Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in the art of making high pressure laminated materials utilizing kraft paper. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved method of releasing from one another in a press pack a plurality of heat and pressure consolidated resin impregnated laminates, which method comprises utilizing, as a release sheet, a cellulosic-based paper substrate to which an aqueous solution of water-soluble multivalent salt (or salts) is applied during formation of the substrate, and wherein the substrate is subsequently coated after formation on at least one salt-treated side with a film of a salt of alginic acid.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for mechanically preventing overflow of a sump pit into a basement. A cap with a removable cover is placed over a sump pump with a watertight seal. A tall pipe is connected to the cover of the cap, and several auxiliary devices (e.g. egress pipe, faucet, accessory tree, sight tube, and/or alarm apparatus) can be attached to the side of the cap. The volume under the cap and in the pipe may fill with water to provide pressure to prevent further water from entering the sump pit. Water can then be drained the cover removed and the sump pump repaired. In this way, basement flooding through sump pit overflow is inhibited or prevented.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrical distribution center assembly and a method of constructing the same. The electrical distribution center assembly includes an electrical distribution center member, an electrical connector, a support member which retains the electrical connector and includes at least one cam follower projection, at least one cam lever rotatably mounted to the electrical distribution center member, and a driver member for abutting the cam lever arm. An engagement movement of the driver member causes the cam lever to rotate and engage the cam follower projection thereby multiplying an engagement force to draw together the electrical distribution center member and the electrical connector against a resistance. The cam lever also leverages a disengagement force applied to the driver member to separate the electrical distribution center from the electrical connector.

Abstract: An improved fitting for mobile air conditioning systems is disclosed that reduces the risk of damage to fitting O-rings during assembly, the fitting male member being compatible with the fitting female member of many existing fittings currently in service. In particular, the male fitting (152) is compatible with female fitting (72) that comply with the IMACA 305 Standard. The male fitting includes a circumferential bead (158) that engages the distal end of the female member, an intermediate tubular portion (155) that extends distally from the bead, a tubular pilot portion (156) that extends distally from the intermediate portion, and a retainer bead (157) disposed between the intermediate and pilot portions. The retainer bead is positioned to retain the O-ring (51) near the circumferential bead, without interfering with proper compression of the O-ring, and full insertion of the male member into the female member.

Abstract: An improved fitting for mobile air conditioning systems is disclosed that reduces the risk of damage to fitting O-rings during assembly, the fitting male member being compatible with the fitting female member of many existing fittings currently in service. In particular, the male fitting (152) is compatible with female fitting (72) that comply with the IMACA 305 Standard. The male fitting includes a circumferential bead (158) that engages the distal end of the female member, an intermediate tubular portion (155) that extends distally from the bead, a tubular pilot portion (156) that extends distally from the intermediate portion, and a retainer bead (157) disposed between the intermediate and pilot portions. The retainer bead is positioned to retain the O-ring (51) near the circumferential bead, without interfering with proper compression of the O-ring, and full insertion of the male member into the female member.

Abstract: Presented is a system and method for performing highly sensitive measurement of ultrasonic attenuation in small material volumes. The invention allows the mapping of the variations on the surface of a specimen with a high spatial resolution. An ultrasonic transmitter and receiver transmit an ultrasonic signal through a material volume, receive the transmitted pulse, and then re-transmit the received pulse again through the same material volume. The system establishes an oscillating circuit by establishing a positive feedback loop by connecting the transmitter to the receiver with appropriate gain. This oscillating circuit contains the propagation through the material as a component in the signal path. Such a system and method may be employed to aid in the recovery of stamped or engraved serial numbers that have been removed through machining. Such recovery is useful for law enforcement, particularly in tracing weapons and auto parts that have been involved in a crime.

