Abstract: A water walker for walking or skiing over the water. Each walker consists of multiple inflatable tubes attached to one another and with an opening in the middle for inserting the foot. The foot rests on a foot plate supported by a tubular structural support system running horizontally the length of the walker. Propulsion is accomplished by a plurality of pockets made of a flexible membrane joined to the underside of the walker and used either independently or in conjunction with water ski poles or sails. Tabs with grommets or other means are provided at the front, middle and rear for tethering the pair of water walkers together to create a raft. A removable fin may be positioned beneath the foot or at the rear, depending on whether the walkers are used with a sail, as water walkers or as water skiis. The entire apparatus is lightweight and may be transported in a special backpack.

Abstract: A portable water purification system has a prefiler, a pumping unit, a reverse osmosis unit, a microbial control unit and a post filter for removing nuclear, biological, chemical and other contaminants from a water source. The hand operated pumping unit has a feed water cylinder and a concentrate cylinder to control ratios between intake and concentrate volumes. The system further prolongs the life of components by reducing the level of contaminants in contact with parts of the system.

Abstract: Manufacturing history of a product is accumulated without burdening a host computer which manages a production line. Whenever a work or part to be assembled is fed to the production line, a management terminal sets an operation data area corresponding to the work in an operation file. An operation terminal is provided for each step in the production line. These operation terminals each identify a work arriving at a corresponding step station and detect the contents of operation to be carried out on the work. The detected operation contents are written in an operation data area corresponding to the identified work in an operation data area in the operation file.

Abstract: A function ally gradient composite material containing copper and carbon as main components and having a predetermined shape, in which the composition ratio of the copper to the carbon in the material continuously varies in at least one predetermined direction. The material is manufactured, for example, by impregnating carbon felt with a resin and thermo-compressively molding the impregnated felt (step S101), carbonizing the resin by baking (step S102) to provide a preformed carbon material (step S104). Pyrolytic carbon is thereafter deposited in the preformed carbon material by the CVI method (step S105) to provide a carbon material having the bulk density varying in a predetermined direction (step S107). After the wettability of the carbon material against copper is improved by siliconization (step S108), pores of the carbon material are impregnated with copper (step S109) to obtain a functionally gradient composite material of copper and carbon.

Abstract: An optical card recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reproducing information onto/from an optical card by relatively moving the optical card to an optical head is provided. The optical head has an optical system for producing focusing and tracking control signals. The optical system includes a light emitting diode having a narrow slit-like light emitting surface as a light source. The optical system has photo sensitive elements for focusing control, a photo sensitive element for tracking control, and a recorded information reproducing photo sensitive element which are used to detect the reflected lights from the optical card of a slit light which is emitted from the light emitting diode. By forming a slit-like light spot onto the optical card, the focusing and tracking controls can be accurately easily executed and the deterioration in pits and track guides is prevented.

Abstract: An apparatus for coupling a cleat has a pedal shaft for rotatably supporting a pedal, a tread surface extending parallel to the pedal shaft for contacting a bottom of a shoe, a first pivotal axis provided on the pedal, and a first cleat clamp pivotable about the first pivotal axis. The first cleat clamp includes a recess for engaging one end of the cleat until a force exceeding a predetermined value is applied thereto. Further, this apparatus has a second cleat clamp opposed to the first cleat clamp across the pedal shaft, and a pair of restrictor projections disposed between the second cleat clamp and the pedal shaft for restricting displacement to the cleat. The second cleat clamp cooperates with the first cleat clamp to couple the cleat to the pedal. The restrictor projections are spaced apart from each other by a distance greater than a width along the pedal shaft of a portion of the cleat for contacting the restrictor projections.

Abstract: A flexible articular conditioning system includes a plurality of elongated, solid, non-shifting weight members. The weight members may be removable for cleaning, and may be replaced by progressively heavier weight sets. Weight is not merely added to the wearer. The weights are advantageously evenly distributed across the body and located above and below the respective joint cavities. The disclosed systems are particularly well suited for sports specific training. The articulates may be properly and safely conditioned while exercising the muscles that control those articulates.

