A gasket for use around a thread neck of an automotive component, the gasket dimensioned to prevent the gasket from falling off of the thread neck and to prevent a male screw portion from biting into the gasket.

Apparatus and methods for temporarily sealing a pipe including apparatus and methods for creating a temporary airtight seal at the open end of a pipe in a plumbing or refrigeration system. One such apparatus includes a body, grommet, washer, and a nut. Multiple airtight seals are created including a first primary seal between an exterior of the pipe and the grommet and a secondary seal between the open end of the pipe and the washer. The grommet does not require teeth and the apparatus does not require adhesive, sealant, or any other type of similar materials. Use of the apparatus and methods greatly minimizes and/or eliminates the potential for marring or otherwise distorting the open end of the pipe, thereby facilitating reuse of same.

A rolling bearing which can be large-sized, has corrosion resistance, and is allowed to prevent mounting accuracy from deteriorating, a fixing force from decreasing, vibration from occurring at a portion of the rolling bearing to be fixed to a bearing box or the like, and can be used for a long term even in a highly corrosive environment. A rolling bearing (1) has an inner ring (2), an outer ring (3), and rolling elements (4) as bearing members thereof. Of regions of the bearing members which are exposed to a corrosive environment, a film having a sacrificial anode action for a base material of the bearing members is formed in a region including at least a surface (c, d) of the rolling bearing (1) to be fixed. The film formed on the surface (c, d) thereof to be fixed is porous.

There is provided a stator seal structure in a uniaxial eccentric screw pump by which the abrasion resistance of sealing mechanisms is improved and the pumped fluid can be prevented from stagnating in the sealing mechanisms. The stator seal structure is provided with a pair of sealing mechanisms for sealing between a housing and an intake side end portion, and between the housing and a discharge side end portion of the stator. The pair of sealing mechanisms is provided with ring-shaped secured rings respectively secured to the housing. The secured rings are respectively attached with elastic bodies for ensuring contact pressures between the sliding seal surface of the stator and the sliding seal surface of the secured rings with the elastic forces of the elastic bodies and for sealing between the secured rings and the housing.

An actuatable wellbore isolation assembly comprising a housing generally defining an axial flowbore and comprising a mandrel portion, a first end portion, and a second end portion, a radially expandable isolating member positioned circumferentially about a portion of the housing, a sliding sleeve circumferentially positioned about a portion of the mandrel of the cylindrical housing, the sliding sleeve being movable from, a first position in which the sliding sleeve retains the expandable isolating member in a narrower non-expanded conformation to a second position in which the sliding sleeve does not retain the expandable isolating member in the narrower non-expanded conformation, and an actuator assemblage configured to selectively allow movement of the sliding sleeve from the first position to the second position.

A packer unit for an annular blowout preventer including an annular elastomer body including an elastomer having a unidirectional grain and a quantity of fiber longitudinally aligned with the grain of the elastomer. A method of forming a packing unit for a blowout preventer including forming a fiber reinforced elastomer by aligning fibers with a grain of an elastomer; cutting a portion from the fiber reinforced elastomer in the direction of the grain; loading the cut portion in a packing unit mold such that the grain of the fiber reinforced elastomer of the cut portion is parallel to a packing unit axis; and heating the loaded packing unit mold.

In sealing rings for a labyrinth seal that are arranged on a rotationally symmetrical component and in frictional contact with a stationary run-in layer, a part of the sealing ring (8) that contacts the run-in layer is in the form of a wear protection ring segment (15) that is built up on a truncated sealing ring (14) and which includes a metal matrix (16) with wear protection particles (13) embedded therein. The manufacture of the wear protection ring segment is carried out by laser build-up welding, wherein the proportion of wear protection particles contained in the metal powder flow supplied to the laser beam can be controlled and increased in an edge or tip region of the sealing ring.

A packing seal for a reciprocating pump of the type typically used in connection with oil and gas drilling operations is described. Generally, the seal includes a rigid L shaped cartridge that carries an outer wiper and an O-ring on an exterior wall and a recessed seal body on an interior wall. The recessed seal body is of dual durometer, and its lower portion is constantly urged against the cylinder wall in self-sealing fashion. The seals, cartridge and wiper may be formed from rigid and/or non-rigid materials having low coefficients of friction and physical properties comprising low abrasion and wear resistance. The seal provides an improved self-lubricated unitary seal that is convenient to replace in the field regardless of the torque delivered to the gland nut of a packing box, which contains the seal.

