The present invention relates to a working fluid for a steam-turbine cycle process, said fluid comprising a working medium, a lubricant and preferably an emulsifier. The working medium is a C1 to C4 alcohol and/or a C3 to C5 ketone, optionally mixed with water. The invention also relates to a device for a steam cycle process, which device contains the working fluid, and to the use of the working fluid in an organic Rankine cycle. The lubricant is a hydrocarbon and the emulsifier is a surface-active substance.

The organic Rankine cycle, abbreviated as "ORC", is a steam cycle process in which organic liquids not water vapor is used as the working medium. Unlike the conventional steam cycle process, the process is not connected to pressure and temperature, as they result from the vapor pressure of water. By using organic liquids with a lower boiling point lower than water, pressure and temperature can be set below the values, such as those found in steam power plants. The process is especially used if the available temperature gradient between the heat source for evaporation and heat sink for condensation is low or overall low operating temperatures are desired.
The steam cycle process comprises of at least one evaporator, an expander, a condenser and a circulation pump. According to a design, the expander is a compressor which is operated inversely, as a scroll compressor, reciprocating compressor, a radial piston machine or a turbine. It gains mechanical energy when the working medium is heated and evaporated in the evaporator by supplying heat from outside. By the expansion of the steam, an expander is operated and mechanical energy is produced. Subsequently, the working medium is cooled, liquefied in the condenser and fed back to the evaporator by means of a circulation pump. Thus, the circuit is closed. For example, the mechanical energy may be converted into electrical energy by a generator or mechanically led back to the drive train.
The working medium is guided in a closed circuit. The circuit includes moving parts and requires lubrication. Therefore, working fluid, which comprises of the working medium and a lubricant, is used. The use of working fluid comprising of a working medium and a lubricant in the steam cycle is noted.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,087 for example, water is used as the working medium with an organic lubricant such as glycol, polypropylene glycol, ether or polyglycol ether, in which the lubricant in the working medium is completely solvable. The solubility of the lubricant in the working medium causes increased the viscosity of the working medium.
DE 102008005036 A1 describes a device for waste heat utilization by means of an ORC process as part of an internal combustion engine with heat recovery. A solution of water with methanol and/or ethanol is proposed as a working medium.
From DE 2215868 A, a method for operating a power generating plant operated according to the Clausius Rankine cycle can be noted, in which trifluoroethanol and water and a lubricant are used as the working medium. The lubricant is preferably a hydrocarbon immiscible with the working medium.
From DE 102006052906 A1, a steam cycle is noted, which can be operated in the evaporator at temperatures above 170° C. The used working medium comprises of a C1 to C4 alcohol. The working medium may be mixed with a lubricant, which suitably indicates a condensation temperature above the steam outlet temperature, so that the lubricant is evaporated and condensed first in the expander.
Due to the closed circuit, it is necessary that the lubricant meets high requirements with regard to aging resistance. The present invention is therefore committed to providing working fluid, which includes a particularly suitable combination of working medium and lubricant, in which the lubricant should be thermally stable and is largely immiscible with the working medium of the cycle to ensure adequate lubrication of the expander.
Starting from the above-mentioned state of the technology, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a working fluid composition from working medium and lubricant, which is thermally stable and long-term stability and suitable for the operation of an organic Rankine cycle, which utilizes the waste heat of an internal combustion engine. If the ORC is used in conjunction with an internal combustion engine, the high temperatures of the exhaust gas flow make big demands on the thermal stability of the working medium-lubricant mixture. The ORC should be usable and durable with an internal combustion engine in thermally highly-stressed devices like a heat exchanger in the exhaust system of a motor vehicle.
An expansion machine required to operate a lubricant, which is transported evenly through the ORC cycle together with the working medium and has a sufficiently high thermal and chemical stability.
The above objectives are achieved by a structure with the features of independent claim 1. Preferred embodiments are subject to the dependent claims or are described below.
The composition is a working fluid for a steam cycle comprising of a working medium (a), a lubricant (b) and optionally an emulsifier (c) and other optional components (d). The other optional components do not fall under (a), (b) or (c) and are attributed to the working fluid regardless of whether they are or could be working medium or part of the working medium at the same time.
Preferably, the working fluid consists exclusively of the working medium (a), the lubricant (b) and the optional emulsifier(s) (c) and of the optional component(s) (d), in the proportions given below, based on the working fluid, i.e. the proportions of (a), (b), (c) and (d) add up to 100% by weight.
Based on the total composition of the working medium, the working medium (a) consists of    (a.1) at least one C1 to C4 alcohol, or    (a.2) at least one C3 to C4 ketone or mixtures of (a.1) and (a.2) and    (a.3) optionally up to 75% by weight of water, preferably up to 50% by weight of water.
The proportion of components (a1) to (a.3) at the working medium is calculated as follows in the (a.3) example of the water in % by weight:=(a.3)/((a.1)+(a.2)+(a.3))*100). In the calculation only the components (a.1), (a.2) and (a.3) are finally entered.
