Abstract: A wafer holding apparatus for holding a wafer including a wafer holder on which the wafer is placed; and a lift pin that is configured to be lifted up and down with respect to the wafer holder in a direction along a normal line of a placement surface of the wafer, the lift pin includes a tip part, the tip part includes: a bottom part that forms a suction region for sucking a rear surface of the wafer; and a convex part that supports the rear surface of the wafer in the suction region. When a substrate is placed on a target position, it is possible to prevent a local deterioration of flatness of the substrate even if the substrate is large.

Abstract: A flexible dual duct coupling, comprising: a coupling body having an inner flow passage and an outer flow passage therethrough; a first nut assembly configured for reversible attachment to the coupling body; and, a second nut assembly configured for reversible attachment to the coupling body, wherein the second nut assembly is opposite the first nut assembly.

Abstract: A system (100) for cutting work product (104) into portions (P) and unloading the portions includes a conveyance system (102) for carrying the workpieces and portions, as well as a scanner (110) for scanning the work products. A cutter system (120) composed of cutter assemblies (122) carried by carrier systems (124) may be arranged in an array or series along the conveyance system for cutting, trimming, and portioning the work products (104) into end pieces (P) of desired sizes or other physical parameters. An unloading system (130) composed of one or more unloading assemblies/units/apparatus (132) are carried by the same carrier systems (124) used to carry the cutter assemblies (122) to pick up the portioned pieces (P) and either move them to a different location or replace the portioned workpieces back onto the conveyance system after the trim of the workpiece has been removed.

Abstract: A cutting element for a drill bit includes an outer support element and an inner rotatable cutting element, a portion of which is disposed in the outer support element, where the inner rotatable cutting element has a body with a non-planar cutting face.

Abstract: A compressor is provided that may include a passage separator provided between an electric motor drive and a compression device to separate a refrigerant passage from an oil passage. The passage separator may include a first partition wall and a second partition wall. The first partition wall may be disposed between an inner circumferential surface of a casing and a discharge hole of the compression device, and the second partition wall may be disposed between the discharge hole and a balance weight. Accordingly, the refrigerant passage may be separated from the oil passage between the compression device and electric motor drive, thereby efficiently recovering oil to an oil storage space.

Abstract: A cutting element is provided having a substrate and an ultra hard material cutting layer over the substrate. The cutting layer includes a surface portion for making contact with a material to be cut by the cutting element. The surface portion in cross-section has a curvature that has a varying radius of curvature. A bit incorporating such a cutting element is also provided.

Abstract: An auto-injector for administering a dose of a liquid medicament (M) comprises of a substantially cylindrical housing arranged to contain a pre-filled syringe with an injection needle, a plunger and a stopper for sealing a syringe barrel and a drive means releasably coupled to the plunger for advancing the syringe in the proximal direction (P) for needle insertion into an injection site and for displacing the dose of medicament (M) into the injection site. The drive means is arranged to be decoupled from the plunger for advancing a needle shroud to a safe position (PS) to surround the injection needle after the injection. According to the invention, the drive means bears against a thrust collar arranged to be releasably coupled to the plunger through a ramped engagement of a first tongue and a first recess so as to rotate the thrust collar on translation in proximal direction (P).

Abstract: An evaporated fuel processing apparatus is provided with an initializer configured to increase a step number with which a stepping motor is rotated in a valve closing direction, when there is an initialization request for the blocking valve and tank pressure of the fuel tank is in a predetermined pressure range near atmospheric pressure, in comparison with when the tank pressure is out of the predetermined pressure range.

Abstract: A thermoelectric pumping apparatus for use with a heating device includes a water receptacle. A thermoelectric device includes a “cool” side coupled to the receptacle and an opposed “hot” side, the thermoelectric device generating current upon a temperature differential between the cool and hot sides. A conduction member is proximate the hot side and in selective communication with the heating device. A spring is positioned between a top side of the conduction member and receptacle, the spring being movable between a compressed configuration at which the conduction member is in thermal communication with the hot side of the thermoelectric device and an extended configuration at which the top side of the conduction member is not in thermal communication with the hot side of the thermoelectric device. A water pump is in fluid communication with the water in the receptacle and selectively energized by the thermoelectric device to output the water.

Abstract: A joint connection structure of a building framework includes a column assembly including a column and a pair of gusset plates connected to the column on opposite sides of the column and extending laterally outward from the column. A full-length beams assembly includes a full-length beam having upper and lower flanges and an end portion received between the gusset plates. A connecting member is operatively attached by welding to at least one of the flanges of the full-length beam. The connecting member is bolted to at least one of the gusset plates of the column assembly to connect the full-length beam assembly to the column assembly.

