172results about "Thin material handling" patented technology

Methods and devices are provided to automatically determine plant water requirements and adjust irrigation in order to make efficient use of water. In one implementation, an irrigation control unit comprises a memory storing historical values of a plurality of variables used at least in part in calculating plant water requirements, and at least one input adapted to receive signals corresponding to current values of one or more of the plurality of variables. The unit also comprises a processor coupled to the at least one input and the memory, the processor adapted to determine the plant water requirements at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a current value in the event the current value is available and at least in part using, for each of the plurality of variables, a stored historical value in the event the current value is not available.

A solar heat responsive roofing material includes a continuous phase and dispersed discontinuous phase having a phase transition at a temperature between about 50 degrees Celsius and about 95 degrees Celsius.

A supported graphene device comprises at least one graphene feature of 1 to about 10 graphene layers having a predetermined shape and pattern, with at least a portion of each graphene feature being supported on a substrate. In some embodiments the device comprises graphene features supported on crystalline semiconductor substrate, such as silicon or germanium. The graphene features on a crystalline semiconductor substrate can be fabricated by forming an amorphous carbon doped semiconductor on the crystalline semiconductor substrate and then epitaxially crystallizing the amorphous semiconductor with carbon migration to the surface to form a graphene feature of one or more graphene layers. The epitaxy can be promoted by heating the device or by irradiation with a laser. Methods for fabricating graphene on a variety of substrates, over large areas with controlled thicknesses employ ion implantation or other doping techniques followed by pulsed laser annealing or other annealing techniques that result in solid phase regrowth are presented.

An article of clothing includes a waterproof inner fabric layer and an outer fabric layer. An outer opening is defined in the outer fabric layer and is selectively opened and closed by a standard zipper. A portion of the inner fabric layer extends between the edges of the outer opening and defines an inner opening. The inner opening is selectively opened and closed by a water-resistant zipper. Venting material extends between the edges of the inner opening and allows air to flow through the inner opening when both the inner and outer openings are opened.

A method for preparing compositionally graded metallic plates and compositionally graded metallic plates suitable for use as interconnects for solid oxide fuel cells are provided. The method of the invention, utilizing powder metallurgy, enables making metallic plates of generally any desired composition to meet the corrosion requirements of fuel cells and other applications, and enables making metallic plates of graded composition from one surface of the plate to the other. A powder of the desired alloy composition is obtained, then solvents, dispersants, a plasticizer and an organic binder are added to form a slip. The slip is then formed into a layer on a desired substrate that can be flat or textured. Once dried, the layer is removed from the substrate and the binder is burned out. The layer is sintered in a reducing atmosphere at a set temperature for a predefined duration specific to the materials used and the desired final properties.

An exemplary device and method for microfluidic transport is disclosed as providing inter alia a passive check valve (100), a fluid inlet channel (210), a fluid outlet channel (220) and a pumping cavity (240). The fluid inlet channel (210) is generally configured to flow a fluid through the check valve (100). The check valve (100) generally provides substantially passive means for preventing or otherwise decreasing the incidence of purged outlet fluid re-entering either the pumping cavity (240) or the fluid inlet channel (210). Accordingly, the reduction of backflow generally tends to enhance overall pumping performance and efficiency. Disclosed features and specifications may be variously controlled, adapted or otherwise optionally modified to improve micropump operation in any microfluidic application. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention representatively provide for substantially self-priming micropumps that may be readily integrated with, for example, existing portable ceramic technologies for the improvement of device package form factors, weights and other manufacturing and/or device performance metrics.

A composite structure having a number of thermoset resin containing elements and a number of thermoplastic elements and at least one interface between the thermoset resin containing elements and the thermoplastic elements is provided. The thermoset resin containing elements and the thermoplastic elements have functional groups at the interface which bond to each other when the composite structure is cured and the functional groups are independently selected from amines, carboxylic acids, acid anhydrides, oxiranes, and derivatives thereof in their non-bonded condition. Additionally, a blade having such a composite structure is provided.

Disclosed herein is a back-grooved laminate wood flooring in which a wood veneer of high pressure resin impregnation laminate (WPL) is laminated on a base selected from a vinyl chloride (PVC) resin layer, on oriented strand board (OSB), a high-density fiberboard (HDF) and a waterproof plywood. More specifically, the back-grooved laminate wood flooring comprises a WPL (20), an adhesive layer (40) and a base (10) (a polyvinyl chloride resin layer, OSB, HDF or waterproof plywood) wherein the WPL (20) includes a base-reinforcing layer (24), a natural veneer layer (23), a resin-impregnated overlay layer (22) and a surface UV coating layer (21) layered in this order from the bottom. The back-grooved laminate wood flooring further exhibits excellent soundproofing performance.

