Disclosed is a piezoelectric resonator that has a piezoelectric plate that has formed thereon a pair of main electrodes and has formed thereon a second electrode surrounding the peripheral edge of the main electrode with a gap being provided between the second electrode and a peripheral edge of the main electrode. The material of the main electrode and the material of the second electrode are differentiated from each other. As the material of the second electrode there is used a material the density of that is lower than the material of the main electrode. With this construction, there is obtained means for suppressing the occurrence of spurious due to an inharmonic mode generating in the high frequency piezoelectric resonator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high frequency piezoelectric resonator and, more particularly, to a high frequency piezoelectric resonator that is adapted to suppress the occurrence of spurious.
2. Description of the Related Art
Following making higher the frequency, making higher the speed of data processing, and making larger the capacity, of communication apparatus, there has in recent years been a strong demand for making higher the frequency of a piezoelectric device that is used in each of these apparatus.
Development as to the increase in frequency of an AT cut crystal resonator has been being performed and, during this period of time, the frequency intended to be used therein has hitherto reached several hundreds of MHz. As well known, the waves in the vibration mode of the AT cut crystal resonator are in the thickness shear mode. Therefore, the frequency thereof is in inverse proportion to the thickness of the crystal plate. So, it is necessary to make thin the thickness of the crystal plate in order to make the frequency higher.
FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) are views illustrating the construction of a conventional high frequency AT cut crystal resonator, FIG. 7(a) being a plan view and FIG. 7(b) being a sectional view. Part of a main surface of a crystal plate 21 is recessed using, for example, a photolithography technique and method of etching. The portion of the substrate 21 corresponding to this recess 22 is made to be an ultra-thin vibration portion. This portion of the plate 21 and a thick annular surrounding portion that retains the area around that vibration portion are formed integrally with each other. On one main surface (flat surface) of the crystal plate 21 there is disposed an electrode 23. From the electrode 23 there is extended toward the edge of the plate 21 a lead electrode 25. Further, on the other surface of the substrate 21, i.e., on the surface having therein the recess 22, there is formed an entire electrode 24.
It is to be noted that the energy trapping of the AT cut high frequency crystal resonator having a structure illustrated in FIG. 7, as well known, depends only upon the mass loading of the electrode 23 and not upon the mass loading of the entire electrode 24 on the other surface.
FIG. 8 is a view illustrating a measured example of the frequency spectrum of the AT cut high frequency crystal resonator having the structure illustrated in FIG. 7. The resonance frequency is set to be 156.6 MHz (the thickness of the crystal plate 21 is set to be approximately 10 xcexcm); the dimension in the X-axial direction of the electrode 23 is set to be 0.55 mm; the dimension in the Zxe2x80x2-axial direction is set to be 0.435 mm; and as the electrode 23 there was adhered a thin film of gold having a thickness of 600 xc3x85 on a backing layer of nickel having a thickness of 50 xc3x85. It is to be noted that the material of the film constituting the entire electrode 24 was also formed substantially in the same way.
As obvious from the frequency spectrum of FIG. 8, from the fundamental mode up to a large number of inharmonic modes fall within the range of the energy trapping mode. These modes, as seen, are sharply excited as spurious. Using this crystal resonator as one component of the oscillator, there is the possibility that the phenomenon of the frequency jump will occur.
As a method of analyzing a spurious mode in the thickness shear resonator such as that illustrated in FIG. 8, there is well known an energy trapping theory, which will briefly be explained below.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view illustrating the section of an ordinary AT cut crystal resonator. The diameter of a circular crystal plate 31 having a thickness of H is set to be 2b; the diameter of an electrode 32 that has been adhered thereto is set to be a; and the cutoff frequencies of the electrode 32 portion and the plate 31 portion are set to be f1 and f2, respectively. Generally, the plate-back xcex94, the energy trapping coefficient xcex6 and the normalized frequency "psgr" are expressed as follows.                     Δ        =                              (                                          f                2                            -                              f                1                                      )                                f            1                                              (        1        )                                ζ        =                              na            H                                          Δ                                              (        2        )                                φ        =                              (                          f              -                              f                1                                      )                                (                                          f                2                            -                              f                1                                      )                                              (        3        )
In the equation No. 2, n represents the order of the overtone mode. When the mode is the fundamental mode, n=1. FIG. 10 illustrates a frequency spectrum of the crystal resonator having the structure of FIG. 9, as determined by calculation, with the energy trapping coefficient xcex6 being plotted along the abscissa and the normalized frequency "psgr" being plotted along the ordinate. Generally, in order to design an resonator wherein spurious less occur, using the energy trapping coefficient xcex6=0.707 that is immediately before the symmetrical 1st mode S1 starts to be trapped is admitted as being preferable.
Here, FIG. 10 illustrates the results that have been obtained by the calculation that has been performed on the premise that the substrate be an isotropic elastic body. However, if applying this method of determining the frequency spectrum to an anisotropic piezoelectric plate such as a crystal, it is well known that it is sufficient to multiply each length by an anisotropic constant to thereby correct this length. For instance, with respect to the thickness twist mode and the thickness shear mode of the crystal resonator, their respective optimum energy trapping coefficients xcex6 are said to be 2.4 and 2.8.
Determining the energy trapping coefficient xcex6 of the high frequency crystal resonator illustrated in FIG. 8 according to the equation (2) as a trial, the xcex6=5.7. It is seen that this value is the one that is much greater than the optimum value. Therefore, as stated above, a high order of vibration mode also becomes an energy-confining mode, whereby a large number of spurious are sharply excited.
On the other hand, in order to improve the spurious characteristic of the AT cut crystal resonator, a piezoelectric resonator that can somewhat arbitrarily control the frequency of the generated spurious regardless of the length, film thickness, etc. of the electrode has been proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. Hei-9-27729 and Hei-9-93076.
FIG. 11(a) is a plan view illustrating a crystal resonator that is as proposed above and FIG. 11(b) is a sectional view thereof. On both surfaces of the central parts of a crystal plate 41 there are disposed main electrodes 42a and 42b. Simultaneously, second electrodes 44a and 44b are disposed so as to surround the peripheral edges of those electrodes 42a and 42b and with a gap between the both. The respective cutoff frequencies of the main electrodes 42a, 42b, gap portion, and second electrodes 44a, 44b are set to be f1, f2, and f3, as illustrated in FIG. 11(b). Here, the thickness of the electrode films are set so that the relationship among the cutoff frequencies of f1 less than f3 less than f2 holds true among the cutoff frequencies.
Also, the second amount xcex942 of decrease in frequency and the depth xcexd of the gap (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9ca groove depthxe2x80x9d) are respectively defined as follows.                               Δ                                xe2x80x83                              2                =                              (                                          f                3                            -                              f                1                                      )                                f            1                                              (        4        )                                v        =                              (                                          f                2                            -                              f                3                                      )                                (                                          f                3                            -                              f                1                                      )                                              (        5        )
According to the above official gazettes, whatever value the mass loading (the film thickness) of the main electrode 42a, 42b is set to be at, only if appropriately setting the mass loading (the film thickness) of the second electrode 44a, 44b correspondingly, it becomes possible to decrease the amount xcex942 of decrease in frequency, which participates in the energy trapping coefficient xcex6, down to a desired value. The above official gazettes describe that therefore it becomes possible to easily control the energy trapping coefficient xcex6 and hence to manufacture a crystal resonator the spurious of that are less. Further, the above official gazettes describe that, by aptly setting the groove depth xcexd and the ratios q/a and b/a of the distance q and b of the main electrode 42a, 42b with respect to the both edges of the second electrode 44a, 44b, it is possible to somewhat arbitrarily control the value of the energy trapping coefficient xcex6 permitting the generation of a symmetric high-order mode and anti-symmetric mode. Therefore, if adopting this proposal, it results that only desired main vibration waves can be excited with a high level of power without making an inharmonic mode trapped mode.
However, applying the above proposal to a high frequency 150-MHz band crystal resonator and determining the plate-back xcex942 using the electrode configuration of FIG. 8 with the energy trapping coefficient xcex6 being set to be 0.521, this plate-back xcex942 becomes xcex942=0.00144. If using a thin film of gold for both the main electrode and the second electrode, the difference in film thickness between the main electrode and the second electrode becomes 21.8 xc3x85. To realize this difference in film thickness, a precision of 10% or so becomes necessary with respect to the value of the difference. This value goes beyond a limit of control that is possible with an ordinary evaporating or sputter apparatus. Also, even when having used the value, which is immediately before the S1 mode is trapped, as the energy trapping coefficient xcex6, recognizing the generation of the oblique-symmetrical A0 mode, the difference in film thickness between the main electrode and the second electrode is as very small as 40 xc3x85. Controlling such a small film thickness difference with a precision of 10% or so is virtually impossible. Even if a film-forming apparatus enabling such control to be made has been developed, there was the problem that such an apparatus became very expensive.
Also, in case that forming a AT cut high frequency crystal resonator such as that illustrated in FIG. 7 using method of etching, the crystal plate prior to etching is etched until its thickness becomes 10 xcexcm while maintaining the surface configuration of the substrate, for example, 80 xcexcm thick as it is. Therefore, the unevenness in the flatness and the parallelism, which did not become very problematic with the substrate 80 xcexcm thick, becomes relatively very greatly problematic when the same is viewed from the etched plate that has become 10 xcexcm thick. Resultantly, anti-symmetrical modes A0 and A1 of vibration, which in an ordinary crystal resonator didn""t become problematic due to cancellation of the electric charges, appear as vigorous spurious in the thin portion which vibrates. For this reason, the following problem arose. Namely, as the energy trapping coefficient xcex6 that is optimum to suppressing the occurrence of spurious, the value that is immediately before the symmetrical 1st mode S1 starts to be trapped is not adequate. In other words, a sufficiently small value of energy trapping coefficient xcex6 must be used so that the anti-symmetric mode A0 does not become trapped.
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems and has an object to provide an AT cut high frequency crystal resonator wherein the occurrence of spurious is less.
To attain the above object, according to the first aspect of the invention, there is provided a high frequency piezoelectric resonator, the piezoelectric resonator including a piezoelectric plate having disposed on its main surfaces, respectively, mutually opposing main electrodes for the excitation, a pair of second electrodes being each disposed surrounding the peripheral edge of its corresponding main electrode with a gap in between, wherein the material of the main electrode and the material of the second electrode are different from each other.
According to the second aspect of the invention, there is provided a high frequency piezoelectric resonator according to the first aspect, wherein the density of the material of the second electrode is made lower than that of the main electrode.
According to the third aspect of the invention, there is provided a high frequency piezoelectric resonator according to the first or second aspect, wherein the piezoelectric plate is made a piezoelectric plate having formed therein a recess.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a high frequency piezoelectric resonator according to the first to third aspects, wherein the configuration of the main electrode is made elliptic.
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a high frequency piezoelectric resonator including a piezoelectric plate, one main surface of the piezoelectric plate being recessed to thereby form a thin portion therein, the main surface opposing the recess corresponding to the thin portion having formed thereon at its central portion a convex portion, the convex portion having formed thereon a main electrode for the excitation, a lead electrode being extended from the main electrode toward an edge of the plate, a second electrode being so provided as to surround the main electrode and the lead electrode with a gap in between, the piezoelectric plate having applied on a recess side thereof an entire electrode.
According to the sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a high frequency piezoelectric resonator according to the fifth aspect, wherein the convex portion is made elliptic.
According to the seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided a high frequency piezoelectric resonator according to the first to sixth aspects, wherein the second electrode is divided into a plurality of portions; and adjustment of frequency is performed of these electrode portions.

