Abstract: A pallet wrapping apparatus for stabilizing a palletized cluster of articles is provided. The pallet wrapping apparatus includes an elongated panel having alternating non-elastic and elastic panels. The elongated panel is mounted by a hook to the pallet and is wrapped about the cluster of articles and secured in place by VELCRO strips. The use of alternating non-elastic and elastic panels enables the pallet wrapping apparatus to closely simulate disposable plastic film wrap while still being able to accommodate article cluster stacks of varying sizes and shapes.

Abstract: A hollow transparent decorated object and a method of decorating a hollow transparent object wherein an elongated cylindrical side wall is simultaneously imprinted with an inner design and an outer design separated by a background substrate. The inner and outer design and the background substrate form a single decal, the background substrate and outer design having aligned openings which in the outer design forms an integral part of the outer design through which a viewer may see the inner design opposite the opening. The method involves applying an inner design and an outer design having an opening between which is positioned a background substrate having an opening aligned with the outer design opening and all forming a single decal.

Abstract: A plaque and method of manufacture including a flat sheet of tinted transparent plastic having a smooth front viewing face and a rear face having a line drawing integrally molded thereto. When viewed through the front face, the line drawing presents to the viewer a glow according to the color of the tinting and an illusion of line drawing relief upon the front face. In a modification, the plaque can be backed by a black reflecting plate, and in another modification the plaque can be edge illuminated by an artificial light source. The plaque is made by CNC machining a grooved engraving on a polished steel plate and placing the engraved plate in an injection molding machine to cause molten plastic to cover the plate and flow into the grooves.

Abstract: An optical table including a top facing sheet with apertures therethrough for supporting components on the top facing sheet, a bottom facing sheet spaced from the top facing sheet, and a panel under the top facing sheet including upstanding ribs defining channels between the ribs on one surface of the panel wherein the ribs support the top facing sheet and the channels are located beneath the apertures in the top facing sheet for capturing spills through the apertures in the top facing sheet.

Abstract: A printed article such as a book structure or assembly comprising a plurality of pages including printing thereon, each of said pages characterized as having a defined cutout region, said pages joined together at a spine such that the cutout region in each page is in alignment with each other cutout region, said figurine attached to said printed article at said spine within said defined cutout region.

Abstract: An imitation tree is made by forming a trunk, roots, branches and leaves by using chiefly stranded wires as a material imitating a natural tree. The stranded wire which is a material may be a composite stranded wire obtained by stranding metal filaments and an optical fiber together, or may be obtained by stranding the same or different kinds of metal filaments selected from iron or an iron alloy, copper or a copper alloy, aluminum or an aluminum alloy and noble metals. The stranded wires are suitably subjected to the annealing or surface treatment such as coloring, plating, lustering, delustering or application of a fluorescent coating material. The stranded wires are bundled together to form a trunk, roots and branches, and the ends thereof are unstranded to form twigs, leaves, buds and blossoms.

Abstract: A trim panel for use in automotive trim applications is made from a laminate of a thermoformable foam layer and an A-side layer made of vinyl or cloth or the like. The laminate is thermoformed to impart permanently the contour of a rigid substrate to which the panel will be attached. The foam layer retains the desired contour without the use of other materials. The A-side material and foam layer may be laminated by an adhesive layer which may be a foam which is flame laminated to the foam layer and A-side layer. The foam layer may be encased by thin layers of polyethylene. Process controls are applied allowing thermoforming of parts to automotive precision.

Abstract: An adhesive camouflage patch is described in which a flexible base sheet is provided with a perimeter defining an irregular configuration. First and second adhesive surfaces are provided on opposed inside and outside surfaces of the base sheet, covered with removable first and second backing sheets. The second adhesive surface may be of a color selected to be visually non-contrasting with an environmental setting of a surface to be camouflaged. The first backing sheet is removable from the first adhesive surface to enable the first adhesive surface to be applied to the surface to be camouflaged. The second removable backing sheet may be removed to expose the second adhesive surface for adhesive attachment of environmental materials selected from the environmental setting of the surface to be camouflaged.

Abstract: A resilient prestressed honeycomb structure comprises a honeycomb core having a plurality of abutting partition walls forming opposed hollow-cell faces defining planar surfaces and a face sheet secured to one of the planar surfaces. The partition walls or the face sheet is air-permeable, and at least one of the hollow-cell faces has been compressively deformed laterally along its planar surface to provide a substantially continuous cushioned face portion. The cushioned face portion is sufficiently resilient to cushion substantially all surfaces of a body in contact therewith. When one of the hollow-cell faces is compressively deformed, the air-permeable partition walls or the air-permeable face sheet allows air to flow therethrough.

Abstract: An artificial flower is provided that comprises a plurality of petals and a core. The process for making the flower is also provided and includes the steps of flattening, tapering, and applying petals. The petals can be flattened by a specialized flattening machine comprised of a top paper roll, a bottom paper roll, a pair of thickness rollers and a rotating means. The petals can be tapered by a specialized tapering machine comprised of a pressure roller and a gum rubber belt.

