Abstract: A push button for mounting on a shell includes a button body depressibly engaged in a through hole defined in the shell, a flexible circuit board, a rigid plate attaching to the shell and a conductive spring tab. The flexible circuit board is arranged between the a button body and the rigid plate. The flexible circuit board is brought into contact with the rigid plate. The flexible circuit board is electrically connected to a connector and includes a pair of normally-open contacts. The conductive spring tab is fixed to the flexible circuit board and aligned with the button body. The conductive spring tab is deformable. The button body is configured for being manually depressed so as to urge the conductive spring tab to deform and contact the pair of normally-open contacts, thereby generating a signal transmittable through the flexible circuit board to the connector.

Abstract: A disassembling device includes a plate, a number of suction cups, a number of fasteners, and a number of rods. The suction cups and the fasteners are respectively disposed at opposite sides of the plate to the fasteners. The plate includes a number of through holes. Each of the rods is fixed to one of the suction cups, the rods extend through the respective through holes, and is connected to the respective fasteners.

Abstract: A semi-solid metal alloy injection feed system for reduced inclusion injection molding comprises a substantially closed injection chamber for containing a billet of semi-solid metal alloy, and thrusting the billet through the injection chamber into a mold, wherein the injection chamber has a first section defined by a wall with an inner contour for mating with a bearing surface for reciprocating motion of the bearing surface within the first section, along a center axis of the injection chamber; and the injection chamber has an outlet in fluid communication with the mold, the outlet provided at an opening in the injection chamber that is offset with respect to the center axis, and is disposed at an angle of 90° to 125° from the center axis. There is no neck or throttling between the chamber and the outlet. A butt end trap is preferably formed that requires inclusions that are principally on a bottom side of the injector to travel a relatively long ways to enter the outlet.

Abstract: A control circuit of an LED lamp includes a voltage regulator, at least a photo resistor and a feedback circuit. The voltage regulator includes an output terminal and a feedback terminal. The feedback circuit includes an amplifier having a first input end, a second input end and an output end. The LED lamp is connected between the first input end of the amplifier and the output terminal of the voltage regulator. The at least a photo resistor can sense a change of brightness level of an environment surrounding the LED lamp and a resistance of the at least a photo resistor increases along with a decrease of the brightness level. The change of resistance of the photo resistor is fed back to the voltage regulator via the amplifier, to thereby control an electric current flowing through the LED lamp.

Abstract: An LED illumination system includes an LED lamp, a voltage stabilizing circuit and a control circuit. The LED lamp includes an LED string which has a plurality of LEDs connected in series. The voltage stabilizing circuit connects the LED lamp for supplying an electric current to the LED string. The control circuit includes an MCU and a MOSFET connected between the MCU and the LED string. The MCU detects the electric current flowing through the LED string and outputs a PWM signal which has a frequency within a range from 60 Hz to 500 Hz to the MOSFET. The MOSFET receives the PWM signal from the MCU and turns on and off repeatedly under a control of the PWM signal, to make a flicker frequency of the LEDs of the LED string be within a predetermined range.

Abstract: Controller scaling and parameterization are described. Techniques that can be improved by employing the scaling and parameterization include, but are not limited to, controller design, tuning and optimization. The scaling and parameterization methods described here apply to transfer function based controllers, including PID controllers. The parameterization methods also apply to state feedback and state observer based controllers, as well as linear active disturbance rejection (ADRC) controllers. Parameterization simplifies the use of ADRC. A discrete extended state observer (DESO) and a generalized extended state observer (GESO) are described. They improve the performance of the ESO and therefore ADRC. A tracking control algorithm is also described that improves the performance of the ADRC controller. A general algorithm is described for applying ADRC to multi-input multi-output systems. Several specific applications of the control systems and processes are disclosed.

Abstract: By blocking an angular extent of an annular skimming trap used for semi-solid injection, a notable reduction in lenticular defects and porosity are observed. The blocking can be performed by a ring having dimensions to completely occlude a prior art annular skimming trap throughout the angular extent, and providing complete and/or partial flow across the ring throughout the rest of the angular extent. Preferably an outlet to the ring trap includes a chamfered edge and/or a deflector for encouraging flow of the contaminated semi-solid material into the trap.