High frequency piezoelectric resonator having reduced spurious modes


A palladium precursor composition includes at least one palladium salt and at least one fluorinated component, wherein if the fluorinated component is not a fluorinated organoamine, the composition further includes an organoamine, and if the fluorinated component is a fluorinated organoamine, the composition may optionally further include one or more additional fluorinated components. Further disclosed is a substantially pinhole-free palladium layer formed from the precursor composition.

The present disclosure relates to compositions and processes for depositing and forming palladium layers on various substrates. The compositions may be flowable solutions or pastes, for example, and used to coat and/or print objects such as electronic devices or components thereof by solution deposition processes including spin coating, dip coating, screen printing, offset printing, gravure printing, flexographic printing, and inkjet printing.
Palladium (Pd) is a rare metal with many unique properties, resulting in its widespread use. For example, palladium is used in catalytic converters of automobiles to convert combustion byproducts into less harmful substances. Palladium is also used in many electronics devices, ceramic capacitors, fuel cells, and so on. Palladium layers/structures are conventionally formed in such devices by electroplating, sputtering or chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
There is an urgent need to form a palladium layer by way of a solution deposition process. For high speed deposition/coating processes, there is a wetting challenge to achieve a defect free palladium layer on certain substrates.

Palladium precursor composition having a fluorinated component


Computing environments can be automatically deployed and configured. For example, a computing system can receive a configuration dataset and identify a plurality of variables in the configuration dataset that have values that are undefined in the configuration dataset. The computing system can generate synthesized values for the plurality of variables. The computing system can generate an updated configuration dataset based on the synthesized values in which the plurality of variables are replaced with the synthesized values. The computing system can provide the updated configuration dataset to a configuration manager for causing the configuration manager to configure a plurality of servers in a distributed computing environment automatically based on the updated configuration dataset.

Computing systems have system configurations defined by configuration files. The configuration files can specify software applications, server processes, operating system parameters, or other configurable parameters for the computing systems. A configuration manager can configure, provision, and manage computing systems using configuration files. One example of a configuration manager is Ansible. Ansible is software that can run on a control computing system and use playbooks to perform operations on managed computing systems (e.g., servers). Playbooks are configuration files in YAML format that can declare desired configurations for the managed computing systems. Ansible can ingest the playbooks and responsively perform steps to configure the managed computing systems as specified in the playbooks. Other configuration managers, such as Chef, Puppet, and Salt, can perform similar functionality to Ansible.

Facilitating automatic deployment and configuration of computing environments


The invention relates to A device for transforming a rotation of a gear into a translation of a slide, the device including a supporting member provided with a fixed tubular wall translatably connected to the slide by a cam channel, the gear being rotatably mounted on the supporting member and rotatably connected to the slide which is suitable for pivoting about an axis. The gear comprises a ring rotatably mounted on the tubular wall of the supporting member.

Document FR 2 914 975 describes such a movement conversion device and the application thereof to an EGR valve. Exhaust gas recirculation systems are known by their abbreviation EGR systems and are used for reinjecting exhaust gases into the intake side of a combustion engine notably with a view to reducing pollutant emissions.

Movement transformation device and valve comprising such a device


There is provided a controller for controlling an output current of a switched mode power supply, SMPS. The controller comprises a sampling module arranged to sample a signal indicative of the output current of the SMPS at a frequency higher than a switching frequency of the SMPS, and a filter module arranged to filter out a ripple component of the sampled signal. The filter module comprises: a ripple component estimation module arranged to estimate the ripple component; a moving average calculation module arranged to calculate a moving average of the sampled signal; and a subtraction module arranged to generate a filtered signal by subtracting the estimated ripple component from the sampled signal and the calculated moving average. The controller also has a switching control module arranged to generate a control signal for controlling at least one of the switching frequency and a switching duty cycle of the SMPS based on the filtered signal.

The switched mode power supply (SMPS) is a well-known type of power converter having a diverse range of applications by virtue of its small size and weight and high efficiency, for example in personal computers and portable electronic devices such as cell phones. A SMPS achieves these advantages by switching one or more switching elements such as power MOSFETs at a high frequency (usually tens to hundreds of kHz), with the frequency or duty cycle of the switching being adjusted by a feedback loop (also widely referred to as a "compensation loop" or "feedback circuit") to convert an input voltage to a desired output voltage. A SMPS may take the form of a rectifier (AC/DC converter), a DC/DC converter, a frequency changer (AC/AC) or an inverter (DC/AC).
The feedback loop typically comprises a controller that controls the switching frequency or the switching duty cycle of the switching element(s) of the SMPS based on the output voltage and/or output current of the SMPS, in accordance with a control law defined by one or more control law parameters, to regulate the output voltage of the SMPS (in a constant voltage (CV) mode of operation) or the output (or choke) current of the SMPS (in a constant current (CC) mode of operation), keeping it in the vicinity of a predetermined value. For example, the SMPS may comprise a Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller that regulates the duty cycle (or the switching frequency, as the case may be) of the switching element(s) to keep the output voltage of the SMPS constant, in accordance with a PID control law that is characterised by the values of the P, I and D control parameters set in the PID controller.
To achieve a good feedback loop response and avoid oscillations, digital SMPS controllers operating in CV mode typically employ a filtering process that attenuates the usual voltage ripple that propagates to the feedback loop from the output of the SMPS. This voltage ripple is a substantially periodic oscillation in the output voltage of the SMPS, which is typically small in relation to the output voltage of the SMPS, and which may occur as a result of an incomplete suppression of an output alternating waveform by the SMPS's output filter. Conventional digital SMPS controllers usually attenuate the ripple component by oversampling the output voltage of the SMPS (or an error signal indicative of a difference between the output voltage and a reference voltage) and manipulating the oversampled signal using an appropriately configured Finite Impulse Response (FIR) or Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filter, e.g. a moving average filter or a decimation filter. Such filtering processes cause the voltage ripple component of the oversampled signal to be suppressed, thus allowing the low-bandwidth signal (i.e. voltage deviations due to transients) to be obtained for use in output voltage regulation. Where the feedback control loop of the SMPS utilises measurements of the SMPS's choke current to regulate the output current or the output voltage of the SMPS, similar techniques are used to suppress the ripple component of the choke current.

