Abstract: A method of forming a container includes providing a mold including at least one bulbous protrusion. The mold is closed to form a mold cavity corresponding to the shape of the container, with the bulbous protrusion being positioned in the mold cavity. Material is injected into the mold cavity to form the container, and the material envelopes the bulbous protrusion to create an undercut slot. The container is removed from the mold and the bulbous protrusion is withdrawn from the slot.

Abstract: An impact absorbing material for a footwear article includes a first sheet having a plurality of projections for dispersing the force of an impact and a second sheet, having a lower durometer than the first sheet, that is bonded to the first sheet for absorbing the force from the projections. The projections are arranged on the first sheet such that nonlinear gaps are formed between adjacent pairs of projections. The impact absorbing material may be positioned between an upper and an inner liner of the footwear article and may be selectively positioned on the footwear article to protect an area on the wearer that is vulnerable to impact, such as the wearer's feet, ankles, heels or calves.

Abstract: An optical coupling device enabling spherical or hemispherical light sources to be more fully utilized by gathering more of the emitted radiation and reducing the angle of emission. The optical coupling device includes a first conic reflector having an aperture at the first conic reflector vertex; a second conic reflector coaxial with the first conic reflector and opening toward the first conic reflector; a light source positioned at the second conic reflector vertex; and a negative element located at the aperture for reducing the numerical aperture of the light emitted from the optical coupling device. The optical coupling device may include a refractive medium between the first and second conic reflectors. The present invention provides for improved efficiencies when transferring or coupling optical energy into additional optical systems, and may be used with solid state light as well as conventional sources.

Abstract: The present invention provides wireless power supply systems intended primarily for use in powering and charging laptops and other portable electronic devices. In one embodiment, the power supply system includes a laptop cradle that can be used in upright or reclined positions. The cradle may be generally J-shaped and may house the wireless power supply circuit with the channel defined in the cradle. The cradle may includes a plurality of primaries to provide the ability to supply power to more than one device and/or to permit flexibility in placement of devices on or in the cradle. The present invention may also provide handheld cradles sized to power handheld devices that can be separate, standalone power supply stations or they can receive power from the laptop cradle. In an alternative embodiment, the power supply station may be incorporated into an adjustable height desktop pedestal. In yet another embodiment, the power supply station may be incorporated into a flexible desktop mat.

Abstract: Force or pressure transducer arrays have elastically stretchable electrically conductive polymer threads disposed in parallel rows and columns that contact at intersections thereof a piezoresistive material which has an electrical resistivity which varies inversely with pressure or force exerted thereon to form a matrix array of force or pressure sensor elements. The threads are fixed to a single one or pair of flexible elastically stretchable substrate sheets made of thin sheets of an insulating polymer such as PVC, or for greater elasticity and conformability to irregularly-shaped objects such as human body parts, an elastically stretchable fabric such as LYCRA or SPANDEX. Elastic stretchability of the sensor arrays is optionally enhanced by disposing either or both row and column conductive threads in sinuously curved, serpentine paths rather than straight lines.

Abstract: A patient repositioning system includes a drive unit, which is adapted for mounting to a head end of a patient support, and a clamp assembly. The clamp assembly is mounted to a headboard, which releasably mounts to the drive unit. The clamp assembly is mounted in the headboard in a stowed position and is configured for deployment from the headboard for coupling to a panel on the patient support. The drive unit includes a housing and a winding assembly supported in and enclosed by the housing. The winding assembly includes at least one tether, which is adapted to couple to the clamp assembly when the headboard is mounted to the drive unit and when the clamp assembly is deployed from the headboard. The tether is further optionally adapted to decouple from the clamp assembly when the clamp assembly is moved to its stowed position in the headboard.

Abstract: A protective sport helmet, such as for lacrosse, includes a hard shell portion, a lining portion, and an adjustment mechanism. The inner side of the adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment protective pad. Together, the lining portion and the inner surface of the adjustment protective pad define an interior region of the helmet wherein the user's head is introduced. The adjustment mechanism includes a lower rear shell portion having a clutching mechanism that allows the user to manually adjust the size of the interior region via a strapping system of the helmet to couple snugly around the user's head. The clutching mechanism also prevents the interior region from being easily altered in the absence of manual adjustment to the adjustment mechanism. The strap includes a hard end material that engages the adjustment mechanism and a flexible, durable and tough material that conforms to a wearer's head.

