Abstract: The invention pertains to safety syringes and safety catheters designed to protect the operator from unintentional needle sticks and prevent fluid leakage after use. When the safety catheter is in operation, fluid passes from the flexible tubing through the hollow body, outlet portion, and out of the hollow needle. The hollow body includes a pair of wings to attach to the patient's skin. A needle shield fits slidably over the needle and a portion of the hollow body and includes a slot accommodating the attachable wings. The needle shield is a membrane sealed body. The shield includes an internal membrane sealing against fluid loss through the wing slots. The needle shield's first position permits the needle's tip to extend outward from the shield through a membrane. When in the second position, the needle shield extends beyond the needle's tip preventing any fluid loss.

Abstract: A conveyor belt with advertising is fabricated by coating at least one flexible belting member with a vinyl size coating. A white base coat is applied over the vinyl size coating. Special white PVC coated belting material is also used. A variety of printing processes are used to print advertising images on the belting member. These processes include silkscreen, flexographic, offset and digital inkjet printing. The belting member may be coated with a clear coating material and cured under ultraviolet lighting. The belting members may be made in lengths shorter than the entire length of the conveyor belt with removable attachment means, permitting individual advertising images to be replaced without replacing the entire conveyor belt. Methods for fabricating the belting members including ink formulations, handling and drying steps are also described.

Abstract: An instructional device for use by music students is constructed as an outer sleeve having a slide member fitted within it. The outer sleeve has first and second sets of openings and is imprinted with a representation of a piano keyboard. The slide member has alphabetic representations of musical notes showing through the first set of openings as the slide member is moved. One alphabetic representation shows the musical key selected and seven others display the notes of the chromatic scale and major and minor chords associated with that key. A first series of markings sized and located to show through the second set of openings will indicate the piano keys related to the chromatic scale selected. Additional sets of openings and markings on the slide member indicate the piano keys associated with the major and minor chords selected. These piano keys shown by colored markings or specially shaped openings.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for collecting and transporting concrete waste includes a container, a cart for supporting and moving the container and a mechanism attached to the frame of a cement truck for lifting the cart and container off the ground for transport. The apparatus may be stored on a cement truck so that the apparatus prevents disposal of cement and concrete waste in an unlawful or unsightly manner and allows the cement and concrete waste to be returned to a cement and concrete production facility and recycled. The cart includes a mechanism for tilting the container about its midsection using an elongated lever or handle.

Abstract: An antispasticity aid device designed to aid stroke victims. The invention is a hand brace constructed to hold the thumb and fingers flat and a series of accessories designed to re-educate the muscles after a stroke. The device has a hand-mounting and thumb-mounting member. First and second restraining straps hold the hand and thumb firmly in contact with the hand-mounting and thumb-mounting member, respectively. Accessories for use with the device include: A first accessory fitting on an arm of an armchair; a second accessory providing physical therapy; a third accessory maintaining a comfortable position to rest an arm; a fourth accessory fitting frictionally over the arm of a chair; a fifth accessory accepting the mounting bracket of the device; a sixth accessory suspending the arm; a seventh accessory providing a channel for resting an arm; an eighth accessory providing exercise for arm muscles; and a ninth accessory permitting physical therapy.

Abstract: A square bottom plastic bag is designed to stand upright when opened. The bags are constructed with open tops, side handle openings and attached headers or with t-shirt style handles. The bags are produced in registered bag stacks and include means for adhering a rear surface of one bag to a front surface of a subsequent bag to make the bags self-opening when used with a dispensing rack. The headered bags have tear-off headers or headers with weakened areas that will rupture upon dispensing. The t-shirt bags have apertures through the handles to suspend the bags on a rack or a header attached above the handles. The bags have detachable or rupturable center tabs. The bags are registered with hot pins or cold stakes through an upper portion of the bags or bag handles. The bags have openings, microperforations, or are formed of porous material to dissipate heat or moisture.

