Abstract: A cleaning system for a printing press using pre-soaked, reduced volume of air in cleaning fabric and a method for making the system are disclosed. The system includes a cleaning fabric treated to reduce the amount of air volume the cleaning fabric contains. The cleaning fabric is saturated to functional equilibrium with a low volatility organic compound solvent. The cleaning fabric is wrapped around an elongated core to form a fabric roll. The saturated, wrapped fabric roll may be used to clean a cylinder of a printing press. The saturated, wrapped fabric roll may be inserted in a sealable sleeve, the sealable sleeve being in contact with the fabric roll and then sealed, thus permitting transporting and storage of the system until use without detrimentally affecting the cleaning ability of the fabric.

Abstract: A control system. An apparatus having a motor; a host processor for generating a message containing motor control information; a control board for receiving the message and for transmitting a command, corresponding to the message, to the motor; and a communications medium coupling the host processor and the control board. The communications medium supports a first communications path and a second communications path. The first communications path is for transmitting messages from the host processor to the control board. The second communications path is for transmitting messages from the control board to the host processor.

Abstract: A stent crimping tool for firmly and uniformly crimping a stent onto a balloon catheter is constructed from a crimping section holding the stent and the balloon catheter therein, wherein the crimping is actuated by a shaft having an input end and an output end, engaging the crimping section at the output end. The shaft has a detent formed into the input end. A gripping member has an internal cavity to receive the input end, and includes a hole proximate to the shaft, wherein a ball bearing and a compression spring are located within the hole to bias the ball bearing toward the shaft and to engage the detent. When a torque is applied to the gripping member, it is transmitted through the ball bearing to the shaft; if the torque exceeds a predetermined magnitude, it overcomes the force of the spring on the ball bearing causing the bearing to slide out of the detent thereby disconnecting the applied torque from the shaft. The crimping section can be a rubber tube having a lumen holding the stent and catheter.

Abstract: A liquid waste disposal and canister flushing system includes a cabinet with a sink for receiving the canister and a subsink for receiving a lower portion thereof. The subsink is connected to a drain line. A plunger subassembly includes a stopper which functions as a drain valve for the canister. An injection jet is connected to water and cleaning solution sources and discharges diluted cleaning solution into the canister for flushing same. The injection jet engages the plunger subassembly for ejecting the stopper from a canister drain opening. A control system includes a programmable microprocessor which can be programmed to provide drain and flush cycles of predetermined duration. A method of liquid waste disposal and canister flushing utilizes the microprocessor for delaying the flush cycle until completion of the drain cycle.

Abstract: The balloon catheter comprises a catheter tube surrounded distally by an elongated inflatable balloon. Throughout the catheter tube is a longitudinal lumen for positioning a radioactive radiation emitter within the balloon. The catheter comprises a second lumen for directing inflation fluid into the balloon. Belt means creating a waist are mounted on the balloon to squeeze it down to nearly the diameter of the catheter thereby leaving a small passage for the inflation fluid. The belt means divide the balloon into sections to assure a close center fit of the catheter within the balloon.

Abstract: A method of translating screen displays of a user application program from a first base language to a user-selectable second language. The method is driven by program software which intercepts the messages created by a presentation manager of a WINDOWS operating system, the messages being used to form screen displays of the user application program on the terminal. Initially, the untranslated text is moved from a displayed screen to a translation table. The user, who need not be a programmer or computer oriented, enters a translation of the text into the same table via the keyboard, the table then being stored in computer memory. Upon subsequent operation of the application program the message, which forms the screen to be displayed, will be intercepted. Subsequently, a search of the translation table for the text in the intercepted message is conducted. The matched text is replaced with the second language previously entered in the translation table.

Abstract: A downhole retrieving tool, in which a tubular member has a tubing string connector end and a conical retrieving dish on the tubular member spaced from and opening towards the tubing string connector end. Stabilizers are spaced around the tubular member at the tubing string connector end. A retrievable whipstock comprises a concave, with a recess formed in the concave between upper and lower conical walls. The upper side wall intersects the face of the concave to form an anchor point. A method for retrieving a downhole tool, such as a whipstock, in a well, in which a retrieving tool having a retrieving dish is lowered into a well, inserted into the recess to engage an anchor point, and removed from the well. Fluid may be injected through circumferentially spaced fluid passageways communicating with the bore of the tubular member to remove unwanted material from the recess.

