Abstract: A device and associated method useful for determining whether a disk has a chipped edge. The preferred device includes a laser that radiates a laser beam to the disk in the vicinity of its edge. The preferred device also includes a radiation detector for detecting electromagnetic radiation from the laser after the radiation has been transmitted, reflected, retracted or scattered by the disk. A chip in the vicinity of the edge of the disk will direct the electromagnetic radiation differently than an intact disk edge. Therefore, the radiation detector can utilize changes in the detected electromagnetic radiation in order to determine whether the edge of the disk is intact or whether it has a defect, such as an edge chip.

Abstract: Selected server operations that affect objects in a distributed computing system can be off-loaded from servers at which the objects are stored to other servers without the requirement of vertical partitioning of the affected objects and without off-loading entire affected objects. A client environment process that requests an operation on an object is notified of a task server to which selected off-load operations should be sent. The client preferably stores the task server identifier and thereafter sends such operation request directly to the identified task server. The object metadata information can be stored in the client environment, if desired. The object metadata at the owning repository server is maintained, if affected by the requested operation. A single task server can perform off-loaded functions from several other repository servers at the same node and at other nodes, and in that way reduce the workload of many servers.

Abstract: A poster clamp having a clam-shell clamp having an upper member and a lower member, the upper and lower members rotatable about a common hinge between open and closed positions, and when in the closed position a first clamp arm on the upper member overlaying a first clamp arm on the lower members, and when in the closed position a second clamp arm on the upper member, coplanar with the first clamp arm on the upper member, overlaying a second clamp arm on the lower member, the second clamp arm on the lower member coplanar with the first clamp arm on the lower member, the second clamp arms extending substantially at right angles to the first clamp arms, the first and second clamp arms having longitudinal outside edges, the hinge along the longitudinal outside edges of the first clamp arms, whereby when in the closed position the first and second arms of the upper member are in substantially parallel engagement with the first and second arms of the lower member to thereby releasably frictionally engage a sheet p

Abstract: A surgical cutting instrument having jaws formed on the distal ends of an outer and an inner cutting member.A recess in the inner cutting member is provided for collecting chips of material. A removable sheath over the outer cutting member permits removal of chips. The sheath also functions to prevent tissue damage. In an alternate embodiment, a collection chamber is provided for storing collected chips of material.

Abstract: A system and process, including a combination of a solder well and a vacuum system wherein micro through holes are filled with solder. A PC board or the like is supported for contact with solder on one side and with a vacuum apparatus for the application of a vacuum to the other side so that solder is drawn into the through holes for establishing electrically conductive connections therethrough.

Abstract: A system and process, including a combination of a solder well and a vacuum system wherein micro through holes are filled with solder. A PC board or the like is supported for contact with solder on one side and with a vacuum apparatus for the application of a vacuum to the other side so that solder is drawn into the through holes for establishing electrically conductive connections therethrough.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for providing a floating seal for an inert gas solder reflow chamber. The seal floats with respect to upper and lower chucks and is made of a substantially non-deformable material. The seal permits lateral, axial and rotational movement between the lower and upper chucks while facilitating accurate control of bonding pressure. The structure of this floating seal permits use of seal materials which facilitate use of higher melting point solders, some in excess of 350.degree. C., for flip-chip bonding.

Abstract: An improved airframe body decoupling system for a body gimballed sensor on an interceptor aircraft or guided missile. Body rate gyro information is employed for internal decoupling so as to eliminate decoupling match sensitivity to receiver errors. The true measure of sensor position from the gimballed antenna potentiometer is differentiated and then externally decoupled to produce the desired line-of-sight rate for use by the guidance/control section of the proportional navigation guidance system.

Abstract: A method for augmenting a noise-adaptive predictive proportional navigation terminal guidance scheme. In a third order configuration with noise adaptive varying gain parameters calculated as a function of time-to-go, this system implements an optimal control law to augment proportional navigation with a target acceleration feed forward term and a navigation ratio which is a function of time-to-go and the control effort weighting factor. This third order system may also implement another optimal control law to even greater advantage, taking into account not only target acceleration but also missile acceleration in a feedback loop which, together with the navigation ratio, are both functions of time-to-go and autopilot dynamics, whereby first order autopilot time lag is accounted for. This system is particularly useful for high and medium altitude targets and results in significant miss distance improvement for terminal guidance against small maneuvering targets.

