Abstract: Hollow, cylindrical, seamless metal master for producing seamless diffuser sheets of preselected length and width. Additional aspects of the invention include a hollow cylindrical seamless invertable elastomeric master and method of making the same and an apparatus and process for effecting variable diffuser recording in photosensitive medium.

Abstract: A viewing surface in the form of a passive liquid crystal display or front projection viewing screen includes a substrate layer of material having a front side and a back side. A light shaping micro-sculpted surface structure is provided on one side of the substrate layer wherein the microstructure controls the directionality, gain, homogeneity and shape distribution of the light propagated by the screen or display. A reflective layer is deposited on the opposite back side of the substrate layer and reflects light incident upon the substrate layer back through the substrate layer toward a viewing screen surface. This type of construction can be used directly as a viewing screen or can be utilized behind a display such as a liquid crystal display in order to significantly enhance the brightness of such a display or screen. The microstructure can be integral on either the front side of the substrate layer or beneath the reflective layer on the back side of the layer.

Abstract: A cinerary urn receptacle made of stone comprising a cylindrical block hollowed from one first end to a second end and a cover having a sealing portion and an assembling portion, the sealing portion closing the block first end, the assembling portion projecting from the first end, and the second end comprising an internal countersinking for receiving an inner seal to be fitted on an assembling portion projecting from the cover of another identical receptacle to form a funerary column. The method for making such receptacles from a column turned in natural stone consists in carrying out a double coaxial coring of the column in one single operation to form the block that has a cylindrical recess passing through from a first end to a second end and countersinking of an internal portion of the recess.

Abstract: In a mobile telephone, it is planned to divide the functions usable by this mobile telephone into basic functions and comfort functions. It is planned that access to the comfort functions should be possible only if, in a test of comparison, an operator code stored in a memory of the mobile telephone corresponds to an operator code stored in a security circuit delivered by this operator when a purchaser purchases the mobile telephone, at the same time as he takes out a subscription with this operator. It is shown that, by acting in this way, it is possible to modulate the price of the subscription which may be attractive as well as the availability of the comfort functions of the mobile telephone. This can be done in such a way that economic profitability is ensured either by encouraging the user to keep his subscription with this operator or pay a fee to the operator a fee corresponding to an additional amount that absorbs the cost of the mobile telephone.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for still image compression, video compression and automatic target recognition are disclosed. The method of still image compression uses isomorphic singular manifold projection whereby surfaces of objects having singular manifold representations are represented by best match canonical polynomials to arrive at a model saved and compressed using standard lossy compression. The coefficients from the best match polynomial together with the difference data, if any, are then compressed using lossless compression. The method of motion estimation for inhanced video compression sends I frames on an “as needed” basis, based on comparing the error between segments of a current frame and a predicted frame. If the error exceeds a predetermined threshold, which can be based on program content, the next frame sent will be an I frame.

Abstract: To provide an expansion valve which permits both the assembling cost and the cost of parts to be effectively reduced by a large margin and thus is highly economical. A high-pressure refrigerant pipe, a valve casing and a low-pressure refrigerant pipe are previously formed integrally with an evaporator. At the time of assembling, an expansion valve unit having a minimum function to serve as an expansion valve is inserted into the valve casing and fixed thereto by a clip, and a distal end portion of a temperature sensing cylinder is fixed to an outlet pipe of the evaporator, thereby constructing an expansion valve. No special joints are required to connect the expansion valve unit to the high-pressure and low-pressure refrigerant pipes, and therefore, the cost of parts can be cut down.

Abstract: To facilitate the customization of instruments, especially mobile telephones whose operation is validated by a chip card, it is planned to use a cargo chip card provided in its memory firstly with complementary function elements and, secondly, with unloading units. As and when the functions are unloaded into the mobile telephone, the units are obliterated. It is shown that in this way the distribution of the services is organized in a simple manner in preventing piracy on the one hand and complicated procedures on the other.

Abstract: A backlight assembly is disclosed having a light pipe and at least one light source located at an edge of the light pipe. The light pipe has a back surface and a front surface opposite the back surface. The light pipe also has one or more light directing, diffusing, turning, or brightness enhancing film layers adjacent the front surface. The light pipe also has an integral surface diffuser microstructure molded, embossed, or otherwise replicated in the front surface of the light pipe.

Abstract: A monolithic element has a substrate body and at least one macro-optical characteristic integral in a first portion of the optical element. A plurality of surface micro-structures are integral in a portion of the optical element. The micro-structures are designed to homogenize light passing through the optical element to produce a predetermined pattern of smoothly varying, non-discontinuous light exiting the optical element. The light exiting the optical element is therefore altered according to both the macro-optical characteristic of the optical element as well as the homogenizing characteristics of the micro-structures.

Abstract: A glass diffuser is fabricated by first producing a metal shim submaster or other high temperature resistant diffuser having a surface relief structure on one surface. A glass substrate material is heated to a suitable temperature and at least one exposed surface is thereby softened to a desired degree. The submaster diffuser, and particularly the surface relief structure, is then placed in contact with the exposed and softened glass substrate material in order to replicate the surface relief structure in the glass material. The submaster diffuser and the glass substrate are separated and then the glass is allowed to cool to form a glass diffuser.