Abstract: A master plate making printing device for stencil printing on a print object is disclosed. The master plate making printing device comprises a stencil master plate holding member. The device also includes a plate making device for making a plurality of stencil master plates in different locations of a stencil master plate sheet supported by the stencil master plate holding member in a pre-defined mutual positional relationship. A motor is provided for causing a relative displacement between the stencil master plate sheet and the print object so as to place the print object to positions corresponding to the different stencil master plates formed in the stencil master plate sheet. Stencil printing means are provided for carrying out at a process of stencil printing on the print object by using each of the different stencil master plates formed in the stencil master plate sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus for balancing the grinding wheel (2) of a grinding machine, comprising an assembly coupled to and rotating with the wheel and including masses (24, 26) the position of which is adjustable and electrical motors (28, 30) to control adjusting movements of the masses. The electrical connection between the motors and a survey and processing unit (16) including a power source (40) is provided by slip rings (48) and brushes (54). The brushes are fixed to a movable support (52). A spring (58) acts on the movable support to space the brushes apart from the slip rings. An actuator including, for example, electromagnets (60) acts on the movable support to perform the contact between the brushes and the corresponding slip rings.

Abstract: A pump control system for adjusting the frequency of operation of a pump motor in accordance with the demand on the pump includes means for periodically actuating the pump motor to initiate operation of the pump at periodic intervals; sensor means for sensing the condition of the operating pump motor; and means responsive to the sensor means for adjusting the periodic interval to conform the operation of the pump motor to demand on the pump.

Abstract: A motor vehicle driving analytically diagnosing device comprises: running speed detecting means for detecting a running speed of a motor vehicle; acceleration detecting means for detecting acceleration of the motor vehicle; braking detecting means for detecting braking of the motor vehicle; a detected signals analyzing unit for analyzing a running speed signal detected by the running speed detecting means, an acceleration signal detected by the acceleration detecting means and a braking signal detected by the braking detecting means to generate analyzed signals indicative of driving states of a driver; a dangerous driving times counting unit for counting dangerous driving times during which the analyzed signals generated by the detected signals analyzing unit satisfy predetermined danger judging conditions in a certain period of driving, and for detecting maximum values of the analyzed signals generated by the detected signals analyzing unit in the certain period of driving; and a driving diagnosing unit for

Abstract: A rugged, flexible unit for generating a corona discharge includes a conductive central wire, flexible dielectric material, and a flexible conductive layer surrounding said dielectric material. The dielectric material may be advantageously formed of PTFE. The flexible unit may be conveniently cut from a long length of prefabricated insulated wire. In operation, an alternating current is supplied to the central wire and the outer conductive layer is grounded, such that a corona discharge is efficiently generated within and around interstices formed by the outer layer. The corona discharge may be used to ozonate oxygen-rich gas.

Abstract: A flow-through type ozone generating system has a fluid conduit and a source of alternating current for generating a corona discharge. An insulated wire may be used as an electrode within the conduit. PTFE is advantageously used as a dielectric material.

Abstract: A spinning reel has a detachable cover for closing a side of a reel body. The reel body includes engaging pieces, while the cover includes engageable elements.The cover is movable between a first position for tight contact with the reel body to close an interior of the reel body, and a second position rotated a predetermined angle from the first position about a lateral axis of the reel body. The engaging pieces are engaged with the engageable elements when the cover is in the first position, to realize the cramping of the cover with the reel body, to assure the closed condition of the reel body, and disengaged from the engageable elements when the cover is in said second position, to allow the cover to separate from the reel body. And the reel have a locking system to maintain the cover in the first position.

Abstract: Particulate water-soluble or water-swellable polymeric material is provided with a substantially uninterrupted continuous coating of crystalline material. Single particles or aggregates having a size below 1 mm in size can be made by mixing the polymeric particles with a substantially saturated or supersaturated aqueous solution of crystallizable material (optionally a melt of hydrate crystallizable material) and thereby depositing it as a continuous crystalline coating on the particles.