Abstract: A salon chair includes a pedicure basin positioned between the foot of the chair and a front step opposite the foot of the chair. The pedicure basin includes a bottom floor, a perforated stepping surface above the bottom floor of the basin, and a nozzle assembly disposed between the bottom floor and the stepping surface for agitating water in the pedicure basin. Pressurized air is directed out of the nozzle assembly to induce a whirlpool action in the water held by the basin. The stepping surface may remain in the pedicure basin for days at a time, but may be removed when desired for cleaning purposes. The front step includes a cut-out, or groove, allowing allows a technician's chair to pull up closer to a person seated in the salon chair.

Abstract: An assembly (10) for location around a wheel rim (32) includes an annular support band (12) being formed of a relatively inextensible material. The support band (12) is split at at least one circumferential location to define a pair of opposed ends (16, 18). Adjustment bolt (24) is operably connected to the opposed ends (16, 18) for enabling adjustment of the diameter of the support band (12), and feet (14) depend from the radially inner face (34) of the support band (12). The feet (14) are formed from a relatively non-compressible material and, in use, are seated upon the wheel rim (32) to maintain the support band (12) in a spaced apart relationship with the wheel rim (32). The assembly may be adapted for use as a runflat assembly or as a beadlock assembly.

Abstract: A point projection type flood plasma source implements a magnetron sputter cold cathode electron source in a discharge cavity separated from a process chamber by a narrow conduit and a solenoid magnetic field. The solenoid magnetic field impedes radial electron flow in the nozzle and the process chamber. Process gas flows into the discharge cavity and through the nozzle to the process chamber. This gas is ionized in the nozzle and the process chamber by electrons trapped in the solenoid magnetic field. The result is a dense plasma plume in the process chamber useful for a number of applications. The source has particular advantages for reactive gas processes such as those requiring oxygen.

Abstract: Each cap of a pair of end caps mounted on opposed ends of a conventional radial flow cylindrical filter element of a filter cartridge includes a circular sleeve extending axially from the filter element for penetrably receiving a supporting stud and for maintaining an O-ring seal therebetween. The area of one of the end caps radially outwardly of its circular sleeve is greater than the corresponding area of the other end cap to cause fluid to be filtered to pressure bias the filter cartridge toward the other end cap and to positionally retain the filter cartridge within its housing. A positioning member extending into the filter element from one of the end caps receives and stabilizes sleeve for a u/v lamp disposed within the filter element to kill any microorganisms present and to oxidize any organic matter subjected to the emitted ultra-violent radiation.

Abstract: A clip on welder includes two pairs of opposed grippers defined by pivotally attached upper and lower frames for latching the welder to heat weldable material, such as a length of tubing, upon actuation of a start button by an operator; thereafter, the welder operates unattended. At least a jaw of a pair of jaws disposed intermediate the two pairs of grippers heats the material compressed and lodged therebetween to form a weld in or across the material. A source of gas, such as air, under pressure selectively connected to a bellows provides the power to pivot the upper and lower frames into gripping engagement with the material. A source of electrical signals provides the power to heat the material intermediate the pair of jaws. One or more thermocouples senses the heat of the jaws and generates signals used to control the application of power and to control cooling. After completion of the weld, cooling air is directed to the jaws until the thermocouple(s) signal(s) indicates a sufficiently low temperature.

Abstract: An ocular fundus imager (8) automatically aligns fundus illuminating rays to enter the pupil (P) and to prevent corneal reflections from obscuring the fundus image produced. Focusing the produced fundus image is automatically performed and is based upon the fundus image iself. A head restraint for the patient undergoing examination is in the form of a pair of spectacles which is not only easy to use accurately but significantly reduce the gross alignment between the optical system (8) and the patent's pupil (P).

Abstract: A vacuum system for the treatment of work pieces has an evacuatable treatment chamber having a centrally disposed low voltage arc discharge arrangement and laterally disposed loading opening. A coupling device between the work piece support and a receiving device on the system side allows simplified loading and removal of the work pieces to be treated along with the support by simply lifting onto or lowering from the receiving device.

Abstract: A chill drum (14) is modified to improve heat transfert between the drum and a flexible web substrate (20) disposed around the drum. The drum surface (22) contains a series of passages (44) and distribution holes (46). A working gas is injected into these passages and flows out of the distribution holes into the space between the web and drum. A cover (32) prevents working gas from escaping from frum passages in the area not covered by the web, and supplies the working gas to the passages at the drum cover. Once gas is in the passages, leakage only occurs from the edges of the web. The pressure in the passages remains essentially constant around the drum, producing uniform elevated pressures under the entire web. Elevated pressure behind the web significantly improves overall heat transfert, thereby allowing higher deposition rates and other process advantages.

