Abstract: A card transaction settlement method in a point of sale (POS) system is described. More particularly, a payment by either the credit or debit card is made after an approval before the card transaction (ABCT) for a virtual transaction amount (VTA) is given, and in which when the transaction is completed, an approval after the card transaction (AACT) for the actual transaction amount (ATA) is requested for the transaction settlement. Settlement can be conveniently accomplished since conflict between the merchant and the consumer, caused by a difference between the transaction amount and the debited can be eliminated. The merchant has less of the financial risk for refund. A signature is not necessary on the signature form, resulting in that true non-cashier self-service sales can be introduced to the sales management system.

Abstract: An improved position indicating device is presented. The position indicating device includes a housing having a sealed compartment and an opened compartment. A trackball is located in the opened compartment. A plurality of drive tube assemblies are also located in the opened compartment for supporting a periphery of the trackball. In one embodiment, the plurality of drive tubes include an X-axis drive tube and a Y-axis drive tube. The X-axis drive tube and the Y-axis drive tube each have a sealed magnet assembly affixed thereto. The drive tube assemblies and sealed magnetic assemblies generate a north-to-south pole magnetic field angle as the drive tube rotate. The sealed compartment includes an X-axis angle sensor, an X-axis signal conditioner, a Y-axis magnetic angle sensor, and a Y-axis signal conditioner. The angle sensors and signal conditioners sense and measure the north-to-south pole magnetic field angle generated by the rotating drive assemblies and sealed magnetic assemblies.

Abstract: A nosepiece adapter (10) for connecting a nosepiece (20) to a tool holder shank (30), wherein said nosepiece adapter (10) is comprised of a shaft (60) and an opposing nosepiece end (50) to receive said nosepiece (20), wherein a longitudinal cavity (70) extends through said nosepiece adapter (10) and opens at both ends of said nosepiece adapter (10); an escape valve cavity (80) extending from the outer surface of the nosepiece end (50) to said longitudinal cavity (70); wherein said shaft (60) includes a shaft attachment means for connecting said shaft (60) to said tool holder shank (30); and, wherein said nosepiece end (50) includes a nosepiece attachment means to connect said nosepiece (20) to said nosepiece end (50).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of a container (45″), with an opening (53), whose opening axis (57) is at an angle to the container axis (23), whereby a blank (45) is introduced into a blowing mould (11, 13), a fixing region (47) of the blank (45) pressed against a stop zone (41) on the blowing mould and the blank pneumatically formed in the blowing mould. The fixing region (47) of the blank (45) is pressed against a stop zone (41) on the blowing mould, inclined at an angle other than 90°. The moulding thus occurs such that an opening region axis (58) of the blank (45, 45′) is at an angle to the container region axis (59) of the blank (45, 45′). The opening axis (57), of the blowing mould (11), forms an angle to a longitudinal axis (51) of a stretching drift (49), which may be extended along the longitudinal axis thereof.

Abstract: A projectileless ammunition system (20; 320) includes a metallic case (22; 322). A propellant charge (26; 326) is carried by the case and cover by an over-powder member (24; 324) in the absence of a separate projectile. The ammunition is advantageously used with an industrial ballistic tool operating so that each spent case serves as the effective projectile to be propelled by firing of the next round of ammunition.

Abstract: A system is presented for remotely measuring a concentration of a target material (e.g., radioactive gas, suspended aerosols or non-radioactive gaseous chemistries). The system includes a data processing system and a monitoring device. The device includes a detector having a chamber, collector in the chamber and a sensor. The target material enters the chamber. The collector collects ions generated by decay of the material. In one embodiment, the sensor measures changes in an electrostatic potential of the collector in response to the ions. In another embodiment, the sensor includes a scintillation counter that measures alpha or beta particles and provides an energy spectrum. In another embodiment, the sensor includes a material whose optical properties vary according to fields formed within the sensor. The device includes a transmitter for transmitting the potential, the spectrum or the field strength to the processing system for determining the concentration of the target material.

Abstract: A display system includes a reusable basic unit into which a product-carrying tray may be inserted to display/dispense such product. The trays are replaceable as the product is expended. The basic unit advantageously includes portions for removably accommodating graphics so that, for various promotional events, different graphics can be used for each event.

Abstract: A probe card assembly that compensates for differing rates of thermal expansion is disclosed herein. The assembly is comprised of a multi-layered dielectric plate interposed between a probe head and a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board has arrayed upon its surface a first plurality of electrical contacts arranged in a pattern. The dielectric plate has a second plurality of electrical contacts arranged in a pattern matching the first plurality of contacts. A planarizing interposer is interposed between the plate and the printed circuit board and has a pattern of holes matching the pattern of electrical contacts on the printed circuit board and plate. The assembly further includes a plurality of electrical connectors disposed within each of the holes arrayed in a pattern upon the planarizing interposer a plurality conductive bumps or fuzz buttons making electrical contact with the first and second plurality of electrical contacts.

Abstract: A relatively high carbon, water-atomized, steel shot is softened via annealing to render it suitable for ballistic use. The annealing preferably includes decarburization from a surface layer or throughout and preferably provides the shot with a surface Knoop hardness of less than 250.

Abstract: A remote-controlled motor-driven drum is provided to wind and unwind a cord which holds a self-balancing sign carrier. The sign carrier, which has telescoping rails, is adjustable in width. Its center rail includes two sheaves to receive the cord and lead it from the drum back to an end secured to the ceiling. Rotation of the drum raises and lowers the sign carrier and a sign carried by it. The sheaves on the carrier also serve to make the unit self-balancing. The motor responds to actuating signals for raising and lowering the sign and to safety features. Safety features include a limit switch which stops the motor when an object gets in the way, an overload control which stops the motor if excessive weight is detected, and the use of the motor for braking.

