Abstract: A cigar lighter, especially for a motor vehicle, includes a lighter body, or power socket comprising a body sleeve, which carries insulating rings, a two-fingered clip, and power supply tongues, all of which are assembled to the base portion of the lighter body sleeve by a fastening member. The cigar lighter is equipped with a device for protection against overheating. The second power supply tongue is insulated from the base of the lighter body sleeve. The second power supply tongue is connected electrically to the base through the protective device, which is a safety fuse. The second insulating ring is so configured as to contain the fuse inside it. The fastening member fastens the fuse carrier to the base of the lighter body.

Abstract: A low noise operation method for a camera system having an image sensing active pixel array, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an optical shutter in front of an image sensing pixel array of a camera system, said image sensing pixel array having an image sensing face defined by a series of active pixels arranged in rows and columns; (b) while said shutter is closed, resetting each said pixel and then reading a first output from each said pixel; (c) opening said optical shutter for a predetermined exposure period so as to allow light to be incident upon said image sensing face of said pixel array; (d) closing said optical shutter and then reading a second output from each said pixel, without resetting said pixels; and (e) subtracting one of said first and second outputs from the other of said first and second outputs for each said pixel, so as to obtain a first difference signal for each said pixel, which first difference signal is substantially free of reset and fixed offset noise components.

Abstract: An eyeglass case includes top and bottom substantially rigid shell members connected by a hinge for movement between open and closed positions. In the closed position, the shell members define an enclosed interior space adapted for protective storage of eyeglasses. The top and bottom shell members each include an interior end portion provided with an internal receptacle for storage of miscellaneous accessory items such as nose pads, spare screws, a small screwdriver, lens cleaning solution, and a lens wiping cloth. The internal receptacles include floor portions configured complementary to the articles stored therein and hinged lids for maintaining the stored items securely in position.

Abstract: A built-in self-test (BIST) method and apparatus for digital integrated circuits (ICs) and for systems including multiple ICs, measures signal propagation delays in combinational and sequential logic, set-up and hold times, and tri-state enable/disable times, from any circuit node to any other circuit node including pin-to-pin and from one IC to another. The IC under test is provided with two test bus conductors passing near every circuit node of interest and connected thereto by switches or buffers. During test, an oscillator is created including the test bus, a constant delay, counters, and a delay path of interest or a reference path. The delay path of interest may include e.g. an analog filter. The oscillation period of the oscillator when the reference path is selected is subtracted from the oscillation period when the oscillator includes a delay path of interest. A circuit automatically accommodates inverting and non-inverting paths.

Abstract: A collagen forceps includes two elongate members coupled at a proximal live hinge. Each elongate member is provided with a knurled finger pad ergonomically contoured to stably receive a finger or thumb of a physician, and a manipulation tip having an interior collagen rod gripping surface. The gripping surfaces each include an angulated or curved surface provided with ridges and shaped to engage the collagen rod axially with the elongate members. Preferably each manipulation tip is also provided with a silicon boot. In addition, the instrument is also provided with a projection having a dilation/insertion tip. The collagen forceps of the invention enables a more controlled implantation of collagen rods through the punctal opening and into the naso-lacrimal duct. The contoured finger pads provide a physician with a more comfortable and more controllable instrument.

Abstract: An aerosol spray can or bottle is described incorporating a dispensing valve for blending a liquid product contained within a compressible compliant inner container that is suspended within an outer vessel whose interior is pressurized with air or other suitable gas. In each of the embodiments described, the structure for suspending the compliant container for the product includes a socket in which a valve body member and first and second seals are contained. A push-button having a spray nozzle is affixed to a spring-biased plunger and when the push-button is not being depressed, the first seal member precludes flow of the pressurizing gas to a mixing chamber and second seal member blocks the flow of the liquid product into the mixing chamber. Depression of the push-button operates to displace the first and second valves permitting a portion of the pressurizing gas to mix with the product to be dispensed in the mixing chamber before exiting the spray nozzle.

Abstract: A lateral-emitter field emission device has a thin-film emitter cathode 50 which has thickness of not more than several hundred angstroms and has an edge or tip 110 having a small radius of curvature. To form a novel display cell structure, a cathodoluminescent phosphor anode 60 is positioned below the plane of the thin-film lateral-emitter cathode 50, allowing a large portion of the phosphor anode's top surface to emit light in the desired direction. An anode contact layer contacts the phosphor anode 60 from below to form a buried anode contact 90 which does not interfere with light emission. The anode phosphor is precisely spaced apart from the cathode edge or tip and receives electrons emitted by field emission from the edge or tip of the lateral-emitter cathode, when a small bias voltage is applied. The device may be configured as a diode, triode, or tetrode, etc.

Abstract: In a system for planning, visualizing, tracking and analyzing physical objects such as merchandise in a retail space, a transponder is attached to each object and the transponders are interrogated periodically by a transmitter. Receivers receive the transponder signals and direct the received signals to a location processor which determines the location of each object. The locations of the objects can be displayed in various formats on a two or three dimensional map of the space. When objects are moved, they are interrogated more frequently so that traffic patterns in the space can be displayed.

