283results about How to "Competitive cost" patented technology

Disclosed is a power line broadband communication system having broadband coupler devices capable of direct electrical connection to an energized power line. The coupler includes a conductive portion movable by an adjustable member from a non-conducting retracted position spaced apart from the power transmission line to a forward conducting position in electrical contact with the power line. An insulated arm supports the coupler on the power line. A base on the coupler is engageable with a remotely activated tool in order to accomplish the electrical connection in a safe and secure manner. Broadband data signals are sent to and from customer premises along the shared energized power lines. New coupler connections to the energized power lines allow the additional broadband customers and / or repeaters to join the communication system. Also couplers may provide connections to control electronics, routers, wireless transceivers, and may allow the broadband signals to bypass transformers on the power lines. The invention helps to minimize risk by allowing an installer to be remotely spaced from the energized power line while making the electrical coupling contact with the energized power line.

Absorbable polyester fibers, braids, and surgical meshes with prolonged strength retention have been developed. These devices are preferably derived from biocompatible copolymers or homopolymers of 4-hydroxybutyrate. These devices provide a wider range of in vivo strength retention properties than are currently available, and could offer additional benefits such as anti-adhesion properties, reduced risks of infection or other post-operative problems resulting from absorption and eventual elimination of the device, and competitive cost. The devices may also be particularly suitable for use in pediatric populations where their absorption should not hinder growth, and provide in all patient populations wound healing with long-term mechanical stability. The devices may additionally be combined with autologous, allogenic and / or xenogenic tissues to provide implants with improved mechanical, biological and handling properties.

The present invention relates to a swimming pool cleaning assembly comprising at least one ultrasonic generating means (10; 46b). Advantageously the swimming pool cleaning assembly comprises a swimming pool cleaning machine including a support frame (4), a housing shell (2) provided with a bottom wall (8) and arranged around the support frame (4), driving means (3) located in said housing shell (2), advancing means (5) supported by said frame (4) and arranged to be placed, in use, on a surface to be cleaned (6, 6a) of a swimming pool (7) and driven by said driving means (3), at least one water suction opening (9) provided in the bottom surface (8) of said housing shell (2), which is designed to be put in fluid communication with water suction means, said driving means (3) being tight sealed in the housing shell (2) and electrically connectable to supply means, said ultrasonic generating means (10) being arranged at said bottom wall (8) facing, in use, said surface to be cleaned (6, 6a).

An infusion assembly, particularly for machines for preparing beverages, comprising a first shoulder and a second shoulder which face each other and are adapted to define internally a space for the movement of a piston, a dispensing assembly being arranged between the first and second shoulders, means for locking a capsule being provided, the piston being rigidly coupled to the locking means in order to move the locking means from an open position to a closed position in which the capsule is accommodated within the dispensing assembly.

Interposition and augmentation devices for tendon and ligament repair, including rotator cuff repair, have been developed as well as methods for their delivery using arthroscopic methods. The devices are preferably derived from biocompatible polyhydroxyalkanoates, and preferably from copolymers or homopolymers of 4-hydroxybutyrate. The devices may be delivered arthroscopically, and offer additional benefits such as support for the surgical repair, high initial strength, prolonged strength retention in vivo, flexibility, anti-adhesion properties, improved biocompatibility, an ability to remodel in vivo to healthy tissue, minimal risk for disease transmission or to potentiate infection, options for fixation including sufficiently high strength to prevent suture pull out or other detachment of the implanted device, eventual absorption eliminating future risk of foreign body reactions or interference with subsequent procedures, competitive cost, and long-term mechanical stability. The devices are also particularly suitable for use in pediatric populations where their eventual absorption should not hinder growth.

