Abstract: In a paint can assembly adapted to be releasably attached to the rung of a ladder, a relatively wide spring-like metal or plastic strap is attached to the side of a cylindrical or cone shaped paint can body. This strap bends into a downward facing U-shape so as to slip over and tightly conform to a horizontal ladder rung having a generally rectangular cross section. In this manner, the strap snugly conforms to the external surface of the ladder rung and supports the paint can relative thereto. A resilient cord is attached to the bottom of the can body at a position generally opposite to the strap. Tension applied to this cord as the cord is stretched over the lower end of the strap operates to removably secure the paint can to the ladder rung. A removable cover is provided for the can. A disposable liner lines the can body. A resilient cover is provided to convert a ladder rung of circular cross section to a ladder rung of generally rectangular cross section.

Abstract: A device for controlling the flow of a medicinal substance in an infusion tube by means of a valve comprising a sealing means and a circuit (24) for controlling the position of the sealing means. The valve includes a chamber (10) with an inlet (12) and an outlet (14), a bi-metallic strip (16) arranged within the chamber (10) and secured to one of its walls (18), a ball (20) secured to the bi-metallic strip (16) for partially or entirely sealing off the inlet (12), and a control circuit (24) for controlling the voltages (V1, V2) applied to said strip (16) in order to provided continuous and accurate control of the flow of medicinal substance through the valve.

Abstract: An in-line roller skate is provided having a front bogie that supports a front pair of surface-engaging wheels and a rear bogie that supports a rear pair of surface-engaging wheels. An elongated two-member frame extends vertically down from the underside of the skate shoe and in the horizontal direction of skate movement. The lower end of a front lever-pair pivotally mounts the front bogie, and the lower end of a rear lever-pair pivotally mounts the rear bogie. The front lever-pair inclines downward toward the toe of the shoe, the rear lever-pair inclines downward toward the heel of the shoe, and a generally middle point of each lever-pair is pivoted on the two-member frame. Front and rear shock absorbing mechanisms are provided. The front shock absorbing mechanism functions between the upper end of the front lever-pair and the two-member frame, and the rear shock absorbing mechanism functions between the upper end of the rear lever-pair and the two-member frame.

Abstract: An archery practice device projects a moving hunt scene on a screen. In one embodiment of the invention, a continuous plane of IR light is located prior to the screen, an arrow carrying a reflector is detected as it penetrates this light plane, and IR illumination is reflected back toward the archer and a full-screen radiation detector. In another embodiment, a piezoelectric motion detector senses impact of an arrow on the screen, an IR source is momentarily triggered by the motion detector, and IR illumination is reflected by the arrow toward the full-screen radiation detector. The detector generates a full-screen signal indicating the point of arrow impact on the screen. Upon detecting the arrow, the moving scene is frozen on the screen. The visual content of the frozen scene is coordinated to the full-screen signal from the detector, whereupon a hit zone image is projected on the screen to indicate the arrow impact point relative to the frozen scene.

Abstract: Apparatus for sensing the flexure of a surface includes an array of bistable dome shaped switches within the surface which change their state or position depending on the direction and degree of local flexure of the surface. A flexible sheet parallel to the surface carries wiring for detecting the state of the bistable switches and carrying this information to a computer. A second parallel sheet may be used to detect the second position of the bistable switches for extra accuracy. The bistable switches may be linked, meaning the perimeters of the bistable switches overlap, or unlinked. The two stable positions may include two oppositely protruding positions, or one protruding position and one flat position.

Abstract: An aircraft airbag module and an energy or impact absorbing and shock reducing control yoke are disclosed, the airbag module using non toxic compressed gas to provide either pyrotechnic or non-pyrotechnic inflation of an airbag independent of other aircraft operational systems. An airbag with one or more sections, when inflated, provides pilot protection without physically engaging the aircraft's control yoke, thus affording the possibility of continued aircraft control by the pilot. The aircraft control yoke includes a mechanically keyed and physically compressible section, as well as padding, thus providing the pilot with additional impact protection with or without airbag deployment. The airbag is retractable or releasable mounted so as to allow the airbag to be manually or automatically removed from the airbag module after an airbag inflation/deflation cycle.

Abstract: An airbag assembly is positioned relative to an aircraft control yoke in a manner to minimize the application of an undesired force to the control yoke when the airbag assembly is inflated. A disc-shaped airbag assembly is horizontally rod-supported from an aircraft's instrument panel so as to surround the aircraft's horizontally extending control yoke and so as to be independent mechanically thereof. The rods that support the airbag assembly may be spring biased to a quiescent position, and may then be of the telescoping type to accommodate full inward movement of the control yoke as the aircraft's pitch attitude is controlled.

Abstract: Airbags are positioned in a general aviation aircraft cockpit relative to a control yoke, a pilot, and a front seat passenger. Airbag actuation is controlled by a adaptive programmable controller such as a microcomputer. Airbag actuation is based upon information that the controller receives from multiple acceleration sensors. The outputs of the acceleration sensors are subjected to thresholding techniques, such as output signal weighting and/or majority voting. A programmable threshold is adaptively established for the controller based upon unique aircraft parameters, such as weight, altitude, angle of attack, ground and/or air speed, etc. The controller ignores all acceleration sensor inputs that do not meet this adaptive threshold. Thus, airbag actuation takes place only when a sufficient acceleration event occurs concurrently with the presence or absence of defined aircraft parameters that establish a proper threshold for the acceleration event.

