The present invention discloses a method for preparing ε-caprolactone. The method comprises the steps of: adding cyclohexanone, a co-oxidant and a certain amount of catalyst into a certain amount of organic solvent, using molecular oxygen as an oxidant, implementing a reaction with stirring for 0.1 to 24 hours under a pressure of 0.1 to 2 MPa and at a temperature of 60° C. to 100° C., wherein the co-oxidant is acrolein, and the catalyst is a carbon material. The present invention has the advantages of high-efficiency co-oxidant, easily available and recovered catalyst, environmental-friendly oxidant, simple operation and low cost.

Baeyer-Villiger oxidation reaction is an important reaction to oxidize a cyclic ketone or a linear ketone into a more complicated and valuable linear ester or lactone. As an important polyester monomer, ε-caprolactone is mainly used to synthesize poly ε-caprolactone, and can be copolymerized or blended with various resins to improve the gloss, transparency and anti-adhesion of products. With the enhancement of people's awareness on environmental protection, it is also expected to replace the current common plastics to launch into the market of disposable packaging materials and plastic films in quantity, and has a broad prospect. In view of the factors such as raw materials, equipment and reaction conditions, a cyclohexanone oxidation method is the most effective method and is also the current method for industrial production of ε-caprolactone (Chemical Reagent, 2003, 25(6):363-364).
According to different oxidants used in the reaction, the cyclohexanone oxidation method can be divided into four methods: a peroxyacid oxidation method, a H2O2 oxidation method, a biological oxidation method and a molecular oxygen oxidation method. As an oxidant, molecular oxygen is an ideal oxidant for cyclohexanone oxidation since it overcomes the disadvantages of other three oxidation methods such as high risk, low yield and high cost, and has the advantages of safety, low cost, less by-products and less environmental pollution. However, due to the weak oxidizing ability of the molecular oxygen, direct oxidation of cyclohexanone with the molecular oxygen cannot achieve satisfactory results, and aldehyde co-oxidants and appropriate catalyst are usually added to oxidize cyclohexanone in the reaction process. Patent CN102408404A reports a method for preparing ε-caprolactone by oxidizing cyclohexanone through molecular oxygen. Although a catalyst is avoided in the reaction process, there are also potential safety hazards since azobisisobutyronitrile is used as an initiator. Moreover, using benzaldehyde as a co-oxidant causes difficulties for subsequent separation and purification, and increases the industrial cost. Patent CN102391238B uses a metalloporphyrin compound to catalyze cyclohexanone and the molecular oxygen to prepare ε-caprolactone by oxidation, which has high selectivity and a small amount of adjuvants, but a homogeneous catalyst is difficult to separate and expensive. Patents CN105440005A and CN 105440006A respectively propose methods for preparing ε-caprolactone by using magnesia-alumina hydrotalcite and MgO/Fe2O3 catalyst to catalyze and oxidize cyclohexanone, wherein molecular oxygen is used as an oxidant, and a solid catalyst is easy to recover. A non-metal carbon material has the characteristics of good stability and high catalytic activity. It is found by Nabae (ACS Catalysis, 2013, 3:230-236) et al. that Ketjen carbon black has good catalytic activity for the reaction of synthesizing the ε-caprolactone by oxidizing cyclohexanone, wherein a conversion of the cyclohexanone reaches 61%, and a yield of the ε-caprolactone reaches 61%. It is found by Li Yuefang (Carbon, 2013, 55:269-275) et al. that, at a room temperature, a conversion of ε-caprolactone, synthesized by oxidizing cyclohexanone catalyzed by graphite, is as high as 92.5%, and the selectivity of ε-caprolactone is 100%. Patent CN103274883A also discloses a method for catalyzing and oxidizing cyclohexanone to synthesize ε-caprolactone by using a carbon nanotube as a catalyst.
Aldehydes are mainly used as co-oxidants in the cyclohexanone molecular oxygen oxidation method, and the commonly used aldehyde co-oxidants comprise acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, isobutyraldehyde, isovaleraldehyde, benzaldehyde, p-tolualdehyde and so on. Usually, benzaldehyde or p-tolualdehyde is the preferred co-oxidant (CN105440005A; CN105440006A; CN103274883A; CN102408404A; CN102391238B). However, a lower benzaldehyde efficiency (yield of ε-caprolactone/conversion of benzaldehyde) limits the economic feasibility of the cyclohexanone oxidation using molecular oxygen as oxidant. For example, the highest efficiency of the benzaldehyde reported by Nabae (ACS Catalysis, 2013, 3:230-236) et al. is 0.77. Moreover, the benzaldehyde is converted into benzoic acid in the reaction process, and the value thereof is reduced. Therefore, on the basis of satisfying the reaction stoichiometry between cyclohexanone and co-oxidant, to develop a co-oxidant with low molecular weight and high efficiency is of great significance to improve the economy of the process. Acrolein and acrylic acid are both value-added chemical intermediates in the chemical industry. Up to now, there have been no reports on the use of acrolein as co-oxidant for Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone.

Method for preparing epsilon-caprolactone


According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a semiconductor device provided with a CMOS-FET circuit, comprising at least one of a tensile stress film disposed in a part of an element isolating film around an NMOS forming region and having a tensile stress, and a compressive stress film disposed in a part of an element isolating film around a PMOS forming region and having a compressive stress.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device in which an active element such as a CMOS-FET is mounted on a semiconductor substrate, and a method of manufacturing the device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In this type of semiconductor device, it is supposed that a gate wire width is reduced in a channel length direction (L direction) to narrow a gap between channels in order to enhance a driving force of a MOS-FET using a conventional technique. However, it is very difficult to set the gate wire width to 10 nm or less by micro processing. Even when increasing a concentration of impurities to be implanted in a P-type or N-type source•drain region, the enhancement of the driving force of the MOS-FET can be expected. However, there is trade-off between the impurity concentration and frequency of generation of crystal defects, and it is technically difficult to enhance the force by the increasing of the concentration.
Moreover, in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-60076, there is described a semiconductor device including: a nitride film coating an n-channel MOSFET and having an intrinsic tensile stress; and a nitride film coating a p-channel MOSFET and having an intrinsic compressive stress.
In Jpn. Pat. No. 3441259, there is described a semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a first trench filled with a first material; a semiconductor layer formed on the semiconductor substrate and having a second trench filled with a second material; and a semiconductor element formed on the semiconductor layer. The first material has a thermal expansion coefficient which is different from that of the semiconductor substrate, and a thermal expansion coefficient difference between the second material and the semiconductor layer is smaller than that between the first material and the semiconductor substrate.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same


A differential pulse-code modulation coder obtains an improved signal-to-noise ratio, with only a small increase in bit rate, by repetitive coding. In one aspect, the coder divides the input signal into frames, codes each frame repeatedly using different prediction coefficients or different quantizing step functions, and selects the coefficient or step function that produces the least quantization error. In another aspect, the coder repeats the coding of individual samples located in the outermost steps of the quantizing step function.

The present invention relates to a coding method and coder of the type that compresses an input signal, such as a digital audio signal, by coding the difference between the input signal and a predicted signal, and to a corresponding decoder.
Coders of this type compress digital audio signals by exploiting the strong correlation between nearby samples of the signal. Two well-known examples of this coding method, both of which can be implemented with comparatively simple processing, are differential pulse-code modulation (DPCM) and adaptive differential pulse-code modulation (ADPCM). In these coding methods, the predicted value of each sample is the decoded value of the preceding sample.
DPCM employs a quantizer with a fixed step size. As a result, overload noise is perceived when the input signal level is high, because the coder is lacks sufficient bits to encode the signal, and granular noise is perceived when the signal level is low, because the step size is too large in relation to the signal level. In ADPCM, the step size is varied as the input signal level varies, and the perceived amount of these two types of quantization noise is reduced.
The sensitivity of the human ear to quantization noise is comparatively high at low sound levels, and comparatively low at high sound levels. By taking advantage of this property, ADPCM can also reduce the size of the coded data, as compared with DPCM.
At present, ADPCM is used for coding both voice signals, as in the Japanese personal handy-phone system (PHS), and music signals, e.g. for prevention of skipping in portable compact disc (CD) players. In CD applications, sixteen-bit input sample values are compressed to four-bit coded values. This 4:1 compression ratio is not particularly high, but even so, the decoded signal is noticeably inferior to the original signal, because of the effects of quantization noise on high-frequency components (the CD sampling rate of 44.1 kilohertz permits reproduction of even the highest audible frequency components).
The quality of the decoded signal can be improved by using five bits per sample instead of four, but the size of the coded data is then increased by twenty-five percent. There is a need for a coding method that reduces quantization noise without increasing the data size so much.

