Abstract: A backhoe (100) has a hydraulic cylinder (316, 317) with a piston (318, 319) that rotates a rotatable boom (108). A lockable slider block (322) slides on the piston. Movement of the lockable slider block in one direction is caused by a spring (328, 329) mounted around the piston, and in another direction is caused by the telescoping of the piston into the hydraulic cylinder. The backhoe includes a hydraulic valve (340) that controls hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic cylinder and a sensor (320) coupled to the hydraulic valve. Once locked to a position on the piston, the lockable slider block engages the sensor on each occasion the rotatable boom rotates beyond a preselected angle of rotation. Engagement of the sensor causes actuation of the hydraulic valve, thereby preventing further rotation of the boom by the hydraulic cylinder. Alternative embodiments have an encoder (120, 130) that digitizes the position of the boom, and a microcomputer (410) that is programmed to actuate the hydraulic valve.

Abstract: A hollow working pole such as a luminaire pole is repaired by cutting the pole above ground level and inserting a sleeve. The sleeve is maintained in position while grout is poured to fill the space between the sleeve and the inner surfaces of the pole base. The top portion of the pole, previously removed, are replaced and grout is poured into the circumferential space between the insert and the inner surfaces of the upper portion of the pole.

Abstract: A wine glass charm includes a magnetic coupling, the components of which are disposed at the respective ends of an encircling member to detachably attach the wine glass charm to the stem or handle of a drinking vessel. The encircling member may include identifying indicia or media and for further identification purposes, a uniquely configured charm may be dependingly supported therefrom.

Abstract: A side bar incorporates brackets for attachment to a vehicle; the bar is divided into sections to permit the side bar to be economically packaged for shipment. The side bar sections are secured to each other through the use of a support rail mounted internally of the side bar sections and extending across the joint formed by the abutting contact of the respective sections. The side bar sections are maintained in alignment through the use of a joint sleeve having an alignment pin that engages corresponding notches provided in the ends of each of the abutting sections.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for demodulating a PSK modulated signal wherein the PSK system incorporates a transmitter generating a PSK modulated signal and wherein the transmitter is crystal based. A crystal based receiver receives the PSK modulated signal and the delta phase between the recovered PSK signal and a receiver generated reference signal is measured; the measurement is repeated with a predetermined phase shift. Voltage values are derived representing the results of each of the measurements and are applied to an analog-to-digital converter to derive digital values representing the two phases measured, and a corresponding delta phase. The digital values are applied to a look up table to derive a phase correction for the reference signal, and several methods are described to perform various types of PSK demodulation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the heating of adsorbent materials in a vessel including the utilization of electrodes in direct contact with the adsorbent material to induce a current in the material. The electrical contacts are spaced apart and receive a potential for inducing the electrical current; one of the electrodes is a different size to thereby induce a radial component in the electrical current to thus modify the current density flowing through the adsorbent material as the current traverses the distance between the electrodes. The resulting modified current density causes the temperature gradient across the transverse section of the vessel to decrease, thus rendering the temperature more uniform across the vessel.

Abstract: A removable retainer for holding a nozzle stem in a body has opposed indentations for receiving the tines of a forded tool. The periphery of the retainer and the inner edge of the body are relieved to receive and guide the tool tines to the indentations.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and apparatus are disclosed for use in the capture, compilation, production and delivery of integrated educational and/or training programs in digital form. A wide range of alternative structures and acts are described to illustrate the adaptability of the invention, including a comprehensive disclosure of the prototype system used to create and deliver a fully accredited, four-unit course on the law of Commercial Torts.

Abstract: A motorcycle accommodates an enlarged rear tire by interposing an intermediate shaft between the transmission output gear and the rear wheel drive gear. The intermediate shaft includes a power input gear disposed in the same vertical plane as the transmission output gear, and a first drive belt couples the two together. The intermediate shaft also includes a power output gear disposed in the same vertical plane as the rear wheel drive gear, and a second drive belt couples the two together. The first vertical plane lies closer to the central longitudinal axis of the support frame than does the second vertical plane, allowing the center of mass of the engine and transmission to be maintained substantially along the central longitudinal axis. When incorporated into a soft-tail type motorcycle frame, the intermediate shaft is coincident with the pivot axis of the soft-tail suspension.

Abstract: A dog boot comprising a planar flexible sheet of material, having a high friction surface on one side thereof, is formed having a leg engaging section and a foot engaging section, each of which is intended to be wrapped around the leg and foot respectively of an animal. A stabilizer strap is provided for releasably being secured to the leg engaging section and foot engaging section after the boot has been mounted on the animal. The planar flexible material is formed having a high friction surface on one side thereof and incorporates a foam central layer and a stretchable fabric layer on the surface opposite the high friction surface.

Abstract: A buffered sample-and-hold circuit includes two sampling capacitors for each analog voltage to be sampled. The two sampling capacitors are initially charged simultaneously to the analog voltage to be sampled. One of such sampling capacitors is thereafter temporarily coupled to the input terminal of a unity gain amplifier to pre-charge such input terminal, and any associated parasitic capacitance, to a voltage very near the actual sampled analog voltage. Following such pre-charge operation, that sampling capacitor is de-coupled from the input terminal of the amplifier; the other sampling capacitor is then coupled to the input terminal of the amplifier for establishing the actual sampled voltage at the input terminal of the amplifier.

