Abstract: A headrest includes at least one seat back mounting member and a connector coupling a cushion to the mounting member. The cushion connector is movable when the mounting member is invertingly mounted on the seat back to deploy the cushion at different angular positions. The mounting member may be a flexible wire bendable to accommodate different seat back sizes and to mount the headrest about the seat back. Alternately, the cushion connector is mountable in one or more different angled bores for deploring the cushion at different angles. Alternately, a hinge may be coupled to the connector to movably deploy a cushion at different angular positions. Alternately, the cushion may be pivotally mounted in a recess in the seat back and deployable from a retracted position to at least one forward extending deployed position. The cushion is also extensible relative to the seat back.

Abstract: A method of making a pump (10) including a polymeric pump housing (12) and a drive shaft (14) mounted for rotation in a bearing (16), the bearing (16) having on an exterior surface at least one engagement formation (44), —the method including the step of molding the pump housing (12) around the bearing (16) such that the housing (12) co-operates with the engagement formation (44) to restrict movement of the bearing (16) with respect to the housing (12).

Abstract: An ion source includes a pair of pole elements, at least one shunt element, and at least one magnetic field producing element that produces a magnetic field. A gap is defined between the pole elements of the pair of pole elements. The at least one magnetic field producing element and the at least one shunt element cooperate to define at least a part of a magnetic field conducting circuit that conducts the magnetic field between the pole elements of the pair of pole elements. The pair of pole elements and the at least one shunt element are formed from a material that consists essentially of ferrous metal having an overall carbon content of less than 0.08 percent.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a vacuum cup mount including the steps of providing a housing having a mount base and a generally upstanding wall extending from the mount base, providing a retainer having an aperture that extends from an upper side of the retainer to a lower side of the retainer and a plurality of recesses formed on the lower side of the retainer in communication with the aperture, placing the retainer on the mount base so that the lower side of the retainer faces the mount base, and bending at least a portion of the generally upstanding wall so that the bent portion of the generally upstanding wall engages the upper surface of the retainer to secure the retainer with respect to the mount base.

Abstract: A method for mounting a plurality of tool rails of a tool mounting system according to a desired orientation. The method includes mounting a plurality of tool rail supports to a base, wherein each of the plurality of tool rail support has a releasable mount and a lug mount. Each of the plurality of tool rails is assembled to include a mount plug receivable within the releasable mount of the tool rail supports, and a lug receivable within the lug mount of the tool rail supports. At least one of the plurality of tool rail supports is fixed with the releasable mount spaced apart from the lug mount such that only a desired one of the plurality of tool rails can be received in a corresponding one of the tool rail supports.

Abstract: A tooling apparatus for positioning end effector tooling for engagement with a workpiece to facilitate the performance of work operations on the workpiece. The apparatus includes an elongated rectangular tubular backbone member, a plurality of tubular collars positioned over and secured to the backbone member at predetermined longitudinally spaced locations along the backbone member, and a plurality of support structures secured to a side of one or more of the collars utilizing a plurality of fasteners engaging apertures in the collars and aligned apertures in the underlying backbone member.

Abstract: An automotive audio bracket for mounting a vehicle component to an interior surface of the vehicle includes a first mounting surface oriented substantially perpendicular to the interior surface and adapted for attachment to a rigid support structure of the vehicle, and a second mounting surface oriented substantially perpendicular to the interior surface and adapted for attachment to the vehicle component. An elongated aperture extends through one of the first and second mounting surfaces, the aperture being elongated along an axis substantially perpendicular to the interior surface. A fastening mechanism is positioned within the aperture and connects the first mounting surface to the second mounting surface.

Abstract: A gripper assembly includes at least one movable gripper jaw and a sensor member coupled for movement with the at least one gripper jaw. The sensor member includes a slot. A sensor is located at least partially within the slot and includes at least one inductor for inductively detecting a proximity of the sensor member.

Abstract: A machine for constructing height adjustable stair steps with tread/riser unit, and riser bracket.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a check fixture for measuring the accessibility of a lower car seat anchor to a user installing a car seat, and methods thereof. One embodiment of a check fixture comprises a body having a rear end and a front end, the body defining a longitudinal axis. The front end comprises an anchor-engaging structure and the rear end comprises a force gauge interface. The fixture also comprises a flange at least partially circumferentially positioned around the body at a longitudinal position a distance from the front end. The flange includes a bearing surface substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the bearing surface sized and configured so that when the front end is moved into engagement with the anchor, the bearing surface engages the seating material adjacent the access aperture. The engagement of the flange with the seating material generates a reactive force.

Abstract: A radially compliant scroll compressor includes a fixed scroll, an orbiting scroll operatively connected to the fixed scroll, a synchronizer and at least one linkage member operatively connected to the orbiting scroll and the synchronizer. The at least one linkage member includes an orbiting crank handle operatively disposed on the linkage member, a crankpin operatively disposed through said synchronizer and extending into the crank handle and a damping member disposed on the crankpin between the synchronizer and the crank handle.

