Abstract: A melt-blown fabric for pouching smokeless tobacco or a smokeless tobacco substitute can include melt-blown polymer fibers. The fabric can have a basis weight of less than 10 gsm and a tensile strength of at least 4mJ in at least one predetermined direction. Method of making the fabric can include melt-blowing a polymeric material against a support surface and bonding the fibers or arranging them in a predetermined orientation. Pouched smokeless tobacco or tobacco substitute products including the fabrics provided herein can provide desirable flavor and tactile experience.

Abstract: An apparatus for enrobing a product portion can include at least one polymer spray head adapted to create at least one flow of polymeric fibers to produce at least one polymer enrobing zone and a conveyor system adapted to move at least one product portion from at least one position below at least one polymer enrobing zone and to at least one position above at least one polymer enrobing zone to drop each product portion through one or more polymer enrobing zones a plurality times at different orientations to enrobe each product portion with polymeric fibers.

Abstract: A surgical instrument, has an end effector that includes an ultrasonic blade, and a clamp arm that moves relative to the ultrasonic blade from an opened position toward an intermediate position and a closed position. The clamp arm is offset from the ultrasonic blade to define a predetermined gap in the intermediate position between the opened position and the closed position. A clamp arm actuator connects to the clamp arm and moves from an opened configuration to a closed configuration to direct the clamp arm from the opened position toward the intermediate position and the closed position. A spacer connects with the clamp arm to inhibit movement of the clamp arm from the intermediate position toward the closed position for maintaining the predetermined gap between the clamp arm and the ultrasonic blade.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument that can be used in a robotic surgical system includes an end effector having an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm pivotally secured relative to the ultrasonic blade. A shaft assembly extends proximally from the end effector and includes a tube, an acoustic waveguide received within the tube, and a sheath positioned between the acoustic waveguide and the tube to damp acoustic vibrations from the acoustic waveguide toward the tube. At least one sensor is positioned on at least one of the end effector or the sheath to measure a force applied at the end effector or the sheath as a measured force, respectively, and thereby provide real-time feedback of a non-clamping force applied against one of the ultrasonic blade or the clamp arm.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a drive housing, a spline, a carriage, an elongate shaft assembly, an end effector, and an activating mechanism. The at least one spline includes a drive gear rotatable with the spline. The elongate shaft assembly extends from the carriage. The activating mechanism includes a barrel cam extending along a rotational axis and having a first cam profile radially extending about the rotational axis. The barrel cam is operatively coupled to the drive gear such that rotation of the drive gear is configured to actuate the activating mechanism to move at least a portion of the end effector. The first cam profile defines a plurality of slopes relative to the rotational axis such that the first cam profile is configured to drive movement of the end effector or the elongate shaft assembly at different rates according to the plurality of slopes.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument including an end effector having an ultrasonic blade, a shaft assembly that defines a longitudinal axis proximally extending from the end effector and an ultrasonic transducer assembly proximally extending from an acoustic waveguide in communication with the ultrasonic blade. The ultrasonic surgical instrument also includes a housing proximally projecting from the shaft assembly such that the ultrasonic transducer assembly is positioned within the housing and a carrier moveably supports the ultrasonic transducer assembly along the longitudinal axis. The carrier collectively moves the ultrasonic transducer assembly, the acoustic waveguide, and the end effector relative to the housing from a proximal, retracted position to a distal, extended position, for inserting the ultrasonic blade into a patient.

Abstract: A melt-blown fabric for pouching smokeless tobacco or a smokeless tobacco substitute can include melt-blown polymer fibers. The fabric can have a basis weight of less than 30 gsm and a tensile strength of at least 4mJ in at least one predetermined direction. Method of making the fabric can include melt-blowing a polymeric material against a support surface and bonding the fibers or arranging them in a predetermined orientation. Pouched smokeless tobacco or tobacco substitute products including the fabrics provided herein can provide desirable flavor and tactile experience.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a reinforced fiber cement article comprising a fiber cement piece and a reinforcing fixture bonded to a portion of the fiber cement piece for improving the performance, strength and durability of the fiber cement piece. The reinforcing fiber cement article could be used as or in conjunction with a siding plank assembly, which further comprises an interlocking feature that allows the siding plank to be stacked with other siding planks in a manner such that a uniform and deep shadow line is created. The interlocking feature sets the gauge of the exposed plank face and allows for leveling of the plank during installation. The reinforcing fixture could also serve as a thick butt piece or a plastic spline that produces a deep shadow line. A cementitious adhesive is used to bond the reinforcing fixture to the fiber cement piece.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a reinforced fiber cement article comprising a fiber cement piece and a reinforcing fixture bonded to a portion of the fiber cement piece for improving the performance, strength and durability of the fiber cement piece. The reinforcing fiber cement article could be used as or in conjunction with a siding plank assembly, which further comprises an interlocking feature that allows the siding plank to be stacked with other siding planks in a manner such that a uniform and deep shadow line is created. The interlocking feature sets the gauge of the exposed plank face and allows for leveling of the plank during installation. The reinforcing fixture could also serve as a thick butt piece or a plastic spline that produces a deep shadow line. A cementitious adhesive is used to bond the reinforcing fixture to the fiber cement piece.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a reinforced fiber cement article comprising a fiber cement piece and a reinforcing fixture bonded to a portion of the fiber cement piece for improving the performance, strength and durability of the fiber cement piece. The reinforcing fiber cement article could be used as or in conjunction with a siding plank assembly, which further comprises an interlocking feature that allows the siding plank to be stacked with other siding planks in a manner such that a uniform and deep shadow line is created. The interlocking feature sets the gauge of the exposed plank face and allows for leveling of the plank during installation. The reinforcing fixture could also serve as a thick butt piece or a plastic spline that produces a deep shadow line. A cementitious adhesive is used to bond the reinforcing fixture to the fiber cement piece.

