Embodiments of the present concept are directed to medical devices having features that prevent contaminants from infiltrating the housing of the device while providing a mechanism to provide clear auditory sounds to aid a rescuer in providing care to a patient. In one example, a medical device includes a housing having a transmission area associated with an enclosed voice coil. An exterior diaphragm formed integrally with the housing surrounds the transmission area and provides a watertight seal of the transmission area. In addition, the diaphragm is structured to generate a sound that can be heard by the rescuer from the voice coil.

A foot rest including: a foot receptacle, the foot receptacle including a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the first portion intersects the second portion; a cross-member disposed on a first side of the first portion; and a bucket connector disposed on the first side of the first portion of the foot receptacle, wherein the cross-member is proximate an end of the first portion and the bucket connector is distal to the end of the first portion.

An ultrasound operation apparatus comprises: an ultrasound transducer; a driving section that drives the ultrasound transducer by a drive signal; a probe having a proximal end section provided with the ultrasound transducer and a distal end section to which ultrasound oscillation is transmitted, the probe performing a treatment on a living tissue using ultrasound oscillation at the distal end section; a detecting section that detects, from a drive signal, a physical quantity which varies due to cavitation generated by ultrasound oscillation of the distal end section; and an output control section that controls an output of the driving section in accordance with the detected physical quantity.

A method for making apertures in a web comprising providing a precursor web material; providing a pair of counter-rotating, intermeshing rollers, wherein a first roller comprises circumferentially-extending ridges and grooves, and a second roller comprises teeth being tapered from a base and a tip, the teeth being joined to the second roller at the base, the base of the tooth having a cross-sectional length dimension greater than a cross-sectional width dimension; and moving the web material through a nip of the counter-rotating, intermeshing rollers; wherein apertures are formed in the precursor web material as the teeth on one of the rollers intermesh with grooves on the other of the rollers.

The present invention is directed to compositions and processes for their use that ameliorate the appearance of bruises, making them less cosmetically unappealing. The composition functions by acting both as a humectant and occlusive agent attracting water, returning the skin surface to a smooth state and holding water in place. The re-establishment of a homeostatic state in the skin results in a rapid dissipation of the negative cosmetic effects of the bruise on the skin.

A method and apparatus are provided for automatic and hands-free threading of an elastomeric mix into a calender set of rolls comprising one or more pairs of rolls that have a nip between them. A stripper roll is positioned next to one of the rolls forming the nip and is rotated so that the outer surface of the stripper roll moves in a direction opposite to the outer surface of the adjacent roll. The stripper roll removes all or a desired portion of the elastomeric mix from the adjacent roll and causes the same to transfer to another roll. Variables such as e.g., the relative surface speed of the stripper roll, diameter of the stripper roll, and distance of the outer surface of the stripper roll from the adjacent roll can be manipulated to control the amount of the elastomeric mix that is stripped by the stripper roll.

Template and method of making high aspect ratio template, stamp, and imprinting at nanoscale using nanostructures for the purpose of lithography, and to the use of the template to create perforations on materials and products.

An extrusion line for the production of peroxide cross-linked polyethylene pipes includes a cross-linking oven (5, 13) having an actuated deflection roller (7). The cross-linking oven has a first heating section (A) that extends from an inlet to said deflection roller (7) and a second heating section (B) that extends from said deflection roller to an outlet. An element is provided for adjusting a height of the deflection roller (7) and an angle of the first and second heating sections (A, B) relative to a horizontal plane.

Systems for spacing and transferring objects between operative stations are provided. Such systems can be used with ovens for preforms for plastic material, in blowing or stretch-blowing machines and for other applications in the packaging field. Such systems provide spacing and transferring of objects advancing in procession on transport elements, from a minimum pitch to a preset pitch larger than said minimum pitch, and for transferring said spaced objects to handling elements.

A burner and an improved heat recuperator for a burner. The heat recuperator has a tubular body including a plurality of fins extending radially outward from the tubular body. The plurality of fins are disposed in a plurality of segments arranged longitudinally along the tubular body with the plurality of fins in each segment being disposed about a circumference of the tubular body. Adjacent segments of fins being circumferentially offset with one another.

