Abstract: A metallic resistive heater and a method of production are described. The resistive heater has a metallic component that is electrically conductive (i.e. has low resistivity) and an oxide, nitride, carbide, and or boride derivative of the metallic component that is electrically insulating (i.e., has high resistivity). The resistivity is controlled by controlling the amount of oxide, nitride, carbide, and boride formation during the deposition of the metallic component and the derivative.

Abstract: Molded articles that have a surface coating, as well as, methods and systems of producing the same are provided. The type of surface coating is selected to provide the article with certain desired properties. In general, the methods involve applying a coating to a mold surface, for example using a thermal spray process, and then molding an article in the mold. The coating is transferred to the surface of the molded article during the molding process.

Abstract: The present invention features a metallic resistive heater and uses thereof. The resistive heater includes a metallic component that is electroconductive (i.e., has low resistivity) and an oxide, nitride, carbide, silicide, and/or boride derivative of the metal component that is electrically insulating (i.e., has high resistivity). The resistivity is controlled in part by controlling the amount of oxide, nitride, carbide, silicide, and boride formation during the deposition of the metal component and the derivative.

Abstract: An electro-hydraulic actuator system (10 or 140) includes a hydraulic actuator (27) having a pair of fluid filled chambers (29, 30) and being operable to provide an actuator output (12) as a function of fluid pressures at the chambers. An electric-hydrostatic actuator (34 or 141) includes an electric motor (35 or 142) responsive to motor control signals for providing an output to a motor shaft (40 or 150), one or more pistons (56 or 166, 170) coupled to the shaft, and one or more hydraulic housings (92 or 160, 162) mounted on the motor and cooperating with the pistons for providing a pair of fluid cylinders (54 or 164, 168) respectively coupled to the fluid chambers at the hydraulic actuator. A solenoid valve (33) is connected between the cylinders, and is responsive to valve control signals for feeding fluid between the actuator chambers and thereby short circuiting the hydrostatic actuator cylinders.

Abstract: A method which forms a part by molding and applies a coating by thermal spray in one operation, thereby reducing the time to make the composite part and extending the physical properties of the part. A molding machine (56) is coupled with a thermal spray system (24) so that a mold cavity (16) may be coated while the separable mold (10) is apart. The sprayed coating (28) may be any material suitable for thermal spray. The sprayed coating (28) is deposited with low bond strength to the mold and a high surface roughness for adhesion to the material being molded. After the thermal spray system (24) and mask (30) are retracted, the mold components are assembled and the molding material is introduced into the mold as in conventional molding. After solidication of the molding material, the part is ejected from the mold as a composite, consisting of a low melting point material bonded to a coating of either high or low melting point.

Abstract: An electro-hydraulic actuator system (10 or 140) includes a hydraulic actuator (27) having a pair of fluid filled chambers (29, 30) and being operable to provide an actuator output (12) as a function of fluid pressures at the chambers. An electric-hydrostatic actuator (34 or 141) includes an electric motor (35 or 142) responsive to motor control signals for providing an output to a motor shaft (40 or 150), one or more pistons (56 or 166, 170) coupled to the shaft, and one or more hydraulic housings (92 or 160, 162) mounted on the motor and cooperating with the pistons for providing a pair of fluid cylinders (54 or 164, 168) respectively coupled to the fluid chambers at the hydraulic actuator. A solenoid valve (33) is connected between the cylinders, and is responsive to valve control signals for feeding fluid between the actuator chambers and thereby short circuiting the hydrostatic actuator cylinders.

Abstract: An interlock mechanism for preventing or enabling the operation of a handle operator or a contactor in certain circumstances comprises a system of mechanical linkages which interact to determine whether a lock-out mode or an enabling mode exists with respect to the electric motor being controlled. In the handle assembly, the lock-out bar has a circular aperture that receives a push rod in the enable mode and blocks the push rod in the lock-out mode. The push rod is connected to a blocking bracket which must be depressed by a human operator prior to cycling the handle operator. If the blocking bracket cannot be fully depressed by the human operator because the push rod is blocked by the lock-out bar, then the human operator can not cycle the handle operator between its OFF and ON positions, thus a first half of the interlock is achieved. Conversely, the interlock is also designed to prevent the contactor from supplying power to the electric motor if the handle operator is being cycled.

