Abstract: A cell arrangement for the electrolysis of water to liberate hydrogen and oxygen gases is described. A cell unit (125) has a stacked arrangement of segmentation disks (114), a first type of (anode) cell plates (90), a second type of (cathode) cell plates (98) and separation membranes (116). Interconnecting conductive shafts (126-131) pass through holes (100, 102) of the cell plates (90,98) to have selective electrical interconnection therewith. Water and electrolyte are supplied by inlet ports (108, 110) to immerse the cell plates (90, 98). The membranes (116) normally isolate adjacent cathode and anode plates (90, 98) from the mixing of liberated oxygen and hydrogen gases while allowing ionic current to flow. By selective adjustment of the water/electrolyte pressure differential on the respective sides of the separation membranes (116), the admixture of the liberated gases can be produced. The liberated gases discharge through outlet ports (104,106).

Abstract: An optical system comprising a radial type gradient index lens component which has a refractive index distribution in a radial direction from an optical axis in a medium thereof, and configured to correct chromatic aberration sufficiently favorably by selecting a difference between a partial dispersion ratio on the optical axis and that on an effective diameter when a gradient of the distribution of the radial type gradient index lens component is different dependently on wavelengths.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a photomultiplier having a lamination structure of fine mesh dynodes arranged at predetermined intervals, capable of detecting photons even in a high magnetic field. This photomultiplier is arranged so that hollow pipes penetrating electrodes for supporting the fine mesh dynodes define the lamination structure of an electron multiplier unit. This arrangement permits the intervals between the fine mesh dynodes to be accurately controlled, thereby obtaining the photomultiplier production errors of which are well suppressed and preventing that the fine mesh dynodes are ripped.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of testing and/or monitoring structural adhesively bonded joints by the introduction of transducers into the stress or strain field effected by the movement of said adhesively bonded joints under load, such that the load transfer characteristics between the bonded materials and the adhesive can be recorded thus allowing the quantification of the integrity of the adhesive bond lines in such joints. The method assesses the integrity of the bond by comparing the difference in maximum and minimum ratios and curve perameters relating to stress and strain with those of the "at assembly" values.

Abstract: In a communication system which ensures that a slave device can successively transmit a plurality of answer messages without causing collision with another message on a communication line, in response to a request message from a diagnosis tester, control devices transmit their answer messages in the order of their priorities, with a communication blank duration provided between answer messages. If any one of the control devices has first and second answer message to be transmitted successively, the control device transmits the second answer message a communication blank duration after completing transmission of the first answer message. The control device can thereby transmit the first and second answer messages before a control device of a lower priority starts to transmit its answer message. Message collision on the communication line is thus avoided.

Abstract: An air bag cover is made of thermoplastic resin and covers an air bag. A plurality of holes are provided with the air bag cover continuously and a breakable portion is provided which severs upon the inflation of the air bag. The surface side of the breakable portion is processed by a heating process, so that protrusions which partially plug the holes are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the holes on the surface side.

Abstract: An indicator for use in a vehicle instrument panel has a light conductive pointer illuminated by a light emitting diode or LED. In order to provide an increased illuminating surface of the pointer, a slit is formed on a cap to extend from the outer periphery of the cap to a portion above a center of rotation of the pointer driven by a driving shaft. A fixture is connected to the driving shaft and holds a light receiving portion of the pointer at the portion above the center of rotation and the LED in the optical alignment with the pointer at a portion off an axis of the center of rotation. A balancing weight is disposed at a portion opposite the LED with respect to the driving shaft in order to keep balance of the indicator.

Abstract: The bias control means determines the operating mode only when the trigger input comes into a valid state or the inverted output signal is low level, and determines the power saving mode in other cases. During the power saving mode, the comparator does not operate since a bias current is not supplied, therefore, the pulse generator of the present invention can attain a low power consumption. Also, the pulse generator of the present invention can generate an output signal having a desired width regardless of the width of the trigger input.

Abstract: Delivery to the colon of fatty acids especially Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA) can be effected by covalently linking SCFA to a carrier that is preferably a form of carbohydrate, by an ester link. The SCFA is protected by its link with the carbohydrate through the small intestine, and where the carbohydrate is digestible in the small intestine such as a digestible starch, the starch can also be protected from digestion in the small intestine by the substitution. Levels of SCFA such as acetate, propionate and butyrate may be elevated to have beneficial effects in the prevention of colonic disorders such as rectal cancer, diverticulities, colitis, diarrhea and constipation.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to the field of medical devices for delivering contrast media during medical diagnostic and therapeutic imaging procedures and more particularly, this invention relates to improved contrast media delivery systems and methods of use which allow adjustment of contrast media concentration and injection parameters either before or during an injection procedure.

