Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a multicolored shaped body for further processing to form a dental restoration, and to a device for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A method for producing a silicon ingot having a directional solidification structure comprising the steps of: placing a silicon raw material into a crucible of a melting device constructed by mounting a chill plate on an underfloor heater, mounting a crucible with a large cross-sectional area on the chill plate, providing an overhead heater over the crucible, and surrounding the circumference of the crucible with a heat insulator; heat-melting the silicon raw material by flowing an electric current through the underfloor heater and overhead heater; chilling the bottom of the crucible by halting the electric current through the underfloor heater after the silicon raw material has been completely melted to form a molten silicon; chilling the bottom of the crucible by flowing an inert gas through the chill plate; and intermittently or continuously lowering the temperature of the overhead heater by intermittently or continuously decreasing the electric current through the overhead heater, and an apparatus for pro

Abstract: A method for manufacturing ceramic boards for use as finishing construction materials is provided, which includes the steps of: blending raw materials at predetermined ratios; mixing the blended raw materials with water to prepare a mixture; kneading the mixture to remove bubbles; molding the bubble-free kneaded mixture into planar wares having a face; engraving a predetermined pattern on the face of the planar wares and then filling the patterns with a colored inlay material to form inlaid surfaces; drying the engraved and inlaid wares; polishing the inlaid surfaces to expose the patterns; primarily calcining the wares having exposed patterns at a temperature of 800° C. to 900° C. for a predetermined period to prepare primary ceramic boards; coating a glaze mixture composed of components at fixed ratios on the faces having the exposed patterns to prepare glazed wares and then drying; and secondary calcining the glazed wares at a temperature of 1250° C. to 1350° C. for a predetermined period.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a silica glass that is substantially free of chlorine. The method includes the step of separately expelling a silicon tetrafluoride gas, a combustion gas, and a combustible gas from a burner made of silica glass, the flow velocity of the silicon tetrafluoride gas being within the range of about 9 slm/cm2 to about 20 slm/cm2. The method further includes the steps of producing minute silica glass particles by reacting the silicon tetrafluoride gas with water produced by a reaction of the combustion gas with the combustible gas, depositing the minute silica glass particles on a target, and producing the silica glass by fusing and vitrifying the minute silica glass particles deposited on the target.

Abstract: A microabrasive tool is formed from a slurry including liquid, abrasive grains, a bonding material, and a polymer—for example, gellan gum. The slurry is cast in a mold, and the polymer is ionically cross-linked. Cross-linking the polymer fixes the structure of the bonding material and the abrasive grains, wherein the abrasive grains are dispersed substantially uniformly within the bonding material. The ionically cross-linked structure of bonding material and abrasive grains can then be fired to form a microabrasive tool.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the dry-forming of crockery, using isostatic molds, wherein a powder is compressed within an isostatic mold and subjected to close-together pressure pulses during the exertion of the compacting pressure.

Abstract: A method of removing substantially all of the volatile component in a green, volatile-containing ceramic article is disclosed. The method comprises freezing the ceramic article; and then subjecting the frozen article to a vacuum for a sufficient time to freeze-dry the article. Frequently, the article is heated while being freeze-dried. Use of this method efficiently reduces the propensity for any warpage of the article. The article is often formed from a ceramic slurry in a gel-casting process. A method for fabricating a ceramic core used in investment casting is also described.

Abstract: A method for making working mold tools for use in a compression molding process for molding optical glass elements from high temperature glasses having Tg's in the range of from about 400° C. to about 850° C. An yttria aluminosilicate glass is fabricated by traditional melting and casting processes to thereby make an amorphous base material having a minimum apparent viscosity of 1015 poise at the temperature at which the optical glass elements are to be molded. A mold preform is made from the base material. A first surface figure for the optical element to be molded with the working mold tool is defined. A second surface figure for a master mold tool and a third surface figure for the working mold tool are computed based upon the first surface figure and the coefficients of thermal expansion of the optical element, the master mold tool, and the working mold tool, the temperature at which the working mold tool is molded, and the temperature at which the optical element is to be molded.

Abstract: A cigar holder is a large size 50 mm “binder clip” modified in a way to hold various sizes of cigars between the opposed gripping means above the clamping element. The device will clip onto a narrow surface up to 20 mm in diameter. The cigar holder includes a clamping element, a pair of opposed gripping means which when pressed together, open the clamping element for securing the device to any stationary surface 20 mm in diameter or less within the clamping elements. The improvement comprising two bends in the opposed gripping meand forming a shape that will receive and hold a cigar or golf club.

