Abstract: A method of equalizing web-stretching caused by web tensioning in a dye transfer printer that is for use with a donor web having a dye transfer area and opposite edge areas alongside the dye transfer area, includes the steps of heating a dye transfer area to effect a dye transfer from the dye transfer area to a dye receiver, and heating the edge areas alongside the dye transfer area less than the dye transfer area is heated to effect the dye transfer, but sufficiently so that the edge areas may be stretched by tension substantially the same as the dye transfer area may be stretched. If the edge areas alongside a dye transfer area being used in the printer are stretched substantially the same as the dye transfer area, the likelihood of any creases being created in the next unused transfer area is substantially reduced. Thus, no line artifacts will be printed on a dye receiver in the printer.

Abstract: A thermal printer is adapted to prevent crease formation in a dye transfer area of a dye donor web that can cause line artifacts to be printed on a dye receiver during a dye transfer from the dye transfer area to the dye receiver in a dye transfer printer.

Abstract: A photothermographic film and a method for making same is taught. The film includes a support, a photothermographic imaging layer coated on the support, and a complement film generally confining the photothermographic imaging layer between the support and the complement film. The complement film is applied to the photothermographic imaging layer prior to exposure of the photothermographic imaging layer. The complement film retains any volatile materials present in the photothermographic imaging layer generated when thermal energy is applied thereto to develop a latent image exposed on the photothermographic imaging layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making cylindrical glass preforms with convex, optical quality convex end surfaces is taught. A glass ball preform is placed on a heated lower platen. The temperature of the glass ball preform is raised to a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the glass ball preform. The glass ball preform is engaged with an upper platen. At least one of the upper platen and the lower platen is moved vertically to cause the gap between the upper platen and the lower platen to narrow to a predetermined dimension. Simultaneously, at least one of the upper platen and the lower platen is moved horizontally relative to the other platen to cause the glass ball preform to roll between the upper platen and the lower platen and form a cylindrical preform having a predetermined diameter, the cylindrical preform having convex, optical quality end surfaces.

Abstract: A method for making and handling an improved intraoral x-ray film packet by forming a first outer and a second outer sheet from a thermoplastic material wherein the first outer sheet is made more rigid than the second outer sheet such that it has a tensile modulus of at least about 700 Kg/cm2. The two outer sheets are sealed together to form an envelope with a laminated perimetric edge wherein the laminated perimetric edge is substantially coplanar with the first outer sheet. This resultant planar surface on one side of the packet aids in the accurate positioning of the packet for subsequent operations and further enhances the ability to die cut the packet and maintain outside dimension tolerances. Individual film packets are transported to a Bernoulli fixture and a laminar air flow is generated across the surface thereof to accurately position the intraoral x-ray film packet against reference stops using the Bernoulli effect.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for making deep microstructures in photoresist. The method utilizes a pool of photoresist on top of a transparent substrate and the laser is located below the substrate. Structures are created in the photoresist by transmitting the laser light through the substrate up into the photoresist. Since the photoresist does not have to be spin coated onto the substrate, very thick layers of photoresist can be used while the thickness uniformity is determined by the substrate surface. Alternately, a contoured substrate can be used while producing uniform structures.

Abstract: A method for making a shadow mask array is taught. Producing a plurality of shadow mask sections; inspecting the plurality of shadow mask sections to determine which shadow mask sections are acceptable as meeting predetermined criteria; positioning a predetermined number of the acceptable mask sections into predetermined locations relative to one another to form a mask section array thereby distributing any error in individual mask sections across the mask section array; and attaching the individual mask sections of the mask section array to a support structure. The support structure allows for expansion and/or contraction of the individual mask sections of the mask section array while maintaining relative positioning of the individual shadow mask section in the shadow mask array.

Abstract: A method is taught for measuring magnification of an afocal optical system.

