Abstract: An apparatus includes a transfer mechanism that transfers discrete articles to a receiving member. The transfer mechanism includes a plurality of transfer pucks that carry discrete articles thereon. Each of the transfer pucks includes a puck body with an article carrying surface having vacuum holes formed therein to retain the discrete article thereon via a vacuum. The article carrying surface includes a central region and at least one side region adjacent the central region, the side region aligned lengthwise along the puck body. Each of the transfer pucks also includes one or more resilient puck inserts positioned about a portion of a perimeter of the transfer puck, with each puck insert engaged with the puck body in a respective side region. The puck inserts are sized to protrude above the article carrying surface and are depressible inward toward the article carrying surface upon an application of force thereto.

Abstract: An emergency event detection and response system detects an occurrence of an event associated with a user and initiates an emergency response flow. A user may be associated with a wearable device and have in his home a base station and portable or stationary wireless devices containing sensors capable of detecting an emergency event. The emergency event may be detected based on voice or non-voice audio input from the user, data monitoring by the wearable device, base station, and/or portable or stationary wireless device, or by physical button press. Responsive to determining that an emergency event has occurred, the system triggers an emergency response flow by notifying a call center and contacting one or more caregivers associated with the user. Caregivers may access a response system application to receive updates regarding the detected emergency and to contact the user and/or a provider associated with the call center.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a process to predict a probability of a future event occurring in a present competition includes receiving time-stamped position information of one or more participants in the present competition. The time-stamped position information is captured by a telemetry tracking system during the present competition. The process uses the time-stamped position information to determine a first play situation of the present competition. The process determines, based on at least the first play situation and playing data associated with at least a subset of one or both of a first set of one or more participants and a second set of one or more participants, a prediction of the probability of a first future event occurring at the present competition.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying discrete stretched film portions to a carrier web includes conveying a continuous elastic film in a machine direction, operating a cutting unit to cut the continuous elastic film into a series of discrete first film portions and discrete second film portions, selectively adjusting a feed rate of the continuous elastic film upstream of the cutting unit, transferring a first film portion and a second film portion from a vacuum drum to a first pair of arms and a second pair of arms of, respectively, of a stretch unit, stretching the first and second film portions in a cross-machine direction by separating the first and second pairs of arms in the cross-machine direction as the stretch unit rotates from a pickup position to a transfer position, and transferring the stretched first and second film portions from the stretch unit to the carrier web.

Abstract: A universal drill guide system includes a universal drill guide, interchangeable drill tubes, and interchangeable drill bits. Each interchangeable drill tube corresponds to one of the interchangeable drill bits, and can be detachably coupled to the universal drill guide. A cannulated drill with K-wire retention features a drill bit with a retention mechanism that prevents axial advancement of a K-wire during drilling. A drill removal tool includes a drill remover that can be placed around a drill bit to remove it from bone after a hole is drilled, while leaving a K-wire in place in the bone. A bone screw driver with K-wire retention includes a shaft that can be passed over a K-wire, a distal end for attachment to a cannulated bone screw, and a K-wire retention module for preventing advancement of the K-wire as the screw driver drives the cannulated bone screw into bone.

Abstract: Absorbent garments are made by applying a refastenable material to a continuous panel web, folding the panel web, cutting the folded panel web into discrete folded panels, and aligning the folded panels with perforations in a continuous elasticized waist web. Discrete folded patches are coupled to the elastic web via the refastenable material and the perforation cuts are broken to form a continuous waistband. Absorbent cores are coupled between the continuous waistband and a second continuous waistband, which are cut to form the absorbent garments. The manufacturing apparatus includes a perforation cutter that forms perforation cuts in a continuous waist web comprising elastic elements positioned between facing web layers, a panel applicator that cuts a folded panel web into discrete panels and attaches the discrete panels to the waist web about the perforation cut. A breakage system separates the waist web at the perforation cuts and unfolds the discrete panels.

Abstract: A universal drill guide system includes a universal drill guide, interchangeable drill tubes, and interchangeable drill bits. Each interchangeable drill tube corresponds to one of the interchangeable drill bits, and can be detachably coupled to the universal drill guide. A cannulated drill with K-wire retention features a drill bit with a retention mechanism that prevents axial advancement of a K-wire during drilling. A drill removal tool includes a drill remover that can be placed around a drill bit to remove it from bone after a hole is drilled, while leaving a K-wire in place in the bone. A bone screw driver with K-wire retention includes a shaft that can be passed over a K-wire, a distal end for attachment to a cannulated bone screw, and a K-wire retention module for preventing advancement of the K-wire as the screw driver drives the cannulated bone screw into bone.

