Abstract: Vending machines for storing and dispensing products to consumers in a space-efficient manner. A vending machine may include a product compartment, a product storage system, a support structure, a dispensing port, and a product delivery system. The support structure may elevate the product compartment and form a void beneath the product compartment. Other structures may occupy the void beneath the product compartment, or humans may walk through the void beneath the product compartment. A product may be automatically moved from the product compartment to the dispensing port using the product delivery system.

Abstract: A retaining system for a collection of absorbent articles such as tissues, wipes, towels, cloths, napkins, or similar materials or combinations thereof is described. The articles can be packaged or unpackaged, and held together with a coupling component. The retaining system also includes one or more accessory articles attached to the coupling component. The retaining system may also include an optional waste receptacle attached to the coupling component.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relates to apparatus for use in film depositions. The apparatus generally include pre-heat rings adapted to be positioned in a processing chamber. In one embodiment, a pre-heat ring includes a ring having an inner edge and an outer edge. The outer edge has a constant radius. The inner edge is oblong-shaped and may have a first portion having a constant radius measured from a center of a circle defined by an outer circumference of the ring. A second portion may have a constant radius measured from a location other than the center of the outer circumference. In another embodiment, a processing chamber includes a pre-heat ring positioned around the periphery of a substrate support. The pre-heat ring includes an inner edge having a first portion, a second portion, and one or more linear portions positioned between the first portion and the second portion.

Abstract: A wafer handling station includes a housing defining a chamber, and a wafer cassette assembly positionable in the chamber. The wafer cassette assembly includes a vertical support, and cassette members carried by the vertical support in spaced relation. Each cassette member includes a base coupled to the vertical support, wafer contact pads on an upper surface of the base and configured to support a wafer thereon, and a pair of wafer brackets carried by the base and configured to engage respective edges of the wafer to laterally confine the wafer.

Abstract: A point of purchase display includes a hangable display strip having a coupon dispenser box and a plurality of mounts formed from a single sheet blank. The products can be supported from underneath by support ledges and retained by holsters hinged to the strip at one side and slots in the strip. The ledges are simple flaps hinged to the strip at one edge joined by a tab and slot connection at the other side. The dispenser box is formed from a flap of the blank folded into five sides, one of which is hinged to the strip and two others of which have tabs that fit into slots in the strip. A strip-like flap of the blank fits through a cut out and forms an arched spring inside the dispenser box biasing a stack of coupons toward an opening for dispensing one at a time.

Abstract: The invention provides an efficiently automated incubation device that reduces the number of powered moving parts in the device and the amount of air transfer between environments that are internal and external to the device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for storing slides in an angular, offset or fanning arrangement. The apparatus includes a base member and two support members. At least one of the base member, the first support member, and the second support member is arranged at an angle. With this configuration, the plurality of slides are angularly stacked on the base member and between the first and second support members. A bottom slide of the plurality of slides is dispensed through a slot defined between one of the lateral support members and the base member. The fanning arrangement can be a vertical fanning arrangement, a horizontal fanning arrangement, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A napkin dispenser has a container body for holding a stack of napkins, and a pair of interchangeable face plates each connectable to the container body. One of the face plates has a first elongated dispensing opening exposing a bottom region of the napkin stack, for one-by-one dispensing, and the other face plate has a second elongated dispensing opening exposing an edge region of the napkin stack, for dispensing a plurality of napkins simultaneously.

Abstract: A storage and display unit for prepaid telephone calling cards, collectible cards, and the like which is made, at least in a major part, of a substantially transparent plastic having a reasonable amount of impact resistance to breakage, the unit being combinable with other units to assemble larger units, the unit providing one or more bins holding cards that are for sale, with the cards in view through the transparent portions of the unit, and arranged to have a key-lockable cover to at least deter unauthorized removal of cards. The unit also provides for display of a card's face to indicate the type of card in each card bin. The display can be arranged to be on the front or back of the unit, or both. When on the back, the unit is best oriented so that the display card seen through the transparent unit back is facing customers, and the locked cover is facing the clerk or other salesperson who has a key and is authorized to remove cards for sale.

Abstract: A wall hanging cassette tape organizer for allowing a user to keep tapes neat and organized, on a wall where they would be easily accessible and out of reach for children or pets and not take up any usable floor or table space. The wall hanging cassette tape organizer includes a housing that has an interior space defined by a back wall, a pair of sidewalls, upper end walls and a lower end wall. The interior space is adapted to store a plurality of cassettes. A mounting member is coupled to the upper end wall such that the mounting member is adapted to be removably secured the housing to a support surface.

Abstract: This invention relates to a facial tissue dispensing system which includes a clip lift member. The clip lift member of the present invention is positioned beneath the stack of facial tissues placed in the carton. The clip lift comprises a bendable sheet of material and one or more elastic members. The elastic members are attached to the bottom of the bendable sheet and cause the bendable sheet to buckle in an upward direction in its middle section to push the tissues in an upward direction as the tissues are being dispensed.

