Abstract: The non-vented automatic dispensing cap is generally formed of a body and a retainer cap. The body is threadably secured to a squeezable tube or container. The retainer cap is attached to the body. A pressure chamber is formed between the body and retainer cap. A piston may also form a wall of the pressure chamber. A coil spring or resilient flange holds a valve seated within a dispensing hole extending through the cap. When the tube is squeezed, the product is forced into the pressure chamber expanding the pressure chamber and unseating the valve, thereby allowing product to exit the dispensing opening. Upright, inverted, vented and unvented versions are disclosed.

Abstract: The non-vented automatic dispensing cap is generally formed of a body and a retainer cap. The body is threadably secured to a squeezable tube or container. The retainer cap is attached to the body. A pressure chamber is formed between the body and retainer cap. A piston may also form a wall of the pressure chamber. A coil spring or resilient flange holds a valve seated within a dispensing hole extending through the cap. When the tube is squeezed, the product is forced into the pressure chamber expanding the pressure chamber and unseating the valve, thereby allowing product to exit the dispensing opening. Upright, inverted, vented and unvented versions are disclosed.

Abstract: This invention is a single, multichannel catheter useful for extracorporeal circulation of blood to a patient undergoing cardiovascular treatments or surgery. The catheter has three independent channels and an expandable balloon at one end of the catheter. The first channel (34) is the largest and is of a size that allows for delivery of blood to a patient in an amount sufficient to maintain the patient's metabolism and perfusion throughout the treatment or surgery. A second channel (36), smaller than the first, is integrated into the wall of the first channel, and is suitable for delivering a biologically active fluid (e.g., for cardioplegia) to the heart and/or venting the left heart. A third channel (38), also smaller than the first, is integrated into the wall of the first channel, and suitable for delivering a fluid to the balloon for its expansion when positioned in the ascending aorta to occlude the flow of blood to the heart.

Abstract: A plant saucer having a plurality of internal risers extending upward from the base of the saucer. The internal risers may be of any convenient height and shape to allow excess water to drain from one or more pots placed thereon. The risers may have a round footprint with sloped sides to provide easy mold release. The shape of the risers shown is flat with a textured top surface to promote traction between the pot and the riser. The riser may also have ribs extending up the sides of the riser to allow the riser to support more weight. The saucer has a plurality of feet extending downward from the base of the saucer. The feet are designed to hold the base of the saucer up from the floor on which the saucer rests. The material for the saucer may include an additive, such as Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT) to inhibit the maturation of mosquito larvae.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning and polishing products, including fruits and vegetables, in which the product is placed in a specially constructed cleaning bag and oscillated. The rolling motion of the product cleans and polishes the surfaces of the product. The bag has a lining especially selected for the purpose and is designed for occasional replacement of the lining or temporary removal for cleaning purposes. In one embodiment, the bag features an elastic section that accommodates various sizes of loads.

Abstract: A prosthetic eye and a coordinating pair of glasses simulate dilation of the pupil of a normal eye. The prosthetic eye has a white scleral portion with a simulated iris is painted on the front. A polarized disc is located at the center of the iris. The polarized disc is placed on the horizontal transmitting axis. The center of the polarized disc is darkened with paint to simulate a pupil having a fairly small diameter. The back of the polarized disc is painted to blend with the iris or simulate the collarette of the eye. Over the top of the polarized disc and iris is a dome of material simulating the cornea of the eye. The prosthetic eye is used in conjunction with the special pair of eyeglasses having a lens formed of linearly polarizing material with the transmitting axis in the vertical plane. When the eyeglasses are used, it makes the pupil appear to dilate because it causes the entire disc to blacken when viewed through the polarized lens.

