Abstract: Provided is a compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel system comprising a frame, a first container, a second container, a first manifold, a second manifold, and a casing. The frame may have: a first side; a first connecting member; and a second side. The first container may be configured to house or contain CNG and be engaged to and substantially shrouded by the first side of the frame. The second container may be configured to house or contain CNG and be engaged to and substantially shrouded by the second side of the frame. The first manifold may be engaged to and substantially shrouded by the first side of the frame. The second manifold may be engaged to and substantially shrouded by the second side of the frame. The casing may at least partially surround the frame, the first container, the first manifold, and the second manifold.

Abstract: A wearable neck device for providing environmental awareness to a user, the wearable neck device includes a flexible tube. A first stereo pair of cameras is encased in a left portion of the flexible tube and a second stereo pair of cameras is encased in a right portion of the flexible tube. A vibration motor within the flexible tube provides haptic and audio feedback to the user. A processor in the flexible tube recognizes objects from the first stereo pair of cameras and the second stereo pair of cameras. The vibration motor provides haptic and audio feedback of the items or points of interest to the user.

Abstract: A system, device, and methods of automated driving are disclosed. One example method includes determining one or more potential vehicle paths based on information specific to the environment surrounding a vehicle and receiving an indication classifying one or more objects proximate to the one or more potential vehicle paths as an object of interest based on input received from one or more sensors disposed on the vehicle. The method further includes selecting a preferred vehicle path from the one or more potential vehicle paths based on properties of the one or more objects of interest and sending a command, to one or more vehicle systems, to control the vehicle to follow the preferred vehicle path.

Abstract: A wear detection system for detecting beam wear along a support flange of a beam includes a rail riding portion configured to travel along the support flange and a processor portion connected to the rail riding portion. The rail riding portion includes a wear measurement system comprising one or more measuring sensors configured to provide an output indicative of thickness of the support flange. The processor portion includes an integrated processing system that receives the output of the one or more measuring sensors and generates measurement information based on the output.

Abstract: An HF olefin/isoparaffin alkylation process is carried out in an alkylation unit with a settling vessel in which the alkylate product is separated from the HF acid catalyst containing water and acid soluble oil (ASO). The density of the liquids in the settling vessel is measured at different levels by means of a nuclear density profile analyzer. The acid strength of the acid phase is determined from the density measurement and an optional temperature measurement. The proportion of water in the acid phase may also be measured separately by measurement of its electrical conductivity to determine the respective contributions of the water and the ASO to the density of the HF acid phase.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a boiling point distribution of a sample include controlling the rates of temperature increase for a column and an injection port. An analyzer includes a column having a column heating element and an injection port having an injection port heating element. The temperature of the column can be increased at a first rate, and a temperature of the injection port can be increased at a second rate. The first and second rates are selected such that the temperature of the injection port is within about five to fifteen degrees Celsius of the temperature of the column when the temperature of the injection port reaches a target temperature of minimal thermal decomposition.

Abstract: Systems and methods for mining a temporal requirement from a block diagram model of a closed loop control system are disclosed. One embodiment of a method includes simulating the closed loop control system of a vehicle to obtain simulation traces and determining a candidate requirement by instantiating a template requirement with values of the simulation traces to locate parameter values that suggest that the template requirement is fulfilled. Some embodiments of the method include determining whether a counterexample to the candidate requirement exists; and in response to determining that the counterexample to the candidate requirement exists, obtaining the counterexample to the candidate requirement and adding the counterexample to the simulation traces for inspection.

Abstract: A method of determining identity, purity and/or potency of chondrocytes in vitro includes a) isolating and, optionally, culturing chondrocytes from a biological sample, and b) determining gene expression of at least one marker in the chondrocytes selected from the group consisting of FLT-1, IL-1beta, BSP-2, and type I collagen.

Abstract: A polymer grouting method for constructing an ultra-thin anti-seepage wall meeting requirements of anti-seepage designs of dams, includes the following steps of: forming continuous slots on a body of the dam and the foundation which need seepage-proofing and reinforcing; and injecting two-component expansive polymer grouting materials to the slots through grouting pipes, a volume rapidly expands after the polymer grouting materials reacts and the slots are filled to form a polymer ultra-thin body, the polymer ultra-thin bodies which are adjacent are cemented together to form a continuous, uniform, and regular cementing ultra-thin polymer anti-seepage wall; this invention is different from the conventional anti-seepage wall technology whatever through the material, the mechanism or the construction methods, which has the advantages such as speediness, ultra-thinness, minimally invasive, lightness, high toughness, economy, and durability, applied in reinforcement projects of a number of the dams and dikes.

Abstract: A single-ended DC linear accelerator for the generation of high-current, high-energy ion beams of H, D or He includes an ion source located in a high-voltage terminal for the creation of the ion beam, an analyzing magnet to purify the ion beam, an accelerating tube and DC high-voltage power supply for accelerating the ions of interest to high energies and a separate pumping tube that transports the vast majority of the neutral gas from the ion source at high-voltage towards a vacuum pump at ground potential, thereby preventing the adverse influence of increased vacuum pressure inside the accelerating tube to facilitate stable acceleration of high-current beams to high energies in single-ended DC linear accelerators. The resulting high-current accelerator for H, D or He has diverse applications, including ion beam cancer therapy, cyclotron injection, silicon cleaving, ion implantation in semiconductor devices and NRA.

