A system and method for simultaneously heating a plurality of discrete skin volumes to a coagulation temperature. The system comprises an applicator containing an electrode having a plurality of spaced apart protruding conducting elements configured to contact the skin surface at a plurality of discrete locations. A controller applies a voltage to the electrode so as to simultaneously heat a plurality of skin volumes to a coagulation temperature when the applicator is applied to the skin surface.

Directed damage of the skin is used to stimulate regrowth of collagen and to improve skin appearance. A well known method of directed damage is ablating the epidermis using laser radiation having wavelengths strongly absorbed by water so as to heat the water to above boiling temperature. Typical lasers used for epidermis ablation are CO.sub.2 and Er:YAG lasers. Ablating the epidermis using RF (radiofrequency) current is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,309,387. This treatment significantly reduces wrinkles and improves the skin appearance. The main disadvantages of skin resurfacing are the long healing period that can be over a month long and the high risk of dischromia. These disadvantages have reduced the popularity of ablative skin resurfacing in recent years.
Non-ablative skin resurfacing is based on heating of the dermis to a sub-necrotic temperature with simultaneous cooling of the skin surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,801 describes penetrating the dermis with infrared laser radiation with dynamic cooling of the skin surface using a cryogen spray.
Wrinkles are created in skin due to the breakage of collagen fibers and to the penetration of fat into the dermal structure. Thus, destroying adipose cells and structure, can improve the surface structure. However, most wrinkle treatment methods target the collagen and do not have a significant effect on deep wrinkles Radio frequency (RF) energy has been used for the treatment of the epidermal and dermal layers of the skin. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,626 describes use of RF for collagen formation in dermis. This patent describes a method for collagen scar formation. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,470,216, 6,438,424, 6,430,446, and 6,461,378 disclose methods and apparatuses for affecting the collagen matrix using RF with special electrode structures together with cooling and smoothing of the skin surface. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,453,202, 6,405,090, 6,381,497, 6,311,090, 5,871,524, and 6,452,912 describe methods and apparatuses for delivering RF energy to the skin using a membrane structure. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,453,202 and 6,425,912 describe methods and apparatuses for delivering RF energy and creating a reverse temperature gradient on the skin surface. Although a non-ablative treatment is much safer and does not scar the skin tissue, the results of non-ablative treatments are less satisfactory.
A method described in U.S. patent application No. 20030216719 attempts to maintain the efficiency of ablative treatment with a shorter healing time and a lower risk of adverse effects. The device described in that patent coagulates discrete regions of the skin where the regions have a diameter of tens of micrometers and the distance between the regions is larger than the regions themselves. This treatment provides skin healing within a few days but the results are very superficial and less spectacular than with CO.sub.2 laser treatment, even after multiple treatments.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,116 describes a method of applying electromagnetic energy to the skin through an array of electrodes and delivery electrolyte using a microporous pad.
A device for ablation of the skin stratum corneum using RF electrodes is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,711,435, 6,708,060, 6,611,706, and 6,597,946. However, the parameters of this device are optimized for the ablation of the stratum corneum so as to enhance drug penetration into the skin, and not for thermal collagen remodeling.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for invasive skin treatment


Wafer-level testing is performed on an electronic device to be used in an optical communications system. An optical test signal is generated and is provided to a first photo detector. An electrical output of the first photo detector is supplied to the electronic device on the wafer. An electrical output from the electronic device on the wafer is used to drive a light source. An optical output of the light source is supplied to a second photo detector and an electrical signal output from the second photo detector is examined.

The present invention is concerned with testing wafers on which electronic circuits are formed, and is more particularly concerned with testing electronic circuits used in optical communications systems.
It is well known to apply tests to electronic circuits formed on semiconductor wafers. A purpose of such testing is to determine whether the electronic circuits had been properly manufactured to perform their desired functions.
Some types of integrated circuits (ICs) are manufactured for use in optical communications systems.
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a conventional arrangement in which an electronic IC 10 is utilized in an optical communications system. The electronic IC 10 is coupled between a photo detector 12 which provides an electrical input signal for the electronic IC 10, and a light source 14 which is driven by an electrical signal from the electronic IC 10. The electronic IC 10 has receiver functions that respond to the electrical input signal from the photo detector 12, and transmitter functions that produce the electrical signal which drives the light source 14. The photo detector 12 may be a PIN diode or an avalanch photo detector (APD). The light source 14 may be an LED (light emitting diode) or a laser.
Typically electronic ICs manufactured for optical communications are not produced on the same wafer with optical elements because different manufacturing processes are required for the electronic circuits and the optical elements. Instead, after testing, each die containing an electronic IC is cut from its wafer and then packaged with associated optical elements.
According to conventional practices, during testing of the electronic IC die on a wafer, the photo detector with which the IC is to be packaged is simulated by using a current source in parallel with a capacitor. A resistor is conventionally used to simulate the light source that the electronic IC is intended to drive.
However, there are significant differences in performance between the actual optical elements and the circuit elements conventionally used to simulate them during wafer testing. As a result, tests that would be desirable to perform on a wafer cannot be carried out. For example, the frequency performance of a PIN diode is dependent on the incident optical power. When the incident optical power is at a high level, the bandwidth of the PIN diode is reduced. Conventional electronic circuits used in optical communications systems include a function to compensate for the drop in bandwidth at high optical power. This function is very important to insure that the optical communications system operates in accordance with specifications in a high optical power environment, and consequently, the function should be tested at the wafer level. However, this function is not tested on the wafer because the mechanism of the bandwidth reduction of the PIN diode at high incident optical power is quite complex and cannot be simulated by a simple change of parallel capacitance.
The limitations on wafer testing of electronic ICs for optical communications systems, due to the inexact simulation of optical elements, may lead to the following problems. First, some bad dies may be passed through wafer testing, only to be found in package level tests. The cost of inking out a bad die is relatively low, on the order of several tens of cents, but after a die is packaged and found to be bad, the cost is on the order of several dollars at least. Consequently passing a bad die through wafer testing may cause a ten-fold increase in expense due to the original manufacturing failure relative to the bad die.
Secondly, when package level testing indicates a fault in a package, it can be difficult to determine whether the fault is due to the electronics IC (i.e., a bad die) or problems with the optical components. Consequently, it may be necessary to undertake an expensive debugging procedure which entails a significant amount of engineering time to determine the cause of the failure. It accordingly would be very desirable to weed out all bad dies at the wafer test level. However, this is not feasible with conventional wafer testing procedures and wafer testing apparatus used in connection with electronic ICs for optical communications systems.
It accordingly would be desirable to improve the capabilities of wafer test equipment used in regard to electronic ICs for optical communications systems with respect to representation of optical components.
It would also be desirable that the test apparatus components which represent optics be capable providing a very wide range of signal power. This is because, especially in the case of xe2x80x9copen spacexe2x80x9d optical communications devices (i.e., devices in which no optical wave guide is employed), the incident optical power to a photo detector may vary over up to 6 orders of magnitude as the communication distance varies.
It would also be desirable that the test apparatus not provide false indications of die failures due to aging of components of the test apparatus.
According to a first aspect of the invention, a method of testing an electronic device on a wafer is provided. The method includes generating an optical test signal, providing the optical test signal to a first photo detector, and supplying an electrical output of the first photo detector to the electronic device on the wafer.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a method of testing an electronic device on a wafer includes driving a light source with an electrical output from the electronic device on the wafer, supplying an optical output of the light source to a second photo detector, and examining an electrical signal output from the second photo detector.
The optical test signal may be provided to the first photo detector via a first variable optical attenuator and the optical output of the light source may be supplied to the second photo detector via a second variable optical attenuator.
According to a third aspect of the invention, an apparatus for testing an electronic device on a wafer includes the following elements:
a first light source for generating an optical test signal in accordance with a test control signal;
(b) a first variable optical attenuator coupled to the first light source for receiving and attenuating the optical test signal to produce an attenuated optical test signal;
(c) a first photo detector coupled to the first variable optical attenuator for receiving the attenuated optical test signal and converting the attenuated optical test signal into an electrical test signal;
(d) first probes for selectively coupling the electrical test signal to the electronic device on the wafer;
(e) a second light source;
(f) a second probe for receiving an electrical output from the electronic device on the wafer and selectively coupling the electrical output from the electronic device on the wafer to drive the second light source to output an optical output signal;
(g) a second variable optical attenuator coupled to the second light source for receiving and attenuating the optical output signal to produce an attenuated optical output signal;
(h) a second photo detector coupled to the second optical attenuator for receiving the attenuated optical output signal and converting the attenuated optical output signal into an electrical detection signal; and
(i) a first monitoring circuit coupled to the second photo detector for receiving and monitoring the electrical detection signal.
With the methods and apparatus of the present invention, a more complete set of wafer-level tests may be performed on electronic circuits to be used in optical communications systems. Consequently defects in the electronic circuitry can be reliably detected prior to packaging, so that costs of manufacturing failures and debugging time are reduced.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.

