Abstract: A methods for storing a searchable set of keywords includes concatenating the keywords to form a string, and defining one or more links between two or more characters in the string. A delimiting character separates the keywords in the string, and the links are pointers. Any inaccessible characters in the string are removed to improve the storage cost the method.

Abstract: A food preparation device such as toaster includes a chassis, a heating element, and a carriage for directly or indirectly supporting a food item. The carriage is movable with respect to the chassis to move the food item to or from a cooking position adjacent to the heating element. A shape Memory Alloy resistance member is connected between the carriage and the chassis. Electric circuitry controls voltage/current to the Shape Memory Alloy resistance member to selectively heat the resistance member and alter its shape to move the carriage to or from the cooking position.

Abstract: A single fabric testing apparatus is capable of measuring mechanical and thermal characteristics of a specimen previously carried out in separate testing apparatuses. The single apparatus is provided with a plurality of mechanical and temperature sensors and a heatable top plate. In use, a ram moves the top plate vertically downwards to press a fabric specimen against a bottom plate. The plate is surrounded by a fixed upstanding peripheral skirt against which an outer periphery of the specimen is bent to enable shearing and bending characteristics to be measured. The bottom plate is biased upwards by a spring which is compressed until the top plate is arrested by a fixed frame member. Further downward movement of the ram enables compressibility of the specimen to be determined. A rotatable section of the top plate can be turned by a stepping motor to determine the surface friction characteristics of the specimen.

Abstract: In-organic fillers are modified by in-situ co-polymerization of vinyl silane and another vinyl monomer. Vinyl silane couples with the filler by Si—O bonds. The remaining vinyl groups on the surface of the treated fillers then co-polymerize with the other vinyl monomer. The modified in-organic fillers treated by the in-situ co-polymerization are subsequently used to fill the polymer matrix. Tensile and impact strength of filler-reinforced polymer composites are improved remarkably.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of aryl methyl ketones converts a variety of ethyl arenas to the corresponding aryl methyl ketones using a dioxygen-containing gas as the oxidant. The catalyst used for the reaction is a metal complex bearing general formulas as disclosed.

Abstract: A method for studying and/or simulating mechanical properties of active structures applies a new type of element, namely active finite element through incorporation of a user-defined sub-programme into a conventional finite element code. The motion and stress-strain distribution of the active structure can be predicted using the finite element model that is constructed with the active finite elements. The active finite element is driven by a motor element that is activated by a mathematical function.

Abstract: Piezoelectric transformers have a number of favorable characteristics over traditional electromagnetic tranformers. However, the construction of piezoelectric transformers tends to be complicated, which may result in increasing manufacturing cost. Furthermore, such complex constructions may raise difficulties in the miniaturization of such devices. A ring-shaped piezoelectric transformer is developed in this invention for low voltage applications. One surface of the transformer is covered by two disc or ring-shaped electrodes separated by a ring-shaped separating segment, and the regions covered by the disc or ring-shaped electrodes served as the input and output parts of the transformer. This transformer may be fabricated relatively easily due to its simple structure. Furthermore, its size and thickness may be reduced relatively easily without increasing the difficulty of the fabricating process. The transformer may be used separately or in parallel.

Abstract: A method of electroplating an object includes providing a electroplating bath solution with one or more anodes therein, disposing an object to be electroplated in the bath, and passing a complex current waveform between the anode nodes and the object. The waveform is a cyclic alternating type having two portions, a positive triangular shaped portion including one or more spikes and a negative portion. The method further includes vibrating the object and/or agitating the bath solution.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the lateral yarn density distribution of a yarn uses selected X-ray radiation. Radiation absorption is determined in a number of narrow planes across the yarn and in two or more rotational orientations. The measuring takes place without any damage to or physical interference with the yarn.

Abstract: Amphiphilic latex nanoparticles comprise a core and shell, The core contains hydrophobic vinylic grafted copolymer and hydrophobic vinylic homopolymer, and the shell to which the hydrophobic vinylic polymer is grafted is a hydrophilic, nitrogen-containing polymer. Typically the particles are made by a process which involves generating radicals on the nitrogen atoms of said hydrophilic polymer, and then initiating free-radical polymerisation of said vinylic monomer, hydrophobic vinylic polymer separating to form latexes of highly monodispersed core-shell particles with the hydrophobic polymer as the core and said hydrophilic polymer as the shell.

