Abstract: A piano is equipped with an actuator that moves the piano pedal mechanism in a manner that reproduces the pedaling effects of an original performance with high accuracy. The actuator comprises a solenoid, a permanent magnet, a velocity sense coil, and a Hall-effect sensor. The Hall-effect sensor provides an indication of the displacement of the solenoid plunger in accordance with an inverse-square law. Closed-loop feedback control is provided to effect a very true reproduction of pedaling effects. Automatic calibration allows for simple installation.

Abstract: A compression device for the foot comprising: a wrap adapted to surround the foot, the wrap comprising at least two bladders which when inflated conform to the shape of the foot to provide compression, the bladders being positioned on the wrap so that a first bladder focuses compression on the heel of the foot and a second bladder focuses compression on the arch of the foot; a channel attached to each bladder for independently delivering fluid to each bladder; and a controller attached to the channels that generates and independently controls the flow of fluid to the bladders.

Abstract: A compression device for the foot comprising: a wrap adapted to surround the foot, the wrap comprising at least two bladders which when inflated conform to the shape of the foot to provide compression, the bladders being positioned on the wrap so that a first bladder focuses compression on the heel of the foot and a second bladder focuses compression on the arch of the foot; a channel attached to each bladder for independently delivering fluid to each bladder; and a controller attached to the channels that generates and independently controls the flow of fluid to the bladders.

Abstract: A user-friendly apparatus for the preparation of convenient frozen foods such as pizza, hot pockets, pre-breaded and deep fried foods. Apparatus is made of food grade heat conducting woven wire, varying in wire thickness and size. Apparatus size and thickness depends on customer preference and task. The woven wire will vary in openness from 65% to 70%. The woven wire will be a square or rectangular shape with all the edges folded twice. Where the corners meet, it is 6 wires thick. The corners are locks, which allow the woven wire to be flexed, stretched and twisted. This flexing allows for easy food release and the self-cleaning action of the woven wire. The folding of the edges and corners is what makes it possible for the woven wire to always be returned to its original shape. The openness of heat conducting woven wire allows the ambient and conductive heat to produce crisper food in less cooking and clean-up time.

Abstract: A method and system for inspecting components, such as a rotating component of a turbomachines having one or more slots along a perimeter thereof. The method entails mounting to a robotic apparatus a probe assembly that includes a holder assembly to which a probe tip is mounted, an eddy current coil within the probe tip and adjacent a first face thereof, a touch probe contact located at a second face of the probe tip, an element for enabling relative movement between the probe tip and holder assembly, and an element for biasing the probe tip relative to the holder assembly in a direction parallel to the movement. The probe tip is then placed in a slot and caused to travel along the surface of the slot to electromagnetically inspect the slot for cracks in its surface while the first face of the probe tip is maintained in contact with a slot surface.

Abstract: A method of continuous inkjet printing comprising: A) providing a main fluid supply of a continuous inkjet printer with a printing fluid comprising water, a soluble or dispersed polymeric component, and less than a total of 10 wt % of low-volatile water soluble humectant having a boiling point of greater than 170 C; B) delivering the printing fluid from the main fluid supply to a printhead and ejecting a continuous stream of the printing fluid from the printhead which continuous stream is broken into spaced droplets; C) in response to electrical signals received from a control mechanism, controlling the spaced droplets to select between printing droplets for marking a substrate and nonprinting droplets that are collected and returned to the main fluid supply; D) stopping delivery of the printing fluid to the printhead upon completion of a printing procedure; E) providing a maintenance fluid supply with a maintenance fluid comprising water and at least 5 wt % low-volatile water soluble humectant having a boili

Abstract: A communications transmitter configured to reduce the average-to-minimum magnitude ratio (AMR) of a communications signal includes a symbol mapper, a pulse-shaping filter, an AMR reduction circuit, and a modulator. The symbol mapper operates to generate a sequence of symbols from a binary-source data stream containing a message to be transmitted, and the pulse-shaping filter generates a baseband signal based on the sequence of symbols. The AMR reduction circuit is configured to compare magnitudes of samples of the baseband signal to a time-varying low-magnitude threshold, and modify the baseband signal to produce a modified baseband signal having a reduced AMR if a sample of the baseband signal is determined to have a magnitude less than the time-varying low-magnitude threshold. Finally, the modulator operates to modulate a carrier signal based on the modulation information contained in the modified baseband signal.

