Abstract: A bruxism monitoring device comprising a thin shell formed to the shape of and elastically retained to one or more teeth, said shell further comprising: a plurality of layers having mutually distinguishable colors, each color distinguishable from the colors of adjacent layers; and a material thickness that is greater anteriorly than posteriorly. The outer layer of the shell, when worn away by grinding action, reveals an inner layer. The regions of wear may be analyzed to determine the extent of the bruxing activity.

Abstract: A free rotor is mounted to spin freely in a conduit network that is acoustically coupled to a noise source through a working fluid that flows through the conduit network. The free rotor muffles the acoustic perturbations travelling through the conduit network, thus effectively muffling the noise source. The network has at least one extent of conduit and within the extent of conduit. The free rotor is typically mounted with its axis of rotation parallel to the direction of flow of the working fluid. Additional free muffling rotors may be provided, either counter rotating or rotating in the same direction. If adjacent free rotors rotate in the same direction, it is beneficial to provide a stationary blade row between them. The multiple free rotors may be mounted on the same spindle, or mounted on independent spindles.

Abstract: A binder composition for three dimensional printing of parts is disclosed which is stable during storage and passage through a printhead, yet able to gel under the conditions existing in a powder bed. The binder composition comprises colloidal silica, a catalyst able to promote gelation of the composition when the composition is below a predetermined pH value, and a base able to maintain the pH of the composition above the predetermined value at which the composition gels. Preferably, the catalyst is polyethylene glycol or another ethylene oxide-derived polymer, and the base is triethanolamine. Upon impact with a powder bed, the pH of the binder composition is reduced, as by adding an acid such as citric acid to the powder, thereby causing the binder to gel in the powder.

Abstract: A technique for removing loose powder from the interior surfaces of ceramic molds made using layer manufacturing processes, such as three dimensional printing processes. The interior of a mold is filled with water which is boiled and the particles are entrained in the flow caused by the boiling liquid. In another technique, the mold is immersed in water charged with CO.sub.2 and the pressure rapidly dropped to cause the CO.sub.2 to come out of solution as bubbles which eject the particles. Alternatively, fine particles are introduced into the mold and the mold is agitated to dislodge the particles and the powder so that they can be poured out of the mold. Such technique tends also to remove the surface finish of the mold. Any of the particles which remain can be dissolved in a liquid and removed in the liquid from the mold.

Abstract: A system for producing three dimensional components by bonding together successive layers of a porous material with droplets of a binder material. A binder printhead has an array of nozzles which controllably supply jets of binder material droplets to the layers of porous material. The printhead is scanned in a raster scan fashion over each layer of porous material along a first scan axis in one direction to provide first fast scanning paths of droplets. The printhead is then moved laterally of such one direction and is then moved along the fast-scan axis in the opposite direction to provide second fast scanning paths of droplets which are interlaced with the first scanning paths. The supply of the droplets to the porous material can be controlled so as to control the overlapping thereof to produce various desired surface and interior characteristics of the components.

Abstract: A self contained sensor apparatus generates a signal that corresponds to at least two of the three orientational aspects of yaw, pitch and roll of a human-scale body, relative to an external reference frame. A sensor generates first sensor signals that correspond to rotational accelerations or rates of the body about certain body axes. The sensor may be mounted to the body. Coupled to the sensor is a signal processor for generating orientation signals relative to the external reference frame that correspond to the angular rate or acceleration signals. The first sensor signals are impervious to interference from electromagnetic, acoustic, optical and mechanical sources. The sensors may be rate sensors. An integrator may integrate the rate signal over time. A drift compensator is coupled to the rate sensors and the integrator. The drift compensator may include a gravitational tilt sensor or a magnetic field sensor or both.

Abstract: A separable fastener component for use with a complementary separable fastener component has a base member, having a nominal fastening face and a non-fastening face. Carried on the fastening face is a pattern of fastening elements, comprising an interior region carrying fastening elements that are free of any cover. Substantially surrounding the interior region is a perimeter region that carries fastening elements which are covered. The perimeter region of covered fastening elements may be a rectangular or non-rectangular annulus. The fastening elements may be hooks or loops.The fastening component may be incorporated into a molded product, with minimal intrusion of the molding material into the fastening elements of the main region. The perimeter cover forms a gasket seal with the mold in several different configurations and prevents molding material from infiltrating to the uncovered interior region of fastening elements.

