Abstract: A succession of prismatic labels are made on an in-line press by laminating an embossed metallic material web to one of a choice of conventional label stock webs. Within the same in-line press operation, various steps of printing and die cutting are performed on the laminated prismatic label stock web to produce the succession of prismatic labels.

Abstract: A low-pressure processor for processing substrates includes a chuck that engages the substrates' peripheries for purposes of clamping, sealing, and centering the substrates on chuck bodies. For accomplishing all three purposes, a mechanical clamp can be arranged with two sealing regions. One of the sealing regions seals the clamp to a chuck body or an extension of the chuck body, and another of the sealing regions engages a peripheral edge surface of a substrate for sealing the clamp to the substrate. The second sealing region includes an inclined seating surface that engages a front edge of the substrate's peripheral edge surface and divides a clamping force into a first component that presses the substrate against the chuck body and a second component that centers the substrate on the chuck body.

Abstract: An electromagnet having one or more coils wrapped around a plate-shaped core produces a uniaxial magnetic field in the vicinity of a substrate surface for orienting a magnetic film deposited onto the substrate surface. Variations in the magnetic mass of the plate-shaped core or in the magnetic permeability of the core mass are made to reduce angular skew and to improve uniformity of the uniaxial magnetic field. The variations generally involve a reduction in magnetic mass or permeability near a center of the core with respect to a periphery of the core. Cavities of various sizes and shapes but having symmetry with a magnetic axis can be formed in the core for this purpose.

Abstract: A moiré interferometer has an illumination system and an imaging system that share a common focusing optic, which preferably takes the form of a concave mirror. Within the illumination system, the common focusing optic collimates light en route to a test surface. Within the imaging system, the common focusing optic telecentrically images a grating pattern appearing on the test surface onto a fringe pattern detector.

Abstract: Long-period gratings are written more quickly and at higher intensities by amplitude masks having shadow-forming patterns that scatter, redirect, or otherwise divert shadow portions of radiation used for writing the gratings instead of blocking the shadow portions by absorption or reflection. The shadow-forming masks can be formed along transparent base optics by arrays of diffusers, diffractors, or refractors that relatively divert different portions of the radiation.

Abstract: A data acquisition system senses current and voltage from a common electrical circuit supplying a power to load branch circuits containing loads that undergo changes in load condition, such as starting and stopping. Transmitters connected to the load branch circuits identify the loads that undergo load condition changes. A data processor receives information from both the sensors and the transmitters to link the sensed current and voltage information from the common electrical circuit to the particular loads that undergo changes in load condition.

Abstract: A single-mode fiber includes a grating located near a fiber tip to shift transmitted light from a fundamental core mode to one or more higher cladding modes. Light exiting the fiber from the cladding mode occupies more area but is more collimated. Translational alignment tolerances are relaxed by the improvement in collimation, allowing couplings to be made directly with the single-mode fiber or through the intermediacy of a conventional lens, which can itself be aligned more readily and be less fast.

Abstract: An electrolyte is formulated as a printing ink and laid down by an in-line press for manufacturing printed electrochemical cells. A curing station transforms the electrolyte to perform additional functions such as separating electrodes, preventing leakage, bonding cell layers, and resisting evaporation.

Abstract: A chuck having two distinct portions mounts a substrate within a vacuum processing chamber. A first sealing stage confines a gas within a heat-transfer interface between one portion of the chuck and the substrate. A second sealing stage collects gas escaping from the heat-transfer interface within an intermediate space bounded by the two portions of the chuck and the substrate. Pressure in the intermediate space is reduced with respect to pressure at the heat-transfer interface to inhibit leakage of gas from the heat-transfer interface into the vacuum processing chamber.

Abstract: An electromagnet that produces a uniaxial magnetic field for magnetically orienting thin films on a substrate in a low-pressure processing environment is arranged with a plate-shaped core having a circular periphery and an electromagnetic coil having windings that are arranged in a pattern across a front side of the core for reducing skew of the uniaxial magnetic field. The individual windings include lengths divided in different proportions between straight center sections and two bent end sections. The straight sections of the windings, which extend normal to a winding axis, incrementally decrease in length from the center towards the periphery of the core along the winding axis. Spacing between adjacent center sections of the windings is greater than a spacing between adjacent end sections of the front winding portions along the core periphery. The end sections are increasingly bent at the core periphery as a function of cumulative differences in spacing between the center and end sections.

