Abstract: The exemplary embodiments herein provide a mildly kinetic barbell having a flexible tube with a hollow center, a first end, and an opposing second end. The barbell preferably has a stiffening element within the hollow center, a first plate stopper attached to the flexible tube near the first end, and a second plate stopper attached to the flexible tube near the second end. The barbell may also have a first loading sleeve at the first end with a second loading sleeve at the second end. Some embodiments also include rack bumpers placed adjacent to the plate stoppers and/or a knurl positioned on a central portion of the flexible tube.

Abstract: An apparatus having an accessory carrier that slides along an exercise rack and repositions an accessory through one-handed operation. A stationary handle fixedly mounts to the accessory carrier by first spacers. A moving handle mounts to the accessory carrier by second spacers. Each second spacer includes a barrel having an open end a closed end. A shaft extends through the barrel and the closed end and is mounted to the moving handle. As the moving handle moves to an engaged position, a pin end of the shaft slides out of the open end of the barrel and engages the exercise rack. This engagement prevents relative movement of the accessory carrier with respect to the exercise rack and fixes the accessory carrier at a selected position. A biasing member biases the moving handle to automatically engage the pin end and lock the accessory carrier in place.

Abstract: A charm keeper assembly that includes a first and a second clasp member disposed at respective free ends of a strand member and a charm keeper body having a keeper body thickness and independently disposed adjacent to a clasp member and having a spring-loaded charm retention member at least partially housed within the keeper body. The charm retention member includes a retention surface spanning upwardly in a transverse direction away from an outer surface of the charm keeper body to a terminal end defining a keeper offset length when the spring-loaded charm retention member is in a fully extended position along a retention member translation path. The assembly also includes at least one charm member defining a lumen with a lumen diameter having a maximum length less than the offset length and the keeper body thickness, combined, when the charm retention member is in the fully extended position.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a holder to support an indenter relative to a sample, a depth sensor, and a controller. The operations include applying a first force on the sample with the indenter and determining a first depth of the indenter based on data generated by the sensor, moving the indenter from the first depth to a greater predetermined depth, then applying the first force on the sample with the indenter and determining a second depth of the indenter based on second data generated by the sensor, and determining a value indicative of hardness of the sample based on a difference between the first depth and the second depth. The apparatuses described can use a single scale for hardness that enables hardness values for different materials to be compared to one another.

Abstract: Surgical methods involving cutting and sealing tissue include affixing a first adjunct material to tissue at a treatment site, such as by stapling the adjunct to tissue. A second adjunct material is applied to at least a portion of the first adjunct material such that the second adjunct material interacts with the first adjunct material to form a seal in an area of the tissue covered by at least one of the first and the second adjunct material. The resulting tissue sealing structure, which includes a combination of the two adjuncts, is believed to be superior to the sealing properties of either adjunct alone.

Abstract: Provided is a die roll for manufacturing softgels, a softgel, and methods for producing a softgel. The die roll includes a die roll surface and a pocket defined therein. The pocket includes a floor, an interior sidewall surface, a chamfer, and an exterior sidewall surface. The floor is recessed relative to the die roll surface and the interior sidewall surface is connected to the floor and extends above the die roll surface to the chamfer. The pocket also includes a landing surface that is elevated from the die role surface and connects the chamfer to the exterior sidewall surface of the pocket. The landing surface includes a taper (such that the landing surface tapers inwardly towards the pocket floor) and a radius (such that the landing surface is not flat). Also provided is a softgel having a trailing edge thickness that is at least about 40% the thickness of the softgel wall thickness.

Abstract: A treatment apparatus for a mixing device having a concentric barrel configuration. The treatment apparatus includes a manifold including an input end and an output end. The treatment apparatus also includes a conduit body having a manifold end and a nozzle end. The manifold end is connected to the output end of the manifold, and the conduit body includes at least one nozzle at the nozzle end of the conduit body opposite the manifold. At least one fluid pathway is formed between the input end of the manifold, the conduit body, and the at least one nozzle.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide RFID tag reading systems comprising: multiple sets of RFID readers at a retail shopping facility; a tag evaluation control circuit communicatively coupled with the multiple sets of RFID readers and at least one memory, and configured to: receive RFID tag information from the RFID readers; obtain and apply a first set of rules and identify a transition area within the retail shopping facility based on the received RFID tag information; identify a first set of RFID readers configured to read RFID tags as they move through the identified transition area; obtain and apply a second set of rules and establish a first null area adjacent the transition area configured to enable RFID tags crossing through the first null area and prior to entering the transition area to be in a predefined state when entering the transition area.

Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to device authentication in an IoT environment. For example, such technology is usable in authenticating IoT devices to an IoT Hub. In one example of the technology, data field targets are received for an IoT device. The data field targets may include at least one device identity data field target and at least one telemetry data field target. Data field entries are received from the IoT device at a first time. The data field entries may include at least one device identity data field entry and at least one telemetry data field entry. A determination is made as to whether the data field entries match the corresponding data field targets for the IoT device. The IoT device is selectively allowed to connect to the IoT hub based on the determination.

Abstract: A tray for containing a product includes a base, a lateral wall emerging from the base to define a containing seat adapted to receive the product. The lateral wall comprises at least one movable portion configurable between a first stable position, wherein the movable portion is placed in continuity with respect to the lateral wall, and a second stable position, wherein the movable portion protrudes from the lateral wall and defines an access passing through the lateral wall itself. Moreover, the present invention refers to a process and an associated apparatus of making said tray. Further, the present invention refers to a vacuum package using the above described tray and to a plastic film sealingly applied on the tray and closing the access, and also to a process and a packaging apparatus for making said package.

Abstract: An insulated container having a canister can be sealed by a lid structure. The lid structure can be a multi-part insulated lid. The lid can include a vent configured to vent air from inside the canister. In addition, the container may be part of a container kit or container system where one or more inner containers, are nested and secured within the insulated container.

Abstract: A metal detector detects when a target that is a desirable metal object is located within a medium. A signal is transmitted into the medium. A response signal is received from the medium. The response signal includes a secondary medium response signal from the medium and includes a secondary target response signal from the target when the target is located within the medium. The response signal is amplified to produce an amplified signal. Compensation circuitry perform transmit coil transfer function compensation on the amplified signal to produce a compensated signal. A notch module removes a resistive component of the secondary medium response signal from the compensated signal. A signal vector resistive component demodulator produces a vector resistive component output signal from output of the notch module. A vector reactive component demodulator produces a vector reactive component output signal from the output of the notch module.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for recovering metadata, the method comprising: identifying a corrupt or missing metadata entry, the corrupt or missing metadata entry being part of a mapping structure that is stored in a random-access memory (RAM) of a storage system; selecting a metadata backup page that is associated with the mapping structure; identifying a plurality of copies of the selected metadata backup page; identifying a most recent copy among the plurality of copies of the selected metadata backup page; and recovering the corrupt or missing metadata entry based on the most recent one of the plurality of copies of the metadata backup page.

Abstract: A method, computer system, and computer program product compose a business rule. A computer system displays a set of tiles within a first area of a graphical user interface, each tile corresponding to a set of data nodes that are composable into structured data objects according to a domain-specific language. Dragging a selected tile from the first area to a drop zone within a second area of the graphical user interface appends the corresponding set of data nodes into a structured data object. Receiving a user input that sets focus on the drop zone displays a text field that replaces the drop zone w. A drop-down list is associated with the text field. The drop-down list consists of a set of permissible tiles for data nodes that can be appended to the structured data object according to a context of the structured data object.