Abstract: A screen for cleaning a pulp suspension including a cylindrical screen basket and a double-conical accept chamber which widens in the flow direction of the pulp suspension.

Abstract: A water-tight fiberglass septic tank is strong enough to withstand live loads. The fiberglass septic tank is preferably designed with integral ribs to for structural strength. In one preferred embodiment, the tank is made in two unequal halves. The lower half comprises the major portion of the tank and includes a bottom, two endwalls and two sidewalls. The upper half comprises a cover. This arrangement allows the horizontal seam to be placed above the internal waterline, thereby protecting the seam from exposure to sewage. At least one of the endwalls includes a raised top portion that allows a pipe to be located near the top of the lower portion without passing through the seam between the upper and lower portions of the tank. The endwalls are also curved to allow for angled inlet and outlet pipe connections. The ribs are preferably internal and hollow. The lower portion of the tank is also preferably flat bottomed. A provision has been made for a self-locating baffle if required.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a compact solid-liquid separator having a high water surface loading which can limit pollutant's outflow even when flocs are insufficiently pelletized.

Abstract: A generally funnel shaped paper filter for use in a filter device for preparing coffee or tea extracts. The paper filter has a flattened, folded state and an open, unfolded state for use and includes two facing panels joined at lateral sides thereof to define opposite lateral paper filter edges and joined at bottom sides thereof to define a paper filter bottom; an upper edge forming part of each panel and defining a paper filter opening; and an embossed line provided in each panel for stabilizing the paper filter in its open state.

Abstract: A micromachined membrane particle filter is formed by making holes in a silicon and coating over the holes with Parylene.

Abstract: A method for removal of free-floating oil from an aqueous environment by bio-dispersion and bio-utilization comprising the steps of:

Abstract: An integrated suppressor and detector for suppressed ion chromatography includes a stationary phase, a fluid flow path, at least first and second regeneration electrodes, and at least first and second sensor electrodes. Methods of suppressed ion chromatography using the integrated suppressor and detector are also described.

Abstract: A shelf assembly for organizing and merchandising a plurality of products. The shelf assembly comprises a shelf having a bottom, plurality of dividers extending from front to back, a pair of dividers and the bottom forming a track in which a column of products are arranged. A front member pivotal about a stop, or pivotally engaged with the dividers, prevents the forwardmost product within the column from falling off the front of the shelf. The pivotal front members enable product to be pulled forwardly off the shelf, minimizing the spacing necessary between adjacent shelves.

Abstract: A safety closure for use on a container neck portion, providing an end wall and a side wall depending from the end wall. The side wall has at least one lug projecting therefrom near a lower end thereof, which is engageable with at least one lug-receiving recess provided in the container neck portion. A sealing plug depends from the end wall and is sealingly engageable with a dispensing orifice provided in the container neck portion. At least one spring member depends from the end wall and are resiliently engageable with the container neck portion to bias the safety closure away from the container neck portion.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a Parylene micro check valve including a micromachined silicon valve seat with a roughened top surface to which a membrane cap is anchored by twist-up tethers. The micro check valve is found to exhibit low cracking pressure, high reverse pressure, low reverse flow leakage, and negligible membrane-induced flow resistance when used as a valve over a micro orifice through which flow liquid and gas fluids.

Abstract: A method of patterning at least one object layer, includes a step of forming a mask on the object layer, and a step of selectively etching the object layer using the mask. The mask is made of a magnetic metallic compound with a basic metal of nickel or cobalt containing at least group 3B element and/or group 5B element.

Abstract: A method of patterning a thin film includes a step of forming at least one strippable conductive film on a surface of a thin film to be patterned, a step of forming a mask on the at least one strippable conductive film, a step of patterning the thin film to be patterned by dry etching using the mask, and a step of removing the at least one strippable conductive film.

Abstract: This invention relates to processes for the assembly of three-dimensional structures having periodicities on the scale of optical wavelengths, and at both smaller and larger dimensions, as well as compositions and applications therefore. Invention embodiments involve the self assembly of three-dimensionally periodic arrays of spherical particles, the processing of these arrays so that both infiltration and extraction processes can occur, one or more infiltration steps for these periodic arrays, and, in some instances, extraction steps. The product articles are three-dimensionally periodic on a scale where conventional processing methods cannot be used.

Abstract: Since components constituting a driving unit for pressure application shaft are integrally assembled with one another, and the driving unit for pressure application shaft is integrally fixed to a housing body, the precious driving unit for pressure application shaft can be obtained with ease, and consequently, it is possible to provide the precious driving unit for pressure application shaft in a welding apparatus at low cost.