Abstract: A candle holder specially shaped so as to resemble a TV set. The body portion of the candle holder is preferably made of glass and is relatively opaque except for a screen simulative portion recessed into a front wall thereof which is relatively translucent. The candle holder also may include means for simulating a "rabbit ears" antenna in the form of bent wire mounted in a rear wall and extending upwardly therefrom. A lit candle may be placed on the floor of the candle holder through an upper opening formed by the front wall, rear wall and side walls.

Abstract: A lighted display device includes a sculpted frame formed of thin wire or tubing. The frame outlines a character or an object and has one or more closed portions defined by the wire or tubing enclosing an area or partially enclosing an area. The display further includes a string of lights disposed along selected portions of the frame, and at least one translucent panel disposed in the closed portions or partially-closed portions of the frame.

Abstract: A laminate wrap constructed in accordance with the invention is provided which is formed and shipped in a flat shape, and which may be converted into a rigid L, U or square/rectangular shipping or storage container for the protection of long articles during shipping and storage. The laminate wrap is constructed to allow for ease in formation and handling, but after formation into an L, U or other shaped shipping or storage container, to produce a rigid storage structure or tube.

Abstract: A method for impregnating rock or landscaping material with bio-active and/or colored fluid. To impregnate the rock or landscaping material with bio-active chemical, the rock or landscaping material is heated to dehydrate it, and cooled to an ambient temperature in a dehumidified chamber, and then placed in a pressurizable container which is filled with bio-active chemical. The pressurizable container is placed under pressure for a sufficient time that the bio-active fluid is forced into the interstices of the rock or landscaping material. When the rock or landscaping material is removed from the pressurizable container, it has been impregnated with bio-active chemical and gradually emits the bio-active chemical. The rock or landscaping material may be cleaned using water or a solvent. The bio-active chemical used can be a herbicide, pesticide, plant or insect growth hormones, repellents of cats, dogs, mice, or other pests, or fertilizers.

Abstract: A multi-purpose message board having a mounting panel and a plurality of spaces thereon with a multi-page permanent record unit, and a single sheet temporary record unit mounted in two of said spaces. The message board is formed of a single sheet of material with the spaces in the form of depressions molded in the single sheet, with the permanent record unit being a calendar with the pages wire bound at the top, and with the temporary record unit being a write on/wipe off plate or cork board. The mounting panel of the message board has a perimeter flange with a backboard having one surface mounted on the flange and magnets and eyelets carried on the other surface of the backboard. Containers are attached to the panel at some of the spaces. Containers may have a cup shape for holding articles and may have a frame for holding a note pad.

Abstract: A glittering non-retroreflective sheeting 60 includes an array of cube-corner elements 30 that are arranged in the array such that the sheeting glitters when light is incident thereon. The glitter is in the form of many discrete points of light 68 that tend to blink off and on. The array may be configured such that a dihedral angle .alpha. varies between adjacent cube faces 31 of adjacent cube-corner elements 30 in each groove in one of the groove sets 45, 46, or 47 and such that the base plane 36 are not parallel to each other when the sheeting 60 is laid flat. Preferably, the dihedral angle .alpha. between faces 31 of adjacent cube-corner elements 30 varies in essentially all of the grooves such that the cube-corner elements are randomly tilted throughout the array. The glitter can make the sheeting very useful for aesthetic or decorative applications.

Abstract: A paper type or similar sheet substrate for receiving an image in a printing or reproduction process. The sheet has a number of uniformly distributed holes, providing a paper which is transparent on one side and is capable of being applied to a glass pane. On the outside, the light illuminates the image and limits visibility of the holes; on the inside, the holes let the light through, making the document appear transparent. The transparency effect is advantageously reinforced by the application of a light-absorbing solid black area on the reverse. Depending on the printing or reproduction processed used, the perforated sheet can be associated with an unperforated sheet applied to its reverse side, thereby providing a lining sheet for the perforated sheet.

Abstract: Sets of tessellatable polygonal elements are provided from which a variety of tessellations may be formed for a variety of applications, e.g., to provide coverings and decorations for surfaces such as pedestrian walks, driveways, floors and walls, and to provide patterns for games, puzzles and coloring books. Several different embodiments, applications and tessellations are described. In one embodiment, irregular heptagonal elements are tessellated with substantially regular pentagonal elements. In another embodiment, the elements are heptagonal and square. The tessellations may have straight edges by providing one or more elements of the set of tessellatable elements with a line of symmetry and providing a further tessellatable element or elements which is that part of the element on either side of the line of symmetry. The elements may be colored to provide many variations and decorations.

Abstract: A decorative window assembly including a frame having spaced apart frame elements between which a display space is defined, a first element having a first appearance, and a receptacle and projection defined on each of the frame and first elements cooperating to removably maintain a first element in a first predetermined relationship at a first location on the frame. A second element having a second appearance is also provided, with a receptacle and projection defined on each of the frame and second elements cooperating to removably maintain the second element in a second predetermined relationship at the first location on the frame. The first and second elements can be selectively interchangeably displayed at the first location to selectively change the overall appearance of the decorative window assembly.

Abstract: A furniture foot cover device 10 and its method of manufacture wherein a primary hollow resilient sphere 20 is provided with an opening 23 dimensioned to receive the lower portion 101 of a furniture foot 100. A major component 31 of a secondary hollow resilient sphere 30 is secured to the external 21 or internal 22 periphery of the primary resilient sphere 20 to provide reinforcement thereto.