Abstract: Control systems including control circuitry and optional communications systems for operating a sliding power-operated member of an automotive vehicle. A powered sliding door in an automotive vehicle, such as a van, moves along a predetermined path of travel between a closed position and a fully open position relative to the body of the vehicle. Such a sliding door may be provided with one or more electrically-operated actuators for performing functions associated with the door, such as power opening and closing the door, power unlatching the door, power locking and unlocking the door, and power clamping and unclamping the door in a soft or low-momentum manner. The invention is directed toward improved control systems and circuitry for operating such power-sliding door systems. One such control system employs a wireless communications link between the door and body, which is preferably implemented using radio frequency communication signals containing digitally encoded control signals.

Abstract: Control systems including control circuitry and optional communications systems for operating a sliding power-operated member of an automotive vehicle. A powered sliding door in an automotive vehicle, such as a van, moves along a predetermined path of travel between a closed position and a fully open position relative to the body of the vehicle. Such a sliding door may be provided with one or more electrically-operated actuators for performing functions associated with the door, such as power opening and closing the door, power unlatching the door, power locking and unlocking the door, and power clamping and unclamping the door in a soft or low-momentum manner. The invention is directed toward improved control systems and circuitry for operating such power-sliding door systems. One such control system employs a wireless communications link between the door and body, which is preferably implemented using radio frequency communication signals containing digitally encoded control signals.

Abstract: Control systems including control circuitry and optional communications systems for operating a sliding power-operated member of an automotive vehicle. A powered sliding door in an automotive vehicle, such as a van, moves along a predetermined path of travel between a closed position and a fully open position relative to the body of the vehicle. Such a sliding door may be provided with one or more electrically-operated actuators for performing functions associated with the door, such as power opening and closing the door, power unlatching the door, power locking and unlocking the door, and power clamping and unclamping the door in a soft or low-momentum manner. The invention is directed toward improved control systems and circuitry for operating such power-sliding door systems. One such control system employs a wireless communications link between the door and body, which is preferably implemented using radio frequency communication signals containing digitally encoded control signals.

Abstract: Control systems including control circuitry and optional communications systems for operating a slding power-operated member of an automotive vehicle. A powered sliding door in an automotive vehicle, such as a van, moves along a predetermined path of travel between a closed position and a fully open position relative to the body of the vehicle. Such a sliding door may be provided with one or more electrically-operated actuators for performing functions associated with the door, such as power opening and closing the door, power unlatching the door, power locking and unlocking the door, and power clamping, and unclamping the door in a soft or low-momentum manner. The invention is directed toward improved control systems and circuitry for operating such power-sliding door systems. One such control system employs a wireless communications link between the door and body, which is preferably implemented using radio frequency communication signals containing digitally encoded control signals.

Abstract: A glazing device, and a method for using such device to apply a surface glaze to a dental construct, are disclosed. The device comprises glazing material associated with a shrinkable, hollow carrier. The method comprises associating glazing material with a hollow carrier composed of a shrinkable and removable material, assembling the construct and carrier with the construct positioned within the carrier, shrinking the carrier onto the construct, removing the carrier, and maturing the material to a glaze. The device and method find particular application in applying coloration, either uniformly or in a pattern, to a dental construct.

Abstract: A glazing device, and a method for using such device to apply a surface glaze to a dental construct. The device includes glazing material associated with a shrinkable, hollow carrier. The method includes associating glazing material with a hollow carrier composed of a shrinkable and removable material, assembling the construct and carrier with the construct positioned within the carrier, shrinking the carrier onto the construct, removing the carrier, and maturing the material to a glaze. The device and method find particular application in applying coloration, either uniformly or in a pattern, to a dental construct.

Abstract: A method of applying a surface glaze to a dental construct. The method includes associating glazing material with a carrier composed of a highly flexible and removable material, assembling the construct and carrier with the construct positioned within the carrier, forcing the carrier onto the construct by differential fluid pressure, removing the carrier, and maturing the glazing material to a glaze. The method finds particular application in applying coloration, either uniformly or in a pattern, to a dental construct.

Abstract: This invention is concerned with preparing fixed partial dentures consisting of abutment crowns and pontics connected through male/female attachments and being sealed together by means of a joining medium. In the most preferred embodiment, the parts of the dentures are formed from machinable glass-ceramic materials and the joining medium is curable through exposure to visible light radiation.

Abstract: Tetrasilicic fluormica glass-ceramic compositions particularly suited for use in the preparation of dental restorations, consisting essentially in weight percent of about 45-70% SiO.sub.2, 13-30% MgO, 5-20% K.sub.2 O, 0-2% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 0-7% ZrO.sub.2, 4-9% F and 1-4% BaO, and porcelain-glazed dental restorations prepared therefrom, are described.

Abstract: The present invention is related to the production of crystal-containing gels and papers, films, fibers, boards, and coatings made therefrom. The process for making the gels comprises three general steps: first, a fully or predominantly crystalline body is formed containing crystals consisting essentially of a lithium and/or sodium water-swelling mica selected from the group of fluorhectorite, hydroxyl hectorite, boron fluorphlogopite, hydroxyl boron phlogopite, and solid solutions among those and between those and other structures selected from the group of talc, fluortalc, polylithionite, fluorpolylithionite, phlogopite, and fluorphlogopite; second, that body is contacted with a polar liquid, desirably water, to cause swelling and disintegration of the body accompanied with the formation of a gel; and, third, the solid:liquid ratio of the gel is adjusted to a desired value depending upon the application therefor.

