Abstract: A thin film of a metal compound such as metal oxide, nitride and carbide is formed on a substrate by sputtering a target in vacuum in the presence of an inert gas and a reactive gas. From a curve of an input power supplied from a DC supply to the target versus an input voltage between the target and the substrate, a transition point of input power at which an abrupt change of the input voltage occurs is determined. The input power during sputtering is controlled using the transition point as a reference, thereby controlling the composition or physical properties of the thin film. When a cobalt oxide thin film is formed on a substrate in this way, rubber can be vulcanized thereto to form a firm bond.

Abstract: A thin film of a metal compound such as metal oxide, nitride and carbide is formed on a substrate by sputtering a target in vacuum in the presence of an inert gas and a reactive gas. From a curve of an input power supplied from a DC supply to the target versus an input voltage between the target and the substrate, a transition point of input power at which an abrupt change of the input voltage occurs is determined. The input power during sputtering is controlled using the transition point as a reference, thereby controlling the composition or physical properties of the thin film. When a cobalt oxide thin film is formed on a substrate in this way, rubber can be vulcanized thereto to form a firm bond.

Abstract: The light transmission hose included in the waterproof lighting apparatus according to the present invention is of a watertight structure, so it can easily be used as laid in or on water without any special protective means. Since the light source is installed in a location apart from water, it can be easily maintained and lamp replacement is also easy. By selecting a desired one of the kinds of light source, the illumination can be changed, resulting in a great effect of illumination. If provided with a powerful light source, the waterproof lighting apparatus according to the present invention can be used for warning any hazardous area to walkers, bicycle riders, car drivers, ships, aircraft and the like vehicles. Even if the lighting apparatus is located far away, the light from the light-emitting portion permits the walker or vehicle driver to readily be aware of a hazardous area.

Abstract: A process for surface treatment of a vulcanized rubber is disclosed, said process comprising: generating a nonequilibrium low-temperature plasma under atmospheric pressure between a cathode and an insulating dielectric which is interposed between the cathode and an anode while introducing a gas for generating plasma to a plasma-generating region between the cathode and the insulating dielectric, placing the vulcanized rubber in air and outside the plasma-generating region so that a surface of the vulcanized rubber faces the plasma-generating region, and directing the gas from the plasma-generating region toward the surface of the vulcanized rubber so that the gas impinges against the rubber surface for effecting surface treatment.

Abstract: A cleaning method for realizing uniform ashing of residues at a high efficiency by uniformly injecting neutral active species directly toward the surfaces of vulcanization residues left on a vulcanization mold is described. The method includes setting a ring-shaped cavity in face-to-face reaction with the inner surfaces of a ring-shaped vulcanization mold in a vacuum treating vessel, transmitting a microwave in the cavity, and emitting the microwave via a number of coupling slots formed in the outer side of the cavity toward the inner surfaces of the vulcanization mold whereupon a reaction gas is injected in the space of the treating vessel between the inner surfaces of the vulcanization mold and the cavity, so that a plasma including a major proportion of neutral active species generated from the reaction gas and the emitted microwave, and the elastomer residue is ashed by means of at least one gas selected from the plasma gas and a neutral active species-containing gas.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a vulcanizing mold including the steps of providing, independently from a vacuum processing bath, a furnace for generating a plasma flow mainly containing neutral active species by a microwave discharge applied for a reactive gas; introducing the plasma flow in the processing bath and jetting it to the entire residue adhering surface of the mold positioned in the processing bath; and ashing residues by the jetted plasma gas. With this method, uniform ashing can be performed for residues adhering on the surface of a vulcanizing mold, without any adverse effect exerted on the mold.

Abstract: A light scattering material is prepared by mixing with and dispersing in a transparent elastomer matrix particles of a transparent material. The matrix has a Tg of lower than room temperature and the transparent material has a different index of refraction form the matrix.

Abstract: A rubber composition comprising a rubber component and a di- or trialkoxysilane compound is joined to a surface-modified resin to form a resin/rubber laminate. The laminate typically forms a refrigerant carrying hose wherein the resin defines an inside surface.

Abstract: A developing roller includes a magnet roller and a rotatable sleeve thereon. The sleeve is covered with a surface coating of a metal, alloy, metal nitride, metal oxide, metal carbide or metal sulfide by dry plating. The coating has a resistivity of up to 0.01 .OMEGA.cm. The sleeve is fully wear resistant at its surface. Formation of the coating by dry plating minimizes the variation of coating thickness to improve the dimensional precision of the sleeve surface. The developing roller and a developing apparatus equipped therewith can produce images of quality for a long time.

