Abstract: An oral care implement with fluid dispensing system includes a head, handle, and intermediate neck. The head comprises plural tooth cleaning elements. A reservoir containing oral care fluid is fluidly coupled to an elastomeric valve nested between a pair of longitudinally spaced protective lamellas on the head. A depressible actuator button operates to dispense the oral care fluid from the reservoir through the valve to the tooth cleaning elements. The protective lamellas formed of elastomeric material are foldable to alternating cover the valve to prevent ingress of external fluids in the oral cavity of the user into the valve to minimize fouling of the fluid dispensing system. Laterally open areas between the lamella allow the oral care fluid to migrate outwards to the tooth cleaning elements. To control the dosage of oral care fluid dispensed, a modular system comprising interchangeable spacer inserts is usable to change and customize the dosage.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for pumps that deliver optimized torque characteristics and volumetric efficiency. A system includes a housing defining a surface and a rotor defining a face. A face clearance is defined between the face and the surface. The face clearance is variable in magnitude and determinative of target performance characteristics of the pump system. The housing is made of a material selected to have a thermal expansion characteristic and the rotor is made of a second material selected to have another thermal expansion characteristic. The thermal expansion characteristics deliver the target performance characteristics of the pump system.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for pump systems that deliver optimized performance and efficiency. A method includes selecting a pump for the pump system. A maximum operating speed of the pump is determined, and its torque requirements are evaluated. A motor is selected to meet the torque requirements and a speed target is set for the motor. A speed reducer is sized for operation of the motor at the speed target and operation of the pump below the maximum speed, and the motor is coupled with the pump through the speed reducer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for pumps that deliver optimized torque characteristics and volumetric efficiency. A system includes a housing defining a surface and a rotor defining a face. A face clearance is defined between the face and the surface. The face clearance is variable in magnitude and determinative of target performance characteristics of the pump system. The housing is made of a material selected to have a thermal expansion characteristic and the rotor is made of a second material selected to have another thermal expansion characteristic. The thermal expansion characteristics deliver the target performance characteristics of the pump system.

Abstract: An online system presents a content item to users and receives selections of reaction icons from the users. The online system generates a background animation with the selected reaction icons and a foreground animation to be layered on top of the background animation. The online system sends the background and foreground animations to a client device to be cached. Further, the online system presents the content item to a viewing user associated with the client device and receives a selection of a reaction icon from the viewing user. The online system selects a subset of the users based on the viewing user's affinity to the users, retrieves images of the selected users, and send the images to the client device. The client device customizes the background and foreground animations based on the images and the viewing user's reaction icon to generate a compound animation for display to the viewing user.

Abstract: A method of forming micro-channels in a plastic surface using a pressing device includes structuring a micro-channel forming tool for the pressing device to include a press end including a press surface that extends along a plane and a micro-channel detail positioned on the press end and extending beyond the plane of the press surface. The micro-channel detail includes a non-critical portion and a critical portion supported by the non-critical portion. The press end of the micro-channel forming tool is driven into the plastic surface at a predetermined force using a pressing device. Ultrasonic vibrations are applied to the micro-channel forming tool for a predetermined amount of time to melt portions of the plastic surface in contact with the pressing surface. The ultrasonic vibrations are removed after the predetermined amount of time has elapsed and the press end is retracted from the plastic surface.

Abstract: A pump assembly for a pump dispenser, the pump assembly comprises a cap having a housing and a spout, a collar, a sleeve, and a dip tube. The sleeve is at least partially positioned within the collar and comprises a coupling member. The coupling member comprises a shoulder, a coupling joint, and a coupling member channel extending from the shoulder to the coupling joint. The dip tube has a first end and an opposing second end, and defines a dip tube channel extending from the first end to the second end. The first end of the dip tube is configured to pivotally couple to the coupling joint and fluidly connect the dip tube channel and the coupling member channel. The dip tube channel comprises a first diameter at the first end and second diameter at the second end that is different than the first diameter.

Abstract: Pocket and cup sails formed from flexible materials, especially such sails formed with excess material, have spar like supports attached at their deepest point to maintain the depth of the said sails when the wind fills them so that the sails expand to maximize resistance to the wind coming into the openings of the sails and so that the sails deflate when the wind is coming from the back of the sails to minimize resistance to the wind, the said sails being attached to rotor arms on rotary devices to provide torque, the torque being used to rotate decorative structures including the sails themselves, generate electricity, bring airplane tires up to speed before landing, and/or measure wind speed, and sails optionally having cuffs on the inside to help the sails inflate and/or maintain inflation by minimizing spillage of air.

Abstract: An online system presents a content item to users and receives selections of reaction icons from the users. The online system generates a background animation with the selected reaction icons and a foreground animation to be layered on top of the background animation. The online system sends the background and foreground animations to a client device to be cached. Further, the online system presents the content item to a viewing user associated with the client device and receives a selection of a reaction icon from the viewing user. The online system selects a subset of the users based on the viewing user's affinity to the users, retrieves images of the selected users, and send the images to the client device. The client device customizes the background and foreground animations based on the images and the viewing user's reaction icon to generate a compound animation for display to the viewing user.

