The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a projectile made of steel or based on iron, for a hunting or sports cartridge, for the purpose of giving it a Vickers hardness at room temperature of between 40 HV 10 and 110 HV 10, preferably between 40 HV 10 and 85 HV 10, characterized at least by the following successive steps:—liquid pig iron or steel is used, hereafter called liquid metal, the carbon content of which is between 0.8 and 4.0% C by weight, preferably between 0.8 and 2.0% C by weight;—the liquid metal is cast using a steam or water-vapor granulation process to obtain spheroidal steel particles; —said particles are subjected to a heat treatment for softening the solidified metal by graphitization, while remaining in the ferritic range; and—optionally, said particles are subjected to a surface coating treatment.

The global market for hunting lead shot is currently 120,000 tonnes per annum. In Europe, it is about 60,000 tonnes.
As a result of stricter environmental regulations, the use of lead in ammunition for hunting and target shooting is already banned in several European countries (especially in the Netherlands, Sweden and Germany), in particular for shooting in wetlands.
Among the possible and economically viable technical solutions for substitutes for hunting lead shot (iron, steel, heavy metals, alloys, ceramics, etc.), only steel shot appears to be a viable alternative. Indeed, it has satisfactory density, is non-toxic, comes to an affordable price, etc.
For about twenty years, steel shot has also been marketed in North America as a substitute charging by the biggest manufacturers in the sector.
It is known that the charging of a cartridge comprises spherical balls that not only have a diameter tolerance of about 0.1 mm but also a narrow weight tolerance in order to guarantee reproducible ballistic behaviour and to ensure constant charging of the cartridge, which is done by volumetric measurement. The steel balls must be subjected to a surface treatment such as copper plating, addition of graphite, etc. in order to prevent any aggregation of the charging, which could adversely affect good dispersion.
The calibres of the most frequently used charges are shown in Table 1 below.
For this type of application, a low-alloy soft-steel type of composition such as for example: max. 0.06% C, max. 0.4% Mn, max. 0.1-0.3% Si, max. 0.04% P, max. 0.04% S, is sought.
The hardness must be as low as possible, not exceeding 110 HV 10 at the surface and 100 HV 10 at the core.
Currently, from the purely ballistic point of view, hunters and marksmen have a clear preference for the lead shot that is traditionally used. Indeed, they consider that lead shot has some specific ballistic features that are difficult to find in substitute products.
The traditional market of hunters and marksmen thus demonstrate some reluctance to use the steel ball cartridges currently on the market. The main arguments to justify this reluctance towards steel balls are associated with the following aspects:                increased risk of ricochets,        greater wear of the barrel,        greater loss of speed and penetration as a function of distance,        higher ammunition price.
Other non-toxic alloys (for example "Hevi-Shot": tungsten-nickel-iron) have also been developed. They can technically compete with steel shot since, due to their high density, they provide a ballistic behaviour that is similar to that of traditional lead charging. However, these alloys are too expensive.
On the other hand, with regard to the production of steel shot, there are two possible methods.
From Molten Steel
Given the tonnages to be produced, this process entails setting up the method on premises for manufacturing molten steel with the capacity of a foundry type and supplementing it with a suitable granulation unit. Various techniques for the granulation of molten metal are available on the market:                the Osprey method, gaseous atomisation under pressure, does not really fall within the "granulation" type since it is dedicated to the production of fine particles (100 μm) intended for powder metallurgy;        water granulation: a jet of steel is cast under a high-pressure water jet or directly into a trough. The size of the particles obtained may vary (from one to several millimeters depending on the technique) but the common feature of these is the irregular, non-spherical shape of the product;        steam granulation: this method, developed in particular by Mintek (South Africa), uses a jet of steam, which allows to avoid an excessively violent mechanical disturbance of the metal stream.
This type of method entails a wide size distribution as a result of the absence of spherical shape, which leads to the loss of part of the production (yield of the order of 60%). Moreover, in contrast to lead, which has a much lower melting point than steel, it is difficult to re-melt the steel balls produced outside the calibre in a closed circuit.
The best results are obtained with a steel with a very high carbon content (>1.5%) whose hardness is lower than 100 HV 10 or even 80 HV 10. ULC steels are not to be used in the frame of this technique.
To reduce the size distribution, some methods precede the water granulation with a system for dividing the flow of molten metal. The latter is for example spread over a rotating plate before it is subjected to final water or steam granulation.
From Wire or Sheet (Mechanical Method)
This method is inspired by the techniques for manufacturing nails or other high-volume pieces of steel. Striking and stamping operations on drawn wire or on sheet allow to obtain balls. Machines are known that allow to manufacture steel ball for bearings. From a reel of steel wire, a steel blank is cut for subsequent and progressive transformation into balls by deformation between grooved, generally cast, plates.
The wire used is of a ULC type, for example with a carbon content of 0.02% C. This type of wire is very expensive and not at all readily available if one bears in mind the quantities to be produced in the sector of hunting cartridges. On the other hand, the advantage of wire is that the yield from production is 100%.
With flat steels, soft steels are much more readily available, including in various thicknesses thus corresponding to various ball diameters. Unfortunately, given the waste, part of the production is also unusable in this case.
From Iron Powder
Powder metallurgy is used to manufacture some pieces, usually of a complex form, from metal materials. This consists in compacting the powder in a mould and subjecting the whole to a high-temperature sintering operation.
Some tungsten carbide spheres are in particular prepared by this technique. Starting with iron powder, one may envisage to examine the possibility of obtaining extra-soft steel balls by a compaction/sintering method.
To summarise, the techniques for obtaining balls from wire, sheet and iron powder have the disadvantage of being more expensive than the molten technique.
State of the Art
In the state of the art, a current economical method is known for softening by decarburisation a carbon steel such as a large-crystal ferrite. Let us recall that a single-crystal pure iron has extremely low hardness (30-40 HV 10), which may be considered as the absolute lower limit.
Document WO-A-00/44517 proposes a steel projectile and associated manufacturing method with relatively high carbon content (up to 1.5% C), produced by water atomisation and softened by annealing under non-oxidising atmosphere at controlled dew point, at a temperature between 600 and 1,200° C., in order to make it suitable for ballistic use. The softening mainly results from surface decarburisation, preferably with an average Knoop surface hardness lower than 225 (Vickers surface hardness at least higher than 130).
Aims of the Invention
The present invention aims to provide a solution that does not have the drawbacks of the state of the art.
In particular, the invention aims to provide a treatment based on a common grade of steel allowing to obtain a final hardness lower than 100 HV 10.
In addition, one aim of the invention is to provide this treatment with a view to obtaining low hardness in steel balls, uniformly across their entire volume (at the core).
An additional aim of the invention is to eliminate a certain tendency to ricochet, which is commonly inherent to steel projectiles.
A further aim of the invention is to allow the manufacture of balls with a good spherical shape.
Yet another additional aim of the invention is to manufacture steel balls with (self)-lubricating properties that allow reduced wear of the barrel of the weapon.
Main Characteristic Elements of the Invention
A first aim of the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a projectile made of steel or based on iron for cartridges for hunting or target shooting with a view to give it a hardness between 40 HV 10 and 110 HV 10 at room temperature, preferably between 40 HV 10 and 85 HV 10, characterised by at least the following successive steps:                liquid steel or pig iron, hereafter called molten metal, whose carbon content is between 0.8 and 4.0% C by weight, preferably between 0.8 and 2.0% C by weight, is used;        the molten metal is cast according to a water or steam granulation method in order to obtain spheroid steel particles;        said particles are subjected to a heat treatment for softening the solidified metal by graphitisation while remaining in the ferritic range;        said particles are possibly subjected to a surface coating treatment.
According to the invention, the softening heat treatment comprises at least the following successive steps:                said metal is annealed for about 3 minutes from room temperature up to a temperature higher than 800° C.;        said steel is cooled in water, preferably in boiling water, at a speed of at least 20° C./s down to room temperature;        said metal is tempered under non-oxidising or slightly reducing atmosphere of HNx type to a temperature below 700° C., preferably below 650° C.;        said metal is maintained under the above-mentioned atmosphere at this last temperature for a period of between 1 and 6 days, preferably between 1 and 4 days.
Maintaining the method of the invention under non-reducing atmosphere is mandatory to prevent the decarburisation of the prior art methods.
As an advantage, the metal also comprises, expressed in weight, a maximum of 0.4% Mn, between 0.1 and a maximum of 2.0% Si, a maximum of 2.0% Al, a maximum of 0.04% P, a maximum of 0.04% S and a maximum of 1% of other alloy elements, the balance being iron and common impurities. Silicon or aluminium in suitable quantities confers an additional inoculating effect to the extent that they both increase the precipitation strength of graphite, thereby reducing the graphitisation time without the presence of residual cementite.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the water or steam granulation step is carried out in the presence of a surfactant.
As an advantage, the water or steam granulation step is preceded by the step of dividing the flow of the molten metal.
The step of dividing the flow of molten metal is preferably carried out by means of a rotating plate.
According to a first embodiment, the rotating plate is a plate made of a material that is not wetted by the molten steel such as zirconia, alumina, boron nitride or syalon.
According to a second embodiment, the rotating plate is a perforated plate.
According to another preferred embodiment, the water or steam granulation step is replaced by a sintering step using iron powder.
According to a third preferred embodiment, the water or steam granulation step is replaced by a step of mechanical manufacturing using wire or sheet.
A second aim of the present invention relates to a steel spheroid projectile or ball with a carbon content between 0.8 and 2.0% C by weight and with a core hardness lower than 100 HV 10, preferably lower than 85 HV 10, implemented by means of the above-mentioned method.
As an advantage, said projectile has a carbon content between 1.2 and 1.8% C by weight.
The projectile is preferably provided with a surface coating to prevent aggregation of the charging.
A third aim of the present invention relates to a cartridge for hunting or target shooting comprising a charging of steel balls such as those described above.

