Abstract: A reservoir for dipping a non-cylindrical flexible belt into a coating fluid so that an electrophotographic layer can be deposited onto its outer surface during a manufacturing process includes a non-cylindrical tank with an inlet located at one end. A coating fluid enters the bottom of the tank and moves past a flow divider located inside or just above the inlet. This divides the entering fluid into two substantially equal portions, so that the level of coating fluid inside of the tank rises uniformly. The coating fluid passes first through a porous membrane, and then through a perforated plate, both of which will reduce the velocity of the coating fluid, to ensure that the fluid has laminar flow characteristics once it reaches the top of the reservoir. Finally, the coating fluid passes through an annular shaped flow director which ensures that the layer which is deposited onto the outer surface of the flexible belt has a uniform thickness.

Abstract: A coater is provided for coating objects with a liquid material. The coater includes a flume that has an entry and an exit end, a supply of liquid coating material upon which the objects float, and a circulation system. The circulation system delivers the liquid material to the entry end of the flume so that the liquid material flows toward and out the exit end. The coater also includes a conveyor that loads the objects into the flume and a conveyor that receives the objects at the exit end of the flume.

Abstract: Solder is applied to a circuit structure 7 by dipping the structure into a bath 1 of molten solder 3, the molten solder having a layer of oil 5 on top. The structure is dipped into the bath by rotating it along a path that is substantially coplanar with the circuit structure. This is achieved by supporting the structure on a carrier 9 which in turn is attached to a motor shaft 11.

Abstract: A system automated for providing at least periodic removal of metal ions and contaminants from a chemical bath, consists of a microprocessor programmed for controlling fluid circuits of pumps and valves, for in one state of operation circulating a first predetermined quantity of the chemical bath from a first tank, through an ion exchange column, and back to the first tank; for in a second state of operation circulating deionized water from a second tank into the IEX column for displacing residual chemical bath therefrom for return to the first tank; for in a third state of operation circulating deionized water through the IEX column, and discharging the rinse water from a waste port; for in a fourth state of operation circulating regenerant acid through the ion exchange column, and discharging the used acid from a waste port; for in a fifth state of operation circulating deionized water through the IEX column for rinsing acid regenerant therefrom and discharging the same out of a waste port; and for in a six

Abstract: A method of delivering a substance into a material mass including the steps of measuring a quantity of a carrier fluid and a material to be delivered, mixing the carrier fluid and the material to be delivered, and subjecting the mixture to a magnetic influence for increasing a permeability and effectiveness thereof by affecting the organization of the molecules of the mixture. Finally the mixture is introduced to the material mass for penetrating therein and direct, substantial absorbing of the mixture by the material mass.

Abstract: The following invention relates generally to devices which facilitate the coating on a elongate shaft or pipe with a highly viscous substance for the benefits that attend having such a shaft or pipe coated with such a substance. In addition, the instant invention is directed to a method to facilitate the disposition of the substance on the shaft or pipe.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming a silicon oxide film on a silicon wafer, comprises the steps of keeping a supersaturated hydrofluoric acid solution of silicon oxide on the surface of a silicon wafer in a thickness of not more than 20 mm, the solution having a predetermined temperature, heating the supersaturated solution until the solution reaches a thermal equilibrium, and maintaining for a predetermined period of time the temperature at which a thermal equilibrium is established in the supersaturated solution so as to form a silicon oxide film on the surface of the silicon wafer.

Abstract: A gel-coating apparatus for seeds comprising: a nozzle portion for forming and cutting a gel coating film by opening and closing operation of a cutting plunger; a seed storing vessel moving upward and downward; an arm having a rotation shaft at the center thereof and a hollow needle at both ends thereof; a seed supply portion having pipes for communicating the needles with a negative pressure source and a positive pressure source by way of electromagnetic valves; a curing vessel provided below the nozzle portion; and a control section for synchronously operating the movement of the curing vessel, the nozzle portion, the seed storing vessel, the arm, and the seed supply portion.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of surface-treating a half sliding bearing, the method comprising the steps of: preparing a tank which accommodates a surface-treatment solution and an anode of an alloy to be applied to the bearings as a surface treatment; successively and one by one introducing the bearings into the surface-treatment solution; performing the surface treatment in such a manner that the surface layer of the alloy is applied to the surface of the bearings by feeding an electricity between a cathode served by the bearing and the anode via the surface-treatment solution while moving, in the surface-treatment solution, the bearings being introduced into the surface-treatment solution in a state in which the bearings is brought into contact with one another; and successively and one by one drawing out the bearings, which have been applied with the surface treatment, from the tank.

