Abstract: The invention relates to a method for method for formation of expanded austenite and/or expanded martensite by solution hardening of a cold deformed workpiece of a passive alloy, which method comprises a first step of dissolving at least nitrogen in the workpiece at a temperature T1, which is higher than the solubility temperature for carbide and/or nitride and lower than the melting point of the passive alloy, and a subsequent second step of dissolving nitrogen and/or carbon in the work piece at a temperature T2, which is lower than the temperature at which carbides and/or nitrides form in the passive alloy. The invention further relates to a member, such as a lock washer for securing bolts or nuts prepared using the method.

Abstract: A method includes preparing a steel slab in which contents of inhibitor components have been reduced, i.e. content of Al: 100 ppm or less, and contents of N, S and Se: 50 ppm, respectively; subjecting the steel slab to hot rolling and then either a single cold rolling process or two or more cold rolling processes interposing intermediate annealing(s) therebetween to obtain a steel sheet having the final sheet thickness; and subjecting the steel sheet to primary recrystallization annealing and then secondary recrystallization annealing. The primary recrystallization annealing includes heating the steel sheet to temperature equal to or higher than 700° C. at a heating rate of at least 150° C./s, cooling the steel sheet to a temperature range of 700° C. or lower, and then heating the steel sheet to soaking temperature at the average heating rate not exceeding 40° C./s in a subsequent heating zone.

Abstract: Provided is a method for fabricating a stepped forged material that can realize a uniform microscopic structure in both the large diameter flange portion and the small diameter shaft portion. This method for fabricating a stepped forged material comprises the following steps: a step for obtaining a primary forged material in which an austenite stainless steel billet is heated to 1000-1080° C., and, without any further heating, the material is forged by means of reciprocal forging into a round rod having along the entire length thereof a forging ratio of 1.5 or greater; a step for obtaining a secondary forged material, that forms the large diameter flange portion and the small diameter shaft portion, in which without reheating, the small diameter shaft portion is formed by means of reciprocal forging at a temperature where the surface temperature of the primary forged material never falls more than 200° C.

Abstract: A method of producing a sintered ore includes charging a sintering raw material containing a powder ore and a carbonaceous material onto a circulatory moving pallet to form a charged layer, igniting the carbonaceous material on a surface of the charged layer, introducing air above the charged layer containing a gaseous fuel diluted to not more than a lower limit of combustion concentration with wind boxes arranged below the pallet into the charged layer by suction, and combusting the gaseous fuel and the carbonaceous material in the charged layer, wherein more than 50% of a total supply of the gaseous fuel is supplied in a front ½ portion of a region supplying the gaseous fuel.

Abstract: A method of reducing entrained aluminum oxides in aluminum castings. The method comprises preheating a furnace charge to remove moisture and contaminants. The furnace charge is then coated on all free surfaces with a layer of flux. Subsequently the furnace charge is melted in a furnace to form a melt bath of liquid aluminum suitable for casting. The flux layer removes the naturally occurring oxide film from the furnace charge surface as well as provides a cover flux to protect the melt bath from oxidation.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy material contains Si: 1.0 mass % to 5.0 mass % and Fe: 0.01 mass % to 2.0 mass % with balance being Al and inevitable impurities, wherein 250 pcs/mm2 or more to 7×105 pcs/mm2 or less of Si-based intermetallic compound particles having equivalent circle diameters of 0.5 to 5 ?m are present in a cross-section of the aluminum alloy material, while 100 pcs/mm2 to 7×105 pcs/mm2 of Al-based intermetallic compound particles having equivalent circle diameters of 0.5 to 5 ?m are present in a cross-section of the aluminum alloy material. An aluminum alloy structure is manufactured by bonding two or more members in vacuum or a non-oxidizing atmosphere at temperature at which a ratio of a mass of a liquid phase generated in the aluminum alloy material to a total mass of the aluminum alloy material is 5% or more and 35% or less.

