Abstract: A hand-held pneumatic impact tool for use in fine hand working operations includes a mechanism for adjusting impacting characteristics of the device that is conveniently located and adjusted by the user. The mechanism includes an annular band protruding around the outside diameter of the body of the impact tool that may be turned for adjusting the piston stroke length and speed at which impacts occur.

Abstract: High quality epitaxial layers of monocrystalline materials can be grown overlying monocrystalline substrates such as large silicon wafers by forming a compliant substrate for growing the monocrystalline layers. An accommodating buffer layer comprises a layer of monocrystalline oxide spaced apart from a silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer. The accommodating buffer layer is lattice matched to both the underlying silicon wafer and the overlying monocrystalline material layer. Any lattice mismatch between the accommodating buffer layer and the underlying silicon substrate is taken care of by the amorphous interface layer. In addition, formation of a compliant substrate may include utilizing surfactant enhanced epitaxy, epitaxial growth of single crystal silicon onto single crystal oxide, and epitaxial growth of Zintl phase materials.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure with selective doping includes a monocrystalline silicon substrate, an amorphous oxide material overlying the monocrystalline silicon substrate, a monocrystalline perovskite oxide material overlying the amorphous oxide material, at least one monocrystalline compound semiconductor material overlying the monocrystalline perovskite oxide material, and a transistor in the at least one monocrystalline compound semiconductor material and including active regions having different conductivity levels under substantially identical bias conditions.

Abstract: High quality epitaxial layers of monocrystalline materials can be grown overlying monocrystalline substrates such as large silicon wafers by forming a compliant substrate for growing the monocrystalline layers. An accommodating buffer layer comprises a layer of monocrystalline oxide spaced apart from a silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer of silicon oxide. In addition, formation of a compliant substrate may include utilizing surfactant enhanced epitaxy, epitaxial growth of single crystal silicon onto single crystal oxide, and epitaxial growth of Zintl phase materials. A thermo-electric device is integrated into the semiconductor structure.

Abstract: A golf ball placement device including a housing, a golf ball container, a actuator which can be actuated to place a golf ball, a tube which can hold a golf ball at its vertical position and place the golf ball at a particular position after being rotated to a horizontal position, and a transmission linkage that links the motion of the actuator to the pivotal motion of the tube is disclosed. The transmission linkage is properly balanced using springs and/or weights so that only a minimum force is needed to actuate the actuator in order to place a golf ball. The device may further include a tee height adjuster to adjust the extent of the rotation of tube to enable the device to dispense a golf ball at a proper height. The device may further optionally include a cover and a place to hold an advertisement. The device may be further made into an ultra portable model by adding a side cover which can be partially flipped open to serve as a golf practice tee.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the velocity of a rotating device is described herein. The apparatus includes sets of sense magnets affixed to a rotating shaft of a rotating device and a circuit assembly. The circuit assembly includes a circuit interconnection having sense coils and sensors affixed thereto. The circuit assembly is adapted to place components thereon in close proximity to the sets of sense magnets on the rotating part.

Abstract: An applicator article and method are disclosed for inserting a substance into a body cavity. The applicator article and method are especially useful for inserting a catamenial tampon into a woman's vagina. The applicator article includes a tubular member formed from at least one layer of paper which has an exterior surface. The tubular member is capable of holding the substance to be inserted into the body cavity. An exterior surface coating of the tubular member includes a compostable coating composed of at least 85 percent by weight of a polymeric blend material of polylactide, at least 10 percent by weight of additives, and up to about 5 percent by weight of a residual monomer. The coating provides the tubular member with a dry coefficient of kinetic friction value ranging from between 0.62 to 0.86. In one embodiment, a water-soluble polyethylene oxide, a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol, or a combination of polyethylene oxide and polyvinyl alcohol.

Abstract: A hand-held pneumatic impact tool for use in fine hand working operations includes a mechanism for adjusting impacting characteristics of the device that is conveniently located and adjusted by the user. The mechanism includes an annular band protruding around the outside diameter of the body of the impact tool that may be turned for adjusting an annular ring in the bore of the tool and thus altering the distance required for the piston to reach impact collision with the anvil. The impact tool also includes a handle containing a receiving-recess and a handle-attachment unit to permit manual removal and installation of the handle. The handle-attachment unit includes more than one protruding member positioned a distance into the receiving-recess, more than one groove on the outside diameter of body and running a distance and in a direction substantially parallel with the central longitudinal axis of the body and then changes direction and rotates around the central longitudinal axis of the body a distance.

Abstract: A signpost assembly includes a spring-loaded connector designed for connecting a signpost to an anchor member, the signpost being designed to shear off when struck forcefully. The signpost has at least one opening. The connector has a bracket with at least a first support side defining an opening and a second support side, and a base connecting the support sides. The connector also has at least one pin which is spring biased. The pin has an alignment knob at one end. The spring biases the pin between a first compressed position and a second expanded position. The opening in the support side allows the alignment knob to protrude through. The assembled connector is held in place by the spring's tension against the spring side of the stop flanges.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the velocity of a rotating device is described herein. The system includes an apparatus with a set of sense magnets affixed to a rotating shaft of the rotating device and a circuit assembly. The circuit assembly includes a circuit interconnection having a plurality of sense coils and sensors affixed thereto. The circuit assembly is adapted be in proximity to the set of sense magnets on the rotating part. A controller is coupled to the circuit assembly, where the controller executes an adaptive algorithm that determines the velocity of the rotating device. The algorithm is a method of combining a derived velocity with a velocity from the tachometer.