Coding method, coder, and decoder processing sample values repeatedly with different predicted values


A crankshaft angle sensor comprising a crankshaft angle sensing element (33) mounted to a housing (35) and a circuit board (37) mounted to the housing (35) and having an electronic circuit thereon. The electronic circuit is electrically connected to the crankshaft angle sensing element (33) for controlling an ignition timing of an internal combustion engine. The crankshaft angle sensing element (33) and the circuit board (37) are disposed in the direction substantially parallel to the axis of the distributor rotary shaft (31). The crankshaft angle sensing element (33) and the electronic circuit board (37) are electrically connected through a plurality of leads (33aa, 33bb, 38) and insert conductors (44, 54) having a parallel-gap-welded connection portion extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rotary shaft (31).

This invention relates to a crankshaft angle sensor for an internal combustion engine.
FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of a known crankshaft angle sensor for an internal combustion engine in which a housing 5 is made of a resin and disposed within a distributor assembly (not shown) for an internal combustion engine (not shown). The housing 5 is a substantially disc-shaped member having a central bore 5a through which a distributor rotary shaft 1 extends. A signal disc plate 2 is mounted to the rotary shaft 1 by means of a blank 12 and has a slit 2a disposed at its edge. The rotary shaft 1 is rotatably supported within the distributor assembly (not shown) and adapted to be connected to a camshaft (not shown), which is connected to an engine crankshaft (not shown), for synchronous rotation therewith.
The housing 5 also has a vertically rising portion 5e having a bore or a first chamber 5b therein which extends through the entire length of the housing 5 including the rising portion 5e of the housing 5. The first chamber 5b has an upper cavity 5j, a lower cavity 5i and a relatively narrow, reduced-diameter, comparatively long neck portion 5f formed at the middle portion thereof. Disposed within the neck portion 5f is an angle sensing element 13 hermetically attached thereto by for example a bonding agent. The angle sensing element 13 comprises a light emitter element 3 and a light detecting element 4 which faces to the light emitter element 3 for detecting a light emitted from the light emitter element 3.
A plurality of insert conductors 6 are disposed within the lower cavity 5i of the first chamber 5b. The insert conductors 6 extend vertically and downwardly, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The light emitter element 3 and the light detecting element 4 respectively have leads 3a and 4a each electrically connected by for example resistance welding method to the insert conductors 6 individually. As seen from FIG. 5, as the light emitter element 3 is remote from the insert conductors 6 separating by the light detecting element 4, the lead 3a of the light emitter element 3 is bent into a substantially U-shape and its one end is relatively longer than the other. The lead 3a passes through the upper cavity 5j and a through hole 5d which extends through the housing 5 from the upper cavity 5j to the lower cavity 5i in parallel with the neck portion 5f of the first chamber 5b. The leads 3a and 4a are connected to the insert conductors 6 by means of connection portions which extend vertically downward.
The rising portion 5e also has a groove 5g disposed in a side surface 5h which faces the rotary shaft 1 between the light emitter element 3 and the light detecting element 4. The disc plate 2 including a slit 2a rotates synchronously with the rotary shaft 1 and passes through the groove 5g for the purpose which will become apparent later. Hermetically attached to both opening portions of the upper cavity 5j and the lower cavity 5i of the first chamber 5b are covers 10 and 11 for preventing harmful gas outside from entering into the first chamber 5b.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, the housing 5 also has a second chamber 5c mounting a circuit board 7 having an electronic circuit thereon. The electronic circuit includes a power circuit portion for the light emitter element 3 and a wave-form analysis circuit portion for analyzing output signals from the light detecting element 4. The electronic circuit on the circuit board 7 is electrically connected to the light emitter element 3 and the light detecting element 4 through the insert conductors 6 disposed in the housing 5.
The circuit board 7 also has a plurality of leads 8 electrically connecting the electronic circuit thereof to outer terminals 14 disposed in the housing 5 for external connection. The leads 8 and the outer terminals 14 have connection portion which are bent and extends vertically downwardly and electrically connected each other by a resistance welding method. The height of the second chamber 5c of the housing 5 therefore becomes inevitably large in order to accommodate the vertically extending connection portion. The circuit board 7 is covered with a resin 15 which is for example comparatively soft silicone for preventing an ambient moisture and promoting a radiation of heat. The cover 9 is hermetically attached to an opening portion of the second chamber 5c for preventing harmful gas outside from entering into the second chamber 5c.
In the above known crankshaft angle sensor, when the rotary shaft 1 rotates synchronously with the camshaft (not shown) connected to the engine crankshaft (not shown) of the internal combustion engine (not shown), the disc plate 2 also rotates synchronously. The disc plate 2 including the slit 2a formed therein passes between the light emitter element 3 and the light detecting element 4 to intermittently interrupt the light beam emitted from the light emitter element 3. The light detecting element 4 detects the intermittent light beam and provides to the electronic circuit of the circuit board 7 an output signal indicative of the crankshaft rotational speed and/or position in response to the intermittent light beam. The electronic circuit of the circuit board 7 shapes a wave-form of the output signal provided by the light detecting element 4 with a comparator thereof and converts its impedance and provides a pluse signal to the outer terminal 14 through the lead 8 of the circuit board 7. As the camshaft connected to the rotary shaft 1 rotates at a fixed ratio in respect to the rotation of the engine crankshaft (not shown), a crank angle of the engine crankshaft can be detected by counting the pluse signals provided by the electronic circuit of the circuit board 37. An ignition timing of the internal combustion engine (not shown) can be therefore controlled adjustedly as is well-known in the art.
In the known crankshaft angle sensor as described above, the light emitter element 3 is remote from the insert conductors 6 because it is separated by the light detecting element 4. Further, the light emitter element 3 and the light detecting element 4 are disposed within the first chamber 5b and, on the other hand, the circuit board 7 is disposed within the second chamber 5c which is separated from the first chamber 5b in the radial direction of the rotary shaft 1. Therefore, the overall dimensions of the sensor are large. Connecting conductors such as the lead 3a of the light emitter element 3 and the insert conductors 6 should be long. The longer such connecting conductors are, the more sensitive the crankshaft angle sensor are to an outside electrical noise and there are a lot of electrical noises in the inside of the distributor assembly (not shown) and the noises are easily piled up on such long connecting conductors. Moreover, the output impedance of the light detecting element 4 is increased with a longer lead.
Further, as the lead 3a of the light emitter element 3 must be bent in a complex shape such as a substantially U-shape whose one leg is longer than the other and the longer leg must be inserted into the through hole 5d formed in the housing 5 and electrically connected to the insert conductor 6, it is difficult to automatically assemble the crankshaft angle sensor and assembly processes are not efficient.
Also, since the first and second chambers 5b and 5c as well as the lower cavity 5i for accommodating the vertically extending connection portion between the lead 3a and the insert conductor 6 are necessary, the height of the housing 5 becomes inevitably large, so that the known crankshaft angle sensor can not be compact. Further, as the lead 3a of the light emitter element 3 is so long that a form of the lead 3a is not stable, it is difficult to securely connect the lead 3a to the insert conductor 6 and the connecting portion therebetween may come off. Still further, stresses caused by repeated violent temperature changes are concentrated on the connecting portion between the lead 3a and the insert 6. Therefore the connecting portion therebetween may be cracked and damaged easily, resulting in a poor reliability.
The long lead 3a is made for example of Fe-Ni alloy such as Kovar (Trade Name) plated with gold which is very expensive. The known crankshaft angle sensor is not economical.

Crankshaft angle sensor for an internal combustion engine


An ink ribbon cassette includes two rotatable bearings for respective spools, a drive system for alternately rotating one or the other of the two bearings so that a ribbon extending between the spools positioned on the bearings will be moved in opposite directions depending on which bearing is being rotated, and a control system for controlling which bearing is being driven by the drive system based on actuation by respective trip elements on the ribbon near its opposite ends.

Ink casettes, used in typewriters and/or printing units for word processors or computers and the like, whether or not provided with an ink reservoir for the ribbon, are usually replaced entirely. However, this procedure is expensive in practice, since a construction still per se of value is thrown away even when the print blackness of the ribbon is no longer satisfactory. Also unnecessary pollution of the environment results.
With an ink cassette according to the present invention, the spools and the ribbon can be replaced. If required, the entire cassette can also be replaced.
The following references from the prior art do not disclose an ink cassette according to the present invention and/or preferred embodiments thereof:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,357 (KATSURAGI et al.); PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,202 (KAWAKAMI, MASANORI); PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,563 (ADAMAK et al.); PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,257,553 (J.A. HEPT); PA1 -JP-A-60/011386 (KOUICHI TAKEDA).
Usually, a printer or typewriter is provided with a shaft driven in one direction only. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention the transport direction of the ribbon is changed automatically at the end of the ribbon, whereby efficient use of the ribbon can be achieved.
The preferred embodiment provides a cost efficient cassette because most parts thereof can be made of plastic material, yet nevertheless provide a good strength and stiffness for the operation of the cassette.
Further advantages, characteristics and details of the invention will become clear with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Ink cassette with control means for alternately driving one of two spool bearing therein

Merlin C.T.C. Production Division Nederland B.V.