Abstract: A hot rolled steel sheet has a chemical composition including, by mass %, C: 0.060% to 0.120%; Si: 0.10% to 0.70%; Mn: 1.00% to 1.80%; P: 0.10% or less; S: 0.010% or less; Al: 0.01% to 0.10%; N: 0.010% or less; Nb: 0.010% to 0.100%, wherein Nb is contained so that content of solute Nb is 5% or more relative to the total Nb content; the balance being Fe and incidental impurities. The hot rolled steel sheet has a microstructure containing ferrite of not more than 15 ?m in average crystal grain diameter by a volume fraction of not less than 75%, the balance being low-temperature-induced phases. The hot rolled steel sheet can be suitably utilized for manufacturing a cold rolled steel sheet or hot-dip galvanized steel sheet having a tensile strength of 590 MPa or more, excellent in material homogeneity and capable of giving excellent cold rolling property.

Abstract: A rolled steel bar has a composition consisting, by mass percent, of C: 0.27 to 0.37%, Si: 0.30 to 0.75%, Mn: 1.00 to 1.45%, S: 0.008% or more and less than 0.030%, Cr: 0.05 to 0.30%, Al: 0.005 to 0.050%, V: 0.200 to 0.320%, and N: 0.0080 to 0.0200%, the balance being Fe and impurities. The contents of P, Ti and O in the impurities are, by mass percent, P: 0.030% or less, Ti: 0.0040% or less, and O: 0.0020% or less. Y1 expressed by the formula <1> is 1.05 to 1.18. Y1=C+(1/10)Si+(1/5)Mn+(5/22)Cr+1.65V?(5/7)S??<1>. C, Si, Mn, Cr, V, and S in the formula represent mass percent of the elements. A hot-forged part having a tensile strength of 900 MPa or higher and a transverse endurance ratio of 0.47 can be obtained by the rolled steel bar.

Abstract: A steel comprises, by mass percent, C: 0.10 to 0.15%, Si: not less than 0.02% and less than 0.10%, Mn: more than 0.90% and not more than 2.50%, P?0.030%, S?0.050%, Cr: 0.80 to 2.0%, V: 0.05 to 0.50%, Al: 0.01 to 0.07%, N?0.0080%, O?0.0030%, and one or more selected from Mo, Cu, Ni, Ti, Nb, Zr, Pb, Ca, Bi, Te, Se and Sb, the balance being Fe and impurities. The composition satisfies [35?Mn/S?200], [20?(669.3×loge C?1959.6×loge N?6983.3)×(0.067×Mo+0.147×V)?80], [140×Cr+125×Al+235×V?160] and [150?511×C+33×Mn+56×Cu+15×Ni+36×Cr+5×Mo+134×V?200].

Abstract: The invention relates to a powder of an alloy based on uranium and molybdenum in a metastable ? phase, which is formed of particles which have an elongation index at least equal to 1.1, a non-zero closed porosity value and which are composed of grains having a molybdenum content, for which the variations within the same grain are of at most 1% by mass. It also relates to a method allowing preparation of this alloy powder as well as to the use of said powder for manufacturing nuclear fuels and targets for producing radioisotopes. Applications: Manufacturing of nuclear fuels, notably for experiment nuclear reactors; manufacturing of targets for producing radioisotopes, notably for the medical industry.

Abstract: An aluminum-alloy sheet includes 0.10 to 0.40 mass % of Si, 0.35 to 0.80 mass % of Fe, 0.10 to 0.35 mass % of Cu, 0.20 to 0.80 mass % of Mn, and 1.5 to 2.5 mass % of Mg, the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities, wherein a content ratio (Si/Fe) of the Si to the Fe is 0.75 or less, the area fraction of Mg2Si intermetallic compound grains having a maximum length of 1 ?m or more is 0.10% or more in a region of a section of the aluminum-alloy sheet, the region being a central region in the thickness direction of the aluminum-alloy sheet, and the aluminum-alloy sheet has a proof stress of 225 to 270 N/mm2 after having been baked at 270° C. for 20 seconds.

