Abstract: A diaphragm valve 1 is provided with a body 2 having a flow-in passage 6, a flow-out passage 7, and a valve seat 8 formed between the passages; a diaphragm 3 installed in the body 2 and permitted to rest on and move away from the valve seat 8; and a driving means 4 installed on the body 2 to allow the diaphragm 3 to rest on and move away from the valve seat 8, wherein synthetic resin films 5 of predetermined thickness are coated on fluid-contacting parts 25 of the afore-mentioned body 2 and diaphragm 3. A diaphragm valve in accordance with the present invention prevents corrosion of the valve members caused by accumulation and adherence of substances produced by thermal decomposition, and prevents clogging caused by substances produced, and prevents seat leakage when applied in the vacuum exhaust system of a semiconductor manufacturing facility.

Abstract: The portable electronic device, preferably a wristwatch, includes a radiofrequency signal receiver for receiving, in particular, GPS signals via an antenna, a magnetic compass, a microprocessor data processing unit for processing data provided by the receiver and the compass, and storage means in which almanac and ephemeredes data relating to satellites is stored. The compass is arranged for provide an orientation signal to the data processing device. In this manner, the unit can control means for indicating a direction to indicate a preferred orientation for searching for satellites visible to the user in a reading position of the watch. These indicating means can be formed by the time indicating hands moved above a watch dial. The preferred orientation is calculated by the processing unit on the basis of the almanac and ephemeredes data, time data and the orientation signal.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a water-resistant portable apparatus including a case in which there is mounted an electroacoustic transducer separated from an inlet cavity in a water-resistant manner by a deformable membrane. This inlet cavity is arranged in said case in direct communication with the exterior. The electroacoustic transducer and the inlet cavity are arranged collaterally such that at least one part of said transducer, respectively of the cavity, of a determined thickness is arranged in the same slice of the case and in that an acoustic channel connects the transducer to the membrane to transmit acoustic vibrations.

Abstract: A calendar watch is arranged to allow time-setting to be carried out without this operation altering the state of the calendar mechanism at the passage to midnight. This mechanism, which is of the instantaneous date type, includes a large lever (2) loaded by a spring and wound by a spiral shaped cam (11) and a click (20) released at midnight by a flexible finger (12) of a 24-hour wheel (10). The mechanism prevents any transmission of movement from the 24 hour wheel to the date wheel set, when they are set in the active position by the winding stem (33) pulled out into the time-setting position of the watch. A pivoting isolator (30), which, in its active position, abuts against the click (20) prevents the click from releasing the lever (2).

Abstract: V-CAD data is prepared by dividing external data 12 consisting of boundary data of an object into rectangular parallelepiped cells 13 having boundary planes orthogonal to each other in accordance with octree division and separating the respective divided cells into internal cells 13a positioned on the inner side of the object and boundary cells 13b including a boundary face, and a modeling unit quantity of a prototyping material 7 is changed in accordance with sizes of the internal cell 13a and the boundary cell 13b of a modeling portion. The prototyping material 7 is a resin, lumber powder, a low-fusing-point metal, metal powder, ceramics powder or a mixture of a binder and one of these materials, and its modeling unit quantity is set in such a manner that the modeling unit quantity is smaller than a capacity of a corresponding cell and does not protrude from the boundary plane of the cell.

Abstract: The magnetic control device (1) for a timepiece comprises a sealed tube (3) which comprises a blind end inserted into an opening of the timepiece, whereas the other end of the tube opens towards the outside. A control stem (12) is provided in order to slide inside the tube (3). It carries a magnet (21) which is displaced integrally with the stem inside the tube. By manipulating the end of the stem which emerges from the tube (3), the wearer of the watch can make the magnet selectively occupy three positions. A first and a second magnetic sensor (22, 23) with two states are disposed inside the timepiece along the sealed tube so that three different combinations of a state of the first sensor (22) with a state of the second sensor (23) are respectively associated with three predefined positions of the first magnet (21).

Abstract: The present invention concerns a watchcase including a middle part (2) defining a housing (4) closed by a crystal and a back cover (6), the back cover (6) having a screw thread portion (14) in a first direction, characterised in that the middle part (2) includes a screw thread portion (16) in a second direction opposite to screw thread direction of the back cover (6), and in that said watchcase further includes an intermediate element (8) having a first screw thread portion (18) cooperating with the screw thread portion (14) of the back cover (6) and a second screw thread portion (20) cooperating with the screw thread portion (16) of the middle part (2).

Abstract: A sample carrier for receiving chemical and/or biological samples includes a receiving part (30) provided with deepened portions (32) for receiving the samples, and a base part (38) closing the deepened portions (32), the base part (38) being connected to the receiving part (30) at connection sites (37) by means of a bonding agent, characterized in that the receiving part (30) and/or the base part (38) are provided, at the connection sites (37), with at least one recess (44,52,60) for receiving excess bonding agent. Thus, the sample carrier includes a receiving part having recesses for receiving samples. The recesses are sealed by means of the base part. The base part is glued to the receiving part. The receiving part has a slit-shaped recess for receiving excess glue in order to prevent glue from spreading to the outside of the base part.

Abstract: The invention relates to sensor chips with multiple layers of polysiloxane with improve homogeneity.

