Abstract: A system (10) and method for detecting an envelope of received vehicle acceleration information (a(t)) useful in controlling actuation of a vehicle passenger safety device, wherein consecutive values for received vehicle acceleration information (a(t)) are stored and rank-ordered in a pair of rank-order filters (14, 16) to provide a highest-ranked value (a.sub.H) from among the most-recent half of the stored values, and a highest-ranked value (a.sub.H ') from among the least-recent half of the stored values. The absolute value of the highest-ranked least-current value is taken and subtracted from the highest-ranked most-recent value to obtain a modified jerk measure (j.sub.H *). The absolute value of the thus-generated modified jerk value is taken to obtain a measure (m.sub.1) which tracks the envelope of the received acceleration information and, hence, is useful as an envelope detector when evaluating a crash waveform for purposes of controlling actuation of the safety device.

Abstract: A matched filter (14) for vehicle crash discrimination system (10) utilizes at least one set of n scaling factors stored in a memory (24) to combine (22) with a set of n time sequenced acceleration data samples. The values of the n scaling factors are selected to effect a desired vehicle crash discrimination strategy. The matched filter optimizes system design flexibility and reconfigurability by allowing different strategies to be implemented simply by selecting the appropriate scaling factors stored in the memory.

Abstract: A motorized vehicle anti-theft system which is passive by being automatically armed (i.e., does not require a vehicle occupant to set the system). Once power has been turned on to the vehicle, detection of an attempt to start the vehicle motor or the opening of a vehicle door starts a predetermined time cycle. If a first reset signal is not received before the end of the time cycle, a vehicle disabling circuit is set. After that, a detection of actuation of the vehicle brake will trigger the disabling circuit to only permit the vehicle engine to operate properly near the engine idling speed, and set off an alarm. More specifically, the engine's operating speed is continually monitored, and after the disabling circuit is triggered, if the contemporaneous engine operating speed exceeds the normal idling speed, the vehicle fuel supply is intermittently interrupted to cause violent lunging of the vehicle.

Abstract: An air bag inflator is manufactured by sandwiching a wire mesh filter between a pair of flat elongated perforate strips of steel, thereafter rolling the sandwiched steel strips and wire mesh concomitantly to form a right circular cylindrical tube with the edge portions of the steel strips orientated in juxtaposed relation to one another, respectively; and welding the juxtaposed edge portions of the strips by a common weld that extends radially across the edge portions of both of the steel strips.

Abstract: In a system (10) and method for controlling actuation of a vehicle passenger safety device in response to an event possibly requiring actuation of the safety device, a differential measure (m.sub.1 (t)) is generated based on stored consecutive values for received vehicle acceleration information while a measure (m.sub.2 (t)) correlated with the relative progress of the event is generated by selectively providing as an input to a first accumulator (24) either a weighted transitory value for received acceleration information (a(t)) whenever the transitory value is itself less than or equal to a first predetermined threshold value (x.sub.1), or a weighted alternative value, wherein the alternative value is itself equal to twice the first predetermined threshold value (x.sub.1) minus the transitory value. The differential measure (m.sub.1 (t)) is thereafter combined with the progress measure (m.sub.

Abstract: Nonazide gas generating compositions are formed from a nonazide fuel, an oxidizer, a slag former, and a built-in catalyst comprising an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, or transition metal salt of tetrazoles, bitetrazoles, and triazoles, or a transition metal oxide. The built-in catalyst promotes the conversion of nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x) and carbon monoxide to nitrogen gas (N.sub.2) and carbon dioxide, respectively. The gas generants are therefore nontoxic and useful for inflating a vehicle occupant restraint system.

Abstract: A pressure regulator for an industrial process system is connected between the industrial process equipment and pollution control equipment and exhibits a pressure inversely related to pressure changes in the pollution control equipment so as to maintain the exit pressure at the process equipment constant.

Abstract: A system and method for triggering deployment of a vehicle air bag in response to a crash or sudden vehicle deceleration wherein a modified acceleration value is obtained by subtracting a correction term from data representative of sensed instantaneous vehicle acceleration; integrating the modified acceleration value to obtain a modified velocity value; estimating the transitory jerk of the acceleration data using a rank filter; obtaining the product of the estimated transitory jerk and the modified velocity; comparing the resulting velocity-jerk product to a threshold value therefor; and triggering deployment of the air bag when the velocity-jerk product exceeds the threshold value therefor.

Abstract: In a system and method for controlling actuation of a vehicle passenger safety device in response to an event possibly requiring actuation of the safety device, stored and rank-ordered values for received vehicle acceleration are used to generate a high-rank jerk measure (j.sub.H), a median-ranked acceleration value (a.sub.M) and a median-rank velocity measure (v.sub.M), while raw acceleration information is further used to generate an "event-based timer" or event-progress measure (t') . These measures (j.sub.H, a.sub.M, v.sub.M, t') are then used to generate a pair of event-identification measures (m.sub.1, m.sub.2) useful in identifying two specific crash types for which specialized acceleration-based event-severity measures other than the default event-severity measure (m.sub.