Projectile made of steel softened to the core

Centre de Recherches Metallurgiques asbl—Centrum voor de Research in de Metallurgie vzw


A program authorization mechanism for authorizing access to an address space in the main memory of a computer system by a program being run under a multiple address space facility. An access-list entry is associated with each address space, each access-list entry being designated by an access-list-entry token contained in an access register. Each access-list entry includes a private indicator which indicates if the associated address space can be accessed by all programs from this access-list entry or if the associated address space can only be accessed by an authorized program. For program to be authorized, an extended authorization index in a control register must match an access-list extended authorization index in the access-list entry, or the extended authorization index value must be authorized in an authority table associated with the address space. An instruction for testing a given extended authorization index for a given access-list-entry is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to an authorization mechanism for a multiple virtual system (MVS) which provides authorization for a program being executed in a data processing system such that the program has concurrent access to multiple virtual address spaces, and more particularly relates to such an authorization mechanism wherein the authorization is nonhierarchical, that is, the called program does not have to have an equal or higher authority than the calling program.
Data processing systems using virtual addressing in multiple virtual address spaces, such as the IBM System/370 Systems using MVS controlled programming, are well known. The organization and hardware/architectural aspects of the IBM System/370 are described in the "IBM System/370 Principles of Operation", form number SA22-7085-1. The described MVS system includes a central processing unit (CPU) which contains the sequencing and processing facilities for instruction execution, interruption action, timing functions, initial program loading, and other machine-related functions. Also included is a main storage, which is directly addressable and provides for high-speed processing of data by the CPU. The main storage may be either physically integrated with the CPU or constructed in stand-alone units.
Located in a register in the machine is a program-status word (PSW) which includes the instruction address and other information used to control instruction sequencing and to determine the state of the CPU. Instructions may designate information in one or more of 16 general registers which may be used as base-address registers and index registers in address arithmetic and as accumulators in general arithmetic and logical operations. The general registers are identified by the numbers 0-15 and are designated by a four bit register field in an instruction. Some instructions provide for addressing multiple general registers by having several register fields.
The CPU has provision for 16 control registers, each having 32 bit positions. The bit positions in the control registers are assigned to particular facilities in the system, such as program-event recording, and are used either to condition or constrain operations or to furnish special information required by the facility.
U.S. Pat. No. RE. 27,251 to G. M. Amdahl for "Memory Protection System", assigned to the Assignee of the present invention, discloses a four bit coded storage protect key associated with physical blocks of memory. The protect key is compared with a PSW key associated with a program to control access to data.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,573 to A. R. Heller et al for "DLAT Synonym Control Means for Common Portions of All Address Spaces" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,385 to P. M. Gannon et al for "Synonym Control Means for Multiple Virtual Storage Systems" both assigned to the Assignee of the present invention, disclose MVS systems in which the main storage may be allocated as address spaces for use by multiple users, each address space containing a portion defined as common among all of the users. The result is that a user may isolate programs or data from other users by placing them in a "private" portion of the user's assigned address space, or he may make them accessible to all other users by placing the programs or data in "common". In such a system, data may be moved between two address spaces by having a program in the first address space move the data from its private area into common and then signal a program in the other address space to operate on, or further move, the data. The use of common as a communication area between address spaces increases the size of the common area and thus reduces the size of the private area available to all users. Signalling from one program to another can only be done by subsystems or the control program. Data is protected by storage protect keys. However, there are only 16 such keys, which are not enough to guarantee that the information is protected from an inadvertent store by another subsystem or authorized program since the information is commonly addressable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,355 to Butwell et al for "Address Generating Mechanism for Multiple Virtual Spaces", assigned to the Assignee of the present invention, discloses access registers (ARs) associated with the general purpose registers (GPRs) in a data processor. The ARs may each be loaded with an address space identifier, for example, a unique segment table designation (STD). There may be 16 ARs associated respectively with the 16 GPRs in a processor. The address space identifier in an AR is selected for address translation when the associated GPR is selected as a storage operand base register, such as being the GPR selected by the B field in an IBM System/370 instruction. However, the address space identifier content of a AR is not selected for an address translation if the associated GPR is selected for a purpose other than as a storage operand base register, such as if a GPR is selected as an index (X) register or as a data source or sink register (R) for an instruction. The disclosed invention also contains authority for each program's access to each address space by also associating an AR control vector (ARCV) register with each AR to control the type of access permitted to the associated address space by an executing program. A special field in either an AR or its associated ARCV may indicate whether the AR content is enabled and thereby contains a usable address space identifier; or is disabled such that the address space identifier must be obtained elsewhere. This special field with each AR permits the GPR of any disabled AR to specify a base value associated with the address space defined by another AR; i.e. the GPR of a disabled AR may specify a base address for data in the program address space defined by AR0.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,705 to Cannavino et al for "Authorization Mechanism for Establishing Addressability to Information in Another Address Space", assigned to the Assignee of the present invention, discloses an enhancement to the previous MVS systems. A dual address space (DAS) system is disclosed (see also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,366,537 and 4,500,952) in which problem programs have the ability to obtain addressability to a different address space if permitted by an authority table associated with the different address space. As with the previous MVS systems, the disclosed DAS system makes use of control registers, general registers, and a PSW. A bit in the PSW is assigned to indicate the DAS mode of operation.
DAS makes two address spaces, a primary address space and a secondary address space, available for use by a semiprivileged program. Three instructions are added for moving information. The MOVE TO PRIMARY (MVCP) instruction moves data from the secondary address space to the primary address space, the MOVE TO SECONDARY (MVCS) instruction moves data from the primary address space to the secondary address space, and the MOVE WITH KEY (MVCK) instruction moves data between differently protected areas in the same address space. The CPU can be in the primary mode in which instructions and the operand addresses defined to be logical refer to the primary address space, or in the secondary mode in which the operand addresses defined to be logical refer to the secondary address space. However, in the secondary mode, it is unpredictable whether instructions are fetched from the primary address space or from the secondary address space. Thus, programs executed in the secondary mode are placed in a common portion of the address space which is shared between the primary address space and the secondary address space.
DAS permits programs operating at different levels of authority to be linked directly without invoking the supervisor. The instructions PROGRAM CALL and PROGRAM TRANSFER provide a protected mechanism for transferring control between programs operating at different levels, or the same level, of control. A PROGRAM CALL by a program in one address space to a program in another address space is called a program call with space switching (PC-ss) operation. A PROGRAM CALL to a program in the same address space with no space switching is called a program call to current primary (PC-cp) operation. Both the PC-cp and the PC-ss operations provide for a change to a higher level of privilege and authority. A return function is performed by a PROGRAM TRANSFER instruction which may be to current primary (PT-cp) or with a space switching operation (PT-ss).
To accomplish a transfer of control, DAS establishes several tables. A linkage table is established for use by the program call operation, with each linkage-table entry containing an entry-table address. An entry table is established at the entry-table address, each entry of which contains entry information for a program to be called. For each program call operation, DAS creates a PC number composed of a linkage index (LX) and an entry index (EX). The LX indexes into the linkage table to obtain an entry-table address, and the EX indexes into the entry table at that address to obtain entry information for the called program. The entry-table-entry data includes an address space number (ASN) which is used to identify the address space of the respective program.
DAS also establishes an ASN first table and an ASN second table which are used for translating the ASN value found in the entry-table entry. The ASN assigned to the address space is made up of an ASN-first-table index (AFX) and an ASN-second-table index (ASX). The AFX indexes into the ASN first table to a ASN-first-table entry which contains an ASN second table designation. If the ASN-first-table entry is valid, the ASX value indexes into the ASN second table. The thus located ASN-second-table entry (ASTE) includes a segment table origin (STO) which is used by a dynamic address translator (DAT) to determine the real addresses of the target address space.
