Abstract: An air bag module (60) including an inflatable air bag (50) having a first region formed by opposing edge borders (102, 104) of two facing panels or panel pieces (52, 54), the first region initially open to receive a gas distribution hose (40), the gas distribution hose comprising a tubular portion (42) and a flat portion (44) integrally formed with the tubular portion, the tubular portion configured to receive inflation gas at one portion and having openings (49) therein to permit the egress of inflation gas; the flat portion of the hose located between the opposing edge borders of the facing panels; and a seam or seams (110) extending through the facing borders to join the flat portion of the hose between the facing edge borders in a gas tight manner.

Abstract: A cargo management device and vehicle including a cargo management device having a base portion having a surface. The device also includes a support portion pivotably mounted to the base portion and being configured to receive cargo. A locking member is pivotably mounted to the support member and in sliding contact with the surface of the base portion. The support member is capable of detachable engagement with a portion of the surface. A bridge portion is associated with the support portion and is capable of being secured at a first position with respect to the support portion. The device is capable of loading and unloading cargo from a cargo compartment by an incline formed by the support portion. A method for unloading cargo is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method of providing a message passing fabric in a modular processing system where a plurality of processing elements (VFBs), access other available processing elements to provide a message passing fabric where the fabric asynchronously establishes routes for synchronous messages from an origin processing element to a destination processing element to permit an operation to occur at the destination processing element in a flexible, efficient, self-routing and real-time dynamically optimized manner.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and configured storage media are provided for discovering software updates, discovering if a given computer can use the software update, and then updating the computers with the software as needed automatically across a network without storing the updates on an intermediate machine within the network. Furthermore, when a failure is detected, the rollout is stopped and the software can be automatically removed from those computers that already were updated. The software update can be stored originally at an address that is inaccessible through the network firewall by intermediately uploading the software update to an update computer which is not a part of the network but has access through the firewall, which is then used to distribute the update.

Abstract: A bandwidth control system for a network, the network having a host computer that includes a first network interface and a second network interface. A packet driver adapted to be executed on the host computer is logically connected to the first network interface and the second network interface. The packet driver captures packets received from the network on the first network interface. A traffic shaper adapted to be executed on the host computer maintains a topology representation of the network, the topology representation including one or more nodes. The traffic shaper performs priority and packet rate metering functions on the captured packets to match a set of rate conditions unique to each node in the topology representation of the network. The captured packets are returned to the packet driver for transmission to the network on the second network interface.

Abstract: A hydrotherapy massage apparatus for the limbs of a patient having a water-tight chamber and a limb-receiving and surrounding waterproof, flexible sleeve extending longitudinally through an opening in the front wall of the chamber for insertion of the limb to be massaged into the chamber. At least one continuous hollow water head surrounds the sleeve and has opposed, peripherally spaced apart openings facing the sleeve through which water jets may be directed upon peripherally spaced apart portions of the limb within the sleeve.

Abstract: A filter vent system and method for separating entrained airborne particulate matter from the conveying fluid is disclosed, particularly as it relates to filling a storage vessel. The filter system employs a simplified, yet more efficient filter cleaning arrangement, in which the entire clean air plenum on the downstream side of a filter array of one or more filter units is periodically pulsed with a large burst or pulse of relatively high pressure air from a single source which rapidly raises the plenum pressure to, in turn, produce a temporary pulsed flow reversal in the filter units which blasts through the filter pores to displace particulate matter collected on the upstream side of all of the filter units alike thereby cleaning or re-generating the filter surfaces.

Abstract: A filter vent system and method for separating entrained airborne particulate matter from the conveying fluid is disclosed, particularly as it relates to filling a storage vessel. The filter system employs a simplified, yet more efficient filter cleaning arrangement, in which the entire clean air plenum on the downstream side of a filter array of one or more filter units is periodically pulsed with a large burst or pulse of relatively high pressure air from a single source which rapidly raises the plenum pressure to, in turn, produce a temporary pulsed flow reversal in the filter units which blasts through the filter pores to displace particulate matter collected on the upstream side of all of the filter units alike thereby cleaning or re-generating the filter surfaces.

Abstract: A bandwidth control system for a network, the network having a host computer that includes a first network interface and a second network interface. A packet driver adapted to be executed on the host computer is logically connected to the first network interface and the second network interface. The packet driver captures packets received from the network on the first network interface. A traffic shaper adapted to be executed on the host computer maintains a topology representation of the network, the topology representation including one or more nodes. The traffic shaper performs priority and packet rate metering functions on the captured packets to match a set of rate conditions unique to each node in the topology representation of the network. The captured packets are returned to the packet driver for transmission to the network on the second network interface.

Abstract: A method of continuously producing a continuous paint coat of substantially constant, pre-determined thickness, and displaying a plural colour, familial, non-modular pattern, on a surface of a moving substrate, comprising the steps of depositing at least two discontinuous, randomly patchy, differently coloured, component paint deposits, at a predetermined, constant, long term deposition rate for each component deposit in terms of the volume of paint per unit area of the surface, within a single stationary target area of the surface, or within stationary target areas of the surface respectively associated with the component deposits and at least partly aligned in the direction of movement of the substrate, and thereafter spreading and smoothing the component paint deposits carried by the substrate from the target area or areas, to form the continuous coat.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing a striped coating on a continuously moving strip are provided, in which the apparatus has a smoothing device including a doctor roll forming a nip with the strip. A stationary partition means is provided, which divides the nip into nip lengths, and upstream of the smoothing device is a means to deposit coating materials on the strip for delivery into the respective nip lengths at predetermined rates. The deposit means maintains a bead of coating material in each nip length and a stripe of coating material is formed on the strip from coating material escaping the respective nip length as the strip passes through the nip.

