Abstract: An air flow mixer structure for a vehicle air conditioning system has a first conduit for a first air flow, a second conduit for a second air flow, an opening between said first and second conduits for merging said first and second air flows in a merging region and a common air channel for said merged air flows, the mixer structure having an air inlet region and an air outlet region opening into said merging region, the structure comprising plural air passages disposed between said inlet region and said outlet region for dividing an air flow at said inlet region into plural air flows at plural said openings into said merging region.

Abstract: A rotor position determination system for a polyphase D.C. brushless motor utilizing the back electromotive force (B.E.M.F.) voltage of the open or "off" phase of the motor as a critical signal for controlling the commutation of the motor, the system further including means for phase advance of the energization of the motor.

Abstract: An H-Bridge motor controller having a floating, electrically isolated high side FET driver design where the motor driver circuity is electrically isolated from the logic circuitry. Back EMF generation during motor operation is minimized by employing a "fifth" power transistor to the H-Bridge that connects the motor coil to ground when the other transistors in the H-Bridge are turned off, so as to provide a direct path for the unused energy to be removed from the driver circuit without interfering with the normal switching of the FETs. Alternatively, back EMF generation is minimized by applying switching signals to the H-Bridge where, instead of turning the low side FET drivers between motor clocks, the low side FET drivers are both turned on during the "off time" period, so as to connect both ends of the motor coil to ground during the "off" period, thereby draining the coil of unused energy.

Abstract: There is disclosed a multi-phase fuse status indicator having a green "good" and a red "bad" indicator LED for each line fuse of the respective phases, the current to the LED's being pulsed to cause them to provide a blinking indication. Power used for the logic circuit for the LED's and the LED's themselves and the related heat dissipation is less than 10 watts and is supplied from the power lines connected through the fuses regardless of the fuses' condition. Only two simple conductor connections are required from the fuse status indicator to each fused line of the multi-phase power system.

Abstract: A modular input/output (I/O) unit utilizes plug-in personality modules to provide any one of a variety of interfaces between I/O signal processing cards mounted in plug-in electronics module and a bank of terminals providing connections for field wiring.

Abstract: A liquor inventorying method for determining the amount of liquor dispensed during a shift in a restaurant or bar and therefore discouraging theft or overpouring of the liquor is disclosed. The method is implemented with the aid of a weigh scale and a computer program and includes the steps of separating all of the liquor bottles in the bar or restaurant into a plurality of categories based on similar characteristics between the liquor bottles such as liquor costs; determining an approximate average cost of liquor per unit weight in each category; weighing all of the bottles in a category in groups after a shift to determine how much liquor was dispensed from the category; determining the approximate cost of liquor dispensed from all of the liquor bottles within the category, and comparing the approximate total cost of liquor dispensed from the category to the amount of revenue received.

Abstract: An additive supply mechanism and method for fire fighting mechanisms, such as fire fighting trucks, including an additive supply conduit, an additive pump means, a recirculation line having a balanced pressure valve throttling the line, at least one sensor measuring recirculation line flow and an additive pump output control apparatus responsive to measured recirculation line flow.

Abstract: An intrinsically safe power supply unit is provided for conditioning power supplied by a power source. An input power converter connected to the power source receives current from the power source. A direct output crowbar and discrete impedance elements dissipate and limit the energy in the power supply unit that would otherwise be delivered to an external fault. In addition, the direct output crowbar extracts energy from any external storage elements. An adaptive shut down circuit distinguishes nominal load conditions including load changes from an external fault. A multistage LC power filter is used to minimize the stored energy that would be deliverable to an external fault or dissipated by the direct output crowbar and discrete impedance elements. The combination of the direct output crowbar, discrete impedance elements, adaptive shut down detection circuitry and multistage LC power filter significantly improves the level and quality of intrinsically safe power delivered by the power supply unit.

Abstract: A rotationally pivotal motion controller pivotally interconnects two adjoining elements and controls the pivotal motion of a first of the two adjoining elements with respect to a second of the two adjoining elements. The rotationally pivotal motion controller comprises a housing having a wall which defines an axial cylindrical bore through the housing. The wall is adapted for attachment to a first of the two adjoining elements and the wall also has a longitudinal aperture therethrough which communicates with the bore. A hub assembly comprises a hub which is at least partially disposed within the cylindrical bore of the housing and is axially rotatable therein. The hub has a substantially central cylindrical core and at least one lobe extending radially from the core. At least one end cap is affixed to one end of the hub to retain the hub in a fixed, fluidically sealed, axial relationship within the housing. The hub and the housing together define at least one fluid retention cavity.

Abstract: A ventilation unit comprising: a first channel for a relatively cold air stream; a second channel for a relatively hot air stream; and an outlet door located at the ends of the first and second channels for dividing air from the first and second channels between a first outlet and a second outlet in such a way that desired proportions of each of the cold and hot air streams are divided to each of the first and second outlets.