A combustor apparatus is provided, comprising a mixing arrangement for mixing a carbonaceous fuel with enriched oxygen and a working fluid to form a fuel mixture. A combustion chamber is at least partially defined by a porous perimetric transpiration member, at least partially surrounded by a pressure containment member. The combustion chamber has longitudinally spaced apart inlet and outlet portions. The fuel mixture is received by the inlet portion for combustion within the combustion chamber at a combustion temperature to form a combustion product. The combustion chamber directs the combustion product longitudinally toward the outlet portion. The transpiration member is configured to substantially uniformly direct a transpiration substance therethrough toward the combustion chamber, such that the transpiration substance is directed to flow helically about the perimeter and longitudinally between the inlet and outlet portions, for buffering interaction between the combustion product and the transpiration member. Associated systems are also provided.

A torch includes a tank adapted to contain a fuel, a firebowl atop the tank defining a fill opening, and an operating device that fits over the firebowl as a snuffer. A closing device may be fitted into the fill opening. The closing device may be movable between a lowered closed position and a raised open position. The closing device defines at least one recess for receiving a portion of an operating device that moves the closing device between the open and closed positions.

Provided is a method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member having improved sensitivity and capable of outputting an image having less image defects due to a ghost phenomenon not only under a normal-temperature, normal-humidity environment but also under a low-temperature, low-humidity environment as a particularly severe condition. The method of producing a gallium phthalocyanine crystal includes subjecting a gallium phthalocyanine and a specific amine compound, which are added to a solvent, to a milling treatment to perform crystal transformation of the gallium phthalocyanine. In addition, the gallium phthalocyanine crystal is used in the photosensitive layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member.

A method for producing a liquid developer containing toner particles containing a resin containing a polyester and a pigment, and an insulating liquid, wherein the toner particles are dispersed in the insulating liquid, including: step 1: melt-kneading the resin and the pigment, and pulverizing a melt-kneaded mixture to provide toner particles; step 2: dispersing the toner particles obtained in the step 1 in the insulating liquid in the presence of a basic dispersant to provide a dispersion of toner particles; and step 3: wet-milling the dispersion of toner particles obtained in the step 2 to provide a liquid developer, wherein the basic dispersant is an amide compound obtained by a reaction between a polyethyleneimine and a polyester (D) obtained by self-condensation of 12-hydroxystearic acid. The liquid developer obtained by the method of the present invention can be suitably used in development of latent images formed in, for example, an electrophotographic method, an electrostatic recording method, an electrostatic printing method, or the like.

The present invention provides a carrier for a two-component electrophotographic developer, comprising a core particle and a thermoset silicone resin layer coated thereon, wherein said layer comprises a charge control agent and is formed by heat-treatment at a temperature below the melting point of said charge control agent.

A method of tailoring the shape of a plurality of relief printing dots created in a photosensitive printing blank during a platemaking process including the steps of: (a) selectively exposing at least one photocurable layer to a source of actinic radiation to selectively crosslink and cure the at least one photocurable layer; and (b) developing the exposed at least one photocurable layer to reveal the relief image therein, said relief image comprising the plurality of relief printing dots. The source of actinic radiation comprises a source of UV light in the UV-A range and a source of light in the UV-C range. The at least one photocurable layer is simultaneously exposed to the source of UV light in the UV-A range and the source of UV light in the UV-C range to produce printing dots having at least one desired geometric characteristic.

A pattern forming method contains: (i) a step of forming a bottom anti-reflective coating on a substrate by using a first resin composition (I), (ii) a step of forming a resist film on the bottom anti-reflective coating by using a second resin composition (II), (iii) a step of exposing a multi-layered film having the bottom anti-reflective coating and the resist film, and (iv) a step of developing the bottom anti-reflective coating and the resist film in the exposed multi-layered film by using an organic solvent-containing developer to form a negative pattern.

An automatic performance apparatus includes a memory device, an input device, a write device, a switching device, and a write control device. The memory device stores performance information. The input device inputs the performance information. The write device sequentially writes the performance information at predetermined addresses of the memory device on the basis of an operation of the input device. The switching device commands rewriting. In response to a command from the switching device, the write control device returns a write address of the memory device to an immediately preceding start point of a predetermined music composition unit having two or more notes, thereby enabling an easy and accurate edit of the once stored performance information.

