Abstract: An electrical contact pad for electrically contacting a connector includes first, second and third regions. The first region is connected to a trace. The second region is adjacent to the first region and has a width less than the first region. The third region is adjacent to the second region and has a width that is greater than the second region. The third region is sized to make contact with a connector. Having the width of the second region be smaller than the width of the first and third regions increases an impedance of the electrical contact pad.

Abstract: An electrical contact includes a base that includes first and second side edges, and a forward edge that extends between the first and second side edges. At least one contact arm extends from the forward edge of the base for making electrical contact with a contact pad. Each of the first and second side edges defines one or more protrusions configured to engage an interior portion of a connector housing for securing the electrical contact within the connector housing. The one or more protrusions on the first side edge are asymmetrically arranged with respect to the one or more protrusions on the second side edge such that respective centers of each of the one or more protrusions on the first side edge are misaligned with respective centers of each of the one or more protrusions on the second side edge.

Abstract: A board to board contactless interconnect system includes a first circuit board for launching at st one microwave signal into a cavity of a first waveguide secured thereto. A second waveguide, secured to a second circuit board, is coupleable to the first waveguide to receive the at least one microwave signal in a cavity of the second waveguide and conduct the at least one microwave signal onto a microwave receiver aligned with the cavity on the second circuit board. The waveguides may be separable and may include additional waveguides. Conductive gaskets with apertures for microwave signals to pass through are positioned between the waveguides and between each circuit board and a waveguide to prevent leakage of microwave energy therebetween. Some embodiments may pass signals through a sealed boundary and maintain integrity of the seal. Such embodiments may have a third waveguide interposed between the first and second waveguides.

Abstract: A plant nutrient delivery system comprises a sensor, an electronically actuated valve and an electronic controller. The sensor is positionable in plant growing media and operable to detect a condition of the plant growing media. The electronically actuated valve has a connection to a liquid nutrient source. The electronic controller is linked to the sensor and to the electronically actuated valve. The controller is programmed to carry out automatic demand-based nutrient delivery to the plant growing media by controlling the electronically actuated valve to turn on and off based on signals received from the sensor regarding a condition of the plant growing media, thereby causing a flow of the liquid nutrient into the plant growth media to start and to stop. Methods are also described.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having a cavity. A wafer stack is received in the cavity. The wafer stack includes a plurality of electrical wafers arranged parallel to each other within the cavity. Each wafer includes a first edge and a second edge. Each wafer includes at least one trace between the first and second edges. The electrical connector includes a flex harness including a plurality of flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs). The FPCBs are electrically connected to corresponding wafers.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having a cavity. A wafer stack is received in the cavity. The wafer stack includes a plurality of electrical wafers arranged parallel to each other within the cavity. Each wafer includes a first edge and a second edge. Each wafer includes at least one trace between the first and second edges. The electrical connector includes a flex harness including a plurality of flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs). The FPCBs are electrically connected to corresponding wafers.

Abstract: In an aspect, a lifter plate is provided that is capable of a relatively strong connection to a vehicle window. The lifter plate includes a lifter plate body including a first side wall and a second side wall configured to receive a vehicle window there between, a window holding member positionable in a locking position to prevent the withdrawal of the vehicle window from between the first and second side walls, and a locking member positioned to prevent the movement of the window holding member out of the locking position in the event of a force urging the withdrawal of the vehicle window from between first and second side walls.

Abstract: In an aspect, a lifter plate is provided that is capable of a relatively strong connection to a vehicle window. The lifter plate includes a lifter plate body including a first side wall and a second side wall configured to receive a vehicle window there between, a window holding member positionable in a locking position to prevent the withdrawal of the vehicle window from between the first and second side walls, and a locking member positioned to prevent the movement of the window holding member out of the locking position in the event of a force urging the withdrawal of the vehicle window from between first and second side walls.

Abstract: In an aspect, a lifter plate is provided that is capable of a relatively strong connection to a vehicle window. The lifter plate includes a lifter plate body including a first side wall and a second side wall configured to receive a vehicle window therebetween, a window holding member positionable in a locking position to prevent the withdrawal of the vehicle window from between the first and second side walls, and a locking member positioned to prevent the movement of the window holding member out of the locking position in the event of a force urging the withdrawal of the vehicle window from between first and second side walls.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a connector housing having at least one contact cavity and an interchange port. A power contact is held by the connector housing within the contact cavity. The power contact is configured to conduct electrical power. An interchangeable signal module is separably mounted to the connector housing such that at least a portion of the signal module is held within the interchange port of the connector housing. The signal module includes an insulator holding a signal contact that is configured to conduct electrical data signals.

Abstract: In an aspect, a lifter plate is provided that is capable of a relatively strong connection to a vehicle window. The lifter plate includes a lifter plate body including a first side wall and a second side wall configured to receive a vehicle window therebetween, a window holding member positionable in a locking position to prevent the withdrawal of the vehicle window from between the first and second side walls, and a locking member positioned to prevent the movement of the window holding member out of the locking position in the event of a force urging the withdrawal of the vehicle window from between first and second side walls.