Abstract: A Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) includes a Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal (FLC) layer that is contained in a thin gap or cavity between an upper cover glass and a lower Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) chip. The circuits on the VLSI/CMOS chip are wire connected to an underlying substrate member. A selected volume and vertical height of medium and small size solder joints between the VLSI chip and the substrate member produce self aligning of the VLSI chip with the underlying substrate member during solder reflow. These solder joints also produce an upward directed force that urges the VLSI chip in an upward direction away from the substrate member during solder reflow. A selected volume and vertical height of large size solder joints between the substrate member and the cover glass produce a downward directed force that urges the cover glass in a downward direction during solder reflow.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic printer, a moving laser beam scans a photoconductor as the beam is selectively modulated by the operation of a beam modulator. Binary print data is gated to the modulator by the operation of a picture element (PEL) clock. At the beginning of each photoconductor scan, the beam traverses an optical grating that is constructed and arranged to produce a grating clock signal whose frequency and phase are accurately related to the later position of the beam during each photoconductor scan. A controllable delay means is controlled by the grating clock signal. For the scanning of each photoconductor row, the delay means operates to bring the phase of the PEL clock into synchronism with the grating clock signal, prior to the time that the beam scans the photoconductor.

Abstract: The system is essentially an arrangement for determining the amount of liquid water in the atmosphere by monitoring the microwave signals received within a single frequency band around 31.65 GHz. The system has improved reliabililty since it is relatively simple employing existing technologies. It is generally a process and an arrangement wherein microwave signals naturally occurring in the atmosphere are detected by a receiver which is tuned to a relatively narrow band around the 31.65 GHz range. The converted signals from the microwave monitoring system are available for strip chart recording or for display directly or after introduction to a computer where they are processed by taking into account the known oxygen content of the atmosphere under monitor and the approximation of the vapor content.

Abstract: Data byte fields and corresponding ECC byte fields to be magnetically recorded as multi-byte records is randomized prior to run-length encoding. The randomized/encoded data is then written. When the randomized/encoded data is read back, the data is first decoded, and then derandomized in a complementary fashion. The randomizing avoids the writing of byte patterns that tend to stress the ability of a head/disk interface to record the data transitions at proper linear track positions. When reading, the complementary derandomizing scheme avoids presenting a repeating pattern of read-errors to the ECC network. Thus, read-errors are not propagated through the read channel. Data is randomized, and subsequently derandomized, in a repeating or pseudo random, complementary sequence for each byte. The complementary randomizing/derandomizing sequence is determined by the count contained in a counter.

Abstract: Clocking of Class IV partial response coded binary data is provided by way of circuit means that includes two analog threshold detectors. One detector is responsive to the analog read signal's positive-going amplitude corssing a a preset positive threshold value. The other detector is responsive to the read signal's negative-going amplitude crossing a preset negative value. The time of occurrence of both detector crossing transitions is phase-compared to a clock signal, and a phase error signal is generated for each detector, if a phase error exists. The two phase error signals are integrated by the use of a loop filter. The integrated phase error signal is then used to adjust the phase of a clock signal generator. The output of the clock signal generator is used to accurately clock, and to enable accurate recover of, the binary data that was originally encoded and written in accordance with the Class IV partial responsive coding convention.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printer is disclosed wherein the fusing of a toner image to an envelope by the use of a roll fuser causes the fusing nip to open early, i.e. the fusing nip opens a predetermined and controlled time/distance before the trailing edge of the envelope exits the fusing nip. As a result, creasing, wrinkling and the like of the envelope is minimized.

Abstract: A magnetic recording apparatus and method for the constant frequency recording of concentric data tracks on a magnetic recording disk in a manner to provide continuously reducing track width and continuously reducing track-to-track spacing from the disk's inner track to the disk's outer track. A magnetic recording head moves on a path from the disk's inner track to the disk's outer track. The head's gap-to-radius skew increases as the head moves from the inner track to the outer track. Thus, the gap's width-projection onto a disk radius at the location of each track continuously decreases in length, from the inner track to the outer track. As the track width progressively decreases, the track-to-track spacing also decreases, to thereby provide higher track density at the disk's outer tracks. A flying head having a parallelogram shaped slider is described, allowing use of the invention in non-contact recording.

Abstract: The head suspension assembly of a magnetic disk file is mounted to the disk file`s rigid actuator arm by means of an intermediate, arm-encircling, low profile, mounting band. A number of different mounting bands are disclosed for use in securing the head suspension assembly to the actuator arm. A head suspension assembly is permanently attached to the mounting band during a subassembly manufacturing procedure. The unitary mounting-band/head-suspension subassembly is then removably mounted on the end of the actuator arm by use of the mounting band.

Abstract: A three wheel vehicle is described having two forward wheels that are driven and steerable. The two forward wheels and the single rear wheel are supported by a single-unit platform member molded from an engineering plastic. The platform member includes a plurality of pipe-like attachment clip/handles strategically located both within the bounds of the platform and about the periphery of the platform. The basic vehicle is intended for use by a standing individual. A plurality of accessories are selectively attachable to the platform member by use of the platform clip/handles. They facilitate use of the vehicle by both a seated and a standing individual, and protect the individual from the environment. Attachments that facilitate cargo carrying and protection of the individual are also described. The vehicle is foldable for storage.

Abstract: A communication aid that is useful to individuals who have lost the ability to communicate with other individuals by talking and/or writing. The communication aid includes a generally flat plate or panel which carries thereon a plurality of short message portions, such as words or phrases in human readable form. A plurality of manually placeable tokens are provided. Each token carries a sequence indicator, such as a number or letter, thereon. The handicapped individual selectively places a number of these tokens on the plate in a sequence, so as to communicate a message logically readable by individuals who observe the plate. This complete message is composed by reading the short message portions in the sequential order of the numbers or letters that are carried by the tokens, to thereby form the long message.