A driver load measuring method, device, and program, and a storage medium for storing the program for accurately measuring a load on a driver driving a vehicle accompanied by attitude changes. The driver load measuring device includes a yaw rate detecting section for detecting a yaw rate y as an example of the angular velocity of a vehicle accompanied by attitude changes, a storing section for storing the results of detection of the yaw rate y, a predicting section for predicting an n-th yaw rate according to an actual [n-1]-th yaw rate y[n-1], an actual [n-2]-th yaw rate y[n-2], and an actual [n-3]-th yaw rate y[n-3] each detected previously, an error calculating section for calculating an error between a predicted result yp[n] of the n-th yaw rate and an actual n-th yaw rate y[n], a frequency distribution recording section for recording a frequency distribution of the errors e in a predetermined time period, and a cell setting section for obtaining a percentile (% tile) value α according to the above frequency distribution and setting a plurality of ranges (cells) discrete from this % tile value α at a predetermined rate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driver load measuring method, device, and program for measuring a load on a driver, and a storage medium for storing the program, and more particularly to a driver load measuring method, device, and program for quantitatively measuring a load on a driver driving a vehicle accompanied by attitude changes, and a storage medium for storing the program.
2. Description of Background Art
As a device for quantitatively measuring a load on a driver, techniques for measuring a load on a driver driving a four-wheeled vehicle by a steering entropy method are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 11-227491 and in Proceedings Nos. 45-99, pp. 5-8, Development of "Steering Entropy Method", of a corporate juridical party, Science Lecture Meeting.
The steering entropy method is a method of measuring a driver load according to the smoothness of a steering operation (steering angle) as an input from the driver to the vehicle. If the driver attention is distracted by the load, the time of no steering operation becomes longer than that under no load on the driver, so that a large steering angle error is stored and a corrective steering amount to be corrected upon restoring the driver attention becomes large. Thus, smoothness is lost from time-series data of the steering angle. As a result, variations in steering angle error become large to cause an increase in entropy.
In the steering entropy method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 11-227491, attention is focused on the fact that the smoothness of steering operation changes according to the presence/absence or magnitude of a load on a driver. Further, steering angles in a four-wheeled vehicle under the load on the driver are detected as time-series data, and this time-series data is compared with time-series data under no load on the driver to obtain an error therebetween. This error is statistically analyzed to thereby obtain the load.
The course control in a four-wheeled vehicle of the vehicles accompanied by attitude changes depends substantially on only a steering angle. Therefore, the driver load can be detected as a change in steering angle. However, the course control in another type of vehicle, such as a motorcycle, is performed not only by a steering operation, but also by the shift of a passenger's weight or a throttle operation. Accordingly, in a motorcycle or the like, the driver load cannot be detected by the detection of a steering angle as in the prior art.

Driver load measuring method, device, and program for a vehicle accompanied by attitude changes, and storage medium for storing the program


Disclosed is a method for producing ionomer-coated, catalyst-supporting carbon nanotubes, the method comprising: a step of preparing catalyst-supporting carbon nanotubes on at least one surface of a substrate; a step of preparing a first ionomer solution; an ionomer coating step of bringing the catalyst-supporting carbon nanotubes into contact with the first ionomer solution and coating the catalyst-supporting carbon nanotubes with the ionomer; and a drying step of drying the ionomer-coated, catalyst-supporting carbon nanotubes, wherein the method comprises an ionomer removal step in which, when the ionomer that is unevenly attached in a thickness direction of a layer comprising the ionomer-coated, catalyst-supporting carbon nanotubes, the ionomer that is relatively largely found in and attached to the tip end of the carbon nanotubes rather than other parts thereof, is removed after the ionomer coating step and before the drying step.

In fuel cells, a fuel and an oxidant are supplied to two electrically-connected electrodes to electrochemically oxidize the fuel, thereby converting chemical energy directly to electrical energy. Unlike thermal power generation, fuel cells are not limited by the Carnot cycle; therefore, they show high energy conversion efficiency. A fuel cell generally comprise a stack of fuel cells, each having an electrolyte layer sandwiched by a pair of electrodes, that is, a membrane-electrode assembly as the basic structure.
Electrochemical reaction at the anode and cathode of fuel cells is developed by introducing a gas such as fuel gas or oxidant gas into a triple phase boundary (three-phase interface) where the gas is in contact with catalyst particles and a polymer electrolyte, the catalyst particles being supported by a carrier (conductor) and the polymer electrolyte ensuring ion conductive paths.
Electrode reaction at the anode side catalyst layer and the cathode side catalyst layer is active when the amount of the catalyst-supporting by carbon particles (e.g., carbon black) is large, resulting in an increase in power generation performance of batteries. However, catalysts used in fuel cells are noble metals such as platinum, and it is problematic in that there is an increase in fuel cell production cost by increasing the supported catalyst amount.
In a reaction electrode in which a catalyst is supported by carbon particles, there is a loss of electrons between the carbon particles and between a separator and the carbon particles, which functions as a current collector. This electron loss is thought to be a cause of stopping an increase in power generation performance.
A fuel cell has been proposed as a prior art for avoiding such problems with production cost and electron loss, in which carbon nanotubes (hereinafter may be referred to as CNTs) are used in fuel cell electrodes. An electrode using CNTs has a small electrical resistance and when compared to the electrode in which a catalyst is supported by carbon particles, there are advantages such that a loss of electrons is inhibited and there is an increase in power generation efficiency. Also, the electrode using CNTs is advantageous in that the supported expensive noble metal catalyst can be efficiently used for electrode reaction.
Because of such advantages, electrode techniques using CNTs have been increasingly developed. For example, a fuel cell technique is disclosed in Patent Literature 1, the fuel cell comprising an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrodes at both sides of the electrode membrane, wherein at least one of the electrodes is provided with an electroconductive nano columnar body oriented at an angle of 60° or less with respect to the plane direction of the electrolyte membrane, a catalyst supported by the electroconductive nano columnar body, and an electrolyte resin coating the electroconductive nano columnar body.

Method for producing ionomer-coated, catalyst-supporting carbon nanotubes


An apparatus for performing endoluminal anastomosis of an organ comprises an operative head including an endoscope receiving lumen for slidably receiving a flexible endoscope therein, the operative head including an annular tissue receiving space extending around a circumference of a distal end thereof and a stapling mechanism for firing staples around an entire circumference of the tissue receiving space and a tissue gripping mechanism for drawing into the tissue receiving space a portion of tissue extending around an entire circumference of the organ.

Resectioning procedures involve excising a portion of an organ, stapling the surrounding sections together to close up the hole created by the excision, and removing the excess tissue resulting from the stapling. Various conventional devices are available for resectioning lesions in tubular organs.
Several known resectioning devices require at least one incision in an area near the portion of the organ to be excised because, for example, the resectioning device may lack steering and/or viewing capabilities. Specifically, devices for performing circular anastomoses of substantially tubular organs have been used in conjunction with open surgery. For example, devices are known for use in joining sections of the colon which have been separated from one another by the surgical removal of a cylindrical section of the colon. The separated ends are first purse stringed to seal the interior of the colon and a part of the device (e.g., the anvil of a stapling apparatus) is placed within one of the purse stringed ends while the rest of the device is advanced through the colon to the other purse stringed end (usually via an additional incision). The two purse stringed ends are then brought together and the anvil is joined to the rest of the device. A circular line of staples joins the two sections of the colon and the tissue radially within this line of staples is cut away and removed to open the lumen of the rejoined colon. Of course, these incisions are painful and may involve a partial or entire loss of mobility while recuperating from the incision, in addition to the pain and inconvenience associated with recovery from the resectioning procedure itself. Furthermore, the time required to recover from such a procedure is often longer than for procedures which do not require incisions.

Circumferential full thickness resectioning device


In an embodiment, a mobile radio communication device is provided. The mobile radio communication device may include a mobile radio communication protocol circuit configured to provide a home base station function for a mobile radio communication with another mobile radio communication device, and a memory configured to store a home base station group data structure, wherein the home base station group data structure for each communication device associated with the home base station group comprises a home base station group member identifier to identify a mobile radio communication device as a member of the home base station group.

