Abstract: A battery equalization circuit for equalizing charge between at least first and second series-connected batteries, where each battery has a positive end and a negative end, with the positive end of the second battery coupled to the negative end of the first battery at a common node, and using: a switching circuit connectable to the positive end of the first battery at a positive node and the negative end of the second battery at a negative node; a transformer having first and second magnetically coupled windings, each with a first end defining a polarity of the winding and a second opposing end; and a transformer reset circuit coupled from the windings of the transformer to the positive and negative nodes. The switching circuit acts to simultaneously couple the first and second windings in parallel with the first and second batteries, respectively, in the same polarity such that a charge is transferred between the first and second batteries as a function of a charge imbalance therebetween.

Abstract: A piston is movable to reciprocate in a chamber. The piston has a transfer check valve which permits condiment flow only in a direction from an inlet side of the chamber to an outlet side of the chamber. The inlet side of the chamber includes an inlet coupled to a condiment source. The outlet side of the chamber includes an outlet with an outlet check valve. When the piston is moved from the outlet side to the inlet side of the chamber, the transfer check valve is open to permit condiment flow from the inlet side to the outlet side of the chamber, and the outlet check valve is closed to accumulate condiment therein. Upon accumulation of a desired amount of condiment in the outlet side of the chamber, the piston is moved from the inlet side to the outlet side of the chamber. During that time, the transfer check valve is closed and the outlet check valve is open to dispense the accumulated condiment in the outlet side of the chamber. At the same time, condiment is flowed into inlet side of the chamber.

Abstract: A beverage dispensing device includes a dispensing spout disposed at the mouth of a bottle. A single-piece, disposable security strap is used to secure the spout to the bottle to prevent unauthorized removal of the spout to dispense drinks. The spout has a distal portion with a spout opening and a proximal shoulder larger in cross-sectional than the distal portion. The security strap includes a strap ring having an opening configured to surround and capture the proximal shoulder of the spout. The strap further includes at least a pair of connecting portions extending from the strap ring. Each connecting portion has an affixing member at an end. At least one of the affixing members has a self-adhering surface for adhering to the exterior of the bottle. To dispense the beverage, the strap is broken and discarded.

Abstract: An emergency pressure relief valve has a housing fluidly connected to a pressurized system line carrying a system fluid. The housing carries a piston and a valve member which move within the housing between a closed position and an open position. The piston defines an upper chamber and a lower chamber within the housing. A control fluid is supplied to the upper chamber, and the pressure of the control fluid exerts a biasing force to a first side of the piston. The biasing force holds the valve member and piston in a closed position when the pressure of the system fluid is at an acceptable level. As the pressure of the system fluid rises above the acceptable level, the valve member moves to an open position. While the piston moves from the closed position to the open position, a delay fluid is injected into the lower chamber. As the delay fluid is expelled from the chamber, it delays a return of the piston and valve member to the closed position.

Abstract: A frame having a top frame piece, a bottom frame piece with a receptor, a first side frame piece attached to the top frame piece and to the bottom frame piece and a second side frame piece attached to the top frame piece and to the bottom frame piece. A foot is attached to the receptor, wherein the receptor has a structure such that the foot can be attached to the receptor only at n predetermined positions, where n is ≧2.

Abstract: A low cogging torque permanent magnet rotor is provided including a shaft and a permanent magnet mounted on the shaft. A gap is provided between the shaft and the magnet near a boundary between the magnet poles thereby reducing the cogging torque as the rotor poles rotate past the poles of the motor stator.

Abstract: Heat-conductive masses of material encapsulate end turns of a stator fixed in a housing of a motor to dissipate heat from the stator through the side and one end of the housing. In one embodiment, a resilient heat-conductive pad is interposed between a front plate of the housing and a side of one of the heat-conductive masses of material facing the front plate. The pad has a thickness greater than the manufacturing tolerances associated with assembling an end of the stator at an end of the housing adjacent to the front plate. In another embodiment, the heat-conductive mass of material adjacent to the front plate extends into contact with the front plate. The contact can be assured, even without the presence of a resilient pad, by forming the heat-conductive mass between the stator and the front plate after the stator is assembled to the housing.

Abstract: An electric motor vehicle includes an electric motor driving a step-down differential, axles, and drive wheels. An operator control produces torque command signals, which are applied to a controller to command application of electric power to the motor in response to the torque commands, to achieve the desired torque. The low friction of the electric drive, in conjunction with the rotational compliance or imperfect stiffness of the axles, may result in low-frequency surges or jerky motion, especially at low speeds. A damping arrangement includes a differencing circuit coupled between the operator control and the controller, for taking the difference between the operator-commanded torque and a damping torque signal. The damping torque signal is produced by differentiating the electric motor speed to produce a motor-acceleration representative signal.

Abstract: A device to manipulate hosiery comprises a swift-tack apparatus joined to a j-hook magazine which selectively attaches a swift tack to a hosiery stack with or without a j-hook. The hosiery stack is then selectively inverted by a pair of rotatable clamps. The hosiery stack is then selectively rotated to a desired orientation by a turntable. The hosiery stack is then stacked with other hosiery stacks by means of a drop arrangement onto a lift plate. The combined stacks are then selectively attached one to the other by a second swift-tack apparatus. The above manipulations are effectuated preferably by pneumatic power and a plurality of pusher plates and lift plates.

