While a plurality of seek object frequencies decided in advance is being set as a receiving frequency in order, seek object frequencies meeting at least the following conditions are selected. The electric field strength of a seek object frequency being currently received must exceed a predetermined threshold value ThE. The second intermediate-frequency signal of the seek object frequency being received must be in a prescribed frequency band. When the electric field strength of a neighboring seek object frequency meets the first and second conditions, the absolute value of the difference between the electric field strength of the neighboring seek object frequency whose electric field strength exceeds ThE and the electric field strength of the seek object frequency being received must not exceed a predetermined threshold value h. The modulation factor of the seek object frequency being received must not exceed a threshold value ThM.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an audio broadcast receiver for receiving AM, FM, and other analog audio broadcasts and more particularly to an audio broadcast receiver in which automatic broadcasting-station selection is performed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automatic broadcasting-station selection in audio broadcast receivers is a technology in which automatic searching for audio broadcast frequencies with good reception is performed, an audio broadcast is received at the frequency found, and the audio broadcast is reproduced.
As such an automatic broadcasting-station selecting technology, there is a known technology in which, while receiving frequencies are changed, a frequency at which an electric field strength equal to or more than a predetermined value can be obtained and the intermediate frequency converted from the receiving signal is in a prescribed frequency band is searched for, the searched-for frequency is fixed as a receiving frequency, and a broadcast at the receiving frequency is received and reproduced to users (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-46184).
According to the above conventional technology in which automatic broadcasting-station selection is performed in accordance with the received electric field strength and the intermediate frequency, when spurious noise (unwanted waves) exists, there are cases in which audio broadcasting stations to be correctly and well received cannot be selected.
Furthermore, in the case where IBOC (In-band On-channel) audio broadcasting is performed where digital broadcasting is carried out by using an analog broadcast frequency band, when an analog audio broadcast is automatically searched for, it becomes impossible to select an analog audio broadcast which can be correctly and well received because of the influence of digital broadcasting.
Here, in FIGS. 5A to 5D, the spectrum distribution in AM audio broadcasting of the IBOC method is shown. In IBOC AM audio broadcasting, there are full-digital broadcasting where only digital broadcasting is performed and half-digital broadcasting where digital broadcasting is multiplexed with analog audio broadcasting. The spectrum distribution of half-digital broadcasting is shown in FIG. 5A and the spectrum distribution of full-digital broadcasting is shown in FIG. 5B.
In the USA where IBOC AM audio broadcasting is performed, since broadcast frequencies are distributed among AM audio broadcasting stations so that the broadcast frequencies are multiples of 10 kHz, in audio broadcast receivers, it is necessary to search for analog audio broadcast that can be well received while receiving frequencies which are changed in units of 10 kHz.
Then, according to the above conventional technology in which automatic broadcasting-station selection is performed in accordance with the received electric field strength and the intermediate frequency, full-digital broadcast frequencies shown in FIG. 5B are also judged to be broadcast frequencies where audio broadcasts can be well received, and, as a result, although analog audio broadcasts are not contained within the broadcast frequencies, the broadcast frequencies are fixed and the receiver starts to reproduce them to users.
Furthermore, as understood from FIGS. 5A and 5B, since the spectrum of digital broadcasting in IBOC AM audio broadcasting is distributed beyond a 10 kHz range centered around the broadcasting frequency, although neighboring frequencies at intervals of 10 kHz and analog broadcasts that can be well received at those frequencies do not exist, those frequencies are judged to be broadcasting frequencies where audio broadcast can be well received, and the broadcasting frequencies are thus fixed and the receiver starts to reproduce them to users.

Audio broadcast receiver and automatic broadcasting-station selecting method


An unmanned underwater vehicle for use in water and with at least one acoustic signal source includes a vehicle body, a steering mechanism to direct the vehicle body through the water, a propulsion device to force the vehicle body through the water, and an adaptive Doppler guidance and control (ADGC) system. The ADGC system is configured to receive acoustic signals from the at least one acoustic signal source and to control the steering mechanism using changes in at least one frequency component of the received acoustic signals caused by Doppler shifts.

Sea mines present an asymmetric threat that, in addition to causing injury or damage if detonated, can effectively exclude ships and personnel from large areas during or after periods of conflict. Mines clearance typically is by detonation using devices placed on the mines by divers or sea mammals, exposing them to substantial risk. As a result, the U.S. Navy has issued a requirement for expendable autonomous undersea vehicles (AUV) that can be deployed in significant numbers without detection days or weeks in advance of anticipated conflict. Often, the AUV must navigate to a mine with an accuracy measured in inches after being launched from miles away. Navigating reliably to the mine in the noisy disturbed waters of littoral regions may require advances in capabilities in a device that is far less expensive than those used today for autonomous AUV navigation.

Underwater guidance systems, unmanned underwater vehicles and methods


A connecting device for the fluid-tight connection of a first and a second duct provided with a connector having a fixed electrical connection terminal; a mobile electrical connector for establishing an electrical connection with the fixed electrical connection terminal; a control unit suited to check the presence of a connection between the fixed electrical connection terminal and the mobile electrical connector; and an intermediate connecting body interposed in use between the connector and the mobile electrical connector, suited to establish an electrical connection between the fixed electrical connection terminal and the mobile electrical connector and suited to allow the fixed electrical connection terminal and the mobile electrical connector to be coupled to each other, only when there is a fluid-tight joint between the two ducts.

Vapors (normally known by the name "blow-by gases") are normally produced in an internal combustion engine, in the heads and/or in the oil tank during the running of the engine itself; air pollution control regulations prohibit exhaust of such vapor into the atmosphere and require that they be fed into the cylinders for controlled combustion thereof. For such reason, an internal combustion engine is provided with a recirculating circuit which is provided with a feed duct originating from the engine head or from the oil tank and connected to an intake duct of the engine.
During routine servicing of the engine, the feed duct may be disconnected from the feed duct and/or engine head for cleaning or replacement or simply to permit easy access to other parts of the engine. Once disconnected from the feed duct and/or engine head, the feed duct may be reconnected poorly due to carelessness on the part of the fitter; such a situation easily goes undetected, by the vapors being released directly into the atmosphere and in no way impairing operation of the engine. For such reason, more recent air pollution regulations require correct connection control of the feed duct and that the driver be alerted of any faulty connection.
One solution to determine the correct connection of the feed duct is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,532,931-B1, in which the feed duct is provided on the ends with connecting devices; each one of such connecting devices comprises a pneumatic connector for pneumatically connecting the feed duct to the intake duct or engine head, and an electrical connector. Each connecting device is designed so that the relative pneumatic connector is only connected to a corresponding pneumatic connector on the intake duct or engine head when the relative electrical connector is connected to a corresponding electrical connector on the intake duct or engine head; controlling the electrical continuity of the circuit formed by the mutual coupling of the electrical connectors it is possible to check whether the pneumatic connectors are correctly coupled to each other and thereby, it is possible to check the correct connection of the feed duct.
The connection system described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,532,931-B1, however, has some drawbacks in that it employs connecting devices comprising a pneumatic connector and an electrical connector in the same structure, which makes the proper cleaning of the pneumatic connector problematic; moreover, any change in the diameter of the pneumatic connector involves high-cost alteration of the connecting device as a whole.
On the other hand, patent application WO-A1-2004113711 describes a connecting system for the fluid-tight connection between an intake duct and a feed duct which comprises a connecting device, which is adapted to establish a fluid-tight joint between the two ducts and is provided with a fixed electrical connector, a mobile electrical connector, which is mechanically independent of the connecting device and of the second duct and is adapted to couple to the fixed electrical connector. The connecting system also comprises an interlocking device, preferably consisting of elastic spring means, which is adapted to allow the fixed electrical connector and the mobile electrical connector to be coupled to each other, only when there is a fluid-tight joint between the two ducts.
In other words, if the feed duct is not correctly inserted into the dedicated seat of the connecting device, i.e. if there is no fluid-tight joint between the intake duct and the feed duct, the mobile electrical connector cannot be coupled to the fixed electrical connector by the effect of the action of the interlocking device.
However, also the fluid-tight connecting system described in WO-A1-2004113711 has some drawbacks. In fact, it has been determined that the interlocking device may be tampered to allow the mobile electrical connector and the fixed electrical connector to be coupled to each other also when the feed duct is not correctly inserted into the dedicated seat of the connecting device.

Connecting device for the fluid-tight connection between two pipes in an internal combustion engine


A packaging container for holding contents such as fresh food. The container comprises a tray having a flange, a pre-formed sealing ring and a flexible film for sealing in the contents of the tray. The sealing ring is made from fiber, filament or tape (“FFT”) that is shaped into a shape that matches the shape of the tray flange. The sealing ring is adhered to the tray flange by heat welding or other means and the flexible film is adhered to the sealing ring.

Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to packaging containers. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a packaging container for fresh food, the container comprising a tray, a pre-formed sealing ring disposed on the tray, and a flexible film for sealing the contents of the tray.
Description of the Related Art
It is becoming more common for fresh food, such as sliced fruit and vegetables, to be packaged in transparent plastic containers. The containers may comprise a plastic tray having a flange and a flexible heat sealable film that has been adhered to the flange to provide a sealed environment for the fresh food.
It is sometimes desirable to apply a sealing material to the flange which will bond to the heat sealable film. Typically this is done by co-extrusion in which the entire tray surface is covered with the sealing material.
If the sealing material can be applied selectively to the flange surface, a multitude of benefits (such as cost control, flexibility, secondary processing and custom capability) may be realized. The present disclosure is designed to achieve these and other benefits.

