Abstract: A method and an apparatus for forming a particle layer are provided. The layering method includes injecting particles in an injection zone defined at a gas-liquid interface between a carrier liquid and an ambient gas, and controlling a flow of the carrier liquid along the gas-liquid interface to carry the particles downstream along a particle flow path from the injection zone to a layer formation zone. The method also includes accumulating the particles in the layer formation zone to gradually form the particle layer on the gas-liquid interface, and withdrawing the particle layer from the layer formation zone. The particle layer formed by the layering method and apparatus can be used to fabricate a three-dimensional object by additive manufacturing.

Abstract: A MEMS microphone and a manufacturing method thereof. The method comprises: sequentially forming a first isolation layer, a diaphragm, and a second isolation layer on a substrate; sequentially forming a first protective layer, a backplate electrode, and a second protective layer on the second isolation layer; forming a release hole penetrating through the first protective layer, the backplate electrode, and the second protective layer; forming an acoustic cavity penetrating through the substrate; releasing the diaphragm through the acoustic cavity and the release hole; and forming a groove on a surface of the first isolation layer, wherein the diaphragm conformally covers the surface of the first isolation layer, thereby forming a spring structure at a position of the groove.

Abstract: Device (10) for depositing particles via the liquid route including a first chamber a second chamber (12), a communication hole between the first chamber (11) and the second chamber (12), and a vent which is provided in the second chamber and which places the second chamber and a medium (200) which is external with respect to the device in communication.

Abstract: A method for forming a film of particles on a carrier liquid present in a receptacle, for depositing this film onto a substrate, the method including: making a film blank between a barrier and a head including a tilted ramp, the blank being obtained by dispensing particles via the tilted ramp and carried out until the particles floating on the carrier liquid occupy a space between the barrier and an upstream front of particles located on the tilted ramp; and elongating the film by continuing dispensing the particles, and moving the head to move away from the barrier, the film elongation being performed to hold a front of particles on the ramp.

Abstract: A method for depositing particles onto a substrate, or a running substrate, including: (a) making a compact film of particles floating on a carrier liquid provided in a transfer area having an outlet of particles laid out facing the substrate; (b) depositing a substance on the compact film of particles, in the transfer area; (c) transferring, through the outlet of particles and onto the substrate, the compact film of particles coated with the substance; and then (d) removing the substance to carry away with the substance the particles of the film which adhere to the substance, to generate at least one recessed area within the film deposited on the substrate.

Abstract: There is provided a method for producing a surface-treated metallic material, by use of which a metallic material having a stable and excellent sliding characteristic can be produced with a low environmental load without covering the metallic material surface with an oxide film. The method for producing a surface-treated metallic material includes immersing an anode and a cathode in an electrolyte solution, placing a metallic material used as a material to be treated above the surface of the electrolyte solution, and applying a voltage between the anode and the cathode to treat the metallic material surface, the voltage being equal to or higher than a voltage for causing a complete plasma state.

Abstract: Provided is a film-forming method based on an LB method by which a uniform alignment film using a helical polyacetylene can be obtained. The method based on the LB method includes: developing a helical polyacetylene onto a liquid surface; and transferring a monolayer film of the helical polyacetylene formed on the liquid surface onto a substrate to form a film, in which a compressibility P represented by the following formula (1) at a time of the film formation is 1×10?2 m/mN or less: P=(1/(dH/dS))×(1/S) (1), where H represents a surface pressure (mN/m) of the monolayer film of the helical polyacetylene, and S represents an area (m2) of the monolayer film of the helical polyacetylene developed onto the liquid surface.

Abstract: The invention provides a film deposition apparatus, which includes a first cover and a second cover, wherein the first cover and the second cover are disposed opposite to each other, and the first cover has at least two holes, and a spacer disposed between the first cover and the second cover, wherein the first cover, the spacer and the second cover form a film deposition space.

Abstract: A coating apparatus includes a die coater that supplies a coating liquid to a web. The die coater includes a die main body, a manifold, a slot, a lip face, a mount, a decompression chamber, and a container. The container includes a guide plate guiding the coating liquid or a solvent ejected from the slot of the die coater without bringing the coating liquid or solvent into contact with the mount and the decompression chamber in a non-steady state, in which the coating liquid is not supplied from the die coater to the web. The container collects the coating liquid or the solvent guided by the guide plate. The coating apparatus also includes a liquid discharge tube that is connected to the container and discharges the coating liquid or solvent to an outside of the decompression chamber.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a coating composition, a coated material formed therewith, and a method for coating the material with the coating composition.

