Abstract: A planimeter includes a movable housing in which are mounted orthogonally aimed x- and y-position sensors. Each position sensor comprises a piezoelectric ultrasound transmitter and receiver for sending ultrasound to a reflector disposed on a drawing and sensing resultant echoes. Circuitry in the housing computes from the sensor outputs the housing's position for each of a sequence of locations on a drawing at which a user positions the housing, and from those it computes scaled distances between those positions as well as quantities that can be derived from those distances. The transmitter's and receiver's respective positions with respect to positioning crosshairs are such as to suppress the results of orientation errors. The planimeter's handle is angled at 45° to the directions in which the sensors are aimed so that it lends itself to both right- and left-handed operation.

Abstract: A planimeter includes a movable housing in which are mounted orthogonally aimed x- and y-position sensors. Each position sensor comprises a piezoelectric ultra-sound transmitter and receiver for sending ultrasound to a reflector disposed on a drawing and sensing resultant echoes. Circuitry in the housing computes from the sensor outputs the housing's position for each of a sequence of locations on a drawing at which a user positions the housing, and from those it computes scaled distances between those positions as well as quantities that can be derived from those distances. The transmitter's and receiver's respective positions with respect to positioning crosshairs are such as to suppress the results of orientation errors. The planimeter's handle is angled at 45° to the directions in which the sensors are aimed so that it lends itself to both right- and left-handed operation.

Abstract: The specification discloses a woodworking and home improvement calculator particularly adopted for symplifying common home improvement calculations. The calculator includes a variety of special keys including a gravel, cement, tile, brick, block, 4×8 sheet, paint, wallpaper, stud and roof bundle keys which allow the user to quickly determine the amount of materials needed for projects involving the aforementioned keys.

Abstract: A control circuit (56) for responding to infrared light from a target region and operating an electric valve (54) in response is disposed at a protected location remote from the target region. It detects the presence of objects by means of light conducted to it by a fiber-optic cable (32).

Abstract: A reaming pin (70) is provided in a control orifice (34) by which pressure from a main chamber (26) is communicated to a control chamber (36) so as to provide force to hold a main valve member in the form of a flexible diaphragm (12) against a valve seat (14) and thus prevent fluid from flowing from the main chamber (26) to an outlet orifice (32). The control orifice (34) is displaced from the center of the diaphragm (12), but the reaming pin is so provided as to cause the variation in the lateral spacing between the pin (70) and the control-orifice walls to be less than it would be if the reaming pin were a straight, inflexible member rigidly mounted perpendicularly to the plane of the valve seat (14). In one version, the pin (70) is mounted on the diaphragm (12) itself and thus moves laterally with it. In another version, the pin (70') is pivotably mounted on the valve body so as to permit such motion.

Abstract: A sonic transducer (10) includes an elongated diaphragm (12) secured to a base (14) by a clamping member (16). The shapes of the surfaces (26, 30) by which the base (14) and clamping element (16) engage the diaphragm (12) are different at the end regions (28) from what they are in the side regions (32). The result is a more-rigid clamping at the ends than at the sides, which causes the lengthwise and widthwise stiffnesses of the diaphragm to be more nearly equal and thus the sound production from various regions of the diaphragm to be more nearly in phase than they would be if the clamping were uniform.

Abstract: A replacement apparatus (50) for converting a manual flush mechanism to automatic operation includes a partition base (76) secured to a replacement cap (68) that forms two spaced-apart openings (96 and 98). A valve operator (58) is so mounted on the replacement cap (68) as to form with the upper surface of the replacement cap (68) a chamber (100) with which both of the openings (96 and 98) communicate. The partition base (76) separates a pilot chamber (26) from a relief chamber (94) that the partition base (76) and replacement cap (68) form. A replacement pilot valve member (102) controlled by the valve operator (58) in turn controls flow through the passage that comprises the openings (96 and 98) and the common chamber (100) with which they communicate. It thereby controls flow between the pilot chamber (26) and the relief chamber (94). The partition base (76) includes a wall (86 ) that is flexible so as to permit a main valve diaphragm (24) to flex.

Abstract: A sonic distance-measuring device (10) for use in air includes three transducers (14, 16, and 18) in an array of transducers, which are driven in a predetermined phase relationship so as to achieve a beam width that is substantially less than that which can be achieved by any of the transducers individually. To enable the user to aim the device (10) effectively, a lamp (20) is provided to shine along the sonic beam and thus help the user direct the beam at a desired target. To conserve energy and increase the ability to distinguish the light beam from ambient light, the lamp (20) is pulsed rather than driven steadily.

Abstract: An automatic faucet (100) includes a faucet (102) through which flow is controlled by an electronically operated valve (108). A sensing apparatus (104) senses the motion of objects below the faucet (102) and causes the valve (108) to open when sensed objects exhibit motion that meets certain predetermined criteria. Operation of the valve (108) in response to motion that is not intended to cause water flow is reduced by a technique that involves computing an "average" distance, which represents the position assumed by a sensed stationary object. Specifically, objects sensed near the average distance must exhibit motion more consistently than other objects because the former objects are more likely to be splashing water, which should not result in the valve's being opened. Also, some motion greater than 1.

Abstract: An add-on device (10) for converting a conventional manual faucet to an automatic faucet includes a body (12) that includes an adapter (14) by which the add-on device is mounted onto the outlet of the manual faucet. A conduit (32) provides a fluid path from the faucet outlet to a device outlet (18), and an electrically operable valve (30) is interposed in the conduit (32). A control circuit (26) operates an ultrasonic transducer (20) to sense objects in a target region near the device outlet 18, and it operates the valve (30) to permit water to flow out the device outlet (18) when the transducer detects a moving object in the target region.