Abstract: Processes for providing enhanced thermal properties of tooling, particularly metal and metal/ceramic molds, made by solid free form fabrication techniques, such as the three dimensional printing process, and the tooling made by these processes are disclosed. The methods of enhancing thermal properties include incorporating integral contour coolant channels into the mold, adding surface textures to the coolant channels, creating high thermal conductivity paths between the surfaces and the coolant channels, and creating low thermal inertia regions in the mold.

Abstract: The invention is an apparatus for connecting a slender structure to a reference body. The apparatus comprises a link, that is connected to one end of the slender structure. The link is connected with a hinge at a second point of the link to the reference body with at least one degree of rotational freedom. A damper for damping motion of the link through at least one of the link's degrees of rotational freedom is connected between the link at a third point and the reference body. The device suppresses vibration waves travelling in the slender structure. A spring for resisting motion through the degree of rotational freedom may also be beneficially provided. The link, spring and damper may all act through one or two degrees of rotational freedom. The hinge can be either a pivot or a flex joint. The invention includes a method of selecting the parameters of the link, damper and spring assembly to optimize the suppression of vibration.

Abstract: Construction member panels have an array of engaging elements and cooperating receiving spaces, such as dovetails and dovetail shaped keyways. The engaging elements are relatively closely spaced such that a pair of such panels can be meshed together, and will be locked against motion in two directions. The construction member panels can be used alone, with one planar member being fixed to a support and the other to an item to be supported, or they can be connected to each other to form units, such as L-shaped units, U-shaped units, or rectangular parallelepiped boxes. Shapes other than dovetails can also be used.Specially located engaging elements along the length of construction members, or the sides of the units made therefrom allow mated construction members to be translated relative to each other as desired, even if one construction member is mated with and bridges across two facing construction members, thus exhibiting translational symmetry.

Abstract: Various rock spallation devices and methods reduce the cost of deep hole excavation. A spallation head has rotating, circumferentially spaced jets. The jets may be combustion flame jets or very hot water. In a combustion embodiment, air and water are delivered to the spallation apparatus downhole in a mixture, and are separated. In a low density embodiment, the borehole is essentially empty. In a high density embodiment, more water is included in the mixture of air and water, and the borehole is filled with fluid. Instead of combustion, the kinetic energy of flowing water at the spallation device can be used to power a turbogenerator that generates electric energy to heat the water and spall the rock. The jets may also be aimed and configured to fuse the excavation material, if spallation is not feasible. New lengths of feed and return pipe can be added while spallation continues uninterrupted, either due to well head alternating equipment, or a downhole relative motion device.

Abstract: An elegant, cost-effective apparatus and method is disclosed for compensating the effect of joint friction in manipuulators. The invention uses a six axis wrench sensor (also called a force/torque sensor) mounted between the manipulator and a reference body upon which it is supported. From the base wrench measurements, for rotary joints, the joint torques are estimated. The estimation apparatus uses Newton-Euler relations of successive link bodies. The estimated torque is fed back through a torque controller, that virtually eliminates friction and gravity effects. A position control loop encloses the torque controller and provides it with desired torques computed from measured position errors. For linear joints, appropriate forces are estimated. Coupled to link position sensors and the wrench sensor, is a gravity compensator, which generates a dynamic wrench signal that corresponds to the gravity compensated dynamic component of the base wrench signal, based on the position signals and the base wrench signal.

Abstract: A fastening component for use with molded articles has a base with fastening elements upstanding therefrom and a relatively thin, protective cover attached thereto. The cover is attached to the base by thermal processes. For instance, the cover and the base can be cut into a shape by a die that substantially simultaneously cuts the shape from a larger web of both and joins the two pieces together by heat induced processes, such as welding. The shaped piece may be rectilinear or curved or any complex shape. The cover may include a pull tab at one or both ends. The pull tab is formed from the cover material itself, a piece of which is folded over on itself and cut and sealed to adjacent layers at the same time that the main shape is being cut and sealed. For some embodiments of the pull-tab, rather than heat sealing the protective cover to the base, an adhesive can be used.

Abstract: A fastener of the hook and loop type intended to incorporated into plastic articles by plastic molding processes is formed of a known separable fastener member having a base member and a plurality of engaging elements upstanding from one surface thereof. A vinyl plastisol, thermoplastic, or rubber encasement which intimately surrounds at least some of the individual engaging elements protects the elements when they are exposed to the harsh environment of a molding process. The fastener is placed in a mold and molded into, as an integral part thereof, a plastic part. The encasement is removable from the engaging elements after the molding process, to expose the engaging elements, without permanently deforming or substantially destroying the fastening performance thereof.