Abstract: Curved elastics are applied to both or either the front or rears of a pant type diaper extending near the leg and waist openings. An adhesive pattern is deposited onto a nonwoven sheet, and elastic strands are coupled to the nonwoven sheet. The elastic strands and nonwoven sheet are coupled to another web of ultrasonically bonded elastomeric material and nonwoven, and together the laminate is used as a front or rear portion of a diaper.

Abstract: A system and method of determining data representing a mapping of optical signals described by image data of a reflecting surface of a structure to a three-dimensional surface geometry of the reflecting surface is provided. At least first, second and third light sources are provided, comprising a broadband point light source, a spectrally variable point light source and a movable linear broadband light source, respectively. First, second and third images are acquired, corresponding to each light source. Surface geometry data describing a three-dimensional surface geometry of the reflecting surface is acquired. Based on the image data and the surface geometry data, reflecting surface mapping data describing a mapping between the reflections described by the first image data, second image data and third image data, and the three-dimensional surface geometry of the reflecting surface is determined.

Abstract: A system and method of determining data representing a mapping of optical signals described by image data of a reflecting surface of a structure to a three-dimensional surface geometry of the reflecting surface is provided. At least first, second and third light sources are provided, comprising a broadband point light source, a spectrally variable point light source and a movable linear broadband light source, respectively. First, second and third images are acquired, corresponding to each light source. Surface geometry data describing a three-dimensional surface geometry of the reflecting surface is acquired. Based on the image data and the surface geometry data, reflecting surface mapping data describing a mapping between the reflections described by the first image data, second image data and third image data, and the three-dimensional surface geometry of the reflecting surface is determined.

Abstract: A system and method of determining data representing a mapping of optical signals described by image data of a reflecting surface of a structure to a three-dimensional surface geometry of the reflecting surface is provided. At least first, second and third light sources are provided, comprising a broadband point light source, a spectrally variable point light source and a movable linear broadband light source, respectively. First, second and third images are acquired, corresponding to each light source. Surface geometry data describing a three-dimensional surface geometry of the reflecting surface is acquired. Based on the image data and the surface geometry data, reflecting surface mapping data describing a mapping between the reflections described by the first image data, second image data and third image data, and the three-dimensional surface geometry of the reflecting surface is determined.

Abstract: The present invention provides machinery used to create products (for instance disposable products). The machinery is operated at high speed, with the machine occupying a small footprint. Materials can be fed into the manufacturing process vertically (from above or below), using assembly stations to feed completed components into the system at appropriate stations. Additionally, restocking of raw components can be accomplished by robotic means of transferring the raw material from staging areas into infeeding or splicing stations, without the need for human operators.

Abstract: The present invention provides machinery used to create products (for instance disposable products). The machinery is operated at high speed, with the machine occupying a small footprint. Materials can be fed into the manufacturing process vertically (from above or below), using assembly stations to feed completed components into the system at appropriate stations. Additionally, restocking of raw components can be accomplished by robotic means of transferring the raw material from staging areas into infeeding or splicing stations, without the need for human operators.

Abstract: A digital data processing method of determining data representing a mapping of optical signals described by image data of a reflecting surface of a structure to a three-dimensional surface geometry of the reflecting surface is provided.

Abstract: Curved elastics are applied to both or either the front or rears of a pant type diaper extending near the leg and waist openings. An adhesive pattern is deposited onto a nonwoven sheet, and elastic strands are coupled to the nonwoven sheet. The elastic strands and nonwoven sheet are coupled to another web of ultrasonically bonded elastomeric material and nonwoven, and together the laminate is used as a front or rear portion of a diaper.

Abstract: The present invention provides machinery used to create products (for instance disposable products). The machinery is operated at high speed, with the machine occupying a small footprint. Materials can be fed into the manufacturing process vertically (from above or below), using assembly stations to feed completed components into the system at appropriate stations. Additionally, restocking of raw components can be accomplished by robotic means of transferring the raw material from staging areas into infeeding or splicing stations, without the need for human operators.

Abstract: A phasing system is provided for parallel channel continuous flow systems wherein the individual test channels have different flow times although intersample timing is constant. A phasing sample is introduced and its presence is sensed at the output of each of the parallel test channels. The presence of the phasing sample is detected by means of an analog detector, a digitizer, and a digital computation system. After detection of the phasing sample in a channel the time at which it arrives at the detector is marked. Since intersample timing is constant and the time when the sample is introduced into the parallel channels is known, the time at which subsequent samples should arrive at the detector can be established for each channel. Time zones are opened for each channel and each detector which correspond to the times plus or minus a certain tolerance at which subsequent samples can be expected to arrive.