Abstract: A valve assembly includes a sensing cavity and a piston cavity defined in valve body and/or in a bonnet. A piston head of a piston may be disposed within the piston cavity, and a piston stem has an end portion in contact with valve plug. A baffle plate has a first surface defining a portion of the sensing cavity and a second surface defines a portion of the piston cavity. The baffle plate includes at least one baffle aperture such that the sensing cavity is in fluid communication with the piston cavity, and pressure in the sensing cavity acts on a surface of the piston head to displace the piston and the valve plug between an open and closed position. The at least one baffle aperture is adapted to restrict the flow of fluid between the sensing cavity and the first working volume.

Abstract: A skate for an injector apparatus in which gripper dies on a pair of endless chains driven around respective closed loop paths on different sides a continuous wellbore string are forced against the continuous string by forcing a set of the skates toward theretoward from inside the closed loop paths of the endless chains. The inventive skate features a skate body carrying a plurality of spherical balls that are exposed on a side of the skate that faces toward the continuous string in order to allow riding of endless chains over exposed surfaces of the spherical balls as the endless chains are driven through the respective closed-loop paths, whereby the gripper dies ride over the spherical balls of said skates under the forcing of said skates toward the continuous string.

Abstract: An ideal multi-axis transducer will respond properly to forces and moments that are applied in intermediate directions. The transducer calibration apparatus described herein can detect transducers that have incorrect off-axes response. One calibration apparatus includes a base, a pair of end stanchions fixed on the base, force actuators mounted between the base, the pair of end stanchions, and a transducer holder, the force actuators arranged to exert forces and moments on a transducer mounted in the transducer holder, and force reaction sensors fixed between the base, the pair of end stanchions, and the transducer holder for measuring forces and moments experienced by the transducer holder.

Abstract: A continuous well string injector features a frame carrying a pair of endless chain conveyors on opposite sides of a pathway. Each chain carries gripper dies for engaging the continuous well string when received in the pathway. A respective skate and cylinder block reside in the closed loop path of each chain. Each cylinder block features a plurality of blind bores having open ends facing toward the respective skate, and a respective piston is slidably disposed within each bore. Hydraulic extension and retraction ports open into the cylinder bores on opposite sides of the piston, whereby back and forth displacement of the pistons forces the skates toward and away from one another to grip and release the continuous well string. A front wall of the frame has an open horizontal gap aligned with the pathway to enable lateral entrance and exit of the continuous string to and from the pathway.

Abstract: Gripper dies for a continuous coiled rod injector are machined from a single, unitary, integral steel body forming both the base portion for connection to the injector drive chain and the gripping portion for engagement of the continuous coiled rod. Curved transitions are provided between ends of a gripping portion of the die and a profiled gripping face thereof, which features an arcuate surface and diverging planar surfaces extending therefrom to accommodate varying sizes of round and elliptical rod.

Abstract: A system and method for modifying a work piece surface of high melting temperature materials such as Advanced High Strength Steels, wherein a friction stir welding tool may include cutting elements located on the outside diameter of a collar assembly, wherein the collar assembly may be retrofitted for existing friction stir welding tools, or may be designed as a custom attachment for a new hybrid friction stir welding tool, wherein the surface of the work piece may be modified by removing detrimental flash and burr created during operation of the friction stir welding tool.

Abstract: A skate for an injector apparatus in which gripper dies on a pair of endless chains driven around respective closed loop paths on different sides a continuous wellbore string are forced against the continuous string by forcing a set of the skates toward theretoward from inside the closed loop paths of the endless chains. The inventive skate features a skate body carrying a plurality of spherical balls that are exposed on a side of the skate that faces toward the continuous string in order to allow riding of endless chains over exposed surfaces of the spherical balls as the endless chains are driven through the respective closed-loop paths, whereby the gripper dies ride over the spherical balls of said skates under the forcing of said skates toward the continuous string.

Abstract: A system comprises a display and logic coupled to the display. The logic automatically begins playing a video clip associated with an icon that is in focus on the display.

Abstract: A system and method for modifying a work piece surface of high melting temperature materials such as Advanced High Strength Steels, wherein a friction stir welding tool may include cutting elements located on the outside diameter of a collar assembly, wherein the collar assembly may be retrofitted for existing friction stir welding tools, or may be designed as a custom attachment for a new hybrid friction stir welding tool, wherein the surface of the work piece may be modified by removing detrimental flash and burr created during operation of the friction stir welding tool.

