Abstract: A mattress including a surface panel structure incorporating a fibrous textile layer treated with intumescent flame retardant composition to provide substantially improved flame resistance. The fibrous textile layer is free from brominated compounds and retains pliability.

Abstract: A mattress including a side panel structure incorporating a foam layer treated with intumescent flame retardant composition to provide substantially improved flame resistance. The foam layer is free from brominated compounds and retains pliability.

Abstract: A mattress including a top surface panel structure incorporating a foam layer treated with intumescent flame retardant composition to provide substantially improved flame resistance. The foam layer is free from brominated compounds and retains pliability.

Abstract: A personal communications device is integrated with a hat. The hat provides support for the communications device and may also protect a user against the elements (e.g., rain, sun, snow). The hat may be made of any of a variety of lightweight, “breathable” materials, such as cloth, straw, or nylon mesh, for example. The hat may also be of any style (men's or women's), including, but not limited to; billed caps, such as baseball caps; brimmed caps, such as a fedora; and brimless hats, such as stocking or watch caps. The communications device may take the form of a two-way radio or a cellular telephone, for example.

Abstract: Intumescent compositions which provide enhanced levels of flame resistance and which are suitable for topical and/or infused application to articles to be protected. The intumescent compositions are characterized by substantial pliability upon topical application to and/or infusion or blending within a material to be protected.

Abstract: A cellular foam composition including at least one base polyol intermixed with a non-brominated intumescent flame retardant composition. The cellular foam is characterized by enhanced flame resistance.

Abstract: A textile structure of enhanced flame resistance and articles formed therefrom. The textile structure is adapted to provide enhanced levels of flame resistance so as to withstand flame impingement for prolonged periods.

Abstract: A plastic composition of moldable or extrudable character having enhanced flame resistance. The plastic composition includes a base polymer intermixed with a non-brominated intumescent flame retardant composition.

Abstract: A rubber composition including at least one base rubber intermixed with a non-brominated intumescent flame retardant composition. The rubber composition is characterized by enhanced flame resistance.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for executing a series of sequential tasks existing within a system-level domain of a customer computing system providing provisioning of meta-level domain products are disclosed. For each product or product action (202), one or more sequence of tasks (250–272) is defined. Within each sequence, one or more tasks are defined as milestones (250, 252, 254, 260, 264, 270, 272). The sequence of tasks is executed, and at each milestone task, an enquiry is made of a related meta-level domain feature to determine whether, as a precondition, it has attributes associating it with a customer, and further whether the product feature holds a locking attribute that corresponds with the milestone task. If so, the execution is continued, and the product feature is placed in a locked state such that its attributes cannot be changed until execution of the task sequence is complete.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed which provide a look-down digital imaging device capable of capturing relatively high resolution digital images (e.g., comparable to traditional flatbed scanners). A preferred embodiment provides a look-down digital imaging device comprising a linear sensor for imaging a raster line of an original image placed substantially below the look-down digital imaging device, and a lens for focusing reflected light from the original to such linear sensor. The linear sensor functions much as in traditional flatbed scanners in that it captures a single, congruent digital image of a scanned original. Most preferably, the linear sensor is a high resolution sensor that enables a digital image to be captured having resolution comparable to that of traditional flatbed scanners. For instance, the linear sensor preferably enables capture of a digital image having a resolution no less than approximately 300 dpi.

Abstract: A liquid/liquid extraction method is used for separating a perfluorinated polyether (PFPE) into two molecular-weight distributions using an alcohol or cyclic ether as one solvent and a fluorinated solvent as the other solvent. The more polar alcohol or cyclic ether solvent extracts the lower molecular weight PFPE and the less polar fluorinated solvent extracts the higher molecular weight PFPE. In addition, when the PFPE is a mixture of PFPEs with different end groups, such as a mixture of predominantly Z-Tetraol but with other PFPEs with Z-Dol end groups, there is an enrichment of the Z-Tetraol in the more polar solvent. The preferred PFPE is a mixture of PFPEs in as-purchased Z-Tetraol and the preferred solvents are methanol or trifluoroethanol as one solvent and a perfluorinated hydrocarbon, such as perfluorohexane, as the other solvent.

Abstract: A method to form a mouthguard, said method including the steps of providing a mould (14) to which a mouthguard shell (16) is applied. A sheet member (21) of resilient material is applied to the shell (16) and plastically deformed by applying a pressure differential across the sheet to thereby urge the shell (16) into contact with the mould (29) to plastically deform the shell (16) to form a mouthguard.

Abstract: Improved methods for the regeneration of transgenic plants using apical dominance inhibitors are disclosed. Use of dikegulac to induce multiple shoot formation in culture is particularly disclosed.

Abstract: A system comprises a first speech recognition engine, a second speech recognition engine, and evaluation logic coupled to the first and second speech recognition engines. The evaluation logic evaluates the first and second speech recognition engines based on evaluation voice signals from a user and, based on the evaluation, selects one of said speech recognition engines to process additional speech signals from the user.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer, substrate, or reticle storage or shipping device that includes a photochromic indicator of exposure to undesired electromagnetic radiation. The present invention includes the incorporation of a photochromic material into the plastic used to fabricate at least a portion of a semiconductor wafer, disk, or reticle shipping or storage containers. The container may include photochromic material in the form of a transparent window or a larger portion of the container. The photochromic material may change color or darkness in response to exposure to a selected range of wavelengths of light.

Abstract: A container for holding a single wafer includes a door with a latching mechanism having a cam with a pair of opposing wings extending laterally therefrom. The cam is selectively rotatably shiftable between a first favored position wherein the wings are completely within the door enclosure to enable the door to be engaged and disengaged from the door frame, and a second favored position wherein the wings extend laterally outward from the door enclosure so as to engage in the latch recesses in the door frame when the door is engaged in the door frame. The cam wings may include a ramped portion thereon for drawing the door into closer engagement in the door frame when the cam is rotated from the first favored position to the second favored position.

Abstract: A container for holding a plurality of wafers in an axially aligned, generally parallel spaced apart arrangement includes an enclosure portion having a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing sides, a back and an open front. At least one wafer support is provided in the enclosure along with a kinematic coupling on the bottom of the enclosure. The container has a door for sealingly closing the open front which includes a chassis and an operable latching mechanism on the chassis. The latching mechanism includes a cam selectively rotatable to shift the latching mechanism between a first favored position and a second favored position and at least one vibration dampener for dampening vibrations generated when the latching mechanism is shifted between the first and second favored positions.

Abstract: A wafer carrier door having an inner door portion and an outer door portion. The inner door portion has a substantially continuous inner surface. The outer door portion extends over at least a portion of the inner door portion. The outer door portion has a plurality of apertures formed therein. The outer door portion is attached to the inner door portion.

Abstract: A substrate container and a bottom plate are connected with a mechanism for adjusting the distance between the container and bottom plate, by, e.g., a threaded connection between two members of the connector mechanism. Also provided are a duck-billed valve for venting the container and a dampener for minimizing damage due to shocks.