Systems and methods for adaptive throttle filtering are disclosed. One method includes receiving vertical acceleration data indicative of a plurality of vertical accelerations of a machine, receiving first throttle pedal data indicative of a plurality of throttle pedal movements, determining a filter factor based at least on the vertical acceleration data, filtering the first throttle pedal data, based at least on the filter factor, to determine second throttle pedal data, and causing the second throttle pedal data to be transmitted to a controller to effectuate control of an operation of an engine.

The engine of a machine, such as a hauling truck at a mine site, is typically controlled according to operator input via the throttle pedal. In particular, the desired power demands of the operator are inputted by the operator causing movements of the throttle pedal (e.g., the throttle pedal is depressed to increase the speed of the engine and/or request more power from the engine). However, conditions in which a machine operates may cause unintended throttle pedal movements. For example, rough terrain may cause the operator to inadvertently depress the throttle pedal. Such unintended throttle movements may cause undesirable engine behavior, degrade fuel economy, increase gear hunting, and degrade shift quality.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,260,521 to Sato (the '521 patent) discloses a system that allegedly addresses the problem of unintentional throttle pedal movements. In the '521 patent, the disclosed system uses a vibration sensor to detect a vertical vibration of a machine. If a vertical vibration is detected, a correcting value is determined based on the vertical vibration. The correcting value is then added or subtracted to the throttle pedal movement to compensate for the vertical vibration. The adjusted throttle pedal movement is then communicated to the engine. While the system of the '521 patent may purport to address the problem of compensating for unintentional throttle pedal movements caused by vertical vibrations, the computation of the correcting value for every throttle pedal movement may impose substantial computational requirements. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved system for address the aforementioned problem and/or other problems in the art.


Provided for herein is a temperature sensor and methods of making and using the same. In one embodiment, the temperature sensor comprises: a cover plate disposed at a first end of a substrate to form an interface portion; a sensing element disposed between the cover plate and the substrate to form an assembly; wherein the cover plate and substrate have relative dimensions so as to form a ledge at the first end; and wherein the cover plate is attached to the substrate at the ledge.

Temperature sensors are used in a wide variety of applications across many different disciplines. For example, high temperature resistance temperature detector (RTD) sensors are used in emission-control systems used with internal combustion engines because they can detect changes in temperature with time constants on the order of about 10 seconds or less as is required in that type of application. However, not all temperature sensors are suitable for use in emission control systems.
To measure temperatures up to about 1,000xc2x0 C., thermocouples that use platinum/platinum-rhodium or nickel/chromium-nickel or the like have been used. These devices however, are prone to becoming poisoned when exposed to an exhaust gas at high temperature; they also have relatively long response times to temperature changes, since they must be of a large diameter for durability purposes.
To improve the response times of RTD sensors, temperature sensors comprising platinum group metals have been screen-printed or produced using other thin-film technologies onto various ceramic substrates. While the response times of such thin film sensors are improved compared to thermocouples, such thin-film sensors are only suitable for use at temperatures up to a maximum of about 850xc2x0 C., wherein these sensors become unstable during operation. The stability of a sensing element may also be affected by poisoning of the sensing element like that which can occur when a platinum sensing element comes in contact with materials such as silicon, lead, and the like, all of which may be present in exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine.
Approaches directed to increasing the maximum temperature at which a thin film platinum group metal temperature sensor may be used include protecting the temperature sensor from oxidation and other effects by covering the sensor element with a protective cover plate, also referred to as a protective layer or passivation layer. A cover plate may comprise a single layer, or multiple layers of a heat-resistant ceramic material. Examples include GB 2 171 253, which is directed to a temperature sensor made of platinum metal that is provided with an aluminum oxide protective layer. JP-A 63269502 discloses a platinum resistance film having a silicon nitride protective layer. German Offenlegungsschrift 36 03 757 is directed to protecting a platinum sensor with a titanium dioxide/silicon dioxide double layer.
Also, to provide protection of the sensing element, the cover plate can be hermetically sealed from the exhaust gas or other harmful environments. By hermetically sealed it is meant that the sensing element is encased behind the cover plate so that an essentially impermeable barrier is formed between the sensing element and the environment. If there is a leak that allows contact between the exhaust gas and the sensing element, even through a small pinhole, poisons contained within the exhaust gas can seep in and change the response characteristics of the sensing element causing instability.
Another approach of providing an impermeable seal around a sensing element is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,428 to Gerblinger et al., wherein a double layer passivation layer is disposed over a platinum resistive layer (i.e., a sensing element) to prevent oxidation of the element. The double layer includes a ceramic layer (i.e., a cover plate) and a glass layer that are both disposed directly over a substrate to which the sensing element is attached. As such, the sensing element is encased within a layer of glass between a substrate and a cover layer. This approach, however, can allow poisons to diffuse through the glass to the sensing element under high temperature conditions wherein the glass becomes permeable to poisons present in exhaust gases.
Another approach to providing an impermeable seal around a sensing element is to provide a glass seal between a substrate and a cover plate around the sides of the cover plate and the corresponding sides of the substrate on which the sensing element is disposed. However, this approach can interrupt or sever physical and thermal contact between the cover plate and the sensing element, which increases response times of the sensor. Also, to attach only the edges of the cover plate to only the edges of the substrate, the two pieces are held together while a bead of glass slurry is disposed onto the edges of both the substrate and cover plate, both being of equal dimension. Heating followed by cooling causes the glass to melt and then harden, thereby sealing the cover plate to the sensing element substrate. Difficulties experienced while applying glass to the sides of the element without the various parts moving during the application have limited the effectiveness of the this approach.
Furthermore, in this and similar approaches, gravity can cause the glass slurry to become deformed and flow prior to it being fired and then cooled into a solid. Thus, if the element is positioned such that the side where the glass slurry is being applied is horizontal (so as not to be affected by gravity), the element must be positioned and then repositioned prior to application of the glass slurry to each side of the cover plate-substrate interface. Such manipulation during the process leads to an increase in process time and complexity.
Another attempt at protecting the sensing element from a harmful environment includes packaging the entire RTD temperature sensor within a protective sheath which is vented to the atmosphere. However, such an approach is detrimental to response time, often resulting in a response time three to four times longer than the same temperature sensor without the protective sheath.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a stable temperature sensor having relatively fast response times that is protected from poisons. This need includes a temperature sensor that can be produced without undue complexity and processing time.
Disclosed herein is a temperature sensor and methods of making and using the same. In one embodiment, the temperature sensor comprises: a cover plate disposed at a first end of a substrate to form an interface portion; a sensing element disposed between the cover plate and the substrate to form an assembly; wherein the cover plate and substrate have relative dimensions so as to form a ledge at the first end; and wherein the cover plate is attached to the substrate at the ledge.
In another embodiment, the temperature sensor comprises: a cover plate disposed at a first end of a substrate to form an interface portion, a sensing element disposed between the cover plate and the assembly, and a seal disposed to inhibit fluid communication between the sensing element a gas to be temperature sensed, wherein fluid communication is retained between the sensing element and an external environment.
In one embodiment, the method of making a temperature sensor comprises: disposing a cover plate over a first end of a substrate comprising a sensing element such that the sensing element is located between the substrate and the cover plate to form an assembly, wherein the cover plate and substrate have relative dimensions so as to form a ledge at the first end, and attaching the cover plate to the substrate at the ledge.
In another embodiment, the method of making a temperature sensor comprises: disposing a cover plate over a first end of a substrate comprising a sensing element such that the sensing element is located between the substrate and the cover plate, and attaching the cover plate to the substrate to form a seal that is capable of inhibiting fluid communication between the sensing element and a gas to be temperature sensed, wherein the sensing element is in fluid communication with an external environment.
The above described and other features are exemplified by the following figures and detailed description.

Temperature sensor and method of making and using the same

Abstract: In anther embodiment, the temperature sensor comprises: a cover plate disposed at a first end of a substrate to form an interface portion, a sensing element disposed between the cover plate and the substrate to form an assembly, and a seal disposed to inhibit fluid communication between the sensing element a gas to be temperature sensed, wherein fluid communication is retained between the sensing element and an external environment.


A leaded device socket includes a lead guide that contacts and urges the leads on an electrical component into the correct position in the device when the component is pressed into the socket. The leaded device socket may also include a receiver for retaining a functional portion of the electrical component in a predetermined position in the circuit. The lead guide and receiver may both be integrally molded with the socket.