Abstract: An integrated circuit tester includes a fail-safe mechanism for moving an integrated circuit chip between an initial position where the integrated circuit chip is inserted into the tester, and a test position where the integrated circuit chips is actually tested. This fail-safe mechanism includes a motor and a shaft which the motor rotates to move the integrated circuit chip. An electronic control circuit can be included to automatically stop the motor when the integrated circuit reaches its initial position, or its test position; but if the control circuit fails to operate properly, then damage to the integrated circuit tester is prevented by the fail-safe mechanism.

Abstract: This invention is a new and improved PVC conduit coupling (FIG. 1) designed specifically for the use of connecting PVC conduits together under roadways, asphalt, concrete and underground. A long, cylindrical, sleeve-type embodiment that has a greater Glue Surface Area (1) and a stop ring (4). This new invention utilizes the greater Glue Surface Area (1) that keeps conduits from pulling apart, giving the installer and the owner assurance of conduit continuity.

Abstract: An automated airbag deployment system employs an additional switch that is utilized to prevent inadvertent triggering of the gas discharge initiator mechanism. The additional switch member is placed in parallel with the airbag initiator triggering device. This is a normally closed switch which effectively short-circuits the two electrical contacts of the airbag initiator triggering member. This short-circuit effectively prevents inadvertent triggering of this mechanism of the device through static electricity or some other undesired electrical event. The short-circuit mechanism may be utilized to provide improved safety throughout the manufacturing process as well as after the product has been incorporated into a passenger compartment. The resultant product that incorporates this device is much more stable and provides an additional margin of safety.

Abstract: The present invention relates to soil redeposition inhibiting agents, soil redeposition inhibiting articles comprising such soil redeposition inhibiting agents, method for using such soil redeposition inhibiting articles for removing soils from dry or essentially dry fabrics, and systems employing said soil redeposition inhibiting agents such that soil is removed from dry or essentially dry fabrics exposed to the soil redeposition inhibiting agents.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of laundering soiled fabrics comprising the steps of contacting said fabric in an aqueous laundering solution with a nonaqueous liquid detergent composition containing from about 40% to about 99% by weight of the composition of a surfactant-containing non-aqueous liquid phase and from about 1% to about 50% by weight of the composition of particulate material which is substantially insoluble in said liquid phase and which is selected from peroxygen bleaching agents, bleach activators, organic detergent builders, inorganic alkalinity sources and combinations thereof. A dye transfer inhibitor and suds suppressors are essential components in one aspect of the present invention.

Abstract: Tracing a short as a shortest path of explicit VLSI design component instances between two VLSI design component instances with different net names in a hierarchical design is a non-hierarchical problem. The method described in this document computes a shortest path of VLSI design leaf component instances containing at least one of the leaf design components causing the sort. To avoid exceeding available storage, the non-hierarchical instance information maintained during the process is pruned optimally. To achieve feasible performance, two methods to find “good” starting points are provided, based on geometrical distribution or based on connectivity information from the net build (if available).

Abstract: An integrated circuit package is processed by a grinding step, a dissolving step, and a disintegrating step. The grinding step grinds an IC-chip completely off of a substrate, and it also grinds a first portion of a filler layer and a first portion of a set of solder balls which attach the IC-chip to the substrate. This leaves a partial filler layer and partial solder balls on the substrate. The dissolving step dissolves the partial filler layer off of the substrate after the grinding step; and the disintegration step disintegrates at least part of each partial solder ball by subjecting the partial solder balls on the substrate to ultrasonic vibration after the dissolving step. These steps leave the substrate with small solder mounds that can be easily attached to another IC-chip with another set of solder balls.

Abstract: Tracing a short as a shortest path of explicit Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) circuit design component instances between two VLSI design component instances with different net names in a hierarchical design is a non-hierarchical problem. The method described in this document computes an approximation for the shortest path of VLSI design component instances taking full advantage of the hierarchical structure of the design. For the resulting path it is guaranteed that it contains at least one of the VLSI design component instances that cause the short. For each individual cell a Shortest Path Search (SPS) can be applied. In comparison to prior flat searches, which required unfeasible amounts of storage and computation time on large nets, this solution requires asymptotically not more storage and computation time than other forms of hierarchical VLSI checking tasks.

