Abstract: An exercise device has a generally spheroidal body having a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side, a front, and a rear, a first handle extending outwardly from the first side, the first handle comprising a grip spaced from the body; and a second handle extending outwardly from the second side, the second handle comprising a grip spaced from the body, wherein the first and second handles extend upwardly towards the top of said body at an angle relative to a horizontal plane through the body. Exercise devices of different masses may have different sized bodies, but have approximately the same total width from handle to handle.

Abstract: The invention provides a component formed of an aluminum alloy for use in a vehicle, for example an automotive vehicle component requiring high strength, light-weight, and a complex three-dimensional shape, and a method of manufacturing the component. The method begins by providing a blank formed of an aluminum alloy which is already solution heat treated and tempered, and thus has a temper designation of about T4. The method further includes heating the blank to a temperature of 150° C. to 350° C., preferably 190° C. to 225° C. The method next includes quickly transferring the blank to a hot or warm forming apparatus, and stamping the blank to form the complex three-dimensional shape. Immediately after the forming step, the component has a temper designation of about T6, but preferably not greater than T6, and thus is ready for use in the vehicle without any post heat treatment or machining.

Abstract: A step sequencer with a four by sixteen grid of buttons is disclosed. The sequencer is used to generate patterns of sounds on different channels. The sequencer can be used as a hardware controller to control music production software. The grid of the sequencer emulates the virtual grid generated in a graphical user interface by the music production software. The grid of the hardware controller is used to control the corresponding grid on the graphical user interface.

Abstract: An example includes a first box half with a top first half bushing, a bottom first half bushing, and a second box half with a top second half bushing, and a bottom second half bushing, and the first box half and the second box half are separate and are affixed to one another by a hinge with a rotating axis. The box in a closed position provides a way to shield and protect a wire splice.

Abstract: An exercise device has a generally spheroidal body having a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side, a front, and a rear, a first handle extending outwardly from the first side, the first handle comprising a grip spaced from the body; and a second handle extending outwardly from the second side, the second handle comprising a grip spaced from the body, wherein the first and second handles extend upwardly towards the top of said body at an angle relative to a horizontal plane through the body. Exercise devices of different masses may have different sized bodies, but have approximately the same total width from handle to handle.

Abstract: An air purification system for use with rail car HVAC system to remove or destroy harmful pathogens in the air. The air purification system has a housing with an inlet, an outlet, and a passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet. An intense field generator and filter is used to charge any particles in the air and remove them from the air flow. An ultraviolet radiation source is positioned to direct ultraviolet illumination into the passageway. Finally, a dielectric barrier discharge unit having a high voltage electrode coupled to a dielectric barrier and a ground electrode spaced apart from the high voltage electrode is used to form a low temperature plasma chamber is in communication with the passageway so that the ions created in the plasma chamber will attach to and destroy any remaining particles in the air flow.

Abstract: An air purification system for use in a given location to remove or destroy harmful pathogens in the air. The air purification system has a housing with an inlet, an outlet, and a passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet. An intense field generator and filter is used to charge any particles in the air and remove them from the air flow. Finally, a dielectric barrier discharge unit having a high voltage electrode coupled to a dielectric barrier and a ground electrode spaced apart from the high voltage electrode is used to form a low temperature plasma chamber is in communication with the passageway so that the ions created in the plasma chamber will attach to and destroy any remaining particles in the air flow.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to laser welding in the manufacture of sheet metal components, such as for example automobile components. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process and a system for forming a localized anti-corrosion surface layer along a laser welded joint (weld bead), subsequent to the laser welding together of sheet metal plates having an anti-corrosion surface layer pre-coat.

Abstract: A curable film-forming composition is provided, comprising: (a) a polymeric binder comprising reactive functional groups; (b) a curing agent comprising functional groups that are reactive with the reactive functional groups of (a); and (c) a polysiloxane resin comprising aromatic functional groups and terminal active hydrogen groups. In certain examples of the present invention, the polymeric binder (a) comprises an acrylic polyol prepared from a monomer mixture comprising a hydroxyl functional monomer, and the curable film-forming composition further comprises a rheology modifier comprising: (1) a non-aqueous dispersion of an internally crosslinked organic polymer; (2) a silica dispersion; and/or (3) a reaction product of an amine and an isocyanate. Also provided are coated substrates that include the curable film-forming compositions described above and methods for forming a composite coating on a substrate.

