Abstract: The present disclosure is an irrigation device for promoting the deep root growth of a plant. The irrigation device may comprise a tube and a hose, wherein the hose may have one or more slits that allow liquid to seep out if the water pressure in the hose is too high. The water pressure may get too high if the pores of the soaker hose become temporarily clogged, which may happen if a fertilizer solution is put into the irrigation system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a propulsion apparatus that generates a propulsion force of a flying body, comprising: a propulsion rotor; a motor configured to pivotally support and rotate the propulsion rotor; power generation unit configured to generate power for driving the motor; and a housing configured to store the power generation unit, wherein the housing is arranged outside an airframe of the flying body, and the motor is connected to the housing.

Abstract: A cultivation floor system has a floor on which plant containers are to be placed. The system includes a watertight basin and a water-permeable structure in the basin, which structure has a permeable top cloth which forms the top side of the floor on which plant containers are placed. The structure includes one or more water-retaining layers. A watering installation supplies water so that water is available for the plants in the plant containers. A perforated film is placed between the permeable top cloth on the one hand and the one or more water-retaining layers on the other hand, which perforated film is made of impermeable film material which is provided with distributed perforations in such a manner that the film reduces the free evaporation surface for water from the one or more water-retaining layers.

Abstract: A seat track assembly is disclosed. The seat track assembly includes an elongate titanium crown, an elongate carbon-fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) flange, and an elongate CFRP base. The elongate titanium crown is configured to removably secure a plurality of seats to the seat track assembly. The elongate CFRP flange is configured to support the elongate titanium crown. The elongate CFRP base has a top, two sidewalls extending vertically from opposing sides of the top, and two bottom flanges each extending laterally outward from a corresponding sidewall of the two sidewalls. A fastener is insertable through aligned holes defined by the elongate titanium crown, the elongate CFRP flange, and the elongate CFRP base to mechanically fasten the elongate titanium crown, the elongate CFRP flange, and the elongate CFRP base to each other.

Abstract: A rotor system for an aircraft includes an open rotor assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades connected to a rotor mast via a yoke, wherein the rotor assembly is tiltable between a first position corresponding to an airplane mode and a second position corresponding to a helicopter mode; and a drive system for providing rotational energy to the open rotor assembly via the rotor mast, the drive system comprising at least one electric motor for providing rotational energy to a drive shaft and a gearbox connected to the drive shaft for receiving rotational energy from the at least one electric motor via the drive shaft and providing rotational energy to the rotor mast via a rotor shaft; wherein the drive system is rotatable relative to the wing about a tilt axis and the rotor shaft is coaxial with the drive shaft.

Abstract: A sap collecting device includes a top end, a bottom end, and a sidewall extending between the top and bottom ends. The sidewall defines a generally tapering cross-sectional profile as the sidewall extends from the bottom end toward the top end. At least a portion of the bottom end is open, and the sidewall defines a notch along a location between the top portion and the bottom portion to provide a handle for holding the sap collecting device. A taphole is located on the sidewall that is configured to engage a tap. The taphole is positioned generally below the notch defined by the sidewall and is communication with the open portion of the bottom end.

Abstract: An assembly for moving a tip of an airfoil (e.g., an aircraft wing tip) relative to a fixed body of the airfoil. The assembly includes a linear actuator configured to pivotally attach to both the fixed body of the airfoil and the movable tip of the airfoil, such that the linear actuator is configured to extend between a first pivotal attachment on the fixed body and a second pivotal attachment on the movable tip. The linear actuator is configured to repeatedly move the tip of the airfoil from an unfolded position to a folded position, wherein throughout such movement the linear actuator is configured to pivot about both the first and second pivotal attachments.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for accelerating an aircraft fuselage boundary layer via a fan powered by an APU of the aircraft are disclosed. An example aircraft includes a fuselage, an APU, and a fan. The fuselage includes an outer skin. The APU is located within the fuselage. The fan includes a plurality of fan blades arranged circumferentially about the APU and projecting radially outward from the outer skin. The fan further includes a fan drive operatively coupled to the APU. The fan drive is configured to rotate the fan blades in response to a supply of electrical energy provided to the fan drive from the APU. The rotation of the fan blades accelerates a fuselage boundary layer traveling rearward along the outer skin from a first velocity to a second velocity greater than the first velocity.

Abstract: An automatically unfoldable beekeeping apparatus includes: a bottom unit installed in a loading unit of a vehicle; a shelf frame rotatably coupled to an end of the bottom unit; a first link unit configured to connect the bottom unit and the shelf frame to each other, support the shelf frame disposed in a vertical state by being bent into the shelf frame when the shelf frame is folded, and support the shelf frame disposed in a horizontally state by being unfolded to the outside of the shelf frame when the shelf frame is unfolded; and a first driving unit configured to connect the bottom unit and the first link unit to each other and dispose the shelf frame connected to the first link unit in a vertical or horizontal state by rotating the first link unit in one direction or the other direction.

Abstract: A wing for an aircraft is disclosed having a main wing, a slat, and a connection assembly movable connecting the slat to the main wing, wherein the connection assembly includes an elongate slat track, wherein the front end of the slat track is mounted to the slat, wherein the rear end and the intermediate portion of the slat track are mounted to the main wing by a roller bearing comprising a guide rail mounted to the main wing and a first roller unit mounted to the rear end of the slat track and engaging the guide rail, and wherein the roller bearing includes a second roller unit mounted to the main wing and engaging an engagement surface at the intermediate portion of the slat track.

