Abstract: A structural connection device to be used primarily as a toy in conjunction with foam tubes, popularly known as “noodles” which are commonly used at swimming pools, wherein the connector is preferably made from foam and is configured as a longitudinal flexible member with a pattern of holes, each of which is slightly smaller than the diameter of a typical noodle, such that a noodle can be press-fit into a connector strip hole to act as a structural node; and because the connector may be made from foam, particularly for toy use, it can be bent and twisted, therefore enabling one simple element to act as a complex-shaped node into which many noodles can be inserted and used in conjunction with other connectors to build complex structures.

Abstract: Non-random windings are employed to reduce the proximity effect in electrical machines, including rotating machines such as various types of motors. Thus, with respect to electrical machinery of the type wherein multi-strand electrical wiring is received within a slot relative to a surface associated with the transmission of magnetic flux, a method of dressing the wiring within the slot according to the invention includes the step of winding the strands of each turn in one or more layers, each layer being substantially parallel to the surface associated with the transmission of magnetic flux. The winding may be a multi layer winding, in which case the windings associated with each layer are preferably separated by an insulating layer. The invention is applicable to various types of machines and motors, including AC, brushless DC and variable reluctance (VR) types. The conductors may be of a circular cross section or other geometry, such as flattened tapes.

Abstract: Non-random windings are employed to reduce the proximity effect in electrical machines, including rotating machines such as various types of motors. Thus, with respect to electrical machinery of the type wherein multi-strand electrical wiring is received within a slot relative to a surface associated with the transmission of magnetic flux, a method of dressing the wiring within the slot according to the invention includes the step of winding the strands of each turn in one or more layers, each layer being substantially parallel to the surface associated with the transmission of magnetic flux. The winding may be a multi layer winding, in which case the windings associated with each layer are preferably separated by an insulating layer. The invention is applicable to various types of machines and motors, including AC, brushless DC and variable reluctance (VR) types. The conductors may be of a circular cross section or other geometry, such as flattened tapes.

Abstract: A damped tool holder system having, in combination, a longitudinally extending cylindrical tool provided with a forward outer cutting or operating end and a rearward inner end which is to be held within a tool holder; a coaxial tool holder receiving the inner end of the tool; a rigid mechanical support connection between the tool and the tool holder at a first region thereof; and a second annular support connection between the tool and the tool holder at a second region thereof spaced from but adjacent the first region and effected by a vibration damping annular film structure disposed therebetween at said second region.

Abstract: A quasi-kinematic coupling for mating components (mechanical parts, surfaces, assemblies and the like) employing mating sets of surface of revolution, (conical) grooves and cooperative surface of revolution (spherical/conical) protrusions for establishing six lines (not just prior points) of contact at the kinematic interfaces, and with elastic compliance therebetween and preferably with relief features to define the effective orientation as a clamping force seats the protrusions in the grooves and seals the component mating surfaces into contact.

Abstract: A system and method of preloading linear motion bearings arranged to move between two orthogonal surfaces of each of a rail and an overlapping carriage, wherein a permanent magnet linear electric motor with a high attractive force between the coils and the magnets is inclined at an acute angle to the surfaces, such that the attractive force creates a preload force on each of the bearings; the magnet being fixed as a track in a trough along the rail, and the coils being recessed in a groove in the inner top surface of the carriage, both oriented at said acute angle, and providing through such preloading, a high degree of stiffness and load capacity in all degrees of freedom of the carriage except in the linear direction of movement along the rail.

Abstract: An interface between a test head portion of automatic test equipment and handling device such as a prober. The interface employs preloaded kinematic couplings between the test head and handling device and between the probe card and the test head. These couplings allow the probe card to be repeatedly positioned relative to the component in the handling device. They also reduce forces on the probe card to prevent distortion of the probe card. The interface provide seperate mechanical and electrical loops such that mechanical position is not dependant on the electrical structure.

