Abstract: A latching apparatus for housing cladding of a medical imaging device is provided. The latching apparatus has at least one first cladding component, a second cladding component and at least one latching unit. The at least one latching unit is disposed entirely on the first cladding component for a latching connection with the at least one second cladding component.

Abstract: A covering system includes a tarp made of an elastic membrane and a plurality of tarp fastening hooks. The fastening hooks allow the elastic membrane to be stretched over valuables and affixed to environmental anchors so that creases and puddle-enabling pockets in the membrane are eliminated. The fastening hooks clamp onto the elastic membrane and hook onto the environmental anchors to cause tension in the membrane. The clamping forces of the tarp fasteners are inherently increased in proportion to the tension in the clamped membrane.

Abstract: A clip for releasably securing a panel to a support, including a socket member, and a ball member. The socket member includes a base having a bore positioned at a center point of the base and a collar located around the bore, the collar being partitioned into segment walls separated by gaps. The ball member includes a base having a collar positioned around the center and a cylindrical pillar with a spherical member projecting from a top surface of the base at a generally perpendicular angle to the base. The spherical member of the cylindrical pillar is pushed through the collar of the socket member, causing the segment walls to flex back to allow the spherical member to emerge from above the segment walls and the pillar to be encircled by the segment walls when the segment walls flex back to their original position, resulting in a secure snap fit engagement of the ball and socket members.

Abstract: A connector securing a liner to a scuff in a container sidewall is disclosed. The connector is adapted to receive and secure various thicknesses of liners and scuffs. The connector is made of a light weight, high strength flexible material and well suited to secure non-metallic scuffs and non-metallic linings. The connector includes a transition piece that utilizes clamping force (pre-tightening force) to connect two different thicknesses of panels made of continuous glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic material. The connector includes a thick lower opening adapted to secure the scuff and a thin upper opening adapted to secure the liner. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the width of the lower opening is between 5.0 mm and 5.5 mm while the width of the upper opening is between 1.5 mm and 2.0 mm.

Abstract: A clamp assembly selectively grips material. The clamp assembly is connectable to an object, and includes a housing and a gripping assembly. The housing has a first end, a second end, a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions cooperate to define a material receiving slot. The first portion of the housing has an angular disposed channel and an angular disposed recessed portion. The second portion of the housing has a gripping surface. The gripping assembly is slidably disposed within the channel such that the recessed portion cooperates with the channel to define a travel path so that the gripping assembly can be selectively movable between a biased first position and a second position. In the biased first position, the gripping assembly extends into the material receiving slot. In the second position the gripping assembly is withdrawn from the material receiving slot.

Abstract: A clamp assembly selectively grips material. The clamp assembly is connectable to an object, and includes a housing and a gripping assembly. The housing has a first end, a second end, a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions cooperate to define a material receiving slot. The first portion of the housing has an angular disposed channel and an angular disposed recessed portion. The second portion of the housing has a gripping surface. The gripping assembly is slidably disposed within the channel such that the recessed portion cooperates with the channel to define a travel path so that the gripping assembly can be selectively movable between a biased first position and a second position. In the biased first position, the gripping assembly extends into the material receiving slot. In the second position the gripping assembly is withdrawn from the material receiving slot.

Abstract: A quick release device holder for portable electronics devices that protects soft and impressionable housing materials from damage during insertion and removal. The quick release device holder includes a backing plane formed with a substantially rigid spine portion and a receiver pocket adjacent to a first end thereof. One or more latching arms extend from the backing plane spaced away from the receiver pocket, each of the one or more latching arms further including a resiliently flexible stem portion coupled to the backing plane and having a head portion spaced away from the backing plane. The head portion further includes one or more rollers coupled thereto in a position spaced away from an interior surface of the backing plane, and a retention tongue between the one or more rollers and the interior surface of the backing plane and being set back from a circumference of the one or more rollers.

Abstract: A quick release device holder for portable electronics devices that protects soft and impressionable housing materials from damage during insertion and removal. The quick release device holder includes a backing plane formed with a substantially rigid spine portion and a receiver pocket adjacent to a first end thereof. One or more latching arms extend from the backing plane spaced away from the receiver pocket, each of the one or more latching arms further including a resiliently flexible stem portion coupled to the backing plane and having a head portion spaced away from the backing plane. The head portion further includes one or more rollers coupled thereto in a position spaced away from an interior surface of the backing plane, and a retention tongue between the one or more rollers and the interior surface of the backing plane and being set back from a circumference of the one or more rollers.