Abstract: A cutter head assembly includes a drive shaft, a blade carrier and a blade unit. The drive shaft has a longitudinal axis and is made of steel. The blade carrier is sleeved and retained on the drive shaft. The blade carrier has a length extending parallel to the longitudinal axis and is made of aluminum alloy. The blade unit is disposed on the blade carrier and surrounds the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A split serial-parallel hybrid dual-power drive system, comprised of two or more than two separation drive systems allowing independent operation to respectively drive the load, or all loads driven individually are incorporated in a common frame to drive land, surface, underwater transportation means or aircraft, industrial machines and equipment or any other load drive by rotational kinetic energy.

Abstract: An adjustable hockey helmet includes a front shell that is longitudinally movable relative to a rear shell to adjust the length of the helmet. One or more substantially rigid straps or similar elements are attached to the front shell and extend to the interior of the rear shell. A cam mechanism or similar device is included on the rear shell for securing the straps directly or indirectly against the interior of the rear shell to prevent longitudinal movement of the front shell relative to the rear shell once the helmet is adjusted to a desired length. Alternatively, the one or more straps may be attached to the rear shell and the cam mechanism may be included on the front shell.

Abstract: A wafer transfer apparatus is provided. In a minimum transformed state where a robot arm is transformed such that a distance defined from a pivot axis to an arm portion, which is farthest in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis, is minimum, a minimum rotation radius R, is set to exceed ½ of a length B in the forward and backward directions of an interface space, the length B corresponding to a length between the front wall and the rear wall of the interface space forming portion, and is further set to be equal to or less than a subtracted value obtained by subtracting a distance L0 in the forward and backward directions from the rear wall of the interface space forming portion to the pivot axis, from the length B in the forward and backward directions of the interface space (i.e., B/2<R?B?L0).

Abstract: A vehicle braking system includes a wheel cylinder, a master cylinder including a master cylinder piston operable to translate between an unactuated position and an actuated position in a first mode of operation, a brake pedal operable to transition between an extended position corresponding to the unactuated position of the master cylinder and a retracted position corresponding to the actuated position of the master cylinder, and a booster located between the master cylinder and the brake pedal. The master cylinder is operable to selectively transfer a braking force from the brake pedal to the wheel cylinder in the first mode of operation. The booster is operable to hold the brake pedal in the retracted position in a second mode of operation without user input and without associated braking.

Abstract: A compressor is provided that may include a passage separator provided between an electric motor drive and a compression device to separate a refrigerant passage from an oil passage. The passage separator may include a first partition wall and a second partition wall. The first partition wall may be disposed between an inner circumferential surface of a casing and a discharge hole of the compression device, and the second partition wall may be disposed between the discharge hole and a balance weight. Accordingly, the refrigerant passage may be separated from the oil passage between the compression device and electric motor drive, thereby efficiently recovering oil to an oil storage space.

Abstract: A geared turbofan engine includes a first rotor, a fan, a second rotor, a gear train, a fan casing, a nacelle and a plurality of discrete acoustic liner segments. The fan is connected to the first rotor and is capable of rotation at frequencies between 200 and 6000 Hz and has a fan pressure ratio of between 1.25 and 1.60. The gear train connects the first rotor to the second rotor. The fan casing and nacelle are arranged circumferentially about a centerline and define a bypass flow duct in which the fan is disposed. The plurality of discrete acoustic liner segments with varied geometric properties are disposed along the bypass flow duct.

Abstract: A nut main body has a slanted hole with a smaller inner end portion having a plurality of stepped portions of differing height. This gives the slanted hole a differing depth relative to a large-diameter end portion of the slanted hole at a plurality of locations about a circumference of the slanted hole. A plurality of nut segments are slidable within the slanted hole and come into contact with at least one of the stepped portions. The nut segments have screw threads at an inner wall surface. A washer is provided at a large-diameter side of the plurality of nut segments. A bias spring is attached within the nut main body so as to urge the plurality of nut segments towards the small-diameter side of the nut main body with the washer therebetween. A stopper piece holds the bias spring within the nut main body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet transport path that transports a sheet on which an image has been recorded, the sheet transport path including a first guide surface and a second guide surface opposed to the first guide surface, an image reading unit disposed on the same side as the first guide surface of the sheet transport path to read the image, and a rotary element disposed on the same side as the second guide surface, the rotary element being rotatably disposed with a gap between the rotary element and the first guide surface.

Abstract: An operator ride enhancement system that is coupleable to the frame of a vehicle includes a counterweight platform moveably coupled to the frame, and a resilient member engaged with the frame and the counterweight platform. The mass of the counterweight platform is configured to be approximately at least equal to a total mass supported by the counterweight platform during operation of the vehicle. The operator ride enhancement system attenuates and/or inhibits movement of the counterweight platform during operation of the vehicle.