Abstract: A continuous motion laser shock peening apparatus and method for laser shock peening a workpiece. A laser controller modulates and fires a laser beam from a laser unit. A motion controller is controllably connected to a manipulator and to the laser controller to fire the laser beam based on axis position feedback from a speed control of the motion controller. The laser controller has a standby mode for flashing a laser flash lamp at a flash rate without triggering the laser beam and a firing mode that triggers and fires the laser beam in laser beam pulses. The laser controller includes a synchronizing means for synchronizing a triggering signal provided to the laser interface controller by the computerized motion controller to fire the laser beam pulses and the flash rate substantially at a time when the laser beam pulses are to be generated.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing the average-to-minimum power ratio (AMPR) of communications signals in communications transmitters. An AMPR-reducing method includes detecting a sample of a baseband signal having a magnitude less than a predetermined low-magnitude threshold. The magnitude and/or angle of the baseband signal is modified in the temporal vicinity of the detected low-magnitude sample, to form a modified baseband signal having a reduced AMPR. The baseband signal is modified by scaling an insertion pulse by a complex pulse insertion vector and combining the resulting scaled complex insertion pulse with the baseband signal in the temporal vicinity of the detected low-magnitude sample. The pulse insertion angle may be set to any angle within a pulse insertion vector range determined by a vector defining the detected low-magnitude sample and a vector that is orthogonal to the trajectory of the baseband signal.

Abstract: An aircraft system and method with a first counterweight rotating balancing rotor mass concentration, and a second counterweight rotating balancing rotor mass concentration to balance a first aircraft propeller. The system includes an inboard electromagnetic coil driver with a first inboard electromagnetic coil, and a second inboard electromagnetic coil, the inboard electromagnetic coil driver and the first counterweight balancing rotor and the second counterweight balancing rotor centered around the aircraft propeller shaft rotating machine member. The system/method utilizes a first control system controller to control the coils and position the mass concentrations to balance the first aircraft propeller. The system/method includes a third counterweight rotating balancing rotor mass concentration, and a fourth counterweight rotating balancing rotor mass concentration to balance a second aircraft propeller which positioned and controlled by a second control system controller.

Abstract: Embodiments of a reactive shaped charge, a reactive liner, and a method for penetrating a target are generally described herein. The reactive shaped charge comprises a reactive liner having a matrix of reactive metal particles in a hydrocarbon fuel, a high explosive, and an inner barrier separating the reactive liner from the high explosive. The hydrocarbon fuel fills the interstitial spacing between the reactive metal particles, and the matrix is tightly packed or compresses to exhibit a solid like property.

Abstract: A portable machine is used to abrade the surface of a factory finished wooden floor so the abraded surface may be recoated with a fresh coat of wooden floor finish. Abrasion of the surface provides anchor sites to achieve a strong bond between the pre-existing abraded finish and the fresh coat of wooden floor finish.

Abstract: A drum with an adjustable depth is described. The drum includes a top head, a bottom head, and a shell. The shell is constructed such that the bottom head can be moved away from the top head, creating a drum with a different depth. The shell comprises an inner and outer shell. A handle can be turned, turning a drive sleeve in the interior of the drum. The drive sleeve translates the rotational motion into a vertical motion, changing the distance between the top and bottom heads. There may be an additional drive sleeve directly across from the initial drive sleeve, coupled via a drive shaft, to force the drum heads to move apart from each other in a substantially parallel manner. In a similar manner additional drive sleeves may be present to better keep the heads parallel.

