Abstract: An antenna is provided. The antenna comprises a dielectric lamina having a first face and a second face opposite the first face. The antenna further comprises a groundplane on the first face of the dielectric lamina, wherein the groundplane is a planar conductive groundplane comprising first and second L-shaped apertures. The antenna further comprises a microstrip transmission line on the second face of the dielectric lamina.

Abstract: A display system for a motor vehicle is provided. The display system comprises a holographic projector assembly and a steering wheel assembly. The steering wheel assembly includes a ring-shaped member configured to be held by a driver of the vehicle and rotated about a central axis in order to steer the vehicle. The holographic projector assembly is configured to produce a holographic image inside a central region about which the ring-shaped member circumferentially extends.

Abstract: A motor vehicle steering wheel assembly may include a ring-shaped member comprising a slot and an internal recess, wherein the slot and internal recess extend circumferentially about the ring-shaped member, the slot being provided in a surface of the ring-shaped member and forming an aperture into the internal recess; a support portion configured to be coupled to a vehicle support structure, the support portion extending through the slot; and a guide portion coupled to the support portion, the guide portion being slidably disposed in the internal recess such that the ring-shaped member is rotatable.

Abstract: A vehicle door system having an upper door configured to cover a top portion of an opening in the body of a vehicle and to open in an upward direction, and a lower door configured to cover a bottom portion of the opening and to open in a sideways direction. The upper door includes a deployable portion configured to form at least a portion of a canopy extending away from the body of the vehicle.

Abstract: An ultrasonic haptic control system for a motor vehicle is provided. The system includes a steering wheel assembly comprising a ring-shaped member configured to be held by an occupant of the vehicle, and rotated about a central axis in order to steer the vehicle; and a plurality of ultrasound emitters associated with the steering wheel. The ultrasound emitters are configured to focus ultrasound waves within a central region about which the ring-shaped member circumferentially extends and/or radially outside of and adjacent to the ring-shaped member. The focused ultrasound waves are configured to form one or more haptic control surfaces. A method of operating a haptic control system is also provided.

Abstract: A vehicle door system having an upper door configured to cover a top portion of an opening in the body of a vehicle and to open in an upward direction, and a lower door configured to cover a bottom portion of the opening and to open in a sideways direction. The upper door includes a deployable portion configured to form at least a portion of a canopy extending away from the body of the vehicle.

Abstract: An ultrasonic haptic control system for a motor vehicle is provided. The system includes a steering wheel assembly comprising a ring-shaped member configured to be held by an occupant of the vehicle, and rotated about a central axis in order to steer the vehicle; and a plurality of ultrasound emitters associated with the steering wheel. The ultrasound emitters are configured to focus ultrasound waves within a central region about which the ring-shaped member circumferentially extends and/or radially outside of and adjacent to the ring-shaped member. The focused ultrasound waves are configured to form one or more haptic control surfaces. A method of operating a haptic control system is also provided.

Abstract: A display system for a motor vehicle is provided. The display system comprises a holographic projector assembly and a steering wheel assembly. The steering wheel assembly includes a ring-shaped member configured to be held by a driver of the vehicle and rotated about a central axis in order to steer the vehicle. The holographic projector assembly is configured to produce a holographic image inside a central region about which the ring-shaped member circumferentially extends.

Abstract: A motor vehicle steering wheel assembly may include a ring-shaped member comprising a slot and an internal recess, wherein the slot and internal recess extend circumferentially about the ring-shaped member, the slot being provided in a surface of the ring-shaped member and forming an aperture into the internal recess; a support portion configured to be coupled to a vehicle support structure, the support portion extending through the slot; and a guide portion coupled to the support portion, the guide portion being slidably disposed in the internal recess such that the ring-shaped member is rotatable.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses for receiving payment information via a first channel and receiving additional information via a second channel are provided. In some examples, a determination may be made as to whether the received payment information matches the received additional information. If so, the payment and additional information may be associated and used to identify an associated outstanding invoice. If not, a determination may be made as to whether a potential match exists. If so, additional processing may occur to determine whether the potential match is an actual match.

Abstract: A modular structure with ballistic protection that is readily transportable within conventional shipping containers.

Abstract: The present invention offers a website service for notification to member-specified individuals that the member may or may not be safe. This online membership site appeals to all genders and age groups. The intended purpose of the site is to offer individual members a tool to aid in safer dating, meetings, or encounters. Safety features are built into the site which can be customized for each individual based upon the amount of time desired for the date or meeting and a set time to check back into the website signifying they are safe which will then stop the automatic notification process. The notification system retains personal information about the member as well as what the member has entered into the database in regard to their date, meeting or encounter. In the event the member does not terminate the timer, notifications are made to the members predetermined contacts.

Abstract: A sandwiching machine for use in applying a semi-frozen comestible such as ice cream, to a row of cookies traveling along said sandwiching machine. The sandwiching machine includes stencil means on the frame for applying the semi-frozen comestible to the cookie in a uniform manner. The stencil means comprises supply means for supplying semi-frozen comestible, return means for the semi-frozen comestible, and shut-off and by-pass valve means for controlling the flow of semi-frozen comestible to a cookie when the valve means is open and for diverting semi-frozen comestible from the supply means to the return means when the valve means is closed. Preferably, the stencil means are fed from each end and a stationary central valve seals the supply means and return means at each side of the stencil means from one another, whereby two adjacent rows of cookies may be supplied with ice cream.

