Abstract: The invention is for safety goggles to protect eyes of a user of the safety goggles. The safety goggles include a lens and a frame with a bridge. A goggle chamber is formed between the lens and the face of the user. The safety goggles have a lower ventilation assembly that admits air one either side of the bridge. The safety goggles also includes an upper ventilation assembly at an upper portion of the frame. Air enters the goggle chamber through the lower ventilation assembly, heats near a nose of the user and exits the goggle chamber through the upper ventilation assembly. Each of the lower and upper ventilation assemblies cover a corresponding lower and upper air path in such a manner that allows air to pass through the corresponding air path while preventing solid projectiles and splashed liquid from having a direct line of trajectory to the eyes of the user.

Abstract: A rack step tool for use, for example, in a warehouse which houses a plurality of storage racks which support equipment, merchandise, or other items which are stored on the shelves of the storage racks and from which the equipment, merchandise, or other items are periodically removed. The rack step tool generally includes a step member which is attached to a base plate. A pair of lugs is attached to the base plate for insertion into openings in a vertical support member of the storage rack. The rack step tool can be attached to the vertical support member at various heights and can be readily disengaged therefrom. The rack step tool may further have a securing element such as a hook for insertion into another hole in the support member for further securing the rack step tool thereto.

Abstract: A plant packaging method providing a tubular sleeve and attaching the sleeve to a potted plant via a bonding material which may be disposed on the tubular sleeve, or on the pot of the potted plant, and a plant package produced by the method.

Abstract: The present invention relates in general to nanoparticles exhibiting luminescence such as photostimulated luminescence or photoluminescence and optical switching processes based upon such properties, in more particular, the use of such photostimulated luminescence exhibiting nanoparticles and switching nanoparticle for optical storage apparatuses and sensors as well as methods of making and using same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methodology for polymer grafting by a polysaccharide synthase and, more particularly, polymer grafting using the hyaluronate synthase from Pasteurella multocida.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nucleic acid segment having a coding region segment encoding enzymatically active Streptococcus equisimilis hyaluronate synthase (seHAS), and to the use of this nucleic acid segment in the preparation of recombinant cells which produce hyaluronate synthase and its hyaluronic acid product. Hyaluronate is also known as hyaluronic acid or hyaluronan.

Abstract: An oilfield equipment identifying apparatus comprising a computer loaded with an oilfield equipment database. A unique identification code is input into the computer for each piece of oilfield equipment in the drill string to form a reference in the oilfield equipment database to each piece of oilfield equipment in the drill string. A drilling monitoring device receives input signals indicative of at least one of rotating and non-rotating usage of the drill string and output signals to the computer wherein the computer continuously and automatically monitors the cumulative rotating usage and non-rotating usage of each piece of oilfield equipment identified in the drill string.

Abstract: A method for separating the orthogonal polarization components of an incident optical signal into two spatially separated output ports is described. The method comprises a Mach-Zehnder interferometer where one of the two branches has a section of waveguide that exhibits form-birefringence. This integrated optic Polarization Beam Splitter (PBS) is broadband, has high extinction ratio, and has characteristics that are tunable.

Abstract: A seat assembly extending about an inlet passage of a valve and engaging a valve member is disclosed. The seat assembly includes an annular seat carrier having an annular groove formed therein, and a seat positioned in and extending from the annular groove of the seat carrier. The seat has an inner side, an outer side, and a plurality of spaced apart, concentric seal rings extending from the inner side of the seat to the outer side thereof. The seal ring nearest the inner side of the seat is engageable with the valve member to provide an innermost seal when the seat assembly is acted upon by a pressure within a pressure range and the seal ring nearest the inner side of the seat is deflectable in a radially outward direction and out of sealing engagement with the valve member when the pressure exceeds the pressure range to cause the adjacent seal ring to provide the innermost seal.

Abstract: A customer interface system for use with a check processing system. The customer interface system has a check reader and a card issuing machine. The check reader receives a check code indicative of a check having value and transmits the check code to the check processing system for at least one of authorizing and guaranteeing payment of at least a portion of the value of the check. The card issuing machine is operatively associated with the check reader. The card issuing machine receives an authorization code representing at least one of the authorization and the guarantee from the check processing system and provides an outputted card having a value thereon.

