Abstract: A flexible heat pipe is disclosed for use with evaporator and condenser elements for removing heat from electronic components. The flexible heat pipe comprises a bellows member fixed at one end to a condenser member and at an opposite end to an evaporator member. A cable artery is disposed within the bellows and is fixed at one end to the evaporator, and slidingly engages the condenser at the opposite end. The bellows acts as a flexible vapor envelope, and the cable artery acts as a flexible wick for directing condensed working fluid from the condenser back to the evaporator. The sliding connection between the cable artery and the condenser allows relative axial movement, and the inherent flexibility of the cable artery allows relative lateral movement. Thus, the condenser and evaporator can move in all directions with respect to each other, which can provide desired vibration isolation of the two components.

Abstract: A flexible heat pipe is disclosed for use with evaporator and condenser elements for removing heat from electronic components. The flexible heat pipe comprises a bellows member fixed at one end to a condenser member and at an opposite end to an evaporator member. A cable artery is disposed within the bellows and is fixed at one end to the evaporator, and slidingly engages the condenser at the opposite end. The bellows acts as a flexible vapor envelope, and the cable artery acts as a flexible wick for directing condensed working fluid from the condenser back to the evaporator. The sliding connection between the cable artery and the condenser allows relative axial movement, and the inherent flexibility of the cable artery allows relative lateral movement. Thus, the condenser and evaporator can move in all directions with respect to each other, which can provide desired vibration isolation of the two components.

Abstract: A method of improving the stress strain characteristics, the ductility, the energy absorbing characteristics, the fractal roughness and the material roughness of a cementitious mix includes adding at least 1%, by weight of the total weight of the cementitious mix of poly(vinyl butyrate) in addition to a reinforcing agent, preferably poly(vinyl alcohol). In a preferred embodiment, the amount of poly(vinyl butyrate) is about 40% to about 50%, by weight. This provides the optimum levels of performance of the characteristics listed above.

Abstract: A hand held electronic detector is provided for detecting the presence/absence and/or nature of a mark on an article (not shown) such as a security mark. The article may comprise a product, such as for example a pack of cigarettes. The detector comprises a case or body of strong rigid plastics material. The case comprises front and rear parts and which are connected together by concealed hinges, at their lower edges, so that the parts and can move hingedly between a closed configuration and a fully open configuration, in which the front and rear parts are angularly spaced by approximately 180°. There is a further defined intermediate open configuration in which the front and rear parts and are angularly spaced by approximately 90°. . . When opening the case from the closed position the hinges ‘lock’ when the front and rear parts reach this intermediate position. The hinges will only ‘unlock’, so that the case can be opened further or closed, if sufficient force is applied.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for applying a twin wire arc spray composite coating to achieve surface effects on a substrate having predetermined characteristics.

Abstract: A technique and apparatus for detection of infrared radiation emitted from a taggant material sample following the excitation of the sample are described. The decay time of the radiation is a function of the particular taggant being used and so, if the decay characteristic or signature is accurately measured, the particular taggant can be accurately identified. The apparatus comprises an electronic controller (10), a pair (12) of illuminating light-emitting diodes, a photo-detector (14), a first amplifier (16), a three-way sampling switch (18), filter/stores (20)(a-c), second amplifiers (22)(a-c) and an output display (26). The infrared emission is excited by repeatedly illuminating the material for a period of microseconds every few milliseconds using a very intense source of infrared light. This light is supplied by the pair of 940 nm, light-emitting diodes (12). Once this light source has been turned off, the sample continues radiating infrared light for a few milliseconds.

Abstract: A digital multimeter automatically records measurements of electrical or physical parameters. The multimeter may record the measurements based on events such as the passage of time, fluctuations or deviations in the measurements, or user inputs. In some examples, the digital multimeter operates at a reduced power setting during automatic recording operations.

Abstract: A semiconductor device package comprises a container including a base and sidewalls. The base is configured to support a semiconductor device chip, and a lead frame extends through at least one of the sidewalls. A portion of the lead frame within the sidewall has at least one aperture penetrating into the lead frame. The sidewall material extends into the aperture, thereby forming a strong interfacial bond that provides a low leakage, sidewall-lead-frame interface. The base has a reentrant feature that is positioned within the thickness of at least one of the sidewalls and engages the at least one sidewall, thereby forming a low leakage base-sidewall interface. The top surface of the base has a groove that is positioned within the thickness of at least one of the sidewalls and engages the at least one sidewall, thereby enhancing the low leakage base-sidewall interface.

