Abstract: A multi-purpose solvent includes a soy ester material and includes less than 25 Grams Per Liter (GPL) of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) rating which permits the multi-purpose solvent to be used for cleaning in government regulated areas. The desire to reduce VOCs is well recognized. The multi-purpose solvent of the present invention performs as well as known cleaning products (for example, xylene or MEK) having greater than 25 grams per liter VOC products. Further, the multi-purpose solvent according to the present invention has less than one tenth of the hazardous ingredients present in the other multi-purpose solvents. The multi-purpose solvent is suitable for reducing water and oil based coatings and material and may be used as a cleaner or thinner.

Abstract: A platform mounted emissions control unit includes a first system to reduce Particulate Matter (PM), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and a second system to reduce Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx). The systems serially process exhaust from a mobile or stationary pollution source. In one embodiment, first system is an Ionizing Wet Scrubber (IWS) and the second system is a Selective Catalytic Reducer (SCR), wherein the IWS processes the exhaust first to improve efficiency and service life of the SCR. A generator produces power required by the IWS and SCR, and heat from exhaust of the generator may be used convert urea to ammonia for use by the SCR, and to heat the exhaust flow into the SCR. The SCR may further include a heat exchanger to capture heat in the flow out of the SCR and use the captured heat to heat the flow into the SCR.

Abstract: A paint thinner and cleaner includes a methyl soy ester and dibasic ester and satisfies a less than 25 grams per liter Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) rating which permits the thinner and cleaner to be used for cleaning and thinning in government regulated areas. Requirements for reducing VOCs are well recognized. The paint thinner and cleaner of the present invention performs as well as products (for example, hydrocarbon based thinners) having greater than 25 grams per liter VOC products. Further, the paint thinner and cleaner according to the present invention has less than one tenth of the hazardous ingredients present in the other paint thinners. The paint thinner and cleaner is suitable for reducing water and oil based coatings and material.

Abstract: A three piece vacuum cup is made from rubber to resist damage and facilitates reconfiguring when badly damaged or for specific applications. The vacuum cup includes top, center, and bottom parts. The top is easily and inexpensively replaceable. A flexible lip seal surrounds the top edge of the top to seal against irregular surfaces and damage to the lip seal may be addressed by inserting a cord seal into slots in the top to form a second seal. Part of the top may be cut away to use with small parts and sealed using the cord seal. The center includes a family of passages which may be selectively blocked to permit use of partial tops. A bar pattern on the top has bars aligned in perpendicular directions to better hold material in all cutting directions.

Abstract: A method for controlling an electric vehicle includes computing an electric motor RPM based on a computed Back Electromotive Force (BEMF). Modern electric vehicle designs include intelligent control of the electric motors and transmissions to respond to operator controls and provide efficient operation to extend battery life. An accurate measure of motor RPM is required for such control. Various methods are available for obtaining motor RPM, but most require external sensors susceptible to damage from road debris and the like. The BEMF is proportional to motor speed and independent of motor load. The BEMF may further be computed from the difference between IR loss and motor voltage. The motor RPM is them computed from BEMF using data recorded for the individual motor.

Abstract: A self-tamping coffee holder tamps loose ground coffee obtaining richer flavor. The coffee holder includes a holder base and a holder cap. Coffee is loosely deposited in the coffee holder and the holder cap is attached to the holder base. An internal filter chamber holds the coffee and allows tamping of the coffee into a compacted state. The filter chamber may be formed by a fixed filter or by a removeable filter constructed of filter paper, nylon mesh, metal mesh, or any material capable of holding the coffee while allowing a flow of heated water through the coffee. The tamping may be by a spring or by a resilient solid material attached to the coffee holder and may push the coffee down inside the filter or push the filter and the coffee up against the holder lid.

