Abstract: A prophylactic device is described which is adapted to be worn by a person to prevent the transmission of disease and sperm during sexual intercourse. The device may be adapted for use by a female person or by a male person. The device includes an elongated hollow pouch which has an open end and a closed end. The pouch has a thin wall member which is flexible and elastic. A continuous flange member is attached to the open end of the pouch and extends outwardly around the opening in the pouch. Attachment straps secured to the flange attaches the device to the person wearing it. The device may be in the form of a garment worn by the person.

Abstract: A prophylactic device has a planar portion that is configured to cover the perineum of the user to prevent the exchange of bodily fluids between the user and a partner. The planar portion includes a pair of spaced integrally formed, adjustably positionable thigh bands located in spaced parallelism on either side of the planar portion. A leg opening is formed between each of the thigh bands and the planar portion to accommodate the legs of a user. The bands elastically shape to the user to prevent slippage of the planar portion from an overlying conformed relationship with the perineum of a user. The planar portion includes a pouch of generally circular cross-section throughout its length for insertion into a bodily orifice. A method for manufacturing the aforesaid prophylactic device includes the steps of providing a form with a base and a shaft of circular cross-section with its root connected to the base by sloping surfaces.

Abstract: A powered mower has a cordless electric power source defined by a rechargeable battery and a solar panel. The rechargeable battery is connected to a direct current motor for driving the mower blade and drive system for the powered mower. The solar panel supplies the rechargeable battery with additional voltage and current to assist the battery in maintaining its functional operating level.

Abstract: A process of separating vinyl skin from a foam backing and recovering the separated components by granulating the plastics composite into small chips, mixing the chips with a quantity of water in a vessel to swell and break the cell structure of the foam at the foam/vinyl interface resulting in flotation of the foam bits and sinking of the heavier vinyl bits. The separated foam is recovered by adding additional water to flow the foam material from the mix vessel. The vinyl is then removed from the bottom of the vessel and the separated components are dried for recycling or improved disposal purposes.

Abstract: A valve control assembly (10) controls the flow rate of a liquid through a solenoid valve (11) by repeatedly opening the valve (11) for a predetermined time. The control assembly (10) includes a timer (30) for providing a pulsed signal having a pulse width proportional to flow rate to energize and deenergize the operating coil (24) to open and close a valve sealing element (20). A nominal delay time is provided between the start time of the pulse and actual movement of the valve element (12). With each pulsed signal, the actual movement time of the valve element (12) is compared to the nominal delay time providing a deviation time. The deviation time is added to the original pulse width to obtain an adjusted pulse width, which when supplied to the operating coil (24), will effectively maintain the valve element (12) consistently open for the predetermined time.

Abstract: Apparatus for stabilizing the location of a skin or shell in a mold for foaming a part includes magnets on the mold adapted to be releasably interconnected to a shell retention and draw bar. The draw bar connects to an integral shell connector. The draw bar is adjustable to pull the shell with respect to the magnets for removing wrinkles from the shell prior to foaming the part.

Abstract: A process for molding foam products from foam precursors reacted in a mold cavity formed in part by a mold lid and which is covered by a double layer cover to maintain the surface of the lid clean during the foaming process comprising the steps of: providing a double layered cover having four working surfaces; adhering one of the working surfaces to the lid and thereafter closing the tool lid and foaming the part. The lid is opened and the cover and foam part are separated from the mold. The lid is separated from the double layer cover and foam part at a working surface of low strength adhesive; a release sheet of the cover is separated at two other working surfaces to expose a high strength adhesive for connecting the foam part to another member. The double layer cover used for practicing the process includes a foam layer adapted to have one surface thereof bonded to foam material and including a high strength adhesive backing thereon.

Abstract: An instrument panel and associated inflatable restraint door, capable of producing a "hinging effect" preferential opening of the door upon deployment of an air bag concealed in the instrument panel, has locating peripheral surfaces with a dielock angle which is flared five degrees along one edge and between fifteen and twenty degrees along the opposite edge to impove door release action.

Abstract: A method of making a foam filled polymer article includes the steps of compressing an expandable foam material (12) and containing the compressed expandable material (12) in a degradable container, such as a polyethylene bag (16). An outer polymer shell (10) is formed while degrading the container (16) therewithin, such as by rotation molding. The shell (10) is filled with the uncontained expandable foam material (12).

Abstract: A mold assembly for molding vinyl skin shell-covered and foam-filled products, such as an automotive instrument panel, wherein waste portions of the shell and foam are eliminated from the molded product. This eliminates having to manually trim such portions from the finished product after molding. Specifically, compressible foam or silicone rubber gaskets or spacers of predetermined shaped, such as the shape of an opening suitable for a radio speaker, are placed in the mold and compressed between the mold lid and the bottom surface of the mold cavity.

