Abstract: A disposable concentrate pump for use with a liquid reservoir, with the actuating solenoid mounted in the dispenser. The pump has a body with flexible walls, a top-cap, a seal-base and a nozzle, with a seal-rod extending from the top-cap to the nozzle, stretching the flexible walls of the body and creating a net restoring force on the seal-base. A seal-head on the seal-rod seals a central opening in the seal-head when pressed against a side of the seal-head by the net restoring force. Reciprocally moving the seal-head parallel to an axis of the pump body operates the pump.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to varying the oil pressure in the chamber of a hydraulic tensioner at multi-stages and preventing an increase of the chain friction at various driving conditions. A hydraulic tensioner (1) includes a housing (2) that has a plunger bore (2a) to slidably receive the plunger (3) and a spool bore (2b) to slidably receive the spool (4). The housing (2) further has an inner relief aperture (22) to provide a connection between the plunger bore and the spool bore and outside relief apertures (23a, 23b) to provide a connection between the spool bore and the outside of the housing. The entire opening areas of the inside and outside relief apertures (22, 23a, 23b) provide a connection between the plunger bore and the outside of the housing through the spool bore (2b) and vary at least at two stages in accordance with the travel of the spool (4).

Abstract: A camshaft assembly for an internal combustion engine has a hollow outer shaft with slots along its length and an inner shaft with holes along its length. The holes on the inner shaft are aligned with the slots on the outer shaft. A first set of cam lobes are fixed to the outer shaft and a second set of cam lobes are placed on the slots of outer shaft with a clearance fit. A means fixes the second set of cam lobes to the inner shaft, while simultaneously allowing the second set of cam lobes to be a clearance fit to the outer shaft. The means fixing the second set of cam lobes to the inner shaft may be a hollow pin which is hydroformed or a rivet insert which is expanded by insertion, pulling, and removal of a threaded rod.

Abstract: A site-assembled enclosure of the present invention includes a plurality of upstanding staves arranged side-by-side and held together by top and bottom rails. The enclosure is preferably a pool including a coping extending entirely around and in releasably secured relation to the rails that fasten the upper ends of the staves together and a flexible liner and cover releasably secured to the coping. The wooden staves include opposing vertical edges interconnecting the two staves. The leveling gauge for leveling a construction area preferably includes a threaded rod, a pivot bracket rotatably mounted on the threaded rod, a board extending from the pivot bracket, and a level mounted on the board. A method of assembling an enclosure is also described.

Abstract: The backlight system of the invention creates illumination behind a liquid crystal or other transparent display. In one mode of operation it produces a series of precise, thin slanted lines with dark space in between which are used to make multiple perspective views, displayed simultaneously on the LCD, visible from a series of horizontally spaced viewing zones spaced in front of the display. In another mode of operation, it produces even diffuse illumination similar to that generated by conventional backlights, allowing the LCD to display conventional 2D images.

Abstract: The mechanism is simple, with longer service life, and allows for a safe carrying for prolonged periods and quick subsequent shots of the firearms. The striker (1) has a middle enlargement (1b) that is closer to the front enlargement (1c). The rear face of the middle enlargement (1b) serves as a forward rest for the mainspring (4). The forward face is a rear rest for the safety spring (5) with its front part resting on the rear face of the axially floating ring (3) with an internal diameter smaller than the external diameter of the front (1c) and middle (1b) enlargements. The external diameter is greater than the internal diameter of the front enlargement (1c). Between the rear part of the mainspring (4) and the bushing (6) there is a second axially floating ring (2) with an internal diameter smaller than the external diameter of the rear (1a) and middle (1b) enlargements. The spring (12) that returns the trigger (10) is pushing the trigger (10) forward and the trigger bar (14) up.

Abstract: A sheet in an electronic display is composed of a substrate containing an array of wire electrodes. The wire electrodes are preferably electrically connected to patterned transparent conductive electrode lines. The wire electrodes are used to carry the bulk of the current. The wire electrodes are capable of being extended away from the substrate and connected directly to the printed circuit board. The transparent conductive electrode (TCE) is used to spread the charge or voltage from the wire electrode across the pixel. The TCE is a patterned film and must be at least 50% transparent, and, for most applications, is preferably over 90% transparent. In most applications, the electroded surface of the electroded sheet has to be flattened. Use of a thin polymer substrate yields a light, flexible, rugged sheet that may be curved, bent or rolled.

Abstract: A mounting bracket for securing a raingutter-mountable roof rack system to the bed or cargo management rail of a pickup truck or SUV. The bracket comprises a simple device with a minimal number of parts required for removably clamping the bracket to the side member of a vehicle bed. The bracket is simple to install, may be located anywhere along the side of the vehicle bed, and does not require the presence of a bed cover system for attachment to the vehicle. The bracket attaches to the side of the vehicle's bed in a manner that does not consume a substantial amount of space within the bed of the vehicle, and it may be used in conjunction with a tonneau cover without interfering with the operation of the cover.

Abstract: A control system for an adjustment device for a variable compression ratio engine comprising: a jack head, a jack piston, a sprocket wheel, a movable transmission member, and a control valve. The jack piston is received within a chamber of the jack head defining first and second fluid chambers. The control valve controls the flow of fluid between the first and second fluid chambers. Based on the position of the control valve, fluid flows from the first fluid chamber to the second fluid chamber or vice versa, moving the control rack connecting the jack piston to the sprocket wheel. Reciprocating motion of the sprocket wheel adjusts the position of the cylinder of the engine.

