Abstract: A system for detecting if a refrigerant in an HVACR system is contaminated. The system includes a detector that detectes a property of a refrigerant gas in a vapor space and compares the detected property with a reference property for uncontaminated refrigerant gas. The detector determines that a contaminant is present in the refrigerant gas if the detected property is different from the reference property. The property detected by the dectector can be either a speed of sound through the refrigerant gas or a thermal conductivity of the refrigerant gas. Also disclosed is a method for detecting contamination of refrigerant gas in a HVACR system that includes detecting, by a detector, a property of refrigerant gas in a vapor space of the HVACR system.

Abstract: A rotary drum blancher/cooler includes skinsheet sections alternating with structural channels and clamps. The skinsheet sections and channels have sidewalls. Each clamp includes at least a portion of a clamp bar, a bolt, a slot and hole combination, and a nut. The clamp bar holds each skinsheet sidewall between the channel sidewall and the clamp bar. The bolt extends through a hole in the clamp bar. The bolt has a first partially threaded end and a second end with at least one groove. One end is within the channel, and the other outside. A slot and hole combination is located in at least one of a retaining plate, channel sidewall and clamp bar. The bolt can pass through the hole of the slot and hole combination, and the groove(s) in the bolt are disposed within the slot to prevent rotation of the bolt. The nut is on the first end, and may be tightened or loosened to tighten or loosen the skinsheet side wall to the channel sidewall.

Abstract: A rotary drum blancher/cooler for processing food includes a skinsheet comprised of a plurality of sections, clamps, and structural channels. Each clamp has clamping and release positions, and includes a base, a bail connected to the base, a draw connected to the bail, and at least a portion of a skinsheet clamp bar connected to the draw. The sections are disposed between structural channels, such that the drum is defined by the skinsheet sections alternating with the structural channels. The base is attached to a structural channel, and the draw extends from within to outside the structural channel. The skinsheet clamp bar is outside the structural channel. When the clamp is in the clamping position the clamp bar holds a skinsheet section to the structural channel in an operating position. When the clamp is in the release position configuration the clamp bar allows skinsheet section to move away from the structural channel in cleaning position.

Abstract: A hexahedral polarization beamsplitter is constructed with four substantially triangular prisms with a polarizing beamsplitter located within each of the interfaces between the assembled prisms. An input side of the assembly receives an unpolarized beam and two opposing output sides of the assembly transmit orthogonally polarized portions of the unpolarized beam in opposite directions. The polarizing beamsplitters are arranged at the interfaces so that each of the orthogonally polarized portions of the unpolarized beam is both reflected by one of the polarizing beamsplitters and transmitted by another of the polarizing beamsplitters.

Abstract: A head-mounted imaging apparatus includes a frame that houses a left-eye and a right-eye imaging apparatus. Each imaging apparatus forms a virtual image to an eye of an observer and includes a projector, a planar waveguide, and an optical coupler. The projector is supported by a temple member of the frame and emits a central projected light beam along a projection axis. The planar waveguide accepts the projected light beam through an input aperture and forms an expanded light beam that is output from an output aperture and directed toward the observer's eye. The optical coupler receives the central projected light beam along a first axis that is at an obtuse angle with respect to the waveguide surface, and the optical coupler redirects the central projected light beam along a second axis that is at an acute angle with respect to the waveguide surface.

Abstract: An automobile vehicle airbag assembly includes an airbag body connected to and extending when inflated downward from an overhead vehicle portion. A cushion extending from the airbag body has a first portion which when inflated positioned directly in front of an occupant. A second portion when inflated extends from the first portion and has a lower end aligned to interact with legs of the occupant to limit rotational motion of a lower leg portion of the legs to prevent hyper-extension of at least one knee of the occupant.

