136results about How to "Expensive to manufacture" patented technology

A testing device for the identification of an analyte of interest in a sample, comprises a housing having an internal recess (14); a sample collection device (19) and at least one insertable testing element (20); the housing being adapted to receive the sample collection device in the internal recess therein and to shield a sample collected on the sample collection device, the housing also being adapted to receive the or each insertable testing element such that, on insertion of the testing element into the housing, the testing element is in liquid conductive communication with a sample collected on the sample collection device.

An exemplary keypad assembly includes: a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a plurality of fixed contact points formed thereon, an elastic sheet disposed on the PCB, the elastic sheet comprising a base and many switches fixed on the base above the fixed contact points correspondingly; many key buttons, each key button comprising a main portion, and a pressing portion extending downward from the main portion; a light shielding sheet defining a plurality of through holes, the light shielding sheet integrally formed with the key buttons, the key buttons respectively passing through each of the through holes of the light shield sheet. The light shielding sheet with the key buttons is disposed above the elastic sheet, each pressing portion of each key button corresponding to each switch. The keypad assembly has a thin configuration due to a combination configuration of the light shielding sheet and the key buttons.

The subject invention provides a thrust bearing assembly having only three thrust flanges in total. One portion of the thrust bearing assembly comprises a main bearing having an arcuate bearing shell with a concave inner surface and a convex outer surface. A thrust washer having hydrodynamic features abuts one of the edges of the main bearing and extends radially outwardly from the outer surface thereof forming a thrust surface. The other of the edges of the main bearing is free of a flange. The free edge of the main bearing is preferably spaced inward from other thrust surfaces and the edge has a substantially narrower width than the other thrust surfaces. The other portion of the assembly may include a traditional thrust bearing having one thrust flange with hydrodynamic features and another thrust flange free of hydrodynamic features, both extending radially outwardly therefrom or may include another main bearing abutting a pair of thrust washers, one having hydrodynamic features and one free of hydrodynamic features, extending radially outwardly from the other main bearing. In either configuration, the thrust flange or thrust washer that is free of hydrodynamic features is opposite the thrust washer having hydrodynamic features of the main bearing.

Active otoplastics (3) with integrated earpieces (4) are to be acoustically optimized. There is provision here for forming a sound outlet (8) into the otoplastic in accordance with acoustic conditions. If the sound outlet (8) has the form of an exponential horn, this results in advantages for supply of high tones. The earpiece (4) can be secured with the aid of an adapter (5) into the otoplastic (3) so that it can be exchanged.

An optical identification element (also known herein as a microbead) is provided made from pieces of an optical fiber or substrate that includes an inner core or region being surrounded by an outer cladding region, the optical fiber or substrate having an identification code imparted therein containing coded information. The identification code may be in the form of a Bragg grating inscribed or written in either the inner core or outer cladding. The optical identification element may be microscopic in size having a length in a range of 1-1,000 microns or smaller; or for larger applications may have a length of 1.0-1,000 millimeters or more. The outer diameter may be as small as less than 1,000 microns, as well as in a range of 1.0 to 1,000 millimeters for larger applications. Using manufacturing techniques developed in conjunction with the development of the element, one optical fiber or substrate can be drawn and processed to produce hundreds of thousands, as well as even a million or more of such unique microbeads.

A thermoelectric device includes a thermoelectric element composed of principally thermoelectric material, a counter element adhered to the thermoelectric material. A solder layer lies between the thermoelectric element and the counter element and adheres the thermoelectric element to the counter element. A restraining layer prevents the solder ingredient of the solder layer from spreading into the thermoelectric element. The restraining layer is composed of a first layer to prevent the solder ingredient of the solder layer from spreading into the thermoelectric element and a second layer composed of material having a higher wetting property than the first layer with respect to the solder layer.

An optical connector of a fitting pin positioning type includes multiple optical fiber insertion holes arranged in one row and fitting holes or fitting pins. The fitting holes or the fitting pins for positioning are respectively disposed on mutually opposite sides of a straight line connecting centers of the optical fiber insertion holes and are located point-symmetrically with respect to a center of the row of the entire optical fiber insertion holes arranged on the straight line.

