Abstract: A method to analyze crystals in a deposit on a surface of a nuclear generating station heating surface, wherein the method extracts a sample of material from the surface of the nuclear generating station heating surface and also includes conducting at least one of a high resolution scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry of the sample and a scanning transmission electron microscope/selected area electron diffraction/spot and elemental mapping analysis of the sample.

Abstract: In an implementation, geographic region information is managed through storage, in a database, of respective sets of coordinates of elements and region identifiers of a plurality of geographic regions that are mapped onto the respective sets of coordinates of elements, in which the plurality of geographic regions are expanded to extend into additional elements prior to the storage of the respective sets of coordinates and the region identifiers.

Abstract: Methods and articles of manufacture for treating patients with degenerative bone are provided. The methods are useful to improve bone quality in a localized area of a degenerative bone (e.g., osteopenic or osteoporotic bone), such as by improving BMD to be substantially similar to BMD in an average, healthy individual at the age of peak BMD. The methods can comprise forming a void in a localized area of the degenerative bone and filling the void with a bone regenerative material that causes generation of new, healthy, natural bone material. The articles of manufacture can comprise kits formed of various materials useful in the inventive methods for improving bone quality.

Abstract: A bagless vacuum cleaner includes a separating unit for separating dirt and dust from a dirt-laden airflow which is drawn in by the cleaner. The separating unit has a chamber with collection areas for collecting dirt and dust which is separated from the airflow. A base of the separating unit is movable between a closed position and an open position. A dividing wall between the collection areas is arranged so that its end is spaced from the base by different distances at different respective regions. This enables an enlarged opening, by which dirt and dust can be emptied from the chamber, to be provided, which facilitates emptying of the chamber.

Abstract: A bagless vacuum cleaner includes a separating unit for separating dirt and dust from a dirt-laden airflow which is drawn in by the cleaner. The separating unit has a chamber with collection areas for collecting dirt and dust which is separated from the airflow. A base of the separating unit is movable between a closed position and an open position. A dividing wall between the collection areas is arranged so that its end is spaced from the base by different distances at different respective regions. This enables an enlarged opening, by which dirt and dust can be emptied from the chamber, to be provided, which facilitates emptying of the chamber.

Abstract: A metallic ball pin of a ball-and-socket joint, preferably one with high load-bearing capacity, for motor vehicles with a surface ball part 22 containing grooves 60, 62 for receiving lubricant designed at one end of a pin member 10, 30, 40. To improve its functional properties and to reduce its manufacturing costs, a surface ball part 22 with a joint ball surface 25 is molded to a joint ball core portion 16 using an injection molding process.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner comprises a cyclonic separator (116) for separating dirt and dust from an incoming airflow. A tool (300) and a suction conduit (114) connect the tool (300) to the separator (116). The tool (300) comprises a main air inlet aperture for engaging with a surface to be cleaned and a bleed air inlet (310) for allowing air to bleed into the suction path. The bleed air inlet (310) is located such that it is separate from the main inlet. The cross-sectional area of the bleed air inlet (310) is sufficiently large that, in use, the bleed air inlet (310) admits a sufficient quantity of air to maintain adequate separation efficiency in the separator of the cleaner even when the main air inlet is fully blocked.

Abstract: Systems and apparatuses are provided that include a number of cameras. One embodiment includes a surveillance camera. The embodiment includes a camera having a lens with a first field of view. The camera can be mounted to an imaging circuit board having an imaging circuit provided thereon for converting image data from the lens into a digital field of view.

Abstract: A programmable, ultrafast optical delay line based on reversible frequency conversion uses a time-prism pair and no moving parts. A first electro-optic phase modulator acting as a first time-prism shifts the frequency of an incoming pulse train. The pulse train passes through a dispersion element, such as a dispersive fiber, which delays the pulse train by an amount that is directly proportional to the magnitude of the frequency shift, which in turn is proportional to the magnitude of the phase modulator drive voltage. A second electro-optic phase modulator is driven ? out of phase to the first modulator and restores the frequency of the delayed pulse train to the original frequency of the incoming pulse train. To reduce pulse broadening effects and enhance performance further, soliton propagation inducing elements can be employed between the time-prisms.

