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Process For Propelling Foodstuffs or the Like into a Crowd

A method of launching foodstuffs into a crowd for promotional and entertainment purposes.

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Class 385/25 - Movable coupler


Subclass of Class 385 - Optical waveguides
Definition: Subject matter wherein the coupler may be repositioned about
No. of patents: 510
Last issue date: 03/20/2012


            9          
NumberTitleIssue Date
5771321Micromechanical optical switch and flat panel display
The invention provides an optical coupling switch and flat panel display including an array of such optical coupling switches. The optical coupling switch includes a light storage plate adapted to set up conditions for total internal reflection such that ...
06/23/1998
5764827Limited rotation connection device
A limited rotation connection device includes a housing defining a central ole extending therethrough and a central shaft extending through the central hole of the housing and being rotatably mounted to the housing, the housing also defining an annular slo...
06/09/1998
5717801Device for connecting optical fiber ends held by different types of connector plugs
A device for connecting a first optical fiber end held by a first connector plug selectively to second or third optical fiber ends held by different types of connector plugs, in which each different type of plug has an associated connector socket, these s...
02/10/1998
5715337Compact display system
A compact display system including a viewing surface; a beam steering mechanism; a source of light remote from the viewing surface and the beam steering mechanism; and at least one waveguide connecting the source of light with the viewing surface for tran...
02/03/1998
5699463Mechanical fiber optic switch
A switch for selectively coupling light from an input optical fiber to a selected one of a plurality of output optical fibers. The switch includes a first carriage having one end of the input optical fiber attached thereto and a second carriage having the...
12/16/1997
5694048Monitor-detector assembly on silicon wafer board
An optical subassembly for monitoring the emission of a semi-conductor laser is disclosed. The subassembly is diced from a wafer having mounted thereon the devices to be tested as well as the testing optical devices. The devices of the wafer are burned-in...
12/02/1997
5682447Photomechanical positioning and stabilization method and devices using optical fibers and feedback
A novel photomechanical positioning method using optic fibers, and apparatuses that employ the method, is described. The method comprises providing an optic fiber that changes length in response to the transmission of a light beam through the fiber. The o...
10/28/1997
5666456Guide tool and method for accurately mating stacks of multi-fiber optical connectors with guide pins
A guide tool and associated method are provided for inserting guide pins in a plurality of stacked multi-fiber connectors and for mating two opposed stacks of multi-fiber connectors. The guide tool comprises a rail with a first and a second mount disposed...
09/09/1997
5664034Lightwave communication monitoring switch
An optical switch device has a plurality of fixed optical fiber terminations supported in a fixed array, and a terminated fiber movable by means of a stepping motor into registry with each of the terminations. Opposite the fixed array is a second array of...
09/02/1997
5661826Transmission line switching apparatus
There is disclosed a transmission line switching apparatus comprising a coupling board having a first surface adapted to be connected a first line and a second surface adapted to be connected a second line, adjusting means having a line length adjusting u...
08/26/1997
5661843Fiber optic probe
The present invention provides a fiber optic test probe comprising a ferrule having a longitudinal axis and a fixable position and being transversely displaceable, and a gimbal coupled to the ferrule and being transversely displaceable, the gimbal compris...
08/26/1997
5649036Remote fiber test system using mechanical optical switches
An remote fiber test system includes at least one mechanical optical switch has opposing input and output optical fiber bundles disposed within offset ferrules with at least one input fiber coupled to a measurement test instrument and each of the output f...
07/15/1997
5638472Optical fiber and lens assembly having a movable lens and a fixed optical fiber
An optical fiber and lens assembly which comprises a housing, an optical fiber, means for rendering the optical fiber immobile within the housing, a lens, and means for moving the lens within the housing. Such an optical fiber and lens assembly enables on...
06/10/1997
5633963Optical rotary joint for single and multimode fibers
The present invention provides a rotary joint for optical fibers comprising a plug assembly and a first ferrule having a fiber-entry end mounted coaxially therein, a receptacle assembly and a second ferrule having a fiber-entry end mounted coaxially there...
05/27/1997
5629993Compact optical switch
An optical switch has a stepping motor with a fiber faceplate on which are mounted end portions of output optical fibers terminating in GRIN lenses. The end portions are arranged along a pitch circle. The faceplate is spaced from the stepping motor and th...
05/13/1997
5621830Rotatable fiber optic joint
An endoscope includes an insertion member rotatably mounted to a handle. A first set of optical fibers carried by the handle meets a second set of optical fibers disposed within the insertion member at a joint constructed to allow relative rotation betwee...
04/15/1997
5613021Optical fiber switching device having one of a robot mechanism and an optical fiber length adjustment unit
There is disclosed an optical fiber switching device having a coupling board comprising a plurality of first optical fibers connected to one surface of the coupling board in the arrangement to one surface of the coupling board, a plurality of second optic...
03/18/1997
5588077In-line, two-pass, fiber optic rotary joint
An especially compact optical rotary joint for use with fiber optic cables is set forth including three embodiments capable of transferring two data streams each carried on a separate optical fiber. The rotary joint is constructed with a stationary portio...
12/24/1996
5568578Gradient index rod collimation lens devices for enhancing optical fiber line performance where the beam thereof crosses a gap in the line
A novel array of optical fiber beams collimator device, includes as novel mponents thereof an array of single beam collimator units. A housing is provided with a corresponding array of co-parallel lens bores between opposite sides of the housing. Each uni...
10/22/1996
5553176Single in-line fiber-optic rotary joint
