Abstract: An adjustable barbell or dumbbell or exercise device includes a handle having two end members, two carriers attached to the end members of the handle respectively, and a weight member having one or more latch members for detachably attaching to the end member of the handle, and a lock member slidably attached to the weight member and having a tongue for engaging with the carrier and for locking the weight member to the handle when the latch members of the weight member are rotated relative to the carrier, the other weight members are attachable to the weight member with the other latch members and the other lock member without supporting the weight members in a supporting base.

Abstract: Provided is an adhering method which comprises spray-coating an adherend with a powder adhesive and then using the adherend, thereby enabling the formation of an automobile interior part having good heat tolerance and high adhesion strength. The adhering method to be used for forming an automobile interior part involves a step for spray-coating an adherend (4) with a powder adhesive (6) with the use of an electrostatic powder spray gun (5). If necessary, the adhering method may further involve a step for inciting the powder adhesive, which has been spray-coated on the adherend, by heating with an infrared heater.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein provide protection to monitored equipment at both a local level and a system level, in order to offer more comprehensive protection. In one particular embodiment, the protected equipment may include one or more generators. The protection system may utilize time-synchronized data in order to analyze data provided by systems having disparate sampling rates, that are monitored by different equipment, and/or equipment that is geographically separated. Various embodiments may be configured to utilize a variety of sampling rates.

Abstract: A moonroof assembly including a transparent panel and a sunshade that are moveable between closed positions and fully open positions. A mechanism is coupled between the panel and the sunshade so as to effectuate automatic movement of the sunshade into the partially open position in response to movement of the panel into its fully open position.

Abstract: A process is provided for etching a silicon-containing substrate to form nanowire arrays. In this process, one deposits nanoparticles and a metal film onto the substrate in such a way that the metal is present and touches silicon where etching is desired and is blocked from touching silicon or not present elsewhere. One submerges the metallized substrate into an etchant aqueous solution comprising HF and an oxidizing agent. In this way arrays of nanowires with controlled diameter and length are produced.

Abstract: A method for the joining of ceramic pieces with a hermetically sealed joint comprising brazing a continuous layer of joining material between the two pieces. The wetting and flow of the joining material is controlled by the selection of the joining material, the joining temperature, the time at temperature, the joining atmosphere, and other factors. The ceramic pieces may be aluminum nitride and the pieces may be brazed with an aluminum alloy under controlled atmosphere. The joint material is adapted to later withstand both the environments within a process chamber during substrate processing, and the oxygenated atmosphere which may be seen within the shaft of a heater or electrostatic chuck.

Abstract: A real-time method and system to accurately demarcate sub-territories of the subthalamic nucleus area in the brain during surgery, based on microelectrode recordings and a Hidden Markov Model. Root mean square and power spectral density of the microelectrode recordings are used to train and test Hidden Markov Model in identifying the dorsolateral oscillatory region and non-oscillatory sub-territories within the subthalamic nucleus. After the dorsolateral oscillatory region in the subthalamic nucleus is mapped, the microelectrodes are removed, and a macroelectrode is inserted in the mapped dorsolateral oscillatory region for producing deep brain simulation for treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Abstract: A bridge system is provided that utilizes foundation structures that are formed of the combination of precast and cast-in-place concrete. A method of constructing the combination precast and cast-in-place concrete foundation structures involves receiving at a construction site a precast concrete foundation unit having elongated upright wall members that define a channel therebetween, and multiple upright supports located within the channel; placing the precast concrete foundation unit at a desired use location; delivering concrete into the channel while the precast concrete foundation unit remains at the desired use location; and allowing the concrete to cure-in-place such that the elongated upright wall members are connected to the cured-in-place concrete by reinforcement embedded within both the cured-in-place concrete and the upright wall members. The bridge units may be placed before the pouring step to embed the bottoms of the bridge units in the cast-in-place concrete.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for assembling and/or customizing a connector. Preferred embodiments of the present invention operate in accordance with a connector that includes a plurality of removable contacts, and a connector body that can be customized to mate with a corresponding, and similarly configured connector. In one embodiment of the present invention, a contact is connected to a wire and inserted into an aperture in a retainer. The retainer is then inserted into a connector body, thereby resulting in an increase in friction between the retainer and the contact, and a backshell is attached to the connector body. At least one key is placed in at least one keyway on the connector body, resulting in a user-programmable connector. The connector is then mated with a corresponding connector that is similarly configured. The connectors are then secured using either a latch or lanyard mechanism.

Abstract: A battery emulation device for simulating a battery cell voltage at a terminal of a battery control unit in accordance with a setpoint value includes a control unit configured to determine the setpoint value and provide the determined setpoint value via a galvanically isolated interface; and at least one emulation channel, each including: a voltage source; an amplifier unit; connection lines for connecting the emulation channel; measurement lines; and a fault simulation device configured to simulate fault states.

