Abstract: A system for determining position and orientation of a stationary or moving object projects beams of electromagnetic waves, such as light, onto the object. The beams make lines on the object. A camera senses reflections of the lines. The reflections are converted into pixel data which are used to determine the position and orientation of the object relative to a predetermined coordinate system. The system can also maneuver a robot end effector to the object's position and orientation by interactively viewing representations of the object's position and orientation, and the end effector on a computer screen.

Abstract: Products having single phases or solid solutions of the formula M.sub.3 X.sub.1 Z.sub.2 wherein M is a transition metal, X is Si, Al or Ge and Z is B, C or N can be prepared by taking a powdered mixture containing M, X and Z to a temperature of about 1000.degree. C. to about 1800.degree. C., optionally simultaneously under a pressure of about 5 MPa to about 200 MPa. The products so formed have excellent shock resistance, oxidation resistance and machinability. The products may also be present as composites, preferably composites which are in thermal equilibrium with the single phase or solid solutions of the formula M.sub.3 X.sub.1 Z.sub.2.

Abstract: A method of forming an electrostatic latent image includes printing operation and toner recovering operation. The printing operation includes charging, forming an electrostatic latent image, developing, and transferring operations. The toner recovering operation includes the step of charging the photosensitive drum in timed relation to the rotation of the photosensitive drum after printing operation so that reversely charged toner deposited on the charging roller migrates from the charging roller to the photosensitive drum. The toner migrated from the charging roller to the photosensitive drum is recovered into a developer. An apparatus for forming an image includes a charging roller, photosensitive drum, developing roller, and transfer roller.

Abstract: A limb guard for protecting a part of a limb from an external impact force includes an elongate pad member to shield the part of the limb, and a one-piece resilient impact absorbing member. The pad member extends in a lengthwise direction of the limb and has a rear surface to face the limb, and a front surface. The impact absorbing member is disposed upon the pad member, and includes two lateral end portions and a plurality of cushioning units in the form of consecutive box pleats between the lateral end portions.

Abstract: A display device driving for a gray scale expression, wherein at least a sub-field having the highest luminance value among plural sub-fields is further divided into a plurality of sub-field parts.

Abstract: An animal identification device for oral administration and which resides in an animals stomach. The device has a substantially solid body which has a density of at least about 3 gcm.sup.-3. The body comprises a substantially inert plastic material and filler which has a specific gravity of at least about 4.6. An electronic identification device is encapsulated in the body. A process for manufacturing the animal identification device, and a method identifying at least one animal by orally administrating the device is also disclosed.

Abstract: Air driven dental handpiece motors include a tubular housing and a rotor rotatably supported within the housing. One motor is geared down by the provision of a plurality of idler gears rotatably supported on a hub which rotates between a sun gear on the output end of the rotor and a ring gear fixed within the housing. A drive shaft connects an exposed drive gear with the hub. A bearing is provided between the drive shaft and the inner bore of skirt extending from the ring gear to reduce a number of tolerances built up between the drive shaft and the bearing. The motor further includes a valve member rotatable through about 140.degree. of arc to vary maximum motor speed and motor rotation direction. The valve member abuts a valve plate having a circular air inlet opening and a semicircular air outlet or exhaust opening. The valve member has an air supply opening which is an elongated arcuate slot having radiused circumferential ends.

Abstract: A round bar cutting tool (10) and a cutter head (8) provided especially for the same are provided. The cutting tool has a shank with a generally round cross-section for being fixed by clamping means (28, 30) in a cutting tool receiving bore (12) of the cutter head (8). A substantially planar positioning surface (38) which serves as an engagement surface for the clamping means (28, 30) is located along the shank length in an extension of a cutting face (43) formed on the cutting end (40) of the round bar cutting tool (10), parallel to the longitudinal cutting tool axis. The cutting face (43) and the positioning surface (38) lie in the same plane parallel to the longitudinal cutting tool axis. The cutting face is not reground during sharpening and can therefore have a coating which increases the serviceable life of the cutting edge.

