Abstract: A wave energy converter (WEC) includes a prismatic float having a quadrilateral-like cross section including a front plate, for facing incoming waves, a top plate, a bottom plate and a back plate. The front plate is connected at its top edge to the front end of the top plate which is disposed to be generally parallel to the surface of the water and at its bottom edge to the front end of the bottom plate. The plates are interconnected such that the sides of the top and front plates define an acute angle and the sides of the front and bottom plates define an obtuse angle. The back panel is connected between the back end of the top plate and the back end of the bottom plate. The exterior angle between the back panel and the top plate is generally less than 90 degrees. An extension plate may be added to the bottom plate which extends rearward of the float.

Abstract: An automate card package mailer for preparing card packages (60) composed of one or more cards(50) attached to matching carrier forms (33) for mailing has a carrier folding apparatus that is programmable to fold the carriers into different configurations including Z-fold, C-fold, bi-fold and no-fold, has a controller (42) that controls the movement of carriers by different amounts relative to a first folding arm to achieve different first folds, folds the carriers by pushing the fold location on the surface of the carriers into the nib of a first pair of folding pinch rollers with a first pivotally mounted folding arm after guiding the carrier with a slanted guide and an arcuate guide to the desired position beneath the folding arm, makes a second fold with a second pivotally mounted arm that pushes another fold location on a carrier into the nib of a second pair of rotating pinch rollers while a holding member holds a folded section upright in a well.

Abstract: A card package production system (100) for producing card packages (115) composed of printed paper carriers (113) with matching cards (128) attached to the carriers (113) selectively outputs the card packages through a card package multi directional distribution module (136) having a carrier transport with a primary carrier transport path extending between a package inlet (262) and a primary package outlet (144) for transporting the card packages along the primary carrier transport path. A movable stacker gate assembly (280) mounted for movement between a stacking position (FIG.

Abstract: An automate card package mailer for preparing card packages (60) composed of one or more cards(50) attached to matching carrier forms (33) for mailing has a carrier folding apparatus that is programmable to fold the carriers into different configurations including Z-fold, C-fold, bi-fold and no-fold, has a controller (42) that controls the movement of carriers by different amounts relative to a first folding arm to achieve different first folds, folds the carriers by pushing the fold location on the surface of the carriers into the nib of a first pair of folding pinch rollers with a first pivotally mounted folding arm after guiding the carrier with a slanted guide and an arcuate guide to the desired position beneath the folding arm, makes a second fold with a second pivotally mounted arm that pushes another fold location on a carrier into the nib of a second pair of rotating pinch rollers while a holding member holds a folded section upright in a well.

Abstract: A card package production system (30) for producing card packages each with at least one card (48) bearing card information at a plurality of different card information locations on the card (48) with a card multireader (54) having an elongate card track (52) with a succession of reading stations located along the track (52) with readers for respectively reading the card information at the different locations on the card (48) with means for simultaneously sliding a plurality of the cards (48) along the track (52) in seriatim relationship through the succession of reading stations of the multireader 54 for simultaneous reading of the card information at the different locations on the cards (48) by the multireader (54).

Abstract: A card package production system (100) with a printer module (102) that prints and provides carriers (113) to an attachment module (104) for attaching cards (130) to matching carriers has a carrier transport mechanism (FIGS. 11-14 and 48) with carrier support members (224 and 226) with upstream ends that are elevated relative to the downstream ends of downstream carrier support members (226 and 228), respectively, to enable an upstream carrier to pass over the top of a downstream carrier to prevent the upstream carrier from jamming into the downstream carrier during a temporary halt in operation.

Abstract: A card package production system (100) for making card packages (115) of carriers (113) with attached cards (128) with a pair of rollers for passing a carrier in an upstream direction to a card attachment station for receipt of a card, a card drop mechanism for dropping a card with adhesive onto a carrier at the card attachment position; and a controller for controlling the operation of the pair of rollers to first reverse the rollers to pass the carrier with the card on the carrier in a downstream direction back past the pair of rollers to press the card with the adhesive against the carrier to adhere the card to the carrier, and to then reverse the at least one roller again to pass the carrier with the adhered card in the upstream direction.

Abstract: A card package production system (30) for producing card packages each with at least one card (48) bearing card information at a plurality of different card information locations on the card (48) with a card multireader (54) having an elongate card track (52) with a succession of reading stations located along the track (52) with readers for respectively reading the card information at the different locations on the card (48) with means for simultaneously sliding a plurality of the cards (48) along the track (52) in seriatim relationship through the succession of reading stations of the multireader 54 for simultaneous reading of the card information at the different locations on the cards (48) by the multireader (54).