Abstract: The invention provides a food preparation table which has improved cooling characteristics over prior art preparation tables, is efficient, and can be used with existing food storage pans. More particularly, the invention provides a food preparation table for holding ingredient/condiment storage pans that are open to access by food preparation personnel and which has cooling vents that are precisely positioned and shaped so that the condiments/ingredients in the pans are kept at a desired temperature, especially near the tops of the pans, and which does not prematurely dry the ingredients.

Abstract: A carton for shipping fragile wares comprising a regular slotted container and an insert for suspending the wares between the top, bottom and side panels of the regular slotted container. The insert is characterized in that it includes upwardly and downwardly sloping sidewalls which meet at a vertex to form a "v" shape. The fragile wares are placed on the downwardly sloping sidewalls of the insert and the top of the container is closed, thereby clamping the fragile wares away from the sides, top, and bottom of the container. This suspension construction protects the wares from outside shocks and forces during shipping. Preferably, the insert of the present invention is formed from two symmetric "C" shaped pieces and is made of corrugated cardboard.

Abstract: Abrasive grains are produced by gluing an abrasive powder to an elastic porous carrier. A number of abrasive grains are mixed with an abrasive liquid, and are then sprayed to the surface of a work at an oblique angle thereto to impact it while allowing the abrasive grains to slide on the surface of a work to finish the surface of the work. Over the distance of travel over which the abrasive grains slide, the surface of the work are ground. The elasticity of the carrier allows the abrasive grains to deform matching the contour of the work. By spraying a number of abrasive grains on the work, grinding action is performed in consideration of the contour even if the work is a complicatedly contoured surface such as a dental prosthesis while a polishing effect is obtained at the same time.

Abstract: A sensor for measuring reflective, transmissive, or self-luminous samples, comprises a plurality of light sources, where each of the light sources emit light of a substantially different wavelength band spaced in the visible spectrum; a reference channel photodetector; a sample channel photodetector; an optical cap adapted to direct a first portion of the light emitted by each of the light sources to the reference channel photodetector, a reflector cone for directing a second portion of the light emitted by each of the light sources to the sample; and a receptor piece for directing the diffuse portion of the light reflected from the sample to the sample channel photodetector. Preferably, the reference channel and sample channel photodetectors are identical devices and are mounted back-to-back to share environmental characteristics, and in turn, minimize the variation between their respective responses.

Abstract: A method for generating a stroke frequency signal on a plurality of ink jet printheads arranged along a moving web includes the steps of: (a) coupling the raster printer controller to the plurality of printheads with a plurality of data links in a daisy-chain configuration, where the printer controller is at the beginning of the daisy-chain; (b) embedding a web velocity signal indicative of web velocity in data, by the printer controller; (c) communicating the data with the embedded velocity signal to each of the printheads by transmitting the data with the embedded velocity signal onto the daisy-chain; (d) each of the printheads deriving the web velocity signal from the data received from the daisy-chain by each of the printheads; and (e) generating a stroke frequency signal from the web velocity signal by each of the printheads.

Abstract: A coil assembly for use in MRI imaging includes a harness having a base. First and second arm members extend from a first side of the base and above and over the base and third and fourth arm members extend from a second side of the base and above and over the base. A first cross member extends between the first arm member and the second arm member and a second cross member extends between the third arm member and the fourth arm member. An end of the first arm member is aligned with and detachably connected to an end of the third arm member and an end of the second arm member is aligned with and detachably connected to an end of the fourth arm member. First and second coil members each extend along the harness. The first coil member may be a saddle coil and the second coil member may be a solenoid coil configured to establish a quadrature arrangement.

Abstract: A seal pickup station for supplying a plurality of seals to a position where the seals may be picked up by a gas exchange head. The station comprises a supply roll of seals adhesively attached to a carrier sheet, and a pickup block having a channel through which the seals can be transported on the carrier sheet. The station further includes a sensor to detect the presence of a seal, a take-up reel to collect the carrier sheet, and a pressure roller mounted in the pickup block to maintain tension on the carrier sheet as seals are removed therefrom.

Abstract: An elevated loading/conveyor platform includes a generally rectangular knock-over gate positioned in the load-in side opening of the platform structure, where the knock-over gate is pivotally mounted within the load-in side opening and pivotable from a vertically upright barrier position to a generally horizontal loading position. The knock-over gate is biased to the vertical position by a return mechanism, which is designed to return the knock-over gate to its upright vertical orientation when no pallets are being conveyed thereover in the generally horizontal loading position. Preferably, the return mechanism utilizes a spring mechanism (such as gas springs), where the spring mechanism is of sufficient strength to pivot the knock-over gate from the horizontal loading position to the vertical position when no weight or force is being applied to the load-in side of the gate.