The proportion of the working medium (a) at the working fluid is preferably 99 to 60% by weight, particularly preferably 95 to 75% by weight and particularly preferably 90 to 80% by weight.
According to one invention design, there is no water in the working medium and according to another design e.g. 5 to 75% by weight of water, preferably 10 to 50% by weight of water, contained in the working medium. Apart from that, the working medium consists either only of components (a.1), only of components (a.2) or only of a mixture of components (a.1) and components (a.2).
In the C1 to C4 alcohol, C1 to C4 each denote a hydrocarbon radical with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, in particular, alkyl radicals such as, in particular methanol, ethanol, propanol or butanol and their positional isomers or mixtures. In the C3 to C4 ketone, C3 and C4 each denote a hydrocarbon radical with 3 or 4 carbon atoms such as acetone or methyl ethyl ketone or their mixtures.
The lubricant (b) consists of hydrocarbons and has a viscosity (kinematic viscosity) of 40 to 700 mm2/s at 40° C., preferably 100 to 400 mm2/s at 40° C., more preferably 150 to 300 mm2/s at 40° C. (measured according to DIN EN ISO 3104).
The boiling point of the lubricant, also in relation to a possible hydrocarbon mixture, is preferably greater than 300° C. (determined by gas chromatography according to DIN51435).
Suitable lubricants are e.g. alkylates, alkylated naphthalenes, mineral oils, or poly-alpha-olefins (PAO).
PAO and mixtures thereof are particularly preferred, e.g. combinations of low viscosity PAO like PAO 4, PAO 6, PAO 8 or PAO 10 (each with about 4, 6, 8 and 10 mm2/s at 100° C. measured according to DIN EN ISO 3104) and high viscosity PAO as PAO 40, mPAO 40, PAO 100, mPAO 100 (with each about 40 or 100 mm2/s at 100° C. measured according to DIN EN ISO 3104) or other available PAO qualities in the viscosity range between about 20 and 200 mm2/s at 100° C. measured according to DIN EN ISO 3104, where m represents PAOs polymerized by metallocene catalysis. Mixtures in particular of PAOs polymerized by metallocene catalysis from polymers of 2 to 12 C8-C20 alpha-olefin units are particularly preferred.
The proportion of the lubricant (b) at the working fluid is preferably 1 to 40% by weight, particularly preferably 5 to 25% by weight and particularly preferably 10 to 20% by weight.
The lubricant is not soluble within the working medium. Non-soluble here means in proportions of less than 5% by weight, preferably less than 2% by weight, at 25° C. As a result, there is no appreciable dilution of the lubricant and therefore only a small drop of the viscosity by the discharge.
Lubricants such as esters are unsuitable because of their thermal instability or reactivity, and therefore also because with alcohols at the temperatures encountered in the present process reactions between esters and alcohol take place.
The optionally used emulsifier (c) is in particular selected among the members of the following groups    Alkenyl succinimides, preferably with a molecular weight of 500 to 10000 g/mol, particularly preferably 500 to 2500 g/mol (number average);    Alkenyl succinamides, preferably with a molecular weight of 500 to 10000 g/mol, particularly preferably 500 to 2500 g/mol (number average);    C8 to C24, preferably C10 to C18 fatty alcohol ether carboxylic acids with 2 to 10, particularly preferably 4 to 8, alkoxylate units, particularly preferably ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide units (preferably only ethylene oxide), and their salts, particularly ammonium their salts, including alkanolammonium salts (e.g. with a C1 to C4 alkanol radical);    Alkoxylated C10 to C24, preferably C24 to C8, particularly preferably C10 to C18 fatty alcohols with 2 to 10, especially 4 to 8, alkoxylate units, particularly preferably ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide units (preferably only ethylene oxide);    Alkoxylated alkylphenols, particularly alkoxylated C6 to 18 alkylphenols, particularly preferably C8 to C12 alkylphenols, in each case with 2 to 10, in particular 4 to 8, alkoxylate units, particularly preferably ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide units (preferably only ethylene oxide), for example octyl or nonylphenol ethoxylate (4-8 EO); and their mixtures.
The emulsifier is preferably added during the manufacture of the working fluid together with the lubricant, e.g. by being homogenized with this.
When using alcohols as a component of the working medium or as a working medium, the aforementioned alkenyl succinimides and alkenyl succinimides, preferably polyisobutene succinimides, and the aforementioned alkoxylated fatty alcohols are preferred as emulsifiers.
The proportion of the emulsifiers is in total preferably greater than 0.0001 to 2% by weight, in each case based on the working fluid, and independently, but preferably cumulatively, from 0.01 to 5% by weight based on the lubricant.
The proportion of the optional components (d) is preferably greater than 0.0001% by weight, particularly preferably 0.0005 to 2% by weight, in each case based on the working fluid, and independently, but preferably cumulatively, greater than 0.01% by weight, particularly preferably 0.1 to 5% by weight based on the lubricant.
