Abstract: The invention provides an improved game playing card holder made from monocoque construction providing a plurality of card compartments using raised fins through linear slits in the frame. The fins protrude vertically from the card holding surface provides a separation boundary between card types as required by individual game requirements. The rear support of the card compartment is a common wall providing a uniform presentation of the decks to the dealer. The supporting top surface is raised at an approximate 20 degree angle from the base, with the front card edge of each deck protruding beyond the front support of the card base, allowing ease of access to the cards to create improved card handling and dealing characteristics of the holder. The metallic structure allows application of electrostatic powder coat finishes providing long durability with enhanced appearance.

Abstract: A fishing lure consists of a hook and at least one bladed member having an aperture for slidably mounting the bladed member along the shank of the hook. The bladed member enables an oscillating-type swimming motion of the lure when the lure is retrieved by an angler. The shank comprises a generally acute-angle bend located substantially away from both the eyelet and the hook point, such that the inner edge of the aperture of the bladed member is hydrodynamically confined within the acute-angle bend during retrieval of the lure, thus preventing the oscillating movement of the bladed member from interfering with an adjacent lure component. Alternatively, a permanent or removable spacer member can be used to constrain the bladed member along a predetermined section of the hook shank. The resulting oscillating movement of the bladed member creates a unique and more lifelike swimming motion of the lure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a stepped end on a tube of flexible material includes a tube slitting station having a slitting tool with double edge slitting to provide respective slits beside a first panel and beside a second panel, respectively; a first trimming station trimming a first panel of the tube to a first shortened length, a second trimming station trimming the side gussets to a second length, wherein the second length is longer than the first shortened length; and an adhesive applying station applying adhesive on the tube above and below a fold line across the tube, wherein the tube is adapted to be folded along the fold line, and the adhesive material is adapted to form an adhesive to adhesive seal above and below the fold line.

Abstract: A fishing lure comprises a spinning blade that rhythmically changes its direction of rotation. One or more unique link members limit the cyclical amount of blade rotation in either direction. As the wound up link members pause the rotation of the blade, a hydrodynamic force still trying to turn the blade causes the lure body to undergo a slight twist motion. The wound up link members then begin to unravel from a remaining hydrodynamic force still incident on the moving lure. This is sufficient to start the blade spinning in the opposite direction until it is again rotatably limited by the link members and again imparts a twitch motion on the lure body. This cycle continues to repeat indefinitely as the lure moves at a generally constant speed. The cyclically rhythmic alternating blade rotations and the corresponding body twitch motions create lure behavior that better mimics real life prey.

Abstract: A closure device including a closure assembly for closing the flaps of a box. The closure assembly includes a T-shaped structure having a first horizontal surface upon which a box can move during a closure process and a guide positioned on each side of the T-shaped structure, each guide being angled relative to the T-shaped structure and adapted to close the major flaps of the box as the box is moved proximally across the T-shaped structure. The horizontal portion can be positioned vertically higher than a support surface to allow a portion of the box to move therebetween. The closure device can further include a minor flap closure device for closing the minor flaps of the box prior to closing the major flaps of the box. The closure device can also include a sealing device, such as a taping head, for sealing the box closed.

Abstract: A fishing lure consists of a body member and a flexible tail member. The tail member has a leading edge and a trailing edge, both extending from the body member and terminating at a common bend apex of the tail member. A wing feature is located adjacent to the common bend apex and is positioned between the leading edge and trailing edge. The wing feature is generally oriented such that the leading face of the wing feature is angled forward, or into the direction of oncoming water flow around the moving lure. The predetermined relative geometry of the tail member and wing feature enables a significant oscillating motion of the tail member while simultaneously and uniquely providing a means for the lure to swim either generally deeper or shallower, depending on an angler-chosen mounting orientation of the lure onto a pre-existing weighted hook.

Abstract: A system for preparing food product minimizes bacterial contamination and outgrowth within the packaged food product, includes a powered slicer to sequentially separate slices of food product to create a stack of food product slices. The system also includes a first spray nozzle for depositing a first predetermined amount of the antimicrobial preparation onto the first face of the log or other food product piece each time a slice is removed as well as a a second spray nozzle for depositing a second predetermined amount of the antimicrobial preparation into a vacuum pouch prior to reception of a stack within the pouch. In an embodiment, the spray system is implemented with respect to a mixer/blender to pretreat a mix prior to further processing.

Abstract: The medicament dispensing machine enables to use vials having various sizes and shapes without changing a part in the machine or without performing a special operation. The medicament dispensing machine contains a discharging unit that receives a vial filled with a medicament from a medicament filling means and discharges out of a vial discharging window. The discharging unit contains a vial gripping means having a pair of gripping arms that grip a vial, a body of gripping means having the vial gripping means, a moving means that moves the vial gripping means from the medicament filling means to the vial discharging window, and an orientation changing mechanism that changes the orientation of the body of gripping means. With a coordination of the movement of the body of gripping means toward the vial discharging window, the orientation changing mechanism makes the gripping arms orient to the vial discharging window.

Abstract: A form-fill-seal machine includes a vertical sealing mechanism, a first film detection sensor, and a controller. The vertical sealing mechanism has a horn, an anvil, and an ultrasonic transmitter. The vertical sealing mechanism sandwiches a cylindrical film conveyed by a pull-down belt mechanism, by the horn and the anvil, and seals the cylindrical film by applying ultrasonic vibrations to the cylindrical film. The first film detection sensor detects whether the cylindrical film is sandwiched by the horn and the anvil. The controller stops the ultrasonic transmitter in a circumstance in which the first film detection sensor detects that the cylindrical film is not sandwiched by the horn and the anvil.

