In an imaging apparatus which subjects signal electric charges of photodiodes of IT-CCD for interlaced scanning of 1080 effective scanning lines to vertical pixel addition to be read out as image signals, at least one of vertical transfer at the last horizontal period and horizontal transfer at half period in reading of pixels is stopped while fixing pairs of vertical pixels to be subjected to vertical pixel addition to be read out as image signals of progressive scanning of 540 effective scanning lines from the CCD and the read-out image signals of 540 effective scanning lines are subjected to scanning line conversion of 3 to 4 to be converted into image signals of progressive scanning of 720 effective scanning lines, the image signals of progressive scanning of 720 effective scanning lines being outputted.

The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus including solid imaging devices.
In imaging devices made of silicon, an electrode voltage such as substrate voltage is varied to change the saturation characteristic of photodiodes (PD). A positive pulse voltage is applied to an overflow drain (OD) of substrate (Sub) to thereby sweep away electric charges of photodiodes. FIT-CCD (Frame Interline Transfer—Charge-Coupled Device) and IT-CCD (Interline Transfer—Charge-Coupled Device) among CCD's (Charge-Coupled Devices) have overflow drain formed by substrate and named vertical-type overflow drain (refer to CCD area image sensor, 39781AE Panasonic Inc.)
FIG. 5B is a block diagram schematically illustrating a conventional imaging apparatus 501. An imaging part 503 of FIG. 5B includes IT-CCD, a vertical transfer drive part having timing generator (TG), sweeping-away function of overflow drain (OD) and reading function, a correlated double sampling (CDS) for removing noise, a dark-current correction and automatic gain control (AGC) amplifier circuit, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for converting analog signal into digital image signal Vi, a timing generator (TG) for horizontal transfer, a timing generator (TG) for reset of voltage conversion, a timing generator (TG) for correlated double sampling (CDS), a timing generator (TG) for correction of dark current, a timing generator (TG) for automatic gain control (AGC), a timing generator (TG) for analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and one CCD having on-chip color filter or color separation optical system and three CCD's. Various forms of the plural timing generators are considered as the case where the plural timing generators are dispersed or divided for each of functions and the case where the plural timing generators are integrated into one timing generator, although objects to be timing controlled are as described above and timing pulses thereof are divided into pulses repeated at horizontal period and at vertical period. Part or all of the functions described above are sometimes integrated to use an integrated circuit (IC) named AFE (Analog Front End), although there is no difference in realized functions. Incident light focused by a lens 502 becomes image signal in the imaging part 503 and the image signal is processed by an image signal processing part 505 having scanning line number conversion function and chromatic magnification aberration correction function. The imaging part 503 and the image signal processing part 505 are controlled by CPU (Central Processing Unit) 504 (refer to JP-A-2008-206030).
The imaging part 503 includes timing generator (TG) 506. FIG. 8B is a block diagram schematically illustrating an example of the timing generator contained in the imaging part of the conventional imaging apparatus.
A clock counter 801 counts clocks for performing horizontal input sampling to output a horizontal count value. A comparator 802 compares a maximum value of horizontal input sampling with the horizontal count value and when the maximum value is coincident with the horizontal count value, the comparator 802 outputs horizontal reset and vertical count-up signal. The clock counter 801 is reset by the horizontal reset and vertical count-up signal of the comparator 802 to repeat counting of horizontal periods.
A line counter 803 counts up clocks having horizontal reset and vertical count-up signal to output a vertical count value. A comparator 804 compares a maximum value in vertical line with the vertical count value and when both values are coincident with each other, the comparator outputs vertical maximum line flag signal. An AND circuit 805 calculates AND or logical product of the vertical maximum line flag signal and the horizontal reset and vertical count-up signal and outputs a vertical reset signal. The line counter 803 is reset by the vertical reset signal of the AND circuit 805 and repeats counting of vertical periods.
A horizontal pulse production circuit 806 produces various horizontal pulses required by CCD in accordance with the horizontal count value. The horizontal pulses correspond to pulses repeated at horizontal period such as horizontal transfer pulse, voltage conversion reset pulse, CDS pulse, dark-current correction clamping pulse, AGC part clamping pulse and ADC horizontal synchronization pulse.
A vertical pulse production circuit 807 produces vertical pulses required by CCD in accordance with the vertical and horizontal count values. The vertical pulses correspond to pulses repeated at vertical period and having horizontal pulse displacement phase such as OD sweeping-away pulse, reading pulse and vertical transfer pulse.
The image signal processing part 505 includes a conversion filter 507 for processing scanning line number conversion and the like. The conversion filter requires repetition of conversion coefficient at each sampling for converting sampling points in horizontal and vertical directions in accordance with relative phase relation of input and output and has a plurality of conversion coefficients. FIG. 9B schematically illustrates the concept of the conversion coefficients based on 0-degree phase contained in the image signal processing part of the conventional imaging apparatus.
A horizontal sample conversion filter 901 is an FIR (Finite Impulse Response) filter which can change conversion coefficient for each clock and multiply conversion coefficient values corresponding to coordinates thereof for a plurality of input pixels within a fixed range and add up them to thereby produce pixel information corresponding to phase center of output sample.
Phase 902 of horizontal conversion coefficient gives conversion coefficient used in filter calculation to the horizontal sample conversion filter 901. The phase 902 of horizontal conversion coefficient contains a plurality of sets of conversion coefficients and gives the sets of conversion coefficients for phase according to value of registration correction set by CPU 504 to the horizontal sample conversion filter 901. Example of contents of numerical values of conversion coefficients is described separately, although kinds of phases provided as the sets of conversion coefficients concerning a point of view of this method are described here.
The plurality of sets of conversion coefficients contained in the phase 902 of horizontal conversion coefficient are schematically illustrated in combination of coordinates 903 of input pixels, phase centers 904 of output samples and relative responses 905 to black and white in unit of input pixels. First, the phase 902 of horizontal conversion coefficient has a set 910 of conversion coefficients of 0-degree phase in which the coordinates 903 of input pixels and the phase center 904 of output sample are coincident. In addition, there are provided the sets of conversion coefficients having different phase centers 904 of output sample and coordinates 903 of input pixels used for registration correction and sampling (scanning line in vertical direction) conversion, although the sets of conversion coefficients are provided as phase appearing successively from 0-degree phase when the phase of input and output is changed in sampling (scanning line in vertical direction) conversion. Here, conversion of input/output of 3 to 4 which is utilized with high frequency and is easy to be explained is taken as an example such as the case where 960 pixels are converted into 1280 pixels and the case where 1440 pixels are converted into 1920 pixels. 4 kinds of phases are required every 90 degrees from 0-degree phase and accordingly there are provided a set 911 of conversion coefficients of 90-degree phase, a set 912 of conversion coefficients of 180-degree phase and a set 913 of conversion coefficients of 270-degree phase.
A correlation diagram 906 of conversion of input/output of 3 to 4 in the horizontal sample conversion filter 901 shows that the sets of conversion coefficients contained in the phase 902 of horizontal conversion coefficient can be converted repeatedly for four kinds every output clock. 0-degree phase that amplitude of relative response to black and white is maximum and 180-degree phase that amplitude does not exist at all and is smoothed exist together in the repeated conversion. Accordingly, moiré (flicker and jitter in vertical direction) or the like is liable to be caused to degrade the image quality and the conversion characteristic of filter is required to be approximated to 180-degree phase having the least amplitude in order to approximate the conversion characteristic of filter for improvement of the above defects, so that the merit of the 0-degree phase having maximum amplitude cannot be utilized effectively to reduce the resolution.
A vertical scanning line conversion filter 921 is an FIR filter which can change conversion coefficient for each scanning line and multiply conversion coefficient values corresponding to coordinates thereof for a plurality of input pixels within a fixed range and add up them to thereby produce pixel information corresponding to phase center of output scanning lines.
Phase 922 of vertical conversion coefficient gives conversion coefficient used in filter calculation to the vertical scanning line conversion filter 921. The phase 922 of vertical conversion coefficient contains a plurality of sets of conversion coefficients and gives the sets of conversion coefficients for phase according to value of registration correction set by CPU 504 to the vertical scanning line conversion filter 921. This portion is different in that directivity is horizontal or vertical and coefficient is changed over every clock or every scanning line and accordingly detailed description thereof is omitted.
Filter coefficient is reversed every field in interlacing and 0-degree phase and 180-degree phase appear in the same space coordinates alternately, so that moiré causes flicker and jitter at edge.

Video format conversion without a flicker for the solid imaging apparatus


Sound quality is improved. A plurality of speaker units including a first speaker unit of a dynamic type, an arrangement case having an inner space formed as an arrangement space in which the plurality of speaker units is arranged, and a sound conduit protruding from the arrangement case and provided as a path for sound output from the plurality of speaker units are provided, the first speaker unit has a highest sound output band among the plurality of speaker units, the axial direction of the sound conduit and the axial direction of the first speaker unit are oriented in the same direction, the speaker units except the first speaker unit are arranged around the first speaker unit or on the opposite side to the sound conduit with the first speaker unit therebetween, and a central axis of the first speaker unit is positioned further on the inner side than the inner peripheral surface of the sound conduit.