Abstract: A method for determining insides and outsides of boundaries includes an external data input step of inputting external data constituted by boundary data of objects, a cell division step of dividing the external data into rectangular parallelepiped cells having boundary planes orthogonal to each other, a cell classification step of classifying the cells into a boundary cell that includes the boundary data and a non-boundary cell that does not include the boundary data, and a space classification step of classifying the non-boundary cells into a plurality of spaces that are partitioned by the boundary cells.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip is attached to a lead frame with a filmy organic die-bonding material having a water absorption of 1.5% by volume or less; having a saturation moisture absorption of 1.0% by volume or less, having a residual volatile component in an amount not more than 3.0% by weight, having a modulus of elasticity of 10 MPa or less at a temperature of 250° C. The semiconductor device thus obtained can be free from occurrence of reflow cracks during reflow soldering for the packaging of semiconductor devices.

Abstract: An apparatus for freshening air, comprising: a base unit having a recess for engaging at least one cartridge; a power supply operably connected to the base unit; an active portion of a nebulizer that includes a piezoelectric element connected to be driven by a driving and switching circuit connected to the power supply, wherein the active portion is incorporated with the base unit; a detachable autonomous liquid droplet dispensing cartridge detachably engagable with the recess of the base unit, wherein the cartridge comprises a first airless bag for storing a first nebulizable liquid, a second airless bag for storing a second nebulizable liquid, a passive portion of the nebulizer, wherein the passive portion includes an interface; a casing enclosing the first and second bags, and housing the passive portion; wherein when the dispensing cartridge engages the recess of the base unit, the passive portion is connected to the active portion.

Abstract: The watch with a metallic case including an electronic module for storing data, which is mounted in an external cavity in the back cover of a case. The module can communicate via broadcast signals with a read and/or write apparatus for said data. The module includes a base on which are mounted an integrated circuit chip having at least two bumps and a coil acting as a transmission and/or reception antenna. The coil is formed by an electrically conductive wire having two ends respectively connected to said bumps of said integrated circuit chip. The coil surrounds a space in which said chip is placed. The dome-shaped base of the electronic module is a metallic element that conducts magnetic flux to insulate the module coil magnetically from the metallic case during data communication between a read/write apparatus and said module. The base of the module can be covered by a protective cover.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a crown for a timepiece comprising a disconnecting gear device for preventing damage to the components of the movement of the timepiece in which it is implemented. For this purpose, the crown is provided with a housing which houses a pipe, to which one end of a winding stem is connected, carrying at least one spring and a rigid ring secured to the crown and comprising notches adapted to cooperate with the spring. In common use, a rotation of the crown causes a rotation of the pipe and thus of the winding stem, via the rigid ring and the spring. Owing to the device according to the present invention, when the mechanical resistance to the rotation opposed by the winding stem, via the pipe, exceeds a predefined threshold, the spring is deformed and is no longer driven in rotation by the rigid ring. Consequently, the winding stem is no longer driven in rotation in such conditions.

Abstract: The invention proposes a watch comprising a case which includes a middle part, a crystal and a display dial. The crystal includes an outer radial collar which abuts axially against the middle part and which is held axially against the middle part by means of a bezel. The bezel includes a lower annular radial surface which abuts axially against the top face of the collar. According to one feature of the invention, the collar includes a convex outer peripheral surface which is generally complementary to a concave inner surface of the bezel arranged opposite, underneath the radial abutment surface of the bezel and which abuts radially against said inner surface in the event of an axial shock applied to the crystal.

Abstract: A method includes a spectroscopic measurement step of pre-measuring a spectrum [S] of tera-hertz wave absorbencies of a target component for a plurality of frequencies ranging about from 1 THz to 3 THz, and an object spectroscopic step of irradiating an object with tera-hertz waves of the plurality of frequencies to measure absorbencies I of the object. Presence and absence of the target component in the object is determined on the basis of the spectrum [S] of the absorbancy S and the spectrum [I] of the absorbancy I of the object.

Abstract: A change-over apparatus for cooling a gas passage is provided with a cooling chamber and a gas cooling and circulating system. The apparatus is further provided with a stationary partition plate and a slidable shield plate. The stationary partition plate has a suction opening and a discharge opening which are independently communicated respectively with a suction port and a discharge port, and the slidable shield plate has a shield part for partially shielding the suction opening and the discharge opening, whereby it is possible to alternately change over the direction of the gas passing through the cooling chamber.

Abstract: The present invention proposes improving the yield of a microgenerator (1) used for operating a timepiece. Such a microgenerator operates on the basis of the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction, it is thus desirable to limit as far as possible the presence of magnetic masses in proximity to said generator. Research undertaken has shown that the electrically conductive paths (9), and even their single protective layer, arranged in proximity to the microgenerator brake it, when they are formed of a magnetic material, and in particular a ferromagnetic material. Thus, the selection of exclusively non-magnetic materials is proposed for manufacturing the conductive paths.

Abstract: A method for analyzing chemical and/or biological samples comprises the production of a particle image (42) of at least one particle included in the sample. Subsequently, a particle surface (10) of the at least one particle included in the particle image (42) is divided into particle zones (14,18). According to the invention, zone-dependent particle data are subsequently acquired in different states (z1, z2, z3), which then can be evaluated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polymeric optical waveguide film whose core and clad are constituted from polymer materials and which is characterized in that a protective layer of a polymer material having resistance to solvent attack higher than that observed for the clad is arranged on at least one of the surface and back face of the waveguide film. The present invention thus permits the preparation of such a film, the clad of which is hardly damaged, which is excellent in the resistance to solvent attack and which never undergoes cracking even when it is bought into contact with a commonly used solvent such as acetone.