Abstract: Two or three conductor coplanar transmission lines and lossy coplanar resistive films are formed on a surface of a substrate. The resistive film dimensions and resistivity are selected to suppress various spurious electromagnetic modes within and around the substrate. The resistive films may be positioned along the outer edges of the transmission lines or between the transmission line conductors. The resistive film may have regular spaced openings for producing an average resistivity different than that of a continuous resistive film. In one embodiment, a signal conductor has a serpentine shape and resistive film elements are positioned between adjacent sections of the signal conductor. In another embodiment, interdigitated resistive film elements extend between transmission line conductors.

Abstract: A transition is provided for interfacing a coplanar waveguide with a three dimensional microwave waveguide. The transition includes three coplanar conductors that are formed integrally with and extend from the coplanar waveguide. The transition extends into the microwave waveguide through a slot, with the plane of the transition being perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the electric field in the waveguide. The center conductor of the transition is a patch whose width increases. The other two conductors are attached to the side conductors of the coplanar waveguide and to the exterior of the waveguide. They flank the patch and have curved edges complementary to those of the patch. The gaps are initially narrow, and become wider gradually. Further, as each guide steers the electric field while changing direction by 90.degree., it rotates the orientation of the electric field vector by the same amount.

Abstract: First and second slotlines are mounted on an electrically insulating substrate having a planar face with a connection region. Each slotline has first and second, spaced-apart coplanar conductors that extend into the connection region. A fifth, ground conductor, also mounted on the substrate face, is spaced from and coplanar with the first and second slotlines and has a proximal portion in the connection region. A chip circuit includes first and second field-effect transistors (FETs) flip mounted in the connection region to all five conductors. The gates of the FETs are connected to the first slotline for receiving an input signal. The drains are connected to the second slotline for outputting the signal amplified by the transistors. The sources of the FETs are connected to the fifth conductor. This general configuration can be modified for use as an amplifier, oscillator, frequency multiplier or mixer.

Abstract: First and second slotlines are mounted on an electrically insulating substrate having a planar face with a connection region. Each slotline has first and second, spaced-apart coplanar conductors that extend into the connection region. A fifth, ground conductor, also mounted on the substrate face, is spaced from and coplanar with the first and second slotlines and has a proximal portion in the connection region. A chip circuit includes first and second field-effect transistors (FETs) flip mounted in the connection region to all five conductors. The gates of the FETs are connected to the first slotline for receiving an input signal. The drains are connected to the second slotline for outputting the signal amplified by the transistors. The sources of the FETs are connected to the fifth conductor. This general configuration can be modified for use as an amplifier, oscillator, frequency multiplier or mixer.

Abstract: An improved reflector antenna with far improved return loss than prior art subreflector antennas is disclosed herein. The invention uses a circular waveguide antenna feed employing a non-planar, subreflector having a radial cavity which reflects the energy from the waveguide onto a rotationally symmetrical main reflector. The dimensions of the feed tube, the subflector, and the connection between them are chosen to make the total reflection back into the feed tube very close to zero. The dimensions of the antenna feed are also chosen such that its radiation pattern has an amplitude null along the antenna feed axis. This further improves return loss by minimizing the amount of energy from the main reflector that gets directed back into the feed tube. An alternate embodiment features a feed radiation pattern with an asymmetric amplitude taper for improvement of the sidelobe envelope in a preferred plane.

Abstract: An appliance is provided for installation within the mouth of an individual to prevent obstruction of the natural airway of the individual and to enhance natural ventilation during sleep. The appliance is hollow and constructed of material which is custom-molded to the user. An external negative air supply is provided which connects to a tube extending from the appliance and draws air from the hollow appliance creating a partial vacuum in the user's retroglossal area urging the user's tongue and soft palate away from the user's posterior pharyngeal wall and thereby opening an airway to the user's nasal cavity. A sensor provides control information to the negative air supply by sensing relative pressure in the user's oral cavity. The natural breathing cycle is thus facilitated but not controlled by the appliance.

Abstract: An endoscope holder includes a dual-axis pivot assembly mountable to a frame. A telescoping arm assembly is attached at one end to the dual-axis pivot assembly and at the other end to a pivoting endoscope grip. An inner arm section is rotatable relative to an outer arm section. The holder provides pivoting of an endoscope about an incision point on the endoscope shaft spaced from the grip. Manually controlled pressurized locks secure the holder configuration, and thereby the endoscope position.

