Abstract: A semi-releasable magnetic tool is disclosed. The tool comprises two magnetizable pole plates. Each of said pole plates is bounded by peripheral edges. The pole plates are spaced apart and preferably disposed in substantial registry with one another. A generally non-magnetizable spacer member is positioned between the pole plates and spaced inwardly from the peripheral edges. A magnetic switch is mounted between the pole plates. The switch is switchably associated with at least one magnetic element. The magnetic element positioned so as to magnetize the pole plates. The magnetic element can be switchably moved toward and away from the pole plates so that they are strongly or weakly magnetized. The magnetization of the tool in the weaker configuration is such that the tool can be easily placed in a desired position on a magnetizable workpiece. The tool is clamped in position on the workpiece by moving the magnet(s) closer to the pole plates.

Abstract: A wrist training assembly that is intended for use by releasably clamping it to a piano keyboard with a predetermined amount of clamping force. The assembly is releasably locked in place but the clamping and locking functions are separated so that the finish and structure of the piano are protected. The assembly is rapidly installed and uninstalled from a wide variety of pianos without alteration to either the pianos or the assembly. The keyslip of the piano has a first face that faces and is spaced from the keys to define a channel between the piano keys and the first face. A training bar member is mounted to a clamping unit so that it extends a predetermined distance from and generally parallel to the channel. Preferably, two spaced apart mounting hook members are pivotally mounted to the training bar member and adapted to engage with the first face of the keyslip.

Abstract: A disposable folding food tray having container ports for mounting to a beverage container. The disposable tray is mounted to the beverage container such that the consumer need only hold the bottom portion of the container in one hand in order to support the food tray. The food tray includes a food support area the size and shape of which can be adjusted to accommodate any desired food item. The food tray need only have sufficient strength to support the food item, not the beverage container, thereby significantly reducing the amount and strength of material needed for the tray. The tray is convenient in that one of the consumer's hand is always free, and the tray can be configured to fold into either a right handed or left handed version. The folding food tray can be conveniently and inexpensively made from a single piece of cardboard and supplied to the site of use in a generally flat configuration. Folding to the final configuration is conveniently accomplished at the site of use.

Abstract: To align the edges of plates prior to joining them, a generally cylindrical anchor member is spot welded at one location on one of its rims to a plate. A mounting element of a clamp body member slidably engages the anchor member. A force applicator element of the clamp body member is generally laterally spaced from the mounting element. The mounting element includes a generally arcuately extended semi-cylindrical socket portion of such a diameter that it slidably and snugly mounts the socket portion thereon. The rim portions of the anchor member provide a plurality of spot mounting locations for breakably spot welding, brazing or otherwise temporarily attaching the anchor member to a plate or other substrate. At least one of the force applicator or mounting elements is adapted to the incremental application of aligning force on adjacent plates. The body of the clamp bridges between the respective plates that are to be brought into line with one another.

Abstract: Submersible headphones comprising an acoustic circuit in which the electro-acoustic transducer is separated from the open proximal end of the circuit by a length of small hollow tube, and the volume of air in the tube is at least equal to the volume of air in the transducer itself. When the headphones are accidentally dislodged from the ear at some depth below the surface of a body of water, the proportioning of the volume of the air in the tube so that it at least equals the volume of air in the transducer prevents water from traveling down the tube into contact with the transducer. The tube is constructed of hydrophobic material, which tends to prevent water from entering the small diameter tube at atmospheric pressure. Transducers that are suitable for use include piezoelectric transducers and bipolar armature transducers.

Abstract: A thread wear gauge for coil threads. Coil threads have a nominal new thread profile that offers a substantial load bearing area. The thread wear gauge has a gauging thread with a silhouette that permits it to threadably engage with a coil thread that has been worn so that the shear load bearing area of the thread has been worn away from the coil thread to the point where the coil thread is unsafe for further use. The gauging thread will not threadably engage with the coil thread if the load bearing area has been worn to the point where it is unsafe. The thread wear gauge is a simple, reliable, hand held tool that is capable of being used under field conditions. In use, the thread wear gauge is grasped and manipulated with one hand. An attempt is made to threadably engage the gauging thread on the thread wear gauge with the coil thread that is to be tested. The operator observes whether the gauging thread threadably engages with the coil thread. If it does engage, use of the coil thread is discontinued.

Abstract: A hoist ring assembly adapted to be arc welded directly to an object to be lifted. A hoist ring mount is provided with the assembly having a generally radially extending flange portion integral with the proximal end of a generally cylindrically bearing portion. The perimeter of the flange portion is welded directly to an object to be lifted by means of a peripheral weld boundary. The bearing portion has a circumference. The length of the peripheral weld boundary is greater than the length of the circumference, thereby reducing stresses applied across the weld while maintaining the load capacity of the assembly after welding. A conventional lifting loop is pivotally mounted to a collar member. The collar member is rotatably mounted on the cylindrical bearing portion of the hoist ring mount. The lifting loop assembly, comprising the lifting loop and the collar member, is detachably mounted on the welded-in-place hoist ring mount.

Abstract: A composite rigid foam structure that has a skin or coating on at least one of its surfaces. The skin is formed in situ by thermal spray techniques. The skin is bonded substantially throughout the surface of the porous substrate to the peripheries of the pores. The skin on the average does not penetrate the surface of the substrate by more than the depth of about 2 to 5 pores. Thus, thermal spraying the skin onto the rigid foam produces a composite that is tightly and uniformly bonded together without unduly increasing the weight of the composite structure. Both thermal conductivity and bonding are excellent.

