Abstract: An example apparatus includes a rod, an uphole coupling through which the rod extends, an expansion ring positioned on the rod below the uphole coupling, an elastomer element positioned on the rod below the expansion ring, a receptacle positioned on the rod below the elastomer element and configured to receive a portion of the elastomer element, a guardian ring positioned on the rod below the receptacle, and a portion of the receptacle is received in the guardian ring, a cap positioned on the rod and arranged for contact with the guardian ring, and a barrel to which the cap is connected, wherein the rod is partially received in the barrel, and one of the barrel and the rod is movable with respect to the other of the barrel and the rod to exert a compression load on the elastomer element.

Abstract: Methods for nanopore-based protein analysis are provided. The methods address the characterization of a target protein analyte, which has a dimension greater than an internal diameter of the nanopore tunnel, and which is also physically associated with a polymer. The methods further comprise applying an electrical potential to the nanopore system to cause the polymer to interact with the nanopore tunnel. The ion current through the nanopore is measured to provide a current pattern reflective of the structure of the portion of the polymer interacting with the nanopore tunnel. This is used as a metric for characterizing the associated protein that does not pass through the nanopore.

Abstract: In one example, a method includes running a downhole system into a downhole environment that comprises a wellbore, and the downhole system is configured such that a reusable plug of the downhole system is positioned uphole of a perforation gun of the downhole system, then, with the perforation gun, perforating a casing at a stage of the wellbore, and the perforating is performed using a projectile, and the perforating is performed by firing the projectile from a chamber of the perforation gun.

Abstract: A dispenser includes a body that defines a chamber and a barrel that communicate with each other, and a penetrator assembly configured to be received in the chamber. The penetrator assembly includes a penetrator, a propellant operably positioned with respect to the penetrator, a primer in operable communication with the propellant, and an electrical conductor configured and arranged to carry electrical power to the primer. The dispenser may be positioned in a downhole location such as a wellbore, and the penetrator assembly may be fired so that the penetrator perforates a casing in the wellbore.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device and method to operate on and control a high pressure fluid. The device has a dump chamber to receive high pressure fluid from a high pressure fluid source, and a dose chamber, to receive a flow of the high pressure fluid from the dump chamber via a flow path from the dump chamber to the dose chamber, having an outlet. Present also is a working chamber having an inlet end at an end thereof, and a dose valve member with an annular sealing surface surrounding the inlet end. When the dose valve member in a closed condition the sealing surface meets with an annular seat to seal the outlet; and with the dose valve member in an open condition a gap is presented between the annular sealing surface and the seat to allow high pressure fluid to move from the outlet to the inlet.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device including an exhaust valve, that operates on a pressurised working fluid. The device includes a working chamber, defined at least in part by a side wall, which working chamber can hold a workload to or toward a first end thereof, the working chamber to receive the working fluid to act on a rear surface of the workload to propel the workload to or towards a second end, opposite the first, of the working chamber. The device also includes a return chamber to receive fluid under pressure from a front surface of the workload, the pressure developed at least in part by the movement of the workload towards the second end.

Abstract: An actuation trigger for a device, comprising or including, A dose chamber to hold a charge of high pressure working fluid, received from a high pressure source, A dose valve, biased closed to seal the dose chamber off from a working chamber, and hold the charge in the dose chamber, A hammer operated by a piston with a driven chamber on a first side of the piston, and a trigger chamber on a second side of the piston, sealed from the first side, the driven chamber receiving high pressure working fluid directly or indirectly from the high pressure source, A trigger valve to selectively supply high pressure working fluid to the trigger chamber, or to release high pressure working fluid from the trigger chamber, Such that when the hammer has high pressure working fluid in both the driven chamber and the trigger chamber it is held by a force imbalance in a first position, and when the high pressure working fluid is released from the trigger chamber, the hammer is driven to, or towards a second position towards the

Abstract: Disclosed is a spool valve to valve a fluid between at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port, having a bore with a spool operably associated therein. The bore has one or more inlet ports and at least one outlet port. Located in the bore is at least one in-bore seal, the seal fluidly sealing on a seal outer diameter to an inside diameter of the bore, and selectively fluidly sealing on a seal inside diameter to a spool outside diameter. Present also is at least one spacer located in the bore, adjacent the at least one in-bore seal having a fluid communication from a spacer internal diameter to a spacer external diameter with at least one inlet port, or the at least one outlet port. The spool moves to allow or prevent flow from an inlet port to outlet port.

Abstract: An apparatus 2 for performing serial data communication with a target device 4, such as an integrated circuit, utilizes serial transfer circuitry 16 to perform a serial transfer of data to a communication register 26 in the target device 4 and serial retrieval circuitry 18 to retrieve an acknowledge signal 32 indicating whether or not the target device is ready to perform further processing following such a transfer. Delay control circuitry 20 serves to apply a predetermined delay period following the transfer of the serial data via the serial transfer circuitry before initiating the retrieval of the acknowledge signal. This predetermined delay period is controlled in dependence upon the ready status indicated by the acknowledge signals retrieved such that the proportion of acknowledge signals retrieved which indicate an unready status meets a predetermined condition, such as being less than a non-zero predetermined value.