An internal member of a plasma processing vessel includes a base material and a film formed by thermal spraying of ceramic on a surface of the base material. The film is formed of ceramic which includes at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of B, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Cr, Y, Zr, Ta, Ce and Nd. In addition, at least a portion of the film is sealed by a resin.

A trim member is made from a single piece of trim material. The trim material has a plurality of spaced apart cut out regions which divide the trim member into a plurality of trim sections. These trim sections are connected to one another by thin strips of the trim material in each cut out region. The strips are bendable and the cut out regions are shaped to enable a reconfiguring of the trim member from a lineal to a trim border forming configuration for use around a door, a window or a windowed wall area of a building wall.

A multi-colored flocked article is provided having a plurality of flock and adhesive regions. Each flock region is defined by a plurality of flock fibers that are substantially the same in color and are substantially free of light dispersants, such as titanium dioxide. Further, each flock region is of a different color relative to an adjacent flock region to form a patterned, multi-colored design. Each of the plurality of adhesive regions corresponds to a flock region and includes a colored adhesive. The color of the adhesive is at least similar or substantially similar in color to the flock fibers in the corresponding flock region.

A pressure-sensitive adhesive product contains a substrate having formed on at least one surface thereof a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, wherein the substrate is formed from a styrene-based resin composition and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is formed from an acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive containing an acrylic polymer, a liquid paraffin, and a rosin-based tackifying resin. In the acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive, the ratio of the liquid paraffin is preferably 6 to 50 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the acrylic polymer and the ratio of the rosin-based tackifying resin is preferably 1 to 30 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the acrylic polymer. The liquid paraffin may have a number-average molecular weight of 300 to 500 and may have a dynamic viscosity at 37.8° C. of 6 to 80 mm²/second.

An optical sheet suitable for use in a laminate comprising at least one glazing component. The optical sheet comprises a non-metallic multi-layer optical film that has multiple optical layers, and can be, for example, a solar energy reflective film (e.g., an infrared radiation reflective film). The multiple layers are thermally and/or otherwise fused together along all, substantially all or at least a substantial portion of the peripheral edge of at least the optical film, so as to prevent or at least substantially reduce the occurrence or degree of delamination of the multiple layers along all, substantially all, or the substantial portion of the peripheral edge of the optical film. At least the optical film can be dimensioned such that, when bonded to a glazing component, all, substantially all or at least the substantial portion of the peripheral edge of at least the optical film is positionable so as to be co-extensive with or substantially co-extensive with a corresponding portion of the peripheral edge of the glazing component to which the optical sheet is to be bonded.

Provided is a fuel cartridge in which a liquid fuel is not lost in storage, in which a follower is prevented from being deformed and separating even when heavy vibration is exerted onto the fuel cartridge to make it possible to stably supply the liquid fuel directly to a fuel cell main body, in which in particular, even when a volume of a liquid fuel is big and a cartridge diameter is large, the liquid fuel can stably be supplied directly to a fuel cell main body and which is suited to a small-sized fuel cell. It is a fuel cartridge detachably connected with a fuel cell main body and assumes the following constitution; that is, the fuel cartridge is equipped with a fuel-storing vessel 10 for storing a liquid fuel, a fuel discharge part 11 and a follower 20 which seals the liquid fuel and moves as the liquid fuel is consumed at a rear end part of the liquid fuel; and the follower 20 is provided with a follower auxiliary member 21 and a cap member 22 both of which have no fluidity and are insoluble in the liquid fuel.

A multi-layer packaging film is provided having at least four layers arranged in sequence comprising: (1) a heat-sealing first layer comprising at least 50% by weight of a copolymer of propene, and at least one α-olefin selected from the group consisting of ethylene, butene-1, methylpentene-1, hexene-1, octene-1, decene-1 and mixtures thereof, said copolymer having a propene content of at least 60 wt. %, a Tm between about 100° C. and about 145° C., a Mw/Mn of between 1 and 5, and n-hexane extractables of less than 4 wt. %; (2) second and fourth layers each comprising (a) at least 10 wt. % of a first copolymer of ethylene and at least one C₄-C₈ α-olefin, said copolymer having a density of from 0.900 to 0.915 g/cm³ and a melt index of less than 2 dg/min., (b) at least 10 wt. % of a second copolymer of ethylene with from 4 to 18 wt. % of a vinyl ester, alkyl acrylate, acrylic or methacrylic acid, and (c) from 0 to 60 wt. % of a third copolymer of ethylene and at least one C₃-C₈ α-olefin having a density less than 0.900 g/cm³ and a melting point less of between 65-98° C.; and (3) a third layer comprising at least 80% by weight of at least one copolymer of vinylidene chloride with from 2-20 wt. % (based on said copolymer) of vinyl chloride or methyl acrylate.

