Holding apparatus 100 for electrostatic holding component 1 (e.g., semiconductor wafer), includes base body 10 with at least one plate 10A, protruding burls 11 on upper side of plate and end faces 12 of which span a burls support plane for supporting component, and electrode device 20 in layered form in spacings between burls and insulator layer 21 which is connected to plate, dielectric layer 23 of inorganic dielectric and electrode layer 22 between insulator and dielectric layers. Between burls support plane and dielectric layer upper side, predetermined gap spacing A is set. Electrode device has openings 24 and is on plate upper side between burls, which protrude therethrough. Insulator layer includes inorganic dielectric and is connected with adhesive 13 to base body upper side between burls. Electrode device is embedded in adhesive. Spacing between burls and electrode device is filled with adhesive. A production method is also described.

An electrostatic holding apparatus which is also designated an electrostatic clamping apparatus, electrostatic clamp (ESC) or electrostatic chuck, in general has a plate-shaped base body for receiving the component and an electrode device for generating an electrostatic holding force or, in relation to the area, an electrostatic clamping pressure. The base body can be configured, in general, integrally from a plate or multi-layered from a plurality of plates. On at least one surface, the base body is provided with protruding burls, the end faces of which generate a burls support plane. The burls support plane defines the support area for the component that is held.
The electrode device comprises one or more electrodes with which through application of an electric voltage, the electrostatic clamping pressure is generated. The electrostatic clamping pressure depends, in particular, upon the voltage, the distance of the electrodes from the burls support plane and on the dielectric properties of the material composition at this distance. The latter comprises the dielectric above the electrodes with a defined layer thickness and a relative permittivity εr,d and the free gap spacing filled with a gas of permittivity εr,g between the burls support plane and the upper side of the holding apparatus between the burls. Since the ratio εr,d/εr,g is typically significantly greater than 1, the electrostatic clamping pressure is typically substantially co-determined by the gap spacing. For the achievement of a high and homogeneous clamping pressure, there is therefore a particular interest in a gap spacing that is as small and as constant as possible over the area of the holding apparatus.
A distinction can be made between two variants of electrostatic clamps. In a first variant, the insulator, electrode and dielectric are applied onto one another over the full area as layers on a base body. Since the material of the base body in this variant does not protrude through the individual layers, the burls on the clamp surface must be produced from the material of the dielectric, which is usually sensitive glass. If the burls consist of a soft dielectric material such as, for example, glass, they have a lower wear resistance than, for example, ceramic burls. In this case, additional wear prevention layers are required which increase the production effort and require renewal in regular cycles.
In the second variant to which the present invention relates, the burls are formed integrally as part of the base body and the insulator layer is arranged between the burls together with the electrodes and the dielectric as a layered composite. If a material that is significantly harder than glass, for example SiSiC, is selected for the base body, the mechanical strength of the burls and thus of the support area is substantially improved. However, the complex multilayered structure of the electrode device has previously been associated with a long, almost entirely serial process chain with high costs, a restricted yield, a high degree of effort and high costs due to post-processing in the production, and with long delivery times.
In US 2015/0348816 A1, an apparatus according to the aforementioned first variant of electrostatic clamps is described. Herein, a dielectric disk coated with an electrode is adhesively bonded over the full area onto a base body. The adhesive is selected such that, apart from its adhesive properties, it also serves as an insulator between the base body and the electrode. The burls support plane is introduced into the dielectric in the device described in US 2015/0348816 A1. In this apparatus, the full-area adhesive bonding of the dielectric disk, whereby the adhesive is also situated under the individual burls, can have disadvantageous effects. A shrinking or ageing of the adhesive polymer can lead to a position change of the burls in the z-direction and thus disadvantageously change the evenness on the clamp support area. Furthermore, in US 2015/0348816 A1, it is described that the adhesive evens out unevennesses between the dielectric and the base body. This can have the result, however, that under the individual burls, different adhesive layer thicknesses occur and thus the compressibility of the individual burls varies, which can also have an effect on the evenness of the support area during later operation of the device and the action of a clamping pressure.
A holding apparatus according to the aforementioned second variant of electrostatic clamps wherein the electrode device is not integrated into the base body, but is arranged on its surface between the burls (burl bottom) is described, for example, in US 2009/0079525 A1 and in US 2013/0308116 A1. In this case, the electrode device comprises a layered structure between adjacent burls with a bottom plastics insulating layer, in the upper side of which the electrodes are integrated, and a dielectric layer made of a plastics or glass, which extends over the insulating layer with the electrode. This configuration represents a suggestion for the arrangement of the electrodes between the burls, although no methods are disclosed as to how the layered structure is to be produced on a holding apparatus for practical applications with, for example, several thousand burls. In particular, it is disadvantageous, that no setting of the distance of the electrodes from the burls support plane or of the gap spacing is provided, so that the electrostatic clamping pressure can vary over the area of the holding apparatus.
From U.S. Pat. No. 9,673,079 B1, it is known, for the production of an electrostatic holding apparatus, to provide the electrode device as a separate component with a self-supporting silicon plate, electrode layers on the silicon plate and a covering SiN dielectric layer. The silicon plate has holes for receiving the burls of the base body. For the connection of the electrode device to the base body, the silicon plate is adhesively bonded onto the base body, wherein the burls protrude through the holes of the electrode device. With this method, particular advantages arise from the separate production of the electrode device and its simple connection to the base body. It can, however, be disadvantageous that, for example, through thickness variations in the adhesive connection between the electrode device and the base body, variations of the gap spacing can arise above the electrode device. Furthermore, it is required that the silicon plate is as thin as possible or the burl height is as great as possible, which leads to a complex time-consuming processing.
According to US 2012/0274920 A1, it is proposed to produce the electrode device with thin film technology in the spacings between the burls. Firstly, a planarization layer is formed on the base body between the burls, on which a polymer or SiOx-based insulator layer, the electrode layer and a polymer or SiOx-based dielectric layer are deposited. With this technology, the planarization layer permits a planarizing of the electrode device. It is disadvantageous, however, that even in this case, through variations in the thin-film deposition, variations of the gap spacing and thus of the electrostatic clamping pressure arise. Furthermore, the thin layers are sensitive to damage on use of the holding apparatus.
In order to prevent variations of the gap spacing, it is proposed in US 2018/0047605 A1 to form the electrode device in the spaces between the burls by means of a polymer-based insulator layer, electrode layers on the insulator layer and a covering polymer-based dielectric layer. Variations of the gap spacing should be excluded in that the upper sides of the insulating and dielectric layers are adjusted before their hardening, in each case, with a reference tool. With this technology, variations of the holding forces through variations of the gap spacing are prevented. A disadvantage arises, however, from the large number of successive operations to be carried out in the production of the holding apparatus. A further more important disadvantage results from the use of polymers for the formation of the insulator and dielectric layers. Polymer plastics have a limited chemical and/or physical resistance under the conditions of use of electrostatic holding apparatuses, in particular in the processing of semiconductor wafers. Unwanted substances can be released and/or ageing processes of the polymers can restrict the working life of the holding apparatus.
In the German patent application DE 10 2018 116 463.7 (not yet published at the priority date of the present specification), a further method for producing a holding apparatus according to the above second variant is described. Thereby, an electrode device is produced in that a dielectric disk which carries an electrode layer is adhesively bonded onto the upper side of the base body and is subsequently thinned for setting the thickness of the finished dielectric layer and the gap spacing between the burls support plane and the upper side of the dielectric layer. This method advantageously enables the setting of a desired gap spacing. However, since the adhesive forms the insulator layer between the electrode layer and the base body, disadvantages can arise with regard to the reliability of the electrical insulation. For example, inhomogeneities in the adhesive, for example particles, can impair the dielectric strength of the insulator layer.
Finally, a general disadvantage of conventional holding apparatuses lies therein that the function of the holding apparatus can conventionally only be tested on the finished product in that the electrode device has a working voltage applied to it and the holding force achieved is measured. In the event of functional errors or insufficient holding force, a correction is typically not possible, so that the holding apparatus must be discarded as a reject.
The problems mentioned occur not only in holding apparatuses for holding semiconductor wafers, but also in other uses, for example, in holding apparatuses for holding glass plates.
The objective of the invention is to provide an improved holding apparatus for electrostatic holding of a component, in particular a semiconductor wafer, with which disadvantages of conventional techniques are avoided. The holding apparatus is intended, in particular, to enable variations of the gap spacing along the burls support plane to be minimized or completely eliminated, disadvantages from the use of polymer plastics to be minimized or completely eliminated, the holding apparatus to be produced with a simple method, and/or the holding apparatus to be produced with a reduced reject rate. It is a further objective of the invention to provide an improved method for producing an electrostatic holding apparatus, with which disadvantages of the conventional techniques are overcome. The method is intended to be distinguished by a simplified production of the holding apparatus, to simplify a parallelizing of production steps, reducing a reject quota and/or enabling a reliable setting of the gap spacing along the burls support plane.
These objectives are achieved by an electrostatic holding apparatus and a method for producing an electrostatic holding apparatus of the invention.

