Abstract: In a method of applying a ceramic layer to an under-layer having a relatively low melting temperature, in particular a synthetic resin under-layer, particles of a ceramic material are provided on such an under-layer and, by heating, a mechanical bond between ceramic particles and the under-layer is brought about. By means of a laser device, a temperature is generated, for a time of the order of or shorter than the melting time of the under-layer, which is at least effective to obtain mutual compacting and/or sintering of the ceramic particles.

Abstract: An automatic shut-off and indication device for an electric heating appliance is provided which includes: a sensor (2) for sensing usage of the appliance and for providing a usage-signal (US) indicating a non-usage of the appliance; a switch (10) for off-switching a heater (12) of the appliance in response to a switching signal (SS) derived from the usage-signal (US); a sensor (4) for sensing orientation of the appliance and for providing an orientation signal (OS) for indicating different orientations of the appliance; a selector (18) for activating an indicator (22) in response to the switching signal (SS), the indicator (22) signaling the off-switching of the heater (12); and an indication timer (8) for providing a time delay between off-switching the heater (12) and activating the indicator (22), which time delay is dependent on the orientation signal (OS). The shut-off of the heater (12) is signalled to the user by the indicator (22).

Abstract: A depilation device is provided with a housing which has a handle portion extending parallel to a longitudinal housing direction, which handle portion can be held in one hand, and a head portion connected to the handle portion, and with depilation means which are provided in the region of the head portion and which can be applied to a body region to be depilated transversely to the longitudinal housing direction, wherein, the housing being of angled design, so that the head portion extends transversely to the handle portion, while the depilation means are formed by depilation discs which are provided at the free end of the head portion facing away from the handle portion.

Abstract: In apparatus (1) having a cable grommet (7) the cable grommet (7) is formed with grommet apertures (12, 13, 14) which are arranged after one another in a direction (15) towards the free end (11) of the cable grommet (7) and which have at least one aperture dimension which increases in the grommet direction (15).

Abstract: The invention relates to a thin film circuit with component. The thin film circuit comprises a network of capacitors, or a network of capacitors and resistors, or a network of capacitors, resistors and inductances, or a network of capacitors and inductances. Current supply contacts such as, for example, SMD end contacts or bump end contacts render it possible for the thin film circuit to be connected to further components of a circuit or, for example, to be combined with active components through the use of contact surfaces.

Abstract: A motor speed control for controlling the speed of an electric induction motor by modulating the amplitude and frequency of the driving voltage. When the load increases the speed control controls the speed so as to be relatively constant with respect to the frequency of the driving voltage. Preferably, the speed control controls the amplitude of the driving voltage in proportion to the square of the frequency.

Abstract: In a reflective liquid crystal display device comprising on a substrate an array of reflective pixel electrodes which are each connected to the output of a respective switching device, e.g. a TFT, carried on the substrate and which are provided on an insulating layer that extends over the switching device, each pixel electrode is connected to the output of its associated switching device through a plurality of tapered contact openings in the insulating layer which form depressions in the pixel electrode surface for enhancing the pixel's light reflection characteristics. The number, shape, size and relative disposition of such openings can be varied to tailor these characteristics. Preferably, a conductive layer extends from the switching device output beneath the area of the pixel electrode for contacting the electrode at each opening and may have a rough surface resulting in asperities at the pixel electrode surface which further enhance its reflection properties.

Abstract: An electrical appliance (1) has a battery holder (5) which can be inserted into a recess (4) of the appliance. The battery holder is locked in the appliance by a locking mechanism (8) which comprises resilient fingers (9, 10) arranged on the battery holder (5), which fingers are made of a plastic material and have projections (13, 14), and a boss (15) arranged in the recess (4) of the appliance, for cooperation with the projections (13, 14). Resilient metal limbs (blade springs 26, 27) support the resilient plastic fingers (9, 10) and also conduct current from the batteries (7) to the appliance.

Abstract: A description is given of a thin flexible lithium-ion battery and of methods of the manufacture thereof. According to one of the methods, a negative electrode, a separator, and a positive electrode are provided with a pattern of macroscopic holes. After aligning the holes, the stack of the electrodes and the separator is placed on a structured polymer film having piles in the same pattern as the holes. After applying heat and pressure, the ends of the piles are flattened, and form a kind of rivets by which the electrodes and the separator are bonded together. This bonding ensures a good contact between the electrodes and an electrolyte in the separator.

Abstract: A practical method of manufacturing an organic field-effect transistor is disclosed. By applying the insulating layer, preferably having a thickness of 0.3 &mgr;m or less to a substantially planar electrode layer, an organic field-effect transistor can be made having a channel length down to 2 &mgr;m, satisfying the condition for voltage amplification at voltages well below 10 V, and having an on/off ratio of about 25.

