Abstract: A low profile stent graft for treatment of vascular abnormalities such as aneurysms. The endoskeleton of the stent graft has first and second self-expandable stents. The stents are spaced apart and connected together by at least one, and preferably three, flexible strut members. A tubular graft is placed around the endoskeleton while the stents are in a partially compressed state, and attached to the stents. A bifurcated configuration is disclosed that can be employed where the stent graft is to be used for repair of an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta.

Abstract: A sliding window track cover that is adjustable to fit different window track widths and also acts as a window locking mechanism. The window track cover is comprised of a male and female subassembly fastened together. The female subassembly has a pair of spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending flange plate members, a longitudinally extending leg member attached to said flange plates along one longitudinal edge thereof, and a longitudinally extending shoulder member. The male subassembly has a longitudinally extending tongue plate, a longitudinally extending leg member attached to the tongue plate adjacent one longitudinal edge thereof, but inboard a distance sufficient to form a shoulder. The tongue plate of the male subassembly is inserted into the slot formed between the flange plates of the female subassembly a distance sufficient to cause the male and female leg members to be spaced apart a distance that is substantially the same as the distance between the side walls of a window track.

Abstract: A compact dog leash integral with a carrying pouch that can be attached to the collar of a dog. The pouch has front and rear walls, end walls, a bottom and a top. The top has a flap that extends partially over the front wall and is releasably secured thereto. The pouch can be attached to the collar of a dog by means of a locking carabiner. A leash a attached at its inner portion to the bottom of the pouch is formed of a plurality of fold sections joined to adjacent fold sections by fold hinges. A compaction string is attached at its inner end to an inner portion of the leash and to the bottom of the pouch, and passes through the centers of the fold sections of the leash in a manner which allows the fold sections to be extended and collapsed along the compaction string in an accordion-like manner.

Abstract: An expandable baton having a grip cap attached to the outer end of the handle. The grip cap has a cylindrical head adapted to mate with and attach to the cylindrical outer end of the baton handle. A stop member extends outwardly from one side of the cylindrical head of the grip cap and an arm extends upwardly from the outer end of the stop member. The handle, stop member, and arm form a U-shaped finger receptacle adapted to receive a finger of the baton user to thereby provide a firm grip.

Abstract: A dump trailer having a bed pivotally attached at its rear end to a trailer frame. The trailer bed is raised and lowered by use of an air bag assembly attached at one end to the trailer frame and attached at the other end to the trailer bed. The trailer has a frame formed of hollow frame members which form a reservoir for holding compressed air. Conduit and valve means communicate the compressed air in the hollow frame members with the air bag assembly for inflation to thereby raise the trailer bed. The valve permits air to be exhausted from the air bag assembly to lower the trailer bed. An air compressor operated from the rotation of one of the trailer tires during movement of the trailer provides compressed air to the hollow frame members.

Abstract: An extruder die assembly adapted for attachment to the output end of an extruder barrel. The die assembly includes an adapter member and a die head. The adapter member is attached to the extruder barrel, and the die head is pivotally attached to the adapter member by a hinge. The die head can be rotated about the hinge from a first, closed position to a second, open position. First and second clamp plates are slidably attached to the adapter member. The clamp plates are movable from a first, clamping position to a second, unclamped position, and have clamp fingers extending therefrom. The die head has clamp ears extending therefrom in a location such as to lockingly engage the clamp fingers when the die head is in its closed position and the clamp plates are in their clamping position. The clamp fingers and clamp ears are configured to lockingly engage each other by means of tongue and groove joints.

Abstract: A tool for removing debris from the space between adjacent planks of a deck. The tool has a blade attached to a handle, the blade having a thickness less than the space between the deck planks. A pair of wheels for contacting the upper planar surfaces of adjacent deck planks are rotatably mounted on said blade to allow the tool to be pushed by the handle along a deck with the blade inserted into the space between the adjacent deck planks. The leading edge of the blade is angled to a tip, and the ratio of the distance between the tip and wheels, and the distance between the wheels and the outer end of the handle is between about 1:12 and about 1:20.

Abstract: A tendon decompression device for alleviating tendinitis pains, such as tennis elbow. The device is comprised of an adhesive tape base strip which can be adhered to the skin. The base strip has a buckle subassembly at one end and a tensioning strap subassembly at the other end. A tensioning strap passes through an opening in the buckle, permitting the buckle subassembly to be pulled towards the tensioning strap subassembly. Locking means are provided for locking the tensioning strap in place once sufficient tension has been achieved.

Abstract: A transport vehicle with a cargo deck having a deck lowering mechanism to enable easy loading of cargo, such as a motorized vehicle. The vehicle has a tandem wheel set located on each side thereof. The wheels are rotatably attached to the outer ends of spindles or stub axles, the spindles being connected at their inner ends to an adjacent walking beam. Both walking beams are pivotally connected to the lower end of an axle drop. The axle drops are connected at their upper ends to the ends of the lowering axle. The axle is rotatably attached to the frame of the cargo deck. Axle rotational means, such as hydraulic rams, are attached to the axle and, when actuated, can rotate the axle to thereby push against the axle drops and rotate them downward around their pivotal connection to their respective adjacently located walking beams. The cargo deck frame, being pivotally attached to the axle, lowers into contact with the ground as the axle drops rotate downward.

