Other

Iowa State University Research Foundation Inc

James H Oliver

Evon L Oliver

Mark Lyte

Rafael Radkowski

Graham Redweik

Glenn P Williford

Suzanne Theresa Millman Hartline

Nirmal K Nair

Yunching Huang

Melha Mellata

An artificial and/or simulated environment is used to raise a domestic or commercially raised animal to promote a positive health feedback and to minimize stress on the animal. The simulated environment is used to create the façade of a free range or cage free environment, while also minimizing the exposure to inclement weather, potential predators, and other unknown or stress-inducing situations. The results include animals that have higher resistance to diseases and have a lower stress. The artificial environment can be created by projecting or otherwise showing images and/or videos depicting simulation of environments, climate, and/or other unknown situations to normalize the animals to the same.

Simulated natural landscape in a cage-free facility to improve animal welfare and health

A tow package cargo support for providing a structural support for items which extend beyond the back edge of a vehicle cargo bed and includes a support body which provides a substantially U shaped frame, an attachment beam which allows for the attachment of the support body to a vehicle tow package, and two vertical side extensions which extend up vertically from opposing sides of the support body. The support body additionally includes a vertical body extension which connects the cargo support and attachment beam. In one embodiment, the tow package cargo support may be employed with an auxiliary bed sized and shaped to be placed with one end resting on the cargo bed of a vehicle and the other end on the support body, providing an extended, contiguous bed surface in conjunction with to the cargo bed of the vehicle.

Tow package cargo support

A method and apparatus are presented for five-axis NC milling process simulation and dimensional verification. An algorithm is utilized which employs a dexel representation of the workpiece and milling tool to reduce the complexity of the solid representation and associated Boolean operations. This representation is exploited to obtain high computational efficiency which affords real-time visual verification of milling processes. Simulation is presented as animated images while a unique discrete dexel verification algorithm simultaneously performs calculations of milling error between the emerging workpiece and actual design surfaces. Milling errors are depicted by levels of color on the milled workpiece. The verification result precisely reveals the quality of the tool paths in a realistic depiction of the actual process, which is helpful for determining tool path modifications and additional finishing processes. Several graphical results of a software implementation are included to demonstrate the capabilities and robustness of this verification algorithm.

NC milling simulation and dimensional verification via dexel

Multi-section safety apparel used by a workman installing or repairing steep sloped roofing for effecting a reduced coefficient of sliding friction between the workman and the roof surface. The first section is comprised of a coarse textured layer of foam rubber or high density polyurethane foam adapted for a wrap installation about at least the buttocks and rear of the wearer's thighs. Additional sections attachable to the first section, are available for optionally protecting also the calfs and knees of the wearer while a hammer loop and nail pouch are available for detachable attachment to the first section.

Safety-wear for roof installers

A pier (10) for supporting an object, such as a mobile home coach frame, above the ground generally comprises support (80) supporting pipe (70) in a vertical position and against downward movement, platform (30) having a sloped upper surface (43) supported by top end (71) of pipe (70), and wedge (50) supported by platform (30); wedge (50) having slanted bottom (53) and horizontal top surface (60) for supporting the load. The height of pier (10) can be adjusted by sliding wedge (50) up sloped surface (43). Gripping ridges (45,55) on slope (43) and slanted bottom (53) interact so that the wedge (50) may not slide down the slope (43). Platform (30) includes a plurality of receptacles (40) for receiving top end (71) of pipe (70) for supporting sloped surface (43) at various heights.

Adjustable pipe pier

An efficient algorithm determines the blank shape necessary to manufacture a surface by press forming. The technique is independent of material properties and instead uses surface geometry and an area conservation constraint to generate a geometrically feasible blank shape. The algorithm is formulated as an approximate geometric interpretation of the reversal of the forming process. The primary applications for this technique are in preliminary surface design, assessment of manufacturability, and location of binder wrap. Since the algorithm exhibits linear time complexity, it is amenable to implementation as an interactive design aid.

Area preserving transformation system for press forming blank development

A technique is presented for the synthesis of sculptured surface models subject to several functional design constraints. A design environment is specified as a collection of polyhedral models which represent components in the vicinity of the design surface, or regions which the surface should avoid. The primary functional constraint is formulated as a proximity penalty function such that the design surface is induced to avoid a tolerance envelope around each component. In addition, a constraint based on surface area is formulated to counteract the expansion effect of the proximity constraint. Secondary design constraints are formulated to maintain consistent surface topology, and exploit part symmetry. Surface synthesis is thus formulated as an optimization problem and solved via simulated annealing. Several example applications are presented to demonstrate the capabilities of the technique.

Sculptured surface synthesis based on functional design constraints

A support, for a pier of the type having a base with a bottom surface area and fastener-receiving bores therethrough, generally comprises a panel with plurality of ribs attached thereto as a stiffening grid; the free sides of the ribs defining a support plane that is parallel to the panel. A plurality of attachment bores in the support receive fasteners for attaching the pier base to the support such that shear forces between the pier and the support are resisted. Shear pegs in shear bores resist shear forces between stacked supports. A plurality of anchor bores through the support each may receive a anchor rod for resisting shear forces between said support and the ground. In an exemplary stacked configuration, the top support has its first side upward, preferably attached to the pier and the bottom support has its first side downward. An alternate stacked embodiment comprises a base of two lower supports laid end to end with an overlapping support overlapping their juncture and supporting the pier directly or supporting another support.

Pier support

A load equalizing pier for a coach comprises a stand for placement on the ground and a head for placement under a load, e.g. a coach beam. The stand includes means for adjusting the height of the head. The head includes a base plate for attachment to the top of the stand and a support plate for placement under the load. Springs, supported by the base plate bias the support plate toward a biased position separated from the base plate. Bolts retain the support plate to the base plate above the base plate such that the support plate is movable downward from a biased position to a stop position restrained by the base plate. The springs apply a biasing force less than the desired load such that said support plate, under desired load, is restrained from further downward movement by said base plate. Preferably, the springs apply a biasing force of less than half of the desired load.

Load equalizer pier head

A height-adjustable load bearing support for attachment to a mobile home frame beam for supporting the home for occupancy has a bottom adjustment screw and is much better able to withstand lateral load forces, such as resulting from an earthquake. The support includes a stand, a vertical support shaft, and a bottom adjustment screw. The stand includes a base and legs which project upward to support a collar. A vertical shaft is supported by and within the collar and is slidable vertically. The vertical support member includes a side surface for bearing against the collar and an upper end disposed above the collar top end that includes a load support plate for supporting a frame beam. The load support plate includes tabs for attaching the plate to a beam such that the beam cannot slide off. The height of the vertical shaft is adjusted relative to the base by a screw connected to the lower end of the vertical shaft. Thus, compressive forces from vertical loads applied to the vertical shaft are transmitted to the base thru the adjustment screw, and shear and moment forces caused by lateral loads applied to the vertical shaft are transmitted to the base thru the collar and legs.

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Ames, IA, United States of America

James H Oliver