Abstract: There is provided a one-way gasoline valve that is functional with conventional gasoline dispensing pumps in the United States today. An outer tubing body is open at both ends. One end is threaded to allow it to be placed into the end of a threaded gasoline dispensing pump nozzle assembly. A crossbar is provided, attached to a spring. This spring runs the length of the outer tubing, and has a large metal ball permanently attached to it at the end of the outer tubing body that is not threaded. This ball rests in position against a curved surface of the outer tubing that conforms to the curvature of the ball.

Abstract: A fuel cell using a secondary alcohol such as 2-propanol as fuel is disclosed. The fuel is oxidized directly at the anode without any reforming. Such a direct secondary alcohol fuel cell (D2AFC) possesses a much higher performance than a direct methanol fuel cell, especially at current densities less than 200 mA/cm2. In addition, fuel loss due to crossover in a direct 2-propanol fuel cell (D2PFC) is less than one-sixth of that in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC).

Abstract: A method of training a user to identify an object in an image, by querying a computer system having a lexicon of photo-interpreters to formulate object extraction rules. A database to be queried by an expert photo analyst is generated and a programming language is provided to generate extraction rules against that database. Graphical query results are displayed to determine whether an object has been identified. First, a hyperspectral image cube is represented by a set of fraction planes and texture transforms. Mean spectral reading values are obtained and used to build a pseudo multivariate distribution of the values. Recognizable features are then extracted from the hyperspectral image cube. A textural transform of a hyperspectral image cube results. The hundreds of image bands reduced to a few texture transforms can be used to train users of the image recognition system.

Abstract: A football goalpost that can be used at various times by both high school and college teams by adjusting the spacing of the uprights. The goalpost has the ability to adjust the verticality of the uprights by rotation of the uprights about the crossbar axis. The goalpost has the ability to adjust the side-to-side tilt and front-to-back tilt of the gooseneck by adjusting the gooseneck to sleeve connection. The goalpost also has the ability to adjust the horizontality of the crossbar by rotation of the crossbar about the gooseneck horizontal axis. In addition, the goalpost has a vertical gooseneck with incorporated height adjustment to be used for either real turf, or artificial turf.

Abstract: A process by which high frequency printed wiring board construction can be fabricated using smooth copper surfaces. A conductive, thin film polymer is plated on smooth copper surfaces of a core lamination. The polymer can be selected from a group of materials consisting of polypyrrole, polyaniline, polythiophene, and combinations thereof. The conductive polymer promotes adhesion between the resin polymer of the laminate and the smooth copper surfaces.

Abstract: A vehicle transport system including a torque platform with counter-rotating flywheels, whose axes of rotation are parallel to one another, is featured. One or more torque platforms are joined together with a platform rotating mechanism to rotate the platforms relative to the vehicle in which they are mounted. The combined mechanism is used to rotate the entire vehicle. Resistance of the counter-rotating flywheels to change in their axes of rotation provides rotational torque and rotation of the entire vehicle around the vehicle's center of mass. Successive increments of rotation in alternate rotational directions are coordinated with a transfer of mass to change the center of mass of the vehicle and are used to transport the vehicle. The successive angular motions of the vehicle around its changing center of mass achieves a resultant linear motion of the vehicle in the desired direction of travel.

Abstract: A clothes dryer that is operatively attached to a heating system is illustrated. The clothes dryer receives heated fluid when the dryer is turned on. The dryer has a radiator that receives the heated fluid from the circulating fluid flow system. The fluid-filled radiator radiates heat into a clothes-drying chamber, which forms part of a motor-driven, rotating drum. The rotating drum tumbles the clothes as heat is projected into the drying chamber, thus driving the moisture from the clothes.

Abstract: A scope mount device for a firearm is featured. The scope is attached to an elongated base member that fits within the reveal of the rear sight for large caliber guns. The scope mounting device design is simple and rugged, thus providing reliability and mounting accuracy. The clamping design provides a very low profile.

Abstract: A flexible, rotating drive transmission assembly having a substantially spiral-shaped liner supporting a center, rotatable, flexible shaft. The liner and its center shaft are carried within an outer down-tube. The spiral-shaped liner contains flexible, continuously tapering, elliptical legs that are self-adjusting and allow the liner to be easily inserted into and firmly retained by the outer down-tube. The self-adjusting legs of the liner conform to the inside diameter of the outer down-tube despite internal variations, thus allowing the liner to maintain its central axis or centerline relative to the central axis of the outer down-tube and end components attached to the assembly. The legs provide vibration isolation and absorption by their inherent spring effect. Moreover, grease skived from the inner wall of the outer down-tube, due to the auger effect of the rotating flexible shaft, is uniformly collected in pockets for distribution along the entire length of the outer down-tube.

