Abstract
Orthodontic adhesives and packaged articles including an orthodontic appliance having a base for bonding the appliance to a tooth are disclosed. In the packaged articles, an adhesive is on the base of the appliance, and a container at least partially surrounds the orthodontic appliance having adhesive on the base thereof.

Patent number: 6960079
Filing date: Apr 18, 2002
Issue date: Nov 1, 2005
Inventors: Joan V. Brennan, Sumita B. Mitra, Mark S. Schaberg, Robert D. Kuehn, Joel D. Oxman, Darrell S. James, Sharon M. Rozzi, David K. Cinader

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Abstract
An adhesive suitable for use in the oral environment is provided. The adhesive comprises a filler, hardenable resin, a hardener, and a colorant, the composition has an initial color prior to exposure to actinic radiation and a final color that is different from the initial color subsequent to the composition being exposed to actinic radiation. The adhesive can be precoated on to orthodontic appliances.

Patent number: 6528555
Filing date: Oct 12, 2000
Issue date: Mar 4, 2003
Inventors: Enrique A. Nikutowski, Darrell S. James

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Abstract
An optically isolated power electronic power conversion circuit that includes an input electrical power source, a heat pipe, a power electronic switch or plurality of interconnected power electronic switches, a mechanism for connecting the switch to the input power source, a mechanism for connecting comprising an interconnecting cable and/or bus bar or plurality of interconnecting cables and/or input bus bars, an optically isolated drive circuit connected to the switch, a heat sink assembly upon which the power electronic switch or switches is mounted, an output load, a mechanism for connecting the switch to the output load, the mechanism for connecting including an interconnecting cable and/or bus bar or plurality of interconnecting cables and/or output bus bars, at least one a fiber optic temperature sensor mounted on the heat sink assembly, at least one fiber optic current sensor mounted on the load interconnection cable and/or output bus bar, at least one fiber optic voltage...

Patent number: 6972972
Filing date: Apr 15, 2003
Issue date: Dec 6, 2005
Inventors: Paul G. Duncan, John Alan Schroeder

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Abstract
A method for calculating a distance from a fiber optic tip of a sensor to a reflective surface by high pass filtering a fringe signal gathered by a spectrometer, calculating a power spectral density of the filtered signal, and using a calibrated distance vs. peak spectral density wavelength curve to determine the measured distance. This fiber optic distance measurement technique can be applied to a variety of sensor types, including, but not limited to, pressure, displacement, temperature, acoustic, pressure, load, and magnetic field sensors.

Patent number: 6496265
Filing date: Feb 15, 2001
Issue date: Dec 17, 2002
Inventors: Paul Grems Duncan, Sean Michael Christian, Kevin Anthony Shinpaugh

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Abstract
Disclosed is a novel apparatus and method for volumetric dilatometry. A volumetric dilatometer includes an optical displacement sensor and a means for using a gap measurement obtained from the displacement sensor application in an application which requires the measurement of absolute distance and/or displacement. A novel signal-processing algorithm for volumetric dilatometry is also disclosed. The signal-processing algorithm includes a step for recovering the phase information from a spectral signal by taking the Fourier transform of a spectral signal and deriving a sensor gap measurement from the phase information. A micro-translation stage is provided for automated positioning of the optical sensor and automated re-leveling in an out-of-range condition. A heat source is consists of a vertical tube furnace, such as those found in drywell technologies. Further disclosed is a novel sealed-cell design which consists of a mercury reservoir, a sample cell capable of locking onto...

Patent number: 6718281
Filing date: Feb 15, 2001
Issue date: Apr 6, 2004
Inventors: Paul G. Duncan, Sean Michael Christian, Kevin Anthony Shinpaugh, Herve Marand