Abstract: A two-dimensional inflatable heat-sealable thin-film form is provided for creating a three-dimensional inflated cone with a recess in the base of the cone, useful as a carrying pouch or as an end-cap for cushioning, as well as thermal protection. A preferred manufacturing in-line process for making the cone is also described.

Abstract: A novel technique and seal-and-filling support for longitudinally extending concrete floor joints comprising a resiliently compressible cylindrical support member of cross-dimension similar to or lesser than the joint opening and compressibly inserted into the joint to seal the base thereof and to support thereupon and there along a semi-rigid epoxy filling the joint above the support and up flush to the concrete floor, and with the support having external longitudinally extending ribs or fins, and having hardness substantially matched to that of the epoxy filler.

Abstract: A novel flexural kinematic fluid or electrical coupling in which a pair of components is deterministically kinematically coupled with repeatable accuracy of positioning with respect to one another by the use of three spherical surfaces on one component, and three grooves in the other component, and with holes passing through one component through the contact zones between the spherical surface-to-groove contact points and out through the other component. For electrical contact, instead of fluid flow holes at the Hertzian interface, electrical contact pads are used.

Abstract: A novel flexural mount kinematic coupling apparatus and technique in which a pair of surfaces is deterministically kinematically coupled with repeatable accuracy of positioning with respect to one another and an intermediate plane between, and with guided compliance provided by flexural, rolling or sliding bearing elements to permit translational clamping in a direction normal to the plane that brings the surfaces into contact without positional error motions between the surfaces.

Abstract: An integrated tooling system and technique wherein the tool shaft serves as its own spindle and is provided on its surface with hydrostatic bearing grooves for permitting spinning within a supporting bore, and with the shaft connected at its rear end internally with a driving fluid turbine to form an in-line integrated high speed high power tooling system.

Abstract: An economic and efficient method for providing an inner constrained layer damping system to a tubular structure by inserting an inner damping tube that has been substantially slit along its length at several places around its circumference and then wrapped in a viscoelastic tape to cover the slits, or just plain tape to just cover the slits, with a viscoelastic layer thereupon with the tape inserted within and coextensively along the inside of the outer structural beam to be damped, and with the space between the two filled with a replicating material such as epoxy, cement grout, rubber, or other pourable or injectable material, which must have high shear damping properties if the latter tape-just- covering-the-slit option is used, to couple in shear the outer structural beam to the inner slit damping tube and cause shear strains to be transmitted across the viscoelastic boundary between the two tubes.

Abstract: A novel method and system enabling a computer to identify the beginning and end of a logical group of digitally scanned pages, most commonly a multipage document, through the use of cover pages or sheets containing machine-readable information about where the document should be routed over a computer network, how to set scanning parameters in the scanner, and additional operations to perform, greatly increasing the efficiency and simplicity of creating, routing and processing scanned image documents without operator or user intervention and thereby enabling increased use of scanners in offices and the like.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for automatically feeding from a roll successive pairs of inflatable packaging bags each having a common intermediate inflation channel to present the end bag upon a base platform for receiving an item-to-be-packaged, and then to fold the other bag of the pair thereover to envelope the same; and then sealing the enveloping bags to provide a package of appropriate item size, inflating the bags through the inflation channel, and finally severing the inflated package from the roll.

Abstract: A non-lethal incapacitating ammunition round and technique is disclosed using a bundle of adjacent flat-faced resilient cylindrical projectile plugs that, after firing, are set into tumbling motion in various orientations to slap and bruise the skin of a human or animal target at multiple locations of the body, with and without the simultaneous delivery of dye marking or subduing substances.

Abstract: An ophthalmic method and apparatus preferably for removing the relatively soft cellular epithelium from a predetermined region of the relatively hard fibrous cornea of the eye preparatory to reshaping the cornea as by laser ablation or the like, preferably by an abrasive surface formed by the ends of a bundle of thin soft filaments constrained against lateral movement and rotatable to comminute and emulsify the epithelium into tiny removable cell-particles, with features, where desired, of concavely contouring the surface formed by the free ends of the filaments to correspond to the anterior convex cornea, and interiorly hollowing the bundle to provide an annular abrasive surface formed by filament ends surrounding the hollow.

Abstract: A novel integrated key board and optical scanner, preferably of shape and size corresponding to that of standard conventional keyboards, sharing common mechanical support and electrical and electronic functions, with features of optional attachment and detachment of the scanner from the keyboard, and use of both conventional and flat-bed scanner techniques.

