Abstract: An extendable outside rearview mirror for a vehicle includes a spring-clamped slide mechanism that ensures a zero clearance fit between sliding components to avoid vibration. Bearing members between the sliding components reduce friction and provide a consistent reaction force to ensure smooth operation of an actuator mechanism which extends or retracts the mirror assembly along a support arm. The support arm includes V-shaped guiderails vertically aligned with opposing V-shaped guiderails on the mounting bracket assembly. Rod-like bearing means are interposed between the opposing guiderail pairs. A cantilever clamp jaw with spring means biases one guiderail toward the other with a high spring force which provides superior rigidity and thus enhanced mirror image clarity. The attachment end of the support arm may be divided into two attachment legs providing a dual-arm configuration for less wind resistance.

Abstract: A self-contained assembled fastener (11) includes a retainer (15), a through-pin (24) assembled to an over-molded knob (13), a rubber sleeve (17), and an end cap (19). The retainer (15) includes a radially disposed upward-facing cam ramp (26) that cooperates with a like cam ramp (29) on the knob (13) affixed to the pin (24). To secure two panels (12, 14) the retainer base is first fastened to a first panel preferably by clinch-type attachment (16) with the center pin extending through the retainer and through the two panels to be attached to the opposite side of the second panel. The rubber sleeve (17) is slidably fitted around the end of the pin (24) and is retained axially by an end cap (19). When the pin is turned, the cam-action between the pin ramp and the retainer ramp withdraws the pin axially upward from the retainer compressing the rubber sleeve and causing it to bulge against the backside of the second panel.

Abstract: A two-piece fastening system utilizes separate parts, a nut and a retainer, which are securely united from opposite sides of the captivating element such as a sheet or panel. The nut body which has an axial threaded bore includes an integral collar located on one side of the nut having an outside diameter less than the outside diameter of the nut body. A tubular shank unitary with the nut body extends coaxially from the collar, the outside diameter of the shank being less than the outside diameter of the collar. The shank includes an expandable portion near its end which is deformable to provide attachment to the second part, a retainer, which has a bore that receives the expandable portion of the shank. The retainer bore includes an inside wall against which the expandable portion of the shank is forced to achieve attachment of the parts. The width of the retainer is preferably greater than the length of the shank so that once attached, the end of the shank is below the endface of the retainer.

Abstract: A spin-pull blind insert tool utilizes a control system that generates a stop signal based on the relationship between the force values and the motion values derived from the action of the tool mandrel. The improved control system utilizes the shape of the force-deformation curve and not just a given pre-set force value or pull distance. Hence, the control system of the present invention does not require any set-up for changes in panel thickness unless the mandrel is also changed to install a different thread size. This control system develops a force-deformation curve as the fastener is being installed. The stop signal is generated when a pre-set deformation point has been exceeded and the shape of the force curve can be characterized by either of two types. For either type, an algorithm is followed which establishes an optimum stopping point for the installation tool regardless of the panel thickness into which the blind rivet is being installed.

Abstract: A heat sterilization process for small, washed, and bagged articles such as vial stoppers includes a conditioning or air removal phase prior to sterilization. During the air removal phase, a substantial majority of the liquid moisture is removed from the bagged articles by introducing brief periods of dry, warm air to the autoclave chamber. The air is introduced in short bursts at the point of greatest vacuum while pressure pulsing the chamber during the air removal phase. The air is heated and injected into the chamber through a supply valve which is rapidly opened and closed while the chamber is maintained within a preselected vacuum range between the pressure pulses. The result is a greatly reduced time for a complete sterilization and drying process.

Abstract: A two-piece panel fastener includes a barrel-shaped metal retainer which holds a screw. The screw includes a threaded shaft and a plastic cap which has longitudinally-extending resilient fingers which engage the outer surface of the retainer to captivate the screw. The retainer has a chamfered top flange along its top edge, a circumferential bulge area around its outer surface approximately in the middle of its length, and a base at the bottom. Two circumferential valley regions of reduced diameter are located along the outer surface of the retainer. The first valley region is located between the chamfered top flange and the bulge area and the second is located between the bulge area and the base. When the fingers occupy either of the valley regions, the screw is captively held at either of two stable positions of retraction or extension. The retainer is preferably rigidly affixed to a circuit board by soldering a base flange at the bottom of the retainer to the top surface of the board.

Abstract: A marginal ridge attachment plate slides onto the center tab of a height gauge to provide more accurate orthodontic bracket placement. In use, vertically-extending legs on the attachment plate rest on mesial and distal marginal ridges of the tooth. The plate is shaped so that while the legs rest directly on the marginal ridges, a cut-out portion between the legs avoids contact and interference from the inward-facing slopes of the tooth cusps. Therefore, correct bracket height is measured with reference to the marginal ridges of the tooth rather than the tooth cusp.