A spherical annular seal member 40 includes: a spherical annular base member 38 which is defined by a cylindrical inner surface 34 defining a through hole 33 in a central portion, a partially convex spherical surface 35, and annular end faces 36 and 37 on large- and small-diameter sides of the partially convex spherical surface 35; and an outer layer 39 formed integrally on the partially convex spherical surface 35 of the spherical annular base member 38.

A seal assembly for a nozzle in a gas turbine engine includes a connector having a first hinge portion for attaching to the nozzle, a flat portion for sealing against a wall of the engine; and a first hinge for attaching the connector to the flat portion wherein the connector is adapted to rotate relative to the nozzle and the flat portion is adapted to rotate relative to the connector.

An air seal for a server rack installed in a data center which delivers cool air to the fronts of racks and removes warm air at the back, where one or more of the racks are elevated by wheels or legs. A seal support member of rigid plastic and of right angle cross section has a horizontal portion and a vertical portion. The horizontal portion is adhesively secured to a downwardly facing surface at the bottom front and/or back of the rack. The horizontal portion is recessed at opposite ends to accommodate wheels or legs at opposite sides of the rack. The vertical portion extends across the full width of the rack and projects downward. A sealing strip of EPDM foam is adhesively secured to the vertical portion and is held flexed against the floor, forming a seal against the flow of by-pass air underneath the rack.

A spacer and gasket assembly is shown for receipt between a static structure having an outer and inner surface and fastener holes therethrough and a removable structure having a base with fastener holes and an upper surface and a lower surface. The static structure and removable structure are engaged through a multiplicity of fasteners having a shaft diameter. The fasteners are adapted to apply a compression on the gasket between the static structure and the removable structure. The static structure and the removable structure have opposed, typically flat, facing walls. The spacer and gasket assembly comprising a substantially non-compressible spacer adapted for receipt between the static structure and the removable structure having a spacer thickness. A gasket has a deformable, flowable, elastomeric body and a skeleton having a skeleton thickness, the skeleton substantially integral with the body. The gasket has an uncompressed gasket thickness. The spacer and the gasket are adapted to be placed substantially between the facing walls of the static structure and the removable structure and the removable structure will compress and deform the gasket when the fasteners are torqued down.

A seal including a tubular carrier body (1) and two annular sealing elements (2, 3), wherein the carrier body (1) on both sides of its front face is respectively enclosed by one of the sealing elements (2, 3) on the side of its outer perimeter forming a seal. At least one of the sealing elements (2, 3) is made of a non-elastomeric high-temperature resistant sealing material.

A train axle assembly includes a train axle, a ring assembly coaxially mounted on the train axle and a structure operatively engaged by the ring assembly and mounted on the train axle. The ring assembly has an outer diameter and a main section adjacent the outer diameter. The ring assembly includes a projection extending axially from the main section which is located at a diameter less than the outer diameter of the ring assembly. The projection has a portion of a diameter contacting the train axle so that the ring assembly is affixed to the train axle to provide resistance to relative rotation and axial movement between the ring assembly and the train axial.

An annular seal positionable in a gap is disclosed herein. The annular seal includes a plurality of leaves positioned about a center axis. Each leaf extends to a distal end that is elastically deflectable relative to the center axis to accommodate changes in a size of the gap. The annular seal also includes a ring encircling the center axis and at least partially interconnecting the plurality of leaves together for concurrent installation and removal. The annular seal also includes a plurality of tabs projecting from the ring along the center axis. Each of the tabs is directly connected to at least one of the plurality of leaves such that elastic deformation of one of the plurality of leaves induces bending in the corresponding tab before inducing bending in the ring.

An apparatus, system and method for sealing an electrical submersible pump assembly are described. An electric submersible pump (ESP) system for pumping solid-laden fluid comprises a thrust chamber of an ESP seal section, the thrust chamber sealed from well fluid on a downstream side by a stationary sand barrier and on an upstream side by a mechanical seal, the thrust chamber further comprising, a rotatable shaft extending axially through the thrust chamber, a head tubularly encasing the thrust chamber and threadedly coupled to a centrifugal pump intake, and a diamond-coated hydrodynamic bearing set inside the thrust chamber, wherein well fluid enters and exits the chamber through cross-drilled apertures in the head of the chamber, and wherein the well fluid forms a hydrodynamic film between the bearing set.

