Abstract: A system for anticipating low-speed bearing failure triggers a notification when a noise generated by the low-speed bearing exceeds a threshold. The system predicts failure far in advance of the actual failure. The system includes an accelerometer for detecting the noise generated by the bearing. The signal produced by the accelerometer is processed using a band pass filter, an amplifier/rectifier, an averaging filter, and a voltage to current converter. The signal and raw data are transmitted to a remote monitoring system, such as a computer. The signal is further analyzed, such as to produce a best-fit line. When the signal exceeds a predetermined threshold, such as when the amount or the slope of the best-fit line exceeds a value, the remote system notifies a monitor to schedule maintenance.

Abstract: A system for anticipating low-speed bearing failure triggers a notification when a noise generated by the low-speed bearing exceeds a threshold. The system predicts failure far in advance of the actual failure. The system includes an accelerometer for detecting the noise generated by the bearing. The signal produced by the accelerometer is processed using a band pass filter, an amplifier/rectifier, an averaging filter, and a voltage to current converter. The signal and raw data are transmitted to a remote monitoring system, such as a computer. The signal is further analyzed, such as to produce a best-fit line. When the signal exceeds a predetermined threshold, such as when the amount or the slope of the best-fit line exceeds a value, the remote system notifies a monitor to schedule maintenance.

Abstract: An electropolishing or electroplating system and method for metal conveyor belts is described. In some embodiments, the system has a metal conveyor belt held in constant tension; a tank for holding an electrolytic fluid, the tank having an interior space suitable to contain the fluid, a metal plate and the metal conveyor belt; and an electrical current supply. In an electropolishing application, the current passes from the metal conveyor belt, through the fluid and into the metal plate. In an electroplating application, the current passes from the metal plate, through the fluid and into the metal conveyor belt.

Abstract: A link member having a replaceable wear component and a conveyor belt comprising a link member having a replaceable wear component are described. One aspect of the present invention provides a sacrificial or replaceable wear component that is attached to a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt can be any type of conveyor belt, such as a grid-type or flat-wire conveyor belt. The wear component is attached by mechanical or other means to allow its removal after a certain wear limit has been achieved. A new component can be installed to bring the conveyor belt to nearly new condition. This will extend belt life because only the wear component needs to be replaced, rather than the entire belt.

Abstract: A link member having a replaceable wear component and a conveyor belt comprising a link member having a replaceable wear component are described. One aspect of the present invention provides a sacrificial or replaceable wear component that is attached to a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt can be any type of conveyor belt, such as a grid-type or flat-wire conveyor belt. The wear component is attached by mechanical or other means to allow its removal after a certain wear limit has been achieved. A new component can be installed to bring the conveyor belt to nearly new condition. This will extend belt life because only the wear component needs to be replaced, rather than the entire belt.

Abstract: An electropolishing or electroplating system and method for metal conveyor belts is described. In some embodiments, the system has a metal conveyor belt held in constant tension; a tank for holding an electrolytic fluid, the tank having an interior space suitable to contain the fluid, a metal plate and the metal conveyor belt; and an electrical current supply. In an electropolishing application, the current passes from the metal conveyor belt, through the fluid and into the metal plate. In an electroplating application, the current passes from the metal plate, through the fluid and into the metal conveyor belt.

Abstract: A low-cost and easy to manufacture static structure and method for soundproofing walls, floors, and/or ceilings of rooms in new and/or existing construction utilizes an asphalt based flexible membrane as one or more sound absorbing layers which may be applied to an existing wall panel or first applied to one or more unmounted wall panels to form a laminated structure which is then affixed to the walls, floor or ceiling to be soundproofed. The wall panel is preferably gypsum wallboard. Each sound absorbing layer, in addition to soundproofing, may also serve to prevent or at least reduce air or water infiltration to and from the room.

