1165results about "Artificial flowers and garlands" patented technology

The present invention teaches a solar array, and also a network of solar arrays for providing energy for industrial, residential and transportation use. A solar array of the present invention can be made to resemble a palm tree, a deciduous tree, an evergreen tree, or other type of natural foliage, and meet the aesthetic demands of landscape architecture. A network of solar arrays can extend for many miles along transportation right of ways including, but not limited to, roads, highways, railways, pipelines, or canals, and can further include means for storing and transmitting energy. A solar array can include or be coupled with a recharging station for use by electric and hybrid transportation vehicles. Moreover, an individual solar array or network of solar arrays can include means for wireless communication and transmission of energy for recharging an energy storage device and provide energy to an electric or hybrid transportation vehicle.

Low density composite particles made of a binder and filler material are provided for use in subterranean formations. The filler includes low density filler and optionally other filler. The binder includes a polymer and optionally cement. The particles may be employed as proppants useful to prop open subterranean formation fractures. The particles are also useful for gravel packing in subterranean formations, water filtration and artificial turf for sports fields. Methods of making the composite particles are also disclosed.

The present invention discloses a method including: determining whether a surface of a dielectric layer is reactive; activating the surface if the surface is not reactive; performing a cycle on the surface, the cycle including: reacting the surface with a metal; and activating the metal. The present invention also discloses a structure including: a substrate; a first interlayer dielectric located over the substrate; a first adhesion promoter layer located over the first interlayer dielectric; an etch stop layer located over the first adhesion promoter layer; a second adhesion promoter layer located over the etch stop layer; and a second interlayer dielectric located over the second adhesion promoter layer.

An orthopedic implant device and method is disclosed. Specifically, a knee mold system is disclosed, including elastic tibial and femoral molds, each of which may be configured and dimensioned as a unitary mold for in situ placement during a surgical procedure. Each mold may be manufactured from an elastic material that may be disposable. The tibial mold may further comprise a sidewall forming a cavity, markings for relative depth measurement, and depth rings for use as a guide for scoring, cutting, and / or trimming and tearing away an excess portion of the tibial mold. The femoral mold may further comprise a sidewall defining a cavity, two legs extending from a body of the femoral mold for forming the artificial condyles, and an eyelet for aiding in placement and removal of the femoral mold. The resulting prosthetic tibial and femoral components may form an articulation surface that mimics, at least in part, the natural articulation surface of the knee.

A thermal interface material is described for thermal coupling of an electronic component to a thermally conductive member. The thermal interface material includes a viscoelastic polymer matrix material, fusible solder particles in the matrix material, and filler particles in the matrix material. The solder particles have a melting temperature below a selected temperature (e.g. 157° C. for indium) and the filler particles have a melting temperature substantially above the selected temperature (e.g. 961° C. for silver). The filler particles keep the thermal interface material intact under adverse thermal and stress conditions.

A drainage system is provided for a synthetic grass turf assembly having a flexible and water permeable sheet backing for installation on a supporting soil substrate to provide a game playing surface. The draining system of the present invention prevents water from accumulating on the turf surface, which could cause the top-dressing layer to “float” and be moved by inundation. The draining system of the present invention includes a spacing grid disposed between the backing of the turf. The spacing grid is structured to permit water not only to be drained vertically through the spacing grid, but also to be drained horizontally through the spacing grid to the edges of the field. The spacing grid is made from one or more types of geotextile or plastics material with an adequate flexibility to improve the impact absorption capabilities and resilience of the synthetic grass turf assembly.

A mold assembly and method of forming a surgical implant from bone cement. The method has the steps of connecting a plurality of mold segments to approximate the size of a patient implant. Each mold segment has an open channel. The method may further include aligning the channels of connected mold segments, positioning a centralizing holder on a reinforcement member, mixing bone cement, pouring at least some bone cement through the channels and into connected mold segments, fitting the reinforcement member into the mold segments, curing the bone cement; and removing the cured surgical implant.

An elastomeric radiopaque adhesive composition which includes a biocompatible elastomeric matrix and a radiopaque material distributed therein in sufficient amounts to produce a radiopaque image. Further, a hybrid vascular prosthesis including a PTFE structure, a textile structure and a cured elastomeric bonding agent adhesively secures the PTFE to the textile. The elastomeric agent having radiopaque material impregnated therein in sufficient amounts to produce a radiopaque image.

A display tree for electrical ornaments has a support tube. A male electrical plug is connected to the support tube upper end. A female electrical socket is connected to the support tube lower end. A flange electrical contact is electrically connected to the female electrical socket. The flange electrical contact is connected to the lower flange. A shelf electrical contact is connected to the shelf bottom side. The shelf electrical contact is for detachable connection to the flange electrical contact. A shelf electrical outlet is connected to the shelf top side. The shelf electrical outlet is electrically connected to the shelf electrical contact.