In cellular mobile radio communication networks (e.g. UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), LTE (Long Term Evolution)) coverage is based on overlapping cells. Each mobile radio cell may include at least one base station (in UMTS called NodeB and in LTE called eNodeB). The behavior of a mobile radio communication device that is moving through different mobile radio cells is dependent on the state the mobile radio communication device is in. In a so-called "active" state (e.g. user is in a call) the mobile radio communication network usually triggers a handover from one mobile radio cell to another based on measurements performed by the mobile radio communication device. In a so-called "idle" state (e.g. user is only ready to be called) the mobile radio cells are divided into groups. Such a group is called a "Location Area", "Paging Area" or "Tracking Area". If the mobile radio communication network tries to establish a mobile radio communication connection with the mobile radio communication device, the mobile radio communication device is usually paged in the whole paging area. If the mobile radio communication device receives the paging, it switches into active state and registers in the current mobile radio cell. Within one paging area a mobile device in idle state does not register and de-register to single mobile radio cells. Therefore, the mobile radio communication network is not aware of the current mobile radio cell the mobile radio communication device is in. If the mobile device in idle state leaves a paging area and enters another one the mobile radio communication device makes a Location Area Update (LAU) via a random access channel which is a shared resource.
In a cellular mobile radio communication network according to LTE standards, the access network is conventionally not only built of standard mobile radio base stations but also of so-called Home (e)NodeBs (HNB). As a mobile radio cell with a mobile radio base station is also called mobile radio macro cell a mobile radio cell with an HNB may also be called mobile radio femto cell. An HNB is a consumer device that is connected to the mobile radio core network via fixed line (e.g. DSL) or wireless to a mobile radio macro cell. It provides access to legacy mobile devices and increases the coverage in buildings and the bandwidth per user. An HNB could be run in open or closed mode. In closed mode the HNB provides access to a so-called closed subscriber group (CSG) only. Examples for such closed subscriber groups are families or some or all employees of a company, for example.
Conventionally, the HNB has no information about mobile radio communication devices entering the mobile radio cell in idle state. As long as the mobile radio cell belongs to another paging area as the mobile radio macro cell at least some elements in the mobile radio communication network were informed whether a mobile radio communication device is within an HNB, but there does not exist any means to pass on this piece of information to the HNB. A(n) (e)NodeB conventionally is stateless, which means it has no information of the identity of the users in the mobile radio cell.

Home base station communication with a mobile radio communication device using a home base station group member identifier


A new method, system and apparatus for power system utilizing flue gas streams and a multi-component working fluid is disclosed including a heat recovery vapor generator (HRVG) subsystem, a multi-stage energy conversion or turbine subsystem and a condensation thermal compression subsystem (CTCSS), where the CTCSS receives a single stream from the turbine subsystem and produces at least one fully condensed stream.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the processes and systems of this invention are designed for the efficient conversion of thermal energy from the exhaust flue gas stream, such as flue gas stream from a gas turbine, but equally to any hot flue gas stream, into useful electrical power. The processes and systems of this invention are thus bottoming cycles for combined cycle systems.
More particularly, embodiments of the processes and systems of this invention relate to the efficient conversion of a portion of the thermal energy in a hot external gas stream into a useable from of energy, where the system includes two sub-systems, a boiler-turbine sub-system in which a condensed working is vaporized or vaporized and superheated by a gaseous external heat source stream and a portion of its thermal energy is converted via a turbine component into a useable form of energy such as electric power, and a condensation thermal compression sub-system (CTCSS), where a spent working solution stream is condensed at reduced pressure, i.e., at pressure which is lower than the pressure of condensation achievable at any given ambient temperature, to from a rich solution stream and a lean solution stream that are heated in lowers sections of the boiler component to form streams that when mixed from a working solution stream where the temperature of the two streams and the combined stream are equal or substantially equal as that term is defined herein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Power systems with thermodynamical power cycles utilizing multi-component working fluids can attain a higher efficiency than power systems utilizing single-component working fluids. Multi-component working fluids condense at variable temperatures. Such working fluids, unlike single component working fluids, have a thermodynamical potential to perform useful work even when sent into a condenser after expansion in a turbine.
Therefore, in the prior art, several power systems that utilized a multi-component working fluid, were designed to have condensation occur in special subsystems which were referred to as distillation condensation subsystems. In this application, such a subsystems will be referred to as a Condensation and Thermal Compression Subsystems (CTCSS), a term that more accurately describes the nature of such subsystems. Such subsystems all work on the following principle: A stream of working fluid subject to condensation enters into the CTCSS at a pressure which is substantially lower than the pressure required for the complete condensation of such a stream at a given ambient temperature. The stream of working fluid is mixed with a recirculating stream of lean solution (i.e., a stream with a substantially lower concentration of the low-boiling component), forming a new stream which can be fully condensed at the given ambient temperature, (referred to as the "basic solution"). Thereafter, the basic solution stream is pumped to a pressure which is slightly higher than the pressure required for the condensation of the working fluid, and is subjected to partial re-vaporization, for which heat that was released in the process of condensation is utilized. Then, the partially vaporized basic solution stream is separated into a lean liquid stream having a reduced concentration of the low-boiling component and a rich vapor stream having a higher concentration of the low-boiling component. The lean liquid stream is then mixed with the condensing stream of working solution (as described above), while the rich vapor stream is combined with a portion of the basic solution stream to reconstitute the initial composition of the working fluid, which is then fully condensed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,563, the most basic and elementary CTCSS has been described. In this very simple CTCSS, heat from rich vapor stream and lean liquid stream produced by partial re-vaporization is not recuperated, drastically reducing the efficiency of this simple CTCSS.
Although other CTCSS have been disclosed such as those set forth U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,548,043; 4,586,340; 4,604,867; 4,763,480; 5,095,708; and 5,572,871, these CTCSS systems are more complicated and elaborate and cannot be easily modified to improve their efficiency or the efficiency of an overall energy extraction system, where the patent are incorporated by reference by the operation of the closing paragraph of the Detailed Description of the Invention.
More recently, newer CTCSS configurations have been disclosed such as those set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,043,919 and 7,197,876, which are incorporated by reference by the operation of the closing paragraph of the Detailed Description of the Invention. However, there is still a need in the art for a Condensation and Thermal Compression Subsystem (CTCSS) and systems based on it with improved efficiency of the energy extraction process from gaseous heat source streams.

Process and system for the conversion of thermal energy from a stream of hot gas into useful energy and electrical power


A procedure for the quantitative determination of interactions of ligands with receptors adsorbed or immobilized on the surface of a solid material which can be functionalized, transparent and with low refractive index, by direct measure of the reflection of light. The procedure includes utilizing a planar surface, flat or rough, of a transparent solid material formed from a hydrophobic amorphous polymer, having a refractive index between 1.3200 and 1.3500, which is brought into a solution of a mixture containing from 1 nanogram/ml to 10 milligrams/ml in concentration of molecules with a function of receptor or reagent.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a simple and efficient method for the quantitative determination of ligand interactions with receptors adsorbed or immobilized on the surface of a solid material by direct measurement of the reflected light intensity.
More specifically, the present invention refers to a method for the quantitative determination of ligand interactions with receptors wherein planar surfaces of materials, having a refractive index between 1.32 and 1.35, are used.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, several methods to determine interactions between ligands and receptors, that is the binding affinities of ligand-receptor reversible systems, of chemical, biochemical or biological interest have been reported. A list is reported in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 1998, 37, page 2785. The known methods generally comprise the receptor immobilization on a suitable flat surface and the direct or indirect measurement of the variations of certain surface properties, for example the optical ones, after the ligands enter into contact with the surface. The variations are due to the formation of ligand/receptor couples.
One class of these methods requires the labeling of the ligand in solution, that is the covalent modification of the ligand with fluorescent, luminescent or radioactive species (see for example patent application US 2004/0014060 A1). However, it is to be noted that the modification of ligand is very complex and long and difficult to be used in screening tests where numerous different ligands are used. Furthermore, the methods require an additional operation for removing, by washing out, the free ligands, those which have not interacted with the receptors and which interfere with the measurement. A further drawback of said method is that the ligand-receptor interaction can be influenced by the chemical modification of the ligand due to labeling.
Another class of methods which simulated more effectively the ligand-receptor interactions (for example those occurring on a cell membrane surface), directly exploits the variations induced on a surface by the bond formation in the ligand-receptor couple, without modifying the ligand with labeling substances. An example of this method uses the biosensor BIAcore, marketed by GE Healthcare (Uppsala, Sweden). See for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,264 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,563. In this biosensor, wherein the principle of Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) is used (see the publication Jiri Homola, Sinclair S. Yee, Gunter Gauglitz, Surface plasmon resonance sensors: review, Sensors and Actuators B, vol. 54 (1999), pages 3-15), an evanescent optical wave couples with surface plasmons of thin layers (50 nm) of conducting materials such as silver or gold, and generates a resonance phenomenon at specific angles. This allows determining the variation of the refractive index of the layer of immobilized material on the metal, for example a ligand-receptor couple. The binding constants between ligand and receptor are obtained from this variation.
This method, even though it is very used in practice, is rather complicated and expensive and it is not always accurate in the determination of the binding constants. See for example the publication "Use of surface plasmon resonance to probe the equilibrium and dynamic aspects of interactions between biological macromolecules", by Peter Schuck, Annu. Rev. Biophys. Biomol. Struct., 1997, 26, pages 541-566. In fact, said method is based on an indirect detection of the adsorbed mass by the effect that it has on the propagation velocity of a plasmon, which in turn determines the coupling angle of a laser beam.
The problems connected to the use of the BIAcore method for the determination of the binding constants mostly depend on the complexity of the method:                the measured signal depends on the physical properties of five different materials through a complex functional dependence including parameters not known a priori; the five mentioned materials are: the glass support or similar products, the thin layer of the conductor deposited on the support, the polymeric layer which allows to functionalize the metallic surface, the molecules adhering because of the interaction and the aqueous solution;        the sensitivity and accuracy of the measurement strongly depend on the thickness and the surface quality of the conductor layer forming the sensor (see the publication "Optical properties and instrumental performances of thin gold films near the surface plasmon resonance" by H. Neff et al., Thin solid films, 2006, 496, pages 688-697);        the measurements are based on the detection of the light intensity at various angles and this requires an equipment capable of high resolution angular scanning and thus it is composed by high precision moving parts or photodetector matrices of suitable space resolution (see the article "Quantitative interpretation of the response of surface plasmon resonance sensors to adsorbed films" by L. S. Jung et al, Langmuir, 1998, 14, pages 5636-5648).Said problems produce:        the non agreement between the affinity constant values determined through the binding kinetics and those obtained at the thermodynamic equilibrium;        the impossibility to predict the intensity of the signal generated when ligand/receptor couples are formed on the surface, since the signal depends on not previously known parameters.
The need was therefore felt to have available a simple method for the determination of interactions between ligands and receptors directly exploiting the variations induced by the ligand-receptor interaction on a surface, avoiding the ligand labeling operations, allowing the determination of the affinity constant values under thermodynamic equilibrium conditions, thus avoiding the drawbacks of the indirect methods, such as, for example, BIAcore, and allowing the use of the method also in the study of multivalent ligands, since most of the ligands of biological and pharmacological interest have multiple binding sites. In particular, the need was felt for a high sensitivity method, whose signal was detectable by means of instrumentation simple to build, and was quantitatively interpretable through previously known parameters, overcoming, in this way, the prior art drawbacks.

