Abstract: An automatic heat-sealing quality control system to automatically control a quality of a heat-sealing of a sealing strip to a longitudinal edge of a packaging web at a heat-sealing station in a packaging machine, where sealed packages containing pourable food products are continuously produced from a continuous vertical tube filled with the pourable food product and formed by longitudinally folding the packaging web to overlap longitudinal edges thereof and then heat-sealing the overlapping longitudinal edges. The system comprises a visible-light imaging camera designed to operate in the electromagnetic spectrum visible to human eye to capture and output visible-light digital images; a thermal imaging camera designed to operate in the electromagnetic spectrum invisible to human eye to capture and output thermal digital images.

Abstract: An automatic heat-sealing quality control system to automatically control a quality of a heat-sealing of a sealing strip to a longitudinal edge of a packaging web at a heat-sealing station in a packaging machine, where sealed packages containing pourable food products are continuously produced from a continuous vertical tube filled with the pourable food product and formed by longitudinally folding the packaging web to overlap longitudinal edges thereof and then heat-sealing the overlapping longitudinal edges. The system comprises a thermal imaging camera designed to operate in the electromagnetic spectrum invisible to human eye to capture and output thermal digital images.

Abstract: A container for food items includes a base and an insert. The base includes a bottom panel and a peripheral bead having an inner sidewall extending upward from a perimeter of the bottom panel and a top wall extending outward from the inner sidewall. The inner sidewall and the bottom panel enclose, laterally and from below, a liquid collection reservoir. A base peripheral engagement surface includes the top wall and extends about the collection reservoir. The insert includes a support panel having drain apertures therein, an insert sidewall extending upward from a periphery of the support panel, and a flange extending outward from an upper end of the insert sidewall. An insert peripheral engagement surface includes at least a portion of the flange and is releasably interlockable with the base peripheral engagement surface when the insert is assembled to the base with the support panel overlying the collection reservoir.

Abstract: A turbine engine includes a rotor, a stator, and a seal assembly disposed between the rotor and the stator. The seal assembly includes seal segment. The seal segment includes a seal face that is configured to form a fluid bearing with the rotor. A lift channel extends within the seal segment from an opening on the seal face. The turbine engine further includes a spring assembly disposed within the lift channel. The spring assembly including a biasing element and a piston element coupled to the biasing element. The lift channel includes a lift volume portion extending is between the opening and the piston element. The piston element is movable within the lift channel based on a pressure within the fluid bearing to adjust a size of the lift volume portion.

Abstract: A container for food items includes a base and an insert. The base includes a bottom panel and a peripheral bead having an inner sidewall extending upward from a perimeter of the bottom panel, a top wall extending laterally outward from an upper end of the inner sidewall, and an outer sidewall extending downward from a laterally outer edge of the top wall. At least a lower portion of the inner sidewall and the bottom panel enclose, laterally and from below, a liquid collection reservoir. The base includes a base peripheral engagement surface extending about the collection reservoir. The insert includes a support panel having an insert peripheral engagement surface releasably inter-lockable with the base peripheral engagement surface to assemble the insert to the base with the support panel overlying the collection reservoir. The support panel has at least one aperture for draining liquid from above into the collection reservoir.

Abstract: A turbine engine includes a rotor, a stator, and a seal assembly disposed between the rotor and the stator. The seal assembly includes seal segment. The seal segment includes a seal face that is configured to form a fluid bearing with the rotor. A lift channel extends within the seal segment from an opening on the seal face. The turbine engine further includes a spring assembly disposed within the lift channel. The spring assembly including a biasing element and a piston element coupled to the biasing element. The lift channel includes a lift volume portion extending is between the opening and the piston element. The piston element is movable within the lift channel based on a pressure within the fluid bearing to adjust a size of the lift volume portion.

Abstract: A turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine includes: a rotor; a stator comprising a carrier; a seal assembly disposed between the rotor and the stator, the seal assembly comprising a plurality of seal segments supported at least in part by the carrier, the plurality of seal segments having a first seal segment and a second seal segment, the first and second seal segments each having a seal face forming a fluid bearing with the rotor; and a seal support assembly comprising a tangential spring extension extending between the first seal segment and the second seal segment for biasing the first seal segment away from the second seal segment in the circumferential direction.

Abstract: A container for food items includes a base and an insert. The base includes a bottom panel and a peripheral bead having an inner sidewall extending upward from a perimeter of the bottom panel, a top wall extending laterally outward from an upper end of the inner sidewall, and an outer sidewall extending downward from a laterally outer edge of the top wall. At least a lower portion of the inner sidewall and the bottom panel enclose, laterally and from below, a liquid collection reservoir. The base includes a base peripheral engagement surface extending about the collection reservoir. The insert includes a support panel having an insert peripheral engagement surface releasably inter-lockable with the base peripheral engagement surface to assemble the insert to the base with the support panel overlying the collection reservoir. The support panel has at least one aperture for draining liquid from above into the collection reservoir.

