Abstract: A method of microfinishing the edge of a die component includes polishing the edges after the die component is machined by known methods to finish the edges of the die component to a smoother finish than the rest of the die component. This eliminates the incidence of undesirable streaking defects in the coating. The polishing step can be lapping, vapor honing, or grit blasting. The edges are polished to a finish of less than 8 microinches.

Abstract: A cassette having a leader and recordable tape which cleans the various components of the tape path in videocassette recorders by dry scrubbing. Interactive diagnostic and instructional material is recorded on the tape to instruct the operator about the cleaning operation to enable the operator to evaluate progress of the head cleaning operation, and to program the maintenance protocol of head cleaning cycles relative to capstan cleaning cycles.

Abstract: Drying a coated substrate which includes magnetic particles includes a condensing surface spaced from the substrate. This creates a longitudinal gap between the substrate and the condensing surface. Liquid is evaporated from the substrate to create a vapor and the vapor is transported to the condensing surface without requiring applied convection. The vapor is condensed on the condensing surface to create a condensate which is removed from the condensing surface. Removal is performed, using more than gravity, without allowing non-uniformities of the condensate film to occur. The magnetic particles are oriented on the coated substrate by subjecting the coated substrate to a magnetic field created at a location outside of the dryer space.

Abstract: A zoned inspection system and method produce inspection results consistent with a user's view of an article by transforming parallel, temporal inspection results from multiple detectors into a serial, spatial domain.

Abstract: An article fixture 10 includes a projecting portion 14 which comprises a lower part 16 connected with a base portion 12 and an upper part 18 displaceable along the lower part 16. The upper part 18 is connected at a first height with the lower part 16 through interconnecting portions which can be broken by a predetermined force. When the interconnecting portions are broken, the upper part 18 is displaced into the second height lower than the first height. The upper part 18 has a pawl 24 which is integrally formed and laterally extended adjacent to the top face 18a. The pawl 24 is hooked with the objective body, thereby mechanically locking the projecting portion 14 at a predetermined position on the objective body. The base portion 12 is provided with a resilient hook 26, and the upper part 18 of the projecting portion 14 is provided with a recess 28 into which the resilient hook 28 is engaged. The hook 26 is engaged with the recess 28, thereby the upper part 18 is mechanically held at the second height.

Abstract: A tape includes a backing layer and an adhesive layer formed on the backing layer. A plurality of lines of perforations extend across the tape to separate the tape into sheets. The sheets have progressively increasing lengths such that, when the sheets are wound into a roll, each sheet is longer than the sheet underneath it. When in a roll, the outermost sheet covers all of the lines of perforations to reduce instances of the tape tearing in a downweb direction.

Abstract: A hand-held tape dispenser has a tape support hub and a support frame. A brake assembly is pivotally mounted on the frame, and has a curved brake actuator and flat brake plate. The brake plate is aligned to engage a tape roll mounted on the tape support hub and inhibit its free rotation (and dispensing) according to an operator's selection of applied pressure. The brake plate bends about the tape roll as pressure is increased to facilitate tape cutting or tape stretching (in the case of stretchable tape in the dispenser).

Abstract: A die coating apparatus includes a die having an upstream bar with an upstream lip and a downstream bar with a downstream lip. The upstream lip is formed as a land and the downstream lip is formed as a sharp edge. A low surface energy covering is applied to the surface of the downstream bar adjacent to the sharp edge, and to the surface of the land, adjacent to its downstream edge. This presents a generally undulating surface. The low surface energy coverings need not extend completely to the edges of the downstream bar and the land.

Abstract: The method of the present invention provides a way to make rolls of high shear strength pressure sensitive adhesive tapes with a transparent to the core appearance in a relatively short time and without the need to subject the rolls to additional method steps. Moreover, the present invention achieves such transparent to the core appearance by sufficiently wetting-out the adhesive on the tape backing to remove microscopic air bubbles entrapped within the harder and less deformable high shear strength adhesive layers. The method comprises a rewinding method and is characterized by the use of a pack roll during rewinding to provide a sufficiently high contact pressure to the non-adhesive side of the tape substantially at the application point of the tape to the tape roll. In one aspect, a sufficient contact pressure is provided by the pack roll so that the pressure sensitive adhesive tape rolls are made with a transparent to the core appearance at the time of the rewinding step.

Abstract: A slide die coating method and apparatus includes a die having an upstream bar with an upstream lip, a manifold bars a downstream bar with a downstream lip, a vacuum bar, and a slide surface. The upstream lip is formed as a land and the first manifold bar is formed as a sharp edge. The coating fluid exits the die from a passageway and slides along the slide surface to form a continuous coating bead between the manifold bar sharp edge, the upstream die lip, and the surface being coated. The shape of the land conforms to the shape of the surface being coated. The die can include multiple passageways for coating multiple layers.

