A shower curtain is provided with two pockets adapted to receive spaced apart stereo speakers and a third pocket adapted to receive a personal entertainment system. The third pocket is provided with a clear inside window pane facing the inside of the shower and adapted for finger-touch control through the window pane. A closure system integral with the shower curtain is provided for external access to the pockets. In one embodiment, the closure system for access to the pockets is a tongue-in-groove fastening arrangement that provides external access to a personal entertainment system as well as a channel through which wires run to couple the entertainment system to the speakers.

A trimmer assembly for attachment onto the mower deck of a riding mower. The assembly comprises an L-shaped attachment and a height adjustment assembly. The L-shaped attachment is connected to the trim blade spindle of a riding mower, and comprises a pulley surface and a downwardly extending trim shaft holding surface. A series of pulleys within the L-shaped attachment are connected together by a trimmer drive belt that facilitates the movement of the trimmer shaft when the trim blade spindle rotates. The height adjustment comprises an upstanding shaft with a lever attached thereon. The lever is pivotally attached onto the top of the upstanding shaft, and comprises a foot actuatable handle, whereby the movement of the handle alters the height of the L-shaped attachment. The device further includes a pair of wheels that enable side-to-side movement, and a spring loaded mount that provides protection against damages from impacts.

A harvesting system and method providing a row insensitive plant cutting and gathering capability, suitable for harvesting tall, stalky plants such as sweet sorghum, cane, and the like, in high volume, which also billet cuts the harvested plants. Multiple plants are cut simultaneously on a continuous basis at any locations across a header of the system, and the cut plants are gathered into a continuous overlapping flow having a vertical extent or thickness of several stalks or canes and their associated foliage. The flow is then vertically compacted into a mat of reduced thickness while being conveyed into a billet cutter, which cuts the stalks or canes into billets of a desired length and discharges the billets to a desired location, all while the harvester is moving through a field harvesting. The system can be incorporated into a conventional sugarcane harvester in place of conventional base cutters and row dividers.

A work vehicle includes wheels and a mower unit that are driven by power from an engine, and a mower driving detecting section for detecting power transmission condition to the mower unit. An isochronous controlling section controls the engine in an isochronous control mode for maintaining an engine rotational speed at a predetermined fixed value, independently of an engine load. A droop controlling section controls the engine in a droop control mode for varying the engine rotational speed in dependence on the engine load. If power is transmitted to the mower unit, the isochronous control mode is selected.

A mower carrying a rotary cutting deck has a height of cut system for adjusting the vertical position of the deck relative to the mower frame for changing or adjusting the height of cut. The height of cut system comprises a pair of parallel cross shafts that carry a plurality of pivotal suspension linkages that connect to the deck, the cross shafts and linkages pivoting jointly with one another and with a pivotal control lever. One of the cross shafts carries a torsion spring to counterbalance the weight of the deck. The control lever is maintained in a plurality of adjusted pivotal positions by a height selection bracket fixed to the frame with the height selection bracket being capable of having its position changed or adjusted relative to the frame by a single adjustment bolt. Each suspension linkage has its effective length adjusted by turning a threaded adjuster carried at the upper end of a connecting rod that is part of each linkage to allow the deck to be leveled relative to a reference plane. The adjustment of the height selection bracket is accomplished without affecting the length adjustments previously made to any of the suspension linkages.

A lawn mower includes: a cutting blade provided in a housing; a cut grass receptacle provided rearward of the housing; and a chute connecting between the housing and the cut grass receptacle, grass cut by the cutting blade being delivered, by cut grass delivering air, to the cut grass receptacle via the chute. The cut grass receptacle has a bottom plate detachably attachable thereto, and the cut grass receptacle is constructed to allow the bottom plate detached from the receptacle to be accommodated within the receptacle.