A sealing assembly for securely and insulatively maintaining a window or door and surrounding frame arrangement within an opening of a building wall. The sealing assembly comprises an elongated foam cell body member arranged within a channel of the surrounding frame arrangement of the window or door, wherein the elongated cell body member has a wall-opening-facing side. An elongated caulking band flange member is arranged in abutting relationship with a corner of the elongated foam cell body member. A thin flexible air fin is arranged in close environmental sealing relationship with the elongated foam cell body member and the opening in the wall of the building. A securement member is arranged to fasten the window or door surrounding frame arrangement, the elongated foam cell body member and the air fin, all to the building wall opening.

A bellows arrangement on a guide bar of a disc brake, particularly of a commercial vehicle, has an end of the bellows comprising a sealing ring, particularly a quad ring, lying in a circumferential groove of the guide bar. The bellows is pressed into the groove by a retaining ring placed thereon, and is designed so that an air passage can form in the contact area of the sealing ring at the base of the groove, reducing the volume enclosed by the bellows and the guide bar. To this end, the contact shoulder formed on the retaining ring is circumferentially interrupted in segments.

A seal assembly includes a first component and a second component of a gas turbine engine. The first component has a threaded portion. The second component interfaces with the threaded portion and together the threaded portion and the second component form a seal that restricts fluid flow between a first cavity and a second cavity of the gas turbine engine.

A side seal for a linear guide apparatus including a guide rail, a slider, and a plurality of rolling elements includes seal members formed of different materials, a holder plate and covers. Both seal members have recesses formed in a first face of a base and fitted with a protrusion of the holder plate. Both seal members have respective lips directed in opposite directions separated from each other. A tip of the lip of the first seal member is formed to have a shape in plane contact with the face of the guide rail. A tip of the lip of the second seal member is formed to have a shape in line contact with the face of the guide rail.

A rolling bearing used in a power transmission device for transmitting power such as turning force, characterized in that a magnet for holding in a lubrication portion of the rolling bearing a lubricating magnetic fluid for lubricating the lubrication portion is provided on at least one side of an outer race of the rolling bearing, and an annular yoke made of a magnetic material loosely fitted to a rotating shaft is provided on the opposite side of said magnet relative to said outer race, and a cross-sectional profile of the yoke has an I-shape.

An oil-lubricated anti-friction bearing is provided for a horizontal arrangement of a rotational axis with a shaft seal that separates a bearing inner chamber, which accommodates rolling bodies, from a bearing outer side, and has a clamping arrangement which acts on the shaft seal from a bearing outer side in order to fix the shaft seal axially. The clamping arrangement has an outlet for oil.

A seal assembly is for sealing between a housing and a rotary shaft includes an annular sealing member coupled with the housing and having inner and outer circumferential surfaces and a plurality of projections extending radially from the outer surface and spaced circumferentially about a central axis. Each projection has first and second axial ends and the plurality of projections define first and second projections. An annular biasing member is disposed about the sealing member outer surface and exerts an inwardly directed force on the sealing member. The biasing member has first and second ends and is arranged on the sealing member with the biasing member first end contacting the second end of each first projection and the biasing member second end contacting the first end of each second projection. As such, the biasing member extends axially and circumferentially between the first and second projections.

A fluidic processor includes a first sealing member having a first sealing face, a first compressive face and at least one first sealing member fluid conduit; a second sealing member having a second sealing face, a second compressive face and at least one second sealing member fluid conduit; the second sealing face of the second sealing member being sealingly and slidingly engaged in a substantially fluid tight manner with the first sealing face of the first sealing member; and at least one actuator mechanically engaging at least one of the first sealing member and the second sealing member, or an XY stage, or mechanism that provides motion in two axes on one sealing member only.

A method of sealing a passage in a body with a sealing composition comprising (a) a major proportion of a latex emulsion or colloid; and (b) a minor proportion of lauric acid or a laurate compound; and (c) at least one further selected additive, ideally a latex coagulation inhibitor, wherein said composition is pumped into said passage where it is set or coagulated to form a seal. Advantageously, the laurate compound is ammonium laurate and coagulation is conveniently induced by adjusting pH of the sealing composition from alkaline to acidic pH range. The method is particularly well suited to sealing in faulty formations or sealing sites and may be used in sealing within salt mines which contain brines.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a seal mechanism, including: a plate spring having a main body portion which has a curved shape and a pair of hook portions which are formed by bending the main body portion; and a seal member having a seal surface and a pair of projecting portions which are formed on an opposite side of the seal surface to catch the hook portions.

