Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing miniaturized chemical and biological sensor elements with ion-selective membranes. To simplify production in the micro range, an aperture (5,6) starting from the front (3) and tapering toward the back (4) is made in a thin silicon substrate (1) so that the front and back are interconnected. A liquid with which the ion-selective membrane is formed is poured into the containment (2) thus formed. Vertical ISFETs may also be made on the above principle.

Abstract: A circuit for providing illumination on a wheel hub cap comprises a plurality of electric lights, adapted to be arranged on the hub cap; an electric battery, adapted to be arranged on the hub cap; and at least one inertial switch connected electrically in series between the battery and the electric lights and adapted to be arranged on the hub cap in spaced relationship to the central axis of the hub cap and with such orientation as to be closed by centrifugal force upon rotation of the hub cap.

Abstract: A miniature clothes dryer is adapted to operate in combination with a portable hair dryer that includes a heating element, an air blower for passing air across the heating element and a hot air outlet nozzle. The clothes dryer comprises a dryer housing having an inlet opening to receive and retain the outlet nozzle of the portable hair dryer. The housing also has an outlet opening for discharging air and a door for the insertion and removal of items of clothing. Mounted for rotation within the housing is a clothes drying drum having walls for supporting and tumbling the clothes which are inserted through the housing door. Drive means with an electric motor are provided for rotating the drum. The drum walls have a plurality of openings for the passage of air and the housing has a plurality of baffles for directing hot air from the nozzle of a hair dryer at the inlet opening to the inside of the drum, and from the inside of the drum to the outlet opening.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing bags that are rectangular when collapsed and which comprise two superimposed flat sides, sealed at the edges, and a handle member. The method comprises the steps of: laying out a web forming three parallel subordinate webs, one extending longitudinally in the middle and one on each lateral side thereof; folding two top flanks out of the middle subordinate web to create a handle-top portion; V-folding a center strip of the middle subordinate web to create a handle member; providing the handle member with a finger slot and with depressions that allow the middle part to be pulled apart along the handle member to form a gusset; bringing the two lateral subordinate webs together; and attaching the lateral subordinate webs together along seams to create bag edges and cutting off the bags along their edges.

Abstract: A videoconferencing network for digital computer workstations that operate on a local area network (LAN) to exchange data. The network includes a signalling local area network (A-LAN), connected to a first port of a plurality of workstations, for transmitting and receiving data signals between selected ones of the workstations and a broadband local area network (B-LAN) connected to a second port of the plurality of workstations, for transmitting and receiving television signals between selected ones of these workstations. Each television signal is transmitted at a selected frequency channel so that no two transmissions interfere. A software program, stored in and operable on the computer of each workstation, generates and receives data messages, transmitted via the A-LAN, to and from the computer of another workstation, respectively.

Abstract: A steel pan, in particular a forged steel pan, has a shaft (3) which is bent backwards at about mid length. The bent back portion of the shaft forms a handle (4) located above the part not bent back.

Abstract: A support for sheaves of pipe that prevents each pipe (4) individually and each sheaf as a whole from sagging. Each pipe extends through a more or less matching perforation. The support comprises at least two adjacent, parallel, and mutually attached disks (2 or 22) containing perforations (6 or 30) uniformly distributed at an angle of 60.degree. and matching the outer cross-section of the pipe. Every nth perforation in every nth line along one of the major axes (8, 10, & 12 or 24, 26, & 28) of distribution is concentrically expanded into the vicinity of the (n-1)th surrounding perforations (6 or 30), wherein n=2 or 3. The particular expansions (14 or 30) in subsequent disks (2a & 2b or 22a & 22b) are displaced such that every expansion in one disk is coaxial with a perforation (6c or 30b) left in the other disk.

