Abstract: Apparatus is provided for manufacturing a wipe in a three-dimensional form out of an essentially flat piece of material. The apparatus produces a blank of essentially flat planar form with a pleat folded on each side. The folded blanks are fed by a conveyor belt to an opening station. The opening station comprises a pair of movable pinch rollers which selectively grab individual blanks from the conveyor belt and feed them via belts to a pair of counter-rotating drums. The blanks are ejected from the drums, which partially opens them up in the process. The partially open blanks are fed onto a shaped former, where the final process of forming the wipe into its chosen three-dimensional form is completed.

Abstract: A beverage warmer comprises a plurality of product shelves, where each product shelf has a plurality of product lanes. Each product lane has an ambient area, a heating area, and a serving area. A product is loaded into the beverage warmer in the ambient area of a product lane and transported through each of the heating area and serving area in response to a product being removed from the beverage warmer. The product may be maintained in the heating area for a period of time and subject to a first temperature. Upon expiration of the period of time, the product is transported from the heating area to the serving area. The product is maintained in the serving area at a second temperature, where the second temperature is lower than the first temperature.

Abstract: An interface for a microfluidic device such as a microfluidic cassette has a seal portion moveable from a first position to a second position within a reservoir in response to an applied force. Movement of the seal portion within the reservoir causes the volume of the reservoir to increase. The interface also has a hollow needle with a first end and a second end, the first end locatable in fluid communication with the reservoir and the second end located outside of the reservoir and arranged for piercing. The seal portion and the needle are arranged such that when the seal portion moves from the first position to the second position, a predetermined volume of fluid is drawn through the needle into the reservoir.

Abstract: A specimen container has a vessel having a reservoir and a specimen collection region. The specimen container also has a sleeve located within the vessel and moveable in the direction of the reservoir. Movement of the sleeve in the direction of the reservoir results in the specimen collection region and reservoir being brought into fluid communication with each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ice dispensing system comprising an ice hopper, an ice chute for transporting ice from the ice hopper to a dispensing outlet or a waste outlet, an ice dispensing element for dispensing ice from the hopper into the ice chute, an ice directing element having a first position for directing ice to the waste outlet and a second position for directing ice to the dispensing outlet, and a controller for controlling the ice dispensing element and the position of the ice directing element. Also provided is a beverage dispensing machine comprising the ice dispensing system of the invention and a method for dispensing ice from the ice dispensing system or beverage dispensing machine of the invention.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for manufacturing a wipe in a three-dimensional form out of an essentially flat piece of material. The apparatus produces a blank of essentially flat planar form with a pleat folded on each side. The folded blanks are fed by a conveyor belt to an opening station. The opening station comprises a pair of movable pinch rollers which selectively grab individual blanks from the conveyor belt and feed them via belts to a pair of counter-rotating drums. The blanks are ejected from the drums, which partially opens them up in the process. The partially open blanks are fed onto a shaped former, where the final process of forming the wipe into its chosen three-dimensional form is completed.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for manufacturing a wipe in a three dimensional form out of an essentially flat piece of material. The apparatus produces a blank (12) of essentially flat planar form with a pleat folded on each side. The folded blanks are fed by a conveyor belt (21) to an opening station (22). The opening station comprises a pair of movable pinch rollers (34, 35) which selectively grab individual blanks from the conveyor belt and feed them via belts (32, 33) to a pair of counter-rotating drums (30, 31). The blanks are ejected from the drums, which partially opens them up in the process. The partially open blanks are fed onto a shaped former (37), where the final process of forming the wipe into its chosen three dimensional form is completed.

Abstract: An actuation mechanism for simultaneous actuation of first and second variable focal length lenses is disclosed. Each lens comprises a distensible membrane bounding a fluid-filled cavity, the focal length varying with the degree of curvature of the membrane as it distends. The actuation mechanism comprises a hydraulic master actuator in fluid communication with a hydraulic slave actuator associated with the first lens and with a hydraulic slave actuator associated with the second lens. Each slave actuator is configured to vary the degree of distension of the membrane of its associated lens in response to operation of the master actuator, whereby the master actuator is operable to cause a variation of the degree of distension of the membranes of both the first and second lenses simultaneously.

