Abstract: A coupler for a spiral membrane filtration element having a spiral membrane enclosed within a rigid outerwrap includes a center support, a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the center support, a circular rim coupled with the spokes, with the face of the rim being perpendicular to the axis of the overwrap. The rim includes a channel on its face for receiving a compressible seal, and a plurality of receptacles around its outer surface for joining two face-to-face adjacent couplers when a pair of aligned keepers is place in each receptacle. Exemplary embodiments of the coupler and filtration elements and filtration assemblies are provided, as well as an associated method.

Abstract: A heat sink protecting retention module is described. The heat sink protecting retention module has a main frame, protective feet, hooks, and a positioning mechanism. The protective feet are disposed under the main frame to keep screws therein before the heat sink protecting retention module is installed on the motherboard so as to avoid scratching the motherboard or damaging electric components thereon. The hooks are disposed on the main frame for clamping the heat sink and the positioning mechanism are disposed around and under the main frame for aligning the heat sink protecting retention module to a central processing unit socket.

Abstract: A coupler for a spiral membrane filtration element having a spiral membrane enclosed within a rigid outerwrap includes a center support, a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the center support, a circular rim coupled with the spokes, with the face of the rim being perpendicular to the axis of the overwrap. The rim includes a channel on its face for receiving a compressible seal, and a plurality of receptacles around its outer surface for joining two face-to-face adjacent couplers when a pair of aligned keepers is place in each receptacle. Exemplary embodiments of the coupler and filtration elements and filtration assemblies are provided, as well as an associated method.

Abstract: A coupler for a spiral membrane filtration element having a spiral membrane enclosed within a rigid outerwrap includes a center support, a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the center support, a circular rim coupled with the spokes, with the face of the rim being perpendicular to the axis of the overwrap. The rim includes a channel on its face for receiving a compressible seal, and a plurality of receptacles around its outer surface for joining two face-to-face adjacent couplers when a pair of aligned keepers is place in each receptacle. Exemplary embodiments of the coupler and filtration elements and filtration assemblies are provided, as well as an associated method.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) for processing substrates includes: a substrate cleaning device (20), which cleans the substrates with treating liquid; a developing device (40); and a treating liquid recovery system (30), which is connected with the cleaning device and the developing device. The treating liquid recovery system can convey the treating liquid from the cleaning device to the developing device. Thus the treating liquid that has been used in the cleaning device can be reused in the developing device. Therefore the apparatus can economize on treating liquid and reduce costs.

Abstract: A coating apparatus (20) for forming a photoresist film on a substrate (21) includes a flat table (30), a nozzle unit (40), and a particle cleaning unit (50). The flat table is used for supporting the substrate. The nozzle unit is used for dispensing photoresist material on a top surface of the substrate. The particle cleaning unit is used for removing particles from the top surface before the photoresist material is coated thereon. The coating apparatus can timely clean the substrate before coating. The coating performance is improved, and the nozzle unit is protected from being scratched or damaged.

Abstract: An apparatus (20) for supporting a substrate (S2) includes a number of slats (28), a number of connecting blocks (24) separately positioned on the slats, and a number of soft sleeves (22) connected with the connecting blocks, respectively. Because top surfaces of the soft sleeves are shaped as annular, the force applied between the substrate and the soft sleeves is distributed, and is reduced at each contact point. The surface of the substrate is hardly if at all deformed by the soft sleeves, thereby reducing the risk of or even altogether preventing the formation of undulations. The quality of the pattern to be processed is improved.

Abstract: A glass substrate includes a two-dimensional barcode, which is provided on a peripheral region of a major surface of the glass substrate. A side of the two-dimensional barcode is oblique to a nearest side of the glass substrate. The two-dimensional barcode includes a reference line, and is for recording identification information of the glass substrate. If the two-dimensional barcode sustains partial damage at the nearest side of the glass substrate, there is a reasonable likelihood that only part of the side of the two-dimensional barcode will sustain damage. In such case, the risk of damage occurring to the reference line of the two-dimensional barcode is minimized. If the reference line remains intact, then the two-dimensional barcode can still be properly read.

Abstract: A coupler for a spiral membrane filtration element having a spiral membrane enclosed within a rigid outerwrap includes a center support, a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the center support, a circular rim coupled with the spokes, with the face of the rim being perpendicular to the axis of the overwrap. The rim includes a channel on its face for receiving a compressible seal, and a plurality of receptacles around its outer surface for joining two face-to-face adjacent couplers when a pair of aligned keepers is place in each receptacle. Exemplary embodiments of the coupler and filtration elements and filtration assemblies are provided, as well as an associated method.

Abstract: A telescopic rod retainer is disclosed. A protecting sleeve is located above a tip-end post of an outer tube and a press resists against the protecting sleeve to prevent it from sliding down. When the press is pressed inwards, the press moves along an inner groove in the protecting sleeve and then to a buckling hole in the protecting sleeve so as to be ejected out so that the tip-end post is protected. In storing the rod retainer; the inner tube is rotated to further move into the outer tube. When the outer tube is near the buckling ring, the inner tube is further rotated so that a threaded rod at the lower end of the inner tube is rotated into the buckling ring. When the buckling ring approaches the inner rod body, the buckling ring will expand so as to be tightly combined with the outer tube.

