Abstract: A fishing lure includes a shaft having a first end for connection to a line and a second end for connection to a hook. An outer body is provided on the shaft to conduct water through its hollow interior during retrieval while an inner body gating component rotatably mounted on the shaft within the hollow interior repetitively interrupts or gates the flow of water in a way that produces low frequency vibrations. As an angler retrieves a line attached to the shaft, water flows into an outer body input port, through the hollow interior, and then out a plurality of outer body output ports located at a rearward end of the outer body.

Abstract: A lighting string includes LEDs at spaced-apart locations within the hollow interior of a length of clear plastic or vinyl tubing or other flexible tube of light-transmitting material. The LEDs are connected in an LED circuit. An input connector attached to a first end portion of the flexible tube connects the LED circuit to a separate source of electric power. An output connector may be included on a second end portion of the flexible tube for connecting the lighting string to a second similar lighting string. One lighting string embodiment includes multiple colors of LEDs within the flexible tube that are arranged in series-connected single-color groupings so that adjacent LEDs are of different color and LEDs of the same color are energized together. A second type lighting string includes shift registers and other circuit components within the flexible tube for sequentially energizing the individual LEDs according to a data signal and a clock signal to produce the appearance of movement along the tube.

Abstract: A fishing lure includes a shaft having a first end for connection to a line and a second end for connection to a hook. An outer body is provided on the shaft to conduct water through its hollow interior during retrieval while a gating component rotatably mounted on the shaft within the hollow interior repetitively interrupts or gates the flow of water in a way that produces low frequency vibrations. As an angler retrieves a line attached to the shaft, water flows into an outer body input port, through the hollow interior, and then out a plurality of outer body output ports located at a rearward end of the outer body.

Abstract: For ensuring that a vending machine motor will continue to operate until a product has descended through a vending space or an established time interval has elapsed, an optical beam is established across the vend space through which a product must drop. A change in beam intensity is detected. By preference infra red light is emitted at one focal point of an elliptical reflector, and detected at the other focal point. The light is emitted in pulses in the preferred embodiment, and the optical sensing system has automated calibration and error detecting functions.

Abstract: For ensuring that a vending machine motor will continue to operate until a product has descended through a vending space or an established time interval has elapsed, an optical beam is established across the vend space through which a product must drop. A change in beam intensity is detected. By preference infra red light is emitted at one focal point of an elliptical reflector, and detected at the other focal point. The light is emitted in pulses in the preferred embodiment, and the optical sensing system has automated calibration and error detecting functions.

Abstract: An apparatus which transforms itself from one form to another. The apparatus comprises a body having a first rotatable leg and a second rotatable leg mounted thereon. When placed in motion, the apparatus is in its first form. First and second links are rotatably mounted in the first and second rotatable legs, respectively. The first and second links are pivotably joined at a pivot point. The apparatus has a weight disposed at the pivot point. Forces acting on the apparatus at different stages of travel cause forces to shift. This causes rotation of the first rotatable leg and said second rotatable leg. When this occurs, the apparatus is transformed into the second form. Also, a center of gravity shifting apparatus shifts the center of gravity of the apparatus from the front of the apparatus to the rear of the apparatus.

Abstract: Gyro stabilized remote controlled toy motorcycle having good stability and controllability without using ground contacting auxiliary wheels or the like. The motorcycle comprises a chassis supporting a fixed angle rear wheel drive and associated motor and a castered front wheel. A gyro wheel having an axis nominally parallel to the axis of the rear wheel is mounted in a gimbal with a vertical axis in the forward part of the chassis and connected to the front wheel fork and post to turn the front wheel responsive to the rotation of the gimbal relative to the chassis. The chassis further includes a radio receiver, battery power and a steering device, such as a motor and slip clutch for torquing the gyro wheel gimbal. To turn in a first direction the gyro gimbal is torqued in the opposite direction, initially causing the front wheel to also turn in the opposite direction.

Abstract: An improved security system for use in mobile commerce consisting of an electromechanical lock and electronic key and an integrated program-erase procedure whereby overall systemic complexity and security are judiciously increased through the unequivocal implementation of a first electromagnetic wavelength irradiation to erase the volatile memories of the lock and/or key combined with the implementation of a second electromagnetic wavelength irradiation to program the volatile memories of the lock only.