Abstract: According to the present invention, a method of laminating at least two substrates together and circuitizing at least one surface of the laminate is provided. Pressure is exerted against opposite surfaces of each of said two substrates. An opening extends from a circuit-receiving surface of at least one of said substrates. A plug is provided which is configured to removably fit into said opening and has a support surface thereon which is substantially coplanar with the circuit-receiving surface when said plug is positioned in the opening. The plug is inserted in the opening with the support surface substantially coplanar with the circuit-receiving surface. The substrates are laminated by application of pressure on the opposite surfaces of the substrates. The circuit-receiving surface and the support surface are covered with a sheet of dry film photoresist to seal around the opening with said plug member supporting said sheet of photoresist in the region of the opening.

Abstract: A covering for a flower pot with a floral grouping disposed therein and extending a distance above an upper end of the flower pot wherein the flower pot has a lower end and an outer peripheral surface. The covering includes a sheet of material having an upper surface, a lower surface and an outer peripheral surface with a sheet extension connected to the outer peripheral surface of the sheet of material and extending a distance from the outer peripheral surface of the sheet of material. The sheet of material is formed about the flower pot to a position wherein the sheet of material extends about substantially the entire outer peripheral surface of the flower pot to provide a decorative covering and the sheet extension is formed about the floral grouping to a position wherein the sheet extension extends about a substantial portion of the floral grouping to provide a protective covering.

Abstract: A modular product assembly platform which includes a multiple number of industrial robots or other similar assembly devices. The product assembly platform also includes a programmable controller system housed in a logic control cabinet, a vision control system housed in a vision control cabinet and a set of robot controllers which operate together to control the robots or assembly devices for performing product assembly tasks. The layout and configuration of the platform and the control equipment provide for convenience and flexibility in configuring and reconfiguring the assembly platform for different assembly procedures associated with different products.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of screwing a pipe having threads with a different pitch on the outside and inside thereof into an object and assembling the same thereto by using a CNC machine tool. A male thread provided to a spindle is moved to an initial point I and point R by a quick traverse and then moved downward from the point R at a given speed and RPM. More specifically, a pipe is screwed into the object in accordance with the pitch of the thread on the outside thereof and assembled to a female thread of the object. When the male thread reaches a point Z and the pipe is assembled to the female thread of the object, the male thread is moved upward to the point R at a given speed and RPM. More specifically, the male thread is relieved from the pipe in accordance with the pitch of the thread on the inside of the pipe. Only the male thread is moved upward by the movement thereof to enable the pipe to remain engaged with the female thread, whereby the assembly of the pipe to the object is completed.

Abstract: A press for press-fitting an axle tube into a differential housing having a locator and accurately locating a flange on the tube relative the locator by offsetting flange mislocation, deflection of the tube and press and deflection and/or shifting of the tube and housing fixtures during press-fitting. The press has a ram in operable communication with a drive and a computer in communication with the ram and drive to accurately control movement of the ram and depth of insertion of each tube. Carried by the ram is a probe that senses flange location relative on the tube for determining deviation in flange location and offsetting depth of insertion to compensate for any such deviation. Another sensor communicates to the computer the insertion force the ram is applying to the tube to determine tube and press deflection.

Abstract: A modular system uses a plurality of metal pipes each having an orthogonal array of coplanar openings at one end and a threaded bore at the other end. An insert is inserted in a first pipe bore at one end next to the openings, the insert having a set of like threaded bores aligned with the openings. A coupling member external the pipe is aligned with each opening and has a bore aligned with these openings. A plurality of bolts each with a threaded end is attached to a different threaded insert bore through a coupling member and pipe opening. The bolts each have an annular groove which is aligned with a threaded bore at a second pipe other end. A set screw in the second pipe threaded bore secures the bolt by engaging the groove, locking the second pipe to the first. A foot is threaded to a lowermost vertical pipe and an end cap is used as insert for the uppermost vertical pipe.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a lead on chip structure employs two frames. One of the frames includes a die pad and an outer frame portion and the other frame includes a plurality of leads and an outer lead portion. After a semiconductor chip is die bonded to the die pad, the two frames are connected to each other with the leads extending across the semiconductor chip. Slits within the second frame provide access to parts of the outer frame of the first frame and the first frame is severed at those slits. The severed portions of the first frame are removed after which the leads of the second frame are connected by wire bonding to the semiconductor chip. Finally, the semiconductor chip, the remaining part of the first frame, and the second frame are encapsulated in a resin with leads extending from the resin. The remaining parts of the outer frame of the second frame are removed by cutting and the exposed leads outside the resin are formed into a desired shape.

Abstract: A clip-mounting machine secure a clip by at least one rivet to a belt end. The clip has front and back legs each formed with a throughgoing hole and adapted to embrace the belt end with each leg engaging the respective belt face and a U-shaped bight interconnecting the legs. The rivet has one end formed as a head with an outwardly directed end face and an opposite free end formed with an oppositely directed end face centrally formed with a generally conical recess. The machine has a front jaw formed with at least one guide passage adapted to hold the rivet, a holder on the front jaw for retaining the front leg of the clip thereon with the respective hole aligned with the passage, and a back jaw displaceable between a closed position relatively close to and engaging the back leg of the clip whose front leg is in the holder to compress the belt end between the legs and an open position spaced from and not engaging the clip in the holder.

Abstract: A lightweight golf bag having flexible rods extending longitudinally through double stitched seams of the bag body. The rod is secured at one end in a socket located in a top member of the golf bag and secured at the other end in a socket integral with a compression spring located in a cavity of the base of the golf bag. Cuffs are formed by stitching the body material at spaced locations adjacent to the top member and base.

