Abstract: A system for manufacturing rod-like articles, comprising a machine for manufacturing the rod-like articles or a feeding device for delivering the rod-like articles, a first measuring unit for measuring at least one quality parameter of the manufactured rod-like articles, a device for dividing a stream of the rod-like articles into a first stream and into a second stream, a first transferring device, which receives the first stream of the rod-like articles and transfers this stream as an output stream of the rod-like articles manufacturing system, a second transferring device which transfers inspected rod-like article to the output stream of the rod-like articles on the first transferring device.

Abstract: A method of securing a blade to an apparatus for cutting vegetation, wherein the apparatus includes a first and a second blade contacting structure. The method includes providing an elongated blade that is configured and arranged to be relatively flexible; and positioning the elongated blade between the first blade contacting structure and the second blade contacting structure such that the first blade contacting structure makes contact with a first surface of the elongated blade and the second blade contacting structure makes contact with a second surface of the elongated blade. The positioning step results in a plurality of bending forces being applied to the first and second surfaces of the elongated blade via the first and second blade contacting structures, thereby bending the elongated blade, and whereby the bending forces secure the elongated blade to the apparatus for cutting vegetation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical touch-sensitive device and a method of determining a position and determining a position change of an object contacting an optical touch sensitive device. In particular, the present invention relates to an optical touch pad and a method of determining a position and determining a position change of an object contacting an optical touch pad. A touch-sensitive device, according to the present invention may comprise a light source, a touch-sensitive waveguide, a detector array, and a first light redirecting member, wherein at least a part of the light propagating towards a specific point of the detector array is prevented from being incident upon the specific point of the detector array when an object contacts a touch-sensitive surface of the touch-sensitive waveguide at a corresponding specific contact point.

Abstract: A hinged-breech weapon includes a receiver, a barrel part arranged to be tiltable around a rotational axis on the receiver, a front shaft removably fastened on the barrel part, and a bearing piece arranged on the rear end of the front shaft, when viewed in the firing direction of the hinged-breech weapon. The bearing piece includes rear bearing surfaces for pivotable mounting on the front mating surfaces of the receiver and a positioning device for adjustment of the position of the bearing piece relative to barrel part. The positioning device includes a clamping element movable in the bearing piece in the longitudinal direction of front shaft and adjustable by a control element for mounting on a stop arranged on the barrel part.

Abstract: A wraparound cover for a step or a seat includes rods on opposed ends beneath the step and tie wraps engaging the rods through holes in the opposed ends to secure the cover to the step. Each opposed end may be bifurcated into two parts to accommodate a riser supporting the step. In such configuration, a rod and holes are formed at each of the parts to accommodate tie wraps for drawing the rods in opposed parts of the opposed ends toward one another to secure the wraparound cover about the step or the seat.

Abstract: Provided is a derivative of 22-hydroxycholesterol, 24S-hydroxycholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol, 26-hydroxycholesterol or 27-hydroxycholesterol. Also provided is a protein conjugated to the above derivative. Further provided is an antibody composition comprising antibodies that specifically bind to 22-hydroxycholesterol, 24S-hydroxycholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol, 26-hydroxycholesterol or 27-hydroxycholesterol. Additionally, a method of making antibodies that specifically bind to 22-hydroxycholesterol, 24S-hydroxycholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol, 26-hydroxycholesterol or 27-hydroxycholesterol is provided. Also, a method of assaying for 22-hydroxycholesterol, 24S-hydroxycholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol, 26-hydroxycholesterol or 27-hydroxycholesterol is provided. Additionally provided is a kit for detecting 22-hydroxycholesterol, 24S-hydroxycholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol, 26-hydroxycholesterol or 27-hydroxycholesterol.

Abstract: The present application provides a system or kit for printing tempered chocolate. The system includes a first heated vessel for maintaining chocolate therein untempered, and a second heated vessel in fluid communication with the first heated vessel for maintaining chocolate therein within the range of about 84 degrees Fahrenheit and about 92 degrees Fahrenheit and tempered with about 0.5% to about 3% type V crystals. The system further includes a syringe pump configured to pump tempered chocolate and a nozzle. The system further includes a three-way valve for selectively coupling the syringe pump and the second vessel, or the nozzle and the syringe pump, in fluid communication to direct the tempered chocolate from the second vessel through the nozzle. The system further includes a control system for controlling the system such that the chocolate flowing from the nozzle includes greater than about 3% type V crystals.

Abstract: A method for remotely launching web search on a smartphone is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: a) wirelessly connecting a remote control with a microphone to the smartphone; b) opening a searching text input box; c) enabling the searching text input box with a voice IME (input method editor); d) speaking a word to be searched to the remote control; e) sending the voiced word to the handheld computer; f) transmitting the voiced word to a search engine with a speech recognition function through internet; and g) the search engine transmitting a search result to the smartphone.

Abstract: A beverage dispensing apparatus including a cabinet for retaining a beverage product and from which the beverage product is controllably dispensed. The cabinet includes structures and systems to make cooling more efficient and maintain more constant product temperatures. The structures and systems function to reduce heat transfer between beverage product stored in containers in the cabinet and the ambient environment. The apparatus maintains a minimal equipment footprint, maintains ease of installing and removing the beverage containers, and accommodates a variety of types of products and types of product containers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a water dispensing machine and a carbonated beverage dispensing system which facilitates a combination of carbon dioxide with water in a configuration which provides a smaller footprint and reduces or eliminates dependency on remotely located carbon dioxide tanks and flavoring systems. The system may be configured to produce only carbonated water or to allow the user to select carbonated water or chilled water, and, alternatively, ambient, unchilled water. A carbonator of the system introduces carbon dioxide to a chilled water stream using an injector with slots. This inline, on demand carbonation system provides benefits over carbonator tank systems which carbonate large volumes of carbonated water in bulk.