Packaging container with preformed sealing ring


A clock generator includes a first circuit, a second circuit, and a third circuit. The first circuit generates a first clock signal. The second circuit divides the frequency of the first clock signal to generate a second clock signal. The third circuit generates a third clock signal from the first and second clock signals. The third clock signal has the same period as that of the second clock signal, and timing at which the third clock signal changes from a first logic level to a second logic level coincides with timing at which the first clock signal changes from a first logic level to a second logic level.

The present invention relates to a clock generator in a semiconductor integrated circuit including a plurality of circuits that operate in synchronization with clock signals of different frequencies.
With reduction in the design rules for semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication processes, the number of transistors that can be integrated together on a single chip has been increasing dramatically. This enables the circuit to be multifunctional, thereby reducing the number of components therein and hence the costs thereof. That is, in order to reduce the number of design processes, existing design circuits are remounted. And circuits that need to operate at a specific frequency in conformity with a unified standard are mounted. Furthermore, it is necessary to realize a semiconductor integrated circuit on which circuits operating at various frequencies are mounted, for the purposes of lowering power consumption by lower speed operation. Also, in circuits which send and receive data asynchronously, it is difficult to cover all states by performing operation inspection. In addition, redundant cycles are often needed in order to satisfy functional specifications, which causes decline in function.
For these reasons, it is necessary to realize a semiconductor integrated circuit having mounted thereon circuits operating according to a clock signal of a certain frequency together with circuits operating according to a clock signal obtained by dividing the certain frequency of the former clock signal (hereinafter referred to as a "frequency-divided clock signal"). However, a skew is generated between the reference clock signal and the frequency-divided clock signal, because those clock signals are transmitted through different paths and the like. The occurrence of a skew may cause the semiconductor integrated circuit to malfunction.
As a technique for suppressing skews among flip-flops that are disposed in the end portion in a semiconductor integrated circuit and operate at a single frequency, a technique has been proposed in which the same interconnects and the same transistor structures are formed in the clock transmission paths from the clock source to the flip-flops disposed in the end portion (see Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 7-321208, for example).
Nevertheless, as the design rules for semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication processes have been reduced, variation in the amount of delay caused by crosstalk, voltage drop, and variation in the chip, such as process variation, has been increasing. Therefore, even if the conventional technique is applied to a semiconductor integrated circuit on which circuit operating at various frequencies are mounted, a skew occurring between a reference clock signal and a frequency-divided clock signal cannot be sufficiently suppressed just by forming the same circuit structures, and thus the problem that timing convergence is significantly worsened remains unsolved.


Methods, systems, and devices to enhance fracturing fluid delivery to subsurface formations to enhance hydrocarbon production from the subsurface formations may include providing a manifold coupling having a manifold coupling passage with a manifold coupling axis. The manifold coupling may include a first inlet passage positioned to provide fluid flow between a first fracturing fluid output and the manifold coupling passage, and a second inlet passage positioned opposite the first inlet passage to provide fluid flow between a second fracturing fluid output and the manifold coupling passage. The first inlet passage may have a first inlet passage cross-section at least partially defining a first inlet axis extending transverse relative to the manifold coupling axis. The second inlet passage may have a second inlet passage cross-section at least partially defining a second inlet axis extending transverse relative to the manifold coupling axis and not being co-linear with the first inlet axis.

Hydraulic fracturing is an oilfield operation that stimulates the production of hydrocarbons, such that the hydrocarbons may more easily or readily flow from a subsurface formation to a well. For example, a hydraulic fracturing system may be configured to fracture a formation by pumping a fracturing fluid into a well at high pressure and high flow rates. Some fracturing fluids may take the form of a slurry including water, proppants, and/or other additives, such as thickening agents and gels. The slurry may be forced via operation of one or more pumps into the formation at rates faster than can be accepted by the existing pores, fractures, faults, or other spaces within the formation. As a result, pressure builds rapidly to the point where the formation may fail and may begin to fracture. By continuing to pump the fracturing fluid into the formation, existing fractures in the formation may be caused to expand and extend in directions away from a wellbore, thereby creating additional flow paths for hydrocarbons to flow to the wellbore. The proppants may serve to prevent the expanded fractures from closing or may reduce the extent to which the expanded fractures contract when pumping of the fracturing fluid is ceased. Once the formation is fractured, large quantities of the injected fracturing fluid may be allowed to flow out of the well, and the production stream of hydrocarbons may be obtained from the formation.
To pump the fracturing fluid into the wellbore, a hydraulic fracturing system including prime movers may be used to supply power to hydraulic fracturing pumps for pumping the fracturing fluid into the formation through a high-pressure manifold configured to receive the fracturing fluid pumped to a high-pressure and flow rate by multiple fracturing pumps operating simultaneously. Each of the hydraulic fracturing pumps may include multiple cylinders and corresponding plungers that reciprocate in the respective cylinders to draw fracturing fluid into the cylinder through a one-way valve at low-pressure during an intake stroke, and force the fracturing fluid out of the cylinder through a one-way valve into the manifold at a high-pressure and flow rate during an output stroke. Each output stroke forces a charge of the fracturing fluid into the high-pressure manifold, which receives the collective high-pressure and high flow rate fracturing fluid from multiple fracturing pumps for passage to the wellbore. Rather than flowing in the high-pressure manifold at a constant pressure and flow rate, the fracturing fluid output by each of the output strokes of a plunger flows with a pulse of high-pressure and high flow rate upon each output stroke of each of the plungers of each of the fracturing pumps operating in the hydraulic fracturing system. This stroke sequence may result in large pressure oscillations in the high-pressure manifold.
This pressure oscillation is multiplied by the number of cylinders of the fracturing pump, which is further multiplied by the number of fracturing pumps operating during a fracturing operation. Some high-pressure manifolds, such as mono-bore manifolds, consolidate all of the fracturing fluid being pump by all of the fracturing pumps operating during a fracturing operation. Each of the fracturing pumps generates its own respective pressure pulsation waveform varying in amplitude and frequency from the pressure pulsation waveforms generated by operation of other fracturing pumps. While the volume of fracturing fluid in the high-pressure manifold and the geometry of the conduits between each of the fracturing pumps and the high-pressure manifold may result in dissipation of some of the energy associated with the collective pulsation waveforms, the energy associated with the pulsation waveforms may not be adequately reduced and may also introduce potential resonance in the form of standing waves inside the high-pressure manifold. This may result in inducing substantial vibration in the fracturing system, including the high-pressure manifold. Such vibration, if uncontrolled, may result in premature wear or failure of components of the fracturing system, including, for example, the high-pressure manifold, conduits between the fracturing pumps and the high-pressure manifold, manifold seals, the fracturing pumps, the prime movers, and transmissions between the prime movers and the fracturing pumps.
Moreover, a characteristic that may be relevant to the effectiveness of proppants in the fracturing fluid may be the level of proppant suspension in the fracturing fluid. For example, the manner in which the fracturing fluid flows through the manifold assembly may affect the homogeneity and/or consistency of the suspension of the proppants in the fracturing fluid pumped through the high-pressure manifold assembly, and some manifold assemblies may hinder the suspension of proppants in the manifold assembly.
In addition, because hydraulic fracturing systems are at least partially disassembled following a fracturing operation for transport to another site for use in another fracturing operation, the manifold assemblies are often drained, for example, for transportation to the next site or storage. Some manifold assemblies may be difficult to sufficiently drain, which may lead to additional weight during transportation as well as unbalanced loads. Further, fracturing fluids may contain corrosive materials and materials that may harden and adhere to the interior passages of manifold assembly components, which may result in premature wear or damage to the components, which may reduce the effectiveness of future fracturing operations.
Accordingly, Applicant has recognized a need for methods, systems, and devices that enhance fracturing fluid delivery to subsurface formations during high-pressure fracturing operations. For example, Applicant has recognized a need for methods, systems, and devices that enhance dissipation of fluid energy associated with the fracturing fluid, enhance suspension of proppants in the fracturing fluid, and/or enhance fracturing fluid drainage from the manifold assemblies. The present disclosure may address one or more of the above-referenced considerations, as well as other possible considerations.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods, systems, and devices to enhance fracturing fluid delivery to subsurface formations during high-pressure fracturing operations


A multi-band electronically scanned array antenna including a first sub-assembly having electronic circuits for a first frequency band; a second sub-assembly mechanically coupled to the first sub-assembly and having electronic circuits for a second frequency band; and an aperture adjacent to the first sub-assembly, the aperture being shared by the first sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly. The array antenna may further include a band switching circuit, or a combining circuit for coupling the first sub-assembly or the second sub-assembly to the aperture. The array antenna may also include a third sub-assembly including electronic circuits for a third frequency band. In this way, the aperture is shared by the first sub-assembly, the second sub-assembly, and the third sub-assembly to provide a smaller and lighter array antenna.

