Author: claimsbot

1. A drawbar clevis assembly comprising:
a drawbar having an upper inboard member, a lower outboard member and a connecting member, the inboard member having an inner end for coupling to a vehicle and an outer end joined to an upper end of the connecting member, and the outboard member having an inner end joined to a lower end of the connecting member and an outer end for coupling to an implement; and
a strap mounted to the drawbar, the strap having an inner portion, a mid portion and an outer portion, the mid portion having an opening therein, said opening receiving the upper end of the connecting member of the drawbar, and the inner portion of the strap being attached to the inboard member of the drawbar, the outboard member and the outer portion having aligned bores for receiving a drawbar pin which is insertable through the bores, the opening being oriented vertically and the connecting member extending downwardly through the opening.
2. The drawbar clevis assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a latch member mounted to the strap member, the latch member releasably retaining the drawbar pin in the bores.
3. The drawbar clevis assembly of claim 1, wherein: at least a portion of the connecting member extending substantially vertically.
4. The drawbar clevis assembly of claim 1, wherein:
the inner portion of the strap is attached to an underside of the inboard member of the drawbar.
5. A drawbar clevis assembly comprising:
a drawbar having inner end for coupling to a vehicle, an outer end for coupling to an implement and a connecting member extending substantially vertically between the inner end and the outer end; and
a strap mounted to the drawbar, the strap having an outer portion for coupling to the implement, a mid portion and an inner portion, the mid portion having an opening therein, said opening being oriented vertically and receiving an upper end of the connecting member of the drawbar, and the inner portion of the strap being attached to an underside of the inner end of the drawbar, the outer end and the outer portion having aligned bores for receiving a drawbar pin which is insertable through the bores, and all portions of the strap are lower than the inner end of the drawbar.
6. A drawbar clevis assembly comprising:
a drawbar having an upper inboard member, a lower outboard member and a connecting member, the inboard member having an inner end for coupling to a vehicle and an outer end joined to an upper end of the connecting member, and the outboard member having an inner end joined to a lower end of the connecting member and an outer end for coupling to an implement; and
a strap mounted to the drawbar, all portions of the strap being lower than the upper inboard member, the strap having a single opening therein, said opening receiving the upper end of the connecting member of the drawbar, and the strap being attached to the inboard member of the drawbar, the outboard member and the strap having aligned bores for receiving a drawbar pin which is insertable through the bores, the opening being oriented vertically and the connecting member extending downwardly through the opening.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for manufacturing a mirror structure for use in a microelectronic device, comprising:
forming a first mirror layer over and within one or more openings in a sacrificial spacer layer;
forming a dielectric layer over an upper surface of the first mirror layer and within the one or more openings;
subjecting the dielectric layer to an etch, the etch removing the dielectric layer from the upper surface and leaving dielectric portions along sidewalls of the one or more openings;
forming a second mirror layer over the first mirror layer and within the one or more openings, the dielectric portions separating the first mirror layer and the second mirror layer along the sidewalls.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the sacrificial spacer layer comprises photoresist.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the dielectric layer comprises an oxide.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first mirror layer and the second mirror layer comprise aluminum or an alloy thereof.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein subjecting the dielectric layer to an etch includes subjecting the dielectric layer to an anisotropic etch.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 further including patterning the first and second mirror layers to form a mirror structure, and thereafter removing the sacrificial spacer layer.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein forming the first and second mirror layers includes forming the first and second mirror layers using a temperature of less than about 150\xb0 C.
8. A method for manufacturing a microelectronic device, comprising:
forming a first photoresist spacer layer over a substrate, the first photoresist spacer layer having one or more openings therein;
forming a hinge structure over the first photoresist spacer layer and within the one or more openings;
forming a second photoresist spacer layer over the hinge structure, the second photoresist spacer layer having one or more openings therein;
forming a first mirror layer over the second photoresist spacer layer and within the one or more openings in the second photoresist spacer layer;
forming a dielectric layer over an upper surface of the first mirror layer and within the one or more openings in the second photoresist spacer layer;
subjecting the dielectric layer to an etch, the etch removing the dielectric layer from the upper surface of the first mirror layer and leaving dielectric portions along sidewalls of the one or more openings in the second photoresist spacer layer;
forming a second mirror layer over the first mirror layer and within the one or more openings in the second photoresist spacer layer, the dielectric portions separating the first mirror layer and the second mirror layer along the sidewalls; and
removing the first and second photoresist spacer layers after forming the second mirror layer.
