Abstract: A helically formed flexible duct primarily directed to applications in ducted heating, ventilating and air conditioning, of three dimensions including a predetermined length, an inner diameter reinforced with a helically laminated wire member between self laminating substrate, an outwardly radial compartment formation constructed with strip portions of substrate material which form gaps to accommodate outwardly expanding radial dimensions and containing an insulating member, and an outer covering member delivered to a larger radial circumference at an applied circumferential speed exceeding the circumferential speed of the inner diameter substrate tube formation rate.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a flexible tubular duct includes a mandrel, and a substrate feeding assembly for feeding a strip of flexible substrate material to the mandrel. Apparatus is provided for bending the strip of substrate material to have a rounded encapsulating portion, into which is fed a stream of loose fibrous insulating material. A mechanism is further provided for delivering an elongate reinforcing element onto the strip of flexible substrate material. In operation, the rounded encapsulating portion and the reinforcing element are wound in a helical path around the mandrel so that the loose fibrous material is encapsulated as a core in the helically wound rounded encapsulating portion the reinforcing element is also encapsulated by the strip of substrate material, whereby to form a reinforced flexible tubular duct.

Abstract: A vessel (10) for traveling on water comprises a hull (20) and a keel (30) comprising a member (34) depending from the hull, the member (34) comprising two limbs (44) each depending from a respective lateral side of the hull (20), the two limbs (44) defining at least in part an enclosed flow path extending in a bow to stern direction, the enclosed flow path being configured to allow water incident on the vessel to flow over inner and outer surfaces of the limbs (44a, 44b). The limbs (44) each have a zero-lift surface which is angled to generate in use a component of hydrodynamic force directed away from the enclosed flow path when there is a net flow of water along the enclosed flow path.

Abstract: A method of determining an allelic type of a specific individual, comprising: accessing a database of genetic information on a plurality of individuals, the genetic information comprising: the allelic type of each individual; and the type of each of a plurality of genetic markers for each individual; categorizing the data in the database into a plurality of groups of individuals, such that all individuals having the same allelic type are in the same group, and each group represents a different allelic type; inputting data comprising the type of each of a plurality of genetic markers of the specific individual having an unknown allelic type; specifying a set of genetic markers for which type information is known both for the individuals in the database and for the specific individual; applying a population genetic model to calculate the likelihood of sampling, from some or all of the groups in turn, the input type data of the specified set of genetic markers for the specific individual; and determining the all

Abstract: A mandrel assembly for manufacturing a tubular product, including: a first plate, a cantilever drive roller extending from the first plate, at least one cantilever idler roller extending from the first plate, and mechanism for rotating the drive roller whereby, in use, a strip may be engaged and advanced by the driver roller to the at least one idler roller and thereby wound about the rollers to form a tubular product.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a tubular product, includes a winding station for winding a substrate component and a reinforcement element in a helical path to form a reinforced tubular product, and respective apparatus for feeding the elongate substrate component and the elongate reinforcement element to the winding station. A first severing device cuts the reinforcement element upstream of the winding station, whereupon delivery of the reinforcement element upstream of the cut is withheld for a predetermined time period that results in a segment of the tubular product without the reinforcement element. A second severing device severs the tubular product within the above said segment to provide the predetermined length of the tubular product.

Abstract: A vessel (10) for travelling on water comprises a hull means (20) and a keel (30) comprising a member (34) depending from the hull means, the member (34) comprising two limbs (44) each depending from a respective lateral side of the hull means (20), the two limbs (44) defining at least in part an enclosed flow path extending in a bow to stem direction, the enclosed flow path being configured to allow water incident on the vessel to flow over inner and outer surfaces of the limbs (44a, 44b). The limbs (44) each have a zero-lift surface which is angled to generate in use a component of hydrodynamic force directed away from the enclosed flow path when there is a net flow of water along the enclosed flow path.

Abstract: Administration of credit account transaction authority including receiving a request for authorization for a credit transaction against a credit account for purchase of at least one item available for purchase through credit transactions, wherein the item available for purchase has a content rating, and wherein the credit account has a content rating, an account owner, and at least one authorized account user; comparing the content rating of the item requested for purchase and the content rating of the credit account, wherein the comparing produces a determination whether the content rating of the item requested for purchase matches the content rating of the credit account; and authorizing the requested transaction when the content rating of the item requested for purchase matches the content rating of the credit account.

Abstract: Settling time in dynamic simulations of circuits is significantly reduced by changing the value of one or more simulated energy storage elements corresponding to energy storage elements in a circuit being simulated. The value of the simulated energy storage element, such as the capacitance in the case where the energy storage element is a capacitor, is changed from at least one fast settling value to a simulated design value that corresponds to the design value of the actual energy storage element in the circuit being simulated.

Abstract: A beverage maker 2 comprises a first chamber 4, a second chamber 6 arranged on top of said first chamber 4, with a tube 8 extending down from said second chamber 6 into said first chamber 4 for transferring liquid between the two chambers. The base of the first chamber 4 has a first region 26 at least a portion of which is arranged to boil dry and a second region 28 which is arranged to retain a quantity of liquid after the first region 26 boils dry. The first region 26 is separated from the second region 28 by a wall 30. The underside of the base of the first chamber 26 is provided with one or more sheathed heating elements 32 arranged below the first region 26 of the base and also with a heat transfer member 20 which extends between the first and said second regions of the base. A thermal control 24 has a sensor arranged to detect when the first region of the base boils dry so as to interrupt the power supply to or reduce the heating output of the heating apparatus.