Abstract: A system for coating a substrate with ultra-thin layers in stripes includes moving the substrate through a coating station and forming a composite layer including coating fluids and a carrier fluid. The composite layer flows at a rate that is sufficiently high to form a continuous flowing fluid bridge of composite layer to the substrate surface and to contact the substrate with the flowing composite layer to interpose the coating layers between the substrate and the carrier fluid. The carrier fluid is removed while leaving the coating fluid deposited on the substrate as a coating layer.

Abstract: A tape applying apparatus adjustable to accommodate various width taping heads. The apparatus includes a base, left and right bed portions separated by a central open portion, and left and right filler plates mounted in the central open portion. The distance between the filler plates can be adjusted to adjust the width of the central open portion and accommodate lower taping heads of different widths. Replaceable front and rear guards are placed on the front and rear of the bed across the ends of both filler plates. The apparatus can also include an upper frame for supporting an upper taping head. The upper frame includes two support members. A rear spacer connecting the two support members, a front support plate, and a top cover can be replaced or adjusted to accommodate an adjustable upper taping head width.

Abstract: To provide an interengaging fastener member which can enhance the disengagement force, while does not increase an engagement force required for an interengagement process. The fastener member 10 includes a base 12 and a plurality of headed stems 14. Each headed stem 14 includes a stem 16 adjoining and projecting orthogonally from the surface of base 12, and a head 18 formed at the end of the stem 16. The head 18 is provided with a bottom surface 20 adjacent to the stem 16 and extending outward from outer periphery of the stem 16, and an apex 24 arranged at an opposite side of the bottom surface 20 from the stem 16. The engagement force reducing means may take the form of, for example, one or more grooves formed in each head, or an undercut formed in each headed stem in the area where the head adjoins the stem.

Abstract: A rotary acoustic horn imparts energy at a selected wavelength, frequency, and amplitude. The horn includes a cylindrical shaft and a cylindrical welding portion mounted on and coaxial with the shaft. The diameter of the welding portion is greater than the diameter of the shaft. The welding portion has a cylindrical weld face having a diameter that expands and contracts with the application of ultrasonic energy, and first and second opposing end portions. At least one end portion is formed with a first undercut; the radial width and the depth of the first undercut is selected to affect the amplitude of vibration at the weld face to provide a desired amplitude profile along the axial length of the weld face.

Abstract: Disclosed is a video tape suitable for use in high speed contact duplication. The magnetic layer comprises a magnetic pigment dispersed in a polymeric binder at amounts of magnetic pigment between 75 and 88 percent by weight of the magnetic layer with a total pigment loading (magnetic+nonmagnetic pigments) of at least 80 percent by weight. The tape is provided with a backside coating comprising at least two nonmagnetic pigments dispersed in a polymeric binder, the first nonmagnetic pigment, being a conductive material and having a relatively small particle size of between about 0.015 and 0.15 .mu.m, and the second nonmagnetic pigment having a relatively large particle size of between about 0.15 and 1.5 .mu.m. The magnetic layer has a lubricant absorption value of at least 4 and a surface roughness of between 5 and 15 nm. The backside coating has a surface roughness of between 10 and 150 nm.

Abstract: A coating device has a first half and a second half located adjacent the first half to form a slot between the first and second halves. A porous material, having a thickness greater than the height of the slot, is disposed in the slot to compress uniformly along its width. The porous material has a porosity and a height selected in combination with each other to create a predetermined pressure drop through the slot and to maintain the pressure drop to create the desired flow rate along the slot width. The size of the pores in the porous material can be less than 25 .mu.m and the exit pressure drop through the slot can be at least one thousand times greater than could be obtained without the porous material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of drying a substrate uses a condensing surface located adjacent the substrate on the side of the substrate being dried. The liquid from the substrate is evaporated and then condensed on the condensing surface without applied convection. The condensed liquid is removed from the condensing surface while the condensed liquid remains liquid. Evaporation can be performed by heating the substrate without applied convection.

Abstract: A fastener arrangement includes a first fastener member having a base sheet and a plurality of engaging members projecting from the base sheet. The fastener arrangement includes a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on a surface of a base sheet opposite of the engaging members, and a dual purpose cover sheet. The dual purpose cover sheet protects the adhesive layer of the first fastener member, and the engaging members of a second, underlying fastener member. The dual purpose cover is releasably attached to the second fastener member by fusing or by using an adhesive having a first non-tacky consistency and a second tacky consistency.