Abstract: A pair of tongs in combination with a basting apparatus and an optional sharpened edge that can be used as a knife for cutting into food to check for degree of cooking. Also a container for use as a holder of a tool, such as a pair of tongs with a basting apparatus, for applying a spreadable basting material (e.g., sauce) held in the container. The container provides a stable support of the tool, such as the pair of tongs, to prevent cross contamination of working surfaces and basting material on the basting apparatus, while at the same time providing a holder from which the tongs/baster efficiently can be retrieved for use.

Abstract: A bead applicator for embedding particulates in wet paint, includes a blower directing air into an attached series of connected pipes; a particulate hopper, and a tubular particulate supply line connecting an outlet opening from the hopper to a venturi inlet opening at a low pressure point of a venturi tube. The series of connected pipes includes, in order, the venturi tube, a rigid tubular wand, and a dispensing nozzle. The wand, an inlet of the nozzle, and an outlet of the nozzle all have approximately the same, or greater, inside cross-sectional area relative to that of an outlet of the venturi tube; and the nozzle fans out to a long and narrow shaped outlet. Preferably a flexible hose is included in the series of connected pipes; the hose having approximately the same, or greater, inside cross-sectional area relative to that of the venturi tube outlet, and the nozzle outlet is bent over.

Abstract: A bottle mountable condiment holder is mainly described as a lime slice and salt shaker holder for pivotingly mounting on a bottle of tequila such that the holder pivots to stay mostly upright while the bottle is tipped for pouring, thus preventing condiments from falling off of the rack. The holder includes a rack for holding the condiments and a pivoting attachment for mounting the rack to a bottle; such that the center of gravity of the rack is below a pivot of the pivoting attachment. Preferably the rack has shelves for holding condiment pieces (e.g., lime slices) and/or at least one dispenser mounted on the rack for dispensing particulate or liquid condiments (e.g., salt shakers). In a preferred embodiment, the pivoting attachment is a removable bottle neck collar, and the dispensers are removably mountable on the rack.

Abstract: Apparatus for delivering and scavenging anesthesia gas for a patient. A lower elongate piece forming a nose cannula for delivering gas, is removably secured generally parallel and immediately adjacent to an upper elongate piece for scavenging gas. The upper piece extends over a lower portion of the patient's nose, and has a plurality of openings disposed on a lower surface thereof, directed downward towards the patient's mouth. Both ends of the lower and upper pieces are provided with barbs for receiving corresponding supply and exhaust hoses at one end. Barbs at the other end are sealed by an end cap. A strap secures the apparatus on the patient's head. Thus the apparatus can be advantageously used with hoses on only one side of the face, thereby allowing the user to work with minimal obstruction on the opposite side of the face.

Abstract: A Swarm Autonomous Routing Algorithm (SARA) is performed by simple communication node devices for node to node communications in a network, especially a Mobile Ad hoc NETwork (MANET). Each node maintains a table of pheromone values for known neighbor nodes. Pheromone values are dynamic for adapting to a dynamic arrangement of nodes, and are updated either passively or actively. Routing tables are not used. When a node receives a packet, it uses the pheromone table to simply determine whether or not to forward (rebroadcast) the packet to a neighbor node, and if possible, determines and indicates the best neighbor node for next forwarding the packet. Destination Zone Routing (DZR) and Swarm Location Service (SLS) are alternative enhancements of SARA that can be used for more efficient routing when nodes are location aware/knowledgeable. SLS may also be used to improve routing algorithms other than SARA.

Abstract: Apparatus for adjusting the longitudinal and angular position of a work surface support leg. The leg passes through a channel in a cap held via a spring and pin to a base affixed to the work surface. The leg's angular position is adjusted by rotating the cap, which moves a tooth through a series of mating depressions. The longitudinal position is adjusted by moving the leg which has a series of notches that mate with a locking tooth in the cap. A knob interfaces with the cap via a rotary cam having high and low steps and a matching cam rider. The low step allows separation between the cap and base and the high step locks the cap to the base, thereby locking in the adjustment setting for the leg.

Abstract: A vivarium and assembly for maintaining an aquatic area, wetlands, and dry land. The assembly is an enclosure for adhering to a transparent sidewall of an aquarium tank to provide sidewalls, a dry wall and a dividing wall positioned between the dry wall and the aquarium tank wall to define an aquatic area by the aquarium tank wall and a wetlands area by the dry wall. The enclosure can be surrounded by dry land area. A filtering system includes a water passage between the aquatic area and the wetland area; a water pump connected for pumping water out of the wetland area and back into the aquatic area; a particulate filter between the wetland area and the pump; and an organic filter in the wetland area, the organic filter being a living wetland plant rooted in a growing medium.

Abstract: Remote delivery of water softener pellets into a water softener by a vacuum. By using a vacuum the delivery system allows salt to be delivered to great distances to point of use (existing brine tank). This invention will allow people to drive into their garage close to the inventive salt loading hopper and either dump a bag of salt pellets or scoop out of it into the loading hopper, which is located a convenient minimized height off the floor. The current state prior to this invention was to carry the heavy bag of salt to the location of the water softener brine tank, which in most cases is located down the stairs in a basement.

Abstract: A premium ventilated toilet having an automated toilet ventilation system for removing noxious fumes from a bowl area of the toilet is disclosed. The ventilation system is mostly built-in to the toilet (e.g., ventilation ducts, and sensors) so that it is unobtrusive and attractive looking, however the active parts (e.g., a blower unit containing a blower impeller, a backflow shutoff valve, and electronic control circuitry) are contained in an simple housing that is unobtrusively and removably attached to the surface (preferably on the side) of the toilet base for simplified installation, maintenance, and replacement as needed. Automated operation is enabled by a non-contact occupancy (proximity) sensor and a flush sensor, both preferably built into a flush handle of the toilet. Detection of occupancy causes the ventilation system to operate and flushing turns it off.

Abstract: A placard holder device that removeably holds for display an informational placard that can be viewed through the windshield of a parked vehicle, and which enables simple and quick manual repositioning into a stored position that does not obstruct the line of sight through the windshield. Only a single action step is needed to make the placard visible or invisible. The device features: a frame that removeably holds the placard for display, a mounting body having a hinged connection to the frame, a clasp distal to the hinged connection for releasably clasping the frame to the body, and a clip for removable attachment to a visor of the vehicle. Examples of informational placards include: handicapped or parking passes; identifications of a parked vehicle of a member of the media/press, or of a delivery service; placards that display information about a vehicle at a car show or dealership.

Abstract: A fluid piston engine with a plurality of cylinders wherein the plurality of cylinders are daisy chained through a single turbine having a single impeller. The fluid piston engine has a plurality of daisy chained cylinders that burn a fuel of hydrogen, and an oxidizer of air, preferably oxygen. A method of operating a fluid piston engine with a plurality of daisy chained cylinders includes steps where the operating controls are triggered by a fluid level sensor in a cylinder. Rather than from the cylinder, combustion byproducts are exhausted through a relief valve on an accumulator. Engine performance is varied by selectively idling cylinders and by varying the relative timing of multiple pairs of cylinders, wherein each pair uses internal combustion to expel fluid out of a first cylinder, through the turbine and into the second cylinder of the pair in which the combustion gases are compressed by the circulating fluid piston.