Switched mode power supply compensation loop


A method and system for monitoring laser shock peening of a work piece. A line spectrum is obtained from radiation emitted by a plasma produced by a laser shock peening process. The shape of the line spectrum about its emission peak is compared to a defined line shape to verify proper operation of the laser shock peening process. The line shape may be a Lorentzian line shape corresponding to a desired line shape. The line shape may a Gaussian line shape corresponding to an undesired line shape. The system can also detect the failure mode that occurs when the opaque layer is broken through by detecting the plasma spectral component produced by the work piece material, along with the plasma produced by the opaque layer.

The invention relates generally to process monitoring during laser treatment of a metallic surface, and in particular to real-time monitoring of a laser shock peening process by analyzing laser plasma emissions.
Laser shock peening (LSP), also referred to as laser shock processing, is an effective way of improving fatigue life of a metal work piece. Presently LSP finds wide application in the aerospace and automotive industries as a method for improving the fatigue properties of various metallic components, such as aluminum alloys, steel alloys, titanium based alloys, and nickel based alloys, among others.
Generally, in LSP, a surface of the work piece is covered by an opaque layer and a transparent overlay. The opaque layer may include a black plastic tape or a black paint coated on the surface of the work piece. The transparent overlay generally comprises a layer of water disposed adjacent to the opaque layer. During the process, a high-power pulsed laser beam is focused onto the surface of the work piece. The laser pulse passes through the transparent overlay and is absorbed by the opaque layer, causing a rapid ablation of the opaque layer producing a plasma. The blow-off of the plasma from the surface of the work piece generates a high-amplitude pressure shock wave. The pressure shock wave travels in two directions: First, a compressive wave travels through the opaque layer into the work piece. Second, a shock wave is reflected from the tape and travels backward through the transparent layer. Due to shock impedance mismatch, this backward traveling wave is reflected by the transparent layer toward the work piece. The shock waves ultimately combine to impart plastic strain to the work piece. This results in the deformation of the work piece and imparts compressive residual stresses, which remain following processing. It is these compressive residual stresses in the work piece, which effectively reduce crack propagation rates in the work piece and, thus, improves ftaigue properties of the work piece.
If the pressure produced by the laser is insufficient, the desired changes in mechanical properties of the work piece will not be achieved. Therefore, it is desirable to have the capability of monitoring the pressure and shock wave strength during the LSP process. One approach known in the art involves using a quartz gauge for pressure measurements during laser shock processing. A quartz gauge is based on the piezoelectric behavior of quartz crystals. In this technique, a quartz crystal is disposed on one surface of the work piece to be processed. When a pressure shock wave is applied to a surface of the quartz crystal by a laser pulse, an electric current proportional to the stress difference between the affected surface and the opposite surface is produced by the quartz crystal. The current flows through a resistor and the voltage measured across the resistor is proportional to the pressure response. By analyzing the pressure response of the quartz crystal, it is possible to determine shock-wave pressure produced on the work piece during the actual process. However this approach is disadvantageous because it is indirect and is performed offline, i.e. not in real-time. Moreover, such an approach is expensive, as the quartz crystal needs to be replaced after every laser shot.
Another technique to determine the quality of an LSP process includes performing accelerated fatigue test on a work piece after the work piece has been processed. However, since the LSP process and the work piece material are expensive, it is possible to sample only a limited number of parts for an accelerated fatigue test.
There is, hence, a need for a system and method for monitoring a laser shock peening process, which is inexpensive and is operable substantially in real-time.

System and method for monitoring laser shock processing


The system and method for lightweight spiral antenna array packaging uses a foam core and metallic elements such that the foam core is machined to accept the folded metallic elements to create a compact and light weight assembly. The assembly can be bonded to other assemblies to form arrays. The array is then encapsulated in a prepreg fiberglass skin with a conductive layer of fabric/screen therein.

Traditional packaging of cavity backed antenna elements into an array involves securing each element and its feed onto a rigid non-conductive support structure. The cavity behind the radiating element is typically required to be metal for reflective purposes. It is also important that the cavity does not touch the conductive elements. Unfortunately, a metal cavity is heavy and is limited to simple shapes. Large arrays with metal cavities are heavy and require more support structure to keep stresses and deflections low.
Wherefore it is an object of the present disclosure to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings and drawbacks associated with the conventional packaging methods for antenna arrays.

Lightweight spiral antenna array packaging approach

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


Provided is a pillow to support the head and neck of a user. The pillow includes an inflatable bladder assembly, a sheet, a fill material and a pillow casing. The inflatable bladder assembly includes an inflatable bladder. The sheet has a pocket securing the inflatable bladder. The fill material has a fold defining a first panel and a second panel of the fill material. The sheet is disposed in the fill material such that the sheet spans the first panel and the second panel and the inflatable bladder is disposed about the fold. The pillow casing secures the fill material, the sheet and the bladder, wherein the first panel and the second panel provide a friction surface to the sheet that secure the sheet and the inflatable bladder secured in the pocket within the fill material in a friction fitting.

1. Field
The present application relates to pillows. More specifically, the present application is directed to a pillow with an inflatable bladder assembly and a method of manufacturing a pillow with an inflatable bladder assembly.
2. Brief Discussion of Related Art
Invariably, rest and sleep are among the body's numerous mechanisms to heal itself from the postural, physical and nervous assaults throughout the previous day. Conventional pillows, which include a pillow casing and fill material, are known in the art and they have not undergone significant changes in the many years of pillow making.
In recent years, pillows that incorporate inflatable bladder assemblies have been designed to provide upper back, neck and head support in order to keep the upper spine and neck in neural positions. These pillows provide for comfort and support, and can make a difference in alleviating and/or avoiding back pain, neck pain and further in providing a restful and therapeutic night's sleep.
An inflatable bladder of the inflatable bladder assembly is disposed within the fill material in the pillow casing in a desired orientation, with an inflation bulb and valve assembly of the of the inflatable bladder assembly disposed to the outside of the pillow and connected to the bladder through the pillow casing via a flexible tubing. This allows the inflatable bladder disposed in the pillow to be inflated and deflated from the outside of the pillow.
Generally, the inflatable bladder is inserted within the fill material in the pillow casing but remains unsecured in relation to the pillow, including the pillow casing and the fill material. If a user is not careful, the constant pulling and tugging on the inflatable bladder via the flexible tubing—whether by the user operating the inflatable bladder or inadvertently by catching the inflation bulb and valve assembly on other objects—can cause the inflatable bladder in some cases to displace from the original desired orientation and in worst cases to come out of the pillow entirely.
There is a need in the art to provide a pillow that secures the inflatable bladder in a desired orientation in relation to the pillow casing and the fill material of the pillow to provide comfortable, restful and therapeutic sleeping positions for the user and to reduce the potential for shifting of the inflatable bladder from the desired orientation and/or damaging the pillow entirely, while reducing pillow production costs necessary to secure the inflatable bladder in the desired orientation in relation to the pillow.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A poke-in terminal includes a main body, a tab terminal socket at a mating end, and a wire socket at a terminating end. The tab terminal socket includes walls forming a tab terminal receptacle configured to receive a tab terminal. Upper and lower beam contacts extend into the tab terminal receptacle to interface with the tab terminal. The wire socket includes walls forming a wire receptacle configured to receive a wire. Poke-in retention beams extend into the wire receptacle to interface with the wire when poked into the wire socket. The wire socket includes a wire release element configured to be actuated to release the poke-in retention beams from the wire.

The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors for electrical devices.
Cables are electrically connected to electrical devices by terminating wires to terminals within the electrical devices. For example, the cables may be power cables having power wires, such as a hot wire, a neutral wire, and a ground wire, which are electrically connected to wires or terminals of the electrical device. The wires are typically terminated to device wires of the electrical device using wire nuts. The wires may be terminated to device terminals of the electrical device using contacts crimped to the wires. Conventional terminations may be unreliable, particularly when novice installers, such as homeowners, perform the terminations. Additionally, access to the device terminals or device wires is typically limited, making termination of the wires to the device wires or the device terminals difficult.
A need remains for electrical connectors that may be reliably coupled to electrical devices.

Poke-in wire connector for power connector assembly


In a communication network architecture including mobile equipment that employs multiple functions selectable for use by the user, the functions having respective measurable parameters, a service provider monitors the user's behavior with, and use of, the mobile equipment. An agent, such as software installed on-board the mobile equipment, measures parameters that are related to the user's behavior and use of the mobile equipment, and communicates the measured parameters to the service provider, over the communication network. The agent detects change of such user behavior and use, and accordingly changes parameters to measure and report on.

