Abstract: A drink straw container includes a hollow, elongated body that has a first end, a second end, an inner wall and an outer wall. The body has a frangible seal at the first end and a one-way valve located adjacent the second end that permits passage of fluids only from the second end toward the first end. The elongated body securely encloses a predetermined quantity of a consumable liquid. The inner and outer walls extend below the one-way valve to protect the valve from contacting a container surface. The lower end of the body may have a sealing membrane and a sliding puncture device to pierce the membrane. The straw may have an inner tube with a series of penetrating apertures for combining the consumable liquid with a mixing beverage. The straw may have a manually operated valve and a diameter reducing choke at the lower end of the straw.

Abstract: A trifold side seamed plastic produce bag includes a front wall and a taller back wall, first and second side edges sealed together and a seamless bag bottom. The taller back wall provides means for finding the bag opening. The bag is joined at the side edges to additional bags by a perforation. The bag is corona treated on at least one wall and promotional material is printed on the treated surface. The bags are folded to one third of their height to fit compact bag roll dispensers. The bags are folded in a Z-fold or C-fold configuration. The method and apparatus for producing the bags includes a slitter that removes a strip of plastic from only the top layer of the bag stream to form an extended flap on each bag. The method includes manufacturing the bags and winding them onto cores or forming the bags into coreless rolls.

Abstract: A bug killing gun includes a compressed gas source fluidly connected to a chamber connected to a barrel. A compressed gas release mechanism is connected to the compressed gas source. A projectile storage magazine stores particulate projectiles and is located adjacent the chamber. A projectile loading mechanism moves the projectiles into the chamber from the magazine. A cocking mechanism is mechanically connected to the compressed gas source, the compressed gas release mechanism, and the projectile loading mechanism. A stock houses and supports the compressed gas source, the compressed gas release mechanism, the barrel, the chamber, the projectile storage magazine, the cocking mechanism and the projectile loading mechanism. When the gun is cocked, the projectile loading mechanism loads a predetermined quantity of the particulate projectiles into the chamber. When the compressed gas release mechanism is activated the projectiles are ejected from the chamber into the barrel and expelled from the gun.

Abstract: An articulated firefighter breathing pack includes multiple polymeric pressure vessels connected together and to a flexible manifold with sections of flexible conduit. The pressure vessels and sections of flexible conduit are encased in high strength fiber material. The pressure vessels are wrapped in high strength ballistic ribbon material. The manifold provides connections for a high pressure regulator and an air fill source. A low pressure hose is connected to the high pressure regulator, a low pressure regulator is connected to the low pressure hose and a mouthpiece connected to the low pressure regulator. A pressure vessel container attaches the pressure vessels, the flexible conduit and the manifold to a harness having a waist portion and two vertical straps extending upwardly over the shoulders and back down to the waist portion. A utility belt provides mounting for equipment for the breathing pack including hoses, a power supply, electronic sensors and controls.

Abstract: A closed specimen collection system for blood samples includes a collection tube that has a shaped nozzle adapted to fit sealably into a port connected to a centrally inserted venal catheter. A protective cover for the nozzle is attached to the collection tube and has an internal, female thread that mates to a male thread on the port. A specimen container has a hollow body, a front end and a back end. The front end has an aperture sized and shaped to attach to the collection tube. The aperture is sealable after removal of the collection tube. A piston fits closely within the hollow body and is attached to an actuating rod. When the port is connected to the collection tube, the collection tube is connected to the specimen container and the actuating rod is pulled toward the back end, blood will flow into the container in a sterile condition.

Abstract: A lubrication blocking seal includes a hollow body that has upper and lower planar surfaces, a surrounding wall, a reservoir area and an open top. The body has upper and lower seal-receiving recesses located in the upper and lower planar surfaces, and a lower central aperture sized and shaped to fit closely about a rotating shaft. A cover is sized and shaped to seal to the hollow body and has an upper central aperture sized and shaped to fit closely about the rotating shaft and means for mounting a bearing about the shaft and to the cover. A lower seal is sized and shaped to fit closely about the rotating shaft and into the lower seal-receiving recess. An upper seal is sized and shaped to fit closely about the rotating shaft and into the upper seal-receiving recess. A quantity of lubricating material sufficient to fill the reservoir area is provided.

Abstract: A cooling stick for a blender includes a cylindrical member designed to fit tightly through a circular aperture extending through the blender lid. The member has a lower portion and an upper portion with a surrounding rim of a diameter larger than the circular aperture. The lower portion has a lower end sized and shaped to avoid contact with the blender blade assembly. The cylindrical member has an interior chamber, an opening extending from an exterior of the member to the chamber and means for sealing the opening. A cooling fluid is located within the interior chamber. The fluid is cooled or frozen when the cooling stick is located in a cooling environment. When the chilled cooling stick is mounted to the lid of the blender, the cooling stick will cool contents of the blender when the blender is operated. The cooling stick also cools the blender contents after operation.

Abstract: A stovetop grilling device includes a catch tray that has a plurality of downward pointing V-shaped first members attached to a first frame and having parallel side edges spaced from one another by a first distance. A grilling surface has a plurality of upward pointing V-shaped second members attached to a second frame and having parallel side edges spaced from one another by the first distance. The second frame is located over the first frame with a mid-point between the parallel side edges of each of the first members centrally located between and below the parallel side edges of two adjacent second members and a mid-point between the parallel side edges of each of the second members centrally located between and above the parallel side edges of two adjacent first members. Heat follows an angled path upward to the grilling surface and food drippings flow downward to the catch tray.