Abstract: A crutch includes an upper portion and a lower portion pivotally secured together with a shaft, at suitable angular position, and foldable to compact folding structure that is excellent for storing and transportation purposes. The lower and the upper portions of the crutch each may include a number of teeth engageable with each other, and a fastener to force the teeth toward and to engage with each other, and thus to adjustably secure the upper and the lower portions of the crutch together. The upper portion of the crutch includes a hand grip adjustably secured between two posts.

Abstract: A variable optical attenuator. The variable optical attenuator has a ferrule with a hole, an optical fiber disposed in the hole of the ferrule, a lens module having a highly reflective mirror and a GRIN lens with two surfaces, and a driving device connected to the lens module for moving the lens module relative to the ferrule. In the lens module, one of the two surfaces of the GRIN lens is fixed to the highly reflective mirror, and a clearance is formed between the other surface of the GRIN lens and the ferrule. The driving device may be a piezoelectric actuator or a microactuator, and the fiber may include an input fiber and an output fiber.

Abstract: A process for producing an alumina material with high strength is disclosed. The process for producing an alumina material includes the steps of (a) providing a solution containing a dispersing agent, (b) mixing a .theta.-alumina powder and an .alpha.-alumina powder with the solution to form a slurry, (c) filtering the slurry to form a green part, (d) drying the green part, and (e) densifying the dried green part to form the alumina material.

Abstract: A vapor-liquid contact tray (16) is provided with an upstream downcomer (46) and a downstream downcomer (48) which form a two-stage downcomer. The discharge outlet (62) of the upstream downcomer (46) feeds liquid into the downstream downcomer (48) to help seal the discharge outlet (58) of the downstream downcomer (48) against vapor entry at lower liquid flow rates and to allow positioning of the discharge outlet (58) above the height of the weir (66) on the underlying tray (16). Because the upstream downcomer (46) does not discharge liquid directly onto the underlying tray deck (40), the area of the tray deck (40) underlying the upstream downcomer (46) can contain vapor flow apertures (68) to increase the active area and mass transfer efficiency of the tray (16).

Abstract: A pen with a light source has a head member with a bulb connected thereto and an adjusting assembly and batteries mounted in tube members. When the adjusting assembly is turned to adjust the position of an ink tube of the pen, the bulb in the head member is energized to allow writing in a dark place. The pen also includes an IC board mounted in an upper portion of the pen. When a push-button switch of the IC board is depressed, a light source mounted therein emits light which passes through a focusing ring above the IC board for emitting a beam of light through a hole on a top of the pen, serving as a luminous pointer.

Abstract: A vapor-liquid contact tray is provided which includes a plurality of openings and associated fixed roof structures which redirect vapor flowing vertically upward through the openings to horizontal flow paths. Each fixed roof structure includes a generally planar deflector which overlies and is spaced above the associated opening in the tray. The deflector is joined to the tray by end plates connected at one end to the tray and at the other end to the deflector. In one embodiment the deflector is generally parallel to the tray and divides the vertically flowing vapor stream into roughly equal oppositely flowing vapor streams. In other embodiments, the deflector is inclined in relation to the tray to preferentially direct the vapor stream in one direction or to split the vapor stream into equal portions which are directed in the same general direction.

Abstract: A mass transfer or heat exchange column is provided with a vapor distributor having, in one embodiment, a deflecting surface which directs a vapor stream about the inner periphery of the column. Following discharge from the distributor, the vapor stream contacts circumferentially spaced guide vanes which redirect the vapor stream toward the center of the column to cause a more uniform distribution of the vapor stream across the horizontal cross section of the column.

Abstract: A vapor-liquid contact tray and downcomer assembly is provided with ramps which serve to impart a horizontal directional flow to the liquid exiting the downcomer and/or the vapor passing through the tray. The downcomer includes a bottom plate which closes the outlet region of the downcomer and includes a plurality of ramps which redirect the downwardly flowing liquid to include a horizontal component in the direction of liquid flow across the underlying tray. The downcomer receiving area in the underlying tray can include valves having floating caps which shield the associated openings in the tray against liquid weeping and redirect the vertical movement of the vapor streams to a generally horizontal momentum.

Abstract: A mass transfer or heat exchange column is provided with a vapor distributor which circulates a vapor stream about the inner periphery of the column. The vapor stream is discharged from the distributor through an at least partially open bottom and, optionally, a plurality of spaced apart outlet ports in an inner annular wall of the distributor. A deflector extends upwardly along the inner annular wall to deflect the vapor stream away from a circumferential flow path along the inward face of the wall. The deflector may also extend outwardly under the flow channel to deflect, in a radially inward direction, vapor exiting the flow channel through the open bottom of the distributor.

Abstract: An improved laminar flow elbow system and method wherein the elbow system comprises a straight pre-pipe section to define the flow path of a fluid; the pipe section included directly prior to the inlet of a curved pipe section and having and comprising a plurality of vanes to impart a rotation to the fluid before passing through a curved pipe section to provide a generally flat velocity profile at the exit of the curved pipe section and to minimize turbulence of the fluid as it passes through the curved pipe section, and a substantially straight post-pipe section to define a flow path exit pipe section included directly at the exit of the curved pipe section, and containing a plurality of vanes to impart a backward rotation movement to the fluid flow from the exit of the curved pipe section, to substantially terminate rotation of the fluid upon exiting from the straight pipe section without substantial deterioration of the flatness of the fluid velocity profile and without generating substantial amounts of tu