Abstract: A heat pump for use in a variable temperature cushion includes a housing with an inlet and a blower motor to draw in outside air to a two stage Peltier effect module that forms a sealed wall between a sub-cool side and a warm side of the housing. At the bottom of the housing are a pair of outlets and a condensate trap spanning across that facilitates condensate transfer from the cool side to the warm side for evaporation out of the warm side outlet. The heat pump also preferably includes a heat pipe from the warm side to the cool side to transfer heat and reheat the air (at a lower relative humidity) exiting through the cool outlet. Applications of the heat pump include a variable temperature cushion such as a seat and backrest, or bedding such as a pillow. An air conditioned pillowcase includes a pair of air impervious layers connected together forming a plenum with tubular spacer material inside and having a plurality of outlet vents around the perimeter.

Abstract: Light control grids in curved ceilings or walls include an assembly of flexible, spaced-apart sets of fabric strips that intersect and interlock, one of the sets of strips being substantially curved along its length and/or of varying length. The grids are supported by a modular rigid framework that maintains the strips taut, the frames being substantially curved corresponding to the curved strips and/or strips of varying length. A number of connectors hold the frames together and are used to attach the assembly to the building, and a number of releasable fasteners moveably retained by the frames attach the grids to the frames.

Abstract: A temperature conditioning apparatus for the human body includes a vest or other clothing unitary with a thermoelectric or Stirling cycle heat pump worn by the user. The unit is powered by a battery source worn on the user's belt or other part of his or her body, or by an externally-mounted electrical energy source, for example, in a vehicle. The vest has front and rear panels with an air flow layer and permeable inside layer that accept and release conditioned air to the user. The vest may be used with body armor or other protective layers, that is, the vest may be worn underneath body armor or body armor may be built into the vest, or the vest may be used without body armor to cool the user in an exceptionally hot environment such as a non-air conditioned space in hot weather.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provided herein may include a system and method for opening shellfish shells and extracting items therefrom, including a body having a first end, a second end and a middle portion therebetween, wherein the first end includes a first and second protuberance in spaced relation to each other to facilitate the opening of a shellfish shell, and wherein the second end comprises a probe portion configured to facilitate extracting items from the shellfish.

Abstract: A fixture for magnetically coding a card key includes a front plate with areas for North and South magnetic polarity coding each with a number of holes, an optional code template having a lesser number of holes corresponding to selected holes in the front plate and attachable to the front plate, and North and South permanent magnet encoding tools sized to be inserted into the holes in the code template and front plate. The device further includes a card key holder preferably coupled to a tool holder and slidably connected to the fixture for placing the card key proximate the North or South area of the front plate and positioning the appropriate encoding tool for easy access. The device provides for convenient, accurate and error-free magnetic coding of card keys.

Abstract: The relief valve assembly (10) includes a tube (24) having a circular threaded portion (30) adjacent a first end (28) that rotatbly receives an interconnection means. The tube other end has male threads (34) for connection to a water-use point. A valving means actuator (46) has a tapered head (50) which can be manually operated to be located in blocking or unblocking relation within an opening (44) in the tube (26) for selectively emitting liquid to the ambient and reducing internal tube water pressure. A system lock (57) enables selective locking or unlocking of the relief valve assembly (10) as desired.

Abstract: A helmet (12) includes a thermoelectric heat pump (14) mounted onto a rear surface of the helmet shell (12) for delivering temperature conditioned air to the interior of the helmet shell. A multi-layer structure (48) on the helmet shell interior distributes conditioned air across the scalp and directly onto the face. An optional scoop (38) directs ambient air to the heat pump (14). Another version locates the heat pump (68, 84) remotely and conditioned air is transmitted to the helmet apparatus (70, 78) via a flexible conduit (72, 85).