Abstract: A fluid dispenser having a liquid release bottle with suction bellows which is incorporated into a flat mop. This embodiment includes an exterior wall, an interior chamber surrounded by an exterior wall and a cap on the liquid intake member. The exterior wall includes a suction bellows to create a suction within the interior chamber of the liquid release bottle. A downward force on the handle activates a suction bellows to create a suction on the interior chamber of the liquid release bottle enabling fluid retained in the interior chamber to flow out of a duck-bill valve and into flexible tubing which will then flow through the tubing and out an opening of a yoke so that the fluid can flow onto a front of a scrubbing portion of the mop to facilitate cleaning. An alternative embodiment replaces the liquid release bottle with a liquid squeeze bottle.

Abstract: It is common practice in modern radar to utilize some type of downconversion to an intermediate frequency or baseband before analog-to-digital conversion takes place. Several microwave components are needed for this downconversion process, including a tunable local oscillator, bandpass filters, amplifiers, and other signal conditioning devices. The present invention eliminates many microwave components in the radar receiver by sampling the received signal directly, without downconversion or mixing. The manipulation of the received signals that was formerly done with microwave hardware is now done in a digital signal processor. In addition to simplifying the receiver hardware, this invention will also lead to better utilization of the frequency band, less interference from adjacent bands, improvements in system reliability and stability, reduction in system operation and maintenance costs, and will facilitate future system modifications and upgrades.

Abstract: A plant growth measurement and prediction system uses drone-captured images to measure the current growth of particular plant species and/or to predict future growth of the plant species. For example, the system instructs a drone to fly along a flight path and capture images of the land below. The captured images may include both thermographic images and high-resolution images. The system processes the images to create an orthomosaic image of the land, where each pixel in the orthomosaic image is associated with a brightness temperature. The system then uses plant species to brightness temperature mappings and the orthomosaic image to identify current plant growth. The system generates a diagnostic model using the orthomosaic image to then predict future plant growth.

Abstract: A drawer slide apparatus mounted to a drawer slide assembly for moving a drawer slidingly within a cabinet provides push-to-open and soft close functionality while further providing a depth and alignment adjustment of the drawer relative to the cabinet carcass. The apparatus comprises a housing including a soft close track, a damper, and a carriage slidable within the soft close track. A guide block comprising a set of channels within a stationary part and a movable part for providing the depth and alignment adjustment. A pin, slidable within the carriage, has a first end engaged with the soft close track and a second end simultaneously engaged with the guide block provides the soft close and push-to-open functionalities.

Abstract: A snap-in mounting bracket with a generally “U” shaped cross-section. A set of mounting holes are spaced along the web of the bracket and correspond to existing holes in prefabricated cabinets or closets over a range of industry standard sizes. A guide flange extends from the web proximate the middle of a first edge. End flanges curve around the ends of the first edge. A pair of spring flanges extend from the web on a second edge opposite the middle guide flange. A universal slide assembly is removably secured to the mounting bracket between the flanges. The end flanges and the spring tension of the spring flanges hold the slide assembly in place. Different closet organizer components such as tie racks, pant racks, and belt racks can be affixed to the slide assembly for slidable deployment along the vertical partition out of the closet.

Abstract: A snap-in mounting bracket with a generally “U” shaped cross-section. A set of mounting holes are spaced along the web of the bracket and correspond to existing holes in prefabricated cabinets or closets over a range of industry standard sizes. A guide flange extends from the web proximate the middle of a first edge. End flanges curve around the ends of the first edge. A pair of spring flanges extend from the web on a second edge opposite the middle guide flange. A universal slide assembly is removably secured to the mounting bracket between the flanges. The end flanges and the spring tension of the spring flanges hold the slide assembly in place. Different closet organizer components such as tie racks, pant racks, and belt racks can be affixed to the slide assembly for slidable deployment along the vertical partition out of the closet.

Abstract: A vertically adjustable rotary shelf assembly for use within a corner cabinet is provided. The shelf assembly includes an inner pole telescopically engaged with an outer pole. Disc shaped shelves are adjustably attached. A first height adjustment assembly provides a “macro” adjustment between the inner pole and the outer pole. A second height adjustment assembly provides a “micro” adjustment. The second height adjustment provides a shaft having a threaded section, a thumbwheel threadably engaged with the threaded section, and a two lobed cam. Rotation of the thumbwheel adjusts the vertical position of the outer pole, the shelves, and an attached cabinet face to align the cabinet face with the adjacent cabinets. A flexible cam follower is provided. The flexible cam follower engages the two lobed cam to bias the cabinet face in a “home” position.

Abstract: An intake for a downhole pump includes an outer tubular member having a central axis. In addition, the intake includes an inner tubular member disposed within the outer tubular member. The inner tubular member is radially spaced from the outer tubular member to form an outer annular flow path radially positioned between the inner tubular member and the outer tubular member. Further, the intake includes a central shaft rotatably disposed within the inner tubular member. The central shaft is radially spaced from the inner tubular member to form an inner annular flow path radially positioned between the central shaft and the inner tubular member. Still further, the intake includes a plurality of inlet apertures extending radially through the outer tubular member and in fluid communication with the outer annular flow path. Each of the plurality of inlet apertures has a circumferential width W between 5% and 50% of a total circumference of the outer tubular member.

