Abstract: A body bed is provided for use by pregnant women and other persons for sleeping on their stomachs. A mattress includes a tummy well formed in the central region thereof and a tummy well strap including VELCRO attached to both ends of the strap. The bottom surface of the mattress has VELCRO material so that the tummy well strap may be continuously adjusted to any length to provide optimum support for the spine of the user. The mattress may also include a separate breast well and a separate breast well strap having VELCRO ends which may be continuously adjusted to any length to provide optimum support for the spine of the user.

Abstract: A strawberry juice drink is described along with a method of producing the drink. The drink is made solely from strawberries without being blended with other fruit or fruit flavorings. A blend of strawberries having a Brix reading above 6.5° is pureed and filtered and/or centrifuged to remove seeds and large pulp solids. An enzyme is added to the pureed juice stock to reduce fiber length. Water is added to form a mixture of between 25% and 45% water and between 55% and 75% pureed juice stock by volume. A hydrocolloid gum, ascorbic acid and a low calorie sweetener, preferably sucralose, are added to the mixture. The resulting juice brink is nutritious, refreshing and has less than half the calories of orange juice.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for detecting and responding to aircraft emergencies and, in particular, thwarting attempts to hijack an aircraft including the storage in aircraft computer memory of a pattern of aircraft flight characteristics assumed to be unique to aircraft controlled by hijackers. The invention also periodically detects real-time flight characteristics from the aircraft automatic sensing apparatus and compares the real-time flight characteristics with the stored patterns of assumed aircraft flight characteristics of a hijacked aircraft. The assumed aircraft flight characteristics includes thresholds such as exceeding given airspeeds or altitudes less than a specific altitude. If an assumed stored pattern is matched by the real-time flight characteristics, automatic control is taken of the autopilot, attempts to manually control the aircraft are overridden and the aircraft is caused to automatically begin flying in an emergency holding pattern.

Abstract: A method is provided for centering and guiding a large diameter soil processing tool. A sacrificial guide is formed by using a small diameter soil processing tool to form a soil-cement column having a relatively hard outer section and a relatively soft center section. The relatively hard outer section is utilized to guide the large diameter soil processing tool. In one embodiment, the soft central region of the sacrificial guide is left in place and the pilot of the large tool carries an auger that simply drills through the central portion of the sacrificial guide. In a second embodiment, the sacrificial guide is hollow and the large tool need not have an auger at the tip of its pilot. The large tool advances downwardly through the sacrificial guide and, as it advances downwardly, the large tool breaks up the sacrificial guide and the sacrificial guide particles ultimately form a portion of the soil-cement column formed by the large soil processing tool.

Abstract: A method of providing an energy credit system is disclosed for providing redeemable energy or mass transit credits to consumers who contribute power to a shared electric power grid wherein the excess power generated by each consumer to the power grid is measured and energy credits are awarded to those consumers who contribute power to the power grid. Each consumer receiving energy credits is allowed to redeem those credits by acquiring fuel, power or mass transit tickets. In one embodiment of the invention, a separate energy brokerage house is provided which receives compensation from the operator of the power grid for power provided to the grid by the consumers and compensates the fuel or energy provider or mass transit system for the energy credits redeemed by each consumer. In a second embodiment, the operator of the power grid compensates the providers of fuel, energy or mass transit directly for the redeemed energy credits.

