Abstract: The invention is directed to a center deck assembly for a tire building drum. The tire building drum is rotatably mounted on a central drive shaft and includes a center section. The center deck assembly is disposed in the center section of the drum and includes a hub that seats on and is secured to the central drive shaft. At least one piston extends circumferentially in the tire building drum about the hub and a plurality of segment bars are disposed about the circumference of the center deck assembly. The at least one piston is operably connected to the segment bars by a plurality of linkages, in which each of the linkages includes a scissor-lever mechanism.

Abstract: A method of building a tire on a second stage tire building drum is disclosed. The method employs the steps of mounting a green cylindrically shaped tire carcass onto a tire building drum so that each bead are seated in a respective bead pocket segment, inflating the carcass under low pressure and expanding the carcass into engagement with tread and belt assembly while allowing the one or more of the hubs or one or more of the bead pocket segments to freely slide in the axial direction.

Abstract: A second stage tire building drum is disclosed. The tire building drum has two hubs with an inner sleeve mounted to a central shaft of the tire building drum and configured for axial movement. At least one of the hubs is configured for free axial movement. Preferably, each hub further include a sliding sleeve mounted on the inner sleeve for unconstrained sliding in the axial direction relative to the inner sleeve. Preferably, each hub has a bead receiving mechanism mounted on the sliding sleeve and comprised of one or more segments that are radially expandable. Preferably, each segment has a pocket with a curved surface for receiving a bead.

Abstract: An integrated facility for the co-production of ethanol and biodiesel fuel is provided. Ethanol and corn oil, the primary product and a by-product from the ethanol plant, are utilized as feedstocks for a biodiesel plant operating within the same general facility as the corn ethanol plant. By-products of the biodiesel plant, principally crude liquid glycerol and gaseous ethanol or methanol, are recycled to various parts of the ethanol plant.

Abstract: Systems and method are provided for controlling a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method of predicting sensor information of an autonomous vehicle includes: receiving point cloud data sensed from an environment associated with the vehicle; processing, by a processor, point cloud data with a convolutional neural network (CNN) to produce a set of segmentations stored in a set of memory cells; processing, by the processor, the set of segmentations of the CNN with a recurrent neural network (RNN) to predict future point cloud data; processing, by the processor, the future point cloud data to determine an action; and controlling the vehicle based on the action.

Abstract: A system and method for a centralized data asset marketplace including a single network or cloud platform environment for the sharing and distribution of data assets, a user interface layer providing a user access to the environment, data assets, an access control and audit component which stores user's requests and a single sign on component allowing the user to access the user interface layer, wherein the user interface layer includes a meta data management component, a service discovery component, a service request processing component, and a delivery service.

Abstract: A bonded mesh composite panel can be used to form a three-dimensional upper shell that includes extensions used for double-lasting and/or to otherwise provide a shelf to support foam padding. The foam padding may be, e.g., a foam midsole. The extensions of the upper shell may be located in a lower portion of the shell and may be bonded to the foam midsole in a heel, midfoot and/or forefoot regions.

Abstract: An article of footwear, such as a shoe, includes an upper and a sole. The upper may be formed with an outer layer and a floating textile layer relative to one or more portions of the outer layer. The floating textile layer has an apparent elongation that is less than an apparent elongation of the outer layer in response to an equal tensile force applied to each of the floating textile layer and the outer layer along a same axis of orientation. The differential in apparent elongation of the outer layer and the floating textile layer may increase wearability and functionability of the upper.

Abstract: Systems and apparatus related to footwear including a modular lacing engine are discussed. In an example, a modular footwear apparatus including an upper portion, a lower portion, and a lacing engine is described. The upper portion can include a lace to adjust fit of the upper portion against a foot, the lace adjustable between a first position and a second position based at least in part on manipulation of an effective length of the lace. The lower portion can include a mid-sole and an out-sole, and the lower portion can be coupled to the upper portion at the mid-sole. The lacing engine can include a top-loading lace spool to engage a loop of the lace to enable manipulation of the effective length of the lace through rotation of the lace spool, the lacing engine received within a cavity in the lower portion.

Abstract: A method to visually represent change conflicts between a plurality of changes within the network of retail stores on a display of a user device is disclosed. One of a change identifier or a store identifier is received from the user device. The user device is instructed to display a change calendar including a plurality of calendar blocks representing changes for one or more of the retail stores. A request to add or modify a change is received from the user device. The user device is instructed to display the change calendar according to the request. One or more of a color coding or an indicator are displayed to indicate whether a conflict is present between the change of the request and one or more of the other changes for the one or more retail stores.