Abstract: A gravity cartridge filter for filtering fine particles from a fluid comprises a cartridge for disposition in a contaminated fluid tank. The cartridge comprises a plurality of layers that include a fluid passage in vertical juxtaposition with a filter medium, such as a mat, in each layer whereby gravity effects settling of particles suspended in the fluid onto the medium within each respective layer.

Abstract: A gear sub-assembly for a bicycle chain derailleur system comprises a plurality of gears of different pitch diameter oriented and retained in a conical array by gear support arms having locking means at each end thereof releasably engageable with the gears at each end of said gear sub-assembly. Torque is transmitted from the gears intermediate the end gears to said arms, thence to the end gears, thence to a wheel hub.

Abstract: An accelerometer (10) having a sensing mass (36) which is displaced in response to acceleration so as to alter the amount of light coupled between a pair of optical fibers (42, 44). An optical coupling is responsive to displacement of the sensing mass indicative of a vehicle crash situation. In operation, the sensing mass (36) interrupts the transmission of light through the output optical fiber (44) as the amount of sensing mass displacement reaches proximate a second position. The accelerometer further provides magnetic damping and testing/recalibration capabilities, and the ability to couple a plurality of accelerometers together in either a daisy chain configuration, or a star configuration.

Abstract: An indoor golf facility comprises an air supported ultraviolet light translucent canopy overlying an undulating natural grass playing surface. A plurality of curtains are suspended from the canopy and are arranged in an array defining a plurality of fairways, each of which is divergent from a tee portion to a green portion.

Abstract: An inflator for an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a plastic housing encased in fiber windings that is rupturable upon the production of a predetermined combustion gas pressure internally of the housing to effect venting of the gases into the air bag and inflation thereof.

Abstract: A vehicle crash discrimination method and system for controlling the actuation of a vehicle passenger restraint device (e.g., an air bag or a seat belt harness) comprises determining a vehicle velocity value and comparing it to a predetermined velocity threshold value. If the predetermined velocity threshold value is exceeded, the slope of vehicle acceleration with respect to time (i.e. jerk value) is determined and compared to a predetermined slope threshold value. The passenger restraint device is actuated if the predetermined slope threshold value is exceeded. The present method accurately discriminates between low-velocity crashes in which actuation of the passenger restraint device is not desired and low-velocity, long-time -period crashes in which actuation is desired by setting the velocity threshold equal to approximately half the velocity of a maximum allowable crash in which actuation of the passenger restraint device is not desired.

Abstract: A system (10) and method for actuating a vehicle air bag (38) uses an optical detector (12) to generate an output (22) representative of the distance between a vehicle occupant and a fixed structure within the vehicle. The output (22) is subsequently used by a signal processor/discrimination unit (26) to generate data representative of actual occupant conditions, such as transitory occupant position, velocity and/or acceleration. The occupant condition data is used to select the temporally optimal one of a plurality of different predetermined parameter-based crash discrimination strategies (R,S,T,X,Y,Z), and perhaps further used as a decisional criterion in at least one strategy. Each strategy employs different decisional criteria to provide a different range of actual times to fire.

Abstract: A multi-spool turbofan engine has a high pressure spool that operates at high idle RPM so as to power accessories and minimize acceleration time from idle to full rated RPM without producing high idle thrust which compromises the landing maneuver and ground operation.

Abstract: An automated drive-up vending facility (10) and method utilizes a plurality of automatic transaction machines (12) located around the periphery of a storage building (14), whereby customers can drive their vehicles along side the building, insert an account/debit card into a card reader (16), and make product selections via a touch screen display terminal (18). The products are stocked within building (14), and an automated picking/sorting subsystem (20) retrieves the selected products for deposit into a dispensing chute (22). Selection and product information is provided at the display terminals (18) via an interactive menu driven program. Selection of products subject to sales restrictions automatically actives video conferencing equipment (26) so that a sales attendant can confirm customer authorization to purchase the selected product.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling actuation of a vehicle passenger safety device in response to an event possibly requiring actuation of the safety device, wherein a modified differentiated measure is generated from received vehicle acceleration information by subtracting the absolute value of a prior-in-time value therefor from its current value, whereby the distortion introduced by negative prior-in-time values is significantly reduced. The resulting modified jerk measure is more useful in discriminating crash events than is a nominal jerk measure, given the latter's predisposition to fail as a useful measure upon encountering negative prior-in-time values.

Abstract: An intubation instrument has an abraded and adsorbent sheath that is telescoped both internally and externally of a tube. The sheath is provided with a handle to facilitate retraction thereof as the tube is inserted into a body cavity, thereby minimizing transportation of pathogens into the body.