Abstract:
An electric switch having a contact arm (15) mounted for movement about one end (17) whose contact (19) is disengaged from a fixed contact (5) of the switch by movement of the armature (45, 47) of an electromagnetic actuator (1). The actuator armature is arranged to contact the arm only after the armature has travelled some distance and thereby gained appreciable momentum, and the point of contact between the armature and contact arm is further from said one end of the arm than the contact on the arm, thereby more effectively to open the contacts in the event of any minor welding together of the contacts.
Abstract:
In a synthetic aperture radar system the radar pulse echo return signals are sampled, which samples are correlated with a replica of the original signal to produce range line samples with increased resolution in the range direction. To increase resolution in the azimuth direction, a series of range lines are correlated or combined in some other way with Doppler or other reference coefficients. A problem with this is that there is relative movement between any particular point on the ground and the radar system, and the samples in the range lines corresponding to that position lie on a slant line such as 103 (skew axis y). To utilise the incoming data, the skew axis is arranged in a saw-tooth form. To facilitat processing data is fed into an input sequence of data storage location in for example a buffer 51, at a variable starting position which moves corresponding to each discontinuity in the zig-zag, so that the discontinuities are transparent to the processor. In one embodiment, azimuth processing can take place along columns in bands 83 in a two-dimensional memory 53 corresponding to swaths on the ground 101.
Abstract:
In the production of micron-size pyramid emitters for field emission devices, very sharp emitter points are achieved by providing a layer (2) of suitable metal, metal compound or semiconductor, forming masking pads (5) over the required emitter positions, etching the layer so that column-like structures (6) are formed beneath the pads, removing the pads, and then subjecting the columns to dry etching, such as plasma etching, reactive ion etching, ion beam milling or reactive ion beam milling. The dry etching process shapes the columns into pyramids with a tip size of the order of 0.03 microns.
Abstract:
An RF coil arrangement (23) in a magnetic resonance apparatus wherein a static magnetic field for application to a body under examination is produced in a gap (3) between a pair of pole pieces (5). The RF coil arrangement comprises at least one coil (45 or 47) having a first part (49, 51) fixedly secured to a part (5) of the apparatus adjacent the gap and a further part (53) which is detachably electrically connected to the first part to provide easy access to the gap when placing in, or removing from, the gap a body to be imaged. The further part of the coil may be wholly detachable from the first part or pivotally mounted on a first portion (49) of the first part and detachable from a second portion (51) of the first part on pivotal movement of the further part with respect to the first portion of the first part.
Abstract:
Apparatus for selectively coating part of a member with a material, such as plating the walls of a hole 1 in a circuit board 2, includes two heads 3 and 4 which, during operation of the device, form a passageway between them through the hole 1. A pump 17 alternately sucks and pumps liquid used in laying down the coating in both directions through the hole 1. Electrodes 23 and 24 permit electroplating techniques to be applied.
Abstract:
An optical storage device comprises a homogenous film of polymer material into which data items are written by causing crosslinking of regions of the material by cycloaddition. This may be effected by writing with UV light or an ionising radiation. The crosslinking causes a change in the molecular alignment in the region. The polymer material may be a nematic liquid crystalline polyester of the structure:
Abstract:
In a process for depositing a planarising material in spaces (5,6) between a pattern of regions (1,2,3), such as dye stripes or dots, on a substrate (4), the planarising material is deposited as a layer (7) over the pattern. The substrate is irradiated, from the reverse side, by a source (8) of radiation, such as UV, to which the pattern material is opaque and to which the planarising material is responsive such that it is rendered insoluble to a particular solvent. The radiation acts on only those parts (9-12) of the planarising material which are in the spaces. The remainder (13-15) of the planarising layer is then removed by use of the solvent. Alternatively, or additionally, an ITO or other UV transparent layer may be formed over the pattern and a layer of resist formed thereover. The radiation then passes through the spaces and acts on only the resist areas over the spaces to render them soluble. Those areas and the ITO layer beneath them are then removed by etching, leaving ITO areas accurately aligned with the pattern. The process may be used in the manufacture of LC displays or semiconductor devices.
Abstract:
A guided vehicle (2,3) determines its position relative to a number of uniquely-coded reflector boards (13) by scanning the boards with a rotating laser beam (14,15). In order to determine the position of a load (18) which is to be picked up by the vehicle, the laser beam scans three plain vertical retroreflective strips (19,20,21) which are affixed to the load at accurately known spacings. The position of the load is calculated from these spacings and from angles measured by the laser system. The calculations are continuously updated as the vehicle moves.
Abstract:
A waveguide arrangement is formed by two conductive sections separated by an insulating substrate. The waveguide walls are delined by channels cut in the conductive sections and slots plated with conductive material in the insulating substrate.