Abstract: A mutual solvent for use in oil and gas well operations comprising 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol monoisobutyrate and/or 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate, a coupling solvent, and an acid stable surfactant. The coupling solvent is selected from ethylene glycol monobutyl ether; diethylene glycol monobutyl ether; propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate; propylene glycol monomethyl ether; C1-C5 alkyl alcohol; and mixtures thereof. The invention also relates to an emulsion for use in oil and gas well operations comprising an aqueous acid or acid-salt brine solution and the mutual solvent as described above. An emulsion according to the invention is stable, non-toxic, and effectively removes asphaltenic and paraffinic hydrocarbons from drilling equipment and oil and gas wells.

Abstract: A granular detergent composition is provided. The detergent composition comprises at least about 1% by weight of a surfactant and at least about 1% by weight of a builder. The detergent composition also includes from about 6 to about 9% of a particulate foam control agent. In addition, the detergent composition includes from about 0.1 to about 10% of hydrated magnesium sulfate, from about 0.05 to about 0.4% of a protease enzyme, and from about 0.05 to about 0.2% of a cellulase enzyme. The detergent composition produces the low level of foam required for optimal cleaning in washing machines employing a low water wash process.

Abstract: A memory disk having a central opening and planar sides for receiving magnetic media on both of the sides is bounded by a cylindrical outside diameter peripheral edge and chamfered edges extending between each of the planar sides. The peripheral edge is clamped by a disk processing chuck including a disk retainer mount having a central disk support for mounting a circular disk edge bounding the central opening and a mount cylindrical beveled edge receiving an outside diameter chamfered edge of the disk. A ring in the retainer mount includes a multiplicity of spaced radial fingers extending cylindrically around the ring, each finger having a distal end extending to a first position outboard of the disk peripheral edge. The distal ends are moveable inwardly to a second position by an inflatable bladder acting simultaneously against all the fingers, placing the distal end tips into clamping contact with the disk peripheral edge mounted on the retainer mount.

Abstract: A detergent composition containing an inexpensive detergent builder in the form of a selected crystalline calcium carbonate that has been coated with a hydrotrope is provided. The crystalline calcium carbonate can be calcite and the hydrotrope can be xylene sulfonate. The crystalline calcium carbonate of the present invention is extremely inexpensive because it performs well even when used at large median particle sizes (e.g. less than 10 m.sup.2 /g surface areas).

Abstract: I/O columns are cast on the I/O pads of an electronic component via a process which uses a template that has a set of alignment holes, and a set of casting holes, and an additional set of pin holes that are interspersed with the casting holes. Initially, the template is placed in a fixture such that the casting holes align with the I/O pads of the electronic component. Next, the template is covered with a mask that exposes all of the casting holes but blocks all of the pin holes. Then the exposed casting holes in the template are filled with a solid metallic material. Next the mask is removed, and the metallic material in the casting holes is melted and re-solidified to thereby form the I/O columns on the I/O pads. Then the electronic component with its I/o columns is separated from the template by pushing on the component with pins that are passed through the pin holes in the template.

Abstract: A rotor assembly for a synchronous reluctance machine has a plurality of steel punched star-shaped supports secured along a shaft at spaced locations for retaining a plurality of laminated rotor sections. The star-shaped supports have four equiangularly spaced arms having arcuate valleys disposed therebetween that define a plurality of channels for receiving the rotor sections. The rotor sections are secured to the star-shaped core by a plurality of bands fastened circumferentially around the rotor. A plurality of grooves disposed circumferentially around the rotor receive and retain the bands in place. A rotor bar and arcuate spring may be disposed within a concave cavity defined by the rotor sections to reduce audible noise produced as the rotor rotates at a high rate of speed and provide added compression on the rotor sections to the core. The rotor sections also include a dimpled separator of predetermined thickness disposed between the laminate sheets to optimize the machine.