Abstract: A photograph service method offers a package to a customer containing a selected number of photographs to be taken at a plurality of individual photographic sites within a defined geographic area. Payment for the package is arranged for and accepted in advance. The paid customer is provided with a customer I.D. or uniquely identified at each photographic site where images are captured. The images are then processed and delivered to the customer. Each customer is provided with a digital media storage element for transport to each photographic site. Images are captured at each of the photographic sites using the digital media storage element.

Abstract: A WDM-to-switch interface unit comprising a WDM multiplexer/demultiplexer (mux/demux) for interfacing to a WDM optical network, a switch interface element for interfacing to an external switch unit, and a first conversion component disposed between the WDM mux/demux and the switch interface element for converting one or more layers of a management protocol in the optical network into corresponding layers of a management protocol of the external switch unit.

Abstract: A duct joiner for air ducting is provided which has at least one tubular neck portion with resilient projections extending out of a first annular groove, a sealing ring mounted in a second annular groove and further resilient projections extending out of a third annular groove. A ramp surface between the first and second grooves assists in fitting an end portion of an air duct over the neck portion which rides over the resilient projections, then moves along the ramp surface and over the sealing ring and then over the resilient projections extending from the third groove. The projections then engage with the internal surface of the duct to retain the duct on the neck portion and a good sealing contact is achieved about the sealing ring. There is also provided a method of manufacturing such a duct joiner by moulding the joiner in at least two parts and joining side edges of the two parts together by complementary interengaging formations.

Abstract: A register and boot assembly for a ducted heating or air conditioning assembly is provided which has a boot member, a register mounting member detachably connected to the boot member and a register face member mounted on the mounting member to cover the front face thereof. The assembly may be simply and conveniently installed in an opening in a floor, wall or ceiling by flexible securing clips mounted on upper edges of side or end walls of the mounting member. The securing clips have gripping formations which engage with similar formations on the face member to assist in retaining the face member to the mounting member.

Abstract: A flexible duct construction and method of manufacture is provided in which the duct is formed from a continuously wound elongate member comprising a core of insulating material, a reinforcing wire element and a casing comprising a strip of substrate material extending around the core and the reinforcing element. In the preferred method of manufacture, adhesive is applied to one side of the strip of substrate, the casing has a tail part extending from a generally circular part which encapsulates the core and the reinforcing element, and the elongate encapsulated insulating member is wound helically so that the circular part of one winding overlies and adheres to the tail part of the previous winding.

Abstract: An electric coffee maker (2) comprises a first chamber (4), and a second chamber (6) arranged on top of the first chamber. A tube (8) extends down from the second chamber (6) into the first chamber (4) for transferring liquid between the two chambers. The base (20) of the first chamber (4) is provided with electric heater (24) and a thermally responsive control (46) is provided associated with the base (20) so as to be responsive to the temperature of the heater (24) or to a section of the base (20) for interrupting the power supply to or reducing the heating output of the heater (24).

Abstract: A duct joiner for air ducting is provided which has at least one tubular neck portion (2, 3) with resilient projections (14) extending out of a first annular groove (6), a sealing zing (15) mounted in a second annular groove (7) and further resilient projections (16) extending out of a third annular groove (8). A ramp surface (12) between the first and second grooves (6 and 7) assists in fitting an end portion of an air duct over the neck portion (2, 3) which rides over the resilient projections (14), then moves along the ramp surface (12) and over the sealing ring (15) and then over the resilient projections (16) extending from the third groove. The projections (14, 16) then engage with the internal surface of the duct to retain the duct on the neck portion (2, 3) and a good sealing contact is achieved about the sealing ring.

Abstract: A register and boot assembly for a ducted heating or air conditioning assembly is provided which has a boot member (10), a register mounting member (20) detachably connected to the boot member (10) and a register face member (30) mounted on the mounting member (20) to cover the front face thereof. The assembly may be simply and conveniently installed in an opening in a floor, wall or ceiling by flexible securing clips (70) mounted on upper edges of side or end walls of the mounting member (20). The securing clips (70) have gripping formations (77) which engage with similar formations (37) on the face member (30) to assist in retaining the face member (30) to the mounting member (20).

Abstract: A beverage maker 2 comprises a first chamber 4, a second chamber 6 arranged on top of said first chamber 4, with a tube 8 extending down from said second chamber 6 into said first chamber 4 for transferring liquid between the two chambers. The base of the first chamber 4 has a first region 26 at least a portion of which is arranged to boil dry and a second region 28 which is arranged to retain a quantity of liquid after the first region 26 boils dry. The first region 26 is separated from the second region 28 by a wall 30. The underside of the base of the first chamber 26 is provided with one or more sheathed heating elements 32 arranged below the first region 26 of the base and also with a heat transfer member 20 which extends between the first and said second regions of the base. A thermal control 24 has a sensor arranged to detect when the first region of the base boils dry so as to interrupt the power supply to or reduce the heating output of the heating means.