Abstract: Method and apparatus for effecting thermal recording on a sheet of a recording medium with the aid of a reusable ribbon which can be repeatedly used for recording a plurality of times. The recording operation is performed during forward movement as well as during return movement of a thermal head while the ink ribbon is wound and unwound. On completion of a predetermined number of recording operations in both direction further recording is stopped and the thermal head is returned to its home position without any displacement of the ink ribbon. Thereafter, the above-mentioned steps are repeated. The reusable ribbon is wound by a length equal to M/N of a line every time recording is performed on M lines in the two-way recording mode, where N represents the number of recording operations for which a portion of the reusable ink ribbon can be repeatedly used.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining the dielectric constant of a material wherein the material is loaded to a short-circuited microstrip and microwaves are fed to the microstrip for providing a reflected signal. The reflected signal is compared with a reference signal both under load and not load conditions of the microstrip for obtaining the modulus and the phase of the reflection coefficient, the dielectric constant being a function thereof. The measure of the phase angle between the reference and the reflected signal in both conditions is obtained by handling the reflected signal with a first phase shifter and a second calibrated phase shifter cooperating with a zero detector. The method and the apparatus of the invention is especially designed for a quick and easy measure of the amount of unburnt coal in the ash coming from a combustion heater.

Abstract: A push-button switch for motor vehicles having a snap-action switch system in which a snap spring integrally formed with a movable contact reed is clamped in a switching rocker. The switching rocker may be changed over between two end positions by way of a switching tappet of a push-button. Equal switching forces may be measured in both switching directions.

Abstract: According to the recording apparatus of the present invention, recording papers are wound by the winding member while the end portions of the recording papers are tightly held. The recording papers can therefore be correctly reciprocated. Furthermore, before recording is effected by the recording head, the recording papers are one wound back by the winding member to an initial position, thereby removing strains or deflections of the recording papers. Also, in the case of a color printer of thermal transcription, images in each of the four colors can be accurately overlapped without disagreement.

Abstract: An interconnecting package for attaching electronic devices, such as semiconductor chips, to an interconnection board and processes for the production and mounting thereof. The interconnection package comprises a multiplicity of metallic leads or pins aligned in a regular array and a first substrate of molded plastic material around the metallic leads or pins with the metallic leads or pins extending through the first substrate. A conductive pattern is formed on a surface, the conductive pattern being adapted to electrically connect to the electronic device, and the conductive pattern extends into a multiplicity of recesses. Each of said metallic leads or pins extends into a corresponding recess and makes an electrical connection to the conductive pattern within the recess.

Abstract: An electrohydraulic servo system which includes a linear actuator having a cylinder and a piston variably positioned therewithin, a servo valve responsive to valve control signals for coupling the actuator to a source of hydraulic fluid, and control electronics responsive to piston position for generating the valve control signals. A coaxial transmission line is formed within the linear actuator to include a center conductor coaxial with the actuator and an outer conductor. A bead of ferrite or other suitable magnetically permeable material is coupled to the piston and surrounds the center conductor of the transmission line for altering impedance characteristics of the transmission line as a function of position of the piston within the cylinder.

Abstract: An electrical switch for an appliance which includes a push-to-start control switch for starting a motor operation. The switch comprises a housing, a covering for the housing, a rotatable non-conductive cam positioned within the housing having a set of annular cam tracks thereon for controlling an appliance.

Abstract: A thin film type thermal head includes a head substrate member, a partial projected glaze portion mounted on the head substrate member, a plurality of heating resistor elements provided on the partial projected glaze portion with each of the heating resistor elements having a uniform thin thickness and two electrode end portions. A common electrode is provided on the partial projected glaze portion and an individual control electrode is also provided on the partial projected glaze portion.

Abstract: A master cylinder assembly including a primary housing defining an elongated bore, a piston slidably mounted in the bore, a piston rod pivotally connected at its forward end to the piston, a switch housing slidably and rotatably mounted on the piston rod rearwardly of the primary housing, spring means biasing the switch housing for forward sliding movement on the piston rod into engagement with the rear end of the primary housing, and switching means within the switch housing actuated in response to sliding movement of the piston rod relative to the switch housing. A retainer clip is secured to the rear end of the primary housing in a fixed predetermined angular position and includes a finger portion extending rearwardly for coaction with a pin member rigidly projecting from the switch housing. The clip and pin member coact to maintain the switch in a predetermined fixed angular position relative to the remainder of the assembly to facilitate the installation of the assembly into a motor vehicle.

Abstract: This invention relates to a steering column switch with two switch units arranged in superposed planes, which switch units each have a board with injection-moulded metal conductors and plug contacts the ends of which are rectangularly bent. The ends of the plug contacts of the switch unit which, in the plugging direction, is farther away from the connector, are positioned laterally of the ends of the other switch unit with a spacing from a conceived plane through the housing, which spacing is larger than the spacing of the ends of the plug contacts of the other switch unit from this plane. Thus a compact construction of the connection area of the switch is ensured.

Abstract: A work surface structure having a channel arrangement fixed to and extending longitudinally along a front edge of a top member for accommodating power/communication cables. The channel arrangement has a bottom wall provided with openings which accommodate removable tray modules. One of the tray modules can be of substantial depth to mount a power unit therein which provides a plurality of accessible receptacles. Access to the trays is through the channel, the latter having several openable covers. These covers are preferably hinged adjacent their rearward edges and, in the vicinity of their forward edges when in the closed position, there is defined an elongated access opening which communicates with the channel to permit power or communication cables to extend therethrough.

