Abstract: An adapter for a slow cooker having one or more basins for food items and a perimeter configured to fit an upper rim of the slow cooker and also receive the cover of the slow cooker such that the original closure seal of the cover to the slow cooker is maintained. Another embodiment comprises at least first and second identically shaped trays configured to nest in side-by-side fashion when supported within the slow cooker.

Abstract: A marinade container has a base element having an inner surface provided with a plurality of tines which are configured for puncturing holes in a surface of a piece of food product, the base element also having an outer surface, and a lid element having an inner surface provided with a plurality of tines which are configured for puncturing holes in a piece of food product, the lid element and the base element being connectable with one another so as to define an inner space in which a piece of food product can be accommodated and the tines on the inner surface of the base element and on the inner surface of the lid element being configured so that when the piece of food product is accommodated in the inner space the tines of the base element puncture holes in one surface of the piece of food product and the tines of the inner surface of the lid element simultaneously puncture holes in an opposite surface of the piece of food product for increasing a diffusion of marinade into the food product and for thereby

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an electric press device which enables fixed-point working requiring accurate position control with a high accuracy for a long time by changing a structure in a publicly known document in which a differential key is moved in a straight state to a structure of circumferential movement. In an electric press device for performing fixed-point working on a work piece by vertically moving a slide plate (5) by a first motor (8), a cylindrical nut elevating sleeve (15) having a helically advancing sliding groove (21) on the outer circumferential face, a nut elevating plate (17) having a guide engagement portion (22) fitted in the sliding groove to move slidingly and a second motor (41) for rotationally moving the nut elevating plate (17) are provided as a differential mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sequentially stenciling an image on each of a plurality of pallets uses a conveyor for transporting a first pallet along a frame to a stop location at a stenciling station. Once the first pallet is duly held at the stop location, at least one stencil image is indexed adjacent to a side-face of the pallet and sprayed through for marking the image at substantially the same region on each pallet. After the first pallet is stenciled, it exits the stenciling station, and a second pallet is transported therein and the stenciling repeated. Further, after spraying through the same stencil image for one or more stenciling passes, a clean stencil pattern is rotated in place while the prior used pattern is cleaned for reuse. The apparatus and method can also include a painting station for painting the lateral, front and rear side-faces of the pallet with an undercoat before stenciling.

Abstract: This invention relates to a combination silk screen and heat press apparatus, which is configured such that silk screening and heat pressing operations may be performed on an article, such as a garment, using the same apparatus without the need to remove or reposition the article.

Abstract: This invention relates to a manually operated silk screen device that allows multi-colored graphics to be produced whose color is consistent and properly aligned on articles such as garments. The consistency in color is achieved by controlling the pressure and angle of the silk screen squeegee by a pneumatic or hydraulic mechanism. Screen frames are securely mounted and aligned within the device by a pin registration system.

Abstract: One embodiment of this invention discloses a silk screening device which includes an integrated quartz flash unit. The invention improves upon prior art systems and relates to a system whereby both a silk screen squeegee unit and a quartz flash unit are slidably mounted on a common set of rails, in order to allow each to be easily placed and removed from the silk screening platform.

Abstract: An apparatus for printing PCBs includes both solder mask ink and notation ink printing subsystems within the same unit. Notation ink and solder mask ink may be applied by a single apparatus or by separate apparatuses, such as an ink jet printer, and may be dried by a single drying mechanism or by separate drying mechanisms. The apparatus may also be equipped with a flipping station to allow dual-sided printing and/or a curing station to complete the PCB printing process.

Abstract: Components of a kit for creating an artistic work on a lawn include: a container of aerosol paint; a plurality of stakes for anchoring a lawn stencil to a lawn; and a sheet of flexible material in which is defined one or more openings used to apply one or more design elements of the artistic work to the lawn by spraying the aerosol paint through the one or more openings in the lawn stencil when the lawn stencil is anchored to the lawn with the stakes. The components are held in a container having a relatively small form factor that readily accommodates point-of-sale display and purchase at retail stores by consumers.

Abstract: The sheet-fed or web-fed printing machine comprises a main unit (1), at least one mobile carriage (2) adapted to be coupled to the main unit for cooperation therewith during printing operations and to be moved away from the main unit during maintenance operations, a control unit for controlling displacement of said mobile carriage toward and away from said main unit, and an access zone (9, 9?) surrounding at least partly the mobile carriage for allowing a human operator to get access to the main unit and mobile carriage, which access zone lies outside of the displacement path (10) of the mobile carriage. The printing machine further comprises detection means (11) for monitoring the access zone and detecting presence of a human operator within the access zone.

