An unmanned aerial vehicle is removably connected to a container. The container has a vessel retaining a pressurized gas supply and a manifold having a plurality of ports connected to a plurality of expandable structures. The pressurized gas supply is in communication with a plurality of expandable structures. The container also has least one compartment having a plurality of expandable structures configured to capture a payload. Additional improvements include an improved docking structure for the unmanned aerial vehicle to engage a container and a rotatable weight distribution system for maintaining a center of gravity at the physical center of gravity of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

A holder for knives or tools includes a vessel of an elastic material that has a chamber. Linear bristles fill and are arranged in adjacent rows within the chamber so that the vessel exerts a compression force on the linear bristles. Each bristle has a generally rectangular cross-section transverse to a length of the bristle. The linear bristles receive and retain knives or tools via a friction force irrespective of the orientation of the knives or tools when inserted into the vessel and irrespective of the orientation of the vessel. The holder assembly can include a suction cup via which the vessel can be coupled to a surface, and a base plate that receives the suction cup for mounting to different (e.g., uneven, non-smooth) surfaces.

A battery module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a cell assembly including a plurality of battery cells stacked side by side in a horizontal direction, each battery cell defining a respective plane extending in a vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction, and an end plate having a support part configured to support a bottom of the cell assembly, an outer side part extending in the vertical direction from an end of the support part, and an inner side part extending downward and inward from a top of the outer side part.

A device for packaging and dispensing a chemical product is provided. The device may include a first portion connected to a second portion. Counterpoising locking features may secure the first portion and the second portion. A support member is disposed within the lower portion and adapted to support the product. The device may include a flexible enclosure contoured to and enclosing the rigid body and the product. The flexible enclosure may enclose a portion of the housing and the product, after which heat is applied to shrink the flexible enclosure. A handle may provide for ease of installation and/or removal of the device from a solid chemical dispensing system.

A package is formed of a die cut paperboard that includes a cutout that is covered by a polymer sheet. The sheet holds an item, such as by stretching, against the bottom side of the unpadded paperboard, which is chosen according to its ability to be transported on metal roller conveyors.

A container is provided, including a tubular body having an open first end and a second end defining a receptacle to receive an elongate storage unit; and a retaining frame within the receptacle to receive and retain the unit, movable between a first configuration to engage a retaining surface of the unit to retain it within the receptacle, and a second configuration in which it is released from engagement with the frame for removal from the container, the frame including a supporting rim circumscribing the first end; and a flexible tab depending from the rim and projecting radially into the receptacle, such that in the first configuration a distal end of the tab is configured to engage the retaining surface, and when the frame is moved from the first to the second configuration, the tab is bent towards a peripheral wall of the body and away from the retaining surface.

A carrier (10) for containers, such as coffee cups, is described. Carrier (10) is generally in the form of a tray (11) and includes a pair of retainers for a respective container. At least one of the retainers comprising a stepped holding region (22) in or near base (21) for the container wherein the container may be releasably held. Retaining means having at least one, typically curved, wall connected to base (21) are provided to assist releasable holding of the container.

A container holding device for holding one or more containers includes: a base plate having an upper surface, a bottom surface, and one or more holes each extending from the upper surface to the bottom surface and having a central symmetry axis L.sub.axis orthogonal to the base plate; and two or more holding elements that are located around each hole beneath the bottom surface of the base plate. The holding elements are configured to: contact an outer surface of a container that is placed into the container holding device at a bottom edge of a top region of the container, such that the container hangs in the container holding device in a first position p1 in which the holding elements do not exert any force on the outer surface of the container that is radial; and contact the outer surface of the container in a shoulder region.

A packaging container for an elongate object has a base and a protective sleeve to be pushed in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the protective sleeve onto the base. The protective sleeve can be secured at the base. The base has a receptacle for an end of an elongate object and the protective sleeve covers an elongate object received in the receptacle. The packaging container has a primary part of a first external coupling device and the primary part is detachably connectable to a secondary part of a second external coupling device that is provided on a further packaging container.

A system and method of construction based on rods and coils, that includes multiple parts comprising: distinct apparatuses, one or more coil joints, a coil body, and one or more coil spines; wherein any combination of the above parts can result in a variety of distinct structures; wherein the coil joint has 360 degree rotation; wherein the rotation can be limited to simulate other types of joints; wherein this coil joint can be combined with other joint styles to create hybrid styles; wherein there are 2 bias actions, one is an extending action and the other is a contracting action; wherein the action of the coil results in a more life-like motion than not using the coil; wherein the coil body has a flexible shape that can be locked into place; wherein the coil body has a high strength to weight ratio, which leads to high dimensional stability; wherein there is also hollow space for storage and transport of a package inside of the coil body; wherein the coil spine simulates the spines of living beings; wherein the coil spine is a flexible yet robust structure.

A system and method of construction based on rods and coils that can create a mechanical hand; wherein the coil joints function as the equivalent to human joints; wherein there are rods that function as the equivalent to human bones; wherein the coil joints create a dampening effect that simulates the dampening effect in human hands; wherein there are coil bodies of the hand, that are used for transport and storage; wherein the fingers of the artificial hand can be replaced with tools that are of a similar size and not excessive weight; wherein the coil joints can be modified to simulate various human joints; where there is a bias in all coils and coil joints; wherein the bias of the coil joints increases the ability of the artificial hand to grasp; wherein the bias of the coil joint functions as tendon tension; wherein the bias of all the coils results in more life-like motion; wherein movement of the finger can be performed with a single wire opposing the bias of the coil; wherein the artificial hand can have autonomous motion by utilizing an actuator system.