Abstract: A rule change for Super Pan 9 presents a slight edge to the banker, thus encouraging greater participation in the game by those who ordinarily do not wish to bank and by those who desire to have their bets covered by a fully funded banker. A method of play comprises the specific designation of a type or value of special-rule Super Pan 9 hand (banker player's or non-banker player's), the appearance of which causes the banker to win a specified percentage of either all bets (when a banker's hand is designated) or of the bet of the non-banker player having the hand (when a non-banker player's hand is designated). The increase in odds favoring the banker is held to a predetermined and acceptably low value by the choice of special-rule hand whose frequency of occurrence can be determined statistically.

Abstract: A small-gamut colorant set is a new system and mechanism for reproducing monochrome images on a wide range of color printing devices with an unprecedented combination of flexibility and quality. It is fundamentally unlike, and yet in certain ways similar to, both existing colorant systems for printing color images and existing colorant systems for printing monochrome images. It combines many advantages from both of these families of traditional colorant systems into a kind of system that is superior in many ways for printing monochrome images. It uses a set of at least three tinted gray colorants to create a color space within which a small amount of chroma adjustment and the full range of hue adjustment is possible. These three tinted grays may be accompanied by a black colorant, and/or other shades of gray, or a second set of three tinted grays, depending on the opportunities presented by the nature of the printing device.

Abstract: A game board has a central playing field, called the territories, surrounded by a peripheral or perimeter playing field called the sacrifice zone. The board comprises 90 squares arranged in ten columns and nine rows. The squares form an ordered array of cells or positions for playing pieces, through which rectangular array vertical, horizontal and diagonal moves are possible. The thirty-four perimeter squares comprise a sacrifice zone that is one square wide, namely, the first and last columns and the top and bottom rows. The remaining fifty-six inner squares comprise the territories. Two sets of fourteen playing pieces of three types are assigned to the two players, each type of piece being allowed moves and captures according to individual rules. Special rules apply to pieces entering and occupying the sacrifice zone squares.

Abstract: A harness strap assembly is adapted to be incorporated into the inner liner of the pants of a firefighter's turnout suit without requiring structural modification thereof. The harness strap assembly, when installed, comprises a pair of webbed strap members. A waist belt and the harness strap assembly are wound forward around the user's waist through waist belt-loops suspended from a suspender assembly; then down through loops suspended at the crotch of the pant liner; thence back around under the user's buttocks; and finally back forward to the fly area of the liner. Adjacent to the fly of the liner, the crotch portions of the strap pass through a pair of metal or fabric carabiner-holding rings that are attached to looped ends of the harness strap members. The carabiner-holding rings, in turn, are interlinked (by means of a strap) with a metal carabiner of conventional design.

Abstract: A board game comprises a board having sixteen squares arranged in four rows of four squares each. Each player receives twelve pieces arranged in three stacks of nested pieces, four pieces to a stack. The object of play is to occupy squares on the board forming a continuous straight line of four pieces of the same color.

Abstract: A harness strap assembly is adapted to be incorporated into the inner liner of the pants of a firefighter's turnout suit without requiring structural modification thereof. The harness strap assembly, when installed, comprises a single length of webbed strap (or, preferably, a securely interconnected bifurcated length) that is wound forward around the user's waist through waist belt-loops suspended from a suspender assembly; then down through loops suspended at the crotch of the pant liner; thence back around under the user's buttocks; then through loops suspended at both thigh areas of the liner; and finally back forward to the fly area of the liner. Adjacent to the fly of the liner, the crotch portions of the strap pass through a pair of metal or fabric carabiner-holding rings that are attached to the ends of the harness strap. The carabiner-holding rings, in turn, are interlinked (by means of a strap) with a metal carabiner of conventional design.

Abstract: A hollow-spine ladder-type cable tray with cable arms has a hollow channel within one of the two body spines which is adapted for running and holding electrical wiring. This is achieved by enlarging at least one of the spines, and thus its hollow channel, and by molding one side face of the spine so as to open outwardly except when covered by one or more snap-on cover plates. The cover plates may include mounts suitable for holding standard 110 or 220 volt electrical outlets, modular telephone jacks, or the like. Preferably, however, separate outlet plates bearing or adapted to bear the outlets are configured to snap on over the open face of at least one spine between adjacent cover plates.