Standard electrical components are typically provided with leads with which they can be electrically connected in a circuit. The leads may be soldered or crimped to wires or traces to install the component in a circuit. As circuits are made smaller, space for installation of components is limited. This may require separate mounting components or additional manufacturing operations to manipulate the leads for connection in a crowded circuit. To shrink the amount of space required for installing a component, a component's leads may be customized for a particular circuit. Another space-saving technique is to use crimped connections instead of soldered connections. Of course, customized leads and crimp connectors multiply part numbers and increase component cost.

Electrical socket with a guide to urge a lead of an electrical component to a terminal


The invention relates to a process for fabricating electronic components incorporating an inductive microcomponent placed on top of a substrate. Such a component comprises: a layer (10) of material having a low relative permittivity, lying on the top face of the substrate (1); a number of metal turns (30-31) defined on top of the layer (10) of material having a low relative permittivity; and a copper diffusion barrier layer (15) interposed between the metal turns (30-31) and the layer of material having a low relative permittivity.

The invention relates to the field of microelectronics. More specifically, it relates to a process for producing inductive microcomponents on a substrate, which itself can incorporate an integrated circuit.
The components may especially be used in radiofrequency applications, for example in the field of telecommunications.
The subject of the invention is more specifically a process for obtaining circuits having a markedly higher performance than existing components, especially as regards the value of the quality factor. The process forming the subject of the invention also limits the number of steps needed to produce such components and ensures good reproducibility of the characteristics of the components that it allows to be fabricated.
In document FR 2 791 470, the applicant has described a fabrication process for producing microinductors or microtransformers on top of a substrate, and especially on top of an integrated circuit. To summarize, this process consists in depositing a layer of material having a low relative permittivity and then etching this material at an aperture made in the hard mask, vertically above a pad for connection with the rest of the integrated circuit, so as to define an interconnection hole, or via.
After having deposited a resist on top of the hard mask, said resist is etched to form the channels defining the geometry of the turns of the inductive component. Thereafter, copper is deposited electrolytically on top of the connection pad and in the channels defined in the top resist.
Such a process has a number of drawbacks, among which may be noted essentially the fact that the electro-deposition step ensures both the formation of the turns of the inductive component and the filling of the via, allowing contact with the metal pad connected to the integrated circuit. Since these regions have different depths, it follows that the electrodeposition is carried out differently at the turns and at the via. Thus, certain irregularities are observed in the formation of the turns, these being prejudicial to good uniformity of the electrical performance of the inductive component.
Furthermore, during the step of etching the top resist, it is necessary to etch longer at the via, compared with the regions in which the channels intended to accommodate the turns are formed. This difference in etch depth causes the release of chemical compounds at the bottom of the via, thereby interfering with the subsequent copper electrodeposition operation.
One of the objectives of the invention is to alleviate these various drawbacks, and especially to make it possible to produce components which have dimensional characteristics that are as precise as possible, so as to give optimum electrical performance.
The invention therefore relates to a process for fabricating an electronic component. Such a component incorporates an inductive microcomponent, such as an inductor or a transformer, which is placed on top of a substrate and connected to this substrate by at least one metal pad.
In accordance with the invention, this process is one which comprises the following steps:
a) depositing a layer of material having a low relative permittivity on the substrate;
b) depositing a layer forming a hard mask;
c) forming an aperture in the hard mask vertically above the metal pads;
d) etching the layer of material having a low relative permittivity down to the metal pad, in order to form an interconnection hole or via;
e) depositing a layer forming a copper diffusion barrier;
f) depositing a copper primer layer;
g) depositing a protective mask and removing it from the bottom of the via;
h) depositing copper, electrolytically, in the via;
i) removing the rest of the protective mask;
j) depositing a top resist layer with a thickness similar to the thickness of the turns of the inductive microcomponent;
k) etching the top resin layer in order to form channels defining the geometry of the turns of the inductive microcomponent;
l) depositing copper electrolytically in the channels thus etched;
m) removing the rest of the top resist layer;
n) etching the copper primer layer between the copper turns; and
o) etching the copper-diffusion barrier layer between the turns of the inductive microcomponent.
Thus, the process according to the invention links together a number of steps which provide certain improvements over the processes of the prior art. It will be noted in particular that the copper electrodeposition takes place in two separate steps, namely, to begin with, a first step for filling the via, thereby allowing firstly copper to be grown up to level with the lower plane of the inductive microcomponent. In a second step, a copper electro-deposition process is carried out, thereby forming simultaneously the turns of the inductive component and the region of connection between the turns and the via already filled in during the prior deposition step.
Separating these two copper deposition steps in this way ensures homogeneity of this deposition, this being favorable to uniformity of the shape of the turns, and therefore to the quality of the electrical performance and the reproducibility of the process.
It will also be noted that this process can be used on various types of substrate. Thus, in a first family of applications, the process can be used on a semiconductor substrate and especially a substrate that has been functionalized beforehand in order to form an integrated circuit.
In other types of application, it may be a specific substrate, such as an amorphous substrate of the glass or quartz type, or more generally a substrate possessing electrical, optical or magnetic properties suitable for certain applications.
In practice, the material having a low relative permittivity which is deposited on the substrate, may be benzocyclobutene (BCB), or else, a similar material whose relative permittivity is typically less than 3.
In practice, the thickness of this layer of material having a low relative permittivity may be between 10 and 40 microns, preferably being about 20 microns.
The thickness of this layer defines substantially the distance between the inductive component and the substrate. This distance, combined with the relative permittivity of the material of this layer, defines the parasitic capacitance existing between the inductive component and the substrate, and it is highly desirable to minimize this capacitance.
In practice, the material used to form the hard mask on top of the BCB may be chosen from the group comprising: SiC, SiN, Si3N4, SiON, SiO2, SiOC, Y2O3, Cr, taken individually or in combination.
The properties of these materials include good compatibility with BCB, especially good adhesion as hard mask on the BCB surface. These materials have mechanical properties suitable for them to be used in masking. This avoids the appearance of excessively high stresses at the junction between the hard mask and the subjacent BCB layer. Moreover, by a judicious choice of these materials having the function of a hard mask for the purposes of etching the vias, high selectivity of the BCB etching compared with these materials is acquired, so as to avoid any underetching of the BCB, and thus to obtain the desired profiles without delamination.
This is because the stresses between the BCB and the hard mask could be transferred right to the substrate and cause possible fractures in the latter. Such phenomena owing to excessively high stresses are especially observed in the processes of the prior art, which use thick layers of certain metals to produce the hard mask on top of a BCB layer, with as consequence the risk of poor adhesion.
In practice, and especially when the hard mask is conducting, and typically based on chromium, this hard mask may be removed before the copper-diffusion barrier layer is deposited, so as to remove any inter-turn conducting region.
According to another feature of the invention, a layer forming a copper diffusion barrier is deposited on top of the layer of material having a low relative permittivity, when the hard mask has been removed. This barrier layer allows the subjacent layer to be isolated from the copper that will be deposited subsequently, especially in the form of the primer layer. This characteristic barrier layer prevents the migration of copper through the layer of low relative permittivity, something which would have the effect of increasing this permittivity, and therefore of increasing the parasitic capacitance between the inductive microcomponent and the substrate, and of creating sources of defects. This barrier layer also prevents the copper from migrating into the substrate, which would have prejudicial consequences on the quality or the operation of the integrated circuit.
In practice, the barrier layer may be made of tungsten or from a material chosen from the group comprising: TiW, Ti, TiN, Ta, TaN, WN, Re, Cr, Os, Mo, Ru. These materials may be used individually or in combination.
Advantageously, in practice, the thickness of the copper-diffusion barrier layer may be between 100 and 400 xc3x85.
According to another feature of the invention, the process may include a step of enriching the copper primer layer. This primer layer acts as the electrode for the subsequent copper electrodeposition operations.
It may prove useful under certain conditions to improve the regularity and the morphology, the oxidation state of the copper, the roughness and the lack of nucleation sites in the primer layer. This primer layer is deposited by a physico-chemical technique, more particularly by the technique called sputtering and its ionized metal plasma variant. In this case, a step to enrich this primer layer by exposing the primer layer to an electrolyte solution is carried out. This solution, containing copper salts, allows copper to be deposited in any spaces existing between the copper islands deposited beforehand during the production of the primer layer, this enriching step therefore smoothing out this primer layer so as to improve the subsequent electro-deposition.
Advantageously, in practice, an annealing step may be carried out so as to increase the size of the copper crystals deposited during the electrodeposition steps. This annealing step, typically carried out by exposing the component to a temperature between 150 and 400xc2x0 C. for a time of a few minutes, ensures crystalline uniformity of the copper deposited, and therefore the homogeneity and the conducting nature of the copper which will form the turns of the inductive component. Thus, the electrical properties of the component are improved by reducing the number of singularities that could be the source of resistive spots or points of mechanical weakness.
Advantageously, in practice, a step of decontaminating the copper liable to migrate into the substrate, especially at the lateral and rear faces of the substrate, as well as around its circumference, may be carried out. This is because when the component is exposed to a solution containing copper salts soluble in a judiciously chosen solvent, it is necessary to remove any excess copper deposited. In fact, when this metal is deposited using electrolytic techniques and with a specific current distribution between the cathode and the anode, excess copper is generally observed to be deposited around the circumference of the substrate. Moreover, the convection and mass-transfer process, which is at the basis of the technique of depositing the element copper by electrolysis, generates, on the lateral or rear faces of the substrate, a possible flux and diffusion over certain regions of the substrate. To avoid any possible migration into the substrate, it is recommended to use this step.
In practice, this decontamination step may be performed after both of the two electrodeposition steps.
In practice, the protective mask deposited during the step following deposition of copper primer layers may be formed from a negative photoresist. This allows it to be easily removed at the bottom of the via in which the first copper electrodeposition will subsequently take place. Modifying the properties of the photoresist allows it to cure in the regions exposed during exposure of the lithography mask. A surface deposition of copper is thus avoided, by virtue of the screen thus formed on the surface of the enriched primer layer by the cured resist.
Advantageously, in practice, before the step of depositing the top resist, it is possible to carry out a treatment either with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) or divinyltetramethyldisilazane (DVTMDS), as desired. This treatment makes it possible to obtain good copper-resist adhesion properties, thereby improving the growth of the copper on the vertical sidewalls of the channels intended to accommodate the turns.
According to other features of the invention, a number of cleaning steps may be carried out using a chemical not corrosive to copper. These cleaning steps may be carried out after the copper electrodeposition, and after the step of depositing the copper primer layer, or else after the copper-diffusion barrier layer has been deposited.
The invention also relates to an electronic microcomponent that can be produced using the above-mentioned process. Such a component incorporates an inductive microcomponent placed on a substrate and connected to the latter by at least one metal pad.
This component comprises:
a layer of material having a low relative permittivity, lying on the top face of the substrate;
a number of metal turns defined on top of the layer of material having a low relative permittivity; and
a copper-diffusion barrier layer interposed between the metal turns and the layer of material having a low relative permittivity.

