Abstract: The combination of a lockable, soft, flexible tonneau cover for the bed of a pickup truck or similar vehicle and a lockable tailgate. The preferred embodiment includes grooved front, side, and rear rails into which retainer belts on the perimeter of the tonneau cover are insertable to position the cover over the vehicle bed. The front and side rails are respectively attached to the tops of the front and side walls of the bed. The rear rail is mounted to extend and be suspended across the tailgate opening between the side rails. A catch is provided to selectively lock the rear rail in place and keep the rear rail and attached cover in the locked, down position over the bed. In the preferred embodiment, the catch for the rear rail is only accessible through the tailgate opening and the tailgate is lockable. Consequently, to unlock and remove the tonneau cover to expose the bed and its contents, the tailgate must first be unlocked and opened to provide access to the catch for the rear rail.

Abstract: Protective padding primarily intended for use in sports gear. The pads include flexible, outer casings of porous, breathable, inelastic material overfilled with resilient, discrete beads of elastic material. The beads are initially in compressed states within the casing and place the outer, inelastic casing in tension. When a blow or force is applied, the beads are further compressed to absorb and dissipate the impact. Additionally, the applied blow or force will increase the tension in the outer casing to even further compress the elastic beads for better absorption and dissipation of the impact. In use, the porous pads are compressed and rebound to create a pumping effect that circulates air into and out of the pads drawing heat and perspiration from the athlete's body and keeping the athlete cool and dry. If desired, the pad can be secured directly to the athlete's jersey to enhance this pumping effect as well as the dissipation of the force of any impact.

Abstract: Protective padding primarily intended for use in sports gear. The outer casing is made of an elastic material that is overfilled to its elastic limit to act in the manner of the preferred embodiments. In a second set of preferred embodiments, the outer casing of the pads are actually filled no more than a simple gravity fill (i.e., 100%) and preferably are under filled (e.g., 90%) to less than a gravity fill. This second set of pads is preferably used in combination with a hard, outer shell. Variations of the basic feature of the first and second sets of pads are also disclosed. The pads of the present invention are lightweight and washable and can be adapted and integrated into a wide variety of items.

Abstract: Protective padding primarily intended for use in sports gear. In a first set of preferred embodiments, the pads include flexible, outer casings of porous, breathable, inelastic material overfilled with resilient, discrete beads of elastic material. The beads are initially in compressed states within the casing and place the outer, inelastic casing in tension. When a blow or force is applied, the beads are further compressed to absorb and dissipate the impact. Additionally, the applied blow or force will increase the tension in the outer casing to even further compress the elastic beads for better absorption and dissipation of the impact. In use, the porous pads are compressed and rebound to create a pumping effect that circulates air into and out of the pads drawing heat and perspiration from the athlete's body and keeping the athlete cool and dry. If desired, the pad can be secured directly to the athlete's jersey to enhance this pumping effect as well as the dissipation of the force of any impact.

Abstract: Retainer arrangements for removably attaching flexible tops to sport utility, convertible, and other vehicles. The arrangements include a belt or flange which is sewn or otherwise attached to the flexible top and a U-shaped channel which is formed on the vehicle body. In the preferred embodiments, the belt or flange is received in the U-shaped channel and a mating protuberance and recess arrangement is provided to removably lock the flange in the channel.

Abstract: A shoe cleaning device using liquid sprays and including a housing with a base portion and two side portions. The side portions are spaced from each other and extend upwardly from the base portion to form a U-shaped opening through the housing. In the preferred embodiment, rollers support the user's shoe as it is moved through the housing. Crisscrossing, upwardly directed sprays then strike and clean the shoe bottom while downwardly directed side sprays clean the shoe sides. Any portions of the upwardly directed, crisscrossing sprays not striking the user's shoe are captured in the opposing side portions and directed into the base portion. In this manner, the bottoms and sides of the user's shoes can be effectively cleaned without getting the user's leg or the tops of the shoes wet.

Abstract: A pressure relieving pad with graduated pillars to effectively reduce the development of decubitus ulcers. The pad is preferably made of foam to keep the manufacturing costs down and includes a first plurality of large pillars or columns. A second plurality of smaller pillars or columns is then positioned atop each of the larger pillars forming a progression or graduation of pillars. Adjacent larger pillars are preferably attached to one another at their bases to form an underlying, support platform or level for the pad. In operation, the weight or force of the patient using the pad is progressively transferred from the small pillars on top downwardly through the larger pillars to the underlying support platform or level.

Abstract: A dry cleaning system for removing dust and lint on the fly from blanket cylinders in offset printing presses. The cleaning system includes a relatively small brush mounted for rotation about an axis substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis of the blanket cylinder. In operation, the brush can be reciprocally moved across the surface of the blanket cylinder and selectively moved into and out of contact with the blanket cylinder. The contact pressure of the brush is pneumatically controlled to maintain a predetermined, set pressure and the brush automatically retracts should the pressure source fail. The system can be operated to clean the entire width of the blanket cylinder or only the portion of it actually being used to print. A vacuum pickup is included with its separately mounted housing and the entire cleaning system is carried on a unitary support structure that is removably secured at its ends for quick and easy installation and removal.

