Abstract: A semiconductor wafer and a method for fabricating a semiconductor wafer having improved dicing lanes are provided. The dicing lanes include grooves formed by photolithography and etching processes. The wafer also includes a plating layer on a back side of the wafer to facilitate bonding of individual circuit chips to a suitable substrate and to effect efficient heat transfer between the chip and the substrate. Photolithography and etching processes are employed to etch horizontal and vertical lanes in the plating layer to facilitate breaking of the individual chips from the wafer. The horizontal and vertical lanes etched in the plating layer are coincident to the grooves etched in the substrate. The wafer can then be broken into individual circuit chips by applying stress to the back of the wafer, such that the wafer cleanly breaks along the horizontal and vertical dicing lanes and the etched grooves.

Abstract: A baffle includes a base and a seal having flexible segments which engage a mold structure. The base of the baffle may have a noncircular opening in which article mold portions of the mold structure are disposed. The baffle may be connected with the furnace assembly before a mold is moved into the furnace assembly or may be connected with the furnace assembly as the mold is moved into the furnace assembly. A projection connected with the mold structure may be utilized to orient the baffle relative to the mold structure. The projection may be a thermocouple assembly which extends from the chill plate. Alternatively, the projection may be a portion of the mold structure itself.

Abstract: A seat belt system (10) includes a lap belt (60) including a first portion (74) and a second portion (85). A retractor (76) includes a spool (96) rotatable about an axis (160). The first and second lap belt portions (74, 85) are secured to the spool (96). The spool (96) is biased to rotate in a first rotational direction to wind the first and second portions (74, 85) onto the spool. The first and second portions (74, 85) when tensioned urge the spool (96) to rotate in a second rotational direction opposite said first rotational direction to unwind the first and second portions from the spool. A locking mechanism (170) is actuatable to lock the spool (96) against rotation in the second rotational direction. First and second web grabbing devices (180, 182) are actuatable to clamp onto the first and second portions (74, 85) when the locking mechanism (170) is in the locked condition.

Abstract: A conversion system converts an input signal from a digital signal to an analog signal over an extended dynamic range. The system includes a DAC system and a mode selector. The mode selector selects a mode of operation for the digital-to-analog converter system from a plurality of modes. The mode selector selects a mode according to a characteristic of the input signal. Each of the modes is associated with an instantaneous dynamic range and quantization noise level of the DAC system. The ensemble of modes provides an improvement in total or effective dynamic range compared to any DAC component within the DAC system.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) supports an endoscope (99) for viewing a surgical site in a patient during surgery on the patient. The apparatus (100) includes a base (110), a first part (200), a second part (300), and a mechanism (400). The base (110) has a guide portion (130). The first part (200) is adapted to be fixed to the endoscope (99). The second part (300) engages the guide portion (130) and is movable relative to the guide portion (130). The second part (300) is secured to the first part (200) such that the first part (200) is movable relative to the guide portion (130). The mechanism (400) is connected between the base (110) and the second part (300). At least a portion of the mechanism (400) is rotatable to slide the first and second parts (200, 300) relative to the guide portion (130) to change a position of the endoscope (99) relative to the patient.

Abstract: A belt retractor for a vehicle safety belt comprises a frame, a belt reel rotatably mounted in the frame, at least a first and a second energy-absorbing element, which each has a connecting end and a locking end, wherein the locking ends each are provided with a locking disc and adapted to be selectively connected with the frame. The belt retractor further comprises a first and a second locking pawl which by means of at least one actuating device can each selectively be brought into engagement in one of the locking discs, wherein at least one switching device is provided which can selectively prevent the engagement action of at least one locking pawl.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant protection system (30) comprises first and second lap belts (32 and 34) and first and second shoulder belts (36 and 38). A buckle assembly (90) is provided for interconnecting the first and second shoulder belts (36 and 38) and the first and second lap belts (32 and 34). At least one lap belt retractor (50) is operatively connected to the first and second lap belts (32 and 34) and is electrically actuatable, in response to receiving a first electrical locking signal, for locking the at least one lap belt retractor (50) to prevent withdrawal of the first and second lap belts (32 and 34). An occupant actuatable mechanism (160) is operatively connected to the at least one lap belt retractor (50) and is responsive to actuation by the vehicle occupant for providing the first electrical locking signal to the at least one lap belt retractor (50).

Abstract: A recovery device (1) includes a container (11) for recovering pure solvent (10) A measuring device (12) includes a capacitive detector (13) which is provided to signal if the container (11) is not empty nor substantially empty when one tries to start operation of the recovering pure solvent (10).

Abstract: The invention relates to a gas bag module comprising a gas bag which has a gas bag wall with a front wall section. The module further comprises a cover which has a given annular section which closes an annular outlet opening for the gas bag and has a stationary central portion which is surrounded by the annular section. A section of the gas bag wall other than the front section has an outflow opening which in a folded state of the gas bag is arranged beneath the central portion in such a manner that on outlet of the gas bag, the central portion arrives via the outflow opening into an interior of the gas bag.

