Abstract: A method of operating an articulatable surgical instrument. The method includes providing a rotary drive motion to a rotary drive member of a surgical end effector and converting the rotary drive motion to an upper axial motion and a lower axial motion at locations that are distal to the articulation joint. The method further includes applying the upper axial motion to an upper portion of a firing member and applying the lower axial motion to a lower portion of the firing member such that the upper axial motion and lower axial motion drives the firing member distally through the surgical end effector from a starting position to an ending position.

Abstract: An acoustic panel for a gas turbine engine, includes a panel body, a panel-body cover, and a support bracket. The panel body is configured to dampen vibrations caused by the gas turbine engine. The forward support bracket is configured to mount the acoustic panel to portions of the gas turbine engine.

Abstract: Certain embodiments provide systems and methods for cooling a drive end bearing. The system may include an alternator including a drive end bearing, a drive end fan and a front housing face. The drive end fan may include a shaft aperture and auxiliary air flow inlet apertures positioned circumferentially around the shaft aperture. The front housing face may include auxiliary fins coupled to the drive end bearing. The auxiliary fins may protrude from the front housing face. The auxiliary fins may be arrayed axially on the front housing face. In various embodiments, the drive end fan is rotated to draw air through the auxiliary air flow inlet apertures and adjacent to at least a portion of auxiliary fins of the front housing face. The at least a portion of the auxiliary fins transfers heat from the drive end bearing to the air.

Abstract: A brushless alternator includes a drive end, a rear end, a rotor assembly, stator windings, and an internal fan. The rotor assembly has a first diameter. The rotor assembly includes a hollow pole and a solid pole. The stator windings surround the rotor assembly. The internal fan has a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter of the rotor assembly. The internal fan may be attached to the hollow pole of the rotor assembly. The hollow pole may be toward the drive end and the solid pole may be toward the rear end. The internal fan may include an outer portion shaped to direct air at the stator windings. The outer portion of the internal fan may include one or more of a curved or angled surface to direct the air. The internal fan may provide an axial flow of the air directed to the stator windings.

Abstract: Certain embodiments provide systems and methods for cooling a drive end bearing. The system may include an alternator including a drive end bearing, a drive end fan and a front housing face. The drive end fan may include a shaft aperture and auxiliary air flow inlet apertures positioned circumferentially around the shaft aperture. The front housing face may include auxiliary fins coupled to the drive end bearing. The auxiliary fins may protrude from the front housing face. The auxiliary fins may be arrayed axially on the front housing face. In various embodiments, the drive end fan is rotated to draw air through the auxiliary air flow inlet apertures and adjacent to at least a portion of auxiliary fins of the front housing face. The at least a portion of the auxiliary fins transfers heat from the drive end bearing to the air.

Abstract: Certain embodiments provide systems and methods for cooling a drive end bearing. The system may include an alternator including a drive end bearing, a drive end fan and a front housing face. The drive end fan may include a shaft aperture and auxiliary air flow inlet apertures positioned circumferentially around the shaft aperture. The front housing face may include auxiliary fins coupled to the drive end bearing. The auxiliary fins may protrude from the front housing face. The auxiliary fins may be arrayed axially on the front housing face. In various embodiments, the drive end fan is rotated to draw air through the auxiliary air flow inlet apertures and adjacent to at least a portion of auxiliary fins of the front housing face. The at least a portion of the auxiliary fins transfers heat from the drive end bearing to the air.

Abstract: Certain embodiments provide systems and methods for cooling a drive end bearing. The system may include an alternator including a drive end bearing, a drive end fan and a front housing face. The drive end fan may include a shaft aperture and auxiliary air flow inlet apertures positioned circumferentially around the shaft aperture. The front housing face may include auxiliary fins coupled to the drive end bearing. The auxiliary fins may protrude from the front housing face. The auxiliary fins may be arrayed axially on the front housing face. In various embodiments, the drive end fan is rotated to draw air through the auxiliary air flow inlet apertures and adjacent to at least a portion of auxiliary fins of the front housing face. The at least a portion of the auxiliary fins transfers heat from the drive end bearing to the air.

Abstract: Provided are membrane filters and methods of trapping, and culturing microorganisms. The membrane filters trap or filter from a sample a specific microorganism of interest requiring a set of growth components. The membrane comprises a first subset of the set of growth components such that the microorganism can grow and divide with the membrane contacting a medium comprising a second subset of the set of growth components defined as all components of the set of growth components not included in the first subset. Methods for detecting a microorganism comprise: (i) providing a membrane filter, comprising a first subset of the set of growth components; (ii) filtering a sample through the filter; and (iii) placing the filter in contact with a medium comprising a second subset of the set of components for growth. For members of genus Legionella a filter impregnated with activated charcoal may be employed for detection and culturing.

Abstract: Provided are devices, for testing a sample for a specific microorganism, including specific embodiments for determining presence of group B streptococcus, comprising: a first reservoir containing a selective broth and a second reservoir containing a selective agar comprising an indicator moiety, the selectivity being for the specific microorganism, and the indicator moiety being associated with a measurable property change in the presence of the specific microorganism or attribute; and a conduit fluidically connecting the two reservoirs, the conduit having a valve, having an open position and a closed position initially positioned in the closed position. The sample is introduced into the first reservoir and the device is incubated at a first specified temperature for a first incubation period. The valve is then opened to introduce the contents of the first reservoir into the second reservoir and the device is then incubated at a specified temperature for a second incubation period.

