This invention relates to a high efficiency apparatus for manufacturing an aqueous wood smoke solution in the form of a liquid smoke desired concentration by burning wood, wooden chips or sawdust in a limited amount of air. Wood consumption per unit of liquid smoke is significantly smaller comparing to conventional methods, while the air pollution is reduced to a negligible level.

A preload mechanism for a memory alloy wire actuator is disclosed that includes a rotating element configured to rotate about a pivot. The rotating element has a first contact point that is configured to couple to the memory alloy wire actuator such that contraction of the memory alloy wire actuator displaces the first contact point such that the rotating element rotates from a first position to a second position. The preload mechanism also includes a bias element with a first end that is coupled to a second contact point of the rotating element and a second end configured to be pinned relative to the pivot. The bias element has a line of action extending from the second end through the first end. The line of action has an offset distance that is the minimum distance between the line of action and the pivot. The offset distance has a first value when the rotating element is in the first position and a second value when the rotating element is the second position, the second value being smaller than the first value.

The present invention relates to a method for purifying a liquid comprising liquid particles and residual particles. It is hereby possible to generate substantially pure water from, for instance seawater.

A pyrolytic conversion assembly for processing biomass including: a rotary kiln including a tube for heating the biomass at pressure having a sealable inlet at a first, higher end for ingress of the biomass, and a sealable outlet at a lower end for egress of charcoal formed from the biomass; and heating elements disposed around the kiln to provide a localized source of heating at a predetermined distance from the sealable inlet for reflux condensation of gas from the biomass.

A thermal desalination system adapted to produce distilled water from feed water which may be sea water, based on a forward feed evaporator made up of a main water feed line, a vapor feed line, a distilled water main line and any number of effect groups. The effect groups include any number of effects which in turn include vapor inlets, water inflow lines, concentrate outflow lines that drain into a common concentrate drainage line, a vapor and water outlet in fluid communication with the distilled water main line, and heat transfer means that condense part of an inlet vapor to produce the distilled water.

An apparatus for producing a solid fuel which may be made by a method involving mixing porous coal with a mixed oil containing heavy oil and solvent oil to prepare a raw material slurry; heating the raw material slurry to promote dehydration of the porous coal while impregnating the mixed oil into pores of the porous coal to obtain a dehydrated slurry; separating the resulting upgraded porous coal and mixed oil from the dehydrated slurry; drying the separated upgraded porous coal with carrier gas, and subsequently condensing vaporized mixed oil in the carrier gas by cooling, while capturing the porous coal in the carrier gas by atomization of the condensed mixed oil, thereby recovering the mixed oil; and returning the mixed oil separated and recovered in the separating to the mixing, further involving supplying the mixed oil recovered in the final drying to the separating.

One exemplary embodiment can be a system for separating a plurality of naphtha components. The system can include a column, an overhead condenser, and a side condenser. Generally, the column includes a dividing imperforate wall with one surface facing a feed and another surface facing at least one side stream. Typically, the wall extends a significant portion of the column height to divide the portion into at least two substantially vertical, parallel contacting sections. Typically, the overhead condenser receives an overhead stream including a light naphtha from the column. Usually, a side condenser receives a process stream from the column and returns the stream to the column to facilitate separation. A cooling stream may pass through the overhead condenser and then the side condenser.

A method of operating an evaporator is described. In evaporator feed water, a Taylor bubble is developed which has an outer surface including a thin film in contact with an inner surface of an outer wall of an evaporator tube. The Taylor bubble is heated as it rises within the evaporator tube so that liquid in the thin film transitions into vapor within the bubble.

A rotary evaporator comprising a motor, a rotary joint movably inserted to a motor rotor of the motor by a sleeve in an axial direction, a collection flask attached to the rotary joint at one end of the joint, with a condenser attached to the other end of the joint. The condenser is adapted to receive a cooling coil from an immersion cooler. The cooling coil is attached to the base unit of the immersion cooler via an insulated hose. The rotary evaporator is adapted to provide various ways to remove heat from the flask in the water bath, whether by mechanically lowering the water bath, dropping fluid from the bath into an underlying reservoir, or raising and lowering the rotary evaporator out of the bath. Where the rotary evaporator is raised and lowered, the immersion cooler can remain in place if the hose connecting the base unit to the cooling coil is sufficiently long, or the condenser includes a flexible portion that accommodates the upward and downward movement.

