Abstract: An apparatus 10 for producing one or more characterizing measurements of a surface 12 in relation to a repeatedly reproducible datum axis A-A, the apparatus 10 comprising a probe 14; a first porous surface 1.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device, system, and method for a portable handheld device for displaying information. An embodiment of the invention provides a portable handheld device for displaying information, including traffic information. The portable device includes a wireless receiver arranged for receiving an information-data packet having at least one payload element, a translation table arranged for decoding a payload element, and a microcontroller including a memory and a processor, and which is operable to decode the at least one payload element.

Abstract: An improved wet vacuum is described which removes floor stripping chemicals and residual water left behind from a floor stripping machine. The vacuum system is portable, battery operated and houses a storage reservoir constrained via elastic straps on a rollable base. A vacuum box is operatively mounted to a motor and include moisture reduction features which reduce moisture accumulation in and around the motor via an adapted flow path and drain channel. A single lever and rear activated squeegee mechanism which is in fluid communication with the vacuum system is selectively lowered an raised for removing floor cleaning chemicals and/or other liquids from the surface of a floor. An interior mechanical brace assembly is also featured to prevent reservoir buckling from operative vacuum pressure. A simple control module is provided for operating and monitoring power for the system.

Abstract: A concrete finishing apparatus and method for smoothing and flattening partially cured concrete to a close-tolerance surface includes a movable unit which is movable and entirely supported on or over a partially cured concrete surface and at least one rotatable finishing member, such as a cylindrical tube, roller or the like, mounted to the movable unit. The rotatable finishing member is positioned at the partially cured concrete surface and rotatable to engage and finish the surface of the partially cured concrete to a high quality, close-tolerance flat and level concrete floor surface. The rotatable finishing member is preferably rotatable in a direction generally opposite to the direction of travel of the movable unit to enhance the finishing process and to carry any cement paste or residue forward with the finishing member to fill in any low areas as the concrete finishing apparatus moves over the partially cured concrete.

Abstract: An improved wet vacuum is described which removes floor stripping chemicals and residual water left behind from a floor stripping machine. The vacuum system is portable, battery operated and houses a storage reservoir constrained via elastic straps on a rollable base. A vacuum box is operatively mounted to a motor and include moisture reduction features which reduce moisture accumulation in and around the motor via an adapted flow path and drain channel. A single lever and rear activated squeegee mechanism which is in fluid communication with the vacuum system is selectively lowered an raised for removing floor cleaning chemicals and/or other liquids from the surface of a floor. An interior mechanical brace assembly is also featured to prevent reservoir buckling from operative vacuum pressure. A simple control module is provided for operating and monitoring power for the system.

Abstract: An air travel system preferably uses an airport terminal or concourse that includes at least one regional aircraft boarding pier and at least one boarding bridge for larger aircraft. The regional aircraft boarding pier includes a primary passenger bridge extending from the airport terminal or concourse; a pier hub connected to the primary passenger bridge; and a plurality of secondary passenger bridges connected to, and extending from, the hub. Each secondary passenger bridge has a docking end for docking with a regional aircraft. A method of operating this air travel system includes boarding a passenger on a regional aircraft by sending the passenger through the regional aircraft boarding pier. This may be before or after the passenger also uses a boarding bridge to board a larger aircraft which is a connecting flight in the passenger's travel itinerary. This method allows the passenger to transfer between regional and larger aircraft within a single airport concourse or terminal.

Abstract: A tape-reinforced tubular vascular graft formed of sintered fluoropolymer(s), such as expanded, sintered PTFE. The graft includes a base graft and a reinforcing tape applied thereto. The tape may be spirally wrapped about the graft or spirally wrapped into a tube about a cylindrical mandrel and then applied to the exterior of the graft. Radial shrinkage of the combined base graft and tape, or of the reinforcing tape tube, renders the vascular graft subsequently radially enlargeable by more than 5%, without tearing or breaking of the reinforcement tape layer of the graft. Radially enlargeable grafts of the present invention may be combined with various types of stents or anchoring systems, to form endovascular graft devices which are transluminally insertable and implantable within the lumen of a host blood vessel.

Abstract: A method for improving the radial enlargeability and other properties of tape-reinforced tubular vascular graft formed of sintered fluoropolymer(s), such as expanded, sintered PTFE. Broadly, the method comprises the step of radially shrinking the reinforcement tape layer of the graft, or the entire tape-reinforced graft, after sintering thereof. Such radial shrinkage of the reinforcement tape layer, or of the entire graft, renders the graft subsequently radially enlargeable by more than 5%, without tearing or breaking of the reinforcement tape layer of the graft. Radially enlargeable grafts of the present invention may be combined with various types of stents or anchoring systems, to form endovascular graft devices which are transluminally insertable and implantable within the lumen of a host blood vessel.

Abstract: A biosensor has a lipid membrane (7) containing gated ion channels sensitive to the presence or otherwise of an analyte molecule in a sample applied, in use, to a first side of the lipid membrane (7). The lipid membrane (7) is disposed between a pair of electrodes (1, 2) in which a first layer of porous gel (4) is applied to the first side of the lipid membrane (7).

