Abstract: A contactless rechargeable hearing aid system in which a rechargeable hearing aid may be optically or inductively recharged by an optical or an inductive recharger. The optically rechargeable hearing aid may have a dual purpose optical fiber that may act as a light conduit for the recharging light, and that may also act as a draw string for the hearing aid. The rechargeable hearing aid may use a high energy nickel metal-hydride rechargeable battery or a high energy, high voltage lithium based rechargeable battery, in conjunction with a DC to DC voltage regulating circuit for converting the rechargeable battery's declining DC output voltage to the fixed DC input voltage needed by the hearing aid's audio related circuitry. The DC to DC voltage regulating circuit may also help to present a supply impedance that matches the input impedance of the audio related circuitry in the hearing aid.

Abstract: A contactless rechargeable hearing aid system in which a rechargeable hearing aid may be optically or inductively recharged by an optical or an inductive recharger. The optically rechargeable hearing aid may have a dual purpose optical fiber that may act as a light conduit for the recharging light, and that may also act as a draw string for the hearing aid. The rechargeable hearing aid may use a high energy nickel metal-hydride rechargeable battery or a high energy, high voltage lithium based rechargeable battery, in conjunction with a DC to DC voltage regulating circuit for converting the rechargeable battery's declining DC output voltage to the fixed DC input voltage needed by the hearing aid's audio related circuitry. The DC to DC voltage regulating circuit may also help to present a supply impedance that matches the input impedance of the audio related circuitry in the hearing aid.

Abstract: A modular foundation system having a punch pad; pre-formed, ring-shaped modular foundation units; and an axial column and a pole that extend through the modular foundation units. The modular foundation system may be used to support any type of structure, such as a pole building type structure; or may be used to provide pier footings for any non-pole building type structure, such as a terrace and wall type structure.

Abstract: A compact fluidic circuit card having a main body with internal sensing elements and with fluidic circuit components (FCCs) located on both its front and back surfaces. An immunoassay sensing element may be used either in the form of a optical waveguide around which the liquid test sample may flow, or a disc through which the liquid test sample may flow. The card may be made inexpensive enough to be disposable by forming its main body and all of its FCCs so that they are suitable for being integrally formed in one piece by injection molding from plastic, regardless of the number of its FCCs; and by using thin strips of adhesively attached material for the main body's cover, needle septum strip and valve membrane strip. Heat-shrink plastic may be used for the valve membranes. The strength of the heat-shrink plastic's adhesive bonds may be increased by using a corona or plasma discharge to intentionally damage the surface of the heat-shrink plastic.

Abstract: The fluid handling devices are capable of accurately handling substantially continuous fluid flow rates as low as about 0.01 cc/day. The devices are so miniaturized, corrosion-resistant and non-toxic that they are suitable for being implanted in the human body; and are capable of being mass produced at costs so low, by using micromachining techniques, such as etching, that they may be considered to be disposable. The devices are either passive devices which consume no electrical energy at all, or are active devices which consume very small amounts of electrical energy. The devices are reliable because they may have as few as only two parts, only one which is a moving part; and because they may handle fluids at very low pressures. The fluid handling devices include active piezoelectrically driven membrane pumps; and passive fluid flow regulators, on-off valves, flow switches and filters.

Abstract: A disposable inflatable tourniquet cuff which may include an inflatable bladder having inner and outer walls which, in order to reduce cost and complexity, may be of the same size and made from the same material. A stiffener may be located within the bladder's inflatable fluid space, to eliminate the need for any separate parts to properly locate or hold the stiffener. The walls may have exterior, velcro-type soft, fuzzy loops or filaments; and be secured together with welds having a width selected to prevent the longitudinal sides of the cuff from spontaneously rolling up. The soft, fuzzy inner wall may serve as the patient contacting part of the cuff, thereby eliminating the need for a separate soft, fuzzy inner cover to protect the patient; and may serve to engage the hook-type velcro surface on other parts of the cuff, to hold them in the desired position.

Abstract: The fluid handling devices are capable of accurately handling substantially continuous fluid flow rates as low as about 0.01 cc/day. The devices are so miniaturized, corrosion-resistant and non-toxic that they are suitable for being implanted in the human body; and are capable of being mass produced at costs so low, by using micromachining techniques, such as etching, that they may be considered to be disposable. The devices are either passive devices which consume no electrical energy at all, or are active devices which consume very small amounts of electrical energy. The devices are reliable because they may have as few as only two parts, only one which is a moving part; and because they may handle fluids at very low pressures. The fluid handling devices include active piezoelectrically driven membrane pumps; and passive fluid flow regulators, on-off valves, flow switches and filters.

Abstract: The fluid handling devices are capable of accurately handling substantially continuous fluid flow rates as low as about 0.01 cc/day. The devices are so miniaturized, corrosion-resistant and on-toxic that they are suitable for being implanted in the human body; and are capable of being mass produced at costs so low, by using micromachining techniques, such as etching, that they may be considered to be disposable. The devices are either passive devices which consume no electrical energy at all, or are active devices which consume very small amounts of electrical energy. The devices are reliable because they may have as few as only two parts, only one which is a moving part; and because they may handle fluids at very low pressures. The fluid handling devices include active piezoelectrically driven membrane pumps; and passive fluid flow regulators, on-off valves, flow switches and filters.