A stalk reducer bar and an assembly that supports, transports, and rotatably drives a stalk reducer bar in typical environments in which an area of vegetation is to be trimmed are provided. The stalk reducer bar reduces the size of cut stalk segments such as grass stalks segments generated during a lawn mowing operation and includes a carrier body. The carrier body includes a further working portion having a plurality of projections and angular movement of the carrier body in the cutting plane operates to bring the first blade section into stalk cutting engagement with stalks extending from the surface supporting organic matter thereon and operates to bring the plurality of projections of the further working portion into shredding engagement with cut stalks.

A mower assembly is provided for cutting around a post. A support structure supports the mower assembly in cantilever fashion. The mower assembly includes a plurality of mower units with each mower unit having a rotary blade. Two or more mower units cooperate to engage and cut around a post and, during the process, the entire mower assembly rotates about an axis enabling the mower units to encircle and efficiently cut grass and other vegetation about the post.

A riding lawn mower may include a cutting deck coupled to a cutting blade, an engine, a deck drive coupled to the engine to receive power for operating the cutting blade, a ground drive coupled to the engine to receive power for movement of the riding lawn mower over ground, and a friction drive coupling the deck drive to the engine.

A deck lifting and height of cut assembly for a lawn mower, in which the deck lifting assembly includes at least one movable component and the height of cut assembly includes a height adjustment mechanism having a plurality of stop surfaces. A prop extends between the movable component of the deck lifting assembly and a first stop surface of the height adjustment mechanism to prevent the cutting deck assembly from lowering below a first height. The height adjustment mechanism is adjustable to place a second stop surface in engagement with the prop so that the cutting deck assembly is prevented from lowering below a second height different from the first height. The prop may also be used to maintain the cutting deck assembly in the full-up position during travel of the lawn mower between work areas.

A cutter guard for a rotating blade of a lawn mower, particularly for a robotic, self-guided or autonomous lawn mower forms a cutting bowl in which the blade is mounted for rotation about a generally vertical axis. The guard comprises a generally planar guard section surrounded by an arcuate section, transverse edges of which define an opening in the cutter guard, which in operation is pointed to the front of the lawn mower, to allow uncut grass to be accessed by the cutting blades. The arcuate section comprises a plurality of apertures.

A reel mower grass catcher carrier includes a bail having side rods under the left and right sides of a grass catcher, a front link having an inverted U-shape and having connected to the left and right side rods and a central portion extending forwardly in front of the grass catcher, and a hanger extending forwardly over the grass catcher and connected to the central portion of the front link. The grass catcher can be installed or removed from the side of the carrier while the bail, front link and hanger stay connected together.

A reel lawn mower which has a connection structure for connecting a reel cutting unit to a main body. The reel cutting unit has a spiral cutting reel which is rotated by a prime mover to cut grass together with a bedknife. In the connection structure, in order to connect the reel cutting unit to the main body so that the reel cutting unit rolls around a virtual horizontal line perpendicular to the shaft center of the cutting reel in the center of the axial direction of the cutting reel, the reel cutting unit includes a connecting arm with an arc portion shaped so as to follow a virtual arc centered on the virtual horizontal line. The connecting arm is slidably supported so as to prevent the arc portion from coming off the virtual arc.

A windrow merger includes at least one pickup head member and an internal drive assembly disposed within a longitudinal aperture defined internal to the at least one pickup head member, the drive assembly being for imparting a rotational motion to a plurality of tines by means of a drive shaft operably coupled thereto, the drive shaft extending in opposed directions from the drive assembly. A method of forming the windrow merger is further included.

A semiconductor device is provided that includes an n-type field effect transistor including a plurality of vertically stacked silicon-containing nanowires located in one region of a semiconductor substrate, and a p-type field effect transistor including a plurality of vertically stacked silicon germanium alloy nanowires located in another region of a semiconductor substrate. Each vertically stacked silicon-containing nanowire of the n-type field effect transistor has a different shape than the shape of each vertically stacked silicon germanium alloy nanowire of the p-type field effect transistor.

