Abstract: Described are very high molecular weight (e.g., over 2 million, such as 3-20 million g/mol) starch-based materials, and formulations including such, which can be spun in spunbond, melt blown, yarn, or similar processes. Even with such very high molecular weights, the formulations can be processed at commercial line speeds, with spinneret shear viscosities of 1000 sec?1, without onset of melt flow instability. The starch-based material can be blended with one or more thermoplastic materials having higher melt flow index value(s), which serve as a diluent and plasticizer, allowing the very viscous starch-based component to be spun under such conditions. The particular melt flow index characteristics of the thermoplastic diluent material can be selected based on what type of process is being used (e.g., spunbond, melt blown, yarn, etc.). The starch-based material may exhibit high shear sensitivity, strain hardening behavior, and/or very high critical shear stress (e.g., at least 125 kPa).

Abstract: Described are very high molecular weight (e.g., over 2 million, such as 3-20 million g/mol) starch-based materials, and formulations including such, which can be spun in spunbond, melt blown, yarn, or similar processes. Even with such very high molecular weights, the formulations can be processed at commercial line speeds, with spinneret shear viscosities of 1000 sec?1, without onset of melt flow instability. The starch-based material can be blended with one or more thermoplastic materials having higher melt flow index value(s), which serve as a diluent and plasticizer, allowing the very viscous starch-based component to be spun under such conditions. The particular melt flow index characteristics of the thermoplastic diluent material can be selected based on what type of process is being used (e.g., spunbond, melt blown, yarn, etc.). The starch-based material may exhibit high shear sensitivity, strain hardening behavior, and/or very high critical shear stress (e.g., at least 125 kPa).

Abstract: A transducer mount for wheel balancing machines of the type having a rotatively driven shaft on which a wheel/tire assembly is mounted. There are two spaced apart bearing blocks that have bearings in which the shaft is supported. The bearing blocks are mounted within a square passageway formed by a rigid structural member. The bearing blocks are dimensioned so that there is a gap between their respective peripheries and the walls forming the passageway. A passive support member extends between the passageway and each of the bearing blocks. An active support also extends between the passageway and each of the bearing blocks, the active spacer including a piezoelectric element which generates a voltage representative of the imbalanced forces in the wheel/tire assembly.

Abstract: A transducer mount for a wheel balancer having a shaft and a drive belt which approaches the shaft from a given direction. A bearing block for the end of the shaft adjacent the drive belt is supported by a passive mount aligned with the given direction and an active mount spaced from the passive mount so that vibrations in the belt drive produce no moments about the passive mount that are sensed by the active mount. The wheel/tire assembly is attached to the end of the shaft remote from the belt drive, and there is a bearing block adjacent the wheel/tire assembly which is supported by an active mount and a passive mount that are spaced from one another by a distance greater than the space between the active mount and the passive mount for the bearing block adjacent the belt drive, thereby to increase the amplitude of forces applied to the active mount that is spaced farther from the wheel/tire assembly.

Abstract: An information sensing system as used in sensing unbalanced forces acting upon a rotating wheel being balanced is characterized by means for generating a correction factor associated with each wheel balancing operation and determined by feeding a known signal through a given circuit and comparing the output received with the output expected. The correction factor can then be applied to the sensed signals fed through the same circuit. The frequency of the known signal and other signals are both derived from the same source such as the rate of rotation of the wheel.

Abstract: A read-out system and method for a wheel balancing machine employs means for determining the minimum angular displacement between a "balance point" on the wheel and a predetermined reference for a stationary portion of the machine using a first scale of displacement and means for converting the minimum angular displacement from the first scale to a second scale. Using the second scale for indicating the balance point enhances the sensitivity of the display means at the balance point. A method is carried out for indicating alignment between the balance point where weight is to be added to an unbalanced wheel to balance same and a predetermined reference position for the machine.