Abstract: A container that may be closed all around is useful for deepfreezing suspensions of living cellular materials kept in elastic bags. The container has two plane-parallel thin-walled metallic plates (14, 16) secured in swivellingly interconnected frame halves (20, 22). When the frame halves (20, 22) are superimposed, the plates (14, 16) secured therein are arranged with parallel faces at a slight defined distance from each other and form an intermediate cavity (12) in which the bag is placed. When the container is closed, the plates (14, 16) press the bag arranged inside (12) the container and flatten it until it has a small defined thickness. A microporous layer (30) that considerably increases heat transfer to the coolant that surrounds the container is secured to the outer side of plates (14, 16) by an adhesive layer. Furthermore, since the homogeneously flattened bag has a high surface/volume ratio and is pressed until it has no folds or bulges, the cellular material may be quickly and controllably cooled.

Abstract: The invention relates to a suction/rinsing instrument comprising a suction channel for removing fluid and a rinsing channel for supplying rinsing fluid. The suction channel is provided for receiving an auxiliary instrument. Via a grip part of the instrument, the auxiliary instrument, for example a forceps, may be controlled. The auxiliary instrument is fixed on the suction/rinsing instrument by way of a receiver. The receiver can be traversed in the axial direction of the shank, the traversing is effected via operating means provided on or near the grip part, so that the operator, without having to let go of the grip part, may selectively, with only one hand, push forward the auxiliary instrument an thus operate or also retract the auxiliary instrument and clear the suction/rinsing channel.

Abstract: A color conversion method maps input colors to output colors by first scaling the color coordinate system to reduce the difference between the gamut of reproducible input colors and the gamut of reproducible output colors. After scaling, input colors are mapped onto a polyhedron approximating the gamut of reproducible output colors. The polyhedron has vertices at the output white and black colors, and at least three of the most vivid reproducible output colors. In the mapping process, these most vivid colors are left fixed, and the input white and black colors are mapped to the output white and black colors.

Abstract: A transaction system is disclosed wherein, when a transaction, document or thing needs to be authenticated, information associated with one or more of the parties involved is coded together to produce a joint code. This joint code is then utilized to code information relevant to the transaction, document or record, in order to produce a variable authentication number (VAN) at the initiation of the transaction. This VAN is thereafter associated with the transaction and is recorded on the document or thing, along with the original information that was coded. During subsequent stages of the transaction, only parties capable of reconstructing the joint code will be able to uncode the VAN properly in order to re-derive the information. The joint code serves to authenticate the parties, and the comparison of the re-derived information against the information recorded on the document serves to authenticate the accuracy of that information.

Abstract: An aspirator pump, especially for medical purposes, has a receptacle with two chambers arranged alongside each other, which are connected with a suction tube, and on each of which an element is arranged which is movable approximately parallel to the other, each partially enclosing a hollow space for generating a vacuum. The two movable elements are connected to each other by means of a lever, whose two end parts are attached at the upper area of the respective movable elements, and whose middle part is movably attached in a bearing positioned between the chambers. In the upper area of each movable element a one way valve is installed which opens when the pressure in the hollow space is higher than the surrounding air pressure. An easy operation and cleaning, as well as a reliable aspiration is obtained with the aspirator pump, owing to the fact that at all times a chamber and a movable element enclose a common, variable hollow space, wherein the movable element bounds the upper area of the hollow space.

Abstract: A motor controller comprising drive unit for supplying power to the stator windings of a motor based on a current command, a stator current detection unit for detecting the stator current flowing in the stator windings, a saturation degree production unit for producing the saturation degree data indicating the extent to which the stator current deviates from the current command based on the current command and the stator current, a reference value production unit for producing a reference value of the saturation degree, a gain production unit for producing a gain indicating the rate at which the current command is changed, and a current command production unit for producing the current command data based on the saturation degree, the reference value and the gain, wherein the gain production unit produces the gain data based on at least one of the rotational speed of the motor and the current command.