A method and apparatus for renewable power generation utilizes the chemical potential dissimilarity between solutions of differing ionic formulations. A train is formed by a sequentially ordered set of a plurality of cells in which each successive cell is related to the preceding cell. Each cell has pumping means and hydro-power generation turbine means to form a closed hydraulic loop configured for specified volumetric and flow capacity. Adjacent cells share semipermeable membranes. Each cell is charged with a brine of specified ionizable inorganic salt quantity and type with the brine being cycled in a controlled concentration-pressure loop, with each of the cells operating at progressively increasing concentration and osmotic pressure ratio. A continuous and constant flow rate of substantially salt-free permeate flux is maintained across each cell, the flux being osmotically induced from low salt concentration water being fed at the first cell in the train and exiting at the last cell along with the discarded high concentration water brine. The salt-free permeate flux is continuously induced, in symbiotic mode, through the shared membranes, driven by the chemical influence of concentration potential field bounded by water of low to no salt concentration on one end of the train and by brine of high salt concentration on the other end of the train with sufficient concentration difference to provide driving force for said plurality of cells, while maintaining adequate concentration difference between adjacent cells to enhance osmosis function, as well as defining a concentration ratio within each cell to ensure a net positive power generation.

A cobalt-chromium-boron-platinum sputtering target alloy having multiple phases. The alloy can include Cr, B, Ta, Nb, C, Mo, Ti, V, W, Zr, Zn, Cu, Hf, O, Si or N. The alloy is prepared by mixing Pt powder with a cobalt-chromium-boron master alloy, ball milling the powders and HIP'ing to densify the powder into the alloy.

An infusion device for infusion capsules, particularly for espresso coffee machines, comprising a filter basket holder cylinder and a piston which can move with respect to each other from a configuration for loading and unloading at least one capsule for infusions into or from the filter basket holder cylinder to a dispensing configuration and vice versa, the device comprising first elements for movement of at least one of the filter basket holder cylinder and the piston for their first relative movement from the loading and unloading configuration to an intermediate configuration that is comprised between the loading and unloading configuration and the dispensing configuration and vice versa, and second elements for moving at least one of the filter basket holder cylinder and the piston for a second relative movement thereof from the intermediate configuration to the dispensing configuration and vice versa.

The present invention relates to optimized designs of heat exchangers, and, in particular, heat exchangers and assemblies comprising multi-exchangers or combo coolers comprising different heat exchanger parts or elements, and fins or separators of different types and / or characteristics on the different tube parts of the heat exchanger results. The two part heat exchanger is capable of being traversed by different fluids, and fins differ in characteristics, such as height and pitch, to increase overall heat exchanger efficiency.

A bioreactor production system for growing commercial volumes of algae or other biomass in a uniquely configured, enclosed, biosecure, photo-type reactor vessel, having internal artificial growth light production as well as exterior solar energy capturing devices or the like designed to facilitate enhanced sunlight exposure for photosynthesis organism production. A unique electromagnetic field generation system is integrated with the bioreactor and its operation to substantially enhance growth rate and overall productivity.

The present invention relates to a block copolymer comprising at least one PA block and at least one PB block. The PA block represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer A, and the PB block represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer B. Monomer A is a vinyl, acrylic, diolefin, nitrile, dinitrile, or acrylonitrile monomer. Monomer B is a radically polymerizable plant oil monomer containing one or more triglycerides. The present invention also relates to a method of preparing a thermoplastic block copolymer by radical polymerizing a radically polymerizable monomer with a radically polymerizable plant oil monomer containing one or more triglycerides, in the presence of an initiator and a transition-metal catalyst system to form the thermoplastic block copolymer. The polymerized plant oil-based block copolymers are useful in a variety of applications, such as asphalt modifiers, rubber compositions, adhesives, tires, in the automobile industry, footwear, packaging, etc.

Fiber composite materials using thin plies with a thickness of less than 0.08 mm provide improved delamination resistance and thinner minimum gauge for laminates. Thin plies may be hybridized with conventional plies, interlaced for strength, and used with adhesives as reinforcement in bonding.

