Abstract: A pearlescent pigment includes a ceramic flake coated with a metal oxide. The metal oxide is, preferably, an oxide of titanium, iron, tin, chromium1, zirconium or a combination thereof, and the refractive index of the metal oxide coating is preferably at least 0.5 higher than that of the ceramic flake. The pearlescent pigment may be included in a coating applied to a metallic or plastic surface to give the surface a lustrous or pearlescent optical effect.

Abstract: A construction system includes a plurality of construction elements having body member and a plurality of coupling members, each of said coupling members having an exterior portion and an interior locking device of hermaphroditic type. The interior locking device includes protrusions and a receiving block. A first coupling member belonging to one construction element can interlock with a second coupling member belonging to another element, so that the protrusions of the first coupling member resiliently deflect away from each other and subsequently retract, and settle, into provided recesses in the receiving block of the second element. Concurrently, the protrusions of the second coupling member settle into corresponding recesses in the receiving block of the first coupling member. Applications of the construction system in toy construction sets, construction puzzles and board games are provided.

Abstract: A paintbrush protection and revitalization system includes a case having a paintbrush support shelf with graduated bristle support projections and tapered tip support therein. The case has auto-convection ports, an air induction port and a brush insertion port. The auto-convection ports include at least one air inlet port and at least one water vapor exchange port for reducing drying time of a paintbrush contained within the case. A living hinge connects a cover to the case with the case, the cover and the living hinge being an integrally-molded unit, which is preferably made of plastic.

Abstract: A conveyance has a plurality of wheels and, at least, first and second drive axles, which are mounted, or disposed, between the wheels. One of the wheels defines a first wheel that is rotatably mounted to one end of the first drive axle. A second of the wheels is rotatably mounted to one end of the second drive axle. The conveyance further includes a first actuation device for the first drive axle, on the opposite end of the first drive axle from the first wheel and proximate to the second wheel, and a second actuation device for the second drive axle on the opposite end of the second drive axle from the second wheel and proximate the first wheel. The first actuation device is selectively operated to apply a selective relative rotation to the first wheel and the second actuation device is selectively operated to apply a selective relative rotation to the second wheel.

Abstract: A flip-top closure for composite and cardboard packaging, which permits the automatic opening of a package by flipping open the lid of the closure, includes a frame base element, which is designed to be welded by its level underside to composite or card-board packaging, and has a continuous peripheral overhang that protrudes upwards in order to form a pouring neck with an interior opening. A cover that flips open and closes is fixed to the base element. A guide, or tongue, element is pivotally mounted on the base element extends over the interior expanse of the overhang and friction-fit elements act between the tongue, or guide, element and the cover to pivot the tongue downwardly by force when the cover is flipped open for tearing and pivoting away a piece of the packaging lying below the tongue or guide element.

Abstract: A water conditioner includes a plate located diametrically across a pipe and a plurality of posts in lines on, or substantially parallel to, the longitudinal axis of the plane and extending from either side thereof, to be close to the periphery of a pipe with which the water conditioner is located. There may also be a plurality of ribs extending from either side of the plate and adjacent the posts for providing a plurality of discreet paths through the water conditioner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for transmitting symbols and/or information from a transmitter to a receiver. The method further relates to devices for coding, transmitting, and receiving symbols and/or information. It is specified that the symbols and/or information is converted into speech expressions and is transmitted as such.

Abstract: An oil atomizer apparatus for essential and fragrant oils includes at least one atomizer that engages with a container of essential and fragrant oils, and a body with a generally hollow interior and having a mixer housing associated with one surface of the body. An oil feeder tube extends from the mixer housing and through a surface of the body to the container of essential and fragrant oils. The mixer housing includes a compressed air inlet of a first diameter which is larger than a second diameter of the inlet, which passes to a diffusion chamber in the mixer housing having a passage to the body of the container. The application of compressed air to the inlet of the mixer housing causes the essential and fragrant oils to be dispersed to air in a fine droplet form through at least one aperture in the body.

Abstract: A seal device, which accommodates axial displacement between a housing and shaft of an item of rotating equipment, includes a stator which locates into the housing of a piece of rotating equipment. A first rotor locates on the shaft of the rotating equipment and a second rotor is rotationally coupled to the first rotor with the first rotor being permitted to axially float with respect to the second rotor. The device provides sealing integrity when the shaft is both idle and operational. The sealing device may be used, for instance, in a double ended centrifugal pump where shaft displacement occurs from thermal expansion.

Abstract: A process for extracting natural gas liquids (NGLs) from natural gas that involves contacting natural gas from one source with crude, or heavy, oil from a different source under conditions that promote enrichment of the crude or heavy oil with NGLs from the natural gas. Apart from functioning as an absorbent fluid, the crude or heavy oil also functions as the carrier medium for the absorbed. NGLs. When practicing the process, unlike conventional methods, there is no need to regenerate the absorbent fluid, in this case the crude and heavy oil, for recycling.

