Abstract: Plastic cards with included electronic elements are made by laminating a carrier sheet bearing multiple electronic elements between top and bottom plastic sheets. The laminated composite is die cut into separate cards. Prior to lamination the carrier sheet is perforated in a web pattern such that the carrier sheet material is largely recessed from the side edges of the finished cards for better lamination and appearance of the finished card edges. The electronic elements may be obtained on continuous rolls of carrier material which is cut into sheets for lamination.

Abstract: A hinge for an orthopedic splint has two plates hinged for pivotal movement relative to each other and a detent engageable for locking the plates at a selected angle to each other, and a spring urging the detent into engagement. The detent is protected in a recessed guideway against operation with the unaided hand to discourage tampering with the splint settings by the patient fitted with same, but is retractable with a pointed tool inserted in the recess or a removable screw threaded in the detent as a finger hold. The screw may also pass through the detent and if tightened against an underlying plate keeps the detent disengaged to facilitate adjustment of the splint. The hinge allows left and right hand angular settings of the splint to either side of a zero angle for ambidextrous use of the splint, and radial tabs with directional markings are provided as visual indicators of the angular setting of the splint hinge.

Abstract: Protection against abusive ringing of doorbells is provided by a ring limiting circuit including ring counter and ring timer circuits.

Abstract: A hand truck convertible between forward and sideways displacement has wheels individually disengageable from the hand truck frame for mounting to the frame in either a mutually parallel wheel position or a mutually in-line wheel position transverse to the parallel wheel position. An optional wheel base extension can be installed for in-line mounting of more than two wheels. Other options include a retractable stand for supporting the loaded hand truck in upright position and an auxiliary load carrying shelf. The hand truck and one or more of the optional accessories may be sold as a kit of parts.

Abstract: Optoelectronic transceiver modules having photoemitter and photodetector arrays spaced from each other are interfaced to a single optical fiber ribbon having evenly spaced optical fibers.

Abstract: Security of transactions based on electronically readable cards is enhanced by encoding the card with data representative of particulate microstructure of the card's magnetic stripe as well as biometric data corresponding to the authorized card user. Optionally, the card is also encoded with image scan data representative of a photograph or other significant portion of the card. The encoded data is verified against live data read at a transaction site thereby to associate the particular card to the physical person presenting the card.

Abstract: A wireless data input system has one or more switches on a keypad or the like and a number of individually addressable RFID tags. Each switch operates to enable a corresponding subset of the individually addressable RFID transponder tags, such that a unique permutation of tag codes recognized by a RFID reader identifies actuation of each particular switch or key.

Abstract: A closure for containers has a septum of elastomeric material which is self-resealing when punctured by a blunt ended tubular implement to access to the contents of the container. In one application the elastomeric closure is incorporated in a cap for a bottle or vial and is self-resealing after being punctured by a laboratory pipette.

Abstract: A feeding device for use by persons with limited or no use of their arms, wherein a spoon is mounted on supporting and counterbalancing levers and is associated with a mouth-piece in such a manner that the user can manipulate the spoon to lift food from a dish, can then place the spoon on a fixed support and then adjust the spoon to a position for convenient eating of the food. The spoon mounting includes an adjustable support for a counterbalancing spring. All the parts are mounted on a flat base which is adapted also to support the food dish.

Abstract: A fanny pack of the type worn around a person's waist as a carrying bag has an inflatable air bladder and a hand operated air pump for inflating the air bladder to provide a lumbar support when the fanny pack is worn over the lower back of a seated person.

Abstract: A tool for removing overhead mounted smoke and heat detectors by an operator standing on the ground. The tool has a tool head supported on an extension handle for elevating the tool head into proximity to the detector unit. A number of grip elements on the tool head capture and rotate the removable head of the detector unit. The grip elements can be rearranged on the tool head into various configurations adapted to fit the shapes and sizes of different detector units, thereby providing a universal detector removal tool.

Abstract: Plastic cards with included electronic elements are made by laminating a carrier sheet bearing multiple electronic elements between top and bottom plastic sheets. The laminated composite is die cut into separate cards. Prior to lamination the carrier sheet is perforated in a web pattern such that the carrier sheet material is largely recessed from the side edges of the finished cards for better lamination and appearance of the finished card edges. The electronic elements may be obtained on continuous rolls of carrier material which is cut into sheets for lamination.

Abstract: A halogen light fixture for mounting under a cabinet and over a counter surface, as in a kitchen, has a housing of continuous cross section between opposite end caps adaptable to fixtures of varying lengths, a rapidly accessible wiring compartment by tool free removal of a single partition, and an air flow path through the fixture housing including a heat shield arrangement for effective heat dissipation and cooler operation of the fixture.

Abstract: A multi-band reflector antenna has a main reflector defining a prime focus and a frequency selective surface (FSS) sub-reflector defining an image focus. One or more transmitter or receiver feeds are provided at each of the prime focus and image focus. In one application as a ground satellite terminal, the antenna supports Ka-band two-way broadband Internet access bundled with multi-satellite Ku-band direct broadcast television service (DBS).

Abstract: An improved mopping device which may be adapted for manual or electro-mechanical operation, comprising a plastic plate the underside of which is provided with a sponge, the plate having a pair of parallel spaced apart grooves about each of which a part of one side of the plate may be hinged, the area between the grooves being fixedly secured to a solid rigid core constituting at least a lower section of the mop handle, and a sleeve slideable up and down said core and attached to rotate the side portions of the plate together about their groove hinges to squeeze the sponge after it has been applied to pick up liquid on a surface.

Abstract: A cooling system for conversion of air cooled aircraft engines to liquid cooling, including replacement cylinders, light weight, flex tolerant coolant manifolds and cooling system instrumentation for monitoring coolant temperature and pressure. The replacement cylinders have internal gating of coolant flow between a cylinder jacket and cylinder head exhaust port cooling passages for continuous high power operation of the engine.

Abstract: A proximity reader for a radio frequency identification (RFID) system is programmed for determining and storing optimum antenna impedance values to achieve peak antenna resonance at each of multiple operating frequencies. Antenna resonance is peaked at power up and periodically during operation to compensate for environmental detuning influences. The reader scans the multiple frequencies to more effectively search for off-frequency identification tags.

Abstract: A cane holder for holding upright a walking cane at the side of a bed has a generally planar frame to be inserted between a mattress and a box spring of a bed. A clamp on a side of the frame protrudes to one side of the bed. A walking cane held in the clamp provides a convenient hold for a person rising from the bed. The cane can then be released from the clamp for use as a walking aid away from the bed. A preferred walking cane has a foldable mid-height hand grip in addition to a top handle to provide two holds at different heights on the cane.