The present invention relates to Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR) that are recombinant chimeric proteins able to redirect immune cell specificity and reactivity toward selected membrane antigens, and more particularly in which extracellular ligand binding is a scFV derived from a BCMA monoclonal antibody, conferring specific immunity against BCMA positive cells. The engineered immune cells endowed with such CARs are particularly suited for treating lymphomas, multiple myeloma and leukemia.

Adoptive immunotherapy, which involves the transfer of autologous antigen-specific T cells generated ex vivo, is a promising strategy to treat viral infections and cancer. The T cells used for adoptive immunotherapy can be generated either by expansion of antigen-specific T cells or redirection of T cells through genetic engineering (Park, Rosenberg et al. 2011). Transfer of viral antigen specific T cells is a well-established procedure used for the treatment of transplant associated viral infections and rare viral-related malignancies. Similarly, isolation and transfer of tumor specific T cells has been shown to be successful in treating melanoma.
Novel specificities in T cells have been successfully generated through the genetic transfer of transgenic T cell receptors or chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) (Jena, Dotti et al. 2010). CARs are synthetic receptors consisting of a targeting moiety that is associated with one or more signaling domains in a single fusion molecule. In general, the binding moiety of a CAR consists of an antigen-binding domain of a single-chain antibody (scFv), comprising the light and variable fragments of a monoclonal antibody joined by a flexible linker. Binding moieties based on receptor or ligand domains have also been used successfully. The signaling domains for first generation CARs are derived from the cytoplasmic region of the CD3zeta or the Fc receptor gamma chains. First generation CARs have been shown to successfully redirect T-cell cytotoxicity. However, they failed to provide prolonged expansion and anti-tumor activity in vivo. Signaling domains from co-stimulatory molecules, as well as transmembrane and hinge domains have been added to form CARs of second and third generations, leading to some successful therapeutic trials in humans, where T-cells could be redirected against malignant cells expressing CD19 (June et al., 2011). However, the particular combination of signaling domains, transmembrane and co-stimulatory domains used with respect to CD19 ScFv, was rather antigen-specific and cannot be expanded to any antigen markers.
Multiple myeloma is a malignancy characterized by an accumulation of clonal plasma cells. Current therapies for multiple myeloma often cause remissions, but nearly all patients eventually relapse and die (Lional S., et al. 2011). There is substantial evidence of an immune-mediated elimination of myeloma cells in the setting of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; however, the toxicity of this approach is high, and few patients are cured.
Although some monoclonal antibodies have shown promise for treating multiple myeloma in preclinical studies and early clinical trials, consistent clinical efficacy of any monoclonal antibody therapy for multiple myeloma has not been conclusively shown (Van De Donk, N. W. C J., et al., 2012). Moreover, some monoclonal antibodies induce side effects such as hypercytokinemia, a well-known toxicity stemming from the large release of cytokines from activated immune cells. This may be observed during therapy with immune cells expressing CARs.
There is clearly a great need for new immunotherapies for multiple myeloma, and developing an effective and safe antigen-specific adoptive T-cell therapy for this disease would be a major advance
In particular, developing an effective antigen-specific adoptive T-cell therapy for such diseases inducing no or moderate hypercytokinemia would be of interest.
One candidate antigen of immunotherapies for multiple myeloma is B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) also referred as CD269 (SwissProt/Uniprot reference Q02223). This antigen is encoded by the gene TNFRSF17. BCMA RNA was detected universally in multiple myeloma cells, and BCMA protein was detected on the surface of plasma cells from patients with multiple myeloma by several investigators (Novak A. J. et al., 2004). BCMA is a member of the TNF receptor superfamily. BCMA binds B-cell activating factor (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL). Among nonmalignant cells, BCMA has been reported to be expressed mostly by plasma cells and subsets of mature B cells, but not by T cells and NK cells. It thus represents an appropriate target antigen for treating multiple myeloma, especially using CAR-expressing T cells.
As an alternative to the previous strategies, WO 2013/154760 proposed a BCMA CAR derived from C11D5.3 and from C12A3.2.
As improved strategies, the present invention provides with BCMA specific CARs, which can be expressed in immune cells to target BCMA malignant cells with significant clinical advantage. In particular, the present invention provides a BCMA specific CAR, which can be expressed at the surface of immune cells, binds to BCMA and exhibit an activity towards BCMA expressing cells, in particular against BCMA expressing cancer cells, preferably said activity is a cytolytic activity against target BCMA expressing cancer cells and more preferably a cytolytic activity against target BCMA expressing cancer cells and a moderate (50% decrease) to low (70% or more decrease) expression of cytokine
There is a need to provide BCMA CARs T cells well tolerated by hosts and having the capacity to survive in the presence of drugs and target selectively BCMA expressing cells, in particular in the presence of drugs used to treat cancer, in particular cytotoxic chemotherapy agents affecting cell survival (anti-cancer chemotherapy).
Several cytotoxic agents such as anti-metabolites, alkylating agents, anthracyclines, DNA methyltransferase inhibitors, platinum compounds and spindle poisons have been developed to kill cancer cells, in particular cancer cells expressing BCMA.
These chemotherapy agents can be detrimental to the establishment of robust anti-tumor immunocompetent cells due to their non-specific toxicity. Small molecule-based therapies targeting cell proliferation pathways may also hamper the establishment of anti-tumor immunity.
Thus, there is also a need of developing well tolerated T cells targeting BCMA that would be specific and compatible with the use of drugs, in particular of anti-cancer chemotherapies, such as those affecting cell proliferation.
Thus, to use "off-the-shelf" allogeneic therapeutic cells in conjunction with chemotherapy, the inventors develop a method of engineering BCMA expressing CAR T cells that are less allogeneic, in particular cells that are less allogenic and resistant to chemotherapeutic agents and can be optionally destroyed thanks to a suicide gene.
The therapeutic benefits afforded by this strategy should be enhanced by the synergistic effects between chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Moreover, drug resistance can also benefit from the ability to selectively expand the engineered T-cell thereby avoiding the problems due to inefficient gene transfer to these cells.

BCMA (CD269) specific chimeric antigen receptors for cancer immunotherapy


An active monitor detects and classifies messages transmitted on a network. In one form, the monitor includes a routine for classifying TCP packet source addresses as being of an acceptable, unacceptable, or suspect type. Suspect source addresses may be further processed in accordance with a state machine having a number of conditionally linked states including a good address state, a new address state, and a bad address state. For this form, the monitor selectively sends signals to targeted destination hosts for addresses in the unacceptable

The present invention relates to computer network security, and more particularly, but not exclusively, relates to protection from denial of service attacks caused by initiating, but not completing a number of spurious connections through the Internet.
Concomitant with the development of computer networks, schemes to degrade or defeat operation of such networks have been devised. In response, a host of techniques have been proposed to improve network security. U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,025 to Baehr et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,040 to Hughes et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,014 to Coley et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,434 to Caronni et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,803 to Aziz; U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,122 to Atkinson; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,611 to Owens et al. are cited as sources of additional background information regarding various attempts to improve network security.
One particular type of attack monopolizes available network resources in such a manner that legitimate users are denied service. This type of xe2x80x9cdenial of service attackxe2x80x9d has been recognized in various contexts. One especially troublesome denial of service attack for Internet Protocol (IP) based networks is called xe2x80x9cSYN flooding.xe2x80x9d SYN flooding arises when an attacker sends many Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection requests, each initiated with a xe2x80x9cSYNchronizexe2x80x9d (also called SYN) packet, to a victim""s machine. Each request causes the targeted host to instantiate data structures out of a limited pool of resources; however, because the source address for each of these SYN packets is illegitimate or xe2x80x9cspoofed,xe2x80x9d completion of a proper connection is impossible. Consequently, the limited resources of the targeted host are quickly used up in response to the spurious SYN packets so that no more incoming TCP connections can be establishedxe2x80x94thus denying further legitimate access. The SYN flooding attack exploits weaknesses with TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) that cannot be corrected without significant protocol modifications. Moreover, this type of denial of service attack can be launched with little effort, and is difficult to trace back to its originator.
As a result, there is a need for protective techniques that reduce, if not eliminate, the impact of denial of service attacks, such as SYN flooding.
One form of the present invention includes a unique computer network monitoring technique. A further form of the present invention includes a unique defense for denial of service attacks.
In another form of the present invention, network messages passing to one or more hosts from an untrusted network are actively monitored. Suspect messages are identified. The behavior of each suspect message is tracked in terms of a number of conditionally coupled states to determine whether any of the suspect messages present a security threat requiring action.
In yet another form, network messages may be classified into one or more other categories besides the suspect category. By way of nonlimiting example, TCP packets may be categorized as having an unacceptable source address, suspect source address, or acceptable source address.
In an additional form, host resources allocated in response to connection initiation requests from an untrusted network are released by monitoring such requests, determining which requests are unacceptable or suspect, and selectively sending a command that changes the status of such requests from the perspective of the hosts. In one nonlimiting example, host resources dedicated to incomplete TCP connections that are quickly saturated by suspect SYN packets may be released by sending ACKnowledge packets (also called ACK packets) corresponding to the SYN packets. In another nonlimiting example, host resources may be relieved by closing spurious connections through transmission of a ReSeT packet (also called a RST packet).
In still another form, a technique of the present invention includes detecting a number of SYN packets sent from an untrusted network to a destination host to regulate spurious connection attempts. The corresponding source address of each SYN packet is classified in one of a plurality of different categories, the categories including a suspect source address category and an unacceptable source address category. TCP packet behavior is monitored for each address classified in the suspect source address category with a state machine process including at least three different conditionally coupled states, and a RST packet is sent to the destination host for any address classified in the unacceptable source address category.
Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide a unique computer network monitoring technique.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a unique defense for denial of service attacks.