A telephone headset includes a support structure for supporting the headset hands-free on a user's head, an earpiece for transmitting sounds to a user's ear, and a boom having a first end connected to the support structure and a second end containing a microphone that can be positioned near a user's mouth. The boom has a side facing away from the user's head with a groove formed therein extending along a length of the boom. A plurality of LEDs are positioned in the groove and are spaced apart along the length of the boom. The LEDs are arranged in the groove so as to be completely shielded from the user's eyes when the headset is supported on the user's head. A control circuit with a flasher is provided for flashing the LEDs when the telephone is in-use. Variations of the light source, the control circuit, and the headset structure are disclosed.

An effective conditioner-fertilizer of low and competitive cost particularly formulated for restoring or improving the cultivation properties and productivity of saline or alkaline soils, comprising: a) a chelating substance, for example sodium tripolyphosphate; b) a pH modifying or buffering substance, for example an inorganic acid; c) a surfactant, for example polyethylenglycols; and optionally, d) a plant nutrient substance, for example humic extracts which can advantageously derived from the pecan husk. The synergistic combination of polyphosphates, pH modifying and buffering substances and surfactants in the conditioner-fertilizer formulation significantly improves its effectiveness at a competitive cost. Other ingredients may also be added, for example, sodium lignosulphonate, calcium lignosulphonate and the like for modifying the physical structure of soils. The conditioner-fertilizer can be applied directly to the soil before plantation, mixed with the irrigation water or to the leaves during plant growth.

A gas-fired cooking apparatus, comprising a cooking compartment inside which one or more burners are inserted, gas supply source being suitable to supply gas to the one or more burners, further comprising elements for regulating the flow of gas that arrives from the gas supply source arranged in series between the gas supply source and the one or more burners, a control element being adapted to detect internal and external temperature conditions of the cooking compartment in order to regulate the flow of gas through the regulator elements, to one or more burners, so as to maintain the cooking temperature constant at a value preset by the user.

A self-drilling anchor for use in a friable material comprises a body having an axis, a flanged rear end, a drilling front end and a generally cylindrical portion therebetween having an outer surface with a thread disposed thereon, wherein the body forks, beginning at a predetermined distance from the flanged rear end, into a first leg and a second leg, the first leg extending forwardly into a drilling tip and having a generally rearward facing shoulder angled obtusely outwardly with respect to the axis, wherein the body has an axial bore for receiving an elongate fastener, the axial bore extending substantially through the flanged end and the generally cylindrical portion and leading to the generally rearward facing shoulder, wherein the anchor has a drilling mode wherein the second leg nests behind the generally rearward facing shoulder of the first leg, and an anchoring mode wherein the legs are pivoted apart from one another.

The present invention relates to a thermoplastic block copolymer comprising at least one PA block and at least one PB block. The PA block represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer A, and the PB block represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer B. Monomer A is a vinyl, acrylic, diolefin, nitrile, dinitrile, acrylonitrile monomer, a monomer with reactive functionality, or a crosslinking monomer. Monomer B is a radically polymerizable triglyceride or mixtures thereof, typically in the form of a plant or animal oil. The present invention also relates to a method of preparing a thermoplastic block copolymer or novel thermoplastic statistical copolymers by polymerizing a radically polymerizable monomer with a radically polymerizable triglyceride or mixtures thereof via reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization (RAFT), in the presence of an free radical initiator and a chain transfer agent.

A power LED lamp, particularly usable in modular luminaires of the enclosure type, comprising a lamp body which is also adapted to act as a heat sink, a plurality of power LEDs adapted to be supported by a supporting element accommodated within the lamp body, a plurality of lenses arranged at each of the LEDs; the lamp further comprises a voltage stabilizing circuit and a current stabilizing circuit which are integrated within the body of the lamp, so that the lamp can be used with traditional power supplies used for halogen lamps.