Abstract: An efficient long-wavelength light-emitting diode has a resonant-cavity design. The light-emitting diode preferably has self-organized (In,Ga)As or (In,Ga)(As,N) quantum dots in the light-emitting active region, deposited on a GaAs substrate. The light-emitting diode is capable of emitting in a long-wavelength spectral range of preferably 1.15-1.35 ?m. The light-emitting diode also has a high efficiency of preferably at least 6 mW and more preferably at least 8 mW at an operating current of less than 100 mA and a low operating voltage of preferably less than 3V. In addition, the light-emitting diode preferably has an intensity of maxima, other than the main maximum of the emission spectrum, of less than 1% of an intensity of the main maximum. This combination of parameters makes such a device useful as an inexpensive optical source for various applications.

Abstract: An assembly for an engine comprising at least one phaser and a camshaft assembly. The camshaft assembly has an outer camshaft piece and an inner camshaft piece. The outer camshaft piece includes an outside cam integrally attached to the housing of the phaser through a middle portion. The outer camshaft piece also defines a hollow extending a length. The inner camshaft piece includes an inner cam adjacent to the outer cam. A tube portion extends from a first side of the inner cam and is received by the hollow of the outer camshaft piece, connecting the inner cam to the rotor of the phaser. A shaft portion extends to an end portion from the other side of the outer cam. A passage, connected to an inlet line is present within the inner camshaft piece, directing fluid to the control valve of the phaser.

Abstract: The hand tool is used to extract a fastener from a material by preferably gripping the fastener from a horizontal orientation. The hand tool has a head with two pivotally joined halves including at least one pair of gripping jaws. The tool head preferably includes tips that may be used to dig beneath a fastener head that is flush with or set below a surface. The tool includes a pair of handles operable to close the gripping jaws. The handles are preferably offset above the plane of the tool head such that they operate as a lever in cooperation with a fulcrum on the bottom of the tool head to extract the fastener.

Abstract: A secure search method of securing searches by a user through a hash provider using a search engine. The user registers with the hash provider. The hash provider sends a unique number, encrypted result database, and hashed index to the search engine. The user enters in at least one search term to be searched. The user hashes the search term and sends the search term to the search engine with the unique number. The search engine searches and selects the hashed index and encrypted result database based on the unique number. The encrypted result data set taken from the encrypted result database is sent to user. The user decrypts the result set.

Abstract: A movable sensor including a plurality of photo pixel sites arranged in an array comprising a photo sensor and a neutral density filter filtering the photo sensor. Each of the neutral density filters have a density value that are graduated over a range of densities. The sensor is linearly movable across an image. Each point in the image is exposed to at least one pixel site with the graduated density values and each of the photo pixel sites of the array is exposed to a same light input during a time span of exposure, such that the image is captured at a defined range of exposure values and can be combined into a single high dynamic range image.

Abstract: A baseball bat includes a wood portion and a filling material contained by the wood portion. The filling material fills a longitudinal hole in the length of the wood portion to form a cord and a pair of widened portions at either end of the longitudinal portion to form a pair of plugs. The plugs positively contain the wood portion and the cord maintains a connection between the plugs in case of breakage of the wood portion. The filling material is preferably selected such that it does not alter the hitting properties of the baseball bat. In some embodiments the filling material is a polymeric material applied to the hole in a molten state and allowed to cure. In some embodiments the filling material is a mixture of multiple components. Methods of manufacturing a baseball bat are also disclosed.

Abstract: A tensioner for a power transmission system includes two tensioning arms operatively engaged with a strand of either the chain or the belt of the power transmission system. The upper end of each tensioning arm is connected to a one way rotational clutch which is pivotally mounted between the upper ends of the tensioning arms. The one way clutch rotates in one direction in response to changing chain loads to adjust the tension substantially equally on both strands at the same time. In order to prevent over-tensioning, a damping means is included in the one-way clutch. When a pre-determined overload threshold is reached, the amount of torque required to overcome the coefficient of friction of a spring in the damper allows the one way clutch to slip in the direction opposite from its normal rotational direction, thereby relieving the overload condition on the chain.

Abstract: A pivot joint for a single blade spring tensioner or double blade spring tensioner generates a biased friction loss at a pivot joint. The friction torque generated in one direction of joint rotation is greater than the friction torque generated in the opposite direction of rotation. In one embodiment, the direction of torque bias at the joints is used to make the damping of the blade spring greater in compression than in extension. High damping in compression and low damping in extension is a desirable characteristic for a tensioner in most applications. The device may be designed to act as a one-way clutch or as a two-way clutch. The device may also be designed to apply large friction torques only when the joint undergoes large amplitude motions (loss of control).

Abstract: An effective method to create very large electronic displays forms the structure using fiber or tube arrays or electroded sheets containing wire electrodes. The electroded sheets are formed by embedding wire electrodes into the surface of a polymer substrate and electrically connecting a patterned transparent conductive electrode lines to the wires. The wire electrodes are used to carry the bulk of the current and the transparent conductive electrode is used to spread the charge or voltage from the wire electrode across the line of pixels. In most display applications, the electroded surface of the electroded sheet has to be flattened. The electroded sheets may be used to form many different types of displays.