Abstract: A kissing shield comprised of a thin, flexible membrane and a frame or holder. The membrane is closed on three sides, a fourth side remaining open so that the membrane can be stretched over the frame or holder. The frame or holder consists of a supporting member and an elongated handle. The supporting member adapts over the bottom part of the user's face and has sufficient dimension to cover the lips and most of the cheeks and extends from under the nose to the bottom of the chin. The elongated handle extends laterally from the supporting member and is sized to be held in the hand of the user such that the hand is spaced apart from the supporting member and membrane.In use, the membrane is placed over the frame or holder. Using the handle portion of the frame or holder, the user places the kissing shield under his nose, so that it covers his lips, cheeks and chin.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for making impressions of at least a portion of a patient's upper and lower posterior teeth with the patient's mandible and maxilla positioned in a centric relation, relieving muscle trismus and pain caused by muscles, diagnosing temporal mandibular joint problems in a patient, and positioning a patient's mandible and maxilla in a centric relation using a dental device sized and shaped so as to be inserted into the patient's mouth.

Abstract: A method of covering a flower pot with a floral grouping disposed therein. In the method, a sheet of material with a sheet extension connected to the outer peripheral edge of the sheet of material and extending a distance therefrom is formed about the flower pot to a position wherein the sheet of material extends about substantially the entire outer peripheral surface of the flower pot to provide a decorative covering and the sheet extension is formed abut the floral grouping to a position wherein the sheet extension extends about a portion of the floral grouping to provide a protective covering. A portion of the sheet of material is then crimped to form a crimped portion in the sheet of material.

Abstract: A cover/wrap system for flower pots and the like allows the use of any sheet of material to cover a pot and be held in place by a sleeve. A transparent sleeve can be used, and colored or patterned material will decorate the pot; and, if the material is subject to moisture damage, an inner sleeve acts as a moisture barrier. The sleeve can be set down, the sheet of material placed over the sleeve, and the pot simply placed on the sheet of material. The pot will sink into the sleeve and will urge the sheet of material around the pot, then hold the material in place.

Abstract: A method for wrapping a wrapper about a floral grouping wherein the wrapper is a sleeve or sheet of material having a cinching tab or strip of bonding material or both. The floral grouping is placed on the sheet of material which is wrapped thereabout, or the floral grouping is disposed in the interior space of the sleeve. The cinching tab is attached near one end of the sheet or sleeve. The cinching tab has a bonding material disposed thereon which, when the cinching tab is pulled tightly about the wrapper, causes the wrapper to be crimped and tightly bound about the stems of the floral grouping. When a sheet or sleeve having a strip of bonding material is used, the portion of the wrapper having the strip of bonding material is crimped manually or automatically about a portion of the stems of the floral grouping causing portions of the wrapper to overlap and bond to each other causing the wrapper to be held firmly about the stems of the floral grouping.

Abstract: A food warmer cabinet and improved drawer slide assembly for keeping prepared food warm is provided. The food warmer cabinet comprises a housing assembly, a plurality of slide assemblies, at least one drawer, and a convection heater. The a plurality of slide assemblies are supported within the heating chamber. At least one drawer is slidably supported by the slide assemblies such that the drawer can be slidably positioned within the heating chamber and slidably removed from the heating chamber. The drawer has an interior cavity for receiving a food storage container. The convection heater is supported within the heating chamber such that the drawer can be slidably positioned within the heating chamber and slidably removed from the heating chamber.

Abstract: Tyrosine sulfate on PSGL-1, particularly at least one of residues 46, 48 and 51, functions in conjunction with sialylated and fucosylated glycans, most preferably Thr-57, to mediate high affinity binding to P-selectin. PSGL-1 O-glycans have been determined to consist of disialylated or neutral forms of the core-2 tetrasaccharide Gal.beta.1.fwdarw.4GlcNAc.beta.1.fwdarw.6(Gal.beta.1.fwdarw.3)GalNAcOH. A minority of the O-glycans are .alpha.1,3 fucosylated that occur as two major species containing the sialyl Lewis x antigen--one species is a disialylated monofucosylated glycan:Fuc.alpha.1 .dwnarw. 3 NeuAc.alpha.2.fwdarw.3Gal.beta.1.fwdarw.4GlcNAc.beta.1 .dwnarw. 6 NeuAc.alpha.2.fwdarw.3Gal.beta.1.fwdarw.3GalNAc-R,and the other is a monosialylated, trifucosylated glycan having a polylactosamine backbone:Fuc.alpha.l .dwnarw. 3 NeuAc.alpha.2.fwdarw.3Gal.beta.1.fwdarw.4GlcNAc.beta.1.fwdarw.3Gal.beta.1. fwdarw. Fuc.alpha.l Fuc.alpha.l .dwnarw. .dwnarw. 3 3 4GlcNAc.beta.1.fwdarw.3Gal.beta.1.fwdarw.4GlcNAc.beta.1 .

Abstract: A method of shipping a plurality of preformed flower pot covers is provided. Each preformed flower pot cover includes a sheet of material formed into a shape sized to receive a flower pot. The preformed flower pot cover has a base with a closed lower end and an open upper end with an object opening extending therethrough for receiving the flower pot. The method includes providing a portable platform having a plurality of stacking shells disposed therefrom. Each stacking shell is configured to be received in the object opening of one of the preformed flower pot covers. A stack of preformed flower pot covers is formed on each of the stacking shells such that the preformed flower pot covers of the stack are nested within one another and supported on the stacking shell and secured to the portable platform. The platform with the preformed flower pot covers is then transported to a predetermined destination.

