Abstract: A combination light source and connector includes a housing having a front, a light-tube module and a connector. The light-tube module includes a body with a cavity, a reflector which is disposed within the cavity, a lamp which is disposed within the cavity, a focusing lens which is disposed within the cavity and optically aligned with the reflector and the lamp. The connector includes a socket which is coupled to the front of the housing and has a threaded bore, a plug which has a bore which receives the optical fiber and is adapted to be coupled to the socket, and a heat sink which has a disc-shaped portion with a bore which receives the optical fiber and a threaded stem portion with a bore which receives the optical fiber. The disc-shaped portion of the heat sink is slidably coupled within the cavity of the body of the light-tube module and disposed adjacent to the socket. The threaded stem portion of the heat-sink is threadedly coupled in the threaded bore of the socket.

Abstract: A combination electronic iris and connector for use with a light source, an optical fiber and a CCD, which is optically coupled to the optical fiber, includes a socket, a plug, a heat sink and an electronic iris. The socket has a threaded bore and is mechanically coupled to the light source. The plug is adapted to be coupled to the socket and has a bore for receiving the optical fiber. The heat sink has a disc-shaped portion having a bore for receiving the optical fiber and a threaded stem portion having a bore for receiving the optical fiber. The disc-shaped portion of the heat sink is slidably coupled to the light source and disposed adjacent to the socket. The threaded stem portion of the heat-sink is threadedly coupled in the threaded bore of the socket. The optical fiber is optically coupled to the light source. The electronic iris is disposed within the light source and axially aligned with the optical fiber. The electronic iris is controlled by feedback from the CCD from a feedback circuit.

Abstract: A combined alarm system and window covering assembly includes a top housing, a bottom rail, a covering, an alarm element, a pull cord which is slidably coupled to the top housing and a resiliently biased reed relay switch. The resiliently biased reed relay switch includes a tube which has a first end and a second end which is crimped and which is mechanically coupled to an end of the bottom rail, an encapsulated reed relay switch which has a first end with a first conductive lead and a second end with a second conductive lead and which is fixedly coupled to the pull cord and slidably disposed within the tube and a spring which has a first end and a second end and which is disposed in the tube so that the first end of the spring is adjacent to the second end of the tube and the second end of the spring is adjacent to the first end of the encapsulated reed relay switch. Both of the first and second conductive leads are coupled to the alarm element.

Abstract: A three axis gimbal for use in a motion picture camera support system including a support apparatus and a combined sled and camera having a postphotography. By using the three axis gimbal an operator can adequately control angular deviations of the combined sled and camera along the axes of pan, roll and tilt during hand-held motion picture photography.

Abstract: A sprayer for dispensing a deterrent chemical includes a pump, a tube and a spray discharge nozzle. The tube is fluidly coupled to the pump. The sprayer also includes a flexible bag, a backpack, a shut-off valve and an extension tube. The pump is a slide pump. The flexible liquid bag contains the deterrent chemical. The flexible liquid bag is fluidly coupled to the slide pump. The shut-off valve is fluidly coupled to the tube. The spray discharge nozzle is fluidly coupled to the extension tube. The connector clip can be distachably coupled to the ring. The backpack is coupled to the flexible liquid bag in order to suspend it. The sprayer further includes a ring and a connector clip. The ring is fixedly coupled to the backpack. The connector clip is fixedly coupled to the extension tube. The connector clip is distachably coupled to the ring so that a user may carrier the sprayer on his back without using his hands.

Abstract: A dental video camera includes a housing which has an elongated cavity with a distal end and a proximal end, an adjustably focusing lens, a CCD camera system which is disposed within the elongated cavity of the housing, a fixed focusing lens system and an electrically adjustable iris. The adjustably focusing lens provides a focusing adjustment between a near field o:f focus and a far field of focus. The CCD camera system is optically coupled to the adjustably focusing lens and and is disposed in the elongated cavity of the housing adjacent to the distal end thereof. The electrically adjustable iris is optically coupled to the adjustably focusing lens and CCD camera system. The adjustable iris is adjusted between a nearly closed opening and a wide open opening in response to the focusing adjustment between the near field of focus and the far field of focus.

Abstract: An underwater diver's combination mask and lighting assembly includes a face-plate, a frame, an interface, a lighting assembly and an electrical source. The face-plate is inserted in the frame which has a first side and a second side. The interface is inserted between the frame and the face of the underwater diver. The lighting assembly is mechanically coupled to the frame. The electrical source is electrically coupled to the lighting assembly.

Abstract: A display screen include a plate, a plurality of microspheres and a mask. The plate has a plurality of holes arranged in a matrix array. Each microsphere has fluorescence behavior and is disposed in one of the holes in the plate. The mask has a plurality of light valves. Each light valve is aligned with the holes of the plate and is optically coupled to one of the microspheres. An ultraviolet light source is optically coupled to the microspheres through the mask. Each light valve is a liquid crystal mechanically coupled to the plate and electrically coupled to a display electronics of a display unit.

Abstract: Living animal tissue cells and microbial cells such as yeast cells are encapsulated in an inorganic gel prepared from an organosilicon. Encapsulation of tissue cells is performed by mixing an organosilicon precursor with a highly acidic aqueous solution to hydrolyze the organosilicon precursor and provide a gel forming solution, cooling the gel forming solution, forming a mixture of living tissue cells and Hank's balanced salt solution, adding a base solution to the gel forming solution, immediately thereafter adding the mixture containing tissue cells to the gel forming solution, and pouring the resultant mixture into a container where an inorganic gel forms encapsulating the tissue cells. The organosilicon precursor may be tetraethoxysilane, tetrabutoxysilane, tetramethoxysilane or tetrapropoxysilane.