Abstract: An inking unit in a printing machine having an ink dispensing system comprising an inking roller and a form cylinder carrying at least one printing form. The inking roller transfers printing ink arriving thereon to at least one printing form positioned on the form cylinder. The printing ink is transferable from a respective printing form to print sheets moved between the form cylinder and an impression cylinder. The inking roller is also adjustable relative to the form cylinder. An engagement and/or disengagement of the inking roller relative to the form cylinder and/or an engagement and/or disengagement of a print blanket cylinder or form cylinder relative to the impression cylinder is performable such that print sheets become can be imprinted with a residual ink image by residual ink remaining on the plate cylinder or print blanket cylinder in a printing ON setting with the ink supply disengaged.

Abstract: A rubber sleeve for a printing press and a method for producing a rubber sleeve is disclosed. The rubber sleeve has a rigid support sleeve and a blanket that is wrapped around the support sleeve as well as is firmly connected to the support sleeve. The blanket has at least a two-layer structure with an inner layer embodied as a base layer and an outer layer serving as a functional layer for the printing process, where the butting edges of the blanket are connected to one another via a sealing material, which is introduced in a gap embodied between the butting edges. The sealing material is introduced in the gap embodied between the butting edges while forming a channel.

Abstract: A transfer drum for conveying a sheet in a printing press improves the accuracy of a sheet transfer. The transfer drum includes a drum body which is supported for rotation in a frame and a gripper system on the drum body for holding an edge of the sheet. The gripper system is formed of a row of spaced-apart gripper fingers jointly pivotable about an axis which is parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum body. A device for actuating the gripper fingers during a revolution of the drum body includes an actuating element which is displaceable in the direction of the axis and on which at least two drive elements of cam joints are formed. Each of the drive elements is in operative connection with a group of the gripper fingers.

Abstract: An apparatus for efficiently cleaning a platen roller of a printer. A cleaning unit is attached to a main unit in place of a removal unit for an intermediate transfer sheet. A cam is turned by means of turning an arm UP/DOWN lever, and the arm is turned from an UP position to a DOWN position by means of the cam, to thus bring a cleaning pad on a leading end of the arm into contact with a platen roller and perform cleaning operation. When an operation mode is set to a cleaning mode and when attachment of the cleaning unit UC is detected, the platen roller is rotated, thereby allowing cleaning operation.

Abstract: In a lithographic printing plate and method of manufacture, an interleaf is permanently integrated to the bottom surface of the plate substrate. A thin, flexible, water and solvent insoluble film is adhered to and covers the bottom surface of the coated and cured sheet before the sheet is cut into plates. The interleaf has a lesser thickness than the thickness of the substrate. A preferred method comprises the steps of selecting a wound coil of aluminum sheet, unwinding the coil and advancing the sheet through a coating station at which a liquid coating of radiation imageable material is applied to the top surface of the sheet, curing the material to form a cured coating adhered to the top surface of the sheet, laminating a polymeric film to the bottom surface of the sheet, and advancing the laminated sheet to a cutting device where individual plates are cut from the sheet.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor includes a support having a hydrophilic surface or which is provided with a hydrophilic layer and a coating provided thereon, the coating including an image-recording layer which includes hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles wherein the hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles include a polyester and have an average particle diameter from 18 nm to 50 nm.

Abstract: A web-fed printing press is disclosed. The press includes at least one printing-plate-based printing unit for statically printing a printing substrate web with a static printing image and at least one processing device, in particular a printing-plate-less printing device for dynamically printing at least one printing substrate web surface of a printing substrate web with a variable printed image in-line. The processing device is assigned a sensor, which automatically measures a statically printed printing substrate web and, depending upon the measurement of the printing substrate web, triggers the processing device to position the processing to be performed with the processing device in the transport direction and/or transverse to the transport direction of the printing substrate web at the desired position on the printing substrate web. The processing device is assigned an operating device to make control commands available to the processing device independent of a printing press control system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to decoys for heat-seeking missiles and methods of producing and using the same. The decoys are designed to be kinematic or pseudo-kinematic, producing one or more infra-red radiation emitting clouds that give the appearance of a moving infra-red target in the airspace in which the decoy has been released.

Abstract: A high-pressure fixed munition for a low-pressure launching system having a cylindrical body with a centrally located bore is provided. The bore of the munition has a reduced diameter on the charge end in which a primer charge is positioned. The bore is filled above the primer charge with a propellant and above the propellant with a payload. The payload may include multiple buckshot pellets, frangible buckshot pellets, tear gas, multiple slugs, frangible slugs, paint balls, rubber pellets, bean bags, or the like. The munition may also include a pressure disk between the propellant and the payload, and tactile ridges or on the outside surface of the munition body or be of a specific color for purposes of identification of the payload.

