Abstract: A method of examining a position of at least one board-support pin which is positioned on a board-support base for supporting a printed-circuit board under a back surface thereof, the method including the steps of taking an image of the board-support pin, at a position opposed to a free end of the pin, judging whether the position of the board-support pin is appropriate, based on the taken image, and producing judgment information indicative of a result of the judgment.

Abstract: Electrical terminal fastening dies are provided, which includes: an electric wire; an electrical terminal having the electric wire; a couple of dies to press the electrical terminal a substantially hexagon in cross section; an abutting plane provided on each of the couple of dies; a pressing groove provided on the abutting plane and having a section to be formed by dividing a hexagon symmetrically with a diagonal; a pair of terminal pressing planes formed on a surface of the pressing groove of at least either one of the couple of dies for pressing the electrical terminal; and a pair of flash preventing planes formed on the surface of the pressing groove having the pair of terminal pressing planes, and each connected to the abutting plane, for pressing the electrical terminal to form thin portions thereon so as to prevent a flash from arising on the electrical terminal.

Abstract: For the longitudinal application of at least one elongated retainer element onto a longitudinally extending bundle having a plurality of electrical and/or optical transmission elements, a retainer element is formed into a loop at successive discrete locations of the bundle and the respective loops are tightened to form a retaining force. Preferably, the loops are chained together by having the loop of the next following loop passing through the preceding loop.

Abstract: An integrated circuit package which has a flexible circuit that covers an integrated circuit. The flexible circuit contains a conductive line which prevents a probe from accessing the integrated circuit. The conductive line of the flexible circuit can be attached to the power lines, synchronization line, memory erase line, or any other line that will disable, erase or otherwise prevent access to the integrated circuit if the flexible circuit conductive line is broken. The integrated circuit can be mounted to a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board, integrated circuit and flexible circuit can all be enclosed within the package.

Abstract: A resin seal apparatus includes a movable bottom die vertically moved by an elevator mechanism, a transport mechanism horizontally moving the movable bottom die having placed thereon a printed circuit board with a semiconductor chip mounted thereon, an intermediate die abutting against a periphery of the printed circuit board when the movable bottom die is moved upward, a film of resin stretched by a film stretch mechanism over the intermediate die and the printed circuit board, a die for a chip, pressing a back surface of the semiconductor chip via the film of resin, and a top die pressing a top surface of the intermediate die via the film of resin. This apparatus allows a PCB with a semiconductor chip mounted thereon in the form of a flip chip to be sealed with resin in a reduced period of time to fabricate an electronic component.

Abstract: A ceramic electronic part includes at least one chip ceramic electronic part body having terminal electrodes and terminals provided on both sides. Each terminal is composed of a metal plate bent into a u shape. The outer face of a first leg of each bent terminal faces and is attached to a terminal electrode, and a second leg is attached to a substrate. The inner face of the bent terminal is provided with a solder-phobic surface not having affinity for solder, and the outer face of the bent terminal is provided with a solder-philic surface having high affinity for solder.

Abstract: A sealant is applied to electric wires which comprise a wire harness at a location where a portion of this wire harness passes through a narrow diameter cylindrical member 6a of a grommet 6. An outer circumference of this portion to which the sealant has been applied is covered by a sheet 11. Both open ends along a length-wise direction of this sheet are bound by tape 13 and 14, the bound portions of this tape preventing the sealant from escaping to the exterior. In the portion between the tapes, the sealant is forced to permeate into the cross-sectionally central portion of the wire harness. The tapes 13, 14 also act as a positioning aid.

Abstract: Each of a pair of composite structures includes at least one tubular member that is at least partially conductive and defines an electrical port. Each tubular member is electrically connected at a first end to a respective electrical lead and has a second end opening through an edge surface of the composite structure. A method for establishing electrical contact between the electrical leads includes electrically engaging the tubular member that defines the electrical port of each composite structure with a respective electrical contact device. The electrical contact device comprises an electrical contact pad and a conductive pin connected to and extending outwardly from the electrical contact pad such that engaging the tubular member includes inserting the conductive pin into the tubular member. Then, corresponding electrical contact pads are at least partially aligned to thereby establish electrical contact between corresponding electrical leads embedded within the pair of composite structures.

