Polyol mixtures containing a mixture of internal mold release agents which are storage stable are made up of (a) from about 55 to about 95% by weight of a polyol mixture of (1) 30-70% by weight of at least one polyol with an OH value of more than 700 and (2) from about 30 to about 70% by weight of at least one polyol with an OH value of 700 or less than 700 and (b) from about 5 to about 45% by weight of a mixture of internal mold release agents made up of (1) from about 60 to about 95% by weight of at least one salt-like release agent and (2) from about 5 to about 40% by weight of at least one non-salt-like release agent containing an amide NH function or a urethane NH function. Known auxiliaries and additives may optionally be included. These polyol mixtures are useful in the production of rigid, semirigid and flexible polyurethane materials, particularly molded polyurethanes.

This invention relates to stable polyol mixtures ontaining mixtures of internal mold release agents and optionally other auxiliaries.
Rigid, semi-rigid and flexible polyurethane materials are often produced by machine-mixing a polyol mixture with a polyisocyanate and introducing the resulting mixture into a mold in which the reaction mixture subsequently cures, optionally with formation of layers differing in density. The mold may be made of any of a variety of materials (for example steel, aluminum or epoxy resin) and may be heated or unheated.
The demoldability of the workpiece formed from the reaction mixture is improved by using so-called external release agents or release lacquers or internal release agents. Tile external release agents are injected into the mold. The so-called internal release agents are incorporated in the reaction mixture and lead to good demoldability of the workpiece (molding) formed with no need for external release agents. Internal release agents may be added to the isocyanate component of the reaction mixture or preferably to the polyol component of the reaction mixture or to both components before these components are combined in the mixing machine.
internal release agents are often products containing aliphatic paraffin chains which, in general, should contain more than 10 carbon atoms. Reaction products or derivatives of long-chain fatty acids, more particularly natural fatty acids, such as oleic acid, tall oil fatty acid, stearic acid, palm kernel oil fatty acids, train oil fatty acids, ricinoleic acids, linoleic acids, erucic acids or mixtures thereof, are preferably used.
Derivatives or reaction products of such fatty acids which may be used as mold release agents include the hydrogenation and reduction products of those acids, esterification or amidation products of those acids, salts, urethanes or esters of such esterification or amidation products, amine salts of such fatty acids or addition products (for example, with carbodiimides) or the products obtained in Passerini or Ugi multi-center reactions.
Among the internal release agents, two types have proven to be particularly effective over the years. The first of these types contains an NH function either through amine bonds or through urethane bonds in the molecule. The second type contains amine salt functions which themselves may also contain amide functions. Both basic types may also have ester groups.
Examples of salt-like release agents include the oleic acid salt of the amide of 1 mol N-dimethyl-1,3-propylenediamine and oleic acid and the ester of 1 mol N-dimethyl ethanolamine and oleic acid. Examples of non-salt-like types of internal release agents containing -NH functions include the reaction product of diisocyanatodiphenyl methane types (i.e. polyisocyanates) with the ester of, for example, 1 mol pentaerythritol and 2 to 3 mol oleic acid or even the oleic acid amide of 1 mol oleic acid and the oleic acid ester of ethanolamine.
Both the non-salt-like release agents containing urethane or ester groups and the release agents containing salt groups are particularly suitable for use as internal release agents.
The polyol mixtures used for the production of moldings from polyol and polyisocyanate mixtures as described above frequently contain short-chain polyols (i.e., polyols produced from polyalcohols and/or (poly)amines by alkoxylation to OH values above 700), polyols of medium chain length (i.e., products reacted in the same way, but by more productive alkoxylation to OH values between 100 and 700), and long-chain polyols (i.e., products reacted in basically the same way, but to OH values of 8 to 100).
It is, of course, also possible to use short-chain, medium-chain or long-chain polyols characterized by the OH value ranges mentioned which have been produced by any method. Polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes, polyols which have not been subjected to further modification (for example, glycerol, sugar products, formoses, etc.), the so-called polymer polyols, filler-containing polyols, so-called PHD polyols and other polyols and polyol mixtures containing polyisocyanate reaction products in the form of a stable dispersion may be used to produce molded materials.
In addition, polyol mixtures to be used in the production of molded articles often contain special pore stabilizers. optionally oxidation or radiation stabilizers, colorants, fragrances or other active substances, small quantities of water and optionally additional blowing agents.
DE-OS 1,953,637 describes a process for the production of foams by foaming a reaction mixture of polyisocyanates, compounds containing reactive hydrogen atoms, water and/or organic blowing agents and also additives in a closed mold. The salts of aliphatic carboxylic acids and primary amines or amide- and/or ester-modified amines containing at least 25 aliphatic carbon atoms may be used as additives.
DE-OS 2,307,589 describes a process for the production of foams based on polyisocyanates, in which the foams are produced in closed molds using reaction products of fatty acid esters and polyisocyanates and optionally other release agents. Oleic acid and tall oil fatty acid salts of the amide-modified amine (obtainable by reaction of N-dimethylaminopropyl amine with oleic acid or tallow oil fatty acid) are disclosed as optional release agents.
In the process disclosed in DE-OS 2,121,670, the foam moldings are produced using mixtures of at least two of the following components:
a) salts of aliphatic carboxylic acids and optionally amide-and/or ester-modified amines, PA1 b) COOH- and/or OH-functional esters of monobasic and/or polybasic carboxylic acids, PA1 c) natural and/or synthetic oils, fats or waxes.
and
It has now been found that, in particular, the highly effective internal release agents of the type described above (for example the release agents containing urethane NH groups), tend to form unstable mixtures and to "float off" when added to the polyol mixtures in the relatively large quantities required for good demolding.
It is also known that mixtures of several release agents can be used as an internal release agent in the production of moldings, optionally even in the polyol and polyisocyanate phase, if it is desired to obtain particularly good release effects.
However, all of the known systems have the disadvantage that it is not possible to produce stable preparations (i.e., preparations storable for the prolonged periods typically involved in the transport and storage of polyurethane raw materials), with them. The polyol mixtures typically used in the production of moldings and the internal release agents are often largely incompatible, particularly when the release agents are added in quantities of more than 5%.

Storable polyol mixtures containing mold release agents


A system management layer changes a current program with a program (door lock failure diagnosis judgment program, security judgment program, door lock judgment program, keyless entry judgment program or the like) to be executed by an application layer, in accordance with an operation mode of on-vehicle equipment. Priorities of programs are previously stored for each operation mode, and a priority judgment program contributes to judge the priority of operation request based on the operation mode. Thus, plural programs of each hierarchal layer are categorized into groups per operation mode, although complicating in the single hierarchal layer. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the priority judgment processing from complicating for the operation request output by each computer program.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control apparatus, a control system, and a computer program that can control plural equipments, such as on-vehicle equipments, and can facilitate the development, test and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known to mount several varieties of electric equipments on a vehicle (on-vehicle equipment) to provide more sophisticated vehicles. The vehicle requires much more numbers of on-vehicle equipments in order to be sophisticated more. Thus, the enlargement and complication may occur of the control apparatus, such as an electric control unit (ECU) controlling the plural on-vehicle equipments, and of the control program executed by the control apparatus. Hence, the development is considered to be hard, to need longer time and to require higher cost for the control apparatus and computer program.
FIG. 8 is a schematic view for explaining processes performed by a conventional computer program controlling an on-vehicle equipment, and shows an example of computer program performing a door lock processing on a vehicle. The vehicle is provided with the on-vehicle equipment controlling the door lock, and the door lock processing is performed when a user handles a switch on the door to lock the door, the user handles a remote controller (so called, keyless entry) to lock the door, a dealer carries out the door lock test with a failure diagnosis apparatus and the like.
For example, the computer program shown in this figure includes: a door lock failure diagnosis judgment program 201 that contributes to judge whether or not it is instructed to perform the door lock test with the failure diagnosis apparatus; a security judgment program 202 that contributes to perform the lock judgment with the security function; the door lock judgment program 203 that contributes to judge whether the switch on the door is handled to lock the door or not; a keyless entry judgment program 204 that contributes to judge whether the remote controller is handled to lock the door or not, and the like. These programs respectively contribute to output door lock requests when the conditions described above are satisfied. The door lock processing is performed when at least one door lock request is output by any program. However, when plural door lock requests are output simultaneously by plural programs, it is required to determine which door lock request is utilized for performing the door lock processing.
Thus, the computer program shown in the figure contributes to pass the door lock operation requests, which have been output by the door lock failure diagnosis judgment program 201, the security judgment program 202, door lock judgment program 203 and the keyless entry judgment program 204, to the priority judgment program 206 in order to judge the priorities of respective operation requests output simultaneously. The priority judgment program 205 contributes to select one operation request having the highest priority among the plural operation requests output simultaneously, and then contributes to pass the selected operation request to the door lock output program 206. The door lock output program 206 then, for example, contributes to control an actuator for locking the door of vehicle in accordance with the passed operation request. Therefore, the door lock processing is performed in accordance with a condition having the highest priority.
A patent document 1 proposes a control system that can add a new application for implementing a new function and further can minimize the effect on an existing application caused by the addition of new application. This control system utilizes a software configuration of service application that mediates between a client application and a server application, which are mounted on an electric control apparatus, and that performs transmission of required information with the electric control apparatus while performing a format conversion, an arbitration and the like. The service application can determine, in the case that operation requests are output from plural applications and compete with each other, which operation request should be preferred.    [Patent document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-74124