Abstract: An X-Y linear slide mechanism includes a first block member having opposing exterior and interior surfaces, a second block member having a planar interior surface, a pair of cylindrical rods secured together along their axial lengths. The interior surfaces of the first and second block members each have elongate grooves formed therein. The elongate grooves have a length longer than the pair of cylindrical rods, a width to receive one of the cylindrical rods and a depth slightly greater than the diameter of one of the cylinder rods. Each of the pair of cylindrical rods are disposed in one of the elongate grooves providing X and Y linear motion of the second block member relative to the first block member.

Abstract: An oxygen generator includes a monolithic body having first and second channels extending longitudinally therein. An electrode is operatively disposed in the first channels and a counter-electrode is operatively disposed in the second channels. The second channels are formed in the monolithic body so each second channel is electrically isolated from, yet adjacent to a first channel, resulting in an alternating configuration of first and second channels. The first channels have fluid or oxygen flowing therethrough, while the second channels have the other of oxygen or fluid flowing therethrough. An output manifold, having an oxygen collection area separated from a fluid collection area, operatively engages with the monolithic body. The oxygen collection area receives substantially pure oxygen from one of the second or first channels, and the fluid collection area receives oxygen-depleted fluid from the other of the first or second channels.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding of a video sequence. In connection with encoding/decoding a video sequence it is desirable to increase the video quality without having to increase the bit-rate for the encoded video too much, thereby still providing a bit-efficient representation of the video. If multiple descriptions of the video sequence is used the invention improves the video quality without any increase of the bit-rate. According to the invention, this is achieved by using two or more coding units for encoding the same video sequence, wherein the encoding units perform their encoding operations displaced in time in relation to each other. Correspondingly, two or more decoding units are used for decoding the same video sequence, wherein the decoding units perform their decoding operations displaced in time in relation to each other.

Abstract: A gripper assembly including at least one gripper jaw and an actuator head linked with the at least one gripper jaw. An actuator selectively operates to move the actuator head between a plurality of positions. A support is fixed relative to the actuator and includes a guide slot that guides the actuator head. One of the actuator head or the guide slot includes a channel and the other of the actuator head or the guide slot includes a guide member extending there from at least partially into the channel.

Abstract: An integrated mirror/display assembly includes a flip down display integrated with a rearview mirror. The mirror may be mounted to the display and the mirror/display is movable on a pivot between a retracted non-viewing position during normal vehicle operation and an extended viewing position when the vehicle is not in an operating mode.

Abstract: This invention relates to digital image and video processing. It is concerned with determining the motion of pixels between frames in an image sequence. That motion relates to the motion of objects in the scene. The invention determines two kinds of motion information at each pixel site. The first kind of information is the displacement between a pixel site in the current frame and the corresponding site in me previous or next frame. This is the motion vector at that site. The second is an indication of whether that pixel is occluded or not in the previous or next frames. This allows any subsequent processing to take advantage of the fact that the pixel in the current frame may have been covered in the next (or previous) frame by some object moving over it (or revealing it). The invention also allows for prior knowledge of objects that are to be ignored in the process of motion determination.

Abstract: A method for identifying color in a target creates a ratio color space by determining the largest color component value of each pixel in an image and creating a ratio of all of the color component value with the largest component value for each pixel. The ratio for the color component of each pixel undergoes a threshold test to identify each color component as a rich shade or a fade shade. The ratio space color components are converted to a black and white image. Color information of adjacent pixels are clumped together to form blobs of the same color. The blobs are filtered by shape, color, location, or orientation and sorted to find targets that consist of a predefined pattern with the desired characteristics.

Abstract: An improved method for making compressed structural fiberboard by extruding agricultural fibrous matter into a compressed structural fiberboard. The improved method includes providing a preselected volume of agricultural fibrous matter and preconditioning the agricultural fibrous matter to have a predetermined moisture level. The agricultural fibrous matter is separated and cleaned, and steam is added until a predetermined level of moisture is reached within the agricultural fibrous matter. Borax is also added to the agricultural fibrous matter to prevent the formation of bacteria. The agricultural fibrous matter is conveyed throughout the process on conveyors having variable drives, wherein the level of the agricultural fibrous matter on the conveyors is sensed such that a signal is provided to adjust the speed of the conveyors in order to provide a predetermined level of agricultural fibrous matter. The agricultural fibrous matter is then extruded to form a compressed structural fiberboard.

Abstract: A support structure of a filter element for supporting a filter material that is adapted to filter a fluid includes a first frame portion and a second frame portion. The first frame portion has a plurality of radially-extending fingers that are longitudinally spaced from one another. The first frame portion is disposed entirely on an unfiltered side of the filter material. A second frame portion has a pair of longitudinally-extending support surfaces that are disposed in a spaced, facing relationship with respect to one another. The second frame portion is disposed entirely on a filtered side of the filter material. The radially-extending fingers of the first frame portion and each of the longitudinally-extending support surfaces of the second frame portion support the filter material to define a first radial channel. The radially-extending fingers of the first frame portion space the longitudinally-extending support surfaces of the second frame portion apart from one another.