Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a storage tank assembly comprising: (i) a storage tank; (ii) support means comprising at least one load bearing reinforcement means extending around and attached to at least a portion of the outer circumference of the storage tank, the support means further incorporating at least one mounting leg to enable the support means to be connected to a canopy.

Abstract: A reduced area imaging device is provided for use with a communication device, such as a wireless/cellular phone. Various configurations of the imaging device are provided which locate the elements of the imaging device at desired locations. The communication device includes a miniature LCD-type monitor which displays not only images taken by the camera module, but also incoming video messages. The camera module may communicate with the housing of the communication device by wired connection, or wirelessly. The camera module is of such small size that it can be stored within the housing of the communication device. The camera module may be pointed at any object within sight of the user, without having to move the phone housing in order to take video images. Any acceptable wireless standard may be used for wireless communication between the camera module and the video telephone. One particularly advantageous wireless standard includes Bluetooth.

Abstract: An image sensing device includes a solid state image sensor, such as a CCD. An electronic shutter controls the exposure of the sensor to light, and thus the period during which the sensor collects or accumulates an information charge with light receiving pixels. The image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor layer having parallel channel regions formed on the substrate, and transfer electrodes which intersect the channel regions. The channel regions generate and store the information charges.

Abstract: A flame retardant predominantly of polymeric materials, appearing as a novel chemical compound, viz, ammonium salt of nitrolotris(methylene)phosphonic acid amide.

Abstract: A low power-consumption active matrix display device including gate lines, drain lines, and pixel electrodes, which are arranged at intersections between the gate lines and the drain lines. A drain line driver is connected to the drain lines to select a drain line and provide the selected drain line with an image signal. A gate line driver is connected to the gate lines to select a predetermined gate line and provide the selected gate line with a gate signal. Level shifters are connected to the drain line driver to operate in a time-dividing manner. Each level shifter supplies the drain line driver with a boosted voltage.

Abstract: A cancer screening method is provided, wherein the method is characterized by administering a compound to a patient, the compound being a complex of a fluorescent marker and a radioactive marker, in a dose emitting between 5 Gy and 20 Gy radiation. Cells are then collected preferably through non-invasive or minimally invasive means. If fluorescence is observed in the exfoliated cells, tomographic scanning is conducted to further locate and/or confirm suspected malignant areas or metastatic areas. Further observation or treatment may be conducted either through fluorescence guided endoscopy, photo-dynamic therapy, and/or radiation treatment.

Abstract: A reduced area-imaging device is provided for use with a miniature hand-held computer referred to in the industry as a PDA. Various configurations of the imaging device are provided which position elements of the imaging device in desired locations. The PDA includes a miniature LCD-type video screen which can display not only images taken by the camera module, but also incoming video images. The camera module may communicate with the housing of the PDA either by a wired connection, or wirelessly. The camera module is small enough that it can be stored within the housing of the PDA. The camera module may be pointed at an object within sight of the user without having to move the PDA housing in order to take an image. Any acceptable wireless standard may be used for wireless communication between the camera module and the PDA. One particularly advantageous standard includes Bluetooth.

Abstract: A switching power supply device of the present invention comprises a transformer having at least a first primary coil, a first secondary coil, a second secondary coil, a second primary coil, and laminated in the sequence of the first primary coil, the first secondary coil, the second secondary coil, the second primary coil, and having a configuration wherein a center tap is drawn out from a connecting part between one end of said first secondary coil and one end of said second secondary coil; a switching part for alternately applying a voltage in a forward direction and an inverse direction to said transformer; a rectifying part for rectifying the voltage induced across the center tap of the transformer and the other end of the first secondary coil or the other end of the second secondary coil; a smoothing part for smoothing the voltage of the rectifying part; and a control part for controlling the on-off of the switching part so that the output voltage becomes stable.

Abstract: A method is provided for automatically adjusting the color of a digital image. In one aspect, an strength offset is determined to automatically remove gray from a distorted image. In an other aspect applied independently or after gray removal, scaling factors are automatically determined to adjust the image to conform to empirically determined optimal brightening of the image. Using a determination of color dot maximums and a function which ensures constraint within the dynamic range, scaling factors are established which correspond to the strength values of each dot maximum and which are applied to each of the dot's R,G and B to maintain ratios therebetween and thus maintain the true color. The function for establishing the scaling factors is interpolated from a nominal function and a target average strength for the image.

Abstract: A novel agar medium for the isolation, sub-cultivation, and indirect or direct drug-susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of isolating and growing Mycobacterium tuberculosis and methods of drug-resistance screening using the agar medium of the invention.

