Abstract: A mold has at least one vent hole formed in the mold. The vent hole is positioned to allow egress of air from the mold. The vent hole has an inside end and an outside end. The vent hole has a cross section that increases in area from the inside end to the outside end. The vent hole may have a shape of a trapezoidal prism, a truncated pyramid or a truncated cone; the cross section of the vent hole may be a rectangle. A preferred mold has three air vent holes at three corners of the mold. An integrated circuit is placed within the mold. A material to be molded is injected into the mold to encapsulate the integrated circuit. Mold cleaning is facilitated by the shape of the vent, and plastic flashes may be easily removed through the vent hole.

Abstract: A method and lock detector for detecting lock between a reference signal and a feedback signal of a PLL circuit. A number of clock cycles of the feedback signal is counted during consecutive test intervals defined by the reference signal. A feedback comparator determines whether the number of clock cycles of the feedback signal during a given test interval is within an expected range. Before lock has been indicated, a qualification counter is either incremented or reset after each test interval in accordance with the expected range determination. A lock indication signal indicating that lock has been achieved is provided if said qualification counter exceeds a qualification threshold.

Abstract: A protector panel receives plug-in protector modules. The panel has a plurality of pin receiving holes. The panel has a plurality of members depending from its bottom. Each of the at pin receiving holes has a respective pair of the depending members adjacent to and on opposite sides of that hole. Each member has a boss at an end of the member. A printed wiring board is attached to the panel, beneath the depending members. The printed wiring board has wirings on its surface. The printed wiring board has a plurality of holes, each aligned with a respective pin receiving hole of the panel. The printed wiring board has a resilient elongated member adjacent to each hole of the printed wiring board. The elongated members have a conductive material on them. The conductive material forms an electrical connection between the wirings and pins of the plug-in protection devices, while the pins are at least partially inserted into the holes of the panel.

Abstract: A geotextile fabric constructed as a bi-axially oriented, open grid of high modulus of elasticity strands impregnated with resinous material which is flexible when cured. The fabric may be stored and installed in roll or sheet form and provides high-strength, low-strain reinforcement of earthen structures which is resistant to abrasion, water and chemical attack from soil.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining the location of faulty components in a computer memory array on a chip and for providing a software repair procedure. According to the method, the location of faulty components in a computer memory array is determined by successively reading and writing to locations in the array according to an algorithm. If a faulty component is detected, it is determined whether a spare component in a spare memory array on the chip is available. If a spare component is available, a spare component is designated to correspond to the faulty component. A look up table on the same chip stores information representing the location of the faulty component associated with information representing the location of the corresponding spare component.

Abstract: An apparatus which aligns a ball grid array (BGA) device over a substrate. The apparatus preferably includes a cup-shaped member for cupping and holding the solder balls of the BGA device, and an elongate member attached to the cup-shaped member. The cup-shaped member is attached between the BGA device and the substrate at two or more different positions so that the solder balls of the BGA device become aligned over the terminals of the substrate by operation of gravity.

Abstract: A strap cutting and removing device comprising a pole having a handle end and a gripping and cutting mechanism connected to a gripping actuating means. The device is capable of holding and cutting a strap, wherein the strap remains held as the strap is severed. A method for removing straps is disclosed.

Abstract: A stirring machine and method for automated mixing of multi-part encapsulants used for coating microelectronic devices such as integrated circuits. The stirring machine includes a variable speed motor; a stirring rod coupled to an output shaft of the motor; a lead screw for vertical adjustment of the stirring rod; a stirring head secured to the stirring rod, the stirring head including at least two spaced apart arms, each of the arms being radially equidistant form the axis of rotation; and a control system for varying the rotational rate and height of the stirring head and the duration of stirring. The stirring machine and method significantly reduce the amount of air entrained in encapsulants in accordance with existing manual methods of production, thereby reducing the time required for de-airing encapsulants.

Abstract: A vehicle for temporary support of intermodal cargo containers, especially a trailer for a tractor/trailer rig, has deployable locating pins placed centrally along the length of a chassis, for locating containers placed end-to-end. The locating pins center containers of different lengths relative to the chassis, which is long enough to accommodate the longest standard length of container or two short containers. The locating pins are resiliently mounted such that a long container or misplaced containers that are set down on the pins, cause the pins to be depressed into the chassis. Stop pins define an endpoint for an end of a container, and two resiliently mounted engagement pins on each side, are positioned for engaging the corner fittings of intermodal containers when abutted against the locating pins.