Abstract: A digital multimeter stores multiple sequential measurements of physical or electrical parameters. Each of the sequential measurements has a name including an automatically generated descriptor. The descriptor for each sequential measurement may indicate a relative position of the measurement within the sequence. For instance, the descriptor may indicate whether the measurement was obtained before or after other measurements in the sequence.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes, among other things, systems, methods and program products for using, storing and retrieving scale information.

Abstract: A deposing ring and cover ring for extending process components life and performance for process chambers are disclosed. A deposition ring including a protruding surface is positioned in spaced apart relation with a cover ring including a depressed surface. Indicated surfaces of the deposition ring and cover ring may be covered with a coating to improve adhesion of deposited materials.

Abstract: An on-chip chemical compound dilution system for providing dilution of a chemical compound in a microfluidic application includes at least one sample well for providing a selected chemical compound to be diluted, a dilution well for providing a diluent for diluting the chemical compound, a network of channels for carrying the chemical compound and diluent, a first syringe pump for effecting dilution, a second syringe pump, a detector and a plurality of valves for selectively controlling the flow of liquid through the channels. The dilution system may be a multiple-stage dilution system for precisely mixing a plurality of chemical compounds in a diluent. The dilution system allows for accurate calibration to compensate for variations due to manufacturing, thereby providing precise dilution ratios. The dilution system further enables flushing to allow re-use of the system with another chemical compound.

Abstract: A latching microregulator for regulating liquid flow on micro-scale levels comprises a substrate having an inlet port and an outlet port, a valve element defining a valve chamber for opening and closing the inlet port, and an actuator assembly for actuating the valve element. The valve chamber is configured to contain a volume of fluid, and the inlet port and the outlet port are in fluid communication with the valve chamber to provide a liquid flow path through the chamber. The actuator assembly comprises a cantilever beam for moving the valve element between an open position and a closed position, an actuator, such as a piezoelectric element, for moving the cantilever beam, and a latch, such as a permanent magnet, for securing the cantilever beam in the closed position. A flow regulation system comprises a plurality of fluid channels of varied flow conductance and a plurality of latching microregulators for selectively blocking or allowing flow through each of the fluid channels.

Abstract: An improved actuator for use in a microfluidic particle sorting system utilizes a staggered packing scheme for a plurality of actuators used to selectively deflect a particle in an associated sorting channel from a stream of channels. An actuator block may be provided for housing a two-dimensional array of actuators, each configured to align with an actuation port in an associated sorting chip containing a plurality of sorting channels. The actuator block may include a built-in stressing means to pre-stress each actuator housed by the block. An actuator comprising a piezo-electric stack may employ contact-based electrical connection rather than soldered wires to improve packing density. The actuator may be an external actuator. That is, the external actuator is external to the substrate in which the sorting channels are formed.

Abstract: An optical system for acquiring fast spectra from spatially channel arrays includes a light source for producing a light beam that passes through the microfluidic chip or the channel to be monitored, one or more lenses or optical fibers for capturing the light from the light source after interaction with the particles or chemicals in the microfluidic channels, and one or more detectors. The detectors, which may include light amplifying elements, detect each light signal and transducer the light signal into an electronic signal. The electronic signals, each representing the intensity of an optical signal, pass from each detector to an electronic data acquisition system for analysis. The light amplifying element or elements may comprise an array of phototubes, a multianode phototube, or a multichannel plate based image intensifier coupled to an array of photodiode detectors.

Abstract: A process for producing fuel pellets is described. The pellets are obtainable from a particulate carbon-based material and a binder, the process comprising the following steps: admixing the material and binder, and agglomerating the so-formed mixture by tumbling. The tumbling action, such as in a rotary drum, serves to agglomerate the particles and bind the mixture into the pellets, usually with a variable size distribution. No mechanical compression force is required, and with the binders used, the process can be carried out at ambient temperature. The process provides a simple but efficient process for using waste carbon-based materials, and forming a useable fuel product, which is easily transportable and efficiently combustible. Rotating drum or pan agglomerators are relatively low cost to build, and are capable of very high tonnage throughputs. Customised products can be produced and the process enhances the economics of ash and sulphur removal in coal upgrade plants.

Abstract: A system and method for correcting optical distortions on an image acquisition system by scanning and mapping the image acquisition system and adjusting the content of output pixels. The optical distortion correction can be performed either at the camera end or at the display receiving end.

Abstract: A cooled liquid sample dispensing system comprises a pair of pins for holding a droplet of liquid therebetween and a cooling element. Each pin includes a tip spaced predetermined distance from the other pin to define a sample acquisition region. The pins acquire and hold a droplet of the liquid sample in the sample acquisition region formed in the space between the tips and apply the droplet to a selected sample handing system. The cooling element, when activated, cools the droplet of liquid to reduce evaporation.