Control apparatus, control system and computer program


A particulate additive is reported which is an intimately blended mixture of a precursor, a stabilizing agent and a dispersing agent. The precursor is a quaternized ammonium or phosphonium substituted carbonic acid ester. A C.sub.4 or higher organic acid having at least one carboxylic group, such a lauric acid, or a solid inorganic acid, such as potassium bisulfate, is required as the stabilizing agent. Various alkoxylated fatty alcohols, fatty acids or alkylated phenols are utilized as the dispersing agent. These particulate additives are employed as adjuncts in bleaching-detergent compositions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bleach promoting particles suitable for incorporation into detergent formulations.
2. The Related Art
Hydrogen peroxide releasing compounds have long been known for their capability of removing stains from fabrics. Among the most commonly employed materials for this purpose is sodium perborate, either in the tetrahydrate or monohydrate form.
When laundering fabrics at or near the boil temperatures of 85.degree. to 100.degree. C., perborate and similar persalt materials perform well. Over the years, the temperatures at which consumers launder have however declined. Today it is common to conduct the washing process below 60.degree. C. Under such conditions, the performance of perborate and like materials is poor. To overcome the low temperature problem, hydrogen peroxide releasing agents alternately known as bleach precursors, promoters or activators have been used in conjunction with the persalts.
A recently issued patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,015 (Humphreys et al.) reported an exceptionally effective family of bleach precursor compounds identified as quaternary ammonium or phosphonium substituted carbonic acid esters. A number of problems have been noted with these compounds. Work on the 2-(N,N,N-trimethyl-ammonium)ethyl sodium 4-sulfophenyl carbonate salt (CSPC) has indicated that this compound is very hydrolytically unstable. The hydrolysis rate of CSPC approaches 100%. This rate is measured by placing 7.46 .times. 10.sup.-3 mols/liter of the precursor into a 0.4% w/v detergent solution with continuous stirring at 20.degree. C., in the absence of any peroxy bleach component, under constant pH adjustment to 9.7 for 60 minutes prior to determining the amount of precursor hydrolyzed.
Other precursors have also been described in the literature. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,369 (Wevers) reports improving the storage stability of a certain class of perbleach activator (precursor) by agglomeration with an agent that is chemically inert relative to the activator. The class of activators disclosed therein are characterized by a rate of hydrolysis ranging from about 5 to 45% as measured by the aforedescribed hydrolytic stability test procedure. Included among these reasonably stable activators are tetraacetyl ethylene diamine (TAED) and sodium p-benzoyloxybenzene sulfonate (SBOBS). Agglomerating agents suitable for use therein are generically described as having melting points in the range from about 25.degree.-100.degree. C. Specific classes include ethoxylated C.sub.10 -C.sub.18 carboxylic acids, ethoxylated C.sub.10 -C.sub.24 alcohols, C.sub.10 -C.sub.15 amides, polyethylene glycols, ethoxylated C.sub.8 -C.sub.18 alkyl phenols, C.sub.12 -C.sub.30 fatty acids and C.sub.16 -C.sub.30 fatty alcohols.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,113 (Green et al.) discloses a slightly different manner of protecting precursor compounds of the type listed by Wevers. Finely divided particulate precursor compound is evenly mixed with an inert carrier material. Around the resultant particle is placed an outer protective, non-deliquescent coherent layer of polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, starch, water-soluble cellulose ether or water-soluble gum. Among the suitable inert carrier materials are listed lauric acid, sodium dodecyl hydrogen phthalate, sodium dodecyl hydrogen succinate, sodium lauryl sulphate or liquid paraffin.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,234 (Hachmann et al.) focuses upon stabilizing bleaching assistants of the N-acyl and O-acyl compound variety. Chief among these compounds is tetraacetyl glycoluril, a material known in the art as having a 60% rate of hydrolysis. Stabilization is accomplished by surrounding the bleaching assistant with an other coating that is a mixture of C.sub.12 -C.sub.24 fatty acid with fatty alcohols (or water-soluble ethoxylated derivatives thereof) in a weight proportion of 10:1 to 2:1.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,506 (Fries et al.) is concerned with the same bleaching assistants as those of Hachmann et al. Stabilization is here accomplished by forming an intimate mixture between 10-70% of a bleaching assistant and 30-90% of a mixture of fatty acids and polyethylene glycol.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,594 (Parfomak et al.) encapsulates a mixture of sodium nonanoyloxybenzene sulfonate (SNOBS) and sodium perborate in a matrix of nonionic ethoxylated alcohol surfactant. Use of ethoxylated nonionic surfactant as a storage stability and water-dispersibility aid for peroxy acid bleach precursors is also reported in U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,049 (Gray et al.).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,327 (Murphy et al.) focuses upon branched alpha-substituted derivatives of C.sub.6 -C.sub.18 carboxylic acid ester type activators. Better storage stability of the activator is achieved by evenly distributing therewith a binder material which may be selected from nonionic surfactants, polyethylene glycols, anionic surfactants, film-forming polymers, fatty acids and mixtures thereof.
Other patents directed toward solving storage stability and/or dispersibility problems for bleach precursors include U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,674 (Gray), U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,826 (Leigh et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,868 (Saran et al.).
None of the aforementioned art has focused upon solving the substantially greater hydrolytic instability problem presented by the quaternary ammonium carbonic acid precursors, such as CSPC, described by Humphreys et al. These compounds have unique chemical breakdown products and mechanisms that necessitate unique solutions. Not only must the proper stabilization agent be provided but dispersibility in the wash liquor must not thereby be hindered.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide bleach precursor particles that have improved hydrolytic stability and thereby prolonged storage capability.
It is another object of the present invention to provide bleach precursor particles that are not only storage stable but also exhibit excellent water dispersibility in a wash medium.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a detergent composition containing the bleach activator particle which will deliver a high level of bleach performance against stains.
These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent through the detailed description provided below.

Stabilization of particles containing quaternary ammonium bleach precursors

Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.


An apparatus for shaping pavement, the apparatus comprising a pavement-shaping member for receiving a flow of shapeless pavement material and generating a flow of shaped pavement material and a paving machine mount, mechanically coupled to the pavement-shaping member, for coupling the pavement-shaping member to a paving machine, the pavement-shaping member comprising a detachable forming shoe for producing the shaped pavement material.

The present invention relates generally to the field of roadway paving equipment and more specifically to the field of pavement-shaping devices.
As used herein: "pavement" refers to any material—including, without limitation, asphalt concrete, Portland cement concrete, HMA, soil, or gravel—laid down over a pre-existing roadway; "roadway" refers to any surface on which a paving machine (paver) may be driven including, without limitation, streets, roads, highways, driveways, bicycle paths, jogging paths, runways, and unpaved road beds; "paving" refers to the process of laying down pavement.
In a wide variety of applications, pavement-shaping devices are used to produce a desired shape at the edge of a paved roadway. Often, the desired shape provides a ramp to allow vehicles to more easily and more safely regain the roadway after inadvertently driving off the edge.
Typically, conventional pavement-shaping devices suffer from several disadvantages: wearing of surfaces in contact with the pavement often necessitates expensive replacement of the entire device; and movement of the device to accommodate irregularities in the roadway is often impeded by pavement inadvertently flowing between the device and the paver or by binding of various device moving parts.
Opportunities exist, therefore, to provide an improved pavement-shaping device having, individually or in combination, a detachable forming shoe in contact with the pavement, a flap for preventing pavement from inadvertently flowing between the device and the paver, and an improved restoring assembly for accommodating roadway irregularities without binding.


A method of tuning a DCXO includes the step of providing a coarse tuning array and a fine tuning array of capacitors fabricated on the same integrated circuit die. The coarse array is adjusted until the difference between a desired frequency and the output frequency corresponds to a change in capacitance no greater than half the range of the fine tuning array. In one embodiment, the fine tuning array is adjusted to mid-range before adjusting the coarse tuning array. A DCXO apparatus includes at least one integrated circuit segmented switched capacitor network providing a capacitance that is a nonmonotonic function of a composite input code. The segmented switched capacitor network includes parallel coupled binary weighted and thermometer coded switched capacitor networks for coarse and fine tuning, respectively.