Mechanical visbreaking and pyrolysis between counter-rotating coaxial centrifugal impellers in a continuous radial counterflow process minimizes wastewater discharges. In one example, a cataclastic shear retort comminutes, shear thins, and shear heats an axial feed, such as tar sand, oil shale, coal tailings, distillation bottoms, or lignite. Pyrolyzing the feedstock in this shear retort yields a product stream of gases, naphthas, and oils which first mixes with the feedstock and then is axially extracted, while spent solids are simultaneously extruded from the periphery as coked devolatilized residue, such as char sand for upgrading soil to terra preta. Recirculation of shear-heated solids in long residence time within the shear retort brings heat from the spent solids at the periphery to the feedstock without an external heated sand loop. CO2 emissions from combustion to heat water for oil extraction are eliminated.

An evaporative desalination device includes a multi stage vapor generator that generates vapor by passing a hot water supply pipe successively through a plurality of vapor generators to evaporate sea water inside thereof, a multi effect vapor generator that uses vapor in the respective vapor generators as heat source and forms a plurality of evaporator groups which can adjust a number of evaporators disposed inside the respective evaporator groups and produce fresh water according to amounts of supplied vapor to evaporate sea water in the evaporator groups on an outer circumference surface of an evaporation tube by heat of vapor flowing in the evaporation tube, and a discharge unit that condenses vapor in the multi effect generator by sea water to discharge fresh water in liquid state, and returns and supplies portions of discharged sea water to the multi stage vapor generator and the multi effect evaporator.

Disclosed herein is a system comprising an evaporation unit comprising a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with a second heat exchanger; where the first heat exchanger is operative to heat an effluent stream comprising an amine solvent and/or amine byproducts and water and to discharge the effluent stream to the second heat exchanger; where the second heat exchanger is operative to convert the effluent stream into a distillate stream and a concentrate stream; and a reverse osmosis unit in fluid communication with the evaporation unit; where the reverse osmosis unit comprises a first reverse osmosis unit that is operative to receive the distillate stream and to separate water from byproducts of the amine solvent such that the water has a purity of greater than 95%, based on the weight of the distillate stream.

A device (1) comprises a source (20) for emitting ultraviolet light, an inlet (30) for letting in fluid to the device (1), an outlet (40) for letting out fluid from the device (1), and means (51, 52) for performing a straightening action of a flow of fluid through the device (1). The flow straightening means comprise at least one flow straightening element (51, 52) having inlet openings for letting in fluid at one side and outlet openings for letting out fluid at another side, wherein each inlet opening is in communication with a plurality of outlet openings, and wherein the element (51, 52) comprises a maze of randomly arranged, interconnected holes. In such a structure, a water element that is moving from one side of the element (51, 52) to another side may take one of various paths, as a result of which variations in inlet conditions can be dampened.

In one aspect, a lighted tip for attachment to a flexible rod comprises a tip body having proximal and distal ends, a mechanical connector at the proximal end, a lens connected to the distal end, a light source that emits light through the lens, and a holder coupled to the light source and the lens. A circuit is completed or interrupted as the holder moves in relation to the tip body, thereby switching the light source on or off. In another aspect, a lighted tip for attachment to a flexible rod comprises a lens forming a distal end of the lighted tip. The lens is cylindrical over at least some of its length, and the tip further includes a light source at least partially within the cylindrical lens portion and a mechanical connector at a proximal end if the lighted tip, for connecting the tip to the flexible rod.

A power winch horizontal-pull clutch device provides dynamic forces from a power source and uses a deceleration device to retard the force transmission to a cable pulley for releasing and rewinding a steel cable on the cable pulley. A connecting slot is formed on a casing of the deceleration device. The deceleration device includes an outer ring body and at least one insert slot formed on an external surface. The power winch includes a clutch device for selectively fixing the connecting slot to the insert slot to transmit the dynamic force from the deceleration device to the cable pulley. The clutch device is a sealed assembly and a control handle is provided for making a horizontal movement to achieve the clutching effect and prevent water, dust or other foreign matters from entering into the clutch device, damaging components, causing failure or malfunction, or clamping an operator's hand or foreign matters.