Abstract: A turbocharger is provided having a wastegate valve and a first volute for conducting the primary turbine discharge flow stream. The first volute includes a discharge duct causing the primary turbine discharge flow stream to flow in a generally circular pattern as it is exhausted. A secondary volute is provided for conducting wastegate gases, the secondary volute having vanes causing the wastegate gases to flow in a generally circular pattern, matching the pattern of the primary turbine discharge flow stream. When the wastegate gas flow stream combines with the primary turbine discharge flow stream, the flow streams are moving in generally parallel circular pathways so that, when they combine, little or no turbulence is caused, thereby increasing the efficiency of the turbocharger. Increased efficiency translates into fuel economy and power and also improves the flow distribution of exhaust gases to the catalytic converter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for automatically forming raw tuna loins into homogenized, formed packets and packing those packets into bags for freezing and shipping to distant canning plants. A conveyed stream of raw tuna loins is tamped and compacted into a homogenized tuna stream of a predetermined height and width with dimensions compatible with processing equipment at the canning plant. A predetermined length of the homogenized tuna stream is measured and cut into packets and automatically packed into bags of predetermined size. In one embodiment, a servo controlled, intermittent advance conveyor is provided which is adapted to periodically advance said stream of raw tuna loins a distance which corresponds to the length of the bags into which the tuna is being packed. The apparatus for homogenizing the raw tuna loins is either a ski-shaped tamper driven by rotating cranks or a top belt including a pressure cylinder for urging the top belt into contact with the stream of raw tuna loins.

Abstract: A method for urging contact between contaminants in an air stream and the wet surfaces of an aqueous-froth, and additional means of limiting the froth to a predetermined volume are provided. A wide spectrum of solution micro-droplet sizes (0.001 to 1000 micron) is introduced into a contaminated air stream. Micro-droplets suspended in the air stream remove contaminants by contact, collide and coalesce in the dynamics of the air stream and are removed by inertia. Smaller micro-droplets remain suspended in the air stream. The smallest micro-droplets evaporate, increasing the solution vapor pressure of the air stream. The humidified or saturated, contaminated air stream continuously expands the surface area of the solution reservoir exponentially into an aqueous froth of tiny bubbles. Airflow velocity drops in the micro-atmosphere inside each bubble of the froth.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for removing accumulated underwater debris from a reservoir for a recirculating water system, such as used for a golf course sprinkler system. An eductor is provided which is driven by a high pressure water pump. The high pressure creates a vacuum which is utilized to actuate a vacuum line. The vacuum line is moved to and fro in the reservoir to entrain the debris from the reservoir in water and to carry the entrained debris to the eductor. The entrained debris is discharged from the eductor into a separator having a permeable membrane which traps the debris and allows the water to return to the reservoir. Various separators are provided. The eductor includes an adjustably mounted nozzle to adapt to different sized debris being removed from the reservoir.

Abstract: A micro-optical-mechanical-electro-system (MOMES)-based non-invasive blood glucose monitor comprises a micromachined infrared optical filter array, a micromachined infrared mechanical modulator array, at least one micromachined infrared tunable filter, and at least one infrared detector. Each optical filter is aligned with a mechanical modulator along its optical axis direction. The optical filter continuously divides a monochromatic infrared light in a wavelength range within 0.8 to 25 micron from an infrared light. The aligned mechanical modulator turns the monochromatic infrared light into an alternating monochromatic infrared light. The tunable filter is aligned with the infrared detector along its optical axis direction. The tunable filter selects the back-diffused alternating monochromatic infrared light emitted from a measured blood subject that is illuminated by the alternating monochromatic infrared light.

Abstract: An optical microswitch printer head comprising a micromachined optical microswitch array with optical microswitches extending in a main scanning direction. The optical microswitch is based on a variable air gap Fabry-Perot cavity that is defined by two non-absorbing distributed Bragg reflectors. One of the distributed Bragg reflectors is supported by flexible beams so that the length of the Fabry-Perot cavities can be set to be equal to an odd or even multiple of a quarter wavelength of a working optical wave by applying a voltage. As a result, the optical microswitches can be pushed into a transmission state or “on” state for letting a light pass through or a reflection state or “off” state for blocking the light. The optical microswitch printer head can utilize a gas discharge lamp such as a cold cathode fluorescent lamp as a light source.