Abstract: An appliance is provided for installation within the mouth of an individual to prevent obstruction of the natural airway of the individual and to enhance natural ventilation during sleep. The appliance is hollow and is custom-molded to the oral cavity for biasing tissues surrounding the user's natural airway to keep the airway open. An external positive air supply is also provided which connects to a tube extending from the appliance and forces air through the hollow appliance to a rear opening of the appliance in the user's retroglossal area. A sensor provides control information to the positive air supply by sensing relative pressure in the user's oral cavity. The natural breathing cycle is thus enhanced but not controlled by the appliance.

Abstract: A means of connecting a plurality of essentially identical active devices is presented for the purpose of multifunction and multiple function operation. These devices, mounted on a chip, are flip-mounted to a circuit motherboard having large passive elements. A push-pull amplifier is presented as an example in which the multiple function operation is the combining of amplifiers whose active devices are on a single chip. The electromagnetic coupling, impedance matching and signal transmission are variously provided by the use of striplines, slotlines, coplanar waveguides, and a slotline converted into a coplanar waveguide.

Abstract: A radio-frequency power amplifier includes a multiple-FET chip that is flip-mounted on a connection region of a substrate. An input impedance-matching network is also mounted on the substrate. The network includes a coplanar waveguide having an elongate waveguide signal conductor for each gate terminal on the FET chip with a distal end spaced from the connection region and a proximal end in the connection region. The distal ends are connected to a single base input conductor. The proximal ends are flip-mounted to respective ones of gate terminals of the FET chip. A capacitor couples each of the input signal conductor distal ends to an adjacent ground conductor. The signal conductors and capacitors provide a selected impedance at a selected frequency. The capacitors may be on a separate chip flip-mounted to the coplanar transmission line conductors, and may be formed as coplanar waveguides with open-ended signal conductors or as overlay capacitors.

Abstract: An appliance is provided for installation within the mouth of an individual to prevent obstruction of the natural airway of the individual and to enhance natural ventilation during sleep. The appliance is hollow and is custom-molded to the oral cavity for biasing tissues surrounding the user's natural airway to keep the airway open. An external positive air supply is also provided which connects to a tube extending from the appliance and forces air through the hollow appliance to a rear opening of the appliance in the user's retroglossal area. A sensor provides control information to the positive air supply by sensing relative pressure in the user's oral cavity. The natural breathing cycle is thus enhanced but not controlled by the appliance.

Abstract: A leash assembly for training dogs includes a handle and an elongate strap connected at one end to the handle, the other end being adapted to be connected to a collar worn by the dog. An elastic element has a first length when in a relaxed state and is extensible four inches to a second length when fully extended. The elastic element is attached to the strap with the length of strap between attached ends of the elastic element being substantially equal to the second length. The force required to reach the fully extended state is about 5 pounds or 2.3 kilograms. The elastic element significantly limits the impact of strong, short correctional tugs or jerks on the leash by the trainer.

Abstract: An antenna base has a holding structure for installing an antenna directly thereon. The base also has a base plate with an axis perpendicular to the axis of an installed antenna. An antenna mounting plate is suitable for having the base plate affixed to it. The antenna mounting plate is supported relative to a pole clamp by a spherical shell. The mounting plate, exposed through an opening in the shell, is supported for rotating about a horizontal axis passing through the plate to provide for elevation angle adjustment. Locking screws are used to secure the adjusted elevation angle. The pole clamp has a pair of axially spaced tracks that define an arcuate path that extends circumferentially around at least a portion of the clamp. The shell is held in position adjacent to the clamp by two pairs of guide elements in a way that allows the shell to move along the arcuate path.

Abstract: A personal sanitary device is provided to assist individuals in personal hygiene, and specifically to provide a device for overweight or otherwise activity-limited individuals to wipe and to cleanse their excretory orifices, and surrounding areas. The device includes laterally extending handle sections for grasping and manipulation by a user. The handle is attached to one end of a rod. The other end of the rod is connected to a finger member which may be fitted with a disposable cover when used. The device is formed in sections that may be separated for storage.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit having a flip chip metalization pattern and base substrate metalization pattern is defined such that a common-drain oscillator is configured with the common drain interposed between the source and gate terminals, providing an effective RF common reference with reduced parasitic inductance elements which otherwise degrade oscillator power and phase noise at high frequencies. Multiple sets of such patterns on the substrate and such three-terminal devices on the flip chip are arranged such that conductor patterns on the substrate connecting separately from the gates and the sources of the multiple devices to the common-drain reference are easily configured into separable tuning (or resonator) and feedback circuits. A common-drain oscillator having an interdigitated capacitor coplanar cavity resonator circuit as the gate input circuit having reduced distributed inductance is realized utilizing the interposed common-drain connections provided thereby.