Abstract: A hybrid propulsion system for use with an aircraft includes a gas turbine engine, at least one propulsor, and an electric power system. The electric power system is coupled to the gas turbine engine to generate electrical energy and the propulsor to provide electrical energy to drive the propulsor. The electric power system includes a thermal management system configured to cool a heat load generated by the electric power system.

Abstract: A jet engine includes a housing, an intake portion leading into the housing, and an exhaust portion leading from the housing. The exhaust portion includes an exhaust duct and a tail cone arranged radially inwardly of the exhaust duct. An engine portion is arranged in the housing between the intake portion and the exhaust portion. A generator is arranged in the tail cone and is operatively connected to the engine portion. A drive shaft extends from the engine portion to the generator. The drive shaft includes a first end coupled to the engine portion, a second end connected to the generator, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween. The intermediate portion includes a cooling passage that extends from the second end toward a terminal end that terminates short of the first end of the drive shaft.

Abstract: A trellis post comprises a moulded plastic tubular element defining a central post, the central post providing an interior and defining two flanges extending from opposed sides of the central post. The flanges extend along the length of the tubular element and define a series of spaced apart slots for receiving wires. The trellis post defines a ground engaging spike at one end. The moulded plastic tubular element is reinforced with an internal stake extending through the interior of the post and a supporting/filling material is located between the stake and the interior of the central post. The filling material may be a foamed plastics material, mortar, concrete, and Portland cement.

Abstract: One embodiment is an aircraft operable in a hover mode and a cruise mode and including a fuselage; wings connected on opposite sides of the fuselage; a canard connected to the fuselage forward of the wings; forward propulsion systems connected to a trailing edge of the canard on opposite sides of the fuselage; aft propulsion systems connected to trailing edges of the wings; and wing-mounted propulsion systems connected to leading edges of the wings. The aft propulsion systems are tiltable between a first position when the aircraft is in the hover mode and a second position when the aircraft is in the cruise mode. Each of the propulsion systems includes a rotor assembly comprising a plurality of rotor blades. The propulsion systems are substantially equidistant from a center of gravity (CG) of the aircraft.

Abstract: Techniques for minimizing diurnal temperature variation of a radiator of a spacecraft are disclosed. In one aspect, a spacecraft includes a body, a radiator panel, and a heat dissipating unit thermally coupled with the radiator panel. The spacecraft is configured to operate in an orbital plane, and has a yaw axis within the orbital plane and directed from a spacecraft coordinate system origin toward nadir, a pitch axis orthogonal to the orbital plane, and a roll axis orthogonal to the pitch axis and the yaw axis. The radiator panel includes a surface area external to a body of the spacecraft, a first portion of the surface area facing a first direction that is substantially parallel to the roll axis, and a second portion of the surface area facing a second direction that has a substantial component parallel to the yaw axis.

Abstract: A large animal lifting and moving apparatus includes a frame having a front end and a rear end, the frame, a drive shaft rotatably coupled to the frame, a drive motor coupled to the frame and operatively coupled to the drive shaft; the drive motor selectively powered by a power source, and one or more roller chains coupled to the drive shaft. The frame is structured to support a large animal between the front end and the rear end and structured to be moved during operation of the large animal lifting and moving apparatus. When the drive motor is powered by the power source, the drive motor drives the drive shaft and the roller chains coupled to the drive shaft.

Abstract: A modular unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system comprises a body module, a rotor module, and a wing module. The body module includes a flight controller and a power distribution device. The body module is releasably attachable to the rotor module or the wing module, and the body module is releasably attachable to the rotor module. The rotor module includes one or more motors and electronic speed controllers (ESCs), while the wing module includes a wing having a flap, elevator, aileron, or rudder. Various UAV configurations can be formed from the body module, the rotor module, and the wing module. Each configuration includes different advantages for flight time, distance, battery life, and payload capacity. A UAV can be configured to a particular configuration to optimize parcel delivery.

Abstract: The livestock trough and system comprises a perimeter wall, a bottom, an upper rim, one or more fence coupling members, and a slot, the slot being defined by the perimeter wall and adapted to be positioned adjacent to a central support member of a fence. One or more reinforcement members extend radially from a position adjacent to the slot to an inside surface of the perimeter wall. The central support member comprises a vertical elongated tubular element such as a pipe. In certain embodiments, the central support member comprises an H configuration and the slot is further defined by an interior wall such that a lower portion of a vertical post perimeter is coaxially arranged within the slot and a horizontal brace member spans between a first vertical post and a second vertical post.

Abstract: A method (110) for monitoring at least one aquaculture pond (112) is proposed. The method (110) comprises: a) monitoring at least one aerial parameter of use of the at least one aquaculture pond (112); b) determining a temporal development of the aerial parameter of use; and c) determining an intensity of use of the aquaculture pond (112) by using the temporal development of the aerial parameter of use.

Abstract: A rotorcraft seating assembly includes a seat base supporting a seat bucket, the seat base having left- and right-side panel portions. Each side panel portion has a linear bucket guide channel set into its inside face (including an upper portion for adjusting the seat bucket relative to the seat base for pilots of varying heights, and a lower portion for energy attenuation (EA) stroking in response to a crash event) and a bucket guide slot set into its outside face (including a linear upper portion corresponding to the range of adjustment of the seat bucket and a curved lower portion allowing the seat bucket to translate forward and away from the seat base during EA stroking). The curved outer bucket guide slot allows for the required EA stroking distance within a minimal vertical space between the seat bucket and the flight deck floor.