Abstract: In one embodiment described in the specification, a surgically implantable reciprocating pump employs a check valve as the piston, which is driven by a permanent magnet linear electric motor to assist either side of the natural heart. The pump is implanted in the aorta or pulmonary artery using vascular attachment cuffs such as flexible cuffs for suturing at each end with the pump output directly in line with the artery. The pump is powered by surgically implanted rechargeable batteries. In another embodiment, pairs of pumps are provided to replace or assist the natural heart or to provide temporary blood flow throughout the body, for example, during operations to correct problems with the natural heart.

Abstract: In the representative embodiments disclosed in the specification, an ink jet system includes a carriage for driving an ink jet head having a reservoir containing ink in a reciprocating motion and a counter for counting ink drops ejected through orifices in the ink jet head, and a nonvolatile memory for storing a number corresponding to the number of drops ejected and for generating a signal to terminate operation of the head or to produce a warning signal or to permit completion of printing of a sheet being printed when the number in the memory reaches a selected value. The ink jet head, which is removable from the system, has a refillable reservoir and, to prevent unauthorized refilling, a security arrangement utilizing a special code or a fuse is provided.

Abstract: In the particular embodiments described in the specification, a thin-film PZT piezoelectric transducer ink jet head includes a dielectric layer with electrodes and a thin film piezoelectric layer having a thickness in the range of 1-25 microns including one or more layers of perovskite-seeded PZT material and a further pattern of electrodes on the surface of the PZT layer along with a silicon substrate containing openings to provide ink chambers in the region of the electrodes. An orifice plate affixed to the substrate encloses the ink.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a lead frame which has an island portion on which a semiconductor chip is mounted and which is coated with a sealing resin, inner lead portions which are connected to electrodes of the semiconductor chip and are coated with the sealing resin; and outer lead portions which are continuously extended from the inner lead portions and are not coated with the sealing resin. The island portion and inner lead portions are formed to be smaller in thickness than the outer lead portions by, for example, rolling a roller along a material for the lead frame.

Abstract: The production and physiological dissolution rate of mineral wool formed of MMV fibers containing 35-66% SiO.sub.2, up to 10% A1.sub.2 O.sub.3, 10-45% CaO, 2-30% MgO, up to 10% FeO, 0-7% Na.sub.2 O+K.sub.2 O and 0-10% TiO.sub.2 is improved by including both P.sub.2 O.sub.5 and B.sub.2 O.sub.3 in the composition.

Abstract: A stack of image receiving sheets, wherein each image receiving sheet has on one side of a support an image receiving layer, includes a cover sheet protecting the image receiving layer of an outermost image receiving sheet. The cover sheet has a detection mark distinguishing it from the image receiving sheets.

Abstract: Cars are loaded individually onto pallets at assembly plants and remain on the pallets until they reach dealers. Most of the palleted cars are transported in specially equipped, closed rail cars from each assembly plant to a main distribution center where they are unloaded, allocated to either satellite distribution centers or to dealers, and reloaded for transport ultimately to the dealers, often via a satellite distribution center. The same pallets can be used to transport the cars in highway trailers and standard intermodal cargo containers. The cars remain on the pallets, are never driven, and are protected from weather and vandalism from the time they leave the plant until they reach the dealers' lots.

Abstract: A calendar comprises a multiplicity of base sheets, each of which bears visual indicia of a plurality of day dates in a matrix of date sections. Each day date indicia occupies only a day date image portion of each date section, thus leaving a portion of each date section blank. The day date image portions of all date sections of all sheets correspond in size and position. The calendar further comprises an overlay sheet bearing graphic material in a matrix of image sections that correspond to and register with the date sections of the base sheets. Each graphic image appears only in an image portion of each image section. Each image section of the overlay sheet has a window that corresponds to and registers with the day date image portion of the date sections of each base sheet so that the day date indicia are fully visible through the windows of the overlay sheet.

Abstract: A method is proposed for growing diamond from graphite, including placing a sample of graphite in a high pressure chamber, applying a pulse-periodical laser radiation having a wavelength in the region of transmission of diamond to the sample of graphite, wherewith absorption of the pulse of laser radiation takes place in the skin-layer of graphite and the graphite is heated in the region of the skin-layer to the temperature of graphite-to-diamond phase transition. After cooling the produced layer of diamond, the steps of heating successive layers of the sample of graphite with pulses of laser radiation and cooling said layers are repeated until complete transformation of the graphite to diamond.