Abstract: A golf ball teeing device comprising, a platform having an upper surface, an opening in the platform, a tee for a golf ball the tee being arranged for reciprocal movement with respect to the opening between a lower position where the top of the tee is at a level below the upper surface of the platform to an upper position where the top of the tee is above upper surface of the platform, and golf ball deliver means arranged to load a golf ball on top of the tee when it is in the lower position, wherein the golf ball is at a level below the upper surface of the platform when it is loaded onto the tee by the golf ball delivery means.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner comprises a cyclonic separator (116) for separating dirt and dust from an incoming airflow. A tool (300) and a suction conduit (114) connect the tool (300) to the separator (116). The tool (300) comprises a main air inlet aperture for engaging with a surface to be cleaned and a bleed air inlet (310) for allowing air to bleed into the suction path. The bleed air inlet (310) is located such that it is separate from the main inlet. The cross-sectional area of the bleed air inlet (310) is sufficiently large that, in use, the bleed air inlet (310) admits a sufficient quantity of air to maintain adequate separation efficiency in the separator of the cleaner even when the main air inlet is fully blocked.

Abstract: A nebulizer is improved by placing a flexible valve in the ambient air inlet tube. Inhalation suction and Venturi effect shut down the flexible valve in proportion to the strength of the inhalation. Thus, the same output flow rate is obtained even with variable strength inhalations. Medications can be properly administered by controlled inhalation flow rates.

Abstract: An apparatus for charging a feed material onto a rotating hearth of a rotary hearth furnace, the rotary hearth furnace including refractory lined inner and outer walls and having a refractory roof supported thereon, the apparatus comprising a table mounted above the rotating hearth and capable of receiving feed material from outside of the rotary hearth furnace, the table extends transversely across the rotating hearth and having a first end including a distribution member, a second end including a plurality of discharge slots, and an intermediate leveling plow; wherein feed material free falls over said distribution member and is distributed across the width of the table and then adjusted to a uniform depth such that as the rotating hearth passes under the stationary table a curtain of feed material is loaded onto the hearth.

Abstract: A nebulizer is improved by placing a flexible valve in the ambient air inlet tube. Inhalation suction and Venturi effect shut down the flexible valve in proportion to the strength of the inhalation. Thus, the same output flow rate is obtained even with variable strength inhalations. Medications can be properly administered by controlled inhalation flow rates. In an alternate embodiment a metered dose inhaler (MDI) is outfitted with a similar flexible valve. Once again the patient is forced to inhale at a constant flow rate, thus causing the medication to seep deeply into the lungs. In both embodiments the flexible valve is preferably shaped in a duck billed fashion with air flow flowing toward the narrow end of the duck bill.

Abstract: A photosensitive, photoconductive media moving in a first direction relative to a laser light beam scanning in a second direction, transverse to the first direction, incurs velocity variations. These velocity variations result in variations in the absolute and relative heights of white and black image features. This printed image nonuniformity is especially visually detectable for closely spaced parallel lines in the second direction, and/or gray scale. An optical velocity sensor senses instantaneous media velocity. An analog or digital velocity error processor maintains a running average velocity and determines, by subtraction, an instantaneous velocity error as the difference between currently sensed and running average velocities. The instantaneous velocity error so determined is used to adjust the intensity of the laser light beam to be proportionally brighter (dimmer), exposing a wider (narrower) scan line, on a faster-moving (slower-moving) media region.

Abstract: A synchronous clock circuit is provided on each module of an electronic digital system formed of a plurality of modules. Each clock circuit has two control pins which are used by control logic to determine whether or not the clock on a particular module is disabled, is operating as the master clock for the system, or is providing a backup function for the master clock. The common clock line is supplied through a buffer to the components on the module which require clocking. Logic circuitry on the backup clock mode insures the backup clock is in a ready condition in case there should be either failure of the master clock oscillator or if the master clock module is removed from the unit. All of the clock circuits of the different modules may be constructed in an identical manner, with the control of the function of the circuitry being provided simply by control of the logic level on the two terminals.