A high-strength thermally-isolating surface-mounted anchoring system for a cavity wall is disclosed. The thermally-isolated anchoring system is adaptable to varied structures, including high-span applications, and for use with interlocking veneer ties and reinforcement wires. The anchoring system includes an anchor base and a stepped cylinder which sheaths the mounting hardware to limit insulation tearing and resultant loss of insulation integrity. The anchoring system is thermally-isolated through the use of a series of strategically placed compressible nonconductive fittings. Seals are formed which preclude penetration of air, moisture, and water vapor into the wall structure.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to anchoring systems for insulated cavity walls. At the inner wythe, the anchoring systems provide sealing along the dual-diameter barrel of the wall anchor with a first seal covering the insertion site in the wallboard and a second seal covering the opening of the wall anchor channel at the exterior surface of the insulation. At the outer wythe, the anchoring systems provide a variety of veneer ties for angular adjustment, self-leveling, and seismic protection. Besides sealing the wallboard and the insulation, the seals provide support for the wall anchor and substantially preclude lateral movement. The system has application to seismic-resistant structures and to cavity walls having special requirements. The latter include high-strength and high-span requirements for both insulated and non-insulated cavities, namely, a structural performance characteristic capable of withstanding a 100 lbf, in both tension and compression.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, anchoring systems have taken a variety of configurations. Where the applications included masonry backup walls, wall anchors were commonly incorporated into ladder—or truss-type reinforcements and provided wire-to-wire connections with box-ties or pintle-receiving designs on the veneer side.
In the late 1980's, surface-mounted wall anchors were developed by Hohmann & Barnard, Inc., now a MiTEK-Berkshire Hathaway Company, and patented under U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,518. The invention was commercialized under trademarks DW-10®, DW-10-X®, and DW-10-HS®. These widely accepted building specialty products were designed primarily for dry-wall construction, but were also used with masonry backup walls. For seismic applications, it was common practice to use these wall anchors as part of the DW-10® Seismiclip® interlock system which added a Byna-Tie® wire formative, a Seismiclip® snap-in device—described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,319 ('319), and a continuous wire reinforcement.
In an insulated dry wall application, the surface-mounted wall anchor of the above-described system has pronged legs that pierce the insulation and the wallboard and rest against the metal stud to provide mechanical stability in a four-point landing arrangement. The vertical slot of the wall anchor enables the mason to have the wire tie adjustably positioned along a pathway of up to 3.625-inch (max.). The interlock system served well and received high scores in testing and engineering evaluations which examined effects of various forces, particularly lateral forces, upon brick veneer masonry construction. However, under certain conditions, the system did not sufficiently maintain the integrity of the insulation. Also, upon the promulgation of regulations requiring significantly greater tension and compression characteristics were raised, a different structure—such as one of those described in detail below—became necessary.
The engineering evaluations further described the advantages of having a continuous wire embedded in the mortar joint of anchored veneer wythes. The seismic aspects of these investigations were reported in the inventor's '319 patent. Besides earthquake protection, the failure of several high-rise buildings to withstand wind and other lateral forces resulted in the incorporation of a continuous wire reinforcement requirement in the Uniform Building Code provisions. The use of a continuous wire in masonry veneer walls has also been found to provide protection against problems arising from thermal expansion and contraction and to improve the uniformity of the distribution of lateral forces in the structure.
Shortly after the introduction of the pronged wall anchor, a seismic veneer anchor, which incorporated an L-shaped backplate, was introduced. This was formed from either 12- or 14-gage sheetmetal and provided horizontally disposed openings in the arms thereof for pintle legs of the veneer anchor. In general, the pintle-receiving sheetmetal version of the Seismiclip interlock system served well, but in addition to the insulation integrity problem, installations were hampered by mortar buildup interfering with pintle leg insertion.
In the 1980's, an anchor for masonry veneer walls was developed and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,069 by Reinwall et al., which patent is an improvement of the masonry veneer anchor of Lopez, U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,984. Here the anchors are keyed to elements that are installed using power-rotated drivers to deposit a mounting stud in a cementitious or masonry backup wall. Fittings are then attached to the stud which include an elongated eye and a wire tie therethrough for deposition in a bed joint of the outer wythe. It is instructive to note that pin-point loading—that is forces concentrated at substantially a single point—developed from this design configuration. This resulted, upon experiencing lateral forces over time, in the loosening of the stud.
Recently there have been significant shifts in public sector building specifications, such as the Energy Code Requirement, Boston, Mass. (see Chapter 13 of 780 CMR, Seventh Edition). This Code sets forth insulation R-values well in excess of prior editions and evokes an engineering response opting for thicker insulation and correspondingly larger cavities. Here, the emphasis is upon creating a building envelope that is designed and constructed with a continuous air barrier to control air leakage into or out of conditioned space adjacent the inner wythe, which have resulted in architects and architectural engineers requiring larger and larger cavities in the exterior cavity walls of public buildings. These requirements are imposed without corresponding decreases in wind shear and seismic resistance levels or increases in mortar bed joint height. Thus, wall anchors are needed to occupy the same ⅜ inch high space in the inner wythe and tie down a veneer facing material of an outer wythe at a span of two or more times that which had previously been experienced.
As insulation became thicker, the tearing of insulation during installation of the pronged DW-10X® wall anchor, see supra, became more prevalent. This occurred as the installer would fully insert one side of the wall anchor before seating the other side. The tearing would occur at two times, namely, during the arcuate path of the insertion of the second leg and separately upon installation of the attaching hardware. The gapping caused in the insulation permitted air and moisture to infiltrate through the insulation along the pathway formed by the tear. While the gapping was largely resolved by placing a self-sealing, dual-barrier polymeric membrane at the site of the legs and the mounting hardware, with increasing thickness in insulation, this patchwork became less desirable. The improvements hereinbelow in surface mounted wall anchors look toward greater insulation integrity and less reliance on a patch.
Another prior art development occurred shortly after that of Reinwall/Lopez when Hatzinikolas and Pacholok of Fero Holding Ltd. introduced their sheetmetal masonry connector for a cavity wall. This device is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,392,581 and 4,869,043. Here a sheetmetal plate connects to the side of a dry wall column and protrudes through the insulation into the cavity. A wire tie is threaded through a slot in the leading edge of the plate capturing an insulative plate thereunder and extending into a bed joint of the veneer. The underlying sheetmetal plate is highly thermally conductive, and the '581 patent describes lowering the thermal conductivity by foraminously structuring the plate. However, as there is no thermal break, a concomitant loss of the insulative integrity results.
Focus on the thermal characteristics of cavity wall construction is important to ensuring minimized heat transfer through the walls, both for comfort and for energy efficiency of heating and air conditioning. When the exterior is cold relative to the interior of a heated structure, heat from the interior should be prevented from passing through the outside. Similarly, when the exterior is hot relative to the interior of an air conditioned structure, heat from the exterior should be prevented from passing through to the interior. Providing a seal at the insertion points of the mounting hardware assists in controlling heat transfer.
In recent building codes for masonry structures, a trend away from eye and pintle structures is seen in that the newer codes require adjustable anchors be detailed to prevent disengagement. This has led to anchoring systems in which the open end of the veneer tie is embedded in the corresponding bed joint of the veneer and precludes disengagement by vertical displacement.
