Abstract: Comminution process of wood veneer to produce wood particles, by feeding wood veneer in a direction of travel substantially normal to grain through a counter rotating pair of intermeshing arrays of cutting discs arrayed axially perpendicular to the direction of veneer travel, wherein the cutting discs have a uniform thickness (Td), to produce wood particles characterized by a length dimension (L) substantially equal to the Td and aligned substantially parallel to grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) substantially equal to the veneer thickness (Tv) and aligned normal to W and L, wherein the W×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces with end checking between crosscut fibers.

Abstract: A system and method facilitating delivery of a fully-integrated physical item providing access to non-physical content is presented. The method includes enabling access to an electronic greeting card, exclusive content, promotion, and/or store credit from a remote system after a gift key is linked to a local system. The system includes a local system and a gift key facilitating access to an electronic greeting card, exclusive content, promotion, and/or store credit after linkage between the local system and the gift key. The gift key includes a decorative cover, an integrated circuit, and an antenna or physical connector. The local system is a personal computer, a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet computer, or a Smart TV. A gift key could be disposed along a box, a bag, a ribbon, an envelope, or a gift wrapping or configured as a sticker with an adhesive backing.

Abstract: An apparatus for disinfecting a fluid has a fluid-containing structure; an inward-facing first electrically conductive cylindrical body contained within said fluid-containing structure; an outward-facing electrically conductive-second cylindrical body disposed within said first cylindrical body, in mutually facing parallel and coaxial relation thereto, and spaced apart therefrom to define a fluid-occupiable cavity; a power supply electrically coupled between said first cylindrical body and said second cylindrical body, said power supply producing therebetween an electric field, said field comprising a waveform approximating a series of alternating square wave pulses of opposite polarity, said pulses having a maximum absolute value of approximately 60 volts per centimeter, a complete cycle of said waveform, comprising a first pulse and a succeeding pulse of opposite polarity, recurring with a frequency of between about 2 kHz: and about 5 kHz and providing about 2 amps to about 4 amps.

Abstract: A protective garment for use while cleansing at least a portion of a user's body including: a lower garment, wherein the lower garment is adapted to releasably shield at least a portion of at least one lower extremity of an associated user while exposing an associated user's anal region; wherein the lower garment comprises a flexible, substantially waterproof member which includes: an upper region, wherein the upper region comprises a lower garment securement member which enables substantially water-tight releasable securement of the lower garment to an associated user; and a lower region, wherein the lower region and the upper region are spaced apart from one another to define a lower garment length. The protective garment optionally includes an upper garment and/or a base member.

Abstract: A precast concrete meter pit consisting of a plurality of precast concrete hollow elongated cylindrical wall sections in end to end relation to one another is fabricated by utilizing a slip form packerhead apparatus in which the wall sections are formed with an annular slip ring when concrete is injected into the slip form apparatus.

Abstract: Comminution process of wood veneer to produce wood particles, by feeding wood veneer in a direction of travel substantially normal to grain through a counter rotating pair of intermeshing arrays of cutting discs arrayed axially perpendicular to the direction of veneer travel, wherein the cutting discs have a uniform thickness (Td), to produce wood particles characterized by a length dimension (L) substantially equal to the Td and aligned substantially parallel to grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) substantially equal to the veneer thickness (Tv) and aligned normal to W and L, wherein the W×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces with end checking between crosscut fibers.

Abstract: A vacuum-pressure swing absorption concentrator includes a motor driven compressor having pressure and vacuum heads that are connected to a pressure reservoir and a vacuum reservoir respectively. The pressure and vacuum reservoirs are selectively and alternately interconnected in sequence through a main valve to a pair of nitrogen filtering sieve beds. A controller operates the valve to alternately and cyclically interconnect the sieve beds to the pressure and vacuum reservoirs respectively. During each cycle, a respective bed is pressurized and enriched oxygen is produced and delivered to a tank for use by a patient. At the same time, the other bed is evacuated through the vacuum reservoir. A crossover valve delivers oxygen from a pressurized bed to an evacuated bed to facilitate purging of impurities previously collected in the evacuated bed.

Abstract: A biomass baler having a baling chamber adapted to receive tall grass biomass material and a compression system adapted to compact the tall grass biomass material into a parallelepiped bale in the chamber, wherein the baling chamber has a front wall consisting essentially of a reciprocating compression platen corresponding in dimensions to the width W and height H of the bale, opposing upper and lower walls corresponding in dimensions to the length L and either of the W and H of the bale, and opposing sidewalls corresponding in dimensions to the L and the other of the W and H of the bale, and wherein the compression system is adjustable by conventional controls to apply at least one operator-selectable compression platen pressure of between 22 psi and 30 psi to the tall grass biomass material in the chamber.

