Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a carrier base having a lower portion configured as a crankcase and an upper portion having a number of upwardly directed assembly provisions such as a crankshaft bay and at least one cylinder deck, with the crankshaft bay and cylinder deck being arranged so that the engine may be assembled from a position above the engine, without the necessity of attaching connecting rods or crankshaft main bearing bolts from underneath the engine.

Abstract: This disclosure provides for alpha olefin oligomers and polyalphaolefins (or PAOs) and methods of making the alpha olefin oligomers and PAOs. This disclosure encompasses metallocene-based alpha olefin oligomerization catalyst systems, including those that include at least one metallocene and an activator comprising a solid oxide chemically-treated with an electron withdrawing anion. The alpha olefin oligomers and PAOs prepared with these catalyst systems can have a high viscosity index combined with a low pour point, making them particularly useful in lubricant compositions and as viscosity modifiers.

Abstract: The present techniques relates generally to polyolefin catalysts and, more specifically, to preparing a precursor compound for an unsymmetric metallocene catalyst, for using the precursor compound to prepare catalysts, and for employing the precursor compounds to prepare catalysts for polyolefin polymerizations.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed are cocoa extracts such as polyphenols or procyanidins, methods for preparing such extracts, as well as uses for them, especially as antineoplastic agents and antioxidants. Disclosed and claimed are antineoplastic compositions containing cocoa polyphenols or procyanidins and methods for treating patients employing the compositions. Additionally disclosed and claimed is a kit for treating a patient in need of treatment with an antineoplastic agent containing cocoa polyphenols or procyanidins as well as a lyophilized antineoplastic composition containing cocoa polyphenols or procyanidins. Further, disclosed and claimed is the use of the invention in antioxidant, preservative and topoisomerase-inhibiting compositions and methods.

Abstract: A stabilizing device for V-strap sandals wherein the device is engageable with the thong and strap for impeding movement between a wearer's foot and the sandal, and connection means for releasably connecting the stabilizing device to a V-strap sandal.

Abstract: An internal combustion engines includes a cylinder carrier with a deck surface, and a crankshaft and a camshaft mounted within the cylinder carrier. A number of valve lifter sleeves are mounted in a depending orientation within bores formed in the deck surface. The lifter sleeves are maintained in contact with the cylinder carrier by cylinder assemblies superimposed upon the sleeves and the cylinder carrier's deck. Valve lifters housed within the lifter sleeves conduct both high-pressure oil running through push rods to an upper portion of the engine cylinder, and low-pressure oil exiting the cylinder. The lifters conduct the low pressure oil to the camshaft's lobes for lubrication purposes.

Abstract: Apparatus for digging a trench in the soil for the purpose of installing underground infrastructure such as underground communication cable, underground sprinkler hoses, invisible underground dog fences, etc. The apparatus, termed a “chunker” is designed ergonomically to reduce muscle fatigue normally experienced by a trench-digger and to improve safety. The handle is ergonomically designed to accommodate the natural orientation of the hands. The length of the chunker can be adjustable to accommodate different heights of different people using the chunker. The chunker can be weighted for low center of gravity to improve stability and accuracy in usage. The spade-blade at the bottom of the chunker is oriented in a direction parallel to the intended route of the trench, allowing the trench-digger to widely straddle the line of the trench to avoid foot injury as the blade is vigorously thrown vertically downward into the soil near the trench-digger's body.

Abstract: Disclosed and claimed are cocoa extracts such as polyphenols or procyanidins, methods for preparing such extracts, as well as uses for them, especially as antineoplastic agents and antioxidants. Disclosed and claimed are antineoplastic compositions containing cocoa polyphenols or procyanidins and methods for treating patients employing the compositions. Additionally disclosed and claimed is a kit for treating a patient in need of treatment with an antineoplastic agent containing cocoa polyphenols or procyanidins as well as a lyophilized antineoplastic composition containing cocoa polyphenols or procyanidins. Further, disclosed and claimed is the use of the invention in antioxidant, preservative and topiosomerase-inhibiting compositions and methods.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of processing a fat-containing bean, e.g., cocoa beans, for producing solids comprising active polyphenols and/or fat-containing products, comprising extracting the fat to produce solids and fat-containing products. Additionally, the inventive method also provides cocoa compositions comprising at least one active polyphenol, wherein the concentration of the polyphenol(s) with respect to the nonfat solids is conserved with respect to the concentration of the active polyphenol(s) in the bean from which the compositions are derived.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine that includes individually-cooled cylinder assemblies. Direct raw-water cooling is provided for the engine's intercooler, oil cooler, and heat exchanger, which is used for the purpose of cooling a fresh water coolant circulating individually through each of the engines' separate cylinders.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine that includes individual, liquid-cooled, cylinder assemblies mounted separately to a common cylinder carrier. A modular cylinder carrier that is assembled from separate cylinder mounting modules and main bearing bulkheads.

