Abstract: The invention relates to a process for filling a plastic container (1) having a high degree of molecular orientation with a liquid, which process comprises the following steps: filling of the container (1) with a liquid at high temperature; cooling the walls (5) of the container (1) during the filling step; sealing of the container (1); cooling of the walls (5) of the container (1) during the sealing step; passive shrinkage of the container (1) following said sealing step; and cooling of the walls (5) of the container (1) following the shrinkage step. The invention also relates to a device for implementing said process and to a container thus obtained.

Abstract: A photopolymer plate manufacturing process utilizes a modified substrate and mask to generate pre-cut and interchangeable single and multi-part stamp dies. Using a modified substrate and mask, a conventional photopolymer plate can be manufactured with a plurality of independent pattern or stamp areas that are readily removable and replaceable on the substrate and do not require cutting. The resulting material is also securable to a plastic stamp or the like without an adhesive, thereby facilitating a stamp with exchangeable patterns. Additionally, with a further modified mask, the stamp dies can be manufactured in two or more separable pieces, which can then be selectively interchanged among multiple stamp dies. An alignment tool facilitates installation of the stamp dies on the stamp mechanism.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dispersion of antimony or indium doped tinoxide nanoparticles in an organic solvent, comprising a) 5-75 wt % of nanoparticles having a mean average size between 1 and 100 nm. b) a solvent comprising a hydroxyl group and an ether group. c) a water content of less then 15 wt %. d) a dispersant content of less then 0.1 wt %. The invention also relates to a method of making such a dispersion, by I. Making a mixture of an aqueous dispersion of antimony or indium doped tinoxide particles having an average size between 1 and 100 nm, a solvent comprising a hydroxyl group and an ether group, which forms an azeotrope with water, and a grafting compound. II. Heating the mixture under stirring at a temperature between 20 and 150° C. III. At least partially removing the solvent/water mixture. IV. Optionally adding more solvent. V. Repeating steps III and IV till the water content of the obtained dispersion is less then a desired value and the concentration solid is between 5 and 70 wt %.

Abstract: A stator includes a stator-core having slots and teeth, and a back-yoke having convex and concave portions. The convex portions are partially inserted into the slots, and the concave portions receive the teeth. The teeth include tip portions whose circumferential widths become larger along a radial direction from the inside to the outside of the stator. The back-yoke includes convex portions whose circumferential widths become larger along the radial direction from the outside to the inside of the stator. The tip portions and the convex portions have substantially the same shape. The length of a joint portion between the tip portion and the convex portion, the circumferential width of the tooth corresponding to a tip surface of the convex portion, the width of a root portion of the tooth, and the circumferential width of the convex portion corresponding to a bottom face of the concave portion are substantially the same.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to an electrode (e.g., front electrode) for use in a photovoltaic device or the like. In certain example embodiments, a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) based front electrode for use in a photovoltaic device is of or includes zinc oxide, or zinc aluminum oxide, doped with yttrium (Y). In certain example embodiments, the addition of the yttrium (Y) to the conductive zinc oxide or zinc aluminum oxide is advantageous in that potential conductivity loss of the electrode can be reduced or prevented. In other example embodiments, a low-E coating may include a layer of or including zinc oxide, or zinc aluminum oxide, doped with yttrium (Y).

Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator (20) comprises a stator (22), a piston (24), and a key (26). The stator comprises a stator frame (30) having an axial direction (32), the stator frame in turn comprising a magnetic member (50) and a base (52). The base (52) is separated by a gap (56) in the axial direction from the magnetic member (50) and positioned so that magnetic flux extending through the magnetic member (50) also extends through the base (52). The piston (24) is configured to reciprocate within the stator frame (30) in the axial direction (32). The key (26) is configured and position both to locate the base (52) with respect to the stator frame (and thereby provide the gap) and to absorb energy when the piston (24) strikes the base. A flux transfer flange (60) is configured to concentrate magnetic flux extending through the magnetic member (50) in a radial direction into the base (52).

Abstract: A boss and orifice plate assembly comprising an annular boss adapted to be secured in a hole formed in a combustor component, said boss formed with an annular seat supporting a replaceable orifice plate, and an annular retaining ring groove adjacent said seat, said seat extending radially inwardly of said annular retaining ring groove; and a retaining ring seated in said retaining ring groove and at least partially and resiliently engaged between a surface of said groove and a surface of said orifice plate.

Abstract: Each pixel region includes first, second, third and fourth liquid crystal domains that come to have first, second, third and fourth predetermined tilt directions, respectively, in response to a voltage applied. The first, second, third and fourth directions are defined such that an angle formed between any two of the four directions is approximately equal to an integral multiple of 90 degrees. The first, second, third and fourth liquid crystal domains are arranged in two columns and two rows so as to define a matrix pattern and to be adjacent to each other. An extended portion of a storage capacitor line defines at least a part of a central opaque portion that selectively shields at least a part of a boundary area, where each of the first, second, third and fourth liquid crystal domains contacts with another one of the liquid crystal domains, from incoming light.

Abstract: An input device incorporating a motion sensor which detects a motion of the input device is worn on the body of a player, and in accordance with motion data detected by the input device, the player object is caused to move along a predetermined route on a course set in a virtual three-dimensional space. The course includes at least one branch point at which the course branches off into a plurality of routes. The motion data outputted from the motion sensor is successively acquired, and a moving speed of a player character is set in accordance with the motion data. Further, at the branch point on the course, a branching direction of the player object is set in accordance with the motion data. The player object is then caused to move along a route in the set branching direction at the set moving speed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a branched non dendrimeric macromolecule, comprising: a) providing an addition product of an ?,?-olefinically unsaturated compound and an amine comprising at least two hydroxyl groups; and b) esterifying at least part of the hydroxyl groups of the addition product with an olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid, an olefinically unsaturated carboxylate anion or an olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid anhydride. The invention further relates to macromolecules obtainable by a method of the invention.