Abstract: A method for prolonging the shelf life of biological growth media provides a device with a tray for growing and observing a microbiological culture. The device includes a substrate with a well to provide a containment and barrier for the biological growth medium to grow an organism in the tray and a lid that is sealable and resealable around the substrate periphery. The lid includes an interior side that sheets out upon condensation of vapor and faces the growth medium. A barrier layer is positioned over the well. The biological growth media is introduced in the well and the lid around the substrate periphery is sealed.

Abstract: A biological culture growth and observation system provides for the growth of a biological sample in a growth medium, and the observation of the grown sample (organism) through a microscope objective once growth is sufficient as to permit discrimination of the biological sample. Observation and growth is achieved in a single device. The system includes a tray with a top, and a sealable section on the top. Included within the tray is a depression, or well, that receives the growth medium to grow the biological organism in the well. A lid is sealable and resealable around the sealable section on the top of the tray. An interior side of the lid, that faces the growth medium, does not fog up in the presence of the growth medium. Optionally included is a barrier layer that is positioned over the well. The barrier layer minimizes evaporation from the growth medium and permits the biological culture growth and observation system to have a long shelf life.

Abstract: An armature assembly 50 for an electric motor 10 is inherently balanced despite the presence of a secondary shaft 74 extending from a primary armature shaft 72 longitudinally along an eccentric axis 75 offset radially from the longitudinal axis 15 of the primary armature shaft 72. A lamination stack 60 mounted on the armature shaft 70 is formed of a plurality of lamination plates 62 arrayed in abutting face-to-face relationship. The lamination plates 62B and 62C provided at the respective ends of the stack 60 are modified in that some of the radially directed spokes 66 are removed along a selected portion or spaced portions 63,67 of the circumferential extent of the hub portion 64 so as to provide counterweight lamination plates having a spoke pattern which is not symmetric about the longitudinal axis 15 of the primary shaft 72.

Abstract: A cooling system for neck ring molds in a glass molding machine having retractable parison-forming molds engageable with the neck rings employs air jets directed at exposed portions of the neck ring molds. The neck ring molds are configured to extend out of the bottom of the main parison mold and to engage with neck ring hangers. The neck ring molds are configured sufficiently long that a space is created between the bottoms of the main parison molds and the hangers to permit direct access to portions of the neck ring mold. Air supplied in the form of air jets from a pair of cooling air plenums is directed at the exposed portions of the neck ring molds to provide cooling.

Abstract: A low profile ring-shaped motor has a housing, a bearing support attached to the housing and supporting a rotating shaft carrying a ring-shaped rotor. A ring-shaped stator is secured to the housing and is concentric and between the legs of the U-shaped rotor. The stator is formed by a continuous strip of magnetic material wound and laminated in a toroid and having helical windings therearound. On the inside of the legs of the rotor are mounted a plurality of permanent magnets forming the poles of the motor. Radially opposite magnets are of the same polarity. Control of the switching of the current through the windings is by means of Hall Effect devices sensing the change in polarity of a ring shaped magnet means having the same number of poles as does the permanent magnets.

Abstract: A dynamoelectric machine having a rotor formed from a continuous strip of ferrous material and a continuous helically formed conductor thereon. The rotor having a rectangular cross section is mounted on the periphery of a web member. The web member is axially mounted for rotation about a frame and supports a fan. The stator of the machine is axially aligned with the outer circumferential surface of the rotor and provides support for pairs of permanent magnets and an equal number of pairs of brushes. The field magnets are positioned to magnetically link with the winding on the rotor. The brushes are equally and angularly spaced in the frame and operative contact with a commutator integrally formed with the rotor winding.

Abstract: A delayed coking and dedusting process in which dust laden heavy oil derived from solid hydrocarbon-containing material, such as oil shale, coal or tar sand, is preheated in a furnace and thermal cracked in a retort to yield light oils and middle oils. Preferably, steam is injected into the dust laden heavy oil before the dusty oil is heated in the furnace to minimize coking in furnace tubes and furnace outlet lines. The thermal cracked dusty oil leaves a residual dust enriched, coked material that can be combusted to provide a portion of the solid heat carrier material for use in retorting oil shale, coal or tar sand.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling the flame front during the in situ combustion of a subterranean carbonaceous stratum which involves monitoring the extent and movement of said flame front to determine the location of one or more segments of the flame front which exhibit unfavorable combustion characteristics, and injecting one or more gases into the vicinity of one or more of said segments to control and optimize the combustion in said segment.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling the flame front during the in situ combustion of a subterranean carbonaceous stratum which involves monitoring the extent and movement of said flame front to determine the location of one or more segments of the flame front which exhibit unfavorable combustion characteristics, and injecting one or more gases into the vicinity of one or more of said segments to control and optimize the combustion in said segment.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling the flame front during the in situ combustion of a subterranean carbonaceous stratum which involves monitoring the extent and movement of said flame front to determine the location of one or more segments of the flame front which exhibit unfavorable combustion characteristics, and injecting one or more gases into the vicinity of one or more of said segments to control and optimize the combustion in said segment.