Abstract: A switching circuit is provided for converting a DC voltage to an AC voltage required for driving an electroluminescent lamp. The switching circuit charges and discharges the electroluminescent lamp with a substantially constant current to thereby reduce peak currents and extend lamp life. A constant current discharge feature of the switching circuit results in a significant reduction in current consumption.

Abstract: A lid handling system employs a lid alignment assembly for aligning lids randomly placed on a rotating input disc, a lid separation assembly for separating lids spinning on a pair of horizontal spin bars into a counted stack, a vacuum pickup assembly for picking up a counted stack of lids, a pick and place assembly for transporting and placing stacks of lids into trays having upwardly bent side members, and a conveyor for conveying filled trays toward a carton.

Abstract: A pair of eyeglasses includes rear view mirrors, each having a mirror surface substantially equal in area to that of a lens of the eyeglasses, that may be folded forwardly and outwardly to an open position for use, and that may later be folded rearwardly and inwardly to a closed postion for retention by the temple members of the eyeglasses when not in use. The rear view mirrors are somewhat concave in shape so that when in the closed position against the temple members, the eyeglasses present the appearance of conventional eyeglasses.

Abstract: A fluid heating and pumping apparatus for use with hot fluid space heating systems includes a fluid tank containing heated fluid and a collapsible bladder contained within the fluid tank for absorbing expansion of the fluid within the fluid tank as it is heated. An air venting device is mounted at a high point in the fluid tank to discharge any air as the heating system is filled with fluid and operated. A fluid circulating impeller, volute, and pressure bypass valve apparatus are also contained within the fluid tank and are connected to an outlet in the fluid tank through which heated fluid is pumped to heat transfer components of a space heating system. A fluid mixing apparatus is attached to the fluid circulating impeller to mix heated fluid from the fluid tank with cooled fluid returned from the heat transfer components to thereby provide fluid having a desired temperature.

Abstract: A retrieval system for rapidly removing articles from a plastic molding machine or other manufacturing process includes two pairs of lightweight non-metallic telescoping retrieval tubes arranged for telescoping motion into and out of an open mold. Each pair of telescoping retrieval tubes is coupled to a pair of slidable bearing tubes. A movable one of each pair of retrieval and bearing tubes is driven in concert by a low inertia cable or other drive system. A fixed one of each of each pair of retrieval and bearing tubes includes longitudinal strips of plastic bearing material.

Abstract: A dual-threshold voltage comparator circuit utilizes a single input pin of an integrated circuit and an external resistor network. Appropriate selection of the resistors comprising the resistor network permits independent setting of the dual thresholds of the comparator.

Abstract: An EL lamp driver employs constant power regulation rather than pulse frequency modulation to thereby eliminate the high voltage resistive divider network present in prior art EL lamp drivers that employ pulse frequency modulation.

Abstract: A plastic wire frame structural clip includes two pairs of diametrically opposed, equally spaced tapered slots formed longitudinally in a peripheral wall thereof for retaining wire frame members in place at their points of intersection. A wire frame structure employing the structural clip and a method for compactly arranging components of a domed wire frame structure for packaging are also disclosed.

Abstract: A plastic clip, a plurality of which are employed to attach a plastic or fabric material to wire frame garden structures and wire fences, is formed in the general shape of a cylindrical shell, open at one end and closed at the other end, a peripheral wall of the shell having a pair of diametrically opposed slots formed longitudinally therein, each of the slots being tapered and terminating at an interior end thereof in a circular notch portion having a diameter slightly larger than the width of the tapered slot at its narrowest point. Each plastic clip may be quickly snapped into place over the plastic or fabric material and onto a wire member of the wire frame structure or wire fence. At such time as it is desired to remove the installed plastic or fabric material, each of the plastic clips holding it in place may be quickly and easily unsnapped from the wire member to which it was previously attached.

Abstract: An extender for conventional round electrical boxes permits the user to incrementally extend the height of the box, as dictated by a particular application. The extender is adapted to fit inside the electrical box and to extend the height of the box, as determined by the thickness of a spacer placed between mounting ears of the extender and mounting columns of the box that are aligned when the extender is inserted into the box.

Abstract: A controller circuit for controlling and continuously varying the average value of discontinuous current pulses in a step down switching regulator operating in discontinuous conduction mode effects improvements in efficiency and output ripple of the switching regulator.

Abstract: A sun tie for attachment to a conventional vertical blind, when the blind is drawn to the closed position with the slats rotated to the position in which they are parallel to the plane of the window, to block entry of some heat and light, while permitting a view through the window. The sun tie has an anchor clip or pocket within which a left or right most one of a group of slats of the vertical blind is securedly retained. A group clip of the sun tie removably retains the remaining ones of the group of slats. Each of the sun ties preferably retains 4-7 slats, so that several sun ties may be required to be installed on a particular vertical blind, depending on its width.

Abstract: An ultrasonic nebulizer employs a transducer whose face or diaphragm is constructed of silica carbide, which is impervious to sample solutions containing hydrofluoric acid, to thereby permit analysis of those solutions in a system in which the ultrasonic nebulizer is connected to an inductively coupled plasma spectrometer or to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer.

Abstract: An integral water circulation apparatus supplies instant hot water at hot water faucets remotely located from the building water heater through a convective circulation flow of hot water from the water heater It is therefore simpler in design, less expensive to install, and more reliable than the more complex prior art systems.

Abstract: A transducer for use in a viscoelastic analyzer of the type in which a mechanical probe member is immersed in a fluid or gel and driven to impart a desired oscillating motion to such fluid or gel whose viscoelastic properties are to be determined including means for restricting motion of the probe member of the transducer in all directions except the direction of desired oscillating motion.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, plugs are provided for insertion into the conventional "310" or bantam styles of DSX telecommunications jacks to permit monitoring of both transmit and receive circuit paths without injecting noise into those circuit paths and without any risk of interrupting or breaking those circuit paths. Because these two conventional jacks differ in size, two sizes of plugs are necessary. However, both sizes of plugs are identical in operation and function. The teachings of the present invention can also be applied to plugs for insertion into other types of conventional jacks, such as standard phone jacks. In these other applications, the plug of the present invention requires only one contact for monaural applications and two contacts for stereo applications.

Abstract: A reusable sandwich holder may be quickly and easily wrapped around a sandwich and also serves as a place mat over which the sandwich may be eaten once unwrapped. The sandwich holder includes a decorative cloth outer cover and a plastic inner liner that maintains the freshness of a sandwich wrapped therein. The sandwich holder may be washed, either by hand or in a clothes washer, to permit its repeated reuse.