Abstract: In a melt deposition painting station, a solid body of paint is fed onto an endless belt conveyor, incorporating a substantially planar belt flight, a head pulley, and turn round means adjacent to the contact point of the paint block and the moving steel strip and consisting of a stationary guide and an idler pulley. The turn round means is so constructed that the direction of the belt movement after the turn is at least parallel to that of the continuously moving strip and preferably at an angle away from it. The head pulley is preferably coated with a high friction material such as natural rubber. The planar belt flight is adapted to support one or more blocks of substantially solvent-free paint composition, which becomes bonded to the pliable, durable heat-resistant material of the belt. The belt causes continuous movement of the paint block towards one end of the flight to affect melting of some portion of a solid body of paint composition onto a moving strip.

Abstract: The present invention is a natural bait holding fishing lure, available in multiple sizes, to use with dead bait fish and/or dew worms. This minnow head shaped lure is preferably molded from resin plastic and includes a rod for the trailer model, or tube for the pull-through model, to impale the bait as it is inserted head first into the cavity of the lure. Also connected to the lure is a pivoting L shaped barbed locking pin device, and a metal foil which deflects water to simulate the swimming motion of a live minnow when trolled through the water with the bait attached, and thus promotes attraction of the target fish.

Abstract: A time division, multiplexed, shared bandwidth, high speed data system for use over CATV and broadcast equipment, which allows transmission rates to be adjusted on a per receiver basis in both forward (downstream) and return (upstream) directions, utilizes a time division multiplexed method to transmit information from a service provider to a plurality of users (downstream) using the equivalent of horizontal sync pulses to define the start and end of a period of transmission assigned to a specific user. The transmission is grouped into frames which typically contain five hundred to several thousand transmission periods. In each frame, at least one transmission period is reserved for each actively connected user which is used as a connection control channel. The remaining transmission periods are shared by all users and are dynamically allocated to transfer data. Hence, each user is allocated a small fixed bandwidth control channel and is provided with additional shared bandwidth for data transfers as needed.

Abstract: A method is described for forming metallic uranium, or a uranium alloy, from uranium oxide in a manner which substantially eliminates the formation of uranium-containing wastes. A source of uranium dioxide is first provided, for example, by reducing uranium trioxide (UO.sub.3), or any other substantially stable uranium oxide, to form the uranium dioxide (UO.sub.2). This uranium dioxide is then chlorinated to form uranium tetrachloride (UCl.sub.4), and the uranium tetrachloride is then reduced to metallic uranium by reacting the uranium chloride with a metal which will form the chloride of the metal. This last step may be carried out in the presence of another metal capable of forming one or more alloys with metallic uranium to thereby lower the melting point of the reduced uranium product.

Abstract: An uranium enrichment process capable of producing an enriched uranium, having a .sup.235 U content greater than about 4 wt. %, is disclosed which will consume less energy and produce metallic uranium tails having a lower .sup.235 U content than the tails normally produced in a gaseous diffusion separation process and, therefore, eliminate UF.sub.6 tails storage and sharply reduce fluorine use. The uranium enrichment process comprises feeding metallic uranium into an atomic vapor laser isotope separation process to produce an enriched metallic uranium isotopic mixture having a .sup.235 U content of at least about 2 wt. % and a metallic uranium residue containing from about 0.1 wt. % to about 0.2 wt. % .sup.235 U; fluorinating this enriched metallic uranium isotopic mixture to form UF.sub.6 ; processing the resultant isotopic mixture of UF.sub.6 in a gaseous diffusion process to produce a final enriched uranium product having a .sup.235 U content of at least 4 wt. %, and up to 93.5 wt.

Abstract: The invention is a specialized reaction cell for converting uranium metal to uranium oxide. In a preferred form, the reaction cell comprises a reaction chamber with increasing diameter along its length (e.g. a cylindrical chamber having a diameter of about 2 inches in a lower portion and having a diameter of from about 4 to about 12 inches in an upper portion). Such dimensions are important to achieve the necessary conversion while at the same time affording criticality control and transportability of the cell and product. The reaction chamber further comprises an upper port and a lower port, the lower port allowing for the entry of reactant gasses into the reaction chamber, the upper port allowing for the exit of gasses from the reaction chamber. A diffuser plate is attached to the lower port of the reaction chamber and serves to shape the flow of gas into the reaction chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for continuous production of liquid uranium alloys through the electrolytic reduction of uranium chlorides. The apparatus includes an electrochemical cell formed from an anode shaped to form an electrolyte reservoir, a cathode comprising a metal, such as iron, capable of forming a eutectic uranium alloy having a melting point less than the melting point of pure uranium, and molten electrolyte in the reservoir comprising a chlorine or fluorine containing salt and uranium chloride.