Network protection for denial of service attacks


A technique to pre-charge a CAM block array that includes a plurality of CAM blocks that is organized into at least one rectangular array having rows each having a plurality of CAM blocks, a group of CAM cells and associated read/write bit lines connecting the group of CAM cells to a write/search driver and one or more precharge circuits. In one example embodiment, this is accomplished by precharging each read/write bit line substantially after completing a read cycle using the one or more precharge circuits. Then, precharging each read/write bit line substantially after completing a write cycle using a write/search bit line decoder and driver circuit, followed by precharging each search bit line in the CAM block array using the write/search bit line decoder and driver circuit substantially after completing a search operation.

Content addressable memory (CAM) arrays are commonly used in cache systems, and other address translation systems, of high speed computing systems. They are also useful in high-speed network routers, and many other applications known in the art of computing.
The CAM arrays are typically comprised of a plurality of rows, each row having multiple CAM blocks and each CAM block has plurality of CAM cells. The CAM arrays are characterized by circuitry capable of generating a "local match" output for each CAM block in a row and a "global match" output for each row of CAM blocks in the CAM array thereby indicating whether any location of the array contains a data pattern that matches a query input and the identity of that location. Each CAM cell of a CAM array typically has the ability to store a unit of data, and the ability to compare that unit of data with a unit of a query input. Each CAM block has the ability to generate the local match output. A compare result indication of each CAM block, which is a local match (LMAT) signal, in a row is combined to produce a global match (GMAT) signal for the row to indicate whether the row of CAM cells contains a stored word matching a query input. The GMAT signals from each row in the CAM array together constitute global match output signals of the array; these signals may be encoded to generate the address of matched locations or used to select data from rows of additional memory.
Each CAM cell in each column of a CAM array is typically connected to a common read/write bit line and a search bit line. The common read/write bit line is used to write the data to a pair of memory cells, which can be part of a ternary CAM (TCAM) cell or a single memory cell, such as a binary CAM. Each memory cell is accessed using a word line which is decoded using an input address. The common read/wire bit line is also used for reading the data from a memory cell. The differential developed across the read/write bit lines are sensed using a sense amplifier during a read cycle.
Further, each CAM cell in each column in the CAM arrays is typically connected to a common query data line, also referred to as a common search data line. The common search data line enables simultaneous data searching in each CAM cell in a column from a query input. The common search data line can also be used as a write data line, when the CAM array is based on a PMOS compare circuit.
The unit of data that is stored in a CAM array cell is often binary, having two possible states: logic one, and logic zero. The CAM blocks of these arrays produce a local match compare result if the query input is equal to the data stored in the CAM cells in the CAM blocks, and a mismatch result if otherwise. Whereas, TCAM cells can store three states: logic one, logic zero, and don't care. TCAM blocks of these TCAM arrays produce a local match compare result if either the query input is equal to the data stored in the CAM cells in the TCAM blocks, the query input contains a don't care state, or the data stored is a don't care data. The TCAM arrays produce a mismatch result otherwise. The TCAM arrays are particularly useful in address translation systems that allow variably sized allocation units.
Typically, in a CAM array, the common read/write bit lines are precharged after each write or read cycle using precharge devices. Generally, for larger memories, the precharge devices are located on either end of the write bit lines to decrease precharge time. In general, the precharge time affects the cycle time of a CAM. In a read cycle, the read/write bit lines are not allowed to discharge to ground and can be precharged back after a required differential is built up. Whereas, in a write cycle, the read/write bit lines discharge all the way to ground and hence the time required to precharge the read/write bit lines after a write cycle can be considerably higher than the time required to precharge the read/write bit lines after a read cycle and therefore can affect the cycle time.
One conventional technique uses significantly large precharge devices to reduce the time required to precharge during a write cycle. Another conventional technique partitions the CAM array into smaller sections to reduce the time required to precharge after a write operation. However, these techniques generally result in requiring a larger silicon area and can be very cumbersome to implement.

High performance and low area write precharge technique for CAMs


An urethral drain having deep external drainage channels, a low-profiled bladder retention segment, and a reversibly detachable collection segment, facilitates the draining of urine and fluids from the bladder. The low-profiled retention means minimizes bladder irritations and the deep external channels reduce the occurrence of infections. Incorporation of a reduced diameter smooth segment on the catheter, proximate the location of the external urethral sphincter allows the patient to void normally and at will. Modifying the size of this smooth segment aids the function of a defective sphincter in controlling urine leakage. The drain can be worn concealed within the urethra. Flushing action from normal voiding washes out particulate matters in the urethra and the concealed drain further minimizes contamination. Together, these features improve quality of life for patients needing catheterization.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to body fluid drainage devices, and more particularly to a urinary drain having improved performance characteristics.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Urethral catheters, such as the Foley catheter, now used for bladder drainage are essentially elongated tubular structures placed in the urethra for draining urine through the central lumen thereof. Near the distal end of the tube is an inflatable balloon which, when inflated while in the bladder, allows the catheter to be held in place. Its proximal end has a drainage port as well as a balloon inflation port. The proximal end of the catheter protrudes beyond the urethral orifice and can be attached to a bag receptacle for the collection of the near constantly dripping urine from the bladder. The collection bag is either-attached to the patient""s leg when the patient is ambulatory, or to the side of the bed during bed rest. At times, a plug is used in place of the bag to stop the leakage of urine from the catheter tip.
When Foley catheters or the like are used, patients are not able to void when they want to. Rather, urine is continuously drained from the bladder through the central lumen of the elongated tube and into the collection bag. Ambulatory patients are therefore obligated to have the leg bag attached to their leg, and this poses a source of great inconvenience, unsightliness and problems affecting their quality of life. Due to the fact that urine is continuously being drained from the bladder, the bladder is continuously near empty. The dome of the bladder, therefore, rests continuously on the water-filled bulging balloon retention part of the Foley catheter, causing tissue compression, irritation and erosion related adverse side effect problems. Furthermore, increased urinary tract infection is common with patients using such catheters, especially when used on a chronic basis. Though the causal factors have not been precisely identified, length of time of catheterization has been associated with an increased frequency and severity of urinary tract infection, presumably due to the migration of bacteria up the urethral tract. Frequently, yellow encrusted and mucoid proteinaceous depositions containing bacteria are found on the surfaces of the catheter with much higher concentration on the inner lumen surfaces. The mandated usage of urine receptacles causes additional associated stigma of soiled clothing, furniture and odor.
The Spinosa et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,608 discloses in FIG. 9 thereof a typical Foley urinary catheter having an inflatable balloon 64 for retaining the distal end portion of the catheter with its drainage hole 56 within the urinary bladder. An alternative embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the Spinosa et al. patent depicts a urinary catheter that uses a helically threaded region thereof as the retention means in place of an inflatable balloon. This device still relies upon the central lumen 46 as the urine path while the channels 48 define between the helical threads 44 allow for xe2x80x9cdrainage of exudate discharged from the prostate glandxe2x80x9d.
The present invention provides a solution to increase the quality of life for patients who require drainage catheters by solving compression and irritation related problems, giving patients an option to carry on their daily lives more normally and reduce incidence of the common urinary tract infections. One embodiment of the invention comprises a bladder drainage device having at least one deep, open fluid-drainage channels and a low profile bladder retention means at its distal end. In addition, it can contain an essentially smooth segment, preferably narrowed, in the area of the external urethral sphincter. Urine drains from the bladder, via the open surface channels. The narrowed smooth segment permits the external urethral sphincter to function normally to shut off the leakage of urine from the bladder to the lower portion of the urethra. The drainage channels may but need not reappear below the external sphincter. When the sphincter opens, urine and fluid will flow past the relaxed sphincter area at the smooth, narrowed drain region, and down between the narrowed region and the urethral wall. Unlike the situation with the Foley type catheter and the catheter of FIGS. 6 and 7 of the Spinosa et al. ""608 patent, where urine is continuously drained in a leaking fashion from the bladder through an internal lumen of the drainage catheter, the present configuration of the invention allows urine to be stored in the bladder until voided in mass, much as in a normal manner, when the patient is ready to do so. Due to this natural and daily multiple automatic flushing action in the urethra and channel walls by a rushing of the bolus of urine, the bladder drain of the present invention is self-cleansing without any added external pressurized flushing equipment means, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,946, or any added steps for the patient.
The device of the present invention, without the smooth segment, can be worn by patients in cases where constant urine drainage is required or unavoidable. Thus, the drain will have the benefits of the lower profile retention means for reduced bladder irritability, and the deep external drainage channel(s) causing urine flow to be in contact with the urethral wall to minimize colonization of bacteria and other contaminants within a lumen, thus lower possibility of infections.
The presence of the narrow, smooth segment at the site of the external urethral sphincter region allows the natural constriction of the external urethral sphincter to terminate the flow of fluid to the distal bulbous and penile urethra as the sphincter normally functions. The patient is, therefore, able to control his own voiding frequency. This permits the drain device to be worn by ambulatory patients without the necessity of an external urine drainage collection leg bag.
Patients suffering from urinary incontinence have differing degrees of contractibility of the external urinary sphincter, depending upon age and other factors. By providing a smooth surface section that can be repositioned along the length of the externally grooved drain member and which can be selected for its outer diameter, a variety of patients can be accommodated.
The distal end of the drain device located within the bladder contains a retention means for retaining it at the bladder neck. This preferably a coiled section of the flexible, deep open channeled drainage device, which is initially straightened for insertion in the urethra by a straightening stylet placed in a central lumen of the drain device. Removing the wire after drain placement restores the curl. Due to the fact that the low profile retention means is an extension of the drainage segment, no balloon is needed, nor is there a necessity for a perpendicular, upward-protruding tubing with lateral openings for the passage of urine. The retention means is spaced apart from the smooth narrowed section a distance to assure drainage within the prostatic urethra. Before exiting the urethra, the deep channels are replaced by a traditional tubular structure, the collection segment, which proceeds to exit the urethra. This collection segment collects fluid from the narrowed drain body or from the deep external channel(s) above, transports it beyond the meatus of the penis, and permits the attachment of a urine drainage collection bag or a plug at the proximal end. The tubular collection segment can be readily detached from the main drain body, thus leaving the entire drain device concealed inside the urethra. This further insures minimal infection from outside contamination, and avoids the aesthetically displeasing and uncomfortable presence of an external device.
Given the anatomical differences between the urinary systems in males and females, and in particular the short length and shape configuration of the female urethra, the drainage device for a female patient preferably comprises a soft, flexible, plastic body member having a flat coil bladder retention means at its distal end and a corresponding retention means at its proximal end to prevent the device from migrating upward into the bladder. The proximal retention device is configured to conform to the vestibule proximate the urethral opening. It is preferably an open structure or perforated to permit exposure of the underlying tissue to air.
In addressing female stress incontinence, a cuff member of a chosen size appropriate for the patient may be placed about the drain member to cooperate with the urinary sphincter, allowing the sphincter to create an improved seal against the cuff to block urine flow.
Thus, the object of this invention is to greatly increase the quality of life for patients who require bladder drainage catheters.