The bits of a PSW-key mask (PKM) in control register 3 are used in the problem state to control which keys and entry points are authorized for the program. The PKM is modified by PROGRAM CALL and PROGRAM TRANSFER and is loaded by a LOAD ADDRESS SPACE PARAMETERS instruction. The PKM is used in the problem state to control the PSW-key values that can be set in the PSW by means of a semiprivileged instruction to control the PSW-key values that are valid for the MVCP, MVCS and MVCK instructions that specify a second access key, and to control the entry points which can be called by means of PROGRAM CALL.
In a PROGRAM CALL, the PSW-key mask is ANDed with an authorization key mask (AKM) in the entry-table entry. If the result is nonzero, the program is authorized to issue the PC instruction. The entry-table entry contains an entry key mask (EKM) that may contain additional keys to which the called program is authorized. The EKM is ORed into the PKM in control register 3 when the PC routine receives control. This can increase the authority provided by the PKM.
In a PROGRAM TRANSFER, the PKM in control register 3 is ANDed with a PSW-key mask that is specified as an operand, and the result replaces the PKM in control register 3. This can decrease the authority provided by the PKM.
In the MVCP, MVCS and MVCK instructions, access to the primary address space is authorized by the PSW key in the PC operation. In the case of the MVCP and MVCS instructions, an operand specifies an access key to be used to access the secondary space. In the problem state, an MVCP or MVCS operation is performed only if the PKM bit in control register 3 corresponding to the secondary-space access key of the operand is one. In the case of the MVCK instruction, an operand specifies an access key to be used to access the source data area. In the problem state, an MVCK operation is performed only if the PKM bit in control register 3 corresponding to the source-data-area access key of the operand is one.
ASN authorization is the process of testing whether the program associated with the current authorization index is permitted to establish a particular address space by use of an authorization index (AX). The ASN authorization is performed as part of a PT-ss operation, or a SET SECONDARY ASN with space switching (SSAR-ss) operation which sets the secondary address space to any desired address space. Each address space has associated with it an authority table (AT) which contains one entry for every AX in use. The AX entry in the AT indicates the authority of programs running under that AX to issue PT and SSAR instructions to the address space. ASN authorization is required for both supervisor state and problem programs. The AX to be checked against the AT is located in control register 4, and the authority-table origin (ATO) for the address space is located in the ASTE of the target address space. Each entry of the authority table consists of two bits, a P bit and an S bit. The program with an AX corresponding to that AX entry in the AT is permitted to establish the address space as its primary address space if the corresponding P bit is one and is permitted to establish the address space as its secondary address space if the corresponding S bit is one.
The use of the DAS facility has several limitations. The MVCP and MVCS instructions can only move data between the primary and secondary address spaces. DAS cannot move data between two arbitrary address spaces which are not primary or secondary address spaces. All of the programs executed in an address space use the authorization index associated with the address space. The use of the secondary mode by a program requires that the program be in the common area. Switching frequently between the primary mode and the secondary mode, in order to access data in both the primary address space and the secondary address space, severely decreases performance. A PC instruction performs only a hierarchical type linkage. It is not practical to use the PC instruction to give control from a supervisor state program to a problem state program because the PT instruction cannot be used to return. The PC instruction can only change the PSW-key mask by increasing its authority. The space switching PC instruction always gives the called program access to the calling program's address space. Finally, the PC instruction does not change the PSW key, so fetch-protected code cannot be called.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,214 to Birney et al for "Key Register Controlled Accessing System", assigned to the Assignee of the present invention, shows a horizontal addressing system in which three access key registers (AKRs) authorize the address space of a storage access as a function of an instruction address, a sink operand address and a source operand address, respectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,846 issued to the same assignee as the present invention and entitled "Mechanism for Accessing Multiple Virtual Spaces" shows another mechanism for controlling access to plural virtual address spaces in a cross-memory implementation where data can be accessed in a non-privileged state.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,813 to Cole et al for "Data Processing Devices Using Capability Registers", assigned to the Assignee of the present invention, shows the concept of data processing devices using capability register patent shows a data processing device with a central processing unit and a storage unit, the information in the storage unit being arranged in segments and the central processing unit having a plurality of capability registers each arranged to store descriptor information indicative of the base and limit addresses of an information segment. One of the capability registers is arranged to hold information defining the base and limit addresses of an information segment which contains a segment pointer table, particular to the program currently being executed by the central processing unit. A further one of the registers is arranged to hold information defining the base and limit addresses of an information segment which contains a master capability table having an entry for each information segment in the storage unit composed of information defining the base and limit addresses of a segment. The segment pointer table comprises a list of data words which are used as pointers to define different entries in the master segment table.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,366,536 to Kohn for "Modular Digital Computer System for Storing and Selecting Data Processing Procedures and Data", assigned to the Assignee of the present invention, shows a digital computer system for selecting and linking multiple, separately stored data processing procedures consisting of assembly level commands and for selecting a variable data area from a plurality of variable data areas. The system includes memories for storing the data processing procedures, the variable data areas and linking addresses; a program counter for accessing the memory containing the stored data processing procedures; registers for accessing the memories containing the data and the linking addresses; and a hardware unit which is adapted to execute the assembly level commands contained in selected data processing procedures in accordance with assembly level commands in the data processing procedure being executed and previously selected addresses.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,903 to Miki et al for "Stack Control System and Method for Data Processor", assigned to the Assignee of the present invention, discloses a stack control register group for controlling a stack area. A data stack pointer register holds the start address of the data stack area which is formed in the stack facility and controlled by the user program directly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,580 entitled "Program Call Method and Call Instruction Execution Apparatus", assigned to the same assignee as the present invention includes a method of passing execution from a program in one logical address space to another program in a new logical address space. The calling program controls selective allocation of segments to the called program but the called program controls the lengths of the segments being allocated. In this way, recursive calls to the same program cannot affect the function or data of other programs or of the same program in a previous call. Also allocation of data segments can be postponed until execution resulting in more flexible execution of programs written without knowledge of the details of other co-executing programs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,743 entitled "Call and Stack Mechanism for Procedures Executing in Different Rings" shows an architecture based on a hierarchy of rings where each ring represents a different level of privilege. Branches are allowed to rings having a lesser privilege and privilege levels are allowed to be different for read only status as opposed to read and write status. The patent shows a stack frame which has three areas: a work area for storing variables, a save area for saving the contents of register and a communications area for passing parameters between procedures. Prior to a procedure call, the user must specify those registers to be saved and the user must load into the communications area the parameters to be passed to the called procedure. The system provides for a history of calls in a sequence of stack frames so that a return can be accomplished. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,334 entitled "Database Instruction Unload" shows a system for retrieving a database pointer for locating database records in one of a plurality of segments of addressable space.
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, January 1982, Vol. 24, No. 8, pages 4401-4403 entitled "Method of Revoking a Capability Containing a Pointer-type Identifier without Accessing the Capability" deals with an Address Space No. (ASN) as a pointer-type identifier for the address space capability. This publication relates to the dual address space facility and the fact that an address space does not have to be entered to determine if the access is valid since that information may be determined using the ASN-second-table entry (ASTE) associated with address translation. In general, access to an object by means of the capability is permitted only when the unique codes in the capability and the object are equal. The capability can be revoked simply by changing the unique code in the object without the need to locate and access the capability.