Abstract: A ceramic membrane for a capacitive vacuum measuring cell includes a thin ceramic membrane with a thickness of <250 &mgr;m, in particular less than 120 &mgr;m. The membrane is produced from a ribbon-shaped green body of Al2O3, and is given high planarity by smoothing the membrane after sintering. The green body is sintered at a sintering temperature that is higher than the smoothing temperature applied following sintering.

Abstract: Apparatus for adjusting the vertical placement of a bow sight on an archery bow is provided with a belt extending over a drive pulley and an idler pulley. A sight mount is secured to the belt for movement therewith between the pulleys and a sight is attached to the sight mount. A sight adjustor lock locks the sight in position by preventing rotation of the drive pulley.

Abstract: An in-focus image of an information-bearing region within and/or on a substance is discriminated from an out-of-focus image so as to reduce errors in image information of the substance by producing a probe beam and a reference beam from a wideband point source, producing antisymmetric spatial properties in the reference beam, converting the probe beam to a beam focused to a line in the region, producing an in-focus return probe beam, and producing antisymmetric spatial properties in the in-focus return probe beam. Then the in-focus return probe beam is spatially filtered and focused to a line image in a detector plane of a detector system. The reference beam is spatially filtered and focus to a line image in the detector plane. A beam from an out-of focus image point is spatially filtered. The line image of the spatially filtered reference beam is interfered with the spatially filtered beam from the out-of-focus image point and the line image of the spatially filtered in-focus return probe beam.

Abstract: A socket for removably receiving an end of a dental saliva ejector tube includes a central body having a first end forming a port for being coupled to a vacuum hose. The central body includes a passage extending therethrough from the first end toward a second opposing and that includes an enlarged bore forming a socket for receiving the end of the dental saliva ejector tube. A lever, slide member, or other movable retaining member is movably secured to the central body for selectively engaging, or moving away from, the sidewall of the ejector tube. The movable retaining member includes a sharpened tip for lightly digging into the sidewall of the ejector tube. A biasing spring may be provided for urging the retaining member into engagement with the sidewall of the ejector tube. A user may depress or otherwise actuate the retaining member to move it away from the ejector tube to insert or remove the ejector tube from the socket.

Abstract: A time delay in de-energizing the electronic ballast and its associated UV lamp subsequent to cessation of water discharge from a user-activated water treatment unit ensures irradiation of the water prior to a subsequent user-activated water discharge and reduces the likelihood of any live microorganisms being present in the water subsequently discharged. A soft start of the UV lamp upon actuation of the water treatment unit reduces the mechanical stresses imposed upon the filaments of the UV lamp and the life span of the UV lamp is enhanced.

Abstract: An environmental test chamber provides a fast cool down to a temperature of about −125° F. and a fast heat up of an element under test.

Abstract: A nickel/palladium/gold metallization stack is formed upon connection pads of integrated circuits at the wafer level through an electroless plating method. The metallization stack can be formed over copper or aluminum interconnect pads; the lower nickel layer bonds securely to the copper or aluminum interconnect pads, while the intermediate palladium layer serves as a diffusion barrier for preventing the nickel from out-diffusing during subsequent thermal cycles. The upper gold layer adheres to the palladium and readily receives a variety of interconnect elements, including gold bumps, gold wire bonds, solder bumps, and nickel bumps. The electroless plating process permits connection pads to be formed using fine geometries, and allows adjacent connection pads to be formed within 5 micrometers of each other.

Abstract: A chip scale package design for a flip chip integrated circuit includes a redistribution metal layer upon the upper surface of a semiconductor wafer for simultaneously forming solder bump pads as well as the metal redistribution traces that electrically couple such solder bump pads with the conductive bond pads of the underlying integrated circuit. A patterned passivation layer is applied over the redistribution metal layer. Relatively large, ductile solder balls are placed on the solder bump pads for mounting the chip scale package to a circuit board or other substrate without the need for an underfill material. The back side of the semiconductor wafer can be protected by a coating for mechanical strength during handling. A method of forming such a chip scale package at the wafer processing level is also disclosed.

Abstract: A solder-on connector for a coaxial cable includes a body having a bore for receiving the outer conductor of the cable, a center pin for connection with the center conductor of the cable, an insulator disposed within the bore of the body for supporting the center pin, and a nut or similar fastener for securing the connector to a mating connector. The insulator extends rearwardly within the body to abut the both the inner wall of the body and the inserted end of the outer conductor of the cable. The rearmost portion of the insulator serves as a solder dam to prevent excess solder from flowing into the bore of the body beyond the end of the outer conductor of the cable. The rearmost end of the body includes an enlarged diameter region for receiving a portion of the cable jacket. An inwardly-directed annular shoulder formed upon such enlarged diameter region captivates melted portions of the cable jacket when the outer conductor is soldered to the body.