Wafer test apparatus including optical elements and method of using the test apparatus

International Business Machines Corporation


A data storage device and method for enabling dynamic fly height control which is insensitive to off-track motions is described. In some embodiments, a hard disk drive acquires signal data from neighboring overlapping tracks which are unwritten, thermally erased, or AC demagnetized. Side-to-side (off-track) positional errors or oscillations of the read head do not affect the signal which arises solely from the magnetic domains on the disk. Thus, signal variations may only arise from changes in the fly height. In other embodiments, neighboring overlapping data tracks are prewritten with reference data. The width of the neighboring overlapping tracks exceeds any expected side-to-side positional errors of the read head, thus signal variations may only arise from changes in the fly height. For all embodiments, the noise or reference data signal may serve as a reliable dynamic measure of the fly height with no effects arising from off-track motions.

Data storage devices employ rotating data storage media such as hard disk drives. In a hard drive, data is written to the disk medium using a write head which generates a highly localized magnetic field which aligns magnetic domains within the disk in one of two directions, wherein one direction represents a "1" and the other direction represents a "0". In some cases, the magnetization direction is up or down relative to the plane of the disk (perpendicular magnetic recording, or PMR). In other cases, the magnetization direction is within the plane of the disk. In all cases, this data may then be read-out with a read head. The write and read heads are typically integrated within a single assembly as shown in FIG. 21. To achieve steadily increasing data storage densities (typically measured in bits/inch2), which are now achieving levels near 1012 bits/in2, the sizes of magnetic regions storing individual bits have been reduced to nm levels. Writing to, and reading from, such small regions may include shrinking the sizes of the read and write heads and also having them "fly" closer to the disk surface (since the magnetic forces drop rapidly with increasing distance between the disk and the head). The distance between the head and the disk is called the "fly height" since the head is said to "fly" above the disk on a cushion of compressed air which is entrained by the rapid rotation of the disk and then squeezed between the head (often called a "sled") and the disk. Very precise control of the fly height is achieved using "thermal fly height control" (TFC) which employs an electrical heater (with mW powers) to heat the pole pieces of the head, resulting in nm-level thermal expansion which pushes the pole pieces slightly closer to the spinning disk surface.
Precise control of the TFC power may include accurate and repeating time measurements of the fly height. For disk drives having multiple disks, and having multiple read/write heads (at least one for each disk surface), independent control of the TFC power to each head is typically employed since fly height variations may be uncorrelated between heads in the drive. Various methods for obtaining this fly height data at selected levels of precision and rapidity have been used, including the use of reference data tracks (with, for example, pure 140 MHz-written data), or using user data stored on the drive. An example of such a control method is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/211,593 which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. In all these methods, standard width data tracks were used, over which the read head may fly with an alignment (also called tracking) controlled by electronics within the disk drive. In particular, immediately following a seek operation in which the head is rapidly swept radially across a portion of the disk radius, the head may tend to oscillate from side-to-side (i.e., radially) relative to the data track for a period of time following the conclusion of the seek operation. This oscillation may result in the read head moving partially off the edges of the data track, with the result that the read signal (also called the readback signal, or read-out signal) is somewhat attenuated. In most cases, automatic gain control is capable of adjusting for these read signal fluctuations as far as data acquisition. A goal of some embodiments, however, is to employ this read signal to determine the fly height of the head, for which these read signal fluctuations may induce errors in the height measurement. This may occur because there are two motions which can cause read signal changes: side-to-side head motion (partially on and off the data track), and up-and-down motions corresponding to fly height variations. In a situation where both these effects may occur, separately, or together, it may be impossible to separate the effects of these two motions on the read signal intensity in order to obtain the desired fly height variation information.
A goal of some embodiments is to provide a method and structure for obtaining essentially unambiguous fly height information from the read-out signal, without interference from side-to-side head motions relative to the data track.
A further goal of some embodiments is to provide neighboring data tracks which overlap and are written with known reference data to provide a signal for use in controlling the fly height by means of thermal fly height control (TFC).
A still further goal of some embodiments is to use neighboring data tracks which overlap and are either unwritten, thermally erased, or AC demagnetized to provide a signal for use in controlling the fly height by means of thermal fly height control (TFC).

Dynamic fly height control that is insensitive to off-track motion


A light deflecting device for deflecting a light beam comprises a rotational mirror having two reflecting surfaces for reflecting the light beam, a rotational mirror mounting portion, biasing means for urging the rotational mirror against the mounting portion, and driving means for rotating the mounting portion.

This invention relates to a light deflecting device for use in a laser beam printer, a bar code reading apparatus or the like and a device for regulating such device.
Heretofore, in light deflecting devices for deflecting a light beam, rotational polygon mirrors rotatable in one direction have been widely used because of the stability of their speed of rotation and their scanning speed.
However, where such a rotational polygon mirror is used as the light deflecting device of a scanning optical apparatus, there is a problem that the deflecting-scanning surface or the reflecting surface thereof tilts from a plane perpendicular to the ideal main scanning surface to be formed by a scanning beam deflected thereby.
A means for solving such a problem is, for example, one as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 63-188112 (corresponding U.S. Application Ser. No. 149,020 filed on Jan. 27, 1988 (now U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,465) and corresponding EP Application No. 88101263 filed on Jan. 28, 1988 and published on Aug. 17, 1988 under EP Publication No. 0278332). That is, the opposed portions of a cylindrical metallic member are cut into parallel flat surfaces and these two surfaces are used as reflecting surfaces for deflecting and scanning a light beam. This rotational mirror is mounted so that the two parallel reflecting surfaces may be parallel to the direction of inclination of the mounting flange surface of the rotational mirror and thereby the above-mentioned tilt of the reflecting surface of the rotational mirror by the inclination of the mounting flange surface may not occur, whereby the irregularity of the pitch of scanning lines on a surface scanned by a scanning beam may be minimized.
By this method, it is made unnecessary to use an expensive special optical system for correcting the above-mentioned tilt (a so-called tilt correcting optical system) which has heretofore been required.
However, the inclination of the mounting flange surface of the rotational mirror is generally very small and it is difficult to detect the direction of this inclination. Accordingly, it is also difficult to assemble the rotational mirror with the reflecting surface of the rotational mirror and the direction of inclination of the mounting flange surface being made parallel to each other. Also, even if the direction of inclination is detected at all, there is irregularity during assembly and therefore, it is nearly impossible to assemble a great quantity of rotational mirrors always with good accuracy.
So, in order to reliably achieve a construction in which the reflecting surface of the rotational mirror and the direction of inclination of said mounting flange surface are made parallel to each other, it is an object of the present invention to provide a light deflecting device having structure which can be regulated so that the direction of inclination of the mounting flange surface and the reflecting surface of the rotational mirror may reliably become parallel to each other after the rotational mirror is incorporated into the light deflecting device, and a regulating device therefor.
To achieve the above object, the light deflecting device according to the present invention is of such a construction that by biasing means, the rotational mirror is urged against the mounting surface of a rotational mirror mounting portion rotatable by a rotational mirror driving motor and the rotational mirror can be separated from the mounting surface against the biasing force of the biasing means and when so separated, the rotational mirror and the mounting surface can rotate relative to each other.
Accordingly, after the rotational mirror has been incorporated into the device, the phase relation between the rotational mirror and said mounting surface can be regulated and the rotational mirror can be reliably brought into a state in which the reflecting surface thereof becomes parallel to the direction of inclination of said mounting surface.
In a regulating device in such a light deflecting device, the rotary shaft of the driving motor can be fixed by a clamp portion to thereby fix the mounting surface of the rotational mirror mounting portion and the rotational mirror can be rotated while being floated up from said mounting surface by the pawl of the regulating device, thereby change the phase position thereof.


A container fraud detection system and method using one or more wireless communication tags attached to a container in specific ways to ensure the authenticity of the contents. The tag is affixed to the container in such a way that the tag is destroyed upon opening of the container, thereby indicating fraud upon scanning. The tag may be affixed to the container by an adhesive strip, polymer film or wax composition. The tag may be affixed to an adhesive strip prior to application of the strip to a container. Two tags on the container or strip may be cryptographically linked. The tag information is accessible through a scanning device which communicates with a database that stores information about the container and analyzes the probability of fraud with an algorithm.

