Abstract: A pressure infusion device for medical applications for applying pressure to a sealed bag of liquid, such as an I.V. bag, in which the pressure gauge is fastened directly in the pressure applying bag which presses against the I.V. bag. The gauge has a movable plunger which moves outwardly from the bag by an amount depending upon the pressure within the bag. The pressure infusion arrangement is designed to be relatively inexpensive so that it can be discarded after being used. There are two forms, one in which the I.V. bag is held against the pressure applying bag by a mesh which is secured to a fabric to form a pocket for the I.V. bag and the pressure applying bag. In the other form, the mesh is secured directly to the edge of the pressure applying bag.

Abstract: A toy building block and a interactive set of said toy building blocks. Each side of each block is provided with a shape, either raised or recessed. There are three such shapes. Each block has at least one face with each of said shapes. There is only one raised shape portion on each block. The raised portions have a removable snap fit to matching recessed portions on other blocks.A plurality of said blocks, comprising a set, may be assembled by a child to form three dimensional structures. The half portion of each block opposing that side having the raised shape portion is identical to the opposing one half portion of every other block of the set.

Abstract: The present invention involves a toy vehicle which includes a body, at least three wheels, wheel support means and a suspension system. The wheel support means connects the body and the wheels in conjunction with the suspension system such that the body may be raised or lowered merely by pulling or pushing on the wheels away from or toward the underside of the body. The suspension system utilizes hollow plastic tubes which include a flexible zone with a plurality of circumferential corrugations which enable the tube to be stretched to sequential lengths until the corrugations assume a longitudinally spaced position. The toy vehicle of the present invention may have as part of its suspension system a single tube as described, or a plurality of tubes, such as one for each of the two front wheels or one for the front wheels and one for the back wheels, or any other combination which may be functionally possible. At least two tubes is preferred.

Abstract: A flow regulator for use in medical apparatus for adjusting the flow of fluid in which there is a valve body with a valve member having a helical flow passage through which the fluid must flow. In order to facilitate quick adjustment of the fluid, the pitch and depth of the groove both progressively change from one end of the flow regulating device to the other, the depth of the groove becoming less as the pitch of the groove becomes finer. The valve member is longitudinally movable with respect to the valve body, and provision is made for adjusting the longitudinal position either by rotation of a threaded valve stem or by longitudinal movement of the valve stem to quickly adjust the flow rate. The helical groove may be either rectangular in cross-section, or V-shaped in cross-section. Suitable means are provided for sealing against leakage through the valve adjusting means.

Abstract: A wheel alignment system uses head units attached to each of the four wheels. The front head units contain photodetector arrays which view across the front of the vehicle and to the rear. The rear units carry photodetector arrays which look forward. Each photodetector array views a target on one of the other head units. A microcomputer in each head unit determines an angular value based upon the position of the target image on the photodetector array. The angle values determined by the microcomputers of the individual head units are supplied to a master computer in a main console which determines individual toe angles with respect to a tread centerline for either the front two wheels or for all four wheels. The master computer controls a display at the main console, as well as a remote display to guide the mechanic in making alignment adjustments.

Abstract: A flow regulator for use in medical apparatus for quickly adjusting the flow of fluid in which there are coacting male and female threads for adjusting the position of the flow regulating device, a female threaded portion being yieldable. The position of the flow regulating device can be rapidly changed in either direction by exerting pressure on the valve stem to force the yieldable threaded portion outwardly to enable the threads of the male portion to pass over the threads of the female portion. The portion of the flow regulating device can be adjusted more precisely by turning the valve stem in the conventional manner to cause forward or reverse movement of the flow regulating device. The yieldable female threaded portion can either be integral with the main valve body but yieldable with respect thereto, or the yieldable portion may be a separate member yieldably secured to the main valve body by a spring clip or by an elastic band.

Abstract: A ride-on convertible robot toy. The toy is large enough to serve as a child's riding car. It has articulated arms and hands that may be operated to grasp objects. The toy is convertible from the ride-on configuration to an erect robot-like configuration, in which it also may be rolled. The toy latches into either configuration and may be unlatched for conversion by pressing down on a knob protruding from the top of the head. In the ride-on configuration, the toy may be steered. The arm wheels are concealed within the body when the toy is in the upright configuration.

Abstract: An engine analyzer tests operation of a multicylinder internal combustion engine by disabling selected cylinders. The apparatus includes a semiconductor switch connected in parallel with the ignition points (or solid state circuit interrupter) of the engine's ignition system. A cylinder clock signal is derived from the engine, and exhibits a first signal transition each time the points open. A cylinder counter maintains a cylinder count identifying the current cylinder, and a period measurement timer measures the time period for each cylinder based upon the time between each first signal transition of the cylinder clock signal. The previously measured time periods of the cylinders are stored in a table which is constantly updated. Each time a first signal transition occurs, a programmable time delay timer is loaded with an input value which is based upon a previously measured time period for the current cylinder.

Abstract: An ignition analyzer apparatus tests the condition of the ignition coil of an internal combustion engine. A gating pulse is supplied to a test circuit immediately before the points are to open for a selected cylinder which causes the test circuit to provide a low resistance in parallel with the points when the points open. This allows a reduced primary current to flow through the ignition coil and prevents the production of a voltage pulse large enough to fire the spark plug for the selected cylinder. While the points are open and the test circuit is providing a low resistance path, the primary current flowing through the coil is measured. The gating pulse ends approximately half-way between the "points open" time of the selected cylinder and the "points open" time of the next cylinder so that the rotor of the distributor is between distributor terminals.

