Abstract: An active matrix liquid crystal display includes an arrangement for maintaining the liquid crystal material of the display at a controlled temperature above ambient temperature. The liquid crystal material of the display is disposed over a substrate containing integrated circuitry. The arrangement for maintaining the temperature of the liquid crystal includes (i) an arrangement for heating the liquid crystal material sufficient to maintain the liquid crystal material at the controlled temperature, (ii) an arrangement for sensing the temperature at a location in close proximity to the liquid crystal material and producing an output signal representative of the temperature, and (iii) a servo-circuit responsive to the output signal for causing the heating arrangement to maintain the liquid crystal material at the controlled temperature.

Abstract: A break for an in-line roller skate is disclosed, which is activated by rotating the skater's lower leg rearwardly to drive a friction pad downwardly to engage the skating surface. A locking device permits the friction pad to be locked in a braking position while the skater resumes the normal skating posture for manueuvring. The brake is released by lifting the skater's heel to permit the friction pad to return to a stowed position.

Abstract: An improved laryngoscope and its method of use are disclosed herein. The laryngoscope includes a handle and a blade separate from the handle. The blade is engagable with the handle for selective movement between an inoperative position and an operative position. A locking mechanism is provided integrally with the laryngoscope which is selectively movable between an unlocked position, in which the blade remains movable between its inoperative and operative positions, and a locked position, in which, upon movement of the locking mechanism to the locked position while the blade is in its operative position, thereafter fixes the blade in the operative position until such time that the locking mechanism is moved to the unlocked position.

Abstract: An improved laryngoscope and its method of use are disclosed herein. The laryngoscope includes a handle and a blade which defines a slot along its length. A tube separation mouth, which is widened in comparison to the slot and which leads into the slot, is provided integral with an uppermost portion of the blade for use during separation of an intubated endotracheal tube from the blade.In a method of separating the blade from an intubated tube, the tube is moved into the separation mouth and thereafter into the slot. The tube is then passed down the slot to be released therefrom as the blade is withdrawn from the throat of the patient.

Abstract: A specifically configured linear one-way movement device includes first and second members defining respective first and second linearly extending planar surfaces and a coupling arrangement comprised of a series of linearly spaced first pockets in the first planar surface of the first member, a series of linearly spaced second pockets in the second planar surface of the second member and a plurality of struts, all of which cooperate with one another for allowing the first and second members to telescopically move to an extended position with respect to one another from a contracted position while at the same time preventing the members from telescopically moving back to the contracted position once it has moved to the extended position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a locator/monitor capable of locating a boring tool and monitoring the progress of the tool for control purposes. The locator/monitor may be used in expedited locating methodology and straightforward calibration techniques of the present invention. A durable and cost effective pitch sensor is also provided by the present invention. In addition, the present invention provides a slotted transmitter housing formed of an electrically conductive material, where the magnetic field generated by the transmitter is capable of penetrating to the surface.

Abstract: An improved laryngoscope and its method of use are disclosed herein. The laryngoscope includes a handle and a blade wherein the blade includes a tip portion at its distal end which is positioned in a specific location relative to the rest of the blade when the blade and handle are positioned in their normal, operative downwardly directed position. In a method of using the laryngoscope as disclosed herein, the downwardly directed tip portion of the blade remains adjacent an endotracheal tube which follows a given path upon emerging at the distal end of the blade.

Abstract: An assembly for producing a visual display includes a light-reflecting type spatial light modulator and an illumination arrangement for providing a particular source of light. The spatial light modulator has a light reflecting surface cooperating with a light modulating medium switchable between different states so as to act on light in ways which form an overall pattern of reflected, modulated light. The spatial light modulator also has an arrangement for switching the modulating medium between the different states in a controlled way so as to form the overall pattern. The overall assembly further includes an optics arrangement having a first member defining a light reflecting surface.

Abstract: An improved blood pressure monitoring pad assembly and its method of use are disclosed herein. In accordance with a first feature of the pad assembly a release mechanism is used to prevent the pad assembly from detaching from the skin as the bladder is pressurized. In accordance with a second feature, the pad assembly includes a flexible cover movably connected with a flexible base assembly. In accordance with a third feature, the pad assembly incorporates a biflex member.

Abstract: A gas-column pressure measuring catheter which is insertable into a mammalian body for purposes of transmitting pressure changes from a location within the mammalian body to a pressure sensor which is either incorporated into, or connected to, the catheter. In a preferred embodiment, the gas-column pressure measuring catheter comprises an elongate catheter body having a gas-filled lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, and a gas-filled membrane-walled chamber positioned on the catheter body in communication with the gas-filled lumen such that pressure changes exerted against the outer surface of the membrane-walled chamber will result in the transmission of pressure changes through the gas-filled catheter lumen. The gas-filled membrane-walled chamber may be located on the side wall of the catheter body, or may be located on the distal end of the catheter body.

