Abstract: A multi-beam tool is disclosed which can perform square, plumb, and level function which may be required in a construction environment. The tool can generate in a preferred embodiment up to five orthogonal beams with two beams being plumb and three beams being leveled. Combinations of two level beams, or a level and a plumb beam in orthogonal arrangement can produce a square alignment set of beams. The tool includes in a preferred arrangement a self-leveling pendulum to which a laser and quad-mirror arrangement is secured. The self-leveling pendulum is dampened in order to allow the tool to settle down and provide alignment after the tool is positioned as desired.

Abstract: An input device for robotic surgery mechanically transmits a grip signal across a first joint coupling a handle to a linkage supporting the handle. The handle is removable and replaceable, allows unlimited rotation about the joint, and may optionally include a touch sensor to inhibit movement of a surgical end effector when the hand of the surgeon is not in contact with the handle.

Abstract: A multi-beam tool is disclosed which can perform square, plumb, and level function which may be required in a construction environment. The tool can generate in a preferred embodiment up to five orthogonal beams with two beams being plumb and three beams being leveled. Combinations of two level beams, or a level and a plumb beam in orthogonal arrangement can produce a square alignment set of beams. The tool includes in a preferred arrangement a self-leveling pendulum to which a laser and quad-mirror arrangement is secured. The self-leveling pendulum is damped in order to allow the tool to settle down and provide alignment after the tool is positioned as desired. The quad-mirror, the magnetic damping, and the coiled wire allowing power to be provided to the laser assembly, each separately, and also in combination, provide for a compact tool.

Abstract: An input device for robotic surgery mechanically transmits a grip signal across a first joint coupling a handle to a linkage supporting the handle. The handle is removable and replaceable, allows unlimited rotation about the joint, and may optionally include a touch sensor to inhibit movement of a surgical end effector when the hand of the surgeon is not in contact with the handle.

Abstract: An input device for robotic surgical techniques and other applications has a handle supported by a linkage with a redundant degree of freedom, the joints being movable with at least one more degree of freedom than the handle. At least one joint of the linkage is actively driven to prevent the linkage from approaching singularities of the joint system, motion limits of the joints, or the like, and also to drive the linkage toward a freely articulatable configuration. A robotic master controller can include an arm assembly supporting a gimbal having a redundant linkage, with the arm primarily positioning the gimbal in a three dimensional controller workspace and the gimbal coupling the arm to the handle with four rotational degrees of freedom. One or more additional degrees of freedom may also be provided for actuation of the handle, for example, to close the jaws of a surgical grasper.

Abstract: A tool operates with a guide system to identify the orientation of a tool on a work piece. In one implementation, the tool identifies its orientation with respect to a guide signal supplied by the guide system. In an alternate embodiment, the tool determines its absolute orientation, such as a (x, y) coordinate. The tool includes an action component adapted to alter the work piece, such as a cutting head in a router. A guide detector in the tool detects a position of a guide signal from the guide system. A location detector in the tool receives the position data and employs it to determine the tool's orientation. Based on the detected orientation, the tool decides whether any tool adjustments are necessary. Examples of tool adjustments include the following: adjusting the position of the action component, enabling or disabling the action component, and providing operating indicators to direct a tool operator's use of the tool.

Abstract: A tool is employed in conjunction with alignment, depth, and level detectors. The tool can use all or some of these detectors. The alignment detector provides an orthogonal laser line grid on an incident surface when the detector has a predefined relationship with the surface. The depth detector emits two sets of parallel laser planes that converge with each other. When the laser planes impact on an incident surface two sets of lines are formed. The laser lines from one laser plane set move closer to the lines from the other laser plane set as the depth detector moves closer to the surface—showing changes in depth or distance. The level detector employs two converging laser planes. An operator positions the level detector above an incident surface, so the laser planes' line of intersection appears on the surface if the surface is level. If the surface is not level, lines separate from each laser plane appear on the surface—signaling the need for a level adjustment.

Abstract: The invention provides an input device for robotics surgical techniques and other applications. The input device has a handle supported by a linkage having joints with a redundant degree of freedom, with the joints being movable with at least one more degree of freedom than the handle. At least one joint of the linkage is actively driven to prevent the linkage from approaching singularities of the joint system, motion limits of the joints, or the like, and also to drive the linkage toward a freely articulative configuration. In one embodiment, a robotic master controller includes an arm assembly supporting a gimbal having such a redundant linkage, with the arm primarily positioning the gimbal in a three dimensional controller workspace and the gimbal coupling the arm to the handle with four rotational degrees of freedom. One or more additional degrees of freedom may also be provided for actuation of the handle, for example, to close the jaws of a surgical grasper.

Abstract: A multi-beam tool is disclosed which can perform square, plumb, and level function which may be required in a construction environment. The tool can generate in a preferred embodiment up to five orthogonal beams with two beams being plumb and three beams being leveled. Combinations of two level beams, or a level and a plumb beam in orthogonal arrangement can produce a square alignment set of beams. The tool includes in a preferred arrangement a self-leveling pendulum to which a laser and quad-mirror arrangement is secured. The self-leveling pendulum is damped in order to allow the tool to settle down and provide alignment after the tool is positioned as desired. The quadmirror, the magnetic damping, and the coiled wire allowing power to be provided to the laser assembly, each separately, and also in combination, provide for a compact tool.

