Did You Know...
...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7811088 | Low-cost magnetically aided apparatus for separating dental amalgam from waste water A replaceable module for capturing amalgam and mercury from the waste water disposal system of a dental office, in which the waste water flows into a settling chamber, overflows from the settling chamber into a magnetically-assisted sluice, and then after being furt... | 10/12/2010 |
| 7335023 | Aspirator having a cushioned and aspiration controlling tip A disposable cushioned aspirator which forms part of a dental or medical aspirating system. The disposable cushioned aspirator appliance described herein is intended principally to be used in dental and medical procedures where body fluids and rinse water is evacuat... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7332002 | Low sulfur coal additive for improved furnace operation The present invention is directed to additives for coal-fired furnaces, particularly furnaces using a layer of slag to capture coal particles for combustion. The additive(s) include iron, mineralizer(s), handling aid(s), flow aid(s), and/or abrasive material(s). The... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7326282 | Control device for fluid separators in dental aspiration plants The control device for a separator includes: a drainage pump powered by a first electric motor and an aspiration pump powered by a second electric motor. It further includes: sensor elements of known type for detecting operating parameters of the separator, such as ... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7326346 | High capacity regenerable sorbent for removal of arsenic and other toxic ions from drinking water The present invention is directed to a sorbent comprising a disordered polyvalent metal oxide on the surface of an inert substrate. The substrate can be a layered silicate, such as vermiculite, an aluminosilicate such as montmorillonite, or a nonlayered silicate suc... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7306460 | Dental vacuum system assembly and process incorporating an amalgam separation chamber A dental vacuum system for use in dental operatories wherein a dental aspirator tip and in the dental operatory is in fluid communication with a vacuum means for providing suction to the system, there being interposed between the aspirator tip and the vacuum means a... | 12/11/2007 |
| 7273544 | Sludge extractor A sludge extractor with a receiving tank, on which a suction connection for a suction element, which draws in a sludge-containing liquid, and a discharge connection for discharge element, which discharges the sludge-containing liquid, are mounted, and with a motor f... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7217129 | Medical or dental-medical handpiece having at least one rotary part The invention relates to a medical or dental-medical handpiece having a rotary part, in particular a turbine rotor. In order to improve the handpiece with regard to small construction, running noise and economical construction, there is provided a roller bearing for... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7214059 | Bone collecting device A bone piece collecting device, wherein, when bone pieces are mixing agitated with the other substances while preventing the loss of the cut bone pieces collected on a filter and contamination thereof by saliva by a self-bone transplanting method, a filter part is i... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7182754 | Containerless tissue sample collection trap A containerless tissue sample collection trap featuring, in the preferred embodiment, a flexible filter and an applicator having a shaft terminating in a distal end with a channel therein receiving a portion of the flexible filter, the combination of the applicator ... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7183235 | High capacity regenerable sorbent for removing arsenic and other toxic ions from drinking water The present invention is directed to a sorbent comprising a disordered polyvalent metal oxide on the surface of an inert substrate. The substrate can be a layered silicate, such as vermiculite, an aluminosilicate such as montmorillonite, or a nonlayered silicate suc... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7182599 | Method and apparatus for removing particulate metals from dental waste water An inline filter assembly to be used in conjunction with surgical or other procedures, near the patient or chairside in dental operations, that is capable of removing, by filtration, particulate matter from waste-water. The filter assembly is configured to permit ea... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7172579 | System and method for irrigation and tissue evacuation and collection The present invention provides a system and method for irrigating and collecting tissue from a body cavity in a patient. The system includes an irrigation and collection device for injecting an irrigation fluid into the body cavity. The irrigation device injects flu... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7156896 | Separating tank assembly and method of draining separating tank A separating tank assembly enables a dental vacuum separating tank to be drained without using a pump and without turning off or isolating the vacuum source from the tank. A drain tank is provided in fluid communication with the separating tank, and a control valve ... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7063793 | Apparatus and method for removing mercury and mercuric compounds from dental effluents The present invention is directed to processes for removing a contaminant from dental effluents and includes transporting a three-phase effluent through a suction line into a particle collection vessel, introducing a suction line cleaning solution which includes a r... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7048781 | Chemically-impregnated silicate agents for mercury control The present invention is directed to a contaminant removal agent comprising a polyvalent metal sulfide on the surface of an inert substrate. The substrate can be a layered silicate, such as vermiculite, an aluminosilicate such as montmorillonite, or a nonlayered sil... | 05/23/2006 |