Authorization for selective program access to data in multiple address spaces

International Business Machines Corporation


A rigid extendable storage unit that comprises a front wall and a back wall positioned adjacent to the front wall in a folded state and configured to be deployed opposite the front wall, wherein the back wall has an opening configured to be covered. Side walls that are made of at least one section are provided and positioned adjacent to the front wall in a folded state and extended between the front wall and the back wall in a deployed state. A roof is positioned adjacent to the front wall in a folded state and extended to enclose a volume formed between the front wall, the back wall and the side walls. In the folded state, the extendable storage unit occupies minimal area of the surface or the platform it is mounted on and transforming the storage unit from folded state to deployed state and vice versa can be handled manually or automatically.

Light trucks (pickup trucks) are in wide use for carrying people and cargo. Such trucks usually come with a passenger cabin and an open rear load area.
Fixed and removable enclosures (truck caps) for the rear load area are commercially available. However, installing and removing these enclosures is time consuming and requires tools and lifting devices. Once installed, these enclosures interfere with loading cargo onto the rear loading area. There is a need for enclosures that can be adjusted to the cargo that has to be uploaded onto the rear loading area of the truck.
There is also a need to provide volume adjustable storage units that can be placed on a platform or a surface where they occupy minimal volume when not in use and can be used for storing items of different volume at a time.


The hub of a composite flywheel is made of cast steel and comprises an axial extension with an external surface which is a press fit in a disc-shaped element of the primary flywheel of the composite flywheel. A centrally located through hole of the hub is surrounded by a second surface constituting a seat for and being a press fit on the outer race of a pilot bearing for the input element of a variable-speed transmission receiving torque from the composite flywheel through a friction clutch. The extension is made yieldable so that its fitting into the disc-shaped element does not result in deformation of the second surface and does not cause problems in connection with installation of the pilot bearing in the hub. Moreover, the clearance between the pilot bearing and the hub cannot be reduced below a value which could entail premature wear upon the bearing and would shorten the useful life of the composite flywheel.

The invention relates to improvements in dynamically balanced (rotationally symmetrical) rotary carriers which can be made of a metallic material and can be used as hubs or naves in vibration-damping torque-transmitting apparatus, e.g., in the power trains of motor vehicles to transmit torque from an output element (e.g., crankshaft) of a combustion engine to a rotary input element of a variable-speed transmission which transmits torque to the wheels of a motor vehicle.
It is already known to provide a carrier of the above outlined character with an axial extension having an external surface which supports a first element extending substantially radially outwardly of the axis of rotation of the carrier. It is also known to provide the just outlined conventional carrier with a second surface which is disposed radially inwardly of the external surface and is a press fit on a further element, e.g., a pilot bearing for the input element of the aforementioned transmission. One of the two elements is more sensitive to deformation than the other element.
A drawback of presently known carriers (e.g., hubs) of the above outlined character is that a part which is mounted on or in the carrier in rather close proximity to one or more fits (e.g., by pressing, welding, screwing and/or by resorting to further machining, such as embossing or chiseling) is likely to adversely influence the fits or accurately finished surfaces, particularly by bringing about at least partial deformation exceeding a value which is required to establish and maintain the desirable or necessary tolerances. This can create problems in connection with the mounting of one or more additional parts immediately adjacent or close to the deformed surface or surfaces of the carrier. In fact, the deformation can be so pronounced that one or more additional parts cannot be mounted on or in the carrier. Such problems can arise in connection with the assembly and installation of friction clutches and/or apparatus which are used to absorb or damp vibrations and/or to transmit torque between the output element of a combustion engine and the input element of a variable-speed transmission in a motor vehicle.