This invention relates to a solid marking composition comprising at least one resin, at least one pigment, at least one dispersant, at least one solvent, and a gelling agent. This invention also provides a method of making the solid marking composition.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a solid marking composition which can be used for writing instruments, a marking stick, coating materials, and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Many of today's fabrication, repair, and assembly of routine and customized engineering works require the measurement, cutting, welding, and joining of many parts. These parts must be designed and the image and dimensions transferred to the material of construction. That material may be glass, metal, ceramic, wood, plastic or any combination thereof. Once the dimensions of the object to be fabricated are transferred to the appropriate material, the cutting and joining processes may proceed.
These marks on construction materials must meet a number of performance criteria. The modern machine shop utilizes a number of fluids such as oils, water, and cooling fluids. Frequently these fluids are spilled, sprayed, or condense on construction materials. Once this occurs, it is often not practical to remove these fluids from construction materials as it would add unnecessary expense and delay to the construction. Most liquid based markers cannot write through all of these fluids. They will usually stop writing, sometimes permanently, when they contact fluid of a dissimilar nature to the internal ink.
An improvement to liquid markers in the fabrication process is a solid marker. A solid marker will not stop working if it encounters a dissimilar fluid material. If the solid marker is formulated and constructed properly, it will write through these liquids and make a discernable mark on the materials of construction, thus saving time and money in the fabrication process.
The solid marker must have a melting point such that it can be processed into the marker format, and also survive the environment of a typical warm fabrication or repair facility. In addition, it must also survive the rigors of the distribution and shipping system that it will encounter. This is so that the solid marking composition does not fail abruptly at an elevated temperature, but rather slowly across an elevated range of temperatures.
The final mark must be waterproof when dry, and also weather resistant. Markers are frequently used in maintenance activities on out-of-the-way locations such as on the top of wind mill generators many hundreds of feet in the air. Here one mechanic may want to leave information for a future mechanic. In certain situations, it may be necessary to remove a mark. To do this, the solid marking composition must be soluble in some solvent.


A method and apparatus that reduces the time required to clean a processing chamber employing a reactive plasma cleaning process. A plasma is formed in an Astron fluorine source generator from a flow of substantially pure inert-source gas. After formation of the plasma, a flow of a fluorine source gas is introduced therein such that the fluorine source flow accelerates at a rate no greater than 1.67 standard cubic centimeters per second2 (scc/s2). In this fashion, the plasma contains a plurality of radicals and dissociated inert-source gas atoms, defining a cleaning mixture. The ratio of inert-source gas to fluorine source is greater than 1:1.

The present invention relates to substrate processing. Specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for cleaning a processing chamber in a substrate processing system which reduces the time required to complete a dry-clean technique by increasing the flow-rate of cleaning gases therein.
One of the primary steps in the fabrication of modern semiconductor devices is the formation of a layer, such as a metal silicide layer like tungsten silicide (WSix), on a substrate or wafer. As is well known, such a layer can be deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). In a conventional thermal CVD process, reactive gases are supplied to the substrate surface where heat-induced chemical reactions take place to form the desired film. In a conventional plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) process, a controlled plasma is formed using radio frequency (RF) energy or microwave energy to decompose and/or energize reactive species in reactant gases to produce the desired film.
One problem that arises during such CVD processes is that unwanted deposition occurs in the processing chamber and leads to potentially high maintenance costs. With CVD of a desired film on a wafer, undesired film deposition can occur on any hot surface including the heater or process kit parts of the apparatus, because the reactive gases can diffuse everywhere in the processing chamber, even within cracks and around corners. During subsequent wafer depositions, this excess growth on the heater and/or other parts of the apparatus will accelerate until a continuous metal silicide film is grown on the heater and/or these other parts. Over time, failure to clean the residue from the CVD apparatus often results in degraded, unreliable processes and defective wafers. When excess deposition starts to interfere with the CVD system's performance, the heater and other process kit parts (such as the shadow ring and gas distribution faceplate) can be removed and replaced to remove unwanted accumulations in the CVD system. Depending on which and how many parts need replacing and the frequency of the replacement, the cost of maintaining the substrate processing system can become very high.
In these CVD processes, a reactive plasma cleaning is regularly performed to remove the unwanted deposition material from the processing chamber walls, heater, and other process kit parts of the processing chamber. Commonly performed between deposition steps for every wafer or every n wafers, a reactive plasma cleaning procedure that is performed as a standard processing chamber operation where the etching gas is used to remove or etch the unwanted deposited material. One reactive plasma cleaning procedure is performed in situ in the processing chamber promotes excitation and/or disassociation of the reactant gases by the application of RF energy with capacitively coupled electrodes disposed in the processing chamber. The plasma creates a highly reactive species that reacts with and etches away the unwanted deposition material present in the processing chamber.
In addition to such in situ plasma cleaning procedures and occurring far less frequently, a second cleaning procedure involves opening the processing chamber and physically wiping the entire reactor—including the processing chamber walls, exhaust and other areas having accumulated residue—with a special cloth and cleaning liquids. This cleaning procedure is commonly referred to as a wet clean, due to the liquids employed. Failure to periodically wet clean a CVD apparatus results in accumulation of impurities that can migrate onto the wafer and cause device damage. Thus, properly cleaning a CVD apparatus is important for the smooth operation of substrate processing, improved device yield and better product performance. However, the cleaning procedures reduce the availability of a system for manufacture due to the down-time required to complete the procedures.
As an alternative to in situ plasma cleaning, a remote plasma cleaning procedure may be employed. To that end, a processing chamber is connected to a remote microwave plasma system. The remote microwave plasma cleaning procedure reduces the time required to clean the processing chamber. The high breakdown efficiency associated with a microwave plasma provides a higher etch rate (on the order of about 2 μm/min), compared to the etch rate of a capacitive RF plasma.
To further increase the etch rate of unwanted deposition materials, improved reactive plasma generators have been developed which provide an increased flow of reactive radicals into a processing chamber. One such reactive plasma generator is sold under the trademark ASTRON by Applied Science and Technology, Inc. of 35 Cabot Road, Woburn, Mass. 01801-1053. A description of the Astron is located at the following Internet address http://www.astex.com/astron.htm. The Astron is a self-contained atomic fluorine generator which uses a low-field toroidal plasma to dissociate a gas flow introduced into the plasma.
What is needed, however, is a reactive plasma cleaning procedure which further reduces the time required to clean a processing chamber, as compared to the prior art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An embodiment of the invention relates to a method for creating at least one first sheet job offset including polling a printing spool and determining whether at least one print job is queued in the printing spool, determining whether a first sheet of the at least one print job is ready to be outputted from a printing apparatus after the at least one print job is determined to be queued in the printing spool, configuring an outputting mechanism to accelerate the first sheet of the at least one print job out of the printing apparatus, and configuring the outputting mechanism to decelerate each remaining sheet of the at least one print job out of the printing apparatus.