An apparatus for repetitively lifting and lowering objects to create visual patterns having a plurality of units each with a motor, a rotary member, a cord attached at its distal end to the circumferential edge of the rotary member, an attaching mechanism affixed to the proximal end of the cord, and an object removably connected to the attaching mechanism. A computer or microprocessor is provided and programmed to selectively rotate the rotary members to move the objects between selected pre-determined positions along a generally vertical path of travel to establish a geometric pattern of repetitive elements.

An apparatus of the present invention is used for movable objects upwardly and downwardly relative to a fixed surface. The apparatus includes a lifting device presented by a pair of blocks movable relative one and the other. A carriage device is supported by the blocks. The carriage device is connected to object to be lifted relative the fixed surface. An actuator is connected to the blocks. As the actuator moves the blocks relative one and the other, the blocks move above the carriage device relative the fixed surface at various distances lift and lower the objects.

An assembly includes a motor; a second motor; a planetary transmission coupled to the motor and the second motor, and a spool coupled to the transmission. The spool has an interior volume for receiving the motor, the second motor and the transmission, and the motor and the second motor are disposed or disposable entirely within the spool. The motor and the second motor are capable of being operated such that one of the motors is speed controlled, and the other motor is torque controlled.

The invention relates to a fixing element for locking a hinged hand crank on the input shaft of a support winch for semi-trailers, wherein the hand crank is fastened to the input shaft in an articulated manner and can pivot between at least one folded-in rest position and at least one folded-out usage position. According to the invention, said fixing element has a fastening section for fastening to the hand crank and a spring bar connected to the fastening section on which at least one locking section is formed, wherein the locking section reaches over the end face of the input shaft in a form-fitting manner in a folded-out usage position of the hand crank and is simultaneously pulled against said end face of the input shaft.

A foot actuated pivoting lever is provided. The lever may include: a lever member having two ends, one end configured to attach to a mechanism configured to receive an input from the lever member; and a pedal pivotally attached proximate to the other end of the lever member, wherein the pedal is configured to pivot between a first and a second position, wherein in the first position, the pedal lies on top of a section of the lever member and, in the second position, the pedal extends beyond the lever member. A mechanism for actuating a piston may be provided.

The invention relates to a three-armed pivot system, the two upper pivot arms having a V shape and representing part of a parallelogram, and the lower arm being a single, centrally situated pivot arm which represents the second part of the parallelogram. The active cylinder is assisted by a gas spring, and a personal protection safety net covers the gap between the vehicle and the platform, which may optionally be horizontally displaced. The active cylinder has a lift sensor which is connected to the controller, and the offset positioning of the active cylinder with respect to the bracket and of the fastening point to the pivot arm or support produces an improved lifting force.

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for recovering the core (108) of a subterranean sheathed electrical cable (106), while minimising the impact on the surrounding environment. The apparatus comprises a ram (102) operable to exert a pushing force on the core of a length of the cable, a plurality of linkages, each linkage being configured to be insertable into the cable along its length under the action of the ram to displace the core relative to an outer sheath of the cable, and a puller operable (104) to exert a pulling force on the core to thereby facilitate removal of the displaced core from the outer sheath by action of the pushing/pulling forces. The apparatus and method are found to be particularly suited to the recovery of high-tension copper core cables, while enabling any hydrocarbon (e.g. oil) impregnated inner sheathing to be controllably disposed of without hazard to the environment.

A workpiece elevating support device which can be utilized by being installed in a carriage-type conveying apparatus for conveying an automobile body while changing the height thereof in each section in an automobile assembly line. The workpiece elevating support device includes at least two center-folding double link mechanisms arranged in parallel on a base, each of which is composed of a lower parallel link, an intermediate link member, an upper parallel link, and an upper link member. The upper link member is consecutively provided with a workpiece support. There is juxtaposed a lock to hold the center-folding double link mechanisms in an expanding-rising posture, which is taken when the upper link members are vertically raised to a predetermined height.