Abstract: Swabs, and materials of the present disclosure, and methods of making same, include randomly arranged sea-island bicomponent fibers which have randomly splayed terminal ends.

Abstract: A connector includes a body portion having an inner peripheral surface defining a cylindrical insertion hole for inserting therein a connection member and an O-ring. A recess portion is provided in the inner peripheral surface of the body portion, and is opened in the body portion in a radial direction of the body portion, at a position on an inlet side of the insertion hole than the arrangement position of the O-ring. Furthermore, the recess portion extends in an axial direction of the body portion and has an end portion on a side of an arrangement position of the O-ring, and the end portion of the recess portion becomes in an acute angle shape which is acute toward the arrangement position of the O-ring. Alternatively, an angle reducing portion may be provided in the recess portion on a side of the arrangement position of the O-ring.

Abstract: Device for the replacement of sterile containers (1) containing concentrated products in apparatus for the production of beverages from these concentrated products, said sterile containers (1) being provided with a union (3) having a one-way valve for dispensing the product, said device comprising a body (5) with a seat (6) for engagement with said union (3), said seat (6) being in fluid connection with the chamber (4) into which the concentrated product and at least the liquid for reconstituting the beverage are supplied, as well as locking means (15, 16, 17) for keeping the said union (3) in position inside said seat (6). Sensor means (18) are provided between said body (5) with the seat (6) for engagement with the union (3) and said locking means, said sensors (18) detecting the relative position of the said locking means (15, 16, 17) with respect to the body (5) and emitting a corresponding signal.

Abstract: A current detection resistance in a sensor control device is connected to a sensor element. The current flowing in the sensor element is detected through the current detection resistance. The current detection resistance is connected to an inverting amplification circuit for outputting an air/fuel output voltage to be transferred to a microcomputer. An offset setting circuit is connected to one input terminal of an operational amplifier in the inverting amplification circuit. The offset setting circuit is comprised of a switching element, a resistance connected in series to the switching element, and two dividing voltage resistances whose common node is connected to the resistance. The offset setting circuit generates and gives an offset to the A/F output voltage. The switching element is turned ON and OFF based on an offset switching signal transferred from the microcomputer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preferentially breaking cross-links in a vulcanised rubber, thereby de-vulcanising the rubber, by the use of a supercritical fluid, such as carbon dioxide. The supercritical fluid maintained at an appropriate solubility parameter, swells the vulcanised rubber to a state of equilibrium swell. The cross links (3) become fully extended and under strain to hold the internal pressures caused by the solvent swelling affect of the supercritical gas. When equilibrium swell has been achieved, the pressure within the processing vessel is rapidly dropped to a level of not less than 60% of the level at which saturation took place, causing a degassing and expansion of the supercritical fluid that has been absorbed within the vulcanised rubber. The resulting three dimensional separation of the rubber molecules will put a further rapid strain on the cross links, causing them to break (7), thereby giving the affect of de-vulcanization.

Abstract: An ion generator for generating positive ions and negative ions is externally attached above a main body of an image forming apparatus. A ratio between positive ions and negative ions which are generated by the ion generator is switched between two ratios in accordance with whether the image forming apparatus is in an operating state or a standby state so that more negative ions are emitted during the operating state. This makes it possible to suppress an effect of an exhaust gas which contains chemical emissions such as an odor and a VOC and which is discharged from the image forming apparatus and to purify an indoor air.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for adding one or more additives to an engine lubricant, while the lubricant is circulating within an engine having an engine lubricant filter with a by-pass valve which opens when the pressure of the lubricant passing through the filter exceeds a pre-determined back-pressure value in which the apparatus further comprises an additive chamber containing one or more additives operably connected to the by-pass valve such that when the by-pass valve opens at the pre-determined back-pressure, at least some of the lubricant is caused to flow through the additive chamber and contact the one or more additives.

Abstract: A forehead support for a mask assembly includes a frame connector provided to a mask frame, a forehead cushion support movably mounted to the frame connector for generally linear movement between retracted and extended positions with respect to the frame connector, and an adjustment knob movably mounted to the frame connector and threadably engaged with the forehead cushion support such that turning movement of the adjustment knob causes the forehead cushion support to be moved between the retracted and extended positions. The adjustment knob, forehead cushion support, and frame connector are constructed and arranged such that over-rotation of the adjustment knob beyond the extended position of the forehead cushion support is adapted to release the adjustment knob from the forehead cushion support and the frame connector.

Abstract: A method of analysing biomedical signals, for example electrocardiograms, by using a Hidden Markov Model for subsections of the signal. In the case of an electrocardiogram two Hidden Markov Models are used to detect respectively the start and end of the QT interval. The relationship between the QT interval and heart rate can be computed and a contemporaneous value for the slope of this relationship can be obtained by calculating the QT/RR relationship for all of the beats in a sliding time window based on the current beat. Portions of electrocardiograms taken on different days can efficiently and accurately be compared by selecting time windows of the ECGs at the same time of day, and looking for similar beats in those time windows.

Abstract: A first substrate (20) is subjected to an alignment treatment for controlling an alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules of a liquid crystal layer, an alignment control region (R60) is provided in at least a part of a Y-direction interelectrode region (R52) between respective adjacent pixel electrodes (60), and an extension direction (D10) of the alignment control region (R60) is at an angle of not less than ?15° and not more than +15° with a direction in which the alignment treatment is carried out (D20).