Abstract: An improved system and method for reading an upconversion response from nanoparticle inks is provided. A is adapted to direct a near-infrared excitation wavelength at a readable indicia, resulting in a near-infrared emission wavelength created by the upconverting nanoparticle inks. A short pass filter may filter the near-infrared excitation wavelength. A camera is in operable communication with the short pass filter and receives the near-infrared emission wavelength of the readable indicia. The system may further include an integrated circuit adapted to receive the near-infrared emission wavelength from the camera and generate a corresponding signal. A readable application may be in operable communication with the integrated circuit. The readable application receives the corresponding signal, manipulates the signal, decodes the signal into an output, and displays and/or stores the output.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to using upconverting inks for producing highly-resolved patterns for, inter alia, security applications. More specifically, the present invention relates to the use of sols (inks) and printing processes that produce well-defined printed features consisting of polymers impregnated with luminescent upconversion nanocrystals. The patterns printed using such inks and processes may exhibit defined shapes, characters of text, and various other types of images.

Abstract: A brake actuator includes a carrier (10) having a centerline (11), a periphery and a radial slot (16) in the periphery, and an EMA (20), including an electric motor (30) having a longitudinal centerline (31) and a ram (34) having a longitudinal centerline (35) operatively connected to the electric motor (30), where the electric motor (30) is designed to move the ram (34) in the direction of the ram longitudinal centerline (35), the EMA (20) being mounted on the carrier (10) in the slot (16) with the ram longitudinal centerline radially (35) inward of the periphery and the motor longitudinal centerline (31) radially outward of the periphery. Also the EMA (20) used in the brake actuator.

Abstract: A variable volume buffer is employed to conduct a multitude of articles from an elevated supply stream into a container at a lower elevation while maintaining a drop distance for the articles that is shorter than the distance from the source to the bottom of the container. The bottom of the buffer is vertically displaced in response to the height of the articles in the buffer in a continuous or step-wise function to maintain the fill level of the articles in the buffer at substantially a constant drop distance from the source. Upon the bottom of the buffer moving adjacent the bottom of the container, the gate is opened and the buffer is raised to permit the spilling of the articles directly from the buffer and into the container.

Abstract: A looper used in the manufacture of asphaltic roofing felt comprising a driven endless belt of spaced tubes adapted to carry loops of felt between adjacent tubes, a track inclined toward said loops, a trolley having fingers adapted to contact the foremost loop in the looper, rollably mounted on the track wherein the improvement comprises a chain driven at the same rate and in the same direction as said endless belt and means on said trolley to interlock with said chain actuated when said fingers have contacted the foremost loop whereby the trolley travels with the foremost loop and the fingers maintain a constant pressure or contact on the foremost loop, until the loop is pulled out of the reach of the fingers, whereby the fingers drop and deactuate the interlock means, allowing the trolley to roll by force of gravity until the fingers again contact the foremost loop and the operation is repeated.