Abstract: An electric iron is provided which includes a housing (1), a sole plate (2), a first reservoir (6) having an outlet (12) for a first fluid (7), an exchangeable reservoir (8) having an outlet (11) for a second fluid (9), which has a viscosity, and having a coupling (14), a nozzle (10) comprising at least one aperture, a pump (19) for delivering a mixture of the first and second fluids to the nozzle (10), said coupling (14) comprising a first and a second inlet (15,16) and an outlet (17), said second inlet (16) of the coupling being fixedly connected to the outlet (11) of the exchangeable reservoir (8), the first inlet (15) of the coupling (14) and the outlet (17) of the coupling (14) being connected to the outlet (12) of the first reservoir (6) and to a supply tube (18) to the pump (19), respectively, if the exchangeable reservoir (8) is inserted into the iron, at least one of the inlets (15,16) of the coupling (14) and/or the outlet (11) of the exchangeable reservoir (8) being provided with a flow restriction

Abstract: A method of solder-coating a metallic pad provided on a substrate, whereby at least the surface of the pad is provided with a deposit of solder paste, which paste comprises a suspension of metallic solder particles which, when molten, have a surface energy lower than the critical surface energy of the metallic pad but higher than the critical surface energy of the substrate surface outside the borders of the pad, whereby application of heat causes metallic solder particles within the paste lying upon the pad to melt and fuse together into an essentially continuous metallic solder layer, whereas the metallic solder particles within any paste lying upon the substrate surface outside the borders of the pad do not thus fuse together into a layer but are instead deposited as mutually-isolated solder beads, which beads can be subsequently removed from the substrate surface after completion of the heating process.

Abstract: The invention describes a method of manufacturing an electronic thin-film component comprising at least one stripline. In this method, first a metallic base layer is deposited on a substrate layer, a photoresist layer is applied to this metallic base layer, and structured in accordance with the stripline(s) to be formed. An electroconductive layer is deposited on the exposed regions of the metallic base layer. Subsequently, the photoresist is removed and the metallic base layer is etched. This method has the advantage that less metal is required as compared to other thin-film methods. Overlapping areas of the striplines can be formed readily, economically, and with small current capacitances by means of bridges. By means of the method described herein, passive components, such as thin-film couplers for high-frequency applications or thin-film coils can be readily obtained.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shaving apparatus comprising a first blade (1) and a second blade (3) having parallel cutting edges (5, 7) extending perpendicularly to a cutting direction X of the blades. The second blade follows the first blade, viewed in the cutting direction. According to the invention, the first blade comprises a blocking element (15) which is provided on a side surface (17) of the first blade at a distance (d) from the cutting edge (5) of the first blade, which distance (d) is much smaller than an average diameter of a hair (25) to be shaved by the apparatus, the first blade being periodically displaceable in the cutting direction by a displacing unit (11) of the apparatus from a first position, in which the cutting edge of the first blade is close to the cutting edge of the second blade, to a second position. In a prefered embodiment, said distance (d) ranges between 10 &mgr;m and 50 &mgr;m, and is in particular 30 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A kitchen appliance (1) having a container (10) and having a first cover configuration (21) for closing the container (12) advantageously also includes a second cover configuration (25) which can be placed onto the first cover configuration (21), as a result of which a hollow space (29) is formed with the aid of the two cover configurations (21, 25), which hollow space serves to and is adapted to accommodate accessories (31, 32) of the kitchen appliance (1).

Abstract: A depilation system (1) with a depilation device (2) and a cooling device (3). The housing (4) of the depilation device (2) is of angled design and is provided with a front outer wall (18) and a rear outer wall (19) in accordance with its angled shape, while a head portion (7) of the housing (4) extends transversely to a handle portion (6) of the housing (4), and depilation discs are provided at the tree end of the head portion (7). The cooling device (3) is provided for the major part in the region of the front outer wall (18) of the housing (4) of the depilation device (2).

Abstract: A display screen, in particular a color display screen for a cathode ray tube, comprises a phosphor layer which includes a phosphor composition of a phosphor with a coating comprising a water-soluble organic binder, which is selected from the group formed by the polyurethanes, polyacrylamides, polyamide resins, etherified melamine compounds and melamine-formaldehyde compounds, and etherified urea-formaldehyde resins, and comprising oxygen compounds of one or more elements selected from the group formed by the alkaline earth elements and zinc. Important advantages obtained are a substantially improved sieving behavior of the phosphor powder, an increased adhesion of pigment particles to the phosphor grains, an improved suspension stability as well as an improved adhesion of the phosphor to the display screen glass.

Abstract: An activated carbon air filter for use in room air cleaners and the like has a corrugated paper structure formed of substantially non-porous paper, preferably Kraft paper, whose surface is coated with carbon by means for example of a dipping process in which the structure is immersed in an aqueous slurry containing carbon and a binder. Through use of a particular paper thickness and channel dimensions, a highly efficient, low volume, long lifetime air cleaning filter is obtained.

Abstract: A display device comprising channels (30, 30′, 30″) containing an ionizable gas (33), and walls of the channels (30, 30′, 30″) being provided with row electrodes (31, 32) for selectively ionizing the ionizable gas (33) during operation. The display device is further provided with an electro-optical layer (35) and means for activating said electro-optical layer (35). The display device is characterized in that the ionizable gas (33) contains a carrier gas and an additional gas, said additional gas comprising deuterium or deuterium hydrogen, or hydrogen and a further gas having a higher molecular weight. Preferably, helium or nitrogen is used as the carrier gas, and the additional gas comprises deuterium or deuterium hydrogen, or hydrogen and nitrogen, or hydrogen and xenon.