Abstract: A bonded mesh composite panel can be used to form a three-dimensional upper shell that includes extensions used for double-lasting and/or to otherwise provide a shelf to support foam padding. The foam padding may be, e.g., a foam midsole. The extensions of the upper shell may be located in a lower portion of the shell and may be bonded to the foam midsole in a heel, midfoot and/or forefoot regions.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a welding station for holding a workpiece, comprising: (a) a base; (a) purge gas manifold, operatively connected to the welding station, or incorporated into the base, to act as a conduit for an unreactive or passivating purge gas; (c) a rotatable chuck stage for holding the workpiece, comprising a purge gas outlet, and having a first axis of rotation that allows the workpiece to swing into place at a desired angle, and a first detent to lock the motion of the rotatable stage once the desired angle in the first axis of rotation is attained.

Abstract: Methods, systems and components made according to the methods and systems, are disclosed relating to making inspection reference standards for the non-invasive inspection of composite materials.

Abstract: A hands-free wireless wearable GPS enabled video camera and audio-video communications headset, mobile phone and personal media player, capable of real-time two-way and multi-feed wireless voice, data and audio-video streaming, telecommunications, and teleconferencing, coordinated applications, and shared functionality between one or more wirelessly networked headsets or other paired or networked wired or wireless devices and optimized device and data management over multiple wired and wireless network connections. The headset can operate in concert with one or more wired or wireless devices as a paired accessory, as an autonomous hands-free wide area, metro or local area and personal area wireless audio-video communications and multimedia device and/or as a wearable docking station, hot spot and wireless router supporting direct connect multi-device ad-hoc virtual private networking (VPN).

Abstract: Systems and apparatus related to footwear including a modular lacing engine for automated lace tightening. In an example, a modular footwear apparatus includes an upper portion, a lower portion, and a lacing engine for automated lace tightening. The upper portion can include a lace to adjust fit of the upper portion against a foot, the lace adjustable between a first position and a second position based at least in part on manipulation of an effective length of the lace. The lower portion can include a mid-sole and an out-sole, and the lower portion can be coupled to the upper portion at the mid-sole. The lacing engine can include a top-loading lace spool to engage a loop of the lace to enable manipulation of the effective length of the lace through rotation of the lace spool, the lacing engine received within a cavity in the lower portion.

Abstract: Systems and apparatus related to footwear including a modular lacing engine are discussed. In this example, the lace guide is deformable to assist in facilitating automated lace tightening. The lace guide can include a middle section, a first extension and a second extension. In this example, the lace guide can be configured to define a first route for a lace cable, the first route including receiving the lace cable along the first incoming lace axis and expelling the lace cable along the first outgoing lace axis. In this example, the lace guide can also deflect, in response to tension on the lace cable, resulting in defining a second route for the lace cable, the second route including receiving the lace cable along a second incoming lace axis and expelling the lace cable along a second outgoing lace axis.

Abstract: Systems and apparatus related to footwear including a modular lacing engine are discussed. In this example, the footwear assembly can include a footwear upper and a lace cable running through a plurality of lace guides. The plurality of lace guides can be distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, and each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides can be adapted to receive a length of the lace cable. The lace cable can extend through each of the plurality of lace guides to form a pattern along each of the medial side and lateral side of the footwear upper. The footwear assembly can also include a medial proximal lace guide routing the lace cable into a lacing engine disposed within a mid-sole portion. Finally, the footwear assembly includes a lateral proximal lace guide to route the lace cable out of the lacing engine.

Abstract: A fabrication system may generally comprise an x-y positioning assembly, a clamping head to receive an end effector, wherein the clamping head is coupled to the x-y positioning assembly, a z positioning assembly, a platform including a surface that is rigid and substantially planar, wherein the platform is coupled to the z positioning assembly, and a controller operably coupled to the x-y positioning assembly, end effector, z positioning assembly, and platform. Methods of using the fabrication system are also described.

Abstract: A system and method for a centralized data asset marketplace including a single network or cloud platform environment for the sharing and distribution of data assets, wherein the platform is public or private; multiple user interfaces, wherein the user interfaces include a home page, a data asset detail interface, a shopping cart interface, a user data section interface and an administrative section interface; and data assets, wherein the data assets are at least one of a report, a file download, a data service, a micro service or an applet.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a center deck assembly for a tire building drum. The tire building drum is rotatably mounted on a central drive shaft and includes a center section. The center deck assembly is disposed in the center section of the drum and includes a hub that seats on and is secured to the central drive shaft. At least one piston extends circumferentially in the tire building drum about the hub and a plurality of segment bars are disposed about the circumference of the center deck assembly. The at least one piston is operably connected to the segment bars by a plurality of linkages, in which each of the linkages includes a scissor-lever mechanism.