A tap dance platform for producing pitched sounds in response to energy imparted onto the surface of the platform having a flat base surface and parallel spaced-apart supports disposed on the flat base. Disposed on each of the spaced-apart supports are a plurality of flat spaced-apart keys which define a sound chamber between the base and the bottom of the keys. The supports are spaced-apart to engage the keys at their vibrational nodes. On the top surface of each of the spaced-apart supports are resilient strips to insulate the keys from the supports and the base to enhance the tonal sound. There are also provided side apertures in both the vertical supports and the side walls of the platform, to allow the sound to come out and to determine the desired sound quality. The ends of the platform are also recesses so that sound can travel out of each end of the platform. Thus, tap dancers can dance on the keys and create unique pitched, percussionlike sounds resembling a marimba.

An improved drum pedal for use with an acoustic or electronic bass drum has sprocket wheel 78 mounted for rotation on the toe end of a foot pedal 16. A rotational torque applied to a sprocket 72 attached to a crossarm 22 and in turn to a mallet head 28 causes mallet head 28 to swing through an arc 3 toward the drum head. Sprocket 72 and sprocket wheel 78 are connected by chain 76 in a compound pulley system wherein chain 76 is attached at one end to sprocket 72 and is wrapped around and under sprocket wheel 78 to be fixed at its other end at mounting bar 80, so that a downward motion of foot pedal 16 and sprocket wheel 78 through arc 2 moves sprocket 72 and mallet head 28 through arc 3, which motion is twice the magnitude in distance and velocity as that of sprocket wheel 78.

An electronic musical instrument having a number of keys, having tone generators capable of simultaneous tone production, the tone generators being smaller in number than the number of keys. The instrument forms an operation for synthesizing a desired waveform, the operation for synthesizing a desired waveform being performed in a repeating cyclic order with an operation cycle and in which the waveform is transferred to the tone generators and read out therefrom at a rate in accordance with the note of a key being depressed to obtain a desired musical waveform. The device includes a number-of-depressed keys detecting device which counts the number of keys which are actuating the tone generator upon depression. A cycle altering device is provided for changing the operation cycle, as a whole, on the basis of the number of depressed keys, counted by the number-of-depressed keys detecting device. The construction allows for a waveform of a smooth temporal variation to be produced.

A pedal mechanism for a bass drum, including a pivoted primary platform connected to a beater ball so that, when the primary platform is depressed, the beater ball moves to contact a drum; and a resiliently mounted secondary platform in operative contact with the primary platform, the arrangement being such that, in use, the toe of the drummer depresses the primary platform directly and the heel of the drummer depresses the primary platform through the secondary platform.

An apparatus for the carrying of a woodwind musical instrument, known as a recorder, consisting of a ring with sufficient inside diameter to fit around the shaft of the recorder and a strap attached to the ring and of sufficient length so as to fit around the neck of the person playing the recorder and allowing the recorder to hang in a position of easy access to the user.

A pedal assembly for a bass drum or high hat cymbals. A flat base plate has a resilient pedal board clamped to it with the pedal board inclined to receive a foot. A beater stick is connected with the toe end of the pedal board by a linkage that drives the beater stick against a bass drum when the pedal is depressed. The resiliency of the pedal board returns it to its normal position when foot pressure is withdrawn. The material of which the pedal board is constructed has a modulus of elasticity between about one million and about six million. A striker pad limits the depression of the pedal board to limit the force that the beater stick can apply to the drum.

For use with a percussion instrument, the combination comprises a clamp base to support the percussion instrument, a clamp jaw, adjustable connector structure connecting the jaw to the base for displacing the jaw toward and away from the base, and clamping structure carried on at least one of the jaw and the base to be clamped against a support member in response to relative clamping displacement of the jaw and base, whereby adjustment of the structure accommodates to clamping of different size support members by clamping structure.

Described is a bass drum foot pedal having a variable drive lever linkage with variable arc ratios connecting the foot pedal to a beater bracket. The beater bracket is formed with a mounting surface that tips a beater shaft forward to create a forward beater angle that maximizes the beater impact against a bass drum.