The invention relates to the field of telecommunications, and particularly to wireless communication networks. Among other areas, it has applicability to networks such as GPRS and IDEN, and networks according to the IEEE 802.11 standard.
In a typical communications architecture, users are coupled for communication with one or more nodes, such as base stations, servers, etc., which, in turn, are coupled for communication with public communication networks such as the Internet, and which support technology coverage areas within the network. Communications between such users pass through their respective base stations, and across the public networks. Such users employ mobile equipment, such as laptop or other portable computers, cellular telephones, etc.
A given piece of mobile equipment is characterized in terms of its functions, application programs, user-selectable options, etc., that the user has to choose from. As the user uses the mobile equipment, there is potentially a lot of data regarding the user's behavior with, and use of, the equipment. This can include, for instance, information about which on-board applications the user uses, the time of day and the length of time of a session in which the user uses an application, statistics regarding which functions are frequently, or infrequently, used, consumer travel patterns and even consumer associations with other subscribers by noting proximity to other subscribers, etc.
Various sets of operating parameters are associated with the respective user-selectable functions, etc. A service provider supporting a given service or mobile device will need access to data regarding its customer's use of the available functions, etc. However, service providers conventionally have very limited or no visibility to data regarding consumer behavior and their use of the devices.
The service provider conventionally accesses data about its customers, and their use of mobile equipment, by monitoring the various system infrastructure components at the base stations and elsewhere in the network. Service providers conventionally have had to conduct statistical analysis of these base station measurements to infer such user behavior, use of available functions, etc. Service providers conduct surveys of their customers to understand, for instance, customer experience, device use and service level both inside and outside of their home network. Test labs are also set up to simulate the expected environments.
However, these methods have had the drawback that they cannot directly measure customer experience. Service providers conventionally have very limited or no visibility into their customers' use of the mobile equipment. The service providers need information on such performance, in order to handle problems, and otherwise to be responsive to their customers' needs. The service provider's inability to obtain information directly reflective of the system's performance, as the user experiences it, disadvantageously limits the service provider's ability to provide the customer with effective support.

System and method for measuring user behavior and use of mobile equipment


A direct downconversion receiver architecture having a DC loop to remove DC offset from the signal components, a digital variable gain amplifier (DVGA) to provide a range of gains, an automatic gain control (AGC) loop to provide gain control for the DVGA and RF/analog circuitry, and a serial bus interface (SBI) unit to provide controls for the RF/analog circuitry via a serial bus. The DVGA may be advantageously designed and located as described herein. The operating mode of the VGA loop may be selected based on the operating mode of the DC loop, since these two loops interact with one another. The duration of time the DC loop is operated in an acquisition mode may be selected to be inversely proportional to the DC loop bandwidth in the acquisition mode. The controls for some or all of the RF/analog circuitry may be provided via the serial bus.

1. Field
The present invention relates generally to electronic circuits, and more specifically to a direct downconversion receiver architecture for use in a wireless (e.g., CDMA) communication system.
2. Background
In a CDMA system, data to be transmitted is initially processed to generate a radio frequency (RF) modulated signal that is more suitable for transmission over a wireless communication channel. The RF modulated signal is then transmitted over the communication channel to one or more intended receivers, which may be terminals in the CDMA system. The transmitted signal is affected by various transmission phenomena, such as fading and multipath. These phenomena result in the RF modulated signal being received at the terminals at a wide range of signal power levels, which may be 100 dB or more.
At a given terminal, the transmitted signal is received, conditioned, and downconverted to baseband by a receiver front-end unit. Conventionally, the frequency downconversion from RF to baseband is performed with a heterodyne receiver that includes multiple (e.g., two) frequency downconversion stages. In the first stage, the received signal is downconverted from RF to an intermediate frequency (IF) where filtering and amplification are typically performed. And in the second stage, the IF signal is then downconverted from IF to baseband where additional processing is typically performed to recover the transmitted data.
The heterodyne receiver architecture provides several advantages. First, the IF frequency may be selected such that undesired inter-modulation (IM) products, which result from non-linearity in the RF and analog circuitry used to condition and downconvert the received signal, may be more easily filtered. Second, multiple filters and variable gain amplifier (VGA) stages may be provided at RF and IF to provide the necessary filtering and amplification for the received signal. For example, an RF amplifier may be designed to provide 40 dB of gain range and an IF amplifier may be designed to provide 60 dB of gain range, which would then collectively cover the 100 dB of dynamic range for the received signal.
For certain applications, such as cellular telephone, it is highly desirable to simplify the receiver design to reduce size and cost. Moreover, for mobile applications such as cellular telephone, it is highly desirable to reduce power consumption to extend battery life between recharges. For these applications, a direct downconversion receiver (which is also known as a homodyne receiver or a zero-IF receiver) may provide these desired benefits because it uses only one stage to directly downconvert the received signal from RF to baseband.
Several challenges are encountered in the design of a direct downconversion receiver. For example, because there is no IF signal in the direct downconversion receiver, the (e.g., 60 dB) gain range normally provided by the IF amplifier in the heterodyne receiver would need to be provided instead at either RF or baseband in the direct downconversion receiver. To avoid placing additional requirements on the RF circuitry and to reduce cost and circuit complexity, this IF gain range may be provided at baseband. However, if the baseband gain range is provided digitally after analog-to-digital conversion, then the baseband signal provided to the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) would have smaller amplitude since the gain is provided digitally after the ADC. DC offset in the baseband signal would then become a more critical consideration in the direct downconversion receiver because the baseband signal amplitude is smaller, and the DC offset may be a much larger percentage of the signal amplitude.
There is therefore a need in the art for a direct downconversion receiver architecture capable of providing the required signal gain and DC offset correction.


A capillary tube for use in high performance capillary electrophoresis is enclosed in a cartridge of generally planar configuration, formed by two flat plates joined together along raised edges to define a shallow enclosed chamber to retain the looped capillary tube, the plates having aligned windows between which a segment of the capillary tube passes, thereby forming a light path for zone detection. The termini of the capillary are embedded in fittings extending from the exterior of the cartridge, which mate with complementary fittings on inlet and outlet blocks which contain buffer reservoirs with controlled hydrostatic heads. The inlet block is specially equipped with ducts and fittings to permit filling of the capillary, injection of the sample into the capillary, changing of the solution in the buffer reservoir, and flushing out of the entire block without disconnecting the block from the capillary cartridge. By securing the cartridge containing the capillary tube into its holder, the capillary tube is correctly aligned in the detector light path.

This invention relates to capillary electrophoresis, and in particular to structures for holding capillary tubes. Aligning the tubes in the light path for directing liquid flows, and securing electrical contacts for electrophoretic separations in such tubes.
Capillary electrophoresis offers advantages over other types of electrophoresis for certain applications. These advantages include the separation of extremely small samples, a long separation path permitting the separation of a multitude of components in a single sample including those which are closely related, and the use of a high voltage to achieve the separation in a relatively short period of time. Capillary tubes further permit on-line detection of the separated species by passing a light beam through the tube at a point towards its exit end, and directing the emerging light beam to a detector.
Difficulties associated with the use of capillary tubes include the awkwardness of handling involved in sample injection, in connecting and disconnecting the tubes to anolyte and catholyte solutions, and in changing the anolyte and/or catholyte solutions for purposes of zone mobilization and other procedures involved in the separations. A further difficulty is in controlling the Joule heating caused by the high voltage and the zone broadening which often occurs as a result. In the case of on-line detection, difficulties arise in achieving and maintaining proper alignment of the tube in the optical path of a detector and avoidance of drift due to the Joule heating.


Disclosed is a wound treatment that includes collagen and a gelatin-reducing agent. Also disclosed is a wound dressing including a substrate, collagen, and a gelatin-reducing agent. The collagen and gelatin-reducing agent may be present in any suitable a weight ratio relative to one another, such as a weight ratio of about 0.25:1 to about 4:1 with respect to one another. Also disclosed is a method for promoting wound healing including administering collagen and a gelatin-reducing agent to a wound in need of treatment.

