Abstract: Metallic bumps are formed for electrical interconnection between the charge plate and the charge drive electronics. This is achieved by having improved electrical connection between an ink jet charge plate and associated charge leads is promoted. First, a mask is aligned to permit plating of an etch mask on the charge plate coupon on the side opposite the charge plate circuitry, so as to place masked regions directly across the coupon from the contact pads of the charge plate circuitry. All the copper alloy charge plate coupon is then etched away except the small portions between the termination and the etch mask. The bump thus formed is used to provide a high pressure point electrical connection to the charge plate.

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a flexible circuit having at least one raised bump associated with a contact pad. A sacrificial conductive mandrel is provided having a depression located to correspond with each raised bump contact. A conductive metal pattern is electroformed on selected portions of the sacrificial conductive mandrel, corresponding to a desired electrical lead pattern and the contact pad. A non-conductive polymeric sheet is applied as a base material for the flexible circuit, and laminated to the sacrificial conductive mandrel on the face having the conductive metal pattern thereon. An etchant, capable of removing the sacrificial conductive mandrel without etching or removing metal of the conductive metal pattern, is employed to remove the sacrificial conductive mandrel from the polymeric sheet to which the mandrel and the conductive metal pattern are laminated.

Abstract: A method of proximity imaging photolithographic structures for the fabrication of high resolution ink jet orifice plates is used in ink jet printers. The method comprises the step of providing a positive-acting photoresist coating onto an electrically conducting plating substrate. A clear glass photomask is brought into planar proximity and a planar gap is established by means of screen shims permanently bonded to the glass photomask. It is desirable to ensure that the shims are uniformly distributed about the mask with at least one shim in the center. An atmospheric pressure sufficient to ensure that the shims are settled against the resist-coated substrate is then applied, before exposing the surface with an ultraviolet light source and developing to produce a non-conductive peg pattern corresponding to the desired orifice pattern.

Abstract: A method for electroforming linear orifice plates includes the steps of: placing electrically conductive robber panels adjacent edges of an electrically conductive plating substrate bearing a linear insulative peg pattern; coupling the plating surface of the plating substrate to the adjacent robber panels with a thin strip of electrically conductive material; and electroplating to form an orifice plate with precisely uniform diameter orifices.

Abstract: An apparatus including an elongate housing formed with a funnel entrance and an exit door utilizing springs mounted on opposed sides of the housing to bias the door in a first closed position when the door is displaced relative to a foward or second portion of a top wall to provide access to an interior cavity of the housing. The housing includes a counterweight mounted medially to the bottom surface of the bottom wall of the housing, including plural pairs of spring legs to mount and permit entrenching of the minnow housing within a level or soil laden bottom support surface of a stream, lake, and the like.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously mixing dust and water for disposal of the dust, the apparatus including a vertical pipe with a removable cover at its upper end, an inlet pipe adapted to deliver dust particles into the vertical pipe, a mixing chamber closed at the upper end except for the lower end of the vertical pipe discharging thereinto, the lower end of the chamber being open and submerged in a pool of water, water inlets adjacent to the upper end of the chamber directing water tangentially over the walls of the chamber, a water inlet into the pool of water, and an overflow outlet from the pool to remove a mixture of dust and water from the apparatus. A process which includes classifying ash particles from an industrial boiler, passing the smaller particles into an enclosed zone with water washing the walls of the zone and the bottom of the zone opening underneath the level of a pool of water which overflows to discharge a mixture of water and dust for disposal.

Abstract: Improvements in well bore centralizers; improvements in centralizers which may be shipped by the manufacturer unassembled, occupying a small volume of space, and later assembled; a field-assemblable casing centralizer consisting of a pair of collars and connecting outwardly bowed leaf springs secured to the collars by a cooperating leaf spring end and collar structure and relief thereof permitting both rivet and weld attachments.