The invention relates to the use of compounds of formulae (I) and/or (II) as colorless IR absorbers wherein M is Ni, Pd, Pt, Au, Ir, Fe, Zn, W, Cu, Mo, In, Mn, Co, Mg, V, Cr or Ti, X.sub.1, X.sub.2 and X.sub.3 are each independently of the others sulfur or oxygen, R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are each independently of the others hydrogen, NR.sub.7R.sub.8, unsubstituted or substituted C.sub.1-C.sub.18alkyl, C.sub.1-C.sub.18 alkyl wherein the alkylene chain is interrupted with oxygen, unsubstituted or substituted C.sub.1-C.sub.18alkenyl, unsubstituted or substituted aryl, unsubstituted or substituted arylalkyl or unsubstituted or substituted heteroarylalkyl, R.sub.7 and R.sub.8, each independently of the other, being unsubstituted or substituted C.sub.1-C.sub.18alkyl, unsubstituted or substituted aryl, unsubstituted or substituted arylalkyl or unsubstituted or substituted heteroarylalkyl, a further IR absorber optionally being added to the compounds of formulae (I) and (II). The invention relates also to novel dithiolene compounds of formulae (I) and (II) wherein X.sub.1 is oxygen and X.sub.2 and X.sub.3 are oxygen or sulfur. The invention relates furthermore to novel dithiolene compounds of formulae (I) and (II) wherein R.sub.1 to R.sub.6 are NR.sub.7R.sub.8. ##STR00001##

A laser welding method and system for joining portions of first and second workpieces of thermoplastic material that is partially permeable to a laser beam but absorbs radiation from the laser beam. The first and second workpieces, which are made of material that absorbs radiation from a laser beam, are clamped together. A mask is placed on a first surface of the first workpiece, the first surface being opposite the surface engaging the second workpiece. The mask is impermeable to a laser beam and forms a slot for passing a laser beam to the portion of the first surface of the upper workpiece exposed by the slot, so that heating and melting of the material of the workpieces is limited to the width of the slot. A laser beam is directed onto the slot and moved in a manner to illuminate the slot to melt and join the workpieces.

A positive crankcase ventilation system for an internal combustion engine routes blowby gases into the intake of the engine. Because the blowby gases have about 12% water vapor, during cold-weather operation, the water vapor may freeze in the PCV valve or in the port that couples the PCV duct with the intake manifold. In situations in which the PCV duct is pointing toward the direction of flow of the intake gases, a hood or cap is placed over the end of the tube according to the present disclosure. It can be as simple as a 90-degree elbow or multiple openings in the cap. A centerline of the openings is perpendicular or at an obtuse angle with respect to the direction of flow in the duct so that the intake gases do not directly access the openings and cause freezing in the openings (or ports).

An infrared apparatus includes a case, and an infrared device to input and/or output infrared rays. In the infrared apparatus in which the infrared device is received in the case, the case has an infrared transmitting window part which transmits only infrared light and which does not transmit visible light. Of a light transmitting resin through which near-infrared laser used for near-infrared laser welding passes and a light absorbing resin which emits heat and melts when receiving the near-infrared laser, the infrared transmitting window part is made of the light transmitting resin.

There is provided a synthetic resin welded body and a method of manufacturing the same, in which it is possible to make only a portion of an absorption-side synthetic resin part to be welded likely to melt in laser welding. The synthetic resin welded body includes: a laser light absorbing oil passage forming member (absorption-side synthetic resin part); and a laser light transmissive baffle plate (transmission-side synthetic resin part) which is laid over the oil passage forming member and laser-welded in this state. The baffle plate is formed so that a welded area which is laser-welded to the oil passage forming member is higher in laser transmittance than a non-welded area which is the other area.

Provided is a low-cost flow sensor which improves productivity while maintaining high quality and high reliability. This flow sensor is provided with a housing, a cover, a circuit chamber sealed between these and housing electronic components or wiring, and a subpassage through which the fluid flows that is to be detected, and is characterized in that the welding width of a first welded portion forming the circuit chamber is greater than the welding width of a part of the second welded portion forming the subpassage unit.

Provided is a welding structure which enables external visual checks and has improved stability of bonding properties at a laser weld between a cover and a housing of this flow sensor. This flow sensor is provided with a housing, a cover, a circuit chamber sealed between these and housing electronic components or wiring, and a subpassage through which the fluid flows that is to be sensed, and is characterized in that at least the part near the gate section of the cover that transmits the laser is thinner than the other parts that transmit the laser.

A forming method of a water-soluble protective film on a front surface of a plate-shaped object includes a water-soluble sheet arrangement step of arranging a water-soluble resin sheet having thermoplasticity on a side of the front surface of the plate-shaped object, and an integration step of heating the water-soluble resin sheet to melt or soften the same, and integrating the water-soluble resin sheet and the plate-shaped object, to form the water-soluble protective film on the plate-shaped object. Preferably, the water-soluble resin sheet may contain a light absorber. A processing method of a plate-shaped object includes the water-soluble sheet arrangement step and integration step.

An assembly comprises a housing, a bezel and a lens, or a housing heat sink, a housing rim, a bezel and a lens, wherein the housing or the housing heat sink comprises a first surface and the bezel or the housing rim comprises a second surface, a portion of a first surface of the housing or housing heat sink is molded to a portion of the second surface forming an interface surface, the interface surface having an interface angle that does not deviate more than 90 degrees, measured from a central axis perpendicular to the bezel and the housing around which the bezel and the housing are molded, for all interface angles about the central axis.

Provided is a laser welding structure which may couple parts to each other by using a laser welding, and more particularly, a laser welding structure enabling laser welding of thermosetting resin including a glass fiber, the laser welding structure for the thermosetting resin including the glass fiber according to the present disclosure, and the method using the same, configured as described above, may provide the improved welding structure by coupling the parts made of the glass fiber-reinforced PPS material to each other by the laser welding.