Abstract: An improved laser scanning apparatus (46) for determining frame or unibody alignment or misalignment of a vehicle (40) is provided, which includes a laser assembly (54), a pair of rotatable mirror assemblies (56,58) and laser detectors (114,116) located within an enclosed housing (50,52). The laser assembly (54) has an upper pair of lasers (122,126) located in known, spaced relationship above a lower pair of lasers (124,128), with the detectors (114, 116) disposed between the upper and lower laser pairs (122, 126, 124, 128). The apparatus (46) is used in conjunction with a plurality of individually coded reflective targets (44) which are suspended from known reference points on the vehicle (40).

Abstract: A vehicle-straightening bench (20) is utilized to apply pulling forces to a damaged vehicle chassis to restore the damaged chassis to an original configuration. The bench includes a vehicle platform (22) with a carriage track (24) having a plurality of carriage assemblies (100) movably received by the carriage track (24). Each carriage assembly (100) supports a pulling assembly (200) for applying the pulling forces. A trapezoidal carriage body (102) of the carriage assembly (100) rolls in the carriage track (24), and the carriage assembly also includes a tower positioning mechanism (104) to hold the pulling assemblies (200) in place while the carriage body (102) is are rolled on the track (24). The carriage assembly (100) also includes a locking mechanism (106) to lock them in place during a vehicle a pull.

Abstract: An improved laser scanning apparatus (46) for determining frame or unibody alignment or misalignment of a vehicle (40) is provided, which includes a laser assembly (54), a pair of rotatable mirror assemblies (56,58) and laser detectors (114,116) located within an enclosed housing (50,52). The laser assembly (54) has an upper pair of lasers (122,126) located in known, spaced relationship above a lower pair of lasers (124,128); detector assemblies (114, 116) are also provided including substantially parabolic reflective surfaces (118a, 120a) with detectors (114a, 116a) disposed substantially at the focal point of the surfaces (118a, 120a). The apparatus (46) is used in conjunction with a plurality of individually coded reflective targets (44) which are suspended from known reference points on the vehicle (40).

Abstract: An aerator is provided having a front axle, including a differential and a tine wheel assembly which may be raised from the ground during maneuvers of the aerator while power continues to be supplied to the front axle, and a tine wheel assembly is provided which allows the operator to repair and change the configuration of the tines of the tine wheel assembly.

Abstract: A coupler for attaching an implement to a tractor is provided. The coupler has three pivot arrangements allowing pivoting about three axes that are generally normal to one another with two axes of pivoting lying in substantially in a first plane and the third axis of pivoting intersecting that plane at a variable angle in a second plane generally perpendicular to the first plane. The three axes of pivoting substantially intersect and the implement may be attached wherein the load from the implement is directed downwardly and over the draft arms of the tractor.

Abstract: A diode (20), having first and second conductive layers (24,26), a conductive pad (28), and a distributed reverse surge guard (22), provides increased protection from reverse current surges. The surge guard (22) includes an outer loop (42) of P+-type surge guard material and an inner grid (44) of linear sections (46, 48) which form a plurality of inner loops extending inside the outer loop (42). The surge guard (22) distributes any reverse current over the area of the conductive pad (28) to provide increased protection from transient threats such as electrostatic discharge (ESD) and during electrical testing.

Abstract: An improved Schottky device, having a low resistivity layer of semiconductor material, a high resistivity layer of semiconductor material and a buried dopant region positioned in the high resistivity layer utilized to reduce reverse leakage current. The low resistivity layer can be an N+ material while the high resistivity layer can be an N− layer. The buried dopant region can be of P+ material, thus forming a PN junction with an associated charge depletion zone in the N− layer and an associated low reverse leakage current. The location of the P+ material allows for a full Schottky barrier between the N− material and a barrier metal to be maintained, thus the device experiences a low forward voltage drop.

Abstract: A vehicle-straightening bench (20) is utilized to apply pulling forces to a damaged vehicle chassis to restore the damaged chassis to an original configuration. The bench includes a vehicle platform (22) with a carriage track (24) having a plurality of carriage assemblies (100) movably received by the carriage track (24). Each carriage assembly (100) supports a pulling assembly (200) for applying the pulling forces. A trapezoidal carriage body (102) of the carriage assembly (100) rolls in the carriage track (24), and the carriage assembly also includes a tower positioning mechanism (104) to hold the pulling assemblies (200) in place while the carriage body (102) is are rolled on the track (24). The carriage assembly (100) also includes a locking mechanism (106) to lock them in place during a vehicle a pull.

Abstract: An advertising placard (20) having a substrate (30) and coloration material (34) is utilized to provide an unobtrusive and nondistracting advertisement on internal viewing surfaces (22) in commercial aircraft passenger cabins (24). The substrate (30) is preferably thin and transparent, and the coloration material (34) preferably has substantially the same color hue as the viewing surface (22) to which it is applied. Further, the coloration material (34) preferably has a color lightness within approximately &Dgr;7 of the color lightness of the viewing surface (22).