Abstract: An integral unit for use in testing semiconductor components. The unit is designed to manipulate either packaged semiconductor components or semiconductor wafers and present them to a test head. It provides significant space savings because it replaces the need for separate prober, handler and tester units. The integrated unit includes a positioning mechanism with a tool plate that can be changed to grasp either a semiconductor wafer or a tray of semiconductor components. The tool plate uses a vacuum plate. To hold a tray of semiconductor parts, the vacuum plate has numerous independently operable holes. Each hole is positioned behind one semiconductor component and can be engaged or released separately so that the components can be sorted into separate output bins. To hold a wafer, the tool plate has an extendible tongue member that can be inserted into a stack of semiconductor wafers to pick up one wafer in the stack.

Abstract: A modular hydrostatic bearing for use in precision machine tools and the like, where a load is supported by bolting it to modular bearing carriages or trucks which ride on parallel bearing rails, where the carriages or trucks are kept from making physical contact with the bearing rails by hydrostatic bearing pockets formed in the carriages, and where the bearing rail has two sides and two or more surfaces per side that form load carrying surfaces that the hydrostatic bearing pockets run against, and where the bearing rail load carrying surfaces have precision smooth continuous curves between them, such that the carriage can be formed with a mating surface containing the hydrostatic bearing pockets and also have smooth continuous surfaces between the hydrostatic bearing pockets, such that the carriage can be fitted over the rail with clearance suitable for hydrostatic bearing operation, but greatly reduced leakage flow because there is no direct leakage flow to the atmosphere from between sets of adjacent load

Abstract: A mechanism to control the size of particles flowing through it, even to the nanometer scale, that contains a beam or plate effectively anchored at the bottom of each of a plurality of adjacent chambers, and, wherein the top of the beam or plate and the bottom of the chambers are polished to a degree finer than the particle size to be excluded, and with the polished surfaces normally brought into intimate contact to close off the chambers; an extension to the beam or plate acting as a force source to the beam or plate, such that when the extension is deflected a known large amount, the resulting deflection in the neighborhood of the anchoring point is very small, enabling the extension to create a transmission effect with the bending of the extension down, making the beam or plate act like a cantilever and opening the system for flushing; while bending the beam up, puts the beam in three point bending, and guides the substances from one chamber to another, with appropriate exit seal.

Abstract: A novel system for kinematically positioning planar surfaces such as printed circuit board components and elements of material, where one element has precisely formed and positioned (e.g., punched) slots that fit loosely over three corresponding posts, such that when a bias force, such as gravity from a tilted plane or a combing action, or expanding bladder on the posts, is applied, the surfaces are referenced to one side of the slots to in effect form a planar kinematic coupling so the relative planar position and orientation is defined with great accuracy and repeatability; such also allowing an entire factory system to be built where each piece of precision manufacturing equipment can use this planar kinematic coupling to achieve great accuracy in the manufacture of printed circuit boards or the like to allow for the use of ever smaller electronics components.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with the formation of modular units from individual plate-like elements and other elements with special interlocking joints at their ends that allow them to form cubes that can be grouped together to form storage "cubbies" and modular structural systems and toy construction sets and the like, wherein, in one embodiment, the plates are formed with one end having studs on a 45 degree angled surface, and the other end having receptacles or openings such as sockets on a 45 degree angled surface for interlocking with a second mating plate like the first, but in which the studs and sockets are interchanged, allowing a cube to be formed by two of each type of plate, with the use of studs and sockets on the surfaces allowing two or more such cubes to stick together; and wherein, in another embodiment, the cube is made from four identical plates, as by an extrusion process, where one end of a plate contains double male features, such as barb arrows, and the other end contains double correspo

Abstract: A rotary hybrid bearing that utilizes both hydrostatic and hydrodynamic principles to support a rotatable shaft in which lubricating fluid is fed through orifices or other flow restriction devices to a plurality of recesses, and finally across lands and out of the bearing. The shaft is rotated in such a direction as to pump the fluid back through grooves from lands to recesses, thereby reducing the flow rate of lubricant through the bearing. The recesses are located at an angular position from lands such that a force is generated by hydrostatic action that substantially cancels the destabilizing force generated by hydrodynamic action, thereby greatly enhancing the stability of the bearing and enabling higher rotational speeds.