Abstract: Protective padding primarily intended for use in sports gear. The pads include flexible, outer casings of porous, breathable, inelastic material overfilled with resilient, discrete beads of elastic material. The beads are initially in compressed states within the casing and place the outer, inelastic casing in tension. When a blow or force is applied, the beads are further compressed to absorb and dissipate the impact. Additionally, the applied blow or force will increase the tension in the outer casing to even further compress the elastic beads for better absorption and dissipation of the impact. In use, the porous pads are compressed and rebound to create a pumping effect that circulates air into and out of the pads drawing heat and perspiration from the athlete's body and keeping the athlete cool and dry. If desired, the pad can be secured directly to the athlete's jersey to enhance this pumping effect as well as the dissipation of the force of any impact.

Abstract: Retainer arrangements for removably attaching flexible tops to sport utility, convertible, and other vehicles. The arrangements include a belt or flange which is sewn or otherwise attached to the flexible top and a U-shaped channel which is formed on the vehicle body. In the preferred embodiments, the belt or flange is received in the U-shaped channel and a mating protuberance and recess arrangement is provided to removably lock the flange in the channel.

Abstract: A multi-layered pad primarily intended to prevent and treat decubitus ulcers. The pad includes at least first and second layers with the first layer being a bladder made up of separate, discrete pouches containing a viscous fluid. The second layer underlies the fluid bladder layer and is a pillared one of upstanding columns cut in a piece of foam. Each individual pouch is mechanically attached atop its underlying foam column. The attaching arrangement includes a connecting sheet of plastic film wherein the sheet is secured to the pouch and has a central opening in it that goes over and receives the top or head section of the column. The connecting sheet at its opening is received in a slit in the column's wall portion to further help maintain the pouch in place atop its column.

Abstract: A hardtop roof assembly for a passenger vehicle. The roof assembly includes a hard cover over the passenger cockpit. The cockpit cover is completely removable from the remainder of the roof assembly and vehicle and can be selectively secured over the opening above the passenger cockpit or to a rear storage rack for transport with the vehicle. Because it is completely removable, the cockpit cover can also be stored inside the vehicle or left at home if desired. The cockpit cover uses common securing members to selectively secure it over the opening above the passengers or to the rear storage rack. The cockpit cover and storage rack also have corresponding shapes that assume a neat, strong, and compact mating relationship when secured to each other. Additionally, the side edge portions of the cover and storage rack have vertically extending surfaces that abut and substantially mate with each other to add lateral stability and prevent any side-to-side movement of the cover when it is secured to the storage rack.

Abstract: A tailgate sealing arrangement for sport utility and other vehicles having a removable, flexible top. The sealing arrangement includes an elongated, rigid member attached to the lower section of the rear portion of the flexible top. The rigid member is removably mounted to extend across the tailgate opening and has a flexible seal depending downwardly from it. The tailgate in the preferred embodiment is mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axis and has a horizontally extending, flat, upper surface. In operation and as the tailgate is closed, the depending seal contacts and wipes across the flat, upper surface of the tailgate to form an effective sealing arrangement. All of this is done without having to disturb or otherwise manipulate the top.

Abstract: An interlocking arrangement of storage boxes in the rear section of a passenger vehicle such as a sport utility vehicle. The arrangement preferably includes at least three storage boxes. Two of the boxes are respectively secured to the side walls of the vehicle. These side boxes are spaced from each other and the third box is slidably receivable between them. In the preferred embodiment, the third box has lips on its sides that respectively interlock with lips on the two side boxes to prevent the third box from being removed by lifting it upwardly between the two side boxes. Forward stops on the side boxes prevent the third box from being moved forwardly beyond the side boxes and the vehicle's tailgate in its closed position serves to prevent the third box from being moved rearwardly out of the vehicle. In this manner and with the tailgate in its locked, closed position, the three interlocking storage boxes are securely held in place.

Abstract: A start-up ramp system for CPAP and bilevel CPAP devices. The system offers the patient a choice of at least two, time-pressure ramp paths over a predetermined, fixed, initial time interval to a predetermined, fixed, initial therapeutic pressure. Both the initial time period and initial therapeutic pressure are set by the care giver and are non-adjustable by the patient. In operation, the patient then selects the ramp path of his or her choice to the pre-set pressure over the pre-set time period by depressing an actuator button which has a graphic or pictorial representation of the ramp path on it. Regardless of the ramp path selected, the CPAP device will reach the predetermined therapeutic pressure only after the predetermined time interval set by the care giver has lapsed.