Abstract: An autonomous vacuum cleaner includes an outer housing, a suction nozzle, and a suction motor and a fan assembly operable to generate an airflow through the vacuum cleaner from the suction nozzle through a debris separator to a clean air exhaust. A fan of the fan assembly is rotatable about an axis of rotation of the suction motor and the fan assembly. The debris separator includes a cyclonic separator operable to separate debris from the airflow, the cyclonic separator located within the housing and includes a cylindrical wall along a longitudinal axis and having a first end and a second end, a dirty air inlet, a clean air outlet, a debris outlet adjacent the second end of the cylindrical wall, and a dust bin in fluid communication with the debris outlet of the cyclonic separator, where the cyclonic separator is coaxial with the motor and fan assembly.

Abstract: An autonomous vacuum cleaner includes an outer housing and a separator assembly that is removably received by the autonomous vacuum cleaner. A portion of the separator assembly defines a portion of at least two walls of the outer housing.

Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for evaluating performance of a finite or infinite antenna array including a finite number of antennas. Typically, a model is generated for the antenna array, the model including an arbitrarily large antenna array with an arbitrarily large number of model antennas. Each model antenna has features defined by features of antennas of the finite or infinite antenna array. A unit cell is determined for the arbitrarily large antenna, and impedance matrices Zantenna and Zperiodic are computed, Zperiodic representing interactions among the unit cell and the other model antennas. From these matrices, the performance of the finite or infinite antenna array is assessed.

Abstract: An antenna element and balun are described. The antenna includes a plurality of droopy bowtie antenna elements disposed on dielectric block and a feed point. The balun includes a central member having dielectric slabs symmetrically disposed on external surfaces thereof. At least one end of the balun is provided having a shape such that conductors on the dielectric slabs of the balun can be coupled to the the droopy bowtie antenna elements.

Abstract: A surface cleaning suction type appliance comprises a housing, an airstream suction source, a cyclone main body, and a dirt cup. The housing includes a main suction opening. The airstream suction source is mounted to the housing and includes a suction airstream inlet and a suction airstream outlet. The suction source selectively establishes and maintains a flow of air from the main suction opening, via the airstream inlet, to the airstream outlet. The cyclone main body is supported by the housing and is in communication with the main suction opening. The cyclone main body has a uniform outer circumference and includes a first stage separator, and a plurality of downstream second stage separators. The lengths of the second stage cyclonic separators are different for any number of adjacent pairs of separators from on pair up to all adjacent pairs of separators. The dirt cup is connected to the cyclone main body. The dirt cup includes a first particle collector and a second particle collector.

Abstract: An antenna element and balun are described. The antenna includes a plurality of droopy bowtie antenna elements disposed on dielectric block and a feed point. The balun includes a central member having dielectric slabs symmetrically disposed on external surfaces thereof. At least one end of the balun is provided having a shape such that conductors on the dielectric slabs of the balun can be coupled to the the droopy bowtie antenna elements.

Abstract: A level sensing system and method for determining the level of a conductive material in a casting mold are disclosed, wherein the level sensing system a drive circuit and an inductive component disposed adjacent to the casting mold, and a position of the conductive material in the casting mold may be determined by a change in an electrical characteristic of the drive circuit.

Abstract: A soccer board game and a method for playing it by first and second contestants is disclosed. The game board included a board comprising a grid of distinctly marked squares with soccer field markings. The soccer field markings include a half line dividing the field into two half fields, a kick-off circle on the half line, two opposite goal boxes located on opposite ends of the field, a five-zone and a sixteen-zone areas adjacent each of the goal boxes. The board game includes at least one die; a ball; and opponent first and second teams of players, each team pertaining to one of the contestants.

Abstract: A surface cleaning suction type appliance comprises a housing, an airstream suction source, a cyclone main body, and a dirt cup. The housing includes a main suction opening. The airstream suction source is mounted to the housing and includes a suction airstream inlet and a suction airstream outlet. The suction source selectively establishes and maintains a flow of air from the main suction opening, via the airstream inlet, to the airstream outlet. The cyclone main body is supported by the housing and is in communication with the main suction opening. The cyclone main body has a uniform outer circumference and includes a first stage separator, and a plurality of downstream second stage separators. The lengths of the second stage cyclonic separators are different for any number of adjacent pairs of separators from on pair up to all adjacent pairs of separators. The dirt cup is connected to the cyclone main body. The dirt cup includes a first particle collector and a second particle collector.

Abstract: A level sensing system and method for determining the level of a conductive material in a casting mold are disclosed, wherein the level sensing system a drive circuit and an inductive component disposed adjacent to the casting mold, and a position of the conductive material in the casting mold may be determined by a change in an electrical characteristic of the drive circuit.

Abstract: A cleaning machine for cleaning a surface is provided. The cleaning machine includes a base assembly that moves along the surface and a liquid distribution system associated with the base assembly for distributing the cleaning solution to the cleaning surface. A suction nozzle assembly is mounted to the base assembly and includes a front nozzle portion and a rear nozzle portion. The front nozzle portion defines a fluid flow path having an inlet opening and an outlet opening and the rear nozzle portion defines a fluid flow path having an inlet opening and an outlet opening. A suction source is in fluid communication with the suction nozzle for applying suction to draw the cleaning solution and dirt from the surface and through the suction nozzle assembly. The fluid flow path of the front nozzle portion is closed in response to the base assembly moving in one of the forward direction and rear direction.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a vacuum cleaner including a nozzle base having a main suction opening and a housing pivotally mounted on the nozzle base. An airstream suction source is mounted to one of the housing and the nozzle base for selectively establishing and maintaining a suction airstream flowing from the nozzle main suction opening to an exhaust outlet of the suction source. A filter housing is mounted to one of the nozzle base and the housing. The filter housing comprises a filter mounted in the filter housing. An ultraviolet light source is disposed in the filter housing and shines on the filter for disinfecting same.

Abstract: A cleaning machine for cleaning a surface is provided. The cleaning machine includes a base assembly that moves along the surface and a liquid distribution system associated with the base assembly for distributing the cleaning solution to the cleaning surface. A suction nozzle assembly is mounted to the base assembly and includes a front nozzle portion and a rear nozzle portion. The front nozzle portion defines a fluid flow path having an inlet opening and an outlet opening and the rear nozzle portion defines a fluid flow path having an inlet opening and an outlet opening. A suction source is in fluid communication with the suction nozzle for applying suction to draw the cleaning solution and dirt from the surface and through the suction nozzle assembly. The fluid flow path of the front nozzle portion is closed in response to the base assembly moving in one of the forward direction and rear direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems of methods of detecting and measuring inclusions in liquid metals. More particularly, non-metallic inclusions having a conductivity level different from the liquid metal melt are forced to migrate and are collected on a measurement surface using electromagnetic Lorentz forces. The inclusions and their concentrations are detected at the measurement surface using either an electrostatic detection system or an optical detection system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems of methods of detecting and measuring inclusions in liquid metals. More particularly, non-metallic inclusions having a conductivity level different from the liquid metal melt are forced to migrate and are collected on a measurement surface using electromagnetic Lorentz forces. The inclusions and their concentrations are detected at the measurement surface using either an electrostatic detection system or an optical detection system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems of methods of detecting and measuring inclusions in liquid metals. More particularly, non-metallic inclusions having a conductivity level different from the liquid metal melt are forced to migrate and are collected on a measurement surface using electromagnetic Lorentz forces. The inclusions and their concentrations are detected at the measurement surface using either an electrostatic detection system or an optical detection system.