Surgical cutting instrument includes an electrically heated cutting edge and an automatic control system for maintaining the cutting edge at a constant high temperature for sterilizing the blade, cutting tissue, and cauterizing the incised tissue to reduce hemorrhage from the cut surfaces of the tissues (hemostasis).

The control of bleeding during surgery accounts for a major portion of the total time involved in an operation. The bleeding that occurs when tissue is incised obscures the surgeon""s vision, reduces his precision and often dictates slow and elaborate procedures in surgical operations. Each bleeding vessel must be grasped in pincer-like clamps to stop the flow of blood and the tissue and vessel within each clamp must then be tied with pieces of fine thread. These ligated masses of tissue die and decompose and thus tend to retard healing and promote infection.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a surgical cutting instrument having a cutting edge which is electrically heated to a constant high temperature for sterilizing the blade, cutting the tissue and cauterizing the surfaces of the incision, thereby allowing surgery to be more rapidly performed. This is accomplished in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of this invention by providing an electrically heated element disposed as the cutting edges of he blade and by providing a control system witch maintains the cutting edge at a high substantially constant temperature during its use. The hot cutting edge according to the present invention decreases the amount of tissue that is damaged and reduces the tendency of the instrument to stick to the heated tissue in the incision. The material used in the electrically heated cutting edge has a negative temperature coefficient of resistance to insure that electrical power applied to the cutting edge is dissipated primarily in the regions thereof which tend to be cooled by contact with tissue. The temperature at which the cutting edge of the blade is maintained depends upon such factors as the nature of the tissue to be cut, the speed of cutting desired, the degree of tissue coagulation desired, and the non-adherence of the blade to the incised tissue and generally is maintained between 300xc2x0-1000xc2x0 Centigrade for typical incisions. The instantaneous temperature of the cutting edge is monitored by measuring the resistance of the heating element itself or through the use of thermocouple elements disposed in the blade near the cutting edge, and the monitoring signal thus derived controls the power applied to the heating element. The handle of the cutting instrument is thermally insulated from the blade to permit comfortable use of the instrument and the handle and blade with its electrically heated cutting edge are detachable for easy replacement and interchangeability with blade, scoops and cutting edge of various shapes and sizes determined by the nature of the incision to be made and the tissue to be cut.

Electrically heated surgical cutting instrument


According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a case, a main circuit board in the case, a connector on the main circuit board, an auxiliary circuit board includes one end portion connected to the connector and an extending portion extending outside the main circuit board, and a spring supporting mechanism between the case and the extending portion of the auxiliary circuit board. The spring supporting mechanism includes a spring portion configured to support the extending portion elastically deformable in a direction across a surface of the auxiliary circuit board, and is fixed to the extending portion to prevent the auxiliary circuit board from moving along the surface thereof.

An electronic apparatus, such as a notebook personal computer (notebook PC), comprises a case that forms an outer wall, various electronic components arranged in the case, storage device, etc.
Normally, a main circuit board is disposed in the case and fixed by screws to bosses that protrude from the inner surface of the case. Further, various types of connectors, as well as a large number of electronic components, are mounted on the main circuit board. One end of an auxiliary circuit board, such as a memory module, is connected to a connector, while the other end is supported on the main circuit board. Furthermore, a control panel mounting structure is proposed in, for example, Jpn. UM Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 5-55574. According to this mounting structure, one end of an auxiliary circuit board is connected to a connector mounted on a main circuit board, and the other end is supported by a reinforcement metal fitting fixed to the main circuit board. A board mounting structure is proposed in, for example, Jpn. UM Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 4-59196. According to this structure, one end of an auxiliary circuit board is connected to a connector mounted on a main circuit board, and the other end is held by springs without using screws.
With recent miniaturization of electronic equipment, many circuit boards have become limited in installation space. For example, there may be a situation that no space for the auxiliary circuit board can be secured on the main circuit board and that one end of the auxiliary circuit board is connected to the connector mounted on an end edge of the main circuit board and the other end is supported on the case outside the main circuit board. Specifically, the one and the other ends of the auxiliary circuit board are fixed to the main circuit board and case, respectively. In this case, if the case is deformed by a load and displaced with respect to the main circuit board, for example, the auxiliary circuit board is displaced relative to the main circuit board in the position of the connector. Thus, a connection failure may occur between the connector and auxiliary circuit board.
In the case where the other end portion of the auxiliary circuit board is supported by the springs only, the auxiliary circuit board cannot be stably supported if a load is applied to the case or main circuit board. Thus, the load may act on a junction between the connector and auxiliary circuit board.


An animated children's toy including a gear system for providing intermittent and reciprocal motion. The gear system includes a drive gear and a driven gear. The gear system is adapted to have a non-rotating configuration and an engaged configuration. In the non-rotating configuration the driven gear is prevented from rotating, and a corresponding portion of the animated children's toy is not moving. In the engaged configuration the driven gear rotates and a corresponding portion of the animated children's toy moves.

In recent years animation in children's toys has become very popular. Animated toys include a system for generating motion, typically driven by small rotating motors that connect to gears, pulleys or levers. Some animation systems for animated toys include a Geneva mechanism designed to produce an intermittent motion, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,764,141; 5,310,377; and 5,405,142, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to animated toys in which parts of the toy undergo intermittent reciprocal motion. This motion is driven by one or more motors, each interconnected to a skeletal structure of the toy through various gears, pulleys, and cables. At least one of the gears pulls on one of the cables to in turn pull on the portion of the skeletal structure that is to be moved, and that gear may cooperate with other gears to have an engaged position and one or more non-rotating positions, as may be found in a Geneva gear mechanism. When the gear is in the engaged position, a motor may rotate the gear to actuate a discrete motion of a part of the toy, and when the gear is in a non-rotating position, the gear may hold that part of the toy in a fixed position, even as other gears driven by the same motor actuate other motions within the toy. Combining a series of these gears, each producing different discrete motions, creates an animated toy capable of complex movements with a lesser number of motors.
This present invention will be more readily understood after a consideration of the drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An orthogonal data converter for converting the components of a sequential vector component flow to a parallel vector component flow. The data converter has an input rotator configured to rotate corresponding vector components of the sequential vector component flow by a prescribed amount, and a bank of register files configured to store the rotated vector components. The converter also has an output rotator configured to rotate the position of the vector components read from the bank of register files by a prescribed amount. A controller of the converter is operative to control the addressing of the bank of register files and the rotating of the vector components. In this regard, the controller is operative to write the vector components to the bank of register files in a prescribed order and read the vector components in a prescribed order to generate the parallel vector component flow.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to data format conversion and more particularly to a system and method for data reordering in vector processing in order to support the conversion of sequential (vertical) vector component flow into parallel (full vector or horizontal) vector component flow.
2. Description of the Related Art
Graphics data can be represented in vector format with components of geometry information (i.e., X, Y, Z, and W) or pixel value information (i.e., R, G, B, A). A geometry engine processes the components of the vector. FIG. 1 illustrates how a typical graphics engine processes graphics vectors. A graphics vector 10 is inputted into an input buffer 12 which stores the graphics vectors in regular memory. The graphics vector has components Xi, Yi, Zi, and Wi. The input buffer 12 outputs the graphics vector to a vector arithmetic logic unit (ALU) 14 which performs functions on the graphics vector 10. The vector ALU 14 outputs a processed graphics vector 18, which is in the same format as the input graphics vector 10. Specifically, the processed graphics vector 18 contains the Xout, Yout, Zout, and Wout components. In this regard, the vector ALU 14 processes the vector components in time parallel (full vector or horizontal) vector component flow. Each of the components X, Y, Z, and W is processed at the same time by the vector ALU 14 such that the output contains each component Xout, Yout, Zout and Wout in a common format.
Recently, scalar graphics processors have been developed which process the graphics vector in a vertical vector component flow. FIG. 2 shows a SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data) processing unit using scalar ALU's for processing graphics vectors. The graphics vector 10 is inputted into a input buffer 20 which is a 4-bank orthogonal access memory, as is commonly known in the art. The input buffer 20 is operable to rearrange each of the graphics vectors 10 into common components. Specifically, the output of the input buffer 20 will be a vector containing the values of common components in a vertical vector format. Referring to FIG. 2, the input data buffer 20 outputs a component vector 22 which contains common or like components. For instance, the component vector 22 may contain the values of only the X component or only the Y component.
The input data buffer 20 outputs the component vector 22 in a time-sequential (vertical) vector component flow to a scalar processor 24 which operates on each of the components of the component vector 22 individually. The scalar processor 24 contains four scalar ALU's 26a-26d and is described in greater detail in applicant's co-pending U.S. Patent Application "SIMD PROCESSOR WITH SCALAR ALUS CAPABLE OF PROCESSING GRAPHICS VECTOR DATA", Ser. No. 10/354,795, filed Jan. 29, 2003, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
The scalar processor 24 outputs a scalar results vector 30 that contains the results of the computed vector components. However, the scalar results vector 30 is not in the same format as graphics vector 10. Specifically, the scalar results vector 30 is in a vertical (time-serial) format because the scalar processor 24 operates in a sequential (vertical) vector component flow. Therefore, the scalar results vector 30 needs to be converted into a time-parallel (full vector or horizontal) format.

