Abstract: An automated feeding apparatus for animals comprises an inlet hopper having a discharge outlet provided with a feeder actuable in accordance with a predetermined feeding regime, the discharge outlet being of variable size. The discharge outlet is adjustable in length and depth to enable variation of volumetric flow therethrough.

Abstract: A cat litter box cleaning system designed to sieve waste clumps from cat litter is provided. The cat litter box cleaning system has multiple layers thereby providing multiple cleaning operations. The layers may consist of a sieving layer and a liner. The liner shields the sieving layer from the cat's claws and the sieving layer is used to remove the waste from the litter. Each sieving layer and liner releasably cooperates with layer securing fixtures. The layer securing fixtures releasably attach the layers to a base and prevent the cat from dislodging the sieves or liners. Access ports may be provided for removing the layers from the layer securing fixtures without having to come into contact with the cat litter. A method is provided where at least two cat litter box cleaning systems are utilized to ensure that fresh cat litter always forms the basis of the litter used.

Abstract: A detecting arrangement is provided for a teat cleaning device including a teat cleaning cup in which teats of milking animals are contained during cleaning thereof. The detecting arrangement comprises a measuring device provided for automatically measuring a teat related parameter in or adjacent to the teat cleaning cup at completion of a teat cleaning process, and a processing device operatively connected to the measuring device and provided for automatically comparing the measured teat related parameter with a reference value and for automatically determining whether the teat of the milking animal has been contained in the teat cleaning cup unfolded during the teat cleaning process based on the comparison.

Abstract: A combined greenhouse has a foundation bed, an outer wall assembly, a temperature control assembly, a roof and a plant bed. The foundation bed has multiple stands and a reinforcing device. The outer wall assembly is mounted on the foundation bed and has four walls and an outer frame. Each wall has a base frame and a transparent device. The outer frame is mounted outside the wall that is mounted on the front stand of the foundation bed. The temperature control assembly is mounted in the foundation bed and has a ventilating device, a water-wall device and an air-sucking device. The roof is mounted on the outer wall assembly and has multiple roof mounts. The plant bed is mounted on the reinforcing device and each has two end frames, at least one linking frame, a baseboard, a plant net and multiple resisting boards.

Abstract: A rotary parlour for milking of animals includes a rotary platform unit and storing devices connected to the platform unit and adapted to hold a number of teat cups in predetermined parking positions. The storing devices are supported by a supporting mechanism comprising an elevating part adapted to move the storing device between an operating position in which the storing device holds at least a part of the parked teat cups at a higher level than the lowest level of the upper surface of the platform unit and a non-operative position in which both the storing device and the parked teat cups are located at a lower level than the lowest level of the upper surface of the platform unit.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system for killing pests in an affected area includes a burner for heating a fluid. Heat exchanger units are placed within associated regions of the affected area. Each heat exchanger unit receives the fluid from the burner and emits heated air by transferring heat from the fluid to ambient air within the affected area. Air movers are positioned to circulate the heated air emitted by the heat exchanger units and prevent stratification of the heated air. A temperature difference between the fluid received by the heat exchanger units and the ambient air within the affected area results the affected area being raised to a target temperature greater than 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an improved ant trap. The ant trap includes a base having a central opening and the opening is suitable for storing liquid. A bait trap is located centrally within the central opening to maximize the number of ants in the central opening at any point in time. The ant trap, in an exemplary embodiment, includes an electromechanically operated platform, which is movable with respect to the central opening. In a first position the platform forms an ant path from the base to the bait trap. In a second position the platform is moved into the central opening. The central opening is filed with a liquid toxic to ants, but safe to mammals and the environment, generally. For example, a solution of sweet boric acid and water is used to fill the central opening. Upon moving, the platform is immersed in the liquid, thereby exterminating ants found thereon.

Abstract: A bird-operated interactive bird feeder is provided. The interactive bird feeder attracts birds and dispenses a substantially predetermined amount of bird feed (e.g. bird seed) when a bird operates a tool. Bird feed is held in storage in a feed hopper (i.e. housing) above a stage. An aperture is provided in the bottom of the housing large enough for the enclosed feed to flow freely from the housing to the stage. However, the aperture is equipped with the tool that causes the feed to bridge. When a bird operates the tool, the tool disrupts the bridged feed causing feed flow for a period of time, and then rebuilds the feed bridge when the bird ceases operation of the tool. Avid bird watchers can therefore enjoy watching birds for extended periods of time since the birds encounter larger amounts of feed at the stage.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a weighted lariat that improves ropers' chances of catching animals by the head, horns, or feet, particularly in competitive roping events. Weight is added to the tip of the loop by covering a portion of the loop with shrink-wrap tubing. Additionally, an adhesive lining may be applied to allow for a weighted embodiment of minimum thickness thus and maximum flexibility. Additionally, elongated, malleable metal wires of variable length can be laid in the groove between the strands of the lariat thereby adding still more weight.

Abstract: The self-cleaning animal brush apparatus provides a one-piece flexible frame with flex hinge whereby straightening a user's hand causes the bristles to extend outwardly from the frame bottom. Cupping a user's hand causes the bristles to retract, automatically removing hair and debris from the bristles. A plurality of straps removably holds the apparatus to a user's hand.