Another application for high-span anchoring systems is in the evolving technology of self-cooling buildings. Here, the cavity wall serves additionally as a plenum for delivering air from one area to another. While this technology has not seen wide application in the United States, the ability to size cavities to match air moving requirements for naturally ventilated buildings enable the architectural engineer to now consider cavity walls when designing structures in this environmentally favorable form.
In the past, the use of wire formatives have been limited by the mortar layer thicknesses which, in turn are dictated either by the new building specifications or by pre-existing conditions, e.g. matching during renovations or additions the existing mortar layer thickness. While arguments have been made for increasing the number of the fine-wire anchors per unit area of the facing layer, architects and architectural engineers have favored wire formative anchors of sturdier wire. On the other hand, contractors find that heavy wire anchors, with diameters approaching the mortar layer height specification, frequently result in misalignment. This led to the low-profile wall anchors of the inventors hereof as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,283. However, the above-described technology did not address the adaption thereof to surface mounted devices or stud-type devices. Nor does it address the need to thermally-isolate the wall anchor.
In the course of preparing this Application, several patents, became known to the inventors hereof and are acknowledged hereby:
Pat.InventorIssue Date2,058,148HardOctober 19362,966,705MasseyJanuary 19613,377,764StorchApril 19684,021,990SchwalbergMay 10, 19774,305,239GeraghtyDecember 19814,373,314AllanFeb. 15, 19834,438,611BryantMarch 19844,473,984LopezOct. 02, 19844,598,518HohmannJul. 08, 19864,869,038CataniSep. 26, 19894,875,319HohmannOct. 24, 19895,063,722HohmannNov. 12, 19915,392,581Hatzinikolas et al.Feb. 28, 19955,408,798HohmannApr. 25, 19955,456,052Anderson et al.Oct. 10, 19955,816,008HohmannOct. 15, 19986,209,281RiceApr. 03, 20016,279,283Hohmann et al.Aug. 28, 20016,668,505Hohmann et al.Dec. 30, 20037,017,318Hohmann, et al.Mar. 28, 20067,415,803BronnerAug. 26, 20087,562,506Hohmann, Jr.Jul. 21, 20097,845,137Hohmann, Jr.Dec. 07, 2010Pat. App.InventorPublication Date2010/0037552BronnerFeb. 18, 2010Foreign Patent Documents279209CH52/714March 19522069024GB52/714August 1981
It is noted that with some exceptions these devices are generally descriptive of wire-to-wire anchors and wall ties and have various cooperative functional relationships with straight wire runs embedded in the inner and/or outer wythe.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,377,764—D. Storch—Issued Apr. 16, 1968 Discloses a bent wire, tie-type anchor for embedment in a facing exterior wythe engaging with a loop attached to a straight wire run in a backup interior wythe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,990—B. J. Schwalberg—Issued May 10, 1977 Discloses a dry wall construction system for anchoring a facing veneer to wallboard/metal stud construction with a pronged sheetmetal anchor. Like Storch '764, the wall tie is embedded in the exterior wythe and is not attached to a straight wire run.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,314—J. A. Allan—Issued Feb. 15, 1983 Discloses a vertical angle iron with one leg adapted for attachment to a stud; and the other having elongated slots to accommodate wall ties. Insulation is applied between projecting vertical legs of adjacent angle irons with slots being spaced away from the stud to avoid the insulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,984—Lopez—Issued Oct. 2, 1984 Discloses a curtain-wall masonry anchor system wherein a wall tie is attached to the inner wythe by a self-tapping screw to a metal stud and to the outer wythe by embedment in a corresponding bed joint. The stud is applied through a hole cut into the insulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,038—M. J. Catani—Issued Sep. 26, 1989 Discloses a veneer wall anchor system having in the interior wythe a truss-type anchor, similar to Hala et al. '226, supra, but with horizontal sheetmetal extensions. The extensions are interlocked with bent wire pintle-type wall ties that are embedded within the exterior wythe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,319—R. Hohmann—Issued Oct. 24, 1989 Discloses a seismic construction system for anchoring a facing veneer to wallboard/metal stud construction with a pronged sheetmetal anchor. Wall tie is distinguished over that of Schwalberg '990 and is clipped onto a straight wire run.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,581—Hatzinikolas et al.—Issued Feb. 28, 1995 Discloses a cavity-wall anchor having a conventional tie wire for mounting in the brick veneer and an L-shaped sheetmetal bracket for mounting vertically between side-by-side blocks and horizontally on atop a course of blocks. The bracket has a slit which is vertically disposed and protrudes into the cavity. The slit provides for a vertically adjustable anchor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,798—Hohmann—Issued Apr. 25, 1995 Discloses a seismic construction system for a cavity wall having a masonry anchor, a wall tie, and a facing anchor. Sealed eye wires extend into the cavity and wire wall ties are threaded therethrough with the open ends thereof embedded with a Hohmann '319 (see supra) clip in the mortar layer of the brick veneer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,052—Anderson et al.—Issued Oct. 10, 1995 Discloses a two-part masonry brick tie, the first part being designed to be installed in the inner wythe and then, later when the brick veneer is erected to be interconnected by the second part. Both parts are constructed from sheetmetal and are arranged on substantially the same horizontal plane.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,008—Hohmann—Issued Oct. 15, 1998 Discloses a brick veneer anchor primarily for use with a cavity wall with a drywall inner wythe. The device combines an L-shaped plate for mounting on the metal stud of the drywall and extending into the cavity with a T-head bent stay. After interengagement with the L-shaped plate the free end of the bent stay is embedded in the corresponding bed joint of the veneer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,281—Rice—Issued Apr. 3, 2001 Discloses a masonry anchor having a conventional tie wire for mounting in the brick veneer and sheetmetal bracket for mounting on the metal-stud-supported drywall. The bracket has a slit which is vertically disposed when the bracket is mounted on the metal stud and, in application, protrudes through the drywall into the cavity. The slit provides for a vertically adjustable anchor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,283—Hohmann et al.—Issued Aug. 28, 2001 Discloses a low-profile wall tie primarily for use in renovation construction where in order to match existing mortar height in the facing wythe a compressed wall tie is embedded in the bed joint of the brick veneer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,505—Hohmann et al.—Issued Dec. 30, 2003 Discloses high span anchors and reinforcements for masonry walls that are combined with interlocking veneer ties which utilize reinforcing wire and wire formatives. The wire formatives are compressively reduced in height by cold-working.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,318—Hohmann et al.—Issued Mar. 28, 2006 Discloses a high span anchoring system for cavity wall that incorporates a wall reinforcement combined with a wall tie. The wire formatives utilized are compressively reduced in height by cold-working the metal alloys.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,415,803—Bronner—Issued Aug. 26, 2008 Discloses a wing nut wall anchoring system for use with a two legged wire tie. The wing nut is rotatable in all directions to allow angular adjustment of the wire tie.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,562,506—Hohmann, Jr.—Issued Jul. 21, 2009 Discloses a notched surface-mounted wall anchor and anchoring system for use with various wire formative veneer ties. The notches, upon surface mounting of the anchor, form small wells which entrain fluids and inhibit entry of same into the wallboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,845,137—Hohmann, Jr.—Issued Dec. 7, 2010 Discloses a folded wall anchor and anchoring system for use with various wire formative veneer ties. The folded wall anchor enables sheathing of the hardware and sealing of the insertion points.
U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0037552—Bronner—Filed Jun. 1, 2009 Discloses a side-mounted anchoring system for veneer wall tie connection. The system transfers horizontal loads between a backup wall and a veneer wall.
None of the above provide a high-strength, supported surface-mounted wall anchor or anchoring systems utilizing the thermally-isolated wall anchor assembly of this invention. The wall anchor assembly is thermally-isolating and self-sealing through the use of non-conductive washers affixed to the cylinder and the fastener. The wall anchor assembly is modifiable for use on various style wall anchors allowing for interconnection with veneer ties in varied cavity wall structures.
As will become clear in reviewing the disclosure which follows, the cavity wall structures benefit from the recent developments described herein that lead to solving the problems of insulation integrity, thermally conductive anchoring systems, and of high-span applications, and of pin-point loading. The wall anchors, when combined with various veneer tie arrangements hereof, provide for angular adjustment therebetween, self-leveling installation, and seismic level of protection. The prior art does not provide the present novel cavity wall construction system as described herein below.

