Abstract: An elastically deformable indwelling catheter formed as a hollow spring having a coiled portion positioned between a first and a second substantially straight portion. The catheter may be straightened for insertion into a patient, wherein the catheter is allowed to resume its coiled shape. A flexible connector extending at least partially through the catheter is used to “lock” the catheter into its coiled shape. The flexible connector extends through the first substantially straight portion and the coiled portion and penetrates through the wall of the second substantially straight portion. The flexible connector is anchored in the first substantially straight portion and extends through the helically coiled portion, penetrates through the catheter wall of the second substantially straight portion and returns to the exterior of the first substantially straight portion. The flexible connector may be secured relative the catheter to prevent further elastic deformation of the spring portion.

Abstract: A lottery played via the Internet, the lottery comprising a Web site arranged to present a player with a set of brands, and arranged to allow a player to select a subset of the set of brands, the Web site recording the selected subset of brands together with information identifying the player, a subset of brands subsequently being selected at random from the set of brands, the player being awarded a prize if the player's selected subset of brands corresponds to the randomly selected subset of brands.

Abstract: Improved milk replacer and dry feed compositions for young mammals are provided that employ a high quality inedible egg product to minimize or eliminate the need for milk source ingredients or plasma-enhanced food compositions. These improved compositions include one or more high quality inedible egg products in an amount from about 1% to 100% of the total weight of the composition. The balance of these improved compositions may consist of any ingredient(s) in any combination when such composition is capable of meeting or exceeding the nutritional requirements of the species to be fed.

Abstract: A self-driven centrifuge for separating particulate matter out of a circulating liquid includes a base having a pair of tangential jet nozzles for generating the self-driven force. Connected to the base is a centrifuge shell which defines a hollow interior space. A disposable liner is positioned within the centrifuge shell. A hollow rotor hub is assembled to the base and extends through the hollow interior space. A support plate is positioned within the hollow interior space and, in cooperation with the rotor hub, defines an annular flow exit. Positioned within the hollow interior space is a unitary separation vane module which is constructed and arranged so as to extend around the rotor hub. The separation vane module includes a plurality of axially-extending and spaced-apart separation vanes. In one embodiment the vane module and a liner shell are formed as a unitary component.

Abstract: A method for analyzing and designing structures with structural aliasing. The concept of structural aliasing applies in one embodiment of the present invention to structural systems which are cyclically symmetric. In analyzing and designing structural systems such as wheel assemblies of gas turbine engines, it is possible to group the discrete components so as to aliasingly couple particular ordered excitations and harmonic families. With structural aliasing, it is possible to couple the ordered excitations and harmonic families such that resonant response of the wheel assembly does not occur within the operating range of the engine, and also to have the resonant vibratory mode excited in such a manner that the drive coupling of the wheel dampens the wheel assembly.

Abstract: A coil spring assembly is provided that includes rows of pocketed coil springs, a top securing sheet and a bottom securing sheet. The assembly may be partitioned into sections of varying firmness. The rows of coil springs are positioned between the top and bottom securing sheets. Coil spring assemblies are provided that further include top and bottom securing members that further stabilize the pocketed coil springs.

Abstract: The present invention provides a porous plastic article for dispensing a soluble or dispersible dispensate into a fluid stream. An inventive article preferably comprise polyethylene or polypropylene and has defined therein a network of passages in fluid communication with pores on the exposed surface of the article, the pores preferably having a diameter of from about 20 microns to about 200 microns. In accordance with a preferred aspect of the invention, the dispensing article may be removably attached to a beverage container cap, a bottle neck or a conduit such as, for example, a sports-bottle straw, to introduce the substance into a fluid coming into contact with the article.

Abstract: A shutter panel having a plurality of louvers having a composite construction. Each of the louvers is rotationally coupled to a shutter frame by a drive pin on one end and a support pin on the other end. The drive pins are linked to a rack and pinion louver mechanism for common rotational movement. In operation, the plurality of louvers rotate in unison by a simple manual action applied to a single louver. The drive pin includes a louver engaging end and a frame engaging end. The louver engaging end is a flat plate adapted to slip fit into a complementary slot included in a first end portion of the louver and retained therein by a complementary slot included in a first end portion of the louver and retained therein by interference forces. The slip fitting of the drive pin into the slot creates less stress on the louver and thus reduces the potential of crack initiation in the composite material of the louver.

