Abstract: A fuel cap is described as having a top assembly and a bottom assembly slidably engaged to, and concentric with, the top assembly. The top assembly having a cap cover and a cylindrical cap body concentric with and protruding substantially perpendicular from, an underside surface of the cap cover. The bottom assembly having a vacuum valve operatively coupled with a valve body. A wire-form keeper may slidably secure the bottom assembly to the top assembly. A pressure spring may impart a force that biases said bottom assembly away from said top assembly.

Abstract: A fuel filter comprises a filter housing having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet, and a laminate positioned within said filter housing, the laminate comprising a first layer and a second layer having methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose between said first layer and said second layer, wherein the fuel filter is configured to direct fuel received at the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet through the laminate.

Abstract: A fuel filter comprises a filter housing, a filter assembly positioned within said filter housing, a fuel inlet adapted to receive fuel into the filter housing, and a fuel outlet. The filter assembly may have a first end cap, a second end cap, and a filter element positioned therebetween. The filter element may comprise a particulate filter component and a water sensing component, the water sensing component having a center tube, a water sensing layer, and a screen. The water sensing layer may wrap around at least a portion of the center tube and be secured in place by the screen. The water sensing layer comprises a gelling and thickening agent, such as methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose. In operation, the fuel filter is configured to direct fuel received at the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet by way of the water sensing component and the particulate filter component.

Abstract: A fuel cap is described as having a top assembly and a bottom assembly slidably engaged to, and concentric with, the top assembly. The top assembly having a cap cover and a cylindrical cap body concentric with and protruding substantially perpendicular from, an underside surface of the cap cover. The bottom assembly having a vacuum valve operatively coupled with a valve body. A wire-form keeper may slidably secure the bottom assembly to the top assembly. A pressure spring may impart a force that biases said bottom assembly away from said top assembly.

Abstract: A fuel filter comprises a filter housing, a filter assembly positioned within said filter housing, a fuel inlet adapted to receive fuel into the filter housing, and a fuel outlet. The filter assembly may have a first end cap, a second end cap, and a filter element positioned therebetween. The filter element may comprise a particulate filter component and a water sensing component, the water sensing component having a center tube, a water sensing layer, and a screen. The water sensing layer may wrap around at least a portion of the center tube and be secured in place by the screen. The water sensing layer comprises a gelling and thickening agent, such as methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose. In operation, the fuel filter is configured to direct fuel received at the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet by way of the water sensing component and the particulate filter component.

Abstract: A method for determining the flux of methane newly generated through manipulation of a sub-surface environment. The method comprises: (a) measuring a baseline isotope ratio (Rrm) in methane pre-existing in the reservoir; (b) manipulating the reservoir to facilitate biogenic production of new methane in the reservoir; (c) injecting a substance labeled with the isotope into the reservoir; (d) measuring a flux (Fm) and isotope ratio (Rpm) of methane from the reservoir; (e) measuring an isotope ratio (Rpw) of a methane precursor in a liquid or vapor sample at one or more time periods; and (f) calculating a flux (Fnm) of the new methane from the reservoir according to an isotope mass balance, such as wherein ?=isotope fractionation factor between the methane pre-cursor and the new methane.

Abstract: A method for determining the flux of methane newly generated through manipulation of a sub-surface environment. The method comprises: (a) measuring a baseline isotope ratio (Rrm) in methane pre-existing in the reservoir; (b) manipulating the reservoir to facilitate biogenic production of new methane in the reservoir; (c) injecting a substance labeled with the isotope into the reservoir; (d) measuring a flux (Fm) and isotope ratio (Rpm) of methane from the reservoir; (e) measuring an isotope ratio (Rpw) of a methane precursor in a liquid or vapor sample at one or more time periods; and (f) calculating a flux (Fnm) of the new methane from the reservoir according to an isotope mass balance, such as wherein ?=isotope fractionation factor between the methane pre-cursor and the new methane.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of and apparatus for extinguishing the flame of a candle that reduces the smell, smoke and soot which follow the extinguishing of the flame. The device draws gases proximate to the flame into apparatus thereby extinguishing the flame and passes the gases through a filter to clean the gas stream.

Abstract: A sensor device (6) for a toilet having a seat moveable between a raised position and lowered position is provided. The sensor device (6) includes a housing (8) adapted to be removably coupled to the toilet and a controller (18) disposed within the housing (8). The sensor device (6) further includes a motion sensor (16) in communication with the controller (18) and adapted to activate a first signal when the seat is in either the raised or lowered position and a user is positioned within a first predetermined range of the toilet.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of and apparatus for extinguishing the flame of a candle that reduces the smell, smoke and soot which follow the extinguishing of the flame. The device draws gases proximate to the flame into apparatus thereby extinguishing the flame and passes the gases through a filter to clean the gas stream.

Abstract: A candle extinguishing device comprising: a barrel; a handle in communication with the barrel; an opening located proximate to an extinguishing end of the barrel; a passage located in the barrel and the handle, and in fluid communication with the opening; a filter located in the handle and in fluid communication with the passage; a fan located in the handle and in fluid communication with the filter; a vent located in the handle and in fluid communication with the fan; a power supply located in the handle and in electrical communication with the fan; and where the candle extinguishing device is configured to provide suction at the opening to draw air, smoke, and odors into the passage where the air, smoke and odors are filtered in the filter, and the filtered air exits the candle extinguishing device through the vent.