Abstract: A method for producing a high-strength magnesium alloy material includes (a) a step of preparing a magnesium alloy workpiece having a top face and a side face; and (b) a step of applying a compressive load ?p (MPa) from the top face side of the workpiece and performing a uniaxial forging process on the workpiece. Step (b) is performed while suppressing deformation of the workpiece widening outward and under conditions including (i) ?p>?f (where ?f is the compressive breaking stress (MPa) of the workpiece); (ii) a plastic deformation rate is less than or equal to 10%, and (iii) a strain rate is less than or equal to 0.1/sec.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a brake disk for a vehicle, in which a friction layer is arranged at least in certain regions on a base body of the brake disk.

Abstract: A wire arc spray system (100) includes a plurality of arc spray subsystems (130) mounted to a movable carriage (120) on an x-y robot (110). Each arc spray subsystem includes a wire drive (132) that provides wire (133, 134) to a spray head (138) through a pair of lead cables (136). The spray heads are mounted for circular motion, such that the molten spray is applied to an underlying substrate in a swirling pattern. In one embodiment, the spray heads are mounted to a distal end of a rod (164) that extends through a swivel ball joint (166) and engages an eccentric link (162) fixed to a motor (160). The system applies an overlapping pattern of molten spray to provide excellent non-skid and adhesion properties. The system is particularly suited to spray coating with a wire comprising a hollow metallic portion and a core having ceramic particles.

Abstract: A substrate having a coating for enhanced scratch resistance is provided. The coating includes at least one high refractive index transparent hard material layer. The hard material layer includes crystalline aluminum nitride having a hexagonal crystal structure that exhibits a predominant (001) preferred orientation of the hexagonal symmetry.

Abstract: A soft-landing (SL) instrument for depositing ions onto substrates using a laser ablation source is described herein. The instrument of the instant invention is designed with a custom drift tube and a split-ring ion optic for the isolation of selected ions. The drift tube allows for the separation and thermalization of ions formed after laser ablation through collisions with an inert bath gas that allow the ions to be landed at energies below 1 eV onto substrates. The split-ring ion optic is capable of directing ions toward the detector or a landing substrate for selected components. The inventors further performed atomic force microscopy (AFM) and drift tube measurements to characterize the performance characteristics of the instrument.

Abstract: In a method for evaporation depositing uniform thin films, a film is deposited on a substrate of a vacuum environment while maintaining a constant deposition rate. A cover is installed on a wall of the evaporation vessel. When the evaporation material is heated to an evaporation state and the interior of the evaporation vessel reaches a first vapor saturation pressure, the vapor of the evaporation material flows towards a pressure stabilizing chamber. When the pressure stabilizing chamber reaches a second vapor saturation pressure which is smaller than the first vapor saturation pressure, the vacuum environment has a vacuum background pressure which is smaller than the second vapor saturation pressure, so that the evaporation material vapor flows from the pressure stabilizing chamber towards the vacuum environment at constant rate due to the pressure difference, so as to evaporate the substrate.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a plasma processing system having a magnetron that provides a symmetric magnetic track through a combination of vibrational and rotational motion. The disclosed magnetron has a magnetic element that generates a magnetic field. The magnetic element is attached to an elastic element connected between the magnetic element and a rotational shaft that rotates the magnetic element about a center of the sputtering target. The elastic element may vary its length during rotation of the magnetic element to change the radial distance between the rotational shaft and the magnetic element. The resulting magnetic track enables concurrent motion of the magnetic element in both an angular direction and a radial direction. Such motion enables a symmetric magnetic track that provides good wafer uniformity and a short deposition time.

Abstract: A laminate body includes a base material, a film-like or a membrane-like undercoat layer that is formed in at least a portion of the outer surface of the base material, and an atomic layer deposition film that is formed on a surface opposite to a surface coming into contact with the base material among both surfaces of the undercoat layer in the thickness direction thereof. At least a portion of precursors of the atomic layer deposition film bind to the undercoat layer, and the atomic layer deposition film is formed into a membrane shape covering the undercoat layer.

Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus comprising an exhaust path extending from the exhaust hole to the pump, wherein the pump is configured to depressurize inside of the processing container and the exhausting path, wherein the exhaust path includes a horizontally linearly extended portion, wherein the horizontally linearly extended portion of the exhaust path has a rectangular or oval cross-section having a horizontal length longer than a vertical length; wherein the plasma processing apparatus further includes a pressure control valve disposed in the horizontally linearly extended portion of the exhaust path; and wherein the pressure control valve is formed of a pressure control valve plate having substantially same shape and size as those of the cross-section and a shaft formed in the pressure control valve along the horizontal length of the cross-section, in such a manner that the pressure control valve plate rotates about the shaft.

Abstract: A vapor deposition device includes a reactor including a reaction chamber and an injector for injecting vapor into the reaction chamber. The device also includes a manifold for delivering vapor to the injector. The manifold includes a manifold body having an internal bore, a first distribution channel disposed within the body in a plane intersecting the longitudinal axis of the bore, and a plurality of supply channels disposed within the body and in flow communication with the first distribution channel and with the bore. Each of the first supply channels is disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bore, and each of the supply channels connects with the bore at a different angular position about the longitudinal axis. The distribution channel (and thus, the supply channels) can be connected with a common reactant source. Related deposition methods are also described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of forming a thin film using an organic metal compound gas and oxidizing agents are disclosed. The method includes performing a first film formation process of forming a thin film on an object to be processed using an organic metal compound gas and a first oxidizing agent; performing an annealing process of supplying a second oxidizing agent having stronger oxidizing power than the first oxidizing agent into the reaction chamber while an interior of the reaction chamber is heated to a predetermined temperature; and performing a second film formation process of forming a thin film on the thin film formed in the first thin film formation process using the organic metal compound gas and the second oxidizing agent.

Abstract: Disclosed is provides a plasma processing apparatus that processes a workpiece. The plasma processing apparatus includes: a processing container configured to accommodate the workpiece; a coaxial waveguide configured to transmit microwaves generated in a microwave generator; and a slow wave plate configured to adjust a wavelength of the microwaves transmitted from the coaxial waveguide and to introduce the microwaves into the processing container. A lower end portion of an inner conductor of the coaxial waveguide has a tapered shape of which a diameter increases downwardly, the slow wave plate has an annular shape in a plan view, and the inner surface of the slow wave plate encloses the lower end portion of the inner conductor and is located more outside than an inner surface of an outer conductor of the coaxial waveguide in a radial direction.

Abstract: The present method of forming a metal oxide film can increase production efficiency while maintaining the low resistance of the metal oxide film. The present method of forming a metal oxide film includes first misting a solution containing a metallic element and ethylenediamine; meanwhile, heating a substrate; and then, supplying the misted solution onto a first main surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A conductive nanowire film based on a high aspect-ratio metal is disclosed. The nanowire film is produced by inducing metal reduction in a concentrated surfactant solution containing metal precursor ions, a surfactant and a reducing agent. The metal nanostructures demonstrate utility in a great variety of applications.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for preparing a multilayer metal complex having excellent surface properties. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for preparing a multilayer metal complex having a low cost metal-core/noble metal-shell structure, which has a high mass fraction of noble metals and exhibits excellent surface properties and dispersity.

