Abstract:
A dust shutter for an optical adapter, includes a collar, wherein the collar is capable of being provided around an end of the optical adapter; a cover; a hinge that connects the cover to the collar; the hinge configured such that the cover can be provided in an open position and a closed position with respect to the collar; and a latch provided on the cover that attaches the cover to the collar in the closed position; wherein the collar, the cover, the hinge, and the latch form a unitary structure.
Abstract:
A method for cleansing used reaction cuvettes so that whenever certain assays are to be or have been performed in the reaction cuvette, the cuvette is automatically subjected to an additional cleaning operation by providing a number of washing and drying manifolds, each of which is independently selectively activated to perform or not perform a cleaning operation.
Abstract:
The invention provides a back spin swivelling device for a downhole rod pump, for backing off drive strings which may be under torque. The device of the invention is particularly suited for use with progressive cavity pumps (PCP), and for the release of torque in a drive string through “back spin”. The device comprises a housing having an opening at a bottom end adapted to receive a rotatable shaft and having means for attachment to an external support at a top end; said rotatable shaft being partially housed within the housing and projecting from the bottom end of the housing, the shaft having at its bottom end means for attachment to a drive string; and means for mounting the shaft rotatably within the housing. The shaft and the means for attachment to the drive string are substantially symmetrical about their common axis of rotation, and provide no point of articulation between the shaft and the drive string. In a preferred embodiment, the device includes shock absorbing means for damping longitudinal displacements of the shaft. The symmetrical design of the rotating parts and the linear attachment of the shaft to the drive string greatly improve the safety of the device in comparison with rod pulling devices of the prior art, avoiding equipment failure and possible injury due to flying apart of the device under the influence of “wobble” at high angular velocities.
Abstract:
A dust shutter for an optical adapter, includes a collar, wherein the collar is capable of being provided around an end of the optical adapter; a cover; a hinge that connects the cover to the collar; the hinge configured such that the cover can be provided in an open position and a closed position with respect to the collar; and a latch provided on the cover that attaches the cover to the collar in the closed position; wherein the collar, the cover, the hinge, and the latch form a unitary structure.
Abstract:
An improved fibre-optic cable termination which substantially reduces light losses and also facilitates cable termination in the field as opposed to the factory.According to this method the fibres are compressed by pushing the bundle, preferably sheathed in a thin glass ferrule, into a heated tool having a tapered hole. A protective metal coupling may be incorporated by heating a metal sheath with a tapered bore and pushing the glass sheathed bundle into the metal sheath. The metal sheath may then constitute a pin of a pin and socket optical coupling.In all cases the temperature and pressure are adjusted so that the individual fibres are squeezed into approximately hexagonal form so as to eliminate the interstices to a substantial extent. The temperature and pressure are, however, limited to prevent any substantial fusion and coalescing of fibres and consequent loss of the optical barrier between them.
Abstract:
A laser is provided, suitable for use in laser displays, having a laser cavity defined by at least first and second mirrors, a lasing material positioned in an optical path within the cavity with an associated pumping source and wherein one of the mirrors has a reflective surface that is moveable so as to alter the length of the cavity at a rate sufficiently high to ensure that effects due to a speckle pattern, as perceived by an observer or detector of light generated by the laser, are reduced while preserving the instantaneous coherence of the laser light. Sufficiently rapid movement of the mirror surface ensures that any speckle pattern changes at a faster rate than can be detected by the human eye or by a detector so that speckle is no longer visible, or is at least considerably reduced.