Abstract: A temperature compensated crystal oscillator using an AT cut crystal produces a reference frequency. The temperature compensated crystal oscillator is located inside a temperature controlled oven. The temperature controlled oven provides a stable temperature to the temperature compensated crystal oscillator such that deviations from the reference frequency are reduced.

Abstract: A device for generating conditioned electrical signals in response to forces applied to the device. The device includes a shaft attached to a substrate. Several strain sensitive resistors are mounted on the substrate around the shaft for generating an electrical signal representative of a magnitude and direction of force applied to the shaft by a user. Several apertures are in the substrate, each aperture is located between a pair of strain sensitive resistors. The apertures concentrate the stress on the resistors. A signal conditioning device is mounted to the substrate and is electrically connected to the resistors for conditioning the electrical signal. The signal conditioning device receives the electrical signal in an analog form and provides a conditioned signal as an output in a digital form. The device is mounted to a keyboard base. An alternative embodiment is shown using a cavity instead of apertures in the substrate.

Abstract: A control device, like a pointing stick, for controlling the positioning, movement and operation of a responsive electrical device, like a cursor on a computer display screen. There is a compact gimbal mounted joystick 10 that has a stick assembly 14; a gimbal assembly 12 having the stick assembly mounted thereon; a sensor 42 and 44, mounted to the gimbal assembly, for generating an output signal indicative of a position of the stick assembly; and a switch 50, positioned below the stick assembly, to be activated when the stick assembly is sufficiently displaced to close the switch. Additionally there is a biasing means 56, positioned about the switch and extending to the gimbal assembly, the biasing means forcing the gimbal assembly into a centering position when not in use.

Abstract: A pointing stick for controlling cursor movement on a display screen of a computer system that is mountable to a surface of a printed circuit board. The pointing stick has a base member and a shaft having mounted in the base member. Several sensors are mounted around the shaft for sensing the amount of strain in the shaft that is created in response to an applied force on the shaft. The sensors generate an electrical signal in response to the applied force. A pair of spaced electrical leads are located on opposing sides of the base member and extend partially through the base member. Each of the electrical leads has several inner terminal ends that are electrically connected to the sensors. Several outer terminal ends extend outwardly of the base member and are shaped for mounting on the surface of a circuit board. An electronic component is attached to the shaft or the leads and is electrically connected to the inner terminal ends.

Abstract: A vehicle roof which can be adjusted between a closed position and an opening position has an adjusting device and at least one side window which during the transfer between the closed and opening position can be pivoted via a rotational joint by an actuating element. The actuating element is coupled on one side to the side window at a distance from the side-window rotational axis and is connected on its opposite side to an element of the adjusting device.

Abstract: A vehicle roof for a motor vehicle has a roof part which can be moved in the longitudinal direction and can be adjusted between a closed position which closes a roof opening in the motor vehicle and an open position which releases the roof opening. Furthermore, a driving motor is provided which drives, via at least one driving pinion, two driving cables which adjust the roof part and are guided along both sides of the roof 15 opening. In order to provide a drive for a vehicle roof the drive has good operational reliability and provides sufficiently high power, yet at the same time being of small construction. Each driving cable is assigned a respective motor-operated driving pinion.

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. As the retractable hard top is moved between the top up and stowed positions the trunk is raised by the trunk linkage. 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 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 including the linkages that coordinate operation of the retractable hard top, trunk lid, rear quarter window, and tonneau.

Abstract: A vehicle segmental roof has at least two adjacent segments which are arranged in a roof opening for adjustment between a closed position and an open position. A foldable inside roof lining is arranged on the underside, facing the vehicle interior, of the segments and is acted upon with force by a tensioning element. To form a simple tensioning element, the tensioning element is fastened on the underside of a segment, on that side of the inside roof lining which faces away from the vehicle interior. The tensioning element has a tensioning clip which, in the open position of the segments, acts upon the inside roof lining.

Abstract: An integrated, surface-mount pointing device for controlling the movement of an object on a display screen, comprises a base member; a shaft mounted in the base member; a sensor mounted on the shaft for sensing the amount of strain in the shaft in response to an applied force on the shaft; and a pair of spaced electrical leads extending at least partially through the base member. Each electrical lead has an inner terminal end electrically connected to the sensor and an outer terminal end extending outwardly of the base member. The outer terminal ends of the pair of leads are shaped for mounting on the surface of a circuit board. The circuit board may contain electrical traces and electronic circuitry for processing signals from the sensor. More than one sensor with additional electrical leads may be provided.

Abstract: An adjustable vehicle roof having a folding top which can be adjusted between a closed position and a deposited position, and a folding top linkage and a folding top covering material. A material holding bow is connected with the folding top linkage and, in the closed position of the folding top, rests on a rearward, vehicle-body-side component apply tension to the folding top covering material. In order to close off the folding top in a windtight and watertight manner in the closed position while the vehicle body can be freely designed, a tensioning hoop is provided which acts upon the material holding bow in the closed position and which is supported on the folding top linkage.

Abstract: A rotary position sensor for sensing the position of an attached rotating object. The rotary position sensor has a housing and a volute shaped rotor having a variable width that varies about the circumference of the rotor. The rotor is positioned within the housing and is attached to the object. The rotor rotates as the object rotates. A strain gage is positioned in the housing. The rotor contacts the strain gage and applies strain thereto such the strain gage deflects according to the variable width of the rotor. The strain gage generates a variable electrical signal that is proportional to the rotational position of the object.

