Abstract: A paper punch for punching one or more holes into one or more sheets is disclosed. The paper punch includes a pair of top and bottom plates, formed of a polymer and hingelike mounted to one another along respective straight edges about an off-center pivot point located below the surface of the bottom plate. The off-center hingelike mounting assures an equal tolerance in entry as the punch head enters its punch hole. The hingelike mounting further includes integral mounting members designed to secure the paper punch about rings of a loose-leaf binder. The hingelike mounting includes male members formed on one of the pair of plates designed to cooperate with female members formed on the other plate. One of the pair of plates is formed with a reentrant segment to facilitate the angular separation of said pair of plates from one another preparatory to insertion of a sheet therebetween. The pivot is off-centered by a distance equal to the height of a male punching member.

Abstract: Data storage space and data access time are significantly decreased by utilizing a tree structure to store data in memory. Only one copy of each data element common to different data units is stored. Each data element is stored in a node that has a next pointer and an alternate pointer. The next pointer points to a list of alternatives for the next sequential element of the data unit. The alternate pointer defines that list of alternatives. Thus, a progression of next pointers and alternate pointers corresponds to a unique data unit. Associated with each data unit is one or more identifiers, which tie the data unit to data units in another trees or to external objects. The last alternate pointer in an alternative list points back to the preceding element of the data unit in order to reconstruct a data unit from the identifier. Nodes in memory that are not currently being used in the tree are linked together to form a list of free nodes.

Abstract: The present invention is an athletic harness for enhancing thoracic freedom while supporting a barbell during front squat exercises, said harness comprising a pair of rigid, over-the-shoulder, inverted "J"-shaped braces for maintaining the dimensional stability of the harness during said front squat exercises, where the braces include extended anterior portions, posterior portions that engage the shoulders rearwardly, and yoke portions that engage the shoulders supportively; a means for securing the lower extremities of the anterior portions together; a means for supporting the abdomen during said exercises; a pair of pins projecting forwardly from the anterior portions, where the pins are adapted to carry the bar of the barbell during the front squat exercises; and a means for preventing splaying of the braces during the front squat exercises.

Abstract: A rubber tire recycling process comprises the steps of granulating black rubber tire side walls and treads and granulating white rubber tire side walls to form coarse rubber crumbs, mixing the coarse rubber crumbs with fine clay particles to form a closely packed mixture, thoroughly wetting the surfaces of the coarse particles with a uncured EPDM rubber to provide a fluid, casting the fluid into a sheet-like configuration, and curing the sheet-like configuration under sufficient heat and for a sufficient time to provide an environmentally compatible paver for outdoor or indoor surfaces.

Abstract: A fabric structure comprising a shell and a lining free of each other. The shell includes an outer closely woven synthetic fabric, an inner connected high tensile strength pattern imprinted on the inner face thereof, and fluorocarbon impregnation thereof. The lining includes an intermediate outer synthetic polymer membrane, and an inner synthetic polymer fabric.

Abstract: A flat panel display, such as a head mounted display, and a process for its manufacture are disclosed. Essentially, the flat panel display comprises separately manufactured flat panels including a display material and driver chips that are bump-bonded to the flat panels preferably by using flip chip technology. The flat panel display is particularly applicable to miniature display applications and is characterized by being rugged yet reliable, in color but with good luminescence across the spectrum of the primary colors of red, blue and green. Pixels preferably are addressed by passive matrix activation. Preferably, the display material of the flat panels is a thin film electroluminescent material, a passive matrix liquid crystal material, a plasma display material or a field emission display material.

Abstract: A monolithic integrated optical heterodyne receiver circuit formed on a single chip and a process of its manufacture are disclosed. The heterodyne receiver circuit essentially includes a tunable local oscillator formed on a substrate for generating a first light beam, a first waveguide coplanarly formed on the substrate adjacent to the local oscillator for transmitting the first light beam, a second waveguide formed on top of the first waveguide for receiving and transmitting an information-encoded second light beam, a coupler region sandwiched between the first and second waveguides for mixing the two light beams, and a pair of detectors mounted in electrical series with one another for converting the mixed light beams to a radio frequency signal operating at an intermediate frequency.

Abstract: An electric battery comprises: a nuclear source of relatively high energy radiation fluence; a semiconductor junction characterized by a curve for this fluence relating minority carrier diffusion length and a damage constant and; an enclosure having a sufficiently low thermal impedance for dissipation of sufficient heat from the nuclear source to permit predetermined degradation of the minority carrier diffusion length initially and predetermined maintenance of the minority carrier diffusion length thereafter; the nuclear source being a radionuclide selected from the class consisting of alpha, gamma and beta emitters; and the curve being substantially logarithmic.

Abstract: High performance GaAs and AlGaAs-based devices and a process enabling the manufacture of new III-V compound technologies are disclosed. The GaAs devices are particularly useful as VLSICs by possessing a high degree of electrical insulation, both vertical and lateral, between closely packed active devices. Essentially, the GaAs devices include a substrate on which is formed, preferably by epitaxial growth or by ion implantation, an active GaAs, or AlGaAs region incorporating, by appropriate doping, the simultaneously therein formed active segments. The active segments are electrically shielded by providing insulating stratums in the active GaAs, AlGaAs region surrounding the active segments. Preferably, the insulating stratums are formed therein by implanting arsenic ions therein so as to form arsenic precipitates. Preferably, a passivated surface layer also is formed in part of the surface of the GaAs, AlGaAs active layer, also preferably by implanting arsenic ions therein.

