Abstract: In greenhouses and other stuctures an excessive amount of sunlight on a hot day may cause overheating or may cause uneven lighting. A sheet is provided which is normally transparent but which becomes white and light-reflective at a predetermined temperature to help keep the structure cooled or help keep its lighting at a constant level. This color is reversible so that the sheet becomes transparent when the temperature falls. In one embodiment, the sheet consists of a unitary transparent plastic resin structure formed with elongated cells which are filled with a thick and viscous gel containing poly (vinyl methyl ether) or other suitable "cloud point" material. The gel helps prevent loss of water through the cell walls and prevents gaps which may occur from migration over repeated cycles of precipitation of the cloud point material, i.e., it helps keep the mixture homogeneous.

Abstract: A method and system in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to automatically monitor and display the occurrence and the duration of the seizure activity generated during the administration of the electrically induced therapeutic seizures. The ECT device includes a special-purpose electroencephalograph (EEG) system to detect a specific EEG parameter (e.g. integrated voltage) of the electrically induced EEG seizure. The detected integrated voltage is converted to digital data and compared to a threshold reference value previously obtained from the same patient. The operator is informed by an electronic alphanumeric elapsed time display or indications on a moving strip chart paper record, or oscilloscope CRT screen, when the parameter has crossed the predetermined threshold reference value and how long since the termination of the ECT the parameter has taken to reach the reference value.

Abstract: A medical method and system in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) uses a disposable electrode, which does not use a liquid, such as conductive gel or saline solution. The electrode is a flexible multi-layer pad having an adhesive surface which is covered by a removable cover sheet. The pad comprises a layer of adhesive non-liquid conductive hydrogel, a thin conductive plastic film layer, a conductive metal foil layer connected to a wire lead, and an insulative plastic layer, preferably a plastic foam.

Abstract: In a program of regular vascular exercise involves repeating cycles of blood movement, for example, each vascular exercise period of one hour may involve twenty cycles. In each cycle pressurizing apparatus under control of a timing arrangement inflates and deflates a series of pressure cuffs around each limb, for example, each limb has seven cuffs. The cuffs at the limbs are inflated in sequence starting with the cuff nearest the limb extremity to provide a peristaltic-like action. The inflation of all the limb cuffs forces blood toward the trunk of the body. The trunk cuff is pulsed at the same time the limb cuffs are maintained inflated.

Abstract: An EEG (electroencephalograph) system detects a patient's brain waves from electrodes pressed against the patient's scalp, amplifies the analog brain waves and converts them into digital signals. The digital brain waves are processed to reduce electrical interference, muscle artifact and other noise, and then compared on a statistical basis against the patient's self-norm and population norms derived from groups of normal and abnormal groups of patients under specified conditions. The results of the statistical analysis, on an almost real-time basis, are displayed on a CRT color monitor.

Abstract: A plastic resin hole plug to fill a hole in a flat thin panel comprises a one-piece unitary injection-molded plastic member having a top closure wall whose bottom surface has a flat edge which rests on the panel. In one embodiment the plug has a cruciform shank portion which extends from the top closure wall portion, the shank portion having a plurality of ribs which retain the plug in the hole. In another embodiment the shank has an elongated hollow cavity and a flat-sided chisel-like point.

Abstract: A dental implant is a submerged endosseous implant system and a blade implant is an integral one-piece body member having a blade-like portion, a collar support portion, and one or more cylindrical tubular collars, with each cylindrical collar having an internal screw-threaded bore. After the blade body member is positioned in the groove in the patient's jaw a short flat healing plug is screwed into the collar bore and the gum sutured and allowed to heal. After healing, the flat-headed plug is removed and an abutment head is screwed into the collar bore, the head including an externally threaded shaft portion and a head portion having a groove. The top head portion may be bent at the groove to obtain the desired head angle. The same type of abutment head is used with a submerged screw implant.

Abstract: A coil winding machine which winds wire about a toroidal core to form a toroidal coil includes clamping means which removably holds the core and a set of rollers which form a path of movement. The bundle of wires is held on the rollers along the path of movement. A slider means pays-off the wire from the wire bundles and guides it in the direction of the core. The slider is progressed by the rollers relative to the wire bundle coil and is threaded through the hole of the core.

Abstract: Plaque accumulation in the blood vessels of a patient is removed by a laser beam acting directly on the plaque. The laser beam is conducted to the plaque by a hollow tubular catheter which is sufficiently resilient and flexible so that it may be snaked through a blood vessel to the location of the plaque. The tube has an internal mirrored surface and its internal wall is formed from plastic resin tape having one surface coated with a mirror material. The tape is covered by an elongated spring which, in turn, is covered by a smooth plastic resin coating forming the exterior wall of the tube. In one embodiment the spring is replaced by a series of rings, with each ring having opposed loops to guide wires, with the wires being strung parallel with the axis of the tube. The wires are fastened to the innermost and outermost rings so that manipulation of the outermost ring will selectively pull the wires to direct the direction of the tube.