A method for producing an integrated power transistor circuit includes forming at least one transistor cell in a cell array, each transistor cell having a doped region formed in a semiconductor substrate and adjoining a first surface of the semiconductor substrate on a first side of the semiconductor substrate, depositing a contact layer on the first side, structuring the contact layer to form a contact structure from the contact layer, the contact structure having, in a projection of the cell array orthogonal to the first surface, a first section and, outside the cell array, a second section which connects the first section to an interface structure, and forming an electrode structure on and in direct contact with the first section in the orthogonal projection of the cell array, the electrode structure being absent outside the cell array.

A method is provided for making smooth crystalline semiconductor thin-films and hole and electron transport films for solar cells and other electronic devices. Such semiconductor films have an average roughness of 3.4 nm thus allowing for effective deposition of additional semiconductor film layers such as perovskites for tandem solar cell structures which require extremely smooth surfaces for high quality device fabrication.

Provided are superconducting circuits and, more specifically, methods of forming such circuits. A method may involve forming a silicon-containing low loss dielectric (LLD) layer over a metal electrode such that metal carbides at the interface of the LLD layer and electrode. The LLD layer may be formed using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at a temperature of less than about 500° C. At such a low temperature, metal silicides may not form even though silicon containing precursors may come in contact with metal of the electrode. Silicon containing precursors having silane molecules in which two silicon atoms bonded to each other (e.g., di-silane and tri-silane) may be used at these low temperatures. The LLD layer may include amorphous silicon, silicon oxide, or silicon nitride, and this layer may directly interface one or more metal electrodes. The thickness of LLD layer may be between about 1,000 Angstroms and 10,000 Angstroms.

A tensioning device comprises an elongate member, preferably a band, and a frame having first and second sides. The band has a first end that is attachable to the first side of the frame and a second end that is releasably securable to the second side of the frame. A movable clamping member on the frame secures the second end of the band to the second side of the frame by cinching the second end of the band between an engagement surface on the band and a mating engagement surface on the second side of the frame. A restraining member is provided for restraining the clamping member to a first position spaced from the mating locking surface on the second side of the frame, when the restraining member is in a restraining orientation. The restraining member is movable out of the restraining orientation after the band is tensioned to a predetermined level using the second end. The band is tensioned to the aforementioned predetermined level and is secured to the second side of the frame, so that the band establishes a path of tension along its length that extends linearly between the two ends of the band.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for fastening a power semiconductor using an integral springy (elastic) clip, capable of fixing a power semiconductor, such as a diode and a MOSFET, using elasticity of a U-shaped clip by integrally molding the clip onto a housing of a plastic module. The apparatus includes an elastic (springy) clip integrally molded onto a lower surface of the housing and downwardly curved into a U-like shape in a bridge module in which a bridge of the power semiconductor protrudes through a through hole of the housing to be connected to a printed circuit board, whereby the power semiconductor is fixed by a force that the housing presses the power semiconductor.

A flower pot and urn put together to make it possible to display a pet or loved one's cremated remains in a way like never before is generally provided. In a typical embodiment, a flower pot and urn are molded closely together so plants or flowers can drape around the urn. The pot and urn may be set on a mantel or table depending on the size or, for larger sizes, put in any room in a house. An embodiment of the present invention presents a combination flower pot and urn on a base that acts as a drip pan for the flower pot and a stand for the urn to keep it up out of the water.

A power, communications and data grommet mounted in an aperture in a work surface comprising, a housing adapted to fit into the aperture, the housing comprising a cap removably connected to a liner, the liner comprising an upper liner and a lower liner, the upper liner flaring outwardly to prevent the grommet from falling through the aperture, and a substantially cylindrical lower liner having a threaded outer surface, and a lock ring having inner threads to be threadably attached to the lower liner.

A handle mechanism with multiple stop locations and a lawn mower including the handle mechanism includes a handle and a location shifting element with multiple stop locations, the handle being provided with a locking mechanism that is automatically clamped with one of the multiple of stop locations of the location shifting element for fixing or adjusting the handle. A lawn mower, including the handle mechanism, includes a lawn mower body, the handle rotatably connected with the lawn mower body by the handle rotating shaft. The locking mechanism and the location shifting element are equipped with stop locations can be automatically locked, therefore, the operator can adjust the stop locations of the lawn mower conveniently.