A sealing system for a pump having a plunger includes a housing having an internal chamber adapted to receive a portion of the plunger. Primary and secondary seals are located within the internal chamber and adapted to sealingly engage the plunger. The primary seal communicates with the fluid being pumped. A barrier fluid chamber contains a barrier fluid in contact with the primary seal and the secondary seal. A pressure referencing device has an inlet port in communication with the pumped fluid and an outlet port providing fluid at a pressure magnitude equal to a peak pressure of the pumped fluid. A pressurizing device is in communication with the fluid at the peak pressure and the barrier fluid to maintain the barrier fluid pressure at a magnitude greater than the peak pressure of the pumped fluid such that the pumped fluid is restricted from leaking past the primary seal.

An engine in which an oil consumption and a leakage of blow-by gas can be stably reduced for a long period of time. The engine includes a first land (3), a first ring groove (4), a second land (5), a second ring groove (6), a third land (7), a third ring groove (8), and a piston skirt (9) formed on a piston peripheral wall (1) in the above-recited order from a side of a piston head (2). A first pressure ring (10) is fitted in the first ring groove (4). A second pressure ring (11) is fitted in the second ring groove (6), an oil ring (12) fitted in the third ring groove (8), and an indentation (13) is formed at the second land (5).

Due to increasingly strict requirements and regulations, it is becoming more and more important for piston compressors to reduce the amount of leakage of operating medium through the seal of the piston rod. Conventional seals comprising packing rings and/or packing ring combinations always have a certain amount of leakage, both during operation and when at standstill, which is why they are not usable for certain applications, or the complexity involved in such a seal increases considerably. A further problem involving the seals of piston rods relates to transverse movements by piston rods during which the sealing action of the seal must be maintained. Proposed is, therefore, a sealing arrangement according to the principle of a sealing medium barrier providing that the sealing elements 8, 9 are arranged in radial direction at a distance relative to the radial end of the recess 10 that receives the sealing elements 8, 9.

A multi-layer gasket including first and second functional layers, each having an opening. Each of the functional layers includes a compression bead, and the compression beads contact and seal against one another when the gasket is compressed between a cylinder head and an engine block. At least one of the functional layers includes a stopper disposed between the compression bead and the opening. The stopper has a gear-like shape including a plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth. Each tooth extends upwardly from a plane by a distance which is less than the combined height of the compression beads. When the gasket is compressed between the cylinder head and engine block, the stopper ensures that the compression beads remain elastically biased against one another and maintain a gas-tight seal.

A gasket is provided which is intended to improve its sealing performance by attaining a further stabilization of the posture thereof in a groove. In a gasket (100) in which a protruded part (110), which serves to stabilize the posture of the gasket (100) in a groove (201) by being in contact with an inner wall surface of the groove (201) in a state where the gasket is sandwiched by a head cover (200) and a cylinder head, is continuously formed in a longitudinal direction of the gasket (100), the protruded part (110) is characterized by a stepped structure which includes a first protruded portion (111) with the largest amount of protrusion that is formed along the vicinity of a center of a gasket main body, a second protruded portion (112) with the smallest amount of protrusion that is formed at the side of the head cover (200), and a third protruded portion (113) that is formed at the side of the cylinder head, and has an amount of protrusion which is smaller than that of the first protruded portion (111), and larger than that of the second protruded portion (112).

A cap acting as a grease retention feature and venting system allows crash optimization of a propeller shaft with a plunging constant velocity joint. The cap is located between a constant velocity joint and a tube of the propeller shaft system. The cap includes: a rim sealed against the inner diameter of the constant velocity joint, an interior vent chamber, a vent hole facing the interior components of the constant velocity joint and leading to the vent chamber, and an annular radial groove along the entire circumference connected to the vent chamber. The outer race has a hole perpendicular to the joint axis to complete venting to the atmosphere. In the event of a vehicle crash, the constant velocity internal joint components contact the device, causing the device to dislodge from its fixed position, contact the friction weld curls and fracture at a determined load.

