquid product is subcooled, expanded to lower pressure, and used to cool the combined vapor stream.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an image scanning module having four reflecting mirrors, the image scanning module comprises at least one source, four reflection mirrors, a pickup lens, an image sensor and a frame, wherein at least one of reflection mirror is multi-reflection along the optical path, satisfies the specific optical conditions. The TTL (total tracking length) can only be adjusted through the arrangement of the distance of the four reflecting mirrors and will not need to adjust through the angle of the four reflecting mirrors. Accordingly, the benefit of present invention not only increases the field of depth by increasing the total length of optical path in the limited space, but also be convenient to assemble respectively to different total tracking length.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a MEMS scanning coordinate detection method and a touch panel thereof, wherein the touch panel comprises a light source module, a MEMS reflector, an image sensor, an image signal processor, and a coordinate calculator. When the laser light from the light source module is reflected by the MEMS reflector, the laser light is transformed into a scanning light beam. When the touch panel is touched by a pen or a finger, the scanning light beam is blocked and two inactive pixels are formed on the image sensor. The electronic signal is transmitted from the image signal processor and calculated by the coordinate calculator to determine the touch point position.

Abstract: Taught herein are a method and apparatus for removing sediments, fouling agents and the like from fluid, in particular liquid, ducts and/or tanks, characterized in that the method comprises applying an ultrasound vibration to a plurality of points of the structure, duct or tank to be treated, said ultrasound vibration being continuously applied outside the structure at a given frequency and power.

Abstract: A method for making polyester nanocomposite materials by polymerization in the presence of exfoliated fibrous clay nanoparticles includes dispersing the nanoparticles in a mixture of diol, water, and sodium salt before polymerization, thereby improving the dispersion of the nanoparticles in the final nanocomposite. This results in enhanced mechanical properties, such as modulus, in articles made from the nanocomposite.

Abstract: A vacuum seal valve is applied to a lid for the air-tight closing of a container for the packaging of products, particularly food products, including a closing body arranged for sealing a hole for evacuating air from the container, from which at least one punching member stems that is adapted to pierce the lid closing the container so as to form such evacuating hole. A reciprocating mechanical vacuum pump, with manual actuation, evacuates air from a container arranged for the vacuum packaging of products, for example food products, via application of the vacuum sealing valve. The pump has, at its base, a recess adapted to form a housing for retaining the valve, whereby the lowering movement of the plunger allows driving the valve in a lid of the container.

Abstract: The invention relates to the improvement of the passband of physical systems. Use is made of a finite impulse response filter which is calculated in the following manner, on the basis of the behavior (observed or known) of the physical system: the impulse response a(t) of the physical system according to a temporal or spatial variable is determined; an impulse response b(t) of similar form but compressed according to the scale of the variable t in a ratio n and expanded in amplitude in the same ratio is calculated sample by sample, and the coefficients of a finite impulse response filter able to provide at its output the signal b(t) when the signal a(t) is applied to its input are calculated. This finite impulse response filter is incorporated into the physical system, preferably at the output, so as to improve the passband thereof in the ratio n.

Abstract: A method and a system for predicting a calving date of an animal comprises monitoring a behavioral pattern of an animal, determining a given change in the behavioral pattern, and predicting the calving date responsive to the given change in the behavioral pattern.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the transport of articles comprises in one embodiment one or more communication devices for receiving and transmitting data, at least one primary server in communication with the primary server for allocating couriers for the collection and delivery of articles, a program for controlling the server, and at least one remote interface for placing orders for the collection and delivery of the articles, wherein the program, upon the execution of an order, compares stored historical travel times from one geographic location to another with actual travel times from one geographic location to another to thereby provide updated estimates for the collection time and delivery time of articles provided in subsequent orders.