An antenna is a transducer, which transmits or receives electromagnetic waves. Antennas include one or more elements, which are conductors that can radiate and or receive electromagnetic waves. These elements are often referred to as radiators with a collection of radiators referred to as an aperture. When transmitting, an alternating current is created in the element(s) by application of a voltage at the terminals of the antenna, which causes the element(s) to radiate an electromagnetic field. When receiving, an electromagnetic field from a remote source induces an alternating current in the elements generating a corresponding voltage at the terminals of the antenna.
FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a conventional antenna array 100. The antenna array 100 includes several linear arrays 104 housed in a non-metallic radome 102. Here, each linear array 104 is arranged vertically with spacing between each other, which is determined by the desired resonant frequency of the antenna array 100. Each linear array 102 is connected to its associated radio frequency (RF) electronics circuitry contained in an external RF electronics module 108, via an antenna feed 106. The RF electronics module 108 is connected to external systems via a connection 110 for power, control, and communications connections; and may be physically mounted on the radome 102, or may be located remotely or outside of the antenna array 100.
An Electronically Scanned Array (ESA) is a type of phased array antenna, in which transceivers include a large number of solid-state transmit/receive modules. In ESAs, an electromagnetic beam is emitted by broadcasting radio frequency energy that interferes constructively at certain angles in front of the antenna.
Modern Radar, Jammer and Communications antenna systems often require wideband frequency capability within constrained volume allocations. Electronically Scanned Array (ESA) antenna designs provide dense-packed, high-reliability electronics, but ESA component limitations typically require that wideband frequency applications be broken up into multiple bands for hardware implementation. These bandwidth-limited components may include circulators, power amplifiers, or manifolding, and wideband partitioning typically results in the need for multiple antenna assemblies with each additional antenna requiring volume, weight, and cost allocations.
Typical wideband antenna applications use separate antenna assemblies for each performance frequency band as shown in FIG. 2, but each additional antenna requires additional volume, weight, and cost allocations. FIG. 2 illustrates two antenna array assemblies for two different bands, according to conventional approaches. As depicted, one antenna assembly including its own aperture is used for band 1 and a separate antenna assembly including its own aperture is used for band 2.
The present invention provides a solution to the wideband antenna application problem by packaging multi-band electronic layers in one antenna assembly using a shared aperture.

Multi-band electronically scanned array antenna


A computing system for a vehicle is provided. The computing system includes one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing device, and a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to estimate at least one characteristic of emissions from at least one forward vehicle expected to enter a ventilation system of an ego-vehicle within a predetermined travel distance ahead of the ego-vehicle and, responsive to one or more estimated characteristics, control the ego-vehicle ventilation system.

A vehicle traveling along a roadway may pass through varying types and concentrations of emissions from other vehicles. Users may manually control the ventilation system intakes to limit the intake of emissions into the vehicle. As most of these emissions may be invisible, it may be difficult for a driver to determine when the vehicle ventilation system intakes should be closed and/or when the system blower or impeller should be turned off or down. The vehicle may be immersed in a high-concentration emission zone before the driver can react by switching the ventilation system to "recirculate". Also, because the concentrations of emissions in the path of the vehicle are constantly varying, it may be difficult to manually control the ventilation system so as to prevent or limit intake of high concentrations of emissions into the vehicle.

Automated control of vehicle ventilation system

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


A system including: a liquid-pressure source device that can supply working fluid to a brake device; and an ABS valve device. The system executes a first control in which a supply pressure of the working fluid becomes a target supply pressure and a second control for making the supply pressure fall within the target range. In this system, when the valve device is not being operated, the first control is executed. When the valve device is being operated, the second control is normally operated, and when the supply pressure is higher than a threshold value, the first control is executed. Where completion of the operation of the valve device is estimated, the system performs at least one of reducing the threshold value, reducing an upper limit value of the target range, increasing an electric power supplied to a pressure-reduce linear valve during the first control when the valve device is being operated, and reducing the target supply pressure.

A hydraulic brake system mounted on a vehicle includes a system configured to generate a braking force depending on working fluid supplied by a liquid-pressure source device that can regulate a hydraulic pressure of the working fluid without depending on an operational force applied to a brake member by a driver. In such a system, an electric power supplied to the liquid-pressure source device is controlled to change a supply pressure that is the hydraulic pressure of the working fluid supplied by the liquid-pressure source device, which allows generation of an appropriate braking force based on the braking operation of the driver. The hydraulic brake system includes another type of system equipped with the ABS valve device in order to restrain locks, skids, and the like of wheels. Patent Documents described below disclose one example of the brake system including the liquid-pressure source device and the ABS valve device.


An aspect of the present invention relates to a method of preparing a magnetic particle, which comprises attaching a transition metal-containing organic compound to a surface of a hard magnetic particle and then thermally decomposing the transition metal-containing organic compound to obtain the magnetic particle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic particle and to a method of preparing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a magnetic particle that has magnetic characteristics suited to magnetic recording and that can be employed in a particulate magnetic recording medium, and to a method of preparing the same.
2. Discussion of the Background
In widely employed magnetic recording media, such as video tapes, computer tapes, and disks, the smaller the particles of magnetic material, the higher the SNR becomes for a given content of magnetic material in the magnetic layer. This is advantageous for high-density recording.
However, as the size of the magnetic particles decreases, superparamagnetism ends up occurring due to thermal fluctuation, precluding use in a magnetic recording medium. By contrast, materials of high crystal magnetic anisotropy have good thermal stability due to a high potential for thermal stability. Accordingly, research has been conducted into materials of high crystal magnetic anisotropy as magnetic materials of good thermal stability. For example, high crystal magnetic anisotropy has been achieved by adding Pt to a CoCr-based magnetic material in hard disks (HD) and the like. Investigation has also been conducted into the use of CoPt, FePd, FePt, and the like as magnetic materials of higher crystal magnetic anisotropy. Further, magnetic materials containing rare earth elements, such as SmCo, NdFeB, and SmFeN, are known to be magnetic materials that do not contain expensive Pt, that are inexpensive, and that exhibit high crystal magnetic anisotropy (referred to as "Technique 1", hereinafter).
Although materials of high crystal magnetic anisotropy afford good thermal stability, an increase in the switching magnetic field necessitates a large external magnetic field for recording, compromising recording properties. Accordingly, the Journal of the Magnetics Society of Japan 29, 239-242 (2005), which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes attempts that have been made to reduce the switching magnetic field by stacking a soft magnetic layer and a hard magnetic layer formed as gas phase films on a nonmagnetic inorganic material to produce exchange coupling interaction (referred to as "Technique 2", hereinafter).
In metal thin-film magnetic recording media such as HD media, a glass substrate capable of withstanding high temperatures during vapor deposition is normally employed as the support. By contrast, particulate magnetic recording media affording good general-purpose properties and employing inexpensive organic material supports have been proposed in recent years, and are widely employed as video tapes, computer tapes, flexible disks, and the like. From the perspective of maintaining the general-purpose properties of such particulate media, it is difficult in practical terms to employ a magnetic material in which expensive Pt is used. Thus, the use of a magnetic material comprising a rare earth element such as in Technique 1 is conceivable. However, as set forth above, improvement of recording properties is required for magnetic materials of high crystal magnetic anisotropy.
Accordingly, the application of Technique 2 to particulate magnetic recording media is conceivable to achieve both thermal stability and recording properties. However, in Technique 2, the support is exposed to high temperatures during gas phase film formation. Thus, it is difficult to apply this technique to nonmagnetic organic material supports usually employed in particulate magnetic recording media because these supports are of poorer heat resistance.

Magnetic particle and method of preparing the same


A thin discontinuous layer of metal such as Au, Pt, or Au/Pd is deposited on a Group III-V material surface. The surface is then etched in a solution including HF and an oxidant for a preferably brief period, as little as a couple seconds to one hour. A preferred oxidant is H2O2. Morphology and light emitting properties of porous Group III-V material can be selectively controlled as a function of the type of metal deposited, doping type, doping level, metal thickness, whether emission is collected on or off the metal coated areas and/or etch time. Electrical assistance is unnecessary during the chemical etching of the invention, which may be conducted in the presence or absence of illumination.

