Abstract: The Invention is a device for preventing snow and ice from sliding off an inclined roof Essentially, it is an L-shaped bracket, the long axis of which is installed parallel to the inclined surface of a slanted roof. The shape and surface features of the device are adapted to retain snow, and ice formed when snow melts and refreezes.

Abstract: A wringer is used to wring liquid from a substantially flat mop pad. The wringer includes a frame configured to hold a bucket at a bucket location and providing first and fourth pivot locations. An imaginary straight line is formed between the first and fourth pivot locations. The wringer also includes a foot pedal member that is configured to be actuated by a user's foot, The foot pedal member is connected to pivot about the first pivot location on the frame, and extends to a second pivot location. The foot pedal member has a foot engaging region located on a first side of the imaginary line. The second pivot location is located on a second side of the imaginary line. The wringer also includes a presser member configured to press a flat mop pad, the presser member being connected to pivot about the fourth pivot location on the frame. The presser member includes a presser pad configured to press liquid from a flat mop pad and being located on the first side of the imaginary line.

Abstract: A smoking-waste receptacle includes a housing and a container for receiving smoking waste and that can be inserted into and removed from the housing. The container includes a removal opening that permits removal of smoking waste deposited in the container and a door movable relative to the removal opening and configured to cover the removal opening when the container is disposed in the housing. The container can include a container body and flow-inhibiting structure disposed within the container body to inhibit smoke from leaving the container body. The container can includes a first wall extending substantially vertically, a first insertion opening in the first wall that allows smoking waste to be inserted into the container, and a first snuff member disposed within the container and adjacent the first insertion opening at a position that permits smoking waste that has been inserted into the first insertion opening to be pushed against the first snuff member.

Abstract: An active foam system for noise and vibration control which employs embedded PVDF layers (12) in a urethane foam pad (13). The system can be used to isolate and/or attenuate vibration. It can also be used to cause a reduction in far-field acoustic pressure and to act as a structurally radiated speaker (130).

Abstract: A fiber reinforced polymer material has improved impact strength and resistance to delamination and perforation when fibers which exhibit martensite phase transformations are incorporated into the composite material. By embedding or "hybridizing" a brittle composite laminate with fibers that exhibit martensite phase transformations, the composite's impact resistance can be improved beyond what is presently possible. During an impact event, high localized stresses are formed at the point of object and laminate contact. By undergoing a stress-induced martensite phase transformation, the fibers which exhibit martensite phase transformations dissipate a large amount of strain energy. The phase transformation enables the fibers to accommodate up to 8% reversible strain and up to 20% ultimate strain. The impact energy is more readily dissipated by the fibers which exhibit martensite phase transformations than by the host composite material or by other hybridizing materials.