The present application provides for ceramic collars and metal rings for active brazing in sodium-based thermal batteries. The ceramic collar may be an alpha-alumina collar configured for active brazing, and thereby sealing, to outer and inner Ni rings for use in NaMx cells. The portions of the alpha-alumina collar active brazed to the outer and inner Ni rings may be outwardly facing and include inwardly extending recesses. The portions of the outer and inner Ni rings active brazed to the outwardly facing portions of the collar may be inwardly facing. The alpha-alumina collar may include a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than each of the outer and inner Ni rings, and the alpha-alumina collar and outer and inner Ni rings may be configured such that a portion of the outer and inner Ni rings is deformed into the inwardly extending recesses of the alpha-alumina collar after active brazing thereof.

A radial shaft seal for separating two media includes two radial shaft sealing rings each including an axial surface and a sealing lip. The sealing rings are disposed with the axial surfaces facing one another and the sealing lips axially opposed to one another with a space between the sealing lips including a vent. At least one of the sealing rings includes clamping cams configured to grip an inner rim of the other sealing ring so as to join the sealing rings in a form-locking, rear-engaging position relative to each other.

A gasket for a vehicle is configured to improve performance of a turbocharger according to enhanced sealing performance. The gasket is disposed at a coupling portion of a cylinder head of an engine and an exhaust manifold adapted to supply exhaust gas from the cylinder head to a turbocharger.

An annular sealing element to seal between metal surfaces for use in flanges, joints, packers and the like, located in oil and gas exploration and production equipment. The sealing element has inner and outer metal deformable surfaces joined at ends, defining an interior volume which is entirely filled with a plastic deformable material. The surfaces are arranged such that on compression of the element from the ends, the element will deform in a controlled manner on a cantilever principle. The volume of filler and the interior volume remain substantially equal during compression so that delamination does not occur. Thus the sealing element provides a seal combining the flexibility of elastomer seals with the integrity of a metal to metal seal.

A hydrodynamic non-contacting seal wherein the sealing surface of a rotatable sealing member is grooved in a spiral pattern such that the depth of the grooves decreases in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the rotatable sealing member.

A seal for sealing between two component parts permits a leakage flow of fluid from an upstream side of the seal to a downstream side of the seal. The seal has a jet-producing formation which produces one or more fluid jets that impinge on and thereby restrict the leakage flow.

A bearing isolator assembly comprises an inner support member, an outer support member, a resilient member, an elastomeric ring, and a support cap disposed over a bearing surface defined by the inner support member or the outer support member. A path of travel is defined between the inner support member and the outer support member. The resilient member is disposed between the inner support member and the outer support member and is configured to resist compression between the inner support member and the outer support member within a first portion of the path of travel. The outer support member defines a ring envelope, in which the elastomeric ring is disposed. The inner support member defines a ring compression surface, and the elastomeric ring is configured to resist compression between the ring compression surface of the inner support member and the ring compression surface of the outer support member within a second portion of the path of travel.

Disclosed is a system and method for decreasing airflow and improving ventilation within a tunnel, such as a railroad tunnel, including a path for movement of a vehicle (e.g., train) therethrough. The system has a plurality of air baffles mounted within the tunnel, each device comprising a body and a mounting device. Each mounting device positions each body inside and along the length of the tunnel between the entrance and the exit. The air baffles are configured to restrict airflow at least in part in a longitudinal direction of the tunnel, thereby increasing a relative difference between a vehicle speed and air speed in a tunnel annulus when the vehicle passes through the tunnel. The restriction (e.g., decrease) of airflow in the tunnel reduces the piston effect resulting from the vehicle or train passing through, thus reducing emissions and heat generated by the locomotives in the tunnel.

An adjustable blocking arrangement for electronic hardware or computer racks, for preventing the undesired leakage of air through rack spaces not filled with hardware. An airflow control device is provided comprising a flexible web and a magazine adapted to receive the part of the flexible web that is not deployed. The device is adapted such that a length of the web may be deployed to sealingly block a space in the rack that is not filled with hardware modules, to prevent the flow of air through the space. The device may comprising a detection system adapted to detect the space in the rack that is not filled with hardware modules, and a processing system adapted to receive a signal from the detection system, and as a function of the signal to automatically deploy or retract the flexible web so as to sealingly block the space.

