Abstract: The cooling system for a power transformer is activated by sensing and processing the frequency characteristic including the harmonic contents, of the inrush current into the transformer, when the transformer is first energized. The cooling system may include motors operating devices such as oil circulating pumps and fans causing a coolant to flow about the power transformer. The cooling system is deactivated by sensing when the transformer is de-energized and when its temperature is below a predetermined level.

Abstract: The exhaust system of an internal combustion engine includes a duct having an input end coupled to the engine for passing and processing the exhaust gases and fumes emitted by the engine such that the duct functions as an anti-explosion and fire arrester device. The duct includes a reinforced filter structure securely and firmly mounted within and across the duct opening. The filter structure is coated with a noble metal to enhance oxidation of the gases and fumes passing through the duct. An insulator layer is attached about and along the outer surface of the duct and a jacket for carrying a coolant is mounted above and about the insulator layer. The insulator layer isolates the coolant from the duct to ensure that the temperature on the external side of the jacket is less than a predetermined value. Simultaneously, the insulator layer isolates the duct from the coolant to enable the temperature within the duct to have a sufficiently high value to sustain oxidation of the gases and fumes.

Abstract: A system for cooling a power transformer which generates heat, when driving a load, includes cooling devices, such as fans and pumps, located about the transformer, which are powered for circulating a coolant about the transformer. Each cooling device has a motor which is energized in response to given temperature (heat) conditions. In systems embodying the invention, the currents flowing through the motors of cooling devices are sensed and monitored to determine whether the cooling devices are functioning correctly and to substitute functional cooling devices for those which are malfunctioning. Sensing the currents in the motors enables the early detection of fault conditions in the cooling system. It also enables the monitoring of operating conditions and running time of the cooling devices to aid in the maintenance and operation of the cooling system.

Abstract: A chemical mixture for treating biodegradable materials which when subjected to anaerobic decomposition generate environmentally harmful gases such as methane and hydrogen sulfide. The chemical mixture includes chemicals for inhibiting the production of methane and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). The mixture may be formed by: (a) combining compound(s) which inhibit the production of methane gas with compound(s) which inhibit the generation of hydrogen sulfide; and/or (b) using one or more compounds which can perform both functions. The biodegradable materials include all types of paper products. A liquid may be added to the chemical mixture to form a solution which may be applied, in any suitable manner, to biodegradable materials at any point during the manufacture of the materials and/or after the biodegradable materials are disposed of and ready for decomposition.

Abstract: For protecting surface floating wave energy converters (WEC's) against surface turbulence, the WEC's are removed from the water surface. For reducing the force required, the WEC's include a hollow member having an apertured outer wall. In the case where the WEC is to be lifted out of the water, the hollow member is normally submerged and full of water, and, during its lifting, water drains through the wall apertures thereby reducing the weight of the member and reducing the force required to lift it. In the case where the WEC is to be submerged, the hollow member is normally empty of water but fills with water through the wall apertures as the member is pulled beneath the surface. The weight of the water reduces the force required to submerge the member.

Abstract: For reducing the number of anchors required for mooring a plurality of WECs in a body of water, the WECs are arrayed in two patterns enabling the sharing of anchors among the WECs. One pattern comprises pluralities of WECs disposed in polygonal shaped cells with an anchor disposed beneath each cell connected to all the WECs in the cell. A second pattern comprises a tessellated pattern of contiguous cells with WECs at the interface between contiguous pairs of cells being common to both cells of the pairs.

Abstract: Protective devices, to protect a body part having a bony portion with a soft tissue layer between the bony portion and an outer skin layer, have an inner surface which conforms to the body part to be protected and are applied to the body part to reduce pressure exhibited at the interface between the bony portion and the soft tissue layer, across the soft tissue and outer skin layers and at the interface between the outer skin layer and a support surface. The protective devices may be made of any material suitable for distributing the weight of the body part over an extended area and volume and may include a mushy material, a hard shell, a hydro absorptive material, and a wound dressing with medication. The body-part to be protected includes at least one of the heel, trochanter, knee, sacrum, coccyx, ischium, scapula, elbow, ankle, buttocks and occiput; The protective devices may be secured to the body part directly or via a garment or any other suitable securing means.