Abstract: An optical filter for providing frequency dependant filtering of an optical input signal, the filter including: an input wave guide; an output waveguide; a polarisation separation means; a variable polarisation rotation means, the variation being dependant on a first control input signal; and a birefringent element having variable birefringence, the variation being dependant on a second control input signal; wherein an optical input signal emitted from the input waveguide passes through the polarisation separation means, the variable polarisation rotation means and the birefringent element to the output waveguide so as to produce at the output waveguide an optical output signal having a frequency dependant output characteristics determined by one of the control input signals.

Abstract: An applicator article and method are disclosed for inserting a substance into a body cavity. The applicator article and method are especially useful for inserting a catamenial tampon into a woman's vagina. The applicator article includes a tubular member formed from at least one layer of paper which has an exterior surface. The tubular member is capable of holding the substance to be inserted into the body cavity. An exterior surface coating of the tubular member includes a compostable coating composed of at least 85 percent by weight of a polymeric blend material of polylactide and a water-soluble polyethylene oxide, a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol, or a combination of polyethylene oxide and polyvinyl alcohol. In one embodiment, multiple layers form the exterior surface coating. In one embodiment, the exterior surface coating has a thickness varying in dimension from the insertion end to the opposite external base end.

Abstract: Disclosed is a current sensing system for measuring the current flowing through a current sensing resistance. The system has a calibration resistance coupled to the current sensing resistance and a pair of input resistances each having a first end coupled to one of the ends of the current sensing resistance and a second end coupled to one of the ends of the calibration resistance. A voltage is created across the calibration resistance and the calibration resistance is set at a predetermined level to compensate for the current sensing resistance deviating from a reference value. The voltage is filtered and amplified to produce an output representative of the measured current.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems are provided for introducing large numbers of different materials into a microfluidic analytical device rapidly, efficiently and reproducibly. In particular, improved integrated pipettor chip configurations, e.g. sippers or electropipettors, are described which are capable of sampling extremely small amounts of material for which analysis is desired, transporting material into a microfluidic analytical channel network, and performing the desired analysis on the material.

Abstract: A brushless DC motor modifies motor commutation events to reduce noise by providing overlapping activation of the switch being deactivated with the switch being newly activated so that three switches are temporarily activated. The newly activated switch is pulse width modulated with a motor torque controlling duty cycle, and the switch being deactivated is pulse width modulated synchronously with the newly activated switch but with a duty cycle decreasing from the torque controlling duty cycle. The decreasing modulation of the switch being deactivated allows a slower current decrease in the phase turning off to reduce or eliminate the disturbances, and thus the noise. The decreasing modulation is preferably exponential in manner, with a time constant varying inversely with motor speed so that the duty cycle reaches a predetermined minimum in a predetermined maximum number of motor electrical degrees.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for efficient and effective distribution of system management messages between customer and service provider sites. The invention ensures inter-site messages are appropriately routed according to information within the message in a flexible manner based on system conditions and configuration. The invention also adapts to system dynamic changes such as inter-site communication link interruption or congestion and provides seamless automated information technologies operations during these system dynamic changes. Automated management services are only postponed until such communication link can be restored. Two embodiments are provided to illustrate the invention. In one embodiment, system management resides at the service provider site with local system management backup at the customer site. In a second embodiment, system management resides at both the service provider site and customer site.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel compounds that can complex with lanthanide cations, processes for their preparation and the use of the resulting lanthanide chelates as biomolecular probes.

Abstract: Pyrimidone compounds of formula (I): 1

Abstract: A hand-held pneumatic impact tool for use in fine hand working operations includes a mechanism for adjusting impacting characteristics of the device that is conveniently located and adjusted by the user. The mechanism includes an annular band protruding around the outside diameter of the body of the impact tool that may be turned for adjusting an annular ring in the bore of the tool and thus altering the porting and the impacting characteristics of the impacting piston. The impact tool also includes a tubing attachment barrel that may be slid or rotated around the impact tool for position the tubing attachment location for user comfort, a housing having a cavity and annular shoulder accommodating a stepped piston dividing the cavity into three chambers.

Abstract: A non-reciprocal optical device mapping a series of optical input/output signal waveguides to a corresponding series of optical input/output signal waveguides, the device comprising: a series of spaced apart input/output waveguides; a reflective imaging system for reflecting and focussing light emitted from the input/output waveguides; a plurality of crystal elements between the input/output waveguides and the reflective imaging means; at least one non-reciprocal polarization rotation element; wherein light emitted from a first input/output waveguide is transmitted to a second input/output waveguide in a polarization independent manner and light emitted from the second input/output waveguide is transmitted away from the first input/output waveguide.