Abstract: A human-powered vehicle (100, 560) includes a structural frame (105) supported on multiple road wheels including driven wheels (110) each rotatable about an axle for propulsion, a seat (115) secured to the frame (105, 554) for supporting an operator, a hand crank (250) disposed above the driven wheel (110) and rotatable by hand by an operator seated in the seat (115), and a steerable rear wheel (120) operably linked to the seat (115) such that pivoting of the seat (115) about a seat pivot axis causes pivoting of the rear wheel (120) to steer the vehicle (100, 560).

Abstract: A wheel lift-assist frame comprises a pair of support beams, which may be coupled with a tillage machine at first ends, each beam to the left or right of the center of the tillage machine respective and running rearward of the tillage machine. The support beams may also be coupled with a planter. A cross beam is coupled with the support beams at second ends thereof. A plurality of wheel assemblies are fixed to the cross beam at points such that the wheels run between rows created by the tillage machine.

Abstract: A coupling assembly for a multiple-tube roller shade includes a support assembly for rotatably supporting and connecting adjacently located tube-end portions and a clutch mechanism providing relative rotation therebetween. The support assembly includes a tube-end fitting and a torque-transferring drive transfer member contacting the tube. The clutch mechanism includes first and second clutch members respectively engaged and separated in closed and opened positions. A pull bar is translatable within one of the shafts and is moved by a draw pin received in aligned openings of the second clutch member, the shaft and the pull bar. The shaft openings are elongated for movement of the second clutch member between the closed and opened positions. An adjustment member threadedly engages the tube-end fitting for vertical adjustment of the fitting with respect to a support panel. The tube-end fitting is secured to a bracket having elongated openings for horizontal adjustment.

Abstract: A human-powered vehicle includes a driven wheel with a cantilevered hub, and a hand-operable crank for vehicle propulsion. In a wheelchair the hand cranks are supported on towers that are lowerable to fit under a desk or table. With the vehicle at rest, cranking motion of the crank in a first rotational direction propels the vehicle forward and cranking motion of the crank in a second rotational direction propels the vehicle backward. With the vehicle in forward motion, cessation of crank rotation allows free rotation of the wheel, and crank torque applied in a sense opposing forward vehicle motion applies a braking force to the wheel. An electric vehicle includes a transmission wheel hub that provides similar functions with an electric drive, such as for a wheelchair.

Abstract: An insert having a peripheral contact surface is received by a roller tube channel to engage a shade fabric. The insert is adjustable to compress the shade fabric within the channel. The insert may include a body having opposite side edges and at least one elongated slot. The insert member may include pivotable prongs or deflectable slot walls adjacent the slots. Pivoting of the prongs or deflection of the slot walls urges the body toward a channel side wall to compress the shade fabric. The insert may, alternatively, include a body having diametrically opposite portions respectively defining a curved outer periphery and a planar outer periphery, the body being wider between the curved portions. The insert is pivotable about an axis to grip the shade fabric between a channel side wall and one of the curved portions of the body.

Abstract: A coupling assembly for a multiple-tube roller shade includes a support assembly for rotatably supporting and connecting adjacently located tube-end portions and a clutch mechanism providing relative rotation therebetween. The support assembly includes a tube-end fitting and a torque-transferring drive transfer member contacting the tube. The clutch mechanism includes first and second clutch members respectively engaged and separated in closed and opened positions. A pull bar is translatable within one of the shafts and is moved by a draw pin received in aligned openings of the second clutch member, the shaft and the pull bar. The shaft openings are elongated for movement of the second clutch member between the closed and opened positions. An adjustment member threadedly engages the tube-end fitting for vertical adjustment of the fitting with respect to a support panel. The tube-end fitting is secured to a bracket having elongated openings for horizontal adjustment.

