Abstract: A disclosed breast milk expression system supports a pair of breast milk collection devices at the breasts of a nursing mother, allowing her to express breast milk while keeping her hands free. No special bra or other garment is required to provide support. The system includes a substantially rigid bar, a strap, and a pair of breast milk collection device connectors at or near opposite ends of the bar. The strap is comprised of a length of slender, flexible support material, significantly longer than the bar. The strap extends from a point at or near one end of the bar to a point at or near another end of the bar and can suspend from a nursing mother's neck, thereby suspending a pair of breast milk collection devices near the nursing mother's breasts to express milk from them. Numerous variations and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A self-supporting shearwall structure in the form of an “H,” an “I,” or a “C” is disclosed. The shearwall structure provides vertical and lateral support to the framework of a multi-story building sufficient to support the roof, other exterior and/or interior walls, and intermediate floor loads of the building, as well as the wind load of the building. In the preferred embodiment, the wall structure is made primarily of reinforced concrete, preferably comprising pre-cast concrete panels. The panels are placed end to end on their edge on the first (or lowest) floor of the building and joined to the building's foundation and to at least one other horizontally adjoining panel. The structure is made higher by adding an additional row of panels horizontally aligned at vertical support points and placed on their edge on top of the row of panels that has already been formed such that each subsequent row of panels is supported on and grouted to the prior row.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing elongated strip, wire or cable, a portion or all of which is defined by electrically superconducting material. An elongated wire, strip or cable is controllably coated with one or more materials which define a superconducting layer thereon or a plurality of such superconducting layers which bond or solidify on the substrate. In a particular form, the superconductor is formed as a layer secured to a wire-like substrate having an outer stratum that is electrically insulative, and a second layer of insulating material is secured to the outer surface of the superconductor layer. In one embodiment, the substrate may be an optically transparent light pipe, such as made of glass.

Abstract: A system and method assists the driver of a motor vehicle in preventing accidents or minimizing the effects of same. In one form, a television camera or other ranging device is mounted on a vehicle and scans the roadway ahead of the vehicle as the vehicle travels. Continuously generated video picture signals output by the camera are electronically processed and analyzed by a fuzzy-logic-based image analyzing computer mounted in the controlled vehicle, which generates control signals and applies them to control the operation of the accelerator, brake, and steering system of the vehicle in a coordinated way to attempt to avoid or lessen the effects of a collision. In a particular form, the decision computer may select the evasive action taken from a number of choices, depending on whether and where the detection device senses other vehicles and obstacles. Warning signals may also be generated.

Abstract: A movable-vehicle security system includes a facial-recognition system including a scanner such as a television or infrared camera directed at the face of a person in the driver's seat, which system produces output control signals that are applied to enable or disable operation of the vehicle, with or without a key or other supplemental security system. In a particular embodiment, the system includes a camera mounted on the “third taillight” assembly (which is preferably mounted below the roof and inside the rear window), directed at the rear-view mirror, and coupled to a facial-recognition computer, which in turn is coupled (with appropriate security precautions) to an enabling element for the vehicle, such as a starter motor. In a further embodiment, the system can be coupled to various elements of the motive system to create an auto-starting car.

Abstract: A disclosed vertical lift flying craft includes a lift unit that, during operation, develops a force including an upward component. A payload unit suspends from the lift unit. The payload unit suspends from the lift unit in such a way as to impart lateral stability while remaining capable of horizontal flight, without incurring the adverse effects of a downward pitching moment. In addition to a lift unit and a payload unit, the vertical lift flying craft includes a pair of bearings and a suspension structure, which cooperate to suspend the payload unit from the lift unit. Other systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A disclosed breast milk expression system supports a pair of breast milk collection devices at the breasts of a nursing mother, allowing her to express breast milk while keeping her hands free. No special bra or other garment is required to provide support. The system includes a substantially rigid bar, a strap, and a pair of breast milk collection device connectors at or near opposite ends of the bar. The strap is comprised of a length of slender, flexible support material, significantly longer than the bar. The strap extends from a point at or near one end of the bar to a point at or near another end of the bar and can suspend from a nursing mother's neck, thereby suspending a pair of breast milk collection devices near the nursing mother's breasts to express milk from them. Numerous variations and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes a power distribution block and a set of connectors that are configured to be removably coupled to the power distribution block. The exemplary system is useful for distributing power (pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical, etc.). The set of connectors includes connectors of at least two types. The block includes two or more conduction paths that each have two opposite ends. The block and connectors are configured such that one or more connectors of any type in the set can be removably coupled to at least one of the conduction paths, at either end of the paths. Each end of each conduction path connects (both electrically and mechanically) to no more than one connector. Methods and other systems with different advantageous configurations are also described.

Abstract: An oil-sorbent composition of matter has bound combinations of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). The SBS, or both materials, may be in the form of multitudes of granules. In certain preferred embodiments, the combination is 10-30% by weight and the SBS is about 30% styrene and manufactured without talc. The composition of matter can be formed into a solid, compliant body and utilized in a product for absorbing oil. The body can be formed, in one preferred embodiment, into an extended cylinder having an axial hole.

Abstract: Hydrophobic polymer particles (e.g., granules or fragments) employed as filter media, e.g., for filtering runoff water, include an antimicrobial compound on exterior surfaces and can reduce proliferation of microbial organisms as well as sorb chemical contaminants from the water. By employing this dual decontamination action, filter systems employing such particles can improve the quality of runoff water (or other contaminated water streams) and reduce the risk presented by potentially harmful organisms.