Abstract: A rail threading mechanism for a rail handling vehicle includes a thread box mounted on the outer end of a manipulating arm. The thread box includes a platform and a pair of jaws pivotally connected to the platform and moveable between open and closed positions. The platform includes a support roller for rollingly engaging the flat bottom of a rail. Each jaw include a plurality of jaw rollers positioned for rollingly engaging a rail positioned on the support roller when the respective jaw is in the closed position. The jaw rollers on each jaw preferably include a pair of base rollers positioned for engaging an edge of the base of the rail, a pair of flange top rollers positioned for engaging a top surface of the top flange of the rail, and a flange side roller positioned for engaging an edge surface of the top flange of the rail.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a transport interchange system includes a roadway that intersects a guideway system such that the roadway is discontinuous across the guideway system. A guideway vehicle is provided that transports an intermodal container over the guideway system. The guideway vehicle is operable to rotate the intermodal container from a first position in which the intermodal container is parallel to the roadway to a second position in which the intermodal container is parallel to the guideway vehicle.

Abstract: A roller coaster maintenance vehicle includes a platform with a set of wheels arranged to ride on a roller coaster track structure. The platform includes a propulsion system which allows it to traverse the track structure independent of the roller coaster propulsion system. In one embodiment, a person rides on the vehicle and controls its movement. In another embodiment the vehicle is remotely controlled. Remotely controlled vehicles preferably include one or more inspection apparatus for inspecting the track structure. Optionally, the remotely controlled vehicles also include remotely controlled repair/maintenance equipment such as a robotic arm with a power tool coupled to its free end.

Abstract: A device for children of the present invention includes a travel path supported by a post and a plurality of sections occupied by the children movable relative the travel path in at least one direction. The travel path is movable between at least two planes relative the post. The device may include an actuator cooperable with the travel path to move the travel path between the two planes.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pair of guideway engagement members having a controller circuit is configured on a transport vehicle that travels over an elongated guideway. The pair of guideway engagement members have a corresponding pair of bearing members that are each disposed on opposing sides of the guideway. The controller circuit receives a measurement indicative of dynamic movement of the transport vehicle from one or more sensors, and adjusts the stiffness of the pair of guideway engagement members according to the measurements received from the sensors.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a guideway vehicle has a first end, a second end, a support surface, and a cowling coupled to its first end or second end. The support surface is configured to support an intermodal container for transport along a guideway system. The cowling has an outer surface that slopes upwardly from the first end to a cowling edge such that the intermodal container may be placed proximate the cowling edge during transport of guideway vehicle on the guideway system.

Abstract: A system is provided for dynamically affecting a force applied through at least one axle of a rail vehicle configured to travel along a rail track. The rail vehicle includes a plurality of axles and a plurality of wheels received by the plurality of axles. The system includes a device configured to selectively impart the force through the at least one axle to control a respective weight of the at least one axle on the rail track for affecting a traction performance of the rail vehicle traveling along the rail track.

Abstract: A system is provided for dynamically affecting a force applied through at least one axle in a rail vehicle configured to travel along a rail track. The rail vehicle includes a plurality of wheels, where the wheels are received by a plurality of axles. The plurality of wheels are configured to move along a respective rail of the rail track in a travel direction. The system includes a device configured to dynamically affect the force applied through the at least one axle. As the rail vehicle travels along the rail track, at least one characteristic of the force is selected to affect the traction performance of the rail vehicle.

Abstract: A system is provided for coupling two or more axles of a plurality of axles on a rail vehicle. The rail vehicle includes a plurality of wheels and a rail track, where the plurality of wheels is received by the plurality of axles. The system includes a coupling device which is configured to couple the two or more axles to dynamically affect a force applied through the two or more axles. One or more characteristics of the force are selected to affect a traction performance of the rail vehicle as the rail vehicle travels along the rail track.

Abstract: A kit is provided for reconfiguring a rail vehicle from a first tractive effort configuration to a second tractive effort configuration. The rail vehicle travels along a rail track, and includes a plurality of axles with a plurality of wheels in contact with the rail track. The first tractive effort configuration of the rail vehicle includes a fixed respective weight of the plurality of axles on the rail track prior to the rail vehicle traveling along the rail track. The kit includes a device respectively coupled to at least one axle in the second tractive effort configuration. Upon operatively coupling the device to the respective axle, the device selectively imparts a force through the at least one axle to dynamically vary the respective weight of the at least one axle on the rail track to affect a traction performance of the rail vehicle in the second tractive effort configuration.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electroless copper plating solution that includes an anhydrous copper salt component, an anhydrous cobalt salt component, a non-aqueous complexing agent, and a non-aqueous solvent is provided.

