Abstract: A dental syringe safety sheath having a modified duckbill valve for minimizing cross-contamination between dental patients is provided. The sheath includes a generally tubular body member having a nozzle engaging portion and a discharge portion. The nozzle engaging portion is configured to substantially fit over and cover the nozzle of a dental syringe having a discharge orifice. The discharge portion defines a fluid passageway having an inlet adjacent the discharge orifice and outlet downstream therefrom. The fluid passageway progressively narrows in cross-section between the inlet and the outlet to form a substantially wedge-shaped cavity terminating in a slit disposed between a pair of opposing sealing lips. The cross-section of the sealing lips between the ends of the slit is wider than the corresponding cross-section of the sealing lips at the lip margins.

Abstract: Four electric field containment regions are formed in a semiconductor substrate by implanting ions into the substrate along four axes that are angularly oriented about a normal to a surface of the substrate in four orthogonal directions respectively. The implant axes are further angularly tilted from the normal by a large angle on the order of 45.degree. such that the axes intersect the normal at a point below the surface. A field effect transistor (FET) is formed in the substrate above the containment regions such that the FET is substantially centered about the normal and has a channel that is aligned with one of the four orthogonal directions. A source and drain are formed at opposite ends of the channel. The containment regions formed under the source and drain respectively are configured to contain electric fields extending therefrom and thereby suppress punchthrough. The four containment regions are implanted at angles that minimize channeling, and any channeling that does occur is symmetrical.

Abstract: A methodology for generating structural descriptions of complex digital devices from high-level descriptions and specifications using a systematic technique to map and enforce consistency of the semantics imbedded in the intent of the original, high-level descriptions. The design activity is essentially a series of transformations operating upon various levels of design representations. At each level, the intended meaning (semantics) and formal software manipulations are captured to derive a more detailed level describing hardware meeting the design goals. Important features of the methodology are: capturing the users concepts, intent, specification, descriptions, constraints and trade-offs; architectural partitioning; what-if analysis at a high level; sizing estimation; timing estimation; architectural trade-off; conceptual design with implementation estimation; and timing closure.

Abstract: There is provided a new method of improving properties of the surface of an internal combustion engine valve made from titanium alloy, which comprises; the steps of (a) forming a surface undercoat layer of nickel on a surface of the engine valve; (b) heating the resulting nickel undercoated valve in vacuum or in an atmosphere of inert gas, at the temperature of 450.degree. C. to 600.degree. C., for one to four hours; (c) forming further a three component coat layer comprising nickel, phosphorus and particles of material selected from the group consisting of silicone carbide, silicone nitride, boron nitride, and the combination thereof, on the surface of the nickel undercoat layer; and (d) heating the resulting coat layer formed on the nickel undercoat layer, at the temperature of 350.degree. C. to 550.degree. C., for one to four hours, so as to make the particles of ceramic material uniformly and homogeneously dispersed in said coat layer.

Abstract: For an exhaust analyzer, the factors causing turbulence and mixing of the sample gas are removed from the sample gas-introducing pipe in order to introduce the sample gas into the analyzer cell under laminar conditions. Further, the indicated changes resulting from the fluctuations of sample gas pressure within the analysis cell of such a construction are compensated. As a result, the sample gas can be quantitatively analyzed with a high rate of response under the condition that the influences caused by the fluctuations of the sample gas pressure are reduced.The sample gas is introduced into the cell-type gas analyzer from the sample gas source through a gas-introducing pipe under laminar conditions.

Abstract: A bridge device is provided for a stringed musical instrument having a body, a neck extending from the body, and a set of tensioned strings extending along the neck and over at least a portion of the body. The bridge device comprises a bridge plate mounted adjacent a front surface of the body, a plurality of saddles secured to the bridge plate, and a plurality of armatures pivotably secured to the bridge plate. The saddles are individually adjustable to vary the effective length height of each of the strings and to vary the distance between each of the strings from the bridge plate. Each of the armatures individually engage the strings and are selectively manipulable to change the tension of each of the strings between one of three predetermined tension levels.

