Abstract: Visual disorders of the retina are identified and assessed by stimulating the eye(s) with an array of controllable optical elements wherein the controllable elements are activated with M-sequences. The transient responses of the eye to the activation of the array of elements is obtained and processed using the known M-sequences to identify any areas of disease. The optically controllable elements can produce flashes of light or change colors in response to the energization thereof.

Abstract: A head-immobilizing device for holding a patient's head, or other part of a patient's anatomy, rigidly for tomographic diagnosis or treatment comprises a head cradle having a base portion (10) and an upwardly-extending boss (12) with a concave portion (20) in the center thereof. The concave portion has a plurality of holes (22) therein and a chamber (24) thereunder. A vacuum hose (38,40,46) is in communication with the chamber. The upper rim of the cradle has a resilient sealing ring (14). A patient's head may be placed in the cradle and the chamber partially evacuated, whereby the patient's head can be held against the rim by the vacuum. A repositioning device can be used to obtain the patient's position so that the patient can be repositioned for a later treatment or diagnosis. The repositioning device comprises a mouthpiece (60) which can be unambiguously attached to the patient's head and an adjustable level (52) which can be attached to the mouthpiece in an unambiguous manner.

Abstract: To prevent condensation on the mirror, it is heated with water from a supply tube connected from a showerhead pipe to a dispenser which disperses the heated water in either liquid or spray form, preferably from holes in a hose which is mounted in a rear temperature-control space and which surrounds the back of the mirror. The hose has an oval cross-section with holes on one of its flatter sides so that they will all face inward, toward the center of the mirror. Also the tube acts as a gasket to prevent the water from leaking through the mirror's front. The mirror is held by a flex-arm which includes breakaway flex-joints (hinge or ball), allowing rotational and translational movements. A supply tube is carred inside the flexarm, has a friction fit in the ends of the arm, and is connected to the dispenser hose by a T-fitting. A relief slot in the mirror end of the flex-arm allows water which enters the space in the flex-arm around the supply tube to leave such space.

Abstract: A collapsible table, especially suited for supporting persons to be massaged, comprises, in a main embodiment, a pair of hingedly-connected top sections (12) and two pairs of legs (16) hingedly connected to the respective outer ends of the top sections. A foldable leg brace (18) is connected between the side of the table's top at its center and a lower part of each leg. A brace crosspiece (32) interconnects each pair of braces. A pair of short cable support legs (26) extend down from the center of the table. Each of a pair of cables (28) extends in a V-shaped arrangement from near the leg hinges at one end of the table down through holes in the brace crosspieces to the bottom ends of the cable support legs and then up through the other brace cross piece to the leg hinges at the opposite end of the table.

Abstract: An implantable hydraulic penile erectile device comprises a pair of occlusive cuffs (32 and 34) which are surgically implanted and wrapped around respective crura (18 and 20). The cuffs have expandable domes (56) on their inner surface (54). The domes are connected, via a check valve (44) and respective tubes (36, 38, 64, and 66), to a pump-reservoir (42). The pump-reservoir and the check valves are implanted in the scrotum. The system in general is filled with a working fluid so that when the pump-reservoir is squeezed, the working fluid is shifted to the expandable domes via the check valve. Expansion of the domes squeezes the crura of the penis and hence the deep penile veins (26a and 26b). This restricts venous blood flow from the cavernous bodies, causing engorgement of the spongy tissue and thus inducing erection. For deactivation of the device, the user squeezes the check valve so that bypass channels (68 and 70) are formed therein.

Abstract: The fat-to-lean ratio of tissue on a human subject is measured by the subject standing on a platform (100), raising his or her heels, then allowing his or her weight to fall onto the board near a transducer to produce a force. A sensor transmits a voltage signal to an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter. The subject's stomach (300), buttocks (310), and other flesh will continue moving in a downward direction (335) (below their rest position) after the skeleton has stopped moving. This results in a downward force on the board which is registered as a data peak (580) in a computer through the action of the sensor and the A/D converter. Tissue elasticity will cause the stomach and buttocks to then move upward (350), above their normal resting position. This will result in a lessening of the force and a corresponding minimum (590) in the output wave.

