Abstract: An airflow system for a solid-ink melter tank is disclosed, which prevents clogging of drop tube supplying solid ink to the solid-ink melter tank. An inlet may provide airflow as well as solid ink to the melter tank and an outlet maintained at a temperature higher than temperature of the inlet, promotes a convective air current. The inlet may be coaxial with the drop tube or is present as a separate opening in the solid-ink melter tank. The outlet can be taller, externally insulated, and fabricated with a thermally conductive material as compared to the inlet. The heated outlet promotes expulsion of hot air from the solid-ink melter tank and prevents heating of drop tube, which leads to drop tube clogging by partially melting the solid ink.

Abstract: Devices and methods for sensing wear of a component are described. A wear-sensing device has a wear component and a wireless sensor disposed within the wear component. The sensor generates a signal, detectable by a detector, for confirming the presence of the sensor. Further, the claimed invention includes a positioner for precisely positioning the sensor within the wear component. Also, an authentication module is present for authenticating the sensor.

Abstract: The invention relates to an elastic bushing having an elastic element and a holding element for receiving the elastic element. The holding element having an abutment region is spaced apart from a counter-abutment region of the elastic element such that a gap is formed in a neutral position of the elastic bushing. The abutment region and the counter-abutment region are substantially spherical in shape to form the gap.

Abstract: System for directing media from one an input media path to one of multiple output paths using a rotary diverter. The rotary diverter is a cylinder mounted for rotation at a crossover point, where input media paths and output media paths cross. The rotary diverter includes a funnel-shaped section longitudinally cut through the cylinder, the sides of the funnel-shaped section lying at an acute angle. A relatively narrow output end of the funnel-shaped section lies toward the apex of the angle, and a relatively wide input end lies opposite the apex. The input end is thus configured to receive media, and the output end is configured to output media. The rotary diverter can accept input media from one input media path, or from several paths, given the wide input section.

Abstract: A power assist system for a motor vehicle subsystem having a component support structure is described. The power assist system comprises a fluid reservoir, a pump having an inlet for receiving a fluid from the reservoir and a pump securing structure including at least one aperture. The system additionally includes at least one fastener. The reservoir fluid outlet is directly coupled to the pump inlet and the at least one fastener secures the reservoir mounting structure by passing directly through the pump mounting structure and attaching to the motor vehicle component support structure.

Abstract: A steering mechanism is provided, including a rack, a rotatable support member, and an automatically-adjustable support member. The rack includes a rack gear portion and the pinion includes a pinion gear portion coupled with the rack gear portion. The rotatable support member is positioned with respect to the rack or the pinion such that rotation of the rotatable support member adjusts an overlap distance between the rack gear portion and the pinion gear portion. The automatically-adjustable support member automatically urges together the rack and the pinion along an urging direction. The urging direction remains substantially constant throughout the rotation of the rotatable support member within a desired angular range.

Abstract: A rack and pinion steering system including a rack slidably supported within a housing that engages in a pinion gear. A yoke assembly, including a yoke member engaging the rack, operates to guide the rack and maintain engagement of the rack and pinion during operation of the steering system. A retainer member holds a yoke plug, used in the yoke assembly, in position and also seals the yoke assembly to provide a sealed interface that protects the internal components of the steering system from water and other contaminants.

Abstract: An accessory rail assembly mountable on a weapon. The rail assembly is formed of first and second mount units, formed to fit around the weapon. The internal profile of the mount units matches the external profile of the weapon in at least one desired location. Also, the mount units have engagement devices arranged to mutually secure the units to one another, thereby exerting force on the weapon stock, such force being limited in direction to a direction parallel to the vertical dimension of the weapon.

Abstract: A method for modeling a geological domain in a computer system, in which the computer system includes data processing and data storage modules, one or more user input devices and a display device, in which the system first receives data relating to faults within the domain. Then there is created a surface plot for each fault described in the data, each surface plot being extended to divide the domain in two portions, and the surface plots are combined into a fault network containing all faults described in the data and displayed on the display apparatus. The network display is modified in response to user input, including the first step of rotating the display about its horizontal and vertical axes as desired to inspect the same. Then the system receives manual truncation commands and truncates indicated fault portions responsive to the same.

Abstract: A battery system for a vehicle includes a main battery for energizing the vehicle SLI circuits and an auxiliary battery for energizing the vehicle EHC system, the battery system providing back-up of the auxiliary battery by the main battery under certain conditions and back-up of the main battery by the auxiliary battery under certain other conditions, and the battery system providing opportunity charging of the auxiliary battery once the vehicle engine is running whereby the auxiliary battery shares the charging current with the main battery with the auxiliary battery being gradually connected to the source of charging current for the main battery by increasing the duty cycle of the drive circuit that connects the auxiliary battery to the source of charging current while monitoring the state of charge of the main battery and decreasing the duty cycle of the drive circuit to protect the main battery state of charge.

Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly includes a fixed seat portion which is adapted to be mounted on the floor of a vehicle and a movable seat portion which is mounted on the fixed seat portion and adapted to be moved between a normal use or drive position and an access position where the front edge of the movable seat portion overlies the sill of the vehicle to facilitate egress from the vehicle, the movable seat portion providing substantial support for the occupant at the drive position and during its movement to the access position, the vehicle seat assembly including mechanisms for pivoting and/or sliding movement of the movable seat portion relative to the fixed seat portion and for locking the movable seat portion to the fixed seat portion to prevent unwanted movement of the movable seat portion.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing flash from a flexible molded part includes a support for supporting the part being deflashed in underlying relation with first and second pinch rollers which are located at opposite ends of the part, and first and second conveyor assemblies associated with the first and second pinch rollers, respectively, are adapted to move the flash at both ends of the part into engagement with the pinch rollers which are driven in opposite directions and have knurled surfaces, causing the flash to be pinched between the pinch rollers and the associated conveyor assemblies, pulling the flash from said part, the conveyor assemblies conveying the flash away from part.

Abstract: A sitting section of a vehicle seat which provides comfort for an occupant of the seat and affords protection against the occupant sliding forwards in the event of a crash, the sitting section having a frame with a seat shell having a selected natural vibration and a forward arched section and a section rearward of the arched section which is adapted to oscillate freely and is reinforced with corrugations, the seat shell sloping downwards towards the rear at an angle of about 15.degree., and the seat shell having relatively thin upholstery fitted thereover.

Abstract: A method for producing a prototype of an article includes generating a data file utilizing a computer aided design apparatus to provide data representing all of the geometry and contours for the inner cavity of the mold required to mold the article, using the data file to create the mold as a physical object directly from photosensitive resin utilizing a stereolithographic apparatus whereby the mold which is created utilizing the stereolithographic apparatus has a mold cavity having the geometry and contours required to blow mold the prototype of the article, positioning the mold in the blow molding apparatus, introducing a preform into the mold; and expanding the preform against the surface of the inner cavity of the mold to produce the prototype of the article.

Abstract: A damper assembly gear system for interchangeably carrying either airfoil damper blades or single-ply damper blades. A first embodiment, in which the damper blades rotate in opposition to one another, includes a group of gear bodies, each of which includes a tab structure, including both airfoil tabs and single-ply tabs, for mounting both types of damper blades. The airfoil tabs are shaped to match an airfoil damper and are spaced apart such that an airfoil damper can be inserted between and gripped by the airfoil tabs. Single-ply tabs are located between the airfoil tabs, shaped to match a single-ply damper and spaced apart such that a single-ply damper can be inserted between the single-ply tabs and gripped thereby. An alternative embodiment allows the system to be used in conjunction with both opposed and parallel damper assemblies. First, this embodiment includes two types of gears, blade gears and idler gears.

Abstract: An arrangement for mounting a battery monitoring circuit on the cover of the battery and for connecting the terminal ends of first and second lead wires of a battery monitoring circuit to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, the arrangement including a cavity formed in the battery cover for mounting the battery monitoring circuit, first and second battery terminal bushings which are molded integrally with the cover and are adapted to be mounted on and connected to the positive and negative battery terminals when the battery cover is installed on the battery, each of the battery terminal bushings including a pad having an upwardly directed mounting post that is adapted to receive and secure the terminal end of one of the lead wires of the battery monitoring circuit, the battery cover having first and second lead wire slots in its surface which extend from the cavity in which the battery monitoring circuit is mounted, to the locations of the battery terminal bushings for directing the lead wires

Abstract: A vehicle seat back frame including two bracing members, one being linearly extended from the lower end of the outboard upright member to the upper end of the inboard upright member and the other being extended linearly from the lower end of the inboard upright member to the upper end of the outboard upright member, the bracing members being connected together at a point intermediate their ends so that a side impact load applied to the seat back frame will place one of the bracing members fully, and the upper half of the other member, in tension substantially instantaneously upon the application of the load to the seat back frame, enabling the seat back frame to resist lateral deformation due to side impact forces applied to the seat back frame.

Abstract: A battery cell includes at a plurality of composite separator/electrode structures, each composite structure including a support member having a plurality of parallel, closely spaced ribs defining a plurality of grooves which extend longitudinally of the support member, alternating ones of the grooves having a positive paste of an active material therein, and the remaining grooves having a negative paste of an active material therein, and a current collector lead wire in each groove embedded in the paste and centrally located in the groove with the terminal ends of the lead wires of the positive electrodes extending out of one end of the composite structure and being interconnected to form a positive termination, and the terminal ends of the lead wires of the negative electrodes extending out of the opposite end of the composite structure and being interconnected to form a negative termination, a plurality of the battery cells being stacked together to form a battery having a desired amp hour capacity.