Abstract: The present invention features an enclosure for a credit card reader. The enclosure has a top cover for protecting and enclosing the card reader and a base disposed below the card reader, enclosing the bottom surface thereof. The top cover need not be used. The base is configured to allow debris to be conveyed below the card reader. An aperture is formed between the top cover and the base. The aperture is aligned with the card slot opening of the card reader so that a user can insert a credit card into, and withdraw the credit card from, the card reader. The base of the enclosure is disposed at an angle relative to the horizontal for facilitating conveyance of debris to the rear of the enclosure. The base also has an outlet at its rear for allowing debris to fall out of the enclosure, preventing blocking of the card reader by debris. The enclosure can be used with an improved credit card reader for processing bent, bowed, or warped credit or smart cards.

Abstract: A dual chalk line marker device having two chalk line spools that are adjustably movable with respect to the housing or base. The spools are adjustable in order to vary the separation width between the chalk lines so that different widths of joist or roofing shingle can be properly marked for disposition upon a work surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a carrier with electrical shielding of individual contact elements, resulting in LGA interposer connectors with improved electrical performance. The carrier includes a plurality of openings, each of which may contain an individual contact element. The openings may be plated with conductive material, and may also be commoned to one or more reference voltages (e.g., ground) present on at least one conductive layer of the carrier. The carrier may be as simple as a single unified structure with a conductive layer on one outer surface, or much more complex, having many layers of dielectric and conductive material. The carrier may also provide improved retention of the individual contact elements. The process to assemble one embodiment of the carrier is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for aligning an array of light transmitting elements to an array of photosensitive detectors. The array is adjusted along three axes. Any element (a coupled transmitting and detecting unit of the array) can be selected as the center of rotation. Small angular correction is made about the selected element by differentially moving the array in two axes, using adjustment tools. Alignment is accomplished by performing translational movement in the horizontal X and Y axes until a signal is detected. A rotational correction about the selected element is performed by moving one of a pair of adjustment devices until maximum light intensity is achieved for the end elements. Next, the array is scanned for the weakest performing element in the array. The alignment procedure is repeated until the performance of all of the elements in the array fall within a pre-established specification range.

Abstract: A compound autogyro has a unique system of rotor blade retraction and vectored thrust. Redundant thrust systems provide for emergency conditions. Located in the upper mast are twin gas lines leading to a hub section of the rotor. In the hub, they divide the mass flow into two additional gas lines reaching to the tip ends of rigid rotor blades. A revolving, upper section of the rotor mast is attached to a lower, non-rotating section by a spherical bearing. Directly beneath this attach bearing is a distribution plenum, which receives the mass flow from each of three or four turbofan engines. To achieve high levels of propulsion, the turbofans are equipped with vectoring vanes that direct the mass flow to a plenum or, in the alternative, out a jet pipe for conventional flight. Another set of vectoring vanes can direct the mass flow downwardly, in case of a serious failure upon takeoff.

Abstract: There is provided an improved method for laminating the components of a tiled display such as an AMLCD tiled display. In conventional laminating processes, forces are applied to the two parallel glass plates (i.e., the cover and back plates) separated by a liquid adhesive film. The two plates are squeezed together over their entire area forcing liquid laterally out from between the glass plates and tiles until the desired spacing or gap (filled with liquid adhesive) between the cover and back plates and the tiles is obtained. However, this process may require several hours to complete for large panels and, in addition the process is susceptible to trapping air bubbles in the adhesive. Consequently, the traditional process is not well suited for the mass production of large panels. The “pseudo” rolling-like lamination process of the present invention replaces the traditional lamination process and requires significantly less time.

Abstract: An electrically-actuated microfluidic device for fluid delivery and pumping is described. The micropumping device is configured as a capillary tube containing immiscible electrolyte liquids that are subjected to an alternating electrical voltage. The electrical voltage causes the boundary between the two liquids to change its surface tension in a way that provides a pumping action. The micropump requires only a few volts and milliwatts in order to operate.

Abstract: An optical coupling assembly is described that optically aligns an opto-electronic device, such as a Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) chip, with a fiber optic coupler upon a heatsink substrate. The assembly has a number of biasing elements that acts against the coupler to provide contact with mating surfaces. Adjustment devices, such as screws, acting against the coupler and biasing elements, are adjusted until the fiber optic transmitting elements of the coupler align with the opto-electronic device light emitting elements. Photodetectors disposed upon a distal end of the coupler receive the light from the opto-electronic device, and provide a mechanism to detect optimum alignment.

Abstract: The present invention features designs of pixels and designs of control features for seals on AMLCD tiles optimized for tiling AMLCD flat panel displays (FPDs) which have visually imperceptible seams. The FPD structure has an image view plane which is continuous and remote from the pixel apertures or image source plane on the inside of the tiles. The image is formed on the view plane by a distributed ultra low magnification flies-eye optical system (a screen) that is integrated with the tiles, effectively excluding and obscuring an image of the seams. The innovations described herein minimize the defects on the perimeter pixels by effectively damming the waviness of the front of the seal near the perimeter pixels on the tiles. Dark space required for the seal between the interior tile edges and active regions of the pixels is decreased, as is the space allocated for wiring thereby increasing the feasible aperture ratios near the mosaic edges and all apertures.