Abstract: A locking mechanism is provided for a semi-automatic handgun. The locking mechanism is readily retrofitted onto the back of the handle frame of a used handgun. The locking mechanism includes a pair of guide rails fixedly attached to the back of the handle frame and a movable locking bar slidably carried between the guide rails. The locking bar is movable between two positions. The first is an unlocked position in which the handgun may be fired. The movable locking bar can be readily moved upwardly to a second locked position in which it interferes with the forward motion of the drawbar. Since the drawbar cannot move forward, the handgun cannot be fired, the slide cannot be actuated and the user is unable to chamber a round. The locking bar is unlocked by a key actuated locking cylinder carried in the bottom of the movable locking bar. The user can quickly lock the gun by simply pushing upwardly on the movable locking bar.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an optical switch array comprising the steps: providing a two side polished lightly dope (110) silicon substrate; forming a heavily doped layer with a same type impurity as the (110) silicon substrate on the back side of the (110) silicon substrate; growing a lightly doped epitaxial layer on the back side of the (110) silicon substrate; converting the heavily dope layer into a porous silicon layer by anodization in HF solution; forming a plurality of microchannels on the front side of the (110) silicon substrate so that each makes a 135 or 45 degree angle to a (111) crystal plane vertical to the surface of the (110) silicon substrate; converting the porous silicon layer into an oxidized porous silicon layer by thermal oxidization; forming electrical interconnections on the front side of the (110) silicon substrate; forming a plurality of (111) silicon planar plates each having two opposite sides made of (111) silicon crystal planes on the front side of the (110) silicon substrate by a

Abstract: A micromachined vertical vibrating gyroscope consists of three single crystal silicon assemblies: an outer single crystal silicon assembly, an intermediate single crystal silicon assembly, and an inner single crystal silicon assembly. The outer assembly includes a plurality of arc-shaped anchors arranged in a circle and extending from a single crystal silicon substrate coated with an insulating annulus thereon. The intermediate assembly is a suspended wheel concentric with the arc-shaped anchors. The inner assembly is a suspended hub concentric with the circle formed by the anchors and having no axle at its center. The three assemblies are connected to each other through several flexures. The intermediate suspended wheel is driven into rotational vibration by lateral comb capacitors. Input angular rates are measured by two vertical capacitors.

Abstract: This invention uses fiber characteristics combined with knowledge of the 8b10b code to discover and compensate for skew between parallel data streams, caused by chromatic dispersion, in a WDM system allowing the receiver to recover both the data and timing of the data streams as they were originally launched. This skew discovery and compensation does not require the insertion or deletion of any control symbols to/from the original 8b10b streams, and does not require the use of a training or sample sequence.

Abstract: An optical switch array assembly for DNA probe light synthesis and hybridized DNA probe light detection is composed of a silicon substrate, an optical switch array disposed in the substrate, a glass plate mounted on the top of the substrate, and a DNA probe array disposed on the surface of the glass plate. The substrate also contains a driving circuit for forcing each optical switch on and off and an addressing circuit for locating each optical switch. A plurality of holes is disposed in the substrate so that each hole is aligned with an optical switch and guides a light beam to a corresponding optical switch.

Abstract: A timer is provided which is actuated by an incense stick burning to a given point at which point a pivotally movable hammer is released. When the hammer is released, it moves from its first retracted position to a second position in response to gravitational forces wherein it strikes a bowl to make a pleasant alarm sound. The timer is particularly useful and appropriate when used in conjunction with meditation or a similar exercise.

Abstract: A bifurcated hose junction is provided for a pole mounted abrading device with vacuum assisted particulate removal. The junction is actuated by the movement of the sanding pad assembly. When a. short side of the rectangular sanding pad assembly is moved toward the tubular handle, the bifurcated hose junction is displaced laterally in relation to the linear axis of the handle. When a long side of the sanding pad assembly is moved toward the tubular handle, the bifurcated hose junction rotates in place, thereby allowing the sanding pad a comprehensive range of motion, in relation to the handle. The range of motion enables the operator to close the angle between sanding pad and the handle, and maintain planar contact between the sanding screen and the work surface, when working in constricted areas.