Abstract: A reinforced carbon foam material is formed from carbon fibers incorporated within a carbon foam's structure. First, carbon fiber bundles are combined with a liquid resol resin. The carbon fiber bundles separate into individual carbon fiber filaments and disperse throughout the liquid resol resin. Second, the carbon fiber resin mixture is foamed thus fixing the carbon fibers in a permanent spatial arrangement within the phenolic foam. The foam is then carbonized to create a carbon fiber reinforced foam with improved graphitic characteristics as well as increased strength. Optionally, various additives can be introduced simultaneously with the addition of the carbon fiber bundles into the liquid resol, which can improve the graphitic nature of the final carbon foam material and/or increase the foam's resistance to oxidation.

Abstract: A carbon foam material with an improved oxidation resistance is created by blending formaldehyde with phenol to form a reactive mixture, polymerizing the reactive mixture with a non-oxidation promoting basic catalyst to form a resin article, foaming the resin article to create phenolic foam, and carbonizing the phenolic foam to create the carbon foam with an increased oxidation resistance. Specifically, the oxidation resistant carbon foam has a sodium content of approximately 0%. This inventive foam may also contain one or more oxidization inhibitors to impede the oxidation of the carbon foam when the foam is exposed to an oxidizing environment.

Abstract: An activated carbon foam material with improved graphitizability is formed by including an oxidation promoting metal-containing additive into the carbon foam and subsequently heat treating the foam in a reactive atmosphere. The oxidation promoting metal-containing additive greatly improves the development of the carbon foam's ramified pore system resulting in a carbon foam with a much greater surface area. This inventive foam may be created by introducing the oxidation promoting metal by way of an oxidation catalyst during the polymerization of the phenolic resin or as a inorganic chemical activating agent to the formed phenolic resin. The foam is then heated in a reactive atmosphere to produce an activated foam with a surface area of from about 200 m2/g to about 3000 m2/g.

Abstract: A glassy carbon coated carbon foam material is formed by coating carbon foam with a glassy carbon layer. Carbon foam may be produced by carbonizing a phenolic or polyurethane foam at high temperatures in an inert atmosphere. The carbon foam is then machined to a desired shape and treated with a fine carbon or graphite powder to the surface. Subsequently a resin is applied to the surface of the carbon foam, and the coated carbon foam block is fired to carbonize the resin coating into a glassy carbon coating. The firing and coating are repeated until the desired coating thickness and surface properties are achieved.

Abstract: A structural insulated panel for use in a mine safe room, which includes a carbon foam core having a high ratio of compressive strength to density, desirable fire retardant properties, and resistance to environmental stress. The carbon foam structural insulated panel also includes a first layer and a second layer bound to a first surface and second surface of the carbon foam core.

Abstract: A structural insulated panel, which includes a carbon foam core having a high ratio of compressive strength to density, desirable fire retardant properties, and resistance to environmental stress. The carbon foam structural insulated panel also includes a first layer and a second layer bound to a first surface and second surface of the carbon foam core. Applications of the carbon foam structural insulated panel include structural and fire retardant elements of residential and commercial buildings, aircraft and also watercraft.

Abstract: A laminate sandwich structure useful for, inter alia, decking for naval vessels, which includes a core formed of carbon foam having a ratio of compressive strength to density of at least about 7000 psi/g/cc.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for customizing an audio file, such as a ring tone stored in a mobile device is described herein. In particular, a mobile device according to the present invention includes an audio utility and an audio processor. The audio utility stores one or more pointers associated with a stored audio file. Each pointer identifies a specific user-selected start position for the audio file. Whenever the audio processor plays the audio file, the audio processor plays the audio file from the start position identified by one of the user-selected pointers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of post source decay (PSD) or collision induced dissociation (CID) direct tissue (DT) MALDI-TOF or DT-MALDI-TOF-TOF mass spectrographic identification of biological molecules in a tissue or cellular sample without the need for further protein extraction. This method provides for studying cells or tissues by direct tissue MALDI (DT-MALDI), thereby substituting in situ protein release for further protein extraction. Mass/intensity data was processed with Mascot© software interrogation of the NCBI database. These results are proof of principle that DT-MALDI, combined with bioinformatics, can directly identify proteins in cells and tissues from their mass spectra.

Abstract: An insulative cap for an induction furnace comprising a carbon foam having a pore distribution such that at least about 90% of the pore volume of the pores have a diameter of between about 10 and about 150 microns and at least about 1% of the pores have a diameter of between about 0.8 and about 3.5 microns.

