Abstract: A regulator for maintaining a constant partial vacuum in a region, such as in a piece of process equipment or a fume hood. The regulator includes a path, through which fluid passes from the region to the vacuum source, and a movably mounted piston having a frontal face, which is exposed to fluid in the path, and a distal face, which is exposed to a reference pressure, such as the pressure of the environment in which the equipment is located. The piston is disposed in the path so that the piston may constrict the path at a constriction point. Fluid in the path upstream of the constriction point exerts a pressure on the frontal face of the piston that tends widen the path at the constriction point. The piston is mounted so that the weight of the piston exerts a force on the piston in a direction that tends to widen the path at the constriction point. A force is exerted on the piston, preferably by a spring under compression, in a direction that tends to narrow the path at the constriction point.

Abstract: A heat pipe has an embedded wick structure that maximizes capillary pumping capability. Heat from attached devices such as integrated circuits evaporates working fluid in the heat pipe. The vapor cools and condenses on a heat dissipation surface. The condensate collects in the wick structure, where capillary pumping returns the fluid to high heat areas.

Abstract: A regulator for maintaining a constant partial vacuum in a region, such as in a piece of process equipment or a fume hood. The regulator includes a path, through which fluid passes from the region to the vacuum source, and a movably mounted piston. The piston is disposed in the path so that the piston may constrict the path at a constriction point. Fluid in the path upstream of the constriction point exerts a pressure on the frontal face of the piston that tends widen the path at the constriction point. The piston is mounted so that the weight of the piston exerts a force on the piston in a direction that tends to widen the path at the constriction point. A force is exerted on the piston, preferably by a spring under compression, in a direction that tends to narrow the path at the constriction point. A buffering gas, introduced to the area between the piston's skirt and the piston mounting structure, may be used to keep noxious fumes from backing up into the environment and/or to provide an efficient bearing.

Abstract: A regulator for maintaining a constant partial vacuum in a region, such as in a piece of process equipment or a fume hood. The regulator includes a path, through which fluid passes from the region to the vacuum source, and a movably mounted piston. The piston is disposed in the path so that the piston may constrict the path at a constriction point. Fluid in the path upstream of the constriction point exerts a pressure on the frontal face of the piston that tends widen the path at the constriction point. The piston is mounted so that the weight of the piston exerts a force on the piston in a direction that tends to widen the path at the constriction point. A force is exerted on the piston, preferably by a spring under compression, in a direction that tends to narrow the path at the constriction point. A buffering gas, introduced to the area between the piston's skirt and the piston mounting structure, may be used to keep noxious fumes from backing up into the environment and/or to provide an efficient bearing.

Abstract: A regulator including a movably, preferably hingedly, mounted member having a distal face, exposed to a reference pressure, and a frontal face, exposed to fluid passing through the regulator. Attached to the member is a structure that variably impedes fluid flowing through the regulator. The amount that this structure impedes the fluid flow varies as a function of the difference between the pressure of fluid on the frontal face of the member and the reference pressure. The impeder may be an integral part of the piston extending into the path of the fluid flowing through the regulator, or it may be a separate structure attached to the member. As the member moves in response to changes in pressure differential across the piston, each movable segment is displaced with respect to its corresponding fixed segment. As the corresponding segments are further displaced with respect to each other, the impedance to flow increases.

Abstract: To control the flow of air into andr out of a process chamber, such as a clean room, a two-stage system is disposed within each of several parallel conduits leading into and/or out of the process-chamber. One stage includes a regulator, having a plenum disposed between the environment and the vacuum source. The regulator maintains in the plenum a pressure that is between the pressures of the environment and the vacuum source and that is a constant amount different from the environment's pressure. The regulator includes a piston having a frontal face exposed to air in the plenum flowing between the environment and the vacuum source, and a distal face exposed to the environment's pressure. The piston is mounted so as to variably impede the flow of air through the regulator and so that the weight of the piston tends to move the piston in a direction so as to lessen the piston's impedance on the air flow.

