Abstract: A polymer dispersant for pigments based on an acrylic graft copolymer wherein the graft copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of at least 3000 and has 10 to 90% by weight of a polymeric backbone and 90 to 10% by weight of macromonomer side chains attached to the backbone and wherein the graft copolymer has at least about 1% by weight of a pigment anchoring group selected from the group consisting of an aromatic ester group, aromatic amine group, and quaternary ammonium group, or mixtures thereof, attached to the backbone or the macromonomer. These materials disperse a wide variety of pigments and are useful in solvent borne coatings where they can provide improved efficiency of pigment use, lower paint viscosity, and reduced emission of volatile organic solvent.

Abstract: A communication protocol that is configured to extend the battery life of devices that monitor and/or affect body parameters and is particularly useful in a system comprised of a system control unit (SCU) and one or more implanted devices. Each such implanted device is configured to be monitored and/or controlled by the SCU via a wireless communication channel. The time between battery rechargings is determined by the battery capacity and the device's power consumption. Accordingly, the present invention reduces their average power consumption by reducing the usage duty cycle of their power consuming transmit and receive modes used to communicate with the SCU. By dedicating addressable time slots to each of the implantable devices in the system and limiting their use of receive and transmit modes to time periods proximate to these time slots, the average power consumption is accordingly reduced.

Abstract: A method for the production of springs in winding machines provided with one or two winding noses at the winding mandrel of the spring, wherein the or at least one of the winding noses is initially rotated through a given angle such as to create the appropriate stress in the end turn of the spring and subsequently the nose is rotated into one or more angular positions to provide the stress required for the subsequent turns. The spring production machine for carrying out such a method provides angular rotation of the winding nose or noses for winding the wire of the spring, for example levers controlled by a pneumatic or oleodynamic control or an electric motor.

Abstract: A fast hardening clear coating composition for repairing a clearcoat/colorcoat finish of a vehicle, which composition is capable of being wet sanded, buffed or polished to a high gloss finish on the same day of application, comprising a film forming binder and an organic liquid carrier, where the binder contains a hydroxyl component comprising a hydroxyl-containing acrylic polymer and a hydroxyl-terminated polyester oligomer, and an organic polyisocyanate crosslinking component, at least portion of which comprises a trimer of isophorone diisocyanate, where the composition further contains, as a combined curing catalyst, at least one dialkyl tin aliphatic carboxylate, at least one tertiary aliphatic mono or diamine, and at least one aliphatic carboxylic acid, in an effective amount such that the clear coating composition on curing at ambient temperatures is in a water spot free and sufficiently hard state for sanding or buffing within about 4 hours after application or on cool down when baked under normal cond

Abstract: This invention provides for a two-pack solvent based coating composition that cures in two stages when applied over substrates. The first stage of the cure takes place rapidly under ambient conditions to produce a coating surface that can be readily sanded or buffed. Thereafter, over a period of days a second stage cure takes place to produce a coating having excellent coating properties. Thus, a coated component, such as automotive body, can be speedily moved out from a spray booth without affecting the surface quality of the coated surface. As a result, coating operation productivity can be increased. The aforedescribed dual cure properties of the coating composition result from including in a binder component of the coating composition an acrylic polymer having secondary amine and hydroxyl functionalities. The composition is most suited for use in automotive refinish applications.

Abstract: A new saw blade and a method of manufacturing such a saw blade are disclosed. The saw blade is made from a hardenable steel sheet in one piece and comprises a plain cutting blade from which a cranked mounting part, having a central mounting opening, protrudes. To manufacture such saw blades, blanks are cut out from a hardenable steel sheet and subsequently deep-drawn to provide the cranked mounting part. The mounting openings may be produced by stamping, thereafter. A plurality of such blanks is stacked over each other and clamped in a fixture, subsequently annealed for recrystallization and austenization and quenched thereafter, to harden the blanks. Finally, saw teeth are provided along the outer edges of the cutting blades.

Abstract: CF3CHFCHF2 production is disclosed which involves reacting CF3CF═CHF with HF at an elevated temperature over a catalyst selected from the group consisting of aluminum fluoride, fluorided alumina, metals supported on aluminum fluoride, metals supported on fluorided alumina and catalysts comprising trivalent chromium. Also disclosed is enrichment of CF3CF═CHF from a starting mixture containing CF3CF═CHF and CF3CH═CF2 which involves reacting said starting mixture with HF at an elevated temperature over a catalyst consisting essentially carbon, a catalyst consisting essentially of metal halides supported on carbon, a catalyst consisting essentially of Cr2O3, or mixtures thereof (provided that when Cr2O3 is present the temperature is about 250° C. or less) to produce a product mixture containing CF3CH2CF3 and unreacted CF3CF═CHF wherein the mole ratio of CF3CF═CHF to CF3CH═CF2 is greater than the ratio thereof in the starting mixture.

