Abstract: A method for producing a glass product, preferably a sheet-like glass product, is provided that includes conveying a molten silicate glass through a conduit system from one area of a glass product producing installation to another area of the glass product producing installation. The conduit system includes noble metal and is configured to conduct an electric current through the noble metal so as to generates Joule heat in the conduit system. The current is an alternating current for which the time integral over a positive and a negative half-wave results in a zero value.

Abstract: An inflatable packer assembly configured to be conveyed within a wellbore. The inflatable packer assembly includes a mandrel having a flowline, a first packer ring slidably connected with the mandrel, a second packer ring fixedly connected with the mandrel, a latching mechanism fluidly connected with the flowline, and an inflatable packer fluidly connected with the flowline. The inflatable packer may be disposed around the mandrel and sealingly connected with the first and second packer rings. The inflatable packer may be operable to expand against a sidewall of the wellbore upon receiving a fluid from the flowline. The latching mechanism may be operable to limit movement of the first packer ring with respect to the mandrel, and permit the movement of the first packer ring with respect to the mandrel upon being actuated by the fluid from the flowline.

Abstract: A method includes receiving first fluid property data from a sample flowline of a focused sampling system and receiving second fluid property data from a guard flowline of the focused sampling system.

Abstract: A method of formation fluid sampling that includes setting a dual packer tool in a wellbore. The dual packer tool is used to isolate an interval between an upper packer and a lower packer. The method also includes drawing fluid from the interval with a lower inlet, until an oil fraction increases over a base line reading, and drawing oil from by pumping at a low rate with an upper inlet.

Abstract: A PON system comprising multiple PONs, each having a respective intelligent splitter monitor (ISM). In addition to having a passive optical splitter therein, an ISM also has several remotely powered active components configured to monitor the presence of uplink light signals on the ports of the splitter and communicate with the central office using out-of-band optical signals. These ISM functionalities enable the network operator, e.g., to automatically map PON connectivity, pairing each port on the splitter with a distinct optical network unit. The PON system further comprises an optical module connected to the multiple PONs through an optical switch in a manner that supports shared access to said module by the corresponding multiple ISMs. In an example embodiment, the optical module comprises an optical transceiver capable of communicating with the ISM transceivers and one or more lasers configured to provide high-intensity light for remotely charging the ISM batteries.

Abstract: A process for producing superabsorbent particles by polymerizing a monomer solution or suspension, comprising drying of the resultant aqueous polymer gel in an air circulation belt drier, grinding, classifying, and optionally thermal surface postcrosslinking, wherein the aqueous polymer gel is introduced into the air circulation belt drier by means of an oscillating conveyor belt, the underside of the revolving conveyor belt is freed of adhering polymer gel by means of at least one stripper device, and the underside of the revolving conveyor belt is sprayed with water.

Abstract: A base body for a metal-sealing material-feedthrough subject to high pressures in an igniter for an airbag or a belt tensioning device. The base body for the metal-sealing material feedthrough is an element formed by a process of cold forming and having a ring-shape or a plate-like shape. The element includes a feedthrough opening extending from a front side of the element towards a rear side of the element. There is a metallurgic section in the element of the base body with structure-lines or flow-lines that are bent due to a reshaping process of the process of cold-forming.

Abstract: A process for producing superabsorbent particles by polymerizing a monomer solution or suspension, comprising the steps of continuously preneutralizing a monomer while cooling and partly recycling the preneutralized monomer into the preneutralization, continuously heating the preneutralized monomer by means of a heat exchanger and continuously postneutralizing the heated monomer, wherein the monomer solution or suspension prior to entry into the polymerization reactor is at a temperature of 70 to 99° C. and the temperature of the heating medium used in the heat exchanger is less than 160° C.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is for determining at least one main acquisition parameter determining a dose of x-rays to be emitted from an x-ray emitter during image acquisition using an x-ray emitter and an x-ray detector. A first image data of a first preparatory image is evaluated to determine if a repeat condition is fulfilled and/or to determine the main acquisition parameter and/or at least one second preparatory acquisition parameter. The first preparatory image is acquired by the x-ray detector using at least one first preparatory acquisition parameter to control the x-ray emitter. In all cases or when the repeat condition is fulfilled, the main acquisition parameter is determined depending on second image data of a second preparatory image, acquired by the x-ray detector after the first preparatory image while at least one second preparatory acquisition parameter is used to control the x-ray emitter.

