Abstract: A restraining system for connecting a belled end of a female pipe to a spigot end of a male pipe is disclosed. The system includes a ring-shaped casing having circumferential grooves separated by an abutment surface. One or more restraining rings or members are disposed in the grooves so as to contact both the casing and the outer surfaces of the male and female pipes. The one or more restraining rings restrain the pipes from moving away from each other when the system is pressurized.

Abstract: The invention relates to a large-area extensible pressure sensor for textile surfaces, of the type comprising a support on which a conductive ink is printed which can transmit a printed electrical signal by any known printing technique. More specifically, the pressure sensor is characterised in that said support is flexible, extensible and elastic, and a plurality of main tracks of extensible and elastic conductive ink or paste are printed on said support; on said plurality of main tracks a plurality of piezoresistive paste or ink depositions acting as pressure sensing points are printed, and each of these depositions are linked to a secondary extensible and elastic conductive ink or paste track, which is also printed on said support, resulting in all tracks, primary or secondary, being connected to a control system without crossing each other.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for analyzing the content of resource requests. A tokenizer parses the resource request and derives a key therefrom. A database associates values of the key with categories of service. An association engine uses the key to obtain one or more matching entries from the database, and derive therefrom the desired category of service for the resource request. A cookie engine derives cookie information from a cookie located in the resource request. A session engine derives session information from a session identifier located in a handshake message associated with the resource request. The desired category of service, the cookie information, and the session information are each useful for allocating a resource to the resource request.

Abstract: Adjustable ramp ladder with alternating steps, which have at least a first set of steps with a plurality of inline plates joined by the adjacent sides thereof and a second set of steps with a plurality of inline plates joined by the adjacent sides thereof in such a way that the sets are joined in parallel by transverse cylindrical bars, which intersect the internal mid-point of the ends of each plate, and which allow each set of steps to be joined.

Abstract: A restrainer for connection to the belled end of a female pipe or fitting. The restrainer has a groove for receiving a compressed, snap-fit gripping ring, constructed from two or more rigid segments joined by elastomeric segments. The gripping ring has rows of teeth on its inner circumference, shaped so the spigot end of a male pipe can be inserted through the restrainer into the belled end of the female pipe. The gripping ring restrains the male pipe from moving in an opposite direction when the system is pressurized. The coupler can be connected to the female pipe in several ways: it can be threaded onto a threaded lip of the pipe; a projection formed on its outer diameter or its inner diameter can be snap-fit into on onto the end of the female pipe; or it can be welded or fused onto the outer end of the female pipe.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method including spraying steam in the form of multiple jets with a pressure and a temperature depending on the characteristics of the solar panel to be cleaned and of the impurities to be removed and at an angle that can be adjusted relative to the panel. The method can be combined with gentle cleaning using elements contacting the surface of the panels to be cleaned. The device includes a self-propelled vehicle, a water tank feeding a system for treating and purifying the water prior to feeding a steam generator, with a means for regulating the output temperature and pressure of the steam, which enters a system for distribution to the steam diffusers, which are coupled on a support associated with a cantilevered structure of the self-propelled vehicle.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for analyzing the content of resource requests. A tokenizer parses the resource request and derives a key therefrom. A database associates values of the key with categories of service. An association engine uses the key to obtain one or more matching entries from the database, and derive therefrom the desired category of service for the resource request. A cookie engine derives cookie information from a cookie located in the resource request. A session engine derives session information from a session identifier located in a handshake message associated with the resource request. The desired category of service, the cookie information, and the session information are each useful for allocating a resource to the resource request.

Abstract: A system for detecting pen-to-paper spacing (PPS) in a printing system having a pen attached to a moveable print head positioned near a print media position, includes a test pattern, at the print media position, a sensor device, attached to the print head, and a controller. The test pattern includes printed lines having a line dimension, and the sensor device is positioned to shine light upon, and detect light reflected from the test pattern as the print head scans across the test pattern. The controller is connected to receive reflectance signals from the reflectance sensor, and configured to determine line dimensions in the test pattern and compare said line dimensions with predetermined line dimension values for the test pattern to determine variation in the PPS.

Abstract: Systems and related methods are described for handling one or more resource requests. A protocol engine receives a resource request in accordance with a prescribed protocol, and a classification engine determines a desired class of service for the request. An analysis engine optionally analyzes the request, and, responsive thereto, determines a desired sub-class of service for the request. A policy engine then allocates a resource to the request responsive to one or both of the desired class of service, and the desired sub-class of service.

Abstract: A system for detecting pen-to-paper spacing (PPS) in a printing system having a pen attached to a moveable print head positioned near a print media position, includes a test pattern, at the print media position, a sensor device, attached to the print head, and a controller. The test pattern includes printed lines having a line dimension, and the sensor device is positioned to shine light upon, and detect light reflected from the test pattern as the print head scans across the test pattern. The controller is connected to receive reflectance signals from the reflectance sensor, and configured to determine line dimensions in the test pattern and compare said line dimensions with predetermined line dimension values for the test pattern to determine variation in the PPS.