This invention relates to the field of crystal oscillators. In particular, this invention is drawn to precise tuning control for crystal oscillators.
Many communication systems require precise timing to permit synchronization of a receiver clock signal with a transmitter clock signal. Sophisticated communication algorithms require precise synchronization between the near and far end terminals for maximum data throughput on a communication channel.
The frequency of a crystal controlled oscillator tends to remain constant with a high degree of accuracy. However, even if substantially identical crystals with the same vibrational characteristics are used at the transmitter and receiver, temperature variations between the sites results in sufficient frequency mismatch between both ends of the communication channel to render the data unrecoverable. Further, process variation in the manufacture of the crystals typically results in mismatch on the same order of magnitude as that introduced by the temperature variations.
A frequency tracking system can be used to ensure synchronization between the ends of a communications channel. Voltage controlled crystal oscillators (VCXOs) are often used as components in a frequency tracking system. A common design incorporates varactor (voltage controlled capacitor based on a reverse biased p-n junction) tuning. As the voltage applied to the varactor is varied, the oscillator frequency changes. The varactor typically enables frequency changes of up to 100 ppm.
Although the varactor ideally allows for continuously variable capacitance, practical applications use a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to provide the varactor voltage in response to a digital input code. The DAC output and thus the voltage across the varactor is quantized in discrete steps. The number and size of the steps are determined by the total dynamic range of the DAC and the resolution required.
One disadvantage of this architecture is that the varactor size required for sufficient tuning range effectively ensures that the varactor must be an off-chip component. The required use of off-chip controllable variable components is undesirable for cost or space concerns.
In view of limitations of known systems and methods, methods and apparatus for tuning a digitally controlled crystal oscillator to a desired frequency are provided.
One method includes the step of providing a DCXO having a coarse tuning array and a fine tuning array of capacitors fabricated on a same integrated circuit die. The coarse array is adjusted until the difference between the desired frequency and the output frequency corresponds to a change in capacitance no greater than half the range of the fine tuning array. In one embodiment, the coarse array is varied until the required change in capacitance is less than the capacitance associated with the least significant bit of the coarse tuning array. The fine tuning array is adjusted until the output frequency substantially matches the desired frequency. In one embodiment, the fine tuning array is adjusted to mid-range before adjusting the coarse tuning array.
A DCXO apparatus includes a coarse tuning array of capacitors providing a first range of tuning capacitance and a fine tuning array of capacitors providing a second range of tuning capacitance. The coarse and fine tuning arrays are coupled in parallel to form a first segmented capacitor network. The coarse and fine tuning arrays are formed on a same integrated circuit die. In one embodiment, the coarse tuning array is a binary weighted switched capacitor network and the fine tuning array is a thermometer coded switched capacitor network.
A DCXO apparatus includes at least one segmented switched capacitor network providing a capacitance that is a nonmonotonic function Z of a composite input code. A processor is coupled to provide the composite input code. The DCXO output frequency varies in response to the composite input code. In one embodiment, the segmented switched capacitor network includes an n-bit binary weighted coarse tuning array of capacitors and an m-bit thermometer coded fine tuning array of capacitors. In one embodiment, the thermometer coded array comprises unit capacitances CT of substantially the same value. The least significant bit of the binary weighted array has an associated capacitance CB. In one embodiment 2mCT less than CB. In an alternative embodiment, 2mCTxe2x89xa7CB.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows below.

Digitally controlled crystal oscillator with integrated coarse and fine control


A perpendicular recording head has a second pole piece which includes a bottom ferromagnetic shaping layer and a top ferromagnetic probe layer. Each of these layers has a flare point where the layers first commence to widen after the ABS with the flare point of the shaping layer being located between an air bearing surface (ABS) of the head and the flare point of the probe layer. Further, the probe layer has a probe at the ABS which has a decreasing width from its top to its bottom to provide a trapezoidal shape which minimizes side writing due to skew of the probe at outermost and innermost circular tracks of a rotating magnetic disk.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a perpendicular recording write head with a ferromagnetic shaping layer and, more particularly, to such a write head wherein the shaping layer provides a planarized surface for the construction of a probe layer and supplies flux to a probe of the probe layer very close to an air bearing surface (ABS).
2. Description of the Related Art
The heart of a computer is a magnetic disk drive which includes a rotating magnetic disk, a slider that has read and write heads, a suspension arm above the rotating disk and an actuator arm that swings the suspension arm to place the read and write heads over selected circular tracks on the rotating disk. The suspension arm urges the slider into contact with the surface of the disk when the disk is not rotating but, when the disk rotates, air is swirled by the rotating disk adjacent an air bearing surface (ABS) of the slider causing the slider to ride on an air bearing a slight distance from the surface of the rotating disk. When the slider rides on the air bearing the write and read heads are employed for writing magnetic impressions to and reading magnetic field signals from the rotating disk. The read and write heads are connected to processing circuitry that operates according to a computer program to implement the writing and reading functions.
A write head typically employs ferromagnetic first and second pole pieces which are capable of carrying flux signals for the purpose of writing the magnetic impressions into the track. Each of the first and second pole pieces has a pole tip, a yoke and a back gap with the yoke being located between the pole tip and the back gap. The pole tips are located at the ABS and the back gaps are magnetically connected at a recessed location within the write head. At least one coil layer is embedded in an insulation stack between the yokes of the first and second pole pieces. A nonmagnetic write gap layer is located between the pole tips. Processing circuitry digitally energizes the write coil which induces flux signals into the first and second pole pieces. The flux signals bridge across the write gap layer at the ABS so as to write the aforementioned magnetic impressions or bits into the track of the rotating disk.
The first and second pole pieces are typically fabricated by frame plating. Photoresist is employed to provide the frame and a seed layer is employed to provide a return path for the plating operation. A typical sequence for fabricating a pole piece is to sputter clean the wafer, sputter deposit a seed layer, such as nickel iron, on the wafer, spin a layer of photoresist on the wafer, light-image the photoresist layer through a mask to expose areas of the photoresist that are to be removed (assuming that the photoresist is a positive photoresist), develop the photoresist to remove the light-exposed areas to provide an opening in the photoresist and then plate the pole piece in the opening up to a desired height.
A write head is typically rated by its areal density which is a product of its linear bit density and its track width density. The linear bit density is the number of bits which can be written per linear inch along the track of the rotating magnetic disk and the track width density is the number of tracks that can be written per inch along a radius of the rotating magnetic disk. The linear bit density is quantified as bits per inch (BPI) and the track width density is quantified as tracks per inch (TPI). The linear bit density depends upon the length of the bit along the track and the track width density is dependent upon the width of the second pole tip at the ABS. Efforts over the years to increase the areal density have resulted in computer storage capacities increasing from kilobytes to megabytes to gigabytes.
The magnetic moment of each pole piece is parallel to the ABS and to the major planes of the layers of the write head. When the write current is applied to the coil of the write head the magnetic moment rotates toward or away from the ABS, depending upon whether the write signal is positive or negative. When the magnetic moment is rotated from the parallel position, the aforementioned magnetic flux fringes across the write gap layer between the first and second pole pieces impressing a positive or negative bit in the track of the rotating magnetic disk. As the write current frequency is increased, the linear bit density is also increased. An increase in the linear bit density is desirable in order to increase the aforementioned areal density which provides a computer with increased storage capacity.
There are two types of magnetic write heads. One type is a longitudinal recording write head, which is described hereinabove, and the other type is a perpendicular recording write head. In the longitudinal recording write head the flux induced into the pole pieces by the write coil fringes across the write gap layer into the circular track of the rotating magnetic disk. This causes an orientation of the magnetization in the circular disk to be parallel to the plane of the disk which is referred to as longitudinal recording. The volume of the magnetization in the disk is referred to as a bit cell and the magnetizations in various bit cells are antiparallel so as to record information in digital form. The bit cell has a width representing track width, a length representing linear density and a depth which provides the volume necessary to provide sufficient magnetization to be read by a sensor of the read head. In longitudinal recording magnetic disks this depth is somewhat shallow. The length of the bit cell along the circular track of the disk is determined by the thickness of the write gap layer. A write gap layer is made as thin as practical so as to decrease the length of the bit cell along the track which increases the linear density of the recording. The width of the second pole tip of the longitudinal write head is also made as narrow as possible so as to reduce the track width and thereby increase the track width density. Unfortunately, the reduction in the thickness of the write gap layer and the track width is limited because the bit cell is shallow and there must be sufficient bit cell volume in order to produce sufficient magnetization in the recorded disk to be read by the sensor of the read head.
In a perpendicular recording write head there is no write gap layer. In a perpendicular write head the second pole piece comprises a probe layer wherein the probe layer has a probe with a width that defines the track width of the write head and a wider yoke portion which delivers the flux to the probe. At a recessed end of the probe the yoke flares laterally outwardly to its fall width and thence to a back gap which is magnetically connected to a back gap of the first pole piece. The perpendicular write head records signals into a perpendicular recording magnetic disk which are significantly thicker than a longitudinal recording magnetic disk. In the perpendicular recording magnetic disk a soft magnetic layer underlies a thicker perpendicular recording layer which has a high saturation magnetization MS and a high coercivity HC. The thicker disk permits a larger bit cell so that the length and the width of the cell can be decreased and still provide sufficient magnetization to be read by the read head. This means that the width and the thickness or height of the probe at the ABS can be reduced to increase the aforementioned TPI and BPI. The magnetization of the bit cell in a perpendicular recording scheme is perpendicular to the plane of the disk as contrasted to parallel to the plane of the disk in the longitudinal recording scheme. The flux from the probe is injected into the perpendicular recording magnetic disk in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the disk, thence parallel to the plane of the disk in the aforementioned soft magnetic underlayer and thence again perpendicular to the plane of the disk into the first pole piece to complete the magnetic circuit. It is now readily apparent that the width of the probe can be less than the width of the second pole tip of the longitudinal write head and the height or thickness of the probe can be less than the length of the longitudinal recorded bit cell so as to significantly increase the aforementioned areal density of the write head.
The probe layer is typically constructed by the aforementioned frame plating in the same manner as construction of the second pole piece in a longitudinal recording head. It is desirable that the length of the probe between the ABS and a flare point of the probe layer, where the second pole first commences to widen after the ABS, be short so as to minimize a fully saturated probe length and thereby increase the write signal frequency so as to increase the linear density of the recording. Unfortunately, when the probe length is short it is difficult to fabricate a narrow width probe because of the loss of resolution of the probe in a region where the probe meets the flared portion of the probe layer. This can only be overcome by lengthening the probe which reduces the write frequency and the linear density of the recording head. This problem has been overcome by providing a ferromagnetic shaping layer immediately below the probe layer with a flare point which is located between the flare point of the probe layer and the ABS. In this manner the length of the probe may be sufficiently long so that the low resolution portion of the probe next to the flared portion of the probe layer is recessed and will not affect the resolution of the probe portion next to the ABS when frame plating is employed for its construction. The shaping layer can also be planarized with an insulation layer between the shaping layer and the ABS so as to provide a desirable planar surface for high resolution fabrication of the probe.
Another aspect of the invention is to fabricate the probe with a narrow track width by a reverse imaging process. This reverse imaging process is another way to obtain high resolution fabrication of the probe even when the probe length is not increased to improve its resolution when constructed by frame plating, as discussed hereinabove. In the reverse imaging process frame plating is employed to fabricate the probe with a probe material layer that has a width larger than the desired track width of the write head. For instance, the probe material layer could be full film plated. A hard mask layer is formed on top of the probe material layer of a material such as carbon or alumina followed by formation of a resist layer on the hard mask layer with a width equal to the desired track width. Milling is then employed to remove exposed portions of the hard mask layer and then ion milling is employed to mill exposed portions of the probe material layer, thus defining the probe with the desired track width. In a preferred embodiment the ion milling is at an angle to a normal to the plane of the probe layer while the probe layer is rotated about the normal. This causes the side walls of the probe layer to be sloped inwardly from the top to the bottom of the probe. Accordingly, the probe is trapezoidal shaped at the ABS which minimizes side writing of the probe in tracks at the outer radius and inner radius of the rotating magnetic disk as the disk is rotated.
An object of the present invention is to provide a more well-defined probe for a perpendicular recording head.
Another object is to provide a probe with a sufficient length from the ABS into the head so that the probe can be well-defined by frame plating without reducing the write signal frequency.
A further object is to construct a probe by a reverse imaging process which does not require the probe length to be lengthened in order to obtain a high resolution probe when constructed by frame plating.
Still another object is to provide a reverse imaging process for constructing a probe with a trapezoidal shape at the ABS so as to minimize side writing.
Still a further object is to provide a method of making each of the probes set forth hereinabove.
Other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will be appreciated upon reading the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings.