Abstract: A method is taught for cleaning photographic chemistry product fouling, including a proteinaceous portion and a non-proteinaceous portion from a liquid delivery system. The method comprises the steps of displacing resident product solution in the piping with water, hydrodynamically cleaning the piping system using two-phase flow a first time, chemically cleaning the piping system with an aqueous bleach solution to remove the proteinaceous portion of the photographic chemistry product fouling, chemically cleaning the piping system with a functionalized ethyl acetate solvent to remove the non-proteinaceous portion of the photographic chemistry product fouling, and hydrodynamically cleaning the piping system using two-phase flow a second time after the chemical cleaning steps to remove remaining residue. Preferably, after the second hydrodynamic two-phase flow cleaning step, the delivery system is subjected to a high purity water rinse.

Abstract: A method is taught for removing bubbles from a coating solution prior to a coating operation. The method comprises debubbling the coating solution in a tank open to atmosphere to remove bubbles having a diameter in the range of from about 200 to 300 &mgr;m and greater therefrom; flowing the coating solution from the tank to a bubble elimination tube; debubbling the coating solution in the bubble elimination tube to remove bubbles from the coating solution having a diameter greater than about 200 &mgr;m, the bubble elimination tube preferably including at least one ultrasonic horn; flowing the coating solution from the bubble elimination tube through an end cap round ultrasonic bubble eliminator, the end cap round ultrasonic bubble eliminator removing remaining bubbles in the coating solution having a diameter greater than about 30 &mgr;m; and delivering the coating solution from the end cap round ultrasonic bubble eliminator to the downstream coating operation.

Abstract: A multiport valve is taught for regulating flow of liquid therethrough originating from at least two sources. The valve includes a three cylindrical valve chambers each having a piston residing therein such that through actuation of the pistons flow through each valve chamber can be permitted or stopped independently. There is an inlet port that tangentially intercepts the first cylindrical valve chamber and there is an outlet port that tangentially intercepts an intermediate cylindrical valve chamber. The design of the three valve chambers and the inlet and outlet ports to the valve chambers effectively eliminates any bubble traps in the valve and allows bubbles to be swept from the valve chambers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for switching a supply to a process from a first vessel to a second vessel. Liquid is flowed from the first vessel through a first outlet conduit through a vessel selection valve, including first and second switch valves, to the process. A conductivity sensor measures the conductivity level of the liquid in the first outlet conduit at a point upstream of the selection valve and a computer compares the conductivity level to a predetermined range. The computer signals an isolation valve, in a second outlet conduit from the second vessel, to open and allow liquid to displace air in the second outlet conduit from the second vessel to the selection valve. The computer determines a delay to allow liquid below the first conductivity sensor to reach the first switch valve, then closes the first switch valve and opens the second switch valve.

Abstract: A method wherein an array of optical elements is formed by forming a mount, including a plurality of element receiving bores therethrough arranged in a predetermined array; placing the mount on a lower mold surface of a lower mold, inserting a glass preform in each of the plurality of element receiving bores, each glass preform extending through a respective element receiving bore, each glass preform extending beyond a top surface of the mount; heating at least the glass preforms to at least a glass transition temperature thereof, aligning an upper mold having an upper mold surface with a plurality of desired optical features formed therein with the predetermined array- and pressing the glass preforms between the upper mold surface and the lower mold surface to mold the glass preforms into the array of optical elements permanently retained in the mount, the pressing of the glass preforms causing glass from each glass preform to flow generally radially outward therefrom across the top surface of the mount ther

Abstract: A debubbling apparatus for removing gaseous bubbles entrained in a liquid is taught which has improved dearation capacity. The debubbling apparatus includes a vessel including a liquid inlet, at least one well extending from the vessel, the at least one well having a liquid outlet, and an ultrasonic transducer horn residing in the at least one well, the at least one well and the ultrasonic transducer horn residing therein being positioned at an angle in the range of from about 20° to about 45° with respect to vertical. With the ultrasonic horn and well so angled, bubbles in the liquid in the at least one well are subjected to a buoyancy force, a drag force, and an acoustic wave force which yields a resultant force that drives the bubbles toward an upper wall section of the at least one well.

