Abstract: A composite assembly for a blended wing body aircraft, the composite assembly comprising: a first assembly comprising a first molded part, wherein the first molded part comprises a first plurality of fibers, the first molded part partially infused with a first resin, a second assembly oriented relative to the first assembly, the second assembly comprising a second molded part wherein the second molded part comprises a second plurality of fibers, the second molded part partially infused with a second resin, and a joining region, the joining region comprising at least a portion of first plurality of fibers and at least a portion of second plurality of fibers, the at least a portion of first plurality of fibers and the at least a portion of second plurality of fibers substantially adjacent and infused with a third resin.

Abstract: A modular blended wing body (BWB) aircraft includes common components containing a nose structure having a left aft edge and a right aft edge intersecting on a centerline of the BWB on one end and intersecting on a leading edge of the BWB on another end, and two wing structures attached to the nose structure, wherein the at least two rear structures includes a left-wing structure arranged on the left side of the centerline, wherein the left-wing structure includes a left forward edge, and a right-wing structure arranged on the right side of the centerline, wherein the right-wing structure includes a right forward edge, and wherein the left-wing structure and the right-wing structure are laterally symmetrical to the centerline, and wherein there is no clear demarcation between the at least two wing structures and the nose structure of the plurality of common components of the BWB aircraft.

Abstract: A blended wing body (BWB) aircraft comprising a first composite part comprising, a first dry carbon fiber sheet having a width greater than 3 inches and comprising a first layer comprising dry carbon fibers, a second layer disposed on top of the first layer comprising dry carbon fibers, a stitching extending through the first dry carbon fiber sheet, wherein the stitching is configured to bind the first dry carbon fiber sheet together, and a resin matrix, wherein the stitching and the first dry carbon fiber sheet are embedded within the resin matrix to create a single unified structure. BWB aircraft further comprises a blended wing body, having no clear demarcation along a leading edge of the BWB aircraft from a wing to a nose of the blended wing body, and wherein the first composite part comprises a portion of the blended wing body.

Abstract: A tanker aircraft for long-distance travel, the tanker aircraft including a blended wing body having a main body, a transition, and wings with no clear demarcation between the wings and the main body along a leading edge of the tanker aircraft, a fuel storage located within the blended wing body, the fuel storage comprising a first fuel store, the first fuel store located within the transition and configured for long range flight and a second fuel store the second fuel store having a tanker capacity and a refueling boom system having a flying boom, the flying boom extending from the blended wing body, wherein the tanker aircraft is a long-range tanker aircraft.

Abstract: A modular blended wing body (BWB) aircraft includes common components containing a nose structure having a left aft edge and a right aft edge intersecting on a centerline of the BWB on one end and intersecting on a leading edge of the BWB on another end, and two wing structures attached to the nose structure, wherein the at least two rear structures includes a left-wing structure arranged on the left side of the centerline, wherein the left-wing structure includes a left forward edge, and a right-wing structure arranged on the right side of the centerline, wherein the right-wing structure includes a right forward edge, and wherein the left-wing structure and the right-wing structure are laterally symmetrical to the centerline, and wherein there is no clear demarcation between the at least two wing structures and the nose structure of the plurality of common components of the BWB aircraft.

Abstract: Systems and methods of mitigating a contact weld of a first relay for selectively transmitting power to a first heating element of a water heating system. One method includes providing a signal to open the first relay, determining, following providing the signal to open the first relay, a first temperature measurement of a portion of a fluid within a tank of the water heating system via a temperature sensor, determining whether a difference between the first temperature measurement and a first target setpoint exceeds a first predetermined threshold, and activating, in response to the difference between the first temperature measurement and the first target setpoint exceeding the first predetermined threshold, a vibration device for a predetermined time period, the vibration device being positioned such that a resulting vibration from an activation of the vibration device is transmitted to the first relay.

Abstract: A copolyester is provided comprising: a. at least one terephthalate acid residue; b. about 85 to about 96 mole % of ethylene glycol residues; c. about 4 to about 15 mole % of a combination of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues (CHDM) and diethylene glycol (DEG) residues; and d. a germanium catalyst present in the copolyester at a concentration of about 5 to about 500 ppm based on elemental germanium; wherein the terephthalate monomer is based on the substantially equal diacid equivalents of 100 mole % to diol equivalence of 100 mole % for a total of 200 mole %.

Abstract: A computing device includes a cooling device and a cooling activity monitor configured to assess a cooling activity of the cooling device. A cooling activity reporter is configured to, based at least in part on the cooling activity of the cooling device crossing a predefined cooling activity threshold, communicate a cooling activity indication to a resource manager of the computing device.

Abstract: Medical devices and related methods are described, including a medical device that includes a shaft defining at least one working channel extending from a proximal end of the shaft to a distal end of the shaft along a longitudinal axis and a distal tip coupled to the shaft. The working channel may have a cross-sectional dimension that allows passage of an instrument therethrough. The distal tip may include a first arm and a second arm, the first arm being moveable relative to the second arm between a first configuration that obstructs a portion of the working channel and a second configuration that provides unobstructed access to the working channel, e.g., to allow the instrument to extend distal to the medical device.

Abstract: Methods and systems for user communication in an online community and/or website are provided. User profile data may be accessed to from a memory. An analysis system compares the user profile data for the user with a time-dependent goal to determine a result. The time-dependent goal may be determined based on an analysis of a set of (successful) users. A user interface system generates a representation of the result for prompting the user to initiate a communication to a different user based on the time-dependent goal. The representation may comprise a metered representation indicating an amount of progress, by the user, toward the time-dependent goal.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for a drag recovery scheme using a boundary layer bypass duct system. In some examples, boundary layer air is routed around the intake of one or more of the engines and reintroduced aft of the engine fan in the nozzle duct in a mixer-ejector scheme. Mixer-ejectors mix the boundary layer flow to increase mass flow.