Abstract: A method for augmenting a noise-adaptive predictive proportional navigation terminal guidance scheme. In a fourth order configuration with noise adaptive varying gain parameters calculated as a function of time-to-go, this system implements an optimal control law to augment proportional navigation with target and missile information terms and a navigation ratio which is a function of time-to-go. By employing a fourth order system, enhanced use may be made of information already available in the guidance computer and missile control system to decouple target motion information from the missile control signals. Decoupled target motion information facilitates blind-mode operation in the end game, the last few seconds before intercept. Decoupled missile control information enables the airframe to be controlled to predefined orientations for aimed warhead applications.

Abstract: A method for augmenting the value of range uplink information in a predictive proportional navigation terminal guidance scheme. A second order configuration, with noise adaptive varying gain parameters calculated as a function of time-to-go, is particularly useful for high altitude, minimally maneuvering targets. This configuration results in acceptable miss distances, better than conventional proportional navigation, with sensitivity to unmodeled errors being substantially less than that in modern guidance systems. A third order configuration makes enhanced use of range uplink information to provide improved terminal guidance against lower altitude maneuvering targets. The sensitivity of the third order configuration is similar to that of conventional proportional navigation but with better miss distance results.

Abstract: A method for augmenting a noise-adaptive predictive proportional navigation terminal guidance scheme. In a second order configuration with noise adaptive varying gain parameters calculated as a function of time-to-go, this system implements an optimal control law to augment proportional navigation with a missile acceleration feedback term and a navigation ratio to account for first order autopilot time lag. This configuration results in nearly optimal miss distance behavior, with sensitivity to unmodeled errors being substantially less than that in modern guidance systems. The system is particularly useful for high altitude, minimally maneuvering targets.

Abstract: An automatic dialing pause generator for use in telephone terminals with pulse dialing and additional features such as abbreviated number dialing, redialing, direct dialing and the like automatically provides a pause between selected digits dialed by the telephone terminal. Specifically, the present invention inserts a pause automatically after transmitting a directory number having an exchange code number. Memory write-in logic monitors the dialing input from a keyboard and from a keyboard decoder for the entering of an exchange code number to be stored in an exchange code memory. In addition, the memory write-in logic also recognizes the entering of a dialing command from keyboard and keyboard decoder as normal or abbreviated number dialing and stores it in a directory number memory which controls the dialing through a digit and pause generator.

Abstract: A method for producing embossed designs on work surfaces such as on molds, rolls or dies. A photomechanically imageable transfer material is exposed to the design to be embossed. The material is developed and the acid resistant design material remaining on a backing sheet is mechanically transferred to the work surface by burnishing the back of the backing sheet. The surface is then etched and the acid resistant design elements removed so that the embossed work surface is ready for use.

Abstract: Synthetic resin bottles with base cups are prepared by stretching a parison with a bottom having a sprue at its bottom surface, by means of a stretching rod, to the bottom surface of a base cup having a hole at its center, the base cup being mounted on a bottom mold of a blow mold, the bottom mold having a hole larger than the hole of the base cup, in which a pressing jig is mounted for crushing the sprue formed on the bottom of the parison with a bottom; inserting the sprue into the hole in the bottom of the base cup; crushing the sprue by means of the pressing jig to form a rivet; and, at the same time, blowing air into the parison with a bottom so as to press the outer bottom surface of the parison against the inner surface of the base cup to securely adhere one to the other.

Abstract: A nozzle device used for injection-molding plastic products. In the present nozzle device, the hot runner may be formed into a block and set to a mold clamping mechanism irrespective of cavity mold. The device comprises a hot runner block of fixed length having a plurality of nozzles at one side thereof and a sprue at the other side thereof, the nozzles and the sprue being placed in communication with each other by the runner, and a base plate having a plurality of support plates. The nozzles may accessibly come into contact with gates of a cavity mold. In this device, no overheating occurs in the periphery of the gates of the mold.