Abstract: The invention relates to an airbag module comprising a gas generator that is mounted in the airbag module by means of at least one elastic element. The elastic element is a hollow profile closed as seen in cross-section and has a circumferential wall a radial outer side of which lies against the gas generator on the one hand, and against a holding part on a module side on the other hand.

Abstract: A photodetector and a method for detecting radiation are disclosed. The photodetector comprises a zone of a semiconductor material suitably doped to collect photogenerated charges, coupled in parallel to a capacitance between a ground voltage and a sensing node. A metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor is coupled at its source and a drain between the sensing node and a supply voltage, and a means for applying a predetermined voltage to the gate of the transistor Ls provided. In operation, the capacitance is first charged so that the magnitude of a voltage at the sensing node is greater than a transition voltage magnitude, and a predetermined gate voltage is applied. The transistor then is non-conductive, and a photocurrent of a magnitude dependent on the intensity of incident radiation flows through the zone of semiconductor material, discharging the capacitance and causing the sensing node voltage to vary substantially linearly with the photocurrent magnitude.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gas bag module comprising a gas generator and an elastic bearing element by means of which the gas generator is mounted so as to be neutralized with regard to vibrations in the gas bag module. The bearing element is electrically conductive and forms a part of an electrical earth lead for the gas generator. The invention further relates to a steering wheel comprising a gas bag module equipped with a gas generator. The gas bag module is mounted on the steering wheel so as to be neutralized with regard to vibrations by means of an elastic bearing element. The elastic bearing element is electrically conductive and forms a part of an earth lead of the gas generator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing lamella packets (60, 70) of the type normally used in adjustable steering columns in automobiles and which comprise a soft lamella (71) made of soft sheet metal material and at least one layered hard lamella (71) placed on top of said material. The lamella (71, 74) are connected by at least one rivet made of soft lamella (71). The method is characterized by the use of presses (110, 120) positioned one after the other. A soft lamella (71) is formed and stamped out of a strip (111) of said softer material in the first press (110) at a rate dictated by the press (110). Soft lamella (71) produced in this matter are transported to the second press (120). At least one hard lamella (72, 74) is completely formed in a second press (120) from a band (121) of harder sheet material and then stamped. Said hard lamella is placed over a soft lamella (71) and a rivet connection is produced.

Abstract: Methods and devices for demodulators for continuous phase modulation waveforms. A modulated sampled signal is received. A consecutive sequence of the modulated sampled signal is buffered. The consecutive sequence is compared with all possible valid modulated sampled signals. A bit decision representing a demodulation of the consecutive sequence of the modulated sampled signal is determined based on a closest valid modulated sampled signal located closest to the consecutive sequence of the modulated sample signal in a constellation.

Abstract: A heat pipe structure is provided for facilitating temperature stability of heat generating devices residing in a spacecraft. The heat generating structure comprises wall tubing made of a low thermal expansion alloy and a low thermal expansion saddle joined together and embedded into composite panel face sheets or face skins with minimal to no coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch. The saddle to composite radiating panel interface employs an adhesive as the joining material. The saddle to heat pipe interface is joined together employing a higher conductivity joining media, such as tin-lead solder, which improves the thermal performance of the heat pipe assembly and minimize the temperature drop across the interface.

Abstract: An optical connection (10) simultaneously connects a plurality of fiber optical cables (17, 18). The optical connection (10) has at least one plug (10A) in which a number of ferrules corresponding to the number of fiber optical cables (17) to be connected are mounted with spring-back effect in the direction of connection. Each of the fiber optical cables (17) to be connected ends in a corresponding ferrule and is fixed thereto. Each ferrule is mounted with spring-back effect in a separate adapter (20) and the adapters (20) are disposed and fixed next to one another inside a common housing (19′) of the at least one plug (10A).

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for predistorting an input signal to a non-linear amplifier. An appropriate precorrection is determined for the input signal over a series of iterative stages according to an amplifier model. The amplifier model includes a limiting function that clips the input signal to reduce error due to amplifier saturation. The determined precorrection is then applied to the input signal.

Abstract: System and methods are provided for selective noise generation. A delta-sigma modulator receives digital input and produces a digital output. A digital-to-analog converter converts the digital output into an analog output. The analog output comprises quasi-random noise having at least one low noise frequency band. The low noise frequency bands have respective associated shapes and center frequencies. A frequency control controls the delta-sigma modulator to alter one of the respective center frequency and the shape of the at least one low noise frequency band.

Abstract: A human presence detection system (50) that employs a frame differencing technique for subtracting out background interference from images generated by the system. The system (50) includes an infrared source (28) that generates a beam of infrared radiation, and an infrared detector (72) that receives infrared radiation reflected from objects in the path of the beam. Face recognition software is employed to determine the presence of a person (16) from the reflected radiation. The infrared source (28) is pulsed on and off and the detector (72) is synchronously shuttered to the pulses so that image frames are generated at different times, where one frame includes reflected radiation and background radiation and another frame includes only background radiation. The frames are subtracted to separate out the background radiation.