Creating a print job offset conventionally involves offsetting one or more entire print jobs or utilizing sheets to act as separators between each print job. This often results in repeated and continual stress on one or more motors in having to repeatedly perform the motions of shifting and adjusting speeds and/or positions for each print job. As a result, a printing apparatus may fail more frequently or the printing apparatus life may be reduced. Furthermore, resources, such as sheets, replacement parts, and technical support, may be wasted and/or increased.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method for producing hydrocarbons includes: a synthesis step of synthesizing hydrocarbons by the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction using a slurry bubble column reactor having a slurry containing catalyst particles and liquid hydrocarbons retained inside the reactor, and having a gas phase portion located above the slurry; a discharging step of passing the slurry through a filter positioned inside and/or outside the reactor, thereby separating and discharging the heavy liquid hydrocarbons; a backwash step of flushing liquid hydrocarbons through the filter in the opposite direction to the flow of the slurry, thereby returning the catalyst particles to the reactor; and a cooling and gas-liquid separation step of cooling the hydrocarbons discharged from the gas phase portion, and then separating and collecting the condensed light liquid hydrocarbons. The liquid hydrocarbons flushed through the filter in the backwash step include the light liquid hydrocarbons obtained in the cooling and gas-liquid separation step.

As a method for producing hydrocarbons having a broad carbon number distribution, which can be used as feedstocks for liquid fuel products such as kerosene and gas oil, methods that employs the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction (hereinafter also abbreviated as the "FT synthesis reaction"), which uses carbon monoxide gas (CO) and hydrogen gas (H2) as a feedstock, are already well known. Moreover, techniques which use natural gas or the like as a feedstock to produce a synthesis gas (a mixed gas containing CO and H2 as the main components) via a reforming process, subsequently use the FT synthesis reaction to synthesize hydrocarbons from the synthesis gas, and then subject these hydrocarbons to hydrotreating and fractional distillation to produce liquid fuels are known as GTL (Gas to Liquids) processes.
Patent Document 1 discloses one example of a method for producing hydrocarbons by the FT synthesis reaction, the method using a slurry bubble column reactor in which a synthesis gas is blown through a slurry prepared by suspending solid catalyst particles within a liquid hydrocarbon (hereinafter simply referred to as "the slurry") to effect the FT synthesis reaction.
In this method, the hydrocarbons are produced using a reaction system that includes a reactor (slurry bubble column reactor), which houses the slurry and in which the FT synthesis reaction is performed, a supply line (gas supply section) that blows the synthesis gas into the bottom of the reactor, a filter that separates the catalyst particles from the slurry from inside the reactor, a discharge line for discharging the hydrocarbons (heavy liquid hydrocarbons) that have been synthesized inside the reactor and passed through the filter, and a mechanism that returns, to the reactor, a portion of the liquid hydrocarbons discharged through the discharge line, thereby washing the filter.
Further, the above mechanism for washing the filter, namely the mechanism for returning to the slurry the accumulated catalyst particles trapped by the filter, typically employs a backwash treatment in which a portion of the liquid hydrocarbons (heavy liquid hydrocarbons) that have been filtered through the filter and discharged through the discharge line is caused to flow back through the filter in the opposite direction to the flow direction during filtering of the slurry.
On the other hand, a gas phase portion is provided above the slurry inside the reactor, and the synthesis gas that has not reacted during passage through the slurry (namely, unreacted synthesis gas) and light hydrocarbons produced by the FT synthesis reaction that are gases under the conditions inside the reactor are transported from the slurry bed into this gas phase portion, subsequently pass through the gas phase portion, and are then discharged through a line connected to the top of the reactor. The discharged unreacted synthesis gas and light hydrocarbons are cooled, some of the light hydrocarbons condense to form liquid hydrocarbons (light liquid hydrocarbons), and these light liquid hydrocarbons are separated from the gas fraction (the unreacted synthesis gas and a hydrocarbon gas composed mainly of hydrocarbons of C4 or less) by gas-liquid separation. The gas fraction is then recycled through the reactor to enable the unreacted synthesis gas to be reused, while the light liquid hydrocarbons are supplied to a liquid hydrocarbon refining process.

Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation

Nippon Steel & Sumikin Engineering Co., Ltd


A linear actuator with a pair of in-line piston-cylinder combinations, separated by a partition. The combinations are supplied from a common source of fluid under pressure through a single inlet port. A guide pin prevents the uppermost piston from cooking, and serves as an upper limit stop. The pistons are biased into abutment with one another.

Fluid pressure-powered linear actuators are widely used. They uniformly use some element such as a diaphragm or piston, some part of which moves along a linear axis. It is connected to a valving element. When the pressure changes, the element moves and changes the setting of the valve or whatever else is being controlled or set. Also, conventionally there is a bias spring which biases the element in one direction or the other, and the fluid pressure overcomes this bias in order to move the element. This invention belongs to this art, but provides substantial advantages in reduction of cost, complexity, and envelope size, together with simpler seal arrangements and improved reliability and, greater exerted force generated by a given differential pressure on an element of a given area.


A mechanical strain isolator mount 10 is provided to preserve the alignmental integrity of alignment sensitive instrument 25. Alignment sensitive instrument 25 is mounted on rectangular base 11. Flexural legs 15, 16, and 17 are connected at their proximal ends to rectangular base 11 at points, A, B, C, respectively. Flexural legs 15, 16, and 17 are also spaced parallel to sides AB, BC, and CD respectively. Mounting pads 20, 21, and 22 are respectively connected to legs 15, 16, and 17 at the distal ends thereof and attach mechanical strain isolator mount 10 to substrate 30 by means of threaded bolts 23. When a mounting pad and its respective leg is subjected to lateral strains in either the X or Y directon via substrate 30, the respective leg relieves the strain by bending in the direction of the strain. An axial strain on a mounting pad in the Z direction is relieved by a rotational motion of legs 15, 16, and 17 in the direction of the strain. When substrate 30 is stress free, the flexural legs return to their original condition and thus preserve the original alignmental integrity of alignment sensitive instrument 25.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to strain isolation and more specifically to a mechanical strain isolation mount for highly alignment sensitive devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Certain devices such as optical instruments must preserve their alignmental integrity after being subjected to high stress levels. For example, an optical instrument may be subjected to loads exceeding 50 g during the launch of a space shuttle. A current method of mounting optical instruments is to bolt the instrument to a main frame. Such a method is inapplicable to high load and subsequent stress levels experienced during a shuttle launch. The instrument can slide or creep when the main frame surface stresses exceed 500 pounds per square inch as the mount bolts deform, resulting in misalignment. Also, a state-of-the-art tangent bar consisting of an equilateral triangular base with legs mounted at the midpoint of each side is inappropriate. Each leg has mount pads which are bolted to the strained surface. A load along a leg will load the bolts and cause undesirable creep.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to preserve the alignmental integrity of a highly alignment sensitive device which is subjected to high stresses.
It is a further object of this invention to accomplish the above object simply and inexpensively.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent hereinafter in the specification and drawings which follow.

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator, of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


A three-wheeled vehicle having a pair of front wheels and a single rear wheel is provided with a roll-related reactive system. The roll-related reactive system provides braking of at least one of the front wheels independent of braking initiated by an operator of the vehicle.