Abstract: A method is for molding a gas hydrate pellet for improving convenience of handling of a natural gas hydrate during transportation and storage, and thereby improving the practical use of the natural gas hydrate. Gas hydrate slurry is fed in a compression chamber, and pressure and compression are applied to the gas hydrate slurry by advancing a compression plunger. At that time, a stroking speed of the compression plunger is set minimum, preferably less than a value expressed by a stroke length of the compression plunger at compression×10?2 (m/min). By advancing the compression plunger at low speed, binding between particles of the gas hydrate is tightened, thereby the gas hydrate pellet with increased shearing strength can be molded.

Abstract: A multi-flute endmill including a cutting edge part having multiple cutting edges and flutes formed between adjacent cutting edges in a rotation direction around the tool axis O. A rake face of each cutting edge is formed from a rake face of an end cutting edge from the tool axis O side to the outer peripheral side of a shank, an adjacent rake face of a corner R edge that forms a surface different from the rake face of the end cutting edge, and an adjacent rake face of a peripheral cutting edge that forms a surface different from the rake face of the corner R edge. A gash is formed between the rake face of the end cutting edge and a flank of an end cutting edge that is adjacent on a forward side thereof in the rotation direction R.

Abstract: In a process for destabilizing bitumen-water emulsions to facilitate bitumen recovery therefrom, bitumen-water interfacial tension is increased by reducing or eliminating the activity of functional groups acting as surfactants by treating the emulsions with one or more additives of ionic base to increase the hydrophobic characteristics of bitumen droplets in the emulsions and thus increase their attraction to each other and to gas bubbles. Additives effective for this purpose include salts of the Periodic Table's Group II earth alkali metals cations such as magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium, and Group III metals cations such as aluminum. Mechanical agitation or injection of a gas stream into the destabilized bitumen-eater emulsion may be used to form bitumen-rich froth. The additives used for destabilization of the emulsions also promote flocculation of clay-size particles in the froth and improve the chemistry of the recovered water.

Abstract: An image encoding apparatus is provided which realizes an encoding process at a high bit rate without degradation in image quality at boundary parts within a picture. The image encoding apparatus 1 includes: a plurality of entropy encoding sections 105 and 106 for generating bit streams by entropy-encoding intermediate data generated from syntax elements of image data; and an encoding control section 104 for supplying the intermediate data to any of the entropy encoding sections. The encoding control section 104 determines the entropy encoding section that performs an entropy encoding process by a frame in accordance with the processing status of each of the entropy encoding sections.

Abstract: Constraint-based methods for determining orientations of material physical properties using an isoparametric shape function are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of defining an orientation of an material physical property includes defining nonlinear and/or discontinuous design constraints of design values in a geometric domain associated with one or more physical attributes of the material physical property, and translating the nonlinear and/or discontinuous design constraints into continuous, first order design constraints of the design values by applying an isoparametric shape function. The method further includes performing a topology optimization using the continuous, first order design constraints of the design values, and reverse-translating results of the topology optimization back into the geometric domain using the isoparametric shape function. The results of the topology optimization in the geometric domain are indicative of the orientation of the material physical property.

Abstract: A semiconductor package includes a substrate, a semiconductor die, a package body, an electromagnetic interference shield, a dielectric structure and an antenna element. The substrate comprises a grounding segment and a feeding point. The semiconductor die is disposed on the substrate. The package body encapsulates the semiconductor die. The electromagnetic interference shield is formed on the package body. The dielectric structure encapsulates the electromagnetic interference shield. The antenna element is formed on the dielectric structure and electrically connecting the grounding segment of the substrate and the feeding point.

Abstract: A tank subjected to thermal expansion and contraction, comprising a support block in contact with the bottom of the tank, where the support block and the bottom of the tank are connected by a rib in either the bottom of the tank or the support block, where the rib is in a groove in either the bottom of the tank or the support block to prevent horizontal movement of the tank.

Abstract: A distributed file system and method distributes file system objects across multiple self-contained volumes, where each volume is owned by a unique file system node. Logical links are used to reference a file system object between volumes. Each file system node includes a relocation directory in which is maintained hard links to locally-stored file system objects that are referenced from another file system node using logical links. Various file system operations that involve multiple volumes are performed without having to place a write lock on more than one volume at a time. Various caching schemes allow the various file system nodes to cache file system object data and metadata.

Abstract: The invention relates to an airship including a flexible envelope having no rigid inner structure containing a gas that is lighter than air, and a gondola. The balloon also includes three legs for setting the balloon on the surface and a landing structure. The landing structure is located on the outside of the envelope, and provides a connection between the legs, the gondola and the envelope while surrounding the envelope.