Abstract: A dipole ion source (FIG. 1) includes two cathode surfaces, a substrate (1) and a pole (3); wherein a gap is defined between the substrate and the pole; an unsymmetrical mirror magnetic field including a compressed end, wherein the substrate is positioned in the less compressed end of the magnetic field; and an anode (4) creating an electric field penetrating the magnetic field and confining electrons in a continuous Hall current loop, wherein the unsymmetrical magnetic field serves an ion beam on the substrate.

Abstract: A method and system for prevention of piracy of a given software application via a communications network, such as the Internet. A given software application, installed on a user system, will not function until it is activated by a remote service provider. This will require the user to provide the remote service provider with user data, such as the user's personal identity information and the unique software identification code relating to the specific software. User data will then be compared to archived data in order to determine if the user is a pirator of the software. If not a pirator, the remote service provider may transmit undisclosed service data, such as a software activation code, to the user system. Once activated, the software will become fully operational and allow the user complete access to its functions. In this manner, piracy of a given software application can be prevented.

Abstract: An enhanced parking meter system utilizing user identification technology to achieve improved efficiencies in the enforcement and regulation of parking meters. A user and/or vehicle is identified by communication of user data into the parking meter system. If the meter becomes expired with the vehicle remaining in the parking space, a citation will be electronically processed, in accordance with the user data, and thereafter delivered to the user or vehicle owner. Recognition of the user and/or vehicle further enables the system to limit the individual's and/or vehicle's parking time in front of a particular meter or designated cluster of meter. This would help regulate traffic within a municipality district as well as prevent people from parking in a metered location for excessive periods of time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for removing noise from a first digital representation of data images and noise images of a document, including digitally scanning the document so as to produce the first digital representation of all the images of the document, including the data images and the noise images. After de-skewing the image representation, objects are built from a reduced-resolution representation of the scanned representation. Objects identified as picture objects are included in a mask which is logically ANDed with the de-skewed representation of the scanned document. All objects are added to an object list and initially marked as noise. Objects identified as text objects or geometric objects are marked as data objects. Objects identified as picture objects are included in a mask which is logically ANDed with the de-skewed representation to eliminate all other objects.

Abstract: A detachable tray of the type usually pivotally attached to the seat back of a conventional airliner includes a layer of threat-resistant material for precluding penetration of a projectile from a firearm or sharp edged or sharp pointed weapon and serves in the manner of a shield to prevent injury to a person's shielded body parts. Where the economics of manufactur permit, the whole tray may be made of threat-resistant material. One or more handles or straps may be disposed on the bottom side of the tray to facilitate manipulation in positioning the tray to render it most effective to ward off an attack.

Abstract: Penetration resistant door panel comprises a plurality of spars having a series of holes therethrough and sandwiched between an outer skin and a rear skin. Preferably there are two series of holes in each spar that are staggered with respect to each other. The holes permit outer edges of the spars to be ablated by an explosion blast while dissipating energy to preserve the integrity of rear regions of the spars.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus (1) for training an animal is supported against the animal's skin, and includes stimulus electrodes (5) for electrically contacting the skin. A controller including output terminals producing aversive stimulus control signals, a first switch (Q4) coupled to a winding to produce therein a burst of first current pulses in response to a first signal produced by the controller (33) and a second switch (Q2) coupled to the first switch (Q4) operative to synchronously shunt predetermined trailing portions of the first current pulses away from the winding in response to a second signal produced by the controller to reduce the amount of energy delivered to the winding by the switching transistor (Q4) without substantially changing a peak value of a flyback voltage across the winding. The controller sets various values of time intervals during which portions of the first current pulses are shunted away from the winding in order to set various corresponding intensities of aversive stimulus.

Abstract: The concentration of glucose in the anterior chamber of an eye is non-invasively measured by guiding a beam through a polarizer (4), a quarter wave plate (6), a polarization modulator (20), and an analyzer (7). After initializing the polarizer and the analyzer to extinguish the beam, it is guided parallel to the iris (56) of the eye (50) and introduced into the anterior chamber (57), wherein it is refracted, impinges on and is reflected from the iris, and exits the anterior chamber approximately collinear with the portion (55A) of the beam incident on the anterior chamber. The beam then is guided onto a detector (10), and a sufficient signal is applied to the polarization modulator to extinguish the beam. The signal represents the glucose concentration in the patient's blood.

Abstract: A vented hollow translucent/transparent plastic block for use in wall construction includes a single aperture disposed along the lower edge of the plastic block for alleviating pressure within the plastic block and for discharging any condensation within the plastic block that may occur.