Abstract: A system and technique for holding down and restraining a roll-off container in place as it is winched into its final position on the bed of a truck or other transport device, wherein, as the roll-off container is winched into position on the truck, a protuberance on the side of the bottom rail of the roll-off container slides into a mating interlocking cradle attached to the truck. The sliding mate can be of a cantilevered spear into a socket, or more generically, a sliding open-ended mate such as a dovetail. In the event of a crash or sudden stop, the roll-off container will thus be retained by the interlocking connection.

Abstract: A bar of soap or soap dispensing container "bar", whereby teeth or ridges are formed into the product such that as it is rubbed on the body, the contact pressure causes the teeth to lightly bend the skin at a number of points creating a series of waves in the skin which move along the surface of the skin as the soap is moved, thereby creating a traveling wave which acts to help remove dirt and dead skin particles and create a pleasant massaging effect, wherein the teeth forms are shaped to provide transverse and lateral strength in the product so it will not easily break, and so that it can be stacked for more dense shipping and better handling.

Abstract: An interface between a test head portion of automatic test equipment and a handling device such as a prober. The interface employs preloaded kinematic couplings between the test head and the handling device and between the probe card and the test head. These couplings allow the probe card to be repeatedly positioned relative to the component in the handling device. They also reduce forces on the probe card to prevent distortion of the probe card. The interface provides separate mechanical and electrical loops such that mechanical precision is not dependant on the electrical structure.

Abstract: A novel means for providing an internal damping mechanism for a system with structural load supporting members that may be subject to time-varying loads, where the structure's structural members have rough holes formed in them, either by casting, drilling, or welding pipe, where the holes can be any shape, but the ideal shape and location maximizes the product of the perimeter of the shape and the distance from the neutral axes to the neutral axis of the structure, so a smooth surfaced shear member, with a diameter several millimeters smaller than the hole and a surface finish on the order of 0.5 micron R.sub.

Abstract: The invention embraces the incorporation of kinematic fixturing elements into cores as for the precise casting of components, where typically the cores are much softer than metal, and typically the cores are sacrificial (they are destroyed during the casting process) whereby kinematic coupling grooves are located in each of the to-be-mated surfaces of a pair of core elements, such that when a ball is placed in each of the pairs of grooves, and the elements are brought together, even with coarse axial location of the ball in the grooves, very precise relative location of the two cores is obtained; and then, when a clamping force is applied to the cores, the balls create deformation of the core grooves, and the surfaces on the two cores come together into intimate contact.

Abstract: A system for achieving a high degree of damping in beams and structures made from beam-type elements such as machine tools and automation equipment, although the invention can apply to any type of structure which requires damping and/or temperature control. The invention is also concerned with utilization of the same structure to obtain a high degree of temperature control in some cases. A high degree of damping is obtained by making the beam hollow and inserting one or more structural members inside the beam along its approximate length, and then filling the annulus between the axial internal members and the external surrounding structure with a viscoelastic energy absorbing material such that the inner structures and the outer structure are fully linked in shear by the viscoelastic material so that any bending in the beams results in relative shear displacement between the beams which shears the viscoelastic material and thereby dissipates vibration energy.

Abstract: A system for achieving a high degree of location and orientation accuracy and repeatability of a part, such as a semiconductor wafer, for storage of the part in a cassette or placement on a process tool while being able to grasp the part, while maintaining maximally repeatable location, orientation, and cleanliness, while moving it from one tool to another, such as a process tool to a cassette.