Abstract: The present invention is a culling device that comprises a cable element, a retainer element and a floating element. When in use, the device is attached to a fish by way of the retainer element, which may be a clip, hook or other suitable element. The cable element is the link between the retainer element and the floating element. The floating element provides buoyancy to the device as a whole, and serves the purpose of indicating the weight of the fish to which the device is attached. The present invention further comprises a kit, the kit potentially including a plurality of devices, a scale, or some combination thereof. The present invention further comprises a method of using a device or kit. The present invention further comprises embodiments where a device disclosed herein is used on an animal other than a fish.

Abstract: A displacement, strain, and/or force sensor assembly (10, 110) has a mounting structure (12) with an anisotropic stiffness to facilitate the measurement of displacements, strains, and/or forces along the X-axis, while minimizing errors due to undesired displacements, strains, and/or forces along the Y- and Z-axes, and rotations about the X-, Y-, and Z-axes. A pedestal (30, 130) configured to respond to axial displacements along the X-axis is centrally disposed on the X-axis of the mounting structure (12), and a displacement or strain sensor (38) is coupled to the pedestal (30) to provide a measure of the displacements, strains, and/or forces. Contact pads (14, 114) are formed on opposite ends of the X-axis of the mounting structure, to enable the displacement and/or strain sensor assembly to be secured to an application structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high security film, optionally in the form of a slit thread or a micro tape, which is then inserted into high security paper such as a bank note paper and the like during the paper making process. The invention envisages a novel method of producing such a high security film using a print transfer method, wherein one or more security features are incorporated on one or more indicia including letters, optionally graphics, during such a production process, using multiple printing stations and lamination.

Abstract: A printing and binding apparatus (1) is disclosed which can print on demand, bind, and trim a perfect bound book. The apparatus includes one or more text page printers (110, 200) and a color cover printer (114). The text page printers print the text pages of a book and form the text pages into a book block (BB). The color cover printer (114) prints a cover for the book. The book block and the cover are delivered to a binding station at which the spine (S) of the book block is adhesively bound to the cover. The bound book is then delivered to a trimming station (TS) at which excess margins (are trimmed from the book. A method of printing and binding a perfect bound book on demand is also disclosed.

Abstract: A supercharger for boosting intake manifold pressure in an internal combustion engine and producing electrical energy comprises an input shaft (3), a electric machine (50) including a stator (51) and a rotor (53), a compressor (70) including an impeller (71), and a planetary transmission (30) located between the input shaft (3) and the rotor (53) of the electric machine (50) and the impeller (71) of the compressor (70), all such that the input shaft 3 can drive both the impeller (71) and the rotor (53), or the rotor (53) and input shaft (3) can drive the impeller (71). The planetary transmission (30) includes an outer ring (31) operatively coupled to the input shaft (3), a sun member (39) operatively coupled to the impeller (71), planetary clusters (38) located between the outer ring (31) and sun member (39), and a carrier (37) operatively coupled to the planet clusters (38) and the rotor (53). Each planetary cluster (38) comprises an inner roller (35) and an outer roller (33).

Abstract: A co-salt of a polyunsaturated fatty acid and a non-fatty acid is formed as a precipitate. The co-salt formed is free flowing and does not tend to agglomerate (cake) in storage. The resultant co-salt product will be easy to blend with other products to produce dietary supplements. These novel co-salt products may also tablet very well and may be added to current dietary supplement tablets.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for selection of vendible products provides designated product reference areas at a refrigerated double glass front vending machine for making viewable product selections thereon by applying a light tap at its outer glass pane and sensing the tap location by three or more spaced apart resilient members each having its first portion attached at the inner glass pane. The resilient member's second portion suspends an inertia mass that reciprocates at a predetermined rate due to the inertia mass weight and the resiliency of the suspending member. A sensor senses the reciprocating movement in response to the light tap. The location of the tap is determined by measuring the arrival time of each predetermined signal produced by the first resonating alternation of its attached resiliently suspended inertia mass during the first rearward movement of the inner glass pane.

Abstract: A shelter including a support assembly having a plurality of inflatable supports each having an elongated tube body and defining at least two separate longitudinal passages pneumatically separated by a bladder, wherein the tube bodies of each support is connected to the tube body of one or more of the other supports and wherein each of the passages of the each support is pneumatically connected to each of the passages of the other supports, and wherein the supports are spaced circumferentially apart as legs of the support assembly for forming a perimeter of the shelter, and a single port pneumatically coupled to only one of the supports, the port configured for passing air between an external pneumatic vessel and the support to which the port is coupled and a canopy including a plurality of wall panels, the wall panels being configured for being suspended from the support assembly.

Abstract: A method of launching and retrieving a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) (10). The preferred method of launch involves carrying the UAV (10) up to altitude using a parasail (8) similar to that used to carry tourists aloft. The UAV is dropped and picks up enough airspeed in the dive to perform a pull-up into level controlled flight. The preferred method of recovery is for the UAV to fly into and latch onto the parasail tow line (4) or cables hanging off the tow line and then be winched back down to the boat (2).

