Abstract: A hydraulic machine which can exchange hydraulic fluid pressure with rotational motion of an input/output means, having a radial arrangement of a plurality of hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies about a crankshaft, the hydraulic cylinder and piston assemblies being longitudinally spaced along the crankshaft; and a means for varying eccentricity of the crankshaft whereby reciprocal motion of the pistons within the respective hydraulic cylinders is consequential to rotational motion of the crankshaft about the longitudinal axis of the crankshaft.

Abstract: Water vapor is introduced into an inlet air stream (16) of an engine (12), for example, by a pervaporation process through a non-porous hydrophilic membrane (18). A water reservoir (20), which can contain contaminated water, provides a vapor pressure gradient across the hydrophilic membrane (18) into the inlet air stream (16), while the rate of delivery of the water vapor to a cylinder (38-40) is self-regulated by the rate of flow of air across the membrane. The hydrophilic membrane (18) therefore also filters the water from the water reservoir (20) to an extent that pure water vapor is provided to the air inlet stream (16). Delivery of water vapor can nevertheless be controlled using a hood (26) that slides over the hydrophilic membrane to limit its exposed surface area.

Abstract: A filter for a fluorescent lighting tube. The filter includes a sheet of polymeric material having fold lines scribed thereon, defining a plurality of sections. The sections allow the filter to be positioned about and secured to a fluorescent tube without removal of the tube from its mounting fixture. The filter of the may be configured to filter color, ultraviolet light, or other wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Abstract: A color mixer for producing a colored beam of light in combination with a light source. The color mixer includes a plurality of color media configured to pass a light beam such that the color media may be repositioned relative to one another to produce a color mixing effect resulting in many available combinations of color and hue.

Abstract: A mechanical water still (10) includes an impervious dome-like upper surface (12) and a membrane base (14) that is coupled (26) to the impervious dome-like structure (12) to form, when inflated, a chamber (20). The membrane base (14) supports a water pervaporation process therethrough. A water collection well (16) has an opening into which water droplets condensed from the water pervaporation process collect. The water collection well (16) is sited within the membrane base (14) and generally extends outwardly and downwardly from the membrane base (14), as shown in FIG. 1. In use, a contaminated water source (24) is brought into, ideally, complete contact with the membrane base (14), with the water collection well (16) arranged both to act as a heat sink into the water source (24) and to provide stability to the water still (10) when floating and immersed in the water source (24).

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for ranking webpages is provided. The method includes generating a web circuit model having a node representing each webpage. The model is simulated to identify the potential at each node. The webpages can then be ranked according to the potentials of the nodes to which the webpages correspond.

Abstract: A digital hearing aid is provided that includes front and rear microphones, a sound processor, and a speaker. Embodiments of the digital hearing aid include an occlusion subsystem, and a directional processor and headroom expander. The front microphone receives a front microphone acoustical signal and generates a front microphone analog signal. The rear microphone receives a rear microphone acoustical signal and generates a rear microphone analog signal. The front and rear microphone analog signals are converted into the digital domain, and at least the front microphone signal is coupled to the sound processor. The sound processor selectively modifies the signal characteristics and generates a processed signal. The processed signal is coupled to the speaker which converts the signal to an acoustical hearing aid output signal that is directed into the ear canal of the digital hearing aid user.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for transmitting audio via the serial data port of a hearing instrument. At least one hearing instrument microphone may be used for receiving an audio input signal. A sound processor may be used for processing the audio input signal to compensate for a hearing impairment and generate a processed audio signal. At least one hearing instrument receiver may be used for converting the processed audio signal into an audio output signal. A serial data port may be used to couple the hearing instrument to an external device in order to transmit bi-directional audio signals between the hearing instrument and the external device. The serial data port may be coupled to the external device to transmit at least one of the audio input signal, the processed audio signal and the audio output signal to the external device.

Abstract: A vent configuration for a hearing instrument comprises a vent tube having a length and a vent opening, and at least one cell positioned around the periphery of the vent tube. The at least one cell is closed at a first inner end and open at an outer end, which is adjacent the vent opening. The cell is a tube that extends around the periphery of the vent tube along a portion of the length of the vent tube. A hearing instrument incorporating the vent configuration is also included.

Abstract: A hearing instrument includes a faceplate and a shell. The faceplate is a round plate that has a moat defined in the surface of the plate and at least one feature associated with the plate for joining with a hearing instrument component. The moat is a trench or channel that is defined in the surface of the faceplate and includes a wall structure for coupling with a shell of a hearing instrument. The moat may be defined symmetrically about the at least one feature. The moat may be oval in shape and have a rectangular cross-section. A cut out is positioned on the faceplate for use in speeding the excising of material from the faceplate once the shell has been coupled to the faceplate.

Abstract: A low-noise directional microphone system includes a front microphone, a rear microphone, a low-noise phase-shifting circuit and a summation circuit. The front microphone generates a front microphone signal, and the rear microphone generates a rear microphone signal. The low-noise phase-shifting circuit implements a frequency-dependent phase difference between the front microphone signal and the rear microphone signal to create a controlled loss in directional gain and to maintain a maximum level of noise amplification over a pre-determined frequency band. The summation circuit combines the front and rear microphone signals to generate a directional microphone signal.