Electrostatic holding apparatus with a layered composite electrode device and method for the production thereof


A component of a rotor system is provided and includes a disk and a reinforcing ring. The disk includes an airfoil element, a web extending radially inwardly from the airfoil element and an arm element extending axially from the web. The reinforcing ring is formed of fiber reinforced materials and is disposed to fit about the arm element.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to gas turbine engines and, in one embodiment, to a composite reinforced rotor of a gas turbine engine.
In a gas turbine engine, air is compressed in a compressor and compressor air is then mixed with fuel and combusted in a combustor to produce a high-temperature and high-pressure working fluid. This working fluid is directed into a turbine in which the working fluid is expanded to generate power. The generated power drives the rotation of a rotor within the turbine through aerodynamic interactions between the working fluid and turbine blades or airfoils. The rotor can be used to drive rotations of a propeller or to produce electricity in a generator.
Gas turbine engines and, in particular, the rotating structures of gas turbine engines can be sensitive to weight. For example, the materials that the rotor is formed from are often required to withstand high steady and cyclic stresses. While fiber reinforced composite materials typically offer good structural capabilities, they can be difficult to form into complex shapes consistent with a conventionally bladed disk or integrally bladed disk of a gas turbine engine rotor.
Accordingly, a need exists for an innovative solution that integrates composite reinforcement into a metallic rotor assembly to thus provide a relatively light weight and/or compact rotor system.


An optoelectronic element comprises a semiconductor stack layer comprising a first surface and a second surface; a first transparent conductive oxide layer formed on the first surface of the semiconductor stack layer, wherein the first transparent conductive oxide layer comprises at least an opening exposing the first surface of the semiconductor stack layer; and a second transparent conductive oxide layer filled into the opening and covering the first transparent conductive oxide layer; wherein the first transparent conductive oxide layer and the second transparent conductive oxide layer are comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium oxide (InO), tin oxide (SnO), cadmium tin oxide (CTO), aluminum tin oxide (ATO), aluminum zinc oxide (AZO), and zinc oxide (ZnO), and the first transparent conductive oxide layer and the second transparent conductive oxide layer have the same constituent material with different refractive indexes.

The lighting theory of light-emitting diode (LED), which is different from that of incandescent lamp, is to generate light by releasing the energy generated from the move of the electron between n type semiconductor and p type semiconductor. So the LED is called a cold lighting source. Furthermore, since LED has advantages as highly durable, long life-time, light weight, low power loss, nowadays LED is highly expected to be a new generation lighting device in the lighting market.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a conventional optoelectronic element 100 including a substrate 10, a semiconductor stacked layer 12 disposed on the substrate 10, and at least an electrode 14 disposed on the semiconductor stacked layer 12, wherein from top to bottom the semiconductor stacked layer 12 includes a first conductive type semiconductor layer 120, an active layer 122, and a second conductive type semiconductor layer 124.
In the conventional optoelectronic element 100, the surface of the semiconductor stacked layer 12 is flat, and the refractive index of the semiconductor stacked layer 12 is different from that of the external environment, so the light emitted from the active layer has total internal reflection (TIR) easily.
Moreover, when the conventional optoelectronic element 100 is in operation, the current flows into the semiconductor stacked layer 12 via the electrode 14. Most of the current flows in the semiconductor stacked layer 12 by a shortest route, therefore the current distributes in the semiconductor stacked layer 12 unevenly, and the illumination efficiency of the optoelectronic element 100 is affected.
Besides, the optoelectronic element 100 can further connects to other elements to form an optoelectronic apparatus. FIG. 2 is a structure diagram of a conventional optoelectronic apparatus. As shown in FIG. 2, an optoelectronic apparatus 200 includes: a sub-mount 20 at least having a circuit 202; at least a solder 22 disposed on the sub-mount 20 to attach the optoelectronic element 100 on the sub-mount 20, and electrically connects the substrate 10 of the optoelectronic element 100 to the circuit 202; and an electrical connection structure 24 for electrically connecting the electrode 14 of the optoelectronic element 100 to the circuit 202 of the sub-mount 20, wherein the sub-mount 20 can be a lead frame or a mounting structure for circuitry planning of the optoelectronic apparatus 200 and for enhancing the heat-dissipation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention provides a patch comprising a backing and an adhesive agent layer laminated on the backing, wherein the adhesive agent layer comprises ropinirole or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, an organic amine or an acid addition salt thereof, and an adhesive agent.

Ropinirole is a compound represented by the following formula (1) and is also referred to as 4-[2-(dipropylamino)ethyl]-2-indolinone. Ropinirole is known as a dopamine D2 receptor agonist and an oral administration formulation containing ropinirole hydrochloride is in particular effective in treating diseases such as Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome.

On the other hand, ropinirole may cause side effects such as somnolence and narcolepsy in response to the increase in a body drug concentration, and the development of a transdermal absorption formulation allowing the administration at a constant rate has been attempted (Patent Literature 1 to 7).


A heat transfer plate that has a base plate; a fluid distribution plate that is arranged on a first end section of the base plate, and a fluid collection plate that is arranged on a second end section of the base plate, the fluid distribution plate comprising a base edge that faces a heat transfer section of the base plate, a distal part that is located at a distance from the base edge, a fluid passage edge that comprises an extension in a direction from the base edge, towards the distal part, a closed edge that comprises an extension in the direction from the base edge, towards the distal part, and fluid distribution channels that extend from the fluid passage edge to the base edge, for leading fluid from the fluid passage edge to the heat transfer section.

Today many different types of plate heat exchangers exist and are employed in various applications depending on their type. Generally, a heat exchanger has a number of heat transfer plates that are joined to each other to form a plate stack. In the plate stack there are alternating first and second flow paths in between the plates. A first fluid flows in the first flow path and a second fluid flows in the second flow path. As such flow goes on and when there is a temperature difference between the fluids, heat is transferred from the warmer fluid to the colder fluid.
The design of the heat transfer plates is important for providing efficient transfer of heat between the fluids. The plates must also be durable and should withstand various stresses that may occur, for example due to pressure variations and temperature differences.
The heat transfer plate has typically a dedicated heat transfer area with a pattern that is pressed into the plate. Often the plate has also a fluid distribution area with a dedicated pattern that distributes fluid from an inlet port, or edge, towards the heat transfer area. A corresponding fluid collection area collects fluid that has passed over heat transfer area and leads it towards an outlet port, or edge. The pattern for the fluid distribution and fluid collection areas is often pressed into the plate simultaneously with pressing of the pattern for the heat transfer area.
However, it is not always desired to have the fluid distributing and/or fluid collection pattern on the same plate as the heat transfer pattern. Special types of heat exchangers are then employed, such as the type where individual fluid distribution plates and individual fluid collection plates are located in between base plates that are joined to each other. Between each pair of base plates a fluid distribution plate is then located at one end, and a fluid collection plate is located at another end. Between the ends the base plates have heat transfer areas. This type of arrangement provides e.g. the possibility to accomplish cost efficient manufacturing of large heat exchangers, while still ensuring efficient distribution of fluid to the heat transfer area and subsequent collection of the fluid after it has passed the heat transfer area.
A number of embodiments of heat exchangers with individual fluid distribution and fluid collection plates have been disclosed. In comparison to several other types of plate heat exchangers, the heat exchanger allows the use of large heat transfer plates and provides efficient transfer of heat while still being durable. However, it is estimated that heat exchangers with individual fluid distribution and fluid collection plates may be improved in respect of their capability efficiently distributing fluid to their central heat transfer sections.

