Abstract: An electronic collection bin is provided for assisting users in managing their personal information. The electronic collection bin provides a common location for collecting and organizing a user's information. The electronic collection bin may receive information items of varying data types and from disparate sources. After receiving an information item, the electronic collection bin analyzes the item to determine a suggested treatment, which may include conversion of the item to a new data type located at another location. A user may access the electronic collection bin, sort through the information items, and select placement of the information items. The user may view the suggested treatments of information items in the electronic collection bin and choose whether to accept the suggested treatments.

Abstract: An electronic collection bin is provided for assisting users in managing their personal information. The electronic collection bin provides a common location for collecting and organizing a user's information. The electronic collection bin may receive information items of varying data types and from disparate sources. After receiving an information item, the electronic collection bin analyzes the item to determine a suggested treatment, which may include conversion of the item to a new data type located at another location. A user may access the electronic collection bin, sort through the information items, and select placement of the information items. The user may view the suggested treatments of information items in the electronic collection bin and choose whether to accept the suggested treatments.

Abstract: A cleaning machine for cleaning a surface is provided. The cleaning machine includes a base assembly that moves along the surface and a liquid distribution system associated with the base assembly for distributing the cleaning solution to the cleaning surface. A suction nozzle assembly is mounted to the base assembly and includes a front nozzle portion and a rear nozzle portion. The front nozzle portion defines a fluid flow path having an inlet opening and an outlet opening and the rear nozzle portion defines a fluid flow path having an inlet opening and an outlet opening. A suction source is in fluid communication with the suction nozzle for applying suction to draw the cleaning solution and dirt from the surface and through the suction nozzle assembly. The fluid flow path of the front nozzle portion is closed in response to the base assembly moving in one of the forward direction and rear direction.

Abstract: A cleaning machine for cleaning a surface is provided. The cleaning machine includes a base assembly that moves along the surface and a liquid distribution system associated with the base assembly for distributing the cleaning solution to the cleaning surface. A suction nozzle assembly is mounted to the base assembly and includes a front nozzle portion and a rear nozzle portion. The front nozzle portion defines a fluid flow path having an inlet opening and an outlet opening and the rear nozzle portion defines a fluid flow path having an inlet opening and an outlet opening. A suction source is in fluid communication with the suction nozzle for applying suction to draw the cleaning solution and dirt from the surface and through the suction nozzle assembly. The fluid flow path of the front nozzle portion is closed in response to the base assembly moving in one of the forward direction and rear direction.

Abstract: Processes for the living polymerization of olefin monomers with terminal carbon-carbon double bonds are disclosed. The processes employ initiators that include a metal atom and a ligand having two group 15 atoms and a group 16 atom or three group 15 atoms. The ligand is bonded to the metal atom through two anionic or covalent bonds and a dative bond. The initiators are particularly stable under reaction conditions in the absence of olefin monomer. The processes provide polymers having low polydispersities, especially block copolymers having low polydispersities. It is an additional advantage of these processes that, during block copolymer synthesis, a relatively small amount of homopolymer is formed.

Abstract: A locking system for a door of an enclosure has a handle, lock, and locking bolts mounted to the door, door jams mounted to the enclosure, dead bolts coupled to the locking bolts, and a blocking bolt coupled to the lock. When door is closed and handle is closed, then locking bolts are moved to locked position, such that door jams block path of locking bolts and thereby prevent door from being opened. When lock is unlocked, dead bolts can move toward each other allowing door to be opened. However, when lock is locked, door cannot be opened because blocking bolt, between dead bolts, prevents dead bolts from moving toward each other.

Abstract: An animal feeding/watering system includes a first panel which mounts against an exterior facing side of an animal enclosure wall. A first panel aperture aligns with a species specific access aperture positioned as desired in the enclosure wall. A second panel, apertures and mounting holes mirroring the first panel's, mounts on an interior facing side of the enclosure wall and fixes the apertures in alignment via fasteners to panel one. A feeding unit outside the animal enclosure reversibly mounts to panel one below and aligned with its aperture. A door mounted on the first panel latches closed to cover the aperture thereby preventing animal-human contact while filling the feed unit and is opened to permit one animal to access the feed unit. Shutters adjustably fixed to the second panel customize the aperture area to accommodate each species' method of accessing the feed unit and prevent escape.

Abstract: A back support is described which will be effective in militating any relative upward movement of the support and an associated vertically extending seat back of an associated vehicle.

Abstract: An ignition coil for an internal combustion engine minimizes the propagation of cracks in the encapsulate material surrounding the components of the ignition coil and provides a supplemental dielectric barrier. In one embodiment, the ignition coil comprises a housing, an outer core, an inner coil, and a coil assembly. The housing includes a bottom wall connected to an outer wall extending around the periphery of the housing. The outer core is positioned inside the outer wall, while the inner core is positioned inside the outer core. The coil assembly includes a primary winding and a secondary winding concentrically positioned relative to each other. The coil assembly is mounted to the inner core and positioned inside the outer core. The housing further includes an inner wall extending along the inner periphery of the outer core and positioned between the outer core and the coil assembly to prevent propagation of cracks.

