Abstract: A configurable motorcycle exhaust assembly, including an elongated hollow body; an inlet end cap fixedly connected to an inlet end of the elongated hollow body; an exhaust end mount fixedly connected to an exit end of the elongated hollow body; and an exhaust end cap removably attached to the exhaust end mount.

Abstract: A lighted insulated glazing assembly including a light source. In a first aspect of the invention, the light source is within the insulated glazing assembly; and power is routed from the light source through the spacer assembly to a battery or wired power source located outside the assembly. In a second aspect of the invention, the light source is outside of the insulated glazing assembly. In both aspects, various light manipulators can be included to manipulate the light in order to create a desired lighting or visual effect.

Abstract: A self-contained, electrically powered door glass unit including a glass assembly, a window covering within the glass assembly, an electric motor driving the window covering, a battery pack powering the motor, and a frame adapted to support the unit within a door. A magnetic clutch is included between the motor and the window covering to prevent excessive loads on the motor at the physical limits of the movement of the window covering.

Abstract: A self-contained, electrically powered door glass unit including a glass assembly, a window covering within the glass assembly, an electric motor driving the window covering, a battery pack powering the motor, and a frame adapted to support the unit within a door. The frame includes first and second frame halves, and the battery pack is supported by only one of the frame halves.

Abstract: Disclosed is an elevated support matrix for a shoe, which may either form a sole, heel, or sole and heel combination. The matrix is formed of metal, or other high-tensile materials. To minimize the weight of the matrix, but still maintain the structural integrity of the matrix and properly support the wearer's foot, passageways are created in the matrix. The passageways result in void space and lattice, which have corresponding volumes. The increased volume of void space correlates with an overall weight reduction. A support matrix is thus provided that takes advantage of higher-tensile materials to create a reduced weight structurally maintained support matrix. Methods of manufacturing the matrix are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides a business platform, a business entity management system, and a software module that can be used in conjunction with the software service framework. The invention mimics actual business relationships between business entities, and uses a software service module to configure the business entities into a network that comprises at least three generations of business entities, wherein role dependent associations mimicking real life business relationships are established between the business entities. The invention provides management of active content in a website and allows modification of the content by different business entities. Control of the active content is determined by precedence of the business entities.

Abstract: A machine-implemented method is provided for placing a plurality of particles to create a simulated particle pack. The method comprises defining a central string, a space disposed about the central string, and N concentric subspaces disposed about the central string and within the space, each of the N subspaces corresponding to one of the N particle categories, selecting a particle from the plurality of particles, and placing the selected particle in the corresponding subspace so that the selected particle becomes a placed particle at a particle location unique to that placed particle and is in non-overlapping relation with other placed particles. The selected particle placement includes defining a catch net representative of buoyancy of a portion of the placed particles and positioning the catch net within the space based upon the placement of the portion of the placed particles.

Abstract: An iris valve for controlling the flow of bulk solid materials includes a flexible cylindrical sleeve, a control ring, and a polymeric isolator disc, all sandwiched between upper and lower body members. Rotating the control ring twists the flexible sleeve in an iris pattern to close an opening through the valve. Clamp bands attached to the upper body member and control ring include a machined helical pattern to securely grip the ends of the flexible sleeve, and a threaded handle locks the control ring in place against the body members.

