Recessed adhesive binding systems. One system can include a plurality of sheets arranged in a stack, each of the plurality of sheets having a front surface, a rear surface, and an exposed edge. At least one of the front surface and the rear surface of each of the plurality sheets can include at least one recessed adhesive positioned adjacent the exposed edge to form an at least partially exposed recessed adhesive, which can be selectively activated. The rear surface of a first sheet in the plurality of sheets can be positioned adjacent the front surface of a second sheet in the plurality of sheets, or vice versa, and the exposed edges of the plurality of sheets can be staggered, such that the exposed edge of the second sheet extends further outwardly from the stack than the exposed edge of the first sheet in the stack.

A semiconductor package device comprises a radio frequency power transistor having an output port operably coupled to a single de-coupling capacitance located within the semiconductor package device. The single de-coupling capacitance is arranged to provide both high frequency decoupling and low frequency decoupling of signals output from the radio frequency power transistor.

An accessory for coupling to an attachment mechanism of an oscillating power tool includes a working end, an opposite rear end, and a fitment portion adjacent the rear end portion. The fitment portion includes a generally U-shaped opening having a central portion and a rearward portion open to the rear end, and configured to receive a post of a tool clamping mechanism. The fitment portion further includes a first plurality of openings in communication with and extending radially outward from the central portion, a second plurality of openings not in communication with and positioned radially outward from the central portion. The central portion, the first plurality of openings, and the second plurality of openings are configured to couple the fitment portion to a plurality of different configurations of attachment mechanisms for oscillating power tools.

An apparatus, particularly a chuck for retaining a thin part for micro-machining processing, is disclosed. The chuck is formed of a plate-shaped body having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The plate-shaped body includes a light-transmissive material, and at least one of the first surface or the second surface is a roughened surface. The chuck can be incorporated into a micro-machining system using a chuck support that allows light through to backlight a processed part for inspection.

The invention relates to a workholder (10) for holding a workpiece to be processed in a machine tool, which workholder (10) is in the form of a annular body (12) having a central through hole (14), said annular body (12) having at least one weakened area (18, 20; 34, 36, 38, 40; 50, 52, 54, 56) obtained by material removal, as well as at least one pressure chamber (22; 42, 44; 58, 60) assigned to said at least one weakened area (18, 20; 34, 36, 38, 40; 50, 52, 54, 56) that can be charged with a pressurized fluid. Said at least one weakened area (18, 20; 34, 36, 38, 40; 50, 52, 54, 56) is dimensioned and arranged so as to cause said annular body (12) to be elastically deformable in an axial and/or a radial direction (a, r). As a result, with pressure acting on said pressure chamber (22; 42, 44; 58, 60), said annular body (12) can then be deformed elastically in a well-defined manner in an axial and/or a radial direction (a, r).

An apparatus of semiconductor process including a chuck and a vacuum source is provided. The chuck has a plurality of holes for holding a semiconductor substrate, and the vacuum source is used for providing vacuum suction through the holes to make the semiconductor substrate be subjected to varied suction intensities according to a warpage level thereof.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for positioning and pressing surgical needle blanks. The apparatus includes a needle blank transferring system which transfers needle blanks between a gripping position and a pressing position. A side press system presses a portion of the needle blank when the blank is in the pressing position, and a gripping member is provided to hold the needle blank at least during the transfer and press operations of the apparatus. The method according to the present invention includes inserting a needle blank into a needle blank gripping member at a gripping position, transferring the needle blank between the gripping position and a pressing position, and pressing a side portion of a body portion of the needle blank with pressing dies.

Surgical needles are produced from martensitic precipitation-hardening stainless steel and then vacuum heat treated and vacuum cooled to increase its tensile strength while retaining the polished surface of the needle. A needle made by this process is also disclosed.

There is disclosed an apparatus for forming a surgical incision member comprising which includes a first die associated with a base and having a first groove therein for receipt of at least a portion of a needle blank. A second die is mounted for movement on the base between a position remote from the first die and a position adjacent the first die. The second die includes a second groove alignable with the first groove to hold a needle blank therebetween, the first and second dies each having spaced apart channels intersecting the first and second grooves. A notching die is provided and is mounted for movement within at the channels so as to engage and notch an edge of the needle blank contained within the first and second grooves. The apparatus also includes structure for curving a needle blank contained within the first and second grooves. A method of forming a surgical incision member is also disclosed, and a surgical incision member blank.

