Abstract: A machine and a method for wrapping an elongated object, such as a drinking straw, with a plastic film are disclosed. The machine has a drive for continuously advancing a thin narrow film strip from a supply roll to a wrapper loading and forming station. The wrapper loading and forming station has a trough former for folding the advancing film strip into a film trough. An inserting device positions spaced-apart elongated objects, such as the drinking straws, into the film trough of the advancing film strip for engagement by the film trough. The objects are supplied by a dispenser and disposed in a pre-oriented manner to be grasped by the inserting device. The film trough is advanced through sealing and severing stations wherein individually wrapped elongated objects or straws are produced.

Abstract: There is provided a high density electrical connector for use on a panel which receives a plurality of closely spaced connectors. The connector includes two intermateable halves. One of the connector halves includes an elongated base having wire termination members on one side and associated electrical contacts on the other side. A hood covers the wire termination side of the base. An electrical cable containing a plurality of insulated wires enters on the side of the hood adjacent to a closely spaced adjoining connector at an angle greater than 0° but less than 90° with respect to the base so that the cable will clear the adjoining connector without the need to unduly bend the cable. The top of the hood may be sloped downwardly from its cable receiving side to the opposing side.

Abstract: A device, particularly for use by a pregnant woman having an enlarged abdomen. The device attaches to the lap belt portion of a vehicle seat belt assembly for increasing comfort and thus encouraging use of the seat belt assembly, as well as to urge the lap belt portion into proper position across the pelvis. The device includes an attachment portion which can be repeatedly attached to and removed from the lap belt, and a cushioning element attached to the attachment portion at the relatively upper edge of the lap belt for padding the relatively upper edge.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a pressure and temperature sensor, in particular for determining a pressure and temperature condition in a cavity of an injection molding apparatus or the like having a pressure body which co-operates with a sensor housing and which in a mounted condition can be acted upon by a pressure in the cavity and which is intended for transmitting the pressure to a piezoelectrically acting sensor arrangement, wherein an electrical signal generated by the sensor arrangement as a reaction to the pressure is taken out of the sensor housing by means of an electrical contact device, wherein a thermoelectric detector element is fitted in the pressure body and an electrical temperature signal generated by the detector element is taken out by way of the electrical contact device.

Abstract: Methods are provided for smoothing input signals having rapidly changing amplitudes, such as EMG signals from the tongue, which are detected by an intraoral device. One method calls for amplifying the EMG signals, converting the EMG signals to digital format, providing a moving average of the amplitudes of the EKG signals utilizing a moving the average processor, and windowing the averaged signals to discrete and stable amplitude levels. An adaptive moving average technique may be utilized, which includes a plurality of parallel moving average processes and a differentiator which determines which process is used, depending on the rate of change of the signal amplitude. Another method calls for the use of a plurality of moving average processes in series which calculate the moving average of the same number of signals as a single moving average process, but has a faster response time. An intraoral device is used to detect the EMG signals. The intraoral device includes acrylic maxillary and mandibular splints.

Abstract: There is provided a cable which retards lightning. The cable includes at least one internal conductor which may be a power conductor or a signal conductor. A choke conductor is wound about the internal conductor in the shape of a spiral. If lightning strikes near the cable or a device which is attached to the cable, such as an antenna, the choke conductor presents a high impedance to the current caused by lightning and will prevent the lightning current from flowing down the choke conductor, thus entering the internal conductor, thereby preventing damage to the internal conductor and any associated electronic equipment. Preferably, a shield is also wound about the internal conductor adjacent to the choke conductor in a direction opposite to the choke conductor, whereby the angle formed by the crossing of the choke conductor and the shield is approximately 90° to block the magnetic field component of the lightning discharge.

Abstract: A multilayer sheet made of an outer layer comprising polyethylene, a finely granulated material and a pigment, a middle layer comprising polyethylene, which may contain a finely granulated material and a pigment, and an inner layer which contains a polyethylene and which may also contain a filler and a pigment. The multilayer sheet feels like and has at least some of the properties of paper.

