Abstract: A guiding apparatus M comprises a stopper 30 for restricting the depth of insertion of a sheath 10. The sheath 10 is slidingly movably inserting into the stopper 30. Moreover, a lock bar 40, which is generally in orthogonal relation to the sheath 10, is received in the stopper 30. One end portion of the lock bar 40 projects from the stopper 30 and serves as a control portion 41, while the other end portion thereof is provided with slits 42a and serves as a biasing portion 42. A recess 43 for partly receiving therein the sheath 10 is formed in an intermediate section of the lock bar 40. An inner surface of the recess 43 is urged against an outer periphery of the sheath 10 under the effect of the biasing portion 42, thereby locking the stopper 30 to the sheath 10. By pressing the control portion 41 against the force of the biasing portion 42, the stopper 30 is unlocked.

Abstract: A window and door opening and closing mechanism is disclosed which is particularly well suited for use in casement and awning window fittings. The opening/closing mechanism has a hinge arrangement with two linked arms pivoting from a runner which may be attached to the window frame. One or both of the pivoting arms is mounted to the runner on a slider which is movable along the runner in relation to the pivot mounting of the other arm. The mechanism is operable by way of a cable or cord which has portions wound around a spool which is rotatable by the user. Winding the spool in one direction applies a tension to one portion of the cord or cable to apply a force between the pivot mountings of the arms and draw them together on the runner to open the window by pivoting the arms outwardly from the window frame. Winding the spool in the other direction applies a tension to another portion of the cord or cable coupled to one of the arms to draw them back toward the runner and close the window.

Abstract: A scribe body (A) includes an abutment member (30) and a vibration generating member (40) for applying vibrations to the abutment member (30). The scribe body (A) is connected to a support portion (6) of a slide mechanism (3) through a vibration damping member (7). Two pairs of vibration damping members (7) are vertically spacedly arranged. The vibration damping members (7) of each pair are arranged on the left and right sides of the scribe body (A). By relatively moving the abutment member (30), which is pressed against a surface of a workpiece by its own weight of the scribe body (A), along the surface of the workpiece while applying vibration, which are generated by the vibration generating member (40), to the abutment member (30), a scribe line is formed in the surface of the workpiece. Vibration of the scribe (A) is damped by the vibration damping member (7).

Abstract: A moiré interferometer has an illumination system and an imaging system that share a common focusing optic, which preferably takes the form of a concave mirror. Within the illumination system, the common focusing optic collimates light en route to a test surface. Within the imaging system, the common focusing optic telecentrically images a grating pattern appearing on the test surface onto a fringe pattern detector.

Abstract: A cable actuator for a casement sash includes a cable engager that moves against an opening pull cable and diverts the cable to an elongated path when the sash is closed. When the opening pull cable is tensioned to open the sash, this moves the cable back to a shorter tensioned path that moves the cable engager in a way that initiates opening the sash. Thereafter, the sash opens further in response to winding in of the opening pull cable.

Abstract: Long-period gratings are written more quickly and at higher intensities by amplitude masks having shadow-forming patterns that scatter, redirect, or otherwise divert shadow portions of radiation used for writing the gratings instead of blocking the shadow portions by absorption or reflection. The shadow-forming masks can be formed along transparent base optics by arrays of diffusers, diffractors, or refractors that relatively divert different portions of the radiation.

Abstract: A body (10) movably supports a holder (20) for movement in a vertical direction. A piezo actuator (40) is sandwiched between the body (10) and the holder (20). Vertical vibrations of the piezo actuator (40) are transmitted to a cutter (30) attached to a lower end portion of the holder (20), so that a scribe line is formed on a workpiece (100). The holder (20) is supported by a resilient member and a slide support portion (60) with the piezo actuator (40) placed therebetween. The resilient member includes a plate spring (61) and a ball (62) made of resilient material. The resilient member resiliently supports the holder (20) in the vibrating directions.

Abstract: Linearly polarized light beams emanating from elongated spot sources are reshaped to couple more efficiently into optical waveguides having circular or other less elongated entrances. A polarization rotator interrupts one-half of the beam along its wider dimension to rotate the polarization direction of a first transverse segment of the beam through 90 degrees with respect to the original polarization direction of a second transverse segment of the beam. A polarization-sensitive beam displacer relatively displaces the two beam segments into positions of overlap that effectively shorten the wider dimension of the spot source while increasing brightness within the region of overlap.

Abstract: A data acquisition system senses current and voltage from a common electrical circuit supplying a power to load branch circuits containing loads that undergo changes in load condition, such as starting and stopping. Transmitters connected to the load branch circuits identify the loads that undergo load condition changes. A data processor receives information from both the sensors and the transmitters to link the sensed current and voltage information from the common electrical circuit to the particular loads that undergo changes in load condition.

Abstract: A bag is modified to include an air input port that allows inflation of an interply region of the bag. As the interply region inflates, an inner ply rises and becomes an advancing wall, raising the bulk material level in the bag and inclining the bottom of the bag, while pulling excess material away from a drain region of the bag. In another embodiment, the bag is made with half the initial number of layers folded in half to create the upper and lower plies and the non-fold edges are bonded. Where corner drain ports are used, the bag can be arranged so that an interlayer bond parallel to the fold is parallel to a diagonal of a tote in which the bag sits and so that the interlayer bond is opposite the drain port to enhance bag evacuation. An additional optional feature of the invention is the inclusion of an integral filling conduit or snout on the top of the bag, a mouth of which acts as a fill port to ease filling of the bag. Junctures can be created in the interply region to guide its inflation.