A process for manufacturing surgical needles from solid, cylindrical needle blanks. A plurality of needle blanks are cut from a roll of wire and mounted to a flat carrier strip. The carrier strip then indexes each needle blank to a grinding station where an orbital grinding means grinds the distal end of each needle blank into a taper point while the needle blanks are held fixed in the carrier strip.

There is disclosed an apparatus and a method for progressively forming high strength surgical needles from bulk needle stock material. The apparatus generally includes a series of progressive needle processing stations. A first series of needle processing stations removes material from needle stock material to rough form needle blanks attached to a carrier strip while a second series of processing stations refine the rough formed needle blanks attached to the strip into the desired surgical needles. The disclosed method generally includes the steps of gutting needle stock material to rough form needle blanks attached to a carrier strip and progressively coining the rough formed blanks into surgical needles. Finally, there is disclosed a high bend strength surgical needle formed on the disclosed apparatus or by the disclosed method. Preferably, the surgical needle is a surgical incision member having a predetermined radius of curvature and an optimized conical radius at the tips.

A process for progressively manufacturing cutting edge needles or wire members. Needle blanks or wire blanks are cut from a roll of wire and mounted to a carrier strip. The carrier strip and needles are moved through a succession of coining dies and at least one trimming die, wherein the first coining die is an open coining die and the one or more successive coining dies are closed coining dies. The needle blanks or wire members are optionally curved, heat treated and electrochemically treated resulting in cutting edge needles or wire members formed without a grinding step and without adversely affecting point ductility.

A continuous process for heat treating and cleaning and tempering martensitic stainless steel surgical needles is disclosed. The method comprises exposing the surgical needles to a partial vacuum at a temperature less than the heat treating temperature to remove volatile surface contaminant. Then the needles are heat treated in an argon gas environment at a pressure equal to or greater than 1.0 Torr. Next the temperature of the oven is lowered to temper the needles.

A process for the manufacture of suture needles and, more particularly, a process for enhancing the physical strength of the suture needles through an expedient cold-working or cold-forming procedure. Also disclosed is the provision of a novel and physically strengthened suture needle, particularly a surgical suture needle possessing a curvilinear configuration wherein the cross-sectional configuration of the needle is cold-formed into varying shapes in order to produce a needle having superior physical characteristics and strengths imparted thereto through the inventive process. The needles are essentially cold formed, and which process includes the aspect of imparting to straight metal rods which are preferably constituted from stainless steel, manufacturing steps which include sharpening one end of rod severed segments so as to form the needle tip, thereafter curving the needle with the metal still being in a relatively ductile state, and subjecting the needle to a cold forming process, such as through the intermediary of pressure die molds or stamping, to produce varying cross-sectional shapes along the length of the needle.

A method and an apparatus is disclosed for forming a one-piece introducer needle having a member portion and a needle portion by introducing a photoresist on a substrate. The temperature of the substrate is increased and then decreased. A photomask is deposited onto a substrate.

A method for manufacturing a surgical needle devoid of a grinding process includes the steps of swaging a needle blank to define a substantially tapered or conical needle end, pressing the tapered needle to form a plurality of intersecting surfaces and forming cutting edges along the lines of intersection of the intersecting sides. The needle may be subjected to an etching process (e.g., an acid bath) to sharpen the cutting edges and/or provide a matte finish on the needle. The needle produced by the novel process is extremely sharp and durable, and exhibits an enhanced retention of sharpness relative to conventional ground needles over periods of prolonged use.

A process for manufacturing a surgical needle incorporates at least one pressing operation which, preferably, in conjunction with a trimming and/or etching process, ultimately forms the sharpened needle end. The grinding operation in the preferred process does not produce the primary sharpened edges of the needle, but, rather is incorporated, in one instance, to reduce excess needle material prior to the pressing operation. Consequently, the amount of flash material generated during pressing is substantially reduced. This feature desirably enhances the subsequent trimming and etching operations, and produces a needle which is extremely sharp, durable and exhibits an improved retention of sharpness over periods of prolonged use.

Surgical needles are produced by immersing a needle possessing a distal end surrounded at least in part by flash material and a body portion in an acid bath according to a predetermined sequence, wherein the distal end of the needle is exposed to the acid bath under conditions sufficient to remove flash material from the distal end of the needle and the body portion of the needle is exposed to the acid bath under conditions sufficient to provide a matte finish on at least a portion of the body portion of the needle.

