Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for the manufacture of composite articles, wherein a composite article is manufactured using a filamentary material and a liner, comprising: providing a material in heat transfer relation with the inner surface of said liner; applying uncured filamentary material to the outer surface of said liner; and heating a portion of said material in heat transfer relation with the inner surface of said liner, wherein heating said portion of said material effects cure of said composite article. Also in the methods and systems herein, a composite article is manufactured using a filamentary material wound on a liner, comprising, a material in heat transfer relation with the inner surface of said liner; heating means operable to heat a portion of said material in heat transfer relation with the inner surface of said liner, wherein heating said portion of said material effects cure of said composite vessel.

Abstract: A mandrel having an integral heat pipe is employed in the manufacture of filament wound pipe segments and vessels to provide even heating of the interior of the pipe or vessel during the heating and curing process. Heating or cooling can be provided using the thermal transfer characteristics of the heat pipe.

Abstract: A method for determining the number of packets lost in a communications network. Marker packets are inserted before and after a predetermined number of packets in a data stream. The number of packets between the inserted marker packets are counted at two different points in the network. Each number of packets counted between the inserted marker packets at the two different points in the network are compared with one another to ascertain the number of packets lost between the two different points in the network.

Abstract: A lamp assembly is provided which includes a lamp/reflector subassembly coupled together by a lamp coupler. The lamp coupler may include two coupler segments which are configured and dimensioned such that the lamp/reflector subassembly may be enclosed within the two coupler segments which may then be latched together. When latched together, the light source of the lamp will be properly positioned relative to the reflector to provide the desired lumen output. Such lamp assembly does not require a costly lamp to reflector focusing operation. A lamp coupler useful in such lamp assembly is also provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of the present invention includes a common node of a power line communications system for individually performing the register functions for a plurality of electrical metering devices operably connected to the node. The power line communications system includes at least one node having a plurality of registers, a respective one of which is associated with a respective electrical metering device. The electrical metering devices connected via the power lines to the node measure the power consumption of the electrical load associated therewith and transmit a signal indicative of the measured power consumption to the node and, in particular, to the respective register of the node associated with the electrical metering device. The node individually determines the power consumed by each electrical load operably connected to the node based upon the received signals. The results of such calculations are stored in the register associated with each respective electrical metering device.

Abstract: A packet switch interface, which may be an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) layer interface chip, may be connected to the inputs or the outputs of a packet switch. The interface chip modifies the virtual path identifier and the virtual channel identifier in packets directed to and from the switch. The interface chip also manipulates routing tags for the packets which are used for internal routing purposes in the switch. The interface chip includes a local interface through which packets may be extracted from or added to a packet stream flowing between a main input and a main output of the interface. The interface chip polices different communications channels handled in the interface chip by detecting whether traffic in those channels exceeds certain network usage parameters. The interface is also capable of gathering certain statistical information about the traffic in certain communications channels to allow evaluation of network performance.

Abstract: A sighting device for a weapon. The device forms an integral part of the handgun and projects a laser beam onto the impact point of the intended target. The device includes a laser assembly that is preferably disposed adjacent the front of the trigger guard of the handgun. In one preferred embodiment, a laser and laser drive circuit are mounted on a flexible circuit board to accommodate movement of the laser with respect to the laser drive circuit during sight adjustments. Preferably, the laser drive circuit comprises MOSFET devices in analog mode which use comparatively low power. A switch assembly is integrally disposed in a crotch formed between the trigger guard and the handgrip. The power supply may be disposed in the bottom of the handgun's magazine which is in electrical contact with the laser sighting device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of the present invention includes a common node of a power line communications system for individually performing the register functions for a plurality of electrical metering devices operably connected to the node. The power line communications system includes at least one node having a plurality of registers, a respective one of which is associated with a respective electrical metering device. The electrical metering devices connected via the power lines to the node measure the power consumption of the electrical load associated therewith and transmit a signal indicative of the measured power consumption to the node and, in particular, to the respective register of the node associated with the electrical metering device. The node individually determines the power consumed by each electrical load operably connected to the node based upon the received signals. The results of such calculations are stored in the register associated with each respective electrical metering device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting signals transmitted via a power line to a node which have a source address portion equal to the predetermined address of an electrical metering device, but which were not transmitted by the metering device. Each electrical metering device of a power line communications system has a predetermined address and may monitor the source address portions of signals transmitted via the power lines. The electrical metering device thus detects or flags a power line signal if the source address portion of the transmitted signal matches the predetermined address of the electrical metering device. The electrical metering device may also count the signals having source address portions which match the predetermined address of the electrical metering device.