Method for measuring molecular interactions by measurement of light reflected by planar surfaces


Provided is the plate glass having high annealing temperature, high strength, excellent flatness and low viscosity, and manufacturing process thereof, which can be used for display and photovoltaic solar device. The plate glass contains (in mass %) boron oxide 0-3.9%, sodium oxide 0.01-14%, iron oxide 0.01-5%, fluorine oxide 0%, magnesia 7-22.2%, alumina 0.01-39%, wherein the content of silica is 1.9-4.1 times that of calcium oxide, the content of calcium oxide is 1.0-1.8 times that of magnesia.

The flat glass which features high annealing point, environmental protection, energy saving, emission reduction, high strength, high evenness and low viscosity for modern flat buildings and industrial purpose manufactured by adopting float process, horizontal drawing process, Glaverbel process, calendaring process or overflow process, such as (1) door, window and wall glass for buildings, (2) glass for automobile and ship, (3) glass for high-speed rail, (4) LCD glass, (5) PDP glass, (6) TFT glass and high-strength panel glass for smartphone and iPad and (7) craft glass, has significant defects in the formula of production process as well as a technical prejudice; it adopts Na2O or B2O3 to melt SiO2; in the process of conventional melting technology, there is a technical prejudice for eutectic compositions; it is limited to the inherent compositions of silicon, calcium and aluminum; the viscosity is still not high even though about 13% Na2O or 8-15% B2O3 is added; a great deal of Al2O3 is not suggested to be added to enhance the product strength and annealing point, because by this way will it make the products in the prior art fail to control the product quality and output at higher viscosity temperature; besides, its energy-saving effect and strength are rather poor; particularly, boron volatilizes greatly, which makes the production of all existing alkali-free boron glass cause serious environmental problems.
(1) The prior art for alkali-free boron glass is represented alkali-free LCD glass with patent No. US2002/0011080A; in the technical solution for compositions, its patent material proposes that the content of SiO2 is up to 40-70%; in this kind of boron glass and embodiment, silicon occupies between 60-70% while the content of B2O3 is 5-20%; in actual use, the content of B2O3 in the product is up to 8%-15%, which aims to replace Na2O by B2O3 and achieve the purpose of fluxing; if the boron content is over 8%, 2-3 times of raw materials must be added; if the boron content is 10%, the raw material of 25-30% B2O3 content must be added (because most of them will become toxic gases and volatilize at a high temperature); its first technical defect lies in that its silicon content is too high, and the silicon is not easily melted; its second technical defect lies in that it will cause serious environmental damage; its third technical defect lies in that the molten pool will be severely corroded in actual production when the boron content is up to 5-20%; (therefore, all TFT LCD will be conducted with cold repair when high-boron glass molten pool is used only in one year; this will cause serious problems such as work efficiency and cost; the boron content is too high particularly when boron glass for flat LCD is manufactured; with the same content of Al2O3, it will lower the strength by one time; all existing LCD glass can only be manufactured by overflow due to its high boron content; its output is only 6-10 tons/day, which is equal to 5% or less output by float process (e.g.: minimally 150 tons/day); moreover, there is only one overflow production line with 6-10 tons/day; its equipment cost is 2-3 times that of the float line with 150 tons/day; therefore, it has become an industrial difficulty that is expected to be solved as to how to reduce the cost and improve the efficiency in the production of liquid crystal glass, conduct cold repair every 10 years like the common float glasswork and achieve viscosity reduction and energy saving.
(2) The existing soda-lime flat glass which features high annealing point, environmental protection, energy saving, emission reduction, high strength, high evenness and low viscosity includes [1] door, window and wall glass for buildings, [2] glass for automobile and ship, [3] glass for high-speed rail, [4] PDP glass and [5] craft glass; due to limited acknowledgement for its melt compositions, the viscosity temperature is higher than that of the present invention (150° C.-200° C.) in the process of melting and bubble discharge and homogenization; the energy is greatly consumed during production; every kilogram of the melt consumes 1,500 kilocalorie or higher.
(3) In the application of glass for automobile and high-speed rail, the existing industrial glass products do not have too high flexural strength and impact resistance; if the strength of automobile glass is poor, its safety is not guaranteed well; the ship glass is usually destroyed by sea waves; in particular, there is still a big gap in the requirements of impact resistance of automobile glass.
(4) As the flexural strength of existing industrial glass products is low (normally about or less than 50 MPa), and its impact resistance is much poorer; therefore, the glass in the front of airplane and in the left and right windows needs to be thickened; this will increase the weight and affect the dead weight of airplane and sight sharpness.
(5) In architectural application, its use scope is also greatly limited due to the low annealing point and the limit of strength performance of existing glass product; it is necessary to make it light, thin, high-strength and energy-saving.
(6) In the prior art, fireproof glass, hot plate glass, oven glass, microwave oven glass, panel glass for kitchen or dining table and existing soda-lime glass do not have such excellent linear characteristics with even ascending and descending in terms of expansion rate; its viscoelasticity changes a lot; cracking happens easily; therefore, it has some defects in this application.
(7) In addition, there is "crystallized glass having natural-marble-like surface patterns and method of producing the same" with a publication number CN1053047A; its process rather than the product compositions has determined its inevitable product defects.
1. Its process is stated as: collect the small frit in molding case, have . . . crystal entered from the glass surface into the internal part; the frits are melted and mixed; control the frit size . . . , obtain the appearances of marble and granite patterns; in this document, a lot of statements are about crystallization process, so it can be seen that it adopts a neoceramic glass process with color patterns for granule viscous-melt crystallization.
Its color patterns and non-transparency is obviously not determined by material compositions; the product's crystal, colors and patterns are determined by adding every glass granule from its surface to the internal part with the process method stated in the application document; therefore, every granule is filled with crystals from outside to inside; it is not transparent, so it is impossible to make such a product which has good visible light transmittance of 65%-95%; theses defects need to be overcome.

Plate glass and manufacturing process thereof


Disclosed is a crane game machine, which includes at least: a camera unit which images an inside of a main body in which prizes are accommodated, and generates an internal image; a prize moving unit which picks up a prize and then moves the prize to a first score point inside the main body; a sensor unit which is installed at the first score point and senses the passing of the prize through the first score point; a communication unit which transmits the internal image and the sensing result to an external device, and receives a prize moving unit control signal from the external device; and a control unit which controls the movement of the prize moving unit according to the prize moving unit control signal.

A claw machine game of operating a crane to take a prize has been very popular. The claw machine game refers to a game in which various prizes are placed in a housing so that a user may operate a crane through a joystick or a button to take out and carry a prize.
A crane game machine for playing such a claw machine game is limitedly installed in specific places. In order to enjoy the game, the user has to visit a place where the game machine is located in person. In addition, while the user is out, if the prize taken from the game machine is heavy, or there is no appropriate space to carry the prize, it is inconvenient to carry the prize around.
In order to solve the above problem, an online crane game system has been proposed. According to the related art, a user remotely controls a crane game machine by using a personal computer or a smartphone, and a taken-out prize is delivered to a home of the user.
According to the related art, when all prizes accommodated in the crane game machine are taken, the user may no longer play the game, so that it is inconvenient for an operator of the crane game machine to periodically check the crane game machine whether all the prizes have been taken and to periodically restock the crane game machine.

Crane game machine, crane game system, and control method of crane game machine


A folding component cosmetic compact, the combination comprising a base, insert and cap components, there being a first hinge connecting the insert to the base and a second hinge connecting the insert to the cap, at least one of the hinges being a living hinge.