Abstract: A pinning process including the steps of gold-plating through-holes in a laminate carrier and crimping old or gold-plated pin located in the through-holes to form a pin head on the top and a pin bulge on the bottom of the laminate carrier to produce a plastic pin grid array. A variety of mechanical forming processes may be employed to form the pin heads and pin bulges and cause the pin to at least partially, and preferably substantially, fill and contact the gold-plated through-hole including swage pinning, impact pinning, and double-die pinning operations. By combining the steps of gold-plating through-holes of a laminate carrier and using a mechanical pinning process to crimp a gold or gold-plated pin in the through-holes, a reliable mechanical and electrical connection may be established between the pin and the metal lines both inside and on the surface of the laminate carrier without the need for lead-containing solders and pastes.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an interconnector that is interposed between a pair of terminal plates each having electrodes arranged in a predetermined pattern, for electrically connecting the electrodes of the terminal plates, including arranging positioning plates in a container and inserting conductive wires into through holes of the positioning plates. Then forming a stacked body by alternately forming stacked insulating sheet layers and synthetic resin layers, in the container and thereafter cutting the stacked body at a middle portion of each synthetic resin layer before separating the synthetic resin layers from the insulating sheet layers, thereby forming interconnectors.

Abstract: A method of producing layered metal components is described which obviates the need for layering the terminals twice. The method includes the steps of providing a strip of base material, layering the base material with layering material, and cutting individual pieces from the strip such that the layering material is wiped across the surface of the base material which would otherwise be exposed by the separation.

Abstract: A control system and method of use for aligning a piston assembly with a cylinder of an engine block. The control system enables the piston assembly to be properly aligned with the cylinder prior to inserting the piston assembly into the cylinder. The control system includes an apparatus which compares positional information associated with the piston assembly and an apparatus which instructs movement of the piston assembly with respect to the cylinder in response to the positional information.

Abstract: A method of producing a piston for a swash plate type compressor including a head portion which is slidably fitted in a cylinder bore of the compressor, and an engaging section which engages a swash plate of the compressor, wherein a blank including a hollow cylindrical head section corresponding to the head portion and an engaging section corresponding to the engaging portion is formed by a pore-free die-casting method, such that the head section and the engaging section are formed integrally with each other at the closed end by the head section, and wherein a closing member is fixed to the hollow cylindrical head section so as to close its open end, for thereby providing the head portion of the piston.

Abstract: A method and system for machining a cylinder head include loading a cylinder head into a first five axis computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine. A first fixture of the first CNC machine is then located against a top surface of the cylinder head such that the cylinder head is in a horizontal position. The first CNC machine then machines the cylinder head in the horizontal position. A second fixture of the first CNC machine is then located against a bottom surface of the cylinder head such that the cylinder head is in a vertical position. The first CNC machine then machines the cylinder head in the vertical position. The cylinder head is then moved into a second five axis CNC machine. A fixture of the second CNC machine is then located against a bottom surface of the cylinder head. The second CNC machine then machines the cylinder head.

Abstract: A process is provided for the production of a cam to be joined to a hollow shaft to form a camshaft. In order to make the cam suitable for stable long-term operation on the camshaft, the internal compressive stresses achieved in the cam track before the joining of the cam to the camshaft being so high that the tensile stresses resulting from joining are permanently overcompensated, it is provided that the material selected for the cam is a steel in which the carbon can be dissolved easily as cementite in the pearlite and martensite or is in the form of a fine composite carbide. The cam, which is composed of a hardenable steel, should be fully hardened and, during tempering in the hardening operation, the basic hardness should be set in a range of between 25 and 40 HRC. The cam should then be edge-zone-hardened in a two-stage heating process by induction hardening at a medium frequency of 10-35 kHz, after the preheating stage of the heating process, the introduction of heat being interrupted for 0.3-1.