A single in-line fiber-optic rotary joint includes inner and outer concenc body portions which are rotatable relative to each other around a common longitudinal axis. An optical to electrical converter is mounted in the inner body portion and it is opera...
09/03/1996
5546484Fiber optic switch using polished-type directional coupler
A fiber optic switch module that can be incorporated into switch designs characterized by negligible crosstalk. The switch module is capable of operation over two wavelength bands. A 2×2 switch module has an open or bar state in which polished portions o...
08/13/1996
5542012Multi-functional photometer with movable linkage for routing optical fibers
A multi-functional photometer includes a scanning mechanism having a housing (10) that bears a movable linkage (12). The linkage is coupled to an optical scanning head (18) and incorporates optical fibers for transmitting radiant energy to and from the sc...
07/30/1996
5542013Optical fiber connector bypass device
A method and apparatus for changing the path of an optical signal are disclosed. An optical bypass device having an optical input and output, and a waveguiding region optically connecting the input and output, is used to form a multiplicity of improved co...
07/30/1996
5535294Connector for multichannel transmission of optical signals through rotating interface
A multichannel connector for transmission of optical signals between a number of input and output channels through a rotating interface is described. The connector comprises an input and an output platforms rotating around their common axis and an optical...
07/09/1996
5526429Headphone apparatus having means for detecting gyration of user's head
An audio reproducing apparatus includes a signal source, an audio reproducing unit, an address signal generating unit, a memory and an integrating circuit. The signal source outputs digitized audio signals of a plurality of channels. The audio reproducing...
06/11/1996
5519797Arrangement of a lighting source with an optical fiber and a steerable light beam
A lighting source arrangement comprising a light conducting cable formed of an optical fibre consisting of a plurality of elementary fibres, a device for holding and fastening the optical fibre onto a supporting structure and means for steering the light ...
05/21/1996
5513287Prism coupling mount
A prism coupling mount is provided for readily substituting various prisms and planar slab waveguides therein without damage to these components. For maximum coupling efficiency, the spacing between the coupling prism base and the waveguide can be adjuste...
04/30/1996
5513286White light dimmer for fiber optic illumination sources
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for dimming the white light received by an optical fiber. The apparatus is a cover having a thin edge and a flat surface for application to the optical fiber commencing at the fiber rim....
04/30/1996
5506920Optical wavelength tunable filter
An optical filter having a transmission wavelength to be tuned dependent on light incident angle is rotatively provided in a collimated light path. The optical filter is rotated by the displacement of a piezoelectric actuator by a structure in which the d...
04/09/1996
5504825Optical fiber switching device and method
There is disclosed an optical fiber switching device having a coupling board comprising a plurality of first optical fibers connected to one surface of the coupling board in the arrangement to one surface of the coupling board, a plurality of second optic...
04/02/1996
5497444High-density fiber distribution frame
A fiber distribution frame includes a fixture having a plurality of modules mounted side-by-side within said fixture with each of the modules being individually mounted in a line of travel. Each of the modules can be locked in any one of a plurality of di...
03/05/1996
5483608Optical switch for switching plural optical fibers
The present invention is to provide an optical switch that enables size reduction of the switch, facilitation of positioning of an optical fiber, simplification of the structure of an actuator, improvements in assembly operability and reliability of the a...
01/09/1996
5481631Optical switching apparatus with retroreflector
An optical switch includes a primary optical fiber terminating in a primary window, and a plurality of secondary optical fibers each terminating in a secondary window facing in the same direction as and spaced laterally from the primary window. A primary ...
01/02/1996
5463704Fiber optic switch
A rotary fiber optic switch switches a first optical fiber among a plurality of second optical fibers. The switch is calibrated with a control mechanism such that movement of the rotated fiber to a prescribed position achieves a maximum power transmission...
10/31/1995
5461692Multimode optical fiber coupling apparatus and method of transmitting laser radiation using same
A laser radiation source apparatus comprises a laser source means for producing laser radiation; a stepped-index optical fiber; first coupling means for coupling the laser source means with one end of the stepped-index optical fiber; and second coupling m...
10/24/1995
5455878Programmable signal time delay device using electro-optic and passive waveguide circuits on planar substrates
An optical time delay device includes a switching component butt-coupled to one or two delay line components. The switching component is a planar substrate with an optical waveguide switching array formed thereon. The delay line component is a second plan...
10/03/1995
5454056Luminous pull-cord for electrical switch operation
A luminous pull-cord for facilitating the operation of an electrical switch, comprising a length of fiber optic cord coupled to and illuminated by a light source as a means for actuating said electrical switch whereby said light conducting fiber is graspe...
09/26/1995
5450508Apparatus and method for optical fiber alignment using adaptive feedback control loop
A servo-feedback method with elements for dynamically aligning a pair of mating ends of optical fibers supported in a pluggable connector. At least one of the mating ends in the pair receives light from the other mating end. The light-receiving end is mec...
09/12/1995
5450509Fiber optic rotary joint
An improved fiber optic rotary joint is provided for connecting optical fibers across a rotary-stationary interface. The rotary joint comprises a rotary hub mounted within a stationary housing which defines a cylindrical outer rim, in combination with a f...
09/12/1995
5448662Apparatus for coupling an optical fiber to a structure at a desired angle
Optical metrology apparatus, specifically a laser probe (1), includes a frame (10) comprised of a material selected to have a predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion. A beamsplitter (36) is coupled to the frame for generating a sample beam optical ...
09/05/1995
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