Abstract: An actuation mechanism for simultaneous actuation of first and second variable focal length lenses is disclosed. Each lens comprises a distensible membrane bounding a fluid-filled cavity, the focal length varying with the degree of curvature of the membrane as it distends. The actuation mechanism comprises a hydraulic master actuator in fluid communication with a hydraulic slave actuator associated with the first lens and with a hydraulic slave actuator associated with the second lens. Each slave actuator is configured to vary the degree of distension of the membrane of its associated lens in response to operation of the master actuator, whereby the master actuator is operable to cause a variation of the degree of distension of the membranes of both the first and second lenses simultaneously.

Abstract: An actuation mechanism for simultaneous actuation of first and second variable focal length lenses is disclosed. Each lens comprises a distensible membrane bounding a fluid-filled cavity, the focal length varying with the degree of curvature of the membrane as it distends. The actuation mechanism comprises a hydraulic master actuator in fluid communication with a hydraulic slave actuator associated with the first lens and with a hydraulic slave actuator associated with the second lens. Each slave actuator is configured to vary the degree of distension of the membrane of its associated lens in response to operation of the master actuator, whereby the master actuator is operable to cause a variation of the degree of distension of the membranes of both the first and second lenses simultaneously.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for manufacturing a wipe in a three dimensional form out of an essentially flat piece of material. The apparatus produces a blank (12) of essentially flat planar form with a pleat folded on each side. The folded blanks are fed by a conveyor belt (21) to an opening station (22). The opening station comprises a pair of movable pinch rollers (34, 35) which selectively grab individual blanks from the conveyor belt and feed them via belts (32, 33) to a pair of counter-rotating drums (30, 31). The blanks are ejected from the drums, which partially opens them up in the process. The partially open blanks are fed onto a shaped former (37), where the final process of forming the wipe into its chosen three dimensional form is completed.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a variable focus fluid lens assembly which includes mounting a membrane assembly within a recess formed in a lens housing said assembly including a distensible transparent membrane supported round its periphery by a supporting member and a flexible tubular wall having first and second opposite ends one of said ends being joined to the supporting member to form a cavity within the wall that is closed at the one end by the membrane; filling the cavity with a transparent fluid and fitting a transparent cover plate to the housing across the other end of the wall. The other end being joined sealingly to the cover plate or to the housing thereby to seal the cavity to form a compressible fluid-filled envelope. The cover plate may include a fixed lens selected from a stock of lenses having the same shape for fitting to the lens assembly, but different other optical properties, such for example as different base curves and/or decentration distances.

Abstract: An actuation mechanism for simultaneous actuation of first and second variable focal length lenses is disclosed. Each lens comprises a distensible membrane bounding a fluid-filled cavity, the focal length varying with the degree of curvature of the membrane as it distends. The actuation mechanism comprises a hydraulic master actuator in fluid communication with a hydraulic slave actuator associated with the first lens and with a hydraulic slave actuator associated with the second lens. Each slave actuator is configured to vary the degree of distension of the membrane of its associated lens in response to operation of the master actuator, whereby the master actuator is operable to cause a variation of the degree of distension of the membranes of both the first and second lenses simultaneously.

Abstract: A rotary supply joint that may, in particular be a rotary timing valve, is provided for providing fluid flow at least periodically from inlet ports to outlet ports when respective openings in first and second surfaces which are rotating relative to each other are aligned, in which a gas bearing is arranged to provide a bearing force between the first and second surfaces.

Abstract: A rotary supply joint that may, in particular be a rotary timing valve, is provided for providing fluid flow at least periodically from inlet ports to outlet ports when respective openings in first and second surfaces which are rotating relative to each other are aligned, in which a gas bearing is arranged to provide a bearing force between the first and second surfaces.