Thermally-isolated anchoring systems for cavity walls


Device for preventing water hammer while regulating water pressure includes valve element biasing means which substantially consists of a pressure adjusting spring with a small spring constant and a water hammer preventing spring with a large spring constant which are disposed in series in a valve casing. The valve element biasing means is capable of varying the opening area of a communicating passage between an upstream passage and a downstream passage to as to adjust the pressure in the communicating passage while preventing the occurrence of water hammer in piping water supply equipment.

This invention relates to a device for preventing water hammer which tends to occur in various types of water piping and/or water supply equipment.
Conventionally, there have been several types of devices for preventing water hammer which causes annoying sounds in the piping and water leakage. In one type of valve, a sharp pressure change produced by water hammer is absorbed by a valve element provided with a spring or a shock absorber.
However, in these conventional devices for preventing water hammer, since the retracting volume of the valve element is proportional to a flow-in side passage pressure or an upstream side pressure, corresponding to the pressure change in the flow-in side, the neutral position is remarkably changed. Furthermore, to absorb the sharp rise caused by the water hammer, the valve element must be retracted so as to move beyond the neutral position so that the volume displaced by valve movement (hereinafter "valve movement volume") is increased, making the entire construction of the water hammer preventing device large sized.
Still furthermore, since the water hammer preventing device is devised for preventing exclusively water hammer, the device is not provided with a pressure adjusting function, namely, a function to hold the dynamic fluid pressure in the downstream passage of the device at constant pressure in normal operation.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for preventing water hammer which can resolve the above-mentioned tasks.


