Abstract: An air valve connecting device or attachment includes a housing having an inlet mouth, a sliding member slidably engaged in the housing and extendible out of the housing, the sliding member includes two pathways and two chambers communicating with each other, two gaskets are engaged into the chambers of the sliding member respectively for engaging with different inflation valves, and the outer peripheral walls for forming the chambers of the sliding member are compressible to engage with the gaskets and to grasp and retain the inflation valves and the gaskets in the chambers of the sliding member respectively when either of the outer peripheral walls is engaged into the housing.

Abstract: A multi-tiered filesystem integrates multiple types of storage devices into a contiguous filesystem storage space having regions associated with two or more tiers of storage.

Abstract: In order to improve a cable feedthrough comprising a housing connection piece, a cable fixing device provided on the housing connection piece, a fastening section which is provided in the housing connection piece and with which the housing connection piece can be secured to a wall section of an appliance, and a shield contact element which makes contact with a cable shield of a cable guided through the cable feedthrough, in such a manner that it is possible for the shield contact element to make reliable contact with the wall section, it is suggested that the shield contact element be fixable to the fastening section with a holding element and that the shield contact element make contact with the cable shield or with the wall section of the appliance with at least one housing contact element which is designed to dig into the wall section.

Abstract: A supported catalyst comprises a zeolite having a silica to alumina molar ratio of 500 or less, a first metal oxide binder having a crystallite size greater than 200 ? and a second metal oxide binder having a crystallite size less than 100 ?, wherein the second metal oxide binder is present in an amount less than 15 wt % of the total weight of the catalyst.

Abstract: A continuous scanning method employs one or more moveable sensors and one or more reference sensors deployed in the environment around a test subject. Each sensor is configured to sense an attribute of the test subject (e.g., sound energy, infrared energy, etc.) while continuously moving along a path and recording the sensed attribute, the position, and the orientation of each of the moveable sensors and each of the reference sensors. The system then constructs a set of transfer functions corresponding to points in space between the moveable sensors, wherein each of the transfer functions relates the test data of the moveable sensors to the test data of the reference sensors. In this way, a graphical representation of the attribute in the vicinity of test subject can be produced.

Abstract: A sliding vane rotary expander is used in a waste heat recovery system for a power plant. One example rotary expander has multiple stages with the vane assemblies disposed in bearing supported rings. Another example rotary expander has multiple stages with the vane assemblies disposed in an elliptical cavity. A balance valve equalizes the flow within the stages. Single stage rotary expanders may also be used.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material that comprises a binary main group matrix material and nano-particles and/or nano-inclusions of metal oxide dispersed therein, and has electrical properties of ternary doped materials. A process for making the thermoelectric material that includes reacting a reduced metal precursor with an oxidized metal precursor in the presence of nanoparticles.

Abstract: A process for making a silica-polyolefin composite. The process has the steps of (a) reacting silica particles and an alkyl halosilane in the presence of a solvent and a catalyst to form silane-functionalized silica particles and (b) reacting the silane-functionalized silica particles with a vinyl-terminated polyolefin. There are other processes for making a silica-polyolefin composites. There are other processes for making metal phosphate-polyolefin composites.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes an anode having a metal material having an oxygen containing layer. The electrochemical cell also includes a cathode and an electrolyte. The anode includes a chemically bonded protective layer formed by reacting a D or P block precursor with the oxygen containing layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an aqueous epoxy resin composition which is able to contain a large amount of water because it uses an epoxy resin and a coagulant and thereby allows an emulsifier and water to be stably adsorbed and captured on tangled particle surfaces of the coagulant. The aqueous epoxy resin composition according to the present invention comprises a highly compatible formulation producing a good cross-linking bond in a curing reaction with a curing agent and hence it can effect functions including those of a coating agent, a primer agent, a mortar agent and an adhesive agent in a two-part formulation, and it entails a formulation using absolutely no volatile organic compounds in large amounts and hence it is environmentally-friendly and can also markedly reduce production costs.

Abstract: A unique and cost-effective method for producing a multilayer ceramic structure by using a first green film that contains a ceramic material, and the multilayer ceramic structure produced thereby. The method including the steps of: (a) producing at least one porous region in the first green film, the at least one porous region extending from the surface of the first green film; (b) applying a first layer, in sections, to the surface of the first green film, wherein one section of the first layer is located above the at least one porous region produced in step (a); (c) positioning at least one additional green film on the surface of the first green film, to which the first layer has been applied; (d) laminating the first green film and the at least one additional green film to form a green film composite; and (e) sintering the green film composite.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor wafer, a semiconductor chip and a semiconductor package. The semiconductor wafer includes a first pad, a first inter-layer dielectric and a second pad. The first pad is disposed on a top surface of a semiconductor substrate and has a solid portion and a plurality of through holes. The first inter-layer dielectric covers the first pad. The second pad is disposed on the first inter-layer dielectric and has a solid portion and a plurality of through holes, wherein the through holes of the first pad correspond to the solid portion of the second pad.

