Abstract: A folding portable table includes an upper table surface, a number of folding table legs, and a lower table surface held between the legs by pins protruding from the perimeter of the lower table surface and slidably retained in grooves in the legs. The pins slide up and down in the grooves, allowing the lower table surface to be raised up to, or lowered down from, the upper table surface. When the lower table surface is raised up adjacent to the upper table surface, the legs can be folded under the upper table surface for transport and storage of the table. The table can be deployed by unfolding the legs and lowering the lower table surface down from the upper table surface. The grooves may be tapered from top to bottom such that the pins are frictionally bound in the deployed position in order to make the table stronger.

Abstract: A golf tee with tactile height adjustment includes a cup formed to receive and retain a golf ball. From the underside of the cup, a continuously threaded shaft extends and is formed with a longitudinal flat portion. A stop is formed with a threaded bore having threads complementary to those threads formed on the threaded shaft. Extending outward from the flat portions of the shaft are tactile engagement posts formed to engage the threads of the threaded stop as it threads along the threaded shaft. The engagement posts provide for the self cleaning of the threads of the golf tee, and also provides a tactile response including a distinct resistance to rotation of the threaded stop when the stop contacts the tactile posts. More specifically, when the threaded stop is positioned on the shaft adjacent a engagement post, the rotation of the stop is more difficult than rotation at a position on the shaft having no engagement post.

Abstract: A snap tie breaker tool includes a handle connected to a body shaft with a locking brace and two receiving tubes attached to the body shaft. The snap tie breaker tool operates by sliding a concrete snap tie through both receiving tubes. The portion of the concrete snap tie that passes through both receiving tubes is then bent to a position perpendicular to its original position. Next, the handle is rotated so that the bent portion of the concrete snap tie contacts the body shaft. Once contact is made, an increased amount of force is applied to continue rotating the handle and the concrete snap tie. Eventually, the concrete snap tie will break and can be removed from the concrete wall. The process of breaking the concrete snap tie with the snap tie breaker tool is substantially less time consuming and takes less work than conventional methods.

Abstract: A method for identifying metal layer thickness of an inspection sample according to one embodiment utilizes an eddy current probe to obtain initial resistance and reactance measurements from the inspection sample. Once these measurements have been obtained, the relative distance between the eddy current probe and inspection sample is increased and terminating resistance and reactance measurements are obtained. An inspection sample intersecting line may then be calculated using the initial and terminating resistance and reactance measurements. An intersecting point between a natural intercepting curve and the inspection sample intersecting line may also be determined. A reactance voltage of the intersecting point along a digital calibration curve is calculated to identify a closest two of a plurality of calibration samples. The metal layer thickness of the inspection sample may then be calculated by performing an interpolation between the identified closest two calibration samples.

Abstract: A particular signal from a legacy photonic source may have a distribution of wavelengths in a particular signal that is excessively broad for modern, narrowband equipment. In order to provide a drop-in apparatus for integrating modern narrowband signal carrying and handling devices with legacy equipment as either sender or receiver, various implementations of a data stabilizer are provided. Data stabilizers may rely on information transfer mechanisms, signal directors, wavelength shifters, cross-gain modulation, cross-phase modulation, and four-wave mixers. Moreover, data stabilizers may be implemented directly as multiplexers, or integrated into systems using conventional multiplexers.

Abstract: A system and method for the vacuum assisted insertion of optical fibers includes a plate with one or more fiber alignment holes and a vacuum-sealed region on the exit end of the alignment holes. A vacuum source is connected to the vacuum-sealed region and creates a partial vacuum which draws air through the alignment holes creating an airstream into the alignment hole. As a fiber is moved toward the alignment hole, the airstream converging on the hole creates a centering force which acts to pull the fiber into alignment with the hole and the fiber passes directly into the hole. The use of a vacuum produces a precise alignment of a fiber or fibers that can be automated and is significantly quicker and more efficient than any other existing apparatus.

Abstract: A polarization insensitive photonic information router that can use polarization sensitive switches is disclosed. A photonic input signal is polarization separated into two paths having mutually orthogonal fixed polarizations and complementary amplitude fluctuations in accordance with polarization fluctuations of the input signal. Duplicate-acting switches, one for each fixed polarization, produce switched, polarized signal pairs. These are connected so as to recombine energy from both polarization contributions in each of the switched outputs. Recombining can standardize output polarizations, or reproduce the input polarization fluctuations. Polarization stabilization can also be used before switching. Decoding packet data to operate the switch produces a polarization insensitive packet switching router.