Abstract: A heat imaging camera (3) for sensing convective conditions in boundary layer flows occurring on wind tunnel models (2), particularly at cryogenic temperatures, scans the model from the outside, thereby detecting the temperature distribution on the model surface. Detectors (9) that are sensitive to the long-wave infrared spectrum range are part of the camera and convert the heat information into electrical signals. The temperature distribution is displayed pictorially and graphically with the help of an evaluation unit (50). The detectors (9) are grouped in a detector mosaic (10) in the camera (3).

Abstract: A drive mechanism for converting a rotational drive motion into a linear back and forth motion comprising driven member (21) for performing said back and forth motion, and a rotational drive member (33) for applying a driving force to the driven member. The drive member has a cam track (40, 43) cooperating with a cam follower (34, 35) of the driven member. The cam track has straight sections and motion direction reversing zones (41, 42) interconnecting the straight sections to provide an uninterrupted cam track. The cam track straight sections have back-tapered cam surfaces arranged in such a manner that the cam follower does not engage the respective cam surface which faces in a direction opposite to an instantaneous linear motion direction of the driven member, whereby the cam follower engages only cam surfaces facing in the instantaneous motion direction, except in said motion direction reversing zones.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device in which a plurality of photovoltaic cells are connected in series on an insulative substrate, includes the steps of: forming on said insulating substrate a plurality of first electrodes (13a, 13b, 13c; 23a, 23b, 23c) having respective first extended portions (13ae, 13be, 13ce; 23ae, 23be, 23ce) (11; 21); covering the plurality of first electrodes with a photo-active semiconductor layer (14; 24); forming a plurality of second electrodes (15a, 15b, 15c; 25a, 25b, 25c) on the semiconductor layer. The second electrodes have respective second extended portions (15ae, 15be, 15ce; 25ae, 25be, 25cd) which overlap the corresponding first extended portions, to thereby the corresponding first electrodes; series connections are formed by causing an energy beam to irradiate regions where the second extended portions overlap the first extended portions.

Abstract: A hard sintered body for tools is obtained by sintering under a superhigh pressure, a sinter powder mixture containing at least 20 percent by volume and not more than 70 percent by volume of cubic boron nitride powder and having a remainder formed of a binder powder mixture. The binder contains at least 2 percent by weight and not more than 20 percent by weight of Al and at least 2 percent by weight and not more than 20 percent by weight of W, and has a remainder formed of a Ti compound or compounds. The atomic ratio of Ti contained in the binder to a transition metal element or elements belonging to any of the groups IVa, Va and/or VIa of the periodic table including Ti is at least 2/3 and not more than 97/100. In the structure of the sintered body, cubic boron nitride crystals are bonded with each other through bonding phases formed by the binder. For forming the sintered body, at least one or more Ti compounds are selected from a group of TiN.sub.z, Ti(C,N).sub.z, TiC.sub.z, (Ti,M)N.sub.z, (Ti, M) (C,N).

Abstract: A loom, especially a loom equipped with a Jacquard mechanism is supported by a vibration isolating device. At least one, preferably two or four such devices are arranged in positions most effective for the vibration damping, with due regard to the center of gravity of the wrap beam and/or of the entire loom. At least one, preferably all vibration dampers are constructed to include a controllable level controlling element in the form of an air spring. The compression in the air spring is controlled in response to the spacing of a fixed point of the loom from the loom supporting surface. Thus, spacing variations between the loom and the Jacquard mechanism that could otherwise be caused due to weight changes of the loom, are eliminated or compensated, whereby the loom-Jacquard spacing is maintained constant.

Abstract: In a belt strap for a restraint system for restraiing a passenger in a vehicle seat in the event of a collision, the belt strap includes regions which mechanically absorb energy. Such a seat belt includes elements for increasing the contact surface of the belt strap with the passenger's body so that the force transmitted to the passenger's body in the event of a collision is reduced. The belt may include colored material which discolors over time or plastically deformable colored threads to indicate if the belt's elasticity has decayed due to aging or due to over-extension of the belt. The belt has a modulus of elasticity which varies across its width so that the belt edges roll away from the passenger in the event of a collision. An information label indicating the expiration date of the usable duty lifetime of the safety belt may be provided.