A process for manufacturing a surgical needle incorporates at least one pressing operation which, preferably, in conjunction with a trimming and/or etching process, ultimately forms the sharpened needle end. The grinding operation in the preferred process does not produce the primary sharpened edges of the needle, but, rather is incorporated, in one instance, to reduce excess needle material prior to the pressing operation. Consequently, the amount of flash material generated during pressing is substantially reduced. This feature desirably enhances the subsequent trimming and etching operations, and produces a needle which is extremely sharp, durable and exhibits an improved retention of sharpness over periods of prolonged use.

A method of mechanically treating alloy metal surgical needles to improve bending strength is disclosed. The needles are curved and reverse-curved in this method to improve bending strength.

A method of stress relieving drilled surgical needles is disclosed. At least the metal about a drilled bore hole is heat treated to relieve stress without annealing.

The invention relates to an energy-efficient apparatus driven by compressed air and equipped with a dual piston function for tensioning, or clamping, or centering, or punching, or welding, or clinching, for use in body construction in the automotive industry. The apparatus is driven by a pressurized fluid, in particular by compressed air. It is shown how a significant amount of operating costs can be saved while, at the same time, conserving the environment and consuming a low amount of pressurized fluid, in particular compressed air. In addition, the pivoting angle of a toggle joint assembly and thus of an apparatus connected thereto, for example, a tensioning arm of a toggle tensioning apparatus, can be continuously adjusted in both directions while, at the same time, adjusting a sampling device using sensors, for example, microswitches, or inductive switches, or pneumatic switches, or limit switches.

An apparatus can include a pressure vessel that defines an interior region that can contain a liquid and/or a gas. A piston is movably disposed within the interior region of the pressure vessel. A divider is fixedly disposed within the interior region of the pressure vessel and divides the interior region into a first interior region on a first side of the divider and a second interior region on a second, opposite side of the divider. The piston is movable between a first position in which fluid having a first pressure is disposed within the first interior region and the first interior region has a volume less than a volume of the second interior region, and a second position in which fluid having a second pressure is disposed within the second interior region and the second interior region has a volume less than a volume of the first interior region.

The invention relates to a method for the impregnation of a product consisting of fibrous material and formed from a continuous web (22), the method comprising at least one first step of cutting out a specific zone (24) of the continuous web (22) and at least one second step of applying an impregnation product to the specific zone (24), the first and second steps being carried out simultaneously or virtually simultaneously.

This disclosure provides for pressure limiting a hydraulic system to a desired pressure value by a particular circuit by controlling and closing the compensator when the desired pressure setting is achieved. Closing the compensator will reduced the pressure head and flow in the circuit resulting in improved efficiency. One illustrated embodiment of the disclosure provides a relief valve in the pilot signal for a compensator. The method relates to limiting the pressure on an open side of the compensator, such that the pressure on the other side closes the compensator thereby limiting the pressure and also flow in the hydraulic circuit. In other words, the pressure on the open side is limited by the relief valve. Thus, the pressure on the other side increases thereby regulating the flow and pressure through the compensator. In another embodiment of the disclosure, instead of reducing the pressure on the open side, the pressure on the closed side is increased, thereby controlling the flow and pressure of the hydraulic circuit. The pressure can be increased by a pump or any other suitable mode.

In a swash plate type variable capacity compressor that changes a stroke of a piston by controlling the pressure of a crank chamber (6), lubrication oil contained in refrigerant gas is maximally prevented from being circulated outside the compressor. Some of discharged refrigerant gas in a discharge chamber (22) flows into the crank chamber (6) through a communication passage (25) (25a and 25b) and a control valve (27), while some of the discharged refrigerant gas flows out to a suction chamber (21) from the crank chamber (6) through a second communication passage (26) and an orifice (28), and the pressure of the crank chamber (6) is controlled through a balance between an inflow amount and an outflow amount. Oil storage chamber (30) extends downstream of the control valve (27) on the first communication passage (25) to separate oil and store the separated oil. Oil return passage (31) returns the oil stored in the oil storage chamber (30) to the crank chamber (6).