Abstract: An improved cover for a pre-existing jig-type fishing lure comprises an elastomeric membrane which conceals a greater amount of the hard, weighted head of a pre-existing jig-type lure, as compared to prior art. One or more flap elements, a thin portion of the membrane located generally opposite a mount-enabling first aperture, a second aperture located generally opposite the mount-enabling first aperture, or a combination thereof, enables the improved cover to conceal more of the weighted head. The cover can be attached to or removed from the weighted head without having to break the line of an already-tied jig-type lure. The cover also enables fluttering fish attracting elements and the generation of acoustic stimuli while the lure itself remains stationary. The elastomeric membrane can further comprise a generally concave or flat surface to enable a pre-existing jig-type lure to exhibit an oscillating-type motion when retrieved.

Abstract: A line guiding spinner lure is comprised of a line guide coupled to a wire form member frame, with at least one hook and spinner attached. The line guide optimally routes the fishing line from the line attachment means of a first spinner lure to a second trailing lure, eliminating line entanglement during casting and preventing spinner interference during retrieval of a multi-lure rig. The line guide can be a separately attached part, or it can be formed from a section of the wire form member itself. The line guide can be made from a metallic, elastomeric, or plastic material. The line guide feature provides a means for an angler to easily rig a trailing lure at a desired distance behind a line guiding spinner lure, significantly increasing the probability for both attracting and catching multiple fish on a single cast.

Abstract: A bag machine, and method of making bags, has a sealing station a perforating station, and a downstream seal and perforation inspection station, or a perforation detection station and/or a seal inspection station is disclosed. Control of the perforating and sealing stations is preferably closed loop. The seal and perforation inspection station preferably includes a perforation detector that triggers a vision system and/or a camera, and the film is illuminated. Preferably, the inspection station is enclosed in an opaque housing, or the ambient light is otherwise blocked. The seal and perforation inspection station preferably provides an image output a display visible to a user. The vision system preferably includes a perforation location module and/or determines the distance between the seal and perforation. A downstream processing station can be provided, and can have a detected fault input, connected to a fault detect output from the seal and perforation inspection station.

Abstract: A stackable shipping unit includes a plurality of individual components that may be partially assembled, then packed with items to be shipped. The shipping unit can then be fully assembled, and placed on a pallet. The shipping system may include trays that can be used as either a base or a lid. The unit includes vertical components that are generally U-shaped in plan view, and sized to fit closely within the trays in pairs to form a “H” shape in plan view forming a pair of shipping spaces. Additional U-shaped vertical components can then be assembled to close off the shipping spaces, and a tray can be used as a lid and positioned on top of the vertical components to form an assembled shipping unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for filling a container with solid particles, the device having annular ducts for passing particles, which ducts are defined by a plurality of vertical nozzles arranged coaxially relative to one another, and a diaphragm arranged upstream from the annular ducts for regulating the flow rate of particles in the annular ducts, the diaphragm has a plurality of shutter flaps for shutting off the annular ducts, each flap shutting off an angular sector of a single annular duct and the diaphragm having control means for controlling movement of the shutter flaps that are configured to be capable of partially shutting off any one of duct independently of the other ducts. The invention also relates to a method of shutting off a filler device.

Abstract: A food tray adapted to be removably located in a predetermined position in a compartment is provided having a tray body and a fixed movable stop member. The tray body includes a first end and a second end, a bottom and a sidewall structure defining a volume. The fixed movable stop member is located at one end of the tray body and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. When the tray is inserted in the compartment in the predetermined position, the fixed movable stop member is in the extended position and restrains further insertion of the tray into the compartment. A method of making a food tray in accordance with the invention is provided. Also provided is a method of storing food within a food tray to be contained in a pass-through compartment.

Abstract: An aim assembly includes a hub movable about a central axis and at least one support operably connected to the hub. At least one arm is operably connected to the at least one support and thereby movable about the central axis in a predetermined path. At least one adjustment mechanism is located at the central axis and is capable of altering the predetermined path during movement of the at least one support about the central axis. A method of operating an arm assembly includes locating at least one hub at a central axis and moving at least one arm about the central axis in a predetermined path. The at least one arm is operably connected to the at least one hub via at least one support. An adjustment mechanism is engaged thereby altering the predetermined path during movement of the at least one arm about the central axis.

Abstract: The apparatus includes an operating unit, which can be a welding unit for welding a closing film to an edge zone of a containing element or a separating unit for separating containing elements from portions of sheet material. The apparatus includes a control unit programmed to enable the operating unit to selectively process a continuous strip of containing elements or discrete groups of containing elements.

Abstract: Methods of stabilizing the molecular weight of polymer stents scaffolds after E-beam sterilization are disclosed. The molecular weight of the polymer of the irradiated scaffolds is stabilized through exposure to gas containing oxygen.

Abstract: A vertical bag-manufacturing and packaging machine includes a feeding unit having an upstream tube portion, an opening/closing mechanism, and a downstream tube portion. The upstream tube portion is configured and arranged to downwardly convey the article. The opening/closing mechanism is disposed on a downstream side of the upstream tube portion with a gap being formed between a downstream end of the upstream tube portion and an upstream end of the opening/closing mechanism, and configured and arranged to selectively open or close to selectively discharge or hold the article discharged by the upstream tube portion. The downstream tube portion is disposed on a downstream side of the opening/closing mechanism, and configured and arranged to downwardly convey the article discharged by the opening/closing mechanism, the downstream tube portion having an internal diameter that is larger than an internal diameter of the upstream tube portion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a packaging machine with a sealing device, whereby a sealing-tool upper part or sealing-tool lower part can be excited to a vibration (S) approximately parallel to a sealing plane (E).