A method and apparatus for moving along a tube extrusion line. An extruded tube is pushed through the extrusion line, by means of pressure generated by an extruder, to a withdrawal unit that takes over further driving of the tube. In a first-moving along phase, in which the tube has not yet passed a sealing of a calibration cooling unit relative to the atmosphere, the latter is under atmospheric pressure. In a second phase, in which the tube has passed the sealing, the calibration and cooling unit is placed under underpressure. In the first phase, the tube is supported either by internal overpressure or by a mechanical inner guide. A support cylinder extends axially from a casing head of the extruder and extends coaxially into a calibration sleeve in a first section of the calibration and cooling unit. A support plate is disposed between the casing head and an inlet of the calibration sleeve and provides external support for a tube exiting the casing head.

A molding apparatus for making a continuous molded article or continuous series of molded articles generally includes a pair of spaced-apart molding assemblies, which cooperatively generate a movable mold having a dynamic mold-cavity therein, each of the molding assemblies including a series of movable mold segments, which are adapted to fit together to form a portion of the dynamic mold-cavity, a drive mechanism for conveying the mold segments along a path, and a dispenser for dispensing a moldable, expandable material into the dynamic mold-cavity.

An apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor package may include a mold and a molding plate. The mold may define a mold cavity with the mold being configured to receive a circuit board in the mold cavity, and the circuit board may include a semiconductor chip mounted thereon. A molding plate may be moveable in the mold cavity with the molding plate being configured to adjust a volume of the mold cavity. Related methods are also discussed.

A manufacturing apparatus for activated carbon filters has a non-woven cloth machine, a rolling module, a sprayer and a hot-pressing cylinder. The non-woven cloth machine is used to manufacture a body of non-woven cloth and has a processing segment. The rolling module is mounted at the processing segment to heat and melt the body of non-woven cloth. The sprayer is mounted above the rolling module to spray activated carbon powder on the body of non-woven cloth. The hot-pressing cylinder is mounted at the processing segment to heat and press the activated carbon powder with the body of non-woven cloth. The activated carbon powder can be securely attached to the body of non-woven cloth by the manufacturing apparatus to provide a preferred quality of the activated carbon filters and to reduce the cost of manufacturing the activated carbon filters.

A molding apparatus for making a continuous molded article generally includes a pair of spaced-apart molding assemblies, which cooperatively generate a movable mold having a dynamic mold-cavity therein, each of the molding assemblies including a series of movable mold segments, which are adapted to fit together to form a portion of the dynamic mold-cavity, a drive mechanism for conveying the mold segments along a path, and a dispenser for dispensing a moldable, expandable material into the dynamic mold-cavity.

An apparatus and method for the shaping of plastics material pre-forms into plastics material containers with at least one blow moulding station which is arranged on a conveying device rotatable about a pre-set axis of rotation (D). The blow moulding station has a blow mould and this blow mould forms a cavity in the interior of which the plastics material pre-forms are capable of being expanded by being acted upon with a gaseous medium to form the plastics material containers, with a stressing device, which acts upon the plastics material pre-forms with the gaseous medium in order to expand them, and with a clean room, which surrounds the blow moulding station at least in part. The clean room is bounded off from an environment by at least two walls which are movable relative to one another.

An apparatus for extruding a polymeric material, having an extrusion head which includes a male die, a female die coaxially arranged with respect to the male die, a conveying channel, and at least one portion of which is defined between the male die and the female die. The apparatus further includes a device for adjusting a cross-sectional area of the at least one portion of the conveying channel by reciprocally displacing the female die with respect to the male die in response to an extrusion speed variation of the polymeric material.

A combustor apparatus is provided, comprising a mixing arrangement for mixing a carbonaceous fuel with enriched oxygen and a working fluid to form a fuel mixture. A combustion chamber is at least partially defined by a porous perimetric transpiration member, at least partially surrounded by a pressure containment member. The combustion chamber has longitudinally spaced apart inlet and outlet portions. The fuel mixture is received by the inlet portion for combustion within the combustion chamber at a combustion temperature to form a combustion product. The combustion chamber directs the combustion product longitudinally toward the outlet portion. The transpiration member is configured to substantially uniformly direct a transpiration substance therethrough toward the combustion chamber, such that the transpiration substance is directed to flow helically about the perimeter and longitudinally between the inlet and outlet portions, for buffering interaction between the combustion product and the transpiration member. Associated systems are also provided.