Abstract: It is an object to provide an ink that forms an image which is superior in color developability, has high environmental gas resistance, and further has superior bronze resistance. The ink comprising at least a coloring material is wherein the coloring material comprises a compound represented by a following general formula (I) or a salt thereof; the coloring material comprises a compound represented by a following general formula (I) or a salt thereof; and the maximum absorption wavelengths obtained by measuring an absorbance of a liquid prepared by diluting 2,000 times the ink with 90 mass % of N,N-dimethylformamide aqueous solution are respectively in a range of 580 nm or more and 640 nm or less and in a range of 650 nm or more and 700 nm or less; and a ratio B/A of 0.75 or more and 0.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a modified colored pigment comprising a colored pigment having an attached organic group. The organic group is attached to the colored pigment via at least one carbon atom of a C—C single bond or double bond, wherein the C—C single bond or double bond is not a component of an aromatic system. The organic group further comprises at least one activating group on at least one carbon atom of the C—C single bond or double bond. A method of preparing a modified colored pigment is also disclosed, as are aqueous and non-aqueous dispersions, e.g., including ink jet inks, comprising the modified colored pigments.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a pigmented ink comprising the steps of: a) preparing a pigment dispersion in a dispersing installation; b) charging the dispersing installation with a washing liquid; c) discharging the washing liquid from the dispersing installation; and d) adding the discharged washing liquid to the pigment dispersion.

Abstract: The invention relates to an aqueous pigment preparation comprising (A) at least one organic and/or inorganic pigment, (B) dispersants and/or surfactants, (C) a trihydric or higher polyhydric alkoxylated alcohol, (D) a polyglycol alkyl ether, (E) if desired, hydrotropic oligomers and/or polymers, (F) if desired, fats, oils or fatty acids, (G) if desired, further additives typical in the preparation of aqueous pigment dispersions, and (H) water.

Abstract: The invention discloses a method for reducing curling, warping, or both in poured concrete. The method includes substituting a lightweight fine aggregate for at least a portion of the natural fine aggregate in a concrete mixture, mixing the components, pouring the mixture, and curing the poured concrete. The invention also discloses a concrete component, formed by the method, for use in building a parking structure.

Abstract: A configurable table (100) includes a first table portion (102) and a second table portion (104). The first table portion includes a first upper region (106) and a first plurality of leg members disposed perpendicular to the first upper region. The second table portion includes a second upper region (108) and a second plurality of leg members disposed perpendicular to the second upper region. At least one leg member from each of the first and second pluralities of leg members are matched to each other. One of each two matched leg members includes a channeled portion along the length of the leg member. The other matched leg member includes a mating portion such that the channeled portion and the mating portion mate with each other. A method of configuring a table into two separate tables, and vice versa, is provided.

Abstract: The present invention involves a plastic pallet system for the support, storage, and transportation of articles, and a method for manufacturing the same.

Abstract: An ultralight unit load device comprising a ruggedized quadrangular composite structure with a cellular load-bearing core sealed in successive ordered-polymer stiffening plies and trimmed at the outer edges with a hollow, multi-chambered profile of lightweight material fixed with flush attachment means so as to present a flat surface for easy loading and unloading of payloads.

Abstract: A device for temporary hemming/cuffing children's pants legs is disclosed. One embodiment of the present invention is a device having an outer body portion and an inner tongue portion connected by a hinge. The hinge creates an offset distance between the outer body and the inner tongue, and is biased to angle the inner tongue through the outer body. The inner tongue may be deflected from its neutral position to form a recess to accommodate material, such as a cuff made by turning the bottom edge of a pants leg over the pants leg. Another embodiment of the present invention is a clip having a pair of arms extending from a tongue portion. The arms are adapted to engage the bottom of a turned up edge of the pants leg thereby preventing the clip from sliding down the cuff.

Abstract: Current methods for station keeping an object in the ocean or body of water involve mooring assemblies or active and complex navigation and differential thrust or thrust and rudder assemblies. The embodiments herein provide a method and device for compensating for the force of water or ocean currents through the use of a hydrofoil assembly to orient a device in the water current direction, through the use of any number of devices for sensing water current force, and through the use of a motor assembly to produce sufficient thrust to compensate for water current drift. An alternate embodiment allows the method to be employed without sensing the force of the water current. The method does not require directional thrust or active rudder assemblies, is highly portable, utilizes minimal power, is light weight, is scalable, and can be operated in any body of water.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of operating an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) may include receiving an AUV in a receptacle of a submersible station. The AUV and the submersible station may be launched to an underwater location. The AUV may engage with the submersible station before, after or during a mission, and may return to the same or a different submersible station after part, or all, of the mission has been completed.

