Abstract: A headgear connection assembly for a mask assembly includes a pair of clip receptacles provided to respective sides of a mask frame and a pair of locking clips adapted to be removably interlocked with respective clip receptacles. The locking clips are adapted to be removably connected to headgear straps in use. Each clip receptacle includes an upper wall. The upper wall has a recess and a lip adjacent to the recess at the edge of the upper wall.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for facilitating a transaction between a customer and a merchant in which a cash change amount between 1¢ and 99¢ is due the customer. According to an aspect of the disclosure, a method includes the steps of receiving information regarding an account associated with a customer, a merchant and a tracking fee amount; charging a tracking fee to an account associated with a customer; and crediting the tracking fee to an account associated with a merchant. Subsequently, an amount given by the sum of the amount of credit purchased and the tracking fee is credited to an account associated with a customer and charged to an account associated with a merchant. Accounts associated with a customer and a merchant are typically maintained electronically, and the charging and crediting are performed by a computing device. The credit purchase amount and tracking fee are equal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is described that allows accurately registered, high resolution patterning of thin films on discrete lengths of flexible substrate material that are unwound from a drum and after processing are rewound onto another drum. Discrete lengths of the substrate - are clamped to a chuck and the chuck moved in a direction parallel to the length of the substrate. Accommodating units are provided for accommodating length changes in the substrate both upstream and downstream of the chuck. A processing head is moved across the width of the substrate when clamped to the chuck and pattern formation is by one, or a combination, of laser ablation, laser exposure or ink jet printing using either or both subtractive and additive processes.

Abstract: A capacitive touch panel comprising; a transparent substrate, a layer of transparent conducting material (71) deposited onto a surface of the transparent substrate, the layer of transparent conducting material (71) being divided to form a plurality of discrete electrode cells which are electrically connected in a first orthogonal direction X but electrically isolated in a second orthogonal direction Y, a deposited pattern of transparent insulating material (73) on the transparent conducting layer (71), the pattern configured to bridge adjacent electrically isolated cells, and a deposited pattern of transparent conducting material (74) overlaying and intersecting with the deposited pattern of transparent insulating material (73) thereby providing an electrical connection between adjacent electrically isolated cells and thereby providing two orthogonal conduction paths across the transparent conducting layer (71).

Abstract: A forehead support for a mask assembly includes a frame connector provided to a mask frame, a forehead cushion support movably mounted to the frame connector for generally linear movement between retracted and extended positions with respect to the frame connector, and an adjustment knob movably mounted to the frame connector and threadably engaged with the forehead cushion support such that turning movement of the adjustment knob causes the forehead cushion support to be moved between the retracted and extended positions. The adjustment knob includes a resilient prong having a ratchet bump. The ratchet bump is adapted to selectively engage a series of ridges provided to the frame connector to provide indexed incremental adjustment.

Abstract: Video data may be extremely useful in online property commerce. However, the current methods of handling this video data fail to provide users of the data with effective and convenient ways of consolidating footage from multiple videos or portions thereof and conveying their particular viewpoints and other property features. Among other things, embodiments of the invention address these failures by providing methods and systems for generating and handling montage video data.

Abstract: A mask system includes a frame, cushion, cushion clip, swivel elbow, headgear and/or headgear clips that are configured for use in a clinical or hospital environment. One or more components of the mask system are configured to promote single patient use, e.g., by providing an age indicator and/or preventing disassembly and/or cleaning, etc.

Abstract: A method for the formation of grooves (74, 85) in the surface of a polymer layer substrate (36, 46, 51, 65, 73, 83) by a direct write laser vaporization process, the polymer being selected, or modified by the addition of organic or inorganic material, so that it strongly absorbs wavelengths in the range 525 nm to 535 nm, the method comprising the steps: providing a laser beam (32, 42) with a wavelength in the range 525 nm to 535 nm that has diffraction limited or substantially diffraction limited beam quality and operates either continuously, quasi-continuously or Q-switched, using an optical system (35, 45, 64, 72, 82) to focus the laser beam to a focal spot on the surface of the substrate, using a scanner (44, 63) to move the focal spot relative to an area on the substrate so the substrate surface is vaporized where it is exposed to the beam so as to form a groove with a depth that is less than the thickness of the polymer layer, controlling the scanner so as to change the position of the focal spot on the

