Abstract: A child-proof strap assembly for retaining eyewear on a wearer's head includes: a. a flexible lower strap portion of at least two lower strap sections, each lower strap section having a front end and a rear end; b. a means of detachably attaching the rear ends of the two lower strap sections to one another; c. a means of attaching the front ends of the two lower strap sections to opposite temples of the eyewear; d. a flexible upper strap portion of at least two upper strap sections, each upper strap section having a front end and a rear end, the front and rear ends of each upper strap section being affixed to a lower strap section, the front and rear ends of each upper strap section being affixed to a different lower strap section; and e. a means of adjusting the strap assembly to fit the head of the eyewear wearer.

Abstract: A filter apparatus (10) for use in a hopper section (11) of a sweeper truck includes: (a) a horizontal, rectangular, screened main frame portion (20) for attachment within the hopper section (11), (b) a mechanism for attaching the filter apparatus (10) to the hopper section (11); and (c) at least one V-shaped filter section (26), which extends downwardly to a point from the main frame portion (20) in a vertical direction, an upper portion of the V-shaped filter section being attached to the main frame portion, the V-shaped filter section being covered with a screen.

Abstract: A one-piece, flexible liner for a high chair or other type of child seat, includes: a) a central, generally square-shaped seat portion; b) a pair of arm portions extending from opposite sides of the seat portion; c) a front portion extending from a third side of the seat portion; d) a generally rectangular-shaped back portion extending from a fourth side of the seat portion opposite to the front portion; e) one or more fastening mechanisms for detachably attaching the liner to the high chair or child seat; and f) a storage pouch, which is a part of the liner, for holding the folded liner. The present invention also encompasses a disposable seat liner which includes: (a) an upper layer of flexible, liquid-permeable sheet material; (b) a middle layer of an absorbent core material; (c) a lower layer of liquid impermeable material, and (d) a detachable adhesive on the lower layer for contacting the chair seat. A method for folding a one-piece liner into an attached storage pouch is also included herein.

Abstract: A reversible shoe that can be taken apart and reassembled with inside and outside faces reversed includes: (a) a reversible sole; (b) two side flaps, each affixed to the sole along a longitudinal side edge of the sole; (c) a heel flap attached at one end to a posterior end of the sole; and (d) attachment means, such as zippers, laces, snaps, and buttons, for attaching one portion of the shoe to another. The reversible shoe has a generally flat, unassembled position for storage, and two opposite assembled positions ready for wear as a shoe. This reversible shoe allows the user to switch from one style to another, one color to another, monotone to multi-hued, or from plain to decorated. A method for assembling a reversible shoe, and a kit for building a reversible, readily assembled shoe are also included.

Abstract: A reusable, multi-walled cooler bag for maintaining a cool temperature within the bag includes: (a) a front portion comprised of at least one front layer; (b) a rear portion comprised of at least one rear layer, the layers being identical to one another, the front portion being sealed to the rear portion along at least two of its edges, the bag having a closable opening at its upper end; and (c) a reclosable fastener mechanism for opening and closing the opening in the bag; wherein the front or rear portions hold nontoxic coolant material between the front and/or rear layers; and the bag has a water-tight interior for storing items to be kept cool.

Abstract: An instrument for a health practitioner to use in the course of a neurological or physical examination includes: a cylindrical, battery-operated penlight device, a pin prick mechanism, a reflex hammer and/or measuring device, and/or a vibratory mechanism. The pin prick mechanism includes: (a) a removable cylindrical pin dispenser carousel which fits closely over one end of the instrument, and has adjacent pin compartments around the periphery of the pin dispenser carousel, each compartment being capable of loosely holding a straight pin; (b) a recessed band at one end of the instrument, which the pin dispenser carousel fits down over; and (c) a slide mechanism for pushing a portion of a single straight pin from the carousel compartment up through an aperture at the top of the pin dispenser carousel. The pin dispenser carousel is rotatable to a next pin position for repeated use.

