Abstract: An actuator for a zero insertion force printed circuit board connector. Two connectors are used in opposing pairs to connect to parallel edges of a printed circuit board. Moving a first actuator mechanism on the first connector moves the printed circuit board toward the opposite connector to a fixed position and then causes a closing/wiping action of the contacts of the first connector. A second actuator mechanism, located on the second connector, has operation substantially identical to that of the first mechanism except the printed circuit board does not move. The two connectors are mechanically substantially identical and the actuation sequence is independent of the handle sequence. Another embodiment for contacting a single edge of a printed circuit board is disclosed wherein one of the aforementioned two connectors is replaced by a simple guideway.

Abstract: Supplying of foils to be applied to both sides of a workpiece. Opposing feeding drums have identical exchangeable segments whose circumferential lengths correspond to the length of the respective foil segment lamina, and whose segment angle sums are less than 360.degree.. In order to affix a leading edge of the foil to the leading edge of the workpiece, the foil is cut at the back end of the segment, and a first segment (on whose circumference the foil segment lamina is fixed) is moved toward the workpiece. After the foil adheres to the board, the drum segment is withdrawn. During the course of further movement of the workpiece, the foil segment is stripped off the segment by use of a laminating roller and a vacuum shoe. The drum is then rotated so that for the next workpiece to be laminated, the second segment will become operative as a supply element for the foil.

Abstract: A large-area electroluminescent (EL) faceplate for storage CRT is described. The EL faceplate has a non-planar mesh structure which includes individual current limiting resistance between a power source and an array of small-area active regions for improving the faceplate breakdown characteristics. The mesh, which comprises high conductivity strips and delivers power to the active regions, is substantially reduced in area relative to a simple conventional device, and is disposed on thick dielectric nonactive regions to further reduce the possibility of catastrophic breakdown.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the constant speed control of a brushless DC motor, whose pole windings receive a pulsed control voltage between their commutation points, control being a function of the speed characteristics of the motor, and the commutation points being synchronized with the drop times of the motor current and the control voltage pulses. In a state in which there are no load changes, the motor current substantially rises or drops between a maximum value I.sub.max and a minimum value I.sub.min according to the pulse mode. In the event of changes in the motor load, a mean motor sum current is retained for maintaining the speed.

Abstract: A hermetic compression sealing system with a semi-conductor, multi-chip thermal conduction module, involving a ceramic substance which includes interconnected semi-conductor chips containing integrated circuits defining the module; an arrangement is provided for directly sealing the module involving a compression seal which is in direct bearing contact with the substrate, a cover in direct bearing contact with the compression seal, and a clamping plate for holding the cover, compression seal and ceramic substrate in sealing arrangement, thereby forming a sealed chamber surrounding the module; a gas charge, such as of helium or the like, within the chamber enables conducting heat from the semi-conductor chips of the ambient.

Abstract: Operation of an AC plasma display panel requires the three control operations of write, erase, and sustain. Sustain, write and erase signals are stored in a plurality of sections in a storage device and the sections are selectively accessed according to the specific operation to be provided to the plasma panel display. Switching between the sections in the storage device is accomplished without signal discontinuity in the sustain, write, and erase signals used to drive the illuminable cells. The sustain operation is recycled during those periods when no write or erase operation is being done.

Abstract: An electronic component assembly including a printed circuit board unit and a protective cover wherein the cover has flexible flap portions that protect electrical contact pads disposed along at least one edge of the printed circuit board unit. The flap portions can be flexed to expose the electrical contact pads. Removal of the flexing force allows the flaps to return to their relaxed, closed positon by means of the internal resiliency of the cover material. Such flexing of the flap portions can be effected by surfaces of a corresponding mating connector so as to expose the contact pads to the contact pins of the mating connector. When the electronic component assembly is removed from the mating connector, the printed circuit board unit is contained by (i.e., completely surrounded by) the cover thereby protecting the unit from physical impact or dust.

Abstract: Multilayer printed circuit boards are designed and produced using a selective wiring technique which segregates short, medium length and long lines. By placing short medium length and long lines on different layers, line specifications can be relaxed for the layers with shorter lines. This relaxation of specifications allows for the effective use of subtractive, additive and encapsulated wire manufacturing techniques in the production of complex multilayer printed circuit boards. Each layer of segregated line lengths is fabricated in accordance with the appropriate technique for a given line length to obtain a multilayer printed circuit board optimized for cost and/or performance and reliability.

Abstract: A method for etching a batch of semiconductor wafers to end point using optical emission spectroscopy is described. The method is applicable to any form of dry plasma etching which produces an emission species capable of being monitored. In a preferred embodiment, as well as a first alternative embodiment, a computer simulation is performed using an algorithm describing the concentration of the monitored etch species within the etching chamber as a function of time. The simulation produces a time period for continuing the etching process past a detected time while monitoring the intensity of emission of the etch species. In a second alternative embodiment, this latter time period is calculated using mathematical distributions describing the parameters of the etching process. In all three embodiments, the actual time that end point of an etching process is reached is closely approximated.