Abstract: An automated system is disclosed for providing at least periodic removal of metal ions from a chemical complex and contaminants from a chemical bath. The chemical bath is a latex solution containing charged latex particles and having an acidic pH to form a coating by autodeposition, the charged particles tending to coagulate when subjected to a high shear circulation. The system uses an ion exchange column containing an iminodiacetate ion exchange resin for removal of the metal ion contaminants. The chemical bath is passed through the ion exchange column at a low velocity to prevent coagulation of the latex particles. Conductivity measurement devices and controllers are used to automate the operation of the system. Also, additional sensors, such as pressure and level sensors, controllers, filters, circulation pumps and tanks are used for performing rinsing and regeneration of the ion exchange column.

Abstract: In an apparatus for the heat treatment of ophthalmic lenses, especially contact lenses, which comprises an approximately cylindrical housing of closed design having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, transport device for transporting the ophthalmic lenses located inside molds along an open transport path, which is arranged inside the housing and connects the inlet and the outlet opening, and heating device arranged inside the housing, the open transport path inside the housing is of an essentially spiral shape, and the heating device are arranged essentially above and below the transport path.

Abstract: A lubricant applicator system for electronic connector pins is designed to uniformly apply a lubricant to the pins to reduce the force necessary to install and extract a circuit board in the motherboard. The system includes a reservoir tank which supplies lubricant to a container into which electronic pins of an assembled connector are immersed, with holes disposed on the bottom surface of the container such that the lubricant enters the container via the holes and rises within the container to a certain height which is controlled by an elbow valve, thereby coating only a predetermined length of the electronic pins with lubricant.

Abstract: A plurality of capacitors of the type each including capacitor elements with a very small gap between adjacent electrodes are filled and impregnated with a capacitor oil with the aid of a capacitor oil filling/impregnating apparatus. The apparatus comprises an impregnating chamber including a capacitor oil supplying portion, a charging/discharging platform having a plurality of capacitors placed thereon, and distributing/supplying means arranged above the charging/discharging platform so as to allow the capacitor oil to be supplied to the respective capacitors from above by its free falling-down induced by a dead weight of the capacitor oil itself.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing a laminate of metal and a polymeric film such as polypropylene bonded to a metal substrate such as steel or aluminum strip, preferably electrolytically chromium coated steel for making can ends, comprises laminating a polypropylene film to the metal and subjecting the film to a temperature above its melting point, and then uniformly and rapidly cooling the laminate to a temperature substantially below the melting point of the polypropylene by flooding the polypropylene coated surface of the laminate with cold liquid, e.g., water at room temperature.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing an index matching coating material onto an end of an optical fiber to be terminated includes a reservoir formed by a floor and sidewalls with a small portion of the index matching coating material being disposed on a top surface of the floor. An interior perimeter shape of the sidewalls is registrable with an external perimeter shape of an optical fiber contact to which the optical fiber is secured which allows the index matching material to be conveniently disposed on an end of the optical fiber by simply inserting the optical fiber contact into the reservoir.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating seeds includes a seed supply portion having a rotating drum with a small aperture for attracting a seed by vacuum created inside the drum and which is broken at a predetermined rotational position, and a gel-coating portion having a cylindrical cutting plunger disposed inside of a nozzle body for opening and closing a gel flow channel and forming a gel-coating layer. A curing vessel having a curing agent flow channel and a spray nozzle for washing the coated seeds are also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for the chemical metallization of open-pored foams, nonwovens, needle felts of plastic material or similar textile material, in particular those having a porosity of 45 to 98%, has three processing stations. The first processing station is a laying station, the second is a chemical metallization station and the third is a centrifugal station. The material of the substrate webs treated in the apparatus is made of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, polyester or aminoplasts.

Abstract: Apparatus for impregnating a liquid such as a resinous liquid into wood, in which timbers to be subjected to the impregnation are placed in a pressure tank which is capable of reducing or increasing the interior pressure thereof; the inside of the pressure tank is evacuated through a monitoring timber identical in properties with the timbers to be subjected to the impregnation, to expel the air present in the tank and the timbers; the liquid is injected into the pressure tank under pressurized conditions, while continuing the evacuation, to impregnate the liquid into the timbers; and the impregnation is completed when the liquid begins to flow out of the tank through the monitoring timber.