Motorized three-wheeled vehicles are well known in the art. Such vehicles are typically off road type or all terrain vehicles (also known as "ATVs"). Two different configurations of three-wheeled vehicles are generally known. The first configuration has two wheels at the front and one wheel at the back of the vehicle. The second configuration has one wheel at the front and two wheels at the back.
Regardless of the particular configuration for a three-wheeled vehicle, those skilled in the art recognize that three-wheeled vehicles are intrinsically less stable than four-wheeled vehicles, such as automobiles. Several factors contribute to this instability. One of them concerns the fact that a three-wheeled vehicle has only three contact points with the ground instead of four contact points.
It should be noted at the outset that the intrinsic instability of a three-wheeled vehicle versus a four-wheeled vehicle should not be understood to mean that a three-wheeled vehicle is unstable to the point that it is dangerous to a user. To the contrary, as would be understood by those skilled in the art, some designs for three-wheeled vehicles are inherently more stable than certain four-wheeled vehicles.
Another factor that affects the stability of a vehicle is the center of gravity of the vehicle. The height of the center of gravity of a vehicle is measured as a distance from the ground when the vehicle is at rest. The center of gravity changes based on the rider position and the type of seating arrangement provided.
A straddle seat type vehicle positions the rider higher from the ground and, as a result, typically creates a vehicle with a higher center of gravity than a vehicle that has a recumbent type seat, which is more stable but requires additional space and offers less rider control. Recumbent type seats include bucket seats, etc. of the type usually found in four-wheeled vehicles. Recumbent seat configurations generally position two riders side by side.
While straddle seats may alter disadvantageously the center of gravity of a vehicle, they offer certain advantages that are not available with recumbent seats. In particular, straddle seats allow a more compact riding position and permit the rider to lean into a turn for enhanced handling. Straddle seats also may provide a second passenger seat behind the driver seat, if desired, but the additional rider also raises the center of gravity of the vehicle.
An advantage of a tandem vehicle (riders positioned behind one another) is that the center of gravity of the vehicle remains symmetrically positioned if there are one or two riders. In contrast, on a light-weight, side-by-side, recumbent three-wheeler, when only the driver is present, the center of gravity is not located in the same position as when there are two riders in the vehicle. When only a driver is present in a three-wheeled vehicle with side-by-side, recumbent seats, the center of gravity will be offset from the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle in a direction toward the driver. As would be appreciated by those skilled in the art, this offset may have an affect on the handling performance of the recumbent-seated vehicle.
Other factors that affect stability include the distance between the wheels. On a vehicle, the wheel base refers to the distance between the front axle and the rear axle. The front track, on the other hand, refers to the distance between the center of the two front wheels, which is typically very similar to the distance between the center of the rear wheels in a four wheeled vehicle. A larger distance between the wheels (whether it be the wheel base or the wheel track) enhances the stability of the vehicle, but creates a larger vehicle, in terms of over all length and width, that may be less maneuverable because of the vehicle's increased size.
When operating any vehicle, especially a three-wheeled vehicle, stability is a concern during turning. When negotiating a curve, a vehicle is subject to centrifugal forces, as is readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art of vehicle design. Generally, a higher center of gravity causes the vehicle to be more sensitive to centrifugal forces than a vehicle with a lower center of gravity.
Three contact points representing the tires define a triangle and both lateral sides of the triangle are closer to the vehicle CG than on a four-wheeled vehicle. A four-wheeled vehicle defines a square, the vehicle CG is therefore at a longer distance from the lateral side of the square. The dynamic displacement of the CG when the vehicle is cornering may pass over the lateral lines therefore getting over the vehicle stability threshold.
Three-wheeled vehicles raise special stability concerns since there is a smaller total tire contact area (with the ground) as compared with four-wheeled vehicles. Usually three-wheeled vehicles have a smaller mass. Therefore, the contact pressure of the tire on the ground is reduced. Moreover, if a straddle seat is employed, the center of gravity can be relatively high, as compared with that of a recumbent three-wheeled vehicle.
To equip a three-wheeled vehicle for road use, road tires must be employed. In a poorly designed vehicle, at high speeds or in sharp turns, the centrifugal forces generated on a road could exceed the traction threshold of a road tire, which could cause one or more of the tires to slip on the road surface. The slippage may be so severe that the vehicle could oversteer or understeer under certain circumstances.
Tire slippage is a phenomenon that is not unique to three-wheeled vehicles. The car industry experienced a similar stability concern with vehicles that have a high center of gravity. Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) tend to have high centers of gravity and are particularly sensitive to weight transfer and may tend to roll over when negotiating high lateral acceleration curves. As a result, electronic stability systems (ESS) have been developed to improve the stability of such vehicles.
As would be appreciated by those skilled in the art, modem road tires can offer considerable grip on a road surface. The gripping force of modern road tires can be so strong, in fact, that a vehicle with a high center of gravity vehicle may be subjected to forces that may cause the vehicle to exceed its rollover threshold. If the rollover threshold is exceeded, one or more of the vehicle's wheels on the inner side of the curve may lift off of the road surface. Under such circumstances, if the rider continues to apply a lateral acceleration to the vehicle, the rider may be able to roll the vehicle over. Rollover can also be experienced under severe oversteering conditions if the tires suddenly recover traction with the ground.
Electronic stability systems (ESS) are designed to electronically manage different systems on an automotive vehicle to influence and control the vehicle's behavior. An ESS can manage a considerable number of parameters at the same time. This provides an advantage over an automotive vehicle merely operated by a person since the driver can only manage a limited number of parameters at the same time. A typical ESS takes several inputs from the vehicle and applies different outputs to the vehicle to influence the vehicle's behavior. Examples of inputs include steering column rotation, the longitudinal and transverse acceleration of the vehicle, the engine output, the detection of the presence (or absence) of a rider and a passenger, the speed of the four wheels and the brake pressure in the wheel's brakes. Traditional ESS's use inputs from all four wheels. Some low-cost systems use reduced wheel speed inputs, but this does not result in optimal behavior. Inputs from suspension displacement and brake and accelerator pedal displacement can also be provided to the ESS.
The outputs from the ESS affect the automobile's behavior by generally independently managing the brakes on each wheel, the suspension, and the power output of the engine in order to improve the automobile's handling under certain circumstances. Since ESS's have been specifically developed for four-wheeled vehicles and rely on inputs provided by a four-wheeled vehicle, it is not convenient to adapt this kind of system to a three-wheeled vehicle. This is especially true since an ESS typically uses inputs from each of the four wheels independently and uses the braking system independently on all of the wheels. It is also possible to adapt suspension settings corresponding to the four wheels to change the behavior of the vehicle.
As would be appreciated by those skilled in the art, there are many ways in which suspension behaviors can be modified. For example, the internal valve setting(s) in one or more of the shock absorbers may be changed mechanically or electronically. Alternatively, the spring pre-load may be adjusted. Additionally, the fluid viscosity in the shock absorber may be adjusted by subjecting a magnetorheological fluid to an external electric or magnetic field.
A three-wheeled vehicle configured with a single wheel at the rear of the vehicle does not provide all the information/data input required by a four-wheeled vehicle ESS. For example, there is only one rear wheel from which the ESS can receive input on speed. Moreover, on a vehicle having two rear wheels, when the brake is applied to one wheel, a "yaw moment" is generated about a vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle. On a vehicle having only one rear wheel, the rear wheel is positioned in the same plane as the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, which makes it difficult to generate any "yaw moment" by applying the brake to the rear wheel. However, it is known that a very wide single rear tire can generate a small "yaw moment" under strong lateral acceleration due to lateral displacement of the tire contact patch. A vehicle experiencing understeer has limited cornering ability on the understeering axle. In order to create a stabilizing yaw moment, a single brake force must be applied to an inner rear wheel, since this will create a restoring moment by capitalizing on the surplus cornering force available from that tire. It is understandable that this may cause a problem when there is only one centered rear wheel.
A system that improves stability of a three-wheeled vehicle is desired in the industry. There is especially a need for such a system that can operate based on the detection of roll of the vehicle, without the assistance of an electronic control unit (ECU).


A mating detection system is provided in an electrical connector assembly. A first connector has a mating detection element integral therewith and movable from an unmated position to a mating detection position. A second connector is mateable with the first connector and has an actuator element engageable with the mating detection element of the first connector. The actuator element moves the mating detection element from its unmated position to its mating detection position and, thereby, visually indicates that the connectors have been mated.

This invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and, particularly, to a system for detecting whether or not a pair of connectors have been mated.
Generally, an electrical connector assembly includes a pair of connectors which are mated at a connector interface. For instance, a plug or male connector may be mateable with a receptacle or female connector. Typically, each connector includes some form of dielectric housing mounting a plurality of conductive terminals which interengage to establish electrical continuity through the assembly when the connectors are mated.
In some applications, it may be desirable to be able to detect whether or not a pair of connectors are fully mated. Such detection systems have some form of indicator which is in a given position when the connectors are fully mated. However, there are other applications wherein it may be desirable to indicate whether or not a pair of connectors have ever been mated, even after the connectors are separated. For instance, in the automotive industry, when a consumer returns a vehicle to a dealership for service because of certain components not operating properly or because warning lights become visible, the dealership attempts to determine the root cause of the problem. One such root cause is the fact that a pair of electrical connectors have not been fully mated. In certain areas of the vehicle, this is quite difficult to determine. The present invention is direction to providing a mating detection system in an electrical connector assembly which can detect whether or not a pair of connectors have ever been fully mated in a first instance, even when the connectors are separated or unmated.
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved mating detection system in an electrical connector assembly.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, a first connector includes a mating detection element integral therewith and movable from an unmated position to a mating detection position. A second connector is mateable with the first connector and has an actuator element engageable with the mating detection element of the first connector to move the detection element from its unmated position to its mating detection position and, thereby, visually indicate that the connectors have been mated.
According to one aspect of the invention, the mating detection element is fabricated of deformable material and is deformed when moving from its unmated position to its mating detection position. The mating detection element may be fabricated of plastic, metal or like deform able material. As disclosed herein, the detection element is formed by an engaging button connected to a housing of the first connector by at least one deformable web. The actuator element on the second connector is provided by a protruding boss.
According to another aspect of the invention, the first connector includes a housing panel having an opening with a peripheral edge. The engaging button which forms the mating detection element is located within the opening and is joined to the peripheral edge thereof by a plurality of deformable webs in a spoke-like arrangement. The panel has a front mating side, and the spoke-like deformable webs project forwardly therefrom to locate the engaging button spaced forwardly of the front mating side of the panel in the unmated position of the button. The webs are deformed and the engaging button xe2x80x9csnapsxe2x80x9d through the opening to a rear side of the panel in the mating detection position of the button.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Mating detection system for an electrical connector assembly