Abstract: This image forming apparatus (10) for sheet print media includes an imaging drum (300) for holding print media (32) and colorant donor sheet material (36) in registration on the imaging drum (300). A printhead (500) moves along a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of the imaging drum (300) as the imaging drum (300) rotates. The printhead (500) receives information signals and produces radiation which is directed to the colorant donor sheet material (36) to the print media (32). A linear translation subsystem (240) for moving the printhead (500) has at least one translation bearing rod (206/208) that is adjustable to minimize misalignment error between the linear translation subsystem (240) and the imaging drum (300).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically gauging container and syrup requirements for beverage production includes: (a) dropping the level in a syrup recovery tank down to a pre-set level and maintaining it at that level; (b) loading remaining containers onto a conveyor belt system, which leads to a filler; (c) receiving input from a depalletizer confirming that the remaining containers have been loaded to the conveyor system; (d) stopping the flow of syrup from a syrup supply tank to a syrup recovery tank; and (e) pushing remaining syrup in at least one distribution line, which leads from the syrup supply tank, into the syrup recovery tank.

Abstract: A paintball gun support cradle includes: (a) a generally horizontal support base adapted to be disposed on a supporting surface, which includes: (1) a pair of elongated side members, which are parallel to each other and are adapted for supporting a paintball gun gas cylinder between them, and (2) one or two cross members which connect the side members; (b) a vertical arm member having an upper end and an opposite, lower end, the lower end being coupled to the cross member, the vertical arm member extending generally perpendicularly upward relative to the length of the support base; and (c) a T-shaped T-bar portion attached to the upper end of the vertical arm member. The T-bar portion is adapted for supporting a gun barrel.

Abstract: A bookmark in the shape of a doll or animal includes: a) a rounded head portion; (b) a longitudinally extending body portion attached at an upper end to the head portion, the body portion including at least two generally rigid, matching leg portions extending downwardly at a lower end; and (c) at least one strand of hair-like material attached to the head portion. The leg portions are spaced apart and adapted for placement over the edge of a cover of a book or other text. The strands are of a length and thickness adapted for placement between two pages of the book to mark one or more pages for future reference. A head swivel mechanism is also described.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for biopsying soft body tissue includes: (1) a distal barrel section, which includes: (a) a hollow barrel having an open, distal end and a proximal end; (b) a piston rod which movably extends substantially through the barrel; (c) a cutting mechanism coupled to the distal end of the barrel, which includes a movable surgical blade; (d) a trigger mechanism coupled to the cutting mechanism for releasing the movable blade; and (2) a proximal handle section coupled to the barrel and the piston rod. When the proximal handle section is compressed by a user, the piston rod retracts, and suction is created within the distal end of the barrel. When the trigger mechanism is pulled by the user, the movable blade moves from an open, ready position to a closed position, and the tissue sample is excised.

Abstract: A media supply receptacle (10) includes: a) a horizontally inclined base plate (18); b) a movable, slotted input tray (14) generally parallel to and above the base plate (18), with a generally flat upper surface for supporting a stack of sheet media; c) evenly spaced, parallel control rod slots (15) in the input tray; and d) at least one media adjustment guide member (11), which includes identical, evenly spaced control rods (12). The control rods are vertically positioned with respect to the horizontally aligned input tray (14), and at least one passes through a corresponding control rod slot (15). Each control rod (12) has a lower end affixed to the base plate, and an opposite, upper end affixed to a guide cap. Each guide cap (13) extends across the upper ends of the control rods (12) in the guide member (11) and over the input tray. The receptacle (10) is adapted for feeding the stack of sheet media to the adjacent image forming or rendering apparatus, a sheet at a time.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus (10) for sheet thermal print media includes an imaging drum (300) for holding thermal print media (32) and donor material (36) in registration on the vacuum imaging drum. In order to decrease the incidence of visible defects in images produced by the apparatus, the imaging drum (300) has its axis in parallel with the feed direction of the media. A method for improving the quality of images produced by an image processing apparatus (10) having a horizontally disposed imaging drum (300), which includes loading pre-cut, thermal print media into the image processing apparatus in a direction which is parallel to the axis of the imaging drum is also included.