Abstract: A physical compact vacuum pickup device of critically safe volume and geometric shape is provided for use in radioactive enclosures, such as a small glove box, to facilitate manual cleanup of either wet or dry radioactive material. The device is constructed and arranged so as to remain safe when filled to capacity with plutonium-239 oxide. Two fine mesh filter bags are supported on the exterior of a rigid fine mesh stainless steel cup. This assembly is sealed within, and spaced from, the interior walls of a stainless steel canister. An air inlet communicates with the interior of the canister. A modified conventional vacuum head is physically connected to, and associated with, the interior of the mesh cup. The volume of the canister, as defined by the space between the mesh cup and the interior walls of the canister, forms a critically safe volume and geometric shape for dry radioactive particles that are gathered within the canister.

Abstract: In a process for manufacturing a rigid magnetic recording disk, the disk's rigid substrate member is subjected to a force that produces plastic deformation in a manner so as not to remove material therefrom. In this way, the disk is provided with a surface topography that contains a controlled texture, for example in the area of the disk's start/stop track. In an embodiment of the invention, an ultrasonic probe and a disk shaped substrate member are placed in close proximity within a container that holds a fluid abrasive slurry, i.e. a suspension of hard particles in a liquid. Operation of the ultrasonic probe, as the substrate member rotates, causes the slurry to texture an adjacent portion of the substrate member by means of plastic deformation and in the absence of material removal from the substrate member. Operation of the probe thus provides texturing of the disk at an inner diameter track area thereof, for example in the disk's start/stop area.

Abstract: An erasable video cassette labeling kit is disclosed having an elongated paper board base member on which an elongated, transparent, plastic bubble is laminated, the bubble being located to one side of the base member and extending parallel to the major axis of the base member. A stack of individual, elongated, erasable video cassette labels are loosely housed in the bottom of the plastic bubble, adjacent to the base member, and a marking pen is loosely housed in the bubble, on top of the stack of labels. A hanging notch is formed in one end of the base member, in alignment with the center of gravity of the kit, so that the kit can be hung from the notch with the major axis of the base member extending vertically. The labels are formed of four layers comprising a top layer or film of clear polypropylene that is adapted for marking by use of the marking pen, a white, tear resistant, vinyl polymer layer or film, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer or film, and a split, peelable, paper support layer or liner.

Abstract: A compound or multi-function tool facilitates manually moving of the brake rod of a motorized land vehicle, and provides a dimensional scale integrally therewith by which the distance of travel of the brake rod between its brake-off and brake-on positions is visually observed and measured.

Abstract: A self-powered liquid crystal spatial light modulator is disclosed having a pair of spaced transparent glass plates, on each plate of which a transparent electrically conductive film is coated so as to be in confronting relation. A voltage/current generating, photovoltaic/photodiode, light sensitive layer is coated onto one of the conductive films. A liquid crystal layer is confined between the other conductive film and the light sensitive layer. A shorting circuit element connects the two conductive films. This shorting circuit element may be internal or external to the spatial light modulator. A pixel area of the spatial light modulator is addressed by a beam of light that illuminates the pixel area and operates to activate a corresponding area of the light sensitive layer. The voltage/current that is generated in this area of the light sensitive film causes a current to flow through the shorting circuit element, to thereby activate, switch or charge the corresponding area of the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A passive integrated transponder (PIT) is attached to or embedded in an item to be identified. It is excited via an inductive coupling from an interrogator. The PIT responds to the interrogator via the inductive coupling with a signal constituting a stream of data unique to the identified item. The signal is in the form of two different frequencies, a shift from one frequency to the second during a bit cell representing a data "one", and a shift from the second frequency to the first frequency representing a data "zero". The responsive signal is then detected and processed for utilization in a data storage or display device.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device, a thin, synthetic diamond film (i.e. a man made film) enhances the transfer of heat from a semiconductor circuit chip to a cooling medium. The heat generating semiconductor circuit chip is located in efficient thermal transfer engagement with one surface of a synthetically deposited diamond film. The opposite surface of the diamond film forms the bottom wall of a cavity that contains a cooling medium. In one embodiment of the invention, the cavity is formed by depositing the diamond film on the surface of a silicon substrate, and then etching the silicon substrate to form an open-top cavity having side walls that comprise the silicon substrate, and having a bottom wall that comprises the diamond film. In a second embodiment of the invention, the open-top cavity is formed by an apertured silicon preform that is bonded to the diamond film. A capping member closes the top of the cavity. A cooling medium is placed within the cavity a fluid cooling medium may be circulated.

Abstract: A body garment is disclosed having utility as a handwarmer, fanny pack or carrier of elongated articles such as skis. The garment includes a centrally located, tubular, synthetic fleece member of relatively long axial length having a handwarmer chamber with a synthetic moisture wicking cloth lining. A first zipper in the top of the tubular member provides access to the handwarmer chamber and to an open-mesh heat source bag that is located within the handwarmer chamber. A pair fleece cuffs are stitched with on each open end of the tubular member. A pair of cords are attached to each cuff to compliantly control the size of the cuff open ends. An adjustable length belt is attached to the top of the tubular member. A manually releasable coupler enables the belt for encirclement of an individual's waist, for positioning to the front or to the rear, or for shoulder support by the individual.

