Abstract: Disclosed are mechanisms and methods for venting the fluid interconnect port of fluid container that is at least partially filled with a capillary material. Preferred embodiments include venting a fluid container to ambient air with a vent located on the upper portion of the container; internally venting the container to channel air from the ambient air vent to an internal location adjacent to the fluid interconnect port; and then restrictedly venting the fluid port. Preferred embodiments also include positioning the restricted venting away from the bulk of the capillary material in the fluid container, and providing a capillary break and capillary accumulator adjacent to the fluid interconnect port.

Abstract: Over-molded regulator bags for a fluid delivery system are disclosed that are formed by over-molding a resilient bladder of an elastomeric material on a supporting rigid host substrate. The over-molding process allows three dimensional lung designs to be created without extra processes, and without stressing the membrane material. Embodiments of the invention eliminate the need for an external spring to create an opposing pressure to deflate the bags when required. The inherent elasticity of the over-molded bladders act as the restoring force to return the expanded bag back to its original form.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention comprise a reservoir system for supplemental fluids in a system (such as an inkjet printer) in which supplies of a supplemental fluid are included in two or more replaceable primary fluid containers (such as ink containers). A controller may then selectively connect a supply of the supplemental fluid to the device utilizing the supplemental fluid (such as a fixer applicator). The present invention allows the use of supplemental fluid such as a fixer in an inkjet printer, giving all of the print quality durability, and throughput (drytime) advantages of a two-part system, without the printer user being aware that the printing system requires this additional consumable.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus that includes a springbacked fluid interconnect seal that provides a seal between an ink handling component and an ink pipe that is attached to the ink handling component. The spring-backed fluid interconnection seal more particularly includes a generally conically tapered resilient seal, and a pre-loaded spring configured to axially extend or tension the seal. An exemplary embodiment of the invention includes a groove in the sealing face which allows the use of a liquid sealant. The groove holds the sealant in place through capillary forces, and also by virtue of trough-like shape protects the sealant from being wiped away through mechanical member.

Abstract: Disclosed is a manifold providing fluid connections between a plurality of carriage-mounted ink reservoirs and multiple carriage-mounted printheads, the manifold having ink conduits allowing the spacing, ordering, or number of printheads to differ from the spacing, ordering, or number of ink reservoirs. The manifold also serves to mechanically isolate the printheads from the ink reservoirs, such that replacement of one or more reservoir does not adversely affect the alignment of the printheads. The manifold allows simple optimization of a printing system to a particular application by replacing the manifold with one of a different configuration.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention comprise containers for consumable substances, such as ink, and the corresponding receiving stations, such as inkjet printers. The containers and receiving stations have mating keying features indicative of a characteristic of the consumable substance, such as the ink family. Embodiments of the mating features include protuberances with a T-shaped cross section, and corresponding T-shaped slots. Preferred embodiments of containers and receiving stations are disclosed having two keying features with four unique orientations per feature, for a total 16 key permutations.

Abstract: Removable fluid port seals for fluid containers that are configured for insertion into a receiving station within a fluid utilizing system are disclosed. An exemplary use of the fluid port seal is to seal replaceable ink containers for use in ink jet printers, although the present invention is not limited to a specific field of application. The fluid port seal has a tab portion which extends beyond the container and interferes with installation of the container into the receiving station if an installer attempts to install the fluid container in the utilizing system without first removing the seal.

Abstract: A process whereby the olfactory response of a gas chromatograph, equipped with a focused surface acoustic wave interferometer integrating detector is converted to a visual image for the purpose of performing pattern recognition. As volatile analytes exit a gas chromatography column a Surface Acoustic Wave Interferometer is used to monitor the condensation and re-evaporation of these analytes by periodically measuring the resonant frequency of the interferometer. A time varying output parameter is then converted to a polar display. This form of electronic nose provides a recognizable visual image of specific vapor mixtures (fragrances) containing possibly hundreds of different chemical species. Because the method provides a means of adapting and learning to recognize new vapors using these images, it is a useful method for testing chemical compositions as well as the vapors associated with bacteria and human disease.

Abstract: A two-stroke internal combustion engine is disclosed having opposed cylinders, each cylinder having a pair of opposed pistons, with all the pistons connected to a common central crankshaft. The inboard pistons of each cylinder are connected to the crankshaft with pushrods and the outboard pistons are connected to the crankshaft with pullrods. This configuration results in a compact engine with a very low profile, in which the free mass forces can be essentially totally balanced. The engine configuration also allows for asymmetrical timing of the intake and exhaust ports through independent angular positioning of the eccentrics on the crankshaft, making the engine suitable for supercharging.

Abstract: An amplifier for systems affected by changes in operating temperature, in which the amplifier gain is stabilized over temperature. A temperature compensating control element is added to the previously known active bias control amplifiers, forming a second control loop. This control acts to modify the device bias current, in a way which holds the device gain constant as temperature varies. In so doing it implements, in the circuit, the mathematically derived current variation which, based on the physics of the device, maintains constant gain. The additional circuitry is very inexpensive, preserving the cost-effectiveness of the integrated circuit bias scheme for those applications requiring the additional bias control.

