Abstract: A method and apparatus that electrically connects a stationary housing and a rotating housing of a device through a hinge assembly is disclosed. The method may include a spline hinge assembly having first and second access planes, and a cable that is ribbonized at the housing and bundled at the hinge assembly that has the ability to transmit torque from the fixed half of the device to the rotating half. A split construction hinge assembly allows the rotational half of the device to be a separate sub-assembly from the fixed half sub-assembly. Through an index/castled spline, the two halves can be properly aligned and assembled, and have the ability to transmit a torque.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for making a moldable polymer mixture containing long reinforcing fibers that suffered no significant damage during plastication. The system and method produces a mixture in which the long fibers are longer and have encountered less damage than moldable mixtures made in previous plasticators. The plasticator system has a single screw, but with multiple zones for treating the materials differently. The long fibers, wet or dry, are fed into a downstream zone, distributed over a large port in a low density concentration, and heated and dispersed with low shear to separate the long fibers and surround them with polymer for protection before subjecting them to medium to high shear to finalize the dispersion of the long fibers.