Abstract: A discharge device includes a plunger unit (20) provided with three or more plungers (31), a plunger drive unit (60), a valve unit (40) including three or more metering bores (42) into which the plungers (31) are inserted, discharge ports (53) and a liquid material supply path (45) that are communicable with the metering bores (42), the valve unit (40) selectively taking a first position at which the metering bores (42) are communicated with the liquid material supply path (45) and a second position at which the metering bores (42) are communicated with the discharge ports (53), a valve drive unit (70) for switching over the valve unit (40) between the first and second positions, wherein the plunger holder (31) is detachably attached to the plunger drive unit (60) such that the number of the discharge ports and an interval therebetween can be changed depending on uses.

Abstract: An inkjet printer is provided. The inkjet printer can improve the efficiency of heating of a platen by a heater as compared to that in the related art. The inkjet printer includes: a print platen that has a supporting surface for supporting a recording medium onto which a recording head ejects ink, and a plurality of through-holes formed in the supporting surface; a print heater that heats the print platen; a fan that produces a flow of gas by making gas existing on a side of the supporting surface with respect to the through-holes move through the through-holes; and a sheet that is able to cover at least a part of the supporting surface, thereby shielding at least a part of the plurality of through-holes, and is able to change an area to cover the supporting surface.

Abstract: To provide a polycarbonate resin composition excellent in the surface hardness, the heat resistance, the moldability and the flame retardancy. A polycarbonate resin composition comprising at least a polycarbonate resin (a) and a polycarbonate resin (b) having structural units different from the polycarbonate resin (a), which satisfies the following requirements: (i) the pencil hardness of the polycarbonate resin (a) as specified by ISO 15184 is higher than the pencil hardness of the polycarbonate resin (b) as specified by ISO 15184; (ii) the glass transition point Tg(a) of the polycarbonate resin (a) and the glass transition point Tg(b) of the polycarbonate resin (b) satisfy the relation of the following (Formula 1): Tg(b)?45° C.<Tg(a)<Tg(b)?10° C.??(Formula 1) and (iii) the pencil hardness of the polycarbonate resin composition as specified by ISO 15184 is higher by at least two ranks than the pencil hardness of the polycarbonate resin (b) as specified by ISO 15184.

Abstract: A three-dimensional object forming device for forming a three-dimensional object that is at least in part colored by an additive manufacturing method includes a head section, a main-scan driver, and a controller. The head section at least discharges ink droplets of a plurality of colored ink for coloring and transparent ink. The controller controls operations of the head section and the main-scan driver so as to form a first color region formed by the first colored ink and the transparent ink and a second color region formed by the second colored ink and the transparent ink on a surface layer part of a lateral side surface of the three-dimensional object. The first region is formed along the lateral side surface on the surface layer part. The second region is formed along the lateral side surface at an inner side of the three-dimensional object with respect to the first region.

Abstract: Described herein are interposer substrate designs for warpage control, semiconductor structures including said interposer substrates, and fabricating processes thereof. An interposer substrate defines a cavity and further includes a reinforcement structure, wherein the reinforcement structure is used to control warpage of the semiconductor package structure.

Abstract: The apparatus includes: a head unit, a main scan driver, and a controller. The head unit has a plurality of nozzle arrays disposed next to one another in a main scanning direction and positions of nozzles in each of the nozzle arrays differ in an orthogonal direction from positions of the nozzles in other nozzle arrays. The controller is configured to set a two-dimensional printing mode and an object shaping mode. The main scan driver regulates a moving speed to a preset first speed and prompts the head unit to perform the main scan at the first speed when the apparatus is in the two-dimensional printing mode and regulates the moving speed at least at a certain timing to a second speed lower than the first speed and prompts the head unit to perform the main scan at the second speed when the apparatus is in the object shaping mode.

Abstract: An ophthalmological apparatus includes a base station having a light source generating light pulses, and an application head mountable on an eye having a light projector for focussed projection of the light pulses for punctiform breakdown of eye tissue. The application head has movement drivers moving the light projector in a feed direction and a first scanning direction. A scanner in the base station deflects the light pulses in a second scanning direction. The ophthalmological apparatus includes an optical transmission system transmitting deflected light pulses from the base station to the application head, and superimposing the light pulses deflected in the second scanning direction onto the movement of the light projector in the first scanning direction. Light sources with high light pulse rates, for example femtosecond lasers may be used, without impractical enlargement of the size of the application head.

Abstract: A bridge pier structure includes a damper having damping characteristics, a substructure joined with a lower end portion of the damper, and a pillar member provided upright on the substructure, a side surface of the pillar member being joined with an upper end portion of the damper. The damper is substantially parallel to the side surface of the pillar member.

Abstract: Front bumper assemblies for vehicles are disclosed. The front bumper assemblies may include a bumper reinforcement with a plurality of pedestrian energy absorbers positioned adjacent to a front face of the bumper reinforcement. The plurality of pedestrian energy absorbers are arrayed along a width direction of the bumper reinforcement. A plurality of bumper cover supports are positioned at least one of atop or adjacent the bumper reinforcement and may be attached to the bumper reinforcement. Each of the plurality of bumper cover supports is offset from the forward contact surfaces of the pedestrian energy absorbers in a front impact direction. Each of the plurality of bumper cover supports is more compliant in a front impact direction than in a vertical direction. As a result, a bumper cover of the front bumper assembly is more compliant in a front impact direction while being more rigid in the vertical direction.

