Abstract: A valve and method are provided wherein the valve has a membrane which is molded and cured in a naturally cupped or concave shape, but wherein the membrane is elastically inverted or deflected inside-out so that the direction of concavity is reversed. The membrane is positioned concentrically within a cylindrical or tubular dispensing spout so that the inverted membrane is cupped toward an exit direction of the spout. By inverting the membrane, a reliable radially-outward sealing bias is formed between a peripheral edge of the membrane against an interior of the tubular spout. When mounted on the bottom of a squeeze container, the valve is effective to dispense fluid from the container when squeezed, permit air to breathe back into the container after squeezing, and to sealably prevent leakage from the container.

Abstract: An electroplating apparatus includes an electroplating tank having a generally flat base on which a semiconductor substrate may be placed with a surface to be electroplated oriented upwardly. A first seal seals a tank body to the flat base and a second seal seals the tank body to a peripheral portion of the surface of the semiconductor substrate. A substantially sealed volume adjacent the surface of the semiconductor substrate is produced. A gas supply tube for pressurizing the volume and an electrolyte discharge arrangement for discharging electrolyte from the volume when pressurized by a gas introduced through the gas supply tube are also provided. The discharge tube extends through a wall of the tank body to a position immediately above the surface of the semiconductor substrate within the volume.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a unit load carrier which comprises a support for supporting at least a portion of the weight of the unit load, a fluid cell cooperatively arranged adjacent to the support and including a collapsible wall, and a mechanism for controlling the rate at which fluid is released from the fluid cell. In one exemplary embodiment, the support comprises a resilient cushion including a first side having a surface for supporting the portion of the weight of the unit load, an oppositely-facing second side, and an edge extending between the first and second sides; the fluid cell comprises a generally pillow-shaped air cell mounted to the edge of the support adjacent to the surface; and the controlling mechanism comprises an orifice disposed in the air cell and sized to limit the rate at which air is released from the cell.

Abstract: A novel pyridine derivative capable of increasing the dielectric anisotropy value (.DELTA..epsilon.) or optical anisotropy value (.DELTA.n) of liquid crystal compositions including the derivative and lowering the driving voltages of liquid crystal display elements using the composition, and also a liquid crystal composition containing the pyridine derivative are provided, which pyridine derivative is expressed by the formulaR--X--COO--Y--CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --Z--Awherein R represents an alkyl group or an alkoxy group each of 1-10 carbon atoms; X represents ##STR1## Y represents ##STR2## when Y is ##STR3## Z represents ##STR4## and A represents F, Cl or cyano group; and when Y is ##STR5## Z represents ##STR6## and A represents an alkyl group or an alkoxy group each of 1-10 carbon atoms.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a shrinkage compensated measuring device comprising a first scale calibrated in units of length, e.g., inches or centimeters, and a second scale calibrated in units of percent shrinkage. Each point on the second scale corresponds to a unique point on the first scale and indicates the percent difference between a reference point on the first scale and the unique point on the first scale. The shrinkage device also comprises a first array of lines, each line of the first array corresponding to a unique percent shrinkage, and a second array of lines extending across the first array such that the distance between any two lines of the second array as measured along one of the lines of the first array is inversely proportional to one minus the percent shrinkage corresponding to that line of the first array divided by one hundred.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor comprises a take-up shaft which is spring biased in a belt retracting direction; a planetary gearing having a sun gear nonrotatably mounted to the take-up shaft, a ring gear and a planet pinion; a mechanical tensionless mechanism which prevents the planet pinion from orbiting in the same direction as the belt retracting direction; and a motor actuated slack control mechanism meshing with the ring gear, wherein the tensionless state is established by preventing the orbiting movement of the planet pinion and the slack control is effected by rotating the ring gear.