Abstract: The multi-layer film structure having an inner sealing layer which comprises metallocene resin, a core which includes polypropylene copolymer and an outer layer and wherein the multi-layer film structure has a thickness within a range between about 50 and 70 microns (2.0-2.75 mil). By utilizing this thin film with specific properties the sealers may be operated at lower temperatures thereby resulting in an energy saving and they produce seals having improved seal strength of 30% to 50% as compared with known prior mono-layer polyethylene film. The seal initiation temperature is reduced by 10° C. to 15° C. and the film exhibits an improved machine direction tensile strength of 25% to 40% and an improvement of 30% to 50% in puncture resistance as compared with a 76 microns (3 mil) mono-layer polyethylene film. This results in a reduction in the sealing cycle time and an increase in the throughput of the machine.

Abstract: An improved porous ceramic article and a method for forming such porous ceramic article. A mixture of ceramic particles and pliable organic hollow spheres is prepared in a liquid, typically as a suspension. The article is formed by pressing, slip casting, extruding or injection molding the mixture. The article is dried to remove the liquid, and then is fired so that the ceramic particles are bonded such as by sintering, and the organic spheres are burned off, resulting in a strong porous ceramic article having uniformly spaced interconnected voids.

Abstract: Console air conditioning units particularly useful for retrofit conversions, but having advantageous features for new installations as well. For retrofit applications, the console air conditioning units have the same “footprint” as an original package unit, and accordingly can be used to replace a worn-out console package unit without requiring any architectural changes. An indoor cabinet is subdivided at least into a plenum compartment having an air discharge opening and either a machinery compartment or a room air return compartment. The machinery compartment or room air return compartment occupies only a portion of the width of the cabinet, and a utility storage volume occupies an adjacent portion of the width. Preferably the plenum compartment is located in an upper portion of the cabinet above the machinery compartment or room air return compartment, and extends substantially the entire width of the cabinet along a wall.

Abstract: A method for the packaging of oil-coated cutting tools, and the resultant packaged product. An oil-coated cutting tool is packaged by providing a package blank which includes a pair of panels of heat-sealable and oil-impervious material defining a product-containing area between them. The panels have edges defining a package top, bottom and opposite sides, and are permanently sealed to each other along the side-defining and top-defining edges, with an opening along the bottom-defining edges. The package blank additionally includes a zipper-type recloseable strip in the form of an interlocking bead structure, which effects an openable and recloseable seal between the panels. The interlocking bead structure extends across the panels generally from one of the side-defining edges to the other, and is spaced a distance from the top-defining edge to define a tear zone portion of the panels between the top-defining edge and the interlocking bead structure.

Abstract: A machine and a method for wrapping an elongated object, such as a drinking straw, with a plastic film are disclosed. The machine has a drive for continuously advancing a thin narrow film strip from a supply roll to a wrapper loading and forming station. The wrapper loading and forming station has a trough former for folding the advancing film strip into a film trough. An inserting device positions spaced-apart elongated objects, such as the drinking straws, into the film trough of the advancing film strip for engagement by the film trough. The objects are supplied by a dispenser and disposed in a pre-oriented manner to be grasped by the inserting device. The film trough is advanced through sealing and severing stations wherein individually wrapped elongated objects or straws are produced.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for cooling a planar inductance coil, in particular a planar transformer, on a plate-shaped support having a plurality of conducting layers, wherein at least one conducting layer of the support, in co-operation with a core element designed to guide a magnetic flux, provides the planar inductance coil, wherein on its first side towards a surface of the support the core element is connected to said side by means of a heat-conducting adhesive and on a second planar outside surface it is preferably substantially over the entire surface glued to a cooling element having a planar contact surface.

Abstract: An improved porous ceramic article and a method for forming such porous ceramic article. A mixture of ceramic particles and pliable organic hollow spheres is prepared in a liquid, typically as a suspension. The article is formed by pressing, slip casting, extruding or injection molding the mixture. The article is dried to remove the liquid, and then is fired so that the ceramic particles are bonded such as by sintering, and the organic spheres are burned off, resulting in a strong porous ceramic article having uniformly spaced interconnected voids.