Abstract: A fabrication process produces markers for a magnetomechanical electronic article surveillance system. The marker includes a magnetomechanical element comprising one or more resonator strips of magnetostrictive amorphous metal alloy; a housing having a cavity sized and shaped to accommodate the resonator strips for free mechanical vibration therewithin; and a non-deactivatable bias magnet adapted to magnetically bias the magnetomechanical element. The process employs adaptive control of the cut length of the resonator strips, correction of the length being based on deviation of the actual marker resonant frequency from a preselected, target marker frequency. Use of adaptive, feedback control advantageously results in a much tighter distribution of actual resonant frequencies. Also provided is a web-fed press for continuously producing such markers with adaptive control of the resonator strip length.

Abstract: A semi-flexible insecticide strip is removably attached to the belt of a pelt collar to regenerate a pest-killing medicament and increase its efficacy. The strip is secured to the belt surface that faces the animal skin or fur by attachment loops or edged retainers that are generally perpendicular to the length direction of the belt. Due to the geometry and elasticity of the semi-flexible insecticide strip, and its attachment method, the strip contacts the skin or fur of the animal despite movement of the pet collar when the animal is being exercised with a pet leash attached thereto. The contact effectively transfers the insecticide and kills ticks and fleas or retards development of mature flea adults. The insecticide is contained within a plurality of plastic pores of the insecticide strip or in a sponge affixed thereto.

Abstract: A ball game kit is easily carried and readily assembled to facilitate play in recreational areas such as parks or beaches. The kit includes a container housing paddles, balls, and a unilateral court assembly appointed to be laid on a ground surface and secured thereto by way of securing mechanism to yield a playing field. The playing field is divided into two opposing player courts separated by a middle zone or dead zone. The court assembly includes a continuous rope or cord-like member. The court can be readily and accurately adjusted from a singles playing court to a doubles playing court by condensing and/or expanding the court assembly, without having to add sections or dismantle the court assembly. Glow in the dark properties may be provided to the court assembly, paddles, and/or balls for play in dimly lit or foggy conditions.

Abstract: An educational restaurant and travel game system and method of use include a plurality of educational games each having a plurality of game pieces disposed in a game container. The game container is adapted to house the plurality of educational games and has a size and shape so that the game container is adapted for portability. A game book setting forth rules for each of the educational games, age ranges, number of players, list of items needed, a stated educational objective, and an educational goal is included within the container. Reading, math, fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination, memory enhancement and retention, and social skills games are included within the compact travel container. Playing the games of the educational restaurant and travel game system fosters an educational environment, while at the same time offers entertainment and quality family interaction. The game system finds use during travel and during moments of idle time for children, such as doctor's office and restaurant visits.

Abstract: A collapsible animal litter pan has polymeric surfaces that are immune to urine soaking. A plurality of hinges collapse and expand the litter pan. The litter pan has sidewalls that locate, receive and stabilize a urine absorption sheet. The urine absorption sheet has a liquid impervious bottom layer, a urine absorption layer composed of cotton, cellulose fluff pulp, commuted pulp, soft wood fine chips, or hydrophilic paper and combinations thereof, together with superabsorbent polymers and a top, liquid permeable, layer. The top and bottom layers are bonded to constrain the urine absorbent layer. An adhesive coating is applied to the bottom layer of the urine absorption sheet for temporarily adhering the sheet to the foldable litter pan for enhanced stability of the urine absorption sheet. Animal urine is substantially completely absorbed by the urine absorbent sheet, and the soiled sheet replaced with a fresh sheet without soiling the litter pan.

Abstract: A padded strap is attached to both sides of a child car seat using two sets of hook and loop type fasteners, and alternatively, through use of two rotating discs. A child car seat head support system is thereby provided, which holds a baby's head in a comfortable, upright position while sleeping in a forward facing car seat. Stabilized support is accomplished using the padded strap to gently hold the child's head in an upright position against the back of the child's car seat. The support mechanism prevents the child's head from falling forward or “rolling” to the left or right side while the child is asleep. In an alternative embodiment, the padded strap is attached at both free ends to a tension strap with two sets of fasteners, respectively; thereby forming a single, circular strap, operable for placement over the top of the car seat.

