Abstract: A method for seriatim feeding and aligning of a plurality of fluid seals spaced apart on a carrier member to a fixed location in a punch mechanism. After each fluid seal is aligned at the fixed location, the carrier member is gripped on opposing sides of the aligned fluid seal by a pair of clamps and, in one embodiment, the clamps lowered with the gripped portion of the carrier member therebetween. A set of parallel needles mounted in a plate located directly beneath the gripped portion of the carrier member penetrate the lowered portion of the carrier member and lift the fluid seal from the carrier member. The removed fluid seal is held atop the needle points for ease of access by a robotic installation mechanism which will pickup and place the fluid seal onto a device, such as an ink jet cartridge.

Abstract: A tool for the installation and removal of a lever cam operated spring clip. One embodiment of the invention has a pair of levers pivotally attached together, with one of the levers configured to frictionally engage the cam lever and the other lever configured to engage the clip's outer perimeter. Once the tool is installed on a lever operated cam spring clip, a slight squeeze of the two levers spreads the clip hooks to a position where the clip can be installed over a heat sink and engaged with an underlying electronic device. Pivoting the tool about the cam pivots the cam about its axis until the clip is locked into place. The tool can then be disengaged from the cam lever. Removal of the clip is accomplished by reversing the process.

Abstract: A needle cannula with a first end and a second end wherein a section near said second end must be shaped into a coiled spring and then pulled into a biased spring needle cannula without destorting the inside surface of said spring needle cannula. A wire of suitable section is inserted into said cannula of said spring needle cannula and wherein said first end of said spring needle cannula is inserted into a hole formed in a retainer plate and wherein a portion of said spring needle cannula with said wire in said cannula is wrapped or coiled about a coil bar wherein said needle cannula is formed into a spring needle cannula and wherein the inside walls of said cannula cannot deform due to said wire disposed in said cannula.

Abstract: A tool and method for enabling substantially uniform and tight crimping of an intravascular stent onto a balloon catheter assembly. The crimping tool is constructed from a rigid cylindrical chassis sealed at both ends, having a hollow interior containing an elastic tube that partially occupies the interior. A piston abuts the elastic tube and forms a hermetically sealed chamber behind the piston and a closed end ofthe chassis. A port connected to an indeflator and positioned on the chassis provides an inlet into and out of the chamber. A stent that is loaded onto the balloon portion of the catheter is inserted through a central opening in another end of the chassis to position the stent catheter assembly within the axial space inside the elastic tube. The indeflator injects a fluid into the chamber thereby increasing its pressure which in turn displaces the piston into the elastic tube compressing the tube longitudinally.

Abstract: The present invention is a part retainer for housing and retaining various electronic and mechanical parts wherein a retaining unit has an engaging piece that stably stops at both a position at which it protrudes toward the opening of a part housing space and a position at which it withdraws, and which can move between these two positions under a specified or more amount of force, and wherein when protruding toward the opening, the engaging piece prevents the part housed in the housing space from falling out.

Abstract: System for releasably attaching a shell segment to a core section of a drum useful in the manufacture of vehicle tires. The system includes an outwardly opening longitudinal groove in the outer surface of the core section and a like groove in inner surface of the shell segment. These grooves are designed to overlie one another and cooperatively define a channel when the segment is positioned in overlying relationship to the core section. An actuator/slide/wedge/stop combination is disposed with the channel.

Abstract: A blade changing tool for changing a table saw blade having a cutting blade. The table saw has a top surface and at least a portion of the blade is disposed above the top surface. The blade changing tool includes a housing having a top and two oppositely disposed sides defining a blade slot therebetween. The blade slot is dimensioned such that the slot can conceal at least a substantial portion of the blade edge disposed above the top surface of the table. A projection extends transversely from at least one of the sides to retain the housing from rotation relative to the table. The tool can include apparatus for retaining the blade against rotation relative to the housing.

