Abstract: A luminaire for creating a uniform light pattern on an architectural surface, in the form of uniformly diminishing light with the distance from the light source. The luminaire includes a quasi point light source arranged vertically in the vicinity of an architectural surface, and a multi-zone refractor assembly radially surounding the light source and bending the light from the source toward the architectural surface. There is a reflector above the light source for reflecting light from the source toward the architectural surface. The refractor assembly may include a Fresnel lens, a lower refracting condenser ring, a toroidal reflector, or a conical reflecting surface. The uppermost zone of the refractor assembly can include a reflector structure which collects and projects 180 degrees of the light from the light source in the same radial zone as the reflector structure toward and onto an upper conical reflector, and the reflector structure can include a parabolic reflector and a conical reflector.

Abstract: The application of gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) technology in order to modify the surface of a surgical implant such as the components of an artificial hip joint, thereby substantially reducing wear debris and osteolysis complications is disclosed. The approach of the surface modification comprises an atomic level surface smoothing utilizing GCIB to super smooth the femoral heads and/or the surfaces of the acetabular cups to reduce frictional wear at the interface of the bearing surfaces. A reduction in polyethylene debris and metal debris by GCIB smoothing on one or both bearing surfaces of a surgical implant reduces osteolysis, results in a substantial cost savings to the healthcare system, and reduces patient pain and suffering.

Abstract: A net is located on the top surface of a truck trailer or box body on a truck that traps and holds in place snow or ice that forms on the flat tops of the truck or trailer. The mesh of the net aids in breaking up the snow or ice into smaller lumps and thus redices the hazard from sheet of ice or snow slipping from the top of trucks or trailers as they travel on highways. A plastic or rope mesh material held above the surface of the truck or trailer top is preferred.

Abstract: An apparatus for smoothing a surface of a substrate includes an ionizer to form gas cluster particles; a power supply to accelerate the gas cluster particles; a triode/Einzel lens combination assembly to focus the accelerated gas cluster particles; a permanent magnet beam filter; scan plates to irradiate the filtered accelerated gas cluster particles onto a surface of a workpiece situated in a reduced pressure atmosphere chamber; and a substrate loading/unloading mechanism to load and unload the workpiece. The ionizer includes an alignment device wherein the alignment device includes a X/Y translation element and an angular translation element. The substrate loading/unloading mechanism provides a workpiece from a plurality of workpieces onto a holder positioned at a first position within the reduced pressure atmosphere chamber, the first position being substantially parallel to a central axis of a flow of the filtered accelerated gas cluster particles.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic package assembly in which a ball grid array (BGA) is surface mounted to a printed wiring board using solder balls. Tubing is placed along the perimeter of the BGA housing to prevent subsequently applied sealant from contacting the solder balls or filling the gap between the BGA housing and the printed wiring board. This results in a seal that prevents electrical disconnection in the solder joint during operation of the electronic package assembly.

Abstract: A sorting and conveying system has a longitudinally extending conveyor having at least one tilt tray, but preferably a plurality, on the conveyor for diverting selected articles from the conveyor. There is at least one hanger for holding a plurality of bags. A chute extends between the tilt tray and the hanger. A movable bowl diverter has an entrance opening near the top adjacent the chute and an exit opening near the bottom, so that articles diverted from the conveyor will be delivered to the exit opening. Means are provided for moving the bowl diverter so that the exit opening is positioned to deliver a selected article into a selected bag on said hanger. There are a plurality of tilt trays along the conveyor and a plurality of hangers so that a selected article on the conveyor may be delivered from a selected tilt tray to a selected bag. Means are provided for mounting the bowl diverter for rotational movement, and there is a drive for rotating the bowl diverter.

Abstract: A bicycle accessory mounting apparatus for releasably securing a bicycle accessory quickly and effectively to a bicycle seat post. The bicycle accessory mounting apparatus comprises a block having two holes, two gaps, and two snap lock quick connect mechanisms at opposing ends.

Abstract: A wheel transmission for mobility vehicle includes an input component capable movement at a first rate of motion for selectively driving an output component at either the first rate of motion or a second rate of motion. Operably connected between the input component and the output component is a conversion apparatus which enables the selective drive between the input component and the output component to take place. In addition, the conversion apparatus is capable of preventing the output component from being backdrivable, and thereby acting as a brake, when the vehicle is at rest.

Abstract: In a data communication switch, process and apparatus for tracking the number of data bytes associated with data flow that is part of a session and automatically lowering the priority given to the transmission of the remainder of a flow once a certain threshold has been reached that indicates that the flow is part of a bulk e-mail or other bulk file transfer.

Abstract: A conveying system for conveying articles, each having a label with indicia, on one end, either a leading or a trailing end. There is a conveyor having multiple sections, each defining a longitudinal conveying path for moving the articles. Each is driven independently from the other sections. The conveyor has a plurality of tray sensors, with at least one on each conveyor section for detecting whether there is a tray on that section. There is also a scanner which detects whether a tray moving along the conveyor has a label on its leading end or its trailing end. A turning arm conveyor section is located downstream from the scanner and arranged to receive control signals from the scanner for momentarily intercepting all articles which are determined by the detector to have the label on the incorrect end. This turning arm conveyor has a turning arm, and a limit stop arranged to prevent the articles moved angularly from being moved further than desired.

