Abstract: A blower systems includes a blower housing, a gasket, and a clamp. The blower housing includes a dilution air inlet port having a tubular portion with an end margin having a plurality of flanges separated by slits enabling flexing of the plurality of flanges to resiliently move radially inwardly from an unflexed position. The gasket extends within the end margin of the dilution air inlet port. The air supply system includes an inlet portion, a combustion air portion, and a one-piece fitting having an inlet, dilution air outlet, and a combustion air outlet. The clamp is positioned radially about the plurality of flanges such that it can secure a source of dilution air within the dilution air inlet port.

Abstract: An electrical connector or electrical connector assembly that has a housing, a contact carrier, one or more spring members, and an interposer. The contact carrier is movable with respect to the housing between unmated and mated electrical positions.

Abstract: Mathematical relationships between the scene geometry, camera parameters, and viewing environment are used to control stereography to obtain various results influencing the viewer's perception of 3D imagery. The methods may include setting a horizontal shift, convergence distance, and camera interaxial parameter to achieve various effects. The methods may be implemented in a computer-implemented tool for interactively modifying scene parameters during a 2D-to-3D conversion process, which may then trigger the re-rendering of the 3D content on the fly.

Abstract: A meter bypass adapter has a body having: a first port; a second port; a third port; and a fourth port. At least one valve element is held by the body and moveable between: a first position wherein a flowpath is open from the first port to the second port and a flowpath is open from the third port to the fourth port without a direct flowpath from the first port to the fourth port; and a second position wherein a flowpath extends from the first port to the fourth port bypassing the second port and the third port. A single rotary actuator is held by the body to rotate about an axis and, in turn, shift the least one valve element between the first position and the second position.

Abstract: An electrical connector that has a housing, a contact carrier slidably coupled to the housing, at least one spring member received inside of the housing and adjacent the contact carrier for abutment with the contact carrier, and an interposer received in the receiving end of the contact carrier and remote from the spring member. The contact carrier is slidable with respect to the housing along a mating axis between unmated and mated positions.

Abstract: Efficient image compression for video data characterized by a non-neutral dominant white point is achieved by transforming the input video signal into a de-correlated video signal based on a color difference encoding transform, wherein the color difference encoding transform is adapted based on the dominant white point using an algorithm. The adapting algorithm is designed for optimizing low-entropy output when the white point is other than a neutral or equal-energy value.

Abstract: An electrical connector that has a housing, a contact carrier slidably coupled to the housing, at least one spring member received inside of the housing and adjacent the contact carrier for abutment with the contact carrier, and an interposer received in the receiving end of the contact carrier and remote from the spring member. The contact carrier is slidable with respect to the housing along a mating axis between unmated and mated positions.

Abstract: A meter bypass adapter has a body having: a first port; a second port; a third port; and a fourth port. At least one valve element is held by the body and moveable between: a first position wherein a flowpath is open from the first port to the second port and a flowpath is open from the third port to the fourth port without a direct flowpath from the first port to the fourth port; and a second position wherein a flowpath extends from the first port to the fourth port bypassing the second port and the third port. A single rotary actuator is held by the body to rotate about an axis and, in turn, shift the least one valve element between the first position and the second position.

Abstract: An electrical connector that has a housing with a mating interface end section, an opposite cable termination end section, and an inner support member. A core is slidably coupled to the inner support member of the housing and includes a receiving end and a spring engagement end. A spring member is received inside of the housing and behind the core for abutment with the spring engagement end of the core. An interposer may be received in the receiving end of the core and remote from the spring member. The core is axially slidable with respect to the inner support member along a longitudinal axis of the housing between an unmated position, in which the spring member pushes the core outwardly away from the cable termination end of the housing, and a mated position, in which the core pushes inwardly against the spring member.

Abstract: A system and method of capturing and rendering stereoscopic panoramic content is provided. The system may capture information from a virtual scene to generate a stereoscopic panorama in the form of a stereoscopic cube map. Using the pre-captured cube map, the system may render stereoscopic images during gameplay, image viewing, and/or playback of a three dimensional video. The system may capture camera distance information during capture for use in distortion reduction during image rendering and playback. The system may implement additional distortion reduction measures. Further, the system may use the capture camera distance information to write to depth buffers corresponding to rendered images for use when introducing dynamic gameplay elements into the scene. Additionally, the system may use realistic camera models to simulate human anatomy and reduce distortions associated with simplistic camera models.

Abstract: A tube scraping apparatus comprises a body having a passageway for receiving a piping component; and a first blade and a second blade. The first blade and second blade each: are mounted to the body and shiftable between a first condition and a second condition; and having an engagement portion positioned to engage an outer diameter (OD) surface of the received piping component in at least one condition, the first blade engagement portion comprising a cutting edge for removing material from the OD surface. The second blade engagement portion comprises a partial thread for engaging the piping component to convert a rotation of the piping component relative to the body to an axial movement of the piping component relative to the body.

