Abstract: According to some embodiments, a refrigerated railcar comprises a pair of side walls, a roof, a floor, and a refrigeration unit. The floor comprises a bottom structure comprising a plurality of channels for return air flow from an interior of the railcar to the refrigeration unit. The floor further comprises at least two top plates coupled to the bottom structure (e.g., via a pivot rod). Each of the top plates extends longitudinally along the bottom structure and is configured to rotate up and away from the bottom structure proximate one of the side walls of the pair of side walls. Lifting an edge of a top plate opposite the edge of the top plate pivotally coupled to the bottom structure causes the top plate to rotate to an upright position exposing the plurality of channels of the bottom structure.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a refrigerated railcar comprises a pair of side walls, a roof, a floor, and a refrigeration unit. The floor comprises a bottom structure comprising a plurality of channels for return air flow from an interior of the railcar to the refrigeration unit. The floor further comprises at least two top plates coupled to the bottom structure (e.g., via a pivot rod). Each of the top plates extends longitudinally along the bottom structure and is configured to rotate up and away from the bottom structure proximate one of the side walls of the pair of side walls. Lifting an edge of a top plate opposite the edge of the top plate pivotally coupled to the bottom structure causes the top plate to rotate to an upright position exposing the plurality of channels of the bottom structure.

Abstract: A railcar comprises a hopper coupled to a discharge assembly. The discharge assembly comprises a discharge gate, a sloped side sheet, a gasket bracket, and a seal gasket. The sloped side sheet longitudinally extends above the discharge gate when the discharge gate is closed. The gasket bracket coupled to the sloped side sheet. The gasket bracket extends longitudinally along a bottom end of the sloped side sheet. The seal gasket is positioned between the sloped side sheet and the gasket bracket. The seal gasket has a straight section and a rounded section, such that a portion of the round section of the seal gasket is left beyond the bottom end of the sloped side sheet. The seal gasket creates a seal between the sloped side sheet and the discharge gate such that the weight of a lading increases the seal.

Abstract: A railcar backup cooling system may be added to an existing railcar (e.g., a boxcar) to provide supplemental or backup cooling to the railcar in the event that an HVAC failure or other circumstance occurs, which causes the interior temperature of the railcar to rise. The system includes a container of liquid or compressed gas mounted on the railcar, a valve controlling the flow of the liquid or gas from the container, and a controller configured to open the valve when the HVAC system fails or is otherwise unable to maintain the railcar at the desired temperature. When the valve is opened, the liquid and/or gas stored in the container may exit, expanding into a cool gas and thereby acting to cool the railcar environment.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a refrigerated railcar comprises a pair of side walls, a roof, a floor, and a refrigeration unit. The floor comprises a bottom structure comprising a plurality of channels for return air flow from an interior of the railcar to the refrigeration unit. The floor further comprises at least two top plates coupled to the bottom structure (e.g., via a pivot rod). Each of the top plates extends longitudinally along the bottom structure and is configured to rotate up and away from the bottom structure proximate one of the side walls of the pair of side walls. Lifting an edge of a top plate opposite the edge of the top plate pivotally coupled to the bottom structure causes the top plate to rotate to an upright position exposing the plurality of channels of the bottom structure.

Abstract: A railcar backup cooling system may be added to an existing railcar (e.g., a boxcar) to provide supplemental or backup cooling to the railcar in the event that an HVAC failure or other circumstance occurs, which causes the interior temperature of the railcar to rise. The system includes a container of liquid or compressed gas mounted on the railcar, a valve controlling the flow of the liquid or gas from the container, and a controller configured to open the valve when the HVAC system fails or is otherwise unable to maintain the railcar at the desired temperature. When the valve is opened, the liquid and/or gas stored in the container may exit, expanding into a cool gas and thereby acting to cool the railcar environment.

Abstract: A multimodal platform is provided for a railcar. The multimodal platform includes a first underframe, a second underframe, a loading platform, and rail wheels. The first underframe carries a first container and the second underframe carries a second container. The second underframe is coupled to the first underframe and coupling the first underframe and the second underframe provides an articulation point. The loading platform is disposed above the articulation point and between a first end of the first container proximate the second container and a second end of the second container proximate the first container. The rail wheels are disposed under the loading platform and coupled to the first underframe and the second underframe. The rail wheels are configured to transport the multimodal platform on rails of a railway.

Abstract: A system for setting front axle load restoration for a load distributing trailer hitch that is used to hitch a trailer to a motor vehicle may include at least one sensor associated with a wheel of the motor vehicle. The system may further include at least one controller configured to receive signals from the at least one sensor to estimate one or more corner weights of the motor vehicle based on the signals. The at least one controller may be configured to calculate a load restoration that is required at a front axle of the motor vehicle to achieve a recommended load restoration based on the one or more estimated corner weights.