Abstract: A preview station for previewing microscope slides where each slide has one or more specimens thereon, the preview station having a tray holder supporting a slide tray with a plurality of slides thereon. A digital camera and lens is located on an optical axis relative to the slide tray and a light source illuminates the slide tray. The camera is activated to image each slide in the slide tray and has a memory to store and transmit data from each slide. The preview station can be used in combination with a scanning system and can be made part of a scanning system.

Abstract: A hose section (10) for a sea water suction hose (50) and a method of assembling a sea water suction hose (50) is provided. The hose section (10) comprising attachment means (18) for attaching an auxiliary hose section (20) thereto. The method of assembling the sea water suction hose (50) comprising the steps of providing at least two sea water hose sections (10) each having an attachment means (18) for attaching an auxiliary hose section (20) thereto, attaching an auxiliary hose section (20) to each sea water hose section (10), connecting the auxiliary hose sections (20) together and connecting the sea water hose sections (10) together.

Abstract: An apparatus 2 for performing serial data communication with a target device 4, such as an integrated circuit, utilizes serial transfer circuitry 16 to perform a serial transfer of data to a communication register 26 in the target device 4 and serial retrieval circuitry 18 to retrieve an acknowledge signal 32 indicating whether or not the target device is ready to perform further processing following such a transfer. Delay control circuitry 20 serves to apply a predetermined delay period following the transfer of the serial data via the serial transfer circuitry before initiating the retrieval of the acknowledge signal. This predetermined delay period is controlled in dependence upon the ready status indicated by the acknowledge signals retrieved such that the proportion of acknowledge signals retrieved which indicate an unready status meets a predetermined condition, such as being less than a non-zero predetermined value.

Abstract: A hose section (10) for a sea water suction hose (50) and a method of assembling a sea water suction hose (50) is provided. The hose section (10) comprising attachment means (18) for attaching an auxiliary hose section (20) thereto. The method of assembling the sea water suction hose (50) comprising the steps of providing at least two sea water hose sections (10) each having an attachment means (18) for attaching an auxiliary hose section (20) thereto, attaching an auxiliary hose section (20) to each sea water hose section (10), connecting the auxiliary hose sections (20) together and connecting the sea water hose sections (10) together.

Abstract: A preview station for previewing microscope slides where each slide has one or more specimens thereon, the preview station having a tray holder supporting a slide tray with a plurality of slides thereon. A digital camera and lens is located on an optical axis relative to the slide tray and a light source illuminates the slide tray. The camera is activated to image each slide in the slide tray and has a memory to store and transmit data from each slide. The preview station can be used in combination with a scanning system and can be made part of a scanning system.

Abstract: A turbine nozzle may be repaired by severing the inner band from the vanes and outer band, which may then be discarded. A replacement nozzle is cast to include replacement vanes extending between a replacement outer band and an inner web, with the replacement outer band and vanes conforming with the original outer band and vanes. The new web is configured differently than the old inner band and includes a tie bar. The inner band is machined to form vane seats. The web is machined to form plinths atop the tie bar at each of the replacement vanes. The plinths and tie bar are assembled through the vane seats and bonded to the machined inner band to collectively form the repaired turbine nozzle.

Abstract: A turbine nozzle may be repaired by severing the inner band from the vanes and outer band, which may then be discarded. A replacement nozzle is cast to include replacement vanes extending between a replacement outer band and an inner web, with the replacement outer band and vanes conforming with the original outer band and vanes. The new web is configured differently than the old inner band and includes a tie bar. The inner band is machined to form vane seats. The web is machined to form plinths atop the tie bar at each of the replacement vanes. The plinths and tie bar are assembled through the vane seats and bonded to the machined inner band to collectively form the repaired turbine nozzle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mirror mount. In particular, the present invention relates to a two-axis mirror flexure mount with increased stiffness in all but the desired degrees of freedom. The present invention recites an integrally formed support for a mirror comprising; a rigid portion; a plurality of base portions suitable for mounting the mirror thereto; and a plurality of substantially linear flexure elements provided substantially perpendicular to one another and disposed between the mount portion and the base portion to connect the mount portion and the base portion together; wherein the flexure elements each define an axis of rotation and are operable to allow the mount portion to rotate relative to the base portion along either said axis of rotation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an actuator. In particular, the present invention relates to an actuator having improved acceleration for payloads at an optimum volume and mass of actuator. Specifically, the present invention relates to an actuator comprising a field structure assembly comprising an arrangement of permanent magnets and magnetically soft components, and a moving coil assembly, wherein the arrangement of permanent magnets comprises a conical magnet and a plurality of segmented ring magnets.

Abstract: A system is provided for programming a configurable semiconductor device. The system includes a programmable controlling device, a programmable computing device, a communication link, a configurable hardware device, a design tool with first computer program code, and second computer program code. The configurable hardware device has memory with a plurality of memory locations and coupled with the programmable controlling device via the communication link. The design tool includes first computer program code embodied in a programmable computing device.

Abstract: There is provided a gas heat exchanger 101 comprising a coolant conduit 102 having a coolant inlet 103 and a coolant outlet 104, a gas cooling conduit 201, and a gas bypass conduit 203. At least a portion of the gas cooling conduit 201 is disposed between at least a portion of the coolant conduit 102 and a portion of the bypass conduit 203. During a first mode of operation, the gas cooling conduit 201 is configured to carry gas. During a second mode of operation, the bypass conduit 203 is configured to carry gas and the gas cooling conduit 201 is configured to reduce a heat exchange between the coolant conduit 102 and the bypass conduit 203.