Abstract: A cursor control device is taught that provides a compact and easily manufactured design. A shaft or actuator surface attaches around the periphery of a substrate. The substrate carries at least one strain sensitive resistor that provides an electrical signal indicative of the stress placed on the actuator. The substrate is attached to a supporting structure at a point in general proximity to the center of the substrate.

Abstract: A conductive composition for filling a via. The composition is based on total composition and has 4.0-12.0 wt. % organic vehicle and 88.0-96.0 wt. % electrically conductive particles selected from the group consisting of silver and nickel and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: An axle bolt has a shaft with a pair of opposed ends. An axle passage extends within the shaft and a transverse passage extends radially outwardly from the axial passage. A head attached to one end of the shaft has an outer face. A recess extends in from the outer face and the bottom of the recess is in communication with the axial passage. A lubrication fitting in the recess has one end in communication with the bottom of the recess and another end designed to be connected to a lubrication device. The recess in the bolt head is sufficiently deep that the second end of the lubrication fitting is within the recess and does not extend beyond the outer face.

Abstract: In a hardtop vehicle roof including rigid front intermediate and rear roof parts, which are movable between a closed position, in which the roof parts are arranged, in the longitudinal vehicle direction, one after the other so as to cover an interior of a vehicle body, and a storage position, in which the roof parts are disposed in a rear roof storage compartment which is provided with a compartment lid pivotally supported on the vehicle body, so that it can be raised for the transfer of the rigid roof parts between their closed positions and their positions in the roof storage compartment, the rear roof part is supported on the roof storage compartment lid, the intermediate roof part is supported directly on the vehicle body and the front part is supported on the intermediate roof part in such a way that in the storage compartment all the roof parts are disposed in the same orientation on top of one another.

Abstract: In a containment for receiving a removable vehicle top, including a containment cover, a containment cover operating mechanism for transferring the vehicle top between closed and open positions, a containment bottom movable between raised and lowered positions and a containment bottom operating mechanism, the containment bottom operating mechanism is coupled to the vehicle top in such a way that, during the transfer of the vehicle top from the closed to the open position, movement of a component of the vehicle top initiates the lowering of the containment bottom by uncoupling the containment bottom from its operating mechanism before the vehicle top enters the containment.

Abstract: A resistive film for use in a potentiometer. The film is in contact with a movable wiper. The film includes a cured polymer resin and a cured thermosetting resin. Conductive particles of carbon black and graphite are dispersed in the film. The conductive particles cause the resins to be electrically resistive. Carbon nanoparticles are also dispersed in the film. The nanoparticles increase the wear resistance of the resistive film and reduce electrical noise as the wiper moves across the film.

Abstract: In a cover arrangement for a storage compartment for a removable vehicle roof with a storage compartment cover which is movable between a closed position and a clearing position, and wherein the storage compartment cover includes a center part and two side parts with an operating mechanism for the center part and actuating mechanisms for the side parts, the center part and the side parts are supported on the vehicle body in a common plane when the storage compartment is closed but are movable to a clearing position for the movement of the roof into, and out of, the storage compartment, the side part actuating mechanisms being inter-linked with the center part operating mechanism for moving the side parts together with the center part.

Abstract: A retractable hard top for a vehicle including a linkage and a top guide track for moving the hard top from a top up position to a stowed position. The retractable hard top linkage includes a pivot bracket that is movable within the top guide track to limit the clearance necessary for folding the hard top into a stowed position. A tonneau is provided to cover the retractable hard top storage area in both the top up and stowed position. Rear quarter windows are shifted from a top up position in which they function as windows to a stowed position in which the windows are shifted outboard of the retractable hard top and rotated to a stowed position. The retractable hard top, trunk lid, rear quarter window, tonneau, and roll bar may be assembled as a single unitary module with the linkages that coordinate operation of the retractable hard top, trunk lid, rear quarter window, and tonneau to facilitate assembly to a vehicle.

Abstract: A hall effect seat belt tension sensor for a vehicle. The sensor has a housing mounted to a seat belt. An anchor plate is mounted between the seat belt and a fixed point on a vehicle. The anchor plate is partially mounted in housing. A spring is mounted between the housing and the anchor plate. Tension on the seat belt causes the anchor plate to move relative to the housing. A magnetic field generator is mounted to the anchor plate. The magnetic field generator moves as the anchor plate moves. A magnetic field sensor is mounted to the housing. The sensor generates an electrical signal in response to movement of the magnetic field generator.

Abstract: In a vehicle roof arrangement with a folding top which is movable between a closed position and a storage position, a support and operating linkage is provided by which the roof material is tensioned when the roof is closed by a tensioning structure which is held in position by an over-center tensioning linkage. For opening the roof, the tensioning linkage is first moved out of its over-center position by an auxiliary actuator and the tension in the roof is released which is then lowered by the operating linkage into a rear storage compartment.

