Abstract: For a fuel pump mounted within a module in a vehicle fuel tank, a stand pipe is provided in communication at its upper end with a return fuel reservoir and at its lower end with the inlet of the fuel pump to deliver fuel from the return fuel reservoir when the level of fuel in the reservoir rises above the upper end of the stand pipe. The return fuel reservoir has an inlet in communication with a fuel return line through which excess fuel in the fuel system is delivered to the return fuel reservoir. This "weathered" return fuel is delivered to the fuel pump inlet through the stand pipe when the level of fuel in the reservoir is sufficiently high to prefer use of the weathered return fuel by the fuel pump.

Abstract: A method to eliminate noise in repeated sound start during a digital sound recording playback by using a slowly descending or ascending waveform to eliminate the discontinuity between sound waves which can be utilized in applications such as a playback only sound synthesis or a recording and playback system.

Abstract: A window unit for an oven door having a pair of rectangular window panels held in spaced parallel relation by a frame. The frame is an endless rectangular member. The sides and ends of the frame are generally U-shaped in cross-section having spacer flanges engaging the inner faces of the panels to hold the panels spaced apart. Retainer flanges extend laterally outwardly from the spacer flanges over the edges of the panels. Clips are provided to clamp the panels to the frame.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nonwoven fabric including a fine denier filament having a plexifilamentary structure in which the disadvantages of polyolefins and of polyesters are offset each other while advantages of them are well utilized with a fine fibrillated structure comprising said filament. The filament comprises a mixture which is at least composed of polyolefin and polyester which are immiscible with each other and has a plexifilamentary structure. The filament is so highly fibrillated that the fibril has not been available yet and, in addition, the filament is with high strength and modulus and exhibits a good dyeing ability. The above-mentioned nonwoven fabric contains the filaments having a plexifilamentary structure in which a mixture of polyolefin and polyester which are immiscible with each other in a mixing ratio within a range of from 5/95 to 95/5 by weight and said filaments are entirely or partially bonded.

Abstract: A laser based tunable high resolution ESCA (Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis) system in which harmonics of a subpicosecond laser source are used to carry out core level photoemission is provided wherein photon energies tunable to 80 eV have been achieved and energies up to 150 eV or more are possible. The harmonic light is of extremely narrow bandwidth and spectrally bright which can be focussed by using reflective optics of gratings to an extremely small spot of well below one micron to permit high spatial resolution. When used in conjunction with appropriate electron objects, high resolution chemically sensitive mapping of device-size features is possible.

Abstract: A flat commutator for an electric motor of a vehicle fuel pump. The commutator is made with a one-piece carbon ring having a flat outer face, a one-piece conductor ring with a base portion embedded in the carbon ring and underlying outer face, and a housing of a plastic insulating material molded on the rear face of the carbon ring and adapted to mount the commutator on a motor armature. A plurality of circumferentially spaced apart grooves extend radially and axially completely through both the carbon ring and the conductor ring to provide a plurality of individual sintered carbon segments each with a separate conductor for electrically connecting the segments with armature coils.

Abstract: An infra-red and forced air oven for drying a freshly painted object. The drying oven has a plurality of heating elements, which radiate infra-red energy, disposed about the object to be dried. Each heating element preferably has an annular shell, an electrically conductive coil carried by the shell, and an air passage through the shell through which air is forced by a fan. Electricity is provided to the electrically conductive coil which becomes heated and thereby heats the shell and radiates heat and infra-red energy into the oven. The fan forces air through the air passage of the shell so that heated air flows to the interior of the oven. Thus, the oven provides both radiant energy and forced air to dry an object within the oven.

Abstract: A method of assembly an integrated circuit die to a heat sink by first providing a lead frame that has a die-attach paddle portion having a top surface, a bottom surface, and an opening therethrough, positioning a heat sink having a raised portion on its top surface abutting the bottom surface of the die-attach paddle portion, and then frictionally engaging the heat sink and the die-attach paddle together and bonding an integrated circuit chip to the top surface of the heat sink with an adhesive material sandwiched therein between such that the assembly can be placed in a mold apparatus for forming a plastic encapsulated package.

Abstract: Provided are a polyester resin for use in a toner binder which is excellent in terms of offset resistance and low-temperature fixability, which keeps triboelectric charge stability even in an environment of a high temperature and a high humidity, which has excellent durability, and which is used in a toner that gives vivid image characteristics, a process for producing the same, and a toner using the same. The polyester resin for use in the toner binder is formed by linking at least a part of the crosslinked low-molecular polyesters through a dicarboxylic acid used as a linking agent.