The disclosure provides an apparatus and method utilizing fuel reactor comprised of a fuel section, an oxygen carrier section, and a porous divider separating the fuel section and the oxygen carrier section. The porous divider allows fluid communication between the fuel section and the oxygen carrier section while preventing the migration of solids of a particular size. Maintaining particle segregation between the oxygen carrier section and the fuel section during solid fuel gasification and combustion processes allows gases generated in either section to participate in necessary reactions while greatly mitigating issues associated with mixture of the oxygen carrier with char or ash products. The apparatus and method may be utilized with an oxygen uncoupling oxygen carrier such as CuO, Mn3O4, or Co3O4, or utilized with a CO/H2 reducing oxygen carrier such as Fe2O3.

An exemplary embodiment provides a regenerative burner apparatus. The apparatus includes a burner housing having a gas channel and a single-stage heat regenerator equipped with a housing enclosing a fluid-porous heat regenerative media bed. A first gas passageway in the housing directly interconnects the gas channel and the lower surface of the media bed. A second gas passageway in the housing interconnects an opening in the housing communicating with the exterior and the upper surface of the media bed. This arrangement allows hot waste combustion gases to pass upwardly through the media bed so that any condensable contaminant in the gases condenses to a liquid and flows out of the bed under gravity before becoming solid and clogging the bed. The liquid contaminant may then be removed from the regenerator from a position below the media bed.

In a first thermal transfer portion of upstream side, a negative toner image forming portion forms on a photosensitive drum a desired negative toner image which reverses a desired positive toner image selected from all the toner images. The negative toner image forming portion then forms the desired negative toner image on a belt member. The first thermal transfer portion transfers a desired negative foil image from a foil sheet to the belt member so that a desired positive foil image remains on the foil sheet. A second transfer portion transfers the desired positive foil image thus remained on the desired positive toner image formed on the sheet of paper. A cleaning portion removes the desired negative toner image and the desired negative foil image from the belt member.

Provided are an electrophotographic photosensitive member in which leakage doesn't easily occur, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus each including the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a method of manufacturing the electrophotographic photosensitive member. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive layer including titanium oxide particle coated with tin oxide doped with a hetero element. When an absolute value of a maximum current amount flowing through the conductive layer in a case of performing a test of applying −1.0 kV including DC voltage to the conductive layer is defined as Ia, and an absolute value of a current amount flowing through the conductive layer in a case where a decrease ratio of a current amount per minute reaches 1% or less for the first time is defined as Ib, the relations of Ia≦6000 and 10≦Ib are satisfied. A volume resistivity of the conductive layer before the test is 1.0×108 Ω·cm to 5.0×1012 Ω·cm.

To provide an amine compound, represented by General Formula (I) below: [In General Formula (I), R1 and R2 represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group, which may be identical or different; m and n are an integer of 1 or 0; Ar1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group; Ar2 and Ar3 represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group; and Ar1 and Ar2 or Ar2 and Ar3 may bind to each other to form a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group including a nitrogen atom.]

The present invention provides a carrier for a two-component electrophotographic developer, comprising a core particle and a thermoset silicone resin layer coated thereon, wherein said layer comprises a charge control agent and is formed by heat-treatment at a temperature below the melting point of said charge control agent.

The present invention provides an exposure apparatus and an exposure method. The method comprises: utilizing an exposure light source to provide light rays to the photo-resist layer, wherein the light rays pass through the mask and the transparent substrate to reach the photo-resist layer; and utilizing a reflective plate to reflect the light rays passing through the transparent substrate and the photo-resist layer back to the photo-resist layer. The present invention can reduce a line space of a pattern of the photo-resist layer.

An automatic performance apparatus includes a memory device, an input device, a write device, a switching device, and a write control device. The memory device stores performance information. The input device inputs the performance information. The write device sequentially writes the performance information at predetermined addresses of the memory device on the basis of an operation of the input device. The switching device commands rewriting. In response to a command from the switching device, the write control device returns a write address of the memory device to an immediately preceding start point of a predetermined music composition unit having two or more notes, thereby enabling an easy and accurate edit of the once stored performance information.