There is a sound output device which is worn on a head or ears and used as headphones or earphones, and in which sound is output from speakers.
In the sound output device, it is preferable to secure an output state of sound of a wide band, and improvement of the sound quality of sound input to a user is attempted by outputting sound of a wide band.
In order to output such sound of a wide band, there is a sound output device in which a plurality of speaker units is arranged inside a housing (see, for example, Patent Document 1). By setting output bands of sound from the plurality of speaker units to different bands, it becomes possible to output sound of a wide band in the sound output device. The sound output device described in Patent Document 1 is provided with, for example, two speaker units of dynamic type.


A control circuit board is opposed to an outer surface of a case in the form of a rectangular box, and an connector cable, which has connector terminals connectable with an external device, extends from the circuit board. The control circuit board has a plurality of first connector pads with a first property and a plurality of second connector pads with a second property different from the first property, the first and second connector pads being arranged side by side on the control circuit board. The connector cable has a proximal end portion connected to at least one type, among the first and second connector pads, and the connector terminals including a plurality of connector terminals connecting with the at least one type of connector pads to which the proximal end portion is connected.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a disk device having disks as recording media.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, disk devices, such as magnetic disk devices, optical disk devices, etc., have been widely used as external recording devices of computers and image recording devices.
A magnetic disk device as an example of a disk device generally has a case in the form of a rectangular box. The case contains magnetic disks for use as magnetic recording media, a spindle motor, magnetic heads, and a head actuator. The spindle motor serves as drive means that supports and rotates the disks. The magnetic heads are used to write and read information to and from the disks. The head actuator supports the heads for movement with respect to the disks. Further, the case contains a voice coil motor, a substrate unit, etc. The voice coil motor rocks and positions the head actuator. The substrate unit has a head IC and the like.
A printed circuit board for controlling the respective operations of the spindle motor, voice coil motor, and magnetic heads through the substrate unit is screwed to the outer surface of the case. An interface (I/F) connector for connecting the magnetic disk device to an external device is soldered to an end portion of the circuit board.
In the magnetic disk device constructed in this manner, the pin arrangement of the interface connector and the like must be changed depending on the specifications of the external device to be connected. For example, the input side must be allotted to a predetermined pin of the interface connector for one external device, and the output side to the predetermined pin of the connector for another external device.
According to an information recording device described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-281838, for example, a single common interface connector is used, and an IC for control that is connected to this interface connector is provided with an input/output circuit so that the properties of external terminals of the control IC can be selected by a plurality of selectors. Thus, the interface specifications can be changed in the control IC.
Recently, miniaturization of magnetic disk devices has been advanced to facilitate their use as recording devices of more varied electronic apparatuses, especially smaller-sized electronic apparatuses. In a magnetic disk device that uses disks with a diameter of 1 inch or more, for example, the printed circuit board overlapped on the surface of the case can be made smaller than the case surface in area. In a magnetic disk device that uses disks with a diameter of less than 1 inch, however, the printed circuit board must be reduced with the miniaturization of the case. Accordingly, an installation space on the printed circuit board lessens, so that a plurality of electronic components cannot be mounted on it with ease. The interface connector for connecting the magnetic disk device and the external device, in particular, is relatively tall and large-sized, so that it cannot be readily mounted on the circuit board. Further, it constitutes a hindrance to the reduction in overall thickness of the magnetic disk device including the printed circuit board. Likewise, it is necessary to miniaturize the control IC and other electronic components that are mounted on the printed circuit board. If the input/output circuit, selectors, etc. are incorporated in the control IC in the aforesaid manner, however, the circuit configuration is complicated, and the miniaturization of the IC is not easy.


A new Scaevola plant named xe2x80x98Scawihatisxe2x80x99, particularly distinguished by its spreading and cascading growth habit and white flowers that have a big light yellow eye.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Scaevola aemula.
Varietal denomination: xe2x80x98Scawihatisxe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Scaevola plant, botanically known as Scaevola aemula, synonym Scaevola saligna and referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Scawihatisxe2x80x99.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new early Scaevola cultivars.
The new cultivar originated from a cross made in 1999 of two own selections of Scaevola aemula: xe2x80x98A102xe2x80x99 as the female parent and xe2x80x98A110xe2x80x99 as the pollen parent. These two selections are not commercially available and are not known by any synonyms. The new Scaevola plant was selected as a flowering plant within the progeny of this cross in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. Plants of the new Scaevola have white flowers whereas plants of the unidentified selections have lavender blue flowers which is typical for the species Scaevola aemula. In addition, plants of the new Scaevola have, (contrary to the female parent which is slightly red), light green leaves, because of the lack of anthocyanin in the plant.
The new Scaevola plant has been asexually reproduced by cuttings in Enkhuizen, Netherlands and Sarrians, France over a two year period. It has been found to retain its distinctive characters through successive propagations, and this novelty appears to be firmly fixed.
The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of xe2x80x98Scawihatisxe2x80x99 which distinguish xe2x80x98Scawihatisxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Low-growing, spreading and cascading growth habit.
2. Medium internodes, dense and bushy plant form and freely branching plant habit.
3. Very freely flowering, more than 600 flowers and flower buds per plant.
4. Unique very large white fan-shaped flowers with light green-yellow eye.