Abstract: An apparatus having a tube section and an expanded end. The tube section is flexible while the end section is rigid. The apparatus has a central bore, large enough to loosely receive an endoscope tube, and the end section has two peripheral bores which communicate with the central bore. There is a collar around the central bore which allows formation an air- and water-tight seal with the head of an endoscope. The tube may be fenestrated at its proximal end and may include medial pleats. This apparatus is mainly used by: sliding an endoscope into the central bore until the endoscope head forms an air- and water-tight seal with the central bore; connecting a lavage tube to one peripheral bore and a vacuum tube to the other peripheral bore; inserting the endoscope and the apparatus into a GI tract; and manually controlling the apparatus to apply lavage and vacuum.

Abstract: An electronic meeting center including at least one persistent, server-based meeting is described. The meeting has a unique identifying name and topic, at least one authorized participant and a coordinator authorized to add and remove participants. At least one persistent, server-based virtual meeting space is associated with the meeting that may be accessed by participants and the coordinator from remote locations. The center directs and controls messages having information relevant to the meeting. A dialogue buffer is associated with the meeting space and is capable of storing messages for review by the participants. The meeting space includes an agenda that includes associated goals and action items and is available to participants for viewing. Participants are informed of other participants accessing the meeting space. The center includes a library and a theatre that contains documents, addresses, references, bookmarks and multimedia displays relevant to the meeting.

Abstract: A lure comprising: a) a hollow body, made of hard plastic, having a shape approximating the front of a natural fish, and including several ribs with through holes; b) several weights, affixed inside the hollow body; c) a resilient skin, having the shape, texture and coloration of the front of a natural fish and an eye sockets, adhered around the hollow body, around the ribs and through the through holes; d) a resilient tail having the shape, texture and coloration of the tail of a natural fish, integral with the resilient skin; the resilient tail including approximately vertical slits; e) a diving bill affixed to the hollow body just below the nose and protruding through the skin; f) a reflective eye attached to the hollow body within the eye socket; g) a line eye hook, affixed to the hollow body at the nose and protruding through the skin; and h) a fish hook eye hook, affixed to the hollow body underneath and protruding through the skin).

Abstract: A cigar tip plug cutter uses a cylindrical cutting blade to cut a round plug from the sealed end of a cigar. The cylindrical blade has a beveled upper edge tapering from the outer diameter to the inner diameter to better retain the cut plug. The blade is secured upright to a support platform and a cigar plug ejector rod projects upwardly through the blade. The ejector rod is secured to a base portion, as are at least two supports that attach to the underside of a cigar tip receiving plate. The plate has a central orifice to permit passage of the blade. The receiving plate is urged away from the support platform by compression springs that also cause the ejector rod to project into the blade. A platform cover fits slidably over the receiving plate and includes spring-loaded balls that maintain the receiving plate in upper and lower positions.

Abstract: A lock includes a control knob with a keyway and a receiving space defined in a distal end face of the control knob to correspond to the receiving hole of the sliding seat. The sliding block is able to selectively be received at a joint of the control knob and the sliding block to allow movement of the control knob to drive the latch to move accordingly.

Abstract: The invention pertains to safety syringes and safety catheters designed to protect the operator from unintentional needle sticks and prevent fluid leakage after use. When the safety syringe is in operation, a plunger with an attached piston is pushed into the cylindrical bore forcing fluid through the hollow body, the outlet portion, and out of the hollow needle. A needle shield fits slidably over the needle and a portion of the hollow body. The needle shield is a membrane sealed body. The needle shield's first position permits the needle's tip to extend outward from the shield through the membrane. When in the second position, the needle shield to extends beyond the needle's tip preventing any fluid loss. When the safety catheter is in operation, fluid passes from the flexible tubing through the hollow body, outlet portion, and out of the hollow needle. The hollow body includes a pair of wings to attach to the patient's skin.

Abstract: Plastic shopping bags having attached promotional ad strips are described. In bags have gusseted side edges the ad strips are attached within or above the gussets either by heat sealing the strip to the bottom seal and adhering the other end of the strip at the upper end of the bag or adhering the strip to the bag at both ends. In non-gusseted bags, the strips are either heat sealed to the bottom seal and adhered to the upper end of the bag or the strips are adhered at both ends to the front or rear surfaces of the bag. In gusseted T-shirt type handle bags, the intermediate portion of the ad strip is adhered to either the inside or the outside of the gusset. The strips include promotional advertising on at least one surface and include perforations allowing the advertising to be removed from the remainder of the strip.

