Abstract: An improved multi-function catheter structure having an inflatable balloon structure at its distal end, to selectively occlude a vascular lumen, provide antegrade perfusion liquid distally of the inflatable balloon, and provide retrograde perfusion proximally of the inflatable balloon is described.

Abstract: The present invention is a metered liquid dispenser. A liquid dispenser has a liquid volume metering element located on a base attached to the top of the neck of a liquid dispenser. Using a lift fill mechanism, the metering element is vertically slid relative to the base to dispense a measured liquid volume. One-way valves located in the base and the top of the metering element alternately act to displace air from the element, and then provide suction to draw a measured liquid volume from the liquid dispenser through a dip tube into the element. The liquid is dispensed by inverting the metered liquid dispenser. The metering element has liquid level markings to indicate the liquid volume being entered to the element for dispensing, and is preferable partly transparent to visually display the liquid in the metering element.

Abstract: A focusing and defocusing mechanism incorporated in a digital camera lens for simplifying the lens structure. The mechanism includes an outer lens barrel, a cam barrel having a slot of multiple slopes for adapting to the outer lens barrel, a guide pin affixed onto the outer wall of the outer lens barrel for rotating into the slot of the multiple slopes, and controlling elements affixed to the guide pin for controlling the distance and movement of the guide pin on the slot of multiple slopes.

Abstract: The rate based end system may provide feasible transmission rates for end source stations. As an extension to the rate based end to end system, there is disclosed a hybrid link by link flow control system. The link by link control system is built upon the end to end, rate based traffic control system. The link by link system utilizes bandwidth un accounted for by the end to end system. The link by link system uses feasible transmission rates obtained by the end to end system to determine the size of the buffers required for overbooking and for updating credit information to sustain the calculated rate.

Abstract: A networked system having a plurality of workstations and a peripheral device, the peripheral device having a printing function, memory for storing a plurality of private print-ready jobs and input means for manually inputting information into the peripheral device. The peripheral device is also capable of accepting a private print job together with a PIN from a given workstation, placing the private print job into a queue of print jobs, converting the private print job into a private print-ready job, storing the private print-ready job in memory, and notifying the given workstation when the private job is print-ready.

Abstract: A multimedia projector (30) employing a color wheel (42) in a frame sequential color display system includes a light sensor (68) positioned to receive light scattered from a point in an optical path (34) after the color wheel. The light sensor detects particular colors of light propagating through red, green, and blue filter segments (R, G, and B) on the color wheel and toward a display device (50). The light sensor provides, without any adjustments, an inherently accurate timing mark signal (78) to a display controller (56) to ensure that red, green, and blue image data are properly synchronized with the respective filter segments R, G, and B. In particular, the light sensor receives polychromatic light through a yellow optical filter (74) to illuminate an optoelectric detector (70) that is responsive to visible and near IR light wavelengths.

Abstract: A broadcast or multicast message from a network station is forwarded only to stations in the same virtual broadcast domain (VBD) as the sending station. In some embodiments, a VBD is virtual network (VLAN) or a workgroup (a group of stations, possibly within a VLAN). A membership of a network station in a VBD is determined based on the user who logged on to the station. When the station is first powered up, it is bound to a "default" VBD. When a user logs on, the VBD(s) assigned to the user are determined, and the user's station is switched to the VBD(s). When the user logs off, the user's station is returned to the default VBD.

Abstract: A system/assembly for delivery and deployment of an inflation expandable stent within a vessel, comprising a catheter having proximal and distal ends; a stent, inflation expandable from a delivery diameter to a deployment diameter, such that the delivery diameter is reduced from the deployment diameter for conforming the stent to the catheter, such that the stent, in its delivery diameter, is coaxially mounted on the catheter near the catheter distal end; an expandable inflation means coaxially mounted on the catheter axially within the stent, for expansion of the stent from the delivery diameter to the deployment diameter upon application of fluid deployment pressure to the inflation means; and a securement component coaxially mounted on the catheter, axially within the expandable inflation means, the securement component designed and adapted to provide a securement pressure to the stent in the delivery diameter to maintain the stent in position on the catheter during delivery to the deployment site.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to a system and to a process for dispensing a volatile liquid fertilizer and particularly ammonia into a field. The ammonia is placed in a vessel under sufficient pressure to maintain a substantial portion of the ammonia in a liquid form. From the pressurized vessel, the ammonia is fed to a distribution manifold where it is ultimately injected into a soil through a plurality of dispensing tubes. According to the present invention, a constant pressure flow rate control device is placed at each dispensing tube for metering the amount of ammonia fed to the soil. In particular, the flow control devices allow ammonia to be dispensed from the system while maintaining sufficient back pressure within the distribution manifold to maintain the ammonia in a liquid form. By preventing vaporization of the ammonia within the system, uniform and accurately controlled flow rates can be dispensed from the dispensing tubes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dimensioning system for determining the minimum size box necessary to enclose an object traveling on a moving conveyor. The dimensioning system is comprised of a light source which generates a scan beam that is moved by a mirrored wheel. A line scan camera whose field of view tracks the moving scan beam receives images of the scan beam and outputs a signal which is processed to compute a three dimensional box structure of the scanned object.

