Abstract: Ergonomic snips have a pair of pivoted levers each having a forward end formed as a cutting blade and a rearward end forming a hand portion. A first handgrip on one hand portion includes a first anti-slip ear suitable for engaging a user's thumb. A second handgrip on the other hand portion includes a second anti-slip ear to form a finger receiving portion to accommodate one or both of the index and middle fingers of a user to allow a user to either place the second anti-slip ear between the user's index and middle fingers to maximize torque or place the second anti-slip ear between said middle and ring fingers to provide greater cutting control or precision. The distances between a user's thumb and the user's index and middle fingers remain substantially the same in both positions of the hand.

Abstract: A shears upper finger grip has a lower substantially flat inner surface arranged in a transverse plane substantially normal to a cutting plane and dimensioned and configured to enable substantially full insertion of a thumb metacarpal bone from a right lateral side and for receiving the ball of the thumb to enable the thumb to be moved to a position on a left lateral side to an orientation substantially parallel to the cutting plane and to position the hand's thenar eminence into abutment against the flat inner surface while positioning at least exterior right lateral portions of the upper finger grip in abutment against the palm beyond the hand's thenar crease and into the region of at least one of the hand's palmar creases to enable the thenar eminence and palm of the hand to oppose the forces applied by the fingers acting on the lower finger grip.

Abstract: Ergonomic snips have a pair of pivoted levers each having a forward end formed as a cutting blade and a rearward end forming a hand portion. A first handgrip on one hand portion includes a first anti-slip ear suitable for engaging a user's thumb. A second handgrip on the other hand portion includes a second anti-slip ear to form a finger receiving portion to accommodate one or both of the index and middle fingers of a user to allow a user to either place the second anti-slip ear between the user's index and middle fingers to maximize torque or place the second anti-slip ear between said middle and ring fingers to provide greater cutting control or precision. The distances between a user's thumb and the user's index and middle fingers remain substantially the same in both positions of the hand.

Abstract: A spill-resistant pouch is attachable to a belt and has a pocket having spaced proximal and distal walls when worn on the belt of a user. The pocket has an upper opening for receiving objects within the pouch. The upper opening, when not subjected to loading stresses, normally defines a predetermined dimension extending between the proximal and distal walls, the pocket normally being deformable along the predetermined direction in response to forces applied by objects within the pocket on the distal wall. A rigidifying structure is provided within the pocket for substantially maintaining the predetermined dimension of the upper opening by preventing relative movements between the proximal and distal walls, whereby objects within the pocket are prevented from falling out through the upper opening due to excessive deformation of the distal wall relative to the proximal wall while providing unhindered access to items within the pouch.

Abstract: An extendable grade rod receiver includes a plurality of elongate telescoping rods provided with elongate channels along their lateral edges. A receiver receives a reference beam from a remote transmitter includes a carriage movable along the rods and coupled to the receiver for sharing axial movements. The carriage is provided with wheels moveable in directions generally normal to the axis. The wheels are receivable within the elongate channels of all of the rods and are inwardly biased towards the axis to retain the wheels within the channels or grooves of any of the rods as the carriage moves over the steps or discontinuities as it moves from one rod to a next adjacent rod. Visual and machine-readable indicia are provided on the elongate front surfaces of the telescoping rods that can be encoded by a reader module on the receiver. Other mating rolling or sliding profiles can be used.

Abstract: A leveling instrument includes a generally elongate carrier defining a carrier axis. A first liquid-filled bubble vial is mounted on the carrier and defines a first vial axis and an internal generally barrel-shaped surface of revolution about the first vial axis formed by a curve having a predetermined curvature to exhibit a first sensitivity. A second liquid-filled bubble vial defines a second vial axis and has a generally barrel-shaped surface of revolution about the second vial axis and formed by a curve having a curvature less pronounced than the predetermined curvature of the first vial to exhibit a second sensitivity greater than the first sensitivity, the first and second vial axes being generally parallel to each other. If the vials are curved they are similarly oriented and have different curvatures to exhibit different sensitivities. A method of using the multi-vial leveling instrument is described.

Abstract: A laser measurer comprising a housing defining a direction along which a linear measurement is to be made; first and second lasers within said housing for generating two laser beams emanating from said housing in opposite or opposing directions along said measurement direction; level compensation within said housing; and an app for performing computations to provide linear, surface and volume data.

Abstract: A customizable knee pad includes a foam main body having an anterior surface A and a posterior surface molded to the shape of the knee. The anterior surface is formed with an array of spaced recesses covering the knee to be protected. Each recess defines a negative incremental area and, cumulatively, define an area Ar. The effective area Aeff of the anterior surface is equal to Aeff=A?Ar. A fabric sheet covers the posterior surface. A gel pad is provided within the main body in close proximity to the fabric sheet. The main body of the knee pad is injection molded with the gel pad and fabric sheet in place to bond the fabric sheet and gel pad to the molded main body to be effectively integrated therewith. Changing the recesses' shape and spacing alters the flexibility of the knee pad and renders it harder or softer.

Abstract: An interchangeable different style-blade utility knife includes an elongate handle having proximal and distal ends along a handle axis. A blade holder is provided for supporting a blade and actuating means is provided for selectively attaching and detaching the blade holder to the distal end of the handle at a parting line. A blade is supported by the blade holder and has an exposed cutting edge generally along a lower side of the handle and has a projected predetermined length along the axis. The blade holder has a support upper portion generally along an upper side of the handle and has a projected length along the axis substantially equal to or generally proportional to the predetermined length to provide support for the blade. A kit includes a plurality of blade holders each with a different style blade, each blade holder having a support upper portion proportional to an associated blade.

Abstract: A cut-case with enhanced display of product information includes a product container having a front wall forming a surface area facing a viewing direction when on a store shelf. A lid at least partially receives the product container to close an open top to make the cut-case suitable and the products contained for shipment therein. A display panel is hingedly connected to the front wall for pivoting movements between a retracted position during shipment and storage substantially co-extensive with one of the product container walls and an extended position substantially co-planar with the front wall and extending below the bottom wall when placed on a store shelf to at least partially cover the shelf on which the product container is placed. The front wall retains products within the container and product information is provided on the display panel over a surface area greater than the surface area of the front wall.

Abstract: A mobile phone includes a phone body including spaced lateral perimeter walls. At least one indentation is provided in each of the said spaced lateral walls, the indentations forming a detent or cavity to provide an overhang portion suitable for being selectively gripped or released by correspondingly mating jaws or hooks on an accessory attachable to the mobile phone.