Abstract: A flag having a first panel having an outer surface and an inner surface, the first panel bearing a first indicia visible from the outer surface when the flag is turned outside-out, and from the inner surface when the flag is turned inside-out; and, a second panel having an outer surface and an inner surface, the second panel bearing a second indicia visible both from the outer surface when the flag is turned outside-out, and from the inner surface when the flag is turned inside-out; the first and second panels each having a perimeter, the perimeters of the first and second panels substantially secured to one another to form a pouch having a single opening to accommodate turning the flag inside-out.

Abstract: A device and method for temporarily plugging and visually identifying the condition of tubes.

Abstract: A seed crystal 9 is immersed in a melt 10 containing a flux and a single crystal material in a growth vessel 7 to produce a nitride single crystal 8 on the seed crystal 9. A difference (TS?TB) of temperatures at a gas-liquid interface of the melt (TS) and at the lowermost part of the melt (TB) is set to 1° C. or larger and 8° C. or lower. Preferably, the substrate of seed crystal is vertically placed.

Abstract: A thermal evaporation source includes: a crucible configured to contain a volume of evaporant and a vapor space above the evaporant; a manifold body having within it a hollow expansion chamber that is flowably connected to the vapor space via one or more restriction orifices; one or more effusion nozzles flowably connected to the expansion chamber and exiting an outer surface of the thermal evaporation source, the nozzle(s) oriented to direct an evaporant vapor flow out of the source vertically downward, in one or more horizontal directions, or in one or more directions intermediate between horizontal and vertically downward; and a heater capable of heating some or all of the thermal evaporation source to a temperature sufficient to produce the one or more evaporant vapor flows when a vacuum is applied to the thermal evaporation source.

Abstract: A laser cladding device for applying a coating to a part comprising a laser which can generate laser light, which is adapted to heat the coating and the part, a main body defining a laser light channel adapted to transmit the laser light to the part, a coating channel adapted to transmit the coating to the part, and a vacuum channel and a nozzle having an exit. The nozzle comprises a delivery port at one end of the laser light channel, a coating port at one end of the coating channel, and a vacuum port at one end of the vacuum channel, wherein the vacuum port is positioned generally adjacent the delivery port In operation the vacuum port draws a vacuum, pulling the coating towards the part.

Abstract: In a transport device for elongated substrates, especially in hot processes, which includes an essentially rectangular frame, formed by longitudinal and transverse spars connected to each other, in which at least three transverse spars are provided between two longitudinal spars, at least one transverse spar is made from a material, whose heat expansion coefficient differs from the heat expansion coefficient of the material of the other transverse spars or/and at least one transverse spar is connected force-free to at least one transverse support or/and at least one transverse spar is formed from an open profile.

Abstract: High resolution patterns provided on a surface of a semiconductor substrate and methods of direct printing of such high resolution patterns are disclosed. The high resolution patterns may have dimensions less than 0.1 micron and are formed by a direct writing method employing a supercritical fluid comprising nanometer-sized particles, which may be optionally electrically charged.

Abstract: A plasma treatment apparatus has a reaction vessel (11) provided with a top electrode (13) and a bottom electrode (14), and the first electrode is supplied with a VHF band high frequency power from a VHF band high frequency power source (32), while the bottom electrode on which a substrate (12) is loaded and is moved by a vertical movement mechanism. The plasma treatment system has a controller (36) which, at the time of a cleaning process after forming a film on the substrate (12), controls a vertical movement mechanism to move the bottom electrode to narrow the gap between the top electrode and bottom electrode and form a narrow space and starts cleaning by a predetermined high density plasma in that narrow space. In the cleaning process, step cleaning is performed. Due to this, the efficiency of utilization of the cleaning gas is increased, the amount of exhaust gas is cut, and the cleaning speed is raised. Further, the amount of the process gas used is cut and the process cost is reduced.

Abstract: A temperature controlled showerhead for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chambers enhances heat dissipation to enable accurate temperature control with an electric heater. Heat dissipates by conduction through a showerhead stem and fluid passageway and radiation from a back plate. A temperature control system includes one or more temperature controlled showerheads in a CVD chamber with fluid passageways serially connected to a heat exchanger.