Abstract: A building accessible to persons, which comprises at least one constructional element, which element is tubular and which is at least substantially made of wound-together layers of a strip of paper/cardboard, wherein each layer is at least substantially made up of a corrugated sublayer and a flat sublayer affixed to one side thereof.

Abstract: A surge protection cartridge is disclosed which is compact, allows for surge protection devices to be inserted and removed by hand, is rugged, is easy to use and is economical. The cartridge includes a plastic housing, a series of tip and ring terminals mounted to the housing, a ground bar mounted within the housing, a guide strip frictionally mounted to the housing, two attachment clips and a cover. The guide strip is partitioned and includes surge protection device pads with three holes and funnel-like bordering surfaces around each hole to facilitate installation of the devices. The side walls of the housing are shortened to allow hand installation and removal of devices and the cover is used to protect the devices and maintain their connection even when the cartridge is roughly handled. The attachment clips connect to the housing, to a standard telecommunication frame and to a modular terminal block assembly.

Abstract: A fluorescent retroreflective article comprising a polymer resin comprising poly(1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol-co-ethylene terephthalate) and a fluorescent dye selected from the group consisting of perylene imide and perylene ester dyes, thioxanthene dyes, benzoxanthene dyes, and benzothiazine dyes exhibits good color and fluorescent durability. Said PETG fluorescent resin matrix can be used to enhance daytime visibility of a roadway marker. Such a pavement marker comprises a base member comprising a structure of a light-transmissible fluorescent material, the structure having a top surface and a front edge surface, the base member being configured to provide an air cap beneath the structure. Light incident on the top surface of the fluorescent structure is directed through said structure and emitted through said front edge surface to provide a signal to a driver of an oncoming vehicle.

Abstract: A method which extends the useful life of a lead-acid type battery by applying conductive cooling or heating directly to the bottom surface of the battery to maintain the battery at a constant temperature of about 25° C. regardless of the ambient temperature surrounding the battery. The method for thermally managing the battery comprises the steps of providing an equipment cabinet having an equipment chamber, providing the cabinet with a battery compartment exposed to ambient temperature changes, providing the battery, placing the battery in the battery compartment, providing a cold plate having a surface substantially coextensive with the surface of the battery, placing the surface of the cold plate in direct contact with the surface of the battery, providing a heating pad, placing the heating pad in direct contact with the cold plate, providing an insulation pad, and placing the insulation pad between the heating pad and a mounting for the cabinet.

Abstract: Circuitry for controlling a diode optically coupled to an optical fiber suitable for transmitting digital light signals therethrough. The circuitry includes a temperature compensated driver when operating in the transmit mode and receiving circuitry for conditioning and amplifying electrical signals generated by the diode when it operates in a photodetection mode. A sweep circuit is provided for isolating amplifiers in the receiving circuitry and for discharging residual charge left in the diode during the transmission mode thereby reducing the signal-to-noise ratio.

Abstract: A method for selecting node variables in a binary decision tree structure is provided. The binary decision tree is formed by mapping node variables to known outcome variables. The method calculates a statistical measure of the significance of each input variable in an input data set and then selects an appropriate node variable on which to base the structure of the binary decision tree using an averaged statistical measure of the input variable and any co-linear input variables of the data set.

Abstract: A fluorescent yellow retroreflective sheeting article comprises a polymeric matrix, a fluorescent yellow-green dye selected from the group consisting of thioxanthene dyes and benzothiazene dyes, and a second dye selected from the group consisting of thioxanthene dye and thioxanthone dyes, wherein the resulting article has chromaticity coordinates within the area defined by CIE as fluorescent yellow.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a high voltage generating device comprising a high voltage generating component having as input a voltage signal constructed at least by comparing a reference current and a feedback current, said feedback current being related to the output voltage generated by said high voltage generating component.

Abstract: A circuit for controlling current flow though an LED backlight network, comprising a PWM circuit for receiving an input DC voltage (Vsource) and in response generating a chopped output voltage (Vsw), a filter for smoothing the output voltage (Vsw) resulting in a DC output voltage (Vout) for application to a first terminal of the LED backlight network. A resistance (Rcp) is connected between ground and a second terminal of the LED backlight network so as to create a node voltage (Vref) connected to a feedback input of the PWM circuit. In operation, the PWM circuit maintains a constant controlled current through the LED backlight network by regulating Vout in accordance with the node voltage (Vref).

