Abstract: A two-part coupling structure includes a male coupling part and a female coupling part which are mutually engageable to open fluid communication between a fluid-storage vessel and a conduit, for example. The coupling parts are disengageable from one another to discontinue fluid communication between the vessel and the conduit, and also to close communication between ambient and each of the vessel and conduit. The retention volume of fluid which is trapped between the connected male and female coupling parts and which is exposed to or lost to ambient when the coupling parts are disconnected is very small. The male coupling part is carried in a guide structure which is removably engageable with the female coupling part to guide the male coupling part into engagement. Also, the male coupling part and its guide structure define cooperating structural features which effect opening of the male coupling part in response to advancement relative to the guide structure.

Abstract: A device for compressing tires and other compressible items in a shipping container comprises a support frame 22 attached to the lift end of a forklift. A fixture 20 is attached to and moves vertically with the support frame. The fixture comprises a horizontal compression platen 30. A vertical pusher plate 50 extends above and below the platen. The upper pusher plate 53, which is above the platen, can fold down so that the platen can be brought near the ceiling of a shipping container above a stack of tires. The fixture weighs enough to compress tires stacked below the compression platen. Additional tires are stacked above the platen and compressed tires. The upper pusher plate is then folded up, against the tires. Two hydraulic cylinders push the pusher plate away from the support frame to pull the platen from between the tires.

Abstract: The tool of the present invention comprises a stem. Cutting teeth extend outward from the stem. The stem has a central, longitudinal passage, connects to a suction or evacuation line. An outlet of the passage is at or near the cutting site. As material is cut, the suction carries the material to the central passage where it is evacuated. In one embodiment, each tooth has a cutting edge and a back side. One or more tubes connect the central passage to the back side of the cutting teeth. Suction from the central passage acts on the tubes to create suction at the cutting site. In another embodiment, the central passage is open at the distal end of the tool. Suction at the distal end cut material toward the distal end of the tool and into the central passage where it is evacuated from the tool.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure with input/output gate voltage regulation and parasitic zener and junction diodes for protection against damage resulting from electrostatic discharge (ESD) events. The circuit includes a first protective FET connected between an input/output pad and a ground potential of the integrated circuit. A diode voltage regulator is also connected between the gate of the first protective FET and a reference potential of the integrated circuit. The first protective FET receives a voltage from its gate-drain overlap capacitance during an ESD event. The diode is operative during an ESD event to provide a sufficient voltage to the first FET gate to permit a desired ESD current flow through the first protective FET. In one embodiment the first FET is an NMOS device and the diode voltage regulator is a series of p-n forward biased diodes.

Abstract: A system for controlling the recline and dumping of a seat has a master unit and a slave unit. The master unit has two base plates that attaches to a seat and pivots with respect to ground. A master lock, which attaches to the base plate, allows the base plates to pivot only when the lock is unlocked. A master seat plate, which connects to the seat and pivots on the master base plate. A latch normally secures the base and seat plates together so that pivoting the master plate pivots the seat plate except when the latches is not latched. The slave unit has a mechanical lock connected with the seat back directly, which allows the seat back and the master base plates to pivot only when both the master lock and the slave lock are unlocked. An input/output device unlocks the slave lock when the latch is unlocked. That allows the seat to dump. The input/output device also unlocks the slave lock when the latch on the master lock is unlocked. That allows the seat back to dump.

Abstract: An insert for preventing a gummed flap from adhering to an envelope while being printed upon in a laser printer is substantially nonadherent to moister-activated and/or heat-activated gums and adhesives. The nonadherent insert is made from sheet material which is configured to correspond to flaps of commonly used envelopes. The insert is positioned between the gummed flap and a body portion of an envelope to be printed upon prior to feeding the envelope into a laser printer. The insert prevents the gum of the flap, which may be activated by the heat inside a laser printer, from adhering to the body of the envelope. The insert is removed from the envelope after printing and may be repeatedly used.

Abstract: A controller provides control signals to a computer based upon the movement of a user. The controller has an optical detector for detecting and monitoring the movement of a user, particularly movement of selected body parts, and circuitry for outputting a control signal to the computer in accordance with detected movement. A vector indicative of detected movement is generated on a frame-to-frame basis using only a few representative edge pixels of the body parts. Control signals for the direction and the velocity of the movement are determined from the vector and move a graphical user interface on a display accordingly.

Abstract: An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) processing system interconnection or termination unit is implemented on a single integrated circuit chip. The unit includes a universal protocol device having Virtual Channel Memory (VCR) for storing ATM cells for segmentation and reassembly, a Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller for interconnecting the VCR to a host unit, and a Parallel Cell Interface (PCI) for interconnecting the VCR to an ATM network. A Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) microprocessor controls the DMA controller as well as segmentation and reassembly of Conversion Sublayer Payload Data Unit (CS-PDU)s and transfer between the memory, the host and the ATM network and other operations of the device using single clock cycle instructions. The operating program for the RISC microprocessor is stored in a volatile Instruction Random Access Memory (IRAM) in the form of firmware which is downloaded at initialization.

