Abstract: A windshield blind or shade adaptable for application to any of the window areas of a vehicle is disclosed as being made of flexible insulative fabric material having at least one suction cup adjacent each side edge for attachment to the surface of a window. A slidable shaft connects the cup to an edge of the shade for permitting the selective positioning of the suction cups, thereby enabling variation of positioning of the cups and the application of the shade to different sizes of windows. Another embodiment utilizes two suction cups associated with each side edge of the shade with a cup adjacent each corner thereof. Another embodiment involves a shade made of stiff paper stock or the like having at least one horizontal fold line and a plurality of vertical fold lines thus enabling double folding of the shade into a compact package.

Abstract: A container holds a volume of water over a plant and has an opening closed by a plug that is formed of a water-soluble material configured and composed so that the plug dissolves after a predetermined interval to let the water flow onto an area to be watered. The container can have several openings at different heights and closed by plugs that dissolve after successively longer intervals for each lower opening. Then quantities of water are admitted to the plant as the plugs dissolve after 2- or 3-day intervals so that the plant is watered periodically.

Abstract: A sport racket of the type having a frame, a handle, and a network of tension strands supported by the frame for hitting a ball is made to give the strand network oppositely oriented curvatures along two transverse directions to form a saddle shape so that the tension strands are curved in their strung state before engaging the ball. The frame is preferably curved in a corresponding saddle shape to support the strand network, transverse sets of strands preferably extend along the directions of curvature, and one of the directions of curvature preferably extends in the direction of the handle.