This invention relates generally to improvements in cosmetic compacts, and more particularly to a one-piece pressed powder compact in which three elements fold together as will be described.
There is need for simplicity in configuration of cosmetic compacts allowing enhanced eases of use and handling, as well as facilitating ease of manufacturer of the multi-component compact as will be seen.
In this regard, usually a pin is used to connect a compact top and a base, undesirably affecting the overall aesthetic appearance of the compact. Such a pin is made of metal, and not only is not environmental friendly, but production time will also be lengthened due to the fact that assembly will be required, increasing the unit cost. Further, two piece compacts with a hinge exposed on the outside, affect the visual aesthetic of the device. In addition, such a hinge cannot be opened to specific angles, therefore is not useful for the consumer.


The invention features a phase measurement system for minimizing cyclic errors in a relative phase between exit reference and measurement beams emerging from an interferometer. The phase measurement system includes: a first optical processing channel including a first polarizer and a first detector, wherein during operation a first portion of the exit reference and measurement beams pass through the first polarizer to produce a first mixed beam and wherein the first detector measures an intensity of the first mixed beam; a second optical processing channel including a quarter wave retarder, a second polarizer, and a second detector, wherein during operation a second portion of the exit reference and measurement beams passes through the retarder and then the second polarizer to produce a second mixed beam and wherein the second detector measures an intensity of the second mixed beam; and a signal processor which during operation receives signals from the first and second detectors indicative of the intensities of the first and second mixed beams and processes the signals to determine, and minimize cyclic errors in, the relative phase between the exit reference and measurement beams. The invention also features interferometry, lithography, and beam writing systems that include the phase measurement system to improve the accuracy of interferometric distance measurements.

This invention relates to interferometers, e.g., displacement measuring interferometers for measuring displacements of a measurement object such as a mask stage or a wafer stage in a lithography scanner or stepper system.
Displacement measuring interferometers monitor changes in the position of a measurement object relative to a reference object based on an optical interference signal. The interferometer generates the optical interference signal by overlapping and interfering a measurement beam reflected from the measurement object with a reference beam reflected from the reference object.
In many applications, the measurement and reference beams have orthogonal polarizations and different frequencies. The different frequencies can be produced, for example, by laser Zeeman splitting, by acousto-optical modulation, or internal to the laser using birefringent elements or the like. The orthogonal polarizations allow a polarizing beam splitter to direct the measurement and reference beams to the measurement and reference objects, respectively, and combine the reflected measurement and reference beams to form overlapping exit measurement and reference beams. The overlapping exit beams form an output beam, which subsequently passes through a polarizer. The polarizer mixes polarizations of the exit measurement and reference beams to form a mixed beam. Components of the exit measurement and reference beams in the mixed beam interfere with one another so that the intensity of the mixed beam varies with the relative phase of the exit measurement and reference beams. A detector measures the time-dependent intensity of the mixed beam and generates an electrical interference signal proportional to that intensity. Because the measurement and reference beams have different frequencies, the electrical interference signal includes a "heterodyne" signal having a beat frequency equal to the difference between the frequencies of the exit measurement and reference beams. If the lengths of the measurement and reference paths are changing relative to one another, e.g., by translating a stage that includes the measurement object, the measured beat frequency includes a Doppler shift equal to 2 .nu.p/.lambda., where .nu. is the relative velocity of the measurement and reference objects, .lambda. is the average wavelength of the measurement and reference beams, and p is the number of passes to the reference and measurement objects. Changes in the relative position of the measurement object correspond to changes in the phase of the measured interference signal, with a 2.pi. phase change substantially equal to a distance change L of .lambda./(2 np), where n is the refractive index of the medium through which the light beams travel, e.g., air or vacuum, and where L is a one-way distance change, e.g., the change in position of a stage that includes the measurement object.
Unfortunately, this equality is not always exact. Many interferometers include what are known as "cyclic errors," which are contributions to the phase of the measured interference signal and have a sinusoidal dependence on the change in optical path length 2 pnL. In particular, the first order cyclic error has a sinusoidal dependence on (4 .pi.pnL)/.lambda. and the second order cyclic error has a sinusoidal dependence on 2(4 .pi.pnL)/.lambda.. Higher order cyclic errors can also be present.
Cyclic errors can be produced by "beam mixing," in which a portion of an input beam that nominally forms the reference beam propagates along the measurement path and/or a portion of an input beam that nominally forms the measurement beam propagates along the reference path. Such beam mixing can be caused by ellipticity in the polarizations of the input beams and imperfections in the interferometer components, e.g., imperfections in a polarizing beam splitter used to direct orthogonally polarized input beams along respective reference and measurement paths. Because of beam mixing and the resulting cyclic errors, there is not a strictly linear relation between changes in the phase of the measured interference signal and the relative optical path length 2 pnL between the reference and measurement paths. If not compensated, cyclic errors caused by beam mixing can limit the accuracy of distance changes measured by an interferometer.

Interferometry system having reduced cyclic errors

University of North Carolina at Charlotte


Disclosed are optically active alcohols having formula (1) and (2) ##STR1## ##STR2##. wherein R is (R)-1-phenylethylamino or (S)-1-phenylethylamino. The active alcohols can be prepared by acylating a racemate of formula (3) ##STR3##. in the presence of a hydrolase, followed by alcoholysis or hydrolysis. R in formula (3) is the same as that defined for formula (1) and (2).

WO 96/35685 discloses an (RRR)-optical isomer of 1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxylic acid derivatives represented by the following general formula (7') which is useful as a prophylactic and therapeutic agent for diabetes, hyperglycemia and the like, and a process for the preparation thereof. ##STR4##
wherein R.sub.1 is hydroxy or (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4)alkoxy, and R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 may be the same or different, and each is hydrogen, halogen, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyl, trifluoromethyl, (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkoxy, aryl, aryloxy or aryl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyloxy, the aryl, aryloxy or aryl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)alkyloxy being optionally substituted by one or two halogens, or R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 may together form --OCH.sub.2 O--.
According to a method disclosed in WO 96/35685, a compound of the above formula (7') is prepared as shown in the following Scheme I. A compound of formula (6) is reductively condensed with a compound of formula (8) to form a mixture of diastereoisomers of formula (9), which is then converted into an N-tert-butoxy carbonyl derivative of formula (10), and the derivative is separated into diastereoisomers of formulae (11) and (12) by column chromatography, and then a compound of formula (11) is hydrolyzed to prepare an (RRR)-optical isomer of 1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxylic acid derivatives represented by the formula (7'). ##STR5##
The above-mentioned process has not been accepted as an efficient method, because it forms a compound of formula (12) which is not required for the production of a desired compound [formula (7')], which resulted in reducing a total yield of the desired compound.
Therefore, it has been demanded to efficiently produce an (RRR)-optical isomer of 1,4-benzodioxin-2-carboxylic acid derivatives represented by the formula (7'), which is useful as a prophylactic and therapeutic agent for diabetes, hyperglycemia and the like.

Optically active 1,4-benzodioxine-2-carboxylic acid derivatives and process for producing the same


Surgical instruments having articulating and rotating end effectors utilizing a flexible coaxial drive are described herein. In one embodiment, a surgical instrument is provided that includes a shaft and an end effector coupled to a distal end of the shaft by an articulation joint such that the end effector can articulate relative to a longitudinal axis of the shaft and can rotate about a longitudinal axis of the end effector. The instrument can further include an actuating cable coaxially disposed within a lumen of the shaft and extending through the articulation joint to the end effector. The actuating cable can be configured to bend and rotate through the articulation joint. Further, rotation of the actuating cable can be configured to control a first function of the end effector and translation of the actuating cable can be configured to control a second function of the end effector.

Surgical instruments are used in various open, endoscopic, and laparoscopic surgeries to perform a variety of tasks. Certain surgical instruments utilize an end effector to manipulate tissue. For example, instruments can include an end effector that can grasp tissue and, in some cases, seal and transect tissue volumes and blood vessels. Some such instruments or devices can generally include opposed jaws for grasping tissue and can also include a cutting mechanism that can be advanced through grasped tissue to transect it. In some instances, the devices can also be configured to apply electrical or other energy to the grasped tissue to seal it before tissue transection is completed. For example, various mono-polar and bi-polar radio frequency (RF) surgical instruments and associated techniques have been developed for sealing tissue volumes and blood vessels. Such devices often utilize electrodes disposed on a face of one or both of the jaws to deliver electrical or other energy to the grasped tissue.
Certain devices can also include the ability to articulate a distal end of the device, such as the jaws or other end effector components. An articulating distal end can allow the jaws or other end effector to be manipulated off a central longitudinal axis of the device to access, or more easily access, areas of a surgical site that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to reach if the end effector were in fixed alignment with a shaft of the device. Further, some such devices can additionally include the ability to rotate the end effector of the device around a central longitudinal axis thereof to reorient the end effector. In some cases, it can be desirable to maintain an ability to rotate the end effector even after it has been articulated into a position offset from a longitudinal axis of the device.
Implementing the ability to rotate an end effector about a central axis thereof, even after articulating the end effector relative to a surgical instrument, can introduce challenges. For example, after the end effector has been articulated and/or rotated, actuating cables extending to the end effector can fail due to kinking, twisting, or other deformation. As a result, additional mechanisms can be required to prevent such failure, but these mechanisms can themselves introduce complexity and potential failure points.
By way of further example, in prior devices slip rings have been utilized to transfer electrical energy to an end effector in a manner that is not susceptible to twisting due to rotation. These components, however, can be more complex, more prone to failure, and less efficient than, e.g., a continuous wire conductor. In another example, rigid shafts utilized to effect rotation of an end effector cannot be employed with an end effector that both rotates and articulates, as the shaft cannot bend through the articulation joint. In still another example, prior devices have included articulation mechanisms that utilize a plurality of control bands to effect articulation, such as oppositely-disposed bands configured to operate in a "push/pull" manner to cause articulation in one direction or another. Some prior articulation mechanisms have further utilized a structure of segmented beads that function similarly to a series of ball-and-socket joints to allow articulation of an end effector. These devices can be complex, expensive, and prone to buckling in certain maneuvers, such as distal advancement and other maneuvers in which the instrument experiences axial compression forces. They also can result in larger devices (e.g., due to the numerous components, such as multiple articulation control bands, components to allow for rotation of the end effector without kinking or twisting, etc.) that are less desirable for certain minimally invasive procedures in which the instrument is introduced through an incision or access port of limited size.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved surgical instruments having articulating and rotating end effectors that have reduced size, complexity, susceptibility to failure, and increased strength, e.g., in axial compressive loading.