A new plasticity apparatus including a rotating and reciprocating screw having a hellcal flight that is wrapped around a core, disposed within and cooperting with the inner wall of a heated barrel that substantially increases the melt quality of a polymeric material. This is accomplished by incorporating an increase in the hefix angle of the primary flight at the taper terminus of the transition section, in cooperation with a stepped change in the root that terminates either upstream or downstream of the end of one complete revolution of the flight.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to extruders and injection machines of the type in which a screw rotatable within a barrel is employed to extrude or inject molten resinous material to the outlet port of a plasticity barrel. More particularly, this invention is concerned with thorough melting and mixing resinous material at the end of the transition and into the metering section of the plasticity screw.
2. Background Description of Prior Art
Plasticity equipment commonly used today are of the type which receive polymer pellets or powder, heat and work the polymer to convert it into a melted or molten state before delivering the molten polymer under pressure through a restricted outlet or discharge port. Although there are several different types of plastic polymers each having different physical properties, it is desirable that the extrudate leaving the typical plasticity equipment be fully melted, homogeneously mixed and uniform in temperature, viscosity, color and composition.
The plasticity apparatus induces an elongated cylindrical barrel, which may be heated at various locations along its axial length, and the screw which extends longitudinally through the barrel. The screw has a core with a helical flight thereon and the flight cooperates with the cylindrical inner surface of the barrel to define a helical valley or channel for passage of the resin to the plasticity apparatus outlet port. Although the pitch of the flight can vary it is common to utilize screws of constant pitch. The pitch is the forward distance traversed in one full revolution of the flight. It is also common that screws have a pitch distance that is equal to the outside diameter of said screw. Although there are different screw configurations for different polymer compositions, the typical plasticity screw ordinarily has a plurality of sections along its extended axis with each section being designed for a particular function. Ordinarily, there is a feed section, a transition section and a metering section in series. The plasticity screw feed section extends beneath and forward from a feed opening where a polymer in pellet, powder or regrind form is introduced into the plasticity apparatus to be carried forward along the inside of the barrel. While being carried along said screw axis, the polymer is absorbing heat from said heated cylinder. The depth of said helical flight of the screw in the feed section is usually large enough to overfeed the solid polymer. The overfeeding action serves to compact and pressurize the polymer particles and form a solid bed of advancing material in the plasticity apparatus.
The material is then worked and heated in the transition section so that melting of the polymer occurs as the material is moved forward along said screw axis toward the outlet port. The polymer is passed through the transition section to reduce the root depth of the helical passageway to reflect the volume reduction due to the melting of the feed. The reduction of depth in the transition section also compresses the solid bed of pellets or powder. The transition section leads to a metering section, which has a shallow root depth helical passageway. The preferred geometry moving from the deep feed section to the shallow metering section takes the form of an involute taper geometry. The metering section has as its function the exertion of a constant flow rate pumping action on the molten polymer. In addition, any unmelted solids should be melted in the metering section as well as to mix the melted polymer homogeneously. It is understood that a polymer cannot be mixed properly until it is first melted. Generally, when the metering section begins, if the change in flight depth from feed to metering is sufficient and the length of transition sufficient, the resin is at least 90 percent melted. As previously stated and as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,136, the root depth of the metering section is generally shallow. This shallow depth increases the shear and friction in the polymer, which has a tendency to raise the temperature of the polymer urging the remaining solids to melt. An increase in shear rate and temperature usually has a substantial effect on the viscosity of the polymer. A change in viscosity of the material being plasticated in turn affects the flow rate of the material through the restricted outlet port. As a result, without the optimum screw configuration, there may be a failure to achieve the desired uniformity and output rate of molten polymer, which is a significant problem for the plasticity operation. What makes this task even more difficult is that the current state of the art challenges us with length to pitch and diameter ratios of 12:1 to 27:1. When there is a demand for a high output rate there is frequently polymeric material without the addition of an expensive, complicated mixing section that is typical of advanced screw designs.
To my knowledge there are no designs that make an attempt to increase the flight pitch to achieve a shallower flight depth while maintaining a similar channel volume, in addition there is no relationship between the flight and the root like the present invention employs.
The present invention is directed to a screw configuration, plasticity apparatus and method for improving melting and mixing of resinous material in the metering section.
In accordance with this invention a plasticity screw having a feed section, transition section and a metering section in series, the flight pitch normally being constant in the feed and transition sections, each section having a flight channel forming a specific channel volume when compared with each other forms a compression ratio with the volume of the feed section being greater than that of the metering section. Said screw having at least one but preferably two or more changes in the flight pitch and root diameter at the end of the transition section and through the metering section with the root stepped in cooperation with an increase in flight pitch. Said changes that are dependent upon the flighted length to screw diameter ratio, screw diameter and resin composite. not enough axial length to accomplish all that is desired and a compromise in melt quality is experienced.
It is desirous to have a metering section with a shallow flight depth so as to assure that there is a substantial shear rate and good conductive heat transfer from the heated cylinder to the polymer. The most effective melting mechanism takes place between the heated barrel and the polymer. When using the state of the art constant pitch compression screw design that is the most prominent screw in use today, a shallow meter depth can only be accomplished with a high compression ratio between said feed helical channels and said metering helical channel. The practice of increasing the taper to achieve a shallower flight depth in the metering section is proven to be counter-productive because as the taper increases the effective melting length of the screw decreases. In addition, a high compression ratio cannot be used with many polymer types because of excessive shear rates therefore this practice is limited in its scope.
Our invention extends the melting length by utilizing a low volumetric compression ratio. In addition, by increasing the flight pitch of the screw at the end of the transition section as seen in FIGS. 2 through 3, the polymer is exposed to more barrel wall surface area and excellent heat transfer. The increase in the flight pitch also increases the velocity between the barrel and the polymer adding a melting and mixing effect. And lastly, by stepping the root in cooperation with the flight pitch change, an added degree of mixing is achieved. So, one skilled in the art would surmise that our invention has created a design that generates a more thoroughly melted and mixed A description of the preferred geometry of the invention follows.
1). The flight depth and pitch of the screw are used to calculate a channel volume. The screw is designed to achieve a given ratio between the channel volumes in the feed section vs. The metering section. At the end of the transition section a tangent point or tapered terminus is reached along the axis of the root that represents a flight depth. The flight depth at that tangent point is or tapered terminus used to calculate a channel volume. A substantial increase of the flight pitch takes place, the purpose being to achieve a similar channel volume with a shallower flight depth. Said change in the flight pitch should be at least 1.25xc3x97(times) the pitch used through the feed and transition sections and preferably be about between 1.25 and 1.50. An increase in the pitch or helix angle of the flight has the effect to expose a greater amount of polymeric material to the barrel wall as well as to increase the relative velocity between the barrel and the resin. It is well known to those skilled in the art that the most effective melting occurs between the hot barrel and the polymeric material. The resultant shallower than normal flight channel depth has a greater ability to melt the resin completely because of a higher shear rate and more efficient conductive heat transfer even though the volumetric compression ratio remains low which assures a longer axial length of melting ability. The change in velocity has the effect to add a degree of melting and homogenous mixing to the hot resinous material.
2). In the invention, the increase in pitch occurs in conjunction with a change in the root diameter, so as the flight pitch increases, the root of the screw transitions from a deep flight depth to a shallow flight depth. The stepped change in the root that starts at the same tangent point or tapered terminus as the increase in pitch ends preferably about between 0.7 to 0.9 or 1.1 to 1.3 times the length of the increased flight pitch, namely upstream or downstream of the end of one complete revolution of the flight.
3). An option that executes two flight pitch increases in succession that are separated by a constant depth metering section, said first flight pitch is about between 1.20 to 1.30 times the original flight pitch, said second flight pitch is about between 1.35 to 1.50 times the original flight pitch. The first change in the root that starts at the same tangent point or tapered terminus as the increase in the first pitch ends preferably about between 0.7 to 0.9 or 1.1 to 1.3 times the length of the increased flight pitch, namely upstream or downstream of one complete revolution of the flight. The second change in the root ends preferably about between 0.7 to 0.9 or 1.1 to 1.3 times the length of the increased flight pitch, namely upstream or downstream of one complete revolution of the flight. It is understood that multiple changes in the flight and root profile while subjecting the resinous material to our substantially shallower metering flight depths are good for melting and mixing.

Plasticating screw for efficient melting and mixing of polymeric material


The electric machine has a stator with windings connected to phase connections. An insulating cap protects the reciprocally connected portions of the phase connections and windings. The insulating cap has a box-shaped body with an opening for the introduction of a winding within it. The body defines a seat housing the phase connection. The seat is formed in one piece with the body.

FIG. 1 shows a traditional connection between windings 2 of a stator of an electric machine such as a generator and phase connections 4 (phase rings).
This connection typically comprises a conductive element 3 brazed at one side to the winding 2 and at the other side to the phase connection 4.
Above the winding 2 end, conductive element 3 and phase connections 4 end an insulating cap 5 is provided to insulate and protect the components housed therein.
As shown, traditional caps 5 are made as two elements; a first element 6 that houses the winding 2 end and the greatest part of the conductive element 3, and a second element 7 that envelopes the phase connection 4 end and has its ends that overlap the borders of the first element 6 at the zones 8.
Putty 9 is also provided within the first and second elements 6, 7 to mechanically fix the cap 5 and electrically insulate the components housed therein.
These caps 5 proved to be very efficient and provide an excellent insulation, but in some cases, their use could be troubling.
In fact, the minimum distance between two adjacent caps 5 must be large enough to avoid discharges (this is the so called electric distance that depends on the materials, voltage, etc).
With the described traditional caps, the minimum distance is much smaller than desirable because of the overlapping of the second parts 7 on the first parts 6 of the caps 5. This causes large constraints in the machine design (for example with reference to the number of slots housing the windings) or maximum voltage achievable.
In addition, an upgrade of a machine such as an electric generator (by increasing the operating voltage) would not be possible, because the upgraded voltage would be too high for the actual distances between adjacent caps 5.
Moreover, assembling of the two pieces 6, 7 of the caps 5 and at the same time the application of putty is typically very time consuming.

Electric machine, insulating cap and method for forming an insulating cap


This invention may be directed to an endoscopic device. The endoscopic device comprising an elongate member having a distal end, and a cap positioned at the distal end. The cap may have a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end may define at least one recess that does not extend through the cap to the distal end of the cap. The endoscopic device may further include at least one illumination device disposed in the at least one recess.

An endoscope is a flexible device introduced into the body for diagnostic and/or therapeutic purposes. Typically, these devices are inserted into the body through an opening (a natural opening or an incision), and are delivered to a work site inside the body through a body cavity. Generally, such devices include an illumination device to illuminate a field of view at the work site, and an imaging device to allow a surgeon to see the work site from outside the body and remotely operate the endoscope to perform a desired diagnostic/therapeutic procedure at the work site.
In reusable endoscopes, a diffusing lens may be provided with the Illumination device at the distal end of the endoscope to project light evenly over the entire visualization field. Due to the differences in proximities, and other light reflecting characteristics of different locations within the field of view of the work site (such as, for example, differences in reflectivity of muscle and tissue), these different locations may appear to be Illuminated differently. For instance, some of these locations may appear to be oversaturated with light while other locations may appear to be insufficiently illuminated. The variation in illumination may make visualization of the work site difficult, and may therefore be undesirable. With small bore endoscopes, the cost of implementing a diffusing lens for even distribution of light may be high. While this cost may be less of an issue with reusable endoscopes where the cost can be amortized due to repeated usage, this cost may be prohibitively high in the case of disposable endoscopes. Therefore, the present disclosure is directed to systems and methods to optimize visualization by controlling distribution of light in a field of view within the body from outside the body.

Endoscopic system for optimized visualization


The isolation and purification of lipopolysaccharides from several related strains of eukaryotic algae is disclosed. These lipopolysaccharides have been shown to be structurally and functionally similar to the lipopolysaccharides of gram negative bacteria, or endotoxins, which have been shown to be a cause of sepsis or septic shock. The present invention also relates to the use of these algal lipopolysaccharides to inhibit the release of TNF-a from macrophages, which has been associated with the initiation and escalation of sepsis as a result of bacterial endotoxins.