Abstract: A system for setting front axle load restoration for a load distributing trailer hitch that is used to hitch a trailer to a motor vehicle may include at least one sensor associated with a wheel of the motor vehicle. The system may further include at least one controller configured to receive signals from the at least one sensor to estimate one or more corner weights of the motor vehicle based on the signals. The at least one controller may be configured to calculate a load restoration that is required at a front axle of the motor vehicle to achieve a recommended load restoration based on the one or more estimated corner weights.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of determining an overall level of trust of a system comprises receiving a level of trust for each of a plurality of elements of the system. A weight for each of the plurality of elements is received, each weight indicating an influence of each of the plurality of elements on the trust of the system. A contribution for each element to the overall level of trust of the system is determined based on the level of trust for each element and the weight for each element. The overall level of trust of the system is determined based on the determined contribution for each element.

Abstract: An imaging system (100) for generating a three-dimensional image of a body part of a patient (102). The imaging system (100) comprises a sensor head (101) that is moved relative to the patient (102) by a robot (103) to conduct a scan of the body part. The sensor head (101) is displaced from the patient (102) and comprises a three-dimensional profiler that is arranged to obtain surface profile information and a radar device that is arranged to obtain radiation information. The imaging system (100) has a control system that is arranged to operate the three-dimensional profiler and radar device. The control system also receives and processes the radiation information and surface profile information to generate a three-dimensional image of the body part that has multiple image points by synthetically focusing the radiation information.

Abstract: A disposable toothbrush with reservoir can be used once or at most a handful of times and has a handle with a top surface and a bottom surface and a head attached thereto, the head having bristles thereon. A reservoir having toothpaste therein is disposed within the top surface of the handle and may extend through to the bottom while one or two covers cover the reservoir. The top cover can be removable in order to provide access to the toothpaste within the reservoir or the one or two covers act as bladders for feeding the toothpaste through a duct and an opening to the bristles or along a channel extending between the reservoir and the bristles.

Abstract: A method for preventing undesirable lowering of an air suspension system for a motor vehicle includes the steps of sensing vehicle speed of the motor vehicle, determining whether the sensed vehicle speed is equal to a predetermined speed, venting air from the air suspension system to lower a vehicle body of the motor vehicle if the sensed vehicle speed is equal to the predetermined speed, sensing height of corners of the vehicle body, calculating a height rate for the corners of the vehicle body based on the sensed height, determining whether a height rate of a corner of the vehicle body is greater than a predetermined rate, and disabling or halting venting of the air suspension system if the height rate of a corner of the vehicle body is greater than the predetermined rate.

Abstract: A method of decorating a glass substrate that has conductive coating applied thereto as electrically resistive heating elements comprises applying to said glass substrate a glass enamel composition comprising 5 to 25 percent by weight glass coloring agents, 1 to 25 percent by weight of a metal that will be resistant to rapid oxidation under the conditions in which the glass enamel is fired, and the remainder a soda free flux glass. The conductive coating composition is next applied and comprises finely divided conductive noble metals including silver, and a glass binder. The glass enamel composition and the conductive coating composition are fired onto the substrate. The glass enamel and conductive coating do not visibly react and the conductive coating cannot be seen through the glass enamel.

Abstract: A glass enamel composition that may be fired upon a glass substrate to paint an opaques ceramic color. The glass enamel composition is of special utility in the formation of back windows of automobiles in which an electrically conductive heating grid is also to be formed. The glass enamel composition is comprised of lead or lead-free glass flux material, pigment, a printing vehicle, and a aluminum and/or lithium oxide. The aluminum and/or lithium oxide prevents sliding of the ceramic color to fibrous mold surfaces during hot forming the glass substrate. The aluminum and/or lithium oxide functions a migration preventor to prevent the migration of ions of the electrically conductive material to the glass which would, in the absence of the migration preventor, stain the glass.

Abstract: A novel heat release layer for use in connection with decalcomania paper and in decalcomanias which include a vitreous design layer surrounded by a heat release layer and a heat activatable adhesive layer is disclosed. In particular, the novel heat release layer disclosed comprises a combination of a normally solid straight chain, primary aliphatic oxyalkylated alcohol with either/or (1) a normally solid polyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of greater than about 1,000, and (2) an amide of a fatty acid. Preferably, the oxyalkylated alcohol has a molecular weight above about 1350, the polyethylene glycol is present in the heat release layer in an amount of from about 1 to 50 weight percent thereof, and/or the amide of a fatty acid is present in the heat realease layer in an amount of from about 1 to 25 weight percent thereof.

Abstract: A novel heat release layer for use in connection with decalcomanias which include a vitreous design layer surrounded by a heat release layer and a heat activatable adhesive layer is disclosed. In particular, the novel heat release layer disclosed comprises a normally solid straight chain, primary aliphatic oxyalkylated alcohol which preferably has a molecular weight above about 1350.In addition, methods of preparing such heat release decalcomanias are also disclosed, including applying a heat release layer to a backing sheet, applying a design layer to the heat release layer, and applying a heat activatable adhesive layer to the design layer, again wherein the heat release layer is as described above.

Abstract: A one-man operable clamp removably secured to first one and then the other of each side door of an aircraft cargo container to unlatch such doors with facility for ready removal thereof from the container and for enabling unloading of the cargo therefrom with dispatch.