Heat transfer plate and plate heat exchanger


This invention provides a method of manufacturing speaker diaphragm for a loudspeaker that has a composite material formed of two layers of ceramic material separated by a light metal substrate and where the core is formed by stamping a sheet of standard gauge aluminum to form a speaker core and then deep anodizing the core to obtain a ceramic layer of alumina on each surface (Al2O3) that is at least about 1 mil. thick. The invention further provides for a loudspeaker diaphragm, where the diaphragm is a composite material formed of at least two layers of ceramic material having a metal substrate therebetween and where the thickness of the metal substrate is no more than 86% of the thickness of the composite material.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to loudspeakers, and in particular, to a diaphragm for a loudspeaker that significantly improves the quality of sound and the usable life of the loudspeaker.
2. Related Art
A typical loudspeaker, as shown in FIG. 1, has a cone and/or dome diaphragm that is driven by a voice coil that is immersed in a strong magnetic field. The voice coil is electrically connected to an amplifier and, when in operation, the voice coil moves back and forth in response to the electromagnetic forces on the coil caused by the current in the coil, generated by the amplifier, and the stationary magnetic field. The cone and voice coil assembly is typically suspended by a "spider" and a "surround," a flexible connector frame. This suspension system allows the cone and coil assembly to move as a finite excursion piston over a limited frequency range. Like all mechanical structures, cones and domes have natural modes or "mode peaks" commonly called "cone break-up." The frequency at which these modes occur is largely determined by the stiffness, density, and dimensions of the diaphragm, and the amplitude of these modes is largely determined by internal damping of the diaphragm material. These mode peaks are a significant source of audible coloration and, as a result, degrade the performance of the loudspeaker system.
Designers have tended to take two paths to solve the cone break-up problem. For small diaphragms such as those found in dome tweeters, aluminum and titanium are commonly used. These titanium and aluminum diaphragms typically feature a thin anodized layer to provide a specific color to the visible surface, or to protect the metal from sunlight, humidity, or moisture. In contrast, for larger diaphragms, such as those found in subwoofers, softer materials such as polymers or papers are commonly used.
When using metal diaphragms, the dome dimensions can be manipulated such that the first natural modes of the dome are above the frequency range of human hearing. FIG. 2 shows the frequency response of a typical 1″ titanium dome tweeter (note the large mode peak 22 at 25 kHz). The amplitude of these modes is usually very high because metals have very little internal damping. For diaphragms larger than approximately 1″, the dome modes fall into the audible range. These modes are plainly audible as coloration because of the high amplitude of the modes. FIG. 3 shows the frequency response of a typical 3″ titanium dome mid-range speaker (note several large peaks 24, 26, and 28 at 11 kHz, 16 kHz, and 18 kHz). Since the modes fall into the audible range as the size of the diaphragms increase, metal diaphragms become less desirable for larger diaphragms.
For larger diaphragms, softer materials such as polymers or papers are commonly used. These materials have several natural modes in the band in which they operate. However, the internal damping of these materials is high enough so that most of these modes do not cause audible coloration. The remaining modes are either compensated for in other parts of the loudspeaker system design, resulting in increased costs, or are not addressed at all, resulting in lower performance. FIG. 4 shows the frequency response of a typical 5″ woofer with a polypropylene cone (note the large mode peaks 30 and 32 at 4 kHz and 5 kHz).
As an alternative to metal, paper and polymers, ceramic materials such as alumina or magnesia may be used. These ceramic materials offer significantly higher stiffness numbers and slightly better internal losses than typical metals such as titanium or aluminum. As a result, the natural modes of diaphragms made of these materials are moved higher in frequency and reduced in amplitude and, thus, reduce audible coloration. Unfortunately, pure ceramics are very brittle and are prone to shattering when used as loudspeaker diaphragms. Additionally, making diaphragms of appropriate dimensions can be very expensive. As a result, pure ceramic loudspeaker diaphragms have not become common.
Table I shows the structural parameters for several common diaphragm materials.
TABLE IPROPERTIES OF DIAPHRAGM MATERIALSYoung'sModulusSpeed ofInternal LossMaterial(Stiffness)DensitySound(damping)Paper 4 × 109 Pa0.4 g/cm31000 m/sec0.06 Polypropylene 1.5 × 109 Pa0.9 g/cm31300 m/sec0.08 Titanium110 × 109 Pa4.5 g/cm34900 m/sec0.0003Aluminum 70 × 109 Pa2.7 g/cm35100 m/sec0.0003Alumina340 × 109 Pa3.8 g/cm39400 m/sec0.004
As yet another alternative to metal, paper or ceramic diaphragms, some designers have designed diaphragms that are made of both ceramic and metal. These diaphragms are formed by applying a skin of alumina or ceramic on each side of the aluminum core or substrate. The alumina thus supplies the strength and the aluminum substrate supplies the resistance to shattering. It has high internal frequency losses. The resulting composite material is less dense and less brittle than traditional ceramics, yet is significantly stiffer, and has better damping than titanium. It also resists moisture and sunlight better than any polymer and is at least as good as other metals for providing such resistance.
These ceramic/metal cones are typically 3 mils. thick with a 2.6 mils. thick substrate of aluminum and 0.2 mil. thick layers of alumina one on each side of the substrate. In these prior art ceramic/metal cones, the metal substrate represented approximately 87% of the total thickness of the cone. Because of the prior art methods of manufacturing the cones, the amount of ceramic that could be applied to the metal substrate was limited to a depth of about 1/10 of a mil and therefore the quality that could be achieved through this method was similarly limited. Thus, a need exists for a method of anodizing the metal substrate that will allow for a depth of more than 1/10 of a mil of ceramic on each side of the cone and thereby reduce the representative amount of metal in the cone.

Ceramic metal matrix diaphragm for loudspeakers

Harman International Industries, Incorporated


A master cylinder comprises a primary piston, a secondary piston, and a proportioner valve. The secondary piston is engaged with the primary piston, and the proportioner valve is disposed within the secondary piston.

The present invention relates generally to brake systems for motor vehicles, and relates more specifically to a master cylinder having a proportioning valve and providing a by-pass function.
The master cylinders on many motor vehicles operate through two separate and independent pressure circuits. In a front-to-rear split system, both front brakes are connected to one chamber of the dual master cylinder and both rear drums are connected to the other chamber. Front-to-rear split systems known as xe2x80x9cHxe2x80x9d split systems normally have a proportioner installed in the brake lines between the master cylinder and the rear brakes to improve front-to-rear balance at high deceleration. At a given pressure in the circuit, often referred to as the xe2x80x9cknee point,xe2x80x9d the proportioner valve causes the rear brake pressure to rise at a slower rate than the master cylinder pressure. Conventional designs locate the proportioner valve in a separate enlarged boss on the master cylinder casting, in a screw-in module, or remotely elsewhere in the vehicle.
The present invention is a master cylinder comprising a primary piston, a secondary piston, and a proportioner valve. The secondary piston is engaged with the primary piston, and the proportioner valve is disposed within the secondary piston.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a master cylinder of the type described above that includes a proportioner valve.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a master cylinder of the type described above that provides a by-pass function to provide sufficient pressure to a rear brake circuit in limited circumstances.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a master cylinder of the type described above that fits within the general packaging of the master cylinder bore.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention rather than limiting, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Master cylinder with by-pass function and proportioning valve


An electrostatic photographic liquid developer comprising a nonaqueous solvent with an electric resistance of 10.sup.9 .OMEGA.cm or more and a dielectric constant of 3.5 or less, having a resin dispersed therein, wherein dispersion resin particles are copolymer resin particles obtained by the copolymerization reaction of solutions containing at least one monofunctional monomer (A) which is soluble in the nonaqueous solvent but which is rendered insoluble by polymerization, and monomer (B) which is represented by the general formula (II) below ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents an aliphatic group with 8 or more carbon atoms;. T represents --COO--, --CONH--, ##STR2## where R.sup.2 represents an aliphatic group, --OCO--, --CH.sub.2 COO-- or --O--; and PA0 b.sup.1 and b.sup.2, which may be the same or different, each represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a --COOR.sup.3 group or a --CH.sub.2 --COOR.sup.3 group, where R.sup.3 represents an aliphatic group, which contains an aliphatic group with 8 or more carbon atoms and which produces a copolymer by polymerization with monomer (A); in the presence of a dispersion stabilization resin which is soluble in the nonaqueous solvent, which comprises an acidic group selected from the group consisting of a --PO.sub.3 H.sub.2 group, an --SO.sub.3 H group, a --COOH group, an --OH group, an --SH group, or a ##STR3## group, where R.sup.0 denotes a hydrocarbon bonded only to one terminal of at least one main polymer chain and which is a polymer containing the repeating unit represented by the following general formula (I) ##STR4## wherein X.sup.1 represents --COO--, --OCO--, --CH.sub.2 OCO--, --CH.sub.2 COO--, --O-- or --SO.sub.2 --; PA0 Y.sup.1 represents an aliphatic group with 6 to 32 carbon atoms; and PA0 a.sup.1 and a.sup.2, which may be the same or different, each represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a hydrocarbon group with 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a--COO--Z.sup.1 group, or a --COO--Z.sup.1 group linked via a hydrocarbon group with 1 to 8 carbon atoms, where Z.sup.1 represents a hydrocarbon group with 1 to 22 carbon atoms; and wherein a portion of said polymer is crosslinked.

