Abstract: An isolator system includes an isolator, passbox, clean booth, and decontamination gas supply. The isolator includes a sterile operation area and a wearing entity for an operator. The passbox enables introducing an object into the sterile operation area. The clean booth, encloses an insertion port of the wearing entity and an inlet port for introducing the object into the passbox. A clean gas supply supplies clean gas to the sterile operation area and to the clean booth. The decontamination gas supply supplies decontamination gas into the sterile operation area and the clean booth. After an interior of the sterile operation area and the clean booth are decontaminated, pressures of the sterile operation area and the clean booth are maintained at least equal to a building pressure and the pressure of the clean booth is maintained lower than a pressure of the sterile operation area.

Abstract: A wall panel system may comprise a plurality of panels which may be mounted to a wall. The panels have panel clips attached to the backside thereof. The wall has a plurality of horizontal joints attached thereto. The panel clips and the horizontal joints have tongues and grooves which allow the panel to be mounted to the wall. Preferably, the tongues are formed on the panel clips and point in the same direction. The grooves are formed on the horizontal joints and point in the opposite direction from the tongues. In this manner, the tongues can be inserted or hung into the grooves. The panels are locked in place by a plurality of horizontal caps which engage the horizontal joints and prevent the panel immediately below the horizontal caps from being removed.

Abstract: A locking mechanism of a seat for a vehicle, the seat including a seat back and a seat base, the locking mechanism including a recliner that reclines the seat back and locks the seat back in a position, the recliner and a memory ring being located on the axis, and when the memory ring is held relative to the recliner the seat back returns to an original position when the seat back travels in a forward direction from the original position past an upright position and then moves in a rearward direction back to the original position.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide apparatuses and methods for installing tile with a tile installation guide. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a tile installation guide comprising a guide body having a polygonal outer surface and an opening configured to surround a non-polygonal element.

Abstract: A reservoir with a foundation formed from ground-engaging segments which surround a base, interengaged vertical wall elements which are mounted to the segments, fasteners which fix the elements to the segments, and a liner which extends over the base and opposed inner surfaces of the elements.

Abstract: A seat backrest for a motor vehicle is provided with a framework, supporting a padding covered with upholstery and has an upper crossbar, to which are attached two coupling members supporting respective rods of a headrest; the coupling members have respective guides, which are made of plastic material, have respective guide holes to be slidingly engaged by the rods, and are fixed to the upper crossbar directly by way of adhesive material; in particular the coupling members have respective holding portions snap coupled to the upper crossbar.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus facilitate the construction of a building using prefabricated building units, each having a horizontal upper exterior surface and a plurality of vertical wall surfaces, wherein at least some of the prefabricated building units have at least one hollow column formwork structure. The prefabricated building units are lowered onto a pre-existing base at a construction site. A first story of the building is created by arranging a plurality of the prefabricated building units adjacent to each other on the base. Structural bearing material is applied to fill the hollow column formwork structures to create structural columns connected to the structural deck. Structural bearing material is applied to the horizontal upper exterior surfaces of the adjacent prefabricated building units to create a single structural deck over the prefabricated building units.

Abstract: Wall panel systems are provided. The systems use interlocking brackets to attach photovoltaic (PV), ceramic, or other rigid wall panels to an exterior wall of a building. The interlocking components include a plurality of wall mounting brackets configured to carry the dead loads of the respective wall panels, and a plurality of panel brackets that may be quickly hung from the wall mounting brackets. The wall mounting brackets are configured to be operatively fastened to an exterior wall surface, while each of the panel brackets is adhesively attached to the rear surface of a respective panel. Each of the wall mounting brackets and the nested panel brackets is substantially similar in dimension and configuration. Further, the system is configured to allow wall panels to be attached to the bracket assemblies in any sequence. A method for attaching architectural wall panels is also provided herein.

Abstract: A hybrid wind turbine tower support structure that combines pultruded fiber glass composites lineals with reinforced concrete, effectively creating a low cost structure for holding large, laterally-forced-thrusts from wind turbine rotor blades. The structure is designed to be lower in installed costs then its counterpart steel support structure, yet be capable of withstanding very large thrust loads, deflecting-under-load less than or equal to, but no more, under extreme wind loading, than its counterpart, steel support structure.

Abstract: An end clip for joining runners of suspended ceilings by coupling with an identical clip, the clip being stamped from sheet metal stock with lead and trailing ends, a lateral projection and a projection receiving area behind the lead end, the clip being arranged such that when an identical clip oriented in the opposite direction of the clip and caused to laterally overlap the clip the projection of the clip is locked in the receiving area of the identical clip and, vice versa, at least one of the projection and projection receiving area having a rearward facing sheared edge forming an acute angle with the clip plane resulting from being sheared with tooling having a clearance between tooling substantially greater than 10% of the thickness of the sheet from which the clip is stamped.

