Abstract: A joist tie may be designed to increase the strength of the joist tie and reduce the thickness of the joist tie, in order to provide the desired strength and the ability to make connections that operatively couple structural decking, the joist tie, and joists together using a single connector in one or more locations. The joist tie may be strengthened through the use of one or more ribs and/or one or more flanges. The one or more ribs may be formed to fit within one or more cavities within adjacent joists located in series. As such, the shape of the joist tie may be dimensioned in order to allow the joist tie to be placed on a first joist and a second joist without having to be attached until after assembly of the structural decking on top of the joist tie and joists.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser cutting technology for cutting and separating thin substrates of transparent materials, for example to cutting of display glass compositions mainly used for production of Thin Film Transistors (TFT) devices. The described laser process can be used to make straight cuts, for example at a speed of >0.25 m/sec, to cut sharp radii outer corners (<1 mm), and to create arbitrary curved shapes including forming interior holes and slots. A method of laser processing an alkaline earth boro-aluminosilicate glass composite workpiece includes focusing a pulsed laser beam into a focal line. The pulsed laser produces pulse bursts with 5-20 pulses per pulse burst and pulse burst energy of 300-600 micro Joules per burst. The focal line is directed into the glass composite workpiece, generating induced absorption within the material.

Abstract: A perforating torch includes a thermal igniter assembly, a compressed grain magazine, and a perforating head assembly. The compressed grain magazine is coupled to the thermal igniter. The perforating head assembly includes a port. A port plug may be positioned in the port. A rupture disc may be positioned between the compressed grain magazine and the perforating head.

Abstract: A circular cutting torch includes a thermal igniter assembly; a compressed grain magazine, the compressed grain magazine coupled to the thermal igniter; and a severing head assembly. The severing head assembly includes a one-piece severing head and a progressive compression deflector. The one-piece severing head and progressive compression deflector define a radial gap therebetween used to expel a jet of molten combustible material for cutting a downhole tubular member such as pipe or casing.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of generating energy. This method involves providing a fuel cell comprising anode and cathode electrodes; a separator positioned between the anode and cathode electrodes; and anode and cathode catalysts. The anode catalyst comprises (i) a low-loading of platinum group metals (PGMs) supported on a Group 4-6 transition metal carbide (TMC) or nitride (TMN); (ii) an alloy or physical mixture comprising a Group 10 transition metal selected from Pt, Pd, and Ni and one or more of the following elements: Pt, Pd, Ni, Ir, Rh, Ru, Fe, Re, Sn, W, Mo, Ta, and Nb; or (iii) mixtures thereof. According to the method, a liquid anode fuel comprising one or more hydrazide compounds is added to the fuel cell to generate energy from the liquid anode fuel. Also disclosed is a fuel cell for generating energy from a liquid anode fuel comprising one or more hydrazide compounds.

Abstract: A perforating torch includes a thermal igniter assembly, a compressed grain magazine, and a perforating head assembly. The compressed grain magazine is coupled to the thermal igniter. The perforating head assembly includes a port. A port plug may be positioned in the port. A rupture disc may be positioned between the compressed grain magazine and the perforating head.

Abstract: A circular cutting torch includes a thermal igniter assembly; a compressed grain magazine, the compressed grain magazine coupled to the thermal igniter; and a severing head assembly. The severing head assembly includes a one-piece severing head and a progressive compression deflector. The one-piece severing head and progressive compression deflector define a radial gap therebetween used to expel a jet of molten combustible material for cutting a downhole tubular member such as pipe or casing.