In general, with electrophotographic liquid developers, carbon black, Nigrosine, phthalocyanine blue and other organic and inorganic pigments and dyes and alkyd resins, acrylic resins, rosin, synthetic rubbers and other natural or synthetic resins are dispersed in a high resistance/low dielectric constant liquid such as a petroleum-based aliphatic hydrocarbon, and a polarity controlling agent such as a polymer containing a metal soap, lecithin, linseed oil, higher fatty acid or vinylpyrrolidone is added.
The resin was dispersed in such developers as insoluble latex particles in a particle form with a diameter of a few nanometers to a few hundred nanometers. However, with conventional liquid developers, a soluble resin for dispersion stabilization and the polarity controlling agent assume a form in which they were readily diffusible in solution since there was insufficient bonding between the soluble resin for dispersion stabilization and the polarity controlling agent and insoluble latex particles. For this reason, there are the disadvantages that long term storage and repeated use cause the soluble resin for dispersion stabilization to separate from the insoluble latex particles, the particles sediment, agglutinate and accumulate and the polarity becomes indistinct. Further, because the particles which have agglutinated and accumulated are difficult to redisperse, the particles remain adhering to the developing apparatus and stain the image portion and a breakdown of the developing apparatus, for example, by blocking the liquid feed pump occurs.
In order to remedy this disadvantage, there has been a proposal whereby the soluble resin for dispersion stabilization and the insoluble latex particles are chemically bonded is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,980. However, although these liquid developers have to some extent improved dispersion stability of the particles with respect to natural sedimentation, they are not yet satisfactory. Moreover, when used in actual developing devices, they have the disadvantages that they are unsatisfactory in terms of practical redispersion stability in that the toner adhering to various parts of the device hardens into a coated film and redispersion is difficult. In addition, they also become a cause of breakdown in the device, reprographic image staining and the like. Further, in the production of the resin particles described above, there are notable restrictions on the combination of the dispersion stabilizer and insolubilizing monomer which are used to produce monodisperse particles with a narrow particle size distribution. As a general rule, particles with a broad particle size distribution containing large amounts of coarse particles, or polydisperse particles in which 2 or more average particle sizes are present result. Further, it is difficult to obtain the desired average particle size with monodisperse particles with a narrow particle size distribution and large particles of 1 .mu.m or more or extremely fine particles of 0.1 .mu.m or less are formed. In addition, there are additional problems, for example, the dispersion stabilizer used must be produced by a production process which is complicated and requires a long time.
Further, in order to eliminate the abovementioned disadvantages, methods for improving the degree of dispersion, the redispersibility and the storage stability of the particles by using insoluble dispersion resin particles which are copolymers of an insolubilizing monomer and a monomer containing a long chain alkyl moiety or a monomer containing 2 or more types of polar components are disclosed in JP-A No. 60-179751 and JP-A No. 62-151868 (the term "JP-A" as used herein refers to a "published unexamined Japanese patent application"). Further, methods for improving the degree of dispersion, redispersibility and storage stability of the particles by using insoluble dispersion resin particles of copolymers of insolubilizing monomers and monomers containing long chain alkyl moieties in the presence of polymers which make use of bifunctional monomers or monomers which make use of macromolecular reactions are disclosed in JP-A No. 60-185963 and JP-A No. 61-63855.
Recently, investigations have been made into methods for printing large numbers of copies, at least 5,000 copies or more, employing an offset printing masterplate using an electrophotographic system, and improvements in masterplates have been made, in particular. As a result, it has become possible to print 10,000 copies or more with a large plate size. In addition, the shortening in the operation time for electrophotographic plate making system has also advanced and improvements in the rapidity of the developing/fixing stages are being made.
Dispersion resin particles produced in accordance with the procedures disclosed in the above-mentioned JP-A No. 60-179751, JP-A No. 62-151868, JP-A No. 60-185963 and JP-A No. 61-63855 have not necessarily resulted in a satisfactory performance in the dispersibility or redispersibility of the particles when the developing speed has been increased, nor in the printing resistance when the fixing time has been shortened or in cases involving large sized masterplates (for example, size A3 or larger).
This invention is to resolve the problems of conventional liquid developers as outlined above.

Electrostatic photographic liquid developer


Roughly described, a user instantiates protocol elements in a structured clinical trial protocol database and then draws from them in the development of one or more protocol related documents. The system helps the user select tasks to be performed during the study by reference to a historical database of tasks previously associated with similar protocols. The system automatically generates complex content from protocol elements in the database, and can render overlapping sets of protocol elements differently at different locations in the document. The system can automatically provide advisories indicating aspects of the document that still require completion or highlighting other issues that a sponsoring authority deems important for the document type. After all protocol elements are instantiated in the protocol database, it can then be used to drive the operation of most downstream aspects of the study.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the development of clinical trial protocols, and more particularly to computer-assisted methodologies and structures for cost-effective, historically informed development of clinical trial protocols with reduced likelihood of operational uncertainties.
2. Description of Related Art
Clinical trial protocols are designed to produce scientifically sound new knowledge about the safety, efficacy or specific therapeutic characteristics of a new drug or treatment combination. Clinical trial protocols developed using modern study design principles have well-understood statistical hypothesis testing and internal validity characteristics. Thus, modern clinical studies are designed to deliver the most supportable scientific knowledge with the smallest number of study subjects. Despite these more efficient study designs, the complexity and associated costs of executing new protocols continue to increase.
The rising complexity of current protocol designs has resulted in a dramatic increase in the operational management overhead required to initiate, execute, and complete a clinical trial successfully within budget and time frame. With the increasing number of patients, investigators, locations, and countries involved in a given trial, it is not surprising that many clinical trials have significant operational issues that cause substantial cost/time over-runs or outright trial failures.
A distinction between scientific versus operational issues in clinical trials planning and execution is important. A scientific issue arises due to the limited state of current knowledge about the trial agent(s) pharmacologic and therapeutic properties in the experimental clinical situation. This lack of scientific knowledge is precisely the reason a well-designed clinical trial is required. Scientific issues are ethically justified and do not indicate any problem with the clinical trial protocol. Operational issues arise because of unforeseen difficulties in executing the trial within the strict parameters or assumptions embedded implicitly or explicitly within the protocol design. In this case, the protocol designers may not have been cognizant of the difficulties the field organization or clinical investigators may have in operationalizing specific study design components.
Operational deficiencies can be costly to an organization, especially if they require an amendment to the protocol during execution of the trial. Even simple amendments have substantial costs, including the internal overhead of detecting the need for an amendment, costs for creating the amendment, internal approvals costs for releasing the amendment, costs for disseminating the amendment and the follow-up effort to ensure that the amendment has been incorporated into the clinical trials process at a potentially large number of the trial sites. The cost of an amendment also includes the opportunity costs due to study completion delays or data analysis impact due to inconsistent operational behavior at the trial sites.
Amendments are only the most visible and more costly manifestation of a spectrum of ways in which operational deficiencies can impact an organization. A large number of operational issues are handled via formal and informal communications between study project managers and clinical trials sites. Thus the volume of faxes and telephone calls can be another "cost" which directly affects team productivity and trial site performance but is not as visible as a trial amendment.
At most large clinical development organizations, concern about protocol design quality has spawned the creation of Protocol Review Committees (PRCs). Although specifics vary widely, the role of the PRC is to provide a centralized resource for the critical examination of a proposed protocol in a "near-final" form. Unlike Institutional Review Boards who are concerned about patient safety, risk/benefit and informed consent, the focus of the PRC is on scientific merit, study validity, and the appropriate use of scarce clinical development resources. Many PRCs include representatives from clinical operations and a few include clinical trial sites so that the operational issues that may be embedded within or implied by a proposed trial design can be examined.
Many organizations that have implemented PRCs now require every protocol to be reviewed and approved by the committee prior to its release to the clinical operations team for field deployment. In addition, many PRC members state that a review by the committee often results in substantial changes to the original protocol. Protocol Review Committees bring together substantial skills and corporate institutional experience, representing an enormous investment of highly trained personnel. For the organizations that have committed to this approach, this investment is deemed to be justifiable, given the high stakes and resources committed to the execution and success of each trial.
PRC reviews do seem to have a positive contribution to the operational quality of reviewed protocols. But the cost of such reviews is large. PRCs generally require highly trained, expensive senior people to perform time-consuming, detailed review of every protocol prior to internal approval. The man-hours consumed in analyzing a proposed protocol, discussing the findings at a PRC meeting, presenting the findings to the protocol author and then repealing the process in a limited manner after the protocol is revised represent a huge hidden cost. As PRC members leave or rotate, the quality and quantity of protocols reviewed by the PRC may vary widely. Thus, while PRC reviews may be effective, they are neither scalable nor repeatable.
In addition to or instead of forming Protocol Review Committees, many organizations have instituted other methods for improving the quality of the protocol during its initial creation. Templates, checklists, and previously approved protocols are common materials provided to protocol authors to assist with the improvement of the quality of their initial protocol designs. These methods have numerous drawbacks, however, that significantly limit their usefulness. First, most paper-based methods are static. That is, these methods are not easily updated, disseminated, and then incorporated into the protocol writer's daily routine. Thus, it is often the case that protocols developed with these tools continue to make the same operational mistakes long after the organization has updated the reference materials.
Second, as people leave the organization, the institutional knowledge of what makes a protocol "work" within that organization is lost. If the employee was a member of the Protocol Review Committee, this toss of institutional knowledge is even more extensive, impacting the entire range of protocols reviewed by the PRC.
Third, organizational mergers and alliances result in widely disparate approaches, assumptions, and standard operating procedures for designing protocols. Operational knowledge unique to one organization or to a specific therapeutic area tends to remain within the original organization or therapeutic area and therefore not benefit the combined organization. Hard-earned (and expensive) experience-based knowledge diffusion occurs only if and when people from one organization migrate into similar positions within the second organization. Of course, this migration results in the loss of operational knowledge from the original clinical operations group.
Accordingly, there is an urgent need for a methodology and tools that will assist in the design of clinical trial protocols in a cost-effective manner, taking advantage of knowledge built into previous protocols even where the designers of such protocols are no longer available. The methodology should assist in avoiding operational uncertainties early, before a clinical trial begins according to the protocol.