Abstract: A surgical procedure is disclosed utilizing a cordless surgical handpiece powered from a sterile battery pack that contains a battery in condition for immediate use without further charging or sterilization. The battery chemistry is based upon lithium/manganese dioxide, and the battery after a single use may be disposed of into non-hazardous waste. The compact surgical handpiece has a brushless DC motor and a manually operated external trigger for activating and controlling the motor operations. Interengaging sets of contacts on the handpiece and battery are adapted to become lockingly and conductively interengaged upon rotation of the battery pack relative to the handpiece, in a manner that rapidly achieves correct alignment of the parts and also ensures stable mechanical attachment and support during the surgical procedure.

Abstract: A manufacturing module for an RF feed-forward amplifier subsystem that allows for simple and cost-effective assembly, yet provides separate compartments for the different stages of the subsystem, with low RF leakage between the compartments is disclosed. The manufacturing module comprises a printed circuit board having one or more circuit trace layers, and ground planes covering a substantial portion of the top and bottom surfaces. The printed circuited board also has numerous plated-through holes electrically connecting the top and bottom ground planes. The circuit board is sandwiched between a heatsink having a flat upper surface and a machined enclosure having an outer wall and inner divider walls. The plated-through holes, space less than 1/10 wavelength of module's highest carrier frequency apart, serve to electrically connect the heatsink to the machined enclosure, thus creating separate compartments with low RF leakage.

Abstract: A method of forecasting the demand for ambulance services based upon a determination from the historical record of the number of currently active calls at the time each new call is received. The method may utilize records of specific calls history including the time each call was received and the time each call was completed, or it may use information on the number of calls received each hour to simulate specific calls history. The method may be extended to a "third dimension" to better account for the effect of service demands and staffing levels in preceding hours. The method has application to other services having the characteristics of limited available service resources, randomly occurring service requests but historically-repeating levels of demand, and relatively long service times.

Abstract: The floating rope marker is comprised of a rope assembly having a braided hollow rope with an upper end portion being turned in and threaded back inside itself and a lower end portion being turned in through a side wall of the rope and threaded back inside the rope to form a loop so that the two end portions of the rope are close together within the rope. A cylindrical float member is inserted in the turned in portion of the upper end and a section of heat shrinkable tubing is shrunk on the lower end portion of the rope to hold the turned in portion of the lower end porton in place. A hook having a base is held in the lower end portion loop and a hook part adapted for releasably holding a fish extends downwardly in the water.

Abstract: Electrical apparatus for connecting insulated wires of a multi-pair electrical cable to an outlet, including a connector having an opening which receives a plurality of insulated wires in an essentially flat parallel configuration and extends through the connector to allow the ends of the insulated wires to protrude from its remote end, the connector also having a plurality of metal contacts supported in a movable relation perpendicular to the insulated wires; a crimping tool having jaws closable both for crimping the connector to support the insulated wires against longitudinal stress and also for causing the metal contacts to pierce insulation coverings of and conductively engage respective wires in the connector; and a cutting blade supported on the crimping tool and operable during the closing action of the jaws for cutting off the protruding ends of the wires.

Abstract: A needle point cover assembly for securely covering and protecting the needle point after a syringe has been used includes a cover in the form of an elongated hollow member that is open at one end for receiving the needle therein, and at its other end is mostly enclosed by an end wall having a hole through which the needle can pass. A lid encloses the otherwise open end of the cover member. The lid has a hole through which the needle may pass so that the needle may extend through both the lid hole and the hole in the end wall. When the syringe is being used to make an injection, the needle point projects through the hole in the end wall. After an injection has been made and the syringe is ready for disposal, a manually actuable extensible frame slides the cover to where its end wall is beyond the extremity of the needle point.

Abstract: An electrical cable containing two or more twisted pairs of wires and having terminals at one end connected to corresponding wires is tested for possible mis-pairing of an assumed wire pair. At that end of the cable, all terminals except the two for the assumed wire pair are connected to ground. A test signal is then applied to a first terminal for the assumed wire pair, and at the same time a measurement is made of a response signal received at the second terminal for the assumed wire pair. The test signal is a time-varying signal. The strength of the response signal is compared to the test signal to establish whether the assumed pair of wires are in fact wound to each other.

Abstract: A method of applying twisted wire pairs to an electrical connector is provided. A cable having a plurality of twisted wire pairs is selected for insertion into a selected connector. The twisted wire pairs are untwisted and inserted into the connector in a substantially flat lateral configuration such that the ends of the wires protrude from the connector. Before shearing off the protruding ends of the wires, identification symbols on the wire ends are compared with a standard that indicates a correct symbol identification pattern therefor. Preferably, the protruding ends of the wires are pulled tight against the connector before shearing off the wire ends, to minimize cross-talk. Even more preferably, the connector is crimped concurrently with the shearing off of the wire ends.