Abstract: An interconnector is disclosed for joining an adjacent pair of freight containers together with corner fittings. Each corner fitting has an outer face provided with an entry aperture which has a pair of opposed parallel, or substantially parallel edges on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of the aperture. The interconnector has a rotatable actuator shaft, an actuator stem projecting outwardly of the shaft, a pair of clamping heads provided one on each end of the shaft, and a two part housing in which the actuator shaft is rotatably mounted. Each head has a pair of opposed substantially parallel sides that allow the head, when properly aligned, to pass through an entry aperture. The housing has a central barrel, shear blocks projecting axially outwardly of opposed ends of the barrel, and a pair of abutment surfaces.

Abstract: A smart module is disclosed for use in testing equipment such as cables and wire harnesses. The smart module may be incorporated within an adapter that interfaces with a test device and a wiring analyzer. The smart module includes a processor and a memory wherein data relating to the adapter may be stored. The smart module further includes first and second inputs that enable synchronous, bi-directional communication with the wiring analyzer. The smart module receives power, clock, communication data, and a reference input from the wiring analyzer and transmits data stored in the memory. The smart module may further include one or more visual indicators, such as LEDs, for displaying conditions of an interface between the adapter and a test device.

Abstract: A two part endless conveyor which is adjustable between an in-line operative position and a folded position. The conveyor has two folding conveyor parts which are mounted to the frame of a material handling apparatus. A folding mechanism interconnects the two conveyor parts. It includes a coupling block or linkage which interconnects the two folding conveyor via a respective one of a pair of pivots and a pair of linear actuators associated with the conveyor parts. Each actuator rotates the coupling block through approximately 90° about the respective pivot, whereby the folding mechanism, under the action of the two linear actuators, can adjust the conveyor parts between the in-line operative position and the folded transport position.

Abstract: A bulk material processing apparatus having a longitudinally extending main frame and a supply conveyor mounted on, and extending length wise of the main frame to convey a supply of bulk material from a forward lower end of the conveyor to an upper and rearward discharge end. A material processing device is mounted on the main frame and arranged to receive material from the discharge end of the supply conveyor, to process the material, and to discharge processed material. A discharge conveyor is mounted on the main frame below the processing device to receive processed material discharged by the processing device and to discharge the material to a discharge point located rearwardly of the apparatus. The processing device is moveable between a raised operating position and a lowered transport position. Likewise, the discharge conveyor is moveable between a raised operative position and a lowered inoperative position.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and optical fibers for periodically pinning an actual (random) accumulated chromatic dispersion of an optical fiber to a predicted accumulated dispersion of the fiber through relatively simple modifications of fiber-optic manufacturing methods or retrofitting of existing fibers. If the pinning occurs with sufficient frequency (at a distance less than or are equal to a correlation scale), pulse degradation resulting from random chromatic dispersion is minimized. Alternatively, pinning may occur quasi-periodically, i.e., the pinning distance is distributed between approximately zero and approximately two to three times the correlation scale.

Abstract: A releasable fastener formed of a first, male (2), and second female component (4) is provided. Deformable arms (18) on the male component (2) extend back from the lead edge (14) of the body portion of the male component which is inserted into the female. Wedges (24) on the arms lock in apertures (40) in the second component (4). The gap between the arms (18) and the body portion is closed off by an end cap and grip portions on the arms to prevent trapping of fingers. The fastener is particularly suited to attaching nursery items, such as parasols, to nursery equipment such as pushchairs.

Abstract: An embedded device configured to provide an audio status output is disclosed. The embedded device includes a processor, an input button in electronic communication with the processor and a speaker in electronic communication with the processor for outputting an audio output. Memory is used for storing data. An audio output generator is stored in the memory and operates to generate the audio status output. The audio generator receives a generate audio command initiated by a user through use of the input button. The generator then operates to convert the status data to audio output data through use of an audio generation table. The audio output data includes multiple distinct audio signals that are machine-decipherable and that correspond to individual data elements of the status data. The audio output data is provided to the speaker such that the audio output based on the audio output data is generated.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for creating and using a lightweight custom-molded orthopedic appliance are disclosed. The orthopedic appliance is made up of an inner and an outer bladder containing components which, when combined by rupturing the inner bladder, react to form a rigid foam substance which may be conformed to the shape of the body part or surface in need of support, cushioning, or immobilization, and which quickly cures to form a firm, supportive brace for the affected body part.

Abstract: A mechanism for regulating pressure within the interior of ink cartridge is peculiarized by that a filter which is telescoped by a sleeve is taken as a pressure-regulating member. The sleeve is telescoped with one end of a conduit and is communicable with the external atmosphere of the ink cartridge. By using the filter comprising uniformly arranged fiber bundles, a capillary action is created on the filter so that the back pressure can be maintained and the air can be introduced into the ink cartridge through the conduit. The negative pressure of the ink cartridge can be maintained at a best equilibrium state and the ink cartridge can be kept at an optimum condition.

Abstract: A file system for a collection of data files on a microcontroller-based device, the microcontroller-based device including an arithmetic/logic unit, read/write memory, and program memory, and the file system comprising a data table stored in the program memory and a document table of contents stored on a host computer. The data table is a set of data files, and the document table of contents includes length and offset information for each data file. A method is also described for creating and managing a file system for a collection of data files on a microcontroller-based device, wherein the microcontroller-based device includes an arithmetic/logic unit, read/write memory, and program memory, wherein the method comprises the steps of providing a data table for storage in the program memory and providing a document table of contents for storage on a host computer.

