Other

Raytheon Company

USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Excel Dryer, Inc.

Invent Resources, Inc.

Gulf & Western Manufacturing Company

Whittaker Corporation

Gulf + Western Industries

Space Sciences Corporation

Spectrum Electronics, Inc.

A. S. Laboratories, Inc.

Sol Aisenberg

George Freedman

Richard Pavelle

John S Sklenak

A Ze'ev Hed

Martin L Stein

Kuo Wei Chang

Kenneth W Dudley

Thomas J Martel

Richard A Eckhardt

Joseph C Maiellano, Jr

Frederick D Ezekiel

Robert J Castoldi

Richard S Weiss

Kuowei Chang

Ronald W Chabot

Aharon Ze&prime;ev Hed

Hed A Ze'ev

William M Key

Aharon Ze'ev Hed

After washing, the hands are dried rapidly and comfortably by using a shaped high speed flow of heated air. The air flows in a direction controlled by an air outlet shaped to retain much of the exiting forceful air flow and temperature at a distance where the hands are dried. The air entrainment is controlled so that the properties of the air flow are not diluted by the air entrainment to a point where the drying performance is degraded. The forceful air flow blows off most of the loose water on the hands. The forceful air flow also reduces the stagnation boundary layers in the hands so that the evaporation removal of the remaining film of water is improved. These result in reduced drying time and comfort during and after drying.

Method and apparatus for hand drying

An apparatus for automating control of the water in a shower system includes at least one sensor disposable within a water flow path intermediate the valve and the showerhead. A processing unit operatively connectable to the sensor processes the sensor signal and generates control signals in response thereto. A valve control mechanism operatively connectable to the valve and the processing unit positions the valve in response to the control signals from the processing unit. A user interface operatively connectable to the processing unit receives user commands and displays values for the water temperature and flow rate. In the illustrative embodiment the processing unit is microprocessor based and enables previously defined vales for water temperature and flow rate to be stored and recalled in association with a particular user identifier.

Electronically-controlled shower system

An illuminated sign, readable during the night or day, and suitable for use as a house number display, uses a single illuminatable panel, on which a number of stencils are plac critical flicker frequency ed. Each stencil is a rectangular piece of opaque material, such as plastic or metal, in which a central cutout is made in the shape of a number. Several of these stencils are arrayed in front of the illuminatable panel, so that only the light coming through the central cutouts is visible through the stencils. The illuminatable panel is made of an array of LED's, with a diffuser to produce a uniform illumination, and is powered by one or more batteries. A light detector senses the onset of dusk, which activates the illuminatable panel, turning it on, and leaving it on for four or more hours. A constant-current electronic system powers the LEDs, which are pulsed on and off at a speed greater than 90 Hz, which makes the sign appear to the human eye as constantly illuminated. A timer leaves the illuminatable panel illuminated only for a few hours, in order to maximize the life of the batteries.

Electronic illuminated house sign

A self dosing skin composition and method releases sun blocking agent or other active ingredient onto the skin of a user as a function of exposure to at least one environmental condition over time. The environmental condition is preferably exposure to sun light, in particular, harmful UV radiation. The composition includes a medium adapted to be spread onto the skin of a user and a reservoir defining at least one wall for containing at least one sun blocking or other agent. The reservoir is dispersed in the medium and the wall is designed and/or selected to deteriorate over time with exposure to the environmental condition or conditions, for releasing the agent into the medium and onto the skin. At least one agent is provided in the reservoir. The reservoir is preferably in the form of a multiplicity of microcapsules dispersed in the medium, each microcapsule having a wall containing the at least one agent, each wall deteriorating over time with exposure to the at least one environmental condition for opening the microcapsule to release the agent.

Self dosing skin preparation

A lighting system includes a base, and a cover pivotally connected to the base. In one embodiment, a portable flashlight is supported within a holder fixed to the base. The flashlight includes a housing enclosing a light bulb, a battery, and an electrical circuit electrically interconnecting the light bulb and the battery. The circuit includes a pair of contacts, which are normally biased together to complete the circuit between the battery and light bulb. An insulating member is interposed between the contacts when the flashlight is primed, and becomes fixed to the cover when the cover is closed. When the cover is then opened, the insulating member is removed from between the contacts, which illuminates the flashlight. According to a further embodiment, a chemiluminescent stick is supported within the holder. A break bar pivotally connected to the cover is initially in a vertical orientation, and temporarily retained by a latch to allow insertion of the light stick in the holder and closure of the cover. When the cover is closed, the latch is released, which allows the break bar to move behind the light stick, in a horizontal orientation. When the cover is then opened, the break bar engages the light stick, and bends the light stick forward around an edge to illuminate the light stick. In either embodiment, the illuminated flashlight or light stick can be easily removed from the holder to illuminate the surrounding area and facilitate exiting a facility.

Emergency light device

To differentiate between lightning strikes and tornado generated electromagnetic signals, a tornado detection system and method is made up of RF receiving circuits which receive signals at two frequencies, while implementing a time variable automated calibration and the use of special algorithms, to reliably detect tornado events and to signal an alarm. A network of such systems can be implemented, using a plurality of antennas which are capable of discerning a directional vector, and integrating the directional information from multiple units by effecting a triangulation calculation in a server terminal to determining a position and path of an approaching tornado.

Warning system and method for detection of tornadoes

Secure time stamps generated by the inventive apparatus and method include an externally generated time signal, such as a GPS signal, a time stamp serial number, generated through an irreversible process which may not be duplicated by the apparatus, and one or more check sum values used to verify the content of the time stamp parameters or any data file associated with the time stamp. Also disclosed are apparatus and methods for verifying the authenticity of previously generated time stamps in either electronic or tangible form. The time stamp generator apparatus may be implemented as an add-on board to an existing computer system or as a stand alone device which may also include a GPS receiver and a scanner for verifying previously generated time stamps.