Abstract: An engine analyzer for an internal combustion engine includes an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter which digitizes an analog electrical input waveform representing, for example, a secondary or primary voltage waveform of the ignition coil of the internal combustion engine. The digitized input waveform is stored in the form of digital data in a data memory. Upon request by the operator of the apparatus, a microprocessor selects digital data stored, and supplies that digital data to a display, which displays a visual representation of the waveform based upon the selected digital data.

Abstract: Engine timing apparatus includes a timing light, cylinder clock signal circuitry, a cylinder counter, a cylinder comparator, first, second and third timers, a trigger pulse generator, operator control buttons, and a computer. The first timer measures a first time period between firing of the No. 1 cylinder, and the second timer measures a second time period between firing of the cylinder preceding No. 1 and the firing of the No. 1 cylinder. The computer derives from the first and second time periods a first digital value which represents the angular degrees from firing of the cylinder preceding No. 1 to firing of the No. 1 cylinder. Each time the comparator output signal is produced, the third timer initiates an adjustable time period, and the trigger pulse generator triggers the timing light at the end of the adjustable time period. The operator control buttons include buttons which cause a second digital value to be increased or decreased.

Abstract: An engine analyzer for an internal combustion engine includes circuitry, under the control of a microprocessor, which senses parameters of operation of the internal combustion engine and supplies digital signals indicative of those sensed parameters. A raster scan cathode ray tube (CRT) display is controlled by the microprocessor to display a simulation of an analog meter having a pointer or needle which moves as a function of the digital signals. When an analog display, such as a tachometer, is selected, the microprocessor controls the raster scan CRT to display a visual depiction of a meter having the appropriate range of values and having a needle which moves according to the measurements made by the system. The microprocessor automatically changes the scale of the simulated meter as appropriate without operator intervention.

Abstract: A toy car launcher provided with a base having a flat bottom surface of limited area to be placed upon a horizontal supporting surface, the base having a mouthpiece blowing tube extending upward and outward from one end portion of the base and a launching tube extending outward from the opposite end of the base in parallel with the flat bottom surface of the base and spaced a predetermined distance above the plane of the bottom surface to slidably coengage a complementary tube longitudinally in the body of a toy car and closed at the inner end, and the car body having wheels freely rotatable thereon, whereby when gas under pressure, such as human breath, is discharged into the mouthpiece blowing tube it passes into the closed end tube in the car and blasts the car from the launching tube for rolling movement along the supporting surface in front of the launcher.

Abstract: The open end of a catheter is inserted in the blood vessel of a patient. The catheter is connected by hollow tubing to a physiologic pressure transducer. The tube is filled with an intermediate pressure-transmitting fluid such as a physiologic saline solution. An infusion device between the patient and the transducer constantly flushes the system with a slow flow of fluid. Blood pressure variations are transmitted through the fluid to the transducer, which converts the pressure to electronic information and transmits the information to a monitor for display. Between the infusion device and the transducer is a variable restrictor which damps the pressure waves in the fluid. This restrictor is used to tune the system to eliminate resonant waves, which distort the monitoring reading. In one form, the variable restrictor includes a valve having an orifice, the effective size of which is reduced or enlarged by compressing and releasing a deformable, flexible ring.

Abstract: The condition of a storage battery of an internal combustion engine powered vehicle is tested automatically, and an indication of battery condition is provided to the service technician. The battery testing apparatus is connected to the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals of the battery to measure battery voltage under several different conditions. In particular, the battery testing apparatus measures battery voltage under open circuit conditions, while subjecting the battery to a predetermined AC load, and while subjecting the battery to a predetermined DC load. The battery testing apparatus also includes a temperature probe which measures the temperature of the battery.

Abstract: An engine analyzer for an internal combustion engine includes an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter which digitizes an analog electrical input waveform representing, for example, a secondary or primary voltage waveform of the ignition coil of the internal combustion engine. The digitized input waveform is stored in the form of digital data in a data mamory. Upon request by the operator of the apparatus, a microprocessor selects digital data stored, and supplies that digital data to a display, which displays a visual representation of the waveform based upon the selected digital data. The engine analyzer apparatus produces a constant width waveform regardless of engine RPM, by determining the period of the waveform to be stored, and then varying the sample rate at which the A/D converter samples the analog waveform and converts the sampled waveform to digital data. As a result, the number of data samples, and thus the width of the displayed waveform, is constant.

Abstract: A xerographic type copying or reproduction machine incorporating a programmable controller to operate the various machine components in an integrated manner to produce copies is disclosed. The controller carries a master program bearing machine operating parameters from which an operating program for the specific copy run desired is formed and used to operate the machine components to produce the copies programmed. A fault flag array is routinely scanned, each flag comprising the array being associated with an operating component or area of such machine such that on a fault or malfunction thereof, the fault flag corresponding thereto is set. On detection of a fault flag, a machine fault is declared. Display means are provided to visually identify the fault location. A permanent record of certain faults and machine operations are stored in memory for future use.

Abstract: A hoop and selectively disengagable trundling apparatus includes an elongated rigid bar element having a handle element fixedly secured at one end thereof and a pair of complementary arcuate jaw elements disposed on the other end thereof. The jaw elements are affixed for selective opening, and a hoop dimensioned to rotate within the closed jaw elements, and to be released therefrom when the jaw elements are opened.

Abstract: An analyzer for multicylinder internal combustion engines in which there is an electronic counter triggered by pulses from the ignition system and normally reset by the firing voltage applied to any of selected spark plugs in which the electronic counter has a plurality of stages corresponding to the number of cylinders in the engine and in which there is an electrical testing means adapted to be operated by the output signal of any one or more stages of the counter to produce an electrical effect for analyzing the performance of the engine.