A tool for removing a spindle and/or elastomeric bearing from a hub generally includes a coupler, an arm, and a weight slidably engaged with the arm. The weight is slidable with respect to the arm along a predetermined stroke that limits the travel of the weight. The coupler may be secured to a spindle, which spindle is in turn secured to a bearing, or the coupler may be secured directly to the bearing. An operator may slide the weight between a first position adjacent the coupler and a second position opposite the coupler to impart kinetic energy to the spindle and/or bearing, thereby removing the bearing from or the bearing installing into a hub, depending on whether the kinetic energy is in an inboard or outboard direction.

An elevator sheave (20) includes a belt guiding surface (26) having a surface profile along at least a portion of the belt guiding surface. The surface profile preferably is defined by an nth order polynomial equation where n is a number greater than 2. In one example, the reference point (40) is a central point along the width of the belt guiding surface (26). In one example, a central portion (42) of the surface profile preferably is aligned to be generally parallel with the central axis (34) of the sheave body. Some examples have curvilinear side portions (44,46) between the central portion (42) and the edges (28,30) of the sheave. Other examples also include second side portions (48,50) that have linear profiles.

Diverting pulley arrangement of an elevator, which includes an axle, at least one diverting pulley that rotates while supported on the axle, a faceplate structure, in relation to which and supported by which the diverting pulley is arranged to rotate on the first side of the faceplate structure, which axle is locked so that it does not rotate in relation to the faceplate structure by the aid of a locking element, which locking element is on the second side of the faceplate structure and supported so that it does not move in relation to the faceplate structure. The locking element is placed against the locking surface included in the axle so that the contact point of the locking element and the locking surface of the axle is at least partly visible.

A height adjusting device for a vehicle suspension seat includes: a control valve having an air injection pin and an air discharge pin formed therein; a first push support having one end rotatably coupled to the control valve and pressurizing the air injection pin when rotated in one direction; a second push support having one end rotatably coupled to the control vale, pressurizing the air discharge pin when rotated in one direction, and disposed to correspond to the first push support; a first push rod pressurizing the other end of the first push support so as to rotate the first push support; and a second push rod pressurizing the other end of the second push support so as to rotate the second push support, and disposed to correspond to the first push rod.

A drive device for a belt axis of a winch, to address the problems existing in the conventional drive device for the belt axis of the winch including a short service life and a high cost. The drive device is disposed at the end of the belt axis of the winch. The drive device comprises a stationary seat and a rotary cylinder. The rotary cylinder is provided with a socket for inserting a crowbar. The stationary seat is fixedly connected with the belt axis. The rotary cylinder is axially fixed to the stationary seat. A unidirectional mechanism is provided between the rotary cylinder and the belt axis and operates by means of the engagement of teeth of the ratchet wheel. The belt axis is brought into continuous one-way rotation by using the unidirectional mechanism while the rotary cylinder is turned back and forth.

Health and usage monitoring systems for aircraft hoist systems are described herein. In some embodiments, a health and usage monitoring system comprises a capacitive load cell and a processing unit for communication with the capacitive load cell, the capacitive load cell comprising a load receiving surface and a capacitive assembly coupled to the load receiving surface, the capacitive assembly comprising parallel electrically conductive plates separated by a reversibly deformable spacer construction wherein the parallel plates comprise aligned apertures providing a passageway through the capacitive assembly for the hoist system cable.

An assembly for collapsing a self-expanding prosthetic heart valve includes a compression member, a support member and a constricting member. The compression member has a tapered wall between its first open end and its second open end, the tapered wall defining an open space adapted to receive the valve. The support member has a base and a recess adapted to receive an end of the valve. The support member and the compression member are movable toward one another to compress the valve and push it through a relatively small aperture in the second open end of the compression member. The second end of the constricting member is sized to receive the compressed valve from the second open end of the compression member for loading into a delivery device.

An extension has a main extension body with a first extension end and a second extension end, an extension passage is defined there between. An annular extension recess is formed about the extension passage at the first extension end. An annular extension flange is formed about the extension passage at the second extension end. A saddle has a main saddle body with a first saddle end and a second saddle end with a saddle passage defined there between. An annular saddle flange is formed about the saddle passage at the second saddle end. A fastener has an elongate shaft with a first shaft end and a second shaft end. A head is at the first shaft end. A fastening engagement is about the second shaft end. The shaft is configured to be disposed within the saddle passage and the extension passage.