Abstract: A mattress, mattress foundation, upholstered furniture article and/or filled furnishing article for use in residential and institutional occupancies includes outer removable cover that incorporates a mechanism to visually communicate that the outer removable cover has been opened and the internal components of the mattress, mattress foundation, upholstered furniture article or filling furnishing article has been potentially tampered with. Also disclosed are covers having resealable closing system and a tamper evident seal, and methods for providing an outer removable cover assembly for an article of furniture.

Abstract: A bipolar battery construction is disclosed comprising a substrate, openings in the substrate, an electrically conductive material placed within the openings, a negative and positive current collector foil placed on opposing sides of the substrate and negative and positive pasting frame members. The electrically conductive material may have a melting point below the thermal degradation temperature of the substrate.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for preparing food and/or beverage preservatives or stabilizers are disclosed. To prepare such a preservative composition, an ingestible anti-corrosion agent, such as an ingestible agent including a lower alkyl carboxylic acid moiety, is combined with a suitable food grade polymer. The anti-corrosion agent and polymer are admixed in a particular order to maximize the preservative properties thereof.

Abstract: A configurable hearing protection device capable of attachment to a temple support bar of any pair of eye or safety glasses. The device is a single elongated shaft having a securement loop at one end, an earplug attachment means at a second end, and a plurality of securing nubs disposed in between. The elongated shaft is wrapped around the frame of a pair of glasses and cinched tightly to prevent it from moving around while in use. The securement nubs hold the end of the securement loop in place so that it does not loosen and slip off of the glasses frame. Any suitable earplug may be removably secured to the earplug attachment means. The device is flexible and can be manipulated into a position of the user's choosing.

Abstract: Methods for producing silver-bonded antimicrobial moist wound dressings include adding a silver-containing compound to a 0.1-30% aqueous solution of an alkaline solvent to dissociate silver ions from the silver-containing compound; dissolving CMC in water or an organic solvent to obtain a CMC solution; mixing the silver ion-containing solution with the CMC solution so that the hydrogen ions (H+) of the hydroxyl groups of the CMC are replaced by the silver ions to prepare a silver-CMC compound; dispersing and absorbing the silver-CMC compound in a medium; and drying the medium.

Abstract: A portable trash container for holding a removable plastic bag for storing paper, bottles, cans, and like trash. The holder includes rectangular front and rear panels, each having a top, bottom and side edges, (b) two side panels, each having two rectangular, foldable parts with top, bottom and side edges, (c) side hinges which connect the adjoining side edges of said side panel folding parts so as to allow them to fold together along said hinges, (d) primary hinges which connect the side edges of said front and rear panels to the outer side edges of said side panel folding parts so as to allow the side panels to be folded so that the front and rear panels can be brought into close and overlapping proximity to one another, and (e) a top ring that is adapted to fit over the top edges of said panels so as to locate and hold open the opening of a throw-away, trash collection bag.

Abstract: A transport system including a fleet of semi-trailer trucks, wherein a plurality of the semi-trailer trucks are loaded with rectangular bales of tall grass biomass, wherein the total weight of the bales is greater than 90% of the sum of the maximum transport weight capacities of the loaded semi-trailer trucks, wherein the total volume of the bales is greater than 80% of the sum of the maximum transport volumes of the loaded semi-trailer trucks.

Abstract: An intramedullary fixation device having a distal section; a proximal section; a connecting member for adjustably securing the distal and proximal sections end to end along a longitudinal axis; a screw securing the proximal section to a first bone; and a screw securing the distal section to a least one different bone. The connecting member is rotated to provide compression across a bone arthrodesis site to be stabilized and fused. Also described is a method of utilizing the intramedullary fixation device with an outrigger assembly.

Abstract: An oven system is disclosed that includes an oven housing. A door is hingedly attached to the housing through a locking assembly designed to lock and seal an opening in the housing. The locking assembly includes floating latch and hinge systems which can be translated into and away from the opening of the housing.

Abstract: An industrial feedstock of plant biomass particles having fibers aligned in a grain, wherein the particles are individually characterized by a length dimension (L) aligned substantially parallel to the grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) normal to W and L, wherein the L×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel side surfaces characterized by substantially intact longitudinally arrayed fibers, the W×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces characterized by crosscut fibers and end checking between fibers, and the L×W dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel top and bottom surfaces, and wherein the particles in the feedstock are collectively characterized by having a bimodal or multimodal size distribution.