Abstract: A shifter circuit comprises a high and low voltage buffer stages and an output buffer stage. The high voltage buffer stage comprises multiple transistors arranged in a transistor stack having a plurality of intermediate nodes connecting individual transistors along the stack. The transistor stack is connected between a voltage level being shifted to and an input voltage. An inverter of this stage comprises multiple inputs and an output. Inverter inputs are connected to a respective intermediate node of the transistor stack. The low voltage buffer stage has an input connected to the input voltage and an output, and is operably connected to the high voltage buffer stage. The low voltage buffer stage is connected between a voltage level being shifted away from and a lower voltage. The output buffer stage is driven by the outputs of the high voltage buffer stage inverter and the low voltage buffer stage.

Abstract: A microwave circuit comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) on which is fabricated a circuit including passive components such as filters (40) formed by printed conductive patterns. In order to enhance the performance of the circuit, selected components such as filters are made with a greater precision on substrate material (41), such as alumina, having a higher dielectric constant than that of the printed circuit board material. The finished component is mounted on the printed circuit board and the conductive pattern is connected by wire bonds (48, 50) to microstrip tracks (51) of the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A shifter circuit comprises, in one embodiment, an input voltage divider stage comprising multiple transistors arranged in a transistor stack defining a plurality of intermediate nodes. The transistor stack is connected between an input signal and ground and has at least one output. An inverting buffer stage is connected to a supply voltage and coupled to the input voltage divider's output. The inverting buffer stage is configured to provide an inverted output signal. Means are provided for stepping up the inverted output signal, receiving a stepped up output signal and providing a level-shifted output signal at a voltage level lower than that of the input signal.

Abstract: Shifter circuits comprise a matched translation stack comprising at least first and second stacks each of which comprising multiple transistors. The matched translation stack is configured to provide a primary logic level shift between a voltage level away from which a shift is desired (VddL) and a voltage level to which the shift is desired (VddH). One or more high voltage buffer stages are provided, at least one of which being connected with and biased by the matched translation stack. At least one high voltage buffer stage comprises multiple transistors arranged in a transistor stack that is biased by the first stack of the matched translation stack, and is connected to receive an input supplied by the second stack of the matched translation stack. The high voltage buffer stage also comprises an inverter that drives an output stage which is also driven by a low voltage buffer stage.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for a combined vehicle keyless entry and garage door (GD) opener fob. The fob comprises a receiver, transmitter, processor, memory, user activated function switches, and preferably a display. In a GD function learn mode, the fob memorizes the signal parameters of a GD activate signal received directly from a nearby GD opener. In the normal GD operate mode, the fob transmits a replica of the GD activate signal using the learned signal parameters stored in the memory. The optional display preferably tells the user that the learn mode is active, prompts the user to operate the nearby GD opener during the learn mode, indicates whether the learn operation was successful or not and shows when the fob has returned to normal (non-learn mode) operation. The GD modes of the fob are entirely self-contained and do not depend upon the vehicle electronics system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for detecting when a spare wheel (SP) is used to replace a previously rolling wheel on a vehicle, where each wheel can transmit wheel ID and motion status signals. The apparatus comprises a receiver, a memory for storing information relating wheel ID and location, a processor coupled to the receiver and memory for analyzing the wheel signals to determine if the SP is rolling, and a timer coupled to the processor that measures how long the SP has been rolling. When the SP has been rolling for predetermined time T, the processor looks at the motion status signals from remaining wheels to determine which is stopped, and then modifies the information stored in the memory to associate the SP ID with the wheel location formerly occupied by the now stopped wheel and associate the stopped-wheel ID with the storage location for the spare.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of processing a fat-containing bean, e.g., cocoa beans, for producing solids comprising active polyphenols and/or fat-containing products, comprising extracting the fat to produce solids and fat-containing products. Additionally, the inventive methods also provides cocoa compositions comprising at least one active polyphenol, wherein the concentration of the polyphenol(s) with respect to the nonfat solids is conserved with respect to the concentration of the active polyphenol(s) in the bean from which the compositions are derived.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of processing a fat-containing bean, e.g., cocoa beans, for producing solids comprising active polyphenols and/or fat-containing products, comprising extracting the fat to produce solids and fat-containing products. Additionally, the inventive method also provides cocoa compositions comprising at least one active polyphenol, wherein the concentration of the polyphenol(s) with respect to the nonfat solids is conserved with respect to the concentration of the active polyphenol(s) in the bean from which the compositions are derived.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for relearning associations between tire pressure detectors and tire locations on an automobile. An apparatus comprises tire pressure detectors installed on each wheel having a tire, each configured to transmit a unique identification code in response to a tire pressure change greater than a predetermined magnitude in a predetermined time. The apparatus also includes a monitor having a receiver for receiving and a memory for storing the transmitted identification codes and a processor for associating the identification codes with predetermined locations. A method comprises exciting the tire pressure detectors in a predetermined sequence while monitoring transmitted identification codes. The method may further include storing the received unique identification codes in a predetermined order corresponding to the predetermined sequence.