Abstract: Improvements in the design and construction of solar collector modules. Aspects of the invention include improvements in the layout of a frame for a solar collector module, and in the joining of structural members of the frame at nodes. In one example, a module of a solar collector includes a reflector and a three-dimensional structural frame that supports the reflector. The frame is made up of substantially rigid elongate frame members interconnected at nodes. Improved node connection components include hubs or frame members having tabs for receiving frame member connections. A tab may have a width that is substantial in relation to its height. The frame may incorporate asymmetry in its layout, in the size or presence of frame members, or in the positioning of the nodes.

Abstract: An actuator opens and closes a lid on a bulk storage container. The actuator may be activated remotely using a remote control. When actuated, the actuator will lift the lid so that it is clear of the structure, and will then rotate the lid in a horizontal plan about a vertical axis until the lid is rotated to uncover the opening. The axis of rotation is located near the perimeter of the opening, so that very little of the lid remains over the opening when in the open position. To close the lid from the open position, the remote control may then again be used to actuate the closing process. The closing process works in reverse of the opening process. Therefore, during closing, the lid will rotate back to its original orientation over the hole and then lower into the closed position.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the photovoltaic generation of electrical energy. The present invention relates more particularly to photovoltaic arrays for use in photovoltaically generating electrical energy. Aspects of the present invention provide a variety of photovoltaic roofing elements and systems that include, for example, interlocking geometries to provide for water handling and integration with conventional roofing materials; and wire management features that can protect wiring and associated electrical components from physical and/or environmental damage.

Abstract: A system for mounting solar modules comprising a plurality of racks and clamps. Each rack has an inclined upper mounting surface to support one of the solar modules and an inclined lower mounting surface to support one of the other solar modules. Each upper mounting surface and lower mounting surface define a slot. One of the clamps slidably receivable by a slot of one of the upper mounting surfaces and configured to secure the one solar modules to the upper mounting surfaces and an other of the clamps slidably receivable by a slot of one of the lower mounting surfaces and configured to secure said one of the other solar modules to one of the lower mounting surfaces. Each rack has a tray having a first tower supporting the upper mounting surface and a second tower supporting the lower mounting surface.

Abstract: A seat portion is pivotally mounted to a seat back at a main pivot point. A striker pin is mounted to the seat portion. The striker pin includes a free end. A bracket is further connected to the main pivot point wherein the bracket includes a main body. The bracket further includes an arm extending away from the main body. The arm extends away from the main body to support the free end of the pin to further support the striker pin during a latched construction. The main body of the bracket and the arm of the bracket support the free end of the pin during rotation of the seat portion towards the seat back from a down position to an up position allowing for a fixed latch on the seat back to engage with the pin of the seat portion.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and kit for adjustment of a construction unit with a rough opening. The construction unit may be a window, door, or similar construction element that requires shimming and squaring up within a rough opening. An adjustment mechanism is included that has a head section and threaded section. The head section engages the construction unit by abutment and the threaded section engages the rough opening by threaded retention. After initial embedding of the adjustment mechanism within the inner surface of the rough opening, the adjustment mechanism is rotationally engaged via a wrench for fine-tuned shimming of the construction unit.

Abstract: A system for mounting solar modules comprising a plurality of racks and clamps. Each rack has an inclined upper mounting surface to support one of the solar modules and an inclined lower mounting surface to support one of the other solar modules. Each upper mounting surface and lower mounting surface define a slot. One of the clamps slidably receivable by a slot of one of the upper mounting surfaces and configured to secure the one solar modules to the upper mounting surfaces and an other of the clamps slidably receivable by a slot of one of the lower mounting surfaces and configured to secure said one of the other solar modules to one of the lower mounting surfaces. Each rack has a tray having a first tower supporting the upper mounting surface and a second tower supporting the lower mounting surface.

Abstract: A safe room assembly includes a solid concrete wall forming an enclosed area, a conduit disposed within the concrete wall and extending from one end that is exposed at an outside surface of the concrete wall to an inside surface of the concrete wall, and an utility system in communication with the conduit. The enclosed area is configured to provide safe harbor to an occupant during extreme weather conditions and the utility system is configured to provide utilities to the occupant while harbored within the enclosed area.

Abstract: One possible embodiment of the invention could be a construction spacer for holding boards in a parallel and spaced-apart manner comprising a Y-shaped base having a first and second base ends, the first base end forming a C-shaped aperture; a pair of spaced apart J-shaped attachment arms that perpendicularly attaches to the first base end and further forms hook portions that together can hold a first board; a pair of lateral support arms that extends outward from the first body end; an L-shaped attachment arm that perpendicularly attaches to the second base end and forms a catch that can hold a second board parallel to the first board, wherein the C-shaped aperture can accept a second base end of another construction spacer to allow a plurality of construction spacers to be connected together in tandem order.

Abstract: A roof anchoring safety device that may be retro fit to a roofing structure. The safety device is capable of being transitioned from an actuated state to a retracted state. When in a retracted state, the device is concealed. When in an actuated state, the device is capable of connecting to a safety tether. The device may be installed during initial build of roof an accessed in future for maintenance and or future additions therein. The device is concealed by a cap that is designed to prevent ingress of ambient matter.