Abstract: A system (and method) for providing a label for deposit on a product from a composite that includes the label, as one of a plurality of labels, on a backing. A transporter moves the composite translationally and accurately in a direction, e.g., the X-direction herein. The system ascertains the exact X-direction location of a particular label on the composite to permit the transporting to be achieved accurately translationally. A two-dimensional cutter serves to cut the label from the composite while leaving the backing intact, the cutter being operable to effect cutting of the label in two dimensions, e.g., across or orthogonal to the direction of movement of the backing and parallel to the direction of movement of the backing. There is provided a mechanism to control cutting from the composite to permit variation in the length of the label in the parallel direction, thereby controlling the length of the label in the parallel direction, despite fixed dimensions of the cutter roller.

Abstract: A system to apply a bar-code label or the like upon a product or to apply a protective laminate strip or the like upon a bar-code label or the like which is already in place upon a product. The label or the protective laminate strip first is removed from a moving carrier and applied to an applicator head which, in turn, applies the label on the product or the protective laminate strip very precisely onto the label. The relative positions of the applicator head and the label, for example, are predetermined. It remains to establish the moving forward edge of the bar-code label or the protective laminate strip to be stripped from the moving carrier so that the either can be accurately placed on the applicator head, a particularly vexing problem in view of the fact that transmissivity, usually, or reflectivity of all the films involved, typically, have closely related optical characteristics.

Abstract: A method of (and apparatus for) diagnosing a patient to measure sensory disturbances of the patient that includes the steps of applying normalized vibrator forces to a body portion or part (e.g., the finger) of the patient; automatically effecting discrete, but variable, vibrations of the body portion over a wide range of frequencies and at various vibratory amplitude levels at each vibration frequency; and noting the onset of sensory perception by the patient on an up-cycle at each vibration frequency and correlating the information, so derived, with the physical condition of the body portion or part. The method contemplates, once the onset of vibratory perception is achieved, in an up-cycle, decreasing the amplitude of vibration at each vibration frequency until the patient ceases or fails to sense the vibration and, in part, correlating the lower level of sensory perception to the condition of the body portion or part.

Abstract: Cutter apparatus to cut accurately a composite label without cutting the backing of the composite and a system that includes the cutter apparatus. The cutter apparatus includes a transporter mechanism positioned to receive the composite, which typically includes the backing, many labels on the backing and laminate covering the surfaces of the labels, the transporter mechanism being precisely operable to move the composite translationally in a direction (i.e., the X-direction herein). A detector ascertains the precise location of individual labels on the composite and is interconnected to provide control signals to the transporter mechanism to enable that mechanism to move the composite precisely along the X-direction.

Abstract: A method of (and apparatus for) determining charge on protein or other macromolecule. The method involves providing two spaces, each containing buffer (e.g., water or saltwater), establishing a volume (a cuvette herein) between the two spaces, which volume contains the macromolecule in a solution that includes the buffer that establishes the pH of the solution (typically a pH of 0 to 12) and that further includes a gelling agent to inhibit convection. The macromolecule is confined to the volume (the cuvette); there is electrical continuity through the volume from the buffer in one space to the buffer in the other space; and there is flow of small molecules (e.g., of the buffer) from one space to the other through the volume. There is also external flow of buffer between the two spaces to maintain constancy of ionic contact therein as well as constancy and equality of liquid level, but no electric current flow between the spaces through or along the buffer in the external flow.

Abstract: A heel laster to receive a footwear upper assembly and constructed to press, form and last the heel part of the footwear upper assembly. A structure is provided to secure the assembly to the laster; princers stretch the heel part of the upper about the heel region of the last; and a heel pad presses the upper against the last. Then a nozzle is moved and positioned by a mechanical structure along an appropriate adhesive path. The mechanical structure includes a tracer mechanism the includes an adjustable U-shaped cam track and a linkage connected to the nozzle at one end and to a cam follower at the other end thereof such that the cam follower is positioned within the cam track; a driver mechanism is connected to propel the cam follower along the track in the X-Y directions (the nozzle can move in the Z-direction as well to follow contours of the footwear). The heel pad is preferably an inflatable pad. The mechanical tracer mechanism, as a unit, has a predetermined and fixed position relative to the heel pad.