Abstract: A disposable drain strainer is removably received within a drain opening having an adjacent drain rim substrate. The strainer has a strainer portion, a ring portion, and a seal release mechanism. Top and bottom surfaces of the ring portion are adapted to sealingly engage the drain rim substrate. The seal release mechanism is integral with the ring portion, and facilitates release of the seal so that the strainer can be readily be removed from the sink and discarded. In one embodiment, the seal release mechanism comprises a tab. In another embodiment, the seal release mechanism comprises a press-release component, wherein the ring portion has arced ring walls having convex and concave configurations. During sealing engagement with the drain rim, the ring portion is in the convex configuration. Pressure applied to the ring portion causes it to move to the concave configuration.

Abstract: An amphibious shoe has a sole with a fin compartment therein. The fin compartment provides retractable housing for a lightweight fin for conversion from a walking to swimming shoe. In one embodiment the amphibious shoe includes a fin comprising a plurality of ridges. The ridges are intermittently disposed between material arranged in an accordion construction. When ejected from the compartment, the ridged material expands to a fan configuration. The fan is further appointed with a pivotal stabilizing strap for enhanced stability during swimming. In another embodiment the amphibious shoe includes at least two fin plates pivotally attached about an axis. The fin plates are stowed in an overlapping condition. They are capable of being ejected from the compartment and opposingly rotated toward the front of the shoe abutting to form a swim fin. In operation, the wearer can comfortably run or walk swiftly along the land as the integrated fin has a thin lightweight construction.

Abstract: An inter-dental brush is provided with a handle that accepts a cartridge housing continuous inter-dental brush feedstock. Used, worn out brush is cut off by a slidable cutter provided on an angled portion of the handle. Fresh inter-dental brush is fed out from the continuous inter-dental feedstock by turning a knob on the handle. The protrusion length of the inter-dental brush is controlled by the number of turns. The knob is connected to a gear that pushes against the feedstock, driving the brush through an aperture in the angled portion of the handle. Within the cartridge, the feedstock is removably attached to one swivel and is wrapped around a second swivel. The swivels have a brake that produces a taut feedstock as the brush is fed out. The cartridge may contain a single roll with a brake instead of a pair of swivels.

Abstract: A furniture balancing pad stabilizes a furniture piece having an uneven leg base or support surface. The furniture balancing pad comprises a biscuit portion having a top surface, a substantially flat bottom surface, and side walls. A flexible stabilization cushion having a central cushion thickness is attached to the top surface of the biscuit to form an outer perimeter shelf extending horizontally and adjacently in relation to the flexible stabilization cushion and adjacent to the side walls of the biscuit. This shelf acts as a support lip for the furniture piece. The outer perimeter shelf of the biscuit includes a perimeter thickness, or height, and a shelf depth. The flexible stabilization cushion and the biscuit may be constructed as a unitary pad. As arranged, the flexible stabilization cushion and the outer perimeter shelf of the biscuit level and buttress the uneven leg base or uneven surface when the furniture balancing pad is slid under the furniture piece.

Abstract: A composite rotor for an axial airgap, permanent magnet dynamoelectric machine comprises a plurality of magnet subassemblies adhesively bonded together to form the rotor. Each magnet subassembly comprises a rotor permanent magnet and an optional spacer. A fibrous belt is wrapped around the periphery of each subassembly to provide high tensile strength at least along the radial sides of the subassembly. The belt is preferably infiltrated with an adhesive agent, such as an epoxy resin, that is used to bond the subassemblies. The rotor is thereby provided with high strength and low mass, making it suitable for use in a high-speed, high pole count electric machine.

Abstract: Streaming media, such as audio or video files, is sent via the Internet. The media are immediately played on a user's computer. Audio/video data is transmitted from the server more rapidly than it is played out by the user system. The audio/video data in the user buffer accumulates; and interruptions in playback as well as temporary modem delays are avoided.

Abstract: A single-use disposable sanitary cover temporarily houses a portion of a seat and mitigates virus and germ contact on a person's body. The disposable sanitary cover includes a flexible elongated sleeve having an outer shell, an interior cavity and an elongated slit forming a rim equipped with a stabilizing means integrally associated therewith. The stabilizing means is preferably an elastic band or segment that engages with the rear of the back support and seat areas of the chair to secure the elongated sleeve in place. The seat area and/or back support area of the chair is received through the elongated slit and is housed within the elongated sleeve in order to mitigate contact between the chair surface and a person's body.

