Abstract: A height-adjustable headrest for a seat back of an automobile includes support rods that transfix guide areas attached to the seat back frame. The ends of the support rods positioned below the guide areas are connected with a bracket so that they may ratchet, and may be separated from it by pulling upward. At least the end of one the the support rods is locked in its first position by the bracket against extraction upward, and, in a second position, the support rod may be displaced only by means of a tool so that it may be extracted upward.

Abstract: A hydrostatic bearing device for two machine areas moving relative to each other and having faces parallel to each other with a fluid space delimited by parts of the two different machine areas and forming a gap. The fluid is under pressure in the fluid space. The gap between the two machine areas is blocked by means of a seal having a tapered end against one machine area and wherein the pressure reservoir maintains the fluid under pressure in the fluid space.

Abstract: The clamping band is used to clamp a connector boot within a hole in a manhole riser or other generally cylindrical structure, particularly where the depth of the hole is greater than the thickness of the manhole riser. The clamping band has a width such that a portion of the band extends beyond the hole surface. The clamping band preferably overhangs both the inner surface and outer surface of the generally cylindrical wall of the manhole riser. In one embodiment, the clamping band is used to affect a pipe-to-manhole connection.

Abstract: A seat displacement mechanism for a seat, such as a vehicle seat, which includes a seat back that is attached to a seat bottom such that it may be folded about a horizontal axis and locked in the a position. The seat bottom is connected, for height adjustment, by means of front and rear linkages mounted in pairs, at least one pair of which is attached, proximate one end of the linkage to an upper rail. A portion of the upper rail is provided with a longitudinal guide area to which the lower end of a linkage may be mounted so that the linkage may move longitudinally or slide relative to a seat base. A linkage may be locked in its rearward position with respect to the upper rail, preventing seat movement.

Abstract: The support beam is an integrally-molded piece of a rigid plastic material or any other polymer or composite material, in particular a mixture of plastic material and saw dust. The support beam comprises a pair of spaced out lateral walls laid out in parallel. A plurality of spaced-apart and transversally-extending flanges are disposed between the parallel walls. The transversal flanges are configured and disposed according to at least one pattern at the end sections of the support beams and at least one pattern at the central section thereof. The support beam is designed in such a way as that the end sections have a higher compression strength than that of the central section. The support beam offers a very advantageous alternative to the support beams hitherto used for handling purposes, notably those made of solid wood or superimposed particle board sections.

Abstract: A magnetic position sensor for sensing the position of a foot pedal in a motor vehicle and producing an electrical signal representative of the foot pedal position. The position sensor has a stator 7 with a channel 17 and a magnet 8 which can move along the surface 7a of the stator, the magnetic field in the stator channel 17 being dependent on the position of the magnet 8 relative to the stator 17. The magnet is connected to the foot pedal so that the movement of the foot pedal causes the magnet 8 to move along the stator surface and changes the magnetic field in the channel 17, the magnetic field in the channel 17 being sensed by a Hall probe 6 which produces an electrical signal proportional to the displacement of the magnet 8.

Abstract: The electronic calibration equipment for verifying the high frequency characteristics of electronic test equipment, including oscilloscopes arid time interval analyzers is provided.

Abstract: A system and method of integrating outbound text messaging capabilities to a telephone call center management system, wherein outbound text messages are a secondary means by which a customer can be contacted, the primary means being voice communications between a call center agent and the customer. The system includes a telephone call management system including a dialer for dialing a plurality of contact telephone numbers included in said at least one call record in a call list. Each call record includes a primary customer contact identifier, such as a voice line telephone number and at least one text message destination identifier, which is included as a secondary customer contact identifier. The system also includes a text message processing system, including text message memory for accepting and storing at least one text message for transmission to a text message receiving device and for transmitting the text message upon connection to the text message receiving device.

Abstract: An adjusting mechanism for a seat includes two mechanism parts that form parts of a staggered transmission. An eccentric cam consists of an eccentric segment and two wedge segments completing this eccentric segment. The wedge segments are arranged one above the other in a radial direction, and their thicknesses increase in an opposite direction to each other. They are so tensioned by a common spring that they form an extended eccentric area under pre-tension from the spring, and are pressed against each other during rotation in such a manner that the eccentric area becomes smaller and thus the tension of the intermeshing toothed areas is reduced.

Abstract: A nasal intubation device is used to penetrate a nasal region and provide irrigation and/or medication to the nasal region. This intubation device can also be used in other applications. The intubation device comprises a flexible tube and a distal tip at the distal end of the flexible tube. The distal tip includes flanges forming a generally arrow shape that is capable of penetrating the nasal region and allowing the intubation device to remain within the nasal region. The flexible tube includes a passageway communicating with a perforated region proximate the distal end to provide the irrigation and/or medication. An implantation device, such as a canula-trocart, can be used to implant the intubation device.