Abstract: The feline exercise apparatus removably hooks over a door and provides a pair of vertically hung carpet like sections for a cat to climb and scratch. The bottom section removably affixes to the top section. Either section can be rolled and hooked to itself to form a cylindrical tunnel, whether hung from the door or detached. A pair of hanging members are also optionally attached.

Abstract: A squirrel-proof bird feeder and feed level control device is described. The bird feeder includes a vertically disposed inner housing member which is positioned within a vertically disposed outer housing member with each of the housing members including a plurality of vertically spaced-apart housing segments. The spacing of the housing segments divide feed openings therebetween. A combination feed level control and feed port device is positioned between each of the housing segments of the inner housing member so that feed ports are provided therebetween. The outer housing member has a plurality of feed openings formed therein which register with the feed ports of the combination devices when the outer housing member is in its first position. If a squirrel should move onto the outer housing member, the outer housing member moves downwardly with respect to the inner housing member so that the feed openings in the outer housing member do not register with the feed ports of the combination devices.

Abstract: An implantable infusion pump possesses operational functionality that is, at least in part, controlled by software operating in two processor ICs which are configured to perform some different and some duplicate functions. The pump exchanges messages with an external device via telemetry. Each processor controls a different part of the drug infusion mechanism such that both processors must agree on the appropriateness of drug delivery for infusion to occur. Delivery accumulators are incremented and decremented with delivery requests and with deliveries made. When accumulated amounts reach or exceed, quantized deliverable amounts, infusion is made to occur. The accumulators are capable of being incremented by two or more independent types of delivery requests. Operational modes of the infusion device are changed automatically in view of various system errors that are trapped, various system alarm conditions that are detected, and when excess periods of time lapse between pump and external device interactions.

Abstract: I.V. catheter assembly was a catheter with a distal needle for insertion into a blood vessel a portion of the catheter. An adapter with a self-sealing or self-closing plug is connected to the catheter, proximally of the distal needle. A proximal needle that can couple to the distal needle is in a guard tube on the other side of the plug. In use the proximal needle is pushed through the plug and into coupling engagement with the distal needle so the distal needle can be inserted into a blood vessel. The coupled needles are then withdrawn and shielded in the guard tube. The guard tube is then disconnected from the adapter and the adapter can be used to discharge blood from, or supply fluid to the blood vessel.

Abstract: A safety syringe device includes a tube mounted to the first end of the barrel and the needle extends through the tube. A sleeve is slidably mounted to the first end of the barrel and encloses the tube therein. A metal cover is pivotably connected to an edge of the first end of the sleeve and biased to contact the needle assembly when the sleeve is not yet pulled to its operation position. The metal cover is pivoted to seal the first end of the sleeve when the sleeve is pulled to its operation after the syringe process is completed. The needle is bent by the metal cover when pushing the sleeve back toward the barrel.

Abstract: A hypodermic syringe barrel and needle cannula assembly is provided that is capable of being dry heat sterilized at temperatures of greater than about 250° C. and up to about 350° C. in which the assembly includes a syringe barrel, a needle cannula and a bonding material, where the bonding material is stable above about 250° C., cures to provide a transparent bond, and affixes the needle cannula into the syringe barrel to provide the assembly with a post-sterilization needle pullout strength of at least about 30 newtons.

Abstract: A safety syringe employs a mechanical logic arrangement to control the movement of a spring-biased protective shield that covers the needle except during an injection, and which limits the number of injection cycles. The mechanical logic arrangement can include a series of parallel gated tracks, and a track follower pin disposed on the slide portion of the protective shield. There are one-way gates and redirection gates, which can be formed as flaps with a radial hinge in respect to the barrel axis. An alternative arrangement can employ a rotary cam. The number of injection cycles can be two or more, and the penetration depth for a given injection cycle can be controlled.

Abstract: A pre-filled syringe having an elastic-sliding valve to produce a hermetic closure inside a pre-filled syringe which keeps the liquid content to be injected totally isolated, in order to prohibit the liquid from coming in contact with the needle or the external air.

Abstract: The present invention provides an iontophoresis device allowing effective and continuous absorption for a long period. The iontophoresis device comprises the first electrode structure (100a) and the second electrode structure (110a) each having a hydrophilic conductive layer (102a, 112a) containing active ingredient and an electrode member (101a, 111a), and a power supply (120a) having polarity inverting means for switching over a current direction between the two electrode structures, wherein at least one of the first and the second electrode structures contains chloride ions and before administration, a chloride-ion content (P mg) is within a range satisfying the following equation: 1.0×(I×T×0.022)≦P wherein T represents a polarity inverting time (min) until polarity is inverted after energization in a certain direction and I represents an average current (mA).

Abstract: An electrically-driven dental injector used in orally injecting such an injection liquid as an anesthetic in dental treatment. Electrically-driven dental injectors includes one having a mechanism for disengaging a pinion (82) from a rack (48) in order to retract a plunger rod (44) upon completion of injection; however, it has heretofore been necessary to manually operate the operating part from outside each time. The inventive electrically-driven dental injector is so arranged that the plunger rod can be manually pushed back directly oupon completion of injection without requiring manual operation, and, to this end, the injector comprises a latch mechanism (84) for engaging/disengaging the ring gear (70) of a planetary reduction gear (50) with/from a casing (52), and an operating rod (94) extending through a support member (20) and functionally cooperating with the latch mechanism (84).