A vacuum insulation panel is provided comprising a core with a plurality of stacked non-woven organic free glass fiber sheets, plies, or net shape one piece glass fiber core and a vacuum sealed enclosure containing the core. The fiberglass sheets are formed from glass fibers having a nominal diameter of about 1.5-3.0 microns and the enclosure is formed from an annealed stainless steel foil. The vacuum insulation panel has a thickness of from about 1 to 2.5 inches and an insulation value R of at least 56.8 at moderate vacuum levels between about 1.0E−02 to 1.0E+01 mTorr. In addition, a method of manufacturing same is provided, as well as a method of construction, wherein the vacuum insulation panel is disposed between two walls in the gap therebetween, and preferably a filler material, such as aerated concrete, fiberglass, foam, etc., is disposed in the gap so as to partially or fully encase the vacuum insulation panel.

A method for producing a surface-treated silver-containing powder comprises vacuum freeze drying a dispersion liquid, which is obtained by dispersing silver or silver compound particles (a) in a solvent together with a surfactant (b) of an alkylamine type or an alkylamine salt type, or a phosphate type having a phosphorus content of 0.5 to 10% by mass so that the surfactant (b) is adsorbed in the surface of the silver or silver compound particles (a), thereby producing a silver-containing powder (c) whose surface is treated with the surfactant (b). Moreover, a silver paste is produced by dispersing the surface-treated silver-containing powder (c) in a solvent, or in a solvent with a resin.

An interior-mountable pressure relief valve for packages containing food products such as coffee that normally tend to out-gas. The relief valve of the present invention can be made by thermoforming a pocket of a barrier type of semi-rigid film that has a heat seal membrane on one side. An indent can be made in the bottom of this pocket to receive a filter medium that covers an aperture in the bottom of the pocket. The filter medium can be heat-staked to the pocket. A pressure relief valve known in the art containing a base layer, a pair of rails and a flexible membrane can be placed in the pocket. This valve and pocket assembly can be can be treated with a mesh membrane that is heat sealable to the seal side to prevent disassembly or contamination. The product can then be wound on a level wound spool for shipping to an end user. The end user can take the carrier tape and dispense it into a single piece dose and then heat seal the carrier to the inside wall of the package.

A transparent conductive laminate for obtaining a transparent touch panel improved in the durability in writing which has been required of conventional transparent touch panels and in durability in writing in marginal regions of the transparent touch panel (margin pushing durability). Also provided is a transparent touch panel employing the laminate. The transparent conductive laminate comprises a polymer film and, superposed on at least one side thereof in the following order, a cured resin layer, a transparent conductive layer (1), and another transparent conductive layer (2). The transparent conductive layer (1) is a crystalline transparent conductive layer containing no organic ingredient. The transparent conductive layer (2) comprises: an ionizing-radiation-cured resin, thermoplastic resin, polymer of a metal alkoxide other than alkoxysilanes, or thermally cured/crosslinked resin; and at least one kind of fine particles (A) of a conductive metal oxide or metal which have an average primary-particle diameter of 100 nm or smaller.

Provided are film-coated powders, coating compositions and coated materials that give off vivid and deep colors. The film-coated powders have a coating film on the surface of substrate particles, and has spectrophotometric characteristic in that, when the ratio of the length at 400 nm between 380 and 780 nm on measuring the reflection spectrum from the vertical reflection light of the film-coated powder (wavelength definition width L) to the height of the reflectance 100% in the vertical axis (reflectance definition width R), L/R is 5/2, then the ratio of the peak height (H) to the half-value width (W), H/W is at least 1.

The present invention is directed to a reversibly adhesive thermal interface material for electronic components and methods of making and using the same. More particularly, embodiments of the invention provide thermal interface materials that include a thermally-reversible adhesive, and a thermally conductive and electrically non-conductive filler, where the thermal interface material is characterized by a thermal conductivity of 0.2 W/m-K or more and an electrical resistivity of 9×10¹¹ ohm-cm or more.

The present disclosure provides a layered structure including a top layer, a bottom layer, and a grip component disposed between the two layers such that columns from the grip component extend at least partially through openings in the top layer and/or bottom layer. Also provided are mats including the layered structure such that different grip characteristics are provided on the ends of the mat and/or the two sides of the mat by varying one ore more characteristics or components of the layered structure.