Abstract: A method and apparatus for the separation of the water from the oil/gas in the well itself, down-hole, in which gravity is allowed to work on the mixture in a non-vertical section of the well, and then, using separated flow paths, the gravity-separated components pumped to the surface or into a subterranean discharge zone. Detectors are used to control the pumping so as to keep the unsettled/unseparated mixture away from the flow paths. Preferably the discharge zone is chosen to have a formation pressure which is lower than the pressure of the producing zone.

Abstract: A plastic panel for attachment to an exterior wall of a building includes a body, an attachment hem attached to the body and defining at least one aperture for a fastener, and a side flange extending laterally outwardly of the body. The side flange defines a fastening slot for attaching the panel to a building wall. The fastening slot extends at a predetermined acute angle relative to horizontal, preferably about 10-20° relative to horizontal, and about 15° in a particularly preferred embodiment. The fastening slot is preferably elongated and narrow so that the head of a metal fastener extends over opposed upper and lower edges of the slot.

Abstract: A heat sink retention apparatus includes a frame for supporting a heat sink. A plurality of flexible members extend from opposite ends of the frame. Each flexible member includes a retention tab and one of the retention tabs includes a retraction tab. A heat sink is snapped-into the frame by engaging either of the retention tabs and flexing the other retention tab. The retraction tab can be flexed to disengage one of the retention tabs for extracting the heat sink from the frame.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for automatically staining or treating multiple tissue samples mounted on slides are provided, in which the slides and reagent bottles are held in fixed position, and the reagent, wash and coverslipping solutions brought to the slides. Alternatively, the slides are held in fixed position, while the reagent, wash and coverslipping solutions brought to the slides.

Abstract: The present invention provides a more efficient and faster way to prepare tissue samples for sectioning. More particularly, in accordance with the present invention, a tissue sample is embedded in a porous embedding media in a desired orientation, processed, and sectioned all while being held in the porous embedding media. The post-tissue processing step of manual embedding in paraffin is eliminated from the process.

Abstract: A bulk container for storing and shipping flowable material in bulk. The container is constructed of inner and outer cartons laminated together and made of corrugated paperboard. The container has side walls with at least one viewing opening for viewing the level of contents of the container, and a closable dispensing opening through which the flowable material may be dispensed. The closable dispensing opening is located in a lower corner of one of the side walls, adjacent to but spaced from the corner, and is closed by a first pour spout flap in the outer carton foldable in a first direction, and a second pour spout flap in the inner carton underlying the first flap and foldable in a second direction. Both flaps are formed by two spaced apart slits in the respective inner and outer cartons, extending parallel to the direction of the flutes of the corrugated paperboard, with the slits in the outer carton in substantial registry with the slits in the inner carton.

Abstract: A plastic panel for attachment to an exterior wall of a building includes a body, an attachment hem attached to the body and defining at least one aperture for a fastener, and a side flange extending laterally outwardly of the body. The side flange defines a fastening slot for attaching the panel to a building wall. The fastening slot extends at a predetermined acute angle relative to horizontal, preferably about 10-20° relative to horizontal, and about 15° in a particularly preferred embodiment. The fastening slot is preferably elongated and narrow so that the head of a metal fastener extends over opposed upper and lower edges of the slot.

Abstract: A molded plastic panel for covering an exterior building wall includes a laterally directed lead fin, a laterally extending groove below the lead fin, and a rearwardly directed middle wall between rows of simulated shingles, all for joining laterally adjacent panels. A side flange extending outwardly of the panel may also be included. The molded plastic panel preferably also includes at least one row of simulated shingles separated by a plurality of gaps each having a randomly varying width in order to camouflage spacings between adjacent panels that change because of thermal contraction and expansion. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the panel body includes a locking tab and a folding flange. The folding flange includes a locking lip for engaging a locking tab on an adjacent panel and a flexible hinge connecting the locking lip to the panel body. The flexible hinge allows the folding flange to be disconnected from the locking tab when replacing a single panel.

Abstract: A system for aligning labels on label stock of different sizes with the print head in a printer is disclosed. The label stock is wound around a tubular core, which has a ring shaped groove in its inner surface at the midpoint of its length, forming a roll of label stock. The continuous liner strip contains synchronization holes and identification holes. The system includes a printer having a spindle mounted on a pedestal and holding the roll of label stock to be fed into the printer. The spindle is undersized relative to the tubular core and includes a ring shaped protrusion at its midpoint for engaging the groove in the inner surface of the tubular core. This roll of label stock is automatically maintained centered on the midpoint of the spindle, by its own weight, as it turns around the spindle as the label stock advances. The system also includes an optical detector movably mounted within the printer, for detecting synchronization holes and identification holes in the liner during print head traversal.

Abstract: A structural building panel including a composite truss member having transverse truss elements defining an undulated shape, and first and second composite skins, formed by a pultrusion process. A composite connector extends along a side edge of the panel, the connector including a tongue and a groove adjacent one another defining an inside face having an elongate aperture therein that extends parallel to the side edge. The connector may slidably engage with a similar connector on an adjacent panel, the tongues and groove interlocking such that the apertures together define a channel through which a rod-like locking member may be received. Composite connection systems are provided for connecting composite wall panels to a foundation and to connect composite roof panels to the wall panels. The connection systems include interlocking connectors having apertures for receiving locking members.

