Abstract: A seal assembly for accommodating misaligned conduits includes a first conduit, a second conduit, and a cup member. The first conduit has a first end and an opposed second end with a core. The core includes a spherical portion includes two separate seals axially spaced apart from one another relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the first conduit. An internal passage extends through the first conduit from the first end to the second end. The second conduit has opposed first and second ends. The first end of the second conduit defines a first socket portion and an internal passage extends through from the first end to the second end of the conduit. A cup member defines a second socket portion, which together with the first socket portion, defines a socket for sealably capturing the core spherical portion and accommodating axial misalignment of the first and second conduits.

Abstract: A contaminate control device for filtering contaminates from a gas such as air is provided. The device includes a housing having a first inlet and a first outlet. An axial flow filter is fluidly coupled between the first inlet and the first outlet, the axial flow filter has a second inlet and a second outlet. A second filter disposed about the axial flow filter and is fluidly coupled between the first inlet and the first outlet, the second filter having a third inlet on an inner diameter and a third outlet disposed on an outer diameter. A flow restrictor is fluidly coupled between the second inlet and the first inlet.

Abstract: A domed structure (500) comprises a plurality of struts (505) of equal or a reduced number of differing lengths. The struts are held in place by hubs (510, 515, 1400). In one aspect, a first hub secures the ends of inserted struts at a constant distance from its center, while other hubs secure the ends of inserted struts at predetermined distances from their centers. The differences between the various predetermined distances is the difference in strut lengths required by the design of the structure. Thus all struts are of equal length and identical, or a reduced number of lengths, resulting in an economy of scale and ease of construction. A cover can be added after the structure is built. Alternatively, the hubs can be sewn into a fabric or plastic cover for further ease of construction. The struts can be glued in place, or removed from the hubs to disassemble the structure.

Abstract: A contaminate control device for filtering contaminates from a gas such as air is provided. The device includes a housing having a first inlet and a first outlet. An axial flow filter is fluidly coupled between the first inlet and the first outlet, the axial flow filter has a second inlet and a second outlet. A second filter disposed about the axial flow filter and is fluidly coupled between the first inlet and the first outlet, the second filter having a third inlet on an inner diameter and a third outlet disposed on an outer diameter. A flow restrictor is fluidly coupled between the second inlet and the first inlet.

Abstract: A domed structure (500) comprises a plurality of struts (505) of equal or a reduced number of differing lengths. The struts are held in place by hubs (510, 515, 1400). In one aspect, a first hub secures the ends of inserted struts at a constant distance from its center, while other hubs secure the ends of inserted struts at predetermined distances from their centers. The differences between the various predetermined distances is the difference in strut lengths required by the design of the structure. Thus all struts are of equal length and identical, or a reduced number of lengths, resulting in an economy of scale and ease of construction. A cover can be added after the structure is built. Alternatively, the hubs can be sewn into a fabric or plastic cover for further ease of construction. The struts can be glued in place, or removed from the hubs to disassemble the structure.

Abstract: A convenient and useful holder for elongated implements, such as fishing rods, baseball bats, golf clubs, or other tools. The holder comprises a series of elongated parallel compartments with a vertical wall between and separating adjacent compartments. The top of each wall has a horizontal ribbed member, so that each wall has a T-shaped cross section. The tops of the walls thus cooperate to provide a platform (with or without slots) that one can step or walk upon or use as a utility surface. The compartments have a flat bottom that extends beyond the ends of the walls. A series of short dividers corresponding to the vertical walls extend up from the bottom, thereby forming spaces for the reels of fishing rods, or heads of gold clubs, etc. The holder may be made of two aligned and separated subholders and can be padded on one end to protect the reels of fishing rods. It is especially suitable for use on a deck of a boat, a dock, the ground, or another platform.