A bicycle fork includes a pair of fork leg assemblies, each of the leg assemblies having an upper leg telescopingly engaged with a lower leg. A damping assembly is provided in at least one of the legs. The damping assembly includes lock-out and blow-off compression circuits. These compression circuits are externally adjustable without tools. Furthermore, these two compression circuits may be adjusted independently of each other.

In one embodiment, a gasification system component, such as a quench unit or scrubber may retain of pool of a cooling fluid for cooling another fluid. The gasification system component includes a flow damping mechanism designed to dampen flow of the cooling fluid, the other fluid, or both, within the gasification system component. The flow damping mechanism may be disposed in an inner chamber formed between a dip tube and a draft tube or disposed in an outer chamber formed between the walls of the gasification system component and the draft tube. The flow damping mechanism also may be disposed between the inner chamber and the outer chamber.

Provided are an apparatus and a method for rapidly producing a synthetic gas from a bio-diesel byproduct using microwave plasma, in which, while a plasma flame is generated by a plasma generator and waste glycerin, a bio-diesel byproduct, as fuel, is gasified by being supplied to the generated plasma flame of high temperature, the fuel is supplied in various types to increase the contact time or the contact area with the plasma flame and thus promote gasification thereof and the contents of steam and oxygen supplied and the plasma power are controlled to increase the collection amount of combustible gas and thus allow rapid production of the synthetic gas.

Methods are disclosed for generating electrical power from a compound comprising carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. Water is combined with the compound to produce a wet form of the compound. The wet form of the compound is transferred into a reaction processing chamber. The wet form of the compound is heated within the reaction chamber such that elements of the compound dissociate and react, with one reaction product comprising hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas is processed to generate electrical power.

In one implementation, a device includes: one or more data terminals, where each of the one or more data terminals provides a respective mating interface between a respective data transmission path and a corresponding device data port; a first power terminal having a power portion and a ground portion separated by a dielectric, where the ground portion is arranged in association with the one or more data terminals in order to shield the one or more data terminals from electromagnetic interference from the power portion, and where the first power terminal provides a respective mating interface between a respective power transmission path and a corresponding device power port; and a support member provided to maintain the arrangement of the one or more data terminals in combination with the first power terminal.

Systems and apparatuses are provided in which outlets are coupled to a power distribution unit (PDU) or PDU module in various configurations. The outlets may be coupled to a recessed surface within a PDU housing. The outlets and recessed surface may be formed as part of a single mold. The outlets may be coupled to a printed circuit board that is at least partially disposed within the PDU housing. The outlets may extend away from the recessed surface or printed circuit board towards or beyond a front face of the PDU housing.

The invention relates to a busbar having a profiled body which forms an elongate receiving channel, a first and a second groove being formed in the channel floor, and the electrical conductors being arranged in the first and second groove. Furthermore, the invention relates to a consumer unit for securing to such a busbar and for drawing current or data from such a busbar, and the use of the consumer unit in conjunction with such a busbar. Further aspects of the invention form a power transmission device having such a busbar and such a consumer unit, as well as a building element in which such a busbar is installed.

A distributed power harvesting system including multiple direct current (DC) power sources with respective DC outputs adapted for interconnection into a interconnected DC power source output. A converter includes input terminals adapted for coupling to the interconnected DC power source output. A circuit loop sets the voltage and current at the input terminals of the converter according to predetermined criteria. A power conversion portion converts the power received at the input terminals to an output power at the output terminals. A power supplier is coupled to the output terminals. The power supplier includes a control part for maintaining the input to the power supplier at a predetermined value. The control part maintains the input voltage and/or input current to the power supplier at a predetermined value.

