Abstract: The present invention provides a handbag having a recess or similar depression molded in a back panel for holding a purse. A shoulder strap is provided for carrying the handbag with the back panel and the recess adjacent to the user's body so the purse is inaccessible to all but the user. The recess is sized to firmly fit the purse with the front of the purse being substantially flush with outer face of the back panel. The handbag is also provided with a back flap to complete cover the recess and the purse to make the purse even more inaccessible to non-users. Velcro or similar type of a fastener holds the back flap firmly to the back panel. At least the back panel of the handbag is made of a type of leather in which the recess is molded into back panel using warm water and a molding press. The back panel consists of two separate molded pieces of leather whose rough sides are joined by an adhesive and whose smooth sides are the outer and inner faces of the back panel.

Abstract: An interactive theater for creating a perception on the part of the audience that they are immersed in a boundless environment. The projection surface surrounds the audience platform and the ceiling to form a cavity providing a full or apparent 360° projected environment horizontally and apparent 360° projected environment vertically.

Abstract: A device and method for treatment of a tissue specimen disposed in surrounding tissue has a tissue specimen isolating tool and a tissue specimen damager. The tissue specimen isolating tool isolates the tissue specimen from the surrounding tissue. The tissue specimen damager damages the tissue, with a possible end result being necrosis. The severing tool may have a cutting member that is extendable to an outwardly radially bowed position about device. The tissue specimen is isolated by rotating the cutting member about the tissue specimen. The cutting member may be functionally connected to a cutting member radio frequency generation source. The tissue specimen damager may damage the tissue specimen using ionizing radiation, cutting devices, thermal treatment devices, chemical treatment devices, or sealing an outer boundary of the tissue specimen.

Abstract: A slope gap inductor for reducing line harmonic currents. The slope gap inductor comprises a first inductor core portion, and a second inductor core portion positioned relative to said first inductor core portion so as to form an inductor gap, wherein the second inductor core portion includes a sloped gap surface that forms a sloped gap portion of the inductor gap having a varying gap height, and wherein the sloped gap surface has a slope value that is selected so that the slope gap inductor has a selected inductance value responsive to a level of current in the inductor.

Abstract: A device for styling hair comprising a pair of side walls, a top support member connected to the side walls, a bottom support member connected to the pair of side walls. The device also includes an intermediate support member connected to the pair of side walls between the top support member and the bottom support member to form an upper opening between the top support member and the intermediate support member and to form a lower opening between the bottom support member and the intermediate support member. A method for styling a goatee comprising providing a device having an upper opening and lower opening, positioning lips in the upper opening and a chin including a goatee in the lower opening, and trimming an area around the goatee as desired.

Abstract: A transmissive/reflective optical scanner including a gravity assist optical switch that reconfigures a flat bed scanner adapted for transmissive scanning into a flat bed scanner adapted for reflective scanning.

Abstract: A plug assembly having a body portion, a plug housing that provides a mounting for AC prongs that creates a cavity therewithin, and a PCB located in the cavity. A pair of contact terminals are mounted on the PCB in a predetermined position so as to create a spring-loaded electrical contact with a corresponding one of the AC prongs during assembly. The present invention reduces the bulkiness, optimizes the packaging size, and reduces the profile of the plug assembly by using the cavity to house the PCB, thereby providing a reduction or elimination of the need to mount components within the body portion. The present invention eliminates the need to use flexible wires, springs, or direct soldering between the AC prongs and the circuitry on the PCB, thereby making assembly quicker and easier through use of the spring loaded contact terminal.

Abstract: Optical fibers are aligned in a jig of parallel apertured plates in which the fibers are inserted and positioned by the use of V-shaped or positioning ribbon actuators. The actuators are thermally actuated by a closed loop feedback system to center each individual fiber and its light output on an equivalent juxtaposed photodetector array. When the fiber is centered by this feedback technique it is permanently fixed in that position by potting, for example. The feedback control constitutes either a totally electrical system utilizing a processing unit or can be partially manually controlled by a human operator operating a joystick and viewing a meter or similar device which indicates an approach to a maximum output from a photodetector.

Abstract: The present invention provides an entropy coding scheme using an adaptable prefix code. The prefix code is a binary representation of the algorithm used to compress and decompress the data. There are prefix zeros that represent the number of significant binary digits that follow the first one. According to one embodiment, this scheme works on both positive and negative integers and encodes lower order integers with a smaller length of codeword. In another embodiment, the zero integer is encoded as a special case with the shortest codeword. In yet another embodiment, the present scheme is preferred by data sets that are clustered about zero, such as image data sets that have been transformed via a wavelet transform or a discrete cosine transform.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dual bronchodilator inhalation solution, system, kit and method for relieving bronchospasm in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In one alternative embodiment, the solution of the present invention is a prepackaged, sterile, premixed, premeasured single unit dose of albuterol and ipratropium bromide for patients suffering from COPD. The present solution may be free of antimicrobial preservatives, such as benzalkonium chloride. In another alternative embodiment, the solution of the present invention comprises about 2.50 mg albuterol and about 0.50 mg ipratropium bromide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a DBD lamp used in fluid treatment systems, where the irradiated fluid is used as a low voltage outer electrode instead of a metallic wire mesh. This fluid is in direct contact with the lamp envelope which acts as a two-fold advantage. First, the fluid acts as a strong built-in cooling source. This allows the lamp to be driven at high voltage without forced cooling. Second, the replacement of the wire mesh as the outer electrode by fluid as well as the sleeve eliminates the absorption of radiation from the outer surface of the DBD-driven light source which more than doubles the efficiency of the DBD-driven light source. The inner high voltage electrode remains in the center of the coaxial tube assembly and provides high voltage across the gas to generate excimer formation.