A device includes an n-doped InP layer and an ohmic contact, in contact with the n-doped InP layer. The ohmic contact includes an annealed stack of at least three, or preferably four alternating layers of Si and Ni, such that: (i) the n-doped InP layer and one of the layers of the stack in contact with the n-doped InP layer are at least partly intermixed; and (ii) any two adjacent layers of the stack are at least partly intermixed. Related fabrication methods are also disclosed.

The invention relates in general to devices involving ohmic contacts to n-doped InP layers. In particular, it is directed to devices comprising low-resistive, Au-free ohmic contacts obtained by annealing a stack of alternating layers of silicon and nickel. Such contacts can notably be used to inject current into components based on III-V semiconductors. Embodiments of the present invention can therefore find applications in the field of optical amplifier devices and silicon photonic circuit devices.
Silicon photonics relate to photonic systems, where silicon is used as medium for light propagation because of the material's low optical loss. Silicon photonics makes use of well-established silicon manufacturing principles exploited in complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) electronics. The features are usually patterned into micro-photonic components with sub-micron precision (to operate in the infrared). Silicon on insulator (SOI) is typically used as a material of choice. The fabrication of silicon photonic devices can otherwise involve known semiconductor fabrication techniques; since silicon is already used as a substrate of choice for most integrated circuits, it is possible to create hybrid devices in which the optical and electronic components are integrated onto a single chip.
Integrated optical interconnects with compatible light sources are needed for mass-fabrication of low-cost, high-performance CMOS-based chips. Due to the indirect band gap of silicon, no Si-based light source is available. Efficient light sources are typically based on III-V semiconductors which are heterogeneously or hybrid integrated on a Si photonics platform.
The successful monolithic integration of components such as III-V semiconductor lasers on silicon requires shallow components, e.g., III-V gain stacks of less than 500 nm. Furthermore, the contact layers for injecting current need be moderately doped. This is necessary to achieve low absorption losses and thereby preserve the actual lasing action. On the other hand, moderately doped contact layers do usually not allow for low specific contact resistivities, i.e., specific contact resistivities of less than 10−6 Ω·cm2. A low contact resistance, however, is desired to reduce power dissipation. This is for instance needed to reduce thermal dissipation of an integrated laser and, in turn, increase its efficiency, by consuming less energy and having less thermal footprint.

Low-resistive, CMOS-compatible, Au-free ohmic contact to N—InP

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


An immunoassay test device is disclosed with dried reagent drops applied to a sloping side wall of a reaction wall. A method of applying them as liquid drops is also described, wherein the slope of the side wall, and the composition and volume of the liquid drop are selected to insure that the liquid drops do not flow down to the bottom of the well.

Immunoassays are either currently in use, or planned for use, in detecting infectious disease such as Streptococcus, sexually transmitted diseases such as herpes viruses or chlamydia, and/or pregnancy via the detection of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). Drugs are also detectable. Appropriate devices have been developed to run such assays either at a doctor's office or the patient's home, using samples taken from the patient, such as urine. For example, useful devices are described in commonly owned U.S. Ser. No. 98,248 filed by Charles C. Hinckley et al on Sept. 18, 1987, entitled "Sliding Valve For Vent of Liquid Collecting Compartment." The details of that application are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
As described in the aforesaid application, such devices can include one or more chambers containing some of the reagents, each chamber having a sloping side wall that forms a well. At the bottom of each well is a membrane that is porous enough to pass liquid through, but constructed to retain an immunoproduct produced when the analyte in question is present in the patient's sample. The immunoreagents are described in that application as being coated onto the chamber side wall or added by the user. No details are given as to how a coating is to be applied, nor is it stated therein whether the coating is to be a uniform coating or in discrete locations only.
In some assays, such as the pregnancy assay for hCG, the reagents that are pre-incorporated in the chamber include biotinylated antibody for the antigen that is the analyte, and a buffer. The buffer is needed because patient's sample, for example, urine, comes in such a wide range of pH, and the assay works optimally at a pH about 6 to 8. For ease in manufacturing, such buffer is preferably deposited as an essentially fully saturated solution at about 50 wt % concentration, in about 8 .mu.l, to permit the use of small sized drops.
In the hCG assay, at least some of the biotinylated antibody and the buffer need to be deposited on the side wall of the chamber well, rather than on the membrane, because the reaction between biotin and avidin should not take place before patient's sample is added, and certainly not when the device is manufactured. Otherwise the biotinylated antibody is not free to migrate through a solution standing above the membrane to complex with available antigen.
Therefore, at least some of the biotinylated antibody must be deposited and kept on the sloping side wall, until dried.
In addition, some of the buffer is not deposited onto the membrane because (1) the pores of the membrane are too few to retain all the buffer, and (2) even if it could be so retained during manufacturing, much of the buffer so located will wash through too early in the incubation stage during use, if it is initially located in the membrane. That is, a patient sample is designed to "stand" above the membrane for incubation. However, the initial wetting of the membrane by the patient sample causes immediate inadvertent wash through of any reagent in, but not bound to, the membrane. In that case, the buffer would not be retained in the well above the membrane where it is needed to maintain the pH of the patient sample for the antibody complexing reaction.
Nevertheless, prior to this invention it has not been readily apparent how to merely deposit or place liquid containing reagents, onto the sloping side wall without that liquid pouring down onto the membrane instead of drying in place. Cementation of liquid drops to the side wall, followed by drying, is of course inappropriate, in that the reagent must be capable of re-dissolving when patient liquid is added. The problem is particularly aggrevated by the fact that the preferred material for the wall construction--a dyed polystyrene--has a lower tolerance for drop adherence than other wall materials, for example polystyrene not containing a dye preincorporated into it.
It would be conceivable to construct the well with a horizontal shelf in the wall that provides a level platform for location of the drops. One difficulty with such an arrangement is that it becomes very difficult to force all the liquid off such a shelf, and down onto the membrane where separation of bound and free labeled antibody occurs.
Alternatively, the slope of the wall could be rendered more gradual, to the point at which almost any volume drop will stick to any surface. This is not viable either, as a slight decrease in the wall slope drastically increases the amount of sample volume that has to be used for a given exposed area of membrane. In addition, the area of the membrane can not be reduced much, since it then becomes difficult to detect a color change on the membrane.
Thus, for the reasons given above, the sloping wall is generally restricted to an angle of at least 60.degree., for example about 65.degree., and the exposed membrane surface area is about 0.2 cm.sup.2.

Test device with dried reagent drops on inclined wall


A flexure is provided with a metal base of stainless steel, an insulating layer, and a pair of copper conductors. An opening region including an opening and a non-opening region without an opening are formed in a longitudinal part of the metal base. One of the conductors is provided with a first slit extending longitudinally relative to the conductor, first band-like portions on the opposite sides of the first slit, and a first junction connecting the first band-like portions. The other conductor is provided with a second slit extending longitudinally relative to the conductor, second band-like portions on the opposite sides of the second slit, and a second junction connecting the second band-like portions. These conductors are arranged covering both the opening and non-opening region of the metal base.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a flexure used in a disk drive suspension for an information processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hard disk drive (HDD) is used in an information processing apparatus, such as a personal computer. The HDD comprises a magnetic disk rotatable about a spindle, a carriage turnable about a pivot, etc. A disk drive suspension is disposed on an arm of the carriage.
The disk drive suspension comprises a load beam and flexure superposed thereon. A magnetic head comprising a slider is mounted on a gimbal portion formed near the distal end of the flexure. The magnetic head is provided with elements (transducers) for accessing data, that is, for reading or writing. The suspension, flexure, etc., constitute a head gimbal assembly.
The flexure is practically used in various forms depending on the required specifications. By way of example, it is a flexure with conductors, which comprises a thin metal base of stainless steel, insulating layer of an electrically insulating material, such as polyimide, and a plurality of pairs of copper conductors. The insulating layer is formed on the metal base, and the conductors on the insulating layer. Respective one ends of the conductors are connected to elements (e.g., magnetoresistive elements) on the magnetic head. The other ends of the conductors are electrically connected to an electrical circuit, such as an amplifier. These conductors constitute a conductive circuit portion of the suspension. The impedance of the conductors needs to be reduced in order to reduce energy consumption of the amplifier. Further, a high-frequency band is needed in order to increase the number of signals transmitted per unit time.
An example of the flexure with conductors is disclosed in Jpn. Pat, Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9-282624 (Patent Document 1). A plurality of openings are formed in a metal base of the flexure so as to be arranged at regular intervals along the conductors. Since these openings serve to reduce the eddy current loss of a conductive circuit portion, attenuation in a high-frequency band is reduced. Another example of the flexure with conductors is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,714,385 (Patent Document 2). A plurality of openings are formed in a load beam of a suspension that comprises the flexure so as to be arranged at regular intervals along the conductors.
Suspensions tend to become further smaller as disk drives are miniaturized and improved in recording density. Conductors should be made wider in order to reduce the impedance of a conductive circuit portion of a flexure. The smaller the suspension, therefore, the higher the ratio of the mass of the conductive circuit portion to that of the suspension is. Therefore, the dynamic characteristics of the suspension are easily affected by the conductive circuit portion. Thus, the conductive circuit portion is required to be made lighter.
If the conductors are made narrower, however, the impedance increases, thereby causing an increase in energy consumption. If the width of each conductor is simply reduced, moreover, the attenuation in the high-frequency band may become too high for high-speed data transmission, depending on the configuration of the conductive circuit portion. Although the openings are formed in the metal base in the conductive circuit portion of Patent Document 1 described above, the weight reduction ratio is low if the conductor weight is the same as in the conventional case. Even if the openings are formed in the load beam, as in Patent Document 2, the conductive circuit portion of the flexure cannot be made lighter.