Abstract: A system for interactive design, synthesis and simulation of an electronic system allowing a user to design a system either by specification of a behavioral model in a high level language such as VHDL or by graphical entry. The user can view full or partial simulation and design results simultaneously, on a single display window. The synthesis process uses a systematic technique to map and enforce consistency of the semantics imbedded in the intent of the original, high-level descriptions. The design activity is generally a series of transformations operating upon various levels of design representations. At each level, the design can be simulated and reviewed in schematic diagram form. The simulation results can be displayed immediately adjacent to signal lines on the diagram to which they correspond. In one embodiment, design rule violations are processed by an expert system to suggest possible corrections or alterations to the design which will eliminate the design rule violations.

Abstract: A coil spring including a plurality of coils connected to one another in series. Each of the coils has a front portion and a rear portion. The front portion of at least one of the coils includes a first section disposed at a first predetermined angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the spring centerline and a second section disposed at a second predetermined angle relative to the spring centerline. The coil spring is suitable for use in a variety of applications including, but not limited to, seals.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an array of plural imaging elements each of which is responsive to incident light flux to provide an output signal. Each of the imaging elements includes provision for conducting a variable time integration of incident light flux, and alternatively, also for selecting a time interval during which each of the imaging elements simultaneously conducts such a time integration of incident light flux (i.e., takes a snap shot of an image scene). The imaging device includes provision for random access of each image element or group of image elements in the array so that output signals indicative of all or of only selected parts of an imaged scene can be processed for their image information, if desired.

Abstract: A catalytic reactor bed in which support particles in the free molecule size range of 50 to 500 .ANG.ngstroms are attached to an anchor surface to form a dendritic network which extends from 10 microns to 300 microns outward from the anchor surface. Catalyst particles which are also in the free molecule in the size range of 10 to 80 .ANG.ngstroms are attached to and dispersed throughout the support particle network. A process for making the reactor bed using binary gas phase nucleation of support particle and catalyst particle precursors is also disclosed.

Abstract: An oil deterioration sensor includes a housing, a substrate with a first capacitive plate mounted within the housing, a second capacitive plate mounted to the housing close to the first capacitive plate, and a total reference capacitor which includes an external fixed reference capacitor. The second capacitive plate is mounted to the housing such that oil freely circulates within a gap between the first and second capacitive plates thereby defining an oil deterioration sensor capacitor. The respective capacitances of the oil deterioration capacitor and the total reference capacitor provide an engine oil deterioration indication for the oil within the gap. The first capacitive plate is divided into a major sensing area, and a minor sensing area covering a relatively small portion of the total area of the first capacitive plate. The major sensing area and the second capacitive plate form the oil deterioration sensor capacitor.

Abstract: An improved liquid flow meter for measuring moderate to low liquid flow rates with improved accuracy and minimal back pressure. The flow meter has a housing with two halves, a cover and a body, that fit together around a impeller so that liquid may flow and turn the impeller. Impeller performance is improved by use of a tapered inlet nozzle that increases liquid velocity while minimizing back pressure. Liquid is introduced tangent to the impeller by the tapered inlet nozzle to enhance initial impeller turning. The impeller registers the liquid flow by turning. The turning of the impeller is sensed electronically. Plenums are used for inlet and outlet flow to create regions of relatively consistent pressure regardless of duct location and orientation. The impeller fins are almost as wide as the impeller chamber to prevent liquid flow around the impeller. A magnet is encapsulated within the impeller that gives rise to a detectable electromagnetic flux when the impeller turns.