Abstract: A soil resist composition comprises a) a polyfluoro organic compound having at least one urethane or urea, b) 1,3-propanediol, and c) a surfactant, the soil resist composition having freeze thaw stability.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for clamping adjacent ends of pipe sections to be welded, the apparatus comprising a plurality of clamping members movable between retracted and extended clamping positions, each of the clamping members comprising a clamping shoe and a connecting member connecting the shoe to the apparatus frame; each of the clamping shoes comprising a longitudinal groove on its clamping surface oriented parallel to the adjacent pipe ends, at least one gas passageway through the clamping shoe which extends from a surface of the shoe away from the clamping surface to a termination point within the longitudinal groove, and at least one alignment guide device in the longitudinal groove; a means for delivering an inert purge gas to the longitudinal groove through the gas passageway; and a means for moving the clamping members between the retracted and extended clamping positions.

Abstract: This invention relates to pot tending module intended for aluminium production plants by fused bath electrolysis. According to the invention, the turret (9) of the pot tending module (7) is equipped with a determined set of tools, in which the tool (101, 102, 103) is mounted on a telescopic arm (111, 112, 113) fixed to the turret (9) through an articulated support (121, 122, 123) that enables pendular movements of the telescopic arm with respect to a determined articulation point while preventing rotation movements of the telescopic arm about its principal axis. The telescopic arms are connected to each other through a mechanical connecting device (200) capable of maintaining the relative angular difference between the pendular movements of the telescopic arms within a determined tolerance range. The invention enables the tools to be arranged closer to each other without any risk that they will collide during use.

Abstract: A cleaning system and method for in-process sensors wherein a scouring jet discharges process fluid as the cleaning agent to remove solids and other contaminants from the surface of the sensor.

Abstract: A system and method of use of a storage capacitor to improve the appearance and addressing characteristics of an electronically driven display. The capacitor is formed by the overlap of portions of electrodes used to address different pixels, or by the overlap of an addressing line and a conductor. An insulator layer situated between the capacitor electrodes can be the same insulator layer present in an FET transistor used to address the pixel. Methods of use of capacitors to achieve improved display addressing are disclosed.

Abstract: Primers have been isolated that are diagnostic for the detection of the taura syndrome virus (TSV). The primers are based on a new portion of the TSV genome and may be used in primer directed amplification or nucleic acid hybridization assay methods.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a process for making a surface treated suspension of finely divided titanium (IV) oxide particles, typically, finely divided titanium (IV) oxide nanoparticles, comprising: vigorously mixing (a) a volume of a first component comprising a major proportion of alcohol, a minor proportion of titanium alkoxide and a minor proportion of a titanium alkoxide activator selected from the group consisting of water and a first aqueous base, and b) a volume of a second component selected from the group consisting of water and a second aqueous base, at least one of the first component or the second component having a base therein, the second component being substantially free of alcohol, to form a mixture comprising a suspension of finely divided titanium (IV) oxide particle, the mixture having a water to titanium molar ratio ranging from about 40 to about 1 to about 5000 to about 1, wherein the proportion of the titanium alkoxide, the proportion of the activator, the mixing vigor, and the ratio

Abstract: An optical cable for communication includes at least one retaining element blocked with respect to the water propagation as well as a process for manufacturing such an optical cable. The optical cable includes, in addition to the retaining element, at least two transmission elements housed within the retaining element and a water swellable yarn housed within the retaining element. The water swellable yarn is selected according to the following equation: V w V TF = k V t + R ( 1 ) in which Vw is the volume of the water swellable yarn after swelling upon contact with water; VTF is the total free volume in the retaining element; k is a constant ?180; R is a constant ?1.4; and Vt is the free volume per each transmission element. Advantageously, the optical cable is water-blocked and the water swellable yarn does not induce microbending effects on the transmission elements.

Abstract: Polyimide resin compositions that contain an aromatic polyimide, graphite and a kaolin filler, are found to exhibit low wear and high thermal oxidative stability. Such compositions are especially useful in molded articles that are exposed to wear conditions at high temperatures such as aircraft engine parts.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of fire-resistant dense moulded pieces made from wood fibers, mixed with water glass as a binding flame-protection agent at a temperature above ambient temperature. A non-woven fiber formed from the above mixture is compressed to a density of <350 kg/m3 and then the hardening of the binding flame protection agent carried out in a closed press in the compressed state at temperatures above 80° C.