Abstract: A ball bat includes one or more stiffeners configured to provide an attenuating surface that limits the bat barrel's elastic deformation as the barrel deflects radially inwardly as a result of a particularly violent bat to ball collision. The stiffener is spaced apart from the inner surface of the barrel a predetermined distance to form a gap, wherein the gap extends only partially around the inner circumference of the barrel. The presence of the gap extending only partially around the barrel circumference provides multiple hitting profiles around the bat's circumference, with the best performance occurring adjacent the gap, and a reduced performance at all other locations around the bat's circumference.

Abstract: A ball bat includes one or more stiffeners configured to provide an attenuating surface that limits the bat barrel's elastic deformation as the barrel deflects radially inwardly as a result of a particularly violent bat to ball collision. The stiffener is spaced apart from the inner surface of the barrel a predetermined distance to form a gap, wherein the gap extends only partially around the inner circumference of the barrel. The presence of the gap extending only partially around the barrel circumference provides multiple hitting profiles around the bat's circumference, with the best performance occurring adjacent the gap, and a reduced performance at all other locations around the bat's circumference.

Abstract: A bat having different stiffnesses in different planes relative to a longitudinal axis (i.e., swing axis) of the bat. More specifically, the bat includes a greater stiffness in a vertical plane as compared to relatively more flexible stiffness in a swing plane. This differential stiffness may be accomplished with an intermediate material located within an internal space defined where a handle affixes to a barrel of the bat or alternatively with a transitional member structurally arranged between the handle and the barrel of the bat. The transitional member may provide for vibration and/or shock dampening to minimize or eliminate the “sting” typically associated with monolithic, metallic bats. Additionally, the handle may include a shape that tends to naturally align the vertical and swing planes of the bat when the handle is gripped by a player.

Abstract: Extending sockets, formed of accordions generally with buttons attached at their distal ends, for attaching to portable media players or portable media player cases. Cases having attached sockets serve purposes beyond protection of the player, such as managing a headset, attaching to belts or the like, forming stand legs to prop the player at a desired angle, forming grips for gaming, forming a grip for securely holding and manipulating player with one hand, and forming extended legs for wedging players that are phones between the ear and shoulder. The sockets are structured to allow headset cords to be wound around the accordions when the sockets are extended, to prevent the cords from tangling. Space in an attached case may be provided so that the sockets may be partially or fully retracted with headphone cords wrapped around them to save space.

Abstract: Carbon nanotube (CNT) yarns and sheets having enhanced mechanical strength using infused and bonded nano-resins. A CNT yarn or sheet is surface-activated to produce open bonds in the CNT walls prior to resin infusion. The CNT yarn or sheet is infused with a low viscosity nano-resin that penetrates spaces between individual CNTs and is cured to cross-link and chemically bond to the CNT walls, either directly or through a functional molecule, to bond the individual CNTs or ropes to each other. The nano-resin can comprise dicyclopentadiene having an uncured viscosity near that of water. The cross-linking process involves ring-opening metathesis polymerization and catalysis of the nano-resin in combination with a functionalizing material such as norbornene, to enhance bonding between the carbon and nano-resin. The process increases load capability, tensile strength, and elastic modulus of the yarns and sheets, for use as a structural component in composite materials.

Abstract: Extending sockets, formed of accordions generally with buttons attached at their distal ends, for attaching to portable media players or portable media player cases. Cases having attached sockets serve purposes beyond protection of the player, such as managing a headset, attaching to belts or the like, forming stand legs to prop the player at a desired angle, forming grips for gaming, forming a grip for securely holding and manipulating player with one hand, and forming extended legs for wedging players that are phones between the ear and shoulder. The sockets are structured to allow headset cords to be wound around the accordions when the sockets are extended, to prevent the cords from tangling. Space in an attached case may be provided so that the sockets may be partially or fully retracted with headphone cords wrapped around them to save space.

Abstract: A bat having different stiffnesses in different planes relative to a longitudinal axis (i.e., swing axis) of the bat. More specifically, the bat includes a greater stiffness in a vertical plane as compared to relatively more flexible stiffness in a swing plane. This differential stiffness may be accomplished with an intermediate material located within an internal space defined where a handle affixes to a barrel of the bat or alternatively with a transitional member structurally arranged between the handle and the barrel of the bat. The transitional member may provide for vibration and/or shock dampening to minimize or eliminate the “sting” typically associated with monolithic, metallic bats. Additionally, the handle may include a shape that tends to naturally align the vertical and swing planes of the bat when the handle is gripped by a player.

Abstract: Provided herein are exemplary embodiments of an efficient pump apparatus. In one embodiment the pump apparatus comprises a piston assembly loosely disposed within a cylinder. The piston assembly includes a driving cable connecting a top leaky piston and a bottom leaky piston having a check valve connected thereto. The cylinder includes an outlet pipe at an upper portion thereof and a check valve located at a lower end of the cylinder. The pistons move in the cylinder at a velocity relative to the conduit such that as the pistons move along the cylinder they create a substantial tortuous leak path forming a hydrodynamic seal between the pistons and the cylinder.

Abstract: A goniometer for use in measuring angular movements of joints of a human or animal body comprises an elongate body and a plurality of mercury-in-rubber sensors extending longitudinally of the body at locations spaced from one another around the body. The electrical resistance of the sensors varies with varying strain thereof, and a circuit is connected to the sensors for converting variations in the resistance into a measure of the relative angular disposition of the ends of the body.

Abstract: A contoured building panel is provided which is adapted to be secured to a building structure by concealed fasteners. The panel has improved nestability with other like panels in a vertical stack for storage and shipment such that the stack of nested panels has a relatively small stack height. The panel has a body portion having at least one longitudinally extending channel with opposed substantially continuously diverging sidewalls and edge structures on both sides of the channel mouth projecting laterally outwardly from the body portion of each panel. One edge structure has a reverse bend therein forming a laterally open groove for receiving a portion of the opposite edge structure of an adjacent panel and a fastening edge portion for securing the panel to a building structure by fastening means which in an assembled condition underlies a portion of the adjacent panel near the opposite lateral edge. Both compression and tension locking building panels are provided.

Abstract: Extending sockets, formed of accordions generally with buttons attached at their distal ends, for attaching to portable media players or portable media player cases. Cases having attached sockets serve purposes beyond protection of the player, such as managing a headset, attaching to belts or the like, forming stand legs to prop the player at a desired angle, forming grips for gaming, forming a grip for securely holding and manipulating player with one hand, and forming extended legs for wedging players that are phones between the ear and shoulder. The sockets are structured to allow headset cords to be wound around the accordions when the sockets are extended, to prevent the cords from tangling. Space in an attached case may be provided so that the sockets may be partially or fully retracted with headphone cords wrapped around them to save space.