Abstract: A vehicle system for mitigating the effects of rear or front collisions includes a vehicle seat having a vehicle seat cushion and a vehicle seatback. The vehicle seatback is rotatable relative to the vehicle seat cushion. An actuation system adjusts the position of the vehicle seatback relative to the vehicle seat cushion or the vehicle seat cushion relative to the vehicle seatback. Characteristically, the vehicle system also includes a profile selector that receives vehicle seat contextual data and determines an actuation travel profile that is applied to the vehicle seatback via the actuation system in response to the vehicle seat contextual data indicating a collision triggering event.

Abstract: A position sensor unit comprising a sensor housing, an optical time-of-flight sensor, and an electronic control unit is presented. The sensor housing includes an optical port such that an optically transmissive seal engaged within the optical port is operable to pass an optical pulse from within the sensor housing to be transmitted to a diaphragm within a pneumatic actuator wellhead and valve assembly, and also, pass a reflected optical pulse from the diaphragm back into the sensor housing. The optical time-of-flight sensor is operable to measure a round-trip propagation time of one or more optical pulses transmitted by the optical-time-of-flight sensor to the diaphragm and reflected back from the diaphragm in order to determine the displacement of the diaphragm. The electronic control unit controls the optical-time-of-flight sensor and provides detected measurements to an external monitoring device.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a clamp assembly and a method for clamping a disk drive to a substrate. The disk drive has a disk drive connector. The clamp assembly includes a resilient biasing element mounted to the substrate. The clamp assembly also has a substrate connector. When a disk drive connector is connected to the substrate connector, the resilient biasing element biases the disk drive and the substrate connector together.

Abstract: There is disclosed a storage enclosure, a carrier, a method of receiving and/or removing disk drive units to/from a storage enclosure, methods of manufacturing a storage enclosure, and a method of mounting a disk drive unit in a storage enclosure. In an aspect of the invention, a storage enclosure (10) comprises: a housing (11); and, at least one drawer (20) movable mounted to the housing such that the drawer is able to move between a received position and a withdrawn position relative to the housing. The or each drawer has a plurality of bays (22) for receiving respective disk drive units (100) with the disk drive units being orientated on their sides. Each bay having an upwardly facing opening which is accessible for insertion and/or removal of the disk drive unit therethrough when the drawer is in the withdrawn position.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a clamp assembly and a method for clamping a disk drive to a substrate. The disk drive has a disk drive connector. The clamp assembly includes a resilient biasing element mounted to the substrate. The clamp assembly also has a substrate connector. When a disk drive connector is connected to the substrate connector, the resilient biasing element biases the disk drive and the substrate connector together.

Abstract: There is disclosed a storage enclosure, a carrier, a method of receiving and/or removing disk drive units to/from a storage enclosure, methods of manufacturing a storage enclosure, and a method of mounting a disk drive unit in a storage enclosure. In an aspect of the invention, a storage enclosure (10) comprises: a housing (11); and, at least one drawer (20) movable mounted to the housing such that the drawer is able to move between a received position and a withdrawn position relative to the housing. The or each drawer has a plurality of bays (22) for receiving respective disk drive units (100) with the disk drive units being orientated on their sides. Each bay having an upwardly facing opening which is accessible for insertion and/or removal of the disk drive unit therethrough when the drawer is in the withdrawn position.

Abstract: A device that relieves lubricant pressure in a divider block lubrication system into a fluid reservoir, a container, or directly back into the compressor frame to which the tubing is connected. This eliminates housekeeping, environmental, safety, and compressor component failure concerns associated with current atmospheric rupture assemblies that relieve directly to the atmosphere. The environmental compressor protection assembly contains a spring set to a pre-determined pressure. Lubricant pressure in excess of this pre-determined set pressure results in spring compression and opening of a relief path. The assembly preferably remains in a full open position and must be must be manually reset to the closed position to prevent fluid flow in the system.

Abstract: A safety relief valve is provided that comprises a body comprising a chamber therein and an inlet and an outlet, the inlet comprising an inlet valve seat; a disk member closable on the inlet valve seat; and a mechanism in the body biasing the disk member to rest on the inlet valve seat with a set force such that when the pressure in the inlet exceeds a set pressure resulting from the set force, the disk member is lifted from the inlet valve seat, the mechanism comprising a combination of a coil spring and one or more disk springs stacked in series with the coil spring. A method of preparing a coil spring for use in a pressure relief valve comprises measuring the spring rate of the coil spring and; modifying the spring so as to modify its spring rate to be within ±2% of a desired spring rate.

Abstract: The improvements relate to shredders for paper and the like having a shredding mechanism with an opening through which shredded material passes out of the shredding mechanism, a compactor plate located beneath the shredding mechanism and including an opening, and a base, wherein the shredder has a waste bag support mechanism of which the compactor plate forms a part. The waste bag support mechanism is secured to the underside of the shredding mechanism towards the rear thereof for pivotal movement between an operating position in which an upper part of the waste bag support mechanism is close to the underside of the shredding mechanism, and a bag removal position in which the upper part of the waste bag support mechanism is pivoted downwards at its front away from the shredding mechanism.