Abstract: An intraoral x-ray film packet is taught which has an outer envelope wherein one of the two opposing outer sheets is more rigid than the other such that it has a tensile modulus of at least about 700 Kg/cm2. This is preferably accomplished by making both sheets from a thermoplastic material such as PVC and reducing the amount of plasticizer in the more rigid of the two sheets to less than 30%. A continuous perimetric seal is formed affixing the two outer sheets together and forming a perimetric laminated edge which is substantially coplanar with the more rigid of the two sheets. A film chip resides between the two outer sheets. A comfort-enhancing perimetric edge bead is injection molded directly onto the perimetric laminated edge.

Abstract: A catch pan apparatus for starting and stopping coating is disclosed for coating a downwardly moving receiving surface by curtain coating. The catch pan device includes an intercepting pan that intercepts the curtain when coating is stopped and a substantially horizontal intercepting surface that intercepts the curtain only when the catch pan moves to start or stop coating. The intercepting pan and horizontal intercepting surface intersect to create a volume that retains in the catch pan excess liquids that would otherwise spill onto the coating receiving surface as the catch pan is retracted to a non-intercepting position. The catch pan is controllably retracted at high speed through the curtain using linear servomotors such that the releasing edge of the horizontal intercepting surface passes close to the coating receiving surface at the point of curtain release. Flushed edge guides maintaining curtain width are positioned outside the lateral edges of the catch pan.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating paper web materials with a plasma, said apparatus comprising a dark space generated by a treatment electrode in a treatment zone. There is a counter electrode having a surface area in said treatment zone which is not greater than a surface area of said counter electrode. A power supply is included for driving either said treatment electrode or said counter electrode with an oscillating high voltage at a frequency less than about 2 MHz and greater than 1/tc where tc is the charging time of a web surface exposed to a rms ion current in the plasma.

Abstract: An improved method of thin film coating is taught that uses a multi-slot coating apparatus to apply multiple liquid layers to a moving substrate. The lowermost layer contacting the substrate is comprised of an organic solvent. The lowermost layer may be a single organic solvent or a blend of several organic solvents. Whether comprised of a single organic solvent or a blend of organic solvents, the viscosity of the lowermost layer is less than 1 cp and the wet thickness of the lowermost layer is not more than about 5 &mgr;m. Additional liquid layers are applied to the moving substrate on the top of the lowermost layer. This method allows for application of coatings at high substrate speeds. This method also allows for the reduction of coating artifacts caused by contamination of the surface of the die.

Abstract: A method is taught for debubbling a liquid composition containing entrained gas bubbles that increases the effectiveness of ultrasonic debubbling apparatus employed. The method comprises the steps of immersing an ultrasonic horn in water, the horn being contained within a vessel and coupled to a pair of transducers; adjusting an RF generator connected to the pair of transducers to produce a signal at or near a parallel resonance frequency of the pair of transducers; fixing the RF generator at a constant voltage level; and flowing the liquid composition to be debubbled through the vessel with the RF generator operating at constant voltage level and at a variable operating power level that varies with the viscosity of the liquid composition.

Abstract: A molded glass lens is taught that includes a molded two-dimensional reference surface at a first end of the lens body, a first molded optical surface that is longitudinally displaced from the two-dimensional reference surface, and a molded second optical surface at a second end of the lens body. The first and second optical surfaces may be plano, convex or concave. The molded two-dimensional reference surface is planar and preferable annular. By physically locating the lens with the molded two-dimensional reference surface and one of the first or second optical surfaces, the lens can be held in a given orientation. Thus, the molded reference surface at the end of the cylindrical body allows for accurate and safe capture, positioning, handling, and placement for subsequent finishing operations, allowing for the creation of one or more additional lens datums.