Abstract: Circuitry for detecting and correcting errors in data words occurring in Reed-Solomon coded blocks contains a plurality of stages. One stage constructs syndromes in the data flowing through the blocks. Another stage detects erasures in the syndromes. Another stage applies a Euclid's algorithm withT.sub.s (x)={Q.sub.s-1 (x).multidot.T.sub.s-1 (x)}+T.sub.s-2 (x),R.sub.s (x)={Q.sub.s-1 (x).multidot.R.sub.s-1 (x)}+R.sub.s-2 (x),andI Q.sub.s-1 (x)=R.sub.s-2 (x)/R.sub.s-1 (x)wherein T.sub.s (x), R.sub.s (x), and Q.sub.s-1 (x) are polynomials representing the position of the error, its value, and a provisional value respectively, and R.sub.s (x) and T.sub.s (x) can be normalized with a minimal coefficient T.sub.s (0)=.delta. such that R(x)=R.sub.s (xi/.delta. and T(x)=T.sub.s (x)/.delta.. Another stage detects error positions X.sub.k and values Y.sub.k by conducting a Chien zero-root search in conjunction with ##EQU1## wherein T'(X.sub.k) is the first derivative of T at a place x.sub.k.

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting an advancing strip of photographic paper into prints of different size along and across the strip. The apparatus includes devices that cut perpendicular to the edges of the strip upstream of devices that cut parallel with the edges of the strip. Other devices secure the paper in position while it is being cut.

Abstract: A sensor and bracket assembly designed for arrangement in the crush zone of a motor vehicle, is operative to determine when and if a crash of the vehicle is severe enough to deploy a passive restraint system (i.e., air bag or seat belt tensioner). The sensor is preferably of the crush switch type but may also be electronic of electromechanical. The bracket is designed to lie in the crush zone for a wide spectrum of crashes including those that involve only a portion of the vehicle front end including partial bumper over-rides and under-rides. The bracket may be either a separate part of the desired shape may be incorporated into the design of some part of the vehicle structure such as the radiator supports. The assembly may incorporate a single or multiple brackets and a single or multiple sensors.

Abstract: In a computer system, a plurality of input/output processors (IOP's) are connected via an asynchronous input/output bus, called an "SPD" bus, to one side of an input/output interface controller (IOIC). The other side of the IOIC is connected to a storage controller (SC) via a synchronous bus called an "adapter" bus. The SC is connected to a common system memory and possibly also to an instruction processing unit. The IOIC comprises at least one shared DMA facility for executing DMA read/write storage operations requested by the IOP's via the SPD bus. Each shared DMA facility includes a buffer for holding control information and data to be transmitted between the SC and one of the IOP's. This enables the SPD bus to be released for utilization by otehr IOP's connected thereto during periods of "storage latency" that occur after a DMA storage operation has been initiated by one IOP.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for implementing the system architectural requirement of precise interrupt reporting in a pipelined processor with multiple functional units. Since the expense of an interrupt pipeline is warranted only for those interrupts that occur frequently--specifically, those arising from virtual memory management--the apparatus utilizes an interrupt pipeline for frequently occurring interrupts, and a slower, but much less costly, software-based system for precisely reporting the remaining interrupts. The software-based system is facilitated by an instruction numbering and tracing scheme, whereby pertinent information concerning executed instructions is recorded as the instructions pass through the processor pipeline and potentially to other functional units. A software interrupt handler may use this information to isolate and precisely report an interrupt.

Abstract: A range imaging system, and a method for calibrating such a system are based on the principles of projective geometry. The system comprises four subsystems: (1) a laser and a cylindrical lens or vibrating mirror for producing a planar beam of light; (2) an electronic camera equipped with a lens and an appropriate interference filter; (3) an electronic circuit for height (depth) measurements and video image generation; and (4) a scanning mechanism for moving the object with respect to the light beam and the camera so as to scan an area of the object surface. The system is calibrated by determining the position in the electronic image of the object surface at three different heights. The range image is generated from these three known heights from either a previously determined look-up table, or from a calculation based on the invariance of the cross-ratio, a well known ratio from projective geometry.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for separating and identifying classes of patterns or events which are not necessarily linearly separable. The patterns are represented by an input signal S. The system comprises (1) a plurality of classification units, connected in parallel to receive the input signal S and (2) a class selection device, responsive to the output signals produced by the classification units, for producing a single output response R representing the class of each respective pattern. At least some of the pattern classification units include generalizer units having a memory for storing a number of generalizer "prototypes" and a comparator for comparing the vector location of an input pattern with each of the generalizer prototypes.