Abstract: A fixture for supporting a circuit board in a position generally horizontal to the surface of the protective material in the tank as it is dipped into a tank and coated with protective material. This allows a precisely predetermined area of the circuit board to be dipped into the protective coating material. The fixture has pivots above its center of gravity allowing the fixture to pivot will respect to a conveyor system so the position of the circuit board is maintained as generally horizontal to the surface of the protective material in the tank.A weir is used to control the level of the surface of the protective material in the tank. Sonar is used for sensing the distance between the surface of the protective material and a fixed point. Jacks are used to adjust the level of the tank and thus control the depth to which said circuit board is dipped into said protective material so that the depth of each dip is controlled to a minimum of 0.38 mm.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for tinting plastic material; specifically, polycarbonate and other plastic eyeglass lenses. The dye solution has an elevated boiling point which allows for dyeing of the material at rates and temperatures above 212 degrees F. The dye solution temperature is maintained and controlled within a preselected tolerance by a temperature controlling unit and its associated heater, which is affixed to the dyeing tank. Dye solution is agitated and dispursed by a stirrer and stirring apparatus, and dye solution level is maintained by an automatic fill apparatus.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for depositing an inorganic phosphate coating on a metal substrate includes providing a first composition in a first bath having a high water and a high alcohol content and providing a second composition in a second bath having a low alcohol content positioned in proximity to the first bath so that vapors from the second bath are commingled with vapors from the first bath and the alcohol content of the second bath being such that the commingled vapors have an alcohol content that is not flammable.

Abstract: An apparatus and method achieves the submersiontype processing of silicon wafers in a manufacturing process for the fabrication of semiconductor devices therefrom. The silicon wafer is uniformly flooded with the process fluid in a manner which prevents impingement thereof during chemical processing, such as wet etching, cleaning, photoresist developing and the like. Upon flooding the silicon wafer, a gas pocket is formed between a portion of the lower surface of the wafer and an adjacent portion of vacuum chuck to which the wafer is mounted. The resulting gas pocket prevents accumulation of processed fluid therein to facilitate spin drying of the wafer.

Abstract: Apparatus to apply brazing flux to a joint between two vertically oriented parts. A reservoir containing liquid brazing flux is in liquid flow communication with a pump capable of metering a fixed amount of flux when actuated. A nozzle in liquid flow communication with the pump has a housing with an outer casing and an inner casing spaced from the outer casing to form a passageway. The inner casing is open at one end to receive the parts to be joined and has two spaced apart opposing side walls with ports in each side wall in liquid flow communication with passageway. The nozzle and parts are moved relative to each other to position the joint between the two parts adjacent the ports in the side walls of the inner casing. Actuation of the pump will deliver the fixed amount of liquid brazing flux to the joint.

Abstract: An improved electroless silver plating process in which the plating rate and plating texture are controlled by regulating the oxygen content of the active electroless silver plating solution. An active electroless silver plating solution is continually removed from the plating zone and exposed to a sufficient amount of an oxygen-containing gas to provide a stabilized silver solution. The stabilized silver solution is then extracted, filtered, replenished with desired chemicals, stored or otherwise handled prior to being recycled back to the plating zone. Prior to the stabilized silver solution being passed back to the plating zone, the stabilized solution is scrubbed in a scrubber zone with a gas capable of displacing oxygen from the stabilized solution to produce an active electroless silver plating solution. The plating rate and surface texture of the plated silver layer are controlled in part by regulating the amount of oxygen removed from the stabilized solution prior to passage through the plating zone.

Abstract: A kit is produced which comprises an active agent, such as a fabric softener and antistatic composition, a reusable substrate capable of being coated with or impregnated with the active agent and means for coating or impregnating said substrate both initially and for re-coating or re-impregnating said substrate with the active agent after each use or after multiple uses.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for etching, developing, or plating circuit boards with a solution utilizing a transparent container in which the circuit board is contacted with the solution.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a technique and associated apparatus for producing heteroepitaxial semi-conductor junctions preferably for Group III-V compounds in an improved liquid-solid transport method, placing a prescribed doped "limited-volume" melt directly upon a host substrate and treating these in a very precisely controlled heating-cooling schedule and associated equipment whereby the substrate is melt-back to a prescribed degree, and then very carefully recrystallized in a crystal layer of the desired volume and stoichiometry (determined by the melt-volume).

Abstract: The present invention provides a portable, hand-held tool that is effective in coating the end portion of a metal tube member with a layer of metal. The tool includes a heated tank portion containing the molten metal for coating the end portion, and an ultrasonic transducer for imparting ultrasonic energy to the tube member while the end portion is arranged in the molten metal so that the submerged end portion is scrubbed free of oxide and coated with a layer of metal.