A lamp which has a lamp glass envelope (14) having contact pins (16) projecting from its end (15) and which is held in a socket receptacle (9) having an insulator (2, 6), wherein the insulator (2, 6) holds a small metallic tube (1) between a contact pin (16) of the lamp envelope (14) and a current-feeding connecting cable (4) in at least one through hole, to which small tube (1) the contact pin (16) is crimped and the connecting cable (4) is connected.

For the lighting and marking of aircraft taxiways light sources are required which have a low mounting height and emit a beam of rays, as parallel as possible as a general rule, in a predefined direction. On account of the comparatively small glass envelope, a long service life and a high light yield, halogen incandescent lamps are preferably employed in this situation, the light from which is focused by means of a reflector and radiated directionally. It is however also conceivable to employ high-pressure discharge lamps. For the sake of simplicity, halogen incandescent lamps with a spiral-wound filament are assumed in the following, whereby high-pressure discharge lamps with an electric arc should however also be included.
A precise positioning of the light source, in other words of the filament or the arc, within the reflector environment is necessary for focusing the light. Production tolerances in the manufacture of the lamp glass envelope would require a complex readjustment following installation of the lamp in order to achieve precise positioning at the focal point of the reflector environment. In order to avoid this problem, the base of each individual lamp glass envelope is actually adjusted to the eventual focus position in the reflector during the assembly of the lamp. In the case of a defective lamp, the entire module comprising glass envelope and base is replaced and no readjustment is needed. For this so-called "airfield" sector, special halogen incandescent lamps (and in terms of this invention also high-pressure discharge lamps) are therefore employed, wherein electrical connecting cables are incidentally connected to contact pins led out of the actual lamp glass envelope. In addition, the invention is however also directed at lamps of comparable construction for other fields of application, whether it be for fitting in reflector housings also preferably coming into consideration outside the airfield sector, or whether it also be independent thereof.

Built-in lamp with cable, in particular for aerodrome lighting

OSRAM Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung


A method for producing a resin-bonded magnet, which includes steps of mixing a magnet element and microcapsules each of which contains at least one component of a thermally polymerizable resin composition as a binder component, mechanically breaking at least a part of the microcapsules during formation of a green compact comprising said resin composition and said magnet element to discharge the components of said resin composition from the capsules, and curing said resin to produce the resin-bonded magnet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing a resin-bonded magnet and a method for producing an article comprising said resin-bonded magnet. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for producing a resin-bonded magnet comprising a melt-spin Fe-B-R type magnetic element in which R is Nd and/or Pr and an epoxy resin composition, and a method for producing an article comprising said resin-bonded magnet such as a rotor member of a so-called permanent magnet motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
The resin-bonded magnet is usually formed into a ring-form article such as a ring, a cylinder or a C-shape article, and a supporting member for such molded article also has a ring form or a hollow or solid cylinder form although the supporting member optionally has an engaging element.
It is, however, very difficult to form a ring-form article from the sintered magnet which comprises a rare earth element and cobalt and has, for example, a composition of EQU RCo.sub.5 or R(Co, Cu, Fe, M).sub.n
wherein R is is a rare earth element such as Sm and Ce, M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of the elements of the IV, V, VI and VII groups in the Periodic Table, and n is an integer of 5 to 9, and to impart magnetic anisotropy in a radial direction of said ring-form article. One of the major reasons for this difficulty resides in the fact that coefficients of expansion vary due to anisotropy during sintering. Particularly, when a thin wall ring magnet is to be produced, this drawback should be avoided through isotropy of magnetic properties. Thus, the magnetic characteristic of the sintered rare earth element-cobalt magnet decreases from its inherent value of 20 to 30 MGOe to only about 5 MGOe. In case of the rotor member of the permanent magnet motor which requires high dimensional accuracy, ground finish of the formed rotor member is necessary, which results in a poor yield. In view of such poor yield and use of expensive Sm and Co as major components, the performance and the production cost of the rotor member are not well balanced. Further, since the sintered magnet is mechanically fragile, a part of the magnet will be peeled off, splashed or transferred to another element. This will influence the maintenance of the function or reliability of the permanent magnet motor.
In case of the ring-form article made of the compound of the rare earth element-cobalt magnet and the resin, since the resin matrix compensates for the difference of coefficients of expansion of the magnet which is made anisotropic in the radial direction, the ring-form magnet article can have the magnetic anisotropy in the radial direction. For example, when the magnetic anisotropy is imparted to the injection-molded resin-bonded magnet comprising the rare earth element-cobalt magnet in the axial direction, a magnet with 8 to 10 MGOe :s obtained. Further, the compound magnet has a 30% smaller density and higher dimensional accuracy and is less fragile than the sintered magnet. Therefore, the resin-bonded magnet is a superior material for producing the ring-form magnet, particularly the thin wall ring-form magnet, as compared to the sintered magnet.
As the compound magnet with high magnetic performances, there is known is a resin-bonded magnet comprising a magnet having the composition of EQU Sm(Co, Cu, Fe, M).sub.n
wherein M and n are the same as defined above bound with 2 to 6% by weight of an epoxy resin composition.
Herein, the epoxy resin composition is intended to mean a composition comprising an epoxy resin and a curing agent which three-dimensionally cross links the epoxy resin.
In some cases, the epoxy resin composition may have large influence on the productivity or the performance of the resin-bonded magnet.
In the context of the present specification, the epoxy resin is intended to mean a compound having at least two oxirane rings of the formula: ##STR1## wherein Y is a polyfunctional halohydrin, which may be a residue formed through a reaction between epichlorohydrin and a polyfunctional phenol. Preferred examples of the polyfunctional phenol are resorcinol and bisphenols which are produced by condensation of phenol with an aldehyde or a ketone. Specific examples of the bisphenols are 2,2'-bis(p-hydroxyphenylpropane) (bisphenol-A), 4,4'-dihydroxybiphenyl, 4,4'-dihydroxybiphenylmethane, 2,2'-dihydroxydiphenyloxide and the like. One of the most general epoxy resins is the compound of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R is a divalent group selected from the group consisting of a saturated alkylene group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an oxygen atom and a sulfone group, y is an integer of 0 to 25, and m is 0 or 1.
A typical example of this epoxy resin is a condensation product of epichlorohydrin and bisphenol-A (DGEBA).
Examples of the curing agent for the epoxy resin are, in case of the resin-bonded magnet comprising the magnet element of Sm(Co, Cu, Fe, M).sub.n, azole compounds having an amino group and specifically the imidazoles of the formula: ##STR3## wherein R.sub.11, R.sub.12, R.sub.13 and R.sub.14 are the same or different and each a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group, a phenyl group or a lower alkyl-substituted phenyl group, examples of which are imidazole, 2-ethyl-4-methylimidazole, 1-benzyl-2-methylimidazole, 1-methylimidazole, 1,2-dimethylimidazole and the like (cf Japanese Patent Kokai Publication Nos. 37106/1985 and 207302/1985).
The epoxy resin composition comprising the above described epoxy resin (e.g. DGEBA) and the imidazole compound as the curing agent generally gives a cured epoxy resin having good chemical resistance and heat resistance. Therefore, such epoxy resin composition is useful to produce the resin-bonded magnet comprising the epoxy resin composition and the magnet of Sm(Co, Cu, Fe, M).sub.n which compound has improved chemical resistance and further a reduced irreversible coefficient at high temperatures.
However, since the imidazole compounds are solid materials having high melting points of usually higher than 200.degree. C., their mixing with the epoxy resin composition is very difficult, and the duration of use of the epoxy resin composition comprising the imidazole compounds is usually less than a week at room temperature. Further, the epoxy resin composition comprising the epoxy resin and the curing agent is gradually polymerized and cured to form dimers or trimers, whereby viscosity of the composition is increased. Since the viscosity of the epoxy resin composition will be increased also in the mixture of said composition with the magnet, when the resin-bonded magnet comprising the magnet of Sm(Co, Cu, Fe, M).sub.n with magnetic anisotropy is to be produced, a degree of magnetic orientation is decreased due to increase of viscosity and for example a residual magnetic flux density is reduced depending on the viscosity increase. Finally, the mixture forms gel, which makes the production of the resin-bonded magnet difficult.
When it is necessary to impart the magnetic anisotropy to the magnet such as Sm(Co, Cu, Fe, M).sub.n, usually the epoxy resin composition is in the liquid form at room temperature so as to make the magnetic orientation easy. However, since the liquid epoxy resin composition has no flowability suitable for compression molding, it is extremely difficult to prepare a green compact for the production of the resin-bonded magnet article. In addition, since the green compact has very low mechanical strength, it is difficult to obtain the resin-bonded magnet article having good quality and performance.
To overcome such defects of the epoxy resin composition, many proposals and suggestions have been made in relation with properties of a binder to be used in the preparation of the green compact. For example, Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 63808/1980 discloses the preparation of the green compact by dry blending fine powder of a thermally polymerizable resin and the magnet element. Although this method has some effects on the maintenance of the property of the green compact, a large amount of the binder is required to homogeneously wet the surface of each magnet particle with the thermally polymerizable resin fine powder. As the result, the content of the magnetic element decreases and then the magnetic performance of the magnetic is deteriorated. Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 194509/1985 discloses a method for producing a resin-bonded magnet article comprising coating the magnetic element particles with a thermally polymerizable resin composition which is in the solid state at room temperature, molding the green compact at a temperature higher than the softening point of the thermally polymerizable resin and releasing the molded article from the mold at a temperature lower than said softening point. Although this method has some effects on the maintenance of property and performance of the green compact, during molding, the green compact should be heated and cooled in relation to the softening point of the resin. This will create difficult problems in maintenance of production facilities for technical mass production of the resin-bonded magnet articles.
Since some salts of the imidazole compounds with lower fatty acids or phosphoric acid are liquids or solids with lower melting points, the use of such salt will facilitate blending of the epoxy resin with the imidazole compounds. Since the use of such salt will extend the duration of use of the epoxy resin composition, the production of the resin-bonded magnet article which requires the achievement of magnetic anisotropy is stabilized. However, the reaction of the salt of imidazole compound with the epoxy resin produces the monofunctional epoxy resin since the acid residue of said salt reacts with the epoxy resin. Thereby, the crosslink density is decreased so that the chemical and heat resistances of the epoxy-resin composition are deteriorated. The stability of the imidazole salt in which the basicity is neutralized with the acid is improved as the acidity of the acid becomes larger. But, this will further deteriorate the chemical and heat resistances of the epoxy resin composition. That is, the advantageous characteristics of the resin-bonded magnet comprising the imidazole compounds such as chemical resistance and suppression of the irreversible coefficient are deteriorated.
It is possible to produce, for example, a ring-form article from the magnetic element Sm(Co, Cu, Fe, M).sub.n and to impart magnetic anisotropy in the radial direction. For example the method for imparting the magnetic anisotropy to the ring-form article in the radial direction disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 170501 uses a mold in which magnetic yokes and non-magnetic yokes are alternately arranged around the mold cavity and a magnetizing coil is provided outside the mold or the magnetizing coil is embedded in a mold wall surrounding the cavity. In this method, to generate predetermined strength of magnetic field, a power source with low voltage and large current is used and a magnetomotive force is made large. To effectively focus a magnetic flux excited from outside the mold with the magnetizing coil through the yokes, a magnetic path should be made longer. Particularly, in case of a small ring-form magnet, a large portion of the magnetomotive force is consumed as leakage flux. The magnetic anisotropy in the radial direction cannot be sufficiently imparted to some ring articles having a certain shape. In addition, because of volumetric shrinkage caused by solidification of melt resin-bonded magnet comprising the rare earth element-cobalt magnet element during molding, the ring-form magnet with a thin wall may be cracked. In view of the above described difficulties such as maintenance of the magnetic property in the radial direction or volumetric shrinkage due to solidification of the melt, even the rare earth element-cobalt magnet element has poor shape flexibility in the production of the ring magnet. This will have large influence on design philosophy of the permanent magnet motor including the performance and structure. When the ring-form magnet is used as a rotor member of the permanent magnet motor, the ring-form magnet is often fixed to a shaft through a support made of a material which varies from non-magnetic to magnetic, rather than the ring-form magnet being directly fixed to the shaft. In the former case, the ring-form magnet and the support are mechanically engaged or bonded with an adhesive which is supplied in a narrow gap between them. This is because, in case of the ring-form magnet which requires the generation of magnetic anisotropy in the radial direction, it is very difficult to form the support of a material which varies from non-magnetic to magnetic integral with the ring-form magnet because of limitations on the mold structure with which the ring-form magnet is molded. When the ring-form magnet and the support are mechanically engaged, the ring-form magnet tends to be damaged. When they are bonded with the adhesive, since the gap in which the adhesive is supplied should be present between the ring magnet and the support, bonding strength and dimensional accuracy between the ring-form magnet and the support are not sufficient or the workability is not good. Thus, improvement of assembling property is desired.