Abstract: A replaceable filter cartridge includes a filter element 24 and an end plate 25 bonded to an end thereof The end plate includes at least two electrical contacts 52, 53 and a key way 67 that includes a relief section 75. Upon proper installation of the filter cartridge into the housing of a filter assembly, a key 41 attached to a centerpost 33 of the housing is received in the relief section of the end plate and the electrical contacts thereof make contact with corresponding electrical contacts in the housing causing a data component 49 to be energized. The data component may include a sensor, data chip, or resistor assembled to an exposed surface of the endplate.

Abstract: A combined hub temperature and wheel speed sensor system comprises a sensor assembly coupled to an axle and a wheel assembly fixedly coupled to the wheel, which in turn is free to rotate with respect to the axle. The wheel assembly includes a ring magnet. The sensor assembly includes a temperature sensor in proximity to the wheel bearing, Hall effect sensors positioned to detect the rotation of the ring magnet, and a circuit for generating and transmitting signals corresponding to the wheel rotation speed, rotation direction, and bearing temperature.

Abstract: A staple for stabilizing the attachment of a vertebral screw and a longitudinal member to the spine. The staple has a plate with first and second apertures. All the staple's legs, prongs, or spikes attached to the underside of the staple are located closer to one particular aperture than the other. Preferably, the plate is also “bow-tie” shaped with a groove that separates the wings of the bow-tie. This bow-tie or hour glass shape combined with the groove help the surgeon to more easily conform the plate to the patient's vertebra.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for mitigating the effects of plant stress. Plant stress mitigating compounds and compositions comprising gamma aminobutyric acid and glutamic acid are also described.

Abstract: A centrifuge for processing a flow of oil in order to remove particulate matter includes a mounting base defining a drain passageway, a drain conduit connected to the mounting base, a unitary housing connected to the mounting base, and a cone-stack subassembly which is positioned in and cooperates with the unitary housing. The mounting base is constructed and arranged to mount directly to a portion of a vehicle engine (or other equipment) and the drain conduit provides a return path to sump for oil from a remote engine (or equipment) location. The unitary housing is an injection molded plastic component including both a main body portion and an integral oil fill port. The oil fill port is substantially cylindrical with a longitudinal axis which is parallel to the axis of rotation for the rotor portion of the centrifuge.

Abstract: A replaceable filter cartridge includes an end plate 106 having a data component 107 electrically coupled to an pair of concentric circuit rings 108, 109. The data component may include a sensor, data chip, or resistor and is configured to provide filtration information to a remote station when the filter cartridge is positioned within the housing of a filtration assembly such that the circuit rings connect with electrical contacts in the housing.

Abstract: A fastener for venting gas around the shank of the fastener. The present invention includes various embodiments for venting gases such as combustion gases that seep from a head gasket of an internal combustion engine to the area around the shank of a cylinder head bolt, as one example. The various vent paths include vent paths directly through the bolt, past the bearing surface of the bolted member, or past a washer between the fastener and the bolted member. These vent paths prevent gases from building up in the chamber between the fastener shank and the clearance hole of the bolted member.

Abstract: A device for photorefractive cornea surgery, in particular LASIK and PRK, of the eye for the correction of sight defects of a higher order provides for the following devices: an aberroscope (12, 14, 16, 22, 24, 28) for measuring the wave-front aberration of the entire optical system of the eye to be corrected in relation to a specific eye position, means (48) for deriving a photoablation profile from the measured wave-front aberration in such a way that a photoablation in accordance with the photoablation profile minimises the wave-front aberration, and a laser radiation source (30) and means (32, 38, 40, 48) for controlling the laser radiation in relation to the specific eye position in accordance with the photoablation profile.

Abstract: A trap for receiving and holding bullets and fragments thereof. A funnel shaped receiver is mounted atop a frame and has a narrow exit connected to a collector tube arranged at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the receiver. The collector tube empties into a circular chamber of an offset housing dissipating the kinetic energy of the bullet.

Abstract: An ophthalmic solution with viscosity enhancing and detergent properties for contact lenses, comprising one or more physiologically acceptably viscosity enhancing agents in aqueous solution having a non-Newtonian rheological behaviour, and one or more physiologically acceptable non-ionic surfactants. The non-ionic surfactant may be selected among esters of fatty acids, sorbitan polyoxyethylates (i.e. polysorbates, such as “Tween”), or block copolymers polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene (i.e. poloxamers, such as “Pluronic”). The viscosity enhancing agent may be selected among hyaluronic acid or its salts with alkali or alkaline-earth metals, ethers or esters of cellulose, chitosans, gellans, alginates or carboxyvinyl polymers of the kind Carbopolol® (or carbomer).