Abstract: A method is provided for greatly increasing the ratio of direct sunlight to earthshine in a sun sensor used on a spacecraft which is orbiting the earth and is used for the attitude determination of spacecraft with respect to the sun illuminated earth. The sun sensor is provided with a detector in which radiation applied thereto is restricted to a spectral region where the earth's atmosphere is extremely absorbent. Therefore, the detector only receives radiation in that spectral region directly from the sun, while any reflected light from the earth in the selected spectral region is absorbed by the earth's atmosphere, thereby never reaching the detector. One suitable spectral region is the ultraviolet absorption band from 200-290 nm and a UV enhanced silicon detector would be used in the sun sensor.

Abstract: Communication between a plurality of computers which are intercoupled or networked is provided in confidential form using password protection in combination with a special hardware token which is used to generate a one-time random session ciphering key.

Abstract: An essentially unitary airbag cover assembly is provided for concealing an airbag module. The cover has a vehicle panel with a front surface, a foam core and panel substrate with a dropped lip or shelf on a distal end thereof. A deployment door incorporated in the panel is hinged to the panel along one side thereof with at least one of the remaining sides of the door resting in the panel on the dropped lip or shelf of the panel substrate. The deployment door and panel are substantially the same thickness, and the shelf is dropped such that when the deployment door is positioned on the dropped shelf in the panel substrate, the door and panel are on the same level and there is no need for a connection between the panel and deployment door aside from the hinged side of the door.

Abstract: Amber-based drying oil varnish of improved clarity, colorless and transparency characteristics is provided by a process in which coarsely comminuted amber particles are first heated in drying oil until the amber particles soften, swell and rise to the surface of the heated drying oil, the hot amber particles are strained from the hot drying oil which has become discolored and is discarded, the hot strained amber particles are then finely comminuted to a powder in a small amount of hot drying oil and thereafter, after the addition of additional hot drying oil to the finely comminuted amber powder, the resulting admixture is heated to a temperature at which the amber powder melts and fuses into the heated drying oil to form an essentially homogeneous varnish solution.

Abstract: An IC chip having an analog-to-digital converter together with control circuitry for effecting switchover between normal-power mode and low-power mode. The control circuitry includes a first D-type flip-flop with reset which receives on its "D" input a continuous high signal; on its differential clock inputs the flip-flop receives complementary logic signals derived from the "conversion start" (CONVST) signal applied to one pin of an 8-pin chip. In normal mode, the CONVST signal is a short pulse having an initial negative-going (falling) leading edge, and the flip-flop responds to that leading edge by producing a high Q output (CONVEN). This signals the A/D converter to carry out a conversion. In low-power mode, the CONVST short pulse is positive. The subsequent negative-going (falling) trailing edge of the pulse activates the flip-flop to cause its Q output to go high and turn on the A/D converter.

Abstract: For marine seismic surveying using an array of airguns towed behind a survey ship, wherein a common high pressure hoseline supplies compressed air to a multitude of airguns, a method, system and apparatus selectively shut off air flow to any airgun for stopping leakage of compressed air from the common supply line. Shutoff valves are employed with a respective valve being upstream of each airgun to enable selectively shutting off compressed air flow from the common supply line to any airgun for stopping loss of compressed air from the common line caused by leakage from a leaking component downstream from any valve, such as a ruptured feeder hoseline to an airgun. Each shutoff valve has a spring whose spring force biases open its valve. Simultaneous electrical energization of windings in all shutoff valves electromagnetically overcomes the spring force for simultaneously closing all valves.

Abstract: A frequency-responsive integrated circuit (IC) for determining when the frequency of a clock pulse input signal is below a predetermined threshold level, the IC including a capacitor charged up at a nearly constant rate by a current source. If the capacitor voltage reaches one-third of the DC power voltage, and input pulses are received, the capacitor is discharged to start another charge-up cycle. If no input pulses were received, the capacitor continues to charge up until its voltage reaches two-thirds of the DC power voltage, at which point an output signal is produced indicating that the input frequency is below the predetermined threshold level.

Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter including a plurality of binarily-weighted stages each incorporating a differential switch-pair circuit which includes two matched bipolar switch transistors the bases of which are driven by a corresponding pair of complementarry signal sources. Two additional switches are included in this circuit, with each such switch being connected between a respective signal source and its corresponding transistor control electrode. These two switches are both opened before the clock-controlled activation of the complementary signal sources. A short time after such activation, sufficient to assure that the complementary signal voltages have stabilized at their new values, the two additional switches are reclosed simultaneously by a single control signal so as to effect synchronized switchover of the two switch transistors at that instant.

Abstract: A folding and latching mechanism for a table leg includes a recess into which a latching pin is moved when the leg is erected. A spring-loaded latching bar includes a camming surface which bears against the latching pin on a diagonal tangent. The force applied by the camming surface thus has a component tending to seat the latching pin securely into the recess throughout the time the table is in its erected condition.

