Abstract: The present invention relates generally to separation of ions based on their transport properties. More particularly, the invention relates to separation of ionic mixtures and characterization of ions in gases using higher-order differential ion mobility spectrometry (HODIMS) enabled by asymmetric waveforms of fundamentally new types. The invention discloses a method and apparatus for separation of ionic mixtures and characterization, identification, or quantification of ions in a gas based substantially on the terms of third or higher order in a series expansion of ion mobility as a function of electric field intensity. This is achieved using a periodic, time-dependent electric field with novel waveform profiles that cancel or substantially reduce the contributions to time-averaged ion motion of the leading n (where n?2) terms of that expansion, thereby achieving ion separations based substantially on the (n+1)th term.

Abstract: A utility knife includes a body having a groove adapted to receive a blade. The groove has a plurality of tabs defined on at least a first side. The utility knife also includes a slide assembly device positioned in the body for sliding movement with respect to the body. The slide assembly device includes a housing with a first engaging member having a first protrusion and a second engaging member having a second protrusion releasably engaged with the tabs. The slide assembly device also includes a rocker attached to the housing that is operatively connected to at least one of the engaging members. The rocker is operable for disengaging the first protrusion or second protrusion with respect to the tabs. Disengaging one of the first and second protrusions by the rocker allows sliding movement of the slide assembly device with respect to the body.

Abstract: A utility knife includes a body having a groove adapted to receive a blade. The groove has a plurality of tabs defined on at least a first side. The utility knife also includes a slide assembly device positioned in the body for sliding movement with respect to the body. The slide assembly device includes a housing with a first engaging member having a first protrusion and a second engaging member having a second protrusion releasably engaged with the tabs. The slide assembly device also includes a rocker attached to the housing that is operatively connected to at least one of the engaging members. The rocker is operable for disengaging the first protrusion or second protrusion with respect to the tabs. Disengaging one of the first and second protrusions by the rocker allows sliding movement of the slide assembly device with respect to the body.

Abstract: Complexes of tropolone and copper and/or zinc were solubilized in ammoniacal solution providing preservative solutions that fully penetrate wood. With loss of the ammonia from the wood, the complexes were stably retained in the wood providing a long lasting preservative.

Abstract: A floor tool for use in vacuum cleaning floor surfaces includes a sole plate for engaging with a floor surface, a supporting body for the sole plate having means such as wheels or rollers for allowing the body to ride along the floor surface and an outlet conduit for coupling to a wand of a vacuum cleaner. The outlet conduit is mounted to the support platform by a connecting arm, a first end of the connecting arm being pivotally connected to the outlet conduit about a first axis and the second end of the connecting arm being pivotally connected to the supporting body about a second axis. The first and second axes are substantially parallel to one another. Fluid flow from the sole plate can be carried by a flexible hose or by the connecting arm itself.

Abstract: A floor tool for use in vacuum cleaning floor surfaces includes a sole plate that engages with a floor surface, a supporting body for the sole plate having at least one wheel or roller configured with respect to the supporting body so as to permit the body to ride along the floor surface, and an outlet conduit for coupling to a wand of a vacuum cleaner. The outlet conduit is pivotally mounted to the supporting body about an axis which is substantially over the sole plate.

Abstract: The invention describes a device for separating dust and dirt out of flowing media. A curved flow path (1) is imposed on the flow (21), and heavy foreign bodies are separated out of the main flow by centrifugal force. The partial stream required to carry away the foreign bodies is aftertreated in a filter (11) and returned in purified form. Unlike with conventional filters, which have to process the entire flow of media, pressure losses during the separation of dust are minimized, and on the other hand no medium is lost for removing the dust load.

Abstract: An adhesive-backed film application tool (10) is provided for applying an adhesive-backed film (100) having at least first and second widths to a first surface (202) of a sash (200). The sash (200) further includes a second surface (204). The tool comprises (10): a directing structure (20) adapted to engage the second surface (204) of the sash (200); an application structure (30) pivotably coupled to the directing structure (20); and an element (40) for biasing the directing and application structures (20, 30) toward one another such that the directing and application structures (20, 30) are capable of being releasably clamped to the sash (200). The application structure (30) includes at least one rotatable element (37a, 37b) for applying the adhesive-backed film (100) to the first surface (202) and guide structure (160) for properly locating the adhesive-backed film relative to the rotatable element (37a, 37b) and the first surface (202).

Abstract: A locator tool assembly (10) comprising a locator tool (20) capable of being mounted to a vehicle door (200). The tool (20) includes at least one locator projection (42a, 42b) adapted to mount one or more film tabs (104). Each tab (104) forms a removable part of an adhesive-backed film structure (102). The assembly (10) further includes a stripper mechanism (50) associated with the locator tool (20) for use in removing the one or more film tabs (104) from the at least one locator projection (42a, 42b).

Abstract: A radio-frequency transponder device having an antenna circuit configured to receive radio-frequency signals and to return modulated radio-frequency signals via continuous wave backscatter, a modulation circuit coupled to the antenna circuit for generating the modulated radio-frequency signals, and a microprocessor coupled to the antenna circuit and the modulation circuit and configured to receive and extract operating power from the received radio-frequency signals and to monitor inputs on at least one input pin and to generate responsive signals to the modulation circuit for modulating the radio-frequency signals. The microprocessor can be configured to generate output signals on output pins to associated devices for controlling the operation thereof. Electrical energy can be extracted and stored in an optional electrical power storage device.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to separation of ions based on their transport properties. More particularly, the invention relates to separation of ionic mixtures and characterization of ions in gases using higher-order differential ion mobility spectrometry (HODIMS) enabled by asymmetric waveforms of fundamentally new types. The invention discloses a method and apparatus for separation of ionic mixtures and characterization, identification, or quantification of ions in a gas based substantially on the terms of third or higher order in a series expansion of ion mobility as a function of electric field intensity. This is achieved using a periodic, time-dependent electric field with novel waveform profiles that cancel or substantially reduce the contributions to time-averaged ion motion of the leading n (where n?2) terms of that expansion, thereby achieving ion separations based substantially on the (n+1)th term.

