Abstract: An AED includes a housing. Electronic circuitry is disposed in the housing for delivery of an electric shock to a stricken patient. A removable battery pack is selectively, operably, communicatively coupled to the electronic circuitry. The battery pack has an anticipatory detector for generating an anticipatory signal to the electronic circuitry. The signal indicates to the electronic circuitry that the disengagement of the battery pack from the AED is imminent. The present invention further includes a method for ensuring that the high voltage storage circuits of the AED are safely discharged prior to disengaging the battery pack from the AED.

Abstract: A vascular sealing device for effecting closure of a puncture or other opening in a blood vessel, or other body cavity, which has been entered through percutaneous techniques. The device is useable with a standard percutaneous vascular introducer. The vascular sealing device generally comprises a body or shaft, an adapter disposed at a proximal end of the shaft, and a balloon portion disposed generally at a distal end of the shaft. A core wire is connected to the distal end and extends, internally, through a lumen of the device for deflation of the balloon. A procoagulant is introduced through the introducer, or alternatively through an additional lumen and associated apertures, and to the puncture sealed by the inflated balloon. Subsequently, the balloon is deflated and the device is removed from the sealing puncture, with or without the aid of a reaccess sheath.

Abstract: An electrical machine such as a switched reluctance motor includes a stator including a stator body, a plurality of poles each having an energizing coil, and a rotor. Portions of the coils are retained in channels between adjacent poles and by a wedge tied at each end to projections extending from the stator body. The manner of retaining the wedge avoids disturbance of the flux linkage in the stator poles and allows improved locating and retaining of the coils in the channels between stator poles.

Abstract: A portable stand supports both a lighting device and a heating device, such as a lantern and a space heater or stove, and directs fuel to these devices from a single source. The lighting device and heating device are both quickly and easily mountable on the stand, enabling easy assembly and one-piece transport to an outdoor site where both heat and illumination are desired. The stand preferably is a unitary assembly with easy connection and disconnection of fuel lines, and is compact and allows close mounting against a wall or other structure, such as the wall of an ice-fishing house. Embodiments of the invention have application to fishing, particularly ice fishing, as well as to other outdoor activities such as photography, maintenance, farming, construction and utility work, to name a few.

Abstract: A nozzle arrangement for a medium expansion foam fire extinguisher. The nozzle arrangement comprises a discharge tube with a discharge port for the foam at one end. At the other end there is a full cone supply nozzle for the foam concentrate solution. The tube has air inlets in line with the outlet from the spray nozzle. A mesh screen is located between the supply nozzle and the discharge outlet.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for coding to improve the minimum distance properties of sequence detectors operating at high densities in storage systems is presented. The coding scheme of the present invention is referred to as maximum transition run (MTR) code and eliminates data patterns producing long runs of consecutive transitions while imposing the usual k constraint necessary for timing recovery. The code has a distance gaining property similar to an existing (1,k) runlength-limited (RLL) code, but can be implemented with considerably higher code rates. When the MTR code is used with fixed delay tree search (FDTS) or high order partial response maximum likelihood (PRML) detectors, the bit error rate performance improves significantly over existing combinations of codes and detectors.

Abstract: A message passing system for an MIMD parallel processing computer system utilizing a CSP programming model is relatively simple and inexpensive, yet allows for deadlock-free message passing, as well as the ability to support irregular connection topologies among nodes in the computer system. Messages are passed from node to node utilizing buffers at intermediate nodes to temporarily store the messages. In accordance with the CSP programming model, the user code is divided into multiple concurrent user processes which communicate with each other via channels. Each user process executing at a node is also provided with a corresponding, but separate, router process which uses a set of N-1 virtual channels to communicate with all other processes in the system, where N is the number of processes. The router process is preferably provided with a routing table that implements an acyclic sub-graph solution for interconnecting nodes in any arbitrary network topology, including irregular network topologies.

Abstract: A switched reluctance machine run as a servo-motor has its torque ripple reduced by shaping the chopping current by which the rotor is rotated relative to the stator. The shaping includes reducing the rate of change of torque with respect to time such that the magnitude of the torque ripple is reduced and therefore more easily rejected by the control function of the machine controller.