Abstract: A heat transfer circuit that includes a main flow path for a working fluid that extends through a compressor, a condenser, an expander, and an evaporator. The working fluid includes CF3I. The heat transfer circuit also includes an additive stream configured to supply additive for the CF3I to the working fluid in the main flow path based on a discharge temperature of the compressor. A method for operating a heat transfer circuit that includes directing a working fluid including CF3I through a main flow path of the heat transfer circuit. The method also includes changing a concentration of additive for the CF3I based on a discharge temperature of the working fluid from the compressor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for changing all or part of the skinsheet of a rotary drum blancher/cooler from being clean in place totally removable is disclosed. The drum includes the skinsheet (in sections) with a plurality of clamps and catches. Each catch is comprised of two catches—a clean in place catch and a totally removable catch. Each clamp is attached to a section and has an clamping position and a release position, and includes a bail. When a clamp is in the clamping position and its bail is in either the clean in place catch or the totally removable catch of a corresponding catch on an adjacent second section, the catch and clamp hold the adjacent sections together to form a part of the drum. When the clamp is in the release position and the bail is in the clean in place catch of the adjacent section, the clamp and clean in place catch allow adjacent sections to separate, but do not allow them to be removed.

Abstract: An imaging light guide for conveying a virtual image has a waveguide with first and second color channels for directing light of a first and second wavelength range toward a viewer eyebox. Each color channel has an in-coupling diffractive optic to diffract an image-bearing light beam into the waveguide and a reflector array having a partially reflective surface and a dichroic filter surface in parallel. Reflector array surfaces expand the respective light beam of the channel from the in-coupling diffractive optic in a first dimension and direct the expanded light beams toward an out-coupling diffractive optic. The dichroic surface reflects light of the color channel toward the reflective surface and transmits other light out of the waveguide. The out-coupling diffractive optic expands the image-bearing light beam orthogonally to the first dimension and directs the further expanded light beam toward the viewer eyebox.

Abstract: A cooler including a compartment, a conduit including a first end portion configured to be in communication with the compartment and a second end portion, food product at a first product temperature entering the first end portion, a fluid discharge positioned substantially within the conduit between the first end portion and the second end portion, and a pressurized fluid source in communication with and for supplying fluid through the fluid discharge, the fluid being at a first fluid temperature less than the first product temperature, the pressurized fluid source being operable to propel the fluid through the fluid discharge to move the food product from the first end portion of the conduit toward the second end portion and to cool the food product to a temperature below the first product temperature.

Abstract: A system for creating targeted vanadium oxide (VO2) nanoparticle compositions comprising a stock reaction mixture that is a fluid combination of at least one vanadium source combined with at least one dopant source. Each dopant source contains at least one target dopant element. The ratio of the number of vanadium atoms in the vanadium source to the number of target dopant element atoms in the dopant source is less than or equal to 10:1. A solvent that is compatible with said stock reaction mixture is selected. A pressure regulator increases the pressure of the solvent and the stock reaction mixture to between 0 and 5,000 psi. A heating element increases the temperature of the solvent to between 50 and 500° C. A mixing unit receives and mixes a continuous flow of stock reaction mixture with solvent to heat the stock reaction mixture and initiate formation of the targeted vanadium oxide (VO2) nanoparticle composition.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical compositions of native and engineered mutant Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) and methods for treating patients undergoing ischemic cardiac reperfusion therapy to reduce or eliminate ischemic reperfusion injury, methods for treating patients suffering from or suspected of suffering from a myocardial infarction and about to undergo or undergoing cardiac reperfusion therapy to reduce extent of the myocardial infarction, and methods for treating patients who suffered a cardiac ischemic event to restore cardiac function to a pre-ischemic event level of cardiac function by administering a native or engineered mutant FGF, and, optionally, heparin.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus for conveying a virtual image superimposed within a view of an ambient environment has a wave-guide having first and second surfaces. An in-coupling diffractive optic on one of the planar surfaces is disposed to direct image-bearing light beams into the waveguide. An out-coupling diffractive optic on one of the planar surfaces of the waveguide is disposed to direct the image-bearing light beams from the waveguide toward a viewer eyebox. An outer cover protects as least part of the waveguide from undesirable environmental influences of an ambient environment while supporting views of the ambient environment from the eyebox. A circular polarizer interposed between waveguide and the outer cover blocks the return of stray light into the waveguide.