Abstract: A ventilated support structure for a vehicle, such as a bicycle, comprising an upper side having a seat surface which is supported on a rigid or semi-rigid frame on which is anchored elastically flexible padding there between. The support structure may further comprise an aperture in an anterior portion of the frame. The aperture may be oriented at least partly in a direction of forward travel of the vehicle. An air distribution channel is connected to the aperture and is also connected to a plurality of air discharge openings to ventilate the seat surface.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for producing a cured tire filling composition and the composition resulting from such a method. A mixture of a polyisocyanate having an average functionality of at least 2.3; a high molecular weight polyol having a hydroxyl number in the range of about 20 to about 31 and having an actual functionality of greater than 2.1; 6 to 65 weight percent of a polar plasticizing extender oil; and no greater than 0.5 weight percent polyamine is cured in the presence of a catalyst to form a polyurethane elastomer having a vertical rebound of greater than about 60% based on ASTM D2632 and a Durometer hardness in the range of about 5 to 60 (Shore A). The mixture is used to fill a tire prior to curing the composition within the tire casing and results in a deflation-proof tire that has considerably longer road testing life than tire filling compositions currently available.

Abstract: The present invention provides a scheme for compressing the depth, or Z, components of image data. The data is grouped into a plurality of tiles. A test is performed to determine if a tile can be compressed so that its size after compression is less than its size before compression. If so, the tile is compressed. A tile table includes a flag that can be set for each tile that is compressed. In a data transfer from memory to a graphics processor, the tile table is examined to identify those tiles that are compressed and must be decompressed prior to use. In one scheme the number of primitives that are contained in a tile are determined. If the number of primitives is less than one third of the number of pixels in a tile, an assumption is made that the tile can be compressed. For example, for an 8×8 tile, if the number of primitives is equal to or less than 21, the tile is compressed.

Abstract: A perfusion cannula having a proximal section configured for attachment to a source of perfusion fluid, and a distal section configured for insertion in a blood vessel for delivering perfusion fluid to the blood vessel. In one embodiment, the cannula generally comprises a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, a distal shaft section, and a proximal shaft section which is connected to the distal shaft section between the proximal and distal ends of the distal shaft section such that an acute angle is formed between the proximal shaft section and the proximal end of the distal shaft section. A lumen in the elongated shaft extends within the proximal shaft section and the distal shaft section to and in fluid communication with a port in the distal end of the distal shaft section. The lumen is configured for delivery of fluid, and may be configured for slidably receiving a guidewire therein.

Abstract: An electrical adapter having a manually retractable cable assembly where the electrical contacts of the retractable cable assembly are disposed along an axis of rotation to minimize the friction between the cable and contacts therein when the cable is extended and retracted. The electrical adapter includes a housing; an electrical plug assembly including an interchangeable module coupled to an adapter module, the interchangeable module having a plurality of prongs for receiving a first voltage when mated with an electrical receptacle, and a converter electrically coupled to the assembly for converting the first voltage into a second voltage; and a retractable cable assembly supported by the housing and electrically coupled to the converter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for multicasting, i.e. point to multipoint transmission of a data packet. A packet is copied and transmitted to multiple addresses. In the multicasting arrangement, switch core and input and output port are connected to input and output links, respectively, for transmitting data packets. According to the invention, the input port is adapted to detect a multicasting packet received on an input link or from an output port and send the multicasting packet to an output port. The output port is adapted to detect the multicasting packet, copy the data packet, modify an address portion of the multicasting packet, send one packet on the output link and return one packet with the modified address portion to an input port. Preferably, the input port and the output port are integrated in a link interface having a direct channel for returning the data packet.

Abstract: An optical, multi-resolution scanning apparatus for scanning transparent or opaque objects including a high resolution lens, a low resolution lens, a flip mirror switch which alternates between high resolution mode and low resolution mode of scanning, a flip mirror switch which alternates between transmissive mode and reflective mode of scanning whereby high and low resolution scanning of opaque and/or transparent objects may be accomplished through movement of flip mirror switches, without transverse movement of the lens assembly.

Abstract: A circuit for controlling the switching behavior of a field effect transistor (FET) or other power switch in a power supply or converter. The circuit includes an adaptive feedback loop which controls the switching operation of the FET through application of a gate drive signal to the device. The circuit is designed to turn the switching device on or off at the optimum time to reduce the stress and power losses associated with the switching action. The circuit includes a capacitor connected to the FET switch drain to sense the falling voltage across the switch. The adaptive gate drive circuit holds the FET switch off until the drain voltage sensed by the capacitor stops decreasing. At this time, the FET switch voltage is either zero (zero-voltage switching) or has reached the minimum value of its resonant ring (low-voltage switching).

Abstract: Disclosed is device and/or material integration into thin opto-electronic layers, which increase room for chip-mounting, and reduce the total system cost by eliminating the difficulty of optical alignment between opto-electronic devices and optical waveguides. Opto-electronic devices are integrated with optical waveguides in ultra thin polymer layers on the order of 1 &mgr;m to 250 &mgr;m in thickness.