Abstract: Manufacturing and assembly of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by automated placement and assembly of shoe parts. For example, a part-recognition system analyzes an image of a shoe part to identify the part and determine a location of the part. Once the part is identified and located, the part can be manipulated by an automated manufacturing tool.

Abstract: A multi-mode controller applied to a power converter includes a detection range generation module and a gate signal generation unit. The detection range generation module is used for generating a comparison voltage according to a reference current, and generating a detection signal according to the comparison voltage and a first reference voltage. When the detection signal is disabled by a zero-crossing signal, the gate signal generation unit generates a gate control signal corresponding to a quasi-resonant mode of the power converter according to the zero-crossing signal; and when the detection signal is disabled by a continuous-conduction mode signal generated by the detection range generation module according to the comparison voltage and a second reference voltage, the gate signal generation unit generates the gate control signal corresponding to a continuous-conduction mode of the power converter according to the continuous-conduction mode signal.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods of manufacturing an article using electroadhesion technology for the pick-up and release of materials, respectively.

Abstract: A multi-mode controller applied to a power converter includes a detection range generation module and a gate signal generation unit. The detection range generation module is used for generating a comparison voltage according to a reference current, and generating a detection signal according to the comparison voltage and a first reference voltage. When the detection signal is disabled by a zero-crossing signal, the gate signal generation unit generates a gate control signal corresponding to a quasi-resonant mode of the power converter according to the zero-crossing signal; and when the detection signal is disabled by a continuous-conduction mode signal generated by the detection range generation module according to the comparison voltage and a second reference voltage, the gate signal generation unit generates the gate control signal corresponding to a continuous-conduction mode of the power converter according to the continuous-conduction mode signal.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods of manufacturing an article using electroadhesion technology, either as a sole modality of handling such materials or in concert with at least one mechanically actuated modality for the pick-up and release of materials, respectively.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods of manufacturing an article using electroadhesion technology, either as a sole modality of handling such materials or in concert with vacuum for the pick up and release of materials, respectively.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a sport ball includes providing a plurality of casing panels including a first panel and a second panel. The first panel has a first surface and an opposite second surface. The first panel includes a first flange area forming a first edge portion of the first panel. The second panel has a third surface and an opposite fourth surface. The second panel includes a second flange area forming a second edge portion of the second panel. The method includes turning the first flange area away from the first surface of the first panel, turning the second flange area away from the third surface of the second panel, abutting the first flange area and the second flange area, and joining the first panel to the second panel.

Abstract: Acquisition or pick-up tools that themselves aid in improving the ease with which images of an acquired substrate may be captured, and methods of operating such pick-up tools, are provided. The pick-up tools may include a pick-up surface adapted to interface with a foreign substrate and a light source integrated with the pick-up tool such that light emitted from the light source passes through the pick-up surface to the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface to create a silhouette of the foreign substrate. A vision system may be adapted for capturing the silhouette of the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface. The substrate pick-up surface may be formed of one of a transparent, a semi-transparent, or a translucent material such that light may at least partially pass there through.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system includes a beam receiving circuit and a back-end circuit. The beam receiving circuit receives a plurality of digitized echo signals. The back-end circuit is coupled to the beam receiving circuit for outputting a plurality of compressed delay timing parameters corresponding to a plurality of channels to the beam receiving circuit. The beam receiving circuit decompresses the compressed delay timing parameters into a plurality of delay timing parameters, and processes the digitized echo signals into an ultrasound beamforming value according to the delay timing parameters corresponding to the channels. The back-end circuit synthesizes an ultrasound image according to the ultrasound beamforming value outputted from the beam receiving circuit.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems, methods, and apparatus for a vacuum tool having a switchable plate, such that a common vacuum tool may be adapted with different plates. A switchable plate may form the entirety of the vacuum tool's material contacting surface or a switchable plate may form a portion of the material contacting surface. The vacuum tool is effective for picking and placing one or more manufacturing parts utilizing a vacuum force.

Abstract: Acquisition or pick-up tools that themselves aid in improving the ease with which images of an acquired substrate may be captured, and methods of operating such pick-up tools, are provided. The pick-up tools may include a pick-up surface adapted to interface with a foreign substrate and a light source integrated with the pick-up tool such that light emitted from the light source passes through the pick-up surface to the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface to create a silhouette of the foreign substrate. A vision system may be adapted for capturing the silhouette of the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface. The substrate pick-up surface may be formed of one of a transparent, a semi-transparent, or a translucent material such that light may at least partially pass there through.