Surgical instrument with articulating and rotating end effector and flexible coaxial drive


A gas generator for inflating an inflatable article such as a safety bag or raft, has a reaction chamber (1) surrounded by a ring-shaped filter chamber (2). First gas exit openings (10 to 15) permit generated gas to flow from the reaction chamber into the filter chamber. Second gas exit openings (22) lead from the filter chamber into the inflatable article. A temperature responsive flow control is provided to make sure that the inflation efficiency or the inflation pressure inside the inflated article is substantially constant and substantially independent of the temperature of the gas generator at which the ignition of a gas generating fuel begins. For this purpose the total cross-sectional flow area of the first gas exit openings and/or the average gas flow path length between the first and second gas exit openings is controlled so that with a rising temperature the flow cross-sectional area and/or average path length is increased while the area and/or path length is decreased in response to a decreasing temperature.

Such gas generators conventionally comprise a reaction or combustion chamber in which the gas is generated and which is surrounded by a ring-shaped filter chamber. Flow openings are provided in the wall which separates the reaction or combustion chamber from the filter chamber. Further flow openings are provided in the filter chamber wall for permitting the generated and filtered gas to enter into the article or device, such as a so-called "air bag" in an impact protection system.
German Patent Publication (DE-AS) 2,915,202 discloses a gas generator of the above described type. It is desirable for such inflating devices, especially when an air bag for a safety system is to be inflated, that the inflating satisfies a certain efficiency. Stated differently, a safety air bag must be inflated to a certain degree or rather to a certain internal pressure within a defined inflating time. Additionally, the inflating time and the inflating pressure shall be as much as possible independent of the gas generator temperature at the time of ignition of the gas generating fuel. The gas generator temperature may be within the range of about -40.degree. C. to about +85.degree. C. However, conventional gas generators are noticeably dependent in their efficiency from the temperature to which they are exposed at the time of the ignition. As a result, the air safety bag is inflated, for example at a temperature of -40.degree. C., much slower and to a lesser inflation pressure than when the same generator is exposed to a higher temperature at the time of ignition.
On the other hand, the inflating characteristic or efficiency of the gas generator must also be satisfactory when the generator is exposed to a high temperature, for example, of +85.degree. C. In conventional gas generators the inflating time at high temperatures is respectively shorter and the inflating pressure of the safety bag is very high. As a result, the safety bag must be constructed to withstand the higher pressures when the inflating takes place with high gas generator temperatures. This makes the air bags relatively more expensive and such air bags become heavier. Still another undesirable characteristic of such air bags with a high inflated pressure resides in the fact that the intended cushioning effect may be substantially reduced.
Further, when the gas generating fuel is combusted, hot particles travel from the combustion chamber into the filter chamber where these particles are supposed to be filtered out of the inflating gas. The discharge of the hot particles from the reaction or combustion chamber into the filter chamber also depends on the temperature of the gas generator. In other words, at a high temperature of about +85.degree. C. a relatively large proportion of hot particles exits from the reaction chamber. As a result, the filter and the filter chamber must be constructed to meet the operating conditions at such high temperature. Such construction again makes the filter chamber and the filter itself more expensive.

Gas generator for inflating an inflatable article

Bayern-Chemie Gesellschaft fuer flugchemische Antriebe mbH


An electrical system for a wind turbine having a reduced uptower footprint and method for achieving the same are provided. Accordingly, the electrical system includes a plurality of electrical subsystems having a plurality of electrical subsystem assemblies. At least one electrical subsystem assembly is integrated with the generator housing. Additionally, the electrical subsystem assembly is coupled between the stator or the rotor of the generator and the generator output connection. The electrical system incorporating the electrical subsystem assembly with the generator housing has a reduced uptower footprint relative to a nominal design of an electrical system.

Wind power is considered one of the cleanest, most environmentally friendly energy sources presently available, and wind turbines have gained increased attention in this regard. A modern wind turbine typically includes a tower, a generator, a gearbox, a nacelle, and one or more rotor blades. The nacelle includes a rotor assembly coupled to the gearbox and to the generator. The rotor assembly and the gearbox are mounted on a bedplate support frame located within the nacelle. The one or more rotor blades capture kinetic energy of wind using known airfoil principles. The rotor blades transmit the kinetic energy in the form of rotational energy so as to turn a shaft coupling the rotor blades to a gearbox, or if a gearbox is not used, directly to the generator. The generator then converts the mechanical energy to electrical energy
In modern wind turbines, the electrical energy is typically transmitted to an electrical grid via an electrical system. Various elements of the electrical system may be located within the nacelle. However, as the size and power-generating capability of wind turbines increases to meet growing demand, space within the nacelle is increasingly consumed by the drivetrain components. This, in turn, typically limits the amount of space available for the electrical system within the nacelle. As a result, a need exists to accommodate portions of the electrical system within the reduced amount of available free space within the nacelle.
Thus, the art is continuously seeking new and improved electrical systems having a reduced footprint. Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to electrical systems having redistributed components within and around the wind turbine so as to minimize the amount of free space within the nacelle occupied by elements of the electrical system by reducing the overall footprint of the electrical system.

Wind turbine electrical system having redistributed components reducing the overall footprint of the electrical system