Abstract: A pressure regulation apparatus for an ink reservoir is provided. The apparatus includes: an elastic bag mounted in the ink reservoir for freely passing an ambient air of an ambient environment outside the ink reservoir in and out the elastic bag, wherein the ink reservoir has an interior for holding an ink, and a porous filter mounted in the ink reservoir for entering the ambient air outside the ink reservoir into the interior of the ink reservoir therethrough, thereby the elastic bag and the porous filter complementarily regulating a pressure difference between the interior of the ink reservoir and the ambient environment outside the ink reservoir. By this apparatus, the pressure change within the ink reservoir is able to respond immediately for a big pressure change by the elastic bag and to regulate sensitively for a slight pressure change by the porous filter.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and composition provide a long-term, solid cartridge made of cleaning agents mixed at an equilibrium concentration with a solubility limiting agent for controlling an equilibrium concentration of the composition in a solvent, such as water, for example. In use, the cleaning agents are dissolved only to a predetermined concentration needed for a single dose of a cleaning appliance, such as a clothes washing machine, for example. The apparatus may be configured to cyclically expose the solid cartridge to the solvent. A dosing amount of the solvent dissolves a pre-determined concentration of cleaning agents, controlled by the solubility limiting agent. The apparatus discharges the dose of cleaning agent to a cleaning appliance, and readies itself again by dissolving a dose of cleaning agent from a surface of the solid cartridge into the solvent.

Abstract: A device for retaining articles including a support surface having a holding means which may be finger like projections and at least one holding zone defined by a space between adjacent holding means and whereby the adjacent holding means are adapted to hold an article in the holding zone.

Abstract: A rotatable clamping device (10) which can clamp a corner fitting of a freight container to an underlying support includes: a main housing (11) which defines an upright cylindrical passage (12) in which an actuator shaft (13) is rotatably mounted; a clamping head (14) secured to an upper end of the actuator shaft (13) and rotatable with the shaft between a release position and a clamping position with respect to a corresponding corner fitting; an actuator (15) coupled with the shaft (13) and operative to rotate the clamping head (14) at least from the clamping position to the release position; and a detent arrangement (16) acting between the outer surface of the shaft (13) and the inner wall surface of the cylindrical passage and operative to define a detent position and permit location of the shaft in at least one predetermined angular setting relative to the passage which corresponds to at least one of the release and clamping positions of the head: in which the detent arrangement comprises at least one rec

Abstract: The present invention resides in that a plurality of pre-molded inner ducts are fed to a cross-head die, and a melted outer duct is extruded around the inner ducts from the cross-head die, and then the pre-molded inner ducts and a melted outer duct are supplied into the corrugated tunnel of a molding die in which a melted outer duct is molded to have corrugations, thus producing a multiple channel duct assembly which includes a plurality of elongated inner ducts and a corrugated outer duct which encircles the inner ducts over their entire length to retain them. This method of continuously manufacturing a multiple channel duct assembly by using an extrusion molding machine with a cross-head die and a molding means has not been known heretofore.

Abstract: A low observable, brass ammunition cartridge casing with an exterior surface having a colored coating which renders the cartridge casing low observable. The colored coating may be deposited onto the exterior surface by various processes, such as electroplating, chemical deposition, and spray painting. The colored coating may be selected from a variety of different colors such as, black, olive green, silver, brown, tan, gray, and white. The colors are typically obtained using conventional pigments and colorants, such as metal oxides. The brass casing exterior surface may be roughened to reduce the gloss or sheen of the casing on the colored coating. The invention includes ammunition cartridges containing a low observable brass casing described above.

Abstract: A photopolymerization method is disclosed for attaching a chemical microsensor film to an oxide surface including the steps of pretreating the oxide surface to form a functionalized surface, coating the functionalized surface with a prepolymer solution, and polymerizing the prepolymer solution with ultraviolet light to form the chemical microsensor film. The method also allows the formation of molecular imprinted films by photopolymerization. Formation of multilayer sensing films and patterned films is allowed by the use of photomasking techniques to allow patterning of multiple regions of a selected sensing film, or creating a sensor surface containing several films designed to detect different compounds.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a composition and method for regulating the adhesion of cells and biomolecules to hydrophobic surfaces and hydrophobic coated surfaces. The composition is a biomolecule conjugated end-group activated polymer (EGAP). The biomolecule conjugated EGAP can be put to numerous uses including cell adhesion, cell growth, cell sorting, and other biological assays.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved multi-channel analyzer designed to conveniently gather, process, and distribute spectrographic pulse data. The multi-channel analyzer may operate on a computer system having memory, a processor, and the capability to connect to a network and to receive digitized spectrographic pulses. The multi-channel analyzer may have a software module integrated with a general-purpose operating system that may receive digitized spectrographic pulses for at least 10,000 pulses per second. The multi-channel analyzer may further have a user-level software module that may receive user-specified controls dictating the operation of the multi-channel analyzer, making the multi-channel analyzer customizable by the end-user. The user-level software may further categorize and conveniently distribute spectrographic pulse data employing non-proprietary, standard communication protocols and formats.