Abstract: A system and method are provided that maintains a high pH at the wafer surface through the entire polish process and then lowers the pH only when necessary in a controlled fashion after CMP and during the post-polish clean. A fluid having a high pH chemistry and, optionally, surfactants is used instead of deionized water to keep the wafer and polisher components wet and to clean the slurry residue from the polishing pad.

Abstract: A system and method are provided that maintains a high pH at the wafer surface through the entire polish process and then lowers the pH only when necessary in a controlled fashion after CMP and during the post-polish clean. A fluid having a high pH chemistry and, optionally, surfactants is used instead of deionized water to keep the wafer and polisher components wet and to clean the slurry residue from the polishing pad.

Abstract: A system and method are provided that maintains a high pH at the wafer surface through the entire polish process and then lowers the pH only when necessary in a controlled fashion after CMP and during the post-polish clean. A fluid having a high pH chemistry and, optionally, surfactants is used instead of deionized water to keep the wafer and polisher components wet and to clean the slurry residue from the polishing pad.

Abstract: A short CMP polish process is provided which removes minimal amounts of oxide and reduces defectivity at the surface of the wafer during short periods of rework by maintaining a high pH at the wafer surface in the presence of a high pH slurry. In one embodiment of the present inventions, the first platen of a multi-platen CMP machine is skipped for polishes of a short duration. In a second embodiment, a large amount of slurry is used to prime the second polish platen, thus displacing deionized water at the surface of the wafer which would ordinarily lower the initial pH of the process. Additionally, downforce may be minimized to reduce defectivity.

Abstract: A system and method are provided that maintains a high pH at the wafer surface through the entire polish process and then lowers the pH only when necessary in a controlled fashion after CMP and during the post-polish clean. A fluid having a high pH chemistry and, optionally, surfactants is used instead of deionized water to keep the wafer and polisher components wet and to clean the slurry residue from the polishing pad.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a siding plank assembly comprising an interlocking feature that allows the siding plank to be stacked with other siding planks in a manner such that a uniform and deep shadow line is created. The interlocking feature sets the gauge of the exposed plank face and allows for leveling of the plank during installation. The siding plank may be formed from an extrusion process or from the Hatschek process.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a reinforced fiber cement article comprising a fiber cement piece and a reinforcing fixture bonded to a portion of the fiber cement piece for improving the performance, strength and durability of the fiber cement piece. The reinforcing fiber cement article could be used as or in conjunction with a siding plank assembly, which further comprises an interlocking feature that allows the siding plank to be stacked with other siding planks in a manner such that a uniform and deep shadow line is created. The interlocking feature sets the gauge of the exposed plank face and allows for leveling of the plank during installation. The reinforcing fixture could also serve as a thick butt piece or a plastic spline that produces a deep shadow line. A cementitious adhesive is used to bond the reinforcing fixture to the fiber cement piece.

Abstract: Thickness of a wafer is monitored during grinding. A conductive plate is located below the wafer during grinding. One or more capacitive sensors are located above the wafer during grinding. A monitoring device monitors capacitance of the conductive plate and the capacitive sensor.

Abstract: The temperature of a wafer is controlled during a chemical mechanical polishing process. Fluid containment is provided on a wafer backing plate in contact with the wafer during the chemical mechanical polishing process. Transportation of fluid is provided to and from the fluid containment during the chemical mechanical polishing process. Temperature of the fluid is controlled in order to control temperature on the wafer during the chemical mechanical polishing process.

Abstract: A graphics display tool facilitates analysis of product data, to determine at what point or points in a batch manufacturing process sequence the cause of a defective device has occurred. The tool compiles and displays data associated with respective nodes of a multi-node sequential flow semiconductor batch manufacturing process, in the form of easily perceived visual indicators, in particular weighted lines that interconnect successive nodes of the process graphically represented by means of a parallel coordinate system. The use of discriminant level-based visual indicator links of the graphics display according enables a system analyst to readily identify a node that is a likely candidate for either the cause of an anomaly that has contributed to a failed wafer, or to identify a node that is likely not to have contributed to a failed wafer.