Abstract: An insulated shipping container includes a body of foamed polymer material. This body defines a plurality of compartments, an opening from each compartment outwardly to ambient, a transition surface surrounding each opening, and an exterior surface. Preferably, the compartments and exterior surface are both like shapes so that a uniformly thick wall of insulative foamed polymer material is provided between the respective compartments and ambient. A single sheet of plastic is integrally bonded to the foamed polymer body and is configured such that it faces all of each compartment within the body, the transition surface, and a substantial portion of the exterior surface of the container. A machine for constructing an insulated shipping container with plural compartments is disclosed.

Abstract: A needle-less hypodermic jet injection system includes a hand-held injector, and an energizing or cocking unit for use with the injector to prepare it for administering an injection. The hand-held unit includes a cartridge which provides a cylinder of liquid medication to be injected, an injection orifice, and an injection piston forceful movement of which causes an injection jet of medication to be expelled from the orifice. A power unit of the injector provides for forceful movement of the injection piston when a trigger is actuated. After being used to effect an injection, the injector is interfaced with an energizer unit which cocks the power unit preparatory to the next injection.

Abstract: A fiber-optic acoustical sensor system includes a light source, an elongate optical cable conducting light from the light source to an optical acoustical transducer located at a distance from the light source along this cable, and a polarizer at the acoustical transducer. The sensor system includes a polarizer providing orthogonally-polarized light along the optical cable to the polarizer located adjacent to the transducer. Because of the polarizer adjacent to the transducer, disturbances of the optical cable and resulting polarization perturbations of the light transmitted along this cable do not affect the optical acoustical transducer. The acoustic transducer is responsive to sound energy to provide an optical return signal indicative of this sound energy.

Abstract: A composition for cleaning and lubricating automotive air conditioners contains a polyol ester lubricant, an antiwear and extreme pressure additive, and a solvent mixture of tetrafluoroethane and 2,3-dihydroperfluoropentane. An automotive air conditioning system and a method of its cleaning and operation with the cleaning and lubricating composition present in the system are presented.

Abstract: A helically wound and helically ribbed plastic tubing incorporating one or plural support beads with at least one of the support beads defining one or plural helical lumens. The support bead is free of joints or bonding lines extending between the lumen(s) and ambient so that the lumen is free of unintended fluid communication between the lumen and ambient, and the lumen is capable of transporting or containing gaseous or fluid materials without leakage. The support bead may encapsulate an electrical conductor, which may be a heating wire for the purpose of providing a heat source to fluid flow in the central passage of the tubing product. Alternatively, the electrical conductor may be an energy or signal conducting element suited for sensing purposes or data transmission along a length of the tubing, for example. A lumen termination fitting may connect to the tubing. Apparatus and methods for making the tubing product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A gas-powered, single-use, needle-less hypodermic jet injection device includes a hand-held injector, and a drug injection cartridge which provides a cylinder of liquid medication to be injected, an injection orifice, and an injection piston. Forceful movement of the injection piston in the cylinder causes an injection jet of medication to be expelled from the injection orifice. The injection device also includes a hermetically sealed gas pressure capsule which remains sealed until the moment of injection and powers the jet injection after opening of this cartridge.

Abstract: An insulated shipping container includes a formed body of foamed polymer material. This formed body defines a chamber, an opening from the chamber outwardly to ambient, a transition surface surrounding this opening, and an exterior surface. Preferably, the chamber and exterior surface are both cylindrical prismatic shapes of like configuration so that a uniformly thick wall of insulative foamed polymer material is provided between the chamber and ambient. A single sheet of plastic is integrally bonded to the foamed polymer body such that it faces all of the chamber, the transition surface, and a substantial portion of the exterior surface of the container. In one embodiment of the container the remainder of the exterior surface of the container is faced with a separate sheet of plastic, and the two pieces of plastic cooperate to define an escape slit at which excess foamed polymer material escapes during formation of the container in a fixture.

Abstract: A flexible double-walled plastic tubing product includes a helically wound support bead between inner and outer walls, and an helically wrapped electrical resistance heating conductor is disposed adjacent to the inner wall in good heat transfer relation to fluid flow within the tubing product. Fluid flow within the tubing product is insulated against heat loss to ambient by the helical support bead and a trapped “dead-air” space between the walls of the tubing product. Apparatus and method for making the tubing product are disclosed.

