Abstract: A strong, easy to use tab and slot fastening device suitable for use with disposable absorbent articles. The fastening device preferably includes a tab member and a slot member. The slot member has an inboard portion, an outboard portion and a slot. The inboard portion located laterally inboard of the outboard portion and the slot located between the inboard portion and the outboard portion. The tab member has a length, a proximal edge, a distal edge and a lip portion. The tab portion is passed through the slot of the slot member to engage the fastening device. Once passed through the slot, at least the lip portion of the tab member pivots such that it overlaps the outboard portion of the slot member to prevent the tab member from disengaging from the slot member.

Abstract: A method is presented for fabricating an electrically isolated MEMS device having a conductive outer MEMS element, and an inner movable MEMS element spaced apart from the conductive outer MEMS element. The inner element includes a nonconductive base having a plurality of conductive structures extending therefrom. The conductive components are formed by plating a conductive material into a pre-formed mold which defines the shape of the conductor.

Abstract: An electromagnetic field presence sensor independently evaluates the presence or absence of an object in a variety of frequency ranges. Conflicting indications of the presence of the object in these different ranges, such as may be caused by electromagnetic interference, is resolved through a voting system. In this way, band limited noise may be resisted while improving the sensitivity of the sensor and without reducing its response speed.

Abstract: A control system for an actuator employs a number of discrete feedback controllers each tuned to different operating conditions or parameters. The competing outputs of the feedback controllers are combined using fuzzy logic which dynamically effects a combination depending on the output values. One set of rules in the preferred embodiment gives greater weighting to the output having relatively lower effect on the control process.

Abstract: A removable latch assembly is provided to connect a contact block to an electrical switch operator in an industrial controller. The latch assembly comprises a housing having a spring disposed therein, to which a rotatable collar is mounted. A contact block may also be connected to the rear side of the housing. The collar, including a tab, is initially disposed in a first locked position to allow the latch assembly to be mounted onto a shaft of the operator. The collar may then be rotated to a second self-retained unlocked position that allows the user to pull the latch assembly away from the electrical switch. When this occurs, the spring automatically rotates the collar back to the locked position to permit the latch assembly to once again connect the contact block to the operator.

Abstract: A cryogenic rotary transfer coupling for a superconducting electromechanical rotating machine delivers supply flow from a cryogenic cooler to a rotor so as to cool the superconducting coils. The flow is then returned to the cooler and recirculated throughout the system. The structure includes a relative motion gap between stationary and rotating portions of the coupling. The gap is configured to greatly simplify the manufacture of the coupling while 1) being compatible with cooling systems having both cool return flow capability and warm return flow capability and 2) maintaining a high efficiency for the coupling.

Abstract: High data rate I/O modules may be placed on a synchronous bus used also with legacy low data rate I/O modules without rendering the latter modules incompatible and without changing the clock rate of the bus by interleaving extended data to be read at falling edges of the clock with conventional data for the legacy modules to be read at rising edges of the clock. High data rate modules read both extended and conventional data effectively doubling the data transmission rate.

Abstract: A misaligned conveyor belt detection assembly is provided to determine when a conveyor has become misaligned. Specifically, a conveyor belt is placed in contact with a contact apparatus that produces indications, such as heat and/or vibration that, when measured, are compared to corresponding threshold values to determine whether the conveyor belt has become misaligned. The assembly can then display a misalignment indication to a user stationed remotely from the conveyor.

Abstract: A switch assembly is provided that comprises a switch having a normally open contact and a normally closed contact which is electrically connected to the normally open contact and which is located either within the same housing as the normally open contact or a separate housing. The housing(s) may be mounted onto a latch assembly which, in turn, is mounted onto a switch operator, thereby closing the normally open contact. If the latch assembly becomes mechanically disengaged from the switch operator, thereby rendering the normally closed contact non-operational, the normally open contact will open, thereby opening the circuit to a machine performing a controlled function. The user, noticing the stoppage of operation, will then be alerted of a malfunction within the switch assembly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a rotor for use with a rotating machine is provided that employs a superconducting coil on the rotor. An adhesive is applied to an outer surface of the rotor body, which may include a groove disposed within an outer surface of the rotor body. A superconducting coil is then mounted onto the rotor body such that the adhesive bonds the superconducting coil to the rotor body.

Abstract: Low voltage logic circuitry is used to permit an entire subsystem of an industrial controller to be placed within a hazardous environment to receive a high speed serial link and undertake the control of multiple control points without expensive and awkward long cable runs and electrically isolating circuits for each cable run. Energy and bandwidth limiting on the high speed link allows power levels commensurate with high data rates yet intrinsic safety of the media allowing it to freely pass in and out of the hazardous area. A mixture of intrinsically safe and non-intrinsically safe equipment on the same logical rack is allowed through a bus isolator providing isolated data communication in backplane fashion between modules while wholly isolating power transmission along the backplane.