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a lateral dimension of a microscale device on a substrate is reduced or adjusted by the steps of providing the device with a soft or softened exposed surface; placing a guiding plate adjacent the soft or softened exposed surface; and pressing the guiding plate onto the exposed surface. Under pressure, the soft material flows laterally between the guiding plate and the substrate. Such pressure induced flow can reduce the lateral dimension of line spacing or the size of holes and increase the size of mesas. The same process also can repair defects such as line edge roughness and sloped sidewalls. This process will be referred to herein as pressed self-perfection by liquefaction or P-SPEL.

Abstract: A gravity feed dispenser (50) for containers, in which the dispenser (50) carrying the containers includes a pair of longitudinally extending stringers (80) engaging with shelf rack (20) in snap-fitting relation to secure the dispenser (50) to the rack (20). In another embodiment, the dispenser (50) has sidewalls (52) of transparent plastic for product visibility and is provided with a glide strip (100) which is attached to the floor (54) of the dispenser (50) by hooks (102) temporarily, and permanently by fusion of the glide strip (100) to the dispenser (50) as by sonic welding.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a lateral dimension of a microscale device on a substrate is reduced or adjusted by the steps of providing the device with a soft or softened exposed surface; placing a guiding plate adjacent the soft or softened exposed surface; and pressing the guiding plate onto the exposed surface. Under pressure, the soft material flows laterally between the guiding plate and the substrate. Such pressure induced flow can reduce the lateral dimension of line spacing or the size of holes and increase the size of mesas. The same process also can repair defects such as line edge roughness and sloped sidewalls. This process will be referred to herein as pressed self-perfection by liquefaction or P-SPEL.

Abstract: A method for practicing a billiard shot includes defining a position for each particular one billiard ball within the plurality of billiard balls on the surface of the billiard table, using a defined device having a defined body, selectively securing each device to the surface of the billiard table with each ball within the cavity of the corresponding device in its first position, taking a first billiard shot, replacing each of the two or more billiard balls to their first position on the surface of the billiard table, and taking a second billiard shot including the replaced two or more billiard balls.

Abstract: A commercial mobile alert system and method for processing a broadcast message from a broadcast message originator for delivery to a broadcast target area served by a wireless mobile network using point to multipoint cell broadcasting capability of the wireless mobile telephone network. The system including a broadcast message interface for receiving a broadcast message record. The broadcast message record including the broadcast target area defined as geographical information, the broadcast message as created by the broadcast message originator, a message type as defined by the broadcast message originator, and broadcast message originator identifier uniquely identifying the broadcast message originator of the broadcast message. A broadcast control module having an processor, memory, computer executable instructions, an input interface, an output interface, a validating subsystem and a broadcast message routing subsystem.

Abstract: A traction drive transmission has an outer ring 40, a sun roller 10, support rollers 30, and one or more loading rollers 20. The outer ring 40 includes a raceway 42 presented inwardly. The sun roller 10 includes a raceway 12 presented outwardly toward the raceway 42 of the outer ring 40. The sun roller 10 is offset eccentrically with respect to the outer ring 40 so that a wedge gap 112 exists between the raceways 42, 12 of the outer ring 40 and sun roller 10. The support rollers 30 are located between the outer ring 40 and sun roller 10. Each support roller 30 has first and second raceways 36, 38 that have different diameters and contacts the raceway 12 of the sun roller 10 along its first raceway 36 and the raceway 42 of the outer ring 40 along its second raceway 38. Each loading roller 20 is located at the wedge gap 112 between the raceway 42 of the outer ring 40 and the raceway 12 of the sun roller 10.

Abstract: A totally enclosed motor comprising a housing totally encloses an electrical package that includes plurality of slot vents extending radially outward from a shaft on which the electrical package is mounted. The electrical package being operable to generate a closed circuit electrical package cooling air flow that circulates through the slot vents and is confined within the housing. The motor additionally including an exterior cooling assembly that is operable to generate a directed exterior air flow along an exterior portion of the housing. The motor further including a plurality of heat pipes having evaporator ends disposed within the closed circuit electrical package cooling air flow and condenser ends disposed within the exterior air flow, whereby heat is removed from the electrical package chamber such that the ‘Totally Enclosed’ more provides a power output substantially equivalent to that of an ‘Open’ motor of approximately the same size.

Abstract: A method and device for making high precision glass tubes. A glass rod is pushed into a heated chamber and the tube is pulled from the chamber. Preferably, both the push rate and the pull rate are controlled. Fiber optic glass ferrules and other components manufactured by the use of this invention have precision dimensions that fall well within the tight dimensional tolerances required for ferrules and others.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for starting an internal combustion engine associated with a starter for driving the engine when starting the latter and to means for adapting the amount of injected fuel. According to the invention, the method comprises the following steps: during a first start operation, counting the number of revolutions (PMH) of the engine when it is driven by the starter; during a second starting operation following the first operation, adapting the amount (Q) of injected fuel based on the number of revolutions (PHM) counted during the first starting operation.