Abstract: A liquid bait station for ants has separate nested inner and outer container sections with the inner container forming a liquid bait reservoir. The inner container section or reservoir has a lid that is closed whenever the outer container is closed, and access to the reservoir of liquid bait by the ants is indirect via one or more container access ports leading to a compartment inside the outer container and then via separate reservoir access ports leading from the compartment to the reservoir. In one embodiment, the reservoir lid comprises a raised portion in the inner surface of the outer container's own cover and the reservoir access ports are formed by depressions in that raised portion. In a second embodiment, the inner and outer container sections have separate lids, but at least one tang depending from the outer cover closes and holds down the inner lid whenever the outer cover is closed. The reservoir access ports can be holes in the inner lid.

Abstract: A valve body with a diverted flow passage extending between the inlet and the outlet is provided with a closure element that is mounted between the inlet and outlet and movable between first and second lift points for regulating fluid flow through the passage. A baffle disposed in the flow passage intermediate the first and second lift points alters one or more flow characteristics of the fluid to improve the efficiency of fluid flow through the valve. In a right angle body valve, the baffle takes the form of a plate with an aperture positioned concentrically with the inlet passage and the valve closure element. A top plane surface of the baffle plate is positioned below the centerline of the outlet and is perpendicular to the centerline of the inlet. The baffle separates turbulent areas of flow in the passage so that the pressure and flow of fluid exiting the valve are more uniformly distributed over the entire outlet.

Abstract: A machine slide comprising a support member having two longitudinally-extending races with outwardly-facing, longitudinally extending grooves at opposite sides thereof, and a carriage movable on the support member. The carriage has two longitudinally-extending races having inwardly facing, longitudinally-extending grooves. When the carriage is placed on the support member, the grooves of the support member and the grooves of the carriage correspond to define two parallel longitudinally-extending raceways for roller bearings. There are two longitudinally-extending slits forming an island in the bottom surface of the carriage above one of the races on the carriage. A longitudinally-extending groove is located along the outside face of the side wall of the carriage nearest the island. A bearing retainer that regulates the spacing of the roller bearings is mounted within each raceway.

Abstract: An apparatus for displacing and detecting cross-slotted objects includes a cradle mounted to a frame, the cradle being sized and shaped to hold a tray of objects in slots. As the cradle rotates on the frame, a displacing assembly is deployed at the rear of the tray with projections that contact cross-slotted objects and urge the cross-slotted objects to move at least partially out of the tray. Suitably positioned sensors detect the displaced cross-slotted objects for notification to a controller. A method for detecting cross-slotted objects includes first displacing the cross-slotted objects, and second, detecting the displaced cross-slotted objects.

Abstract: The present invention includes shift mechanisms, lock assemblies and methods of adjusting a gear ratio of a transmission. According to one aspect of the invention, a shift mechanism configured to adjust a transmission includes a central axle defining a central axis; a drive member configured to rotate about the central axle responsive to an application of a driving force to the drive member; and a mount assembly comprising a mount support and an eccentric mount, the mount support being provided about the central axle and the eccentric mount defining an eccentric axis, the eccentric mount being movably coupled with the mount support to provide radial adjustment of the eccentric axis relative to the central axis and wherein resultant forces are generated responsive to the eccentric axis being spaced from the central axis, and the mount assembly being configured to utilize at least one resultant force to assist with movement of the eccentric mount with respect to the mount support.

Abstract: An improved additive eductor for supplying additives, including foam concentrates and thixotropic foam concentrates, into a hand line or waterline for supplying a nozzle used for fire fighting operations wherein the additive eductor can be operated in either eductive or non-eductive by-pass mode and further comprising in a prefered embodiment a back-flow preventative metering valve attached to a additive port.

Abstract: A drive circuit for a photoelectric sensor which automatically adjusts the sensor response time with adjustments in the drive current to the light source based on a desired sensing distance. The drive circuit includes an oscillator for establishing an output signal having an output frequency. An output of the oscillator is provided as an input to an adjustable current source. The current source is connected to the light source for providing the drive current to the light source at the output frequency. A peak detector is connected to a lead of the light source for detecting a feedback voltage proportional to the drive current through the light source. The feedback voltage is provided as an input to the oscillator, and the output frequency of the oscillator is variable depending on the feedback voltage so that variations in the drive current result in corresponding variations in the output frequency and, therefore, the frequency of the drive current.

Abstract: An improved method of operating a drilling system for purposes of installing an underground line and associated apparatus are disclosed. The drilling system includes a drill rig which is positionable at a drilling site and a drill string which is configured for extension by the drill rig such that the drill string is extendable to a predetermined location in a way which forms a pilot bore and which is further configured for retraction, such that one end of a line may be attached to the drill string at the predetermined location and pulled through the pilot bore from the predetermined location to the drill rig as the drill string is retracted. The improvement comprises monitoring tension levels in the line during retraction which tension levels are caused by the force of retraction on the line and transmitting the tension levels to an above ground location for use in establishing the condition of the line as it is installed underground.