Abstract: A ball grid array resistor network has a substrate that has top and bottom surfaces. Resistors are disposed on the top surface. Conductors are disposed on the top surface, and each conductor is electrically connected to an end of each resistor. Vias extend through the substrate and are electrically connected to the conductors. Solder spheres are disposed on the bottom surface, and are electrically connected to the vias. A cover coat is disposed over the conductors and resistors. In an alternative embodiment, the vias are eliminated and the resistor network is formed on the bottom surface of the substrate. The resistor network provides a high density of resistors per unit area.

Abstract: In a non-contacting position sensor (100), an angular positioning of a rotating object, such as a crankshaft, is measured by a Hall effect device (130) that remains stationary in an air gap (158) between a helical flux linkage member (150) and a flux generator (110), both coupled to the rotating object via a shaft (140). The flux generator (110) has a ring magnet (120). The helical flux linkage member (150) varies in thickness from a thin region (154) to a thick region (152). There is a transition region (156) between where the helical flux linkage member is thickest and where it is thinnest. As the shaft (140) rotates, the Hall effect device (130) senses a magnetic field that varies with the thickness of the helical flux linkage member (150), thereby measuring the angular position of the rotating object coupled to the shaft (140).

Abstract: A hinged joint in vehicle bodies is provided with a first bearing section and a second bearing section. The bearing sections are held together by a bearing pin. In order to be able to produce highly stressed hinged joints in the area of vehicle bodies using simple techniques for easy manufacturing and operational safety, at least one of the joint parts of the joint connection is provided with a low-friction surface coating to reduce the friction.

Abstract: Low loss piezoelectric ceramic compositions cofirable with silver at a reduced sintering temperature and methods for producing the such compositions are provided. The compositions are binary piezoelectric ceramic compositions having a first component which is characterized by about 95.0 to about 99.5 weight percent of a system represented by a general formula Pb(ZrxTi1−x)O3+y wt % MnO2 in which x and y represent weight percentages and wherein x is within a range from 0.0 to about 1.0, and y is within a range from about 0.1 to about 1.0. The compositions also have 0.5 to 5.0 wt % of a second component represented by the general formula w wt % Bi2O3−z wt % CdO in which w and z represent weight percentages and wherein w is within a range from about 0.1 to about 1.0, and z is within a range from about 0.1 to about 2.0. The piezoelectric ceramic compositions are non-reactive with a silver electrode layer when cofired therewith at sintering temperatures of about 900° C.

Abstract: A position sensor comprises a rotor and shaft connected to a housing for rotation about a rotational axis. A sensor base is fixedly connected to the housing and is spaced from the rotor. A Hall-effect sensor is fixedly connected to the sensor base, and a magnet is connected to the rotor for rotational movement therewith. The magnet has an upper polarized surface that faces the magnetic sensor to thereby generate a magnetic field coincident with the magnetic sensor. The polarized surface is semi-parabolic in shape to form a variable gap between the magnetic sensor and the polarized surface as the shaft and rotor are turned about the rotational axis to thereby vary the strength of the magnetic field at the magnetic sensor. With this arrangement, the strength of the magnetic field sensed by the magnetic sensor is indicative of the amount of relative movement between the rotor and the housing.

Abstract: A surface-mount pointing device controls the movement of an object on a display screen. The device has a base and a shaft. The shaft is mounted to the base. Several sensors are mounted on the base and around the shaft for sensing the amount of strain in the base that is created in response to a force applied on the shaft by a user. Conductors are mounted on the base and electrically connected to the sensors. Electrical leads are electrically and mechanically connected to the conductors. The electrical leads are shaped for mounting on the surface of a circuit board. The electrical leads each have a bifurcated inner terminal end that is electrically connected to the conductors. The bifurcated inner terminal end fits over and grips an edge of the base. An outer terminal end extends outwardly of the base and is shaped for mounting on the surface of a circuit board.

Abstract: An articulated tonneau cover having a center panel and right and left corner panels that are pivotally connected to the center panel. Right and left corner panels are moved between an extended position in which the corner panels are adjacent to right and left edges of the center panel and a retracted position in which the right and left corner panels are inboard of the center panel. A motor drives the corner panels between their extended and retracted positions. Cam ramp pivots shift the corner panels vertically as they are pivoted relative to the center panel so that the corner panels are substantially coplanar with the center panel when they are in their extended position. When the corner panels are in their retracted position they are disposed below and parallel to the center panel. Side counter panels are provided forward of the corner panels and are moved in conjunction with the center panels by means of a cylinder and four bar link.

Abstract: A hardtop vehicle roof has a forward roof section, a rearward roof section and a kinematic adjusting system for adjusting the roof sections between a closed position and a deposited position. The kinematic adjusting system includes a vehicle-fixed first guide link and a guiding element which is guided in the guide link and is connected with one of the roof sections. In order to provide a space-saving, flexibly constructed vehicle roof, a second guide link is swivellable about a vehicle-fixed rotation axis. The guiding element of the roof section is slidingly guided in the first as well as the second guide link.

Abstract: A displaceable folding top for a motor vehicle has a folding top cover material that is held to a folding top rod system, and has a plurality of articulated rod parts. Furthermore, in the area of a vehicle side, a main hoop is arranged, which is swivel mounted to the motor vehicle and to which a sealing element is coupled. To provide a folding top that takes little space in its deposited position, and that has a high seal tightness and a long service life, the sealing element is held on a separately formed sealing frame swivelably mounted on the motor vehicle. The swiveling axes of the sealing frame and the main hoop are spaced from each other in at least one position of the folding top, and the sealing frame is displaceably coupled with the main hoop via displacement kinematics.