Abstract: Pressure charging apparatus, which may be a turbocharger or a supercharger, for an internal combustion engine comprises a pressure supply, a wastegate, a wastegate actuator for closing and opening the wastegate in order to alter the pressure in the engine inlet, a boost control for controlling the wastegate actuator, a boost control solenoid valve, a switchover valve, electronic control units and a full throttle sensor. In operation, unit receives signals, inter alia, from the sensor to control valves to positively shut the wastegate until an overboost threshold is reached thereby minimizing boost lag during this period.

Abstract: A plurality of hollow blades are produced by assembling a plurality of titanium sheets and a plurality of titanium blocks into a stack. At least one of the sheets is provided with a stop off material on one of its surfaces at a plurality of longitudinally spaced pre-selected areas to prevent diffusion bonding at these areas to define the hollow interiors of the blades. The edges and ends of the sheets are welded together and the blocks are welded to the sheets. The assembly is heated and externally pressurised to diffusion bond the sheets and blocks together. The integral structure so formed is then heated and internally pressurised to superplastically form at least one of the sheets at each of the pre-selected areas to produce a plurality of hollow blades. Thereafter the hollow blades are separated from each other by machining and simultaneously producing the aerofoil shapes.

Abstract: Filled polymer compositions based on polypropylene block copolymer, particularly medium and medium to high impact grades, and a plate like filler such as talc, have improved visual scratch resistance by the inclusion of a polyorganosiloxane, particularly a polyalkylsiloxane such as polydimethylsiloxane. Silicone oils having viscosities of about 30,000 cSt are especially useful. Further benefits are obtained by the further inclusion of a fatty acid amide and/or by the use of passivated filler, particularly by the inclusion of an epoxy resin.

Abstract: The chemotactic protein CP-10, in essentially pure form, having an apparent molecular weight of approximately 10 kD and having chemotactic activity for neutrophils, monocytes/macrophages and/or other mammalian cells, or an analogue, mutant, fragment, derivative or functional homologue of CP-10. Amino acid and nucleotide sequences for CP-10 are disclosed, as well as production and use thereof.

Abstract: An input/output device of a smart card according to the present invention comprises a first register having a serial input terminal connected to a terminal serial input/output; a second register having parallel detection terminals, parallel input/output terminals connected to a data bus, and a serial input terminal connected to a serial output terminal of the first register; a third register having a parallel input terminal connected to a ground, a serial input terminal connected to a serial output terminal of the second register, and a serial output terminal connected to the terminal serial input/output; a parity generator which receives parallel output data from the parallel detection terminals of the second register, logically operates upon the parallel output data to generate an operation parity bit which is applied to a parallel input indicator terminal of the first register; and a parity detector which receives a reception parity bit from the first register and the operation parity bit from the parity g

Abstract: Steam-free non-catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons in reaction zomes each having surfaces heated externally and a heated surface to volume ratio above 3 cm-.sup.1, at a rate such that the flow through each reaction zone is essentially laminar.

Abstract: A binder composition for thermosetting powder paints comprising (i) a polymer that is capable of reacting with epoxy groups and (ii) a crosslinker that contains epoxy groups, wherein the crosslinker comprises at least one C.sub.5 to C.sub.26 linear or branched aliphatic chain with the proviso that epoxy groups are carried on at least one aliphatic chain. In order to function as a crosslinker the amount of oxirane-oxygen originating from the crosslinker in the binder composition is higher than 0.1 meq/gram. The crosslinker is, for example, an epoxydized oil, a modified epoxydized oil or an epoxydized alkyd resin. A powder paint comprising the binder composition can contain a suitable catalyst and, optionally, an additional curing agent.

Abstract: A device isolation method divides a semiconductor substrate into active and inactive regions. A first device isolation layer is formed in a first inactive region using a trench isolation method. Then, local oxidation is used to form a second device isolation layer in a second inactive region which is wider than the first. A dishing phenomenon (generated during CMP processing) is eliminated, and proper device isolation is realized without exposing the active region.

Abstract: A poreless first layer is electroformed on the conductive surface of a mandrel in an electroforming solution containing a substantial amount of a surface active agent. After the mandrel and the first layer are lifted from the solution, small straight pores each having an approximately equal diameter along a length thereof are formed through the first layer defining the front side of a porous electroformed shell. A second layer is deposited on the back side of the first layer in an electroforming solution containing less than the substantial amount of a surface active agent to form the back side of the shell, while undeposited hollow portions are formed in alignment with the straight pores in the first layer in initial formation of the second layer, the hollow portions enlarging to form diametrically enlarged pores through the second layer, the enlarged pores having a diameter which becomes larger toward a surface of the second layer opposite from the first layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electric rice cooker including an adiabatic vacuum device having an adiabatic function of repressing an outside loss of a heat generated by a hot plate at a minimum and a keeping warm function of continuously maintaining a heat warmly therein. In the electric rice cooker, an outer case has an inner case disposed therein. A cooking kettle disposed inside the inner case for containing water and rice to be cooked. An hot plate mounted adjacent an outside surface of the cooking kettle for heating the cooking kettle. A lid removably covers a top of said cooking kettle. An adiabatic vacuum member mounted between the outer case and the cooking kettle for preventing a heat from being emitting from the cooking kettle to an outside. The electric rice cooker can repress a loss of an internal heat in a cooking kettle at a minimum by means of an adiabatic vacuum member so that a thermal efficiency can increase, and can continuously maintain the internal heat warmly at a keeping warm process.