Synchronous periodical orthogonal data converter


The present invention relates to an afocal zoom system for a microscope with a shutter for controlling the depth of focus of the microscopic image produced by an object, wherein at least one shutter is disposed in front of the first lens group of the zoom system, viewed from the object, in the direction of the beam path passing through the zoom system, and/or at least one shutter is disposed on a lens group of the zoom system, the diameter of which can be varied in order to control the depth of focus, without causing vignetting of the edge beams.

Zoom systems for microscopes, particularly for operating microscopes or high performance stereomicroscopes, are known in a number of forms from the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,816,321 discloses an afocal zoom system for high performance stereomicroscopes with which zoom factors z (ratio of maximum to minimum zoom magnification) of more than 15 can be achieved. Besides optional add-on modules, stereomicroscopes of this type comprise a main objective which images the object towards infinity, two parallel refractors downstream thereof, for varying the magnification, and two eyepiece units (binocular tubes) comprising a tube lens, a reversing system and an eyepiece for optical viewing with both eyes. The refractors may be in the form of Galileo refractors for stepwise selection of the magnification or as afocal zoom systems for continuously selecting the magnification. The distance of the refractor axis is termed the stereo base. The numerical aperture of this microscope is half the diameter of the entrance pupil of the telescope or refractor divided by the focal length of the main objective.
German patent DE 102 25 192 B4 relates to an objective for stereomicroscopes of the telescope type and a corresponding stereomicroscope. For details of its construction and mode of operation and the relation between magnification, resolution and vignetting, reference is made expressly to the above patent.
A high powered stereomicroscope with enhanced resolution and at the same time increased depth of focus for the same size of stereomicroscope is known from German patent DE 10 2006 036 300 B4. The embodiments in conjunction with FIGS. 9 and 10 in the specification of that document describe the construction and mode of operation of the afocal zoom systems used for the high powered stereomicroscope described therein. To this extent, reference is made specifically to this specification. Additionally, the afocal zoom systems referred to are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,816,321 mentioned previously (corresponding to DE 102 22 041 B4). FIG. 1 of the specification of DE 10 2006 036 300 B4 shows two parallel afocal zoom systems of a stereomicroscope in which an (iris) shutter or (iris) diaphragm with an adjustable diameter is arranged within the zoom system. The diameters are adjusted to be the same for both zoom systems. The iris shutters limit the corresponding diameters of the entrance pupils which are variably large, depending on the zoom setting and choice of shutter, but are the same on both sides.
In another type of zoom system, an (aperture) shutter or (aperture) diaphragm is positioned after the last lens component in the direction of light flow. A corresponding system is schematically shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of this application. The zoom system here is designated 1 and has four lens components or groups L1, L2, L3 and L4, the two outer lens components L1 and L4 being fixed, while the two inner lens components L2 and L3 are arranged to be axially moveable (along the optical axis). The movement of the lens components L2 and L3 takes place along precisely prescribed pathways and passes from a setting for low magnifications (FIG. 1) to a setting for high magnifications (FIG. 2). The shutter (or diaphragm) arranged after the zoom system 1 in the direction of propagation of the beam is designated B.
FIGS. 1 and 2 of this application show that the shutter (or diaphragm) B is effective at low magnifications while it has little or no effect at high magnifications. The shutter B thus influences the numerical aperture and hence also the depth of focus and brightness only for low to medium magnifications, while the depth of focus at high magnifications, in particular, cannot be increased. Further closing of the shutter B results in strong vignetting for the edge regions of the object field. On the other hand, at low magnification, the depth of focus is great in any case, so that a further increase in the depth of focus using the shutter B is scarcely necessary in practice. Further remarks on this zoom system 1 and on zoom systems in general can be found in the "Selected Papers on Zoom Lenses", published by Allen Mann, SPIE Milestone Series, Volume MS 85.

Zoom system for a microscope and method of operating such a zoom system


Multi-modal vinyl ester resins having one or more of good fracture toughness, good processing viscosity, and low volatile organic compound emissions are provided. The multi-modal vinyl ester resins are the reaction product of a liquid or crystalline epoxy and an amorphous, solid epoxy, as determined at 25° C., with a vinyl carboxylic acid. The multi-modal vinyl ester resins may contain a reactive diluent, though generally, lower reactive diluent contents are required for such resins than for similar, commercially available vinyl ester resins.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the preparation of vinyl ester resins with low volatile organic compound (VOC) content to reduce hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions. More specifically, the present invention relates to multi-modal vinyl ester resins.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Styrene is the most common reactive diluent used in thermosetting liquid molding resins. Recently, the Federal Environmental Protection Agency of the United States of America introduced legislation to address hazardous emissions from composite manufacturing and repair by enacting new emission standards through the "National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Reinforced Plastic Composites Production," which specifically targets styrene, methyl methacrylate, and mclhylene chloride as regulated hazardous air pollutants. Volatile organic compound emissions are liberated during all of the phases of composite fabrication. Styrene emissions occur during the mixing of diluents, catalysts, and initiators into the system. Composite parts typically have very large surface to volume ratios, which allows up to 20% of the styrene content to be lost during the molding stage. During cure, elevated temperatures increase the vapor pressure of styrene and thus increase the rate of VOC emissions. Unfortunately, even after cure during the lifetime of the part, styrene emissions can be substantial. Past work has shown that up to 50% of the styrene is unreacted after cure. Therefore, liberation of VOC emissions must be mitigated not only during composite processing, but also during curing and fielding of the composite part.
Simply reducing the styrene content in VE resins causes two problems. First of all, the resin viscosity increases unacceptably. The second problem is that the fracture toughness of these resins decreases as the styrene content is reduced. Lower molecular weight vinyl ester monomers can be used to reduce the resin viscosity, but detrimentally affects the fracture properties. This is the problem with Dow Derakane™ 441-400, which uses low molecular weight vinyl ester monomers and only 33 wt % styrene. The viscosity is approximately 400 cP, which is acceptable for liquid molding operations. On the other hand, the fracture toughness is only ˜100 J/m2.
Reactive diluents other than styrene have been used to reduce both VOC and HAP emissions. 2-hydroxymethacrylate has been used, but the resin viscosity and properties of the resulting polymers are inferior to that of styrene-based thermosetting resins. In addition, 2-hydroxymethacrylate produces significant VOC emissions. Ortho and para-methyl styrene have lower volatilities than styrene; however, these chemicals still produce significant VOCs and would probably be classified as HAPs if used on a large scale.
Additives, such as paraffin waxes, have been used to suppress styrene emissions. Yet, these resins suffer from poor polymer performance and poor interfacial adhesion in fiber-matrix composites. Furthermore, studies have shown that these additives do not effectively decrease styrene emissions during the time-scale of use.
Vinyl esters are used in military and commercial applications because of their high performance, low weight, and low cost. Although it is important to reduce the styrene content in these resins, the fracture toughness of VE resins must be improved for military, automotive, and other applications. Many methods have been used to toughen these resins, but with little success.
A simple way to improve impact performance of thermosets is through matrix toughening, or decreasing the crosslink density of the network. Previous work shows that this method works for vinyl esters. Synthesizing vinyl ester monomers with a higher molecular weight decreases the crosslink density and gives the network more molecular flexibility. A more flexible network corresponds to a tougher system; however, direct losses are experienced in other mechanical and thermal properties such as modulus and glass transition temperature (Tg). In addition, increasing vinyl ester molecular weight also increases resin viscosity. This viscosity increase could prohibit the use of inexpensive liquid molding techniques for composite fabrication.
To avoid significant plasticization of the matrix, other methods for toughening can be found in the literature and have been used commercially. Second phase toughening with rubber modifiers that precipitate from solution is one such method. It has heen shown that thermosetting systems, such as epoxies, can be toughened through rubber modification. For example, phase separation of a carboxyl-terminated rubber (CTBN) from a reacting mixture of diglycidyl ethers of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) and diamines (e.g. diamino diphenyl sulfone) results in a well-dispersed phase of rubber particles having typical dimensions of 1 μm and a material with improved toughness. For higher molecular weight DGEBA systems, the increase in fracture toughness is dramatic, reaching up to one order of magnitude. The rubber modifier must be miscible with the resin at room temperature and should fully precipitate from solution during cure to avoid plasticizing the epoxy phase.
Because rubber modification of epoxies has been successful, it should follow that toughening vinyl esters would experience the same type of success. Dreerman and coworkers attempted to toughen vinyl ester using an epoxy terminated (ETBN) and vinyl terminated (VTBN) butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber. They found that ETBN yielded the highest degree of toughening with approximately 70% increase in Klc. This pales in comparison to toughened epoxies, which exhibit over an order of magnitude increase in GIC from unmodified epoxies. Also the rubber modifiers were not compatible with the vinyl ester, which is a necessary condition for rubber toughening. Attempts to improve the compatibility (increased temperature, ultrasonic treatment, and surfactants) were not successful. Ullet reported similar trends when toughening vinyl ester. Two-phase mixtures were reported for butadiene-acrylonitrile based rubber modifiers. Compatibilizing agents improved the solubility of the rubber, but hindered the phase separation during cure. Also, a relatively low increase to Klc (116%) was achieved. Siebert and coworkers were able to obtain higher levels of toughness, as high as a 540% increase in KIC. Unfortunately, this toughening required relatively high rubber levels and resulted in a significant plasticization of the vinyl ester matrix. Similar problems with toughening vinyl esters were experienced by other research groups as well.
Bimodal blends of unsaturated polyester monomers have been used to make resins with good fracture properties and reduced resin viscosities. However, the viscosities of these resins were significantly higher than what is acceptable for inexpensive liquid molding of composite structures. Blends of VE monomers have also been used to make polymers. Dow Derakane resins typically contain mixtures of VE monomers with molecular weights as low as 540 g/mol and as high as 1900 g/mol. Because the molecular weights of the components are fairly similar, only modest increases in fracture toughness are observed (GIC˜250 J/m2). On the other hand, the VE multi-modal blends detailed herein have GIC values greater than 200 J/m2 at low styrene contents (˜30 wt %.). Therefore, multi-modal blends allow for the production of polymers with high fracture toughness, low viscosity, and low VOC emissions.