Abstract: A quick connect and release clamping system for releasably attaching intravenous (IV) poles to gurneys or bed frames. This system can also be used for quickly connecting and releasing members of other structures and items. The clamping system consists essentially of two clamping halves pivotally connected together and shaped to form an opening to receive an IV pole, at least one pin for releasably fitting within openings of a gurney or bed frame, and a releasable connector between distal ends of the clamp halves for securing the two halves in a locked position around the IV pole, thereby quickly and releasably connecting the IV pole to the gurney or bed frame.

Abstract: A cap clip for fastening caps together is realized employing pressure type pincer snaps, allowing complex geometrical shapes to be formed while reducing the use of fasteners. In one embodiment, the cap clip includes a generally triangular base and three pincer snaps formed integrally with the base along the outer perimeter. Preferably, each pincer snap is comprised of a pair of convex walls and a shared clasping section lying along a radius of curvature path that are co-centric.

Abstract: A clamp assembly selectively grips material. The clamp assembly includes a housing, a gripping assembly and means for connecting the clamp assembly to an object. The housing has a first end, a second end, a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions cooperate to define a material receiving slot. The first portion of the housing has an angular disposed channel and an angular disposed recessed portion. The second portion of the housing has a gripping surface. The gripping assembly is slidably disposed within the channel such that the recessed portion cooperates with the channel to define a travel path so that the gripping assembly can be selectively movable between a biased first position and a second position. In the biased first position, the gripping assembly extends into the material receiving slot. In the second position the gripping assembly is withdrawn from the material receiving slot.

Abstract: A clamp assembly selectively grips material. The clamp assembly includes a housing, a gripping assembly and means for connecting the clamp assembly to an object. The housing has a first end, a second end, a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions cooperate to define a material receiving slot. The first portion of the housing has an angular disposed channel and an angular disposed recessed portion. The second portion of the housing has a gripping surface. The gripping assembly is slidably disposed within the channel such that the recessed portion cooperates with the channel to define a travel path so that the gripping assembly can be selectively movable between a biased first position and a second position. In the biased first position, the gripping assembly extends into the material receiving slot. In the second position the gripping assembly is withdrawn from the material receiving slot.

Abstract: A composite material is provided that includes a matrix material, and a plurality of deflectable elements or “machines” disposed in the matrix material, the machines acting to modify one or more physical properties of the composite material in response to forces acting upon the composite material. Preferably, the machines have an elongate shape defining a longitudinal axis, which are disposed within the matrix material in a predetermined array. The elongate members have an asymmetrical cross-section which is deflectable between first and second shapes, and consequently the composite material exhibits different physical properties because the elongate members deflect between the first and second shapes. The machines may include a variety of asymmetrical cross-sections, such as a generally “Z” shape, an hourglass shape, a cantilever shape or a leaf spring shape.

Abstract: A sensor clip for positioning a sensor relative to a substrate, particularly but not exclusively a temperature sensor (e.g. a thermocouple) used to obtain a temperature profile of a part of the substrate or surrounding environment as it passes through an industrial oven. The sensor clip comprises a first part and a second part slidably mounted with respect to the first part, the parts defining a pair of jaws having opposed surfaces for engaging sides of the substrate, with jaw separation being determined by linear movement of one part relative to the other.

Abstract: A decorative and functional fixture, which is capable of functioning as a sheetlike object hanger for vertically holding sheetlike objects, includes a front fixture having a substantially flat supporting surface at a rear side, wherein at least a rail groove is vertically extended on the supporting surface; at least a holding ball, which is rotatably disposed in the respective rail groove; and a rear supporting panel, which is integrally connected to the rear side of the front fixture, having a front holding surface extending behind the rail groove and the supporting surface to define a holding gap between the front holding surface and the supporting surface means and a back surface for mounting the rear supporting panel onto a vertical or slanted supporting surface. Whereby, the holding ball will move upward and inward into the rail groove when a sheetlike object is slidably placed up and into the holding gap. Due to gravity, the holding ball will return to its normally rest position again, i.e.