Abstract: A regulator for maintaining a constant partial vacuum in a region, such as in a piece of process equipment or a fume hood. The regulator includes a path, through which fluid passes from the region to the vacuum source, and a movably mounted piston. The piston is disposed in the path so that the piston may constrict the path at a constriction point. Fluid in the path upstream of the constriction point exerts a pressure on the frontal face of the piston that tends widen the path at the constriction point. The piston is mounted so that the weight of the piston exerts a force on the piston in a direction that tends to widen the path at the constriction point. A force is exerted on the piston, preferably by a spring under compression, in a direction that tends to narrow the path at the constriction point. A buffering gas, introduced to the area between the piston's skirt and the piston mounting structure, may be used to keep noxious fumes from backing up into the environment and/or to provide an efficient bearing.

Abstract: To control the flow of air into and/or out of a process chamber, such as a clean room, a two-stage system is disposed in conduits leading into and/or out of the process-chamber. One stage includes a regulator, having a plenum (7) disposed between the environment the vacuum source. The regulator maintains in the plenum a pressure that is between the pressures of the environment and the source and that is a constant amount different from the environment's pressure. The regulator includes a piston (5) having a frontal face (52) exposed to air in the plenum flowing between the environment and the vacuum source, and a distal face (51) exposed to the environment's pressure. The piston is mounted so as to variably impede the flow of air through the regulator and so that the weight of the piston tends to move the piston in a direction so as to lessen the piston's impedance on the air flow.

Abstract: A regulator including a movably, preferably hingedly, mounted member having a distal face, exposed to a reference pressure, and a frontal face, exposed to fluid passing through the regulator. Attached to the member is a structure that variably impedes fluid flowing through the regulator. The amount that this structure impedes the fluid flow varies as a function of the difference between the pressure of fluid on the frontal face of the member and the reference pressure. The impeder may be an integral part of the piston extending into the path of the fluid flowing through the regulator, or it may be a separate structure attached to the member. As the member moves in response to changes in pressure differential across the piston, each movable segment is displaced with respect to its corresponding fixed segment. As the corresponding segments are further displaced with respect to each other, the impedance to flow increases.

Abstract: A regulator for maintaining a constant partial vacuum in a region, such as in a piece of process equipment or a fume hood. The regulator includes a path, through which fluid passes from the region to the vacuum source, and a movably mounted piston having a frontal face, which is exposed to fluid in the path, and a distal face, which is exposed to a reference pressure, such as the pressure of the environment in which the equipment is located. The piston is disposed in the path so that the piston may constrict the path at a constriction point. Fluid in the path upstream of the constriction point exerts a pressure on the frontal face of the piston that tends widen the path at the constriction point. The piston is mounted so that the weight of the piston exerts a force on the piston in a direction that tends to widen the path at the constriction point. A force is exerted on the piston, preferably by a spring under compression, in a direction that tends to narrow the path at the constriction point.

Abstract: Light arrays for use in systems for separating and irradiating blood are disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, the light array has one or more bulbs with electrical connecting leads and first and second support members connected to the bulbs. The second support member preferably includes a connector for receiving the electrical leads. The support members preferably define an end surface and an interior surface, wherein the support members are disposed adjacent the bulbs so the end surfaces are opposed to define a channel, providing a space where tubing carrying blood or other fluids can be disposed without interfering with the array. The bulbs are most preferably attached to the support members using flexible self-locking straps, and in embodiments using two or more bulbs, the bulbs are also preferably held together by one or more straps. Improved mounting systems for connecting the array to the instrument by one or more spring mounts are also disclosed.

Abstract: To control the flow of air into and/or out of a process chamber, such as a clean room, a two-stage system is disposed in conduits leading into and/or out of the process-chamber. One stage includes a regulator, having a plenum (7, 79) disposed between the environment and the air source or the vacuum source. The regulator maintains in the plenum a pressure that is between the pressures of the environment and the source and that is a constant amount different from the environment's pressure. The regulator includes a piston (5) having a frontal face (52) exposed to air in the plenum flowing between the environment and the source, and a distal face (51) exposed to the environment's pressure. The piston is mounted so as to variably impede the flow of air through the regulator and so that the weight of the piston tends to move the piston in a direction so as to lessen the piston's impedance on the air flow.

