Abstract: A device for controlling relative humidity in an environment with a solidified humectant composition. The solidified humectant composition is made from a humectant salt, water, and a carrier. The solidified humectant may be formed into a tablet with the aid of a binder, or it may be contained within a thermoformed felt material, a sachet, or a water permeable canister. In a preferred embodiment, the sachet is made of a micro-perforated polyester/paper/polyethylene material. Preferred humectant salts include CaCl2, K2CO3, LiCl2, NaCl, K2SO4, and combinations thereof. A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the use of one or more of: an antimicrobial agent, activated carbon, a volatile organic, a moisture adsorber and an oxygen absorber, in combination with the solidified humectant salt.

Abstract: Instead of direct introduction into recipes of food products, for example, flavorant emitting compositions including at least one flavorant are in combination with a stabilizer, e.g., adsorbent or absorbent, and indirectly added to the food product via a closed environment of a package by readily releasing the flavorant from the substrate. When a device, such as a porous sachet comprising the compositions is placed in a closed environment of a food package, for example, a constant fresh aroma and/or taste is delivered to the closed atmosphere of the packaged foodstuff and deposited onto the foodstuff per se for preserving and maintaining product freshness for enhanced consumer acceptance. Representative packaged products would include snack foods, such as barbecue chips, potato chips, bakery products, to name but a few.

Abstract: A method of selecting an appropriate resin bonded sorbent composition which may be used at least for in part making an enclosure to protect contents from external humidity including the steps of: a) selecting a plurality of resins, a plurality of sorbents and a plurality of ratios therebetween to form a plurality of composites; b) calculating a plurality of failure times for the plurality of composites, wherein each failure time of the plurality of failure times is based on when an internal relative humidity of each composite of the plurality of composites is equal to the maximum internal relative humidity; c) determining which of the plurality of failure times is greater; and, d) selecting one composite of the plurality of composites based on the result of step (c).

Abstract: The invention relates to improved resin bonded sorbent compositions and articles of manufacture fabricated therewith, such as housings, structural components and circuit boards. The introduction of sorbents into resinous molding compositions enables the elimination of more conventional bagged sorbent containments. The novel molding compositions of the invention and parts fabricated therewith are multi-functional, beneficially combining structural, mechanical and adsorptive capabilities without requiring the usual reinforcing additives. Consequently, with the omission of reinforcing additives the novel molding compositions of the invention are further characterized by higher adsorptive capacities by allowing for higher sorbent loading factors than prior adsorbent-containing molding compositions.

Abstract: A cane with a base having at least one wheel and an aperture, a support shaft having a user adjustable length and a first end connected to the base, a brake disposed within the aperture having a user adjustable length and at least one grip connected to the support shaft and the grip being operably engaged with the brake.

Abstract: There is disclosed an umbilical assembly comprising at least one elongated umbilical element, and at least one light weight, high strength reinforcing rod.

Abstract: An oxygen-absorbing composition, device, and method for oxygen scavenging in a low moisture environment are provided. The present invention provides an oxygen absorbing composition which includes an oxygen reducing agent, water, a carrier, an electrolyte salt, and a humectant salt, which may be the same as the electrolyte salt, present in an amount sufficient to reduce the water activity of the composition to below 0.6. Also included are methods of using the composition.

Abstract: A step-up assist device having a base with an extendable and retractable platform, an actuator operably engaged with linkage connected to the platform, the linkage configured to extend and retract the platform upon operation of the actuator.

Abstract: A resin bonded sorbent composition comprising 25-55 wt % sorbent, preferably molecular sieve, and 45-75 wt % resin. A preferred resin is nylon. A preferred amount of molecular sieve is 35-42 wt % and a most preferred amount is 40 wt %. Also included is a refrigeration cycle component made from a composition comprising 25-55 wt % molecular sieve and 45-75 wt % resin. Also included is a method for manufacturing a component for a refrigeration cycle comprising the steps of forming a composition comprising 25-55 wt % molecular sieve and 45-75 wt % resin and then molding a component from the composition.

Abstract: A cane with a base having at least one wheel and an aperture, a support shaft having a user adjustable length and a first end connected to the base, a brake disposed within the aperture having a user adjustable length and at least one grip connected to the support shaft and the grip being operably engaged with the brake.