A power outlet having safety cover, the power outlet comprises a shell body, a base fixed in the shell body, a sliding element disposed between the shell body and the base; the shell body has at least one first outlet hole and at least one second outlet hole; the base has a first post, a third outlet hole and a fourth outlet hole; one side of the sliding element has a first inclined block, the middle of the sliding element has a through hole, another side of the sliding element has a second inclined block and a second post; an elastic element is disposed between the first post and the second post; wherein the through hole can contain the first post, the second post and the elastic element; a distance between the first inclined block and an inner wall of the base is smaller than the length of the elastic element.

An independently powered USB connector is provided. The independently powered USB connector replaces the computer USB power supply for the direct transmission of digital signals from and between computers and audio components, eliminating micro-circuitry and computer generated noise from the digital signal chain so as to prevent sonic coloration from these sources. The independent power supply is coupled to the male connection of the USB connector, wherein the coupling is wrapped with shrink wrap designed for stability.

A low defect chemical mechanical polishing composition for polishing silicon oxide containing substrates is provided comprising, as initial components: water, a colloidal silica abrasive; and, an additive according to formula I.

Embodiments of the invention relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) comprising a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) table including a thermally-stable region having at least one low-carbon-solubility material disposed interstitially between bonded diamond grains thereof, and methods of fabricating such PDCs. In an embodiment, a PDC includes a substrate, and a PCD table bonded to the substrate. The PCD table includes a plurality of diamond grains exhibiting diamond-to-diamond bonding therebetween and defining a plurality of interstitial regions. The PCD table further includes at least one low-carbon-solubility material disposed in at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions. The at least one low-carbon-solubility material exhibits a melting temperature of about 1300° C. or less and a bulk modulus at 20° C. of less than about 150 GPa.

A snow quality measuring apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of reflectors, at least one transmitter, at least one receiver, and a measuring device. The plurality of reflectors are respectively arranged at a plurality of prescribed heights above the ground. The transmitter emits radio waves towards the plurality of reflectors, and the receiver receives the reflected waves of the radio waves from the plurality of reflectors. The measuring device measures snow quality of snow on the ground at the prescribed plurality of heights based on the respective reflected waves to from the plurality of reflectors as received by the receiver.

A general purpose plant growth medium and planting methods incorporating shredded coastal redwood bark for use in planting. In some embodiments the shredded coastal redwood bark fibers vary in length from about 0.125-14 inches and comprise about 10-80 % of the plant growth medium volume. In some embodiments the plant growth medium is compacted to an approximate unhydrated density of about 200-400 pounds per cubic yard.

A system for growing plants without soil uses removable V-shaped baskets to support plants in a tiered, self-contained unit. Nutrient enriched water is sprayed on the plant roots. The roots are held by perforations in the elongated V-shaped basket and a plant blanket. The unit is multilevel and can be set over an aquarium. The growing shelf can have a worm bag in order to add natural nutrients. Baskets can be comprised of a pair of identical halves that can be readily mutually coupled. Coupling mechanisms can include those that snap together and those providing for a pivoting coupling.

A system for efficient transportation and display of plants or flowers has been designed that contains two or more trays and a container. The first tray and alternative tray house the plants or flowers. The second tray, in which the first tray and alternative tray nest, allows for easy movement of the first tray, the alternative tray and the supply of water or nutrients. The container is designed to serve two functions, shipping and displaying.

Certain novel formulations of plant growth media additives that act in such a manner as to permit proper amounts of moisture to contact root systems in order to reduce hydrophobicity within said media. The inventive formulation comprising multi-branched surfactant compounds with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic constituents within each branch attached to a polyfunctional base compound permit effective moisture penetration through plant growth media for sustained seedling and plant growth therein. Such multi-branched wetting agents provide sustained moisture penetration over a sustained period of time, since the individual branches of such compounds may become dissociated from its base polyfunctional compound. Since such branches include both hydrophobic and hydrophilic constituents themselves, and thus act as wetting agents, even after degradation of the initial surfactant compound, repeated wetting and moisture penetration, at least, are permitted. Methods of treating plant growth media with such compounds and formulations thereof are also contemplated within this invention.