Abstract: An interlock mechanism for preventing or enabling the operation of a handle operator or a contactor in certain circumstances comprises a system of mechanical linkages which interact to determine whether a lock-out mode or an enabling mode exists with respect to the electric motor being controlled. In the handle assembly, the lock-out bar has a circular aperture that receives a push rod in the enable mode and blocks the push rod in the lock-out mode. The push rod is connected to a blocking bracket which must be depressed by a human operator prior to cycling the handle operator. If the blocking bracket cannot be fully depressed by the human operator because the push rod is blocked by the lock-out bar, then the human operator can not cycle the handle operator between its OFF and ON positions, thus a first half of the interlock is achieved. Conversely, the interlock is also designed to prevent the contactor from supplying power to the electric motor if the handle operator is being cycled.

Abstract: The present invention features a metallic resistive heater and uses thereof. The resistive heater includes a metallic component that is electrically conductive (i.e., has low resistivity) and an oxide, nitride, carbide, and/or boride derivative of the metallic component that is electrically insulating (i.e., has high resistivity). The resistivity is controlled in part by controlling the amount of oxide, nitride, carbide, and boride formation during the deposition of the metallic component and the derivative.

Abstract: An electro-hydraulic power steering system comprising an elongated vehicle steering linkage rack with a rotatable steering gear in mesh with rack teeth and extending within an elongated power assist cylinder of a rack housing. A rack piston separates the power assist cylinder into first and second power assist working chambers filled with hydraulic fluid. An electric/hydrostatic steering assist module includes a hydraulic actuator cylinder with a linear drive screw extending lengthwise therein and journalled for bi-directional rotation and against axial displacement. An actuator piston is reciprocable but non-rotatable within the actuator cylinder and separates it into first and second hydraulic fluid filled actuating chambers. The drive screw is threadedly engaged with the actuator piston to produce bi-directional linear movement thereof as rotationally bi-directionally driven by a servo motor carried on the module.

Abstract: The present invention is a fast fading packet diversity transmission method and system for reducing the effects of multipath fading on slow fading channels. One embodiment of the present invention includes a modulator for modulating information packets and a plurality of M multipliers for transmitting the modulated information packets from M antennas with up to M sets of M fixed phase offsets. Another embodiment of the present invention transmits a first group of information packets from M antennas with up to M sets of M fixed phase offsets and a second group of information packets with M slow time varying phase offsets.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for adapting transmissions between an industry standard data bus of a host computer having a host memory and a fiber channel coupled between said host computer and a peripheral storage subsystem having at least one disk drive, which apparatus comprises an interface logic coupled between the industry standard bus and a local bus of the apparatus; a buffer memory coupled to the local bus; a multiplexor/control device coupled to the local bus and being disposed for transmitting therethrough address and data; a fiber channel controller disposed for formatting header and data structures that meet fiber channel protocol, which controller is coupled to the multiplexor/control; a gigabit link module disposed for converting the header and data structures from a parallel format to a serial format and being coupled between the fiber channel controller and the fiber channel; a microprocessor disposed for providing service requests from the host to read and write data from the host me

Abstract: The present invention is an improved switched antenna diversity transmission system for use with an ARQ error protection protocol. The transmitter of the present invention includes an error detection encoder for encoding information packets with an error detection code, a modulator for modulating the encoded information packets, and a first antenna for transmitting the modulated information packets over a first forward channel of a wireless communication medium to the receiver. The transmitter further includes a switch for switching from the first antenna to a second antenna for transmitting the information packets over a second forward channel of a wireless communication medium in response to a negative acknowledgment from the receiver transmitted over a feedback channel of the wireless communication medium.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for separating an effluent into a filtered liquid component and a concentrated sludge component are described. A screen for filtering the effluent is positioned to divide a chamber into two compartments, one for concentrating sludge and one for receiving filtered liquid. The screen is curved in an arc that extends away from the liquid outlet, and a spray arm is mounted for arcuate motion to conform to the curvature of the screen to dispense a fluid against the screen to dislodge attached sludge, to unclog the screen apertures.

Abstract: A chain saw guard which includes a two-part base structure mountable on the housing and chain guide plate of a chain saw, and a pair of subframes pivotally mounted on the base structure. One subframe includes a pair of lateral frame members positioned on opposite sides of the chain guide plate and a third frame member positioned over the upper run of the chain, and the subframe is pivotable upwardly about an axis positioned near the saw housing to a position exposing the upper run of the blade. The other subframe is constructed similarly to the first but is positioned to protect and guard the lower run of the chain, and is mounted on the base structure to pivot downwardly about an axis positioned near the saw housing.