In a reciprocating piston compressor with delivery rate control, the electromagnetic actuating device (3) of the valve lifter (2) has a separate positioning drive (10) for adjusting the working stroke range of the magnetic actuator (5) used, whereby this can be chosen to be small and highly dynamic and only low power losses occur.

An assembly of valve sections includes an inlet section, an outlet section, a working section, and a working section. The working section is a conventional pressure compensated working section. The working section includes a directional control valve, a pressure compensator valve, and a pressure limiter valve. The valves are of integral construction, such that each is an essential part to complete the other. The pressure compensator valve includes a pressure compensator spool movable between an opened position and a closed position in response to a pressure differential across the spool. The pressure limiter valve includes a pressure limiter spool that moves to an open position to change the pressure differential and close the pressure compensator valve when a selected limit pressure is reached.

In a fluid pressure cylinder, a piston is displaced in an axial direction under the action of a pressure fluid. A circular protrusion, which projects toward the piston along an axial direction of the cylinder tube, is formed on an inner end surface of a collar member constituting part of the fluid pressure cylinder, a concavity, which can be fitted externally over the circular protrusion, is formed on the piston, and an annular groove is formed on an inner circumferential edge of an end plate. By the piston coming into contact with the end plate, a pressure receiving chamber is formed between the piston and the annular groove, together with an opening of a second port on an inner side of the cylinder tube being closed to a maximum of 90%.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for efficient endothermic processing of liquids and the precipitation of dissolved elements and chemical compounds. Improvements over prior systems include system layout, components and modes of operation of the system. Applications of the system include destruction of toxic wastes and sewage treatment, precipitation of chemical compounds and elements including metals from solution (brine, sea water, industrial waste), sterilization and water purification, catalytic formation of chemical compounds, and processing of hydrocarbons.

Graphite and/or carbon surfaces are coated with a titanium nitride coating by exposing the substrate to electric arc thermal spray process wherein titanium wire as the source of titanium and nitrogen is used as the propelling (atomizing) gas.

A ceremonial illuminary including a voltage supply mechanism, a switching mechanism that is electrically connected to the voltage supply mechanism, a first lamp electrically connected to the switching mechanism, a second lamp electrically connected to the switching mechanism wherein the switching mechanism provides voltage to the first lamp to illuminate the first lamp and then switches to provide voltage to the second lamp instead of the first lamp when the first lamp burns-out and no longer illuminates. The first lamp and the second lamp are secured with an enclosure.

A method of compressing a character by determining an overall code specific to the character comprising the steps of: a) grouping the characters in terms of a common behaviour pattern;b) where the number of characters within that group is odd, creating a two new groups of character, one new group containing just one character and the other new group containing the remaining characters;c) for each new group from of step b) said groups from step a) which have an even number of characters, assigning a group specific code d) where there is more than one character in the group referred to in step c) assigning a character identifier code to identify an individual character within the group, e) the overall character code comprising of the cocatenated group specific and identifier codes.

A system that encodes a sequence of integers using a variable-length compression technique is described. During operation, the system scans the sequence of integers and observes the sizes of the integers to determine a threshold value K from the observed sizes. For a given integer which is N bits in length, if N−K is greater than or equal to zero, the system generates a tag for the encoded integer which comprises a sequence of N−K zeros followed by a one, and generates a set of remaining bits for the encoded integer as a sequence of the N bits which make up the integer. Otherwise, if N−K is less than zero, the system generates a tag for the encoded integer as a single one, and generates a set of remaining bits for the encoded integer by padding the N bits which make up the integer with zeros so that the set of remaining bits is K bits in length.

A shelf accessory for a dishwasher rack is provided, comprising a spine extending in parallel with a structural member of the rack. A plurality of loops extends perpendicularly from the spine, and the loops are spaced apart in relation to each other along the spine, and cooperate therewith to define a shelf member. A clip member is operably engaged between the shelf member and the structural member, and is configured to be capable of rotating about the structural member such that the shelf member correspondingly orbits about the structural member. The clip member further comprises at least one retention member operably engaged therewith. The at least one retention member is configured to cooperate with the rack so as to retain and support the shelf member in at least one of a plurality of angular positions with respect to and about the structural member. Associated apparatuses are also provided.

Method and apparatus for tri-axially aligning, folding, trimming and edge stitching a cloth sheet particularly adapted for making pockets for garments.