Abstract: Processes are provided for the electrodialysis of a (di)alkali metal salt of an aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid to produce a free aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid and the alkali metal hydroxide, in the presence of a selected alkali metal salt. These various embodiments represent efficient and economical methods for recovering the alkali metal hydroxide, as well as the parent organic compound, from these dialkali metal salts. These processes also desirably prevent overvoltage during the electrodialysis.

Abstract: Process for producing a multi-layer lacquer finish, in which a surfacer coating compound is applied to a substrate optionally pre-coated with a priming layer and/or further coating layers, and a top coating comprising a colour-imparting and/or special-effect-imparting base lacquer layer and a transparent clear lacquer layer, or a top coating comprising a pigmented one-layer top lacquer, is then applied, in which coating compounds which contain binders which are curable by free radical and/or cationic polymerisation are employed as the surfacer, the base lacquer and the clear lacquer as well as the one-layer top lacquer, and wherein the said binders are cured by means of high-energy radiation.

Abstract: A display includes an encapsulated display media, a rear electrode, and a movable electrode. The encapsulated display media comprises a plurality of capsules, each capsule comprising a plurality of particles dispersed in a fluid. The display media has a first surface and a second surface. The rear electrode is disposed adjacent the second surface of the display media. The movable electrode and the rear electrode apply an electric field across the display media.

Abstract: A high heat-set efficiency, high unload power spandex, based on a polyurethaneurea prepared from a polyether glycol, mixtures of 2,4′-MDI and 4,4′-MDI, and chain extenders, is provided.

Abstract: A shoe including an upper, a lower attached to the upper, and an outsole attached to the lower is presented. In one embodiment, the outsole has a ground contacting surface which includes a first section and a second section, with the first section being formed of a first material and the second section having an outer later formed of a fabric material. The first section is free of the fabric material and is instead formed of other suitable materials, such as rubber, leather, etc. The outsoles and uppers are configured so that they can easily be mixed and matched with one another for assembly of the shoe at time after each of the individual components is separately made.

Abstract: A composite film is described which consists of a primary unfilled polyester layer and a secondary polyester layer containing from 1 to 8% by weight, based on the weight of the secondary polyester layer, of finely divided silica particles having a volume weighted mean particle size diameter D[4,3] of from 2.3 to 6.2 micrometers. The composite film is used in backlit displays such as illuminated signboards and provides uniform light transmission while maintaining the same strength of illumination at all points over the area of the display.

Abstract: Random, melt-processible copolyimides are disclosed herein. These copolyimides are semicrystalline and exhibit recoverable (semi)crystallinity from their melts. Associated processes, which entail either solution polymerization or melt polymerization, for producing and fabricating these copolyimides into useful articles having a predetermined shape are also disclosed.

Abstract: A tunable optical notch filter employing a Fabry-Perot etalon has a first partially reflective mirror and a second mirror with variable effective reflectivity. Both the gap of the etalon and the effective reflectivity of the second mirror can be controlled, e.g. by TAB actuators, enabling a control of the central wavelength and the depth (loss) of the notch of the spectral response of the filter.

Abstract: A planar optical attenuator designed as a MEMS structure has a mirror opposite an input and an output waveguide, and a TAB actuator for lateral displacement of the mirror relative to the input port and/or output port. The effective reflectivity of the mirror is variable as a function of the lateral location on the mirror. The optical attenuation is varied by varying the location on the mirror at which the optical beam is reflected.

Abstract: This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase in a transformed host cell.

Abstract: This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a sterol metabolism enzyme. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the sterol metabolism enzyme, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the sterol metabolism enzyme in a transformed host cell.

Abstract: This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding an enzyme involved in the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the enzyme involved in the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the enzyme involved in the N-end rule pathway of protein degradation in a transformed host cell.

Abstract: Two gene clusters have been isolated from an Brevibacterium sp HCU that encode the enzymes expected to convert cyclohexanol to adipic acid. Individual open reading frames (ORF's) on each gene cluster are useful for the production of intermediates in the adipic acid biosynthetic pathway or of related molecules. All the ORF's have been sequenced. Identification of gene function has been made on the basis of sequence comparison and biochemical analysis.