Abstract: Only an outer surface of an unvulcanized rubber sheet is preliminarily crosslinked by irradiating an infrared ray or a far infrared ray to the unvulcanized rubber sheet prior to subsequent final vulcanization, whereby the occurrence of rubber spew and rubber flash is considerably suppressed at the vulcanization step.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical waveguide tube comprising a tubular cladding filled with a solid core having a higher refractive index than the cladding. In one form, a resin material having a Tg of up to 50.degree. C. and a modulus of elasticity of up to 10.sup.9 dyne/cm.sup.2 is used as the core. In another form, a copolymer of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or a lower alcohol ester thereof with a higher alkyl (meth)acrylate is used as the core, preferably in combination with a phosphate, aromatic carboxylate, aliphatic carboxylic acid, aliphatic carboxylate or glycol. In a third form, such an optical waveguide tube is prepared by filling a hollow tubular transparent cladding having opposite open ends with a liquid monomeric charge and causing the monomeric charge to polymerize while pressurizing the exposed surfaces of the monomeric charge inwardly from the opposite open ends along an axial direction of the cladding, thereby forming a core within the cladding.

Abstract: A light guide includes a hollow tubular cladding of a fluorocarbon resin having a methacrylic or acrylic monomer graft polymerized inner surface. The cladding is integrally filled with a core of a methacrylic or acrylic resin which is polymerized to the graft polymerized surface.

Abstract: An optical waveguide hose includes a hollow tubular cladding made of a material having rubber elasticity at the service temperature of -50.degree. to 150.degree. C. and having a lower creep. The cladding is filled with a core fluid having a higher index of refraction than the cladding and closed with sealing plugs at opposed open ends. The hose is improved in flexibility and handling, prevents gas penetration into the core fluid, maintains transparency at widely varying temperature over a long time, and is lightweight and inexpensive.

Abstract: A light guide includes a hollow tubular cladding of a fluorocarbon resin having a methacrylic or acrylic monomer graft polymerized inner surface. The cladding is integrally filled with a core of a methacrylic or acrylic resin which is polymerized to the graft polymerized surface.

Abstract: A sandwich glass is disclosed containing a thermoset resin layer interposed between glass plates, wherein the thermoset resin layer, prior to thermosetting, contains an uncured resin composition containing:(a) an organic peroxide,(b) an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and(c) at least one compound selected from the groupconsisting of at least one acryloxy or methacryloxy group-containing compound and a hydrocarbon resin having a ratio of hydrogenation .gtoreq.91%;wherein the at least one acryloxy or methacryloxy group-containing compound is selected from the group consisting of 1-methyl-1,3-dimethacryloxypropane, 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-diacryloxypropane, 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dimethacryloxypropane, 2-hydroxy-1-acryloxy-3-methacryloxypropane, 2-hydroxy-1,3-dimethacryloxypropane, 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,3-diacryloxypropane and 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,3-dimethacryloxypropane and the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer contains vinyl acetate in an amount of 10-50% by weight.

Abstract: In an optical waveguide comprising a transparent cladding (1) filled with a transparent liquid core (2) having a higher refractive index than the cladding, a liquid consisting of an oligomer having a phosphazene skeleton, typically phosphazene oil is used as the core (2). The waveguide is well resistant to heat and weathering, ensures stable performance in a wide temperature range over a long period of time, and provides good light transmission in a wide wavelength range covering the UV, visible and IR spectra.

Abstract: A length of sheet material is continuously surface treated, typically modified or coated, by continuously feeding helium gas or a helium gas mixture into a treating chamber while a plasma region is created in the gas under atmospheric pressure, continuously moving a length of sheet material into and out of the chamber through entrance and exit ports to pass through the plasma region, thereby continuously subjecting the sheet at either surface to plasma discharge treatment. The entrance and exit ports are sealed in a less gas tight manner to allow leakage of the helium gas or gas mixture.

Abstract: A rubber hose comprising an inner tube of synthetic resin, a silver or silver alloy thin film sputtered or ion plated on the inner tube, and a rubber layer heat cured to the thin film through adhesive exhibits low gas and solvent permeability and high flexibility while maintaining such properties even on angular bending.

Abstract: Tightly integrated composite products are obtained by treating a fluoropolymer member on its surface with atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma in a helium gas atmosphere containing 97% by volume or more of helium gas, and joining another member of rubber compositions, resins, metals, ceramics, or semiconductors to the surface treated fluoropolymer member. By using a fluoropolymer sheet as the fluoropolymer member and a metal or synthetic resin layer as the other member, there are obtained weather-resistant composite sheets in which the layer is firmly bonded to the fluoropolymer sheet.

Abstract: A single-chip microcomputer includes a microprocessor, a subprocessor for performing peripheral functions, an external port for controlling an input/output operation from/to an external device and a multi-functional logic-in-memory for inputting a plurality of data from at least one of the microprocessor, the subprocessor and the external port and selecting write data from among the plurality of data in accordance with predetermined priorities.