Abstract: Some examples include a payment processing system for processing point-of-sale transactions and extending financing to merchants for invoice payment. The payment processing system receives a request from a first merchant to generate an invoice for a second merchant. The payment processing system calculates financing terms for payment of the invoice, wherein the financing terms include repayment terms designating a portion of each transaction processed by the payment processing system for the second merchant to withhold for payment of the invoice. The payment processing system may advance payment of the invoice to the first merchant and take repayment from the portion of the withheld portion of transactions or transmit the withheld portion to the first merchant for payment of the invoice.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for making aromatic enol ethers that have utility as film-hardening additives for coating formulations. The aromatic enol ethers have particular utility as film-hardening additives for water-based coating formulations. The aromatic enol ethers provide improvements in hardness and hardness related properties such as block resistance without contributing to the volatile organic content of the composition.

Abstract: Disclosed are aromatic enol ethers that have utility as film-hardening additives for coating formulations. The aromatic enol ethers have particular utility as film-hardening additives for water-based coating formulations. The aromatic enol ethers provide improvements in hardness and hardness related properties such as block resistance without contributing to the volatile organic content of the composition.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel aromatic enol ethers. The aromatic enol ethers exhibit low volatile organic content and are reactive film-hardening compounds. The aromatic enol ethers are useful in a variety of chemical applications. The aromatic enol ethers can be used in applications as plasticizers, diluents, wetting agents, coalescing aids and as intermediates in chemical processes. The aromatic enol ethers also have utility as film-hardening additives for coating formulations.

Abstract: Techniques for implementing a pipeline system including a pipe fitting, which includes a fitting shell that define a fitting bore and a tubing cavity around the fitting bore. The tubing cavity interfaces with pipe segment tubing to facilitate fluidly coupling the fitting bore to a pipe bore. The fitting shell includes a seal groove that is recessed into a fitting shell surface that facilitates defining the tubing cavity. The pipe fitting includes a belt seal having a multisided axial cross-section profile, in which the belt seal is to be disposed in the seal groove to implement a fitting seal in the pipe fitting that includes a protruding portion having a wedge-shaped axial cross-section profile that protrudes beyond the fitting shell surface into the tubing cavity to facilitate sealing a fluid conduit implemented in an annulus of the pipe segment tubing in the tubing cavity of the pipe fitting.

Abstract: A system includes a flexible pipe that includes a liner surrounding a bore of the flexible pipe, a reinforcement layer surrounding the liner, and a shield layer surrounding the reinforcement layer. The system also includes a pipe fitting coupled to an end of the flexible pipe and a securing mechanism at least partially disposed in an opening in at least one of the liner layer, the shield layer, or both of the flexible pipe. The securing mechanism is configured to engage with the reinforcement layer of the flexible pipe when the pipe fitting is coupled to the end of the flexible pipe.

Abstract: A coil deployment system and one or more methods of manipulating a coil deployment system, is provided. The coil deployment system has a trailer frame of one or more frame components including a pair of support brackets, a first pair of lower support arms, a second pair of lower support arms, a first pair of upper support arms, and a second pair of upper support arms. The trailer frame is adjustable such that the width and height of the trailer can be adjusted to manipulate and accommodate various sizes of coil drums of spoolable pipe deploy, collect, transport or store the spoolable pipe.

Abstract: Managing annotation jobs is disclosed, including: receiving an annotation job, including: obtaining an input text to be annotated; and obtaining an ontology specifying a plurality of labels to be used to annotate the input text; distributing the annotation job to a plurality of annotator devices via an annotation platform; receiving a plurality of annotation results with respect to the input text from the plurality of annotator devices; and providing an aggregate annotation report corresponding to the annotation job, wherein the aggregate annotation report combines the plurality of annotation results.

Abstract: A water change system includes an elongate tube and a spout configured to be coupled to the elongate tube. The spout includes a first opening and a second opening spaced from the first opening. The spout is rotatable between a first position to permit water to enter the second opening and pass out of the first opening, and a second position to inhibit water from entering the second opening.

Abstract: Disclosed are aromatic dicarbinol compounds that may have utility in a variety of chemical applications such as plasticizers, diluents, wetting agents and paint additives and as intermediates in chemical processes. The aromatic dicarbinols have particular utility as reactants in processes for the synthesis of aromatic enol ether compounds.

