Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for providing a collapsible support structure strut, which may include a strut member; a hollow tubular terminal end portion of the strut member having an inner surface; and a detachable looped eyelet having at least one loop and a pair of extending legs, the legs being springedly biased to engage the tubular terminal end of the strut, thereby frictionally holding the looped eyelet in place at the terminal end of the strut. The apparatus and method may also employ a holding plug, with first and second holding groove opposingly placed in the periphery of the holding plug, having at least a portion thereof that is shaped and sized to frictionally engage the inner surface of the tubular terminal end of the strut, to frictionally hold the holding plug in engagement with the strut. The detachable looped eyelet may also have at least two loops.

Abstract: An improved multi-chip module includes a circuit board having an array of electrical interconnection pads to which are mounted a plurality of IC package units. Each IC package unit includes multiple IC packages, which are mounted on opposite sides of a package carrier. The package units may be mounted on one or both sides of the circuit board. A variety of package carriers are used to create a number of different modules. One type of package carrier has a pair of major planar surfaces. Each planar surface incorporates electrical contact pads. At least one IC package is surface mounted on each major planar surface, by interconnecting the connection elements, or leads, of the package with the contact pads on the planar surface, to form the IC package unit. Another type of package carrier substrate has a multiple recesses for back-to-back surface mounting of the IC packages. The IC packages may be in contact with opposite sides of a heat sink layer embedded within the carrier substrate.

Abstract: A method for organizing the picking up of soiled garments, cleaning them and returning of them to a customer is disclosed that greatly improves the efficiency and speed of current methods by retaining the garments of a specific route together in an identifiable collection and working in a just in time flow. Upon the arrival of the soiled garments at the cleaning plant, garments from each route are cleaned and dried in identifiable collections according to the route on which the garments were picked up. The garments are then sorted by customer on each route and wearer at each customer at which point the garments are ready for return to the customer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for moving a gate a distance in a predetermined period of time. In one embodiment the current load for an electric motor to move a gate is first measured to determine whether the gate's motion is being hindered or helped. A microprocessor then controls voltage supplied to the motor to enhance or retard the evolved power of the motor according to the load and the predetermined time.