Abstract: An LED illumination system includes an LED lamp, a voltage stabilizing circuit and a control circuit. The LED lamp includes an LED string which has a plurality of LEDs connected in series. The voltage stabilizing circuit connects the LED lamp for supplying an electric current to the LED string. The control circuit includes an MCU and a MOSFET connected between the MCU and the LED string. The MCU detects the electric current flowing through the LED string and outputs a PWM signal which has a frequency within a range from 60 Hz to 500 Hz to the MOSFET. The MOSFET receives the PWM signal from the MCU and turns on and off repeatedly under a control of the PWM signal, to make a flicker frequency of the LEDs of the LED string be within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A control circuit of an LED lamp includes a voltage regulator, at least a photo resistor and a feedback circuit. The voltage regulator includes an output terminal and a feedback terminal. The feedback circuit includes an amplifier having a first input end, a second input end and an output end. The LED lamp is connected between the first input end of the amplifier and the output terminal of the voltage regulator. The at least a photo resistor can sense a change of brightness level of an environment surrounding the LED lamp and a resistance of the at least a photo resistor increases along with a decrease of the brightness level. The change of resistance of the photo resistor is fed back to the voltage regulator via the amplifier, to thereby control an electric current flowing through the LED lamp.

Abstract: A protecting circuit for an LED unit includes first, second, third and fourth diodes. A cathode of the second diode couples to an anode of the first diode, and a cathode of the third diode couples to a cathode of the first diode. The fourth diode includes an anode coupling to the anode of the second diode and a cathode coupling to the anode of the third diode. A first junction is formed between the first and second diodes, a second junction is formed between the third and fourth diodes, a third junction is formed between the second and fourth diodes, and a fourth junction is formed between the first and the third diodes. The first and the second junctions are connected to the LED unit. The third and fourth junctions are connected to a power source for supplying electric current to the LED unit.

Abstract: A semi-solid metal alloy injection feed system for reduced inclusion injection moulding comprises a substantially closed injection chamber for containing a billet of semi-solid metal alloy, and thrusting the billet through the injection chamber into a mould, wherein the injection chamber has a first section defined by a wall with an inner contour for mating with a bearing surface for reciprocating motion of the bearing surface within the first section, along a center axis of the injection chamber; and the injection chamber has an outlet in fluid communication with the mould, the outlet provided at an opening in the injection chamber that is offset with respect to the center axis, and is disposed at an angle of 90° to 125° from the center axis. There is no neck or throttling between the chamber and the outlet. A butt end trap is preferably formed that requires inclusions that are principally on a bottom side of the injector to travel a relatively long ways to enter the outlet.

Abstract: Controller scaling and parameterization are described. Techniques that can be improved by employing the scaling and parameterization include, but are not limited to, controller design, tuning and optimization. The scaling and parameterization methods described here apply to transfer function based controllers, including PID controllers. The parameterization methods also apply to state feedback and state observer based controllers, as well as linear active disturbance rejection (ADRC) controllers. Parameterization simplifies the use of ADRC. A discrete extended state observer (DESO) and a generalized extended state observer (GESO) are described. They improve the performance of the ESO and therefore ADRC. A tracking control algorithm is also described that improves the performance of the ADRC controller. A general algorithm is described for applying ADRC to multi-input multi-output systems. Several specific applications of the control systems and processes are disclosed.

Abstract: A Parallel Round-Robin Arbiter (PRRA) system and method for arbitrating among N requesters. A plurality of leaf nodes that correspond to the N requesters form a directed ring of a hierarchical decision tree, wherein the leaf nodes are operable to propagate requests from the requesters. Each leaf node is provided with status logic operable to transmit its priority status for resolution of requests by the decision tree. Logic associated with the decision tree's nodes is operable to hierarchically resolve the requests propagated by the leaf nodes, wherein each leaf node is operable to transmit its grant to one of its immediate leaf node neighbors coupled to it via the directed ring for influencing the neighboring leaf node's priority status logic.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing channel scheduling algorithms in an optical router wherein a scheduler operates pursuant to an algorithm and is capable of determining the availability of outbound data channels capable of carrying a data packet of duration B. The scheduler is further capable of selecting one channel from available data channels and assigning the data packet to the selected channel. The scheduler then updates state information of the selected data channel, but if no data channel is available to carry the data packet the data packet is dropped.

Abstract: Composite products incorporating a polymer matrix, polymer microspheres, glass microspheres and natural fibers, particularly kenaf are described. The polymer microspheres are 15 to 50 microns in diameter and are smaller that the glass microspheres which are 50 to 200 microns in diameter. The polymer microspheres reduce voids and prevent cracking of the glass microspheres upon compression. The composites have low cost and high strength.