Abstract: The invention provides a method and an apparatus of making a hole in a printed circuit board, which improve the quality of a hole shape and the processing speed. In accordance with the invention, a control apparatus controls a laser oscillator and a galvano mirrors so as to form a hole while gradually reducing a pulse width in each step with respect to one hole. As a result of this, no insulating material is left on the bottom portion of the hole, and it is possible to make a hole having an intended shape, particularly, having a desired diameter of the hole bottom.

Abstract: A method for use in two-components electrostatic image developers is disclosed, in which secure separation of a carrier coating resinous materials from a core magnetic material is achieved without affecting the properties of the core materials through process steps benign to the environment in super- or sub-critical water compositions under the conditions of a temperature of 300° C. or more and a pressure of 20 MPa. The core magnetic material is subsequently recycled for forming carrier. This method may also be useful for processing waste including magnetic materials with silicone resin coating.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel process for producing an essential oil from a plant material. Concretely, the process produces an essential oil in a short time and by a simple procedure by treating a plant material with supercritical water or subcritical water to liberate essential oil components, which are contained in the plant material, as an ester-free essential oil, and separating and purifying this essential oil.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved method and apparatus for drilling blind via holes to connect between upper conductive layers and lower conductive layers of printed wiring boards with laser lights. The resin layer contacting the targeted conductive layer is dilled to remain the residual layer with laser lights, and the residual layer is removed with a UV laser beam whose energy density is lower than the decomposition energy threshold of the conductive layer and higher than that of the resin layer. The apparatus for this drilling has at least two laser paths. The spatial energy distributions are made top-hat-shaped with beam homogenizer units in the paths, and the diameters and the energy densities are adjusted independently. Moreover, the paths are aligned to a common axis near the surface of a substrate for shortening the processing time.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing aromatic compounds or polymers thereof from a plant material in a short period of time and by a simple procedure. Concretely, the process treats the plant material with supercritical water or subcritical water to liberate aromatic compounds, which are contained in the plant material, and/or aromatic compounds, which have been generated upon decomposition of components of the plant material, to the outside of the plant material, and isolates the liberated aromatic compounds to produce aromatic compounds or polymers thereof.

Abstract: A method for producing erythrose, comprising subjecting glucose to a decomposition reaction using water at a super-critical state or at a sub-critical state as the solvent therefor, and a method for producing erythrose from glucose, wherein the reaction time is set to a time period suitable for a high production level of erythrose and a low level of contaminated by-products.

Abstract: A method uses a high density compressed liquefied gas in cleaning applications in a closed recycle system to achieve effective and economical cleaning without using any high pressure generating device. The closed recycle system can include a pressure cleaning vessel provided with a plurality of nozzles for pre-cleaning, atmospheric containers for expanding compressed liquid, sound wave generators and an agitator. The system can also include a pressure recovery vessel provided at a lower portion than the pressure cleaning vessel and having a detachable drain cylinder suspended from under the pressure recovery vessel and also having a temperature regulator for receiving contaminated liquid that has been pre-cleaned from a pressure cleaning room.

Abstract: The apparatus is for spot-facing for exposing an inner-layer conductor embedded in an insulator of a printed circuit board. The spot-facing removes the entire insulator by a mechanical cutter, except a remaining part thereof, to a position just above the inner-layer conductor. The remaining part of the insulator is smaller in thickness than the insulator removed by the mechanical cutter. Then, the remaining part of the insulator is removed by scanning the part with a laser beam to expose the inner-layer conductor. The laser beam is in a slender (elongated) shape almost perpendicular to the scanning direction of the laser beam and has an almost uniform energy density along the slender shape. Cutter processing is sufficient to be done before the inner-layer conductor, and there is no fear of damaging the inner-layer conductor. Moreover, it is easy to control thermal influence on the portion of the circuit board to be processed by the laser beam, because the energy density of the laser beam is almost uniform.

Abstract: An improved drill bit for high speed, small diameter drilling of printed circuit boards uses flute/land ratio tapering in combination with the appropriate web thickness and point, cutting or flute angles to obtain high quality, accurately positioned holes. In one embodiment, the web thickness at the tip is 15% of the drill diameter, the flute/land ratio is 2.0, the tip angle is 130.degree., the second cutting angle is 20.degree., the third cutting angle is 30.degree., the flute angle is 32.degree., the relief groove depth is 0.001", body length is 0.256" and the distance between the body end and the flute end is 0.01". Such a bit is used in connection with an air jet cooling/cleaning system and a step feed drilling method wherein the first step is between four-six times drill diameter, the second step is between two-three times the drill diameter, and the third step and subsequent steps are between 1.5-2.5 times the drill diameter.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to spot-facing for exposing an inner-layer conductor embedded in an insulator of a printed circuit board. The spot-facing removes the entire insulator by a mechanical cutter, except a part thereof, to a position just above the inner-layer conductor. The part of the insulator is smaller in thickness than the insulator removed by the mechanical cutter. Then, the remaining part of the insulator is removed by scanning the part with a laser beam to expose the inner-layer conductor. The laser beam is in a slender shape almost perpendicular to the scanning direction of the laser beam and has an almost uniform energy density along the slender shape. Cutter processing is sufficient to be done before the inner-layer conductor, and there is no fear of damaging the inner-layer conductor. Moreover, laser-beam processing is easy to control thermal influence on the portion to be processed of the circuit board, because the energy density of the laser beam is almost uniform.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for producing fine metal oxide particles comprising the step of heat-treating an aqueous solution of a metal salt at a temperature of not lower than 200.degree. C. under a pressure of not less than 160 kg/cm.sup.2 for 1 second to 1 hour so as to bring into the decomposition reaction of said metal salt.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for producing fine metal oxide particles comprising the step of heat-treating an aqueous solution of a metal salt at a temperature of not lower than 200.degree. C. under a pressure of not less than 160 kg/cm.sup.2 for 1 second to 1 hour so as to bring into the decomposition reaction of said metal salt.

