Abstract: Embodiments of a needle insertion system and method are disclosed. One method embodiment includes transmitting a sound beam along an axis to contact a blood vessel; receiving the reflected sound beam from the blood vessel; processing the reflected sound beam to detect the location of the blood vessel; and, responsive to the detection, receiving a needle in a guideway that is oriented parallel to the axis.

Abstract: Embodiments of a needle insertion system and method are disclosed. One method embodiment includes transmitting a sound beam along an axis to contact a blood vessel; receiving the reflected sound beam from the blood vessel; processing the reflected sound beam to detect the location of the blood vessel; and, responsive to the detection, receiving a needle in a guideway that is oriented parallel to the axis.

Abstract: A fault distance locator for underground cable circuits for calculating more accurately the location of a cable fault includes a pulse generator unit for injecting a series of chirped pulse streams into the faulted cable shortly after the cable fault has been established. The delay times between the reflected pulse signals and the sending pulse signals are obtained by a correlation process which is specially designed to eliminate the effect of noise caused by arcing voltage and thus provide an accurate calculation of the distance to the cable fault. The accuracy is further enhanced by injecting pre-fault pulse signals periodically into the cable prior to the occurrence of the cable fault in order to obtain a reference pulse signal. This pulse signal provides information concerning the speed of propagation of the cable and thus affects the distance calculation to the fault.

Abstract: A bottle stress analysis system using polarized light for determining stress levels of a transparent plastic bottle includes a rotation assembly for rotating the bottle. A polarized light source assembly is insertible into the bottle cavity to direct plane polarized light through the bottle wall and an analyzer assembly is positioned outside the bottle for measuring intensity of light passing through the bottle wall. In order to measure changes in polarization, the analyzer assembly has a polarization analyzer positioned to transmit the light to a photodetector. A mechanism for rotating either the polarized light source or the analyzer to determine maximum and minimum polarized light intensity at the photodetector facilitates determination of stress at a plurality of points along the bottle wall.

Abstract: An apparatus 10 for inspecting the surface of an object S moving in the direction of travel 23 relative to the apparatus comprises a modular sensing head assembly 11 including a plurality of sensing head modules 12, 13, each of which includes a number of sensing stations 16-21. Each sensing station includes a light source 77, 81, 84 for generating a line of light extending across substantially the width of the surface of the object and a plurality of optical detector means for detecting light scattered from the line of light by the surface of the object. The optical detectors are positioned and oriented to receive scattered light scattered along paths lying in detection planes which are perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the surface of the object.

Abstract: The magnet filter (10,100) has a frame for supporting a plurality of elongated, non-magnetic tubes (20, 108) in a regular, spaced-apart array. A plurality of magnetic bodies (38,112), which can take a variety of forms, are situated in the spaces between the tubes of the array, for imposing a magnetic field within each tube over substantially the full length of each tube. The upstream end of each tube is adapted for receiving a fluid to be magnetically filtered and the downstream end is adapted for discharging such fluid. As the fluid passes through each tube, the magnetic field imparts a force to the magnetizable particulates, which are drawn toward the magnetized internal structure within the tube where they are deposited, thus filtering the fluid. The magnetic bodies may produce a field that is oriented either substantially parallel to the tube, or transverse to the tube.

Abstract: A Hall device is formed from a generally rectangular body of material exhibiting the Hall effect, with two excitation electrodes disposed along opposite edges of the device. Two Hall output voltage electrodes are disposed along one of the remaining edges of the main body and at least one additional output electrode is disposed on the edge of the main body opposite the first pair of electrodes. At least two of the output electrodes are offset from a centerline drawn through the electrical midpoint of the main body. By deliberately offsetting the Hall voltage output electrodes from the centerline the first and second order voltage offsets due to inhomogeneities of the Hall material and mask misalignment are eliminated or easily compensated.

Abstract: For interrupting all values of electric current in a high voltage circuit which cause operation of a fuse within one hour, a plurality of parallel connected helically configured fusible elements formed of cadmium are embedded within quartz sand in granular form disposed within a housing structure which includes a tubular member of insulating material to the ends of which terminal caps are secured and connected to the ends of the fusible elements respectively so that currents of a high order of magnitude are interrupted in a fraction of a half cycle in a current limiting fashion and so that currents of a low order of magnitude and which are slightly in excess of normal rated load current of the fuse cause the temperature of the fusible elements to rise to the melting point within a longer predetermined period of time and then to establish a gap sufficient to withstand the recovery voltage.