Abstract: A procedure for generating different variations of a sequence of symbols, such as a musical piece, based on the properties of a chaotic system--most notably, sensitive dependence on the initial condition--is described and demonstrated. This method preferably uses a fourth order Runge-Kutta implementation of a chaotic system. Bach's Prelude in C Major from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I serves as the illustrative example since it is well-known and easily accessible. Variations of the Bach can be heard that are very close to the original while others diverge further. The system is designed for composers who, having created a through-composed work or section, would like to further develop their musical material. The composer is able to interact with the system to select various versions and change them, if desired. Yet the compositional character of the variations remains within the artist's domain of style, expression and inventiveness.

Abstract: A method of transforming the clumped untextured putty-like and high viscoelastic adhesion physical and chemical properties of hydrated vital wheat gluten into a loose layered minimally adhering permanently textured fiber strand structure by mixing the vital wheat gluten with flour and then shredding, and denaturing hot moisture, the fiber using enabling the creation of wheat gluten analogs for ground meat fiber products, such as hamburger and the like.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for producing real-time continual nanometer scale positioning data of the location of sensing probe used with one of a scanning tunneling microscope, an atomic force microscope, or a capacitive or magnetic field-sensing system, for measuring the probe distance and the position relative to an atomic surface or other periodically undulating surface such as a grating or the like moving relatively with respect to the probe, and between which and the surface there exists a sensing field, through rapid oscillating of the probe under the control of sinusoidal voltages, and comparison of the phase and amplitude of the output sinusoidal voltages produced by current in the sensing field to provide positional signals indicative of the direction and distance off the apex of the nearest atom or undulation of the surface; and, where desired, feeding back such positional signals to control the relative movement of the probe and surface.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for improving the accessing capability of asynchronous and synchronous dynamic random access memory devices by a novel interfacing and accessing procedure in which the same pins are used for each of row, column and data accessing and in both the write and read cycles; such enabling effective increasing of the data bandwidth and addressing range in substantially the same size packages and pin counts of current DRAMs, or providing equivalent performance in smaller packages with fewer pins. This enables reducing the number of required components for the same configuration, providing compatable density in smaller packages, and with lower power consumption and finer granularity and pin compatability for a wide range of current DRAMs.

Abstract: High brightness durable retro-reflecting microspheres for retro-reflection and related uses (and a novel method of forming the same) is provided embodying a retro-reflective vitreous glass microsphere encapsulated in a hardened clear non-vitreous metal-oxide ceramic shell of substantially the same index of fraction as the microsphere.

Abstract: A process for identifying patterns of electric energy consumption and demand in a facility and determining possible changes in the facility for energy conservation, using monthly electric billing data over the years to ascertain billing periods and KW and Kwh consumption and to obtain from the ration Kwh/KW the hours use of peak demand per week, which provides a useful estimate of hours of use for the facility. Together with minimal facility data (just area data) and daily maximum and minimum outside temperature data, the process identifies patterns of consumption and demand, and then uses conveyance of an empirical analysis to disaggregate billing data into lighting, power, and HVAC end-use categories, and a statistical analysis, including regression, to separate the same billing data into usage and temperature-dependent components. Proposed retrofits for energy conservation are indicated and then implementable. Actual savings are calculated and used to further refine the model of actual facility operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed, particularly, though by no means exclusively, useful in touch--screen computer CRT display systems and the like, and more generally in other force and/or torque measurement systems, as in weighing and the like, in which (1) lineal and/or rotational acceleration of the system is sensed in response to inertial interference effects such as tilt or movement that introduce errors into the force and/or torque measurements, and/or (2) inertial error correction from the force data itself is obtained, such as derivative order corrections; and such data is used to correct the force and/or torque measurements. A novel calibration technique for deriving appropriately descriptive coefficients to the particular system for the correcting data, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of apparatus for integrating Loran-C and satellite navigation system technologies in a manner in which the Loran-C navigation signal transmissions are further modulated to provide a communications signal and a supplemental navigation signal, timed to provide additional position information, and used to smooth user position and velocity data between augmentation data messages and between adding and deleting or losing satellite contributing signals.

Abstract: A novel roadway or similar marker strip having preferably retro-reflective-beaded protuberances in a critical "herringbone"-like pattern that provides a surprising degree of azimuthal uniform omindirectionality of light reflected from the strip.