Abstract: An angularly accessible head assembly for a torque hand tool includes a drive shank and a head rotatably disposed on a coupling shell about drive and driven axes that intersect with each other by an angle of at least 90 degrees. First, second and third force transmitting members are disposed to couple the drive shank and the head by means of four joint subassemblies, each having a socket wall surface and an orientable portion matingly engaged with each other. A torque exerted upon the drive shank is transmitted to the head through the force transmitting members and the joint subassemblies so as to activate a rotational movement of a threaded connector.

Abstract: A hand tool includes a tool head with an insertion hingedly connected to a pair of lugs of a handle to be rotatable relative thereto, and retained to an angular position by means of a spring-biased ball. The insertion is configured to have a hemispherical segment which includes front and rear segment strips extending circumferentially from an apical area that has a retaining concavity. Each segment strips has a plurality of circumferentially extending retaining grooves. The hemispherical segment further includes left and right cutout surfaces parallel and opposite to each other. By virtue of the hemispherical segment, rotation of the tool head relative to the handle and engagement of the ball in a selected one of the grooves and concavity are smooth and successful.

Abstract: An angle adjustable handle includes a first shank and a second shank coupled with each other by means of a plug extending in a swivel axis from the first shank and a socket fastened to the second shank. The socket has two body halves tightened to each other and having two socket ends that cooperatively define a socket cavity for accommodating the plug so as to permit the socket to be swivelable about the swivel axis between normal and angle-adjusted positions. A spring-loaded latch is disposed in the first shank and movable to engage or disengage from the socket to permit or prevent movement of the socket.

Abstract: A ratchet tool includes a tool head provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth on an inner peripheral surface, a drive body having an outer surrounding surface confronting the ratchet teeth, and a guiding slot for receiving first and second pawls and a biasing member to permit the pawls to be displaced between extending and retracted positions, and an actuator twistable relative to the head and having two inner boundary contours to define two recessed regions to accommodate displaceable engagements of keys of the pawls with the inner boundary contours. The pawl end is configured to extend along an entire axial length of the drive body so as to be fully engaged with the ratchet teeth in the engaging position, thereby permitting transmission of a relatively large torque during rotation of the tool head.

Abstract: Formation of metal pipes resulting from formation of metal silicide contacts are reduced or avoided. To reduce formation of metal pipes, an epitaxial layer is formed over the diffusion region on which the metal silicide contact is formed. The epitaxial layer reduces defects which enhances diffusion of metal atoms or molecules.

Abstract: An adjustable torque limiting device includes a shank unit composed of first and second shanks coaxially and rotatably connected to each other, a carrier unit mounted between the shanks and having axially facing bearing regions and radially facing detent regions which cooperatively define cavities for receiving detent bodies, respectively, so as to transmit a straining force emanating from the detent regions to the detent bodies, a force transmitting member movably mounted on the shank unit and frictionally engaged with the detent bodies, an adjusting assembly turnable to axially move the force-counteracting member, and a compressible biasing member disposed between the force-counteracting member and the adjusting assembly to exert a preloaded force against the straining force.

Abstract: A light emitter is disclosed herein. An embodiment of the light emitter comprises a substrate having a substrate surface; a light emitting diode located on the substrate surface; an encapsulant located on the substrate surface and encapsulating the light emitting diode; and a reflector cup attached to the substrate, the reflector cup having a reflector cup first side and a reflector cup second side with a hole extending between the reflector cup first side and the reflector cup second side, wherein the reflector cup first side is attached to the substrate surface so that the hole in the reflector cup first side encompasses the light emitting diode.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for balancing computing workload via migrating computing tasks are disclosed. An artificial neural network (ANN) is trained based on the workload distribution over time for a host. The ANN predicts the workload for the host, and an indication may be sent to migrate at least one computing task away from the host. The indication is sent when the method is operating in a proactive mode and when the predicted workload is outside of a desired operating range. Some embodiments monitor the workload; and automatically switch the method to the proactive mode, when a difference between the monitored workload and the predicted workload is small. Other embodiments monitor the workload; and automatically switch the method to a reactive mode, when the monitored workload is outside of a failsafe operating range for the particular host.

Abstract: A handle adapted for storing a tool bit therein includes a handle body and a bit retainer. The handle body has an outer surface that surrounds a longitudinal axis and that has opposite surface parts. The handle body further has a slot formed through the opposite surface parts of the outer surface of the handle body. The bit retainer is disposed in the slot of the handle body, and includes a bit receiving portion formed with at least one bit receiving hole that is adapted for insertion of the tool bit therein, and a pivot portion connected to the bit receiving portion and pivotally retained in the slot. The pivot portion is pivotable relative to the handle body about a pivot axis such that the bit receiving portion is movable relative to the handle body between a bit concealing position and a bit accessing position.