Process for fabricating an electronic component incorporating an inductive microcomponent


A web guide for use with web conveying apparatus. The web guide is pivotally mounted on the apparatus so that movement of the web relative to the web guide is attenuated as the web passes through the web guide.

Apparatus has been developed in the past for conveying webs. For the purposes of this application, the term "web" refers to any continuous elongate strip of flexible material, and specifically includes, but is not limited to, a web constructed of a polymeric film having at least one surface coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive (i.e. tape). Typically, a web is most conveniently provided in roll form, with the web wrapped about a rigid cylindrical core. The web may be wound in roll form in alternate configurations, including, but not limited to, planetary rolls, level wound rolls, and webs wound according to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,477,035 entitled "Winding a Package of Tape" issued on Oct. 16, 1984; 4,568,033 entitled "Winding a Package of Tape" issued on Feb. 4, 1986; and 4,603,817 entitled "Package of Tape" issued on Aug. 5, 1986, the contents of which are incorporated herein.
Web conveying apparatus may be provided to unwind a web from a roll of the web during manufacturing processes, such as to coat or treat the web. The web conveying apparatus may be incorporated into a tape applicator for applying a length of pressure sensitive adhesive tape to an object. Tape applicators used to apply a length of tape to a regular slotted carton (RSC) are known as case sealers. Similarly, web conveying apparatus may be provided to wind a web unto a core, such when a relatively wide web is unwound, passed through slitting apparatus to longitudinally divide the web into a plurality of parallel narrow webs, each of which is then wound unto a new core of correspondingly reduced width.
Whenever a web is conveyed, it is desirable that the position and movement of the web be controlled as the web is conveyed along a desired path. Conventional web conveying apparatus have therefore included structure for guiding the web as the web is being conveyed. Guide structures for conventional web conveying apparatus have included guide blocks or "shoes" mounted in the path of the web. The guide blocks have a stationary surface over which the web passes and may include a pair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced walls for constricting side to side movement of the web as it passes through the guide block. Alternatively, rollers have also been used and likewise mounted in the path of the web. Laterally spaced walls may also be employed as with the guide blocks.
These conventional stationary guide structures have not proved completely effective in eliminating or reducing fluctuations in the movement of a web as it is conveyed. Particularly for relatively thin flexible webs, lateral movement of the web may result in "edge folding" in which a portion of the tape is partially or wholly longitudinally inverted or folded back upon itself. If the web takes the form of a pressure sensitive adhesive tape, the inverted adhesive surface of the tape may be self adhering, or may adhere to the web conveying apparatus. In the case of a tape applicator, the pressure sensitive adhesive tape becomes inoperative if edge folding occurs.

Pivoting guide for web conveying apparatus

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A laser diode driver, and driving method, for driving a laser diode in an optical recording/reproducing apparatus, having an auto laser power control (APC) operation, an optical pickup device, and an optical recording/reproducing apparatus, and method therefore, using the laser diode driver. The laser diode driver includes a multiplexer, a pulse generator, a differential amplifier, and an adder. The multiplexer selectively outputs drive potentials, such as a peak power drive potential, a bias power drive potential, a read power drive potential, and the like, corresponding to power levels of a laser signal, in response to a select signal applied to the multiflexer. The pulse generator generates the select signal applied to the multiplexer, the differential amplifier calculates a difference between a monitor signal provided from a monitor diode for monitoring the laser signal output from the laser diode and a drive potential selected by the multiplexer, the adder adds an output of the differential amplifier and an output of the multiplexer and outputs a signal for driving the laser diode, and the laser diode driver itself performs the APC function, thereby reducing the potential of laser diode driver malfunction caused by electromagnetic interference.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laser diode driver and driving method for driving a laser diode in an optical recording/reproducing apparatus, and more particularly, to a driving of a laser diode driver performing auto laser power control (APC), an optical pickup device and an optical recording/reproducing apparatus and method using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In modern society, also called "The Information Age or Multimedia Age", recording media having high capacity, such as magneto-optical disk drives (MODDs), DVDs-RW, or DVDs-RAM, have become strongly relied upon. Optical recording/reproducing apparatuses use a laser diode (LD) to generate a laser signal for reading/writing information from/on optical recording media. The laser diode has input/output characteristics which sensitively change according to its operation temperature.
In other words, changing or using different inputs (generally represented as a value of currents) becomes necessary for outputting laser signals having the same power level corresponding to operation temperatures of the laser diode. Thus, an auto laser diode power (APC) control technique, which determines the general performance of the optical recording/reproducing apparatus, to control the laser diode to be in an optimal state, is required.
Further, optical recording apparatuses use storage media with high capacities and densities and perform recording/reproducing operations at a high-transfer rate. Thus, APC devices must be protected from potential noise and interference.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a laser diode driver 100 currently used in most optical recording/reproducing apparatuses. The laser diode driver 100 includes switches 10a through 10c, a multiplexer 12 for multiplexing powers of the switches 10a through 10c, an amplifier 14 for amplifying an output power from the multiplexer 12 with a predetermined amplification gain, an adder 16, and a high frequency modulator 18 (hereafter referred to as "HFM").
Currents, peak current, bias current, and read current, or voltages, hereinafter referred to as "drive potentials", corresponding to power levels of a laser diode (peak power level, bias or erase power levels, and read power level) are applied to the switches 10a through 10c, respectively. The drive potentials are turned on/off by a peak power control signal, a bias power control signal, and a read power control signal, respectively. For example, a peak drive potential necessary for generating the peak power level is turned on/off by the peak power control signal.
The output power signals of the switches 10a through 10c are multiplexed by the multiplexer 12. The output power signal of the multiplexer 12 finally becomes a laser diode drive signal LD DRIVER_OUT which has a waveform including a first pulse, a recording pulse, a multi-pulse, and a last pulse. The laser diode is then driven by the laser diode drive signal LD DRIVER_OUT to generate the recording pulse.
However, the laser diode cannot be fully driven by only the output power signal of the multiplexer 12. Thus, the output power signal of the multiplexer 12 has to be amplified by the amplifier 14.
The HFM 18 generates a high frequency modulation signal for removing light interfering noise from an optical detector (not shown). The high frequency modulation signal is added to the output power signal of the amplifier 14 by the adder 16. The laser diode is then driven by the output power signal of the adder 16. Here, the high frequency modulation signal is set to have the most effective frequency and amplification to remove potential light interfering noise. The high frequency modulation signal is mostly used in a read mode.
The laser diode driver shown in FIG. 1 may include 2-5 switches according to a number of used channels, i.e., 2-5 channels according to the number of power levels used in the recording pulse.
FIG. 2A is an illustration of a CD-RW recording pulse (a 3-channel example), and FIG. 2B is an illustration of a DVD-RAM recording pulse (a 5-channel example).
Referring to FIG. 2A, illustrated portion (a) represents input NRZI data, illustrated portion (b) represents a recording pulse for forming a predetermined recording mark, illustrated portion (c) represents a read control signal, illustrated portion (d) represents a peak control signal, illustrated portion (e) represents a bias1 control signal, and illustrated portion (f) represents a bottom control signal.
Referring to FIG. 2A, illustrated portion (a) similarly represents input NRZI data, illustrated portion (b) represents a recording pulse for forming a predetermined recording mark, illustrated portion (c) represents a peak control signal, illustrated portion (d) represents a bias1 control signal, illustrated portion (e) represents a bias3 control signal, illustrated portion (f) represents a bias2 control signal, and illustrated portion (g) represents a read control signal.
The control signals control the drive potentials so as to obtain the laser diode drive signal LD DRIVER_OUT having the same waveform as the recording pulse shown in illustrated portion (b) of FIGS. 2A and 2B, for example.
FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating characteristics of an example laser diode, i.e., input/output characteristics of TOLD9452MB made by TOSHIBA. In FIG. 3, it can be seen that the laser diode has input/output characteristics which change with a change of temperature. Typically, an operation temperature of a laser diode increases after a certain period of time while the laser diode is driven, whereby optical output power decreases corresponding to the input current. For example, when the input current is 110 mA, the optical output power may be 40 mW at an operation temperature of 25° C. However, the optical output power may be reduced to about 20 mW at an operation temperature of 70° C. Therefore, a failure to control the laser diode according to changes in the operation temperature causes malfunctions during recording/reading, and may even make recording/reading impossible.
One way of solving this problem is to use an APC device. The APC device feeds a change in the output power of the laser diode back to the laser diode, to uniformly maintain the output power of the laser diode.
However, in the prior art, the APC operation cannot be realized within the laser diode driver, but requires an additional circuit or IC. An APC device is generally installed on a Main PCB, with the laser diode driver being positioned in an optical pickup. The Main PCB may be connected to the pickup via a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).
The APC device is supplied with a monitor signal mon-PD from a monitor photodiode (PD) attached to the laser diode via the FPCB. The laser diode driver also has to be supplied with control signals via the FPCB.
Since the monitor signal mon-PD is very small, e.g., of about several μA, it is highly sensitive to noise. The frequency of a control signal is very high, thereby causing electromagnetic interference (EMI) in peripheral devices. For high recording density, the wavelength of the laser signal has actually been shortened to 780 nm (in the case of compact disks), 635 nm, 650 nm (in the case of digital versatile disks), and 410 nm (in case of HD DVD using a blue laser). The recording/reproducing transfer rate is commonly up to 52×. As a result, the frequency of the control signal has increased. Thus, due to EMI, recording performance may be deteriorated and an accurate interface via the FPBC may be impossible.
When the recording/reproducing apparatus includes a plurality of laser diodes to maintain the compatibility between recording media, the recording/reproducing apparatus has to include additional circuits and parts, such as APC apparatuses, laser diode drivers, and the like, corresponding to the respective laser diodes. Thus, it has become difficult to reduce size, weight, and price of recording/reproducing apparatuses.