Abstract: In a commercial transaction system, a system user uses a personal computer to interact with merchant computers over the Internet to conduct cashless transactions. Each system user computer processes data including a balance stored in the computer's memory and updates the stored data at the end of the transaction. The system is specially designed for purchases of items or transactions of relatively small monetary value. In this manner, the amount of the transaction is deducted from the balance on the computer. In accordance with the invention, when the existing balance associated with the computer does not cover the price of the transaction, the system provides a reload feature which gives the user an option to increase the balance of the computer. Such a feature allows the purchase to be made without inconveniencing the user to increase the balance by other means. Each time the balance is increased by a reload, the user's issuer bank bills the user for the reload amount.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for concentrating motile erm from a sperm sample, including concentrating sperm in the vicinity of one or more oocytes for in vitro fertilization. The method comprises placing a volume of fertilization medium in a container, said container having at least one microchamber and being shaped such that the fertilization medium, when placed in the container, fills the microchamber and a portion of the container outside of the microchamber, such that when a sperm sample is placed in the medium outside the chamber motile sperm swim into the microchamber, where they may be harvested or, if an oocyte is in the microchamber, in vitro fertilization occurs.

Abstract: A cylinder positioning control apparatus designed to effect positioning of a cylinder by learning control that uses not only an overrun distance but also a cylinder speed as input data for control. The apparatus has a device for taking in a displacement x and speed V of a cylinder, a device for calculating a predicted overrun distance y.sub.i for the present drive from a predicted overrun distance y.sub.i-1 in the preceding drive, a cylinder speed V.sub.i-1 at the time of outputting a braking signal during the preceding drive, and a speed V.sub.i of the cylinder being driven, a device for judging whether or not a condition to be satisfied to output a braking signal is satisfied, and for outputting a braking signal when the condition is satisfied, a device for taking in a displacement x.sub.bp and speed V.sub.bp of the cylinder when the braking signal is output, a device for taking in a displacement x.sub.stop of the cylinder when it has stopped, and a device for calculating a predicted overrun distance y.sub.

Abstract: In the representative embodiments described in the specification, a pendent sprinkler has a sprinkler body with an axial passage for fire extinguishing liquid and a pair of frame arms supporting a deflector at a location spaced from the end of the axial passage. In order to distribute fire extinguishing liquid substantially uniformly throughout a protected area, the deflector is provided with pairs of tines having ends which are oppositely inclined with respect to the plane of the central portion of the deflector and which extend upwardly from that plane and has further tines intersected by the plane of the sprinkler arms with end portions which are displaced downwardly from the plane of the central portion of the deflector and are inclined upwardly with respect to that plane.

Abstract: The present invention allows image recording with plural light beams while eliminating alignment changes of light spots on the inner face of a drum. A light beam output unit 212 combines two circularly polarized light beams having opposite handedness to each other to produce a composite light beam CB. A polarization beam splitter 203 and mirrors 205 and 207 change the course of the light beam towards the inner face of a drum 120. A quarter-wave plate 202 is included, and the polarization beam splitter 203 splits the composite light beam to two separate light beams as a function of the handedness of the circularly polarized light. The optical elements 202, 203, 205, and 207 are integrally rotated around the axis of the drum 120 by a main scanning motor 230, thus scanning a photosensitive material 110 held on the inner face of the drum 120 with the light beams.

Abstract: Transgenic pathogen-resistant organism whose genome contains at least two different genes under the control of active promoters with pathogen-inhibiting action. This organism is distinguished by a synergistic pathogen-inhibiting action. This action is evident particularly when the genes code for the gene products chitinase (ChiS, ChiG), glucanase (GluG), protein synthesis inhibitor (PSI) and antifungal protein (AFP).

Abstract: A rod lens or a cylindrical lens is disposed in front of a semiconductor laser to increase a divergence angle of a laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser so as to form a substantially circular far field pattern. In another constitution, there is disposed in front of a semiconductor laser a composite lens having two cylindrical surfaces whose cylindrical axes are perpendicular to each other. The cylindrical surface on the side of the semiconductor laser is a convex surface and the other cylindrical surface is a convex or concave surface. In still another constitution, two semiconductor lasers emitting the same optical signal are arranged adjacent each other so that respective light emitting portions of two pn junction planes are located in the same plane and perpendicular to each other, and that laser beams form orthogonal spots at a single predetermined position.

Abstract: An apparatus for the wet processing of photographic sheet material comprises at least one treatment vessel (12, 12', 12") having upper and lower openings (17, 18), one of the openings (17) constituting a sheet material inlet and the other of the openings (18) constituting a sheet material outlet, the inlet and outlet defining there-between a substantially vertical sheet material path (20) through the vessel. The vessel comprises a rotatable roller (28) biased towards a reaction surface (30) to define a roller nip (36) there-between through which the sheet material path extends and associated with sealing means (38) to retain treatment liquid (24) in the vessel (12). The apparatus is characterised in that the roller (28) comprises a core (32) carrying a covering (34) of elastomeric material, the ratio (.phi./L) of the maximum diameter (.phi.) of the elastomeric material covering to the length (L) thereof being at least 0.012.

Abstract: A mechanically adjustable wedge assembly including a cruciform-shaped driver and mating idlers applies force in multiple directions simultaneously thereby achieving the effect of several wedges in a single unit.