Abstract: A wave energy converter (WEC) system includes a shell containing an internal oscillator comprised of a reaction mass suspended from the shell by an elastic spring in parallel with a constant force spring. The constant force spring provides a relatively constant force (Fc) to counterbalance the static weight of the reaction mass and reduce the extension “static” length of the elastic spring while the elastic spring exerts a force (Fes) on the reaction mass that is proportional to the displacement, x, of the elastic spring. A power take-off (PTO) device, located within the shell, coupled between the shell and the internal oscillator converts their relative motion into electrical energy.

Abstract: An underwater substation pod (USP) adapted to collect and process the electrical outputs of an array of offshore power generating devices includes a voltage boosting transformer for combining and transmitting with increased efficiency an amplified version of the collected electrical outputs to an on shore facility. Combining the outputs and transmitting at a higher voltage reduces transmission losses and the number of cables required to transmit the electrical outputs. The USP is mounted on the seabed but operated at atmospheric pressure to accommodate standard components. The pod may be designed to include remotely controlled operation and to have a long service life since few, if any, moving parts are used. Also, the equipment may be designed to have a high degree of redundancy to provide greater reliability.

Abstract: The invention includes a novel differentiator cell, a novel resample unit cell, and precision synchronization circuitry to ensure proper timing of the circuits and systems at the anticipated ultra-high speed of operation. The novel differentiator cell includes circuitry for combining a carry input signal, a data bit signal and the output signal of a NOT cell and applying the signals as distinct and separate pulses to the input of a toggle flip-flop (TFF) for producing an asynchronous carry output and a clocked data output. The novel differentiator cells can be interconnected to form a multi-bit differentiator circuit using appropriate delay and synchronization circuitry to compensate for delays in producing the carry output of each cell which is applied to a succeeding cell.

Abstract: A cellular communication system includes an array of buoys disposed in a body of water. Each buoy includes a completer cellular system including a cellular transmission/reception site and associated electrical equipment for processing cellular signals. Each buoy also includes a wave energy converter (WEC) responsive to waves in the body of water for generating electrical energy for powering the associated equipment processing the cellular signals, whereby the cellular system can be continuously operated without any additional power source.

Abstract: A bed is described having a support member for supporting an individual thereon; a base member configured to support the support member above a surface; a primary height adjusting mechanism operable to adjust the height of the support member with respect to the base member. The primary height adjusting mechanism includes an arrangement of a plurality of link arms drivably coupled to one or more actuators which raises the support frame member. During raising of the support frame member from its lowermost position to its fully raised position there is an initial lifting stage when the lifting force applied by the associated actuator to the arrangement of link arms acts at a shorter distance from a fulcrum of the arrangement of link arms to the support frame and therefore with a greater moment of force than during a later stage of lifting movement. A secondary height adjusting mechanism is operable to adjust the height of the base member with respect to the surface.

Abstract: For reducing the number of components required for mooring (by means of three, 120° spaced apart mooring lines) multiple floating wave energy converters (WECs), a group of six WECs is disposed in a hexagonal pattern with each WEC being disposed at a corner of the hexagon. The WECs are connected to one another by mooring lines extending along sides of the hexagon, each WEC thereby being connected by two, 120° spaced apart mooring lines and with each WEC serving as a mooring point for each of its two adjacent neighbors. A third mooring line for each WEC, spaced 120° from the other two mooring lines, is connected to an auxiliary surface buoy and thence to an anchor.

Abstract: Apparatus embodying the invention include a damping plate attached to the submerged end of a spar-like element floating in a body of water. The spar like element tends to move up and down in a vertical direction in response to passing waves. The damping plate has a pair of oppositely facing surfaces extending transversely to the vertical direction of the movement of the spar-like element and vertical structures (“lips”) mounted on the oppositely facing surfaces for increasing the effective mass of water pushed during movement of the damping plate through the water. Damping plates with lips, as per the invention, may be used in wave energy converters to control the relative motion between the spar-like element and a float to increase the energy produced.

