Abstract: Perfluoroalkyl-substituted amines, acids, amino acids and thioether acid compounds containing a perfluoroalkyl-iodoalkyl or perfluoroalkyl-alkene group as well as derivatives thereof, are described. They are useful as surfactants in a variety of applications where low surface tensions are required, including coating formulations for glass, wood, metal, cement, paper, textiles, as foam control agents in polyurethane foams and especially in aqueous fire-fighting formulations.

Abstract: A method is provided for recognizing an individual item at an identification station from a variety of known products for purposes of entry into an inventory and/or register system. A backlit viewplate is used and a digital image capturing device captures and stores a reference image of the viewplate. A backlit image of the item to be identified adjacent the viewplate is then captured and converted into a digitized image signal representing the captured image. The digitized image signal is processed by subtraction of a representation of said stored reference image to remove viewplate artifact, to provide a background-compensated image signal. The background-compensated image signal is analyzed to generate image descriptors characterizing features of size and/or shape of the item, and the descriptors are compared with the data stored on a computerized product database to identify data sets with the highest correlation.

Abstract: A gap setting apparatus incorporates an air gage to measure the pressure drop (and indirectly the flow rate) of air through a gap of a hydrodynamic bearing, while facing sections of the bearing are moved closer together. The measured pressure drop can be correlated to the actual bearing gap and monitored to determine when the proper gap has been achieved. More particularly, the inner and outer elements of the bearing are clamped in separate carriers and are held in place. The carriers are then moved toward one another so that the inner or shaft portion of the bearing slides into the outer or sleeve portion of the bearing. To accurately set the gap between the two, an air hose with an air gage attached to it is attached to one end of the bearing gap; air is pumped through the bearing gap, exiting through the opposite end of the gap, By testing a set of reference motor parts, a high end and a low end of an acceptable bearing gap range can be established, and the corresponding air gage readings obtained.

Abstract: A method of logging operating data of mobile telephones comprises the steps of: producing an operating data message within a logging function at the mobile telephone; passing the operating data message to a radio unit within the telephone; transmitting the operating data message via the radio link to the mobile telephone network; receiving the operating data message at the network and passing this to a logging center; and logging the operating data at the logging center.

Abstract: Novel perfluoroalkyl-substituted mono-, di- and poly-amide compounds which are reaction products of a mono-, di- or polyamine of 60 to 2000 molecular weight with a perfluoroalkyl substituted unsaturated acid or its corresponding lower alkyl ester and optionally a non-fluorinated amino-reactive compound such as an acid, ester, anhydride, epichlorohydrin, isocyanate or urea, are useful as internally or externally applied paper sizes to impart oil and grease resistance to paper, and as oil proofing coatings on textiles, wood, masonry and the like, or as high-performance surface active agents.

Abstract: The invention provides in one form an item recognition apparatus for recognising an individual item from a variety of known products for purposes of entry into an inventory and/or register system, said apparatus comprising (a) an identification station having a viewplate with backside illumination to provide a backlit image viewable from the frontside of the viewplate, a digital image capture means arranged to view said backlit image, a display screen for viewing by an operator, and an entry means for the operator to selectively make entries into the inventory and/or register system; and (b) computer storage and processing means having a first memory store containing data representing a reference image of said viewplate, a second memory store containing a product database of data sets representing image descriptors characterising features of size and/or shape for all of said variety of known products, and digitised image processing and analysing means for processing and analysing a digitised image captured by

Abstract: N-substituted perfluoroalkylated pyrrolidines of the formula III where RF, B, Q and q are as defined herein are prepared from diallylamine, a perfluoroalkyl iodide and an amino-reactive compound selected from the group of carboxylic acids, anhydrides, acid chlorides, oxiranes, haloalkanes, isocyanates, ureas and (meth)acrylic compounds. These compounds are useful as specialty surfactants and as oil-proofing agents for paper and textiles. Polymers derived from the (meth)acrylamides are useful to impart water, oil and grease repellency to various substrates.

Abstract: Perfluoroalkyl-substituted amino acid oligomers or polymers obtainable from (A) an aliphatic diamino acid having 3 to 10 carbon atoms such as lysine, (B) a chain extender such as epichlorohydrin, a dihalide or an aliphatic diepoxide, (C) an amino-reactive allyl compound and (D) a perfluoroalkyl iodide, and, optionally, other reactants, are useful as grease-proofing agents for paper and are excellent foam stabilizers for Aqueous Fire-Fighting Foam (AFFF) formulations used on polar solvent fires.