Abstract: A method of stacking a plurality of wheels and spacers forming a rotor for a turbine, the wheels and spacers having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, axially extending openings spaced radially from axes of the wheels and spacers including providing a support fixture having an axis and disposing a plurality of alignment rods about the fixture in circumferentially spaced relation to one another about and generally parallel to the axis. Each of the rods has a cross-section with a radial dimension less than a circumferential dimension. The method includes disposing the wheels and spacers on the support fixture with the alignment rods extending through the openings with clearances between the rods and margins of the openings being greater in a radial direction than in a circumferential direction.

Abstract: A method for repairing/manufacturing an integrally bladed rotor for a turbine or turbo engine, in which, in the case of a repair, at least one vane section to be replaced is removed leaving a stub section to which a replacement vane section is to be welded, and, in the case of manufacturing, a carrier to be provided with vanes has stubs projecting over its peripheral surface, to each of which a vane is to be welded, includes the steps of: arranging an inductor around the front face of the stub section or stub; positioning a replacement vane section or vane at a small radial distance from and aligned with the stub section or stub; and welding the replacement vane section or vane to the stub section or stub, respectively, in a protective gas atmosphere by exciting the inductor with high-frequency current and moving the opposing heated part surfaces together.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a catalytic converter comprising disposing a first end around a second end and disposing an induction coil around the first end. Discharging a current through the induction coil and forming eddy currents on the surface of the first end. This magnetic impulse welds the first end and the second end together such that the first end disposed around the second end comprises a tube end disposed around an end of a catalytic converter or such that the first end disposed around the second end comprises the catalytic converter end disposed around the tube end. The method can be used to weld pieces of the catalytic converter, as well as sizing the catalytic converter for a desired mat density.

Abstract: A method of making a continuous corrugated heat exchanger includes stamping a plurality of contiguous refrigerant plates joined together by a plurality of tabs. The method includes the steps of stamping at least a first and last one of the refrigerant plates flat to form end sheets. The method further includes the steps of bending the refrigerant plates to form a stack and bending the end sheets over the refrigerant plates at a top and bottom of the stack.

Abstract: There is described a method for manufacturing fixing rollers and a roller body holding device utilized for manufacturing fixing rollers. The method includes steps of press-fitting flanges into a roller body, shaped in a hollow cylinder, from each of both end openings of the roller body with putting an elastic material between each of the flanges and the roller body; installing the roller body in a shaping mold so that the roller body is supported by the flanges and the elastic material at a predetermined position in the shaping mold; injecting a melted rubber into a space between the roller body and the shaping mold from an injection opening; and curing the melted rubber injected into the space. The roller body holding device for holding a roller body is shaped in a hollow cylinder and includes a flange, which is press-fitted into the roller body from each of end openings of the roller body; and an elastic material disposed between the flange and the roller body.

Abstract: A method for framing a car body from a plurality of separate body components includes the steps of attaching a bottom plate of the car body to a bottom plate support unit, then bringing at least a part of the separate body components into engagement with the bottom plate by a robot or similar apparatus. The body components are preassembled relative to the bottom plate and/or relative to each other so that a preassembled car body has an external shape of the car body. A support unit is formed from a plurality of separate support elements for supporting the preassembled car body such that at least a part of the support elements is brought into engagement with the bottom plate support unit and/or another support element by a robot or similar apparatus. The support elements are clamped to each other in order to form a support means net.

Abstract: A removable hardtop including inner and outer roof panels made of molded fiber reinforced sheet molding compound. An integral roll bar is formed in the inner roof panel. A hold down clamp and bracket having horizontal, vertical and transverse flanges mounted on a horizontal edge, vertical surface and transverse surface of a B pillar of a vehicle. A method of molding the inner and outer roof panels and assembling component parts to the inner and outer roof panels is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and tool are provided for manufacturing an outer race for constant velocity joints by plastic deformation of a preform having a cavity open on one side to produce axial ball tracks and cage guide surfaces. the preform is inserted within an outer tool. An inner tool is inserted within the preform. The preform is wobble pressed with the inner tool.

