Abstract: A solid freeform fabrication process and apparatus for making a three-dimensional object.

Abstract: A solid freeform fabrication process and apparatus for making a three-dimensional object. The process comprises the steps of (1) operating a multiple-channel material deposition sub-system for dispensing droplets of selected liquid compositions and solid powders at predetermined proportions; (2) providing an object platform in close working vicinity to the deposition sub-system to receive the deposition materials therefrom; and (3) during the material deposition process, moving the deposition sub-system and the platform relative to each other in an X-Y plane defined by first and second directions and in a Z direction orthogonal to the X-Y plane so that the materials are deposited to form a first layer of the object. These steps are repeated to deposit multiple layers for forming a three-dimensional shape.

Abstract: A system for applying a fluid coating onto a substrate includes forming a fluid wetting line by introducing a stream of fluid onto a first side of the substrate along a laterally disposed fluid-substrate contact area. An electrical force is created on the fluid from an electrical field (originating from electrical charges which are on the second side of the substrate) that is substantially at and downstream of the fluid wetting line. The electrical field can be generated by charges that have been transferred to the second side of the substrate from a remote charge generator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a substrate coating for the electrostatic deposition of dry powder medicaments for use in the manufacture of pharmaceutical dosage forms comprising micronized polyethylene glycol (PEG), with A molecular weight in the range of 1,000 to 20,000, and having a particle size of 1-100 &mgr;m. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions having such a substrate coating, and processes for manufacturing such pharmaceutical compositions. The invention also relates to the technology of reversing negative charge of medicaments so that they can be electrostatically deposited on a negatively charged substrate.

Abstract: An electrostatic dispensing system for dispensing flowable liquid material onto a moving substrate. The electrostatic dispensing system includes multiple liquid dispensers that are aligned along a common axis and supported in spaced, non-contacting relationship on one side of the moving substrate. Each of the liquid dispensers includes a valve to control the flow of fluid through the dispenser. An electrostatic field generator is supported in spaced, non-contacting relationship on the opposite side of the moving substrate to generate an electrostatic field through the moving substrate. The electrostatic field operates to attract flowable liquid material from dispensing outlets associated with the multiple liquid dispensers as a series of spaced, continuous streams or beads which intersect a surface of the moving substrate facing the liquid dispensers.

Abstract: A system for applying a fluid coating onto a substrate includes forming a fluid wetting line by introducing a stream of fluid onto a first side of the substrate along a laterally disposed fluid-web contact area. An electrical force is created on the fluid from an effective electrical field originating from a location on the second side of the substrate and at a location substantially at and downstream of the fluid contact area. The electrical field can be generated in a highly effective manner relative to the coating fluid by a sharply defined electrode on the second side of the substrate. Ultrasonics combined with electrostatic fields further enhances coating process conditions and coating uniformity.

Abstract: A solder jet apparatus is disclosed The solder jet apparatus is a continuous mode solder jet that includes a blanking system and raster scan system. The use of the raster scan and blanking systems allows for a continuous stream of solder to be placed anywhere on the surface in any desired X-Y plane. This allows for greater accuracy as well as greater product throughput. Additionally, with the raster scan system, repairs to existing soldered surfaces can be quickly and easily performed using a map of the defects for directing the solder to the defects.

Abstract: A method of producing a color cathode ray tube occurs by forming pigment-coated particles by applying pigment coatings to green, blue, and/or red fluorescent particles, such that the coatings cover about half of each particle; forming a black matrix film having light transmission window portions on the inner surface of a glass panel; and applying the pigment-coated particles to the light transmission window portions so that substantially all of the pigment coating on each particle is located between the phosphor it coats and the inner surface of the glass panel.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is fabricated by the steps of coating an underlayer formed on a semiconductor substrate with chemically amplified resist, exposing the resist to light, bringing the resist into contact with an alkaline developing solution with applying a magnetic field to the alkaline developing solution for conducting development to form a resist pattern, and etching the underlayer on the semiconductor substrate using the resist pattern as a mask.

Abstract: A method for electrostatically assisting in coating a liquid composition from a hopper to a web supported by a backing roller, characterized by the steps of a) neutralizing all charges on both surfaces of the web by passing the web through an appropriate electrostatic environment ahead of the coating point, and b) providing a uniform electrostatic field around the backing roller, which field extends through the web to engender an electrostatic “pressure” for urging the liquid composition toward the coatable surface of the substrate at the coating point resulting in an increase in the maximum coating speed achievable without onset of air entrainment at the coating point, improved thickness uniformity of coating, and a reduction in residual charge on the web after coating.

