Abstract: A novel door for an access opening in an electronic component housing includes a bracket pivotally connected to the housing, and a cover elastically mounted to the bracket. In a particular embodiment, the bracket includes a wing spring for biasing the cover to the bracket, and the cover includes a channel for receiving the wing spring. Optionally, the cover and the bracket include an alignment feature and a complementary alignment feature, respectively, that moveably engage one another to facilitate relative movement between the cover and the bracket. The door is pivotally connected to the housing by a pair of L-shaped hinge members to rotate about an axis adjacent the opening in the housing. The bracket and the cover mount together to form the door assembly, and the assembly includes a smooth rear surface for slidably abutting devices (e.g., optical disk trays, etc.) moving through the opening.

Abstract: A dry type fine powder collecting system enables a crusher and triturator which process materials under dried condition, to efficiently collect the fine powder generated during processing. In addition, the same washing effect as is obtained in wet conditions is acquired without needing a large amount of equipment cost, the quality and processing efficiency of the product is improved, and the work environment is also improved. The fine powder collection system includes a plurality of air supply lines and a plurality of auction lines, one of each of which is provided to each of a plurality of processing spaces within the crusher or triturator. The air supply floats the fine powder generated during crushing or triturating by blowing vapor into each processing space, and a suction supply sucks the fine powder floated by the air supply from each processing space.

Abstract: An adaptive speech filter (10) for conditioning speech signals to increase signal to noise ratio in a relatively noisy environment. The adaptive speech filter (10) has a preamp circuit (12), a high pass adaptive filter circuit (14), an output buffer circuit (16), a peak detector amplifier/filter circuit (18), a peak detector circuit (20) and a voltage regulator circuit (22), embodied in an application specific integrated circuit (24). The adaptive speech filter (10) is intended for input to telephones, radios, and the like.

Abstract: A case (12) for a computer monitor (10) having a tub (16) with a case aperture (38) therein adapted for receiving a subpanel (26). The subpanel (26) has a plurality of electrical connectors (28) which are user accessible thereby. A beveled flange (40) on the subpanel (26) is received within a receiving flange (44) on the case aperture (38). A structural grid (32) within the case (12) has a flexible portion (34) which includes a can (33) coupled to a flexible arm (35), and which has a screw receiving aperture (42) therein such that a screw (30) is passed through a subpanel screw aperture (48) in the subpanel (26) and secured within the screw receiving aperture (42), thereby flexing the flexible portion (34) to hold the subpanel (26) firmly within the case aperture (38).

Abstract: A heat exchange apparatus (10, 10, 10b) for selectively heating and/or cooling a process fluid (38). A process fluid tubing 14 is wrapped around a primary thermally conductive cylinder (12) having a spiral groove (24) therein adapted for closely accepting the process fluid tubing (14) and increasing the area in thermal contact therebetween. The process fluid tubing (14) is a generally chemically inert tubing. The spiral groove (24) supports the process fluid tubing (14) such that the process fluid tubing (14) can be bent in a radius smaller than the natural minimum bend radius of the process fluid tubing (14). Various embodiments have a cooling apparatus (26, 26a) for cooling the process fluid (38). The cooling apparatus (26, 26a) has a outer thermally conductive cylinder (16) or an outer thermal reservoir (50) cooled alternatively by coolant fluid (44) passing through cooling fluid tubing (18), by a plurality of thermoelectric modules (54), or by a combination thereof.

Abstract: An adapter card for managing connections between clients and a network server off-loads the connection management burden from the server. The adapter card includes a memory with an embedded proxy application and a communication protocol stack, a processing unit for executing the application code, a network controller for interfacing with an internetwork, and a bus protocol bridge for interfacing with the internal bus of the network server. The proxy application receives client requests on behalf of the server over relatively slow and unreliable network connections, and submits the requests to the server over fast, reliable bus connections. A proxy cache provides storage for server responses, so that the proxy application can provide the stored responses to clients without re-accessing the server. Buffers are allocated to a particular client connection only after it is determined that data will be exchanged between the server and the client.