Abstract: A retread autoclave envelope for a vehicle tire casing is a two-part vacuum envelope. A first part has a generally J-shaped cross-section which provides an annular cavity for receiving a first sidewall and the peripheral tread of the tire assembly. A second portion of the envelope forms a closure along a sealed joint against the first envelope portion and lies along the tire casing sidewall. The joint has a contact surface area on the inside surface of a lip of the first part of the envelope and a surface on an outer rim of the closure formed by the second part of the envelope. The closure portion has a generally Z-shaped cross-section. The envelope parts are dimensioned such that the outer diameter of the tire assembly is greater than the inner diameter of the first part of the envelope in the crown area. The first part extends from a near side of the tread across and beyond the far shoulder of the tire assembly to the annular lip in the sealing area of the joint.

Abstract: A threaded blind insert includes a shank with an axial bore therethrough having a head at one end and a threaded region of the bore at the opposite end. The wall of the shank between its outer surface and the bore includes a weakened deformable portion created by a reduced outside diameter of the shank in that area. A reinforcement collar integral with the shank is located at approximately the middle of the deformable portion of the shank thus providing a more rigid area at the collar which creates bulges in the deformable portion on either side of the collar when the insert is compressed. A flange located adjacent the underside of the head of the insert has an outer diameter greater than the shank but less than the head. When fitted into a mounting hole of a workpiece, the flange centers the insert and provides an annular gap between the shank and the mounting hole.

Abstract: A system for electronically displaying item data information such as item prices and item descriptions that is available in updateable form from a central buffer, processing, multiplexing and serving unit. The system provides a multi-frequency tone signal containing item data applicable to items on a shelf associated with an electronic display strip and containing the address code of that particular strip. The electronic display strip responds to its particular address code and receives, decodes, displays the data relating to the items on the shelf, and ensures that the displayed data is in the proper order on the strip. The strip includes an electronic display for displaying the data, a non-volatile memory for retaining the data in the absence of applied power, and a multi-frequency tone signaling system to retransmit the received data to the server unit as a means of confirming that the proper information had been received and displayed, and a sensor element that receives display command signals.

Abstract: An orthodontic arch wire composed of stainless steel or other bendable alloy formed into an arc is provided with lines permanently etched, or otherwise permanently marked, across its long dimension, and/or outward-facing surfaces at intervals approximating the midpoint at which adjacent teeth contact each other when normally aligned. When the arch wire is removed from the patient's mouth for periodic adjustments, the etch marks provide accurate, stable, and permanent landmarks for placement of adjustment bends for three-dimensional movements of individual teeth. In order to accommodate a range of tooth and dental arch sizes, the arch wires are of small, medium, and large sizes for both upper and lower arch forms with the markings proportioned for small, medium, and large tooth sizes.

Abstract: A vehicle footrest preferably for a motorcycle provides both an upwardly angled flat surface for comfortably supporting the rider's feet while alternately providing a folding footpeg at approximately the same level as the floorboard. The folding footpeg extends laterally from a concavity along the outside edge of the front of the floorboard. When extended, the footpeg lies approximately in the plane of the floorboard which permits the footpeg to be used as a toerest as well as a full foot support. The combination of structures provides a variety of foot positions while maintaining the feet in safe proximity to the foot controls. The footrest allows the rider to quickly shift the position of his feet from floorboard to footpeg and back again with only a small amount of foot movement.

Abstract: An electric motor with integral attachment means includes two lever arms spaced equally about the circumference of the motor housing. The lever arms are hingeably connected to the motor housing and are rotatable between clamped and relaxed positions. An attachment foot located at the end of each lever releasably engages a mounting plate, thereby effecting the mounting and dismounting of the motor to the mounting plate. The lever arms are resilient and radially outwardly bowed in the relaxed state so that they can be locked in their clamped position by the snap action between the levers and radially-extending tabs on the motor housing. Feet of the lever arms engage mounting holes in a mounting plate and when in the locked position a heel element of each lever arm foot occupies a slot in the motor housing and thereby the foot of each lever arm resiliently applies a clamp force against the motor housing and the mounting plate.

Abstract: An orthodontic interarch device includes a recurve bend located adjacent a shepherd's hook or loop-type attachment that makes the anterior end of the device rotate downwardly rather than upwardly when force is applied. As the person's jaws move, a cam action against the archwire is produced that does not allow the hook or loop attachment end of the device to move above the horizontal plane of the bite as the connection rotates. The recurve bend should be a minimum of 120 degrees from the longitudinal axis of the interarch device in the backward direction. As the degree of this backward curvature approaches 210 degrees, the recurve bend further positions a hook attachment pivot point below axis of the body of the interarch device in the vertical plane. This further prevents the appliance from rotating into the bite.

Abstract: An extensible outside rearview mirror for a vehicle includes a spring-clamped slide mechanism that ensures a zero clearance fit between sliding components to avoid vibration. Bearing members between the sliding components reduce friction and provide a consistent reaction force to ensure smooth operation of an actuator mechanism which extends or retracts the mirror assembly along a support arm. The slide mechanism includes V-shaped guiderails vertically aligned with opposing V-shaped guiderails on the mounting bracket assembly. Rod-like bearing means are interposed between the opposing guiderail pairs. A cantilever clamp jaw with spring means biases one guiderail toward the other with a high spring force which provides superior rigidity and thus enhanced mirror image clarity.