Abstract: A fastening component of a separable fastener has some portion that is necessary for its fastening function, such as the hooks, the base to which the hooks are attached or a substrate that is used for another purpose, comprised of a magnetically attractive constituent. Another portion of the fastening component is comprised of a magnetically inert constituent. The fastening element may be the hook portion or the loop portion of a typical fastener. The fastening elements and the base may be unitary, or of different precursors, such as in a woven fastener component. The magnetically inert constituent may comprise a polymeric plastic or a thermoplastic elastomer. The magnetic attractant may impregnate the magnetically inert constituent, or it may coat or be coated by the magnetically inert constituent. The magnetic attractant may comprise a metal powder. The metal may be selected from the group consisting of iron powder. The magnetic attractant may be an organo-iron or a rare earth metal.

Abstract: The apparatus immobilizes a wheel of a vehicle. A chock is connected to a facing bar. Also connected to the facing bar, spaced away from the chock is an engaging bar. The engaging bar has a first, generally elongated straight section and a second section that is shorter than the first straight section, and that is joined to one end of the first section such that the angle between the first section and a portion of the second section is between -45.degree. and +45.degree., preferably 0.degree.. The engaging bar is attached to the facing bar, such that the first straight section is generally perpendicular to the facing bar, the engaging bar is movable along its first section relative to the facing bar and the second section is rotatable around an axis coaxial with the first section. A lock locks the engaging bar at a desired position relative to the facing bar.

Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for automatically fabricating a physical prototype, an initial prototype is created, which need not satisfy the specified performance characteristics. An initial Jacobian matrix relates changes in the prototypes design variable physical features to changes in the prototype performance characteristics. The prototype is tested to determine the error between the specifications and the prototype performance characteristics. The initial Jacobian is applied to this error to generate a change order signal for the physical features. This change signal is input to a prototyping apparatus, preferably automatic and rapid, which physically changes the prototype. The prototype is again tested for satisfaction of the specifications. If necessary, the prototype is changed again and again.

Abstract: The invention is a method for generating a still image, comprising the steps of producing a plurality of images, each of the plurality having been produced at a distinct focal length, scaling each of the images to a common focal length and combining each of the scaled images to a final image of a single focal length, portions of which are of a relatively high resolution, as compared to the images of the original sequence. The invention also includes combining a sequence of still images of varying fields of view into a panoramic image of an overall field of view, which overall field of view includes all of the fields of view of the sequence. In addition to combining images generated at different fields of view, the method of the invention can be used to combine images generated with respect to different fields of view of an overall scene, such as a panoramic scene into a combined panoramic field of view. This aspect of the invention may also be combined with the varying focal length aspect.

Abstract: A self contained sensor apparatus generates a signal that corresponds to at least two of the three orientational aspects of yaw, pitch and roll of a human-scale body, relative to an external reference frame. A sensor generates first sensor signals that correspond to rotational accelerations or rates of the body about certain body axes. The sensor may be mounted to the body. Coupled to the sensor is a signal processor for generating orientation signals relative to the external reference frame that correspond to the angular rate or acceleration signals. The first sensor signals are impervious to interference from electromagnetic, acoustic, optical and mechanical sources. The sensors may be rate sensors. An integrator may integrate the rate signal over time. A drift compensator is coupled to the rate sensors and the integrator. The drift compensator may include a gravitational tilt sensor or a magnetic field sensor or both.

Abstract: An audio type signal is encoded. The signal is first divided into bands. For each band, a yardstick signal element is selected. The yardstick may be the signal element having the largest magnitude in the band, the second largest, closest to the median magnitude, or having some other selected magnitude. This magnitude is used for various purposes, including assigning bits to the different bands, and for establishing reconstruction levels within a band. The magnitude of non yardstick signal elements is also quantized. The encoded signal is also decoded. Apparatus for both encoding and decoding are also disclosed. The location of the yardstick element within its band may also be recorded and encoded, and used for efficiently allocating bits to non-yardstick signal elements. Split bands may be established, such that each split band includes a yardstick signal element and each full band includes a major and a minor yardstick signal element.