The field of the invention is semiconductor fabrication. The invention concerns production of porous III-V semiconductors having tunable light emitting properties.
Group III-V materials possess light emitting properties, the properties of which are determined by the electronic band structure. In turn, the band structure is a function of the elemental composition of the material. A great deal of effort has been devoted to developing processed forms of III-V semiconductors with tunable light emission properties, e.g., quantum wells, wires and dots, superlattices, and bandgap engineered materials. Silicon, in its naturally occurring elemental form, is not light emitting. Silicon may be changed to porous silicon, a modified form of silicon. The unique electronic, morphological, and thermal properties of porous silicon make it useful for a range of applications. Porous silicon may even be light emitting, making it useful in optoelectronics. The successful development of porous silicon suggests that if III-V semiconductors could be made porous efficiently they might also display interesting characteristics.
In addition to potential applications in silicon-based optoelectronics, porous silicon has been used as an antireflective coating for silicon solar cells. Chemically modified porous silicon may be useful in chemical and biochemical sensing. Porous silicon can serve as an efficient matrix for direct introduction of high mass biomacromolecules in mass spectrometry. In sum, porous silicon is useful in numerous applications and is likely to find many additional uses in the future.
Conventional methods for producing porous silicon are often time-consuming, difficult, or ineffective in producing stable porous silicon structures. Equipment such as a potentiostats and illuminating light sources are required in etching processes of conventional porous silicon production methods. Porous silicon is normally produced by anodic etching, with (n-type) or without (p-type) illumination. In the anodic etch process mobile holes are electrically driven to the silicon-electrolyte interface where they participate in the oxidative dissolution of surface silicon atoms. Spatial anisotropy results from the potential barrier developed at the sharp tips of the evolving structures, which blocks further hole transport thus preventing further etching and giving rise to the porous structure. Porous silicon has also been made without external bias by chemical etching in HNO3/HF solutions (stain etching), and by photochemical etching.
Stain etching is typically slow (characterized by an induction period), inconsistent in result, unreliable in producing light-emitting porous silicon and is not readily amenable to lateral patterning. Stain etching is mainly used for making very thin porous silicon layers. Recently, it was shown that evaporating and annealing 150-200 nm of aluminum (Al) on Si results in more rapid stain etching. However, the porous silicon produced by this aluminum enhanced stain etching was approximately ten times weaker in luminescence than anodically etched porous silicon of a similar thickness, and the process still exhibits an induction period prior to commencement of etching. See, D. Dimova Malinovska et al., xe2x80x9cThin Solid Filmsxe2x80x9d, 297, 9-12 (1997). It has also been reported that Pt could be deposited electrochemically from a Pt (IV) solution onto Si during etching to produce light-emitting porous silicon, although it proved difficult to control the applied potential to affect both silicon etching and Pt deposition simultaneously. See, P. Gorostiza, R. Diaz, M. A. Kulandainathan, F. Sanz, and J. R. Morante, J. Electroanal. Chem. 469, 48 (1999).
Group III-V materials have characteristic emission bands. For nearly a decade, GaN-based materials have been the subject of intensive research for optoelectronics applications in the short-wavelength range. Despite the lack of bulk GaN substrates, GaN-based devices have been made possible by advances in materials growth. Research targeting GaN and related ternary materials and development of devices based on these materials have intensified in the past few years due to the evident value of short-wavelength optical devices and high power electronic devices based on this system. Because bulk GaN substrates are not available for epitaxial growth, GaN is most often grown on sapphire or SiC. Growth of high-quality GaN-based materials on these substrates must overcome the limitations posed by the large mismatch in lattice constants (e.g., 14% for sapphire) and thermal coefficients, so material quality has been studied extensively by both structural and optical techniques.
Because the interest in GaN centers around its short-wavelength light emission properties, it would be of great technological interest if the emission could be moved to even shorter wavelengths ( less than 368 nm), or equivalently higher energies, than that observed from bulk epitaxial GaN.
The present method produces porous Group III-V material with tunable morphologies and light emitting properties. In the method of the invention, a thin discontinuous metal layer is deposited on a Group III-V material surface. Preferred metals are Pt and Au. Au tends to produce a smoother morphology, while Pt tends to shift the Group III-V conduction band further toward the blue region. It is important that the deposited layer be sufficiently thin that it forms a discontinuous film, thereby providing access of etchant species to the Group III-V material surface in the area of the deposited metal. The surface is then etched in a solution including HF and an oxidant for a brief period, as little as 2 seconds to as much as 60 minutes. A preferred oxidant is H2O2. Morphology and light emitting properties of porous Group III-V material can be selectively controlled as a function of the type of metal deposited, doping type, thickness of metal deposit, doping level, whether emission is collected on or off the metal coated areas, and etch time. It is important that etching occurs both directly under the metal-coated area and in areas adjacent to the metal coated areas. Electrical assistance is unnecessary during the chemical etching of the invention.

Metal-assisted chemical etch to produce porous group III-V materials

The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois


An apparatus for measuring a length of an article which is transported by a conveyor including first and second light sensors arranged along the conveyor being separated from each other by a reference distance which is similar to a minimum length or an average length of the articles, a rotary encoder secured to a roller of the conveyor ant at least one counter for counting output pulses from the rotary encoder, the counting operation of the counter being controlled by output signals from the first and second light sensors. A length of the article is calculated as a sum of the reference length and a length derived from at least one count value of the counter. The reference length can be predetermined precisely, so that the length of the article can be measured very accurately.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring a length of an article which is transported on a conveyor, and more particularly to an apparatus for measuring a length of a rectangular article in a traveling direction on the conveyor in a simple and accurate manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is sometimes required to measure a size of a rectangular article traveled on a conveyor. Height and width of the article can be simply measured by, for instance an optical measuring method, even when the article is moved. A length of the article viewed in a direction in which the article is fed on the conveyor is seemed to be measured easily, but in practice it is rather difficult to measure the length of the article accurately.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a known apparatus for measuring the length of the rectangular article traveled on the conveyor. A rectangular article 1 is fed on a conveyor 2 comprising a plurality of rollers 3 in a direction denoted by an arrow at a constant velocity V. When the rollers 3 are rotated at a constant speed, it may be assumed that the article 1 is fed on the conveyor 2 also at the constant velocity. Therefore, in the known apparatus, there is arranged a single set of an light sensor including a light source 4A for projecting a light beam 4C in a direction which is perpendicular to the feeding direction of the conveyor 2 and a photodetector 4B for receiving the light beam 4C. That is to say, the light source 4A and photodetector 4B are arranged on respective side of the article traveling path on the conveyor 2. It should be noted that the light beam 4C situates above the conveyor 2 at such a level that the light beam is made incident upon a side wall of the article 1. Then, by detecting a time interval from an instant at which the light beam 4C is interrupted by a front end of the article 1 to an instant at which a rear end of the article has just passed through the light beam 4C, it is possible to measure the length L of the article 1 as a product of the time interval t and the traveling speed V of the article, i.e. L=V*t.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating another known apparatus for measuring a length of an article on a conveyor. This known apparatus has a similar construction as that of the known apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and comprises a rotary encoder 5 provided on a roller 3 constituting the conveyor 2 on which the article 1 is fed in the direction V. The rotary encoder 5 detects a rotation angle of the roller 3, so that the traveling distance of the article 1 on the conveyor 2 may be derived by counting output pulses generated by the rotary encoder 5. Therefore, the length L of the article 1 can be measured by counting the output pulses from the rotary encoder 5 during the time period t during which the light beam 4C is interrupted by the article.
In the above mentioned known apparatuses, the measurement could not be performed accurately due to following various factors, so that the reliability of the measuring is low.
(a) variation in the rotation speed of the conveyor rollers PA1 (b) variation in diameters of the rollers due to wear of roller surfaces and adhesion of impurities PA1 (c) slip between the article and the rollers PA1 (d) non-flatness of the bottom surface of article PA1 an article detecting means including plural sets of light sensors arranged along the conveyor such that a distance between successive light sensors is set to a predetermined reference distance to generate article detection signals; PA1 a rotation angle detecting means for detecting a rotation angle of a roller of the conveyor to generate a rotation signal; and PA1 a length measuring means for measuring a length of an article by processing the article detection signals and rotation signal.
In the known apparatus shown in FIG. 1, all the above mentioned factors have an influence on the traveling velocity V of the article on the conveyor. Then, the length L of the article 1 could not be represented by the above mentioned equation L=V*t, and thus the length of the article could non be measured accurately in case of variable velocity V.
In the known apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2, when the rotary encoder 5 is provided on the roller 3 of the conveyor 2 which situates just below the light beam 4C, to measure the length is equivalent to measure the length of the bottom surface of the article 1 by utilizing the rotation angle of the roller 3, so that variation in the traveling speed V of the article 1 could no more affect the measurement and an error in the measurement can be reduced. However, the remaining factors (b) to (d) still affect the measurement, and therefore the length of the article could not be measured accurately.

Apparatus for measuring length of article transported on conveyor


An apparatus applies a liquid or viscid coating medium onto a moving material web, especially one made of paper or cardboard. A coating mechanism first applies the coating medium onto an applicator element or an applicator roll, which subsequently transfers the coating medium at a coating location onto the material web in the form of a coating layer. Furthermore, if so desired, a doctoring device can be positioned at a doctor station, adjacent to the coating location, on the downstream side relative to the movement of the material web for the purpose of smoothing and/or metering the coating. The coating apparatus incorporates an apparatus for the generation and/or supplying of a fluid, preferably steam. This apparatus is positioned adjacent to the coating location or to the doctor station on the downstream side relative to the movement L of the material web.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for applying a liquid or viscid coating medium onto a moving material web, especially one made of paper or cardboard.
2. Description of the Related Art
An exemplification of a known apparatus for applying a liquid or viscid coating medium onto a moving material web is illustrated in FIG. 2a. The coating apparatus includes an applicator roll 12 and a counter roll 14. The two rolls, 12 and 14, form a nip through which material web 16 runs in the direction of feed. Applicator roll 12 is coated with a liquid or viscid coating medium by use of a coating mechanism 18. This medium is subsequently transferred onto the material web 16 in the area of the coating location S. Applicator roll 12 and counter roll 14 are driven in opposite directions around their respective axes A and B as indicated by arrows P and P'. Such coating apparatuses are applied, for example, in film coating processes, roll coating processes and size presses.
Coating apparatus 10 usually experiences problems in the area Sp--located adjacent to the coating location S, on the downstream side relative to the movement of the material web 16--as the material web 16 separates from the outer surface 12a of roll 12. The pre-metered coating of coating medium 20 being applied onto the outer surface 12a is only partially transferred in the nip onto the material web 16. A part 20b of the coating medium 20 adheres to the outer surface of roll 12, and therefore, returns back to the coating mechanism 18. Those experienced in the art, refer to this effect as "film splitting".
In the process of film splitting, "coating medium threads" F (FIG. 2b) develop between the coating medium 20 being applied onto the material web 16 and the remaining layer 20b of coating medium on roll 12--similar to the honey threads that are formed between a spoon that is pulled from a honey jar. When these threads F are torn, it is possible to develop droplets or particles 20c of the coating medium 20, which is reflected in the formation of spray mist N. Accordingly, it can be said that the spray mist is formed by the particles and droplets 20c of the coating medium 20, which, for example, are torn from the previously applied coating 20a by the adhesive force of applicator roll 12.
Due to the aforementioned formation of the spray mist, the quality of the coated material web can be compromised in several ways. For example, small craters can form on the outer surface of the coated material web. Furthermore, the remaining parts of the torn-off coating medium threads F can cause a so-called "orange skin effect". Additionally, the re-deposit of droplets or particles 20c in an area removed from the spray area Sp can lead to an irregular structure of the material web's coating surface. The spray mist also causes other drawbacks such as a contamination of the coating apparatus.
The risk of encountering the above-stated disadvantages increases as the feed speed of the material web 16 increases, as the area specific coating weight on the material web 16 increases, and as the absorbency capability and/or the bibulousness of the material web 16 decreases. To avoid the aforementioned disadvantages of the state of the art, it was suggested in a summary report issued by the "Tappi Metered Size Press Forum" by Dr. Hans W. Maurer (weekly publication for paper manufacturing 17, 1997, page 827) to vary the composition of the coating medium. This approach, however, has proven to be impractical.