Abstract: A circuit card has a circuit module including circuit component assembly and an electrical connector attached to the component assembly. A protective metal covering closely girds and substantially encloses the module in a one-piece substantially rigid jacket. An opening in the jacket exposes a portion of the electrical connector for connection to external equipment such as a computer.

Abstract: A method of riveting a plurality of panels utilizing a fastener which may then be used to attach a further element to the panel assembly and wherein the fastener is first permanently attached to a first panel for a later attachment to a second or plurality of panels to form the fastener and panel assembly. The fastener is attached to the first panel by piercing a tubular barrel portion through the panel and affixing the first panel in an annular groove in a flange portion surrounding the barrel portion. The groove includes radial ribs preventing rotation of the fastener in the first panel and a radial rib is deformed in an outer surface of the barrel portion preventing pull-out of the fastener. The second and further panels are pre-pierced with a conical lip surrounding the panel opening and received on the barrel portion of the fastener with the conical lip facing the first panel.

Abstract: A business record such as a form, tag, label or the like is provided in which different selected colored areas may be activated in a single pass through a printer. In one embodiment, coatings of initially colorless color formers and color developers are coated on selected areas of a substrate surface. The color formers and color developers combine upon exposure to an imaging force, such as heat or pressure, to form different colored visible areas on the sheet. In an alternative embodiment, the coatings of color formers and color developers are self-contained coatings having pressure-rupturable microcapsules containing either the color formers or said color developers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for centering and aligning a semi-rigid material, preferably a vehicle headliner, relative to a centering apparatus, is disclosed for mounting thereon a locating feature about the actual center line of the headliner. The method and apparatus is also suitable for use with an automotive backwall, shelf panel or carpeting. The apparatus includes a support, a centering device comprising a rack and pinion assembly driven by a low air pressure drive means, a sensor including a limit switch or the like to detect when the headliner is aligned relative to the apparatus, and a hinged arm and nest assembly for placing the locating feature on the vehicle headliner.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically causing the end face of a self-piercing nut (N) to function as a punch for piercing a metallic panel (P) laid on a caulking die (1) so that the nut is fixed to the panel. The apparatus has a pair of gripping fingers (31, 32) attached to the opposite sides of the lower end of a striking punch (2), and has a workpiece butting leg member (25) extending in parallel with a vertical bore (4) formed through a slide guide (3). The leg member (25) is attached to and depends from the bottom surface of the slide guide (3), so that the punch (2) holding the nut (N) by means of the gripping fingers (31, 32) will penetrate the slide guide (3) and then descend along the leg member (25), until the nut punches and is secured to the metal panel (P). Thus, the self-piecing nut (N) can be fixed to any bent bottom of or any narrow recess in the metal panel (P).

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for assembling an electronic component, such as a ladder-type filter, having a plurality of parts being held under pressure and stored in a case. First, the parts such as elements and terminal plates and the case are carried into a working area of a chuck unit. Next, the parts are chucked by the chuck unit and assembled in an assembly jig so as to be aligned along a direction of thicknesses thereof. Then, all parts in the assembly jig are compressed in the direction of thickness, and simultaneously inserted into the case. Thus, automatic assembly of an electronic component is realized so as to highly improve working efficiency.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a heat insulating door wall structure for use in a refrigerator or the like. By constituting the surface of the door with a colored glass plate or the like having a transparent layer at its front surface and a colored layer at its reverse surface, a deep luster is provided by the transparent glass plate located before the colored layer. Owing to high rigidity of the glass plate, undulations that may be formed on the front surface of the door by contraction of a heat insulating material filled through expansion or foaming, or by warping of the door due to temperature differences between the exterior and interior of the door are advantageously prevented. Moreover, by increasing the strength of the door, reinforcing members of the door can be dispensed with, for a simple construction and a reduction in cost.

Abstract: A machine and method for attaching a plurality of preassembled connectors to a length of ribbon cable. The machine has at least one separating module in which the connectors are disposed in a selected orientation. Each connector is separated into a cover member and a connector housing member within the respective module. The modules are indexed and transferred to a press where the connector is terminated on the length of ribbon cable. A preassembled connector is disposed in a lead module and is terminated on the first end of the length of ribbon cable. The ribbon cable, with the attached spaced apart connectors, is cut to a desired length and tested electrically.

Abstract: A litz wire connector assembly and method is set forth. A length of litz wire includes a plurality of individually isolated wire strands. An end portion of the litz wire includes non-insulated end surfaces of the wire strands. A sleeve which has an opening smaller than an area of the litz wire is positioned around a first portion of the litz wire such that the first portion of the litz wire within the sleeve is compressed to an area smaller than the remaining portion of the litz wire. An end connection surface is formed by cutting the remaining portion of the litz wire to expose end surfaces of the first portion of litz wire; wherein the end surfaces of the litz wire are substantially even with the end surface of the sleeve. The end connection surface allows mounting in a compact area onto a conductive surface having a strong electrical and mechanical connection.

Abstract: A fiber optic sign and method of making the same are disclosed. A plurality of fibers are arranged to form a design, preferably by a template, and are then bonded together into a block of glue, epoxy, rubber, or other castable liquid. Arrangement of the fibers is accomplished by placing them on a template and vibrating them until they fall through holes in the template.

Abstract: A security element for use in a security document such as a bank note, identity card or the like includes at least a partial metallic coating on a substrate and wherein the metallic coating includes recesses in the forms of characters or patterns that are visually recognizable at least in transmitted light and a magnetic coating of soft-magnetic pigments disposed in overlying relationship with the metallic coating. A security document containing the security element is also described.