Abstract: Various examples are provided for polymer reinforced composite plywood and laminates. In one example, among others, polymer reinforced composite plywood includes a multilayer polymeric film bonded to a first ply of wood veneer and a second ply of wood veneer. A second multilayer polymeric film can be bonded to the second ply of wood veneer and to a third ply of wood veneer. In another example, polymer reinforced composite plywood includes a monolayer polymeric film bonded to a first ply of wood veneer and to a second ply of wood veneer. A second monolayer polymeric film can be bonded to the second ply of wood veneer and to a third ply of wood veneer. In another example, low pressure laminate includes a polymeric film layer bonded to a base layer that forms a protective lamination layer over the base layer.

Abstract: An inference system for monitoring a cementitious mixture for three-dimensional printing is provided. The inference system includes an ambient condition sensor, a temperature sensor, a moisture sensor and an image capturing device. The inference system also includes a controller coupled to the ambient condition sensor, the temperature sensor, the moisture sensor, and the image capturing device. The controller receives sensed ambient conditions, a temperature signal, and a moisture content signal. The controller receives an image feed of a portion of a cementitious mixture. The controller also receives signals indicative of a motor speed and a motor torque associated with a mixing container. The controller builds a model and determines a material suitability of the cementitious mixture using the model based on the received ambient conditions, the temperature signal, the moisture content signal, the image feed, the motor speed, and the motor torque and determines one or more corrective actions.

Abstract: Child-resistant containers or packages having spinning collar cap assemblies are provided, as are methods for manufacturing such containers. In various embodiments, the child-resistant container includes a container body having an inner cavity, an opening to the inner cavity, and a container neck circumscribing the opening. A spinning collar is retained around the container neck and is rotatable relative thereto in at least a first rotational direction. The child-resistant container further includes an overcap, which is sized and shaped to enclose the opening when attached to the spinning collar. Through the provision of a suitable threaded interface the overcap can be (i) detached from the spinning collar by rotation of the overcap relative to the spinning collar in the first rotational direction and (ii) removably attached to the spinning collar by rotation of the overcap relative to the spinning collar in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction.

Abstract: An LED luminaire (10) comprising: a main body portion (12) adapted, in use, to house an LED light panel (24); a mount (14) for securing, in use, the luminaire (10) to a surface; a driver unit (62); and a hinge (16, 42, 44) adapted to hingedly connect the main body portion (12) to the mount (14), wherein the hinge (16, 42, 44) comprises a, hollow interior volume for accommodating the driver unit (62), and wherein the driver unit (62) comprises a water-resistant housing.

Abstract: Techniques for improving flash memory flushing are disclosed. In some embodiments, the techniques may be realized as a method for improving flash memory flushing including receiving a request to write to flash memory, writing data associated with the request to the flash memory, identifying a pointer to a region bitmap corresponding to a write region for the write request, marking a bit of the region bitmap corresponding to the request as dirty, and updating the pointer, using a pointer management component, to the region bitmap to contain a dirty block count.

Abstract: An oversized actuator and actuator assembly for a plastic vessel (or container) configured to hold a product under pressure, such as, for example, a lotion, cream, spray, ointment, gel or foam. The oversized actuator and actuator assembly are configured to be attached to what is considered to be a common, standard-sized valve cup (typically about 1.0 to 1.5 inches across) fastened to a common or standard-sized neck portion for a plastic vessel. Therefore, the actuator and actuator assembly of the present invention does not require that the shoulder of the plastic vessel to which they are attached have specialized geometry molded into the shoulder or body portions of the plastic vessel in order to hold the actuator or actuator assembly in place on the plastic vessel.

Abstract: A method for patterning a substrate including multiple layers using a sulfur-based mask includes providing a substrate including a first layer and a second layer arranged on the first layer. The first layer includes a material selected from a group consisting of germanium, silicon germanium and type III/V materials. The method includes depositing a mask layer including sulfur species on sidewalls of the first layer and the second layer by exposing the substrate to a first wet chemistry. The method includes removing the mask layer on the sidewalls of the second layer while not completely removing the mask layer on the sidewalls of the first layer by exposing the substrate to a second wet chemistry. The method includes selectively etching the second layer relative to the first layer and the mask layer on the sidewalls of the first layer by exposing the substrate to a third wet chemistry.

Abstract: A dispensing system that includes a bottle, a valve cap, a dosing cap. The bottle includes a side wall having at least a portion that is flexible. The valve cap regulates the dispensing of a flowable product from bottle into the dosing cap. In particular, flowable product may be dispensed from the bottle into the dosing cap when the dispensing system is in an inverted position and while the dosing cap is attached to valve cap. The valve cap and the dosing cap may support the dispensing system in the inverted position.

Abstract: A power management system to manage energy sources for use with an energy-powered component includes an energy source detector to determine, between a first and a second of the energy sources, which has a lower state-of-charge and which has a higher state-of-charge, a controller to designate the energy source with the lower state-of-charge as a primary energy source and the other energy source as a secondary energy source, and an energy source selector to selectively enable the primary energy source to provide power to the energy-powered component.