The present invention relates to the isolation and use of lipopolysaccharides from eukaryotic algae. More particularly, the present invention relates to the isolation of algal lipopolysaccharides and their use to inhibit the release of TNF-alpha from macrophages and, thus, inhibit endotoxin-initiated sepsis or septic shock.
Lipopolysaccharides are high molecular weight amphipathic molecules typically associated with the cell walls of gram negative enteric bacteria. The lipopolysaccharides of gram negative bacteria are known as endotoxins and have been found to be responsible for the pathogenicity of the bacteria. The primary pathogenicity of gram negative bacteria is its physiological interaction with a host to initiate sepsis or septic shock.
When a gram negative bacterium enters a host it begins to reproduce. As the bacteria reproduces, a number of the lipopolysaccharide molecules from the cell walls of the bacteria are shed from the organisms and are released into the circulatory system of the host. The discarded lipopolysaccharide molecules then interact with the host's immune system and begin a cascade of immunorelated physiological reactions. The lipopolysaccharides interact with the host macrophages. The interaction of lipopolysaccharides with the macrophages stimulates these white cells to release the cellular hormone TNF-alpha ("TNF-a"). This TNF-a hormone negatively impacts the host and produces a series of stereotypical responses including elevated temperature, blood coagulation, changes in white blood cell morphology and increased activity of the immune response. These responses become increasingly severe and ultimately manifest clinically as sepsis or septic shock.
In the United States alone there are believed to be approximately 300,000 cases of sepsis annually. About 150,000 of these cases are fatal. Infants, the elderly and the immunocompromised, such as AIDS victims, cancer patients and transplant recipients, are particularly susceptible to sepsis. There are presently no satisfactory treatments or cures for endotoxin-initiated sepsis. Because endotoxins provoke immunological disfunction, they cannot be used directly as immunization agents. There are currently no attenuated endotoxins or endotoxin counterparts that can be used as vaccines. The prevailing medical treatment for sepsis is founded on a symptomatic approach, treating the physical discomfort associated with the illness while hoping the disease is ultimately cured by the host's immune system. Unfortunately, as the medical field currently stands, the unlucky individual who has contracted sepsis must confront the real likelihood of death.

Isolated algal lipopolysaccharides and use of same to inhibit endotoxin-initiated sepsis

Board of Regents of University of Nebraska


A stowage unit for a payload such as a weapon, countermeasure or unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), and a method for using the unit to deploy the payload are described. The unit comprises an inner tube for holding the payload, wherein the inner tube is mounted in an outer vessel and so defines a volume between the outer vessel and inner tube. The volume has a first sealing element, which can be used to open or seal the volume at one end, and a valve enabling fluid communication between the volume and inner tube. After deployment of the payload, a weight of fluid equivalent to the deployed payload can be allowed to enter the volume from the inner tube, thus enabling the weight of the unit to remain substantially unaltered from before deployment to after deployment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an external stowage unit for a payload such as a weapon, countermeasure or unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). It also relates to marine vessels incorporating such a stowage unit, and in particular, submarines incorporating such a stowage unit.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Stowage units are known for storing weapons or countermeasures on marine vessels. Such units typically include an openable container for holding the weapon or countermeasure which, when closed, forms a 'dry volume' that protects the contents from the external environment. In some instances the container is mounted within a larger volume such that it can move within the larger volume. Such 'shock-mounting' shields the stowed weapon or countermeasure from impulsive accelerations. An embodiment of this concept is the 'tube within a tube' where a conventionally sized torpedo tube is shock-mounted within a larger tubular volume.
Deployment of the weapon or countermeasure can affect the buoyancy of the marine vessel incorporating the stowage unit. Prior to deployment the dry volume may be equilibrated with the ambient environment which, during submerged operation of the stowage unit, involves water displacing the gas occupying the dry volume. On release of the weapon or countermeasure, the overall mass of the stowage unit is reduced by an amount corresponding to the deployed weapon or countermeasure.
It is important that deployment of the payload does not adversely affect the buoyancy of the vessel. In vessels where the stowage unit is located internal to the waterproof hull, the changes in buoyancy caused by deployment can be compensated for by channelling the displaced gas into the watertight compartment and transferring a weight of water equivalent to the deployed payload from the external environment into the watertight compartment.
Internal placement of the stowage unit necessitates penetration of the watertight hull. External placement of the stowage unit may also require penetration of the watertight hull. The structural integrity requirements of the watertight hull often constrain the operation and positioning of weapon stowage units that penetrate it. This can lead to a sub optimal solution for both the vessel and the stowage unit. This is a particularly important consideration in the design of submarines, where the watertight hull (the 'pressure hull') must be able to resist a higher hydrostatic pressure than that experienced by surface vessels.


A multi-layer hose usable for a fuel hose of an automotive vehicle. The multi-layer hose includes an intermediate layer formed of a resin whose main component includes polyester. An outer layer is provided formed of rubber and disposed outside the intermediate layer. Additionally, an inner layer is provided formed of fluoroelastomer and disposed inside the intermediate layer to be laminated directly on the intermediate layer.

This invention relates to improvements in a multi-layer hose preferably usable for a fuel hose of an automotive vehicle, and more particularly to a multi-layer hose having a strong adhesiveness between layers while having an excellent fuel permeation resistance against fuel such as an alcohol-containing fuel.
Mainly in the United States, the emission control for hydrocarbon-based evaporative emissions from automotive vehicle fuel systems has been strictly tightened, and therefore rubber hoses for fuel having various structures have been developed to meet the control. Particularly in order to achieve a sealability, a fuel permeation resistance and a flexibility which are required in a connecting pipe, a rubber hose commonly proposed has a structure where rubber materials serving as inner and outer layers are laminated on a fuel-barrier resinous material serving as intermediate layer.
As proposed in Japanese Unexamined application publication No. 2004-506548, multi-layer hoses which have been widely employed are provided by disposing fluoroelastomer (FKM) or acrylonitrile butadiene (NBR) as an inner layer, ternary copolymer fluorothermoplastic THV (tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene-vinylidene fluoridate) as an intermediate layer (a fuel-barrier layer), and epichlorohydrin rubber (ECO) and acrylonitrile butadiene (NBR) as an outer layer. Additionally, it is commonly known that such multi-layer hoses can include further layers formed of chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSM), chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) or the like on the outer layer.


Embodiments of the disclosed technology include systems and methods that can establish a communication link with a customer device, can receive call information from the customer device, can retrieve a customer profile based on a comparison of the call information to stored call information, and can save the customer profile as temporary profile data. Embodiments can receive identifying information from the customer device and, responsive to determining, based on a comparison of the identifying information to the temporary profile data, that the communication link is authenticated, connect the communication link to an authenticated call path. Responsive to determining that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed without determining that the communication link is authenticated, embodiments can determine that the communication link is unauthenticated and can connect the communication link to an unauthenticated call path and delete the temporary profile data.

Currently, when an account holder at a financial institution encounters a problem with his account, he generally must call a customer service representative from the financial institution. As part of the call, the caller must provide authenticating information to the customer service representative (or to an automated system), such as an account number, social security number, and/or vocal sample to provide proof of identity (e.g., authenticate the customer) and proceed with the call and receive assistance. This adds delays and inconvenience for the caller who is trying to resolve an issue or have a question answered and can lead to a poor customer experience.
These and other drawbacks exist.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for automatically authenticating a caller


Disclosed are compounds of Formula 1, including all geometric and stereoisomers, N-oxides, and salts thereof,

The control of invertebrate pests is extremely important in achieving high crop efficiency. Damage by invertebrate pests to growing and stored agronomic crops can cause significant reduction in productivity and thereby result in increased costs to the consumer. The control of invertebrate pests in forestry, greenhouse crops, ornamentals, nursery crops, stored food and fiber products, livestock, household, turf, wood products, and public and animal health is also important. Many products are commercially available for these purposes, but the need continues for new compounds that are more effective, less costly, less toxic, environmentally safer or have different sites of action.
PCT Patent Publication WO 07/079,162 discloses isoxazoline derivatives of Formula i as insecticides
wherein, inter alia, A1 through A6 are independently C or N; W is O or S; R4 is H or C1-C6 alkyl; and R5 is H, OR10, NR11R12 or Q1.
The naphthalene isoxazolines of the present invention are not disclosed in this publication.

Naphthalene isoxazoline compounds for control of invertebrate pests

Abstract: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are as defined in the disclosure.

Abstract: Also disclosed are compositions containing the compounds of Formula 1 and methods for controlling an invertebrate pest comprising contacting the invertebrate pest or its environment with a biologically effective amount of a compound or a composition of the invention.


The present development is directed to sportsballs or gameballs and to methods for producing the same. More particularly, the disclosure is directed to inflatable sportsballs or gameballs, such as basketballs, having a laminated construction, and to process for fabricating the same.

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of sportsballs or gameballs. More particularly, the disclosure is directed to inflatable sportsballs or gameballs, such as basketballs, having improved grip, feel and other characteristics, and the methods for producing the same.
Inflatable sportsballs can be produced by several different processes. A large number of high quality basketballs feature laminated construction. These basketballs are comprised of a multi-layer structure which includes a generally spherical interior air bladder which is wound with monofilament strands to create a winding layer overlying the air bladder. A polymeric carcass is then formed, or molded, over the winding layer.
The carcass is of substantially uniform thickness defining a spherical outer surface with a carcass circumference. A plurality of ribs project outwardly from, and extend around the outer surface of the carcass. Typically, the ribs are raised about 0.75-1.50 mm above surface of the carcass.
The carcass area between the ribs defines a plurality of separated surface areas. Generally, the carcass is divided into eight (8) surface areas in simulation of the eight sewn together panels of a traditional leather-covered basketball. Panels of material are then laminated onto the outer surface of the carcass in the separated surface areas. The thickness of the panels is typically greater than the thickness of the ribs, so that the ribs, while projecting above the carcass surface, are slightly recessed below the exterior surface of the panels. The edges of the panels may be beveled or "skived" so that the panel edges will be flush with the projecting carcass rib when laminated. When finished, the laminated basketball has a generally spherical shape, with each carcass rib and opposing skived panel edges defining a panel seam or channel area.
In the construction of laminated basketballs such as those noted above, each rib of the channel area of the ball is generally constructed of a polymer such as rubber, and is connected to each panel of the ball. Each panel is generally constructed of a single material, such as leather (natural or synthetic), rubber (natural or synthetic), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or polyurethane (PU). Optionally, a padded interior layer can be added under the exterior panel to improve shock resistance, etc. However, this additional layer is sometimes subject to delamination. Additionally, it is important to note that the exterior surface of each panel of a typical ball consists of only one type of material. This results in a ball exhibiting generally uniform characteristics, such as grip, feel, hardness/softness, slip resistance, resilience, tackiness, compressibility, moisture resistance, abrasion resistance, scuff, durability, etc. However, in certain circumstances, it is desirous to have a ball with panels and/or channel seam areas exhibiting non-uniform or different characteristics.