A direct drive drawworks (100) has a permanent magnet motor (40) with a first set of windings (250) and a second set of windings (252), a shaft (41) extending from the permanent magnet motor (40) such that the permanent magnet motor directly rotates the shaft (41), a drum (43) connected to the shaft (41) away from the permanent magnet motor (40) such that the rotation of the shaft (41) causes a corresponding rotation of the drum (43), and a switch cooperative with the first set of windings and the second set of windings so as to cause the sets of windings to be selectively connected in parallel or in series.

This invention discloses mechanical and hydraulic jacks for lifting heavy fireproof and burglary proof file cabinets with their contents inside for transportation to a truck or other destination. This jack can also lift lateral or regular file cabinets with their contents inside for transportation. It discloses a hook assembly which can be extended over the top of the cabinet remote from the jack with a hook to hold the cabinet from tilting. It discloses a lifting assembly with a lifting plate at the front bottom of the jack for inserting under the bottom corners of the cabinet for lifting. A device for tilting the cabinet away from the jack is disclosed to allow the lifting plate to be inserted under the cabinet. A lifting plate on the front bottom of the jack can be extended under the end of a file cabinet which is secured by the hooking assembly.

A tip unit of a cosmetic applicator includes a tube portion connected to a hollow body of the cosmetic applicator, and a tip portion tapering away to a point from the tube portion. The tip portion has a passage space contain liquid cosmetics advanced from the hollow body through the tube portion, and has a plurality of flexible blade segments, a plurality of guiding grooves defined respectively by corresponding adjacent pairs of the blade segments, and a plurality of slits, each communicating the passage space with a respective one of the guiding grooves, and being enlargeable when the tip portion is deformed so as to permit flow of the liquid cosmetics from the passage space to the respective one of the guiding grooves therethrough.

Assembly and method for making up and/or caring for keratin material, the assembly containing: at least one composition containing platelet-shaped particles, at least one nonionic surfactant and/or at least one ionic surfactant and/or at least one polymeric surfactant, or at least one fatty-phase rheological agent, andat least one applicator having an application member and a vibrating source for making the application member vibrate.

A fingernail decoration kit includes a pair of pivotally-joined handles that reciprocate in a scissors-like fashion. The handles open and close a pair of jaws that are each configured to releasably retain any one of a plurality of manicuring dies for either shaping or piercing a nail, or crimping a jewelry item thereto.

A cap which wraps hair and protects it from tangling during sleep or other activity. The cap contains an outer layer, one or more rows of bristles of relatively resilient material for wrapping hair and at least one handle. The one or more rows of bristles of relatively resilient material brushes a wearer's hair in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction to pull the hair up into the hat in an organized manner. The one or more rows of bristles of relatively resilient material for wrapping hair may also be used to reverse the process and let hair down in an organized style.

The invention provides a composition for topical treatment of hair loss/alopecia including three natural, active ingredients, caffeine, saw palmetto berry extract, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). The invention also provides methods for using this composition to treat hair loss.

A cosmetic applicator comprising a handle having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the handle comprises a drive; an applicator head operatively associated with the drive to move at least part of the applicator head relative to the handle; and a control surface disposed at the proximal end of the handle and operatively associated with the drive. The control surface may be rotatable about a control surface axis through a plurality of positions and the control surface axis may be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the handle. The control surface may be moveable through a plurality of positions. The applicator may comprise an additional control surface, such as a second control surface or temporary control surface, which may be operated independently or in combination with the first control surface.

A disposable sterile breakable vial includes a handle section and a vial section which are completely separable in response to a manually applied separation force. The vial section includes a sterile void dimensioned to contain a unit dose of a sterile therapeutic topical agent. An elongated member comprises a proximal portion supported by the handle section and a distal portion provided with a sterile applicator element, such as a brush. At least the applicator element is completely enclosed within the vial section with the applicator element immersed within the therapeutic topical agent. A hermetic seal between the handle and vial sections maintains sterility of at least the vial section prior to handle and vial section separation. Complete separation of the handle section and the vial section exposes the elongated member and the applicator element for topical application of the therapeutic agent saturating the applicator element.

An applicator assembly is provided, the applicator assembly includes a base member, a cap member removably associated with the base member, a container for a substance to be applied; and an applicator member removably associated with the container. The container and applicator member are configured to be received within an interior space defined between the base member and cap member.

