Abstract: A mail screening device for hazardous materials is disclosed. The mail screening device comprises a sample collection unit that uses air jets or air knives to dislodge residues of hazardous materials from a mail, and a detection unit that detects the hazardous materials in the exhaust air flow. Comparing to traditional mail screening systems that use belts and rollers to physically pinch a mail for sample collection, the device of the present invention is less complex and easier to operate, thereby reducing installation, maintenance and replacement costs.

Abstract: A battery powered, hand held device to determine of there is significant retinal ischemia in the eye of a patient. The device detects the consequences of impaired blood flow in the eye of the patient and has a light source for emitting a light and a diffuser or diffuse spheroidal reflector that redirects the light from the light source toward the patient's eye. A set of electrodes contact the patients skin proximate to the eye and receives an electrical signal representing the eye's electrical response to the light stimulus. A microcontroller interprets the electrical signal sensed by the electrodes by using an algorithm to determine the degree of retinal ischemia of the patient. In one embodiment, there is a control that establishes the intensity of the light stimulus by measuring and using the area of the pupil.

Abstract: The present invention provides a circuit interrupting device which can test the conditions of the components in the circuit interrupting device (i.e., the end-of-life test) through the depression of a test button. The circuit interrupting device also possesses reverse wiring protection, including the ability to cutoff power on the user accessible plugs of the face plate when the device is reverse wired or miswired. The circuit interrupting device contains a test button, a reset button, and a series of circuits (including, but not limited to, a main control circuit, an end-of-life detection circuit, and a reset/trip circuit). A depression of the test button generates a simulated fault, which is detected by the main control circuit. When the components in the main control circuit work properly, a control signal is generated by the main control circuit and transmitted to the end-of-life detection circuit to activate the reset/trip circuit and generated an indication signal.

Abstract: A method and system for conducting a seismic survey by lowering a string of intelligent clampable sensor pods with 3-C sensors into a borehole. The string of pods is serially interconnected by a cable having a conductor pair which provides both power and data connectivity. The uppermost sensor pod is connected to a downhole telemetry and control module. The cables and pods use connectors to allow assembly, customization, repair, and disassembly on site. Each pod has an upper and a lower connector, a processor, and memory which is coupled to both the upper and the lower connectors. Each pod is capable of simultaneous and independent serial communications at each connector with the memory. The telemetry and control module is designed to query the pods to determine the system configuration. The telemetry and control module then simultaneously triggers all pods to acquire data, the pods storing the collected data locally in the memory.

Abstract: A dual gate power switch comprised of a vertical arrangement of a normally off SIT (static induction transistor) in series with a normally on SIT in a monolithic semiconductor structure. The structure includes a first pillar having at the base thereof laterally extending shoulder portions having sections of a first gate for controlling the normally off SIT. The structure includes a second pillar, of a width greater than the first pillar and which also has laterally extending shoulder portions having sections of a second gate for controlling the normally on SIT. Contacts are provided for SIT operation.

Abstract: A nuclear radiation detection system using narrowband UV crystal filters is disclosed. Since the photons produced during the decay of ?- and ?-radiation can be detected in the spectral range of about 200-350 nm (the ultraviolet range), UV filter based photo sensors are utilized for detection. The nuclear radiation detection system comprises an optical assembly capable of focusing on a source of radiation, a UV filter assembly having a narrowband UV crystal filter and positioned to receive light transmitted through the optical assembly, and a light detector positioned to receive light transmitted through the UV filter assembly. The narrowband UV crystal filter is fabricated from crystals selected from the group consisting of nickel fluorosilicate, nickel fluoroborate, and potassium nickel sulfate. The nickel fluorosilicate, nickel fluoroborate, and potassium nickel sulfate may be doped to achieve even narrower band filter.

Abstract: A method for fabricating nanocoils and improved nanocoils fabricated therefrom. Embodiments of the method utilizing deep reactive ion etching (DRIE). A method for fabricating nanocoils includes providing a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer, in which SOI wafer includes buried oxide layer, patterning one or more devices into a layer of silicon on top of the buried oxide layer, depositing tensile stressed nitride layer on the top silicon layer, patterning coiling arm structure on top silicon layer, patterning an overlapping etch window mask on bottom side of SOI wafer using, in which patterning overlapping etch window mask removes SOI wafer and exposes buried oxide layer in width greater than coiling arm structure, and releasing coiling arm structure so that coiling arm coils to form nanocoil. In embodiments, DRIE is utilized to pattern the overlapping etch window mask.

Abstract: A buoy recovery system for a disconnectable mooring arrangement that permits turret-buoy connection at any compass heading while preventing damage to the pull-in line and the turret assembly. In a preferred embodiment, the mooring tensioning assembly is positioned on the vessel at a location other than on the rotatable turret assembly. This permits the size of the turret assembly to be significantly reduced and the fluid swivel stack to be positioned within the vessel between its deck and keel. The improved buoy recovery system employs a hollow bore hydraulic cylinder assembly that is attached to the turret assembly and configured as a chain tensioning system. The hollow bore hydraulic cylinder assembly is arranged and designed to support the weight of the buoy and permit the turret assembly to be rotated relative to both the vessel and the buoy during mooring operations.

Abstract: A multi-function flashlight device in one preferred embodiment comprising a housing assembly having a tubular member for gripping the device in a user's hand, a control housing coupled to the tubular member, and a lamp housing coupled to the control housing and having a light source mounted therein. The light source has an optical axis that is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tubular member. Batteries are housed in the tubular member. A control panel having a keypad overlay is mounted in the control housing. The keypad overlay includes a plurality of control buttons. A driver board in the control housing receives signals from the control panel and control the operation of the light source. The plurality of control buttons are manipulable by a single digit of the user's hand while gripping the tubular member.

