Abstract: A cordless appliance includes a blender having a base unit with a housing and an upwardly opening upper cavity. A drive connection is positioned within the upwardly opening upper cavity. The housing further includes a battery-receiving cavity that is configured to receive a removable battery. A motor is disposed within the housing of the base unit it is contemplated to be powered by the removable battery. A blender jar includes an upper collar in an interior cavity. A first lid assembly is configured to be coupled to the upper collar of the blender jar and includes a blade assembly and a drive connecting member. A second lid assembly includes a cap member removably received on an open aperture of the second lid assembly. The first and second lid assemblies are configured for limited rotation with respect to the blender jar for engagement of the same.

Abstract: A device and method are disclosed for use in sealing a toggle-operated apparatus mounted upon a panel. The actuator of the apparatus initially is in an operating position extending along a given axial direction and is movable through angular displacement away from that orientation into another operating position, by an operating force applied in a transverse direction. A boot member of the device is constructed of a resiliently flexible elastomeric material and includes an apical section for placement over the actuator upon sealing the apparatus, and an intermediate section configured and dimensioned to facilitate angular displacement of the apical section, along with angular displacement of the actuator to operate the apparatus, while reducing any resulting resilient biasing force tending to return the apical section toward orientation in the given axial direction to less than any transversely directed force capable of moving the actuator out of the another operating position.

Abstract: Records are obtained from various sources, including public records, and are then augmented and grouped. At least one augment key is applied to each of the records resulting in an augment key value for each record. The records are augmented based on the key value. Augmenting the records includes combining the fields of the common records into a single record and then removing the duplicate records. The augmented records are then grouped according to household. At least one household grouping key is applied to each of the augmented records resulting in a household grouping key value for each record. The records having the same household grouping key value are displayed as a household grouping.

Abstract: A method for establishing and maintaining a virtual outlet (“VO”) relationship on the Internet between an entity that controls and manages a Web site constituting a VO and a merchant that controls and manages a different Web site. The VO presents a series of VO Web pages to customers that contain descriptive information about products from one or more merchants. Customers can link through the VO Web pages directly to a merchant Web page provided to the customer computer by the merchant computer for the purpose of obtaining more detailed information about the product and for ordering the product. When the customer has finished ordering a product, the customer computer returns to a VO Web page. To the customer, it appears that the entire ordering process is conducted entirely within the VO Web pages. The merchant then credits the VO for the sale of the product to the customer, charges the purchase to the customer, and sends the ordered product to the customer.

Abstract: A method for establishing and maintaining a virtual outlet ("VO") relationship on the Internet between an entity that controls and manages a Web site constituting a VO and a merchant that controls and manages a different Web site. The VO presents a series of VO Web pages to customers that contain descriptive information about products from one or more merchants. Customers can link through the VO Web pages directly to a merchant Web page provided to the customer computer by the merchant computer for the purpose of obtaining more detailed information about the product and for ordering the product. When the customer has finished ordering a product, the customer computer returns to a VO Web page. To the customer, it appears that the entire ordering process is conducted entirely within the VO Web pages. The merchant then credits the VO for the sale of the product to the customer, charges the purchase to the customer, and sends the ordered product to the customer.