Perpendicular recording write head with a ferromagnetic shaping layer

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


A vehicular heat management system includes a heat pump cycle capable of heating a heat-exchanging-object fluid by using exhaust heat of an in-vehicle device as a heat source that radiates heat during operation, and an exhaust-heat refrigerant circuit that releases the exhaust heat to outside air through an exhaust-heat refrigerant. The heat pump cycle includes a recovery heat exchange portion that performs heat exchange between a heated air heated by the exhaust heat and a cycle refrigerant circulating in the heat pump cycle. The exhaust-heat refrigerant circuit includes an exhaust-heat exchange portion that performs heat exchange between the heated air and the exhaust-heat refrigerant. The recovery heat exchange portion and the exhaust-heat exchange portion are integrally formed as a combined heat exchanger capable of transferring heat between the cycle refrigerant and the exhaust-heat refrigerant.

Conventionally, a vehicular air conditioner is applied to an electric vehicle which obtains a driving force for a vehicle travel from a vehicle-running electric motor. The vehicular air conditioner includes a refrigeration cycle that heats or cools vent air that is blown into a vehicle compartment. The refrigeration cycle is switched to a refrigerant circuit forming a so-called gas injection cycle in a heating mode in which the vent air is heated by heat absorbed from outside air as a heat source.


A method includes identifying user activity data of a plurality of users for a first online media item. The user activity data includes a drop-off rate and a consumption rate for the first online media item. The first online media item has a first thumbnail representing the first online media item. The method further includes determining, based on at least one of the drop-off rate or the consumption rate of the first online media item, that a new thumbnail is to be recommended to replace the first thumbnail for the first online media item, selecting the new thumbnail from a plurality of candidate thumbnails, and sending a recommendation of the new thumbnail for the first online media item to a client device of a user associated with the first online media item.

Users may create and publish videos online, which others users may watch. Users may select which video to watch, for example, by selecting a thumbnail of the video. A thumbnail is a reduced-size version of a digital image. Thumbnails may be implemented, for example, on web pages and/or in applications (e.g., web browser, mobile application) as smaller copies of an original digital image. Poor selection of a thumbnail can affect video click rate and consumption rate, which may be factors in generating revenue through the video.
For example, a video may be of a celebrity interview and an image of the face of the celebrity may be used as the thumbnail for the video. Some thumbnails may not be the best representation of the content of the video. For example, instead of using an image of the face of the celebrity as the thumbnail for the video, an image of the reporter who is interviewing the celebrity may be used. Videos that have a thumbnail of the reporter may not be selected as much as videos that have a thumbnail of the celebrity. In another example, a video may be of a high school marching band playing the latest hit song by a popular rock band. The video may be using an image of the rock band as a thumbnail, which many users may be selecting. Upon selection, users may realize that the video is not a performance of the rock band, and users may immediately stop watching the video. Although the high school marching band video may have a high click rate using the rock band image as a thumbnail, the high school marching band video has a low consumption rate.
Another example of a common problem today with thumbnail images misrepresenting the content of the video may be that an image may indicate that a video is a music video, when in fact the video is the image accompanied by a song playing while the image is shown. In another example, a user may select an image that implies that there is more action, which relates to the image, to be seen from the video. For example, an image of a football receiver catching a ball can imply that the video immediately shows the catch when the video is selected. The video may not immediately show the football receiver catching the ball and a user may have to navigating through the content of the video to locate the content of the football receiver catching the ball.
In another example, a user may select an image of a famous retired basketball player with an expectation that much of the video content includes the famous retired basketball player. The image may be misleading in that the famous retired basketball player is briefly included in the video content and the video content largely includes clips of current basketball players. In another example, a user may select an image of a flood, but the video content is mostly a news reporter talking about the weather with a brief showing of the flood. In another example, the image for the thumbnail may not be included the video content at all. The opposite scenarios of these examples may also occur. For example, a famous retired basketball player may appear prominently in a video, but the thumbnail may not include the famous retired basketball player. Poor representation of the video content in a thumbnail image may lead to missed opportunities for users to find the videos which the users may want.

Image recommendations for thumbnails for online media items based on user activity


A device can comprise: a trigger chamber, having a trigger elastic wall and a trigger base wall, the trigger chamber configured for relative motion between the trigger elastic wall and the trigger base wall; a connecting line fluidly coupled to the trigger chamber, the connecting line having a substantially inelastic wall; a stimulation chamber fluidly coupled to the connecting line, the stimulation chamber having a stimulation elastic wall and a stimulation base wall, the stimulation chamber configured for relative motion between the stimulation elastic wall and the stimulation base wall, the stimulation elastic wall having an exterior surface; a plurality of projections coupled to the exterior surface; and a stabilizing frame, the stabilizing frame having a substantially rigid wall, the stabilizing frame having a plurality of apertures, the stabilizing frame extending over the stimulation chamber, the projections configured to extend through the apertures when the stimulation chamber is expanded.

Impaired gait and balance is a disabling feature in many neurological and geriatric conditions that can lead to risk of falling and injury. Studies have shown improvement of gait and balance using somatosensory stimulation (vibratory, tactile, pressure/proprioceptive) of the feet. It is believed that such improvement in function is related to additional sensory feedback provided by stimulating the feet. In Parkinson's disease, sensory stimulation can improve gait and "unlock" freezing of movement. For example, patients with Parkinson's disease can ride a bicycle with relative ease; a phenomenon that is attributed to intermittent sensory feedback provided by the movement of cycling.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Device and method for gait synchronized sensory stimulation of the lower extremities


An access device enables controlled or secure communication between different areas of an enclosure and, in the example illustrated in the present application of an aircraft, while providing reduced size. The access device includes at least three mobile walls able to move, independently from one another, to form a closed cylinder, the walls thus being in a so-called security vestibule position, and to overlap at least in twos in order to close off access to one or more areas while concealing the security vestibule, the walls thus being in a so-called retracted position. By overlapping at the access level of said areas that the walls allow to close, the device frees up the adjoining cabin space.

