Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a new apparatus and method for screening using porous backing material. More particularly, the invention encompasses an apparatus that uses a porous backing material which is adhered to a green sheet during the screening process. Basically, a backing layer having a very high porosity is adhered to a green sheet, while the green sheet is screened. During the drying process of the green sheet some of the screening fluids are absorbed by the porous backing layer, which allows the screened vias of the green sheet to have a smooth surface.

Abstract: A catalytic converter substrate comprising: a plurality of cell groups, each cell group comprising a plurality of air-flow cells extending axially through the substrate, each cell group comprising a first set of walls defining a radially outer periphery thereof and a second set of walls suspended by the first set of walls partitioning the individual air-flow cells from each other, wherein the first set of walls has a first effective thermal mass and the second set of walls has a second effective thermal mass, wherein the first effective thermal mass is greater than the second effective thermal mass.

Abstract: An interior automotive skin material comprises a thermoplastic resinous base coat/clear coat paint film bonded to the outer surface of a thermoplastically formable semi-rigid resinous backing sheet. The base coat/clear coat paint film is preferably formed by dry paint transfer techniques in which the clear coat layer and pigmented base coat layer are coated on a polyester carrier and dried, followed by transfer-laminating the base coat/clear coat paint film from the carrier to the backing sheet on which the clear coat layer forms a low gloss protective outer surface. The clear coat material preferably comprises an alloy of an acrylic resin and a fluoropolymer resin, preferably polyvinylidene fluoride. The low surface gloss of the outer clear coat is produced by a dispersed fine particulate filler such as silica combined with coating the outer clear coat layer on a matte carrier.

Abstract: A completely vented upholstered body of grid plates with a wave profile includes solid portions of the grid which pass through the wave extrema of its wave contour. Many of the solid portions of the grid preferably are disposed transversely to at least one wave propagation direction and, in each case, continuously over a large portion of a wavelength, at a distance from one another. There is only a limited, specified bending deformation, during which the solid portions of the grid can be deformed largely independently of one another as if they were individual spiral springs. As a result, the upholstered body has a high point elasticity despite the plate construction. By adroit dimensioning of the course of the wave thickness, an advantageous diffusion of stresses can be achieved without stress peaks. Moreover, the work of deformation is absorbed uniformly in the upholstered material. This results in a long service life of the upholstered body.

Abstract: This invention relates to substrates for paperboard packing with an improved sizing layer including a styrene maleic anhydride binder for reducing edgewicking. Such structures of this type, generally, reduce the edgewick in the paperboard package such that catastrophic failure of the paperboard package is substantially reduced.

Abstract: An enclosure panel for covering the access opening in an equipment compartment includes a main panel body which is constructed and arranged so as to attach directly to the equipment compartment in such a way as to substantially cover the access opening. The main panel body defines a plurality of oblong slots which are arranged into a plurality of side-by-side columns wherein each column is configured with a substantially uniform herringbone pattern. The herringbone pattern provides a unique and preferred compromise between a uniform pattern of oblong slots arranged in columns and rows and a uniform pattern of circular openings arranged in staggered rows and columns. By use of the uniform herringbone pattern the open area for preferred cooling air flow is achieved while at the same time maintaining the structural strength and integrity of the enclosure panel.

Abstract: Surface haze resulting from a rough surface of a substrate e.g. a fluorine doped tin oxide coated glass piece is reduced by coating the rough surface with a smooth surface coating of sufficient thickness to smooth out the rough surface e.g. coating the tin oxide layer with a silica film having a thickness of about 100 to 2000 Angstroms.

Abstract: The present invention involves an apparatus and method for gathering and removing yard waste. The apparatus includes two parts, a laminar sheet and a plurality of spikes. The laminar sheet is placed on the ground and secured using the spikes. A number of apertures pierce the sheet to allow oxygen to aspirate the plantlife below and to allow water from above to pass through. Clear plastic is preferably used to allow sunlight to reach the plantlife, but other colors and materials are possible if so desired. After leaves, tree limbs, and other yard waste have accumulated on the sheet, the spikes may be removed from the ground and the sheet and waste may be bundled together and discarded.

Abstract: A layer 1 is formed from carbon fibre strands that are pre-impregnated with epoxy resin to hold the fibers together. The strands of carbon fiber that make up the layer 1 comprise eight uni-directional sub layers that are assembled with their strands extending at different angles to each other. The assembled sub-layers that are impregnated with epoxy resin are then baked under pressure in an autoclave to form a composite layer 1. A laser is then used to burn through the layer to make the holes 2.