Abstract: The present invention is in the fields of molecular and cellular biology. The invention is generally related to reverse transcriptase enzymes and methods for the reverse transcription of nucleic acid molecules, especially messenger RNA molecules. Specifically, the invention relates to reverse transcriptase enzymes which have been mutated or modified to increase thermostability, decrease terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase activity, and/or increase fidelity, and to methods of producing, amplifying or sequencing nucleic acid molecules (particularly cDNA molecules) using these reverse transcriptase enzymes or compositions. The invention also relates to nucleic acid molecules produced by these methods and to the use of such nucleic acid molecules to produce desired polypeptides. The invention also concerns kits comprising such enzymes or compositions.

Abstract: A tube scraping tool comprises: a handle; and a blade, carried by the handle. The tool has first and second laterally spaced apart portions for engaging the tube outer diameter (OD) surface during a drawing of the tool along the tube. The blade has a cutting edge trailing the first and second portions during the drawing and laterally between the first and second portions.

Abstract: A furnace assembly comprising a non-condensing furnace with a draft inducer. The draft inducer includes a permanent magnet electrically commutated motor and a draft inducer blower fan. The motor includes a stator, a rotor, a motor cooling fan, and a controller. The rotor being rotatable relative to the stator, the fan being operatively coupled to the rotor such that rotation of the rotor causes rotation of the fan, the controller being configured to selectively operate the motor in first and second different torque ranges of the rotor, with the first and second torque range operating within a fixed percentage and within a fixed percentage of each other. The controller being configured such during normal operation, the motor is not operable at any torques between the first torque range and the second torque range except during transitionary periods.

Abstract: A handheld surgical device having a working portion that can be covered or uncovered. The working portion of the handheld surgical device can have an advanced position or a retracted position, which can be controlled by one or more switch(s) at the handle portion of the handheld surgical device. The handheld surgical device can also include a shroud that can cover the working portion having a cutting blade driven by a powered motor. The shroud can also have a cutting edge, which is not driven by the powered motor.

Abstract: Mathematical relationships between the scene geometry, camera parameters, and viewing environment are used to control stereography to obtain various results influencing the viewer's perception of 3D imagery. The methods may include setting a horizontal shift, convergence distance, and camera interaxial parameter to achieve various effects. The methods may be implemented in a computer-implemented tool for interactively modifying scene parameters during a 2D-to-3D conversion process, which may then trigger the re-rendering of the 3D content on the fly.

Abstract: A furnace assembly comprising a non-condensing furnace with a draft inducer. The draft inducer includes a permanent magnet electrically commutated motor and a draft inducer blower fan. The motor includes a stator, a rotor, a motor cooling fan, and a controller. The rotor being rotatable relative to the stator, the fan being operatively coupled to the rotor such that rotation of the rotor causes rotation of the fan, the controller being configured to selectively operate the motor in first and second different torque ranges of the rotor, with the first and second torque range operating within a fixed percentage and within a fixed percentage of each other. The controller being configured such during normal operation, the motor is not operable at any torques between the first torque range and the second torque range except during transitionary periods.

Abstract: Mathematical relationships between the scene geometry, camera parameters, and viewing environment are used to control stereography to obtain various results influencing the viewer's perception of 3D imagery. The methods may include setting a horizontal shift, convergence distance, and camera interaxial parameter to achieve various effects. The methods may be implemented in a computer-implemented tool for interactively modifying scene parameters during a 2D-to-3D conversion process, which may then trigger the re-rendering of the 3D content on the fly.

Abstract: An electric machine is described. The electric machine includes a rotor comprising a rotor disk and a plurality of permanent magnets magnetically coupled to the rotor disk. The plurality of permanent magnets include a substantially flat profile and are aligned in a substantially planar array. The electric machine also includes a stator comprising a solid stator core and a plurality of coils each wound around a coil insulating member. The stator core includes a plurality of stator teeth extending substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the rotor.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the mineral content of a sample using an electron microscope. The method includes directing an electron beam toward an area of interest of a sample, the area of interest comprising an unknown composition of minerals. The working distance between the backscattered electron detector of the microscope and the area of interest of the sample is determined. Compensation is made for the difference between the working distance and a predetermined working distance in which the predetermined working distance being the working distance that provides desired grayscale values for detected backscattered electrons. One way of compensating for working distance variation is to used an autofocus feature of the microscope to adjust the working distance. Backscattered electrons from the area of interest of the sample are then detected.