Method and apparatus for providing secure time stamps for documents and computer files

A wall-mounted hand dryer provides a heated pulsating or modulating air stream to break down a boundary layer of moisture on a user's hands to reduce the drying time. The hand dryer accomplishes this by quickly generating a heated air stream at a maximum temperature that is tolerable to the user, increasing the air stream velocity and turbulence to blow off loose water droplets and break down the boundary layer disposed on the user's hands. The hand dryer includes a blower, heater, a modulator and/or a turbulator for blowing heated air through an air duct. The modulator and turbulator break up the laminar flow of the air stream to provide a modulating or pulsating turbulent flow of air to retard the formation of the boundary layer and dry the hands quickly. The hand dryer further includes an infrared heating source for heating the surface of a user's hands to replace the heat lost as a result of the evaporation of the water from the user's hands. The operation of the hand dryer is controlled by a controller which actuates the components of the hand dryer for a predetermined time period (i.e., 10 seconds) in response to an actuation signal provided by a push button switch or proximity sensors.

Hand dryer

Method and apparatus for removing radon decay products wherein a fan directs air through a conductive cylinder that is grounded. Positioned axially within the cylinder is one or more cylindrical brushes, each having a shaft and radially extending conductive bristles with distal ends spaced from the cylinder. The shaft is connected to the fan so that the bristles rotate. Also, a static electric potential is applied to the bristles. The relative motion of the air and bristles is particularly effective at enhancing molecular diffusion to cause small unattached radon decay products to plate out on the bristles. In contrast, the electrostatic charging of the bristles and the resulting diffusion charging is particularly effective at exerting a force on larger particles to which radon decay products are attached thus causing the particles to migrate and plate out on the cylinder.

Method and apparatus for removing radon decay products from air

A water filter system for use in refrigerators having water dispenser and/or icemaker features. The filter system includes a commercially available filter cartridge which removes common water contaminants. A shut off valve temporarily stops the flow of water to the filter to permit replacement of the cartridge. The filter is disposed within the refrigerator for easy access and may be further disposed in a recess in one of the refrigerator walls or the refrigerator door to avoid reducing the useable food storage volume. The shut off valve may be closed by activating a conveniently located switch, by opening the refrigerator door, by opening a cover over the recess, or alternatively may be normally closed and opened only in response to activation of the icemaker or water dispenser features.

Refrigerator water filter

A microwave heating susceptor for browning or searing packaged foods in a microwave oven. The susceptor is constructed from a thin metal mesh, and a microwave absorbing material applied to the metal mesh. To sear food, the suspceptor is placed in proximity to food in a microwave oven cavity. When the microwave oven is turned on, the susceptor heats to a high temperature, thereby browning and cooking the food.

Disposable microwave package having absorber bonded to mesh

A shelf track lighting for improving illumination of devices such as refrigerators or freezers. Coupled to the shelf is a lamp and a supporting brackets. The brackets engage with vertically positioned standards which are mounted to the rear wall of the device. Power is provided to the lamp through the standards and the brackets so that the lamp may be illuminated when the shelf and lamp levels are adjusted.

Shelf track lighting

Vitreous optical fibers are useful in an expanding number of technologies. A process, corresponding apparatus, and a hermetically sealed fiber of the above nature are disclosed wherein high energy ionized plasmas are used in a continuous production of a coated vitreous optical fiber. Drawn fibers are axially aligned by ambient gases discharging through high vacuum gas locks. These fibers are then continuously fed through a high energy plasma zone so that the surface of the drawn fiber is subjected to ionized bombardment. This provides plasma-milling of the fiber surface for improving the fiber strength and for superior bonding of subsequently applied coatings. In preferred practice, a vacuum zone is used to deposit, from a plasma ion source, a diamond-like elemental carbon film onto the moving fiber. Another plasma vacuum zone may be used to deposit, over the carbon film, a very thin film of a conductive elemental metal illustratively; tin, indium and aluminum. To increase the thickness of the previously deposited metallized coating or film, the moving, pre-coated fiber is immersed in and passed through a more condensed molecular form of the metal used in the previous coating process. A molten liquid and/or vapor phase of the metal may be used in this latter process, although the former is preferred.

Apparatus for coating optical fibers

Vitreous optical fibers provided with hermetically sealed coatings applied by method and apparatus comprising; drawing a fiber directly from a fiber extruder into and through an elongated chamber having inert gas air locks at its opposite ends. Between the air locks, the optical fiber passes successively through a series of evacuated chamber sections comprising: first, a plasma-ion milling zone wherein fiber surface contaminants are removed and microscopic surface defects are diminished; second, a carbon film depositing zone wherein elemental carbon, propelled in plasma-ion form, coats the surface of fiber with a diamond-like elemental carbon film of submicron thickness; third, an elemental metal film depositing zone wherein a selected metal such as indium, tin, aluminum or gold is plasma deposited onto the fiber to form a coating of less than micron thickness; and finally a second metal depositing zone wherein a coating, in the order of microns in thickness, of such a selective metal is applied by immersing and passing the fiber through a more condensed molecular form of the metal.

Process for coating optical fibers

An automatic air deflation valve is provided for use with a sphygmomanometer type blood pressure measuring instrument. The valve comprises a housing having an air flow channel extending through the longitudinal extent thereof and at least one air deflation port extending outwardly from said channel. The port includes a deformable diaphragm supported only on its outer edges and having a central aperture extending through the thickness thereof. The diaphragm is adapted to deform in accordance with the air pressure applied against it from said channel to automatically adjust the size and shape of said aperture, thus producing a constant air deflation rate therethrough.

Growing community of inventors

Natick, MA, United States of America

Sol Aisenberg