Abstract: A method for packaging a liquid filled container including the steps of providing a container, placing a capsule defining the cavity in the container, filling the container with a liquid, and allowing a gaseous exchange between the liquid and the cavity to provide a benefit to one of the capsule and the liquid. The invention also includes a method for providing retrievable payload in a liquid filled container that includes the steps of providing a capsule in a liquid filled container wherein the capsule has a cavity and is associated with the payload. The method further including the step of pressurizing the cavity. The present invention also includes a capsule having a body defining a cavity and an opening communicating with the cavity, a payload disposed in the cavity, sealing means for sealing the cavity which contains gas at a first pressure greater than atmospheric pressure when the cavity is sealed, and vent means for selectively venting the pressurized gas from the cavity.

Abstract: A galvanometer unit comprises a limited-rotation motor, which has axial symmetry of the major motor components including axial placement of the bearings, stator drive coils, and stator back iron with respect to the magnetic center of the rotor, and which employs a cylindrical magnet having significantly uniform properties along its length. The galvanometer employs independently “hard” and “soft” preloaded bearings, which simultaneously minimize axial displacement and account for thermal expansion of the rotor assembly and which improve the overall efficiency of the galvanometer and extend the service life of the bearings.

Abstract: A high precision torque motor, including a partial rotation drive suitable for use in a galvanometer scanner, where the rotor is supported within the stator and housing assembly on all ceramic ball bearings, including inner and outer races and bearing balls. The ceramic ball bearing assemblies and all structural support elements have substantially equal coefficients of expansion through the use of matched expansion, nickel-iron alloy for the rotor shaft, stator, housing and other structural components which contact, locate, and support the inner and outer bearing races. The non-conductive bearings permit exclusion of any grounding conductor strap as between the rotor shaft and the housing.

Abstract: A rotary bearing includes concentric radially spaced-apart inner, intermediate and outer rings whose opposing surfaces define inner and outer ball tracks. An inner array of balls roll along the inner track and an outer array of balls roll along the outer track and a viscous lubricant is present between the rings. When the inner and outer rings are angularly reciprocated relative to one another and that reciprocation is changed, the intermediate ring is moved intermittently in a selected direction about the rotation axis so that the balls recirculate about the axis and redistribute lubricant along the tracks.

Abstract: A bottom for a paper cup is formed by advancing a punch against a paperboard web to push the web against a cutting edge which cuts out a circular cup bottom blank from the web. The punch is kept in a forward state to clamp an outer peripheral portion of the blank immovably against a surface of a sleeve. A reciprocable draw is advanced against a center portion of the blank to push the center portion into a circular opening of the sleeve while maintaining the clamping force, to cause the center portion of the blank to become stretched. The clamping force is then progressively released to permit the outer peripheral portion to enter the opening and become bent to form a lip extending at a substantially right angle. The lip is compressed within a gap formed between the draw and a surface of the opening. Because of the stretching of the blank, pleats formed in the lip are only in the form of micropleats that are flattened in a non-folded over state.

Abstract: A method for filling a liquid filled container includes the steps of providing a container, placing a capsule defining a cavity in the container, filling the container with a liquid, and allowing a gaseous exchange between the liquid and the cavity to provide a benefit to one of the capsule and the liquid. The invention also includes a method for providing a retrievable payload in a liquid filled container that includes the steps of providing a capsule in a liquid filled container wherein the capsule has a cavity and is associated with the payload. The method further includes the step of pressurizing the cavity. The present invention also includes a capsule having a body defining a cavity and an opening communicating with the cavity, a payload disposed in the cavity, sealing means for sealing the cavity which contains gas at a first pressure greater than atmospheric pressure when the cavity is sealed, and vent means for selectively venting the pressurized gas from the cavity.

Abstract: A surgical biopsy instrument for the extraction of at least one tissue sample from a body is disclosed having a piercing needle for penetrating the body. The piercing needle has a piercing tip and a tissue receiving port. A cutting member having a distal sampling segment is used with the piercing needle. The sampling segment has a cutting edge and a bore therein. The sampling segment is breakable from the cutting member. A tissue sample is acquired within the sampling segment of the cutting member after the tissue sample is taken at the tissue receiving port of the piercing needle. The sampling segment is removed from the piercing needle and the sampling segment containing the tissue sample is removed from the cutting member.

Abstract: A surgical biopsy instrument for the extraction of at least one tissue sample from a body is disclosed having a piercing needle for penetrating the body. The piercing needle has a distal piercing tip and an open proximal end and a passageway extending therebetween. The piercing needle has at least one tissue receiving port adjacent to the piercing tip, and the tissue receiving port communicates with the passageway for the reception of a tissue sample therein. A cutting member is removably disposed within the passageway of the piercing needle and the cutting member has a proximal end and a distal sampling segment. The distal sampling segment has a distal cutting edge and a bore extending therein. The distal sampling segment is moveable across the tissue receiving port of the piercing needle for the cutting of a tissue sample and the tissue sample is received within the bore of the distal sampling segment. The distal sampling segment is breakable from the elongated cutting member.

Abstract: A rotary bearing includes concentric radially spaced-apart inner, intermediate and outer rings whose opposing surfaces define inner and outer ball tracks. An inner array of balls roll along the inner track and an outer array of balls roll along the outer track and a viscous lubricant is present between the rings. When the inner and outer rings are angularly reciprocated relative to one another, the intermediate ring is moved intermittently in a selected direction about the rotation axis so that the balls recirculate about the axis and redistribute lubricant along the tracks. In a preferred embodiment, the relative angular excursion of the inner and outer rings is increased periodically beyond a selected maximum angle to effect the advancement of the intermediate ring using the lubricant as a ratcheting mechanism.