Abstract: A self-adhesive product having a laser slit release liner and method provide improved performance and lower materials cost in self-adhesive products such as roofing and underlayment products, through-wall flashing, below-grade waterproofing and other rolled or flat roofing or other such self-adhesive weatherproofing products. A single piece release liner is applied to a roll or liner of material over a self-adhesive layer of the material. The release liner is cut into two or more segments using a laser beam. The laser beam oxidizes the adhesive region of the self-adhesive material in the area under the laser beam used to slit the release liner, thereby eliminating or minimizing unwanted adhesion caused by the migration of adhesive material when the product is rolled, stacked or stored. The laser beam may be used to create two or more segments in the release liner in a linear or curvilinear fashion.

Abstract: A low-cost and easy to manufacture static structure and method for soundproofing walls, floors, and/or ceilings of rooms in new and/or existing construction utilizes an asphalt based flexible membrane as one or more sound absorbing layers which may be applied to an existing wall panel or first applied to one or more unmounted wall panels to form a laminated structure which is then affixed to the walls, floor or ceiling to be soundproofed. The wall panel is preferably gypsum wallboard. Each sound absorbing layer, in addition to soundproofing, may also serve to prevent or at least reduce air or water infiltration to and from the room.

Abstract: An electrochemical battery includes at least two electrically interconnected electrochemical cells. Each electrochemical cell has an anode including carbon, and a cathode including a modified lithium metal oxide including at least one additional element selected from the group consisting of nickel, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, and combinations thereof. A Schottky diode is connected between the anode and the cathode. The battery is balanced by fully discharging it to a fully discharged state, and then operated in cycles of charging and discharging.

Abstract: A scanning array antenna employs a solid rotating core having an anisotropic refractive index within an apertured waveguide that emits radiation in response to an input beam propagating through the waveguide. Rotating the core changes its refractive index relative to the input beam, causing the radiated beams to undergo an angular scanning. The solid rotating waveguide core can be formed from a dispersion of aligned elongate conductive members in an isotropic dielectric, from a liquid crystal medium, or from a dispersion of aligned elongate conductive members in a liquid crystal medium. The antenna is operable in reciprocal transmission and reception modes.

Abstract: A liquid crystal is used as the phase modulating medium in a microwave phase modulating cell (20). Applied electric and/or magnetic fields transverse to the direction of wave propagation create a birefringence that changes the velocity of wave propagation and the index of refraction of the medium. The phase modulating cell (20) is used singly or in arrays to direct microwave beams.

Abstract: A composite material (20) has electrically conducting, elongated particles (22) dispersed in a liquid crystal (24). The index of refraction to microwaves is controllable by the application of a transverse electric field that aligns the liquid crystal material (24) and the particles (22). A phase modulating cell (31) is formed by placing the composite material (20) inside a microwave wave guide (32), with transverse electrodes (36) built into the sides of the wave guide (32). Another set of transverse electrodes or magnet pole pieces (30) can be provided to align the liquid crystal material (24) and the particles (22) in another direction, thereby switching the index of refraction of the cell (31). The particles (22) may be made of a ferromagnetic material, to permit magentic as well as electrical switching.

Abstract: A shaped voltage pulse is applied to a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) cell to control its transmission characteristics. The voltage has an initially high level that substantially exceeds the PDLC's threshold voltage. The initial voltage duration is relatively short, and is followed by a gradual reduction of the voltage to a level less than the threshold voltage within a given time frame; the voltage is preferably reduced at a generally exponential rate. Fast response is obtained by setting the initial voltage substantially above the voltage level that corresponds to the desired transmission level in the steady state; the voltage decays from its initial level so that the PDLC transmission actually peaks at the desired range. The shaped waveform forces the PDLC to operate on a hysteresis curve along which the reduction in transmission is delayed as the voltage decays, thereby increasing the cell's optical throughput. The invention is particularly applicable to liquid crystal light valves.