Abstract: An apparatus for use with a source of light including a first orientation device that includes a latitude scale, a latitude pointer rotatable about a first axis relative to the latitude scale, and a platform configured to support an architectural model. The platform is mounted on the latitude pointer such that rotation of the pointer about the first axis produces a corresponding change in the position of the platform relative to the latitude scale. The apparatus also includes a second orientation device that includes a time scale and a time pointer rotatable about a second axis relative to the time scale. The first orientation device is mounted on the time pointer such that rotation of the time pointer about the second axis produces a corresponding change in the position of the platform relative to the time scale without changing the position of the platform relative to the latitude scale.

Abstract: A method for highly hydrophilifying the surface of an article by photoexcitation of a semiconductor photocatalyst and maintaining the hydrophilicity is disclosed. A layer containing a photocatalyst is formed on a substrate. Onto the surface of the layer are fixed a hydroxyl group upon photoexcitation of the photocatalyst and a physically adsorbed water molecule in the vicinity of the hydroxyl group upon photoexcitation of the photocatalyst. Thus, the surface is highly hydrophilified. Further, this surface, simultaneously with the hydrophilification, exhibits higher hydrophobicity.

Abstract: A system and method for data record summarization and exception testing is provided in which a data viewer program forms a logical pipe for processing and presenting data records from an input data record source to summarization and exception testing programs. The data viewer program creates a virtual data record stored in the processor memory of the system, which is then presented directly to the summarization and exception testing programs for processing. By providing this logical pipe between the input data record source and the processing programs, the present invention eliminates the need for intermediate storage files on disk memory, and also greatly increases the processing efficiency of the system. The system also includes a summarization program that is capable of directly summarizing the virtual data records piped into it from the data viewer program, thus eliminating the need for a time-consuming sorting process prior to summarization.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for imparting a translucent optical effect to transparent thermoplastic polymers. The compositions comprise the thermoplastic polymer and 0.01 to 15 parts per hundred by weight (preferably 0.1 to 6, more preferably 0.2 to 5 parts by weight, even more preferably 0.5 to 2 parts by weight, and most preferably 0.5 to 1.5 parts by weight) of at least one particulate, light diffusing material in the form of powders, fibers, whiskers, platelets, flakes, aggregates, agglomerates, and mixtures of these, comprising a average maximum particle size of from about 0.1 microns to about 200 microns (preferably from about 1 to about 100 microns). A first embodiment of the invention comprises a one step method for imparting the translucent optical effect. A second embodiment comprises a two step method, including the use of a concentrate composition.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for operating a computer system to minimize the number of disk storage access operations used in creating an inverted database. This method divides a database into several smaller subdatabases. The documents of the subdatabases are decomposed into subdocuments. A postings list for each subdatabase is then created in which all the terms for the subdatabase are associated with the identity of each subdocument of the subdatabase in which the terms occur. The resulting postings lists for the subdatabases are then merged. The merge process sorts the postings of the subdatabases and merges common terms. The non-common terms are merged after the common terms. The process of sorting the postings list and then merging the common terms followed by the non-common terms minimizes the number of disk storage access operations required for creating the inverted database from a series of inverted subdatabases.

Abstract: A wet pickup attachment for vacuum cleaners has a pair of independent float operated valves to close primary and secondary exhaust openings responsive to different water levels in a collection tank and thereby prevent aspiration of water into a vacuum cleaner that powers the attachment.

Abstract: In a tarp system used to cover an open container such as a truck, the tarp being connected on one longitudinal edge to a roll bar, an improved mechanism for assisting movement of the roll bar comprises one or more constant force springs, each spring attached at one end to a longitudinal side of the container and at the other end to a reel mounted on the roll bar. When the roll bar is at one side of the container, the tarp is rolled around the roll bar and the constant force springs are extended. As the bar rolls across to the opposite side, the tarp is unrolled to cover the container opening, and the constant force springs wind into a coil around the reel.

Abstract: A mobile metal building forming machine forms panels of predetermined length from a coil of flat metal and then the formed panels are continuously crimped on their side edges for strength and are selectively curved by crimping the bottom of the panel. The crimping and curvature are automatically controlled so that building panels with vertical walls and an arched roof may be formed. A moveable crimping roll is automatically portioned to control the curvature and the roll is chain driven so that it may be moved without affecting its rotational drive.