Abstract: The invention provides a sensor with a reference electrode and a flowing electrolyte which is particularly useful for measuring the ion concentration of a process solution. The invention includes a sensor having a pressurized reservoir which provides flow of an electrolyte, a non-metallic solution ground and a resistance temperature device bonded to a non-metallic solution ground. The invention provides sensors with greater accuracy and stability by minimizing or eliminating ingress of contaminants from a process solution through the external junction of the sensor.

Abstract: The invention provides a sensor with a reference electrode and a flowing electrolyte which is particularly useful for measuring the ion concentration of a process solution. The invention includes a sensor having a pressurized reservoir which provides flow of an electrolyte, a non-metallic solution ground and a resistance temperature device bonded to a non-metallic solution ground. The invention provides sensors with greater accuracy and stability by minimizing or eliminating ingress of contaminants from a process solution through the external junction of the sensor.

Abstract: A lifetime-prediction system generates an estimate of the remaining lifetime of a system component on the basis of the amount of time and the extent to which a measured-variable signal generated by the system component exceeds a stress threshold. The accumulation of measured-variable signals and the estimation of the remaining lifetime are performed locally to the system component, thereby reducing data traffic between the system component and a centralized processor and ensuring portability of the system component.

Abstract: A method for determining the pulsatile flow characteristics in fluid flow driven by a periodic pressure disturbance includes the step of evaluating the spectrum of a signal representative of the vortices generated by a vortex flowmeter. Because of the periodic pressure disturbance, the signal is an FM signal in which a carrier, having a frequency corresponding to the vortex-shedding frequency in the absence of pulsating flow, is modulated by the periodic pressure disturbance. The pulsation frequency and amplitude are then estimated on the basis of the separation between adjacent sidebands of the spectrum of the FM signal and the relative amplitudes of the sidebands.

Abstract: This invention relates to a multi-layer lithographically fabricated device used to produce improved thin-film recording heads. It further relates to a focused particle beam system for milling a recording head pole-tip assembly without irradiating a sensitive structure, e.g. a read head, of the recording head. The invention precisely forms a pole-tip assembly by milling a second structural element without irradiating a first structural element. The invention avoids irradiating the first structural element by placing a first marker element, which can be imaged and/or damaged, in the same layer of a multi-layer lithographically fabricated device as the first structural element. The marker element has a fixed spatial relationship to the first structural element.

Abstract: A method for changing the difference between the number of active controlled variables and the number of available manipulated variables in a multivariate control system. Controlled variables can be adaptively classified into one of an ordered plurality of classes, with each class having a rank that defines its position within the order. If the number of active valid controlled variables exceeds the number of available manipulated variables, the active controlled variables from the lowest ranking class having active controlled variables are then deactivated according to a predefined priority order by setting their associated setpoints equal to their measured values. Otherwise, inactive controlled variables from the highest ranking class having inactive controlled variables are reactivated according to the same predefined priority order by setting their associated setpoints to the desired setpoint values.

Abstract: In a position control system for monitoring the position of a valve, a signal transmitter for generating a signal indicative of a valve position includes a shaft coupled to the valve and rotatable to an azimuth angle indicative of the valve position. The signal transmitter includes a signal flag mounted on the shaft in either a calibration state or an operating state. In the calibrating state, a signal-flag adjuster sets the azimuth angle of the signal flag independently of the shaft or of any other signal flags. In the operating state, the signal flag rotates with the shaft.

Abstract: The method of the present invention is used to join two dissimilar materials together, and particularly to transfer a film to a substrate when the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the film and the substrate is very big. A hydrophilic surface is created on one material and an atmosphere reactive metal element is deposited on the surface of another material. When the materials are tightly contacted, with the reactive element pressed against the hydrophilic surface, the reactive metal element reacts with the moisture from the hydrophilic surface at room temperature. Strong bonds form during the reaction joining the two materials together. Because the procedure takes place at room temperature, extremely low stress is built in. The film joining is successful even with a big thermal expansion coefficient difference between the materials, such as exist between GaAs and silicon and between silicon and sapphire.

Abstract: There is disclosed an NMR probe including a body defining an internal chamber. This chamber is adapted for supporting a vacuum and the body is of a non-magnetic material. A conduit extends through the chamber in the body. The conduit has a first portion in communication with second portions, the first portion being intermediate the second portions, with the first and second portions of non-magnetic materials with substantially equal thermal expansion coefficients. An RF coil is positioned along at least a substantial portion of the first conduit portion. It is preferred that this device also include a field or frequency lock unit in the chamber, as well as a getter, to allow for degassing in the chamber to maintain the preferred high pressure vacuum. A method of using this NMR probe for NMR analysis is also disclosed.

Abstract: A communication system and method for continuous phase modulation providing for transmission of a phase-modulated carrier having a phaseform representative of concurrently transmitted symbols. The phaseform of the phase-modulated signal is a sum of shift bi-orthogonal functions, each term in that sum being weighted by one of the overlapping symbols. The communication system and method provide full-response demodulation for the recovery of a particular symbol from among the concurrently transmitted symbols by selecting a receiving filter function shift bi-orthogonal to the transmitter filter function corresponding to the particular symbol. The communication system and method then provide for nulling, by integration over a time interval during which the particular symbol is transmitted, those transmitter filter functions that do not correspond to the particular symbol. This results in the separation of the particular symbol from the other concurrently transmitted symbols.

