Abstract: Method of coating pipe having a raised weld bead. Curable resin polymer is applied to the pipe and allowed to bond to form a cured or partially cured polymer layer on the pipe. Powder form adhesive composition is applied on the polymer layer while hot, with fusion into a film bonding to the polymer. Powder form polyolefin is applied to the adhesive while hot with fusion into a film bonding to the adhesive to form a powder-based coating. Following forming of the powder-based coating, the pipe is cooled from the inside. An outer polyolefin covering is bonded to the powder-based coating and the pipe cooled to ambient temperature. This procedure can avoid voids, cavities or pinholes forming in the coating adjacent the weld bead.

Abstract: This invention relates to a controller for a pumping installation using a combined pressure sensor and fluid level sensor arrangement. The controller includes a processor responsive to measurements from the sensor arrangement, as well as memory for storing a set of instructions for execution by the processor to correlate initial measurements taken by the sensors. The instructions allows the controller to monitor a fluid level in a well with the combined arrangement to compile a history of respective measurements for both sensors, and, in the event of an unexpected discrepancy between the measurements, to automatically calibrate the sensor arrangement according to the history of respective measurements to re-establish a correlation between the sensors.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for automatically maintaining a pressure differential for the continuous delivery of a liquid to semiconductor manufacturing equipment. A refillable bulk liquid delivery system includes a plurality of canisters residing along a liquid flow path, whereby an over pressure is detected within at least one of the canisters. The over pressure may be detected using an automatic venting circuit or a programmable logic controller programmed for detecting such over pressures. The over pressure is then exhausted by removing excess pressure from the canister through a venting valve to maintain a Delta pressure across the canisters for continuously delivering the liquid along the liquid flow path.

Abstract: A firearms magazine has compound tapered side walls and feed lips having substantially parallel end portions for maintaining contact with the cartridge as it is loaded. Removable inserts reduce the interior length and width to hold cartridges of different sizes. One insert has a channel along its height to protect the cartridge noses, and is held by a reinforcing member. A movable cartridge follower feeds the cartridges out of the magazine and has a pair of projections extending along its length for contacting and centering the last cartridge and a projection at one end slideable in the channel of the insert. The follower has one or more downwardly extending members to contact the floor or walls to maintain position of the follower with respect thereto. Projections extending inward from the side walls contact shoulders of the firearms cartridges in sliding relationship as they are fed out of the magazine.

Abstract: A chemical etchant containing hydrogen peroxide and phosphate ions at a controlled pH is provided for selectively etching metals in the presence of one or more metals not to be etched. The etchant is useful in the fabrication of semiconductor components particularly for forming capture pads where TiW is used as a barrier layer for a copper, copper/nickel pad, or copper/nickel alloy pad. A commercial hydrogen peroxide solution is preferred to which has been added phosphoric acid as a source of phosphate ions and KOH as the pH adjuster.

Abstract: A contact spring having a free contact end for producing an electrical contact between the free contact end and a contact surface, the contact spring formed from N contact spring metal sheets and N?1 spacer elements. The contact spring metal sheets are fixed in a clamping region with a spacer element between two adjacent contact spring metal sheets, are at a distance from each other in a spring region around the thickness of the spacer elements, extend parallel to each other up to the free contact end in a freely elastic manner, and end in a common plane on the free contact end. In the spring region, the contact spring metal sheets have at least one bend with a pre-determined angle between the longitudinal axis of the contact spring metal sheets before the bend and the longitudinal axis of the contact spring metal sheets after the bend.

Abstract: A method for mounting a film, used to fabricate a mask for use in screening an electronic device, to a common carrier frame. The common carrier frame has an outer edge along an outer periphery and an opening in a central portion of the frame. The method includes applying external pressure to the frame outer edge to compress the frame inward and reduce the opening, securing a film to the frame, the film covering the frame opening, and releasing the pressure on the frame to expand the opening and place the film in tension.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for monitoring the state of a reticle by providing a reticle having a device exposure region in an imaging tool, defining one or more image fields across the device exposure region, and transmitting energy through the device exposure region. A detector detects the energy in the image field(s) at one or more testing intervals and a system control generates a transmission profile of average energy transmissions for each image field. Using this transmission profile, the state of the reticle is then determined at each testing interval followed by taking action based on the reticle state. The state of the reticle identifies whether the device exposure region has been deleteriously degraded, and as such, the reticle is no longer suitable for use. This is accomplished by determining if any average energy transmission of any image field across the reticle exceeds an allowable energy transmission threshold.

Abstract: A striker plate having projections such that when the striker plate is inserted into a door surround structure the projections provide sufficient biasing to retain the striker plate in a desired lateral and vertical location whilst it is secured to the door surround structure. The projections are preferably integrally formed resilient elements adapted to engage with grooves in walls of a door surround structure. An adjustment mechanism may also be provided to adjust the spacing of the striker plate from a door surround structure.