Abstract: A welding material in positioned in electrically conductive relation between exterior surface portions of first and second weldable members, such as hydroformed tubes, at a location where the first and second weldable members are to be joined. A welding device comprises first and second electrodes or conductive ends that extend along substantially the entire extent of first sides of the first and second weldable members, respectively. The first and second conductive ends include first and second concave recesses, which nest with the first and second weldable members, respectively. Electrical current is applied across the first and second weldable members by the nesting first and second conductive ends such that the applied current melts the welding material and thereby welds the exterior surface portions to one another. The welding device can be mounted on a robotic mechanism, which can move the welding device between first and second welding positions.

Abstract: A discharge tube for a local etching apparatus has a portion positioned within a waveguide which is for the generation of plasma, the said portion being tapered so as to be divergent toward an orifice side of the discharge tube. Even in the event a maximum field strength position of a standing wave in the waveguide should be deviated due to a change in microwave transmission characteristic of the material of the discharge tube or a change in the position of a plunger under the influence of heat, the maximum field strength position lies somewhere in the vicinity of a wall surface of the tapered portion, so that a supplied gas is converted to plasma stably in a short time. When the discharge tube is to be cooled, the cooling can be done effectively with a cooling gas which is cooled by adiabatic expansion while passing through the tapered portion.

Abstract: Process and unit for the arc working, particularly plasma cutting, of a workpiece, in which a plasma torch is supplied with an electric current and with a gas mixture containing oxygen and nitrogen, and a plasma jet obtained by the ionization of the gas mixture by the electric current is delivered by means of the plasma torch. The concentration of nitrogen and oxygen in the gas mixture is less than 50%. The gas mixture is obtained by adding a defined amount of nitrogen or, depending on the case, oxygen immediately before the gas mixture is introduced into the torch. The amount of nitrogen or oxygen is defined according to the thickness of the workpiece, to the grade of the constituent material of the workpiece, to the desired work rate and/or to the intensity of the electric current.

Abstract: Process and unit for the arc working, particularly plasma cutting, of a workpiece, in which a plasma torch is supplied with an electric current and with a gas mixture containing hydrogen and nitrogen and/or argon, and a plasma jet obtained by the ionization of the gas mixture by the electric current is delivered by means of the plasma torch. The hydrogen concentration in the gas mixture containing hydrogen and nitrogen and/or argon is less than 50%. The gas mixture is obtained by adding a defined amount of hydrogen to nitrogen and/or argon, immediately before the gas mixture is introduced into said torch. The defined amount of hydrogen is defined according to the thickness of the workpiece, to the grade of the constituent material of the workpiece, to the desired work rate and/or to the intensity of the electric current.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for cutting a workpiece made of stainless steel, coated steel, aluminum or aluminum alloy by the use of a transparent or reflecting optical means for focusing a laser beam and of an assist gas for said laser beam. The optical means is of the multifocus type and is chosen from lenses, mirrors and combinations thereof. The assist gas is oxygen or a nitrogen/oxygen mixture containing at least 90% nitrogen. The method of the invention makes it possible to increase the cutting performance by 40% compared with a conventional laser cutting method.

Abstract: A process and a device for joining or separating various workpieces, in particular made of plastic or plastic and other materials, by means of curtain-like laser beams. To join workpieces in a particular joining area of the contact surface, a mask, made of a laser-impermeable material, is arranged between the laser source and the workpieces to be joined. The laser beam and the mask are moved relative to each other. To generate high energy density in the joining area, laser beams of at least two diode lasers are brought together, and subsequently, differing laser line lengths are generated by means of a zoom optics arrangement. Via a beam splitter, a first laser beam aligned perpendicularly to the surface of the mask, is joined by at least one secondary laser beam arranged perpendicularly to the first laser beam, and the resulting laser beam is directed onto the mask. Laser beams either of different wavelengths or of the same wavelength but of different polarisation are used.

Abstract: A laser beam 7 from an engravement portion softening mechanism 6 of an apparatus is condensed onto an engravement portion on an engravement surface of a workpiece 1 for softening the engravement portion. When the hardness of the engravement portion is lowered, a pen tip 2 of the apparatus is applied to the engravement portion. Thus, it is possible to reduce reliably wear and damage of the pen tip 2 which results from engraving a hard workpiece, and to prolong the useful life of the pen tip 2, so that the durability and the reliability of the apparatus are improved.

Abstract: A control device with several stable positions, has a cam and a finger, the finger traveling along a cam track around the cam, when the finger and the cam are moved with respect to one another in translation. The cam track has curvature about an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of the translation to move the finger and the cam in rotation with respect to one another.

