Abstract: A unitary, reusable, deformable protective normally flat body spatially conformable to an object to define a protective carrier including a hollow case or body member defining a continuous, uninterrupted cavity, the cavity being filled with a preferably unitary preformed open-celled bat extending throughout the cavity, the body defining a central portion and opposed side portions contiguous thereto and a pair of opposed end portions defining cavities coextensive with the other cavities, unitary operative valve means for introducing air into and withdrawing air from all cavities, the central and opposed side portions being deformable to wrap around an article and the respective end portions being deformable to fold over the engaged side portions when enclosing an article, the valve means being accessible when the article is fully wrapped with the body member.

Abstract: A plurality of latches are employed for detachably holding a semiconductor wafer to a ring support during processing. Each latch is rotatably mounted on a post which is secured to the ring so that it can move to engage and disengage the wafer, alternately clamping and releasing it from the ring. Each latch has two opposed rollers, one to engage and disengage the wafer and the other to engage the ring. The latches should be freely rotatable into and out of engagement with the wafer. The ring usually has two pairs of opposed dimples such that each roller is in registration with each of the opposed dimples of each pair when it rotates from the engaged to the disengaged position and visa versa. The dimple in registration with the roller when engaged the wafer is sufficiently deep so that the roller does not touch the ring when clamped to the wafer.

Abstract: A latch for securing a wafer to a clamp plate. The latch may include a bearing that couples a wheel to a horizontal shaft. The horizontal shaft is adapted to rotate relative to the clamp ring so that the wheel secures the wafer. The bearing minimizes the amount of particles generated by the moving components of the latch that may contaminant the wafer.

Abstract: A system and method for determining simultaneously and independently onboard of each aircraft and on the ground at ATC centers utilizing substantially identical surveillance modules for determining the 3D position of all aircraft in an ATC area utilizing a UTC clock to further synchronize all of the surveillance modules on the aircraft and at ground stations. Five ground stations including a master and four slaves communicate with each other and all aircraft in the ATC areas. The same precise 3D position of all aircraft operating in that ATC airspace is simultaneously computed by all the aircraft in that ATC area utilizing the measured distance between the aircraft and ground stations in that area providing full automated support for landing, take-off and taxi operation of the aircraft to a Gate or from a Gate, by using a ground infrastructure of radio communication stations which are operating worldwide within a 16 MHZ frequency spectrum from the existing DME 962-1213 MHZ spectrum.

Abstract: A reusable skid for receiving stacked sheets which includes a pair of spaced-apart, longitudinal rails and a pair of spaced-apart, transverse members which extend over the rails. The transverse members are not fastened to the rails, and thus the skids may be assembled and disassembled easily.

Abstract: A probe element with helical grooves is dimensioned to be inserted into the ear canal and stop short of the ear drum, the element being made of soft compressed cotton. A bulbous flexible plastic handle has an interior rod and a clutch for releasably receiving the element. Depressing the handle at the rod location forming an ejection button displaces the rod and an interior-coupling member for ejecting the probe element. The rigid smooth handle is rotated a quarter turn to remove wax from the ear canal. The element extends from the handle a predetermined length to not engage the eardrum, the handle having a blunt tip acting as a stop for the element during insertion.

Abstract: A rotogravure printing medium includes a member coated with a film that is selectively removable to produce ink retaining cells. The film is formed by a series of adjacent strip of bead portions of a self-leveling, curable plastic composition which is engravable after curing. The adjacent strip or bead portions merge and self-level after deposition to produce a uniform continuous coating of the plastic composition.

Abstract: A male member has a cylindrical core with an internal poppet that is displaced by air pressure to open an air passage for pressurized air to an end of the poppet. The female cavity and poppet form a container bottom wall. A thermoplastic copolymer polyethylene is injected into the mold at about 470.degree. F., the mold having a surface temperature of about 100.degree.-130.degree. F. and the plastic material a temperature of about 130.degree.-160.degree. F. at the time of ejection of the container from the mold. Ribs are formed at the container rim having a depth such as to cause the container to stretch about 6% when removed from the core. The ribs outer edges are coextensive with the container side wall. A lid engaging lip is formed at the container rim edge. The process has a preferred 14 second cycle time and uses a core with no draft. The mold surface is maintained at the desired temperature by a cooling water circuit in the mold.

Abstract: A Faraday rotator for rotating a plane of polarization of polarized light, said Faraday rotator having an optical element comprising a rod which is comprised of an optically transmitting composition comprising cadmium, zinc, and tellurium, and preferably from about 30 wt. % to about 48 wt. % cadmium, from about 2 wt. % to about 20 wt. % zinc, and about 50 wt. % tellurium. This Faraday rotator is especially useful an optical isolator for preventing feedback of transmitted light waves.

Abstract: A regimen and composition for treating Attention Deficit/Hperactivity Disorder (ADHD) by the use of proanthocyanidin both with and without a heterocyclic anti-depresssant, preferably desipramine and a citrus bioflavinoid.