Abstract: A method for producing fine particles of barium ferrite, which comprises reacting an aqueous solution comprising an iron compound, a barium compound and an alkaline substance, wherein the molar ratio of hydroxyl groups of the alkaline substance to the total of anions of the iron compound and the barium compound in the aqueous solution is from 1 to 4, and the reaction is carried out at a temperature of at least 250.degree. C. under a pressure of at least 200 kg/cm.sup.2 using a flow type reactor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for inexpensively and effectively recovering a high-purity organic acid, according to which a crude organic acid is subjected to extraction treatment with an organic solvent to obtain an organic solvent extract containing an organic acid; the organic solvent extract is mixed with a high-pressure gas to precipitate and separate impurities thereby obtaining a solution containing a high-purity organic acid; and the organic acid is separated from the solution to obtain a high-purity organic acid.

Abstract: A pressure foot (7) of a printed circuit board drilling apparatus is supported on a spindle (2) of the printed circuit board drilling apparatus slidably in the axial direction, and includes a pressing face (13) which presses a printed circuit board (5) at the time of drilling operation, a discharge port (11) formed in a side wall (8) so as to discharge chips produced by drilling operation, the discharge port (11) being connected to a suction device, and a compressed air supply conduit (20A) formed in a side wall so as to eject the compressed air toward a drill bit (4) of the printed circuit board drilling apparatus. A cooling fluid supply device (21) is connected to the compressed air supply conduit (20A). In place of the compressed air supply conduit (20A), a fluid supply conduit (14) for ejecting a cooling fluid toward the drill bit (4) of the printed circuit board drilling apparatus may be formed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a printed wiring board and a method of manufacturing a printed wiring board. A first printed wiring board and a second printed wiring board, each including an insulating layer and a copper foil layer, are superposed on one another with a middle insulating layer therebetween with blind holes formed in the insulating layers of the boards to oppose one another, through-holes are formed and provided with conductive plating to electrically connect the copper foil layers with each other, and reflow pads are formed by etching in the copper foil layers to seal the blind holes. The blind holes are formed through the insulating layers and reach the copper foil layers. Plated layers are plated on the surfaces of the printed wiring boards on the sides thereof where the blind holes are formed to electrically connect the blind holes and the copper foil layers, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a printed circuit board presser device in a drilling machine. The board presser device is arranged such that it includes an axially movable upper-plate presser device which is provided on the outer side of a contact surface of the board presser device with a printed circuit board so that a top end surface of the upper-plate presser device extends to the side of a table beyond the contact surface; and an urging device for pushing the upper-plate presser device against the table by a force larger than an attraction force generated from the board presser device. With such construction, an upper plate is suppressed from floating during drilling the printed circuit board, and a distance of useless transfer movement of a drill decreased, to thereby improve an efficiency of a drilling operation.

Abstract: A spindle and Z-axis unit comprises a spindle housing and a hollow rotor shaft rotatable and axially movable with respect to the spindle housing. The rotor shaft carries a collet at its lower end for chucking a machine tool such as a drill bit. The tool is changed in the collet by pneumatic actuation of a diaphragm which actuates a push rod within the rotor shaft to move the collet axially against a spring bias to clamp and unclamp the tool. The shaft is moved in the Z-direction along with a thrust bearing assembly by a screw nut which actuates a road to move the rotor shaft in the Z-direction to drill a workpiece after a pressure foot has first been moved to clamp the workpiece with respect to the spindle. Thus, the moving weight or mass previously attributable to parts such as a spindle saddle and spindle housing can be eliminated without impairing the reliability and chucking force of the collet mechanism.

Abstract: A printed circuit board boring machine bores printed circuit boards stacked on a table, by a drill while pressing the printed circuit boards with a pressure foot. A piece having a hole through which the drill may pass is detachably mounted on a tip end portion of the pressure foot with a center of the hole being aligned with an axis of the drill. The piece may be attached to the pressure foot before the boring work so that the boards and the piece may be simultaneously bored by the drill while the hole in the piece may be used as a guide for the boring work of the boards.

Abstract: A spindle and Z-axis unit comprises a spindle housing and a hollow rotor shaft rotatable and axially movable with respect to the spindle housing. The rotor shaft carries a collet at its lower end for chucking a machine tool such as a drill bit. The tool is changed in the collet by pneumatic actuation of a diaphragm which actuates a push rod within the rotor shaft to move the collect axially against a spring bias to clamp and unclamp the tool. The shaft is moved in the Z-direction along with a thrust bearing assembly by a screw nut which actuates a road to move the rotor shaft in the Z-direction to drill a workpiece after a pressure foot has first been moved to clamp the workpiece with respect to the spindle. Thus, the moving weight or mass previously attributable to parts such as a spindle saddle and spindle housing can be eliminated without impairing the reliability and chucking force of the collet mechanism.