Abstract: In-organic fillers are modified by in-situ co-polymerization of vinyl siloxane and another vinyl monomer. Vinyl siloxane couples with the filler by Si—O bonds. The remaining vinyl groups on the surface of the treated fillers then co-polymerize with the other vinyl monomer. The modified in-organic fillers treated by the in-situ co-polymerization are subsequently used to fill the polymer matrix. Tensile and impact strength of filler-reinforced polymer composites are improved remarkably.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the lateral yarn density distribution of a yarn uses selected radiation in the X-ray spectrum wavelength. Radiation absorption is determined in a number of narrow planes across the yarn and in two or more rotational orientations. The measuring takes place without any damage to or physical interference with the yarn.

Abstract: Gallium nitride and its related alloys have attracted much attention due to their important optoelectronic applications in blue to UV range as well as in the area of high-temperature electronics. Due to significant mismatches in the lattice constants and coefficients of thermal expansion between the GaN material and the sapphire substrate, GaN films typically exhibit large defect concentration and residual strain. In the present invention, a 20 nm thick low-temperature buffer layer is first grown on the sapphire substrate at preferably 500° C. This is followed by the growth of an intermediate-temperature GaN buffer layer (ITBL) at preferably 690° C. Finally, the epitaxial GaN layer is grown on top of the ITBL at preferably 750° C. It is found that the film quality is significantly affected by the use of an ITBL.

Abstract: A single fabric testing apparatus is capable of measuring mechanical and thermal characteristic of a specimen previously carried out in separate testing apparatus. The single apparatus is provided with a plurality of mechanical and temperature sensors and a heatable top plate 10. In use, a ram 9 moves the top plate 10 vertical downwards to press a fabric specimen against a bottom plate 14. The plate 14 is surrounded by a fixed upstanding peripheral skirt 15 against which an outer periphery of the specimen is bent to enable shearing and bending characteristics to be measured. The bottom plate 14 is biassed upwards by a spring 16 which is compressed until the top plate is arrested by a fixed frame member 18. Further downward movement of the ram enables compressibility of the specimen to be determined. A rotatable section 11 of the top plate 10 can be turned by a stepping motor 13 to determine the surface friction characteristics of the specimen.

Abstract: A portable ultrasound palpation device for measuring the Young's modulus and the thickness of a soft tissue layer includes a hand-holdable palpation probe having an ultrasonic transceiver connected in series with a load cell. During a test, the probe is placed on the tissue surface with a bony substratum. As the operator manually loads and unloads the probe on the tissue surface, a program embedded in a microprocessor module continuously causes the ultrasound emitter to emit ultrasound pulses into the soft tissue. The ultrasound echo signal reflected from the bony interface is received and its flight time is used by the program to calculate the original thickness and the deformation of the soft tissue. The corresponding load applied to the tissue is continuously recorded by the load cell, its driver, and amplifier module, and the data collection module.

Abstract: A novel recombinant Bacillus bacterial strain is constructed by genetic engineering which has high productivity of alpha-amylase. The Bacillus strain comprising an alpha-amylase gene inserted in the Bacillus chromosome under transcriptional control of a phage promoter. An efficient process for the rapid production of large amounts of alpha-amylase is also disclosed.

Abstract: OE yarn is passed through a drawing zone provided between a front roller and a back roller controlled to rotate at different velocities. An air jet nozzle is located between the two rollers and directs a jet of air at the yarn. The drawing causes improvements in various characteristics of the yarn making the processed yarn more suitable or useful for making up into textile articles.

Abstract: A tunable laser has a fibre Bragg grating anchored at each to relatively movable fixtures and an actuator coupled to the fixtures for creating relative movement that longitudinally stretches or compresses the fibre Bragg grating. Measuring means are arranged to directly monitor a longitudinal separation between the fixtures and a microprocessor that is programmed to respond to signals from the measuring means controls the actuator to change the separation between the fixtures to tune the laser to a desired wavelength.

Abstract: This invention provides a toy vehicle incorporating actuators made from a shape memory alloy material. These actuators may be in the form of a spring, wire or similar form that has a mechanical response upon the application or removal of heat. In particular, wires may be connected about hinges for doors, hoods, convertible roofs and other such items which, upon the application of heat to the wire of shape memory alloy, causes contraction of the wire and rotation about the hinged joint of the body part. As such shape memory alloy actuators are generally only operably in a single direction, they may be provided in pairs or in opposition to another biasing means to cause the opposed rotation about the joint when desired. The preferred source of heat to the shape memory alloy actuators is through the provision of electrical energy to the wire to create heat through the resistance of the shape memory alloy actuator itself.

Abstract: A sensor for an ultrasonic bonding apparatus comprises a piezoelectric material located between the ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic concentrator of the bonding apparatus. The sensor has at least two outputs for measuring different bonding parameters, the outputs being chosen to optimize the signal response for the bonding parameters in question.