Abstract: An electric powered bicycle having a dip sensor or switch and/or a gradient sensor or switch. The bicycle has front and rear wheels each rotatably supported by a frame; a chain slung between the wheels and a chainset for transferring manual power to the wheels; an electric motor coupled to one of the wheels for driving the wheel directly; and a power supply capable of supplying electric power to the motor. The dip gradient sensors are associated with a pulse width modulation circuit.

Abstract: An electric powered bicycle having a dip sensor or switch and/or a gradient sensor or switch. The bicycle comprises front and rear wheels each rotatably supported by its frame; a chain slung between said wheels and a chain set for transferring manual power to said wheels; an electric motor coupled to one of said wheels for driving said wheel directly; and a power supply capable of supplying electric power to said motor. The dip or gradient sensors are associated with a pulse width modulation circuit.

Abstract: A device for monitoring the air pressure in pneumatic tires comprises a transmitting device fitted to each wheel of a vehicle and rotating with it, and a receiver which is built into the vehicle or accommodated in a separate housing. The transmitting device mounted in the wheel comprises a pressure gauge for measuring the tire pressure, a transmitter and a signal generator which generates an identification signal unique to each transmitter and transmitted before or after the pressure signal. The receiver processes received signals only when the identification signal received matches a reference identification signal stored in the receiver. This facilitates reliable operation of the monitoring device and prevents false alarms.

Abstract: A cosmetics container has a bottle, a neck insert defining an entry opening and a wiper diaphragm mounted at the lower end of the entry opening. A cap has an applicator rod and applicator extending therefrom, for insertion into the bottle and withdrawal from the bottle with cosmetics. The wiper diaphragm defines a wiper orifice, and has a conical descending upper surface and a concave lower surface converging with the upper surface to create a thin edge peripherally surrounding the wiper orifice. The wiper diaphragm is fabricated of semi-rigid plastic which stretches and flexes to accommodate and seal to the applicator rod and which is rigid with respect to the applicator for wiping it. The concave lower surface conducts wiped cosmetics away from the orifice. The bottle includes a plastic liner. A modified wiper includes a radially segmented spill cover deployed across the wiper orifice, to prevent cosmetics from running from the bottle if it is tipped over while the cap is off.

Abstract: A cosmetics container includes a bottle defining a chamber for containing cosmetics, the bottle including a threaded neck, and a cap removably secured to the neck. The cap has an applicator rod for extending through the neck into the cosmetics chamber and applicator at the distal end of the rod for carrying cosmetics. A wiper has i) a sleeve mounted in the bottle neck, the sleeve defining an outlet through the neck from the cosmetics chamber, and ii) a conical wiper diaphragm extending from the sleeve across the outlet and descending into the cosmetics chamber below the neck. The conical wiper diaphragm defines a central wiper orifice for accommodating passage of the applicator rod and applicator and for wiping excess cosmetics therefrom as the applicator rod and applicator are withdrawn from the cosmetics chamber.

Abstract: An ESD protective clamp device comprised of a two-terminal diode formed in an isolated chip cell. The lower part of this chip cell region contains a buried layer of silicon with P-type dopant, and the upper part is an epitaxial layer also with P-type dopant. An annular (ring-shaped) anode plug segment is formed at the outer reaches of the epitaxial layer with P+ doping. At the interior central region is an N-type plug circular in horizontal cross-section and concentric with the annular plug. This central plug serves as the cathode. Electrical connections are made to anode and cathode to provide interconnection with an IC circuit with a MOM capacitor to be protected.

Abstract: A winding bobbin for receiving elongated winding material, in particular metal-containing winding material, comprises a winding core having two flanges arranged thereon and which is preferably made of plastic. At least one flange is removable whereby locking elements are provided for locking the flange on a winding core, ensuring a stable connection between the flange and the winding core in the axial direction. Preferably, a locking element is provided to prevent the removable flange from being unintentionally loosened from the winding core.

Abstract: A method for enhancing detection sensitivity of suspected trace amounts of organic analytes and particularly semivolatile organic analytes extractable from a sample by an organic solvent carrier matrix and subsequent extraction and analysis of said trace organic analytes by SPME wherein the improvement comprises exchanging the organic solvent carrier matrix containing the trace organic analytes for an aqueous carrier matrix before performing SPME fiber extraction and detection of the trace organic analytes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of transferring an image of a master pattern by an intermediate carrier being a laser copy of the master pattern onto a carrier, for example a plate of metal. The surface of the carrier is provided on one side with a layer of a couch or with a layer of a lacquer or with a layer of a thermoplastic or elastomeric material or with a powder coating which is dried at an increased temperature. The material forming the image penetrates under the action of heat and pressure into the layer or the powder coating thus softened which is subsequently after-baked. A weather-resistant and scratch-resistant copy of the master pattern is provided.

Abstract: A CMOS amplifier input stage including an NMOS differential pair connected in parallel with a PMOS differential pair. Each pair is connected to a tail-current transistor of the same type, and the combined circuits are coupled between positive and negative supply rails. The gates of the tail-current transistors receive the amplifier input signal to provide adaptive biasing of the differential pairs, resulting in a total combined transconductance for both differential pairs which is at least approximately constant with changes in input signal level, thereby enlarging the available common-mode input signal range of the amplifier.