Abstract: A thermal head has an insulating substrate, heat resistors formed over a surface of the insulating substrate, an individual electrode formed over the surface of the insulating substrate for supplying electric power to the heat resistors, and a common electrode connected to the individual electrode. A buildup electrode is disposed on the surface of the insulating substrate and is covered by the common electrode for reducing a wiring resistance of the common electrode. The buildup electrode has opposite main surfaces and a tapered side surface having a preselected taper angle relative to the surface of the insulating substrate.

Abstract: There are provided a power-consumption estimating means (a microcomputer M and a designated program) for estimating first electric power consumption required for driving a printing thermal head (10) and second electric power consumption required for driving an activating thermal head (40) of a thermally activating apparatus; a supply-power setting means (the microcomputer M and a designated program) for setting first electric power that can be supplied to the printing thermal head and second electric power that can be supplied to the activating thermal head within the allowable power range on the basis of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means; and an energization control means (the microcomputer M and a designated program) for energizing the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head on the basis of the first electric power and the second electric power set by the supply-power setting means.

Abstract: A cutter device has a movable blade, a stationary blade, and a clutch mechanism having a driven gear mounted for undergoing rotation in clockwise and counterclockwise directions and a driving gear for rotationally driving the driven gear about a rotational axis. A cutter drive mechanism has a rotation device connected to the clutch mechanism so that through one complete rotation of the driven gear the rotation device reciprocally moves the movable blade between a first region in which the movable blade is spaced apart from the stationary blade and a second region in which the movable blade cooperates with the stationary blade to cut recording paper. A rotation regulating device regulates rotation of the driven gear in the counterclockwise direction when the movable blade is in the first position.

Abstract: Providing a thermal head capable of preventing the adherence of a thermally active component, a thermal activation device for thermally active sheet employing the thermal head, and a printer assembly employing the thermal activation device.

Abstract: A thermal printer has a printing head, a platen for urging the paper against the printing head, a bearing for rotatably holding the platen shaft and having an engagement portion for holding the platen in place, a movable platen frame for moving the bearing between a first position to perform printing and a second position at which the bearing is spaced further apart from the printing head than in the first position, and a frame having an engagement groove engageable with the engagement portion of the bearing when the platen is moved into the first position to perform painting, the engagement groove having a shape corresponding to the engagement portion of the bearing. The engagement portion of the bearing has a symmetrical, non-circular shape with respect to a central axis of the platen shaft, so that idle rotation of the platen bearing is prevented.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a roll-off truck/trailer and a method for weighing the box that is positioned horizontally on the truck/trailer. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a weighing system mounted on a roll-off truck/trailer that has four lifts, two on each side of the truck/trailer, and load cells mounted on the lifts. The method of the present invention involves positioning a box in a horizontal position on the roll-off truck/trailer and lifting the box with load cells that are fixed on the top of lifts mounted on each side to the chasis of the truck/trailer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating p-type, i-type, and n-type III-V compound materials using HVPE techniques is provided. If desired, these materials can be grown directly onto the surface of a substrate without the inclusion of a low temperature buffer layer. By growing multiple layers of differing conductivity, a variety of different device structures can be fabricated including simple p-n homojunction and heterojunction structures as well as more complex structures in which the p-n junction, either homojunction or heterojunction, is interposed between a pair of wide band gap material layers. The provided method can also be used to fabricate a device in which a non-continuous quantum dot layer is grown within the p-n junction. The quantum dot layer is comprised of a plurality of quantum dot regions, each of which is typically between approximately 20 and 30 Angstroms per axis.

Abstract: A method of downhole fluid displacement and a plug utilized in the method according to which the plug is inserted in a pipe between two fluids for separating and displacing one of the fluids. The plug has a specific gravity of less than the fluid above it, so that, after the displacement operation, the plug floats to the top of the latter fluid for recovery.

Abstract: The invention provides an Internet learning support system by a computer system by which preparation of questions, collection of answer sheets, and totalization can be totally managed.

