Abstract: A process for producing an optical waveguide substrate including a ridge-shaped structural portion containing at least an optical waveguide, which process including the steps of forming an optical waveguide-forming layer on a substrate body to prepare a substrate workpiece, and forming said ridge-shaped structural portion at said substrate workpiece by grinding.

Abstract: The production and usage of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xenon which comprises providing solid xenon with either an internal (dissolved) or external (imbedded) nuclear spin relaxant, loading and positioning the solid xenon in a low temperature refrigerator operating in the range of 5 mK to 30 mK with a surrounding magnetic field of between about 10 and 20 Tesla enabling high xenon spin polarizations between about 10% and 50% to be obtained in a time of about 1-3 days owing to the properties of the relaxant, separating the xenon from the relaxant or otherwise rendering the relaxant inoperable after polarizing and thereby switching off further relaxation and insuring preservation of the polarization of the xenon in solid, liquid or gaseous form for storage or external use for long times, ranging from weeks to the order of minutes, depending on the usage conditions.

Abstract: A method of cleaning and disinfecting a contact lens, comprising the steps of: preparing a disinfectant which is an aqueous solution containing an iodine-complex polymer, and a diluent which is an aqueous solution containing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid and/or soluble salts thereof, and a nonionic surface active agent; mixing the disinfectant and the diluent to provide a mixed solution, such that an available iodine concentration of the mixed solution immediately after mixing is in a range of 0.01-50 ppm, and such that concentrations of the ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid and/or the soluble salts thereof, and the nonionic surface active agent in the mixed solution are in a range of 0.0001-1.0 w/v % and in a range of 0.01-1.0 w/v %, respectively; and immersing the contact lens in the mixed solution for cleaning and disinfecting the contact lens, resulting in gradual reduction of the available iodine remaining in the mixed solution, by the ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid and/or the soluble salts thereof.

Abstract: A vacuum pump, comprising at least one pump chamber (7, 8, 23 to 26) and at least one chamber (3, 5, 27) adjoining the pump chamber. The vacuum pump is fitted with a gas ballast device to avoid damage being caused in the adjoining chambers by the gases being pumped, the ballast gas being delivered via the chamber adjoining the pump chamber.

Abstract: A system of musical notation uses different base shapes for sharp and flat notes. The system is independent of key signature, thus enabling a student to concentrate on the physical aspects of playing an instrument instead of on the mental aspects of learning sight music. One embodiment uses different base shapes for all sharped and flatted notes. Another embodiment uses different base shapes for notes sharped or flatted by the key signature to enable the student to learn the effects of the conventional key signature.

Abstract: The invention is optical assembly for use in a barcode reader that includes a frame having a rear housing and a pair of arms outwardly extended from the housing. An optical card containing an imaging lens is slidably received in a rear guideway situated between the arms. An aperture card is slidably received in a front guideway situated between the arms in front of the lens. Lamp support brackets are also mounted to either side of the arms. Each bracket contains a pair of LEDs that are aligned in coplanar relation with the imaging lens. A cylindrical lens is mounted in front of the lamp support brackets within the arms of the frame to magnify and focus the illumination from the LED upon a target in barcode space. A horizontally extended field stop aperture is positioned in front of each LED.

Abstract: A contact lens disinfecting solution which does not include protease, wherein an organic nitrogen disinfectant and 0.01-5 w/v % of at least one polyol are contained in an aqueous medium.

Abstract: Apparatus (OTDR) for accurately locating and measuring the optical parameters and characteristics of fiberoptic cables which reduces the adverse effects of coherence noise without effecting the stability and repeatability of the acquired locating and measuring information.

Abstract: A mounting fixture for a pickup truck that has a bed that includes a front wall, a rear tail gate and a pair of side walls that diverge at a given angle from the tail gate toward the front wall. The fixture includes a pair of support units mounted upon each bed side wall that extends along the length of the bed. Each unit further includes a horizontal flat platform that is attached to an associated side wall and a side rail that extends downwardly from the platform into the bed. The side rails converge from the tailgate toward the bed front wall. Parallel guideways are formed in the platforms and side rail for slidably receiving various components therein.

Abstract: A process for forming a microstructure at a surface of a substrate made of a ferroelectric single crystal, includes the steps of subjecting the substrate to a single-poling treatment, thereby one of an etching-easy surface and an etching-difficult surface being exposed to one of main faces of the substrate, while the other being exposed to the other main face, forming a domain-inverted region in at least one of the main faces of the substrate, and forming the microstructure at the substrate in the domain-inverted region of the substrate by selectively etching the substrate.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooling the power electronics components of a variable frequency drive for the motor of a refrigerant system compressor. The components are mounted upon a heat sink and refrigerant from the system condenser is passed through the heat sink by means of a flow line and returned to the low pressure side of the system. A control valve is mounted in the flow line which throttles refrigerant passing through the line to produce cooling of the heat sink to maintain the temperature of the components within a desired range.

Abstract: Disclosed is an appearance inspection apparatus for inspecting whether an appearance state of a main actuator element is adequate or defective by applying an appearance-inspecting voltage to the main actuator element including an upper electrode formed on an upper surface of a shape-retaining layer and a lower electrode formed on a lower surface of the shape-retaining layer. The appearance inspection apparatus comprises an optical detecting unit for electrically detecting the appearance state of the main actuator element on the basis of light emission caused by the main actuator element, and a judging unit for judging whether the appearance state of the main actuator element is adequate or defective on the basis of a level of a detection signal supplied from the optical detecting unit. Accordingly, it is possible to realize high inspection accuracy, reduce inspection time, and simplify the inspection apparatus. Further, the present invention is also applicable to integrated electronic parts.

Abstract: A polymer insulator having a core member, an insulation overcoat member arranged on an outer surface of the core member, and a securing metal fitting fixed to an end portion of the core member in such a manner that the end portion is contacted with the insulation overcoat member is disclosed. The disclosed polymer insulator further includes a seal portion arranged at a boundary between the insulation overcoat member and the securing metal fitting, which is made of a sealing agent in which 80-250 parts by weight of ATH (Alumina trihydrate, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.3H.sub.2 O) is included with respect to 100 parts by weight of a polymer component. Therefore, the polymer insulator according to the invention has an improved tracking-erosion resistance performance.