Abstract: A powered toothbrush is provided and includes a handle portion having a neck formed at one end and a head coupled to the neck. The handle portion is adapted to receive a pair of batteries therein. The head includes a base, and one or more carriers coupled to the base. At least one of the carriers is operatively connected to a drive for moving the one or more coupled carriers in respective directions. The one or more carriers have bristles, elastomeric cleaning members, or a combination thereof extending outwardly therefrom. The pair of batteries are positioned at a predetermined angle relative to a face of the carrier.

Abstract: A toothbrush comprises a handle and a head. The head includes a first section having cleaning elements extending outwardly from its outer surface. A ball joint is mounted to the head adjacent to the first section. The ball joint also includes cleaning elements extending outwardly from the outer surface. The head includes resilient material urging the ball joint so be in its initial position after the pivotal movement of the ball joint cleaning elements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to reduce the probability of programmable logic device (PLD) failure due to single event upset (SEU) of configuration memory. A first portion of configuration memory cells are initially programmed with configuration data, leaving a second portion of configuration memory cells that are un-programmed. The programmed and un-programmed configuration memory cells are grouped into voting groups, where each un-programmed configuration memory cell of each voting group is programmed with the identical configuration data as contained within the originally programmed configuration memory cell of each voting group. The logic values of each configuration memory cell of each voting group are monitored by voting circuits, which enforce a triple modular redundancy (TMR) validation policy. The logical validation results are then applied to control points to mitigate PLD configuration memory errors caused by anomalous events such as neutron induced SEUs.

Abstract: When an electronic still camera in which a value of a voltage from a battery 2 is compared with reference values in a heavily loaded condition, i.e. with an LCD monitor 21 operated, to detect the current amount of charge remaining in the battery and a battery voltage obtained that is lower than a reference value R3 forces the body of the camera to be powered off, is again powered on without changing the battery, the battery is immediately placed in a lightly loaded condition, since LCD monitor 21 is in a non-operating state. Thus, battery voltage increases and thus exceeds the reference value and this disadvantageously results in a result different from that of detection of the amount of charge remaining in the battery that is obtained before the camera is powered off.