Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method of igniting an air/fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine includes receiving an air/fuel mixture into a pre-combustion chamber, the pre-combustion chamber enclosing a portion of an igniter, igniting the air/fuel mixture in in the pre-combustion chamber with the igniter to produce a flame, directing the flame to eject the pre-combustion chamber through a collection of passages in a wall of the pre-combustion chamber, toward a peripheral wall of a main combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, igniting, by the flame, air/fuel mixture in the main combustion chamber adjacent the peripheral wall, and then igniting air/fuel mixture in the main combustion chamber in a central region of the main combustion chamber with a propagating flame front of the ignited air/fuel mixture or a portion of the directed flame adjacent the peripheral wall.

Abstract: A drywall repair apparatus and method. The apparatus includes a plastic puck that is dimensioned to fill a hole in damaged drywall. The apparatus is anchored inside the wall. The apparatus may have an integrated plastic puck mounted on a plastic plank. The device mounts inside the wall and the puck fills the ½? deep void, leaving only 1/16? to be filled with joint compound. There is no time-consuming multiple layering required. There is no need for broad feathering to hide the repair and the repair is as solid as the original wall before damage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to coatings for devices such as medical devices that are useful for coating a variety of different types of material surfaces, including polymer and metal surfaces. The present invention also includes the method of using the coated device and methods to make the coated device and coating.

Abstract: The present invention relates to coatings for devices such as medical devices that are useful for coating a variety of different types of material surfaces, including polymer and metal surfaces. The present invention also includes the method of using the coated device and methods to make the coated device and coating.

Abstract: A drywall repair apparatus and method. The apparatus includes a plastic puck that is dimensioned to fill a hole in damaged drywall. The apparatus is anchored inside the wall. The apparatus may have an integrated plastic puck mounted on a plastic plank. The device mounts inside the wall and the puck fills the ½? deep void, leaving only 1/16? to be filled with joint compound. There is no time-consuming multiple layering required. There is no need for broad feathering to hide the repair and the repair is as solid as the original wall before damage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to coatings for devices such as medical devices that are useful for coating a variety of different types of material surfaces, including polymer and metal surfaces. The present invention also includes the method of using the coated device and methods to make the coated device and coating.

Abstract: An apparatus for the wafer level packaging (WLP) of micro-bolometer vacuum package assemblies (VPAs), in one embodiment, includes a wafer alignment and bonding chamber, a bolometer wafer chuck and a lid wafer chuck disposed within the chamber in vertically facing opposition to each other, means for creating a first ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environment within the chamber, means for heating and cooling the bolometer wafer chuck and the lid wafer chuck independently of each other, means for moving the lid wafer chuck in the vertical direction and relative to the bolometer wafer chuck, means for moving the bolometer wafer chuck translationally in two orthogonal directions in a horizontal plane and rotationally about a vertical axis normal to the horizontal plane, and means for aligning a fiducial on a bolometer wafer held by the bolometer wafer chuck with a fiducial on a lid wafer held by the lid wafer chuck.

Abstract: The present invention relates to coatings for devices such as medical devices that are useful for coating a variety of different types of material surfaces, including polymer and metal surfaces. The present invention also includes the method of using the coated device and methods to make the coated device and coating.

Abstract: An infrared detector useful in, e.g., infrared cameras, includes a substrate having an array of infrared detectors and a readout integrated circuit interconnected with the array disposed on an upper surface thereof, for one or more embodiments. A generally planar window is spaced above the array, the window being substantially transparent to infrared light. A mesa is bonded to the window. The mesa has closed marginal side walls disposed between an outer periphery of a lower surface of the window and an outer periphery of the upper surface of the substrate and defines a closed cavity between the window and the array that encloses the array. A solder seal bonds the mesa to the substrate so as to seal the cavity.

Abstract: Systems and methods may be provided for generating reduced-height circuit packages such as infrared detector packages. An alignment and dicing system may include an infrared camera that captures images of alignment marks of a wafer assembly through a lid wafer of the wafer assembly, a light source that illuminates the alignment marks through the lid wafer, and dicing equipment that dices the wafer assembly based on infrared images captured using the infrared camera. The light source may illuminate the alignment marks through the lid wafer by providing light such as infrared light to the wafer assembly through optics of the infrared camera. The infrared camera may capture images of alignment marks formed on a detector wafer of the wafer assembly or on an interior or lower surface of the lid wafer through the lid wafer. The dicing equipment may be aligned with the wafer assembly based on the captured images.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ink and a method of using the ink for making colored contact lenses. The ink comprises at least one colorant, a silicone-containing binder polymer, a solvent, a vinylic-monomer mixture, and optionally a photoinitiator or thermal initiator. The silicone-containing binder polymer is a copolymerization product of a polymerizable mixture including (i) at least one hydrophilic vinylic monomer; (ii) at least one functionalizing vinylic monomer containing at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl group —OH, amino group —NHR (wherein R is hydrogen or C1 to C8 alkyl), carboxylic group —COOH, epoxy group, amide group —CONHR, and combinations thereof; (iii) at least one silicone-containing vinylic monomer or macromere.

Abstract: An apparatus for the wafer level packaging (WLP) of micro-bolometer vacuum package assemblies (VPAs), in one embodiment, includes a wafer alignment and bonding chamber, a bolometer wafer chuck and a lid wafer chuck disposed within the chamber in vertically facing opposition to each other, means for creating a first ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environment within the chamber, means for heating and cooling the bolometer wafer chuck and the lid wafer chuck independently of each other, means for moving the lid wafer chuck in the vertical direction and relative to the bolometer wafer chuck, means for moving the bolometer wafer chuck translationally in two orthogonal directions in a horizontal plane and rotationally about a vertical axis normal to the horizontal plane, and means for aligning a fiducial on a bolometer wafer held by the bolometer wafer chuck with a fiducial on a lid wafer held by the lid wafer chuck.

