87results about How to "Economically constructed" patented technology

An image display system capable of viewing an electronic image and an external sight simultaneously, or selectively is disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of image display units including a controller for outputting image signals and at least one display unit capable of enabling switching operation with a predetermined operation mode of a plurality of operation modes including a mode for indicating the image signals from the controller; an external control device for outputting mode control signals which address the operation mode of the display unit; the controller of the respective image display units being provided with an external control terminal for receiving the mode control signals and an output terminal for outputting the mode control signals supplied to the external control terminal; the outputs of different controllers are connected to the external control terminals thereof in turn so as to couple the plurality of controllers to the external control device in series, the remained control terminals are connected to the external control device, and the operation modes of whole display units are collectively and forcibly and / or individually controlled through the respective controllers on the basis of the mode control signals from the external control unit.

The invention is directed to a low-temperature cooler using dry ice as a cooling agent. The cooler has two compartments, one for the dry ice and one for chilled storage. The cooler self-regulates via an aqueous filled temperature-regulating valve to maintain a desired temperature in the storage compartment such that the products stored therein are stored at an optimum temperature. Upon achieving a predetermined temperature in the storage compartment, the valve closes, thereby maintaining the predetermined temperature in the storage compartment.

Containers having a cover and a base provide covers that may be locked together. In addition the container covers may be locked to a sidewall of the container base. The container cover includes a first closure portion and a cover engagement portion. The base includes a second closure portion and a base engagement portion. The first closure portion of the cover is sealingly engageable with the second closure portion of the base to define a sealed storage area. The cover engagement portion of a cover is releaseably lockable with the cover engagement portion of a second cover to form a locked cover stack. The cover engagement portion of the cover is also releaseably lockable with the base engagement portion of the base.

A wearable image display device for superimposing a virtual image into the wearer's field of vision includes a lens, for spectacles or the like, which includes inner and outer lens portions bonded together at complementary boundary surfaces of the lens portions. One of two opposing optical surfaces of the lens is located on each lens portion. Each boundary surface is disposed between the optical surfaces of the inner and outer lens portions to avoid discontinuities on the optical surfaces. A partially transmissive reflector is located on one of the boundary surfaces and a microdisplay radiates light internally through the lens between the optical surfaces of the inner and outer lens portions to strike the partially transmissive reflector and reflect the light out of the lens to a user's eye.

A container is disclosed which can include a container base having a cavity therein, a thermal source disposable in the cavity of the base, an insert being insertable within the cavity of the base such that the insert is in close proximity to the thermal source, and a cover. The cover and the insert can define a sealable compartment for the storage of food items. In other embodiments, the cover can be engageable directly with the base to define a storage compartment. The thermal source can act as either or both a heater and a cooler to help maintain the food items stored in the container at a desired temperature.

A fiber-optical, wavelength selective switch, especially for channel routing with equalization and blocking applications. The input signals are converted to light beams having predefined polarizations (41). The beams are then laterally expanded (43), and then undergo spatial dispersion in the beam expansion plane. The different wavelength components are directed through a polarization rotation device, pixilated along the wavelength dispersion direction such that each pixel operates on a separate wavelength. Each beam is passed into a pixilated beam steering array (48), for directing each wavelength to a desired output port. The beam steering devices can be MEMS-based or Liquid crystal-based, or an LCOS array. When the appropriate voltage is applied to a pixel and its associated beam steering element, the polarization of the light passing through the pixel is rotated and the beam steered to couple to the selected output port.

The covers stack together in two different ways. First, the covers can be stacked into an “aligned” stack. The aligned stack provides structural rigidity for bulk handling during manufacturing. Second, the covers can be stacked into a “locked” stack. The locked stack provides even more structural rigidity than does the aligned stack and is useful when storing unused covers. The cover includes a first closure portion, an engagement portion, and an alignment portion. The base includes a second closure portion. The first closure portion of the cover is sealingly engageable with the second closure portion of the base to define a sealed storage area. The alignment portion of the cover is engageable with the alignment portion of a second cover to form an aligned cover stack. The engagement portion of the cover is engageable with the engagement portion of a second cover to form a locked cover stack. The cover further includes at least one articulation element circumscribing the engagement portion of the cover and that provides flexibility to the cover allowing the engagement portion of the cover to easily articulate upwardly or downwardly.

A container is disclosed which can include a container base having a cavity therein, a thermal source disposable in the cavity of the base, an insert being insertable within the cavity of the base such that the insert is in close proximity to the thermal source, and a cover. The cover and the insert can define a sealable compartment for the storage of food items. In other embodiments, the cover can be engageable directly with the base to define a storage compartment. The thermal source can act as either or both a heater and a cooler to help maintain the food items stored in the container at a desired temperature.