Abstract: A regulator for maintaining a constant partial vacuum in a region, such as in a piece of process equipment or a fume hood. The regulator includes a path, through which fluid passes from the region to the vacuum source, and a movably mounted piston having a frontal face, which is exposed to fluid in the path, and a distal face, which is exposed to a reference pressure, such as the pressure of the environment in which the equipment is located. The piston is disposed in the path so that the piston may constrict the path at a constriction point. Fluid in the path upstream of the constriction point exerts a pressure on the frontal face of the piston that tends widen the path at the constriction point. The piston is mounted so that the weight of the piston exerts a force on the piston in a direction that tends to widen the path at the constriction point. A force is exerted on the piston, preferably by a spring under compression, in a direction that tends to narrow the path at the constriction point.

Abstract: A regulator, which may be used to regulate in a remote region a constant partial vacuum. The regulator controls the flow of gas from an environment, through a region and to an evacuation means. The regulator's fluid path is bounded on opposite sides by two plates, which may be hingedly mounted, so that the two plates are substantially parallel to each other. Each of the plates have a conduit side, facing the fluid path, and a side facing a reference pressure. The first plate's reference-pressure side may be exposed to the region's pressure, and the second plate's reference-pressure side may be exposed to the environment's pressure. The regulator also includes an impeder attached to the plates for variably impeding the flow through the path based on the position of the plates. Preferably, the impeder includes a fixed grate and a movable grate. The fixed grate does not move with respect to the path. The movable grate is hingedly attached to the plates at points distal from the pivot points.

Abstract: Fault tolerance in a redundant array of disk drives is degraded when error conditions exist in the array. Several methods for rebuilding data of the array to remove the degradation are described. Data rebuilding for entire disk drives and partial data rebuilds of disk drives are described. All rebuild methods tend to reduce the negative affect of using array resources for the data rebuild. In one method rebuilding occurs during idle time of the array. In a second method rebuilding is interleaved between current data area accessing operations of the array at a rate which is inversely proportional to activity level of the array. In a third method, the data are rebuilt when a data area being accessed is a data area needing rebuilding.

Abstract: To control the flow of a fluid from an environment to a vacuum source, a device including a piston (2) is mounted in the path of the fluid. The path is not vented so that the mass of fluid entering the device is equal to the mass exiting the device. The piston (2) is mounted so that it may constrict the path at a constriction point (5), and so that it may move in a direction (14) transverse to the flow of the fluid at the constriction point (5). The frontal face (15) of the piston (2) is exposed to the fluid in the path, and the distal face (16) of the piston (2) is exposed to a reference pressure (17). A restoring force, such as a spring (10) or the weight of the piston (2) is exerted on the piston (2) so as to tend to widen the path at the constriction point (5).

Abstract: In the thread wrapping apparatus disclosed herein a binder spindle is driven by control circuit at a speed corresponding to the operating frequency of a variable oscillator. First, second and third sets of drafting rolls which draw and feed a sliver of fibers to the binder spindle are driven by respective stepper motors through control circuits which operate each of the motors at a respective speed which is an individually preselectable proportion of the speed of the spindle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of dry processing a semiconductor wafer including processes of vacuum baking and dry silylation provides a gaseous atmosphere of pressure up to 760 Torr against the surface of the wafer, one or more of the constituents of the gas being obtained from a liquid fluid source of the constituent, including a metering device that controls flow of the liquid fluid from a remote reservoir and feeds it to a vaporizer that converts the fluid to a vapor gas at pressure up to 760 Torr and feeds the vapor gas at that pressure into a wafer processing chamber where the particular dry process involving the vapor gas is carried out on the wafer surface. In a preferred embodiment the metering device is an automotive fuel injector, sometimes referred to as a throttle body injector (TBI) that is energized by electrical pulses, each electrical pulse causing the TBI to inject a given predetermined amount into the vaporizer which heats the fluid, turning it into a vapor gas at pressure up to 760 Torr.

Abstract: A solar panel having venting gates at opposite ends of an air plenum defined between a collector element and a protective, light-transmissive cover and having a wax thermal actuator for both the gates and flexible force-transmitting linkages between the actuator and each gate to operate the gates simultaneously. Preferred embodiments include certain linkages, gates and gate control apparatus, and certain structural relationships of the actuator with the collector element to achieve desired heat transfers. In certain embodiments, the actuator is part of a heat-sensing module which receives a multiplicity of heat inputs. The collector element in certain highly preferred embodiments is of plastic. A glazed solar panel having a venting gate controlled by a temperature-responsive wax thermal actuator linked thereto.