Abstract: An electronic business postal system collects, clears and delivers electronic business mail through a closed access, secure messaging system. A collection subsystem consists of access portals that are associated with secured system nodes. The access portals provide authenticated users access to the system to send and retrieve electronic business mail that includes postal system electronic delivery addresses, physical delivery addresses, or both. Secured message servers that are associated with the respective access portals process the electronic business mail into uniquely identified messages for delivery over the system nodes and also process received messages to provide the corresponding electronic business mail to the intended recipients through associated access portals. A delivery subsystem directs the messages through the system nodes associated with the senders' access portals to the system nodes associated with the recipients' access portals.

Abstract: In a method for attaching a connector to a coaxial cable a solder perform is placed upon an end of an outer conductor of the cable. A connector body of the connector is seated upon an interface pedestal and the end of the outer conductor is inserted into a bore of the connector body against the interface pedestal. The outer conductor, the connector body and the interface pedestal contribute sidewalls to form a solder cavity, and the solder perform is heated. A seat may be applied to the interface pedestal to provide a thermal barrier and/or enhanced seal characteristics that are cost efficiently replaceable upon degradation.

Abstract: The locations of flowers on a plant, rather than the locations of agricultural products produced from such flowers, are used to facilitate the performance of harvesting and other agricultural operations in robotic agricultural applications. In some implementations, the identified location of a fruit-producing flower may be used by a robotic device to apply an indicator tag to a flowering plant proximate the flower for later identification when performing various types of directed and automated agricultural operations. In other implementations, the identified location of a fruit-producing flower may be used by a robotic device to anchor a stem of a flowering plant to a predetermined location such that the location of the flower, and of any fruit(s) later produced by such flower, are controlled and/or known when performing subsequent agricultural operations.

Abstract: A stator assembly has coils in a distributed winding configuration. A poly-phase switched reluctance motor assembly 3002 may include a stator assembly with multiple coils in a distributed winding configuration. The stator assembly may have a central bore into which a rotor assembly having multiple poles is received and configured to rotate. A method of controlling a switched reluctance motor may include at least three phases wherein during each conduction period a first phase is energized with negative direction current, a second phase is energized with positive current and there is at least one non-energized phase. During each commutation period either the first phase or second phase switches off to a non-energized state and one of the non-energized phases switches on to an energized state with the same direction current as the first or second phase that was switched off. The switched reluctance motor may include a distributed winding configuration.

Abstract: An electronic business postal system collects, clears and delivers electronic business mail through a closed access, secure messaging system. A collection subsystem consists of access portals that are associated with secured system nodes. The access portals provide authenticated users access to the system to send and retrieve electronic business mail that includes postal system electronic delivery addresses, physical delivery addresses, or both. Secured message servers that are associated with the respective access portals process the electronic business mail into uniquely identified messages for delivery over the system nodes and also process received messages to provide the corresponding electronic business mail to the intended recipients through associated access portals. A delivery subsystem directs the messages through the system nodes associated with the senders' access portals to the system nodes associated with the recipients' access portals.

Abstract: An electronic business postal system collects, clears and delivers electronic business mail through a closed access, secure messaging system. A collection subsystem consists of access portals that are associated with secured system nodes. The access portals provide authenticated users access to the system to send and retrieve electronic business mail that includes postal system electronic delivery addresses, physical delivery addresses, or both. Secured message servers that are associated with the respective access portals process the electronic business mail into uniquely identified messages for delivery over the system nodes and also process received messages to provide the corresponding electronic business mail to the intended recipients through associated access portals. A delivery subsystem directs the messages through the system nodes associated with the senders' access portals to the system nodes associated with the recipients' access portals.

Abstract: In a method for attaching a connector to a coaxial cable a solder perform is placed upon an end of an outer conductor of the cable. A connector body of the connector is seated upon an interface pedestal and the end of the outer conductor is inserted into a bore of the connector body against the interface pedestal. The outer conductor, the connector body and the interface pedestal contribute sidewalls to form a solder cavity, and the solder perform is heated. A seat may be applied to the interface pedestal to provide a thermal barrier and/or enhanced seal characteristics that are cost efficiently replaceable upon degradation.

Abstract: Airplanes and jet engines are provided that includes an engine compressor; a combustor in flow communication with the engine compressor; an engine turbine in flow communication with the combustor to receive combustion products from the combustor; and a bleed air cooling system in fluid communication with bleed air from the engine compressor. The bleed air cooling system can include a first precooler in fluid communication with the bleed air from the engine compressor; a cooling system turbine in fluid communication with and downstream from the first precooler; and a discharge conduit from the cooling system turbine that is configured to be in fluid communication with at least one of an aircraft thermal management system and an aircraft environmental control system. Methods are also described for providing cooling fluid from a jet engine.

Abstract: A wound closure assembly and method for its use. The wound closure assembly includes a curved inserter having a distal end and a proximal end, a filamentary element extending between a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is coupled to the proximal end of the curved inserter, a first anchor coupled to the filamentary element between its first and second ends, and a second anchor positioned at the distal end of the filamentary element. The filamentary element is configured to form a slip knot between the first and second anchors so as to enable the distance between the first and second anchors to be decreased by pulling on the proximal end of the filamentary element. The distal end of the curved inserter is received within a channel in the first anchor that extends along its longitudinal length.