Abstract: A vacuum formed, tamper resistant container resists deformation of the sides thereof that might otherwise permit access to contents of the container without removal of the lid. Downward protruding lid features reinforce the wall of the container base, and buttress features included in the rim of the base extend from a base flange diagonally downward and inward to the inner rim of a recessed shelf, thereby resisting downward rotation of the wall beneath the lid protruding features. In embodiments, attachment tabs surrounded by frangible boundaries are incorporated in the lid and attached to the base by living hinges, such that removal of the lid requires breaking of the frangible boundaries and detachment of the lid from the attachment tabs. Pucker elements associated with the attachment tabs can cause the attachment tabs to pivot away from the lid when the attachment tabs are detached from the lid.

Abstract: A container includes a lid and base having flanges that are initially attached to each other by engagement of attachment regions of fixed and frangible engagement mechanisms provided in the flanges. Each of the frangible engagement mechanisms is frangibly detachable from its flange, and includes at least one wing extending from its attachment region. During a first opening of the container, the attachment regions initially remain fixed together, while the wings are bent at an oblique angle from the plane of the flanges. Upon reclosure of the container, the wings remain obliquely bent, and provide a readily apparent tamper indication. Wing hinges can be included between the wings and attachment regions to enhance the wing bending during initial opening. The lid and base can be separate, or can be attached to each other by a hinge, such as a living hinge or a scored hinge.

Abstract: Audience data received from a plurality of audience data sources is stored. An advertising goal defined at least in part by reference to one or more audience attributes is received. Audience data from two or more of said audience data sources is used to determine an advertising plan to meet the advertising goal.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and an apparatus facilitate management of customer interactions on multiple interaction channels. A communication quality metric and a contextual environment are tracked for an ongoing customer interaction executed on a first interaction channel. A closure of the first interaction channel is effected based on at least one of: a detected change in a current value associated with the communication quality metric to be below a preset threshold value, a detected or an anticipated change in the contextual environment, and a receipt of a customer request for closing the first interaction channel. The effecting of the closure of the first interaction channel includes a transitioning of the ongoing customer interaction from the first interaction channel to a second interaction channel.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and an apparatus facilitate management of customer interactions on multiple interaction channels. A communication quality metric and a contextual environment are tracked for an ongoing customer interaction executed on a first interaction channel. A closure of the first interaction channel is effected based on at least one of: a detected change in a current value associated with the communication quality metric to be below a preset threshold value, a detected or an anticipated change in the contextual environment, and a receipt of a customer request for closing the first interaction channel. The effecting of the closure of the first interaction channel includes a transitioning of the ongoing customer interaction from the first interaction channel to a second interaction channel.

Abstract: A technique for seamlessly transitioning a process on a particular device and/or a particular channel to at least one other different device and/or channel is provided. Specifically, a user can begin a process, referred to herein as a device-based interaction, on a first device and/or channel. For example, the user can begin to type a text message on a mobile phone. By way of a networked server, the user can indicate a desire to continue the process, such as the text message, on a different device, such as a television. Subsequent to indicating the desire to continue the process on the second device, such as the television, the user can access the television and continue the process, such as the text message, on the television. The technique can be used to authenticate the user on the second device as well as uniquely identify the particular device-based interaction.

Abstract: A device application is linked to a customer service interface. Information related to a user and to one or more user interactions is stored with an application associated with a user device. The information related to the user and the one or more user interactions configures an interaction context. A request to communicate with a customer service interface is received from the user during an on-going user interaction with the application. An authentication of the user is performed upon receiving the user request. The interaction context is provided to the customer service interface upon authenticating the user. The authentication of the user and the providing of the interaction context facilitate a seamless continuation of the on-going user interaction from the application associated with the user device to the customer service interface.

Abstract: This invention is designed to provide a martial arts practitioner a secure fit around the waist while engaged in training or competition. The practitioner enters the garment similar to pants then secures the inner drawstring generally made of a cotton or similar material. Next the practitioner secures the hook and loop system to create a vertical seal. Then the flap is secured to the inside of the pants. The belt is fastened by drawing the belt through the metal ring or similar sturdy material and secured using the hook and loop portion on the belt. Lastly, the flap is folded down to cover the belt. The flap will keep an opponent from using the belt to their advantage in a match as well as provide a level of safety so appendages do not get tangled in the system.