An ammunition carrier for attaching one or more cartridges to a firearm. The ammunition carrier may comprise a base member for securing the carrier to the stock of a firearm such as a long gun and a cartridge holder for releasably retaining one or more cartridges within a plurality of cartridge storage loops. A releasable connection between the base member and the cartridge holder allows for the cartridge holder and the cartridges held therein to be quickly and easily removed from the stock of the firearm such as when the firearm is to be placed in a case for storage or transport. A cover may also be associated with the ammunition carrier for covering at least a portion of the one or more cartridges and the cover is at least partially moveable to permit selective removal of the one or more cartridges.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to an ammunition carrier for firearm cartridges and more particularly to an ammunition carrier for firearms including but not limited to long guns such as rifles and shotguns.
2. Background Art
Through the years, many attachments and accessories have been developed for firearms including long guns such as rifles and shotguns. These include a myriad of forms of stocks and butt pads, telescopic and other improved sights as well as stocks with adjustable cheek pieces. Many of these, to an extent, improve the operation of the long gun. Additionally, many types of gun cases and covers have been developed from the hard sided fitted case to the flexible lined case to simple stock covers. The purpose of these covers is, of course, to protect the long gun from damage in storage or transit.
The development of firearms has proceeded over many years from single action or shot devices to automatic devices having facilities for many rounds of ammunition.
Notwithstanding the advance in firearms and their construction, there remain many single action firearms, and sales of such devices are still significant for the recreational hunter. Even professional hunters in the North often have or prefer single action devices.
A common single action firearm is the .22 caliber rifle.
Although ammunition carriers worn as a belt or shoulder harness are known and provide for an orderly array of ammunition to be selectively used in loading and firing the gun, it would be advantageous to have a simple device for holding ammunition on or associated with part of the gun itself. Such a device is provided by the present invention and is structurally sound yet simple in operation and non-obstructive to the user.


Methods and systems are provided for depositing one or more layers of ash on a surface of a new or cleaned gasoline particulate filter (GPF) prior to installation of the GPF in an engine and first use of the GPF. In one example, a method may include coating the GPF with the one or more layers of ash via an atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique in which two precursors react to form a layer of ash on the GPF surface.

Engine combustion using gasoline fuel may generate particulate matter (PM) (such as soot and aerosols) that may be exhausted to the atmosphere. To enable emissions compliance, gasoline particulate filters (GPF) may be included in the engine exhaust, to filter out exhaust PMs before releasing the exhaust to the atmosphere. A higher efficiency GPF may be used for increased emissions quality. GPF efficiency may change with age with a newly installed GPF having a lower efficiency than a used GPF.
To increase the efficiency of the exhaust system particulate filter, a washcoat may be included with the GPF. In one example approach, shown by Harris et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 8,980,187, particulate filters may have a washcoat that includes alumina particles comprising both micro- and nano-particles. The washcoat may be applied to the particulate filter body using a washcoat slurry. By including the washcoat, a layer of alumina particles may be included along with the particulate filter to reduce the number of pores clogged with soot particles, thereby improving particulate filter efficiency.
However, the inventors herein have recognized potential issues with such approaches. As one example, inclusion of a washcoat may cause an increase in pressure drop across the GPF. The increased pressure drop may cause an increase in exhaust backpressure which may in turn reduce fuel efficiency and engine performance. By increasing the number of components in the engine system by addition of a washcoat, cost and complexity may be increased. Also, after usage over a period, the GPF efficiency may increase causing the washcoat to become redundant.
In one example, the issues described above may be addressed by a method comprising, depositing a layer of ash on a gasoline particulate filter (GPF) prior to a first use of the GPF with an engine. In this way, a single layer of ash deposited on a new or cleaned GPF may be utilized to more quickly achieve an increased filtration efficiency in operation with exhaust gas of an engine while maintaining a lower exhaust backpressure.
As one example, a new (unused) or cleaned gasoline particulate filter (GPF) (e.g., that is substantially free of an ash layer) may be coated with a single layer of ash prior to being installed into an engine system. A material deposition process such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) may be used to deposit a single layer of material constituting ash onto a substrate, the substrate being the GPF. The GPF may be inserted in a deposition chamber and the surface of the GPF to be coated may be heated to an elevated temperature. Metalorganic complex may be introduced in the chamber to coat the deposition surface with a single layer of the complex. Water vapor or oxygen may then be introduced to the chamber to oxidize the metalorganic complex and form a desired layer of metal oxide (constituting ash) on the deposition surface. By adjusting the ALD process parameters, the amount of ash deposited and the morphology of the deposited film may be regulated. The GPF with a layer of ash deposited on it may then be removed from the deposition chamber and fitted to the engine exhaust passage.
In this way, by depositing a single layer of ash prior to installation and use of the GPF, a higher GPF filtration efficiency may be attained from the very first usage. By priming the GPF with ash, drop in pressure across the GPF during first use of the GPF by a production vehicle, for example, may be reduced, thereby improving engine efficiency. By eliminating washcoats, a lower exhaust backpressure may be maintained. The technical effect of using ALD technique is that an even coating of a single ash layer may be formed on the high aspect ratio substrate such as the filter. Overall, by including a layer of ash on a new or cleaned GPF, a higher GPF efficiency may be attained at all times while maintaining desired engine efficiency and fuel economy.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Method and system for gasoline particulate filter


A method for distinguishing multiple targets using time-reversal acoustics. Time-reversal acoustics uses an iterative process to determine the optimum signal for locating a strongly reflecting target in a cluttered environment. An acoustic array sends a signal into a medium, and then receives the returned/reflected signal. This returned/reflected signal is then time-reversed and sent back into the medium again, and again, until the signal being sent and received is no longer changing. At that point, the array has isolated the largest eigenvalue/eigenvector combination and has effectively determined the location of a single target in the medium (the one that is most strongly reflecting). After the largest eigenvalue/eigenvector combination has been determined, to determine the location of other targets, instead of sending back the same signals, the method sends back these time reversed signals, but half of them will also be reversed in sign. There are various possibilities for choosing which half to do sign reversal. The most obvious choice is to reverse every other one in a linear array, or as in a checkerboard pattern in 2D. Then, a new send/receive, send-time reversed/receive iteration can proceed. Often, the first iteration in this sequence will be close to the desired signal from a second target. In some cases, orthogonalization procedures must be implemented to assure the returned signals are in fact orthogonal to the first eigenvector found.

