Abstract:
A stylus body is provided and has a generally elongated shape. A tip member (220) extends from the front of the stylus body, the tip member preferably being elongated and narrowing to a point at its front end. A pair of spaced conductive wires (280) are disposed in said tip member. A plurality of apertures (223) are provided in the narrowing portion of the tip member, these apertures permitting efficient emission of acoustic energy from the spark gap at the wire ends. By having the spark gap substantially centrally within the tip member and close to the stylus point that contacts the working surface, the errors and inconsistencies that can result from different rotational orientations and/or tilts of the stylus are minimized.
Abstract:
An apparatus is disclosed for determining the position of a moveable element (130). First and second spaced apart optical receiving assemblies (110, 120) are provided for receiving light from the moveable element. Each of the optical receiving assemblies includes an array of photosensitive elements (270, 370), a cylindrical lens (260) for receiving light from the moveable element, and a fiber optical block (250), formed of a multiplicity of optical fibers, optically coupled between the cylindrical lens and the array of photosensitive elements. An optical diffuser (259) is provided on the input surface of the fiber optical block, the diffuser operation to scatter some of the arriving light, and causing more light to be captured by the optical fibers, particularly near the ends of the fiber optical block. Also, the efficiency of a light-emitting cursor is increased by directing light that would otherwise be lost in the vertical direction, into a generally flat beam. This is achieved with a toroidal lens (1280) having a convex periphery.
Abstract:
An apparatus is disclosed for determining the position of a moveable element (150) over the surface (105) of a solid medium. First and second transducer devices (121, 122) are provided and are movable for placement at selected respective first and second locations on the surface for coupling with said surface. A third transducer device, for coupling with said surface is mounted with the moveable element. Means are also provided for determining the transit times of said ultrasonic energy propagating, in either direction , between the third transducer device and the first and second transducer devices, the transit times being indicative of the position of the third transducer device with respect to the first and second transducer devices.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method are disclosed for determining the position of a movable element (150). An elongated housing (110) is provided for positioning generally adjacent an edge of an area (10) in which the position of the movable element is to be determined. The housing (110) has a base portion (111) which contains a pair of spaced apart transducers (20) and (30) that are mounted in the surface of the base portion and face said area (10). An upper body portion (112) of the housing is disposed above the base portion (111) and protrudes in a cantilevered fashion toward said area (10), so that the transducers (20 and 30) are recessed from said area (10) beneath the protruding upper body portion (112) of the housing. Circuitry is provided for determining the position of the movable element from the respective transit times of energy propagating in either direction between the movable element (150) and the pair of transducers (20 and 30). At least a portion of the circuitry is contained within the upper body portion (112). An additional transducer is mounted in the recessed region beneath the protruding upper body portion (112), for speed of sound determining purposes. Also disclosed are techniques for increasing the accuracy of the position determination, data validation and screening the position determination data.
Abstract:
Microprocessor-based apparatus and method for determining the distance between an object and a reference position. An embodiment of a graphical digitizer is set forth in which a microprocessor system (100) is adapted to generate and store a count that depends upon the number of instruction cycles that the microprocessor system (100) performs during a time interval that is a function of travel time of acoustic wave energy traveling between the object and the reference position. In a disclosed embodiment, acoustic receivers (A & B) are mounted with their axes parallel, and each receiver has a generally circular receptivity pattern.
Abstract:
A monostable multivibrator circuit for producing a pulse of a fixed duration including a first D-type flip-flop having set, reset, clock and delay inputs, and a second D-type flip-flop having set, reset, clock and delay inputs. A trigger pulse triggers a change in state of the first D-type flip-flop, in turn causing a change in state in the second D-type flip-flop. The output of the second D-type flip-flop contains a capacitor storage circuit which serves to bypass the change in state of the second D-type flip-flop for a predetermined delay time, and feedback an exponentially increasing level to the first D-type flip-flop. When the charge across the capacitor reaches the threshold level of the first D-type flip-flop, the first flipflop output again changes condition, causing the second output to change correspondingly.
Abstract:
A humidifier for use in a recirculating hot water and/or steam heating system. A bypass valve is provided for the controlled delivery of the system fluid to an absorbent material placed over the radiator or fin member of the heating system.
Abstract:
An apparatus for producing curved or flat wire arrays for use in wire spark chamber devices having a wire spool holding means and wire feeding device; tensioning means; wire winding and spacing device; and a device for stretching and shaping the array. The wire is fed over tensioning pulleys about a threaded rod onto a wire winding and spacing device which comprises a support cylinder. The wound wires are attached to lucite strips mounted on the cylinder and then cut and removed to form a loose wire array. The wire array is then clamped in the stretching and shaping device which stretches the wires and forms the surface to the desired curvature.
Abstract:
A method of constructing a low-tension wire array including the steps of arraying wires on an expandable frame expanding the wires past their elastic limit, and releasing the frame tension until each wire hangs in catenary. The wires are then placed onto an epoxied sheet and the ends cut.
Abstract:
A device for digitally indicating the center of a pulse employing a pulse counter and a pulse generator having a fixed generating rate. Upon receipt of an initial pulse a first flipflop opens a first gating circuit and passes pulses to the counter. A second flip-flop receives the leading edge of a subsequent pulse to turn off the first gate and opens a second gate. The second gate in turn allows pulses at one-half the fixed generating rate to accumulate in the counter. The trailing edge of the second pulse changes the state of the second flip-flop and turns off the second gate. The accumulated count is now representative of the measure from the initial timing pulse to the center of the second pulse. A further flip-flop, upon receipt of a further pulse, changes state and insures that the gating circuits do not open to permit further counting. The two level counting is accomplished by a pulse frequency dividing stage connected to the pulse source, or, alternatively, by using the output of the first counter stage.