Abstract: A frequency equalizer is provided. The frequency equalizer includes a coupler including a main segment extending between a first port and a second port and a coupled segment disposed in a coupling relationship with the main segment and extending between a third port and a fourth port. The frequency equalizer further includes a first thermistor electrically coupled in series between the first port and an input line, a second thermistor electrically coupled in series between the second port and an output line, and a first shunt resistor coupled across the third port. The frequency equalizer simultaneously provides frequency equalization and temperature compensation for signals transmitted through the frequency equalizer.

Abstract: Nonwoven fiber webs are produced by spraying one or more aqueous binder formulations containing one or more polymers selected from the group of vinyl ester polymers and (meth)acrylic ester polymers, and in a separate step, spraying one or more aqueous silicone formulations containing one or more polysiloxanes, onto the surface of an airlaid nonwoven.

Abstract: A frequency equalizer is provided. The frequency equalizer includes a coupler including a main segment extending between a first port and a second port and a coupled segment disposed in a coupling relationship with the main segment and extending between a third port and a fourth port. The frequency equalizer further includes a first thermistor electrically coupled in series between the first port and an input line, a second thermistor electrically coupled in series between the second port and an output line, and a first shunt resistor coupled across the third port. The frequency equalizer simultaneously provides frequency equalization and temperature compensation for signals transmitted through the frequency equalizer.

Abstract: Nonwoven fiber webs are produced by spraying one or more aqueous binder formulations containing one or more polymers selected from the group of vinyl ester polymers and (meth)acrylic ester polymers, and in a separate step, spraying one or more aqueous silicone formulations containing one or more polysiloxanes, onto the surface of an airlaid nonwoven.

Abstract: An aqueous composition includes polyvinyl alcohol, an acid having a pKa of at most 4.0, and a dispersion of a polymer in which vinyl acetate units constitute at least 60 wt % of the polymer. The polymer does not contain units of any N-methylol-containing monomer, and at least a portion of the polyvinyl alcohol is present in the form of an emulsion stabilizer for the polymer. The wet strength of a fibrous nonwoven substrate can be increased by applying one or more aqueous compositions that together include polyvinyl alcohol, an acid having a pKa of at most 4.0, and a dispersion of a polymer as described above, followed by a final drying step. A fibrous nonwoven article can be prepared in this way.

Abstract: A pipe cutting tool with a tubular housing having cylindrical inner and outer surfaces is provided. The housing includes first and second ends and a cylindrical opening extending from the first end towards the second end. A plurality of openings extend through the first end between the inner and outer surfaces. Blade mounting supports are defined between the openings. A plurality of L-shaped cutting blades are provided having a first leg to be disposed in the blade mounting support and a second leg projecting radially inward from the first leg at one end of the first leg. Inwardly facing edges of the legs of the blade are cutting edges for trimming the plastic pipe. The blade is dimensioned so that the cutting edge of the first leg will project slightly into the interior of the housing when the blade is mounted in the blade mounting support.

Abstract: An aqueous composition includes polyvinyl alcohol, an acid having a pKa of at most 4.0, and a dispersion of a polymer in which vinyl acetate units constitute at least 60 wt % of the polymer. The polymer does not contain units of any N-methylol-containing monomer, and at least a portion of the polyvinyl alcohol is present in the form of an emulsion stabilizer for the polymer. The wet strength of a fibrous nonwoven substrate can be increased by applying one or more aqueous compositions that together include polyvinyl alcohol, an acid having a pKa of at most 4.0, and a dispersion of a polymer as described above, followed by a final drying step. A fibrous nonwoven article can be prepared in this way.

Abstract: An aqueous composition includes a blend of: a) an aqueous dispersion of a vinyl acetate ethylene or vinyl acetate polymer, stabilized by polyvinyl alcohol and optionally also by a surfactant, wherein the polymer does not include units of any N-methylol-containing monomer; and b) an aqueous dispersion of an N-methylol-containing vinyl acetate ethylene or vinyl acetate polymer, stabilized with a surfactant, polyvinyl alcohol or a combination thereof. A method of increasing the wet strength of a fibrous nonwoven substrate includes applying to the substrate the abovementioned aqueous composition, followed by a drying step. A fibrous nonwoven article is produced.

Abstract: A low-formaldehyde binder composition for increasing wet and dry tensile strength of a nonwoven substrate includes: a) an aqueous vinyl acetate ethylene copolymer dispersion employing a nonionic, cationic or amphoteric dispersion stabilizer, b) chitosan, and c) one or more surfactants not including the dispersion stabilizer. The binder composition has a free formaldehyde content no greater than 10 ppm, at least 90 wt % of the one or more surfactants are nonionic, cationic, amphoteric or a combination of these, and the copolymer in the dispersion is free of formaldehyde-generating moieties.