Abstract: A battery separator for use in flooded cell type lead acid batteries comprising a backweb of a porous, acid resistant, embossable material with a plurality of major ribs and submini-ribs extending from at least one planar surface of the backweb and a lesser plurality of stop-ribs extending from the other planar surface. Each major rib overlies at least one submini-rib and a number less than all of the major ribs overlies the stop-ribs. Each major rib is an embossed corrugated structure comprised of alternating ridges and furrows. The ridges and furrows are in non-parallel alignment to the longitudinal dimension of the separator, and preferably perpendicular thereto.

Abstract: A portable gold mining dredge for use in collecting potentially gold containing aggregate from streambeds for subsequent classification and separation. The dredge has a receptacle, comprised of a drum with a water-tight lid, for receiving the aqueous dredged aggregate. The receptacle is of a size suitable for carrying. A self-priming pump having an inlet port and an outlet port is attached to the receptacle. A dip tube extends into the receptacle, the outer end of the dip tube being connected to the inlet port of the pump by a conduit. A suction tube communicates with the interior of the receptacle. Hoses are connected to the inlet of the suction tube and to the outlet port of the pump. During operation the suction hose is used to suck up aqueous aggregate from a streambed and the discharge hose is used to wash aggregate from cracks and crevices in rocks.

Abstract: A hair curler comprised of a flexible hollow tube, the interior of which contains heat absorbent material. The heat absorbent material is capable of being heated in a microwave oven to elevated temperatures, and capable of maintaining such elevated temperatures for a substantial period of time. The tube has ties attached to both ends for securing the tube in place on the head of a user after hair has been wrapped around it for curling. The tube is preferably constructed of a rubberized fabric having a plurality of protrusions extending from the outer surface thereof. The heat absorbent material is preferably a cereal grain, such as rice.

Abstract: An adjustable and portable massage chair. The massage chair includes a seat subassembly and an upper body support subassembly. The seat subassembly is comprised of a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs, the rear legs being pivotally attached to the front legs. A seat is pivotally attached to the upper end of the pair of front legs and adjustably attached to the upper end of a seat support post. The lower end of the seat support post is pivotally attached to a lower portion of the rear legs. The upper body subassembly is comprised of a pair of support legs pivotally attached at their lower portion to a lower portion of the front legs of the seat subassembly. A chest support is pivotally attached to the upper portion of the support legs, and a face cradle is pivotally attached to the chest support. An arm support is located below the chest support and pivotally attached to a mid-portion of the support legs.

Abstract: A recombinant lead acid battery separator formed of a PTFE fibril matrix and a particulate, amorphous silica filler enmeshed in the PTFE matrix. The separator has a tensile strength greater than 0.5 MPa, a bulk density lower than about 0.40 gram/cc and a void volume greater than about 75%. The separator is made by mixing together PTFE and a non-evaporative lubricant, adding amorphous silica during mixing, continuing mixing until a material having a dough-like consistency is obtained, removing the dough-like material and calendering it to form a sheet, removing from about 95% to about 100% by weight of the non-evaporative lubricant from the sheet by solvent extraction, and drying the extracted sheet.

Abstract: A vehicle, such as a trailer, having a low tire warning and weight transfer system. The trailer has tandem wheel sets located on each side. The two tires of each tandem wheel set are each rotatably attached to a walking beam assembly which, in turn is attached to the trailer. The walking beam assembly has a horizontal walking beam that is substantially parallel to the ground when both tires of the adjacent wheel set are fully inflated. Walking beam stops are located on the trailer body adjacent each end of the walking beam. At least part of the stops intersect the vertical plane of the adjacent walking beam at a site above and/or below the beam. When one of the tires of a tandem wheel set becomes at least partially deflated, at least one end of the same side walking beam comes into contact with the adjacent stop, which prevents further movement of the walking beam assembly and shifts weight to the other, fully inflated tire.

Abstract: A collapsible machine for exercising the whole body of an exerciser in a wheelchair having wheels that includes a base, a frame, a drive train, lower pivoting apparatus, and upper pivoting apparatus. The base is placed on a generally horizontal surface, the frame is pivotally mounted to the base. The drive train is rotatively mounted to the frame, the lower pivoting apparatus pivotally mounts the frame to the base. The upper pivoting apparatus pivotally mounts portions of the frame to each other.

Abstract: An apparatus for preventing freezing of interior water pipes. A thermal switch is attached to a hot and/or cold water supply pipe in a remote location that is prone to freezing in cold weather. The thermal switch electrically communicates with a power source and with a solenoid-actuated valve. The solenoid-actuated valve is located in a conduit communicating the outlet of the water pipe adjacent a water usage station with the water outlet of a fixture located at the water usage station. This conduit is separate from the existing supply line communicating the outlet of the water pipe with the fixture and does not, therefore, interfere with the normal operation of the fixture.