Abstract: A riding crop for controlling a horse by striking its flank or hindquarters includes a slender, elongated shaft with a handle at its proximal end and a popper at its distal end. To ensure that the popper is normally the first part of the riding crop that strikes the horse, the popper has a thicker or larger cross-sectional dimension than the mid-length portion of the shaft that supports the popper. The popper can have a relatively resilient or pliable characteristic with respect to the more rigid shaft. When the pliable popper contacts the horse prior to any other portion of the riding crop, it deforms to soften or cushion the impact from the riding crop reducing the chance of injury or harm to the horse.

Abstract: A riding crop for controlling a horse by striking its flank or hindquarters includes a slender, elongated shaft with a handle at its proximal end and a popper at its distal end. To ensure that the popper is normally the first part of the riding crop that strikes the horse, the popper has a thicker or larger cross-sectional dimension than the mid-length portion of the shaft that supports the popper. The popper can have a relatively resilient or pliable characteristic with respect to the more rigid shaft. When the pliable popper contacts the horse prior to any other portion of the riding crop, it deforms to soften or cushion the impact from the riding crop reducing the chance of injury or harm to the horse.

Abstract: A cooking utensil with bottom wall adapted for induction heating, is provided. The cooking utensil comprises a container made from a first material that has attached to the outside of its bottom wall a heat distributing plate made from a second, different, heat conducting material, the outer surface having a series of spaced projections with the heat distributing plate being made up of a disc produced from ferromagnetic material provided with a number of perforations equivalent to the number of projections and appropriately distributed to allow the engagement of the disc, backed onto the bottom wall, by inserting the projections through the perforations, leaving the disc joined to the bottom wall by riveting the projections.

Abstract: High-quality photovoltaic devices can be produced while lowering manufacturing costs by the inventive process. In the process, solar cells are manufactured, connected, and placed on one or more curable plastic sheets at a solar cell manufacturing plant. The plastic sheets are then heated at a sufficient temperature to bond the plastic sheets to the solar cells without a substantial amount of curing and polymerization of the plastic sheet. The plastic sheet is then cooled. The plastic sheet can be coated with a protective water-resistant coating. The partially cured photovoltaic subassembly is subsequently shipped to a manufacturing facility, such as a glass plant or automobile plant, where it is contacted with a glass support member providing a superstrate or a substrate. The plastic sheet of the photovoltaic subassembly is then fully cured, polymerized, and bonded to the glass superstrate or substrate.

Abstract: A solar panel in which the bus-and-interconnect structures are visually masked, to improve not only aesthetics but also the operational characteristics of the panel. A transparent superstrate for the panel has on a surface juxtaposed to the radiation-receiving surfaces of the cells a pattern masking material just sufficient, with manufacturing tolerances, to mask the generally non-symmetrical interconnect structure in a substantially more uniform, symmetrical manner. The masking material may be matte-finish (paint) or highly reflective (a metallic deposit), and in either case may be applied by the same process (e.g., silk screen). The reflective mask structure inhibits heat build-up in the panel; and the matte-finish mask structure is generally unobtrusive and aesthetically pleasing, as required for example, in vehicular applications.

Abstract: A solar panel in which interconnected photovoltaic cells are maintained in light-receiving position by electrically conductive clips secured to the base of the panel. When the cells and clips are encapsulated in a protective resin, a vacuum is drawn during encapsulation to remove air bubbles trapped beneath the cells.

Abstract: A device utilizing solar energy cells to charge a battery or a plurality of batteries. An array of solar cells is disposed on a container having lid and tray parts. The parts are electrically interconnected to the solar cell array so that in container closed position the circuit including the solar cell array and the battery is closed to effect charging of the battery, and in container open position the circuit including the solar cell array and the battery is open with no flow of solar cell electrical output to the battery.

Abstract: A solar panel including photovoltaic cells encapsulated in a silicone resin, in which the base member to which the silicone resin adheres is a glass mat polyester in laminate or molded form.

Abstract: A solar panel including photovoltaic cell encapsulated in a silicone resin, in which the base member to which the silicone resin adheres is a glass mat polyester in laminate or molded form.