Abstract: A sheet-like, integral plastic accessory for a notebook is disclosed featuring at least one paper clip sheet. Each paper clip sheet is formed with a frame as defined by a pair of parallel spaced rims and a pair of outer cross rims. A plurality of ribs extend between the parallel spaced rims in parallel spaced relation to one another. A plurality of paper clip configurations extend from the rims and the ribs. Each paper clip configuration is formed with inner and outer elongated bands joined at one end at a nexus. A pair of curved segments define the nexus at one side thereof, with a constricted portion defining the same at an opposed side. Preferably, a pair of shoulders straddle the constricted portion and a burr connects the constricted portion of the paper clip configuration to the rims and the ribs. Preferably, the nexus is wider and stronger adjacent the curved segments than at the constricted portion, allowing the inner band to bend thereat with respect to the outer band without fracture.

Abstract: A therapeutic cold pack is provided for temporary affixation to an area of the human body. The cold pack comprises a pair of hermetic barrier layers that are heat sealed together throughout a plurality of articulations defining a plurality of compartments. A refrigerant gel, such as ethylene glycol, is contained within the compartments and has a high specific heat such that after becoming cooled it absorbs a large quantity of heat while undergoing phase change on heating. The plurality of compartments is distributed throughout an extended area. Adjoining compartments are hinged to each other along intersecting axes. The compartments are adapted to be folded with respect to each other along the axes into a configuration that is snugly seated against an irregular three dimensional anatomical surface. A relatively large velcro-type micro-fastener area is located at the back of the cold pack.

Abstract: A paper punch for use in combination with either a notebook having a pair of covers and a spine therebetween or with a ruler. The paper punch essentially comprises a punching element of unitary construction and formed of a hard yet resilient plastic material, preferably by injection in a mold. The punching element is formed with a pair of parallel spaced arms resiliently connected to one another at one end and featuring male and female punching members respectively disposed on the arms in operative association with each other. A slit is formed in one of the arms in a plane normal to the punching members and bisecting the female punching member. In a normally inoperative position, the male punching member is partially disposed within its cooperative female member in close proximity to the slit, and in an operative position, the male punching member is fully disposed within its cooperative female member, traversing the slit.

Abstract: A sprinkler system, for cooperation with an array of ceiling tiles, essentially features a mount of tiles including at least one with a central opening, a web disposed above the mount of tiles and including a central hub and legs extending therefrom to the corners of a frame with a dimensional profile like that of the tiles, a number of ceiling wires supporting the frame in spaced relation to a ceiling, a sprinkler head supported within the central hub and extending through the central opening, and apparatus for connecting the sprinkler head to a source of fluid. Preferably, the apparatus includes a rigid stationary water grid and supply and a flexible hose connecting the sprinkler head to the water grid and supply. Preferably, the flexible hose is an annealed stainless steel braid hose having an open pitch.

Abstract: Protective eyewear is provided with a visor component integrally sweeping arcuately over the bridge of the nose and over both eyes between opposed extremities that are positioned rearwardly of the outer corners of both eyes, a lens component having portions sweeping arcuately across both eyes between opposed extremities that are positioned rearwardly of the outward corners of both eyes the visor component defining an arcuate groove in which the upper profile of the lens component is seated and bonded, and a pair of temple components hinged to opposite extremities of the visor component, each of the temple components including a forward part that is hinged to the visor component, and a rearward part that telescopically engages the forward part and that presents an ear engaging portion. The configuration adjustably accommodates a wide range of wearers and adaptably serves under a wide range of conditions.

Abstract: A portable extended life metrology system is disclosed. The system is of the kind which includes means for generating an interference fringe pattern as a function of a parameter to be measured, transducer apparatus for simultaneously generating three intensity-modulated optical signals, I.sub.R, I.sub.S and I.sub.T that are related to the interference fringe pattern; signal processing apparatus for accurately determining an aspect of the interference fringe pattern form the three signals; means for accumulating phase information proportional to the aspect of the interference fringe pattern; and means for converting the accumulated phase and aspect information to desired outputs indicative of the parameter to be measured.

Abstract: A versatile, electrically insulating, waterproof electrical junction and a method of forming the same are disclosed. The electrical junction comprises three layers to effect waterproof encapsulation of two electric leads: a first layer defined by a pair of rubber collars for each of the two leads; a second layer defined by a pair of metal sleeves, a male and a female sleeve; and a third layer defined by a rubber sheath surrounding and encompassing both layers. The three-layered electrical junction preferably is the first and the seconcrimped along its entire axial length to compact the three layers into a waterproof electrical connector characterized by a high packing density.

Abstract: An improved seat for a disabled driver or passenger of an automotive vehicle, is disclosed. The seat comprises a seat cushion including a stationary cushion component and a transport cushion component, the transport cushion component being constrained for movement in a path between a retracted position and an extended position. The transport cushion component is controlled by an operational system that includes a member having an extension member telescopically extendable from an end thereof and cable-drive means for moving the component between the retracted position and the extended position when under constant manual control. The manual actuator is accessible to constant manual control at the transport cushion and is recessed therein.

Abstract: This invention is a filtration structure characterized by radial fluid flow through the wall of a cylindrical configuration that is established by a stack of serrated annular wafers which are constrained for slight axial movement with respect to each other, for the establishment of two conditions. In one condition, the wafers are axially compressed into snug contact under spring bias to establish a labyrinth of radial passages for fluid flow at a selected pressure. In the other condition, the axial compression of the disks is relieved and the disks are slightly separated by back flushing under an elevated pressure in such a way that cleansing is freely effected by reverse fluid flow.

Abstract: A sheet perforating punch formed of hard polymeric material formed of a punch plate with punching teeth and a die plate with holes intended to be registered with the teeth, snap-together hinging being provided for rotatably coupling the two plates together along respective edges thereof so that the registration of corresponding ones of the holes and teeth are fixed and so that no discernible relative axial displacement or travel of the two plates is permitted.