Abstract: A vertically-adjustable caster wheel apparatus for use on a forklift truck, material handling cart, and the like. The caster wheel apparatus of the present invention provides a yolk frame having a pivot pin connected to and extending through the yolk frame. A wheel frame has one end pivotally connected to the yolk frame and a second end rotatably connected to a wheel. An elastic member has a first retainer connected to one end of the elastic member and a second retainer connected to an opposite end of the elastic member, wherein the first retainer is connected to the pivot pin in the yolk frame to allow the elastic member to pivot with respect to the yolk frame. Means for adjusting the vertical height of the wheel is provided by adjusting the angle of the wheel frame relative to the yolk frame.

Abstract: An annular device for the temperature control of a pump is provided. That device is in fluid communication with the radiator coolant system of a vehicle, and the engine-warmed coolant flows through the annular device to warm the pump and thaw ice buildup. The device is removable and can be added on to an existing pump without any redesign of the existing pump housing.

Abstract: A method of adjusting a clearance between a nozzle and a work to a desired value in a liquid application apparatus wherein a liquid discharged from the nozzle is applied to the work, comprises (a) a distance measurement step of measuring, by using a non-contact distance sensor positioned in parallel with the nozzle, a distance from the non-contact distance sensor to a reference surface of a contact detection sensor detecting a contact of the nozzle front end with the reference surface opposite to the nozzle front end, (b) a nozzle contacting step of making contacts with the nozzle front end and the reference surface of the contact detection sensor to obtain a positional information of the nozzle, (c) a distance measurement step of measuring, by the non-contact distance sensor, a distance from the non-contact distance sensor to the work before applying the liquid to the work, and (d) a step of adjusting a nozzle clearance to a desired value based on the relative positional information between the nozzle and th

Abstract: Robots, computer program products, and methods for trajectory plan optimization are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of controlling a robot having a first manipulator and a second manipulator includes receiving a trajectory plan including a plurality of sequential motion segments. The method further includes determining a moveable motion segment, and shifting the moveable motion segment and motion segments subsequent to the moveable motion segment backward in time to a shifted time such that one or more unshifted segments of the trajectory plan occur at a same time as one or more shifted segment segments. The method may further include controlling the robot according to the optimized trajectory plan such that one or more components of the first manipulator are moved concurrently with one or more components of the second manipulator.

Abstract: A method for improving thermo-oxidative stability and elastomer compatibility in an apparatus lubricated with a lubricating oil by using as the lubricating oil a formulated oil including a lubricating oil base stock. The lubricating oil base stock includes a multi-aromatic base stock of the formula: R1—R2—(X—R2)n—R1 wherein each R1 is the same or different and is a terminal group, each R2 is the same or different and represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic moiety; each X is a linking moiety that is carbon-carbon single bond or a linking group, n is a number from 1 to 2000, and the ratio of the total number of aromatic ring carbon atoms to aliphatic carbon atoms in said formula is greater than 0.32:1. The multi-aromatic base stock has a kinematic viscosity greater than 20 mm2/s at 100° C.

Abstract: A novel retractable cord reel is disclosed. The retractable cord reel may have a rotating rotatable guide configured to adapt to an expandable wire coil that changes direction within the cord reel. The retractable cord reel may have splices between wire segments that are formed by electrical connectors that are sealed from the environment with an adhesive.

Abstract: The vacuum isolation valve includes a housing installed between a chamber and a chamber cleaning gas supply and including a tube connecting the chamber to the chamber cleaning gas supply, a tube isolator formed at a predetermined position of the tube, a first blocking unit installed to the housing, and a second blocking unit installed to the housing, for, when the first blocking unit moves in the first direction, maintaining communication between the chamber and the chamber cleaning gas supply by moving in a second direction and pressing the first blocking unit and for, when the first blocking unit moves in an opposite direction to the first direction, blocking communication between the chamber and the chamber cleaning gas supply.

Abstract: A multipurpose chemical additives (MPC) is disclosed to mitigate fouling in hydrocarbon refinery processes, such as in a heat exchanger. A method for reducing fouling of a hydrocarbon is also disclosed that includes (i) providing a crude hydrocarbon for a refining process; and (ii) adding an additive to the crude hydrocarbon.