Methods for producing a resin-bonded magnet

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An air filter includes a honeycomb rotor which carries a porous adsorbent and can be rotated in a circumferential direction, a drive means for rotating the honeycomb rotor, a first partition member provided with a first gas introduction section and a second gas exhaust section and a second partition member provided with a first gas exhaust section and a second gas introduction section, the first and second partition members being disposed on both sides of the honeycomb rotor respectively to allow two gases to flow in counter current to each other and to pass through different conduits respectively, a heater disposed at the inlet port of the first gas introduction section, a drive controller for controlling the drive means such that the honeycomb rotor can rotate intermittently by every part of a regenerative/purge-zone facing the first gas introduction section among the surface of the filter of the honeycomb rotor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air filter used to clean air in a clean room and air for cleaning devices in the fabrication of, for example, semiconductors, liquid crystals, and optoelectronics.
2. Description of Background Art
In processes for the fabrication of silicon wafers and the like in semiconductor plants, contaminants such as particles and metal impurities in a clean room cause defects of devices integrated to the extent of 64M bit DRAMs. These contaminants are therefore removed to the minimum using a HEPA filter or ULPA filter. However, in the case of devices integrated to a degree greater than 64M bit DRAM, ppb level gas contaminants in a clean room decrease the production yield. These gas contaminants are known to be originated from outside air, gas generated from the structural parts of the clean room, and chemicals used in the processes.
To reduce these gas contaminants to a concentration level of the order of ppm or less, a method of removing these contaminants are removed using a chemical filter in the clean room is adopted. The chemical filter removes gas contaminants, for instance, by passing the air in a clean room and devices through a filter of an adsorbent such as activated carbon. The gas contaminants are classified into acids, alkalis, and organic substances. To efficiently remove these gas contaminants, the chemical filter generally contains an appropriately selected adsorbent or reactive material absorbing these gases as a carrier.
For instance, amines are contained in an amount of several tens ppm in air and invade into a clean room when the outside air is introduced into the clean room. Also, it is known that basic gas contaminants such as amines are generated from building materials for a clean room and treating chemicals. If these basic gas contaminants exist in an amount of 10 to 20 ppb in a clean room, these contaminants give rise to abnormality in the shape of a photo resistance (T top phenomenon). In addition the basic gases react with acidic gases and form salts, which make the surfaces of optical parts in process equipment and the surfaces of silicon wafers to become cloudy. For this reason, a chemical filter carrying an acidic substance as a reactive material for absorbing gases is used to remove basic gas contaminants such as amines. If acidic gas contaminants exist in a clean room, on the other hand, these contaminants corrode glass fiber of a dust filter to thereby promote the generation of boron and also cause the corrosion of metals such as ICs.
Chemical filters have been used to remove such chemical substances. These chemical filters are manufactured from a porous adsorbent, with or without addition of a spreader, by processing such a porous adsorbent into the form of an air filter, and can remove chemical substances from a gas to be treated passing therethrough. Many chemical filters are used because they can remove various chemical substances. However, these chemical filters have a limitation to the amount of adsorption because they adsorb chemical substances by physical or chemical adsorption. It is therefore necessary to replace these filters after they are used for a certain period of time. The frequency of replacement is usually once several months to once a year, for example, although the frequency depends on working conditions. The replacement involves cost for purchasing new filters as well as maintenance costs. In addition, replacement generates waste materials.
To avoid such a problem, a method using a rotating regenerative type chemical filter is disclosed in the publication of JP-A-2000-296309. This method employs a rotor type chemical filter, which is rotated to adsorb chemical substances in the process air passing through a treating zone. The adsorbed chemical substances are heated in a regenerating zone to desorb and remove the chemical substances. Then, the filter is cooled in a purge zone. These steps are repeated to regenerate the filter continuously. The use of this method enables the filter to be regenerated many times until the adsorbent is deteriorated, saving the necessity for purchasing new filters and for disposal of used filters.
However, because the rotor continues rotating in this method, the regeneration zone must be always heated, resulting in an increased power consumption. In addition, the air after treating is eventually dried due to moisture adsorption by the adsorbent. In a process for the fabrication of semiconductors, the humidity must be controlled at a given level from the reasons described below.
Namely, the temperature and moisture in a clean room must be kept at a certain range. This is because if the temperature and moisture in the clean room exceed the upper limit of this range, the excessive moisture content caused moisture deposited onto the surfaces of silicon substrates. Such moisture deposited on the surfaces may cause acids, alkalis, and organic substances to be dissolved therein. The excessive moisture content also may oxidize the substrate and the like. If the temperature and moisture in a clean room are less than the above range, particles are adsorbed electrostatically onto the surfaces of the silicon substrates and the like because of the excessively small moisture content.
Therefore, in order to maintain a constant moisture content, the temperature and moisture of the air passing through a treating zone has conventionally been detected using a sensor or the like and the air has been treated with pure water or using a humidifier and the like.
However, this method has problems such as cost involved in the treating, requirement for large equipment, and the like.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive, compact, and long-life air filter.
In view of this situation, the inventors of the present invention have conducted earnest studies and as a result, found that the running cost of an air filter can be suppressed if a rotor is intermittently rotated by suitably selecting the treating time, regenerating time, and purge time, for example, a xe2x85x9 revolution, once every 6 hours, rather than always rotating the rotor. This fining has led to the completion of the present invention.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an air filter comprising a honeycomb rotor which carries a porous adsorbent and can be rotated in the circumferential direction, a drive means for rotating the honeycomb rotor, a first gas introduction section disposed on one side of the honeycomb rotor and a second gas introduction section disposed on another side of the honeycomb rotor, the first and second gas introduction sections introducing counter-currently flowing two types of gases into different conduits, a first gas exhaust section which is disposed on the other side of the honeycomb rotor and introduces the gas which is introduced from the first gas introduction section and exhausted through the honeycomb rotor, a second gas exhaust section which is disposed on the one side of the honeycomb rotor and introduces the gas which is introduced from the second gas introduction section and exhausted through the honeycomb rotor, a heater disposed at the inlet port of the first gas introduction section, and a drive controller for controlling the drive means so that the honeycomb rotor can rotate intermittently by every part of a regenerative/purge zone facing the first gas introduction section in the filter surface of the honeycomb rotor.
According to the above invention, the time required to operate the heater is shortened because the heater is turned off as soon as the regeneration is finished in the regenerative zone. In addition, because the regenerative zone is used as a purge zone as is after is turning off the heater, the power consumed for rotating the honeycomb rotor can be significantly saved. Also, because a purge operation is carried out using the air in the clean room, the humidity can be maintained constant before and after the purge operation.


A system for generating interpolation signals for a progressive scanning conversion television system. The sysetem includes a Y/C separator for separating the luminance (Y) and chrominance (C) signals from a composite video signal, an interpolation Y signal generating circuit for receiving the separated Y signal and generating an interpolated Y signal, the interpolation Y signal generating circuit including at least one low pass filter to remove the high frequency signal components from the separated Y signal and a circuit to alternately provide the separated Y signal and the interpolated Y signal along with the C signal to generate a progressive scanning television signal.

The interlaced scanning system is used widely in conventional television systems. In the interlaced scanning system, one frame image is composed of two fields; an odd field and an even field. Therefore, in an NTSC system (interlaced scanning system) television signal, for example, the number of scanning lines per frame image is 525 lines, and in each field, the number is halved to 262.5 lines. In a displayed image obtained with the interlaced scanning system, vertical scanning lines are generally rough and conspicuous, thus causing deterioration of the quality of the displayed images.
Progressive scanning television receivers also have been proposed in the art. In a progressive scanning television receiver the horizontal line rate is doubled, and each line of field image is displayed twice. As a result, a displayed image has twice the usual number of scanning lines found in the interlaced scanning system. Thus, various adverse influences on the displayed image, such as the visibility of the vertical line structure and line flicker caused by the interlaced scanning system, are reduced. Accordingly, progressive scanning television receivers facilitate the overall improvement of picture quality.
For doubling the horizontal line rate, additional scanning lines are interpolated between the scanning lines of the interlaced scanning system. Conventionally, the additional scanning lines or interpolation lines are produced by processing the interlaced system scanning lines of each field. For example, the interpolation lines can be obtained by simply using the same interlaced system scanning lines, or by summing two adjacent lines of the interlaced scanning system.
In one known form of progressive scanning television receiver, a scanning conversion circuit with an interpolation line generating circuit, as shown in FIG. 1, is provided. In the scanning conversion circuit a composite video signal of the interlaced scanning system is applied to a luminance-chrominance signal separator (referred to as Y/C separator hereinafter) 10 through an input terminal 11. Thus, a luminance signal (referred to as Y signal hereinafter) is output from a terminal 10a, while a chrominance signal (referred to as C signal hereinafter) is output from a terminal 10b. The Y signal is supplied to four paths. The Y signal on a first path is applied to a first speed doubler 12 through a first delay adjuster 13. Thus, a direct Y signal for progressive scanning is output from the first speed doubler 12. The Y signal on a second path is directly applied to a mixer 14. The Y signal on a third path is applied to a mixer 14 through a field delay circuit 15. The Y signal on a fourth path is applied to an image motion detector 16.
The mixer 14, the field delay circuit 15 and the image motion detector 16 constitute an interpolation signal generator 17. The image motion detector 16 controls a ratio between the Y signals applied to the mixer 14 through the second and third paths in response to a detection signal output from the image motion detector 16. Thus, an interpolation Y signal for the progressive scanning is generated by the mixer 14. The interpolation Y signal output from the mixer 14 is applied to a second speed doubler 18.
The first and second speed doublers 12 and 18 double the scanning speed of both the direct Y signal and the interpolation Y signal. The direct Y signal and the interpolation Y signal are alternately introduced to an interpolation Y signal output terminal 19. Thus, the direct Y signal and the interpolation Y signal are provided for the progressive scanning of the Y signal component.
The C signal output from the terminal 10b of the Y/C separator 10 is applied to a third speed doubler 20 through a second delay adjuster 21. The third speed doubler 20 also doubles the scanning speed of the C signal. The C signal is introduced to a C signal output terminal 22. Thus, the C signal is provided for the progressive scanning of the C signal component.
The first and second delay adjusters 13 and 21 are used for matching the phases of the direct Y signal and the C signal with the phase of the interpolation Y signal.
The field delay circuit 15 delays the Y signal for a one field period. Thus, the mixer 14 mixes a Y signal Yn of the current field applied through the second path with another Y signal Yn-1 of a prior field which is prior to the current field by one field period. As a result, the interpolation Y signal has information responsive to the Y signals Yn and Yn-1 of both the current and prior fields. The Y signals Yn and Yn-1 of the current and prior fields are used as a dynamic component of the Y signal (referred to as dynamic Y signal hereinafter) and a static component of the Y signal (referred to as static Y signal hereinafter), respectively.
Further the image motion detector 16 complementarily varies the gains of the dynamic and static Y signals Yn and Yn-1. The complementary gain control is carried out by an output from the image motion detector 16. Thus, the ratio between the dynamic and static Y signals Yn and Yn-1 varies in response to the detection output from the image motion detector 16. For example, a component of the dynamic Y signal Yn prevails over a component of the static Y signal Yn-1 in the interpolation Y signal when an intensive image motion is detected by the image motion detector 16.
The conventional interpolation line generating circuit 17, as shown in FIG. 1, has a drawback that the circuit can not always generate a correct interpolation signal. For example, when a composite video signal representing an inclined line image is input, an interpolation signal obtained by the interpolation line generating circuit 17 is displaced form the inclined line image. Thus, a waving folded line image is displayed during the progressive scanning.
Recently, another interpolation line generating circuit has been developed. This interpolation line generating circuit includes a best pixel interrelating interpolation signal generator. The best pixel interrelating interpolation signal generator comprises a pixel interrelation detector and a best pixel interrelating interpolation signal selector. The pixel interrelation detector compares interrelations of several predetermined pairs of pixels of corresponding lines of the current and prior fields with each other. Thus the pixel pair with the highest interrelation is detected. The pixel pair selector calculates absolute values for every pair of pixels. The best pixel interrelating interpolation signal selector selectively outputs the absolute value of the suitable pixel pair which are most interrelated with each other, according to the detection signal output from the pixel interrelation detector.
This type of interpolation line generating circuit can be adapted to display an inclined line image. Thus, such an inclined line image is correctly displayed without waving or other distortions. However, the latter interpolation line generating circuit sometimes fails to detect the pixel pair with the highest interrelation. This results in degradation of the displayed image.