Abstract: In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for operating a molten carbonate fuel cell at conditions that can improve or optimize the combined electrical efficiency and chemical efficiency of the fuel cell. Instead of selecting conventional conditions for maximizing the electrical efficiency of a fuel cell, the operating conditions can allow for output of excess synthesis gas and/or hydrogen in the anode exhaust of the fuel cell. The synthesis gas and/or hydrogen can then be used in a variety of applications, including chemical synthesis processes and collection of hydrogen for use as a fuel.

Abstract: Petroleum or other hydrocarbon samples can be analyzed in parallel by 1) GC-field ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer (GC-FI-TOF MS) and 2) two dimensional gas chromatography (2D-GC) equipped with a flame ionization detector (FID). The combined techniques allow for improved quantitative characterization of the compounds within a hydrocarbon sample. The techniques can be combined by correlating the 2D-GC FID data with the GC-FI-TOF MS data based on correlation of compound classes, correlation of retention windows within a compound class, correlation of individual compounds, such as paraffins, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to methods and apparatuses for ensuring the integrity of probe card assemblies and verifying that probe cards are ready for testing. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a stage that allows stable and precise movement of a sensor. The stage includes a first support, a second support, and a sensor carrier. A plurality of lifting devices is coupled to the second support and the sensor carrier, providing a more stable and precise movement for the sensor carrier. Methods for identifying objects other than the probes disposed on a surface of a probe card and to determine whether the probe card is ready for use are disclosed.

Abstract: A helical chute system for conveying articles from an upper elevation to a lower elevation within a building includes a chute wound about a vertical axis and being secured at both an inner edge and outer edge by one or more support rods where a portion of the chute is comprised of a plurality of angular chute segments secured together in a stepped relationship to one another where each chute segment has a first surface sloping downwardly to a second surface below the first surface. An inner skirt is attached to the inner surface of the chute for preventing articles from falling from the surface of the chute and an outer skirt is attached to the outer surface of the chute for preventing articles from falling from the surface of the chute. One or more of plastic panels are positioned along the outer surface of the angular chute segments abutting the outer skirt.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods related to fatigue testing are described. For example, some embodiments may contain a terminal fixer, a terminal support, a bending machine, and a stress-strain collector, and may be used for testing fatigue properties of offshore pipes, risers and their connectors. Some embodiments may be used to apply extruding, twisting and high frequency bending to the testing sample during one testing period, so that the various fatigue properties of the testing sample can be obtained.

Abstract: Provided in one embodiment is a method of treating a source water, comprising: providing a source water containing an amount of silicon-containing molecules; and exposing the source water to a plurality of organisms, whereby the amount is reduced after the exposure.

Abstract: A method for characterizing the saturates portion of a petroleum or hydrocarbon sample that includes compounds with boiling points of 1000° F. (538° C.) or higher includes use of laser desorption ionization (LDI) to desorb and vaporize petroleum saturates into the gas phase. After ionization, the saturate compounds cations can be detected using mass spectrometry. The mass spectrum generated from the ionized saturated compounds is then characterized by assigning molecular formulas to any “detected” masses that exhibit a peak with an intensity greater than a defined signal to noise threshold. After making the molecular assignments, the abundance of each assigned molecule can be determined based on the signal magnitude of the peaks in the mass spectrum. The assigned molecules and the corresponding abundances can then be grouped based on a variety of factors.

Abstract: A core-shell structured silicate luminescent material and a preparation method thereof. The molecular formula of the luminescent material is: MLn1-xSiO4:xRE@SiO2; where @ represents a coating, where M is one or two elements among Li, Na, and K, where Ln is one or two elements among Y, Sc, Lu and La, where the value of x is 0<x?0.6; and where RE is one, two, or three elements among Tb, Gd, Sm, Eu, Dy, Ce and Tm. The compositions of the luminescent material are all chemicals of increased chemical stability, and, when subjected to electron beam bombardment for an extended period, provide a stable matrix and do not decompose easily.

Abstract: A power switching apparatus includes: a first input terminal to which first power is supplied; a second input terminal to which second power is supplied, the second power having a voltage that is lower than a voltage that the first power has; a first output terminal to supply to an outside the first power supplied to the first input terminal; and a second output terminal to supply to the outside the second power supplied to the second input terminal. First switching means manages the supplying of the second power from the first input terminal to the second output terminal. Second switching means manages the supplying of the second power from the second input terminal to the second output terminal. A processor manages the supplies of the first power and the second power using the first and second switching means.

Abstract: A diagnostic monitoring system and method is employed for one or more vapor compression systems such as air conditioners and heat pumps having a compressor, an indoor air handler fan coil and an outdoor condensor. Temperature, voltage and current sensors are provided at the outdoor condensor to determine that at least one vapor compression system is operating properly. Data obtained from the sensors is wirelessly transmitted to a receiving-device for use by the systems' custodian or repair service provider and includes information concerning an occurrence of periods when one or more of the vapor compression systems are operating at an abnormal state.