A tuning apparatus for a keyboard musical instrument, having a load applicator for applying a load of a predetermined value to a string set up in place, a calculating device for calculating a deviation between a displacement value of the string produced when the load is applied to the string and a preset value of displacement predetermined to give a required frequency of vibration, and a rotating device for turning a tuning pin until the deviation calculated by the calculating device is reduced to zero.

A method for electronically processing and storing musical information involves separating the musical information into a plurality of segments, each representing some portion of a measure, and assigning a sequential time dimension value to each segment. The musical information is also separated into plurality of channels, with each channel representing a sound source and having a sound dimension value assigned to it. The musical information for a given channel and segment is stored in a memory array by associating the musical information corresponding to a given channel and segment with the memory array node specified by the time dimension value and sound dimension value assigned to the given channel and segment.

A signal processing apparatus executes a plurality of microprograms stored in a microprogram memory device in a time-sharing manner, so as to perform arithmetic operations on a digital signal entered by a signal input device. A delay memory device that delays the digital signal. The delay memory device has a plurality of delay areas that are independently provided for the respective microprograms, such that each of the microprograms that is being executed uses a corresponding one of the plurality of delay areas so as to delay the digital signal, and a common area that can be accessed by all of the microprograms. As a result, data such as tables for use in common by the plurality of microprograms can be stored, and the stored data can be easily used by each microprogram, without making the system complicated or increasing the cost of the apparatus.

The invention relates to an apparatus for mounting a percussion instrument onto a stand. The apparatus comprises a support portion and a retaining portion, the support portion comprising a support member arranged for attachment to the stand and including a shaft, the retaining portion comprising a gripping member having a pair of elements spaced apart from each other and one or more spreader means arranged to urge the spaced apart elements away from each other, wherein the support and retaining portions are adapted to mount the percussion instrument therebetween, the shaft engageable with the retaining portion, the elements of the gripping member normally biased to a first position that is capable of retaining the shaft between the elements in a locked position in the said retaining portion, the elements movable to a second position in which the retaining portion can be received on or removed from the first position on the shaft, the elements movable from the first position to the second position by activation of the or each spreader means.

A wireless access system and, more particularly, a method and apparatus for more efficiently performing zone switch are disclosed. The method of performing zone switch by an advanced mobile station (AMS) in a mixed-mode advanced base station (ABS) which operates in a mixed mode of a broadband wireless access system includes receiving a ranging response (RNG-RSP) message including system information of an AMS support zone from a legacy zone (LZone) of the ABS, and performing ranging to the AMS support zone using the system information.

A method for operating a base station in a wireless communication system in order to support a plurality of characteristics is provided. The method includes allocating resource periods for respective characteristics, transmitting system information including information on the characteristics, transmitting a reference signal with the characteristic corresponding to the relevant resource period through at least one of the resource periods, and receiving feedback information determining channel qualities for all of the characteristics.

Method and Apparatus thereof, for controlling intercell interference in a radio communications system having a plurality of user equipment and a plurality of access nodes including the steps of: a user equipment of said plurality connected to a serving access node, upon determining that an access node of said plurality is causing interference, transmitting a request to said serving access node; said serving access node forwarding said request to an apparatus controlling said interfering access node over an X2 interface, and said apparatus, instructing said interfering access node to execute said request.

A method includes selecting a subset k of N accessible antennas to use to process a transmission received at the N antennas and sent by a user equipment, and processing the transmission from the user equipment at least by using baseband information from the k antennas. An apparatus includes one or more processors and one or more memories including computer program code. The one or more memories and the computer program code are configured to, with the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: selecting a subset k of N accessible antennas to use to process a transmission received at the N antennas and sent by a user equipment; and processing the transmission from the user equipment at least by using baseband information from the k antennas. Additional apparatus, computer programs, and computer program products are disclosed.

An abnormality detection unit provided in at least one node among a plurality of nodes included in an information processing apparatus detects abnormality in a data transmission path of data transmission using a shared memory area sharable in a single node and other node, which is included in the storage unit provided in the single node or other nodes. An error information generation unit provided in the single node generates error information, based on the abnormality detected by the abnormality detection unit, and generates an interrupt with respect to a processor within a self node. The processor provided in the single node performs recovery processing, based on the error information according to the interrupt.