Abstract: The invention facilitates the computation of expected approval rates based on historic transaction data relating to transaction classes, approved transactions and declined transactions. The invention provides a system and method by which a program administrator for a company may model varying client-imposed limit scenarios in order to determine one or more optimal monthly and/or transactional spending limits. Further, the present invention provides a means for setting varying monthly and/or transaction spending limits for purchases from any number of industries. Providing card members with information regarding optimal spending limits reduces the occurrences of declined credit transactions.

Abstract: A transponder device having multiple modes of operation, such as an active mode and a passive mode, wherein the modes of operation are selected in response to the strength of a received radio frequency signal. A communication system is also provided having a transceiver configured to transmit a radio frequency signal and to receive a responsive signal, and a transponder configured to operate in a plurality of modes and to activate modes of operation in response to the radio frequency signal. Ideally, each mode of operation is activated and deactivated independent of the other modes, although two or more modes may be concurrently operational.

Abstract: For preparing a gas stream cleaned from dust and dirt particles, a device is proposed in which an outflow channel (2) for cleaned medium has at its mouth in an inflow channel (1) an extension element (4), which projects into the inflow channel. A cover element (6) covers an end inflow aperture (4a) of the extension element. In an embodiment of the invention, the extension element (4) has lateral inlet apertures (5). The cover element (6) is preferably constituted hood-shaped, and has axial extension elements (6a), which at least partially cover the extension element (4) in the axial direction, and advantageously extend over the lateral inlet apertures. The stream entering the outflow channel (2) for cleaned medium must overcome strong flow deflections, so that particles with a low flow following ability cannot get into this channel. Further outflow channels (3) for conducting the remaining dust-laden medium are arranged substantially flush with the wall (7) of the inflow channel.

Abstract: A method for predicting the elution time of a peptide in chromatographic and electrophoretic separations by first providing a data set of known elution times of known peptides, then creating a plurality of vectors, each vector having a plurality of dimensions, and each dimension representing the elution time of amino acids present in each of these known peptides from the data set. The elution time of any protein is then be predicted by first creating a vector by assigning dimensional values for the elution time of amino acids of at least one hypothetical peptide and then calculating a predicted elution time for the vector by performing a multivariate regression of the dimensional values of the hypothetical peptide using the dimensional values of the known peptides. Preferably, the multivariate regression is accomplished by the use of an artificial neural network and the elution times are first normalized using a transfer function.

Abstract: The invention facilitates the computation of expected approval rates based on historic transaction data relating to transaction classes, approved transactions and declined transactions. The invention provides a system and method by which a program administrator for a company may model varying client-imposed limit scenarios in order to determine one or more optimal monthly and/or transactional spending limits. Further, the present invention provides a means for setting varying monthly and/or transaction spending limits for purchases from any number of industries. Providing card members with information regarding optimal spending limits reduces the occurrences of declined credit transactions.

Abstract: A utility knife includes a body having a groove adapted to receive a blade. The groove has a plurality of tabs defined on at least a first side. The utility knife also includes a slide assembly device positioned in the body for sliding movement with respect to the body. The slide assembly device includes a housing with a first engaging member having a first protrusion and a second engaging member having a second protrusion releasably engaged with the tabs. The slide assembly device also includes a rocker attached to the housing that is operatively connected to at least one of the engaging members. The rocker is operable for disengaging the first protrusion or second protrusion with respect to the tabs. Disengaging one of the first and second protrusions by the rocker allows sliding movement of the slide assembly device with respect to the body.

Abstract: This invention relates to copper complexes that significantly reduce the decay of wood, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin caused by fungi. A process for treating such materials with these copper-containing anti-fungal agents is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention facilitates the compilation of client-imposed charge or credit limit reports based on declined purchase and/or payment transactions. The invention provides a system and method by which an account manager for a financial institution and/or a client program administrator company may perform analysis of spending patterns for cardmembers in order to determine an optimal client-imposed credit limit in order to reduce the occurrences of declined charge or credit transactions. An account manager for a financial institution and/or a client program administrator may use the limits report to persuade a cardmember to increase the client-imposed credit limit to a recommended level, thereby reducing the cardmember's inconvenience cased by declined purchase transactions while recapturing lost revenues by the card issuer also resulting from declined purchase transactions.

Abstract: A method for predicting the elution time of a peptide in chromatographic and electrophoretic separations by first providing a data set of known elution times of known peptides, then creating a plurality of vectors, each vector having a plurality of dimensions, and each dimension representing positional information about at least a portion of the amino acids present in the known peptides. A hypothetical vector is then created by assigning dimensional values for at least one hypothetical peptide, and a predicted elution time for the hypothetical vector is created by performing at least one multivariate regression fitting the hypothetical peptide to the plurality of vectors. Preferably, the multivariate regression is accomplished by the use of an artificial neural network and the elution times are first normalized using linear regression.