Abstract: Strengthened glass articles having laser etched features, electronic devices, and methods of fabricating etched features in strengthened glass articles are disclosed. In one embodiment, a strengthened glass article includes a first strengthened surface layer and a second strengthened surface layer under a compressive stress and extending from a first surface and a second surface, respectively, of the strengthened glass article to a depth of layer, and a central region between the first strengthened surface layer and the second strengthened surface layer that is under tensile stress. The strengthened glass article further includes at least one etched feature formed by laser ablation within the first surface or the second surface having a depth that is less than the depth of layer and a surface roughness that is greater than a surface roughness of the first surface or second surface outside of the at least one etched feature.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for: cutting a thin glass sheet along a curved cutting line, where the curve is divided into a plurality of line segments; applying a laser beam and continuously moving the laser beam along the cutting line; applying a cooling fluid simultaneously with the application of the laser beam in order to propagate a fracture in the glass sheet along the cutting line; and varying one or more cutting parameters as the laser beam moves from one of the plurality of line segments to a next one of the plurality of line segments, wherein the one or more cutting parameters include at least one of: (i) a power of the laser beam, (ii) a speed of the movement, (iii) a pressure of the cooling fluid, and (iv) a flow rate of the cooling fluid.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of generating energy. This method involves providing a fuel cell comprising anode and cathode electrodes; a separator positioned between the anode and cathode electrodes; and anode and cathode catalysts. The anode catalyst comprises (i) a low-loading of platinum group metals (PGMs) supported on a Group 4-6 transition metal carbide (TMC) or nitride (TMN); (ii) an alloy or physical mixture comprising a Group 10 transition metal selected from Pt, Pd, and Ni and one or more of the following elements: Pt, Pd, Ni, Ir, Rh, Ru, Fe, Re, Sn, W, Mo, Ta, and Nb; or (iii) mixtures thereof. According to the method, a liquid anode fuel comprising one or more hydrazide compounds is added to the fuel cell to generate energy from the liquid anode fuel. Also disclosed is a fuel cell for generating energy from a liquid anode fuel comprising one or more hydrazide compounds.

Abstract: A method for making a glass article comprising contacting a first surface of a glass substrate with a laser to produce a plurality of light extraction features having a diameter and a depth, wherein the light extraction features produce a color shift ?y of extracted light where ?y<0.01 per 500 mm of length. A glass article as described can comprise a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the first surface comprises a plurality of laser induced light extraction features, and wherein the plurality of laser induced light extraction features produces a color shift ?y<0.01 per 500 mm of length.

Abstract: The invention relates to panelized system for a structure. The panelized system typically comprises a plurality of joists structured to be operatively coupled to one or more support members of the structure. Each of the plurality of joists are associated with a joist seat comprising a toe and one or more joist apertures. Typically, at least one or more of a plurality of joist seats are operatively coupled to the one or more support members using a toe weld between the toe and the one or more support members. However, an aperture weld between the one or more joist apertures and the support members is omitted. Moreover, a fastener between the one or more joist apertures and the support members is also omitted.

Abstract: A joist tie may be designed to increase the strength of the joist tie and reduce the thickness of the joist tie, in order to provide the desired strength and the ability to make connections that operatively couple structural decking, the joist tie, and joists together using a single connector in one or more locations. The joist tie may be strengthened through the use of one or more ribs and/or one or more flanges. The one or more ribs may be formed to fit within one or more cavities within adjacent joists located in series. As such, the shape of the joist tie may be dimensioned in order to allow the joist tie to be placed on a first joist and a second joist without having to be attached until after assembly of the structural decking on top of the joist tie and joists.

Abstract: The invention relates to panelized system for a structure. The panelized system typically comprises a plurality of joists structured to be operatively coupled to one or more support members of the structure. Each of the plurality of joists are associated with a joist seat comprising a toe and one or more joist apertures. Typically, at least one or more of a plurality of joist seats are operatively coupled to the one or more support members using a toe weld between the toe and the one or more support members. However, an aperture weld between the one or more joist apertures and the support members is omitted. Moreover, a fastener between the one or more joist apertures and the support members is also omitted.