Counterfeiting and diversion, or product sales to unauthorized regions or distributors are prevalent in the distribution industry. Such activities may result in loss of revenue from the sale of genuine products, as well as brand dilution, having a negative impact on future product sales. In the case of unauthorized distribution, the brand company pricing problems could result.
In the wine industry, where so much of the revenue relies on brand name, this problem is particularly acute. Therefore, packaging of wine that offers protection from fraud would be valuable. However, there are alternative wine closures are substitute closures used in the wine industry for sealing wine bottles in place of traditional cork closures. These synthetic corks are made from plastic compounds designed to look and "pop" like natural cork, but without the risk of TCA contamination.
Types of wines are most often packaged in glass bottles and depending on the kind or quality of the wine, the bottles are sealed with a cork. Some wines, such as champagnes, are corked with stoppers, or closures, having enlarged heads and which can be grasped and twisted. However the majority of red, white and rose wines are "corked" with closures made out of cork which is recessed in the neck of the bottle requiring some implement such as a corkscrew to extract the cork. Though there are other wines that are bottle packaged with "screw tops" and movement in this direction is obviously predicated to some extent on meeting consumer's demands for packaging which is easily opened without the necessity of additional equipment.
Various methods and systems exist for fraud protection, including technology to protect against counterfeiting and diversion. Bar codes and complex labels can be effective, however, sophisticated means of fraud exist for higher end products. A determination of a fraudulent product may require chemical analysis, resulting in high costs and delay for a manufacturer and distributor.
In order to overcome the limitations of holograms and enhance the level of security while preserving the ability to verify authenticity, manufacturers of certain products, including premium products such as alcoholic beverages and other expensive yet difficult to detect fraudulent products, wireless solutions that combine RFID or NFC tags with reader devices. One particularly convenient implementation—due to the wide availability of NFC-capable smartphones (500 million in use by 2014 and 1 billion to be sold worldwide from 2014 and 2015) combines NFC (13.56 MHz High Frequency (HF) RFID) tags with NFC-capable smartphones. In this implementation, NFC tags are placed in such a way that opening the protected product destroys the NFC tag, generally by breaking the antenna in some way (for example, poking the antenna with a corkscrew or twisting and breaking the antenna in the act of opening a screw-top container). This means that cloud services that authenticate protected items based on the NFC tag's ID cannot be used after the protected item has been opened.
In many instances, wine fraud occurs when the wine bottle is molested to change either the wine, or the bottle itself. The wines can be adulterated, usually with the addition of cheaper products such as juices and sometimes with the addition of harmful chemicals and sweeteners to compensate in color or flavor. Another form, is the substitution of labels, with cheap poor quality products sold under the labels of more expensive better wines. It is known that Federal governments and individual producers have taken many efforts in order to curb the prevalence of wine fraud. Some examples include marking bottles with engraved serial numbers on the glass and taking more control of the distribution process of their wines. Better documentation of the wine bottles can also help reduce wine fraud. However, for older vintages, the threat of fraud persists.
It is well known that a container stopper, especially for wine, is generally made from cork, which is an impermeable, buoyant material. Because of its impermeability, buoyancy, elasticity and fire retardant properties, cork is used in a variety of products, the most common of which is for wine stoppers. Multiple types of container closures may have other components and materials integrated therein.
Near-field communication (NFC) is a type of radio frequency communication technology, operating at about 13.56 MHz and at bandwidth of about 2 MHz, which allows for read-only and read-write communications between a NFC-enabled RF tag reader and a NFC-enabled tag. NFC operation is based on inductive coupling between two loop antennas, which allows for sharing of power and data between NFC-enabled devices.
RFID tags are similar to NFC tags, however, they have a greater range. NFC tags have a basic architecture that is similar to RFID tags. They both have a storage memory, along with a radio chip attached to an antenna. A difference is that NFC tags are formatted to be used with NFC systems. NFC tags are small and inexpensive enough to integrate into a wide variety of products.
Even though the above cited methods for detecting wine fraud address some of the needs of the market, a container fraud detection system and method that integrates a wireless communication device tag into a container top, or elsewhere on the container, and then tracks and analyzes information from the tag to predict fraud is still desired.

Container fraud detection system and method


Ceramic granules having high reflectivity and a preparation method for the same comprise sand core particulates and at least one coating thereon, wherein said sand core particulates contain calcined tobelite that is obtained by calcining the tobelite ore at 700-1200° C.; and said sand core particulates are coated with an inorganic coating, and then calcined at 800-1200° C. to obtain ceramic granules. Said ceramic granules have a particle size of 0.1-3.5 mm, and have a solar reflectivity SR of not lower than 80% and a staining index DL* of lower than 6%. Said ceramic granules produce a solar reflectivity of not lower than 70% when being applied to the asphalt roll/sheet and a solar reflectivity of not lower than 72% when being applied to the polyurethane foam sheet.

The literatures are cited in the present description for the purpose of describing the state of the art to which the present invention pertains, and are incorporated herein by reference in their entire disclosures.
In 2009, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu proposed that, in order to solve the problem of global warming, all of the nations should paint the building's roofs white as much as possible to increase solar reflectivity of roofs, reduce the greenhouse effect, and achieve the energy saving and decreased consumption.
A construction law is issued in the state of California, US to require the low slope roofing achieves the reflectivity of at least 70%. It is a very efficient heat shield technology to apply sand having high reflectivity onto the surface of the asphalt roofing. Compared with the reflective material such as plastics, metal, and organic coating, sand having high reflectivity has the characteristic of low cost and weather resistance. But, for most of white granules available in the market, such as quartz, calcite, calcined kaolin, and synthetic ceramic granules, the accumulated granules are usually measured to have high reflectivity, but after being applied to a black substrate, due to its low opacity to UV radiation, as well as being usually accompanied by a remarkable oil-absorbing phenomenon, it results in color change, and a further reduction in the reflectivity. In order to achieve the requirement of the reflectivity of 70%, a reflective coating can be applied on the granule roofing product. However, the polymeric organic coating has a short life span and therefore it is necessary to re-apply the coating after several years, such repeated applying results in high cost.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,865,303 B2 discloses a cool roofing system, which includes highly reflective calcined kaolin granules having a reflectance of 80% to 92%. When coated with a polymeric organic coating and applied to a roofing substrate, the highly reflective kaolin granules produce a roofing system having a reflectance of 70% or more.
JPH08-091892 points out that, when the conversion from the crystalline phase of kaolin to crystalline phase of mullite is enhanced, the laminated structure of kaolin crystalline will be broken and the whiteness will be lowered. In order to solve the problem, a part of residual kaolin crystalline can maintain laminated structure by adjusting the grinded particle size, pelletizing or shaping, adjusting the calcination temperature (1500-1700° C.) and the like. This can not only increase the reflectivity at the particle interface and the whiteness, but also increase the opacity and improve the overall reflectivity. However, the above method requires complicated processes such as grinding, pelletizing and shaping, and the calcination should be conducted at a high temperature of 1200-1700° C. Even if the above method is industrialized, it will have the problem of high cost, etc.
Therefore, there is a continuous demand for granules having high reflectivity, low transparency and low oil-absorption.

Ceramic granules having high reflectivity and preperation method for the same


A nerve repair device includes a resilient, elongated implant, and transverse pins for retaining the implant fixedly within the ends of the severed nerve. A sharp tip extends longitudinally from at least one end of the elongated implant, and aids in the insertion of the implant longitudinally through the ends of the severed nerve between the fascicle bundles. The severed ends are retained in close approximation for reconnection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical devices for repairing injured nerves, and more particularly to a device and method for the repair of a severed peripheral nerve.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The repair of lacerated or severed peripheral nerves using sutures is a common surgical procedure known as neurorrhaphy. The use of this sophisticated technique in recent years has enhanced the surgeon's ability to reattach amputated body parts, to achieve composite tissue transfer, and to graft nerves. The success of such procedures is still limited because the current methods of suturing severed nerves is difficult, time-consuming, and often yields poor functional results due to a variety of factors. The replanting of amputated fingers and limbs is especially limited by poor nerve regeneration.
One such factor is the tendency of severed nerve ends to contract and pull apart after suffering damage. Consequently, when reconnection of the nerves is attempted, a tensile force may be created in the severed ends as they are drawn together, complicating both the process of rejoining the severed ends, and the healing process. In conventional surgery using a microsuture, it is difficult to retain the severed nerve ends in approximation while they are being reconnected peripherally around the epineurium with the suture. During the healing process it is also difficult to deter the tensile force created in the severed nerve ends from causing the ends to pull loose from their stitched reconnection, thus leading to poor functional reconnection of the nerve.
In one approach to promoting nerve regeneration, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,467, an epineural or endoneurial monosuture is used to hold the nerve ends in close proximity, where they are enclosed by a tubular prosthesis which tightly seals the injured nerve to isolate it from the rest of the body of the host. The monosuture is formed by introducing a long needle carrying a very fine suture thread through the perineurium of the injured nerve, and drawing the monosuture and needle through the interior of the distal nerve end and into the interior of the proximal nerve end. The needle and thread are thereupon withdrawn from the proximal nerve end through the perineurium of the injured nerve. Tension applied to the monosuture brings the nerve ends into close proximity, so that the nerve ends are in contact with each other, and the ends of the monosuture are knotted. However, this device has the inherent disadvantage of preventing the surgeon from observing the anastomotic site to ascertain correct rotational alignment after enclosure of the anastomotic site with the tubular prosthesis.
Another approach seeks to protect the anastomotic site by encasing it. U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,618 shows a medical device for the sutureless repair of damaged nerves comprising longitudinally openable tubes of a body-absorbable polymer. The damaged nerve is positioned therein longitudinally without the need of suturing. The nerve purportedly becomes bonded to the porous surface of the tube so that the two portions need not be lashed together with a suture.
Another approach to sutureless tubulation involves sucking the nerve stumps into a porous metallic tube by means of a vacuum actuated instrument as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,916,805 and 3,960,151. However, this method risks compressive injury to the nerve upon post-surgical swelling in addition to the disadvantage of preventing the surgeon from observing the anastomotic site to ascertain correct rotational alignment.
An alternative to direct suturing is by laser fusion. Theoretical investigations into the use of an argon laser, as disclosed by E. R. Campion et al., Repair of Peripheral Nerves with the Argon Laser, The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated (1990), have indicated in experiments involving rabbits that it is possible to allow sealing of the epineurium without thermal damage to adjacent neural tissue. However, one problem with this alternative lies in the difficulty of retaining the severed ends in close apposition while the epineurium is sealed together with the laser. Despite the progress in this area, Campion acknowledges that repair with microsuture remains the standard against which any alternative must be measured.
In the prior approaches outlined above, it is still difficult to hold the severed ends of the damaged nerve together and aligned, both during surgery and healing. Despite attempts to align proximal and distal segments of the nerve, there is a tendency for the regenerating proximal axons to sprout outside their fascicular and epineural confines. This leads to formation of neuromas and consequent incomplete reinnervation.
Thus, repairing severed nerves remains a long-standing problem that continues to plague surgeons. Despite the advances in microsurgical techniques, a patient's recovery from a serious wound is often limited by the degree of nerve damage that cannot be repaired using current technology. The present invention provides devices and methods which help to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages.