A cutting wheel having a disposable blade is a constructed of a disposable blade wheel, an inner support wheel and an outer support wheel to define a three part cutting assembly. An interior hub adapted to be mounted to the three part cutting assembly to provide a cutting wheel assembly. The disposable blade wheel is adapted to be connected to the inner support wheel and the outer support wheel, and may be located between the inner support wheel and outer support wheel. In the three part cutting assembly, an outer periphery of the blade wheel extends radially outwardly of an outer periphery of the inner support wheel and of an outer periphery of the outer support wheel to provide a cutting surface having a cutting edge. The cutting edge comprises a cutting material such as hardened tool steel, high carbon steel, non-ferrous alloys or the like. The cutting wheel assembly is adapted to be mounted onto a conventional rotatable shaft of a conventional web processing machine of the types well known in the art to process a web of material.

An optical identification element (also known herein as a microbead) that is made from pieces of an optical fiber or substrate that includes an inner core or region being surrounded by an outer cladding region. The optical fiber or substrate has an identification code imparted therein containing coded information. The identification code may be in the form of a Bragg grating inscribed or written in either the inner core or outer cladding. The optical identification element may be microscopic in size having a length in a range of 1-1,000 microns or smaller; or for larger applications may have a length of 1.0-1,000 millimeters or more. The outer diameter may be as small as less than 1,000 microns, as well as in a range of 1.0 to 1,000 millimeters for larger applications.

An arrangement for controlling exhaust pressure pulsation in a combustion engine including six cylinders. The engine also includes an inlet for supply of air to the cylinders, and an exhaust manifold for delivery of exhaust gases from the cylinders. The manifold is provided with a first outlet to an exhaust system and with a second outlet to a conduit for feeding exhaust gases back, via an EGR circuit, from at least one of the engine's cylinders to the inlet. At least one of the cylinders is adapted to enrich the exhaust gases with unburnt hydrocarbon with a view to regeneration of an exhaust gas post-treatment unit situated in the exhaust system. A special configuration of the exhaust manifold results in separation of regeneration gas from EGR gas in the exhaust manifold.

A semiconductor die includes a chemical sensor, a digital to analog converter, and microcontroller formed therein. The chemical sensor detects the presence of a chemical and outputs an analog signal to the digital to analog converter. The analog to digital converter converts the analog signal to a digital signal. The analog to digital converter outputs the digital signal to the microcontroller. Microcontroller calculates a value of the concentration of the selected chemical.

This invention relates to the use of a supplemental promoter in conjunction with a noble-metal-containing catalyst comprising a carbon support in catalyzing liquid phase oxidation reactions, a process for making of an improved catalyst comprising such a supplemental promoter, and an improved catalyst comprising such a supplemental promoter. In a particularly preferred embodiment, a supplemental promoter (most preferably bismuth or tellurium) is used in conjunction with a noble-metal-containing catalyst comprising a carbon support in a liquid phase oxidation process wherein N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid (i.e., “PMIDA”) or a salt thereof is oxidized to form N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine (i.e., “glyphosate”) or a salt thereof. The benefits of such a process include increased oxidation of the formaldehyde and formic acid by-products, and, consequently, decreased final concentrations of those by-products as well as other undesirable by-products, most notably N-methyl-N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine (i.e., “NMG”).

An anchor is fastened into a drilled hole in substrate layer such as concrete by providing on an end portion of the anchor a surrounding layer of an adhesive of a character that it softens when heated and sets when it cools with a portion of the anchor exposed outside the hole. The exposed portion is heated by an inductive heating device in a heating cycle where the heating cycle is actuated by the operator switch but accurately controlled and limited to a single operation in the presence of the anchor by a control in the device in dependence on sensed environmental conditions and a measured size of the anchor.

An anchoring system for anchoring a percutaneous attachment for a direct bone-conduction hearing-aid or an outer ear prosthesis to the skull bone, comprising a fixture portion, the fixture portion having a threaded portion. A flange is disposed at one end of the fixture portion. The flange has a surface facing the threaded portion and on this surface there is at least one groove to prevent bone resorption under the flange. The groove extends at least one turn on the side of the flange facing the threaded portion.