Abstract: Refractory investment material and method for forming a positive replication of a tooth structure on which a high-alumina based porcelain tooth restoration is to be formed, the material being formed from a refractory powder which includes calcined alumina mixed with a liquid carrier comprising an aqueous colloidal dispersion of silicon dioxide. The method comprises the steps of: preparing a negative impression of the tooth structure on which a tooth restoration is to be placed; forming a positive replication of the tooth structure by pouring the mixture of refractory powder and aqueous dispersion into the negative impression; allowing the positive replication to harden; removing the positive replication from the negative impression for degassing and cooling; and coating the positive replication with a mixture of high-alumina porcelain in an aqueous carrier to form a core layer of porcelain on which subsequent layers of high-alumina porcelain may be applied.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of forming a composite article comprising the steps of forming a plurality of green ceramic elements, wherein the green ceramic elements are arranged side by side, and the green ceramic elements are spaced from each other by gaps; filling the gaps with a second material; and sintering the green ceramic elements with the second material to form the composite article. The second material, after being sintered, acts as a reflector layer to prevent substantially all light in one of the sintered ceramic elements from reaching an adjacent sintered ceramic element. The step of filling the gaps may be carried out by forming a slurry containing the second material in powder form and immersing the green ceramic elements in the slurry. The process of cosintering the green ceramic elements with the reflector composition provides improved dimensional control during sintering and reduces processing costs.

Abstract: A transparent scintillator material for rapid conversion of exciting radiation, such as x-rays, to scintillating radiation. The scintillator material has a cubic garnet host, and has praseodymium as an activator. The scintillator material may be a polycrystalline ceramic material. The polycrystalline ceramic is formed by sintering a powder formed by precipitation. The scintillator material may be integrated into computed tomography (CT) equipment or other x-ray imaging equipment. The scintillator material may also be integrated into a fast response x-ray detector system.

Abstract: The invention utilizes green support structures during sintering to maintain the shape, reduce sagging and prevent separate part sections from coming into contact and fusing together during the sintering process. In the most preferred embodiment, monolithic green structures are form with integrated support green structures that are released from the parts after sintering. Preferably monolithic green structures are formed by the Mold Shape Deposition Manufacturing (Mold SDM) process. By the method described, complex sintered structures can be made having interlocking and independently movable interlocking parts.

Abstract: Secondary smoke is harmful to passive smokers. A filter sleeve (1) comprises a sleeve (10) with a downstream portion (11) adapted for receiving inhale smoke into an inhalation flow path (13), an upstream portion (12) adapted for inhalation of said inhale smoke and for receiving exhale smoke into an exhalation flow path (14), filter means (15) provided along said exhalation flow path (14), and means (16) for checking reverse flow of ambient air through said exhalation flow path (14). A filter sheath (3) is adapted for overlaying a significant expanse of the sidestream smoke emission areas of a rod of smokable material (7), said filter sheath (3) is sufficiently porous and significantly unimpaired by combustion.

Abstract: Silica sols exhibiting desirable yield-dilatancy are fabricated. A mixture comprising silica, water, and a pH-adjusting agent is provided, and the mixture is shear-mixed. The desirable properties of the resultant sol are attained by using a concentration of pH-adjusting agent that provides a viscosity within a particular range during shear mixing. The requisite pH range, however, changes depending on the properties of the silica mixture. A discovered technique for determining this changing pH range is by selecting the pH based on the silica surface area per unit volume of the mixture.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for production of a metal oxide thin film and a method for production of an arrayed metal oxide functional device, comprising the steps of: preparing a sol containing a material and a solvent; gelating the sol to give a gel member; processing the gel member under a pressure of not less than 0.2 MPa at 100 to 400° C. in a water-vapor-containing atmosphere; and conducting a heat treatment on the water-vapor-processed gel member at 200 to 400° C.

Abstract: A cigarette holder utilizing the components of a rifle cartridge is disclosed. The rifle cartridge includes a tubular cartridge case having a bullet received therein at one end thereof. An elongated member is secured to the base of the bullet and extends therefrom for connection to an alligator clip. When the holder is not being used, the bullet is inserted into the cartridge case so that the elongated member and alligator clip are positioned within the powder chamber of the cartridge case. When it is desired to use the cigarette holder, the bullet is removed from the case and a cigarette is positioned between the jaws of the alligator clip.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for cooling a quartz tube used in fabrication of an optical fiber preform by modified chemical vapor deposition. The apparatus has a nozzle ring supplied with a coolant. The nozzle ring has at least two vent sections that are be separatable for detaching the quartz tube from a lathe during processing, and a plurality of vents formed along the inside of the two vent sections for ejecting the coolant.

Abstract: An automatic filter tip attaching machine includes a mechanical structure moved by a computer program to automatically attach three filter tip stages a, b, c to cigarettes, with a chemical powder filled in the filter tip b to absorb nicotine and tar completely from cigarette smoke.

Abstract: The invention relates to a water-repellent glass pane having a glass substrate and a water-repellent film formed thereon. This glass pane is prepared by a first or second method. The first method includes sequential steps of (a) mixing together a raw material for producing the water-repellent film, an organic solvent for diluting the raw material, and water for hydrolyzing the raw material, such that the raw material is subjected to hydrolysis and then to dehydration and polycondensation, thereby to turn a mixture of the raw material, the organic solvent and the water into a sol; (b) adjusting water content of the sol, thereby to prepare a coating liquid; and (c) applying the coating liquid to the glass substrate, in an atmosphere having a first temperature and a relative humidity.