A passive listening acoustic system and method of use may include source means for providing continuous, pulsed, or pulse coded acoustic signals at two or more frequencies and at least two acoustic sensors or hydrophones which detect and record a signal for use within a Seabed Logging system to determine the position and/or orientation of instruments in the system.

Seabed Logging methods can be used to directly detect hydrocarbon reservoirs beneath the sea floor. These methods comprise deploying an electromagnetic source near the sea floor and measuring the response using one or more receiver instruments located at intervals spaced across the sea floor. The receiver instruments may be in the form of long rigid arms carrying electrical sensors, extending from a central body, which facilitate the detection of low-level electrical signals in seawater. The sensors at the end of the arms are therefore placed near or at the sea floor.
According to one existing method, instruments are deployed as follows: the positively buoyant instrument and an attached concrete anchor are dropped from a survey vessel at a chosen location; the instrument sinks freely to the sea floor; the position of the instrument while sinking may be monitored by acoustic methods using one or more transponders; the instrument is positioned near to or on the sea floor in a desired location which is held steady by means of the concrete anchor. The instrument is then used to measure and store data during a survey while it is located on or near to the sea floor. After the measurements are complete, acoustic commands from the sea surface cause the instrument to be released from the anchor; the instrument then floats up to the sea surface for retrieval by a survey vessel and the data is extracted from the instrument.
More specifically, a number of different systems may be combined in use to position a Seabed Logging source and one or more receivers prior to conducting a survey. These include, but are not limited to, acoustic transponders (mainly used for receiver positioning), magnetic compass systems (mainly used for orientation in the horizontal plane), depth transducers and altimeters (mainly used for orientation in the vertical plane), tilt and pitch sensors (for spatial orientation of the receivers), and gyro systems (for spatial and horizontal orientation). However, each of these has advantages and disadvantages when seeking the accuracy of data required to process and interpret the detected data to provide a 3D map. Examples of problems typically include acoustic ambient noise, sound reflections, ray bending and the varying sound transmission properties in salt water mainly caused by the variations in properties such as salinity and sea water temperature versus depth. This can wrongly image a target, or transponder, to be observed with a false offset both in range and in direction. At extreme angles, the target or transponder may even not be detected as it falls within a shadow zone caused by this ray bending. The magnetic direction may also locally vary from area to area and this deviation may additionally change some degrees in magnetic storm conditions and can be complicated to detect and compensate for. The resulting measurements can therefore include errors which are too large for use in 3D solutions.
An example of a problem is that known acoustic or electrical replying systems for positioning introduce external noise on the measured signals if the source is located in the near proximity of the highly sensitive Seabed Logging sensors. Such noise may introduce errors in the positioning and relative orientation measurements which may not be entirely removed during subsequent processing of the measured data. These errors may be amplified in a 3D analysis.
Higher degrees of accuracy in sensor positioning are required for new acquisition techniques, for example, 3D acquisition, as well as being desirable for improving the accuracy of results obtained from other processing techniques. Electric and magnetic fields are 3D vector dimensional and hence it is necessary to understand and include a full understanding of the spatial orientation of the sensors. There is therefore a need to improve the performance of receiver instruments, in order to improve the accuracy and efficiency with which surveys may be carried out and the acquisition of data may be undertaken.


Time varying measurements indicative of the ratio of mass absorption coefficients of the components of a multiphase flow containing at least two liquid phases at two spaced apart locations are cross correlated to determine liquid flow velocity. The time varying measurements are provided by measuring the intensities of gamma-rays transmitted through a selected volume of the flow at two different gamma-ray energies. At least one of the gamma-ray energies has substantially different mass absorption coefficients in each of the two liquids. Gas velocity, when gas is present, and component fractions of all components are determined using a dual energy gamma-ray transmission technique and with the liquid flow velocity are used to derive mass flowrates.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to measurement of the liquid flow velocities and liquid mass flowrates in a multiphase flow containing at least two liquid phases. As used herein the term "phase" is intended to refer to separate immiscible liquid phases such as oil and water as well as liquid and gas phases. As used herein the term "multiphase" is intended to refer to a mixture including at least two such phases.
Determination of mass flowrate of components in a flow requires a knowledge of the respective flow velocity of each phase. As used herein the term "velocity" is intended to refer to mean flow velocity in the flow direction, for example along a tube. Hitherto the accurate measurement of flow velocity of liquid phases in a flow has proved difficult and has hampered the development of mass flowrate measurement techniques.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Measurement of the mass flowrates of components of flows containing several phases is desirable in many fields but is of particular importance in the oil industry.
Crude oil production is normally accompanied by gaseous hydrocarbons and water. These three components are piped from the oil well as a multiphase mixture. The mass flow rate measurement of the oil, water and gas from individual oil wells is important for better reservoir management, better production allocation, and optimisation of total oil production over the field life. Normally, the required accuracy of determination of mass flow of each component is 5%.
Additionally, there is often a need to measure the relative concentrations of oil and water in a flow after separation of the gas and some of the water. This measurement can present considerable practical difficulty particularly where the densities of the oil and water are the same or similar.
Current practice for the measurement of mass flowrate of the components of oil well flows is to periodically physically divert the well output to a test separator. After separation the flow rate of each component is measured with conventional devices such as orifice or turbine flow meters. There are several inherent disadvantages associated with this technique. Firstly, accurate measurement requires stabilised well flow which can take some time to establish. Often testing the output of a single well may take a whole day. In addition, the physical size of the separator and associated equipment occupies significant space which can lead to increased costs on off-shore platforms. Finally, in practice it is not feasible to provide each well with its own test separator system and often many wells share a common facility. Continuous monitoring of the output of each well is therefore not possible.
Various techniques have been suggested for on-line mass flow measurement of multiphase mixtures. Most depend on determination of the concentration of one or more of the components coupled with a determination of either the mean velocity of one or more of the components or the total mass flow of the mixture. Concentration measurement by capacitance is described in a paper entitled "On-line measurement of oil/water/gas mixtures using a capacitance sensor" by Beck M. S. Green R. G., Hammer E. A. and Thorn R, Measurement 3 (1) 7-14 (1985). Measurement of component concentration using a dual energy gamma-ray transmission technique has also been described by the following:
Fanger U., Pepelnik R. and Michaelis W.--Determination of conveyor-flow parameters by gamma-ray transmission analysis, pp. 539-550 in Nuclear Techniques and Mineral Resources 1977, IAEA, Vienna, 1977.
Michaelis W. and Fanger H. U.--Device for determining the proportions by volume of a multiple-component mixture, U.K. Patent Application GB2083908 A, 1982.
Abouelwafa M.S.A. and Kendall E.J.M.--The measurement of component ratios in multiphase systems using gamma-ray attenuation, J.Phys.E.: Sci. Instrum, 131 341-345 (1980).
Kendell E.J.M.--Gamma-ray analysis of multicomponent material, U.K. Patent Application GB 2088050 A, 1982.
Tomada T., Komaru M., Badono S., Tsumagari K. and Exall D.--Development of gamma-ray oil/water/gas fraction meter for crude oil production systems, Paper presented at the International Conference on Industrial Flow Measurement On-shore and Off-shore, 22-23/9/87, London.
Microwave measurement of component concentration is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,400. Neutron inelastic scatter techniques have also been used.
Velocity is usually determined by measuring the time taken for the fluid to flow between two sensors, one downstream of the other, by cross-correlation of the output signals of the two sensors, and combining this with the distance between the two sensors. This technique is described in Beck M. S. and Plaskowski A.--Cross Correlation Flowmeters, Adam Hilger, Bristol, 1987. Doppler measurements are an alternative technique to determine velocity and have been described by Stuchly S. S., Sabir M. S. and Hamid A.--Advances in monitoring of velocities and densities of particulates using microwave Doppler effect, IEEE Trans. Instrumentation and Measurement IM-26 (1) 21-24. The mass flow of a two component mixture such as oil and water can be determined by a gauge depending on Coriolis force. This is described by Liu K. T. and Revus D. E.--Net-oil computer improves water-cut determination, Oil and Gas Journal pp. 41-45, 19 Dec. 1988.None of these techniques fully solves the requirement for accurate on-line determination of mass flow rate of each separate component of a multiphase flow.