Abstract: A molded plastic panel for covering an exterior building wall includes a laterally directed lead fin, a laterally extending groove below the lead fin, and a rearwardly directed middle wall between rows of simulated shingles, all for joining laterally adjacent panels. A side flange extending outwardly of the panel may also be included.

Abstract: A molded plastic panel for covering an exterior building wall includes a laterally directed lead fin, a laterally extending groove below the lead fin, and a rearwardly directed middle wall between rows of simulated shingles, all for joining laterally adjacent panels. A side flange extending outwardly of the panel may also be included. The molded plastic panel preferably also includes at least one row of simulated shingles separated by a plurality of gaps each having a randomly varying width in order to camouflage spacings between adjacent panels that change because of thermal contraction and expansion. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the panel body includes a locking tab and a folding flange. The folding flange includes a locking tip for engaging a locking tab on an adjacent panel and a flexible hinge connecting the locking lip to the panel body. The flexible hinge allows the folding flange to be disconnected from the locking tab when replacing a single panel.

Abstract: A surface mount connector that can be used for both single and double-sided PWB's. A telephone may have a printed wiring board with connector access from the bottom of the telephone and keypad activation from the top of the telephone. If a double-sided PWB is used, the connector is mounted to the bottom side of the PWB, while the keypad is mounted to the top of the PWB. The connector faces away from the PWB to provide access from below the telephone. If a single-sided PWB is used, the connector is mounted to the top side of the PWB, so that the keypad can also be mounted to the top side. The connector is placed, with connector access down, into an opening through the PWB. The connector extends down through the opening in the PWB with the leads of the connector remaining on the top side of the PWB. The leads of the connector are secured to pads on the top side of the PWB.

Abstract: An automotive data recording device for collecting data from a vehicle and for storing the data for further analysis includes a first electrical interface adapted to interface with a vehicle data terminal capable of supplying raw data internally monitored by a vehicle computer having a memory for storing the raw data. A volatile memory temporarily stores substantially all the raw data stored in the vehicle computer's memory, and a non-volatile memory stores a desired portion of the raw data. The device also includes a microprocessor programmed to provide a first control signal to retrieve the desired portion of the raw data from the volatile memory for storage in the non-volatile memory and to provide a second control signal to retrieve the desired portion of the raw data from the non-volatile memory.

Abstract: The present invention provides a user installable option module which contains upgrade circuitry to add additional functions to a basic telephone. This generic upgrade module is capable of containing different sets of electronic circuitry which perform different functions and have different applications. The option module is user installable, and requires neither shipping the original unit to repair or upgrade, nor does it require trained service personnel to visit the customer site to perform the installation. The user installed option is installed in the base of a basic telephone. After installation, the option module appears to be an integral part of the basic telephone and is not readily visible to the user. The basic telephone also retains its original footprint. The option module is secured to the basic telephone in such a manner that prevents the option module from being damaged when subjected to significant forces.

Abstract: A diagnostic envelope is used to analyze measurements from an internal combustion engine. Measurements may be from a partially assembled engine during a cold test to detect subtle mechanical anomalies, or from a fully assembled engine during a cold test or a hot test (with active fuel and spark). The measurements represent vibrational amplitudes corresponding to various crankshaft angular positions of the internal combustion engine. The first step in generating the diagnostic envelope includes filtering the measurements to enhance local variations. Filtered measurements representing a number of engine cycles are then combined to reduce random cycle-to-cycle variations. The diagnostic envelope is then generated by subtracting corresponding measurements obtained from engines with known operating characteristics. The diagnostic envelope is used in analyzing and/or classifying the engine.

Abstract: A predictive model is derived for subsequent use in a misfire detector in an internal combustion engine. Data collected using a test engine is curve-fitted using NARMAX techniques to obtain a computational formula for the predictive model which relates deviant acceleration at the accessible crankshaft section to deviant acceleration at the inaccessible crankshaft section. Thus, the model can be used during actual misfire detection to reduce the effects of the torsional oscillations.

Abstract: A coalescing oil/water separator for removing free and dispersed oil from a wastewater stream with increased separation efficiency and producing a substantially oil-free effluent. The coalescing oil/water separator is self-contained in a tank shell and includes an improved oil coalescing medium for separating oil out of wastewater and a series of baffles and weirs to direct flow, skim the separated oil and control the liquid level in the separator. The improved oil coalescing medium is uniquely designed and sized to maximize the coalescing surface area in and the flow rate through a given volume of medium by including a plurality of molded, stackable perforated sheets or plates having an oleophilic surface and increased coalescing surface area for inducing impingement of oil droplets on the medium surface.

Abstract: Irregularities in crankshaft velocity introduced when measuring crankshaft rotation at a section of a crankshaft in an internal combustion engine that is less damped to torsional oscillations than is another more accessible crankshaft section are corrected using a NARMAX-generated model to predict rotation measurements that would have been obtained at the inaccessible section based on data actually collected at the accessible crankshaft section. Thus, the effects of torsional oscillations in the crankshaft are substantially filtered away, resulting in crankshaft acceleration values that form the basis of a misfire detector having nearly maximum signal-to-noise performance.

Abstract: A composite and metal prosthetic component has a metal pyramid insert. The insert part includes a pyramid part and a stem having at least one slot in its bottom. Composite material may fill the spot to prevent rotation of the stem within the composite base. An annular, part spherical aluminum dome is molded onto the composite part at a position to act as a contact surface for parts mating with the pyramid part.