A data transmitting apparatus is provided. The data transmitting apparatus includes a packet generator configured to generate a packet including a plurality of sub packets and a transmitter configured to transmit the generated packet to a data receiving apparatus. Each of the plurality of sub packets includes audio data corresponding to content among a plurality of contents.

A wireless communication system and, more specifically, a measurement method and apparatus for inter-cell interference coordination in a wireless communication system are disclosed. Herein, a method for supporting measurement of a User Equipment (UE) by a first base station in a wireless communication system includes the steps of acquiring information of downlink subframe configuration of a second base station, determining measurement objects of downlink resource of the first base station based on the downlink subframe configuration of the second base station; transmitting information of the measurement objects to the UE, and receiving measurement result for the measurement objects from the UE.

A reception apparatus is configured to receive data including a plurality of packets each of which has information on a time point when the packet is generated; to extract a terminal packet which is a packet included in the data received and which has information on a time point which is nearest to a current time point; and to control an operation clock by comparing the information on the time point included in the terminal packet with information on an elapsed time obtained by adding information on a time point, which is included in a terminal packet of preceding data, to an elapsed time from when the preceding data is received to the current time point.

The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for transmitting an SRS in a multi-antenna system. The method comprises the steps of: acquiring specific information for discriminating a first antenna group and a second antenna group from among a plurality of antennas, wherein said first antenna group includes one or more antennas which are set to a turned-on state to perform communication with a base station, and said second antenna group includes one or more other antennas which are set to a turned-off state; transmitting an SRS to the base station if a predetermined condition is satisfied, under the condition that the second antenna group is set to the turned-off state; and setting the second antenna group to a turned-off state after the transmission of the SRS.

A bicycle transmission control apparatus comprises a control unit that provides a first signal to operate a first derailleur a gear shift distance from a first origin sprocket to a first destination sprocket. The control unit receives a condition signal that indicates a condition resulting from at least one of the first derailleur and a second derailleur; and an adjustment controller moves the first derailleur an adjustment distance less than the gear shift distance in response to the condition signal.

A bicycle derailleur adjusting apparatus for adjusting a bicycle derailleur includes a controller. The bicycle derailleur includes a base member adapted to be mounted to a bicycle, a movable member, a linkage coupled between the base member and the movable member, and an actuator configured to move the movable member of the bicycle derailleur among a plurality of derailleur positions. The controller is configured to control the actuator based on a travel value indicative of a travel distance of the movable member between adjacent derailleur positions to update the derailleur positions of the movable member.

A driving device includes a stretched member, and a first rotation member and a second rotation member that support the stretched member in a stretched manner. The first rotation member has a first rotation axis, and the second rotation member has a second rotation axis. The first rotation member includes a plurality of members arranged in an axial direction of the first rotation axis.

A belt unit includes an endless belt member, a first roller provided on an inner circumferential surface side of the belt member, and a stretching member provided on the inner circumferential surface side of the belt member. The stretching member is configured to stretch the belt member. A circumferential length of the belt member at a center portion in a widthwise direction of the belt member is shorter than a circumferential length of the belt member at an end portion in the widthwise direction of the belt member.

A method and apparatus for conveying a cellulosic feedstock are disclosed. The apparatus, such as a holding tank, has a passage. At the outlet to the passage, a conveyance member is provided to convey the cellulosic feedstock laterally across the outlet. The conveyance member, e.g., at least one screw conveyor, may have a variable pitch along its length. The method comprises passing the cellulosic feedstock through an impregnation chamber to an outlet of the impregnation chamber; passing the cellulosic feedstock from the outlet of the impregnation chamber to an inlet of a holding tank; passing the cellulosic feedstock downwardly through the holding tank; maintaining a generally constant residence time in the holding tank; and subsequently subjecting the cellulosic feedstock to a hydrolysis process.

A device mixing ingredients for coloring hair includes a mixing bowl and a housing removably placed atop the mixing bowl so that a pair of agitators rotatably and coaxially mounted within the housing extend downward into the mixing bowl, being driven in opposite directions at the same speed by a mechanism powered by a hand crank, which can be turned in either direction to cause one of the agitators to move a liquid inward within the mixing bowl while the other agitator moves the liquid outward. In an alternative version of the device, the agitators are driven by an electric motor.