Abstract: A method and system for establishing and bridging semi-private peer networks is provided. According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method, member peer node and computer program product to establish a semi-private peer network using encrypted or otherwise obfuscated keys and a connection list identifying members of the semi-private peer network defined by an organizing entity. According to another embodiment of the invention, a method for spanning and a bridging agent with the ability to span information requests and/or queries between multiple, semi-private peer or other networks is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of diagnosing the presence of, or susceptibility to, retinal dystrophy, cardiomyopathy endocrinopathy, diabetes or Alstrom disease in an individual, which method comprises typing in a sample from the individual the ALMS1 protein or ALMS1 gene region of the individual, or detecting aberrant ALMS1 activity, and thereby determining whether the individual has, or is susceptible to, retinal dystrophy, cardiomyopathy, endocrinopathy, diabetes or Alstrom disease. Use of an agent that modulates (i) the ALMS1 protein, or (ii) a component that affects or is affected by ALMS1, in the manufacture of a medicament for prevention or treating retinal dystrophy, cardiomyopathy, endocrinopathy, diabetes or Alstrom disease.

Abstract: A system for controlling a roller shade having a roller tube windingly receiving a shade fabric varies roller tube rotational speed for constant linear shade speed. The desired linear shade speed, roller tube diameter and shade fabric thickness and length are stored in a memory for use by a microprocessor. Preferably, the roller tube rotational speed is varied by the microprocessor depending on shade position determined by signals from Hall effect sensors. The microprocessor maintains a counter number that is increased or decreased depending on direction of rotation. Based on the counter number, the microprocessor determines shade position and a corrected rotational speed for the desired linear shade speed. Preferably, the microprocessor controls roller tube rotational speed using a pulse width modulated signal. The system may be used to control first and second roller shades having roller tubes of differing diameters or shade fabrics of varying thicknesses.

Abstract: An insert having a peripheral contact surface is received by a roller tube channel to engage a shade fabric. The insert is adjustable to compress the shade fabric within the channel. The insert may include a body having opposite side edges and at least one elongated slot. The insert member may include pivotable prongs or deflectable slot walls adjacent the slots. Pivoting of the prongs or deflection of the slot walls urges the body toward a channel side wall to compress the shade fabric. The insert may, alternatively, include a body having diametrically opposite portions respectively defining a curved outer periphery and a planar outer periphery, the body being wider between the curved portions. The insert is pivotable about an axis to grip the shade fabric between a channel side wall and one of the curved portions of the body.

Abstract: A diffuser assembly is disclosed in which a plurality of baffles having baffle walls with baffle ears extending from selected baffle walls are part of the diffuser core. Adjacent baffle walls define a gap therebetween through which air from an air distribution system is forced to flow and to impinge the baffle ears. The baffle walls, baffle ears, and gaps provide for effective mixing of the air from the air distribution system with ambient air.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a brake monitoring system. The monitoring system includes an auxiliary braking device, the auxiliary braking device configured to activate a braking system of a towed vehicle. The monitoring system also includes a transmitter unit including a transmitter, the transmitter configured to transmit a signal indicating that the braking system of the towed vehicle has been activated. A receiver unit is also included. The receiver unit includes a receiver, the receiver configured to receive the signal transmitted by the transmitter. The monitoring system also includes an indicator in communication with the receiver unit. Activation of the indicator informs a driver of a towing vehicle that the braking system of the towed vehicle has been activated.

Abstract: A coupling assembly for a multiple-tube roller shade includes a support assembly for rotatably supporting and connecting adjacently located tube-end portions and a clutch mechanism providing relative rotation therebetween. The support assembly includes a tube-end fitting and a torque-transferring drive transfer member contacting the tube. The clutch mechanism includes first and second clutch members respectively engaged and separated in closed and opened positions. A pull bar is translatable within one of the shafts and is moved by a draw pin received in aligned openings of the second clutch member, the shaft and the pull bar. The shaft openings are elongated for movement of the second clutch member between the closed and opened positions. An adjustment member threadedly engages the tube-end fitting for vertical adjustment of the fitting with respect to a support panel. The tube-end fitting is secured to a bracket having elongated openings for horizontal adjustment.

Abstract: A goggle, for use, for example, in paintball, comprises a lens 12, a body structure 14 for the lens and a strap 16. The body structure defines an ocular chamber 34 that covers the wearer's eyes, and an exhalation chamber 36 that covers the wearer's nose and mouth. An inlet plenum channel 42 leads from an inlet chamber 44 in the front of the goggle 10 up to the lower edge of the lens 12, and a fan 46 in the plenum channel 42 blows air from the inlet upwards across the inner surface of the lens 12. Air exhaled by the wearer leaves the exhalation chamber through outlet apertures 56 in the bottom of the mask, and is therefore directed away from the duct inlet chamber 44.