Abstract: A magnetic coupler for magnetically or inductively coupling a pair of conductors. The coupler includes a first magnetic core member having prongs and at least one slot between the prongs for receiving the conductors, and a second magnetic core member. The coupler further includes a base for retaining the first core member and a shuttle for retaining the second core member. The shuttle is slidably mounted within the base such that the shuttle slides across and in contact with the prongs from an open position in which the slot is exposed to a closed position in which the slot is covered by the second core member, and the conductors are thereby contained within the slot. The sliding action of the cores cleans debris off the mating surfaces of the core elements to provide good mating contact between the core members for efficient coupling.

Abstract: A taste-masked microcapsule composition for administration of a drug is provided. The composition comprises microcapsules of drug and a substantially water-insoluble polymeric material, typically a cellulosic polymer. The microcapsule composition may be incorporated into any number of pharmaceutical formulations, including chewable tablets, effervescent tablets, powders, liquid dispersions, and the like. A method for masking the taste of drugs is also provided, involving a phase separation coacervation technique in which drug is coated with relatively high levels of a polymeric material. These high coating levels give rise to effective taste masking, while nevertheless allowing targeted release of drug, so that the drug is released shortly after passage through the mouth.

Abstract: A stroller includes a latching mechanism for a foldable frame that is remotely actuated through a sliding actuator on an upper frame member of the stroller frame. The sliding actuator is attached via a wire to pins which can be selectively placed in or out of engagement with a notch defined on a surface associated with the lower front frame member. A seat assembly on the stroller includes a seat back which is pivotably attached to the adjacent seat portions to allow the seat back to be folded when the stroller is folded. A canopy with dual extendable visors is removably attachable to the seat assembly. The canopy can be moved pivotably to a fully forward, fully backward, or any intermediate position, and the dual extendable visors on either end thereof can be selectively retracted or extended so as to achieve the desired amount of blocking of the sun and elements as well as to provide the desired ventilation.

Abstract: A hubcap assembly that includes a push-through hubcap having a resilient member disposed on its external surface to maintain a tight fit engagement between the hubcap and a hub bore of an associated wheel. The hubcap assembly of the present invention decreases the potential for the hubcap to become loose and move within the hub bore, thus decreasing the potential for the hubcap to rattle within the hub bore.

Abstract: In an exposure apparatus for exposing a photosensitive medium using light-emitting elements, correction to account for environmental conditions at the time of exposure that change is performed by dynamically changing the value of current or voltage to be supplied to the LEDs. Thereby, control of exposure duration can be performed solely for expression of multi-gradation levels, so that a very high resolution is not required for the control of exposure duration. Therefore, it is possible to realize a low-price exposure apparatus capable of printing multi-gradation images. For exposure to a single color using a plurality of LEDs, the gradation level to be expressed by the individual LEDs is cyclically changed, so that the construction of gradation level control for each LED can be simplified. Further, since the LEDs can be used at substantially equal duties, the individual variation of LEDs does not evidently show. It is also possible to prevent an inconvenient incident where a particular LED deteriorates.

Abstract: A playyard system having an upper rail assembly with two parallel upper long side rails and two parallel upper short end rails. Each of the upper rails has a hinge with horizontal pivot pins adjacent to the midpoint thereof. The upper rail assembly also includes four upper corner brackets with hinges coupling the remote exterior ends of the four upper rails for rotation thereabout. In association with the upper rail assembly is a lower rail assembly with two parallel lower long side rails. Each of the lower rails has a hinge with vertical pivot pins adjacent to the midpoint thereof. The lower rail assembly also includes four lower corner brackets with pivot pins coupling the exterior remote ends of the lower rails to the lower corner brackets for oscillation of the lower rails about their axes and for pivoting with respect to the corner brackets. A pair of lower cross bars is included as part of the lower rail assembly.

Abstract: A photosensitive material including a support having a layer of photosensitive microcapsules on the surface thereof, the photosensitive microcapsules including an internal phase containing a photosensitive composition and a color precursor wherein, upon image-wise exposing the photosensitive material and rupturing the microcapsules, the color precursor is image-wise released from the microcapsules to form a color image, the photosensitive material further including a hygroscopic polymer, is disclosed.

Abstract: A method for controlling an apparatus for exchanging a first gas contained in a sealed container for a second gas while the container is in a chamber. The method comprises the steps of withdrawing the first gas from the container for a predetermined period of time and approximating the head space volume of the container based directly or indirectly upon a change in headspace pressure in the container. The method further includes the step of withdrawing the first gas from the container and air from the chamber under conditions which are dependent upon the approximation of the headspace volume and which reduce the damage to the container due to pressure forces.

Abstract: A solar blind optical filter which absorbs solar UV radiation and transmits non-solar UV radiation includes a carrier material and a salt of a dithioic acid of the formula RCS.sub.2.sup.- X.sup.+ wherein R is an a organic substituent that does not absorb ultraviolet light at wavelengths between 260 nanometers and 300 nanometers and X is a counterion. The solar blind optical filters of the present invention are useful for observing non-solar ultraviolet radiation in the presence of solar radiation.