After an injury, including accidental or medically-induced injuries to the skin or other affected tissue, the body undergoes a natural process to repair the damage. The wound repair process involves a complex coordination of biochemical processes to remove damaged cells and tissue and to promote new tissue growth. Many wounds heal quickly with minimal medical attention. For severe acute wounds, the healing process may be delayed and may result in painful inflammation, infection, or scarring. Significant medical attention may be required for such wounds. Additionally, chronic wounds, such as pressure sores, diabetic foot ulcers, and arterial ulcers, generally require significant medical attention. A variety of medical conditions may also complicate and slow the healing process, including diabetes or diseases that cause poor blood circulation. In such cases, additional steps are desirably taken to assist the natural wound healing process.
During the normal wound repair process, fibroblasts produce collagen, which is a structural protein that plays an important role in new tissue development. Fibroblasts are recruited to the wound site and collagen expression is upregulated. In some wounds, such as chronic wounds, a failure or delay in fibroblast recruitment or collagen expression at the wound site can adversely affect wound healing. Chronic wounds may also be characterized by high matrix metalloprotease ("MMP") levels. MMPs comprise a family of enzymes involved in the breakdown of the extracellular matrix. Of these, collagenases generally degrade intact collagen, while gelatinases generally degrade denatured or damaged collagen (i.e., gelatin). Necrotic tissue contains a high proportion of damaged collagen. Living tissue contains a higher proportion of non-degraded collagen. In general, intact collagen is a precursor of degraded gelatin.
MMPs generally play a helpful role in the early, inflammatory phase of wound healing when they are essential to clean up loose, unanchored collagen (that role is played by collagenase MMPs) as well as degraded collagen (that degradation or clean up role is played by the gelatinase type of MMPs). However, excessive MMP levels or higher levels of some MMPs versus others, long after the acute inflammatory phase should have passed, can inhibit the wound healing process by resulting in ineffectually low collagen levels at the wound site. MMP levels are affected, at least in part, by levels of other enzymes, such as elastase, which converts MMP precursors to active MMPs. Accordingly, high elastase levels in the wounds also promote faster collagen breakdown and lower collagen levels at the wound site. Elastases also break down a key protein elastin.
A major direct, as well as indirect, source of MMPs and other proteinases are wound pathogens in necrotic tissue. High levels of proteases result from a combination of related factors. First, the microbes themselves secrete the degradative and inflammatory enzymes to catabolize tissue and tissue associated substances (e.g., extracellular matrix or "ECM" that contain collagen and gelatin) to provide nutrition for themselves. Second, the high levels of bacteria associated with necrotic tissue recruit cells of the innate immune system that secrete these proteinases on a continuous basis. In the delay of wound healing for chronic wounds, the presence of necrotic tissue is a significant cause of these problems, and it is difficult to remove all of the necrotic tissue using a surgical or other mechanical technique.
It has been reported that bacterial biofilms are associated with a significant percentage of chronic wounds. The microbes associated with biofilms are a significant source of MMP levels in chronic wounds. The biofilms become tolerant to antibiotic therapy and are difficult to eliminate. Studies have shown that surgical debridement can temporarily remove biofilms but that biofilms can return within days. The presence of biofilms leads to massive congregation of macrophages which are unable to physically penetrate the exopolymeric matrix and simply remain persistent in the wound site and secrete inflammatory enzymes such as MMPs, which include collagenases and gelatinases. The former delays wound healing.
It also has been reported that tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases ("TIMPs") levels are generally slightly lower in chronic wounds than in acute wounds. Unchecked, MMPs can also result in the unwanted destruction of beneficial proteins, such as growth factors, growth factor receptors, and TIMPs, that are important for the healing process.
It is therefore generally desired to provide a composition and method that is effective to increase collagen levels while reducing gelatin at the wound site, thereby promoting wound healing. It has been found that a wound treatment can comprise, in combination, collagen and a gelatin-reducing agent. Preferably, at least a majority of the collagen is native collagen, and the gelatin-reducing agent is a poloxamer. The wound treatment may take any suitable form, such as a wound dressing. It is believed that collagen will interact with collagenases naturally present in the wound to preserve the collagen, thus inhibiting gelatin formation, and that the poloxamer or other gelatin-reducing agent will both help to physically remove gelatin from the wound and to inhibit gelatin formation by one or more actions of potentiating gelatinases or depotentiating collagenases in the wound.

Wound treatment containing collagen and a gelatin-reducing agent, and method for promoting wound healing


Systems, devices, and methods for non-Gaussian energy distribution modeling for treatment planning algorithms used in particle radiation therapy.

Radiosurgery and radiotherapy systems are radiation therapy treatment systems that use external radiation beams to treat pathological anatomies (tumors, lesions, vascular malformations, nerve disorders, etc.) by delivering prescribed doses of radiation (X-rays, gamma rays, electrons, protons, and/or ions) to the pathological anatomy (i.e., the target) while minimizing radiation exposure to the surrounding tissue and critical anatomical structures. Due to the high radiation dose delivered to the patient during the treatment, radiation therapy requires high spatial accuracy to ensure that the tumor or abnormality (i.e., the target) receives the prescribed dose while the surrounding normal tissue is spared.
In general, radiation therapy treatments consist of several phases. First, a precise three-dimensional (3D) map of the anatomical structures in the area of interest (head, body, etc.) is constructed using any one of (or combinations thereof) a computed tomography (CT), cone-beam CBCT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), 3D rotational angiography (3DRA), or ultrasound techniques. This determines the exact coordinates of the target within the anatomical structure, namely, locates the tumor or abnormality within the body and defines its exact shape and size. Second, a motion path for the radiation beam is computed to deliver a dose distribution that the surgeon finds acceptable, taking into account a variety of medical constraints. During this phase, a team of specialists develop a treatment plan using special computer software to optimally irradiate the tumor and minimize dose to the surrounding normal tissue by designing beams of radiation to converge on the target area from different angles and planes. Third, the radiation treatment plan is executed. During this phase, the radiation dose is delivered to the patient according to the prescribed treatment plan.
Generally, radiation therapy treatment planning is a procedure that takes, as input, a model of both the radiation beam and the patient anatomy, and produces, as output, machine instructions to deliver the radiation treatment (i.e., the beam energy, beam shape and number of photons to be delivered in each beam, etc.), and the expected radiation dose distribution in the patient.
Although treatment planning procedures have some common characteristics for different radiation types, the use of particles (protons, neutrons, heavy ions, etc.) as opposed to photons (i.e., X-rays), has a number of specific implication when it comes to designing and optimizing treatment parameters. The differences come mostly from the fact that particles such as protons deposit most of their energy in a high-dose peak, known as the Bragg peak, at the end of their track, ensuring that the protons stop at the Bragg peak, whereas photons achieve maximum dose either at or just below the surface of the patient and they deposit dose beyond the target.
Generally, in particle therapy, the expected dose distribution within the patient is determined based on dose calculation models that take into consideration the dose at different depths (i.e., depth dose) as well as the distribution of dose in transversal directions (i.e., transversal dose distribution). Since some of the properties of the charged particle beams depend on the initial energy of the beam, the treatment planning for charged particles also models the depth dose distribution of the particles at different energies that are used for the treatment. Therefore, the depth dose distribution usually includes the energy distribution of the particles. Generally, the energy distribution of the particles is approximated by a Gaussian distribution.
It has been observed, however, that for lower energies, the energy distribution of the particles is not necessarily Gaussian. As a result, using a Gaussian distribution to model the energy distribution of the particles to generate the depth dose distribution, may result in a less accurate modeling of the dose distribution. An inaccurate dose distribution model results in inaccuracies in the treatment plan, which can introduce significant differences between the planned and the actual delivered dose.

Spectrum modeling systems, methods, and devices for particle therapy treatment planning

VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS PARTICLE THERAPY GMBH & CO. KG


The receiver (1) picks up low rate FSK radio frequency signals. This receiver includes an antenna (2) for receiving FSK radio frequency signals, a low noise amplifier (3) connected to the antenna, a local oscillator (7) for supplying oscillating signals (LO), a phase shift circuit (16) for performing a 0° to 90° phase shift, and vice versa, in the oscillating signals (LO) or the incoming FSK radio frequency signals in each semi-period of a phase switching cycle (1/fs). The phase shift circuit alternately and successively generates in-phase and quadrature oscillating signals, or in-phase and quadrature incoming FSK radio frequency signals. The receiver includes a single mixer (4) for mixing the oscillating signals successively with the incoming FSK radio frequency signals, so as to generate alternately intermediate in-phase and quadrature baseband signals (INT) as a function of the phase shift circuit. The receiver further includes a low-pass filter (8) for filtering the intermediate in-phase and quadrature signals, and a demodulation stage (20) for demodulating the data (DOUT) from the filtered intermediate signals. The receiver is arranged such that the phase shift circuit (16) is switched by a phase selection signal (SEL) to a phase switching cycle frequency (fs) which is lower than the frequency deviation (Δf) of the modulated data in the FSK radio frequency signals and higher than the data rate frequency. Magic circuits (14, 15) in the demodulation stage reconstruct the intermediate signals during each switch operation for continuous demodulation in the demodulator (12).