A charged particle lithography system for transferring a pattern onto the surface of a target, comprising a source for generating a charged particle beam, a first chamber housing the source, a collimating system for collimating the charged particle beam, a second chamber housing the collimating system, and a first aperture array element for generating a plurality of charged particle subbeams from the collimated charged particle beam.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charged particle lithography apparatus, and in particular to an aperture array for a lithography system with a cooling system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, most commercial lithography systems use a light beam and mask as a means to reproduce pattern data for exposing a target, such as a wafer with a coating of resist. In a maskless lithography system, beams of charged particles are used to write the pattern data onto the target. The beamlets are individually controlled, for example by individually switching them on and off, to generate the required pattern. For high resolution lithography systems designed to operate at a commercially acceptable throughput, the size, complexity, and cost of such systems becomes an obstacle.
Furthermore, existing charged particle beam technology is suitable for lithography systems for relatively course patterning of images, for example to achieve critical dimensions of 90 nm and higher. However, a growing need exists for improved performance. It is desired to achieve considerably smaller critical dimensions, for example 22 nm, while maintaining sufficient wafer throughput, e.g. between 10 and 100 wafers per hour. In order to achieve such a large throughput at ever decreasing feature sizes it is necessary to increase the number of beams generated by the system, increase the current in the charged particle beams, and reduce the distance between the beams.
Charged particle beam lithography systems are typically operated in a vacuum environment provided by a vacuum chamber. The source which generates the charged particle beam preferably operates in a high vacuum environment, and attaining this high vacuum in the vacuum chamber is difficult and time consuming, reducing overall throughput of the lithography system. Furthermore, contaminants such as water vapour and hydrocarbons outgassed from the resist-covered wafer and components of the system in the vacuum chamber are also a problem.

Charged particle lithography system with intermediate chamber


A guard for gas cylinder actuators, comprising a rigid or deformable covering element, to be fixed to the stem of the gas cylinder actuator with which it is associated or to the translating body against which the gas cylinder actuator is intended to act, the covering element being contoured so as to extend radially from the fixing region in order to protect the stem and the opening of the body of the actuator from which the stem exits.

Generally, gas cylinder actuators are part of equipment for locking a metal sheet adapted to be shaped in a press or worked with another pressing system, for blanking or drawing, and are used to extract or retain the metal sheet during its working.
Usually, in this type of work and when using these pressing systems, oils or other emulsifying liquids are used abundantly in order to improve work.
However, while these oils or similar liquids fully perform their task of improving sheet metal working, they often damage the gas cylinder actuators, which are also fitted within the die.
The oil in fact penetrates the gas cylinder actuators, passing through the gasket, entrained by the moving stem; this condition creates problems in terms of durability of the gas cylinder actuator, since it compromises its tightness with respect to the pressurized gas.
In order to obviate this drawback, protective domes are known which can be made of various materials, depending on the aggressive agents from which the associated gas cylinder actuator is to be protected, and must be fixed so as to cover part of the body of the gas cylinder actuator on the stem side, which is the part that is most subject to being splashed by the oils and fluids that fall from the overlying metal sheet being worked.
These domes have a passage hole for the work strokes of the stem, and therefore, although they achieve the task of protecting the body of the gas cylinder actuator, they do not protect sufficiently the gaskets between the body and the stem, since the aggressive liquids penetrate between the hole of a dome and the stem that passes through it and reach the dynamic seals between the body and the stem of the gas cylinder actuator.


A gas turbine and a method for replacing a bearing thereof to easily adjust a clearance of a bearing housing and a bearing covering a tie rod, such that the bearing can be easily replaced is disclosed.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a gas turbine, and more particularly, to a method for replacing a bearing covering the outside of a tie rod installed in a gas turbine.
In general, a gas turbine refers to a type of internal combustion engine that converts thermal energy into mechanical energy by the expanding high-temperature and high-pressure combustion gas in a turbine. The high-temperature and high-pressure combustion gas is generated by burning a mixture of air and fuel, the air being compressed to high pressure by a compressor. The compressor and the turbine are driven by rotational force through a rotor.
The gas turbine includes a plurality of compressor rotor disks each having a plurality of compressor blades arranged on the outer circumferential surface thereof, the components of which make up a compressor rotor and a turbine rotor.
The gas turbine uses a tie rod for not only connecting the compressor rotor disks to each other such that the compressor rotor disks are rotated together, but also for connecting a plurality of turbine rotor disks to each other such that the turbine rotor disks are rotated together, the plurality of turbine rotor disks each having a plurality of turbine blades arranged on the outer circumference thereof. Since the tie rod is extended through the centers of the compressor rotor disks and the turbine rotor disks, the compressor rotor disks and the turbine rotor disks can be stably fastened.
Recently, however, the increase in size and efficiency of gas turbines have increased the whole lengths of the gas turbines. Therefore, the support for the tie rod, which is rotated at high speed with the compressor rotor and the turbine rotor of the gas turbine, may become destabilized. Furthermore, the turbine rotor has a bearing mounted therein, in order to guarantee a stable rotation through the rotation of the tie rod.
The tie rod extends through the compressor rotor having a plurality of compressor rotor disks installed therein and the turbine rotor having a plurality of turbine rotor disks installed therein. In particular, it is not easy to install a unit for stably supporting the rotating tie rod in a space where combustors are radially arranged at the outer circumference between the compressor rotor and the turbine rotor along the center axis of the gas turbine.
The bearing needs to be replaced after being used for a predetermined period. In order to replace the bearing, heavy equipment such as a crane must be used to lift the rotor. In this case, it is difficult to precisely control the crane.
For example, the outside of the bearing is covered by a bearing housing, and a gap between the bearing and the bearing housing is just a few millimeters. Therefore, when the crane is not precisely controlled, the neighboring parts may be damaged or broken. Thus, safety is inevitably lowered.

Gas turbine and method for replacing bearing thereof

Doosan Heavy Industries Construction Co., Ltd


A rear wheel steering apparatus comprises an electric motor generating rotational torque, an electric control device controlling the rotation of the electric motor, a motion converting device converting the rotational torque of the electric motor into a propulsion force, an output shaft outputting the propulsion force, a rear wheel steering angle detecting device detecting a steering angle of the rear wheels steered by the output shaft, a regulating member for prohibiting the output shaft from rotating while allowing the output shaft to move axially, a neutral return device manually returning the rear wheels to a neutral position upon failure of the motor or the electric control device, a neutral return detecting device for detecting the return of the output shaft to the neutral position and a neutral return notification device for notifying the return of the output shaft to the neutral position.

This invention relates to a rear wheel steering apparatus. More particularly, this invention relates to a rear wheel steering apparatus having a neutral return means for manually returning rear wheels to a neutral position in the case of the failure of an electric motor or an electric control device.
A conventional rear wheel steering apparatus of this kind is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,945. This apparatus includes an electric motor, a rotational member rotated by the electric motor, a tie rod connecting member for converting a rotational movement of the rotation member into a movement in the direction of a width of the vehicle, a connecting member provided between the rotational member and the tie rod connecting member and able to be driven conversely by an external force from the rear wheels and an engage means provided on the rotational member and being engageable with a manual rotation means for manually giving a rotational movement to the rotational member.
In the above mentioned prior apparatus, in case it is possible to rotate a rotational shaft of the electric motor from outside, it is possible to rotate the rotational member by the manual rotation means and thereby the rear wheels can be returned to a neutral position. However, it must depend on intuition of an operator whether the rear wheels were returned to the neutral position or not. Therefore, it is necessary to repeat the running of the vehicle after the rotation of the manual rotation means in order to confirm the going straight ahead of the vehicle and the efficiency of the operation is low.
A need exists for a rear wheel steering apparatus which can return the rear wheels to the neutral position efficiently.
A rear wheel steering apparatus comprises an electric motor for generating a rotational torque, an electric control device for controlling the rotation of the electric motor, a motion converting means for converting the rotational torque of the electric motor into a propulsion force in the direction of a width of a vehicle and connected to a rotational shaft of the electric motor, an output shaft for outputting the propulsion force in the direction of the width of the vehicle which is converted by the motion converting means, tie rods connecting between the output shaft and rear wheels and having a ball joint, respectively, a housing fixed to the vehicle and accommodating the electric motor, the motion converting means and the output shaft therein, a rear wheel steering angle detecting means for detecting a steering angle of the rear wheels steered by the output shaft, a regulating member connected to the housing and for prohibiting the output shaft from rotating while allowing the output shaft to move in the axial direction, a neutral return means for manually returning the rear wheels to a neutral position in the case of the failure of the electric motor or the electric control device, a neutral return detecting means for detecting the return of the output shaft to the neutral position and a neutral return notification means for notifying the return of the output shaft to the neutral position.