Abstract: An automatic protective fuel fill bib which is capable of protecting an entire fender area adjacent to its fill pipe when an accidental trickling or masssive overflowing of fuel occurs from a fuel-hose nozzle during filling, yet which is so flexible that it can be compacted and stored within a small area of a fill-pipe compartment when not in use. The protective fuel fill bib comprises a super flexible gasoline-resistant rubber sheet (10) with a plastic arc-shaped supported (16) adhered onto the underside of the sheet to influence the sheet to assume a trough shape which will extend itself out and away from the automobile's finish when installed. When fuel is spilled from the fuel-hose nozzle, the fuel will be diverted by the protective fuel fill bib onto the ground without any contact with the automobile's whatsoever (FIG. 4). In lieu of an arc-shaped supporter, the bib can be made to assume the trough shape by means of a ring-shaped supported (FIG. 5), a U-shaped supporter (FIG.

Abstract: A vehicle kinetic energy reclaiming system employs the vehicle's engine (10) to compress air when the vehicle decelerates and reuses the stored compressed air to drive an air motor (78) which assists in powering the vehicle when it is underway again. When the vehicle begins to decelerate, an accelerator switch (24) causes a valve (38) in a carburetor (34) bypass pipe to open, allowing ample air to enter and be compressed by the engine, which is driven by the vehicle's kinetic energy through the transmission (42). This helps decelerate the vehicle and saves its brakes. The same switch closes a valve (22) in the exhaust line (18-19), causing the compressed air to be diverted to a storage tank (26). When enough pressure in accumulated in the tank, a pressure release valve (74) in the tanks' output opens and a valve switch (72) closes, allowing air to reach an accelerator-controlled valve (88). This enables a clutch (76), which connects the air motor to the vehicle's transmission, to be operated.

Abstract: A manipulator for vacuum applications, e.g., for positioning of a specimen at a required point in a vacuum chamber (20) where the specimen can be subjected to ion implantation or similar treatment or measuring procedures, comprises an adjustable angular connector (12) which is formed by two skewed rings (32) and (36) which slide one over another. When the rings rotate, the end of drive shaft (72) describes a planetary path along a circle. The drive shaft (72) has one end connected to a rotary drive mechanism (14) and another end to a driven shaft (92) through a universal joint (90). The lower end of the driven shaft is installed in a rotating manner in a slide (87). The slide (87) is guided in one direction along another slide (84) which in turn is guided in a direction perpendicular to the first one along a rigid frame (80). Planetary motion of driven shaft (92) causes linear motions of the slides (84, 87) in mutually perpendicular directions.

Abstract: An ergonomic cane comprises a shank (20) and, at one end of the shank, a handle part (22) which is shaped like a pistol grip. The shank has a triangular configuration (FIG. 3) with substantially flat sides (56), which may be slightly concave (FIG. 4). The handle grip extends at a generally right angle from the shank, has an oval cross section (FIG. 7), has a plurality of finger grips (44) extending up from the lower edge thereof, is wider adjacent the shank than at its free end (38), and its lower side makes an obtuse angle with the shank. A hanging strap (48) is attached to the handle grip. By virtue of the triangular configuration of the shank, the cane can be made of lightweight material, such as redwood, yet has ample strength. The pistol grip handle, its angle of joinder with the shank, and the flat sides of the shank provide a handle which can be held with three fingers and a shank which can be held by the extended thumb and forefinger (FIG.

Abstract: A valve with improved sealing properties comprises a housing (10a) with an inlet pipe (12a), an outlet pipe (16a) and a flange (54) which is closed by a first cover (52). An annular copper seal (24a) is placed between the flange (54) and the first cover. The first cover is closed with a thrust cover (60) which is connected to the flange by bolts (68) which pass through holes (64) in the first cover and are threaded to the flange. A valve stem (36a), a threaded portion (34a) of which is screwed into a central threaded opening (62), is inserted into the valve housing. The valve stem carries a valve head (38a) which is rotatable with respect to the valve stem and engages a valve seat 48a inside the housing. The threaded connection between the valve stem and the interior of the valve housing is sealed by a bellows (50a).

Abstract: A chopstick holder (10) comprises a rectangular body with a pair of through holes (20, 22) having diameters larger than tip portions of the sticks, but smaller than the top ends of the sticks, so that when the chopsticks are inserted in the holder, they are firmly held in it by friction. The holding portions are linked by a connection portion (32), which is preferably resilient. Another embodiment of the holder includes tapered splines (36, 38) on the inner surfaces of the holes to gouge longitudinal grooves on the chopsticks to prevent the sticks from rotating in the holes. The holes may have round or square cross sections. The holder may be shifted down the sticks to increase operating force.

