Abstract: An illumination system for illuminating the rear wheel assembly of a wheeled vehicle for a predetermined period of time in response to actuation of a turn signal. An auxiliary light and corresponding circuit are provided on the underside of a semi-trailer or other wheeled vehicle, the light being turned on in response to actuation of the turn signal on the same side of the vehicle so as to illuminate the rear wheel assembly. The light remains on for a predetermined period of time after the turn signal is turned off or deactuated, due to the dissipation of charge in a storage capacitor provided in the circuit. The circuit operatively associated with the auxiliary light is provided with a switching transistor as well as the storage capacitor, the transistor functioning to cause the auxiliary light to be illuminated when both (i) the vehicle's lights are on; and (ii) the turn signal on the appropriate side of the vehicle is actuated.

Abstract: The base layer of high quality spacers, such as those used on the sidewalls of the gate stack of submicron devices (e.g., MOSFETs, EPROMs), are formed as composite, multi-layered structures of silicon oxides or of silicon oxides and silicon nitride.

Abstract: A method for generating DNA probes specific for an organism and capable of distinguishing in a non-empirical manner between species. The method comprises amplifying, using a pair of oligonucleotide primers, a variable region of the genome of a number of phylogenetically related organisms to, or of a number of organisms suspected of being present in a given sample containing, said organism to be identified and having said variable region in its genome, at least one of said primers corresponding to a DNA sequence known or suspected of being conserved in said organisms, determining the sequence of the amplified region, selecting said sequence or a portion thereof to generate said probe specific for said organism to be identified by comparison with said other amplified regions and defining the hybridization conditions required to obtain a specific signal based on the precise nucleotide sequence of the selected probe.

Abstract: A self-loading, remotely operable and variable, portable ball thrower. An arm with a hand attached thereto is, in the uncocked position, tensioned by an elastic biasing element, such as surgical tubing, in the forward direction. An individual batter, operator, can, by means of a cocking handle, operate the arm in the rearward direction, pick up a ball from a self-loading trough, and reset the arm in the cocked position. Assuming a natural batter's stance, the batter may then, with his or her foot, release the cocking handle thereby allowing the elastic biasing element to draw, with ever increasing speed, the arm towards the uncocked position. Upon reaching the uncocked position, the ball is released in a fluid throwing manner in a consistent angle towards the batter.

Abstract: A self-loading, remotely operable and variable, portable ball thrower. An arm with a hand attached thereto is, in the uncocked position, tensioned by an elastic biasing element, such as surgical tubing, in the forward direction. An individual batter, operator, can, by means of a cocking handle, operate the arm in the rearward direction, pick up a ball from a self-loading trough, and reset the arm in the cocked position. Assuming a natural batter's stance, the batter may then with his or her foot release the cocking handle thereby allowing the elastic biasing means to draw, with ever increasing speed, the arm towards the uncocked position. Upon reaching the uncocked position, the ball is released in a fluid throwing manner in a consistent angle towards the batter.

Abstract: A laser transmitter is comprised of a power converter connected to a power conditioner for converting the preregulated dc power to high voltage dc required for laser discharge. A pulse forming network is connected to the power converter, for generating short, high voltage high current pulses. A laser cavity is connected to the PFN for generating laser pulse beams in response to the PFN output. The laser cavity includes a housing with two thermal-expansion-matched metal electrodes sandwiched between opposing preionization electrodes mounted in wells formed in the ceramic housing. The ends of the wells are ceramic to form dielectric between the cavity electrodes and the preionization electrodes for capacitively coupling the preionization electrodes for cavity chamber and producing coronas in the laser cavity which produce UV radiation in the cavity without arcing.

Abstract: A forward looking infrared (FLIR) energy imaging device has been found to include components which are required by the receiver portion of a long-wavelength rangefinder. For example, the FLIR collecting lens system which focuses energy from a scene onto a sensitive, cooled detector array duplicates the function which must be performed by the laser rangefinder receiver. Thus an integrated laser/FLIR rangefinder comprises a laser transmitter for illuminating a target, and an IR energy optic channel having a FLIR for receiving IR energy and producing a visible image representative thereof, said FLIR including an afocal lens system for collecting and focusing energy from the target and energy from the laser return having a wavelength compatible with the band pass of the IR optics and detector onto a cooled sensitive detector.

Abstract: A vibrometer comprising a reed unit adjustably clamped in position within a case. The reed unit includes three vibratory reed portions projecting from a base. Each of the reeds will vibrate at its natural frequency in response to vibration at a preselected vehicle speed, and adjustment of the reed unit according to tire size maintains the speed at which the reeds will vibrate substantially constant.