Interpolation signal generating circuit for progressive scanning conversion system television receiver


A terminal lead frame comprises a frame and a plurality of terminal pairs set in the frame. The frame is a first dielectric material. The terminal pairs include a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal and the second terminal include a first and second extensions extending into the frame along with a first path and a second path, respectively. The first path is longer than the second path, wherein the first extension contacts with a second material to form a first area of contact while the second extension has a second area of contact with respect to the second dielectric material. The first area of contact is larger than the second area of contact.

1. Field of the Invention
The instant disclosure relates to a communication connector and terminal lead frame thereof enhance or improve high frequency signal transmission quality of communication connectors through adjusting dielectric assembly in contact with an electrical terminal.
2. Description of Related Art
Please refer to FIG. 1 as an example of a conventional connector and communication connector. Typically, a differential terminal pair T is used for electrical transmission. The differential terminal pair T has a first tip T1 which extends into a dielectric casing S. The dielectric casing S covers a mid-section of the first tip, first terminal wiring T11, therein. The first terminal wiring T11 then extends out of the dielectric casing S and exposes a first tail T13 therefrom. Similarly, the dielectric casing S covers a mid-section of a second tip T2, second terminal wiring T21, therein. The first terminal wiring T11 and second terminal wiring T21 are enveloped in and physically contact the dielectric casing S. Typically, the dielectric casing S envelopes the differential terminal pair T or the conductive body within the electric connector to provide insulation. Although dielectric casing S provides good insulating, impedance of the conductive body within the casing S is affected as well as transmission efficiency. Especially, electrical connectors transmitting differential signals are substantially affected when using differential terminal pair T. Accordingly, differential terminal pair T usually has two terminals in which one having a length longer than the other, such that two non-symmetrical terminals provide unbalanced transmission. Moreover, influence of casing S on various lengths of terminal pair T varies, which further amplifies differences in transmission between the two terminals. However, this crucial matter of differential signal transmission that has not yet been resolved cannot be ignored due to its substantial influences on non-equal length current terminal connectors or other connectors, and their respective differential signal transmission quality as well as efficiency. Thus, there is room for improvements, among which the most influential factor is high-frequency transmission.
To address the above issues, the inventor strives via associated experience and research to present the instant disclosure, which can effectively improve the limitation described above.

Communication connector and terminal lead frame thereof


An image signal processing device 1 comprises an encoding part 10, a delay part 20, a difference calculation part 30, a decoding part 40, a quantization error determination part 50 and a corrected image data output part 60. The corrected image data output part 60 outputs image data G2 input to the encoding part 10 as corrected image data G2′ when a difference D output from the difference calculation part 30 is equal to or less than a predetermined value Dth, or determines a basic correction value from the image data G2 input to the encoding part 10 and decoded image data GB1 output from the decoding part 40, reduces the basic correction value by a value in accordance with the magnitude of a quantization error E determined by the quantization error determination part 50 to obtain a modified correction value, and outputs the image data G2 input to the encoding part 10, to which the modified correction value is added, as the corrected image data G2′ when the difference D is greater than the predetermined value Dth.

An image display device is roughly classified into an impulse type display device and a hold type display device. In a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) mentioned of as an example of an impulse type display device, a screen is scanned by an electron gun and a display is produced only in pixels that electron beams have reached. In contrast to this, in a liquid crystal display device or an organic electroluminescence display device mentioned of as a hold type display device, a frame of an image signal is updated at a fixed period and when a display of an image of a certain first frame is specified, the display of the image of the first frame is held until a display of an image of the next second frame is specified. Compared to an impulse type display device, a hold type display device has various characteristics, such as that image distortion is unlikely to occur.
However, a liquid crystal display device has a problem that response is slow. That is, it takes time for an actual display value in a liquid crystal display device to reach a target display value after the target display value of an image of a certain frame is specified. There may be a case where the required time exceeds a period at which a frame is updated. Consequently, when a motion picture in which images changes rapidly is displayed on the screen of a liquid crystal display device, there may be a case where blur appears in the motion picture.
As a technique intended to solve such a problem, the overdrive technique is publicly known. According to the overdrive technique, when a certain pixel on the screen of a liquid crystal display device is focused on, if image data G2 corresponding to a target display value in the next second frame is different from image data (luminance) G1 corresponding to a target display value in a certain first frame, the image data G2 is corrected and then, corrected image data G2′ is given to the liquid crystal display device. At the time of the correction, when "G1<G2", G2 is corrected so that "G2<G2′" and when "G1>G2", then corrected so that "G2>G2′". By providing an image signal processing device that outputs an image signal to a liquid crystal display device after processing image data of each frame of the image signal as described above, it is made possible for the actual display value to reach the target display value quickly in the liquid crystal display device.
There have been made various proposals relating to the overdrive technique. In the invention disclosed in patent document 1, in order to acquire the corrected image data G2′ by performing predetermined processing based on the image data G1 of a certain first frame and the image data G2 of the next second frame, image data of each frame is encoded and the encoded image data of each frame is delayed by a delay part by a period of time corresponding to one frame. Then, the encoded image data of the frame to be output from the delay part after being decoded by a first decoding part is taken as image data of the first frame and at the same time, the encoded image data of the frame to be input to the delay part after being decoded by a second decoding part is taken as image data of the second frame, and based on the decoded image data of the first frame and that of the second frame, respectively, the corrected image data G2′ is acquired.
With the overdrive technique, image data corresponding to one frame is delayed by the delay part after being encoded, and therefore, the capacity of a memory used as the delay part can be reduced. Further, to the image data of the first frame and the second frame used to acquire the corrected image data G2′, an error substantially the same is attached at the time of encoding processing and decoding processing, and therefore, it is thought that the corrected image data G2′ is not affected by the error.    Patent document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-202845


An image forming system having a management information server and an image forming apparatus connected via a network. When the image forming apparatus enters a power saving mode and a power source is off, the apparatus is not reactivated by management information from the server but the power saving mode is maintained and the electric power consumption can be reduced. The system has: a communication control unit which receives print data and a management information obtaining command from the outside; a data discriminating unit which discriminates them and notifies the communication control unit of the discrimination result; an image forming unit which receives the print data and prints; and a power supply control unit which shuts off/recovers a part or all of the power sources to the image forming unit and notifies the communication control unit that the shut-off/recovery has been made.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming system.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, in an image forming apparatus such as a printer or the like, a power saving function to reduce electric power consumption has been installed in consideration of an environment or the like. According to the image forming apparatus having the power saving function, when a preset time passes, in a state where no operation is executed by the user or in a state where there is no reception data from an upper apparatus, a part or all of power sources in the image forming apparatus is shut off, thereby saving power. The image forming apparatus having the power saving function has: a power saving mode for shutting the power sources of a heater, a motor, a fan, and the like of a printing unit; and an operating mode such as a standby mode or the like for further shutting off the power sources except for those of parts of the circuits which are used for communication between an operation unit and the upper apparatus.
In an image forming system constructed by connecting image forming apparatuses such as printer, hybrid apparatus, and the like to a network, information managing means for transferring charge information, failure information, use situation information, and the like of the image forming apparatus to a server for an administrator via the network is provided. Thus, the system for managing a plurality of image forming apparatuses by the server for the administrator is constructed (for example, refer to JP-A-10-74132).
In this case, the information managing means is built in the image forming apparatus. In the image forming apparatuses such as printer, hybrid apparatus, and the like connected to the network, the information managing means is used in common by a control unit for receiving, analyzing, and developing information transmitted from the upper apparatus. The information managing means is means for transferring management information held in the image forming apparatus in accordance with collation which is made by the server for the administrator. The management information changes when the user uses the image forming apparatus by operating a personal computer or the like connected to the network. Therefore, in the image forming system in which the image forming apparatus and the server for the administrator are combined, the server for the administrator needs to collate the image forming apparatus at every predetermined interval of time in order to always hold the latest management information.
However, in the conventional image forming system, in spite of the fact that the power sources other than the partial circuit which is used for the communication between the operation unit of the image forming apparatus and the host are shut off when the operating mode of the image forming apparatus having the power saving function is shifted to the standby mode, each time the collation of the management information from the server for the administrator is received, the image forming apparatus is reactivated.
Generally, when the image forming apparatus enters the power saving mode and the operating mode is shifted to the standby mode, the management information does not change. Therefore, it is unnecessary to periodically collate the management information. In spite of such a fact, by collating the management information, the image forming apparatus is reactivated every collation, so that the electric power consumption cannot be sufficiently reduced.

