Abstract: There is provided a method of contraception, comprising exposing a spermicidally sufficient quantity of an agent to spermatozoa. The agent is a quinone represented by the following formula: Each group A is H or an electron releasing moiety. The agent is capable of generating reactive oxygen species including free radicals, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in the presence of spermatozoa.

Abstract: The present invention is a loading ramp assembly for loading objects onto a floor of a vehicle. The loading ramp assembly includes a multi-sectioned, foldable ramp capable of being stored in a compact enclosure located under the vehicle floor. The loading ramp assembly also includes a telescopic ramp supporting frame that alone slidably supports and retracts the ramp between an unfolded loading position, inclined from the rear of the vehicle floor to the ground, and a folded storage position within the compact underbody enclosure.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for recycling plastic materials includes the movement of hoppers along cutting edges.

Abstract: A weigh scale blender comprising a frame, a weigh bin, a load cell connected to the frame for sensing weight of the bin and any material contained therein, a mix chamber connected to the frame, including a mixing paddle therewithin, a dump flap for selectably releasing material from the bin into the mix chamber, a bushing intermediate the load cell and the frame for damping transfer of vibration and shock motion therebetween.

Abstract: An electrical integrated power node control center (2) including a power bus (4′) to the control center, bus bars (F) for power distribution within the control center, a node power distribution device (A), a plurality of functional distribution devices within the node (B, C, D), and a control system (E). The control system includes controlling the functional distribution devices to either connect/disconnect or change the on/off state based on electrical system data gathered by monitoring the input/output data. The control system is also adapted to monitor the health of the functional distribution devices to initiate diagnostic procedures as well as display or record information.

Abstract: An electrical integrated modular power node includes a power module having a common backplane with a plurality of bus bars for supplying the power requirements for the node, functional components and circuitry for connection through selected bus bars to a power supply for providing loads with power as required thereby with individual functional modules providing geometrical packages having bounding surfaces conforming to bounding surfaces of adjacent modules including the power module, for enclosing and supporting functional components and circuitry design so the conforming surfaces of the modules abut with one another in a position to be connected at abutting surfaces with at least some of the modules facing the power module to connect to connectors on the bus bars providing power as required by the load to which circuitry within the connected module is connected with the connectors mechanically supporting the modules relative to power module and to one another.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for determining several parameters of a seated person, comprising the following steps: subdividing the seat surface (4) into at least two sections, determining the barycenter position of the active weight in each section, and evaluating said parameters of said person based on said determined positions. The evaluation of said parameters can include the evaluation of the size and/or weight of said person, the evaluation of the position of the said person on said seat based on the distribution of the barycenter positions on the seat or the evaluation of the orientation of said person on said seat based on the longitudinal positions of the barycenters of the active weight in each section.

Abstract: A molded pad of asbestos-free material, for use e.g. in short-cycle and multi-platen presses for coating chipboard or other substrates with melamine, films or other materials, consisting of woven fabric made of heat-resistant yarn, esp. aromatic polyamide (aramid), opt. combined with other yarn materials and contg. 50-98 (pref. 71-92) wt. % metal fibers (w.r.t. total wt. of pad). The novelty is that a non-woven fabric (B) is uniformly bonded with adhesive (I) to the top and/or bottom side of the woven fabric (A). Also claimed is a similar pad for use in high-pressure laminating presses, with woven fabric (esp. of aramid) as above (A) contg. 0-70 (pref. 0-40) wt. % metal fibers and with non-woven fabric (B) evenly stuck on the top and/or bottom of layer (A) with adhesive (I).

Abstract: A lead-acid cell includes a case, positive and negative plates within the case, microporous separator material between adjacent plates and electrolyte in a starved amount, with the case having jar and covers joined by a weldment along overlapping cover and jars. The positive plates include a grid frame with an intermediate member extending between spaced apart generally peripheral portions of the frame, with pasted active material on the grid frame separated substantially into two portions by the intermediate member. Compressive force is adjustably continuously applied to the positive and negative plates within the case. The plates are suspended within the case at positions removed from the wall of the case, while plate growth is permitted in a manner that plate shorting is avoided.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for harvesting vinous crops includes cutting a fruit-carrying vine mass from its growing roots, sweeping the vine mass with rotary reel motion onto a upwardly inclined endless conveyor for carriage to a position of commencement of a first arcuate path and thereafter carrying the vine mass along the arcuate path by first lifting and then lowering the vine mass while imparting vibratory motion to the vine mass to separate fruit from vines of the mass.