Measurement of flow velocity and mass flowrate

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation


A positioning device for a table on which a semiconductor wafer is moved into an inspection position is described. It comprises a pneumatic stage supporting the table and movable both in the x and y directions, a moving device using wire which moves the stage in the x or y direction, and a fine resolution lifting device which moves or lifts the table vertically.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a positioning device for a table on which a semiconductor wafer is moved into an inspection position.
2. Background Information
An X.multidot.Y wafer stage or X.multidot.Y stage has been known, and such a stage moves an inspection area, which supports a wafer, for measuring extremely small displacements in a pattern formed on a semiconductor wafer.
Conventionally, X.multidot.Y wafer stages use an orthogonal structure of X and Y axes crossed by means of a ball screw, etc. This arrangement has a two-stage structure and its size is therefore large.
FIG. 1(A) is a schematic view for explaining the problems in such a conventional X.multidot.Y stage.
In this example, assume that a guide GF is moved perpendicular, that is, in the y direction to the planar of the figure, while being guided at its both ends. A stage T of W.sub.1 in weight is supported and guided by the guide GF, while being movable to right and left (in the x direction). The weight of the stage T is directly applied onto the guide GF, and therefore a certain amount of sagging occurs and for this reason, smooth and precise movement can not be expected.
Depending on the position of the stage T with respect to the guide GF, the load at the ends of the guide GF changes, and also the amount of sagging changes. There is also the problem that depending on the position of the stage T, the height of the stage T changes.
In order to observe the condition of the wafer surface supported by the stage T using a microscope, etc., if the height of the stage T differs, the focus must be adjusted.
As a mechanism for converting rotational motion into rectilinear motion in order to move an X.multidot.Y wafer stage or X.multidot.Y plotter, etc., a so-called ball screw type mechanism is known, in which the X.multidot.Y wafer stage, etc., which is rectilinearly guided and connected to a screw, is driven by rotating the screw. A moving mechanism using a wire is also known.
A conventional wire type moving mechanism is explained here together with the problem associated with it.
FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B) are schematic views for explaining the principle of operation of the conventional wire type moving mechanism. A wire 101 is passed around a pulley 111 and an idle pulley 104. Between the pulleys, the wire 101 is connected with a stage 109, and when the pulley 111 is rotated by a motor 108, the wire 101 is moved to thereby move the stage 109 along with the wire 101.
In order to avoid any slip between the pulley 111 and the wire 101, a certain tension is applied to the wire 101 and also the wire is wound around the pulley 111 several times.
As has been well known, by the rotation of the pulley 111, the wire 101 shifts a distance equal to a diameter of the wire 101 towards the side being taken up. The length of the pulley 111 is designed to include this shift.
This results in the displacement by the stage of an angle .theta. between the both ends. While being moved, this axial movement of the wire 101 causes a displacement of an object or expansion of a wire 101, and as the result precise moving is not expected.
For this reason, the conventional devices have been used only when some differences in the rotational number and the moving are allowed.
An inspection of a pattern formed on a wafer surface is generally made by means of an optical microscope. Adjustment of the height of a stage of the auto-focusing mechanism in the optical microscope has been made by means of a fine resolution lifting mechanism.
In order to control the height of the stage of the optical microscope using a pulse motor, etc. for adjusting the focusing, a fine resolution lifting mechanism of a stage is required.
Fine resolution lifting using a beam requires a beam having a large beam ratio.
But, for an inspection machine for semiconductor wafers, it is desirable that the entire size of the machine is made as small as possible.

Positioning device of table for semiconductor wafers


A power split transmission which has a first part (2) and a second part (22). The first part (2) includes a variator (10), a summing gearset (6) and a shiftable transmission gear assembly (18). A standard transmission can be used as the multispeed transmission (23).

Power split transmissions of the type concerned comprise a continuous rotational speed variator, a summing gearset and a multispeed transmission, by means of which a plurality of gear ratios can be engaged. Such power split transmissions of the type concerned are often used in smaller working machines and agricultural machines, also known as tractors.
DE 10 2010 029 866 A1 discloses a power split transmission having a variator, a summing gearset and a multispeed transmission.


A pressure containing vessel is provided which incorporates a means, of restricting flow from the vessel, the means being internal to the vessel. This means to restrict flow reduces the resultant hazards in the event that fittings external to the vessel are inadvertently severed from the vessel.

Current commercial cylinders of high-pressure gases and high pressure volatile liquids are topped with valves which can be sheared off if the cylinder is dropped onto a hard surface such as a concrete slab, or through any other collision of the cylinder valve with a hard object. If the valve is sheared off, then the interior of the cylinder (which may be at a pressure of 2000 psi or higher) is suddenly opened to the atmosphere through an opening which may be 1/2" or more in diameter. The resultant burst of high-pressure gas produces a force which accelerates the cylinder and can turn it into a missile which can cause death or serious injury to persons in the vicinity, or major damage to buildings or equipment.
In order to lessen the likelihood that the valve will be sheared off, commercial cylinders are shipped with a metal cap covering the valve. The cap is supposed to be kept on whenever the cylinder is transported, or when it is stationary but not secured by chains or clamps. When the cylinder is in use, the cap must be removed in order to allow a regulator to be attached to the valve. It is also good practice to secure cylinders in use with chains or clamps to prevent them from falling with possible valve shear-off.
Although these practices generally are sufficient to prevent accidentally breaking off the valves, they are not infallible. Accidents could occur which would break off the valves in spite of these practices. Some use of gases supplied in high pressure cylinders, do not lend themselves to following these practices. For example, it is often difficult to secure a cylinder while the cylinder is used to supply gases for welding. Human error and failure to follow safe practices for the use and storage of high pressure cylinders is an even more prevalent cause for accidents resulting in shearing valves from high pressure cylinders.
It is desirable to eliminate the potential grave danger to personnel and equipment that exists when a gas cylinder valve is sheared off.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a pressure contained vessel which is not capable of propelling itself into the air in the event that valves or other fittings are severed from the vessel.


A prepreg containing components (A) to (C) defined below, wherein component (A) is placed on one surface or both surfaces of a layer comprising components (B) and (C), 90% or more by area of component (A) being present in a region(s) extending from the surface(s) of the resulting prepreg containing components (A) to (C) to a depth equal to 20% of the average thickness of the prepreg: (A) urethane particles having tan δ of 0.15 or more at 10° C. and having a three-dimensional cross-linked structure, (B) a first epoxy resin composition, and (C) reinforcing fiber. The present invention provides a fiber-reinforced composite material which excels in rigidity, strength, and vibration damping properties, and a prepreg which is suitably used for production thereof, and also provides methods for production thereof.

Fiber-reinforced composite materials in which carbon fibers or aramid fibers are used as reinforcement fibers, are widely used, taking advantage of their high specific strengths and specific elastic moduli, for structural materials for aircraft, automobiles, etc.; and for purposes such as sports/general industrial applications including tennis rackets, golf shafts, and bicycles.
In most golf clubs in recent years, the heads are made of metal, and moreover, head sizes have increased. The cause increased vibrations transmitted to hands and an increased sense of rigidness during ball hitting. Consequently, there has been an increasing demand for improvements in vibration damping properties and in the feeling of ball hitting.
Patent Document 1 discloses a golf shaft in which a vibration damping layer formed of a metal fiber braid is provided at least in a portion in the longitudinal direction of a shaft formed of fiber-reinforced resin. However, in this case, while vibration damping properties are improved, the shaft mass increases because they comprise metal fibers having higher specific weight than that of carbon fibers, which are usually used for golf shafts.
Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a golf shaft in which one or more layers of polyester are provided between fiber-reinforced resin layers or on the inner surface of the innermost fiber-reinforced resin layer. In this case, while vibration damping properties are improved, the flexural strength and the torsional strength of the shaft decrease because the modulus of such polyester is lower than that of epoxy resin, which is usually used as matrix resin for fiber-reinforced resin for golf shafts.
As for tennis rackets as well, there are demands for weight reduction, better resiliency, and improved operability. Thus positive use is made of carbon fiber composite materials in which epoxy resin is used as matrix. A shock applied when a ball is hit using a racket is transmitted as vibrations to a human body. It is known that if these vibrations are repeatedly received, fatigue accumulates in the elbow, thus causing a so-called tennis elbow, in which pain develops in the elbow. It has been agreed that such vibrations are preferably reduced.
Patent Document 3 discloses a tennis racket made of a fiber-reinforced composite material in which an epoxy resin composition that contains a specific epoxy resin component, epoxy-incompatible rubber particles and polyvinyl formal, is used as matrix resin. In this case, some rubber particles which are incompatible with epoxy resin enter the interior of reinforcing fiber bundles and the other rubber particles are filtered, with the result that a larger quantity of rubber component exists on the surface of the prepreg than in its interior. Consequently, subsequent to lamination, a large quantity of rubber component can exist between prepreg layers. Therefore, it is possible to provide a racket which has higher vibration damping properties and excels in hitting feeling, as compared to a case where minute rubber particles which are soluble in epoxy resin are used to allow the rubber component to be distributed uniformly. However, since rubber particles having lower modulus than an epoxy resin enter the interior of reinforcing fiber bundles, the matrix resin's modulus decreases, resulting in a decrease in the racket rigidity and strength.
Meanwhile, Patent Document 4 exemplifies a prepreg which is characterized in that the entry of particles into reinforcing fiber bundles is restricted, and that a large number of particles are present on the surface of the prepreg. In this case, polyamide 12 particles are applied. Although shock resistance and fatigue properties improve, vibration damping properties near room temperature are not sufficient.
Furthermore, Patent Document 5 exemplifies a fishing rod in which vibration damping properties are enhanced for the purpose of transmitting slight fish bites with high sensitivity. In this document, a urethane elastomer sheet is placed between fiber reinforced resin layers. This elastomer sheet greatly improves vibration damping properties, but significantly reduces the rigidity and the strength of the fiber reinforced material.

