Abstract: A decorative ornament powered by a vertical axis wind turbine. The turbine includes blades that rotate about a centrally located vertical shaft. An LED illuminated globe is centrally located within the rotating blades and is secured atop the shaft. An alternator is located below the globe and is coupled to the rotating blades. The blades are shaped having a leading cupped section joined to a lagging airfoil section. The leading cup section is defined by a cup radius r and the lagging airfoil section is defined by an airfoil chord length CL. The cup radius r and chord length CL both decrease towards the terminal bottom and top ends of the blade. Also, the airfoil section is located a radial distance Cd from the vertical axis and the radial distance Cd decreases towards the terminal bottom and top ends of the blade.

Abstract: A decorative ornament powered by a vertical axis wind turbine. The turbine includes blades that rotate about a centrally located vertical shaft. An LED illuminated globe is centrally located within the rotating blades and is secured atop the shaft. An alternator is located below the globe and is coupled to the rotating blades. The blades are shaped having a leading cupped section joined to a lagging airfoil section. The leading cup section is defined by a cup radius r and the lagging airfoil section is defined by an airfoil chord length CL. The cup radius r and chord length CL both decrease towards the terminal bottom and top ends of the blade. Also, the airfoil section is located a radial distance Cd from the vertical axis and the radial distance Cd decreases towards the terminal bottom and top ends of the blade.

Abstract: An improved vertical axis wind turbine for generating electric power which includes blades that provide improved performance per unit of surface area. The blades are adapted to rotate about a vertical axis and are shaped having a leading cupped section joined to a lagging airfoil section. The leading cup section is defined by a cup radius r and the lagging airfoil section is defined by an airfoil chord length CL. The leading cupped section and lagging airfoil section extend vertically a distance h between terminal bottom and top ends. The cup radius r and chord length CL both decrease towards the terminal bottom and top ends of the blade. Also, the airfoil section is located a radial distance Cd from the vertical axis and the radial distance Cd decreases towards the terminal bottom and top ends of the blade.

Abstract: An automatic dishwasher having a wash chamber is provided with a filter for filtering wash liquid circulated in the wash chamber. The filter includes a filter chamber outside the wash chamber. An inlet to and outlet from the filter chamber in a wall of the wash chamber allows wash liquid circulating in the wash chamber to enter the filter chamber and to flow out of the filter chamber through a filter element back into the wash chamber for filtering particulate material from wash liquid circulating in the wash chamber. A drain outlet at the bottom of the filter chamber allows wash liquid and material filtered by the filter to flow to the household drain. Sensors can be provided to detect a clogged or partially clogged filter and initiate a purge cycle to remove wash liquid and material filtered by the filter to the household drain.

Abstract: A filter system for dishwasher with a sump having inlets leading to a wash pump and a drain pump in the bottom wall. The filter assembly includes a vertical filter retainer an overlying perforate hood, a multiple porosity filter element carried on the filter retainer and a back wash sprayer rotatably mounted inside the filter retainer with at least one backwash nozzle directed toward the filter assembly. The inlet leading to the wash pump is positioned inside the filter element and the inlet to the drain pump is located outside the filter element. The filter element has openings that vary in size from the top to the bottom of the filter element. The filter element openings can be arranged in bands of different porosity openings including fine, medium and coarse porosity openings. The perforate hood can have coarse porosity openings.

Abstract: A control panel having a momentary push-button switch matrix in combination with a rotary switch, which is coupled to the switch matrix by a pulser that generates a signal similar to that of a selected momentary push-button such that the selection of a rotary switch position will generate a signal similar to that of a momentary push-button.

Abstract: A household dishwashing machine of the type having a wash chamber in the form of a drawer, with the drawing being moveable between a lowered to a raised position for facile loading and unloading of the dishes.

Abstract: A control panel having a momentary push-button switch matrix in combination with a rotary switch, which is coupled to the switch matrix by a pulser that generates a signal similar to that of a selected momentary push-button such that the selection of a rotary switch position will generate a signal similar to that of a momentary push-button.

Abstract: A gas valve assembly for forming a plurality of valves is provided which includes a unitary valve body having a gas supply passage interconnected to a plurality of flow control chambers wherein the gas supply passage is interconnected with a supply of gas. A plurality of valve plugs corresponding in number to the number of flow control chambers are provided wherein each of the valve plugs is rotatably disposed in one of the flow control chambers. A plurality of gear train assemblies operate for rotating the valve plugs within the flow control chambers. A valve cover encloses the plurality of gear trains and mounts to the valve body. A plurality of motors, secured to the valve cover, operate to rotate the valve plugs within the flow control chambers, wherein the plurality of flow control chambers and corresponding valve plugs form a plurality of valves provided in a single valve body.

Abstract: The invention is a dishwasher and a control therefore in which the control comprises multiple parallel loads, including a motor. The motor and the other loads are connected to one side of a power source by a motor relay, which is controlled by a processor. All the loads, except the motor, are connected to the other side of a power source by semiconductor switches with each load having a corresponding switch. The motor has an unswitched connection to the other side of the power source. The power to all the loads, including the motor, is controlled by the motor relay. If one of the switches fails in such a way that the circuit for one of the loads is closed, then the load will be shut off when the motor relay is opened to shut off power to the motor. Thus, it is possible to prevent the failed load circuit from operating during the entire wash cycle.

Abstract: A system for monitoring animal body functions by analyzing the condition of the gas being breathed. A breathing tube, usually constituting a portion of anesthesia apparatus, contains sensing means in the form of a thermobead whose electric characteristics vary in accordance with temperature variations as heat is exchanged between the thermobead and the respiratory gas. Electronic analysis of the thermobead characteristics permits animal body functions such as breathing rate, breathing volume, animal body temperature and the like to be determined. Digital displays, recorders and alarms may be activated by the thermobead output.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying graphic information and comparing this information with reference data on the faceplate of a cathode ray tube (CRT) is disclosed. The graphic information is provided via a first channel and the reference data is provided via a second channel to a multiplexer for the alternating, sequential display of the graphic information and reference data on the CRT. A high frequency oscillator in combination with logic circuitry provides on/off modulation of one of these inputs to the CRT to produce an interrupted, discontinuous display of the thus modulated signal. One set of data is thus displayed as a continuous line, while the other set of data is presented in dotted line form. The present invention is particularly adapted for the presentation of two sets of closely matched data points on a CRT to facilitate the differentiation and identification of each data set.