Abstract: An apparatus for significantly improving the speed at which test signals are transferred between a mother board and daughter board connection, and for providing a signal that has improved electrical purity by reducing signal impurities such as capacitance and inductance. Test probes are retained in holes formed in one of the boards rather than in a probe block or standard male/female connector. The upper ends of the test probes make electrical contact with associated test points on the daughter board. The opposite ends of the test probes do not probe pads on the outer surface of the mother board and instead make electrical contact within the board itself. The distance between the facing surfaces of the mother and daughter board is thereby significantly reduced, significantly shortening the electrical path and significantly decreasing parasitic components.

Abstract: An improved aerial top, or yo-yo, having a stepped axle and a varied diameter tether is disclosed. The stepped axle is coupled at distal ends to yo-yo body halves and maintains the yo-yo body halves in a space apart arrangement and defines a channel between the body halves. The stepped axle has distal end portions having relatively large diameters and a central axle portion having a relatively smaller diameter. The stepped axle may be provided with intermediate axle portions having intermediate sized diameters. Sidewalls separate the axle portions and the sidewalls may be orthogonal to surfaces of the axle portions, or oblique thereto. A tether is wound onto the stepped axle and a user uses a throwing motion while the tether is connected to the user's finger, to throw the yo-yo so that the yo-yo unwinds the tether. The tether is a cord having a varied diameter along its length.

Abstract: A travel trailer has a two-level chassis supporting at least two discrete floor sections at at least two different heights above the ground with at least one of those floors having a bathroom portion being supported by an upper chassis beam. In a preferred embodiment, the chassis has a substantially horizontal forward upper portion and a substantially horizontal rearward lower portion, and an upper floor is secured to the upper portion and a lower floor is secured to the lower portion with an intermediate floor positioned below the upper edge of the upper portion of the chassis to a height intermediate that of the upper and lower floors. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the intermediate floor is suspended below the upper chassis portion. The area underneath the intermediate section and above the bottom of the trailer defines a storage area that is not blocked or limited in size by the width of the chassis beams.

Abstract: An economical and compact dual-chamber loudspeaker includes a small driver received within a partition extending between, and in acoustical and pneumatic communication with, both a front and a back chamber, each of which has a relatively small volume. An elongated vent is in acoustical and pneumatic communication between the front and back chamber at a substantially planar opening in the partition. The drone cone is in acoustical and pneumatic communication between the front chamber and the outside environment at a substantially planar opening in the housing. The two openings are spaced apart and generally parallel to each other. In a preferred embodiment, the volume of the chambers is minimized by securing an elongated concentric vent around the vent extending between the front and back chambers.

Abstract: A fuse array having a plurality of fusible links that can be addressed by two electrodes is disclosed. The fuse array includes two conductive strips having the plurality of fusible links located therebetween and electrically coupled to the conductive strips. The fusible links have different electrical resistance and each fusible link includes a fuse portion. A voltage potential applied across the conductive strips induces current flow through the fusible links in accordance with Ohm's law and ohmic heating occurs at the fuse portion in proportion to the square of the current. The voltage is increased to cause sufficient ohmic heating to occur in the most conductive fusible link (the fusible link having the lowest electrical resistance) so that the fuse portion in that fusible link fuses.

Abstract: A climbing nut is generally trapezoidal and has planar upper and lower faces and paired adjacent faces that are convex and concave, respectively. Opposed faces of the nut are therefore convex and concave, respectively. The convex faces have lateral longitudinally extending leg segments that assist in triangulation and strengthen the nut. The geometry of the faces allows for greater placement options. The nut alternately has one or more asymmetric curved faces. The nut is milled from stock extrusion material.

Abstract: A two-wheeled vehicle, with the wheels mounted in an in-line fashion, that maintains the point of contact of the wheels in an optimal controllability area during both straight and turning operations, thereby expanding the controllable operating envelope of the vehicle to be substantially coincident with the overall operating envelope of the vehicle. Preferably, this is accomplished with position regulator, such as a dynamically-variable linkage (DVL), connecting one or more of the wheels to the chassis of the vehicle. The position regulator permits a rider to reliably and easily control and maneuver throughout the operating envelope of the vehicle simply by tilting the vehicle. As a result, stable, hands-free maneuvering of the vehicle is possible simply by tilting the base in the direction of a desired turn, even over rough terrain, and without a user requiring excessive corrective force or unusually special balancing skills.