A Christmas tree includes a trunk, and several lamp sets; the trunk includes several hollow rods, which are separably connected together by inserting lower ends into upper ends of adjacent rods, and each of which has a hole; each hollow rod has a first and a second connecting members respectively securely fitted in the upper and the lower ends thereof; each first connecting member having a fitting hole, and two terminals; each second connecting member has two terminals facing outwards; each hollow rod has cords therein, which are connected to the terminals in two ends thereof; the lamp sets are passed through the holes of the rods from cord parts thereof, which are connected to corresponding terminals in the rods; all of the lamp sets will be electrically connected to the cords in the rods after the rods are connected together for the terminals to be electrically connected.

A combination artificial tree-lighting arrangement including a generally elongated tree trunk. The combination also includes a plurality of connecting components mountable on the tree trunk and a plurality of display components mountable on the connecting components. Each display component has tree limbs and lighting cables extending therefrom. The lighting cables are provided with decorative lights. An electrical circuitry connectable to an electrical power source is attachable to the connecting components. The electrical circuitry includes a connecting component-to-light coupling arrangement for electrically coupling the connecting components to the decorative lights. The connecting component-to-light coupling arrangement allows the display components to rotate relative to the connecting components about a rotation axis substantially parallel to the trunk longitudinal axis while maintaining the electrical coupling between the connecting components and the decorative lights.

Anatomical models are provided with simulated plaque, lesion, chronic total occlusion, as well as other vascular diseases that more accurately replicate these abnormalities. In such embodiment, the vascular disease may be formed separate from the structured anatomical model. The formed vascular disease material may then be bonded to or within a PVA material in a separate process from forming this simulated vascular disease, thus providing a replicated specific anatomy structure with an abnormality for demonstrating, testing, and / or developing medical functions and / or devices.

Disclosed is a combinative decorative light equipment wherein a plurality of lighting elements are mutually connected into several individual lamp groups by wires in series or series-parallel manner, so as to be hung on a structural framework. The upper connectors of said lamp groups are installed on the connecting device of different structural frameworks, and which are connected into a decoration framework, so that the lamp groups on different structural frameworks are mutually connected to form larger lamp groups and assembled into a pre-designed decoration body.

A stretchable and shrinkable tree light string including a long trunk with many short pipes. The short pipes have one or many connecting rings. A base frame has a central axis to support the long trunk to stand up straight. Multiple branches connect at one end with a pin to the connecting ring on the short pipe. These branches use the connecting ring as a base pivot point. The branches being centered on the long trunk to be able to stretch out to form a tree shape, and also to be able to fold up to reduce the volume. Single or many sets of light strings, composed of many lamp bulbs, lamp holders, electrical conductors and receptacles, are to be fixed on the branches to establish tree light strings.

The present invention relates to a kind of decorative light strings with combination tree, including a long trunk to be composed of many short pipes, the height of tree lamp can be adjustable by the number of the short pipe; base frame is to use a support surface to erect the base frame and has a center axis to support long trunk to stand up right straight; multiple branches connect with the long trunk; single or multiple set of light strings, composed of many lamp bulbs, lamp holders, electrical conductors and receptacles, to be fixed on the branches to establish tree light strings.

An artificial Christmas tree includes a central trunk broken into at least two separate portions including a fixed trunk portion and at least one rotating trunk portion. The fixed trunk extends up from an underlying base. Rotating trunks rotatably attach at midpoints thereof at least indirectly to an upper end of the fixed trunk. Limbs are pivotably attached to the rotating trunks with optional lights coupled thereto. These limbs pivot between a perpendicular orientation extending from the rotating trunks and a collapsed configuration closer to a centerline of the rotating trunks. The rotating trunks can be pivoted from a first collapsed configuration with a first end above a second end to a deployed configuration with the second end above the first end. During such pivoting, the limbs attached to the rotating trunk transition between a collapsed to a deployed configuration automatically. A wheeled base and cover further facilitate storage and deployment.

Various structures, such as microstructures and wall-like structures, can include parts or surfaces that are oblique. In some implementations, a cantilevered element includes a spring-like portion with a uniformly oblique surface or with another artifact of an oblique radiation technique. In some implementations, when a deflecting force is applied, a spring-like portion can provide deflection and spring force within required ranges. Various oblique radiation techniques can be used, such as radiation of a layer through a prism, and structures having spring-like portions with oblique radiation artifacts can be used in various applications, such as with downward or upward deflecting forces.

Near infrared suppressive layers are described having an average reflectance between 9% and 70% in the wavelength range from about 400 nm to 700 nm, and an average reflectance of less than or equal to 70% in the wavelength range from about 720 nm to 1100 nm. Additionally, articles made from such near infrared layers are described, wherein the articles provide desirable reduced nIR reflection without substantially altering the visual shade of the overall article.

The tufted surface covering includes a base formed from particles of a thermosetting polymer compound mixed with a particle binding agent causing a portion of the particles to bind together to form a self supporting web. The base is tufted with a tufting material. Thermosetting vulcanized natural and / or synthetic rubber compounds are employed. The polymer layer is tufted with a tufting material and heated to a temperature of from about 110° C. to about 220° C. at an elevated pressure of up to two tons per square inch, to cause the particles to bind together at elevated temperature and pressure to anchor and seal the tufts in place. Cross-linking agents and polar polymer containing compounds may be employed as particle binding agents. In another aspect of the invention, a second layer of particles of a thermosetting polymer mixed with a particle binding agent may be joined together with the particles of the first layer at elevated temperature and pressure. A series of spaced apertures extends through the first and second layers to enable free draining of the surface covering. The lower surface of the covering includes spaced indentations to reduce the weight of the covering.