A system for culturing photosynthesizing microorganisms includes a source of a gaseous fluid a mixer that creates micron bubbles within an aqueous medium using the gaseous fluid. The mixing chamber holds the aqueous medium including the micron bubbles before the micron bubbles and aqueous medium are mixed with a culture of photosynthesizing microorganism in a reaction chamber.

A method for cultivating algae can include providing a body of water in a substantially enclosed system. The enclosed system can have a length of channel and a cover. The method can optionally include circulating the body of water through the enclosed system under positive pressure conditions. The positive pressure should prevent ingress of any external atmosphere or material. Further, the method can include cultivating the algae in the body of water at conditions which promote growth. Likewise, a system for cultivating algae can include a channel with a cover, water in the channel, and a pump to introduce positive pressure into the system.

A cover for a plant-growing medium comprises a main cover portion, a peripheral base spaced from the main cover portion and defining an outer perimeter of the cover, and a peripheral wall extending from a first side of the main cover portion between the main cover portion and the peripheral base. One or more plant growth channels are defined by one or more tubes extending from the first side of the main cover portion. Each tube has a proximal end adjacent the main cover portion and a distal end relative to the proximal end, with a first aperture defined in the main cover portion at the proximal end of the tube and a second aperture defined at the distal end of the tube. The first aperture and the second aperture communicate through the tube to define each plant growth channel.

The present invention is directed to device and method for promoting plant growth. The device is a plant spacing member that has a body and a first end and a second end. The first end and second end have openings for receiving at least one plant limb therein to create a space between the limbs of the plant. An increased flow of air and light then flow through the created space to the interior of the plant to stimulate the growth of the plant. In addition, the increase flow of air and light dries the plant to reduce the accumulation of mold and mildew.

An apparatus is disclosed which may be used to grow plants in a chamber. In one embodiment, the chamber includes an artificial light source, a plurality of plant supports, a supporting structure configured to rotate the plant supports between two positions, the first position being closer to the artificial light source than the second, and a divider separating the chamber into a light region containing the artificial light source and one of the plant supports in the first position and a dark region containing the other plant support in the second position, wherein the divider is moveable between a first divider position in which the divider prevents movement of the plant supports and a second divider position in which the divider does not prevent movement of the plant supports. Methods of growing plants in a chamber on a moveable member are also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for growing plants in vertical stacks by providing vertically stacked, interconnected pairs of plant platforms and light trays carrying growth promoting light sources. Each light tray is suspended below the underside of the next above plant platform. The stack is vertically raised in succession whereby the plant platforms are suspended and vertically spaced from each other. Thereafter, plants are placed between suspended platforms under the light trays which are regulating during periods of plant growth and non-growth.

The invention is directed toward a spill- and leak-proof container for floriculture items including cut flowers, stems, other horticultural items, and the like. More specifically, the invention includes a receptacle having funnel-like primary closure. The funnel-like primary closure includes a wider opening generally adjacent to and contiguous with the mouth of the receptacle. The narrower opening of the funnel-like primary closure is positioned in the interior of the receptacle. A secondary closure atop the wider opening of the primary closure ensures no liquid can spill.

A plant growth container includes a tray, an inlet channel in the tray, a growth media retainer in the tray, one or more protrusions within the growth media retainer, an outlet channel connected to the growth media retainer, and a lid capable of being fixedly attached to the tray. The tray can be used in a hydroponic growth system for plants, where the system includes a container for growing plants. The container includes a tray, an inlet channel in the tray, a growth media retainer in the tray connected to the inlet channel, one or more protrusions in the growth media retainer, the protrusions capable of securing growth media from lateral movement, an outlet channel connected to the growth media retainer, and a lid. The system may include a reservoir for holding a liquid and a pump capable of pumping the liquid from the reservoir to the container.

A nozzle device for dispensing flowable substances, having a support and a nozzle element arranged at least in part within this support, which element is suitable and intended for dispensing the flowable substance, and having a first coupler, in order to arrange the nozzle device detachably to a supply for the flowable substance. According to the invention, the nozzle device has a second coupler in order to fasten the nozzle device detachably to a further nozzle device.