Abstract: A nail clipper device with a scissors-like cutting configuration comprises elongated upper and lower operating members each having first ends joined together, and second ends terminating in spaced complimentary shaped cutting edges; a post secured to the lower operating member and movably extending through an aperture in the upper member adjacent the cutting edges; a lever member having first and second ends with the first end begin pivotally secured to the post, the upper operating member having an exterior surface with the lever member being superimposed over the upper operating member in a non-operable position; the lever member having a bent portion adjacent the post so the lever member is first pivoted about the axis of the post, and pivoted in over the post to an operating position, the bent portion of the lever will bear against the upper operating member to move the cutting edge.

Abstract: The disposable straight razor comprises: an elongate body; a triple razor blade assembly mounted in the body; the body being molded about the triple razor blade assembly; the triple razor blade assembly extending outwardly from the body a distance of from approximately 0.5 mm to approximately 4 mm; and a cover for the body and the triple razor blade assembly which extends over the body and completely over the triple razor blade assembly.

Abstract: The disposable straight razor comprises: an elongate body; a double razor blade assembly mounted in the body; the body being molded about the double razor blade assembly; the double razor blade assembly extending outwardly from the body a distance of from approximately 0.5 mm to approximately 4 mm; and a cover for the body and the double razor blade assembly which extends over the body and completely over the double razor blade assembly.

Abstract: Knives (10, 182) each include a handle (12, 184) having a blade (14, 90, 194) pivotally attached to the handle. The blade is movable between a closed position in which it is received within a groove (36, 192) of the handle and an open position. The blade has a working portion (38, 198) and a tang portion (44, 98, 204), which remains within the groove when the blade is in its open position. A locking pin (72, 204) extends transversely of the handle and blade and is movable along a pair of elongated openings (74, 216), and engages the tang portion (44, 98, 204) of the blade to lock the blade in its open position. A spring (78, 228) biases the locking pin toward the tang. In another tool (119), multiple tool blades (114, 116, 118 and 120) are provided in a handle (112) defining a wider groove (132), and a locking pin (152) movable along elongate openings (150) can lock a selected tool blade in an open position.

Abstract: To automatically retract the blade after cutting, a flat serpentine spring is integrally formed with a thumb piece which is slidably received in a slot formed along the upper edge of a housing/handle. The housing has a finger rest projection on the lower edge to facilitate cutting while the blade is projected with the thumb. The two halves of the housing snap together using a block-like projection formed on one half, and a pair of tabs formed on the other. The tabs, which are resilient, slide along the sides of the projection until recesses on each of the side of the projection are reached. Inwardly extending ridges on the ends of the tabs enter the recesses to provide a click lock. An aperture between the tabs allows pressure to be applied to the top of the projection to separate the two halves for blade reset/re-adjustment. The blade carrier, which is adapted to support two different types of blades, is slidably mounted in the housing so that it and the thumb piece are free of detents or click-locks.

Abstract: A roller cutter has a partially circular housing having a slit extending in from receiving a cutter wheel, which can be selectively shifted between an extended cutting position and a retracted position enclosed within the housing to protect the cutter wheel cutting edge. A push button operates a latch release to allow shifting between these positions. A slide bar mounting the cutting wheel for shifting movement is itself held in a slot in the housing, but may be released for removal and cleaning. A tangential grip at the top of housing allows convenient stroking for cutting pizza, mincing herbs, etc.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a circular saw aligning device which is not only easily releaseable but also entirely removeable from functioning engagement with either a specially made or prior art portable circular saw. An abutting assembly of the device rotates from an engaging position to a non-engaging position so the saw can be used without interference. This rotation is also the first step in removing the device entirely from the saw.