Sportsball and method of manufacturing same


It is an object to provide an endoscopic heart surgery method with which it is possible to observe an endoscopic image with a stable field of view in the pericardial space. Provided is an endoscopic heart surgery method including an inserting step of inserting an inserted portion of an endoscope into a body from the subxiphoid area and inserting the inserted portion into the pericardial space by penetrating the pericardium in the vicinity of the heart apex; a moving step of advancing the inserted portion toward the base of the heart so that the inserted portion passes through the roof of the pericardial space and is moved toward the heart apex to a treated area in the pericardial space; and an observing step of observing the treated area with the endoscope.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscopic heart surgery method.
2. Description of Related Art
In conventional known heart surgery methods, an endoscope is inserted into the space between the heart and the pericardium surrounding the heart (pericardial space), and the heart is treated while observing a treated area of the heart with the endoscope without cutting the chest open. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0064138 discloses a surgery method in which an endoscope and a surgical instrument are inserted into the pericardial space from separate holes formed by puncturing the pericardium, and the atrial appendage is removed while observing the operation of the surgical instrument with the endoscope. In such surgery, the endoscope is inserted into the pericardial space and the heart is observed and treated while still pulsing.


A system is disclosed. The system at least one physical memory device to store ink estimation logic and one or more processors coupled with the at least one physical memory device, to execute the ink estimation logic to receive calibrated ink deposition data, receive a first transfer function associated with a printing system, generate a first inverse transfer function based on the first transfer function and generate first uncalibrated ink deposition data based on the calibrated ink deposition data and the first inverse transfer function.

In commercial and transactional printers, it is common to estimate ink usage to determine one of the major components of the cost to print a job. Conventional ink estimation methods involve having to first perform a rasterization (or RIP) of the print job to produce a contone image, which is subsequently halftoned with the same halftone producing algorithms and settings to be employed by the targeted printer. The result is a bitmap from the halftoning operation that describes the resulting drop size for each pel. The bitmap encodes the different drop sizes using a unique symbol for each different drop size (e.g., level zero for no drop, one for small, two for medium and three for large).
In an actual printer this bitmap data would be the input to the drivers of ink jet printheads. Hence the data used in an actual printer is the same as the data used to estimate a print job. Since the drop sizes for an ink jet are known, the amount of ink required to print the job for each color may be calculated as the sum of ink for each drop size, page and color.
However, the above-described ink estimation process is computationally intensive. Accordingly, an improved mechanism to perform ink estimation is desired.

Uncalibrated ink deposition generation mechanism


Microlenses for directing radiation toward a sensor of an imaging device include a plurality of mutually adhered layers of cured optically transmissive material. Systems include at least one microprocessor and a substrate including an array of microlenses formed thereon in electrical communication with the at least one microprocessor. At least one microlens in the array includes a plurality of mutually adhered layers of cured optically transmissive material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and components. Particularly, the present invention relates to at least partially packaging a semiconductor die or dice. The present invention also relates to forming conductive elements such as traces, vias, and bond pads. In addition, the present invention relates to a microlens for directing light toward a photosensor, methods of forming same, and systems so equipped.
2. Background of Related Art
The invention pertains to a method for sealing and protecting at least the periphery of one or more semiconductor dice. When a semiconductor die is conductively attached to a carrier substrate, conventionally encapsulating the assembly is very desirable to enhance the mechanical bond between the die and the substrate and to mutually laterally electrically isolate adjacent electrical connections therebetween. More specifically, one common configuration for electrically connecting a semiconductor die is a so-called flip-chip package, wherein an array or pattern of external conductive elements, such as solder bumps or conductive or conductor-filled epoxy pillars, protrude from the active surface of the semiconductor die for use in mechanically and electrically connecting the semiconductor die to like-patterned ends of conductive traces of higher level packaging, such as a carrier substrate. Other semiconductor die configurations may include a die mounted to a lead frame (having a die mounting paddle configuration, or in a paddle-less leads-over-chip (LOC) configuration, or in a leads-under-chip (LUC) configuration) and, optionally, mounted to a carrier substrate in a chip-on-board (COB) or board-on-chip (BOC) arrangement, or in other packaging designs, as desired.
Conventional encapsulation typically involves transfer molding an encapsulant, usually a particulate silica filled thermoset, to substantially surround a semiconductor die electrically connected and mechanically affixed to a carrier substrate. Transfer molds typically comprise a bottom mold and an upper mold, wherein the mold halves may be mated to one another to form a plurality of predefined cavities, wherein usually one predefined cavity receives one of a plurality of semiconductor dice. Each semiconductor die may be placed within the cavity and encapsulant may be forced into each of the plurality of cavities to form an encapsulation structure that encapsulates the semiconductor chip and portions of the lead frame or carrier substrate.
In operation, a heated, silica-filled resin mold compound, usually a thermoset, is heated to a molten state, forced under pressure through runners into and through the mold cavities, wherein semiconductor die assemblies comprising semiconductor dice with attached lead frames or substrates are disposed (usually in strips or other groups, so that a group of six semiconductor dice, for example, would be placed in and across six cavities formed by the molds). After molding, the encapsulated semiconductor die assemblies may be ejected from the cavities by ejector pins, after which they may be post-cured at an elevated temperature to complete cross-linking of the resin mold compound, followed by other operations as known in the art. It will be appreciated that other transfer molding apparatus configurations, as well as variations in the details of the described method, are known in the art.
Undesirably, encapsulant flow during conventional transfer molding within mold cavities is demonstrably nonuniform. Therefore, encapsulant filler particles may become lodged between lead ends and the underlying die surfaces because the flow characteristics of the viscous encapsulant flow may cause particles to be forcefully driven between the lead ends and the additional surfaces of the semiconductor die and wedged or jammed in place in low-clearance areas. As the encapsulant flow front advances and the mold operation is completed by packing the cavities, pressure in substantially all portions of the mold cavities may be substantially hydrostatic. With LOC arrangements, where lead ends extending over the active surface of a die are bonded thereto by adhesive-coated tape segments or an adhesive material patterned on the active surface, the relative inflexibility of the tightly-constrained (adhered) lead ends maintains the point stresses of any particles trapped under the lead ends. These residual stresses are carried forward in the fabrication process to post-cure and beyond. When mechanical, thermal or electrical stresses attendant to post-encapsulation processing are added to the residual stresses associated with the lodged filler particles, cracking or perforation of the die coat may occur. It has been observed that filler particle-induced damage may occur more frequently in close proximity to the adhesive, where lead flexibility is relatively low. In addition to damage by filler particles, transfer molding also results in the problem of bond wire sweep, wherein bond wires may be damaged, broken, or loosened from their connections to bond pads or lead ends, or swept into shorting contact with an adjacent bond wire under the impetus of the flow front of molten resin encapsulant as it flows through a mold cavity. Also, due to increased pressures exerted on the encapsulant, a small amount of the encapsulation material often may flash between the mold halves, which may interfere with handling or require removal.
In addition to end-product deficiencies as noted above due to the phenomena of particulate die coat penetration, flash formation, and bond wire sweep, the capital-intensive nature of the transfer molding apparatus, including the requirement for different, relatively expensive molds for each die and lead frame or other substrate arrangement, as well as the high cost of the encapsulant resin and waste of same that is not used in the mold cavities, renders the transfer molding process an extremely expensive one. Mold damage and refurbishment is an additional, ongoing cost. Further, the elevated temperatures used in the molding process, as well as in the post cure of the resin encapsulant, are detrimental to the circuitry of the die as well as to the electrical connections to the lead ends.
Accordingly, the prior art has developed nonmolding encapsulation techniques for surrounding and at least partially sealing semiconductor dice. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,549,821 to Farnworth et al., assigned to the assignee of the present invention and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto, discloses a method and apparatus for applying packaging material to workpieces, particularly electronic components including semiconductor dice.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,537,482 to Farnworth, assigned to the assignee of the present invention and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto, discloses a method for underfilling and encapsulating flip-chip configured semiconductor devices mounted on a carrier substrate using stereolithography to form at least semisolid dam structures of photopolymeric material to entrap unpolymerized resin between the devices and substrate.
However, in either of the above-mentioned conventional stereolithography approaches to encapsulation of semiconductor dice, the need for forming a multitude of relatively thin layers stereolithographically may be time consuming and may also depend on precise placement of the semiconductor dice, or, alternatively, a vision system for detecting the position thereof. Thus, there remains a need for improved apparatus and methods for at least partially encapsulating semiconductor dice without performing transfer molding.
Turning to another facet of conventional electronic fabrication techniques, conventional conductive traces may be formed by CVD processes, cold-metal deposition processes, plating processes, or other conventional additive techniques in combination with resist and etching processes, by way of solder paste deposited through a stencil, or by way of selective removal of copper from a copper dielectric laminate, as by masking and etching or other conventional subtractive techniques.
In relation to semiconductor dice, tape automated bonding (TAB) is sometimes used to form an electrical connection between the unpackaged die and external circuitry on a circuit board or other substrate. A TAB tape includes a flexible film, such as polyimide, having circuit traces formed thereon. The circuit traces may include bumps that are adapted for electrical connection to the bond pads on a die. The bumps and the circuit traces on the TAB tape provide an electrical path from the bond pads of the semiconductor die to external circuitry.
Also, circuit boards are often assembled with semiconductor devices to electrically connect different semiconductor devices to one another or to other components of an electronic device. Typically, circuit boards have one or more layers of metal circuitry carried by the insulating, or dielectric, substrates thereof. When circuit boards have conductive circuits extending across more than one plane thereof, the circuits may be electrically connected by way of through holes or blind holes that are metal plated or filled, which are known as conductive "vias."
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,500,746 and 6,632,732 to Williams, each assigned to the assignee of the present invention and the disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety, each discloses stereolithographically fabricated conductive elements that may be formed onto circuit boards or chip scale packages. The patents also disclose that conductive traces, bond pads, and conductive vias may be formed stereolithographically. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,488 to Miller et al. discloses a precision spray process wherein metal particles are propelled toward a surface and heated while in flight toward the surface by a laser beam.
However, while the prior art methods may function as intended for forming conductive elements, there is a need for improved apparatus and methods for forming conductive elements, such as traces, bond pads, and conductive vias that are associated with electronic devices, such as circuit boards, or upon other substrates.
Moving to a further aspect of the prior art, it is known in the art to use a microlens array in combination with an imager array, such as a CMOS imager array, wherein the microlens array comprises a convex microlens associated with each pixel or the CMOS imager. Each microlens is configured to refract incident radiation from the circuitry region of the pixel to the photosensor region of the CMOS imager, thereby increasing the amount of light reaching the photosensor and increasing the fill factor of the pixels. Other uses of microlens arrays may include intensifying illuminating light on the pixels of a nonluminescent display device, such as a liquid crystal display device to increase the brightness of the display, forming an image to be printed in a liquid crystal or light emitting diode printer and as a focusing structure for coupling a luminescent device or a receptive device to an optical fiber.
Conventionally, a microlens or microlens array may be formed by depositing a microlens material layer by spin coating onto a surface of a semiconductor structure, in general alignment with a photosensor region thereof. The microlens areas may be patterned by a conventional photolithographic method, such as, for instance, a resist and etch process, and then may be subjected to increased temperature by a reflow process, for instance, at a temperature of about 160° Celsius. More specifically, the temperature may exceed the glass transition temperature of the microlens material, so that the upper surface area thereof forms an arcuate or domed surface, according to the surface tension or cohesive forces in the microlens material. A microlens may be formed of a transparent material exhibiting a suitable refractive index. For instance, a microlens may comprise an optical thermoplastic, such as polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate, polyolefin, cellulose acetate butyrate, polystyrene, or polyimide; a thermoset resin such as an epoxy resin; a photosensitive gelatin; or a radiation curable resin, such as acrylate, methacrylate, urethane acrylate, epoxy acrylate, or polyester acrylate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,307,243 to Rhodes, assigned to the assignee of the present invention and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto, discloses a microlens array for use in a solid-state imager having an improved fill factor. More specifically, an insulation layer is formed of transparent insulating material, such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxynitride, above each microlens in order to capture more light at the pixel edges and transmit such light to the photosensor, thereby improving the fill factor of the microlens array.
However, there is a need for improved apparatus and methods for forming one or more microlens structures. Particularly, there is a need for improved apparatus and methods for forming one or more microlens structures that are associated with image arrays, such as CMOS imagers.

