Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal insulation box provided with a front panel removably attached to a front part of a casing body having a forward opening; the front panel comprising a panel body for covering the forward opening of the casing body, the panel body being blow-molded by a synthetic resin integrally with a front frame member for regulating inward dislocation of a right sidewall and a left sidewall of the casing body defining the forward opening; the panel body and the front frame member containing a foamed heat-insulating material in their hollow spaces.
2. The thermal insulation box according to claim 1, further comprising a top plate covering an upward opening of the casing body, wherein the front panel and the top plate have an engaging portion and a counterpart engaging portion, respectively, which are engageable with each other; the front panel being attached to and detached from the casing body by engagement and disengagement of the engaging portion with respect to the counterpart disengaging portion of the top plate covering the upward opening.
3. The thermal insulation box according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the top plate covering the upward opening of the casing body is a blow-molded by a synthetic resin and contains in its hollow space a foamed heat-insulating material obtained by foam molding.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. An optical switch comprising:
a first trench adapted to hold index-matching fluid;
a second trench adapted to hold the index-matching fluid, said second trench connected to said first trench;
a first expansion chamber connected to said first trench; and
a second expansion chamber connected to said second trench.
2. The optical switch recited in claim 1 wherein said first expansion chamber is adapted to hold gas.
3. The optical switch recited in claim 2 wherein said inert gas is nitrogen.
4. The optical switch recited in claim 1 further comprising a first heater proximal said first expansion chamber, said first heater adapted to heat said first expansion chamber.
5. The optical switch recited in claim 4 further comprising a second heater proximal to said second expansion chamber, said second heater adapted to heat said second expansion chamber.
6. The optical switch recited in claim 1 wherein an aperture connects said first trench with said second trench.
7. The optical switch recited in claim 6 wherein said aperture has a height ranging from 7 microns to 20 microns.
8. An optical switch array comprising a plurality of optical switches, each optical switch comprising:
a first trench adapted to hold index-matching fluid;
a second trench adapted to hold the index-matching fluid, said second trench connected to said first trench;
a first expansion chamber connected to said first trench, said first expansion chamber adapted to hold gas; and
a second expansion chamber connected to said second trench, said second expansion chamber adapted to hold gas.
9. The optical switch array recited in claim 8 further comprising a first heater adapted to heat the gas in said first expansion chamber.
10. The optical switch array recited in claim 9 further comprising a second heater adapted to heat the gas in said second expansion chamber.
11. The optical switch array recited in claim 8 wherein the index-matching fluid is non-wetting on surfaces of said first trench and said second trench.
12. A method for switching optical signals from an input waveguide terminating at a first trench to an output waveguide also terminating at the first trench, the method comprising shifting index-matching fluid from the first trench connected to a first expansion chamber to a second trench by causing gas within said first expansion chamber to expand whereby the expanding gas pushes the index-matching fluid from said first trench to said second trench and thus changing optical properties of said first trench.
13. The method recited in claim 12 further comprising heating the first expansion chamber causing the gas within the first expansion chamber to expand.
14. The method recited in claim 12 further comprising heating a second expansion chamber, connected to the second trench, thereby causing gas within the second expansion chamber to expand, pushing the index-matching fluid from the second trench chamber to the first trench.
15. The method recited in claim 12 wherein the first expansion chamber is adapted to hold inert gas.
16. The method recited in claim 15 wherein said inert gas is nitrogen.
17. The method recited in claim 12 wherein an aperture connects the first trench with the second trench.
18. The optical switch recited in claim 17 wherein the aperture has a height ranging from 7 microns to 20 microns.

1. An automobile sunshade of an automobile having a roof, a body front windshield, a rear windshield, and a pair of side windows, said automobile sunshade comprising:
a first housing;
a first roller mounted in said first housing;
a first flexible sunshade having a first position rolled onto said first roller and a second position unrolled from said first roller, with said first flexible sunshade having an outer edge;
first attachment means comprising a suction cup for attachment of said first housing to the roof of an automobile, a second attachment means comprising magnets for attachment of said outer edge of said first flexible sunshade to the body of an automobile;
an electric motor means for extending said first flexible sunshade from said first position to said second position to cover said roof,
battery means for powering said electric motor means; and
lower panel means for recharging said rechargeable battery means.
2. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second attachment means comprises magnetic attachment means.
3. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second attachment means comprises a plurality of magnets attached to said outer edge of said first flexible sunshade.
4. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first flexible sunshade has an outer surface and further comprising a reflective coating disposed on said outer surface.
5. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 further comprising spring means mounted in said first roller and disposed to urge said first flexible sunshade toward said first position.
6. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 further comprising ratchet and pawl means connected to said first roller to maintain the position of said first roller.
7. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 in which said first attachment means comprises clamp means.
8. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 in which said first attachment means comprises strap means.
9. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 in which said first housing comprises at least one curved panel.
10. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 in which said first housing comprises an aperture portion for passage of said first sunshade.
11. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 in which said first housing further comprises a cover.
12. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of housings each substantially identical to said first housing.
13. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a second housing, with said second housing substantially identical to said first housing and containing a second flexible sunshade, with said second housing disposed parallel to and spaced away from said first housing and with said first and said second housings disposed in a transverse orientation relative to said roof of said automobile, with said first sunshade disposed to cover said front windshield in said unrolled position and with said second sunshade disposed to cover said rear windshield in said unrolled position.
14. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
a third housing, and
a fourth housing, with said third and said fourth housings each substantially identical to said first housing and containing a third and a fourth flexible sunshade respectively, with said third housing disposed parallel to and spaced away from said fourth housing and with said third and said fourth housings disposed in a longitudinal orientation relative to said roof of said automobile, with said third and said fourth sunshades disposed to cover said side windows in said unrolled position.
15. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a fifth housing substantially identical to said first housing and containing a fifth flexible sunshade with said fifth housing disposed parallel to said first housing, with said fifth flexible sunshade disposed to cover said roof of said automobile, in said unrolled position.
16. An automobile sunshade according to claim 13 further comprising connection means disposed connecting said first, second, third and fourth housings.
17. An automobile sunshade according to claim 14 further comprising electric motor means for extending said fifth flexible sunshade from said first position to said second position to cover said roof.
18. An automobile sunshade according to claim 16 further comprising battery means for powering said electric motor means.
19. An automobile sunshade according to claim 16 further comprising rechargeable battery means for powering said electric motor means.
20. An automobile sunshade according to claim 1 further comprising solar panel means for recharging said rechargeable batteries.
21. An automobile sunshade according to claim 14 further comprising guide means for guiding motion of said fifth sunshade.
22. An automobile sunshade according to claim 16 further comprising power-off brake means mounted on said electric motor means for maintaining the position of said fixed flexible sunshade.
23. An automobile sunshade according to claim 14 further comprising thermal means and electrical connection means with said electrical connection means connecting said thermal sensor means and said electric motor means for operation of said electric motor means responsive to sensing of pre-selected thermal conditions by said thermal sensor means.
24. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second housing is disposed parallel to and adjacent to said first housing.
25. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a second housing, with said second housing substantially identical to said first housing and containing a second flexible sunshade, with said second housing disposed parallel to and adjacent to said first housing and with said first and said second housings disposed in a transverse orientation relative to said roof of said automobile, with said first sunshade disposed to cover said front windshield and a portion of said roof in said unrolled position with said second sunshade disposed to cover said rear windshield and a portion of said roof in said unrolled position.
26. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 9 in which said solar panel means is mounted on an outside surface of said at least one curved panel.
27. An automobile sunshade as claimed in claim 1 in which said battery means are mounted within said first housing.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of use of a movable cleat having a base neck supporting two cleat arms above a first and a second cleat channel on both sides of the base neck, and a base tunnel when used with a cooperating slotted toe rail, the base tunnel is aligned with a desired slot in the toe rail, a bumper line is passed through the slot and base tunnel, then cleated off and pulled snug.
2. The method of use of claim 1 in which cleated off and pulled snug further comprises after the bumper line is passed through the base tunnel it is passed underneath a first cleat arm, then underneath a second cleat arm, then underneath a portion of the bumper line disposed between the first and second cleat arms before being pulled snug.
3. The method of use of claim 1 which further comprises: , and another method of use of a movable cleat having a base neck supporting two cleat arms above on both sides of the base neck, and a first and a second base aperture when used without a slotted toe rail, a first end of a supporting line is passed through the first base aperture and then tied off against itself, the supporting line is then passed around a bundle, then through the second base aperture, then cleated off and pulled snug.
4. The method of use of claim 3 in which a second instance of cleated off and pulled snug further comprises after the supporting line is passed around the bundle and through the second base aperture it is passed underneath a second cleat arm, then around the cleat neck then underneath a second arm, then and over the top of the second cleat arm, then behind the second cleat arm, then underneath the second cleat arm, and finally underneath a segment of the supporting line between underneath the first cleat arm and a top of the second cleat arm before being pulled snug.