Abstract: A variable orifice flow sensor includes a flow conduit member defining a flow orifice and fluidly connecting first and second fluid flow ports, a flapper of magnetizable sheet metal that is mounted in the conduit member by a hinge portion so that the flapper angularly deflects out of the plane of the orifice in response to fluid flow through the conduit member to vary the effective fluid flow cross-sectional area of the orifice in proportion to the flow rate of fluid through the conduit member, and a pressure sensing tap on either side of the flapper. A deflection-limiting surface is provided in the conduit member adjacent the hinge portion. The hinge portion abuts against the deflection-limiting surface when the flapper experiences an angular deflection at least equal to a predefined angle in response to a fluid flow rate that is at least equal to a predetermined value, whereby overstressing of the hinge portion is minimized.

Abstract: A subband audio coder employs perfect/non-perfect reconstruction filters, predictive/non-predictive subband encoding, transient analysis, and psycho-acoustic/minimum mean-square-error (mmse) bit allocation over time, frequency and the multiple audio channels to encode/decode a data stream to generate high fidelity reconstructed audio. The audio coder windows the multi-channel audio signal such that the frame size, i.e. number of bytes, is constrained to lie in a desired range, and formats the encoded data so that the individual subframes can be played back as they are received thereby reducing latency. Furthermore, the audio coder processes the baseband portion (0-24 kHz) of the audio bandwidth for sampling frequencies of 48 kHz and higher with the same encoding/decoding algorithm so that audio coder architecture is future compatible.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus for providing service to entities. The apparatus comprises a server for providing the service. The apparatus also comprises a plurality of entities which require the service of the server. The entities are connected with the server. Additionally, the apparatus comprises a scheduler for scheduling when each of the entities receives the service of the server. The scheduler is connected with the server and the entities. There is a time stamp mechanism for providing a longer-format time stamp to a requesting entity of the plurality of entities whenever the requesting entity requests service from the server. The time stamp mechanism is connected to the scheduler and the server. Moreover, the apparatus comprises means for compressing the longer-format time stamp into a corresponding shorter-format window-based time stamp and storing the shorter-format window based time stamp.

Abstract: A rotary coupling for communicating a pneumatic signal from a stationary pneumatic source to an apparatus. The rotary coupling has a housing and a rotating portion that rotates with respect thereto. The housing has at least two inlets in fluid communication with the pneumatic source. The rotating portion has at least two outlets in fluid communication with the apparatus. Inlet and outlet pairs are aligned radially relative to an axis of rotation of the rotating portion so that they are in fluid communication when the rotating portion is at an angular orientation at which the inlet and outlet pair are coincident. More than one inlet may be paired with an outlet, and vice versa. Channels can be formed to allow the inlet and outlet pairs to be in fluid communication when they are not coincident. Inlets and outlets can also be radially spaced different distances from the axis of rotation such that fluid communication between these inlets and outlets are blocked at all angular orientations of the rotating portion.

Abstract: A system and method that allows a user to use their everyday language or user defined words to operate a computer in a highly efficient way. In short, every word, letter, control character and symbol is potentially actionable. A computer user's productivity is dramatically increased by making available those functions that enable a user to produce most of his work through simple, language-based commands. The present invention provides an intuitive interface, referred to as a semantic user interface (SUI), that enhances the operation of the current standard window-based interface in a manner that is simple, richer and natural. By leveraging all of the richness and power inherent in a user's language, the present invention provides an important tool that allows the personal computer to operate in a manner that is much closer to our natural way of interacting. A user is allowed to enter "commands" in his everyday natural language in order to control the operations of the computer.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating the reduction or elimination of end play associated with an armature in an electric motor is disclosed. The system and method utilize an end play assembly which includes a housing having an integrally molded lock for retaining a screw in an unengaged and locked position. The end play assembly also includes a coil spring which urges the screw towards an engaged and unlocked position when the end play assembly is mounted in a housing of the electric motor. The lock includes at least one wing portion which engages a notch on the housing of the electric motor such that when the end play assembly is mounted in the motor housing, the notch forces the lock into the unlocked position which releases the screw so that the spring can urge, rotate or screw the screw to cause a screw end to be forced into engagement with the end of an armature of the electric motor.