Abstract: An articular surface prosthesis composed of a porous material that is substantially noncorrodible and nonbiodegradible by body fluids. The prosthesis serves as a replacement of, for example, a femoral cap. The prosthesis fits over the femur which is shaped, typically, to a right circular cylinder outline, to receive the replacement which has a similarly shaped cavity. The prosthesis fits snugly over the femur and presents at the bone prosthesis interface coarse pores (e.g., 100 to 500 micrometers) to permit bone ingrowth; the pores are graded toward smaller or fine sizes (e.g., <50 micrometers) to prevent bone ingrowth and permit cartilage ingrowth at the articulating side of the prosthesis.

Abstract: A heel molder to form the heel part of a footwear upper assembly. The heel part includes a thermally-activated material that is deformable when heated above a threshold temperature; it is non-deformable below that threshold temperature; it is non-deformable at room temperature. The material preferentially includes a thermally-activated adhesive, that is, an adhesive that becomes tacky or sticky at or about the temperature at which the material becomes deformable. The heel molder receives the upper assembly, forms the same at the heel region while the material is above the threshold temperature, cools the material whereby the thermally-activated material--and the upper itself and liner--takes a permanent preformed set as a laminate for later operations. According to the present teaching, the thermally-activated material or counter, the upper and the lining of the upper typically form, when cooled, a laminate that retains its geometry for subsequent operations thereon.

Abstract: An acoustic sensing system to measure a geometry parameter such as, for example, position, orientation and/or shape of an object. The system includes a transmitter for transmitting acoustic wave energy at a single frequency, which acoustic wave energy, in an operating system, interacts with the object in a sensing region to provide reflected or scattered wave energy. A sensor mechanism consisting of many acoustic transducers is positioned to receive the reflected or scattered wave energy, each transducer being operable to convert the received acoustic wave energy to an electrical signal. A processor is connected to receive the electrical signals from the plurality of acoustic transducers; the processor is operable to obtain amplitude and phase information with respect to the electrical signal from each of the transducers, the amplitude and phase information from each of the plurality of transducers being combined and analyzed to derive a geometric parameter of the object.

Abstract: In an integrated system to achieve a number of operations on a footwear upper assembly, an automatic rougher that includes a roughing tool adapted to remove material--and hence rough--the cement margin (or bonding surface) of the footwear upper assembly to provide a cementing surface onto which an outer sole is later applied. The cement margin (or bonding surface), as is known in this art, typically follows a closed-loop path that rapidly changes in all directions of an X-Y-Z coordinate system and the roughing tool must be continuously re-oriented to the many direction changes of the cement margin in order to track the margin. According to the present teaching the upper assembly, and hence the cement margin thereof, is ordinarily moved in rotational movement, rocking movement, transverse translational movement, and, also, vertical translational movement (i.e., movement toward and away from the roughing tool) during the course of roughing.

Abstract: A process for fabricating a composite in the form of a network of microfibrils which includes interpenetrating the microfibrils with a matrix material to form a composite which includes two continuous interpenetrating phases, a matrix-material phase and a microfibrillar-reinforcing-network phase. There is disclosed composites in the form of a fiber and in the form of a film.

Abstract: A machine to apply adhesive to the toe and ball region of a footwear upper assembly that includes a last, an upper draped about the last and an insole at the last bottom. The machine includes a pair of adhesive nozzles to apply the adhesive onto the footwear upper assembly near the edge of the insole, a pair of nozzle arms, one nozzle arm of the pair of nozzle arms being secured to each nozzle of the pair of adhesive nozzles and adapted to move the nozzle secured thereto; and a mechanical structure operable to guide the nozzles along respective paths adjacent each edge of the insole to deposit a ribbon of adhesive onto the upper assembly from the toe of the upper assembly to the ball region of the upper assembly. The mechanical structure includes a nozzle-guide template that is configured to an outline that, together with other mechanical structures, matches the outline of the insole between the toe and the ball region of the smallest upper assembly of the style to be lasted.

Abstract: A high-performance plow system to be attached to a pickup truck or similar vehicle. The plow blade can be angled across the plowing surface and with respect to the motion of the vehicle up to about 45.degree., it can roll to allow the blade to track changing pitch angles along the plowing surface contours. The blade has two protective mechanisms, the first one being an appropriately-designed rake angle scraper structure, disposed at the bottom edge of the plow blade, the second one being a mechanism which attaches the blade to an A-frame assembly (AFA) by pitch and shear pins. The shear pins break if too tall an object is hit and allow the blade to fall over the object. The pins allow 30 second removal/attachment of blade.

