Abstract: A hand held appliance, such as a hairdryer, includes a body, a fluid flow path extending through the body in an axial direction from a first fluid inlet through which a first fluid flow enters the appliance to a first fluid outlet for emitting the first fluid flow from the appliance, a primary fluid flow path extending from a second fluid inlet through which a primary fluid flow enters the appliance to a second fluid outlet, a section of the primary fluid flow path extending through the body in the axial direction and surrounding the fluid flow path, and a heater located within the section of the primary fluid flow path for heating fluid passing through the primary fluid flow path, and wherein the heater has a length extending in the axial direction.

Abstract: A method and system for distributed spatial mode processing is disclosed. A number of optical signals are received over an optical link. Each optical signal is received via a respective one of a number of spatial modes of the optical link. The optical link includes a particular spatial mode not used for the receiving. A first one of the number of optical signals received from a first one of the number of spatial modes is transferred to a second one of the number of spatial modes via the particular spatial mode, wherein the first one of the number of optical signals is transmitted via the second one of the number of spatial modes.

Abstract: Composite materials such as composite particles have a solid non-elastomeric continuous phase made of an organic polymer having a glass transition temperature of at least 25° C. Dispersed within this solid non-elastomeric continuous phase are many multi-compartment porous chemically crosslinked elastomeric particles that have a mode particle size of at least 1 ?m and up to and including 10 ?m. The composite particles can be used as toner particles in electrophotographic imaging methods to provide fused toner images and especially stacked fused toner images.

Abstract: A fan assembly for creating an air current is described, the fan assembly having a nozzle, a system for creating an air flow through the nozzle and a filter for removing particulates from the air flow, the nozzle having an interior passage, a mouth for receiving the air flow from the interior passage, and a Coanda surface located adjacent the mouth and over which the mouth is arranged to direct the air flow, wherein the fan provides an arrangement producing an air current and a flow of cooling air created without requiring a bladed fan, i.e. air flow is created by a bladeless fan.

Abstract: A support buoy for supporting subsea equipment, the buoy comprising: a hull; a generator unit contained within the hull; a utilities array contained within the hull; and an umbilical, wherein the umbilical is adapted to provide services from the generator unit and the utilities array to the subsea equipment.

Abstract: Blood separation systems and methods are provided for controlling the interface between separated blood components. The system includes a centrifuge assembly having a light-transmissive portion, a light reflector, and a fluid processing region therebetween. An optical sensor system emits a scanning light beam along a path toward the light-transmissive portion, which transmits at least a portion of the scanning light beam to the fluid processing region and the light reflector. The light reflector reflects at least a portion of the scanning light beam toward the optical sensor system along a path substantially coaxial to the path of the scanning light beam from the optical sensor system toward the light-transmissive portion of the centrifuge assembly. The scanning light beam may be a white light beam or narrow spectrum beam. The reflected beam may be directed through the optical sensor system via optical fibers.

Abstract: Certain configurations described herein comprise a reformer that is operative to liberate hydrogen gas from a hydrogen-rich feedstock in a catalytic reforming reaction, where a hydrogen purifier is effective to remove and purify hydrogen gas, in a thermally integrated assembly combining the reformer and purifier. Methods of using the combined reformer/purifier are also described.

Abstract: A vehicle having first and second seat rows supported by a floor and a lift gate for accessing a cargo area partially defined by the second seat row, the floor, and the lift gate includes first and second flexible covers positioned within at least one cassette in a retracted position. The at least one cassette is positioned adjacent a floor of the vehicle behind the second seat row. At least one of the first and flexible covers may include a pass through door allowing for storage of elongated cargo when at least a portion of the second seat row is folded down. The pass through door may be secured in a closed position by a zipper, a hook and loop fastener, at least one magnet, or at least one snap.

Abstract: A modular unit fuel cell is disclosed, which comprises a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), an anode current collector/porous transport layer (PTL), a bipolar separator plate (BSP), a corrugated or finned spring cooling and transport structure, a cathode current collector/PTL and an anode frame. In this embodiment, air is passed through the finned spring cooling and transport structure and the air acts as both the cathode reactant and as a coolant.

Abstract: A cleaning appliance of the cylinder type comprises a separating apparatus for separating dirt from a dirt-bearing fluid flow, and a floor-engaging rolling assembly. The separating apparatus comprises a first cyclonic separation unit having a low efficiency cyclone and a second cyclonic separation unit having a plurality of second cyclones. The rolling assembly comprises a main body and a pair of floor-engaging wheels. The main body comprises a recess in which the separating apparatus is received such that when the cleaning appliance is viewed from either side at least one fifth of the width of the low efficiency cyclone is hidden from view by a portion of the rolling assembly at the point of maximum depth of the recess.

Abstract: A cleaning appliance of the cylinder type comprises a separating apparatus for separating dirt from a dirt-bearing fluid flow, and a floor-engaging rolling assembly. The separating apparatus comprises a first cyclonic separation unit having a low efficiency cyclone and a second cyclonic separation unit having a plurality of second cyclones. The rolling assembly comprises a main body and a pair of floor-engaging wheels. The main body comprises a recess in which the separating apparatus is received such that when the cleaning appliance is viewed from either side there is no gap between the first cyclonic separation unit and the rolling assembly along at least 50 to 100% of the full length of the low efficiency cyclone.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the early prevention of overweight, obesity, excessive fat accumulation and/or associated metabolic disorders in infants or children. For example, the present invention relates to the prevention of overweight, obesity, excessive fat accumulation and/or associated metabolic disorders in infants or children through appropriate maternal nutrition for women desiring to get pregnant and/or during pregnancy and/or lactation. Embodiments of the present invention relate to the Vitamin B2 for use in the prevention of overweight, obesity, excessive fat accumulation and/or associated metabolic disorders in the offspring, wherein the vitamin B2 is administered to women desiring to get pregnant and/or to the mother during pregnancy and/or lactation and to maternal food compositions that can be used for this purpose.

Abstract: A method of making a resin, includes forming an aqueous monomer droplet suspension, and colloidally stabilizing the suspension with a solid particulate material as the first stabilizer and poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) as a second stabilizer. The method further includes heating the colloidally stabilized suspension to polymerize the monomer droplets, thereby forming the resin.