Abstract: An ultrasound sensing apparatus suitable for human body scanning, particularly regions which are difficult to scan with larger ultrasound heads. The ultrasound transducers are mounted for rotation in an off-axis configuration. With this configuration, transmission and reception of sound occurs without the sound being normal to the membrane contacting the body. This eliminates reverberation problems and permits viewing of shallow tissue with a relatively small apparatus.

Abstract: An improved needle for use in knitting machines is disclosed herein. The improved needle can operate at higher speeds than prior art needles without undue needle breakage. The needles are of the type which have a hook and latch at one end, a shaft extending from the hook and a needle foot protruding outwardly from the shaft. The foot is adapted to ride in a needle foot guide channel which causes the needle to move in an axial direction. The improved needle has a shoe covering at least a portion of the needle foot. The shoe is fabricated from a material which has a shear modulus of at least one million pounds per square inch and a loss tangent greater than 0.01. The shoe may be fabricated from a metal or a metal-elastomer composite.

Abstract: A reusable connecting device is disclosed which utilizes a heat recoverable metallic band disposed about a resilient member such as the tines of a forked member. Where the resilient member is a forked member, the forked member has at least two tines which are spaced from one another and which are elastically mounted so that they can be moved inwardly but, when so moved, exert an outward force. When it is desired to make a connection between this device and other objects, the object is placed between adjacent tines and the metallic band is caused to shrink thereby forcing the tines towards one another and causing them to contact and hold the object between them. The device is reusable in that when the temperature of the metallic band is lowered to cause the metal to transform to a martensitic state, it may be easily deformed due to a decrease in yield strength. The elastic nature of the tines or other resilient member causes them to push against the band resulting in a deformation of the band.