A specially configured spacer comprising a separation member for use oriented in arrays between sections of horizontally oriented sheet material such as sheetrock to allow handling of the individual sections thereof separately from one another. The separation members are configured such as to facilitate re-use thereof including a slot defined in the interlocking cellular construction thereof adapted to receive banding for compactly securing together a plurality of such separation members to facilitate recycling usage thereof. The separation member includes two planar support members spaced apart by an interlocking cellular construction for defining therebetween recesses for receiving the arms of a forklift to facilitate handling of the sections individually while still allowing recycling of the separation members for re-use thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals generally with the field of pallet design. Conventional pallets are by convention usually square and provide a means for allowing a forklift to extend thereinto to facilitate lifting of materials stacked on the pallet.
The present invention applies to that specific subset of such pallet supports used for transporting of horizontally oriented sheet material stacked vertically. Such material could comprise sheetrock, wallboard or plywood or any material which is generally sold for use mostly for construction in sheets of, for example, two or four feet wide and anywhere between four and twenty feet in length. However, most usually the sheet material is four foot in width and between eight and twelve feet in length. When stacked horizontally these materials such as wallboard can be extremely heavy and the present invention provides a new and improved means for facilitating handling of these very heavy vertical stacks of horizontally oriented sheet material utilizing a reusable and recyclable separation member positionable in arrays between sections of the stack.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The primary prior art to the present invention is shown in FIG. 9 of the present application. The current state of the art separates sections of vertically stacked horizontally oriented sheet materials with items commonly referred to as slooters. This usage of slooters is most commonly with wall board or sheetrock. It is necessary to provide spaces in the vertically extending stack into which the arms of a forklift can extend to facilitate moving of portions of the stack by moving one or more individual sections at a time. FIG. 9 shows the current state of the art method for this purpose. The multiple horizontally oriented sheets of sheetrock are separated by narrow strips of sheetrock or wallboard normally cut at the location of manufacture of the sheetrock. These items are all commonly referred to as slooters and five or six such items are stacked vertically to define approximately two and a half to three inches between sections of a sheetrock stack to facilitate handling thereof by a forklift.
With ⅝th inch thick wallboard normally five slooters will be stacked upon one another and used as spacers thereby achieving a spacing of two and a half to three inches. On the other hand, with wallboard which is xc2xd inch in thickness, five or six strips approximately two to three inches wide will be utilized to provide this same desired spacing. These pieces will be stacked vertically and spaced apart from similar stacks of pieces as shown in FIG. 9. The present invention provides a reusable separation member which includes two planar support members for contacting the wallboard above and below the separation member as well as an interlocking cellular construction for maintaining these two planar support members separated from one another by approximately two and a half to three inches. In this manner the separation members of the present invention are effective in defining recesses for receiving the forks of lifting mechanisms which still being reusable.
Prior art configurations and constructions for use with vertical stacks of horizontally extending sheet members are commonly known as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,150,960 patented Mar. 21, 1939 to C. A. Bertel on an xe2x80x9cApparatus For Handling Bales And The Likexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,779,487 patented Jan. 29, 1957 to F. D. Harris on a xe2x80x9cVehicle Mounted Handling Device For Pallet Stacksxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,127 patented Aug. 16, 1977 to C. E. Brossia and assigned to Adolph Coors Company on a xe2x80x9cSlip Pallet And Divider Sheetxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,014 patented Dec. 27, 1977 to D. J. Sagmiller on a xe2x80x9cSlipsheet Pallet Tool And Methodxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,344 patented Sep. 26, 1978 to T. J. Ziemba on a xe2x80x9cFluid Pallet And A Method Of Stacking And Storing Goodsxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,151 patented May 21, 1985 to M. R. Dill, Jr. on an xe2x80x9cArticle Separator For Materials Handlingxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,252 patented Nov. 24, 1987 to V. D. Azzi and assigned to The Kingston-Warren Corporation on a xe2x80x9cStorage Rack Systemxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,448 patented Dec. 29, 1992 to V. L. Flaig and assigned to Guardian Industries Corp. on a xe2x80x9cContainer For Shipping And Stacking Sheets Of Glassxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,019 patented Jun. 27, 1995 to S. E. Moorman and assigned to Georgia-Pacific Corporation on xe2x80x9cSheet Material Pallet With Wrap Around Deckxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,540 patented Dec. 5, 1995 to C. R. Marschke et al and assigned to Marquip, Inc. on a xe2x80x9cMethod And Apparatus For Making Pallet Supports And Pallets Incorporating Said Supportsxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,808 patented Jun. 8, 1999 to D. M. Bartholomew and assigned to Menasha Corporation on a xe2x80x9cContainer For Horizontally Stacked Sheetsxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,858 patented Feb. 1, 2000 to R. R. Taylor on a xe2x80x9cMethod And Apparatus For Separating Layered Materialxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Reissue Pat. No. Re. 36,687 patented May 9, 2000 to C. R. marschke et al and assigned to Marquip, Inc. on a xe2x80x9cMethod And Apparatus For Making Pallet Supports And Pallets Incorporating Said Supportsxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,350 patented Jul. 25, 2000 to C. Dumlao et al and assigned to Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. on a xe2x80x9cModular Polymer Matrix Composite Support Structure And Methods Of Constructing Samexe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,693 patented Sep. 11, 2001 to H. E. Brown and assigned to Alltrista Corporation on a xe2x80x9cRack Support System For Plastic Palletsxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,082 patented Sep. 18, 2001 to M. Van Giezen et al and assigned to Royal Packaging Industry Leer N. V. on a xe2x80x9cPallet Container With Grid Support Structurexe2x80x9d.
The present invention provides a separation member which is usable for selective placement between sheet members which themselves are oriented horizontally and are stacked vertically. In this manner the separation member will define recesses between sections of the sheetrock which allows a forklift to extend between the sheet members and between the separation members to facilitate simultaneously handling of the sheet members located thereabove without causing movement of any of the separation members in the array at the same level as the forklifting arms.
Each of these separation members includes a first planar support member extending horizontally across and above the stacked sheet members and in abutment therewith. This first planar support member will have a length to width ratio of at least 10-1. This high ratio of length to width facilitates the defining of recesses between the separation members for receiving of the lifting arms of a forklift while at the same time allowing air flow therethrough for ventilation for drying of the sheet members to prevent unwanted accumulation of water therein which can have many destructive effects such as mildew and the like. Also the high length to width ratio of 10-1 or more facilitates recycling of the separation members by allowing them to be returned to the point of origin or manufacture of the sheet members for re-use thereof in a compact manner.
A second planar support member may also be positioned extending horizontally below the vertically adjacently positioned horizontally oriented sheet members thereabove and in abutment therewith for supporting of it in spaced relation above the adjacent sheet member thereunder. This second planar support member also preferably has a length to width ratio of at least 10-1 and is fixedly secured in spaced relation vertically above the first support member by a distance sufficient to allow forklift arms to extend thereadjacent between the sheet members vertically and between the separation members horizontally. In this manner lifting of any horizontally oriented sheet members of the stack and, in particular, one or more sections thereof will be facilitated when moved with a forklift. It is also important to note that when the individual sections are moved by placement of the forklift arms into recesses, the array of separator members thereadjacent which define the recesses receiving the forklift arms will not move with the stack. This greatly facilitates recycling and re-use of the separation members.
An interlocking cellular construction is also included in the present invention fixedly secured to the first planar support member and a second planar support member such that it extends therebetween for maintaining them in spaced relation to one another and for enhancing support provided by the second planar support member for the sheet members positioned above. The interlocking cellular construction includes a supporting extrusion preferably formed of a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene. It should be appreciated, however, that any thermoplastic material is usable as long as it is impervious to water absorption and can provide sufficient structural strength in the interlocking cellular construction.
The supporting extrusion is designed for reinforcing the spatially distant positioning of the first planar support member in relation to the second planar support member. Preferably the first planar support member and the second planar support member and the interlocking cellular construction are formed as a single integral member extruded from thermoplastic material for enhancing structural strength and facilitating recycling usage thereof.
The interlocking cellular construction and the supporting extrusion formed thereby preferably includes a vertical support means extending vertically between the first planar support member and the second planar support member and extending longitudinally therealong for facilitating strengthening thereof. This vertical support beam is preferably oriented perpendicularly with respect to the first planar support member and with respect to the second planar support member. In this manner the vertical support beam will extend upwardly from the first planar support member and downwardly from the second planar support member in such a manner as to define an I-beam support component which significantly enhances the structural strength of each of the separation members. The vertical support beam preferably defines a drainage hole positioned extending therethrough in order to facilitate fluid drainage therethrough as desired.
A plurality of cellular walls extend perpendicularly with respect to the first planar support member and the second planar support member and also extend perpendicularly in a horizontal orientation with respect to the vertical support beam in order to define an interlocking cellular construction therebetween which facilitates strengthening of each of the separation members. The cellular wall construction can also define a strapping notch therein which facilitates banding together of a plurality of the separation members to facilitate gathering thereof for re-use. Each of the strapping notches are preferably oriented extending perpendicularly with respect to the first planar support members and the second planar support member in such a manner as to facilitate temporary banding together laterally of a plurality of separation members for facilitating recycling. A banding means may be included which is adapted to be positionable extending into the strapping notch of at least one or more of the separation members in order to facilitate selective lateral securement of a plurality of separation members together to facilitate handling thereof during recycling.
One of the important characteristics of the present invention is to maintain firm and secure engagement between the first planar support member and the second planar support member and the sheet members in abutment therewith. For this reason the coefficient of friction of the first planar support member and the second planar support member surfaces which will abut the sheet members is an extremely important consideration. The present invention further contemplates the possibility of inclusion of a friction enhancing means located on the first planar support member and the second planar support member for increasing coefficient of friction thereof and facilitating abutting engagement with the horizontally extending sheet members thereadjacent. This friction enhancing means can comprise a variety of different means one of which could be a friction tape applied over the surfaces of the first planar support member and the second planar support member where they will abut the sheet members to enhance gripping of the abutment surfaces therebetween.
Each of the separation members of the present invention is preferably rectangular in cross section with a length to width ratio of at least 10-1. In this manner at least two of the separation members are positioned at each level between the sheet members in an array to define therebetween forklift receiving recesses. This array normally will include three or four or even more individual separation members at each location but a minimum of two is required within each array. These arrays separate sections of the vertically extending stack by defining the forklift receiving recesses thereadjacent. These recesses allow a forklift to extend thereinto to facilitate lifting of individual sections of the horizontally oriented sheet members thereabove without initiating any movement of the separation members at the level at which the forklift extends into the recesses. In a preferred configuration these separation members will be spaced apart from one another approximately 24 inches in order to define the forklift receiving recesses therebetween. This distance can vary between one and three feet but 24 or more inches has been determined to be the most advantageous spacing which provides support for sections of the sheet members thereabove while at the same time provides enough variation in spacing laterally such that the forklift can easily extend into the forklift receiving recesses as desired.
In use the present invention is designed for movement of a large stack of horizontally oriented sheet members from a first location to a second location and separated by arrays of separation members along with recycling of the separation members by returning thereof to the first location for re-use. The separation members are designed for selective placement between sheet members oriented horizontally and stacked vertically in order to allow a forklift to extend between the sheet members and between the separation members to facilitate simultaneous handling of multiple sheet members by causing movement of one or more sections thereof.
In use a vertically extending stack containing a plurality of horizontally oriented sheet members is formed at a first location. Such first location normally comprises a manufacturing location but it can comprise a storage location or warehouse for temporary housing of the sheet members prior to shipment thereof to a second location where they will be either used or sold.
A plurality of longitudinally extending separation members are then provided at the first location. The vertically extending stack is divided into a plurality of individual sections with an array of longitudinally extending separation members placed horizontally for separating each section from one another by a distance great enough to receive the forklift arms extending therebetween. Each section is a subset of the total stack of sheet members. The separation members within each array are spaced apart horizontally to a sufficient extent to define therebetween a plurality of forklift receiving recesses in order to allow the forklift to extend thereinto. This vertically extending stack of a plurality of sections of horizontally oriented sheet members can then be transported from the first location which is the point of manufacture or storage to a second location which is normally the point of use or sale for distribution thereof. This distribution can comprise sale at a retail home center or similar retail outlet or can comprise direct shipment to a construction site for providing the horizontally oriented sheet materials for immediate use in construction there.
At the second location the horizontally oriented sheet members such as wallboard or the like will be distributed by retail sale thereof or by use thereof at a construction site. As each section of horizontally oriented sheet members is completely utilized the separation members in the array of separation members which is then exposed are accumulated at a gathering location. Once a sufficient number of separation members are gathered from the arrays from one or more stacks of horizontally oriented sheet material they can be returned from the second location to the first location to facilitate re-use and recycling thereof.
Re-use or recycling is greatly enhanced by the specific configuration of the separation members of the present invention. They are rectangular in cross section and are at least ten times as long as they are wide. This narrow width configuration greatly facilitates the defining of the horizontally oriented recesses for receiving of the forklift materials and more significantly facilitates compact packing or stacking of the separation members for transportation thereof back to the first location where the sheet members are stored or manufactured to facilitate re-use thereof. It should be noted that the individual separation members can have horizontally extending drainage apertures defined therein which facilitates drying thereof and ventilation therethrough which is desirable to prevent any accumulation of moisture or other undesirable qualities of the vertically extending stack.
Recycling is also significantly enhanced by the defining of a notch in the cellular support construction of the separation members. Preferably this notch is oriented perpendicularly relative to the first and second planar support members in order to prevent the slot from contacting the sheet members during stacking. This slot is defined to receive a band which can extend therethrough and bind together a plurality of separation members into a compact stack with the banding means restrained in position by the notch defined in the separation members themselves.
One of the important constructions of the present invention is in the I-beam support structure defined by the vertical support beam in combination with the first and second planar support members. This I-beam component provides a significantly enhanced structural member oriented in the vertical direction which is required in order to maintain the integrity of a vertical stack of horizontally oriented sheet members which stack can be extremely heavy.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a separation member for selective placement between sheet members oriented horizontally and stacked vertically along with a method of use thereof wherein forklift receiving recesses are defined between separation members located in an array between sections of stacked sheet members.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a separation member for selective placement between sheet members oriented horizontally and stacked vertically along with a method of use thereof wherein sheet members stacked vertically are divided into sections to facilitate movement thereof.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a separation member for selective placement between sheet members oriented horizontally and stacked vertically along with a method of use thereof wherein movement of separate sections of horizontally oriented sheet members is possible without moving of the separation members stacked therewith to define sections thereof.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a separation member for selective placement between sheet members oriented horizontally and stacked vertically along with a method of use thereof wherein two planar support members are separated by an interlocking cellular construction having an I-beam construction for facilitating support thereof.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a separation member for selective placement between sheet members oriented horizontally and stacked vertically along with a method of use thereof wherein the first planar support, the second planar support member and the interlocking cellular construction of the present invention is formed as a single integral unit.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a separation member for selective placement between sheet members oriented horizontally and stacked vertically along with a method of use thereof wherein the first planar support member and the second planar support member and the interlocking cellular construction of the present invention is all formed as a single piece from a thermoplastic extrusion.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a separation member for selective placement between sheet members oriented horizontally and stacked vertically along with a method of use thereof wherein a vertical support beam is oriented perpendicular to the first and second planar support members to facilitate strengthening and support thereof.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a separation member for selective placement between sheet members oriented horizontally and stacked vertically along with a method of use thereof wherein forklift receiving recesses approximately two feet wide are defined between individual separation members within a given array thereof.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a separation member for selective placement between sheet members oriented horizontally and stacked vertically along with a method of use thereof wherein a strapping notch is defined in the interlocking cellular construction of each separation member adapted to receive a banding means therein for facilitating securement of a plurality of separation members together with respect to one another for aiding in recycling usage thereof.