Abstract: This invention provides a tool for presenting items for selection by a user of a data processing system and for executing the selected items. Each item of the menus and dialogues is an individual and independent object in an object database, referred to as an interface object. These objects can be added or deleted independent of each other, allowing greater extendability and customization of the interface. The data within each of the interface objects and the selections from a user determine which of the interface objects will make up any one of several logical frame presentations at any one time to be presented to a user. The interface tool of this invention is adaptable for use with any one of a plurality of graphic libraries for presenting the actual screen image of the logical frame presentation to the user. In addition, the interface tool utilizes the message facilities of the system to present the elements of the interface in multiple languages.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an improvement in binders particularly suited for use in preparing nonwoven products and to the nonwoven products. The improved binders comprise a blend of a vinyl chloride (VCl) polymer emulsion and a self crosslinkable vinyl acetate-ethylene-N-methylolacrylamide (VAE-NMA) polymer emulsion. The blend of the VCl polymer emulsion and the VAE-NMA polymer emulsion can be applied to cellulose and cellulose/synthetic nonwoven substrates and cured in the absence of an acid catalyst to provide a self-sustaining web having excellent wet strength performance.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an improvement in binders particularly suited for use in preparing nonwoven products and to the nonwoven products. The improved binders comprise a blend of emulsion polymerized ethylene-vinyl chloride (EVCl) polymer and an emulsion polymerized self crosslinkable vinyl acetate-ethylene-N-methylolacrylamide (VAE-NMA) polymer. The blends of the EVCl polymer emulsion and the VAE-NMA polymer emulsion can be applied to cellulose and cellulose/synthetic nonwoven substrates and cured in the absence of an acid catalyst to provide a self-sustaining web having excellent wet strength performance. The blends of EVCl and VAE-NMA polymers do not require an acid catalyst to facilitate cure.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention includes a protective sleeve for garment apparel. The protective sleeve includes an inside material having an arm surface coupled to an inside wall and an outside material having a sterile surface coupled to an outside wall. The inside wall and the outside wall are coupled together to form an interior. Moreover, a fluid is placed within this interior.

Abstract: Protected, functionalized heterotelechelic polymers, hydrogenated and/or deprotected analogues thereof, and processes to prepare these polymers. Monomers are polymerized using a protected functionalized initiator to form a living polymer, and the living polymer is reacted with an electrophile to form heterotelechelic polymers.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of hydrocarbon solutions of monofunctional ether initiators of the following general structure: M—Qn—Z—O—[A(R1R2R3)] wherein M is an alkali metal selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium and potassium; Q is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbyl group derived by incorporation of a compound selected from the group consisting of conjugated diene hydrocarbons, alkenylsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbons, and mixtures thereof into the M—Z linkage; Z is a branched or straight chain hydrocarbon group which contains 3-25 carbon atoms, optionally containing aryl or substituted aryl groups; A is an element selected from carbon and silicon; R1, R2, and R3 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, substituted alkyl groups containing lower alkyl, lower alkylthio, and lower dialkylamino groups, aryl or substituted aryl groups containing lower alkyl, lower alkylthio, and lower dialkylamino groups, and n is an integer from 1 to 5, monof

Abstract: Protected, functionalized heterotelechelic polymers, hydrogenated and/or deprotected analogues thereof, and processes to prepare these polymers. Monomers are polymerized using a protected functionalized initiator to form a living polymer, and the living polymer is reacted with an electrophile to form heterotelechelic polymers.

Abstract: Protected, functionalized telechelic polymers, hydrogenated and/or deprotected analogues thereof, and processes to prepare these polymers are disclosed. In the invention, a lithium initiator is added to a compound having at least two independently polymerizable vinyl groups to form a dilithium initiator. Monomer is then added to grow or polymerize polymer arms having living ends and the living ends functionalized.

Abstract: Protected, functionalized heterotelechelic polymers, hydrogenated and/or deprotected analogues thereof, and processes to prepare these polymers. Monomers are polymerized using a protected functionalized initiator to form a living polymer, and the living polymer is reacted with an electrophile to form heterotelechelic polymers.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of hydrocarbon solutions of monofunctional ether initiators of the following general structure:M--Q.sub.n --Z--OA(R.sup.1 R.sup.2 R.sup.3)wherein M is defined as an alkali metal, selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium and potassium, Q is an aromatic substituted saturated hydrocarbyl group produced by the incorporation of one or more alkenyl substituted aromatic hydrocarbons containing 8-25 carbon atoms into the M--Z linkage; Z is a branched or straight chain hydrocarbon group which contains 3-25 carbon atoms, optionally containing aryl or substituted aryl groups; A is an element selected from carbon and silicon; R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the availability of a workstation in a distributed network. Availability is determined using an Availability Measurement System having a Downtime unit, an Availability Disable unit, and a Calculation unit. During the initialization of the workstation, a heartbeat monitor daemon is created to store, at predetermined time intervals, timestamps of the network. Once the workstation becomes unavailable, the recording of the timestamps ceases, thus, allowing an accurate representation of when the workstation became unavailable. Upon the return of the workstation to the status of available, the Downtime unit reads the current time of the network and the stored timestamp to calculate the duration of the unavailability of the workstation. The duration is then stored for later calculation of availability of the workstation for a defined interval of time using the Calculation unit.