...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7341349 | Ophthalmologic apparatus and ophthalmologic chart An optometric apparatus 2 according to the present invention comprises a body portion 5r provided with an optical system for a right eye for projecting a chart for the right eye in order to inspect visual function of both eye of an examinee and ... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7329003 | System, apparatus and method for accommodating opthalmic examination assemblies to patients The apparatus provides an improved modified slit lamp assembly light source base and vertical support frame assemblies comprising chin and headrest vertical support legs wherein at least a lower portion of the chin rest vertical supports have been modified in at lea... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7048394 | Mechanism for adjustable installation of band plate-like member A mechanism for adjustable installation of band plate-like members facilitates the separate adjustment of a cylindrical mirror in the normal direction of the reflecting face of the mirror, in a direction intersecting the normal direction, and the orientation of the ... | 05/23/2006 |
| 6616278 | Carrying case and eye examination device provided with the carrying case An eye examination device includes an eye examination unit for examining or measuring an eye of an examinee; a carrying case including a first housing part for housing the eye examination unit and a base part which mounts thereon the eye examination unit;... | 09/09/2003 |
| 6583792 | System and method for accurately displaying superimposed images The present invention discloses a system and method for accurately displaying superimposed images on a display screen of a computer. The method includes storing a base image having a first feature and a second feature in a storage device of a computer. Da... | 06/24/2003 |
| 5617157 | Computer controlled subjective refractor A computer controlled subjective refractor includes a microcomputer based remote hand control connected to an enclosure which houses the optical elements of the refractor and which controls their operation for the examination of a patient. The enclosure h... | 04/01/1997 |
| 5596379 | Portable visual acuity testing system and method A portable visual acuity testing system and method is used to measure the visual acuity of a person being tested. The portable visual acuity testing system includes a portable visual acuity testing structure and a plurality of interchangeable image displa... | 01/21/1997 |
| 5568209 | Automated pocket-sized near vision tester A lightweight, pocket-sized, hand-held near vision test apparatus that selectively retroilluminates different near vision test objects located on an interchangeable near vision test card, or alternatively, selectively displays near vision test objects on ... | 10/22/1996 |
| 5557352 | Method and apparatus for measuring the visual acuity of the human eye during and immediately after ocular surgery A method and apparatus are provided for measuring the visual acuity and refraction of the human eye during and immediately after ocular surgery. The method includes supporting a measuring means anterior to, and in line with the visual axis of, the eye and... | 09/17/1996 |
| 5519461 | Optometer having optotype disc which rotates about its axis and another axis An optometer including a main body which has an observation window having a center axis, a rotary optotype disk having circumferentially arranged optotypes and disposed within the main body such that the optotype disk is rotatable about a rotary shaft so ... | 05/21/1996 |
| 5444504 | Optometric apparatus An optometric apparatus includes an operating table and a vision test chart displaying device provided internally within the operating table. An optical group, including a plurality of reflection-type optical elements, are disposed within the operating ta... | 08/22/1995 |
| 5398085 | Device for testing vision potential A device for testing vision potential of humans comprises an enclosure containing two transparent areas through one surface, two pairs of rollers, means for turning one of the rollers, a length of material fitted around the two pairs of rollers in snug en... | 03/14/1995 |
| 5349397 | Apparatus and method for determining a patient's dominant eye An examining device is provided which quickly and easily determines the "sidedness" of an individual's eyes. The device has a viewing port and conical opaque sidewalls which converge to a small diameter viewing port. The device is constructed so that the ... | 09/20/1994 |
| 5000563 | Apparatus for observation and/or treatment of a seated or recumbent patient The apparatus of this invention is intended for observation and treatment of a patient, in particular for ophthalmological cases. Such apparatus includes an arrangement (10) for ophthalmological observation and treatment, means (12) for effecting position... | 03/19/1991 |