A method and system are presented for enhancing one or more images of an object, so as to increase the visibility within the images of one or more structures within the object. The object may be an anatomical region of a patient, and may include one or more reference structures, for example skeletal structures or vertebral structures, and one or more treatment targets, for example tumors or lesions. An operator, for example a top-hat filter operator, selects at least a first neighborhood and a second neighborhood within the images. The operator selects within each neighborhood one or more pixels having an optimal pixel value, and eliminates the remaining pixels in these neighborhoods. When the operator is applied to the selected neighborhoods, only the pixels having the greatest pixel values remain in the selected neighborhoods, and the remaining pixels are eliminated in the selected neighborhoods. As a result, desired features can be located and enhanced in the images.

In order to achieve seal durability and bring about a damping action for a piston-type pressure regulating valve, a pressure regulating valve of the present invention is characterized by a valve moving member moving in such a manner as to cause communication or block communication between a primary chamber and a secondary chamber within a case, wherein a plurality of central members are arranged between the case and the valve moving member and the plurality of central members are taken to be different materials. It is then possible to bring about both a damping action and seal durability using the central members by providing central members of different materials.

The compressor is provided with an oil separator for separating oil from refrigerant gas introduced into a separation chamber, an annular space for reserving oil separated from the refrigerant gas, and a reservoir chamber for reserving the thus separated oil. The oil separator is provided in a cylindrical hole formed in a discharge chamber from which the refrigerant gas is discharged and a lid for partitioning the cylindrical hole from the discharge chamber is provided in the cylindrical hole. The oil separator introduces the refrigerant gas from the discharge chamber to the separation chamber via the introduction passage. The annular space is provided around the lid and connected to the reservoir chamber via an oil passage. The reservoir chamber is connected to a crank chamber of a pressure lower than that in the discharge chamber.

A compressor includes a housing; a compressor liner positioned within the housing and at least partially defining a first cylinder with an inlet and an outlet; a piston positioned within the first cylinder and configured to compress air flowing into the first cylinder through the inlet; a cylinder head at least partially defining the first cylinder; and a sealing assembly for sealing an interface between the compressor liner and the cylinder head. The sealing assembly includes a ring seal at an interface between the cylinder head and the compressor liner; a vent port on an opposite side of the ring seal from the first cylinder; and a vent tube extending between the vent port and the inlet such that air leaking through the ring seal from the first cylinder flows through the vent port, through the vent tube, and into the inlet.

The present invention provides a variable displacement swash plate type compressor that reduces wear of cylinder bores and the amount of blow-by gas. Each piston of the compressor has a piston main body, which has a distal portion located at an end corresponding to the compression chamber. A tapering portion and an arcuate portion are formed in the distal portion. The arcuate portion is continuous with an end of the tapering portion that is closer to the compression chamber. The tapering portion and the arcuate portion each have a diameter that increases toward the skirt. The tapering portion has a tapering angle that is in a range from 0.45 degrees to 1.5 degrees. The distance between the distal end of the piston main body and a starting point of the tapering portion on an end closer to the skirt is set in a range from 1.5 mm to 5.0 mm.

Disclosed is a wobble plate type variable displacement compressor that uses a constant velocity universal joint mechanism, which comprises an inner ring and an outer ring, balls that are held between guide grooves of the inner ring and the outer ring to transmit power, wherein a wobble plate is connected and fixed to the outer ring. In the compressor, the wobble plate is provided with a cylindrical part which extends in the axial direction of a swash plate, and in the relative rotation structure between the swash plate, and the wobble plate and the outer ring, the swash plate is supported to be able to relatively rotate only in relation to the wobble plate via a bearing interposed at least between the cylindrical part and the inner diameter portion of the swash plate, without being supported to be able to rotate relative to the outer ring. With this wobble plate type variable displacement compressor using the specified constant velocity universal joint mechanism, the relative rotation structure between the wobble plate and the outer ring, and the swash plate, can be improved, workability and productivity can be improved, and the cost and weight can be reduced.

To improve productivity and increase seizing resistance and abrasion resistance of a sliding surface of a tilt adjustment cylinder, a plurality of pistons are arranged cirumferentially in a cylinder block configured to rotate with a rotating shaft. Tip end portions of the pistons slide along the swash plate, and the pistons reciprocate. The swash plate is supported to tilt with respect to the rotating shaft. Further, a tilt adjustment driving portion is included. The tilt adjustment driving portion includes tilt adjustment large- and small-diameter cylinder chambers and tilt adjustment large- and small-diameter pistons configured to slide in the cylinder chambers to change the tilt angle of the swash plate. A sliding surface of the inner peripheral surface of each of the cylinder chambers includes a quenched portion formed by quenching using laser light, the sliding surface being a surface on which the tilt adjustment piston slides.