Abstract: A punch assembly for producing hollow glass articles in a mold has a punch member, which is moved to and from the mold along a straight axis by an electric motor positioned eccentrically with respect to the straight axis and connected to the punch member by a rotary-to-linear motion conversion assembly, and a releasable angular connecting assembly interposed between the motor and the motion conversion assembly.

Abstract: A package structure of a solid-state image sensor having a solid-state image sensor chip and a color filter stuck on a light receiving surface of the chip. The package structure includes a vessel for packaging the solid-state image sensor chip. An optically transparent protection plate is attached to the vessel to cover the light receiving surface of the chip. A resin layer is arranged between the chip and the protection plate to absorb light having a predetermined wavelength.

Abstract: A device (10) for calibrating tympanic thermometers includes an enclosure (12) which may be heated or cooled depending upon the testing temperature. Within the enclosure (12) there is provided a sealed flask (14) which contains substance (16) which melts at the test temperature (this may be ethylene carbonate, melting point 36.3° C.). Located within the sealed flask (14) is a re-entrant well (18) which provides the blackbody for testing tympanic thermometers and a viewing aperture (20). The well (18) is treated to achieve a high surface emissivity. The device (10) allows the testing of thermometers by measuring the triple point or melting point of the substance (16). As the temperature of the substance (16) is accurately known, so is the temperature in the blackbody cavity (18) and thermometers can be calibrated thereby.

Abstract: Disclosed is a syringe disposal device (10) suitable for disposal of a single syringe. The device is suitable for disposal of syringes (30) having a needle (33), a barrel (38), a plunger (39) and on the barrel (38) or plunger (39), a transversely extending flange portion (38a). The disposal device (10) may include a needle encapsulating portion (12), a syringe barrel encapsulating portion (14) and a syringe retention portion (16). The syringe retention portion (16) has an open end (18) to allow syringe (30) to be inserted into device (10). The opposed end (19) of syringe retention portion (16) communicates the retention portion (16) with syringe barrel encapsulating portion (14). Engagement means (20) are provided at, or proximate, the opposed end (19) of the syringe retention portion (16) for retaining syringe (30) within the disposed device (10) after passage of the transversely extending flange (38a) past the engagement means (20) by interference fit.

Abstract: An aluminum radiator includes a core including a plurality of tubes through which a heat exchange medium flows and fins arranged between the tubes; and a header tank including a pair of header spaced apart from each other and having both ends coupled to the tube, a tank coupled to the header by a brazing and having a heat exchange medium passage formed therein, and end caps coupled to both opening portions of the tank, wherein the tube satisfies an inequality 10 mm?T?20 mm, where T denotes an outside width of the tube, and the tank has an inside height (H) of 41 mm or less and satisfies an inequality 1.5?H/T?2.5.

Abstract: Described herein is a toothed belt comprising: a body made of elastomeric material having teeth on one of its surfaces; a coating fabric adherent to the surface of the teeth; and resistant inserts capable of having a high power of transmission, obtained by means of appropriate selection of parameters. The toothed belt according to the invention comprises a body formed by a mixture with a hardness value, after vulcanization, of between 90 and 97 shoreA, preferably made of chloroprene: the fabric is formed by at least one layer of fibers with a weight of between 700 and 1250 grams per square meter of surface, and preferably is a 6/6 textured polyamide, and the resistant inserts are made of glass fibers with a mean diameter of between 2.4 and 3 mm and are formed starting from basic filaments having a mean diameter of between 6 and 10 ?m, which are preferably formed for at least 75 wt % of basic filaments having a mean diameter of 9 ?m.

Abstract: A material including a carbon-based substance and resins are mixed, and the mixture is extruded and dried, and the extrusion is sintered in an inert atmosphere, thereby obtaining a heating element material. The heating element material is reheated in a vacuum so that its resistance-temperature characteristic is adjusted to a necessary value, thereby obtaining a heating element for an infrared lamp. The heating element is a wire-shaped or plate-shaped heating element including the carbon-based substance, and an internal lead wire is wound around each of both ends of the heating element directly or via a graphite block so that a tight fit can be obtained. A coil spring is formed in the middle of the internal lead wire. The heating element is accommodated in a quartz glass tube filled with an inert gas.

Abstract: A ply station 12, a band station 13, a shaping station 14, and a belt-tread station 15 are disposed along one side of a conveyor line 11 which extends linearly. A first feeding apparatus 16 disposed between the stations 12, 13, a second feeding apparatus 17 between the stations 13, 14, and a third feeding apparatus 18 between the stations 15, 14 are movably supported on the conveyor line 11. A vulcanizing station 19 comprising a plurality of vulcanizers 20 is disposed on a second side of the conveyor line 11. A delivery apparatus 22 is disposed between the vulcanizing station 19 and the shaping station 14.