Abstract: An electrical junction box for swimming pool light fixtures includes a base plate and a cover member. The base plate includes plural lower conduit bosses and sockets in an array for sealingly receiving polymeric electrical conduits. The sockets are configured to singularly provide all necessary support to the junction box as installed. A grounding and bonding member is carried by the base plate within the junction box, and is configured in coordination with the array of conduit sockets to assist in organizing electrical wiring within the junction box. A strain relief structure is arranged adjacent to each conduit socket to centralize or group the wires brought into the junction box, while the grounding and bonding member (and an external bonding wire connection feature as well) provides unprecedented convenience of termination for the centralized or grouped wire connections.

Abstract: A methodology for generating structural descriptions of complex digital devices from high-level descriptions and specifications. The methodology uses a systematic technique to map and enforce consistency of the semantics imbedded in the intent of the original, high-level descriptions. The design activity is essentially a series of transformations operating upon various levels of design representations. At each level, the intended meaning (semantics) and formal software manipulations are captured to derive a more detailed level describing hardware meeting the design goals. Important features of the methodology are: capturing the users concepts, intent, specification, descriptions, constraints and trade-offs; architectural partitioning; what-if analysis at a high level; sizing estimation; timing estimation; architectural trade-off; conceptual design with implementation estimation; and timing closure.

Abstract: An electronic combination lock is disclosed which allows access to a closed or secure location wherein the lock includes a locking mechanism for operating between a locked condition and an unlocked condition. A rotatable cam wheel has a circumferential surface portion defining a slot such that rotation of the cam wheel moves the slot. A movable lever is coupled to the locking mechanism for changing the condition of the locking mechanism from the locked condition to the unlocked condition and is pivotably movable into and out of engagement with the cam wheel. The movable lever engages the cam wheel such that rotation of the cam wheel changes the condition of the locking mechanism. A cantilever and detent on the lever releasably maintain the lever in a position disengaged from the cam wheel.

Abstract: A method for genetically engineering cells to produce soluble and secretable Golgi processing enzymes instead of naturally occurring membrane-bound enzymes. Cells are genetically engineered to express glycosyltransferases which lack both a membrane anchor and a retention signal. The resulting altered enzyme becomes soluble and secretable by the cell without losing its catalytic activity. Secretion of the soluble glycosyltransferase by the cell provides for increased production and simplified recovery of glycosyltransferase.

Abstract: A laser is used to cut or "zap" unwanted sections of an aluminum interconnect metallization pattern on a microelectronic circuit substrate. Vaporized aluminum forms a cloud above the substrate that is reacted with a gas to form a substance which can be prevented from solidifying and forming a conductive residue on the substrate that could create a short circuit in the metallization pattern. The gas can be pressurized oxygen, in which case the reactant substance is electrically insulative aluminum oxide that forms a desirable sealing coating over the cut area. The aluminum oxide has a lower density than aluminum, and expands in the cut area to form a hermetic seal with the facing edges of the metallization pattern. Alternatively, the gas can be chlorine or other material which forms a residue that can be easily removed using a solvent such as water.

Abstract: A pay television gaming system including a pay television network having a multiplicity of subscriber units each including a television, receiving apparatus for receiving gaming inputs from the multiplicity of subscriber units, transmitting apparatus for transmitting to the multiplicity of subscriber units information relating to gaming results and accounting apparatus for settling gaming debts and winnings via the pay television network. Other services, such as shopping may be provided.

Abstract: An adjustable articulated bed including a bed foundation having a body member and a generally separate head member, a mattress supported on the foundation, an electrical motor coupled to the head member, and a support frame which supports the mattress, foundation and motor. The motor when operated pivots the head edge of the head member upwardly, moves the head member away from the body member along a roller-glide assembly, and together with the pivoting motion moves the entire foundation towards the head edge of the frame. Thereby, the head portion of the mattress does not slide with respect to the foundation head member and the head edges of the mattress and foundation travel up in a vertically straight line thereby remaining in constant close proximity to the wall at the head edge of the bed. Advantageously, the person lying on the bed experiences a similar movement; that is, his shoulders move in a straight vertical line.