Abstract: A method of forming a nano-particle array by convective assembly and a convective assembly apparatus for the same are provided. The method of forming nano-particle array comprises: coating a plurality of nano-particles by forming a coating layer; performing a first convective assembly by moving a first substrate facing, in parallel to and spaced apart from a second substrate at a desired distance such that a colloidal solution including the coated nano-particles is between the first and second substrate; and performing a second convective assembly for evaporating a solvent by locally heating a surface of the colloidal solution drawn when the first substrate is moved in parallel relative to the second substrate. The present invention provides the method of forming the nano-particle array where nano-particles having a particle size from a few to several tens of nanometers are uniformly arrayed on a large area substrate at a low cost, and the convective assembly apparatus for the same.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing a hot-dip plated metal strip comprising the steps of: annealing a metal strip; imparting plastic strain to the metal strip; drawing the metal strip into a molten metal bath for plating; drawing up the metal strip out of the molten metal bath without contacting the molten metal with a roll in the molten metal bath after turning around the metal strip upward with adhering the molten metal on the metal strip; and controlling the coating weight of the molten metal adhered on the metal strip with a wiper. According to the method of the invention, a hot-dip plated metal strip can be produced, in which buckling does not occur, lateral evenness of coating weight is excellent, and dross defects are few.

Abstract: A method for producing a carbon nanotube thin film comprises a step of dropping a mixed liquid containing carbon nanotubes and an ionic liquid onto a liquid surface of a film forming liquid to spread the carbon nanotubes on the liquid surface.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a hydraulic transfer film with a transfer layer capable of forming a cured resin layer on a hydraulic transfer body, to provide a hydraulic transfer film capable of forming a clear decorative layer on a curable resin layer, and a hydraulic transfer body having excellent surface properties and a clear pattern. A hydraulic transfer film having a water-soluble substrate film, a hydrophobic transfer layer including a curable resin layer which can be cured by at least one of irradiation with radiation and heating provided on the substrate film, and a peelable film provided on the transfer layer is described along with a method for producing the hydraulic transfer film.

Abstract: A coating apparatus comprising a forward bar, a liquid feed passage and a metering device for a coating liquid. The forward bar rotates about its axis in the same direction as the traveling direction of a continuously traveling band-shaped web while touching the web. When coating the web with the coating liquid, the liquid feed passage feeds the coating liquid to an area between the upstream side of the forward bar and the web with respect to the traveling direction of the web. The metering device is arranged on the downstream side of the forward bar for metering the coating liquid to a predetermined coating thickness as applied to the web by the forward bar.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically transferring a pattern to a surface of a steering wheel, automating a series of hydraulic pressure transfer steps, such as steering wheel supply, hydraulic pressure transfer, drying, and cleaning. Since a series of hydraulic pressure transfer processes, such as steering wheel supply, first transfer to the front surface portion of a rim of a steering wheel, removing of foreign material, drying, second transfer to the rear surface portion of a rim of a steering wheel, first cleaning, and second cleaning, are automated, processing time is saved and labor costs are reduced, improving productivity.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus and method which employs the so-called batch processing method of processing a plurality of substrates simultaneously, thereby increasing the throughput, and which can carry out processing, such as electroless plating, stably and securely with a relatively simple apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing bath (14) for holding a processing liquid (12); and a substrate holder (16) which is vertically movable relative to the processing bath (14) and which includes a plurality of substrate holding portions (40) for holding a plurality of substrates (W) in parallel.

Abstract: A coating device is disclosed which is provided with a first side bar, which extends along a transverse direction of a conveyance plane, which is a conveyance path of a belt body, and a second side bar, which is located at a downstream side of the first side bar. Also provided are a channel, which supplies a liquid at an upstream side of the first side bar, and a liquid-pooling section, which accumulates the liquid during coating of the liquid and is located between the first side bar and the second side bar. Also disclosed is a method which uses this coating device to coat a liquid on a belt body which is conveyed at high speed.