Abstract: A computer system (20) utilizes a monitor (24), keyboard (26), hard disk drive (28), processor (30), computer memory block (32), and memory based disk emulation device (22) to reduce access time for swap and paging files, thereby enhancing the computer system performance. The disk emulation device includes a device (22) manager (38) operable to select the number of logical drives, and a disk emulator (40) operable to cause actual memory devices (44-50) to appear as the virtual memory of the computer system disk drive (28). A memory controller (42) divides data bytes into data sets of two or four bits and saves the data sets simultaneously to the emulation memory devices (44-50). A backup battery (52) is provided to power the memory controller (42) and emulation memory devices (44-50) in the event of primary power supply failure.

Abstract: A rescue device (20) having a sled body (22), back support member (24), safety belts (26, 28, 30), and a lowering strap (32) is utilized to lower incapacitated individuals down inclined terrain such as stairs. The sled body (22) includes a plurality of reinforcing corrugations (46, 64, 72, 88, 98) and a plurality of integral components such as a U-shaped perimeter edge (44) and hand holds (92) which make the sled body (22) more rigid, so that the entire device weighs only twenty-one pounds. A hanging apparatus (128) is provided in combination with the device (20) and includes hanging arms (132) which extend through handle openings (96) of the sled body (22) to store the device (20).

Abstract: A lifting platform with a scissor type jack. The jack includes a plurality of inter-connected struts pivotally connected to a base forming a double X strut arrangement. A power actuator is connected to at least one strut in each X to effect extension and retraction of the jack. A safety latch is provided to prevent accidental retraction of the jack from an extended position should the power actuator fail to hold the jack in the elevated position.

Abstract: A filter cartridge (20) for removing particulates from a particulate laden fluid stream moving one direction through the filter cartridge. The filter cartridge (20) is periodically subject to cleaning fluid moving in an opposite direction to the fluid stream. The filter cartridge (20) comprises filtration media (24) formed into a tubular configuration and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart pleats (26). A retention device (82) to limit radial movement of the filtration media (24) when subjected to the periodical cleaning fluid and to maintain the pleats (26) in the filtration media circumferentially spaced apart. A method of making a filter cartridge (20) for removing particulates from a fluid stream moving one direction through the filter cartridge and that is periodically subject to cleaning fluid moving in an opposite direction to the fluid stream.

Abstract: An electrical device such as a diode usable in high voltage applications wherein the electrical device is fabricated from a method which yields a plurality of high voltage electrical devices, the present method including providing a substrate of a semiconductor material having a predetermined substrate conductive type, the substrate being typically formed from a monocrystalline growth method, forming a second epitaxial layer contiguous with the upper surface of the substrate, the epitaxial layer having a predetermined second layer conductive type, and thereafter forming a top layer of dopant material in a predetermined pattern upon the upper surface of the second epitaxial layer. This predetermined pattern of dopant material typically takes the form of an array of patches which can be achieved through either a masking and etching process, or through a screen printing process.

Abstract: An electrical device such as a diode usable in high voltage applications wherein the electrical device is fabricated from a method which yields a plurality of high voltage electrical devices, the present method including providing a substrate of a semiconductor material having a predetermined substrate conductive type, the substrate being typically formed from a monocrystalline growth method, forming a second epitaxial layer contiguous with the upper surface of the substrate, the epitaxial layer having a predetermined second layer conductive type, and thereafter forming a top layer of dopant, material in a predetermined pattern upon the upper surface of the second epitaxial layer. This predetermined pattern of dopant material typically takes the form of an array of patches which can be achieved through either a masking and etching process, or through a screen printing process.

Abstract: An electrical device such as a diode usable in high voltage applications wherein the electrical device is fabricated from a method which yields a plurality of high voltage electrical devices, the present method including providing a substrate of a semiconductor material having a predetermined substrate conductive type, the substrate being typically formed from a monocrystalline growth method, forming a second epitaxial layer contiguous with the upper surface of the substrate, the epitaxial layer having a predetermined second layer conductive type, and thereafter forming a top layer of dopant material in a predetermined pattern upon the upper surface of the second epitaxial layer. This predetermined pattern of dopant material typically takes the form of an array of patches which can be achieved through either a masking and etching process, or through a screen printing process.

Abstract: A crupper pad assembly having a crupper pad (24), tail pad (26), and spacer pad (28) is utilized to pad the crupper (32) of a tail set and hold a horse's tail (30) in the tail set. A tail bag (22) is used in combination with the crupper pad assembly (20) and has a top attachment mechanism (128) which attaches the tail bag (22) to the tail set above the horses anus and with an opening (124) of the tail bag (22) facing away from the horse.