Abstract: A method for treating cartilage defects including providing a placental membrane preparation that includes ground or minced placental membranes and optionally, a ground or minced cartilage and/or biocompatible glue, and introducing the preparation to a cartilage defect within a skeletal joint. The cartilage defect may include a hyaline cartilage defect, such as a chondral defect, or meniscal defect. The treatment may be provided in combination with other treatments such as marrow stimulation treatments and surgical repair treatments using sutures or other fixation techniques. The preparation promotes the regeneration of cartilage within the skeletal joint.

Abstract: The present invention a process and apparatus for the production of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) isomer mixtures with a low 2,2?-MDI isomer content and a high 2,4?-MDI isomer content. The resulting mixtures have an increased reactivity and are acceptable in food grade application due to the reduction in primary aromatic amines formed during the curing process. The process and apparatus also include controlling the amount of 4,4?-MDI, which is the most reactive isomer in the mixture allowing use in a wide variety of applications.

Abstract: The present invention a process and apparatus for the production of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) isomer mixtures with a low 2,2?-MDI isomer content and a high 2,4?-MDI isomer content. The resulting mixtures have an increased reactivity and are acceptable in food grade application due to the reduction in primary aromatic amines formed during the curing process. The process and apparatus also include controlling the amount of 4,4?-MDI, which is the most reactive isomer in the mixture allowing use in a wide variety of applications.

Abstract: A liquid-liquid extraction process that uses counterflowing liquid phases, especially in conjunction with a reciprocating plate extraction column, wherein one of the liquid phases has a lower density than the other and is at least partially saturated with a dispersible gas, requires less plate stack height or a smaller column diameter when plate-to-plate spacing is non-uniform rather than uniform and such non-uniform plate-to-plate spacing includes greater plate-to-plate spacing proximate to raffinate liquid discharge than proximate to feed of the lower density liquid phase.

Abstract: A liquid-liquid extraction process that uses counterflowing liquid phases, especially in conjunction with a reciprocating plate extraction column, wherein one of the liquid phases has a lower density than the other and is at least partially saturated with a dispersible gas, requires less plate stack height or a smaller column diameter when plate-to-plate spacing is non-uniform rather than uniform and such non-uniform plate-to-plate spacing includes greater plate-to-plate spacing proximate to raffinate liquid discharge than proximate to feed of the lower density liquid phase.

Abstract: An enhanced electrical harness arrangement for an aircraft engine that is arranged to provide optimum protection of the electrical conductors from extreme thermal, EMI, vibration and chafing problems encountered in service. The harness arrangement provides a high degree of repairability thereby ensuring a long service life for the harness wile also minimizing the time required for necessary repairs to the electrical conductor terminals. A repair splice member has an electrical conductor bundle inserted through it and is spaced from a connection of the electrical conductor bundle to an aircraft gas turbine engine.

Abstract: An air inlet and service access arrangement for the cab of a work vehicle. A plenum, having a filter mounted therein, is secured to the inside of a louvered door, such that outside air may be drawn through the louvers and the filter, to be supplied to the cab air handling system. By opening the louvered door, the filter may be removed for servicing or replacement, and access is provided to serviceable components of the air handling system and other work vehicle systems located behind the door.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for bonding high temperature structures, such as face sheets to high performance honeycomb cores, using differential gas pressure at high temperatures. A high temperature resistant, foil sheet having a thickness of from about 0.0005 to 0.003 inch is welded to a support to form a vacuum bag to surround the structure to be bonded. A vacuum line is connected to the bag to allow evacuation of the bag. Typically, the structure is bonded in a vacuum furnace. Initially, the furnace is heated to the bonding temperature of the assembly while both the furnace chamber and the vacuum bag are substantially completely evacuated. Then slight pressure is allowed to return to the chamber to force the foil sheet into intimate presure contact with the structural assembly to bring the components tightly together, using the relative pressure different between the vacuum in the chamber and the vacuum within the bag.

Abstract: Both a system and method are provided for laser welding the inner walls of conduits, such as the sleeves used to repair the heat exchanger tubes of nuclear steam generators. The system generally comprises an elongated tubular housing, a fiber-optic cable for conducting remotely generated laser light into the tubular housing, a beam deflection mechanism supported within the distal end of the tubular housing and including a rotating mirror for radially reflecting and focusing light received from the fiber-optic cable around the inner wall of the sleeve, and a tracking assembly mounted on the distal end of the tubular housing for maintaining a constant radial distance between the mirror of the beam deflection mechanism and the inner wall of the sleeve despite any irregularities which may be present in the roundness of the sleeve.

Abstract: A spray cap assembly comprising a base unit including a dispensing duct in communication with separate air and material passages, and an insertable push/pull closure mated to fit into the base unit which permits the sealing of the air and material passages from the dispensing duct and from each other. The spray cap assembly by modification to the design of the dispensing duct permits the dispensing of a variety of products having a variety of consistencies as a spray from the squeeze container.

Abstract: A multiple tool opener for flip top cans or the like comprised of a single piece of readily available tubular material. The opposite ends are formed to provide, respectively, a chamber for receiving flip top can tabs or rings on one hand, and on the other hand a hook-like section which can be used in case the rings or tabs fail. The tools are made without any projecting fastening means and comprise a single unitary device without separable parts.

Abstract: Window shade structure for reducing heat loss or heat gain through a window or other "thermal opening" wherein the shade body is drawable over the window and is collapsible into a reduced storage volume. The shade body comprises opposed walls of thin, sheet-like layers of flexible and resilient material joined together along spaced parallel adhesion lines to form a plurality of contiguous and parallel channels in the shade body. A strip-like sealing slat on the surfaces of the window frame which oppose the edge portions of the shade body, and a slot-like recess formed in the opposite edges of the shade body and extending the full length thereof receive the edge portions and portions of the lateral surfaces of the sealing slat, with the free edges of the sheet-like layers being flexed against the lateral surfaces of the sealing slat to insure against convective air flow and provide an effective convective seal.