Prepreg, fiber-reinforced composite material, and method for producing prepreg


A motor-driven automobile antenna equipped with a timer which stops a motor for extending and retracting a rod antenna via a rack rope after a lapse of time which is longer than the period of time required by the antenna to be fully extended or retracted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to motor-driven antennas for automobiles.
2. Prior Art
In conventional motorized antennas for automobiles, a rack rope, attached to the lower end of a rod antenna, is moved in a vertical direction by gears which are driven by a motor. In addition, a clutch is used between the motor for driving the antenna and the rack rope in order to minimize damage to other components such as the rack rope when the rod antenna is locked.
In prior art antennas, when the power of the automobile radio is turned on, the motor for the antenna starts to rotate, and the rod antenna is extended gradually. When the antenna reaches its maximum length, it is mechanically locked. When the rod antenna is thus locked, the current in the motor increases. Based upon such increased motor current level, the locking of the antenna is detected. At this moment, the clutch is disengaged, thereby interrupting the electric current to the motor.
In the above-described conventional apparatus, locking of the antenna is detected based on the electric current flowing to the motor. However, if a malfunction occurs in the circuit which detects the motor current, the clutch continues to operate while being disengaged emitting a clacking noise. Furthermore, the motor wastes power during the period when the clutch is disengaged.

Motor-driven automobile antenna with timer circuit


A lighting device and a lighting device assembling and disassembling method complying with safety regulations are provided. The lighting device includes a main body, a circuit module, a fixing module, and a backside plate. The backside plate includes a first electric connection slot corresponding to the fixing module and a second electric connection slot corresponding to a first electric connection part of the circuit module. In the assembling process, the fixing module is initially connected with the first electric connection slot, and the electric connection between these two components is established. While the fixing module is connected with the first electric connection slot, the electric connection between the first electric connection part and the second electric connection slot is established. Afterwards, the fixing module and the first electric connection slot are structurally connected with each other.

Conventionally, a lighting device comprises a main body, a light source, and a lamp cover. The light source is disposed within the main body or connected with the main body for emitting a light beam. The lamp cover is located in front of the light source for protecting the light source. After the lighting device is turned on, the light source is powered to output the light beam. The light beam is transmitted through the lamp cover and outputted to the outside of the lighting device. Generally, the lighting device is installed on an installation surface such as a wall surface or a ceiling surface. In addition, a power cable is disposed on the installation surface so as to be connected with a power source.
For installing the lighting device on the installation surface, the power cable on the installation surface and circuit module within the main body have to be firstly connected with each other by the worker. After the worker confirms that the light source acquires the electric power from the power source, the main body may be fixed on the installation surface. The electric connection between the power cable and the circuit module should comply with safety regulations.
The safety regulations comprise the safety regulations of the assembling process and the safety regulations of the disassembling process. According to the safety regulations of the assembling process, after the earth wire of the circuit module and the power cable are connected with each other, the live wire of the circuit module and the power cable are connected with each other and the neutral wire of the circuit module and the power cable are connected with each other. According to the safety regulations of the disassembling process, after the live wire and the neutral wire are detached from the power cable, the earth wire is detached from the power cable.
From the above discussions, the assembling process and the disassembling process of the lighting device should comply with safety regulations. In other words, the assembling process and the disassembling process of the lighting device are very complicated.
Therefore, there is a need of providing a lighting device that is easily assembled and disassembled and complies with safety regulations in order to overcome the above drawbacks.

Lighting device and lighting device assembling and disassembling method complying with safety regulations


