Abstract: A dispenser for an extrudable product includes an applicator member having a handle and an applicator tip connected to the handle, a cover member having a hollow interior that extends along a cover member axis to an open end of the cover member, which open end is dimensioned and arranged to receive the applicator tip, a supply of an extrudable product within the cover member, and an extrusion mechanism within the cover member. The extrusion mechanism includes an extrusion die and components for enabling a user to rotate the extrusion die relative to a portion of the cover member in order to operate the extrusion mechanism. The extrusion die has an extrusion orifice and it bears against the cover member at an interface between the extrusion die and the cover member.

Abstract: A system for dispersing ozone includes at least first and second ozone-injection ports at spaced-apart locations and different elevations in a swimming pool, components for communicating ozone from a separate source of ozone to each of the ozone-injection ports, and flow control components for controlling the rate at which the ozone flows to each of the ports by enabling a user to separately adjust the rate at which the ozone flows to each of the ports in order to compensate for differences in hydrostatic pressure.

Abstract: A paving machine for zero or minimum clearance applications includes a tractor for moving a pan assembly in a desired direction of travel on a roadway to be paved in order to form a quantity of concrete mud into a slab of desired width and elevation. The pan assembly has a pan that extends laterally substantially the full desired width and rearwardly from a leading edge portion of the pan to a trailing edge portion of the pan. Components are provided for mounting the pan assembly on the tractor so that the leading edge portion of the pan is disposed rearwardly of at least one of the left and right tracks. Multiple sensors may be included for independent elevation control of the pan along with mounting components for lateral adjustment of the pan assembly and dual screeds for better control of the concrete mud.

Abstract: A system for injecting a laundry chemical into a washing machine includes means for injecting a chemical into a washing machine and coin-operated means for actuating it. One embodiment includes interconnected first, second, and third components configured for use with a source of a laundry chemical, a source of water, and a washing machine of the type having a washing machine cycle, a start switch for starting the washing machine cycle, and a known water flow pattern that occurs after the washing machine cycle has started. The first component produces a first signal indicative of the washing machine cycle having started, the second component produces a second signal indicative of a flow of water from the separate water source into the washing machine, and the third component responds to the first and second signals to identify an occurrence of the known water flow pattern after the washing machine cycle has started and control the injection of a chemical into the washing machine accordingly.

Abstract: An improved filter assembly of the type having a housing with an inlet, an outlet,and a passage in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet, a filter media disposed within the passage, and at least a first filter element mounted on the housing which includes a porous member extending transversely across the passage adjacent a first end portion of the filter media. The porous member is pleated in order to provide increased surface area for a given cross sectional area of the passage. The filter element includes an annular support member having an opening and a pleated porous member mounted on the support member so that a plurality of pleats extend transversely across the support member. A method of fabricating the filter element includes providing the annular support member, forming the pleated porous member, and mounting the porous member in a position extending across the opening.

Abstract: A valve includes a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a passageway that connects the inlet and the outlet in fluid communication. A valve member on the housing for opens and closes the passageway and an actuator on the housing that is responsive to movement such as may accompany an earthquake causes the valve member to close the passageway automatically in the event of such movement. The actuator may include a spring for driving the valve member from an open position to a closed position, and a trigger mechanism responsive to movement such as may accompany an earthquake for holding the valve member in the open position until the occurrence of such movement and then enabling the valve member to move to the closed position under influence of the driving means.

Abstract: A system for injecting ozone into the water of a swimming pool includes a source of pressurized ozone, a sparger or dispersion member adapted to be mounted on a separate swimming pool vacuum cleaner head, and a flexible conduit connecting the source of pressurized ozone to the dispersion member. The dispersion member receives ozone through the flexible conduit from the source of pressurized ozone and discharges it into the water of the swimming pool for sanitizing purposes while the vacuum cleaner head is moved about within the water of the swimming pool for cleaning purposes. The flexible conduit may be attached to a separate water suction line connected to the swimming pool vacuum cleaner head and be routed alongside the water suction line through a separate skimmer apparatus, and the dispersion member may be weighted sufficiently to compensate for any buoyancy introduce by the flexible conduit.

Abstract: A prosthetic gripping device includes an elongated support member haivng first and second end portions and an intermediate portion extending between the first and second end portions, a gripping head attached to the second end portion for holding an implement, and a sleeve to be secured on the arm of a user in order to hold the first end portion of the support member on the arm. The first end portion of the support member is dimensioned and arranged to be held on the arm by the sleeve in a position adjacent the inner wrist such that the support member extends toward the hand, the intermediate portion is dimensioned and arranged to curve slightly over the heel of the hand, and the second end portion is dimensioned and arranged to extend to the palm of the hand with the gripping head being thereby supported at the palm of the hand.

Abstract: An irrigation controller includes a microprocessor for controlling a plurality of watering stations under program control according to a plurality of stored parameter values, a display module operationally connected to the microprocessor means for displaying the parameter values, and a plurality of selector switches initiating the display of a selected one of a plurality of predefined groups of the parameter values. Each one of the switches corresponds to a respective one of the groups, and the display module includes both a first plurality of display elements configured to produce images of the parameter values and a second plurality of display elements configured to produce images identifying the selected group. One embodiment includes a liquid crystal display having the second plurality of display elements configured as arrowheads pointing toward panel labeling that extends to a corresponding one of the switches.

Abstract: An irrigation controller includes a microprocessor for controlling a plurality of watering stations under program control according to a plurality of parameter values, and a module dimensioned and arranged to enable a user to transport the module by hand. A memory is provide in the module for storing a set of the parameter values, and first and second mating connectors are provided on respective ones of a housing for the microprocessor and the module. The connectors are operationally connected to respective ones of the microprocessor and the memory circuit to enable the user to couple the memory means to the microprocessor in order to transfer the remotely programmed set of the parameter values to and from the microprocessor means. Microprocessor programming enables automatic watering interval adjustment, open circuit testing, and individual watering station shutdown in the event of a fault condition.

