Other

Industrial Innovations L.l.c.

Datahand Systems, Inc.

Datahand Corporation

Dale J Retter

Anthony J Van Zeeland

Keshav D Bandekar

Anthony VanZeeland

Stefen Dikov

Implementations of paddles may include at least one paddle blade coupled to a shaft, a sleeve coupled over the shaft, the sleeve including a helical opening, a locator pin coupled to the shaft and extending through the helical opening, and a first handle fixedly coupled to the sleeve. The paddle blade may be configured to rotate from a first position corresponding to the locator pin positioned at a first location in the helical opening to a second position corresponding to the locator pin positioned at a second location in the helical opening.

Water paddle system and related methods

A translator is provided for reading the bar codes displayed on the screen of a portable electronic device which utilizes a digital camera and/or a microphone responsive to tones from the portable electronic device to process and convert the information received from the camera and/or the microphone to a form readable by a reflective bar code reader without requiring any modification of the bar code reader.

System and method for transferring information from a portable electronic device to a bar code reader

A vehicle washing system is mounted adjacent the ceiling of a garage or other structure. It includes an upper frame and a mat is located beneath the frame for catching and draining off fluids used during the washing operation. After a vehicle is driven onto the mat beneath the frame, a mechanism is operated to lower a waterproof curtain from the frame down to a point adjacent the mat to completely surround the vehicle. In addition, fluid conduit rings also are lowered from the frame to various positions surrounding the vehicle. Nozzles in these rings are directed toward the vehicle location and washing and rinsing fluid is supplied, under pressure, to the rings in a pre-established sequence to effect the washing of the vehicle. In addition, hot air drying tubes and nozzles are lowered from the frame when the device is in use to permit the application of hot drying air to the vehicle after the washing cycle has been completed. After the vehicle has been washed and dried, the curtain, the fluid supply rings, and the dryer hoses are raised back into a stored position adjacent the frame; and the vehicle then may be driven away.

Retractable vehicle wash system

A magnetically enhanced membrane switch operator is constructed with a rigid ferromagnetic base plate. This base plate is spaced from a rigid ferromagnetic cover plate, which has an opening through it. A resilient flexible membrane sheet is suspended between the base plate and the cover plate, and is located in close proximity to the cover plate. The sheet carries a circular magnetic disk which, in the rest condition operation of the switch operator, is adhered by magnetic attraction to the cover plate. To operate the switch, sufficient force to overcome the magnetic attraction between the magnet and the cover plate, along with the force required to distort the resilient membrane sheet, is used to move the sheet toward the base plate. When the membrane sheet is moved into close proximity to the base plate, magnetic attraction between the base plate and the magnet facilitates closure of the switch at the end of its travel. The force of attraction between the magnet and the base plate is less than the resilient return force of the flexible membrane; so that when pressure on the membrane through the opening in the cover plate is removed, the return force of the membrane causes the magnet and the resilient flexible membrane sheet to be returned to the original standby position where the magnet is attracted to the rigid cover plate.

Magnetically enhanced membrane switch

A method and system for controlling the operation of a digital computer system having a memory, visual display, and keyboard employs software for displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) in the form of representations of successive tasks. This display is effected in a format which contains, in part, an unchanging representation of at least a core plurality of the keys of the keyboard used with the digital computer system. This representation is displayed in the same arrangement used on the keyboard. The GUI then further indicates within the unchanging representation of the core plurality of keys, a dynamically changeable function representation of the functions to be performed upon operation of the corresponding one of the displayed keys. This changeable function representation changes in a hierarchal sequence in response to successive operations of selected ones of the keys, as indicated on the visual display of the GUI.

Graphical user interface with keyboard display graphical

An ergometrically improved keyboard data input device particularly suited for computers includes a housing adapted to underlie the palm of the hand of an operator in a relaxed, natural, concave position; so that the fingertips of each finger extend substantially vertically downward through an aperture in the top of the housing. Data input keys are mounted on a data input key support member located inside the housing, beneath the aperture. The keys are arranged in groups of data input keys in three dimensional patterns at each of the fingertip positions of the hand of the operator. The device includes a provision for raising and lowering the key support member within the housing, relative to the aperture. Actuators also independently move the opposite ends of the key support member back and forth within the housing, relative to the aperture, to adjust the locations of the groups of keys relative to the portion underlying the palm of the hand of a user to compensate for hands of different sizes.

Adjustable keyboard

A modular switch assembly comprises a multiple switch configuration operated by a single finger. The assembly consists of a base member with a push-button or plunger switch located on its top. Four upright switch operators extend above the surface of the push-button switch for contact by movement of a finger in any of four directions 90.degree. angularly offset from one another. These upright switch operators normally are magnetically biased to a first position, located near the push-button switch. They are operated by the finger to a second position, by rocking them outwardly from the first position. All of the parts snap fit together; and there are no mechanical springs or hinge assemblies to hold the various switch parts together. Movement of any of the switch operators, from a first position to a second position, is sensed by means of a light-source/photocell combination, the light path of which is blocked when the switch operators are in one of the two positions, and which is opened when the switch operators are in the other of the two positions.

Switch assembly

Keyboard

A three-position floating beam armature switch includes a hollow housing, in which a floating beam armature is resiliently biased toward the closed top of the housing. An operator member is carried by the housing to apply a predetermined force to the armature; so that a first end of the armature initially moves toward the bottom of the housing by pivoting the armature about its second end. Continued application of additional force by the operator member, causes the armature to pivot about the first end; so that the second end then moves toward the bottom of the housing. With both the first and second ends at the bottom of the housing, the third position of the switch is attained. Release of force by the operator member allows the floating beam armature once again to be biased toward the top of the housing to the initial position.

Three-way switch

A data input device particularly suited for computers includes a housing which also contains a computer mouse. The mouse functions are executed by moving the entire housing member, and the fingers never move away from their constant 'home' key positions for the data input keys. The normal left and right hand keyboard functions are split between two separate keyboard housings adapted to underlie the palms of the left and right hands, respectively. A mouse is in one or both of these housings. Finger wells are provided for the fingers of the operator along with a thumb well in each keyboard member. Data input keys are mounted at various positions within these wells for producing keyed input data to the computer; and the mouse (mice) has (have) a surface movement detecting apparatus for inputting spatial mouse movement signals to the computer.

Combination computer keyboard and mouse data entry system

An ergometrically improved computer of typewriter keyboard having the keys arranged and designated so that they are operated using finger movements which substantially mimic those currently employed by a typist using a standard 'QWERTY' keyboard. The keyboard is divided into two separate sections, one of which is intended to be used by the right hand of the operator and the other of which is intended to be used by the left hand to permit independent positioning of the two sections relative to one another. Each keyboard section includes a housing having a raised central portion designed to ergometrically support and steady the hands of the operator, in a natural relaxed position from which all of the keys may be operated without significant hand movement. The fingers and thumb are positioned in respective cavities each having a plurality of push button key switches arranged therein for engagement by the thumb and fingers, with a minimal and unique finger movement required to actuate any key. Each key touches a different part of each finger, providing differential tactile feedback. The fingers and thumbs never need to be moved from the cavities which eliminates all 'float', and the hands are continually supported in one comfortable position. Extensive utilization of the thumbs is provided. The device is smaller and more versatile than a conventional keyboard.

Growing community of inventors

Scottsdale, AZ, United States of America

Dale J Retter