Abstract: A fastener, particularly adapted to retain a screw, comprises a sheet metal body member. A double-sided adhesive tape may be adhered to one face of the metal member. The metal member is a unitary member having a top flexible leaf portion with a screw impression to receive and retain a screw, a "U" shaped connecting portion, a bottom plate portion having a clearance hole to guide the screw, and a cone-shaped ring-like raised portion around the clearance hole. The cone portion may telescope into the screw impression dome to reinforce the dome. Three tabs project from the bottom face of the bottom leaf and project through the tape.

Abstract: A sintered hard metal having superior toughness and superior hardness may be used for micro-drills, tools and wear resistant parts. The metal is a cemented carbide WC formed from tungsten carbide WC as the base alloy and containing 4 to 20 percent by weight of vanadium carbide VC or zirconium nitride. Its micro-structure is that the WC or WC-VC particles are 0.6.mu. or less, its Rockwell Hardness HRA is at least 91.5 and its transverse rupture strength is at least 350 kg/mm.sup.2.

Abstract: An improved optical reader for reading both bar codes and alphanumeric characters with one image sensor wherein a switching gate selects either one of two digital signal processing means, so that there does not occur processing of both formats concurrently. The optical reader recognizes the binary pattern of the specific format.

Abstract: A metal industrial fastener comprises a keeper plate having a hook-like keeper lip attached to one panel and a turn hasp member attached to another panel, which turn member may be recessed in a dish. The turn member has a spring which spring-loads a spring-back hook member, a base member fixed in a dish to a panel, a slide member which telescopically slides in the base member, and a turning means to rotate an eccentric rivet which cam-operates the slide member.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for the analysis of a human subject's brain wave activity on a statistical basis using a digital computer. The location of portions of the subject's brain and the location of at least 32, and for example 265, external scalp sensors are digitally recorded and stored in computer memory. The subject receives a set of stimuli which evoke brain waves (evoked potential EP or evoked magnetic fields EF) which, along with the location data, are statistically analyzed to indicate the brain sites giving rise to the activity. The brain site activity, and the time interrelationships of brain waves as they progress between brain sites, are displayed on a three-dimensional model or other three-dimensional perspective display.

Abstract: A large screen video display system to display bright video images at high resolution comprises an array of video monitors arranged adjacent each other in a compact matrix, for example, an array of 2.times.2, 3.times.3 or 4.times.4 video monitors. A lenticular optical plate is placed in front of the face plate of each monitor to magnify the video images and project them as a mosaic of images on the back face of a rear projection screen. Circuit means electronically, using digital techniques, divide the original video image into segments, each segment being displayed on a separate monitor, and into sub-segments, for example, 48 rectangular sub-segments, which sub-segments are individually rotated 180.degree. about the image axis on each monitor. A viewer looking at the video image displayed on the front of the RP projection screen sees a continuous image covering the entire screen and is not aware that the image is made up from sub-segments and segments displayed on individual monitors.

Abstract: A cholangiography catheter is used in the surgical removal of gall stones so that contrast liquid may be temporarily retained in the location of a patient's bile duct in order to take X-ray pictures of the bile duct. The catheter is a flexible and resilient "T"-shaped member having two air inflatable balloons, each connected in an arm of the catheter. The balloons may be independently inflated to close the drain lumen of the catheter and the bile duct.

Abstract: A fastener removably clamps the edges of two panels each having a hole therethrough. The fastener includes a hinge pin, about which the fastener body pivots. To clamp the panels, the hinge pin is extended through the holes in both panels to align the panels and then the fastener body is pivoted so that its top flange portion lies on one panel and its bottom flange portion lies on the other panel, thereby clamping the panels between the two flange portions of the fastener.

Abstract: In a toroidal coil winding machine to wind a tape or heavy wire on a toroidal core, the shuttle retains a length of wire or tape formed into a coil. A roller system is driven to support and maintain the inner diameter of the coil constant and the wire or tape is payed out from the inner diameter, to avoid stress on the wire or tape. An air motor independently drives a tension control roller which controls the pay-out tension without imparting undue stress to the wire or tape.

Abstract: An electroencephalograph (EEG) system for the detection of a patient's brain waves includes a group of electrodes removably attached to the patient's scalp, low-noise high-gain amplifiers and analog/digital converters. A digital comb filter is used to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and has self-optimizing capability. In the digital comb filter, the band pass frequencies are automatically selected by comparing, at each tooth of the comb, the phase variance parameter, under the brain conditions of the presence and absence of a synchronized stimulus producing an evoked potential brain wave.