Abstract: A security mount and system for protecting a firearm. The base of the firearm is placed in a receptacle in the mount to hold the firearm. A switch in the bottom of the receptacle is activated when the firearm is removed from the mount. The mount may be connected directly to an alarm or to a premises security system which sounds the alarm when the switch is activated. The premises security system may also report an alarm condition to a monitoring center via a wireline connection or a wireless link when the switch is activated.

Abstract: A thoracentesis device having a hypersensitive dual spring indication mechanism for alerting the user of any contact to internal body organs by the blunt tip distal end of the thoracentesis device once the device has been inserted inside a patient's body. The thoracentesis device includes a handle and an outer needle fixedly attached thereto. The outer needle forms a sharp distal end adapted for penetrating the chest cavity wall and a longitudinal conduit that is in fluid flow communication with a cavity defined inside the handle. A spring-loaded inner needle is slidably disposed inside the conduit of the outer needle with the proximal portion of the inner needle operably engaged with a large spring that imparts a sufficient distal spring force to fully extend the blunt tip distal end of the inner needle beyond the sharp distal end of the outer needle.

Abstract: A security mount and system for protecting a firearm. The base of the firearm is placed in a receptacle in the mount to hold the firearm. A switch in the bottom of the receptacle is activated when the firearm is removed from the mount. The mount may be connected directly to an alarm or to a premises security system which sounds the alarm when the switch is activated. The premises security system may also report an alarm condition to a monitoring center via a wireline connection or a wireless link when the switch is activated.

Abstract: A thoracentesis device for removing fluid from a cavity includes a hypersensitive dual spring indication mechanism for alerting the user of any contact to internal body organs. The thoracentesis device includes a handle and an outer needle fixedly attached to the handle. The outer needle forms a sharp distal end and a spring-loaded inner needle, including a blunt tip distal end, is slidably disposed inside the conduit of the outer needle. A first spring has a first spring force that urges the inner needle into a fully extended position and a second spring has a second spring force that acts on the inner needle in opposition of the first spring force. A first and second opposite colored indicators are arranged in contact with the springs so as to alert the user to any initial contact made by the thoracentesis device.

Abstract: The temperature controlled gas distribution plate of the present invention includes a liquid cooling passage, with inlet and outlet ports, that is formed within the gas distribution plate. In the preferred embodiment, the plate is formed with an upper passage cover and a lower base having a liquid passage channel formed within the side walls thereof. The cover and base are welded together to form a sealed liquid passage within the plate through which the liquid coolant flows.

Abstract: A method of printing uses a liquid applicator to apply a coating solution ontaining polyvinyl pyrrolidone or a polyvinyl pyrrolidone copolymer to an intermediate transfer medium. An image is printed onto the intermediate transfer medium using an ink jet printing device. The coating solution contains an organic solvent, which is preferably a glycol solvent or a diol solvent. Suitable solvents include trimethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, di propylene glycol, tri propylene glycol, 1,2 butane diol, 2 pyrrolidone, gamma butyrolactone and glycerol. The coating solution is applied in an amount of 0.01 to 10 mg/cm2. The coating solution may contain 0.01 to 20 wt. % of polyvinyl pyrrolidone or a polyvinyl pyrrolidone copolymer, 5-95 wt. % of an organic solvent and 5-95 wt. % water. More preferably, the coating solution contains 0.01 to 15 wt. % of polyvinyl pyrrolidone or a polyvinyl pyrrolidone copolymer, 5-95 wt. % of an organic solvent and 5-95 wt. % water.

Abstract: A roller for electrophotography is made from a mixture of polyurethane, polydiene, polyether diol, a first conductive filler and a second conductive filler which catalyzes oxidation of the polydiene. The first conductive filler comprises hexahalogenated acetylacetonates. The roller has a very high outer surface electrical resistance from baking the roller to oxidize the polybutadiene. The charge roller is achieved at low production cost and functions well with charging by a DC potential and AC overlay.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and system for improving speech recognition. In this invention, there is a training phase where text data generated from a speech recognition system is collected and aligned with a corresponding true transcription of the speech recognition text data. A preliminary set of correction rules are generated and observed against a corpus of fully verified text data. Rules that are applicable are validated, while invalid rules are updated. The updated rules are then applied to the parallel sample of speech recognition text data and corresponding text data, as well as the corpus of text data. The rules are examined again to determine their validity. This process continues until all of the rules have been validated or until no further progress is made. The finalized correction rules are then put into a production phase.