Microlenses including a plurality of mutually adhered layers of optically transmissive material and systems including the same


Disclosed is a system for cleaning a print media sheet and, more particularly, for cleaning a specific portion of sheet that is less than the entire length of the sheet. A device moves a cleaning roller between standby, cleaning fluid receiving and cleaning positions. Timing of cleaning roller movement into the cleaning position is controlled to ensure proper positioning of the cleaning roller with respect to the sheet during cleaning. In the cleaning position, the cleaning roller rotates so as to clean only the specific portion. In the cleaning fluid receiving position, the cleaning roller rotates to receive, from a cleaning fluid dispenser, a predetermined amount of cleaning fluid. Optionally, a retractable shutter can be selectively retracted to expose an opening in a sheet transport path guard and, thereby allow the cleaning roller to move into the cleaning position.

Embodiments herein generally relate to electrostatographic image reproduction machines (e.g., electrostatographic printers, copiers or the like) and, more particularly, to embodiments of print media cleaning system and an associated print media cleaning method for use in conjunction with an electrostatographic image reproduction machine.
In electrostatographic image reproduction machines (e.g., electrostatographic printers, copiers or other the like), a toner image is usually fused onto a print media sheet (e.g., a sheet of paper) by a fuser. Specifically, a typical electrostatographic image reproduction machine imparts a toner image onto a print media sheet and then passes the print media sheet through a fuser. The fuser applies heat and pressure in order to fuse (i.e., fix) the toner particles forming the toner image onto the print media sheet. Oftentimes, during this fusing process, toner particles may transfer onto the fuser and, thereby onto other parts of the printer or onto subsequently printed print media sheets. This offset of toner particles can be inhibited or prevented by applying a thin film of fuser oil (e.g., silicon oil) onto the surface of the fuser. Unfortunately, such fuser oil tends to transfer to print media sheets during fusing and can interfere with subsequent finishing processes. For example, fuser oil on the surface of and/or absorbed by a flexible preprinted book cover (i.e., a preprinted book jacket) can prevent adequate glue or tape adhesion during a subsequent book covering and binding process (e.g., a perfect binding process or tape binding process).


A method of controlling particle absorption on a wafer sample and charged particle beam imaging system thereof prevents particle absorption by grounding the wafer sample and kept electrically neutral during the transfer-in and transfer-out process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to controlling particle absorption on a wafer sample, and more particularly to controlling particle absorption on a wafer sample being inspected by a charged particle beam imaging system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As electronic devices become smaller in size, the processing technique thereof becomes more microscopic. Charged particle beam imaging will likely become one of the critical technologies in advanced semiconductor manufacture. Charged particle beam imaging tools, which include conventional scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) have a much higher resolution than optical tools and are able to detect smaller size defects.
Particles such as dust in atmosphere influence the characteristics or yield of manufactured electronic devices significantly. Due to this, elimination of particles during the manufacturing process is a very important factor. In a microscopic circuit, since the sizes of particles are as large as or even larger than the distance between metal wires, yield (ratio of source material to product) is degraded when particles are adhered to the wafer causing short circuits or other problems.
Conventional methods for removing particles from, for example, a wafer chuck in a testing apparatus include the use of an air gun or nozzle to blow particles away from the chuck. However, this method is only partially effective in removing the particles from the chuck, especially those carrying charges.
Hence, how to control particle absorption on a wafer sample within a charged particle beam imaging system is now urgently needed to target.
Ezumi et al. (U.S.20040211899) disclosed a charged particle beam irradiation method for reducing the focus offset, magnification fluctuation and measurement length error in charged particle beam devices. In claim 11 of Ezumi, there disclosed a holder configured for gripping a sample and constructed to reach electrical ground during measurement of electrical potential. However, Ezumi did not disclose that the wafer sample was grounded.
To be specific, in [0005] of Ezumi, there disclosed that the cause of this static or electrostatic charge may for example be due to a fixed electrical potential from splitting (split polarization) of polarized material within the resist due to friction during applying of the resist coating by a spin coater.
In [0050] of Ezumi, there disclosed that the static electrometer probe measures the voltage of both the wafer and the grounded conveyor arm (also referring to FIGS. 2 and 4) so that a more accurate value can be obtained by calibrating the wafer electrical potential based on the ground potential of the conveyor arm and the static electrometer probe measures the voltage of both the wafer and the grounded conveyor arm so that a more accurate value can be obtained.
FIGS. 2 and 4 of Ezumi are directed for sample electrification measurement, therefore once both of the wafer and the conveyor arm are grounded to be electrically neutral, there would be no potential difference between the wafer and the conveyor arm such that no measurement result can be obtained. Since the wafer and the grounded conveyor arm can not be simultaneously grounded, i.e. both be electrically neutral, for voltage measurement and Ezumi has disclosed a grounded conveyor arm, the wafer sample is not possibly being grounded.
In addition, in FIG. 3 of Ezumi, it needs a distribution function for the electrical potential that was made based on this acquired data to determine a retarding voltage. Therefore, once the wafer sample is grounded, the distribution function and the subsequent procedure for determining the retarding voltage would no longer be needed.
Therefore, what Ezumi taught is directed to measuring the surface electrical potential with a grounded conveyor arm but Ezumi failed to disclose the wafer sample electrically neutral by grounding, and particularly, Ezumi failed to disclose keeping the wafer sample electrically neutral by grounding during transfer-in and transfer-out process. In other words, in the case of wafer samples being thoroughly grounded during transfer-in and transfer-out process, the sample electrification measurement method provided by Ezumi for correcting retarding voltage during measurement using charged particle beam in SEM is no longer needed.