In today's aircraft, the cockpit is separated from the cabin by a reinforced separating partition provided with an access door. The door can be locked from inside the cockpit to prevent all aggressions from the cabin. The cabin can have different types of layouts near the cockpit:
Toilet facilities adjoining the separating partition between the cabin and cockpit and positioned on one side of the door of said partition;
Toilet and kitchen facilities adjoining the separating partition between the cabin and cockpit and positioned on either side of the door of said partition in a direction transverse to the aircraft;
Passenger seats placed in close proximity to the separating partition between the cabin and cockpit.
Very few aircraft have toilet facilities dedicated solely to pilots. Pilots must exit the cockpit to use the toilet facilities intended for passengers. Pilots may also want to access the cabin, for example, to check the status of an aircraft system. The crew of an aircraft may also need to access the cockpit for example to serve the pilots meals. However, using the access door exposes the pilots to aggressions from the cabin.
A configuration exists providing toilet and kitchen facilities adjoining the cockpit and arranged on either side of the cockpit access door. In this case, the toilet and kitchen facilities form an aisle providing protection to the cockpit access. However, in other configurations, an additional protection system must be provided such as a security vestibule.
Protecting the access to the cockpit by a security vestibule formed by mobile walls able to move independently from one another so as to provide a single opening therebetween which makes it possible to access the cockpit or the cabin is known from patent FR2965793, filed on Oct. 8, 2010. This device has the drawback of occupying a significant volume in the cabin, particularly in the configurations wherein the seats are near the partition separating the cockpit from the cabin. For passenger comfort, a minimum perimeter is required to access the security vestibule thus taking up cabin space for the passenger seats.

Access device provided with independent mobile walls enabling secure communication between at least two zones of an enclosure


An article (30) is controllably and precisely positioned at one of three discrete locations defined by a linkage. The positioning apparatus includes two independently driven cranks (34, 42), with a link (50) pivotably connected between the two cranks (34, 42). Another connector (44) is pivotably connected between one of the cranks (34 or 42) and the article (30) to be positioned. The cranks (34, 42) are rotationally adjusted so that the pivot points (52, 54) of the link (50) are collinear with the axes of rotation of the cranks (40, 48), thereby defining one of the three discrete locations. Additional cranks and links can be provided to define additional discrete locations.

This invention relates to mechanical positioning systems, and, more particularly, to a linkage system for controllably and precisely positioning an article at discrete locations defined by the linkage.
It is often necessary to mechanically position an article at one of several precisely defined, discrete locations, and then to move the article between those locations. A variety of complex devices are available to perform such functions. A high-precision torque motor operating in conjunction with a positional encoder is one example of such a positioning device. Such devices can be extremely costly to purchase and may have limited reliability due to their complexity.
In an example of a requirement for precisely positioning an article at discrete locations, a sensor platform in an earth surveillance satellite is rotatably mounted so that its sensor may be aimed at locations along its ground track. In one version, the sensor platform must be capable of being precisely directed in one of three nominal discrete angular orientations: straight down (0 degrees reference), +20 degrees forward, or -20 degrees backward along the ground track. There is no requirement that the sensor platform be arbitrarily aimable at angles other than these nominal positions.
In one approach to meeting this requirement, a high-precision, microprocessor-controlled torque motor with an optical or electrical positional encoder feedback may be used to achieve precise positioning. The torque motor is connected to the rotatable sensor platform. The encoder measures the actual position of the sensor platform. In operation, the proper encoder position for a required angular orientation selected and commanded by the microprocessor. The encoder-based feedback system confirms that the command has resulted in the required angular orientation of the sensor platform or, if not, provides information for making the required adjustment of the torque motor.
Such a torque motor/encoder system can cost on the order of $250,000. It is complex, and therefore more prone to breakdowns and limited service life than an otherwise comparable but less complex device. The system also has the shortcoming that it provides more capability than required in some aspects, and less in others. For example, the torque motor/encoder system permits precise positioning at angular orientations other than the required three discrete positions. On the other hand, because the encoder is essentially a digital device, its increments of angular positioning at the discrete orientations is limited by the size of the digital steps and therefore may have difficulty achieving the required three discrete positions with a high degree of accuracy. Other types of precision positioning units are available, but generally also have high costs, are complex, and suffer from various shortcomings.
There is a need for an improved method and apparatus for precisely positioning an article to a discrete angular or linear location. The apparatus should be relatively inexpensive, provide long life and high reliability, and produce good controllability to the nominal location or orientation. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.

High-accuracy discrete positioning device


An aluminum nitride single crystal in the form of polygonal columns, the polygonal columns having the following properties [a] to [c]: [a] the content of a metal impurity is below a detection limit, [b] the average bottom area is from 5×103 to 2×105 μm2, and [c] the average height is 50 μm to 5 mm. The above aluminum nitride single crystal is preferably obtainable in a method including the steps of sublimating an aluminum nitride starting material (A) containing 0.1 to 30% by mass of a rare earth oxide by heating the starting material at a temperature of not lower than 2000° C., depositing aluminum nitride on a hexagonal single crystal substrate and thereby growing aluminum nitride single crystal in the shape of polygonal columns.

In recent years, aluminum nitride single crystals have been noticed particularly from the viewpoint of applying them to substrates for semiconductor devices or the like. As the process for producing the aluminum nitride single crystals, it is known that a process comprises sublimating an aluminum nitride starting material, depositing an aluminum nitride single crystal on a seed crystal such as silicon carbide, aluminum nitride or the like and thereby growing the aluminum nitride single crystal.
For example, Patent document 1 discloses an experiment such that a sintered mass obtainable by sintering 99.99% powdery aluminum nitride is used as a starting material for sublimation and a susceptor having a bevel surface and a seed crystal are used and thereby a single crystal having a large diameter can be prepared with a small amount of defects. It further discloses that the half width of a rocking curve is small and a single crystal having a thickness of about 20 mm can be prepared. Patent document 2 discloses an experiment such that powdery aluminum nitride is used as a starting material for sublimation, a single crystal is grown while contacting the single crystal with the inner wall of a crystal growing vessel and thereby polycrystallization is depressed. It also discloses that an aluminum nitride single crystal having a low surface roughness, and having a diameter of 48 mm and a thickness of 1.5 mm can be obtained.
Meanwhile, for a process for producing a whiskery aluminum nitride single crystal, Patent document 3 discloses a process for producing whiskers of an aluminum nitride single crystal which process comprising using a composition obtainable by blending powdery alumina with a specific metal oxide as a starting material, heating the blend in a nitrogen atmosphere in the presence of carbon and thereby forming the whiskers in the composition.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2004-284869
Patent Document 2: JP-A-2006-21964
Patent Document 3: JP-A-2005-132699
As described above, conventionally known processes for producing aluminum nitride single crystals have problems that the growing rate is slow and it needs a very long period of time for producing a large single crystal although they can prepare high quality aluminum nitride single crystals.
Under the circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a process for producing an aluminum nitride single crystal having high quality in a high growing rate efficiently.
In the conventional process for producing a whiskery aluminum nitride single crystal, as described above, since the whisker formation is caused in the powdery starting material, there are problems such that it is difficult to achieve complete processing of all of the starting material powder, and the resulting whiskers contain the powdery starting material which is difficult to be removed. Furthermore, a metal oxide used as the starting material may also be present in the formed whiskers.
Under the circumstances, it is another object of the present invention to provide an aluminum nitride single crystal forming polygonal columns containing a slight amount of fine powder or impurities, and to provide a process for producing the aluminum nitride single crystal forming polygonal columns.

Aluminum nitride single crystal forming polygonal columns and a process for producing a plate-shaped aluminum nitride single crystal using the same


A microproportioning system includes a reservoir, a micro-diaphragm pump the entrance of which is connected to the reservoir, an open-jet proportioner the entrance of which is connected to the exit of the micro-diaphragm pump, a proportioning port connected to the exit of the open-jet proportioner, and a proportioning control which is in an operative communication with the micro-diaphragm pump and the open-jet proportioner

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a microproportioning system for proportioning liquid volumes in the range of about one nanoliter to a few nanoliters.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the proportioning systems which are known, a rough distinction is made between pipettes, dispensers, and multi-functional proportioners. All of the three groups are adapted to operate according to two different physical principles: The liquid proportioning process is either brought about by an air cushion or a direct displacement of the liquid takes place with no air cushion interposed. Further, a distinction is made from fixed-volume pipettes having an adjustable volume. The volumes being proportioned are between 0.5 μl and 2.500 μl.
Piston pipettes may be designed as fixed-volume pipettes or adjustable pipettes and operate in a volume range smaller than 1 μl up to 10 μl. The sample is drawn into a plastic syringe where it is separated by an air cushion from the piston in the pipette. Since the weight of the liquid column "is suspended" from the air cushion a pipette error will arise, which requires correction.
Pipettes or dispensers operating according to the direct-displacement principle do not exhibit these errors. They are specifically used in proportioning liquid at high steam pressures, high viscosities, high densities, and in molecular biology—e.g. in the polymerase chain reaction. They have tips or syringes with an integrated piston, which is coupled to a pipette driving means.
Multi-channel pipettes, dispensers, and electronic proportioning systems operate according to the aforementioned principles. Multi-channel pipettes may significantly reduce the number of required pipetting processes by several identical proportioning procedures. This is also the case for dispensers which stepwise dispense a liquid volume received and which also exist in a multi-channel design. Electronic pipettes and proportioning systems permit pipettings at a high reproducibility and have a wide field of application because of the dispensing function integrated. They operate in a volume range from 1 μl to 50 μl.
A precise, simple and low-cost proportioning of smaller liquid volumes would be desirable. Chemical analyses could then be made more precisely, more rapidly and at a lower cost, the latter also being made because of the lower consumption of media. This could enable novel routine diagnoses, e.g. in the field of medical care, or in environmental protection, which have been difficult to realize or have been too expensive hitherto. For applications in the field of biotechnology (e.g. in gene sequencing and genomic analysis) the informative content of examinations could be increased by an improvement of the proportioning quality. A substantial improvement of proportioning systems in the field of biotechnology might result, inter alia, in progress in breeding useful plants and useful animals and in controlling infectious diseases provoked by fungi, bacteria and viruses.
EP 0 725 267 A2 discloses a microproportioning system which has a micro-injection pump and a micro-diaphragm pump. To fill the system, the exit of the micro injection pump configured as a pipette tip may be dipped into a reservoir for the liquid being proportioned. The liquid is then delivered into the system by means of the micro-diaphragm pump, the entrance of which is connected to the micro-injection pump.
To clean the system, the exit of the micro-injection pump may be dipped into a stock for scouring liquid. The scouring liquid will also be delivered from the micro-diaphragm pump, the entrance of which is connected to the micro-injection pump, to a waste tank.
DE-A-41 40 533 relates to a microproportioning apparatus for the expulsion of minimal lubricant doses in the form of strands or droplets. A supply conduit for feeding the lubricant may open into the chamber of the apparatus at the side or the backward end of a tubular duct. The lubricating oil is drawn in via the supply conduit by deforming a bilaminar lamella. When an electric voltage is applied to a transducer the bilaminar lamella will bulge inwards and displace the lubricating oil so that the dose is expelled as droplets or a short strand through an outlet nozzle.
With this in view, it is the object of the invention to create a precise and simple microproportioning system having a proportioning volume in the range of a few nanoliters to a few microliters.