Abstract: An aluminum nitride sintered body mainly composed of aluminum nitride, contains 0.01 to 1.0 percent by weight of a rare earth element and 0.001 to 0.5 percent by weight of oxygen. Such a body has a thermal conductivity of at least 180 W/mK. For manufacturing such an aluminum nitride sintered body, aluminum nitride powder (201) is first prepared. At least one compound (203) containing a rare earth element is added to the aluminum nitride powder (201) to contain 0.01 to 1.0 percent by weight, in rare earth element conversion, of the compound. The ingredients are homogeneously mixed with each other. A green body is formed of the mixed powder and sintered at a temperature of 1500.degree. to 2200.degree. C. in a non-oxidizing atmosphere containing nitrogen.

Abstract: A hard sintered compact for tools is a sintered compact obtained by super-high pressure sintering of 45-75% by vol. of cubic boron nitride powder and the remaining proportion of binder powder. The binder includes 5-25% by wt. of Al and the remaining proportion of at least one species of compounds represented by (Hf.sub.1-z M.sub.z) C, where M denotes elements of IVa, Va and VIa groups in a periodic table except for Hf, and 0.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.0.3 is satisfied. Because of this composition, improvements are made in strength, wear resistance and heat resisting property of the binder, and a hard sintered compact for tools having excellent strength and excellent wear resistance can be obtained.

Abstract: A forming apparatus for shaping a long plate member (31), converts on initial cross-section into a final sectional configuration, e.g., into a U-shaped final sectional configuraiton. The forming apparatus has an upper die (32) and a lower die (33) defining a forming part with pressing surfaces which are movable toward each other for a pressing operation. The long plate member is appropriately fed into the forming part. A drive mechanism reciprocates the upper die (32). The forming part defined by the upper die (32) and by the lower die (33) includes an initial forming region which is located on an inlet for the long plate member. The initial forming region has a forming configuration corresponding to a flat sectional configuration. A final forming region located at an outlet for the long plate member has a forming configuration corresponding to a U-shaped sectional configuration.

Abstract: A nozzle control device for an air weaving loom has a weft thread insertion by one or more main nozzles and a feed advance of the yarn in the air insertion channel by relay nozzles arranged one behind the other at the weaving reed. The relay nozzles are controlled in groups and in sequence in an impulse type manner in such a way that the thread tip zone is seized by the air stream and the thread is pulled through the air insertion channel. The control of the relay nozzles of an air weaving machine is accomplished in such a way that in sequential work steps substantially different types of yarns can be woven with a high quality. For this purpose the durations of air impulses supplied to the relay nozzles arranged in groups, are controlled as a function of yarn specific values modified by a currently measured air effectiveness of the respective yarn being processed.

Abstract: A method of forming a lead-out electrode in an integrated-type photovoltaic device including photoelectric conversion cells connected to each other in series on a transparent substrate is to form a lead-out electrode portion or section by separating a laminate of a semiconductor photo-active layer and a back electrode layer into back electrode and lead-out portions by means of a scanned laser beam. The major part of the lead-out electrode portion is elongated and has, at the opposite end, enlarged sections for receiving external lead wires or conductors. Accordingly, the lead-out electrode portion occupies only a small area in the substrate and can be formed easily by scanning with a laser beam.

Abstract: A weft thread monitor for an air weaving loom with air jets for inserting weft thread yarns of different qualities such as coarse, fine, thick or thin yarns into the loom shed, has an amplifier or comparator controlled in response to control signals which represent the different yarn qualities for providing a loom control signal which is substantially independent of these yarn qualities. The different quality yarns are pulled off from thread storage spools. The air jets of the main nozzles and of relay nozzles are controlled by an air jet insertion control forming part of a central processing unit. The weft thread monitor with its monitoring or sensor element or elements is arranged at the exit side of the air channel formed by profiled reed teeth of the air jet loom. The output of the sensor element is connected to the input of the amplifier or comparator.

Abstract: A method for detecting wear of a cutting tool for cutting a workpiece measures the contact resistance between the cutting tool and the workpiece for detecting wear of the cutting tool from a change in the contact resistance, whereby such wear of the cutting tool can be reliably and accurately measured.