Abstract: A method of spectroscopically measuring percent glycated hemoglobin or a glycated hemoglobin:total hemoglobin ratio in a biological sample is disclosed. The method includes the use of a turbidity normalization algorithm to normalize the total hemoglobin concentration calculated from the spectroscopic measurements to substantially remove any turbidity interference therefrom. The turbidity normalization eliminates the negative bias observed with intralipid/lipemia and thus provides a glycated hemoglobin assay with no significant interference from intralipid/lipemia.

Abstract: A method of spectroscopically measuring percent glycated hemoglobin or a glycated hemoglobin:total hemoglobin ratio in a biological sample is disclosed. The method includes the use of a turbidity normalization algorithm to normalize the total hemoglobin concentration calculated from the spectroscopic measurements to substantially remove any turbidity interference therefrom. The turbidity normalization eliminates the negative bias observed with intralipid/lipemia and thus provides a glycated hemoglobin assay with no significant interference from intralipid/lipemia.

Abstract: An air purification system for use with rail car HVAC system to remove or destroy harmful pathogens in the air. The air purification system has a housing with an inlet, an outlet, and a passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet. An intense field generator and filter is used to charge any particles in the air and remove them from the air flow. An ultraviolet radiation source is positioned to direct ultraviolet illumination into the passageway. Finally, a dielectric barrier discharge unit having a high voltage electrode coupled to a dielectric barrier and a ground electrode spaced apart from the high voltage electrode is used to form a low temperature plasma chamber is in communication with the passageway so that the ions created in the plasma chamber will attach to and destroy any remaining particles in the air flow.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image quality indicator suitable for assessing the quality of a CT scan includes a pyramidal structure having a base, an apex, and a plurality of triangular faces extending from the base to the apex; at least two grooves in each triangular face, each groove tapering from a wide end at the base to a narrow end at the apex; and a land between each pair of adjacent grooves in each triangular face, each land tapering from the base to the apex. When a two-dimensional slice is taken in a plane parallel to the base of the pyramidal structure, the grooves are observable at the edges of the structure. The smallest observable groove width provides a measure of CT resolution.

Abstract: A bumper system including a bumper beam being cast from metal having a front panel and a back panel, extending between a first bumper beam end and a second bumper beam end. A plurality of reinforcing ribs integrally cast with the bumper beam extends between the front panel and the back panel defining a non-uniform cross-sectional profile along a portion of the bumper beam. The front panel includes a front center portion disposed between a pair of front side portions. The back panel includes a back center portion disposed between a pair of back side portions. The front center portion has a front center portion thickness greater than a back center portion thickness. Each of the front side portions has a front side portion thickness being less than a back side portion thickness of adjacent one of the back side portions. Method of manufacturing the bumper system is provided.

Abstract: An air purification system for use with rail car HVAC system to remove or destroy harmful pathogens in the air. The air purification system has a housing with an inlet, an outlet, and a passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet. An intense field generator and filter is used to charge any particles in the air and remove them from the air flow. An ultraviolet radiation source is positioned to direct ultraviolet illumination into the passageway. Finally, a dielectric barrier discharge unit having a high voltage electrode coupled to a dielectric barrier and a ground electrode spaced apart from the high voltage electrode is used to form a low temperature plasma chamber is in communication with the passageway so that the ions created in the plasma chamber will attach to and destroy any remaining particles in the air flow.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of manufacturing a component formed of an aluminum alloy for use in an automotive vehicle application, for example those requiring high strength, light-weight, and a complex three-dimensional shape. The method begins by providing a blank formed of an aluminum alloy which is already solution heat treated and tempered, and thus has a temper designation of about T4. The method further includes heating the blank to a temperature of 150° C. to 350° C., preferably 190° C. to 225° C. The method next includes quickly transferring the blank to a hot or warm forming apparatus, and stamping the blank to form the complex three-dimensional shape. Immediately after the forming step, the component has a temper designation of about T6, but preferably not greater than T6, and thus is ready for use in the automotive vehicle application without any post heat treatment or machining.

Abstract: A process is described for laser welding a sheet metal workpiece having an anti-corrosion pre-coat material on at least one major surface thereof. The sheet metal workpiece is arranged such that first and second side edges are in contact with one another and the coated major surface faces outwardly. A first laser beam having a first beam spot-size is used to form a laser weld joint between the first and second side edges. A second laser beam having a second beam spot-size larger than the first beam spot-size is then scanned along the laser weld joint and is tilted in a tilt direction parallel to the scanning direction to produce an elongated beam spot. During the scanning, a flow of a powdered anti-corrosion surface layer material is directed toward a portion of the laser weld joint that is being irradiated by the second laser beam. The second laser beam melts the material, which forms a layer adhering to the laser weld joint.