Abstract: A vehicle wheel service system configured with a load roller assembly to apply a generally radial load to a vehicle wheel assembly during rotation, and which is configured with sensors to obtain one or more measurements of lateral forces associated with the vehicle wheel assembly during the loaded rotation, from which a quantified representation of lateral force for the tire of the vehicle wheel assembly is determined.

Abstract: A servo press line operation method operates a servo press line in which a servo press and a servo transfer device are disposed in a workpiece transfer direction. The servo press line operation method includes causing a transfer controller to receive a master signal that causes the servo transfer device to make a motion in synchronization with the servo press, the transfer controller controlling a motor of the servo transfer device using a motor instruction, causing the transfer controller to determine whether or not an abnormality in the master signal has occurred, and causing the transfer controller to generate the motor instruction based on a stop signal that stops the motor of the servo transfer device, instead of the master signal, when the transfer controller has determined that an abnormality in the master signal has occurred.

Abstract: An anhydrous electrolyte for a magnesium battery. The anhydrous electrolyte includes a magnesium salt having the formula Mg(BH4)2. The electrolyte also includes a solvent, the magnesium salt dissociating in the solvent. Various solvents including aprotic solvents and molten salts such as ionic liquids may be utilized. The magnesium salt dissociates in the solvent to Mg electroactive species BH4? and Mg2+.

Abstract: A pressure vessel has a restraint structure for accommodating thermal cycling thereof, including: a body with a cylindrical section; a skirt connected to the body and having a foot; and a plurality of blocks disposed around the skirt adjacent to the foot. Each block is anchored to a support frame or foundation, and has a base and a flange. Each flange overlaps the foot, thereby vertically linking the blocks and the skirt. A radial clearance is formed between an outer surface of the foot and an inner surface of each base. A vertical clearance is formed between an upper surface of the foot and a lower surface of each flange.

Abstract: Filtering containing a delay by a specific time is performed on one of the pair of input signals are input from microphones L, R. After the filtering, a pair of input signals InL and InR are alternately interchanged for each sampling by an interchanging circuit 2 to generate a pair of interchanged signals InA and InB. The one interchanged signal InB is multiplied by a coefficient m by an coefficient updating circuit 3 to generate an error signal of the interchanged signals InA and InB. The recurrence formula of the coefficient m containing the error signal is calculated to update the coefficient m for each sampling. The pair of input signals InL and InR are multiplied by the sequentially updated coefficient m and are output.

Abstract: A system for inspection of the undercarriage of a vehicle. The system may comprise a mobile unit or a stationary unit configured to fit in a space below the vehicle for gathering and transmitting data, images and or recordings, of the undercarriage of the vehicle. The system comprises at least one camera and preferably a plurality of cameras and at least one light source and preferably a plurality of light sources mounted on a device configured to fit in the space below a vehicle without hindering the inspection of the undercarriage of the vehicle. Photoelectric lasers or laser scanning systems may also be incorporated into the device. Data gathered by the cameras and/or laser systems can be transmitted to a controller and in some embodiments compared to standard data for recognition and potentially warning of an unexpected condition of the undercarriage without requiring physical human inspection.

Abstract: A method of preparing a reprogramming induced pluripotent stem cell from a human-derived somatic cell using a fusion protein in which a reprogramming inducing factor and cell permeable peptide (CPP) are fused, and a fusion protein in which a reprogramming inducing factor and a cell permeable peptide are fused are disclosed. According to the present invention, the induced pluripotent stem cell having high efficiency and high stability can be prepared by maximizing the effect of the reprogramming inducing transcription factor beyond the existing viral peptide transporter, in inducing the reprogramming of the somatic cell.

Abstract: An improved luminescent optode is disclosed that is capable of conducting a self-test to determine the quality of the optode's measurement of the concentration of a quenching molecule in a fluid, along with a method for conducting the self-test.

Abstract: A liquid storage device for a propellant tank in a spacecraft includes a gas-guide tube, a cover plate, a housing, blades, a supporting column, a base, a passage-window pressing plate, a passage-window mesh piece, a liquid-storage-device mesh piece, a fixing block, and a pressing plate for the liquid-storage-device mesh piece. The blades are uniformly distributed on and fixed to the support column in a radial direction to form an integral structure, and the integral structure is mounted on and fixed to a circular partition plate in the base. The liquid-storage-device mesh piece is pressed on the circular partition plate in the base by the pressing plate for the liquid-storage-device mesh piece and then is fixed. The passage-window mesh piece is pressed on the outer side of a cylinder wall of the base by the passage-window pressing plate and then is fixed.

