Abstract: A transport roller having a core and a first bonding layer at least partially surrounding and bonded to the core. Further, roller has a first layer of corrosion material at least partially surrounding and bonded to the first bonding layer, wherein said corrosion resistant material is electroplated nickel or electroless nickel. In addition, the roller has a second bonding layer for bonding a second layer to the core. The second layer includes a wear and abrasion resistant material, wherein the wear and abrasion resistant material is selected from the group including polyurethane; acrylic; silicon dioxide; alumina; chromium oxide; zirconium oxide; composites of zirconia-alumina; or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: Long wearing and reusable lithographic printing members are prepared from a zirconium metal or alloy that has an anodized zirconium metal or alloy printing surface. In use, the anodized printing surface of the printing member is imagewise exposed to electromagnetic radiation which transforms it from a hydrophilic to an oleophilic state or from an oleophilic to a hydrophilic state, thereby creating a lithographic printing surface which is hydrophilic in non-image areas and is oleophilic and thus capable of accepting printing ink in image areas. Such inked areas can then be used to transfer an image to a suitable receiving material in lithographic printing. These printing members are directly laser-imageable as well as image erasable.

Abstract: A light reflective device including an insulative substrate; a silicon wafer positioned over the insulative substrate and defining an opening and having a flexible beam portion having top and bottom surfaces which extend into the opening; a layer of ferromagnetic material formed over the top surface of the flexible beam portion; a reflector formed over the ferromagnetic layer on the top surface of the flexible beam portion; and a micro-electromagnet mounted on the insulative substrate relative to the opening of the silicon wafer and adapted to produce a magnetic field in response to an applied current which acts on the ferromagnetic layer to cause the bending of the flexible beam portion, ferromagnetic layer and reflector.

Abstract: An improved ware plate useful for materials feeder equipment, and the like, includes highly efficient, durable and wear and abrasion resistant sliding surface for slidably contacting elements of the feeder equipment. In particular, the ware plate has a tetragonal zirconia polycrystal ceramic sliding surface for contacting an element of the feeder equipment having a zirconia-alumina ceramic composite sliding surface. Alternatively, the sliding surface of the ware plate is zirconia-alumina ceramic composite for sliding contact with the element of the feeder equipment having a tetragonal zirconia polycrystal ceramic sliding surface.

Abstract: A bias-field apparatus for a magneto-optical system having a magneto-optical recording element which includes a conductive substrate and which moves through a magnetic field created by the bias-field device so that information is selectively recorded on or erased from the recording element, the device comprises a support member; a magnet mounted for rotation in the support member such that, when the recording element rotates, the conductive substrate creates a magnetic coupling with the magnet for causing the magnet to rotate; and (c) a ferromagnetic element enclosing a portion of said magnet and having a plurality of spatially separated pole teeth, each of said pole teeth having an operably connected coil disposed thereon that releases said magnet for rotation caused by the conductive substrate when the coil is energized, and prevents rotation when said coil is de-energized for permitting said magnet to be selectively rotated.

Abstract: A process of molding inorganic materials into desired shapes comprises mixing the material with a dispersant, milling, molding the mixture, drying the mixture and sintering.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conveying a web utilizes magnetically coupled first and second rotatable elements. Rotation of one of the rotatable elements causes the simultaneous synchronous rotation of the other rotatable element. Both first and second rotatable elements include a magnetic core, a bonding layer at least partially surrounding the magnetic core, and a wear and abrasion resistant layer surrounding the bonding layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a piezoelectric element which includes piezoelectric material having a variable functionally gradient d-coefficient comprising coating a block having a uniform concentration of piezoelectric material by the steps of applying a first layer having piezoelectric material with a different chemical composition than the block onto a surface of the block to provide a different crystallographic structure than the block; and sequentially applying one or more layers of piezoelectric material on the first layer and subsequent layers with different chemical compositions of piezoelectric material also having different crystallographic structures than the block and the subsequently applied layers so as to form the piezoelectric element which has a functionally gradient d-coefficient.

Abstract: A method of preparing ceramics having the steps of forming an aqueous slurry of deflocculant, ceramic powder and binder and causing the slurry to get into a semi-rigid solid by adding a chemical initiator and/or increasing the temperature of the slurry.

Abstract: An improved materials transporting element useful for transporting materials in sliding contact with a ware plate, for instance in materials feeder equipment, has a high precision, durable, wear and abrasion resistant sliding surface. The transporting element may have a tetragonal zirconia polycrystal ceramic sliding surface for reciprocal sliding contact with the ware plate having a zirconia-alumina sliding surface. Alternatively, the transporting element may have a zirconia-alumina ceramic composite sliding surface with the ware plate having a tetragonal zirconia polycrystal ceramic sliding surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting magnetic objects (8) has at least one magnetic transport roller (20) mounted to a frame (10) for conveying a ferromagnetic carrier (12), and means for rotating the transport roller. The means comprises a ferromagnetic stator member (62), integrally associated with the transport roller (20), which has a plurality of spatially separated pole teeth (64) each of which has an operably connected coil (66) arranged for producing rotation of the transport roller (20). The transport roller (20) has a magnetic core (22), a first bonding layer (24) at least partially surrounding and bonded to the core (22), a first layer (26) at least partially surrounding and bonded to the first bonding layer (24), a second bonding layer 28 for bonding second layer 30 to the core (20). Second layer (30) comprises a wear and abrasion resistant material. Further, a ferromagnetic web (12) is arranged for movement along the magnetic transport roller (20) for transporting materials thereon.

