Abstract: A friction-stabilized back and shoulder stretch bar to facilitate a plurality of stretches, including “kitchen sink stretches” to prevent and treat conditions such as neck and back pain. In use, the friction-stabilized back and shoulder stretch bar is not mounted to a door frame, but instead includes two friction-based stabilizers for use with door frames and entryways. The stretch bar can be made in lengths to fit within standard door frame widths, or can be made to be length-adjustable. The friction-based stabilizers are at opposite ends of a handlebar of the stretch bar, the handlebar having gripping regions or grips that can be: cushioned vertical grips with finger grooves, custom grip attachments, and/or handlebar curvature gripping areas with neutral wrist placement. The handlebar can be made from structurally reinforced plastic, and can have custom over molding or a covering and/or padding made from one or more resilient materials.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly insulated packing system is provided. The insulated packing system may include a base layer, an insulating layer disposed on the base layer in one or more areas and a sealing layer. The insulating layer may be a plurality of block-shaped pockets having a substantially rectangular or cube form in each of the one or more areas. Alternatively, a reflective layer may be included. The base layer may be folded to join the substantially rectangular forms and align with the inner surface of all or part of a shipping container, e.g., a box. In an alternate embodiment, the insulating packing system may be in the form of a bag/pliable pouch.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly insulated packing system is provided. The insulated packing system may include a base layer and an insulating layer disposed on the base layer in one or more areas. The insulating layer may be a plurality of block-shaped pockets having a substantially rectangular or cube form in each of the one or more areas. The base layer may be folded to join the substantially rectangular forms and align with the inner surface of all or part of a shipping container, e.g., a box. In an alternate embodiment, the insulating packing system may be in the form of a bag/pliable box.

Abstract: A drum smoking assembly is configured to utilize uniform, cyclonic circulation flow of air, heat and smoke for smoking and cooking food. The drum smoking assembly has a drum smoker that is approximately cylindrical and further comprises interior and exterior surfaces. Two side openings extend through the interior and exterior surfaces which are joined to air intakes tangentially connected to the exterior surface. A basket is arranged within the drum smoker above the first side opening and the second side opening. A twelve vane straightening perforate plate is arranged within the drum smoker above the basket. A lid is rotationally connected to the drum smoker and further comprising a chimney cap. A heat source in the basket pulls air through the first air intake and the second air intake that is then pushed through the twelve vane straightening perforate plate toward the chimney cap, creating a cyclonic air flow.

Abstract: A method of providing a rocker arm set for a valvetrain includes providing a first rocker arm configured as a switching rocker arm for a first intake valve, and providing a second rocker arm configured as a fixed rocker arm for a second intake valve, the second rocker arm operating in a normal Otto cycle mode. The first rocker arm operates in a late intake valve closing (LIVC) mode where the first rocker arm is configured to close the first intake valve later than the second intake valve.

Abstract: A method of providing a rocker arm set for a valvetrain includes providing a first rocker arm configured as a switching rocker arm for a first intake valve, and providing a second rocker arm configured as a fixed rocker arm for a second intake valve, the second rocker arm operating in a normal Otto cycle mode. The first rocker arm operates in a late intake valve closing (LIVC) mode where the first rocker arm is configured to close the first intake valve later than the second intake valve.

Abstract: A switching roller finger follower for valve actuation comprises a pair of outer arms comprising an axle mounting. A bridge portion joins the pair of outer arms. A latch assembly comprises a ferrule. The ferrule is configured to reciprocate in a latch recess. An inner arm is pivotably mounted to a main axle and comprises a bearing rotatably mounted to a bearing axle. The bearing is configured to transfer forces from a cam lobe to the inner arm. A catch on the inner arm is configured to latch against the lip when the ferrule is in a first position. The catch can pivot past the ferrule when the ferrule is in a second position.

Abstract: A method of providing a rocker arm set for a valvetrain includes providing a first rocker arm configured as a switching rocker arm for a first intake valve, and providing a second rocker arm configured as a fixed rocker arm for a second intake valve, the second rocker arm operating in a normal Otto cycle mode. The first rocker arm operates in a late intake valve closing (LIVC) mode where the first rocker arm is configured to close the first intake valve later than the second intake valve.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to systems and methods for decreasing power consumption of a storage device. More specifically, embodiments disclosed herein are directed to reducing power consumption of a data storage device by enabling a command buffer associated with the data storage device to store received commands without executing the commands until a predetermined number of commands have been stored in the buffer.

