Abstract: An imaging system includes a first portion and a second portion that translates and/or rotates with respect to the first portion. A first locking mechanism may prevent the second portion from translating with respect to the first portion, such as during transport of the system. A second locking mechanism may prevent the second portion from rotating with respect to the first portion, such as during transport and/or during an imaging scan. Further embodiments include a cable management system between the first and second portions, a spherically-shaped surface of a support gimbal and a user interface device for an imaging system.

Abstract: A vehicle ventilation system includes an inlet duct incorporating a poppet valve. The system also includes an evaporator core, a heater core, an air discharge duct and a blower. The blower moves air from the inlet duct through at least one of the evaporator core and the heater core to be discharged through the air discharge duct.

Abstract: A security key to access a geographic location is sent after one or more threshold requirements are met for an entrant. In aspects, this includes a scheduling requirement and/or a proximity requirement. The security key may be encrypted with a code. The proximity requirement may be satisfied using RFID technology.

Abstract: A vehicle ventilation system includes an inlet duct incorporating a poppet valve. The system also includes an evaporator core, a heater core, an air discharge duct and a blower. The blower moves air from the inlet duct through at least one of the evaporator core and the heater core to be discharged through the air discharge duct.

Abstract: A protective enclosure for protecting well head equipment at a surface location is made up of an open framework of structural members which surround and protect the well head. Individual steel panels are assembled to form a series of upstanding walls which are covered by a series of roof panels and which together define the quasi-enclosed area surrounding the well head. The roof panels are covered with a steel grating which forms a covered roof for the protective enclosure. The tubing which makes up the steel panels is spaced to allow access to the enclosed area by a worker needing to access the well head. The steel panels are joined with lever latch and keeper assemblies which facilitate the job of disassembling the enclosure. The upright panels also have telescoping legs which can be extended and cemented into the ground for added stability.

Abstract: Disclosed is an in situ design for a runoff rain gauge 14 comprising an elevated storage pan 18 for storing precipitation above grade, a splitter pan 28 for partitioning the split of flow from storage to runoff and infiltration, a saturation cup 40 for measuring surface saturation of the infiltration resistance medium and a saturation cap 42 and splitter balance line 38 for communicating water levels in the saturation cup 40 to the splitter pan 28.

Abstract: A ready to bake refrigerated batter containing one or more food grade edible hydrocolloids and having a high yield stress value at refrigeration temperature (>1500 Pa@ 4.5° C.). The batter bakes into products with specific volumes, textures, and overall product quality typical of bakery products made from conventional low yield stress batters. With a high yield stress value, the batter is stiff and sliceable; therefore, it can be formed into shapes convenient for the end user to bake. The stiff, sliceable batter can be used to make muffins, muffin tops, cakes, cupcakes, drop biscuits, scones, pancakes, cinnamon buns, donuts, waffles, brownies, and other bakery products made from batters. The batter can be pumped, extruded, or molded and subsequently sliced, scored, wire cut, stamped, or rolled into many different formats due to the fact that it retains its shape at refrigerated temperatures. Examples of such formats are: individual pieces of any shape (round pucks, hexagon pucks, cubes, etc.

Abstract: A musical wind chime that can be placed in any indoor or outdoor environment where there is air movement and the musical wind chime will be activated regardless of the source of the air movement or the direction the air movement comes from. The inventive device includes a chime tether consisting of ball chain and ball chain connectors; a chime rod hanging structure which suspends on the ball chain and to which the chime rods are attached; a striker and a baffle mechanism attached to the lower portion of the ball chain. Air movement from any direction hits the baffle, causing the baffle to move which in turn causes the striker to contact the chime rods.

Abstract: A prosthetic nucleus pulposus for replacing the natural nucleus pulposus of an intervertebral disc. The prosthetic nucleus proposus comprises a partially collapsed sealed envelope formed from a material which is permeable to extracellular body fluid. The envelope contains a solute which provides an osmotic potential across the walls of the envelope. In use, the partially collapsed envelope is surgically implanted in the hallowed-out interior of an intervertebral disc and is allowed to absorb fluid, whereby expansion of the envelope and subsequent disc expansion is accomplished.

Abstract: A paintbrush hanger is provided that may be fastened to a paintbrush either permanently or temporarily. In one embodiment, the attachment pad of the hanger has an adhesive backing, whereby the user can permanently attach the hanger to the paintbrush. The hook portion of the hanger is hollow, so that the user can temporarily attach the hanger to the paintbrush by inserting a nail or a screw through the hook and the attachment pad and into the handle of the paintbrush. When the paintbrush hanger is fastened to the paintbrush in this manner, the hanger may be subsequently removed simply by pulling the nail or unscrewing the screw out of the paintbrush. The paintbrush hanger may then be reused on a different brush or another tool. Further, when used, the nail or screw fastener provides additional rigidity and strength to the hook portion of the hanger. The hanger may also be fastened to the paintbrush using both the adhesive and the nail or screw, for maximum fastening strength and maximum rigidity of the hook.

Abstract: An improved surge arrestor for RF devices includes a bifilar conductor pair wound around a ferrite core wherein one end of each conductor is grounded. The energy of RF signals input to the surge arrestor from an RF transmission line is transferred from the primary windings to the secondary windings through the magnetic coupling. When an electrical transient or fault causes a surge on the input or primary side of the surge arrestor, the core becomes saturated, thereby limiting the amount of energy transferred to the secondary windings and the RF device. This effectively isolates the secondary side of the surge arrestor from the damaging surge in voltage and prevents the secondary side from conducting the surge to electronic components within the RF device.