Abstract: The method uses a common optical, system and sequentially creates structures of different sizes in a polymer substrate by means of different laser processes is described. One process uses a laser beam that is tightly focussed on the substrate surface and is used for creating fine groove structures by semi-continuous direct write type beam movement. The second process uses a second laser beam that is used to form a larger size image on the substrate surface and is used to create blind pads and contact holes in the substrate in step and drill mode. A third optional process uses the second laser beam operating in direct writing mode to remove layers of the substrate over larger continuous areas or in a mesh type pattern.

Abstract: Mask system includes frame, cushion, cushion clip, swivel elbow, headgear and/or headgear clips configured for use in a clinical or hospital environment.

Abstract: A washout vent (20) for a mask for use with a system for supplying breathable gas pressurized above atmospheric pressure to an airway of a mammal. The washout vent (20) includes a vent orifice (22) adapted for gas washout. The orifice (22) includes one or more features that contribute to noise reduction, such as a channel (26) with converging walls towards atmosphere, and/or a channel (26) having one or more walls provided with surface treatment and/or contouring, such as roughening and/or scalloped portions.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an electromagnetic valve actuator having an armature between upper and lower electromagnets with a stem extending through one electromagnet and guided by a bushing with increased clearance about at least a portion of the inner circumference in at least a middle portion of the bushing to reduce oil shear length and associated viscous friction in the actuator. A two-piece intake/exhaust valve guide includes a lower half with a stepped outer diameter cooperating with a counter-bored hole in the cylinder head to provide a positive stop. The upper and lower halves of the valve guide have increased clearance relative to the valve stem around at least a portion of the inner circumference to reduce oil shear length and associated viscous friction. Reducing viscous friction of the actuator and associated valve guide improves system robustness by decreasing the system sensitivity to temperature.

Abstract: Mask system includes frame, cushion, cushion clip, swivel elbow, headgear and/or headgear clips configured for use in a clinical or hospital environment. One or more components of the mask system configured to promote single patient use, for example, by providing an age indicator and/or preventing disassembly and/or cleaning.

Abstract: A method for exposing the surface of a drum to patterned illumination from a pulsed laser source at a suitable energy density in order to cause ablation of the surface to form a dense, regular array of 3-D microstructures, comprising the steps locating a mask containing a line of different features on a fixed pitch relative to a target area; projecting a uniform line shaped laser beam through the mask in order to project an image made up of a multiplicity of the features on the mask onto the target area; de-magnifying the image carried by the beam between the mask and the target area; locating the surface of the drum for ablation in the target area; rotating the drum continuously so the surface moves in a first direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drum and also simultaneously moving the projected beam with respect to the drum in a second direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum; tilting the projected array of microstructures to correspond to the helical path followed by the las

Abstract: A mask system includes a frame, cushion, cushion clip, swivel elbow, headgear and/or headgear clips that are configured for use in a clinical or hospital environment. One or more components of the mask system are configured to promote single patient use, e.g., by providing an age indicator and/or preventing disassembly and/or cleaning, etc.

Abstract: A system for processing a multi-device panel, comprising a substrate having front and rear surfaces, a first array of device regions located on the front surface and a second array of device regions on the rear surface, by vector direct-write laser ablation, comprising a first processing station comprising a pair of opposedly-mounted processing heads, each processing head comprising a laser beam delivery apparatus comprising a laser beam scanner and a lens unit, and a distance measurement means, mounting means for mounting the panel between the processing heads of the first processing station such that the relative position of the panel and the first processing station can be adjusted so that the processing heads are brought into alignment with selected front-surface and rear-surface device regions to be processed, wherein each processing head is operable to make an estimate of the distance between the lens unit and the surface of the device region to be processed using the distance measurement means, control

Abstract: A method is described for forming a partially transparent thin film solar panel by providing an array of unconnected holes in an opaque layer of the panel the holes being sufficiently small so that they are not discernable to the human eye and the light transparency factor caused by the holes being selectively controlled so that it can be graded in two dimensions by varying the size and/or spacing of the holes.