Abstract: Porous fluoropolymer films, such as PTFE films, formed by a method including the steps of (a) forming a fluoropolymer (e.g., PTFE) paste, (b) extruding, calendaring, or otherwise processing the paste to form a film extrudate, (c) causing the film extrudate to be calendared in a first directional axis, (d) subsequently calendaring the film extrudate in a second directional axis which is different from the first directional axis, (e) subsequently calendaring the film extrudate in at least one additional directional axis which is different from said first and second directional axes, thereby forming a multiaxially calendared film extrudate, (f) drying the multiaxially calendared film extrudate, and (g) radially expanding the multiaxially calendared film extrudate to form a radially oriented fluoropolymer (e.g., PTFE) film. The porous fluoropolymer films formed by this method are multiaxially oriented and exhibit isotropic strength properties.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method are described which reduce air turbulence in a disc drive assembly. In a method of use, a groove is machined into a side portion of an actuator arm and then a streamlined actuator arm side rail is inserted into the groove to provide streamlining characteristics to the actuator arms. An actuator arm is provided which has a groove which extends along a side portion of the actuator arm. A streamlined side rail is attached to the side portion of the actuator arm, and is preferably arrowhead-shaped so that the side rail mates with the groove. The streamlined side rail reduces air turbulence in the disc drive caused by air flow against and around the actuator arms, yielding an improvement in the power consumption of the disc pack spindle motor.

Abstract: An externally supported, tape-reinforced tubular prosthetic graft and method of manufacturing therefore. The graft comprises a tubular base graft formed of expanded, sintered fluoropolymer material, a strip of reinforcement tape helically wrapped about the outer surface of the tubular base graft and attached thereto, and, an external support member helically wrapped around the outer surface of the reinforcement tape and attached thereto. The helical pitch of the reinforcement tape is different from the helical pitch of the external support member. Preferably, the helical pitch of the reinforcement tape is in a direction which is opposite the direction of the external support member.

Abstract: A method for improving the radial enlargeability and other properties of tape-reinforced tubular vascular graft formed of sintered fluoropolymer(s), such as expanded, sintered PTFE. Broadly, the method comprises the step of radially shrinking the reinforcement tape layer of the graft, or the entire tape-reinforced graft, after sintering thereof. Such radial shrinkage of the reinforcement tape layer, or of the entire graft, renders the graft subsequently radially enlargeable by more than 5%, without tearing or breaking of the reinforcement tape layer of the graft. Radially enlargeable grafts of the present invention may be combined with various types of stents or anchoring systems, to form endovascular graft devices which are transluminally insertable and implantable within the lumen of a host blood vessel.

Abstract: A vehicle power steering system comprising: an electronic controller; an electromagnetic mechanism controllably coupled to the microprocessor and mechanically coupled to the power steering system, wherein torque output from the electromagnetic mechanism is coupled to the power steering system; and a hydraulic assist unit including a controllable valve coupled to the controller, wherein the hydraulic assist unit provides assist torque responsive to the control of the controllable valve.

Abstract: A vehicle door arrangement is provided including inner and outer panels. The inner panel has a through opening, a tubular grommet which is received in the opening and snap-fittingly secured to the inner panel, and a plurality of electrical conductors extending through the grommet. The through opening in the inner panel extends inwardly from a side edge of the inner panel. The inner panel has at least one ear extending transversely into the opening adjacent the side edge. The grommet is resilient and has a groove which extends inwardly from its outer periphery and whose outwardly facing bottom is shaped substantially complementary to the opening.

Abstract: A method for improving the radial enlargeability and other properties of tape-reinforced tubular vascular graft formed of sintered fluoropolymer(s), such as expanded, sintered PTFE. Broadly, the method comprises the step of radially shrinking the reinforcement tape layer of the graft, or the entire tape-reinforced graft, after sintering thereof. Such radial shrinkage of the reinforcement tape layer, or of the entire graft, renders the graft subsequently radially enlargeable by more than 5%, without tearing or breaking of the reinforcement tape layer of the graft. Radially enlargeable grafts of the present invention may be combined with various types of stents or anchoring systems, to form endovascular graft devices which are transluminally insertable and implantable within the lumen of a host blood vessel.

Abstract: This invention relates to a lubricating film type gas seal having a stationary sealing ring (stator) with a radially extending sealing face and a rotating mating seal component (mating rotor) with a radially extending sealing face. The present seal has a reduced number of components and is greatly simplified from working seals described in prior art. The mating rotor is deliberately flexible, and hence it may distort (tilt) throughout an angular range during hydrostatic and hydrodynamic operation and is dependent on rotational speed, pressure, temperature and is also a function of its material and geometric properties. The stationary ring sealing face complies to and follows the angular distortion (tilting) of the mating rotor sealing face in a converging or diverging manner throughout the hydrostatic and hydrodynamic operational range. The flexibility of the stator is a function of its geometric and material properties. Mating rotor and stator flexibility is preferably matched (e.g.

Abstract: A method for preparing thin fluoropolymer (PTFE) films, said method generally having the steps of: a) providing an unsintered fluoropolymer film; b) pre-sintering expansion of the film; c) sintering the expanded film with dimensional restraint to prevent shrinkage; and d) post-sintering stretching of the film to a final thickness preferably less than 0.002 inches. The post-sintering stretching of the film in step d may be accomplished in a single step, or may include a series of post-sintering stretching steps. Steps b and c of the method may be carried out bypassing the calendared film through a machine direction orienter device and, thereafter, step d of the method may be accomplished by subsequently repassing the sintered film through the machine direction orienter device, one or more additional times.

Abstract: A handling apparatus pulls a group of lightweight cargo carrying sleeves out of a container in which they have been transported onto a storage bed. The collapsed sleeves are individually supported in an upright orientation on the bed by fingers which can be selectively withdrawn from a sleeve when it is to be removed. An overhead crane has a carriage that translates across the sleeves on the storage bed and a sleeve loading and unloading apparatus that is positioned beside the bed. The carriage can also be raised and lowered. The carriage carries hooks which engage the sidewalls of the sleeves and can be moved toward and away from one another. After the hooks engage the sidewalls of a sleeve the carriage is raised to lift the sleeve out of the group. The carriage is then moved above the loading apparatus and the hooks are moved apart from one another to expand the sleeve. Finally, the carriage is lowered to place the expanded sleeve on the loading apparatus and the hooks are disengaged from its sidewalls.