A method of the present invention forms a vertically oriented structure connected with a source/drain region through open space. In one embodiment of the method wherein a capacitor storage node is formed, the open space is located between two word line gate stacks in a MOS DRAM memory circuit. A thin landing pad is formed of conducting material in the open space extending to the source/drain region and over the tops of the gate stacks. An insulating layer is formed over the gate stacks and the landing pad. A recess is etched down through the insulating layer to expose an annular portion of the landing pad. A volume of the insulating material is left upon the landing pad in the open space. A conductive layer is deposited in the recess making contact with the exposed annular portion of the landing pad. A dry etching process is used to remove a segment of the conductive layer formed over the volume of insulating material upon the landing pad, after which the volume of insulating material upon the landing pad is removed. Remaining is a storage node made upon of a continuous layer of conductive material that lines the recess and the open space. A dielectric layer and a cell plate are in one embodiment formed over the continuous layer of conducting material so as to extend down into the open space, thus completing a container capacitor.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods of forming a conductive structure over a charge conducting region. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods of forming a vertically oriented structure composed of conductive material projecting from a charge conducting region. The method of the present invention is particularly useful for forming a capacitor storage node between two gate stacks situated on a semiconductor substrate.
2. The Relevant Technology
Integrated circuits provide the logic and memory of computers and other intelligent electronic products. These tiny chips have advanced in capability to a level that has made the computers and other intelligent electronic devices in which the integrated circuits operate highly functional. Integrated circuits are also being manufactured economically, allowing the highly functional computers and other intelligent electronic products to be provided to consumers at an affordable cost.
Integrated circuits are currently manufactured by an elaborate process in which semiconductor devices, insulating films, and patterned conducting films are sequentially constructed in a predetermined arrangement on a semiconductor substrate. In the context of this document, the term xe2x80x9csemiconductor substratexe2x80x9d is defined to mean any construction comprising semiconductive material, including but not limited to bulk semiconductive material such as a semiconductive wafer, either alone or in assemblies comprising other materials thereon, and semiconductive material layers, either alone or in assemblies comprising other materials. The term xe2x80x9csubstratexe2x80x9d refers to any supporting structure including but not limited to the semiconductor substrates described above. The conventional semiconductor devices which are formed on the semiconductor wafer include capacitors, resistors, transistors, diodes, and the like. In advanced manufacturing of integrated circuits, hundreds of thousands of these semiconductor devices are formed on a single semiconductor substrate.
The computer and electronics industry is constantly under market demand to increase the speed at which integrated circuits operate, to increase the capabilities of integrated circuits, and to reduce the cost of integrated circuits. One manner of accomplishing this task is to increase the density with which the semiconductor devices can be formed on a given surface area of a single semiconductor wafer. In so doing, the semiconductor devices must be decreased in dimension in a process known as miniaturization. In order to meet market demands and further the miniaturization of integrated circuits, the processes by which the semiconductor devices are formed are in need of improvement. The challenge in miniaturizing integrated circuits is to do so without greatly increasing the cost of the processes by which integrated circuits are manufactured. Accordingly, the new processes must also be relatively simple and cost effective.
One structure which is frequently formed in integrated circuit manufacturing and for which improved methods of formation are needed is the capacitor. The capacitor is formed with a storage node, a cell plate, and an intervening dielectric layer. The storage node and the cell plate are typically patterned out of polysilicon by conventional photolithography and dry etching. The dielectric layer is formed in an intervening process between the formation of the storage node and the cell plate, typically by growth of silicon dioxide through exposure of the polysilicon of the storage node to oxygen at an elevated temperature.
An important consideration in forming capacitors in integrated circuits is surface area. A large surface area of the storage node and cell plate is necessary in order to provide high capacitance and therefore optimal performance of the capacitor. Balanced against this need is the competing requirement that the capacitor also occupy a minimum of space on the semiconductor substrate on which the capacitor is formed. One manner in which the semiconductor industry has approached minimal space capacitor formation is to form the capacitor at a significant distance above the semiconductor substrate. When so doing, one of the storage node and the cell plate are typically wrapped around the other, forming what is known as a stacked capacitor.
The use of container capacitors has effectively increased capacitor surface area, but the formation of container capacitors presents new problems. One such problem involves making electrical contact between the container capacitor and an underlying source/drain region through a relatively narrow area between two gate stacks. One example of the occurrence of such a problem is in the formation of a metal oxide silicon dynamic random access memory (MOS DRAM) cell, where a container capacitor is formed above two word line gate stacks.
Shown in FIG. 1 is a typical arrangement of the basic structure used in the formation of a MOS DRAM memory cell. Shown therein is semiconductor structure 10 formed with a silicon substrate 12 on which are located a plurality of source/drain regions 12a. A pair of gate stacks, generally seen at reference numeral 14, serve as word lines and provide control signals to the memory cell. Gate stacks 14 are situated on silicon substrate 12, one gate stack 14 at either side of the center source/drain region 12a. Each gate stack 14 is provided at the top and sides thereof with a protective silicon nitride spacer 14a. Miniaturization demands require that gate stacks 14 be closely spaced. Thus a relatively narrow open space 16 is defined between gate stacks 14 and over the center source/drain region 12a.
Typically in the formation of a container capacitor, a storage node is formed above source/drain region 12a projecting upwards therefrom for a distance above gate stacks 14. To form the storage node, a layer of insulating material such as a borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) layer is formed over gate stacks 14 and source/drain region 12a therebetween. Open space 16, seen in FIG. 1, is then etched into the BPSG layer in which to form the container capacitor. Open space 16 extends from the top most surface of the BPSG layer down to source/drain region 12a in between gate stacks 14. Once formed, the storage node will be situated upon source/drain region 12a in between gate stacks 14.
Problems arise in removing BPSG material to form open space 16 which is typically narrower than about 0.2 microns, a distance not readily achievable with conventional photolithography resolution. Therefore, in order to form open space 16, the BPSG layer must be patterned such that the subsequent etch of the BPSG layer creates an opening above open space 16 that is wider than open space 16. If the etch of the BPSG layer is selective to silicon nitride cap 14a, the etch form open space 16 such that it is self-aligned between gate stacks 14. Self-alignment ensures that, if the etched opening above open space 16 is slightly misplaced in initial alignment between gate stacks 14 and the source/drain region 12a therebetween, open space 16 will still be situated between gate stack 14 so as to expose source/drain region 12a therebetween.
Conventional self-alignment processes have several drawbacks which are advantageous to avoid. For instance, a dry etching process such as reactive ion etching (RIE) or milling RIE (MRIE) is typically used to form the opening to open space 16, and must also clear BPSG material from open space 16. In so doing, it is difficult to terminate the dry etching without etching into the silicon of source/drain region 12a between gate stacks 14. It is also difficult to maintain a uniformity of the dry etching process across the entirety of semiconductor structure 10 when etching into multiple open spaces 16 situated across semiconductor structure 10, such that all open spaces 16 are fully cleared of BPSG material without etching into respective source/drain regions 12a.
Thus, the etching must clear BPSG material to form open space 16 without substantially etching the silicon of silicon substrate 12 where source/drain region 12a is situated. As discussed, such a selective etch is difficult to conduct, and the consequences of over-etching are severe, as etching into source/drain region 12a causes shorting and results in a defective condition of the entire integrated circuit.
Further problems arise in forming a container capacitor once open space 16 has been cleared of BPSG. One such problem occurs when depositing a capacitor storage node in the completed opening. When so doing, the material of the capacitor storage node tends to coalesce into the center of open space 16 so as to fill up much of open space 16, and thus making open space 16 largely inaccessible for the formation of the container capacitor therein.
One prior art process directed to remedying these problems utilizes a landing pad formed in open space 16. One common manner of utilizing a landing pad in container capacitor formation is shown in FIG. 2 and comprises forming the landing pad from a polysilicon plug 24 that fills open space 16. Polysilicon plug 24 eliminates the need for selectively etching BPSG material to form open space 16. The formation of polysilicon plug 24 is problematic in that it consumes fabrication time to deposit, and due to the thickness thereof. Also, polysilicon plug 24 fills the entirety of open space 16, thus preventing the formation of the container capacitor therein and consequently reducing the density within which the container capacitor cell can be formed.
Forming a landing pad only in a bottom portion of open space 16 has also been attempted, but has proven difficult, as the landing pad is time consuming to form and still must be sufficiently thick to compensate for non-uniformity in etching across semiconductor wafer 10. Also, the landing pad, although only in a bottom portion of open space 16, still consumes much of open space 16.
Consequently, an improved method is needed that overcomes the above-discussed problems inherent to forming a conductive structure in a narrow space above a source/drain region. Such a method would preferably form a landing pad in a manner that also overcomes the above-discussed problems of the prior art landing pads, including fabrication time, and the inherent low density in which a container capacitor can be formed. In addition, such a method is needed that can be conducted in a simple and cost effective manner.
The present invention resolves the above-described problems by providing an improved method of using a landing pad to form a vertically oriented structure in an open space above a charge conducting region.
In one embodiment of the method of the present invention where the vertically oriented structure comprises a storage node of a container capacitor, a charge conducting region in the form of a source/drain region is initially provided on a semiconductor substrate. Also provided on the semiconductor substrate is a pair of gate stacks that are located one to either side of the source/drain region. The gate stacks are closely spaced such that an open space is formed between the gate stacks and over the source/drain region. The open space preferably has a width of about 0.1 microns.
A layer of a conductive material is subsequently deposited in the open space and upon the source/drain region. A landing pad is patterned and etched from the layer of conductive material so as to line the sides and bottom of the open space, but not so as to substantially fill the open space. The landing pad also extends over at least a portion of the top of each gate stack.
Once the landing pad is formed, a layer of insulating material, such as a BPSG layer, is subsequently formed over the landing pad. The BPSG layer is formed with a height corresponding to the intended height of the capacitor storage node to be formed. A recess is then anisotropically etched wider than the open space through the BPSG layer to terminate at and expose a portion of the landing pad located on the tops of the gate stacks. A volume of BPSG is left remaining on the landing pad within the open space between the pair of gate stacks.
Next, a polysilicon layer or other layer of conductive material is deposited so as to line and partially fill the recess. The polysilicon layer preferably makes an annular region of contact with the exposed surface on the landing pad. A segment of the polysilicon layer also covers the volume of BPSG on the landing pad.
After depositing the polysilicon layer, an anisotropic etching process is conducted to remove the segment of the polysilicon layer covering the volume of BPSG on the landing pad. The isotropic etching process preferably may be a dry etch. The volume of BPSG on the landing pad is exposed as a result of the anisotropic etching process. The landing pad and polysilicon layer at this point form a continuous conductive layer around the recess and the open space and containing the volume of BPSG on the landing pad.
In an optional further procedure, the volume of BPSG on the landing pad is removed so as to expose the portion of the landing pad that extends into the recess between the pair of gate stacks such that the recess extends down below the tops of the gate stacks. Removing the volume of BPSG on the landing pad increases the surface area of the resulting capacitor that can be formed thereby, and consequently increases the capacitor charge retention and refresh rates thereof. A further optional procedure comprises roughening the surface of the landing pad and polysilicon layer to increase the surface area thereof. In one embodiment, roughening of the surface of the landing pad and the polysilicon layer is achieved through formation of a layer of hemispherical grained (HSG) polysilicon or cylindrical grained polysilicon (CGP) on exposed surfaces of the landing pad and the polysilicon layer.
The landing pad and the polysilicon layer line the open space and the recess, which together in one embodiment form a capacitor storage node. A capacitor incorporating the capacitor storage node is completed by forming a dielectric layer in the recess and the open space, after which a cell plate is formed thereover. The cell plate is preferably formed of polysilicon.
In an alternate embodiment, the BPSG layer is partially reduced in height concurrent with a substantially total removal of the volume of BPSG on the landing pad. Reducing the height of the BPSG layer exposes the entire circumference of a top portion of the polysilicon layer and allows a capacitor dielectric and cell plate to be formed on both sides thereof, further increasing capacitor surface area.
The method of the present invention as described above forms a container capacitor in a simplified manner and without the need for a dry etching process that is highly selective to the silicon of the source/drain region. Also, the capacitor surface area increases in that the resulting capacitor extends into the open space. Densification and miniaturization are facilitated by greater capacitor surface area being formed in a smaller foot print on the semiconductor wafer. The landing pad is also thinner than prior art landing pads, such as polysilicon plug 24 discussed above, thus saving process time in the deposition thereof and thereby increasing integrated circuit manufacturing throughput.
These and other features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.


