The Franklin Institute

Other

Calspan Corporation

Daltex Medical Sciences, Inc.

Redmar Investors, Inc.

Rsp Co.

Robert A Erb

A realistic looking hand prosthesis made preferably of an elastomeric material is formed to hold a substantially spherical ball. The ball is held in the hand securely by friction between a ball and a hand made of a rubber like material wherein the ball is slightly larger in diameter than the conformed hand. The ball may be selectively rotationally oriented in three orthogonal directions of angular freedom. The ball is provided with various attachment means for attaching implements, which attachment means may include holes of various shapes and sizes, holes with projections, magnetic attaching means and threaded or other fastening means. Providing of angular adjustment in three orthogonal directions enables the ball to be able to attach a large number of useable implements to be positioned so as to aim the axis of each implement as needed and to rotate about its axis. The ball may be utilized in connection with a natural or prosthetic hand.

Ball hand prosthesis

A mechanical hand comprising a housing with a first sliding actuation member and second sliding actuation member, at least two elongate, bendable members comprising a proximal phalanx and a distal phalanx, a relatively stationary member attached to the housing, a primary tension member projecting through the housing and at least through the second sliding actuation member, and a set of primary tendons and a set of secondary tendons. The primary tendons have first and second ends, with the primary tendon first end secured to the first slidable actuation member, and with the primary tendons extending through the bendable members. The primary tendon second end is secured to the distal phalanx. Each secondary tendon has first and second ends. The secondary tendon first end is secured to the second slidable actuation member. The secondary tendons extend through the bendable members. The secondary tendon second end is secured to the proximal phalanx. A method for having the mechanical hand of this invention exhibit a conformable grasp is also disclosed.

Hand with conformable grasp

A urine collection system for females comprised of a soft, flexible, sealing member forming a seal around the external urethral ostium, by conformation to and adhesion to the tissue surface. A conduit, or drain, passes through the sealing member leading to collection and storage means for the urine. A positioning or orientation member is provided to achieve alignment of the conduit lumen through the sealing member with the urethral orifice.

Urine collection system for females

A method for producing an external breast prosthesis or support by forming a mold directly from the subject for whom the prosthesis is being prepared. After a molding material is applied to the subject's breast, the breast is immersed in an isodensity liquid to present the breast to a zero-gravity condition while the molding material cures.

Method for producing breast prostheses and supports

A unitary, coextruded panel adapted for use as the window of a structure, which panel combines light transmitting and light reflecting properties to permit passage of direct solar radiation at a low solar altitude and to prevent passage of direct solar radiation at a high solar altitude, and which also provides insulating dead air spaces. The panel comprises an essentially clear and planar inner and outer face, positioned along the inner and outer portions of the structure, respectively, and a plurality of ribs, connected to and extending between the inner and outer faces, some of which ribs are transparent, and some of which are opaque to solar radiation, which rib members are placed in a geometrical relationship which provides the selected light transmitting and light reflecting properties in relation to the solar altitude.

Unitary solar window panel

A mixer and dispenser is described which thoroughly and quickly mixes a fluid and catalyst without the occlusion of air. The combination mixer/dispenser is in the form of a syringe having a hermetic sealing arrangement including a rubber septum at the dispensing end, which syringe converts from a mixer to a dispenser by the simple use of a rigid spacer.

Non-air-entraining mixer/dispenser

An improved unitary, coextruded solar collector panel of the type having an upper, heat insulating region, and a lower, heat absorbing region, each region having ribs which separate the region into channels, for the passage of a fluid therethrough, wherein the heat insulating region is provided with an increased number of channels, to decrease radiation and convection losses from the heat insulating region, and the heat absorbing region is provided with oblique ribs which form channels of increased cross sectional area, to improve heat transfer from the heat absorbing region to the fluid circulated therein. Bowing of the unitary collector panel out of its planar configuration is reduced by providing a heat absorbing region which is darkened in a manner such that the heat density is greatest at a point away from the bottom of the collector panel.