A multi-layered sports playing field including a top layer made of substantially artificial material simulating a natural playing surface such as grass and a padding layer positioned between the top layer and the base or dirt layer. The padding layer is made of a plurality of discrete beads of substantially elastic, resilient material (e.g., foam) with portions of adjacent beads abutting one another and other portions being spaced from each other. Substantially all of the adjacent beads are preferably integrally joined (e.g., glued, fused) together at their abutting portions. The padding layer is very porous and breathable and preferably includes feet members supporting the main body of the padding layer above the base or dirt layer to create a water channel of interconnected portions to enhance water drainage to the sides of the field.

The present invention describes a synthetic turf having super absorbent materials in order to keep the synthetic turf cooler than conventional synthetic turfs. The present invention also provides for synthetic turf infill cooling particles comprising a layer of water-absorbing material coating a foundation comprising a core substrate. In one embodiment, the cooling particle is comprised of a core particle or substrate, which is coated with a water-absorbing material. In one embodiment, the water-absorbing material is a super absorbent polymer.

A power transfer system to facilitate the transfer of electrical power between tree trunk sections of an artificial tree is disclosed. The power transfer system can advantageously enable neighboring tree trunk sections to be electrically connected without the need to rotationally align the tree trunk sections. Power distribution subsystems can be disposed within the trunk sections. The power distribution subsystems can comprise a male end, a female end, or both. The male ends can have prongs and the female ends can have voids. The prongs can be inserted into the voids to electrically connect the power distribution subsystems of neighboring tree trunk sections. In some embodiments, the prongs and voids are designed so that the prongs of one power distribution subsystem can engage the voids of another power distribution subsystem without the need to rotationally align the tree trunk sections.

An artificial Christmas tree includes a central trunk broken into at least two separate portions including a fixed trunk portion and at least one rotating trunk portion. The fixed trunk extends up from an underlying base. Rotating trunks rotatably attach at midpoints thereof at least indirectly to an upper end of the fixed trunk. Limbs are pivotably attached to the rotating trunks with optional lights coupled thereto. These limbs pivot between a perpendicular orientation extending from the rotating trunks and a collapsed configuration closer to a centerline of the rotating trunks. The rotating trunks can be pivoted from a first collapsed configuration with a first end above a second end to a deployed configuration with the second end above the first end. During such pivoting, the limbs attached to the rotating trunk transition between a collapsed to a deployed configuration automatically. A wheeled base and cover further facilitate storage and deployment.

Porous ceramic catalyst supports or filters to be provided with catalyst coatings via oxide washcoating processes are pre-coated with polymer barrier layers to prevent washcoat nanoparticle intrusion into the microcracked and / or microporous surfaces of the ceramics, the barrier coatings being formed of hydrocarbon polymers that are soluble or dispersible in polar media, capable of forming neutral or hydrophilic surfaces on porous ceramic supports, and completely vaporizable at moderate washcoat stabilization or catalyst activation temperatures.

An artificial turf that includes a first face yarn, a second face yarn, and a stitch-in yarn. The second face yarn is textured in some embodiments, for at least the reason of creating a zone such as a textured zone. A knot is formed by knitting the first face yarn, the second face yarn, and the stitch-in yarn together. A row of knots is also formed in this manner. A backing is formed when a lay-in yarn is extended between at least two rows of the knots and knitted to hold the at least two rows of knots together. A coating is coupled to the backing to prevent, among other things, detachment of the yarns after extended use of the artificial turf. An underlayment is positioned beneath the backing such that a stable base is provided for the artificial turf.

A decoration assembly is provided. The decoration assembly includes a tree and a support member coupled to the tree. The support member includes an interior surface and an opposite exterior surface. The interior surface defines a cavity within the support member. The support member further includes an electrical distribution system positioned within a portion of the cavity. The decoration assembly further includes a secondary support member including at least three legs. The secondary support member substantially circumscribes the support member. A method of assembly is also provided.

The invention is directed to carbon nanostructure composite systems which may be useful for various applications, including as dry adhesives, electronics and display technologies, or in a wide variety of other areas where organized nanostructures may be formed and integrated into a flexible substrate. The present invention provides systems and methods wherein organized nanotube structures or other nanostructures are embedded within polymers or other flexible materials to provide a flexible skin-like material, with the properties and characteristics of the nanotubes or other nanostructures exploited for use in various applications. In one aspect, the invention is directed to a carbon nanotube / polymer composite material having a plurality of carbon nanotubes formed into a predetermined architecture, with each of the plurality of nanotubes having a desired width and length. The architecture of the plurality of nanotubes defines at least one orientation for a plurality of nanotubes, and also defines the approximate spacing between nanotubes and / or groups of nanotubes. The carbon nanotube architecture is at least partially embedded with a polymer matrix in a manner that the architecture is stabilized in the predetermined architecture. The polymer matrix may also be formed to have a desired predetermined thickness.