Abstract: A high contrast display is provided by illuminating a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) display panel through opposite edges thereof. Light is scattered out the front of the panel from non-activated areas of the PDLC in which the refractive indices of the liquid crystal and polymer matrix materials are mismatched. For a direct view transmission mode display, the rear of the panel is blackened so that activated areas of the PDLC in which the refractive indices of the materials are matched transmit edge-illuminated and ambient light and appear black. For a reflection mode display usable in combination with projection optics, the rear of the panel is provided with a mirror surface, and ambient light is prevented from reaching the panel.

Abstract: A method of forming a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) film is disclosed which consists of forming a solution of LC dissolved in a monomer, photopolymerizing the solution to form a film having a dispersion of LC bubbles therein, establishing a correlation between the LC bubble size and selected characteristics of the film, selecting a LC bubble size corresponding to desired film characteristics, and controlling the conditions of photopolymerization to achieve said LC bubble size. The LC bubble size is controlled by means of the UV exposure intensity, exposure temperature, exposure wavelength, LC concentration and/or concentration of polymerization initiator. Correlations are noted between LC bubble size and the resulting film's threshold and operating voltages for optical transmission, contrast ratio, absolute transmissivity and electro-optical response times.

Abstract: Liquid crystals are induced to assume a uniform tilted alignment in the absence of an applied field by treating the surface of a substrate to provide a desired tilted surface microstructure and free hydroxyl groups. A long chain alcohol having the formula ROH, where R is a carbon chain having at least about 6 carbon atoms therein, is chemically reacted with the tilted surface microstructure and the alkoxy groups derived therefrom are chemically bonded to the microstructure. Subsequently introduced liquid crystals assume a tilted-perpendicular alignment at a tilt angle of about 0.5.degree. to about 6.degree.. The liquid crystals exhibit a significantly greater photostability than has previously been achieved. The microstructure is preferably obtained by depositing sequential layers of SiO.sub.x at medium and shallow grazing angles, where x is from 1 to 2, with the substrate rotated 90.degree. between depositions.

Abstract: A light emitting panel is formed of a transparent plastic substrate doped with fluorescent dye which absorbs incident light through a relatively large surface area and emits light of a longer wavelength out through one edge. The incident light may be ambient or produced by a fluorescent light source. The edge emitted light is optically coupled into an edge of a display panel, which may be a polymer dispersed liquid crystal display or a plastic panel having a display surface formed with an etched or printed pattern, grating or hologram. The substrate materials of the emitting and display panels, as well as an optical adhesive which joins the edges thereof, preferably have an essentially similar index of refraction which is larger than that of air causing light propagating through the panels to be internally reflected and exit the structure only through the pattern on the display surface.

Abstract: A method of forming a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) film is disclosed which consists of forming a solution of LC dissolved in a monomer, photopolymerizing the solution to form a film having a dispersion of LC bubbles therein, establishing a correlation between the LC bubble size and selected characteristics of the film, selecting a LC bubble size corresponding to desired film characteristics, and controlling the conditions of photopolymerization to achieve said LC bubble size. The LC bubble size is controlled by means of the UV exposure intensity, exposure temperature, exposure wavelength, LC concentration and/or concentration of polymerization initiator. Correlations are noted between LC bubble size and the resulting film's threshold and operating voltages for optical transmission, contrast ratio, absolute transmissivity and electro-optical response times.

Abstract: A liquid crystal cell useful in light valves is disclosed in which positive anisotropy liquid crystals are installed at an initial off-perpendicular alignment within the approximate range of 6.degree.-45.degree.. A light valve employing the cell is initially biased to a voltage approximately corresponding to a transmissivity peak; the selection of the exact bias voltage involves a trade-off between contrast and response speed. The cell surfaces are characterized by generally flat macrostructures and tilted surface microstructures, with an overcoat on the surfaces of a long chain alcohol with alkoxy groups derived therefrom bonded to the tilted surface microstructure. The alcohol molecules have the formula ROH, where R is a carbon chain having at least six carbon atoms therein.