Abstract: A filter cartridge for a respiratory mask includes a housing comprised of an inner receptacle having an open end and an outer cover mounted over said open end of said inner receptacle. The outer cover includes, in a covering surface thereof, an air intake aperture in fluid communication with said inner receptacle. The outer cover is pivotally mounted to the inner receptacle and configured for pivotal movement relative thereto between a first configuration in which there is a gap between said open end of said inner receptacle and said outer cover such that a respiratory airway is defined between said intake aperture and said inner receptacle, and a second configuration in which said outer cover substantially seals said open end of said inner receptacle and said respiratory airway is thereby blocked.

Abstract: A flame barrier substrate consisting principally of non-fire-retardant (non-FR) fiber with fire-resistant properties and affinity for sublistatic dyes. The flame barrier substrate includes a balanced fine core-spun yarn whose face may include fibers with an affinity for dyes, e.g., sublistatic dyes. The balanced fine core-spun yarn may also include a heat-stable core enveloped in a sheath of low-temperature-resistant fibers such as, for example, non-fire-retardant (non-FR) fibers. The balanced fine core-spun yarns may be further combined with other balanced fine core-spun yarns made with a sheath of fire-retardant fibers for added flame barrier performance. This flame barrier substrate may be constructed to concentrate the dye-receptive yarns on the technical face of the fabric for optimal aesthetics.

Abstract: A respiratory treatment apparatus generates an indication of inspiration or expiration based on a measure of motor current of a flow generator. In an example, first and second current signals are derived from the measurement. The first derived current signal may be a long term measure or average of current and the second derived current signal may be a short term measure or average of current. A processor (120) determines an indication of inspiration or expiration as a function of the first and second derived current signals. The function of the first derived current signal and the second derived current signal may be a comparison of the derived current signals. The derived signals may be determined by filtering. The indication of inspiration or expiration may serve as a trigger or cycle control for changing treatment pressure in synchrony with patient respiration without measured signals from pressure, flow or speed sensors.

Abstract: In a method for attaching a connector to a coaxial cable a solder perform is placed upon an end of an outer conductor of the cable. A connector body of the connector is seated upon an interface pedestal and the end of the outer conductor is inserted into a bore of the connector body against the interface pedestal. The outer conductor, the connector body and the interface pedestal contribute sidewalls to form a solder cavity, and the solder perform is heated. A seat may be applied to the interface pedestal to provide a thermal barrier and/or enhanced seal characteristics that are cost efficiently replaceable upon degradation.

Abstract: In a method for attaching a connector to a coaxial cable a solder preform is placed upon an end of an outer conductor of the cable. A connector body of the connector is seated upon an interface pedestal and the end of the outer conductor is inserted into a bore of the connector body against the interface pedestal. The outer conductor, the connector body and the interface pedestal contribute sidewalls to form a solder cavity, and the solder preform is heated. A seat may be applied to the interface pedestal to provide a thermal barrier and/or enhanced seal characteristics that are cost efficiently replaceable upon degradation.

Abstract: A housing for soaking a hand with arthritis, trauma, or skin conditions. The housing may include an outside container and an inside container. The outside container may house the components. There may be a channel between the inside container and the outside container. The present invention may include a heating element and an impeller within the channel. In certain embodiments, the heating element and impeller housing may be attached to the bottom of a lid that covers the housing.

Abstract: An isothermal, low pressure-based process of depositing material within a substrate has been developed and results in creating an extremely narrow reaction zone within which a more uniform and efficient deposition will occur. Sets of isothermal plasma operating conditions have been found that create a narrow deposition zone, assuring that the deposited material is clear glass rather than soot particles. The chemical delivery system, in one arrangement, utilizes rods of solid phase source material (which may otherwise be difficult to obtain in gaseous form). The operating conditions are selected such that the hot plasma does not transfer a substantial amount of heat to the substrate tube, where the presence of such heat has been found to result in vaporizing the reactant material (creating soot) and developing hot spots.

Abstract: An electronic business postal system collects, clears and delivers electronic business mail through a closed access, secure messaging system. A collection subsystem consists of access portals that are associated with secured system nodes. The access portals provide authenticated users access to the system to send and retrieve electronic business mail that includes postal system electronic delivery addresses, physical delivery addresses, or both. Secured message servers that are associated with the respective access portals process the electronic business mail into uniquely identified messages for delivery over the system nodes and also process received messages to provide the corresponding electronic business mail to the intended recipients through associated access portals. A delivery subsystem directs the messages through the system nodes associated with the senders' access portals to the system nodes associated with the recipients' access portals.

Abstract: A filter retrieval system for retrieving a previously implanted medical filter, and methods of using the retrieval system, are disclosed. The filter retrieval system has a flexible shaft, a retrieval element, and a handle with an actuator. The flexible shaft may be catheter-based, and has a proximal and a distal end, and has an opening near its distal end. The handle is affixed to the shaft near the proximal end of the shaft, and the actuator is adapted to manipulate the retrieval element to grasp or hook or otherwise engage a portion of the filter, and then pull the filter in through the opening into a passage or lumen of the catheter shaft. The retrieval system is capable of retrieving a filter in into a proximal and distal space defined by the flexible shaft, though only one space at a time.

Abstract: In a method for attaching a connector to a coaxial cable a solder preform is placed upon an end of an outer conductor of the cable. A connector body of the connector is seated upon an interface pedestal and the end of the outer conductor is inserted into a bore of the connector body against the interface pedestal. The outer conductor, the connector body and the interface pedestal contribute sidewalls to form a solder cavity, and the solder preform is heated. A seat may be applied to the interface pedestal to provide a thermal barrier and/or enhanced seal characteristics that are cost efficiently replaceable upon degradation.