Abstract: A plurality of stacked polyethylene film bags comprising about 40-48 wt. % high density, high molecular weight polyethylene, 12-20 wt. % high density, medium molecular weight polyethylene, 20-30 wt. % linear low density polyethylene, 0-8 wt. % color concentrate, are releasably adhered together in substantial registration. Each of the bags includes front and rear polyethylene film walls and each of the front and rear walls have first and second side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge. The front and rear walls are integrally joined at their first and second side edges and secured together at their bottom edges. An open mouth portion is defined adjacent the top edges of the bag. At least an upper portion of the outer surface of the front and rear walls of each of the bags has been corona treated. T-shirt style bags using the above formulation are also described.

Abstract: A combination meal bag and placemat has front and rear thermoplastic bag walls each having first and second side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge. The walls are integrally joined to a bottom gusset at the bottom edges and fastened together along the first and second side edges with first and second side seals that fasten first and second outer edges of the bottom gusset to the first and second side edges, respectively. First and second side perforations are spaced from the first and second side edges and extend from the top edge to the bottom edge. When the front wall is pulled away from the rear wall, the first and second side perforations will part, permitting the front and rear walls and bottom gusset to open into a flat placemat. First and second strap handles or die-cut handles are positioned adjacent the top edges of the bag.

Abstract: A double-sided video monitor has a pair of display panels mounted back-to-back. The panels are capable of displaying same or separate video signals at the same time. Each panel has an inset viewing area capable of displaying an additional video signal. Video input signals are received through a variety of connection protocols including Digital Video Interface (DVI), S-Video cable, YPbPr cable, composite cable, and VGA cable. Audio output devices are provided for each panel n receiving input from an audio harness. The output devices provide sound synchronized to either display panel or inset viewing area. The panels can be operated independently by individual controlling means, which include a plurality of control buttons for volume adjustment, picture adjustment, activation, deactivation, and so on. The monitor may have a single power supply providing power to one or more monitor controllers. The monitor can also be connected to a laptop, or similar computing device.

Abstract: A vertical structured Light Emitting Diode (LED) array using wafer level bonding. The process bonds two or more LED arrays vertically to produce light mixing in a small footprint. The vertically bonded LED array contains through substrate vias and a plurality of metal posts coated with solder to form an internal cavity between the LED layers. This LED array structure is intrinsically hermetically sealed.

Abstract: A trifold side seamed plastic produce bag includes a front wall and a taller back wall, first and second side edges sealed together and a seamless bag bottom. The taller back wall provides means for finding the bag opening. The bag is joined at the side edges to additional bags by a perforation. The bag is corona treated on at least one wall and promotional material is printed on the treated surface. The bags are folded to one third of their height to fit compact bag roll dispensers. The bags are folded in a Z-fold or C-fold configuration. The method and apparatus for producing the bags includes a slitter that removes a strip of plastic from only the top layer of the bag stream to form an extended flap on each bag. The method includes manufacturing the bags and winding them onto cores or forming the bags into coreless rolls.

Abstract: A closed specimen collection system includes a port tube that is rotatably attached to tubing of a urinary drainage system attached to an indwelling urinary catheter. The port tube has a one-way valve located adjacent one end formed to fit sealably with a shaped nozzle. A collection has a proximal end and a distal end with a shaped nozzle at the proximal end adapted to fit sealably into the port tube adjacent the one-way valve. A specimen container has a hollow body, a back end and a front end with a sealable aperture sized and shaped to attach to the distal end of the collection tube. A piston fits closely within the hollow body and is attached to an actuating rod. When the actuating rod is moved away from the front end of the container, urine will flow into the specimen container through the collection tube in a sterile condition.

Abstract: An inflatable flag display includes a shaft having a hollow core and a sealed upper end. An aperture is located in the upper portion of the shaft and penetrates from an outer surface to the hollow core. A supporting base is connected to the shaft. A gas input connection is affixed to the shaft or the base and is in fluid communication with the core. An inflatable flag member is affixed to the shaft, formed of flexible material and has at least one inflatable chamber. The chamber is in fluid communication with the aperture and has an exhaust vent. A compressed gas source is in fluid communication with the gas input connection. A compressed gas modulator controls pressure or duration of gas flow, causing the flag to undulate. A variant includes means for rotating the shaft as the flag is inflated. Another variant includes an inflatable column replacing the shaft.

Abstract: In a first embodiment a framed solar panel is retained by a rod inserted through a hole in the panel frame. The rod is attached to the top of a bracket, which is mounted at its bottom to a substantially flat surface. In a second embodiment, a framed solar collector panel is retained by a clip which is designed to fit over the top edge of the frame. The clip is then attached to the top of a second bracket. In a fourth embodiment a tether is fastened between the through hole and the flat surface. These embodiments may be used at either or both ends of the frame. Each embodiment may include a safety tether that is connected between the frame and the bracket.

Abstract: A chain transmission containing two toothed sprockets, a chain and a tensioner where the center (S) of the pitch circle of the driven sprocket (2) lays outside of the circle inscribed by the part of chain (4) mating with the driven sprocket (2). Each link (5,6) of the chain (4) contains plates (7) connected by three pins (8 and 9), while the axis of one of the pin (9) lays outside of the plane determined by axes of the remaining pins (8) of the link (5, 6).