Abstract: A printing medium or image carrier for application to a printing apparatus or substrate which comprises a plastic composition which is applied to a printing substrate to form a plastic coating covering the substrate, which plastic coating is engraved to provide a printing medium. Preferred plastic compositions are those including epoxide resins such as cycloaliphatic epoxide resins, reaction products of epichlorohydrin and bisphenol A, bisphenol A epoxy resins modified with cresol novolac(s), epoxy-novolac resins, and epoxy-novolac based vinyl esters. The present invention provides for an effective rotogravure printing medium without the use and/or disposal of hazardous chemicals.

Abstract: An optical fiber and lens assembly which comprises a housing, an optical fiber, means for rendering the optical fiber immobile within the housing, a lens, and means for moving the lens within the housing. Such an optical fiber and lens assembly enables one to provide controlled movement of the lens, independently of the optical fiber, in response to changes in the focal length of the lens, the wavelength of light, and intended usages of the light.

Abstract: A generally spherical bead on the floor of a compartment is prevented from lying in the path of insertion of an elongated member into the compartment when the compartment is located at a site. A drive mechanism first moves the compartment relatively slowly and a small distance away from the site so that the inertia of the bead causes it to move with the compartment away from the insertion path. The compartment is then moved relatively quickly back to the site so that the inertia of the bead prevents it from moving with the compartment, to thereby position and maintain the bead away from the insertion path. The compartment has a relatively planar floor integral with side walls. When the compartment is at the site, a first side wall is adjacent to the insertion path and a second opposed side wall is remote from the insertion path.

Abstract: There is provided a digital, non-algorithmic method of compressing data. Data representing the addresses and values of pixels in an array are compressed. A first matrix is produced. The addresses of the first matrix are isomorphic with the range of possible pixel values, with one address corresponding to one pixel value. Same-valued pixels in the array are counted and each count is entered or tallied in the address of the first matrix corresponding to the value. One second matrix is generated for each pixel value actually present in the array. The addresses of the array and the second matrices are isomorphic. A binary "1" is placed in each address of each second matrix which corresponds to the address of the array having a pixel with the value to which the second matrix corresponds. The generated matrices represent very high data compression of 99% or higher. The first and second matrices may be transmitted, following which the array may be reconstructed therefrom.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump for a first fluid has a housing with an inlet and includes a rotatable impeller which is adjacent to a stationary plate. The inlet communicates with a space defied between the impeller and the plate. An outlet adjacent to the periphery of the impeller also communicates with the space. The space is divided into a plurality of zig-zag pumping passages which extend from the inlet to the periphery of the impeller. Each passage has undulating sidewalls defined by complementary undulations in the facing surfaces of the plate and the impeller. Each passage also has endwalls defined by vanes mounted to the impeller. The vanes generally conform to the undulations in the impeller and are also complementary to the undulations in the plate. An injection port in the plate communicates with the space downstream of the inlet at a point where the lowest absolute pressure within the passages exists. A second fluid may be injected through the port and into the passages.

Abstract: An optical circulator which includes a first birefringent plate for receiving an incident beam of light from a first port, a Faraday rotator, a polarization transforming device, and a second birefringent plate immediately adjacent a second port and the polarization transforming device. The optical circulator further includes means for diverting light traveling from the second port to a direction of travel which is at a right angle to the prior direction of travel, whereby the light is directed to a third port. The diverting means is immediately adjacent the first birefringent plate and the first port, and permits the clear passage of light from the first port to the first birefringent plate. The optical circulator has a simplified design while providing for the efficient transmission of polarized light.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing a predetermined amount of a sample into a fluid. The apparatus comprises a chamber which may be inserted into a cuvette. The chamber comprises a means such as a membrane or filter ball for dispensing a predeterming amount of a sample into a fluid upon contact of said membrane or filter ball and said sample by said fluid. The fluid is brought into contact with the sample by vortexing the fluid with a vortex mixer.

Abstract: An improvement in a method of rotating the plane of polarization of polarized light in a Faraday rotator, having an optical element which includes a ferromagnetic material, which comprises varying the strength of the magnetic field generated along the optical axis of the optical element in response to changes in the wavelength of the polarized light. The magnet employed in the Faraday rotator may be at least one permanent magnet or an electromagnet. Preferred optical elements are made of disc having a gadolinium-gallium-garnet (GGG) or large lattice constant (LLC) substrate, and the substrate is coated with an oxygen--and iron--containing film.

Abstract: A Faraday rotator having a first, or central magnet, and first and second tuning magnets a opposite ends of the central magnet. The central magnet and the tuning magnets are of opposite polarities. The central magnet surrounds a first optical element having a positive or negative Verdet constant, and the tuning magnets surround second and third optical elements, respectively. The second and third optical elements each have a Verdet constant of a sign opposite that of the first optical element. Such Faraday rotators require smaller magnet assemblies than Faraday rotators having just one optical element surrounded by the central magnet. There is also provided a Faraday rotator having at least two magnets wherein each magnet of any one pair of contiguous magnets generates a magnetic field in a direction opposite that generated by the other of the any one pair of contiguous magnets. The optical elements surrounded by these magnets have oppositely signed Verdet constants.