Abstract: A system and method for systematically and economically recovering formation liquids from the bottom of a petroleum well are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the system and method are passive in that they utilize the existing formation pressure of the well to remove fluid build-up across the perforations of the well bore in a manner that is completely free from surface control. The system is comprised of strategically placed carrier subs with installed pressure regulating devices. These carrier subs are regularly spaced below the production packer, along the tail pipe section of the production tubing string and facing the perforated intervals of the well bore. The pressure of the trapped formation gas above the accumulating formation liquid is insufficient to remove all of the formation liquid within the entire length of the tubing string 13.

Abstract: The subject invention provides a process for preparing a porous collagen matrix from connective tissue, said process comprising: a porous structure forming step to treat said connective tissue with poring agent in situ; and a washing step to remove the impurity from said porous connective tissue thereby obtaining a porous collagen matrix.

Abstract: Distributed Aperture Systems use multiple staring sensors distributed around a vehicle to provide automatic detection of targets, and to provide an imaging capability at all aspects. The sensor image data is “stitched” to make the camera joints transparent to the operator. For example, images from three different cameras may be combined into a single seamless mosaic. The output mosaic is suitable for rendering on a head-steered helmet mounted display or a multifunction console display.

Abstract: An assembly and method for remotely affixing and removing decorative lighting from a building gutter. The assembly includes a hanger having a body portion with a first body segment joined to a catch portion and a second body segment joined to a hook portion. The catch portion is adjacent a gutter back wall and the hook portion is adjacent a gutter upper lip upon the hanger being affixed to the gutter. The hanger includes a securing member adapted to secure the decorative lighting to the hanger. The assembly further includes a positioning implement having an engagement member and a pole attached to the positioning implement. The engagement member is releasably received by a connector of the hanger. The method for remotely affixing and removing decorative lighting from the gutter comprises releasably engaging the engagement member of a positioning implement to the connector of the hanger apparatus.

Abstract: A method and corresponding system remotely communicate and interface with an Aircraft Condition Monitoring System (ACMS) on an aircraft. The method and system offer a global communication architecture that can be implemented with existing ACMS devices and with any flight data acquisition unit (FDAU) equipped with a storage card, such as a Personal Computer Memory Card. International Association (PCMCIA) card. In a preferred embodiment, the method and system offer real-time wireless communication between the ACMS on an aircraft and a ground station without any hardware and/or software modifications to the ACMS.

Abstract: An MMIC chip is disclosed that includes a planar substrate having a first surface and a second surface, a conductive layer having an opening on the first surface, a transmission line on the second surface, at least one conductor extending from the conductive layer to the second surface defining a waveguide around the opening, wherein the transmission line is connected to the at least one conductor such that a signal traveling along the transmission line is guided toward the opening in the first side by the at least one conductor.

Abstract: A method for wrapping continuous strands of steel wire about a seismic cable including interconnected sensor sections and conductor sections where a cross sectional diameter of the sensor section is at least four times that of the conductor section. Two layers of armoring are provided with a first layer wrapped in a first angular direction opposite that of the second layer. A stranding assembly is provided which has two selective positions, one for providing a die hole for stranding the conductor section, another for providing a passage hole for allowing the sensor section to pass after wrapping with armor wire.

Abstract: A process and polymer foam composition for removing hydrocarbon material from wanted material containing water by bringing an isocyanate-containing prepolymer and a gaseous expansion agent, with or without a diluent and/or cell control agent, into contact with the materials, allowing the composition to react with the water to form a flexible foam and removing the polymer foam obtained from the wanted material.

Abstract: A wireless communications system, and a corresponding method, for use with an aircraft, includes airborne pico cell base stations mounted on the aircraft, the base stations capable of communication with wireless devices used by subscribers on the aircraft via using switching/transaction processing equipment located optionally on the aircraft or in the ground network with one or more ground-based networks. The system includes aircraft location equipment, in communication with the base stations, that determine the aircraft's location, including latitude, longitude, altitude, and other relevant data. Finally, the system includes a wireless communications enable/disable module that receives the aircraft's location and enables and disables wireless communications through the base stations based on the aircraft's location.

Abstract: An improved tremolo mechanism for a guitar. The tremolo mechanism for a guitar includes a rotary assembly. The rotary assembly includes a main rotor that includes an arcuate shaped surface defining holes through which a plurality of guitar strings exit the main rotor when the tremolo mechanism is installed on a guitar, resilient means coupled to said main rotor to bias said rotary assembly to a first position at which no tremolo effect is provided and away from a second position at which a tremolo effect is provided and fixing means on the main rotor for securing one end of each of the plurality of guitar strings to the rotary assembly. The tremolo mechanism also includes a plurality of tension rollers for providing rotational tension to said guitar strings. Said arcuate shaped surface directionally guides said strings transverse of said rotary assembly to the tension rollers.

Abstract: Apparatus for mooring a vessel to the seabed comprising a turret that is connected to the vessel for rotation about a vertical axis defined thereby and axial/radial bearing structure that can absorb axial and radial forces. The turret is connected at its lower end to a chain table or buoy for attaching mooring lines. The turret is disposed inside the hull of the vessel within a fixed tube. An outer ring of the axial/radial bearing is mounted to a rigid ring, which in turn is fastened by a flexible tube to the lower end of the fixed tube at an elevation below the rigid ring. The fixed tube encloses the turret with clearance. Deformation of the hull due to wind and waves is inhibited to the bearing, because hull deformation is absorbed by the flexible tube that couples the rigid ring to the vessel hull.