Abstract: A shingle coating asphalt composition is provided that is produced from a paving grade asphalt. The asphalt composition comprises a paving-grade asphalt that has been modified with one or more polymer additives; and a secondary additive comprising one or more of a viscosity reducing agent, a wax, a salt of a fatty acid ester, and an amide of a fatty acid. The shingle coating asphalt coating composition is used to make a shingle. The shingle includes a substrate, the asphalt, and roofing granules.

Abstract: A compact load cell that simultaneously measures normal and shear forces in a load plane offset from a sensor plane by a distance h. The compact load cell comprises at least three force sensing elements (preferably four) arranged in the sensor plane about a point and spaced a distance d from the point. All force sensing elements may be spaced by the same distance or the distance may be different for one or more force sensing elements. Each force sensing element comprises a pressure sensor encased in a force transmission medium. A load plate is in contact with the force transmission medium and a load beam is connected at one end to the load plate above the point of the sensor plane and extends to the load plane. Forces acting in the load plane are transmitted to the sensor plane by the load beam and load plate. The forces are resolved to determine the normal and shear forces acting at the load plane. The compact load cell may be applied to determine forces acting on, for example, an unmanned aerial vehicle.

Abstract: A compact load cell that simultaneously measures normal and shear forces in a load plane offset from a sensor plane by a distance h. The compact load cell comprises at least three force sensing elements (preferably four) arranged in the sensor plane about a point and spaced a distance d from the point. All force sensing elements may be spaced by the same distance or the distance may be different for one or more force sensing elements. Each force sensing element comprises a pressure sensor encased in a force transmission medium. A load plate is in contact with the force transmission medium and a load beam is connected at one end to the load plate above the point of the sensor plane and extends to the load plane. Forces acting in the load plane are transmitted to the sensor plane by the load beam and load plate. The forces are resolved to determine the normal and shear forces acting at the load plane. The compact load cell may be applied to determine forces acting on, for example, an unmanned aerial vehicle.

Abstract: A three-dimensional display system is provided which promises to project an image into a volume. The three-dimensional display system produces visible light in a volume at the intersection of two laser beams by forming a plasma at a volume element within the volume and exciting target molecules within the plasma into an excited energy state. The target molecules are characterized by sufficiently sizeable energy state transitions such that visible light is emitted upon transition of the target molecules from an excited energy state to a lower energy state. By rapidly repeating this process according to three-dimensional image data, one or more embodiments of the present invention is able to project a three-dimensional image into a volume without many of the drawbacks of earlier machines.

Abstract: A one-handed support for a plate and a beverage container includes horizontally oriented parallel upper and lower supports having a vertical hand-grippable connecting member attached therebetween. The lower support is adapted to rest on a planar support surface. The upper and lower supports each having approximately circular front and rear sections with a narrow connecting portion therebetween with the connecting member being anchored in the narrow connecting portions. The upper support is sized to hold a disposable plate and includes a clip to hold the plate in place. The rear sections each have an aperture therein defining annular grips sized to receive a beverage container. The support includes a removable beverage container holder which is adapted to hold stemware in an inverted position. An alternative embodiment includes a rotatable stemware holder attached to the upper support and a rotatable auxiliary plate support.

Abstract: A single-handed support for plates and a beverage container is integrally formed as a single piece. The support includes upper and lower support surfaces which are connected and substantially parallel to each other. A vertically oriented hand-grippable member extends downwardly from the upper support surface. The upper support surface includes a front section sized to hold a food dish. The rear section of the upper support surface has an aperture and retainers to hold a beverage container. The lower surface below the front section of the upper surface is sized to hold a plate and has a plate anchoring member.

Abstract: A one-handed support for a plate and a beverage container includes horizontally oriented parallel upper and lower supports having a vertical hand-grippable connecting member attached therebetween. The lower support is adapted to rest on a planar support surface. The upper and lower supports each having approximately circular front and rear sections with a narrow connecting portion therebetween with the connecting member being anchored in the narrow connecting portions. The upper support is sized to hold a disposable plate and includes a clip to hold the plate in place. The rear sections each have an aperture therein defining annular grips sized to receive a beverage container. The support includes a removable beverage container holder which is adapted to hold stemware in an inverted position. An alternative embodiment includes a rotatable stemware holder attached to the upper support and a rotatable auxiliary plate support.

Abstract: A kit for a one-handed support for a plate and a beverage comprises a plurality of interfitting flat components each having an equal thickness so that the aggregate of the components forming the kit is substantially flat and stackable. The kit includes a base which includes elongated upper and lower supports with aligned in a horizontally-oriented parallel arrangement with a hand-grippable connecting member perpendicularly oriented therebetween. A portion of the lower support forms a first component of a beverage support. A second beverage support component is insertable into the first component to form the beverage support. A plate support member having an platform portion is configured for placement on the upper support, and has an annular beverage grip extends therefrom. In use, a beverage can be inserted through the annular beverage grip and seated in the beverage support, and a user can hold the device by grasping the connecting member.

Abstract: A collapsible one-handed support for a plate and a beverage container includes horizontally oriented upper and lower rigid supports having a vertical hand-grippable connecting member attached to the supports at upper and lower articulating joints. The upper and lower supports are supported parallel to one another in a first configuration, and can be folded into a substantially flat stacked arrangement with the vertical connecting member therebetween in a second configuration. The upper support has a front section sized to hold a plate and the rear section of the upper support has an aperture therein defining an annular grip sized to receive a beverage container. The rear section of the lower support has a recess adapted to hold the base of a beverage container which is in coaxial alignment with the annular grip, allowing a beverage container to be inserted through the annular grip and seated in the recess.

Abstract: A thermionic electric converter includes a cathode output enhancing laser (374) operable to direct a laser beam (376) to strike an emissive surface of a cathode emitter (321), to increase the electron output of the cathode emitter (321). The cathode output enhancing lase (374) is positioned to direct a laser beam (375) through an opening (370) in the anode (306) or target structure, in the direction of the cathode emitter (321). An electron repulsion ring (380) is provided at an edge of the opening (370) in the anode (306), to reduce the number of electrons missing the anode (306) and passing through the opening (370) in the anode (306).