Abstract: A semiconductor optoelectronic device provides full duplex data communication over a single optical fiber. The semiconductor device comprises a unitary P-N light emitting portion and an N-I-P photodiode portion. The light emitting portion and the photodiode portion share a common electrode for connection to operating voltage sources. The second electrode of the light emitting portion contains a window that is associated with one end of the optical fiber. A source of operating voltage for the light emitting portion is connected to the common electrode, and through data controlled switch means and a first resistance means to the second electrode of the light emitting portion. A source of operating voltage for the photodiode portion is connected to the common electrode, and through a second resistance means to a second electrode of the light emitting portion. Differential amplifier means is connected to receive the voltage developed across the first and second resistance means.

Abstract: In a fiber optic communication system, an acoustooptic modulator operates to provide a coherent light beam that is data encoded in the beam's time domain, for example by intensity modulation of the beam. A spatial light modulator then operates to address encode the beam by modulating the beam in the space domain. The resulting data and address modulated beam possesses the property of orthogonality. This beam is now transmitted to the input of a multimode optical fiber. The speckle pattern that exits the output of the optical fiber also exhibits orthogonality. This output beam is presented to a beam splitter in order to produce two spatially modulated speckle light patterns therefrom. These two beams are then focused onto photorefractive means whereat a hologram is produced. This hologram operates to address decode the beam output of the optical fiber. Detector means now operates to detect the data by receiving the beam as it is diffracted by the hologram. Ring and star interconnect networks are described.

Abstract: An improved process and apparatus for the extraction of espresso coffee from ground coffee beans in which the pressure of extraction is precisely regulated by a pressure valve and is not dependent on coffee grind size, degree of compaction of the coffee grind, or operator skill. A feature of the invention is in an assembly of the brewing chamber and regulator valve for convenient removal and attachment to an espresso machine as a unit without otherwise modifying the machine. The assembly is configurable with the regulator valve within a common housing which also defines the brewing chamber, or with a regulator valve separate from the brewing chamber assembly but attached to an outlet of the brewing chamber.

Abstract: A fluorescent dyed polymer member and a light source are structurally arranged in a manner to efficiently gather light from the light source and then transmit the gathered light to a light utilization device. Light from the light source is gathered over a large area that is occupied by the polymer member. This gathered light is transmitted through the polymer member to an edge portion thereof having a relatively small light emitting area. Light is then emitted as an external beam having a cross section that corresponds to the physical shape of the edge of the polymer member, for example a straight of linear footprint of light. The area brightness of this external beam is greater than the area brightness of the initial light source.

Abstract: The carriage optics system for an optical data storage system includes a read/write head that consists of fixed and moving optics. The moving optics includes a carriage actuator that is equipped with a beam relaying telescope lens system that minimizes the defocusing effects of the movement of the carriage actuator.

Abstract: In a disk file data storage device wherein a radially movable recording head operates to write/read data relative to a recording disk, an electrically energizable superconductor magnetic suspension system is provided for supporting the head in close flying proximity to the surface to the disk's flat recording surface. The head is force biased away from the recording surface by operation of a spring force. The magnetic suspension system includes a superconducting member and a coil member. The superconducting member and coil member that are mounted in confronting relation, such that electrical energization of the coil member produces a magnetic mirror or Meissner force in opposition to the spring force. Variable energization of the coil member operates to support the head at a controlled flying distance from the recording surface. A stack of disks having a plurality head means and a plurality of superconductor/coil pairs, one pair associated with each recording surface, is disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosure describes an optically addressable spatial light modulator (OASLM) having a light sensitive member and a distorted helix ferroelectric liquid crystal (DHFLC). In a first embodiment a hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) photodiode layer is in physical contact with the DHFLC layer. In another embodiment an integrated circuit member includes a photosensitive area and an associated metal pad for each OASLM pixel, the metal pads in physical contact with corresponding DHFLC pixel areas. In the first embodiment, a low magnitude AC voltage (less than three to seven volts peak to peak) is connected to the OASLM as operating voltage, preferably in the absence of a DC offset voltage. The OASLM pixel areas of the OASLM are selectively addressed by a writing light wavefront, to thereby activate corresponding pixel areas of the light sensitive member.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device, a thin, synthetic diamond film (i.e. a man made film) enhances the transfer of heat from a semiconductor circuit chip to a cooling medium. The heat generating semiconductor circuit chip is located in efficient thermal transfer engagement with one surface of a synthetically deposited diamond film. The opposite surface of the diamond film forms the bottom wall of a cavity that contains a cooling medium. In one embodiment of the invention, the cavity is formed by depositing the diamond film on the surface of a silicon substrate, and then etching the silicon substrate to form an open-top cavity having side walls that comprise the silicon substrate, and having a bottom wall that comprises the diamond film. In a second embodiment of the invention, the open-top cavity is formed by an apertured silicon preform that is bonded to the diamond film. A capping member closes the top of the cavity. A cooling medium is placed within the cavity.

Abstract: A passive integrated transponder (PIT) is attached to or embedded in an item to be identified. It is excited via an inductive coupling from an interrogator. The PIT responds to the interrogator via the inductive coupling with a signal constituting a stream of data unique to the identified item. The signal is in the form of two different frequencies, a shift from one frequency to the second during a bit cell representing a data "one", and a shift from the second frequency to the first frequency representing a data "zero". The responsive signal is then detected and processed for utilization in a data storage or display device.