Abstract: A grappling hook blank for forming a grappling hook having a shaft, a plurality of arms and a connecting member. The grappling hook blank includes a piece of material having a shaft portion, a plurality of arm portions, and a connecting member portion. The shaft portion forms the shaft of the grappling hook. The plurality of arm portions forms each of the plurality of arms of the grappling hook. Each of the plurality of arms of the grappling hook is formed by moving each of the plurality of arm portions outwardly from the grappling hook blank. The connecting member portion connects the shaft portion and the plurality of arm portions wherein the connecting member portion forms a connecting member of the grappling hook such that the connecting member of the grappling hook connects the shaft and the plurality of arms of the grappling hook.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nucleic acid segment having a coding region segment encoding enzymatically active Streptococcus equisimilis hyaluronate synthase (seHAS), and to the use of this nucleic acid segment in the preparation of recombinant cells which produce hyaluronate synthase and its hyaluronic acid product. Hyaluronate is also known as hyaluronic acid or hyaluronan.

Abstract: An auto darkening eye protection device comprising a shutter assembly and a control circuit. The shutter assembly is adjustable between a light state and a dark state. The control circuit comprises a sensing circuit, a weld detect circuit, a positive voltage generator, and a negative voltage generator. The sensing circuit senses incident light and provides an output indicative of the incident light. The weld detect circuit receives the output of the sensing circuit, and enables a dark state drive signal to be delivered to the shutter assembly. The positive and negative voltage generators output the dark state drive signal to the shutter assembly to switch the shutter assembly from the light state to the dark state upon enablement by the weld detect circuit. The dark state drive signal includes a high voltage pulse followed by a stable AC waveform. The high voltage pulse is formed by a positive voltage signal and a negative voltage signal.

Abstract: Disclosed are DNA sequences encoding hyaluronic acid synthase that are employed to construct recombinant cells useful in the production of hyaluronata synthase and hyaluronic acid (HA). In preferred aspects, chromosomal DNA encoding the HA synthase gene, hasA, was cloned from a Streptococcus pyoganas genomic library. These vectors were used to transform host cells such as E. coli and acapsular Streptococci to produce hyaluronic acid. Resultant transformants were screened to identify colonies which have incorporated HA synthase DNA in a form that is being actively transcribed into the corresponding HA synthase enzyme. These colonies were selected and employed in the production of hyaluronic acid.

Abstract: Polymers of differing refraction indices are embedded within a PCB to provide optical connectivity of the PCB with other circuit boards via an optic backplane. The creation of islands of polymer material of refractive index n1 completely surrounded by polymer material with refractive index n2 where n1 has a higher index than n2 allows the islands of n1 indexed polymer to serve as optical waveguides. A process of forming a multi-layered PCB with the optical waveguide islands using successive laminations and using laser ablation to write the optical connection scheme is taught. Further, the use of uniquely marked targets in a copper layer to align the optical waveguides in production is also taught. Additionally, the use of clearing polymer materials and reinforcing polymer voids with lamination to allow a simple, high tolerance insertion of through-holes is taught.

Abstract: A broadcast network for selectively transmitting individualized weather forecast signals to remote communicator devices. The broadcast network comprising a user input database, a communicator location database, a weather information database, a weather analysis unit and a communication network. The user input database contains user-defined parameters, each of the user-defined parameters includes a user profile. The user profile in each of the user-defined parameters utilizes a user identifier code and identifies a communicator device associated with a particular user. The communicator location database contains real-time data indicative of the spatial locations of the communicator devices. The weather information database contains real-time weather forecast data or weather data for the spatial locations contained in the communicator location database.

Abstract: A method of covering a flower pot with an oversized sleeve. The sleeve has an inner diameter which is greater than the maximum diameter of a pot disposed therein. The sleeve may have a detachable upper portion, a skirt portion, with a linear or non-linear upper end, or with or without gussets in the lower end or sides. In the method the sleeve is secured about the pot by crimping a portion of the sleeve having a bonding material thereon, or using a securing element.

Abstract: The present invention includes a composition having detackifying and detoxifying properties such that the composition is useful for detackifying and detoxifying paint particles in spray booth water and for treating a paint booth dry filter to render the filter fire retardant, non-combustible and non-hazardous to enable disposal of a used dry filter in a standard landfill. The present invention also includes a method for the detackification and detoxification of oversprayed paint in a paint spray booth system wherein said oversprayed paint comes into contact with water of a waste water system.

Abstract: A method for providing a decorative cover for a floral grouping wherein the decorative cover is provided with a card holder assembly for securing a card to the decorative cover, and a design indicia bearing portion which extends above the remainder of the decorative cover and thereby enhances the visual aesthetic effect of the decorative cover. The decorative cover is formed from a sheet of material having a design indicia, the sheet of material having an opening extending therethrough wherein the opening is offset from a central portion of the sheet of material in a direction generally away from the indicia bearing portion of the sheet of material.