Abstract: A sock and shoe donning device to facilitate a user inserting his foot in a sock and a shoe simultaneously. A C-shaped structure preferably is about as tall as the distance between the bottom of the heel of a typical sock and the top edge of the sock. It is comprised of an approximately rectangular shaped sheet of thin semirigid flexible material molded into a shape with approximately vertical sides and a C-shaped horizontal cross section. A lower portion comprises: two lower support parts preferably separated from each other by about 6 inches which when compressed toward each other to fit inside the shoe react by applying force against the inside of the shoe to hold the structure firmly in place and two tongue parts separated from each other by about 51/2 inches which when compressed toward each other to fit inside the shoe react by forcing the tongue (and laces if any) of the shoe forward out the way while the user inserts his foot in the shoe.

Abstract: A supply feedstock intended for use in a workpiece finishing machine wherein individual workpieces are successively separated and presented in a predetermined fashion to an automated loading means. The feedstock includes a plurality of individual workpieces arranged in side-by-side order in the form of a continuous belt, or bandolier, of workpieces, each of the workpieces being interconnected at head and tail portions of the workpieces by integral webs, successive workpieces being trimmed from the bandolier and presented to a loading means, while the separated webs are discharged to waste.

Abstract: The present invention provides a constrained layer damper having slits and/or cutout(s) therein, which provides improved vibration damping performance. The constrained layer damper of the invention is useful, for example, for damping rotatable spacer articles and also rotatable storage media such as compact disks.

Abstract: A biaxially oriented polyamide resin film superior in slip characteristics and transparency, which comprises a polyamide resin containing surface-forming fine particles in a proportion of 0.03-0.80% by weight of the film, the film surface having protrusions formed by the fine particles contained in a proportion of 200-1,000 protrusions/mm.sup.2, and the area proportion of voids formed on the film surface being not more than 0.1%. The present invention provides a biaxially oriented polyamide resin film strong and superior in resistance to pinhole, laminating property and appearance, which is free of curling or peeling of laminated films (delamination) when subjected to boiling water treatment and which has superior properties as a packing material, particularly, a packing bag for retort-packed food.

Abstract: A unitary, monocoque, injection-molded skateboard (and method of making the same) which is characterized by an elongate composite body with a specific gravity in the range of about 0.75 to about 0.8, and including a foamed structural plastic mass having a distributed differentiated density, and contained within that mass, plural, elongate strands of reinforcing carbon fibre material.

Abstract: A sheet material which includes an apertured top layer formed of a non-absorbant, thermally non-conductive thermoplastic material, a non-woven layer having a first portion formed of a mixture of moisture-wicking and moisture-absorbent fibers affixed to the top layer, and, optionally, a second portion including fibers which are non-adsorbent and non-absorbent, and, in various embodiments, a barrier layer and/or cushioning layer forming a laminate in which the non-woven layer is sandwiched between the top layer and such other layers. The chemical formulation of the top layer of thermoplastic material can be varied to alter its coefficient of friction or degree of slip resistance depending upon the requirements of a particular application.

Abstract: A plastic molded article has an external appearance of a coated article and is formed by injection molding using a mold with a surface shaped by forming machining marks in the form of recesses over the entire mold surface. The resulting plastic molded article has a center line average roughness of the surface shaped of the plastic molded article less than 0.5 .mu.m and one of either an average slope within the range of 1.0.about.10.0.degree. or an average peak-to-peak interval within the range of 5.0-30.0 .mu.m.

Abstract: A formed piece comprises a substantially cylindrical outer surface layer of sheet material extending along a longitudinal axis of the formed piece from a first end to a second end of the formed piece, and inner layers of sheet material within the outer surface layer randomly arranged and creating air gaps between at least a portion of the inner layers. The surface layer and inner layers of sheet material are twisted around the longitudinal axis of the formed piece and along the length of the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: The present invention provides performance enhancing shoe components, and methods of making the same, comprising 1,4-polybutadiene and a rubber selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic isoprene rubber, polyisoprene, butadiene acrylonitrile rubber and ethylenepropylene diene modified rubber. The shoe components are most advantageously placed in the user shoe beneath the ball of the foot to increase energy return and thereby enhance athletic performance. The shoe components may be formed as midsoles and parts of midsoles, insoles and parts of insoles, or shoe inserts.

Abstract: Provided is a pre-burnished brake pad that has been contacted with a heat source having a power in the range of 250 Mw/m.sup.2 to about 500 Mw/m.sup.2.

Abstract: High sheet count rolls of spot-embossed, soft bathroom tissue suffer from embossing patterns becoming pressed out by the high winding tension necessary to confine the size of the roll to a diameter of about 5 inches. This size is necessary in order for such high sheet count rolls to fit within the bathroom tissue dispensers found in most households. However, by embossing the tissue between a resilient back-up roll and an engraved embossing roll having short male embossing element heights of only from about 0.005 to about 0.035 inch, the tissue sheet becomes simultaneously calendered, which lowers the sheet caliper (as measured under a compressive load). Because of the resulting lower caliper, the embossed sheet can be wound into the required roll size with less tension on the sheet, such that the embossing pattern for tissue sheets within the roll remains well defined.