Abstract: An assistive cue device securely holds a cue and allows one-handed billiards play. In the preferred embodiment, a control guide slidingly mounted on the shaft grips the cue while a head of the device retains the tip of the cue in a cue hole. The head and a slide retainer ring are connected by a shaft, along which the control guide slides with the cue when the player moves the cue. The head has a plurality of supports, preferably in the form of sides of a polygonal cross-section, upon which the head can rest, each of which provides an elevation for the cue above the surface of the table. The player can change the elevation of the cue simply be rotating the whole assembly so that a different support of the head rests on the table.

Abstract: A bendable tube used for an endoscope or the like, includes a plurality of joint pieces 11 arranged in a row. Each of the joint pieces is provided at one end portion thereof with a pair of first connecting portions 12 and at the other end portion with a pair of second connecting portions 13. The first connecting portions 12 are projected in a center axis direction of the joint piece and arranged 180 degrees away from each other in a peripheral direction, and the second connecting portions 13 are projected in the opposite direction to the first connecting portions 12 and arranged 180 degrees away from each other in the peripheral direction. The first connecting portion 12 is formed with a through-hole 12a (retaining portion) and the second connecting portion 13 is formed with a protrusion 13a. The first and second connecting portions 12, 13 of the adjacent joint pieces 11 are connected together only by fitting engagement between the protrusion 13a and the through-hole 12a.

Abstract: An enterprise value enhancement system, method, and apparatus that uses an enterprise value enhancement model based on planning loop structures. The system receives field feedback input from users in response to surveys generated by a field feedback survey generator. A switchboard in the system sends this feedback, as well as data from one or more databases, to parts of the system including a performance processor, a customer asset valuation processor, a performance metrics engine, and a value enhancement solution generator, which generates value enhancement solutions and delivers recomended solutions for value enhancement of the enterprise, with linkages to specific functions.

Abstract: A single-mode fiber includes a grating located near a fiber tip to shift transmitted light from a fundamental core mode to one or more higher cladding modes. Light exiting the fiber from the cladding mode occupies more area but is more collimated. Translational alignment tolerances are relaxed by the improvement in collimation, allowing couplings to be made directly with the single-mode fiber or through the intermediacy of a conventional lens, which can itself be aligned more readily and be less fast.

Abstract: An electrolyte is formulated as a printing ink and laid down by an in-line press for manufacturing printed electrochemical cells. A curing station transforms the electrolyte to perform additional functions such as separating electrodes, preventing leakage, bonding cell layers, and resisting evaporation.

Abstract: A passenger cab and livery vehicle is adapted from a pickup truck cab and frame by removing part of the original frame aft of the cab and replacing it with an extended frame connected to the original frame and extending aft in a long flat region supporting a passenger cabin floor. A cabin mounted on the extended frame can receive and accommodate wheelchair passengers through a passenger door wide enough for a wheelchair. A principal passenger seat faces aft in the passenger cabin behind the cab to protect the passengers in a frontal collision, and a second passenger seat can be mounted on a rear axle clearance region aft of the flat cabin floor to face forward.

Abstract: A human power amplifier includes an end-effector that is grasped by a human operator and applied to a load. The end-effector is suspended, via a line, from a take-up pulley, winch, or drum that is driven by an actuator to lift or lower the load. The end-effector includes a force sensor that measures the vertical force imposed on the end-effector by the operator and delivers a signal to a controller. The controller and actuator are structured in such a way that a predetermined percentage of the force necessary to lift or lower the load is applied by the actuator, with the remaining force being supplied by the operator. The load thus feels lighter to the operator, but the operator does not lose the sense of lifting against both the gravitation and inertial forces originating in the load.

Abstract: A mount for one or more constant force curl springs uses a mounting block secured within a sash shoe channel to support the underside of a lowermost curl spring with a superposed curl spring mounted to counterrotate against an outer convolution of the lowermost spring. Uncoiled free ends of the curl springs pass downward on opposite sides of the mounting block and connect to opposite sides of a sash shoe arranged below the mounting block. This connection is made by laterally sliding the spring ends into slots molded in the sash shoe so that barbs struck and bent from the planes of the free ends of the springs are lodged in widened recesses of the slots to retain the spring ends against upward withdrawal from the spring slots.

Abstract: A clear/printed hang tag, a hanging system for suspending a package of products from a single wire hanger and/or a double wire hanger, automatic labeling of product packaging on a billboard, and the process for making hang tags. The hang tag has an opening for receiving a single or a double wire hanger cut near the top of a billboard region containing printed matter. The hang tag is made from a continuous web of polyester film with a process including, printing graphics on the back side of the upper portion using reverse image flexographic printing, coating the printed image with a UV cured, opaque ink coating, a lower portion of the front side with a clear, pressure sensitive adhesive, combining and adhering the continuous web of polyester film to a release liner, die cutting the hang tag shape and the hanger opening, stripping the waste material from the liner, and rewinding the combined hang tags and liner on a reel for shipment to a customer.