Did You Know...
...that the Eveready Battery began as an invention called the "electric flowerpot," which was a tube with a battery and light bulb inside? The idea was to fasten this gizmo to the side of a flowerpot so it would illuminate the flowers from the bottom. The idea died on the vine and the businessman who licensed the flower pot, Conrad Huber, was left with a pile of useless tubes -- until he found a way to market them as batteries to light the world!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7272893 | Rolling electronic length measuring device An electronic measuring device is disclosed which includes a pair of wheels connected to an axle that passes through a drive gear. The drive gear is enmeshed to a second gear which, in turn, is coaxially connected to an encoder disk. The encoder disk has spaced-apar... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7208904 | Multiple motor position control A controller for motor activation providing accurate and repeatable position changes by pressing and releasing a push button switch. Repeatable position changes are made in an advance direction by triggering a digital counter for a predetermined number of cycles of ... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7061705 | Signal processing apparatus and method, record medium, and program The present invention relates to a signal processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program enabling accurate calculation of a remaining amount of a tape. In a cassette shell 1, a memory 13 for storing information indicative of a total... | 06/13/2006 |
| 6931986 | Strapping machine automatically adjusting the strap tension A strapping machine automatically adjusting the strap tension includes a sensor to interact with two sense members fixed on a subordinate wheel of an advance and retreat device, which consists of a main wheel and the subordinate wheel. The sensor and the sense membe... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6934109 | Apparatus and method to monitor the relative position of a tape medium disposed in a tape drive A method to monitor the relative position of a magnetic tape disposed in a tape drive, where that tape drive includes a first tape reel motor and a second tape reel motor. The method provides a magnetic tape disposed on a first tape reel, and releaseably attaches th... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6922907 | Measuring system for recording absolute angular or position values A measuring system for the recording of angular or position values, wherein the scale includes a measurement track with absolute encoding, and which is scanned by a sensor is provided. The scale is composed of at least two segments with similar absolute encod... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6140146 | Automated RFID transponder manufacturing on flexible tape substrates Processes and apparatus for manufacturing radio frequency transponders having substrates formed from a flexible tape or film are disclosed. The RF transponders are formed on the tape so that their longest dimension (e.g., their length ("L")) is oriented p... | 10/31/2000 |
| 5237521 | High resolution position measurement system A system for determining the cumulative position and periodic average velocity of a rotating body having an incremental encoder, operatively connected to the body, for generating a series of periodic signals indicative of rotation of the body. The system ... | 08/17/1993 |
| 5208767 | Displacement measuring apparatus A tape rule or other displacement measuring apparatus comprises a reader means and a member that are relatively movable. The member carries a position track defined by a sequence of alternative markings made in succession along the member. The alternative... | 05/04/1993 |
| 5137347 | Information retrieval apparatus An information retrieval apparatus used in a microfilm reader, a reader/printer, or the like includes a first illuminator for illuminating information and a mark recorded on an information recording medium, a second illuminator for illuminating the mark, ... | 08/11/1992 |
| 5090032 | Movable pressure spring band to avoid excessive wear from card feeding apparatus A pressure spring for urging a document (10) against a reading head (22) in a document processing machine, comprises a resilient band (46) on band support arms (50) with different portions of the discontinuous resilient band (46) being selected to lie bet... | 02/18/1992 |
| 4890392 | Digital tape measure A digital tape measure comprising a tape stored in a case when it is not used and drawn out of an aperture of the case when it is used and onto which a plurality of detection marks are affixed at equivalent interval, a detector of detecting the detection ... | 01/02/1990 |
| 4779212 | Distance measuring device A distance-measuring device, comprises a housing; a flexible measuring tape reelable into and out of the housing for measuring lengths; a shaft encoder rotatable by the flexible-measuring tape when reeled into and out of the housing and outputting digital... | 10/18/1988 |
| 4756012 | Surface mounted device parts counter A method and apparatus for counting the exact number of electrical circuit components carried by a length of component dispensing tape is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, the invention uses optical detectors to detect the transmission of light thro... | 07/05/1988 |
| 4747215 | Electronic tape measure An electronic measuring rule wherein the rule tape is formed integrally with a magnetic recording tape imbedded therein along the longitudinal axis of the tape rule. The recording tape which has spaced indicia signals recorded thereon is molded into a rec... | 05/31/1988 |
| 4608705 | Information retrieval apparatus capable of stopping an information bearing medium accurately at a desired location The disclosed apparatus automatically retrieves desired information on an information bearing medium having information and marks. In the retrieving apparatus, the marks are detected and counted during the feed of the information bearing medium. In accord... | 08/26/1986 |
| 4535415 | Measurement conversion and visual display instrument A compact measuring instrument having an extensible measuring means connected to accurately input a signal to a potentiometer, that signal being representative of a distance over which the extensible measuring means has extended, a calculator logic circui... | 08/13/1985 |
| 4532560 | Apparatus and method for indicating tape time A magnetic tape timer and method wherein the measured tape time as well as stored cue markers are not affected upon receiving a preset or reset signal. An offset signal is generated and stored as a difference between the preset or reset signal and a tape ... | 07/30/1985 |
| 4530106 | Counter device for use in tape recorder In the disclosed device, a counter digitally counts the used or unused length of a tape, a display using a liquid crystal or the like displays the count, and a switch optionally shifts the count up or down.... | 07/16/1985 |
