Abstract: A wrench or one way drive has a flexible head (2) with a split aperture (20) for loosely engaging a separate drive such as a socket or the head of a fastener (31) including a nut, bolt, screw or the like. Cam means, preferably pins (11,11a), are located on a handle (3) and engage the head (2) preferably through slots (21,22) in the head. The slots diverge outwardly so that as the handle is moved relative to the head the split aperture (20) closes and the flexible head (2) increasingly clamps a drive socket as more torque is applied to the handle.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention an aircraft floor panel is provided comprising a honeycomb core element having an upper core surface, a lower core surface, and a core thickness. An upper face sheet assembly is mounted to and seals the upper core surface and includes at least one upper material sheet impregnated with an upper epoxy resin. A lower damping face sheet assembly is mounted to and seals the lower core surface and includes at least one lower material sheet infused with a highly damped lower epoxy resin. The lower damping face sheet assembly dampens vibrational noise.

Abstract: A lightweight composite fairing bar (14) for use in fabricating a composite component (16) of an aircraft. The fairing bar (14) includes a core (18) and an elongated outer shell (20) surrounding the core (18). The outer shell (20) is comprised of a laminate material, and the core (18) is comprised of epoxy syntactic foam having a lower density than that of the laminate material. The outer shell (20) is configured for supporting the composite component (16) during the manufacture of the same.

Abstract: A reclosable package comprises a slider-operated zipper wherein at least one of the zipper parts has a hinged flap to which a marginal portion of a panel of packaging film is joined. The hinged flap swings away from the rest of the zipper part in response to a pulling force tending to pull that zipper part away from the other zipper part. The flap is disposed between a base strip of the zipper part that it forms a part of and a sidewall of the slider. The slider is retained on the zipper by retaining ledges projecting from a distal end of a plow that pries open the zipper during slider travel in an opening direction.

Abstract: Reclosable bags having a slider-actuated string zipper and tamper-evident features. In one aspect, the bag comprises: a receptacle having a mouth and an interior volume; a string zipper installed in the mouth; a slider mounted to the string zipper; a membrane depending within the interior volume to block access to a portion of the interior volume when the string zipper is open; and a hood joined to the receptacle and shrouding the mouth. The membrane is made by forming a gusset. Then a string zipper is installed inside of the gusset and heat sealed in place. Later a hood or shroud is attached to the bag walls at an elevation traversed by the gusset panels. A layer of non-sealable material is applied on a surface of a gusset panel to prevent the gusset panels from being sealed together when the hood is heat sealed to the bag walls.

Abstract: A reclosable package comprising a receptacle and an assembly, the assembly comprising a plastic zipper joined to or integrally formed with the receptacle and a slider mounted to the zipper. The zipper comprises first and second interlockable profiled closure members, and a slider end stop projecting outward from a side of the first closure member for a distance sufficient to obstruct further travel of the slider in a closing direction. The slider end stop comprises a body of plastic material joined to the first closure member, the body being disposed near one end of the zipper and entirely within an elevational range bounded by top and bottom edges of the first closure member.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a reclosable package having a hooded slider-operated zipper, comprising the following steps: (a) interlocking profiled closure members of first and second flanged zipper strips; (b) inserting a slider on the zipper strips; (c) folding zipper flanges of the first and second flanged zipper strips so that respective portions of the zipper flanges confront each other at a position above the profiled closure members; (d) joining the mutually confronting portions of the zipper flanges to each other to form a hood over the profiled closure members; (e) guiding first and second portions of web material into mutual confrontation; (f) guiding the mutually interlocked first and second zipper strips to positions whereat a portion of one zipper flange confronts the first portion of web material and a portion of the other zipper flange confronts the second portion of web material; and (g) joining respective portions of the zipper flanges to the first and second portions of web material respectivel

Abstract: A flow path splitter duct is provided. The flow path splitter duct includes a main hub, a first outlet hub and a second outlet hub. The main hub has a plurality of inlet ports each being separated by at least one wall. The first outlet hub has a plurality of first duct outlet ports, each of the first duct outlet ports are in fluid communication with only one of the corresponding plurality of inlet ports. The second outlet hub has a plurality of second duct outlet ports, each of the second duct outlet ports are in fluid communication with only one of the corresponding plurality of inlet ports, wherein engine exhaust gas that enters one of the plurality of inlet ports is simultaneously diverted to only one of the first duct outlet ports and to only one of the second duct outlet ports. A vertical takeoff and landing aircraft is also provided that includes the flow path splitter duct. A method of using the same is also provided.

Abstract: A wire for integration with an airplane composite structure material includes a conductive core surrounded by an isolation layer for substantially isolating the conductive core from the composite structure material. The isolation layer includes braided fibers, and the braided fibers include a material having at least substantially similar properties as the composite structure material.