Abstract: A powder coating cabin includes a column-like housing defining an interior space between a ceiling and a bottom, with the bottom being substantially of flat configuration, and a coating unit arranged on the housing for spraying powder onto an object. The powder coating unit is further provided with a cleaning unit which is so received in the housing as to be movable between a stand-by position in which the cleaning unit is arranged at least partially underneath the bottom and an operative phase for automatically cleaning at least the inner wall surfaces of the housing, whereby the bottom is suitably so designed as to clear a passage for the cleaning unit.

Abstract: A method for coating a liquid composition from an applicator to a moving web supported by a backing roller, characterized by the steps of a) conveying the web in a partial wrap around the backing roller of diameter equal to or greater than 10 cm, the backing roller being provided with a conductive, relieved surface; b) fabricating the relieved surface with a pattern that provides venting, the pattern having a geometry and depth such that the electrostatic force at the coating point does not vary by more than a factor of about ten, the pattern covering at least 30% or more of the width of the web; c) providing an electrostatic field at the coating point; and d) coating at a web speed greater than or equal to 75 meters/minute.

Abstract: A coating method comprising advancing a web over a coating roller, applying electrostatic charges on the web or coating roller, and coating the web wherein the surface of the web to be coated has a characteristic electrical length of less than 400 &mgr;m.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for depositing a lubricant coating on a cable, the cable including a sheath made by means of an extruder followed by a cooling vessel. Downstream from the cooling vessel, the apparatus includes a heater member followed by a deposition chamber for depositing a lubricant material.

Abstract: The present invention provides pressure-sensitive adhesive beads that comprise a tacky pressure-sensitive adhesive core and a non-tacky shell material that surrounds the area wherein the beads are capable of being positioned via magnetic means. The present invention also provides method(s) of preparing adhesive coated substrates using pressure-sensitive adhesive bead(s) that are magnetically responsive, electrostatically responsive, or both by using magnetic forces, electrostatic forces or both.

Abstract: A method for gumming sheet material, whereby a sheet is fed along a path directly facing a free surface of a bath of gum, and an electric field is generated over a portion of the sheet to draw the gum onto the portion.

Abstract: Plush textured multicolored flock transfers are obtained which have the appearance of a direct flocked article and the manufacturing and application advantages of a flock transfer. The method of manufacture includes applying sequentially to an adhesive coated base sheet different colored flocks which can be greater than 0.5 mm long through predetermined areas of masked screens.

Abstract: Thin thermoplastic foil is applied with the aid of a wide slit nozzle and an electrostatic discharge electrode to a nonwoven mat of thermoplastic fibers and filaments on a bonding roller and the resulting composite is then subjected to biaxial stretching utilizing at least some of the bonding heat carried by the composite. The composite may then be thermally fixed before being cooled to room temperature.

Abstract: The invention comprises a curable composition comprising: (i) a blocked reactive component wherein the blocked reactive component is a blocked isocyanate or a blocked isothiocyanate; (ii) a functional compound reactive with the blocked reactive component, the functional compound containing reactive hydrogen; (iii) a catalyst for promoting the reaction of the reactive component with the blocked functional compound, wherein said catalyst is based on the reaction product of manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, germanium, antimony, or bismuth, or the oxides thereof with a mercaptan, or an organic acid, wherein said organic acid is hexanoic, oxalic, adipic, lactic, tartaric, salicylic, thioglycolic, succinic, or mercapto succinic acid, or the reaction product of copper or germanium, or the oxides thereof with a lower aliphatic acid.

Abstract: Nanometre scale particles (3) e.g. of Au are deposited on a Si substrate (2) with a SiO.sub.2 surface layer (1) provided with receptor sites (4) of a first electrical polarity by treatment with APTMS solution. The Au particles (3) have a surface charge (5) of a second opposite polarity e.g from surface adsorbed citrate ions, such that they are attracted to the surface sites on the substrate. The deposited Au particles are then released from the surface sites such that the particles move over the substrate and coalesce into a low dimensional aggregated structure. The aggregated structure may form at a surface irregularity on the surface of the substrate. The structure may be used in a quantum electronic device such as a single electron transistor.

