Abstract: Protective covers for pillows and mattress are wholly or partly made of layered polyolefin fabrics. The layered polyolefin fabrics used for the protective covers are sheets of material bonded together with an adhesive or other bonding methods. One of the layers of the laminated fabric is a nonwoven polyolefin fabric and another layer is a polyolefin film. The protective covers stop migration of dust mites and are also reusable. The covers are cleaned and sanitized using a washer and a dryer.

Abstract: A wing tip device for fixing to the outboard end of a wing, the wing defining a wing plane, includes: an upper wing-like element projecting upwardly with respect to the wing plane and having a trailing edge; and a lower wing-like element fixed with respect to the upper wing-like element and having a root chord and a trailing edge, the lower wing-like element root chord intersecting with the upper wing-like element, and the lower wing-like element projecting downwardly from the intersection. The upper wing-like element is larger than the lower wing-like element and the trailing edge of the lower wing-like element is adjacent the trailing edge of the upper wing-like element at the intersection. An included angle between the upper and lower wing-like elements at the intersection is less than, or equal to, 160 degrees.

Abstract: An elastic composite is provided in a disposable absorbent garment such as a diaper or training pants. The elastic composite has a base layer, a top layer, and an elastic construction disposed therebetween. The elastic construction includes a plurality of spaced apart (e.g. generally equally spaced apart) elastic elements (e.g. strands or threads) that are aligned in a generally cross machine direction and in generally parallel relation. Further, the top and base layers define a first longitudinally extending side edge and a second longitudinally extending side edge between which, the elastic construction is disposed. The elastic composite further includes an elasticized region, wherein the elastic construction is disposed, a first non-elasticized region disposed between the first side edge and the elasticized region, and a second non-elasticized region disposed between the second side edge and the elasticized region.

Abstract: An aircraft having a lift/propulsion unit which includes a power unit such as a turboshaft engine which drives a fan through a transmission mechanism. The fan discharges to vectoring nozzles which can be independently swivelled to provide lift or propulsion thrust. An output shaft of the transmission mechanism serves as the main shaft of a motor/generator of modular form. The motor/generator can act as a generator to charge an electrical storage device such as a battery, or as a motor to drive the fan, either alone or to supplement the output of engine. Reaction control nozzles are provided at extremities of the aircraft to provide stabilizing thrust. The aircraft is capable of vertical take off and hovering, with the vectoring nozzles swivelled to a lift position, and forward thrust with the vectoring nozzles swivelled to a propulsion position.

Abstract: A miniature mass spectrometer that may be coupled to an atmospheric pressure ionisation source is described. Ions pass through a small orifice from a region at atmospheric pressure or low vacuum, and undergo efficient collisional cooling as they transit a very short, differentially pumped ion guide. A narrow beam of low energy ions is passed through a small aperture and into a separate chamber containing the mass analyser.

Abstract: A novel waterborne cultivator, which provides the benefits of known systems for culture of photosynthetic micro-organisms in a novel configuration, incorporating a simplified, two-phase rotary mixing and gas injection system, the two phases being liquid and gas (CO2). The mixing system provides optimum growth conditions through increased turbulent vertical mixing and increased levels of dissolved CO2 throughout the cultivator via injection of flue gas or other CO2-bearing gas stream. The system thus provides efficient capture and sequestration or reuse of CO2 while producing valuable biomass for food, feed, and fuel use. The waterborne configuration provides further benefits of passive temperature control and automatic leveling for consistent culture depth. Additional benefit is provided by an enclosed design which reduces contamination and evaporative loss by isolating the photosynthetic culture from the outside environment.

Abstract: A system and method for applying motion blur to an application window. Motion blur may be applied to pixel in a window by calculating a velocity vector for each pixel in the window with reference to velocity vectors calculated for each corner of the window. Motion blur may be implemented by placing a number of blur samples in a frame along the pixel velocity vector according to the size of the pixel vector, or by directionally downsampling then re-upsampling the content of the window. For a frame having multiple windows, the motion blur for each window may be determined independent of the motion of other windows or as a composite for windows moving together. According to an embodiment, for each pixel in the frame, the associated application window may be identified and the pixel blurred with reference to the corner velocities of the associated application window.

