Abstract: A money saving universal fuel recycling machine has a reservoir for receiving fuel from a used fuel filter or other source of used or old fuel. A pumping device selectively moves the fuel from the reservoir through the filtration devices. Each filtration device has a lower portion for collecting water and other waste material for selective removal to a waste receptacle. The filter fuel that can be selectively routed to either a new fuel filter or a recycled fuel container.

Abstract: A computer system has a resource, a verification unit and an execution engine for running a body of program code having an associated signature. A cryptographic key is associated with the resource and when the code is to be loaded into the execution engine a verification operation is run on the signature using the cryptographic key associated with the resource. The execution engine is separate from the resource and when access to the resource is required by the code in the execution engine a further verification operation is conducted on the signature using the cryptographic key associated with the resource. Access to the resource by the code depends upon the result of the verification operation.

Abstract: A bed mattress support apparatus and method includes a fluid filled bladder or multiplicity of bladders to vertically support a rigid platform. The rigid platform provides a suspended surface to support a mattress, foam pad, or other mattress-like device. A frame surrounds the bladder to prevent lateral movement of the bladder. Motion limiting features control vertical displacement of the platform.

Abstract: A fiber optic communication signal link apparatus for performing fiber optic link communication including a transmitter apparatus and a receiver apparatus coupled by a fiber optic cable. The transmitter is capable of detecting and modulating data that includes at least one of position, light and audio data. An analog voltage signal representing the data is transmitted to the transmitter apparatus wherein the signal is detected, converted to a frequency signal and modulated through the fiber optic cable to the receiver apparatus. Subsequently, the frequency signal is detected, demodulated and converted back to a voltage analog signal in the receiver apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for automatically defining a part model for a semiconductor component. An image of the component is provided. The automatic method may be any of a trial and error method, systematic method or a method based on distance-angle signatures. The trial and error method is described in the context of defining a part model for a ball grid array. The systematic approach is described in the context of a leaded semiconductor, and the distance angle signature approach is described in the context of defining a part model for an odd form semiconductor component.

Abstract: A radiant heater including a burner having an inlet for receiving an air and gas mixture and an exhaust for emitting exhaust gases generated by combustion of the air and gas mixture within the burner, an elongated radiant heating tube having an inlet for receiving the exhaust gases emitted by the burner, a gas flow control assembly for controlling the flow of gas to the burner, and a blower for controlling the flow of air to the burner. The blower comprises a two-stage blower including a motor having a low winding corresponding to a low blower speed and a high winding corresponding to a high blower speed. The gas flow control assembly comprises a two-stage regulator or two-stage valve having a low setting for delivering a low gas flow to the burner and a high setting for delivering a high gas flow to the burner.

Abstract: A high speed material processing and stacking apparatus and method for overlapping and slowing the linear progression of material pieces in a continuous stream. The apparatus may include a doubler conveyor for separating material pieces in a stream permitting a substantial reduction in the linear velocity downstream. The apparatus and method may also include a discharge conveyor having a dam separator to introduce controlled separations to form discrete numbers of materials for further processing and shipping.

Abstract: An electro-magnetic actuator includes a shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion and a nut having an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface. The inner peripheral surface of the nut is coupled with the first end portion of the shaft. A bearing is disposed around the second end portion of the shaft for rotatably supporting the shaft. An electrical coil is disposed around the shaft between the nut and the bearing for receiving electrical current and producing magnetic flux. A ferromagnetic can is disposed around the shaft having a peripheral surface extending between the shaft and the outer peripheral surface of the nut for establishing a path for magnetic flux flow there between. The peripheral surface of the can is interposed between the electrical coil and the bearing partitioning the electrical oil inside the can and the bearing outside the can.

Abstract: An apparatus for heat staking utilizes an infrared lamp to direct radiant energy onto a plastic part to heat and so soften it prior to the staking punch impacting the part. The apparatus comprises an energy directing means for concentrating the infrared energy onto the part, and a moveable carriage for moving the punch toward and away from the part. One embodiment of the energy concentrating means is a reflector, wherein the reflector includes a central aperture for admission of the part, and wherein the reflector comprises different curved sections for concentrating the energy over the surface of the part. In an alternate embodiment, the energy directing means comprises fiber optic cables for directing the infrared energy to the surface of the part.

Abstract: A system for the selective deployment of a tire deflation device. The system incorporates the use of a mounted housing combined with a compressed gas propulsion source for ejecting a collapsed tire deflation device that is attached to the housing with a tether line. One embodiment of the invention is to have a dual system mounted to the underside of a vehicle behind the rear tires. Each system is pointed in an opposite direction to achieve left or right side deployment. A set of control switches mounted inside the vehicle near the operator can be depressed for either left or right side ejection. Upon ejection the tire deflation device projects laterally away from the vehicle. A remote trigger is disclosed.

Abstract: A side car window and sunscreen assembly for selectively moving the sunscreen with the movement of the window includes a window located within a window track of a side door and selectively movable between an open and closed position, a sheet material or sunscreen positionable within the window track adjacent to the side car window wherein the sheet material has one edge selectively attachable to the car window. Selective attachment between the sunscreen and window may be accomplished through a magnetic strip attached to one of the window and sunscreen and may further include a portion of the sunscreen pivotable about a hinge.