Abstract: A foil screen is held in registration with a printed circuit board during the application of solder paste on the printed circuit board, within a frame assembly with a prescribed tension by providing a rigid frame for juxtaposition with the foil screen, engaging the foil screen with at least one coupler, engaging the one coupler with a tensioner for resiliently biasing the one coupler to exert a tensioning force of prescribed magnitude upon the foil screen to tension the foil screen with the prescribed tension, and selectively applying an actuating force to the one coupler, the actuating force being opposite to the tensioning force, and selectively releasing the actuating force from the one coupler, such that upon actuation of the actuator to apply the actuating force, the tensioning force is overcome for release of the foil screen from the one coupler, and upon actuation of the actuator to release the actuating force, the one tensioner resiliently biases the one coupler to exert the tensioning force of prescr

Abstract: A method and a device for treating waste printed circuit boards with molten tin include process of throwing printed circuit boards into a molten tin bath in treating furnace, letting the boards proceed crashing, stirring and carbonizing treatment for separating copper foil, thermosetting plastic and glass fiber. Then these three kinds of materials are respectively separated from each other by taking advantage of their different specific gravity and collected in separate tanks to recover copper and other metals from the waste printed circuit boards.

Abstract: Hard thread milling methods and equipment provide more precise alignment for a threadably retained component A fuel injector body with a cavity for a solenoid valve is processed by steps including heat treatment before milling threads and also milling a planar seal face to which the threads are located in precise perpendicularly so a high pressure fuel line can be reliably sealed.

Abstract: A stent crimping tool for firmly and uniformly crimping a stent onto a balloon catheter is constructed from a crimping section holding the stent and the balloon catheter therein, wherein the crimping is actuated by a shaft having an input end and an output end, engaging the crimping section at the output end. The shaft has a detent formed into the input end. A gripping member has an internal cavity to receive the input end, and includes a hole proximate to the shaft, wherein a ball bearing and a compression spring are located within the hole to bias the ball bearing toward the shaft and to engage the detent. When a torque is applied to the gripping member, it is transmitted through the ball bearing to the shaft; if the torque exceeds a predetermined magnitude, it overcomes the force of the spring on the ball bearing causing the bearing to slide out of the detent thereby disconnecting the applied torque from the shaft. The crimping section can be a rubber tube having a lumen holding the stent and catheter.

Abstract: According to a precision assembly technique, a first subassembly is precisely aligned relative to a plurality of alignment features in an alignment fixture and at least three non-coplanar flexures having complementary alignment features are located with respect to corresponding alignment features on the alignment fixture and mechanically attached to the first subassembly. The first subassembly with the attached flexure sheets is removed from the alignment fixture and located with respect to a second subassembly having a plurality of alignment features identical to the alignment features in the alignment fixture using the alignment features on the second subassembly and the complementary alignment features on the flexure sheets to precisely align the first subassembly with the complementary alignment features on the second subassembly. The flexure sheets are then mechanically attached to the second subassembly, whereby the first and second subassemblies are aligned and rigidly connected to one another.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing split crucible pieces of a multiple-piece crucible comprising an integral assembly of two or more split crucible pieces and having a spherical bottom inner surface. The split crucible pieces are manufactured from a work mass graphite material by mechanical processing, comprising a step of forming a blind annular groove coaxial with the work by cutting the work from an end thereof toward the other end, a step of axially splitting the work into two or more pieces, constituting eventual split crucible pieces, and a step of cutting each split crucible piece from the side thereof opposite the sector-like or polygonal profile surface side by using a spherical acutting means, thereby forming a spherical inner bottom surface.

Abstract: A synchronizer for a gear change box comprising a hub, a sleeve axially slidable on the hub and a cone clutch comprising an inner friction ring axially coupled to the hub, an outer synchronizing ring axially displaceable relative to the inner friction ring by the sleeve, and a double bevel ring disposed between the synchronizing rings, freely rotatable relative to the hub and frictionally gripped between the rings when the cone clutch is engaged, is assembled by a device comprising mounting stops for the outer synchronizing ring, the mounting stops being axially fixed with respect to the hub and distributed over the periphery thereof, a mounting stamp for axially loading the inner friction ring, means for axially loading the mounting stamp, means for controlling the loading means, and a load-sensing means for sensing the axial bias of the cone clutch, the load-sensing means being arranged between the outer synchronizing ring and at least one of the mounting stops, and the controlling means being responsive to