A method of entraining a second fluid in a first fluid is provided. The method comprises supplying a first fluid to a processing passage (4) having an inlet (6) and an outlet (8), and supplying an entrainment fluid to a nozzle (10) which opens into the processing passage (4) intermediate the passage inlet (6) and the passage outlet (8). A second fluid which will undergo a change of phase and/or state when added to the first fluid is also provided, and supplied to a first port (22) opening into the processing passage (4) adjacent the nozzle (10). The entrainment fluid is injected from the nozzle (10) into the processing passage (4) so as to form a dispersed phase of the first and second fluids in a continuous vapor phase, and the vapor phase is condensed downstream of the nozzle (10). A device suitable for carrying out such a method is also provided.

An apparatus for conveying a cellulosic feedstock is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an enclosed volume having a lower surface comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending portions. Each longitudinally extending portion has an inner surface that is arcuate in transverse section. A plurality of conveyance members are provided within the enclosed volume. Each conveyance member is associated with one of the inner surfaces and configured to sweep the one of the inner surfaces. Additionally, a method for treating a cellulosic feedstock is disclosed. The method comprises providing a cellulosic feedstock being less than 100% saturated moisture. The cellulosic feedstock is introduced into a longitudinally extending enclosed volume, and conveyed longitudinally through the enclosed volume while being mixed.

A method of mixing together liquids or liquid/solid combinations, and mixing apparatus/universal combine utilizing a vertical spinning container or vessel having a rib, or a cross rib in its bottom wall. The container is spun about a vertical axis with no wobbling component to the motion. Meshed elements are used for high shear mixing. Start/stop routines, and variable acceleration/speed values are used, to facilitate complete mixing. Use of ‘impeller’ blade stirrers is completely eliminated.

An apparatus for mixing frozen desserts has a mixing chamber, and a spindle with driving portion for rotating the spindle. The mixing chamber has two main parts having a funnel and a top chamber forming a closed mixing chamber when brought together. The spindle is accommodated through the top chamber.

An apparatus, system and method for mixing and dispensing dental impression materials is described. A dental impression material mixing machine comprises a water dispenser fluidly coupled to a hollow mixing axle, the mixing axle extending through a pulley, wherein an inner circumference of the hollow mixing axle forms a water conduit and an outer circumference of the hollow mixing axle forms a hub connector, a closeable valve inserted at a water entrance to the water conduit and electronically coupled to a water pump, an electronically commutated motor rotatably coupled to the pulley, wherein the hub connector receives a tubular rotatable hub of a disposable mixing vessel comprising dry dental impression powder, and wherein water is dispensed from the water dispenser into the disposable mixing vessel through the water conduit and hub orifice.

A mixing apparatus includes a housing having an inner chamber, an inlet, and an outlet; an outlet conduit having a first and second end, the second end providing communication between the inner chamber and the outlet; and one or more dispersion members configured to mix one or more fluids, the one or more dispersion members extending between the outlet conduit and the housing. The dispersion members include a plate having a first and second side, a first opening in the plate for receiving an outlet conduit of the mixing device, and a plurality of second openings in the plate. The plurality of second openings has a first and second side. The first and second sides of the plurality of second openings have chamfered edges.

A clay mixing apparatus includes a mixing chamber, a rotor arranged within the mixing chamber, a drive unit arranged to rotate the rotor, an ejecting unit, a pressure reducing unit; and an exhaust flow path. The rotor includes a shaft rotated by the drive unit, an extruding member and a mixing member. The mixing member includes a plurality of arms and a plurality of blades arranged at tip ends of the arms. The exhaust opening is opposed, in a radial direction about the center axis, to a portion of the mixing member lying near the extruding member and/or a portion of the extruding member lying near the mixing member.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for mixing and controlling the temperature of laboratory vessel contents with an accommodating device in detachable connection with an exchangeable block for accommodating and controlling the temperature of laboratory vessels and with a drive by which the accommodating device can be set in a mixing motion, and with a temperature control device with a heat source or sink in heat-conducting connection with the exchangeable block at least through in each case at least one adjoining contact face firstly on the accommodating device and secondly on the exchangeable block, which is characterized in that the detachable connection is maintained by a spring element which, by virtue of its spring force, horizontally clamps together a first undercut between the accommodating device and the exchangeable block in at least one first direction.