Carrier for use in torque transmitting apparatus


A cooling water recycling filter comprises a supersonic and electromagnetic wave limescale processor installed inside a main water recycling system of water storage tank and a sub water recycling system installed outside a main water recycling system. The sub water recycling system comprises a water quality control unit, a limescale processor unit, a limescale separation and filter unit and a high level oxidization and processing unit. An electric conductivity sensor, a PH value sensor, and an ORP oxidization and reduction potential meter of water quality control unit are used to measure the values of water quality. A limescale processor and impurities separator is used to filter impurities of the cooling water. After the cooling water is filtered precisely by the limescale separation and filter unit, the cooling water is sterilized by a copper and silver sterilizing and algae-killing unit of a sterilization unit.

Generally, a prior art air conditioner uses a large scale refrigerating device to offer enough cool air for each floor of a building. The large scale of a refrigerating device is needed to use cool water so as to keep the temperature of the refrigerating device in lower temperatures with preferred heat exchange effect by use of the cooling water recycling in the refrigerating device and further prevent from tripping of the refrigerating device. However, cooling water of a prior art of an air conditioner is usually pumped from the refrigerating device and stays in a water storage tank for cooling down, and then is injected again into the refrigerating device so as to offer the recycling cooling water repeatedly. After the cooling water of the prior art is recycled in the refrigerating device, the cooling water stays in water storage tank for cooling down and flows immediately into the refrigerating device again without any filtering and sterilizing process. The wall of the water storage tank for cooling water is easy to be adhered by bacteria and algae after a period time using, which is easy to cause related diseases. For instance, Legionellosis is caused by polluted air environment. Bacteria is contained in the recycling cooling water of the prior art and algae is adhered to the wall of the water storage tank, which cause problems of a condenser having limescale and being corroded. Although the water storage tank may be cleaned, the cleaning process is simple by use that the cooling water is drained out and then refilled new cooling water. Otherwise, the water storage tank is cleaned only partially in visible areas. The other invisible areas in the inside of the water storage tank are not only difficult to be cleaned and usually ignored, but also easy to offer good breeding environment for bacteria. The water storage tank is difficult to be cleaned completely and is contained with bacteria, which is the weakness of the air conditioner of the prior art.
The problems caused by the cooling water, such as corrosion, limescale and bacteria in the water storage tank, has been encountered, when more and more new modern buildings, such as a hospital, an office, a restaurant and a department store, are constructed recently. However, the problems are unable to be solved by use of adding drug of the prior art. On the contrary, the prior art method of adding drug causes more serious environmental pollution problem.


The invention is a circuit and method for controlling a high potential at a significant node by controlling the potential at a control input to an electrical device in electrical communication with the significant node. The potential of the control input is controlled by a control circuit. In a first embodiment the control circuit is a potential generator, and in a second embodiment the control circuit is a programmable circuit. The programmable circuit provides a potential at the control input that is directly proportional to a supply potential until a maximum potential is reached at which time the control input is maintained at the maximum potential.

Memory Storage
A memory device stores digital data in an array of memory cells. Each memory cell has a specific address which is essentially the intersection formed by a wordline and a digit line. Once an individual cell has been selected, its true and complementary data is amplified and latched onto its digit line pair by a sense amplifier. The digit line pair comprises the "digit line" coupling true data and the "digit bar line" for coupling complementary data to and from the memory cell.
During an inactive cycle of the memory device the digit lines are typically equilibrated to the same potential, typically one half of the supply potential. However during an active cycle, when the data is stored in or retrieved from a memory cell, at least one of the digit lines is pulled to the supply potential, V.sub.cc. Pull-up circuits of the related art are depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The digit lines 1, having a p-channel sense amplifier 2, are pulled to the supply potential through the p-channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) switching transistor 3 shown in FIG. 1A. The circuit is subject to large power consumption during the active cycle due to the large capacitance of the digit lines.
An alternate circuit implementation utilizes an n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) switching transistors 4, see FIG. 1B. However, the incidence of soft error increases due to the voltage drop across the NMOS transistor 4. Soft error occurs at low supply potentials when the digit lines 1 are not pulled to a potential high enough to effectively couple a high potential to and from the memory cells. The PMOS transistor helps alleviate this problem. However since the PMOS transistor is fully conductive, as the supply potentials increase the current consumption increases. Thus, there is a need to minimize power consumption by reducing current while at the same time maintaining a valid high potential on the digit lines.

Circuit and method for controlling the potential of a digit line and in limiting said potential to a maximum value


A wedge-type lamp bulb assembly consists of a bulb containing a filament and a wedge-shaped base extending from the bulb. Several lead wires connected to the filament are led out from the bottom of the wedge-shaped base, and folded along the front and rear sides of the wedge-shaped base. There are provided inside the socket in which the wedge-shaped base is removably held a plurality of terminals which are in resilient contact with the lead wires, and a pair of guide protrusions is formed on the inner walls of the socket along the inserting direction of the wedge-type lamp bulb. There is formed on the front and rear sides of the wedge-shaped base in positions corresponding to the pair of guide protrusions a pair of protrusions defining guide ways through which the guide protrusions are passed. Thus, the wedge-type bulb can be easily assembled into the socket and also securely held therein.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wedge-type lamp bulb assembly having a wedge-type lamp bulb and a socket which removably holds the wedge-type lamp bulb.
Description of the Prior Art
The wedge-type lamp bulb comprises a bulb portion containing a filament, and a wedge-shaped base; namely, it is of such a structure as to be held directly in a socket without using any conventional round base. FIGS. 1 to 3 show one example of conventional single-filament wedge-type lamp bulb assembly. As seen, the wedge-type lamp bulb 1 comprises a glass bulb 1a in which argon gas is charged and also a filament 1c is disposed, and a wedge-shaped base 1b. The filament 1c is supported by two lead wires 1e and 1f led out from the bottom of the wedge-shaped base 1b, bent at this base bottom, extended and folded back along the opposite lateral sides of the base 1b. The led-out portions of the above-mentioned lead wires 1e and 1f passed hermetically through the wedge-shaped base 1b are U-shaped as viewed from the front, which is seen from FIG. 1, and also L-shaped as viewed from the lateral sides, which is shown in FIG. 2. For flexing the lead wire portions near the above-mentioned folded-back portions of the lead wires, the wedge-shaped base 1b has recesses 1i and 1j formed therein in places corresponding to the folded-back portions of the lead wires. For assembling this wedge-type lamp bulb 1 into the socket 300 in a conventional lamp bulb assembly, contact terminals 2 like a leaf spring (will be referred to simply as "terminals") attached in the socket 300 are generally slid on and into contact with the above-mentioned contact terminals 1e and 1f. Namely, when the portions of the lead wires 1e and 1f near the above-mentioned U-shaped portions are flexed into these recesses 1i and 1j, respectively, as forced by the terminals 2, the lead wires 1e and 1f are electrically connected to the terminals 2, respectively, and the wedge-type lamp bulb 1 is thus held. However, since the wedge-type lamp bulb 1 is removably held by only the terminals 2 in the socket 300 in the conventional lamp bulb assembly, the lamp bulb 1 is likely to deflect in the direction of arrow in FIG. 2 so that the filament 1c in the lamp bulb 1 is difficult to be securely positioned. Also, as the lamp bulb 1 deflects, the terminals 2 holding the lamp bulb 2 is likely to be flexed, causing the electrical connection between the lead wires and terminals to be astatic.