Abstract: A variable optical amplifier mounts a fiber coupler within a flexure that provides for deflecting one section of the coupler with respect to another about a tapered intermediate section for controlling transmissions through the coupler. The flexure has a free portion suspended by a pair of resilient arms for relatively deflecting the coupler sections while minimizing friction and maintaining a fixed angular orientation with an actuator. A kinematic link between the flexure and the actuator is thermally compensated not only at a given deflection position but throughout the entire intended range of operation.

Abstract: A metal layer cleared by contact with a chemical clearing agent to reveal an underlying graphics layer is at least partially covered by a buffer material that delays contact with the clearing agent. The buffer material can be applied in a pattern that forms a temporary image in the metal layer prior to more completely revealing the underlying graphics layer.

Abstract: An interference filter (10, 30, 50, 70, 90, 110, 130, 150, or 190) filters selected wavelengths by dividing an input beam into two or more intermediate beams having different optical path lengths and by recombining the intermediate beams into an output beam that is modified by interference between the intermediate beams. An optical path length difference generator (20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, or 200) varies the optical path lengths of the intermediate beams by changing the physical lengths of their paths or the refractive indices of the mediums in which they are conveyed. The optical path length generator (20) of one exemplary embodiment (10) includes a spacer plate (20) that is divided into elements (22 and 24) having different refractive indices for varying the optical path lengths of the intermediate beams.

Abstract: A square sell 1 has a first port (5) and a second port (6) formed in its opposing first and second edge portions, respectively and third and fourth ports (7a, 7b, 8a, 8b) formed in its third and fourth edge portions respectively. An evacuating operation is performed at the second port (6). A liquid crystal injecting operation is performed at the first port (5) when a predetermined degree of vacuum is reached. At the third and fourth ports (7a, 7b, 8a, 8b), first, an evacuating operation is performed. Then, the evacuating operation is switched over to the liquid crystal injecting operation at the third and fourth ports (7a, 7b, 8a, 8b) by means of a switch-over operation of electromagnetic switch valves (15a, 15b, 16a, 16b).

Abstract: Electrochemical displays have electronic or ionic pathways between electrodes interrupted to control activation. Electrochemical erosion of one of the electrodes reveals an underlying graphic image. Game assemblies are constructed by dividing electrochemical components between a main substrate and one or more mounting pieces that can be assembled on the main substrate to activate the display cells.

Abstract: Wavelength dispersion and spatial light modulation are combined having regard for polarization management within a feedback control system for dynamically adjusting spectral power distributions among different wavelength channels. Micro-optic, hybrid, and planar implementations are proposed along with coupling schemes to larger fiber optic systems. Utility is found throughout multi-channel wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) transmission systems.

Abstract: Display information is revealed from behind a metal film that can be cleared upon effective contact with a clearing agent. The metal film, while opaque, is generally less than 1000 Angstroms thick and can be cleared by exposure to innocuous agents including food or other household products.

Abstract: Directional control valves are arranged with restrictable center passageways connected in series to a fixed displacement pump and with restrictable power and exhaust passageways straddling loads connected in parallel to the same fixed displacement pump. Pressure responsive valves located between the loads and the restrictable exhaust passageways reduce interactions between the loads. Another pressure responsive valve located between the fixed displacement pump and the restrictable center passageways maintains an appropriate division of flow between the restrictable center passageways and the restrictable power and exhaust passageways.

Abstract: A clear/printed hang tag, a hanging system for suspending a package of products from a single wire hanger and/or a double wire hanger, automatic labeling of product packaging on a billboard, and the process for making hang tags. The hang tag has an opening for receiving a single or a double wire hanger cut near the top of a billboard region containing printed matter. The hang tag is made from a continuous web of polyester film with a process including, printing graphics on the back side of the upper portion using reverse image flexographic printing, coating the printed image with a UV cured, opaque ink coating, a lower portion of the front side with a clear, pressure sensitive adhesive, combining and adhering the continuous web of polyester film to a release liner, die cutting the hang tag shape and the hanger opening, stripping the waste material from the liner, and rewinding the combined hang tags and liner on a reel for shipment to a customer.