Abstract: Process for making wireless twist ties including extruding and quenching molten polymeric materials to form ribbon or perforated sheets. Wireless twist ties include polymeric material, such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylchloride, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer and polystyrene and particulate rubber impact modifier. Wireless twist ties, when elongated, exhibit deformation before failure of at least 50%.

Abstract: An impact dot head of a printer provided with a plurality of printing wires. The top end guide and/or the nose formed with protrusions at the sides thereof and with holes for slidably guiding the tips of the printing wires. The top end guide is inserted into a hole and grooves of a nose. The protrusions are then deformed to interlock within the apertures in one of the nose and top end guide, so that the respective end surfaces of the top end guide and the nose surface confronting the printing medium are in a predetermined relation, preferably essentially flush. Further, a method is provided for mass producing the impact dot head at a relatively low cost by using heat to deform the projections made of a thermoplastic resin.

Abstract: A control device for a printer for printing on a paper having a print head supported on a movable carriage and a paper feeding device. The printer includes a detector for detecting the presence or absence of paper in the printer wherein a predetermined region remains on the paper when the detector detects the absence of paper. The control device calculates the length of the printable region remaining on the paper and determines whether a sufficient remaining printable region is available at the trailing end of the paper. A paper feeder device feeds the paper in a predetermined amount. A carriage control device controls driving of the carriage. Driving of the carriage starts at a time before the paper feeding has ceased such that the speed of the carriage reaches a printing level when paper feeding has ended.

Abstract: A toy ball of increased play value is provided and includes a sphere. A light source is disposed within the sphere. A switch disposed within the sphere activates the light source when the ball is impacted such as when it is bounced.

Abstract: A print wire driving device for a wire dot printer includes a plate like member having slots therein. The slots are arranged opposite the cores of a magnetic core block. The cores are arranged in a circle and project from the core block. The slots extend radially from the center of the plate like member. A magnetic driving member is received in each slot so that it pivots therein when acted upon by the magnetic field of a respective magnetic core. A print wire is coupled to each magnetic driving member. Each print wire is guided by a wire guide having a wire nose which receives at its end a wire guide member from which the ends of the print wires extend to print. The wire guide includes structure for properly aligning two stacks of magnetic actuators.

Abstract: A method for preparing a silica glass article of improved purity is provided. The article is prepared by a sol-gel method and is then heat treated to a selected temperature between about 1500.degree. and 2200.degree. C. and maintained at the selected temperature for a predetermined period of time sufficient to remove silica crystals, inclusions, microcracks and bubbles. The resulting silica glass articles have improved purity and can be used as photomask substrates or as preforms for optical fibers.

Abstract: A paging device for receiving information and including a test mode for determining the receiving characteristics of the device and a scan mode for scanning a frequency range within which the information exists in determining the frequency of the information. A receiver within the device for receiving information at a receiving frequency can be set at different receiving frequencies. A control unit sets the receiving frequency during the test mode to a predefined test frequency. The predefined test frequency is determined by the control unit without the device entering the scan mode.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device having a chamfer formed along at least one of the ends of a substrate having a terminal electrode disposed thereon for producing a substantially unimpeded flow of an electric current between a connect pin clip and the terminal electrode. The chamfer is a planar chamfer or an R chamfer and has a chamfer angle and chamfer quantity which can be optimized depending on the substrate thickness. After the connect pin is inserted and disposed, molding agents are applied to cover the connect pin clip.

Abstract: A multiple band sizing and repairing device is provided with a base and a plurality of blocks rising from the base for receiving and securing a watch band along its edge. The blocks are separated by varying distances from each other to form channels of varying widths therebetween to accommodate watch bands of varying thickness. A pair of shoulders extend from one side of the base and are separated from each other to form a gap therebetween. A passageway in each shoulder permits a pair of bolts to extend through the pair of shoulders. Upon rotation of the bolts, a vice is formed wherein the passageways guide movement of the bolts therethrough in applying pressure to a pin of the band. A hollow tip is provided at the inner end of at least one bolt so that the pin can be receivingly seated and held by the tip. Each block also includes a receptor for seating a bit therein.

Abstract: An ultrasonic step motor includes a rotor having projections which extend toward a flexible stator. Piezoelectric elements are connected to and spaced along the circumference of the stator. A drive control unit applies driving signals to the vibrators to create nodes and antinodes forming substantially a standing waveform on the stator. The crests of the stator contact the projections of the rotor so as to move the projections of the rotor relative to and toward the nodes of the stator. Drive control circuitry maintains the frequency of the driving signal at the resonant frequency of the stator. The period of time during which the driving signals are applied to the piezoelectric elements is adjusted so as to reduce the power level required to drive the step motor.

Abstract: A device such as a receiver, transmitter and/or transceiver includes a battery casing and at least one circuit substrate having a plurality of terminals arranged to lie in a plane. The battery casing has an opening which extends in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the circuit substrate terminals. A plurality of apertures at the bottom of the battery casing correspond in number and are positioned directly above the circuit substrate terminals. Information such as, but not limited to, an identification code can be written into the device by removing a battery casing cover and inserting a plurality of read/write terminals through the opening and apertures of the battery casing so as to engage the circuit substrate terminals. In reading or writing information into the device by an apparatus, an arm of the apparatus which includes the plurality of read/write terminals is rotatably swung upwardly to provide room for the device to be positioned on a table of the apparatus.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including a super twisted nematic liquid crystal material with a twist angle between about 180.degree. and 360.degree., including between about 5 and 40 weight percent of a liquid crystal compound terminating with a cyano group or a fluoro group. The composition may also include at least about 10 to 60 weight percent of a liquid crystal compound having a ##STR1## group, a ##STR2## group, a ##STR3## group, or a ##STR4## group. The thickness of the liquid crystal layer is between about 2 and 5.5 .mu.m.

Abstract: A portable audio apparatus allows a user to sing along with the recorded song, the user's voice and recorded song being outputted through a speaker. The apparatus permits the recorded lyrics or recorded tune of the song to be substantially eliminated prior to being reproduced by the speaker. The apparatus can operate in a fast forward or reverse mode and will stop between adjacent songs. A power savings circuit interrupts the supply of power to a motor to stop the latter from continuing to operate on a fast forward or reverse mode.

Abstract: A variable frequency oscillator circuit adapted for stabilization of its free-running frequency comprises a first signal synthesizing circuit, first voltage-controlled oscillator, a phase-locked loop and reference signal generator, the phase-locked loop consisting of a second signal synthesizing circuit, second voltage-controlled oscillator, phase comparator and low-pass filter. The first and second signal synthesizing circuits have the same characteristics, and the first and second voltage-controlled oscillators have the same characteristics. The reference signal and output of the second voltage-controlled oscillator are input to the phase comparator. The comparator output is applied to the first and second signal synthesizing circuits. An external signal is applied to the first signal synthesizing circuit, and the output of the first voltage-controlled oscillator acts as the output of the variable frequency oscillator circuit.The principles are applied to reading data pulses from a floppy disk.