Abstract: A power distribution box assembly having a power distribution box, a plurality of wire assemblies, a holder and a plurality of sets of resilient fingers. The power distribution box having a housing, which defines a plurality of terminal cavities, and a plurality of conductive busbars, each of which terminating at a busbar terminal that is received in a corresponding one of the terminal cavities. The wire assemblies are coupled to the busbar terminals and extending from a rear side of the housing. The holder is received in the rear side of the housing and engaged to the housing in a snap-fit manner. The holder has a plurality of wire channels, each of which receiving an associated one of the wires. Each set of resilient fingers has at least one finger that is resiliently coupled to the holder and configured to engage an associated one of the wires.

Abstract: Navigation systems and vehicles for providing traffic information pertaining to pre-defined locations of interest are provided. A navigation system or a vehicle may present a traffic location input control on a display of the navigation system or vehicle, detect a tactile input indicative of a selection of a traffic location icon shown on the display, and automatically provide traffic information pertaining to a location of interest associated with the selected traffic location icon. A navigation system or a vehicle may determine a route between a current position and the farther of a first pre-defined location of interest and a second pre-defined location of interest, provide traffic information pertaining to the determined route, and deactivate turn-by-turn navigation.

Abstract: Described are tunable multiport optical filters that filter systems with many optical channels in a convenient and cost-effective manner. The tunable multiport optical filters of the invention are simple in design and have few optical components. The basic elements are a dispersion element and a rotating mirror. With properly arranged arrays of input and output optical fibers, individual wavelength components from a selected input beam are spatially separated and steered by the rotating mirror to selected output locations. The optical properties from the selected components may be measured by one or more photodetectors. The filters are also useful for selecting and routing optical signals.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a flat bottom pillow pouch that can stand upright on its bottom transverse seal. The flat bottom pillow bag can be made from the same film as a standard pillow pouch and requires less film than prior art stand up packages. The flat bottom pillow pouch disclosed herein has no gussets.

Abstract: The present invention overcomes many of the shortcomings inherent in previous containers for packaging potato chips and/or crisps, corn based chips and/or crisps, cookies and the like. The improved implosion-resistant container of the present invention utilizes flowing geometries mechanisms which allow a hermetically sealed container to smoothly change its geometric shape thereby adjusting its internal volume in response to changes in environmental conditions. These volumetric adjustments compensate for changes in environmental conditions thereby avoiding the random buckling and deformation inherent in current packaging techniques which detracts from the commercial presentation of the container. The improved container of the present invention may also include a variety of other stress dissipating mechanisms that counteract the forces causing thermo-plastic container deformation, implosion and loss of seal integrity.

Abstract: Devices, methods and systems describe a turn signal activation system. As the navigation system determines that the vehicle is approaching a turn or other operation, the turn signal may be automatically activated in the appropriate direction (e.g., right-turn signal for a right turn, and a left-turn signal for a left turn). Once the navigation system determines that it is appropriate to deactivate the turn signal, the turn signal may be automatically deactivated. In this fashion, other drivers on the road may be able to anticipate the actions of the vehicle based on the activation and deactivation of the turn signals, and thereby prevent accidents from occurring.

Abstract: A vehicle battery temperature control system includes a battery, a heating device, a housing, a heat exchanger and a sensor. The battery has a heat sink that transfers thermal energy to the battery. The heating device is selectively operable to provide thermal energy. The housing includes a chamber that contains the battery and a saturated liquid coolant that substantially immerses the heat sink, and the coolant receives the thermal energy from the heating device to cause a phase change of the coolant from liquid to vapor to heat the heat sink which heats the battery. The heat exchanger removes thermal energy from the vapor to change the vapor to liquid and returns the liquid to the chamber. The sensor detects a characteristic of the vapor and signals operation of the heating device to provide the thermal energy based on a relationship between the characteristic and a threshold.

Abstract: A console assembly having a seal, such as a bead, operable to prevent water seeping though the opening from coming into contact with the electrical component is provided. A top panel of the console assembly includes an opening, and a stick shift disposed within the opening. The shifter housing is disposed within the center console is configured to hold an electrical component. An elongated member extends outwardly from the first shifter housing side wall towards the first cover wall. The seal is disposed above the electrical component. The seal is engaged between the first cover wall and the elongated member. A bead biases a portion of carpet against the side wall to retain the carpet in an upright position and prevent moisture from entering the shifter housing.

Abstract: A storage container having a pivotable door pivotable between an open and closed position is provided. The storage container includes a housing configured to hold the pivotable door and a biasing member operable to bias the pivotable door between the open and closed position. A mount is disposed on the pivotable door. The mount includes a loading member. The biasing member is operatively connected to the mount. The biasing member is configured to engage the loading member so as to retain the biasing member in a fixed position with respect to the pivotable door prior to assembling the pivotable door to the housing. A method for installing or assembling a storage container having a pivotable door is also provided.

Abstract: A multi-layer bio-based composite film with a bio-based heat seal layer. The compostable bio-based film can comprise a crystalline bio-based heat seal layer and an amorphous bio-based barrier web layer. The heat seal layer has a second heat melting temperature which is lower than its first heat melting temperature.