Component parts, whether they are lenses for optical systems or components of sensitive weapon systems, must be inspected regularly as part of a scheduled maintenance and monitoring program, especially during the assembly process. These inspections are critical, because even minute defects can propagate into still larger flaws that lead to a malfunction or possible catastrophic destruction of the system. Most materials, especially in optical components, have many small defects that are distributed throughout; therefore, it is important to select the largest defects that create the strongest returns. A nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technique would be of considerable value for inspecting optics in advanced laser systems and component parts for stockpile stewardship, for noninvasive medical treatments, and for locating underground targets.
A project is underway at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for developing an NDE technique for dynamically focusing acoustical energy for both detecting and characterizing flaws in parts undergoing ultrasonic testing. This project applies a systematic approach that incorporates detailed simulations, algorithm development, hardware, proof-of-principle NDE experiments, and the design of a flaw-detection/localization/imaging system.
The effort enables one or a few strongly scattering targets or defects to be selected from a larger group while the larger group is itself imbedded in a cluttered environment. Current methods for attacking this problem use a time-domain method (which is quite fast) to locate the strongest scatterer or defect reliably. But, in order to distinguish other scatterers or defects, the existing methods require transformation of the data into the frequency domain, and then a difficult procedure (singular value decomposition) is followed to find the eigenvectors and eigenvalues of a complex matrix in the frequency domain. There is clearly a need to design a method that works wholly in the time domain, and is purely empirical, as is the step that determines the location of the first (and strongest) scatterer, defect or target.
The present invention provides a solution to the above referenced problem and involves a method of time-reversal acoustics which uses an iterative process to determine the optimum signal for locating a strongly reflecting target or scatterer in a cluttered environment, similar to the prior techniques, to determine locations of other targets. The present invention provides a means of localizing other targets in the time domain by using properties of constructive and destructive interference of the sound waves. In this method, after locating the stronger (larger) scattering target, instead of sending back the same signals, which are the time-reversed signals, half of the signals will additionally be reversed in sign and, a new send/receive, send-time-reversal/receive iteration process can then proceed with confidence that the stronger (larger) scatterer is no longer contributing to the received signal.
It is an object of the present invention to distinguish multiple targets using time-reversal acoustics.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method for locating a number of targets imbedded in a cluttered environment in the time domain rather than in the frequency domain.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method for locating different targets by time-reversal acoustics using an interative process which operates in the time domain.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for sequentially locating targets of smaller size or scattering strength using the time domain, wherein after locating a larger target, instead of sending back the same signals, which are time reversed signals, the method sends back these signals but with half of them reversed in sign.
Another object of the invention is to enable localizing smaller or more distant targets in the time domain by using properties of constructive and destructive interference of the sound waves by reversing in sign half of the time-reversed signals.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description. The invention involves distinguishing multiple targets using time-reversal acoustics. The invention enables localizing both the larger (stronger) and smaller (weaker) targets in the time domain, thereby eliminating the prior problems of locating the smaller (weaker) targets using the frequency domain of the prior known techniques. In the present invention, after the locating a strongly reflecting target in a cluttered environment using the conventional or standard time-reversal acoustics, the invention provides for localizing other targets in the time domain by using properties of constructive and destructive interference of the secondary waves. After the largest eigenvalue/eigenvector combination has been determined, instead of sending back the same time-reversed signals, half of the signals are reversed in sign. There are various ways of choosing which half of the signals to reverse. One choice is to reverse every other signal in a linear array, or as in a checkerboard pattern for a 2D array of transducers. These reversing signal choices are made to enhance the likelihood that the signal received at the strongest scatterer is weak due to destructive interference of the arrivals. Then, a new send/receive, send-time-reversed/receive iteration can proceed with confidence that the largest (strongest) scatterer is no longer contributing to the received signal. Many choices of the pattern of sign reversal of the signals may be constructed. Discrete analogs of sines and cosines along the array provide one class of choices. After the second strongest (smallest) scatterer or target has been located using this method, then the procedure can be repeated always in time domain using known sequential orthogonalization techniques. Often, the first iteration in this sequence will be close to the desired signal from a second target. In some cases, orthogonalization procedures must be implemented to assure the returned signals are in fact orthogonal to the first eigenvector found.

Method for distinguishing multiple targets using time-reversal acoustics

The Regents of the University of California


A ground fault overvoltage relay device is configured to: determine whether or not a first condition is satisfied, the first condition being that at least two of line voltages between respective two phases are less than or equal to a first threshold value; determine whether or not a second condition is satisfied, the second condition being that a ratio between a minimum value of the line voltages between the respective two phases and a minimum value of the respective phase voltages is less than or equal to a second threshold value; determine whether or not a third condition is satisfied, the third condition being that the zero-phase voltage is greater than a third threshold value; and lock a ground fault detection output when the first condition is satisfied, or when the second condition is satisfied and the third condition is not satisfied.

Conventionally, there are various protection relay devices for protecting a power system, and ground fault overvoltage relay devices are often adopted to detect a ground fault accident in a resistance grounding system (or an ungrounded system). A ground fault overvoltage relay device acquires respective phase voltages from a voltage transformer (VT) connected to the system, and detects an accident based on a zero-phase voltage derived from the respective phase voltages.
Generally, a fuse is connected to a secondary circuit of the voltage transformer, to protect the voltage transformer from an overcurrent caused by a short circuit failure in the secondary circuit or the like. When the fuse blows and the secondary circuit is disconnected, the ground fault overvoltage relay device cannot receive respective correct phase voltages. Accordingly, the ground fault overvoltage relay device may incorrectly determine that a ground fault accident has been detected, and thereby incorrectly output a break command to a breaker or the like. Thus, techniques for preventing incorrect determination due to a disconnection in the secondary circuit of the voltage transformer have been disclosed.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. H02-46128 (PTD 1) discloses a ground fault overvoltage relay configured to acquire phase voltages from a secondary circuit of a voltage transformer connected to a power system, and detect a ground fault based on the magnitude of a zero-phase voltage obtained by synthesizing the respective phase voltages. The ground fault overvoltage relay includes a first determination unit configured to detect that at least two phases of line voltages obtained from the respective phase voltages are less than or equal to a predetermined value, a second determination unit configured to detect that a ratio between a minimum value of the line voltages and a minimum value of the phase voltages is less than or equal to a predetermined value, and lock means configured to lock a ground fault detection output when the first or second determination unit has a detection output.


A substrate aligning method includes receiving a substrate by moving a substrate support from an outside of an outer periphery toward a central portion of the substrate along the substrate; and aligning the substrate such that the substrate support moves from a position different from a position partially upwardly warped along an outer peripheral edge of the substrate and a position partially downwardly warped along the outer peripheral edge of the substrate toward the central portion of the substrate so as to receive the substrate.

In manufacturing, for example, semiconductor parts, various processings (e.g., etching or cleaning) are performed on a substrate such as, for example, a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate by using a substrate processing apparatus.
In the substrate processing apparatus, conveyance or liquid processing is performed in a state where a plurality of substrates are aligned at intervals.
For example, in a substrate processing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2015-056631, a substrate is accommodated in a carrier and conveyed. A plurality of (e.g., 25) substrates are horizontally accommodated in the carrier at vertical intervals. In the substrate processing apparatus, the plurality of substrates accommodated in the carrier are received in twice and delivered to a placing table by using a conveyance device. Thus, a lot is formed with a plurality of (e.g., 50) substrates received in twice on the placing table to collectively process the substrates. Further, in the substrate processing apparatus, the plurality of substrates forming the lot are conveyed to a liquid processing apparatus by using the conveyance device. The substrates, which have been collectively processed in the liquid processing apparatus, are accommodated in the carrier via the placing table by using the conveyance device.
In the conveyance device of the substrate processing apparatus, substrate supports are arranged at intervals in the same manner as the plurality of substrates such that each substrate support supports one substrate. In the conveyance device, the plurality of substrates are simultaneously conveyed (received and delivered) by the plurality of substrate supports each of which is inserted into each of the gaps between the plurality of substrates arranged at intervals.

Substrate aligning method, substrate receiving method, substrate liquid processing method, substrate aligning apparatus, substrate receiving apparatus, substrate liquid processing apparatus, and substrate processing system


A method of non-intrusively measuring a memory profile of a thread under test comprises executing a detection thread in parallel with the thread under test, the thread under test executed on a first core of a multi-core processor and the detection thread executed on a second core of the multi-core processor; generating a pattern of cache miss memory reads on the detection thread in order to access a memory shared by the first core and the second core; periodically obtaining read times in the detection thread indicating the amount of time taken to complete the cache miss memory reads generated on the detection thread; and determining the memory profile of the thread under test based on the obtained read times of the detection thread.

One of the primary benefits of using a Multi-Core Processor is increased Central Processing Unit (CPU) bandwidth that can be used for speeding up an application by having pieces of it running in parallel in multiple cores or bringing together disparate applications onto the same processor, thereby realizing SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) benefits. Contemporary multi-core processor architectures contain resources that are shared between cores, such as Last Level Cache, Memory Controller, I/O interfaces and, in some cases, the bus connecting these resources to the cores. Contention for these shared resources from multiple cores introduces latencies. These contention-related latencies have a negative impact on the execution times of threads that are scheduled for parallel execution on multiple cores. The interference from a thread running on one core on another thread running on a different core is commonly referred to as "Cross-Core Interference".

System and method of non-intrusive measurement of memory access profiles of threads in a multi-core processor