Abstract: A bulk material cargo container liner system comprises an inflatable bulk material cargo container liner which has at least one vacuum discharge tube member disposed internally within the bulk material cargo container liner and extending throughout the longitudinal extent thereof for discharging bulk cargo material outwardly from the bulk material cargo container liner, and at least one inflatable air bag component which also extends throughout the longitudinal extent of the bulk material cargo container liner and is initially disposed in a deflated state but which is adapted to be disposed in an inflated state when the bulk cargo material can no longer be evacuated under natural gravitational forces.

Abstract: A carbon foam article useful for, inter alia, composite tooling or other high temperature applications, which includes a carbon foam having a ratio of compressive strength to density of at least about 7000 psi/g/cc.

Abstract: A reference transmitter (602) and reference receiver (604) are provided for testing the performance of a semi-implantable hearing aid. In a calibration configuration, an audiometer (606) is used to provide a reference signal via a headphone jack output (608) to the reference transmitter (602). The reference transmitter (602) provides an RF transmit coil output via lead (610) and coil (612) to the reference receiver (604). The reference receiver (604) provides an output signal that is correlated to a microphone signal to a hearing aid analyzer (616). The transmitter (602) and receiver (604) can be separately used to analyze the internal and external portions of a semi-implantable hearing aid using conventional audiometers and hearing aid analyzers.

Abstract: A noninvasive method and system are provided for assessing the performance of implanted actuators of semi or fully-implantable hearing aid systems. The invention utilizes an externally positioned measurement device to obtain a test measure of the electrical signal passing through an implanted actuator when driven by a test signal of predetermined characteristics. In one embodiment, the measurement device may comprise a pair of coils for measuring the magnetic field generated by an implanted actuator utilized to simulate the middle ear of a patient. The magnetic field strength is directly related to the amount of current passing through the actuator. In turn, such current is inversely related to the electrical impedance present at the implanted actuator. Such electrical impedance is directly related to the mechanical impedance present at the interface between the implanted actuator and middle ear of a patient.

Abstract: A method and system for the capture of data files transmitted over a wired network by a data traffic generator. The mapping and/or translation of network addressing data contained within the captured data frames is such that the frames, when transferred over the wireless medium, appear to have originated from one of a population of emulated wireless stations. The mapping and/or translation of network addressing data contained in data frames received over the wireless medium directed to a specific emulated wireless station is such that the frames, when transmitted over the wired network, appear to be destined for the data traffic generator. The mapping and/or translation function is applied as frames traverse the boundary between the external data source network interface and the wireless network interface.

Abstract: The invention provides alfalfa plants having improved standability and/or fast recovery after spring green-up or after harvest and methods for producing such plants. Such alfalfa plants provide increased annual yield of high quality forage.

Abstract: The invention provides alfalfa plants having improved standability and/or fast recovery after spring green-up or after harvest and methods for producing such plants. Such alfalfa plants provide increased annual yield of high quality forage.

Abstract: A sealant useful for sealing the surfaces of carbon foams to provide a surface useful for, inter alia, composite tooling or other high temperature applications or for bonding of carbon foams together to form larger blocks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided that includes a hand pump having a handle locking mechanism, a counter bored nut, pivoting links, and unlocking valve assembly. The unloading valve assembly allows a pump operator to pump a larger volume of hydraulic fluid and/or to pump to higher pressures in first stage operation than a conventional pump which employs a direct-acting relief valve. The unloading valve also decreases the effort required to pump the handle during second stage operation. The handle locking mechanism allows the pump handle from moving during transporting and storing of the hand pump. The counter bored nut allows for more reservoir room than conventional hand pumps. The pivoting link allows for greater leverage of the handle during pumping.

Abstract: A mold assembly comprises a sub-assembly for retaining a mold component, the sub-assembly having an ejector box being open to a side of the sub-assembly accessible through an opening of a molding machine as the sub-assembly is mounted in the molding machine, a cover movably mounted to the sub-assembly on the exposed side thereof to be movable between an open position providing access to the interior of the ejector box and a closed position substantially covering the ejector box; and at least one fastener attached to one of the cover and sub-assembly for releasably retaining the cover in the closed position. The mold assembly advantageously comprises a hinge having a fixed element attached to the sub-assembly and a rotatable element attached to the cover, whereby the cover is rotatable between the open position and the closed position.