Abstract: A weighting assembly for a roller shade fabric includes an elongated hem bar having opposite open ends and defining an internal cavity communicating with the open ends. A spline secured to an end of the fabric is slidingly received in a pocket defined within the cavity through one of the ends. The pocket includes an opening communicating with the rest of the cavity for passage of the fabric to an exterior through an elongated slot in the hem bar. After the fabric is wrapped on an exterior surface of the hem bar, a portion of the fabric is fed into the cavity through the slot to form a loop for slidingly receiving an elongated rod through one of the ends. The rod has a diameter that is greater than a width of the slot to prevent removal of the rod through the slot.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel cytochrome P450-like enzyme (Aspergillus ochraceus 11 alpha hydroxylase) and an oxidoreductase (Aspergillus ochraceus oxidoreductase) isolated from cDNA library generated from the mRNA of Aspergillus ochraceus spores. When the cDNA encoding the 11 alpha hydroxylase was co-expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf-9) insect cells with the cDNA encoding human oxidoreductase as an electron donor, it successfully catalyzed the conversion of the steroid substrate 4-androstene-3,17-dione (AD) to 11 alpha-hydroxy-AD as determined by HPLC analysis. The invention also relates to nucleic acid molecules associated with or derived from these cDNAs including complements, homologues and fragments thereof, and methods of using these nucleic acid molecules, to generate, for example, polypeptides and fragments thereof. The invention also relates to the generation of antibodies that recognizes the A.

Abstract: A document store delivers a document requested therefrom from a folder having rights information associated therewith. In response to a request for a copy of the document, rights data for the copy of the document is defined based on the rights information of the folder, and the copy of the document and the defined rights data thereof are published to result in a package with the rights data and the copy of the document encrypted according to a content key (KD) to result in (KD(copy)). The formed package is then delivered to the requester. The rights data can be discovered upon the requester attempting to render the package and such discovery triggers a request for a corresponding license based on such rights data. The license includes (KD) therein in a form available to the requester to decrypt (KD(copy)) if the requester satisfies the rights data.

Abstract: A rights-managed document has protected content from an author thereof, whereby a recipient of the document can render the protected content with a corresponding license if the recipient satisfies terms set forth in the license. In the document, a storage portion has a message that the document is rights management protected, and a custom data portion has a section including the protected content. The recipient if enabled can render the protected content in the custom data portion and if not enabled can only review the storage portion having the message. An enabled recipient handles the received rights-managed document by recognizing that the document has the protected content in the custom data portion thereof, and discounting the storage portion of the document. Thus, the recipient examines the custom data portion of the document and proceeds based thereon to render the protected content in the custom data portion.

Abstract: A weighting assembly for a roller shade fabric includes an elongated hem bar having opposite open ends and defining an internal cavity communicating with the open ends. A spline secured to an end of the fabric is slidingly received in a pocket defined within the cavity through one of the ends. The pocket includes an opening communicating with the rest of the cavity for passage of the fabric to an exterior through an elongated slot in the hem bar. After the fabric is wrapped on an exterior surface of the hem bar, a portion of the fabric is fed into the cavity through the slot to form a loop for slidingly receiving an elongated rod through one of the ends. The rod has a diameter that is greater than a width of the slot to prevent removal of the rod through the slot.

Abstract: A roller shade mounting bracket assembly includes a first bracket securable to a fixed support member. A landing board having a printed circuit board is secured to the first bracket. The landing board preferably includes a connector mounted to the circuit board for attachment of a wiring harness of a roller shade motor unit. Projecting standoffs may be included to space the landing board from a base plate of the first bracket. A second bracket includes a first portion adapted for attachment to the first bracket, the first portion preferably including an access opening accommodating the landing board. The second bracket further includes a second portion having openings for attachment of a shade roller. The second bracket may include hooked members engaging support members secured to the first bracket.