Laser diode driver and driving method for controlling auto laser power, optical pickup device, and optical recording/reproducing apparatus using the same


An improved local area network interfacing system. The inventive system includes a frontplane circuit for connecting the interfacing system to a local area network and a backplane circuit for connecting the interfacing system to a host. A first internal bus is included for providing communication between the backplane circuit and the frontplane circuit. A processor is included for controlling the operation of the interfacing system. A second internal bus is included for providing communication between the processor and associated memory. An internal bus control circuit facilitates and controls communication between the first internal bus and the second internal bus. The dual internal busses of interfacing system of the present invention afford high speed operation with an inexpensive processor by allowing for input and output operations to be completed without being impeded by processor operations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to local area networks (LANs). More specifically, the present invention relates to interfacing units for use with local area networks.
While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.
2. Description of the Related Art
Local area networks (LANs) facilitate data communication between computing systems (such as a network of data terminal equipments, network workstations, personal computers, and the like, individually referred to hereinafter as a "host"). Currently, several types of LAN systems are used widely in the art. Most systems may be classified generally as either an Ethernet, Token Ring, or 10 Base T type local area network.
The Ethernet system is characterized by a coaxial cable which serves as a bus. The nodes of the system (e.g., terminals, printers and other devices) are connected to the cable and assigned a unique address.
A Token Ring LAN is a circular network similar to the Ethernet system with the exception that a token is used to control access to the network. The token is a packet of signals that is passed from node to node. The node that has the token has control of the network with respect to the transmission of data to other nodes. When the node has completed a transmission, the token is released for acquisition by another node.
The 10 Base T local area network is characterized by the use of a pair of twisted wires as a connector between nodes arranged in a star configuration around a controlling hub.
With each system, an interface is required between the network and the host. The interface typically includes a frontplane for connection to the network and a backplane for connection to the host. Conventional local area network interfaces typically include a microprocessor and a single internal bus. The microprocessor typically ties up the internal bus for instruction fetch and execution operations. This precludes the use of the bus for input and output (I/O) operations thereby slowing the operation of the system.
Some interfaces have been equipped with more powerful processors which tend to be less restrictive on I/O operations. However, these processors are expensive and typically require extensive, costly changes in the architecture of the interfacing system.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a fast and inexpensive system for interfacing a local area network to host.

Dual bus local area network interfacing system


The prism-coupling systems and methods include using a prism-coupling system to collect initial TM and TE mode spectra of a chemically strengthened article having a refractive index profile with a near-surface spike region and a deep region. The initial TM and TE mode spectra are examined to see if they fall within a preferred measurement window that can produce an accurate estimate of the knee stress to within a select tolerance. If not, then measurement configuration of the prism-coupling system is changed and new TM and TE mode spectra are collected. This process is repeated until the new TM and TE mode spectra fall within the preferred measurement window. The new TM and TE mode spectra are then used to determine the knee stress. Changing the measurement configuration can include changing at least one of the measurement wavelength, interfacing fluid thickness and interfacing fluid refractive index.

Chemically strengthened glass-based articles are formed by subjecting glass-based substrates to a chemical modification to improve at least one strength-related characteristic, such as hardness, resistance to fracture, etc. Chemically strengthened glass-based articles have found particular use as cover glasses for display-based electronic devices, especially hand-held devices such as smart phones and tablets.
In one method, the chemical strengthening is achieved by an ion-exchange (IOX) process whereby ions in the matrix of a glass-based substrate ("native ions" or "substrate ions") are replaced by externally introduced (i.e., replacement or in-diffused) ions, e.g., from a molten bath. The strengthening generally occurs when the replacement ions are larger than the native ions (e.g., Na+ or Li+ ions replaced by K+ ions). The IOX process gives rise to an IOX region in the glass that extends from the article surface into the matrix. The IOX region defines within the matrix a refractive index profile having a depth of layer (DOL) that represents a size, thickness or "deepness" of the IOX region as measured relative to the article surface. The refractive index profile also defines stress-related characteristics, including a stress profile, a surface stress, a depth of compression, a center tension, a birefringence, etc. The refractive index profile can also define in the glass-based article an optical waveguide that supports a number m of guided modes for light of a given wavelength when the refractive index profile meets certain criteria known in the art.
Prism-coupling systems and methods can be used to measure the spectrum of the guided modes of the planar optical waveguide formed in the glass-based IOX article to characterize one or more properties of the IOX region, such as the refractive index profile and the aforementioned stress-related characteristics. This technique has been used to measure properties of glass-based IOX articles used for a variety of applications, such as for chemically strengthened covers for displays (e.g., for smart phones). Such measurements are used for quality control purposes to ensure that the IOX region has the intended characteristics and falls within the select design tolerances for each of the selected characteristics for the given application.
While prism-coupling systems and methods can be used for many types of conventional glass-based IOX articles, such methods do not work as well and sometimes do not work at all on certain glass-based IOX articles. For example, certain types of IOX glass-based articles are actual dual IOX (DIOX) glass-based articles formed by first and second ion diffusions that give rise to a two-part profile. The first part (first region) is immediately adjacent the substrate surface and has a relatively steep slope, while the second segment (second region) extends deeper into the substrate but has a relatively shallow slope. The first region is referred to as the spike region or just "spike," while the second region is referred to as the deep region. The optical waveguide is defined by both the spike region and the deep region.
Such two-region profiles result in a relatively large spacing between low-order modes, which have a relatively high effective index, and a very small spacing between high-order modes, which have a relatively low effective index close to the critical angle, which defines the boundary or transition between total-internal reflection (TIR) for guided modes and non-TIR for so-called leaky modes. In a mode spectrum, the critical angle can also be called the "critical angle transition" for convenience. It can happen that a guided mode can travel only in the spike region of the optical waveguide. A guided or leaky mode traveling only in the spike region makes it difficult if not impossible to distinguish between light that is guided only in the spike region and light that is guided in the deep region.
Determining the precise location of the critical angle from the mode spectrum for a glass-based IOX article having a two-region profile is problematic because guided modes that reside close to the critical angle distort the intensity profile at the critical angle transition. This in turn distorts the calculation of the fractional number of mode fringes, and hence the calculation of the depth of the spike region and stress-related parameters, including the calculation of the compressive stress at the bottom of the spike region, which is referred to as the "knee stress" and is denoted CSk.
As it turns out, the knee stress CSk is an important property of a glass-based IOX article and its measurement can be used for quality control in large-scale manufacturing of chemically strengthened glass-based articles. Unfortunately, the above-described measurement problems impose severe restrictions when using a prism-coupling system to make measurements of IOX articles for quality control because an accurate estimation of the knee stress CSk requires that the critical angle transition be accurately established for both the transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) guided modes.