Abstract: A wheelchair lift is mounted in a vehicle doorway and provided with at least three distinct modes in which a supporting platform can be moved. The platform is affixed to vertical standards guided by parallelogram linkages between the standards and fixed posts mounted in the vehicle doorway. The parallelogram linkages hold the standards at a fixed orientation relative to the posts and keeps the platform horizontal as it is raised or lowered between ground level and the level of the vehicle passenger compartment. The platform is pivotable on a horizontal axis at the connection between the platform and the movable standards such that the platform can be raised from a horizontal wheelchair-carrying orientation to a compact vertical orientation in which the platform is stowed in the plane of the vertical standards, which are disposed against or between the fixed posts. The platform also is attached to the vertical standards on a vertical axis so as to hinge in the manner of a gate to clear the doorway for passage.

Abstract: An aluminum electrolytic capacitor includes an anode sheet of aluminum, a cathode sheet of aluminum, and separators disposed to sandwich either the anode sheet or the cathode sheet. Anode lead tabs of aluminum are connected to the anode sheet by “needling” or welding. Cathode lead tabs formed of an aluminum sheet are connected to the cathode sheet by “needling” or welding. The surface of each of the cathode lead tabs contacting the separator is roughened. Alternatively, an aluminum thin sheet may be disposed to overlie each of smooth-surfaced cathode lead tabs, with its surface contacting the separator roughened.

Abstract: A toilet seat comprises a resistive wire sewn to a support material such as a fibrous mat. The wire is preferably sewn in an annular pattern or a sinuated pattern disposed throughout the seat. The heating element can be contained within a toilet seat core, which can have a shell molded thereon to form a toilet seat.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward an insulated party tray carrier. The party tray carriers of the present invention comprise a top wall, a bottom wall, a back wall, a front wall and side walls. The walls of the present invention are insulated to reduce the rate of heat transfer from items inside the carrier to the ambient environment. The present invention also comprises one or more ribs to add structural integrity to the party tray carrier.

Abstract: The apparatus is a heat pipe with superior heat transfer between the heat pipe and the heat source and heat sink. The heat pipe is held tightly against the heat source by mounting holes which penetrate the structure of the heat pipe but are sealed off from the vapor chamber because they each are located within a sealed structure such as a pillar or the solid layers of the casing surrounding the vapor chamber. Another feature of the heat pipe is the use of more highly heat conductive material for only that part of the wick in the region which contacts the heat source, so that there is superior heat conductivity in that region.

Abstract: A headend of a shared data channel receives data packets, each data packet being addressed to a user of the shared data channel. A buffer of the headend queues the data packets, and a router of the headend assigns high transmittal priority to data packets addressed to users who have more recently received a previous data packet and assigns low transmittal priority to data packets addressed to users who have relatively less recently received a previous data packet, wherein the low transmittal priority is a lower priority than the high transmittal priority.

Abstract: A sub-miniature push-on RF connector for connecting a transmission line to a signal sink. The connector has a shielded transmission line section having a signal line and a ground line extending axially through the connector. A center pin is coupled to the signal line and extends from the center of a front face of the connector in an axial direction. A semicircular tab coupled to the ground line extends from the front face of the connector substantially along the length of the center pin and partially surrounding the center pin to reduce an air gap impedance, the tab having first and second wire bonding surfaces at the ends of the semicircular shape thereof and disposed adjacent to said center pin.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is now provided novel anti-HIV compounds of the formulae selected from the group consisting of: wherein R1 is hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl; R2 is hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy or halogen; R3 is hydrogen, hydroxy, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy or halogen; R4 is hydrogen or halogen, R5 is hydrogen; C1-C4 alkoxy, nitro, halogen or haloalkyl; R6 is hydrogen or nitro; R7 is hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy, nitro or halogen; R8 is hydrogen, hydroxy, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy or halogen; R9 is hydrogen or nitro; R10 is hydrogen or halogen; R11 is hydrogen, C1-C4 amine; R12 is hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl or halogen; R13 is hydrogen, C1-C4 amine; R14 is hydrogen or halogen; R15 is hydrogen, C1-C4 alkoxy, C1-C4 haloalkyl, nitro, or halogen; R16 is hydrogen or nitro; R17 is hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy, nitro or halogen; R18 is hydrogen, C1-C4 alkoxy, hydroxy, or halogen; R19 is hydrogen or nitro; and R20 is hydrogen or halogen, or a pha