233results about How to "Reduce the applied force" patented technology

An SMA actuation apparatus comprises a camera lens element supported on a support structure by a plurality of flexures. An SMA wire at an acute angle to the movement axis and a biasing element are connected between the support structure and the movable element. A component of the force applied by the SMA wire perpendicular to the movement axis compresses the flexures causing them to apply a force to the movable element having a component along the movement axis in the same direction as the SMA wire. An end-stop limits the movement of the movable element, and the moment applied by the end-stop to the movable element about the center of stiffness is equal to the moment applied by the SMA wire about the center of stiffness at the point when the movable element loses contact with the end-stop on contraction of the SMA wire.

Pathology of the human knee can arise from excessive and / or uneven loading of regions within the joint. Methods and apparatus are disclosed that enable displacement of soft tissue around the knee, without displacing or severing bone thereby altering the mechanical load distribution within the joint in a less invasive manner than previous techniques.

A solder joint comprising a solder capture pad on a substrate having a circuit; and a lead free solder selected from the group comprising Sn—Ag—Cu solder and Sn—Ag solder adhered to the solder capture pad; the solder selected from the group comprising between 0.1 to 2.0% by weight Sb or Bi, and 0.5 to 3.0% Ag. Formation of voids at an interface between the solder and the solder capture pad is suppressed, by including Zn. Interlayer dielectric delamination is suppressed, and electromigration characteristics are greatly improved. Methods for forming solder joints using the solders.

A device for positioning a workpiece includes a socket body rotatably held on a metallic ball by an array of permanent magnets arranged into a partial socket. An air delivery system controls a flow of air passing between the magnets and the ball to alter the friction between the socket body and the ball. A positive flow of air into the socket reduces the friction, allowing the workpiece to be more easily rotated during repositioning, whereas drawing air away from the socket produces a partial vacuum which increases the friction, causing the socket body to be locked in a single position on the ball.

Each permanent magnet formed in an open-letter shape is divided into a plurality of parts, the divided magnets are respectively fitted in open letter-shaped inserting portions, and ribs are respectively provided in dividing portions of the permanent magnets. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the breakage of pole connecting portions at an outermost periphery of the rotor as adjacent inner peripheral-side permanent magnets directly come into contact with and push the outer peripheral-side permanent magnets. Alternatively, an annular nonmagnetic material is provided on an outer peripheral portion of the rotor so as to cover the open letter-shaped permanent magnets and magnetic material portions inside the open-letter portions, whereby the rotor core is made resistant against breakage, and the flux leakage is minimized.

An order picking system includes an automated guided trolley with at least two rolling wheels for taking objects of an order from at least one rack and two posts. The automated guided trolley includes climbing elements, which are adapted to cooperate with the posts so as to enable the trolley to rise along the post and prevent the tilting of the trolley, and which includes at least one counter-wheel intended to roll on one of the posts, mounted on a movable bracket.

An electrical connector (100) adapted for mating with a complementary connector (6), includes an insulative housing (1) defining a number of channels (12) and grooves (15), a number of terminals (2) received in the channels, a pair of locking / unlocking means (3) retained in the grooves, a latch cooperating with locking / unlocking means for engaging / disengaging with the complementary connector and a metal shell (5). The locking / unlocking means includes a spring (32), a moveable member (30) defining a guiding slot (300) and a guiding pole (31) slidable in the guiding slot by exerting twice push operations, the complementary connector can be engaged with and disengaged from the connector due to displacement of the guiding pole in the guiding slot.

A coil component that can be mounted on a printed circuit board, with a part in an aperture of the printed circuit board. The coil component includes a first flange on an upper side and a second flange. Terminal boards are on respective opposite sides of the first flange. Terminals respectively project in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of a winding drum, from the terminal boards and bend and are inserted into through-holes of the printed circuit board. First and second touching surfaces, which are parts of a downside surface of the second flange, touch an upside surface of the printed circuit board.

A conferencing assembly for use with at least one computer, the assembly including a table top forming a table top opening, a leg support structure, a display screen supported adjacent the top surface, a switcher for controlling input to the display screen, a plurality of handsets, each hand set including a selector button usable to send a signal to the switcher thereby causing the switcher to link a computer associated with the selector button to the display, a plurality of handset cables, each handset cable having first and second ends linked to the switcher and an associated selector button, respectively, for passing signals from the selector buttons to the switcher, a take up assembly including a separate weight for each of the handset cables, the take up assembly disposed below the top member and aligned with the top opening, each handset cable linked to an associated weight, each weight applying a force tending to pull the second end of the associated handset cable into the opening.