In a conventional radio frequency signal receiver for FSK modulation, as shown in FIG. 1a, direct frequency conversion can be carried out in two distinct quadrature branches to obtain baseband signals. Each branch includes a mixer 4, 5 for performing the frequency conversion with oscillating signals supplied by a local oscillator 7. In a first branch, a first high frequency mixer 4 mixes the FSK signals picked up by the antenna 2 and amplified by the low noise amplifier ("LNA") 3 of the receiver, with in-phase oscillating signals SI to provide intermediate in-phase signals IINT. In a second branch, a second high frequency mixer 5 mixes the FSK signals picked up by antenna 2 and amplified by the LNA 3, with quadrature oscillating signals SQ to provide intermediate quadrature signals QINT. These quadrature oscillating signals are obtained via a 90° phase shifter 6 connected to local oscillator 7. The intermediate signals IINT and QINT are then each filtered in a respective low-pass filter 8 and 9 to provide filtered signals. The filtered signals then each pass through a respective limiter 10 and 11 prior to data demodulation in the conventional demodulator 12, which provides data signals DOUT. The two intermediate in-phase signals IINT and quadrature signals QINT are necessary for the demodulation stage to be able to identify the sign of the incoming FSK signal frequency drift and to analyse the incoming FSK signal data.
According to another variant of a conventional FSK radio frequency signal receiver shown in FIG. 1b, a 90° phase shifter 6 may be provided in one of the branches prior to frequency conversion. The FSK radio frequency signals are mixed, firstly, in the first high frequency mixer 4 via oscillating signals SI provided by local oscillator 7, so as to provide intermediate in-phase signals IINT. The FSK radio frequency signals phase-shifted by 90° by phase shifter 6 are then mixed in the second high frequency mixer 5 via the same oscillating signals SI from local oscillator 7, so as to provide the intermediate quadrature signals QINT.
According to the first and second variants set out above with reference to FIGS. 1a and 1b, receiver 1 may be capable of picking up conventional FSK radio frequency signals, which may have a carrier frequency f0 of around 2.45 GHz. A data modulation frequency drift or deviation of +Δf or −Δf around f0 may be around ±250 kHz, or lower. Since high frequency direct conversion is carried out in the two mixers 4 and 5, followed by filtering in the two low-pass filters and amplitude limiting in two limiters, the receiver consumes a high level of electric power, which is a drawback.
To avoid the use of two mixers during the high frequency direct conversion of the incoming radio frequency signals, reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,408, which discloses an FSK data signal receiver. This receiver has a single mixer for the direct conversion of the incoming FSK signals into baseband signals. To achieve this, according to a first variant, oscillating signals from a local oscillator are supplied to the single mixer via a phase control circuit, which acts alternately during phase switching, like a 90° phase shifter. The phase control circuit supplies alternately over time in-phase oscillating signals and quadrature oscillating signals to the single mixer to convert the frequency of the FSK radio frequency signals picked up by the receiver antenna. The intermediate signals supplied by the mixer are thus a series of alternate intermediate in-phase signals and intermediate quadrature signals. These intermediate signals are filtered in a low-pass filter prior to a data demodulation operation.
According to a second variant of the FSK radio frequency signal receiver, the phase control circuit, which acts alternately during phase switching as a 90° phase shifter, is arranged between the receiver antenna and the single mixer. This phase control circuit supplies alternately over time in-phase FSK radio frequency signals and quadrature FSK radio frequency signals to the mixer. The local oscillator directly supplies oscillating signals to the mixer so that it provides alternate intermediate in-phase and quadrature signals. These intermediate signals are also filtered by a low-pass filter prior to a data demodulation operation.
In the FSK signal receiver of U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,408, switching between the in-phase signals and quadrature signals by the phase control circuit is carried out very abruptly. This leads to high frequencies. In these conditions, because very rapid switching is required, a low-pass filter with a very broad bandwidth is needed after the single mixer, which is a drawback. This also means that the FSK signal receiver has low practical sensitivity and poor reception channel efficiency, but high electric power consumption. This receiver can only be used for controlling equipment in a precise place, but not in a communication universe with several transmission and reception channels. Moreover, the phase control circuit for changing from in-phase signals to quadrature signals and vice versa is directly controlled on the basis of first baseband signals at the low-pass filter output. Switching with very steep flanks occurs from one phase to another, which requires the use of lag components. Thus all the spurious frequencies on the central frequency pass through the filter to maintain rapid switching between the phases. These spurious frequencies may even be higher than the frequency of the incoming radio frequency signals, which leads to high power consumption in the receiver input stage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,268 disclosing an FSK radio frequency signal receiver may also be cited. This receiver also uses a single mixer for converting the frequency of the radio frequency signals into baseband signals. A phase control circuit is provided at the local oscillator output to supply in-phase or quadrature signals to the mixer. A pulse control generator is provided for clocking the phase control circuit at the local oscillator output. As for the preceding document, the first low-pass filter at the mixer output has a very high bandwidth, given that phase switching must also be very rapid. This is a drawback, since second low-pass filters with a narrow bandwidth must also be provided before the data demodulation phase to remove all of the spurious frequencies, which have not been filtered out by the first low-pass filter. High power consumption in the input stage, notably the phase control circuit, is thus observed, and additional components are provided between the frequency conversion and data demodulation, which is another drawback.

Low rate, direct conversion FSK radio-frequency signal receivers

The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd.


A vehicle includes a battery pack, an electric motor, and a contactor to electrically connect the pack and motor. The contactor is configured with a control circuit to electrically connect the pack and motor. The control circuit includes a leak detection sensor. The vehicle further includes a controller to output a leakage resistance associated with the pack. The leakage resistance is based on a voltage of the pack and a leak voltage detected by the sensor while the contactor is closed.

Conventional electric vehicles may be equipped with a high voltage traction battery for use as a primary source of power and an auxiliary battery for use in powering various electrical components. The high voltage traction battery is typically isolated from the vehicle chassis. It is possible, however, to cause a short circuit between the traction battery and the body of the vehicle.
Certain previous works in detecting such resistive paths have involved deliberately providing a return path for current to flow through the resistive path into the vehicle chassis and back to the traction battery.

Methods and apparatus for detecting electrical leakage in a vehicle


A method and an apparatus for controlling a wet clutch are provided. The clutch comprises a pump, a piston, and a fluid conduit. The pump provides a housing with a hydraulic fluid. The piston is movably disposed in the housing and is movable into an extended position by a preloaded spring and into a retracted position by applying an engagement pressure on the piston by the hydraulic fluid. In the retracted position torque is transmittable through the clutch. The fluid conduit connects the pump and the housing. The method comprises the steps of prefilling the clutch by applying a prefill pressure on the piston, prefilling the fluid conduit line and the housing with the hydraulic fluid. The prefill pressure is lower than the engagement pressure required to move the piston into the retracted position.

In the shifting of a stepped ratio transmission, clutches are engaged and disengaged to allow for power transfer through a plurality of different power paths. Typically, when a shift is performed, one clutch is disengaged (also known as an off-going clutch) by decreasing an oil pressure on a piston of the clutch and another clutch is engaged (also known as an oncoming clutch) by increasing a pressure on a piston of the clutch. During an overlap shift, this process happens simultaneously in a coordinated manner. In a filling phase of a shift, the piston of the ongoing clutch is positioned adjacent a plurality of friction plates by regulating a pressure of the transmission fluid.
One of the problems with filling the ongoing clutch is a repeatability of the filling process. For a system that is actuated using feedforward control, a changing system is problematic. Feedforward control means that the system responds to a control signal in a predefined way, and does not take into account a reaction based on a load. A needed width (also known as a length in time) of a pressure profile that is used to actuate a piston depends on an amount of air that is present in a plurality of hydraulic lines associated with the piston and a total length of the hydraulic lines. There is also considerable variability in an amount of oil which is present in the hydraulic lines and in the clutch. This is a result of temperature, rotational speed, a varying amount of time between shifts, and pressure dependent draining and leakage. Furthermore, some mechanical parameters of the system are uncertain. One such parameter is a stiffness of a return spring, which has a large tolerance in production. While some of these effects can be counteracted using a calibration procedure, the system is hard to accurately characterize and the system will still exhibit inconsistent behavior. Consequently, a shift quality of the system is affected negatively.
A current state of the art of control techniques does not account for a draining of the clutch. A set of optimized parameters for a filling phase is determined during a calibration session in which the clutch is repeatedly opened and closed. The process is performed with a fixed time between the opening and closing, ignoring the effect that the time between shifts has on a behavior of the system. While this method is also performed at a relatively fixed temperature, a correction factor is used during the filling process to account for the temperature.
In conclusion, the state of the art disregards for the effect of draining, aside from a temperature dependent correction on the filling time, instead of a time dependent correction. Shifts are performed using feedforward control with a considerably changing reaction. As a result, poor shifts occur in situations where the conditions vary from the parameters present during the calibration. However, even when the calibration parameters are present, large variability can have a detrimental effect on the shift quality. FIG. 1 illustrates several consecutive fillings that were performed with the same or similar pressure signals, and are shown using dashed lines. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of measured response to the pressure signals, shown using solid lines, differ vastly.
The measured response is dependent on a temperature as well as a time between shifts. A precise correction for both temperature and time between shifts is needed. The state of the art only contemplates temperature compensation. While a compensation for the time between shifts could also be added, the number of parameters influencing the system makes such a task increasingly complex. Furthermore, it is expected that large variability would still remain, despite compensating for the time between shifts.
It would be advantageous to develop a method of prefilling a hydraulic clutch that increases a repeatability of a clutch filling process, accounts for a draining of the clutch, accounts for a temperature at which a shift is performed, and accounts for a time between shifts.

Method and apparatus for prefill of wet clutches


A method for enhancing internal layer-layer thermal interface performance and a chip stack of semiconductor chips using the method. The method includes adding a thermosetting polymer to the thermal interface material, dispersing a plurality of nanofibers into the thermal interface material, and un-crosslinking the thermosetting polymer in the thermal interface material. The method further includes extruding the thermal interface material through a die to orient the conductive axis of the nanofibers and polymer chains in the desired direction, and re-crosslinking the thermosetting polymer in the thermal interface material. The chip stack includes a first chip with circuitry on a first side, a second chip coupled to the first chip by a grid of connectors, and a thermal interface material pad between the chips. The thermal interface includes nanofibers and a polymer that allows for optimal alignment of the nanofibers and polymer chains.