Abstract: A pilot operated safety relief valve (14) in which a pilot valve (32) controls the opening and closing of the main valve member (26). The pilot valve (32) has a spindle valve member (70) between an intermediate dome fluid chamber (52) and an exhaust chamber (54) communicating with exhaust port (52) and exhaust line (38). Spindle valve member (70) has an annular sealing member or membrane (104) having a relatively thin body (105) with opposed beads (106, 108) along inner and outer peripheries of body (105) for sealing between spindle valve member (70) and the adjacent retainer sleeve (94). Any positive backpressure forces from exhaust line (38) are balanced against spindle valve member (70) by annular seal (80) and membrane (104).

Abstract: A logic controller includes a memory for storing representations of boolean logic. The boolean logic includes AND and OR boolean logic functions having target values and a plurality of inputs. The processor of the logic controller has input/output circuitry and communications circuitry which provide a plurality of input/output digital logic signals. The processor employs the digital logic signals and solves the boolean logic representations. A firmware routine solves each boolean logic function when the value of any of its inputs is equal to its target value.

Abstract: A boring tool is moved through the ground in a region which includes at least one electrically conductive in-ground line and which is subject to static magnetic fields including the magnetic field of the earth.

Abstract: A power converter comprises a power transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding flux coupled to the primary winding, input terminals for receiving an input voltage, and output terminals for providing an output voltage. A power switching arrangement comprising two pairs of switching devices arranged in a bridge configuration has a corresponding duty cycle which is selectable so as to cause the power converter to manifest different input output transfer characteristics corresponding to buck and boost modes of operation. An inductor having a single winding is coupled between the input terminals and the primary winding through the switching devices. Secondary winding rectification and filtering provides the power supply output.

Abstract: A mobile lifting device includes a car having a gate and a docking plate mechanically interconnected at one end of the car. A low voltage DC control system includes an “up” circuit, a “down” circuit connected in parallel with the up circuit, and a sensor circuit in series with the up circuit and down circuit. The sensor circuit includes a plurality of series connected switches for automatically preventing operation of the lifting device if predetermined conditions are not met. The “up” circuit includes a switch positioned on a stage and connected to the control circuit by a coiled cable. A wand on the switch engages a knob on the side of the car when the car reaches the level of the stage, actuating the switch to stop the car. In the event of a power failure, a battery supplies power for opening a solenoid valve to lower the car. Three control panels are provided, one at each end of the car and one in the middle of the car.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for controlling an energy storage medium connected to an environmental control system that is providing environmental conditioning. The controller includes an energy pricing data structure for storing a real-time energy pricing profile indicative of energy rates corresponding to time-varying production costs of energy. The controller also includes a storage medium containing rules that approximate optimal control trajectories of an energy cost function that is dependent upon the real-time energy pricing profile, with the rules governing the operation of the energy storage medium. In addition, the controller has an engine for generating a storage medium control signal based upon the real-time energy pricing profile and the rules whereby the energy storage medium is controlled with the storage medium control signal in order to minimize energy costs associated with environmental control system.

Abstract: A power actuated door opener is disclosed with a beam break system for detecting obstructions in a door opening. A transmitter includes a beam emitter and emitter drive circuit for transmitting a train of emitter pulses to a receiver. The receiver includes a pulse detector circuit with a beam detector for producing detector pulses in response to emitter pulses impinging on the detector. The emitter drive circuit and the pulse detector circuit are synchronously coupled with each other and the pulse detector circuit produces a normal output signal only if the detector receives a pulse which is in synchronism with an emitter pulse. The receiver includes an annunciator which produces an audible and a visible warning signal when the pulse detector circuit produces a fault output signal. The audible annunicator is a piezoelectric crystal mounted in the receiver housing with a cover plate operating as a sounding board.

Abstract: An electrical connector for providing an electrical connection with a mating connector for control of a vehicle transmission is disclosed. The mating connector has electrical terminals. The electrical connector includes a shank, a hollow receptacle, and terminals. The hollow receptacle is at the end of the shank for receiving the shaft of a mating electrical connector. The terminals are positioned within the hollow receptacle for providing electrical contact with the terminals of a mating electrical connector. The receptacle has a first side with a first slot extending substantially across the width of the first side so that the receptacle can interlock with any one of a number of mating male connectors. The receptacle has a second side having a second slot extending substantially across the width of the second side so that the receptacle can interlock with any one of a number of mating connectors.

Abstract: A float for a liquid level detection apparatus including a tube extendable through liquid in a tank. The float is a buoyant body slidably mounted about the tube and having a diameter passable through an aperture in the tank. The float is preferably formed of two separate bodies joined by spacers positioned to allow the body to pivot from a first position substantially axially in line with the tube for insertion and removal of the float with respect to the tank to a second position substantially perpendicular to the tube in operative floating engagement with the liquid surface in the tank. The spacers, in one embodiment, are in the form of pins arranged in pairs along opposite side edges of the two bodies and spaced apart along the length of the two bodies such that the innermost pins of the two pairs of pins define an aperture for mounting the bodies transversely about the tube in the second, floating position.

Abstract: A slide valve containing a ceramic apertured slide block slidably supported upon a pair of ceramic shear seals so that the slide can reciprocate between an operative and an inoperative position. A roof block also formed of a ceramic material is mounted over the slide block and a roller unit is positioned between opposing surfaces of the two blocks. Control pistons are mounted in cylinders on either side of the slide block. Control circuits are arranged to bring pilot fluid in a selected one of the cylinders to extend the piston housed therein against the slide thus changing the slide position. The control circuits are isolated from other circuits within the valve to prevent contaminants from adversely effecting poppet valves operatively associated with the control circuits.