Unitary solar collector panel

A method and apparatus is provided for the non-surgical, reversible sterilization of females. In the method of the invention an operation-channel hysteroscope is employed for optical guidance of an obturator tip into alignment with the uterine end of the oviduct. The obturating tip is carried upon the inner of two concentric tubes and a curable elastomer-precursor composition is injected through the inner tube, through an aperture in the obturating tip and into the oviduct in an amount sufficient to fill and mechanically lock to the oviduct portion adjacent to the uterus. The elastomeric composition is allowed to solidify in situ where it adheres to and becomes integral with the tip. Maintaining the outer tube in fixed position, the inner tube is then withdrawn, forcing the obturating tip to be ejected from the inner tube where it now remains integral with the resultant oviduct block. The foregoing procedure is then repeated for the opposing oviduct. The resultant blocks prevent the passage of ovum from the ovaries to the uterus and sperm from entering the oviduct, thereby preventing contraception. The oviduct blocks can, if desired, be removed non-surgically by utilizing an apparatus which grips the tip portion and extracts the block. An arrangement is also disclosed wherein the obturating tip is formed simultaneously with the oviduct block, eliminating the need for a separate tip.

Method and apparatus for the hysteroscopic non-surgical sterilization of

A method of reclaiming thermoplastic material from municipal waste wherein the thermoplastic material is separated from the municipal waste and is decimated into fragments which are of a size to pass through a screen of a predetermined mesh, for example a mesh with one-half inch openings. Similarly, fallen leaves are kept segregated from other municipal waste and are shredded or similarly decimated so that they may pass through a screen having a predetermined mesh, for example of a mesh comparable to that through which the plastic must pass. The fragments of thermoplastic material and the leaf fragments are blended so as to be thoroughly intermixed, subjected to sufficient heat and pressure so that the thermoplastic material may coat and bond to the surfaces of the leaf fragments and form a unitary mass of leaf fragments and plastic material. The consolidated mass of leaves bonded by the thermoplastic material is then permitted to set and cure so as to be formed into any desired shape. A preferred shape is in the form of particle boards of standard length and width for use in construction and the like.

Method of reclaiming thermoplastic materials from municipal waste and

A batten, adapted to retain at least one of a pair of juxtaposed, unitary, coextruded solar collector panels to the structural members of a building, the batten having a substantially horizontal retention member, portions of which extend over portions of the top of the adjacent collector panels, and a pair of substantially vertical leg members contacting and depending from the retention member and adapted to retain the adjacent collector panels in juxtaposed position, the batten further allowing for thermal expansion in a lengthwise and crosswise direction, while also reducing bowing of the collector panels from their planar configuration. The batten is capable of unitary formation in lengths sufficient to retain the adjacent collector panels in place along substantially their entire length.

Batten for mounting a unitary solar collector panel

In a solar thermal energy collection system comprising at least one unitary, coextruded solar collector panel, having an upper, heat insulating region, and a lower, heat absorbing region, each region having channels extending longitudinally therethrough, adapted to contain a fluid therein, and a pair of headers, connected to the collector panel along an interface abutting the ends of the channels of the heat insulating region and the heat absorbing region, and connecting the collector panel to the remainder of the collection system, an improved header is provided; having a wall, which extends outward, initially tangentially, from a point along the interface which is substantially closest to the axial center of the header, and then along the interior of the wall of the header, forming a transitional channel which communicates with the second channels and which uniformly directs a fluid between the second channels and the central cavity defined by the header; and having an inner and outer wall, separating the cavity of the header from its exterior, and a plurality of ribs separating the inner and outer wall from each other, to form longitudinally extending channels which serve as heat insulating channels between the exterior of the header and the fluid circulating therein.

Header for a solar energy collection system

A unitary solar collector for transfer of thermal energy which is a synthetic thermoplastic unit. The unit has a solar-energy transmitting region and a solar-energy absorbing region. The unit is useful for heating purposes.

Unitary solar collector

A device for recording a drop in temperature below a pre-selected temperature minimum. The device provides a permanent record of the drop in temperature. The device is reuseable.

Growing community of inventors

Valley Forge, PA, United States of America

Robert A Erb