Abstract:
An improved planter with optional inserts for growing house plants in potting soil or hydroponically in pebbles or other potting medium for the purpose of improving the characteristics of purifying ambient air quality and reducing the work of maintaining the plants. A removable see through water reservoir/liquid bottle is attached to the planter such that the water level in the planter is maintained constant at all times. The watering frequency is reduced because of the large water reservoir/liquid bottle. Three different types of inserts may be added to the planter to further enhance the effectiveness of air purification by the plants. A simple insert used to increase the interface areas of ambient air with the potting medium and the root system. The second insert includes a circulation fan to increase the circulation of air through the potting medium and the root system. The third insert includes a lamp with or without a circulation fan. The addition of a lamp will help to sterilize the air. Another advantage of this improved planter is that water at the bottom of the planter does not in direct contact with the ambient air thus greatly reduced or eliminated the growth of mildew or microbes which is a common problem in existing self watering planters on the market.The non-spill liquid bottle can be partially turned over after refill will not spill its content. This design makes pouring liquid from a bottle much less likely to spill. Therefore, the application of this type of liquid bottle can be found in many applications where spillage is a concern. Examples of its usage include water bottle for bottled water drinking fountain, motor oil, anti-freeze fluid, cooking oil, etc.
Abstract:
Beneficial chemicals and water are dispensed by an irrigation system to vegetation served thereby. The irrigation system includes a water flow path in part defined by a housing of the inventive irrigation chemical dispenser. The dispenser housing includes a single-use disposable and replaceable chambered cartridge holding a premeasured supply of chemical material. The cartridge is sealingly closed by a penetrable diaphragm prior to and after its uniting with the remainder of the dispenser housing. Penetrating means are included by the dispenser for penetrating the cartridge diaphragm in response to a flow of pressurized water in the flow path, and also in response to an additional condition, if desired. The chemical material is then communicated to the flow path for dispensing to the vegetation served by the irrigation system.
Abstract:
An emergency escape/fire fighting and building maintenance system including columns mounted to the exterior of a building for guiding either an escape slider or a fireman or maintenance lift. Each column has an inner and outer face which either assists in controlling the rate of descent of the escape slider or provides a means for allowing a fireman's lift or maintenance lift to climb the columns. The slider includes a harness and a body member which is engageable with and slidable down the column. The body member includes brake pad surfaces to provide an automatic braking system in the event the user is unable to maintain the desired escape posture and control his descending speed. Manual braking system is added to the alternate slider designs. The slider is intended to be used by able bodied persons since its descending speed is in part to be controlled by the user himself. After this system is placed into service, sliders for disabled persons and/or those physically not too fit persons may be developed at a later date.
Abstract:
A turbocharger which by the configuration of a center housing portion thereof reduces heat transfer from a turbine housing portion to a turbine-end bearing in order to reduce oil coking in the latter. A phase-change material is included in the center housing portion. Control of lubricant flow further aids in reduction of oil coking in the turbocharger.
Abstract:
The improved low cost Spill-Resistant Cup for storing and dispensing liquids resists spilling when shaken or vibrated suddenly. The improved cup has a scoop-like-baffle and a push tab that separates the body of the cup with the mouthpiece of the cover. An opening is created when the push tab is pressed and the push tab springs back to close the opening when the pressure is released. When the improved cup is tilted and the tab pushed down for pouring, such that the liquid level inside the storage chamber of the cup chamber is higher than the liquid level at the opening, no liquid pours out of the cup. The liquid starts to flow out of the mouth opening after the cup is tilted beyond a start-to-pour angle. The start-to-pour angle is reached when the cup is tilted permitting the outside air to pass through the opening of the scoop-like-baffle and into the storage chamber.
Abstract:
An improved spill-resistant liquid bottle having a curved passageway and a vent passageway on the side in a curved neck having the shape of the number “7”, the letter “Z” or the letter “S” incorporated into the design of its mouth opening. This improved spill-resistant design allows a full bottle of liquid to be partially turned over with liquid level inside the bottle higher than the liquid level at the mouth opening, yet allowing no liquid to flow out from the bottle. Liquid will start to flow out only after the, bottle is turned further and the tilting angle reaches the predetermined start-to-pour angle. The start-to-pour angle is the tilting angle of the bottle when outside air starts to enter the bottle and liquid inside the bottle starts to flow out. This design makes pouring liquid from a full bottle much less likely to spill. The curved passageway creates additional flow restriction in comparison to ordinary bottles without such design. This added flow restriction results in longer filling time and more “glugging” while pouring. The separate vent passageway of this disclosure is an improvement to overcome the additional flow restriction in the curved passageway. This vent passageway provides a separate route for the release of inside air during filling process and allows ambient air to enter the bottle during pouring. Therefore, it improves the filling time and eliminates or greatly reduces the “glugging” of pouring.
Abstract:
A no-flat tire and no-flat tire insert for use in vehicle wheels, which includes a plurality of chambers connected to a single valve system. The single valve inflates or deflates the plurality of chambers simultaneously during charging or discharging. After charging, all chambers are isolated from each other. Puncture or damage of one or a small number of chambers will not cause the tire to go flat.
Abstract:
A turbocharger includes a backplate separate from both the center housing and the turbine housing which is clamped between the latter by tie bolts extending across the center housing so that the tensile/shear forces transmitted through the head of the tie bolt are taken on the relatively cool compressor side of the center housing. The turbine backplate, since it is a separate member, may be made from a material having a relatively low thermal conductivity, thereby serving as a heat barrier between the turbine section and the center housing of the turbocharger. The separate backplate permits manufacture of the center housing by an inexpensive die casting process. An oil splash shield cooperates with the turbine backplate to prevent oil from splashed against the warm parts of the assembly, and also cooperates with the turbine backplate to define a chamber therebetween that also further increases thermal insulation of the center housing from the relatively warm turbine housing.
Abstract:
A dispenser for irrigation chemicals includes an antisiphon or vacuum breaker valve which includes redundant valve members disposed at differing levels to on the one hand ensure communication of ambient pressure to the valve outlet, and on the other hand ensuring that no subambient pressure at the valve inlet is communicated to the outlet of the valve. The differing levels of the two redundant valves ensures also that backflow water from the outlet is vented to ambient without reaching a level sufficient to allow flow into the inlet flow path of the valve. The dispenser includes means to sealingly receive a chambered cartridge of irrigation chemical having a frangible diaphragm capturing the chemical therewithin, and means for penetrating the diaphragm in response to a low of irrigating water to dispense the chemical material along with the irrigating water flow.
Abstract:
The improved low cost cup and container for storing and dispensing liquids has a scoop-like or glug-reducing separator that separates the volume of the container into two sections, the liquid storage section and the liquid pouring section. It resists spilling and pours more smoothly than prior containers. When the improved cup and container is tilted for pouring, such that the liquid level inside the storage section of container chamber is higher than the liquid level at the mouth opening of the liquid pouring section, no liquid pours out of the container. The liquid starts to flow out of the mouth opening only after the container is tilted beyond a predetermined start-to-pour angle. The start-to-pour angle is reached when the container is tilted permitting the outside air to pass through the pouring section and into the storage section. The improved container can use two covers or a scoop-like-separator-adapter. The scoop-like-separator is attached to the cover or the adapter mounted to the top of the container with no connection to the side-wall and blocks at least a portion of a projection of the opening into the container storage section.