The disclosed laryngeal mask airway device includes an inflatable cuff and an airway tube. The inflatable cuff defines a central opening at least when inflated. The cuff is insertable through a mouth of a patient to an inserted location within the patient. The cuff surrounds a glottic opening of the patient when the cuff is inflated and at the inserted location. The airway tube extends from a proximal end to a distal end. The airway tube defines an internal passage, an anterior portion, a posterior portion, a left portion, and a right portion. An airway passage extends from the proximal end of the tube through the internal passage to the glottic opening when the cuff is inflated and at the inserted location. The anterior portion is characterized by a thinner wall thickness than the left and right portions. The posterior portion is characterized by a thinner wall thickness than the left and right portions.

An external heater for a fuser assembly for a reproduction apparatus. The fuser assembly includes a fuser member for fusing a marking particle image to a receiver member. The external heater has a heat transfer surface adapted to be selectively engaged with the fuser member, and a device for heating said heat transfer surface. A mechanism is provided for engaging a variable portion of the heat transfer surface with the fuser member to selectively change the amount of heat transferred from the heating device to the fuser member through the heat transfer surface.

A hinge assembly includes a body drive member (1), a cover drive member (2), and a locating member (3). The body drive member has an outer screw thread (16) on an outer periphery thereof. The cover drive member has a central cavity (212, 224), and a projection (223) and an inner screw thread (216) formed in the cavity. The locating member has a projection (31) formed on an outer periphery thereof, and a central hole (33). The body drive member extends through the cavity and the hole, thereby integrating the hinge assembly into a complete unit, with the thread of the body drive member engaging with the thread of the cover drive member, and the projection of the cover drive member movably engaging with the projection of the locating member. The hinge assembly exerts reduced force on a foldable electronic device when the foldable electronic device is opened or closed.

A hinge assembly includes a body drive member (10) having an outer screw thread (12) on an outer periphery thereof, a cover drive member (20) having a first end surface (28) formed one end thereof, a follower (30) having a second end surface (34) formed on one end thereof, and an elastic element (40) abutting the follower. The cover drive member has an inner screw thread (26) formed in a cavity (22) of the cover drive member. The follower has a central hole (32). The body drive member extends through the cover drive member, the follower and the elastic element, thereby integrating the hinge assembly into a complete unit. The outer screw thread of the body drive member engages with the inner screw thread of the cover drive member, and the first end surface of the cover drive member engaging with the second end surface of the body drive member.

A system (102) comprising a box (104) for implanting in a mamMal body part (106), which box is provided with a first electrical contact (110, 121, 114, 116, 118, 120), and a module (108) for accommodating in the box, which module is provided with a second electrical contact (122, 124, 126) for cooperation with said first electrical contact. The first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are mutually movable, at least in a stationary accommodation of the module in the box, between a contact position in which said first and second electrical contacts are electrically connected, and a non-contact position in which said first and second electrical contacts are separated from each other.

An electrical filter includes a dielectric substrate with inner and outer coils about a first region and inner and outer coils about a second region, a portion of cladding removed from wires that form the coils and coupled to electrically conductive traces on the dielectric substrate via a solder joint in a switching region. An apparatus to thermally couple a superconductive device to a metal carrier with a through-hole includes a first clamp and a vacuum pump. A composite magnetic shield for use at superconductive temperatures includes an inner layer with magnetic permeability of at least 50,000; and an outer layer with magnetic saturation field greater than 1.2 T, separated from the inner layer by an intermediate layer of dielectric. An apparatus to dissipate heat from a superconducting processor includes a metal carrier with a recess, a post that extends upwards from a base of the recess and a layer of adhesive on top of the post. Various cryogenic refrigeration systems are described.

A suspension control device includes an actuator configured to change an up / down stroke of a suspension, a front sensor, and a control device configured to estimate a displacement in a vertical direction of a road surface based on a detection result of the front sensor, thereby controlling the actuator. When the control device determines that a step portion in which a wheel comes into contact with two points of the road surface viewed in a direction along a rotational axis of the wheel exists ahead of a vehicle, the control device controls a force generated by the actuator so that, when the wheel comes into contact with the two points, the wheel rolls about the point without substantially pressing the point toward the travel direction of the vehicle.

A device for positioning a workpiece includes a socket body rotatably held on a metallic ball by an array of permanent magnets arranged into a partial socket. An air delivery system controls a flow of air passing between the magnets and the ball to alter the friction between the socket body and the ball. A positive flow of air into the socket reduces the friction, allowing the workpiece to be more easily rotated during repositioning, whereas drawing air away from the socket produces a partial vacuum which increases the friction, causing the socket body to be locked in a single position on the ball.

A flexible implant system includes a flexible implant, an implant housing, and an implant set screw. The flexible implant is configured to loop around a portion of a bony element. The implant housing includes a housing body defining a rod passage configured to receive an rod. The housing body also defines an implant passage that receives a portion of the flexible implant. The implant set screw engages the flexible implant within the implant passage to fix the flexible implant to the implant housing.

