Abstract: A method for coating a substrate surface such as a syringe part by PECVD is provided, the method comprising generating a plasma from a gaseous reactant comprising an organosilicon precursor and optionally an oxidizing gas by providing plasma-forming energy adjacent to the substrate, thus forming a coating on the substrate surface by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The plasma-forming energy is applied in a first phase as a first pulse at a first energy level followed by further treatment in a second phase at a second energy level lower than the first energy level. The lubricity, hydrophobicity and/or barrier properties of the coating are set by setting the ratio of the O2 to the organosilicon precursor in the gaseous reactant, and/or by setting the electric power used for generating the plasma.

Abstract: An article is described including an article surface, a primer coating or layer of SiOx, SiOxCy or SiNxCy applied to the article surface, and a deposit of lubricant applied to the primer coating or layer. The primer coating or layer of SiOx, SiOxCy or SiNxCy is applied by chemical vapor deposition of a polysiloxane or polysilazane precursor in the presence of oxygen. A first deposit of lubricant is applied to the primer coating or layer. The primer coating or layer improves the adhesion or wetting of the lubricant on the surface to be lubricated. Examples of such an article are a prefilled syringe having a barrel with a lubricated interior portion and a plunger tip that slides along it. Another example of such an article is a vial having a lubricated opening to receive a septum. Another aspect of the invention is a method of making such an article.

Abstract: A floating apparatus for use in a casing string is provided. The apparatus includes an outer sleeve having a valve centrally positioned therein. A cement body is affixed to the check valve and the housing by use of a bonding material.

Abstract: Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to a key including a primary dome, a plurality of second domes, and a first layer. The primary dome is to compress a switch if the primary dome collapses. The first layer is over the primary and secondary domes. The first layer collapses the primary dome and does not engage the secondary domes, if the first layer is pressed substantially levelly or parallel to the rest position.

Abstract: A plate with integrated design for sauces includes a plate well, a lip, an outer base, a plurality of central bases, at least one design indentation, and a design indentation border. The lip is positioned around the plate well, and the outer base and the plurality of central bases are positioned with the plate well opposite from the lip. The at least one design indentation is positioned on the plate well and provides a separate area for the sauces. The design indentation border that provides a barrier between a food surface of the plate well and a top surface of the at least one design indentation is positioned around the at least one design indentation. The plate with integrated design for sauces allows food items to be served on the food surface while keeping the sauces within the at least one design indentation.

Abstract: A removable ladder handle allows a user to carry a ladder comfortably with one hand or a shoulder strap. The removable ladder handle has a bar, one or more compression springs and one or more spring clips that have a concave downward shape. A middle section of each spring clip is coupled to the bar. The compression springs are coupled to the bar facing downward. Both end sections of each spring clip have inside hooks that face inward and upward. The spring clips and inside hooks are configured to fit over one of the side rails of a ladder and snap on to inner edges of the side rail when the removable ladder handle is engaged to the ladder by a user pushing the removable ladder handle down onto the side rail.

Abstract: Subterranean operations include methods of cementing well bores. Disclosed methods include the steps of coating at least a portion of the walls of a formation well bore with a resin, introducing a cement composition into the formation well bore, and allowing the cement composition to set to provide a set cement sheath, wherein a shear bond strength of the set cement sheath in the presence of the resin coating is greater than a shear bond strength of the cement composition or a shear bond strength of the resin, each individually.

Abstract: A system is provided for heating or cooling discrete, linearly conveyed substrates having a gap between a trailing edge of a first substrate and a leading edge of a following substrate in a conveyance direction. The system includes a chamber, and a conveyor operably configured within the chamber to move the substrates through at a conveyance rate. A plurality of individually controlled temperature control units, for example heating or cooling units, are disposed linearly within the chamber along the conveyance direction. A controller is in communication with the temperature control units and is configured to cycle output of the temperature control units from a steady-state temperature output as a function of the spatial position of the conveyed substrates within the chamber relative to the temperature control units so as to decrease temperature variances in the substrates caused by movement of the substrates through the chamber.

Abstract: A system is provided for heating or cooling discrete, linearly conveyed substrates having a gap between a trailing edge of a first substrate and a leading edge of a following substrate in a conveyance direction. The system includes a chamber, and a conveyor operably configured within the chamber to move the substrates through at a conveyance rate. A plurality of individually controlled temperature control units, for example heating or cooling units, are disposed linearly within the chamber along the conveyance direction. A controller is in communication with the temperature control units and is configured to cycle output of the temperature control units from a steady-state temperature output as a function of the spatial position of the conveyed substrates within the chamber relative to the temperature control units so as to decrease temperature variances in the substrates caused by movement of the substrates through the chamber.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for producing an optimized matrix triangulation algorithm is described. In one example, tile functions are generated for a matrix triangulation problem. Cost data is measured for the tile functions with respect to a target architecture. The cost data is processed to identify optimal composition of tiles for rows in an iteration space of the matrix triangulation problem. The optimal compositions of tiles are processed to identify optimal composition of rows for triangles in the iteration space. A sequence of tile function invocation based on the optimal compositions of tiles and the optimal compositions of rows is generated.