The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army


A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprises stimulable phosphor layers provided respectively on one surface and the other surface of a flexible belt, which belt changes the distribution of the radiation energy, whereby radiation images containing different embedded images on a specific structure of an object are recorded on the two stimulable phosphor layers with a single, simultaneous exposure to radiation. The two stimulable phosphor layers may be provided as two separate sheets. Two independent image read-out sections for reading out the radiation images stored on the stimulable phosphor layers, and two independent erasing sections for erasing radiation energy remaining on the stimulable phosphor layers are provided for the two stimulable phosphor layers, so that the two radiation images are read out simultaneously. Alternatively, each image read-out section and erasing section pair may be provided as separate readout and erasing unit.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a radiation image recording and read-out apparatus for recording a radiation image on each of several stimulable phosphor layers or on each of several stimulable phosphor sheets, exposing each stimulable phosphor layer or each stimulable phosphor sheet to stimulating rays which cause the stimulable phosphor layer or the stimulable phosphor sheet to emit light in proportion to the stored radiation energy, and detecting the emitted light to read out the radiation image as an electric image signal. This invention particularly relates to a radiation image recording and read-out apparatus wherein an image signal for forming an image of only a specific structure, i.e. only a certain part of the whole stored radiation image, is obtained.

Radiation image recording and read-out apparatus


An exemplary touch display system includes a flexible touch screen, a prism, an infrared light source, an infrared image sensor, and a processor. The prism is substantially isosceles right-angled triangular shaped, with a first side surface thereof being disposed adjacent to but spaced apart from back surface of the touch screen by air, wherein when a touch is applied to the touch display surface at a touch position, the touch screen is bent at the touch position and contact the prism at a contact position corresponding to the touch position. The infrared light source and the infrared image sensor are arranged adjacent to and facing to a hypotenuse surface of the prism. The processor is configured for processing image signals from the image sensor and obtaining the contact position based on light intensities of the image signals, thereby obtaining the touch position on the touch display surface.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to touch display systems, and particularly, to a touch display system with an optical touch detector for detecting touch positions.
2. Description of Related Art
Touch display systems have been widely used in electronic devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile phones.
Touch screens and touch detectors are key components for touch display systems. The touch screen is a display which can display images according to touches applied thereto. The touch detector is for detecting touch positions of a user's finger or a stylus on the touch screen. Currently, resistance films, capacitance films and surface acoustic wave systems are popularly used as touch detectors. However, the resistance film and the capacitance film reduce the light transmittance of the touch screen. Furthermore, the surface acoustic wave system is liable to absorb dust and water, thereby impairing the performance of the touch display system.
What is needed, therefore, is a touch display system which can overcome the above-described shortcomings.

Touch display system with optical touch detector


The circuit configuration produces complementary signals. An input signal is routed from an input terminal via a first path, through a pass element, and to a first output terminal. The input signal is also routed on a second path, connected in parallel with the first path, via an inverter, and to a second output terminal. The first and the second output terminal are connected to a first and a second output node, respectively, via a compensation device. The compensation device compensates for the different time delays in the signals on the first and on the second path.

Field of the Invention
The lies in the electronics field. Specifically, the present invention relates to a circuit configuration for producing complementary signals, in which an input signal that is present at an input terminal is routed on a first path to a first output terminal via a pass element and on a second path, connected in parallel with the first path, to a second output terminal via an inverter.
In this context, a pass element should be understood as meaning an element with an input and an output, such as, in particular, a transfer gate or else a switch. By way of example, such a pass element can comprise a parallel circuit made up of an n-channel MOS transistor and a p-channel MOS transistor whose sources and drains are connected to one another in each case and whose gates are driven by mutually inverted signals, so that the pass element is either on or off depending on the control signal.
An existing circuit configuration of the type mentioned in the introduction thus has a pass element in the first path and an inverter in the second path, connected in parallel with the latter, so that the pass element and the inverter are used to obtain mutually complementary signals from one input signal.
Such a circuit configuration is quite simple in its layout since it requires only one inverter and one pass element to provide the complementary output signals. For time-critical applications, however, the existing circuit configuration has a significant disadvantage: the delays which the signals experience through the pass element and the inverter differ from one another to a significant extent as a result of the process. The time difference, resulting from the process window, between the mutually complementary signals cannot be eliminated in practice, which is extremely undesirable for the time-critical applications mentioned, such as in a DLL (delayed locked loop). This means that the existing circuit configurations comprising an inverter and a pass element cannot be used satisfactorily for high-precision applications.
Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawing, there is shown a prior art circuit configuration with an inverter 1 and a pass element 2 comprising a p-channel MOS transistor 3 and an n-channel MOS transistor 4. The transistors 3 and 4 are interconnected by their source and drain in each case and are thus connected in parallel with one another. The gates of the transistors 3, 4 have the fixed potentials of the supply voltages VSS and VDD, respectively, applied to them.
An input signal IN is received at an input terminal 5. The signal travels via an inverter 1 to a first output terminal 6 and to a second output terminal 7 via the pass element 2. On account of the various delays, resulting from the process window, caused by the inverter 1 and the pass element 2, respectively, signals C1 and C2, respectively, at the output terminals 6 and 7 are therefore not in sync, but have a considerable time difference in respect of one another. The time difference is extremely disadvantageous for time-critical applications such as a DLL.

Circuit configuration for producing complementary signals


Disclosed herein is a method and system for controlling the lifting operation of a wearable robot. A final force that must be applied by the robot to an object upon conducting a lifting operation is derived based on a difference between a weight force applied by the object to the robot and an apply force applied by a wearing user to the robot. A target position to which the robot lifts the object is set. A spring-damper virtual force model is applied to an end of the robot and to joints of the robot, the final force is converted into final torques required by the joints of the robot by being incorporated into the virtual force model, and then the joints of the robot are operated based on the final torques. The final force is fixed once the robot has lifted the object to the target position.

A wearable muscular power assist robot must lift and transfer an object while moving depending on a wearing user's intention. When the robot lifts a heavy object, the force of the wearing user is transferred to the robot, and the force transferred to the robot is amplified, thus enabling the robot to lift the heavy object. The present invention relates to a method of performing control so that a wearing user can always lift objects having various weights with a constant force regardless of a variation in the weight of an object to be lifted.
An existing wearable muscular power assist robot is configured such that an electromyogram (EMG) sensor is attached to the body of a wearing user, and has been used to determine the motion intention signal of the wearing user using the contraction and relaxation of a muscle, send the signal to a robot controller and then drive an actuator. However, such a robot is disadvantageous in that when the wearing user moves, a phenomenon frequently occurs in which the EMG sensor is not closely attached in an exact location to the body of the user, with the result that the motion intention signal of the wearing user is distorted.
Further, the robot is disadvantageous in that the operation of the robot reacts sensitively to a variation in the weight of an object to be lifted.
Therefore, there is a need to implement such a control system using only a force sensor so as to guarantee the precision of sensing and precisely control the robot based on sensing. An attachment-type EMG sensor is considerably inaccurate in a certain aspect and is expensive, thereby making it difficult to commercialize.
As a result, technology is required that allows a wearing user to feel the same load even when he or she lifts objects having any weight, by precisely measuring a required force using a force sensor and by easily controlling a lifting operation based on the required force, thus reducing a burden on the body of the wearing user.
The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the better understanding of the background of the present invention, and is not intended to mean that the present invention falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art.

