Abstract: An adjustable-force energy absorbing device includes first and second support members connected for sliding movement in a direction parallel with the steering shaft axis of a vehicle, the first support member being secured to the vehicle chassis, and the second support member being connected with the outer tube of the steering mechanism. Upon impact, the second support member is displaced from its normal first position spaced from one end of the first support member toward a second position adjacent the first support member one end. This displacement is resisted by at least one U-shaped energy absorbing element, the number and/or degree of operability of the energy absorbing elements being controlled by at least one impact-responsive pyrotechnic device.

Abstract: Charge current in a charge pump of a phase locked loop is equalized by controlling one of the direct current sources with a feedback signal derived from the common mode voltage of a fully differential phase locked loop filter.

Abstract: An electrical connector arrangement includes slidably connected upper and lower connector body sections, at least one pair of first contacts carried by the upper body section, at least one pair of second contacts of the pin type carried by the lower body section beneath the first contacts, respectively, and a third contact arranged on the upper section body section for connecting the pairs of first and second contacts, the third contact having two upwardly extending arm portions in engagement with the two first contacts, respectively, and three downwardly extending spaced leg portions that define a pair of gaps that receive the two pin second contacts, respectively. A plurality of the first, second and third contacts are arranged in parallel rows on the upper and lower connector sections.

Abstract: A container apparatus for an object to be dropped, which contains an object to be dropped functioning as a point marker or a hydrographic conditions measuring device or the like and is dropped by a transport airplane such as an aircraft flying in the air to a water surface of sea, lake or the like, or to land or the like. The container apparatus follows a substantially uniform trajectory after being dropped by the transport airplane, and after being dropped, reduces the flight speed thereof to a fixed speed, to release the object to be dropped housed therein.

Abstract: In a treatment liquid supply system that supplies treatment liquid used for coating industrial objects for film formation including a semiconductor substrate, a display substrate, a glass and the like, a nozzle connected to a treatment liquid tank vacuum-sucks and injects the treatment liquid from the treatment liquid tank due to a negative pressure occurring in the nozzle, wherein supply control of a small flow amount of the treatment liquid to the nozzle can be performed due to a difference pressure between pressure in the treatment liquid tank and the negative pressure occurring in the nozzle.

Abstract: A module connecting arrangement for mounting a module on a support rail includes a horizontal rectangular housing containing a longitudinal chamber, and a bottom surface that contains a recess for transversely receiving the support rail, the recess being in communication with the chamber. A pair of horizontal, superimposed, slidably-connected locking slide members are longitudinally mounted in the chamber. The slide members are spring-biased together toward a locking position in which integral opposed locking lip portions thereon extend below outwardly directed horizontal flange portions of the support rail. A separating member having a non-circular cross-section is rotatably connected with the housing and extends into a gap defined between spaced opposing walls on the slide members, whereby rotation of the separating members produces displacement of the slide members toward released positions relative to the support rail.

Abstract: A footwear item includes an upper and a lap element. The lap element is formed of a moldable resilient plastic material with a predetermined shape and forms the sole or insole of the footwear item. The lap element includes opposing surfaces defining a channel for receiving the periphery of the upper. The predetermined shape of the lap element follows the perimeter of the upper.

Abstract: An energy absorbing mechanism for collapsible vehicle steering column includes a deformable wire connected between the fixed and movable column members. The wire includes a straight portion connected at one end with the movable column member, and a second portion that is deformed around a cylinder that is secured to the fixed column member. A force generator is operable upon impact to apply laterally to the wire a controlled frictional force that is a function of various physical properties of the driver, the vehicle, or the environment, thereby to afford infinitely variable and modulatable energy absorption.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are presented for scheduling playback for voice data sample packet payloads conveyed over best-effort packet-switched infrastructure. The hardware implementation presented provides support for concurrent and independent comfort noise insertion and for dynamic clock adjustment for telephone sessions provisioned concurrently without making recourse to signaling. The apparatus and methods support high density solutions scaleing up to large numbers of concurrently provisioned telephone sessions.