Apparatus for applying a liquid or viscid coating medium onto a moving fiber material web


Techniques for modeling a circuit cell of a microprocessor or other integrated circuit for hierarchical powergrid analysis are disclosed herein. Distribution coefficients, used to distribute node voltages and capacitances to respective parts of the cell, are determined for each internal node of the cell. Current distribution coefficients may also be determined for each resistor in the cell. Using the distribution coefficients, internal cell capacitances are modeled as port capacitors. Resistive elements are modeled as a resistor network having no internal nodes. Transistor elements are modeled as port current sources. Such a model permits back calculation of internal node voltages and currents.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to modeling circuits, and more particularly to modeling cells for hierarchical powergrid analysis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the complexity of modern integrated circuits, it is often impractical to simulate the power integrity of an entire device (e.g. microprocessor) at one time. To reduce the complexity of performing such a power integrity analysis, sometimes referred to as a powergrid analysis, a hierarchical representation of the integrated circuit device may be generated. The hierarchical representation involves generating simplified models of portions of the integrated circuit device. The simplified models are then put into a higher level model of the integrated circuit device, allowing the entire device to be analyzed during a single process. Consequently, if a hierarchical powergrid analysis is to be accurate, the simplified models of the circuit portions, or cells, should also be accurate.
A full powergrid analysis of an integrated circuit device usually also includes back calculating the circuit cell's internal node voltages, resistor currents, or the like, from actual port voltages determined at a later time in the design process. Any model of a circuit cell, therefore should ideally be simple and accurate, and provide for easy back calculation.
Various modeling techniques have been used to model circuit cells for use in a hierarchical powergrid analysis. One group of such techniques, commonly referred to as Time Constant Equilibration Reduction (TICER), involve eliminating internal nodes based on time-constants. While TICER can provide adequate results in some cases, it may be less than perfect under other circumstances. For example, TICER does not necessarily produce a circuit cell model with maximum simplicity. Additionally, back calculation with TICER models can be difficult. It should be apparent, therefore, that improved techniques for modeling circuit cells for hierarchical powergrid analysis would be advantageous.

Method of modeling circuit cells for powergrid analysis


An intraocular lens for insertion into a capsular bag of an eye comprises: an optic; and at least one plate haptic coupled to the optic by one or more flexible connecting members. The plate haptic with projections which are designed to engage the periphery of the capsular bag to center and fixate the intraocular lens within. The haptic includes a longitudinally rigid frame to resist deformation of the haptic.

Accommodating Intraocular Lenses were developed in the early 1900's and have been sold in Europe for the last ten years and later in the U.S. They function by means of forward movement of the optic upon constriction of the ciliary muscle which increases the pressure in the posterior part of the eye with a simultaneous decrease in pressure in the front part of the eye pressure. The reverse pressure changes take place upon relaxation of the ciliary muscle, which results in the backwards movement of the lens for distance vision. The forward movement of the lens optic enables the patient implanted with the lens to automatically change their vision from distance to see at intermediate and near.
The currently marketed accommodating plate haptic intraocular lenses provide excellent distance and intermediate vision but sometimes require weak, +1.00, reading glasses for prolonged reading, for seeing small print, or reading in dim lighting conditions. The embodiments relating to the present invention presented herein are designed to substantially reduce the need for any reading glasses
It is important for intraocular lenses to have a consistent location along the axis of the eye to provide good uncorrected distance vision and to center in the middle of the vertical meridian of the eye. Without excellent uncorrected distance vision there is no point in implanting an accommodating lens whose function is to enable patients to be without glasses. With the advent of the new premium lenses, not only are the above requirements important but also the vision is likely to be better if the lens after implantation and centration, is without any tilt which can reduce the quality of vision particularly if the lens optic has a toric component or is a multifocal.
The word "haptic" has been used to describe an attachment to intraocular lenses. The original intraocular lens consisted of a single optic. These single optic lenses, without any attachments, were first implanted in London by Harold Ridley in 1949. These lenses frequently de-centered and it was discovered that there was a need to center and fixate the lens optic in the vertical meridian of the eye.
The first attachments to the optic were called "haptics". They consisted of multiple flexible loops of various designs, J loops, C loops, closed loops and flexible radial arms.
Later, these loops which became commonly referred to as "haptics" were replaced in some lens designs with plates, called "plate haptics". It is necessary to fixate and center the plate haptics within the capsular bag and so loops or fingers are extended from the distal lateral ends of the plate haptics. These can be of the same material as the plate or integrally molded into the plate lens design during manufacturing, and can be made of polyimide, prolene, PMMA or titanium.
When the accommodating lens plate haptic is fibrosed into the capsular bag of an eye after cataract surgery, sometimes several weeks or months following the surgery, a complication can occur. The lens can deform to a "Z" dislocated shape. This occurs when there is little sandwiching of the distal tip of the plate haptics between the remaining anterior and the posterior walls of the capsular bag.
The current accommodating lenses utilize an oblong lens body design having plate haptics connected to the lens optics by a single transverse hinge across the plate haptic. This promotes accommodation by allowing the optic to move forwards and backwards relative to the outer, or distal, ends of the plates. Such accommodating lenses are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,476,514 and 5,496,366, both to Cumming, the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference. However, these designs do not permit adequate movement of the optic to a change in vitreous cavity pressure to allow many patients to read comfortably at near without glasses.
In order to increase the movement of the optic to respond to the increase in vitreous cavity pressure that occurs during constriction of the ciliary muscle, the transverse hinge may be weakened by elongating the hinge base or reducing the width of the hinge. However, elongating the hinge base would destabilize the lens optic, and making the hinge narrower would make it prone to tilting.

Intraocular lens with longitudinally rigid plate haptic


Dynamic focus and adjustment on one or more participants of a video conference. One or more key participants of the video conference are designated. The key participant or participants are then identified at their corresponding site from video images obtained from their site. A determination is made that another participant at the site is a focus target of the video conference. The video images obtained from the site are modified to include both the other participant and the key participant while the other participant is the focus target. Thus, focus is maintained at least on the key participant at the site, even when the focus target is a participant other than the key participant.

One or more aspects of the present application relate generally to videotelephony and more specifically to techniques for managing dynamic focus during video conferencing.
The use of videotelephony has become increasing widespread, particularly in view of its deployment on a variety of platforms including smartphones, tablets, and laptop computers, and increased reliance on video conferencing solutions in place of face-to-face meetings requiring travel.
The user experience during a video conference depends on sufficient information being transmitted between sites of the video conference. A basic requirement, generally, is that the video and audio of a current speaker at a given video conference site be captured and transmitted to other participants, preferably at as high a quality (for example, in terms of resolution and/or frames per second) as the transmission medium will support. Some video conferencing solutions therefore provide for camera or focus switching, so that the camera focus at a given site switches between different participants as they take turns speaking. At the same time, however, user experience can be enhanced by also transmitting sufficient video and/or audio data so that users can appreciate contextual cues from remote participants while another participant is speaking.

Dynamic video and sound adjustment in a video conference

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


The present disclosure discloses a shift register and a driving method therefor, a gate drive circuit, and a display device. An input circuit is configured to respond to a signal of an input signal end and provide a signal of a first reference signal terminal to a first node; a reset circuit is configured to respond to the signal of the second node and provide a signal of a second reference signal end to the first node; and an output circuit is configured to respond to the signal of the first node and provide the signal of the clock signal end to an output signal end and is configured to respond to the signal of the third node and provide the signal of the second reference signal end to the output signal end.