Abstract: Systems and methods for laser-cutting thermally tempered substrates are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of separating a thermally tempered substrate includes directing a laser beam focal line such that at least a portion of the laser beam focal line is within a bulk of the thermally tempered substrate. The focused pulsed laser beam is pulsed to form a sequence of pulse bursts comprising one or more sub-pulses. The laser beam focal line produces a damage track within the bulk of the tempered substrate along the laser beam focal line. Relative motion is provided between the focused pulsed laser beam and the tempered substrate such that the pulsed laser beam forms a sequence of damage tracks within the tempered substrate. Individual damage tracks of the sequence of damage tracks are separated by a lateral spacing, and one or more microcracks connect adjacent damage tracks of the sequence of damage tracks.

Abstract: A method for forming an initiation defect in a glass substrate to facilitate separating the glass substrate into a plurality of substrates is provided. The method includes providing the glass substrate and contacting a broad surface of the glass substrate with an abrasive surface thereby forming a field of initiation defects in the broad surface of the glass substrate. The field of initiation defects has a width of at least about three millimeters between outermost initiation defects. At least one initiation defect is heated with a laser source. The at least one initiation defect is cooled with a cooling fluid such that a crack initiates from the at least one initiation defect, the crack extending through a thickness of the glass substrate and propagating across the glass substrate to separate the glass substrate into the plurality of substrates.

Abstract: Systems and methods for laser-cutting thermally tempered substrates are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of separating a thermally tempered substrate includes directing a laser beam focal line such that at least a portion of the laser beam focal line is within a bulk of the thermally tempered substrate. The focused pulsed laser beam is pulsed to form a sequence of pulse bursts comprising one or more sub-pulses. The laser beam focal line produces a damage track within the bulk of the tempered substrate along the laser beam focal line. Relative motion is provided between the focused pulsed laser beam and the tempered substrate such that the pulsed laser beam forms a sequence of damage tracks within the tempered substrate. Individual damage tracks of the sequence of damage tracks are separated by a lateral spacing, and one or more microcracks connect adjacent damage tracks of the sequence of damage tracks.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for cutting a glass sheet along a cutting line into a desired shape. A laser source is configured to apply a laser beam to a beam location on the cutting line of the glass sheet. A source of cooling fluid is configured to apply a cooling fluid to a cooling band on the glass sheet to reduce a temperature of the glass sheet along the cooling path while elevating the temperature of the glass sheet at the beam location with the laser beam. The source of cooling fluid is configured to apply the cooling path as a cooling ring to circumscribe the beam location on the cutting line with the cooling band circumferentially spaced from the beam location while the cooling path and the beam location move simultaneously together in order to propagate a fracture in the glass sheet along the cutting line.

Abstract: Strengthened glass articles having laser etched features, electronic devices, and methods of fabricating etched features in strengthened glass articles are disclosed. In one embodiment, a strengthened glass article includes a first strengthened surface layer and a second strengthened surface layer under a compressive stress and extending from a first surface and a second surface, respectively, of the strengthened glass article to a depth of layer, and a central region between the first strengthened surface layer and the second strengthened surface layer that is under tensile stress. The strengthened glass article further includes at least one etched feature formed by laser ablation within the first surface or the second surface having a depth that is less than the depth of layer and a surface roughness that is greater than a surface roughness of the first surface or second surface outside of the at least one etched feature.

Abstract: Strengthened glass articles having laser etched features, electronic devices, and methods of fabricating etched features in strengthened glass articles are disclosed. In one embodiment, a strengthened glass article includes a first strengthened surface layer and a second strengthened surface layer under a compressive stress and extending from a first surface and a second surface, respectively, of the strengthened glass article to a depth of layer, and a central region between the first strengthened surface layer and the second strengthened surface layer that is under tensile stress. The strengthened glass article further includes at least one etched feature formed by laser ablation within the first surface or the second surface having a depth that is less than the depth of layer and a surface roughness that is greater than a surface roughness of the first surface or second surface outside of the at least one etched feature.