Abstract: A plate carrier is carried on a server's forearm. The carrier comprises a wireform having a horizontal support portion for carrying the plate carrier on the forearm, a vertical loop portion looping around a server's forearm, and a plate holder portion below the server's forearm. The horizontal support is carried between the elbow and the palm. The vertical loop portion centers the plate holder portion under the server's forearm and the plate holder portion positions the plate holders centered under the forearm longitudinally closer to the elbow than the palm. The plate holders comprise a stationary lower jaw and a pivoting upper jaw allowing adjustment to hold a variety of plates.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for improving the fuel efficiency of a 10 kW Tactical Quiet Generator (10 kWTQG) diesel generator in the field. The apparatus includes a small turbocharger adapted to operate at very low boost and a low back pressure exhaust system. The turbocharger provides between approximately 0.5 and 3 pounds of boost over the 10 kWTQG normal operating range. No modifications are required to the 10 kWTQG fuel injection and governor system. The design of the low back pressure exhaust takes advantage of the narrow RPM range of the 10 kWTQG, and when combined with the turbocharger, meets or exceeds ambient noise level requirements. The apparatus is field installable by personnel of general skill levels present for operation of the 10 kWTQG.

Abstract: A thermally efficient liquid motion lamp maintains the proper temperature of liquids within the lamp to provide desired motion while using a minimal amount of energy. The lamp includes a submerged heater and a second heater in the base of the lamp, and an efficient non-incandescent light source for illuminating liquids in the lamp. A sensor measures the temperature of the liquids inside the lamp and the control system controls the heaters to first heat the lamp to operating temperature using the submerged heater and to maintain the temperature within operating limits at the base of the lamp using the second heater. The non-incandescent light source is preferably an LED and may be multi-color or an Ultra Violet (UV) LED cooperating with UV dyes in the liquids, but may be any highly efficient light source. The color and intensity of the LED may be controlled to follow music.

Abstract: A reconfigurable electric motor includes a rotor containing rotatable permanent magnets or non-magnetically conducting shunting pieces. The magnets and/or shunting pieces have a first position producing a weak magnetic field for asynchronous induction motor operation at startup and a second position producing a strong magnetic field for efficient synchronous operation. The motor includes a squirrel cage for induction motor operation at startup with the permanent magnets and/or shunting pieces positioned to product the weak magnetic field to not interfere with the startup. When the motor approaches or reaches synchronous RPM, the permanent magnets and/or shunting pieces rotate to produce a strong magnetic field for high efficiency synchronous operation.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for extending the life of a booster valve in an automatic transmission. The booster valve commonly resides in the pump stator body and is modulated by reverse oil pressure and pressure control solenoid pressure signals. Pressure signals from the reverse oil pressure and the pressure control solenoid force a booster valve piston towards a pressure regulator valve piston also generally residing in the pump stator body. The booster valve piston slides inside a booster valve sleeve, and over time, the booster valve sleeve wears and the performance of the booster valve degrades or fails. The present invention replaces an original inner booster valve spring with a longer (or in some cases shorter) replacement booster valve spring to shift the operating range of the booster valve piston to an unworn portion of the booster valve sleeve to extend the life of the booster valve.

Abstract: A method for preparing swimming pool plaster includes the addition of titanium dioxide (TiO2) to white swimming pool plaster mixture to improve the appearance of the plaster and reduce or eliminate mottling. Approximately two pounds of TiO2 is added per sack of cement. For example, approximately ten pounds of TiO2 may be added to a 5/7 bag mix of cement and pool sand. The TiO2 is added to water in a mixer in a first step, and the TiO2 and water are mixed dissolving the TiO2 in the water before adding cement or pool sand, thereby providing better mixing of all of the ingredients.

Abstract: A beverage release cap over a bottle cap of a plastic carbonated beverage bottle for dispensing a beverage, without losing gasses inside the bottle, when the bottle is inverted or partially inverted for pouring. The beverage release cap has three distinct functional and physical sections. A lower section engaging a bottle rim below the bottle cap and snapping over the bottle rim, thereby retaining the beverage release cap to the bottle while providing a seal and permitting a twisting rotation of the beverage release cap. A middle section gripping the bottle cap with vertical, equally spaced ribs, a space between the ribs allowing beverage to flow between the bottle cap and the beverage release cap. An upper section providing a path for the beverage to flow from the middle section. The beverage release cap may alternatively be a replacement to the standard bottle cap.