Separation members for selective placement between sheet members oriented horizontally and stacked vertically and method of usage thereof


A method for fabricating a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor. A substrate having a gate structure is provided. The method of the invention includes forming a liner spacer on each side of the gate structure and a low dopant density region deep inside the substrate. The low dopant density region has a lower dopant density than that of a lightly doped region of the MOS transistor. Then a interchangeable source/drain region with a lightly doped drain (LDD) structure and an anti-punch-through region is formed on each side of the gate structure in the low dopant density region. The depth of the interchangeable source/drain region is not necessary to be shallow.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to semiconductor fabrication, and more particularly to a method for fabricating a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor, using an improved ion implantation process.
2. Description of Related Art
A semiconductor device always includes several MOS transistors, which are fabricated in high integration so as to form an integrated circuit (IC) device. The MOS transistors are the fundamental elements of the IC device. Its properties, such as operation speed, determine the performance of the IC device.
FIGS. 1A-1C are cross-sectional views, schematically illustrating a conventional fabrication process of a MOS transistor. In FIG. 1A, a field oxide layer (FOX) 12 serving as an isolation structure is formed on a semiconductor substrate 10. An area of the substrate 10 other than the FOX layer 12 is called an active area, where an MOS transistor 14 is formed. The MOS transistor 14 includes a gate oxide layer 20, a gate 22, and a lightly doped region 16, in which the gate oxide layer 20 and the gate 22 forms together as a gate structure 19. Conventionally, in order to prevent a punch through effect from occurring on the junction, an anti-punch-through implantation is usually performed to form a halo doped region 18 below the lightly doped region 16 by a higher ion energy beam. The dopant type of the halo doped region 18 is opposite to the dopant type doped in the interchangeable source/drain region. A dopant conventionally may be viewed as a substance, such as boron, added in small amounts to a pure semiconductor material to alter its conductive properties for use in transistors and diodes.
In FIG. 1B, a thin conformal silicon dioxide layer (not shown) is formed over the substrate 10, and a silicon nitride layer (not shown) is formed on the silicon dioxide layer. An etching back process is performed to remove the silicon nitride layer and the silicon dioxide layer, all of which respectively leave a silicon dioxide remains 24, or called a liner oxide layer 24, and a silicon nitride remains 26 and form together on each side of the gate structure 19 to serve as a sidewall spacer. As seen in FIG. 1B, the liner oxide layer 24 extends over the lightly doped region 16. This extension may be throught of as an extension of gate oxide layer 20 that overlaps the lightly doped region 16.
In FIG. 1C, using the FOX layer 12, the gate structure 19 as a mask, an ion implantation process with a higher dosage density is performed to dope an exposed area of the substrate 10 at the lightly doped region 16. After an annealing process, a heavily doped region 28 abutting the lightly doped region 16 and the halo doped region 18 is formed. All of the lightly doped region 16, the heavily doped region 28 and the halo doped region 18 serve together as an interchangeable region of the transistor 14.
In the above descriptions, for a design of a sub-micron IC device, in order to prevent the punch through effect from occurring on the junction, which is the interchangeable source/drain region, the anti-punch-through implantation is usually performed to form the halo doped region 18 below the lightly doped region 16.
Moreover, in order to increase an direct-current (DC) operation speed of the MOS transistor 14 of FIG. 1A, the heavily doped region 28 is necessary to be formed. However, a depletion region usually exists at an interface of the interchangeable source/drain region and the substrate due to, for example, a depletion of electron-holes for P-type substrate. This depletion region behaves like an capacitor and contributes a junction capacitance. The junction capacitance is larger if the depletion region is larger. The depletion region is larger if the dopant density is larger or junction contact area is larger. A higher dopant density also needs a higher dopant density in the halo doped region in order to reduce a short channel effect. Since the heavily doped region 28 carries higher dopant density, it results in a higher junction capacitance. It is natural for an AC circuit that the junction capacitance can reduce an alternative-current (AC) operation speed. In addition, the gate oxide layer also induces an oxide capacitor, which is coupled with the junction capacitor in series. The oxide capacitor increases the junction capacitance and causes a slower AC operation speed.
Furthermore, if the junction capacitance is reduced through a reduction of the junction contact area, the junction depth is usually reduced. This causes a difficult control on the margin of junction.

Method for fabricating a metal-oxide semiconductor transistor


A method and an arrangement are disclosed for implementing fast signalling in a communication connection between a base station and a mobile station of a cellular radio network. There is defined an arrangement of repeatedly occurring frames that consist of pieces of allocatable radio communication capacity between the base station and mobile stations communicating therewith. Pieces of radio communication capacity are allocated from the arrangement of repeatedly occurring frames to dedicated communication channels. A certain piece of radio communication capacity is allocated from the arrangement of repeatedly occurring frames to a non-dedicated fast signalling channel between the mobile stations and the base station. This piece of radio communication capacity allocated to a non-dedicated fast signalling channel is used for conveying fast signalling messages between at least one mobile station and the base station.

