Abstract: A self-attaching nut having a central pilot projecting from an end face of the body portion, an annular groove surrounding the pilot and an annular panel support face surrounding the groove, wherein the outer side wall includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced notches, each having an outer wall which extends from the bottom wall of the annular groove to the panel support face and the bottom wall of the groove includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial ribs integral with either the outer or inner side walls of the annular groove having a radial end spaced from the opposed side wall and a top face inclined toward the bottom wall of the annular groove providing improved torque resistance and push-off strength. Alternating circumferentially overlapping radial ribs integral with the pilot and the outer groove wall and ribs which extend below the bottom wall of the groove are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of cold forming a self-attaching female fastener (20) which includes deforming a fastener blank (120) having an annular pilot, (122) an annular flange (128) surrounding the pilot and a groove (132) in the flange having cylindrical walls and annular protrusions (152, 154) on the flange and pilot, then deforming the protrusions toward each other to form an annular re-entrant groove (32) having relatively inclined arcuate walls.

Abstract: A carbon nanotube sensor and a method of producing the carbon nanotube sensor are disclosed. The sensor detects small particles and molecules. The sensor includes a gate, a source and a drain positioned on the gate, and a carbon nanotube grown from a catalytic material and extending from one of the source and the drain. The method includes the step of functionalizing an end of the carbon nanotube with a receptor. As such, the carbon nanotube is receptive to the small particles and molecules. The carbon nanotube is driven at a resonance, and the resonance of the carbon nanotube is measured when the end of the carbon nanotube is free of the small particles and the molecules. The method includes monitoring for a change in the resonance to detect the association of the small particles and molecules with the end of the carbon nanotube.

Abstract: A gyroscope (10) for determining rate of rotation includes a giant magnetoresistor (GMR) (14) attached to a mass (12) oscillating along a first axis. When the gyroscope (10) is rotated, the mass (12) also oscillates along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. A magnetic element (16), which includes of a strip of magnetic bits (18), is disposed along the first axis, the second axis, or both. The magnetic bits (18) supply discrete magnetic fields. The GMR (14) changes in electrical resistance when exposed to these magnetic fields. A voltage sensor (20) and processor (34) are then utilized to calculate the rate of rotation.

Abstract: A self-attaching nut including a central pilot portion, a flange portion surrounding the pilot portion having an end face including an annular groove in the end face having inclined inner and outer side walls and a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial ribs integral with the outer side wall extending beyond a midportion of the bottom wall, but spaced from the inner side wall. In one embodiment, the top faces of the radial ribs is inclined to adjacent the inner side wall of the annular groove and in another embodiment, the radial inner ends of the ribs are spaced above the plane of the bottom wall and include an inwardly inclined face.

Abstract: A method of constructing a battery using a control unit to cause pallets on an automated conveyor system to move between indexed positions on the conveyor system. Control unit causes terminals to be deposited on said pallet in a first position, control unit causes pallet to be moved to a second position, and a delivery mechanism controlled by control unit deposits bicells on said terminals with use of an alignment plate, said alignment plate on a separate circulating conveyor, controlled by control unit. Bicells are aligned to be in electrical contact with said terminals.