Abstract: A pre-charge system for a DC electric power system includes a high-voltage electric power bus that electrically connects to an external bus. A contactor includes a first switch arranged to control electric power through the positive bus link, and a second switch arranged to control electric power through the negative bus link. A pre-charge resistor is arranged in parallel with the first switch. A controller is operatively connected to the first and second switches, and in communication with a voltage sensor. The controller includes an instruction set to activate the second switch, periodically monitor the electrical potential, determine a time-rate of change in the electrical potential, and close the first switch when the time-rate of change in the electrical potential is less than a first threshold.

Abstract: A simulation environment (e.g., multi-player game) hosted by a provider network may implement componentized entities to reduce the amount of resource usage for a simulation (e.g., by reducing the amount of input/state data transmitted through the use of dynamically changing input structures). A user may add or remove any number of components to an entity that is simulated at the local client device. When inputs are received for one or more components, values for predictive states are locally determined for each component. An input packet is generated and sent to the provider network, which includes the inputs as well as data that is based on the values for the locally predicted states (e.g., a fingerprint or other unique ID). If necessary, a correction packet may be generated at the provider network and sent back to the client.

Abstract: A method and system for improved material processing using a laser beam. The method and system includes directing a laser beam above, at or below the surface of the material in one or more preferred patterns and with preferred laser pulse characteristics specific to the material to reduce or mitigate the accumulation or effects of gas, debris, fluid, or other by-products of photodisruption either at the location where additional laser pulses are being placed or in other sensitive locations in the material.

Abstract: An electrical connector is provided for mounting to a printed circuit board. The connector includes an insulating housing having a body with a through cavity for receiving an electrical terminal to be soldered to a circuit trace on a printed circuit board. A solder masking hollow peg projects from one side of the body for insertion in a hole in the printed circuit board for preventing solder from entering the hole during soldering of the electrical terminal to the circuit trace on the printed circuit board. The interior of the hollow peg communicates with the through cavity in the body to allow a mating terminal to be inserted through the hollow peg into contact with the terminal inside the body.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a dielectric housing having a terminal-receiving passage defining a terminal-insertion axis for receiving a mating terminal member. A stamped and formed sheet metal contact member has a contact end disposed in the passage and a terminal end projecting from the housing. The housing has top and bottom walls, with the terminal-receiving passage extending in a direction therebetween. A slot is provided in a side wall of the housing communicating with the passage. The contact end of the contact member is inserted into the slot and is generally planar and has a terminal-receiving slot. The plane of the contact end and the slot are disposed generally transverse to the terminal-insertion axis.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and a terminal. The housing has an elongated cavity with an inner end and an outer end. The height of the inner end of the cavity is less than the height of the outer end of the cavity. The terminal has an elongated base having a contact receptacle at an inner end and a conductor terminating portion at an outer end. The terminal has a first pair of opposing support sections extending upwardly from opposite lateral sides of the inner end of the base for receiving therebetween a mating contact member. A second pair of opposing support sections extend upwardly from the terminal base at a position intermediate the ends of the base. The height of the first pair of opposing support sections is less than the height of the second pair of opposing support sections and complementary to the difference in heights between the inner and outer ends of the housing cavity.

Abstract: A solderless, generally elongated, circuit board conductor adapted to be received and held in a plated-through hole formed in the circuit board in order to provide an electrical connection between a conductive plating deposited on the interior surface of the hole of another circuit element. The conductor includes a compliant section which is adapted to be received in the hole in contact with the plating and allowing selective insertion and removal of the conductor into and out of the hole. The compliant section generally comprises a plate section with a resilient finger struck out therefrom. The finger has an apex portion to contact the plating of the hole.Also disclosed is a connector assembly which is selectively mountable on a circuit board and which includes an insulative base portion with a plurality of solderless elongated electrical terminals mounted therein.

Abstract: A modular telephone jack includes a receptacle housing with a first socket for receiving a modular telephone cord plug connector. A discrete jack contact connector is received in a second socket of the receptacle housing and establishes electrical connections with the modular plug. Terminals supported by the jack contact connector housing each include a spring contact portion exposed in the first socket for engagement by an inserted plug and an insulation displacement contact portion for convenient connection with various sizes and types of conductors used with the telephone jack. The housing of the jack contact connector is provided with an integrally hinged cover portion serving both to enclose the insulation displacement contact portions and to provide strain relief for the telephone jack conductors.

Abstract: An optical fiber clamp comprises two clamping portions with rounded fiber clamping surfaces for clamping an optical fiber therebetween. Each clamping portion includes a semicylindrical projection which extends normal to the axis of the clamped fiber and is complimentary to the projection of the other clamping portion to form a laterally extending support stud when a fiber is clamped. The stud is inserted in a mounting block to secure the fiber a fixed distance above and parallel to the upper surface of the mounting block. A cantilevered fiber support extends from the first and second clamping portions and comprises a three-quarter round cylindrical section extending from one side of the first clamping portion and a reversed three-quarter round cylindrical section extending from the opposite side of the second clamping portion. The clamping portions are preferably interconnected by a hinge portion in a unitary structure to facilitate wrapping the clamping portions about a fiber.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector includes a housing having a mating end for intermating with an array containing optical fibers, for example a second fiber optic connector. A fiber clamp for holding an optical fiber is mounted in a mounting block with the combination movable toward and away from the mating end of the housing. A resilient member forces the combination of the mounting block and the fiber clamp toward the mating end while allowing movement away from the mating end in response to an overriding opposite force. A rigid fiber encompassing member extends from the fiber clamp to the mating end of the connector for receiving and transmitting the force which overrides the force of the resilient member.

Abstract: An electrical connector having a socket for receiving a male contact, and an integral solder tail which projects into an opening in a circuit board and is soldered therein. The socket includes a pair of flexible opposed beam sections projecting axially from a cylindrical base and defining therebetween a contact area for receiving and engaging a male electrical contact. The flexible opposed beam sections have respective first portions converging from the base toward the contact area and respective second portions diverging from the contact area toward distal ends which define a target area for the male electrical contact. The distal ends define a circular target area for guiding a male electrical contact into the socket. The connector includes integral, locking tabs deformable angularly and in opposite directions relative to the central axis for engaging an insulator housing to help retain the socket in a housing while accommodating relative radial deflection of the socket and the solder tail.

Abstract: A device for disconnectably linking a plurality of force producing or recing means such as a mechanical control system. The device comprises a coaxial array of a plurality of positive locking clutches, each clutch including two clutch halves. A single shaft passing through all clutch halves disengages and engages all clutches together as a motor connected thereto is actuated. The shaft is fail-safe spring loaded to the disengaged position, so that the spring will disengage all clutches if there is a power or motor failure.

Abstract: A steering and braking system for aircraft while ground borne with remote d pilot-override control modes. In the remote mode, a single command controller operates both rudder and differential brakes of the main landing gear. The rudder is provided with a fast-response electro-hydraulic actuator for right, neutral and left positions while the brakes are provided with slow-response pulsating hydraulic actuators for right, left and unison braking. Above a predetermined air speed, the brake control is inactivated. In the pilot-override control mode, the rudder and differential brakes are independently controlled.