A compression molding machine includes a wheel mounted for rotation around a horizontal axis and a plurality of angularly spaced molds disposed around the wheel. Each of the molds includes a first mold segment and a second mold segment disposed radially outwardly of the first mold segment. Each of the second mold segments is movable radially with respect to the associated first mold segment between a radially inner closed position with the first mold segment for compression molding a plastic article, and a radially outer open position spaced from the associated first mold segment for removing a molded article from the mold and placing a mold charge into the mold.

Arrangement and method for the construction-time use of an elevator, which arrangement comprises an elevator car (2), hoisting roping (4), a hoisting machine fitted to move the elevator car via the hoisting roping (4), which hoisting machine is preferably disposed on the machine room level (22) at the top end of the elevator hoistway, a counterweight (56), and which elevator comprises compensating roping (10), which compensating roping is connected to the supply storage (16) of the compensating roping. In the arrangement, the compensating roping (10) is connected to the elevator car via a diverting pulley (28) on the elevator car and to the counterweight (56) via a diverting pulley (58) on the counterweight (56). In the method one or more jumps of the machine room level are performed, and the additional rope needed for a jump of the machine room level is taken from the supply storage of the compensating roping. The construction-time roping of the elevator is arranged such that the compensating roping is connected to the elevator car (2) via the diverting pulley (28) on the elevator car (2) and to the counterweight (56) via the diverting pulley (58) on the counterweight (56).

An electrical connector (100) adapted for mating with a complementary connector (6), includes an insulative housing (1) defining a number of channels (12) and grooves (15), a number of terminals (2) received in the channels, a pair of locking / unlocking means (3) retained in the grooves, a latch cooperating with locking / unlocking means for engaging / disengaging with the complementary connector and a metal shell (5). The locking / unlocking means includes a spring (32), a moveable member (30) defining a guiding slot (300) and a guiding pole (31) slidable in the guiding slot by exerting twice push operations, the complementary connector can be engaged with and disengaged from the connector due to displacement of the guiding pole in the guiding slot.

A joint-spacing balloon catheter comprising:a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end;first and second balloons mounted to the distal end of the shaft, the first balloon being disposed distal to, and spaced from, the second balloon, with the portion of the shaft between the first and second balloons being flexible; anda handle attached to the proximal end of the shaft.

An apparatus for simulating stresses experienced by a rotor blade root in a complementary disc fixture, especially in gas turbine engines. The apparatus comprises a mounting member for receiving a blade speciman having a root. The mounting member has an aperture for receiving the root of the blade specimen, and blade contacting regions on either side of said aperture for holding said blade specimen in said aperture. The apparatus further comprises an actuator for applying a tension load to said blade specimen. The blade contacting regions are undercut such that there is a gap between said blade contacting regions and a main body of said mounting member, whereby the blade contacting regions are able to deflect outward into said gap when a tension load is applied to the blade specimen.

Composite webs having a structured web attached to a carrier web and methods of manufacturing the composite webs are disclosed. The structured web may include a plurality of structures that protrude from the structured web. The methods may involve delivering a molten polymeric composition onto the outer surface of a forming tool that includes a plurality of depressions formed in the outer surface. The molten polymer enters depressions in the outer surface of the forming tool and is solidified therein such that a plurality of structures are formed in the shape of the depressions. A skin layer of the polymeric composition may extend between the depressions, such that the structured web formed on the forming tool includes a skin layer connecting the structures. The structured web is removed from the forming tool after solidification of the polymeric composition by adhering the structured web to a carrier web using adhesive located between the carrier web and structured web.

A centralizer system is provided for use in a marine riser system to provide a stress joint or keel joint with a upset portion. The centralizer is preferably heat-shrink fitted to the upset portion of the keel joint. The upset portion has tapered sections on the upper and lower ends which may be of various shapes and lengths that gradually blend into the outer diameter of the pipe used as the keel joint. The centralizer may also be heat-shrink fitted to one of the tapered sections. The centralizer may or may not utilize guide sections mounted on either end thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the centralizer comprises axially extending annular grooves in surrounding relationship to the upset portion, the grooves serving to permit forces acting on the centralizer to be redirected or dissipated to thereby prevent excessive buildup on a selected region of the upset portion adjacent the radial grooves. In one embodiment, the grooves are formed annularly around the ends of the upset portion to thereby limit stresses that otherwise tend to build up on the ends of the upset portion.

There is provided a passenger-side airbag folded body in which an inflator opening is provided at a base end of an airbag and a vent hole is provided at each of right and left side surfaces of the airbag. Right and left end parts of the airbag are folded along vertical fold lines, thereby providing a vertically long primary folded body. The primary folded body is folded along lateral fold lines, thereby providing the passenger-side airbag folded body serving as a final folded body, and the vent holes are exposed at right and left end faces of the final folded body.

Described herein are diffraction gratings and methods for the manufacture thereof. One method comprises applying a force to a substrate to strain the substrate, disposing a thin film on at least a portion of the substrate, and reducing the force applied to the substrate, thereby causing the thin film to buckle.