Abstract: An applicator bottle allows the reconstitution and dispensing of a re-hydrated powdered product. The bottle has a dispenser apparatus detachably mounted on the dispensing end and a spring-loaded plunger apparatus detachably mounted on the distal end with a movable disk defining the distal end of the internal cavity within the bottle. The plunger apparatus includes a telescoping plunger spring-loaded to extend toward the dispensing end and a locking mechanism that will restrain the plunger apparatus in a compressed configuration until released through an external release button. A rotatable, hand-operated mixing apparatus can be mounted on either end of the bottle to provide an aggressive mixing action when needed. The plunger apparatus exerts a mechanical pressure on the reconstituted product to force the product out of the dispenser apparatus for utilization. Clean-up is facilitated by the ability to disassemble the bottle and the apparatus attached thereto.

Abstract: A lighting arrangement for the interior of an automotive vehicle in which the light source, such as an LED, is recessed into the interior structure of the vehicle and covered with a layer of fabric. The light source is invisible when not in use, but shines through the fabric/foam layer when illuminated, and can be associated with a light transmitting member, such as a light bar and a light pipe. Such lighting arrangements can be disposed within the headliner to direct light where desired and for different functions, such as a map light or for area lighting. The lighting arrangement can be mounted in non-traditional locations, such as on vertically oriented pillars, visors, door panels, seat backs, seat fronts, and console sides. The light source is preferably one or more LEDs associated with a light transmitting medium to direct the discharge of light as desired within the automotive interior.

Abstract: A body side construction for an automotive vehicle is formed from multiple tubular members arranged to maximize the strength of the body side members while minimizing the amount of material utilized in the manufacture of the body side members and, thus reducing the cost of manufacture of the automobile. The body side members are formed from tubular members preferably manufactured through a hydroforming process. The tubular members extend from the front pillar to the rear pillar and can vary in number and in size as appropriate for the load being carried by the body side members. The tubular members can also be used to transition from the body side portion of the automobile to the roof structure to provide an integrated frame assembly. The formation of the body side members from multiple tubular members also creates an internal reinforcement web to further enhance the strength of the section.

Abstract: A shoe cleaning apparatus is formed with a series of rotary brushes operable to clean the bottom of a shoe placed thereon and spring-loaded linear side brushes to clean the sides of the shoe. A supply of cleaning or sanitizing fluid is retained in an elevated tank that feeds by gravity into the rotary brushes for application to the bottom of the shoe being cleaned. The flow of fluid is actuated by downward pressure on a hinged sub-frame that opens a valve. Each rotary brush is engaged by a comb that cleans the brushes upon rotation thereof. A removable debris tray is mounted within the frame to collect dirt and debris removed by the combs and to collect the cleaning fluid dispensed from the elevated tank. Resistance to the downward pressure is provided by springs to minimize accidental opening of the flow valve.

Abstract: An infant swing has a base member supported by hanger members for reciprocal movement. A seat that can be utilized in other applications is detachably mounted on and latched to the base member, which is formed with a swivel mechanism that allows the seat to be selectively positioned in a back-and-forth swing configuration or a sideways swing configuration. The swivel mechanism utilizes a triangular guide that engages an elliptical retainer to cause a lateral shift in the center of gravity of the seat when re-positioned. The base member also incorporates a recline mechanism that can be actuated with one hand. The recline actuation mechanism uses a self-centering push bar that is formed with protrusions engaged with slotted channels to lock the seat in a selected recline position. The push bar is operable to either transverse direction to release the protrusions from the slotted channels for selecting the new recline position.

Abstract: A car seat is formed with a harness storage cavity in the car seat shell for placement of the five-point harness to permit the conversion of the car seat into a belt positioning booster configuration without requiring the harness to be removed from the car seat shell. The headrest and back panel pads on the back rest are removed to provide access to the harness storage cavity which is covered by a hinged door. The harness buckle and the chest clip, still attached to the harness webbing, are placed into the storage cavity and the door closed to provide a flush surface on the seat back so that the child has a smooth supporting surface. The harness webbing projects out of slots to allow the webbing to lie flat beneath the headrest and back panel pads when replaced over the closed door to the storage cavity.

Abstract: A car seat is constructed with a car seat member on which the child is transported and a separable base member that is mounted to the vehicle seat via the vehicle seat belt or latch anchor which is passed through side openings in the base member and trapped in a belt latch apparatus to secure the base member to the vehicle seat. The car seat member includes a recline actuation linkage formed with two pivotally mounted link members interconnected so that the upward movement of the recline actuator is translated into an intuitive release of the recline mechanism for adjustment of the recline angle of the car seat member relative to the base member. A level indicator is mounted on the car seat member to provide a positive feedback that the proper orientation of the car seat member has been selected for the rear facing configuration.

Abstract: An acousto-magnetic (AM) anti-theft alarming unit is designed for specific use in a hard tag anti-theft clamp which uses a magnetic detacher. The alarming unit includes a resonator housing defining a cavity in which is placed at least one resonator and a bias piece covered by a housing cover affixed to the resonator housing. The resonators are placed into the housing cavity in a vertically layered configuration. The bias piece is placed along the side of the resonators, as opposed to being beneath the resonators, as is conventional in the art. The bias piece is preferably made of a sintered rare-earth permanent magnet and has a high coercivity. Accordingly, this alarming unit has a strong resistance to demagnetization and a resistance to being shielded by metal. The bias piece has a strong anti-destruction ability, a simple structure and is easy to manufacture.