Thermal interfaces in microelectronics packages are commonly credited with a majority of the resistance for heat to escape from the chip to an attached cooling device (e.g. heat sinks, spreaders and the like). Thus, in order to minimize the thermal resistance between the heat source and cooling device, a thermally conductive paste, thermal grease or adhesive is commonly used. Thermal interfaces are typically formed by pressing the heat sink or chip cap onto the backside of the processor chip with a particle filled viscous medium between, which is forced to flow into cavities or non-uniformities between the surfaces.
Thermal interface materials are typically composed of an organic matrix highly loaded with a thermally conductive filler. Thermal conductivity is driven primarily by the nature of the filler, which is randomly and homogeneously distributed throughout the organic matrix. Commonly used fillers exhibit isotropic thermal conductivity and thermal interface materials utilizing these fillers must be highly loaded to achieve the desired thermal conductivity. Unfortunately, these loading levels degrade the properties of the base matrix material (such as flow, cohesion, interfacial adhesion, etc.).
It has been determined that stacking layers of electronic circuitry (i.e. 3 dimensional chip stack) and vertically interconnecting the layers provides a significant increase in circuit density per unit area. However, one significant problem of the three dimensional chip stack is heat dissipation from the inner chips. For a four layer 3 dimensional chip stack, the surface area presented to the heat sink by the chip stack has only ¼ of the surface area presented by the two-dimensional approach. For a 4-layer chip stack, there are three layer-layer thermal interfaces in addition to the final layer to grease/heat sink interface. The heat from the bottom layers must be conducted up thru the higher layers to get to the grease/heat sink interface.
One approach utilizes nanotubes, such as for example carbon nanotubes (CNTs), to promote heat dissipation from the inner chips. However, the CNTs are randomly oriented in the thermal interface material (TIM). CNTs and other thermally conductive carbon structures exhibit anisotropic thermal conductivity such that the thermal conductivity is orders of magnitude greater along one axis. Random distribution of the CNTs does not maximize the thermal conductivity of the TIM. Recently, another approach has been disclosed for the alignment of carbon structures which allows for 3D chip stacks to have aligned CNTs or any form of carbon nanofibers (CNF), such as for example graphite nanofibers (GNFs), in the xy plane, such that heat may be brought to the edges of the stack. However, the viscosity of the TIM makes alignment difficult.

Composites comprised of aligned carbon fibers in chain-aligned polymer binder

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed is a stationery case for keeping writing materials, which comprises an ornament mounted on a compression spring which is fastened in the interior of the casing. The ornament has a magnet fastened therein and is pressed and released so that clips which are received inside a curved recess in the casing can be taken out of the casing and placed on a recessed surface portion on a cover at the top of the casing for ready use. A plurality of compartments are made inside the casing in the portion opposite to the curved recess for keeping a variety of writing materials. A whistle is fastened inside the casing and is controlled to make a sharp, clear sound during a downward stroke of the ornament.

The present invention relates to stationery cases and more particularly to a stationery case for keeping writing materials in which clips, thumb tacks or pins can be automatically taken up for use through press control and a sharp, clear sound will be produced during press control.
In an office where paper is used, a variety of writing materials may be frequently used. For keeping writing materials in place, a container or stationery case is generally used. However, it is very inconvenient to pick up a clip, thumb tack or pin from a regular container. More particularly while picking up a thumb tack or a pin from a container one's fingers may be easily hurt. There is also a type of stationery case for keeping writing materials, which has a magnet fastened around the top opening thereof to gather metal writing materials for use. However, the use of this type of stationery case is still not very practical because it must be frequently turned upside-down to permit the metal writing materials to be attracted by the magnet. During operation, one's hand can not be absolutely protected from injury.


A production process of a poly(arylene sulfide), including (a) a polymerization step of polymerizing at least one sulfur source selected from the group consisting of alkali metal sulfides and alkali metal hydrosulfides and a dihalo-aromatic compound in an organic amide solvent to form a polymer; (b) a separation step of separating the polymer from a liquid reaction mixture containing the polymer formed after the polymerization step; (c) a washing step of washing the polymer with at least one washing liquid selected from the group consisting of water, an organic solvent and a mixed solution of water and an organic solvent as desired; and (d) an aqueous oxidizing solution treatment step of treating the polymer by bringing the polymer into contact with an aqueous oxidizing solution.

Poly(arylene sulfides) (hereinafter abbreviated as "PASs") represented by poly(phenylene sulfide) (hereinafter abbreviated as "PPS") are engineering plastics excellent in heat resistance, chemical resistance, flame retardancy, mechanical strength, electrical properties, dimensional stability, etc. The PASs are commonly used in a wide variety of technical fields such as electrical equipments, electronic equipments, automotive equipments and packaging materials because they can be molded or formed into various kinds of molded or formed products, films, sheets, fibers, etc. by general melt processing processes such as extrusion, injection molding and compression molding.
As a typical production process of a PAS, is known a process in which a sulfur source is reacted with a dihalo-aromatic compound under heating conditions in an organic amide solvent such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (hereinafter may also be abbreviated as "NMP"). As the sulfur source, is generally used an alkali metal sulfide, an alkali metal hydrosulfide or a mixture thereof. When the alkali metal hydrosulfide is used as the sulfur source, the alkali metal hydrosulfide is used in combination with an alkali metal hydroxide.
Since the polymerization of the PAS is conducted at a high temperature, a secondarily formed sulfur compound from the sulfur source and a decomposition product of the organic amide solvent that is a reaction solvent form the cause of occurrence of offensive odor.
Accordingly, the PAS formed by the polymerization is cleaned by, for example, washing a formed polymer separated from a liquid reaction mixture containing it with water, an organic solvent or a mixed solution of water and an organic solvent. However, the occurrence of offensive odor upon production of the PAS and upon molding or forming and processing thereof has not been completely inhibited even by such a washing treatment. In particular, when the dihalo-aromatic compound is reacted in an amount exceeding 1.00 mol per mol of the sulfur source, an unreacted dihalo-aromatic compound is taken in a PAS particle, and hydrogen sulfide derived from the sulfur source and a modified compound thereof are formed during a dehydration step or a polymerization reaction step, or a by-product which forms the cause of malodor is produced by a reaction of these compounds with an organic solvent used for washing, so that, in some cases, these may form the cause of occurrence of offensive odor upon production of the PAS or remain in the PAS to form the cause of occurrence of offensive odor upon molding or forming of the PAS.
In addition, since the liquid containing the organic amide solvent after the PAS is separated from the liquid reaction mixture containing the formed polymer or the washing waste liquid after the PAS is washed with the organic solvent or the like contains unreacted raw materials, a secondarily formed sulfur compound from the sulfur source and decomposition products of the organic amide solvent which is a reaction solvent and the organic solvent used in the washing which form the cause of occurrence of offensive odor, it has taken a lot of time and labor to conduct a deodorizing treatment for such a liquid to prevent the organic amide solvent or the like from recycling and reusing.
Thus, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-134216 (Patent Literature 1) has proposed a process for producing a PAS hard to cause corrosion of a mold upon molding by adding and reacting a 1,3-dihalobenzene after a reaction of a sulfide with a 1,4-dihalobenzene is substantially completed, thereby reducing an amount of a sulfur-containing gas produced upon heating and melting. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-182840 (Patent Literature 2; corresponding to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0052578) has proposed a production process of a PAS by keeping an NMP solution of a PAS after a polymerization reaction at 230 to 290° C. to conduct washing in a molten state and adding a silane coupling agent after the washing to conduct melt-kneading, thereby reducing a disulfide structure or a thiol structure in a resin.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-194312 (Patent Literature 3; corresponding to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0161777) has proposed a production process of a PAS by washing a PAS obtained by polymerization with a hydrophilic organic solvent, such as acetone, containing 1 to 30% by mass of water to reduce a nitrogen content to 50 ppm or less based on the mass of the polymer, thereby markedly reducing a deposit on a mold or die upon melt-molding. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-225931 (Patent Literature 4; corresponding to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0093642) has proposed a production process of a PAS high in whiteness degree and excellent in melt stability by washing a polymer formed in a polymerization step with washing liquid composed of water, a hydrophilic organic solvent such as acetone or a mixed solution thereof repeatedly and then washing it with water or the mixed solution at a final stage to control a pH, thereby removing an organic amide solvent, an alkali metal halide, an oligomer, a decomposed product, etc. which are adhered to the PAS after a separation treatment. International Publication No. 2004/060973 (Patent Literature 5; corresponding to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0086374) has proposed a production process of a PAS by washing a polymer separated from a liquid reaction mixture with an organic solvent such as acetone and then adding an inorganic acid such as hydrochloric acid to the organic solvent recovered to conduct distillation, thereby reducing the content of an alkaline compound such as methylamine.
According to all the inventions of Patent Literatures 1 to 5, however, the occurrence of offensive odor upon the production of the PAS and upon molding and processing thereof has been unable to be completely inhibited. When an organic solvent has been used for washing in particular, odor upon the production or odor upon the molding which is considered to be caused by a reaction product of hydrogen sulfide or a derivative thereof generated during a polymerization reaction with the organic solvent has been unable to be avoided. In addition, it has taken a lot of time and labor to conduct the deodorizing treatment for the remaining raw materials which are contained in the liquid containing the organic amide solvent after the PAS is separated from the liquid reaction mixture or the washing waste liquid after the PAS is washed with the organic solvent, and the secondarily formed sulfur compound from the raw material source and decomposition products of the organic amide solvent which is the reaction solvent and the organic solvent used in the washing which form the cause of occurrence of offensive odor.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-228696 (Patent Literature 6; corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,761) has proposed a production process of a poly(arylene sulfoxide) by weighing and pouring a hydrogen peroxide solution having a concentration of 30 to 100% into a PAS suspended in concentrated sulfuric acid to oxidize the PAS. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-79317 (Patent Literature 7) has proposed a production process of paper composed of a PPS oxide (PPSO) by dispersing fine powder of PPS and short fiber of PPS in water, making paper from the resultant paper stock and then subjecting the resultant paper to a oxidation reaction treatment in the presence of a liquid containing 0.1 to 20% by mass of an oxidizing agent selected from an inorganic salt peroxide and aqueous hydrogen peroxide. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-3024 (Patent Literature 8; corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,917) has proposed a two-stage oxidation method for a PAS by oxidizing a solid polymer in a suspension medium with ozone and reacting the resultant reaction product with hydrogen peroxide used in the form of an aqueous solution having a concentration of 30% in the presence of a catalytic amount of concentrated sulfuric acid in acetic acid.
However, the inventions of Patent Literatures 6 to 8 are directed to the production of the poly(arylene sulfoxide) or PPSO by oxidizing and modifying the PAS and not to a process for producing a PAS. Accordingly, according to such an invention, it has been impossible to produce a PAS that is an engineering plastic excellent in heat resistance, chemical resistance, flame retardancy, mechanical strength, electrical properties, dimensional stability, etc. and can be commonly used in a wide variety of technical fields such as electrical equipments, electronic equipments, automotive equipments and packaging materials by utilizing the property of the PAS that can be molded or formed into various kinds of molded or formed products, films, sheets, fibers, etc. by general melt processing processes such as extrusion, injection molding and compression molding. In addition, the inventions has involved a problem that since hydrogen peroxide or the like is used at a high concentration for oxidizing and modifying the PAS, it takes a lot of cost for a treatment step thereof or a post treatment for making hydrogen peroxide or the like remaining in a waste liquid after the treatment harmless.