Abstract: A portable power working machine has an L-shaped top handle having a top grip portion that extends longitudinally above and parallel to the top of a main housing and a rear coupling portion that extends along the rear portion of the main housing. A side handle has a front grip portion that is joined to and extends horizontally and laterally from the front end of the top grip portion of the top handle and a diagonal grip portion which curves out and down from the front grip portion and extends diagonally straight as viewed in side elevation from the front grip portion toward the lower end of the rear coupling portion of the top handle. A starting footstool contiguous to a lower end of the diagonal grip portion extends horizontally to the vicinity of and is joined to the lower end portion of the rear coupling portion of the top handle.

Abstract: A set of human torso manikins for use in fabrication and evaluation of body wear for a group of human beings, the torso manikins being shaped and dimensioned to conform to selected parameters derived from statistical analysis of the group. The manikins include a central human torso manikin of a shape corresponding to a multivariate center of anthropometric distributions of selected members of the group, and a plurality of extreme human torso form manikins each of a shape corresponding to a multivariate extreme suitable for accommodation of 90% of the group. About half of the plurality of extreme human torso form manikins exhibits a dimensional specification substantially less than a corresponding specification of the central human torso manikin and about another half of the plurality of extreme human torso form manikins exhibits a dimensional specification substantially greater than the corresponding specification of the central human torso manikin.

Abstract: A center line marking apparatus for marking holes or bores in beams for running pipe or electrical wiring through the beams. The center line marking apparatus includes a clamping assembly for clamping to a beam such as a joist; and also includes a first elongate support member being pivotally mounted to the clamping assembly; and further includes a laser marking assembly rotatably mounted to the elongate support member.

Abstract: A portable alignment system for aligning the front and rear wheels of a motorcycle has a rear wheel assembly including rigid, longitudinally extending, first and second alignment members and a front wheel assembly including rigid, longitudinally extending, third and fourth alignment members. First and second laser units are removably mounted to the first and second alignment members, respectively. At least one measuring indicia is removably mounted to each of the third and fourth alignment members. Rear and front clamping subsystems removably clamp the first and second alignment members on either side of the rear wheel and the third and fourth alignment members on either side of the front wheel during the alignment procedure. The first and second laser units emit laser beams onto the measuring indicia mounted to the third and fourth alignment members, respectively, to provide an objective indication of the degree of alignment of the front and rear wheels.

Abstract: An apparatus for fine positioning of a component has a symmetrical, one-piece double parallel spring element having a movable center bar, suspended on bending points, which carries the component. The center bar is preloaded in the direction of the frame by way of an elastic element. The center bar can be adjusted in almost ideally tilt-free fashion with a fine adjustment element arranged between the center bar and frame. A high-precision coordinate measuring instrument having a measurement stage for receiving a substrate that is to be measured, an incident-light and/or transmitted-light illumination device, and an imaging optical system with a vertical optical axis, has a fine positioning apparatus of this kind with a vertically arranged double parallel spring element. Mounted on its center bar is an objective holder, and thereon the objective with an objective axis parallel to the movement direction of the center bar.

Abstract: In a coordinate measurement device with a base frame, a measurement table supported at the latter for holding an object to be measured, a sensing device for sensing the surface of this object, and with a positioning device for moving the sensing device in three spatial axes over the measurement table, which positioning device is mounted at the base frame and carries the sensing device, the positioning device has a first slide which is guided at the base frame in a first direction and which is movable on one side of the measurement table toward and away from the latter and on which a second slide is movable in a second direction vertical to the first direction, this second slide being provided at its end area remote of the measurement table (considered in its movement direction) with a supporting portion which projects lateral to the measurement table and at which there is arranged a stirrup arm which projects over the measurement table in a direction vertical to a principal work plane of the measurement table

Abstract: An electronic feeler gauge and a method of using the same which provides an objective means of determining the width of a gap between two surfaces. The gauge comprises a measuring element which is insertable into the gap and an indicator coupled to the measuring element for automatically indicating when the gap has been set to a predetermined distance. The measuring element comprises two plates which act as an electrical switch in an electrical circuit. When the gap gauge is inserted into a gap of predetermined width, the plates press against each other and current from a power source lights up a light emitting diode. Conversely, when the plates are inserted into a gap that is too wide, the plates do not press against each. The circuit, therefore, is not complete, and the light emitting diode does not light up. Thus, this invention provides an objective, reliable means for confirming the width of a gap. The invention can be used for gaps of different widths by varying the thicknesses of the plates.