Abstract: A roll-over valve attaches over an existing carburetor float bowl vent tube and closes when a car is involved in a crash to prevent or reduce fuel from escaping from a tilted or inverted carburetor and starting a fire. Carburetors are used in many special interest cars and race cars. The carburetors include float bowls containing fuel and the float bowls are vented to outside air by the carburetor vent tubes. The carburetor vent tubes are generally vertical tubes reaching upward from the carburetor into an air cleaner or the volume above the carburetor. The roll-over valve includes a compression fitting or other connector and is easily fitted to the carburetor.

Abstract: A method for stereo expansion includes a step to remove the effects of actual relative speaker to listener positioning and head shadow and a step to introduce an artificial effect based on a desired virtual relative speaker to listener positioning using the inter-aural delay and the head-shadow models for the virtual speakers at desired angles relative to the listener thereby creating the impression of a widened and centered sound stage and an immersive listening experience. Known methods drown out vocals and add mid-range coloration thereby defeating equalization. The present method includes the integration of a novel binaural listening model and speaker-room equalization techniques to provide widening while not defeating equalization.

Abstract: An amphibious vehicle achieves a stable ride, maneuverability, and high speed. The vehicle includes a hull having a “V” center portion with outboard sponsons. The sponsons reside between the front wheel wells and the rear wheels wells for improving lift and transition to planing. Shallow tunnels begin in rear portions of the front wheel wells and taper into the sponsons to release water trapped in the wheel wells. Inward facing turning edges also reside between the front and rear wheel wells and improve in-water handling. Wheels are retractable by pneumatic cylinders in parallel with air shock absorbers and suspension cutout in the hull allow the suspension to lower through the hull. Flaps reside under suspension members and rise to cover the suspension cutouts when the wheels are retractable when the wheels are raised to reduce drag. A Morse cable couple a rack and pinion unit to a jet drive.

Abstract: A method for securing a faucet assembly to a counter top. The faucet assembly has downwardly depending threaded inlets for the hot and cold water. Flexible water hoses are secured to the hot and cold water under sink valves and the upper ends of the flexible hoses are extended through a hot water opening and a cold water opening in the counter top. Hollow cylinder cold flexible polymeric sleeves are pressed over the hot and cold water threaded inlet nipples. The assembly is then pushed down over the counter top so that the flexible sleeves form a tight frictional fit in the counter top openings.

Abstract: A piering system includes a heave plate attached to a foundation and supported by a pier. A downward facing socket is permanently attached to the heave plate. The socket receives the top end of a heavy stud of a coupling assembly, the bottom end of the stud is screwed into a captive nut of a shim-block. A nut is welded to the stud leaving about ½ inch of the stud protruding upwards for insertion into the socket. The nut may be turned to adjust the height of the stud. The shim-block and coupling assembly are supported by a head plate which is supported by the pier. The head plate includes a wide table for supporting a pair of jacks on opposite sides of a house jack facilitating installation of the system. The cooperation of the ball and socket helps to prevent “off-set loads” which otherwise may break the piering system.

Abstract: An automatic juicer turns and pushes an upward facing juicing cone into a fruit for releasing juice. The juicer includes a base containing a motor, gear and shaft assembly. A fixed guide extends upward from the base and inner and outer shafts reside inside the fixed guide and are driven by the motor and gear assembly to rotate and advance the juicing cone into the fruit. The inner shaft includes threads to vertically advance and retreat a shaft nut and the outer shaft rotates with the inner shaft, but is lifted by the shaft nut when the inner shaft turns. The juicing cone releases the juice and a stationary bowl catches the juice.