Abstract: A system for recharging batteries of an electric vehicle or mobile power plant has a dual or multiple bank of batteries. One of the battery banks powers the vehicle, while the other bank is on stand-by. The system has at least two generators. The generators are engaged to a motor driving one of the wheels of the vehicle, by means of a V-belt and a V-belt drive wheel pulley. The generators are electrically connected to respective banks of the dual or multiple battery banks, and provide transient recharging of the corresponding battery bank when the vehicle or mobile power plant is braking or coasting. Each battery bank is fully discharged before it is recharged, thus extending the battery life.

Abstract: A method for conductively filling a hole or via disposed in an electronic package to provide a structure having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion. After fabricating a through hole or a plated through hole in an electronic package, the hole or via is filled with metal, and the surface of the electronic package is sealed.

Abstract: A process for joining high strength metal components by electromagnetic forming techniques. One of the metal components carries high loads or is subjected to combined stresses and strains, thus requiring that it be relatively strong and ductile. EMF or MPW processes are used to join the components, the strength of which is temporarily diminished prior to the joining step. The high strength material is subjected to a retrogressive heating and quenching process along a joined boundary thereof; then electromagnetically joined; and thereafter, the strength of the diminished material is restored to its higher temper and strength.

Abstract: The present invention provides a compact slotline balun implemented on a 10-mil thick printed circuit card. The balun utilizes a transition region configuration of a six-port network to achieve a good impedance match and low insertion loss across a wide operating band. The balun is typically manufactured using standard printed circuit techniques which yield a thin, flexible, dimensionally stable device.

Abstract: A lightweight, folding ladder having steps that fold together and lie flat within the frame, when the legs of the frame are collapsed into a fold-away position. The steps each have an edge recess that allows a person climbing the ladder to laterally draw closer to an object or supporting wall when the ladder is in a legs-expanded, open-frame, operative position.

Abstract: A web threading and splicing system that provides easy access to the threading rolls by an operator. The new web supply roll for replacement of the expired web can be threaded at a standstill position adjacent the operator. This affords ease of access, which furnishes a great ergonomic and safety advantage, wherein the operator does not have to reach into moving web components in order to accomplish the splice.

Abstract: The present invention features apparatus and a method for controlling luminance emitted from a back light module for a large, tiled, flat-panel, liquid crystal display (LCD). A mechanism is provided for achieving luminance stability of fluorescent lamps, high efficiency and long life through controlling and maintaining lamp tube wall temperatures. Air flow variations are controlled by a microprocessor and a network of electric fans. The lamps may also be dimmed selectively to obtain optimum lamp tube wall temperatures. There is also provided a mechanism for safely preventing overheating of the back light and display due to high ambient temperatures or component failures. Further, the controls can be used in conjunction with ambient light sensing or manual controls to maintain appropriate output light intensity.

Abstract: The present invention features a reconfigurable resonant cavity specifically for use with a slot radiator. A series of internal planes with frequency-selective materials disposed on their top surfaces, in conjunction with switchable shorting pins, is used to reconfigure the cavity's resonant frequency. PIN diodes, MEMS or other photonically or electrical activated switching devices may be used to selectively “activate” shorting pins. A single resonant cavity may be electrically reconfigured to operate at two, three, or even more different frequency bands.

Abstract: The present invention provides a double-sided memory module with improved memory device density and improved manufacturability, and with optional bus terminations mounted directly on the memory module for use with high speed, impedance-controlled memory buses. It also allows the same memory devices to be used on both sides of the card, instead of requiring memory devices with mirrored I/O connections on a second side as on prior art double-sided memory cards. The memory module may be formed on a conventional printed circuit card using cost-effective printed circuit board line widths and spaces with unpacked or packed memory chips attached directly to the memory module, while maintaining good signal integrity. Using memory modules with bus terminations mounted directly on the module improves the signal quality and integrity even further and therefore enhances system performance.

Abstract: A chair or stool having a substantially spherical seat component. The spherical seat component is supported upon identical base support units that are designed to stack or nest within each other. Addition or subtraction of the base support units raises and lowers the chair or stool, so that the chair or stool can comfortably fit most people of different size or height. A novel mounting mechanism firmly attaches the spherical seat to the base support unit or units.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high speed, multi-ported, direct data flow memory architecture that employs memory width and speed greater than system bus width and speed to allow shallow burst depth and reduce other-port latencies, while maintaining multi-port throughput. The inventive system has a data storage device (SDRAM) and a multiplexer connected to the SDRAM. Two or more interfaces or ports are provided with data sourcing controllers respectively connected to the interfaces. A communications bus connects the SDRAM to the data sourcing controllers for facilitating data communications. A FIFO buffer memory is located between the multiplexer and the data sourcing controllers. The need for retries is eliminated and host bus widths are matched to memory data width. Read-ahead algorithms are provided that adapt the larger system bus burst sizes to the smaller memory burst sizes with the ability to cancel unneeded advance requests for data.