Abstract: Polyionic derivatives of cyclodextrins and methods for preparing these derivatives are provided in which a polyionic derivative of cyclodextrin is combined with a growth factor, preferably a heparin binding growth factor. These compositions are of low solubility and are applied directly to the location of a wound. By virtue of the low solubility, the compositions remain in place at the site of application and slowly release growth factor. In an alternative embodiment, the cyclodextrin derivatives are administered in the absence of growth factor and are used to absorb growth factor present in the body at the location of the wound in order to prevent overstimulation of the wound response.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal insulator cabinet having high thermal insulating ability and long-term reliability as well as excellent energy-saving and maintenance properties. The thermal insulator cabinet includes a gas-tight container that is filled with a charging gas and a continuous spacing core and a gas-storage container that communicates with the gas-tight container and is filled with an absorbent for absorbing at least the charging gas, wherein the gas-storage container absorbs the charging gas to make inside of the gas-tight container in a state of reduced pressure.

Abstract: A reclosable closure for a vial having a neck portion with a sealing flange surrounding an open end thereof is provided. The reclosable closure comprises a metal shell, having a top portion with an opening defined therethrough, and a depending side wall portion sized to engage the flange of the vial. A plastic top is provided having a top portion which overlies the top portion of the metal shell and surrounds the opening and which has an aperture defined therethrough aligned with the opening. The plastic top has an outer skirt which overlies the depending side wall portion of the metal shell, and an inner wall which depends from the top portion of the plastic top around the aperture. The inner wall has a first portion which extends through the opening, and a second portion which extends outwardly from the first portion to secure the plastic top to the metal shell. A reclosable cover is rotatably attached to the top by an integral hinge for rotation about a hinge axis.

Abstract: A radially expandable support structure for holding open lumina within a body, especially in a blood vessel, has a tube-shaped body with a wall surface extending between a first and a second end which is formed from elongate members connected to each other. The elongate members include a first group of members which extend essentially in a longitudinal direction of the tube-shaped body, such that adjacent members of this first group are connected in pairs to each other at their ends to form a member pair which encloses a slit. These member pairs are connected approximately in the middle of their longitudinal extension to member pairs arranged adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction of the tube-shaped body to form a ring which surrounds the longitudinal axis of the tube-shaped body, and several rings connected to each other at the ends of the slits are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the tube-shaped body.

Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner includes a main body, a floor nozzle unit, and a float plate or float unit. The main body has a motor fan for generating a suction force and a dust-collection chamber for collecting dust. The motor fan provides the suction force to the dust collection chamber. The floor nozzle unit is disposed under the main body. The floor nozzle unit has an inlet port connected to the dust-collection chamber for attracting dust on a floor into the dust-collection chamber by the suction force of said motor fan. The float plate or float unit is disposed on a lower face of the floor nozzle unit. The float plate or float unit includes a floor opposing face where an outlet port is formed for spouting discharge air to the floor from the motor fan. The float face is located around the outlet port to receive a lifting force produced by pressure of the discharge air between the float face and the floor to be cleaned.

Abstract: A bicycle pedal assembly includes a pedal body having a front part formed with a fixed first jaw projection, a rear part, an intermediate part to mount the pedal body rotatably on an axle, and a cavity formed in the rear part and opened at a top side of the pedal body. A first retaining member has a first spring seat received in the cavity, and an elongated flank formed on top of the first spring seat. The flank has two spaced apart forwardly projecting second jaw projections opposite to the first jaw projection. A second retaining member has a second spring seat which is juxtaposed to the first spring seat in the cavity and which has a top end that projects rearwardly and upwardly from the cavity below the flank. A pivot shaft extends through the cavity to mount pivotally the first and second spring seats thereon. A first torsion spring is sleeved around the pivot shaft in the first spring seat to bias the flank and the second jaw projections to move forwardly.