Abstract: A valve assembly includes a cartridge configured to be removably coupled to a valve body. The cartridge includes a hub. The valve assembly further includes a sleeve encapsulating at least a portion of the hub and having an internal sleeve surface defining an interior cavity.

Abstract: Exothermic reaction mixtures are electrically ignited with a low cost foil strip of two conductive strips separated by a layer of insulation. One or more holes are formed in the ignitor to create shaped spark plasma on one side and a venting plasma on the opposite side of the hole. The spark with low energy requirements is sufficient to ignite exothermic reactions for welding, casting and other uses. The ignitor may be part of reusable crucibles and molds, or expendable packages, containers, and molds, or smaller squibs for igniting larger charges. The ignitor may be immersed in or substantially adjacent the charge of exothermic material. The spark forming hole or holes is made and shaped by a punch in a simple and low cost manner. The ignitor eliminates the need for starting powders or materials and flint gun ignitors.

Abstract: Exothermic reaction mixtures are electrically ignited with a low cost foil strip of two conductive strips separated by a layer of insulation. One or more holes are formed in the ignitor to create shaped spark plasma on one side and a venting plasma on the opposite side of the hole. The spark with low energy requirements is sufficient to ignite exothermic reactions for welding, casting and other uses. The ignitor may be part of reusable crucibles and molds, or expendable packages, containers, and molds, or smaller squibs for igniting larger charges. The ignitor may be immersed in or substantially adjacent the charge of exothermic material. The spark forming hole or holes is made and shaped by a punch in a simple and low cost manner. The ignitor eliminates the need for starting powders or materials and flint gun ignitors.

Abstract: Exothermic reaction mixtures are electrically ignited with a low cost foil strip of two conductive strips separated by a layer of insulation. One or more holes are formed in the ignitor to create shaped spark plasma on one side and a venting plasma on the opposite side of the hole. The spark with low energy requirements is sufficient to ignite exothermic reactions for welding, casting and other uses. The ignitor may be part of reusable crucibles and molds, or expendable packages, containers, and molds, or smaller squibs for igniting larger charges. The ignitor may be immersed in or substantially adjacent the charge of exothermic material. The spark forming hole or holes is made and shaped by a punch in a simple and low cost manner. The ignitor eliminates the need for starting powders or materials and flint gun ignitors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a variable voltage regulator that can be easily adjusted via a jumper, or a signal (provided by another circuit) so that the variable voltage regulator can provide at least one of a plurality of discrete voltages to an integrated circuit, such as a microprocessor. This is useful when a replacement microprocessor requires a different operating voltage than the microprocessor it replaced.

Abstract: A circuit that automatically switches the power supply voltage PVDD provided to a CPU between 3.3 volts and 5 volts. The circuit detects whether the CPU installed in a socket is a 3.3-volt part or a 5-volt part by determining the state of a voltage detect sense pin provided by the socket. If the voltage detect sense pin is driven low, that indicates a 3.3-volt CPU is being used. If a 5-volt CPU is installed, the voltage detect sense pin is left floating by the CPU, which allows a pullup resistor to pull the voltage detect sense pin high. The power supply voltage provided to the CPU is regulated through a power field effect transistor (FET). The gate of the power FET is connected to the output of a voltage reference source and is coupled to a 12-volt supply signal. If the voltage detect sense pin is pulled high, the voltage reference source is turned off, allowing the 12-volt supply signal to drive the gate of the power FET.

Abstract: An efficient fan drive circuit to drive a variable fan used in a power supply of a personal computer system. The fan drive circuit uses a diode to establish the minimum fan speed during operation in the normal temperature range. The bleeder resistor normally coupled between the fan and a negative output voltage is removed and replaced with a current source. The current source also serves to shut down the power supply if the fan is not operating properly or is not installed. A shut down circuit remains to shut down the power supply when excessive temperature occurs, or when the current source detects that the fan is malfunctioning or not installed.