In recent years, with the vigorous development of the display field, the cost requirements for display panels have become increasingly lower, and how to effectively reduce the manufacturing cost of the panels influences the competitiveness of panel developers. To reduce the manufacturing cost of a display panel, the skilled in the art can design a gate drive circuit (gate-driver on array, GOA) by using edges of the display panel. Specifically, shift registers are integrated on an array substrate, and in a display stage, each row of shift registers drives pixels in the row to perform display. As the GOA can be implemented in the same manufacturing process as the array substrate, the manufacturing cost is saved. Moreover, compared with traditional chip on film (COF) and chip on glass (COG) processes, a GOA technology improves the integration of the display panel and meets the narrow-border design requirement at present.

Shift register and driving method therefor, gate drive circuit, and display device

Hefei Xinsheng Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.


A distributed sensor network that utilizes the cabling infrastructure installed for a Distributed Antenna System (“DAS”) to collect environmental data about a building. In this sensor network, an array of sensors are placed in line with the DAS communication cabling so that additional cabling is not required. The sensors use “out of band” frequencies or low level signaling so as to not interfere with the DAS signals to communicate the sensor data to the DAS head-unit.

A Distributed Antenna System ("DAS") is a network of spatially separated antenna nodes connected to a head-end unit via a transport medium that enables bi-directional communication with wireless devices (such as mobile phones or emergency services radios) within a structure. The DAS system enables communication networks (e.g., mobile phone networks and emergency radio networks) outside the structure to communicate wirelessly within the structure.
When transmitting data from a wireless device to the head-unit using the DAS, at least one antenna node wirelessly receives an electromagnetic signal transmitted from a wireless device using any wireless communication standard known in the art (e.g., 802.11, 3G, UHF, etc.). The received signal is then transmitted to a Remote Unit as an analog/RF signal that includes the data transmitted from the wireless device. The Remote Unit then processes the received signal and transmits the data to a head-unit via a backhaul cabling to the head-unit. The head-unit then relays the information to an external communication network or internally within the same facility to communicate the data to other persons or equipment.
When transmitting data from the external network to the wireless device using the DAS, the head-unit receives the data from external network. The head-unit then relays the information to the Remote Units via the backhaul cabling. The Remote Units receive the data from the head-unit and transmit the data as an analog signal to the antenna nodes. The antenna nodes then propagate the analog signal as electromagnetic wave that is received by the wireless device.


Disclosed herein is an optical recording medium comprising a recording layer containing a photochromic material and a polymer which are so combined with each other that a photostationary state attained upon irradiation with light of a specific wavelength is varied with temperatures, a reflective layer for reflecting light which is passed through the recording layer, and a substrate for supporting a laminate of the recording layer and the reflective layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical recording medium containing a photochromic material.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, study has been widely made for applying a photochromic material to a recording layer of a recording medium.
When a photochromic material is irradiated with light of a prescribed wavelength, structures of molecules are changed by photochemical reaction and optical properties such as absorbance, optical rotatory power, reflectance and the refractive index are changed in response to the structural change of the molecules.
When the photochromic material is thereafter irradiated with light of a specific wavelength, the changed molecules are returned to the original structures. Therefore, it is possible to record and reproduce information through difference of the optical properties. Further, it is also possible to erase the information by returning the molecules to the original structures.
For example, Japanese Magazine "Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn" 1990, Vol. 163, pp. 1311 to 1315 discloses a 2,3-bis(2-methyl-benzo[b]thiophene-3-yl) maleic anhydride as such a photochromic material. When light of about 430 nm in wavelength is applied, for example, this photochromic material is changed to such a photostationary state that molecules of ring-opening and ring-closing states are mixed with each other, and colored red. When light of about 550 nm in wavelength is applied, on the other hand, the photochromic material is fully changed to a ring-opening state.
Thus, such reversibly changed two states can be made to correspond to recorded and erased states respectively. In order to read out recorded information, light having a specific wavelength of 550 nm, for example, may be applied to this photochromic material for detecting difference of optical properties, such as absorbance, between the two states.
However, when the photostationary state of such a photochromic material is used as a recorded state and the ring-opening state is used as an erased state, for example, the photochromic material enters a ring-opening state and recorded information is destroyed if reproducing light of about 550 nm in wavelength is applied thereto. When reproducing light of about 430 nm in wavelength is applied, on the other hand, a portion of an unrecorded state (erased state) of the optical recording medium enters a photostationary state (recorded state) to allow erroneous recording, leading to destruction of original information.
Also when the recorded and erased states are reversed, information is destroyed in reproduction.
In relation to such a recording medium, a method of recording information not at only two levels of recording bits of "0" and "1" but at multiple levels is known. For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 61-211835 (1986), 62-164590 (1987) and 1-182846 (1989) disclose such multilevel recording methods.
In each of such conventional multilevel recording methods, photochemical reaction is facilitated in proportion to the amount of photons (amount of irradiation of light) to change absorbance etc. in proportion to such facilitation of the reaction. The amount of irradiation of light is gradually set in order to record information at multiple levels.
However, when optical properties such as light absorption of an optical recording medium containing such a photochromic material are detected by reproducing light for reproducing information, structures of molecules are changed by the reproducing light to destroy the original information. Thus, it is also difficult to reproduce information recorded at multiple levels, similarly to the above.
When information is recorded or reproduced in or from an optical recording medium containing such a photochromic material, information recording density depends on a spot diameter D of light which is used for recording or reproduction. With respect to a wavelength .lambda. of the light and a numerical aperture NA of an objective lens, the spot diameter D has a relation expressed as D.varies.X/NA. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the numerical aperture NA for reducing the spot diameter D. In order to increase the numerical aperture, however, it is also necessary to increase the size of the objective lens, and hence the apparatus is increased in size and the cost therefor is remarkably increased.
Further, an optical recording medium employing such a photochromic material is desired to have sensitivity to a band of longer wavelengths.
In addition, such a photochromic material generates a by-product upon irradiation with light. Thus, the photochromic material is gradually deteriorated when the same is repeatedly subjected to recording and erasing, to finally cause no reaction. This is conceivably because singlet oxygen is formed by irradiation of light, to oxidize/deteriorate the photochromic material.
It has been reported that, among various photochromic materials, a diarylethene derivative exhibits excellent repetition durability, while a 2,3-bis(2-methyl-benzo[b]thiophene-3-yl) maleic anhydride exhibits durability against repetition of 10.sup.3 to 10.sup.4 times.
However, repetition durability of such order is still insufficient in practice.


Devices and methods to stimulate the auricular branch of the vagus nerve are provided. Various device embodiments comprise a lead, a neural stimulation circuit, and a controller. The lead has a neural stimulation electrode. The neural stimulation circuit is connected to the lead to deliver a neural stimulation signal adapted to stimulate the auricular nerve branch using the neural stimulation electrode. The controller is connected to the neural stimulation circuit and is adapted to control delivery of the neural stimulation signal from the neural stimulation circuit to provide a vagal stimulation therapy. In various embodiments, the electrode is adapted to be placed in an external auditory canal. In various embodiments, the electrode includes a transcutaneous neural stimulation electrode adapted to be placed behind an ear.

A reduced autonomic balance during heart failure has been shown to be associated with left ventricular dysfunction and increased mortality. This reduced autonomic balance increases sympathetic and decreases parasympathetic cardiac tone. Direct stimulation of the vagal parasympathetic fibers has been shown to reduce heart rate via activation of the parasympathetic nervous system and indirect inhibition of the sympathetic nervous system. Some data indicate that increasing parasympathetic tone and reducing sympathetic tone may protect the myocardium from further remodeling and predisposition to fatal arrhythmias following myocardial infarction; and some data indicates that chronic stimulation of the vagus nerve may protect the myocardium following cardiac ischemic insult. However, implantation of electrodes is an invasive procedure, and it can be difficult to immediately implant electrodes after a myocardial infarction.
The auricular nerve is a branch of the vagus nerve that passes near the external auditory canal immediately behind the ear. Stimulation of this nerve branch depolarizes the vagus and elicits bradycardia. Needle puncture electrodes have been used to stimulate the auricular branch of the vagus nerve. The needle puncture electrodes punctured the skin to a depth of 0.1-0.3 mm in the area situated near the auditory passage that contains endings of the nerve auricularis. The neural stimulation applied by these needle puncture electrodes to the auricular branch improved anginal symptoms, improved coronary blood flow, increased ejection fraction and reduced the incidence of developing congestive heart failure (CHF).

Stimulator for auricular branch of vagus nerve


The present invention contemplates a stereolithographic apparatus and method having a liquid organic phase and a fluid phase separated by a membrane that inhibits contact between the phases.

