Abstract: A sealing and retaining arrangement for a humidifier with separable top and bottom members and an attaching arrangement for rigidly connecting a ventilator or other respiratory device to the top of the humidifier in a predetermined, fixed position. The sealing and retaining arrangement is designed for use between separable top and bottom members of a humidifier. The top and bottom are made of relatively rigid material and have overlapping or telescoping portions with a flexible, resilient seal extending therebetween. The seal also serves to positively retain the top and bottom together while in use. The attaching arrangement is designed to rigidly connect the ventilator or other respiratory device to the top of the humidifier in a predetermined, fixed position. This is accomplished by rigidly coupling the air outlet of the ventilator directly to the air inlet of the humidifier without any intervening, flexible hose.

Abstract: A hospital bed supported on a wheeled base, and a ventilator supported on a wheeled cart and docked to the base of the bed, the combination of ventilator and bed capable of being rolled as a single unit. The ventilator cart includes a wheeled base, and supports connected to the base for supporting a ventilator, with the supports providing for selective raising and lowering of the ventilator. The hospital bed base is wheeled and has a generally Y-shaped base frame. The outspread arms of the Y-shaped base frame receives the ventilator cart so that the two may be docked together. The ventilator when docked to the hospital bed base falls within the footprint of the bed as projected downwardly onto the floor. A latch secures the ventilator to the bed base. A disabling switch disables the high/low function of the bed preventing the bed from being lowered downwardly onto the ventilator. A power supply mounted to the bed base provides for uninterrupted operation of the ventilator.

Abstract: Gold-free palladium-silver alloys for dentures [dental prostheses] which alloys can be veneered without color changes with dental ceramics and can be easily removed from the mold after the casting contain 45 to 80% by weight palladium, 7 to 50% by weight silver, 0 to 5% by weight gold, 0 to 5% by weight tin, 0 to 5% by weight indium, 0 to 3% by weight zinc, 0 to 2% by weight copper, 0 to 1% by weight ruthenium, iridium and/or rhenium, 0 to 7% by weight gallium, 0 to 5% by weight cobalt and 0 to 3% by weight germanium, whereby of the elements gallium, cobalt and germanium at least two must be present with contents totalling 2 to 9% by weight.

Abstract: A system supplies discrete puffs of gas, containing particles of an active product, to a patient's respiratory tract. A nebulizer containing the particles is in a gas circuit supplying gas to the user. A gas flow control delivers a metered amount of the gas to the nebulizer and to the user in each puff. Breath phases of the patient are sensed for initiating each of the puffs at the correct point in the breath cycle, and for counting the puffs. The sequence of puffs is programmably controlled and the puffs in a predetermined sequence according to a puff sequence program. The puff sequence program includes a maximum number of puffs, times and dates of treatment, etc. A transportable memory storage unit, such as a chip or a magnetic card, is used for transporting the puff sequence program to the controller, which includes a reader/writer to accept the puff sequence program from the memory storage unit, and also for recording the times and amounts actually used by the patient on the memory storage unit.

Abstract: An endotracheal tube holder or positioner is disclosed having a collar member formed from at least two body portions engaged together to form a central orifice extending axially therethrough. The body portions are engaged together by a hinge member and a clasp. Each body portion includes a radially deflective clamping member, the clamping member forming an adjustable clamping orifice designed to accommodate and grip endotracheal tubes of varying diameters.

Abstract: The present invention has application to dedicated multimedia game systems and computer game programs executed by personal computers. A central processing unit (CPU) is coupled to a mass storage device, such as for example, a read-only memory game cartridge, CD-ROM, floppy disk or hard disk drive. The mass storage device stores an application game program which is executed by the CPU and further stores a library of sound data. A sound synthesizer circuit is coupled to the CPU for generating digital audio signals from the sound data stored in said mass storage device. Under program control the CPU selectively provides sound data for a player of the game program to the sound synthesizer circuit. A digital to audio converter (DAC) is coupled to receive the digital audio signals from the sound synthesizer circuit and convert the digital audio signals into analog audio signals.

Abstract: Football holding devices for assisting in place kicking football are disclosed, including a stand and a pivotable arm attached to the top of the stand, in which the pivotable arm can pivot from first position in which it holds the football in its proper place kicking configuration, and a second vertical position.

Abstract: A cigarette holder includes a longitudinal passageway having one end for engaging with a cigarette and having a space formed in the middle portion. A pair of resilient blades are engaged in the space and each has a middle portion for blocking the passageway. The middle portions of the resilient blades are movable by being squeezed away from each other so as to open the passageway when the resilient blades are nibbled or gnawn by the users. A lateral hole is formed in the holder and communicated with the passageway so as to allow fresh air to flow into the passageway via the lateral hole.

Abstract: The present invention apparatus is a golf putting training device for training a golfer to properly putt a golf ball in a training environment. Training apparatus comprises two elongated telescoping guide members each having an outer guide and an inner guide, the guide members are removably affixed to the head portion of the golf putter.

