Abstract: A pile article is provided having a band of textile material, and a plurality of fiber loops defining a pile having sides from ends extending longitudinally along the band. The band is ultrasonically welded to the ends and a portion of the sides of the pile, and is sufficiently wide to support the sides of the pile substantially upright. An interior textile strip may optionally extend longitudinally within the pile at the ends of the pile and within a portion of the pile sides.

Abstract: A sub-assembly for a light-projecting module has an array of LEDs mounted on a circuit board potted in a tray at the bottom thereof by a solidified body of potting material. The body of potting material and the tray are heat-conductive and serve to dissipate heat generated by the LEDs. A light-emitting module includes the sub-assembly and a reflector. The reflector has a base which is assembled in heat-conductive relationship with the tray, so as to facilitate dissipation of heat generated by the LEDs. The reflector is a parabolic reflector which collects light from the LEDs and projects the light as a beam. The reflector contains an optical element for concentrating or diffusing the light projected from the module. The module may be assembled in a housing having an opening through which the light projects so as to provide a light bar suitable for mounting on the dash or windshield of a vehicle.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for enabling respondents at their computer systems to connect with a server computer over a network, such as the Internet, and receive an executable configuration program enabling each respondent to select a single subfeature, or multiple (zero, one, or more) different subfeature attributes or levels, for each of the features of a product. Each of the subfeatures for each feature has a price value and the combination of selected subfeatures for the features of the product provides a total price value of the product. The total price value is displayed and updated as subfeatures for the features are selected or changed by the respondent.

Abstract: Pile weatherstripping, which is clad with a wrapping of a film (14, 25, 104, 216) of flexible material, has one or more rows (19, 27, 100, 102, 212, 214) of pile (10, 24, 105, 233) on a backing (12, 28, 106, 218) in side-by-side relationship. The wrapping film material conforms to the outside surface of the row (19, 27, 100, 102, 214) of pile so as to define a bulb or bulbs which are completely filled with pile. Single row (19, 27) pile weatherstripping is made by wrapping the pile (10, 24) with the film material (14, 25) after first ultrasonically welding the film material along one edge thereof to the backing (12, 28) under the pile. Then, the film material (14, 25) may be bent around the pile as it moves through a guide (88). The film material (14, 25) is then attached along the opposite edge to the backing thereof so as to completely enclose and clad the row (19, 27) of weatherstripping.

Abstract: System and method for printing indicia on mailing items, such as envelopes, cards, or label media, has a host computer system connected to a postal security device. The postal security device stores postage funds and, responsive to the host computer postage requests, provides data to the host computer representing an IBI Lite barcode having at least part of a unique authentication code. The host computer utilizes such data to produce print data representing postage indicia, and send such print data to one of a mailing machine, stand-alone printer, or printing system, for printing on a mailing item to be associated with the authentication code. A plurality of host computer systems each with their respective PSD may be provided. A reset computer system can communicate with each PSD, via their respective host computer, to provide additional postage funds and to receive information representing transaction data stored in the host computer.

Abstract: Shape based postage rate criteria as to whether a postage item (an envelope) is greater than certain thicknesses above which the rate of postage of the item changes is provided by a gauge utilizing the platform of a scale on which the item is weighed. A roller is pivotally mounted on an arm so as to be set at heights over the platform at which the postage rate changes, for example, for envelopes ¼? thick and for envelopes ¾? thick, the envelope is then slid between the roller and the weighing platform. A display operated by the scale reads a weight change if the envelope is above the thickness at which the roller is set. Accordingly, the shape of the postage item provides a direct indication of whether the envelope satisfies postage rate criteria established by the postal authorities.

Abstract: A system for macroscopic and confocal imaging of tissue having a macroscopic imager for capturing a macroscopic image of the tissue's surface, a confocal imager for capturing one or more optically formed sectional microscopic images on or within tissue, a computer for receiving images from such imagers, and a tissue attachment device in which the macroscopic imager and confocal imager are each individually presented to the tissue utilizing the tissue attachment device in a predefined alignment, such that imaging locations of the confocal imager with respect to the tissue surface spatially correlate with macroscopic image. A user interface is operable on the computer to enable display of the macroscopic image on a display coupled to the computer, and to indicate a region within the macroscopic image associated with the field of view of the tissue imagable by the confocal imager.

Abstract: A confocal imaging microscope, especially for the cellular imaging of the skin at selected locations, is ergonomic in use, compact, and positionable at the locations thereby providing for patient comfort during imaging. The head (28) contains an integrated assembly of the optical and mechanical components of the microscope. The assembly includes a main chassis plate (82). The optical components are mounted principally on one side of the plate while a PC board (130) is mounted on the opposite side of the plate. The board (130) mounts the electronic components, including interfaces, a microprocessor (222), and drivers (206, 208, 210) for motors (105, 106, 108) which control scanning and may also control fine positioning of the locations being imaged. The head (28) is detachable from the arm for manual disposition which is useful when imaging, not only the skin but other tissues, especially for research in investigating living processes at the cellular level.