Abstract: A copper base alloy consisting essentially of tin in an amount from about 0.1 to about 1.5% by weight, phosphorous in an amount from about 0.01 to about 0.35% by weight, iron in an amount from about 0.01 to about 0.8% by weight, zinc in an amount from about 1.0 to about 15% by weight, and the balance essentially copper, including phosphide particles uniformly distributed throughout the matrix, is described. The alloy is characterized by an excellent combination of physical properties. The process of forming the copper base alloy described herein includes casting, homogenizing, rolling, process annealing and stress relief annealing.

Abstract: A process for making a copper base alloy comprises the steps of casting a copper base alloy containing tin, zinc, iron and phosphorous and forming phosphide particles uniformly distributed throughout the matrix. The forming step comprises homogenizing the alloy at least once for at least one hour at a temperature from 1000 to 1450° F., rolling to final gauge including at least one process anneal for at least one hour at 650 to 1200° F. followed by slow cooling, and stress relief annealing at final gauge for at lest one hour at 300 to 600° F.

Abstract: An apparatus (40) is used to implement a method for training a person to accomplish a basketball shot. A lower body positioning member (60) is located in front of a leg area of the person when that person is in a position to attempt the shot. When the person so attempts the shot, the lower body positioning member restrains forward rotation of the person's leading shin. An upper body positioning member (68) is located in front of a torso area of the person. When the person attempts the shot, the upper body positioning member restrains downward rotation of the person's shooting arm. In a repetitive process, the person is provided with a basketball and shoots the basketball at the goal. By this repetitive process the person learns to accomplish the shot without excessive rotation of the lower leg and upper arm.

Abstract: A safety relay comprising an electrically insulating carrier part, an electromagnetic drive arranged on the carrier part, at least one control contact arranged on the carrier part, at least three load contacts arranged on the carrier part wherein each of the load and control contacts is forcibly guided by a common comb connected with the electromagnetic drive and each load and control contact having two contact springs, each of the contacts springs comprising, a contact head, a spring foot at a distance from the contact head, and at least one fastener part connected with the spring foot, the contact springs being supported solidly with the spring foot in the carrier part wherein at least one of the contacts forms a working contact and another one a resting contact, a rigid stop arranged on the carrier part next to which is located the contact head in the vicinity of one of the contact springs, the other one of the contact springs of the contact engaging the comb in such a way that the movement of the contact

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for testing electrical traces wherein ultraviolet wavelengths from a laser source and visible wavelengths from a scanning camera are focused to a common focal plane. In a first embodiment of the method and apparatus, the wavelengths are commonly focused using an auxiliary lens having a power sufficient to accommodate the difference between the focusing plane of the ultraviolet laser source and the scanning camera. In a second embodiment, the wavelengths are commonly focused by moving the camera optics of the scanning camera relative to its visible light source. Both of these methods and apparatuses employ a fused silica lens system, avoiding the use of calcium fluoride.

Abstract: The main difference between the power booster amplifier according to this invention and state of the art class D amplifiers is in the connection of a load between a power supply and a switching half bridge which is supplied from a bridge capacitor. The switching half bridge operation is controlled by pulse-width modulated control signals. Thereby, it is possible to completely eliminate both input and output filters which are required in state of the art class D amplifiers. It is also possible to achieve several times higher power at the load due to the additional supply from the bridge capacitor for the switching half bridge. The conducted and radiated EMI noise is significantly reduced in comparison with state of the art class D amplifiers. This embodiment provides a low price, small size and low EMI noise level.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging method forms an image of an object using signals reflected from the object after transmitting an ultrasound pulse to the object. In the method, at a first step, a predetermined first spread spectrum signal is converted to the ultrasound signal at one or more transducers and the ultrasound signal is transmitted to the object. At a second step, pulse compression is performed on a reflected signal of the ultrasound signal reflected from the object to form a pulse compressed signal. And the pulse compressed signal is processed to produce a receive-focused signal and the image of the object from the receive-focused signal is generated.

Abstract: An outlet unit for providing a supply voltage to the prongs of a plug comprising a housing having a plurality of electrically conductive plug channels for receiving the prongs of the plug, a shutter rotatably mounted to the housing and operative in one of a first and a second position, the shutter having openings for receiving the prongs of the plug wherein only when in the second position the openings of the shutter and the plug channels are aligned permitting axial displacement of the prongs into the housing, and a strike plate located between the housing and the shutter for preventing the rotation of the shutter to the second position absent axial displacement of the prongs sufficient to engage the strike plate.

Abstract: Ultrasound images are obtained using a set of Golay codes with orthogonal property as ultrasound receiving and transmitting signals. Ultrasound signals having a plurality of codes are transmitted simultaneously by using the orthogonal property of the Golay codes. A superior signal-to-noise rate (SNR) is realized using the Golay codes, without suffering a decrease in the frame rate.

Abstract: A remote-controlled motor-driven drum is provided to wind and unwind a cord which holds a self-balancing sign carrier. The sign carrier, which has telescoping rails, is adjustable in width. Its center rail includes two sheaves to receive the cord and lead it from the drum back to an end secured to the ceiling. Thus, rotation of the drum serves to raise and lower the sign carrier and a sign carried by it. The sheaves on the carrier not only allow it to be raised and lowered, but also serve to make the unit self-balancing The user attaches a sign to the carrier when it is in its lowered position and then raises the sign and carrier to the ceiling. The motor, which is reversible, is remotely controlled either by wires leading between the motor and a switch or by radio control (with a control similar to that used on a garage door).