Method and system for controlling lifting operation of wearable robot


The invention relates to a method and a device for measuring a luminescence distribution within a beam spot of an electron beam irradiated on a tube surface of a color cathode ray tube. The measuring region is fixed within the specific fluorescent substance of the tube surface. The irradiated locations of the electron beam are variably changed, satisfying the condition that the beam spot contains the measurement region. The luminescent brightness of the measurement region is measured at each irradiated location of the electron beam. Furthermore, the luminescence distribution of the beam spot is determined based on each luminescent brightness.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for measuring beam spot luminescence distribution and a device therefor to measure luminescence distribution within a beam spot of an electron beam irradiated on a tube surface of a color cathode ray tube (hereinafter referred to simply as a "CRT").
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the inside of a CRT according to a measuring method for beam spot luminescence distribution in the prior art. In FIG. 1, numeral 1 designates a tube surface serving as a display surface of the CRT. Numerals 2, 2a represent fluorescent substances for emitting red, green, and blue (R, G and B light) as picture elements applied to the tube surface 1. The hatched fluorescent substance 2a indicates picture element under luminescence. A shadow mask 3 is spaced a prescribed distance from the tube surface 1. Beam passing holes 4, 4a correspond to the fluorescent substances 2, 2a respectively. An electron beam is emitted from an electron gun (not shown). A beam spot 5a of the electron beam 5 is formed on the shadow mask 3 and a virtual beam spot 5b is formed responsive to the beam spot 5a.
An electron beam 5 emitted from an electron gun passes through a plurality of (four in the figure) holes 4a of a shadow mask 3 and irradiates a plurality of fluorescent substances 2a corresponding to the holes 4a causing the fluorescent substances 2a to luminesce. Accordingly, the brightness of each of these fluorescent substances 2a is measured and the luminescence distribution within one beam spot 5b can be determined.
FIG. 2 is a brightness distribution characteristic diagram of each fluorescent substance 2a when eight fluorescent substances 2a luminesce within the beam spot 5b. 2b correspond to respective fluorescent substances 2a. Data 6 composed of three discrete values derived from the characteristic diagram is compared with standard data shown in FIG. 3(A). If the shape of the data 6 is close to the shape shown in FIG. 3(B), the brightness is determined to be low, and if the shape of the data 6 is close to the shape shown in FIG. 3(C), the focus is determined to be low.
Since the measuring for beam spot luminescence distribution is carried out as mentioned above, the electron beam 5 is intercepted by the shadow mask 3, and only the beam passing through the holes 4a makes the fluorescent substances 2a luminesce as clearly seen from FIG. 1. Consequently, the luminescence distribution within the beam spot 5b is determined only by the sampling data correspond to the fluorescent substances 2a which luminesce. The brightness of a part associated with the electron beam 5 being intercepted by the shadow mask 3 cannot be determined. Therefore, in the case of a high resolution CRT with fine beam diameters, the number of data points able to be sampled becomes 3-4. Therefore highly accurate measurement cannot be carried out because the beam spot 5b is very small.

Apparatus for and method of measuring beam spot luminescence distribution


A gas seal revolver which includes a barrel having a longitudinal bore therethrough, a rotatably mounted cylinder positioned adjacent to the barrel and having a plurality of chambers therein, and a sealing and aligning structure oriented between the barrel and the cylinder to thereby form a leak resistant gas seal when the barrel is moved against the end face of the cylinder. The barrel and cylinder assembly are movable mounted to the frame such that the revolver may be tipped open for easy loading and cleaning of the operative parts contained therein. The revolver also includes an indexing mechanism which cooperates with notches along the outer periphery of the cylinder in order to incrementally move the cylinder so that the chambers are moved into and out of preliminary alignment with the barrel bore. The barrel is also prevented from being opened during any phase of trigger motion thereby ensuring that the operator will not open the barrel during the firing cycle. In the rest (or idle) position, the chambers are not in alignment with the firing pin or the barrel so that any blow to the hammer, which might occur, such as if the revolver is dropped, will not strike a primer of a cartridge.

The present invention pertains to revolvers, and in particular to revolvers of the gas seal type. Typically, in today's revolvers, the cylinder is made with a plurality of cartridge chambers and is rotatably mounted so that the chambers may be successively aligned with the barrel bore for firing. This two-part construction of the firing passage presents two major problems These are: the opportunity for propellant gas leakage at the junction between the barrel bore and the cylinder chamber, and the requirement for precise alignment between the barrel bore and the cylinder chamber at the moment of firing. If the cylinder chamber is not aligned precisely behind the barrel bore, so that the projectile may move unhindered from the chamber to the bore, the projectile can be shaved or deformed in its attempt to escape out the bore during firing. Also, dangerously high chamber pressure can result if the projectile's journey from chamber to bore is interfered with or inhibited due to non-alignment between chamber and bore. If propellant gas is allowed to escape between the cylinder chamber and barrel bore, the projectile suffers a loss in velocity and becomes less effective.
One solution which has been developed to alleviate gas leakage is the provision of a gas seal located between the barrel and the cylinder. The seal usually is formed by providing an annular ridge about the barrel bore and opposing countersinks about each chamber. Prior to the time of firing, the cylinder is typically pressed forwardly against the barrel so that the ridge is matingly received within the directly opposing countersink. Although, one design, the Iverson turret revolver, did operate the gas seal by moving the barrel back into contact with a cylinder consisting of chambers radiating out from a central point and all lying in a single plane. In any event, the mating engagement, then, effectively prevents any substantial loss of gases between the barrel and cylinder and also forces the cylinder into alignment with the bore. However, past gas seal revolvers have entailed complicated and/or cumbersome mechanisms for pressing the cylinder forwardly upon firing.
Gas seal revolvers, as with all revolvers, require the frequent loading of cartridges into the chambers and frequent cleaning of the revolver's operative parts to ensure its proper functioning. One effective design, aimed at easing the loading and cleaning operations, has been the tip-open construction, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,771 issued to Sirkis, Sept. 10, 1985. In a tip-open revolver, the barrel and cylinder assembly are pivotally mounted to the frame, so that the revolver may be split open to expose the rearward face of the cylinder and many operative parts for easy loading and cleaning procedures. Yet, tip-open revolvers have invariably entailed additional latch structures for fastening the pivotal parts together, and thereby increase the revolver's complication and susceptibility to disrepair. Moreover, no gas seal revolvers have been developed which utilize the advantageous tip-open construction.
An additional difficulty encountered in the manufacture of revolvers involves the indexing mechanism. The indexing mechanism rotates the cylinder in predetermined increments to thereby successively align the chambers of the cylinder with the barrel bore. Traditionally, a driving pawl is provided to cooperate with a circular ratchet which is fixedly mounted to the rearward face of the cylinder about its central axis. The ratchet is relatively small and is spaced radially inwardly from the chambers. This arrangement, therefore, requires very precise machining, since a small deviation in the ratchet's position translates into a magnified deviation for the chamber. Any deviation of the chamber's position from true alignment with the barrel bore must be avoided, otherwise the projectile will be shaved, deformed, etc., which significantly disturbs the projectile's velocity and accuracy of its flight and can increase chamber pressure dangerously.
In an effort to alleviate this problem, several suggested solutions have focused on engaging the cylinder along its outer periphery (beyond the chambers), such as seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,581,835 to Brouthers et.al., 1,077,135 to Guerrero and 213,221 to Mauser. All these arrangements, however, present complicated and structurally weak arrangements for accomplishing the desired purpose. Hence, such structures are expensive to manufacture and have shortened life potential due to their susceptibility to disrepair.