Abstract: An autonomous vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle comprises a chassis, two or more drive wheels extending below the chassis, a drive motor housed within the chassis for driving the drive wheels, and a payload surface on top of the chassis for carrying a payload. An illumination system, for emitting light from at least one portion of the chassis, is mounted substantially around the entire perimeter of the chassis. The illumination system may be implemented using an array of light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”) that are arranged as segments. For example, there may be “headlight” segments on the front left and front right corners of the chassis.

Abstract: A system includes a trailer frame, a lifting mechanism coupled to the trailer frame, wherein the lifting mechanism is configured to raise or lower a coil of pipe or a reel of pipe, a braking mechanism configured to apply pressure to the pipe while the pipe is being deployed by the system, and a hydraulic power unit configured to hydraulically power the system.

Abstract: An electric motor built for exposure to high pressure fluid includes a unitary metal sleeve that provides a fluid barrier between the rotor and the stator. An overmolded resin encapsulates the stator windings and reinforces the sleeve to minimize deformation of the sleeve under high fluid pressures. The overmolded resin also fixes the positions of insulation displacement connectors connected to the stator windings, thereby avoiding mechanical brackets and fasteners for holding the insulation displacement connectors in position.

Abstract: A system includes a drum assembly that includes a support bar having a first end and a second end, and a plurality of drum segments coupled to the support bar. The drum segments are movable between retracted and extended positions, and the drum assembly is configured to be disposed within an interior region of a coil of flexible pipe when the plurality of drum segments are in the retracted position. The system also includes a first containment flange coupled to the drum assembly at the first end, a second containment flange coupled to the drum assembly at the second end, a first coupling device configured to removably couple the first containment flange to the drum assembly, and a second coupling device configured to removably couple the second containment flange to the drum assembly. The first and second containment flanges are configured to contain the flexible pipe.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for securing a flexible pipe to a further flexible pipe in an end-to-end configuration, wherein the apparatus includes and the method utilizes an elongate tubular element having a first and second end and an outer surface comprising a raised central region. At least one vent passage extends at least partially across the raised central region.

Abstract: Smart device supports have a frame defining a major plane and configured to connect to a smartphone, a pair of spaced-apart vent support elements each defining a louver gap configured to removably connect to a vehicle ventilation louver, the spaced-apart vent support elements being pivotally movable between a stowed position parallel to the major plane and an extended position away from the major plane, and a second support element between the spaced-apart vent support elements and movable between a stowed position parallel to the major plane and an extended position away from the major plane. The spaced-apart vent support elements may each include a pair of extending protrusions defining a louver gap. At least one of the extending protrusions may define a hook at a free end. The spaced-apart vent support elements may pivot on a vent support axis. The second support element may pivot on a second support axis.

Abstract: A turbine containment arrangement includes a turbine rotor rotatable about a turbine axis and a casing. The casing extends radially outward of the turbine rotor and includes an outer ring, an inner ring, and a plurality of fins. The inner ring is disposed radially inward from and co-axially with the outer ring and the turbine axis. The outer ring and the inner ring form an annular gap extending therebetween. The plurality of fins is disposed between the outer ring and the inner ring and extends at least partially circumferentially and radially therebetween. The plurality of fins is monolithically formed with the inner and outer rings.

Abstract: A distributed safety lockout system for a vehicle, such as a recreational vehicle (RV), that includes a plurality of networked devices communicatively coupled via a communications network, and that is configured to implement a method for controlling an electromechanical operation of an electromechanical device based on a safety lockout condition determined through use of a consensus protocol in which a safety lockout status is agreed upon by the networked devices. The safety lockout status may be escalated by a safety lockout condition detection device that detects a safety lockout condition, such as movement of the RV. The safety lockout status may be de-escalated through a network contention mode of the consensus protocol in which each of the networked devices agree to de-escalate the safety lockout status.

Abstract: A collar for an animal includes an elongate piece of flexible material having a first end and a second end, the first and second ends configured to be releasably coupled together about the neck of an animal. The collar also includes a lighting system coupled to the piece of material. The lighting system includes a power source and an optical element coupled to the power source. The optical element is at least partially embedded within the piece of material and extends along a length direction between the first and second ends. The optical element further includes an LED that is configured to illuminate a portion of the optical element when the power source is turned on.

Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle having an internal combustion engine and an electrical machine operable as a traction motor with a manual transmission arranged between the engine and the driving wheels and a clutch between the engine and the transmission generates an acoustic notification signal to indicate a gear shift that would result in either an excessive or insufficient engine speed. A different acoustic tone may be provided for a gear shift that would result in excessive engine speed than a gear shift that would result in insufficient engine speed. The acoustic notification signal may be a simulated engine noise.