A vehicle for travel through a conduit includes a forward and a rearward member, each member being provided with a wall-engaging mechanism for selectively engaging a wall of the conduit to hold the respective member in a stationary position within the conduit. Extensible elements such as a hydraulic ram connect the members for relative movement of the forward member toward and away from the rearward member. Each wall-engaging mechanism includes a plurality of legs extendable outwardly from the respective member and a wall-engaging surface on or fixed to each leg, one actuator engages each of the legs for coordinated extension of the legs to bring each wall-engaging surface into contact with the wall of the conduit. Preferably a rotary cuter is mounted at the front of the vehicle for clearing obstructions in the conduit.

A dual-channel sunload sensor capable of sensing the intensity and directionality of the solar radiative power entering the cabin of a car through the windshield, for the purpose of providing information to the data processing system of the car that enables a control of the air conditioning system that optimizes the comfort of the driver and of the front passenger. Signals from the sensor offer reliable indications of the solar load power and directionality for a wide range of angular positions of the sun. The sensor includes two convex transparent parts collecting light each toward a respective photodiode, the transparent parts being separated by an opaque portion.

An optical switch having multiple input and output ports directs any number of WDM signals, each arriving at a respective input port, to any one of the output ports. The optical switch includes an array of LC pixels, each positioned to receive a WDM signal transmitted through one of the ports, and an array of reflective elements, each associated with one of the LC pixels. The LC pixels are controlled to cause a WDM signal incident thereon to attain an attenuation state while an output of the WDM signal is being switched by an associated reflective element, such that when an output for a WDM signal is switched from a first port to a second port, the switching can be performed in a hitless manner.

A beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage material. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

A fiber-optical, wavelength selective switch, especially for channel blocking applications. The input signal is converted to light beams having predefined polarizations relative to the plane in which optical manipulation of the beam is performed. The beams are then preferably laterally expanded in this system plane only, and then spatially dispersed in the beam expansion plane, preferably by means of a diffraction grating. The light is directed through a polarization rotation device, preferably a liquid crystal cell, pixelated along the wavelength dispersive direction such that each pixel operates on a separate wavelength. When the appropriate control voltage is applied to a pixel, the polarization of the light signal passing through that pixel is rotated. The wavelength dispersed beams from all of the pixels are then recombined, and are passed towards a polarization selective device, aligned such that only selected polarization components are transmitted out of the switch.

A spin lock container comprising a container member having a bottom, an upper annular rim and a substantially continuous side wall extending from the bottom and terminating at the rim, the bottom and side wall defining a first member cavity, the rim including a first member skirt having a plurality of first threads, the plurality of first threads having substantially equidistant engagement points; and a closure member having a peripheral sealing portion and an inner sealing portion, the peripheral sealing portion including a sealing liner and a skirt having a plurality of second threads adapted and positioned to cooperate with the first threads, wherein sealable engagement of the container member and closure member is effectuated when the first and second threads are fully aligned and the inner sealing member is adapted to sealingly engage an inner container member, the inner container member fitting inside the outer container member when the peripheral sealing member is engaged with the outer container member.

An audio book comprising: a plurality of leaves with an inductively-powered transponder fastened to each leaf, each transponder having a unique code, one or both of the pages of each leaf bearing printed matter; a power source mounted in the book; an processor connected to the power source and having audio related to the printed matter; and a page sensing circuit including: a reader coil for magnetically inducing an electrical current for powering the transponders; and a receiver connected to the processor for receiving the unique codes from the transponders, wherein the audio related to the matter printed on any one of the pages which is opened is played by the processor according to the unique codes received by the receiver.

In a milk steamer, a changeover valve and a vent valve are connected to the inlet and the outlet of a steam-generating thermoblock to provide ready draining of water, and to mitigate condensation of steam that draws milk into the steam nozzle. In an automatic milk steamer, the height of the steam nozzle above the milk level is automatically set by interaction between a drive mechanism and a liquid level sensor.

A hand held exercise device for providing a user with a portable workout. The device may generally comprise a central handle diametrically disposed within and spanning across a ring element having a toroidally shaped inner chamber. Internal bumpers within the inner chamber act to limit the range of motion or travel of at least one mobile element within the inner chamber. Rotational forces imparted by the user upon the handle cause movement of the at least one mobile element that is responded to and countered with user muscle flexion. In this manner, a user may perform a satisfactory workout by continually imparting and then resisting rotation force in alternating clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

A personal air conditioning apparatus includes a centrifugal fan received within a scroll casing. A container mounted to the inlet of the scroll housing is provided for receiving and holding a coolant member. The scroll casing is supported upon a base enclosing two liquid reservoirs and a battery compartment. A liquid atomizing device fed from one of the reservoirs dispenses liquid droplets into air flow from a discharge passage. A channel extends between the container and the other of the reservoirs for draining away condensation formed on the coolant member. The scroll casing defines the discharge passage, which has a cross-sectional area that increases toward an outlet at an end of the scroll casing. Axially opposing faces of the discharge passage are divergent, and the cross section of the discharge passage adjacent the outlet has a shape elongated substantially in the axial direction. The inner end of the container lies above the scroll casing and a surface bounding the lower side of the discharge passage is inclined upwardly from the inlet toward the outlet. The coolant member may be a chilled beverage can and, when the fan is not operating, cooled air drops into the fan where it is retained.