Abstract: The present invention features an RFID smart shelf reader capable of working with a wide range of antenna types and numbers. The smart shelf reader readily accommodates and accurately reads a diverse range of package shapes, sizes, and contents. Multiple tags in close proximity to one another are accurately read by the smart shelf reader. The reader includes features for optimizing its own interface by periodically recalibrating itself to the current antenna load characteristics caused by varying external conditions, primarily in the type, number, and position of merchandise items on the shelf proximate at least one of the antennas. An external I/O interface is provided for communication with a remote controller.

Abstract: The present invention features double- or dual-gate logic devices that contain gate conductors that are consistently self-aligned and that have channels that are of constant width. A single-crystal silicon wafer is utilized as the channel material. Pillars or stacks of self aligned dual gate MOSFETs are generated by etching, via the juxtaposition of overlapping germanium-containing gate conductor regions. Vertically etching through regions of both gate conducting material and dielectric insulating material provides an essentially perfect, self-aligned dual gate stack.

Abstract: A scoring apparatus for placing a scoring line on a back surface of a piece of vinyl or rubber cove molding, in order to easily conform the molding about sharp corners. The scoring apparatus uses a frame for pivotally supporting a router between an inoperative position and a work engaging position. The router is mounted on a base that slides within a slot in the frame so that it can be drawn across the cove molding to provide the scoring line.

Abstract: A versatile furniture unit that is easily changed, or modified to meet different living settings. The furniture unit is constructed as a frame that can be hung from the joists or rafters in a loft ceiling. The frame comprises various furniture elements that can be added on, folded up, or folded down to provide a different living appearance depending on the time of day. The furniture unit easily converts from a living room or playroom setting during the day to a bedroom setting for nighttime.

Abstract: A thermoforming method of fabricating a seamless, three-dimensional fixture capable of holding a liquid from a single sheet of “solid surface” material is described. The sheet is cut to desired dimensions, then heated to a desired temperature to make it malleable. The malleable material is then placed over a female or male mold, and formed to the shape of the fixture, utilizing a vacuum. The heated material is then allowed to conform to the mold shape until the desired deformity is achieved. The manufactured fixture is then allowed to cool in its restrained position, until rigid.

Abstract: The wall mountable Compact Disc Storage and Display Device of the present invention provides the user with a new and novel method for the storage of compact discs or jewel cases. Contents are stored in a forward facing manner within individual pockets incorporated into the design. Jewel cases are fitted within the pocket and may be easily removed by pivoting on the edge of a raised platform located within the pocket. Compact discs may be stored independently of the jewel case and are held in place by an interference fit to a clamp at the center of a recess in the platform. The invention presents the user with the advantage of being able to arrange the contents of the cabinet such that the graphic work printed on the compact disc or included as an insert to the compact disc jewel case may be used to create a decorative wall hanging.

Abstract: Electrodes for an electrochemical cell such as a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell are treated with steam or a hot solution before they are bonded to a membrane to form a membrane-electrode assembly. Such a treatment effectively increases the performance of the electrodes when they are subsequently tested within the PEM fuel cell. Improved performance is also observed using this technique with a catalyst-coated membrane and a membrane-electrode assembly.

Abstract: A sensing device is featured that electrochemically measures methanol concentration. The sensing device has a flexible composite of layered materials wrapped about a flexible tube having aperture contact with a methanol flow stream. The layered materials sequentially wrapped on the tube are: a polytetrafluoroethylene insulation sheet; an electrically conducting mesh representing the anode current collector; a carbon-based material representing an anode diffusion medium; a catalyst-coated membrane with both sides coated by catalysts such as Pt/Ru and Pt; a carbon-based material serving as the cathode diffusion medium; and an electrically conducting mesh representing the cathode current collector.

Abstract: The present invention provides an external rotor stepper motor consisting of four individual, independently controlled, co-planar stepper motors optimized for vehicle direct wheel drive applications. The innovative design eliminates the need for bifilar coil winding, each of the motors' coils being single conductor, each coil being wound in the same direction throughout the entire motor. Each of the four independent motors is simultaneously energized. Because adjacent, outside coils of adjacent motors are simultaneously energized at the same polarity, there is substantially no energy wasting cancellation of magnetic flux. Carefully chosen radially spacing of the four independent, co-planar motors also eliminates substantially all flux interaction between the motors. Because similar coils of the four motors are all connected in parallel, the net inductance presented driver circuits is minimized. This yields fast rise time pulses and improved efficiency through minimized reactance of the motor.