Abstract: In an aspect, the invention is directed to a combination of a carrier and a pulley assembly. The pulley assembly includes a pulley having an associated pulley rotation axis, a pulley bearing member and a pulley fastener. The pulley fastener connects the pulley assembly to the carrier. The pulley bearing member includes a pulley assembly bending load bearing surface. The carrier is mountable to a vehicle and includes a pulley fastener mount for receiving the pulley fastener. The carrier further includes a carrier bending load bearing surface that engages the pulley bending load bearing surface. The pulley assembly bending load bearing surface is generally conical about the pulley rotation axis and tapers outwardly in a direction axially towards the pulley. The carrier bending load bearing surface is generally inner-conical about the pulley rotation axis.

Abstract: A power generator (1) in a vertical design supplying electrical power comprising a base support assembly (4) for the vertical armature (2). A hydraulic system to a fluid chamber (23) within the base support assembly (4) to raise the armature (2) and then suspend the armature (2) during rotating movement. A sleeve fitting shaft support assembly (5) with a pressurized lubricating system to the sleeve fitting (29). An electrical motor (7) with a clutch (6) to provide rotational drive to the hydraulically suspended armature (2) to supply electric power to an electrical load (21) and to supply electrical power to replace the initial outside power (17) to operate the generator.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods for forming amorphous silicon-based photovoltaic devices, such as solar cells, by utilizing deposition and plasma treatment steps during a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) process. In one embodiments, the method includes exposing a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer disposed on a substrate to hydrogen plasma during pretreatment, forming a p-type ?-Si film on the TCO layer, forming an ?-Si intrinsic film on the p-type ?-Si film during a PE-CVD process, and forming an n-type ?-Si film on the ?-Si intrinsic film. In some examples, the PE-CVD process includes depositing an ?-Si intrinsic layer during a deposition step, treating the ?-Si intrinsic layer to form a treated ?-Si intrinsic layer during a plasma treatment step, and sequentially repeating the deposition step and the plasma treatment step until obtaining a desired thickness of the ?-Si intrinsic film containing a plurality of treated ?-Si intrinsic layers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing a photovoltaic substrate disposes the substrate on a support gantry with connection points such as vacuum cups. The gantry is actuated into a test position. A probe nest coupled to the gantry connects to a junction box on the substrate. A power supply applies voltage to the junction box, and an actuated frame contacts an edge region of the substrate to detect any breakthrough current. The actuated frame comprises a liner for maximizing contact with the edge of the substrate. The liner may be conductive, or may have a conductive surface. Current sensors coupled to the conductive liner of the frame detect any breakthrough current. A solar spectrum simulator provides solar spectrum radiation for testing the photovoltaic properties of the substrate.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a connector housing having at least one contact cavity and an interchange port. A power contact is held by the connector housing within the contact cavity. The power contact is configured to conduct electrical power. An interchangeable signal module is separably mounted to the connector housing such that at least a portion of the signal module is held within the interchange port of the connector housing. The signal module includes an insulator holding a signal contact that is configured to conduct electrical data signals.

Abstract: A header connector includes a housing extending along a longitudinal axis between mating and mounting ends. The housing has contact channels open between the mating and mounting ends, and the housing has air pockets provided between selected ones of the contact channels to control an impedance of socket contacts received in the contact channels. Socket contacts are loaded into the contact channels, with each socket contact including a contact body extending along a longitudinal axis between mating and mounting ends. The contact body has a box-shaped socket at the mating end that clergies a reception area configured to receive a mating contact. The box-shaped socket is configured to engage four different sides of the mating contact.

Abstract: A noise reduction method is disclosed that uses numerical logic to estimate the value of the noise in a receive system and remove the noise. A surrogate probe value is selected and subtracted from an input signal and an iterative process selects a noise probe value for each iteration and the respective noise probe values are summed resulting in a noise estimate that is combined with the input signal.

Abstract: In an aspect, the invention is directed to a window regulator assembly that includes a carrier, a set of lifter plates, a drive motor and drive cables for operatively connecting the drive motor to the lifter plates. At least one rail may be integral with the carrier. The carrier has a carrier seal that is co-molded therewith. The carrier has a pulley assembly thereon that includes a pulley and a pulley bearing member that has a pulley bending load bearing surface that is conical and that mates with a carrier bending load bearing surface that is inner-conical. The lifter plate is capable of a relatively strong connection to a vehicle window. The lifter plate has a window pass-through member that passes through a locking aperture in the vehicle window. The window pass-through member has two ends and is supported at both ends against vertical withdrawal of the vehicle window. The lifter plate also has a reduced tendency to bind when in use.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing a photovoltaic substrate disposes the substrate on a support gantry with connection points such as vacuum cups. The gantry is actuated into a test position. A probe nest coupled to the gantry connects to a junction box on the substrate. A power supply applies voltage to the junction box, and an actuated frame contacts an edge region of the substrate to detect any breakthrough current. The actuated frame comprises a liner for maximizing contact with the edge of the substrate. The liner may be conductive, or may have a conductive surface. Current sensors coupled to the conductive liner of the frame detect any breakthrough current. A solar spectrum simulator provides solar spectrum radiation for testing the photovoltaic properties of the substrate.