A data processing system and method for use with a process control system enables a plurality of process plants associated with different business entities to share a remotely situated data processing facility. The data processing facility includes a cluster of redundant servers that are communicatively coupled via a local network. Each of the redundant servers is adapted to acquire and process data received from the plurality of process plants. The data processing facility also includes a plurality of redundant data historians that are communicatively coupled to each other and to the cluster of redundant servers for storage of process data and analysis results. Each of the plurality of process plants includes internet-enabled field devices, internet-enabled field device interfaces, and / or internet-enabled data concentration nodes that send information to and receive information from the data processing facility via the Internet.

A control system for motors, generators and other electric machines that improves machine performance by dynamically adapting to changes. These changes may be in user inputs, machine operating conditions and / or machine operating parameters. The control system can take advantage of more independent machine parameters. That gives greater freedom to optimize and allows motors and generators to perform better than bigger, heavier machines, particularly more efficiently. The control system is software-based. So standard interfaces allow the control system to be improved and updated without changing hardware. This adaptive control system improves performance in a wide variety of motor and generator applications, particularly those that need high efficiency over varying conditions.

Disclosed is a power line broadband communication system having broadband coupler devices capable of direct electrical connection to an energized power line. The coupler includes a conductive portion movable by an adjustable member from a non-conducting retracted position spaced apart from the power transmission line to a forward conducting position in electrical contact with the power line. An insulated arm supports the coupler on the power line. A base on the coupler is engageable with a remotely activated tool in order to accomplish the electrical connection in a safe and secure manner. Broadband data signals are sent to and from customer premises along the shared energized power lines. New coupler connections to the energized power lines allow the additional broadband customers and / or repeaters to join the communication system. Also couplers may provide connections to control electronics, routers, wireless transceivers, and may allow the broadband signals to bypass transformers on the power lines. The invention helps to minimize risk by allowing an installer to be remotely spaced from the energized power line while making the electrical coupling contact with the energized power line.

A swimming pool cleaning assembly that has at least one ultrasonic generator, a swimming pool cleaning machine including a support frame, a housing shell provided with a bottom wall and arranged around the support frame, a driver located in the housing shell, advancer supported by the frame and arranged to be place, in use, on a surface to be cleaned of a swimming pool and driven, at least one water suction opening provided in the bottom surface of the housing shell, which is designed to be put in fluid communication with water suction, driver being tightly sealed in the housing shell and electrically connectable to the supply, the ultrasonic generator being arranged at the bottom wall facing, in use, the surface to be cleaned.

A linearly reflecting trough concentrator that receives spectral energy, preferably visible and near-infrared solar energy spectra, and linearly reflects that energy onto a smaller area on one side of the device, thereby concentrating the energy. The linearly reflecting trough concentrator has the geometry of a single slope-relief interval in a Fresnel lens, and in preferred embodiment comprises an array of heliostatic facets connected continuously to form the base of the trough, a non-imaging focal point where a photonic receiver is located, and a relief surface to connect the heliostatic array to the receiver location. When spectral energy enters the trough at an angle normal to the array's horizontal reference, the concentrator linearly reflects energy to one side of the device where an energy receiver is mounted. The concentrator comprises an array of heliostats oriented according to the negative profile of two interleaved linear Fresnel lens, where the slope of one is the relief of the other. The concentrator reflects energy above and to each side of the device. Optionally using a reflecting projector on one side of the device, energy is then doubly concentrated to the other side. The device offers higher concentration ratios with an equivalent trough depth than prior art reflective trough concentrators. The device requires less depth and offers a lower-profile than prior art reflecting concentrators with the same degree of concentration.