Abstract: A method of producing L-amino acids by fermentation. Microorganisms of the genus Corynebacterium which exhibit an auxotrophy relative to an amino acid are used as biocatalysts. The method is characterized in that the carbon source on the one hand and the limiting amino acid on the other hand are fed in two or more different infeed currents to the process. The infeed profiles have, for example, a concave (saccharose) and an exponential (amino acid) form or a convex (saccharose) and likewise a convex (amino acid) form, with specific differing degrees of increase of the currents relative to each other over time.

Abstract: A spring hinge assembly, especially for a temple of a pair of glasses, provides high wearing comfort in glasses, and includes a tension bar, a spring, a joint, and first and second abutments. The tension bar engages the first abutment which in turn engages the spring, and with its tension bar head cooperates in such a manner with the second abutment fixed to the joint so that beyond a predetermined opening angle of the spring hinge, the tension bar moves the first abutment toward the joint under spring tension. Preferably, the movable first abutment and the spring are threaded onto the temple.

Abstract: Provided is an anti-microbial composition containing an ester of formic acid, an oxidizer, performic acid and water. Also provided is a premix for making the anti-microbial composition having two parts. One part contains the ester of formic acid and a second part contains the oxidizer. Another method is provided for making the anti-microbial composition in which the ester of formic acid is combined with the oxidizer and water. A further method is provided for sterilizing medical devices, including dialyzer filter modules, wherein the anti-microbial composition is capable of a 1:1 to a 1:12 dilution with water.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dough transport device having an improved dough pump, an improved manifold for dividing dough, and a rotational cutter for cutting dough into pieces of uniform shape and size. The auger dough pump operates using a auger which is tapered to provide for more efficient control over the transport of the dough. Further, the rotational cutter cooperates with a curved face of each outlet nozzle in the manifold to provide for a curved dough shape upon initial cutting of the extruded dough.

Abstract: A multi-block erase circuit in nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises a plurality of memory blocks composed of a plurality of memory cells formed on a semiconductor substrate, each memory cell composed of at least one memory transistor with a floating gate and a control gate, and a plurality of block selectors connected to the memory blocks to select the control gates of the memory transistors within a selected memory block and to erase the memory transistors during an erase operation, wherein each block selector has storing means for storing block selection flags to select the control gates of the memory transistors within at least one selected memory block during the erase operation and for storing reset flags to float the control gates of the memory transistors within the remaining unselected memory blocks, thereby erasing simultaneously only the memory transistors within the selected memory blocks during the erase operation.

Abstract: A pulse-echo ranging system includes an improved target and a ranging device which emits pulses of electromagnetic radiation toward the target and receives pulses reflected from the target. The target is provided with a modulating mechanism for modulating the reflected pulses in a predetermined manner. The modulating mechanism allows the ranging device to distinguish pulses truly reflected from the target from noise and pulses reflected from objects other than the target. More specifically, the modulating mechanism may include a reflector which reflects the pulses at plural distances from the ranging device. The reflector may include a single reflective surface coupled to an oscillating vibrator, or plural reflective surfaces spaced at different locations from the ranging device.

Abstract: In this invention, in an optical disk on which data is to be recorded in units of one ECC block constructed by 16 sectors, dummy data is recorded at the manufacturing time or at the initial time such as the application starting time, then the dummy data is reproduced to determine a sector with primary defect, the physical address data of the sector which is determined to have the primary defect is recorded in the form of a primary defect list on the optical disk, and at the time of data recording, data recording is effected in units of one ECC block while skipping over the sector with the primary defect. Further, in the optical disk on which data is to be recorded in units of one ECC block, data is recorded at the time of data recording other than the initial time, then the data is reproduced to determine an ECC block having a sector with secondary defect, and data of the ECC block which is determined to have the sector with secondary defect is recorded in an ECC block which is separately prepared.

Abstract: A waveform shaping apparatus includes a comparing device for comparing a sensor output signal with a threshold voltage to convert the sensor output signal into a waveform shaped signal. The comparing device outputs the waveform shaped signal. The waveform shaping apparatus also includes a frequency-to-voltage converting device for generating the threshold voltage in response to a frequency of the output signal from the comparing device. In the frequency-to-voltage converting device, a clock signal is generated in response to the output signal from the comparing device. The clock signal has a period proportional to a period of the output signal from the comparing device. A counting device is operative for counting pulses in the clock signal generated by the clock signal generating device for every given period, and outputting a signal representing a counted pulse number depending on the frequency of the output signal from the comparing device.

Abstract: Encoding data are given to a variable-length decoding circuit and are decoded, and are given to a memory so as to be stored therein. The same data are read out from the memory, whereby decoding processing of the encoding data is executed twice within one frame period. Decoding data due to the twice decoding processings are stored in the memory at an output part thereof. Data of odd fields are read out in display order in the first half of the display period of one frame. Data of even fields are read out in display order in the latter half of the display period of one frame. Thus, even in case where restored image data of a B-picture are outputted in interlacing, a memory capacity can be reduced.