Abstract: The washing machine includes a tub mounted in a cabinet, a drum mounted in the tub, a shaft that transmits a driving force from a motor to the drum, front and rear bearings mounted on an outer circumference of opposite end portions of the shaft, a bearing housing built in a central portion of a rear wall of the tub to support the front bearing, a rotor coupled to the rear end portion of the shaft, a stator fixed to the tub rear wall inward of the rotor, and a connector of the rotor that serration coupled to the outer circumference of the shaft in front of the rear bearing so as to transmit rotating power from the rotor to the shaft. A bearing bracket may be fixed to the rear wall of the tub so as to cover an outside of the rotor and support the rear bearing.

Abstract: A thermal processing and consolidation system is provided that includes an upper chamber assembly lower chamber assembly, layup and demolding station, transfer assembly, automatic or permanent coupling system, and controller. The upper and lower chamber assemblies are coupled to form an enclosed plenum operable to maintain a pressurized environment about a tool. The layup and demolding station receives the tool and facilitates the layup, bagging and sealing of unprocessed components at the tool. A transfer assembly accurately positions the tool on the lower chamber assembly in alignment with the upper chamber assembly. An automatic or permanent coupling system provides services to the tool and the enclosed plenum. A controller directs services to be supplied to the enclosed plenum and tool in accordance with a set of process parameters. This set of process parameters allows an individual set of unprocessed components to be thermally processed and consolidated.

Abstract: A fence includes a plurality of posts, and fence panels having rails which extend across the plurality of posts, and are secured thereto. Jambs may be formed onto the fence system, and one or more gates may be hung to the jambs.

Abstract: A chip discharge device for a machine tool is provided that has a simple structure, enables automatic replacement of tools, and is suitable for a machine tool in which a spindle head is turned about an axis of turning that is not parallel to the center axis of the spindle. A suction pipe 73 on the first support member side is disposed in parallel to a first axis of turning 191 to be centered on the axis of the through hole 192 of a first support member. A right end of the suction pipe 73 on the first support member side is fixed by bolts to a left end surface of the spindle head 18. An outer circumferential surface of the left end of the suction pipe 73 on the first support member side is connected to be able to relatively rotate to an inner circumferential surface at the lower end of a second communicating pipe 74. A seal mechanism 8 is provided in the connection portion, preventing the external air from being sucked into the second communicating pipe 74.

Abstract: A membrane puller and related method. The puller includes a frame including a front end and a rear end, a lever assembly, a clamp assembly carried by the frame and including an elongate body slidably received by the front end of the frame and a clamp member fixed to the body, and a cable having one end attached to the lever assembly and another end attached to the clamp assembly, wherein the lever assembly is movable toward the front end of the frame to place the cable in tension to pull the clamp assembly toward the front end of the frame such that the elongate body slidably moves toward the rear end of the frame.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a fence or enclosure (165) and related methods for making a fence panel (65) and for connecting the panel (65) to other panels (65) to form a modular type fence (165). The invention preferably includes a generally planar section (70) of fencing material formed from spaced-apart wires (10, 15), and at least two non-parallel stiffening portions (80, 85) deforming the fence section (65) from the aforementioned generally planar configuration (70).

Abstract: A method of making a sterile connection comprises mating a first fitting having an aperture and a second fitting having an aperture, removing first and second strip out layers from between the end surfaces of sealed first and second resilient sealing members, and contacting the end surfaces of the resilient sealing members to provide fluid communication between the aperture of the first fitting and the aperture of the second fitting. A connector assembly comprises first and second fittings, a stem mounted for axial movement through the first fitting into the second fitting, and a deformable locking device which selectively prevents axial movement of the stem in the first fitting.

Abstract: An anti-siphon installation assembly includes a spring, a retainer clip mounted on the spring, the retainer clip including a support surface adapted to support an anti-siphon device thereon, and a locator clip mounted on the spring, the locator clip including an outwardly extending arm adapted to contact the upper surface of a fuel filler neck opening.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a component assembly comprising a sheet metal part and a functional element attached to it by a riveting process or by a riveting and piercing process or by a press-in process, wherein the sheet metal part is provided with an imprint, is wherein the imprint is produced prior to attachment of the functional element and consists of a sequence of regions which are raised and recessed relative to one another and wherein, during the attachment of the functional element this is pressed against the sheet metal part in such a way that the imprint of the sheet metal part leads to a complementary shaping of the functional element in the region of the functional element which comes into contact with the imprint. A sheet metal part and a functional element are also claimed.

Abstract: A method for retaining lubrication in a splined joint comprises the steps of forming a seal between an inward surface of a grease seal cup and a first component, forming another seal between an outward surface of the grease seal cup and a sealing member extending from a second component, and engaging an end portion of the grease seal cup with an end portion of the first component, so that the end portion of the grease seal cup resists axial displacement of the grease seal cup during engagement of the first component with the second component. The grease seal cup of the method has a cylindrical portion integral with the end portion. The cylindrical portion has a tapered annular wall with the inward and outward surfaces. The end portion of the grease seal cup extends radially and inwardly from the cylindrical portion, so that the tapered annular wall is squeezed between the first component and the sealing member.