Abstract: The present invention uniformly dries, in a clean room in which down flow is constituted, a coated film formed on a surface of a substrate held in a state that the coated surface faces down. In a coating apparatus including an absorption board holding a substrate in a state that its surface to be coated looks down, and a coating mechanism that coats with coating liquid the surface to be coated of the substrate held by this absorption board, there is provided an air current generating apparatus which supplies clean gas toward the surface to be coated.

Abstract: Thin films exhibiting second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties, as well as materials and methods for producing such films, are provided. The films are formed by depositing, on a substrate, alternate layers of a polyelectrolyte and a low molecular weight chromophore. The chromophore contains an electrophilic group that reacts with a previously deposited polyelectrolyte, and ionizable groups which present absorption sites for the next polyelectrolyte layer. The films find application in, for example, electro-optic modulators and frequency doubling devices.

Abstract: Method for high definition printing to be dip transferred to a three-dimensional article comprises four color process printing a digital image from a digital image file onto a water soluble polymer film with solvent based ink to form a printed water soluble film and dip transfer printing the solvent based ink image through transcription on the surface of the article. The method is suitable for printing three-dimensional articles of a variety of shapes with high definition, photographic-quality images. The method is particularly suitable for decorating articles with complex images such as camouflage patterns.

Abstract: Liquid pressure transfer capable of applying a decorative pattern to a loop-like workpiece with satisfactory reproducibility. The workpiece is immersed in a transfer liquid to apparently cut crosswise by a surface of the transfer liquid at a transfer initiating site. Also, the workpiece is substantially concurrently contacted on a circumference of a section thereof taken substantially in a thickness direction thereof with a transfer film at the transfer initiating site. The workpiece is shifted at the transfer initiating site so as to be continuously immersed in the transfer liquid in a longitudinal direction of the workpiece while an attitude of immersion of the workpiece is maintained. At least one of the workpiece and transfer film is transferred during the immersion.

Abstract: Using a hydraulic transfer film wherein a transfer layer is composed of a decorative layer made of a printing ink coating film or a paint coating film, the transfer layer is hydraulically transferred onto a target body for transfer made of a metal substrate having a cured coating film layer in which a xylene absorption amount is within a range from 3.5 to 100 g/m2. Alternatively, using a hydraulic transfer film wherein a transfer layer has a protective layer made of a radiation-curable resin or a thermosetting resin, the transfer layer is hydraulically transferred onto a target body for transfer made of a metal substrate having a cured coating film layer in which a xylene absorption amount is within a range from 10 to 100 g/m2.

Abstract: A system for applying a thin coat of a material on one side only of a substrate is disclosed together with a process for applying the thin coat. Coatings of less than one thousand angstroms are attainable on a single surface of the substrate by controlling the speed at which a meniscus of a mix containing a predetermined concentration of the to coating material travels across the single surface being coated. Various pressure, temperature and humidity controls are implemented in the process and by the apparatus as needed to obtain the desired coating characteristics.

Abstract: A method of forming a particle film on a surface of a solid or liquid substrate involves contacting the substrate, in the presence of a gas, with a liquid medium containing a plurality of particles suspended therein. A liquid meniscus is thereby formed between the substrate and the gas. An edge of the liquid meniscus is moved relative to the substrate, so that said particles in the liquid medium form the particle film on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A steering wheel rim for an automobile is manufactured by attaching a masking tape to a boundary portion of the steering wheel rim, marking a conjunction line using a blade in a middle portion the masking tape and detaching a lower half portion of the masking tape, covering an upper portion of the masking tape with a protective masking tape, performing transfer printing on a surface lower than the conjunction line, cleaning and drying the transfer-printed surface, and removing the masking tape and the protective masking tape. Another masking tape is attached to a first transfer printing boundary portion of the steering wheel rim, a separation line is marked using a blade at a position about 0.05-0.2 mm lower than the conjunction line and removing the upper half of the masking tape is removed, the lower portion of the masking tape is covered with another protective masking tape, and transfer printing is performed on an upper surface above the conjunction line.

Abstract: A pattern-transferring film having a print pattern provided on an upper surface thereof is floated on a liquid surface within a transferring bath and an objective body is immersed into a liquid within the transferring bath together with the pattern transferring film under a liquid pressure so as to transfer the print pattern onto the objective body. The print pattern is obtained by being printed by using an optional printing ink or inks of blue, yellow, red black and white inks or an ink or inks prepared by blending the printing inks. The liquid pressure pattern-transferring ink or inks comprise at least a resin ingredient and a color pigment. The resin ingredient of each of the color inks is composed of a fluoropolymer resin and the color pigment of each of the color inks is an inorganic pigment.