Abstract: In a police radar detector, a sweep signal defines at least one first sweep signal and at least one second sweep signal with the at least one second sweep signal being seamlessly inserted into the first sweep signal so that the first sweep signal is interrupted during the second sweep signal and restored after completion of the second sweep signal so that the first sweep signal can be continued. The frequencies swept by the at least one second sweep signal are thus overswept. By assigning the frequencies swept during the at least one first sweep to the radar bands of interest and the frequencies swept during the at least one second sweep to the frequencies used in the POP mode of operation by police radar, the short bursts of energy used in the POP mode can be detected.

Abstract: A flashlight holder having a base (1), (12) connected to a flexible tube (2) which is connected to a seat (4) which has a flexible strap (7) system including a sliding unit (5) which controls tension on flexible strap (7) system, for the purpose of quickly, easily, and unobtrusively securing a flashlight (8) without damaging it.

Abstract: A flashlight holder having a base (1), (12) connected to a flexible tube (2) which is connected to a seat (4) which has a flexible strap (7) system including a sliding unit (5) which controls tension on flexible strap (7) system, for the purpose of quickly, easily, and unobtrusively securing a flashlight (8) without damaging it.

Abstract: A novel frequency scheme for a police radar detector enables improved sweeping of the X, K, Ku and Ka radar bands. The novel frequency scheme requires two initial frequency conversions for detection of the X, K and Ka radar bands and a single initial frequency conversion for the Ku radar band with single initial frequency conversion being enabled by disabling the second mixer. During sweeping of the X, K and Ka bands, selectable, i.e., upper or lower, sideband suppression is employed to reduce undesired image sidebands and noise prior to the second frequency conversion. In addition, noise at the second IF frequency is reduced to prevent this noise from feeding through the second mixer into the second IF amplifier. During the Ku band sweep, the second mixer is bypassed and shunting of signals at the second IF frequency is disabled so that these signals enter the second IF amplifier.

Abstract: A frequency scheme for a police radar detector enables the K band and the K.sub.a band to be scanned during a single sweep of a local oscillator which drives a mixer at its fundamental operating mode to produce intermediate frequency signals around 5 Ghz. The frequency scheme simultaneously activates two or four frequency conversion paths in the police radar detector. Accordingly, a radar warning alarm can be given upon detection of radar signals in any one of the frequency conversion paths. The ambiguity as to which one of the two or four frequency conversion paths is receiving a detected radar signal is resolved by applying first and second modulation signals to first and second local oscillators, respectively, so that the radar band of the detected radar signal can also be included within the radar warning alarm. The first and second modulation signals are in quadrature to one another and quadrature correlation is used to determine which frequency conversion path is receiving a radar signal.

Abstract: An input stage for a police radar detector includes a single mixer together with at least one preamplifier to detect radar signals in the X, K and K.sub.a bands. A preamplifier may be used on the X band alone, the K band alone, the K.sub.a band alone, the X and K bands or the X, K and K.sub.a bands. The use of these preamplifiers provides better noise figure; however, multiple responses cannot be scanned at the same time in bands utilizing a preamplifier with sufficient selectivity to reduce noise in its respective image bands to tolerable levels so that some or all of the receiver responses are swept independently with the preamplifier or preamplifiers being enabled one at a time as appropriate for each band being scanned. Since more sweep time is required when multiple responses are no longer swept simultaneously, a currently preferred form of the input stage couples the K.sub.a band signals to a single mixer through a preamplifier which permits multiple responses to be swept in the K.sub.

Abstract: An input stage of a police radar detector is configured so that a near end of a mixer is coupled to an antenna for receiving high frequency signals and a far end of the mixer is coupled to the antenna for receiving low frequency signals. A local oscillator and an intermediate frequency amplifier are also coupled to the far end of the mixer. The low frequency signals, X band police radar signals, are coupled to the far end of the mixer through a band rejection filter, which serves as a diplexer, a preamplifier and a first bandpass filter. The local oscillator is coupled to the far end of the mixer through a second bandpass filter and the far end of the mixer is coupled to the intermediate frequency amplifier through a low pass filter. The high frequency signals, K band and K.sub.a band signals, are coupled to the near end of the mixer from the antenna through a high pass filter.

Abstract: A radar detector suppresses nuisance alerts due to detection of a third harmonic of a common LO signal of other radar detectors by detecting a second harmonic of the offending LO signal. If a detected radar signal in the K.sub.a band is of a frequency within a suspect range corresponding to possible third harmonic spurious LO signals, a determination is made as to whether a potential alert blocking signal around the second harmonic of a nominal 11.55 Ghz signal is also present. In the illustrated embodiment, the second harmonic alert blocking signal which is checked has a frequency which is 2/3 the frequency of the detected K.sub.a signal .+-. a guard band of, for example .+-.40 Mhz, and is within a range of frequencies from about 22.813 Ghz to about 23.8 Ghz. If no blocking signal has been detected within about 10 seconds before or within three sweeps after detection of the K.sub.a band signal in the suspect range, the detected K.sub.a band signal is reported.

Abstract: A single-sideband radiotelephone system includes a single-sideband transmitter which initially broadcasts two frequency-spaced tones simultaneously for a predetermined time interval, and thereafter broadcasts the two tones alternately in a unique code pattern to access a predetermined receiver. Each single-sideband receiver in the system includes a pair of detectors each having a narrow bandpass, the center frequencies of which are spaced apart by the difference in frequency of the transmitted tones. The center frequencies of the detectors are simultaneously varied relative to the initial two-tone broadcast while maintaining the frequency differential therebetween; and simultaneous detection of both tones will terminate the frequency varying mode of operation. The subsequently transmitted unique code pattern is then sensed by the detectors, the code pattern decoded, and the selected receiver is enabled to receive any subsequently broadcasted information.