Abstract: A downhole tool for sealing a wellbore. The downhole tool includes a packer with a ball seat defined therein. A sealing ball is carried with the packer into the well. The movement of the sealing ball away from the ball seat is limited by a ball cage which is attached to the upper end of the packer. The ball cage has a plurality of ports therethrough for allowing flow into the ball cage and through the packer at certain flow rates. A spring is disposed in a longitudinal opening of the packer and engages the sealing ball to prevent the sealing ball from engaging the ball seat until a predetermined flow rate is reached. When the packer is set in the hole, flow through the frac plug below a predetermined flow rate is permitted. Once a predetermined flow rate in the well is reached, a spring force of the spring will be overcome and the sealing ball will engage the ball seat so that no flow through the frac plug is permitted.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for forming permeable cement sand screens in well bores are provided. The compositions are basically comprised of a hydraulic cement, a particulate cross-linked gel containing an internal breaker which after time causes the gel to break into a liquid and water present in an amount sufficient to form a slurry.

Abstract: A method for fabricating p-type, i-type, and n-type mn-v compound materials using HVPE techniques is provided. If desired, these materials can be grown directly onto the surface of a substrate without the inclusion of a low temperature buffer layer. By growing multiple layers of differing conductivity, a variety of different device structures can be fabricated including simple p-n homojunction and heterojunction structures as well as more complex structures in which the p-n junction, either homojunction or heterojunction, is interposed between a pair of wide band gap material layers. The provided method can also be used to fabricate a device in which a non-continuous quantum dot layer is grown within the p-n junction. The quantum dot layer is comprised of a plurality of quantum dot regions, each of which is typically between approximately 20 and 30 Angstroms per axis. The quantum dot layer is preferably comprised of AlxByInzGa1-x-y-zN, InGaN1-a-bPaAsb, or AlxByInzGa1-x-y-zN1-a-bPaAsb.

Abstract: A device that includes two heat exchangers, one attached to the ambient or to the hot parts of the refrigeration unit including a reservoir filled with high sensible heat liquid and the other attached to the evaporator of the unit, a closed loop circuit between the two heat exchangers and a pump that can circulate the liquid during defrost cycle, providing a controllable, intensive heat transfer from the warmed liquid to the evaporator coil in order to melt the frost deposits.

Abstract: A squeegee for use with a mobile surface scrubber to collect used liquid on a surface after being cleaned by the scrubber. The scrubber includes a mobile frame, a cleaning solution dispensing system mounted on the frame for wetting the surface with liquid, and at least one scrub brush attached to the frame for scrubbing the surface when wetted with liquid. In addition, the scrubber includes a vacuum system connected to the frame for removing liquid from the surface. The squeegee includes an elongate squeegee blade of flexible material having a lower edge engageable with the surface to collect the liquid on the surface for removal by the vacuum system. The squeegee also includes a series of openings through the squeegee blade extending up from the lower edge at intervals along the blade.

Abstract: A solenoid valve and timing module for use with a floor treating apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a reservoir for holding a cleaning solution, a flow control valve, a head assembly adapted to carry a floor treating device, a fluid flow line for delivering the liquid supply to a supply point adjacent to the floor treating device, an operator control, and a timing module for continuously opening and closing the flow control valve in response to the operator control.

Abstract: An optical sensor having at least one long period grating disposed within an optical waveguide is provided. The optical waveguide has a refractive index profile. The long period grating has a plurality of index perturbations spaced apart by a periodic distance .LAMBDA.. The long period grating promotes an excitation of confined propagating broadband light into higher order modes that excite a sensing mechanism. The excitation of confined propagating broadband light is spectrally dependent on the periodic distance of the long period grating and the refractive index profile of the optical waveguide.

Abstract: An optical sensor is provided. The optical sensor comprises an optical waveguide, at least one long period grating disposed within the optical waveguide and a reactive coating positioned in an operable relationship to the long period grating wherein the reactive coating causes the long period grating to produce a wavelength transmission spectrum functionally dependent on a parameter sensed. Such sensors may be used to measure physical, electrical and chemical parameters within a single system.

Abstract: A mobile surface scrubber for scrubbing a surface wetted with cleaning solution. The scrubber comprises a frame, a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on the frame, scrub brush means attached to the frame and positioned to scrub the wetted surface as the scrubber is transported over the surface, and a recovery system for recovering cleaning solution from the surface. The recovery system includes a return tank for retaining recovered cleaning solution, a rear squeegee pivotally connected to the frame, and left and right side squeegees mounted on the frame. The rear squeegee is positionable to contact the surface behind the scrub brush means when the scrubber is transported in the forward direction. The side squeegees are unvaryingly oriented with respect to the frame and positionable to contact the surface on opposite sides of the scrub brush means.