Abstract: A gap 6 between a stationary component 2 and a rotating component 4 is sealed by means of a leaf seal comprising an array of leaves 8, 9. The leaves 8, 9 are disposed in pairs, comprising a higher curvature leaf 8 and a lower curvature leaf 9 which contact each other resiliently at their tips 12. The contact at the tips 12 provides a damping effect. As a result, the tips 12 of the leaves 8, 9 are relatively stable when subjected to an air flow F, enabling damaging flutter to be suppressed.

Abstract: A pumped oil delivery system for delivering oil to moving parts of an aircraft jet engine includes a scoop delivery pump and an accumulator oil reservoir to maintain oil feed to the pump at all times. The system includes a first line to feed oil from the scoop pump to the oil reservoir, a second line to return oil from the oil reservoir to the scoop pump, and pressurized air for pressurizing the oil within the oil reservoir so as to maintain a continuous feed of oil to the pump. The system includes further lines for delivering oil from the scoop pump to the moving parts and for returning oil from the moving parts to the scoop pump. Moving parts include a self scavenging gear box utilizing the centrifugal pumping action of its gears to return oil to the scoop pump, and self scavenging bearing chambers using centrifugal effects of their rotating parts also to return oil to the scoop pump.

Abstract: An aircraft having a lift/propulsion unit which includes a power unit such as a turboshaft engine which drives a fan through a transmission mechanism. The fan discharges to vectoring nozzles which can be independently swivelled to provide lift or propulsion thrust. An output shaft of the transmission mechanism serves as the main shaft of a motor/generator of modular form. The motor/generator can act as a generator to charge an electrical storage device such as a battery, or as a motor to drive the fan, either alone or to supplement the output of engine. Reaction control nozzles are provided at extremities of the aircraft to provide stabilising thrust. The aircraft is capable of vertical take off and hovering, with the vectoring nozzles swivelled to a lift position, and forward thrust with the vectoring nozzles swivelled to a propulsion position.

Abstract: A spherical display and control device, that is preferably collapsible between a spherical configuration and a collapsed generally cylindrical ellipsoid configuration, comprising a flexible transparent spherical surface sprung attached to a central hinged modular cube assembly that contains digital displays on outward faces, and circuitry, battery units and electronic modules on inward surfaces, where said sphere surface contains surface position sensing layers and said central cube contains gyroscopic and inertial sensing devices to provide spherical rotation, and physical displacement data for three dimensional control applications, where said displays preferably have curved polarizer lenses such that the overall device appears as a spherical display or are flat to form an overall Cuboid display or are combined with a flexible spherical display surface.

Abstract: Components such as turbine shafts 2, 4 are maintained coaxial with each other by a coupling ring 6. The coupling ring 6 comprises a body 12 which is cylindrical when unstressed, and which has two arrays of projections 14, 16, each array engaging a respective cylindrical surface 24, 26 of recesses 8, 10 in the components 2, 4. The body 12 is flexible, and so is resiliently deformed by contact between the projections 14, 16 and the respective cylindrical surface 24. The projections 14, 16 of the two arrays are angularly out of phase with each other.

