Abstract: A tufting machine with a needle bar and looper system provides individual loopers which cooperate with needles of the needle bar selectively between an engage and a disengage configuration whereby when in the engage configuration at least some of the loopers hold yarn directed by the needle through the backing as the needle cycles into and out of the backing to form a first loop having a height of a distance of the looper from the backing, but when in the disengage configuration, the looper is spaced from the yarn so that any loop formed is shorter than the first loop.

Abstract: A tufting machine with a needle bar and looper system provides individual loopers which cooperate with needles of the needle bar selectively between an engage and a disengage configuration whereby when in the engage configuration at least some of the loopers hold yarn directed by the needle through the backing as the needle cycles into and out of the backing to form a first loop having a height of a distance of the looper from the backing, but when in the disengage configuration, the looper is spaced from the yarn so that any loop formed is shorter than the first loop.

Abstract: A semiconductor workpiece processing system for treating a workpiece, such as a semiconductor wafer, is provided. A related operating control method is also provided. The system includes an electrostatic chuck configured to receive a workpiece, and a clamping voltage power supply coupled to the electrostatic chuck. The electrostatic chuck has a clamping electrode assembly, and the clamping voltage power supply is coupled to the clamping electrode assembly. The clamping voltage power supply includes a direct current (DC) voltage generator configured to generate a DC clamping voltage for the clamping electrode assembly, an alternating current (AC) voltage generator configured to generate an AC excitation signal for the clamping electrode assembly, and a processing architecture coupled to the clamping electrode assembly.

Abstract: A semiconductor workpiece processing system for treating a workpiece, such as a semiconductor wafer, is provided. A related operating control method is also provided. The system includes an electrostatic chuck configured to receive a workpiece, and a clamping voltage power supply coupled to the electrostatic chuck. The electrostatic chuck has a clamping electrode assembly, and the clamping voltage power supply is coupled to the clamping electrode assembly. The clamping voltage power supply includes a direct current (DC) voltage generator configured to generate a DC clamping voltage for the clamping electrode assembly, an alternating current (AC) voltage generator configured to generate an AC excitation signal for the clamping electrode assembly, and a processing architecture coupled to the clamping electrode assembly.

Abstract: A dispenser includes a cover; a housing back member; a hinge coupling the housing back member and the cover such that the cover is pivotable between an open position and a closed position, the cover and the housing back member collectively forming a housing of the dispenser; a first and second mounting bracket coupled to the housing back member; and a rotatable carousel removably mounted to the first and second mounting brackets, wherein the brackets and carousel are configured such that the carousel is movable between an inner, locked position for dispensing and an outer, rotatable position for reloading.

Abstract: A low reserve indicator mechanism for a supply of paper towels is disclosed. The mechanism includes a base, a pushplate, and an indicator. The pushplate is connected to the base with a translational degree of freedom therebetween, is biased in a first direction relative to the base, and is responsive to a first attribute of the supply of paper towels to translate opposite the first direction. The indicator is pivotally connected to the pushplate, and is movable between a retracted position and an indicating position in response to a second attribute of the supply of paper towels.

Abstract: The present invention relates to dispensers for disposable cutlery. The invention also relates to pluralities of disposable cutlery that can be used in the cutlery dispenser of the present invention, as well as other cutlery dispensers that do not use a cartridge therein. The present invention also relates to disposable cutlery that has been adapted to make it better suited to stacking such as for use in cutlery dispensers that do not include a cartridge.

Abstract: A gated looper apparatus has an array of individually mounted pressurizable air cylinders with piston rods acting against biased slider bars in communication with looper gates. Baising elements are mounted external of pneumatic cylinders about slider bars with protective ferules to provide greater responsiveness and ease of maintenance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to dispensers for disposable cutlery. The invention also relates to banded packets of disposable cutlery that can be used in the cutlery dispenser of the present invention, as well as other cutlery dispensers that do not use a cartridge therein. The present invention also relates to disposable cutlery that has been adapted to make it better suited to stacking, such as for use in cutlery dispensers that do not include a cartridge.

Abstract: A gated looper apparatus has an array of individually mounted pressurizable air cylinders with piston rods acting against biased slider bars in communication with looper gates. Baising elements are mounted external of pneumatic cylinders about slider bars with protective ferules to provide greater responsiveness and ease of maintenance.

Abstract: In a dispenser for dispensing rolls of paper towel including means for rotatably mounting the roll, a feed nip including a segmented drive roll with a plurality of drive surfaces and a nip roll adapted to cooperate therewith to advance the towel to a dispensing chute, an improved drive roll having an elongate axis and a plurality of drive segments defining drive surfaces disposed along its length of generally equal radius with respect to the elongate axis of the roll, as well as a plurality of guide disks interposed between adjacent drive segments configured to alleviate wrinkling as the towel is dispensed. Further improvements include a textured delivery chute and a method for dispensing a partially depleted roll of towel together with a fresh roll.

Abstract: A ball storage and dispensing apparatus comprising a skeletal support frame having an upper portion and a lower portion. The ball storage and dispensing apparatus is generally configured to correspond to the type of ball to be stored, and preferably arranged and configured to be attached to a goal post or other supporting structure.

Abstract: A gravity-feed tissue roll dispenser for a plurality of tissue rolls includes: (a) a housing; (b) a supply turret with a plurality of spindles for mounting a plurality of tissue rolls for dispensing; (c) means for rotatably mounting the supply turret in the housing about a center of rotation such that a vertical line through the center of rotation of the turret defines a biasing sector of the dispenser and the spindles rotate between upper and lower positions, the dispenser also having a dispensing sector adjacent the biasing sector; (d) stop means adapted for securing a loaded spindle in an elevated dispensing position in the dispensing sector of the tissue dispenser, the dispensing position being elevated with respect to a lower limit of travel of the spindle upon rotation of the turret; wherein the stop means are responsive to depletion of the loaded spindle so as to allow rotation of the turret upon depletion of a roll of tissue mounted thereabout; and wherein further the turret and stop means are configu

Abstract: A large capacity napkin dispenser for in counter mounting includes: (a) an elongate housing having a generally rectangular cross-section for receiving a stack of napkins; (b) a faceplate with a dispensing aperture, the faceplate being hinged to the housing so as to be movable between an open position for re-loading and a closed position for dispensing; (c) a movable support member mounted in the housing; (d) biasing means for urging the movable support toward the faceplate so that the stack of napkins is advanced to the aperture as it is depleted; and (e) sequestered means for locking the faceplate in the closed position. The locking means includes release means located adjacent the inner surface of the faceplate such that when the faceplate is in the closed position the release means is concealed in the interior of the dispenser, thereby eliminating the need for a key.

Abstract: A method and apparatus selects a period of time for evaluating process resources and lots to be processed by the process resources. Selected lots and selected process resource are chosen that are available to be processed by the process resource and that are available to process the selected lots respectively. For each of the combination of selected process and selected lots a tool score and a lot score is determine and combined in order to select a winning score. The factory is controlled through the process resource in accordance with the winning score.

Abstract: Artificial intelligence diagnostic expert system software is used to interrogate and monitor etcher machine state by directly accessing vital hardware/process sensors. Sensor values and `recipe` variables are analyzed to determine cause of failures and recommend repair strategies, realtime monitoring and analysis of these values allows the expert system to predict failures prior to occurrence and show cause of impending failure.