Abstract: A core assembly for an ignition coil in an internal combustion engine generally includes an inner core comprising an I-shaped lamination and an outer core comprising a pair of opposing C-shaped lamination stacks. A joint is formed by an end of the I-shaped lamination stack and a pair of adjacent ends of the pair of C-shaped lamination stacks. The core assembly is designed in a manner which minimizes the waste material that is scrapped when forming the lamination stacks, as well as allows the inner lamination stack to be slid down along the inner periphery of the outer stack.

Abstract: A cleaner for cleaning a surface comprises a floor-engaging portion for moving along the surface. A magnet and a hall effect sensor located in the cleaner handle generates a control signal. The control signal is provided to a control circuit which controls one or more operational features of the cleaner. One such operational features includes at least one pump for mixing and distributing cleaning solution to the surface. In an alternate embodiment, the control circuit controls an electric motor for propelling the cleaner over the surface.

Abstract: The invention is a method for detecting the presence of bacteria in a sample. The method of the invention utilizes the steps of (a) admixing a fluorescent conjugate with a sample to be tested for the presence of bacteria in the sample, wherein a moiety of the fluorescent conjugate is metabolized to release the fluorescent moiety of the fluorescent conjugate; (b) inducing fluorescence of the fluorescent conjugate and the fluorescent moiety of the metabolized fluorescent conjugate at 325-345 nm; (c) simultaneously detecting the fluorescence of the fluorescent conjugate at 370-380 nm and the fluorescent moiety of the metabolized fluorescent conjugate at 445-480 nm; and (d) correlating the detected fluorescence of the fluorescent conjugate and the fluorescent moiety of the metabolized fluorescent conjugate to the presence of bacteria in the sample.

Abstract: The machine has a holding pot containing molten magnesium in which a pumping chamber is submerged, a filling port is provided through a bottom wall of the pumping chamber, defined at least in part by a cylindrical wall surface, and an axially moveable control rod with a cylindrical shut-off part is moved between a position at which it is within the confines of the cylindrical wall surface and a position at which it is free of that wall surface. The clearance of the cylindrical wall surface and the cylindrical shut-off part of the control rod is such as to permit free movement of the rod part through the port, but, by virtue of the wetting of the surfaces by the molten magnesium, to seal the port against the pressures applied to it.

Abstract: A fabric softening and antistatic liquid laundry detergent composition includes synthetic anionic organic detergent, bentonite and higher aliphatic isostearamide antistat in an aqueous medium. The liquid detergent composition preferably contains a builder for the detergent component, such as polyphosphate and/or carbonate. Also within the invention is a process for washing and drying laundry, utilizing the described liquid detergent in the washing operation, whcih produces laundry that is soft and static-free or of low electrostatic charge despite having been subjected to a tumble drying process or similar static charging drying process, which normally causes laundry of similar fabrics to become electrostatically charged, resulting in objectionable "static cling".

Abstract: A particulate fabric softening and antistatic built detergent composition includes synthetic organic detergent, builder for the detergent, bentonite and higher aliphatic isostearamide antistat. The bentonite and antistat are often preferably agglomerated together and may be admixed with spray dried detergent "base beads" which are preferably of similar particle sizes and which include anionic synthetic organic detergent and builder, to make the fabric softening and antistatic detergent composition. Also within the invention is a process for washing and drying laundry which produces laundry that is soft and static-free or of low electrostatic charge despite having been subjected to a tumble drying process which normally makes laundry of similar fabrics electrostatically charged and subject to objectionable "static cling".

Abstract: N-alkylisostearamides useful as antistatic agents for laundered fabrics; detergent compositions containing an effective antistatic amount of said amide; and a method of protecting fabrics against acquiring static electricity by contacting fabrics with said isostearamides or detergent compositions during laundering. These compounds provide antistatic protection without reducing optical brightener and detergency performance of the detergent composition.

Abstract: N-alkylisostearamides useful as antistatic agents for laundered fabrics; detergent compositions containing an effective antistatic amount of said amide; and a method of protecting fabrics against acquiring static electricity by contacting fabrics with said composition during laundering. These compounds provide antistatic protection without reducing optical brightener and detergency performance of the detergent composition.

Abstract: Isostearic acid useful as an antistatic agent in the laundering of fabrics with all-nonionic detergents which may optionally contain optical brighteners, without interfering with the whitening properties of said optical brighteners.

Abstract: An antistatic detergent composition useful in the laundering of fabrics containing nonionic surfactants, an antistatic amount of isostearic acid and a specified cationic polymer; and a method of imparting antistatic properties to fabrics during laundering, which consists in contacting fabrics with said composition in the wash cycle.

Abstract: Short chain acyl derivatives of long chain aliphatic amines useful as non-yellowing antistatic agents for laundered fabrics, detergent compositions containing an effective antistatic amount of said amide and a method of protecting fabrics against acquiring static electricity by contacting fabrics with said composition during laundering. These compounds provide antistatic protection without reducing optical brightener performance of the detergent composition.