Abstract: A one-way optical communication system adapted for vehicular use. A light-readable indicia (35) is embedded in a window or mounted on an exterior portion of a moving motor vehicle (10). The indicia (15) is transparent to visible light and is reflective to infrared or ultraviolet light, making it generally invisible to the unaided human eye. A beam (30) of infrared or ultraviolet light located in a fixed position remote from the moving vehicle illuminates the indicia and portions of the beam are reflected from the illuminated indicia in a representative pattern. The reflected beam is detected by a fixed sensor (25), which provides an electrical signal. The signal is analyzed to determine the identity of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: A multipoint electrical interconnection (10) provides a plurality of electrical pathways between electrically conductive hooks (15) on a substrate (12) and an electrical component (50). A plurality of electrically conductive hooks generally formed in the shape of a `J` have a head portion (20) affixed to the substrate such that a hook portion (17) protrudes above the substrate. An electrically conductive portion of a component is disposed against the substrate such that it contacts at least three of the electrically conductive hooks and deforms the hooks. The deformed hooks provide a spring force to effect a multipoint electrical connection.

Abstract: An adaptable mold assembly (10) consists of two mold bases (100, 102). One or both of the mold bases has at least one interchangeable portion (104, 105) removably mounted on the mold base, whose function is to actuate in a direction different from the draw direction. The interchangeable portion is typically used to facilitate the removal of the molded part from the mold, and often functions as a mold slide or pull. The ability to interchange and reconfigure the mold base reduces tooling costs and adds design flexibility to the tool. In another embodiment of the invention, the function of the interchangeable portion (106) is to provide process monitoring, process control or process optimization.

Abstract: A process for designing and optimally fabricating a plastic object begins by creating a surface model (215) of the object on a digital computer. The surface model contains information about the exterior of the product. A set of constraints (222) that are based on physical attributes of the product and resources available to make the product is defined, and is used to determine an optimum path (223) through a set of manufacturing processes (230) by selecting certain of those processes. A precedence relationship between the selected processes creates a set of interconnected activities. The surface model is processed (224) to convert the databank supporting the model to information that is usable by the selected processes, and this information is sent to the selected processes. Each process performs an activity in accordance with the defined precedence relationship, so that an output of the last one of the selected processes is the plastic object (235).

Abstract: A process for molding dimensionally accurate plastic articles using a low pressure injection molding technique. The process utilizes a two-piece silicone rubber mold having a cavity representative of the shape of the article to be molded. The mold is substantially encased on all sides in a rigid mold box to prevent deformation of the cavity during the molding process (10). The mold box and the encased mold are placed in a vacuum chamber, and a vacuum is drawn on the chamber to evacuate the cavity (20). A predetermined amount of a reactive mixture is simultaneously mixed and injected under pressure into the mold to form the plastic article (30). The amount of material injected is sufficient to fill the cavity but not sufficient to distort the cavity. The chamber is vented (40) and the mold is removed from the mold box (50). The mold is flexed in order to remove the plastic article from the mold (60).

Abstract: A conformal shield (10) includes a conformal shield base (15), and a conductive layer (16). The conformal shield base (10) has a first conformable insulating material (12) having a characteristic softening point at a first temperature. A second conformable insulating material (14), which has a characteristic softening point at temperature higher than the first temperature, is overlaid on the first conformable insulating material (12). The conductive layer (16) is disposed on the conformal shield base (15) to form the shield (10).

Abstract: A mold (100) is constructed by forming a shell (125) having a back surface (127) and a mold surface (126) which defines a mold cavity (150), by forming a shell base (124) about the back surface (127) of the shell (125) so as to define an enclosed cavity (134) between the shell base (124) and the shell (125), and by filling the enclosed cavity (134) with substantially incompressible material (135).

Abstract: An encapsulated electronic package (10) is made by bonding one or more semiconductor devices or integrated circuits (16) to a printed circuit board with an adhesive (14), and covering with a glob top encapsulant (15). The printed circuit board has a metal circuit pattern (12) on one side, and, optionally, solder pads (27) on the second side. The glob top encapsulant covers the integrated circuit, portions of the metal circuit pattern, and portions of the printed circuit board surface. The printed circuit board, the adhesive, and the encapsulant are all made from the same type of resin. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the resin used to make the printed circuit board, the adhesive, and the encapsulant is an organosilicon polymer comprised substantially of alternating polycyclic hydrocarbon residues and cyclic polysiloxane or siloxysilane residues linked through carbon-silicon bonds.

Abstract: Thermally conductive particles (14) for use in a polymeric resin are provided. The particles (10) are aluminum nitride coated with copper (12). The thermally conductive particles (14) are incorporated into a polymer (38) in order to provide, for example, a thermally conductive adhesive (36). The thermally conductive adhesive is used to bond an electronic component (32) to a circuit carrying substrate (34) in order to dissipate heat from the electronic component.

Abstract: A tacking agent is provided for use in temporarily adhering electronic components and providing fluxing properties for soldering electronic assemblies. The tacking agent comprises a fluxing agent and a tackifier. The fluxing agent is composed of one or more carboxylic acids having the formula ##STR1## where R is an alkyl group containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, R' is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and hydroxyl, and R" is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl and carboxyl. The tackifier comprises one or more alcohols, aromatic hydrocarbon solvents, aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents, or polymers. The tacking agent is deposited onto a printed circuit board or other substrate, the electronic components are placed into the deposited tacking agent and soldered. During solder reflow the fluxing agent provides fluxing action for the soldering process, and the tackifier volatilizes, leaving little or no residue on the printed circuit board.