Abstract: A thin, flat closure for plastic bags and of the type having at one edge a V-shaped notch (12) which communicates at its base with a gripping aperture (14). The base (10) of the closure is made of a flexible material so that it can be repeatedly bent, without fracturing, along an axis aligned with said notch and aperture. In addition, upon one or both sides of the closure is laminated a layer of paper (20). The axis may contain one or two grooves (18) or a through-hole (26), either of which acts as a hinge to facilitate bending.

Abstract: A polar-coordinate manipulator for vacuum application, e.g., for positioning of a specimen (S) between several operating positions in a vacuum chamber (16) where the specimen can be subjected to ion implantation or similar treatment or measuring procedures. The device comprises a circular stationary support (12) attached to the flange of vacuum chamber (16). A square-shaped rotary table (22) is rotatingly supported by a circular support (22) and in turn slidingly supports a sliding block (44). The sliding block can be shifted by a micrometer (50) radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the turntable. The sliding block supports a moveable plate (72) which can be shifted along the above-mentioned axis of rotation and carries a rigidly attached rod (92) which penetrates into the vacuum chamber and supports the sample to be treated. The manipulator can position the sample at a target point in a polar coordinate system.

Abstract: A gate valve for controlling the passage of fluid between inlet and outlet openings comprises a housing (40) containing a reciprocating expandable gate element formed of a wedge (54) which is sandwiched between two spring-loaded plates (56 and 58) so that reciprocation of the wedge causes expansion of the plates for closing the valve's openings. In order to facilitate the return stroke of the wedge and to overcome the holding force of the vacuum on one of the plate, the device includes a bleeder valve element (80) which is connected to the first plate and has a seat on the second plate so that when the first plate (56) located on the higher pressure side commences its movement, it opens the bleeder valve element and equilizes the pressures on both sides of the valve. This eliminates the vacuum and thus the holding force. In the second embodiment, the valve has a time-delay mechanism which delays retraction of the plate on the low pressure side until a certain equilibrium of pressure is achieved.

Abstract: A mechanically-expandable instrument for treating diseases in the urethra and the neck of the urinary bladder, comprising a driver having two elements which, upon selective activation thereof, will reciprocate in two mutually opposite directions; a probe comprising two rods, each having a semicircular cross-section such that when one of the rods is placed adjacent the other, they will form a substantially complete circle in cross section. The rods are attached to each other at one end thereof to form a tip, their other ends being attached to the respective reciprocating elements, the mating surfaces of the rods having at least one pair of engaging cams, for causing the rods to expand and contract in diameter due to engagement of the cams in response to reciprocations of the rods.

Abstract: A sample transfer device (10) for manipulating a sample (S) in a pair of sealed vacuum chambers (18, 102) comprises a tubular housing (12) made from a magnetically permeable material. The housing has one closed end (14) and another flanged open end (16) for attachment to the vacuum chamber. Located inside the housing is shaft (40) of a square cross section. One end of the shaft is rotatingly connected to an inner permanent magnet (66) which can rotate with respect to the shaft but moves axially together therewith. The other end of the shaft protrudes from the housing into the vacuum chamber (110). The shaft is supported inside the housing by a bevel gear (32) which rotates in a bearing (20) in the housing. The bevel gear (32) has a square opening (38) which guides the above-mentioned square shaft during its axial movements. The gear (32) engages another gear (98) which is attached to an output shaft of a rotary drive unit (80) having its drive element outside the housing.

Abstract: A computer system comprises a generally U-shaped base unit (10) and a generally-rectangular travel unit (12) which mates with the base unit, between the legs (34, 36) of the "U". The portable unit contains a complete computer system, including a flip-up monitor screen (14), a disc drive (20), and a detachable keyboard (24). The mating base unit includes expansion slots (30) for additional memory, peripheral equipment controllers, a CRT controller, etc. Also the base unit includes a controller (112) for one or more additional disc drives (26, 28). The facing sides of the legs of the U-shaped base unit have a step-shaped configuration (42, 44, 46) and the portable unit fits onto the step. The bight portion (38) of the base unit has a front connector (49A) for mating with the portable unit and rear connectors (48, 58A) for connection of additional equipment, such as a printer and modem.

Abstract: The time of day is displayed on clock face (10) through the use of two, two-digit numerical stations (20) and (30) and a minutes scale comprised of marks (40). The left-hand station (20) indicates the actual hour of the day and the right-hand station (30) indicates the next hour of the day so that display (30) always indicates one hour past the time shown by display (20). A series of lamps (40) between the two stations are used to form a bar-graph display of the minutes of the hour. A number of display modalities are possible. Electronic and mechanical versions of the timepiece are shown.