Abstract: A plant packaging system comprising a combination of a protective sleeve portion and a decorative cover portion having a base and skirt for packaging a potted plant. The protective sleeve can be detached from the decorative portion of the package system once the protective function of the sleeve has been completed, thereby exposing the decorative cover and allowing the skirt portion to extend angularly from the base. The protective sleeve and decorative cover components may comprise a unitary construction or may comprise separate components which are attached together by various bonding materials.

Abstract: A plant cover, comprising a base formed from a sheet of material, said base having an upper end, a lower end, and an outer peripheral surface, an opening intersecting the upper end forming an inner peripheral surface and a retaining space, a skirt formed from a sheet of material, said skirt connected to the upper end of the base, and expansion means formed integrally with the base, the expansion means comprising an excess of material, the expansion means permitting the base to expand and contract to both closely encompass and follow the contours of a pot. Methods of using a plant cover.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for providing a decorative covering for a flower pot. The method includes the step of providing a decorative covering assembly comprising a header assembly and at least one sheet of material detachably connected to the header assembly. The header assembly is secured to a holder assembly such that the decorative covering assembly is supported by the holder assembly and at least one sheet of material can be detached from the header assembly. At least one sheet of material is detached from the header assembly and is disposed about at least a portion of the flower pot to provide a decorative covering for the flower pot.

Abstract: A sleeve used to wrap items such as potted plants. The sleeve may have an open or closed bottom. When closed, the bottom may have a gusset for allowing expansion upon the depositing of the pot into the sleeve. The sleeve has a detachable upper portion. The sleeve has a bonding material disposed upon an inner and/or outer portion of the sleeve for crimping the sleeve adjacent the pot to hold the sleeve about the pot.

Abstract: An intrusion apparatus for safely propelling a non-lethal diversionary device into a structure through a barrier. The intrusion apparatus comprises an extension device adapted to be gripped by an individual and being movable generally towards the barrier by the individual. A support assembly is connected to the extension device. The support assembly serves to support the non-lethal diversionary device as the extension device is moved towards the barrier. A barrier breaking assembly is also supported by the extension device. The barrier breaking assembly forms an opening sized to receive the non-lethal diversionary device through the barrier as the extension device is being moved towards the barrier. A propelling assembly is also supported by the extension device. The propelling assembly serves to selectively propel the non-lethal diversionary device into the structure through the opening formed in the barrier at a non-lethal velocity.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a cover about an article and for automatically fastening the cover to the article, and optionally for automatically placing a label on the covered article. The article may be an article such as a potted plant and the cover may be a decorative cover. The invention satisfies the need for a means for rapidly covering and fastening the cover about an article with a minimal amount of manual effort and in a location having a limited amount of available space. The apparatus comprises a platform having at least one opening sized to receive the article. The apparatus comprises a tying device for automatically applying a band or fastener about a portion of the outer surface of the covered article for fastening the cover about the article after the sheet is formed into a cover about the article.

Abstract: An apparatus for discharging disks from the bottom of a stack of aligned disks one at a time is provided. The apparatus includes a pair of feed gate subassemblies supported in a spaced apart, diametrically opposing relationship so as to define a disk receiving opening therebetween. The feed gate subassemblies are adapted to cooperatively support the stack of disks in the disk receiving opening and sequentially engage opposing portions of the outer peripheral edge of the disk positioned at the bottom of the stack of disks so as to cause the bottom disk to be discharged from the stack of disks.

Abstract: A plant cover, comprising a base formed from a sheet of material, said base having an upper end, a lower end, and an outer peripheral surface, an opening intersecting the upper end forming an inner peripheral surface and a retaining space, a skirt formed from a sheet of material, said skirt connected to the upper end of the base, and expansion means formed integrally with the base, the expansion means comprising an excess of material, the expansion means permitting the base to expand and contract to both closely encompass and follow the contours of a pot. Methods of using a plant cover.

Abstract: An apparatus capable of conditioning and dispensing high volumes of loose fill insulation material includes a hopper for receiving unconditioned insulation material and for conditioning the insulation material, and an air lock for receiving the conditioned insulation material from the hopper and for discharging the insulation material. The hopper has an upper conditioning compartment and a lower conditioning compartment which are in open communication with each other. At least one upper shaft, which has a plurality of spikes extending radially therefrom in a helical pattern, is supported in the upper conditioning compartment of the hopper. A set of lower shafts including at least three shafts, each with a plurality of spikes extending radially therefrom, are supported in the lower conditioning compartment of the hopper. A drive assembly is operatively connected to the upper and lower a shafts to provide rotational movement to each of the upper and lower shafts.

Abstract: A packaging and method for displaying a data card. The packaging comprising a paper covering coated on one side thereof with a layer of polyethylene. The data card is positioned between a first cover portion of the covering and a second cover portion of the covering. The first cover portion is bonded to the second cover portion, and the first and second cover portions are bonded to the outer surface of the data card via the layer of polyethylene of the first and second cover portions whereby the data card is sealed between the first and second cover portions in a non-sliding relationship relative to the first and second cover portions such that unauthorized tampering with the paper covering to gain access to the data card is readily detectable.

Abstract: Method for storing methane in light hydrocarbons at moderate temperatures and pressures such that the resulting solution has a high energy density. The method includes combining methane at a 50 to 80 mole percent concentration with a light hydrocarbon, such as butane, propane or liquid petroleum gas (LPG). Then the resulting solution is maintained at a temperature of between -1.degree. C. and 38.degree. C. and a pressure of between 8 and 14 MPa. Under these parameters, the solution has an energy density which is 40 to 67 percent that of gasoline. A motor vehicle fuel storage apparatus for the method includes an insulated storage tank containing the 50 to 80 mole percent methane solution and a cooling mechanism for maintaining the methane solution between -1.degree. C. and 38.degree. C. The cooling mechanism may be an arrangement of expansion valves, or connection to the air conditioning system of the vehicle, or both.