A grid cleaner 35 is fixed to a fixing holder 41 of an apparatus main body in such a way that a wet sponge 38 faces a grid 33. When a charging device 3 is made to slide in the direction indicated by arrow A, the wet sponge 38 comes into contact with a surface of the grid 33, thereby removing extraneous matters therefrom. Reference numeral 40 denotes a stopper projection that prevents the charging device 3 from being disconnected from the apparatus main body at times other than during cleaning. The stopper projection 40 extends toward a gap roller 39 side so as to serve as a guide portion 42 that prevents the wet sponge 38 of the grid cleaner 35 and the gap roller 39 from rubbing against each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that charges the surface of a photoconductor by using a charging device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that uses a scorotron having a grid between a corona wire and an article to be charged.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 6 shows the structure of a conventional image forming apparatus. Inside an image forming apparatus 1, an image formation portion P is located above a transportation belt 8. This image formation portion P forms a predetermined image through the processes of charging, exposure, development, and transfer.
The image formation portion P includes a photoconductive drum 2 that carries a visible image (a toner image), and is so constructed that a toner image formed on the photoconductive drum 2 is transferred onto a sheet (a recording medium) 6 supported/transported by the transportation belt 8 that moves adjacent to the image formation portion P, then is fixed to the sheet 6 by a fixing portion 7, and then is discharged from an apparatus main body. In FIG. 6, an image formation process is performed on the photoconductive drum 2 while rotating the photoconductive drum 2 in clockwise direction.
Next, the image formation portion P will be described in detail. There are disposed, around and above the photoconductive drum 2 that is rotatably mounted, a charging device (a charger) 3 that charges the photoconductive drum 2, an exposure unit 4 that exposes image information onto the photoconductive drum 2, a developer unit 5 that forms a toner image on the photoconductive drum 2, and a cleaning unit 9 that removes the developer (toner) remaining on the photoconductive drum 2.
First, the entire surface of the photoconductive drum 2 is uniformly charged by the charging device 3, and then the charged surface thereof is irradiated with light shone from the exposure unit 4 so as to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive drum 2 according to an image signal. A toner container 10 fills the developer unit 5 with a predetermined amount of toner. The toner is supplied from the developer unit 5 to the photoconductive drum 2, and is then electrostatically attached thereto, whereby a toner image in accordance with the electrostatic latent image formed by exposure performed by the exposure unit 4 is formed thereon.
The sheet 6 onto which the toner image is transferred is accommodated in a plurality of paper feed cassettes 11a, 11b, and 11c that accommodate paper sheets, and a stack bypass (a manual feed tray) 11d located above them. The sheet 6 is fed onto the transportation belt 8 via paper feed rollers 12 and resist rollers 13, and is then transported to a position at which the photoconductive drum 2 is located. Used as the transportation belt 8 is a dielectric resin sheet that is formed into an endless belt by bonding the two ends of the sheet together or into a seamless belt.
The transportation belt 8 is stretched taut between a drive roller 14 disposed most downstream and a driven roller 15 disposed most upstream. When the transportation belt 8 starts to rotate counterclockwise, the sheet 6 is transported from the resist roller 13 onto the transportation belt 8. At this time, an image writing signal turns on, and an image is formed on the photoconductive drum 2 with predetermined timing. Then, in the electric field produced by a transfer roller 16 provided below the photoconductive drum 2 and having a predetermined transfer voltage applied thereto, the toner image on the photoconductive drum 2 is transferred onto the sheet 6. The sheet 6 is electrostatically adsorbed onto the transportation belt 8.
The sheet 6, having the toner image transferred thereon, then leaves the transportation belt 8, and is then transported to the fixing portion 7. After the transfer of the toner image, the cleaning unit 9 cleans the photoconductive drum 2, having the toner image transferred therefrom, to remove the toner remaining on the surface thereof in preparation for the formation of new electrostatic latent images. The sheet 6 transported from the transportation belt 8 to the fixing portion 7 is subjected to application of heat and pressure by a fixing roller 7a so as to fix the toner image to the surface of the sheet 6. In this way, a predetermined image is formed. The sheet 6 on which the image is formed is discharged to an output tray 18 by an output roller 17.
The charging device 3 used in the image forming apparatus described above has a corona wire (a charge wire) that is a thin wire made of tungsten or stainless steel. When a high voltage is applied to the corona wire electrode, discharge (corona discharge) takes place, whereby the charging device 3 charges the surface of the photoconductive drum 2. Two types of known charging devices are scorotrons having a grid electrode between the corona wire and an article to be charged, and corotrons having no grid electrode. Scorotrons are superior to corotrons in that they can perform charging control by varying the voltage applied to the grid.
FIG. 7 shows the structure of a scorotron. The charging device 3 is disposed in the width direction of the photoconductive drum 2 (in the direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 7), and is provided with a shield member (a casing) 31 with a C-shaped cross section having an open portion 31a on the surface side of the photoconductive drum 2, a corona wire 32 to which a high voltage is applied, and a grid 33 provided in the open portion 31a. The charging device 3 makes the surface of the photoconductive drum 2 charged to a predetermined positive potential via the grid 33 by corona discharge from the corona wire 32. However, if the grid 33 is stained with toner or the like, charging becomes unstable, resulting in degradation in image quality such as uneven density of the image at the time of image formation.
On the other hand, some elements in the air are oxidized by ozone produced by corona discharge, leading to the formation of an ion product such as NOx or SOx. The ion product thus formed and dust in the air settle on the shield member 31 and the grid 33. In general, these extraneous matters serve as insulation, and adversely affect charging characteristics of the charging device 3. Above all, when these matters adhere to the grid 33, a current supposed to flow into the grid 33 actually flows out of a grid opening into the photoconductive drum 2, leading to significant increase in the surface potential of the photoconductor. This causes problems such as a decrease in image density. Therefore, it is necessary to make the user or repair people clean the grid 33 on a regular basis or when image quality degrades, or to replace the grid 33 alone or the entire charging device 3 including the grid 33. This increases costs and trouble.
In view of the problems described above, a method of cleaning the grid surface with a simple structure is proposed. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H9-197771 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Publication 1) discloses a method of cleaning a grid and a corona wire at the same time by making a grid cleaner having a wet sponge slide along a charging device. The ion product mentioned above is soluble in water, and therefore it is possible to easily remove contaminants strongly adhered to the grid 33 by using a grid cleaner having a wet sponge.
FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged view showing how the charging device of the conventional image forming apparatus is cleaned. When degradation of image quality is observed, or when a periodical inspection is conducted, the charging device 3 is cleaned as follows. The user first opens a front cover 34 of the apparatus main body, then takes off a storage container (not shown) for storing the recovered toner, and then fits a grid cleaner 35 to a fixing holder (not shown) provided in the vicinity of an extraction opening 36 through which the charging device 3 is pulled out.
The grid cleaner 35 is included with a spare toner container or a maintenance kit. As shown in FIG. 9, the grid container 35 is composed of a resin case 37 and a wet sponge 38 provided so as to project from a floor face 37a of the case 37. The wet sponge 38 is impregnated with water or alcohol-containing water. The grid cleaner 35 is sealed with a moisture impermeable film or the like until the point of use to prevent the wet sponge 38 from drying out. Reference numeral 37b denotes an insertion portion that is inserted into the above-described fixing holder for fixing purposes.
Now, the description of the charging device 3 shown in FIG. 8 will be continued. By sliding the charging device 3 with the grid cleaner 35 fixed thereto, the user pulls the charging device 3 out of the apparatus main body, and then inserts it thereinto. The user repeats this, whereby the grid 33 (see FIG. 7) of the charging device 3 is rubbed with the wet sponge 38 of the grid cleaner 35, and the extraneous matters on the surface of the grid 33 are removed therefrom. Between the charging device 3 and the extraction opening 36, a slight clearance (play) is secured so that the charging device 3 smoothly slides regardless of irregularities on the side of the grid 33.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an apparatus front side end portion of the charging device 3, as seen from the grid 33 side. In the following description, such members as are found also in FIG. 7 will be identified with common reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted. Reference numeral 39 denotes a gap roller that maintains the distance between the photoconductive drum 2 and the grid 33 constant and that is so disposed as to project from an opening 33a formed in the grid 33. The charging device 3 has, in an apparatus back side end portion thereof, another gap roller 39 having the same structure. Reference numeral 40 denotes stopper projections that prevent the charging device 3 from being disconnected from the apparatus main body at times other than during cleaning.
Next, a positional relationship between the grid and the grid cleaner as observed when the charging device 3 is pulled out during cleaning will be described with reference to FIG. 11. By inserting the insertion portion 37b into the fixing holder 41, the grid cleaner 35 is fixed to an apparatus main body side in such a way that the wet sponge 38 faces the grid 33. When the charging device 3 is made to slide from its standard position shown in FIG. 11A in the direction indicated by arrow A shown in the figure, the wet sponge 38 is rubbed with the gap roller 39 when the gap roller 39 passes by the grid cleaner 35 as shown in FIG. 11B. Then, as shown in FIG. 11C, the wet sponge 38 makes contact with the surface of the grid 33, whereby the extraneous matters are removed therefrom.
The problem here is that, when the method disclosed in Patent Publication 1 is adopted, water squeezed out of the wet sponge 38 when it is rubbed against the gap roller 39 may trickle down the gap roller 39, then enter the inside of the charging device 3 via the opening 33a, and then reach as far as the corona wire 32. In this state, moisture remaining in the charging device 3 permits excess current to flow therethrough, causing dielectric breakdown (leakage trace) of the surface of the photoconductive drum 2. This description deals with a case where the grid cleaner is fixed to the apparatus main body, and the charging device is made to slide. It should be understood, however, the same problem occurs when the grid cleaner is fitted to the charging device, and is then made to slide along it.

Image forming apparatus having charging device with grid cleaner


According to one embodiment, an illuminating device includes a lightguide plate including a curved emitting surface, and an incidence surface including a side edge curved along the emitting surface, a printed circuit board facing the incidence surface, and light sources mounted on the printed circuit board. Each light source includes a light-emitting center, a pair of connection terminals, and a central axis extending through the connection terminals and the light-emitting center. The light sources are arranged along a curved mounting line extending along the curved side edge of the incidence surface on the printed circuit board. The light-emitting centers are located on the mounting line, and the central axes are parallel to each other.

