Abstract: A drive mechanism for movement of a horizontal shelf in a vending machine includes first and second spaced apart rotatable sprockets. A continuous chain engages and extends around the first and second spaced apart sprockets. A plurality of brackets are attached to the continuous chain supported in a fixed angular relationship to the chain and at predetermined distances along the length of the chain for movement therewith upon rotation of the sprockets. Gear portions are affixed to the vending machine adjacent to and extending approximately 180.degree. around the first and second sprocket. A planetary idler gear is rotatably mounted on the bracket for engagement with the track gear portions. The planetary idler gear is sized for having a predetermined gear ratio with the track gear. A pinion idler gear is coaxially affixed for co-rotation with the planetary idler gear thereby forming an idler gear pair mounted to the bracket for rotation relative to the bracket.

Abstract: A portable patient scale has a flexible carrier which may be placed under a hospital bed mattress. Pockets in the carrier hold weighing slats. Each slat has an upper beam and lower beam, with load cells interconnecting the beam on opposite ends of the slat. A microprocessor receives load cell signals to calculate the weight applied to the scale. The microprocessor may also produce a moving out of bed alarm by comparing signals from the load cells on opposite sides of the bed.

Abstract: The present invention describes an air-floated vacuum cleaner comprising a housing having an air inlet opening, an open bottom and an inner wall, an impeller for pressurizing air within the housing to float the housing above a support surface, and a novel vacuum module/agitator located below the impeller. The vacuum module/agitator is rotatable with the impeller for agitating dust and debris on the support surface and for simultaneously suctioning the dust and debris upwards for lateral displacement against the inner wall. The dust and debris is then centrifuged to a duct communicating with the inner wall. The air-floated vacuum cleaner further includes a flotation plate module for entrapping and sealing within the housing pressurized air generated by the impeller.

Abstract: A cardioplegia system for delivering cardioplegic solution to the heart during open heart surgery in cooperation with an extracorporeal blood circuit employing a heart/lung machine, includes a conduit diverting a portion of the blood flow from the heart/lung machine to a cardioplegia delivery line. A heat exchanger for controlling fluid temperature is provided in the cardioplegia delivery line. A first pump combines the blood from the conduit with a second fluid and delivers the combined flow into the delivery line leading to the heat exchanger. A control panel is operatively connected for adjusting the ratio of blood and second fluid delivered by the first pump and for adjusting the total volumetric rate of flow from the first pump.

Abstract: A device for moving a patient in a bed includes a base member adapted to be supported by the bed. The device further includes a patient support member interconnected to and supported by the base member. The patient support member is rotatable with respect to the base member to enable movement of a patient between a supine position and a sitting position.

Abstract: A holographic storage media (10) is fabricated from a thin layer of photopolymer recording media. The photopolymer recording media is disposed between a substrate (48) and a capping layer (56). The media (10) is divided into a plurality of storage regions (54), which are formed within wells (52) to isolate each of the regions (54). During a record operation, a pumping operation is first performed to remove oxygen molecules from the media by bombarding the select region that is to have an interference pattern recorded therein with photons for a predetermined duration of time. Once the oxygen molecules have been depleted, then a data beam is generated with data superimposed thereon and a reference beam generated for interference with the data beam in the storage region (54). This results in the recording of an interference pattern.

Abstract: A holographic storage media for storing digital data in the form of an interference grating is provided which includes a plurality of slabs of photorefractive material (72) arranged in a stack, with one edge thereof comprising an incident face (74). A data beam (39) having data superimposed thereon and a reference beam (38) are input to the face (74) to record a holographic image of the data in one of the slabs (72). Each of the slabs has a plurality of adjacent storage regions formed therein. The data and reference beams are disposed in a plane perpendicular to both the face (74) and the side (75) of the slabs (72), such that the reference beam (38) is confined within the slab (72) for all angles of the reference beam (38).

Abstract: A synchronization system for multiple CD players (12), (14), (16) and (18) includes a controller (20) that generates four separate sampling frequencies for input to the word clock inputs of the CD players. A master word clock provides a master clock signal that is input to CD player (12) and then multiplied by multiplier (40). The output of multiplier (40) is divided down by variable dividers (48), (50) and (52) to provide the sampling frequencies for the remaining CD players (14), (16), and (18). Each of the disks (54) has a header (80) disposed on the beginning of each of the program tracks. This header has a unique synchronization signal associated therewith that outputs data corresponding to the position of the output digital data. During output of the data associated with the header, a difference between positions of the different CD players is determined.

Abstract: A three-state input circuit operable to sense three separate logic states on an input pad (10) is operable to sense whether the current is sourced to the pad from a positive source or sinked from the pad to a negative source to provide two logic states. A third logic state is provided when it is determined that current is not being sourced to or sinked from the pad (10). A current source (36) is connected from a positive rail (14) through the source/drain path of an N-channel transistor (40) to the pad (10). This provides a sink current comparator function. A source current comparator function is provided by a current source (42) that is connected to the pad (10) through the source/drain path of a P-channel transistor (46) and to a negative voltage rail (18). The transistor (40) has a first bias voltage V.sub.B1 connected to the gate thereof and the transistor (46) has a second bias voltage V.sub.B2 connected to the gate thereof.