Method of controlling particle absorption on a wafer sample being inspected by a charged particle beam imaging system


A shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomer comprises polymerized, nematic monomers. The monomers are organized into a plurality of voxels with each voxel having a director orientation.

The dexterity, reversibility, and reconfigurability of a complex shape or surface would enhance devices and practices in medicine, robotics, and aerospace. Limited complex shape change and actuation has been reported in patterned hydrogels by carefully designing semicrystalline polymer networks. The implementation of a programmable shape change in applications in aerospace and other outlets requires the further development of soft materials that exhibit large stimuli-induced responses while affording local control of the magnitudes and directionality of the strain. Once realized, these shape-programmable materials could enable and extend the functionality of devices in applications as simple as packaging to as complex as deployable and tunable antennas.
Cross-linked liquid crystal polymers, particularly elastomeric versions referred to as liquid crystal elastomers ("LCEs") have shown some promise in the field of reconfigurable shapes and surfaces. LCEs are lightly cross-linked, ordered polymers that exhibit reversible shape change in response to a stimulus, such as heat, light, or solvent. Alignment of LCEs into a mono-domain or single crystal orientation has primarily employed stretching (the so-called "Finkelmann Method") or applications of a magnetic field. Uniaxially-aligned LCEs have exhibited dimensional changes (tensile strain) that can exceed 300% along an alignment direction when exposed to a change in temperature.
However, these alignment methods are limited in spatial control of orientation and resolution. Complex director profiles within LCEs are necessary to realize monolithic devices or functional substrates capable of non-trivial, programmable, reversible shape change. While conventional methods exist and have been employed to generate complex and spatial variations in director orientations of low molar mass liquid crystals and glassy liquid crystalline polymer networks, the chemistries and procedures employed to synthesize aligned LCEs have proven insensitive to such techniques. Thus there remains a need for improved materials and methods for employing LCEs as reconfigurable shapes and surfaces.

United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


A delivery system deploys a prosthesis for open surgical repair of a body vessel. The system includes a sleeve to retain segments of a prosthesis in a compressed configuration and retraction members. The sleeve has outer segments associated with each end of the prosthesis. Retraction of the retraction members removes the outer segments of the sleeve from the prosthesis outer ends to allow for expansion of the outer ends of the prosthesis in an outside-in direction. The system can include a handle and an actuation member movably attached to the handle. The actuation member is coupled to the sleeve outer segments so that movement of the actuation member corresponds to removal of the sleeve. The system can include elements to retain the sleeve outer segments to the actuation member and to redirect the retraction members to a direction different from the axis of the prosthesis.

The preferred embodiments described herein relate generally to medical device delivery systems for open surgical repair of body structures that define body lumens. More particularly, they relate to medical device delivery systems for repairing damaged body structures and gaining hemostasis or fluid stability during emergency open surgical medical procedures.
Trauma physicians frequently encounter patients having traumatic injury to a body vessel, such as lacerated vessels or even transected vessels, resulting from gunshots, knife wounds, motor vehicle accidents, explosions, etc. Significant damage to a body vessel may expose a patient to deleterious conditions such as the loss of a limb, loss of function of a limb, increased risk of stroke, impairment of neurological functions, and compartment syndrome, among others. Particularly severe cases of vascular injury and blood loss may even result in death. In such severe situations, the immediate goal is to obtain hemostasis while maintaining perfusion of adequate blood flow to critical organs, such as the brain, liver, kidneys, and heart.
Examples of treatment that are commonly performed by trauma physicians to treat body vessel injuries include the clamping of the vessel with a hemostat, the use of a balloon tamponade, the ligation of the damaged vessel at or near the site of injury, or the insertion of one or more temporary shunts. However, conventional surgical repair is generally difficult with such actively bleeding, moribund patients. In many instances, there is simply not enough time to repair the body vessel adequately by re-approximating and suturing the body vessel. In many situations, the trauma physician will simply insert a temporary shunt (such as a Pruitt-Inahara Shunt) into the vessel. However, use of temporary shunts has been linked to the formation of clots. This may require returning the patient to the operating room for treatment and removal of the clots, often within about 36 to 48 hours of the original repair. Since shunts are generally placed as a temporary measure to restore blood flow and stop excessive blood loss, the shunt is typically removed when the patient has stabilized (generally a few days later) by a specialized vascular surgeon. After removal, the vascular surgeon will replace the shunt with a vascular graft, such as a fabric graft that is sewn into place. With respect to ligation, ligation of the damaged blood vessel may result in muscle necrosis, loss of muscle function, or a potential limb loss or death.
Due to the nature of the body vessel injury that may be encountered, the insertion of shunts or ligation of a blood vessel, for example, often requires that such treatments be rapidly performed at great speed, and with a high degree of physician skill. Such treatments may occupy an undue amount of time and attention of the trauma physician at a time when other pressing issues regarding the patient's treatment require immediate attention. In addition, the level of particularized skill required to address a vascular trauma may exceed that possessed by the typical trauma physician. In particular, traumatic episodes to the vessel may require the skills of a physician specially trained to address the particular vascular trauma, and to stabilize the patient in the best manner possible under the circumstances of the case.
Some open surgical techniques utilize sutures to affix damaged tissue portions surrounding fittings that have been deployed with the vessel, which requires the trauma physician to take time to tie the sutures properly. Although in modern medicine sutures can be tied in relatively rapid fashion, any step in a repair process that occupies physician time in an emergency situation is potentially problematic. In addition, the use of sutures to affix the vessel to the fitting compresses the tissue of the vessel against the fitting. Compression of tissue may increase the risk of necrosis of the portion of the vessel tissue on the side of the suture remote from the blood supply. When present, necrosis of this portion of the vessel tissue may result in the tissue separating at the point of the sutures. In this event, the connection between the vessel and the fitting may eventually become weakened and subject to failure. If the connection fails, the device may disengage from the vessel. Therefore, efforts continue to develop techniques that reduce the physician time required for such techniques, so that this time can be spent on other potentially life-saving measures, and the blood flow is more quickly restored and damage caused by lack of blood flow is minimized.
Trauma physicians generally find it difficult to manipulate a prosthesis for insertion into a body vessel that has been traumatically injured. For example, one difficulty arises from the trauma physician trying to limit the size of the opening created for gaining access to the injured vessel so that such opening requiring healing is as small as possible. Another difficulty is that the injured vessel can be anywhere in the body, having different surrounding environments of bone structure, muscle tissue, blood vessels, and the like, which makes such obstructions difficult to predict in every situation and leaves the trauma physician working with an even further limited access opening. Another potential consideration is the amount of body vessel removed during a transection. The goal would be to remove a portion of the body vessel as small as possible. Yet, a small portion removed from the vessel leaves such a small space between the two vessel portions, thereby making it difficult to introduce the prosthesis between the two vessel portions.
Thus, what is needed is a delivery device for delivering a prosthesis for use in repair of an injured body vessel, such as an artery or a vein, (and in particular a transected vessel) during emergency open surgery. It would be desirable if such delivery device was easy for a trauma physician to use, and can rapidly introduce a prosthesis into a body vessel, thereby providing a conduit for blood or fluid within the injured body vessel.


A quick release lock turnbuckle includes a socket slideable axially over a turnbuckle connecting between two threaded rods at a desired end-to-end spacing. The socket has a multi-sided interior cross section engaging a multi-sided exterior cross section of the turnbuckle, and also engaging a radially extending feature on one of the threaded rods to prevent rotation of the turnbuckle in the locked position. The socket is slideable axially off the turnbuckle to allow rotation of the turnbuckle in the unlocked position to change the desired end-to-end spacing between the two threaded rods.