Abstract: Systems and methods include seismic data stacking derived from a set of image volumes. Stacking includes finding a sub-set of seismic image volumes (and in some implementations their respective stacking weights) or multiple realizations of sub-set of seismic image volumes from a given set that are consistent and similar to each other. Some or all of the input seismic image volumes can be stacked together as they would be with a conventional stack. However, the signal-to-noise ratio can be enhanced by only stacking those volumes that contain consistent and relevant information. Optimal stacking can utilize an algorithm that can be implemented in a moving window fashion.

Abstract: A subsea telescoping and rotatable connector or sub is coupled into a riser. The sub includes two coupled bodies that are both axially and rotatably moveable relative to each other such that the sub enables the riser to move axially in response to tension or compression in the riser and rotate in response to surface vessel rotation or other torques. The sub expands and contracts in response to the tension or compression in the riser, and swivels in response to surface vessel rotation.

Abstract: A park lock of a transmission, including a park gear; a park pawl rotating about a pawl shaft, the park pawl having a pawl portion locking the park gear, the park pawl including a cam contact portion; a park rod responsive to an operation of a controller, the park rod having a cam portion pressing the cam contact portion to have park pawl engage the park gear; a park sleeve receiving the cam portion and defining a first contact point providing a reactive force to the cam contact portion of the park pawl pressing against the cam portion at a second contact point; a pawl torsional spring biasing the park pawl towards disengagement; and a pawl stopper limiting the rotation of the park pawl wherein motions are constrained within a plane of the transmission and components are rotatingly disposed in parallel axis bores in one half of a transmission case.

Abstract: A vehicle headliner assembly includes a roof bow, a headliner, an alignment member and a fastener. The roof bow includes an attachment portion defining a first slot. The headliner includes a mounting portion defining a first aperture aligned with the first slot. The alignment member is non-movably attached to the roof bow at the first slot and defines an alignment hole that coincides with the first slot. The fastener includes an attachment projection that extends through the first aperture, through the alignment hole of the alignment member and through the first slot. The attachment projection has a retaining surface that contacts a surface of the roof bow adjacent to the first slot and faces away from the headliner such that the fastener retains the headliner to the roof bow.

Abstract: A continuous oil fryer used to fry food slices, such as potato chips, having an internal oil stripping capability. The fryer accumulates the steam produced by the frying process in a hood and utilizes such steam, after superheating the steam by passing it through a heat exchanger, to strip oil from product immediately upon removal from the hot oil bath by passing the superheated steam through a product bed while on an output conveyor. The superheated steam removes oil from the product on the output conveyor without increasing the moisture level of the product. The fryer therefore accomplishes the same function as a low-oil stripper without increasing the footprint of the frying unit and with less energy.

Abstract: Systems and methods for electrochemical surface area retention of fuel cell catalyst using hydrogen crossover are disclosed. One fuel cell system embodiment comprises a fuel cell including an anode having a fuel gas supply and a cathode having an air supply and a controller. The controller is configured to detect a high voltage condition in the fuel cell and increase hydrogen partial pressure in the cathode when the high voltage condition is detected.

Abstract: A process for forming thermoelectric nanoparticles includes the steps of providing a reducing agent, and at least one first metal; mixing the reducing agent and at least one first metal forming a premixed reducing solution; providing a second metal containing compound, and a core material; mixing the second metal containing compound and the core material forming a premixed second metal reaction solution separate from the premixed reducing solution; and mixing and reacting the premixed second metal reaction solution with the premixed reducing solution. A spontaneous alloying occurs about the core material forming thermoelectric composite nanoparticles.

Abstract: A method for compacting a slug of product and apparatus for accomplishing the same. The invention describes collecting weighed product in an intermediate settling device to form a compact slug of product. The device can comprise a single settling chamber or can comprise multiple settling chambers which are axially rotatable. The slug can be compacted by jostling and/or vibrating the settling device. Thereafter, the product is discharged to a packaging apparatus. Because the product in the final package is denser, a smaller package can be utilized reducing manufacturing and shipping costs.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a storage stable pharmaceutical liquid solution for oral administration having a pharmaceutically effective amount of an antihistamine and having a purity equal to or greater than about 99% by weight-based HPLC assay, residual solvents of less than about 0.5%, and a total impurity of less than about 0.2%. The storage stable solution preferably contains cetirizine. The present invention further provides a process of preparing the storage stable pharmaceutical liquid solution as well as a method of treating a mammal with a therapeutically effective amount of cetirizine in the stable pharmaceutical liquid solution.

Abstract: Magnetic field manipulation devices and magnetic actuators are disclosed. In one embodiment, a magnetic field manipulation device includes an iron base substrate having a surface, and at least four electrically conductive loops embedded in the surface of the iron substrate. The at least four electrically conductive loops are electrically coupled to one another, and are arranged in the surface of the iron substrate such that the magnetic field manipulation device diverges magnetic flux lines of a magnetic field generated by a magnetic field source positioned proximate the magnetic field manipulation device. In another embodiment, the at least four electrically conductive loops are electrically isolated such that the magnetic field manipulation device converges magnetic flux lines of a magnetic field generated by a magnetic field source positioned proximate the magnetic field manipulation device.