Abstract: A thermoplastic bag for storing food items may include a first sidewall and an opposing second sidewall joined to the first sidewall to define an interior volume. The first and second sidewalls may be made from pliable, sheet-like thermoplastic web material. The sidewalls may be formed with a pattern of ribs. When a tensioning force is applied to the sidewall, the ribs may open so that the sidewall may become generally more planar. Opening the ribs may cause the sidewalls to stretch or expand thereby adding to the overall area of the bag. The thermoplastic material may have a shape memory characteristic that may cause the ribs to reform after the tensioning force is alleviated.

Abstract: The present invention is an indoor/outdoor patio heater which includes a base portion housing a gas source, a gas burner, gas valve, a fan under the burner to create twisting flame patterns and a liquid pump, a pair of concentric see-through tubular portions disposed vertically above said base portion and a top heat deflector portion, with the burner flame enclosed by the inner tubular portion and liquid flowing through the channel formed between the inner and outer tubular portions to create the appearance of a twisting flame enclosed within a waterfall. The invention can be utilized with its aesthetic flame features and its aesthetic water features together, or one or the other.

Abstract: A realistic gas fire log system providing log movement during use to enhance the realism of a fireplace system, comprising a ceramic fiber top, molded to look like charred embers or ash ported with one or more holes and recessed at the bottom to form a cavity, a steel pan sealed to the bottom of the ceramic fiber top, forming a chamber; a gas supply, gas control valve and a venturi fitted in an orifice through the pan, and including a log movement mechanism comprising an armature for pivotable attachment to one end of a fire log resting over a second fire log including two or more log sections connected by a spring and an activating mechanism, which armature causes the hinged log to collapse downwardly when activated and reposition into its original position when the fireplace is turned off. The log movement mechanism can be incorporated into existing gas fire log systems or made part of the original equipment of a gas fire log system.

Abstract: A ceramic spinneret used for producing manufactured fibers and formed from a fine grained, essentially pure structural ceramic such as aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, composites of aluminum oxide and zirconium oxide known as toughed ceramics, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, or any fine grained essentially pure structural ceramic. Such spinnerets are formed as a single piece and contain non-circular capillaries suitable for forming shaped or void containing fibers.

Abstract: A support arm is adapted for high-speed positioning of a transducer such as a read/write head in a magnetic disk drive. The support arm is essentially composed of a ceramic material having a high specific stiffness. The support arm is shaped to form structures integral of the support arm for mating with fasteners for connecting a transducer assembly to one end of the support arm and for connecting the support arm to a positioning actuator.

Abstract: The disclosed process forms metal parts from a mixture containing a powdered metal, a plasticizer, and at least two binders. Some of these binder materials are selectively extractable from the mixture without sintering. After the mixture is shaped into the form of the desired part and prior to sintering, the plasticizer and the extractable binders are removed. This produces a part having both sufficient green strength and a relatively low binder content. On sintering, remaining binders decompose; and the resulting part has a carbon content of less than 1.0%.