A method and device for temperature compensation of an image detector including photosensitive spots sensitive to ambient temperature, each connected to a row conductor and a column conductor. The photosensitive spots are connected by their conductors to a read circuit. The photosensitive spots are divided into detecting photosensitive spots to be exposed to light information corresponding to the image to be detected, the read circuits associated with these photosensitive spots each delivering a measurement voltage representative of the image to be detected, and into blind photosensitive spots protected from the light information, the read circuits associated with these blind photosensitive spots each delivering a dark voltage serving for temperature compensation. During detection of an image the dark voltages are picked up, then an average correction value from the dark voltages coming from one or more detected images is generated, and the average correction value is used to generate a correction voltage to be applied, during detection of a subsequent image, to the read circuits associated with the detecting photosensitive spots so that they deliver a measurement voltage made substantially independent of temperature. Such a method and device may find application in particular to radiological image detectors.

The present invention relates to a method of temperature compensation of an image detector, which makes it virtually insensitive to temperature fluctuations and which in particular guarantees that it has an approximately constant image dynamic range whatever the temperature.
In this type of image detector, the acquisition of an image takes place with the aid of one or more photosensitive spots each formed from a photodiode and a switch. The photosensitive spots are produced with the aid of techniques for the thin-film deposition of semiconductor materials such as hydrogenated amorphous silicon (aSiH). These photosensitive spots, arranged in the form of a matrix or linear array, make it possible to detect images contained within visible or near-visible radiation. The signals that are produced by said spots are then generally digitized so as to be able to be stored and processed easily.
These arrangements of photosensitive spots find one particularly advantageous application in the medical field or the field of industrial inspection, in which they detect radiological images. All that is required is to cover them with a scintillator and to expose the latter to X-radiation carrying a radiological image. The scintillator converts the incident X-radiation into radiation in the band of wavelengths to which the photosensitive spots are sensitive.
There are now large photosensitive matrices which may have several million photosensitive spots.
FIG. 1 shows a matrix image detector of known type. It has only nine photosensitive spots in order not to unnecessarily clutter up the figure. Each photosensitive spot P1 to P9 is formed from a photodiode Dp and an element having a switch function Dc represented in the form of a switching diode. It would have been possible to choose a transistor as element having a switching function. The photodiode Dp and the switching diode Dc are connected together in a back-to-back arrangement.
Each photosensitive spot P1 to P9 is connected between a row conductor Y1 to Y3 and a column conductor X1 to X3. The row conductors Y1 to Y3 are connected to an addressing device 3 known as a driver. There may be several drivers 3 if the matrix is of large size. The addressing device 3 generally comprises shift registers, switching circuits and clock circuits. The addressing device 3 raises the row conductors Y1 to Y3 to voltages which either isolate the photosensitive spots P1 to P3 connected to the same row conductor Y1 from the rest of the matrix or turn them on. The addressing device 3 allows the row conductors Y1 to Y3 to be addressed sequentially.
The column conductors X1 to X3 are connected to a read device CL.
During an image record phase, during which the photosensitive spots P1 to P9 are exposed to a signal to be picked up and are in a receiving state, that is to say their reverse-biased photosensitive diodes Dp and switching diodes Dc each constitute a capacitor, there is a build up of charges at the junction point A between the two diodes Dp, Dc. The amount of charge is approximately proportional to the intensity of the signal received, whether this is very intense illumination, provided that the photosensitive diodes remain in the linear detection range, or darkness. There then follows a read phase, during which a read pulse is sequentially applied to the row conductors Y1 to Y3, which read pulse turns on the photodiodes Dp and makes it possible for the charges accumulated in the column conductors X1 to X3 to drain away to the read device CL.
The read device CL will now be explained in greater detail. It consists of as many read circuits as there are column conductors X1 to X3 and these read circuits are of the charge-integrating circuit type 5. Each charge-integrating circuit is formed by an operational amplifier G1 to G3 mounted as an integrator by means of a read capacitor C1 to C3. Each capacitor is mounted between the negative input of the operational amplifier G1 to G3 and its output S1 to S3. Each column conductor X1 to X3 is connected to the negative input of an operational amplifier G1 to G3. The positive input of each of the operational amplifiers, G1 to G3 is taken to a constant input reference voltage VR, which sets this reference voltage on each column conductor X1 to X3. Each operational amplifier G1 to G3 comprises a resetting switch I1 to I3 mounted in parallel with the capacitor C1 to C3.
The outputs S1 to S3 of the integrating circuits are connected to a multiplexing device 6 which delivers, as a series, signals corresponding to the charges which were integrated by the charge-integrating circuits. In the read phase, these signals correspond to the charges accumulated by all the photosensitive spots of the same row. The signals delivered by the multiplexing device 6 are then digitized in at least one analog-to-digital converter 7, the digitized signals output by the analog-to-digital converter 7 translating the content of image to be detected. These digitized signals are sent to a management system 8 which can store, process and display them.
Defects affect the quality of the useful images from such photosensitive devices.
The semiconductor components of the photosensitive spots exhibit remanence which is associated especially with their imperfect crystalline structure. Charges corresponding to an image record phase are not read during the associated read phase and are reproduced during the read phase for a subsequent image. To try to overcome remanence problems, it has been proposed, especially in patent application EP-A-364 314, to add to the charge due to the signal to be picked up a drive charge and to apply, between two read pulses, a bias pulse whose amplitude is generally less than that of the read pulse.
The semiconductor components of the photosensitive spots are not all exactly identical and the matrix of photosensitive spots has locally impaired regions. The components of the read device CL also contribute inhomogeneities.
It is common practice to correct the useful image with what is called an offset image, also known as a xe2x80x9cblack imagexe2x80x9d. This black image is made at the start of the operating cycle by exposing the image detector, during the image record phase, to a signal of zero intensity, and then carrying out the read phase.
The offset image is produced in the absence of any illumination and the charges read, at the photosensitive spot, during the corresponding read phase, fall within the following three categories. The first represents the drive charges, the value of which is given by:
Q=(VP2xe2x88x92VP1)Cp
with:
VP2, the amplitude of the read pulse;
VP1, the amplitude of the bias pulse (these read and bias pulses are delivered by the addressing circuit 3); and
Cp, the capacitance of the photosensitive spot P1 to P9.
The second category of charges corresponds to the charges arising from the leakage current of the photodiode Dp of the photosensitive spot read, this current being established between the application of two successive read pulses or bias pulses.
The third category of charges corresponds to the charges arising from the leakage current emanating from all the photosensitive spots connected to the same column conductor as that which is read, but only during the read phase.
However, it has turned out that although the first category of charges is relatively temperature-stable, the same does not apply in the case of the other two categories of charges. The offset image varies with temperature. This variation may be very significant, for example at 25xc2x0 C., the electric charge, accumulated at a photosensitive spot of the offset image and converted into a voltage by the charge-integrating circuit 5, may be 0.5 volts, while it may reach up to 2 volts at 50xc2x0 C.
This phenomenon is annoying; it may be overcome, but in a restricting manner, by recording offset images often and by correcting the useful image with these offset images, at a sufficiently high frequency compared with the thermal time constants of the photosensitive device.
In addition, it turns out that this phenomenon causes other drawbacks, the more one works at high temperature. The dynamic range of the image detector degrades with temperature. The images that it produces become less and less well contrasted as the temperature increases and fewer and fewer shades can be rendered. The dynamic range of the image is degraded.
This is because the analog-to-digital converter 7 has a fixed encoding range for digitizing the voltage values delivered by the multiplexing device 6 for each of the photosensitive spots. A typical value of the encoding range is between 0 volts and 5 volts. If, at 40xc2x0 C., the level of the offset of a photosensitive spot is 1.8 volts, there remains only 3.2 volts available for encoding the level of this photosensitive spot in the useful image.
The present invention aims to overcome the abovementioned problems associated with the variations in ambient temperature and provides a method for temperature compensation of an image detector making it virtually insensitive to the inevitable fluctuations in ambient temperature.
To achieve this, the method according to the invention is a method for temperature compensation of an image detector comprising photosensitive spots, these being sensitive to ambient temperature, each connected to a row conductor and a column conductor, each of the photosensitive spots being connected via one of its conductors to a read circuit. The photosensitive spots are divided into detecting photosensitive spots, intended to be exposed to light information corresponding to the image to be detected, the read circuits associated with these photosensitive spots each delivering a measurement voltage representative of the image to be detected, and into blind photosensitive spots protected from the light information, the read circuits associated with these blind photosensitive spots each delivering a dark voltage serving for temperature compensation. The method consists, during detection of an image, in picking up the dark voltages, then in generating an average correction value from the dark voltages coming from one or more detected images and in using the average correction value to generate a correction voltage from the average correction value to be applied, during detection of a subsequent image, to the read circuits associated with the detecting photosensitive spots so that they deliver a measurement voltage made substantially independent of temperature.
More particularly, it consists in converting, in an analog-to-digital converter, the measurement and dark voltages of the photosensitive spots and in generating the average correction value from the digitized dark voltages, this average correction value serving to control a digital-to-analog converter which delivers the correction voltage to be applied to the read circuits associated with the detecting photosensitive spots.
It is preferable for the average correction value to be generated by simple averaging over dark voltages coming from several detected images.
Even better results are obtained if the average correction value is generated by sliding averaging over the dark voltages coming from several detected images.
To make the compensation even more effective, the averaging will be compatible with the thermal time constant of the image detector; to do this, the average correction value is generated from dark voltages coming from one or more detected images, the time interval separating the detection of the earliest image from the detection of the most recent image used in the averaging being less than the thermal time constant of the detector.
The present invention also relates to a temperature-compensated image detector comprising photosensitive spots, each connected to a row conductor and a column conductor, each photosensitive spot being connected via one of its conductors to a read circuit. The photosensitive spots are divided into detecting photosensitive spots, intended to be exposed to light information corresponding to the image to be detected, the read circuits associated with these photosensitive spots each delivering a measurement voltage representative of the image to be detected, and into blind photosensitive spots protected from the light information, the read circuits associated with these blind photosensitive spots each delivering a dark voltage used for temperature compensation. It comprises means for picking up the dark voltages during detection of an image and for generating an average correction value from the dark voltages picked up coming from one or more detected images and means for generating, from the average correction value, a correction voltage intended to be applied to the read circuits associated with the detecting photosensitive spots, during detection of a subsequent image, so that the detecting photosensitive spots deliver a measurement voltage made approximately independent of temperature.
The means for picking up the dark voltages and for generating the average correction value receive the dark voltages in digital form from at least one analog-to-digital converter placed between the read circuits and the means for generating the average correction value.
The means for generating the correction voltage comprise a digital-to-analog converter placed between the means for picking up the dark voltages and for generating the average correction value and the read circuits of the detecting photosensitive spots.
The read circuit associated with a detecting photosensitive spot is a charge-integrating circuit comprising a capacitor, one plate of which receives charges from the detecting photosensitive spot via the charge conductor and the other plate of which is at the correction voltage.
The read circuit associated with a blind photosensitive spot is a charge-integrating circuit comprising a capacitor, one plate of which receives charges from the blind photosensitive spot via the conductor and the other plate of which is at a fixed reference voltage.
In a simple manner, so as not to degrade the resolution of the image detector, it is preferable for the blind photosensitive spots to be connected to an outermost portion of a row conductor.
The blind photosensitive spots will be covered with a material opaque to the light information to which the detecting photosensitive spots are exposed, such as black paint.
When the detecting photosensitive spots are covered with a scintillator material which converts X-radiation into light information, the blind photosensitive spots are covered with an X-ray-opaque material such as lead, the opaque material, when it is present, lies between the lead and the blind photosensitive spots.