Abstract: An ophthalmic lens having a size, shape, and composition adapted to be supported by the human eye in the optical path of the eye as an intraocular, contact, or corneal implant lens, includes a biocompatible lens body having a size and shape adapted to be supported by a human eye in the optical path of the eye. An optical portion of the lens body has anterior and posterior surfaces and a grooved portion defining a modified Fresnel or echelon lens pattern in at least one of the anterior and posterior surfaces. The modified echelon lens pattern includes annular zones that are configured so that at least some of the annular zones exhibit optical characteristics that vary circumferentially in order to at least partially correct for astigmatism.

Abstract: A pumping system includes a pump for pumping a liquid, a motor for driving the pump, and components for coupling the pump to the motor so that the speed at which the pump is driven varies automatically according to the load the liquid imposes. One embodiment employs an automotive fluid transmission with a torque converter for this purpose, along with input and output manifolds that enable connection to differently sized lines. These components may be mounted on a portable support structure, such as a cart, to form a fully automatic, portable pumping system arranged so that a user can manually move the system to a desired location, connect to variously sized lines, and pump any of various liquids having different or varying viscosities.

Abstract: A needleless injector device includes an integral unit that is dimensioned and arranged to be grasped in the hand of a user, loaded with a selected dosage, and held proximate the skin in order to inject the selected dosage in a high pressure jet sufficient to pass the selected dosage through the skin for injection purposes, the unit having a barrel portion, a gas storage portion, and an intermediate portion. A trigger operates a release mechanism to release compressed gas from a storage compartment to act upon a piston and drive a plunger that ejects the selected dosage of medication through an aperture in the discharge end of the barrel portion, the piston face being larger than the plunger face to increase pressure.

Abstract: A servo for driving a control linkage in a radio controlled model includes a motor, a gear train coupled to the motor, an output shaft coupled to the gear train to which to couple a control linkage, a position sensor coupled to the output shaft for producing a signal indicative of output shaft position for feedback control purposes, and a slip clutch between the gear train and the output shaft for at least partially inhibiting the transmission of a transient force from the output shaft back to the gear train.

Abstract: A system for measuring heparin concentration in a sample of blood plasma includes a vessel for containing a sample of blood plasma to which a dye such as azure A has been added, and a light source for transmitting light at each of two different wavelengths through the sample while the sample is in the vessel, one of which wavelengths may be relatively insensitive to heparin dilution. A detector arrangement detects the light at each of the two different wavelengths that is transmitted through the sample to produce two different signals, each one of which signals is indicative of the light transmitted through the sample at a respective one of the two different wavelengths. Processing components process the two different signals to produce an output signal indicative of the amount of heparin concentration that compensates for the effect of plasma dilution by comparing the two signals.

Abstract: A rope cleat having a base, a rope abutment structure on the base, a cam, and components for mounting the cam on the base so that the cam can rotate about a rotational axis for purposes of gripping a rope between the cam and the rope abutment structure is configured to better grip truck rope such as that fabricated from monofilament polypropylene. Teeth are provided on at least one of the cam and the rope abutment structure to provide edges disposed generally toward the other one of the cam and the rope abutment structure while a groove is provided to enhance the gripping of a rope having a known diameter against movement between the cam and the rope abutment structure along a path that is generally tangential relative to the rotational axis.

Abstract: A closure for a T-shirt bag includes a sheet of material, the sheet of material defining first and second openings in which to place first and second handles of a T-shirt bag in order to restrain the handles for purposes of retaining the T-shirt bag at least partially closed. The first and second openings have substantially identical shapes, each being dimensioned and arranged to receive a portion of each handle. Each opening may include an access opening portion and an interior portion, the access opening portion being dimensioned and arranged to enable a user to pass handles through it into the interior portion. The interior portion of each opening may include first and second channel portions that extend on opposite sides of the access opening, each channel portion receiving a separate one of the handles.

Abstract: An intraocular lens includes an optic for implantation in a human eye and first and second fixation members attached to the optic for supporting the optic from the capsular bag of the eye, each of the fixation members having inner and outer legs. The inner legs extend radially outwardly and circumferentially from first and second attachment sites on the optic to intermediate portions of the fixation members. Each of the outer legs extend along an arc from the intermediate portion of the fixation member to a distal end portion of the fixation member.

Abstract: A sprinkler includes a pop-up stem that defines a passage extending to a downwardly facing opening that is circumscribed by a generally planar surface and covered by a valve element dimensioned and arranged in confronting relationship with the planar surface to at least partially block the opening. The valve element is mounted on the stem to enable movement in a plane generally parallel to the planar surface in order to vary an amount by which the valve element blocks the opening, and rotation of a shaft causes valve element movement to restrict the flow of liquid through the opening a selected amount. A resiliently deformable valve element may be loosely mounted to provide clearance sufficient to enable movement of particulate material from between the valve element and the planar surface while enabling the liquid to urge the valve element toward the planar surface.

Abstract: A door sign device includes an actuator mounted on the inner door surface of a door that has inner and outer door surfaces so that a user can move the actuator between first and second actuator positions, and a follower mounted on the outer door surface so that the follower can be move between first and second follower positions that each correspond to a respective one of the first and second actuator positions. Coupling components are included for coupling the actuator to the follower magnetically so that the follower follows actuator movement, and indicator components responsive to the follower being in the first follower position indicate that a predetermined sign applies. Roller-type actuator and follower components may be employed that are mounted for rotation about axes that are parallel to the inner and outer door surfaces.