Abstract: A hearing instrument system detects the insertion or removal of a hearing instrument into a space and includes first and second acoustic transducers, first and second level detection circuitry, and signal processing circuitry. The first acoustic transducer receives a first electrical signal and in response radiates acoustic energy, and the second acoustic transducer receives radiated acoustic energy and in response generates a second electrical signal. The first level detection circuitry is operable to receive the first electrical signal and generate a first intensity signal, and the second level detection circuitry is operable to receive the second electrical signal and generate a second intensity signal. The signal processing circuitry is operable to receive the first and second intensity signals and compare the first and second intensity signals and determine whether the hearing instrument is inserted into the space or removed from the space based on the comparison.

Abstract: A filling system for a toilet tank prevents continual flow to the tank in the event of a leak from the tank by providing a hydraulically actuated safety valve for halting water flow to the filling valve in the event that the water flow continues for a time longer than an expected time of filling. The safety valve has a valve member connected to a piston mounted in a cylinder defining a first chamber on one side of the piston and a second chamber on the other side. A venturi in the supply duct provides in a low pressure chamber of the venturi a water pressure lower than the supply pipe pressure such that a pressure difference across the piston caused by the difference in pressure between the supply pressure and the low pressure chamber causes the piston to move from the first end toward the second end. A flow control orifice regulates a rate of flow of water such that a time of movement of the piston is greater than an expected time required to fill the toilet tank.

Abstract: The present invention provides soles, platforms, or inserts incorporated into footwear, preferably athletic footwear, designed to promote a more efficient running technique by an energy-translating sole comprising one or more angular displacement members, balance-thrust members, and counterbalance as well as conventional features. Systems and methods of the present invention promote more efficient running technique by facilitating foot-strike to occur at a point under and behind the runner's center of gravity. This may be accomplished, for example, by a foot-strike member, angular displacement member and balance-thrust member working cooperatively to displace the runner's center of gravity and translate gravitational, inertial and ground reaction forces, as well as muscular tension forces, into linear momentum.

Abstract: A multi cone clutch is used on the input to a transmission. The clutch has a multi-cone structure which employs sandwiched cone friction surfaces. The multi-cone structure is used for gears selection inside the transmission. In this case, sandwiched cone friction surfaces are in free or unengaged state while the corresponding friction surfaces are engaged. The cone selector is used to engage free rotating female part of a multi-cone selector. A hydraulic actuator is received by internal gear case wall to prevent any radial or axial movement of the actuator itself. The crown of hydraulic spring outlet piston is formed so as to clip in a housing of a thrust bearing is to provide relative rotational movements between cone clutch male part and a piston in idling or power transmitting mode.

Abstract: A multi cone selector in a transmission employs sandwiched cone friction surfaces 19A, 20A and 21A and these are shown in free or unengaged state while the corresponding friction surfaces as numerals 19, 20 and 21 are shown as engaged. This comparative illustration shows the relative positions of the surfaces at different times since the “A” surfaces and the non “A” surfaces are the same circumferential surfaces. The cone selector is used to engage free rotating gear a female part 22 of a multi-cone selector. A hydraulic actuator 23 is received by internal gear case wall 24 formed so as to prevent any radial or axial movement of the actuator itself. A hydraulic coupling, in this case the hydraulic coupling is formed as hydraulic springs or bags illustrated at 26. The crown of hydraulic spring outlet piston is formed so as to clip in a housing of a thrust bearing 29.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method for performing a glitch check in simulating a circuit. Current maximum and minimum values for optimization parameters of the circuit are determined. Next, a signal pulse characteristic for the circuit simulation is determined based on the maximum and minimum optimization parameters. A current averaged optimization parameter is determined from the current maximum and minimum optimization parameters. A prime criterion parameter is calculated based on the optimization parameters and the signal pulse characteristic value. If the prime criterion parameter converges into a specified range then measurement results from the circuit simulation are parsed and reported as final. If the prime criterion parameter does not converge, then the process continues by recalculating the optimization parameters until the prime criterion parameter converges.

Abstract: A method for performing a signal integrity and delay check for circuit simulations is disclosed. Nodes of the circuit are selected and an optimization parameter is determined. The optimization parameter may be either the setup or hold time for the circuit simulation. The current optimization parameter is determined to be the average of the current minimum and maximum optimization parameters. A primary criteria is calculated in response to the optimization parameters. The primary criteria may be a bisection error of the circuit simulation. If the primary criteria converges to a prescribed range, then the measurement results from the simulation are parsed. If the primary criteria does not converge, then the circuit is simulated using the current optimization parameter. For a signal integrity check, switch difference errors are identified and used to set a new optimization parameter. For a delay check, delay difference errors are identified and used to set a new optimization parameter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a hydrophilic membrane to provide by the process of pervaporation through the membrane water suitable for agricultural irrigation, industrial use, hydrating or rehydrating of food or agricultural or pharmaceutical compositions. The present invention also relates to a water purification apparatus which includes the hydrophilic membrane, comprising one or more layers of hydrophilic polymers, to purify water which may contain suspended or dissolved impurities and solids, including but not limited to seawater, brackish water and other kinds of polluted water.

Abstract: A hub for a storage package for storing a recording medium includes a base member, an uninterrupted deformable, generally domed portion, and at least one gripping formation extending from the generally domed portion. The gripping formation is positioned to extend through a hole in the recording medium and engage the inner edge of the recording medium as the medium is placed onto the hub. The generally domed portion and the gripping formation are directly joined at a location disposed above the recording medium when the recording medium is placed onto the hub. Deformation of the generally domed portion in a direction transverse to the base member directly causes the gripping formation to retract radially inward to allow removal of the recording medium.