Abstract: A material separator for separating at least two different materials of differing densities and/or sizes of particles. The material separator generally includes a tank containing a flocculent, a circulation system for circulating flocculent within the tank and a pair of conveyors for moving two different materials out of the tank. The tank may include an upper chamber and a lower chamber. At least a portion of each of the conveyors is located in the upper chamber to catch materials fed into the flocculent. Each of the conveyors may include a mesh belt that permits the flocculent to flow through the conveyor. The tank may include a clean out valve that permits fines and other debris accumulated within the upper chamber to pass into the lower chamber. The flocculent circulation assembly may include a nozzle that can be constructed in various configurations to create flows of flocculent of various velocities and trajectories.

Abstract: An archery release including a release body having a longitudinal axis, a fixed jaw having a bowstring facing surface and a movable jaw. The movable jaw can define a bowstring notch. The fixed jaw bowstring facing surface can define a fixed jaw bowstring notch. The fixed jaw bowstring notch and movable jaw bowstring notch can cooperate so that a bowstring held by the release is disposed at least partially in the fixed jaw notch and at least partially in the movable jaw notch. A method also is provided for drawing and releasing a bowstring with the assistance of the release.

Abstract: A waste cart includes a container having a wall, with a pocket formed in an outer surface of the wall that creates a first sidewall facing a second sidewall, with an opening formed in both sidewalls. A grab bar has a free-sliding end and a retention end. The free-sliding end is inserted through the opening in the first sidewall, and the retention end is inserted through the opening in the second sidewall. The retention end includes a retainer for securing the grab bar with respect to the second sidewall. In the current embodiment, the grab bar includes a snap element near the retention end and a flange portion between the snap element and the free-sliding end. When the grab bar is installed, a portion of the second sidewall is positioned between the snap element and the flange portion.

Abstract: A protective sports glove including a contoured wrist cuff that substantially shields a gap defined between adjacent portions of the protective sports glove, such as hand and cuff portions. The contoured wrist cuff can include a leading edge that contours forwardly adjacent a thumb portion of the contoured wrist cuff and rearwardly across a portion of the radial side of a wearer's hand when the glove is on the wearer's hand. This can allow protection of the wearer's wrist in flexion without also impairing movement of the wearer's wrist.

Abstract: An inductive power supply system for providing power to one or more inductively powered devices. The system includes a mechanism for varying the physical distance or the respective orientation between the primary coil and secondary coil to control the amount of power supplied to the inductively powered device. In another aspect, the present invention is directed to an inductive power supply system having a primary coil and a receptacle disposed within the magnetic field generated by the primary coil. One or more inductively powered devices are placed randomly within the receptacle to receive power inductively from the primary coil. The power supply circuit includes circuitry for adjusting the power supplied to the primary coil to optimize operation based on the position and cumulative characteristics of the inductively powered device(s) disposed within the receptacle.

Abstract: A welted footwear construction with a direct-attach outsole and an internal tray containing a low density cushioning material. The welt may be secured to the upper and insole by one line of stitching and to the tray by a second line of stitching. The tray may include separate heel and forefoot cavities, each containing a low density cushioning material. The tray may be manufactured from thermoplastic urethane (“TPU”) and may contain low-density polyurethane (“PU”). The low-density PU may be molded in place within the cavities in the tray. The outsole may be directly attached to the undersurface of the tray, and may be manufactured from high-density PU.

Abstract: An inductive power supply that maintains resonance and adjusts duty cycle based on feedback from a secondary circuit. A controller, driver circuit and switching circuit cooperate to generate an AC signal at a selected operating frequency and duty cycle. The AC signal is applied to the tank circuit to create an inductive field for powering the secondary. The secondary communicates feedback about the received power back to the primary controller. The power transfer efficiency may be optimized by maintaining the operating frequency substantially at resonance, and the amount of power transferred may be controlled by adjusting the duty cycle.