Image forming apparatus and image processing system


Some embodiments described herein relate to receiving lactate concentration data from a non-invasive sensor. A ratio of aerobic to anaerobic exertion can be determined based on the concentration of lactate, and real-time feedback can be provided based on the ratio of aerobic to anaerobic exertion. For example, the user can be encouraged to maintain a level of intensity in which he or she approaches (but does not exceed) maximal oxygen consumption.

This application relates generally to real-time monitoring of a user's blood lactate (also referred to lactic acid) concentration during a physical activity and providing training guidance to that user during the physical activity. Methods, media, and apparatus that can increase training efficiency by providing real-time feedback based on lactate concentration are described herein.
"Getting fit" is a perennial New Year's resolution. The availability of a wide range of exercise equipment, training aids, and fitness magazines bears testament to the basic fact that some training methods are more effective than others. Even when an individual seeks to increase his or her fitness, the effectiveness of training can be compromised if the user engages in a training regimen that was not specifically designed for that individual and/or by deviations from the training protocol. Elite athletes have long benefited from coaches and training staffs that carefully monitor training regimens and adjust exertion goals based on performance.
Training responses vary at different levels of intensity. Because the human body uses multiple energy systems for fueling output, including aerobic and anaerobic metabolism, training efficiency can be improved by targeting specific energy systems for specific durations. Elite and amateur athletes alike can improve the efficiency of their workouts by conforming their workouts to structured training regimens, which may prescribe target intensity, target duration, and/or a sequence of different intensities.
Developing a structured training regimen for a particular individual and/or accurately conforming a workout to a structured training regimen requires insight into the body's function. Several indicators can be used as proxies for measuring exertion, including heart rate, levels of carbon dioxide exhaled, and concentrations of lactate in the blood. Heart rate, however, is an unreliable indicator of exertion activity with high latency. Carbon dioxide measurements require specialized exercise lab equipment. Lactate concentration is an excellent proxy for exertion, but has historically not been available in real-time and/or without drawing blood. A need therefore exists for methods, media, and apparatus for optimizing physical training based on real-time blood lactate monitoring.

Methods, media, and apparatus for optimizing physical training based on real-time blood lactate monitoring


Provided is a pneumatic tire including a bead apex and/or sidewall reinforcing layer, which achieves balanced improvements in high-hardness properties, elongation at break, and self-heating properties to provide good run-flat durability while maintaining good processability. The pneumatic tire includes a bead apex and/or sidewall reinforcing layer formed from a rubber composition, the composition containing a rubber component (A) and carbon black (B), the rubber component (A) containing, per 100% by mass thereof: 10-75% by mass of a modified butadiene rubber (A1) with a cis content of 50% by mass or less; 5-40% by mass of a polybutadiene rubber (A2) containing 1,2-syndiotactic polybutadiene crystals; and 10-40% by mass of a diene rubber (A3) different from (A1) and (A2), the composition containing 35-65 parts by mass of carbon black (B) per 100 parts by mass of rubber component (A), the carbon black (B) having a BET specific surface area of 18-50 m2/g.

In the preparation of rubber compositions for manufacturing bead apexes of tires, importance has been attached to increasing their complex elastic modulus (E*) to enhance handling stability. Also in recent years, the growing demand for more fuel-efficient cars has led to the need not only for rubber compositions for manufacturing treads that account for a large portion of a tire but also for rubber compositions for manufacturing bead apexes to have better fuel efficiency (low heat build-up properties).
One way of increasing E* is, for example, to use a large amount of carbon black with a large reinforcing effect, but in this case, fuel efficiency tends to be deteriorated. Meanwhile, to improve fuel efficiency of rubber compositions, a method of reducing the amount of carbon black or a method of using carbon black with a large particle size may be employed. These methods, however, decrease the E* of the rubber compositions. This decrease in E* is not desirable because it can cause reduction in handling stability and lateral rigidity of tires. Another proposed method for improving fuel efficiency involves using silica. This method, however, is not desirable either because it tends to decrease extrusion and building processabilities of rubber compositions. Thus, there is a need for a method capable of simultaneously ensuring E* and fuel efficiency.
Moreover, rubbers for sidewall reinforcing layers (inserts) for run-flat tires are expected to be capable of supporting the load of a vehicle to allow the vehicle to run a certain distance with the tire having no internal pressure after a puncture is made in the tire. Accordingly, high-hardness properties, elongation at break, and low self-heating properties are important factors. Also, since these rubbers use a large amount of modified polymer, it is also important that they have excellent processability before vulcanization.
A possible method to provide both high hardness and fuel efficiency is to reduce the amount of carbon black and add a large amount of crosslinking agent such as sulfur or accelerators. This method, however, unfortunately greatly decreases elongation at break and thus greatly reduces tensile strength. The method is also associated with the problem of reduced run-flat durability. Another possible method involves using low-grade carbon black such as FEF and GPF. However, unfortunately, this method cannot simultaneously provide high hardness and fuel efficiency and even decreases elongation at break. This method further involves the problem of reduced run-flat durability.
Patent Literatures 1 to 3 suggest the use of a modified rubber such as modified butadiene rubber or modified styrene-butadiene rubber to reduce rolling resistance. Still, these rubber compositions have room for improvement in terms of improving high-hardness properties, elongation at break, and self-heating properties and eventually run-flat durability while maintaining good processability.


A display panel able to receive full fingerprint impressions in a display area together with command touches, in addition to showing images, includes a substrate, scan lines, data lines, touch scan lines, touch lines, sub-pixels, and fingerprint sensing units. A method for driving such multifunctional touch display panel is also provided.

Touch display panels are widely used in various display devices, such as tablet computers and information inquiry machines in public halls. A display device generally defines a display area and a non-display area. Conventional display devices cannot take and recognize a fingerprint in the display area.
Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art.

Touch display panel and method for driving touch display panel


Method and apparatus for performing a series of downhole operations. The method can include conveying a work string with an integrated valve into a wellbore. As the work string with the integrated valve is conveyed into the wellbore, the valve can be in a first operation mode. When the valve is located within the wellbore, the valve can be adjusted to a different operation mode by selectively rotating at least a portion of the valve without longitudinal movement of the valve relative to the wellbore.

Completion assemblies for downhole operations are typically conveyed to a desired location within the wellbore and anchored or positioned within the wellbore by a service tool. Upon placement of the completion assembly, numerous well operations, such as perforation, fracing, gravel packing, etc., can be performed using a variety of completion tools, such as sand screens, bridge plugs, packers, pumps, just to name a few. Successful completion of these operations typically requires numerous movements of the service tool to actuate or operate the respective completion tools. For successful operations, an operator must have knowledge of the downhole service tool as well as an ability to visualize the operation, location, and status of the service tool within the well.
In a typical operation, the operator runs a work string, a service tool, and a lower completion into the well bore until a desired location is reached. The operator then marks the work string at the surface to indicate the respective location of the tool within the lower completion. The work string and the service tool are decoupled from the lower completion, and the work string and service tool are longitudinally moved within the lower completion. As the service tool is moved within the lower completion, the marks on the service tool are assumed to indicate specific positions of the service tool within the lower completion.
This procedure, however, relies on substantial knowledge and experience of the operator and is prone to error. Such error is most typically caused by the expansion and contraction of the work string as it is lowered into and retrieved from the wellbore. Such length differentials are most likely caused by temperature and/or pressure fluctuations within the wellbore that cause the work string to expand or contract. Moreover, in highly deviated wellbores with difficult trajectories, much of the string movement is lost between the surface and the downhole location due to string buckling, compression, and the like. In such systems where gravel packs are performed, the service tool can be prone to sticking with respect to the downhole completion assembly.
There is a need, therefore, for a downhole tool capable of performing multiple downhole operations without requiring longitudinal movement relative to the wellbore.

Rotatable valve for downhole completions and method of using same