Abstract: The tire-mounted step stool is a step is adapted for use with a tire of a vehicle. When the tire-mounted step stool is secured to the tire, the tire-mounted step stool forms a platform upon which a person can step to gain access to the roof or engine compartment of the vehicle. The tire-mounted step stool comprises a first panel, a second panel, a first steel bar, a second steel bar, and a plurality of hinges. The first steel bar and the second steel bar are used to attach the first panel to the second panel. The plurality of hinges is used to make the stated attachments in such a manner that the tire-mounted step stool is collapsible.

Abstract: A method and system for generating and providing a pre-paid, debit or credit card or other financial instrument card with integrated and associated financial offer receipt, merchant-funded offer, rewards, incentives for consumers to do certain activities for a merchant or manufacturer such as follow them on social media channels and reward acceptance aggregation capabilities associated therewith. The pre-paid, debit or credit card or other financial instrument card may be provided with a financial offer, discount or other benefit in relation to a particular purchase or a general offer, discount or other benefit from a merchant or merchants and may be employed to effectuate the purchase and accept both the benefit of the financial offer or discount and further accept and aggregate additional rewards.

Abstract: In one implementation, an apparatus includes a plurality of data access object (DAO) interfaces to facilitate interactions with a plurality of heterogeneous data sources, in which each of the plurality of DAO interfaces is to facilitate interaction with a different type of data source. The apparatus also includes a controller to receive an interaction request, to determine a data source of the plurality of data sources that is to service the interaction request, to select the DAO interface associated with the determined data source, and to implement the selected DAO interface to delegate communication of the interaction request for servicing of the interaction request by the determined data source.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for supplying solder balls to a receptacle. The apparatus includes a reservoir for storing the solder balls and a flow path. The flow path includes a first end connected to and in fluid communication with the reservoir and a second end for supplying the solder balls to the receptacle. The apparatus includes a flow actuator in fluid communication with the flow path to actuate the flow of the solder balls from the reservoir through the flow path to the receptacle. A trap is disposed in the flow path for trapping the solder balls and stopping the flow of the solder balls to the receptacle when the flow actuator is not actuated. Related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and related method or process for producing a pattern for a lens to be formed and then placed in an opening in an eyeglass frame utilizes a frame tracing apparatus for providing coordinate data characterizing the size and shape of the lens opening in associated one specific eyeglass frame for transmission to a pattern generator having a cutter which moves relative to a blank fixtured at a work station in the generator to cut a pattern having the desired size and shape. A number of frame tracing apparatus are arranged to transmit data to a pattern generator via a central data base computer coupled to the frame tracing apparatus by a communications link whereby the pattern generator subsequently receives the dimensional data corresponding to the specific lens opening traced by the frame tracing apparatus to generate the desired pattern from blanks continuously and automatically fed to the pattern generator.

Abstract: A blank having a rectangular shaped body from which a lens pattern is cut to the desired size and shape of a frame lens opening is connected to other identical blanks to form a chain for continuous feeding to a lens pattern generator. The blanks have ball and socket hinge members symmetrically arranged on each edge with a ball hinge member on one edge being opposite a socket hinge member on the other edge. The hinge members are offset with respect to a plane passing through the center of the body between the top and bottom faces of the blank so that the pivot axis of the ball and socket hinge members on one edge is in the plane of the top face and the pivot axis of the ball and socket hinge members on the other edge is in the plane of the bottom face. The blanks are connected together in a like edge-to-like edge fashion and indicia provided to identify the nasal side of the blank alternates from side to side when the blanks are interconnected in a chain.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a pattern from a blank in accordance with a set of coordinates defining a plurality of data points and collectively characterizing the size and shape of a lens opening in an eyeglass frame is presented. A controller includes an instruction set to control the operation of a router coupled to a carraige arranged for rectilinear movement toward and away from a work station and relative to the rotation of a blank fixtured at the work station whereby a pattern is cut with the desired size and shape. The apparatus further includes a sensor and light source in the feeding and staging area of the apparatus to advance a blank to a fixturing spindle located at the work station and to determine the nasal side orientation of the blank at the work station.