Abstract: A central clock signal generator generates a plurality of odd and even clock pulses which are distributed to a plurality of logic and circuit modules by clock signal lines of equal length. The central signal generator also generates a plurality of gate pulses which are supplied to the modules on signal lines which can be different in length from one to another. The gate pulses are wide enough to coincide with the clock pulses with appropriate allowance for skew between the pulses. For each pair of pulses engaged delivered to a module a detection circuit is provided which detects if the gate pulse and the clock pulse begin and end in the proper sequence. If an improper sequence occurs, the information is stored in a scannable latch and a machine stop control is generated. The exact failing module can be traced readily from the information supplied in this manner.

Abstract: A print wire actuator using a telescopic armature pair is presented. The actuator is disposed to propel a print wire through a predetermined distance from a rest position toward a recording medium. The armature pair moves by electromagnetic force over a first portion of the predetermined distance at which point one piece of the armature reaches a mechanical stop. The second piece of the armature continues to move, both ballistically and magnetically, over the remaining portion of the predetermined distance.

Abstract: A high performance, low cost variable reluctance stepper motor has an integral structure with a ring and a plurality of aligned salient pole members. A plurality of teeth are located on the face of each pole member. Windings are disposed on alternate ones of the pole members and a high impedance means isolates the pole members from one another. A rotor with a plurality of teeth and a plurality of holes disposed thereon coacts with the pole members and is moved in a step fashion by the sequential energization of the windings. The flux generated by the energization of the windings is confined to a short path and coupling to the remainder of the structure is negligible. Recesses positioned symmetrically around the structure also serve to enhance flux splitting and reduce adjacent flux coupling.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the arithmetic division operation is disclosed in which a set of multiples of the divisor are stored in an associative memory in addresses which match the respective multiples. The most significant byte of the numerator is then compared to the contents of each associative entry. A flag is generated signifying that the corresponding entry is less than or equal to the most significant byte of the numerator. After the flags have been generated, the address of the last flag which is on, is selected. This provides a trial "digit out", which is used to address the true table of multiples and select a value which is subtracted from the left-digit-shifted numerator (or intermediate result). If no underflow condition results, the trial "digit out" is valid and should be stored and the next iteration started. For an underflow condition, the "digit out" is decremented and stored, the X1 multiple is added to the numerator and the next iteration is carried out.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a forms feed tractor mechanism having a belt with pins and driving elements extending threrethrough. The pins are adapted to engage perforated holes along the edge of a recorded medium. Driver means are provided for rotating the belt and pins and thereby rotate the engaged medium. Also, there is provided a spring tensioner for maintaining tension on the belt. The tractor includes a door which is rotatably snapped fitted into the housing of the tractor and maintained above the plane of the record medium by an extension on the lower surface thereof. The belt and pins are constructed by molding the pins around the belt side so that the belt is below the feeding surface of the tractor mechanism upon which the paper rests.

Abstract: A printer subsystem is interconnected with a host system from which it receives command and data information and to which it provides status information. The printer subsystem has two microprocessors, one of which communicates with the host system for transfer of command, data, and status signals and the other of which directly controls the printer unit in the subsystem especially with respect to the print assembly, forms feed assembly, ribbon drive assembly, and print wire actuators.

Abstract: A device for storing and displaying graphic information having a storage unit for storing both blocks and rows of data and retrieving rows of data. The storage unit consists of two storage segments, with eight storage modules each, which can operate in an interleaved mode. This permits two-dimensional addressing which consists of distributing the individual elements of a data block over the various separately addressable modules of the storage unit so that no one module contains more than one element of the data block, and that all elements of the data block can be read out in one cycle through simultaneous access of all of the storage modules.

Abstract: A separator plate for a type band printer is located between the print paper and a ribbon so as to prevent the ribbon from contacting the paper. The upper edge of the separator plate is located adjacent to the print line and pushes the paper away from the ribbon against the hammer plate. The separator plate is affixed to the printer.

Abstract: An electronic data storage or memory array having DC stable memory cells which utilize the principle of a unique substrate biasing mechanism, whereby a channel region defined by resistive substrate material and formed under a controlled electrode becomes "pinched off" and, in the process, so affects the DC potential at that electrode as to maintain the pinched off condition. Consequently, the memory cell becomes established in a first DC stable state ("one" state). The principle is preferably embodied in a field effect transistor (FET), the resistive channel region being connected in a DC conductive path to a fixed resistor and a potential source.