Abstract: A cellular communications device having circuitry for establishing clear wireless communications which includes a receiver-transmitter for receiving and transmitting wireless signals, a signal checker for comparing the signal strength received by the receiver-transmitter, controller for initiating and inhibiting wireless communications based upon results of the comparison made by the signal checker and a user input means for inputting user command information.

Abstract: A conformable wound dressing is prepared by producing a sub-confluent layer of cultured mammalian cells such as epithelial cells anchored to a surface of a synthetic polymeric film which is hydrophobic, non-inhibitory to cell growth and non-cytotoxic. The polymer may be ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer or a blend of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and polystyrene, and is preferably subjected to corona discharge to improve cell attachment. The polymeric film may be sterilized with ethylene oxide or by gamma-irradiation. Preferably, the polymeric film is a continuous film containing apertures formed by perforation before or after cell culture to provide an apertured wound dressing. In a preferred embodiment, a laminate is formed containing a sub-confluent layer of mammalian cells anchored to a surface of a continuous film of synthetic polymer having a plurality of thin and thick portions cast on and supported by a carrier layer having a plurality of raised portions.

Abstract: An improved device for identifying an individual pop-top can having a pull tab for levering open the can is provided. The device includes a flexible resilient sleeve of elastomeric plastic or rubber or the like which slides over and seats on the free end of the pop-top can tab. The sleeve has a distinctive color, design, texture, written indicia or any combination thereof, in order to identify the individual can. A kit is also provided which includes a number of the sleeves, all of which differ from each other in color, texture, written indicia and/or design. One embodiment of the sleeve includes an integral plug which extends upwardly from the top of the sleeve and is shaped and dimensioned to plug the can opening to preserve the contents thereof after opening. The sleeve is simple, inexpensive and attractive and enables users of similar cans to identify their own cans and thus not drink from another user's can.

Abstract: A method of operating an apparatus for the cleaning of industrial waste gases and especially power plant flue gases. The gases are fed through a quencher to a first scrubber with its own recirculation and upstream of a second scrubber having its own recirculation and aerosols of halogen compounds which are eliminated by providing the quencher is part of a prescrubber or by forming the downstream scrubber with a wet electrostatic precipitator.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a remote alert from a clock radio to a user at a predetermined time without disturbing others around him. The clock radio is preferably a superheterodyne receiver and includes an alert signal circuit for providing radio frequency alert signals at a predetermined alarm time and a radio frequency transceiver for receiving broadcast radio frequency signals and for transmitting radio frequency signals including the broadcast radio frequency signals and the radio frequency alert signals. A timing circuit in the clock radio includes a coincidence detecting circuit which detects the coincidence between the time of day and the predetermined alarm time, and causes the alert signal circuit to provide an alert signal to the radio frequency transceiver for transmission to a selected wireless remote alert device at the predetermined time.

Abstract: A conformable wound dressing is prepared by producing a sub-confluent layer of cultured mammalian cells such as epithelial cells anchored to a surface of a synthetic polymeric film which is hydrophobic, non-inhibitory to cell growth and non-cytotoxic. The polymer may be ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer or a blend of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and polystyrene, and is preferably subjected to corona discharge to improve cell attachment. The polymeric film may be sterilized with ethylene oxide or by gamma-irradiation. Preferably, the polymeric film is a continuous film containing apertures formed by perforation before or after cell culture to provide an apertured wound dressing. In a preferred embodiment, a laminate is formed containing a sub-confluent layer of mammalian cells anchored to a surface of a continuous film of synthetic polymer having a plurality of thin and thick portions cast on and supported by a carrier layer having a plurality of raised portions.

Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument for performing a circular anastomosis stapling operation is provided. The surgical instrument includes a stapling head assembly mounted by a flexible support shaft to an actuator handle assembly. The support shaft is capable of bending in any radial direction relative to its centerline into a curved configuration suitable for insertion into a patient. The flexible support shaft includes a dual coil structure which is adapted to support itself in any curved configuration and to resist deflection upon insertion into the patient and actuation of the stapling head assembly. The stapling head assembly includes a driver assembly which is operable in multiple stages to separate the staple forming and tissue cutting actions to reduce the peak force required to operate the instrument.

Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument for performing a circular anastomosis stapling operation is provided. The surgical instrument includes a stapling head assembly mounted by a flexible support shaft to an actuator handle assembly. The support shaft is capable of bending in any radial direction relative to its centerline into a curved configuration suitable for insertion into a patient. The flexible support shaft includes a dual coil structure which is adapted to support itself in any curved configuration and to resist deflection upon insertion into the patient and actuation of the stapling head assembly. The stapling head assembly includes a driver assembly which is operable in multiple stages to separate the staple forming and tissue cutting actions to reduce the peak force required to operate the instrument.

Abstract: A battery charger having a night light is described for use with a cordless telephone. The battery charger is energized by being plugged into a standard AC outlet and includes a cradle for receiving a cordless telephone handset having rechargeable batteries. The battery charger includes a phototransistor for detecting the level of light impinging on the battery charger and a lamp for providing illumination. When AC power is cut off and the phototransistor detects that the light level is below a predetermined level, the lamp is powered by the handset battery to provide illumination and to enable a user to locate the handset during low light conditions while it is being charged.

Abstract: A video recording system comprises a method and apparatus provided for video recording remotely-generated images at a central, predetermined location. The system includes a plurality of video cameras fixedly or variably positioned at a plurality of fixed or variable locations remote from a conveniently-located viewstation having a plurality of television monitors and associated video camera jacks. The images gathered by the video cameras are continuously or intermittently displayed at one or more of the television monitors, so that a user having a video camera can connect the video camera to a video camera jack and independently record the image selected. For example, when the plurality of video cameras are positioned along a roller coaster path, the video camera can record a plurality of sequences of the roller coaster at spaced locations along the path.

Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument for performing a circular anastomosis stapling operation is provided. The surgical instrument includes a stapling head assembly mounted by a flexible support shaft to an actuator handle assembly. The support shaft is capable of bending in any radial direction relative to its centerline into a curved configuration suitable for insertion into a patient. The flexible support shaft includes a dual coil structure which is adapted to support itself in any curved configuration and to resist deflection upon insertion into the patient and actuation of the stapling head assembly. The stapling head assembly includes a driver assembly which is operable in multiple stages to separate te staple forming and tissue cutting actions to reduce the peak force required to operate the instrument.

Abstract: A power outlet and phone jack adaptor having a generally rectangular recess and a back wall upon which a power outlet and telephone jack are positioned in close proximity to one another is disclosed. Indentations on the side walls of the recess enable the user to easily plug in or unplug an accessory, such as an electrical transformer. The recess is deep enough so that the accessory when plugged in does not protrude from the adaptor.

Abstract: A sensor measures the flow velocity and/or the volumetric flow rate of a fluid flowing in a pipe and in a measuring tube mounted therein, and includes a bluff body disposed in the conduit of the measuring tube, said bluff body being designed to generate Karman vortices and having a blind hole which is in communication with the conduit via passages formed in the bluff body, a vortex sensor inserted into the blind hole and having an electrodynamic transducer responsive to the vortexinduced pressure fluctuations, said electrodynamic transducer supporting a first oscillating body being a sensor sleeve which is deflectable by the pressure fluctuations, has a first cavity sealed from the fluid, and supports a permanent magnet within the cavity, and a second oscillating body movably disposed within the cavity so as to be isolated from the pressure fluctuations and supporting at least one coil located opposite the permanent magnet.

Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument for performing a circular anastomosis stapling operation is provided. The surgical instrument includes a stapling head assembly mounted by a flexible support shaft to an actuator handle assembly. The support shaft is capable of bending in any radial direction relative to its centerline into a curved configuration suitable for insertion into a patient. The flexible support shaft includes a dual coil structure which is adapted to support itself in any curved configuration and to resist deflection upon insertion into the patient and actuation of the stapling head assembly. The stapling head assembly includes a driver assembly which is operable in multiple stages to separate te staple forming and tissue cutting actions to reduce the peak force required to operate the instrument.

Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument for performing a circular anastomosis stapling operation is provided. The surgical instrument includes a stapling head assembly mounted by a flexible support shaft to an actuator handle assembly. The support shaft is capable of bending in any radial direction relative to its centerline into a curved configuration suitable for insertion into a patient. The flexible support shaft includes a dual coil structure which is adapted to support itself in any curved configuration and to resist deflection upon insertion into the patient and actuation of the stapling head assembly. The stapling head assembly includes a driver assembly which is operable in multiple stages to separate the staple forming and tissue cutting actions to reduce the peak force required to operate the instrument.

Abstract: This mass flowmeter is designed to be installed in pipelines having nominal diameters greater than about 150 mm. It has a support tube (11), a vibrating system (12) disposed axially in the support tube and consisting of two straight measuring tubes (21, 22) mounted in a holder (23, 15) at each of their ends, and a vibration exciter (50) which sets each measuring tube into natural-resonance flexural vibration at the center. The soft-magnetic armature (51) of the vibration exciter (50) is secured to one of the measuring tubes, and its electromagnet (52) is mounted in the wall of the support tube (11) opposite the armature (51) via the metallic, nonferromagnetic coil can (53) and contains a soft-magnetic core (54). The central portion (55) of the latter, which is disposed in an energizing coil (57), carries a permanentmagnet inset (58) at the end opposite the armature, and the edge portions (56) of the core (54) extend along the outside of the energizing coil.

Abstract: Movement of an elevator cab drive sheave is controlled by a multiple disc brake assembly which is operably connected to the output shaft and sheave of the elevator drive machine. The disc brake assembly can act as an upward or downward safety brake, and can also serve as the operating brake for normal operation of the elevator. The brake assembly can be fitted onto a substantially conventional existing elevator system, and its operation is not affected by any gear degradation in the machine drive gears.

Abstract: This sensing element, which is to be installed in a pipeline conducting the fluid to be measured, consists of a straight section of pipe (1) with an unrestricted cross-sectional area and an uninterrupted wall to the external surface of which are positively fixed, successively in the downstream direction and in a spaced-apart relationship: a first resonance absorber (11) at the inlet end consisting of at least one absorber disk (111), a first transducer disk (21) having a first ultrasonic transducer (31) attached to one lateral surface thereof which excites the radial resonance frequency of said first transducer disk (21), a second transducer disk (22) having a second ultrasonic transducer (32) attached to one lateral surface thereof which excites the radial resonance frequency of said second transducer disk (22), and a second resonance absorber (12) at the outlet end consisting of at least one absorber disk (121), the absorber disks (111, 121) being dimensioned so that their respective radial resonance freque

Abstract: For flow rate measurement by means of ultrasonic waves, on a measuring tube two ultrasonic transducers are arranged spaced apart from each other, one operating as transmitting transducer and the other as receiving transducer. For determining the flow rate the phase shift between the transmission signal and the reception signal is measured digitally in that the measuring time intervals corresponding to the phase shift the periods of a signal are counted with a counting frequency which is substantially greater than the frequency of the transmission signal. The start phase which the counting frequency signal has at the beginning of each counting operation with respect to the measuring time interval is varied from measuring time interval to measuring time interval in a measuring cycle including a plurality of successive measuring time intervals and the counts obtained in the course of the measuring cycle are evaluated to form a measured value with increased measurement resolution.

Abstract: In the method for mass flow measurement by the Coriolis principle a fluid-traversed elastically deformable measuring tube is periodically deflected. As a measure of the mass flow phase displacements are measured between deflections of portions of the measuring tube wall which are arranged differently in the flow direction. For this purpose a periodic deformation of the cross-section of the measuring tube is effected in such a manner that portions of the measuring tube wall lying diametrically opposite each other are deflected in each case through about the same distance in opposite or the same direction transversely of the flow direction of the fluid. This method can be carried out with a simply constructed mass flow meter in the operation of which a wandering of the center of gravity of the meter is substantially avoided and which is also suitable for large nominal widths.