Abstract: A method of forming a headliner for a vehicle includes forming the headliner into a desired shape from one or more materials. The headliner includes a headliner cutout portion corresponding to an opening through the headliner. A reinforcement bracket preform is formed into the headliner cutout portion during the step of forming the headliner. The headliner cutout portion is removed from the headliner. The reinforcement bracket preform is removed from the headliner cutout portion and a shaped reinforcement bracket is formed.

Abstract: An insert for sealing a hole having a diameter. The insert includes a plug having a maximum outer diameter that is equal to or less than the diameter of the hole. The plug also has a sleeve, a core, and a pin. The sleeve has a length and a void. The core and the pin are both press-fit into the void at opposite ends of the void. The core has a first length, a first tapered outer wall, and a threaded hole extending partly through the core. The pin has a second length, a second tapered outer wall, and a passage extending there-through. The plug also has protrusions located on an outer surface of the sleeve.

Abstract: A semiconductor device package includes a carrier, a first interposer disposed and a second interposer. The second interposer is stacked on the first interposer, and the first interposer is mounted to the carrier. The combination of the first interposer and the second interposer is substantially T-shaped.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for an air filter cleaning wand for flushing contaminants from an intake air filter of an automobile engine. The air filter cleaning wand comprises a proximal flange, a conduit, and a distal end portion. The proximal flange is configured to receive a nozzle of a water hose. An interior of the conduit is in fluid communication with the proximal flange. The distal end portion comprises a plurality of longitudinally aligned vents in fluid communication with the interior of the conduit. Upon passing water through the water hose and into the conduit, pressurized water streams exit the vents along the distal end portion so as to flush contaminants from the air filter. The air filter cleaning wand advantageously is comprised of a material which is sufficiently durable and temperature resistant to retain its configuration during operation when coupled to pressurized water sources.

Abstract: A window assembly heat transfer system is disclosed in which a window member has a selected transparency to monitored or sensed light wavelengths. One or more passages are provided in the window member for flowing a single-phase or two-phase heat transfer fluid, the passages being optically non-transparent to the monitored or sensed light wavelengths. A mechanism allows either evaporation or condensation of the fluid and/or balancing of a flow of the fluid within the passages. In one embodiment, the window assembly can be made by producing passages in a top surface of a first single plate, optionally producing passages in a bottom surface of a second single plate and bonding the top surface of the first plate to a bottom surface of a second single plate to form the window member with the passage or passages. In another embodiment, the window assembly can be made by providing a core around which the window member material is grown and thereafter removing the core to produce the passage or passages.

Abstract: A media clarifier may have a passageway, an inlet, an outlet above the inlet, a screen, and a media bed with both compressible and incompressible media. The screen may span the passageway. The media bed may be adjacent to the screen when the media clarifier is in an operational state. Particulate matter is removed from a water stream as it passes through the media bed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for modifying or selecting processing conditions for bright stock formation based on compositional characterization of the feedstock and/or bright stock products. In some aspects, the compositional information can include Z-class characterization of the components of a feed and/or bright stock product, optionally in combination with carbon number and/or molecular weight for the components. The compositional information can be used to select processing conditions to allow for removal and/or modification of selected components within a bright stock in order to improve throughput and/or provide desirable cold flow properties.

Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to automatically adjusting a climate of a vehicle based on detecting the type of clothing a vehicle occupant is wearing. In one embodiment, the method includes, in response to acquiring an identifier from a reader, where the identifier being associated with a tag affixed to a wearable article in proximity of the reader, determining a type of the wearable article based on the identifier. The method includes controlling a climate control system based at least in part on the type of the wearable article.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle door assembly including a door handle assembly and a door latch assembly that includes a door latch device operatively connected to the door handle assembly using a latch release lever that moves along a travel path to place the door latch device in an unlatched configuration. A latch release blocking structure is located within an interior volume of the vehicle door assembly. The latch release blocking structure includes a first leg that is mounted to a support portion. An overhang portion is connected to the first leg. The overhang portion extends over at least a portion of the travel path of the latch release lever. A second leg extends from the overhang portion toward the support portion to a free end that is spaced from the mounting structure providing a gap along the travel path of the latch release lever.

Abstract: A navigation system that includes a processor, a satellite antenna communicatively coupled to the processor, a memory module communicatively coupled to the processor, a route list stored in the one or more memory modules, and machine readable instructions stored in the memory module that cause the navigation system to perform at least the following when executed by the one or more processors: receive the signal from the global positioning system satellite; transform the signal into a current location of the navigation system; track a travel route relative to the current location until conclusion of the travel route; determine whether at least one route candidate from the route list includes the travel route; and generate an inquiry to identify the travel route as a consistent route in response to determining at least one route candidate from the route list does not include the travel route.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a de-heading device for a coke drum includes an outer component that includes an inlet nozzle; and an inner component that includes a pipe elbow and an orifice, wherein the outer component is coupled to the inner component by an actuator, the actuator for shifting between two or more positions. In another embodiment, a method of de-heading a coke drum includes actuating an actuator, the actuator coupled to a de-heading device, wherein the de-heading device includes an outer component comprising an inlet nozzle; and an inner component comprising a pipe elbow and an orifice, wherein the outer component is coupled to the inner component by the actuator, the actuator for shifting between two or more positions; and either removing a material from a coke drum coupled to the de-heading device, or filling a coke drum coupled to the de-heading device with a material.