Abstract: A pump assembly for a pump dispenser, the pump assembly comprises a cap having a housing and a spout, a collar, a sleeve, and a dip tube. The sleeve is at least partially positioned within the collar and comprises a coupling member. The coupling member comprises a shoulder, a coupling joint, and a coupling member channel extending from the shoulder to the coupling joint. The dip tube has a first end and an opposing second end, and defines a dip tube channel extending from the first end to the second end. The first end of the dip tube is configured to pivotally couple to the coupling joint and fluidly connect the dip tube channel and the coupling member channel. The dip tube channel comprises a first diameter at the first end and second diameter at the second end that is different than the first diameter.

Abstract: An online system presents a content item to users and receives selections of reaction icons from the users. The online system generates a background animation with the selected reaction icons and a foreground animation to be layered on top of the background animation. The online system sends the background and foreground animations to a client device to be cached. Further, the online system presents the content item to a viewing user associated with the client device and receives a selection of a reaction icon from the viewing user. The online system selects a subset of the users based on the viewing user's affinity to the users, retrieves images of the selected users, and send the images to the client device. The client device customizes the background and foreground animations based on the images and the viewing user's reaction icon to generate a compound animation for display to the viewing user.

Abstract: A motor vehicle vacuum driven hydraulic balance system includes a housing. A shaft rotatably supported in the housing has a longitudinal bore to deliver oil flow to a plurality of ports created in the shaft. A vacuum flow passage communicates with both the longitudinal bore and an oil sump. A first delivery passage is created in a portion of the housing, the first delivery passage in direct communication with the longitudinal bore. An electrical oil pump pumps oil from the oil sump to the longitudinal bore through the first delivery passage. Axial rotation of the shaft creates a partial vacuum in the longitudinal bore acting to vacuum drag oil from the oil sump through the vacuum flow passage to the longitudinal bore in addition to a volume of the oil delivered to the longitudinal bore by the electrical oil pump.

Abstract: An online system presents a content item to users and receives selections of reaction icons from the users. The online system generates a background animation with the selected reaction icons and a foreground animation to be layered on top of the background animation. The online system sends the background and foreground animations to a client device to be cached. Further, the online system presents the content item to a viewing user associated with the client device and receives a selection of a reaction icon from the viewing user. The online system selects a subset of the users based on the viewing user's affinity to the users, retrieves images of the selected users, and send the images to the client device. The client device customizes the background and foreground animations based on the images and the viewing user's reaction icon to generate a compound animation for display to the viewing user.

Abstract: Combinations of betaine and vitamin C are used to suppress or prevent malignant tumors or to treat viruses, e.g., by combining the two ingredients in a product consumed by a human, dog, or cat, such as an aqueous liquid such as grape juice, the ingredients being provided in containers with instructions for use, or in finished products, especially with support of tests demonstrating the effectiveness of the treatment for, e.g., preventing tumors in populations known to be at risk of developing tumors, or, treating existing cancers in combination with other cancer drugs such as anastrozole and/or fulvestrant and/or artemisinin either concurrently or sequentially to prevent the cancer from growing when the cancer drug is not being used, or in the treatment of viruses.

Abstract: Combinations of betaine and vitamin C are used to suppress or prevent malignant tumors or to treat viruses, e.g., by combining the two ingredients in a product consumed by a human, dog, or cat, such as an aqueous liquid such as grape juice, the ingredients being provided in containers with instructions for use, or in finished products, especially with support of tests demonstrating the effectiveness of the treatment for, e.g., preventing tumors in populations known to be at risk of developing tumors, or, treating existing cancers in combination with other cancer drugs such as anastrozole and/or fulvestrant and/or artemisinin either concurrently or sequentially to prevent the cancer from growing when the cancer drug is not being used, or in the treatment of viruses.

Abstract: A control system for a vehicle having a manual transmission system includes an anti-lock braking system configured to apply brakes of the vehicle, a clutch pedal configured to control engagement/disengagement of a clutch disc with a pressure plate of the manual transmission system, and a controller configured to perform a clutch burst prevention technique when the clutch pedal is depressed such that the clutch disc is disengaged from the pressure plate, the clutch burst prevention technique comprising: obtaining a set of operating parameters of the vehicle, determining a vehicle speed threshold based on the set of operating parameters, the vehicle speed threshold being a speed of the vehicle at which clutch burst begins to occur, and when the vehicle speed is within a first threshold amount from the vehicle speed threshold, decreasing the vehicle speed by commanding the anti-lock braking system to apply the vehicle brakes.

Abstract: A control system for a vehicle having a manual transmission system includes an anti-lock braking system configured to apply brakes of the vehicle, a clutch pedal configured to control engagement/disengagement of a clutch disc with a pressure plate of the manual transmission system, and a controller configured to perform a clutch burst prevention technique when the clutch pedal is depressed such that the clutch disc is disengaged from the pressure plate, the clutch burst prevention technique comprising: obtaining a set of operating parameters of the vehicle, determining a vehicle speed threshold based on the set of operating parameters, the vehicle speed threshold being a speed of the vehicle at which clutch burst begins to occur, and when the vehicle speed is within a first threshold amount from the vehicle speed threshold, decreasing the vehicle speed by commanding the anti-lock braking system to apply the vehicle brakes.