Abstract: A system and method of allocating a resource to a service request. Servers are virtually assigned through a hierarchy including groups of servers and super groups of the groups of servers. Each service request type is associated with a service index that determines both a super group and a load balancing policy for that service request type. A load balancing policy may be applied to select a group of servers among several server groups associated with the super group. Another load balancing policy is applied to the selected group of servers to select a server to handle the service request. The hierarchical data structure allows servers to be configured into overlappable, arbitrary subsets that can address service requests matching configured content rules. Load balancing policies can be selected by service request type.

Abstract: A packet reassembly system includes a buffer for storing information elements included in one or more incoming packets, a memory for storing validity indicators corresponding to the information elements, a first logic circuit capable of setting the validity indicators based on the information elements stored in the buffer, and a second logic circuit capable of determining the contiguity of the information elements stored in the buffer based on the settings of the validity indicators.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel process for the selection of new probiotic strains which comprises the following steps: a) selecting for non-pathogenic strains which are capable of surviving in breast milk and/or amniotic fluid, and b) selecting for non-pathogenic strains which are able to be transferred to breast milk and/or amniotic fluid after oral intake in healthy individuals without colonizing other internal organs except mucousas. The invention also provides new Lactobacillus strains, which are: CECT5711 (Lactobacillus coryniformis), CECT5713 (Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius), CECT5714: (Lactobacillus gasseri, formerly L. acidophilus), CETC5715: (Lactobacillus gassen), and CECT5716: (Lactobacillus fermentum); and refers to their use for the prophylaxis or treatment against digestive, infective, neuro-degenerative and immune related diseases such as allergies or inflammatory diseases.

Abstract: The present utility model is related to elements associated with physical education. Particularly, it refers to an exercises apparatus projected in a single piece and in a minimum of used space, for the execution of different activities oriented towards body-building, and that essentially comprise means for fixed bar, parallel bars, press-ups on horizontal bar or push-ups, and abdominals activity, to obtain eight different exercises and, additionally, the apparatus can be shared by two persons at the same time, with the particularity that the unit is a simple structure, formed by posts and extensions in different forms and levels.

Abstract: A method and system to align a printer for printing on a media includes detecting a left edge position and a right edge position of a calibration mark while scanning a carriage horizontally over an area holding the media, determining a horizontal coordinate position of the calibration mark according to the left and right edge positions, cross referencing a width measured between the left and right edge positions of the calibration mark with a predetermined vertical coordinate position, and adjusting a horizontal offset in a carriage direction relative to the horizontal coordinate position of the calibration mark and a vertical offset in a media advance direction relative to the vertical coordinate position of the calibration mark.

Abstract: A method and system to align a printer for printing on a media includes detecting a left edge position and a right edge position of a calibration mark while scanning a carriage horizontally over an area holding the media, determining a horizontal coordinate position of the calibration mark according to the left and right edge positions, cross referencing a width measured between the left and right edge positions of the calibration mark with a predetermined vertical coordinate position, and adjusting a horizontal offset in a carriage direction relative to the horizontal coordinate position of the calibration mark and a vertical offset in a media advance direction relative to the vertical coordinate position of the calibration mark.

Abstract: The present invention provides isolated and purified genes which are differentially expressed during banana fruit development, and the protein products of these genes. The present invention further provides DNA regulatory elements which are differentially expressed during banana fruit development, chimeric genes comprising these DNA regulatory elements operably linked to heterologous DNA molecules, and plants transformed with said chimeric genes, providing for controlled expression of said heterologous DNA molecules during the development and ripening of the fruit of said plants, or in response to exogenous ethylene signals in said plants. The present invention also provides a method for expression of a heterologous protein in fruit comprising transforming fruiting plants with one or more chimeric genes according to the present invention, exposing said fruit to an endogenous or exogenous ethylene signal, and harvesting fruit containing said heterologous protein.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a support guide consisting of a frame with two side bars (1-1′) of suitable dimensions which are attached, by bolts for example, to the sides of the front of a wheelchair, and between which there is a transversal rod (3) which forms the support guide in itself and is affixed to the bottom ends of the side bars (1-1′). The transversal rod has two lateral projections pointing backwards and closing over each other in the form of a transversal extension forming a raided loop or semi-ring (11) that is located along an imaginary plane angled forward and downward in such a way that the loop (11), located centrally, is suitable in terms of its dimensions and position to act laterally on a ball pushing it over a field of play when a wheelchair is moved. This therefore forms a type of housing for a ball at the front of a wheelchair as it makes it possible to receive and drive the ball over a field of play.

Abstract: The automatic free wheeling hub assembly includes a housing or body secured to the vehicle's wheel hub. The vehicle's drive axle extends into and is mounted in the body and wheel hub. The free wheeling hub assembly includes a cylindrical axle hub located in the interior of the body and spline connected to the splined end of the drive axle. The axle hub is provided with an external toothed section or series of circumferentially spaced teeth. A tubular clutch ring is mounted in the body for axial movement and is provided with internal teeth for engagement with the disengagement from the series of teeth provided on the axle hub. Fluid actuating means are provided in the body including a movable member in the form of a diaphragm or piston connected to the clutch ring for axially moving same relative to said axle hub in response to the pressure or pressure differential from a fluid source such as vacuum to effect the engagement and disengagement of the matching teeth of the axle hub and clutch ring.