Abstract: An apparatus for preventing removal of, or tampering with, a construction fitting includes two construction element engaging components and a fastener for connecting the two construction element engaging components to one another. The fastener includes a bolt extending between the two construction element engaging components and a nut for tightening on the bolt rigidly connecting the two engaging components with a gap therebetween. A body portion, for at least partially covering a nut, prevents access thereto by an unfastening tool with the body portion extending from the nut to a position alongside the bolt within the gap. A locking device is able to be moved relative to the body portion between a first position, in which the apparatus is removable from the construction fitting, and a second position in which the apparatus is prevented from being removed from the construction fitting with the locking device extending, in the second position, from the body portion in a direction toward the bolt with the gap.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing a multi-player game system using standard consumer electronics equipment. For example, a system for playing multi-player games on a DVD player and other standard consumer electronics equipment receives commands from player remote controls in response to prompts from a game being played on the DVD player and other standard consumer electronics equipment. An electronic control mechanism determines which of the player remote controls first responds to the prompt. If necessary, the electronic control mechanism translates commands from the remote controls to commands compatible with and understandable by the DVD player and other standard consumer electronics equipment. A transmitter then sends the commands to the DVD player and other standard consumer electronics equipment. Based on those commands, the game proceeds until completed.

Abstract: A bearing seal device has an air purge mechanism that includes a rotor connected to the shaft of a piece of rotating equipment and a stator connected to the housing for the rotating equipment. An air passage extends between an inlet and an outlet and is at least partially defined by circumferentially extending stator and/or rotor surfaces. Preferably, the stator incorporates an orifice, which permits the attachment of an air supply line. The air purge mechanism may include a self-compensating air supply regulator device, located adjacent a circumferential air distribution cavity and substantially adjacent to one or more atmospheric communication orifices. The bearing seal device provides sealing integrity when the shaft is both idle and operational.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting and storing cooked food and one-course meals includes a box-shaped, upright container with wheels and at least one pivoting front door. The container can be closed by the front door in an air-tight manner. The container has at least one air valve toward the outside that can be closed and opened, in addition to a device for measuring and storing and displaying the temperature and pressure inside the closed container, so that temperature and pressure can be read from outside of the container. Data can be read by a personal computer and presented in the form of diagrams, as a function of time, over a period of at least 14 days. The cooked food is, initially, cooled at a temperature of between 2° C. and 4° C., and is then exposed to a vacuum for enabling the cooked food to be kept fresh for up to 14 days.

Abstract: An electron-optical corrector for rendering superfluous both the third-order opening error and the anisotropic part of the extra-axial third-order coma, using round lenses and hexapole fields, the corrector includes at least three coaxially arranged hexapole fields with at least one round lens field is arranged between adjacent hexapole fields, so that the hexapole fields are imaged onto each other in pairs. The intensities of the hexapole fields are selected so that the image error coefficient of the three-fold astigmatism is equal to 0, and at least three hexapole fields in the Larmor reference system are rotated in relation to each other at an angle about the optical axis.

Abstract: A particle-optical corrector for eliminating both the third-order aperture aberration and the third-order extra-axial coma, using circular lenses and hexapole fields, includes three coaxially arranged hexapole fields, at least one circular lens doublet being arranged between adjacent hexapole fields and adjusted so that the center hexapole field is imaged on the hexapole fields. Between the hexapole fields, an intermediate plane prevails and the intermediate planes are conjugated with one another. The three hexapole fields are identically oriented in the Larmor reference system with the intensities of the three fields being chosen so that the image aberration coefficient of the astigmatism with three-fold symmetry becomes 0. The corrective contains two hexapole fields, in which the fields of the hexapole field pair are excited anti-symmetrically to one another, and the pairs are in each case arranged around the two intermediate planes.

Abstract: An isolator device, which may be a bearing seal or a bearing isolator, for use hindering fluid flow between components which are rotating relative to each other about a longitudinal axis, the flow being in one direction parallel to this axis, includes a stator for securing to a rotary fixed one of the components and a rotor for securing to a relatively rotating one of the components. The stator has a surface which extends longitudinally and adjacent to a surface of a component, which rotates relative to the stator. The fluid flow is between the two surfaces and the stator surface is non-parallel to the adjacent component surface and is shaped to promote fluid flow in a direction opposing the general fluid flow direction.

Abstract: A bone substitute composition includes glass flake and a hardenable material. The glass flake is a particle with an aspect ratio of, at least, 20:1. The preferred thickness of the glass flake is in the range from 200 to 1,000 nm and the average particle size is, preferably, from 20 to 60 ?m.