Abstract: A machine tool method employs a plurality of tools which may be sequentially or simultaneously automatically controlled to perform preprogrammed operations by either the same or different workpieces. A unit of work is conveyed to be operated on by selected of the plurality of tools that are controllably operated at respective work locating positions. A plurality of command control message signals are generated to perform preprogrammed operations either in sequence or simultaneously on the same workpiece or simultaneously on separate workpieces spaced apart on a common conveyor such as a flight conveyor while the conveyor is either in motion or stationary. In another form, the conveyor is automatically stopped with units of work thereon, each disposed so as to be predeterminately located with respect to a respective machine tool which has been prepositioned adjacent the work-holding conveyor.

Abstract: A dual-mode hose roller including a crank and a mounting plate may be used to roll up collapsed hose into either a compact hose roll or an expanded hose coil. The crank and mounting plate are arranged to facilitate transmission of torque from the crank to the desired type of hose winding. When a compact hose roll is desired, torque is transmitted directly to the hose. When an expanded hose coil is desired, torque is transmitted to the hose through the mounting plate and several extension arms. The extension arms are sized so that the hose roller forms an expanded hose coil having a suitable diameter for structural fire hose. The mounting plate is rotatably mounted on a fixed support through a bearing and, optionally, a ratchet mechanism. Using the hose roller, preparation is made for fighting a structural fire arranging a section of collapsed hose into a hose bundle. A section of hose is rolled up into an expanded hose coil and arranged into a number of hose loops to form a hose bundle.

Abstract: An RF tuner and tuning method employs analog quadrature mixing with a coarse-stepwise tunable local oscillator to a near-baseband passband region, followed by A/D conversion of the I and Q signals, correction of phase, group delay, and amplitude errors, image rejection, and translation to baseband by (1) fixed frequency translation, (2) stepwise channelized translation, or (3) essentially continuously variable tuning over a given digital tuning range. The near-baseband passband region is sized and located such that alternating image rejection provides non-redundant and complete tuning coverage of a desired high frequency spectrum with a local oscillator step size equal to about twice the digital tuning range or about twice the number of channels digitally stepwise tunable times the channel width, effectively doubling the typical local oscillator step size.

Abstract: A powered rotational toothbrush for cleaning the teeth of a dog. The toothbrush includes a battery powered handle having a rotational output shaft coupled to a cylindrical brush. The handle includes a button for initiating the rotation of the brush. A method of using the toothbrush includes rotating the brush while the dog bites down onto it.

Abstract: The invention is in the field of three-dimensional hollow novelty items and their manufacture, particularly items such as artificial pumpkins that the consumer desires to carve or alter after purchase. A carvable novelty article, such as an artificial Halloween pumpkin, comprises a polyurethane shell substantially surrounding an interior volume and having a thin coating, such as an acrylic elastomer, on the exterior surface of the shell. The carvable article can be formed by an inventive process in which polyurethane foam material, such as material having a nominal density of about 2.5-3.0 pounds per cubic foot, is sprayed from a nozzle rotating with respect to the inside of a mold. After the polyurethane foam article and the mold are separated, the article is coated with an elastomeric coating, such as an acrylic material that is applied as a liquid.

Abstract: A system and method assists the driver of a motor vehicle in preventing accidents or minimizing the effects of same. In one form, a television camera is mounted on a vehicle and scans the roadway ahead of the vehicle as the vehicle travels. Continuously generated video picture signals output by the camera are electronically processed and analyzed by an image analyzing computer, which generates codes that serve to identify obstacles. A decision computer mounted in the controlled vehicle receives such code signals along with code signals generated by the speedometer or one or more sensors sensing steering mechanism operation and generates control signals. Such code signals may be displayed, and a synthetic speech or special sound generating and warning means used, to warn the driver of the vehicle of approaching and existing hazards.

Abstract: A polymer alloy and method of making same comprising a block copolymer thermoplastic elastomer comprising a microscopic porosity rapidly plasticized by environmental contaminants and a binder of a polymer or copolymer, the binder binding block copolymer particles while preserving the microscopic porosity and providing a macroscopic porosity to allow fluid penetration. The block copolymer preferably comprises styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) triblock copolymer, styrene-butadiene (SB) diblock copolymer, or styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS) triblock copolymer, or a combination thereof, and the binder preferably comprises styrene-ethylene-butadiene (SEB) terpolymer, ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) terpolymer, ethylene-propylene (EPR) copolymer, or styrene-butene butadiene (SBB) terpolymer, or a combination thereof. Most preferably the block copolymer comprises styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) triblock copolymer and the binder comprises ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) terpolymer.

Abstract: One of the exemplary filter systems described includes a bracket and a filter module that can be suspended from the bracket by a plurality of flexible supports. The bracket can support the filter system beneath the grate of a storm drain without the need for the filter system to be attached to the grate. The grate can be lifted out of the storm drain separately from the filter unit, which allows the filter system to be lifted without the added weight of the grate. When the grate has been lifted out of the way, a suitable fastener structure can be attached to the bracket of the filter system to make the use of mechanical lifting devices more convenient. The bracket can be manufactured to known dimensions, or it can be offered from among a set of brackets that are pre-configured for known storm drain dimensions or as a standard bracket that can be modified to fit the dimensions of a particular storm drain.