Abstract: An instrument is provided having a shaft extending to a distal end having a cavity, and a passageway extending to the cavity through which a first suture end of a suture loop extends from a tissue site to facilitate a user looping a second suture end around the first suture end between the tip and the site to form a knot. Advancing of the distal tip while drawing the first suture end through the passageway pushes the knot to the site. The distal tip of another embodiment adds another passageway through which the second suture end is passed to assist in forming and pushing a knot at to the tissue site. The distal end has two openings through which two suture ends are passed from the placed knot, and a blade in the distal end is positionable to cut the suture ends near the knot.

Abstract: The system provides for controlling color reproduction of input color image data in a network having nodes (or sites). The system distributes the input color image data from one of the nodes to other nodes, and provides data structures in the network. The system has means for providing color calibration data at each node characterizing output colors (colorants) of the rendering device of the node, and means for producing at each node, responsive to the color calibration data of the rendering device of the node, information for transforming the input color image data into output color image data at the rendering device of the node. The rendering device of each node renders a color reproduction responsive to the output color image data, wherein colors displayed in the reproduction at the rendering device of each node appear substantially the same within the output colors attainable by the rendering devices.

Abstract: Weatherseals are provided by a pair of base members which may be attached to a pile formed by winding fibers around a band as the band travels along an endless path. A section of the pile on one side of the endless band is cut to provide cut pile section and a continuous pile section. The continuous pile section forms the bow, arch or loop by disposing the base members in side-by-side, back-to-back, or perpendicular relationship. The cut pile section may be removed at the base members or halves of the cut pile section maybe left in place. The cut pile section halves and the outside surface of the bow, arch, or ioop may be attached by base members to a member, such as by adhesive or via one or more T-shaped slots, that is in sealing relationship with another member and engagable therewith to provide a resilient seal.

Abstract: Filamentary materials, such as yarn (18), is wound a frame (28), provided by pairs of movable filaments or wires (35, 38), about which the end of the spindle (22) rotates provides the turns (26) of the winding as the article having the winding is moved along a process path. Mechanically or hydraulically actuated pins (34) support the winding frame in a fixed position. The filaments of the frame may be provided by laterally spaced pairs (44, 46) of filaments of weldable material.

Abstract: A system is provided for enabling respondents at their computer systems to connect with a sever computer over a network, and receive a configuration program enabling each respondent to select for each feature of a product one or multiple subfeature attributes or levels. Each subfeature for each feature has a price value and the combination of selected subfeatures for the features provides a total price of the product. The total price value is displayed and updated as subfeatures for the features are selected or changed. When the total price of the product is acceptable to the respondent, and subfeatures have been selected for each feature of the product, the program returns information to the computer server having data representing the subfeatures selected, the total price, the time taken, and each subfeature selected or changed in arriving at the configured product. The configuration program may be part of a survey.

Abstract: Optical elements for efficiently diffusing or shaping light have substrates with saddle shaped structures on their surfaces which provide substantially uniform light along a predefined angular range. Each saddle shaped structure defines an aperture of a lens, where the outer boundary of such aperture, when viewed normal to surface, may be of one of more different shapes, such as square or rectangular, circular, hexagonal, oval, or other geometric or arbitrary shape which may represent a full saddle shape or a subset region thereof. A plurality of saddle shaped structures may be arranged periodically or randomly along the surface. An optical element with a saddle shaped structure is referred to as a saddle lens, and optical elements with different shaped saddle shaped structures provide different types of saddle lenses.

Abstract: A handheld confocal imaging system for in vivo observation of dermal and subdermal tissue allows diagnosis of conditions substantially beneath the surface of the skin. A confocal head has optics which scan the tissue so as to provide images of vertical sections of the tissue. Both two and three dimensional imaging may be provided for diagnosis and location of basal cell carcinomas and melanomas, and so as to enable visualization of tumor borders prior to excision.

Abstract: A reservoir pump in which liquid supplied from a container in which the pump is installed enters a pressure chamber with respect to which a piston reciprocates in suction and compression strokes. The chamber communicates with a reservoir, (the supply) so that liquid is supplied into the chamber in the suction stroke of the piston and transferred under pressure into the reservoir during the compression stroke. The chamber is open to supply and to the reservoir via one-way valves which open during the suction and compression strokes, respectively. A passage providing an orifice with a cross section much smaller than the cross section of the opening into the chamber, which communicates the chamber with the supply, is open via another one-way valve during the suction stroke. Air enters through the passageway. This air is compressed during the compression stroke.