Abstract: A flux applied in soldering to a substrate metal formed thereon with a firmly oxidized layer, the flux containing at least stannous chloride, non-oxidation acid and a viscous agent and excluding zinc chloride therefrom.

Abstract: A sliding door capable of permitting both initiation of a door opening operation and termination of a door closing operation to be smoothly and readily accomplished. During the door closing operation, obliquely downward and inward movement of a door body and an action of a link cooperate with each other to permit the door body to be pressedly contacted with an outer wall surface of an object such as a refrigerator using substantially reduced force. During the door opening operation, upward outward movement of the door body and an action of the link permit the door body to be readily released from the outer wall surface using significantly reduced force.

Abstract: A lawn tractor has an engine with a vertical output shaft, front wheels and rear wheels, a body frame extending longitudinally of the tractor, a mower unit supported by the body frame, a grass catcher supported the by body frame, a blower unit supported by the body frame, and a duct for transporting grass clippings cut by the mower unit into the grass catcher. The duct includes a first duct portion extending between the mower unit and the blower unit, and a second duct portion extending between the blower unit and the grass catcher. The mower unit has a vertical mower drive shaft for receiving engine power. The blower unit has a vertical blower input shaft for receiving engine power. An intermediate shaft is disposed between the mower unit and blower unit. The intermediate shaft has a first, a second and a third pulleys mounted thereon. The first pulley is drivably connected to the engine output shaft. The second pulley is drivably connected to the mower drive shaft.

Abstract: An antibacterial fiber includes an ion exchange fiber and an antibacterial metal ion entrapped within the ion exchange fiber through an ion exchange reaction. The invention also discloses antibacterial textiles and water-treating element using the fibers.

Abstract: A phosphor capable of exhibiting luminescence with high efficiency by excitation due to impingement of electrons accelerated under an anode voltage of hundreds volts to about 2 kV thereon and a method for preparing the same are disclosed. Mn is ion-implanted in ZnGa.sub.2 O.sub.4 which is a matrix crystal of the phosphor deposited on a substrate. Three kinds of implantation energy of 150 keV, 90 keV and 30 keV are selected and the ion implantation is effected three times in the order of the level of the implantation energy. A concentration of Mn is rendered substantially constant within a depth range between 100 angstrom and 1000 angstrom of a depth of 2000 angstrom or less in a luminous region of the phosphor. The ion implantation thus carried out three times permits the phosphor to exhibit increased luminous efficiency as compared with one-time ion implantation.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for an air bag mounted in a Vehicle such that a steering wheel rotates with respect to the air bag. The air bag inflates towards an occupant upon sudden decelerations of the vehicle, thereby protecting the occupant's head. The air bag includes a lower portion formed into a substantially straight line restricting the air bag's expanded volume and height to facilitate use with a seat belt.

Abstract: A driving force transmitting device for transmitting driving force from a driving member to a driven member incorporates a wired cable operatively connected with each of the driving member and the driven member, wherein the wired cable rotated by the driving member drives the driven member, an outer tube through which the wired cable is fitted, and supporting tubes fitted in the outer tube and in frictional engagement with the wired cable. The supporting tubes support the wired cable when the wired cable is rotated. An inner tube receives the wired cable therein with a clearance defined between the inner tube and the wired cable. The inner tube is positioned within the outer tube and between the supporting tubes.

Abstract: A solid fuel in which an oil mixture containing a heavy oil fraction and a solvent fraction is incorporated in fine pores of a porous coal. The improved porous coal is produced by mixing an oil mixture containing a heavy oil fraction and a solvent fraction with a porous coal to obtain a starting slurry, heating the starting slurry to dewater the porous coal, and incorporate, at the same time, the oil mixture into the fine pores of the porous coal and then subjecting the treated slurry to solid-liquid separation.

Abstract: Thermal treated coal which has a water content of not more than 10%, which has pores with an oil adsorbed onto and impregnated into the pore surface, and which is decarboxylated and dehydrated to have a reduced porosity is provided. In its manufacture, porous coal and an oil are mixed to prepare a slurry, and the slurry is heated for effecting slurry dewatering. During the slurry dewatering, oil is adsorbed onto the surface of the pores of the porous coal. Subsequently, the slurry is heated for refining, followed by a solid-liquid separation at the final stage.

Abstract: A drive circuit for an ultrasonic motor and, more particularly, a drive circuit for an ultrasonic motor which supplies the ultrasonic motor with drive signals of a predetermined frequency and controls the frequency of the drive signals to drive the ultrasonic motor is disclosed. The disclosed drive circuit for an ultrasonic motor drives an ultrasonic motor without generating a remarkable audible sound, even when a detection signal exceeds a predetermined level within a very short time due to the generation of an audible sound in the ultrasonic motor.

Abstract: A lawn tractor has an engine, front wheels and rear wheels, a body frame extending longitudinally of the tractor, a mower unit supported by the body frame, a grass catcher supported by the body frame, a blower unit supported by the body frame, and a duct for transporting grass clippings cut by the mower unit into the grass catcher. The duct includes a first duct portion extending between the mower unit and the blower unit, and a second duct portion extending between the blower unit and the grass catcher. An output shaft of the engine, an input shaft of the mower unit and an input shaft of the blower unit all extend vertically. The engine output shaft, mower input shaft and blower input shaft are arranged inwardly of the rear wheels in the transverse direction of the body frame and substantially linearly in the longitudinal direction thereof.