Abstract: A retainer apparatus for attaching a seat cover to a foam cushion, wherein the retainer apparatus has a base component embedded in the foam cushion and an anchor component connected with the seat cover, wherein further the connection of the anchor component to the seat cover is facilitated by its being selectively reconfigured for that purpose. The base component has a plurality of engagement apertures formed therein. The anchor component includes a bifurcated pedestal and a plurality of rams upstanding therefrom. Each ram has a barbed head for being anchoringly engaged with a respective engagement aperture. Each of the heads has a living hinge at its tip which serves to enable the anchor component to be reconfigured between an open configuration, used when attaching the seat cover to the bifurcated pedestal, and a closed configuration, used when the rams are inserted into the engagement apertures.

Abstract: The invention consists of a process to form low stretch-deep draws on metal sheet; it foresees an initial stage through which a sequence of thread-like cuts (2) are carried out on the metal sheet (1) corresponding to the surface that will be drawn, whose cuts (2) on the adjacent lines are offset compared with each other, a stage in which the metal sheet (1) is stretched, through which stage the opening of the cuts (2) is obtained, therefore an ample widening of the cut surface and a minimum stretching of the non cut surface and of the oblique stripped metal network, separating the empty spaces (3) obtained through the widening of the thread like cuts (2), and where necessary, a stage in which the metal sheet is bent along a line which allows, on the overlapped surfaces, the open spaces of one surface to correspond to the strips on the other surface in order to reduce or close the width of the spaces in order to reduce electromagnetic interferences.

Abstract: After the release of the application of an attraction voltage to an electrostatic chuck that is attracting a semiconductor wafer, the wafer is pushed upward by lifting pins through only a very small projection distance. Immediately after processing has ended, the temperature of the wafer is several tens of degrees higher than that of the electrostatic chuck so that, if the wafer has detached, the temperature of the rear surface thereof will fall toward the original temperature of the electrostatic chuck. If the wafer has not detached, the temperature thereof will not fall. Therefore, a determination is made as to whether the wafer has detached or whether it is being subjected to residual attraction, based on temperature change data obtained for the wafer in combination with the electrostatic chuck, by a temperature sensor after the wafer has been pushed upward by a very small projection distance. If there is residual attraction, wafer transfer is halted.

Abstract: An O-ring assembly tool for locating an O-ring within a groove formed in the end surface of a fitting includes a plunger having a cylindrical body with an end wall. A locator hub with a cylindrical body closely receives the cylindrical body of the plunger. A compression spring biases the plunger rearwardly within the locator hub, while a retaining pin allows axial forward movement of the plunger, but prevents relative rotation with respect to the locator hub. The locator hub includes an enlarged receiving end which axially and radially locates the assembly tool with respect to an end fitting. The cylindrical body of the plunger includes a flat annular engagement surface and when the plunger is pushed forwardly, the engagement surface pushes an O-ring forwardly into the groove on the end face of the fitting. The locator hub has a tapered inner surface at its forward end which radially-inwardly compresses the O-ring to fit cleanly within the groove.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for positioning a plurality of workpieces in a tightly spaced array within a guide block. The apparatus of the invention includes an insertion head mounted to a robot assembly arm. The insertion head includes a pair of resiliently mounted gripper fingers that can be operated to pick up an individual workpiece from a supply station. The gripper fingers include a spring member that biases the gripper fingers into an engagement position. Once the workpiece has been acquired by the insertion head, the insertion head is used to alternately rotate the workpiece while applying a downward force to slide the workpiece into the defined location within a receptacle. After the workpiece has been inserted, the gripper fingers are moved to their retracted position to press the workpiece completely downward into the receptacle.

Abstract: The head of a pick and place system for removing IC parts from a tray and inserting them into a burn-in board (BIB) includes one or more sensors which detect light reflected from a part picked up from a tray and outputs a signal which can be analyzed to determine if the part is improperly seated in the head (misprecised) or improperly inserted into the socket of a BIB (misinserted).