Abstract: A system and a method for scheduling an emergency procedure in response to detecting that a patient has a high probability of acute myocardial infarction. The system is able to identify patients that are suspected of having acute myocardial infarction (or acute ischemia). The system uses one or more expert software tools or algorithms to analyze received ECG records. Each software tool has logic (e.g., thresholds and/or settings) for automatic routing which is configurable by the customer via a graphical user interface. If any sufficient condition for automatic routing is satisfied, the system routes the data (including the underlying ECG record) and an alert to an electronic device which is accessible by the cardiologist “on call” via a bidirectional pager. If the cardiologist decides that the requested emergency treatment or procedure should be performed, the system accesses the schedules of all associated catheterization labs across multiple hospitals to identify a lab having optimum time-to-treatment.

Abstract: A gun safe door storage system is permanently affixed to an interior surface of a gun safe door. The door storage system comprises a plurality of integrated pouches or pockets and a rack arranged such that the pouches or pockets are accessible even when the rack is holding rifles or rifle parts, such as barrels. Substantially all of the available space on the interior surface of the door is filled with pockets or pouches. The pouches or pockets are affixed to a backing material having strength and weight sufficient to prevent sagging. The backing material is permanently affixed to the interior surface of the gun safe door. The rack comprises a barrel support and a stock support mounted permanently on the interior surface of the gun safe door over the pouches or pockets.

Abstract: An aircraft fuselage barrel (10) includes a skin (12) and a shear tie (18). The shear tie (18) resides within and is integrally formed with the skin (12). The shear tie (18) is separate from and configured for frame attachment thereon. A multi-ring system (79) for fuselage barrel formation includes a mold (68) with a ring (50). The ring (50) has width (W2) approximately equal to a separation distance (D) between two adjacent fuselage frames (22) and includes a module (52) that has a circumferential length (L1) that is greater than a circumferential distance between two fuselage longerons (14). A support structure (80) is coupled to and supports the mold (68). A method of forming the aircraft fuselage barrel (10) includes constructing the support structure (80). Rings (86) of the mold (68) are attached to and over the support structure (80). The mold (68) is constructed. Material is laid-up onto the mold (68) to integrally form the one-piece fuselage barrel (10) including a Hat-configured longeron (14).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for feeding continuous zipper material with sliders to a thermoforming packaging machine that advances the packaging film N package lengths each advance, where N is a positive integer greater than unity. In the packaging machine, pockets are thermoformed in a central zone of the web, while the zipper material is sealed to the web along a lateral zone that is parallel to the machine direction and does not intersect the pockets. A trailing portion of the zipper material in a zipper processing machine is advanced N times every work cycle, one package length per advance. A slider is inserted during each dwell time between advances of the trailing zipper portion. In the zone between the slider insertion device and the zipper sealing station, the zipper material is accumulated each time the zipper material is advanced without concurrent advancement of the packaging material.

Abstract: A method of forming an exterior surface protective structure (12) for an aircraft (10) includes uniting a loaded surfacer (52) having a carrier (51) to a hybrid prepreg substrate (32). The prepreg substrate (32) includes a carbon fabric (44) with an integral conductive component (48) having conductivity with in a metal conductivity range and is united to a base substrate (30). The loaded surfacer (52) and the prepreg substrate (32) are cured, which includes interfacially adhering matter between the loaded surfacer (52) and the prepreg substrate (32). A protective fabric system (12) for an exterior (14) of an aircraft (10) includes the base substrate (30). The hybrid prepreg substrate (32) is coupled to the base substrate (30). The loaded surfacer (52) with the carrier (51) is interfacially adhered to the prepreg substrate (32).

Abstract: A navigation system (10) includes one or more non-geostationary satellites (26) that generate signals having integrity information. A navigation receiver (16) determines range and position of the satellite (26,28) in response to the signals. The navigation system (10) may also determine accuracy and reliability of the range and position in response to the signals.

Abstract: A method of manufacture comprising the following steps: (a) guiding a web material in a machine direction through a vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) machine with a portion of the web material being wrapped around a tube; (b) joining first and second portions of a closure tape to first and second fin portions of the web material that do not form part of the portion of the web material that is wrapped around the tube, the closure tape being rupturable and not reclosable; (c) cross sealing the web material at a location downstream from the tube; and (d) dropping product through the tube and onto the most recently formed cross seal.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for testing the shear strength of curved core material. The method comprises the steps of: (a) bonding one side of a test specimen of curved core material to a convex curved surface of a first support; (b) bonding the other side of the test specimen to a concave curved surface of a second support; (c) mounting the first support so that it is pivotable about a pivot axis; (d) fixing the second support to a rigid frame; (e) after step (a) through (d) have been performed, causing the first support to pivot about the pivot axis; and (f) during step (e), continuously monitoring a parameter that will manifest a change if and when shear induced in the test specimen causes a structural change indicative of failure of the test specimen. A linearly displaceable head is mechanically coupled to the first support in a manner such that linear displacement of the head is converted into pivoting of the first support.

Abstract: Architectural archway structures for aircraft. The archway structure can be positioned individually, or in pairs or other sets along the length of the interior of an aircraft, such as a commercial passenger airplane. The archways extend across the ceiling of the interior of the cabin and extend downwardly to a point adjacent the luggage bins. End caps are provided to conform the end of the archways with the interior luggage bins. The invention provides a unique “look and feel” and architectural configuration, and does not result in seat loss.