| 6946069 | Apparatus for removing metallic particles from effluent liquid waste An apparatus for separating solid particles from the suction effluent of, for example, a dental office, preferably driven by a dental office vacuum pump, includes a surge tank for accommodating effluent overfill connected to a sedimentary deposit tank for sedimentat... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6942840 | Method for removal and stabilization of mercury in mercury-containing gas streams The present invention is directed to a process and apparatus for removing and stabilizing mercury from mercury-containing gas streams. A gas stream containing vapor phase elemental and/or speciated mercury is contacted with reagent, such as an oxygen-containing oxid... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6923646 | Process and apparatus for treating an exhaust stream from a dental operatory There is disclosed a process and apparatus for withdrawing an exhaust stream including gas, liquids and solids from the dental operatory connected to the suction side of a vacuum pump wherein solids and liquids are sequentially removed such that compressed gas from ... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6920659 | Toothbrush A power toothbrush including a handle and a brush head with bristles. In one embodiment, the toothbrush includes vibratory means for causing the brush head and the bristles to vibrate, and vibration isolation means for reducing the transfer of vibrations from the vi... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6912757 | Vacuum cleaner with continuous liquid pick-up A vacuum cleaner for collecting liquid material is capable of continuously operating while periodically discharging liquid from an outlet. The vacuum cleaner includes a tank having first and second chambers and divided by an intermediate apertured wall and a vent lo... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6911570 | Method for fixating sludges and soils contaminated with mercury and other heavy metals The invention relates to a method, composition and apparatus for stabilizing mercury and other heavy metals present in a particulate material such that the metals will not leach from the particulate material. The method generally involves the application of a metal ... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6790038 | Dental vacuum system assembly and process incorporating an amalgam separation chamber A dental vacuum system for use in dental operatories wherein a dental aspirator tip and in the dental operatory is in fluid communication with a vacuum means for providing suction to the system, there being interposed between the aspirator tip and the vacuum means a... | 09/14/2004 |
| 6790346 | Cyclone separator suitable for variable fluid flow rates Cyclone separator with flow rate regulation for separating solid particles from a fluid, comprises a recipient having a fluid inlet and an upper outlet for clarified fluid. The separator also comprises a recycling conduit which places an outlet conduit in communicat... | 09/14/2004 |
| 6692636 | Apparatus removing metallic particles from effluent liquid waste An apparatus for separating solid particles from the suction effluent of, for example, a dental office, preferably driven by a dental office vacuum pump, includes a surge tank for accommodating effluent overfill connected to a sedimentary deposit tank for... | 02/17/2004 |
| 6638066 | Dental vacuum system A dental vacuum system for use in dental operatories in which a dental aspirator tip in the dental operatory is in fluid communication with a two stage side channel blower for providing suction to the system, there being interposed between the dental aspi... | 10/28/2003 |
| 6592769 | Filter and collection device for separating materials and use thereof A device is provided for the filter and collection of one or more material. The device incorporates a manifold with an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit, with an adjustable control handle on the top of the manifold and a baffle plate in the inside of th... | 07/15/2003 |
| 6464499 | Air-sucking, sterilizing and wastewater treatment method for dental clinic bed This is an air-sucking, sterilizing and wastewater treatment method for dental clinic bed. It has an air-sucking and sterilizing device, and a wastewater-treating device below a gargle bench of a dental clinic bed. The air-sucking inlet of the air-sucking... | 10/15/2002 |
| 6428316 | Tartar trap A dental suction wand is used to collect tartar and particulate material during the dental procedure of cleaning teeth. The wand has a large diameter body with a small diameter suction tip connected at one end and an suction hose connected at the other en... | 08/06/2002 |
| 6409803 | Amalgam separation Amalgam and other particles of four microns or more in size are removed with at least 95% efficiency from a particle-containing fluid line, preferably connected to a single dental operatory. Desirably a plurality of parallel centrifugal separators have th... | 06/25/2002 |
| 6387070 | Bone slurry recovery A system for recovering bone particles removed from a patient, comprising a sub-system for removing particles of bone; a sub-system for irrigating the operative site to yield a slurry comprising the bone particles; a sub-system for removing the slurry fro... | 05/14/2002 |
| 6372006 | Separator element for a centrifugal separator A centrifugal separator of vertical axis for the separation of a flowable medium, in particular a dental liquid/solids mixture, from conveying suction air has a motor-driven removal element (10) which is arranged in a flow chamber with a rotationally symm... | 04/16/2002 |
| 6276936 | Dental separator for solids from a solids/liquid mixture For separating off solids from a solid/liquid mixture occurring in a dental treatment station, a housing has a sedimentation tank, in which two sedimentation zones are disposed one above the other. Both the mixture inlet and the liquid outlet are disposed... | 08/21/2001 |
| 6183254 | Dental strainer unit for an aspirator A dental strainer unit includes a plastic strainer, a plastic strainer cap, and a transparent, non-rigid plastic housing. The strainer unit can be cost-effectively manufactured and easily disassembled and cleaned. The strainer cap can be manufactured in a... | 02/06/2001 |
| 6149812 | Dental environmental filter for heavy metals and mercury hygiene A dental environmental filter is provided for the collection of heavy metals and other particles during dental or other procedures. The dental environmental filter incorporates a manifold with an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit, with an adjustable con... | 11/21/2000 |
| 6146136 | Self-cleaning dental suction device Self-cleaning dental suction device comprising a collection tank having an inlet pipe oriented at a downward angle that intersects an interior wall of the tank in a manner to provide a self-cleaning swirling action of liquid waste and solid debris on the ... | 11/14/2000 |
| 6090286 | Separator centrifuge The separator centrifuge for separating solid particles suspended in a fluid comprises a container having an inlet for the fluid and an outlet for the fluid once cleaned of the solid particles, the outlet being situated higher than the inlet. The containe... | 07/18/2000 |
| 6083306 | Separator and discharger device for waste fluids in dental aspiration apparatus The separator and discharger device for waste fluids in dental plants comprises a separator chamber internally of which a depression is created. A cannula aspirating fluids from a patient's mouth is connected to the separator chamber. Aspirated liquids ar... | 07/04/2000 |
| 6074208 | Noise reduction in fluid flow passage A fluid flow passage defined by a surface which surrounds the passage is provided with a plurality of projections, such as fibrils or brush like bristles, on the surface extending transversely to the flow passage. The projections serve to counteract or da... | 06/13/2000 |
| 6022216 | Fluid separator for dental aspiration apparatus A separator for dental aspiration apparatus comprises a drainage pump and a suction pump activated by two respective electric motors. Fluid coming from a patient's mouth during an operation comprises a liquid part and a gaseous part which must be separate... | 02/08/2000 |