Abstract: A display for displaying and dispensing brochures. The display comprises a housing and a transparent door hinged to the housing to swing forwardly when opened. A pocket is pivotally mounted to the same hinge as that pivotally supporting the door. The pocket has a rear panel including a relief, or cut away section, enabling a person to grasp brochures stored in the pocket. A spring is attached to the pin of the hinge, to the door, and to the pocket such that the door is biased into the closed position and the pocket is biased against the door. The door is hinged at the bottom, and has a forwardly turned handle at the top for opening. The housing has an outwardly projecting flange extending along the entirety of the front opening of the housing, and a drip hood. The floor or bottom wall of the housing inclines to promote drainage. In a preferred embodiment, the door and pocket are molded integrally from an elastic material enabling the pocket to be opened elastically.

Abstract: A device for displaying sheets of promotional material includes a frame having a rear wall, a front wall, a pair of side walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall. The walls cooperate to define a sheet receiving cavity. A hinge can be provided for pivotally mounting the front wall or cover from the remainder of the frame. Alternatively, the cover can be a separate element secured by a catch to the remainder of the frame. A bracket construction is located on the rear wall for securing the frame to an associated support member. A slot is defined along one of the side walls for allowing the withdrawal of sheets, such as coupons and the like, one at a time from the cavity.

Abstract: A dispenser and display device is suspended by a ceiling element that is inserted in a drop ceiling in place of a standard drop ceiling panel. The ceiling element has a number of channels formed to run in different directions, so that the dispenser can assume various orientations. The dispenser has a main body that has gravity feed, article-holding trays movably mounted inside so that the trays can be released without removal from the main body. The trays can be rearranged relative to the main body so that dispensing of articles can take place from the front, rear, or both sides of the main body.

Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing discrete articles such as newspapers, magazines and other publications includes two housing members which are pivoted apart to obtain access to the interiors of the housing members. Covers on the housing members must be opened before the housing members can be swung apart. The housing members include a movable front panel having a plurality of front panel sections which abut against one another at shelf locations within the housing members.

Abstract: A device for holding a stack of forms in a manner such that the first form in the stack is in contact with a first surface of one side of the holding device as each form is removed therefrom. In particular, the device comprises a front portion, side portions, a rear portion, a bottom portion and a top open portion to allow insertion of the forms. The front portion is fixed and is made of transparent material. The stack of forms is positioned in the enclosure between a moveable plate and the front portion of the device, the rear portion extending inwardly from the top toward the bottom portion of the device. After the forms are positioned between the front member and the moveable plate member, force exerting means are positioned between the rear portion of the device and the moveable plate member.

Abstract: Briefly, in the invention a photodetector and an injection laser are monolithically integrated on the same semiconductor chip. The laser and photodetector are positioned side-by-side and the laser mirrors can be formed by cleaving. In operation, a portion of the electromagnetic energy carried in the evanescent tail of the optical mode is detected by the photodetector for monitoring the average output power of the laser. Current confinement and lateral index guiding can be provided by Fe or Ti doped semi-insulating layers of InP. The side-by-side arrangement enables the photodetector to monitor the output power of the laser without degrading the output power.

Abstract: A combination seat for boats includes a housing comprising lower and upper housing sections, a seating assembly mounted on the upper housing section and a galley assembly mounted in the lower housing section, the galley assembly including a sink, a water supply tank, a water dispenser pump and a thermally insulated container member. The seating assembly is adapted to be moved between an erected position wherein it defines a pair of back-to-back seats and a collapsed position wherein it defines a substantially flat sleeping platform, and the upper housing section and the seating assembly are upwardly hingeable to provide access to the galley assembly.

Abstract: A bag holder comprises a generally rectangular housing in which plastic shopping bags having peripheral dimensions larger than those of the housing itself can be stored. The housing has a forward opening and a pair of doors which are hinge-mounted on opposing sides of the opening for movement between open and closed positions. A bag retainer is mounted on a rear wall of the housing and inserts into aligned handles associated with the bags to releasably retain upper bag portions. A bag folding element is hinge-mounted in the interior of the housing for movement between a first position in which the folding element extends through the housing opening and permits lower bag end portions to be rested between the folding element and rear housing wall and a second position in which the folding element folds the lower bag end portions upwardly and is concealed within the housing.

Abstract: A notepaper dispenser for holding and dispensing sheets singly from a pad of notepaper with the sheets held in the pad by a narrow band of adhesive on one side of each sheet and adjacent one end is disclosed which has a support surface for the pad, a clamp for holding the bottom sheet in an area spaced from the band of adhesive in fixed position in relationship to the support surface and an abutment for engaging an edge of the pad opposite the end of the sheets joined together by the adhesive for restricting peeling forces resulting from peeling the top sheet being transferred to the bottom sheet of the pad.

Abstract: A card and pamphlet dispenser or vendor box comprising a rather flat vertically elongated box with a rearwardly sloping bottom wall spaced slightly from the rear wall of the box to define a transverse slot through which the cards or pamphlets may be withdrawn singly; the vendor box further comprises a mounting structure or hanger having a rear plate, a spacer plate, and two flanges which are adapted to engage a variety of common supports so that the box may be mounted from them.