Abstract: An improved microminiature radiation reflector is formed in a silicon support body with a fabricated cantilever member extending over a cavity that has been etched in the support body. The cantilever member has a reflection surface for reflecting incident radiation to a first position when the cantilever member is not deflected. An electromagnet is formed in the silicon support body adjacent the free end of the cantilever member for deflecting the cantilever member into the cavity of the support body so as to cause incident radiation to be reflected to a second position. An array of radiation reflectors is also disclosed for forming images from electrical signals applied to the electromagnets of selected ones of the radiation reflectors as a function of the position of their reflected radiation in the to be formed image.

Abstract: Reusable lithographic printing members are prepared from a ceramic that is a composite of a zirconia alloy and .alpha.-alumina. In use, a printing surface of the zirconia-alumina composite ceramic is imagewise exposed to electromagnetic radiation such as from a laser under controlled conditions to provide localized "melting" of the zirconia alloy in the exposed areas. Those areas are transformed from a hydrophilic to an oleophilic state or from an oleophilic to a hydrophilic state, thereby creating a lithographic printing surface that is hydrophilic in non-image areas and is oleophilic and thus capable of accepting printing ink in image areas. Such inked areas can then be used to transfer an image to a suitable substrate in lithographic printing. The printing members are directly laser-imageable as well as image erasable, and can include printing plates, printing cylinders, printing tapes and printing sleeves.

Abstract: A method for making micromagnets and magnets with a micro-polarization pattern on at least one surface thereof.

Abstract: A method for making electromechanical parts and tools having at least one micro-diameter electrically conductive thread incorporated therein is accomplished by molding the elements which form the base for the electromechanical part or tool from a ceramic material and, during the molding step, there are formed one or more bores through each of the base elements. The base elements may be formed individually or at a planar array for later separation into individual elements. The base elements are then supported on a micro-porous substrate within a vacuum chamber and one side of the base element is flooded with a molten electrically conductive material. By drawing a vacuum within the vacuum chamber beneath the micro-porous substrate, the molten electrically conductive material is caused to flow into and through at least one bore in each base element. The molten electrically conductive material is then cooled.

Abstract: A dielectric member with an integral, electrically conductive surface is made by molding a substrate from a zirconia alloy powder using a tape casting process. The resulting green substrate is sintered and after sintering may be cut to the final desired size and shape. Once the insulating ceramic substrate has been formed, the surface of the substrate is modified using infrared laser energy. Through the impingement of infrared laser radiation upon the surface of the ceramic substrate, an electrically conductive region is produced on the surface of the substrate. In such manner, the entire surface can be made electrically conductive or a particular pattern can be traced. As an integral part of the substrate, the surface will not delaminate from the substrate. Further, because the modified surface region and the substrate are both a zirconia, the coefficients of thermal expansion of the substrate and the modified surface region will be closely matched.

Abstract: An improved die retaining element has a highly efficient, durable and wear and abrasion resistant flange portion surrounding an opening for securing a die mold therein. The flange portion may have practically any geometric configuration, such as round, but is most effective when in a continuous plane with the powder feed box in sliding contact with a feed box. In particular, the flange portion may selectively have either a high precision tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (TZP) ceramic or zirconia-alumina ceramic composite, depending on the surface material of the feeder box in sliding contact therewith. In one embodiment, the flange portion has tetragonal zirconia polycrystal ceramic and the feeder box has zirconia-alumina ceramic composite sliding surface. In another embodiment, flange portion has a zirconium-alumina ceramic composite sliding portion and the feeder box has a tetragonal zirconia polycrystal ceramic sliding portion.

Abstract: A method of forming ceramic elements for a drive system or similar apparatus includes providing highly efficient, light weight, durable, and wear and abrasion resistant sliding components. In particular, the method uses high precision tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (TZP) ceramic or alternatively zirconia-alumina ceramic composite for forming the components of drive system.

Abstract: A method of making a microceramic electromagnetic light shutter, includes forming a micromolded bottom ceramic portion in the green state with a sacrificial fiber having a first and second end portion and being shaped in the form of a coil, mounted on its surface; forming a micromolded top ceramic portion in the green state having surface features that include a pair of bearing structures, at least one stop structure, and a first and second through-hole; assembling the top and bottom micromolded ceramic portions with the first and second ends of the sacrificial fiber being drawn through the first and second through-holes, respectively, and sintering such assembled structure to form a unitary ceramic body; etching through the first and second through-holes to etch away the sacrificial fiber to thereby provide an embedded coil receiving cavity.

Abstract: A magnetic transport system (8) has at least one magnetic transport roller (20) mounted to a frame (10) for conveying a ferromagnetic web (12). The transport roller (20) has a magnetic core (22), a first bonding layer (24) at least partially surrounding and bonded to the core (22), a first layer (26) at least partially surrounding and bonded to the first bonding layer (24), a second bonding layer (28) for bonding second layer (30) to the core (20). Second layer (30) comprises a wear and abrasion resistant material. Further, a ferromagnetic web (12) is arranged for movement along the magnetic transport roller (20) for transporting materials thereon.