Abstract: An artificial waterfall apparatus and method for providing a sheet-like waterfall at the edge of a pool, spa, or fountain, for example, includes a first elongate chamber into which water flows perpendicularly to the length of this chamber, and in which a pair of oppositely directed like-rotating helical recirculation water flows are formed to sweep air and debris to opposite ends of the first chamber, while also contributing to uniformity of water distribution, pressure, and flow velocity in the apparatus. Air is discharged from the apparatus near one of the opposite sides of the waterfall so that the main central body of the waterfall is not disturbed by air bubbles. A second chamber receives water flow from the first chamber, and includes a flow distribution member which further contributes to uniformity of water flow in the apparatus.

Abstract: A bubble jet fitting for use in a pool or spa provides for a lay-length short enough to allow its installation within a six-inch dam wall. The bubble jet fitting has an outlet portion which in one use provides for solvent welding therein of either one of two different standard sizes of PVC pipe. An axially extending annular recess of the fitting may receive a surfacing layer of plaster or fiberglass to form a water-tight interface with the surrounding wall of the pool or spa.

Abstract: A tap for dispensing fluid from a vessel includes a main tap body, an actuator, and a seal member. The main tap body includes a passage with an inlet and an outlet and a seat with a shoulder formed around the outlet. The actuator has a handled and is pivotally attached to the main tap body and dispenses fluid from the vessel upon activation of the handle by a user. The seal member is received within the seat and attached to the actuator. The seal member includes a retaining portion received against the shoulder of the seat and a sealing portion which is releasably engageable with the seat. The seal member is resilient to provide a bias force to urge the sealing portion against the seat.

Abstract: A liquid-dispensing tap includes a tap body which is mountable to a container holding liquid, a seal member disposed within the tap body, and an actuator connected to the seal member. The actuator is pivotally disposed on the tap body so that when pivoted by a user, a seal formed between the seal member and the tap body is disengaged, allowing liquid within the container to dispense. The actuator may be pivoted in any number of predetermined directions. The tap may be manufactured and assembled to consist essentially of only the tap body, the seal member, and the actuator, thereby eliminating many other elements commonly found in conventional taps.

Abstract: A fail-safe transmission service machine (12) allows old ATF to be pumped out of a transmission (10b) as a vehicle engine (10a) runs while the vehicle (10) is stationary. The machine (12) responsively pumps a matching volume of new ATF into the transmission so that dry running of the transmission can not occur. If the supply of new ATF runs out or if power to the service machine (12) is interrupted, the machine reverts to closed loop fluid circulation for the transmission. A hydraulic rectifier (42) provides for universal connection of hoses between the transmission cooler fluid circulation loop (39) of the vehicle (10) and the service machine (12). An electrically driven assistance pump (94) allows the service of vehicles which have low-flow or low-pressure transmission pumps.

Abstract: A machine and method for cleaning an automotive automatic transmission by effecting the discharge of old used fluid from the transmission and the simultaneous replacement of this old fluid with new fluid on an exchange basis. The machine includes a set of primary hoses, a set of intermediate hoses, and a set of plural pairs of complementary adapter fittings which in combination adapt the machine for convenient service of a wide variety of automobiles and their transmissions. The primary hoses, intermediate hoses, and adapters are configured to fit together in a wide variety of different ways. This variability or flexibility of connection for the machine allows a very limited number of primary hoses, intermediate hoses, and adapters to interface the machine flexibly with a wide variety of different transmissions, and the different vehicles in which these transmissions are installed; all in accord with possibly differing preferences of particular service technicians who use the machine.

Abstract: A needle-less hypodermic jet injection device includes a hand-held injector, and a drug injection cartridge which provides a cylinder of liquid medication to be injected, an injection orifice, and an injection piston forceful movement of which in the cylinder causes an injection jet of medication to be expelled from the orifice. The injection device also includes a gas pressure capsule which powers the jet injection and which also automatically resets the injection device during an injection in order to prepare it for a subsequent injection. A multi-function component of the device is effective to place it in a safe condition allowing the device to be prepared for a next injection, and to place the device in a ready condition for allowing a jet injection to be conducted by use of the device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning the intake system of an internal combustion engine, such as an automobile engine, employs intake manifold vacuum of the running engine to ingest and atomize a liquid cleaner using a bleed of ambient air. Atomizing of the liquid cleaner provides better dispersion of the cleaner to surfaces of the intake system of the engine, and prevents puddling of the liquid in low spots of the intake system.

Abstract: A ridge cover is formed of inorganic (glass) felt-like sheet material fill-coated with an asphaltic material modified to improve its flexibility. The sheet material is repeatedly back bent upon itself to provide a thickened portion for the ridge cover. The flexible asphaltic material surprisingly allows such back bending of the sheet material substantially without fracture of the glass fibers of the inorganic felt at the bends.