| 4869589 | Automated visual screening system A visual deficiency screening system (8) includes a display (14) and a means (10, 18) for generating a series of randomly differing images (12). A hood (24) and eyepiece (26) are provided for properly positioning a test subject relative to the display (14... | 09/26/1989 |
| 4859052 | Portable screen assembly for visual acuity testing A portable screen assembly for use in combination with a series of visual acuity testing cards to test the visual acuity of an infant or otherwise functionally young (handicapped) person requiring to be held by another person comprises a three-panel scree... | 08/22/1989 |
| 4778267 | Amblyopia screening Pre-literate children are screened for amblyopia utilizing a simple device. A pair of eyepieces are mounted by a static structure so that the fields of view through the eyepieces are segregated. A card having two different, spaced pictorial representation... | 10/18/1988 |
| 4753527 | Visual acuity testing apparatus A visual acuity testing apparatus is herein disclosed which comprises a test chart displayer having a display surface pointing to an upward direction; a first reflector, for downwardly reflecting a light beam from the test chart displayer, disposed above ... | 06/28/1988 |
| 4740072 | Vision testing apparatus A vision tester having a casing horizontally adjustable with respect to a base. Inside the casing a rotating drum has a first end rotatably fixed to the casing and a second end unconnected to the casing and having an open portion. An illumination device i... | 04/26/1988 |
| 4597651 | Apparatus for the detection of eye sight defects and cassette for the operation of such an apparatus The present invention relates to an apparatus for eye sight examination, allowing to test both of the patient's eyes, especially to detect his common failures and vision defects, for far and close vision, and eventually intermediary distance vision. The t... | 07/01/1986 |
| 4550990 | Arrangement for the carrying out of eye examination The invention refers to an arrangement for the carrying out of eye examinations by means of an optotype mask which is illuminated from behind. It consists therein that the optotype mask is arranged in front of the picture screen of a video tube which serv... | 11/05/1985 |
| 4536065 | Fixation device for eye testing A fixation device having primary utility in testing children's eyes is disclosed. The device comprises employing remote control of a variety of fixation targets to maintain the attention of the child-patient.... | 08/20/1985 |
| 4421394 | Displacement system for an opthalmologic examination unit The invention relates to a displacement system for ophthalmologic examination units constituted of an instrument base section and an accessory section for mounting three ophthalmologic devices, said accessory section being connected by two lever means to ... | 12/20/1983 |
| 4407571 | Compact refraction instrument A compact refraction instrument for use in both the objective and subjective examination of human eyes. The instrument incorporates an alignment mode, a retinoscopy mode, a distance mode and near mode. For carrying out the functions associated with these ... | 10/04/1983 |
| 4402580 | Optical exercising device An optical testing and exercising device including a stereo film viewer having a pair of eyepieces and one or more lenses which can be interposed along the user's line of sight to change the apparent distance of an image. The viewer also includes a housin... | 09/06/1983 |
| 4396258 | Concentric drums target support system for ophthalmic instrument A compact refraction instrument for use in both the objective and subjective examination of human eyes. The instrument incorporates an alignment mode, a retinoscopy mode, a distance mode and near mode. For carrying out the functions associated with these ... | 08/02/1983 |
| 4279479 | Vision screening kit A simple, inexpensive vision screening device in the form of a compact kit.... | 07/21/1981 |
| 4260226 | Eye depth perception testing apparatus An improved, and more objective, eye depth perception testing apparatus wherein the eyes of a patient are tested by observing test specimens, posts or pegs of varying colors, varying shapes, varying lateral spacings, and at different lighting conditions. ... | 04/07/1981 |
| 4212520 | Eye testing device The eye testing device for testing visual acuity includes a light-colored, opaque front chart having a plurality of cut-out openings in the shape of letters, numerals, or similar characters and a black box located behind the chart for absorbing ambient li... | 07/15/1980 |
| 4093359 | Ocular fixation aid To attract and maintain the gaze of a patient's eyes (particularly those of a child) during an ophthalmalic examination, a small animatable fixation target, such as a toy animal having movable body parts, is mounted on one end of a support, and the other ... | 06/06/1978 |