A spring-loaded hinge assembly is adapted for use in pivotally interconnected components, such as hinged or pivotal components in accessory assemblies in vehicle applications. The hinge assembly provides for at least a pair of predetermined relative rotational orientations, or detented positions, of the pivotally interconnected components. Each of these detented positions is independently controlled by separate and distinct spring-and-cam arrangements, such that the rotational efforts, and consequently the detent holding forces, can be different from one another, if desired in a given application. The hinge assembly is especially advantageous in covered vanity assemblies on automotive sunvisors, for example.

The present invention relates generally to hinge assemblies for hinged or pivotally interconnected members, with the present invention being most particularly well-suited for such hinge assemblies adapted for pivotally interconnecting a vehicle accessory door with a vehicle accessory housing structure or other interior, or even exterior, portions of the vehicle. Vehicle accessory doors for the accessory assemblies mentioned above typically include vanity doors, storage compartment doors, audio equipment cover doors, or other such accessory covers, especially for accessory assemblies that are adapted to be attached to a vehicle interior member, such as an interior panel, a sunvisor, or other vehicle structures. Hinge assemblies according to the present invention can also be employed for various exterior uses, or even non-vehicular uses, as will be readily appreciated by one skilled in the art from the following discussion.
Typically, vehicles include a wide variety of hinged or pivotally mounted vehicle accessories or accessory covers in the interior, luggage storage areas, engine compartment, or other areas. In the past, however, several of such hinge assemblies for such vehicular applications, as well as those for various non-vehicular applications, have lacked sufficient durability, have been relatively expensive to produce and install, or have suffered other functional or aesthetic disabilities. Furthermore, many of such prior hinge assemblies have been found to be unacceptably bulky, unsightly, or ill-fitting, and all of such effects detract from the user's perception of quality with regard to the vehicle or other device in which such hinge assemblies are included.
In addition, many prior hinge assemblies have not provided the user with relatively rotated or pivoted detent positions, in which the hinged members can be releasably held and maintained, especially after extended use and wear of the components of the hinge assembly. Some examples of the prior art, wherein such a feature has been provided, however, include over-center, spring-and-lever arrangements, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,491,899; 4,227,242; and 4,000,404. Another example of the prior art includes an arrangement having a coil spring with its opposite ends interconnected with opposite hinged members in order to bias the two hinge members toward one another. This hinge arrangement does not have a pivot pin or other member pivotally interconnecting the hinged members, and thus the spring functions both as a resilient biasing member for resiliently biasing the hinged members toward one another, as well as acting as a "fastener" for securing the hinged members together. Such arrangements have been found to be disadvantageous in terms of durability, performance, complexity, or expense of manufacture. The need has therefore arisen for a hinge assembly of the general type described herein, which is simple and inexpensive to produce, assemble, and install, that is highly durable, and that is capable of maintaining the hinged members in one or more relatively rotated or pivoted detent orientations, such as in open and closed positions, for example.
An example of a prior art spring-loaded hinge assembly that addresses this need is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,715,644 and 4,796,944, both of which are owned by the same assignee as that of the present invention, and both of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Although the hinge assemblies illustrated and described in these two United States patents have performed well and have been successful in addressing the disadvantages and problems discussed above, the present invention seeks to provide an even further improvement over these hinge assemblies.
According to the present invention, a spring-loaded, dual-action hinge assembly is provided for interconnecting first and second relatively rotatable or pivotal members in a hinged relationship with respect to one another, with the hinge assembly according to the present invention being particularly well-suited for interconnecting a vehicle accessory door with a vehicle accessory housing structure, wherein the accessory housing structure is adapted for attachment to a vehicle interior member. Such a hinge assembly includes a pivot arrangement for pivotally interconnecting the first and second members for relative rotational movement about a generally longitudinally-extending axis. A first cam member protrudes in a generally lateral direction from one of either the first or second members, with the first cam member having at least one dwell portion thereon. A corresponding first resilient biasing arrangement on the other of either the first or second members is resiliently deflectably engageable by the first cam member for exerting a first resilient biasing force on the first cam member. Such first resilient biasing arrangement tends to releasably maintain the first and second members in a first predetermined relative rotational orientation when engaged by the first dwell portion of the first cam member.
Similarly, a second cam member is provided and protrudes in a generally lateral direction from said one of the first or second members, with the second cam member having a second dwell portion thereon. A corresponding second resilient biasing arrangement is provided on the other of the first or second members, with the second resilient biasing arrangement being resiliently deflectably engageable by the second cam member for exerting a second resilient biasing force on the second cam member. Such second resilient biasing arrangement tends to releasably maintain the first and second members in a second predetermined relative rotational orientation when engaged by the second dwell portion of the second cam member.
Preferably, the above-mentioned first and second cam members are separate and distinct from one another, and similarly the above-mentioned first and second resilient biasing arrangements are separate and distinct from one another, but are preferably interconnected with a common base that is secured to the above-mentioned other of either the first or second members. The above-mentioned first and second cam members can be generally solid, one-piece cam portions, or each of the first and second cam members be formed in a split or parallel, multiple cam configuration such as that shown for purposes of illustration in the accompanying drawings and discussed in more detail below. Such split or parallel cam configuration can facilitate the forming of the cam members, especially in instances where the first and second pivotally interconnected members are injection molded. In such an instance, the split, parallel configuration of each of the first and second cam members can greatly reduce the material sinking or sagging in the areas of the injection-molded parts adjacent the cam members.
In any of the variations of the present invention, however, the provision of at least two separate and distinct cam members or split cam member groups, with their respective corresponding separate and distinct resilient biasing members, allows a dual-acting function to be obtained. Such dual-acting function allows the opportunity for providing different efforts for moving the first and second members out of either of their detented positions, which can be especially advantageous where one of the detented positions is a so-called "open" position and a relatively heavy door or cover must be releasably maintained in such open position.
These and other features of the present invention are described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Additional objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Spring-loaded, dual-action hinge assembly for vehicle accessories


A cooling assembly for an X-ray tube with a stationary body comprising a rotating body located at least around a part of the stationary body, and at least one coolant circuit with at least one coolant flowing through it. The coolant circuit is preferably interposed between the rotating body and the stationary body, with the coolant flowing between the rotating body and the stationary body.