Abstract: A product database describing products and attributes associated with the products is identified. Some attributes have values including words. A dictionary including the words is identified. The dictionary is partitioned into synonym classes of words. A representative word from the dictionary is selected. Replacement rules are identified, each of which replace a target word with the target word's corresponding representative. For each product in the database, the replacement rules are applied to produce a standardized product database.

Abstract: A wood-based blasting material is formed for introduction into a blasting fluid by mixing high-density pellet particles of various sizes. The pellet particles are formed from sawdust or fiber pressed under high pressure, resulting in brittle pellets. The pellets may then be crumbled and screened into particles of an appropriate size. The particles do not disassociate into their constituent materials when mixed with the blasting fluid, and thus maintain their density during use in the abrasive blasting process.

Abstract: Methods and systems of heating a body of crushed hydrocarbonaceous material to produce hydrocarbons therefrom can involve heating multiple zones of the body of material sequentially. An exemplary method can include forming a body of crushed hydrocarbonaceous material having a first zone and a second zone. The first zone can be heated in a first heating stage to form a dynamic high temperature production region in the first zone. A cooling fluid can then be injected into the first zone after the high temperature production region forms. The high temperature production region can move into the second zone in a second heating stage. Hydrocarbons can be collected from the body of crushed hydrocarbonaceous material during both the first and second heating stages.

Abstract: A wood-based cement additive is formed by mixing high-density pellet particles of various sizes. The additive is to be introduced into a cement source to create a slurry mixture. The density of the mixture of pellet particles is selected to be less than the density of the particular cement type in which the pellet particles are introduced. The pellet particles are formed from sawdust or fiber pressed under high pressure, resulting in brittle pellets. The pellets may then be crumbled and screened into particles of an appropriate size. The particles do not disassociate into their constituent materials when mixed with the cement, and thus maintain their density during use in the cementing process.

Abstract: A system, for calculating an object location within a portal, includes a portal map formed by a plurality of infra-red beams. The system further includes a broken beam detector for detecting and recording, in response to an object moving through the portal map, data indicative of one or more broken beams of the plurality of infra-red beams. The data includes first data indicative of an initial position of the object within the portal, second data indicative of a subsequent position of the object within the portal, and third data including one or more time records. The system also includes at least one broken beam analyzer for obtaining the data from the broken beam detector, the broken beam analyzer calculating the object location based on at least one of the first data, the second data, and the third data.

Abstract: A method for cementing a tubular member within a subterranean wellbore extending from a surface into a subterranean formation and through a hydrocarbon reservoir includes (a) injecting a gas from the surface into an annulus surrounding the tubular member within the wellbore. In addition, the method includes (b) flowing cement through a throughbore of the tubular member. Further, the method includes (c) displacing the cement from the throughbore of the tubular member into the annulus. Still further, the method includes (d) reducing a pressure of the gas in the annulus during (c).

Abstract: Disclosed is a self-closing, soft-close compact hinge comprising of a hinge cup pivotally connected to a hinge body via a hinge arm. A coil spring wrapped around the hinge cup provides the self-closing functionality and biases the hinge to a closed position. A damper is contained within the hinge cup in the path of the swinging hinge arm and guided by a damper cover fixedly attached to the hinge cup. The hinge body is comprised of three separate plates adjustably connected to each other with cam screws. The position of the hinge body with respect to the hinge arm is adjustable in three directions without the need for removal or loosening of mounting hardware used to attach the hinge body to a furniture piece.

Abstract: A drawer slide apparatus mounted to a drawer slide assembly for moving a drawer slidingly within a cabinet provides push-to-open and soft close functionality while further providing a depth and alignment adjustment of the drawer relative to the cabinet carcass. The apparatus comprises a housing including a soft close track, a damper, and a carriage slidable within the soft close track. A guide block comprising a set of channels within a stationary part and a movable part for providing the depth and alignment adjustment. A pin, slidable within the carriage, has a first end engaged with the soft close track and a second end simultaneously engaged with the guide block provides the soft close and push-to-open functionalities.

Abstract: Disclosed is a self-closing, soft-close compact hinge comprising of a hinge cup pivotally connected to a hinge body via a hinge arm. A coil spring wrapped around the hinge cup provides the self-closing functionality and biases the hinge to a closed position. A damper is contained within the hinge cup in the path of the swinging hinge arm and guided by a damper cover fixedly attached to the hinge cup. The hinge body is comprised of three separate plates adjustably connected to each other with cam screws. The position of the hinge body with respect to the hinge arm is adjustable in three directions without the need for removal or loosening of mounting hardware used to attach the hinge body to a furniture piece.

Abstract: A system and method allowing customization of a user-interface into a data repository are disclosed. Customization options are provided via a hierarchy and/or compartmentalization of structured control files such as Extensible Markup Language (XML) files. The control files may be defined in a hierarchical fashion allowing a particular end-user or group of end-users to customize their interface without impacting other users of the same data and user-interface system. Compartmentalization of functions to specific files may also aid in ease of maintenance of customizations. Customization may include an ability to customize what data is shown on a screen and which capabilities are available on each screen for data interaction pertaining to a particular job responsibility. Capabilities to provide these and other customization options to an end-user are disclosed in a non-limiting embodiment of an import export trade transaction storage and retrieval system.