Abstract: A method of forming an aircraft nacelle nose lip segment. The method includes bending a sheet of metal into a substantially U-shaped workpiece having a spanwise axis, opposed first and second ends, and opposed first and second edges. The method further includes placing the workpiece over a substantially flexible first mandrel, stretching the workpiece in a spanwise direction between the first and second ends, and wrapping the workpiece and first mandrel together about a curved die while stretching the workpiece. The workpiece is thereby plastically deformed to have a first shape. The method may further include removing the workpiece from the first mandrel, and placing the workpiece over a substantially rigid second mandrel that substantially corresponds in shape to the first shape of the workpiece. The workpiece is stretched over the second mandrel in a chordwise direction that is substantially transverse to the spanwise axis of the workpiece, thereby further plastically deforming the workpiece.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sighting and targeting a controlled system from a common three-dimensional data set are disclosed. The method includes sighting a position correlated to at least a subset of a three-dimensional data set representing a field of view; and targeting a controlled system to the position from the three-dimensional data set. The apparatus includes a program storage medium, a controller, and a controller interface. The program storage medium is capable of storing a three-dimensional data set representing a field of view. The controller is capable of generating a presentation of the three-dimensional data set. A position represented by at least a subset of the three-dimensional data can be sighted and the position can be targeted from the subset through the controller interface.

Abstract: A cooler assembly for keeping beverages, food, medical supplies, drugs and other heat sensitive products at lower than ambient temperatures. Container includes a radiant heat barrier and air space between an inner and outer shell of a cooler assembly so as to improve the effectiveness of the cooler assembly by minimizing the detrimental effects of radiant heat and conductive heat.

Abstract: A printing system is disclosed. The system includes a scanner which produces an RGB signal corresponding to a scanned image. The RGB signal is compressed in accordance with a tone curve which is built in reliance upon input provided by the user. The resultant compressed RGB signal is conveyed to a computer. The RGB signal may be modified by a number of interface controls. The RGB signal is driven through a separation engine to produce individual CMYK signals. The separation engine relies upon the interface controls in converting the signal. Image sharpening, or unsharp masking, is performed on resultant CMYK signals to produce a sharp printed image. The image sharpening procedure includes sharpening pixels, calculating T-sums for pixels, calculating gradients for pixels, and smoothing pixels in response to the T-sums and gradient calculations. The resultant CMYK signals may be exported for further data processing, such as integration with text, or they may be sent to a printer to produce high-quality prints.

Abstract: A device for cooling the wheel assemblies of heavy duty vehicles such as trucks, trailers, and buses. The invention being comprised of air inducing scoops attached to air holes on the outboard side of a wheel disk. Upon rotation of the wheel, a powerful heat dissipating burst of air is generated, and then directed through air holes of the wheel disk and over the braking structure requiring no power except the rotation of the wheel for drawing air therethrough.

Abstract: A positive yarn feed device comprises a pin wheel mechanism (3,4,8,9,10,11) with independent drive means which comprise a variable-speed electric motor (16). The speed of the DC motor (16) is controlled by programmed control means (24,28) which exercise control on the basis of a comparison between an input from speed sensing means (26) associated with the yarn feed device and an input representative of the speed of the cylinder (20) of a circular knitting machine to which the yarn is fed. The comparison of the speed input signals is evaluated against desired speed ratio data stored in a look-up table (31) in programmable memory M. Motor speed control signals output from a microprocessor unit (24) control a variable speed drive unit (28) which directly controls the speed of the motor (16).