Abstract: An apparatus and a method are disclosed for manufacturing an integral one piece catheter having a tube and a hub. The method comprises feeding molten material into a mold having a mold cavity. A fluid such as a gas is injected into an inlet of the mold. This causes the cavity to eject the molten central region of the polymer through an exit channel. In one embodiment, a gas is injected into the hub portion of the cavity. In another embodiment, a gas is injected into the catheter portion of the mold. The invention also involves forming a first portion of an intravascular device using a first material in a first mold. Thereafter the first portion of the intravascular device is inserted into a second mold to form a second portion using a second material. Gas is then introduced to form a hollow channel in the second portion.

Abstract: The Internal Boost-off System is designed to be a user-friendly way to boost your car battery's power. The system can be mounted under your dashboard, in your console, under your seat, or on side of your door. The system includes a plurality of components that combine to achieve a common end. The system has several safeguards in place to promote safety and ease of use. The connection guide (45) prevents improper connection of terminals (25) to terminals (50) and terminal (55) or terminals (50a) and terminal (55a). The cable (10) that connects to the power transfer center is enclosed to avoid inadvertent conducting of metals. The Y adapter (15) affords its users an alternative location in which to connect their starter for greater access should power need to be disconnected in the event of a fire or accident. The system has an adapter that enables it to be used on non-system vehicles. It also has an adapter that lets you run several accessories off of your battery instead of connecting them to your fuse box.

Abstract: A system and computer-based method are disclosed for use in mining data from communications filtering requests. The system and method accept from a delivery point a filtering request, which includes an identification of a sender from which the delivery point does not wish to accept communications. Data from the filtering request is stored in a database and information from the database is provided to a requester. The system and method may receive a communication, determine from the communication its source and its delivery point, access the database to determine if the determined delivery point wishes to accept communications from the determined source and, if it does, deliver the communication to the delivery point. Otherwise, the system and method discard the communication. In the case of traditional mail, the system and method may determine the source and delivery point from one or more bar codes.

Abstract: A slider-operated fastener comprises first and second opposing tracks including respective first and second interlocking profiles and respective first and second fins extending downward from the respective first and second profiles. The first and second fins are sealed to each other by a plurality of spaced preseals. After generating each preseal, a notch is formed in the profiles and upper portions of the fins at the generated preseal. To install a slider onto the fastener, the slider is initially positioned within the respective notch and then threaded onto the fastener in response to relative movement of the slider and the fastener. Either before or after the steps of forming each preseal and respective notch and installing the respective slider, the fastener is attached to a moving web of plastic film. The fastener-carrying web is later folded and sealed to form individual plastic bags.

Abstract: The present invention provides an HVAC fan control that includes a front fan switch, controller, rear fan switch, rear fan control circuit and a fan motor. The front fan switch and the rear fan switch electrically connect to the controller. Also, the fan motor is electrically connected to the rear fan control circuit and a front fan switch. Accordingly, the controller is responsive to inputs form the rear fan switch to operate the rear fan control circuit and select a desired fan motor speed when a logical ON condition is provided by the front fan switch.

Abstract: A composition comprises an oxetane oligomer or polymer or copolymer block wherein each repeat group has at least one ether side chain which is terminated by a fluorinated aliphatic group and optionally with the proviso that at least two different repeat units of the oligomer or polymer or copolymer have different Rf groups. The oxetane block is connected to a hydrocarbon polymer block derived from a mono or polyhydroxyl initiator. The terminal fluorinated alkyl groups impart good stain resistance to the oligomer or polymer or copolymer. In another embodiment, a fluorinated aliphatic or alkyl alcohol is reacted with an amino dicarboxylic acid with the reaction product thereof being subsequently grafted to a maleated polyolefin or a maleated polymer derived from a vinyl substituted aromatic monomer. The fluorinated alcohol also imparts good stain resistance to the grafted copolymer. Both compounds can be utilized as an additive in polymers as for example various polyolefins.

Abstract: A carpet fiber yarn having carpet fiber and binder material, the yarn being subjected to singeing to remove protruding fiber ends, and subjected to heat sufficient to melt the binder fiber, wherein initial appearance and trafficked appearance of a first test carpet having a pile comprised of the yarn is improved over a corresponding second test carpet having a pile comprised of an unsinged yarn with the carpet fiber and the binder fiber, the unsinged yarn also being subjected to heat sufficient to melt the binder fiber.

Abstract: To reduce the needed bandwidth of video communication system, a portion of the video image that differs from a preceding frame of the video image is predicted from the decompressed audio data with a model operating at both the transmitter and the receiver. The model accuracy is increased and the synchronisation enhanced by reducing the number of degrees of freedom of the model and by making the prediction of the next phoneme in a hierarchical manner.

Abstract: A remote control is remotely mounted and controlled by an activation switch. The remote control is mounted within a cavity of a motorcycle and in electrical communication with an activation switch. The activation switch is mounted for easy access and manipulation. A feedback device is provided for communicating that the remote control has been activated. A universal mounting bracket allows the operator to selectively mount the activation switch and feedback device in any location they desire.

Abstract: A universal trailer for transporting a variety of longwall roof supports for a longwall underground mine is disclosed, along with a method of using such a trailer. The trailer includes a wheeled, U-shaped frame that can be raised and lowered relative to the ground to lift and off-load a roof support. The trailer includes forward and rearward supports, either of which may be shiftable.