A magnetic-inductive flowmeter and method in which a control circuit and/or evaluation circuit is designed/operated in such a manner that a measuring voltage tapped or tappable by measuring electrodes for flow measurement are evaluated only during a flow measuring time that is less than half the duration of the period of generation of the magnetic field and that the control circuit is designed/operated in such a manner that the measuring electrodes are impinged with conductivity measuring signals only during a conductivity measuring time that lies outside the flow measuring time.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a magnetic-inductive flowmeter and a method for operating a magnetic-inductive flowmeter.
Description of Related Art
Thus, the subject-matter of the invention is initially a magnetic-inductive flowmeter, having at least one measuring tube for the flow of an electrically conductive medium, having at least one magnetic field generator for generating at least one changing magnetic field running at least partially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the measuring tube, having at least two measuring electrodes—in particular, contacting the medium—, having a signal voltage source or signal current source connected to the measuring electrodes for generating conductivity measuring signals, having a control circuit for the magnetic field generator and for the signal voltage source or the signal current source as well as having an evaluation circuit.
Magnetic-inductive flowmeters have been known extensively in the prior art for decades. As an example, reference is made here to the citation "Technische Durchflussmessung" by professor Dr.-Ing. K. W. Bonfig, 3rd Edition, Vulkan-Verlag, Essen, pages 123 to 167 and to the citation "Grundlagen Magnetisch-Induktive Durchflussmessung" by Dipl.-Ing. Friedrich Hoffmann, 3rd Edition, 2003, publication of the company KROHNE Messtechnik GmbH & Co. K G.
The basic principle of a magnetic-inductive flowmeter for flow measurement of a flowing medium is traced back to Michael Faraday, who proposed, in 1832, the use of the principle of electromagnetic induction for measuring the flow velocity of an electrically conductive medium.
According to Faraday's law of induction, an electric field strength is formed perpendicular to the direction of flow of the medium and perpendicular to the magnetic field in a flowing, electrically conductive medium interfused by a magnetic field. Faraday's law of induction is thus exploited in magnetic-inductive flowmeters in that a magnetic field fluctuating over time during the measurement process is generated by means of a magnetic field generator having at least one magnetic field coil, normally two magnetic field coils, and the magnetic field at least partially interfuses the electrically conductive medium flowing through the measuring tube. Here, the generated magnetic field has at least one component perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the measuring tube or perpendicular to the direction of flow of the medium.
As mentioned above, if the magnetic-inductive flowmeter being described here has at least one magnetic field generator "for generating a magnetic field running perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the measuring tube", then it is mentioned here that the magnetic field preferably runs perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the measuring tube or perpendicular to the direction of flow of the medium; however, it is sufficient when a component of the magnetic field runs perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the measuring tube or perpendicular to the direction of flow of the medium.
It is also described above that the magnetic-inductive flowmeter described here also has at least two measuring electrodes—in particular, contacting the medium. These measuring electrodes are used for tapping a measuring voltage induced in a flowing medium. Preferably, the virtual connection line of the two measuring electrodes runs essentially perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field interfusing the measuring tube perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the measuring tube. In particular, the measuring electrodes can be provided in such a manner that their virtual connection line actually runs—more or less—perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field interfusing the measuring tube.
Finally, it is described above that the measuring electrodes are, in particular, such that they come into contact with the medium. Indeed, of course, the electric field strength generated by induction in the flowing, electrically conductive medium can be tapped by direct, i.e., galvanic measuring electrodes in contact with the medium as a measuring voltage. However, there are magnetic-inductive flowmeters in which the measuring voltage is not tapped by direct, i.e., non-galvanic, measuring electrodes in contact with the medium, rather the measuring voltage is capacitively determined.
The primary use of magnetic-inductive flowmeters of the type described here is naturally the measurement of the flow of a medium through a measuring tube, namely a medium that has at least a low electric conductivity, i.e., flow measurement. However, the use of magnetic-inductive flowmeters is not limited to this use. In particular, magnetic-inductive flowmeters can also be used particularly for conductivity measurement.
Magnetic-inductive flowmeters can be used for conductivity measurement when the conductivity of the medium whose flow is to be measured, for whatever reason, is of interest or importance. In particular, however, the conductivity of the medium whose flow is to be measured, is of importance for flow measurement itself because the measuring voltage tappable at the measuring electrodes is not only dependent on the magnetic field strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator and the flow to be measured, but moreover also on the conductivity of the medium whose flow is to be measured.
The magnetic-inductive flowmeter described above is such that it is used and suitable not only for flow measurement, but also for conductivity measurement, namely,—for conductivity measurement—it has a signal voltage source or a signal current source with which conductivity signals are generated.
Magnetic-inductive flowmeters of the type described above, which are also used and suitable for conductivity measurement, are known, for example, from European patent 0 704 682, German Patent DE 692 32 633 C2, as well as from German Application DE 102 43 748 A1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 6,804,613 B2 and German Application 10 208 258 A1.

Magnetic-inductive flowmeter and method for operating a magnetic-inductive flowmeter


A programmable Built In Self Test (BIST) system used to test embedded memories where the memories may be operating at a clock frequency higher than the operating frequency of the BIST. A plurality of BIST memory ports are used to generate multiple memory test instructions in parallel, and the parallel instructions are then merged to generate a single memory test instruction stream at a speed that is a multiple of the BIST operating frequency.

It is becoming more and more common for integrated circuits to include embedded memory to allow rapid access to data by processing logic provided on the integrated circuit. As the use of embedded memory continues to increase, thorough testing and defect diagnosis has become a key requirement to ensure product quality and enhance product yield. While embedded memory presents significant system performance and cost reduction advantages, it brings its own testing issues. Externally generated test vector style tests are not suitable for verifying embedded memory arrays for a number of reasons. First, the time spent in the manufacturing test grows exponentially as the embedded memory die area increases, which often makes such test vector style testing too costly. Furthermore, it is sometimes not possible to create a set of vectors that can detect all possible types of memory defect.
A known technique which alleviates such problems is to provide the integrated circuit with a memory Built In Self-Test (BIST) controller. In simplistic terms, a memory BIST controller is an on-chip utility that enables the execution of a proven set of algorithmic style verification tests directly on the embedded memory. These tests can be executed at the design's full operating frequency to prove the memory operations and identify errors caused by silicon defects.

At speed testing of high performance memories with a multi-port BIS engine


A reversible, magnetic ironing surface includes: (a) a generally rectangular-shaped, flexible pad portion including a first, quilted, heat resistant layer; and a second, opposite, generally smooth, heat resistant layer on an opposite side of the pad portion; and (b) at least one magnet in each corner section of the pad portion; wherein the pad assembly has an expanded, open position for use and a compact, bundled position for transport or storage, and in the expanded position, the pad portion is reversible for use on either side; and the first or second layer includes a metal.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a reversible, flexible, magnetic ironing pad assembly with an expanded position for use on either side of the pad and a compact, bundled position for transport or storage, more particularly an ironing pad assembly with magnets for placement and use on a substantially horizontal and planar surface that is preferably ferromagnetic, such as a top of a washing machine, clothes dryer, desk, etc.
2. Background Information
Although most household devices have come a long way in the past few decades, the majority of households have one household aid that seems to have stopped in time: the ironing board. Ironing boards require space and set up time and they often rock during use. There is a need in today's marketplace for a convenient, stable, space-saving ironing surface that provides ready access without requiring assembly, especially since many fabrics today are blends that only require touch ups with an iron.
The present invention is an easy to use, inexpensive, flexible ironing pad assembly that is generally rectangular in shape. The reversible ironing pad assembly is suitable for at home use, even in the confined spaces found in many apartments or senior citizen facilities. It requires a negligible amount of set up time and it can be left permanently atop a major appliance or other substantially horizontal and planar surface for quick daily use, or bundled for transport or storage, as needed.
The ironing pad assembly includes magnets in its corner areas for maintaining the ironing pad assembly on a substantially planar and horizontal surface that is ferromagnetic, such as the top of a washing machine, clothes dryer, desk, or other support surface suitable for ironing. The magnets adhere to the sides of the appliance or other support surface. The ironing pad assembly can be attached to or removed from the ferromagnetic surface with a single arm motion. The ironing pad assembly of the present invention is also usable on a non-ferromagnetic surface. After using it to iron clothing and other items that require ironing at home or while traveling, the pad assembly may remain in place, since it takes up little space. Alternatively, the pad assembly can be bundled into the compact, bundled position for storage or transport.