Abstract: On the one hand is provided an electric heating element (15, 31) consisting of a semiconducting ceramic (28, 32) as well as a method for its production. The semiconducting ceramic material may be porous or foamed to thus contain pores (29, 34) open outwardly. The pores are attainable by admixing filler bodies, which dissolve during sintering, to the starting material or by impreganting a textile substrate material (36) with a ceramic material. Due to the porosity of the heating element (15, 31) an increased radiant surface area is attained. On the other hand is provided an electric heating element (115, 132, 145, 150, 158, 160, 162) as well as a method for its production which consists of semiconducting ceramic and comprises a negative temperature coefficient of the electrical resistance. The temperature coefficient is negative throughout over the full operating temperature range. The material suitable for the heating element (115, 132, 145, 150, 158, 160, 162) is doped silicon carbide or TiN.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for thermally analyzing a sample of a material by detecting a heat flow between the sample (7) and a heat source (1) and evaluating a functional relation between the measured heat flow (HF) and an associated temperature is based on controlling the heating power of the heat source (1) so as to cause the heat source to follow a temperature program (17) as a function of time superposed with a modulation (23) of the heating power.

Abstract: A fabric article that generates heat upon application of electrical power is formed, for example, by joining stitch and loop yarns to form a fabric prebody, with the loop yarn overlaying the stitch yarn at a technical face and forming loops at a technical back of the fabric prebody. An electrical resistance heating element, e.g., in the form of a conductive yarn, is incorporated into the fabric prebody at symmetrical and/or asymmetrical spaced-apart intervals as the stitch yarn, the electrical resistance heating elements extending between opposite edge regions of the fabric and conductor elements, e.g. located along edge regions, connect the electrical resistance heating elements to a source of electrical power. The technical face and/or the technical back of the fabric body may have fleece formed by finishing in a manner to avoid damage to electrical conductance of the electrical resistance heating elements.

Abstract: Temperature self-regulating food delivery systems are provided having a magnetic induction heater (32, 126) and an associated food container (76, 124) equipped with an essentially permanent ferromagnetic heating element (82, 100, 128). The heater (32, 126) and heating elements (82, 100, 128) are designed so as to heat the element (82, 100, 128) to a user-selected regulation temperature when the elements (82, 100, 128) are coupled with the heater's magnetic field, and to maintain the temperature in the vicinity of the regulation temperature indefinitely temperature regulation is a heating achieved by periodically determining at least two parameters of the heaters resonant circuits related to the amplitude of the resonant current passing therethrough during heating and responsively altering the field strength of the magnetic field. Preferably, the value of the resonant circuit amplitude and the rate of change of the amplitude are determine.

Abstract: A heating apparatus includes a heating element having a conductor, at least a part of which is an electrically closed circuit along which an eddy current flows; a container for accommodating the heating element; a magnetic field induction section for induction-heating the heating element; and a high frequency power supply device for supplying high frequency power to the magnetic field induction section. The heating element is induction-heated by an AC magnetic field generated by the magnetic field induction section.

Abstract: A path for a material passes through an opening and along a segment through an off-peak region of an electric field. An E-plane bend delivers an electromagnetic wave to the segment. A standing wave is used to heat the material. The peaks or valleys are pushed or pulled by a movable surface or by changing the frequency of the electromagnetic wave. A rectangular choke flange is used at the opening to the segment. A curved segment connects the segment to another segment for heating the material. According to another aspect of the invention, a segment is used to heat just the edge of a planar material.

Abstract: The microwave oven includes an infrared sensor for detecting the temperature of a food within a heating chamber. The infrared sensor has a field of view within the heating chamber. The infrared sensor is capable of moving the field of view. The food is often placed in the central region of the heating chamber. Therefore, when cooking is started, the field of view of the infrared sensor first scans the central region of the heating chamber.

Abstract: An over-molded product, such as a container, and a method of manufacture. The product is primarily used for enclosing hazardous materials and is formed by utilizing a thermosetting plastic material in a reaction injection molding process at low temperature and pressure to envelop adjacent portions of two or more components to form the desired product. This provides a mechanical interface but avoids a chemical reaction which would degrade the components.

Abstract: A stackable knock down box is provided for the bulk transportation and storage of fresh produce such as fruit. The box comprises a base pallet, and six side wall panels which are hinged together to define a composite side wall enclosure which can be folded into a stack. A number of drop-away base clip arrangements are provided for releasably holding the composite side wall enclosure to the base pallet in both its erected and folded conditions. The box can be stacked in both the erected and folded conditions, and includes a number of panel aligning inserts located at the upper edge corners of the side walls. Each panel aligning insert is formed with an angled contact face which slopes downwardly and outwardly. A number of complemental panel aligning formations are formed within pedestals on the pallet, and have an angled contact face which slopes upwardly and inwardly.

