Abstract: An adjustable fastener such as one suitable for use in securing straps in a variety of orthotic and other types of devices. The fastener has a male portion and a female portion that are each attached to a strap or other desired location on the device with which the fastener is used. The male portion has an elongated tab and the female portion has a housing and a passage through the housing. The passage allows the elongated tab to slide through the housing in the female portion. An engagement finger in the housing is resiliently biased to engage one or more teeth along an edge of the elongated tab to prevent the elongated tab from sliding further out of the passage. The finger can be selectively disengaged from the teeth to allow the elongated tab to slide further or completely out of the housing.

Abstract: A Coriolis mass flow sensor includes a flow tube, a light source, and a light pipe having a light inlet situated to receive light from the light source and a light outlet for emitting light received from the light source. A light detector receives light from the light pipe light outlet, and a drive device vibrates the flow tube such that the flow tube moves through a light path between the light outlet of the light pipe and the light detector. In certain embodiments, the light pipe defines a generally square cross section. A sensing aperture having a predetermined shape is situated between the light outlet of the light pipe and the light detector. The sensing aperture passes a portion of the light emitted from the light outlet of the light to the light detector, such that the light entering the light detector has the predetermined shape.

Abstract: A stator assembly that may be rounded into an annular form is disclosed that includes a plurality of stator segments where each stator segment defines a yoke portion and a stator tooth and a containment structure configured to position the stator segments relative to one another such that the stator segments do not physically touch one another and such that no magnetic circuit between adjacent stator segments is formed. Also disclosed is a method for forming a segmented stator, involving the steps of positioning a plurality of stator segment in a containment structure such that no magnetic circuit between adjacent stator segments is formed, forming a winding coil about at least some of the stator segments; and deforming the containment structure to form an annular stator and to establish a magnetic circuit between adjacent stator segments.

Abstract: A flow sensor tube assembly includes a base member having first and second generally opposing sides. An opening extends through the base member, and an end of a flow sensor tube is received in the opening. A filler material is situated in the opening surrounding the flow sensor tube adjacent the first side of the base member to attach the tube to the base member. The flow sensor tube is welded to the base member adjacent the second side of the base member.

Abstract: A control valve includes an elastomeric flow tube, a plunger having first and second ends, and a pinch member connected to the first end of the plunger. The pinch member is situated adjacent the flow tube. A reference surface is positioned generally opposite the pinch member such that the elastomeric tube is squeezable between the pinch member and the reference surface to control fluid flow through the flow tube. A first guide spring is situated between the pinch member and the first end of the plunger, and a second guide spring is situated adjacent the second end of the plunger. A damper may be connected to the plunger. Further, a pressure containing member may situated about at least a portion of the flow tube.

Abstract: The present invention provides a food waste disposer having an upper food conveying section, a motor section, a central grinding section and an inlet portion. The upper food conveying section includes a housing to receive food waste. The motor section includes a motor to impart rotational movement to a motor shaft. The central grinding section is disposed between the food conveying section and the motor section, the food conveying section conveys food waste to the grinding section. The inlet portion has a water injection inlet capable of forming a water baffle in the inlet portion. The water baffle is present when the motor is running. The inlet portion may be integrally formed as part of the housing of the food conveying section or may be a separate unit. The water baffle may extend substantially across the inlet portion in a generally horizontal plane.

Abstract: A rake for a cat litter box for collecting clumped litter waste material from within the cat litter box includes a support member. A plurality of tines are connected to the support member. Each of the plurality of tines includes a first section connected to and extending from the support member. Each of the plurality of tines further includes a second section extending generally perpendicularly to the first section. The second section of the tines receives the clumped litter waste material in a receiving area. At least one of the plurality of tines second sections includes an upwardly curved portion, curved toward the support member for defining multiple regions of the tines within the receiving area, such that the clumped litter waste material is contained in the multiple regions when collected from the cat litter box.

Abstract: A fully-integrated continuous-time active complex bandpass IF filter that may contain transmission zeros yielding much sharper roll-off than that of an all-pole filter is implemented using transconductors and capacitors only. Each of the filter second-Order sections realizes a pair of complex poles and a may realize a double imaginary axis zero. Since the transconductors are electronically tunable the positions of filter zeros and poles are adjustable using an automatic tuning system. In each filter section the value of different transconductors are modified to separately change the pole frequency, its Q-factor and the zero frequency. Each pole and zero are separately tuned, which achieves a higher level of tuning accuracy than in case where all poles and zeros were adjusted simultaneously.

Abstract: A biomass generator useful for continuously growing and withdrawing bacteria to be used in a desired beneficial application, the generator having a bacteria growth chamber; water and nutrient inlet ports; upper and lower outlet ports; a recirculating pump withdrawing and reintroducing fluid to establish a vortex in the growth chamber while controlling foaming and pump cavitation; a low pressure air inlet line discharging air inside the growth chamber above the vortex; a fluid discharge line receiving bacteria-containing fluid from the upper outlet port of the growth chamber; a flush line discharging wash water into the fluid discharge line; and an electrical controller cooperating with solenoid-operated valves and a feeder mechanism to periodically introduce water and nutrients into the chamber, thereby simultaneously causing bacteria-containing fluid to be discharged from the growth chamber through the upper outlet port. A method for growing bacteria using the subject apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A document transport control system for controlling the throughput rate of the document transport, the document transport has a preset throughput rate. The system includes a smart card for storing data including a throughput rate which is greater than the preset throughput rate. A card reader reads data stored on the smart card. A controller is responsive to the data read by the smart card reader for changing the preset throughput rate to the throughput rate stored on the smart card.