Abstract: A fish passage system having flexible textile materials forming a conduit to transport fish across river barriers encountered during migration. The system can include modular support structures that can be independently secured to riverbeds to form conduit supports, dams, hydropower structures, and the like.

Abstract: A seal for sealing three adjacent structures is provided. The seal has a plurality of sealing legs designed to seal against different parts of the adjacent structures. In addition, the seal may have side sealing structures that seal against a groove in which the seal may be located.

Abstract: A combination bucket lid and seat permits a user to access contents of the bucket while the user is seated. The lid has a lip for engaging the bucket, and an opening configured to receive a hand of a user for removing the bucket contents. The opening is selectively covered by a door that is attached to the lid. The door is movable between a closed position and an opened position. The door is configured to cover the opening of the lid in the closed position and uncover the opening of the lid in the open position. The main body has a pad that allows the user to be comfortable while sitting atop the combination bucket lid. More specifically, the door may be attached to the lid by a hinge, or rotatable about an axis of rotation, to selectively cover and uncover the opening.

Abstract: An arm sling has a neck strap that is selectively slidably secured to a first arm strap and a second arm strap. The arm sling is adapted for use in the shower and is configured to be adjusted using a single arm. Each of the arm straps has a loop and a belt. An outer surface of each loop may be covered with a first fastening portion and the belt may be covered with a second fastening portion. The first fastening portion is configured to removably connect with the second fastening portion at a plurality of locations along a length of the second fastening portion. The loop also has a securement band disposed adjacent a junction between the belt and the loop. The securement band is configured to selectively hold the belt adjacent to the loop.

Abstract: A method for increasing airport airside parking locations without adding infrastructure to the airport is provided. Aircraft equipped with pilot-controllable landing gear wheel-mounted electric taxi drive systems for ground travel are maneuvered forward into remote tarmac stands or non-standard parking locations with the electric taxi drive systems, turned 180 degrees through tight turns, and parked in a nose-out orientation that enables the aircraft to efficiently unload and load passengers. The electric taxi drive systems drive the departing aircraft forward out of the parking locations. Remote tarmac parking locations may be located in areas that do not interfere with arrival and departure of aircraft parking at existing terminal stands. The present method may increase aircraft parking capacity at an airport, provide better utilization of existing tarmac space at the airport, reduce requirements for ground personnel on a per-flight basis, and improve airport ground operations efficiency.

Abstract: A method is provided that reduces time to dock an electric taxi drive system-driven aircraft parking in a parallel orientation at an airport terminal. Passenger loading bridges are pre-positioned to substantially align with forward and rear doors of the aircraft. Pre-positioned passenger loading bridges extend from the terminal to locations that align with terminal-facing forward and rear doors when electric taxi systems maneuver the aircraft into the parallel parking orientation. The passenger loading bridge connected to a rear door may be pre-positioned at a height above the ramp surface above or below the height of the aircraft's horizontal stabilizer or below the height of the wing to enhance safety and further reduce connection and passenger transfer time. Connection of the pre-positioned passenger loading bridges with the aircraft doors should require only minimal adjustment before passenger transfer between the aircraft and terminal may begin.

Abstract: A force limiting system and method are provided for limiting loads in aircraft nose or main landing gear having wheels powered by taxi drive systems mounted within the landing gear wheels to drive aircraft on the ground. The force limiting system may include mechanical components selected to limit or minimize spin-up mass and to releasably connect the taxi drive system to a landing gear wheel section so that operation of the taxi drive system to drive a landing gear wheel is prevented in the presence of a predetermined maximum load. The load limiting system employs mechanical components engineered to securely connect the taxi drive system to the landing gear wheel during operation and to release the taxi drive system from connection to the wheel when loads applied to system components exceed an established or recommended maximum load.

Abstract: A method for designing and operating aircraft nose landing gear wheel-mounted electric taxi systems to move aircraft during ground travel. Electric taxi system components are engineered and sized to produce optimal ground travel torque to move aircraft during the majority of aircraft ground travel and are operated in conjunction with the aircraft steering to turn the nose wheels to an effective angle that moves the aircraft during pushback and in breakaway situations. The nose landing gear wheels are turned to an effective angle and the electric taxi systems are operated simultaneously to get the aircraft moving. After breaking away, the aircraft is driven with electric taxi systems at the optimal ground travel torque in a forward or reverse direction with the nose wheels parallel or in a desired ground travel direction with the nose wheels steered in the desired direction of ground travel.

Abstract: A mobile electronic device is described that is configured to upload a commercial application to a centralized server. In an implementation, the mobile electronic device includes a memory, and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. The mobile electronic device also includes an aggregator module stored in memory and executable by the processor. The module is also configured to instruct the processor to aggregates the product information with applicant information to generate a commercial application relating to the product, the commercial application comprising an application for services from at least one a lending entity, an insurance entity, or a third-party service entity. The module is also configured to instruct the processor to cause transmission of the commercial application to a central server. The commercial application is accessible to the at least one of the lending entity, the insurance entity, or the third-party service entity.

Abstract: A seal for sealing three adjacent structures is provided. The seal has a plurality of sealing legs designed to seal against different parts of the adjacent structures. In addition, the seal may have side sealing structures that seal against a groove in which the seal may be located.

Abstract: An integrated monitoring system and method are provided with the capability for monitoring ground surface movements of electric taxi drive system-driven aircraft, ground vehicles and personnel, and objects within airport ramp areas. Monitoring units may include a scanning LiDAR device with and without cameras or other sensing devices to transmit meshed real time encrypted data from multiple locations to an artificial intelligence-based processing system that generates a visual display of the monitored area for communication to aircraft cockpits and locations responsible for controlling ramp operations. Monitoring units may be mounted in single or multiple exterior locations on aircraft and/or in locations on ground vehicles and equipment, ground personnel, and the airside portion of an airport terminal.