A method and apparatus is disclosed for reversing an aircraft on the ground comprising driving the aircraft using at least one self-propelled undercarriage wheel. An apparatus for controlling at least one of speed and at least one direction of an aircraft having a self-propelled nosewheel, on the ground, is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a control arm; a control unit; means for transmitting information to said self-propelled nosewheel; means for receiving information at said self-propelled nosewheel; and means for controlling at least one of the speed and direction of said nosewheel; whereby airport ground staff can intuitively control the movements of said aircraft by holding said arm and moving it in the direction of required movement of said aircraft.

There is a frequent need to reverse aircraft on the ground, for example, from a parking space into which the aircraft drives forwards, or to maneuver the aircraft in a hangar or maintenance area. Common methods of reversing aircraft include pushback and powerback.
Pushback is carried out by attaching a tug to the nosewheel of an aircraft. The tug is a low-profile, self-powered vehicle which is usually manned by a driver. Conventionally, a tow-bar is used to attach the tug to the aircraft nose wheel to enable the tug to maneuver the aircraft. The use of tow-bar-less tugs is also known in the art, for example the TBL600 tug made by Douglas Equipment (UK), in which the nose wheel of the aircraft is picked up by the tug, enabling the tug to maneuver the aircraft. It is also known in the air to have unmanned tugs, for example those used by Air France. Tugs are commonly in short supply at airports and delays are often caused while aircraft wait for tugs. Additionally, the tug takes time to attach to the aircraft.
Powerback is the use of the turbine engines to reverse an aircraft. The turbine output is diverted so that the exhaust gases are blown forwards rather than backwards. This is known as reverse thrust, and is used to slow down the aircraft on landing. The use of reverse thrust to move the aircraft backwards is less common since it provides limited maneuverability, is noisy, and uses a large amount of fuel. Specifically, the powerback causes the jet exhaust to blow debris up from the ground, which often is then sucked into the intake. The fact that airlines have tried such a method in spite of the problems described is an indication of the value of being able to reverse aircraft from gates without the use of tugs.
A method for enabling an aircraft to enter and leave a parking space in which there is insufficient space to turn around is disclosed in the art.
DE1012260 to Kuesel discloses a rotating platform, having a linear conveyor belt within said platform, said conveyor belt having forward and reverse modes. The platform is located in an aircraft parking space and enables an aircraft driven onto it to be moved into position for unloading and loading of passengers, and then turned around before being driven off the platform.
This is expensive to install at airports and may not be large enough for all aircraft that may require it in the future.
Self-propelled undercarriage assemblies are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,043 to Cameron-Johnson discloses an aircraft drive wheel having a fluid-pressure-operated motor housed within the wheel and two planetary gear stages housed in a gear box outboard of the motor, the final drive being transmitted from a ring gear of the second gear stage, which is inboard of the first stage, to the wheel through an output drive quill coupled, through a disc-type clutch if desired, to a flanged final drive member surrounding the inner end of the gear box and bolted to the wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,631 to Jenny discloses a wheel drive motor selectively coupled to an aircraft wheel through a rotatably mounted aircraft brake assembly in order to drive the wheels of an aircraft. The normally non-rotating stator portion of a conventional aircraft brake assembly is rotatably mounted about the wheel axle and is rotatably driven through a planetary gear system by the wheel drive motor.
A solution disclosed in WO2005/035358 discloses a mesh connected high phase order induction motor, situated in close proximity to, and preferably within, the nosegear. The mesh connection enables variable inductance so that the machine has a range of speed/torque profiles available.
European Patent No. 0 756 556 B1 to Giovanardi and Centofante discloses an aircraft having wheel driving means associated with at least one of the wheels of the landing gear. A motor powered by the auxiliary power unit of the aircraft is used to drive the wheels of the landing gear. The assembly comprises an electric or hydraulic motor in operative connection with a differential gear assembly, each wheel being mounted on an axle in forward operative connection with a respective half-shaft of the differential gear through a free wheel mechanism.
All of the solutions mentioned above require extra space to be occupied close to the undercarriage wheel, requiring extra space in the bay into which the undercarriage retracts. Space in this area is severely restricted. The shape and volume of the bay into which the undercarriage wheel retracts is of fixed size and cannot easily be altered. Further, using a bigger wheel and a bigger tire, in order to house a motor powerful enough to move the plane unassisted, will increase the mass of that part of the undercarriage, which may have deleterious effects on the balance and handling of the aircraft. Thus, installation of any of these motors requires serious modification of aircraft and as such they have not been widely used. Therefore, improved airport procedures and methods associated with such equipment have not been developed.
Motors providing high torque at low speeds are known in the art. Specifically, such motors are known that are designed for the purpose of propelling aircraft on the ground.
In WO05112584, Edelson discloses a motor-generator machine comprising a slotless AC induction motor. The motor disclosed therein is an AC induction machine comprising an external electrical member attached to a supporting frame and an internal electrical member attached to a supporting core; one or both supports are slotless, and the electrical member attached thereto comprises a number of surface mounted conductor bars separated from one another by suitable insulation. An airgap features between the magnetic portions of core and frame. Electrical members perform the usual functions of rotor and stator but are not limited in position by the present invention to either role. The stator comprises at least three different electrical phases supplied with electrical power by an inverter. The rotor has a standard winding configuration, and the rotor support permits axial rotation.
In WO2006/002207, Edelson discloses a motor-generator machine comprising a high phase order AC machine with short pitch winding. Disclosed therein is a high phase order alternating current rotating machine having an inverter drive that provides more than three phases of drive waveform of harmonic order H, and characterized in that the windings of the machine have a pitch of less than 180 rotational degrees. Preferably the windings are connected together in a mesh, star or delta connection. The disclosure is further directed to selection of a winding pitch that yields a different chording factor for different harmonics. The aim is to select a chording factor that is optimal for the desired harmonics.
In WO2006/065988, Edelson discloses a motor-generator machine comprising stator coils wound around the inside and outside of a stator, that is, toroidally wound. The machine may be used with a dual rotor combination, so that both the inside and outside of the stator may be active. Even order drive harmonics may be used, if the pitch factor for the windings permits them. In a preferred embodiment, each of the coils is driven by a unique, dedicated drive phase. However, if a number of coils have the same phase angle as one another, and are positioned on the stator in different poles, these may alternatively be connected together to be driven by the same drive phase. In a preferred embodiment, the coils are connected to be able to operate with 2 poles, or four poles, under H=1 where H is the harmonic order of the drive waveform. The coils may be connected together in series, parallel, or anti-parallel.
In U.S. Patent Appl. Pub. No. 2006/0273686, a motor-generator machine is disclosed comprising a polyphase electric motor which is preferably connected to drive systems via mesh connections to provide variable V/Hz ratios. The motor-generator machine disclosed therein comprises an axle; a hub rotatably mounted on said axle; an electrical induction motor comprising a rotor and a stator; and an inverter electrically connected to said stator; wherein one of said rotor or stator is attached to said hub and the other of said rotor or stator is attached to said axle. Such a machine may be located inside a vehicle drive wheel, and allows a drive motor to provide the necessary torque with reasonable system mass.
WO2006/113121 discloses a motor-generator machine comprising an induction and switched reluctance motor designed to operate as a reluctance machine at low speeds and an inductance machine at high speeds. The motor drive provides more than three different phases and is capable of synthesizing different harmonics. As an example, the motor may be wound with seven different phases, and the drive may be capable of supplying fundamental, third and fifth harmonic. The stator windings are preferably connected with a mesh connection. The system is particularly suitable for a high phase order induction machine drive systems of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,657,334 and 6,831,430. The rotor, in combination with the stator, is designed with a particular structure that reacts to a magnetic field configuration generated by one drive waveform harmonic. The reaction to this harmonic by the rotor structure produces a reluctance torque that rotates the rotor. For a different harmonic drive waveform, a different magnetic field configuration is produced, for which the rotor structure defines that substantially negligible reluctance torque is produced. However, this magnetic field configuration induces substantial rotor currents in the rotor windings, and the currents produce induction based torque to rotate the rotor.
Apparatus which enables a person to use a part or the whole of his body to control video games are known in the art.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,189 to Braeunig discloses a body-mounted video gaming exercise device which attaches to a user's upper body via straps and buckles. The user tilts the body to simulate movement of joystick and operate the game.
NZ537761 to James-Herbert discloses an improved computer game controller comprising a chair in a harness, in which a computer game player sits to control an avatar or the like in a computer game. By moving the chair, a joystick attached to the chair is moved, and thus the avatar is controlled by the game player's bodily movements.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,261 to Renato discloses a foot actuated computer game controller serving as a joystick. Pressure sensor units placed on floor are actuated by stepping on with a foot to control the game.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,226,018 and 7,237,748 disclose aircraft landing gear comprised of a wheel hub motor/generator disks stack, including alternating rotor and stator disks mounted with respect to the wheel support and wheel. The invention can provide motive force to the wheel when electrical power is applied, e.g. prior to touch-down. After touchdown the wheel hub motor/generator may be used as a generator thus applying a regenerative braking force and/or a motorized braking action to the wheel. The energy generated upon landing may be dissipated through a resistor and/or stored for later use in providing a source for motive power to the aircraft wheels for taxiing and ground maneuvers of the aircraft.
U.S. Patent Appl. Pub. No. 2006/0065779 discloses a powered nose aircraft wheel system for an aircraft which includes landing gear that extends from the aircraft. A wheel axel is coupled to the landing gear. A wheel is coupled to the wheel axel. A wheel motor is coupled to the wheel axel and the wheel. A controller is coupled to the wheel motor and rotates the wheel. A method of taxiing an aircraft includes permitting the wheel of the aircraft to freely spin during the landing of the aircraft. Power is transferred from an auxiliary power unit of the aircraft to the wheel motor. The wheel is rotated via the wheel motor. The aircraft is steered and the speed of the wheel is controlled via one or more controllers selected from an onboard controller and an offboard controller.

