An aperture plate (1) is attached at its rim (203) to a support washer (3) by adhesive. Anchor grooves (204) having a zig-zag pattern in plan are machined in the lower surface of the rim (203 of the aperture plate before application of the adhesive. The grooves (204) extend out to the edge of the aperture plate (1). The anchor grooves have a depth in the range of 10 μm to 40 μm, and a width in the range of 20 μm to 150 μm, and an angular pitch in the range of 2.5° to 12.5°. Excellent bonding strength is achieved for long term reliable attachment in an environment of high frequency vibration and moisture and chemical corrosion.

An improvement to a roadside sprayer fixates spray nozzles on a registration plate. The registration plate may include integral tabs depending on the application. Inclination of the tabs is adjustable to place streams and droplets in a desired swath coverage. With the nozzles rigidly mounted onto the plate, the entire plate is notated. The use of the registration plate in a spray unit creates a uniform nutation among the nozzles, thereby reducing variability in droplet placement, and providing a more predictable spray from the nozzles. In other embodiments, the spray unit is utilized in a spray system adaptable to service vehicles, and may be utilized in conjunction with a vegetation engagement device, such as a cutter to engage multiple zones of a roadway right-of-way. Additionally, an improved spray unit includes an electromagnetic field and an attractor to generate plate motion.

Novel, lubricious antimicrobial coatings for medical devices are disclosed. The coatings provide improved lubricity and durability and are readily applied in coating processes at low temperatures that do not deform the device and preserves the antimicrobial effectiveness of the antimicrobial agent. The present invention is also directed to a novel platinum catalyst for use in such coatings. The catalyst provides for rapid curing, while inhibiting cross-linking at ambient temperatures, thereby improving the production pot life of the coatings.

Coating materials such as MALDI matrix solutions are aerosolized and are used to coat analyte particles in an acoustic coater. Methods and devices for coating analyte particles in real time are disclosed. The coating improves the detection and quantification of the analyte particles using analytical instruments such as an aerosol time of flight mass spectrometer.

Coating materials such as MALDI matrix solutions are aerosolized and are used to coat analyte particles in an acoustic coater. Methods and devices for coating analyte particles in real time are disclosed. The coating improves the detection and quantification of the analyte particles using analytical instruments such as an aerosol time of flight mass spectrometer.

Various embodiments relate generally to computer vision and automation to autonomously identify and deliver for application a treatment to an object among other objects, data science and data analysis, including machine learning, deep learning, and other disciplines of computer-based artificial intelligence to facilitate identification and treatment of objects, and robotics and mobility technologies to navigate a delivery system, more specifically, to an agricultural delivery system configured to identify and apply, for example, an agricultural treatment to an identified agricultural object. In some examples, a method may include calculating an amount of light originating from a light source sensed at a location in which an agricultural object is interposed between the light source and an image capture device, causing emission of an obscurant, and directing the obscurant to a region interposed between the light source and the agricultural object.

Various embodiments relate generally to computer vision and automation to autonomously identify and deliver for application a treatment to an object among other objects, data science and data analysis, including machine learning, deep learning, and other disciplines of computer-based artificial intelligence to facilitate identification and treatment of objects, and robotics and mobility technologies to navigate a delivery system, more specifically, to an agricultural delivery system configured to identify and apply, for example, an agricultural treatment to an identified agricultural object. In some examples, a method may include calculating an amount of light originating from a light source sensed at a location in which an agricultural object is interposed between the light source and an image capture device, causing emission of an obscurant, and directing the obscurant to a region interposed between the light source and the agricultural object.

Afforded is a spray apparatus that enables the large-volume generation of fine particles having particle diameters minute to a level that can give rise to Brownian motion. A spray apparatus of the present invention is furnished with: an atomization tank 11; an atomizing device 12; a blower 13 that blows air through a blow port 11b; and send-out port 11c; a first baffle plate 14a and a second baffle plate 14b, connected to an inner side of a top panel of the atomization tank. The first baffle plate 14a is furnished with a first edge piece 14ae disposed spaced apart at a predetermined spacing from an inner face of the atomization tank 11 along one widthwise end thereof, and the blow port 11b is arranged to the one widthwise end of a connection piece 14ac between the first baffle plate 14a and the atomization tank 11. The second baffle plate 14b is furnished with a second edge piece 14be disposed spaced apart at a predetermined spacing from the inner face of the atomization tank 11 along the other widthwise end thereof, and the blow port 11c is arranged to the other widthwise end of a connection piece 14bc between the second baffle plate 14b and the atomization tank 11.

Afforded is a spraying apparatus that enables the large-volume generation of fine particles having particle diameters minute to a level that can give rise to Brownian motion. A spraying apparatus of the present invention is furnished with: an atomization tank 11 enabled for storing a liquid formulation; an atomizing device 12 being ultrasonic vibration elements arranged in the atomization tank interior, for atomizing the liquid formulation to generate fine particles; a blower 13 furnished with a blower element enabled for maintaining predetermined rpm, for blasting into the atomization tank interior, through a blow port 11b provided in the atomization tank, conveyance air that is for conveying the fine particles of the liquid formulation; a send-out port 11c, provided in the atomization tank, through which the fine particles are sent out together with the conveyance air; and a baffle plate 14a arranged in the atomization tank interior; wherein with one end part of the baffle plate 14a being spaced apart at a predetermined spacing from the inner surface of the atomization tank, the other end part is connected to the inner side of the atomization tank, and meanwhile, the baffle plate 14a is arranged so as to receive, at a surface on one side thereof, conveyance air through the blow port, and to receive, at a surface on the other side thereof, liquid columns of the liquid formulation, generated by the ultrasonic vibration elements.

A nozzle for an atomizer includes a plate, a piezoelectric actuator, a body, and a connector. The plate defines an aperture. The actuator is configured to oscillate the plate. The body supports the plate. The connector is configured to reversibly mount the body to the atomizer in a first orientation and in a second orientation. In the first orientation, fluid exits the nozzle along a first axial direction through the aperture. In the second orientation, fluid exits the nozzle along an opposite axial direction through the aperture.