Abstract: A liquid pressure transfer print method for printing a steering wheel rim of an automobile includes lowering the steering wheel rim up to a boundary line of a primary transfer print portion, without attaching a mask member to the other side surface of the steering wheel rim, opposite to the primary transfer print portion, after floating the transfer print film on liquid, half drying the polyvinyl alcohol layer on the primary transfer print portion of the steering wheel rim for a predetermined time and at a predetermined rate so the polyvinyl alcohol layer at a first transfer print surface is dried to a gel state, flipping the steering wheel rim and lowering the other side surface to beyond the boundary line, and soaking the steering wheel rim having the entire surface transfer printed in a solution and cleaning the polyvinyl alcohol layers by spraying the solution against the surface of the steering wheel rim.

Abstract: A system for applying a thin coat of a material on one side only of a substrate is disclosed together with a process for applying the thin coat. Coatings of less than one thousand angstroms are attainable on a single surface of the substrate by controlling the speed at which a meniscus of a mix containing a predetermined concentration of the coating material travels across the single surface being coated. Various pressure, temperature and humidity controls are implemented in the process and by the apparatus as needed to obtain the desired coating characteristics.

Abstract: In a transcribing method for making a steering wheel rim of an automobile using water pressure and a printed transcribing sheet having a different pattern or brightness at the left and right sides, two symmetrical printed transcribing sheets are prepared using computer graphics for fitting to the steering wheel rim. In a first transcribing step, a first sheet is transcribed using a masking method. The surface where the first transcribing is performed is cleaned and masked, and the steering wheel rim is rotated by 180°. In a second transcribing step, on the surface of the steering wheel where no transcribing has been performed, a second printed transcribing sheet is transcribed to the steering wheel rim.

Abstract: Sheet products, such as card stock, envelopes and other paper products (10) are advanced on a vacuum surface conveyor belt (30) beneath a glue applicator drum (35). The glue transfer strips (37 and 38) of the glue applicator drum apply stripes of glue (42 and 43) at the ends of the sheet product, leaving a belt engaging space (41) without glue between the glue stripes. The sheet product is grasped by overlying conveyor belts (46 and 47) at the belt engaging space (41), thereby exposing the wet glue stripes on opposite sides of the belts. Hot air is applied on opposite sides of the conveyor belts (46 and 47), drying the glue. The glue transfer strips (37 and 38) of the glue applicator drum can be adjusted in size, shape and position so as to apply glue to one end, the other end, or both ends of the sheet product, and if glue is applied to only one end, one of the dryers (50 or 51) can be deactivated, saving energy.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for processing a monolayer film and transferring the monolayer film to a substrate are provided.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are described to prepare monolayers of particles (or molecules ) (3), realizing the steps of: injecting a liquid film (2) with particles (3) dispersed on the external surface of a rotary member (1); adjusting the surface charge density of the particles (3) by injecting adsorption reagents (10), carrying particles (3) placed on film (2) surface so that they form a substantially uniform monolayer (5); putting the monolayer (5) on the liquid film surface (2) in contact with a substrate (7); and advancing the rotary member (1) longitudinally with respect to the substrate (7), in both directions, so that the monolayer (5) is detached from the liquid film (2) and attached to the substrate (7).

Abstract: A process and an apparatus are disclosed for coating at least one surface of an article such as a paper plate with a liquid coating. The surface to be coated is passed through a wave of liquid coating, such as an aqueous dispersion, followed by removal of the excess coating. The coating and coating removal steps are carried out in an environment which is vaporous with the vehicle of the liquid coating, which prevents premature drying of the coating and allows for a smooth, even application of the coating to the surface.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for processing a monolayer film and transferring the monolayer film to a substrate are provided.

Abstract: A rim of a steering wheel is manufactured by forming a molded member of a urethane material as a part of the rim of a steering wheel; attaching a first mask member to a part of a surface of the molded member; forming a first transfer surface by hydraulic transfer onto a surface where the first mask member is not present; forming a film on the first transfer surface; removing the first mask member to reveal a surface where transfer has not occurred; performing a second hydraulic transfer onto the surface where transfer has not occurred; and cleaning the film. Thus, a clear pattern can be formed without overlapping or unsmooth matching of a pattern of a transfer film.