Abstract: A high temperature multi-layer thermal insulation is constructed especially for insulating spacecraft. For this purpose the insulation is formed of a plurality of porous material layers, such as ceramic fiber layers, separated from each other by highly reflective gas permeable foils. The insulation has an outer hot side and an inner cold side. The ceramic fibers are so arranged that the layer density increases from the outer side toward the inner side while the fiber diameter decreases from the outer side to the inner side. Compared to conventional heat shield type insulations of spacecraft, the present insulation is relatively lightweight and is able to better discharge again at lower flight altitudes any heat stored in the insulation at higher transient re-entry altitudes.

Abstract: In a fiber optical probe for measuring or sensing a reflectance spectrum, an illuminating light supplying optical fiber (1) and a light receiving optical fiber (2) are coupled in parallel to form a fiber bundle (3). A lens (4) is provided on sensing end surfaces of both types of fibers of the fiber bundle. The fiber bundle is inserted in a heat shrinkable polyethylene tube and the tube is shrunken by heat to form a coating jacket (6). The coating jacket extends beyond the end of the fiber bundle to cover the periphery of the lens, so that the lens is fixed to the fiber bundle.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for forming the difference and the sum of two detector signals has two photodetectors connected in back-to-back fashion. The difference signal is provided by a first operational amplifier connected to the junction between the two back-to-back connected photodetectors. The sum signal is formed by two further operational amplifiers, whereby one further operational amplifier inverts the signal from one detector and supplies the inverted signal to the input of the other operational amplifier. Thus, the difference signal and the summing signal are directly formed and accessible.

Abstract: A tungsten alloy is used as a material of an electrode wire for electric spark cutting. The tungsten alloy comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisted of Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and oxides thereof. An electrode wire made of such a tungsten alloy handles an improved processing speed and the accuracy of the cut surface is also improved. The number of failures due to breaking of the electrode wire has been reduced and the tensile strength of the electrode wire has been increased. The same effect can be attained when a molybdenum alloy containing one or more oxides of elements selected from the group consisted of Al, Si and K is used as an alloying component in the alloy for making the electrode wire for electric spark cutting.

Abstract: A magnetic impact sensor for motor vehicles with a safety system such as an airbag or belt tensioner for an occupant restraint system, has a circuit breaker arranged in an electrical trigger circuit of the safety system for inflating the airbag or tightening the belt by closing the trigger circuit in response to an acceleration or deceleration effective beyond a prescribed time duration. For this purpose a magnet in combination with specially shaped pole pieces forms two magnetic circuits the magnetic conductances of which are influenced by the position of a ferromagnetic ball that moves in response to an impact relative to the pole pieces to thereby open or close the circuit breaker. Normally, in the absence of an impact the ball is in a first position that keeps the circuit breaker open. When an impact occurs the ball moves into a second position to close the circuit breaker and thus the trigger circuit.

Abstract: An arrangement for the supply of propellant for the propulsion systems of a satellite has a main fuel tank, a main oxidizer tank and an additional or auxiliary oxidizer tank. The auxiliary oxidizer tank becomes effective when the oxidizer in the main tank has been used up at the end of the useful life of the satellite. At that time the additional oxidizer is used to bring the satellite into a retirement orbit out of the way, so to speak, to reduce the crowding in the range of desirable orbits. For this purpose, the emptiness of the main oxidizer tank is sensed by a sensor for providing a control signal which closes the main supply line, thereby switching on the auxiliary tank for propelling the satellite into the retirement orbit.

Abstract: A tension controller for a warping machine maintains a constant yarn tension during a warping operation from the beginning to the end of the warping operation. The tension controller has a brake force control mechanism (240) for controlling the size of the tension applied to the running yarns, and a yarn speed control mechanism (290) for controlling the running speed of the yarns. The brake control input, which is supplied to the yarns brakes, and the running speed of the yarns are so controlled that the actual yarn tension conforms to set or desired tension. When the diameters of the yarn packages are relatively large, a brake force is applied to the yarns, which run at a constant speed, thereby maintaining a constant yarn tension. When the diameters of the yarn packages are relatively small, on the other hand, a constant yarn tension is maintained by reducing the running speed of the yarns while supplying a zero or constant brake force to the yarns.