Abstract: A method of protecting wood through enhanced penetration of wood preservatives includes providing a solution including (a) at least one amine oxide, (b) at least one organic wood preservative and (c) a buffering agent. The solution preferably has a pH of about 7 to 10. The solution is applied to the surface of the wood after which, with or without intervening storage, the materials are activated to effect enhanced penetration of the organic wood preservative into the wood. One may effect application at a solution temperature of about 30 to 75° C. and preferably about 50 to 60° C. to effect activation at a higher temperature and high relative humidity. In a preferred practice, the wood may be heated before and/or after application of the solution. The solution is also disclosed as a product.

Abstract: A DC voltage conversion device comprising: first conversion means, transformation means connected to the first conversion means, and superposition and rectifying means connected to the first conversion means and to the transformation means, and supplying an output voltage comprising pulses having equal amplitudes to the sum of the amplitudes of the pulses of the primary and the secondary pulsed voltage. A converter for converting a DC voltage into AC voltage comprising the DC voltage conversion device, filtering means being connected on output of the superposition and rectifying means of said conversion device. An uninterruptible electric power supply comprising a converter for converting a DC voltage into AC voltage connected to storing means, said converter comprising the DC voltage conversion device to convert the DC voltage of said storing means.

Abstract: A bulb planter includes a pair of blade halves cooperating to form a tubular tool head and a molded plastic handle body forming a pair of handles. The blade halves are preferably metal and riveted to the handle body. The handle body forms a living hinge for selectively pivoting the blade halves upon movement of the handles. The blade halves pivot toward and away from each other between a soil plug cutting position and a soil plug releasing position upon movement of the handles. A resilient member biases the blade halves toward the soil plug cutting position. The resilient member is preferably an elastomer ring encircling the blade halves. The handles extend in opposed directions substantially perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis and are manually movable against the bias of the resilient member to move the blade halves to the soil plug release position.

Abstract: A tab is used to open beer/beverage can ends and food can ends. The tab has one or more arcuate strips that are provided on a surface of the tab proximate to a peripheral surface of the tab where the one or more arcuate strips have been formed further into a preselected portion of curled or hemmed portions of the tab. Tooling for the manufacture of the tab is also provided. A method for manufacturing the tab is additionally provided as well.

Abstract: A tamper evident closure for a container having a bead provided on the outside surface of the neck thereof. The closure includes a top section and an outer skirt extending downwardly from the top section. The outer skirt includes a tamper evident strip extending along only a portion of the outer perimeter. The tamper evident strip is connected to a remaining portion of the outer skirt by a tear membrane, wherein the tamper evident strip may be separated from the remaining portion along the tear membrane. A first lug is provided at least partially on an inner surface of the temper evident strip and one or more second lugs are provided on an inner surface of the remaining portion of the outer skirt. The first lug and the one or more second lugs are each adapted to engage the bead on container to secure the closure to the container.

Abstract: An imaging system is provided for radioimaging a region of interest (ROI) of a subject. The system includes a housing, a support structure, which is movably coupled to the housing, and at least one motor assembly, coupled to the housing and the support structure, and configured to move the support structure with respect to the housing. The system also includes at least two detector assemblies, fixed to the support structure, and comprising respective radiation detectors and angular orientators. A control unit drives the motor assembly to position the support structure in a plurality of positions with respect to the housing, and, while the support structure is positioned in each of the plurality of positions, drives the orientators to orient the respective detectors in a plurality of rotational orientations with respect to the ROI, and to detect radiation from the ROI at the rotational orientations. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A reader device includes a housing for receiving a smart card, a processor in electronic communication with an integrated circuit chip of the smart card when the smart card is received in the housing, a wireless communications device in electronic communication with the processor for enabling the reader device to transmit first encrypted information wirelessly and to receive second encrypted information wirelessly, and a memory in electronic communication with the processor that includes one or more routines executable by the processor. The one or more routines include a cryptographic module adapted to encrypt first information to create the first encrypted information and decrypt the second encrypted information to obtain second information. In addition, a communication system that includes the reader device and a computing device, wherein the reader device and computing device are able to wirelessly exchange information in a secure manner.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system of baiting and growing microorganisms on a gelatinous matrix. A bioreactor is provided wherein the bioreactor provides an environment conducive to the breakdown of organic aqueous material and the production of hydrogen from microorganisms and restrictive to the production of methane from methanogens. The bioreactor includes substrates coated with a gelatinous matrix, wherein the gelatinous matrix coating is replenished by additional coating material pumped into interior channels of the substrates wherein the substrates are permeable by the coating.

Abstract: An improved handheld electronic device has a display and a keypad, with the keypad being movable among a number of configurations that enable the “real estate” occupied by the keypad to be increased or decreased, and to correspondingly enable the viewable area of the display to be relatively decreased and increased, respectively. In one aspect, a first keypad portion and a second keypad portion can be disposed substantially coplanar when the keypad is in a first position and disposed noncoplanar when in a second position. In another aspect, a device can include a keypad and a flexible sheet-like piece of covering material structured to overlie a display, with the keypad and the piece of covering material being connected together.

Abstract: A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software. The device provides output in the form of a default output and a number of variants. The output is based largely upon the frequency, i.e., the likelihood that a user intended a particular output, but various features of the device provide additional variants that are not based solely on frequency and rather are provided by various logic structures resident on the device. The device enables editing during text entry and also provides a learning function that allows the disambiguation function to adapt to provide a customized experience for the user. The disambiguation function can be selectively disabled and an alternate keystroke interpretation system provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward various valving arrangements to control the flow of granular material. In one embodiment, a valve is provided which facilitates flow of the material in one direction, but resists flow in another direction. In another embodiment, a retaining wall is provided with a plurality of generally horizontal passageways, which, under normal circumstances, resist passage of the flowable granular material positioned therebehind and, under modified circumstances, can serve as relief valves to avoid pressure on the wall which might cause the wall to move in an undesirable manner. In a third embodiment, a plurality of valving units is provided for beach retention of sand through efficient separation of sand from incoming waves.

Abstract: These objects and others are attained by the present invention which provides a collapsible multifunction apparatus, comprising upper and lower sections with a front frame and rear prop legs, where the front frame is pivotably attached by hinges to both sides of the front portions of the upper and lower sections, and the rear prop legs are pivotably attached by hinges to both sides of the rear portions of the upper and lower sections. The hinge positions on both the left and right sides of the collapsible apparatus define (preferably symmetric) foldable left and right side quadrilaterals in which, in each left and right side fully opened quadrilateral, no two lengths are equilateral and no two lengths are parallel, and which collapse to form a substantially flat configuration for storage with nested front frame and rear prop legs.