Abstract: A convertible tent comprises an inner canopy (12) having a window (22) and a flysheet or outer canopy (36) spaced above and covering the inner canopy. The flysheet has a window (36P) in alignment with the canopy's window. The canopy's window can be closed with either a solid (26) or a net panel (24). This window has, around its edge, a row of zipper teeth (a zipper chain—30), which teeth mate with respective zipper chains (32, 34) on the solid and net panels. Thus either the solid panel or the net panel can be zipped into the inner canopy's window. A solid panel can also be zipped into the window in the flysheet. The tent can be adjusted for warm, cool, cold, and precipitation conditions from inside by using just the net panel in the inner canopy, just the solid panel of the inner canopy, or the solid panel o the inner canopy and the solid panel of the flysheet.

Abstract: A tent clip design for coupling with similar adjacent clips comprises a C-shaped upper portion (11) that can be snapped onto a tent pole (12), a webbing slot (19) at the bottom for attaching a loop of webbing (20) extending up from the tent (21) below, a laterally extending tongue (14) with a toothed lower surface (15) near its distal end, and a corresponding tongue slot (16) immediately below the tongue with a toothed upper surface (17) on its lower edge to join in locked engagement with the toothed lower surface (35) of tongue (34) of a similar adjacent tent clip (30) when two or more similar clips are aligned and pressed together. The portion of the clip below the tongue slot is made of flexible material and comprises flexible portion (18) of the clip.

Abstract: A sleeping bag (11) design for providing adjustability of the inner volume and outer exposed surface area of the bag comprises sheathed drawcords (14), preferably elastic, attached only to the top or upper portion of the bag and secured by cord locks (16) A user of the bag can tighten the drawcords during cold weather, thereby providing a warmer bag by reducing the inner volume and the exposed outer surface area of the bag without reducing the thermal protection provided to the lower portion of the bag by an underlying flat insulated pad, as would be the case with drawcords fully encircling the bag. During warmer weather, the user can relax the drawcord adjustment, thereby providing the user with more freedom of movement. Thus a considerably more versatile sleeping bag is provided--that can be adjusted to provide more warmth during cold weather or more freedom of movement during warmer weather.

Abstract: A sleeping bag includes batts (17, 18) transversely positioned in a shingle arrangement between outer and inner shells (10, 23). The sleeping bag includes a top flap and a bottom flap (11, 12). The batts in the bottom flap are straight, and overlap enough to provide two layers of insulation. A group of batts (17) in the top flap are curved toward the head end of the sleeping bag, and the remaining batts (18) in the top flap are curved toward the foot end. The batts that are curved in the same direction overlap enough to provide two layers of insulation. Some of the batts that are curved in opposite directions are close enough to overlap in three layers in the upper torso area to provide greater insulation where it is most needed. The curved batts provide a more efficient distribution of insulation, without increasing material weight or manufacturing cost.

Abstract: A locking fastener includes a generally C-shaped body (10) with a slot (16) for holding a loop of webbing (18) extending from a tent membrane (17). The C-shaped body has an internal opening (11), and a gap (12) between the two ends for snapping around the intersection of two tent poles (19). An elastic cord (14) has one end attached to the C-shaped body, and a free portion for tightly wrapping around the intersection of the poles. An anchoring notch (15) on the C-shaped body receives the remaining free portion of the cord for anchoring it and maintaining it in tension. Thus the tent membrane is fastened to the poles, and the poles are locked together to prevent their intersecting point from shifting, so that in conjunction with additional poles and fasteners, the shape and structural integrity of the tent is maintained.

Abstract: An easy-to-assemble tent includes supporting poles (10) and a flexible sheet barrier (12) having D-rings (23) attached thereon along pole paths. When the tent is collapsed, the rings along each pole path are slidably stacked along a robe-shaped ring holder (24), and locked thereon by a locking D-ring (22) positioned on top of the stack. Each pole can be easily positioned into all of the rings along a pole path in one step by inserting it into the ring holder, so that the user will not have to thread the poles into the rings one at a time or have to remember the pole paths. When the poles are inserted into the ring holders, the tent can be erected by unlocking the locking ring, bending the poles, and sliding the rings along the poles into position. The tent can also be collapsed and disassembled by sliding and locking the rings onto the ring holders, and removing the poles therefrom.