Abstract: A fetal monitor is provided for gathering characteristic data such as fetal electrocardiogram, temperature and intra-uterine pressure so that fetal health may be determined during intra-operative and postoperative periods. The fetal monitor comprises a remote sensing unit, the remote sensing unit containing sensors which continually sample fetal temperature and electrocardiogram. A transceiver is housed in the remote sensing unit and outputs the sampled fetal temperature and electrocardiogram signals to an external antenna. A monitoring station is provided for monitoring the fetal temperature and electrocardiogram signals from the antenna. Additionally, a pressure transducer may be housed in the remote sensing unit for continually sampling intra-uterine pressure. This intra-uterine pressure signal in combination with the above signals are utilized to determine fetal health or the onset and progress of parturition.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for spreading material including a container for the material to be spread; the container includes an open top for receiving the material, a front wall, a rear wall, a left side wall, a right side wall, and a bottom; apparatus adjacent the container bottom for moving the material along the container bottom in a direction from the front wall toward the rear wall; openings provided in the left and right side walls adjacent the container bottom and the rear wall for permitting the material to be discharged from the container; an auger adjacent the container bottom and rear wall for moving the material toward the openings; a first material spreader located outside of the container adjacent to the left side wall for receiving material discharged from the opening in the left side wall; a second material spreader located outside of the container adjacent the right side wall for receiving material discharged from the opening in the right side wall; and apparatus for rotating the first and secon

Abstract: A germ-free liquid dispenser is disclosed. The dispenser includes a liquid container having a liquid outlet opening, a reservoir for receiving and reserving the liquid from the container, a holder for detachably holding the liquid container at its supply posture for orienting its outlet opening downward to allow the liquid within the container to flow down through the opening into the reservoir, a dispenser device for dispensing the liquid from the reservoir by allowing the liquid to flow down from the reservoir, and an antibacterial element having an antibacterial surface capable of killing germ through a physical contact therewith. The antibacterial element is disposed inside the reservoir in such a manner as to contact the liquid inside the reservoir while allowing the reservoir to dispense the liquid therefrom.

Abstract: A process is described for denaturing native double-stranded nucleic acid material into its individual strands in an electrochemical cell. The process disclosed is an electrical treatment of the nucleic acid with a voltage applied to the nucleic acid material by an electrode. The process may also employ a promotor compound such as methyl viologen to speed denaturation. The process may be used in the detection of nucleic acid by hybridizing with a labelled probe or in the amplification of DNA by a polymerase chain reaction or ligase chain reaction.

Abstract: A vehicle including a change speed device having an output shaft for outputting drive from an engine in varied speeds, and a differential having a drive pinion shaft for receiving output of the change speed device. The output shaft of the change speed device extends substantially horizontally, while the drive pinion shaft of the differential extends substantially vertically. A bevel gear mechanism transmits drive between the output shaft of the change speed device and the drive pinion shaft of the differential. The drive pinion shaft defines a pinion meshed with a ring gear of the differential in a top region of the differential. The drive pinion shaft has a brake for braking the vehicle. The brake includes a brake drum attached to the drive pinion shaft, and a brake shoe for engaging the brake drum.

Abstract: An optical memory system employing multiple reading/writing optical beams for simultaneously reading from or writing to multiple tracks of optical media to allow reading/writing of closely spaced adjacent tracks. Various optical elements and other means are incorporated to enable the beams as a group to remain focused and properly tracking as the beams as a group scan across the tracks. Means are also provided for modulating the beams to reduce crosstalk. Various optical elements and combinations of optical elements are provided to compensate for beam and system imperfections.

Abstract: A solid-state scanner for reading bar codes or projecting images is described. The scanner operates either in a reading mode or a calibrate mode using the same hardware. Use of two-dimensional array light sources minimizes the size of the semiconductor chips containing the light source arrays is provided. Use of oversampling or anamorphic optical systems increase tolerances to angular misorientations is also discussed. Used in conjunction with a mechanical scanning device, the scanner is capable of reading two-dimensional bar codes or generating two-dimensional images.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an optical system which includes an image region having at least one light source which directs a beam of light along an optical axis and an object region which is adapted to receive the light from the light source. An optical delivery system is between the image region and object region. The optical delivery system receives the light from the image region and directs it to the object region. The optical delivery system is formed of a plurality of optical elements, such as lenses and volume holograms. The optical delivery system is designed to either receive a plurality of beams of light from a plurality of sources or different modes of a single light source and form a single spot of light in the image region having the combined power of all of the beams of light or modes of a single beam. The optical delivery system can also condense or expand the spacing between the beams of light from a plurality of light sources.

Abstract: A low-velocity electron excited phosphor having a composition represented by a general formula ZnO.multidot.(Al.sub.x, Ga.sub.l-x).sub.2 O.sub.3 :Mn, wherein X=0.001 to 0.3 mol. A content of Al in the phosphor is set be to within a range between 0.001 mol and 0.3 mol. The range permits a variation in luminance of the phosphor to be within .+-.30% and initial luminance of the phosphor to be significantly increased, resulting in the phosphor being suitable for use for a fluorescent display device.