Abstract: An electrostatic chuck for electrostatically clamping a semiconductor wafer while minimizing any plane temperature difference thereof has a dielectric layer joined to a metal plate and an inner electrode disposed in the di-electric layer. The dielectric layer has a raised outer rim disposed on an upper surface thereof along an outer peripheral edge thereof, and a plurality of protrusions disposed on the upper surface radially inwardly of the outer rim, the protrusions having upper surfaces for clamping the semiconductor wafer in direct contact therewith. The volume resistivity of the dielectric layer is 10.sup.9 .OMEGA.m or less, and Rmax (maximum height) of the clamping surfaces of the protrusions 5 is 2.0 .mu.m or less and or Ra (center-line average roughness) thereof is 0.25 .mu.m or less. The ratio of the total area of the clamping surfaces of the protrusions to the entire area of the upper surface of the dielectric layer is equal to or greater than 1% and less than 10%.

Abstract: A system for spraying water-based adhesive and a method of using the system is disclosed. The system includes a hot air gun connected to both a source of hot pressurized air and a source of flowable adhesive. The gun includes a body having a handle assembly and a spraying assembly. The handle assembly includes a depressible trigger and first knob for adjusting the amount of flowable adhesive in the spray gun and a second knob for adjusting the pattern of the spray. The spraying assembly includes a spray nozzle and control valves operably connected with the trigger for controlling the flow of pressurized hot air and adhesive. The spraying assembly also includes an air routing insert for routing air currents to the nozzle and an adhesive fluid tube for routing adhesive fluid to the nozzle. The adhesive fluid is atomized upon leaving the nozzle when combined with the hot pressurized air.

Abstract: In a vehicle steering control system, an actuating torque is applied to steerable wheels according to a steering torque applied to a steering wheel in a conventional manner, and an additional actuating torque is applied to the steering wheel by an electric motor according to lateral dynamic conditions of the vehicle so as to control the lateral stability of the vehicle even in the presence of external interferences such as crosswind. Such external interferences are detected as a lateral dynamic condition of the vehicle such as the yaw rate of the vehicle, and the steering control system produces a steering reaction which counteracts such a lateral dynamic condition by applying the additional actuating torque to the steerable wheels so that the vehicle may maintain a straight course in spite of such external interferences without requiring any intentional efforts by the vehicle operator.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing an aluminum or an aluminum alloy sintering, comprising successive steps of maintaining a rare gas atmosphere inside a sintering furnace while heating a compact of aluminum particles or aluminum alloy particles, together with a magnesium source; reducing the pressure inside the sintering furnace while heating further for thereby sublimating magnesium nitrogen to generate Mg.sub.3 N.sub.2 and bringing the generated Mg.sub.3 N.sub.2 into contact with Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 in the surface of the compact for the reduction of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, thereby effecting heating and sintering at a temperature lower than the melting point of aluminum. The process increases the bonding strength of the aluminum alloy particles while fully taking the advantage of a sintering process. Thus, it enables aluminum sinterings or aluminum-alloy sinterings improved in yield point, strength, and elongation.

Abstract: A method of playing a pattern forming game for two or more players.

Abstract: A louver assembly for directing airflow from an air duct. The assembly includes a discharge outlet adapted to attach to an air duct at an opening thereof; a plurality of directional louvers pivotably attached to the discharge outlet; and a lever, connected to the louvers, for selectively directing airflow from the air duct in a plurality of directions. The lever is pivotably connected to at least one of the louvers for concurrently movably adjusting an orientation of the louvers.

Abstract: A multifunctional visceral catheter having a self-guiding system in the form of a pair of electrochemical sensors which are sensitive to a predetermined analyte, the analyte being one which is removed from the vascular circuit of interest to a high degree, such as galactose in the hepatic venous system or creatinine in the renal venous system. One of the sensors is disposed on the catheter so as to be positioned within the venous system of interest, while the other sensor remains outside the venous system in the inferior vena cava. A substantial difference between analyte concentration values as measured via the two sensors provides immediate confirmation that the catheter is properly positioned, eliminating the need for fluoroscopy or other x-ray techniques.

Abstract: An actuator for effecting a steering action is controlled by a feed-forward variable based on a target steering angle, a state feedback control variable based on an actual steering angle, and an integral control variable given as a sum of an integrated value of a deviation between the target steering angle and the actual steering angle, and an integrated value cancelling variable based on the target steering angle. The integral control variable is disregarded when the detected load is greater than the threshold value. Typically, the integrated value cancelling variable consists of a feedback state variable based on the actual steering angle. Thus, by disregarding the integral control variable in a low speed condition that involves a high load condition but does not require a high tracking capability, the need for the output capacity of the actuator can be substantially reduced without creating substantially any ill effect.

Abstract: An upper arm in a suspension system for a vehicle includes a substantially plate-like body portion which is bifurcated in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body from a tip end side of the upper arm connected to a knuckle toward a base end side of the upper arm connected to a vehicle body frame, an outer flange extends downwardly from an outer edge of the body portion and then extends outwardly, and an inner flange extends downwardly from an inner edge of the body portion and then extends inwardly. The body portion and the outer and inner flanges are integrally formed from a single material blank through pressing. The vertical dimension of the inner flange closer to load application lines which connect a mounting hole for a ball joint for connecting the upper arm to a knuckle with mounting holes for a pair of rubber bush joints for connecting the upper arm to a vehicle body frame is larger than the vertical dimension of the outer flange farther from the load application lines.