Abstract: A fifth-wheel trailer having a forward section comprising an adjustable-height floor. The floor being capable of moving up to a raised position to provide sufficient clearance for a towing vehicle to attach to the trailer for towing. The floor also being capable of moving down to a lowered position to provide a trailer with an approximately even floor and a full-height ceiling throughout. The present adjustable-height floor does not interfere with the structural stability of the trailer's main frame including its pin box.

Abstract: Embodiments of a reactive shaped charge, a reactive liner, and a method for penetrating a target are generally described herein. The reactive shaped charge comprises a reactive liner having a matrix of reactive metal particles in a hydrocarbon fuel, a high explosive, and an inner barrier separating the reactive liner from the high explosive. The hydrocarbon fuel fills the interstitial spacing between the reactive metal particles, and the matrix is tightly packed or compresses to exhibit a solid like property.

Abstract: The transmission apparatus and transmission power controlling method are able to keep high speed feedback control and control transmission power accurately. Polar modulation transmitter (100) is provided with LPF (108) that performs waveform shaping of output power of PA (103) and ADC (109) that obtains output power data for each mode by sampling filtered signals in compressed mode and filtered signals in uncompressed mode at the same phase as the filtered signals in compressed mode. In this way, the phases of sampling signals before and after the mode change are the same, so that it is possible to obtain sampling signals of the same condition before and after the mode change, from filtered signal waveforms. According to feedback control based on these sampling signals, even if drift components remain in the filtered signals, the influence can be ignored, so that it is possible to keep high speed feedback control, and estimate and control transmission power accurately.

Abstract: A transmission apparatus has two modes of power amplifier operation, in which mode 1 is inherently accurate, mode 2 is inherently less accurate, and measurement of a power amplifier output from mode 1 is used to correct a power amplifier output in mode 2. Mode 1 may be a compressed mode and mode 2 may be a non-compressed mode. The apparatus may include a power controller that provides overlapping scaling factor sets for modes 1 and 2 and controls transmission power using the scaling factor sets. Upon a mode transition, the controller uses the overlapping scaling factors and changes the scaling factor set for the mode of a destination of the transition based on actual measurement representative of transmission power, for example, by carrying out power alignment loop operations. A cellular mobile device may include such transmission apparatus. A polar modulation transmitter is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and system for inspecting components, such as a rotating component of a turbomachines having one or more slots along a perimeter thereof. The method entails mounting to a robotic apparatus a probe assembly that includes a holder assembly to which a probe tip is mounted, an eddy current coil within the probe tip and adjacent a first face thereof, a touch probe contact located at a second face of the probe tip, an element for enabling relative movement between the probe tip and holder assembly, and an element for biasing the probe tip relative to the holder assembly in a direction parallel to the movement. The probe tip is then placed in a slot and caused to travel along the surface of the slot to electromagnetically inspect the slot for cracks in its surface while the first face of the probe tip is maintained in contact with a slot surface.

Abstract: Embodiments of a reactive shaped charge, a reactive liner, and a method for penetrating a target are generally described herein. The reactive shaped charge comprises a reactive liner having a matrix of reactive metal particles in a hydrocarbon fuel, a high explosive, and an inner barrier separating the reactive liner from the high explosive. The hydrocarbon fuel fills the interstitial spacing between the reactive metal particles, and the matrix is tightly packed or compresses to exhibit a solid like property.

Abstract: Embodiments of a reactive shaped charge, a reactive liner, and a method for penetrating a target are generally described herein. The reactive shaped charge comprises a reactive liner having a matrix of reactive metal particles in a hydrocarbon fuel, a high explosive, and an inner barrier separating the reactive liner from the high explosive. The hydrocarbon fuel fills the interstitial spacing between the reactive metal particles, and the matrix is tightly packed or compresses to exhibit a solid like property.