Abstract: A device for the application and manipulation of paint includes a handle having a distal end and a proximal end and a working tip. The working tip is comprised of a flexible, polymer material and has a proximal end that includes structure defining at least one aperture or channel. A cavity is located at the distal end of the handle into which the proximal end of the working tip is inserted. The working tip is secured in the cavity by a flowable adhesive material which at least partially penetrates the aperture or channel prior to curing. The cured adhesive material adheres to at least a portion of an interior surface of the cavity and forms solid pins in the apertures or corresponding ridges in the channels of the proximal end of the working tip, thereby securing the working tip within the cavity. Methods for creating a device in accordance with the present invention, either with or without a ferrule are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides a sealed package system for housing at least one medical electrode apparatus and for enabling the periodic testing thereof, comprising a thin, generally flat flexible envelope constructed and arranged to form an interior cavity for enclosing a conductive gel contact surface of an electrode apparatus, the envelope having at least one continuous layer of a homogeneous, non-conductive, polymeric material, the envelope further having first and second sides; and a structure for conducting current across the envelope to the interior cavity, the conductive structure being electrically connectible to the electrode conductive contact surface.

Abstract: A modular portable stage and floor system uses a small number of standardized modular components to construct a temporary or permanent platform that is easily adaptable to a wide variety of platform designs. The modular standardized components include a series of modular vertical and horizontal supports and a light-weight modular deck panel. The modular vertical and horizontal supports can be detachably coupled together in a slidably interlocked manner using a universal connector mechanism in to a support frame structure for supporting a plurality of modular deck panels. By using a small number of modular supports and a universal connector mechanism that is similar for all structural interconnections required to build the support frame structure, the modular portable stage and floor system is strong and stable, yet easily transported, assembled and disassembled.

Abstract: A switching circuit for an inductive load such as a switched reluctance machine comprises two separate switching circuits for separate portions of the inductive load. A supply voltage is applied across the two circuits which are connected together at a node between two dc link capacitors. Each separate circuit is exposed to only approximately half the supply voltage between a respective terminal and the central node so that conventional switching components can be used to handle higher voltages applied across the two connected circuits.

Abstract: A chemical dispenser that uses an air induction bowl and the air induction bowl. The bowl is adapted to support an inverted container of solid cast chemical and has a jet for directing a spray of liquid on the solid cast chemical to generate a solution thereof. The chemical dispenser has a valve for control of the liquid supplied to the chemical dispenser, the valve being in flow communication with the jet. The bowl comprises a container receiver portion having an upwardly directed container opening defined therein for receiving an inverted container. The container receiver portion presents an inner surface for supporting the container in an inverted disposition. An accumulator portion of the bowl depends from and is in fluid communication with the container receiver portion. The jet is disposed in the accumulator portion of the bowl. A discharge portion depends from and is in fluid communication with the accumulator portion.

Abstract: Devices and methods to monitor a distributed system for supplying goods or services and to generate messages concerning the state of the system and the supplied goods or services, Two-way communication within the system occurs between remote local units and a host computer in a control and information processing center. The local units are equipped with a microcontroller with a memory coupled to a plurality of sensors that detect the occurrence of and provide information regarding specified events, such as sales of goods, unauthorized entry into the local unit, and notification of low inventory stock.

Abstract: An implantable hearing aid system for the middle ear utilizes pairs of permanent magnets to engage transducers with auditory elements in a middle ear. At least one transducer is supported within the middle ear cavity by a support. A transducer is magnetically-engaged with a malleus in one embodiment and another transducer is magnetically-engaged with a stapes in other embodiments. When using two contactless transducers, a permanent magnet is attached to each transducer. A permanent magnet is also attached to the malleus and to the stapes. The permanent magnet on each transducer is situated such that its polarity acts in repulsion to the permanent magnet on the adjacent auditory element.

Abstract: A vacuum transfer method and system for transferring liquid food grade product vacuum transfer system for transferring liquid food grade product into and from a vessel. The vessel has at least one product inlet/outlet. The vacuum transfer system includes a selectively activatable vacuum source. A vacuum transfer unit is in fluid communication with the vacuum source and with the vessel. Valves are operably coupled to the vacuum source and the vacuum transfer unit for selectively (a) pressurizing the tank and (b) drawing a vacuum in the tank, whereby drawing a vacuum by the vacuum source in the vessel acts to draw the liquid food grade product into the vessel through the at least one product inlet/outlet and pressurizing the vessel acts to expel the liquid food grade product from the vessel through the at least one product inlet/outlet.

Abstract: The present invention relates to digital telephonic system for stethoscope signal processing. Stethoscope sounds are converted to electrical signals and conveyed in digital format to an RS232 data port of a data transmission product. In the alternate, a modem can be used to convey the signal via a home telephone line. At the receiving end, the reverse process takes place to convert the data back to audible sound. The fidelity and accuracy of the stethoscope sounds is maintained at the receiving end using asynchronous data communications and error protection techniques.