Abstract: A method of forming a cell contact that has improved structural strength and break-down resistance and a cell contact produced by such method are provided. The method utilizes an oxide spacer consisting of a plurality of oxide layers deposited by two alternating methods of thermal CVD and plasma CVD. After a straight contact opening is first etched by a plasma etching technique, the hole is again etched by an etchant such as hydrogen fluoride which has a high selectivity toward oxide layers formed by the plasma CVD method and a low selectivity toward oxide layers formed by the thermal CVD method. As a result, a contact opening having a corrugated side-wall is formed and into which a polysilicon is deposited to substantially fill the hole. A cell contact having a corrugated side-wall configuration is thus formed which presents improved structural rigidity and break-down resistance.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel laser-plasma-based source of relativistic electrons; and a method to use laser-driven plasma waves as the basis for the source of electrons. The technique involves a combination of laser beams, which are focused in a plasma. One beam creates a wakefield plasma wave. In one embodiment, the one beam creates a wakefield plasma wave and the other beam alters the trajectory of background electrons, such that they become trapped in the plasma wave and are then accelerated to relativistic velocities, preferably in a distance less than a millimeter. In another embodiment, the second beam removes electrons from atomic ions previously generated by the first beam thereby providing electrons which become trapped in the plasma wave and then accelerated to relativistic velocities.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nonwoven fabric including a fine denier filament having a plexifilamentary structure in which the disadvantages of polyolefins and of polyesters are offset each other while advantages of them are well utilized with a fine fibrillated structure comprising said filament. The filament comprises a mixture which is at least composed of polyolefin and polyester which are immiscible with each other and has a plexifilamentary structure. The filament is so highly fibrillated that the fibril has not been available yet and, in addition, the filament is with high strength and modulus and exhibits a good dyeing ability. The above-mentioned nonwoven fabric contains the filaments having a plexifilamentary structure in which a mixture of polyolefin and polyester which are immiscible with each other in a mixing ratio within a range of from 5/95 to 95/5 by weight and said filaments are entirely or partially bonded.

Abstract: A process for treating composite materials comprising metals and having significant radioactivity for separation into concentrated individual products is provided. The process of the invention recovers valuable metals and semi-metal elements including rare earth, transition metal, radioactive elements, and compounds and composites thereof as commercially viable products while isolating the radioactive components. They key components in the composite material which are desired to be recovered are tantalum, niobium, and scandium due to their high commercial values and significant quantities. The process further includes the capability to recover uranium, thorium, rare earth, and zirconium products. Generally, the process consists of an initial sulfate roast followed by a series of hydrometallurgical unit operations designed to separate and purify the desired components into commercially usable products, such as tantalum and/or niobium in the form of metal oxides, M.sub.2 O.sub.

Abstract: A digital/analog sound synthesizing circuit comprises an RC oscillator outputting a system basic frequency, a timing generator converting the basic frequency into timing signals, a sound synthesizer producing sound numerical code data, and a digital/analog converter outputting an analog signal to drive a speaker. A voltage stabilizing circuit controls the RC oscillator and the digital/analog converter to eliminate sound frequency and volume instability.

Abstract: An electrohydraulic control system that includes a bidirectional electric motor responsive to application of electrical power for rotation in either of two directions, and a hydraulic pump coupled to the motor and having ports for supplying hydraulic fluid in either of two flow directions as a function of direction of rotation of the electric motor. A hydraulic actuator is coupled to the pump for receiving fluid in either of two flow directions and performing work as a function thereof. An electronic controller applies electrical power to the electric motor so as to obtain a desired level of work at the actuator. The electronic controller includes one or more sensors operatively coupled to the actuator for applying electrical power to the motor as a function of motion at the actuator.

Abstract: A multilayer structure having an oxygen or dopant diffusion barrier fabricated of an electrically conductive, thermally stable material of refractory metal-silicon-nitrogen which is resistant to oxidation, prevents out-diffusion of dopants from silicon and has a wide process window wherein the refractory metal is selected from Ta, W, Nb, V, Ti, Zr, Hf, Cr and Mo.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a leakage detection apparatus for testing the vacuum tightness of a semiconductor processing equipment which is equipped with a universal adapter head for testing various components of the equipment and a method for conducting such tests. Valuable down time can be saved on the semiconductor fabrication equipment by pre-screening all components on the basis of vacuum tightness testing done by a leak detection chamber supplied with such universal adapter head before they are assembled into the fabrication equipment after a maintenance or cleaning procedure is conducted on the components.

Abstract: A filter membrane element for a membrane separation unit for use in a water treatment apparatus or the like, and a method of manufacturing the same. An organic filter membrane including a plate-like support member made of nonwoven fabric and a film coating formed on both sides of the support member is joined with a surface of a filter plate, whereby the filter membrane element is formed. A portion of the film coating is dissolved to cause the support member to be exposed at that portion. Subsequently, the exposed portion of the support member is joined by adhesion or otherwise with a corresponding portion of the filter plate.