Abstract: A retraction mechanism for a lighter includes a case with a pinion rotatably mounted therein. A spool is attached to the pinion and a cord, for attaching to the lighter, is wound onto the spool. A spring is provided to rotate the pinion in a direction which winds the cord onto the spool. A rack has teeth that engage teeth on the pinion so that the rack moves linearly with rotation of the pinion. A cylinder body with an aperture is located within the case and a piston, attached to the rack, is within the aperture thereby defining a cylinder chamber which varies in size as the piston moves within the aperture. A passage in the piston allows air to flow between the cylinder chamber and the interior of the case as the cylinder chamber varies in size. The passage has an orifice which changes in size with movement of the piston within the cylinder body, thereby providing a device which dampens winding and unwinding of the cord about the spool.

Abstract: The instant invention is a beverage container having a primary purpose of lowering the temperature of a beverage directly before consumption. The device is used in combination with a conventional beverage cup defined by an outer sleeve which operates in association with the beverage cup to form a passageway for the convection of heat to lower the temperature of beverage passing through the passageway. In operation the beverage cup is placed in an inverted sealed position thereby maintaining the beverage in a hot or cold serving temperature for a longer period of time. The passageway further prevents spills and lessens the possibility of skin burning by limiting the amount of beverage that can be spilled as well as providing a radiant cooling affect for lowering of beverage temperature. A lid is further provided for concealing the beverage cup and sleeve formed passageway providing a free air space for uninhibited beverage consumption.

Abstract: An fixed grating, detector-array type analyzer rapidly multiplexes multiple channels. The analyzer comprises a light source, a detector array-type spectrograph, and an optical multiplexer. The multiplexer can select from one of a plurality of channels. Further, the multiplexer can convolute light passing through it with a reference spectrum for calibration and wavelength drift compensation. Rapid multiplexing is achieved using a fiber optic slit array which "perpendicularly multiplexes" the plurality of channels.

Abstract: A modular probe is provided to enable introduction of light to a sample to be analyzed by an electro-optical device. The probe of the present invention may include an optical rod or other device for propagating light, an optical barrel which in part surrounds the optical rod, and a sleeve which is provided to attach the probe to a source of light such as a fiber optical bundle. The probe may be fitted with a bidirectional focusing adapter and a reflective tip. A transverse probe is also described.

Abstract: A modular flow-through cell is described which has main block member having a first pathway which leads from an inlet port to a large bore and a second passageway which leads from the large bore to an outlet port. A cartridge assembly is removably inserted into the large bore to provide an optical path for light to pass through a fluid sample.

Abstract: The invention is a multiplexer which enables light to be sent to and received from samples for simultaneous analysis. A multiplexer is described which uses a transverse probe to reflect light at an angle into an optical rod. The transverse probe is selectively rotated to transmit light to a second optical rod. Various numbers of optical rods may be used in the linear mutliplexer. A multiplexer is also described in which a conjugate optical barrel is utilized to selectively reflect light to various probes.

Abstract: A purge module is provided which provides gas to an enclosure at a first flow rate in order to purge the enclosure of harmful gases. After the pressure within the enclosure has reached a predetermined level, a sensor enables gas at a low pressure to be supplied to the enclosure after a predetermined time has passed. The purge module also enables power to be supplied to the device being purged at the same time the purge gas flow rate is changed.