The information to be transmitted between a base station and a mobile station in a cellular radio network can be basically categorised into user data and signalling, of which the latter refers to the transmission of such information which the stations use mostly to monitor and control the smooth operation of the communications connection. In order to facilitate the administration of communications resources there are usually defined separate channels for user data and signalling. For example in the known GSM (Global System for Mobile telecommunications) system three basic types of signalling channels have been defined: the SACCH (Slow Associated Control CHannel), the FACCH (Fast Associated Control CHannel) and the SDCCH (Standalone Dedicated Control CHannel). The first two of these being "associated " control channels means that a certain dedicated user data channel must exist before the definition of these control channels makes sense. The SACCH occupies every 26th of the regularly occurring burst periods allocated to a full-rate circuit-switched communications channel. Other implemented or suggested SACCH timetables exist for other than full-rate channels. The FACCH does not have a regularly occurring allocated radio resource: whenever an FACCH message needs to be sent, a burst or a part thereof is "stolen " from its original use of conveying user data and used to convey signalling information instead. The SDCCH, which is sometimes referred to as the TCH/8 (Traffic Channel at eighth rate), corresponds to the allocation of one burst period from every eighth TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) frame for the duration of an active communications connection on SDCCH.
The expansion of the use of cellular radio networks from circuit-switched voice telephony towards wireless internet applications means that the old definitions of channels and connections need to be revised. At the priority date of this patent application it is assumed that in many cases the needs for communications resources will be highly asymmetric, which means that the amount and rate of information to be transmitted in one direction over the radio interface is much larger than that transmitted in the other direction. For example network browsing involves only a limited amount of lookup and download command data to be sent in the reverse direction while the amount of data downloaded in the forward direction from network pages to a terminal device may be fairly large. EDGE (Enhanced Datarates for GSM Evolution) and the services relying on it, EGPRS and EHSCSD (Enhanced General Packet Radio Service, Enhanced High Speed Circuit Switched Data), introduce several known schemes for implementing high-capacity channels especially in the downlink direction but also for uplink.
Even a communication connection which is nominally unidirectional may benefit from the possibility of transmitting a limited amount of information also in the other direction. As an example, let us consider a nominally unidirectional wireless communication connection where the transmitting station employs transmitter diversity. In other words, there are at least two transmitting antennas located far enough from each other for the envelope correlation of signal fading between them to be relatively low. Data is transmitted blockwise through each antenna. The data blocks transmitted through different antennas are otherwise the same but equipped with different training sequences. This difference enables the receiving station to estimate the phase difference between the signals which it receives from said different transmitting antennas. Fast feedback should be employed in order to make the transmitting station to adapt the relative phasing of the transmitting antennas so that the signals add constructively in the receiving station. In another antenna diversity arrangement both antennas transmit with even the same training sequence, and the phase difference between antennas is first changed in a random fashion. The receiving station provides feedback that describes the effect of the random changes on constructive adding at the receiving end. By comparing the feedback to the history of changes the transmitting station learns quickly, what is the currently optimal phase difference between transmitting antennas. It is easy to understand that the volume of information concerning the amount of constructive adding or the phase difference estimated at the receiving station and provided as fast feedback in the reverse direction is minimal compared to that of the data transmitted in the nominal transmission direction.
Transmission power control of the closed-loop type requires always some feedback information to be conveyed to the station the transmission power of which is to be controlled. Within the framework of ECSD (Enhanced Circuit Switched Data) of EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) the concept of fast power control has been standardised for novel circuit-switched services. Fast power control aims at keeping the signal level or the signal quality at the receiving station at an adequate level. However, few fast power control methods are known that would also be suitable for use in packet-switched connections with asymmetric capacity requirements.
The concept of adaptive beam forming, especially closed-loop adaptive beam forming, resembles transmitter diversity in the sense that the correctly selected and adapted physical processing of the signal at the transmitting station requires a minimal but finite amount of feedback information to be transmitted in the reverse direction. On the basis of the received feedback the transmitting device that uses adaptive beam forming selects dynamically the antenna parameter values so that the resulting antenna beam is optimal to a certain distant receiver. The basic difference between beam forming and transmitter diversity is that in the former the parallelly transmitting antennas are located much closer to each other than in the latter. Consequently signal fading is largely correlated between antennas and changes in phase difference are slower. Adaptive beam forming techniques can cope with sparser feedback signalling than transmitter diversity.
Other transmission technologies, which are known as such but would benefit from fast asymmetric reverse signalling are for example various header compression techniques and statistical multiplexing.

Method and arrangement for implementing fast signalling in an asymmetric communication connection


A switching power supply circuit (101) includes a first rectifier circuit (102) converting an alternate current to a direct current, a switching operator (20), a switching transformer (103) including a primary coil supplied with a switched current and a secondary coil inducing power corresponding to the current, a second rectifier circuit (30) rectifying the power induced by the secondary coil, and a control circuit (40) changing a ratio of a current flowing to a photocoupler (107) to an output voltage from the second rectifier circuit (30) in a standby mode and in a power-on mode to reduce a noise of the switching transformer in each of the modes.

In recent years, lower power consumption of electronic devices has been required. In a switching power supply circuit used as a power supply of an electronic device, power consumption can be lowered by controlling the switching operation of a switching element. As a conventional switching power supply circuit, a suggested technique reduces the switching frequency of a switching element in a standby mode, thereby reducing power consumption and an abnormal harsh noise (e.g., a buzz) of a transformer (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Switching power supply circuit having shunt regulator with switchable gain

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


The invention relates to a device for mounting rail-road tracks (22) on a substructure (20; 20a, 20b), comprising two angle guide elements (30; 30a, 30b) disposed on both sides of the rail foot (22a) for each mounting point, and one support element (28) on the side facing away from the rail foot (22a) of each angle guide element (30, 30a, 30b), and a support unit (26) disposed beneath the angle guide element (30; 30a, 30b) and support elements (28) of the mounting point and comprising two threaded bolts (42) for tightening rail clamps (32), disposed such that they extend through openings in the angle guide plates (30; 30a, 30b) in the installed state.

The invention relates to a device for mounting railroad tracks on a substructure and a railroad sleeper in the turnout area having this type of device as well as a fixed track for a section of railroad comprising carriers with this type of device.
Special rail mountings are required in the turnout area because, similar to a fixed track, no sleepers profiled on their upper side can be used. Such profiled sleepers would be useful since, on the one hand, they fix the axial position of the rail mounting in the longitudinal direction of the sleeper, and on the other, allow transverse forces to be introduced into the sleeper by means of corresponding profiling.
Both in the turnout area and on carriers of a fixed track the rails must be mounted on a substantially level subsurface. Moreover, one strives to be able to assemble rail mountings both in the turnout area and on a fixed track with the least possible complexity.
FIG. 4 shows the Vossloh 300w rail mounting system known from the prior art wherein a total of four mounting screws and corresponding plugs are used at each mounting point. Located on both sides of the rail 11 are angle guide plates 7 which are respectively held on the side facing away from the rail by a support angle 2 which is fixed by means of a sleeper screw 4 to a spring ring 3. Here the sleeper screw 4 engages with a screw plug 1. The angle guide plates 7 are used for the precise positioning of tensioning clamps 9, the one on the right in FIG. 4 being shown in the pre-assembly position, and the one on the left being shown in the installed position. Every tensioning clamp is fixed to a washer by means of a further sleeper screw 10 and also engages with a screw plug 1. Depending on the required spring compression values for the rail head an elastic intermediate plate 5, a base plate 6 and a further plastic intermediate layer 8 can additionally be disposed between the rail foot and the concrete base layer 12. With the mounting shown in FIG. 4 four plugs must be provided in the substructure for the four sleeper screws shown. For this reason the assembly of the rail mounting shown in FIG. 4 is very complex.
The rail mounting on a fixed track shown in FIG. 5 has a similar structure in some areas to the rail mounting shown in FIG. 4, and so in the following one will only discuss the differences. In the example according to FIG. 5, which corresponds to the Vossloh DFF 300-1 system rail mounting a base plate 13 is provided which can be connected securely to an intermediate plate 15, e.g. is stuck to the latter. The unit comprising the base plate 13 and the intermediate plate 15 is screwed with the aid of mounting screws 16 through a bottom casting layer 17 into the base layer 18 of the fixed track, and is secured. With the aid of hook bolts 19 which are fitted in the base plate 13 the angle guide plates 7 and the tensioning clamps 9 are fastened, a fastening nut 14 being used on the threaded bolts of the hook bolt 19 in order to fix and tighten the tensioning screw.
The construction shown in FIG. 5 also requires increased assembly complexity since all four screws must be fixed at the assembly location, only the mounting screws 16 having to be fixed in the substructure, however.

Device for mounting railroad tracks on a substructure