Abstract: A combination of multiple numbers of a prefabricated disposable palette in a container suitable for packaging, shipping, storing and displaying said palettes and dispensing said palettes individually. The said container is constucted so as to be either disposable or reusable and either wall mounted or self supporting and the palette is constructed so as to be usable on one or both sides.

Abstract: A cabinet for displaying and dispensing vertical stacks of small packages, such as packs of cigarettes, is adapted to be mounted over a store's check-out counter. The shopper's side of the package displaying dispenser is transparent, so that the shopper can see the merchandise. The clerk's side of the package displaying dispenser has an upper opening which permits loading of packages onto the stacks and a lower slot which permits the clerk to withdraw one package at a time from the bottom of any selected stack. A similar package displaying dispenser is mounted on the rear side of the one just described, so that the packages in the rear one can be seen through the one in front, and so that the clerk can withdraw packages from both.

Abstract: Board-shaped articles are to be stacked in a frame in such a way that they can be introduced into the frame from the same elevation, means being provided to ensure the maintenance of the desired spacing between the individual articles. To that end the spacing elements are supported in the frame in such a manner as to be deflectable and the articles during insertion deflect the spacing elements in the loading direction. The spacing element which is closest to an article already inserted comes into contact with such article.

Abstract: A parallelepiped film containing magazine for containing a number of film sheets in stacked state is disclosed. In the magazine, a supporting plate is disposed in that portion of a magazine casing corresponding to an opening through which the films are taken in and out. A number of short furs as engaging elements for engaging with one end edge of each of the stacked films contained are planted on the wall of the supporting plate facing the one end edge of the films, being obliquely directed toward the bottom plate. A depression is formed in the inner wall of the top plate so as not to contact with the sheet film.

Abstract: A portable mail delivery tray (10) retains a sorted bundle of mail for quick identification and delivery by a mail carrier from his motor vehicle. The mail delivery tray (10) includes a platform (18) and upwardly extending rear support (20) for supporting a substantially planar inclined support member (22) extending to a front wall (24) extending upwardly from the platform (18). The front wall (24) and a transverse side wall (28) are provided for restraining and aligning the sorted bundle of mail placed upon the support member (22). An elastic member (30) extends from the rear support (20) over the top of the bundle of mail to the front wall (34) for restraining movement of the mail during transit. A receiving station (40) is attached to the transverse side wall (28) for providing a number of compartments for organizing currency and postal items sold by the mail carrier.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a dispensing clip for retaining in folded pack up a plurality of stamps and for dispensing the retained stamps one-by-one. More specifically the clip is generally conformed to include two inwardly directed free edges extending from a center section, each convolved over an inwardly directed bend, the separation between the bends being less than the lateral dimension of the stamps. The stamps may then be placed in accordian folds on the interior of the clip and as one stamp is withdrawn the next stamp is made available for use.

Abstract: A wall-mounted enclosure including means, such as cards, providing a convenient telephone directory or the like includes a wall-mounted portion and a desk portion adapted to close the wall-mounted portion. The desk portion contains means, such as rods, for removably mounting the cards.

Abstract: A disposable electrode assembly for establishing electrical contact with an underlying skin surface includes a relatively thin transparent base member having a central hub portion and an adhesive-coated undersurface, a conductive gel-impregnated sponge contact contained in a downwardly facing recess located in the hub, and a relatively thick and inflexible cover member coextensive with the base member. In storage the cover member is attached to the undersurface of the base member by the adhesive and the sponge is confined within the recess. Prior to use the base member is peeled away from the cover member to expose the adhesive surface, which when applied to a skin surface holds the sponge contact in compression-contact therewith. The base is transparent to enable the user to detect skin irritation and incomplete adhesion of the base member, and may be provided with apertures to facilitate breathing of the underlying skin.

Abstract: An automatic device for maintaining the level of a stack of plates, mainly of the storage-battery type, in feeding devices of automatic assembly machines, comprising, according to the invention, a stack-lifting mechanism in the form of a conventional pneumatic cylinder with its both chambers being connected through suitable conduits to a source of fluid under pressure; a replaceable magazine with a stack of plates mounted on said cylinder; and a control system for automatically maintaining the level of said stack of plates, which comprises throttles introduced in said conduits, a distributing valve with one member thereof having T-grooves on one of its end faces which connect said conduits to said source of compressed fluid, a stack-level sensing means in the form of a nozzle and baffle arrangement, said baffle being adapted to interact with the uppermost plate of the stack, and said nozzle being connected by its inlet through one of said conduits to one chamber of said cylinder, and another nozzle connected

Abstract: An upstanding rack which is rotatable upon a stand, the rack consisting of several tiers one upon the other, each tier having several boxes all around its outer side, each box being adaptable to have message notes being inserted thereinto, so that wherever a large number of people are to be serviced, each of the persons is assigned one of the boxes so that he can readily see if there is any message for him.

Abstract: A container has an end wall and a stack of assemblies each composed of an adhesive film splice and a protective cover for the same, is accommodated in the container. The container has an opening in its end wall of a width which corresponds to the width of the assemblies so that the latter can be withdrawn individually from the container.