Abstract: An information storage, processing, and reporting system (20) for tracing enterprise wide product data, the system comprises a data storage (23, 26, 50) is adapted for storing data (106, 120, 112, 108) entries related to a product family. The data is received in a data warehouse system (42). The data is cataloged (54, 56, 58, 62). Cataloging the related data includes identifying data elements related to selected product families. The system indexes (70, 140, 144, 148, 149, 159, 169, 179) the identified data elements which are related to a selected first product family in accordance with the data representative thereof. Interconnected tables 140, 144, 148, 149, 159, 169, 179 are used for grouping indexed data elements pursuant to data representative of selected criterion. A storage medium (50) is adapted for storing the grouped data elements in a relational database (52). A digital processor (44) processes (36, 38, 116, 128) the grouped data elements in accordance with Activity Based Cost criteria.

Abstract: Improved coal tar compositions are described which are prepared from a blend comprising:(A) based on the combined weight of coal tar and coal tar pitch, from about 80 parts to about 98 parts by weight of coal tar having an overall float test of from about 50 seconds to about 220 seconds,(B) based on the combined weight of coal tar and coal tar pitch, from about 2 parts to about 20 parts by weight of coal tar pitch having a softening point of from about 140.degree. C. to about 160.degree. C., and(C) from about 1% to about 20% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of an acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer. In one embodiment up to 35 parts by weight of the coal tar (A) is replaced with a coal tar selected from coal tars having softening points of from about 52.degree. C.-60.degree. C., and from about 56.degree. C.-64.degree. C. The coal tar compositions are not emulsions, and generally will not contain any significant amount of water (e.g., less than 0.5% by weight).

Abstract: An array of a large number of low quality light collectors measure light generated by arrays of coherent light illuminators and rebounded from a target. The resulting data is utilized to derive the resulting speckle pattern which in turn is Fourier transformed to reconstruct the target image.

Abstract: The invention provides exemplary devices and methods for protecting golf clubs when stored within a golf bag. The golf bags used in connection with the invention comprise a bag body having a bottom end and an open top end for receiving a plurality of golf clubs. The protection device comprises a collar which is attachable about the golf club heads which are held in the golf bag. Further, the collar comprises a bladder which is inflatable to compress and secure the golf clubs together.

Abstract: A purified thermostable enzyme is derived from the eubacterium Thermosipho africanus. The enzyme has DNA polymerase, activity reverse transcriptase activity, and optionally 5'.fwdarw.3' and/or 3'.fwdarw.5' exonuclease activity. The enzyme can be native or recombinant, and may be used with primers and nucleoside triphosphates in a temperature-cycling chain reaction where at least one nucleic acid sequence is amplified in quantity from an existing sequence.

Abstract: In order to control the delivery of a liquid to a vessel, a liquid level control system includes a regulated supply of low pressure air delivered to an air supply tube which extends to a liquid vessel for discharging the low pressure air at a preselected level within the liquid vessel. The control system also includes a sensor sensing fluctuations in air pressure at an intermediate point along the air supply tube. In particular, the sensor senses a first air pressure when the liquid is below the preselected level and sensing a second, higher air pressure when the liquid is at or above the preselected level. The sensor is in communication with the liquid supply source to produce a signal upon sensing the second, higher air pressure in the air supply tube. When the higher pressure is sensed, the sensor sends the signal it produced and the liquid supply source is responsive to the signal to stop supplying liquid to the liquid vessel.

Abstract: An air bearing assembly transports loads across a smooth and flat surface when pressurized with air. The air bearing assembly includes a frame and an air bearing. The frame has a flat side for supporting a load and has an inner ring extending from its other side. The air bearing includes a backing plate and a flexible diaphragm that forms an enclosed footprint on the surface when pressurized. The footprint of the diaphragm uniformly overlap the ring of the frame. A damping chamber is formed by the inner ring of the frame and by the backing plate. The damping chamber is sealed when the diaphragm is pressurized by the upward force exerted by the diaphragm upon the backing plate against the inner ring.

Abstract: A feeder for a pick and place machine used in connection with the mounting of small discrete parts such as electrical and mechanical components comprises a frame and mechanisms connected to the frame for advancing a carrier tape product from a supply reel. The carrier tape product preferably includes a pair of spaced apart continuous parallel carrier tapes having a series of longitudinally spaced parts with opposite sides molded over adjacent inner side edges of corresponding ones of the carrier tapes so that each part bridges the two carrier tapes. The feeder further comprises a separation station mounted to the frame for receiving the carrier tape from the supply reel.

Abstract: A power surge protection assembly for use in electrical panel boxes having multiple electrical components. The power surge protection assembly includes a bus bar connected to a power supply, typically ground. The power surge protection assembly additionally includes a suppression box having a top surface, a bottom surface, sides, and ends for encasing a power surge suppression circuit. A conductor extends outward from an end of the suppression box. A coupler is attached to the bus bar for receiving the conductor and mechanically coupling the suppression box to the bus bar and electrically coupling the suppression box to the power supply. A variety of conductors and couplers are disclosed including post, bar, and plug conductors and snap ring, clip, jack, and bore couplers. The power surge protection assembly is particularly adapted for stacking two or more surge suppression boxes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for transferring data from a source memory (e.g. a host memory) to a peripheral interface via a bus utilizes a transmit buffer memory coupled to the peripheral interface, and a current time counter advancing at the rate at which data is to be transferred from the transmit buffer memory to the peripheral interface. A schedule table data structure stores entries in some or all of its locations, where each location corresponds to a point in time at which data is to be transferred from the transmit buffer memory to the peripheral interface. A schedule table pointer is used for pointing to successive locations in the schedule table. The schedule table pointer advances at a rate faster than the current time counter advances so that the schedule table pointer represents a point in time which is ahead of the point in time currently output by the current time counter.