High pressure pump systems with reduced pressure ripple for use with waterjet systems and other systems are described herein. A pump system configured in accordance with a particular embodiment includes four reciprocating members operably coupled to a crankshaft at 90 degree phase angles. The reciprocating members can include plungers operably disposed in corresponding cylinders and configured to compress fluid (e.g., water) in the cylinders to pressures suitable for waterjet processing, such as pressures exceeding 30,000 psi.

An actuator includes a cylinder and a piston disposed in the cylinder. The piston has a head and a rod. The actuator further includes a collapsible locking member disposed in the head of the piston, and a gas-filled capsule disposed in the cylinder. The gas-filled capsule is in an expanded position when fluid in the cylinder is below a threshold pressure, and the gas-filled capsule is in a collapsed position when fluid in the cylinder is above the threshold pressure. The actuator also includes a lock piston operably connected to the gas-filled capsule. The lock piston engages the collapsible locking member and biases the collapsible locking member radially outward to a locked position when the gas-filled capsule is in the expanded position.

Provided is a reciprocating compressor having a structure in which friction losses between a shaft and a bearing can be reduced without impairing the ability of the bearing to support the shaft. A reciprocating compressor (100) includes a cylinder (5), a piston (4), a connecting rod (6), a shaft (1), and a bearing (2). The shaft (1) has a journal portion (28) as a portion covered by the bearing (2). The journal portion (28) has a first journal portion (7) located closer to the connecting rod (6) with respect to a midpoint M of the journal portion (28) in a direction parallel to a rotational axis and a second journal portion (8) located farther from the connecting rod (6) with respect to the midpoint M. The bearing (2) has a first sliding portion (10) for supporting the first journal portion (7) and a second sliding portion (11) for supporting the second journal portion (8). The first sliding portion (10) has a first recessed portion (29) in at least one range selected from a range of 0° to 180° and a range of 270° to 360° in a rotational direction of the shaft (1) from a reference position.

A rodless power cylinder includes a cylinder body, a piston assembly adapted to reciprocate in the cylinder body, a magnet mounted at each of the two ends of the piston assembly, a valve mounted at each of the two ends of the cylinder body for guiding a flow of air or fluid in and out of the cylinder body to cause the piston assembly to reciprocate, a magnetic sensor mounted in a sensor mounting groove at each of the two valves for sensing the position of the respective magnet, a movable member mounted around the cylinder body and coupled to the piston assembly by a magnetic force for synchronous reciprocating motion.

A vehicular crash sensing system includes a bumper cap for contacting a bumper. A chamber fits into a side rail attached to the bumper, the chamber being sealed by the bumper cap. A stop element limits movement of the chamber into the side rail. A pressure sensor detects an increased chamber air pressure during crushing of the chamber resulting from movement of the bumper with respect to the stop element.

A bumper (10) created using a resistive implant welding process. The bumper includes a mounting plate portion (12) and a composite bumper portion (14). The mounting plate portion (12) is connected to the composite bumper portion (14) using a resistive implant welding process. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a bumper for a vehicle having a mounting plate (12) and a bumper portion (14). The bumper portion (14) includes at least one flange (24) formed as part of the bumper portion (14), a first contact area (28) formed as part of the mounting plate (12), and a second contact area (30) formed as part of the flange (24). A connection point is used to bond the first contact area (28) and the second contact area (30) such that the mounting plate (12) is connected to the bumper portion (14).

A sensor assembly for a motor vehicle adapted for sensing impacts including pedestrian impacts. The sensor assembly includes first and second energy absorbing elements formed of differing materials which couple an applied force to the vehicle to a compressive force acting on a compressive sensor element. The first and second energy absorbers are combined in a manner to tune the response between the applied force and forces acting on the compressive sensor to provide desired response characteristics. The first and second energy absorbers can be configured to produce force flow paths which further aid in response tuning. Another embodiment utilizes an energy absorber having a shaped cross section which focuses and balances impact force is applied to the compressive sensor.