Abstract: Compounds which possess a complementary structure to a desired molecule, such as a biomolecule, in particular polymeric or oligomeric compounds, which are useful as in vivo or in vitro diagnostic and therapeutic agents are provided. Also, various methods for producing such compounds are provided. These polymeric or oligomeric compounds are useful in particular as antimicrobial agents, receptor, hormone or enzyme agonists and antagonists.

Abstract: The invention comprises a curable composition comprising: (i) a blocked reactive component wherein the blocked reactive component is a blocked isocyanate or a blocked isothiocyanate; (ii) a functional compound reactive with the blocked reactive component, the functional compound containing reactive hydrogen.; (iii) a catalyst for promoting the reaction of the reactive component with the blocked functional compound, wherein said catalyst is based on the reaction product of manganese, cobalt., nickel, copper, zinc, germanium, antimony, or bismuth, or the oxides thereof with a mercaptan, or an organic acid, wherein said organic acid is hexanoic, oxalic, adipic, lactic, tartaric, salicylic, thioglycolic, succinic, or mercapto succinic acid, or the reaction product of copper or germanium, or the oxides thereof with a lower aliphatic acid.

Abstract: Particles are applied to the surfaces of materials, especially in the form of discontinuous or patterned coatings on the surfaces of sheet materials by a process comprising the steps of:a) providing a support,b) placing a bed of non-adhered particles on the support, the particles being capable of being moved by an electric field of less than 100 KV/cm,c) placing a mask with a first and second surface over the bed of non-adhered particles, the mask having holes which pass from the first to the second surface, the first surface facing the bed of non-adhered particles without the mask touching the bed of non-adhered particles, the holes in the mask having a size which would allow passage of individual particles from the bed of non-adhered particles through the holes,d) placing a receptor material capable of at least temporarily retaining an electric charge adjacent to the second surface of the mask, which second surface faces away from the bed of non-adhered particles,e) applying an electrical charge to the rece

Abstract: Method of improving wetting and adhesive properties of dielectric materials by injecting electrical charges into the substrate under conditions such that the primary effect on the surface is that of charging so that improved wettability of the surface will be achieved. Flowable materials are then applied to the surface and cured in situ to permanently adhere the flowable materials to the surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the accurate formation of a three-dimensional article comprises providing a supply of substantially uniform size droplets of a desired material wherein each droplet has a positive or negative charge. The supply of droplets is focused or aligned into a narrow stream by passing the droplets through or adjacent an alignment means which repels each droplet toward an axis extending through the alignment means. The droplets are deposited in a predetermined pattern at a predetermined rate onto a target to form the three-dimensional article without the use of a mold of the shape of the three-dimensional article. A means for reducing stress anneals portions of the deposited droplets which form a newly formed surface of the three-dimensional article.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the accurate formation of a three-dimensional article comprises providing a first quantity and a second quantity of substantially uniform size droplets of a desired material wherein each droplet has a positive or negative charge. Each quantity of droplets is focused or aligned into a narrow stream by passing the droplets through or adjacent an alignment means which repels each droplet toward an axis extending through the alignment means. The droplets are deposited in a predetermined pattern at a predetermined rate onto a target to form the three-dimensional article without a mold of the shape of the three-dimensional article. The droplets of the first quantity and the second quantity are supplied at different distances, whereby the droplets of the first quantity bond to each other and the droplets of the second quantity do not bond to each other or to the first quantity of droplets.

Abstract: Methods for providing a low permeability coating on the interior of a refillable plastic container, such as a PET beverage bottle, include coating of a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) by depositing LCP monomers on the interior surface of the container and bi-axially orienting the monomers continuously while reacting the monomers to produce the polymer. The interior surface of the container may be pre-treated to produce free radicals which enhance the attachment of the monomers to the surface. Also, the surface may be post-treated to eliminate unsaturated radicals or free monomers. The application of the monomers to the interior surface of the container can be effected by condensing a gas blend of monomers, by spraying liquid monomers or by filling with liquid monomers and then emptying to leave a residual coating. The monomers are reacted by preheating them or by subjecting them to a heated inert gas.