Abstract: A high pressure three-way control valve comprises a valve body defining first, second, and third ports disposed in selective fluid communication with each other via a control element. The control element is movable between a first seated position and a second seated position to selectively control the direction of fluid between the first and second port, or alternatively, between the first and third port. So configured, the control valve serves a function that conventionally requires two valves plumbed together.

Abstract: A system and method for modifying a work piece surface of high melting temperature materials such as Advanced High Strength Steels, wherein a friction stir welding tool may include cutting elements located on the outside diameter of a collar assembly, wherein the collar assembly may be retrofitted for existing friction stir welding tools, or may be designed as a custom attachment for a new hybrid friction stir welding tool, wherein the surface of the work piece may be modified by removing detrimental flash and burr created during operation of the friction stir welding tool.

Abstract: Systems and methods for communicating with media modules associated with a computing device are provided. In this regard, a representative method, among others, includes receiving an input to execute at least one media module and determining a power state of a computing device. The computing device generally has multiple power states. The method further includes launching the at least one media module based on the power state of the computing device responsive to determining the power state of the computing device. The media module is configured to be launched from any one of the multiple power states of the computing device.

Abstract: Gripper dies for a continuous coiled rod injector are machined from a single, unitary, integral steel body forming both the base portion for connection to the injector drive chain and the gripping portion for engagement of the continuous coiled rod. Lower skate pressure is required relative to conventional aluminum dies, increasing the lifespan of injector components while providing improved performance and avoiding damage to the coiled rod by use of alternating grooves and ridges in the gripping face of the die and smoothly radiused transitions the ends thereof.

Abstract: A mandrel that provides a counter-force to the pressure exerted on the outside of a pipe or other arcuate surface by a friction stir welding tool, wherein the mandrel is expandable through the use of a wedge, and wherein the mandrel enables multiple friction stir welding heads to simultaneously perform welding on the arcuate surface.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a heterocyclic macrocycle-templated supramolecular metal organic material, the process comprising preparing a reaction mixture containing a metal, a heterocyclic macrocycle, and organic ligands and forming, in the reaction mixture, a heterocyclic macrocycle-templated metal organic material comprising the metal, the heterocyclic macrocycle and the ligands by template-directed synthesis with the heterocyclic macrocycle serving as the template and being encapsulated within a cage of the template metal organic material.

Abstract: A supramolecular assembly comprising a metal-organic molecular framework and a heterocyclic macrocycle guest molecule. The metal-organic molecular framework comprises cubicuboctahedral cavities, octahemioctahedral cavities and trigonal cavities in a 1:1:2 ratio, respectively, and the heterocyclic macrocycle guest molecule is hosted by the octahemioctahedral cavity. In a preferred embodiment, the heterocyclic macrocycle guest molecule is a heme.

Abstract: Described is a luffah having of a series of ruffles wherein a substantially dry, water-soluble, cleansing and/or moisturizing agent is present on the ruffles at a center portion of the luffah. Enough cleaning agent or moisturizer is present to allow the luffah to be used at least once. A method of forming a luffah herein includes injecting a substantially wet, cleansing and/or moisturizing agent at, or near, a core of a luffah which is then compressed around the injected cleansing and/or moisturizing agent. The substantially wet, cleansing and/or moisturizing agent is then allowed to dry into a generally dry, water-soluble, cleansing and/or moisturizing agent at the core of the luffah.

Abstract: A mandrel that provides a counter-force to the pressure exerted on the outside of a pipe or other arcuate surface by a friction stir welding tool, wherein the mandrel is expandable through the use of a wedge, and wherein the mandrel enables multiple friction stir welding heads to simultaneously perform welding on the arcuate surface.

Abstract: An operating environment configuration system comprises a first operating system of a computer device having at least one configuration setting associated therewith, and a second operating system of the computer device configured to automatically retrieve the at least one configuration setting and configure at least one component associated with the second operating system with the at least one configuration setting.

Abstract: The invention concerns high sensitivity light scattering detection and its application to evaporative light scattering detection in liquid chromatography. The exemplary embodiment includes a detection cell to accept particles suspended in a gas stream and permit a polarized light beam to pass through a trajectory of the particles and gas stream. A sample light detector is disposed to detect light scattered in the detection cell. A light trap accepts the polarized beam after it passes through the detection cell. The light trap includes an elongated housing through which the polarized beam passes, and light absorptive material within the elongated housing. An absorptive filter is aligned such that the angle of incidence of the light beam upon the filter approximates Brewster's angle and the electric field vector of the beam is aligned with the plane of incidence between the beam and the filter. Other embodiments of the invention provide increased light collection.