Abstract: A reflective LCD array (10) having a plurality of mirrors (40) in a mirror layer (14) of material layers (12). Underlying the mirror layer (12) are at least a second metal layer (18) and a third metal layer (20). The second metal layer (18) and the third metal layer (20) will each have a first plurality of power traces (50) and (51), arrayed such that the power traces (50) and (51) generally completely underlie a plurality of gaps (44, 46) between the mirrors (40). The power traces (50) are positioned such that the average voltage presented thereby is ½(V0+V1). This will generally prevent the buildup of a residual DC bias between the mirrors (40) and an ITO layer (32) which might otherwise cause the production of ions (38) which could degrade the performance of and perhaps damage the reflective LCD array (10).

Abstract: A novel heat exchanger includes a thermal reservoir and a tube, the tube having straight sections and corrugated bends, and being in thermal contact with the thermal reservoir. The thermal reservoir has a first plate and a second plate fixed to the first plate. The first plate has a channel formed therein with straight sections to receive the straight sections of the tube, and curved sections for receiving the corrugated sections of the tube. The second plate has a channel formed therein as well that is complementary to the channel of the first plate. The heat exchanger is heated by one or more cartridge heaters. In a particular embodiment, two thermal reservoirs are fixed to one another and the cartridge heaters are disposed in channels formed therebetween. Optionally the thermal reservoirs can be heated or cooled by thermoelectric chips, and can include one or more heat sinks.

Abstract: A reflective LCD array (10) having a plurality of mirrors (40) in a mirror layer (14) of material layers (12). Underlying the mirror layer (12) are at least a second metal layer (18) and a third metal layer (20). The second metal layer (18) and the third metal layer (20) will each have a first plurality of power traces (50) and (51), arrayed such that the power traces (50) and (51) generally completely underlie a plurality of gaps (44, 46) between the mirrors (40). The power traces (50) are positioned to shield light (30) from reaching a plurality of silicon junctions (26) where traces on a poly layer (22) intersect traces on a diffusion layer (24).

Abstract: A system and method for reducing the intensity output response time of a liquid crystal display is disclosed. A display driver circuit selectively substitutes compensation data words for data words in a data stream, in order to reduce the intensity output rise time of a liquid crystal display. In one embodiment, the display driver circuit includes a buffer and a rise time compensator. The buffer receives and stores a first data word intended to be written to a particular pixel. The rise time compensator, upon receipt of a second data word intended for the same pixel, retrieves the first data word from the buffer, compares the value of the second data word to the value of the first data word, and selectively outputs either the second data word or a compensation data word, depending on the relative values of the first and second data words.

Abstract: A novel guide is disclosed for fixing to a cutting tool for cutting a piece of sheet material having a plurality of fiducial lines marked thereon. The guide has a set of alignment marks and a plurality of measurement scales associated with the alignment marks. Each measurement scale corresponds to at least one of the fiducial lines, such that when one of the alignment marks is aligned with a particular fiducial line, the measurement scale corresponding to the particular fiducial line indicates the distance of the blade of the cutting tool from an edge of the sheet material. Particular embodiments of the guide include a flat portion attached to the front of the cutting tool, or alternately, a laser guide rotatably fixed to the front of the cutting tool. Novel methods for cutting a predetermined distance from an edge of a piece of sheet material using the guides of the present invention is also disclosed.

Abstract: Novel systems and methods of using a bent-tube object in a drawing file include entering a custom bent-tube object in a drawing file, and using the bent tube object to generate bender driver data. In a particular method, the step of entering the custom bent-tube object in the drawing file includes entering a multi-segmented line, and generating the custom bent-tube object based at least in part on the lengths of and angles between the segments of the multi-segmented line. In a more particular method, the step of entering the custom bent-tube object further includes selecting a tube type (e.g., a particular diameter, material, etc.), and the step of generating the custom bent-tube object further includes retrieving bent-tube object data from an object data file based at least in part on the tube type.

Abstract: An improved imager assembly (10) having an imager subassembly (11) with an LCD device (14) mounted on a substrate (12) with a connector ribbon electrically and mechanically attached thereto. An improved mounting frame (20) has a plurality of mounting screw holes (36). A plurality of stress reducing recesses (28) prevent stress from being transferred though an isolation border (26) of the mounting frame (20) to the LCD device (14). An image mask (22) is affixed to the mounting frame (20) by an adhesive (24) and the adhesive (24) is further used to affix the mounting frame (20) to the imager subassembly (11).