Apparatus for controlling aircraft ground movement


The present invention discloses a triple input smart power supply module capable to work with solar power, utility power or battery to empower the desktop PC and any other gadgets where final power source is DC, to stand brown outs and black outs reliably and saving 58 to 65% of power and much more when connected with solar panel. For PC application it comprises of 10-16V DC-DC ATX PC power supplies, 15V DC power supply from 230V AC using PFC techniques, switching rectifier circuits, a solar panel within the range 50-80 Wp, 12V SMF battery, a current limited charger circuit and a monitor working on 12V DC. The invention will be a revolutionary and path breaking venture in the production and use of “Green PCs”. Scope of TRISP is not limited to PCs and it can be extended to any gadget requiring steady and clean input power with a backup facility, where final input power source is DC.

Black outs, frequent brown outs, wastage of power and deterioration in power line quality are major problems in the electrical power distribution system of developing countries. Usage of PCs is increasing in the urban and suburban region exponentially in domestic, commercial and industrial sectors which calls for a proportional increase in the use of UPS systems to take care of the unreliable utility power conditions. A significant amount of money is to be spent for the procurement and maintenance of the UPS systems. Uncontrolled increase of online UPS systems results in high level of harmonics induction in to power lines. Power consumed by UPS depends on the quality of design and components used which will directly add to the wasted power. Many of the products popular in the market including branded ones produce current and voltage surges, distorted wave forms and other deteriorations in the power line quality. Wastage of costly floor space for placing UPS and battery is another important concern. Chances of fire hazards due to capacitor banks, high power switching inside UPS and discharges from batteries are other difficulties faced. Low overall efficiency, poor power factor and comparatively lower reliability are other limitations. Another concern is about the efficiency of the conventional SMPS used internally to power PCs and other equipments. The popular brands commercially available in desktop PCs in the market were tested for its overall efficiency and the result was as low as 35% when used along with online UPS systems.
Generally UPSs are classified as on line and off line categories. Off line category has very low KVA rating. Online UPS is expensive and requires frequent maintenance. It also generates more harmonics and cause related grounding issues. In addition to online and offline, line interactive (Mains and inverter power synchronized) models are also available which are not generally recommended for PC applications. Mains supply is converted in to DC and then to AC inside UPS. This AC from UPS is again converted to required DC voltages in the PC. This multistage AC/DC and DC/AC conversions in UPS and SMPS make system low efficient and increases the chances of breakdown. Due to low overall efficiency of PC SMPS with UPS combination, backup time is very low considering the actual mother board power requirement.
An extensive prior art search has been conducted which revealed the existence of following devices which are currently in use for the above mentioned applications.
Three major brands of UPS for PC application were compared for their performance through power in watts (W), volt ampere (VA), reactive power (VAR), power factor (PF) and input current (I).
UPS MODELNO LOADONE PCTWO PCTHREE PCDELTAW = 49W = 106W = 165W = 223MODEL 1 KVAVA = 100VA = 133VA = 185VA = 240GES102N212035VAR = −85VAR = −75VAR = −85VAR = −100S NO 82L10600451WKV = 229V = 229V = 229V = 229I = 0.43I = 0.52I = 0.81 = 1.05PF = 0.45leadPF = 0.8leadPF = 0.88leadPF = 0.94leadEATON E SERIES DXW = 56W = 118W = 170W = 234MODEL 1 KVA/0.8 KWVA = 93VA = 134VA = 190VA = 248S NO 130109-25100179VAR = −69VAR = −70VAR = −71VAR = −68V = 229V = 229V = 229V = 229I = 0.40I = 0.59I = 0.83I = 1.07PF = 0.62leadPF = 0.85leadPF = 0.936leadPF = 0.96leadEATON E SERIES DXW-56W = 145W = 216W = 228MODEL 1 KVA/0.8 KWVA = 93VA = 163VA = 223VA = 292S NO 130109-25100179VAR = −69VAR = −68VAR = −65VAR = −63(CPU LOADED)V = 229V = 229V = 229V = 229I = 0.4I = 0.71I = 0.98I = 1.3PF = 0.62leadPF = 0.90leadPF = 0.96leadPF = 0.98leadAPC 550 VAW = 9W = 72W = 127W = 190MODEL RS 550VA = 27VA = 145VA = 249VA = 312S NO BB0947021887VAR = −26VAR = −125VAR = −211VAR = −244V = 229V = 229V = 229V = 229I = 0.11I = 0.6I = 1.08I = 1.32PF = 0.32leadPF = 0.49leadPF = 0.522leadPF = 0.58lead
The conventional SMPS used as power supply in PC has no power backup capability, it cannot accept solar panel output directly and causes more power loss resulting in poorer efficiency.
To sum up, the existing devices are providing only lower efficiency, economy and reliability. The above drawbacks of the prior art evolved a need for development of a new device which supports any gadget requiring steady and clean input DC power with an extended back up facility.

Triple input smart power supply (TRISP) for desktop PC and other systems using DC as final power source


A connector housing includes a housing body and a fitting operation lever that has a swinging portion attached to the housing body rotatably. A part of the rib protruding toward the swinging portion narrows an interval between a curved portion of the housing body and the swinging portion to a predetermined value or below. A part of the rib protruding toward a direction separating from a lower surface of the housing body has a flat face. A distance between the rotary axis of the swinging portion and the flat face is larger than a distance between the rotary axis and a part of an outer circumferential edge of the swinging portion.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a connector housing that includes a housing body and a fitting operation lever for fitting the housing body and a mating housing body to each other.
2. Background Art
In the background art, there have been proposed connector housings including fitting operation levers. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, one (hereinafter referred to as "background-art housing 100") of the background-art connector housings includes a housing body 110 and a fitting operation lever 120. The housing body 110 receives terminal fittings connected to end portions of cables 210. The fitting operation lever 120 is attached to side surfaces 111 of the housing body 110 rotatably.
The fitting operation lever 120 has a pair of left and right swinging portions 121, an operating rod portion 122, and cam grooves 123. The pair of left and right swinging portions 121 are attached to the side surfaces 111 of the housing body 110 rotatably. The pair of left and right swinging portions 121 are connected to the operating rod portion 122 so that the operating rod portion 122 can serve as an operating portion for swinging the swinging portions 121. As the swinging portions 121 are swung, connecting pins 313 of a mating housing body 310 are pulled into the cam grooves 123. When the swinging portions 121 of the fitting operation lever 120 are rotated in a state that the housing body 110 and the mating housing body 310 are aligned with each other in a fitting start position, the housing body 110 and the mating housing body 310 are fitted to each other (e.g. see JP-A-9-223540).
A curved portion 114 is formed in each of the side surfaces 111 of the housing body 110 of the background-art housing 100 so that a gap S1 between the curved portion 114 and the corresponding swinging portion 121 increases gradually from a position closer to a rotatory center of the swinging portion 121 toward a circumferential edge portion of the swinging portion 121.
In the background-art housing 100, a foreign substance such as a cable routed around the housing body 110 may be guided by one of the curved portions 114 to intrude into the corresponding gap S1 between the curved portion 114 and the swinging portion 121, and unintended external force may therefore act on the swinging portion 121. When such external force acts on the swinging portion 121, there is a fear of dislocation (detachment) of the fitting operation lever 120 from the housing body 110, damage on the swinging portion 121, etc.