Abstract: Methods for simultaneous syngas generation by opposite sides of a solid oxide co-electrolysis cell are provided. The method can comprise exposing a cathode side of the solid oxide co-electrolysis cell to a cathode-side feed stream; supplying electricity to the solid oxide co-electrolysis cell such that the cathode side produces a product stream comprising hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide gas while supplying oxygen ions to an anode side of the solid oxide co-electrolysis cell; and exposing the anode side of the solid oxide co-electrolysis cell to an anode-side feed stream. The cathode-side feed stream comprises water and carbon dioxide, and the anode-side feed stream comprises methane gas such that the methane gas reacts with the oxygen ions to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The cathode-side feed stream can further comprise nitrogen, hydrogen, or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a method of producing hydrogen gas meeting a predetermined threshold of purity may include transferring a quantity of a hydrogen gas mixture through an electrochemical hydrogen pump, wherein the electrochemical hydrogen pump includes an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte membrane located between the anode and the cathode; separating a quantity of hydrogen gas from the hydrogen gas mixture by transferring the hydrogen gas from the anode, through the electrolyte membrane, to the cathode; collecting the hydrogen gas from the cathode, wherein the collected hydrogen gas at least meets the predetermined threshold of purity; and producing a certificate that the collected hydrogen gas has a purity that is at least substantially equal to the predetermined threshold of purity.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a process for electrochemical hydrogen production is provided. The process includes providing an electrochemical cell with an anode side including an anode, a cathode side including a cathode, and a membrane separating the anode side from the cathode side. The process further includes feeding molecules of at least one gaseous reactant to the anode, oxidizing one or more molecules of the gaseous reactant at the anode to produce a gas product and protons, passing the protons through the membrane to the cathode, and reducing the protons at the cathode to form hydrogen gas.

Abstract: Systems and methods for treating water are provided. The systems and methods may utilize an electrochemical water treatment device comprising ion exchange membranes. In certain systems and methods, a concentrate stream and a dilution stream may be in fluid communication with ion exchange membranes. The ion exchange membranes may be configured to provide a ratio of a pH of the concentrate stream and a pH of the dilution stream to be less than about 1.0. In some instances, the LSI of the concentrate stream may be less than or about 1.0. In certain instances, the electrochemical water treatment device does not require a reverse polarity cycle.

Abstract: A fluid interconnecting module for an HTE electrolyzer with a stack of elementary electrolysis cells. The interconnecting module includes plates welded to each other, some of which are partly stamped, some of the plates being perforated to enable high temperature steam H2O supply to electrolysis cells and collection of the hydrogen H2 and oxygen O2 produced.

Abstract: A method for assembling an electrochemical cell stack may include arranging a plurality of electrochemical cells into an electrochemical cell stack, the electrochemical cell stack including at least a first substack and a second substack; connecting the first substack and second substack such that reactant fluid flows in series from the first substack to the second substack; and coupling the first substack to a first electrical control device such that the first electrical control device selectively electrically reconfigures the first substack to operate in series and in parallel with the second substack.

Abstract: A composition for making a contact includes a nickel-cobalt alloy containing 1% by weight or more to less than 20% by weight of cobalt, and 0.002 part by weight or more to 0.1 part by weight or less of sulfur with respect to 100 parts by weight of the nickel-cobalt alloy. The composition has an average particle size of 0.07 ?m or larger to 0.35 ?m or smaller.

Abstract: A silver-containing alloy electrolytic plating bath that can produce silver-containing alloy plated products having excellent resistance to oxidation suitable for electronic members, decoration members, and dental members, is described, along with a method for electrolytic plating using the same. The silver-containing alloy plated products have excellent resistance to oxidation and can be manufactured by using the plating bath that contains (a) a silver compound containing 99.9% to 46% by mass of silver on the basis of the total metal mass therein, (b) a gadolinium compound containing 0.1% to 54% by mass of gadolinium on the basis of the total metal mass therein, (c) at least one kind of complexing agent, and (d) a solvent.

Abstract: A protective coating for a surface exposed to hot gas flow comprises a thermal layer, a conducting layer and an abrasive layer. The thermal layer comprises alumina having a sufficient amount of impurities to lower the thermal layer thermal conductivity. The layer is formed from a powder having a thermal conductivity no more than 10 BTU in/hr ft2° F., and overlies the surface. The conducting layer overlies the thermal layer. The abrasive layer comprises abrasive particles bonded in a metal matrix that is electroplated onto the conducting layer.

Abstract: An electroplating/etch apparatus including a fluid jet and a dryer present over the tank containing the electrolyte for the electroplating/etch process. The fluid jet and the dryer remove excess liquids, such as electrolyte, from the component being plated or etched, e.g., working electrode. The working electrode is present on a holder that traverses from a first position within the tank during a plating or etch operation to a second position that is outside the containing the plating electrolyte. The fluid jet rinses the working electrode when the holder is in the second position, and the forced air dryer blows any remaining fluid from the fluid jet and the electrolyte from the working electrode into the tank.