Abstract: A tape cartridge for a debossing stamper includes a casing, a tape-containing supply spool and a tape take-up spool in the casing, the supply spool having at least one reflector pad visually accessible from the exterior of the casing by an optical reflective sensor for detecting and indicating an amount of tape remaining on the supply spool. In one embodiment the at least one reflector pad is a series of equally spaced reflector pads on an outer periphery of the supply spool. The sensor provides a feedback on each 1/4 revolution of said supply reel, the feedback being received by firmware to track the number of motor steps to drive the take-up spool and to rotate the supply spool a 1/4 turn, and wherein a computer calculates the amount of tape remaining on the supply spool based on supply spool core diameter, take-up spool core diameter and total tape length.

Abstract: A force transfer device 30 includes an inner race 40 and an outer race 38 and a plurality of reversible wedging elements 34 located between the inner and outer races. This device 30 allows for continuous force transfer between the inner and outer race. This device 30 further allows for locking the inner race 40 relative to the outer race 38 in infinitely varying positions. The device 30 includes scallops on at least one race which scallops are of complex shape in order to manage wedging of the wedging elements and surface stresses between the wedging elements and the race contact surfaces. The device 30 is also reversible.

Abstract: A force transfer device 30 includes an inner race 40 and an outer race 38 and a plurality of reversible wedging elements 34 located between the inner and outer races. This device 30 allows for continuous force transfer between the inner and outer race. This device 30 further allows for locking the inner race 40 relative to the outer race 38 in infinitely varying positions. The device 30 includes scallops on at least one race which scallops are of complex shape in order to manage wedging of the wedging elements and surface stresses between the wedging elements and the race contact surfaces. The device 30 is also reversible.

Abstract: A remotely controlled adjustable height support stand 200 for positioning the laser scanner 50 vertically as well as a remote control for adjusting the height and/or angular position of the laser scanner 50 is disclosed.

Abstract: A force transfer device 30 includes an inner race 40 and an outer race 38 and a plurality of reversible wedging elements 34 located between the inner and outer races. This device 30 allows for continuous force transfer between the inner and outer race. This device 30 further allows for locking the inner race 40 relative to the outer race 38 in infinitely varying positions. The device 30 includes scallops on at least one race which scallops are of complex shape in order to manage wedging of the wedging elements and surface stresses between the wedging elements and the race contact surfaces. The device 30 is also reversible.

Abstract: A dual station hot debossing stamper for a report or book cover includes a print engine having a character finger daisy wheel forcer and a logo die forcer which are actuatable independently by a common servo motor through respective gear trains. A heat and pressure transferable foil tape character cartridge and print wheel are inserted and locked into the engine in a character debossment operation with a motor driving the print wheel. Removal of the character cartridge and insertion of a logo transfer tape cartridge shifts the gears in the print engine. The tape of the character cartridge used with the print daisy wheel has a narrower tape width than that of the logo cartridge. Each of the tape cartridges includes an anti-back rotation spring attached to a reel in the cartridge and may include an adjustable tape advance and indicating means for determining the remaining length of tape on a supply reel. A method of loading heat and force transferable material-containing tape into the cartridges is disclosed.

Abstract: A laser scanner 50 includes a laser 76 affixed to a pendulum 66 with a damper 80 for damping the movement of the pendulum 66. The laser scanner 50 is controllable through a remote control 62 for positioning the laser beam as desired. Both horizontal and vertical laser beams can be projected in order to orient the laser scanner 50 with respect to gravity and simultaneously elevation.

Abstract: A method of debossing character and indicia-forming pigmented tape onto a report or book cover workpiece positioned under a print engine having a character finger daisy wheel forcer and a logo die or other indicia die forcer is described. Steps of inserting a print wheel and a first tape cartridge into the engine, heating a character-containing portion of a character finger, forcing and printing a desired character in a character debossment operation are included. In another operation, the steps of removing the daisy wheel and the first tape cartridge, inserting an indicia-forming debossment die and a second tape cartridge, heating the die and forcing and thermally printing desired indicia on the workpiece, is set forth. In another aspect of the method, the steps of holding the tape on reels in the cartridges, striking the tape to deboss the pigmented media, stripping a struck portion of the tape from the workpiece and then advancing a tape take-up reel are set forth.

Abstract: An automatic control system for controlling the firmness of a fluid supported mattress of a bed assembly. The control system includes a motorized fluid pump, a control unit for operating the pump to adjust the firmness of the air mattress, a hand held remote control unit for actuating the control unit, and a transceiver system for transmitting information signals between the hand held unit and the control unit. The air control system provides for independent control of both bladders in a two bladder air mattress from a single unit, and allows a user to consistently set the firmness of each mattress air bladder to a desired value. The air control system includes an air pump specially designed to minimize transmission of motor noise into the environment.

Abstract: A dual station hot debossing stamper for a report or book cover includes a print engine having a character finger daisy wheel forcer and a logo die forcer which are actuatable independently by a common servo motor through respective gear trains. The print engine moves line-by-line and a platen moves character-by-character. A print wheel is inserted and locked into the engine in a character debossment operation with a motor driving the print wheel. When using a logo die, the print wheel and casing is removed and using a loader-unloader tool the die is articulated under the logo die forcer. Insertion of a logo transfer tape cartridge shifts the gears in the print engine. A second character tape cartridge is used with the print wheel. A dedicated personal computer and associated software and firmware programs control the stamping apparatus.

Abstract: An adjustable monitor stand for pivoting a monitor about a horizontal axis which is relatively simple to operate and which does not require great effort to adjust is provided. The stand includes a base, a platform for holding the monitor, and a hinge interconnecting the base and the platform. The hinge includes a torsion spring selected with regard to the mass of the monitor and the distance of its center of gravity from the axis so that the gravitational torque produced as the monitor is pivoted with the platform about the horizontal axis is always substantially balanced by the restoring torque generated by the spring. The stand therefore requires very little effort to adjust.