Abstract: A lamp socket for an energy-saving bulb includes a housing integrally formed of a substantial elliptical projection; a cross-shaped projection and a rectangular wall plate formed on a top surface of the elliptical projection for defining four compartments each with a hole in communication with an inner portion of the elliptical projection; four connector racks each received within a corresponding compartment and having a lead receiving portion and a bulb receiving portion; and a table-shaped cap for covering the compartments and having an upper surface with apertures for electric wires connected to the connector racks to extend through thereby preventing interconnection of the lamp socket from causing an electric shock to a user.

Abstract: A novel configuration for MOS devices employed in a partially generic gate array type chip having large numbers of generally MOS devices. The MOS devices have a non-rectangular configuration and include at least a first and second region of conductivity type differing from the conductivity type of the gate array substrate that are separated by a channel over which an electrode strip such as a gate is formed. The non-rectangular configuration of the MOS devices provides a space savings that permits the presence of a greater number of devices on a single chip as compared to conventional gate array chips. In accordance with another aspect of the invention one or more patternable busses of conductive material, such as polysilicon, interconnect electrode strips of the MOS devices, such as gates strips, that are made of the same conductive material as the busses.

Abstract: An apparatus for chemically treating the surfaces of printed circuit board work pieces (PCBWP's) includes a tank for holding a bath of the chemical treatment liquid. A receiving device is provided for receiving the PCBWP's from a conventional transport conveyor in a horizontal orientation, and immersing the PCBWP's into the bath in a substantially vertical orientation. A conveyor device in the tank is configured to hold the PCBWP's in the vertical orientation and to move them face-on through the liquid bath while a substantially uniform transverse flow of fresh liquid is provided between the work pieces. Another conveyor device receives the PCBWP's and elevates them out of the bath in the vertical orientation, subsequently returning them to a horizontal orientation for delivery to a conventional transport conveyor.

Abstract: A novel self-securing sealing gasket for a disk drive assembly housing ensures predictable securement of the sealing gasket to a mounting surface. Elastomeric material is preferably molded to a rigid frame. The elastomeric material defines the sealing member of the gasket, while the frame provides structural rigidity and concomitant ease of handling during assembly and disassembly of the disk drive assembly housing. A plurality of recesses are provided along the periphery of the frame for mechanically coupling with the sealing member. The compliant sealing member includes a first sealing surface having a convex profile. A plurality of vacuum cavities are integrally incorporated along a second sealing surface of the sealing member for providing vacuum coupling between the second sealing surface and the mounting surface of the base of a disk drive assembly housing.

Abstract: A first metal layer is formed on a substrate of an integrated circuit and electrically interconnects a microelectronic device and an Input/Output (I/O) pad. A second metal layer is insulated from the first metal layer by a dielectric layer, and is connected directly only to the pad. A plurality of vias are formed through the dielectric layer, and electrically interconnect the first and second metal layers such that current can flow between the device and the pad through both metal layers and the vias. A higher scale of circuit integration is made possible by reducing the widths of the metal layers without reducing their combined current carrying capacity. An Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) protection device is connected to one or both of the first and second metal layers such that current can flow from the pad to the protection device during an ESD event through both metal layers and the vias.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for separating a hydrophobic liquid from a substantially polar medium through the application of expanded graphite particles. Upon contacting the hydrophobic liquid floating agglomerates of expanded graphite and hydrophobic liquid are formed which may easily be removed from the polar liquid by mechanical means. Following the removal of the agglomerates from the polar medium, the hydrophobic liquid may be separated with little effort and recycled. Further, the adsorptive properties of the expanded graphite can be regenerated allowing the material to be used repeatedly. The present invention is particularly useful for removing liquid hydrocarbons from contaminated bodies of water.

Abstract: An integrated circuit package having a die supported on a ball grid array substrate and wire bonds electrically connecting the die to the substrate. Supported on the substrate is a lock ring having a threaded opening encircling the die. Encapsulant covers the die and the wire bonds and adheres the lock ring to the substrate. A heat sink having a threaded portion can be threaded into the lock ring into an operative cooling position relative to the die and subsequently to an unthreaded removed position. When in the latter position, a repair station can be positioned over the package and the solder balls are accessible for hot gas melting thereof for removal (or replacement) of the package from the underlying motherboard.

Abstract: A surface mounted integrated circuit die package includes a group of peripheral leads extending laterally outwardly from the perimeter of the package and also includes an array of solder balls on the bottom of the package. The arrangement provides for a greater number of input/output connections to a die package by utilizing both peripheral leads and a ball grid array without requiring increases in package size or a reduction in the width of electrically conductive interconnections.

Abstract: Photorefractive crystals having the formula K.sub.1-y Li.sub.y Ta.sub.1-x Nb.sub.x O.sub.3 wherein x is between 0 and 1 and y is between 0.0001 and 0.15. The crystals are useful as a photorefractive material for use in optical systems. The crystals may be doped with various first transition elements and lanthanides including copper, vanadium, chromium, iron, and manganese, nickel, europium and cerium.

Abstract: Systems and methods detect ancillary tissue within a tissue region targeted for ablation by locating a region to apply ablation energy to tissue targeted for ablation and applying energy within the region to stimulate selected ancillary tissue not targeted for ablation. The systems and methods sense when the selected ancillary tissue is affected by the stimulant energy within the region, thereby determining the presence of such ancillary tissue within the region. The systems and methods relocate the region until the selected ancillary tissue is not affected by the stimulant energy. The systems and methods then apply ablation energy in the region.