Grass mowing machines known as zero turning radius ("ZTR") mowers have at least one independently powered drive wheel on each side of a frame. One drive wheel may be operated in a forward direction while the other drive wheel may be stopped or operated in reverse. Many ZTR mowers have a twin stick control system. A pair of control levers or sticks may be provided side-by-side, with each lever or stick controlling one of the drive wheels. When both levers or sticks are advanced together forwardly out of their neutral position, both drive wheels rotate forwardly to cause the mower to move forward. A ZTR mower may be steered by advancing one lever or stick more than the other.
Typically, each control lever or stick on a ZTR mower may be linked to a pump arm of one of two separate hydraulic pumps, or of a dual hydraulic pump; i.e., a separate pump for each wheel. The lever or stick may be used to move a pump swash plate through a direct linkage.
The control levers or sticks on a ZTR mower may be mounted on the vehicle frame so that each has a first pivot axis allowing the lever or stick in the operating position to pivot forwardly in an arc to turn the wheel in forward, or pivot rearwardly to turn the wheel in reverse. Additionally, the operator can pivot each lever or stick to a neutral operating position, and then pivot each lever or stick outwardly in an arc to a non-operating or park position. If both levers or sticks are pivoted to neutral, the ZTR mower should be stationary, both levers or sticks should be at the same position, and both levers or sticks should align with slots so that they can pivot outwardly to park. An operator may need to make neutral adjustments to the linkages if the levers or sticks are misaligned in the neutral position, due to wear, age or loosening of components of the ZTR mower.
Neutral adjustments for levers or sticks on ZTR mowers typically require the operator to loosen a pair of turnbuckles. Tools are needed to loosen the jamnut on a turnbuckle, which connects the lever control arm to the pump control arm. Many existing turnbuckles include a secondary jamnut to lock the turnbuckle settings. The operator then must retighten the turnbuckles. The operator also may need to lift the rear of the unit off the ground to prevent the machine from moving during the adjustment.
Some mower decks also have lift arms with an adjustment turnbuckle that may be used to level the deck at the desired cutting height. These turnbuckles have jamnuts that must be loosened and then retightened with tools.
There is a need for a quick release lock turnbuckle for a steering linkage on a ZTR mower that does not require the operator to use tools. A quick release lock turnbuckle is needed that allows neutral adjustments to be performed with minimal effort. A quick release lock turnbuckle is needed that does not loosen during use. There also is a need for a quick release lock for a turnbuckle used in a mower deck linkage.


A magnet unit for a magnetron sputtering apparatus is disposed above the target has: a yoke made of magnetic material and is disposed to lie opposite to the target; and plural pieces of magnets disposed on a lower surface of the yoke, wherein a leakage magnetic field in which a line passing through a position where the vertical component of the magnetic field becomes zero is closed in an endless manner, is caused to locally act on such a lower space of the target as is positioned between the center of the target and a periphery thereof, the magnet unit being driven for rotation about the center of the target. In a predetermined position of the yoke there is formed a recessed groove in a circumferentially elongated manner along an imaginary circle with the center of the target serving as a center.

In the process of manufacturing, e.g., semiconductor devices, a magnetron sputtering apparatus is sometimes used in order to form a predetermined thin film on a surface of a substrate to be processed, such as a semiconductor wafer, at a good volume production. As the magnetron sputtering apparatus, the following is generally known. In other words, a magnet unit is disposed above a target, provided that a side of the target that gets sputtered is defined to be a sputtering surface and that the sputtering surface side of the target is defined to be lower. In order to attain an extended lifetime of the target and the like by substantially uniform erosion of the target, the magnet unit has: for example, a yoke made of magnetic material and disposed so as to lie opposite to the target; and a plurality of magnets disposed on a lower surface of the yoke. A leakage magnetic field in which a line passing through a position where the vertical component of the magnetic field becomes zero is closed in an endless manner, is caused to locally act on a lower space of the target, and the lower space is positioned between the center of the target and a periphery thereof. The magnet unit is driven for rotation about the center of the target.
By the way, when the sputtering conditions such as the material of the target, the pressure inside the vacuum chamber, and the like are different, the splashing distribution of the sputtered particles may vary and, as a result, there is a case in which the film thickness distribution in the circumferential direction (hereinafter called "circumferential film thickness distribution") in the outer periphery of the substrate varies. There is known, e.g., in patent document 1 a method of adjusting the variation when the circumferential film thickness distribution varies. According to this prior art, provided that the time in which a region for the magnetic field to locally act on the target moves from an origin on the same orbit back to the origin is defined as one cycle. Then, the orbit of the magnet unit in one cycle is divided into a plurality of zones. At least one zone out of the plurality of zones is defined to be a reference zone that moves at a reference speed. For respective zones other than the reference zone, the rotational speed (the amount of acceleration or the amount of deceleration from the reference speed) is determined depending on the film thickness distribution.
However, in the above-mentioned prior art, when an adjustment is made, e.g., of the circumferential film thickness distribution in the outer periphery of the substrate, the circumferential film thickness distribution in the inner periphery on the inner side than the one in question (particularly, in the region near the center of the substrate) becomes locally deteriorated and, consequently, an in-plane film thickness distribution of the substrate will all the more be deteriorated.

Magnet unit for magnetron sputtering apparatus


A circuit arrangement for infrared detectors, more especially for thermal viewing devices with photoresistors as detector elements is designed in order so as not to necessitate an input amplifier and an output amplifier for each detector. For this purpose the collector current of a transistor is integrated for a scan period in a capacitor and at the end of the scan period the capacitor is discharged through an electronic switch to a present potential.

The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for infrared detectors, and more especially for a thermal viewing device with photoresistors as detector elements.
Highly sensitive devices for detecting infrared radiation, more especially thermal viewers, have a detector which consists of a plurality of independent detector elements. In the present state of the art in the wave length range around 10 microns the maximum number of detector elements is limited to approximately 300. For this reason the image has to be optically scanned. In the wave length range around 4 microns there are admittedly detectors with 250,000 detector elements. The quantum efficiency of these detectors is however so poor that for highly sensitive devices in this range as well the image is scanned with a substantially smaller number of detector elements.
In the present state of development CCD detectors for the above-mentioned infrared range operating on the electronic scan principle are not available. Therefore each detector element is provided with a input amplifier and an output amplifier.
Furthermore in these wave length ranges the technology of the production of detector zones with photodiodes have not been fully developed. For this reason photoresistors are used for the detector elements. The amplifiers thus have to be optimized for photoresistors as signal sources.
Owing to the large number of channels, for instance 288, in current technology a large number of amplifier systems are involved: 288 input amplifiers and 288 output amplifiers are required. A further point is that the amplifiers are capacitively coupled so that a large number of coupling capacitors are required as well.
The capacity of the coupling capacitors is comparatively large since the scan frequency only amounts to 50 Hz. For this reason a compromise is often made and the coupling capacitors are not made large enough, this leading to undesired pulse tilts in the signal.
A still further disadvantage in the known devices is that the 288 channels are only combined by a multiplexer to one channel after the output amplifier. At this point of combination the signal level is already comparatively high. This means that the setting means for brightness and contrast have to be arranged on the input side of the multiplexer in order to obtain the necessary dynamic range of signal transmission. Accordingly it is necessary to have at least 576 setting members which have to be in synchronism with each other. In the present state of development however, such synchronism is 30 difficult to achieve.

Input amplifier for thermally viewing device with photoresistor


A system, method and computer program product are provided which are capable of intercepting a call. Once intercepted, it is determined whether the call is associated with a previous sequence of calls in order to identify a correct sequence of calls associated with the intercepted call. Next, the call is associated with the correct sequence of calls. State information that is associated with the call is then gathered. Further, sequence state information is updated, and it is determined whether a process is unwanted based, at least in part, on such sequence state information. If it is determined that the process is unwanted, a reaction may be made to the unwanted process. If it is not determined that the process is unwanted, a next call may be intercepted, and so on.

In the space of just a decade, the Internet, because it provides access to information, and the ability to publish information, in revolutionary ways, has emerged from relative obscurity to international prominence. Whereas, in general, an internet is a network of networks, the Internet is a global collection of interconnected local, mid-level, and wide-area networks that use the Internet Protocol (IP) as the network layer protocol. Whereas the Internet embraces many local- and wide-area networks, a given local- or wide-area network may or may not form part of the Internet.
As the Internet and its underlying technologies have become increasingly familiar, attention has become focused on Internet security and computer network security in general. With unprecedented access to information has also come unprecedented opportunities to gain unauthorized access to data, change data, destroy data, make unauthorized use of computer resources, interfere with the intended use of computer resources, etc. These opportunities have been exploited time and time again.
Many techniques have been used to prevent and detect unwanted processes and the various related malicious functionality resulting therefrom. For example, signature-based identification may be used to detect a threat using an associated signature. Specifically, once malicious code is detected, a signature, or definition, may be created for use in detecting future threats resulting from the detected malicious code.
Unfortunately, it takes a predetermined amount of time for such signatures associated with new malicious code to be distributed for use. Further, the speed with which malicious code propagates has increased significantly from a matter of weeks to a matter of hours. To this end, signature-based malicious code identification leaves computers/networks vulnerable for a significant time period from the initial proliferation of the malicious code until the distribution of the associated signature.
To compensate for the aforementioned vulnerability, behavioral heuristics have been used, which employ heuristics that employ a context of malicious operations in order to detect malicious code. In other words, behavioral heuristic techniques do not attempt to identify the malicious code, itself per se, but rather identify various computer/network functionality that is likely indicative of new malicious code.
Unfortunately, however, behavioral heuristic-based techniques are subject to false positives (i.e., situations where the techniques indicate that malicious code exists, when, in fact, it does not). Such false positive conditions often arise when certain functionality that is deemed to be malicious is also performed for benign purposes.
There is thus a need for a technique that provides the real-time protection of behavioral heuristics, with the additional accuracy (and less false positives) that is traditionally provided by signature-based scanning. Further, there is a need for overcoming these and/or other problems associated with the prior art.

System, method and computer program product for detection of unwanted processes