Abstract: An abdominal hip/flex exercise machine includes a frame, a seat located at a first end of the frame for supporting an exerciser in an upright exercise position facing the second end of the frame, and a lever pivotally connected to the frame between the first and second ends thereof. At the second end of the frame, the lever includes at least one hub for holding weighted plates, while the opposite end of the lever located adjacent the seat includes spaced pads and handles adapted to be engaged by the arms and hands of an exerciser supported on the seat in the upright exercise position. The exerciser acts on the pads via a downwardly directed abdominal/hip flex motion to pivot the lever about the axis against the weight resistance held at the second end thereof. A leg brace may be included to restrain the exerciser from upward movement during performance of the downwardly directed flexing exercise motion, with the leg brace and the seat being vertically adjustable to suit the height of the exerciser.

Abstract: A medical/dental apparatus utilizing the properties of shape memory materials to variably control the spatial relationship between two or more elements having portions which are proximately disposed and overlapping relative to one another. Another portion of each element is connectable to part of a patient's body.

Abstract: Detergent compositions are formed into tablets for dispensing. These tablets can be retained in a flexible plastic bag having a rigid opening and tapered midsection. The rigidity of the tablets enables the bag to retain its shape and prevent hydratable detergents from clogging up the dispenser. A preferred detergent formulation is a high-caustic detergent composition which includes a combination of sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium tripolyphosphate hexahydrate, defoaming surfactant, polycarboxylate and a processing and dissolution aid such as propylene glycol. This detergent composition, when tableted, provides an extremely uniform dissolution rate minimizing any temperature peaks that can occur in dispensing high-caustic detergent.

Abstract: An improved leaflet inserter includes a series of adjacent leaflet trays carried by a conveyor along side of a cartoner and each tray includes a leaflet pusher movable in a slot transverse to the direction of the conveyor to push a leaflet placed in the tray out the side of the tray and into a synchronized carton or into a product bucket which is moving along side of the tray. In an embodiment of a leaflet tray, the leaflet pusher includes a downwardly extending cam pin which engages an adjustable cam positioned beneath the trays which urges the cam pin to slide the leaflet pusher transversely across the tray. In another aspect of the present invention, an integrated product bucket loader includes a plurality of product load receiving buckets mounted on a conveyor and each bucket has an integral, movable end wall which is slidably mounted on the bucket for movement across the width of the bucket.

Abstract: A ballast for driving a gas discharge tube light with overvoltage protection and dimming. A clamp winding coupled to the internal DC power source prevents overvoltage of the secondary terminals by permitting induced current flow in the clamp winding if the clamp winding voltage exceeds that of the internal DC power source. The transformer core includes a shunt leg which supports a dimmer control winding. When the dimmer control winding is open-circuited, magnetic flux is shunted away from the secondary winding, reducing the light intensity; when the dimmer control winding is short-circuited, currents induce in the dimmer control winding prevent substantial of magnetic flux density and increase the light intensity.

Abstract: Apparatus for merchandising product including an enclosure having circular, rotatable shelves each including compartmentalized portions which are product specific. The merchandising display apparatus is particularly suitable for displaying refrigerated or frozen products such as frozen dessert products. Each shelf is formed by a lower shelf support which may receive shelves having differently configured compartments for receiving different products. The shelves are modular in the sense that they may be removed and replaced with different shelves such that the merchandising display may be adapted to hold many varied types of products.

Abstract: A formulated biological adhesive composition utilizes tissue transglutaminase in a pharmaceutically acceptable aqueous carrier. The tissue transglutaminase is used in an effective catalytic amount to promote adhesion between tissue surfaces upon treatment thereof by catalyzing the reaction between glutaminyl residues and amine donors of the tissue and/or the enzyme. The carrier contains a divalent metal ion such as calcium to promote said reaction.

Abstract: A continuous business forms assembly comprises a plurality of interconnected units stackable into an array, with each unit including a first ply and a second ply. The first ply of one of the units is connected to the first ply of an adjacent unit with a series of transversely spaced ties. The second ply of the one unit is connected to the second ply of the adjacent unit with a series of transversely spaced ties which are transversely offset with respect to the first ply ties. When the business forms assembly is folded at the interconnection of the adjacent units, the first and second plies combine to form only a single ply thickness which is required to be folded.

Abstract: A quilting machine includes a multiple needle quilter with a panel cutter located in-line therewith and downstream thereof and having an accumulator therebetween. A programmable controller operates the quilter to stitch a programmed series of one or more patterns on a web. A feed roller angular encoder measures the quilted web length fed under tension to the accumulator. A detector signals when the accumulator is full, whereupon the controller causes web to be fed from the accumulator to the panel cutter, where it passes without tension thereon toward a photo sensor. The photo sensor signals the controller which activates the cutter to sever a predetermined panel length from the web. The controller then reads information from the encoder and the accumulator detector to determine the amount of stressed quilt required to replenish the cutoff panel length.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accurately positioning and orienting an orthodontic appliance relative to individual teeth of a patient is provided, preferably in the form of a pivot action jig, preferably of two parts pivotally linked together. Preferably, one part releasably engages an orthodontic bracket relative to a pivot axis at which the two parts are connected, preferably by fitting between spaced vertical tie wings of the bracket with a blade fitting in a bracket slot. The second jig part []includes a tooth-engaging surface configured to the shape of the crown of the tooth. Where the bracket itself is configured to pivotally attach to the jig, the jig may be formed of only the tooth engaging part. Preferably, the tooth-engaging surface uniquely fits over the occlusal end of the crown and includes a slight over center end, opposite the pivot connection, and may include a three-dimensional cap.

Abstract: A composite article useful as a material of construction made of a plurality of individual pieces of corrugated cardboard cut from scrap corrugated boxes or sheets. The corrugated pieces lie in a shingle-like configuration, a bridge-like configuration, or a combination thereof and form multiple, generally planar layers of individual corrugated cardboard pieces having a length only a fraction of the full length of the article. The material of construction is particularly useful in making shipping pallets to replace wood pallets currently in use and as a substitute for wood products in general.

Abstract: A needleless valve (16), which may be housed in a plastic housing (12), has a web (18) provided with a slit (20) for blunt cannula access therethrough. The web (18) is provided with a lubricious coating (22) on at least a portion thereof, the coating (22) being polymeric and covalently bonded to the web (18). Coating (22) enhances the ease of use of valve (16) and increases its useful life by decreasing the deleterious effects of repeated cannula insertion and removal.