Abstract: A utility knife includes a blade, a housing to store the blade, an actuator, and a pinion gear to deploy the blade. The pinion gear includes one or more sets of teeth that are engaged with a fixed rack of the housing and a sliding rack of the blade holder. The pinion gear is also coupled to the actuator, which is configured to linearly translate the pinion gear. As the pinion gear linearly translates between front and back ends of the housing, the pinion gear rotates due to its engagement with the fixed rack. The further engagement between the pinion gear and the sliding rack causes the sliding rack to advance in the same linear direction as the pinion gear by a distance that is greater than the linear distance traversed by the pinion gear, thereby advancing or retracting the blade connected to the blade holder.

Abstract: A cooking system includes a housing defining a hollow chamber configured to receive food. The housing has an upper portion defining an opening to said hollow chamber. A lid is movable relative to the housing between an open position and a closed position. The lid seals the opening to the hollow chamber when in the closed position. A portion of the lid is selectively positionable to form a pressure-tight heating volume between the hollow chamber and the portion of said lid. At least one heating element is associated with at least one of the housing and the lid. The at least one heating element is arranged within the pressure-tight heating volume.

Abstract: An electronic display includes a display panel that operates in a single display mode to provide a single display, or a dual display mode to provide two displays separated by an inactive region. The electronic display includes the display panel and a panel driver. The display panel includes a left pixel region, a right pixel region, and a middle pixel region between the left and right pixel regions. In the single display mode of the electronic display, the panel driver provides first gate signals generated from first input data to the left, right, and middle pixel regions. In a dual display mode, the panel driver provides second gate signals generated from second input data to the left and right pixel regions. The first input data has a first resolution that is larger than a second resolution of the second input data.

Abstract: A method includes capturing video frames of a video item to be transmitted as a livestream and delivering the video frames to a queue for an encoder of a user device. The method further includes determining that a subset of the video frames have been discarded. The discarding indicates that the subset of the video frames did not enter the encoder. The method further includes determining a frequency of discarded video frames. Responsive to the frequency exceeding a threshold frequency, the method includes reducing quality of the video item transmitted as the livestream based on the frequency by reducing one or more of frame rate of the user device, resolution of the user device, or encoder bitrate of the encoder.

Abstract: A telecommunications panel has various features for removably mounting patching devices to the panel. The telecommunications panel includes mounting flanges and ramp elements for facilitating mounting and removal of patching devices. The ramp element is associated with a receptacle opening of the panel and configured to contact a flexible latch of the patching device and depress the flexible latch as the patching device is received in the receptacle opening.

Abstract: Example aspects of a sliding disc assembly for a dual spring valve, and a method of operating a dual spring valve are disclosed. The sliding disc assembly can comprise a shaft defining a first end and a second end; a disc mounted on the shaft between the first end and the second end, the disc defining an upper disc surface, a lower disc surface, and an annular base surface; a first spring mounted on the shaft between the lower disc surface and the first end of the shaft; and a second spring mounted on the shaft between the upper disc surface and the second end of the shaft, wherein the first spring defines a spring force that is different from a spring force of the second spring.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell for a lithium battery includes a negative electrode, a positive electrode, a polymeric separator, and composite flame retardant particles including a particulate host material and a flame retardant material carried by the particulate host material. The composite flame retardant particles may be positioned within the electrochemical cell along a lithium-ion transport path or an electron transport path that extends through or between one or more components of the electrochemical cell. The composite flame retardant particles may be positioned within polymeric portions of a laminate structure that defines a housing in which the electrochemical cell is enclosed.

Abstract: A hinged object, such as a door, window, gate, lid, etc., comprises a first hinge, a second hinge, and an electromechanical locking device mounted on or in the hinged object. A first electrical wire is embedded in the hinged object that couples the electromechanical locking device to the first hinge, the first hinge to couple to a low-voltage power source to supply low-voltage electrical current to the electromechanical locking device via the first electrical wire. A second wire is embedded in the hinged object that couples the electromechanical locking device to the second hinge, the second hinge to couple to the low-voltage power supply to return low-voltage electrical current from the electromechanical locking device to the low-voltage power supply via the second electrical wire.

Abstract: An example valve includes: a pressure compensation spool configured to be subjected to a first fluid force of fluid received at a first port acting in a proximal direction; a pressure compensation spring disposed in a pressure compensation chamber and applying a biasing force on the pressure compensation spool in a distal direction; a turbine configured to rotate as fluid flows through the valve; and a flow area configured to throttle fluid flow from the first port to the pressure compensation chamber, wherein fluid in the pressure compensation chamber applies a second fluid force on the pressure compensation spool in the distal direction, such that the pressure compensation spool moves to a particular axial position based on force equilibrium between the first fluid force, the second fluid force, and the biasing force to throttle fluid flow from the pressure compensation chamber to a second port.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for post-tensioning in masonry-based system, especially concrete support systems. In one embodiment, a system is presented that can include an anchor, pocket-former, and bolt, wherein the pocket-former can be configured to engage each of the anchor and bolt to facilitate securing of the system to a form. In another embodiment, a method of post-tensioning is presented, wherein a tendon can be suspended at the live end via connections facilitated by a pocket-former. In another embodiment, a system and method of post-tensioning is presented that prevents a pocket and anchor from being contaminated with debris that could ultimately compromise the integrity of the tensioned material.