Abstract: A two-layered fenestrated vascular graft is provided for repair of diseased, damaged or aneurismal blood vessels. The fenestrated vascular graft is configured to be delivered transluminally and implanted within the lumen of a native blood vessel using catheter-based minimally-invasive surgical techniques. The vascular graft is fenestrated or perforated to facilitate making a fluid connection or anastomosis with one or more of the sidebranches of the vessel into which it is implanted. The vascular graft is adapted for implantation into blood vessels, such as the aorta, having tributary vessels or sidebranches along the section of the blood vessel to be repaired without occluding or obscuring the sidebranches. Methods are described for implanting the vascular graft into a patient's aorta for repairing thoracic or abdominal aortic aneurysms and for making a fluid connection or anastomosis with the tributary vessels or sidebranches of the aorta, such as the renal, hepatic and mesenteric arteries.

Abstract: A process challenge device tailored to mimic the resistance of a particular product-package combination to a particular biological inactivation, disinfection, or sterilization process. The device is used to challenge the process, thus providing a means to validate the efficacy of the process. In one embodiment, the process indicator includes a biological indicator organism stored on a carrier enclosed within a chamber formed by a barrier film material. The specific indicator organism and carrier substrate are chosen for their appropriateness for a given process. The materials comprising the barrier film material of the process challenge device are chosen for the materials' specific resistance to the given process. The process challenge device may also comprise a separate second chamber filled with an appropriate culture medium or enzyme substrate that is separated from the chamber containing the process indicator by a separation means, such as a valve, a clip, or a frangible separation.

Abstract: Pacifier Toy with a pacifier having a rigid plastic plate and an integral resilient, centrally located nipple, and a holding ring, a child's toy having an animal shape where the face portion of the animal is framed so that it can receive the pacifier, the pacifier having eyes and mouth features painted on or otherwise affixed, the pacifier having the nipple that acts as the nose portion of the animal's face, and the face frame of the animal toy capable of removably retaining said rigid plastic pacifier plate so that a child can use said pacifier by itself or in conjunction with said toy animal.

Abstract: A fastener (13) and fastener delivery device (73) for guiding, delivering and deploying the fastener (13) into tissue to provide sustained gripping forces and methods of use. The fastener (13) is curved with a spring-like or shape memory material (15) and gripping elements (14). The fastener (13) is resiliently straightened and loaded into a cartridge (7) within a needle (1). The needle (1) and cartridge (7) both contain a slit (2, 8), and the slits (2, 8) extend to the distal openings (16, 17) of the needle (1) and cartridge (7). When the slits (2, 8) are not aligned, out-of-phase with each other, the fastener (13) remains resiliently straightened in the needle (1). When the slits (2, 8) overlap, in-phase with each other, the fastener (13) resiliently curves and deploys from the slits (2, 8), elastically gripping adjacent tissue. The device (73) is free to be withdrawn, allowing the fastener (13) to slide out from the distal openings (16, 17) of both cartridge (7) and needle (1).

Abstract: A shower curtain having one or more pockets formed near the lower edge and on the side facing the shower nozzle is disclosed. The pockets are designed to collect water while the shower is in use. The pockets have drain holes that allow the water to slowly drain, such that while the shower is in use, the pockets will fill, but when the shower is shut off, the pockets will slowly drain until they are empty. The pockets are in fluid communication with one another by way of openings extending between the pockets. The bottom edge of the pocket is sloped with the highest point of the bottom wall at or near the center of the shower curtain encouraging water to flow toward the edges. Below the pockets, the shower curtain is formed of an air permeable material such as nylon mesh.

Abstract: A contamination resistant lead screw or ball screw-driven linear actuator has the lead screw and drive nut enclosed within a specially constructed guide chassis. A carriage is slidably mounted on parallel rails attached to the guide chassis. The carriage is attached to the drive nut through a slot in the guide chassis. An enclosure surrounds the guide chassis. The enclosure and the guide chassis create a labyrinth seal that effectively contains internally generated debris and contamination and excludes environmental dirt, debris and contamination.