Prism-coupling stress meter with wide metrology process window


A fire detector is connected to a loop transmission line connected to a receiver. When the loop transmission line is normal, a transmission unit is connected to the fire detector. When a disconnection failure occurs, a disconnection monitoring unit turns on switching circuits to connect the end of the loop transmission line to the transmission unit, and the receiver connects to the fire detector from both ends of the loop transmission line. An input/output switching booster is inserted and connected in the middle of the loop transmission line, and when the start side transmission line is disconnected and the switching circuits are turned on, the input/output is switched. Accordingly, the input/output switching booster amplifies the down signal input from the terminal side transmission line and outputs it to the start side transmission line and at the same time amplifies the up signal input from the start side transmission line.

Conventionally, in the fire alarm system known as the R type, a terminal device such as a fire detector having a transmission function is connected to a transmission line drawn from the receiver. At the time of fire detection, for example, based on a fire interrupt from a fire detector, the receiver issues a search command to identify the address of the fire detector that has been issued, displays the fire occurrence address, and collects and monitors fire data from the identified fire detector.
In this way, if the address of the fire detector that detected the fire is known, appropriate evacuation guidance and fire extinguishing activities become possible, which is an indispensable function especially for fire monitoring of large-scale equipment.
In addition, a fire alarm system is known to monitor a fire by connecting the fire detector to a loop transmission line connected in a loop to the receiver in order to ensure reliability against disconnection failure of the transmission line drawn from the fire receiver.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the fire alarm system using the conventional loop transmission line. FIG. 6 (A) shows a normal monitoring state, and FIG. 6 (B) shows a case where a disconnection failure occurs.
As shown in FIG. 6A, a transmission line 12 using a pair of signal lines is drawn out from a transmission unit 22 provided in a receiver 10. The transmission line 12 is arranged in a loop shape that returns to the receiver 10 after being pulled out from the receiver 10. Hereinafter, in the description, the transmission line 12 connected to the receiver 10 in a loop shape is referred to as a loop transmission line 12.
A fire detector 18 having a transmission function is connected between the signal lines of the loop transmission line 12. A unique detector address is set in the fire detector 18. The transmission unit 22 transmits a down signal that changes the line voltage, and the fire detector 18 transmits an up signal that changes the line current to monitor the fire.
A disconnection monitoring control unit 28 is provided at the end of the loop transmission line 12 drawn into the fire receiver 10. The disconnection monitoring control unit 28 monitors the disconnection failure of the loop transmission line 12 based on the line voltage supplied from the transmission unit 22 to the loop transmission line 12. Further, at the end of the loop transmission line 12, switching circuits 30a and 30b for switching and connecting the terminal signal line to the transmission unit 22 are provided. The switching circuits 30a and 30b are in the normal monitoring state and the transmission unit 22 is in the disconnected state.
As shown in FIG. 6B, it is assumed that a disconnection 31a occurs in the middle of the loop transmission line 12 during operation. At this time, the disconnection monitoring control unit 28 detects a disconnection failure due to the disconnection of the line voltage at the end of the loop transmission line 12, operates the switching circuits 30a and 30b, and connects the end side of the loop transmission line 12 to the transmission unit 22.
Therefore, the signal from the transmission unit 22 is transmitted from the terminal side of the loop transmission line 12 to the location where the disconnection 31a occurs via the switching circuits 30a and 30b, and is connected between the location where the disconnection 31a occurs and the terminal of the loop transmission line 12. It is possible to send and receive signals to and from the fire detector 18. As a result, even if a disconnection failure occurs, the fire monitoring function by the fire detector 18 connected to the loop transmission line 12 is not lost, and high reliability can be obtained.


Systems, apparatus and methods are provided for providing fast non-volatile storage access with ultra-low latency. A method may comprise receiving data pieces from a plurality of channels of a non-volatile storage device, assembling the data pieces into one or more error correction code (ECC) encoded codewords, and triggering an ECC engine to decode a codeword to generate decoded data to be returned to a host when the codeword is assembled. Each codeword may have data pieces retrieved from different channels. Thus, a data unit containing one or more ECC codewords may be spread into multiple channels of a non-volatile storage device and access latency may be improved by accessing multiple channels in parallel. An averaging effect may be achieved for an ECC codeword and ECC failures may be reduced. Fast NANDs implementing the techniques disclosed herein may achieve ultra-fast access and response time while maintaining a high throughput.

Computing systems have traditionally used a wide variety of non-volatile storage devices to maintain and store data and instructions, for example, floppy disks, hard drives, magnetic tapes, optical discs. More recently, non-volatile NAND storage devices have gained wide usage in memory cards, USB flash drives and solid-state drives (SSDs). Although compared to the more traditional non-volatile storage devices, NAND devices can provide high throughput by conventional channel-level parallelism, die-level parallelism, or plane-level parallelism, access latency still exists and can be improved.

Systems and methods for fast access of non-volatile storage devices


A locking ratchet wrench has a main body with an elongate handle portion and a stationary jaw at one end and a slotted guideway extending through the stationary jaw. A generally square aperture extends transversely through the stationary jaw and rearwardly from the slotted guideway. A movable jaw having ratchet teeth at its rear end is slidably fitted in the guideway. A locking pawl block is slidably retained for forward and rearward movement within the aperture and has locking teeth at the forward end thereof corresponding to the movable jaw ratchet teeth. A spring at the rear end of the locking pawl block normally urges it forward in the aperture. A movable handle pivotally mounted on the main body has front sides slidably received on each side of the aperture and movably connected to said to the locking pawl block to move it into and out of toothed engagement with the movable jaw ratchet teeth. A jaw control spring connected between the movable jaw and movable handle applies upward pressure on the movable jaw to urge it toward the stationary jaw. A handle return spring connected between the main body and the movable handle normally urges the movable handle pivotally away from the main body handle portion when the handles are not being gripped together.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to adjustable wrenches, and more particularly to a locking ratchet wrench which has a stationary jaw and a movable jaw which will automatically fit a variety of nut or bolt sizes and have the recommended wrench clearance on each size and will ratchet in either direction and turn a bolt or nut in either direction without removing the wrench after each turn.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, numerous tools including adjustable wrenches, pliers, and vise grips have been designed to fit a variety of bolt sizes by turning a screw or squeezing a handle.
One of the major problems with pliers type devices is that they do not have jaws which contact the bolt parallel to each other at all times. Pliers also require a strong grip.
Adjustable wrenches have to be adjusted to each size of bolt by turning a screw, then moving the hand to the wrench handle to turn the bolt. They also have to be removed from the bolt and replaced on the bolt for the next turn. The adjustable wrenches often lose their adjustment after several turns and require frequent readjustment. The loss of adjustment also increases the risk of the wrench jumping over the corners of the bolt, thus damaging the bolt and increases the risk of injury to the user. When the prior art adjustable wrenches are adjusted, it is difficult to set it to the recommended wrench clearance. If the clearance is too tight it is difficult to remove and replace it on the bolt. The prior art adjustable wrenches must also be readjusted each time the user goes to a different size bolt.
There are several patents which disclose various adjustable wrenches.
Hersey, U.S. Pat. No. 419,854and Cox, U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,468 discloses non-ratcheting adjustable pipe wrenches having a sliding jaw and a pivoting jaw and a sliding jaw and a stationary jaw respectively. The wrench jaws do not have parallel faces and would not be suitable for use on nuts or bolts.
Upson, U.S. Pat. No. 1,206,947 discloses a wrench which must be removed and replaced on the bolt after each turn and is not capable of ratcheting in either direction relative to the bolt to turn the bolt in either direction without removing the wrench.
Feiring, U.S. Pat. No. 2,573,421 discloses a cam actuated pivoted jaw wrench which requires removal and replacement of the head member to use the wrench on different size and shapes of nuts or bolts.
Cutter, U.S. Pat. No. 3,379,079 discloses a clamping and locking wrench having first and second actuating arms rotatably connected together at one end, a rotatable member connected to the arms to open and close the jaws, and a toggle joint locking mechanism connected to the rotatable member to lock the arms in position.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patients in particular by a locking ratchet wrench which has a main body with an elongate handle portion and a stationary jaw at one end. A movable jaw with ratchet teeth at its rear end is slidably fitted on the main body. A locking pawl block has teeth at the forward end thereof corresponding to the movable jaw ratchet teeth and movable into and out of engagement therewith. A movable handle is pivotally mounted on the main body and connected to the locking pawl block to move it into and out of toothed engagement with the movable jaw.


