Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, methods of producing such devices, and elements of such devices. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides devices configured for vaporization of an aerosol precursor composition that is contained in a reservoir and transported to a heating element by a liquid transport element. The liquid transport element may include a porous monolith.

Abstract: A compressed natural gas fuel tank for vehicles employing internal combustion engines. A fuel tank of heavy gauge metal is interposed within the vehicle frame as an integral portion thereof. Overlay channel members are welded or otherwise affixed to the tank and then welded or otherwise affixed to the side rails or channel members of the vehicle frame. The tank, of heavy gauge metal and non-circular cross section, is also welded or otherwise appropriately affixed to the vehicle floor. The tank is capable of receiving natural gas at high pressure levels, while also serving structurally as a frame element, providing continuity of the side rail members of the frame, while also serving to further interconnect the vehicle floor with the side rails. Also presented are tank assemblies in which a tank housing receives a plurality of cylindrical pressure tanks of composite material construction. The cylindrical tanks are nested within the tank housing, which also serves as an integral part of the vehicle frame.

Abstract: An active redundancy system for high power satellite communications payloads that use multiple antenna beams driven by multiple power amplifiers and that require power redistribution among the beams during the lifetime of a payload uses a number of power amplifiers equal to or greater than the number of antenna feeder elements to provide extra output power at the beginning of life, instead of commonly used redundancy switches. As power amplifiers fail, the amplitude and phase of the signals driving the remaining power amplifiers are adjusted to maintain antenna performance. Power amplifiers having sufficient capacity are used to ensure that, given an anticipated number of power amplifier chain failures, performance requirements can be met at the end of life.

Abstract: A compressed natural gas fuel tank for vehicles employing internal combustion engines. A fuel tank of heavy gauge metal is interposed within the vehicle frame as an integral portion thereof. Overlay channel members are welded or otherwise affixed to the tank and then welded or otherwise affixed to the side rails or channel members of the vehicle frame. The tank, of heavy gauge metal and non-circular cross section, is also welded or otherwise appropriately affixed to the vehicle floor. The tank is capable of receiving natural gas at high pressure levels, while also serving structurally as a frame element, providing continuity of the side rail members of the frame, while also serving to further interconnect the vehicle floor with the side rails.

Abstract: A stretch wrapping machine includes a web dispenser and a rotatable support for providing relative rotation between the web dispenser and load to wrap a web of packaging material around the load. Cooperating engagement members are selectively and positively engageable with each other throughout the rotation of the rotatable support for stopping the rotation of the rotatable support when the engagement members are positively engaged and for permitting rotation of the rotatable support when the engagement members are disengaged. One of the engagement members is mounted on a rotatable support and the other is mounted on a fixed support. An actuator selectively engages engagement members. One engagement member preferably includes at least two stop units spaced at a distance less than the distance between the engageable formations of the other engagement member.

Abstract: A method to extract at wafer probe the variation of lateral PNP basewidth of transistors formed in an integrated circuit which uses two lateral PNP devices having different and known basewidths before fabrication of the devices in the integrated circuit and then measuring the ratio of the saturation currents at wafer probe. The actual basewidth of the lateral PNP transistor is then related to the difference of the known basewidths of the two lateral PNP transistors and the ratio of the saturation measured currents thereof.

Abstract: An operational amplifier of the type which includes first and second differentially coupled input transistors which cooperate with a current mirror circuit also includes a first and second RTMM resistors which may be individually trimmed to reduce input offset voltage. Each RTMM resistor is coupled from the power supply rail through first and second diodes respectively to the first and second input terminals. In this manner, signals appearing on the input terminals which exceed the rail voltage will cause currents to flow through the RTMM resistors thus reducing their resistance, and reducing offset voltage.

Abstract: A differential amplifier in which the offset voltage is adjustable and which has a zero temperature coefficient after being adjusted. The differential amplifier includes a pair of differentially connected transistors, a current mirror circuit coupled to the collectors of the pair of transistors for providing differential to single current conversion and a current source for supplying a thermal current to the interconnected emitters of the pair of transistors. The magnitude of the thermal current is proportional to absolute temperature and inversely proportional to a resistance of a given resistivity. Trimmable resistive elements are provided for adjusting any offset voltage appearing between the base electrodes of the pair of transistors to substantially zero volts with the adjusted offset voltage being temperature independent.

Abstract: In an operational amplifier having an input stage of the type wherein first and second differentially coupled transistors cooperate with a current mirror circuit, an output transistor is provided having a compensation capacitor coupled between its collector and the input stage. The gain bandwidth product is enhanced by coupling a positive feedback device (e.g. a capacitor) between a collector of the output transistor and the collector of the first input transistor.

Abstract: A quad operational amplifier integrated circuit is constructed such that each of the four cells forms a linear array. Devices which must be critically matched in each cell are symmetrically disposed with respect to the power devices of each cell about the same axis of symmetry. In this manner, critical devices will always reside on isothermal contours. To further enhance matching of critical devices, the axis of symmetry may be chosen to be colinear with stress axis of the semiconductor die in which the quad-operational amplifier implemented.

