Abstract: A bike share system with the flexibility to anchor the rental bike anywhere at the end of the trip employs a remotely operable lockbox which incorporates a wireless communication card with a GPS receiver. The lock system includes a scissor clamp for grasping the bicycle seat support post and a pair of extended fingers of the scissor clamp which are retained by the clamshell halves of the lockbox. One arm of a U-shaped retainer can be extended into throughbores of first and second ears positioned on opposing sides of the bicycle wheel to lock the wheel against rotation. A mechanical locking device has teeth which engage with protrusions on the other arm of the U-shaped retainer to prevent its movement relative to the lockbox maintaining the other arm in wheel immobilizing position.

Abstract: Stent strut and surface geometries are provided for enhancing surface coating applications while providing highly beneficial biomechanical properties. A low-profile, flexible, expandable, elongated, stent assembly is provided and defined by a structure of connected circumferential arrays of webs or bends, the webs or bends and their connections having limited degrees of curvature that help avoid interference during various surface-modifying and surface-enhancing processes.

Abstract: A vented hatch cover comprising a cover body, an intake filter element, and a discharge filter element includes a plurality of walls defining an air intake passage, and an air discharge passage, an inner rim and an outer rim with a plurality of ribs extending across the air intake passage. The intake filter element includes a plurality of latches engaging the ribs. The discharge filter element includes an outer disc portion with a radially outer edge having a rim with a plurality of latches that releasably secure the discharge filter element to the inner rim of the cover body.

Abstract: A system to remotely report the load condition of a railroad car including a mechanism to sense the load condition in the form of a switch responsive to load condition to change the state of an electrical circuit, a controller to recognize the state of the circuit and a radio wave transmitter directed by the controller to report the condition to a remote receiver. Load is sensed by recognition of the distance between two components of the car, one which remains relatively fixed regardless of the weight of the car, the other which moves relative to the first component as the car weight changes.

Abstract: A system to report the position and/or measured conditions of a railroad car using satellite communication. The system includes a rechargeable power supply and communications unit incorporating one or more solar cells in combination with a rechargeable battery and further including a bank of ultracapacitors. The equivalent series resistance or “ESR” of the capacitor bank is substantially less than the ESR of the battery thereby allowing peak power demands to be filled by rapid dissipation of stored charge from the capacitor bank without substantial involvement of the battery under normal conditions.

Abstract: A composition comprising a functionalized water-soluble, cationic, thermosetting, cellulose reactive polymer with a doubly structured backbone that is the reaction product of: (a) a copolymerized (i) acrylamide component, (ii) cationic co-monomer component and (iii) at least one multifunctional crosslinking monomer component; and (b) a cellulose reactive agent component; such that the acrylamide component, the cationic co-monomer component, the multifunctional crosslinking monomer component, and the cellulose reactive agent component are in an amount sufficient amount to produce a polymer that imparts strength to a fibrous substrate when the polymer is added to paper stock during a papermaking process. The invention also relates to methods for making and using such a composition.

Abstract: A system for monitoring railroad cars comprising a hatch cover assembly including a cover body, a sensor, a wireless transmitter for transmitting data received from the sensor, a wireless receiver for receiving the data from the wireless transmitter, and a satellite transmitter for transmitting the data to a satellite. The wireless receiver and the satellite transmitter are attached to the hatch cover assembly. In one embodiment, the sensor is a pressure sensor having a sensing unit situated in the plenum of a vented hatch cover. In another embodiment, the sensor is an air flow sensor having a sensing unit situated in the plenum of a vented hatch cover. In another embodiment, the sensor is a chain tension sensor attached to a handbrake chain. In another embodiment, the sensor is a hatch cover position attached to the hatch cover assembly.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring the location of a tracking device are disclosed. An example method includes defining location criteria, associating the location criteria with a user, associating the tracking device with the user, comparing location data generated by the tracking device to the location criteria, and transmitting notification to said user if the location data satisfies the location criteria. An example system includes a tracking device interface for communicating with a tracking device, a network interface for communicating with a user, a processing unit for processing data and code, and memory for storing the data and the code, the data and the code together including data associating the tracking device with the user, location criteria associated with the user, and a monitoring routine operative to transmit notification to the user if location data generated by the tracking device satisfies the location criteria.

Abstract: Storage is provisioned. By a user interface hosted at a storage system, a user is allowed to affect a set of storage system configuration settings residing on the storage system. The set of storage system configuration settings has options for different levels of redundant array of independent disks (RAID) data protection. Based on the set of storage system configuration settings, the storage system is configured for RAID data protection.

Abstract: A vented hatch cover comprising a cover body, an intake filter element, a discharge filter element and a gasket. The cover body has a plurality of walls defining an air intake passage, an air discharge passage, and a plenum extending from the air intake passage to the air discharge passage. The cover body includes a plurality of ribs extending across the air intake passage. The intake filter element is disposed over the air intake passage and includes a plurality of latches engaging the ribs to secure the intake filter element to the cover body. The cover body further includes an inner rim and an outer rim located radially outward of the inner rim. The inner rim and the outer rim define a pocket. The gasket is retained in the pocket of the cover body. The discharge filter element is disposed over the air discharge passage and includes a plurality of upward extending portions or latches located radially between the inner rim and the gasket.