Abstract: In a sealing element for a movable roof section of a vehicle which seal element includes a pocket delimited by a sealing wall of the sealing element and is open toward one side for receiving cables, a cable guide channel is formed on the inside of the sealing wall so as to be accessible by way of the open side of the pocket and a sealing lip extends over the open side of the pocket and forms, between the outside of the sealing wall and the sealing lip, a seal channel for receiving a part of the movable roof section when the movable roof section is closed.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a lower metal layer, a lower dielectric layer on top of the lower metal layer, an upper metal layer on top of the lower dielectric layer, an upper dielectric layer on top of the upper metal layer, and a contact region formed as a cavity that extends through the upper dielectric layer, the upper metal layer and the lower dielectric layer for access to a solder pad portion of the lower metal layer. A dielectric lining layer lines a peripheral cavity-confining surface of the cavity, and is transverse to a plane of the lower metal layer. The dielectric lining layer isolates the upper metal layer from the lower metal layer while permitting access to the solder pad portion of the lower metal layer. An electrical contact fills the cavity, and enables external electrical connection with the lower metal layer.

Abstract: A low temperature co-fired ceramic assembly (LTCC) with a constraining core of differing dielectric constants that minimizes shrinkage of the outer ceramic layers during firing. The ceramic assembly has a planar ceramic core. The core has a first ceramic layer with a first dielectric constant and a second ceramic layer adjacent to the first ceramic layer. The second ceramic layer has a second dielectric constant. A third ceramic layer has a third dielectric constant. A fourth ceramic layer has a fourth dielectric constant. The ceramic core is located between the third and the fourth ceramic layers. Several electrically conductive vias extend through the first, second, third and fourth ceramic layers. Several circuit features are located on the first, second, third and fourth ceramic layers. The vias electrically connect the circuit features on the layers.

Abstract: A dual-range crystal oscillator module comprises lower and upper wiring board panels each having a component side, a surface mount side, a central portion and an outer edge portion including a plurality of input-output contacts. A lower set of crystal oscillator components is mounted to the lower wiring board panel such that the lower set and the lower wiring board panel define a first crystal oscillator circuit. An upper set of crystal oscillator components is mounted to upper wiring board panel such that the upper set of crystal oscillator components and the upper wiring board panel together define a second crystal oscillator circuit. A side-wall frame is attached between the upper and the lower wiring boards providing connections between the input-output contacts of the upper wiring board panel and the input-output contacts of the lower wiring panel.

Abstract: In a hardtop vehicle roof, which includes a front roof element and a rear roof element comprising side support members and a rear window panel, the front roof element is supported so as to be independently movable from the closed position to a storage position in a storage compartment disposed behind the vehicle roof so as to provide for the vehicle a Targa configuration, the rear window panel is independently movable into the storage compartment to provide for a Landau configuration and the front window is deposited in the storage compartment below the rear window panel while the side support members are retracted into side storage spaces to provide for a cabriolet configuration of the vehicle.

Abstract: Disclosed are popping pharmaceutical oral administration forms, which comprise an active ingredient, and pressurized gas trapped within cavities in a pharmaceutically acceptable material in a manner that allows the gas to escape from the administration form upon dissolution or shattering of said form.

Abstract: In a locking arrangement for a vehicle roof section movable between closed and open positions including a locking hook adjustable between a roof section release position and a locking position in which the locking hook is received in a locking receiver, a first sensor is provided for detecting the position of the locking hook before locking to ensure that it is properly positioned for insertion into the locking receiver, a second sensor is provided for detecting the engagement of the locking hook in the locking receiver and a third sensor is provided for detecting the locking of the locking hook in the locking receiver to ensure proper operation and locking of the locking arrangement.

Abstract: A frequency controlled oscillator (100) is manufactured using an array (200) of mechanically interconnected oscillator bases (110) having component cavities (130) and wiring patterns therein. A frequency control component (120) serves as a cover for a cavity within the array, and in addition is electrically connected to oscillator components (140, 150) mounted within the cavity to regulate the frequency of electrical oscillation. Both the oscillator bases and finished oscillators may be tested while still in the array, prior to being separated from each other. In a most preferred embodiment, the array of oscillator bases are manufactured from a polymeric sheet material laminated with electrically conductive traces. The polymeric sheet material is selectively punched or formed prior to lamination so that intermediate and upper layers (112, 113) have predetermined sections removed.

Abstract: In a vehicle roof with a roof opening and a sliding roof element movable between a closed position in which the roof element is disposed in the roof opening and an open position in which the roof element is moved below a section of the vehicle roof behind the roof opening, wherein the roof opening is delimited by a guide frame provided with a guide track structure including front and rear guide track channels into which guide pins of the roof element project, the guide track channels for the two guide pins have front sections with inclinations which are greater for the rear guide pin than for the front guide pin so that the rear end of the roof element is lowered faster during initial opening movement than the front end of the roof element and the guide pins are so mounted on the roof element as to be able to accommodate different distance requirements during transition of the roof element between the open and the closed positions.

Abstract: A frequency-adjustable oscillator suitable for digital signal clock synchronization comprises a crystal oscillator circuit for generating a driving signal and having a voltage-variable control input for adjusting a frequency of the driving signal, a phase detector circuit for generating a phase offset signal, a filter which operates on the phase offset signal to produce a VCO control signal, a voltage controlled oscillator circuit operably linked to the filter and responsive to the VCO control signal for generating an analog controlled-frequency signal, a frequency divider circuit for generating a reduced frequency feedback signal in response to the controlled-frequency signal, and a sinewave-to-logic level translator circuit for generating a digital output signal having substantially the same frequency as the controlled-frequency signal. The crystal oscillator circuit includes a discrete varactor responsive to the control input and a fundamental mode AT-cut quartz resonator.