Abstract: A sandwiching machine for applying creme, for example, a chocolate or vanilla flavored filling, jelly, peanut butter or the like, to at least two laterally spaced rows of cookies traveling along said sandwiching machine. The sandwiching machine includes improved stencil means for applying creme to the cookies in a uniform manner comprising a stencil sleeve and a stencil rotatable thereon, the stencil having spaced apart discharge orifices and the stencil sleeve having inlets at each side of the discharge orifices, valve means within the stencil sleeve for controlling the flow of creme through the discharge orifices, and creme hopper means communicating with the stencil sleeve inlets. The creme hopper means in one embodiment includes a single hopper for supplying the same creme to each stencil sleeve inlet.

Abstract: Orienting apparatus for elongated finger cookies or other elongated bakery roducts supplied in uniform groups. The finger cookies are supplied to the orienting apparatus in upright conditions and are then laid flat on a packaging conveyor. Usually, the groups of cookies are supplied in two rows in side by side relation relative to each other with groups in each row of uniform count and conveyed along drop gate members in upright positions to a dropping station, where the drop gate members are swung from supporting engagement with a group of cookies conveyed and accommodate the group of cookies to drop through a drop chute assembly in their upright positions and then are turned at 90.degree. and laid onto a conveyor plate along which the oriented groups of cookies are conveyed in a flat condition to a loading station for packaging or wrapping.

Abstract: Accumulator and stacker for sandwiched cookies, biscuits and like articles in which two side-by-side rows of sandwiched cookies are delivered from a conventional sandwiching machine and stacked one sandwich on top of another sandwich in an adjacent row and then accumulated into individual two high stacks with the stacks in tandem groups of two, three, four or more stacks at the in-feed conveyor of a conventional horizontal wrapping machine. The sandwiched cookies may be round, square and elongated rectangular cookies or of various similar shapes. The accumulator is between the discharge end of the sandwiching machine and the intake end of a wrapping machine, and provides a continuous high speed stacker supplying pre-selected stacked groups of sandwiches to the infeed conveyor of the wrapping machine in a continuous path.

Abstract: Automatic sandwiching machine for cookies and the like. The cookies having design impressed on one side thereof are conveyed through an oven in rows with the design sides facing upwardly and the opposite or plain sides facing the oven conveyor. At least two side-by-side rows are up-ended and stacked one behind the other and conveyed to adjacent magazines with the sides with the design facing upwardly. The rows of cookies are flared as they leave the oven with four rows of cookies in each group of flared rows and are conveyed to separate magaines design side up. One magazine is spaced in advance of the other. The magazines drop the cookies on a conveyor where the advance cookies are positioned to be deposited on creme deposited on trailing or upstream cookies. One upstream magazine is spaced ahead of the other.

Abstract: An automatic tray loading apparatus for cookies or the like in which cook are divided into two rows with cookies in each row separated into groups of a given count and continuously conveyed to a loading station for loading into trays. A pair of drop chute members are aligned with the rows of cookies and each arranged to receive a discrete cookie group dropped therein by a drop gate device. The cookie group dropped into one of the drop chutes is moved laterally into close proximity to a second cookie group resting in the second drop chute to bring the cookie spacing into register with the spacing of cookie receiving compartments in the trays. Drop gate slides for each drop chute are then activated to open chute outlet openings to drop each cookie group into an appropriate compartment of a waiting cookie tray. A tray conveyor then carries away the cookie-filled tray and spots an empty tray below the drop chute outlet openings.

Abstract: Valve mechanism supplying creme on the tops of a succession of two rows of cookies for sandwiching. The cookies are moved along a sandwiching machine by a conveyor beneath a rotating stencil supplying creme to the cookies, under the control of a one-piece valve assuring a uniform supply of creme on the tops of cookies of each row of cookies to thereafter be sandwiched by other cookies supplied to the cremed cookies as passing along the conveyor. The valve is in the form of a one-piece valve block supported at one end and rotationally adjusted to balance the flow through orifices in a stencil sleeve within which the valve is mounted. The creme enters the stencil sleeve from one end of the tube. The stencil sleeve has an outlet port for each row of cookies, which in turn supplies the creme to annular orifices in a rotating stencil, rotating at the speed of travel of the conveyor and the cookies carried thereby.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, cookies are counted and grouped and are guided and ride along support rails of a drop gate. The support rails are moved to one side during a dwell in the travel of a transfer conveyor, in a manner such that a group of cookies from one row and another group of cookies from another row drop through drop chutes of a drop chute assembly into an accumulator at the lower portion of the drop chute assembly, in longitudinal alignment along the centerline of the machine. There are actually two such drop chute assemblies, and the remaining group of cookies from each of the two rows drop in the same manner into the accumulator at the lower portion of the second drop chute assembly. After the groups of cookies have dropped into the accumulators of the drop chute assemblies, the accumulators operate respectively to longitudinally advance the one group of cookies into substantially abutting longitudinal relationship with the other group of cookies.