Abstract: A water pail is equipped with an air passageway in a stopper to pass through external air so that contents contained in the water pail are smoothly exhausted out. Since the air passageway is provided to flow the external air into the stopper of the outlet, the contents contained in the water pail are smoothly exhausted out, thereby preventing the contents from being splashed out. Also, the production cost of the water pail can be reduced.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cover mountable to a beverage container and mounting method and apparatus thereof. The container cover detachably mountable to an upper surface of a beverage container comprises a body which is formed to have substantially a disc-shaped configuration. The body is partly cut away from an edge toward a center thereof thereby to define a beverage discharging opening which has a predetermined width and a predetermined contour. The beverage discharging opening is capable of being selectively communicated with a discharging hole of the beverage container as the body is rotated. An inner end of the beverage discharging opening is delimited by a rotation guiding part which has a predetermined curvature to guide rotation of the body. The body has a straw insertion hole which is defined therein at a predetermined location to have a predetermined diameter in a manner such that a straw can be inserted therethrough.

Abstract: A toby box for use in housing a toby (a stopcock), other type of valve, a meter or other object in the ground has an annular housing having an opening defined by a peripheral rim at its upper end. A hinge pivotally connects a lid to an inside part of the rim so that the lid can be opened and closed. A drainage passage is provided below the hinge whereby liquid and detritis entering about the hinge can drain or be washed away from the hinge to the interior of the housing. This helps prevent a build up of detritis about the hinge interfering with its operation.

Abstract: A pan for use with a well for receiving the pan is disclosed herein. The pan includes a bottom panel, a plurality of walls, and a ramp. The plurality of walls extend upwardly from the bottom panel and define a cavity. The plurality of walls also have an upper end which defines a top opening. The upper end has an extension away from the cavity which defines a rim. The ramp is proximate the rim and exterior to the cavity, whereby the pan rides up on the ramp when the pan is drawn up against the well.

Abstract: A storage container for cryogenic liquids has an outer container and at least one inner container, an insulation space being situated between the outer container and the inner container or containers. The outer container and/or the inner container have devices for strengthening the container walls. The devices for strengthening the container wall of the outer container and/or of the inner container are constructed as at least one web arranged on the container wall of the outer container and/or of the inner container and/or as at least one supporting plate adapted essentially to the cross-section of the inner container.

Abstract: A drinking device comprising a lid or container and a straw selectively attached to the lid or container. The straw being selectively attached to the lid such that packets of coffee additives fictionally engage the lid. The lid further includes an indentation which has a predetermined radius in order to receive and secure a packet of coffee creamer. The straw can be selectively removed for use.

Abstract: A nestable display crate for bottle carriers having a floor and a wall structure with that is designed to reveal the labels on the bottle carriers. The wall structure is of double thickness and comprises a lower wall portion adjacent the floor and a plurality of integrally formed contoured upper wall portions extending upward from the lower wall portion. The wall structure is hollow throughout allowing the contoured upper wall portions to be received within the lower wall portion of a crate nested thereabove. The contoured upper wall portions are tapered to be smaller in cross section at the top and larger near the lower wall portion to enable easy nesting and to avoid nested crates from becoming wedged together due to interference. The upper wall portions are in the shape of gear teeth that are spaced along the opposing sidewalls and endwalls of the crate.

Abstract: A towel dispenser (20) comprising a case container (24) and one lid (22) attached to the container (24) by a hinge (40). A removable inner box (26), placed upside down in the case container defines an inner case compartment (27) destined to receive a pile of wet towels (30). The inner box has a bottom (31) and a jagged slot (29) provided in the bottom to dispense towels. The slot of the lid and the passage of the towels through the jagged slot allow the dispensing, by traction, of towels stored in a controlled atmosphere chamber. The compartment can be divided into two closed chambers, a wet one (28) and a dry one (32) by a partition (52) to allow the use of a second type of towels. One can also install a lid compartment (25) (FIG.7).

Abstract: A pill dispensing system includes a shelving unit in array form that holds a number of bulk containers, each holding a bulk amount of a pill to be dispensed. A computer controlled robot removes a selected bulk container and places it on a counter that also dispenses pills. The robot has an arm with a free end portion that can grip a bulk container or a single pill bottle to be filled. The robot is computer controlled to retrieve an empty pill bottle, place it on a label printing and applying unit, then place it next to the counter/dispenser to receive the selected number of selected prescription pills, then place the filled, labeled bottle on a conveyor. In an alternate embodiment, pill bottles are dispensed from a dispenser that holds bottles on inclined plates and feeds them to a vertical dispensing channel. Gates prevent the flow of bottles from an inclined position until the plate above has been emptied.