Abstract: An imaging light guide for conveying a virtual image has a waveguide that conveys image-bearing light, formed as a flat plate having a front and a back surface and having an in-coupling diffractive optic on the front surface with a first grating vector diffracting an image-bearing light beam into the waveguide and directing diffracted light. An out-coupling diffractive optic is formed on the front or back surface as a diffractive array and with a first subset of diffractive elements, each having a second grating vector k2 offset from the first grating vector by about +60 degrees and a second subset of diffractive elements, each having a third grating vector k3 offset from the first grating vector by about ?60 degrees. Each diffractive element of the first subset is immediately adjacent to at least one diffractive element of the second subset and the diffractive elements are mutually non-overlapping.

Abstract: A head-mounted imaging apparatus has a projector that is energizable to project image-bearing light and a light-conditioning element that directs and shapes the image-bearing light from the projector to form a real image plane. A lenslet array is positioned adjacent to the real image plane and optically disposed at substantially one focal length away from a curved mirror, wherein the surface of the curved mirror is substantially spherical. There is a beamsplitter in the path of light from the real image at the lenslet array and disposed to direct at least a portion of the light from the real image toward the curved mirror. The curved mirror directs light from the beamsplitter to form a virtual image for an observer who wears the head-mounted imaging apparatus.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a telescoping suction gripper assembly are provided. In one embodiment, a robotic system comprises: a robot comprising a robotic actuator and at least one robotic arm mechanically coupled to the robotic actuator; a telescoping suction gripper assembly comprising a telescoping member and a suction gripper mechanism, wherein a first end of the telescoping member is coupled to a vacuum supply conduit via a first flexible conduit member and a second end of the telescoping member is coupled to the suction gripper mechanism by a second flexible conduit member, and wherein the suction gripper mechanism is pivotally coupled to the at least one robotic; wherein the telescoping member is configured to adjust in length in response to the at least one robotic arm relocating the suction gripper mechanism from a first position to a second position.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a robotic system comprises: a robot comprising a robotic actuator and at least one robotic arm mechanically coupled to the robotic actuator; a suction gripper mechanism that comprises: a linear shaft element; an internal airflow passage within the linear shaft configured to communicate an airflow between an airflow application port at a first end of the linear shaft and a gripping port positioned at an opposing second end of the linear shaft; a suction cup assembly comprising a suction cup element coupled to the gripping port; and an actuator configured to rotate the linear shaft in order to articulate an orientation of the suction cup assembly.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting seatbelt routing in a motor vehicle safety restraint system for a motor vehicle seat. The system includes a seatbelt buckle sensor, a seatbelt payout sensor, an occupancy sensor, an automatic locking retractor sensor and a control module. The method includes sensing a presence of a seatbelt latchplate in a seatbelt buckle. Further, the method includes sensing a seatbelt payout length. Additionally, the method includes comparing the seatbelt payout length to a first seatbelt payout length threshold. Moreover, the method includes determining seatbelt routing based on whether seatbelt latchplate is present in the seatbelt buckle and the seatbelt payout length is greater than the first seatbelt payout length threshold.

Abstract: An example joiner bracket system for joining a first section and a second section of a fixture includes a pair of oppositely-oriented joiner brackets that have interlocking and complementary shapes. The joiner brackets may include features that engage with or attach to corresponding elements within the first and second fixtures. After the joiner brackets are secured to their respective fixture sections, the pair of joiner brackets may be positioned near each other to align a pair of bore holes or coupling bosses each extending at an angle through the pair of joiner brackets. Screws or other suitable fasteners may be driven through the aligned bosses or bores to couple to the bosses, and upon further engagement, to pull together the joiner brackets together and, in turn, bring together the first and second sections of the lighting fixture.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for efficient communication through a fabric network of devices in a home environment or similar environment. For example, an electronic device may efficiently control communication to balance power and reliability concerns, may efficiently communicate messages to certain preferred networks by analyzing Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) packet headers that use an Extended Unique Local Address (EULA), may efficiently communicate software updates and status reports throughout a fabric network, and/or may easily and efficiently join a fabric network.