Abstract: A method of scheduling queue servicing in a data packet switching environment is provided. The method includes a sequence of cyclical steps. The output queues are scheduled for servicing on a least credit value basis. An output queue is selected from a group of output queues associated with a communications port. The selected output port has at least one Payload Data Unit (PDU) pending transmission and a lowest credit value associated therewith. At least one PDU having a length is transmitted from the selected output queue and the credit value is incremented taking the length of the transmitted PDU into consideration. The transmission of PDUs is divided into transmission periods. Once per transmission period credit values associated with output queues holding PDUs pending transmission are decremented in accordance with transmission apportionments assigned for each output queue. The method emulates weighted fair queue servicing with minimal computation enabling hardware implementation thereof.

Abstract: OCT apparatus includes an interferometer, having an input beam splitter and a 50/50 output splitter. The splitting ratio of the input splitter may be optimized depending on the source power of light source and on the mismatch of the balanced receiver. The input splitter is a plate beam-splitter to minimize the stray reflected light in the interferometer and allow sequential operation of the apparatus in the OCT or in the confocal regime. The switching between the two regimes may be at will, or synchronous with the en-face scanning which results in quasi-simultaneous OCT/confocal imaging or in alternatives frames, confocal and OCT. By using polarization sensitive elements, two channels are provided in each regime, OCT and confocal. The two confocal polarization sensitive channels may allow adjustments of compensators prior to OCT measurements or OCT imaging.

Abstract: A servo adjustable gripper device for gripping and transporting at least two objects such as boxes includes a frame and at least two gripper assemblies connected with carriages slidably connected with the frame. The gripper device further includes a robotic arm which controls further movement and placement of the boxes on a pallet. The position of the gripper assemblies on the frame is adjustable to provide equal lifting force for a variety of differently sized boxes or for different numbers of boxes.

Abstract: An architecture for creating a single image for a stack of switches. A plurality of the internetworking devices are provided in a stack configuration for interconnecting networks. Software is executed in each internetworking device such that the stack of internetworking devices appear as a single internetworking device to the interconnected networks.

Abstract: A porous silicon structure is stabilized by anodically oxidizing the structure and then subjecting it to chemical functionalization to protect non-oxidized surface regions, preferably in the presence of 1-decene under thermal conditions. This process creates a protective organic monolayer on the surface of the structure, rendering it highly stable.

Abstract: An anti-theft locking device for vehicles includes an annular locking sleeve mounted concentrically about and normally in frictional engagement with the vehicle steering shaft. The locking sleeve includes a body portion having a serpentine cross-sectional configuration, thereby defining on the inner periphery of the sleeve a plurality of alternate smooth convex projections and concave valleys. The convex projections are in frictional engagement with the circumferential surface of the steering shaft by a predetermined frictional force that is greater than the rotational torque force produced during normal steering operation of the vehicle. A plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth extend radially outwardly from the locking sleeve, thereby to define between the teeth a plurality of locking slots one of which is arranged to receive the free extremity of the locking arm of a locking device.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having a chamber in which are mounted a bus bar, and a leaf spring that normally biases the end of a conductor that is inserted into the chamber into electrical engagement with the bus bar. A release member is connected with the housing for movement from a retracted position toward an extended release position, thereby to release the spring from the conductor so that the conductor may be removed from the housing. For ease of operation, the release member has a pair of angularly arranged surfaces that contain operating openings for selectively receiving the tip of an operating tool arranged at various angular positions relative to the housing.

Abstract: A pliers-type stripping tool includes a base, a pair of pivot levers pivotally connected with the base, a pair of clamping members connected for relative longitudinal displacement on one of the pivot levers, a pair of cutting members connected for relative longitudinal displacement on the other of the pivot levers, a first spring biasing the clamping jaws apart, a second spring biasing the cutting jaws apart, and a first operating arrangement operable by a pair of pivotally-connected handles to displace the clamping and cutting jaws together from their normal separated conditions toward adjacent positions in clamping and insulation-piercing engagement with an insulated conductor positioned therebetween. The cutting members sever a length of the insulation layer that extends concentrically around the conductor, and a second operating arrangement is operable by the handles to separate the pivot levers, thereby to strip the severed insulation layer from the bare conductor.

Abstract: A junction box containing at least one electrical terminal is connected for displacement between unfastened and fastened positions relative to a carrier element, whereby during movement of the housing toward the fastened position, a U-shape contact spring is progressively displaced on a contact tab portion of the terminal within the junction box from a retracted position to a clamping position, thereby to bend a deformable relatively small thin conductor into contiguous lateral engagement with the contact tab portion.