Abstract: A bowling lane construction and method utilizes either a synthetic substructure layer or synthetic bowling lane panels, or both, which are supported upon a compressible foam layer which dampens noise and vibration and also permits leveling from the upper surface utilizing leveling screws. The compressible foam layer comprises a double-backed adhesive foam tape which is used in lieu of fasteners for joining the construction together.

Abstract: A golf club or set of golf clubs include a sole having three surfaces: a positive bounce surface, a trailing sole surface and a crescent surface therebetween. The crescent surface has a generally straight front boundary and a curved rear boundary. Moreover, the crescent surface has a bounce angle such that there is a contact point substantially in the center of the rear boundary of the crescent surface.

Abstract: A subassembly constituted by a body and a cover (2), defines internally gas conduit portions (I.sub.i) delimited by partitions of the body coacting with sealing strips (12) in grooves (11) of the cover (2) and formed and mounted in these grooves by injection molding. The sealing strips (12) are recessed within the grooves (11) and coact with the ends of the partitions of the body extending partially into the grooves (11). For use particularly in anesthetic apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a game board apparatus that encourages the creativity of a player by providing an erasable surface having permanently printed indicia comprising artwork, illustrations, or illustrative text, some of said indicia defining boundaries for spatial regions on said erasable surface on the game board, which spatial regions are substantially lacking in color, and upon which a player may apply color from a coloring implement as the playing of a game progresses.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus for assisting with the ventilation of a ient, which includes a source (10) of pressurized gas, a transmission circuit including a main inhalation conduit (14) connected to a mask (19) worn by the patient (20), and a secondary exhalation conduit (28), a flow regulating valve (16), and an exhalation valve (30), characterized in that the regulating valve (16) includes means (52) for maintaining a residual flowrate under a reduced pressure in the main inhalation conduit (14) during each exhalation phase.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a golf club and method for assembling the same. The golf club shaft is adhered in the hosel bore using a dual epoxy system. The first epoxy system has a low viscosity and is mixed with a weighting material. The mixture is poured into the hosel bore such that it settles to the inner and lower end of the bore. The second epoxy system is applied around the inner wall of the bore at the opening and to the tip of the shaft. This second epoxy system has a sufficiently high viscosity to prevent flow of the first epoxy system outward onto the hosel and/or shaft when the shaft is inserted into the bore.

Abstract: A dispenser provides pulmonary delivery of a powder dose to a subject. The dispenser is adapted to be brought into connection with an actuator which introduces an amount of a gas for dispensing the powder dose. The dispenser includes a chamber for receiving the powder dose and a valve for permitting passage of the powder dose only when the actuator introduces the gas into the dispenser. The powder dose is passed from the dispenser for pulmonary delivery to the subject.

Abstract: A tennis racket includes a one piece integrally molded frame with a handle portion and a pair of beams which extend from the handle portion to the top of the racket. The height and width of each beam varies along the length of the beam. In addition, each beam has a maximum width and height at the bottom of the strung surface proximate the intersection of the beams and a frame cross piece.

Abstract: A cigarette holder having a cigarette receiving member; a connecting member, which is connected to the receiving member, having a hygroscopic filter which may be a carbon bar with water; a mouthpiece member connected to the connecting member; a first valve means between said receiving member and the connecting member for preventing leakage of water from the hygroscopic filter; a second valve means between the connecting member and the mouthpiece member for preventing leakage of water from the hygroscopic filter.

Abstract: An improved bowler's tape tool includes a curved tool portion with an enlarged handle portion. A knife edge is formed at one end of the curved tool portion. The knife edge is smaller than the curved tool in both radial thickness and circumferential extent. The knife edge can be placed behind the tape in a bowler's thumb hole for removal of the tape. The curved tool is utilized to apply new tape within the thumb hole. The handle facilitates easy gripping and movement of the tool to either apply or remove the tape. In other aspects of this invention, the handle portion extends radially outwardly for a greater distance then the curved tool portion. This ensures that the user is able to properly control the curved tool portion and apply the required forces for application or removal of the tape. Further, the curved tool portion is preferably formed with a radius of curvature that is smaller than the radius of curvature of the thumb hole such that the tool can be easily moved within the thumb hole.

Abstract: A vibration reducing device for a sports racket made up of a one-piece flexible elongated block includes at least one elastically compressible viscoelastic material, the block having first and second end faces, a front face and rear face, at least three blind slots distributed along the block. Each of the slots extends substantially perpendicularly to the elongate block from the front face and terminates opposite the front face in a channel passing through the block parallel to the front and rear faces. The channels have cross dimensions adapted to receive a string, the blind slots thus dividing the block into at least two divisions, each division having, in its unconstrained form, a longitudinal dimension greater than the spacing gap between two corresponding parallel strings that enter respectively two channels on either side of the division.