A symmetrical inductor includes an integrated circuit having a plurality of conductive layers. A first loop is disposed in an upper layer of the conductive layers, and at least two strapped loops are disposed in at least two layers of the conductive layers, respectively. The strapped loops are coupled in series to the first loop, and the at least two layers are below the upper layer. A second loop is disposed in the upper layer and is coupled in series to the at least two strapped loops. A first terminal electrode is coupled to the first loop, and a second terminal electrode is coupled to the second loop. A center-tap electrode is coupled to the at least two strapped loops.

Inductors are useful for implementing electronic filters and resonant circuits. However, inductors in integrated circuits occupy significant area to achieve the needed inductance, and inductors with a high quality factor, Q, are difficult to implement in an integrated circuit.
One or more embodiments of the present invention may address one or more of the above issues.


An internal combustion engine includes in one aspect a source of a pressurized working medium and an expander. The expander has a housing and a piston, movably mounted within and with respect to the housing, to perform one of rotation and reciprocation, each complete rotation or reciprocation defining at least a part of a cycle of the engine. The expander also includes a septum, mounted within the housing and movable with respect to the housing and the piston so as to define in conjunction therewith, over first and second angular ranges of the cycle, a working chamber that is isolated from an intake port and an exhaust port. Combustion occurs at least over the first angular range of the cycle to provide heat to the working medium and so as to increase its pressure. The working chamber over a second angular range of the cycle expands in volume while the piston receives, from the working medium as a result of its increased pressure, a force relative to the housing that causes motion of the piston relative to the housing.

Excluding very large ship diesels, the typical maximum efficiency of modern internal combustion engines (ICE) is only about 30-35%. Because this efficiency is only attainable in a narrow band of loads (normally close to full load) and because most vehicles typically operate at partial load around 70% to 90% of the times, it should not be surprising that overall, or "well to wheel," efficiency is only 12.6% for city driving and 20.2% for highway driving for typical mid-size vehicle.
There is prior art in which a Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) cycle offers to improve the efficiency of internal combustion engines. While offering some advantages over existing engines, they too, however, fall short in providing high maximal efficiency. In addition, HCCI cycle engines also are polluting (particulate matter) and are difficult and costly to control because the ignition event is spontaneous and function of great many variables such as pressure, temperature, exhaust gas concentration, water vapor content, etc.


The subject of the invention is a process for adjusting a processing unit, whereby at least one set value is varied from a starting value to a final value. In this case, the target value of a correcting value is set based on the starting value and the final value of the adjustment value, and the value of the correcting value is run up from its starting value to its target value using a parameter-dependent transfer function. A control variable is measured, the value of the control variable is compared to a comparison value, and in the case of deviations of the value of the control variable from the comparison value, at least one parameter of the transfer function is corrected.

The invention relates to a process for adjusting a processing unit, for example, an air separation unit, whereby at least one set value is varied from a starting value to a final value, the target value of a correcting value is determined based on the starting value and final value of the adjustment value, and the value of the correcting value is run up from a starting value to the target value using a parameter-dependent transfer function.
The control and adjustment of processing units is carried out automatically to an increasing extent. Thus, for automatic load adjustment of low temperature units, especially air separation units, automation programs are used that calculate the target values of the corresponding correcting values in the case of a planned increase or reduction of one or more adjustment values, for example the amount of product of oxygen or nitrogen in gaseous form and that relate the regulators that are linked to these correcting values to the target values via a slope function. To compensate for the complex dynamic behavior of these units, the correcting values are adjusted using time-delayed transfer functions, e.g., P-T1 or PD-T1 systems.
The parameters of these transfer functions still cannot be determined precisely by theoretical calculations and must therefore be determined experimentally by extensive tests during the operation of the unit. In this case, it is problematical that different parameters are also frequently necessary for different load adjustments. The search for satisfactory parameter adjustments therefore turns out to be very time-intensive. An inadequate accuracy of the parameters and thus the transfer functions results, however, in an undesirable loss of the product purities during the implementation of the load adjustment.
One object of this invention is therefore to develop a process of the type mentioned above, in which the time-consuming series of tests for determining the parameters of the transfer functions are avoided as much as possible.
Upon further study of the specification and appended claims, other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent.
The objects are achieved according to the invention in that a control variable is measured, the value of the control variable is compared to a comparison value, and at least one parameter of the transfer function is corrected in the case of deviations of the value of the control variable from the comparison value.
In the new process according to this invention, selected processing values are measured and used as control variables to determine whether when a set value is altered, the corresponding correcting values are run up to their new target value at a rate that is too high or too low. In the case of deviations of the value of a control variable from a corresponding comparison value, the parameters of the corresponding transfer function or else several corresponding transfer functions are newly calculated and corrected during the alteration of the correcting values. In the adjustment process according to the invention, still during the adjustment process, i.e., before the corresponding adjustment and correcting values have reached their target values, the time behavior of the correcting value guide is affected.
Preferably, in the case of deviations of the value of the control variable from the comparison value to the target value, the correcting value is not altered. Thus, only the time behavior of a setpoint guide, i.e., the rate at which the value of a correcting value approaches its target value, is adjusted, but not the stationary final value, which is attained after the setpoint guide has been completed.
The detection of the control variables and their comparison to the comparison value can be carried out intermittently or continuously. An ongoing measurement of the control variables and optionally an ongoing correction of the parameters of the transfer function has proven advantageous, since boundary conditions that are imposed in this way, for example when there is a change in the load on an air separation unit, can better maintain the product purities.
In the case of a deviation of the value of the control variables from the comparison value, it is often suitable and adequate to correct the time constants of the corresponding transfer functions.
The comparison value, to which the control variable is compared, is advantageously fixed. It is also possible, however, to provide the comparison value with correction factors that depend on the previous course of the alteration of the value of the correcting value.
It is achieved by the process according to the invention that the parameter adjustments of the transfer functions no longer have to be determined exactly but rather only approximately by the series of tests. Extensive studies have shown that by calculating the experimental expense that is linked to the parameter determination and the accuracy of the correcting value guide that results therefrom, a requirement of the value of the parameter for the transfer function up to a magnitude is advantageous. The parameters are preferably specified up to a factor of 5, especially preferably up to a factor of 3. It is adequate, for example, to set a time constant at a value of between 100 and 300 seconds.
If the magnitude of the parameter values is known, simple mathematical functions are advantageously used to form an area of the measured control variables in a parameter range. In principle, this imaging function has to be selected so that an alteration of the value of the control variables has a correcting effect on the course of the correcting value guide. For this purpose, a straight equation is selected, i.e., it is postulated that there is a linear dependence of the parameters of the transfer function on the value by which the control variable deviates from the comparison value.
It is also advantageous to produce the feedback of the control variables in the parameters of the transfer function by adjusting the fuzzy logic. Since with fuzzy logic, it is typically not necessary to maintain a specific value, the transfer function can be formulated with relatively poor definition. This is reflected in a small amount of time spent for setting the parameters and for formulating the transfer function.
It has been shown that with respect to the boundary conditions that are to be maintained in the case of an alteration of a set value, it is advantageous, when the setpoint of the adjustment value is raised, to select a transfer function or a transfer function with different parameters than when the setpoint of the adjustment value is reduced.
The process according to the invention can be used preferably in all types of forward controls and perturbation variable compensations in the control and adjustment of any processing units.
The process is preferably used in the adjustment of a low-temperature air separation unit. In this connection, the amounts of one or more of the products oxygen, nitrogen or argon either in gaseous or liquid aggregate state especially preferably form the adjustment value.
As control variables, the values of liquid level, pressure, temperature flow or analysis have proven advantageous.
The process according to the invention has also especially proven worthwhile during automatic starting of processing units. To start a processing unit, it is only necessary to preset the desired setpoints in the stationary operating state, e.g., product amounts and product purities; the starting of the unit is then carried out automatically.
The new final value of an adjustment value is advantageously set based on specific events or specific control values. Thus, for example, in the control of an air separation unit, it is advantageous to observe the pressure in an oxygen product tank, the amount of product oxygen transferred to the consumer and/or its time functions. These values give indications regarding the instantaneous and expected product oxygen requirements and can therefore be used to introduce automatically either a load increase or a load reduction of the air separation unit.
The load adjustment of the processing unit preferably is not performed in a quasi-stationary manner but rather different gradients, downtimes, delays and/or suspensions are provided for individual adjustment values.
In the case of excess deviation of the value of the measured control variables from the comparison value, it has also proven worthwhile for the correcting value to avoid once a perturbation variable that compensates the deviation.
The process according to the invention provides a considerable time savings when the automation of a processing unit, especially a low-temperature air separation unit, is started up. The start-up costs of the unit can thus be significantly reduced. In addition, an increase in quality of the automation system is achieved by the new process. The required boundary conditions in the alteration of one of the adjustment values of the processing processes can be reliably maintained. Thus, for example, in a load variation of an air separation unit, maintaining the product purities is ensured.