Abstract: An audible safety warning message is recorded on a digital sound chip and the chip is installed in an extension tool such as an extension pole, a ladder or the like. The message playback sequence is initiated when the tool is activated to provide the user with a warning to avoid dangers such as overhead power wires and the like.

Abstract: A practical system and method for precisely measuring low-level birefrigence properties (retardance and fast axis orientation) of optical materials (26). The system permits multiple measurements to be taken across the area of a sample to detect and graphically display (100) variations in the birefrigence properties across the sample area. In a preferred embodiment, the system incorporates a photoelastic modulator (24) for modulating polarized light that is then directed through a sample (26). The beam (“Bi”) propagating from the sample is separated into two parts, with one part (“B1”) having a polarization direction different than the polarization direction of the other beam part (“B2”). These separate beam parts are then processed as distinct channels. Detection mechanisms (32, 50) associated with each channel detect the time varying light intensity corresponding to each of the two parts of the beam.

Abstract: A practical system and method for measuring waveplate retardation. The system employs a photoelastic modulator (22) in an optical setup and provides high sensitivity. The analysis is particularly appropriate for quality-control testing of waveplates (26). The system is also adaptable for slightly varying the retardation provided by a waveplate (26) or any other retarder device in a given optical setup. To this end, the waveplate (26) position may be precisely altered to introduce correspondingly precise adjustments of the retardation values that the waveplate (26) provides. The system is further refined to permit one to compensate for errors in the retardation measurements just mentioned. Such errors may be attributable to static birefringence present in the optical element of the photoelastic modulator (22) that is incorporated in the system.

Abstract: A microelectrical mechanical systems actuator that provides a long throw is disclosed. The actuator includes a drive mechanism that oscillates a pallet that is located between leg portions of a drive member. The pallet includes first and second rows of pallet teeth located along two opposite edges of the pallet. The drive member is slideably coupled to a substrate, and includes first and second rows of drive teeth that are located along two opposing drive margins of the drive member leg portions. The pallet teeth and the drive teeth are compatible so as to permit meshing engagement of the pallet teeth with the drive teeth. The pallet is arranged between the rows of drive teeth. When the pallet teeth are meshingly misaligned with respective drive teeth and the pallet is urged against the drive margin, the drive member is forced to move until the teeth meshingly engage.

Abstract: A pair of pantyhose for aesthetic, medical and athletic purposes having left and right leg portions joined together by a lower torso portion. The lower torso portion includes a relatively large, unobstructed opening between the leg portions. The opening is sized and positioned to expose the wearer's crotch and anus areas when the pantyhose are worn by the wearer. Accordingly, the wearer may perform bodily functions, such as urinating, defecating, and engaging in sexual activities through the opening without having to digitally manipulate any portion of the pantyhose. In a preferred embodiment, the pair of pantyhose is a sheer, pigmented, monolithic, knit or woven, elastic structure. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the torso portion includes an additional resilient element, which thereby allows the pair of pantyhose to function like a pair of control top pantyhose.

Abstract: A support structure for use primarily as a lightweight, portable, strong, and fracture resistant tent support and the like, and method for making thereof. The support structure includes a fiberglass core and a resilient outer layer of material that is at least 0.2 millimeters thick. Preferably, the outer layer is made of polyethylene that is between 0.5 to 0.6 millimeters thick, inclusive. In a preferred embodiment, the support structure is curved to conform with the shape of the tent it supports, thereby preventing the support structure from springing back when inadvertently released from the tent. More preferably, the support member includes a plurality of elongate curved sections that are detachably secured together to form the support member.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for causing necrosis of tissue and specifically intended for thermal ablation of the uterine cavity to cauterizing the endometrial tissue. The apparatus includes a liquid-tight, liquid filled system having a distal flexible member; a proximal flexible member; and a catheter joining and providing a liquid path between these distal and proximal members. The apparatus further includes a pressurizable pneumatic chamber into which the proximal flexible member is inserted and a means to controllably heat the contents of the pneumatic chamber. The system operates to: first withdraw substantially all of the liquid into the proximal flexible member contained within the pressurizable pneumatic chamber; second to heat this liquid to a temperature such that it can cause tissue necrosis; and third to force the heated liquid from the proximal flexible member into the distal flexible member where it is maintained for a predetermined time and at a predetermined pressure.