Abstract: A horse and/or livestock brush releases a liquid gel solution directly onto the coat of an animal during brushing. Delivery of the liquid gel solution is activated by manually depressing the brushes cover. The liquid gel solution includes perfumes, fragrances and other active compositions including insect repellant, hair conditioners, dyes, moisturizers, or antibacterial compounds. The brush includes a flexible deformable membrane with a plurality of apertures that are, optionally, aligned with apertures in brush bristles for delivery of the liquid gel active composition, and is fitted within a first opening of an internal cavity in a brush base. A porous sponge saturated with the liquid gel active ingredient is inserted over the flexible deformable membrane. A cover is inserted through a second opening and rests upon the porous sponge. Brushing action deforms the flexible deformable membrane and squeezes the sponge, releasing the active ingredient during brushing or when the cover is depressed manually.

Abstract: An omnidirectionally illuminated helmet emits light along a substantial portion of the helmet surface. An interior cushion is provided for comfort and safety of the wearer's head, while an outer shell is provided for protection from impacts. This outer shell includes a plurality of transparent displays intermingled with opaque sections or regions throughout the entire surface. An electroluminescent light source substantially covers the interior cushion. The outer shell is then placed upon the electroluminescent light source in a manner that aligns the plurality of transparent displays with the light source so that the transparent displays emit light therefrom. Transparent displays are located on the entire hemispherical constructs of the outer shell, including the sides, back, front, and top, so that light is emitted from virtually the entire helmet and can be seen from any vantage point.

Abstract: A nylon or polypropylene cylindrical central braided rope core is wound with an electroluminescent wire to form a pet leash. The electroluminescent wire is powered by a portable power supply attached to the handle of the pet leash causing illumination of the electroluminescent wire continuously or intermittently at a selected blink rate. Alternatively, the wound electroluminescent wire surrounds a cylindrical braided reflective sleeve that covers the central braided rope. The cylindrical braided reflective sleeve reflects incident light back to its source while the electroluminescent illumination is provided. Reflection and illumination of light are omnidirectional. The braided construction of the central core and reflective sleeve, together with the configuration of the electroluminescent wire, resist tensile, twist and torsional forces, enabling reliable emission of omnidirectional illumination and reflectivity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for providing interactive audience participation at live entertainment events. The method includes providing audience members with an interactive device that presents a promotional message and includes a user interface, broadcasting audio programming to the audience member through the interactive device, querying the audience members, wherein answers to the querying may be entered by the audience member via the user interface of the interactive device, transmitting the answers to a central processor, storing the answers as audience data, processing the audience data into results, storing the results of the processing of the audience data and broadcasting the results of the processing of the audience data.

Abstract: A catalytic converter for an internal combustion engine exhaust system is manufactured by a multi-step swaging process carried out in a transfer press. The press has a plurality of swaging stations that include swaging die sets that provide a graduated series of swaging steps. The process is operated continuously, with one of the swaging steps being carried out in each station during each press stroke.

Abstract: An interactive, computer network based system presents consumers with multimedia brand information via a browser-based interface called the GraffitiWall™. Consumers can use the GraffitiWall™ to modify and display a sponsor's brand information in any way desired. Consumer modifications are immediately communicated to the other member consumers and the advertiser/sponsor. Consumers can rate the GraffitiWall™, or portions thereof, and email the GraffitiWall™. An archive of GraffitiWalls™ is maintained by the system. Consumers participate in online focus groups, one-to-one interviews and discussions, as well as games and promotions pertaining to the brand.

Abstract: A low cost, easy to manufacture scent-dispersing mat apparatus has a flexible closed cell foam mat containing a plurality of blind holes extending from its upper surface. These blind holes are partially filled with a fragrant liquid scent, creating air spaces thereabove. The upper surface of the flexible closed cell foam mat is sealed with a polymeric sheet that entraps the air spaces in the blind holes, causing entrapped air to become saturated with fragrant scent vapor. The polymeric sheet is perforated by one or more fine needles at the blind hole locations. The perforations permit escape of fragrant scent-saturated air to the ambient when pressure is applied to the top surface of the mat. Upon release of pressure, the foam mat and the blind holes recover their shape; the entrapped air pressure decreases, drawing fresh ambient air into the entrapped air spaces.