Abstract: A sports bra constructed for restricting breast motion when the wearer is engaged in a vigorous sport such as basketball, tennis or volleyball includes a left three piece breast cup of non-stretch material for holding the left breast and a right three-piece breast cup of non-stretch material for holding the right breast. The sports bra also includes a pair of front panels, a pair of back panels and a pair of stretch panels. All panels except for the stretch panels are made of non-stretch material. A front closure in the form of a lace along with a set of eyelets on each breast cup adjustably pulls the two breast cups together and a rear closure in the form of a set of hooks and eyes adjustably attaches the two back panels together to close off the back ends of the sports bra.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for determining content level in a fluid holding tank and requesting refills. One embodiment of the system comprises a magnet that produces a magnetic flux around a housing for an existing content level gauge, a Hall Effect sensor transmitter unit disposed on the housing and having at least one current detecting loop therein for detecting any variation in a magnetic field created by the magnet, and a metal content level gauge disposed within the housing. The degree of variation corresponds to a measured content level as indicated by a position of the metal content level gauge. The system further comprises a base station receiver transmitter unit for receiving a signal from the Hall Effect sensor transmitter unit and forwarding that signal to a remote registry.

Abstract: An electrical component in the form of an inductor or transformer is disclosed which includes one or more coils and a magnetic polymer material located near the coils or supporting the coils to provide an electromagnetic interaction therewith. The magnetic polymer material is preferably a cured magnetic epoxy which includes a mercaptan derivative having a ferromagnetic atom chemically bonded therein. The ferromagnetic atom can be either a transition metal or rare-earth atom.

Abstract: An traffic light capable of utilizing both natural sunlight and artificial light for illuminating selective traffic signals. Natural light is directed to a natural light router or switch and to a color switch for providing a red, amber or yellow, and a green light for each bank of traffic light signals. A controller is coupled to the natural light router and light emitting diodes for controlling the mode of operation for operating the traffic light with either electrically powered light emitting diodes or with natural light collected by the natural light collector. A sensor detects the adequacy of the natural light, and when insufficient, causes the controller to power an LED signal light. The natural light may either be amplitude modulated or time modulated so as to provide a desired high illumination output to the desired signal light. The power consumption is greatly reduced, as well as providing a more reliable traffic light substantially independent of power line interruptions or fluctuations.

Abstract: An electrical component in the form of an inductor or transformer is disclosed which includes one or more coils and a magnetic polymer material located near the coils or supporting the coils to provide an electromagnetic interaction therewith. The magnetic polymer material is preferably a cured magnetic epoxy which includes a mercaptan derivative having a ferromagnetic atom chemically bonded therein. The ferromagnetic atom can be either a transition metal or rare-earth atom.

Abstract: A four stroke engine including a crankshaft. A power piston within a first cylinder connected to the crankshaft such that the power piston reciprocates through a power stroke and an exhaust stroke. A compression piston within a second cylinder is connected to the crankshaft such that the compression piston reciprocates through an intake stroke and a compression stroke. A gas passage interconnects the first and second cylinders and includes an inlet valve and an outlet valve defining a pressure chamber therebetween. An inlet manifold is in fluid communication with an inlet valve of the second cylinder. A bypass valve is in fluid communication with the second cylinder and the inlet manifold, wherein during a compression stroke the bypass valve allows a portion of the air to bypass the inlet valve and exhaust into the inlet manifold to provide a variable compression ratio.

Abstract: A four stroke engine including a crankshaft. A power piston within a first cylinder connected to the crankshaft such that the power piston reciprocates through a power stroke and an exhaust stroke. A compression piston within a second cylinder is connected to the crankshaft such that the compression piston reciprocates through an intake stroke and a compression stroke. A gas passage interconnects the first and second cylinders and includes an inlet valve and an outlet valve defining a pressure chamber therebetween. An inlet manifold is in fluid communication with an inlet valve of the second cylinder. A bypass valve is in fluid communication with the second cylinder and the inlet manifold, wherein during a compression stroke the bypass valve allows a portion of the air to bypass the inlet valve and exhaust into the inlet manifold to provide a variable compression ratio.

Abstract: A compressor/motor combination device for use in refrigerant recovery and/or recycling apparatus wherein the motor employed is of the disc armature type and the drive shaft thereof also acts as the crank shaft of the compressor for reciprocating the piston therein and extends in a direction opposite the compressor to drive a fan.

Abstract: A method of improving the electromagnetic (EM) shielding performance of a mposite material is provided. The composite material has conductive and semi-conductive filler particles suspended in a non-conductive resin. The filler particles can be up to 40 weight percent of the composite material. The composite material is electroplated with a conductive material onto a portion of its surface to improve the electrical connection between the conductive material and a portion of the filler particles. EM shielding performance can be further enhanced by injecting an exponentially decaying electromagnetic pulse through the composite material that has been electroplated.