Abstract: Formation of metal pipes resulting from formation of metal silicide contacts are reduced or avoided. To reduce formation of metal pipes, an epitaxial layer is formed over the diffusion region on which the metal silicide contact is formed. The epitaxial layer reduces defects which enhances diffusion of metal atoms or molecules.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an exchange of multimedia products between a plurality of users is disclosed. For example, a user has a multimedia product to be given up in exchange for either another product desired or exchangeable denomination of value, including cash and/or value points, which may be used in exchange to acquire said multimedia product desired. The method includes collating each user's exchange criteria into a data system, matching a user willing to part with a multimedia product with another user desiring said multimedia product in said data system; collecting said multimedia product desired from said willing user; and dispensing said multimedia product desired to said desiring user. A mutual exchange between 2 matched users is also possible. Kiosks housing a jukebox-like apparatus for depositing and retrieving the products which are in operative control by a data system implemented over the Internet are also disclosed.

Abstract: A ratchet driving mechanism includes a main body, an adjusting ring, and a ratchet wheel. The main body includes a grip-connecting member and a rotary seat connected fixedly to the grip-connecting member. The rotary seat is formed with two parallel insertion slots, in each of which two pawls are biased by a spring to move away from each other. The adjusting ring and the ratchet wheel are sleeved rotatably on the rotary seat. When the adjusting ring is disposed in an anchoring position, the pawls engage the ratchet wheel so as to prevent rotation of the ratchet wheel on the rotary seat. When the adjusting ring is disposed in a first-direction position or a second-direction position, two of the pawls engage the ratchet wheel so as to allow for rotation of the ratchet wheel on the rotary seat in only a corresponding direction.

Abstract: A chuck device for a hand tool includes a socket and an engaging piece. The socket defines a shank-receiving groove, and is formed with a through-hole that is in spatial communication with the shank-receiving groove. The engaging piece is disposed movably in the through-hole in the socket, has a tapered end, and is movable relative to the socket between an engaging position, where the tapered end thereof is disposed in the shank-receiving groove in the socket, and a disengaging position, where the tapered end thereof is disposed out of the shank-receiving groove in the socket.

Abstract: A ratchet driving mechanism includes a main body, an adjusting ring, and a ratchet wheel. The main body includes a grip-connecting member and a rotary seat connected fixedly to the grip-connecting member. The rotary seat is formed with two parallel insertion slots, in each of which two pawls are biased by a spring to move away from each other. The adjusting ring and the ratchet wheel are sleeved rotatably on the rotary seat. When the adjusting ring is disposed in an anchoring position, the pawls engage the ratchet wheel so as to prevent rotation of the ratchet wheel on the rotary seat. When the adjusting ring is disposed in a first-direction position or a second-direction position, two of the pawls engage the ratchet wheel so as to allow for rotation of the ratchet wheel on the rotary seat in only a corresponding direction.

Abstract: Detection of Plasmodium ssp. by analysis of extrachromosomal DNA. It has been found that the molecular composition, physical arrangements, and nucleotide sequences of the extrachromosomal plastid-like element and mitochondrial element are highly conserved in different Plasmodium ssp. The high degree of homology has been used to design genera-specific or species specific diagnostic assays with a low frequency of false negatives. Plastid and mitochondrial DNA sequences are disclosed. The use of the sequences is claimed for detection, prophylactic, and therapeutic treatment of Plasmodium ssp. infection in human or other animals.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes periodically collecting device operation data from a plurality of client devices of a distributed computing system, and making power management decisions for the distributed computing system based on the collected data.

Abstract: A method for entering text efficiently by providing letter or word choices. The method includes letter choices to aid inputting accented, diacritic or special characters and a more efficient method to suggest word completion choices including words with accented, diacritic or special characters. This method can be used to enhance any existing text input systems, even reduced keyboard systems. The method also includes a more efficient method to select and input the letter or word choices. This allows for hybrid keyboard systems where physical keys are used in concert with a screen input system to input the letter or word choice.

Abstract: A process, for patterning a thin film that is highly resistant to conventional etching processes and that is to be deposited at a high substrate temperature, is disclosed. The process uses a liftoff method wherein a refractory material has been substituted for the conventional organic resin. The method is particularly useful for the fabrication of tunable microwave devices and ferroelectric memory elements.