Abstract: A hollow-spine cable tray has cable arms wherein the hollow channel of the body spine is adapted for running and holding electrical wiring. This is achieved by enlarging the spine, and thus its hollow channel, and by molding one side face of the spine so as to open outwardly except when covered by one or more snap-on cover plates. The cover plates may include mounts suitable for holding standard 110 or 220 volt electrical outlets, modular telephone jacks, or the like. Preferably, however, separate outlet plates bearing or adapted to bear the outlets are configured to snap on over the open face of the spine between adjacent cover plates.

Abstract: The invention comprises a wall or door-mounted container for cleansing wipes having two separate compartments, one for holding readily available packet stacks (or rolls) of dry paper towel wipes of standard size, and one for holding a sealed containers of pre-moistened paper towelette wipes. The latter containers also may be found in retail and wholesale outlets everywhere and comes in generally cylindrical tubs of two or three standard sizes. A slot is provided in the bottom of the first container compartment for permitting egress of the dry paper towels, as is common. A new aperture is provided in the bottom of the second compartment for providing egress to the wet towelettes, in cooperative placement with respect to the cross slit aperture found in the lid of a towelette tub. A one-piece hinged and locked transparent front panel gives ready access to both compartments for instant refilling.

Abstract: A cover for a pressurized fuel tank has at least one heat-reflecting wall surface. Preferably, both sides of the cover wall are heat-reflecting. Preferably, the heat-reflecting property is obtained by metalizing the surfaces, e.g., with mirrored plastic films such as aluminum-coated mylar. Alternatively, the cover wall is made out of a very light (heat-reflective) color. By enclosing the tank within the cover, heat is reflected away from the tank rather than absorbed. While some heat may be transferred to the tank, in general the cover reflects enough heat to prevent a significant number of accidental gas ventings and associated fires. Other features include a slit in the top of the cover through which the fuel line may be fed to the covered tank valve; one or more small air and gas vent holes; and indicia on the inside and outside of the cover for revealing whether the covered tank is full or empty.

Abstract: Two or more ultrasound transducer probes applied to a body give information regarding the relative position of each by determining the time of transit of sound energy between each probe. Besides knowledge of the range from one probe to another, the orientation and bearing of one probe to the other is determined by calculating the relative direction by which sound energy arrives at a probe. By making the location of one of the probes be known through fixing it in space to a mechanical arm or similar mechanical device of knowable position, the absolute positions and orientations of both probes becomes known. Each of the two ultrasound probes may generate different views of the same structure. Such complimentary, and possibly simultaneous, views allow for greater precision and clearer three-dimensional images, as well as provide for more rapid accumulation of data.

Abstract: Fluidic devices, including blind vortex tubes, constant-rotation double diodes and constant-rotation double vortex tubes, are disclosed with which to construct pulse tube refrigerators, including ones having diode loops, constant-rotation double diodes, constant-rotation double vortex tubes, and asymmetrical diode stacks. Present orifice pulse tube refrigerators use an orifice connected at the warm end of the pulse tube to a reservoir. The orifice and reservoir serve to control flows at the warm end of the pulse tube so that they are not in phase with flows at the cold end. Present heat exchangers at the warm end suffer inefficiencies due to heat-regenerative effects caused by return flows through the orifice. The fluidic devices disclosed herein create dynamic replacement orifices for pulse tube refrigerators that also serve as efficient heat exchangers and supercoolers with minimal regenerative characteristics.

Abstract: A harness strap assembly is incorporated into the inner liner of the pants of a firefighter's turnout suit. The harness strap assembly comprises a single length of webbed strap (or, preferably, a securely interconnected bifurcated length) that is wound forward around the user's waist through waist belt loops; then down through loops at the crotch of the pant liner; thence back around under the user's buttocks; then through loops on both thigh sides of the liner; and finally back forward to the fly area of the liner. Adjacent to the fly, the crotch portions of the strap pass through a pair of carabineer loops, which loops are not stitched or otherwise affixed to the liner. Instead, looped ends of the harness strap hold the two carabineer loops. The carabineer loops, in turn, are interlinked with a metal climber's carabineer of conventional design.