Abstract: A patient transport apparatus operable by a user for transporting a patient along stairs. A seat section is coupled to a support structure supporting a track assembly having a belt. A motor selectively generates torque to drive the belt. A user interface is arranged for engagement by the user, and has a direction input control for selecting a drive direction of the motor, and an activation input control for operating the motor to drive the belt. A controller in communication with the motor and the user interface is configured to limit operation of the motor in response to user engagement of the activation input control preceding engagement of the direction input control to prevent driving the belt, and to permit operation of the motor in response to user engagement of the activation input control following engagement of the direction input control to drive the belt in a selected drive direction.

Abstract: A patient containment system for securing a patient to a patient transport apparatus, comprising a first lower strap and a second lower strap. Each of the first lower strap and the second lower strap have a thigh region, a waist region, and a connection region arranged between the thigh region and the waist region. A first connector is coupled to the connection region of the first lower strap. A second connector is coupled to the connection region of the second lower strap, and is configured to releasably attach to the first connector to at least partially limit movement of the first lower strap relative to the second lower strap. The connection region defines a connection width, and the thigh region defines a thigh width larger than the connection width.

Abstract: A patient transport apparatus for transporting patients in a stair configuration and in a chair configuration. A multiple mode handle assembly is provided for user engagement, and is movable between a first handle configuration, a second handle configuration, and a third handle configuration.

Abstract: A metal-fixing material feedthrough for at least one of an airbag igniter or a belt pre-tensioner includes a main body having a through opening formed therein and at least one metal pin fused into the through opening in a vitreous or glass ceramic fixing material. A surface of the vitreous or glass ceramic fixing material is a freely fused surface and lies in a same plane as an end face of the at least one metal pin.

Abstract: A process for producing superabsorbent particles by polymerizing a monomer solution, comprising the steps of continuously polymerizing the monomer solution on the continuous belt of a belt reactor, comminuting the polymer gel obtained, rinsing the polymer gel obtained on the underside of the belt reactor into a separation unit with water, separating the polymer gel from the water in the separation unit and recycling the polymer gel into the comminution, wherein the polymer gel has a swelling capacity in water of at least 100 g/g, the dwell time of the polymer gel in the rinse water is less than 40 minutes, and the separation unit has openings with a clear width of at least 1 mm.

Abstract: A metal fixing material leadthrough for igniters of airbags and/or belt tighteners includes at least one metal pin fused into a glass or glass-ceramic fixing material in a through-opening of a main body. The metal is present in a post-heated state, with an interface between the fixing material and the metal pin and an additional interface between the fixing material and an inner surface of the through-opening. The at least one metal pin, at least in its core region, consists of stainless steel, such as a chromium-containing stainless steel, the stainless steel having a thermal expansion coefficient.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating a group of representative model cases for a trained machine learning model may be provided. The method comprising determining an input space, determining an initial plurality of model cases, and expanding the initial plurality of model cases by stepwise modifying field values of the records representing the initial plurality of model cases resulting in an exploration set of model cases. Additionally, the method comprises obtaining a model score value for each record of the exploration set of model cases, continuing the expansion of the exploration set of model cases thereby generating a refined model case set, and selecting the records in the refined model case set based on relative record distance values and related model score values between pairs of records, thereby generating the group of representative model cases.

Abstract: A method of formation fluid sampling that includes setting a dual packer tool in a wellbore. The dual packer tool is used to isolate an interval between an upper packer and a lower packer. The method also includes drawing fluid from the interval with a lower inlet, until an oil fraction increases over a base line reading, and drawing oil from by pumping at a low rate with an upper inlet.

Abstract: A brake disk includes at least one friction ring, which includes a base member. The brake disk also includes at least one hole and/or groove located in the friction ring. The brake disk also includes at least one coating, which is applied to at least portions of the friction ring. The coating comprises at least portions of the transition between the hole and/or groove and the friction ring. At least portions of the transition between the hole and/or groove and the friction ring are constructed to be rounded and/or chamfered in a flat manner.

Abstract: A process for producing superabsorbent particles, comprising drying of a polymer gel, removal of incompletely dried polymer particles, comminution of the polymer particles removed, recycling of the comminuted polymer particles and storage of the recycled polymer particles.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying a likelihood that a reservoir of a geological formation received a secondary charge of hydrocarbons of relatively very different thermal maturity of composition are provided. One method includes positioning a downhole acquisition tool in a wellbore in a geological formation and testing one or more fluid properties of the formation fluid. Data processing circuitry may identify whether a relationship of the one or more fluid properties exceeds a first threshold that indicates likely asphaltene instability. When this is the case, data processing circuitry may be used to model the geological formation using a realization scenario in which multiple charges of hydrocarbons of substantially different thermal maturity or substantially different composition, or both, filled a reservoir of the geological formation over geologic time.