Abstract: An automatic control system for operating an electrically actuated device, such as a windshield wiper, power window, sun roof or convertible top of a motor vehicle, in response to the presence of water moisture. The control system includes a moisture sensor having a plurality of spaced apart, exposed conductive strips, the strips being arranged in adjacent pairs; a voltage source coupled to one strip of each pair; a current detector coupled to the other strip of each pair to discriminate between the presence or absence of moisture droplets on each pair; a drop accumulation detector, coupled to the current detector, for determining the number of pairs of sensor strips which are contacted by moisture droplets; and an electrical switch, coupled to the droplet detector, for switching on the electrical device in response to the number of droplets present on the moisture sensor.

Abstract: A synchronous rotary cross-cutter is disclosed with two oppositely rotated, axially parallel cutting rotors that support cooperating, helically extending knife blades with cutting edges situated in a cylindrical envelope. The axes of these cutting edges run at an angle, corresponding to the inclination of the helix, with respect to the direction of advancement of the material web being cut. To accommodate different cutting lengths without the need for a controllable irregular drive for this purpose, the axial distance of the cutting rotors from the material web is variable and the knives are mounted on a flat blade holder that runs substantially tangentially in the rotor cross section and is slightly flexible. The knife blade holder, supported by a series of individually adjustable supporting elements, can be given a slight flexure with a radial adjustment, so as to assure that the position of the cutting edge of the knife remains within in the cylindrical envelope.

Abstract: An apparatus for the temporary storage and controlled feeding of the volatile fuel components situated in the free space of a tank to the intake tube of an internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes a vent line connecting the free space to the atmosphere. In the vent line there is disposed a storage chamber containing an absorption element, as well as a line connecting the storage chamber to the intake tube, which can be shut off by an electromagnetic check valve. Between the check valve and the intake tube there is disposed an auxiliary valve with a control chamber. The auxiliary valve can be closed by a vacuum actuator in dependence upon the pressure difference between the control chamber and the atmosphere.

Abstract: A bottom unit for the combustion chamber of a liquid-fueled rocket including a bottom plate held on a swivel bearing and having circumferentially distributed openings for the injection of the two fuel components as well as two separate groups of supply passages which are connected to these fuel injection openings. The swivel bearing consists of a rigid thrust plate and a rigid hanger plate which are held and joined together by an internally situated, first annular body of rubber elastic material and by a second annular body of rubber elastic material surrounding the first at a radial distance therefrom. The one group of supply passages is formed by the cavity surrounded by tthe first annular body and the other group of supply passages by the annular space between the first and the second annular body.

Abstract: Conventional ball-in-tube, gas-damped, crash sensors utilize a gold plated ball to bridge two contacts. When the ball senses acceleration (deceleration) in the longitudinal direction of a cylinder of sufficient magnitude and duration, it moves to where it bridges the contacts, completing the electrical circuit and initiating deployment of a safety restraint system. The contact duration of this type of sensor is significantly affected by bouncing of the contacts after being hit by the sensing mass and by the accelerations in directions perpendicular to the axis of the tube. This sometimes results in no triggering, or late triggering, of the sensor. A switch activated by magnetic flux is combined with this type of gas-damped sensor to provide a solid and reliable contact duration and ensure the correct functioning of the sensor. The level of biasing force for crash zone crash sensors of this type has been increased to avoid late firing problems on marginal crashes.

Abstract: A molding apparatus for producing a molding from multi-component plastic, especially polyurethane. The upper and lower parts of the mold are fastened, respectively, on mold holders of which at least one is movable relative to the other and can be propped in a closed position in which the upper mold part and lower mold part are still at a slight distance apart. Starting out from this closed position the upper and lower mold parts can be brought together and pressed against each other by a jacking device which is provided on at least one of the mold holders.