Three-dimensional objects of complex shape can be formed utilizing a computer guided beam of light, typically ultraviolet light such as that from a laser, to polymerize a layer of a liquid, ultraviolet-curable, ethylenically unsaturated material at the surface of a liquid reservoir of such material. The polymerized layer is then coated with additional liquid ethylenically unsaturated material, as for example by lowering that layer into the reservoir, and the light is again utilized to polymerize the layer of ethylenically unsaturated material at the surface of the reservoir to produce another polymerized layer which adheres to the layer beneath it. These steps of coating and polymerizing superimposed layers of ethylenically unsaturated material which adhere to one another are repeated to produce a three-dimensional object. This process is well known in the prior art, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,330 to Hull, and is known as "stereolithography".
The ethylenically unsaturated material conventionally includes acrylate and/or methacrylate constituents. These constituents are odorous, hazardous and costly. Therefore, special care must be taken in handling, storing, and disposing of these materials.
The reservoir used in the above process must be of sufficient size to accommodate the largest dimension of the object being formed, because the completed object is positioned entirely within the reservoir. Large objects thus require large reservoirs that contain large amounts of potentially hazardous ethylenically unsaturated material.
FIG. 4 of the Hull Patent, and the accompanying disclosure at column 9, line 46 to column 10, line 5, teaches floating the ultraviolet-curable liquid 22 on a heavier, ultraviolet transparent liquid layer 32. The ultraviolet light source 26 passes through the ultraviolet transparent liquid layer 32 and is focused at the interface between the ultraviolet-curable liquid 22 and the ultraviolet transparent liquid layer 32. As a result the object 30 is pulled up out of the ultraviolet-curable liquid 22 as it is formed. Hull asserts that a smaller volume of ultraviolet-curable liquid 22 is required since part of the object being formed can be raised out of the ultraviolet-curable liquid 22.
Although this procedure of Hull may be applicable to smaller objects, larger and heavier objects could be pulled off the support, or stretched to deform the object, due to their own weight. Hull's approach is therefore of limited value for the production of larger and heavier objects. No reduction in the volume of ultraviolet-curable liquid 22 is achieved if the volume of ultraviolet-curable liquid 22 is sufficient to contain, and thereby partially bear the weight of, the entire object to minimize the weight tending to pull the object from its support. In contrast, the present invention permits a reduction in volume of radiation-polymerizable liquid material, e.g., an ethylenically unsaturated material, while containing the entire object.
The Hull Patent does not suggest inhibiting the contacting of these two liquids 22 and 32, so there is nothing to prevent undesired interaction between these two liquids which can adversely effect the cure of the ultraviolet-curable liquid 22. However, the present invention inhibits interaction by separating the two phases.
Furthermore, the reservoir can become contaminated and unstable with use and with the passage of time. A larger reservoir increases the amount of waste of expensive material that can result from contamination and instability, and it also increases the disposal problem. The chemical instability of the material in the reservoir can result in an uncontrolled, exothermic polymerization. This can result in damage to equipment and it can even be explosive. The larger the quantity of hazardous material in the reservoir, the greater the problem. The present invention reduces the quantity of hazardous material present and thereby reduces the problem.

Stereolithographic method and apparatus in which a membrane separates phases


Disclosed is a liquid ejecting recording head with improved operational reliability. A first coating resin layer of a liquid ejecting recording head, having a liquid flow duct and a liquid ejecting orifice, is formed of an oxetane resin composition that contains, as necessary components, an oxetane compound having at least one oxetanyl group in a molecule, and a cationic photopolymerization initiator.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a method for producing a recording head of the liquid ejecting type which exhibits low stress and high resistance against chemicals and which includes a plural number of flow ducts formed to high accuracy by patterned shaping by e.g. radiation of ultraviolet light.
2. Description of Related Art
Among the liquid ejecting type recording heads, there is an ink jet recording head applied to the ink jet recording system, ejecting e.g. the ink as liquid (liquid jet recording system). This ink jet recording head includes several constituent units, namely a plural number of ejecting orifices (orifices) ejecting the ink in a finely divided form, a plural number of flow ducts communicating with these ejecting orifices, and by a plural number of ink ejecting pressure generating devices, provided in certain portions of the flow ducts. For generating a high quality image with such ink jet recording head, it is preferred that small ink droplets, discharged from the ejecting orifices, are discharged with the same volume and at the same ejecting speed at all times from the respective ejecting orifices.
Among the ink jet recording heads, realizing these ejecting conditions, there are those stated for example in the following Patent Publication 1 (JP Laid-Open Patent Publication S56-123869), Patent Publication 2 (JP Laid-Open Patent Publication S57-208255), and Patent Publication 3 (JP Laid-Open Patent Publication S57-208256). In the ink jet recording head, disclosed in the Patent Publications 1 to 3, a plural number of nozzles, each including an ink flow duct and an orifice part, are patterned with e.g. a photosensitive resin material or a photoresist, on a substrate carrying a plural number of ink ejecting pressure generating devices. On a component part, carrying the ink flow ducts and the orifice parts, there is bonded a lid formed by, for example, a glass plate. Examples of the photosensitive resin material or the photoresist include diazo resin, p-diazoquinone, photo-polymerized photopolymers, containing vinyl monomers and a polymerization initiator, dimerized photopolymers, employing e.g. polyvinyl cinnamate and a sensitizer, a mixture of orthoquinone diazide and a phenol novolak resin, and a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and diazo resin. Other examples include polyether photopolymers, obtained on copolymerization of 4-glycidyl ethylene oxide with benzophenone or glycidyl calcone, an N-N-dimethyl methacryl amide-acrylamide benzophenone copolymer, unsaturated polyester based photosensitive resin, unsaturated urethane-based photosensitive resin, and a photosensitive composition obtained on mixing a difunctional acrylic monomer with a photopolymerization initiator and a polymer. Further examples include a dichromate photoresist, a non-chromium-based water-soluble photoresist and a polyvinyl cinnamate based photoresist.
Other ink jet recording heads, satisfying the aforementioned conditions for ejecting, may be exemplified by an ink jet recording head, obtained by a method for preparation as disclosed in Patent Publication 4 (JP Laid-Open Patent Publication S61-154947), indicated below. In the method for the preparation of the ink jet recording head, disclosed in the Patent Publication 4, a plural number of ink flow duct patterns are formed on the site of the substrate, which become to be ink flow ducts, with a dissolvable resin, and the so formed ink flow duct patterns are coated with an epoxy resin. The substrate is then severed, and the dissolvable resin, which forms the ink flow duct patterns, is dissolved and removed to yield an ink jet recording head.
There is also such an ink jet recording head in which, in contrast to those shown in the Patent Publications 1 to 4, a plural number of electrical thermal transducers, as the ink ejecting pressure generating devices, are mounted facing the ejecting orifices, with the direction of growth of the air bubbles, formed on the electrical thermal transducers, being substantially the same as the ink ejecting direction. Examples of this type of the ink jet recording head are disclosed in the Patent Publication 5 (JP Laid-Open Patent Publication S58-8658) and Patent Publication 6 (JP Laid-Open Patent Publication S62-264957), indicated below. In the ink jet recording head, disclosed in Patent publication 5, a dry film, which later becomes an orifice plate, is bonded on a substrate, provided with the electrical thermal transducers, with another patterned dry film. A plural number of ejecting orifices are formed by a photolithographic technique on the sites facing the electrical thermal transducers of the dry film and which later become an orifice plate. In the ink jet recording head, disclosed in Patent Publication 6, the substrate, carrying the ink ejecting pressure generating devices, and an orifice plate, prepared by electrocasting, are bonded together via a patterned dry film.
Moreover, in the ink jet recording heads, it is necessary not only to eject the ink with the same volume and at the same ejecting speed via ink ejecting orifice but also to eject fine ink droplets at accurately set positions. In order for the ink jet recording head to eject the ink at these accurately set locations, the distance between the electrical thermal transducer and the ejecting orifice, referred to below as 'OH' distance, is desirably as short as possible.
An illustrative method for producing an ink jet recording head, the OH distance of which has been set to high accuracy, is disclosed in Patent Publication 7 (JP Laid-Open Patent Publication H6-286149). In this Patent Publication 7, there is disclosed a method for preparation of an ink jet recording head including an ink flow duct pattern forming step, a coating resin layer forming step and a dissolvable resin layer dissolving step. In the ink flow duct pattern forming step, an ink flow duct pattern, which later becomes an ink flow duct, is formed by a dissolvable resin on a substrate already carrying ink ejecting pressure generating devices. In the coating resin layer forming step, the coating resin, containing an epoxy resin, solid at ambient temperature, is dissolved in a solvent and applied by solvent coating on a dissolvable resin layer, forming an ink flow duct pattern, to form a coating resin layer, which later becomes a wall section of an ink flow duct, on the dissolvable resin layer. In the resin layer dissolving step, the dissolvable coating layer, forming the ink flow duct pattern, is dissolved. In the method for producing an ink jet recording head, described in Patent Publication 7, a cationic polymer of an alicyclic epoxy resin is used as the coating resin from the viewpoint of forming a high aspect ratio pattern and of assuring high resistance against the ink.

Method for producing liquid ejecting recording head


Disclosed is a method for inhibiting the contamination of processed meat products by pathogenic or spoilage microorganisms which method involves treating the surface of the meat product with a lanthionine bacteriocin.

Chung et al., 1989 App. Env. Microbiol. 55: (6) 1329-1333 discuss the treatment of uncooked meats by soaking in a nisin solution and the effect of a nisin dip on raw meat inoculated previously with certain bacteria. They report a very short lifetime on nisin activity recovered from the raw meat (halflife of less than one day).
M Doyle in Food Technol. 1988 42: (4) 169-171, describes the inhibitory effects of nisin on the growth and survival of L. monocytogenes.
U.S. Pat. 4,597,972 discloses the mixing of food products with high levels of nisin to inhibit botulinum spore growth.

