Abstract: A system for identifying users for entrance to an area comprising a point of entry into a pre-defined area. The system comprises a first computing device having a microprocessor, a memory and a screen disposed adjacent to the point of entry. There is also at least one second computing device having at least one microprocessor and at least one memory, said at least one second computing device being disposed remote from the first computing device. There is at least one third computing device having at least one screen and at least one microprocessor wherein the third computing device is in communication with the second computing device wherein the second computing device is configured to send at least one image to the first computing device and to the third computing device wherein when an image at the point of entry matches an image on the third computing device the port of entry will allow the user holding the third computing device into the point of entry.

Abstract: There is a system for admitting automobiles to a venue comprising: at least one camera for recognizing an automobile, and a license plate. A server is configured for receiving a picture of the automobile and a picture of the license plate of the automobile. Furthermore, there is at least one database for storing, matching and identifying the picture of the automobile and the license plate. In addition, there is at least one screen for allowing a user to identify their automobile taken from a list of automobiles. There is also a process for tracking an automobile within an area which comprises the steps of identifying a pre-defined area and identifying an automobile for screening into the area. Next the auto and its license plate are photographed. This information is stored in a database and then used to generate invoices and track the location of these automobiles.

Abstract: There is a system and process for pre-ticketing a user so that the ticket is printed before the user enters and/or pays for admission to an area such as an arena, a park or an event. There is also a system which can be used to track the location of a ticket purchaser as well to determine whether the ticket purchaser has entered an area only after the ticket purchaser has paid for the ticket.

Abstract: A system for identifying users for entrance to an area comprising a point of entry into a pre-defined area. The system comprises a first computing device having a microprocessor, a memory and a screen disposed adjacent to the point of entry. There is also at least one second computing device having at least one microprocessor and at least one memory, said at least one second computing device being disposed remote from the first computing device. There is at least one third computing device having at least one screen and at least one microprocessor wherein the third computing device is in communication with the second computing device wherein the second computing device is configured to send at least one image to the first computing device and to the third computing device wherein when an image at the point of entry matches an image on the third computing device the port of entry will allow the user holding the third computing device into the point of entry.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing beer comprising filtering beer through a porous membrane until such time that the porous membrane is in need of cleaning, contacting the porous membrane with an enzyme selected from the group consisting of cellulases, amylases, and combinations thereof, particularly a cellulase having a crystalline:soluble cellulose activity ratio at 60 minutes of at least about 0.1, to clean the porous membrane, and then reusing the porous membrane to continue filtering beer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a supported membrane assembly comprising a membrane adhered to a support material by way of a nonwoven web of multicomponent fibers therebetween, wherein the multicomponent fibers comprise a first polymer and a second polymer such that the second polymer is present on at least a portion of the surface of the multicomponent fibers and has a softening temperature below the softening temperatures of the first polymer, the membrane, and the support material, and the supported membrane assembly has a water flow rate at least about 20% of the water flow rate of the membrane alone. The present invention also provides a filter element comprising a housing and such a supported membrane assembly, as well as a method of preparing such a supported membrane assembly and methods of using such a supported membrane assembly.

Abstract: A composite structure comprises a porous filter medium, a substrate provided with at least one drainage pathway, and a support and drainage medium sandwiched between the porous filter medium and the substrate. The porous filter medium, the support and drainage medium, and the substrate are bonded free of any adhesive.

Abstract: The present invention provides a filtration medium comprising an ultrafiltration membrane and a monomer surface coating thereon of an acrylic or methacrylic acid monomer having alcohol functional groups, wherein the filtration medium after having been fully dried is characterized by having a titer reduction of at least about 10.sup.3 with respect to PP7 bacteriophage and a critical wetting surface tension of at least about 70 mN/m. The filtration medium preferably further comprises a fibrous nonwoven web embedded in the membrane. The present invention also provides a method of filtering a fluid through the present inventive filtration medium, as well as a method of preparing such a filtration medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rechargeable battery comprising (a) a container having a top, a bottom, and one or more side walls, and, positioned within the container, (b) an anode subject to shedding during charge/discharge cycling, (c) a cathode subject to shedding during charge/discharge cycling, (d) a separator between the anode and the cathode, (e) an electrolyte, and (f) means to inhibit the formation of a conductive pathway between the anode and the cathode sufficient to render the battery incapable of holding a charge by way of the material shed from the anode and the cathode during charge/discharge cycling. The present invention also provides a method of preparing such a rechargeable battery.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polymeric, particularly aramid, fiber filtration sheet having a relatively small pore size and high pore uniformity. The present inventive aramid fiber filtration sheet preferably has a titer reduction against bacteria such as Pseudomonas diminuta. The present invention also provides a method of preparing reduced-diameter aramid fibers, as well as a method of preparing an aramid fiber filtration sheet from such reduced-diameter aramid fibers. The present invention further provides a method of treating a fluid by passing a fluid through the present inventive aramid fiber filtration sheet, as well as a filter element incorporating the present inventive aramid fiber filtration sheet.