Abstract: A retractable hood or canopy attaches to the top portion of an internal or external backpack frame. Preferably, one or more exterior solar panels are mounted on the top of the hood and power one or more electric fans which cool the head of the backpacker while hiking. Two open-ended C-bands make up the internal frame structure of the hood. A waterproof cloth material covers these frame members. Mosquito netting is attached along the lower frame of the hood using hook and loop fastener material. An optional atomizing feature provides a further cooling effect to the head of a user by directing water onto the head of the user in the form of a cooling mist.

Abstract: A mobile surface contaminant extracting and water recycling apparatus comprises a standard truck, pickup, trailer or other wheeled container that is modified by the addition of a clay-based flocculent powder wastewater treatment unit. Mounted in combination with the wheeled container and the wastewater treatment unit is a vacuum steam cleaning unit. Steam is sent from the cleaning unit and sprayed by pressure guns onto the contaminated surface of a parking lot or other surface to be cleaned. The surface contaminants become emulsified in water condensed from the steam, which contaminated water then is vacuumed up by cleaning wands and returned by hose to the steam cleaning unit on the truck bed. From the steam unit, the contaminated water is piped to the adjacent truck-mounted wastewater treatment unit. The water is churned in the latter unit in the presence clay-based powder. The resultant floc sludge is deposited on top of porous cloth on a draining tray or trays.

Abstract: Fluidic devices, including constant-rotation double diodes and constant-rotation double vortex tubes, are disclosed with which to construct pulse tube refrigerators having diode loops, constant-rotation double diodes, constant-rotation double vortex tubes, and asymmetrical diode stacks. Present orifice pulse tube refrigerators use an orifice connected at the warm end of the pulse tube to a reservoir. The orifice and reservoir serve to control flows at the warm end of the pulse tube so that they are not in phase with flows at the cold end. Present heat exchangers at the warm end suffer inefficiencies due to heat-regenerative effects caused by return flows through the orifice. The fluidic devices disclosed herein create dynamic replacement orifices for pulse tube refrigerators that also serve as efficient heat exchangers and supercoolers with minimal regenerative characteristics.

Abstract: An ergonomic vehicle inspection mirror apparatus has a handle, a pole or casing, and a foot. Mounted on the foot is a rotatable mirror. The mirror is attached to the foot by means of a pivot shaft, about which the mirror is capable of two degrees of rotational freedom, in order to turn the plane of the mirror at various angles with respect to the foot. Rotation about the pivot shaft is actuated by an electric motor in the foot. The motor is interconnected with a toggle switch in the handle. Pushing the switch in a particular direction causes the mirror to rotate in that direction. The inspector can place the foot of the device under the vehicle with the pole at an attitude that is chosen to be comfortable. Thereafter, the mirror may be rotated with the switch so as to direct the line of sight at various points under the vehicle body without having to readjust the pole for each angle of view.

Abstract: An automobile hood cover is comprised of a flexible planar substrate of vinyl coated fabric or other plastic material, which substrate has substantially all of its exterior (outwardly facing) surface covered with protective and decorative lace means, namely, either lace cloth or lace indicia. The cloth or indicia form a lace pattern comprised of regularly recurring sets of discrete graphical motifs.

Abstract: A foam-core fabric-covered headrest snaps in place over the top tube of the frame of any of a wide variety of lawn or beach furniture. The core is a resilient foam cylinder into which is cut or molded a radially directed longitudinal slit leading to a cylindrical axial channel. A cylindrically looped one-piece fabric shell covers the side surface of the foam core--slit, channel and all. Preferably, a tether is provided with which to secure the device to the chair frame. The tether prevents accidental dislodging of the device while the chair is being transported. It also tends to discourage theft and other forms of inadvertent loss.