Abstract: The fluid handling devices are capable of accurately handling substantially continuous fluid flow rates as low as about 0.01 cc/day. The devices are so miniaturized, corrosion-resistant and non-toxic that they are suitable for being implanted in the human body; and are capable of being mass produced at costs so low, by using micromachining techniques, such as etching, that they may be considered to be disposable. The devices are either passive devices which consume no electrical energy at all, or are active devices which consume very small amounts of electrical energy. The devices are reliable because they may have as few as only two parts, only one which is a moving part; and because they may handle fluids at very low pressures. The fluid handling devices include active piezoelectrically driven membrane pumps; and passive fluid flow regulators, on-off valves, flow switches and filters.

Abstract: The fluid handling devices are capable of accurately handling substantially continuous fluid flow rates as low as about 0.01 cc/day. The devices are so miniaturized, corrosion-resistant and non-toxic that they are suitable for being implanted in the human body; and are capable of being mass produced at costs so low, by using micromachining techniques, such as etching, that they may be considered to be disposable. The devices are either passive devices which consume no electrical energy at all, or are active devices which consume very small amounts of electrical energy. The devices are reliable because they may have as few as only two parts, only one which is a moving part; and because they may handle fluids at very low pressures. The fluid handling devices include active piezoelectrically driven membrane pumps; and passive fluid flow regulators, on-off valves, flow switches and filters.

Abstract: A method for forming a contoured regulator seat in the substrate of a fluid flow regulator having a membrane with an elastic flexure. The method may involve the steps of deflecting the flexure into the substrate to form the contoured regulator seat while the substrate is in a first, soft condition; continuing that deflection until the substrate is in a second, hard condition; and then ceasing that deflection. The method may include the steps of micromachining a regulator channel into the substrate prior to performing the deflecting step, and then deflecting the flexure into the regulator channel during the deflecting step.

Abstract: A multifunctional sensor system for an intrinsic type optical sensing fiber. A numerical aperture controlling optical input element for the excitation fiber may maximize the amount of sensing fiber modulated return light. The excitation fiber may be centered in a ring or linear array of return fibers, to inject excitation light into the return light poor center of the sensing fiber; and to capture return light from the return light rich outer parts of the sensing fiber. Tipping the return fibers with respect to the sensing fiber may increase their capture of high numerical aperture return light. The sizes and number of the adjacent ends of the excitation, return and sensing fibers may be selected to minimize the effects of any lateral displacement between the adjacent ends. The sensing fiber may generate both reference and sensor return light; and a ratiometric output signal may be derived from the reference and sensor return light which may be free of certain system errors.

Abstract: The fluid handling devices are capable of accurately handling substantially continuous fluid flow rates as low as about 0.01 cc/day. The devices are so miniaturized, corrosion-resistant and non-toxic that they are suitable for being implanted in the human body; and are capable of being mass produced at costs so low, by using micromachining techniques, such as etching, that they may be considered to be disposable. The devices are either passive devices which consume no electrical energy at all, or are active devices which consume very small amounts of electrical energy. The devices are reliable because they may have as few as only two parts, only one which is a moving part; and because they may handle fluids at very low pressures. The fluid handling devices include active piezoelectrically driven membrane pumps; and passive fluid flow regulators, on-off valves, flow switches and filters.

Abstract: An easily repairable, high efficiency, durable, compact heat exchanger having a modular heat exchanger tube may be provided. The modular heat exchanger tube may be easily disassembled so that any of its modular component tubes (such as its combustion area tube) may be easily removed for repair or replacement. Internal alignment and sealing sleeves may be provided for the adjacent modular component tubes of the heat exchanger tube. The internal sleeves may automatically and permanently increase their sealing power due the automatic and permanent expansion they undergo when they are stress relieved by being heated for the first time by the combustion gasses within the heat exchanger tube. Stress cracking of the heat exchanger tube may be reduced by supporting the heat exchanger tube so that it may move freely as it heats up (expands) and cools down (contracts) during the normal thermal operating cycles of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding, containing, and dispensing sterile, hygienic cordage, such as dental floss and suture materials. The apparatus comprises: a housing; and cutting and retaining means. The housing has a depression formed therein across which the cordage is placed. The apparatus allows a user to grasp the cordage, withdraw a desired length of cordage, and sever a trailing end thereof without manually touching the apparatus. This reduces the threat of cross-contamination between successive uses and/or users of the apparatus.

Abstract: An animal restraint for holding all of an animal's body, except for its head, while the animal is being examined, medicated or treated. The animal restraint comprises a sleeve of material having a large opening at one end and a smaller head opening at its other end. The animal restraint may include closures for the large opening and for the head opening. In addition, the animal restraint may include shoulder closures and hip closures for securely holding the animal with its legs folded comfortably beneath it, in order to help prevent the animal from struggling to escape. The animal restraint may be made from mesh material in order to permit the animal to be conveniently bathed, powdered or injected while inside of the animal restraint.

Abstract: An AC current sensor comprising a generally C-shaped main coil with a fixed gap between its ends. A pair of compensating coils are positioned at fixed locations in the main coil's gap. The longitudinal axes of the compensating coils lie on an imaginary straight line which extends between the centers of the main coil's ends; and their electrical centers are each spaced the same distance from their respective ends of the main coil. A compensating coil gap is defined between the electrical centers of the compensating coils. The main coil defines a measuring recess in which the sensed AC current carrying conductor is located when a measurement is taken. When the ratio of the size of the main coil gap to the size of the compensating coil gap is equal to the square root of three, the AC current sensor's accuracy and outside signal rejection increase most rapidly with increased distance of the sensed AC current carrying conductor from the compensating coil gap, and the AC current sensor's size can be minimized.