Recently Issued Patents

A book has a front cover having a first edge which is unconnected, and an opposing second edge which is connected to a spine. A back cover has a first edge which is connected to the spine and an opposing second edge which is connected to flexible joint or fold-line. The book has a third cover having a first edge which is connected to the flexible joint, that couples the third cover to the back cover, and an opposing second edge which is connected to binding. The front cover is configured to fold back about the spine to retain the third cover proximal the second edge of the third cover to retain the book in a propped-up position for reading. A page holder slides along the left and right sides of the third cover and has an opening that allows a page to be pushed therethrough.

A wearable self-defense apparatus having a body portion configured to be worn on or around a body part of a user includes a high voltage generator configured to generate high voltage electricity for disabling an attacker, a high voltage transmitter electrically coupled to the high voltage generator, a controller configured to control one or more operations of the high voltage generator and a gesture detector operationally coupled to the controller. The gesture detector signals the controller to control the operations of the high voltage generator upon detecting one or more gestures of the user using the body part attached with the wearable self-defense apparatus. Upon receiving the signal from the gesture detector, the controller triggers the high voltage generator to generate high voltage electricity. The high voltage electricity thus generated is transmitted to a target using the high voltage transmitter for temporarily disabling the target.

A greenhouse, for cold weather climates, is configured with a gable that is offset toward the north wall and therefore the south extension of the roof, from the gable to the south wall is longer than the north extension. A greater amount of light can enter through this south extension and the inside surface of the north wall is configured with a reflective surface to allow light to be more uniformly distributed around the plants. The north wall may no widows and may be thermally insulated to prevent the greenhouse from getting too cold during the night. A ground to air heat transfer (GAHT) system may be configured to produce a flow of greenhouse air under the greenhouse for heat transfer, to moderate the temperature of the greenhouse. A thermal medium may flow to a thermal reservoir for heat exchange with the conduits of the GAHT system.

A gravity oscillating system which comprises a looped and suitably substantially circular track around which a heavy mass such as a ball travels in use, the track being supported from above or below to oscillate up and down as the ball travels around the track, and there being a power transfer mechanism linked to the track to be moved by the track as the track oscillates, the power transfer mechanism being linked to an electrical generator/dynamo whereby the movement is used to generate electrical energy and wherein the system has an oscillating electromagnetic drive comprising a plurality of electromagnets in an array around the track and which are successively momentarily energized to urge each successive part of the track around the track in a direction, upwards or downwards, to cause the track to dip down ahead of the rolling mass, without the drive contacting the track.

An implement scraper provides a scraper bar for scraping debris into a bucket, such as a five-gallon bucket, and is detachably attachable to the bucket by a bucket coupler. The bucket coupler is configured with a latch that rotates to secure the implement scraper to the rim of the bucket. The latch may be pivotably coupled between a latch pivot aperture. A rim extension is configured to extend along a rim of the bucket and the scraper bar is coupled to the rim extension and may extend across an extension angle of the bucket. A debris aperture is formed between the scraper bar and the rim extension to allow debris to fall therethrough into the bucket. A magnetic coupler is configured to retain a metallic implement to the implement scraper by one or more magnets.

A Kegel exercise measurement and feedback device measures the amount of force that is exerted on a sensor portion and provides feedback in the form of vibration, a phrase or a light that is emitted from a feedback module. A sensor portion comprises a resilient body having a bladder in an inner cavity that can be compressed by Kegel exercises. Air within the bladder is forced into a bellows of the measurement portion which expands the bellows and a contactor plate attached thereto. As the contactor plate moves, due to the expansion of the bellows, it makes contact with level contactors to activate a corresponding feedback phrase, emitted light or vibration. The phrases emitted may be phrases recorded by a user and stored in memory or may be pre-loaded into memory. The sensor portion may be detachable from the measurement portion of connection conduit.

A waterproof electrical connector system enables quick and easy coupling of a first and second housing to electrically connect a first and second electrical cable connected thereto. The electrical cables extend into a fixed portion of the housings and are electrically coupled with a bridging connector that is configured in a rotating portion of the housing. The assembly of the first and second housings has a latch and latch extension that can be moved along a radial portion of a latch channel to a circumferential portion of the latch channel to enable the rotating portions of the housings to be rotated. Upon rotating the rotating portions, the electrical cables are electrically connected by the bridging connector. The two housings may be substantially the same, having the same components and the same geometry. Each housing may have an inner and outer latch channel and latch interface, making operation quick and easy.

A solar concentrator utilizes an arrangement of an outer reflective ring around a centrally located inner reflective cone to concentrate light. The reflective surface of the outer reflective ring is substantially 45 degrees from a transmitted light source. Light from the light source is reflected off of the outer reflective ring to produce a reflected light having a light reflective axis. The reflected light is directed toward the inner reflective cone and is reflected off of the reflective surface of the inner reflective cone as transmitted light toward alight receiver. The reflective surface of the inner reflective cone is configured at 45 degrees from the light reflective axis. The light receiver may convert the transmitted light into electricity or heat a fluid or other article. A solar tracker may be used to keep the central axis of the solar concentrator aligned with the sun.

A geothermal energy system utilizes a Catherine Wheel that spins around an axle to produce power. The Catherine Wheel has a plurality of wheel arms extending radially out from the axle. A fin portion extends from the radial portion at an offset angle, to an exhaust end. A first working fluid, such as supercritical carbon dioxide flows through an arm conduit within the wheel arm and second working fluid, such as a simply hydrocarbon mixes with the first working fluid and both flow through a turbine. The turbine is configured within the wheel arm conduit and it turns as the combined working fluids vaporize. The fluids are expelled and the second working fluid may be condensed and recirculated while the first working fluid may be expelled back into a geothermal reservoir. The geothermal energy system efficiently and effectively produces power by using geothermal energy to vaporize a hydrocarbon.

A serving spoon has a spoon portion with a depression portion that forms a depression in a serving of malleable food product, thereby allowing some other food product to be retained within the depression. The serving spoon includes a spoon portion and a handle portion. The spoon portion has a concave body and a depression portion configured within the concave body, wherein the depression portion extends up from the bottom of the concave body. The depression portion forms a depression, in a malleable food product. The spoon portion may be detachable from the handle portion.