Abstract: A method for designing and operating an aircraft nose landing gear wheel-mounted electric taxi system to move aircraft with optimal torque during a broad range of ground travel conditions. Electric taxi system components may be sized to produce optimal ground travel torque to move aircraft during the majority of aircraft ground travel conditions and operated to produce a maximum or breakaway torque to move the aircraft with the electric taxi system when a higher level of torque is required. Turning the nose landing gear wheels to a selected angle or through a range of angles simultaneously as the electric taxi system is operated produces the breakaway torque required to get the aircraft moving. When lower torque is needed, the aircraft may be driven with the nose landing gear wheels parallel to the longitudinal axis to produce optimal torque for electric taxi system-powered aircraft ground travel.

Abstract: Polymeric coated optical elements are described herein, which exhibit good optical properties, e.g., low attenuation. Some such coated optical elements comprise an optical element (e.g., an optical fiber) having an outer surface and a thermoplastic polymeric tight buffer coating on at least a portion of the outer surface of the optical element, wherein the polymer-coated optical element exhibits a first attenuation at room temperature of plus or minus about 50% the attenuation of a comparable optical element with no thermoplastic polymeric tight buffer coating thereon, and a second attenuation at room temperature after thermal cycling to a temperature of at least 170° C. that is about 2 times the first attenuation or less.

Abstract: A tape includes: a flexible backing layer having two major surfaces, wherein the backing layer has a thickness of greater than 25 micrometers; and an acrylic-based pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on one major surface of the backing layer, wherein the acrylic-based pressure sensitive adhesive comprises the reaction of one or more (C8-C20)alkyl acrylates with one or more reinforcing monomers having a homopolymer Tg of at least 50° C., wherein the acrylic-based pressure sensitive adhesive has a tan ? of at least 0.5 measured at 80° C.

Abstract: A windshield wiper assembly for an automobile, comprising a wiper arm, a wiper blade, a plurality of double claw fixtures pivotally mounted onto the wiper arm and adapted to support the wiper blade on the wiper arm, and an actuator adapted to selectively induce rotation of the wiper blade along a longitudinal axis of the wiper blade relative to the wiper arm, each of the double claw fixtures adapted to rotatably support the wiper blade.

Abstract: A method is provided for adding available takeoff and landing slots when aircraft designed for long haul flight are moved quietly and efficiently on the ground without operation of aircraft engines at airports with slot controls and airports that are constrained from operation at certain times by curfews that limit operating hours for these long haul aircraft. Long haul aircraft are powered and driven by onboard non-engine drive means or moved manually or automatically by tugs, tow vehicles, or other transfer apparatus to arrive at a runway before expiration of a morning curfew and to be ready for takeoff as soon as curfew is lifted. Long haul aircraft may land immediately before an evening curfew starts and to move without engines to an airport arrival location after evening curfew starts, effectively expanding and increasing the number of available takeoff and landing slots for long haul aircraft.

Abstract: A system and method are provided that direct a real time global view with images of an aircraft's entire exterior environment from an external monitoring system located on an aircraft equipped with landing gear wheel-mounted electric taxi drive systems powering ground travel to an integrated head-up display worn by a pilot driving the aircraft with the electric taxi drive systems within an airport ramp area. The real time global view and images produced by the monitoring system are communicated to the integrated head-up display in the form of an actual picture of the ramp area environment exterior to the aircraft viewable by the pilot with the head-up display in real time as the pilot maneuvers the aircraft within the ramp area with the electric taxi systems. The pilot can change the images viewed in the head-up display by changing head position.

Abstract: A method is provided that extends available aircraft engine warm up and cool down times without extending total aircraft time on the ground. Aircraft that have engines with longer than average or longer than typical warm up and cool down times and are equipped with electric taxi systems are driven during hybrid taxi-out and taxi-in periods when the aircraft engines at lowest throttle settings are operating simultaneously with the electric taxi drive systems to move the aircraft during ground travel. The hybrid taxi-out and taxi-in periods ensure optimal steady, even warm up and cool down of engine components by takeoff and upon arrival and avoid thermally-induced structural deformations of engine components that adversely affect engines during flight. Aircraft engines may be designed to rely on the extended warm up and cool down times provided by the hybrid taxi periods without increasing aircraft ground travel time or negatively impacting airport operations.

Abstract: A combination bucket lid and seat permits a user to access contents of the bucket while the user is seated. The lid has a lip for engaging the bucket, and an opening configured to receive a hand of a user for removing the bucket contents. The opening is selectively covered by a door that is attached to the lid. The door is movable between a closed position and an opened position. The door is configured to cover the opening of the lid in the closed position and uncover the opening of the lid in the open position. The main body has a pad that allows the user to be comfortable while sitting atop the combination bucket lid. More specifically, the door may be attached to the lid by a hinge, or rotatable about an axis of rotation, to selectively cover and uncover the opening.

Abstract: A method for maintaining a supply of available aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means for autonomous ground movement is provided that enables an air carrier, particularly a low cost carrier, to operate reliably, efficiently, and economically to provide substantially uninterrupted air transport service. The present method is designed to enable airlines with fleets of older aircraft retrofitted with non-engine drive means for autonomous ground movement to operate economically and efficiently through a cooperative arrangement with a maintenance, repair, and overhaul provider that maintains and ensures an available supply network of spare and backup aircraft. The supply network may be global in geographic scope and may provide spare or backup aircraft equipped with non-engine drive means to one or more airlines.