International Business Machines Corporation

Gregory Michael Ketterer

Albert E Dennes

Junfeng Xu

Dave Bach

Adam Mullenbach

An apparatus includes an enclosure, a central processing unit, a power source, a first distance measuring device, a first compressible member, and a first housing pin, where the central processing unit is electrically coupled to the power source and the first distance measuring device. A first end of the first compressible member is mechanically coupled to a first end of the first housing pin and a second end of the first compressible member is mechanically coupled to an inner surface of the enclosure. The first distance measuring device positioned at the second end of the first compressible member, where the first distance measuring device is configured to measure a first distance to the first end of the first housing pin. A first key pin of a key structure disposed in the enclosure, where the first key pin is configured to compress the first compressible member the first distance.

Lock housing device and key structure

An impact driver, in accordance with one embodiment, includes a rotatable shaft, and a rotating driver mechanism configured to rotate the shaft. A first mass is positioned to selectively strike the rotating driver mechanism for inducing a rotation of the shaft in a first direction. A first inductor is positioned to accelerate the first mass toward the rotating driver mechanism. A computer-implemented method, in accordance with one embodiment, includes repeatedly activating a first inductor for repeatedly accelerating a first mass toward a rotating driver mechanism to selectively strike the rotating driver mechanism for inducing a rotation of a shaft in a first direction. In response to receiving an indication that rotation of the shaft is detected, the repeated activation is terminated.

Impact driver having inductor and internal mass

An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes: an electromagnetic shaft, an expandable balloon coupled to a first end of the shaft, and a fluid reservoir. A conduit also extends between the fluid reservoir and an interior of the balloon. The apparatus also includes a selectively magnetizable fluid, at least a portion of which is contained in the fluid reservoir, and a pump for selectively transferring the magnetizable fluid from the fluid reservoir to the balloon. A pressure sensor for detecting a pressure of the magnetizable fluid, and a controller for controlling the pump are further included. Moreover, at least a portion of the shaft is flexible. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.

Retrieving magnetically attracted objects from substantially inaccessible cavities

An embodiment includes instructing a light source to emit light within a hardware socket configured to disengage a hardware component from a mounting surface. Emitted light received at a detector while a first portion of the hardware component is in contact with the mounting surface is detected. One or more instructions are sent to cause a relative rotation between the hardware component and the mounting surface. The embodiment further includes detecting that the first portion of the hardware component is no longer in contact with the mounting surface, and recording an extent of relative rotation that occurs in response to the one or more instructions to disengage the first portion of the hardware component from the mounting surface until the detection that the first portion of the hardware component is no longer in contact with the mounting surface. The extent of relative rotation is stored.

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Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Gregory Michael Ketterer