Recently Issued Patents

An elbow rest is configured to secure at least one of a user’s elbow in a retained position while in a seated position. A user can then support their head with their hand or hands without their elbow or elbows slipping, sliding or moving. The elbow rest includes at least one support panel and a flexible strap attached thereto. In one embodiment, an elbow rest has a first and a second support panel with a flexible strap extending therebetween. In this embodiment, a person can rest their right and left elbows on the flexible strap proximal to the opposing support panels. The user can then support their head with both hands. The flexible strap may be detachably attached to the support panel to allow an adjustment of the flexible strap length between the support panels. A flexible strap may include non-slip surfaces to further prevent elbow and/or strap slippage.

The arithmetic educational tool utilizes a container having a main chamber and two extended chambers from the main chamber to visually demonstrate addition and subtraction. Objects placed with the container will move from the main chamber into the extended chambers when the container is tilted and thereby break the number objects in the main chamber into parts. The container is bifurcated, having the two extended chambers branching off of from the main chamber and thereby causes a random splitting of the number of objects into each of the extended chamber. Conversely, objects placed in each of the extended chambers can be added when the chamber is tilted to cause the object to move from the extended chambers into the main chamber. One or more of the chambers may have an obscuring feature, such as a color or slidably cover, that enables obscuring the number of objects therein.

An apparatus for covering and protecting an edible item that allows a flexible covering to cover and protect the edible item without damaging or altering a feature on the edible item. The edible item has a top surface with an outer edge. The apparatus provides a plurality of vertical supports, each having a first portion and a second portion. The second portion of each vertical support is inserted the top surface of the edible item adjacent to the outer edge. The first portion of each vertical support at least partially extends beyond the outer edge of the edible item, and the flexible covering can be supported by the plurality of vertical supports.

A yogurt bin for holding a plurality of individual dairy cartons of yogurt includes a floor, two sidewalls, a first end wall and a second end wall. The two sidewalls are attached to the floor. At least one of the sidewalls has at least one finger slot therein. The finger slot is dimensioned to allow access to individual dairy cartons positioned near the finger slot but not to allow an individual dairy carton to pass through the finger slot. The first end wall is attached to the floor of the bin. The first end wall has a stop near the floor of the bin and a handle attached to the sidewalls positioned near the top of the bin. The second end wall is also attached to the two sidewalls

A back-up lamp light system has a portable light that is configured to be detachably attached to a lamp and is configured to automatically turn on in the event of a power outage. The portable light is configured to be retained by a mounting bracket to a lamp. The portable light may be detached from the mounting bracket and used as a flashlight. A portable light has a main light and a night light configured on opposing ends of the portable light. A back-up lamp light system may have a light level sensor that is configured to automatically turn on the nightlight in the event of a light level being detected below a threshold value. A back-up lamp light system may be portable and have a separate power cord or may be integral and have a power cord that extends through the interior of a lamp.

An automatic rechargeable battery control module incorporates an automatic battery control system that automatically switches from charge to discharge modes with a single relay, thereby preventing the need to manually reset a relay switch due to an over or under voltage situation. The module requires on a single power connection line connected with a single power connector on the module. Both input power to charge the battery and output power flow in and out of the single power connector and through the single power connection line. An automatic battery control circuit is coupled with a battery management system and a relay contactor is opened and closed by a signal from the battery management system. The battery management system monitors a state of charge of the battery unit as well as current flow to and from a battery unit.

A safety walker has a support extension that extends from the front of the moveable support frame toward the back end opening and is centrally located. A user may enter the safety walker and straddle the support extension and the actuate the support extension up to a secure position, whereby in the event of a fall the support extension will support the user. The support extension may be coupled with an actuator system having a motor to raise or pivot the support extension. A safety strap may be attached to the extended end of the support extension and extend above the support extension towards the front of the movable support frame. The safety strap may provide a flexible support that is more comfortable for support in the event of a fail. A gate may be coupled with an actuator system and automatically close as the support extension is lifted.

An electrochemical compression system utilizes an electrolyzer to electrolyze an electrochemically active working fluid, at a first pressure, into decomposition products that are reformed back into said electrochemically active working fluid by a fuel cell, at a higher pressure. Water may be electrolyzed into hydrogen and oxygen and stored in reservoir tanks at an elevated pressure and subsequently provided to a fuel cell for reforming. The hydrogen is provided to the anode side of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell and the oxygen is provided to the cathode side. Water is reformed on the cathode side of the fuel cell at a higher pressure than the inlet to the electrolyzer. This pressure differential enable flow of the electrochemically active working fluid through a conduit from the cathode to the electrolyzer. This flow of fluid may be used in a heat transfer system.

A lightweight multilayer flame barrier includes alternating layers of a metal foil and an insulation layer to form a barrier layer. The metal foils may be configured on both the barrier surface and the interior surface. A barrier layer may be attached or coupled to a support layer. The lightweight multilayer flame barrier may be configured as a portable shelter that can be carried by fire service people and therefore may be lightweight and thin to enable compact storage and transport. The lightweight multilayer flame barrier may provide high convective exposure time in a thin lightweight composite.

A tracer insert has an upper cavity for retaining shot and a lower cavity for retaining a tracer powder compound. The tracer insert is configured for placement within the shot-pocket of a wad within a shotgun shell. The shot is placed in and around the tracer insert within the shot pocket and some shot is retained within the upper cavity of the tracer insert. A bottom exhaust port in the lower cavity allows the release of the tracer powder compound upon firing of the tracer shell. A cavity separator separates the upper and lower cavities and a flow channel may extend down from the top of the tracer insert into the lower cavity to allow a flow of air to aid in the release of the tracer powder compound. Side exhaust ports may be configured around the lower cavity to provide additional release area for the tracer powder compound.