Production process of poly(arylene sulfide) and poly(arylene sulfide)


Disclosed is a method for preparing a poly(ethersulfonimide or ethersulfonamide) copolymer using cyclic oligomers, and more particularly, to a method for preparing a poly(ethersulfonimide or ethersulfonamide) copolymer by preparing a cyclic ether sulfone oligomer and a cyclic imide or amide oligomer and subjecting the cyclic ether sulfone oligomer and the cyclic imide or amide oligomer to ring-opening copolymerization in the presence of an alkali metal fluoride catalyst.

Since a process of condensing polyimide and one for condensing a polyethersulfone resin from individual monomers cannot proceed together because of they require different reaction conditions, it is impossible to obtain a copolymer from direct condensation of a diamine compound and an acid dianhydride compound, which are monomers of polyimide, and a dihalogen compound and a diol compound, which are monomers of polyethersulfone. As the existing method of preparing a poly(ethersulfonimide) resin, a method of forming an imide group by cyclodehydration of tetracarboxylic dianhydride with a diamine compound having an ether sulfone moiety is known.
Basically, preparation of a poly(ethersulfonimide) resin by condensation polymerization follows a process of preparing polyimide. Since the ether sulfone moiety is included in the diamine functional group, control of copolymerization ratio is impossible and the polymer length is limited by the diamine compound used as monomer.
Meanwhile, since a process of condensing polyimide and one for condensing a polyethersulfone resin from individual monomers cannot proceed together because of they require different reaction conditions, it is impossible to obtain a copolymer from direct condensation of a diamine compound and a dicarboxylic acid compound or a diacyl halide compound, which are monomers of polyamide, and a dihalogen compound and a diol compound, which are monomers of polyethersulfone. As the existing method of preparing a poly(ethersulfonamide) resin, a method of condensing a diamine compound with a dicarboxylic acid compound or a diacyl chloride compound having an ether sulfone moiety or a method of condensing a dicarboxylic acid compound or a diacyl chloride compound with a diamine compound having an ether sulfone moiety is known.
Basically, preparation of a poly(ethersulfonamide) resin by condensation polymerization follows a process of preparing polyamide. Since the ether sulfone moiety is included in the diamine, dicarboxylic acid or diacyl chloride functional group, control of copolymerization ratio is impossible and the polymer length is limited by the diamine, dicarboxylic acid or diacyl chloride compound used as monomer.
As a method of copolymerizing the poly(ethersulfonimide or ethersulfonamide) resin allowing control of the composition of the ether sulfone moiety and the imide or amide moiety as desired and control of the polymer length through control of the amount of each component, ring-opening polymerization using cyclic oligomers as precursor may be considered. Ring-opening polymerization of polyester, polyetherketone and polyamide resins, wherein the polymerization occurs as cyclic oligomers are ring-opened in the presence of a catalyst, has been disclosed. However, copolymerization of a cyclic imide or amide with a cyclic ether sulfone has not been reported yet. Also, a method of easily controlling the copolymerization ratio by controlling the amount of the two components when preparing a copolymer of imide or amide and ether sulfone is not known yet.

Method for preparing a poly(ether sulfonimide or -amide) copolymer using cyclic oligomers

Korea Reasearch Institute of Chemical Technology


A weightless articulating door mount for a gaming machine is disclosed. The weightless articulating door mount has a four link mechanism and a cam. A biasing mechanism interacts with the weightless articulating door mount through the cam and provides a uniform force counteracting the weight of the door/monitor. With the door/monitor effectively weightless, the door may be opened and will remain in place absent any further disturbance.

The subject matter of the present disclosure relates to a door mount, and more particularly, to a gaming machine having an articulating door mount with a zero effective weight door.
In the casino gaming industry, the interior of gaming machines is secured to prevent unauthorized modification, but must be accessible to allow authorized maintenance and service. An access door is typically provided to allow access to each component within the gaming machine. Modern gaming machines use video monitors to interact with a game player and provide an immersive environment. In many gaming machines the monitors are placed on the access door and are designed to be a main point of entry into a gaming cabinet. As screen technologies advance, monitors sizes increase and the size and weight of the door increases as well.
In most cases, these access doors are opened by rotating on a hinge point. For example they may swing horizontally, or rotate vertically from a top or bottom hinge. The doors typically include a conventional linear spring push such as a strut to assist opening the access door to access the interior of the cabinet. The linear spring may hold the door open if it is of sufficient size. However, as monitors and their respective access doors on which they are mounted grow in size, the ability to lift and pivot the loaded access door is becoming more difficult, requiring larger struts. Additionally, gaming machines become prone to tipping as the additional moving weight of the monitor swings away from the gaming machine.

Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited


Methods and systems are provided that control devices using signals transmitted over power lines in many different applications and configurations. They provide a lower cost approach for controlling devices via signals transmitted over power lines. The methods and systems may control intensity, spectral, and other characteristics of lighting devices, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or assemblies thereof, via power lines. They may also control other types of loads, such as motors, relays, valves or the like. Additionally, techniques for independently controlling intensity and spectral content of selected high efficiency lighting devices are also described. For example, the brightness and color of an LED may be controlled via the power lines that supply power to the LED.

There are a number of conventional methods and devices in commercial practice for transmitting signals over power lines, particularly within households or commercial buildings, for use in controlling lights, appliances, and other devices, generally within the same building. Many of these methods involve modulating higher frequency signals (e.g., radio frequency (RF) signals) onto power lines that then travel the power lines where the higher frequency signals are received by a receiver and control device. Such techniques involve several additional circuits and devices and costs associated therewith. In some cases, the control and distance capabilities, and costs, are greater that what is required for many applications, such as controlling intensity of lighting.
With a general push toward more energy efficient lighting devices, and emergence of high brightness LEDs, VCSEL arrays, and other lighting technologies that are generally more energy efficient than incandescent lighting, there is an increasing need for low cost methods and apparatus for controlling intensity, spectral, and other characteristics of such devices to help realize benefits such illumination technologies can provide. For example, many potential users of these advanced illumination technologies have grown accustomed to spectral characteristics (e.g., color temperature) of incandescent lighting as well as an ability to control intensity of such lighting. Spectral characteristics of light from fluorescent tubes, both conventional straight fluorescent tubes such as have been used in commercial buildings for many years as well as more recently commercialized compact fluorescent light tubes, are generally controlled primarily by selection of phosphors used to coat an interior surface of such tubes. However, the spectral outputs of these lamps are fixed. Various studies have shown how changes in spectral characteristics from light sources affect human moods and performance in various home, office, retail, and other work environments, outdoor environments, and in entertainment settings, trade show, and other environments. Thus, an ability to change spectral characteristics of lighting as well as intensity is generally desirable for many lighting applications and human activities.
As a result, it is desirable to have a method and system to avoid these and other related problems.

Methods and systems for controlling devices via power lines