Abstract: A method of filling a depression of a workpiece is provided. The method includes forming a first thin film made of a semiconductor material substantially not containing an impurity along a wall surface which defines the depression, forming an epitaxial region conforming to crystals of the semiconductor substrate from the semiconductor material of the first thin film moved toward a bottom of the depression by annealing, etching the first thin film remaining on the wall surface, performing gas phase doping upon the epitaxial region, forming a second thin film made of a semiconductor material substantially not containing an impurity along the wall surface, further forming an epitaxial region from the semiconductor material of the second thin film moved toward the bottom of the depression by annealing, and performing gas phase doping upon the second thin film remaining on the wall surface and the epitaxial region.

Abstract: An apparatus to monitor thickness of a crystalline sheet grown from a melt. The apparatus may include a process chamber configured to house the melt and crystalline sheet; an x-ray source disposed on a first side of the crystalline sheet and configured to deliver a first beam of x-rays that penetrate the crystalline sheet from a first surface to a second surface opposite the first surface, at a first angle of incidence with respect to the first surface; and an x-ray detector disposed on the first side of the crystalline sheet and configured to intercept a second beam of x-rays that are generated by reflection of the first beam of x-rays from the crystalline sheet at an angle of reflection with respect to the first surface, wherein a sum of the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection satisfies the equation ?=2d sin ?.

Abstract: A gas phase nanowire growth apparatus including a reaction chamber (200), a first input and a second input (202 B, 202 A). The first input is located concentrically within the second input and the first and second input are configured such that a second fluid delivered from the second input provides a sheath between a first fluid delivered from the first input and a wall of the reaction chamber. An aerosol of catalyst particles may be used to grow the nanowires.

Abstract: A method of forming an epitaxial semiconductor material that includes forming a graphene layer on a semiconductor and carbon containing substrate and depositing a metal containing monolayer on the graphene layer. An epitaxial layer of a gallium containing material is formed on the metal containing monolayer. A layered stack of the metal containing monolayer and the epitaxial layer of gallium containing material is cleaved from the graphene layer that is present on the semiconductor and carbon containing substrate.

Abstract: A multifilament, a monofilament, a non-woven or a tape, each having 1 to 2000 Denier per filament and a draw ratio of 1:2 to 1:11 and each made of a composition containing the components (A) a polyolefin, (B) for example a compound of the formula (B-1-a-1), (C) for example a compound of the formula (C-1-b-1), wherein b1 is a number from 2 to 20, and optionally (D) one or more inorganic and/or organic pigments.

Abstract: A knitted netting for wrapping an object is provided. When wrapping the object the knitted netting may have an indicated target elongation. The knitted netting includes first longitudinal franzes, first lateral schusses, at least two second longitudinal franzes, and at least one second lateral schuss. The schusses are knitted with the franzes to form the knitted netting. The first longitudinal franzes and the first lateral schusses are configured such that the spacing of the first longitudinal franzes decreases by less than 10% when elongating the knitted netting by 50% of the target elongation, the target elongation being from 15% to 300% of the length of the knitted netting. The second lateral schuss is an indicator schuss. The second longitudinal franzes are indicator franzes. The indicator schuss is knitted with the indicator franzes to form an elongation indicator for indicating the amount of longitudinal stretching of the knitted netting.

Abstract: A method for arranging nanotube elements within nanotube fabric layers and films is disclosed. A directional force is applied over a nanotube fabric layer to render the fabric layer into an ordered network of nanotube elements. That is, a network of nanotube elements drawn together along their sidewalls and substantially oriented in a uniform direction. In some embodiments this directional force is applied by rolling a cylindrical element over the fabric layer. In other embodiments this directional force is applied by passing a rubbing material over the surface of a nanotube fabric layer. In other embodiments this directional force is applied by running a polishing material over the nanotube fabric layer for a predetermined time. Exemplary rolling, rubbing, and polishing apparatuses are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel binder system and its use for bonding textile fabrics as well as products containing such bonded textile fabrics. The materials according to the invention are suitable for manufacturing base interlinings which may be used for manufacturing base interlinings for sarking, roofing and sealing membranes, particularly for manufacturing coated sarking, roofing and sealing membranes.