This invention relates generally to a cooling assembly, and more particularly to, a cooling assembly for an X-ray tube for transferring heat away from components of the X-ray tube. The X-ray tube with cooling assembly can be used in applications related to medical diagnostics, industrial imaging and crystallography.
In an X-ray tube, a beam of electrons is directed through a vacuum, across very high voltage, from a cathode to a focal spot position on an anode. X-rays are produced as electrons strike the anode, comprising a refractory metal track, such as tungsten, molybdenum or rhodium. However, the conversion efficiency of X-ray tubes is quite low, typically less than 1% of the total power input. The remainder, in excess of 99% of the input electron beam power, is converted into thermal energy or heat.
Accordingly, heat removal or other effective procedures for managing heat tends to be a major concern in the design and operation of an X-ray tube. Very high temperatures in the X-ray tube can result in increased cooling times, target melt, and anode bearing lubricant delamination and/or evaporation. These cooling problems result in X-ray tubes having lower power capability, larger anodes and increased load on the anode bearings, larger heat exchangers, and higher flow rates of coolant. To attain a higher power capability of an X-ray tube, a larger anode is typically required, resulting in a larger X-ray tube.
Some of the solutions in the prior art for removing heat from or cooling X-ray tubes include rotating the target and increasing heat storage capacity by attaching a piece of graphite to the target. Attempts have been made to cool the target convectively by passing a coolant through the anode. One disadvantage of this method is the requirement of a non-contact or contact seal to seal a vacuum region between the anode and frame of the X-ray tube. Another method in the prior art attempts to cool the target by attaching the target to the X-ray tube frame assembly and rotating the frame assembly. This would require a high capacity motor with high power requirements to rotate the frame assembly and also beam deflection technology to deflect the electron beam on the target to obtain a good focal spot.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a cooling assembly for an X-ray tube, which provides excellent thermal efficiency, and is easy to manufacture, less expensive and less complicated from prior art cooling systems. There also exists a need for adapting an efficient cooling assembly to existing X-ray tubes without having to completely redesign the existing X-ray tubes.


In order to improve characteristics of an IGBT, particularly, to reduce steady loss, turn-off time and turn-off loss, a thickness of a surface semiconductor layer is set to about 20 nm to 100 nm in an IGBT including: a base layer; a buried insulating film provided with an opening part; the surface semiconductor layer connected to the base layer below the opening part; a p type channel forming layer formed in the surface semiconductor layer; an n+ type source layer; a p+ type emitter layer; a gate electrode formed over the surface semiconductor layer via a gate insulating film; an n+ type buffer layer; and a p type collector layer.

Since an IGBT is provided with a control gate terminal of a MOS structure having excellent controllability and exhibits a low on-voltage by conductivity modulation based on bipolar operation, it is widely applied from industrial use to consumer use, mainly to an intermediate-capacity inverter, and plays a major role of a switching device for power electronics.
FIG. 75 is a cross-sectional view of the principal part showing an example of a trench gate IGBT, and FIG. 76 is an explanatory drawing showing the relation between the substrate depth at the positions along the line A-A of FIG. 75 and the carrier density in an on-state.
In the trench gate IGBT as shown in FIG. 75, in an on-state, holes (positive holes) are actively injected from a p+ type semiconductor substrate 101 (including a collector metal electrode 120 on the lower surface thereof) of the rear surface side to an n− type base layer 102 via an n type buffer layer 118. Also, the main surface side has a structure in which the holes pass through a p type channel layer 107 and a p+ type emitter layer 109 and are withdrawn to an emitter metal electrode 116. The emitter metal electrode 116 has a structure which penetrates through an n+ type source region 108 to reach the p+ type emitter layer 109 therebelow. As a result, in the on-state, the carrier (hole) density distribution is concentrated on the collector side (rear surface side) compared with the emitter side (see FIG. 76). The reference numeral 110 in FIG. 75 denotes a gate insulating film.
In the above-described trench gate IGBT, when turned off from its on-state, the holes present at a higher density on the collector side than that on the emitter side pass through the thick n type base layer 102 and flow into the emitter electrode 116 further through the p type channel layer 107 and the p+ type emitter layer 109. Herein, since the moving speed of the holes is slow, the time required for the turn-off is extended, so that there are the problems that switching operation of the trench gate IGBT becomes slow and turn-off loss (thermal loss) is increased.
As a countermeasure for such problems, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-100779 (Patent Document 1) discloses an example of a planar gate IGBT. FIG. 77 is a cross-sectional view of the principal part showing an example of the planar gate IGBT, and FIG. 78 is an explanatory drawing showing the relation between the substrate depth at the positions along the line A-A of FIG. 77 and the carrier density in an on-state.
In the planar gate IGBT as shown in FIG. 77, an n− type surface semiconductor layer 104 is formed on a main surface of an n− type base layer 102 via a buried insulating film 103. Also, since a p type collector layer 119 (including a collector metal electrode 120 on the lower surface thereof) having a lower impurity concentration than that of the p+ type semiconductor substrate 101 of the above-described trench gate IGBT is used, the efficiency of injection of holes (positive holes) from the p type collector layer 119 to the n− type base layer 102 is lowered in an on-state. On the other hand, since the holes are blocked by the buried insulating film 103 and the holes flow in only from an opening part 105 formed in the buried insulating film 103 on the main surface side, the hole current is limited and the holes are easily accumulated on the emitter side in this structure. Therefore, in the on-state, the density distribution of the carriers (holes) is concentrated on the emitter side (main surface side) compared with that of the base side (rear surface side) (see FIG. 78).
In the above-described planar gate IGBT, since the holes are accumulated immediately below the buried insulating film 103 in the on-state, the so-called IE (Injection Enhancement) effect that injection of electrons from the n+ type source region 108 to the n− base layer 102 via a channel inversion layer (p type channel layer 107) is activated to improve the electric conductivity appears. When turned off from the on-state like this, most of the holes are present in the vicinity of the emitter and therefore quickly flow into the emitter metal electrode 116. As a result, in the planar gate IGBT shown in FIG. 77, switching operation is speeded up, and turn-off loss can also be reduced.
Furthermore, "Akio Nakagawa, "Theoretical Investigation of Silicon Limit Characteristics of IGBT", Proceedings of the 18th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices & IC's Jun. 4-8, 2006 Naples, Italy" (Non-Patent Document 1) discloses the technology in which, in a trench gate IGBT, the distance between adjacent gate electrodes is reduced and a p type channel layer with the narrowed width is completely inverted, thereby bringing the hole current close to 0 to intensify the above-described IE effect.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-100779    Non-Patent Document 1: Akio Nakagawa, "Theoretical Investigation of Silicon Limit Characteristics of IGBT", Proceedings of the 18th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices & IC's Jun. 4-8, 2006 Naples, Italy

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same


This invention relates to a combined ring rolling method for spherical valve body, which has the following procedures: 1) design for ring blank by computing ring blank volume and selecting reasonable rolling ratio according to the dimensions of forged ring; 2) design for rolling gap which includes the shapes and dimensions of working surfaces of main roll, mandrel and passive rolls according to the dimensions of ring blank and forged ring, the stable deformation condition of combined ring rolling and structure requirement of rolling equipment; 3) rolling forming with three stages of surface cross rolling, ring rolling and shaping by controlling of feeding speed of main roll and working positions of passive rolls. This invention has the technical economical advantages of low consumptions of energy and materials, high productivity and low production cost.

Field of Invention
The present invention relates to mechanical equipment manufacturing filed, specifically refers to the a combined ring rolling method for spherical valve body.
Description of the Related Art
Spherical valve is one kind of typical valve parts, which has extensive application in energy industry such as petroleum, natural gas, electric power, etc., and is very important for the safety and reliability of energy equipments. Valve body is the key component of spherical valve, which has spherical exterior surface and circular through-hole, is a kind of complex ring part with spherical profile. Because of the extreme working condition and high-performance requirement of spherical valve, the valve body usually needs plastic working to ensure its mechanical property. At present, spherical valve body used to be formed by conventional forging method: the ring blank forging with press machine is firstly carried out, then the rimming and profile shaping of ring blank is performed using spherical die and mandrel. This technology normally needs repeated heating and forging, leads to the high energy consumption, low efficiency and high labor intensity, furthermore, the poor forming accuracy and surface quality will expend a great amount of machining time and materials, thus the production cost increases significantly. The ring rolling technology is also considered for spherical valve body forming, however, as the ring has the features of profile cross-section and small rolling ratio, it was found that the profile shaping and diameter expanding are nonsynchronous during the ring rolling process, which leads to the profile cannot be shaped completely when the ring diameter reaches to the required dimension. So, in ring rolling for spherical valve body, the performing of ring blank under press machine is needed to avoid this defect, which increases the workstage and operating complexity thus also causes the much consumption of energy and time.