Abstract: The instant invention is drawn to glass-ceramics especially designed for the fabrication of radomes, wherein cordierite is the predominant crystal phase but which also contain minor amounts of cristobalite, magnesium-aluminum titanate, and rutile, having overall compositions consisting essentially, expressed in weight percent on the oxide basis, of about______________________________________ MgO 15-18 Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 21-25 SiO.sub.2 48-53 TiO.sub.2 9.5-11.5 As.sub.2 O.sub.

Abstract: The present invention is related to the production of crystal-containing gels and papers, films, fibers, boards, and coatings made therefrom. The process for making the gels comprises three general steps: first, a fully or predominantly crystalline body is formed containing crystals consisting essentially of a lithium and/or sodium water-swelling mica selected from the group of fluorhectorite, hydroxyl hectorite, boron fluorphlogopite, hydroxyl boron phlogopite, and solid solutions among those and between those and other structurally-compatible species selected from the group of talc, fluortalc, polylithionite, fluorpolylithionite, phlogopite, and fluorphlogopite; second, that body is contacted with a polar liquid, desirably water, to cause swelling and disintegration of the body accompanied with the formation of a gel; and, third, the solid:liquid ratio of the gel is adjusted to a desired value depending upon the application therefor.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with the fabrication of articles demonstrating the highly-crystalline, fine-grained internal microstructure of conventional glass-ceramic bodies, but which can be formed spontaneously from a molten glass. Thus, the present articles are not produced by heat treating a glass body at elevated temperatures to cause crystallization in situ as is required in the customary manufacture of glass-ceramic articles. More specifically, this invention relates to the fabrication of glass-ceramic articles from compositions within the MgO-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 -B.sub.2 O.sub.3 -SiO.sub.2 -F field utilizing TiO.sub.2 as a nucleating agent, wherein mullite comprises the principal crystal phase, and which can be formed spontaneously from a molten glass.

Abstract: The instant invention is concerned with the manufacture of articles exhibiting the physical properties and internal microstructure of glass-ceramic bodies but which can be formed spontaneously from a molten glass. Hence, heat treatment of a precursor glass body is not required to cause the crystallization in situ thereof, such as is demanded in the production of conventional glass-ceramic articles. More specifically, this invention relates to the manufacture of glass-ceramic articles which are capable of being mechanically machined, having compositions within the K.sub.2 O--Li.sub.2 O--MgO--SiO.sub.2 --F field, wherein a fluormica comprises the principal crystal phase, and which can be formed spontaneously from a molten glass batch.

Abstract: The present invention is related to the production of crystal-containing gels and papers, films, fibers, boards, and coatings made therefrom. The process for making the gels comprises three general steps: first, a fully or predominantly crystalline body is formed containing crystals consisting essentially of a lithium and/or sodium water-swelling mica selected from the group of fluorhectorite, hydroxyl hectorite, boron fluorphlogopite, hydroxyl boron phlogopite, and solid solutions among those and between those and other structurally-compatible species selected from the group of talc, fluortalc, polylithionite, fluorpolylithionite, phlogopite and fluorphlogopite; second, that body is contacted with a polar liquid, desirably water, to cause swelling and disintegration of the body accompanied with the formation of a gel; and, third, the solid:liquid ratio of the gel is adjusted to a desired value depending upon the application therefor.

Abstract: Ceramics comprising a crystal phase composed of a lithium-containing beta-quartz solid solution are treated with a strong acid to selectively remove lithium therefrom by a hydrogen-for-lithium ion exchange process. Heating of the resulting hydrogen-containing crystal phase drives off H.sub.2 O and provides a ceramic product containing a previously unreported hexagonal aluminosilicate crystal phase, denominated aluminous quartz. Stuffed derivatives of aluminous quartz may also be provided.

Abstract: In a process for producing aluminous keatite ceramics by the hydrogen-for-lithium ion-exchange treatment of non-porous glass-ceramics, the efficiency of the lithium extraction step is substantially improved if beta-spodumene glass-ceramics having an Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 :modifying oxide ratio not exceeding about 1:1 are selected as starting materials.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to the production of articles exhibiting the physical properties and internal microstructure of glass-ceramic materials but which can be formed spontaneously from a molten glass, i.e., no heat treatment of a glass body to cause the crystallization in situ thereof is required, as is demanded in the manufacture of conventional glass-ceramic articles. More specifically, this invention is concerned with the production of glass-ceramic articles having compositions within the BaO-Al.sub.2 O.sub. 3 -SiO.sub.2 -F field which, when nucleated with TiO.sub.2, contain celsian (BaO.Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.2SiO.sub.2) as the predominant crystal phase, and which can be formed spontaneously from a molten glass batch.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to the production of articles exhibiting the physical properties and internal microstructure of glass-ceramic materials but which can be formed spontaneously from a molten glass, i.e., no heat treatment of a glass body is required to cause the crystallization in situ thereof, as is demanded in the manufacture of conventional glass-ceramic articles. More particularly, this invention is concerned with the production of glass-ceramic articles having compositions within the Li.sub.2 O-Al.sub.2 O .sub.3 -SiO.sub.2 -F field which are nucleated with TiO.sub.2, wherein beta-spodumene solid solution constitutes the predominant crystal phase, and which can be formed spontaneously from a molten glass batch.

Abstract: This invention relates to the manufacture of articles exhibiting the physical properties and internal microstructure of glass-ceramics but which can be formed spontaneously from a glass-forming melt, i.e., the heat treatment of a glass body to cause the crystallization in situ thereof conventional in the production of glass-ceramic articles is not required. More particularly, this invention is concerned with the manufacture of glass-ceramic articles having compositions within the Na.sub.2 O-MgO-SiO.sub.2 -F field, wherein a fluormica constitutes the primary crystal phase, which can be formed spontaneously from a molten glass batch.