Abstract: A tool, for measuring a gap adjacent a curved surface of a workpiece, includes a curved tool body having a substantially C-shaped cross-section. The tool may further include a handle attached to the tool body. Preferably, the tool body has flattened top and bottom surfaces, which may be substantially parallel to one another. The tool body also includes curved front and back surfaces. The tool body has a relatively wide first end, and a second end which is narrower than the first end. The tool body tapers gradually and continuously from the first end to the second end, and becomes progressively narrower as it moves away from the first end. The tool body also gradually curves, as it moves from the first end to the second end, so that it is substantially C-shaped, as noted. The tool body has markings on at least one surface selected from the top, bottom, front and back surfaces, to indicate the thickness thereof at selected, regularly spaced apart intervals.

Abstract: A device for determining position between two parts which are movable relative to one another, comprises a linear sensor arrangement, a length scale or angle scale comprising a sequence of transparent and non-transparent fields, an illumination device and elements for imaging at least one section of the scale on the sensor arrangement. The entire length scale or angle scale is divided into n graduation portions of equal length, wherein every portion contains a sequence of transparent and non-transparent marks, and the sequence is successively a number which is binary-coded with k bits and correlated with the respective portion as rough value code and a fixedly recurring number which is likewise binary-coded with k bits as a reference mark (reference mark with length of k bits). Every code bit is of equal length and is formed of a transparent and a non-transparent field (half-bit) of equal length, wherein the binary information comes from a sequence of two half-bits.

Abstract: A radial clearance measurement device includes a pair of opposed drive heads, connected by an adjustable strut. Each drive head is fitted with a radial distance measurement device including a plate adapted to slide within a dovetail groove in a radial stator core slot, a spring-loaded plunger adapted to engage a surface of an armature bar located in the radial stator slot, and a linear voltage displacement transducer for measuring distance between the dovetail groove and the armature bar. The device is adapted to move through the bore of the stator, with the plungers engaged with armature bars in diametrically opposed radial stator core slots.

Abstract: The invention is a distributed airways airflow dryer system for coffee beans and other such bulk crops. The interior volume or container of the dryer or dehydrator system that holds the bulk crops, is filled with an airways network structure that provides uniformly distributed open wall airflow passageways in the bulk crops. The airflow passages communicate with airflow openings in the walls or bottom of the container, to divide and admit the drying airflow into and through the full volume of the bulk crops as a large number of individual airstreams. Corrugated, ribbed, or cross-ribbed airflow plates are preferred embodiments that provide narrow open grooves or channels that expose the beans or kernels of the bulk crop directly to the airflow. This results in faster drying and greater uniformity of the drying effect on the full volume of the bulk crops.

Abstract: An apparatus for drying particulate materials in superheated steam in a closed container has a cyclone for separating dust from the steam, the cyclone located in an upper part thereof. The cyclone has openings for receiving at least part of the dust laden steam located in an upper part thereof so that large, moist particles are separated and led back to the processing cells before the steam enters the cyclone.

Abstract: A centrifugal pellet dryer apparatus, lifter and rotor wherein the lifters can have a surface configured to deflect pellets inwardly and the rotor can have lifters attached in an arrangement designed to increase pellet impacts with lifters by providing a higher concentration of lifters on the rotor in a first region which initially engages a slurry of pellets and water. The inwardly curved lifters tend to direct the pellets inwards toward other lifters and away from dewatering screens and the higher concentration of lifters on the lower region of the rotor results in added pellet impacts with lifters. The centrifugal pellet dryer can have an outer housing, a base portion with a water discharge outlet and a top portion having a pellet discharge port and an exhaust port. Within the housing can be one or more generally cylindrical foraminous members disposed around the rotor. One or more separator plates can be provided between the foraminous members to divide the pellet dryer into sections.