Abstract: Apparatus which enables a foldable wheelchair to be retrofitted with an electrical propulsion system without significantly compromising the ability to fold the chair. The apparatus includes a drive unit for each wheel to be driven. The drive units can be mounted on the stationary axles of the driven wheels and apply torque, generated by a separate motor in each drive unit, to the wheels at a plurality of symmetrically located points which are radially displaced from the axles.

Abstract: A method of forming a composite material for EMI/EMP hardening protection at has a predictable EM shielding performance in terms of penetration depth is provided. A base material is doped with a predetermined volume fraction of filler particles such that the base material forms a separating contact region between each pair of adjacent filler particles. An electrical equivalent circuit for a filler particle pair and separating contact region is used to represent electrical properties associated with the filler particle pair and separating contact region. A network equivalent impedance of the base material doped with the filler particles is generated using the electrical equivalent circuit. The network equivalent impedance, dielectric constants of the base material and the filler particles, and the predetermined volume fraction of filler particles are used to predict the EM shielding performance of the base material doped with the filler particles in terms of penetration depth.

Abstract: Composite material composed of conducting and semi-conducting oxide partis, fibers, or flakes suspended in a of polymeric material matrix for use in connectors, junction boxes, enclosures or similar electromagnetic shielding applications. The use of a composite material with electromagnetic shielding properties built into the material itself, combined with the use of a semi-conductive filler that minimizes the corrosive effect of an electrochemical potential difference, provides EM shielding and corrosion resistance for these materials when they are used in marine and aircraft environments. Oxide semiconductor materials and compatible conductive fillers also provides a basis for a new class of EMI and EMP composite materials that exhibit a stable current-controlled and voltage-controlled negative resistance (VCNR, CCNR) characteristic. Testing has shown that the conductivities of these materials increase as the field and/or the voltage increases.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell having a zinc phosphide absorber. The zinc phosphide can be a single or multiple crystal slice or a thin polycrystalline film. The cell can be a Schottky barrier, heterojunction or homojunction device. Methods for synthesizing and crystallizing zinc phosphide are disclosed as well as a method for forming thin films.

Abstract: A technique for manufacturing durable, reliable solar cells by a continuous process suitable for large-scale manufacture involves, in substance, providing a reel of thin metal foil substrate and forming on the substrate a series of layers operative to form a photovoltaic junction, short prevention blocking layers, contacts and integral encapsulation. The foil substrate is processed as a continuous reel substantially until final testing at which point, if desired, it can be cut into individual cells for deployment. In comparison with a batch process, the continuous technique can reduce manufacturing cost by as much as a factor of two.

Abstract: A solar cell having a copper-bearing absorber is provided with a composite transparent encapsulating layer specifically designed to prevent oxidation of the copper sulfide. In a preferred embodiment, the absorber is a layer of copper sulfide and the composite layer comprises a thin layer of copper oxide formed on the copper sulfide and a layer of encapsulating glass formed on the oxide. It is anticipated that such devices, when exposed to normal operating conditions of various terrestrial applications, can be maintained at energy conversion efficiencies greater than one-half the original conversion efficiency for periods as long as thirty years.

Abstract: A photovoltaic semiconductor junction device which is particularly useful as a solar cell comprises a first layer of organic semiconductor material exhibiting one type of electronic conductivity and a second of inorganic semiconductor material having the same or opposite type conductivity. The first layer of organic semiconductor material has an energy bandgap relatively wider than that of the second layer of semiconductor material. The electron affinities of the first and second layers of semiconducting material may be equal, greater, or less than those of the other.The first layer of organic semiconductor material must either be doped to have a resistivity below 10.sup.6 ohm-centimeters or be sufficiently thin to allow conduction. In devices employing n-type layers on p-type substrates, the conduction band energy level of the organic material is preferably at substantially the same energy level as the conduction band energy level of the narrower band gap semiconductor material.

Abstract: A semiconductive heterojunction device particularly useful as a photovoltaic device such as a solar cell comprises a heterojunction formed between a first layer of semiconductor material exhibiting one type of electronic conductivity (N or P) and a second layer of a compositionally different material exhibiting the other type of electronic conductivity (P or N), which second layer has an energy bandgap relatively wider than that of the semiconductor material and an electron affinity less than or equal to the electron affinity of the semiconductor. Preferably, the wider bandgap material is a glassy amorphous material which possess or is doped to possess a low resistivity below about 10.sup.7 ohm-cm. In devices employing N-type wider bandgap layers, the conduction band energy level of the wider bandgap material is preferably at substantially the same energy level as the conduction band energy level of the narrower bandgap material at electrical neutrality.

Abstract: A wave guide device for varying the polarization of a light beam comprises a diode formed of a film of a material such as a glassy amorphous material or a plastic of a first kind of electrical conductivity (P or N) disposed on a substrate of semiconductor material exhibiting the opposite kind of electrical conductivity (N or P), an input optical coupler for coupling a light beam into the glassy film of the diode so that the light will pass through the film by a series of internal reflections, an output optical coupler and means for applying a bias voltage to the diode. In operation, variation of the bias voltage varies the phase of the light beam as it passes therethrough. This change in phase can be detected as a change in the polarization of the light beam exiting from the output coupler.