Abstract: Plastic shopping bags having attached promotional ad strips are described. In bags have gusseted side edges the ad strips are attached within or above the gussets either by heat sealing the strip to the bottom seal and adhering the other end of the strip at the upper end of the bag or adhering the strip to the bag at both ends. In non-gusseted bags, the strips are either heat sealed to the bottom seal and adhered to the upper end of the bag or the strips are adhered at both ends to the front or rear surfaces of the bag. In gusseted T-shirt type handle bags, the intermediate portion of the ad strip is adhered to either the inside or the outside of the gusset. The strips include promotional advertising on at least one surface and include perforations allowing the advertising to be removed from the remainder of the strip.

Abstract: A secure lockbox includes an interior key lock that controls access to the mechanism for setting and changing the combination for the lock controlling access to the interior storage compartment of the lockbox. A second key lock controls the attachment bail of the lockbox, preventing unauthorized removal of the lockbox. The two key locks may be identically keyed. In a variant of the invention, a second combination lock controls the attachment bail instead of a key lock. Resilient coverings are provided for the attachment bail and the sides of the lockbox body to prevent damage to buildings and fixtures. A chain is provided to secure the door of the lockbox to the body. A slide latch having non-slip features is controlled by the door's combination lock and engages an edge of the door opening to secure the door opening. The slide latch may have a protrusion for ease of use.

Abstract: A bar of soap with retention device includes a bar of soap with an aperture bored through it extending from the top surface to the bottom surface or from a first side edge to a second side edge. An elastic member attaches the bar of soap to a handling means through the aperture. The handling means includes an opening for attachment to the elastic member. The handling means is typically form as a ring but may have a series of finger indents within the opening or formed as a rod or handle. The elastic member is attached to the handling means by passing it through the opening in the handling means, passing both ends through the aperture and around each side of the bar and over the handling means to rest about the center of the elastic member. The retention device may be added to an existing bar of soap.

Abstract: A cellular reservoir flexible pressure vessel is formed as a series of closely packed tubes fitted into a pair of opposing end caps. The end caps have individual receptacles sized and shaped to receive the tube ends that are secured with adhesive or radio frequency welding. At least one end cap has a passageway for connection of the vessel. The vessel may be formed in a variety of useful shapes and the tubes may have various internal and external cross-sections. The end caps may be filled with sintactic foam with canals leading to the passageway. Microtubes through the syntactic foam may connect the tubes to the passageway. The vessel is further strengthened by overwrapping with high-strength braiding material, hoop winding or by overlayment with high-strength fabric. The vessel is further strengthened by coating with plastic resin. Apparatus and methods for forming the cellular reservoir flexible vessels are described.

Abstract: A flexible pressure vessel is constructed from at least one pair of upper and mating lower dome shaped cell portions. Upper and lower passageway portions extend outwardly from each cell portion to surrounding sheet material. The portions are joined to form a passageway for connection to a valve or another cell. Upper and lower reinforcing rings surround the cell portions. Blankets of fiber reinforced material are attached over the cell portions and stitched in place through the surrounding resilient material. Cell shaped sponges impregnated with absorbent materials are encased in impermeable plastic tubing and inserted into the cells. High-strength filaments are wound around the tubing to provide additional pressure handling capability. Heat-reflecting plastic film or metal foil is inserted between blankets and the cell portions. Reinforcing rings are attached over and fastened through the blankets around the cells. An apparatus and method are described for constructing the flexible pressure vessel.

Abstract: A digital electronic camera is hermetically sealed in a housing, typically inexpensive clear plastic. Digital electrical signals for downloading image information from the camera are converted to radio or, more preferably, infrared optical signals. These signals are communicated through the radiation-transparent housing to an external radio transceiver or infrared adapter connected to a personal computer. The bi-directional pc-to-camera communication is typically completely opaque to the picture-capturing pc and to its operating software. Electrical operation of the digital camera's shutter circuit is through the sealed housing by manually moving a magnet relative to an internal sensor, typically a Hall-effect sensor or a reed switch.