Abstract: A pipe electropolishing system (10, 10a) for in place polishing of a pipe (28) has provision for detecting the instant position of a cathode (14) within the pipe (28) such as cable marks (52) and cable mark sensor (50), an infrared camera (60), heat sensing crayon marks (64), thermisters (66), and capacitance sensors (68), used individually or in combination. According to the inventive in place electropolishing method (80) when it is determined that the cathode is in a nonuniform portion (70) of the pipe (28), then increased polishing action is provided as by increasing the voltage using a variable power supply (30a) and/or by slowing down the progress of the cathode (14) using a variable speed cable puller (18).

Abstract: A fluid delivery system includes one or more measure modules for measuring and delivering predetermined volumes of one or more different fluids. Each measure module includes a fluid inlet port, a retention vessel, an overflow aperture to allow fluid in excess of the desired volume to flow out of the vessel, and an outlet port for dispensing the retained fluid. A calibrating rod adjustably occupies a portion of the volume of the vessel to facilitate precise adjustment of the volume of fluid dispensed by the measure module. In one particular embodiment, a blender includes a plurality of measure modules whose outputs are coupled together to produce a mixture having a composition defined by the relative capacities of the vessels of the various measure modules. In another particular embodiment, one blender dilutes a chemical concentrate, and provides the diluted mixture to another blender, which further dilutes the mixture.

Abstract: A novel method for bending tubes suitable for use in high-purity fluid handling systems includes selecting a tube made from a material having a grain-size number of at least 5, and forming a bend in the tube with a bend radius of greater than 1.5 times the diameter of the tube. Tubes bent according to the present invention are incorporated into high-purity systems as supply lines, product lines, and vacuum forelines, without the need for post-bend heat treatment or polishing.

Abstract: A convergence device 10 for assembly an LCD imaging device 14 to a fixed housing 12. The convergence device 10 has a frame 25 with a plurality of retention arms 26 protruding therefrom. Each of the retention arms 26 has a retention barb 27 for hooking behind a retention land 28 on the imaging device 14. The imaging device 14 has a retainer 18 with a plurality of preload flexures 24 for providing some outward pressure on the frame 15 of the convergence device 10. After the imaging device 14 is positioned on the fixed housing 12, an adhesive 30 is applied to a housing adhesive gap 32 and to a plurality of imager fixing adhesive gaps 34 to hold the convergence device 10 in place relative to the fixed housing 12 and further to hold the imaging device 14 in place relative to the convergence device 10.

Abstract: A novel projection system includes an illumination source for emitting an illumination beam, a reflective display device for modulating the illumination beam to form a reflected imaging beam, a projection lens group having an optical axis, and a field lens group. The field lens group is de-centered with respect to the optical axis of the projection lens group and is disposed to redirect the illumination beam to illuminate the display device at a non-zero angle of incidence, and to redirect the reflected imaging beam along an optical path parallel to the optical path of the projection lens group. In a particular embodiment the display device is disposed on the optical axis of the projection lens group. In a more particular embodiment, the redirected portion of the optical path of the reflected imaging beam is coincident with the optical axis of the projection lens group.

Abstract: A novel decorative structure includes a length of strand material, having a plurality of individual strands twisted with respect to one another and fixed with respect to one another near a first end of the strands, and a twisting member having a plurality of apertures formed therein, each adapted to receive a respective one of the individual strands therethrough. In a particular embodiment the twisting member is a disc, such that when the twisting member is advanced from a second end of the strands to the first end, the strand material is caused to unwind. Similarly, when the twisting member is advanced from the first end to the second end of the strands, the strand material is caused to wind up. When unwound, the strands retain a decorative helical shape, and give the appearance of a Christmas tree.

Abstract: A temperature handling subsystem (12) for a pipe electrochemical polishing system (10) has a chiller (46) and associated heat exchanger (44) for cooling the acid electrolyte (24) circulating through a pipe (28) while a cathode (14) is drawn therethrough for the purpose of electropolishing the interior of the pipe (24). A temperature control method (48) has a temperature low enough decision operation (58) wherein a temperature indicating control (38) is used to determine if the chiller (46) should be activated. The electrolyte (24) is pumped by an electrolyte pump from an electrolyte reservoir (22) containing a temperature indicating controller (38) for determining the temperature of the electrolyte (24) and further containing an electric heater (36) for heating the electrolyte (24), as necessary.