Interposition and augmentation devices for tendon and ligament repair, including rotator cuff repair, have been developed as well as methods for their delivery using arthroscopic methods. The devices are preferably derived from biocompatible polyhydroxyalkanoates, and preferably from copolymers or homopolymers of 4-hydroxybutyrate. The devices may be delivered arthroscipiclly, and offer additional benefits such as support for the surgical repair, high initial strength, prolonged strength retention in vivo, flexibility, anti-adhesion properties, improved biocompatibility, an ability to remodel in vivo to healthy tissue, minimal risk for disease transmission or to potentiate infection, options for fixation including sufficiently high strength to prevent suture pull out or other detachment of the implanted device, eventual absorption eliminating future risk of foreign body reactions or interference with subsequent procedures, competitive cost, and long-term mechanical stability. The device are also particularly suitable for use in pediatric populations where their eventual absorption should not hinder growth.

A gas-fired cooking apparatus, comprising a cooking compartment inside which one or more burners are inserted, gas supply source being suitable to supply gas to the one or more burners, further comprising elements for regulating the flow of gas that arrives from the gas supply source arranged in series between the gas supply source and the one or more burners, a control element being adapted to detect internal and external temperature conditions of the cooking compartment in order to regulate the flow of gas through the regulator elements, to one or more burners, so as to maintain the cooking temperature constant at a value preset by the user.

A gravimetric dosing apparatus includes a support frame, a plurality of loading hoppers for a respective granular material to be dosed, carried by the support frame and provided with a respective discharge outlet and an opening-closing device for their respective discharge outlet. A weighing hopper includes a discharge outlet and an opening and closing device for its respective discharge outlet and arranged in cascade with respect to the loading hoppers to receive from at least two of the hoppers dosed quantities of different granular materials. A support element is articulated to the frame and designed to overhangingly support the weighing hopper. Transducing structure generates output signals proportional to the weight of the material discharged into the weighing hopper. A mixing assembly receives the dosed and weighed granular material, and a program control unit receives input signals from the transducer and program controls the opening-closing devices.

A high-efficiency, small-scale, combined heat and power, concentrating solar energy system (200), designed specifically for residential and other relatively low-power applications, rendering it cost-effective and economically viable. Two-axis tracking of a dish-like reflector (10) of between 1 and 2 meters in aperture ensures very high concentrating ratios of between 200 and 8-suns or even higher. In consequence very high coolant outlet temperatures, of 120-180° C. may be reached at the outlet of the collector coolant, which may be oil, gas, or pressurized water. The high coolant temperatures are advantageous because they may be used for air-conditioning. The high concentration is advantageous because the efficiency of the photo_voltaic cells is improved with higher concentration. The overall efficiency is greater than 60%. Additionally, a simple but accurate drive, designed as a radio-dial drive (14), with substantially zero backlash, and substantially zero drive, is provided for driving the concentrating solar energy system. Preferably, two radio-dial drives are employed and tracking is performed along two axes, of an azimuth-elevation mount, a polar mount, or a cross mount.

A method and device for obtaining a sample with three-dimensional microscopy, in particular a thick biological sample and the fluorescence field emitted by the sample. One embodiment includes obtaining interferometric signals of a specimen, obtaining fluorescence signals emanating from the specimen, recording these signals, and processing these signals so as to reconstruct three-dimensional images of the specimen and of the field of fluorescence emitted by the specimen at a given time. Another embodiment includes a digital holography microscope, a fluorescence excitation source illuminating a specimen, where the microscope and the fluorescence excitation source cooperate to obtain interferometric signals of the specimen and obtain fluorescence signals emanating from the specimen, means for recording the interferometric signals and fluorescence signals, and means for processing the interferometric signals and the fluorescence signals so as to reconstruct three-dimensional images of the specimen and of the field of fluorescence emitted by the specimen at a given time.

An insert for filter holders of coffee machines, particularly espresso coffee machines, comprising an adapter provided with means for fixing to a filter holder and a disposable tray for containing a dose of ground coffee; the tray comprising a base which has a discharge port and a side wall which, together with the base, defines the tray; the tray further comprising a protrusion on the side wall which protrudes substantially radially toward the outside of the tray.