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.

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.

The invention relates to a method for laser welding two plastic components A, B brought into contact at least in the joining area, wherein component B facing away from the laser radiation consists of a plastic matrix with a white pigmentation of 1.5 5-20 wt.-%, and component A facing the laser radiation, through which the laser beam passes in the welding process, exhibits a plastic matrix. For a given laser wavelength the travel distance of the laser beam through the component A measures at most 10 mm, and given a white pigmentation of the component A in wt.-%, the product of the travel distance of the laser 10 beam through the component A in mm and white pigmentation in wt.-% is less than 1.25, and the travel distance of the laser beam through the component A measures at most 1 mm.

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.

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.2 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 arc NR.sub.7R.sub.8.

##STR00001##

Methods for ultrashort pulse laser processing of optically transparent materials. A method for scribing transparent materials uses ultrashort laser pulses to create multiple scribe features with a single pass of the laser beam across the material, with at least one of the scribe features being formed below the surface of the material. This enables clean breaking of transparent materials at a higher speed than conventional techniques. Slightly modifying the ultrashort pulse laser processing conditions produces sub-surface marks. When properly arranged, these marks are clearly visible with side-illumination and not clearly visible without side-illumination. In addition, a method for welding transparent materials uses ultrashort laser pulses to create a bond through localized heating. The ultrashort pulse duration causes nonlinear absorption of the laser radiation, and the high repetition rate of the laser causes pulse-to-pulse accumulation of heat within the materials. The laser is focused near the interface of the materials, generating a high energy fluence at the region to be welded. This minimizes damage to the rest of the material and enables fine weld lines.

A bonding structure manufacturing method for manufacturing a bonding structure in which a first member and a second member are bonded is provided with: a step for forming a perforation with an opening in the surface of the first member and forming a protrusion that protrudes into the inner circumferential surface of the perforation; a step for disposing the region of the first member where the perforation is formed adjacent to the second member; and step for filling and curing the second member in the perforation of the first member by irradiating a laser on the region of the first member where the perforation is formed from the second member side.

A multi-section tubular member including a sleeve surrounding and bridging a joint between a first section and a second section of the tubular member, and a method of forming a multi-section tubular member are disclosed. A polymeric sleeve may extend over a portion of the first section and an adjoining portion of the second section. A length of heat shrink tubing may be placed over the sleeve and heated, thereby compressing the heat shrink tubing around the sleeve. The sleeve may then be thermally bonded to each of the first section and the second section. The heat shrink tubing may then be removed, leaving the sleeve securely joining the first section and the second section to form a multi-section tubular member.

An endless fabric belt for use in a paper, cardboard or tissue machine has machine-direction threads and cross-machine-direction threads. At least part of the threads are yarns composed substantially of a thermoplastic polymer material which is transparent for light of a wavelength. The fabric belt is a flat-weave with two front-side ends that are subsequently connected by bringing together end sections of the machine-direction threads in pairs with the formation of junction points and are woven with cross-machine-direction threads, forming a seam region. A material-to-material bond is formed in the seam region by absorbing light at the wavelength at yarn contact points. In the seam region, a plurality of spaced-apart, strip-shaped fabric sections are formed, in which the junction points and the yarn contact points which are connected to one another are arranged, and one strip-shaped fabric section without junction points is formed between two immediately adjacent fabric sections having the junction points.