Abstract: The invention relates to improved resin bonded sorbent compositions and articles of manufacture fabricated therewith, such as air conditioning and refrigeration components. The introduction of desiccants into resinous molding compositions enables the elimination of more conventional bagged desiccant containments. The novel molding compositions of the invention and parts fabricated therewith are multi-functional, beneficially combining structural, mechanical and adsorptive capabilities without requiring the usual reinforcing additives. Consequently, with the omission of reinforcing additives the novel molding compositions of the invention are further characterized by higher moisture adsorptive capacities by allowing for higher sorbent loading factors than prior adsorbent-containing molding compositions.

Abstract: A device for controlling relative humidity in an environment with a solidified humectant composition. The solidified humectant composition is made from a humectant salt, water, and a carrier. The solidified humectant may be formed into a tablet with the aid of a binder, or it may be contained within a thermoformed felt material, a sachet, or a water permeable canister. In a preferred embodiment, the sachet is made of a micro-perforated polyester/paper/polyethylene material. Preferred humectant salts include CaCl2, K2CO3, LiCl2, NaCl, K2SO4, and combinations thereof. A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the use of one or more of: an antimicrobial agent, activated carbon, a volatile organic, a moisture adsorber and an oxygen absorber, in combination with the solidified humectant salt.

Abstract: A combination of a container body, an opening in said container body, an inner wall on said container body, a basket, a plurality of fingers on said basket engaging said inner wall, and a sorbent body in said basket.

Abstract: An oxygen-absorbing packaging material is provided. The material comprises a base layer, an oxygen absorbing composition disposed on at least one side of the base layer, a film layer disposed on the oxygen absorbing layer, and printed indicia to indicate information relating to a product to be contained within the packaging material. The oxygen absorbing composition comprises an oxygen absorbent contained in an emulsion. The printing appears on either or both of the base layer and film layer. The oxygen absorbing composition can be on one or both sides of the base layer, so long as it is covered by the film layer.

Abstract: A method is provided for applying a watermark pattern along a length of photosensitive medium, the photosensitive medium having a frame pitch in the length direction that is the sum of an image frame height plus an interframe distance. The method exposes watermark tiles contiguously along the length of the photosensitive medium, wherein each watermark tile has a height dimension that is an integral divisor of the frame pitch.

Abstract: An apparatus (20) forms a latent indicium onto a sensitized medium, using an area energy source (26) for applying a substantially uniform sensitizing energy over an area of the sensitized medium and a pixel exposure source (30) for applying radiant energy to expose a pattern of pixels (14) onto the area of the sensitized medium for forming the indicium.

Abstract: A multi-compartment plate system including upper and lower plates each having an outer perimeter surrounding first and second compartments, the compartments disposed on an obverse side of the plates, each plate defining a respective recess extending about the periphery of its second compartment, and each plate having a raised rim extending about the periphery of its first compartment, the rim being contoured to nest within the recess of the second compartment of the other plate, such that when the upper plate is inverted and rotated with respect to the lower plate, the first and second compartments of the upper plate engage the opposing second and first compartments of the lower plate, respectively, to form a nested covered plate defining two separate, covered containers.

Abstract: A cardiac imaging system comprising two or more camera heads is disclosed. Each camera is capable of generating first pass and/or gated blood pool images. One of the camera heads may be oriented at an anterior position with respect to the patient, and the other camera head may be oriented at a side position.

Abstract: A system for cardiac imaging is disclosed. A single camera system may be used to perform both gated blood pool and first pass imaging. The first pass camera tags the ECG/gated portion of the patient's exam to the first pass bolus as it travels through the right ventricle (RV), lung field and left ventricle (LV). In a typical test, a standard first pass test procedure is used except the patient is also connected to an ECG output device. The patient's R-wave is tracked and tagged to the first pass test data. The results may be displayed, for example, in a cine fashion, a static systolic/diastolic frame, a phase/amplitude frame, or any other desired format.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for recording a watermark pattern on a color recording medium that forms an image using a number N of colorants, the method comprising the step of forming the watermark pattern using at least two colorants, but fewer than N colorants.