The invention relates to a cosmetics applicator having a handle section, an applicator element and a shaft section connecting the applicator element and the handle section, wherein the applicator element includes a core element of a first material and a bristle element which at least partially envelops the core element and includes a second material preferably different from the first material with regard to its hardness and/or flexibility.

The present invention describes a hair treatment application system, comprising at least one or more hair treatment compositions (15) having a viscosity of from 3,000 cPs to 150,000 cPs and a hair treatment application device (1) comprising a first plate (10) and a second plate (20) positionable in a juxtaposed relationship when said hair treatment application device (1) is in a closed state. The hair treatment application device (1) is characterized by having a first zone comprising at least one absorbent substrate (40) on the internal surface (101) of said at least said first plates (10) and a second zone (50) on said internal surface (101) which is free of said absorbent substrate (40). Said at least one absorbent substrate (40) has a median pore radius of from 300 microns to 3,000 micron. The present invention describes also methods of treating the hair with said hair treatment application system (10) and kit comprising said hair treatment application system.

Keratinous fiber treatment formulations and methods of providing a long lasting set in keratinous fibers such as hair by applying a polymer system to the hair which provides a stable set to the hair which will last at least until the hair is thoroughly washed. The set is made more permanent by incorporating a reducing agent such as L-cysteine into the polymer system and allowing the system to air oxidize over time or optionally applying a second chemical oxidizing system to the treated hair which will accelerate the oxidation process and the setting rate of the hair.

The present invention generally relates to a wiper which can be easily inserted into neck of a cosmetic container. The wiper is fabricated from elastomeric material and comprises a plurality of collapsible members configured to collapse horizontally on an exterior surface of the wiper when under stress. The plurality of collapsible members also serves as locking features by which it can be retained in the container neck. The wiper of the present invention can be particularly advantageous for use in the field of cosmetics, especially fluid cosmetic products.

A method of sectioning eyelashes into zones is disclosed. A method of sectioning eyelashes into zones comprises dividing a surface of an eyelid into zones and applying extension lashes to natural lashes within the zones. Zones can comprise an inner zone, a mid-zone and an outer zone. Furthermore, at least a portion of extension lashes within inner zone can have a first length, while the extension lashes within middle zone and outer zone can have a second and third length, respectively.

A disclosed decorative device includes an elongate, flexible foam body, an elongate, pliable core element, a pair of adapters, and a pair of end pieces. A method for making the decorative device is described, as is a method for retaining hair using the decorative device. The decorative device includes the elongate, flexible foam body surrounding the elongate, pliable core element along its length. The pair of adapters are each configured to fixably receive an end of the elongate, pliable core element, with the pair of end pieces, each being configured to connect to one of the pair of adapters.

A nail print apparatus, including: a print head which performs printing on a nail region on the basis of image data including a first design and a second design that is a background of the first design; and an image data processing unit which has a second image data processing unit that processes the image data so that the second design covers an entire nail region.

Compositions for application and methods of application of a composition to modify hair. In one embodiment, a composition includes a compound (molecule) represented by: wherein A and B are individually selected from a hydrogen, a hydroxyl group and a halogen, with the proviso that when one of A and B is a hydroxyl group, the other of A and B is a hydrogen and when one of A and B is a halogen, the other of A and B is a halogen or a hydrogen;wherein Z is, for example, an aryl moiety; andwherein X1 and X2 are, for example, individually selected from a hydrogen and an alkyl moiety,wherein R1 and R2 are individually selected from an oxo, a hydroxyl or an ester group;wherein y is 0 or 1, x is 0 or 1 and x and y are not both 1, or a salt.

The present invention relates to a sheet structure for application to a region of the human body, including the face, the structure comprising: a colored matrix;a first substrate situated on a first side of the matrix, a first surface of the sheet structure being defined by the first substrate; anda second substrate situated on a second side of the matrix, opposite the first, a second surface of the sheet structure being defined by the second substrate; the first and second substrates having different opacities, and at least one of the first and second substrates having an opacity that is low enough to enable the subjacent colored matrix to show through in such a manner that the first and second surfaces of the matrix appear to be of different colors.