An apparatus for swirling wine within a wine glass or a decanter, or for moving a liquid within a container. A driver is mounted to move a driving element with respect to a housing. A base for holding or removably attaching the glass, the decanter or the container, is moveably mounted with respect to the housing. A receiver and a connector are moveably mounted with respect to each other and with respect to the housing. When the driver moves the base, the base and thus the container follow a path defined by movement of the connector with respect to the receiver. When the glass, the decanter or the other container is mounted with respect to the base, the base moves the glass, the decanter or the container to impart a swirling motion of wine or another liquid within the glass, the decanter or the container.

This invention is directed to a stirring apparatus comprising: a plurality of blades having between a 5° to 180° twist along the length of their axis attached perpendicularly to a shaft so that a downward fluid flow is created when the shaft is rotated by a rotary drive; and, a plurality of standards attached to the plurality of blades separating the plurality of blades and arranged parallel to the shaft and rotated between 0° and 25° relative to a plane defined by the blades and the standards so that an inward fluid flow is created when the shaft is rotated and a bottom blade connected to the standards.

Provided are a fluid agitation apparatus using a structure which is simple in shape and short in a fluid passage direction without a movable part so as to produce a sufficient effect from the viewpoint of reducing temperature fluctuation, and a thermostatic apparatus using the fluid agitation apparatus. The fluid agitation apparatus is installed in a fluid passage and includes, in an order from an upstream side thereof: a dividing part for dividing a flow of a fluid into a plurality of flows; a circumvolving part for circumvolving the fluid about an axis in a flow direction of the fluid; and an accelerating part for increasing a flow rate of the fluid.

The present invention discloses a high intensity ultrasonic treatment method and apparatus that is used in conjunction with an existing commercial dough or batter mixer to enhance the rheological, aeration and textural properties of the dough or batter. This change in properties is a result of the phenomenon of acoustic cavitation induced in the dough or batter by treatment with high intensity ultrasonic waves. The present invention discloses a mixing bowl (20) of an existing mixer system that is preloaded with dough or batter, the bowl (20) is located at the center of an ultrasonic bath tank (101) filled with a working fluid. The effect of ultra-sonic waves with power levels above 1 kW can be observed over the entire or partial mixing period of the dough or batter. The ultra-sonic waves of the present invention are generated by a plurality of ultrasonic wave generators (104A, 104B) and piezoelectric transducers (1) mounted on a stainless steel tank (101). The electrical energy received in each transducer (1) will be converted into appropriate mechanical expansion and contractions in the piezoelectric ceramics of the transducer (1) thus leading to pressure waves being transmitted to the dough or batter to be mixed. The generation and transmission of high intensity ultrasonic waves to the dough or batter affects its rheological, aeration and textural properties.

The present invention generally relates to multiple emulsions, and to methods and apparatuses for making multiple emulsions. A multiple emulsion generally describes larger droplets that contain one or more smaller droplets therein. The larger droplets may be suspended in a third fluid in some cases. These can be useful for encapsulating species such as pharmaceutical agents, cells, chemicals, or the like. In some cases, one or more of the droplets can change form, for instance, to become solidified to form a microcapsule, a liposome, a polymerosome, or a colloidosome. Multiple emulsions can be formed in one step in certain embodiments, with generally precise repeatability, and can be tailored to include one, two, three, or more inner droplets within a single outer droplet (which droplets may all be nested in some cases).

A fastening assembly includes a connecting member, a mounting member mounted to the connecting member, and a sliding member. The mounting member includes a first fixing portion. The sliding member is slidably received in the mounting member and the connecting member. The sliding member includes a first end exposed out of the first fixing portion, and a second end slidably received in the connecting member. The second end of the sliding member is operable to be extended out of or substantially coplanar with an end of the connecting member. The fastening assembly can be utilized to mount a heat sink to a board.

The present invention is premised upon method of manufacturing rolled pierce nuts having a predetermined profile from a metal rod, more particularly to a method and apparatus delivering greater manufacturing flexibility through the use of multiple stations with flexible inputs and outputs.