Abstract: A process for forming metal oxides, including mixed metal oxides, in a dilute vapor phase at a temperature below approximately 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The resulting novel oxides can be formed as dense films or coatings with very high strain-to-crack values, or as nanoparticles, depending primarily upon the concentration of the reactants. The novel oxides are formed by the reaction in the vapor phase of reactive metal molecules with atomic oxygen. The reactions are instantaneous at room temperature, which permits this process to be applied to the formation of metal oxides on temperature sensitive substrates. The atomic oxygen and highly reactive metal containing molecules are generated by the application of an effective amount of ultraviolet radiation.

Abstract: An object substrate that contains a markingly effective amount of a radiation sensitive marking material such as titanium dioxide is subjected to a patterned pulsed beam of coherent energy having a level of flux density that is at least sufficient to cause the radiation sensitive marking material to change color without degrading the object substrate. The pulsed beam of coherent energy derives its pattern from the instantaneous configuration of individual mirrors on the face of a digital mirror device (DMD) as the energy is reflected from that mirror face. The level of flux intensity at the mirror face is less than the level at which the DMD is at risk of damage or disruption. The level of flux intensity at the object substrate to be marked is sufficient to cause the titanium dioxide to change color, and substantially above the level at which the DMD is at substantial risk of damage or disruption.

Abstract: Chemiluminescent devices are attached to water bottles or similar drinkwear containers by a variety of holders to decoratively illuminate the contents of the container. A thin elongated chemiluminescent charge container is wound within the holder and supported there so that substantially the entire periphery of the drinkwear container is illuminated. The holders are reusable and useful with a variety of conventional drinkwear articles.

Abstract: A unique method of simultaneously marking both packaging and prepackaged articles such as tablets, pills, medical devices, and the like on the fly, without the deposition of ink or other marking materials on their surfaces, and without degrading the prepackaged articles or breaching the packaging. The markings can serve as unique identifiers for each individual marked article (serial numbers), as product identifiers (bar codes), or as tamper protection (positioning symbols), or the like. One product can be provided with all three types of marking, if desired. A radiation sensitive marking material such as titanium dioxide, for example, can be provided in both the article and a markingly associated window of packaging material. The article and the window together provide a marked pair.

Abstract: A dynamic battery array of individual cells, controllably interconnected for instantaneous dynamic configuration into a plurality of individual power buses having different electrical power output characteristics, each of which is tailored to supply the electrical power required at the instant by a particular electrical load within a circuit. Preferably the cells are fungible and randomly available so that at any given instant any given cell can be poweringly associated with a particular electrical load. The dynamic battery array, consisting of discrete cells lends itself to mounting on physically flexible substrates such as credit cards. The programmable array employs low resistance switch arrays for dynamically and instantaneously forming individual power networks or power buses between selected power cells and individual electrical loads in electrical circuits.

Abstract: A system for interconnecting construction panels suitable for modular construction has a hybrid connector, a receptor connector and locking connector. The hybrid connector is inserted into the aperture of the receptor connector which limit the displacement relative to each other. The locking connector is inserted into the aperture of the hybrid connector to interlock the three connectors. A panel connector can have an extension tab to provide additional locking action. Panel connectors can have stiffening portions that fill spaces between the connectors to reduce the need to insulate the interconnection and assist in repelling foreign matter entry. A method for interconnecting construction panels includes mating the hybrid connector and the receptor connector and then mating the locking connector from either side of the receptor connector.

Abstract: A planar loudspeaker is disclosed having a unique multi-layered sound resonator plate. The resonator has an upper layer and a lower layer maintained in a flat spaced-apart relationship. Divider walls or ribs are present to maintain the upper and lower layers spaced-apart, and in a self-taut state with internal chambers. The resonator layers and divider walls establish a plurality of internal passages or chambers that may or may not be sealed. The planar speaker includes a frame assembly having a mount plate and a resonator driver attached to the mount plate. The driver being responsive to an electrical signal and attached to a radiator that is movable in accordance with the movement of the driver. The flat spaced-apart resonator is attached to the radiator and frame, which produces sound when vibrated. The aspect ratio of the planar loudspeaker is preferably at least about 1.3 to 1 or greater.

Abstract: Geldhart class C tungsten carbide particles are provided with a discontinuous coating of grain growth inhibitor. Further, the fine tungsten carbide coatings are preferably provided with a continuous coating of another discreet phase material, such as, for example, a continuous coating of cobalt. Compacts produced using such materials are particularly useful as WC—Co hardmetals wherein the compacts are extremely fine grained.

Abstract: A dismantleable chair comprising a back member, leg members and a seat member all formed from generally two-dimensionally shaped materials such as plywood, and the like. The back member is somewhat arcuately shaped in both the horizontal and vertical cross-sections to provide superior seating comfort and strength. The arcuate shape also provides for a unique curved compressively pre-loaded joint design among the chair members, which substantially increases the strength and rigidity of the chair. The compressively preloaded joints are protected from bending and rotational loads by their respective positioning, and the presence of other spaced apart joints. The chair can be assembled and disassembled numerous times without loosing strength and rigidity.

Abstract: An abrasive composite particle comprising a cubic abrasive core particle encapsulated within a deposit of hexagonal metallurgical bond forming material comprising at least about 50 volume percent rhenium, ruthenium, osmium or mixtures thereof. The metallurgical bonds serve to retain the core particle in a matrix/binder very strongly. Metallurgical bonds are formed by the encapsulating material taking into solution, at the interface with the cubic abrasive core particle, some element or compound from the abrasive particle such as, for example, carbon or cubic boron nitride, from the core particle. Chemical bonds are not formed between the abrasive particle and the deposit. Suitable abrasive core particles include diamond, cubic carbides, cubic borides, cubic nitrides, cubic oxides, and the like. Conventional fabrication procedures such as chemical vapor deposition are employed to form the metallurgical bond forming deposit on the core particle.