Method for temperature compensation of an image detector


A wireless device belongs to a wireless communication system and exchanges information within at least one band of frequencies. A method includes detecting a presence of at least one victim device operating within the at least one band of frequencies. The first wireless device is provided with an antenna array, and the detecting step includes analyzing an environment of the wireless device through the antenna array, and if the at least one victim device is detected, reducing interference by controlling the antenna array to steer the antenna beam toward an area located outside a vicinity of the potential victim device to exchanging information within the at least one band of frequencies with at least a second wireless device located in the area.

The main characteristic of a UWB based wireless communication system is the fact that it operates as an underlay system in frequency bands already in use by other wireless communication and location (RADAR) systems. These incumbent systems will generate interference in the UWB systems (inband interference) and the UWB system will also generate interference toward these systems. Due to the very limited transmission power of the UWB systems, the range in which the generated interference will cause a degradation in the incumbent system is limited to meters or tenths of meters. An incumbent system operating in this area will also generate interference toward the UWB system in operation and thus leads to a degradation of the communication performance.
Orthogonal frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a method of digital modulation in which a signal is split into several narrowband channels (sub-carriers) at different frequencies.
A WIMAX device operates, for example, with a bandwidth of 20 MHz at a central frequency of 3.5 GHz, whereas the frequency band of the MBOA system lies between 3.1 and 4.8 GHz.
Wireless personal area networks based on OFDM and UWB technologies like the MBOA standard may directly interfere to narrowband devices which are close to such wideband devices. At present, no specific interference mitigation techniques are implemented in the UWB standard based on OFDM (MBOA).
In order to avoid in-band spectral interference, a conventional method proposes to puncture, i.e. remove, selected sub-carriers. More precisely, this puncturing is made, taking into account channel knowledge, after the OFDM modulation in the transmitter, whereas a depuncturing is performed in the receiver before the OFDM demodulator.

Method for managing the operation of a wireless device, in particular for reducing interferences with a potential victim device


Disclosed is a modular delivery system that includes a guide rail (1) with which is associated at least one delivery station (6) for delivering an object to an end position (5), and a trolley (2) which is movable along the guide rail (1) for transporting an object. A delivery position (4) of the trolley (2) is determined by each associated delivery station (6), and the trolley (2) is repeatedly deliverable to at least one of the delivery positions (4). The trolley (2) has a delivery table (3) which can be placed on and removed from the trolley (2) horizontally, and the delivery table (3) is transferable from every delivery position (4) to the associated end position (5) and from every end position (5) to the associated delivery position (4).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a modular delivery system for the delivery of objects to at least one end position using a rail system such as is known generically from U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,818 B1, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Delivery systems are known, for example, for use in the production, assembly or packaging of products or in the warehousing of objects such as, e.g., tools, consumables or merchandise.
It is particularly convenient when the delivery system is formed modularly so that the delivery system can be easily adapted to different local conditions, workload capacities and other varied requirements.
A modular delivery system which includes at least one guide rail and trolleys which are movable along the guide rail is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,818 B1. Each trolley is deliverable to at least one delivery position of the guide rail. Proceeding from the delivery position, the entire trolley is deliverable to a work place (hereinafter referred to as end position) in that it is removed from the guide rail and transported via a delivery station to the end position. At the end position, the objects to be transported can be loaded on the trolley or transported objects can be unloaded from the trolley. The modular delivery system is adapted to diverse spatial conditions by means of standardized, modularly disposable guide rail sections, shunts and curves. The trolley is driven by a system of wheels which are drivable in a controlled manner and are integrated in one of the guide rails.
The described delivery system is disadvantageous in that a trolley must remain at the end position during loading and unloading and is not available for other purposes. The modular delivery system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,818 B1 is also not suitable for transporting or delivering cooled, especially deep-frozen, samples, e.g., for medical purposes, because there is no assurance that the cold chain will be maintained.
It is the object of the invention to suggest a modular delivery system which has improved flexibility over the prior art with respect to the availability of the trolleys and can deliver a wider assortment of objects.


A method of making an electrical cable, the method comprising: bonding a plurality of electrical conductors to respective neighboring ones of the electrical conductors to form a ribbon, the electrical conductors being electrically insulated from the respective neighboring ones; folding the ribbon to form cable assembly, each of the electrical conductors traversing the width of the cable assembly at least twice; optionally bonding the cable assembly; and optionally coiling the cable assembly.

The present invention relates generally to the field of electrical cables and more specifically to the field of making litz wire.
In a wide variety of applications, litz wire (also called xe2x80x9clitzendraht wirexe2x80x9d) is used to reduce the high frequency impedance of electrical cables. A typical litz wire consists of a number of individually insulated conductors woven together so that each conductor assumes all possible positions in the cross section of the assembly. This arrangement of the conductors tends to reduce high frequency eddy current effects, thereby resulting in lower high frequency impedance.
The woven litz wire, while providing high performance, is sometimes prohibitively expensive for some applications owing to difficulty in its manufacture. Opportunities exist, therefore, to reduce the cost of litz wire and expand the number of applications by finding an alternative, less costly method of manufacture.
The opportunities described above are addressed, in one embodiment of the present invention, by a method of making an electrical cable, the method comprising: bonding a plurality of electrical conductors to respective neighboring ones of the electrical conductors to form a ribbon, the electrical conductors being electrically insulated from the respective neighboring ones; folding the ribbon to form a cable assembly, each of the electrical conductors traversing the width of the cable assembly at least twice; optionally bonding the cable assembly; and optionally coiling the cable assembly.