Combined ring rolling method for spherical valve body


An MCF cable according to an embodiment contains a plurality of MCFs each including at least one coupled core group and a common cladding. Λ is set such that κ at a wavelength of 1550 nm is falls within a range of from 1×10−1 [m−1] to 1×103 [m−1], and (βΛCavg)/(2κ) or (βΛCf)/(2κ) is set in a specific range in a wavelength band of from 1530 nm to 1625 nm, where Cavg [m−1], Cf [m−1], and ftwist [turn/m] represent the average curvature, the pseudo-curvature, and the average torsion, respectively, for each MCF, and κ [m−1], β [m−1], and Λ [m] represent the coefficient of mode coupling between adjacent cores, the average of propagation constants, and the core center-to-center distance, respectively.

In recent years, an optical fiber transmission system that compensates for crosstalk between spatial modes by using a multi-input and multi-output (MIMO) signal processing technology and enables space division multiplexed transmission is under development. As one of transmission media applicable to such an optical fiber transmission system, for example, an MCF including a coupled core group in which a plurality of cores are arranged to cause mode coupling between the cores is known, and causing mode coupling between the plurality of cores allows the coupled core group to be regarded as substantially one multimode transmission line.

Multicore optical fiber and multicore optical fiber cable


A method of analyzing the capacity of a computer system is described. The system is measured to obtain a datum population value N1. A maximum population value N2 is calculated using queuing theory modeling. The maximum population N2 is indicative of a maximum population that the system can sustain whilst satisfying a predetermined Service Level Agreement (SLA). A capacity map is then displayed to illustrate the ratio N1/N2. The capacity map shows the used and remaining capacity in relation to a given SLA.

Conventional tools for analyzing the capacity of a computer system provide performance metrics such as CPU utilization, memory and I/O usage, amount of network traffic etc.
For instance, the HP Glance tool provides four screens that show the CPU, disk, network and memory views of a server.
Tools also exist which collate data from many servers and show statistics like the CPU usage of the top ten servers; or the servers where the disk usage is greater than 90%.
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are commonly provided which determine a minimum level of service to be provided by a computer system. Each SLA will include a maximum response time which is permitted under the SLA.
An object of the invention is to provide a method and associated apparatus which can indicate the capacity of a computer system relative to a predetermined SLA.

Method of analyzing the capacity of a computer system

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


This invention is directed to a process for the synthesis of 2,2-dialkoxy cyclic ortho esters derived from lactones which comprises reacting trialkyl orthoformate with boron trifluoride to give dialkoxymethylium tetrafluoroborate; reacting dialkoxymethylium tetrafluoroborate with a lactone to give the corresponding O-alkyllactonium tetrafluoroborate; and reacting the O-alkyllactonium tetrafluoroborate with an alkoxide, or alternatively with an alkanol in the presence of a base; wherein the first two steps of the process of the invention are conducted in the absence of solvents, other than the reactants themselves. The third step may also optionally be run without solvents.. The invention is also directed to the preparation of the O-alkyllactonium tetrafluoroborate in one reaction vessel; that is, the boron trifluoride is added to the trialkyl orthoformate and the lactone in a single reaction vessel. As the intermediate dialkoxymethylium tetrafluoroborate is formed, it reacts in situ with the lactone in the reaction mixture, thus avoiding the additional steps of separating the dialkoxymethylium tetrafluoroborate and then reacting it with the lactone in a separate step and vessel.

The synthesis of 2,2-diethoxytetrahydrofuran (DETHF) described in the literature (Meerwein et al., Chem. Ber., 1956, 89:2060) is the reaction of .gamma.-butyrolactone with triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate and the subsequent reaction of the resulting O-ethyllactonium tetrafluoroborate with sodium ethoxide. This synthesis produces ethyl ether as a byproduct; additionally, ethyl ether is required as a starting material in the manufacture of the triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate. Thus, the process is not suitable for large-scale production because it involves substantial quantities of ethyl ether, which is low-boiling and inflammable. Furthermore, the process is unsuitable because of the presence of unstable, hygroscopic intermediates and because of the many time consuming operations required to be carried out in the process, such as isolation of the various intermediates.
An alternative method for preparing cyclic ortho esters derived from related lactones has been discussed by several researchers. See, Mir-Mohamad-Sadeghy et al., J. Org. Chem., 1983, 48:2237; Cornejo et al., J. Org. Chem., 1983, 48:3869; Pollart et al., J. Org. Chem., 1986, 51:3155. Following this method, a lactone is reacted with a dialkoxymethylium tetrafluoroborate to give the O-alkyllactonium tetrafluoroborate intermediate, which is then reacted with sodium ethoxide as in Meerwein (supra). However, the same drawbacks attend this procedure, namely: dialkoxymethylium tetrafluoroborate is prepared using boron trifluoride etherate as a starting material as well as ether and methylene chloride as solvents (Borch, J. Org. Chem., 1969, 34:627), other solvents such as methylene chloride and carbon tetrachloride are used throughout the process, and at each step intermediates are isolated prior to the next synthetic step.
It is therefore desirable to find an alternative method of synthesizing 2,2-dialkoxy cyclic ortho esters derived from lactones, such as 2,2-diethoxytetrahydrofuran, without the use of solvents, and in particular of ether. It is also desirable to find a synthetic process which avoids isolation of intermediates.

Process for the preparation of 2,2-dialkoxy cyclic ortho esters derived from lactones


An illumination structure for an electronic device is described. The electronic device includes a housing mounted on a printed circuit board. The housing has a plurality of light pipes and at least one separator disposed therein. The at least one separator is positioned between adjacent light pipes of the plurality of light pipes.

Consumer and market preference for electronic devices such as set top boxes, computers, game consoles, DVD players, CD players, etc., is to have such devices include logos, buttons and/or indicator signals which are illuminated. Typically, these electronic devices utilize a unitary light pipe structure to illuminate lenses visible through a faceplate of the device.
The unitary light pipe structure is a single molded part that includes a plurality of individual light pipes. Each of the plurality of light pipes is dedicated for use with a different light emitting element to illuminate one of the lenses. However, for such unitary light pipe structures, light from one light pipe can propagate, bleed or leak to an unintended adjacent light pipe in the unitary structure. This unintended illumination will be referred to as leakage.
This light leakage may be annoying to the user because adjacent lenses which are illuminated by unintended light can provide false information and/or cause the lens at the end of the light pipe that receives the leakage to be non-uniformly illuminated.
The present disclosure is directed toward overcoming one or more of these drawbacks.