Abstract: A compression device, adapted for use with a shredder having an output aperture from which shredded material is output, comprising first and second compression plates, each compression plate adapted for attachment at the output aperture of the shredder, and each being pivotably moveable between respective first positions in which the compression plates act to impede the flow of the shredded material away from the output aperture of the shredder, to respective second positions in which the shredded material is allowed to flow away from the output aperture of the shredder, between the compression plates, wherein the free ends of the compression plates, remote from their attachment at the output aperture of the shredder, are biased towards each other by respective resilient members.

Abstract: The present invention relates to fusion molecules composed of human interleukin-3 (hIL-3) variant or mutant proteins (muteins) functionally joined to a second colony stimulating factor (CSF), cytokine, lymphokine, interleukin or IL-3 variant. These hIL-3 variants contain amino acid substitutions and may also have amino acid deletions at both the N- and C-termini. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing the fusion molecules and methods for using them.

Abstract: A compacting device, adapted for use with a receptacle for the collection of shredded material output from a shredder, the compacting device comprising a plate provided with an aperture, fixed relative to the receptacle, such that shredded material output from the shredder passes through the aperture of the plate and is collected in the receptacle and as collection of the shredded material within the receptacle progresses the compacting device acts to compact the material. The compacting device may act to compact the shredded material by compression of the material between bottom and sides of the receptacle and the plate as collection of the material progresses. As the receptacle starts to fill up with shredded material, the material pushes against the plate, and as the plate is fixed relative to the receptacle, this acts to compact the material.

Abstract: A safety relief valve is provided that comprises a body comprising a chamber therein and an inlet and an outlet, the inlet comprising an inlet valve seat; a disk member closable on the inlet valve seat; and a mechanism in the body biasing the disk member to rest on the inlet valve seat with a set force such that when the pressure in the inlet exceeds a set pressure resulting from the set force, the disk member is lifted from the inlet valve seat, the mechanism comprising a combination of a coil spring and one or more disk springs stacked in series with the coil spring. A method of preparing a coil spring for use in a pressure relief valve comprises measuring the spring rate of the coil spring and; modifying the spring so as to modify its spring rate to be within ±2% of a desired spring rate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to recombinant human interleukin-3 (hIL-3) variant or mutant proteins (muteins). These hIL-3 muteins contain amino acid substitutions and may also have amino acid deletions at both the N- and C-termini. The invention also relates to pharmaceuical compositions containing the hIL-3 muteins and methods for using them. Additionally, the present invention relates to recombinant expression vectors comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the hIL-3 muteins, related microbial expression systems, and processes for making the hIL-3 muteins using the microbial experession systems. Included in the presnt invention are deletion mutants of hIL-3 in which from 1 to 14 amino acids have been deleted from the N-terminus, and from 1 to 15 amino acids (a.a. 119 to 133) have been deleted from the C-terminus, and which also contain amino acid substitutions in the polypeptide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to recombinant human interleukin-3 (hIL-3) variant or mutant proteins (muteins). These hIL-3 muteins contain amino acid substitutions and may also have amino acid deletions at both the N- and C- termini. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing the hIL-3 muteins and methods for using them. Additionally, the present invention relates to recombinant expression vectors comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the hIL-3 muteins, related microbial expression systems, and processes for making the hIL-3 muteins using the microbial expression systems.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of ex-vivo expansion of hematopoietic cells by culturing hematopoietic cells in a growth medium comprising a chimera protein which comprises a variant of human interleukin-3 (hIL-3) which contains multiple amino acid substitutions and which may have portions of the native hIL-3 molecule deleted and a hematopoietic growth factor. The present invention also relates to the ex-vivo expansion of hematopoietic cells for gene therapy. Additionally, the present invention relates to the use of the expanded hematopoietic cells for treating patients having a hematopoietic disorder.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of ex-vivo expansion of hematopoietic cells by culturing hematopoietic cells in a growth medium comprising a variant of human interleukin-3 (hIL-3), which contains multiple amino acid substitutions and which may have portions of the native hIL-3 molecule deleted, and a hematopoietic growth factor. The present invention also relates to the ex-vivo expansion of hematopoietic cells for gene therapy. Additionally, the present invention relates to the use of the expanded hematopoietic cells for treating patients having a hematopoietic disorder.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of ex-vivo expansion of hematopoietic cells by culturing hematopoietic cells in a growth medium comprising a variant of human interleukin-3 (hIL-3) which contains multiple amino acid substitutions and which may have portions of the native hIL-3 molecule deleted. The present invention also relates to the ex-vivo expansion of hematopoietic cells for gene therapy. Additionally, the present invention relates to the use of the expanded hematopoietic cells for treating patients having a hematopoietic disorder.

Abstract: The present invention relates to recombinant human interleukin-3 (hIL-3) variant or mutant proteins (muteins). These hIL-3 muteins contain amino acid substitutions and may also have amino acid deletions at both the N- and C-termini. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing the hIL-3 muteins and methods for using them. Additionally, the present invention relates to recombinant expression vectors comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the hIL-3 muteins, related microbial expression systems, and processes for making the hIL-3 muteins using the microbial expression systems. Included in the present invention are deletion mutants of hIL-3 in which from 1 to 14 amino acids have been deleted from the N-terminus, and from 1 to 15 amino acids (a.a.119 to 133) have been deleted from the C-terminus, and which also contain amino acid substitutions in the polypeptide.