Reversible, magnetic ironing pad assembly


Subsurface defects in a processed metal are detected by a laser-ultrasonic method involving generation of a surface acoustic wave at one location on the processed metal surface, and detection of a scattered acoustic wave at another location on the processed metal surface. The method can be used in-line to provide real time monitoring of laser cladding and other metal processing operations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to processing of metals and alloys, and is more specifically concerned with detection of defects generated near the surface of a workpiece during processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Advanced metal processing methods are continuously being developed to enable economical manufacture and repair of parts with improved physical properties and often complicated shapes. For example, laser cladding (also called laser powder deposition) is being developed for build-up of stainless steel, titanium and other metals (from metallic powders) to enable near net shape manufacturing and repair of critical parts. Advanced joining methods include laser welding and friction stir welding. The friction stir approach, which involves passing a rotating tool through a solid metallic material, may also be used for friction stir processing (FSP) to locally create a fine-grain microstructure providing improved mechanical properties [F. D. Nicholas, Advanced Materials Processes 6/99, 69 (1999)].
Advanced metal processing typically occurs at high speeds and often involves expensive workpieces and materials so that rapid feedback on the quality of the processed region is critical to controlling scrap rates and costs. Defects that may occur within processed regions of metals include voids, pores, bondlines (incompletely formed bonds), disbonds and cracks. Ideally, such defects would be detected in-line during metal processing so as to minimize scrap and improve product quality via timely corrective action, which could include adjusting processing parameters and/or interrupting the process. Metal processing defects often occur below the surface of the processed region where they cannot be detected by optical, spectroscopic or laser profilometer techniques. Conventional ultrasonic detection methods are sensitive to such subsurface defects but require that the inspected workpiece be in contact with a fluid, which is not practical for in-line use. Inspection methods requiring physical contact between the workpiece and a probe are generally impractical for in-line defect detection. In addition, surface irregularity and roughness typical of processed metal surfaces tend to produce noise signals that interfere with ultrasonic detection based on piezoelectric or EMAT transducers, as well as other conventional methods.
Subsurface defect detection is also a critical requirement for the inspection of cast and forged metals, including ingots and railway rails, for example. Typical defects in ingots and castings include pores and inclusions. Typical defects in railway rails include cracks, which need to be detected in-service.
Laser ultrasonic methods have been developed for non-contact detection of defects in solid parts. Since the "bottom" surface of a part is often inaccessible during machining or processing operations, the most useful laser ultrasonic methods involve both generation and detection on the "top" surface of the part. In this case, a pulsed generation laser beam incident on the part surface at a predetermined generation spot generates ultrasonic waves that propagate within and along the surface of the part. The propagated ultrasonic waves, including those reflected from defects and the bottom surface of the part, are detected via a detection laser beam incident on the part surface at a predetermined detection spot. The propagated ultrasonic waves produce a temporal displacement of the part surface at the detection spot, which is measured via an interferometer that analyzes a portion of the detection laser beam reflected from the part surface. Ultrasonic waves reflected from defects may be distinguished from other reflected ultrasonic waves from the difference in time of arrival of the waves at the detection spot.
Laser ultrasonic methods involving generation and detection on the same surface have been applied to detection of various defects, including voids and cracks, in parts of varied shapes and comprising various materials. These methods have typically involved generation and detection of bulk ultrasonic waves, namely compressional waves, which tend to travel along the surface normal, and shear waves, which tend to travel at angles to the surface normal. Laser ablation produces strong compressional and shear waves, whereas compressional waves produced thermoelastically are relatively weak. Bulk ultrasonic waves are well-suited for detecting defects that are relatively distant from the generation-detection surface. However, bulk ultrasonic waves are not well-suited for detecting near-surface (i.e., subsurface) defects for which the delay time for waves reflected from defects is very short, making ultrasonic measurements difficult.
In addition, application of prior art laser ultrasonic methods has generally been limited to smooth and relatively even surfaces to avoid speckle noise associated with surface roughness and unevenness. In contrast, metallic surfaces processed by laser cladding, friction stirring or other methods tend to be uneven and relatively rough. Consequently, prior art laser ultrasonic inspection methods cannot be directly applied to detection of defects in processed metallic workpieces.
The limitations of prior art laser ultrasonic methods are particularly acute for defect detection during laser cladding. The cladding is typically applied in thin layers and each new layer needs to be inspected for defects before it is buried under subsequently applied layers. This requires detection of subsurface defects that are very near the top surface, which cannot be accomplished using the bulk ultrasonic waves generally employed in the prior art.
The present invention utilizes Rayleigh waves (surface acoustic waves) to detect subsurface defects in processed metallic surfaces. Rayleigh waves have been used in the prior art for characterization of near-surface material properties and for detection of surface-breaking cracks. U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,092 to Lindgren et al. describes use of transducers to generate and detect Rayleigh waves in order to determine near-surface material properties by measuring the Rayleigh wave velocity as a function of frequency. U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,288 to Tittmann et al. describes use of transducers to generate and detect Rayleigh waves in order to determine the depth of a surface-breaking crack through analysis of the ultrasonic frequencies contained in the detected ultrasonic wave. The transducer-based approach described in both of these prior art patents is unsuitable for use on processed metal surfaces, which tend to be relatively rough and uneven, and cannot be used for in-line monitoring during metal processing. In addition, the Rayleigh wave velocity measurements used by Lindgren are relatively insensitive to metal defects, and do not provide the directional information needed for detection of localized defects. Likewise, the ultrasonic frequency analysis used by Tittmann does not provide the directional information needed to locate subsurface defects.
In contrast, the present invention is based on detection and analysis of scattered Rayleigh waves to detect subsurface defects. The prior art provides no suggestion that scattered Rayleigh waves might be useful for defect detection. Another important aspect of the present invention is the use of laser generation and detection of Rayleigh waves so that the invention can be applied to relatively rough and uneven processed metal surfaces, and may be used for in-line monitoring during metal processing.

Laser-ultrasonic detection of subsurface defects in processed metals


A method of forming a conformal dielectric film having Si—N bonds on a substrate having a patterned surface includes: introducing a reactant gas into a reaction space; introducing a silicon precursor in pulses of less than 5-second duration into the reaction space; applying a first RF power to the reaction space during the pulse of the silicon precursor; applying a second RF power to the reaction space during the interval of the silicon precursor pulse, wherein an average intensity of the second RF power during the interval of the silicon precursor pulse is greater than that of the first RF power during the pulse of the silicon precursor; and repeating the cycle to form a conformal dielectric film having Si—N bonds with a desired thickness on the patterned surface of the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing and, more particularly to a method of forming a conformal dielectric film such as a silicon nitride film.
2. Description of the Related Art
Integrated circuits fabricated on semiconductor substrates for large scale integration require multiple levels of metal interconnections to electrically interconnect discrete layers of semiconductor devices formed on semiconductor chips. The different levels of interconnections are separated by various insulating or dielectric layers, which are etched to form via holes so as to connect one level of metal to another.
The evolution of chip design continually requires faster circuitry and greater circuit density than before. For faster circuits with greater circuit densities, certain properties are required of materials used to fabricate such integrated circuits, particularly as the dimensions of integrated circuit components are reduced to the sub-micron scale. Also, for greater integrated circuit densities, certain process sequences are required for the manufacture of integrated circuit components.
In recent years, silicon nitride layers deposited at low temperatures (less than 400° C) have been used in a number of important applications for memory devices, for example, as a passivation layer, a surface protection layer and/or a spacer for a transistor gate. Silicon nitride films may be formed by a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method. The main advantages of the PECVD method over other CVD methods are higher deposition rates, and the controllability over a wide range of refractive indices. A further advantage of the PECVD method is that the process can take place at a relatively low temperature, for example temperatures under 400° C, keeping the total thermal budget of the cell processing to a minimum.
However, the PECVD method for forming silicon nitride leads to poor conformality or poor step coverage on a substrate containing small and/or high aspect ratio features. In small circuits and devices, such as ultra-large scale integrated (ULSI) circuitry, poor conformal coverage can hamper the development of higher density circuit devices and elements.

Method of forming conformal film having si-N bonds on high-aspect ratio pattern


A keyboard device for a keyboard instrument, which can be manufactured by a simplified manufacturing process and at reduced manufacturing costs, is disclosed. A keyframe is formed by a molded piece of a synthetic resin. A plurality of front rail pins and a plurality of balance rail pins are arranged in a juxtaposed manner in a left-right direction at a front part and a central part of the keyframe in a front-rear direction. A plurality of keys are made of wood and each have a balance rail pin hole formed in a central portion thereof in the front-rear direction. The keys are swingably supported on the keyframe in a state where the balance rail pins are each engaged with the balance rail pin hole associated therewith and at the same time the keys are prevented from being swung in the left-right direction by the front rail pins associated therewith.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a keyboard device for a keyboard instrument, and more particularly to a keyframe of the keyboard instrument, which is disposed on a keybed and used for supporting components, such as keyboard assemblies.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as the keyboard device of the conventional keyboard instrument, there has been proposed one disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-177739 (see pages 3 and 4, and FIG. 1). This keyboard device includes a keyframe provided on a keybed, and a multiplicity of keys arranged on the keyframe. The keyframe is comprised of a keyframe front, a keyframe center, and a keyframe rear, which extend longitudinally, a pair of left and right keyframe plates, and three inner bunches disposed inward of these, and these components are connected to each other into an assembly and each formed by a molded piece of a synthetic resin.
Further, the keyframe center has a multiplicity of balance rail pins erected thereon, and each balance rail pin is engaged with a balance rail pin hole formed in the center of each key, whereby the keys are swingably supported on the keyframe center. The keyframe front as well has a multiplicity of front rail pins erected thereon, and each front rail pin is engaged with a front rail pin hole formed in the bottom of each key, whereby the keys are prevented from swinging horizontally. According to the keyboard device constructed as above, the keyframe is composed of molded pieces of a synthetic resin, whereby it is possible to easily obtain components having high dimensional accuracy, which makes it unnecessary to perform finishing work on each component. This simplifies the manufacturing process, whereby the manufacturing costs can be reduced. Further, the components has high shape retention against aging and dryness or humidity, which makes it possible to prevent deformation, such as warpage, of the keyboard assembly.
The keyboard device including such a keyframe suffers from the following problem: Since the keyframe is comprised of a plurality of components, as described above, the number of the components is large, and it is necessary to connect the components to each other, which increases the number of assembly steps, resulting in an increase in manufacturing costs. Further, since the keyframe is an assembly of the components, there is a fear of assembly error, and it takes much time to adjust the mounting positions of the keys, etc., which also results in an increase in manufacturing costs.