Abstract: In a roller clip with a U-shaped body having resilient top and bottom legs, the top leg has an opening capturing a rolling means between the two legs and rotatably supporting the rolling means to permit insertion of a slip between the rolling means and the bottom leg for holding the slip. The bottom leg is provided with means for attaching the roller clip to a support surface.

Abstract: Self-clamping device suitable for temporarily securing a material without damaging its surface with a force proportional to the material's weight and/or to any pulling force exerted on the material wherein the device includes a casing having an opening for said material, the casing being formed with two side walls diverging away from the opening, and at least one roller in the casing which is mounted rotatable and slidably along one of the walls and which positively urged towards the opening and the other wall so that when the material is inserted into the opening the roller is pushed away from the opening, any pulling force exerted upon the material thereby drawing the roller toward the opening so that as the roller moves along the diverging wall it moves toward the other wall so as to produce a wedging effect, and as a consequence thereof keeping the material pinched by the roller with a clamping force whose strength is in proportion to that of the pulling action.

Abstract: A contact lens holder including a lens holder and a support for positioning the lens before an optical instrument for visual inspection of the lens. An annular ring having a generally C-shaped channel cross section which defines a groove is provided for accepting and holding the periphery of a soft lens. Similarly, a U-shaped resilient fork holds the periphery of a rigid lens, for central inspection thereof. A hemispherical element is provided for holding a soft lens, and a clip device is provided for holding a rigid lens, during peripheral area inspection. The holder facilitates contact lens inspection using a biomicroscope.

Abstract: An hollow sphere, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, has a slot formed on a somewhat less than semicircular portion of the great circle that separates the sphere into two hemispheres. A shower curtain grommet support is spaced inwardly of said slot to engage a shower curtain grommet and support a portion of the curtain. A pair of diametrically aligned small circles in the plane of hemispherical separation enables the holder to move freely on a shower curtain rod.

Abstract: A holder for sheet material frictionally secures the sheet material intermediate a back plate and a plurality of rollers. A rigid planar plate in converging relationship to the back plate guides the rollers against the back plate to compress the sheet material against the back plate and frictionally retain the sheet material. On exertion upon the sheet material of a pulling force generally in the plane of the back plate, the compressive force will be increased and withdrawal of the sheet material will be prevented. A pulling force exerted upon the sheet material at a substantial angle with respect to the back plate will urge the rollers along the rigid planar plate away from the back plate resulting in removal of the compressive force and permitting release of the sheet material.

Abstract: A moveable clamp and an improved method of fabricating insulated glass is disclosed according to the preferred teachings of the present invention. The clamp includes first and second clamping rollers which are rotatably mounted to the first ends of first and second arms. The arms are pivotally mounted together by a third arm having a first end attached to the first arm and having a second end pivotally secured to the second arm. The second ends of the first and second arms are biased apart by a spring for creating a clamping force between the first and second clamping rollers. A first guide wheel is rotatably mounted to the first arm for rolling on the outside surface of the glass sheet to prevent the clamp from tipping with respect to the stacked glass sheets. A second guide wheel is rotatably mounted to the first arm for rolling on the edges of the stacked glass sheets for preventing the clamp from moving away from the perimeter of the stacked glass sheets.

Abstract: A compact collar for securing weights to a barbell. The collar utilizes a spring coil, restrained against maximum tightening, thereby setting a minimum internal diameter of the coil. A pair of outwardly extending angularly displaced arms that can be moved towards each other to reduce the tightness of the coil, thereby increasing the internal diameter of the coil and permitting it to slip over the end of a barbell. Once in place, the release of the arms, allows the natural spring tendency to tighten the coil and grip the barbell, thus holding the weights in place.

Abstract: There is provided a fishing aid which includes a body, means on the body for attaching one end of a fishing line thereto, and a slot in the body into which the fishing line can be inserted. Within the slot is biased retention means for holding the line in the slot when no tension is on the line, and for releasing the line from the slot when the line tension tending to pull the line out of the slot exceeds a predetermined level. In a preferred form, the biased retention means may include a first and a second member, each movable within respective passageways which are oriented transversely to the slot, with springs or similar members urging the first and second members into positions blocking the slot.