Abstract: An industrial material such as metal, ceramics or plastics whose surface has a film passivated by fluoridation and a process of manufacturing the above industrial material. The industrial material comprises a substrate, a nickel alloy film formed on the substrate and containing nickel, semimetal and/or other metal whose fluoride becomes a volatile compound, and a fluorine passivated film formed at least on a surface of the nickel alloy film in such a manner that the fluorine passivated film contains nickel and does not contain said other metal or the semimetal, and satisfies stoichiometric ratio. The process of manufacturing an industrial material comprises the steps of performing grounding treatment of a surface of a substrate, forming a nickel alloy film, on the surface of the substrate, containing nickel, semimetal and/or other metal, and forming a fluorine passivated film on the nickel alloy film.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing plastic film by extrusion includes a plastic extrusion machine having an extrusion screw, a motor for turning the screw, a die connected to the screw barrel outlet, a manifold having an opening receiving the die, a blower delivering cooling air to the manifold, and an infared emitter and detector for monitoring phase transition of the molten plastic material into solidified plastic film in adjusting operation of the apparatus to maintain plastic material phase transition occurrence in a preselected position downstream of the die by either adjusting speed of the blower or adjusting speed of the motor or both.

Abstract: A golf shaft spine locating apparatus is provided having a frame. A pair of vertical supports for the shaft are mounted to both ends of the frame. The shaft is placed on the supports and is rotated on the supports. A weight is applied to the shaft and exerts a downward force on the middle of the shaft between the supports while permitting rotary motion of the shaft on the supports. As the downward force is applied on the shaft and the shaft is rotated on the supports, the spine of the shaft is located.

Abstract: An electrical bus connector including a series of pins which are extended or retracted through a series of receptacles. Each receptacle is generally a bulbous-shaped longitudinally elongated shell having an opening at a base end and at a top end, the base end having a larger interior area than the top end. The bulbous base end includes a sleeve to guide the pin. The receptacle shell wraps around the sleeve and tapers inward toward the top end to retain the sleeve within the receptacle. The receptacle shell includes a series of longitudinally elongated leaves circularly arranged about the longitudinal axis. The leaves of the receptacle flare out at the top end, providing a lip to accept the pin. The receptacle shell has at least one and preferably two annular recesses, each recess receiving a coiled spring. The coiled spring(s) bias the leaves of the receptacle shell inwardly, but allow the leaves to expand upon pin insertion to ensure contact between the pin and the receptacle.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for the beneficial genetic transformation of plants based on transfer of genetic information mediated by mRNA rather than DNA. mRNA was extracted from the cotyledon and sprout of soybean and both mRNAs were separately used to treat corn kernels which were then planted. The results of protein extraction and analysis revealed that these corn kernels contained soy globulin. Furthermore, Southern and Western blotting techniques confirmed that this soy mRNA-induced soy globulin protein was encoded by soy DNA which was incorporated into the corn genome and transmitted to subsequent generations of corn.

Abstract: A method for weight blending of granular materials comprises at a remote site generating a command for desired operation of granular material weight blending apparatus; encoding said command into transportable time-stable machine readable tangible storage media; transporting said media to a bar code reader operatively connected to said granular material weight blending apparatus; scanning the tangible media having the command encoded thereon to read the command; and providing the read command as input to a in microprocessor operatively connected to said granular material weight blending apparatus for regulating operation of the same.

Abstract: A two wire solid state AC/DC circuit breaker has a line terminal for connecting the power and the load terminal for connecting to a load. A pair of insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) are connected in parallel across the line and load terminals in reversed polarity relative to one another. A diode is placed in series with each IGBT limiting current flow to the direction of polarity of the IGBT. Current sensing circuitry is connected across the terminals for sensing current passing through the IGBTs and when a predetermined level has been exceeded, a voltage pulse is generated to the respective bases of the IGBTs to turn them off. This terminates current flow through the respective IGBTs instantaneously.