Abstract: An electrical heater element containing one or more sense wires located at a point or points between the power terminals that provides a voltage signal that is compared with a predefined level or ratio, to trigger a power supply trip should the sense voltage fall outside those limits.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling acceleration and velocity of a stepper motor in which a phase offset is selected depending on motor velocity. The optimal phase offset indicates the position of the winding which generates the maximal driving moment. The increase of the driving force and the extension of the range of steady-state movement is achieved for advanced motor coils commutation with constant frequency using velocity feed back and gradual step-wise phase shift where the phase offset is selected depending on rotor velocity. The invention may be effectively applied to servomotors, stepper motors, motors having certain limitations on movement parameters, such as limitations on acceleration and other types of motors.

Abstract: An electrical connector for establishing an interconnection between the contact pads of a printed circuit board device under test (DUT) and an electrical device. The connector includes a flexible circuit carrying the interconnect between the DUT and pcb, which is moved into position by the inflation of a bladder that changes its form to press the contacts on the flexible circuit onto the contact positions of the DUT. The bladder is constrained to minimize its expansion. The flexible circuit is not constrained except at the point it is mated with the circuit board of the equipment driving the DUT. The path of the flexible circuit is shaped by fixed formers and terminates at the bladder. This avoids impinging on the DUT area outwith the contact zone. The connector includes variants which have a lock to secure the DUT in place and sensors to determine when the DUT is fully inserted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling acceleration and velocity of a stepper motor in which a phase offset is selected depending on motor velocity. The optimal phase offset indicates the position of the winding which generates the maximal driving moment. The increase of the driving force and the extension of the range of steady-state movement is achieved for advanced motor coils commutation with constant frequency using velocity feed back and gradual step-wise phase shift where the phase offset is selected depending on rotor velocity. The invention may be effectively applied to servomotors, stepper motors, motors having certain limitations on movement parameters, such as limitations on acceleration and other types of motors.

Abstract: A handling assembly for handling integrated circuits and trays for receiving these integrated circuits, the handling assembly comprising at least one integrated circuit manipulator having a holder pivoted on a fixed axis of rotation; the holder having a plurality of grippers arranged substantially in the plane passing through said axis of rotation, the holder being adapted to rotate said plurality of grippers at least to a first and second angular positions, a tray transporter adapted to move a tray into an operational position in which at least one of the integrated circuits in the tray is engageable by at least one of the grippers rotated to the first angular position, and an integrated circuit receiving/releasing means engageable by at least one of the grippers rotated to the second angular position.