Abstract: An apparatus for reading a series of magnetic characters on a bank check is herein disclosed. The characters are preprinted in a certain way within a predetermined area of the check. Also, the characters within the series of characters may be any character from a predetermined group of characters. The apparatus includes a housing which defines a specific path through which the check, oriented in a predetermined way, is intended to pass. The housing supports a magnetic read head for sensing the magnetic characters on the check as it passes through the apparatus and for producing an electrical signal unique to each character. The housing also supports automatically moving the check through the path defined by the housing at a speed which is intended to be constant but which may vary randomly within a certain tolerance. This moving of the check through the apparatus produces the electrical signals as the characters move past the read head.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a liquid crystal spatial light modulator which is driven y an analog input voltage and which includes, among other components, a layer of liquid crystal material that changes the way in which it acts on light in response to predetermined changes in voltage across the layer, whereby to modulate the light so acted upon, and an arrangement for applying a light modulating voltage across the layer of liquid crystal material and for modulating the voltage during a given modulation period. This latter arrangement includes a non-linear capacitor and a voltage coupling scheme for changing the voltage across the capacitor during the modulation period in a way which changes the capacitance of the capacitor and thereby capacitively couples at least a part of the change in voltage across the capacitor to the layer of liquid crystal material.

Abstract: An apparatus for reading information off a document such as a check is herein disclosed. The apparatus includes an apparatus housing defining a specific path through which the document is intended to pass during normal operation of the apparatus. The apparatus also includes an arrangement including a read head positioned at a fixed point on the path and cooperating circuitry for reading specific information off of the document as the document is caused to move through the path and across the read head. And, the apparatus includes an arrangement for moving the document through the path and across the read head along with causing the document to engage against the read head as the document moves across the read head. This document moving arrangement includes an arrangement supporting a freely rotating idler roller which is positioned to engage the document against the read head.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a liquid crystal spatial light modulator which includes, among other components, a layer of liquid crystal material which changes the way in which it acts on light in response to predetermined changes in voltage across the layer, whereby to modulate the light so acted upon, and an arrangement for applying a light modulating voltage across the layer of liquid crystal material and for modulating the voltage during a given modulation period. This latter arrangement includes a non-linear capacitor and a voltage coupling scheme for changing the voltage across the capacitor during the modulation period in a way which changes the capacitance of the capacitor and thereby capacitively couples at least a part of the change in voltage across the capacitor to the layer of liquid crystal material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a locator/monitor capable of locating a boring tool and monitoring the progress of the tool for control purposes. The locator/monitor may be used in expedited locating methodology and straightforward calibration techniques of the present invention. A durable and cost effective pitch sensor is also provided by the present invention. In addition, the present invention provides a slotted transmitter housing formed of an electrically conductive material, where the magnetic field generated by the transmitter is capable of penetrating to the surface.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a method of obtaining certain information about the blood pressure of a given patient by means of a particular blood pressure technique, specifically by means of oscillometry, in which the pressurizable pressure transducing bladder located adjacent and cooperating with a particular artery of the patient, is used in combination with means for pressurizing the bladder in a controlled way in order to provide the desired information. The particular artery used is the patient's supraorbital artery which is readily accessible in a specific area just above the eyebrow of substantially all patients. There is also disclosed herein a blood pressure transducing bladder assembly which is specifically designed to easily access the supraorbital artery of substantially all patients using the eyebrow and nose of each patient as a frame of reference.

Abstract: A high speed multi-magnification photofinishing printer for selectively projecting images onto a projection plane containing photographic paper at a plurality of different magnifications is disclosed herein. This printer includes means for supporting a given image bearing photographic negative, means cooperating with the negative for producing a given image bearing light beam, and a plurality of spaced apart but fixed magnification lenses, each of which is designed to project the given image bearing light beam onto the photographic paper contained within the projection plane at different magnifications. The printer also includes light beam position altering means for selectively and alternatively causing the image bearing light beam to pass through any one of the plurality of fixed magnification lenses and onto the photographic paper, whereby to selectively and alternatively project the image bearing light beam onto the paper at one of the different magnifications.

Abstract: A conduit especially suitable for carrying high temperature fluids is disclosed herein and includes an outer casing, a concentric inner core and an intermediate concentric layer of insulation material. The conduit also includes what may be referred to as a pressure relief valve located through the outer casing of the conduit and extending into the concentric layer of insulation material. In the event that the fluid finds its way into this layer of insulation material and in the event it expands, the pressure relief valve provides a readily available passage to the ambient surroundings for the expanding fluid.

Abstract: An economical and uniform fibrous glass mat displaying improved tear strength and a wet forming process of making such a mat is disclosed herein. The mat, which is especially suitable as a carrier material in the manufacture of asphalt shingles or other such roofing products, includes a web of base fibers comprising individual monofilament glass fibers and reinforcement fibers in the form of glass fiber bundles interspersed throughout the web in a randomly oriented pattern. The mat also includes a binder substance to assist in holding the base fibers and reinforcement fiber bundles together.

Abstract: A method of applying liquid material, for example, liquid resin, to elongated material, for example glass fiber strands, includes maintaining a supply of the liquid resin in a container and using a partially immersed roller for transferring some of it from the container to a stationary, preferably flat, surface which is positioned out of direct contact with the resin supply. The glass fiber strands are moved over the stationary surface and through the liquid resin thereon. An assembly for accomplishing this is also disclosed herein.