Abstract: A cover for an airbag unit includes first and second separate door members each having a polyvinyl chloride outer shell, a urethane foam pad and a yieldable thin metal back plate with a side flange connecting each of the first and second door members to an airbag housing to define a soft-feel horn hub within a steering wheel having a styling line thereacross; the two members are adhered to a rigid urethane foam member to prevent separation therebetween. The rigid urethane foam member fills between the door members and the airbag unit such that deployment of the airbag unit will immediately impact thereon to cause the thin metal back plates to hinge outwardly with respect to the housing to open the two separate door members for airbag deployment.

Abstract: A door assembly for an opening through which an inflatable restraint safety device may be deployed including a frame for supporting an inflatable restraint safety device and an opening presented in the frame, a door is disposed in the opening and is capable of rapidly moving so that the inflatable restraint device may be deployed through the opening, the door includes an impact plate portion and a foam portion bonded to the impact plate portion with the foam portion including a microcellular component having a first predetermined density and an integral outer skin component distinct from the microcellular component and formed integral with the microcellular component and which has a second predetermined density which is greater than the first predetermined density of the microcellular component for providing an aesthetically pleasing non-separable surface on the microcellular component.

Abstract: A plunger of a known mass is held in a guide sleeve of a test device at a predetermined height over the sample of settable plastic material being tested. The plunger is gently released onto the sample without impact to apply a static force thereon similar to a "handgrip" pressure applied on a molded part during handling. The static pressure is applied on the sample released at selected times and places after reactive components of the sample are mixed for reaction to effect a series of indentations on the sample whose depths are measured and plotted as points on a depth versus time graph to define a cure curve of the sample. Curing rate is determined from the initial slope of the curve. Cure completion is determined where the curve levels off. A measure of the likelihood of handling damage is established by the portion of the indentations after a given time period.

Abstract: A compression ignition, internal combustion engine has at least one pair of pistons operating in separate cylinders interconnected through a transfer port. Said at least one pair of pistons includes a leading piston linked to a leading crankshaft and operating in a leading cylinder, and a trailing piston linked to a trailing crankshaft and operating in a trailing cylinder. For the purpose of varying the compression ratio, the phase relation between said leading and trailing pistons is varied by means of a phase adjustment mechanism which operatively couples the leading and trailing crankshafts of the engine. The fuel is injected into the leading cylinder by means of a centrally situated multi-hole fuel injector. The clearance volume of the trailing cylinder is at a practical minimum in order to maximize the amount of air available for combustion in the leading cylinder.

Abstract: A method for integrally molding a preassembled door within an instrument panel to provide a cover for a safety air cushion device includes the steps of molding the plastic instrument panel about and over the door in situ of a mold cavity and thereafter the step of removing a portion of the instrument panel which overlies the door to provide an opening therein to expose the door for opening movement with respect to the instrument panel upon deployment of the air cushion device. The invention further includes the resultant structure of an integrally molded door and instrument panel assembly having an opening formed in the instrument panel assembly for both defining a ledge to support the door and to define a path for impacting an air cushion device against the door to cause the door to be lifted from its integrally molded seat relationship on the ledge for further deployment of the air cushion device into the passenger compartment of a vehicle.

Abstract: A casket construction includes a metal container for a body having a bottom and side walls of metal material which is susceptible to corrosion. A non-corrosive liner pan is located in the bottom of the container to shield the bottom and the side walls from corrosion. The liner pan is a unitary member including a base and integral side walls which interlock with the side walls of the metal container to hold the liner pan in place so as to locate the base in close juxtaposed relationship with the bottom of the metal container.

Abstract: A film carriage assembly for supporting a film platter in a secured manner including a housing, a surface supported by the housing and adapted to support a film platter thereon with the surface being rotatable to any position between a substantially horizontal position and a substantially vertical position and with the film platter being disposed securely on the surface such that it is prevented from movement relative to the surface when the surface is rotated to any position between a substantially horizontal position and a substantially vertical position.

Abstract: An instrument panel assembly, for mounting between the front support pillars of a vehicle, includes a panel body with openings for supporting and displaying instruments and gages and extending transversely between two front support pillars of a vehicle, with the panel body having first and second ends, and the panel body further includes adjustable, compressible bellows disposed at the terminal ends of the panel body for adjustment between extended and compressed positions to provide flush engagement with the front support pillars of the vehicle.

Abstract: A process for forming a multi-colored integral vinyl skin shell including a heated mold and dual powder box arrangement wherein the mold is formed to include alternately positioned tear surfaces and recessed surfaces. After the first powder box supplies a layer of powder to cover all the surfaces to form a shell, the strips of shell on the tear surfaces are removed, after which the first powder box is replaced by a second powder box. The second powder box has a plurality of spaced dams or dividers formed therein such that the dams cooperate with the respective recessed surfaces of the mold to provide clearances therewith that permit different colored powders in the compartments between the dams to cover the previously cleared tear surfaces and to flow past the selectively formed free ends of the dams to become integrally secured to the adjacent edge portions of the shell segments remaining in the areas of the recessed surfaces of the mold, forming the multi-colored, integral plastic shell.