Abstract: A system to remotely report the load condition of a railroad car including a mechanism to sense the load condition in the form of a switch responsive to load condition to change the state of an electrical circuit, a controller to recognize the state of the circuit and a radio wave transmitter directed by the controller to report the condition to a remote receiver. Load is sensed by recognition of the distance between two components of the car, one which remains relatively fixed regardless of the weight of the car, the other which moves relative to the first component as the car weight changes.

Abstract: A reflecting element with multiple reflective facets is integrated with the distal end of a multi-fiber optical probe. The facets are shaped depending on the type of analysis performed and according to the desired distribution of radiation to and from internal body tissues and fluids. The probe can include a protective transparent balloon or other covering that separates the reflecting element from interior tissue walls and provides a window for radiation to be transmitted between the reflecting facets and a region of interest. The probe can be integrated with treatment-based devices, including lumen-expanding angioplasty balloon catheters. The probe can also be adapted as an imaging device such as an endoscope.

Abstract: A conveyor having a conveyor belt with article-supporting rollers selectively rotated to direct conveyed articles toward one side of the conveyor or the other. The belt rollers are arranged in longitudinal columns and can rotate on axes parallel to the direction of belt travel. Salient portions of the belt rollers protrude through the thickness of the belt. An array of powered rollers, each powered roller underlying a column of belt rollers, is selectively moved into and out of contact with the belt rollers to cause them to rotate to direct articles conveyed atop the belt rollers toward or off one side of the conveyor when the conveyor belt is stopped.

Abstract: A clamp assembly for connecting the end of a first pipe to the end of an axially aligned second pipe. The clamp assembly comprises a first semi-circular clamp arm, a second semi-circular clamp arm, a lever and a latch. The first clamp arm has a first end portion and a second end portion. The second clamp arm has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion of the second clamp arm is pivotably attached to the first end portion of the first clamp arm. The lever is pivotably attached to the first end portion of the first clamp arm. The latch has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion of the latch is pivotably attached the second end portion of the second clamp arm. The second end portion of the latch is attached to the lever upon the clamp assembly in a closed position. The distance between the attachment of the latch to the second clamp arm to the attachment of the latch to the lever is adjustable in the attachment of the latch to the second clamp arm.

Abstract: In a system and method for analyzing and treating a body lumen, a lumen-expanding balloon catheter with integrated one or more delivery waveguides and one or more collection waveguides is used to perform optical analysis of the tissues surrounding the lumen during expansion. The catheter can comprise an angioplasty catheter with integrated delivery waveguides and collection waveguides to perform spectroscopy of a stenotic plaque during angioplasty.

Abstract: A kit and associated methods for converting a pre-existing conveyor frame into a belt conveyor. The converted conveyor comprises a U-shaped pan mounted to the top of a pre-existing conveyor frame. The U-shaped pan has a pair of side walls flanking a base. A carryway is fastened to the base of the pan to support a modular conveyor belt. Liners extending from the top of the side walls extend into the pan to act as low-friction side rails. Inverted-U-shaped guides attached to the bottom portion of the pre-existing frame at periodically spaced frame supports guide the belt in the returnway beneath the carryway. Spacers interposed between the frame supports and the frame provide vertical and lateral clearance for the belt along the returnway. The kit provides parts for converting a pre-existing conveyor frame into a belt conveyor.

Abstract: A clamp assembly for connecting the end of a first pipe to the end of an axially aligned second pipe. The clamp assembly comprises a first semi-circular clamp arm, a second semi-circular clamp arm, a lever, a latch and a gasket. The first clamp arm has a first end portion and a second end portion. The second clamp arm has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion of the second clamp arm is pivotably attached to the first end portion of the first clamp arm. The lever is pivotably attached to the second portion of the first clamp arm. The latch has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion of the latch is pivotably attached the second end portion of the second clamp arm. The second end portion of the latch is attached to the lever upon the clamp assembly in a closed position. The first clamp arm defines a groove for seating the gasket. The second clamp arm defines a groove for seating the gasket.

Abstract: Roller return and holddown shoes for a modular-belt conveyor. The shoes have a body that extends in height from a base to a convex outer face. Cavities in the body open onto the base and the outer face. Rollers rotatably received in the cavities have salient portions protruding past the outer face of the shoe to bear in rolling contact against the outer surface of a belt draped over the shoe. Optional edge guides upstanding from the outer face of the shoe may be used to restrain the side edge of a belt supported on the shoe and prevent the belt from wandering laterally.

Abstract: This invention provides a composition of at least one Bordetella antigen and an effective adjuvant amount of interleukin-12 (IL-12), and uses thereof as a vaccine against Bordetella infection. Methods for using IL-12 as an adjuvant in combination with vaccines against Bordetella are also provided.