Abstract: Novel perfluoroalkyl-substituted mono-, di- and poly-amide compounds which are reaction products of a mono-, di- or polyamine of 60 to 2000 molecular weight with a perfluoroalkyl substituted unsaturated acid or its corresponding lower alkyl ester and optionally a non-fluorinated amino-reactive compound such as an acid, ester, anhydride, epichlorohydrin, isocyanate or urea, are useful as internally or externally applied paper sizes to impart oil and grease resistance to paper, and as oil proofing coatings on textiles, wood, masonry and the like, or as high-performance surface active agents.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for the reaction of a perfluoroalkyl iodide of the formula CF3(CF2)h—I, where h is an integer from 4 to 18, with a compound having a terminal olefinic group, which comprises conducting said reaction in an aqueous medium containing 5 to 40% by weight of a water-soluble solvent and in the presence of from 0.02 to 0.5 equivalents of dithionite ion, based on the perfluoroalkyl iodide, at a temperature of from 0 to 40° C. and at a pH greater than 7.0.

Abstract: According to the present invention spindle bearings are assembled with at least one annular gimbal to compensate for undesired components of bearing compression force. Specific devices and methods are directed to compensating for either (a) operational force variations such as those caused by temperature variation or (b) assembly-related force variations such as those caused by misalignment.

Abstract: A spindle motor is described having a motor stator, a motor rotor, the motor being energized to cause rotation of the rotor supporting a single disc or a stack of discs which is mounted in such a way that the rotating bottom or top (or both) disc surface is closely adjacent to a stationary disc drive casting surface. The squeeze film action in the remaining air gap provides significant damping of the disc vibration. Typical implementation use air gaps of 0.004″-0.006″ for 2½″ drives and 0.006″-0.10″ for 3½″ drives.

Abstract: Perfluoroalkyl-allyloxy- and perfluoroalkyl-iodopropyloxy-substituted polyaminoacids or poly-R.sub.F -fluoroallyl-substituted polyaminoacids which contain, in random distribution, q units of A-1, r units of A-2, s units of A-3 and t units of A-4 in which A-1 and A-2 are perfluoroalkyl-substituted amino groups of the formulae ##STR1## A-3 is a hydrophilically substituted amino or amido group of the formula ##STR2## and A-4 is a substituted amino or amido group of the formula ##STR3## where the variables are as defined herein, are useful to provide oil repellency to paper and as foam stabilizers in alcohol resistant--aqueous fire-fighting foam fire-fighting foam compositions.

Abstract: A method for setting a gap at or near an optimum width in a hydrodynamic bearing defined between a shaft having end pieces, the end pieces having axially opposing exterior sides which are not parallel, the end pieces being adjustable axially, and a surrounding sleeve comprising independently supporting the shaft and the sleeve to be capable of finely positioned relative motion, in which adjustment is accomplished by moving the shaft and the sleeve together to form the gap with respect to the end pieces and the sleeve and supplying pressurized air to an opening to the gap to cause air to flow through the gap, while monitoring an air pressure drop due to the air flow through the gap while the end pieces are adjusted.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic bearing design is disclosed incorporating a flexible membrane at one end of the fluid gap in the hydrodynamic bearing. If voids exist in the fluid, and if changes in the size of these voids or bubbles occur with changes in temperature or pressure in which the disc drive is being used, then the volume of the fluid will change, and increase relative to the change in size of the volume of the surrounding physical part. The flexible membrane will yield to the increased pressure of the increasing volume of the fluid. The membrane essentially acts as a spring whose spring force is overcome by the pressure created by or accompanying a increase in volume in which the lubricating fluid is contained, and preventing its escape or being forced out of the inner region of the bearing.

Abstract: A thrust plate with grooved surfaces within a hydrodynamic bearing establishes pressure gradients which cause the lubricating fluid for the bearing to reliably remain within the region of the hydrodynamic bearing, with the pressure gradient imposed on the fluid causing the fluid to flow toward the center of the bearing rather than to be caused to be forced outward toward the far end of the bearing which could potentially result in a leakage of the fluid.

Abstract: Novel amide derivatives of formula (I), processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as medicaments are disclosed.

Abstract: A bearing having two surfaces (60, 72) rotatable with respect to each other, a lubrication medium located in a gap between the tow surfaces during rotation of the bearing and a sinusoidal groove pattern (20) formed on one of the tow surfaces to distribute the lubrication medium over the surface of the bearing and create a pressure distribution in the bearing to create a stiff hydrodynamic bearing.

Abstract: Novel amide and urea derivatives, processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing hem and their use as medicaments are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a gating means in combination with a spontaneous infiltration process to produce a metal matrix composite body. Particularly, a permeable mass of filler material or a preform is spontaneously infiltrated by molten matrix metal to form a metal matrix composite body. A gating means is provided which controls or limits the areal contact between molten matrix metal and the filler material or preform. The use of a gating means provides for control of the amount of matrix metal which can contact the preform or filler material, which may result in less machining of a formed metal matrix composite body compared with a similar metal matrix composite body made without a gating mean. Moreover, the use of a gating means ameliorates the tendency of a formed metal matrix composite body to warp due to the contact between the formed composite body and matrix metal carcass.