Abstract: An improved set of calipers or dividers having a pair of measurement jaws for measuring the distance between points, a display, and a calculation module which performs calculations or retrieves values for any one or more of the following functions: scaling, nominal values, basic geometry, and complex geometry. The scaling function is performed in one of two ways: numerical input or a calculated scaling factor. The nominal values function displays the nominal value which corresponds to the measured value of any preprogrammed table of values. Common tables would include tables of drill sizes, wire gauge, sheet metal gauge, screw size, font size, paper weight, hole size, etc. The basic geometry function calculates geometric values based on one or more measured inputs. For example, the user can measure the opposite and adjacent legs of a triangle and the caliper will calculate and display the angle.

Abstract: Improved apparatus and methods are described for performing endarterectomy remotely via intraluminal techniques. A flexible blade dissector has a curved, diamond-shaped flexible dissecting blade mounted on a catheter shaft. The distal edge of the flexible dissecting blade is configured to form a dissecting edge for separating an atheromatous plaque from the medial layer of an artery wall. The flexible blade dissector may incorporate a steering mechanism to direct the flexible dissecting blade along a preferred path within the arterial wall. The endarterectomy method is performed by making an incision into an artery wall and initiating a plane of separation between an atherosclerotic plaque and the medial layer of the artery wall, inserting the flexible blade dissector into the plane of separation and advancing the flexible dissecting blade to longitudinally extend the plane of separation.

Abstract: A child's car seat accessory with a footrest and/or storage pockets. The combined footrest and pocket version is made of cloth in a T shape. The middle of the top of the T fits in the seat of the car seat, with an opening to allow the fastening mechanism to pass through. To the right and left sides are the storage pockets, which hang over each side of the car seat. The pockets can be elaslicized on the outside to allow for greater storage and to hold items in the pockets. The bottom of the T has a foam footrest covered with the same cloth. Above the foam piece on both edges are snaps to allow the length of the foam to be adjusted to the child's leg length. The pocket accessory version is formed of a generally rectangular piece of cloth with a seat portion in the middle and the two opposite ends having pockets extending over each side of the car seat. The footrest accessory version is formed of a generally rectangular piece of cloth with a seat portion at one end and the footrest at the opposite end.

Abstract: Snowboard Light with a centrally located hollow housing containing a light source, a reflector, a clear lens, a battery supply, an attachment means, an on off switch, and a battery door. A pair of semi rigid mirror image side members are hingably connected to either side of the central chamber. The side members have a recessed groove capable of accepting the edge of a snowboard. Said side members have inwardly facing straps and corresponding attachment means to secure said snowboard light to said snowboard. A preferred embodiment includes wherein said lens is a fresnel lens capable of collumnating a light beam. Said light beam being vertically adjustable by means an adjustment knob.

Abstract: Combination Baby Bottle and Baby Wipes Container With integral Warmer with a lighter fluid powered heating element. A baby bottle is intimately associated with the heating element on one side. A baby wipes container is intimately associated with the heating element on the other side. A removably attachable lighter fluid container supplies fuel to the heating element. A piezoelectric push button starting mechanism activates the heating element and a push button stopping mechanism turns the heating element off. A preferred embodiment includes wherein said heating element is cylindrical in shape and said baby bottle has one surface consisting of a concave shape that intimately associates with one side of said heating element and said baby wipes container having a similar concave shape on one surface that intimately associates with the opposite side of said heating element.

Abstract: Book Organizing Device with A flat, horizontally disposed shelf like member, a fixed, vertical end panel attached to one end of the shelf member, a slidable vertical panel having a constant force spring centrally attached under the shelf member, the slidable vertical panel exerting approximately one pound of force inwardly towards the fixed end panel, the constant force spring having an encoder ring mounted to the spring reel, a photo diode placed to read said encoder ring that provides a signal any time said ring is rotated, said signal triggering one of a plurality of short recorded messages to be broadcast from a speaker located on the underside of said book shelf, said messages being stored and selected by a digital programmable microprocessor designed for such purposes, and Said shelf member also having a rear book retaining bracket to prevent books from being pushed too far to the rear of the shelf.