Abstract: A circular track (11) constructed to open and close supports a truck (4) riding on the track (11). A packaging material feeder (7) is mounted on the truck (4) to feed packaging material (6) from a packaging material coil (5). Part of the item for packaging (8) is placed in the closed circular track (11) and is supported by means of a support (9). A drive mechanism for moving the truck (12) is set along the circular track (11) and is engaged with the truck (4) . The drive mechanism is operated with a motor stationarily mounted to the track to move the truck along the circular track (11). There is no need to mount the motor to the truck. Accordingly, it is possible to make the truck compact and decrease the curvature radius of each corner of the circular track. This results in the possibility of wrapping a relatively large item for packaging and at the same time make a packaging device simple and compact in its entirety.

Abstract: The invention is a trigger sprayer comprising a tubular nozzle bushing and a nozzle cap rotatable on the bushing. The nozzle cap has an end wall with a first swirl chamber formed on the rear face thereof offset from the axis. Passages to a second chamber are diametrically opposite the first chamber. Both chambers have orifices directed out the front of the cap. The first orifices is surrounded by a foaming sleeve. The second orifice is positioned forward of the first orifice so that the spray cone emanating from the second orifice does not hit the foaming sleeve. The cap can be rotated to connect liquid from the delivery tube to the swirl chamber for one or the other orifices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for plasma cutting includes a cutting power supply, preferably a buck converter, and a compressor. The cutting power supply provides power to a plasma torch, and the compressor provides air to the torch. The air compressor is integrated into the plasma cutter, and includes a compressor motor, preferably with a buck convertor power supply, or having the motor windings are part of the buck converter that is the cutting power supply. The motor is regulated regulator to a fixed setpoint or a user setpoint by a compressor regulator in response to a feedback signal, preferably a compressor motor voltage feedback signal. The compressor also turns the compressor on and/off in response to a trigger and/or cutting current feedback signal and has an on/off circuit responsive thereto in various alternatives.

Abstract: Described are preferred processes for conditioning semiconductor devices with deuterium to improve operating characteristics and decrease depassivation which occurs during the course of device operation. Also described are semiconductor devices which can be prepared by such processes.

Abstract: A mounting apparatus is provided. The mounting device including an anchor secured within a cavity of a cap by a lip. The cavity is configured to allow coaxial rotation of the anchor and cap in a first configuration and rotation of the cap about the longitudinal axis of the anchor in a second configuration. The mounting device may further be provided with a collar to prevent the over-insertion of the anchor in use.

Abstract: A method and system for capturing support materials in carrier frames in the manufacture of seat components for chairs including moving the support material to an openable mold press forming a mold cavity for the carrier frame when the mold press is closed, shaping the support material, and molding the carrier frame to capture the shaped material in the carrier frame. In one embodiment, the support material is stretched as it is moved to the mold press, and/or in the mold press before molding the carrier frame. Excess support material is removable from an outer side portion of the carrier frame after molding the carrier frame and before discharging the carrier frame and support material captured thereby from the mold press.

Abstract: A system and method for application-directed variable-granularity consistency management, in one embodiment, carries out the steps of: predefining a template specifying a structure of a file; imposing the template on the file including registering fields/records within the file for consistency; creating an index table for the file; detecting a write to the file, at one of a file system server and a file system client; and queuing, upon detecting the write to the file and in the event a portion of the file to which the write occurs is registered for consistency, the write for propagation to another of the file system server and the file system client.

Abstract: A MIG welding gun has a diffuser with an external thread and a frusto-conical back ramp. A nozzle assembly includes an insert with a back ramp and a thread that mates with the diffuser thread. The threads of the diffuser and insert have respective ramps that mate. A single turn of the nozzle assembly on the diffuser causes simultaneous engagement of the insert and diffuser back ramps and of the insert and diffuser thread ramps. Such engagement centers the nozzle to be concentric with the diffuser and also produces a wedging action that retains the nozzle assembly on the diffuser until a relatively substantial reverse torque is applied to the nozzle assembly. The nozzle front end has a narrow annulus, which reduces the amount of radiant heat from the welding arc that reaches the nozzle.

Abstract: A nut plate is formed from a generally U-shaped clip having first and second elongated legs and a connecting leg extending therebetween. The first leg has an opening therein for receipt of a nut and for securing the nut in the leg. The second leg has a pass-through opening opposing the nut opening. The nut is fully passed through the pass-through opening for securing in the first leg. The nut can be positioned in the first leg without deflection and urging away of the legs from one another. A method for making the nut plate includes the steps of forming an elongated strip, forming a nut opening in the strip and forming a pass-through opening in the strip. The strip is bent to define a clip having the first and second legs and the connecting leg. The clip can be heat treated. A nut is then passed through the pass-through opening into the nut opening and is secured to the first leg.