Abstract: An electrical capacitor is discloses which includes a mixture of electrically conductive and non-conductive particles. The particles are intimately mixed so as to provide a random distribution, and the mixture is placed between two parallel conductive plates to which electrical leads are attached and pressure is applied.

Abstract: A discharge valve plate of the type used in the conduit between an exhauster fan and a riffle box in a coal fine delivery system for a coal-fired combustion chamber in a power plant. The axis of rotation of the discharge valve plate is oriented generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the exhauster fan, such that the valve plate bisects the flow of coal fines from the exhauster fan into upper and lower flows, each having heavy and light distributions across the width of the conduit. The discharge valve plate is provided with diffuser elements engaging the upper and lower flows to cause the heavy and light flow distributions to mix prior to reaching the riffle box.

Abstract: A TPA (terminal position assurance) and CPA (connector position assurance) combining structure for a connector in a vehicle wiring system connector set. The TPA/CPA combining structure is a CTPA (connector/terminal position assurance) member movably mounted on a specially formed connector latch on the first connector's housing between TPA preset, TPA set/CPA preset, and CPA set positions. The CTPA member responds to a complete terminal installation in the first connector housing by becoming movable from TPA preset to TPA set, externally verifying terminal installation and securing a terminal latching member on the housing from unintended release. The TPA set position is also a CPA preset position in which the TPA-assured first connector is ready to receive a mating connector, a portion of which releases the CTPA member from CPA preset to allow movement to a final CPA set condition verifying full connector mating.

Abstract: A flat (horizontal) press-fit busbar terminal structure for use in junction boxes, power distribution boxes, and the like at vehicle wiring junctions. Instead of the usual vertical busbar terminal extending through one or more insulation plate layers to be connected to the vertical terminals of a pluggable component, flat press-fit terminals are fastened in horizontal, essentially flush fashion to the surfaces of the flat insulation plates, with horizontally disposed terminal ends for receiving pluggable component terminals therethrough in perpendicular fashion. The flat terminals of the invention greatly reduce the overall height of the junction box, PDB, etc., thereby allowing the vertical component terminals to be used in place of peripheral jumper connections to interconnect one or more layers of busbar terminals.

Abstract: In a wire harness connector body of the type having an end cover with a plurality of terminal openings and a mating seal having a corresponding plurality of terminal openings, a delete plug for insertion into a terminal opening in the cover such that it plugs that terminal opening against the insertion of a terminated wire. The delete plug includes a seal-plugging member which is inserted into a corresponding terminal opening in the seal to maintain the sealed nature of the connector. One or more delete plugs can be added to, moved around, or removed from the cover to reconfigure a basic cover and seal arrangement to accept different numbers or placement of terminated wires.

Abstract: A power distribution box (PDB) cover of the type mated over a portion of a PDB base from which a plurality of relatively unconstrained wires or wire bundles extend. The cover mates with the base to cover and protect the wires, and to redirect them longitudinally through one or more open ends of the cover. The cover interior is provided with a plurality of rattle-preventing ribs which define a constraining volume for the wires which keeps the wires away from the sidewalls of the cover, which squeezes down high volume wire bundles to reduce wire movement, and which prevents wires in low volume bundles from rattling against the sidewalls of the cover.

Abstract: A gas-fired infra-red burner has a dome-shaped wire mesh burner screen bulging out of the plane of the burner opening away from a plenum. This bulge or dome effect allows the screen to undergo controlled thermal expansion without any rippling, waviness or other undesirable deformation of the screen. A metal blocking plate is secured to the center of the screen and blocks the flow of gas therethrough to create a non-radiating zone at the center of the burner, thus providing even heating over the surface of the food being cooked. A plurality of creases radiate from the approximate center of the plate in a star-shaped pattern, and the plate is bent about several of the creases to give it a concave surface which contacts the screen. When heated, the creases grow in height so that the overall horizontal dimensions of the plate do not increase as much as would a flat plate.

Abstract: A heat exchanger and method of transferring heat between fluids is disclosed using a plurality of stacked plate pairs consisting of face-to-face, mating, ringlike plates, each plate having an outer peripheral flange, an annular inner boss located in a common plane with the peripheral flange, and an offset intermediate area located between the peripheral flange and the inner boss. The peripheral flanges and inner bosses in the mating plates are joined together. The intermediate areas have outwardly disposed joined intermediate bosses having aligned inlet and outlet openings forming manifolds for the flow of a first heat exchange fluid circumferentially through the plate pairs from the inlet manifold to the outlet manifold. The heat exchanger also has a header enclosing either the inner bosses or the outer peripheral flanges to cause all of a second heat exchange fluid to pass between the plate pairs transversely relative to the flow of the first heat exchange fluid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a shutter system for use with an automated semiconductor chip handling device. The semiconductor chip handling device includes a track down which semiconductor chips travel. Reliefs are positioned on the track to prevent the semiconductor chips from escaping. A gap in the relief provides access to the semiconductor chips so that they may be removed from the track. A pair of shutters pivot between a first position where they cover the gap and a second position where the gap is uncovered so that chips may be removed from the gap without chips escaping from the track during normal operation.