Abstract: A surface replicating and contour measuring device substantially comprises a mechanical pin array having calibration pins mounted on a frame, an imaging system for recording contour and a data processor for storing and manipulating the recorded information.

Abstract: A reusable die for the manufacture of molded seat cushions that includes a first device for forming a positive profile of a contoured surface, such as a seating support surface, from data obtained for defining the positive surface profile; and a second device for forming a negative profile of the contoured surface, whereby the first surface is adapted to be maintained in contact with the second surface. The first device includes a plurality of rods adapted to define the positive profile. The second device also includes a plurality of rods and a deformable member, such as a wire mesh, that coact with the rods of the first device to form the negative profile. The rods of both the first device and the second device are adapted to be locked in place. A sealing surface is vacuum formed over the negative profile, which then forms a wall of a foam mold. Liquid foam material is then injected in the mold and permitted to cure thereby forming a contoured seat cushion.

Abstract: An improved radar system utilizing the principle of nonlinear contact effects for detecting and identifying a target, includes two radar transmitters (12,16) at least one of which is a baseband pulse radar transmitter. Both transmitters illuminate the same target and the signals from each transmitter are mixed in a nonlinear junction (40) of the target. Mixing the two signals provides a target return signal whose frequency spectrum contains cross product frequency components having high resolution target data due to the broad spectral content of the baseband pulse, and thus provides a system capable of detecting and identifying the illuminated target.

Abstract: An arrangement for forming an extended length light redirecting embedded grating in an elongated solid material optical waveguide includes a source that directs a coherent light beam of a frequency in the ultraviolet range in a primary path transversely toward the waveguide. A section of a diffraction grating extends through the primary path at a spacing from the waveguide, and the diffraction grating has a dimension normal to the primary path that exceeds the corresponding dimension of the primary path. Relative movement is effectuated between the waveguide and diffraction grating in unison, and the primary path, so that the light beam is diffracted at the diffraction grating into two mutually frequency shifted partial light beams propagating in diverging secondary paths.

Abstract: A mechanism in a sewing machine wherein two or more stitch forming instrumentalities may be individually actuated independent of all other stitch forming instrumentalities by a single actuator.

Abstract: A touch sensitive control panel utilizing pyroelectric material to provide output signals representative of an area touched by an operator includes a plurality of conductors and areas of pyroelectric material selectively in contact with the conductors to provide a binary coded combination of voltage pulses on the conductors representative of a touched area of the control panel.

Abstract: An optical encoding arrangement for determining the position of a movable member is provided with an optically masked light transmitting coding element interposed between a light emitting array and a light detecting array so that the light detecting elements in the array are selectively energized in accordance with the position being measured. In particular, the encoder provides for transmission, by optical means, of a series of digital bytes of predetermined length, in a bit parallel byte serial format, with the successive bytes later being assembled into a usable data format.

Abstract: A touch sensitive control panel utilizing pyroelectric material to provide output signals representative of an area touched by an operator includes a plurality of conductors and pads of pyroelectric material selectively in contact with the conductors to provide a binary coded combination of voltage pulses on the conductors representative of a touched area of the control panel.

Abstract: A button sewing device is provided with a base; a pair of needles which carry collapsible thread formed loops, and project from the base for use in penetrating a layer of material and the holes of a button to be attached to the material; and with elastomeric material over the base compressible by pressure on the material to which the button is to be attached, and expandable to raise such material and thereby cause the loops to be opened above the button for receiving a thread bundle.

Abstract: A sewing machine wherein there is provided a visual representation of the actual amplitude of vibration of certain stitch forming instrumentalities so that the stitch pattern to be sewn or a portion thereof may be visually superimposed upon the work piece by the operator so that the work piece may be properly positioned and the desired amplitude of the pattern selected.

Abstract: A sewing machine is disclosed which includes at least one regulatable operating instrumentality, such as, for example, an adjustable needle thread tensioner. Means are provided for generating signals indicative of different parameters which affect the ultimate overall stitch, such as, for example, fabric thickness at the seam, thread type, and pattern type. A central processor is provided with an algorithm for controlling the thread tension so as to maintain uniform stitch quality as a function of the different parameters.

Abstract: An optical designator system employs a remote source of electromagnetic energy, such as a small hand-held infrared LED or the like, to generate an identifying beam which is directed to the same faceplate through which a displayed image is viewed. A diffuser medium is disposed at the image plane along the rear surface of the faceplate and scatters the incident beam of electromagnetic energy toward orthogonal pairs of photodetectors located adjacent to the edges of the faceplate. The output signals from the photodetectors are presented to a normalizer circuit which compensates for intensity variations of the source of electromagnetic energy into the faceplate. Therefore, the output signal from each normalizer circuit varies in a relationship which is proportional to the distance between the photodetectors at which the incident beam strikes the diffuser medium. The remote energy source is preferably modulated with a waveform which is discernible both from background ambient light and that of the displayed image.

Abstract: A monopulse optical receiving system is comprised of a plurality of optical sensors for receiving an incident light pulse at angles of incidence within a field of view, and providing in response thereto an output voltage signal whose magnitude is a function of the incident angle, at least two of the sensors being relatively disposed so that a portion of the field of view of one of them overlaps with a portion of the field of view of another one of them to provide an overlapping field of view within which the two sensors provide complementary transmittance gradients, the two sensors further providing mutually complementary voltage signals in response to light incidence within the overlapping field of view, the system further comprising a processing unit which calculates both an immediate coarse angle value for the incident light pulse and a fine angle describing the precise incident angle relative to the coarse angle value.

Abstract: Either of two beams of coherent light has components which are phase shifted and/or attenuated; the phase shifting is alternatively provided in different embodiments by (a) transmitting the coherent light through a phase plate (which may be of variable opacity); (b) processing the coherent light in a second laser-acoustic delay line through which an acoustic wave has been transmitted, or (c) providing in the laser acoustic delay line two acoustic traveling waves, one of which interacts at the Bragg angle with the coherent light. An interaction at the Bragg angle between either of the light beams and a traveling wave generated in a laseracoustic delay line by an electrical rf signal provides a diffracted light beam having a frequency equal to the sum of the light beam frequency and that of the rf signal. A photodetector heterodynes the two light beams thereby providing a modulated rf signal with phase or amplitude modulation in accordance with the phase shift or attenuation of either of the light beams.