Abstract: A main body portion of a shoe includes a base having a heel and a sole, and an upper on the base. A lower sole is positioned below the base sole and is movable front to rear and back relative to the base sole. A transducer is provided in the seal and is connected to the lower sole. The transducer pushes the lower sole forwardly in response to heel pressure being imposed by the heel of the wearer on the heel of the shoe. After a forward shoe is set down on the ground, with its heel up and its lower sole contacting the ground, the main body portion of the shoe, with the wearer's foot inside of it, slides forward and adds length to the step.

Abstract: A disposable first tube (68) extends axially through, and is detachably connected to, an annular main body (10'). An input piezo electric element (38) is attached to a first end of the tubular main body (10'). A second, sensor piezo electric element (40) is attached to the opposite end of the main body (10'). A nozzle (20') having a nozzle passageway (110) and a discharge opening (112) is detachably secured to an outlet end of the first tube (68). A second tube (102) within the first tube (68) delivers a core liquid to the nozzle passageway (110). A sheath liquid is delivered through a space in the first tube (68) surrounding the second tube (102). The nozzle passageway (110) forms the core and sheath liquids into a small diameter jet stream. Electrical energy is delivered to the input piezo electric element (38), to vibrate the nozzle (20') and break the jet stream into droplets.

Abstract: A spring (304) biases a movable housing part (12, 16) away from a fixed housing part (10, 306, 156). The fixed housing part (10, 306, 156) is composed only a main housing (10), a draw tube (306) and an inlet valve housing (156). The inlet valve housing (156) is inserted into the main housing (10). The movable housing part (12, 16) is composed of a forward housing (12), which includes a trigger (14), and a nozzle (16). The main housing (10), the inlet valve housing (156) and the forward housing (12) together form a variable volume pump chamber (318). The inlet valve (184, 268) includes , a valve plug (184) which is initially connected to a sidewall portion (168) of the inlet valve housing (156) by a frangible section (196). During assembly, an axial push is imposed on the valve plug (184), to sever the frangible section (196), and then move the valve plug (184) rearwardly past stop lugs (198, 200), into a position axially between the stop lugs (198, 200) and an inlet valve seat (268).

Abstract: A pair of openings (14) are drilled in a workpiece (12) at locations spaced inwardly from an edge (76) of the workpiece (12). Each opening is cold-expanded by the passage of a mandrel (46') only, or a mandrel (46) and split sleeve (58), to create an annular zone of residual compressive stresses (72) in the workpiece material immediately surrounding the openings (14'). Then the workpiece (12) is cut along lines extending from the edge (76) inwardly to central regions of the cold-expanded openings (14'). The workpiece material between the two openings (14') and the two cuts (74) is removed. The edge portions (72) of the material in the vicinity of the cuts (74) and the openings (14') are machined to a final desired size and shape, to define connector slots (84) having cold-expanded round regions bounding the slots (84).