Abstract: An apparatus for ingesting boundary layer flow on an aircraft, the apparatus includes a blended wing body, wherein the blended wing body is characterized by having no clear dividing line between wings and main body of the aircraft, wherein the blended wing body includes a nacelle located aft of a leading edge of the blended wing body, wherein the nacelle includes a propulsor configured to propel the aircraft, a primary duct, and a flow augmentation arrangement, wherein the flow augmentation arrangement is configured to accelerate a boundary layer flow in the airflow, wherein the flow augmentation arrangement further includes a secondary duct, wherein the secondary duct configured to ingest the boundary layer flow in the airflow from an inlet proximal to a forward portion of the nacelle to an outlet proximal to a rear portion of the nacelle and a tertiary duct between the primary duct and the secondary duct.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing modular aircraft includes at least at least a common tooling component, including at least one or more of a first component in a shape of a nose and a second component in a shape of a wing. The system further including at least a modular tooling component in a shape of a main body, wherein connecting the at least a common tooling components to the at least modular component forms a mold in a shape of at least a portion of a blended wing body (BWB) aircraft with no clear demarcation between the shape of the wing and a shape of a main body along an edge of the shape of the BWB.

Abstract: A coupled landing gear apparatus for an aircraft including at least a nose gear disposed forward of a neutral point of an aircraft by a first distance and at least a main gear disposed aft of the neutral point of the aircraft by a second distance. The at least a nose gear and the at least a main gear are in communication with one another.

Abstract: An article is provided comprising a copolyester; wherein the copolyester comprises: a. at least one terephthalate monomer residue; b. about 85 to about 96 mole % of ethylene glycol residues; c. about 4 to about 15 mole % of a combination diethylene glycol (DEG) and at least one glycol residue selected from the group consisting of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues (CHDM), monopropylene glycol residues (MPG), and 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutane diol residues (TMCD); and d. a germanium catalyst present in the copolyester at a concentration of about 5 to about 500 ppm based on elemental germanium; wherein the diacid monomer is based on the substantially equal diacid equivalents of 100 mole % to diol equivalence of 100 mole % for a total of 200 mole %.

Abstract: A copolyester composition is provided comprising at least one copolyester and at least one polymeric component; wherein said copolyester comprises: a. terephthalate acid residues; b. about 85 to about 96 mole % of ethylene glycol residues; c. about 4 to about 15 mole % of a combination of diethylene glycol (DEG) residues and at least one glycol residue selected from the group consisting of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues (CHDM), monopropylene glycol residues (MPG), and 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutane diol residues (TMCD); and d. a germanium catalyst present in the copolyester at a concentration of about 5 to about 500 ppm based on elemental germanium; wherein the terephthalate monomer is based on the substantially equal diacid equivalents of 100 mole % to diol equivalence of 100 mole % for a total of 200 mole %.

Abstract: A process of producing an article by an extrusion blow molding manufacturing process is provided comprising: melting a copolyester in an extruder to produce a molten copolyester; extruding the molten copolyester through a die to form a tube of molten copolyester parison; clamping a mold having the desired finished shape around the parison; blowing air into the parison causing the parison to stretch and expand to fill the mold to produce a molded article; cooling the molded article; ejecting the article from the mold; and removing excess plastic from the article; wherein the copolyester comprises: at least one terephthalate monomer residue; ethylene glycol residues; a combination of diethylene glycol and at least one glycol residue selected from the group consisting of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues, monopropylene glycol residues, and 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutane diol residues; and a germanium catalyst present in the copolyester at a concentration of about 5 to about 500 ppm based on elemental germa

Abstract: A freighter aircraft for long-distance travel, the freighter aircraft comprising a blended wing body having a main body, a transition, and wings with no clear demarcation between the wings and the main body along a leading edge of the freighter aircraft, at least a propulsor, the at least a propulsor attached to a portion of the main body and configured to propel the freighter aircraft through air, a fuel storage located within the blended wing body, the fuel storage having a fuel capacity wherein the fuel capacity is configured for long-range flight, and a cargo bay located within the main body; the cargo bay configured to have a freighter capacity, wherein freighter aircraft is a long-range aircraft, the freighter aircraft including a ton-miles per sortie between 135,000 and 450,000.

Abstract: A process to produce a copolyester is provided comprising: a. polymerizing 1) at least one terephthalate monomer; 2) about 85 to about 96 mole % of ethylene glycol; and 3) about 4 to about 15 mole % of a combination diethylene glycol (DEG) and at least one glycol residue selected from the group consisting of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues (CHDM), monopropylene glycol residues (MPG), and 2,2,4,4-tetramethy-1,3-cyclobutane diol residues (TMCD); in the presence of a germanium catalyst to produce the copolyester; wherein the germanium catalyst is present in the copolyester at a concentration of about 5 to about 500 ppm based on elemental germanium; wherein the diacid is based on the substantially equal diacid equivalents of 100 mole % to diol equivalence of 100 mole % for a total.

Abstract: A copolyester is provided comprising: a. terephthalate acid residues; b. about 85 to about % mole % of ethylene glycol residues; c. about 4 to about 15 mole % of a. combination of diethylene glycol (DEG) residues and at least one glycol residue selected from the group consisting of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues (CHDM), monopropylene glycol residues (MPG), and 2, 2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutane diol residues (TMCD); and d. a germanium catalyst present in the copolyester at a concentration of about 5 to about 500 ppm based on elemental germanium; wherein the terephthalate monomer is based on the substantially equal diacid equivalents of 100 mole % to diol equivalence of 100 mole % for a total of 200 mole %.