Abstract: A key switch is provided with a depressable part having a contact set in its underside and held apart from a stationary contact located below it. The depressable part has a key switch surface located to one side of the center on the upper surface of the depressable part. The key switch is also provided with a rotation fulcrum in the center of the underside of the depressable part. The movable contact is located to one side of the center on the underside of the depressable part to allow the depressable part to turn on the fulcrum so that the movable and stationary contacts can touch each other.

Abstract: An auto-return type push switch is provided with a casing and a cover plate for covering the open face of the casing, and a slide member accommodated movably in the casing which has a lug projecting outside the case through the hole of the cover plate. A pair of fixed electrodes are erected on the bottom surface of the casing, and a clip-shaped movable contact segment accommodated in the cylinder portion of the slide member is contactable with the fixed electrodes. A helical spring is provided between the collar portion of the slide member and the bottom surface of the casing so as to surround the cylinder portion, wherein one contact leaf of the movable contact segment is in contact with one of the fixed electrodes and the other contact leaf with the other of the fixed electrodes.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is mounted on the front face of a substrate of dielectric material and the substrate is fitted in an aperture that extends through a circuit board. The substrate has contact elements distributed about the periphery of its front face, and the circuit board has corresponding contact elements on its front face distributed about the periphery of the aperture. A first clamping member is positioned at the back face of the circuit board so as to extend over the aperture in the circuit board. The first clamping member is made of thermally-conductive material and is in thermally-conductive contact with the back face of the substrate. A second clamping member is positioned at the front face of the circuit board and extends at least partially over the peripheral area of the front face of the substrate. A resilient member is effective between the second clamping member and both the substrate and the circuit board.

Abstract: In order to avoid embedding a sensitive component in a resinous potting material, as usual, a prefabricated protective housing is used which includes a prefabricated housing body in which the sensitive component is inserted, initially with a clearance at one end of the component. A deformation zone of the housing body is plastically deformed in order to fix the component in place in an axial direction by clamping. Then an elastically deformable lid is attached to the housing body, this lid maintaining the component radially in contact against a seat. The protective housing is especially suited for use in devices which contain explosives because no dangerous working materials are utilized during the encapsulation or encasement process and, consequently, there is no exudation of aggressive resin ingredients.

Abstract: A rotary switch construction and method of making the same are provided, the switch construction comprising a surface unit having a substantially circular electrically conductive code pattern thereon, an electrically conductive wiper contact unit cooperating with the surface unit for making contact with a selected part of the pattern, and a rotary selector operatively associated with the units for selecting the desired part of the pattern that is to be contacted by the wiper contact unit, the wiper contact unit comprising a first pair of electrically connected wiper contacts disposed to respectively contact the pattern on a first substantially circular path thereof at points thereon that are disposed approximately 180.degree. from each other.

Abstract: A semiconductor power module includes a substrate formed of metallized ceramic, at least one semiconductor power component with a base surface soldered to the metallized ceramic, and at least one heat conduit integrated into the semiconductor power module. The heat conduit includes a condensation area having a larger surface than the base surface, over which dissipation heat from the semiconductor power component is distributed.

Abstract: An electrical switching apparatus is disclosed for making or breaking a plurality of electrical connections substantially simultaneously. The apparatus includes a planar substrate, a first set of electrical terminals arrayed on the substrate in a pattern providing mating pairs of terminals displaced by a distance, an actuator having a contact effecting surface and carrying thereon a plurality of moveable bridging contacts which are in substantial registration each with a respective mating pair of terminals. The actuator response to application of an actuating force toward the substrate to establish bridging contact by the bridging contact between each of the mating pairs of terminals substantially simultaneously. In the preferred embodiment a plurality of such switching apparati are actuated by a common actuating shaft.

Abstract: The assembly comprises a casing and a PC-Board in sheet form arranged therein, having a comb-spring and projecting freely into a recess of the wall of the casing. The lower face of the PC-board is furnished with a set of conductive pathways leading to microchips to be connected to an independent electric system by bending the PC-board sheet so as to make contact with a second set of homologous conductive pathways belonging to said system. This bending is obtained by displacing a shoe pushing a cylindrical bar freely engaged in a slot of the wall of the casing in communication with the recess, the bar lying on the structure formed by the combining and the PC-board sheet.The electrical contact between both sets of conductive pathways can be interrupted by moving the shoe axially in a first direction corresponding to the bending of the PC-board sheet; a motion of the shoe in a second opposite direction re-establishes the electrical contact conditions of both sets of pathways.

Abstract: A removable dielectric enclosure or boot assembly for enclosing a shielded line terminator. The enclosure has a cavity having an opening for receiving a shielded line terminator such that the shell of the shielded line terminator is flush with the opening when the shielded line terminator is disposed in the cavity. The enclosure has screws captured in screw receiving apertures spaced to align with apertures in the shell such that when the shielded line terminator is mated with a complementary connector, the threaded end thereof is received in nut means associated with the complementary connector and a shoulder on the screw bears against the rear surface of the shell as the screw is rotated to draw the shielded line terminator and dielectric enclosure toward the complementary connector.