Abstract: The present invention provides for the first time ultrafiltration/diafiltration membranes that are capable of excluding 0.02 .mu.m diameter, monodisperse, latex particles and are capable of being dried without loss of such ultrafiltration properties. A rapid, reliable method for integrity testing membranes also has now been discovered. The test has particular applicability to ultrafiltration membranes, although it may also be used for testing microfiltration membranes as well. In accordance with the method, referred to as the K.sub.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of preparing a support for a filtration medium comprising passing a sheet of nonwoven fibrous polymeric material having first and second sides through a calender which comprises a nondeformable roll and a resilient roll, the nondeformable roll being maintained at a temperature below the melting temperature of the material, so as to increase the smoothness of the first side of the material which contacted the resilient roll. A filtration medium support material prepared in accordance with the method of the present invention, as well as a filter comprising a filtration medium and that filtration medium support material, are also provided by the present invention.

Abstract: A method for making an electrolytically conductive battery separator polyethylene film for alkaline battery applications is disclosed which comprises carrying out the grafting reaction in an environment free of air and comprising a pressurized inert gas blanket. The resulting lots of polyethylene film are capable of being made with the range of electrolytic resistance values required for a variety of alkaline battery applications, while exhibiting highly uniform electrolytic resistance characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention provides a battery separator comprising (a) a nonwoven web of fibers having a mean diameter of about 15 .mu.m or less and (b) a graft polymerized monomer on the surface of the nonwoven web which renders the nonwoven web spontaneously wettable by an alkaline electrolyte, wherein the nonwoven web comprises at least about 60 wt. % of a first polyolefin having a first melting temperature and no more than about 40 wt. % of a second polyolefin having a second melting temperature which is lower than the first melting temperature, the nonwoven web has been subjected to a temperature between the first and second melting temperatures, and the nonwoven web has a thickness of at least about 50 .mu.m. The present invention also provides a battery containing such a battery separator, as well as a method of preparing such a battery separator and battery.

Abstract: The present invention provides an affinity separation method involving dynamic filtration.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polymeric, particularly aramid, fiber filtration sheet having a relatively small pore size and high pore uniformity. The present inventive aramid fiber filtration sheet preferably has a titer reduction against bacteria such as Pseudomonas diminuta. The present invention also provides a method of preparing reduced-diameter aramid fibers, as well as a method of preparing an aramid fiber filtration sheet from such reduced-diameter aramid fibers. The present invention further provides a method of treating a fluid by passing a fluid through the present inventive aramid fiber filtration sheet, as well as a filter element incorporating the present inventive aramid fiber filtration sheet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a supported microporous filtration membrane comprising a porous nonwoven fibrous support material having first and second sides, and a continuous microporous membrane having first and second zones, wherein the first side of the support material is integral with the first zone while not protruding into the second zone, and the first zone has a pore size at least about 50% greater than the pore size of the second zone. A method of preparing such a supported microporous membrane is also provided by the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a battery separator comprising a nonwoven electrolyte reservoir layer bonded to a nonwoven support layer. The support layer comprises fibers having a mean diameter greater than about 15 microns, and preferably has been calendared to a thickness of less than about 10 mils, with a thickness variability of no more than about 10%. The electrolyte reservoir layer comprises fibers having a mean diameter of about 10 microns or less, and a thickness of less than about 15 mils, and preferably is melt-blown directly onto the support layer. The nonwoven fibers that comprise the electrolyte reservoir layer and the support layer are selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polymethylpentene, and combinations thereof. The present invention also provides a battery containing such a battery separator, as well as a method of preparing such a battery separator.

Abstract: The present invention provides for the first time ultrafiltration/diafiltration membranes that are capable of excluding 0.02 .mu.m diameter, monodisperse, latex particles and are capable of being dried without loss of such ultrafiltration properties. A rapid, reliable method for integrity testing membranes also has now been discovered. The test has particular applicability to ultrafiltration membranes, although it may also be used for testing microfiltration membranes as well. In accordance with the method, referred to as the K.sub.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of filtering a fluid comprising (a) passing a first portion of a contaminated fluid through a filtration system comprising a first filtration medium of a preselected surface area which removes contaminants from the first portion of the fluid, (b) simultaneously passing a second portion of the contaminated fluid through a monitoring system comprising a second filtration medium of a preselected surface area which removes contaminants from the second portion of the fluid, wherein the first and second filtration media are the same except that the surface area of the first filtration medium is greater than the surface area of the second filtration medium, and wherein the rate at which the second portion of the contaminated fluid passes through the second filtration medium per unit of surface area of the filtration medium is greater than the rate at which the first portion of the contaminated fluid passes through the first filtration medium per unit of surface area of the fil