The invention relates to an apparatus for mounting a percussion instrument onto a stand. The apparatus comprises a support portion and a retaining portion, the support portion comprising a support member arranged for attachment to the stand and including a shaft, the retaining portion comprising a gripping member having a pair of elements spaced apart from each other and one or more spreader means arranged to urge the spaced apart elements away from each other, wherein the support and retaining portions are adapted to mount the percussion instrument therebetween, the shaft engageable with the retaining portion, the elements of the gripping member normally biased to a first position that is capable of retaining the shaft between the elements in a locked position in the said retaining portion, the elements movable to a second position in which the retaining portion can be received on or removed from the first position on the shaft, the elements movable from the first position to the second position by activation of the or each spreader means.

Provided is a method for performing a handover from a first base station to a second base station by a user equipment that is performing a radio communication over a communication channel formed by aggregating a plurality of component carriers. The method includes a step of transmitting a handover command for a component carrier for which a handover has been approved by the second base station among the plurality of component carriers from the first base station to the user equipment and a step of trying to make an access from the user equipment to the second base station for each component carrier in response to the handover command.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for interference mitigation of an open-access node. The method includes determining, at the open-access node, whether uplink interference from a mobile entity is above a threshold. The method includes adjusting a transmission power to trigger a hand-in of the mobile entity in response to determining the uplink interference is above the threshold. The method includes handing-in the mobile entity from a first cell in response to adjusting the transmission power. The method includes redirecting the mobile entity to a second cell different from the first cell.

A wireless access system and, more particularly, a method and apparatus for more efficiently performing zone switch are disclosed. The method of performing zone switch by an advanced mobile station (AMS) in a mixed-mode advanced base station (ABS) which operates in a mixed mode of a broadband wireless access system includes receiving a ranging response (RNG-RSP) message including system information of an AMS support zone from a legacy zone (LZone) of the ABS, and performing ranging to the AMS support zone using the system information.

A method for operating a base station in a wireless communication system in order to support a plurality of characteristics is provided. The method includes allocating resource periods for respective characteristics, transmitting system information including information on the characteristics, transmitting a reference signal with the characteristic corresponding to the relevant resource period through at least one of the resource periods, and receiving feedback information determining channel qualities for all of the characteristics.

A method includes selecting a subset k of N accessible antennas to use to process a transmission received at the N antennas and sent by a user equipment, and processing the transmission from the user equipment at least by using baseband information from the k antennas. An apparatus includes one or more processors and one or more memories including computer program code. The one or more memories and the computer program code are configured to, with the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: selecting a subset k of N accessible antennas to use to process a transmission received at the N antennas and sent by a user equipment; and processing the transmission from the user equipment at least by using baseband information from the k antennas. Additional apparatus, computer programs, and computer program products are disclosed.

A method for tracking a user's movements between network addresses can include, subsequent to a request for a (current) network address from a user, receiving the network address and an identifier for a region associated with the network address. The method can also include locating a record that contains the identifier for the region and a time that immediately precedes the request for the network address from the user. The record may further contain a prior network address. The method can further include generating an entry for a table that includes the identifier for the region, the current network address, and the prior network address. A server computer or a client computer can generate the entry. Improved accountability and improved user profile accuracy can be obtained with the method. A data processing system readable medium can comprise code that includes instructions for carrying out the method.

In the present invention, one or both of an active wheel or a passive wheel is composed of an eccentric transmission wheel and is combined with a synchronous transmission belt for forming an eccentric wheel transmission wheel series, so that when the feet input forces at different angles from the treadle shafts of the treadles to an active wheel shaft combined on the active wheel through cranks, the active wheel forms different transmission speed ratios relative to the passive wheel according to the treadle angle, and random inward packing is performed to the transmission belt (100) of the engage end of the eccentric passive wheel (413) during the transmission for stabling the operation.

An energy harvesting system comprises a first region having a first temperature and a second region. A conduit is located at least partially within the first region. A heat engine configured for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy includes a shape memory alloy forming at least one generally continuous loop. The shape memory alloy is disposed in heat exchange contact with the first region and the second region. The shape memory alloy is driven to rotate around at least a portion of the conduit by the response of the shape memory alloy to the temperature difference between the first region and the second region. At least one pulley is driven by the rotation of the shape memory alloy, and the at least one pulley is operatively connected to a component to thereby drive the component.