Abstract: An electrophotographic developer roller is made by casting urethane prepolymer mixed with a polybutadiene, a trifunctional curative, ferric chloride powder, and an antioxidant. After curing, the roller is baked, which oxidizes the outer surface. The oxidized surface layer is electrically resistive, which is desirable in a developer roller. An excellent developer roller is achieved at low production cost. The antioxidant provides stable electrical characteristics over extended time periods.

Abstract: A method for selecting tie point locations within a series of overlapping images. Initially the series of images are ordered to maximize the potential for successful phase correlations between adjacent images. Adjacent pairs in the ordered images are then phase correlated to determine the translational offsets between adjacent pairs. The overlapping regions in adjacent pairs are assessed for normalized cross correlation and initial candidate tie points are selected within the regions at a reduced resolution. The initially selected tie points are then phase correlated at full resolution and any surviving candidate tie point locations are further refined to sub-pixel accuracy.

Abstract: An electrophotographic developer roller is made by casting urethane prepolymer mixed with a butadiene, a trifunctional curative and ferric chloride powder. After curing, the roller is baked, which oxidizes the outer surface. The oxidized surface layer is electrically resistive, which is desirable in a developer roller. An excellent developer roller is achieved at low production cost.

Abstract: A method for selecting tie point locations within a series of overlapping images. Initially the series of images are ordered to maximize the potential for successful phase correlations between adjacent images. Adjacent pairs in the ordered images are then phase correlated to determine the translational offsets between adjacent pairs. The overlapping regions in adjacent pairs are assessed for normalized cross correlation and initial candidate tie points are selected within the regions at a reduced resolution. The initially selected tie points are then phase correlated at full resolution and any surviving candidate tie point locations are further refined to sub-pixel accuracy.

Abstract: An electrophotographic developer roller is made by casting urethane prepolymer mixed with a butadiene, a trifunctional curative and ferric chloride powder. After curing, the roller is baked, which oxidizes the outer surface. The oxidized surface layer is electrically resistive, which is desirable in a developer roller. An excellent developer roller is achieved at low production cost.

Abstract: A tampon for hygienic use which comprises an absorbent core of general cylindrical shape having a liquid pervious cover layer is disclosed. The cover layer is a plastics material which comprises parallel ribs in one direction interconnected by a plurality of fibrillated strands in the transverse direction. The ribs of the cover layer lie in a direction which is in a direction parallel to the main axis of the tampon.

Abstract: A pad for protecting female undergarments from light vaginal discharges is described in which pad a body liquid impermeable layer of pressure sensitive adhesive serves to prevent transmission of body liquids through the pad and also serves to adhere the pad to the undergarment.

Abstract: A disposable applicator for placing a pharmacologically active agent in contact with a moist body surface, especially the eye is in the form of an elongate strip disposed at one end of which is a soluble matrix element containing the pharmacologically active agent so that on contact with the moist body surface the matrix element separates from the remainder of the strip. In a preferred form the matrix element is attached to the remainder of the strip by a thin water soluble membrane which rapidly dissolves in body fluid thereby releasing the matrix element to the body surface. Processes for the preparation of the disposable applicators are also described.

Abstract: An adhesive mount for adhesively attaching an ostomy bag about the stoma of a patient which comprises a layer of moisture vapor transmitting plastics foam and a layer of moisture vapor transmitting pressure sensitive adhesive in juxtaposition therewith and an ostomy bag device having an adhesive mount bonded about an aperture thereof is described.

Abstract: A film of synthetic polymer is profiled with a pattern of thick and thin areas so that it can split on stretching into a net; additionally the thin areas are likewise profiled so that either the strands of main net split clearly apart or the orifices of main net are covered by an integral fine net arising from the minor profile. Profiles based on the intersection of sets of parallel grooves on opposite surfaces are preferred for both major and minor profiles.

Abstract: A moisture vapor transmitting film comprising a blend of polyurethane and an incompatible polymer characterized in that the incompatible polymer forms a discrete phase within a continuous matrix of polyurethane and that said film contains voids and processes for the manufacture thereof.

Abstract: A composite strip material comprising at least a backing layer, an adhesive layer on a surface thereof, and a removable protective layer over and contacting and peelably adherent to at least part of the adhesive layer; wherein each layer is finger-tearable and wherein at least one layer is cleanly finger-tearable from any point along its length in a predetermined transverse direction, thereby to influence and facilitate transverse tear of any other layers present in a like cleanly finger-tearable manner to provide clearly defined separate units of any desired size.