Abstract: First and second resistors of a resistive network formed in a semiconductive substrate may be individually trimmed. The first and second resistive regions coupled at one end thereof have their other ends provided with metallic contacts. The resistive regions are disposed on the substrate such that current flowing from the first metallic contact to the second metallic contact through the first and second resistive regions causes the resistance of the first resistive region to be preferentially reduced. In contrast, current flowing from the second metallic contact to the first metallic contact through the first and second resistive regions causes the resistance of the second resistive region to be preferentially reduced. The resistive network is used in an operational amplifier circuit so as to permit the input offset voltage to be substantially reduced by selective trimming.

Abstract: A differential amplifier manufactured in integrated circuit form in a semiconductor substrate includes first and second differentially coupled input transistors. The emitters of the input transistors are coupled to a first source of supply voltage (e.g. V.sub.cc) and the collectors of the input transistors are coupled via load devices to a second source of supply voltage (e.g. ground). An RC gain reduction network is provided between the collectors of the input transistors and implemented in such a manner so as to provide substantially equal parasitic capacitances at the collectors of each of the input devices.

Abstract: First and second resistors of a resistive network formed in a semiconductive substrate may be individually trimmed. The first and second resistive regions coupled at one end thereof have their other ends provided with metallic contacts. The resistive regions are disposed on the substrate such that current flowing from the first metallic contact to the second metallic contact through the first and second resistive regions causes the resistance of the first resistive region to be reduced. In contrast, current flowing from the second metallic contact to the first metallic contact through the first and second resistive regions causes the resistance of the second resistive region to be reduced.

Abstract: An amplifier includes an input stage having first and second differentially coupled transistors for receiving a differential input signal and providing a differential output to third and fourth differentially coupled transistors in the second stage. An RC circuit cooperates with the first and second stages to produce first and second additional pole-zero pairs, one occurring before the unity gain frequency and one occurring after the unity gain frequency. A second RC circuit cooperates with the second stage and introduces a third additional pole-zero pair which occurs below the unity gain frequency. As a result, the gain bandwidth product and the phase margin proximate the unity gain frequency are enhanced.

Abstract: An improved operational amplifier circuit having an all NPN output stage includes a sense resistor in the output stage for developing a voltage thereacross proportional to any short circuit current flowing in the output stage. A diode clamp is coupled to the base of the emitter follower transistor which is in turn coupled between the input stage and the output stage for diverting base current from the base of the follower transistor when a sufficient voltage drop appears across the sense resistor.

Abstract: A circuit for providing multiple currents the ratios of which are constant and temperature independent. The circuit includes at least first and second transistors the bases of which are shorted together and whose emitters are interconnected via respective trimmable resistors to a thermal current supply. By driving the transistors with a thermal current and trimming one or the other or both resistors the current ratios can be adjusted and will remain constant as temperature is varied.

Abstract: A resistively trimmed current mirror circuit including a diode coupled in parallel to the base-emitter conduction path of a transistor and to which a reference current is supplied to produce a proportional output current at the collector of the transistor. A trimmable resistor is connected in the collector-emitter conduction path of the transistor which is adjusted to vary the output current for a given reference current to trim the ratio between the two currents. By making the reference current a thermal current, i.e., a current whose magnitude is proportional to thermal voltage and inversely proportional to resistance, the trimmed ratio remains temperature independent after being trimmed to a desired value.

Abstract: An anilox drum is provided with an ink applicator having a plenum chamber add flow control means. The applicator interfaces with the drum to form two orifices. Ink supplied under pressure to the applicator issues from the orifice to flush away boundary layer air and air in the ink cells; and the cells are filled with clean fresh ink. A doctor wipes the excess ink from the periphery of the drum and all excess ink is recirculated.

Abstract: An operational amplifier includes a differential input stage and a composite differential amplifier second stage. The second stage includes first and second NPN transistors which receive at their base terminals the differential output of the first stage. The emitters of these transistors are coupled respectively to the base electrodes of first and second PNP transistors which act, in conjunction with a current mirror circuit, to produce a single ended output which is applied to the operational amplifiers output stage. A first capacitor is coupled between the base electrode of the first NPN transistor and the emitter electrode of the second PNP transistor while a second capacitor is coupled between the base electrode of the second NPN transistor and the emitter electrode of the first PNP transistor. These capacitors serve to speed the high frequency performance of the differential second stage and therefore the entire operational amplifier.

Abstract: An operational amplifier includes an input stage, an output stage including first and second NPN output transistors and an intermediate stage including first and second emitter follower transistors. In this manner, a .beta..sup.3 current gain is achieved from the amplifier output to the output of the input stage to reduce output loading effects on the input stage. A first capacitor network is coupled between the amplifier output and the output of the input stage to frequency stabilize the amplifier. A second capacitor is coupled between the base terminals of the first and second emitter follower transistors, and a resistor (or diode) is coupled between the emitter of the first emitter follower transistor and the base of the second emitter follower transistor. This network frequency stabilizes the parasitic feedback loop associated with the intermediate stages, the NPN output transistor and the first capacitor network.