Abstract: A narrow-profile straddle-type motorized snow vehicle specially configured and adapted for traversing inclined mountain slopes, having a continuously variable transmission (CVT), the primary and secondary pulleys thereof mounted rearwardly of the motor and not on the side of the motor to thereby reduce the width of the vehicle in the critical region between the operator's legs where the engine is located and typically straddled by the operator. A single ski is further provided to utilize the narrow profile of the vehicle in the region of the operator's legs, which in conjunction with the re-configured positioning of the vehicle CVT transmission allows the operator to better lean the vehicle when traversing an inclined slope and be able to simultaneously avoid contact with the up slope and/or snow thereon by protruding legs or transmission components which would otherwise impede passage of the vehicle across an inclined slope.

Abstract: An adjustable drill has a drill body having a face surface with a directional feature provided therewith. At least one cartridge is mounted adjacent the face surface and selectively slidable along the directional feature to provide adjustment. At least one insert is releasably affixed in an insert pocket provided in the cartridge. In further examples, the adjustable drill may have a central cutting system in combination with the adjustable cartridge type system, wherein the central cutting system may be modular. There may also be provided a modular type of holder arrangement to provide flexibility to adapt the system for various applications.

Abstract: A self-assembled carbon structure such as a carbon opal is disclosed herein. The structure is composed of hydrophilic carbon spheres oriented in a periodic colloidal crystal structure, wherein the carbon spheres have a porous surface, wherein the carbons spheres have an average particle diameter less than 3000 nm. Also disclosed is an inverse opal structure that includes a plurality of voids in the structural material. The voids are regularly arranged in an ordered periodic structure, the voids having a spherical shape. The inverse opal structure has a specific surface area greater than 100 m2/g and method for making the same together with materials that employ the same.

Abstract: A process for calibrating and evaluating a machine-vision vehicle wheel alignment system having front and rear imaging components associated with each of the left and right sides of a vehicle support structure. Each pair of imaging components defines a front and rear field of view, with a common overlapping region associated with each respective side of the vehicle support structure. Optical targets disposed within each of the overlapping field of view regions are observed by the imaging components to establish performance ratings for the system as a whole, for groups of components within the system, and for individual components within the system.

Abstract: Various monolithic pavers are one-piece pavers with no seams, joints, or connections. A monolithic paver can be formed via three dimensional (3D) printing or molding. The monolithic paver is designed to carry applied loads to paver support(s) via structural members of the monolithic paver. The monolithic paver is formed to include parallel structural members that are spaced with gaps there between. The parallel structural members include top flanges and webs. The parallel structural members can also include bottom flanges. Moreover, the monolithic paver can have exterior sides that have tongues and grooves formed there along; tongues can be formed along adjoining exterior sides of the monolithic paver.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for a high capacity oil filter configured to remove contaminants from engine oil flowing within an internal combustion engine. The oil filter comprises a hollow canister having a length and a diameter suitable for housing a large filtration medium. A base gasket forms a fluid-tight seal between the oil filter and the engine. A base plate circulates oil from the engine through the oil filter. An anti-drainback valve prevents oil from draining out of the filter and passages within the engine when the engine is not operating. A key aspect of the present disclosure is that the relatively large dimensions and the configuration of the filtration media provide a large surface area for entrapping contaminants flowing with the engine oil.

Abstract: A thermally managed electrical supply unit is provided. The unit contains an energy unit comprising a battery or a battery pack; a casing of a porous thermally conductive framework comprising a phase change material on at least one surface of the energy unit; at least one heat flux rectifier unit on the thermally conductive framework casing; wherein a surface of the heat flux rectifier opposite to the PF/PCM casing is subject to cooling. Also provided is a method for thermal management of an energy unit comprising absorption of heat from the energy unit within a phase change material, transfer of the heat energy from the phase change material through a heat flux rectifier and removal of the heat transferred across the heat flux rectifier. The flow of heat across the heat flux rectifier is irreversible and the heat flux rectifier acts as an on/off switch to control the heat flow.

Abstract: Vehicles and methods for controlling internal combustion engine rotational speeds are disclosed. Vehicles described herein include an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and a plurality of drive wheels mechanically coupled to the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine. Embodiments described herein determine a target wheel torque, determine a base increase rate of engine rotational speed, increase an engine rotational speed of the internal combustion engine based on the base increase rate of engine rotational speed, determine an estimated wheel torque, determine an updated increase rate of engine rotational speed based on the target wheel torque and the estimated wheel torque, and increase the engine rotational speed of the internal combustion engine based on the updated increase rate of engine rotational speed.

Abstract: The present invention achieves a balanced discharging in a power storage system having a plurality of storage batteries connected in parallel. A power storage system comprises a plurality of storage batteries 100a-100f connected in parallel, a storage battery device 120 at least setting an output voltage value at discharge to each of the plurality of storage batteries 100a-100f. The storage battery device 120 includes a discharge control circuit 121 configured to assign at least one storage battery of the plurality of storage batteries for a master based on at least a battery residual capacity or a battery voltage and set the output voltage value so that the output voltage value differs between the master and the storage battery.

Abstract: This invention relates to nuclear power engineering and may be used in power plants with liquid metal lead containing coolants, particularly in fast neutron reactors. The invention helps improve the safety of nuclear power plants.

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.