Abstract: A printing or copying system in which ink is transferred from an ink-bearing medium to a printing medium through the use of ultrasonics. The ink-bearing medium may be an ink ribbon, carbon paper or the like which is in contact with a printing medium such as paper. Ultrasonic energy is applied to the ink-bearing medium through transmission fibers, wires or bundles thereof, causing the viscosity of the ink to be reduced due to the ultrasonic vibrations and conversion of the ultrasonic energy into heat such that the ink is transferred to the printing medium. Multi-copy capability is achieved by having alternate layers of carbon paper or the like in contact with the paper.

Abstract: A data security system employing an automatic time-stamping mechanism for stamping a current time code in a data storage area or register associated with each storage section of a memory or an auxiliary storage device, such that each data read or write in a memory storage section updates the time code device. For every storage section of a memory, there is a time stamp storage element associated with it. Similarly, there is a time stamp storage element associated with every data channel. Whenever a storage section of memory is read from or written into the time stamp in the form of a unique binary number from a clock, indicating the current time of day and the date, is inserted into the time stamp storage element associated with that memory storage section. Examination of the contents of each time stamp storage element enables determination of whe the last read or write in a storage section occurred.

Abstract: A micromist printing arrangement wherein a micromist of ink particles, provided by an ultrasonic nebulizer, is forced through a small nozzle to form an aerosol jet. The micromist ink particles are entrained in the jet and focused to print a narrow width region which is substantially smaller in size than the overall jet diameter and the nozzle opening. Particle size, jet stream velocity and air or other carrier gas viscosity are considered in establishing focusing characteristics of the aerosol jet, which is directed against the paper to wet the same, thereby obtaining dense, well defined print lines. According to a first embodiment, modulation of the aerosol jet is achieved by fluid logic control whereby a vacuum is introduced into the path of the aerosol jet to shunt it from its printing path. In another embodiment, control may be achieved through the use of sonic excitation of turbulence into the aerosol jet.

Abstract: A mechanical manipulator which includes fingers under the control of a computer, antenna sensing means mounted on such fingers and extended and retracted from the fingers under the control of the computer, means for detecting the contact or proximity of the extended antenna sensing means with a workpiece, means responsive to the antenna sensing means for retracting the sensing means from interference with the workpiece and for adjusting the control of the fingers. The fingers are adapted for X, Y and Z linear motions and provides pitch, yaw and roll angular motion. The retractable antenna sensing means resembles a whisker which extends from the finger and makes contact with or approaches the workpiece. The antenna sensing means may include a retractable pneumatic back pressure sensor via the back pressure of a fluid in the supply, created when the fluid impinges on the workpiece. The retractable antenna whisker bends more readily than the rigid finger.

Abstract: A two bit partitioning circuit for a dynamic programmed logic array which introduces two stages of delay in the signal path in one clock cycle, with minimum power dissipation. The circuit has two primary inputs and four outputs which serve as inputs to a bootstrap driver which produces an output signal to the programmed logic array. A basic path through the circuit consists of two stages, the first stage comprising two active devices (FET) and a first capacitive means, while the second stage comprises three active devices and a second capacitive means. The major portion of the capacitance of the second stage is provided by the capacitance of the bootstrap driver. The stages are dynamic with the discharge speed of the first stage being much faster than that of the second stage thereby enabling a signal to propagate through the two stages in one clock cycle, with the only power dissipation being that required to charge the two capacitive means.

Abstract: A six degree of freedom force transducer is provided on a manipulator's hand and includes a plurality of I-beam modules having strain gauges on the flat surfaces of the thin legs of each I-beam for measuring the bending moments of each leg. According to one embodiment, a pair of strain gauges are located on each side of the leg, providing a total of four gauges in each leg. The end bells of each I-beam are adapted to be rigidly interconnected with either other I-beams, structural members of the manipulator fingers, the drive member for the manipulator, or to intermediate coupling blocks designed to rigidly interconnect I-beams. A plurality of I-beams and interconnecting blocks can be connected in various configurations to provide a determination by the strain gauges of the six components of forces and moments which are applied by forces and moments on the fingers of the manipulator system.