Currently, liquid crystal display devices are widely used in portable devices such as smartphones and tablet computers, or in in-vehicle equipment. In general, a liquid crystal display device comprises a liquid crystal display panel and an illuminating device which is provided on the rear surface side of the liquid crystal display panel and illuminates the liquid crystal display panel. The liquid crystal display panel is a flat panel, and the illuminating device has a planar structure such that the light emitting surface is also flat.
However, such a flat display device is difficult to combine or integrate with the interior arrangement, for example, a complicated shape based on curved surfaces. Thus, the flat display device is restricted in terms of design.


Systems for managing a multi-level cache in high-performance computing. A method is practiced over a multi-tier caching subsystem that comprises a first cache tier of random access memory, and a second cache tier that comprises a block-oriented device. The solid-state drive device is a block-oriented device comprising a plurality of blocks having a minimum block size. Cache entries are initially stored in the first cache, including cache entries that are smaller than the minimum block size of the block-oriented device. During cache operations such as first tier eviction, a plurality smaller entries are packed into blocks of the minimum block size before being spilled into the second tier. If an entry in the packed block is accessed again, the entire packed block is brought into the first tier. A key structure is maintained to track individual invalidated entries in a packed block without invalidating other entries in the packed block.

In many computing systems that implement caching, a cache supports multiple cache levels (e.g., L1, L2, L3, etc.). Many cache systems spill from one cache level to another cache level, when the data in the cache is measured or deemed to be less likely to be retrieved again (e.g., due to age in the cache, or due to being already processed, or due to any other reason). Some caching systems use RAM as the first tier of cache and solid-state devices as the next tier. Often a caching system is implemented in the context of computing system hardware that has a natural size of an item in cache. For example, an instruction cache might exhibit a natural size for such an instruction cache entry that is the same size as an instruction. Or, for example, a content cache that brings in cache entries from a block-oriented device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD), where the natural size for a cache entry that is the same size as a block from the block-oriented device. In some cases, all or substantially all of the data found within the bounds of a cached item are used in processing (e.g., the entire instruction, or all bytes of a block from a block-oriented device). However, there are many cases where a single block is composed of many smaller units of individually addressable data items. For example, consider a series of names (e.g., user names, subscriber names, etc.) that are stored end-to-end in as many block as are needed to store the entire series. In such scenarios involving smaller units of individually-addressable data items, even a retrieval (e.g., from the block-oriented device) of just one of the smaller individually-addressable data items would necessitate retrieval of the entire block due to the natural block size of the block-oriented device. The entire block has been retrieved, and the caching system will store the entire block—even though only one unit of the smaller individually-addressable data items has been addressed by the data requestor. When such occurrences are rare, the efficiency impacts to a caching system that inserts and manages such partially-useful blocks is small, however as such occurrences increase in number or ratio, caching the entire-block-for-just-one-small-entry regime becomes commensurately wasteful.
Unfortunately, the wastefulness as just described is exacerbated when the caching system spills over into a block-oriented device such as a solid-state device. As an example, storing a user name of (for example) size=40 bytes would spill over into an SSD block of 4K bytes, which would calculate to a use factor of less than 1% (i.e., >99% wasted space). Legacy approaches to avoid such waste have included evicting small cache items without implementing SSD spillover, however, this often defeats the reason for caching the data item in the first place (e.g., a next access would result in a cache MISS and another retrieval). Other legacy approaches prospectively retain smaller individually-addressable data items in higher levels of cache for longer periods of time than other entries (e.g., without spillover to lower levels of SSD cache), however this technique results in filling up the higher levels of cache with data that might or might not be accessed again—thus using higher-level cache resources that could be used for more frequently accessed data items. Still other caching systems have increased the size of spillover SSD, however, this merely adds to a system's cost without addressing the wastefulness. What is needed is a technique or techniques that facilitate cache spillover of small data items into SSD without incurring the wastefulness as heretofore described.
What is needed is a technique or techniques to improve over legacy approaches.

Spilling small cache entries to a solid state device


This invention relates to a drum-in-hat disc brake assembly. According to one embodiment of the invention, only four fasteners extend through the associated apertures of the backing plate, the drum-in-hat adapter, the axle flange and the caliper bracket for securing the caliper bracket, drum-in-hat adapter and the backing plate to the axle flange. Two of the four fasteners extend through the two apertures of the caliper bracket and at least partially into two of the four apertures of the axle flange to thereby secure the caliper bracket to the axle flange. The other two of the four fasteners extend through the two smaller apertures of the backing plate and the drum-in-hat adapter and at least partially into the remaining two apertures of the axle flange to thereby secure the backing plate and the drum-in-hat adapter to the axle flange.

This invention relates in general to vehicle brake assemblies and in particular to an improved structure for mounting a vehicle drum-in-hat type of disc brake assembly to the vehicle.
Most vehicles are equipped with a brake system for slowing or stopping movement of the vehicle in a controlled manner. A typical brake system for an automobile or light truck includes a disc brake assembly for each of the front wheels and either a drum brake assembly or a disc brake assembly for each of the rear wheels. In some instances, the disc brake assembly can be a xe2x80x9cdrum-in-hatxe2x80x9d type of disc brake assembly. The brake assemblies are actuated by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure generated when an operator of the vehicle depresses a brake pedal. The structures of these drum brake assemblies and disc brake assemblies, as well as the actuators therefor, are well known in the art.
A typical drum-in-hat type of disc brake assembly includes a hydraulically or pneumatically actuated disc service brake and a mechanically actuated drum-in-hat parking and emergency brake. The disc service brake includes a rotor which is secured to the wheel of the vehicle for rotation therewith. The rotor includes a pair of opposed friction plates which are selectively engaged by portions of a caliper assembly. The interior of the rotor defines an cylindrical braking surface.
A caliper assembly is slidably supported by pins secured to a mounting flange. The mounting flange is secured to a non-rotatable component of the vehicle, such as the steering knuckle or the axle flange. To accomplish this, typically two threaded bolts extend through the mounting flange and are received in threaded apertures provided in the non-rotatable vehicle component to thereby secure the mounting flange to the non-rotatable vehicle component. The caliper assembly includes a pair of brake shoes which are disposed on opposite sides of the rotor. The brake shoes are operatively connected to one or more hydraulically actuated pistons for movement between a non-braking position, wherein they are spaced apart from the opposed friction plates of the rotor, and a braking position, wherein they are moved into frictional engagement with the opposed friction plates of the rotor. When the operator of the vehicle depresses the brake pedal, the piston urges the brake shoes from the non-braking position to the braking position so as to frictionally engage the friction plates of the rotor and thereby slow or stop the rotation of the associated wheel of the vehicle.
The drum-in-hat parking and emergency brake includes a pair of opposed arcuate brake shoes which are supported on a backing plate for selective movement relative thereto. The backing plate is secured to the mounting flange, or alternatively, can be formed integral therewith. To accomplish this in the case of the former type of structure, typically four threaded bolts extend through the backing plate and through openings provided in the mounting flange and nuts installed thereon to secure the backing plate to the mounting flange. Each of the brake shoes has a friction pad or lining secured thereto. The brake shoes extend within the cylindrical braking surface of the rotor. To effect parking and emergency braking action, the operator of the vehicle manually pulls an actuating lever. The lever is connected to an actuation cable having a park brake cable end which, when pulled, actuates a mechanical actuating mechanism. The actuating mechanism is located adjacent one of the ends of the brake shoes and is operative to move the brake shoes outwardly apart from one another such that the friction pads frictionally engage the cylindrical braking surface of the rotor. Such frictional engagement causes slowing or stopping of the rotational movement of the rotor and, therefore, the wheel of the vehicle in a controlled manner.
This invention relates to an improved structure for mounting a vehicle drum-in-hat type of disc brake assembly to the vehicle. The drum-in-hat disc brake assembly includes a backing plate adapted to support a drum brake shoe assembly of the drum-in-hat parking and emergency brake, a drum-in-hat adapter, an axle flange, and a caliper bracket adapted support a disc brake caliper assembly of the disc service brake. According to one embodiment of the invention, the backing plate has a centrally located aperture and at least two smaller mounting apertures formed therein about the centrally located aperture thereof. The drum-in-hat adapter has a centrally located aperture and at least two smaller mounting apertures formed therein about the centrally located aperture thereof. The axle flange has a centrally located aperture and at least four mounting apertures formed therein about the centrally located aperture. And the caliper bracket has at least two apertures formed therein. In this embodiment, only four fasteners extend through the associated apertures of the backing plate, the drum-in-hat adapter, the axle flange and the caliper bracket for securing the caliper bracket, drum-in-hat adapter and the backing plate to the axle flange. Two of the four fasteners extend through the two apertures of the caliper bracket and at least partially into two of the four apertures of the axle flange to thereby secure the caliper bracket to the axle flange. The other two of the four fasteners extend through the two smaller apertures of the backing plate and the drum-in-hat adapter and at least partially into the remaining two apertures of the axle flange to thereby secure the backing plate and the drum-in-hat adapter to the axle flange.
Other advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.