Abstract: A converter or valve to modulate fluid flow, that includes a fluid channel to receive the fluid which is delivered to an output. An electrically-energized bender is disposed in close proximity to the output of the fluid channel; the bender is an elongate strip secured at one end and free to move at the other end toward or away from the output to interact with fluid flow from the output. An electric energy source is connected to bias the bender electrically to provide a small, controllable separation between the free end of the bender and the output of the fluid channel to provide an orifice for fluid flow, pumping action, as the bender moves relative to the output, upon a fluid film, separate from the fluid flow, serving either to compress or to expand the fluid film to achieve damping of the bender. The bender, in a modification, is shown in the form of a disc.

Abstract: Self-organizing circuits to receive input signals from transducers and the like and operable, under guidance from modifying inputs thereto, to operate in a learning mode and systems embodying such self-organizing circuits. The circuits include mechanisms to change the modifying inputs based upon Boolean functions and further mechanisms to change the modifying inputs based upon competition among the input signals.

Abstract: For use in a system that includes first and second machines to perform operations on a footwear upper assembly, a transfer machine that includes an activator arm assembly, and a gripper assembly rotatably and pivotally connected to one end of the activator arm assembly. The gripper assembly includes a pair of fingers with a gripper jaw pivotally secured to each of the fingers. The pair of fingers are movable toward and away from each other respectively to grasp and release the footwear upper assembly. The pivotal attachment of the jaws permits the jaws to adjust to the irregular profile of the footwear upper assembly, a situation which is enhanced by the geometry of the gripper jaws which permits contact between the jaws at regions spaced longitudinally along the footwear upper assembly and by choosing a jaw material that is soft enough to deform, and hence provide larger contact area between the upper assembly and the jaws.

Abstract: A transfer machine to move a footwear upper assembly (or the like) between stations in a footwear (or the like) processing system which transfer machine includes an end effector having a mechanism to grasp the footwear upper assembly. A base serves as a reference in an X-Y-Z coordinate system with respect to which positions of the footwear upper assembly are known during movement of the footwear upper assembly within the footwear processing system. An interconnecting mechanism connects the end effector to the base and provides seven degrees of freedom to the mechanism to grasp with respect to said base; three translational degrees of freedom along the X-Y-Z axes of the transfer machine, a pivotal degree of freedom with respect to the base about the Y-axis, a tilting degree of freedom about the X-axis, a pivotal degree of freedom about the Z-axis, and a further pivotal degree of freedom about the Y-axis.

Abstract: A deformation calorimeter that serves to deform a sample material whose temperature changes as a function of the deformation. The temperature change causes heat to flow into the material or out, depending on the character of the deformation, to cause a pressure change in a gas in and around the material. An analyzing scheme is employed to relate the pressure change to the amount of heat evolved during sample deformation.

Abstract: Apparatus (and method) for automatically roughing the cement margin of a shoe or other footwear assembly, which footwear upper assembly includes an upper mounted on a last and an inner sole disposed upon the bottom of the last and connected to the upper. The apparatus (i.e., a roughing machine) typically includes a disc-shaped wire wheel (or other roughing tool) positioned with the plane of the brush approximately perpendicular to the cement margin at the region of contact between the two. The roughing machine includes a mechanism to receive the upper assembly and provide some combination of movements between the upper assembly and the periphery of the wire wheel to achieve a constant region (or area) of contact between the two as the cement margin moves with respect to the wire wheel in the course of roughing.

Abstract: A method of (and apparatus for) extending the useful dynamic range of an audio reproduction system. An input acoustic signal in the audible range is transduced to form an analog electric signal which is amplified along parallel paths to gain levels g.sub.1 and g.sub.2 (where g.sub.2 >g.sub.1), the amplified signals being sampled to provide two binary digital signals. The analog signal consists of a high amplitude portion and a low amplitude portion. The two binary digital signals are processed by a computer which provides a first binary output and a second binary output, the first binary output being a digital representation of the sequential samples of the audio signal taken at the respective gain setting g.sub.1 or g.sub.2. More precisely, the first binary digital output is a composite binary digital waveform consisting of a high amplitude portion at gain setting g.sub.1, a low amplitude portion at gain setting g.sub.2 and a transition or cross-fade portion therebetween.