An electric blind, which is efficiently raised and lowered and controlled in a tilt angle of its vanes by a single drive motor, is disclosed. The electric blind includes a mount frame, fixedly mounted on a wall over a window and having a certain length, a pair of housings attached to both ends of the mount frame, a pair of take-up cylinders rotably coupled to the housings, lifting cords wound around the pair of take-up cylinders and unwound therefrom to be suspended by a certain length, a rotating pipe, disposed between and joined to the pair of take-up cylinders and rotated in forward and reverse directions, a drive motor connected to the rotating pipe, a plurality of vanes disposed below the pair of housings to be raised and lowered by the lifting cords, and means for controlling tilt angle of the vanes by a turning force of the rotating pipe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric blind installed at a window, and more particularly to an electric blind, which is designed to be automatically extended and folded and to be controlled in a tilt angle of vanes thereof, by remote control.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, windows of dwellings, offices and the like are equipped with curtains or blinds to assure security for a dweller"" privacy, as well as for natural lighting and thermal insulation, which are adapted to be expanded or retracted as necessary.
Blinds used in such applications are usually classified into a vertical-type blind and a horizontal-type blind. Both types are commonly constructed to control an amount of light incoming therethrough by adjusting a tilt angle of vanes thereof, but designs diverge, in that there is a difference in the direction of extension and folding of the vanes in the two types.
In conventional manual type blinds, since a user must go to the blind and then pull on a desired string in order to raise or lower the blind or control the tilt angle of its vanes, it is inconvenient to use.
To solve these problems, various electric blinds, which are electrically operated by remote control, are proposed these days. Since such a conventional electric blind has to be equipped with a motor for raising and lowering the blind and a motor for controlling the tilt angle of blind""s vanes of the blind, there are problems in that the number of overall components, and thus production cost, is increased.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electric blind, which can be electrically and easily raised and lowered, and which enables easy and stable control of tilt angle of its vanes, by manipulation of a remote control.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electric blind, which enables simplification of components for controlling a tilt angle of vanes and is lower in the number of the components, thereby improving productivity and maintenance of the blind.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides an electric blind comprising: a mount frame fixedly mounted on a wall over a window and having a certain length; a pair of housings attached to both ends of the mount frame; a pair of take-up cylinders rotably coupled to the housings; lifting cords wound around the pair of take-up cylinders and unwound therefrom to be suspended by a certain length; a rotating pipe disposed between and joined to the pair of take-up cylinders and rotated in normal and reverse directions; a drive motor connected to the rotating pipe; a plurality of vanes disposed below the pair of housings to be raised and lowered by the lifting cords; and means for controlling tilt angle of the vanes via a turning force of the rotating pipe.
Each of the take-up cylinders may be provided at its outer surface with a threaded portion and provided at its inner surface with at least one fitting protrusion, and each of the housings may be provided at its inner surfaces with a threaded portion to mate with the threaded portion of the take-up cylinder and the rotating pipe may be provided at its outer surface with a fitting groove corresponding to the fitting protrusion, whereby the pair of take-up cylinders are moved toward and away from each other during rotation of the rotating pipe.
The means for controlling tilt angle of the vanes may comprise a rotating shaft axially joined to an end of the rotating pipe, a first rotating cam rotatably coupled to an end of the rotating shaft, a second rotating cam rotatably supported below the first rotating cam and connected to the uppermost vane of the plurality of vanes, a connecting link connected at its both ends to the first rotating cam and the second rotating cam, and means for limiting rotation angle of the first rotating cam.
The means for limiting the rotation angle of the first rotating cam may comprise a pair of protrusions fixed to the first rotating cam to be positioned at diametrically opposing sides, catch members provided at the rotating shaft and coming into contact with the protrusions of the first rotating cam to transmit turning force of the rotating shaft to the first rotating cam, and a stopper fixed to the housing to limit a rotation range of the protrusions of the first rotating cam.
The means for controlling the tilt angle of the vanes may comprise a rotating ring fixedly mounted on the rotating pipe, a tilting string wound around an outer surface of the rotating ring and having ends connected to both sides of the uppermost vane of the plurality of vanes, and a spacer provided at an end of the tilting string facing the window to maintain a certain spacing between the uppermost vane and the rotating ring.
The spacer may be comprised of a plurality of balls, through which the end of the tilting string passes.
The mount frame may be provided at its center with a control screw adapted to be displaced upward and downward, and a control wire connected at its one end to the control screw and connected at its other end to the uppermost vane of the plurality of vanes.
The electric blind may further include a holding bracket for fixing the mount frame to the wall, which includes bracket body having an end opening downward to receive the mount frame, and a bottom plate coupled the open end of the bracket body to support the mount frame.
The bracket body may be formed at its one end with a first slit and formed at its other end with a retaining protrusion, and wherein the bottom plate may be formed at its one end with a second slit to engage with the first slit of the bracket body, and formed at its other end with a cut portion to engage with the retaining protrusion of the bracket body.


A method for providing a magnetic recording transducer is disclosed. The method includes providing a first pole having front and rear portions and a back gap on the rear portion. The method also includes providing an insulator on the first pole. The method includes providing a write gap and providing a portion of a second pole on at least the write gap. A portion of the write gap resides on the front portion of the first pole. A portion of the insulator covers a portion of the first pole between the portion of the second pole and the back gap. The method also includes providing a mask that covers the back gap and exposes the portion of the second pole and the insulator. The method also includes performing a pole trim that can substantially remove the portion of the insulator covering the remaining portion of the first pole.

Magnetic recording transducers are used to record data in magnetic recording technology. FIG. 1 depicts a conventional method 10 for manufacturing a magnetic recording transducer. For simplicity, some steps are omitted. The conventional method 10 may used for a head including a read transducer (not shown) and a magnetic recording transducer. FIGS. 2A-2B are diagrams of a conventional magnetic recording transducer 50 during fabrication using the conventional method 10. For clarity, FIGS. 2A-2B are not drawn to scale.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2A-2B, the method 10 commences after a first pole, an insulator and a write gap are provided. The material(s) for the second pole are provided, via step 12. Step 12 typically includes providing a front portion of the second pole, near the air-bearing-surface (ABS) as well as a back gap. A resist structure is provided, via step 14. The resist structure includes an aperture in the region that the pole trim is to be performed. Thus, the resist structure thus includes an aperture near the ABS, but covers the back gap. FIG. 2A depicts the conventional magnetic recording transducer 50 after step 14 has been performed. Consequently, a first pole (P1) 52 is depicted. The P1 52 may actually be a part of a first pole, such as a pedestal. The P1 52 may be formed on a read transducer (not shown). A back gap 54 and first insulator 56 are also shown. The write gap 58 resides on a portion of the P1 52 and the first insulator 56. The second pole (P2) materials 60 are also depicted. Also shown is the resist structure 62 having an aperture in the region of the P2 material(s) 60, in that the P2 materials extend farther than the resist structure 62 toward the ABS.
The P2 layers 60 are trimmed to form the P2, via step 16. FIG. 2B depicts the conventional magnetic recording transducer after step 16 has been performed. Thus, the P2 60′ has been formed. However, during the trim, fencing 66 is formed due to metal redeposition. The metal fencing may be removed using an ECO-SNOW process, via step 18. The ECO-SNOW process blasts away the fencing 66 using frozen carbon dioxide. Fabrication of the conventional magnetic recording transducer is completed, via step 20.
Although the conventional method 10 may provide a convention magnetic recording transducer 50, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize the ECO-SNOW process may result in damage to the conventional magnetic recording transducer 50, particularly the P2 60′. As recording density increases, the width of the P2 60′ decreases. Consequently, the P2 60′ may become more vulnerable to greater damage through the ECO-SNOW process. In addition, leaving the fencing 66 may also be undesirable. The fencing 66 may interfere with the desired magnetic recording field from the conventional magnetic recording transducer 50 at the ABS. In addition, the fencing 66 may provide a conduit for acid to reach the P2 60′ during later processing, such as during a wet etch. Thus, damage to the conventional magnetic recording transducer 50 may result.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for reliably providing a magnetic recording transducer.

Method of manufacturing a magnetic recording transducer


A form-fitting comfortable mask, or sun screen, can be disposed, in tension, over a viewing compartment of a flotation device. The floatation device can provide the viewer with a safe, light and water resistant compartment that will greatly enhance their viewing of underwater details while minimizing or eliminating impact to their face from rough water conditions. The flotation device is designed to incorporate a tension surface with molded, water and light resistant air vents that support and secure a Neoprene and/or fabric sun screen mask with molded fasteners in a way that positions the sun screen/mask above the clear glass and/or plastic window. A hidden snorkel system between the viewing window and tension surface provides a fresh supply of clean air while restricting light and water from entering the viewing compartment.

The present invention relates to flotation devices and, more particularly, to a flotation device with a clear window and a sunscreen/mask that allows a user to view below the water without a conventional mask or snorkel.
Many people are not comfortable with floating face down in the water and breathing through a snorkel tube while semi-submerged. They fear the water entering the mask or snorkel. They are also at risk of boaters not seeing them and being injured or killed.
Underwater-viewing flotation devices are plagued by ambient light coming from behind the viewer causing reflections and unwanted sources of light that interfere with viewing details of the underwater environment. This ambient light and these reflections cause the user's pupils to constrict. The detail of the subtle light from underwater is, therefore, not easily seen with the pupils constricted, creating a poor vision of the underwater environment.
Other devices in the field fail to greatly eliminate distracting ambient light, reflections and/or water from entering the viewing compartment, thereby greatly reducing the viewer's ability to view details of the underwater environment. Furthermore, some competitive products offer a hard surface in close proximity to the viewer's eyes, nose and mouth raising the opportunity for injury during rough water conditions.
As can be seen, there is a need for an underwater viewing flotation device.

Flotation device having a window and a mask to permit a user to view below the water