Abstract: An exercise device having two chambers, underlying two elastic membrane portions, in a position to closely support above the ground, the left and right foot respectively, of a user. A support structure such as a housing for the first and second membrane portions permit raising and lowering, as by shifting body weight, of the left and right foot in a stair stepping action, preferably without raising each foot from contact with the membrane portions to elastically stretch the membrane portions in succession. A fluid underlies the first and second elastic membrane portions. The fluid preferably is displaced by the stretching of each membrane portion and in the preferred embodiments, it acts with the membrane portions to support the body of a user in use.

Abstract: A new eyeglass frame, eyeglass frame component and method for making eyeglass frames or parts thereof of a nickel-free titanium based SMA. A pseudoelastic &bgr; titanium alloy is used which has superior fabricating characteristics combined with weldability with pseudoelastic properties over the temperature range of −25° C. to 50° C. making this alloy ideally suited for the manufacture of various eyeglass components. The disclosed eyeglass component alloy is a &bgr; titanium alloy contains alloying elements of molybdenum between 10.0 and 12.0 weight percent, aluminum between 2.8 and 4.0 weight percent, chromium and vanadium between 0.0 and 2.0 weight percent, and niobium between 0.0 and 4.0 weight percent. The eyeglass components fabricated from this alloy exhibit a strain recovery of up to 3.5% deformation, a lower stiffness than conventional binary nickel titanium alloys yielding superior wearer comfort.

Abstract: An adaptive vector quantization process and quantizer (VQ) using a clustering technique known as AFLC (adaptive fuzzy leader clustering) is disclosed. The quantizer, AFLC-VQ, has been designed to vector quantize wavelet decomposed sub images with optimal bit allocation. The high-resolution sub images at each level have been statistically analyzed to conform to generalized Gaussian probability distributions by selecting the optimal number of filter taps. The adaptive characteristics of AFLC-VQ stem from using self-organizing neural networks with fuzzy membership values of the input samples for upgrading the cluster centroids based on well known optimization criteria. The centroid of each pattern group can represent all the other patterns in that cluster. The entire data set can be indexed into look up tables sent to the user for decoding and viewing the image.

Abstract: The present invention is a blood and organic stain remover which includes in a first embodiment a protease, an amylase, an enzyme stabilizing system such as a source of calcium, an alcohol, and an alkanolamine, a nonionic detergent, and water. In a second embodiment, the blood and organic stain remover includes a protease, an amylase, an enzyme stabilizing system, a nonionic detergent, an anionic detergent, and water. In the second embodiment the enzyme stabilizing system preferably includes a petroleum distillate. A system of using the aqueous blood and organic stain remover composition in a prepackaged wipe which permits the user to remove blood and organic spots or to pre-spot blood and organic stains prior to washing without the need for direct skin contact with the spot is also provided.

Abstract: A method for enabling the formation of a carbonaceous hard film having a high hardness, strong adherence to the substrate, a wide range of substrate compatibility, and structural stability, which can be formed at room temperature and may cover a large area. The method includes vapor depositing a hard film of a carbonaceous material onto a substrate under vacuum by depositing a vaporized, hydrogen free carbonaceous material, which may be ionized or non-ionized, onto the substrate surface while irradiating the carbonaceous material with gas cluster ions, generated by ionizing gas clusters to form the film.

Abstract: A device, methods and pharmaceutical compositions are disclosed for transnasal or transocular drug delivery to the central nervous system using a combination of electrotransport or phonophoresis with chemical permeation enhancers.

Abstract: The invention is made of an apparatus which incorporates a sensor-based means for stabilizing random access networks. In the preferred embodiment, a grid of sensors is used to gather energy measurements for analysis. In a preferred embodiment a neural network has been trained to estimate the number of colliding users in a given slot. This information is used to set parameters in a backoff algorithm so as to stabilize the network and minimize the delay experienced by users. The invention has the ability to locate users geographically within the network coverage area. This information can be used in conjunction with a steerable beam or an array of antennas to develop geographically-determined Aloha subchannels, further increasing the capacity of the system.

Abstract: A combinatorial system for extracting major meaning components of a phrase or sentence text in natural language and vice versa. This system allows more intelligent processing and retrieval of textual information in computers. More specifically, the system is divided into three parts. The first is based on a specially defined set of universal primary or atomic abstract concepts, Semantic Factors and rules and methods for assembling and modifying the Semantic Factors. The second is based on a specially defined set of morpheme-type linguistic elements of a specific language, referred to herein as S-Morphs, that are formed into a dictionary. The third part relies upon algorithms and rules for using the two parts described above to translate text into its conceptual description or meanings and/or point from a meaning to relevant objects.