A hand-held machine tool having a tool receiver to receive an insert tool having an external profile, the tool receiver featuring an internal receiver provided at least sectionally with an internal profile, and having a tool housing assigned a tool-change magazine having at least one tool chamber for storing the insert tool, the tool chamber being alignable with the tool receiver to allow the insert tool to be transferred from the tool chamber into the internal receiver or from the internal receiver into the tool chamber, a positioning device being provided for the circumferential alignment of the external profile when transferring the insert tool from the tool chamber into the internal receiver of the tool receiver to produce a form-locking connection between the internal profile and the external profile that at least for the most part, is free of rotational play, the positioning device has at least one magnet.

Hand-guided screwdrivers are believed to be understood from the related art, having an integrated, e.g., drum-like bit magazine for keeping a larger number of different screwdriver bits ready. Such screwdrivers have a rotationally driven tool receiver for receiving the screwdriver bits stored in the bit magazine, the screwdriver bits being provided in each case with an external hexagon, for example. In order—as independently of a specific rotational position of the tool receiver as possible—to be able to insert a corresponding external hexagon of a rotational entrainment of a screwdriver bit to be supplied from the bit magazine to the tool receiver, into the tool receiver in a manner free of tilt, i.e., free of resistance, by a purely translatory shifting movement on the part of the user, the tool receiver of the screwdriver is furnished with a rotational entrainer profile provided with multiple longitudinal ribs.

Hand-held machine tool having a tool-change magazine


A system comprising a catheter having an expandable element, which when expanded, has an annular shape surrounding a passageway. The expandable element in the expanded state is rollable along at least a portion of the shaft of the catheter without slipping. The system may be used for delivering an object to a site in the body, retrieving an object from a body, removing debris and/or other particulate matter from a blood vessel, and distending and/or expanding a pathologically-involved region of a blood vessel wall.

Catheters are medical devices that are used to deliver or retrieve objects in the body. The catheter tip is inserted into the body through a natural or artificial opening and delivered to a desired location. For example, a catheter is used to deliver and deploy a stent in an arterial stenosis. Endoscopic catheters are used to deliver an imaging device for gastrointestinal use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,638 to Bowman discloses a multilumen catheter having a plurality of inflatable tubes at its tip. Each tube is attached to a different lumen, so that each tube may be individually inflated and deflated. The tubes are initially inserted into their respective lumens. In a procedure to open a constricted body passage, the tubes are inflated in the constriction. The tubes may also be provided with gripping surfaces and are manipulated by appropriate fluid pressures to grasp and recover objects in a body passageway.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,895 to Myler et al discloses a catheter for the retrieval of a stent. The catheter includes a tubular body and an axially moveable guidewire that are adapted to grasp engagement members on a stent to be retrieved.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,830 to Cho discloses a catheter having a tip designed to facilitate navigation of the catheter through the cardiovascular system. The tip has an inner element having a memorized preformed curved shape that it assumes when it is not disposed within an outer restraining sleeve. When in the sleeve, the inner element is straightened by the rigidity of the sleeve. The inner element is removed from the sleeve in order to facilitate navigation of the tip around a curve or bend in a blood vessel. The inner element is disposed in the sleeve when passing through a straight region of a blood vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,389 to Ibrahim discloses a catheter having an annular balloon at its tip for grasping an object. The catheter tip is delivered to the object to be grasped with the balloon in its deflated state. The balloon is then positioned with the object in the central passageway of the annular balloon. As the balloon is inflated, the central passageway becomes constricted so as to grasp the object. The catheter is then withdrawn from the body.


A curable composition having an epoxy component and an organosilane component. The epoxy component includes at least one epoxy compound having two or more epoxide functional groups. The organosilane component includes at least one organosilane compound having two or more silyl ether groups. An exemplary organosilane compound is a siloxane-modified polyol.

There has been considerable interest in the development of coating compositions with reduced amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particularly in light of regulations on VOC content. Ultraviolet (UV) curable coating compositions have emerged as one type of coating with reduced VOC content. Furthermore, many UV curable coating compositions offer the advantages of fast curing speed, high energy efficiency, and low capital investment and space requirements. These coatings are especially suitable for the wood/plastics coating (e.g., furniture), metal decorating, and paper printing industries.
The curing reaction of many UV curable coatings takes place at nearly ambient temperatures and, typically, no solvent or water evaporation is involved. There are two principle mechanisms for polymerizing UV coatings; free radical and cationic. In free radical initiated polymerization, free radicals are generated using either unimolecular photoinitiators (benziketals) or bimolecular photoinitiators (thioxanthones). Multi-functional acrylate esters are often used in this type of polymerization. Free radical polymerization, however, often exhibits oxygen inhibition of propagating radicals and acrylate monomers also represent odor and health hazard problems.
For cationic UV polymerization, typical initiators are salts which generate super acids or Bronsted acids under UV irradiation. Typical monomers/oligomers for the cationic coatings include, for example, vinyl ethers, propenyl ethers, and compounds having epoxide functional groups. These compounds can homopolymerize to form a coating.
Epoxide-containing compounds have fast cure response and the resulting cured coating is resistant to hydrolysis. In addition, aliphatic epoxide-containing compounds have excellent photostability. Epoxide-containing compounds, however, typically polymerize to form hard, brittle coatings. To increase the impact resistance, toughness, and flexibility of the cured coating, polyols have been added to the curable coating composition. The epoxide-containing compounds react with the polyols during the polymerization process.
Polyols act as reactive diluents in these curable coating compositions. Reactive diluents function as solvents to dilute viscous oligomers and reduce the overall viscosity of the curable coating composition. Reactive diluents also co-react with the monomer and oligomers to form integral films. Reactive diluents are typically compounds with relatively low molecular weights and multiple reactive functionalities. There is a need for the development of reactive diluents for use with epoxide-containing compounds to provide desired properties to films formed using UV curable coating compositions.

Composition of epoxy resin and (cyclo)alkoxy-substituted organosilane


A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named ‘Balsukalu’, characterized by its light reddish-purple colored flowers, medium green colored foliage, and vigorous, upright growth habit, is disclosed.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant botanically known as Phlox paniculata and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'Balsukalu'.
The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Guadalupe, Calif. during July 2014. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Phlox cultivars with large sized flowers, increased powdery mildew resistance and a vigorous, upright growth habit.
The new Phlox cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is 'Jade', U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,878, characterized by its white colored flowers with green colored tips, medium green colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-compact growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is Cotton Candy 'DITOMFAV', U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,369, characterized by its light pink colored flowers, dark green colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact-upright growth habit. The new cultivar was selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during August 2015 in a controlled environment in Guadalupe, Calif.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since August 2015 in Guadalupe, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.


An abrasive grains classifying apparatus is used to classify abrasive grains based on their sizes that can be determined by distances between mutually opposed surfaces of the respective abrasive grains. The abrasive grains classifying apparatus is provided with: a first gap portion 35 which includes two rollers 24 and 32 disposed at a predetermined distance L2 from each other and also which classifies the abrasive grains 60 into first abrasive grains 60b and 60c capable of passing through between the rollers 24 and 32 and second abrasive grains 60a incapable of passing through between the two rollers 24 and 32; and a second gap portion 54 which includes two rollers 54 and 69 disposed at a distance L3 smaller than the distance L2 in the first gap portion 35 from each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an abrasive grains classifying apparatus for classifying abrasive grains based on their sizes.
2. Background Art
Abrasive grains are classified based on their sizes using an abrasive grain classifying apparatus. The classified abrasive grains are attached to a base material to thereby manufacture a grinding stone (see, for example, JP-A-2005-279842 (FIG. 4)).
The prior art grinding stone as disclosed in JP-A-2005-279842 is described with reference to FIGS. 12A and 12B.
As shown in FIG. 12A, abrasive grains 202 are attached to an upper surface of a base material 201 through a plated layer 203.
As shown in FIG. 12B, leading ends of the abrasive grains 202 are cut to align heights of the abrasive grains 202, thereby manufacturing a grinding stone 205.
The inventors of the present invention have checked abrasive grains on the market for variations in their sizes. The check result has found that a grain diameter (for example, 200 μm) of an abrasive grain having the greatest grain diameter is two times or more than a grain diameter (for example, 50 μm) of an abrasive grain having the smallest grain diameter.
In order to align the heights of the abrasive grains, it is necessary to adjust the heights of the abrasive grains to the height of the abrasive grain having the smallest grain diameter. Therefore, in some cases, for the height adjustment, the abrasive grain having the largest grain diameter is cut by half or more.
That is, since projecting quantities of the abrasive grains from the base material are different from each other, there are inevitably generated the abrasive grains that are cut greatly, which results in waste cutting. If, in an abrasive grains classifying operation, the abrasive grains can be classified precisely, such waste can be avoided.
It is desired to provide an abrasive grains classifying apparatus which can manage sizes of the abrasive grains with high precision.