Abstract: A soft serve ice cream vending machine is disclosed. The vending machine includes a machine cabinet; a door pivotably connected to he machine cabinet; the door including a cup dispensing slot and an ice cream dispensing slot; a product dispensing button connected to the door; a cup dispenser adapted to dispense a cup and connected to the door; a money acceptor connected to the door; a flexible product container connected to a freezer engine adapted to receive a product, the freezer engine having an outlet proximate to the ice cream dispensing slot; a venturi air valve connected to the freezer engine; a spigot control device connected to the freezer engine and to the product dispensing button, whereby upon engagement of the product dispensing button the spigot control device engages the freezer engine for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optical odometry are disclosed which inexpensively facilitate diverse applications including indoor/outdoor vehicle tracking in secure areas, industrial and home robot navigation, automated steering and navigation of autonomous farm vehicles, shopping cart navigation and tracking, and automotive anti-lock braking systems. In a preferred low-cost embodiment, a telecentric lens is used with an optical computer mouse chip and a microprocessor. In a two-sensor embodiment, both rotation and translation are accurately measured.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transparent, biaxially oriented polyester film with a base layer B, at least 80% by weight of which is composed of a thermoplastic polyester, and with at least one outer layer A. The outer layer A is composed of a copolymer or a mixture of polymers/copolymers which contains ethylene 2,6-naphthalate units in a range of from 90 to 98% by weight and up to 10% by weight of ethylene terephthalate units, and/or units derived from cycloaliphatic or aromatic diols and/or dicarboxylic acids. Its thickness is more than 0.7 &mgr;m and makes up less than 25% by weight of the total film and the Tg2 value of the polyester film is above the Tg2 value of the base layer, but below the Tg2 value of the polyester for the outer layer. The transparent film has low permeability to atmospheric oxygen and exhibits very good adhesion between the individual layers. It is particularly suitable for packaging purposes, specifically for packaging foods or other consumable items.

Abstract: A metalized or ceramic-coated biaxially oriented polyester film is disclosed, with a base layer B which comprises at least 80% by weight of thermoplastic polyester, and with at least one outer layer A. The outer layer A is composed of a copolymer or of a mixture of polymers/copolymers which contains from 90 to 98% by weight of ethylene 2,6-naphthalate units and up to 10% by weight of ethylene terephthalate units, and/or units derived from cycloaliphatic or aromatic diols and/or dicarboxylic acids. The thickness of the outer layer A is more than 0.7 &mgr;m and this makes up less than 25% by weight relative to the entire film. The Tg2 value of the polyester film is above the Tg2 value of the base layer, but below the Tg2 value of the outer layer. The film has low permeability to atmospheric oxygen and exhibits very good adhesion between the individual layers. It is particularly suitable for packaging purposes, specifically for packaging foods or other consumable items.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for enabling viewers of visual media objects to obtain additional information regarding such objects and child objects therein from interactive representations of the objects on a computer network.

Abstract: A play ticket for use in a game of chance including a sheet of paper, a first graphical image and at least one advertising graphical image. The sheet of paper has a front facing surface and aback facing surface. The sheet of paper is weakened along at least one predetermined line to define at least a first portion and a second portion. The first graphical image includes required indicia for playing the game of chance and is at least partially imprinted on the first portion. The at least one advertising graphical image includes indicia identifying a product of an advertiser and is imprinted on the second portion. The first graphical image is imprinted on the front facing surface. The sheet of paper may include a readable data form containing coded data. The sheet of paper may also include a coupon detailing a product discount.

Abstract: The present application relates to a white, biaxially oriented, UV-resistant polyester film with at least one base layer which comprises, based on the weight of the base layer, from 2 to 60% by weight of a cycloolefin copolymer (COC), where the glass transition temperature of the COC is within the range from 70 to 270° C. The film also comprises from 0.01 to 5.0% by weight of a UV stabilizer as light stabilizer, based on the weight of the base layer. The film of the invention is suitable for packing foods or other consumable items which are sensitive to light and/or to air, or for use in industry, e.g. in the production of hot-stamping foils or as a label film, or for image-recording papers, printed sheets or magnetic recording cards.

Abstract: A thin walled intracorporeal catheter such as a guiding catheter employed for intravascular procedures which generally has an elongated catheter shaft with a polymeric wall with a stranded reinforcing structure having at least one strand and preferably most, if not all of the strands, formed of a metallic matereial containing at least 50%, preferably at least 65% by weight of a refractory metal such as molybdenum, tungsten rhenium, tantalum and niobium. The refractory metal containing strands of the reinforcing structure, which may have a circular or rectangular transverse cross-sectional shape, provide high levels of radiopacity with a high level of mechanical properties.