Abstract: A system controls the flow of a conductive fluid after the fluid is coated onto a substrate by applying an electrostatic force to the coated fluid. The force applied to the fluid can be controlled to counteract the fluid tendency to dewet to a thicker state if significant interfacial surface tension differences exists between the fluid and substrate.

Abstract: Particles of a lens coating material for forming a primary film are deposited from a direction toward which the surfaces of the lens prisms of a Fresnel lens face. Next, a light absorbing film is formed, conventionally, by sputtering, on both the lens surfaces on which the previously deposited primary film was formed and on the non-lens surfaces (on which no primary film was formed). This light absorbing film is intended to absorb types of undesirable or "invalid" light (e.g., "flaring light"). Subsequently, the films are removed from only the lens surfaces. Accordingly, a Fresnel lens having "invalid" light absorbing films only on the non-lens surfaces is more easily fabricated within a shorter time and at a reduced cost. Moreover, it is also possible to reduce the generation of "cone" and "rainbow" effects caused by "flaring light" when the Fresnel lens is used as a field lens of a projection-type image display device.

Abstract: Changing (varying, irregular) resist thickness on semiconductor wafers having irregular top surface topography or having different island sizes, affects the percent reflectance (and absorption efficiency) of incident photolithographic light, and consequently the critical dimensions of underlying features being formed (e.g., polysilicon gates). A low solvent content resist solution that can be applied as an aerosol provides a more uniform thickness resist film, eliminating or diminishing photoresist thickness variations. A top antireflective coating (TAR) also aids in uniformizing reflectance, despite resist thickness variations. The two techniques can be used alone, or together. Hence, better control over underlying gate size can be effected, without differential biasing.

Abstract: An electrical conductor (100) is provided that is insulated with at least one layer of fibrous material (16') and has free-flowing powdered mica (8) disposed about an electrical conductor (2'). Insulated conductor (100) combines high temperature resistance with flexibility and is preferably made by a fluidized bed and/or electrostatic deposition or spray process.

Abstract: An electrospray coating head system for applying thin coating to a substrate comprising a slot or blade to meter a liquid onto a shaping structure which forces the liquid to have a single continuous and substantially constant radius of curvature around the shaping structure. A voltage applied to the liquid around the shaping structure causes the liquid to produce a series of filaments which are spatially and temporally fixed, the number of filaments being defined by a simple adjustment in the applied voltage. The filaments break up into a uniform mist of charge droplets and are driven to a substrate by electric fields to produce a coating.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for projecting liquid in the form of a sheet for deposition on a target comprises a nozzle having a slot 10 of width not less than 250 microns to which the liquid is supplied. High voltage is applied to the liquid and the liquid is supplied to the slot at a flow rate such that the liquid is formed as, and is maintained in the form of, a sheet by preponderantly electrostatic forces thereby effecting deposition of the sheet on to the target.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for reclaiming an inked sheet which includes a conductive ink layer formed on an insulating supporter, and in which the ink layer has transferred parts and untransferred parts remaining without being transferred; comprising the fact that an electrode (10 FIG. 1) is brought into contact with the insulating supporter (2), that conductive ink (7) to be introduced into the transferred parts (4) is conveyed to a position which confronts the electrode (10) with the inked sheet (1) intervening therebetween and which does not contact with the inked sheet (1), that a predetermined voltage is applied between the electrode (10) and the conductive ink (7), thereby to fly and supply the conductive ink (7) into each transferred part (4), and that the supplied conductive ink (7) in each transferred part (4) is fixed (14).

Abstract: A heat wave shielding lamination having improved abrasion resistance is composed of a visible light transparent substrate and an overlying composite lamination in which layers of a visible light transparent substance of a low refractive index and layers of a visible light transparent substance of a high refractive index are alternately arranged on each other, with the topmost layer being a low-refractance layer, and interfacial layers of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 which are much thinner than the high-refractance and low-refractance layers are provided between the high-refractance and low-refractance layers.

Abstract: A method for the insulation of a hot metallic material which is heated for hot working is described, which comprises applying a mixture of acidic aluminum phosphate, e.g., aluminum hydrogenorthophosphate, a multivalent metal oxide, hydroxide, silicate or carbonate powder, and water onto the surface of the hot metallic material and allowing the mixture to be heated by the heat of the hot metallic material to convert it to a porous hardened material. The porous hardened material acts as an insulating coating layer for the hot metallic material, permitting hot working in an insulated state for a long period of time.