Abstract: Aspects relate to systems, methods, and apparatus for a manufacturing tool. The manufacturing tool is comprised of a vacuum tool and an ultrasonic welder as a unified manufacturing tool. The manufacturing tool may be used to pick and position a manufacturing part that is then welded with the associated ultrasonic welder.

Abstract: Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by executing various shoe-manufacturing processes in an automated fashion. For example, information describing a shoe part may be determined, such as an identification, an orientation, a color, a surface topography, an alignment, a size, etc. Based on the information describing the shoe part, automated shoe-manufacturing apparatuses may be instructed to apply various shoe-manufacturing processes to the shoe part, such as a pickup and placement of the shoe part with a pickup tool.

Abstract: An oven may facilitate heating, curing, and/or drying processes for manufactured items, such as shoe parts, using multiple groups of infrared sources. Each group of infrared sources may comprise a plurality of sources having heating parameters, such as a peak wavelength, power, distance from items to be cured, number of infrared sources, etc. By staging different types of sources throughout an oven, different aspects of the curing process may be performed in an efficient fashion. Further, conditions within the oven such as temperature and relative humidity may be monitored and adjusted to optimize curing conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems, methods, and apparatus for a vacuum tool having a switchable plate, such that a common vacuum tool may be adapted with different plates. A switchable plate may form the entirety of the vacuum tool's material contacting surface or a switchable plate may form a portion of the material contacting surface. The vacuum tool is effective for picking and placing one or more manufacturing parts utilizing a vacuum force.

Abstract: Aspects relate to systems, methods, and apparatus for a manufacturing tool. The manufacturing tool is comprised of a vacuum tool and an ultrasonic welder as a unified manufacturing tool. The manufacturing tool may be used to pick and position a manufacturing part that is then welded with the associated ultrasonic welder.

Abstract: Acquisition or pick-up tools that themselves aid in improving the ease with which images of an acquired substrate may be captured, and methods of operating such pick-up tools, are provided. The pick-up tools may include a pick-up surface adapted to interface with a foreign substrate and a light source integrated with the pick-up tool such that light emitted from the light source passes through the pick-up surface to the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface to create a silhouette of the foreign substrate. A vision system may be adapted for capturing the silhouette of the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface. The substrate pick-up surface may be formed of one of a transparent, a semi-transparent, or a translucent material such that light may at least partially pass there through.

Abstract: Control methods and related power controllers diminish audible noise in a power supply capable of performing valley switching. The power supply has an inductive device and a power switch. When the power switch is OFF, a winding voltage of the inductive device oscillates to provide an oscillation signal with at least one signal valley. An occurrence number of the signal valley is detected, and is compared with a lock number. When the occurrence number and the lock number fit a predetermined condition, the power switch is turned ON to start a cycle time at a start moment. Whether the start moment falls within an expectation window is checked. The lock number is changed if the start moment falls outside of the expectation window.

Abstract: Acquisition or pick-up tools that themselves aid in improving the ease with which images of an acquired substrate may be captured, and methods of operating such pick-up tools, are provided. The pick-up tools may include a pick-up surface adapted to interface with a foreign substrate and a light source integrated with the pick-up tool such that light emitted from the light source passes through the pick-up surface to the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface to create a silhouette of the foreign substrate. A vision system may be adapted for capturing the silhouette of the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface. The substrate pick-up surface may be formed of one of a transparent, a semi-transparent, or a translucent material such that light may at least partially pass there through.

Abstract: A control circuit applied to a power converter includes a multi-functional pin, a zero-crossing signal generator, and an over-voltage detector. The multi-functional pin is used for receiving an auxiliary current generated by an auxiliary winding of the power converter, and an input current. The zero-crossing signal generator is used for generating a zero-crossing signal according to the auxiliary current. The over-voltage detector is used for generating an over-voltage signal according to the auxiliary current. The control circuit generates a switch control signal to the power switch according to the zero-crossing signal, or generates an over-voltage protection signal to the power switch according to the over-voltage signal.