Abstract: A device for isolating dryer exhaust lines. The device can be attached between a dryer exhaust and an exterior dryer vent. The device has a door that slides between an upper position allowing the air passage duct between the dryer exhaust and the exterior vent to be open and a closed position which closes the air passage duct. A rod slidable within eye type slits has a handle at one end and is attached to the sliding door at the opposite end. A user can push the rod downward which slides the door to close the air passage duct. Lifting the handle pulls the rod up which causes the door to slide up opening the air passage duct. An electrical safety disconnect switch can disconnect power to the dryer when the door is in a closed position. The safety switch can be turned off allowing the dryer to be powered when the door is in the open position. A whistle can further operate in the device which can turn on when pressure builds up if the dryer is turned on and the door is still in the closed position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a flow disrupter within the flow path of a slurry comprising a desired particulate matter and a transport fluid so as to impart a force angularly disposed to an otherwise obtained direction of travel, thereby preventing the formation of a sheet of aggregated particulates against the screen surface. In a method in accord with the present invention a force is imparted to the desired particulate matter in an angular direction to the direction of travel.

Abstract: In a process for drying microporous, fluid-containing particles, the heat required for increasing the temperature is supplied by convection by reducing the interfacial tension of the fluid, preferably to 0 to 1/10, in particular to 0 to 1/20, of the interfacial tension of the fluid at room temperature, by appropriately increasing the temperature at from close to the critical pressure to supercritical pressure of the fluid. Furthermore, microporous, three-dimensionally networked particles are prepared by a process in which the drying process is used. In addition, an apparatus is used for carrying out the drying process, the apparatus comprising a pressure container having an inner container and pressure-withstanding outer container and suitable measuring and control apparatuses and pump apparatuses and heat exchangers, the inner container being provided for holding the particles to be dried and a gap being provided between the inner container and the outer container.

Abstract: A method for making shoes comprises the stages of molding a base of the shoe according to a preset curve, folding the edges of the base outwards, folding the flaps of an upper outwards and of joining the upper to the base at the outer edge of the base. The method may also comprise stages of applying a thermoformable element on a first surface of the base, at least at the outer edge of the base and of applying a sole element, on at least a portion of a second surface of the base. A shoe obtained in this way, therefore, comprises a base, molded according to a preset curve and an upper attached to the base at the outer edge of the base by joining the flaps of the upper and the edges of the base which are folded outwards.

Abstract: A construction for a shoe, particularly an athletic shoe such as a running shoe, includes a sole that conforms to the natural shape of the foot, particularly the sides, and that has a constant thickness in frontal plane cross sections. The thickness of the shoe sole side contour equals and therefore varies exactly as the thickness of the load-bearing sole portion varies due to heel lift, for example. Thus, the outer contour of the edge portion of the sole has at least a portion which lies along a theoretically ideal stability plane for providing natural stability and efficient motion of the shoe and foot particularly in an inverted and everted mode.

Abstract: A shock absorbing section (10) of a shoe sole (1) is provided with a shearing transformation element (11). This shearing transformation element (11, 11A) is supported at an upper position dislocated forward (F) with respect to a grounding surface (20) so that it performs a shearing transformation independently due to a load (W) applied from above.

Abstract: An item of footwear has an opening 4 for insertion of a wearer's foot and a pair of rigid fastening elements 10 and 11 for drawing together opposite sides of the opening. The first element 10 has a screw thread 14 to receive a bead 15, and the free end of the second element 11 is bent orthogonally and formed into a U-shaped hook 16. When the wearer has placed his/her foot into the boot the element 10 is placed over the mouth of the hook 16. By applying gentle finger pressure the bead 15 is caused to ride over the shank of the second element 11 so that the hook 16 embraces the first element 10 and engages behind the bead 15. The tension in the fastening can be adjusted by screwing the bead 15 along the thread 14. The fastening is easy to engage and disengage when the wearer's fingers are cold or when wearing heavy gloves, yet the fastening is secure enough to be used with snowboarding or ski boots.