Abstract: A microscope optical system includes an illumination system for radiating light from a light source toward an object, an objective lens and an imaging lens for forming an image of the object, and an observing optical system for observing the image or a photographing optical system for photographing the image. This microscope optical system is designed so that a relay system constructed as an afocal system with a first positive lens unit and a second positive lens unit is disposed between the objective lens and the imaging lens, and an element for pupil modulation can be disposed at a position nearly conjugate with the pupil of the objective lens relayed by the relay system, satisfying a condition:f2/f1>1.2where f1 is the focal length of the first positive lens unit and f2 is the focal length of the second positive lens unit.

Abstract: A method and circuit in which one of at least two asynchronous constant frequency input clock signals is selected for being used as an output clock signal by use of a separate selection signal for providing redundancy for an asynchronous clock signal.

Abstract: In order to enrich natural gas or other hydrocarbon gases with hydrogen, thus reducing the carbon content and thereby achieving a reduction or elimination of the discharge of carbon dioxide during combustion of the gases, a pyrolytic process is conducted in the feed stream for the natural gases or hydrocarbon gases which are to be burned. The gas is passed through a reactor in which it is decomposed at least partially into a carbon constituent and a hydrogen constituent. The carbon constituent is removed to a desired level. Any remaining constituent together with the hydrogen constituent is conveyed to the combustion process while the removed carbon constituent is conveyed out of the process for separate application. The pyrolytic process can be carried out on the entire stream or only a partial stream.

Abstract: An adjustable oil metering valve for a compressed air lubricator includes a lower, fixed member (20) having a central, downwardly extending oil delivery nozzle (30) and a peripherally ramped upper surface (29) in communication with the nozzle (30). Seated on the surface (29), and rotatable relative thereto, is a valve member (21) that includes a lower disc portion (31) having a radial channel (35) formed in its lower surface. The lower surface of the rotatable disc portion (31) and the upper surface (29) of the fixed member (20) thereby define between them a peripheral gap (H) of progressively varying height into which the oil is fed whence it flows to the nozzle (30) via the channel (35). The rate of flow of oil to the nozzle (30) is substantially proportional to the height of the gap (H) at the angular location of the outer end of the channel (35) which may be selectively varied by rotating the valve member (21).

Abstract: A method for synchronizing a receiver with the frequency and phase of a received signal, including the steps of taking a sample of the received signal at predetermined intervals and selecting a decision sample from the samples taken. To produce accurate and reliable synchronization, at least two samples are taken during the duration of one received symbol; a first reference sample is selected from the samples preceding the decision sample; a second reference sample is selected from the samples subsequent to the decision sample; the difference of the first and the second reference samples is calculated; the difference is compared with the target value; and the sampling frequency is adjusted on the basis of the comparison.

Abstract: A balance seal for a valve, said seal comprising an annular seal element retained within a valve housing. The seal element has a seal well which links with the pressure on one side of the valve to urge a flexible seal leg with a foot into engagement with a moveable valve plug. The seal leg is prevented by an annular retainer from over-deflection.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a thin film transistor having a taper-etched semiconductor film includes the steps of forming a gate electrode on a bare substrate; forming an insulating film on the gate electrode;p forming a semiconductor film by forming an amorphous silicon film layer on the insulating film and forming an N.sup.+ amorphous silicon film on the amorphous silicon film layer, descumming photoresist residue from the semiconductor film by using a specified gas and taper etching a part of the semiconductor film, which is uncoated with the photoresist, by using HCl and SF.sub.6, to form a gentle slope in the etching profile resulting from overetching.

Abstract: Apparatus for detecting dimensional information of a workpiece such as a canted log is used to control a gang saw mounted on a pivot axis to cut the log into substantially even thickness boards while moving the log past the cutting device and pivoting the gang saw to accommodate curvature in the log.

Abstract: An auxiliary gas turbine engine comprises: a load compressor (110); a cabin air supply duct (115) which supplies at least some of the air from the exit of the load compressor to the aircraft cabin; a high pressure compressor (120) which further compresses the remaining air from the exit of the load compressor; a combustor (130); a turbine (140); an electrical generator (150) driven by the turbine; an electric motor (160) driven by the electrical output of the generator, the electric motor in turn driving the load compressor; and at least one air heater/cooler (170A, 170B or 170C) comprising a heat exchanger matrix (172A,172B or 172C) located in the appropriate air duct and a reversible refrigeration plant or heat pump (174A,174B or 174C) which is electrically powered from the generator so that it can either cool or heat the air passing through the matrix. The load compressor and heat exchanger(s) together produce air at the pressure and temperature required for supply to the aircraft cabin.