Abstract: A metering machine for pasta is described comprising at least one channel for the roughing of the pasta, a shovel that is transversally insertable in said channel in order to meter the pasta, a cylinder with radial cavity rotatable between a position for the support of the pasta present in said channel and a position for the collection of the pasta in said radial cavity, at least one basket for the collection of the pasta output by said cylinder and a weighing device for the pasta being collected in said basket. The cylinder is made rotate around an eccentric axis that is arranged in such a way that said cylinder when in position of support is at a higher level than the one in which it gets when in said position for the collection of the pasta.

Abstract: A beverage dispensing system for providing a beverage from a plurality of beverage concentrate sources. The beverage dispensing system includes a nozzle, a modular diluent valve for supplying diluent to the nozzle, a plurality of modular volumetric concentrate valves each in fluid communication with one of the beverage concentrate sources, and an electronic control board. The electronic control board determines the diluent flow rate through the modular diluent valve and instructs one of the modular volumetric concentrate valves to supply a predetermined volume of a beverage concentrate to the nozzle based upon the diluent flow rate.

Abstract: This pump dispenser has a piston with a central inlet opening connected to a tubular piston stem. A one-piece plastic check valve insert comprises a rim secured to the piston around the inlet opening and a hub which selectively seals the opening. The rim and hub are resiliently connected by zig-zag spokes.

Abstract: A metering machine for pasta is described comprising a channel for the finishing of pasta, a shovel for the support of the pasta that flows in said finishing channel, a shovel for the metering of the pasta. The supporting shovel and the metering shovel are transversally insertable in the finishing channel and disinsertable from it in alternate way. The metering shovel and the supporting shovel are mechanically connected with each other so that a single driving device provides to their simultaneous and alternate transversal insertion and disinsertion.

Abstract: A garment hanger having a releasable size indicator. The garment hanger including a hook for supporting the hanger on a display; a body connected to the hook, the body having at least one web for removably securing a size indicator to the body, the web having a fixed latch and a pivoting latch; and a size indicator having fingers for engaging the fixed and pivoting latches such that the size indicator is secured on the web during normal use, but wherein the size indicator may be released from the web when the pivoting latch is pivoted out of engagement with the fingers of the size indicator.

Abstract: A safety holster for a firearm, including a pivotally mounted retaining member for engaging the trigger guard of the firearm and preventing withdrawal of the firearm from the holster by anyone other than an authorized user of the firearm. The holster includes a fingerprint sensor for scanning fingerprint information of a perspective user of the firearm, and a processor for comparing the scanned fingerprint information with stored fingerprint information of an authorized user and releasing the retaining member only if the scanned fingerprint information matches that of the authorized user.

Abstract: A sheet material dispenser box holder, such as a cosmetic tissue box holder, is made of elastic cord or strap material in a woven fish-net pattern forming a bag shaped container closed at the top except for an access opening for easy placement of a tissue box inside the box holder. Attachment means are fastened to the box holder for securing the box holder in a desired position on a support surface whereby it will remain reliably in any attitude of a vehicle or other surface to which it is mounted and readily allowing removal of individual tissue sheets.

Abstract: On a main shaft 30 of a numeric control type machine tool, a rotary tool 50 is installed. The main shaft 30 is not inclined. To a table 20, a first member 70 and a second member 76 to be subjected to a welding are fixed. Against to an axial center of the rotary tool 50, to incline a welding portion of the first member 70 and the second member 76 in a stated in which the table 20 is inclined, by rotating the table 20 and moving a portion to be welded against the rotary tool 50, and the portion to be welded is carried out according to the friction stir welding. The above stated inclination is a necessary inclination for the friction stir welding. A ring shape or a circular shape (including a circular arc) friction stir welding can be carried out easily.

Abstract: A method of welding a hollow member and an insert member to form a composite member including a hollow member and insertion member requiring a high dimensional accuracy in the end-to-end distance in the axial direction and requiring a reliable concentricity in the center axes of the hollow member and insertion member, including preparing a hollow member and insertion member, inserting the insertion member in the hollow member, providing spot welds at an overlap portion where the hollow member and insertion member overlap to correct the axial end-to-end distance of the hollow member and the insertion member, and providing a partial weld at an overlap portion where the hollow member and insertion member overlap to correct the concentricity of the hollow member and the insertion member.