Abstract: A ceiling vent assembly has a frame and a pair of louvers pivotably mounted in the frame such that each of the louvers pivots between an open position and a closed position. Each of the louvers has a pivot end, wherein the pivot end of a first louver of the pair of louvers is located adjacent to but spaced apart from the pivot end of a second louver of the pair of louvers. The ceiling vent has a sealing mechanism positioned in the space between the first and second louvers so as to press on the pivot ends of the first and second louvers such that the sealing mechanism reduces the flow of air through the space. When the first and second louvers pivot between the open and closed positions, the pivot end of the first and second louvers slide relative the sealing mechanism.

Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes, among other things, a cargo bed of a vehicle, a first crossbar spanning the cargo bed, and a second crossbar spanning the cargo bed. The first and second crossbars are slidable relative to the cargo bed. The first and second crossbars are slidable relative to each other.

Abstract: A communications device may include an RF device, and an antenna. The antenna may include a conductive ground plane, an elongate support extending from the conductive ground plane, and a helically wound conductive strip carried by the elongate support. The communications device may have a coaxial cable coupling the RF device and the antenna. The coaxial cable may include an inner conductor and an outer conductor surrounding the inner conductor. The outer conductor may be coupled to the conductive ground plane and the inner conductor may extend through the conductive ground plane and be coupled to a proximal end of the helically wound conductive strip.

Abstract: A lighting device includes a flexible housing, at least two light emitting elements, and at least one mounting member. The flexible housing extends along a length direction of the lighting device and has an inner surface configured to reflect light. The at least two light emitting elements are arranged along the length direction of the lighting device and are mounted to the flexible housing. The at least one mounting member is an integral component of the flexible housing and extends continuously along the length direction of the lighting device. The at least one mounting member includes a base section and a sequence of mounting sections. At least two of the mounting sections are separated from each other by a recess. The sequence of mounting sections extends from the base section of the at least one mounting member.

Abstract: A multi-window user interface (UI) is presented in various configurations and operational uses to leverage the relatively large display canvas afforded by large screen display devices such as 4K or 8K displays. Along with the various “Multiview” aspects, content delivery techniques, content selection techniques, and level of service techniques also are presented.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and method for securely delivering and updating software on a peripheral device in an area network. Software for a peripheral device is obtained from an entity responsible for the functionality of the peripheral device. The software is validated for functionality and integrity, and it is then encrypted at the headend of a network infrastructure which securely delivers the software to a processor responsible for controlling the interface of the area network. The processor decrypts the validated software, and it delivers the validated software to a peripheral device on the area network. The validated software is executed on the peripheral device, such that the peripheral device executes an authentic version of the software from the entity responsible for the functionality of the peripheral device.

Abstract: Seals for pressure control fittings are disclosed, where such pressure control fittings are located at a wellhead, for example. Embodiments of cam lock seals, a spring-driven ball race seal and wedge seals are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for training a neural network. One of the methods includes receiving training data; training a neural network on the training data, wherein the neural network is configured to: receive a network input, convert the network input into a latent representation of the network input, and process the latent representation to generate a network output from the network input, and wherein training the neural network on the training data comprises training the neural network on a variational information bottleneck objective that encourages, for each training input, the latent representation generated for the training input to have low mutual information with the training input while the network output generated for the training input has high mutual information with the target output for the training input.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for providing communication recommendations to users. The system receives electronic transcripts associated with a first user and generates, based on the transcripts, a communication profile of the user. The system also receives additional user transcripts associated with a plurality of additional users and generates additional communication profiles for those additional users based on the additional transcripts. The system receives a request to communicate with at least one user within the plurality of additional users regarding a specified topic, identifies a second user from within the plurality of additional users, and generates a communication initiation recommendation for the first user to communicate with the second user. The system then transmits the communication initiation recommendation to a first user computing device associated with the first user.

Abstract: A package for enclosing an oral care device includes a first layer and a second layer removably coupled to the first layer. The second layer includes a first section configured to enclose a first portion of an oral care device, a second section configured to enclose a second portion of the oral care device, and a formed region disposed between the first section and the second section, wherein the formed region is configured to prevent the first portion from moving from the first section into the second section.