Abstract: Methods of producing aminonitrobenzoic acids are disclosed. A dinitrobenzoic acid may be reduced to an aminonitrobenzoic acid. In some specific embodiments, 2,6-dinitrobenzoic acid may be converted to 2-amino-6-nitrobenzoic acid. An end product may be used as an intermediate in the manufacture of various compounds including agricultural chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: The present invention provides a retaining washer for retaining threaded fasteners, such as bolts, that have been inadvertently loosened, in use. The invention finds particular application in gas turbine engines and in aircraft in general where wire locking of threaded fasteners has traditionally been employed. The washer (10) comprises a base member (14) having a plurality of apertures (18) each for receiving the shank of a respective bolt (20) or stud part of a threaded fastener, and engagement means (16) extending from the base member for engagement with respective bolt head or nut parts of the fasteners to retain the said head or nut parts with respect to the washer in the event of inadvertent loosening. The said engagement means is deformable between an open configuration which enables access to the bolt head or nut parts of the fasteners for tightening and/or removal thereof and a closed configuration in which the bolt head or nut part are captively retained with the washer.

Abstract: A gap 6 between a stationary component 2 and a rotating component 4 is sealed by means of a leaf seal comprising an array of leaves 8, 9. The leaves 8, 9 are disposed in pairs, comprising a higher curvature leaf 8 and a lower curvature leaf 9 which contact each other resiliently at their tips 12. The contact at the tips 12 provides a damping effect. As a result, the tips 12 of the leaves 8, 9 are relatively stable when subjected to an air flow F, enabling damaging flutter to be suppressed.

Abstract: A gap 6 between a stationary component 2 and a rotating component 4 is sealed by means of a leaf seal comprising leaves 8 having a geometry such that the centre of torsion CR of the leaf 8 is disposed upstream of the centre of pressure CP at the tip 12 of the leaf 8. As a result, the tip region of the leaf 8 is relatively stable when subjected to an air flow F, enabling damaging flutter to be suppressed.

Abstract: A seal arrangement (1, 101) for maintaining an axial pressure differential between relative high and low pressure stages along a rotating element (2, 102), the arrangement comprising: i) a plurality of leaf or brush seal members (5) forming a circumferential seal-pack (4, 104) around the rotating element (2, 102), in-between said low and high pressure stages, for limiting leakage of fluid between said low and high pressure stages; ii) a baffle (6, 7, 106, 107) positioned on the upstream or downstream side of the seal-pack (4, 104) for regulating such leakage through the seal pack (4, 104); and iii) a control arrangement for adjusting the position of the baffle (6, 7, 106, 107) hereby to control the regulation of said leakage through the seal-pack (4, 104) and hence control the consequent blow-down effect on the seal-pack (4, 104) caused by that leakage.

Abstract: An elastic composite is provided in a disposable absorbent garment such as a diaper or training pants. The elastic composite has a base layer, a top layer, and an elastic construction disposed therebetween. The elastic construction includes a plurality of spaced apart (e.g. generally equally spaced apart) elastic elements (e.g. strands or threads) that are aligned in a generally cross machine direction and in generally parallel relation. Further, the top and base layers define a first longitudinally extending side edge and a second longitudinally extending side edge between which, the elastic construction is disposed. The elastic composite further includes an elasticized region, wherein the elastic construction is disposed, a first non-elasticized region disposed between the first side edge and the elasticized region, and a second non-elasticized region disposed between the second side edge and the elasticized region.

Abstract: An elastic composite is provided in a disposable absorbent garment such as a diaper or training pants. The elastic composite has a base layer, a top layer, and an elastic construction disposed therebetween. The elastic construction includes a plurality of spaced apart (e.g. generally equally spaced apart) elastic elements (e.g. strands or threads) that are aligned in a generally cross machine direction and in generally parallel relation. Further, the top and base layers define a first longitudinally extending side edge and a second longitudinally extending side edge between which, the elastic construction is disposed. The elastic composite further includes an elasticized region, wherein the elastic construction is disposed, a first non-elasticized region disposed between the first side edge and the elasticized region, and a second non-elasticized region disposed between the second side edge and the elasticized region.

Abstract: A fax machine incorporates a receptacle to accommodate the insertion of a cellular data access modem that provides the fax machine with a unique cell phone number so that the fax machine may be accessed in a standard “dial up manner” from any standard fax machine or computer emulating a fax machine.