Abstract: Reversibly expanding covering elements for truss structures made up of scissor-assemblies that are connected together by hub elements structures. These covering elements are comprised of a folded sheet of flexible material such as cardboard or a plastic sheet, or alternatively, comprised of planar panels that are hinged together. As the truss structure expands and contracts, the covering element is compressed and expanded along with it.

Abstract: A cassette system for window treatment includes a head rail with a base, end brackets attached to the base in a facing relationship and at least one roller blind with a mandrel and a decorative panel that is wound on the mandrel. The panel can be selectively drawn off the mandrel by rotation thereof. The end brackets are identical and mate with end plugs on the mandrel to rotationally support the roller blind. In an alternate embodiment, two or more roller blinds are supported by intermediate brackets or by an intermediate bracket and an end bracket. The end plugs on the madrel(s) have identical shapes to mate with respective legs on the end brackets.

Abstract: A tensioning device for the cord loop of a window treatment apparatus includes a cord guide disposed in a housing, a biasing element such as a spring and a locking member that locks the cord guide into an installation position. During installation, the cord guide is fixed so that it cannot move and does not affect the tensioning of the cord. After installation, the locking member is removed and the cord guide can move in one direction or another to properly tension the cord.

Abstract: An electrical connector for terminating flexible coaxial cable is provided. The flexible coaxial cable includes an inner conductor, an intermediate dielectric, an outer flexible braided intermediate dielectric and an outer insulator. A bored interface body has a first end with a first bore of relatively large inner diameter and a second end with a second bore of relatively smaller inner diameter than the first bore. A coupling member is located proximate to the interface body. An annular locking member having an inner diameter sized to receive the coaxial cable therein and an outer diameter sized to fit tightly within the first bore of the interface body. The locking member is bonded to the coaxial cable, which, in construction, is pre-conditioned to accept a bonding agent such as an epoxy resin.

Abstract: A hanger design to which a conglomeration of seed, treat or other food product may be adhered and which can be easily Installed and effectively secured to most animal cages is provided. The hanger of the invention includes a shaft having a plate disposed at one end in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the shaft. The plate has an outside surface formed with a pair of vertical ribs and an extending horizontal locking tab which together can be used to lock the hanger unit to a conventional animal cage.

Abstract: A chassis alignment system for a vehicle having steerable stub-axles comprises a pair of alignment tools. Each alignment tool comprises a rigid, unitary housing having a mounting receivable directly on the respective stub-axle and supporting the housing from the stub-axle in a fixed attitude with respect to the central axis of the respective stub-axle, the housing being adjustable in position around the stub-axle. Each housing accommodates a laser emitter which emits a beam parallel to the central axis of the respective stub axle, and further comprises a graduated target positioned to receive the beam from the laser emitter of the other alignment tool. Each target has a reference point positioned relative to the respective central axis, wherein the point of incidence of each beam on the respective target relative to the reference point enables the relative orientation of the stub-axles to be determined.

Abstract: A system for playing a selected one of multiple audio tracks recorded in synchronized fashion with a motion picture on an optical disk. The optical disk has encoded on it a mixing master music and effects (“M&E”) track, or a switching master M&E track. Individual audio tracks are provided for language-specific versions of the same motion picture, but these tracks have data recorded in them only where there is dialog. In this way, for many a motion picture, all tracks but masters will have data recorded for well less than half of the running time of the motion picture. When a mixing master is used, it is mixed with a language-specific track when the latter has dialog; the mixing master contains no dialog. If a switching master is used, it may contain dialog recorded with the M&E; when a language-specific track has dialog recorded in it, it also contains M&E and the track is played to the exclusion of the switching master.

Abstract: A friction hinge system for a laptop computer is provided. The system allows the computer display to move easily from a closed condition toward various operating angular positions while providing a greater torque for maintaining selected angular orientation. The system includes two or more bands wrapped in the same direction about a common shaft as well as a stop features for limiting the angle of rotation of each band relative to the shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for transferring a particulate material in a non-contact manner. The apparatus has a driving device including a nozzle curved surface portion fitted to the transfer pipe to join with the inner wall surface of the pipe. The nozzle curved surface portion has a curved surface whose diameter continuously increases from the inner wall surface. The driving device further includes an annular gap-forming member that forms a nozzle gap between it and the nozzle curved surface portion. A fluid is caused to flow into the transfer pipe from the driving device, thereby forming a buffer layer of a spiral flow in the vicinity of the inner wall surface of the transfer pipe and thus keeping the particulate material in a non-contact state.

Abstract: A sweater knit fabric containing hard yarn plaited together with bare elastomeric yarn is provided. The elastomeric yarn has substantially uniform draft along each course in the fabric. The fabric is made by a process in which the bare elastomeric yarn is fed under substantially uniform tension to a knitting machine in which yarn demand fluctuates as the fabric is knitted. Sweater knit fabrics are useful in making garments such as sweaters, vests, dresses, pants, skirts, shirts and caps.

Abstract: A grasping instrument provided with a guided-on, attachable, modified knot pusher and designed for positioning and fixing a knot in a suture at a remote surgical location. The knot is easily formed outside the patient's abdominal cavity by hand and fixed on the instrument tip. After intra-abdominal insertion, the knot pusher serves to forward the knot on the thread and to immediately tighten it without any troublesome instrument change being required. A spring-loaded mechanism enables the applied force to be predetermined for achieving a reliable knot strength.

Abstract: A surgical instrument system for the use in minimal invasive surgery is adaptable to all surgical tasks by interchangeable instrument heads with different surgical tools. The instrument holder includes a handgrip, a tube extending therefrom and a shaft. The shaft is slidably received in the tube and selectively engaged with the trigger handle of the handgrip. At a distal tie-in point different interchangeable instrument heads are connected tensile resistent to the shaft and their function is actuated with the trigger handle via the same shaft. With the aid of a grip member provided at its proximal end, the shaft is operated to set its tie-in points in function.

Abstract: A reversible backpack assembly is provided. The backpack assembly of the invention comprises a bag having an opening to enable access to its interior and a side or rear panel to which a strap assembly is connected. The strap assembly is used by the backpack wearer for carrying the bag along the wearer's back and includes a pair of supporting shoulder straps having ends connected to the bag panel and ends which may be selectively coupled to a corresponding pair of strap connectors fixed to the outside and inside of the bag.