Abstract: A storage rack system, locking latch therefor, and combinations thereof. The latch having generally a flexible and resilient arm coupleable to a beam member and having a locking pin coupled thereto. The resilient arm biases the locking pin through a locking pin opening of the beam member so that the locking pin protrudes at least partially into a post opening aligned at least partially with the locking pin opening when the beam member is connected to the post by a headed lug. A locking flange extending generally radially from the locking pin is engageable with a portion of the beam member to inhibit withdrawal of the locking pin from the locking pin opening.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention permits production of the complete monolithic cross flow trap module in a single extrusion process followed by firing to sinter the plasticized ceramic material and remove the plastics to achieve open porosity. Consequently, the trap modules can be made in large production quantities at minimal cost.

Abstract: A fuzzy steering controller for wheel-type agricultural vehicles with an electrohydraulic steering system is disclosed. The fuzzy controller was developed based on a common-sense model of agricultural vehicle steering. The controller implements steering corrections based upon the desired steering rate and the error between the desired and the actual wheel angles. The controller consists of a variable fuzzifier, an inference engine with a steering control rulebase, and a control signal defuzzifier. The controller could be used on different platforms. Tuning of the fuzzy membership functions will accommodate for physical differences between the platforms. The controller achieves prompt and accurate steering control performance on both a hardware-in-the-loop electrohydraulic steering simulator and on an agricultural tractor.

Abstract: A method for conversion of carbon dioxide to methanol comprises contacting formate dehydrogenase enzymes, formaldehyde dehydrogenase enzymes and additional dehydrogenase enzymes selected from the group consisting of alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes and methanol dehydrogenase enzymes with the carbon dioxide in the presence of a terminal electron donor to produce the methanol. The intermediate reduction reactions are assisted by retaining the enzymes in a microporous matrix.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hand lever-operated spray pump (3), particularly for attaching to bottles (2) or similar, having a pump plunger (6) which moves linear in a pump chamber (7) on the housing side and which is connected with the hand lever (5) at the rear of a mouth piece opening (9) and which returns to its starting position as a result of a spring loading, and proposes, for the purpose of achieving a structurally simple, functionally reliable solution, to allocate two hinge points (I, II) to the hand lever (5) one of which (I) is movable in a linear guide on the housing side and the other (II) is arranged on the housing on the side opposite to the mouthpiece (9). In such a way that both hinge points (I, II) are connected by means of two buckling bridge sections (a, b).

Abstract: In the present scalable system routing method, received packets are associating with threads for processing the received packets. While a previously received packet is being processed, arrival of an interrupt is checked. If there is an interrupt, a thread is created associating the interrupt is created. Then, a determination of whether the thread associated with the interrupt has a priority that is higher than the priority of a thread associated with the previously received packet is made. If the thread associated with the interrupt has a higher priority than the previously received packet, the thread associated with the previously received packet is saved in a Shared Arena storage area. However, if the thread associated with the interrupt does not have a higher priority than the previously received packet, the thread associated with the interrupt is queued.

Abstract: A polymer-coated metal fastener is provided which has both improved ease of drive into a substrate, and improved resistance to withdrawal from the substrate. The coated fastener is prepared by heating a metal fastener, or a portion of it, to about 400-2000° F. and cooling in an aqueous medium containing an acrylic or modified acrylic polymer. The rapid cooling causes formation of a thin yet durable polymer coating on the fastener.

Abstract: The body bolt absorber assembly includes a lower body absorber made from rubber or a similar material with an undersized aperture, formed either during manufacture or by subsequent piercing, to slideably engage and capture a bolt. The lower body absorber further includes interior cylindrical walls with an inwardly extending lip thereby forming a chamber to engage and capture a washer. The washer includes an aperture through which the shaft of the bolt passes. The engagement and capture of the bolt and the washer provides for a one-piece modular assembly.

Abstract: A toggle-action dispensing closure includes a base having an upper edge, and internal thread or bead for securement to a container, and a recessed deck disposed beneath the upper edge and having a fluid dispensing opening. A dispensing disk or actuator is pivotally mounted to the base above the deck, and includes a seal for cooperating with the dispensing opening for selectively opening and closing the dispensing opening. A lug element on a periphery of the disk has a sharp edge in opposed abutment with the upper edge of the base to resist first movement of the actuator to open the dispensing opening. First movement of the actuator to open the dispensing opening causes permanent deformation at the upper edge of the base and/or at the lower edge of the element, such that the element and the edge present lesser resistance to opening of the actuator after such first opening.

Abstract: A method and system for presenting a visual representation of search results relating to information on a computer network. A complex relevance rating scheme for generating a relevance rating for each match of the search results. The display space is defined with a display space relevance profile. A visual representation of the matches is determined and positioned within the display space according to the match relevance rating and the display space relevance profile.