Abstract: A hitch mount connects a vehicle accessory to a vehicle hitch. The hitch mount has a first arm configured to be received by the vehicle hitch, an elongated second arm rotatably connected to the first arm, and a third arm or mounting plate on the vehicle accessory and rotatably connected to the second arm. The hitch mount has a locked position whereby the second arm cannot be rotated with respect to the first arm or the third arm, and an unlocked position whereby the second arm can rotate with respect to the first arm and the third arm. The vehicle accessory can be positioned near the vehicle hitch and the first arm slidably received in and locked to the vehicle hitch. The vehicle accessory can then be lifted upward and the second arm locked to prevent rotation of the second arm with respect to the first and third arms.

Abstract: A cargo carrier has a frame, a wheel assembly coupled to the frame, and a quick release assembly. The quick release assembly allows the user to quickly raise and lower the wheel assembly with respect to the frame, or to turn an adjusting screw to more finely raise and lower the wheel assembly. In addition, a vehicle hitch mount has an outer tube and an inner tube slidably received in the outer tube. The inner tube has a retracted position in which the inner tube is retracted with respect to the outer tube, and an extended position in which the inner tube is extended with respect to the outer tube. A locking pin can be operated by the user at one side of the cargo carrier to removably lock the hitch mount to the vehicle hitch located at an opposite side of the cargo carrier.

Abstract: A hitch mount connects a vehicle accessory to a vehicle hitch. The hitch mount has a first arm configured to be received by the vehicle hitch, an elongated second arm rotatably connected to the first arm, and a third arm or mounting plate on the vehicle accessory and rotatably connected to the second arm. The hitch mount has a locked position whereby the second arm cannot be rotated with respect to the first arm or the third arm, and an unlocked position whereby the second arm can rotate with respect to the first arm and the third arm. The vehicle accessory can be positioned near the vehicle hitch and the first arm slidably received in and locked to the vehicle hitch. The vehicle accessory can then be lifted upward and the second arm locked to prevent rotation of the second arm with respect to the first and third arms.

Abstract: A cargo carrier has a frame, a wheel assembly coupled to the frame, and a quick release assembly. The quick release assembly allows the user to quickly raise and lower the wheel assembly with respect to the frame, or to turn an adjusting screw to more finely raise and lower the wheel assembly. In addition, a vehicle hitch mount has an outer tube and an inner tube slidably received in the outer tube. The inner tube has a retracted position in which the inner tube is retracted with respect to the outer tube, and an extended position in which the inner tube is extended with respect to the outer tube. A locking pin can be operated by the user at one side of the cargo carrier to removably lock the hitch mount to the vehicle hitch located at an opposite side of the cargo carrier.

Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring transducer movement are provided. For example, free-hand scanning for three-dimensional imaging is provided. An optical sensor within the transducer measures motion along the skin surface similar to measuring movement of a personal computer mouse with an optical sensor. Alternatively or additionally, the transducer is tilted at an angle other than perpendicular to the skin surface generally towards or away from the direction in which the transducer is translated. The transducer is then translated while maintaining the angle. Motion to or from the transducer is measured, and a component of the motion measured while the transducer is maintained at an angle is parallel to the direction of translation. The component of motion is angle corrected and used to determine a distance of travel.

Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring transducer movement are provided. For example, free-hand scanning for three-dimensional imaging is provided. An optical sensor within the transducer measures motion along the skin surface similar to measuring movement of a personal computer mouse with an optical sensor. Alternatively or additionally, the transducer is tilted at an angle other than perpendicular to the skin surface generally towards or away from the direction in which the transducer is translated. The transducer is then translated while maintaining the angle. Motion to or from the transducer is measured, and a component of the motion measured while the transducer is maintained at an angle is parallel to the direction of translation. The component of motion is angle corrected and used to determine a distance of travel.

Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring transducer movement are provided. For example, free-hand scanning for three-dimensional imaging is provided. An optical sensor within the transducer measures motion along the skin surface similar to measuring movement of a personal computer mouse with an optical sensor. Alternatively or additionally, the transducer is tilted at an angle other than perpendicular to the skin surface generally towards or away from the direction in which the transducer is translated. The transducer is then translated while maintaining the angle. Motion to or from the transducer is measured, and a component of the motion measured while the transducer is maintained at an angle is parallel to the direction of translation. The component of motion is angle corrected and used to determine a distance of travel.

Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring transducer movement are provided. For example, free-hand scanning for three-dimensional imaging is provided. An optical sensor within the transducer measures motion along the skin surface similar to measuring movement of a personal computer mouse with an optical sensor. Alternatively or additionally, the transducer is tilted at an angle other than perpendicular to the skin surface generally towards or away from the direction in which the transducer is translated. The transducer is then translated while maintaining the angle. Motion to or from the transducer is measured, and a component of the motion measured while the transducer is maintained at an angle is parallel to the direction of translation. The component of motion is angle corrected and used to determine a distance of travel.

Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring transducer movement are provided. For example, free-hand scanning for three-dimensional imaging is provided. An optical sensor within the transducer measures motion along the skin surface similar to measuring movement of a personal computer mouse with an optical sensor. Alternatively or additionally, the transducer is tilted at an angle other than perpendicular to the skin surface generally towards or away from the direction in which the transducer is translated. The transducer is then translated while maintaining the angle. Motion to or from the transducer is measured, and a component of the motion measured while the transducer is maintained at an angle is parallel to the direction of translation. The component of motion is angle corrected and used to determine a distance of travel.

Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring transducer movement are provided. For example, free-hand scanning for three-dimensional imaging is provided. An optical sensor within the transducer measures motion along the skin surface similar to measuring movement of a personal computer mouse with an optical sensor. Alternatively or additionally, the transducer is tilted at an angle other than perpendicular to the skin surface generally towards or away from the direction in which the transducer is translated. The transducer is then translated while maintaining the angle. Motion to or from the transducer is measured, and a component of the motion measured while the transducer is maintained at an angle is parallel to the direction of translation. The component of motion is angle corrected and used to determine a distance of travel.

Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring transducer movement are provided. For example, free-hand scanning for three-dimensional imaging is provided. An optical sensor within the transducer measures motion along the skin surface similar to measuring movement of a personal computer mouse with an optical sensor. Alternatively or additionally, the transducer is tilted at an angle other than perpendicular to the skin surface generally towards or away from the direction in which the transducer is translated. The transducer is then translated while maintaining the angle. Motion to or from the transducer is measured, and a component of the motion measured while the transducer is maintained at an angle is parallel to the direction of translation. The component of motion is angle corrected and used to determine a distance of travel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining arterial blood pressures using a photoplethysmograph is provided. In the inventive method the photoplethysmograph output is calibrated to the patient using an auxiliary blood pressure determining instrument, a constant k particular to the patient's arterial blood pressure-volume relationship is determined and is stored for later use; at the time of measurement information is obtained from the photoplethysmograph output; and a computer determines the patient's systolic and diastolic blood pressures.

Abstract: An apparatus for photo-optically detecting transducer motion using a photodetector resiliently suspended inside the transducer housing and photo-optically coupled to a light source. During movement the inertia effect of the photodetector along with the resilient suspension system causes the changes in the photo-optical coupling between the photodetector and the light source. The inertia effect of the photodetector is enhanced by adding a mass to the photodetector. Either the magnitude or the phase of the photodetector output is monitored to detect movement. In another embodiment, a light emitter is resiliently suspended so that movement induced changes in the position of the light emitter alter the coupling of light to one or more light detectors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the blood flow in a patient's tissue by warming the tissue with heat generated by a semiconductor device mounted in a sensor. The amount of heat generated is controlled by varying either the magnitude or the duty cycle of the current that flows through the semiconductor device, with the amount of heat required determined by either the temperature of the sensor's contact surface or the operating performance of the apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining arterial blood pressures using a photoplethysmograph is provided. In the inventive method the photoplethysmograph output is calibrated to the patient using an auxiliary blood pressure determining instrument, a constant k particular to the patient's arterial blood pressure-volume relationship is determined and is stored for later use; at the time of measurement information is obtained from the photoplethysmograph output; and a computer determines the patient's systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Abstract: An apparatus for photo-optically detecting transducer motion in a transducer using a photodetector elastically suspended inside the transducer housing and photo-optically coupled to a light source. During movement the inertia effect of the photodetector along with the elastic suspension system causes the changes in the photo-optical coupling between the photodetector and the light source. The inertia effect of the photodetector is enhanced by adding a mass to the photodetector. Either the magnitude or the phase of the photodetector output is monitored to detect movement.

Abstract: Natural gas and thermal energy are produced from aquifers containing appreciable quantities of dissolved natural gas at or near saturation levels in the aquifer water, with or without associated dispersed vapor phase gas, using a particular method and apparatus.

Abstract: The recovery of petroleum produced from an oil reservoir is enhanced by injecting water such as from a geopressured aquifer having a natural gas content at or near saturation at a temperature above 300.degree. F. into the oil reservoir at a flow rate sufficient to develop a back-pressure in the oil reservoir equal to between about 80% of its fracture pressure and a pressure below its fracture pressure and producing oil from the oil reservoir when the injection of water necessary to maintain the back-pressure below the oil reservoir fracture pressure drops below a predetermined level. The recovery of petroleum also is enhanced by using sand screening means to complete a portion of the well bore penetrating into the oil reservoir and a straddle packer assembly means which can be raised and lowered relative to the screening means.

Abstract: A method of natural gas production from wells drilled into geopressured aquifers containing methane saturated water, comprising using wells which permit initial flow of water with a complete absence of back pressure at the well head, and containing the flow of water until loss of pressure in the aquifer exsolves sufficient gas to reverse the gas/water permeability ratio, thus converting the flow entirely to natural gas and water vapor and creating a gas cap. A further embodiment is the subsequent use of rings of secondary wells of similar design, each ring located at approximately equal radial distances from the initial well, to produce similar gas caps which interact with-, and produce from-, the gas cap created by production from the initial well and the gas caps of the other secondary wells.

Abstract: A grid for a fire-rated suspended ceiling includes a plurality of identical parallel spaced main beams and a plurality of identical parallel spaced cross tees supported by the main beams, the main beams and cross tees each having a substantially inverted T cross section and each including coupling means integral with the ends thereof, the coupling means for each main beam featuring a laterally offset tongue and an integral offset bulb end portion that is crushed to reduce its lateral dimension and to form a stiffening rib, whereby relative is facilitated.