Abstract: A connector and method of connecting two surfaces in an irregular, interrupted, or non-uniform space is provided. The connector is composed of at least one link, wherein each link has an adjustable spatial feature such as the length, thickness, or angle of the link. The spatial features of the links are adjusted to custom fit the connector to the two surfaces and the available space therebetween. Once the links have been adjusted to provide a satisfactory custom fit, the adjustable spatial features of the links may be fixed to form a substantially permanent solid structure or may be recorded to allow production of a custom shaped connector with substantially the same spatial features as the custom fit connector.

Abstract: A repair method for detaching a part from a board in an electronic device module having at least the board and the part bonded with the board by a press fitting process. A repair use block having a repair use through hole is placed on the part, and a repair use bolt is fastened with a repair use female thread formed in the part, in advance, through the repair use through hole. The repair use bolt head abuts against the top surface of the repair use block, then is further fastened, whereupon the part is pulled up together with the repair use female thread upward above the board. When a repair use female thread cannot be directly formed in the part, a repair use auxiliary part which is to be pulled up integrally with the part, is interposed.

Abstract: The subject invention relates to a precision injection molding of multi-piece parts and the subsequent handling and assembly of those parts produced from the mold. In an exemplary embodiment, a surgical suture package with a top part and a bottom part is molded and assembled. In such a method and system, the top parts and bottom parts are first molded utilizing a family mold and then are transferred to a stacker. The stacker is able to stack the top part and bottom part on top of one another on a pallet. The parts are then transported to a welder in order to weld the top part and bottom part together. The completed surgical suture packages are then transferred to a magazine for storage and shippage.

Abstract: In the invention, a joining means having a ram tool, a countertool and a holder with an opening to accommodate the ram tool or the countertool, is described. The two tools are arranged coaxial with each other at different ends of a C-bracket. The invention is distinguished in that the holder comprises at least one plane contact surface arranged on the outer surface of the holder, resting in contact with at least one plane face of the corresponding end of the C-bracket and detachably fastened thereto. Between the contact surface and the face, at least one interlay is arranged, determining the information and/or the distance of the contact surface from the face.

Abstract: Post-cable connectors and cooperative C-section posts are utilized to releasably connect a cable in a cable barrier system to arrest errant motor vehicles that leave a roadway. A post-cable connector has an elongated section having a loop and a top section extending from the elongated section and terminating at a hook end for connecting the cable to the cooperative C-section post for example by hanging the top section of the post-cable connector from a back wall of the C-section post such that the elongated section is positioned in a cavity defined by the C-section post so that the loop is disposed through a slot in a face wall opposite from the back wall and positioned exterior of the cavity.

Abstract: An implantable tissue marker incorporates a contrast agent sealed within a chamber in a container formed from a solid material. The contrast agent is selected to produce a change, such as an increase, in signal intensity under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An additional contrast agent may also be sealed within the chamber to provide visibility under another imaging modality, such as computed tomographic (CT) imaging or ultrasound imaging.

Abstract: A tampon applicator barrel including a cardboard tube having a first end and a second end and at least one gripping structure defined from the cardboard tube proximate the second end is provided. The cardboard tube has a wall thickness of between about 0.015 and about 0.020 inches, while the gripping structure has a height of up to about 0.035 inches.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for securing a conduit to relatively inaccessible structures, for example, oil tanks on submerged ships. The method involves providing a conduit with a neck, temporarily securing the conduit to the surface, for example by means of magnets, etc, drilling a hole through the structure and passing the neck of the conduit through the hole in the structure, and passing an expander device through the neck of the conduit through the hole in the structure to widen a portion of the internal passage of the conduit in the region of the neck.

Abstract: It is described an apparatus for removing a flexible film seal (12) from a tubular specimen container (3), comprising a vertical mounting shaft (5) upon which is mounted a holding member (6) for a head assembly (9) having a cavity (13) and pinch means (14, 15). There is provided driving means for causing coupling motion of said head assembly (9) and said specimen container (3) towards each other to receive the seal (12) into said cavity (13), then operating said pinch means for pinching the flexible film seal (12), and finally causing removing motions of said head assembly (9) and said specimen container (3) away from each other to remove the flexible film seal (12) from the head of the specimen container (3).

Abstract: A gynecological instrument for delineating the fornix of the vagina during laparoscopic operations having a solid ring with a guiding groove for easy and safe opening of the vagina laparoscopically. The solid ring has a protrusion outward which pushes the vaginal wall toward the peritoneal cavity, creating a bulging of the vaginal wall, making it easily identifiable. The solid ring is permanently attached to the proximal end of the base by a semi-cylindrical wall which creates a window anteriorly, for better visualization of the cervix and easy insertion of a cannula or delineator into the uterine cavity. The vaginal delineator is locked to the head of the uterine mobilizer by inserting the locking end of a cannula, delineator or vaginal delineator lock, through the hole of the delineator and into the head of the uterine mobilizer. An elastic diaphragm is provided with different sizes for obstruction of the vagina, which does not allow flow in any direction.