Abstract: A vehicle seat frame includes a locking device that prevents the seat frame from moving during a crash. A first spring holds an inertia-sensitive locking element and an interlocking element in a first position. In the event of a crash, the inertia-sensitive locking element swivels about an axis due to the force of inertia. Contact surfaces on the inertia-sensitive locking element and the interlocking element disengage. A second spring then pulls the interlocking element toward a guide link. A gear region on the interlocking element grips into and engages with a gear region on the guide link. The second spring maintains the tension on the gear regions, even if the force of inertia has dwindled. The locking device can be disengaged only by manually resetting the interlocking element and the inertia-sensitive locking element into the first position.

Abstract: A lowerable suspension assembly for the deck of a vehicle is elevated and lowered by air springs between a travel position when the deck is horizontally disposed and a loading and unloading position when the deck is inclined and one end is in contact with a supporting ground surface.

Abstract: A pipe connection includes a first having a male end and a second pipe having a female end and a gasket. The female end has a recess area sized to accept the gasket. The gasket has at least one flexible protrusion extending radially towards the center of the pipe forming a diameter that is less than the diameter of the male end which frictionally engages the male end of the second pipe. Optionally, the female end may include rigid dimples that exert pressure onto the male end to prevent the two pipes from separating. The pipe connection may be used in conjunction with a clamp.

Abstract: A switching circuit useful in a binary demand feedback DC converter having multiple DC outputs which are all independently regulated using a binary on/off technique is disclosed. A comparator associated with each output compares the voltage at a given output with a reference voltage for the respective given output and generates a first signal the moment the output voltage exceeds the reference voltage. Responding immediately to the first signal a switch opens the converter transformer secondary winding associated with that output from a rectifier and filter. The voltage at that output is determined by the voltage across a capacitor in the filter and the capacitor commences discharging to be below the reference voltage at which time the first signal ceases and the switch reconnects the secondary winding to the rectifier and filter to recommence charging the filter capacitor.

Abstract: A crosspiece for the frame of a vehicle seat that includes a supporting surface for the occupant. A crosspiece is formed as an element that shortens by a preset amount along its longitudinal dimension when a load is imposed up to a threshold value. The crosspiece includes an intentional bending point that bends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction when the threshold value is exceeded so that the crosspiece does not move in the direction of the supporting surface.

Abstract: The driving pulley (12) is used in a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and comprises two flanges (22,24) around which a drivebelt (20) is partially wound. The first flange (22) is fixed in translation with reference to the drive shaft (16) while the second flange (24) is movable, with reference to the first flange (22), between a distal position and a proximal position. The driving pulley (12) is provided with an arrangement which allows the return force on the second flange (24) to be maximum when the second flange (24) is at the distal position, and minimum when the second flange (24) is at the proximal position. The driving pulley (12) is also capable of being disengaged from the drivebelt (20) at a low rotation speed. This driving pulley (12) is particularly well adapted for use on a scooter.

Abstract: A system and method for compressing and decompressing data in real time begins by taking a character string from an input string, generating a hash value of the character string which is utilized in a look up table to address a chained array or list of previously matching character strings. The array is updated if there is another.matching character string found when compressing the input string. A token generator writes a code to the output string indicating whether or not that there has been a match. The token generator generates an indication of the length of the character string not compressed, the one or more characters string not compressed, the length of a matching character string, and the number of characters processed since the last match. These values generated by the token generator are optimally represented based upon preselected criteria.

Abstract: A louver laminated with a very thin film (i.e. a transfer film, very thin layer, etc . . . ) for use in the construction of window blinds such as Venetian blinds, and the like, the louver having opposed top and bottom surfaces, as well as opposed first and second side surfaces each laminated with a very thin film. More particularly, the film is so thin, that the boundary edges of the film, once laminated to a surface of the louver, are imperceptible to human touch, i.e. they are tactilely invisible. An apparatus and method for making a louver laminated with a very thin film is further proposed.

Abstract: In a video receiver, a photodiode is terminated with one or more junction diodes to provide an output voltage that is a log function of the incident optical power. The termination with the diode provides a nonlinear resistance which converts the output current of the photodiode to a voltage, with the output voltage being the log of the input current due to the nonlinear resistance characteristic associated with junction diodes. The subject system eliminates the necessity of providing a transimpedance amplifier used to obtain a voltage from the photo current of a photodetector and also the requirement for a log amplifier to provide the log of the voltage to give the receiver a wide dynamic range. In one embodiment a PIN diode is provided with a series of termination diodes, with the larger of the number of diodes, the more voltage that is available. The series-connected termination diodes provide a passive low noise system for converting the photo current to a log voltage.