A belt-type stepless transmission is provided with: an input shaft; an input pulley having a stationary sheave and a movable sheave; a transmission shaft disposed parallel to the input shaft; an output pulley having a stationary sheave and a movable sheave; a belt wound around the input pulley and the pulley; an output shaft disposed coaxially with the transmission shaft; and a cam mechanism having a sheave-side cam which is provided and affixed to the movable sheave and a shaft-side cam which is provided and affixed to the output shaft and causing the sheave-side cam and the shaft-side cam to make contact with each other to thereby enable the transmission of torque between the movable sheave and the output shaft and apply an axial pressing force corresponding to the torque to the movable sheave.

A belt-type continuously variable transmission for a vehicle includes: a primary pulley including a first fixed sheave fixed to an input shaft, and a first movable sheave relatively non-rotatable and relatively movable in axial direction to the input shaft due to spline-fitting of a female spline formed on an inner circumferential portion thereof to a male spline formed on the input shaft; a secondary pulley including a second fixed sheave fixed to an output shaft in parallel with the input shaft, and a second movable sheave relatively non-rotatable and relatively movable in the axial direction to the output shaft due to spline-fitting of a female spline formed on an inner circumferential portion thereof to a male spline formed on the output shaft; and a transmission belt, the belt-type continuously variable transmission for a vehicle disposed with at least one of a first groove width defining portion disposed on the primary pulley for defining a maximum groove width of the first pulley groove and a second groove width defining portion disposed on the secondary pulley for defining a maximum groove width of the second pulley groove, the first groove width defining portion and the second groove width defining portion being disposed on one shaft of the input shaft and the output shaft, and the other shaft having a uniform shaft diameter in an range of sliding of the first movable sheave or the second movable sheave in the axial direction except a site with the male spline formed, the other shaft being disposed on the opposite side to the one shaft.

A clip-type mechanism for tensioning slack in a chain. A spring-biased piston is positioned in a bore in a housing. A ratchet rack is positioned on the piston, along with a clip member. A recess in the housing bore has an annular member with a hardened surface to reduce wear.

A chain belt-type continuously variable transmission in which ratchet-type chain belts are wound on driving and driven pulley devices, each of which has a variable diameter, in order to control the shift ratio. Driving belt supports are disposed in a driving pulley device so as to radially contract and expand. Driven belt supports are disposed in a driven pulley device so as to radially contract and expand. Teeth in the front portions of the driving belt supports and the driven belt supports and teeth in the rear portions of the driving belt supports and the driven belt supports are oriented in opposite directions. Front and rear ratchet gears formed on the driving belt supports and the front and rear ratchet gears formed on the driven belt supports are oriented in opposite directions and are arranged in alternating positions without being formed at corresponding positions in a line.

A pulley assembly having a body, a shaft mount and a plurality of bolts is disclosed. The body is aligned to the shaft mount by providing a tight tolerance between a shoulder portion of the bolt and a neck portion of a counter sunk hole formed in the body. Additionally, an outer surface of the body may have a pattern of friction lines or patches formed by fusing particulate matter to the outer surface with heat generated by a laser beam.

A secondary assembly drive of an internal combustion engine and a method for operating same are provided. The secondary assembly drive includes: a first drive wheel (1) which can be rotatably connected to a crank shaft (CR) of the internal combustion engine, an electric machine which can be operated either as a generator (AL) of as a motor (M) and a second drive wheel (2) which can be rotatably connected to the electric machine (AL, M), an air-conditioning compressor (A/C) and a third drive wheel (3) which can be rotatably connected to the air-conditioning compressor, a traction element (4) which rotates infinitely and which wraps around the drive wheels, and an actuable clutch (7) for disconnecting the drive of the electric machine and of the air-conditioning compressor from the crankshaft when necessary. In addition, the air-conditioning compressor is designed for operation in both rotational directions, and a reversal of the rotational direction between the generator operating mode and the motor operating mode of the electric machine is provided.

A secondary assembly drive of an internal combustion engine and a method for operating same are provided. The secondary assembly drive includes, in two drive planes, an assembly drive (2) and a starter drive (12) and permits, in addition to a normal operating mode, the following operating modes: —starting of the internal combustion engine, —boosting of the internal combustion engine, —air-conditioning, and —deactivation of the assembly drive (2).

