Abstract: A slider device (200, 800) according to the present invention includes a base (200); a running head (300) slidably provided on said base (200) along the direction guided by a prespecified guide mechanism (400); a rack (510) provided in the fixed state on either said base (200) or said running head (300) along the guide direction by said guide mechanism (400); a pinion (520) engaging with rack teeth of said rack and driven and rotated by a prespecified power source; a swing arm (540) rotatably supporting said pinion (520), having an oscillation shaft (550) parallel to a rotary shaft of said pinion, and coupled to either one of said base (200) and said running head (300) via said oscillation shaft (550) in the oscillation-allowable state with the line extending between said oscillation shaft (550) and the rotary shaft of said pinion substantially parallel to said rack (510) as the reference state; and a biasing mechanism (570) for biasing said pinion (520) toward said rack (510) via said swing arm (540).

Abstract: A sensing device is attached to a living subject that includes a first sensors for distinguishing lying, sitting, and standing positions. In another embodiment, sensor data is stored in a storage device as a function of time. Multiple points or multiple intervals of the time dependent data are used to direct a feedback mechanism to provide information or instruction in response to the time dependent output indicating too little activity, too much time with a joint not being moved beyond a specified range of motion, too many motions beyond a specified range of motion, or repetitive activity that can cause repetitive stress injury.

Abstract: A piston rod is guided with freedom of axial movement in a cylinder, where the position of the piston rod is detected by a first position-measuring device, which travels along with the piston rod, and by a second position-measuring device on the cylinder side. The two position-measuring devices are radially adjacent and axially parallel, and are supported in such a way that they cannot rotate with respect to each other.

Abstract: A chart for locating guides on a fishing rod comprising a plurality of side by side lanes each having a vertical portion and in a predetermined plane and arcuate lane portions of different radii and curved through an arc of about ninety degrees (90°) from said predetermined plane and a plurality of radially directed marker lines emanating from a common center and intersecting the arcuate lane portion which defines the optimum locating points for guides for the fishing rod.

Abstract: The motorized chalk box includes a chalk line reel having an internal ring gear. An electric motor drives a pinion gear, which engages the ring gear, thus resulting in a very compact assembly. The motor and gearing are sealed from the chalk dust reservoir, through which the chalk line passes. The housing comprises two components secured by a single screw to facilitate minor maintenance. A spring loaded, automatically releasing line clip extends from the distal end of the chalk line. The line clip includes a spring-loaded sleeve, which is biased against the anchor (screw, nail, etc.) when in place. Releasing the tension on the chalk line causes the sleeve to spring against the anchor, thus kicking the line clip away from the anchor. The chalk box may thus be operated using only one hand, greatly improving safety for workers in elevated environments.

Abstract: A detector supporting mechanism comprising a first arm having its one end fixed on a mount linearly movable relative to a workpiece, the first arm having a rotation axis at the other end and a second arm provided on the first arm so as to be turnable on the rotation axis relative to the first arm, a detector being mounted on a tip of the second arm, wherein the rotation axis is provided on a plane inclined at an angle of 45° from the movement axis of the mount while being inclined at an angle of 45° from the movement axis of the mount in a projection on a plane which is inclined at an angle of 45° from the plane inclined at an angle of 45° from the movement axis of the mount, and which contains the movement axis of the mount, and wherein an axis of the detector mounted on the second arm intersects the rotation axis.

Abstract: A self-balancing, no-spin magnetic compass. A described embodiment includes a compass card assembly, a retainer assembly, a pivot assembly, a gimbal assembly, a cup, and a dome. The compass card assembly includes an air chamber which provides buoyancy. The retainer assembly functions with the compass card assembly to retain magnets. The pivot assembly snap-fits into the retaining assembly and contacts the compass card assembly to allow the compass card assembly to pivot about the pivot assembly. The pivot assembly also snap-fits into the gimbal assembly. The base of the pivot assembly is positioned into the cup and the entire compass is secured into the dome, that is filled with a fluid.

Abstract: A gyrocompass has a gyrosphere which incorporates a rotor and floats in a liquid tank filled with an electrolyte, and a plurality of electrodes which are disposed in the gyrosphere and the liquid tank, and are respectively opposed through the electrolyte, wherein at least one circuit which supplies electric power to the rotor involves the electrodes, and the plurality of the electrodes includes a first belt-shaped electrode disposed in an equatorial portion of the gyrosphere, the first belt-shaped electrode is formed of a metal which is corrosion-resistant and is a good conductor, and an insulating film is formed on a portion of a surface of the first belt-shaped electrode.

Abstract: A punch press alignment instrument has upper and lower cylindrical components that are associated for vertical displacement relative to one another. Both components have outer tool holder engaging surfaces which are to be aligned with one another so as to in turn align the tool holders of the punch press when the upper and lower components themselves are in alignment. Alignment elements, e.g., ridges and grooves provided on mating surfaces of the components confronting each other are brought into contact with one another to move the components of the instrument into mutual alignment. An alignment control member, e.g., a screw is preferably provided for progressively bringing the upper and lower components toward one another and an indicator such as a lamp, a dial indicator or an audible indicator is provided for denoting the spacing between the upper and lower components to thereby confirm the alignment of the tool holders.

Abstract: A programmable marking scribe having a material displacement stylus movable in three mutually orthogonal axes to displace material from an object being marked and create a two-dimensional matrix of recessed areas formed of grooves and surrounded by ridges, the grooves and ridges forming a reflectively multifaceted data cell having a collective reflectance that is in contrast with unmarked surface reflectance to enable a reader to clearly distinguish the former from the latter even in the presence of extraneous interfering marks and deposits.