Use of lanthionines for control of post-processing contamination in processed meat


A trellis decoding system is provided having a memory for storing a sequence of received signals. The signals have been encoded prior to transmission by a trellis encoder such that each of a predetermined plurality of symbols represents an allowed transition from an originating state to a predetermined limited number of terminating states. The system includes a trellis decoder for decoding the sequence of received signals into a corresponding sequence of the symbols. A soft decision generator is provided. The soft decision generator is responsive to the signals stored in the memory and to the output of the trellis decoder and determines a soft decision parameter representative of confidence level of the trellis decoder in properly decoding the received signal into each one of the symbols. The determined soft decision parameter is tagged to each one of such symbols subsequent to the trellis decoder decoding the sequence of received signals into the corresponding sequence of symbols.

This invention relates generally to trellis decoders and more particularly to trellis decoders which produce soft decision (SD) outputs.
As is known in the art, trellis decoders are used in receivers of digital communication systems to reduce or eliminate errors caused by noise or distortion in a communication channel through which a sequence of data is transmitted. With such system, a coder is provided at the transmitter to encode the sequence of data into a sequence of symbols, each symbol representing an allowed transition from an originating trellis state of a state machine to a limited number of terminating trellis states. Referring to FIG. 1, the allowed transitions are shown for a state machine adapted to have four trellis states: S.sub.1, S.sub.2, S.sub.3, and S.sub.4. The coder encodes the sequence of data into a sequence of symbols; here symbols A.sub.1, A.sub.2, A.sub.3, and A.sub.4, such that:
symbol A.sub.1, represents an allowed transition from originating state S.sub.1 to terminating state S.sub.1, as a result of an input X, here 0, and from originating state S.sub.2 to terminating state S.sub.3 as a result of an input Y, here 1; PA1 symbol A.sub.2 represents an allowed transition from originating state S.sub.3 to terminating state S.sub.4 as a result of an input Y, here 1, and from originating state S.sub.4 to terminating state S.sub.2 as a result of an input X, here 0; PA1 symbol A.sub.3 represents an allowed transition from originating state S.sub.1 to terminating state S.sub.3 as a result of an input Y, here 1, and from originating state S.sub.2 to terminating state S.sub.1 as a result of an input X, here 0 and PA1 symbol A.sub.4 represents an allowed transition from originating state S.sub.3 to terminating state S.sub.2 as a result of an input X, here 0 and from originating state S.sub.4 to terminating state S.sub.4 as a result of an input Y, here 1. PA1 (i) For every starting state SI and corresponding end state S.sub.E compute the Euclidian distance D between the expected transition output symbol and the received symbol where the expected symbols take on the values {A.sub.1, A.sub.2, A.sub.3, A.sub.4 } as defined. This is carried out by a Branch Metric Calculation (BMC) Generation Unit. PA1 (ii) For every starting state SI and corresponding end state S.sub.E compute the sum of the branch metric (D) calculated in step (i) and the Accumulated Path Metric (APM) memory retained for that particular starting state S.sub.I from the previous transition. This is sum-compare-select function is performed by an Add-Compare-Select (ACS) unit. PA1 (iii) For each end state, retain only the transition which has produced the lowest sum G from all the possible start states to reach the end state S.sub.E and store it back in the Accumulated Path Metric (APM) memory. PA1 (iv) Repeat the procedure (i) to (iii) for every received symbol.
It should be noted that the current, (i.e., originating), state and the input value (i.e X or Y) specifies which symbols out of the entire set of symbols, here A.sub.1, A.sub.2, A.sub.3 and A.sub.4, may validly appear next in the sequence of transmitted symbols (i.e., the terminating state, or node, N). (For example, originating State S.sub.1 specifies that only symbols A.sub.1 and A.sub.3 may validly appear next in the sequence of symbols to be transmitted.) Thus, only selected sequences of transmitted symbols are permitted by the coding scheme. These permitted sequences are referred to as branches, here in this example, branches B.sub.1 -B.sub.8 in a trellis diagram shown in FIG. 1. Thus, each branch is defined by the originating state, the input value, the terminating state, and the symbol which uniquely represents the transition between such states. Thus, for example, from state S.sub.1 with an input value of Y, here 1, the only branch traversed is B.sub.2 to terminating state S.sub.3, and the only valid symbol which may exist in this transition through branch B.sub.2 is the symbol A.sub.3. (Note that irrespective of the starting (or initiating) state, two consecutive X inputs (i.e., here two consecutive inputs of 0) will bring the trellis to state S.sub.1, as this is a property of the trellis in this example, FIG. 2. Thus, the trellis shown in FIG. 1, having four trellis states S.sub.1 -S.sub.4 has two memory states MS, where 2.sup.MS =the number of trellis states).
Consider, as an example, that the symbols A.sub.1, A.sub.2, A.sub.3, and A.sub.4 are represented by values as follows: A.sub.1 =(+2, +2); A.sub.2 =(-2, +2); A.sub.3 =(-2, -2); and A.sub.4 =(+2, -2). Further, let the following sequence of input values is to be transmitted:

Trellis decoder with soft decision outputs


A machine for installing electrical box, wiring, and receptacles or switch simultaneously and a process that allows electricians to perform all 3 tasks at one time without the need to return to install receptacles or switch after wallboard is installed comprises: Housing with built-in laser guide and attached magnetic spacers for metal studs or wooden studs that allow for correct alignment of receptacle or switch for applicable wallboard thickness used.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of construction and more specifically to a machine for installing electrical box, wiring, and receptacles or switch simultaneously:
(2) Description of the Related Art
The present invention is a process that allows electricians to perform all 3 tasks at one time without the need to return to install receptacles or switch after wall board is installed. This technology is derived from the inefficiency of having electricians re-visit a job site thus incurring additional labor costs and time scheduling conflicts.
Commercial high rise construction is comprised of tens of thousands of electrical outlets. When considering the labor costs of remobilizing electricians to complete the installation of the receptacles/switches, the adverse effect on project duration results in huge monetary spending while increasing the possibility of delays in meeting scheduling milestones.
Prior technology mandates a three-step process: Install electric box and wiring, install wallboard, install receptacle or switch with proper alignment to existing wallboard. Prior technology incurs huge labor costs when electricians return to install receptacle or switch once wallboard is installed. Eliminating the final step of prior technology contributes to overall project efficiency by reducing time spent on coordinating and scheduling of multiple crafts; in turn, saving time in completing the final project.

Device for installing wiring, electrical box, ad receptacle or switch simultaneously


An mechanism for kinematic guidance of a body during its adjustment on a supporting structure. The body is moved between a refracted position and an extended position while performing a movement in a longitudinal direction in combination with a rotary movement. The mechanism includes first and second transmission levers for coupling to the supporting structure, a base connection lever to which these levers are coupled, third and fourth transmission levers coupled to the base connection lever, an adjusting lever coupled to the third and fourth transmission levers for attachment of the adjustable body, to adjust the body by a movement of the adjusting lever, and a coupling lever coupled to the first or second transmission lever and to the third or fourth transmission lever. During a movement of the adjusting lever, the first and second transmission levers each move opposite to the third and fourth transmission levers.

From EP 0154047 A1 an adjusting mechanism for adjusting a trailing edge flap is known which comprises a coupling support which is adapted to be adjusted by a rotary actuator and to which the trailing edge flap is linked. For guidance of the coupling support and thus for guidance of the trailing edge flap, there is linked to the coupling support on the one hand a connecting lever for articulatedly connecting the coupling support to the main wing, and on the other hand a connecting lever for articulatedly connecting the coupling support to the trailing edge flap.

Adjusting mechanism for kinematic guidance of an adjustable body during its adjustment on a supporting structural component, adjusting mechanism for kinematic adjustment of a high lift body, and high lift system comprising a like adjusting mechanism


The present invention discloses a slide-cover handlebar device whose handlebar body has a slide cover to conceal the button arranged in a recession of the handlebar body, and whose handlebar body also has a torsion spring. The torsion spring has a fixing ring press-fitted with a fixing protrusion of the slide cover. When the slide cover is pulled or pushed, the torsion spring is also driven to move. When the pulling or pushing force has reached a critical point, the torsion spring generates a rotation torsion force to keep on pulling or pushing the slide cover to reveal or conceal a button. The present invention can protect the button from being imprudently pressed. The torsion spring can assist the user in opening or shutting the slide cover.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slide-cover handlebar device, particularly to a slide-cover handlebar device for holding a pull handle of a luggage trunk.
2. Description of the Related Art
In modern society, people travel via various traffic means, such as automobiles, high speed rails, passenger liners, or aircrafts. A traveler usually carries his personal belongings, such as clothes, shoes, stockings, and bathroom kits, with a luggage trunk. The current luggage trunks usually have extendible pull handles integrated with the trunks.
Refer to FIG. 6 for a conventional pull handle of a luggage trunk. As shown in FIG. 6, a luggage trunk 50 has an extendible pull handle 52, and the extendible pull handle 52 has a handlebar 54 to be held by the user. The handlebar 54 has a button 56. The user presses the button 56 to extend or retract the pull handle 52, whereby the user can conveniently pull or lift the luggage trunk 50.
However, the button 56 on the handlebar 54 is exposed externally in the conventional the extendible pull handle 52. Sometimes, the user may imprudently press the button 56 when pulling or lifting the luggage trunk 50. In such a condition, the pull handle 54 will suddenly extend or retract, which should greatly inconvenience the user. Therefore, the present invention proposes a slide-cover handlebar device to solve the abovementioned problem, wherein the slidable cover can be shut to protect the button 56 from being imprudently pressed, and wherein a mechanism is used to assist the user in sliding the cover.