Abstract: A passive cooling system for aircraft electronics includes an electronics chassis having a chassis exterior and defining a chassis interior; a heat spreader having a body located in the chassis interior; a heatsink located in the chassis interior; a cold plate operably coupled to the electronic chassis and thermally coupled to the heatsink; a first plurality of heat pipes thermally coupled with the cold plate; and a second plurality of heat pipes thermally coupling the heatsink with the heat spreader.

Abstract: An aircraft with a thermal management system and method of operating the thermal management system within an aircraft includes an avionics unit adapted to store at least one heat generating component, a first interface operably coupled to the avionics unit and thermally coupled to the at least one heat generating component; and a plurality of heat pipes, wherein a first end of the plurality of heat pipes is coupled to the first interface, defining a hot interface, and a second end of the heat pipes is coupled to the at least one of the fuselage, the wing, the skin, or the support structure.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for an articulating microsurgical instrument is disclosed herein. The articulating microsurgical instrument may be configured to be operable with a Doppler probe, bone grasper, soft tissue grasper/dissector, scissors, flexible forceps, or a suction/irrigation line configured to provide tools within a surgical location that can be adjusted to a desired angle of operation. A tip assembly may comprise an articulating portion at a distal tip and the articulating portion may be configured to deflect upon actuation of an articulation control. The articulation control may be a trigger assembly or a roller wheel. A bayonet-style handle may include a set of posts configured to interact with the one or more control wires during actuation of the articulation control. One or more control wires may be housed in a lumen and actuated using a articulation control of a handle assembly.

Abstract: An aircraft with a thermal management system and method of operating the thermal management system within an aircraft includes an avionics unit adapted to store at least one heat generating component, a first interface operably coupled to the avionics unit and thermally coupled to the at least one heat generating component; and a plurality of heat pipes, wherein a first end of the plurality of heat pipes is coupled to the first interface, defining a hot interface, and a second end of the heat pipes is coupled to the at least one of the fuselage, the wing, the skin, or the support structure.

Abstract: A protective device for a hand-held tool includes a protective shield having a first end and an opposing second end, a first clamp portion attached to the first end of the protective shield, and a second clamp portion removably attached to the first clamp portion. The first and second clamp portions are configured to securely fix a portion of the handle of the hand-held tool therebetween when the second clamp portion is attached to the first clamp portion.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method for measuring spatial characteristics of a test object with stacked features. First and second measurement assemblies for measuring opposing first and second planar features, respectively, of a test object, by directing light beams into a gap between the features to measure a position and a static attitude of each feature.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method is provided for precisely positioning a datum surface of a component. The apparatus has a housing defining a tooling datum surface. A collet is supported by the housing that is selectively operable between a retracted mode and an expanded mode. In the retracted mode a clearing disengagement is defined with the component. In the expanded mode a contacting engagement with the component is defined. The contacting engagement and a simultaneous longitudinal force transferred by the contacting engagement to the component pressingly engage the datum surfaces together. The apparatus further has a bias member exerting the longitudinal force and urging the collet to the retracted mode.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method is provided for precisely positioning a datum surface of a component. The apparatus has a housing defining a tooling datum surface. A collet is supported by the housing, and is thereby selectively operable between an expanded mode and a retracted mode. In the expanded mode, a clearing disengagement is defined with the component. In the retracted mode, a contacting engagement is defined with the component as well as a simultaneous longitudinal force that is transferred by the contacting engagement to the component capable of pressingly engaging the datum surfaces together. The apparatus further has a bias member urging the collet to the retracted mode.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method is provided for precisely positioning a datum surface of a component. The apparatus has a housing defining a tooling datum surface. A collet is supported by the housing, and is thereby selectively operable between an expanded mode and a retracted mode. In the expanded mode, a clearing disengagement is defined with the component. In the retracted mode, a contacting engagement is defined with the component as well as a simultaneous longitudinal force that is transferred by the contacting engagement to the component capable of pressingly engaging the datum surfaces together. The apparatus further has a bias member urging the collet to the retracted mode.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method is provided for precisely positioning a datum surface of a component. The apparatus has a housing defining a tooling datum surface. A collet is supported by the housing that is selectively operable between a retracted mode and an expanded mode. In the retracted mode a clearing disengagement is defined with the component. In the expanded mode a contacting engagement with the component is defined. The contacting engagement and a simultaneous longitudinal force transferred by the contacting engagement to the component pressingly engage the datum surfaces together. The apparatus further has a bias member exerting the longitudinal force and urging the collet to the retracted mode.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method for measuring spatial characteristics of a test object with stacked features. First and second measurement assemblies for measuring opposing first and second planar features, respectively, of a test object, by directing light beams into a gap between the features to measure a position and a static attitude of each feature.

Abstract: A leg-mounted mouse pad for use with a computer cursor control device, said mouse pad comprising a generally oval-shaped flexible platform having a bottom surface and a top surface, wherein at least a portion of said top surface is adapted for use with a computer cursor control device. At least two bilaterally opposed pockets formed adjacent a perimeter of each half of the oval shaped mouse pad, the pockets adapted to contain a weighted media suitable for positioning the flexible platform on the leg of a user, the platform being substantially flexible such that when weight is contained with the pockets, the platform substantially conforms the surface of the user's leg.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present application call for a method of validating a financial instrument having a first data field and a second data field, in which the method comprises establishing criteria triggering a confidence threshold increase for the first data field of the financial instrument, the criteria accessible by a processor adapted to compare data from fields of the financial instrument to the criteria; obtaining a second data record from the second data field of the financial document; comparing the second data record to the criteria with the processor; and automatically modifying the confidence threshold of the first data field of the financial instrument if the criteria are met by the second data.

Abstract: A small fin extends radially aft from a golf club head to resist rotation of a golf club shaft about its longitudinal axis. The fin is aligned relative to the club head so as to produce minimum drag when the club is drawn smoothly through the desired arc without rotating the club shaft about its longitudinal axis. Rotation of the shaft about its longitudinal axis displaces the fin from its minimum drag position and hence puts the fin in disequilibrium, such that the drag is greater on the side of the fin that would urge the fin back into its equilibrium position, thereby rotating the shaft back into its correct position.