Abstract: A car seat includes a vertically adjustable head rest and harness support apparatus that will properly locate the position of the harness relative to the child in response to the positioning of the head rest. The head rest is movable along a curved track to provide horizontal clearance with respect to the vehicle head rest when in a fully raised position. The harness belt is trapped in a length adjustment lock and follows a path that extends around a fixed guide bar at the top of the car seat frame then downwardly through a guide member that directs the belt through an opening in the seat back for engagement with the child. The guide member is supported on a harness control tube that engages a rack device to fix the position of the harness control tube when the position of the head rest is selected.

Abstract: A perforating machine for perforating a plurality of perforation lines in a vent baffle sheet comprises a support table having two spaced apart openings, perforating wheels, two backstop wheels, and an endless feed belt having a plurality of protrusions. The perforating wheels and the two backstop wheels are positioned on opposite side of the support table. The perforating wheels engage with the two backstop wheels through the two spaced apart openings. The endless feed belt has an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion of the endless feed belt is positioned above the support table. The protrusions on the lower portion of the endless feed belt engage with side stiffeners of the vent baffle sheet to move the sheet through the perforating wheels.

Abstract: An open configuration is provided for the housing of a particulate material dedusting apparatus through which particulate material passes to be cleaned by air passing through wash decks to separate dirt and debris from the particulate material for discharge from the housing. The front wall and side access doors of the housing are configured to be openable for full access to the front and rear chambers. The primary wash deck is detachably mounted within the housing for removal for cleaning purposes. The generally horizontal floors of the housing are formed with a slope to allow water to drain from the housing. The open configuration of the deduster housing facilitates cleaning, draining and drying of the housing to expedite changeover from one material to another. Furthermore, the open configuration allows access for improved welding to eliminate cracks and openings in joints which accumulate dirt and debris during operation.

Abstract: A support brace supports the instrument panel above the floor pan of an automotive chassis and includes a lap joint that dampens the transmission of low range vibrations through the support brace to the instrument panel. The support brace is formed in two pieces, an upper member and a lower member, that have an overlap section between them, where an elastomeric pad joins the two members. The elastomeric pad can be bonded to the overlap sections or joined with rubber buttons inserted through holes formed in the overlap sections. The overlap sections are vertically spaced above the floor pan to position the elastomeric pad above the heat generated by the vehicle exhaust system. A floating positive mechanical connection in the form of an interlocking tab on one member engaged through an opening in the other member, which stays out of metal to metal contact unless the elastomeric pad fails.

Abstract: A changing table is mounted on the frame of a play yard to be vertically adjustable in operative height and pivotally movable between operative and inoperative positions. The frame of the changing table is provided with a downwardly extending guard member that extends across the opening between the frame of the changing table and the frame of the play yard to prevent a child's head from being trapped in the opening. The use of the guard member enables the changing table to be moved through a greater vertical range of operative positions without violating ASTM standards regarding the passage of probes through frame openings. The height adjustment mechanism is mounted within the vertical frame member of the play yard and the vertical mounting member of the changing table to allow the changing table to be raised and lowered with respect to the upper frame members of the play yard.

Abstract: A lighted bottle cap apparatus replaces a conventional threaded bottle cap to provide an entertaining light display externally of the bottle and also through the liquid contained within the bottle. The cap apparatus incorporates a battery powered lighting device that utilizes LED's to direct light energy into and away from the bottle. An optional advertising display can be formed as part of the cap apparatus to be illuminated from the lighting device. An alternative embodiment provides a central opening through the cap apparatus to allow the liquid within the bottle to be dispensed therethrough. The lighting device is oriented to direct light energy into the discharged liquid. An adaptor incorporating a translucent panel allows the standard cap apparatus to be connected to multiple bottle configurations. The adaptor has first and second sets of threads separated by the translucent panel to seal the lighting device from the liquid in the bottle.

Abstract: A concrete dispensing apparatus is used in a manufacturing process for producing pre-cast concrete structures, which are conventionally used to form a foundation for a residential or commercial building. The dispensing apparatus includes a hopper that funnels to a discharge opening extending along the entire transverse length of the dispensing apparatus. A plurality of individually controlled gates cover the entire discharge opening for selectively controlling the length and location of the discharge opening through which concrete is dispensed. The dispensing apparatus also includes a finishing mechanism including a vibratory screed and a rotational finishing roller. The form can be moved relative to the dispensing apparatus or vice versa. A form vibrator induces a vibratory motion into the form to remove air from the dispensed concrete mixture.

Abstract: A hydroforming process forms a hydroformed automotive component as a multiple cell member having an integral internal rib separating the cells and reinforcing the hydroformed component to increase the strength of a hydroformed component with a given size and shape. The tubular blank can be manufactured through a roll-forming process or by welding two structural tubular members, to form a tubular blank that has multiple cells with an internal rib separating the cells. The hydroforming process injects fluid under pressure into each of the cells to expand the tubular blank into the shape defined by the die holding the blank. The internal web separating the cells of the blank becomes an integral internal reinforcement spanning the component to enhance the strength, rigidity and stiffness of the component. Providing differential pressure on the multiple cells can stretch and twist the internal rib for positioning internally as desired.

Abstract: An air knife module assembly and a replaceable wear plate member are provided for a cyclonic comminuting and dehydrating machine. The air knife and wear plate can be formed in a modular configuration with the wear plate being mountable into an opening formed in the side wall of the cylindrical chamber of the cyclonic comminuter. The air knife module can be formed separately of the wear plate member and mounted into an opening formed in the wear plate module. The wear plate module can be secured to the side wall of the cylindrical chamber by removable fasteners while the air knife module can be secured by clamping members mounted on the wear plate module. Sensors in the air discharge detecting hazardous material above a predetermined threshold are operable to affect a de-naturing of the ground material discharge for removal thereof from the discharged stream of material.