Abstract: A solder ball dispenser (100) has feeder unit, head unit chambers (200, 300) and a pneumatic singulator (370). Solder balls (101) are mobilized in the chambers by moving air. The solder ball dispenser receives a continuous supply of unorganized solder balls and arranges them in a single stack (340). The singulator ejects the balls one at a time to a target device such as a Ball Grid Array. The dispenser has a plurality of conduits (331-338) for applying one of air pressure and vacuum to various points of the chambers and the channel. Solder balls are transported through the dispenser and ejected from the dispenser by the programmed application of air pressure and vacuum. The trajectory of each solder ball is stopped before moving to a next position in the pneumatic singulator. No solid object causes solder balls to move within the dispenser or to be ejected from the dispenser.

Abstract: A device to be detachably attached to a mechanical substructure includes rails on opposed sides joined at the front by a cross member. A pair of guides mounted on the substructure slidably receives and retains the rails upon attachment of the device. An alignment pin extending from a rail mates with a hole in one of the guides to insure alignment of an electrical connector of the device with an electrical connector mounted on the substructure. The cross member includes screws for securing the cross member to the substructure. A spring extending from a rail makes electrical contact with an adjacent guide and an electrostatic discharge contact plate to discharge any existing static charge.

Abstract: Each cap of a pair of end caps mounted on opposed ends of a conventional radial flow cylindrical filter element of a filter cartridge includes a circular sleeve extending axially from the filter element for penetrably receiving a supporting stud and for maintaining an O-ring seal therebetween. The area of one of the end caps radially outwardly of its circular sleeve is greater than the corresponding area of the other end cap to cause fluid to be filtered to pressure bias the filter cartridge toward the other end cap and to positionally retain the filter cartridge within its housing. A positioning member extending into the filter element from one of the end caps receives and stabilizes sleeve for a u/v lamp disposed within the filter element to kill any microorganisms present and to oxidize any organic matter subjected to the emitted ultra-violent radiation.

Abstract: The swimming pool floor or spa floor drain assembly of the present invention includes a drain body having a mouth positionable in proximity to the pool wall to serve as a fluid flow inlet, a spaced apart fluid flow outlet positionable below the mouth and a sidewall interconnecting the mouth with the outlet to define a fluid flow chamber. The cross sectional area of the fluid flow chamber decreases from the mouth to the base. A fluid deflecting plug includes a comparatively large area top and a comparatively small area base. A sidewall interconnects the top and base to form the plug with a cross sectional area decreasing form the top to the base.

Abstract: A method for automatically screening for visual dysfunctions in preliterate or pre-school test subjects incorporates collecting personal profile and background information and transferring the information to a local storage system. The information is retrieved into a PC system and a test procedure is initiated with a test subject by establishing an exclusive dialog between the test subject and the PC system. The test procedure is in the form of a game selectively attractive and readily understood by preliterate or school-age test subjects. The test results are printed for presentation to the test subject and are also transmitted together with the background information to an off-site repository for storage with test results and information of other test subjects. An epidemiological analysis is made of the stored test results and information in accordance with a predetermined analysis protocol. A report is generated representing the results of the analysis.

Abstract: A hydraulic damper for the steering assembly of a cycle is provided with several circuits by which the resistance to fluid flow and hence the damping afforded by the damper can be adjusted. Two of the circuits have manually adjusted progressive valves therein, one of which is positioned adjacent a hand grip on the handlebar. Another circuit provides progressive reduction in damping when the steering assembly is moved toward a fully turned position. And a further circuit reduces damping as the assembly is turned toward neutral. Major damper components are preferably associated with the tube clamp of the steering assembly.

Abstract: A security pack for assisting in the recovery of stolen monies includes a housing disguised as a bundle of currency bills but containing a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals from overhead satellites, a cellular phone transceiver, a microprocessor, and a battery. Following a bank robbery, the microprocessor activates the cellular phone transceiver to dial the telephone number of a central monitoring station. The microprocessor obtains location data from the GPS receiver and transmits the location data, along with identification information, to the central monitoring station. The security pack may also include a separate, conventional RF beacon transmitter for allowing authorities to home-in on the security pack within a large building or other structure, either after the GPS signals are lost, or after the location of the security pack is localized to a specific building or area.

Abstract: A single-cam compound bow (200) has two stretches (213, 214) of bowstring (212) and two stretches (227, 228) of cable (226) extending between free outer ends (207, 211) of the limbs (204, 208). A cam (217) is attached to a free outer end of one limb. One or more pulleys (320, 330) are attached to a free outer end of another limb. In one embodiment, the one or more pulleys attached to the free outer end of the other limb include one or more mechanical pulleys (1002, 1202, 1203). One end of cable is attached to sides (435, 436) of a fork (215) at the free outer end of the limb having the cam.

Abstract: A desk top sealer includes three compartments for housing a solenoid assembly, a power supply and a circuit board, respectively. A source of air flow flows into an initial compartment and is channeled through apertures in brackets forming the two remaining compartments for cooling purposes and is exhausted from each compartment through a base. The circuit board, upon actuation, provides RF energy to a fixed ceramic/metal jaw to heat and weld plastic tubing clamped to the fixed jaw by a movable jaw at ground potential. The movable jaw is guided during translation by a pair of rods extending from a face plate, which rods also prevent rotation of the movable jaw about its axis of translation to maintain the movable jaw in alignment with the fixed jaw. The movable jaw is relatively massive to serve as a heat sink for the heat of the tubing being welded and includes a substantial surface area to dissipate to the ambient environment any heat buildup that may occur.

Abstract: A conventional commercial door viewer includes a lens at one end for providing a wide angle view and a hollow end through which a person would look. A truncated cone shaped plug fits within the hollow end to block light transmission through the door viewer. The plug is readily manually removable to use the door viewer and includes a removable lanyard to tether the plug in proximity to the door viewer.

Abstract: A pivotally mounted armature assembly is mechanically moved into engagement with an electromagnet assembly bringing the components of a secondary locking system between the assemblies into position to become active if a predetermined force is applied to slide the armature assembly across an energized electromagnet assembly.

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 golf bag is comprised of a base bag including a tube having an open top and a closed bottom and a detachable overcoat; The overcoat surrounds the tube and is attached to it by a first zipper circumferentially attached to an upper portion of the tube, a second zipper circumferentially attached to a lower portion of the tube, and a third zipper attached to a vertical edge of the overcoat. The overcoat can be embroidered or screen printed, attached to the base bag, or detached from the base bag and another overcoat of a different color or style can be attached to the same base bag.