Abstract: A multibit flash quantizer circuit, such as included as a portion of delta-sigma conversion circuit, can be operated in a dynamic or configurable manner. Information indicative of at least one of an ADC input slew rate or a prior quantizer output code can be used to establish a flash quantizer conversion window. Within the selected conversion window, comparators in the quantizer circuit can be made active. Comparators outside the conversion window can be made dormant, such as depowered or biased to save power. An output from such dormant converters can be preloaded and latched. In this manner, full resolution is available without requiring that all comparator circuits within the quantizer remain active at all times.

Abstract: Techniques for improving storage journaling are disclosed. In some embodiments, the techniques may be realized as a method for improving storage journaling including recording to a journal a count of valid blocks in a first chunk of storage in flash memory, receiving a request to write a second chunk to the flash memory, determining, using a controller, whether the count of valid blocks in the first chunk is less than a specified threshold, and in the event the number of valid blocks in the first chunk is less than the specified threshold, writing the second chunk to a location of the first chunk of storage in the flash memory.

Abstract: An adaptable modular power system (AMPS) is hierarchical in a number of ways. AMPS modules connect to a backplane, and one or multiple AMPS backplanes can form an AMPS domain. At the same time, the vehicle electronics is modular, with various payload boxes needing to communicate with each other. A common power and signaling cable is provided to interconnect payload boxes. A dedicated connector system is also provided so that AMPS modules may communicate, control, receive data, and supply and receive power.

Abstract: A method for patterning a substrate including multiple layers using a sulfur-based mask includes providing a substrate including a first layer and a second layer arranged on the first layer. The first layer includes a material selected from a group consisting of germanium, silicon germanium and type III/V materials. The method includes depositing a mask layer including sulfur species on sidewalls of the first layer and the second layer by exposing the substrate to a first wet chemistry. The method includes removing the mask layer on the sidewalls of the second layer while not completely removing the mask layer on the sidewalls of the first layer by exposing the substrate to a second wet chemistry. The method includes selectively etching the second layer relative to the first layer and the mask layer on the sidewalls of the first layer by exposing the substrate to a third wet chemistry.

Abstract: The invention relates to a frozen dessert, in particular a frozen dessert comprising a deformable container coated on the interior surface with a first solid fat-based edible composition to provide a shell, which shell is filled with a frozen confection and/or one or more ribbons of a second solid fat-based edible composition, wherein the one or more ribbons of a second solid fat-based edible composition are orientated vertically in relation to a base of the deformable container and topped with a lid of a third fat-based edible composition.

Abstract: An adaptable modular power system (AMPS) is hierarchical in a number of ways. AMPS modules connect to a backplane, and one or multiple AMPS backplanes can form an AMPS domain. At the same time, the vehicle electronics is modular, with various payload boxes needing to communicate with each other. A common power and signaling cable is provided to interconnect payload boxes. A dedicated connector system is also provided so that AMPS modules may communicate, control, receive data, and supply and receive power.

Abstract: A safety device for equestrian sports uses at least one hook-and-loop fastener for connecting ends of the control lines for guiding a horse such that the ends of the control lines will separate and thereby stop a fallen rider or driver from being dragged by a horse or a horse drawn vehicle.

Abstract: In embodiments, a wearable cardiac defibrillator system includes an energy storage module configured to store a charge. Two electrodes can be configured to be applied to respective locations of a patient. One or more reservoirs can store one or more conductive fluids. Respective fluid deploying mechanisms can be configured to cause the fluids to be released from one or more of the reservoirs, which decreases the impedance at the patient location, and decreases discomfort for the patient. In some embodiments an impedance is sensed between the two electrodes, and the stored charge is delivered when the sensed impedance meets a discharge condition. In some embodiments, different fluids are released for different patient treatments. In some embodiments, fluid release is controlled to be in at least two doses, with an intervening pause.

Abstract: A safety device for use with reins for guiding a horse, includes a releasable fastener that allows the ends of the reins to separate in order to reduce the chance that a rider or driver entangled in the reins will be dragged on the ground by the horse or a horse drawn vehicle. The illustrative embodiment of the safety device employs a hook-and-loop fastener.

Abstract: A method for forming a joint between a fiber reinforced composite component and a metallic component and a joint are provided. The metallic component and the composite component each define a joint surface for mating with the joint surface of the other to join the two components together and the composite component defines a free surface opposed to the joint surface thereof. The joint surface of the metallic component defines an array of pins extending therefrom with each pin defining a pin head at an end distal from the joint surface. The method includes the steps of pressing together the joint surfaces of the two components whereby to cause the array of pins to penetrate through the fiber reinforcing material, and modifying the effective cross sectional shape of the pin heads whereby to increase the constraint applied to the composite component against peeling of the composite component from the joint surface of the metallic component.