Abstract: Beamforming in a satellite communications network includes determining a first delay imparted to signals redirected by a first reflecting dish in a satellite, the first delay being caused by motion of the first reflecting dish relative to the satellite. A second delay imparted to signals redirected by a second reflecting dish in the satellite is determined, the second delay being caused by motion of the second reflecting dish relative to the satellite. Calculating, using the determined first and second delays, beamforming coefficients that enable the generation of a single beam by combining a group of signals that includes a first signal redirected by the first reflecting dish and a second signal redirected by the second reflecting dish.

Abstract: Embodiments of glass run weather strips and door assemblies are described herein. Such assemblies may include a door frame defining a window opening and a window moveable between an open and closed position. A weather strip may be attached to the door frame such that a portion of the window is in contact with the weather strip and an interior garnish may be installed such that a garnish pin extends into an aperture in the weather strip.

Abstract: An appliance lid hinge assembly has a channel housing including first and second spaced-apart side walls and a transverse face walls, a cavity located between the first and second side walls and a slot having first and second slot portions respectively located in said first and second side walls. The channel housing is pivotally connected to a cam via a rivet or other pivot fastener at a pivot point. A biasing element acts between the housing and the cam in order to control the movement of housing relative to the cam about the pivot point. Alternatively, a damper can be used to control movement of the housing relative to the cam about the pivot point. A snubber subsystem can also be added to provide further damping resistance.

Abstract: An extruded beam element suitable for the construction of sandwich structures, comprises two parallel plates (2,3), each having a first part (2) and a second part (3), wherein the first parts of said plates (2) are connected by multiple webs, wherein at least two of said webs (1) are inclined with respect to the longitudinal plane (Y) perpendicular to the plates (2,3), and wherein the first parts (2) and the webs (1,5) form a relatively rigid portion of the beam element and the second parts (3) form a relatively flexible portion of the beam element, as well as sandwich panels and tanks comprising said beam elements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in connection with a vortex tube process. A pressurized medium flow is fed into a nozzle inlet. The medium flow expands while moving forward. The medium flow is twisted while entering a working tube. The twisted medium flow is divided into separate cold and hot flows. The cold flow is discharged from the vortex tube via a cold flow head after going through a hole in the center of a wall limiting a first end of the working tube. The hot flow is discharged from the vortex tube via a hot flow head after passing through the working tube having a flow valve at its second end. Parameters of thermodynamic processes in the vortex tube are controlled: by regulating the hot flow rate in the hot flow head by regulating the medium flow in the nozzle inlet, by regulating an efflux speed of the cold and/or hot flows in the vortex tube, and/or by intensification of heat transfer in the vortex tube by mechanical, chemical and/or electrical assemblies therein.

Abstract: The present application discloses monitoring a plurality of time inputs to detect a defined time event and providing a report of the plurality of time inputs for analysis in response to detecting the defined time event. To create the report, an event monitor records data relating to the plurality of time inputs in a temporary memory for a defined window of time. In response to detecting the defined time event, the event monitor transfers the data recorded in the temporary memory to a persistent memory and continues to record data relating to the plurality of time inputs to the persistent memory for a second defined window of time. The event monitor provides a report of the data relating to the plurality of time inputs stored in the persistent memory for analysis.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus are disclosed for the recovery of ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream in a compact processing assembly. The gas stream is cooled and divided into first and second streams. The first stream is further cooled to condense substantially all of it and is thereafter expanded to lower pressure and supplied as a feed between first and second absorbing means inside the processing assembly. The second stream is expanded to lower pressure and supplied as the bottom feed to the second absorbing means. A distillation vapor stream is collected from the upper region of the first absorbing means and directed into one or more heat exchange means inside the processing assembly to heat it while cooling the gas stream and the first stream. The heated distillation vapor stream is compressed to higher pressure and divided into a volatile residue gas fraction and a compressed recycle stream.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream is disclosed. The stream is cooled and is thereafter expanded to the fractionation tower pressure and supplied to the fractionation tower at a lower mid-column feed position. A distillation stream is withdrawn from the column below the feed point of the stream and is then directed into heat exchange relation with the tower overhead vapor stream to cool the distillation stream and condense at least a part of it, forming a condensed stream. At least a portion of the condensed stream is directed to the fractionation tower at an upper mid-column feed position. A recycle stream is withdrawn from the tower overhead after it has been warmed and compressed. The compressed recycle stream is cooled sufficiently to substantially condense it, and is then expanded to the pressure of the fractionation tower and supplied to the tower at a top column feed position.

Abstract: A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for an optical member is obtained by blending 100 parts by weight of an acrylic polymer, which contains 80 to 98.7 parts by weight of (a) a monomer constituted of an alkyl acrylate monomer having an alkyl group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms and/or an aromatic ring-containing acrylic monomer, 0.2 to 1.5 parts by weight of (b) an amide group-containing acrylic monomer and 1 to 5 parts by weight of (c) a hydroxyl group-containing acrylic monomer, with 0.12 to 1 part by weight of (d) an isocyanate-based curing agent having an isocyanurate skeleton as a curing agent, and is characterized by substantially containing no metal chelate-based curing agent. Accordingly, a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, which has excellent heat resistance and wet heat resistance and whose aging time can be particularly shortened, is provided.

Abstract: A grouper apparatus for a packaging machine and methods of grouping items for packaging are provided. The grouper apparatus may have at least two container guides for defining lanes for receiving containers, at least one of the at least two container guides being movable, and at least one timing screw. The at least one timing screw may be positioned at least one of: between the at least two container guides; and coaxial with a corresponding one of the at least two container guides. The at least one timing screw may be adapted to receive and advance at least one lane of containers on either side thereof. A controller may be provided for controlling revolution of the at least one timing screw to provide at least one of a desired output grouping and a desired output rate of the containers.