An annular diaphragm compression driver for electro-acoustic conversion has an annular diaphragm, which bears a moving coil, and a compression driver housing with a closed housing base. Opposite the housing base is a sound wave routing element having a sound discharge channel. The compression driver also has an annular magnet system unit, which has an annular magnet gap (M) and a compression chamber, adjoining the magnet gap (M), for the annular diaphragm. The open exit end of the sound discharge channel is in slot form and its entry start is annular. The sound path between the compression chamber and the entry start contains an annular collecting space. The collecting space and the sound discharge channel contain a central sound guidance body having a portion which merges to match the slot-like exit end. The sound discharge channel is formed between the sound guidance body and the sound wave routing element.

A speaker diaphragm of the present invention is formed by mixing polylactic acid as a plant-derived resin, bamboo fibers and a natural binder. It is thereby possible to realize a speaker diaphragm capable of obtaining sufficient sound velocity, while having low environmental load and high sound quality.

An aircraft nacelle including a pipe (32), a peripheral wall (34), a lip (36), and a front frame (38) connecting the peripheral wall (34) and the pipe (32) and forming with the lip (36) a space (50) in which the hot air that is provided for frost treatment can circulate, with the pipe (32) including a coating (44) for the composite material acoustic treatment, is characterized in that the nacelle includes at least one element (52) made of a heat-conducting material inserted between the lip (36) and the pipe (32) ensuring the continuity of the aerodynamic surfaces of the lip (36) and the pipe (32) and the propagation of heat from the space (50) toward the rear of the nacelle, whereby the at least one element (52) includes a coating (54) for acoustic treatment that is made of a heat-resistant material.

A seismic source array includes a first source and a second source. The first source has a first spectral output and the second source has a second spectral output different than the first spectral output. The first source has a first total volume different than a second total volume of the second source.

A fluid line includes a resonator having an inner part and a blow-molded outer part defining an inner surface. The inner and outer parts are fixedly connected. The inner part is an injection-molded part having first and second radial collars spaced axially apart from each other. The inner part defines a radial circumference with a plurality of orifices formed therein. The inner and outer parts are axially one within the other so that there is no throughflow of secondary air between the first and second radial collars and the inner surface of the outer part. The inner and outer parts have a common end whereat they are airtightly connected to each other. The inner part, the radial collars and the inner surface of the outer part conjointly define two resonant chambers operatively connected to fluid in the fluid line via the orifices.

A silencer (1) for an exhaust gas installation of an internal combustion engine, particularly of a motor vehicle includes a housing (2), with a circumferential shell (3) closed in the peripheral direction (5) and an end base (6) at each of two longitudinal ends, spaced apart in an axial direction (4). A silencer insert (15) is arranged in the housing (2) and has an inlet pipe (8) for exhaust gas and an outlet pipe (10) for exhaust gas. The shell (3) has, in the peripheral direction (5) has at least one inlet shell-segment (11) and one outlet shell-segment (12). The inlet shell-segment has at least one inlet opening (7), into which such an inlet pipe (8) is inserted from the inside. The outlet shell-segment (12) has at least one outlet opening (9) into which such an outlet pipe (10) is inserted from the inside.

A multi-layer assembly, such as a sound damping metal laminate used in the automotive industry, having first and second rigid layers and an adhesive layer in between. A retention feature in the form of a raised embossment may be formed in one or more of the rigid layers and may be located near a fastening hole, which accommodates a nut and bolt or some other type of fastening device. The retention feature may impart rigidity and improved stiffness to the multi-layer assembly in the area surrounding the fastening hole, and it may also create a space between the rigid layers that is generally devoid of adhesive from the adhesive layer. This, in turn, can improve the long term performance of the multi-layer assembly by addressing issues such as compression set, spring back and/or stress relaxation. Methods of manufacture and other embodiments are also provided, including ones that accommodate multiple fastening holes, have discontinuous retention features, and use welds in place of nuts and bolts, to name a few.

The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain dynamic three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.

A communication system for communicating with at least one loudspeaker is described where the loudspeaker is connected to audio equipment over standard two-wire speaker wire operable to carry an audio signal. The communication system includes a master node in electrical communication with a signal path carrying the audio signal between the audio equipment and the loudspeaker, the master node also including an interface with the audio equipment, a data encoder operable to encode data signals, a data transceiver operable to place the data signals onto the audio signal at frequencies above audio frequencies. The communication system also includes at least one slave node in electrical communication with the audio signal and each loudspeaker, the slave node including a data transceiver operable to receive data signals from the master node, a data decoder, and an interface able to communicate with the loudspeaker.