Abstract: An adapter piece for mounting weapon accessory parts on a handheld firearm having a main body which includes mounting elements for detachably attaching the weapon accessory parts. To ensure flexible and accurate mounting of the weapon accessory parts, a fastening element for detachably attaching the main body to a front stock of the handheld firearm is disposed on the main body.

Abstract: A method of operation of a device programming system includes: providing a target programmer, having a programming bus; coupling an electronic device, having a non-volatile memory, to the target programmer by the programming bus; and programming a data image into the non-volatile memory by the target programmer includes: subscribing to a broadcast message, receiving a logical block, of the data image, by the broadcast message for programming the non-volatile memory, and sending an unsubscribe message after receiving the logical blocks of the data image from the broadcast message.

Abstract: A tissue anchor (200, 258, 300) includes a shaft (122), a tissue-coupling element (128), and a flexible elongate tension member (202). The tissue-coupling element (128) includes a wire (150), which is shaped as an open loop (154) having more than one turn when the tissue anchor (200, 258, 300) is unconstrained. The tension member (202) includes a distal portion (204) that is fixed to a site (206) on the open loop (154), a proximal portion (208), which has a longitudinal segment (209) that runs alongside at least a portion (210) of the shaft (122), and a crossing portion (212), which (i) is disposed between the distal and the proximal N portions (204, 208) along the tension member (202), and (ii) crosses at least a portion of the open loop (154) when the tissue anchor (200, 258, 300) is unconstrained.

Abstract: A system to calculate line feed error in labels on a printer includes a holder assembly under the label line feed and before the printer burn line; a first sensor and a second sensor on the holder assembly, a fixed distance, L, between them; and a processor. The first sensor senses a first position of a label edge, L1A. The second sensor senses a second position of the label edge, L1B. The processor calculates the distance, L1AB, between the first position and the second position and calculates the line feed error over the fixed distance, L, by taking the difference (L?L1AB). The processor calculates the feed correction to be done to the label, given by [(L?L1AB)/L]×D, where D is a distance between the first sensor and the burn line of the printer. The processor instructs the printer line feed to implement the calculated feed correction.

Abstract: A direct thermal printer including a latch assembly, a media storage assembly, a media centering assembly, a print assembly, and a temperature sensing member. The latch assembly includes a single latch lever in mechanical communication with latch tabs disposed in the cover of the printer that are received by openings in the base of the printer to engage and disengage the cover from the base. The media storage assembly includes media guides with removable tabs having more than one available position to provide storage of different size media. The media centering assembly includes pulley assemblies that bias the media guides towards each other to secure media between the media guides. The print assembly includes a platen disposed in the base of the printer having cams on each end that are rotatable and positioned to adjust printing characteristic of a printhead disposed in the cover.

Abstract: The method includes the steps of: a) connecting a handheld touchscreen computer with a first display to a personal computer with a second display and mouse, wherein a screen picture of the handheld touchscreen computer is projected on the second display as a subwindow, and a cursor is shown on the second display; b) directly moving the cursor by the mouse when no item in the subwindow is clicked; c) calculating a displacement quantity of the cursor against a virtual origin of the subwindow when an item in the subwindow is being clicked; and d) generating a mouse event to an item of the handheld touchscreen computer at a position corresponding to the displacement quantity.

Abstract: A suck-back valve selectively actuatable for dispensing liquid in its open condition from an associated liquid storage container, and for avoiding continued presence of excess dispensed liquid about the exit orifice in the closed condition of the valve, is formed at least in part of a spring member and a pin. The spring member includes a distal web that defines a valve seat and a dispensed liquid exit orifice, a proximal web, and a plurality of flexibly elastic bands helically connecting the distal and proximal webs. The pin includes an elongated shaft having a proximal end secured to the proximal web and carrying a substantially hollow frustoconical cone at its distal end. The cone has an outer valving surface for releasable abutment with the valve seat and the shaft has a bore of predetermined cross-sectional extent defined longitudinally along and within the shaft to create a continuous fluid passageway through and along the pin.

Abstract: A propellant tool for use in a hydrocarbon bearing formation. The tool includes a tubular body having a connector on each end for connection with other tubular members within a tubular string. A coded marker is positioned on the tubular body and a propellant chamber is positioned on an outside surface of the tubular body. A propellant ignition mechanism positioned on the tubular body for igniting the propellant in the propellant chamber.

Abstract: A method for forming a coated particle having a core particle that is fully coated by a dual-layer coating that includes an inner layer formed of a hydrophilic composition and an outer layer formed of a hydrophobic polymer. The core particles are added to a hydrophilic solution and mixed together. The hydrophobic polymer is then added to form a mixture. The mixture is sonicated to coat the particles and the coated particles are separated and dried to form meta-stable coated particles.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a wireless electronic communication device, in particular a mobile phone, including a transceiver, a display, a keyboard, an antenna to be used with GSM 2G 800/900/1800/1900 MHz radio frequencies. The antenna is mounted in a antenna socket inside a casing, wherein the antenna socket is made in the form of a notch at the back of the casing and vertical walls of the notch being spatially shaped, preferably along a wavy serrated line. The ratio of a circumferential length of the wavy edge line (Lz) to a length of the inner contour of the notch (L) satisfies the following relationship: Lz/L>1.4, wherein Lz is the circumferential length of the wavy edge line and L is the length of the inner contour of the antenna socket notch.