Abstract: An adjustable platform is used with a camera support system which includes a camera support and a support apparatus. The adjustable platform includes a platform, a mounting plate, to which a camera is attached, and a quick release mechanism. The platform has a surface, a first downwardly innerly beveled sidewall and a second downwardly innerly beveled sidewall. The mounting plate is disposed on the platform. The first and second downwardly innerly beveled sidewalls loosely engage the mounting plate so that the mounting plate is slidably coupled to the platform. The quick release mechanism is coupled to the platform and, when the quick release mechanism engages the mounting plate, it secures the mounting plate to the platform. The adjustable platform includes a lateral adjustment mechanism and a longitudinal adjustment mechanism disposed beneath the platform and coupled thereto.

Abstract: A dental video camera includes a housing which has an elongated cavity with a distal end and a proximal end, an adjustably focusing lens and CCD camera system which is disposed within the elongated cavity of the housing, a fixed focusing lens system and an adjustable iris. The adjustably focusing lens and CCD camera system provides a focusing adjustment between a near field of focus and a far field of focus. The fixed focusing lens system is optically coupled to the adjustably focusing lens and CCD camera system and is disposed in the elongated cavity of the housing adjacent to the distal end thereof. The adjustable iris is optically and mechanically coupled to the adjustably focusing lens and CCD camera system. The adjustable iris is adjusted between a nearly closed opening and a wide open opening in response to the focusing adjustment between the near field of focus and the far field of focus.

Abstract: A three-dimensional game of SCRABBLE includes a plurality of three-dimensional game pieces with letters and a plurality of connectors. Each three-dimensional game piece may be either a sphere or a cube and has at least one connector hole. Each connector connects at least one of the three-dimensional game pieces to another three-dimensional game piece along any one of three orthogonal axes. Each connector properly aligns the three-dimensional game pieces. In the three-dimensional game of SCRABBLE the letters are used to form words along either any one of three orthogonal axes or any diagonal combination of the three orthogonal axes.

Abstract: Living tissue cells such as animal or plant tissue cell are encapsulated in an inorganic gel by mixing an organosilicon precursor with an aqueous acidic solution to form a gel forming solution and hydrolyze the organosilicon precursor, cooling the gel forming solution, forming a mixture of living tissue cells and Hank's balanced salt solution, adding a base solution to the gel forming solution to form a mixture, immediately thereafter adding the mixture containing living tissue cells to the mixture containing the gel forming solution, and pouring the resultant mixture into a container where an inorganic gel forms encapsulating the cells. The organosilicon precursor may be tetraethoxysilane, tetrabutoxysilane, tetramethoxysilane or tetrapropoxysilane.

Abstract: A self-adjusting, fabric-covered sweat band for a hat including a crown having a base of an inner circumference, includes an elastic material which has a length of a first dimension, which is shorter than the inner circumference of the base of the crown of the hat, and a width of a second dimension and which has a front edge, rear edge, a first edge and a second edge running lengthwise and a fabric material which has a length of a third dimension, which is longer than the circumference of the inner base of the crown of the hat, and a width of a fourth dimension, which is greater than four times the second dimension and which has been folded over along a lengthwise centerline.

Abstract: A system for training a pitcher to pitch a baseball includes a plurality of emitting body markers worn by the pitchers, a plurality of position detectors for measuring both the position of the emitting body markers and the position of the pitched baseball, a target, a processor and a display. The processor is coupled to the emitting body markers, the position detectors and the target. The pitcher pitches the baseball to the target. The display is coupled to the processor. Each position detector is a locating array which has at least one ultrasonic transmitter and at least three non-collinear ultrasonic receivers. The locating array is disposed in the path of flight of the pitched baseball and and is used to determine the speed and the trajectory of the pitched baseball. The position of the emitting body markers are measured either optically or ultrasonically over a period of time so as to enable the analysis of the pitcher's body mechanics.

Abstract: A combined alarm system and window covering assembly includes a top housing, a bottom rail having two ends, a covering, a conductive wire and two resiliently biased reed relay switches. The covering is mechanically coupled to the top housing and the bottom rail. The conductive wire has a first end and a second end and extends from the top housing down to the bottom rail and up from the bottom rail to the top housing. The conductive wire functions as a pull cord for raising and lowering the bottom rail and the covering. Each resiliently biased reed relay switch is mechanically coupled to one of the two ends of the bottom rail and electrically coupled to the conductive wire.

Abstract: A lighting system includes a light source, a floor plate with holes and optical fibers one of which is mechanically and optically coupled to one of the holes. The light source includes an enclosure coupled, a light system fixedly coupled to the enclosure, a cylinder, which is hollow and transparent and which has an outer sidewall, concentrically aligned with the light system and rotatably coupled to the enclosure, a plurality of bands of tape, which are transparent, concentrically aligned with the light system and serially disposed on the outer sidewall of the cylinder and a drive system fixedly coupled to the enclosure and mechanically coupled to the cylinder in order to rotate it. The light system generates an output of light. The output of light passes through the outer sidewall. Each optical fiber is optically coupled to the light source at a second end thereof.