Abstract: The spray drying process and the apparatus therefor, of the present invention use a spray drying chamber formed by a heat-resistant porous membrane. Said porous membrane enables rapid separation of a discharge gas and a produced powder and accordingly total recovery of the produced powder from the spray drying chamber. Therefore, there occurs no nonuniformity in product composition; cleaning and blowing-off of adhered fine powder can be conducted rapidly and easily even in frequent product change inevitable with a less grade larger quantity production system; as a result, a fine powder of higher quality and higher purity can be produced.

Abstract: A lighting apparatus for a discharge lamp in which said lighting apparatus (4) is coupled in series with a discharge lamp (3), said lighting apparatus (4) is composed of a capacitor with a ferroelectric dielectric material having main component Barium-titanate (BaTiO.sub.3), said capacitor satisfying the impedance ratio of the first impedance (Z.sub.1) which is obtained by measuring current for alternate voltage of 5 volts, to the second impedance (Z.sub.2) which is obtained by measuring current for alternate voltage of 500 volt/mm, being less than 1/10 (Z.sub.2 /Z.sub.1 is less than 1/10), thus, the size of the lighting apparatus is small, and the power loss in the same is reduced.

Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting device comprises a discharge lamp (1) with a pair of filaments (101a, 101b), an inductive balast (2) coupled with said lamp (1) and a power supply, a non-linear dielectric element (4) coupled across said lamp (1), a semiconductor switch (3) coupled substantially parallel with said non-linear dielectric element (4), and delay means ((6,7,303c,304b,303d), (8,303c,304b,303b), (9,10,60), (6,11)) for shifting firing phase of said semiconductor switch (3) so that a spike voltage induced by said non-linear dielectric element increases gradually for every cycle of a power supply voltage.

Abstract: A current restriction device for alternate circuit with small size, low producing cost and low power loss has been found by using a ferro-electric body with rectangular hysterisis characteristics. Said device is used for instance as a ballast for restricting current in a fluorescent lamp. Said ferro-electric body has main component of B.sub.a T.sub.i O.sub.3, additive of S.sub.r or P.sub.b for substitution of part of B.sub.a and Z.sub.n or S.sub.n for substitution of part of T.sub.i, and a mineralizer of M.sub.n o or C.sub.r2 O.sub.3. The voltage-current characteristics of said ferro-electric body show non-linearity that the impedance ratio (Z.sub.2 /Z.sub.1) of the impedance Z.sub.2 measured with alternate field of 500 volts/mm to the impedance Z.sub.1 measured with alternate field of 5 volts/mm is less than 1/10.

Abstract: A D-E hysteresis loop of ferroelectrics known in the art has a square shape when the ferroelectrics are a BaTiO.sub.3 single crystal. Such ferroelectrics are used as a non-linear dielectric element of, for example a pulse generating device. The non-linear dielectric element according to the present invention consists of a polycrystal mainly composed of Ba(Ti.sub.0.90-0.98 Sn.sub.0.02-1.00)O.sub.3 and having an average grain diameter of from 10 to 60 .mu.m. The non-linearity is excellent and the temperature dependence of the non-linearity is considerably low.

Abstract: An improved starter switch which provides a rapid firing of a fluorescent lamp within 0.8 second has been found. An external appearance and the size of the present starter switch are almost the same as those of a prior glow switch which is slow to fire a fluorescent lamp, therefore, the present starter switch is replaceable to a prior glow switch by merely inserting the present starter switch to a socket of a prior glow switch. The present starter switch has a connector cap which is to be able to be engaged with a socket for a glow switch, a printed circuit board mounting circuit components and connected to said connector cap by lead lines, and a housing fixed to said cap and covering said printed circuit board.

Abstract: A capacitor trimming system for a quartz-crystal oscillator in a watch and/or a clock for providing a punctual watch and/or a clock has been found. The system comprises an oscillation circuit including at least a quartz-crystal piece, a trimmer capacitor for adjusting the oscillating frequency of the quartz-crystal piece, a semiconductor electronic circuit for operating said quartz-crystal piece, and apparatus for adjusting automatically the trimmer capacitor so that the oscillating frequency becomes the same as the desired reference frequency. The trimmer capacitor comprises of at least a fixed outer trimming electrode, an inner common electrode fixed parallel to said trimming electrode and a dielectric body sandwiched between the two electrodes.

Abstract: A chip capacitor which has a substantially rectangular dielectric body having a pair of long sides, a pair of short sides perpendicular to said long sides, a pair of conductive confronting electrodes attached on the surface of the dielectric body so that the electrodes sandwich the dielectric body, a pair of terminals each provided along the related short side of the dielectric body and being electrically connected to the related electrode, and the junction point of each long side and each short side of the dielectric body is recessed. Preferably, the dielectric body is tapered towards the short sides.

Abstract: An improved high voltage ceramic capacitor is disclosed which includes a ceramic body having electrode layers formed on opposite sides thereof. Novel terminals formed of material having a coefficient of expansion which is the same as, or nearly the same as, the material of the ceramic body are bonded to the electrode layers to prevent voids resulting from thermal stresses.