9. The method as recited in claim 8 further including patterning the first mirror layer and second mirror layer prior to removing the first and second photoresist spacer layers, thereby forming a mirror structure including the first mirror layer, dielectric portions and second mirror layer.
10. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the dielectric layer comprises an oxide.
11. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the first mirror layer and the second mirror layer comprise aluminum or an alloy thereof.
12. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein subjecting the dielectric layer to an etch includes subjecting the dielectric layer to an anisotropic etch.
13. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein forming the first and second mirror layers includes forming the first and second mirror layers using a temperature of less than about 150\xb0 C.
14. The method as recited in claim 8 further including forming control circuitry over or in the substrate, the control circuitry in electrical connection with the conductive feature, wherein the control circuitry, control feature, hinge structure and mirror structure form at least a portion of a digital micromirror device.
15. A microelectronic device, comprising:
a conductive feature;
a hinge structure located over and contacting the conductive feature, wherein at least a portion of the hinge structure defines a first well; and
a mirror structure located over the hinge structure, the mirror structure including:
a first mirror layer contacting the hinge structure, wherein at least a portion of the first mirror layer defines a second well;
dielectric portions located along sidewalls of the second well; and
a second mirror layer located over the first mirror layer and within the second well, the dielectric portions located between the first mirror layer and the second mirror layer along the sidewalls.
16. The microelectronic device as recited in claim 15 wherein the dielectric portions comprise an oxide.
17. The microelectronic device as recited in claim 15 wherein the dielectric portions comprise silicon dioxide.
18. The microelectronic device as recited in claim 15 wherein the first mirror layer and the second mirror layer comprise aluminum or an alloy thereof.
19. The microelectronic device as recited in claim 15 further including control circuitry in electrical connection with the conductive feature, wherein the control circuitry, control feature, hinge structure and mirror structure form at least a portion of a digital micromirror device.

1. A multi-speed transmission comprising:
an input shaft;
an output shaft;
a stationary member;
first, second and third planetary gear sets each having first, second and third members;
a first and second input clutch connected with said input shaft;
said second member of said second planetary gear set being continuously connected with said second input clutch;
a first interconnecting member continuously interconnecting a member of said second planetary gear set with a member of said third planetary gear set; and
nine torque-transmitting mechanisms for selectively interconnecting said members of said first, second or third planetary gear sets with said first or second input clutch, said output shaft, said interconnecting member, said stationary member or with other members of said planetary gear sets, two of said nine torque-transmitting mechanisms being selectively operable for interconnecting said first and second members of said first planetary gear set with the first member of said second planetary gear set and said output shaft, said nine torque-transmitting mechanisms being engaged in combinations of at least three to establish at least five forward speed ratios and a reverse speed ratio between said input shaft and said output shaft.
2. The transmission defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second of said nine torque-transmitting mechanisms are selectively operable for interconnecting the first member and the second member of said first planetary gear set, respectively, with said first input clutch.
3. The transmission defined in claim 1, wherein the fifth and sixth of said nine torque-transmitting mechanisms are selectively operable for interconnecting members of said second planetary gear set with members of said third planetary gear set.
4. The transmission defined in claim 1, wherein the seventh of said nine torque-transmitting mechanisms is selectively operable for interconnecting a member of said first planetary gear set with said stationary member.
5. The transmission defined in claim 1, wherein the eighth and ninth of said nine torque-transmitting mechanisms is selectively operable for interconnecting members of said third planetary gear set with said stationary member.
6. The transmission as defined in claim 1, further comprising a tenth torque-transmitting mechanism, wherein three of said ten torque-transmitting mechanisms are selectively operable for interconnecting said first, second and third members of said first planetary gear set with the first member of said second planetary gear set and said output shaft.
7. The transmission defined in claim 6, wherein the first and second of said ten torque-transmitting mechanisms are selectively operable for interconnecting the first member and the second member of said first planetary gear set, respectively, with said first input clutch.