The present invention is structured by using one or both of an active wheel and a passive wheel being composed of an eccentric transmission wheel and being combined with a synchronous transmission belt for forming an eccentric wheel transmission wheel series, so that in the reciprocal treadle performed by the human's feet, when the feet input forces at different angles from the treadle shafts of the treadles to an active wheel shaft combined on the active wheel through cranks, the active wheel forms different transmission speed ratios relative to the passive wheel according to the treadle angle.

The present invention relates to an Osteospermum and Dimorphoteca plant, seed, variety, and hybrid. Another aspect of the present invention relates to an Osteospermum and Dimorphoteca plant having a mutant allele designated KLEDF which results in an altered flower phenotype. The invention also relates to crossing Osteospermum and Dimorphoteca plants containing the KLEDF mutant allele with other Osteospermum and Dimorphoteca plants lacking the KLEDF mutant allele to produce intergeneric and interspecific hybrids. This invention further relates to specific lines of Osteospermum varieties exhibiting the altered-flowering phenotype. Furthermore, the invention relates to pollen, seed, and sexual, as well as asexual progeny of such plants with altered flowers. In addition, the invention relates to methods for propagating said plants and to uses of said plants.

A gravimetric blender has a frame; a resin material storage hopper supported by the frame, including a hopper cover; a weigh bin located below the hopper for receiving resin material from the hopper downwardly discharging the bin contents after the contents have been weighed; a load cell, connecting the frame and the weigh bin, for sensing weight of the weigh bin; a mixer connected to the frame, below the hopper, for mixing received contents of the weigh bin; and a guide connected to the frame, for movement of the hopper cover therealong.

An apparatus, system and method for mixing and dispensing dental impression materials is described. A dental impression material mixing machine comprises a water dispenser fluidly coupled to a hollow mixing axle, the mixing axle extending through a pulley, wherein an inner circumference of the hollow mixing axle forms a water conduit and an outer circumference of the hollow mixing axle forms a hub connector, a closeable valve inserted at a water entrance to the water conduit and electronically coupled to a water pump, an electronically commutated motor rotatably coupled to the pulley, wherein the hub connector receives a tubular rotatable hub of a disposable mixing vessel comprising dry dental impression powder, and wherein water is dispensed from the water dispenser into the disposable mixing vessel through the water conduit and hub orifice.

An extruder screw that enables mixing of viscous materials, such as rubber mixtures and thermoplastic materials, is disclosed. The screw includes a core extending from a sealing end to a nose cone end. At least one flight extends radially from the core in a quasi-helical pattern, wherein flights adjacent one another form channels therebetween. A plurality of elongate lugs extend radially from the core and are disposed in the channels. The shape as well as the number of lugs can be varied to ensure the requirements for a thorough and turbulent deflection and mixing of the material stream.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for mixing and controlling the temperature of laboratory vessel contents with an accommodating device in detachable connection with an exchangeable block for accommodating and controlling the temperature of laboratory vessels and with a drive by which the accommodating device can be set in a mixing motion, and with a temperature control device with a heat source or sink in heat-conducting connection with the exchangeable block at least through in each case at least one adjoining contact face firstly on the accommodating device and secondly on the exchangeable block, which is characterized in that the detachable connection is maintained by a spring element which, by virtue of its spring force, horizontally clamps together a first undercut between the accommodating device and the exchangeable block in at least one first direction.

Provided are a fluid agitation apparatus using a structure which is simple in shape and short in a fluid passage direction without a movable part so as to produce a sufficient effect from the viewpoint of reducing temperature fluctuation, and a thermostatic apparatus using the fluid agitation apparatus. The fluid agitation apparatus is installed in a fluid passage and includes, in an order from an upstream side thereof: a dividing part for dividing a flow of a fluid into a plurality of flows; a circumvolving part for circumvolving the fluid about an axis in a flow direction of the fluid; and an accelerating part for increasing a flow rate of the fluid.

An improved dual-shaft preconditioner (10) of simplified design is provided giving increased moisturization and partial cooking of food or feed ingredients. The preconditioner (10) includes an elongated, tapered housing (12) presenting a pair of side-by-side, communicating housing sections (58, 60), with a corresponding pair of converging shafts (20, 22) within the sections (58, 60) and having a series of elongated, outwardly extending mixing elements (24, 26) secured to the shafts (20, 22). The preconditioner (10) is designed for use in a system including a downstream processing device, such as an extruder (146).