An improved rear end design for a vehicle body including a first, upper cross member and a second, lower cross member fitted one over the other to form a compound beam. Each cross member is preferably formed as an aluminum extrusion. The upper cross member has the same contour shape as the lower edge of the access door for the trunk. The lower cross member lies below the level of the trunk floor and includes a middle region contour having a curve which matches a corresponding overlying middle region of the upper cross member. Each side end of the lower cross member curves forward under the trunk floor and is joined to a corresponding end of a pair of transversely spaced longitudinal side bearer members or impact-absorption units. The invention provides for a stable rear-end construction, particularly at the joints with the rear impact-absorption units, and also forms a support edge for the trunk-access door. The invention also results in less extensive repairs in the event of a rear collision.

In sheet metal vehicle bodies, the rear end is typically assembled by welding together a number of preformed metal sheets to form a bearing structure having an encasing outer wall. In most instances, a cross member is provided for connection to both the floor of the trunk and to the ends of the longitudinal bearers in the region where they emerge into the rear end portion of the vehicle body.
Such a construction is relatively costly, due to the larger number of sheet metal parts and welding steps required. Furthermore, since the entire interconnected arrangement is usually deformed in the event of a rear collision, repair costs are also expensive and cost-intensive.
In known rear end designs of the type comprising a pair of transverse members including an upper transverse member and a lower transverse member joined together one above the other, and wherein the transverse members each have a constant cross section and the lower transverse member is joined to a trunk floor, a substantial portion of the lower transverse member contour lies above the level of the trunk floor. In addition, the lengthwise members provided on each side of the vehicle terminate in the region in front of the rear wheel housings. Since the rear end is joined by many structural pieces to the wheel housings, side walls, helical springs, etc., the impact energy associated with a commonly occurring rear collision from a sideways direction correspondingly acts on a number of parts, including the load-bearing frame elements. Thus, even a vehicular collision of a relatively low impact energy will cause major damage, thereby resulting in high repair costs for straightening out and replacing the many damaged sheet metal components.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,809,606 discloses a vehicle frame structure wherein two longitudinal members are joined by rivet connections by a middle cross member and a rear cross member. The middle cross member has curved ends, each of which abut on one of the opposing inward facing walls of the two longitudinal members. The rear cross member is straight and is flush mounted at right angles to the rear ends of the longitudinal members.
Other arrangements for the load bearing frame elements of a vehicle space frame are known, such as, for example, from International Publication No. WO 90/02680 (corresponding to International Application No. PCT/NO89/00086), wherein each load bearing longitudinal structural member is formed as an integral extruded multicavity shape which is split, selectively curved, and aligned to merge with secondary complementary shaped members. A portion of each of the multicavity shaped members diverges from the longitudinal direction to form front and rear cross members, however, no compound cross member having means for reducing impact energy is disclosed or suggested.
Repairs are especially problematic for the known vehicle bodies which have space frames assembled from extruded aluminum sections and cast joint elements, an example of which is disclosed in European patent document EP 0 146 716. Such aluminum bodies are extremely long-lived on account of the increased resistance to corrosion as compared to conventional sheet metal bodies. Based on present day accident statistics, it is safe to assume that such long-lived vehicle bodies will likely experience repeated damage with deformations, especially in the rear end, during the average course of its lifetime. Repairs, especially repairs of the aluminum load-bearing frame elements, are particular problematic on account of the known difficulties, such as expensive light metal welds and loss of strength at welded points in the case of multiple welds. Therefore, it is desirable to provide structural solutions which protect against damage caused to the vulnerable collision points of the load-bearing frame elements in a light-metal vehicle body particularly in the event of commonly occurring minor collisions having less serious impact energies.


The invention provides automated spacer processing systems and methods. The systems and methods involve at least one robot arm that is configured to process spacers for multiple-pane insulating glazing units. In some embodiments, the systems also include an insulating glazing unit assembly line and a spacer conveyor system. Additionally or alternatively, the systems may include a sealant applicator.

In the manufacturing facilities that produce insulating glass units, spacers are sometimes transported by a conveyor. In some cases, it is desirable at a given location to remove the spacers from the conveyor and attach each spacer onto a glass sheet. This has been done manually, e.g., by workers physically grabbing a spacer off an overhead conveyor and thereafter attaching it onto a glass sheet located on a nearby IG unit assembly line. In addition, certain automated spacer processing techniques have been disclosed.
It would be desirable to provide automated equipment and methods for processing spacers for IG units. In some cases, this may involve a robot removing the spacers from a conveyor and attaching them to respective glass sheets. It would be particularly desirable to provide equipment and methods of this nature that offer the ability to handle spacers securely, reliably, and on an adjustable basis, e.g., such that the equipment is adjustable to process spacers of different sizes, different shapes, or both. It would be particularly desirable, for example, to provide such equipment with an adjustable gripper configured to grip spacers of different sizes and shapes. In addition, it would be desirable to provide automated equipment and methods for applying sealant to spacers.

Automated spacer processing systems and methods


A rotor adapter for connection between a drive shaft having eccentric motion and a driven shaft having circular motion within a downhole mud motor. The rotor adapter has two symmetrical ends on either end of a rotor adapter shaft. Each end includes a coupler defining a socket for receiving one end of the rotor adapter shaft. A thrust ball is located between the rotor adapter shaft and the coupler and seated in pockets that have radii larger than the thrust ball and depths shallower than the radius of the thrust ball. Circumferentially spaced pockets around the rotor adapter shaft near the end of the shaft fit steel balls which protrude into complementary pockets on the coupler. The coupler pockets are cylindrical and plugged from the outside with plugs. The plugs are secured in place with the steel balls in the complementary pockets. The pockets on the rotor adapter shaft are elongated in the axial direction of the rotor adapter shaft to allow tilting of the rotor adapter shaft. The coupler and rotor adapter shaft ends are oppositely tapered away from the pockets to alow for tilting of the rotor adapter shaft.

Rotor adapters are used to connect the downhole end of a mud motor to the drive shaft which turns the drill bit. The downhole end of the mud motor rotates eccentrically. That is, the end of the mud motor is displaced from a central axis and rotates around it. The rotor adapter is used to convert the eccentric motion to circular motion in which the axis of the driven shaft remains in one place.
As particularly used in downhole drilling, the rotor adapter must sustain high thrust forces. In addition, because backing out of the hole is expensive, it is desirable that the rotor adapter be able to function under high stress for as long as possible.
In addition, the rotor adapter must be able to sustain the high torque required for drilling, preferably including the extreme torque experienced when the drill bit becomes stuck.
Previously, these requirements were met by a rotor adapter having a rotor adapter shaft with ball and socket joints on either end for connecting to the drive shaft and driven shaft. However, the ball and socket joints were torch cut from a single bar of metal and required considerable thickness to have the necessary strength for drilling.
Recent developments in downhole drilling have included the adoption of an adjustable bent housing which permits adjustment of the angle of drilling at the rig site without removing the bent housing and replacing it with another. However, the adoption of the adjustable bent housing has required that the rotor adapter shaft be thinner than that permitted by the strength limitations of the ball and socket rotor adapter.
Since previous rotor adapters, particularly the ball and socket rotor adapter, were not capable of being used with the adjustable bent housing, there has been a need to develop a new rotor adapter with universal joints which is strong, long wearing and relatively thin. Previous attempts to provide such a rotor adapter have included a device which rotated around two perpendicular axes on a central block. This device was unsatisfactory due to its poor strength. The present invention, by contrast, provides a strong and long wearing rotor adapter suitable for use with the adjustable bent housing.