Abstract: Systems and methods for communicating with a guide animal are provided. One embodiment of a method includes determining a first command to provide to a user to proceed to a destination, determining a second command to provide to the guide animal to correspond with the first command, and outputting the first command to direct the user toward the destination. Some embodiments include outputting the second command to direct the guide animal toward the destination, where the second command is outputted to be imperceptible by the user but is perceptible by the guide animal.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to multi-stage falling particle receivers and methods of falling particle heating. As the particles fall through the receiver, the particles are periodically collected and released by flow retarding devices. The periodic catch-and-release of the particles falling through the receiver reduces particle flow dispersion, increases particle opacity and solar absorption, and reduces erosion and damage to surfaces caused by direct particle impingement.

Abstract: A noise insulating support panel is provided for a structural assembly and includes a base substrate component and at least one localized stiffening reinforcement feature. The reinforcement feature generally extends across the base substrate component in a length direction aligned with, i.e., substantially parallel to, or substantially perpendicular to, a direction of airflow exhibiting turbulent pressure onto the base substrate component. The reinforcement feature cooperates with the base substrate component to minimize energy transmission through the base substrate component. If the base substrate component is a body panel, the reinforcement feature may be a stiffening rib member; if laminated glass, the reinforcement feature is located within an interlayer disposed between glass layers. The interlayer may include a first region including polyvinyl butyral having a first stiffness, and a second region including polyvinyl butyral having a second, lower stiffness.

Abstract: A system for generating a parking space directory includes at least one processor and a memory device in communication with the at least one processor. The memory device includes a communications module, a confidence interval module, and a directory generating module. The modules includes instructions that when executed by the one or more processors causes the one or more processors to obtain parking information related to at least one parking space having a vehicle parked within the at least one parking space, determine a confidence interval that the at least one parking space is an actual parking space based on a number of vehicles that have utilized the at least one parking space, and generate a directory of the at least one parking space that includes the location of the parking space and the confidence interval associated with the at least one parking space.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for using a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) agent to provide adaptive tuning of process controllers, such as Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers. The agent can monitor process controller performance, and if unsatisfactory, can attempt to improve it by making incremental changes to the tuning parameters for the process controller. The effect of a tuning change can then be observed by the agent and used to update the agent's process controller tuning policy. It has been unexpectedly discovered that providing adaptive tuning based on incremental changes in tuning parameters, as opposed to making changes independent of current values of the tuning parameters, can provide enhanced or improved control over a controlled variable of a process.

Abstract: Systems and methods of autonomously driving a vehicle to one or more locations, or repositioning the vehicle, to achieve optimal solar exposure are provided. Operating conditions of the vehicle, environmental conditions, as well as road conditions may be considered when determining whether or not to move, relocate, or reposition the vehicle to achieve optimal solar exposure. The optimal solar exposure is that which allows a power storage device of the vehicle to be charged to a desired state of charge. Additional considerations, such as the time needed to travel to a new location(s) and return from the location(s) in time for a next use of the vehicle, may be taken into account. Any energy expenditures that may result from traveling to/from the new location(s) may also be considered.

Abstract: A structured dental x-ray detector implements an array of holes or channels filled with at least one of polycrystalline, amorphous, or nano-particle semiconductor x-ray or gamma ray converter materials. Readout electronics are configured for acquiring and analyzing signals from the detector; e.g., operating in a signal integration or photon detecting mode, or in a photon detecting mode with energy resolution. In dental application, a protective shell or frame can be provided to encapsulate the detector and readout electronics, with a wired or wireless communications link to a computer system configured for image data post-processing and storage of the readout signals, with an electronic display for the image data.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for conversion of light paraffinic gases to form liquid products in a process performed in a fixed bed radial-flow reactor. The light paraffins can correspond to C3+ paraffins. Examples of liquid products that can be formed include C6-C12 aromatics, such as benzene, toluene, and xylene. The fixed bed radial-flow reactor can allow for improved control over the reaction conditions for paraffin conversion in spite of the fixed bed nature of the reactor. This can allow the process to operate with improved efficiency while reducing or minimizing the complexity of operation relative to non-fixed bed reactor systems.

Abstract: A semiconductor device package includes a conductive layer, a first conductive pillar, a circuit layer and a second conductive pillar. The conductive layer has a first surface. The first conductive pillar is disposed on the first surface of the conductive layer. The circuit layer is disposed over the conductive layer. The circuit layer has a first surface facing the conductive layer. The second conductive pillar is disposed on the first surface of the circuit layer. The first conductive pillar is physically spaced apart from the second conductive pillar and electrically connected to the second conductive pillar.