Abstract: A compass assembly includes a tape measure apparatus that includes a housing and a tape measure removably extendable outwardly of the housing. A disc has a top side, a bottom side and a peripheral edge. The disc has a centrally located opening extending therethrough. A base is positioned in the opening. A spindle is attached to the base. A pointer is rotatably attached the spindle. A saddle configured to releasably hold the housing is rotatably coupled to the spindle. The housing is mounted on the saddle. A holder configured to releasably hold a writing utensil has an upper side, a lower side and a peripheral wall. A slit extends into the peripheral wall. A fastener releasably secures a free end of the tape to the holder. A writing utensil is removably secured to the peripheral wall with a securing member.

Abstract: Given a situation where a projected laser line appears to have terminated or faded as it intersects with a work-surface (e.g., a wall), a fan-out redirecting means is used to capture and redirect energy radiating above and parallel to, or radiating away from the given work-surface area, where the captured energy is from a line projector mounted to the surface. The radiation capturing and redirecting means aims the captured energy at a greater angle towards the work-surface so that the redirected light is thereafter reflected back to a user to give the perception that a line of enhanced intensity or reborn existence is being created on the work-surface or on a reflective overlayer placed against the work-surface. The radiation capturing and redirecting means may include one or both of optically refractive means and optically reflective means (e.g., lens and mirrors) for performing the capturing and/or redirecting functions.

Abstract: A laser leveling device having a suction mounting arrangement includes a housing and a mounting seal extending from the lower portion of the housing. The mounting seal cooperates with an attachment surface to define a suction mounting area therebetween. The suction mounting arrangement cooperates with the mounting seal to maintain the vacuum pressure seal in the suction mounting area. A laser light source mounted within the housing in a planar relationship relative to the attachment surface includes at least one diode projecting an alignment beam through an opening in the housing to denote a reference plane along the attachment surface.

Abstract: A coordinate measuring device having a probe comprising a stylus (14) with a sensing member (18) for contacting the object (15) to be measured, a support unit (13) to which the stylus (14) is connected through elastic means (19), and magnet means (46) for damping vibrations of the stylus (14) by generating eddy currents in conductive material. The elastic means (19) comprise at least one leaf spring (41) made of conductive material, and said magnet means (46) generate eddy currents in said leaf spring (41).

Abstract: Toner cartridges 32C, 32M, 32Y, and 32K have storage elements 33C, 33M, 33Y, and 33K mounted thereon to transmit information carried on electromagnetic wave in a predetermined frequency band. An information receiver transmitter unit 30 is located in a neighborhood of an end of a developer unit 23 with the toner cartridges 32C, 32M, 32Y, and 32K attached thereto to transmit information carried on the electromagnetic wave in the predetermined frequency band to and from a color laser printer 20. While the developer unit 23 is rotated to develop each color component image with a supply of toner from the corresponding one of the toner cartridges 32C, 32M, 32Y, and 32K, the information receiver transmitter unit 30 is controlled to write a cumulative toner consumption and a cumulative number of printed sheets into the corresponding one of the storage elements 33C, 33M, 33Y, and 33K.

Abstract: A method for designing an elliptical structure with an outline of an approximate elliptic curve, which is generated by connecting circular segments to one another, and an elliptical structure created on said method.

Abstract: A tape measure system for efficiently marking a measured object. The tape measure system includes a housing with a recoil unit containing a length of a tape measure, a dispensing neck extending from the housing for guiding and dispensing the tape measure, and wherein the dispensing neck includes a guide edge for marking a surface of a measured object. A pair of teeth extend from the dispensing neck for selectively engaging and marking the surface of the measured object. The dispensing neck includes a recessed portion exposing a portion of the tape measure for allowing frictional engagement of the tape measure by the user.

Abstract: A spherically rotatable support for a light image projector has level and/or plumb indicators for leveling or plumbing a central reference frame of its spherical rotation. A projected light image, such as a laser line segment of relatively short length may be successively stepped across a long wall while maintaining its level or plumb condition. A low powered laser or other light source may be used to generate the short-length, line segment in place of a more high powered light source that would otherwise be needed to illuminate the full length of the wall or other such surface.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooperation with an associated billiard table which includes first and second laser apparatus for producing respective first and second laser spots, a rack for positioning a plurality of balls confined within said rack. The rack has first and second indicia thereon and a support carrying said first and second laser apparatus in spaced relationship. The support may be dimensioned and configured to permit adjustment thereof to align respectively said first and second laser spots with respectively said first and second indicia when said rack is in a predetermined location on the associated billiard table.

Abstract: A geomagnetic sensor supporting a dip angle detection function. The geomagnetic sensor includes a rotation angle measurement part for measuring pitch and roll angles of the main body with respect to the surface of the Earth; a geomagnetic measurement module for outputting an electric signal corresponding to the geomagnetic field; a memory for storing predetermined reference azimuths and output values of the geomagnetic measurement module corresponding to changes of the pitch and roll angles; and a controller for calculating azimuths by use of the output values of the geomagnetic measurement module, the pitch and roll angles, and predetermined dip angles. The controller establishes at least two dip angles, calculates the azimuth for each dip angle, compares the azimuth to the reference azimuth, and determines a dip angle at the azimuth having a smaller azimuth error as a current dip angle. The geomagnetic sensor can measure a precise dip angle using a simple method.