Abstract: A smart door comprising devices for monitoring activity at the door, providing alarms at the door and providing information from devices at the door.

Abstract: An assured grounding identifier includes a base unit connectable to an electrical cord, one or more indicators selectively adjustably mounted to the base unit and having colored regions, and a cover with one or more viewing windows aligned with the indicators. An assured grounding identifier includes a housing with a viewing window and a slot mountable around an electrical cord, an indicator having a plurality of colored regions disposed between the housing and the cord, and a tab extending from the indicator through the slot for positioning the indicator to align a selected colored region with the viewing window. An assured grounding identifier includes one or more indicators having a plurality of translucent color coded segments and an indicator light aligned with a viewing window to illuminate through the translucent color coded segments.

Abstract: An assured grounding identifier includes a base unit connectable to an electrical cord, one or more indicators selectively adjustably mounted to the base unit and having colored regions, and a cover with one or more viewing windows aligned with the indicators. An assured grounding identifier includes a housing with a viewing window and a slot mountable around an electrical cord, an indicator having a plurality of colored regions disposed between the housing and the cord, and a tab extending from the indicator through the slot for positioning the indicator to align a selected colored region with the viewing window. An assured grounding identifier includes one or more indicators having a plurality of translucent color coded segments and an indicator light aligned with a viewing window to illuminate through the translucent color coded segments.

Abstract: A method for containing at least a portion of radioisotopes, radionuclides, heavy metal or combination thereof contaminating a substrate wherein a containment composition is applied to the substrate. The ingredients within the containment composition interact with the contaminants on the surface of the substrate until the containment composition has polymerized to a water insoluble form containing at least a portion of the contaminates enmeshed therein. The dried composition is removed from the contaminated surface removing with the composition at least a portion of the contaminate.

Abstract: A robot lawnmower includes a body and a drive system carried by the body and configured to maneuver the robot across a lawn. The robot also includes a grass cutter and a swath edge detector, both carried by the body. The swath edge detector is configured to detect a swath edge between cut and uncut grass while the drive system maneuvers the robot across the lawn while following a detected swath edge. The swath edge detector includes a calibrator that monitors uncut grass for calibration of the swath edge detector. In some examples, the calibrator comprises a second swath edge detector.

Abstract: A method of confining a robot in a work space includes providing a portable barrier signal transmitting device including a primary emitter emitting a confinement beam primarily along an axis defining a directed barrier. A mobile robot including a detector, a drive motor and a control unit controlling the drive motor is caused to avoid the directed barrier upon detection by the detector on the robot. The detector on the robot has an omnidirectional field of view parallel to the plane of movement of the robot. The detector receives confinement light beams substantially in a plane at the height of the field of view while blocking or rejecting confinement light beams substantially above or substantially below the plane at the height of the field of view.

Abstract: A directed beam emitter system for robot navigation in which a light beam emitter emits a modulated directed light beam of a first modulation and an omnidirectional diffuse light region emitter emits a modulated diffuse light region of a second modulation. The modulated directed light beam and the modulated diffuse light region overlap in a plane parallel to ground level such that a light beam receiver on a robot may detect either one or both of the modulated directed light beam and the modulated diffuse light region. The light beam emitter is responsive to a control system used to control one or more light beam emitters.

Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot system includes an active boundary responder comprising a wire powered with a modulated current placed along a perimeter of a property, at least one passive boundary responder placed on a property interior circumscribed by the active boundary responder, and an autonomous coverage robot. The robot includes a drive system carried by a body and configured to maneuver the robot across the property interior. The robot includes a signal emitter emitting a signal, where the passive boundary responder is responsive to the signal and a boundary responder detection system carried by the body. The boundary responder detector is configured to redirect the robot both in response to the responder detection system detecting an active boundary responder and in response to detecting a passive boundary responder.

Abstract: A robot obstacle detection system including a robot housing which navigates with respect to a surface and a sensor subsystem aimed at the surface for detecting the surface. The sensor subsystem includes an emitter which emits a signal having a field of emission and a photon detector having a field of view which intersects the field of emission at a region. The subsystem detects the presence of an object proximate the mobile robot and determines a value of a signal corresponding to the object. It compares the value to a predetermined value, moves the mobile robot in response to the comparison, and updates the predetermined value upon the occurrence of an event.