8. The transmission defined in claim 6, wherein the sixth and seventh of said ten torque-transmitting mechanisms are selectively operable for interconnecting members of said second planetary gear set with members of said third planetary gear set.
9. The transmission defined in claim 6, wherein the eighth and ninth of said ten torque-transmitting mechanisms are selectively operable for interconnecting members of said first planetary gear set with said stationary member.
10. The transmission defined in claim 6, wherein the tenth of said ten torque-transmitting mechanisms is selectively operable for interconnecting a member of said third planetary gear set with said stationary member.
11. The transmission defined in claim 6, wherein said first, second and third members of said planetary gear sets comprise a sun gear member, a ring gear member and a planet carrier assembly member, and wherein the planet carrier assembly members of a plurality of said planetary gear sets are of the single pinion carriers.
12. The transmission defined in claim 6, wherein said first, second and third members of said planetary gear sets comprise a sun gear member, a ring gear member and a planet carrier assembly member, and wherein the planet carrier assembly members of a plurality of said planetary gear sets are of the double pinion carriers.
13. The transmission defined in claim 6, wherein each of said ten torque-transmitting mechanisms comprises a synchronizer.
14. The transmission defined in claim 6, wherein said first input clutch is applied for odd number speed ranges and said second input clutch is applied for even number speed ranges.
15. The transmission defined in claim 6, wherein said first input clutch is applied for even number speed ranges and said second input clutch is applied for odd number speed ranges.
16. The transmission defined in claim 6, wherein selected ones of said ten torque-transmitting mechanisms are engaged prior to gear shifting to achieve shifting without torque interruptions.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of using a computer network for interactive collaboration, comprising:
creating a collaborative environment for members of a team in communication with the computer network;
in the collaborative environment, collecting information from the members of the team in an interactive forum offering varying degrees of structure; and
facilitating a collaboratively derived decision based on the collected information.
2. The method of claim 1 further including supporting an interactive process having a topic to be considered by the members of the team.
3. The method according to claim 2 further including employing techniques to collect data from the members of the team regarding the topic or process.
4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the techniques include requesting the members to consider at least one option regarding the topic.
5. The method according to claim 3 wherein the data is returned in the form of an absolute metric, relative measure, or free-form input.
6. The method according to claim 2 further including automatically informing members of the team of the topic in an asynchronous manner.
7. The method as claimed in claim 6 further including providing a direct link to the members for responding.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1 further including employing a process that solicits input from the team members for a present state of the topic, an end state of the topic, and a process for proceeding from the present state to the end state.
9. The method as claimed in claim 1 further including building the team in a manner that allows a member to be coached on the problem solving process in a manner driven by the team member.
10. An apparatus for interactive collaboration over a computer network, comprising:
a collaborative environment for members of a team in communication with the computer network; and
in the collaborative environment, an interactive forum offering varying degrees of structure to collect information from the members of the team that is used to arrive at a collaboratively derived decision.
11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 further including an interactive process having a topic to be considered by the members of the team.
12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 further including techniques to collect data from the members of the team regarding the topic or process.
13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the techniques request the members to consider at least one option regarding the topic.
14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the data is in the form of an absolute metric, relative measure, or free-form input.
15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 further including a generator automatically informing members of the team of the topic in a asynchronous manner.
16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the generator provides a direct link to the members for responding.
17. The apparatus according to claim 10 further including a solicitation unit to solicit input from the team members for a present state of the topic, an end state of the topic, and a process for proceeding from the present state to the end state.
18. The apparatus according to claim 10 further including a composer to build the team in a manner that allows a member to be coached on the problem solving process in a manner driven by the team member.
19. An apparatus for interactive collaboration over a computer network, comprising:
means for creating a collaborative environment for members of a team in communication with the computer network; and
in the collaborative environment, means for providing an interactive forum offering varying degrees of structure for collecting information from the members of the team that is used to arrive at a collaboratively derived decision.
20. A system for providing interactive collaboration, comprising:
an interface coupled to a computer network;
a processor coupled to the interface that creates a collaborative environment for members of a team in communication with the server over the computer network, the collaborative environment having an interactive forum offering varying degrees of structure to collect information from the members of the team that is used to arrive at a collaboratively derived decision; and
a data store coupled to the processor and storing the information from the members in the interactive forum for later retrieval.