Abstract: A video composition apparatus and method select segments from image source material stored on at least one storage media (either random access and/or serial access) and denote serially connected sequences of the segments to thereby form a composition sequence. The apparatus and method employ a pictorial labels associated with each frame of image source material, and also associates at least one of such labels with each segment for ease of manipulating the segments to form the composition sequence. The labels are displayed on a plurality of ordered spatial arrays of display monitors to simulate the temporal relationship between the segments in what is typically a "snapshot" non-temporal display. The composition control function is highly user interactive and responds to user commands for selectively displaying segments from the source material on a pictorial display.

Abstract: A multi-function fluid flow monitoring apparatus capable of measuring fluid flow-related variables of fluid in a channel on the basis of signals from any one or more of a plurality of different types of flow sensors. Such different types of flow sensors may include, for example, a bubbler-type pressure sensor, a submerged pressure transducer, an ultrasonic transducer, and/or a velocity sensor forming part of an area-velocity sensor system, each of which sensors may be selectively connected to the apparatus as needed to accommodate various monitoring conditions. The apparatus is further capable of monitoring various conditions of fluid in the channel, such as pH level, ORP, temperature, solution conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and the like.

Abstract: A flush toilet stool includes a toilet bowl and a trap drainage passage connected to the toilet bowl. The toilet bowl has a water jet hole defined in a bottom region thereof and opening toward the trap drainage passage. A pressurizing unit such as a water pump is coupled to the water jet hole for drawing water under lower pressure directly from an external water supply and expelling the water under higher pressure through the water jet hole toward the trap drainage passage to develop a siphon flow to discharge sewage from the toilet bowl through the trap drainage passage.

Abstract: A rain gutter which collects water from a roof portion and prevents other objects from entering therein, comprising an elongated tubular member having an opening defined longitudinally therealong; a flashing member which operatively connects to a lower roof portion and the upper surface of the tubular member so as to provide fluid communication therebetween; and a plurality of spikes inserted through an upper portion of the tubular member, for attaching to a roof portion or support therefor.

Abstract: A suspension system for a steered wheel includes a knuckle for steerably supporting the steered wheel about a king pin axis, and upper and lower arms pivotally supported on a vehicle body and connected at free ends thereof to upper and lower portions of the knuckle, respectively. This suspension system further includes a link mechanism which includes a first substantially vertically extending rod connected to the knuckle at a location more inward of the vehicle body than the king pin axis, and a second rod connected at one end to the first rod and at the other end to at least one of the vehicle body and the lower arm. A resilient device is connected to the link mechanism and adapted to exhibit a resilient force repulsive to the deformation of the link mechanism. Thus, even if the king pin offset is set at a small value, a restoring torque can be sufficiently insured in the steering device when steering through a large steering angle at a low speed.

Abstract: A method of, and an apparatus for extruding a billet of a light metal alloy, wherein the billet has an outer diameter smaller than a maximum configuration width and larger than a minimum configuration width of the die hole at its entry side. The billet is pressurized and extruded by a stem to form a preshaped portion which is larger than the entry side configuration of the die hole, at a frontal end portion of the billet near an entry portion of the die hole. The preshaped portion of the billet is subsequently shaped by the die hole into an extruded shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the die hole and of parts formed from the extruded billet, e.g., of an automobile suspension arm. A reduced resistance and a minimized extrusion pressure upon extrusion of a light metal alloy result from the preshaping of the billet and enable realization of a compact and less expensive arrangement of the production facility.

Abstract: In a vehicle suspension system including a hydraulic actuator between a sprung mass consisting substantially of a vehicle body and an unsprung mass consisting substantially of a wheel, a force proportional to but opposite in phase to an inertia force acting on the unsprung mass is applied by the actuator to the unsprung mass so that the ability of the tire to maintain contact with the road surface may be improved. This produces very little effect on the behavior of the sprung mass, but the vehicle handling is significantly improved. Better contact with the road surface not only improves the vehicle handling but also reduces the consumption of energy by the hydraulic actuator. A particularly favorable result can be obtained when the hydraulic actuator further applies a damping force proportional to the absolute velocity of the sprung mass to the sprung mass.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a novel cooking utensil for use in cooking food together with a conventional cooking vessel such as a covered skillet. The cooking utensil comprises a thin, substantially planar food-supporting cooking member having a bottom surface shaped substantially identically to a lower, inner surface of the conventional cooking vessel so that the food supporting member will substantially completely cover the lower, inner surface of the cooking vessel in flush contact therewith when the food supporting member is placed in the vessel, and handle means integrally connected to a central portion of an upper surface of the food supporting member for lifting and handling the food supporting member. The food supporting member preferably has a uniform thickness significantly smaller than the thickness of a bottom wall portion of the cooking vessel, and a continuous surface so that fluid cannot pass therethrough during a cooking operation.

Abstract: Provided is a vehicle steering system which can substantially stabilize the lateral dynamic behavior of a vehicle with a simple control logic over the entire range of the vehicle speed. A steering torque proportional to a yaw rate and/or a lateral acceleration of the vehicle is applied to the steerable wheels to counteract a lateral deviation of the vehicle. To avoid the oscillatory or overshooting behavior of the control system, a damping torque is applied to the steering wheel. Thus, the counteracting steering torque is given as a mathematical function including a sum of a first term consisting of a product of a yaw rate and/or the lateral acceleration of the vehicle and a first coefficient, and a second term consisting of a product of an angular speed of the steering wheel and a second coefficient.