Abstract: An infrared detector useful in, e.g., infrared cameras, includes a substrate having an array of infrared detectors and a readout integrated circuit interconnected with the array disposed on an upper surface thereof, for one or more embodiments. A generally planar window is spaced above the array, the window being substantially transparent to infrared light. A mesa is bonded to the window. The mesa has closed marginal side walls disposed between an outer periphery of a lower surface of the window and an outer periphery of the upper surface of the substrate and defines a closed cavity between the window and the array that encloses the array. A solder seal bonds the mesa to the substrate so as to seal the cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus for the wafer level packaging (WLP) of micro-bolometer vacuum package assemblies (VPAs), in one embodiment, includes a wafer alignment and bonding chamber, a bolometer wafer chuck and a lid wafer chuck disposed within the chamber in vertically facing opposition to each other, means for creating a first ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environment within the chamber, means for heating and cooling the bolometer wafer chuck and the lid wafer chuck independently of each other, means for moving the lid wafer chuck in the vertical direction and relative to the bolometer wafer chuck, means for moving the bolometer wafer chuck translationally in two orthogonal directions in a horizontal plane and rotationally about a vertical axis normal to the horizontal plane, and means for aligning a fiducial on a bolometer wafer held by the bolometer wafer chuck with a fiducial on a lid wafer held by the lid wafer chuck.

Abstract: An infrared detector useful in, e.g., infrared cameras, includes a substrate having an array of infrared detectors and a readout integrated circuit interconnected with the array disposed on an upper surface thereof, for one or more embodiments. A generally planar window is spaced above the array, the window being substantially transparent to infrared light. A mesa is bonded to the window. The mesa has closed marginal side walls disposed between an outer periphery of a lower surface of the window and an outer periphery of the upper surface of the substrate and defines a closed cavity between the window and the array that encloses the array. A solder seal bonds the mesa to the substrate so as to seal the cavity.

Abstract: Systems and methods may be provided for generating reduced-height circuit packages such as infrared detector packages. An alignment and dicing system may include an infrared camera that captures images of alignment marks of a wafer assembly through a lid wafer of the wafer assembly, a light source that illuminates the alignment marks through the lid wafer, and dicing equipment that dices the wafer assembly based on infrared images captured using the infrared camera. The light source may illuminate the alignment marks through the lid wafer by providing light such as infrared light to the wafer assembly through optics of the infrared camera. The infrared camera may capture images of alignment marks formed on a detector wafer of the wafer assembly or on an interior or lower surface of the lid wafer through the lid wafer. The dicing equipment may be aligned with the wafer assembly based on the captured images.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ink and a method of using the ink for making colored contact lenses. The ink comprises at least one colorant, a silicone-containing binder polymer, a solvent, a vinylic-monomer mixture, and optionally a photoinitiator or thermal initiator. The silicone-containing binder polymer is a copolymerization product of a polymerizable mixture including (i) at least one hydrophilic vinylic monomer; (ii) at least one functionalizing vinylic monomer containing at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl group —OH, amino group —NHR (wherein R is hydrogen or C1 to C8 alkyl), carboxylic group —COOH, epoxy group, amide group —CONHR, and combinations thereof; (iii) at least one silicone-containing vinylic monomer or macromere.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making colored silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The method of the invention comprises the steps of: (a) providing a contact lens constructed of a silicone hydrogel; (b) applying a color coat to at least a portion of a surface of the lens with an ink, wherein the ink comprises at least one colorant, a silicone-containing binder polymer, one or more vinylic monomers, and optionally a diluent, wherein the silicone-containing binder polymer is a copolymerization product of a polymerizable mixture including (i) at least one hydrophilic vinylic monomer; (ii) at least one functionalizing vinylic monomer; (iii) at least one silicone-containing vinylic monomer or macromer; (c) curing the ink in the presence of an adhesion promoter, thereby causing the color coat to adhere to the lens.

Abstract: An apparatus for the wafer level packaging (WLP) of micro-bolometer vacuum package assemblies (VPAs), in one embodiment, includes a wafer alignment and bonding chamber, a bolometer wafer chuck and a lid wafer chuck disposed within the chamber in vertically facing opposition to each other, means for creating a first ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environment within the chamber, means for heating and cooling the bolometer wafer chuck and the lid wafer chuck independently of each other, means for moving the lid wafer chuck in the vertical direction and relative to the bolometer wafer chuck, means for moving the bolometer wafer chuck translationally in two orthogonal directions in a horizontal plane and rotationally about a vertical axis normal to the horizontal plane, and means for aligning a fiducial on a bolometer wafer held by the bolometer wafer chuck with a fiducial on a lid wafer held by the lid wafer chuck.

Abstract: A micromechanical pumping system is formed on a substrate surface. The pumping system uses a pumping element which pumps a fluid through valves which move in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate surface. An electromagnetic actuating mechanism may also be fabricated on the surface of the substrate. Magnetic flux produced by a coil around a permeable core may be coupled to a permeable member affixed to a pumping element. The permeable member and pumping element may be configured to move in a plane parallel to the substrate. The electromagnetic actuating mechanism gives the pumping system a large throw and substantial force, such that the fluid pumped by the pumping system may be pumped through a transdermal cannula to deliver a therapeutic substance to the tissue underlying the skin of a patient.