Abstract: A rotational indexing base curve deposition array for assembling contact lens base curves and front curves with a prescribed and programmable angular orientation to produce a contact lens having a selected axis placement therein, such as a toric axis for a toric contact lens. An array of front curve molds are arranged in a support pallet with a dosed amount of monomer mixture deposited into each of the front curve molds. An array of deposition tubes, positioned in a support plate and coupled to a vacuum source, is used to pick up and support an array of base curve molds. Each of the deposition tubes is then angularly rotated in to the support plate to a selected angularly indexed position therein. A common angular rotational drive is coupled to each of the deposition tubes in the array to angular index each of the deposition tubes to a precise angular position in the support plate.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for curing a polymerizable monomer or monomer mixture to form a soft contact lens includes a transport device for transporting a plurality of contact lens molds to a precure station in a low oxygen environment, each contact lens mold including a first and second mold half with a polymerizable monomer or monomer mixture therebetween. A clamping member clamps a first contact lens mold half against a second contact lens mold half for a predetermined pressure and time. While the mold halves of the contact lens mold are clamped, the polymerizable monomer or monomer mixture is exposed to a radiant energy source for partially polymerizing the polymerizable monomer or monomer mixture contained in each contact lens mold.

Abstract: Shaped hydrogel articles such as soft contact lenses are prepared by the steps of:(1) molding or casting a polymerization mixture comprising:(a) a monomer mixture comprising a major proportion of one or more hydrophilic monomers such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and one or more cross-linking monomers; and(b) an inert, displaceable diluent selected from the group consisting of:(i) ethoxylated alkyl glucoside;(ii) ethoxylated bisphenol A;(iii) polyethylene glycol;(iv) mixture of propoxylated and ethoxylated alkyl glucoside;(v) single phase mixture of ethoxylated or propoxylated alkyl glucoside and C.sub.2-12 dihydric alcohol;(vi) adduct of .epsilon.-caprolactone and C.sub.2-6 alkanediols and triols;(vii) ethoxylated C.sub.3-6 alkanetriol; and(viii) mixtures of one or more of (i) through (vii),under conditions to polymerize said monomer mixture to produce a shaped gel of a copolymer of said monomers and said diluent; and(2) thereafter replacing said diluent with water.

Abstract: A method of double-sided printing, in effect, on opposite or both surfaces of a layer on a multi-layered foil laminate. Moreover, also disclosed is the provision of a novel multi-layered foil laminate having at least one layer, preferably an exterior layer which is constituted of a plastic film material, and which is provided with printing on both surfaces of the layer. In essence, the inventive method of double-sided printing includes initially printing on a first side of an outer layer of a plastic film material, preferably such as polyester, wherein the printing is imparted to the side or surface of the plastic film material facing towards an underlying metallic foil to which it is to be adhered.

Abstract: A computer operated man assisted motion generation system for use with a camera in cinematography. The system responds to the measured or sensed position of a camera support such as a crane or dolly, and determines the desired camera pan, tilt, roll, focus, zoom, etc. based on predetermined correspondence between camera location and camera parameters, and generate movement of the camera and camera control accordingly.

Abstract: The lighter body comprises a lighter socket, a masking socket, surrounding the lighter socket and an illuminant ring surrounding the masking socket. The ring has at least one attachment lug of a fixed wall and bears a lighting source. An attachment structure also acts between the ring and the masking socket.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for removing and transporting articles from molds. More specifically, the present invention pertains to such an apparatus and method which is particularly well suited for removing the articles from a molding machine having molds in which they are molded, and thereafter carrying the articles within a very short period of time away from the molds and depositing the articles for further processing in a high speed, automated production system.

Abstract: In a process for the manufacture of contact lenses, a polymerizable contact lens material is dispensed into a mould half (1) and the mould is subsequently closed by means of the second mould half (2). The material located between the two mould halves in the moulding cavity (12) is then polymerized, thus forming an as yet unhydrated contact lens (CL). The moulding surface of one of the two mould halves (1, 2) is pre-treated, before use, in a region (20) outside the optically active zone of the contact lens (CL) in such a manner that, when the mould is opened, the contact lens (CL) adheres to the pre-treated mould half.

Abstract: A golf swing training device is described which provides visual and audible indicators to guide the golfer's visual focus thereby enhancing hand-eye coordination and providing audible feedback as the accuracy of the golf swing. This invention solves the outside-in and inside-out golf swing training problem with device and method which lightweight, easy to set up, adjustable, durable, that is capable of withstanding a direct club hit and requires no attachment to the golfer. This invention operates on the principle of training the golfer's eyes to focus on the intended swing path rather than merely providing a golf stance trainer.

Abstract: A catenary conveyor belt support is provided in a conveyor system for automated bulk processing equipment. The conveyor belt launches bulk articles along a trajectory from one end to a processing station. The upper surface of the conveyor belt at one end thereof is angled with respect to a horizontal plane and determines the launch angle of the trajectory along which the articles travel. The support holds constant the catenary shape of the belt and, thus, the launch angle of the trajectory regardless of the load thereon.