Abstract: A conveyor is provided with a casing (2), an endless conveyor belt (9) located in the casing (2) to circulate. The conveyor belt (9) has a pair of roller chains (11) attached to the peripheral edges on each side of the belt. Each roller chain (11) has a plurality of rollers (13). The casing (2) is provided with a lower split body (14) and an upper split body (15) fixed on the lower split body (14). The lower split body (14) has a pair of side frame members (17 and 18) formed by press molding. The side frames (17 and 18) each have a lower supporting portion (20) and an upper supporting portion (22), for supporting the rollers (13). That is, some portions of the casing (2) serve as the roller supporting portions (20,22). This reduces the number of steps in the manufacture of conveyors, facilitates manufacture of the same, and reduces the manufacturers' cost.

Abstract: A method for the deposition of a coating layer on an optical fiber while it is being drawn. The coating layer is designed to reduce the permeability of the optical fiber to water vapor and therefore to increase its lifetime. The method is characterized in that it consists in carrying out a decomposition of a gas mixture of boron halogenide and hydrogen and/or boron halogenide and ammonia gas by a microwave plasma-assisted addition of energy and in that the operation is conducted in the presence of a carrier gas in order firstly to carry the gas mixture to a reaction medium and secondly to activate the plasma.

Abstract: An agitator comprises a main body for supporting rotatably a rotary shaft, a chuck for connecting detachably an agitating rod with the rotary shaft, starting means for starting the rotation of the rotary shaft when the chuck is covered with a chuck cover, and locking means for locking rotary shaft when the chuck is not covered with the chuck cover. The chuck cover is removed from the main body when an external force larger than a predetermined value is applied to the chuck cover. The starting means comprises a permanent magnet provided on the outer periphery of a disk hub and a magnetic sensor provided on the main body so that an output is generated to start the driving source only when the chuck cover is moved to cover the chuck. The locking means comprises a hole formed in the rotary shaft, an eccentric cam to be rotated by the chuck cover, and a lock pin which is moved by the eccentric cam so as to be inserted into the hole of the rotary shaft when the chuck is not covered with the chuck cover.

Abstract: A container with an integrally molded flap for covering an opening has a top that is deflected during cooling to provide a self-closing capability. This capability is provided by causing the top to cool to room temperature when the flaps are closed into a warped shape, either concave or convex in which the hinge formed integral with the flap and the rest of the cover is curved with the flaps closed. This could be done by careful design of the cap such that it warps this way during cooling naturally, or by pressing on the cap during cooling to “set” the cap and hinge in a curved shape. When the flap is opened, the arrangement of the flap and hinge reduce the chance that the flap will return to its as-molded position and jam.

Abstract: A plastic cap has one or more hinged flaps that cover openings in the cap, as well as a stepped sealing ring against which the top of a plastic bottle seals. The sealing ring is stepped, much like the rows of seats in a circular stadium. This stepped arrangement permits the cap to be used with many different bottle rim diameters and automatically corrects any ovality of the bottle rim by forcing it to flex into a more circular shape as it engages the steps of the stepped ring.

Abstract: A diffuser master is provided which is manufactured mechanically instead of holographically. The master can be made from a suitable substrate including relatively hard materials such as plastic, glass or metal. A substrate having a first side is worked to form a diffuser surface relief structure thereon. The substrate can be buffed using a buffing agent of a selected grit in order to form surface scratches in the first side of the substrate. The substrate can also be blasted with shot particles in order to form indentations and depressions in the first side. The substrate can alternatively be acid or alkali etched in order to form surface irregularities in the first side. The scratches, depressions or irregularities can be formed in order to create a desired surface relief and hence desired diffuser output characteristics.

Abstract: A pilot operated flow regulating valve has pressure governing chamber receiving a moveable pressure receiving member for common movements together with a main valve member of the pilot operated flow regulating valve in relation to a fixed valve seat and by a differential pressure exerted to the pressure receiving member from both surface sides, further has a leak route of small cross-section extending between the pressure governing chamber and either the upstream or the downstream side of the valve seat, and has a constant differential pressure control valve for selectively either controlling the pressure inside the pressure governing chamber or for blocking a pilot route extending between the upstream and downstream sides.

Abstract: A holographic light shaping diffuser (LSD) is formed from a monolithic glass material by recording light shaping structures (sometimes collectively known as “speckle”, particularly when the structures extend into the interior of the diffuser) in the glass material during its formation. A volume LSD may be produced by the photolithographic writing or other imaging of light shaping structures in a photosensitive glass material. Alternatively, a surface LSD may be produced by this imaging process or by embossing light shaping structures onto a high quality optical glass or by embossing a light shaping structures on a glass film layer coated onto a substrate. Both types of diffusers control the angular spread of transmitted light while homogenizing otherwise spatially noisy light sources such as LCDs and filamented light sources and while maintaining damage thresholds consistent with any glass optical element.

Abstract: A gamma camera is made with two rings, each ring bearing a detector. A flap of a support of the detector can be unfolded or folded against a front face of the machine. In the folded position, the machine can be used to carry out tomography scans or standard whole-body examinations. In the unfolded position, the flap enables the performance of whole-body examinations on a bed-ridden patient who remains in his hospital bed.

Abstract: A modulatable power transmission clutch including interleaved clutch plates and having a central power transmitting shaft extending axially through the clutch. The clutch includes a fluid operated movable piston for effecting clutch operation by compression of the plates. The piston has a smaller piston area and a larger piston area, the smaller piston area has fluid flow directed to it a variable fluid pressure whereby the clutch is modulatable. The larger piston area is adapted to have fluid flow directed thereto to effect maximum and unmodulatable engagement of the clutch. A spring loaded normally closed trigger valve controls fluid flow to the larger piston area in response to fluid pressure above a predetermined amount at the smaller piston area. The trigger valve is mounted in the shaft and is normally closed so that pressure fluid is directed to the smaller piston area at a variable fluid pressure whereby the clutch is modulatable.