Abstract: A computer system has a monitor which can be powered down to conserve electrical power. The Monitor has two power modes, normal power mode and low power mode. Upon receiving a signal from the CPU, the monitor switches between power modes.

Abstract: A power supply monitoring circuit, and a data processing system incorporating the same together with a regulated power supply and system components such as a CPU, are disclosed. The power supply monitoring circuit includes delay circuits, with the respective delays selected by the selection of capacitor values, for delaying the issuing of a "power-good" signal to the CPU after power-up until sufficient time has passed after establishment of adequate voltages on the power supply bus to allow the power supplies to stabilize, and for ignoring undervoltage faults (in generating a power supply shutdown signal) on said power supplies for a brief period of time after power-up. The stabilization and power-up delay periods may be selected independently from one another, so that the power-up delay can expire prior to the expiration of the stabilization delay.

Abstract: In an electric detonator or blasting cap of the type including a base charge of high explosive material, an initiator means or initiator for creating an abrupt eruption in response to application of a selected voltage across the igniter and means for detonating the base charge upon creation of the abrupt eruption of the initiator, there is provided an improvement comprising forming the initiator as a junction of energetic material, such as a PN junction of an LED chip, encapsulated in a plastic or glass confinement housing. The housing has a directional controlling partition means facing in a selected direction. This partition has an effective spacing from the junction substantially less than the remainder of the confinement housing whereby application of a voltage pulse of over about 500 volts causes the junction to form an electric arc to create a plasma by a confined, high temperature, high pressure exothermic reaction.

Abstract: A low conductivity mounting stud for attaching an electronic component to a base structure such as a heat sink eliminates the need for several insulating washers and other insulators around the shaft of the mounting stud. The mounting stud may be composed of ceramic material such as partially stabilized zirconia. The mounting stud is secured with a press-on fastener such as a "Tinnerman nut".

Abstract: A computer system having a power supply monitoring arrangement employs a number of comparators for detecting whether or not various supply voltages produced by the power supply for use in the computer are above or below a reference level, or whether an overcurrent condition exists. These detected conditions are used to determine whether or not the power supply should be shut down, or during power-up to determine whether the initialization routine can be started by the CPU. Delays are included to prevent an undervoltage condition from indicating shut down of the power supply during power-up.

Abstract: A fuse or ignition conductor for conducting ignition from an igniter to a remotely located primer, as used in the detonation of explosives. The ignition conductor contains a light transmitting fiber optic cord bound to the ignition conducting material of the fuse in such manner that if the ignition conducting material is broken, the fiber optic cord is also broken. The claimed subject matter further includes assemblies containing means at the primer end for transmitting light back to the igniter end.

Abstract: It has long been known that there is an interfacial tension between immiscible liquids such as water in oil. It has long been known that membranes when wetted by one of two immiscible liquids will preferentially allow the passage through the membrane of the liquid with which the membrane is wetted, and will reject the other liquid with an opposing force that is proportional to the interfacial tension of the liquids. The opposing force is inversely proportional to the diameter of the pores of the membrane, and can be several inches of water head for pores a couple thousands of an inch in diameter. According to principles of the present invention, a structure is provided which augments the small water opposing force of the above described phenomenon with opposing forces of other mechanisms to produce a combined force which will separate water, without utilizing dirt collecting and annoying water coalescing filters, such as layers of glass fibers, etc.

Abstract: A continuity checking system for detonating cord having four principle parts. The detonating cord has a fiber optic cord associated therewith to run from the blasting cap to a remote primer; a light return device is installed at the primer; a disposable testing head is installed at the end of the detonating cord adjacent the blasting cap; and a testing device is positioned a safe distance away from the disposable testing head. The testing head utilizes an LED with means for illuminating the end of the fiber optic cord, and a light sensitive device with means for sensing return light from the fiber optic cord. An electrical input signal, and an electrical output signal from the disposable testing head is communicated by electrical wires to the remote testing device.