Abstract: An adjustment apparatus for a sunroof includes a cover support element (19), a guide element (13a, 13b), a carriage element (3), and means of control (4 through 7) for the adjustment of the cover piece. The cover support element (19), with the cover piece (8) can be tilted around a first cam (7a) and displaced. The means of control join the cover piece with the carriage element in a manner relative to each other such that they can be displaced along the aforementioned longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A self-adhesive label comprising a self-adhesive base carried on a backing of release material, a multilaminar portion disposed on a first portion of the base, a layer of adhesive on a second portion of the base adjacent to the first portion, and a printed cover sheet having a first edge portion which is adhered to the base by the layer of adhesive, a central portion which extends over the multilaminar label, and a second edge portion opposite to the first edge portion which is arranged to be held against the backing of release material thereby to retain the self-adhesive label in a closed configuration.

Abstract: A biopsy forceps having a proximal end and a distal end. The biopsy forceps includes a handle at the proximal end of the biopsy forceps. The handle includes a body portion and an actuator axially displaceable relative to the body portion. The biopsy forceps further includes an end effector assembly at the distal end of the biopsy forceps. The end effector assembly includes a pair of opposed end effectors operable between an open position and a closed position. A catheter portion connects the handle to the end effector assembly so that axial displacement of the actuator relative to the body portion causes the end effectors to move between the open position and the closed position. The handle is shaped to receive the catheter portion to lock the end effectors in the open position.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods prevent rigid video recording media from rattling within a cartridge when that cartridge is removed from a disk drive. To decrease rattling (and the resulting damage to the disk), the disk is resiliently biased against an inner surface of the cartridge housing. A door translates laterally to provide access to the disk within the cartridge. A feature is defined by an inner surface of the cartridge housing, and a resilient arm extends inward from the door so as to engage the feature when the door moves towards a closed position. The feature deflects the arm axially against the disk, so that the arm acts as both an actuation mechanism and a biasing spring.

Abstract: An apparatus for purifying metallurgical grade silicon to produce solar grade silicon has a container for holding molten silicon and one or more submergible torches for providing a flame surrounded by inert gas to heat the molten silicon so that the reaction time is prolonged, to create turbulence, and to introduce silica powder and water vapor for reactions with molten silicon. The molten silicon is then directionally solidified by providing the container in a coolant tank and controlling the coolant level with controllable valves so that further purification is achieved by segregating impurities.

Abstract: A technique for modifying the IEEE 802.3 standard for selecting backoff times in a Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) network, in the event that a collision is sensed by a node that has captured the network communication channel. If there is a small number of active nodes on the network, one node may capture the channel and the standard backoff algorithm makes it increasingly unlikely for another node to transmit. The new technique provides for less aggressive, i.e. longer, backoff times before at least the first retransmission attempt made by a node that has captured the channel, and in addition provides for the use of a stopped backoff algorithm. Three specific examples of methods to choose a backoff time and two methods of using a stopped backoff algorithm are disclosed.

Abstract: A virtual private line key telephone system is provided. The system includes a console including a plurality of line keys each associated with a party that can be reached via a switched trunk line. A look-up table means associates the line keys with the telephone numbers of the associated parties. A communication path is established from the console to one of the trunk lines. Signals are sent to the central office via the selected trunk line corresponding to the telephone number in the look-up table means associated with a line key that is actuated to place a calls. The telephone number of incoming calls are determined and compared with telephone numbers in the look-up table. Thereafter the line keys which are associated with the incoming calls are determined. The incoming call is coupled to the console when a line key associated with the incoming caller is actuated.