Abstract: A roller mounting apparatus for an in-line roller skate blade comprises a body having a footware connector portion, a spacing portion adjacent the footware connector portion and a roller mounting portion adjacent the spacing portion. The roller mounting portion has roller mounts for mounting a plurality of rollers in tandem spaced apart positions such that contact points on outer surfaces of the rollers will lie on a first common curved line having no portion with a radius of curvature more than about 10 m, so that a contact point on a surface of a roller immediately adjacent to any given roller is spaced apart between about 0.1 mm to about 13 mm from a line tangent to the curved line at a point defined by the contact point of the given roller. A roller blade comprising the roller mounting apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of forming a transparent metal oxide layer on a conductive surface of a dielectric substrate involves exposing first and second conductive surface portions of the conductive surface of the dielectric substrate to first and second electrolytes respectively to form first and second electrochemical cells in which the first conductive surface is part of the first electrochemical cell and the second conductive surface is part of the second electrochemical cell and wherein the electrochemical cells are electrically connected together by the conductive surface of the dielectric substrate. An electric potential applied across first and second counter electrodes in the first and second cells respectively drives an electric current through the first and second electrolytes and causes metal ions and oxygen in the second electrolyte to form the transparent metal oxide layer on the second conductive surface portion when a current is passed through the first and second electrolytes.

Abstract: A roller mounting apparatus for an in-line roller skate blade comprises a body having a footware connector portion, a spacing portion adjacent the footware connector portion and a roller mounting portion adjacent the spacing portion. The roller mounting portion has roller mounts for mounting a plurality of rollers in tandem spaced apart positions such that contact points on outer surfaces of the rollers will lie on a first common curved line having no portion with a radius of curvature more than about 10 m, so that a contact point on a surface of a roller immediately adjacent to any given roller is spaced apart between about 0.1 mm to about 13 mm from a line tangent to the curved line at a point defined by the contact point of the given roller. A roller blade comprising the roller mounting apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming a selective emitter in a photovoltaic (PV) crystalline silicon semiconductor wafer involves forming a mask on a front side surface of the wafer to create masked and unmasked areas on the front side surface. A first silicon oxide layer is electrochemically formed at the unmasked areas of the front side surface such that the silicon oxide layer extends into an emitter of the wafer at least as far as a dead zone therein. The mask is removed and the first silicon oxide layer is etched back until substantially all of the first silicon oxide layer is removed. A second silicon oxide layer is then electrochemically formed on the front side surface such that the second silicon oxide layer has sufficient thickness to passivate the front side surface.

Abstract: An electrode for contacting an electrically conductive surface of a photovoltaic element includes an electrically insulating optically transparent film, an adhesive layer provided on a planar surface of the film, and a plurality of substantially parallel, electrically conductive wires embedded into the adhesive layer. The plurality of wires lies over the planar surface of the film. A part of the surfaces of the wires protrude from the adhesive layer. At least the part of the surfaces protruding from the adhesive layer are covered by a coating consisting of an alloy having a low melting point to solder the wires to the electrically conductive surface and to a first terminal bar. The adhesive layer has a thickness less than the thickness of the wires embedded therein.

Abstract: A method of forming a selective emitter in a photovoltaic (PV) crystalline silicon semiconductor wafer involves forming a mask on a front side surface of the wafer to create masked and unmasked areas on the front side surface. A first silicon oxide layer is electrochemically formed at the unmasked areas of the front side surface such that the silicon oxide layer extends into an emitter of the wafer at least as far as a dead zone therein. The mask is removed and the first silicon oxide layer is etched back until substantially all of the first silicon oxide layer is removed. A second silicon oxide layer is then electrochemically formed on the front side surface such that the second silicon oxide layer has sufficient thickness to passivate the front side surface.

Abstract: A solar cell apparatus and process for making and using same involving a semiconductor wafer having a front side surface and a metallized back side surface and a semiconductor p/n junction between the front side surface and the back side surface. At least one front side interruption is caused to extend along at least a portion of the front side surface and into the wafer to a depth sufficient to interrupt the semiconductor p/n junction to define a plurality of separate p/n junction sections within the wafer and to define separate front side surface portions associated with respective separate p/n junction sections. A back side interruption is caused to extend along a portion of the metallized back side surface, generally opposite the front side interruption, to define a plurality of separate metallized back side surface portions associated with respective p/n junction sections and in electrical contact with respective p/n junction sections.

Abstract: An electrode for contacting an electrically conductive surface of a photovoltaic element includes an electrically insulating optically transparent film, an adhesive layer provided on a planar surface of the film, and a plurality of substantially parallel, electrically conductive wires embedded into the adhesive layer. The plurality of wires lies over the planar surface of the film. A part of the surfaces of the wires protrude from the adhesive layer. At least the part of the surfaces protruding from the adhesive layer are covered by a coating consisting of an alloy having a low melting point to solder the wires to the electrically conductive surface and to a first terminal bar. The adhesive layer has a thickness less than the thickness of the wires embedded therein.

Abstract: An electrode for contacting an electrically conductive surface of a photovoltaic element includes an electrically insulating optically transparent film, an adhesive layer provided on a planar surface of the film, and a plurality of substantially parallel, electrically conductive wires embedded into the adhesive layer. The plurality of wires lies over the planar surface of the film. A part of the surfaces of the wires protrude from the adhesive layer. At least the part of the surfaces protruding from the adhesive layer are covered by a coating consisting of an alloy having a low melting point to solder the wires to the electrically conductive surface and to a first terminal bar. The adhesive layer has a thickness less that a thickness of the wires embedded therein.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are for holding heat generating elements such as solar cells. The apparatus includes a body and a component mounting surface for mounting a heat generating component, such as a solar cell, thereon. The apparatus can further include a plurality of spaced apart heat transfer element holders that are configured to transfer heat from the body to heat transfer elements. The apparatus can also include a connector that is configured to cooperate with a corresponding connector of an adjacent apparatus to mechanically couple the body to the adjacent apparatus while allowing for thermal expansion the body relative to the adjacent apparatus, thereby producing a linear array.

Abstract: The present invention is used for diagnosis, including early diagnosis, of malignant growths, for assessment as of the extent of malignant infection, for determining of the required volume for surgical intervention, for finalizing diagnoses under clinical and dispensary conditions, for control during the process of treatment of malignant tumors, and for detection of post-operative relapses.The contrasting composition according to the present invention is characterized in that, in addition to the contrasting composition, namely, fluorescein, or salts thereof, it comprises sugar.