Abstract: Managing data stored on media of a Data Storage Device (DSD) using zone relocation. At least a portion of the media is logically divided into a plurality of zones and zones are identified with access counts greater than or equal to a threshold. The access count for each of the identified zones indicates a number of times data in the zone has been read or written. Data is relocated from at least one zone of the identified zones to at least one destination zone on the media to reduce a data access time between the identified zones.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk comprising a plurality of refresh regions, each refresh region comprising a range of logical block addresses (LBAs). The disk drive further comprises a recent write streams list comprising one or more entries, each entry representing an LBA stream. The disk drive further comprises a head actuated radially over the disk to write data to and read data from the disk, and control circuitry coupled to the head, wherein the control circuitry is operable to execute a write command comprising one or more LBAs, determine whether the one or more LBAs are sequential to an entry in the recent write streams list, modify an entry in the recent write streams list when the one or more LBAs are sequential to the entry, and utilize the modified entry to determine whether to reset a refresh counter associated with a refresh region.

Abstract: Managing data stored on media of a Data Storage Device (DSD) using zone relocation. At least a portion of the media is logically divided into a plurality of zones and zones are identified with access counts greater than or equal to a threshold. The access count for each of the identified zones indicates a number of times data in the zone has been read or written. Data is relocated from at least one zone of the identified zones to at least one destination zone on the media to reduce a data access time between the identified zones.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for containing and dispensing a fluid. The apparatus includes a fluid receiving sleeve made of a pliable material having a structural integrity that may be overcome by a weight of a fluid when the fluid is located within the fluid receiving sleeve. A support member comprising a substantially rigid rod, having a structural integrity sufficient to support the pliable material of the fluid receiving sleeve, supports the fluid receiving sleeve along the sidewall of the fluid receiving sleeve when the support member is positioned in an engaged position. A support member coupling couples the fluid receiving sleeve with the support member along the sidewall of the fluid receiving sleeve when the support member is positioned in an engaged position. In this manner the support member maintains the structural integrity of the fluid receiving sleeve.

Abstract: Multi-resolution cache monitoring devices and methods are provided. Multi-resolution cache devices illustratively have a cache memory, an interface, an information unit, and a processing unit. The interface receives a request for data that may be included in the cache memory. The information unit has state information for the cache memory. The state information is organized in a hierarchical structure. The process unit searches the hierarchical structure for the requested data.

Abstract: The disclosure is related to systems and methods of dynamic dataflow in a multiple cache architecture. In an embodiment, a system having a data storage device with a multiple cache architecture may detect at least one attribute affecting a data storage workload or data storage performance. The system may select at least one of a plurality of data flow schemes based on the at least one attribute, which may be done to optimize the data storage workload for various conditions. In another embodiment, a data storage controller may automatically and dynamically select one of multiple data flow schemes within a data storage device having a multiple cache architecture. The data storage controller may monitor attributes to determine which data flow scheme to select for various workloads of the data storage device.

Abstract: A unique system and method for ordering commands may reduce disc access latency while giving preference to pending commands. The method and system involves giving preference to pending commands in a set of priority queues. The method and system involve identifying a pending command and processing other non-pending commands in route to the pending command if performance will not be penalized in doing so. The method and system include a list of command node references referring to a list of sorted command nodes that are to be scheduled for processing.

Abstract: Multi-resolution cache monitoring devices and methods are provided. Multi-resolution cache devices illustratively have a cache memory, an interface, an information unit, and a processing unit. The interface receives a request for data that may be included in the cache memory. The information unit has state information for the cache memory. The state information is organized in a hierarchical structure. The process unit searches the hierarchical structure for the requested data.

Abstract: Systems and methods of monitoring logical block address (LBA) activity are disclosed. In an embodiment, a pattern of a data storage device may be monitored. An LBA may be detected that is accessed based on the pattern. The LBA may be added to a list of LBAs stored in a memory.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for using block level quality of service (QOS) data in a data storage device. A memory space is provided with a plurality of physical data storage blocks, such as data sectors on a magnetic disc. The QOS data identify at least one QOS characteristic for each of the available blocks. Transfers of user data between the blocks and a host device are preferably carried out in relation to the QOS data. In some preferred embodiments, the QOS data identifies a certification state for each of the blocks. In this way, the device is manufactured with less than all of the blocks having been successfully certified, and the remaining blocks are certified by the device during field use. In other preferred embodiments, the QOS data include a virus scan status, an access history, a write status, or an overlapped track indication for each said block.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for containing and dispensing a fluid. The apparatus includes a fluid receiving sleeve made of a pliable material having a structural integrity that may be overcome by a weight of a fluid when the fluid is located within the fluid receiving sleeve. A support member comprising a substantially rigid rod, having a structural integrity sufficient to support the pliable material of the fluid receiving sleeve, supports the fluid receiving sleeve along the sidewall of the fluid receiving sleeve when the support member is positioned in an engaged position. A support member coupling couples the fluid receiving sleeve with the support member along the sidewall of the fluid receiving sleeve when the support member is positioned in an engaged position. In this manner the support member maintains the structural integrity of the fluid receiving sleeve.