Abstract: Improved bulk density sampler is provided for continuous sampling of material flowing in a material processing stream which includes a sampling assembly including a receptacle of known volume mounted on and secured to a load cell configured to selectively measure the assembly weight both when the sampling assembly receptacle is full and empty. Preferably, the bulk density sampler includes a housing for protection of the sampling assembly and receptacle from product stream and other debris which may be present in the operating environment during the weight measurement. The bulk density sampler also preferably includes a programmable controller which controls the operation of the bulk density sampler and provides additional functionalities such as trend chart analysis, alarm functions, and sampling frequencies.

Abstract: A signal processing circuit is provided, such as a PIN diode attenuator for use in cable television signal distribution. The circuit includes a variable impedance device that is responsive to an input signal. The input signal is provided over a first range to vary the impedance in response to a control signal having an absolute value below a predetermined threshold. The input signal is provided over a second range in response to the control signal having an absolute value above the threshold. The first and second ranges are not contiguous. In a preferred embodiment, a zener diode is used to increase the drive current to a bridged-T PIN diode attenuator when the attenuator control signal reaches the zener breakdown voltage.

Abstract: Aeration holes defined by an outer propeller hub include closure devices which seal the aeration holes during rotation of the propeller due to centrifugal forces in a predetermined speed of rotation range. The aeration holes provide high power at low boat speeds and are sealed at high boat speeds to avoid further aeration and loss of forward thrust. The speed of rotation at which the aeration hole are sealed is adjustable.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the acid hydrolysis of waste cellulose to glucose of the type wherein waste cellulose is continuously fed into an inlet port of a twin screw extruder, water is continuously fed into reaction zone in the extruder, downstream of the inlet port, the cellulose is continuously reacted with water in the presence of an acid catalyst at elevated temperature and pressure in the reaction zone while being continuously conveyed to an outlet port of the extruder having a given diameter and the reacted cellulose is discharged from the extruder while the elevated temperature and pressure in the reaction zone is maintained. The elevated pressure is maintained by forming a dynamic seal zone at the upstream end of the reaction and continuously discharging the reacted material downstream of the outlet port at a predetermined volume rate of flow to maintain the pressure by passing the discharge through an orifice pipe having a smaller diameter than the given diameter of the outlet port.

Abstract: A golf putting target with a circular base the size of a real hole in a green has an upward slanting ramp towards a vertical wall at the back of the base. Downward sloping ramps are formed on either side of a center line towards the side of the base, the vertical wall decreasing in height towards the upper surface of the downward sloping ramps. The base increases in thickness along the center line and includes a flat ramp decreasing in width from the front to the back of the base.

Abstract: A golf club adapted for assembly/dissassembly includes a cylindrical coupler with a lower part inserted permanently in the lower hollow shaft and which has a shoulder abutting the top of the lower shaft. The upper part of the coupler has internal threading cooperating with external threads on a solid shaft inserted in the upper hollow shaft. A projection on the upper part of the coupler cooperates with a cut-out in the upper hollow shaft to provide alignment of the grip and head of the club when the solid shaft is screwed into the coupler by using a knob or shoulder on the upper end of the solid shaft that tightens against the grip.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the acid hydrolysis of waste cellulose to glucose of the type wherein waste cellulose is continuously fed into an inlet port of a twin screw extruder, water is continuously fed into reaction zone in the extruder, downstream of the inlet port, the cellulose is continuously reacted with water in the presence of an acid catalyst at elevated temperature and pressure in the reaction zone while being continuously conveyed to an outlet port of the extruder having a given diameter and the reacted cellulose is discharged from the extruder while the elevated temperature and pressure in the reaction zone is maintained. The elevated pressure is maintained by forming a dynamic seal zone at the upstream end of the reaction and continuously discharging the reacted material downstream of the outlet port at a predetermined volume rate of flow to maintain the pressure by passing the discharge through an orifice pipe having a smaller diameter than the given diameter of the outlet port.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the acid hydrolysis of waste cellulose to glucose of the type wherein waste cellulose is continuously fed into an inlet port of a twin screw extruder, water is continuously fed into reaction zone in the extruder downstream of the inlet port, the cellulose is continuously reacted with water in the presence of an acid catalyst at elevated temperature and pressure in the reaction zone while continuously conveying same to an outlet port of the extruder and the reacted cellulose is discharged from the extruder the elevated temperature and pressure in the reaction zone is maintained, has the elevated pressure is maintained by forming a dynamic seal zone at the upstream end of the reaction zone by providing an unthreaded and radially recessed discontinuity in the screws.

Abstract: Combustion gas recirculating system for a gas-fired furnace of the type which includes a plenum with a cold air inlet duct and a warm air exhaust duct, a combustion chamber where gas is burned to form hot combustion gases, a heat exchanger in the plenum for receiving the hot combustion gases and including an outer surface configuration past which air can flow and be heated, an outlet in the heat exchanger for the hot combustion gases, and a blower for moving air through the plenum and past the heat exchanger. A recirculation duct connects the combustion gas outlet with the cold air inlet duct and a thermostatically controlled valve regulates the flow of hot combustion gases from the combustion gas outlet to the cold air inlet duct by opening when the hot combustion gases reach a predetermined temperature and closing when the hot combustion gases are below said predetermined temperature.