Abstract: A reprogrammable subscriber terminal of a subscription television service which can have the control program code of its control processor modified by downloading new program code from the headend. The control processor stores a boot program in an internal read only memory. Upon start up and resets, the boot program determines whether the control program should be changed from a command sent from the headend. The command, termed a parameters transactions, includes the number of expected download program code transactions required to complete the control code modification, the memory space areas where the code is to be loaded, and the channel over which the download program code transactions are to be transmitted. The channel is tuned and when the boot program receives all the download program code transactions accurately and stores them, the boot program will cause the control program to be restarted at a selected address of the new or modified control program code which has been downloaded.

Abstract: Described herein is a monolithic printhead formed using integrated circuit techniques. Thin film layers, including ink ejection elements, are formed on a top surface of a silicon substrate. The various layers are etched to provide conductive leads to the ink ejection elements. At least one ink feed hole is formed through the thin film layers for each ink ejection chamber. A trench is etched in the bottom surface of the substrate so that ink can flow into the trench and into each ink ejection chamber through the ink feed holes formed in the thin film layers. An orifice layer is formed on the top surface of the thin film layers to define the nozzles and ink ejection chambers. A phosphosilicate glass (PSG) layer, providing an insulation layer beneath the resistive layers, is etched back from the ink feed holes and is protected by a passivation layer to prevent the ink from interacting with the PSG layer. Other layers may also be protected from the ink by being etched back.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of separating one or more components from a multi-component gas stream comprising at least one non-acid gas component and at least one acid gas component. A multi-component gas stream at a pressure above 1,200 psia (82.8 bar) and a temperature above 120° F. (48.9° C.) with the concentration of at least one acid gas component in the gas stream being at least 20 mole percent is passed to a membrane system that selectively separates at least one acid gas component from the multi-component gas stream as a permeate stream. The permeate stream has a pressure of at least 20% of the pressure of the feed pressure.

Abstract: The system for deploying an antenna of an integrated circuit card includes a card housing protecting electronic components, and at least one antenna. The antenna has a proximal end and a distal end, and an antenna housing protects the antenna. The antenna housing is movably connected to the card housing such that as the antenna housing moves relative to the card housing, the distal end of the antenna moves relative to the card housing.

Abstract: A housing system for aquatic animals has a shelf-like rack holding tiers of individual tanks or aquariums (aquaria), each removably suspended from structural members that engage flanges of the tanks. The tanks are tilted inwardly of the rack and have covers with fittings on the higher or outer side, that intercept flow between a supply and a drain to inlet water when the tank is in the rack and to recycle the water at any tank position that is unoccupied. The inside bottom of each tank is contoured, for example with a longitudinal trough, so sediment collects at a low spot on the lower or inner side, where a drain inlet is placed to provide a drainage outlet that opens at a velocity increasing restriction at which sediment is entrained. The drain has a spring biased valve that opens the drain only when the tank is fully inserted in the rack.

Abstract: In a communication device that includes an antenna array including multiple antennas, a method and apparatus is provided for determining whether to employ an antenna array beamforming technique. The communication device determines a bearing from the communication device to the communication unit and a direction of arrival for a signal received from the communication unit by the communication device via each of the multiple antennas. In addition, the communication device determines a distance from the communication device to the communication unit, and also determines multiple signal quality metrics based on multiple signals received by the communication device from the communication unit. The communication device then determines whether to employ an antenna array beamforming technique based on any one or more of the determined bearing and the determined direction of arrival, the determined distance, or the determined signal quality metrics.

Abstract: A fluorine containing polymer which acts as a wetting, flow or leveling agent, and has at least one polar group. The polymer has at least one pendant or ether side chain containing from about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms with at least 25% of the hydrogen atoms being replaced by fluorine atoms. The fluorinated polymers unexpectedly impart wetting, flow or leveling properties to a variety of coatings while producing little foam.

Abstract: The level of precious-metal inclusions in glass products, e.g., glass substrates for liquid crystal displays, is reduced by stirring molten glass in a stir chamber (11) under conditions such that the magnitude of the shear stress &tgr; on the chamber's wall (19) and on the surfaces of the stirrer (13) is reduced while at the same time, the Q•E product for the system is kept high, where Q is the flow of glass through the stirring system and E is the system's stirring effectiveness.

Abstract: A fluorine containing polymer which acts as a wetting, flow or leveling agent, and has at least one polar group. The polymer has at least one pendant or short side chain containing from about 1 to about 7 carbon atoms with at least 25% of the hydrogen atoms being replaced by fluorine atoms. The fluorinated polymers unexpectedly impart wetting, flow or leveling properties to a variety of coatings while producing little foam.

Abstract: A reprogrammable subscriber terminal of a subscription television service which can have the control program code of its control processor modified by downloading new program code from the headend. The control processor stores a boot program in an internal read only memory. Upon start up and resets, the boot program determines whether the control program should be changed from a command sent from the headend. The command, termed a parameters transactions, includes the number of expected download program code transactions required to complete the control code modification, the memory space areas where the code is to be loaded, and the channel over which the download program code transactions are to be transmitted. The channel is tuned and when the boot program receives all the download program code transactions accurately and stores them, the boot program will cause the control program to be restarted at a selected address of the new or modified control program code which has been downloaded.