Abstract: The stability and power conversion efficiency of a wave energy converter (WEC) which includes a float, a spar and a power taken device (PTO) connected between the spar and the float is increased by connecting a heave plate to the spar in a very secure manner and by carefully limiting the movement between the float and spar to one direction (i.e., up-down motion). Buoyancy chambers may be attached to the WEC to facilitate its transportation and deployment. The WEC may be formed in sections and assembled at, or close to, the point of deployment.

Abstract: A multiphase clock circuit in which bit errors are propagated only for the duration of the clock cycle in which a bit error occurs. The circuit recovers automatically from bit errors and is capable of operating at high frequency with high clock precision. The multiphase clock circuit can generate a plurality of clock pulse streams, each pulse stream at the same clock frequency, with fixed phase relationships among the streams. The multiphase clock circuit includes a master clock signal of frequency fc which is applied to a divide by N frequency divider circuit for producing a base clock signal of fc/N. The base clock signal is sequentially applied to the data input of a series chain of N clocked data flip-flops (DFFs) each of which is simultaneously clocked by a clock signal of frequency fc to produce N clock signals of base frequency fc/N separated from each other by a constant time delay T=1/fc.

Abstract: A wave energy converter with air compression (WECWAC) includes a cylinder and a piston located within the cylinder dividing the cylinder into an upper chamber and a lower chamber. The cylinder is fixedly attached to a spar whose up/down (heave) motion is restrained. The piston is fixedly attached to, and driven by, a float which moves generally in phase with the waves. Under typical wave conditions the piston functions to compress air within the upper chamber on its up stroke and within the lower chamber on its down stroke, i. e., the system is thus double-acting. In still water, the spar and cylinder combination is designed to drift down into the body of water relative to the piston whereby the size/volume of the upper chamber is decreased (while that of the lower chamber is increased). For small amplitude waves the piston continues to compress air in the upper chamber and this asymmetrical compression continues until the waves reach a predetermine level when “double-action” is resumed.

Abstract: A tag with features to enable its authenticity to be determined includes a hidden code intermixed with a visible pattern such that the hidden code is not readily detectable under ambient light condition, without the use of a specially designed reader. In one embodiment the tag is formed with a first layer containing a hidden code, formed of reflective elements, which overlies a second layer which is designed to absorb light having a predetermined wavelength (e.g., IR light). The hidden code can be detected by projecting a light source having the predetermined wavelength (e.g., an IR source) at a predetermined angle on the tag and using a sensor to sense the reflection from the tag.

Abstract: A broadband multibit digital radio-frequency (RF) signal is synthesized digitally. to convert the digital signal to a high-power analog signal for RF transmission. Each bit (or cluster of bits) of the digital signal is first separately amplified using a fast switching amplifier with a controlled dc power supply voltage. The DC voltages are weighted to match the significance of the bits, and controlled by a set of calibrated DC reference sources to maintain high precision. The amplified digital signals from the various bits are then combined and passed through an appropriate analog filter to generate the RF signal to be transmitted. Such a signal can exhibit broad bandwidth, high dynamic range, excellent linearity, and low noise. Preferred embodiments of this system can incorporate superconducting electronic elements. For ultimate precision, a set of primary or secondary DC voltage standards can be used to regulate the switching amplifier supply voltages.

Abstract: In a wave energy converter (WEC) for capturing energy contained in surface waves on large bodies of water, one or both of the floats used in the WEC has an internal spring system including a weight suspended from a spring mechanism having a selectively variable spring constant for allowing vertical oscillations of the weight in response to bobbing motions of the float The mechanical impedance of the system is a function of the oscillations of the weight, hence the system is tunable to selected values of mechanical impedance for optimal coupling with the prevailing waves.