Abstract: Information is transmitted to a network by a system which receives data from a first processor into a first FIFO and from a second processor into a second FIFO. Data exiting the first FIFO is discarded. As data is received into second FIFO, data exiting the FIFO is transferred to the network. When and end-of-message indication is detected in the received data, the contents of the FIFOs are compared. If a miscompare occurs, transferred data from the second FIFO to the network is caused to be in error. Accordingly, a message sent to the network from the second FIFO will be rejected either by the network or by a receiving node.

Abstract: A pressure transmitter apparatus having a unitary body portion, separate diaphragms and flange elements and disposed within the body, a first and second normally vertical pressure passage. The first and second pressure passageways communicate respectively between first and second pressure openings extending normally horizontally through the body portion, and a transducer mounting element. The mounting element, coupled to the body portion and located above the pressure passageways, mounts a transducer that generates a differential pressure signal. One or a pair of diaphragm elements are configured to form first and second process diaphragms, closing first and second pressure openings. The flange element overlies the diaphragm element and is removably and replaceably secured to the body portion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vortex flow meter for ultra pure applications. The vortex flow meter of the invention employs a smooth and continuous fluorocarbon layer to coat a number of fluid accessible surfaces of the flowmeter. The coating prevents or minimizes contact between the process fluid and the fluid accessible surfaces of the flowmeter, thus allowing the flow meter to measure the flow rate of a process fluid having a level of purity of typically one part per trillion without contaminating the fluid. The flowmeter of the invention is advantageously less costly and more accurate than conventional flow meters for ultra pure applications.

Abstract: In a three-wire RTD interface, a known current is connected to a first lead during a first measurement interval. In this configuration, current is directed to the first lead and into an RTD. This results in a first signal indicative of a first voltage drop resulting from the voltage drops across the RTD and the lead resistance of the first lead. During a second measurement interval, current is directed through a second lead having a lead resistance substantially identical to the lead resistance of the first lead. This results in a second signal indicative of the voltage drop resulting from the second lead. The first signal, the second signal, and the known current are then combined to eliminate the effect of the lead resistance and to determine the resistance of the RTD.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing a moulded soft confectionery item. The soft confectionary item is relatively soft at room temperature and therefore difficult to handle mechanically at room temperature. The confectionery item can be selected from the group consisting of at least one of caramels, fudges, fondant creams, toffees, and jellies, the confectionery item further based on at least one of starch, gelatine, pectin, agar-agar, gum Arabic, and soft fondant creams. The process and apparatus includes a method and apparatus for depositing a liquid form of the confectionery item into a mold, by the use of gravity, subjecting the mold, together with the liquid confectionery item deposited, to a low temperature environment between 0° C. and −196° C. so as to solidify at least the exterior of the deposited confectionery material, and demolding the resulting solidified item of confectionery.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating an image of a target into a directly scattered component and a multiply scattered component by providing a stationary field stop having a first region and associated detector confocal to a point on the target. During a first interval, a light source directs a first beam to the target and the directly scattered component is selected by the first region. During a second interval, the light source directs a second beam to the target and the multiply scattered component us selected by the first region and its associated detector. Alternatively, a light source directs a first beam to the target and the directly scattered component is selected by the first region of the field stop and its associated detector, while the second region and its associated detector select for multiply scattered light.

Abstract: A digital signal processing system operating in conjunction with a vortex flowmeter passes a digital representation of a flowmeter signal into a multistage decimator having two outputs. The two outputs correspond to the vortex flowmeter signal downsampled to two different sampling frequencies. One of the two outputs passes to an on-line channel having an adaptive bandpass filter for tracking the fundamental frequency of the vortex flowmeter signal, thereby continuously monitoring the flow rate. The other of the two outputs passes to an off-line channel having a tunable bandpass filter that can be used to observe frequency components other than those near the fundamental frequency. The system thus enables maintenance personnel to conveniently monitor the noise spectrum generated by the flow without interrupting the operation the flow measurement.

Abstract: A filter system employs a pressure differential to draw liquid from a first liquid vessel through a filter media to a filtered liquid chamber. A pressure assembly generates a reduced pressure in the chamber. One embodiment of the filtration apparatus includes a liquid vessel above a filtered liquid chamber. A laterally extending fluid-pervious support forms a septum between the liquid vessel and the filtered liquid chamber. The support can be a perforate plate and supports filter media. The apparatus includes a wheel element mounted in spaced relation to the perforate plate and at least a portion of which is located in the vessel. An indexing mechanism, illustratively employing a pneumatic actuator selectively rotates the wheel element for indexing the media.

Abstract: The present invention provides a relatively compact-sized pulse combustor which efficiently reduces an undesirable explosion and combustion noise without any bulky muffler. In the pulse combustor of the invention, a compensating sound is generated in an exhaust conduit synchronously with pulsative explosion and combustion. The compensating sound has a sound pressure identical with that of a noise in the exhaust conduit but a phase opposite to that of the noise, thus effectively compensating the noise in the exhaust conduit and efficiently reducing the noise from an exhaust outlet.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved valve-less pulse combustor including a plurality of combustion systems and one common air supply system, wherein the air supply system includes an air supply controller which interferes with air supply to a combustion system under non-combustion conditions so as to effectively prevent a cooking medium in a tank of the combustion system from being cooled by the air supplied. The air supply controller may be a solenoid valve or a damper using a solenoid or a motor as a driving source.