Abstract: Methods and UBM structures having bilayer or trilayer UBM layers that include a thin TiW adhesion layer and a thick Ni-based barrier layer thereover both deposited under sputtering operating conditions that provide the resultant bilayer or trilayer UBM layers with minimal composite stresses. The Ni-based barrier layer may be pure Ni or a Ni alloy. These UBM layers may be patterned to fabricate bilayer or trilayer UBM capture pads, followed by joining a lead-free solder thereto for providing lead-free solder joints that maintain reliability after multiple reflows. Optionally, the top layer of the trilayer UBM structures may include soluble or insoluble metals for doping the lead-free solder connections.

Abstract: A filter for removing soluble, colloidal, and insoluble particles from a fluid, including lead using a first filter media for filtering soluble material from the fluid, a second filter media, adjacent and in fluid communication with, the first filter media, for filtering soluble material from said fluid, wherein the first and second filter media create a physical non-soluble particle barrier at their interface for capturing non-soluble particles, that when retained at the interface, become soluble over time in the fluid, and are subsequently removed by the second filter media. At least one of the filter media can be fibrillated nanofibers that are loaded with finely subdivided media of powdered ion exchange resins. A third filter media may be placed between the first and second filter media to enhance capturing and dissolving the physical non-soluble particles.

Abstract: Low-pressure drop thermal assemblies, systems and methods of making low-pressure drop thermal assemblies for use in high power flux situations. A manifold body is attached to a distributor to form a subassembly. This subassembly is in communication with a substrate surface, which has a semiconductor device in need of thermal management thereon. An enclosed cavity is formed between the target substrate surface and the subassembly, and a seal of the cavity protects critical components residing on the active surface of the semiconductor device. The distributor includes a distributed liquid impingement microjet inlet array isolated from and parallel with a distributed microjet drain array for impinging cooling fluid and removing spent heated fluid in a direction orthogonal to a target surface for maximizing the heat transfer rate, and thereby providing high cooling flux capabilities while enabling low-pressure drops.

Abstract: A method and system for backside unlayering a semiconductor device to expose FEOL semiconductor features of the device for subsequent electrical and/or physical probing. A window is formed within a backside substrate layer of the semiconductor. A collimated ion plasma is generated and directed so as to contact the semiconductor only within the backside window via an opening in a focusing shield. This focused collimated ion plasma contacts the semiconductor, only within the window, while the semiconductor is simultaneously being rotated and tilted by a temperature controlled stage, for uniform removal of semiconductor layering such that the semiconductor features, in a location on the semiconductor corresponding to the backside window, are exposed. Backside unlayering of the invention may be enhanced by CAIBE processing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a co-axial plug-in-insertion connector which has a center conductor part, an outer conductor part, and an insulating part made of a dielectric material which holds the center conductor part co-axial to the outer conductor part, a coding housing being provided in which the outer conductor part and the center conductor part are arranged, the co-axial plug-in-insertion connector having an insertion end for connection to a complementary co-axial plug-in-insertion connector. Provision is made for the insulating part to be of a one-piece form with the housing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing an audio signal in multiple audio frequency bands while minimizing undesirable changes in tonal qualities of the audio signal by determining an initial gain adjustment factor for each audio frequency band resulting from the application of an audio processing technique. A final gain adjustment factor for each band is selected from a corresponding set of weighted or unweighted initial gain adjustment factors. The set of initial gain adjustment factors from which the final gain adjustment factor for a specified audio frequency band is obtained is derived from other audio frequency bands that have the frequency of the specified band as a harmonic frequency. Changes in audio signal level within one audio frequency band thereby affect the signal level of harmonic frequencies to decrease relative changes in volume between a fundamental frequency and its harmonics.

Abstract: An apparatus for connecting electronic devices having a flexible cable bus housing containing a plurality of same or different communication and power channels extending along a length thereof and a plurality of bus ports at different locations along the bus housing length. Each bus port is capable of being operatively connected to one of the communication or power channels. The apparatus further includes a plurality of device connectors adapted to connect to a bus port at one end thereof and to a discrete device at another end thereof. Each connector at the device end has a different plug conforming to one of the communication or power channels. The apparatus preferably further includes a switch for connecting each bus port to the communication or power channel conforming to the device end plug when a device connector is connected to the bus port on the bus housing.

Abstract: An apparatus tool for filling vias in a product greensheet and/or repairing vias in a product greensheet. The apparatus tool utilizes a transfer greensheet having filled vias in a fixed array, which vias are punched into the product greensheet to either repair or fill the via of the product greensheet. The apparatus tool employs position determining means such as a camera, a punch head and a corresponding punch die and an activating means to activate the punch head to punch the transfer greensheet via to fill the product greensheet via. The transfer greensheet has a fixed array of filled vias and a transfer greensheet station employs a fixed plate having a plurality of vacuum ports positioned in the non-via areas of the transfer greensheet which secures the transfer greensheet during the repair or fill method. The product greensheet is held by a vacuum plate.

Abstract: A method for valuing a business based on the business generating an acceptable return to an owner during a defined investment period, the method including the steps of assessing the business background for the business to be valued, establishing value optimization factors that determine business value in the light of the business background and the relevant industry of the business to be valued, establishing a business capitalization rate (BCR) appropriate for the business and industry of the business to be valued, calculating a weighted average notional earning before interest and tax (WANEBIT) based on historical financial records of the business to be valued, and calculating the net business value using the WANEBIT and the BCF.