| 4499587 | Counting device for information recording-reproducing device A recording-reproducing device of information such as pictures, voices and so on, in which the used amount of the recording medium is counted. A plural number of the memory devices for memorizing the counted value of the used amount when the recording med... | 02/12/1985 |
| 4495583 | Apparatus and method for encoding positions of web press machines An apparatus and method for encoding the lateral or circumferential setting within a web press of a laterally or circumferentially adjustable machine for operating on a web is provided. The machine has an element which moves linearly as the machine is adj... | 01/22/1985 |
| 4482972 | Distance sensing apparatus and method Apparatus for sensing distance between a pair of indicia on a surface moving relative to the apparatus has an interval detector, a sensor and a scale device. The interval detector can respond to movement of the surface. The detector can produce an interva... | 11/13/1984 |
| 4457008 | Automatic retrieval apparatus An automatic retrieval apparatus for use with an information containing film in a roll form, arranged to control driving of the information containing film by reading document marks or blips provided in the information containing film to correspond with r... | 06/26/1984 |
| 4417135 | Power saving electronic counter circuit for tape recorder In a tape recorder including a circuit for generating pulses according to the running of a tape, an electronic counter circuit is provided which includes a counter for counting pulses and a display section for displaying its count value. The electronic co... | 11/22/1983 |
| 4411008 | Method and apparatus for controlling tape transport apparatus in search sequence Method and apparatus for controlling tape movement to a given position by utilizing the combination of periodic determinations of tape position by calculation based on reel speed ratios, and monitoring positions represented by counts in a pulse count memo... | 10/18/1983 |
| 4408335 | Method and apparatus for controlling tape transport apparatus for cassettes Method and apparatus for synchronizing a display with tape movement utilizing a clock means for driving the display, and adjusting the rate of the clock means according to measured movement of the tape to maintain the clock and thus the display in synchro... | 10/04/1983 |
| 4399355 | Display apparatus for tape running positions A display apparatus for tape running positions is provided with a first pulse generator (36) for generating m first pulses for each revolution of a supply reel (12) in a tape transport, a second pulse generator (38) for generating n second pulses for each... | 08/16/1983 |
| 4398300 | Method and apparatus for cassette identification by operating characteristics Method and apparatus for identifying a cassette inserted in a tape deck apparatus by using constants stored in memory corresponding to known types of cassettes; controlling the drive means of the apparatus to carry out a cassette identification sequence i... | 08/09/1983 |
| 4385228 | Display device for tape recorder with automatic shut off and reset inhibiting In a tape recorder including a circuit for generating a pulse signal corresponding to an amount of tape travel, an electronic counter circuit is provided which includes a counter for counting pulses and a display section for displaying a count value. The ... | 05/24/1983 |
| 4367487 | Apparatus for taking measurements for the evaluation of video camera images for tape edge regulation Apparatus for evaluating optoelectronically generated picture rasters wherein, for the purpose of regulating the tape movement of a tape-shaped material (tape), the tape position is detected with the aid of a video camera by continuously reproducing an ed... | 01/04/1983 |
| 4367401 | Device for indicating inadmissible length deviations of a perforated web The present invention discloses a device for indicating inadmissible length deviations of a perforated web, preferably a formaliner-perforated paper web to be used for the production of forms, where the printing press comprises at least one working mechan... | 01/04/1983 |
| 4366372 | Apparatus and method for counting repetitive marks on a running web A series of holes spaced along the length of a running web is sensed optically and corresponding pulses are counted in a first counter to measure a standard length of the web. Simultaneously a running web length measurement is performed by an encoder whee... | 12/28/1982 |
| 4366371 | Method and apparatus for controlling tape transport apparatus for cassettes Method and apparatus for monitoring movement of tape in tape transport apparatus for reel/tape assemblies such as cassettes, using tape position determination algorithms for determining absolute values of tape position as tape is driven from reel to reel ... | 12/28/1982 |
| 4337392 | Position detector for a power rodding apparatus A power rodding apparatus is often used in conjunction with laying telephone cable through underground conduits. For such applications the exact location of the end of the rod is important and is determined by a position detecting circuit. The circuit inc... | 06/29/1982 |
| 4334217 | Electronic control indicator for cable hoist equipment A magnetic pick-up device or other electrical output type sensor is operatively situated adjacent to a rotary part of the cable hoist assembly and produces impulses as the part rotates. These are conveyed to electronic equipment which, by use of the neces... | 06/08/1982 |
| 4334149 | Tape recorder with display showing tape travel direction In the disclosed tape recorder, wherein separate sources of electric power actuate the tape drive and energize a display for showing the running direction of a tape, the display showing the running direction of the tape is disabled unless the source that ... | 06/08/1982 |
| 4328484 | Method and apparatus for numerically converting a parallel binary coded number from a first unit system to a second unit system A method and apparatus are disclosed for converting a parallel binary coded, input number from a first unit system to a second unit system, the two unit systems being related by a known numerical conversion factor. The parallel binary coded input number i... | 05/04/1982 |
| 4316081 | Electronic digital tape measure having flexible measuring tape An electronic digital tape measure includes a flexible tape, a detector, and a digital display. A keyboard unit and a control circuit may be further included for acting as an electronic calculator. The flexible tape is constructed by allocating a number o... | 02/16/1982 |
| 4314148 | Device for counting and distributing sheets The device comprises a magazine for a stack of sheets, a sheet-extracting head which can be connected to a vacuum source and is rotatably mounted on a turntable which carries a number of columns, and means for counting the number of revolutions performed ... | 02/02/1982 |
| 4310751 | Microfilm indexing machine A microfilm indexing machine for automatically generating an index for a roll of microfilm. The indexing machine can be utilized in combination with either a microfilmer equipped with blip or image count capability to generate an index while the microfilm... | 01/12/1982 |