The present invention is directed to a color display comprising an electrophoretic fluid which comprises one or two types of pigment particles dispersed in a clear and colorless or clear and colored solvent, wherein said electrophoretic fluid is sandwiched between a common electrode and a plurality of driving electrodes. The driving electrodes are kept at a certain distance in order to expose a background layer.

An electrophoretic display is a device based on the electrophoresis phenomenon of charged pigment particles dispersed in a solvent. The display usually comprises two electrode plates placed opposite of each other and a display fluid comprising charged pigment particles dispersed in a solvent is sandwiched between the two electrode plates. When a voltage difference is imposed between the two electrode plates, the charged pigment particles may migrate to one side or the other, depending on the polarity of the voltage difference, to cause either the color of the pigment particles or the color of the solvent to be seen from the viewing side of the display.
Alternatively, an electrophoretic dispersion may have two types of pigment particles of contrasting colors and carrying opposite charges, and the two types of pigment particles are dispersed in a clear solvent or solvent mixture. In this case, when a voltage difference is imposed between the two electrode plates, the two types of pigment particles would move to the opposite ends (top or bottom) in a display cell. Thus one of the colors of the two types of the pigment particles would be seen at the viewing side of the display cell.
The method employed to drive an electrophoretic display has a significant impact on the performance of the display, especially the quality of the images displayed.
Shutter mode driving involves moving the charged pigment particles laterally to the sides to expose the color of a background layer. However, in practice, it is difficult to clear the particles gathered on a driving electrode. This is because the horizontal electrical field in the center area of the driving electrodes is low. A horizontal electrical field only exists at the edge areas of the neighboring driving electrodes.


A wireless device may include: a radio frequency (RF) front end circuit to receive and process an RF signal; a mixer to downconvert the RF signal to a second frequency signal; a digitizer to digitize the second frequency signal; a channel filter to channel filter the digitized signal; a selection circuit having a first input coupled to the channel filter and a plurality of outputs each to couple to one of a plurality of demodulators; and the plurality of demodulators coupled to the selection circuit. The selection circuit may route the channel filtered digitized signal to a first demodulator of the plurality of demodulators based on a first configuration setting. The wireless device may also include a non-volatile storage with a configuration file including the first configuration setting. The configuration file may be automatically generated by a hardware configurator in response to a plurality of user input parameters.

Many different types of wireless communication protocols exist, and can be used in many different contexts. Wireless transmitters and receivers are often formed with one or more integrated circuits (ICs) that can handle multiple communication protocols such as short-range protocols, long-range protocols, etc. And with the growth of internet of things (IoT) devices, wireless capabilities are being adopted into an ever increasing amount of devices. However many of these devices are designed and built by people who have no understanding of wireless communication theory, operation, etc. And thus there is a need for skilled engineers/technicians to configure ICs for use in particular devices and communication use cases. But this comes at a significant expense, which can be prohibitive for both an IC designer/manufacturer and for end devices' designers/manufacturers, especially for low volume devices.

System, apparatus and method for automatically determining configuration parameters for wireless devices


The present disclosure provides electrolyte solutions for electrodeposition of zinc-iron alloys, methods of forming electrolyte solutions, and methods of electrodepositing zinc-iron alloys. An electrolyte solution for electroplating can include an alkali metal citrate, an alkali metal acetate, a citric acid, and glycine with a metal salt. An electrolyte solution can be formed by dissolving an alkali metal citrate, an alkali metal acetate, a citric acid, and glycine in water or an aqueous solution. Electrodepositing zinc-iron alloys on a substrate can include introducing a cathode and an anode into an electrolyte solution comprising an alkali metal citrate, an alkali metal acetate, a citric acid, and glycine. Electrodepositing can further include passing a current between the cathode and the anode through the electrolyte solution to deposit zinc and iron onto the cathode.

Development of corrosion resistant coatings is of commercial interest in, for example, the aerospace and automobile industries. In particular, the development of zinc (Zn) coatings has been an area of interest for protection of aerospace and automobile components made of steel. To further improve the corrosion resistance of zinc coatings, zinc alloys can be electrodeposited onto a steel substrate. For example, zinc-nickel (Zn—Ni) alloy has been used in the mass production of steel sheets for automobile bodies and also for small components such as nuts and bolts. Nonetheless, coatings having further improvement in corrosion resistance remain of interest.
Zinc-iron (Zn—Fe) alloy, for example, has excellent corrosion resistance, good weldability, paintability, and formability. In addition, zinc-iron alloy having high iron content serves as an effective undercoating for paints. Furthermore, the time for white rust formation of typical zinc-iron alloy coatings is often two to three times longer than that of a pure zinc metal coating.
Zinc-iron alloys can be deposited by electrodeposition. Electrodeposition of zinc-iron alloys often involves electrolyte solutions having a cyanide, an acid sulphate, ammonium chloride and/or an acid chloride. However, electrodeposition using these electrolyte solutions tends to deposit zinc metal onto a substrate under plating conditions in much larger quantities as compared to iron deposition. Commercially operated baths deposit less than 1% iron with zinc. This occurs because of formation of zinc hydroxide (Zn(OH)2) which inhibits the deposition of iron onto the substrate. Zn(OH)2 also adsorbs onto the cathode. Furthermore, complexing agents, such as ammonium chloride or amine based compounds complex very strongly with iron salts in the electrolyte solution which hinders iron metal deposition onto a substrate. Thus, formation of zinc alloys having high iron content is difficult to achieve and, accordingly, so are the beneficial properties of iron in a zinc iron alloy.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for improved electrolyte solutions for electrodeposition of zinc-iron alloys, methods of forming zinc-iron alloys, and methods of electrodepositing zinc-iron alloys.

Compositionally modulated zinc-iron multilayered coatings


An apparatus detects occurrence of a fault in an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) control system of an internal combustion engine. An intake air amount is changed by a predetermined quantity, which is determined in dependence on an operation state of the engine, when an EGR control valve is temporarily opened or closed. A determination is made as to whether a pressure within an intake pipe of the engine has changed after opening or closing of the EGR control valve. On the basis of the result of the above determination, occurrence of a fault in the EGR control system is determined. Regardless of resolution of an A/D converter which is employed in the EGR control system for performing A/D conversion of an analog signal indicative of a sensed intake air pressure, a fault thereof can be detected with high accuracy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting a fault in an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR in abbreviation) control system of an internal combustion engine for recirculating a part of exhaust gas of the engine to an intake pipe thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
The EGR control systems of the type mentioned above are heretofore employed widely in the internal combustion engines for the purpose of reducing NO.sub.x content in the exhaust gas of the engine. As a typical one of such systems, there may be mentioned an EGR control system of exhaust gas pressure control type in which an exhaust gas pressure transducer is used. With this system, the amount of the exhaust gas to be recirculated is so controlled that the ratio of the exhaust gas contained in the intake air flow remains substantially constant.
In this conjuncture, an apparatus for detecting occurrence of abnormality or a fault in the EGR control system is also known, as is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9937/1990 (JP-A-2-9937). According to this known technique, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) control valve is installed in an EGR passage through which an exhaust pipe of the engine is communicated to an intake pipe. The EGR control valve is temporarily operated (e.g. closed and opened) during deceleration of the engine, wherein it is detected whether or not a change in the pressure within the intake pipe brought about by the operation of the EGR control valve remains within a predetermined range. On the basis of the result of this decision, it is determined whether the EGR control system suffers from a fault.
The principle of the fault detecting apparatus described above is based on the fact that a change in the pressure within the intake pipe necessarily occur when the EGR control valve is actually operated. Starting from this fact, a negative pressure for actuating the EGR control valve is changed over for determining whether the change in the pressure within the intake pipe occurs due to the change-over of the negative pressure, to thereby diagnose the EGR control valve as well as peripheral devices thereof as to occurrence of the fault.
The fault detecting apparatus for the EGR control system described above has a problem in the application to the diagnosis of the EGR control system of the exhaust gas pressure control type in which an exhaust gas pressure transducer is employed and the amount of exhaust gas to be recirculated is so regulated that the exhaus gas content of the intake air flow remains at a substantially constant ratio, because a change in the pressure within the intake pipe is very small when the EGR control valve is operated during deceleration of the engine. Such being the circumstances, it becomes difficult or impossible in an extreme case to detect with reasonable accuracy whether the change of the pressure within the intake pipe lies within a predetermined range, particularly when the change of the intake pipe pressure is not sufficiently large as compared with the weight or margin imparted to a bit of a digital value obtained through analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion of the intake pipe pressure signal, i.e., when the change of the intake pipe pressure is less than the margin or threshold for a change of the last or lowest bit of the digital value. To cope with this problem (i.e., to detect a limited or fine change in the intake pipe pressure), the A/D converter for converting the signal indicative of the intake pipe pressure into a digital signal is required to have high resolution, which leads however to an expensive fault detecting apparatus.

Apparatus for detecting fault in exhaust gas recirculation control system of internal combustion engine