Abstract: A method of dynamically changing stitch density of a quilting pattern during sewing is provided. Embodiments of the invention include dynamically changing stitch density along an axis of a sewing pattern based on identifying sewing pattern elements, which may include line segments and arc segments. Each of the line segments and/or arc segments is assigned a dynamically adjusted stitch density based on analysis of each pattern element and/or adjacent element. An adjusted stitch density is assigned to portions of pattern elements that satisfy a threshold measurement for sewing with an adjusted stitch density. In embodiments, a standard stitch density, intermediate stitch density, or an altered stitch density is automatically assigned to each portion of a sewing pattern based on an analysis of threshold length of an element, a threshold angle of a portion of the element with respect to the axis, and/or the stitch density assigned to an adjacent element.

Abstract: A bodkin includes first and second holding plates, an operation plate and an elongated bar member. The second holding plate overlaps with the first holding plate. The operation plate is rotatably supported by the first holding plate with a part of the second holding plate disposed between the first holding plate and the operation plate. The bar member is connected to the first holding plate so that the operation plate is operable independently of the bar member. Use of the operation plate enables the bodkin to selectively take an opened state and a closed state. In the opened state, the two holding plates are apart from each other, providing a gap into which an end of a string can be inserted. In the closed state, the two holding plates are brought closer to each other, thereby pinching the end of the string between them.

Abstract: A washing machine includes a water tub; a water supply device to supply water into the water tub; a detergent supply device to supply detergent; a circulating device to circulate the water supplied into the water tub; a drum mounted in the water tub to receive clothes therein; a motor to rotate the drum; and a control unit to control the water supply device and the detergent supply device so that the water and the detergent are supplied into the water tub, bubbles of detergent dissolved water are generated, and washing of functional clothes is performed using the bubbles by varying a drive operation rate of the motor stepwise for a washing period.

Abstract: Disclosed are a washing machine that performs a washing course by heating wash water and a control method thereof. The method may include selecting a certain washing course from a plurality of washing courses, sensing an amount of laundry received in an inner tub and determining a wash water level required for main washing of the determined amount of laundry, supplying wash water up to a wash water level for generation of steam such that a portion of the laundry is moistened, the wash water level being higher than a bottom surface of the inner tub and lower than the wash water level for main washing, heating the wash water to a first set temperature and driving a wash water heater to generate steam from the wash water, supplying additional wash water up to the wash water level for main washing, and performing a main washing cycle.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a washing machine. The washing machine may include an integrated tub/drum that includes a drum main body that has a cylindrical shape or a truncated conical shape, stores water, holds or accommodates laundry and water, and rotates, and a plurality of hollow lifters that extend or protrude outward from a circumferential surface of the drum main body, and extend or protrude inward from the circumferential surface of the drum main body; a hollow rotary shaft that is coupled to and/or that penetrates one end and/or surface of the drum main body; and a drain pipe that is in the integrated tub/drum through the hollow rotary shaft, configured to discharge water from the drum main body and that may be collected by the lifter.

Abstract: A floating basket and clutch are applied to a top loading washing machine. More particularly, the basket floating (1) and clutch (2) are applied to top loading washing machines (M), equipped with a motor (M) and a drive system which includes a drive shaft (E), a pulley (P), a belt (Cr) and a sealing device (V), assembled between the shaft (E) and the base of the tub (T). More precisely, the clutch (2) is responsible for commanding the operation of the oscillating movement of the agitator or impeller (AG), during the washing operation (OPL) and operating the high-speed spinning of the agitator (AG) and basket (1), when operating in centrifugation operation (OPC). The floating basket (1) is coupled and fixed to the tube (5) of the upper sector (S1) of the clutch (2) and the tub (T) is fixed to the female lower crown (4) of the lower sector (S2) of the clutch (2).