Abstract: An improved encapsulant for an electronic component package is composed of an inorganic powder dispersed in a polycyanurate resin binder. The encapsulant is formed by applying a curing mixture of the powder and a liquid vehicle composed predominantly of a blend of one or more multifunctional cyanate ester compounds that are curable to form the binder. The blend includes a cyanate ester substituted bisphenol derivative compound having the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are members of the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl and ethyl. Preferably, the blend includes a second cyantophenylene compound having the formula ##STR2## wherein R.sub.3 is a hydrocarbon chain including an aryl link.

Abstract: An adhesive material 220 including a fluxing agent and metal particles 240 is applied to either a substrate 200 having a metallization pattern 210 or an electrical component 230. The component 230 is positioned on the substrate 210 and heated. During the heating step, the fluxing agent promotes adhesion of the metal particles 240 to the substrate metallization pattern 210 and the component, and the adhesive material 220 is cured, to mechanically interconnect and encapsulate the substrate 210 and the component 230.

Abstract: Briefly, according to the invention, a transfer molding compound is made from an epoxide resin, a cyanate ester, and a catalyst. The molding compound is used to encapsulate semiconductor devices to fabricate individual packages or to encapsulate devices mounted directly on a circuit carrying substrate.

Abstract: A sensor (18) for measuring the rheology of materials is provided, comprising a deformable beam (20) simply supported at two locations (21 and 22). The beam has supported and unsupported portions, with the unsupported portion (28) extending beyond the supported portion. A strain gauge (23) is attached to the supported portion of the deformable beam (20), and measures the induced strain on the beam when the unsupported portion (28) is deflected by a moving material.

Abstract: An adhesive material 120 including a fluxing agent is applied to either a substrate 100 having a metallization pattern 110 or a solder bumped electrical component 130. The component 130 is positioned on the substrate 110 and the solder bump 140 is reflowed. During the reflow step, the fluxing agent promotes adhesion of the solder 140 to the substrate metallization pattern 110, and the adhesive material 120 is cured to mechanically interconnect and encapsulate the substrate 110 to the component 130.

Abstract: Solder pastes having vehicles including formic acid-soluble organic acids as fluxing agents are described. Fluxing agents may be compounds of the formula: ##STR1## where R is an electron withdrawing group. In one embodiment, R is selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, sulfur, hydroxyl, nitrile, and benzyl. Other suitable formic-acid fluxing agents include, but are not limited to, adipic acid, acrylic acid, polyacrylic acid, methacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid. The compounds clean oxides from the printed circuit boards (PCBs) under assembly and then volatilize leaving a residue to be cleaned away. The cleaning step involves rinsing with formic acid. No undesired residue remains indicating that the organic acids of the invention are effective in cleaning boards.

Abstract: A solder paste is formulated by combining a solder paste vehicle, a resin, and solder alloy particles. The solder paste vehicle is made by combining mono and polyfunctional alcoholic solvents with a fluxing agent. The solder particles are first reacted with a formate ion produced by formic acid, formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, or mixtures thereof, in order to create a metal-formate complex that functions as an oxygen scavenger on the surface of the solder alloy particles.

Abstract: Solder pastes having vehicles including blends of low boiling point alcohols and relatively high boiling point alcohols are described which leave residues which may be cleaned using only water are described. The low boiling point alcohols have a boiling point range of between about 65.degree. and about 150.degree. C. whereas the high boiling point alcohols have a boiling point in rhe range of about 150.degree. to about 270.degree. C. The solder pastes also use water-soluble organic acids as fluxing agents such as compounds of the formula: ##STR1## where R is an electron withdrawing group such as fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, sulfur, hydroxyl, nitrile, and benzyl. Other suitable formic-acid fluxing agents include, but are not limited to, adipic acid, polyacrylic acid, methacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid. The compounds clean oxides from the printed circuit boards (PCBs) under assembly and then volatilze leaving a residue to be cleaned away. The cleaning step involves rinsing with water.

Abstract: Fluxing compositions are described containing as fluxing agents compounds of the formula: ##STR1## where R is an electron withdrawing group. In one embodiment, R is selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, sulfur, hydroxyl, nitrile, and benzyl. The compound cleans oxides from the printed circuit boards (PCBs) under assembly and then volatilize with little or no need for a cleaning step, or cleaning only with water or formic acid. Very little or no undesired residue remains. Such acid fluxing agents can be used mixed with typical solder formulations, such as lead/tin solder pastes, or applied topically to solders, such as solder balls; both techniques permit the assembly of PCBs more easily with high quality bonds, and with little or no residue. Malic acid is a preferred organic acid fluxing agent.

Abstract: Fluxing compositions containing compounds that generate acids upon photoinitiation from a light source such as Hg/Xe ultraviolet (UV) light sources are described. The acids clean oxides from the printed circuit boards (PCBs) under assembly and then volatilize with little or no need for a cleaning step, or cleaning only with water. The compounds that release an oxide removing agent, sometimes called a "photoacid" include metal and organic onium salts and furyl compounds bearing a carbonyl group. Such fluxing compositions can be used mixed with typical solder formulations, such as lead/tin solders, or applied topically thereto; both techniques permit the assembly of PCBs more easily and with high quality bonds.