Abstract: The average power capability of a solid-state laser is increased by cooling the lasing element to a cryogenic temperature. The laser pump chamber is configured to define a flow path for circulating cryogenic fluid. The cryogenic cooling is achieved for rod, slab, active-mirror or disc amplifier-type lasing elements.

Abstract: A laser flashlight employs a laser emitter disposed within a housing for emitting a coherent light along an optical axis toward the light emitting end of the housing. A power supply selectively applies electricity from a battery pack disposed within the housing to the laser emitter. An optical system disposed within the housing intermediate the laser emitter and the light emitting end of the housing includes a laser element pumped by the laser emitter, a frequency/wavelength converter, and a resonator, to form the coherent light into a laser beam. A beam expander receives the laser beam, disperses the laser beam, and transmits the dispersed laser beam from the light emitting end of the housing into the ambient environment. The dispersion of the laser beam is such that the laser beam is safe for the human eye at the light emitting end of the housing.

Abstract: A bottom for a paper cup is formed by advancing a punch against a paperboard web to push the web against a cutting edge which cuts out a circular cup bottom blank from the web. The punch is kept in a forward state to clamp an outer peripheral portion of the blank immovably against a surface of a sleeve. A reciprocable draw is advanced against a center portion of the blank to push the center portion into a circular opening of the sleeve while maintaining the clamping force, to cause the center portion of the blank to become stretched. The clamping force is then progressively released to permit the outer peripheral portion to enter the opening and become bent to form a lip extending at a substantially right angle. The lip is compressed within a gap formed between the draw and a surface of the opening. Because of the stretching of the blank, pleats formed in the lip are only in the form of micropleats that are flattened in a non-folded over state.

Abstract: A heat insulating paper cup having an improved seal. The cup can include a body member having an inside surface and an outside surface, and a bottom panel member having a upper surface and a bottom surface. The body member is coated (or in some instances partially coated) on its outside surface with a foamed low density polyethylene, and on its inside surface with an unfoamed modified low density polyethylene. The bottom panel member is coated on its upper surface with a foamed or an unfoamed low density polyethylene or foamed or unfoamed modified low density polyethylene. The body member and bottom panel member are oriented and joined to form a heat seal at an interface between a portion of the unfoamed modified low density polyethylene coated on the inside surface of the body member and a portion of unfoamed low density polyethylene or unfoamed modified low density polyethylene coated on the upper surface of the bottom panel member.

Abstract: A total-internal-reflection thermally compensated rod laser including a lasing rod composed of crystalline or glass material doped with at least one lasing ion. The rod has an optical axis, an axially extending, substantially optically flat, exterior surface, and a substantially optically flat conical surface at each end. Both conical end surfaces are coaxial with the optical axis and has a truncated tip. The first end has a convex surface and the second end has a concave surface. The rod has a geometry, including a diameter and a length, selected to provide substantially no net depolarization of an incident beam.

Abstract: A beverage container has a straw-dispensing mechanism that is disposed within the container to bring the straw into alignment with the orifice in the top of the container. When the orifice is opened, the straw elevates through the orifice to become accessible to the user. In one embodiment, the straw is attached to a buoyant member which urges the straw into contact with a contoured surface on the can lid. In a second embodiment, the straw engages a floating member which is urged against the lid of the container. In a third embodiment, a buoyant member is integrally formed with the straw and is disposed orthogonally within the body of the can. In a fourth embodiment, the floating member includes a surface treated for facilitating the nucleation of CO.sub.2 thereon. In a fifth embodiment, the floating member is provided with a skirt for entrapping a head space gas bubble under the floating member. In a sixth embodiment, the floating member reacts to a change in pressure to disengage from the container wall.

Abstract: A vehicle mounted laser spotlight system employs a coherent/incoherent spotlight as a light source to produce an eyesafe light dispersion pattern to illuminate an ambient environment. The laser spotlight system includes an integrated laser unit having an integrated laser, power supply and control unit for selectively transmitting coherent light. A fiber optic cable optically couples the laser unit to a spotlight which receives the coherent light from the laser and transmits a beam of coherent light into the ambient environment. An incoherent light transmitter selectively transmits a beam of incoherent light coincident with the beam of coherent light. A converter module may be disposed intermediate the laser and the spotlight to convert the frequency and wavelength of the coherent light.

Abstract: Containers are conveyed through an oven on a conveyor to cause a foamable material on each container to foam and become a heat insulative layer. The containers are supported on respective holders of the conveyor, which prevent the containers from contacting one another. Preferably, the holders support the containers loosely, to enable the containers to wobble relative to the holders under the influence of oven air currents and conveyor vibration. The holders thus do not make contact with any given point on their respective containers for a time period that is sufficient to enable the holders to draw enough heat away from the container to adversely affect the foaming operation. The containers are conveyed in single file, along a serpentine path through the oven.

Abstract: A dispensing valve assembly for dispensing a fluid product and preventing air from being drawn into the fluid product through the valve includes a flexible diaphragm valve (10, 50, 100) and a valve seat insert (12, 58, 102). The flexible diaphragm valve flexes from a concave closed position to a convex open position in which fluid product is dispensed through a dispensing opening (26, 56, 116) in the diaphragm. The valve seat insert is positioned adjacent an inside surface of the diaphragm valve in its closed position to prevent the valve from buckling inward and prevent air from passing into the fluid product through the valve.