Suitable optional components include, for example antiwear agents, extreme pressure additives, antioxidants, nonferrous metal inhibitors and defoamers.
As antiwear agents (anti-wear) and EP-additives (Extreme Pressure), named after the following brief AW/EP additive, phosphorus or sulfur and phosphorus or sulfur containing compounds are also suitable. Suitable examples are tricresyl phosphate, tri (nonylphenyl) phosphite, dioleyl hydrogen phosphite, 2-Ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphite, diphosphate/triaryl phosphate, mono-substituted, di-substituted or tri-substituted on at least one aryl ring with t-butyl and/or isobutyl radicals as well as representatives of the class of di-thiophosphoryl acid esters. Besides phosphorous and phosphorus-sulfur-containing high pressure additives, pure sulphurous AW/EP additives are still usable.
The AW/EP additives can be used individually or in combination. The proportion of the AW/EP additives is preferably greater than 0.0001% by weight, particularly preferably 0.005 to 2% by weight, each based on the working fluid and independently, but preferably cumulatively greater 0.01% by weight, particularly preferably 0.1 to 5% by weight based on the lubricant.
For example, phenoic antioxidants such as 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-ethylphenol and 2,2′-methylenebis (4-methyl-6-tert-butylphenol) and antioxidants of amine type, such as phenyl-alpha-naphthylamine, N, N′-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine, and alkylated diphenylamines (alkyl=C4-C9). Phenolic antioxidants are particularly preferred.
The proportion of antioxidants is in total weight preferably greater than or equal 0.0001. % by weight, in particular from 0.0001 to 0.4% by weight, each based on the working fluid and independently, but preferably cumulatively, from greater than 0.01% by weight, and particularly preferably 0.01 to 1% by weight based on the lubricant.
As nonferrous metal inhibitors, triazoles can be used, preferably from thiadiazoles, benzotriazoles and tolyltriazole and their derivatives. The proportion of the non-ferrous metal inhibitors is preferably 0.0001 to 0.02% by weight, in each case based on the working fluid and independently, but preferably cumulatively, from 0.01 to 0.5% by weight based on the lubricant.
Furthermore, defoamers can still contain the working fluid as further components (d). As concrete additives of the aforesaid type, siloxanes, polyethylene glycols and polymethacrylates may be preferably mentioned.
According to one design, the working fluid consists exclusively of components (a) to (d), in which components (c) and (d) are optional, in which components (c) and (d) are optionally independent from one another.
In the steam cycle invention, a vaporizable organic liquid is used at least with a lower boiling point than water. The cycle includes at least one evaporator, an expander, a condenser and a circulation pump. The expander is preferably a compressor, which is operated inversely, like a scroll compressor, reciprocating compressor, a radial piston machine or a turbine. The system or the cycle is hermetically sealed to the outside. Preferably, the steam cycle is part of a motor vehicle, particularly a truck, with an internal combustion engine, in which the heat exchanger uses the waste heat of the engine and e.g. is coupled into the exhaust gas system of the internal combustion engine.
By the energy introduced in the heat exchanger from the exhaust gas flow, the working medium is evaporated. The heat exchanger functions as an evaporator. The mechanical power recovered by the expander is coupled into either the drive train of the motor vehicle, or drives a generator for generating electrical energy.


A semiconductor package including a flexible tape having a mounting portion and an extended portion, a plurality of arrayed connection electrodes provided on the mounting portion of the flexible tape, and a semiconductor chip mounted on the mounting portion of the flexible tape. The semiconductor package further includes a high-speed signal electrode formed at the front end of the extended portion of the flexible tape, and a transmission line provided on the flexible tape for connecting the semiconductor chip and the high-speed signal electrode. A stiffener is mounted on the mounting portion of the flexible tape.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor package having a high-speed signal input/output terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known as a conventional semiconductor package having a high-speed signal input/output terminal is a semiconductor package capable of transmitting a high-speed signal without degradation by mounting a connector on a part of the package. However, in such a semiconductor package having a connector mounted on a part of the package, a structure for mounting the connector is complicated to cause a cost increase. Further, it is difficult to make the package compact because of the necessity of mounting the connector.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-232197 discloses a semiconductor package having a configuration such that a high-speed signal electrode is surrounded by a ground electrode. Owing to this configuration that the high-speed signal electrode is surrounded by the ground electrode, the inductance at a connecting portion for a high-speed signal can be reduced to thereby reduce the degradation of the high-speed signal. In the semiconductor package described in this publication, the inductance at the high-speed signal connecting portion can be reduced. However, it cannot be completely nullified, and signal degradation is caused in transmitting a high-frequency signal having a frequency of 20 GHz or more. The inductance at the connecting portion can be reduced also by reducing the ball diameter of a ball grid array (BGA) composed of solder balls. In this case, however, mechanical reliability is lowered in mounting the semiconductor package on a printed wiring board.

Semiconductor package having a high-speed signal input/output terminal


Flying machines may be docked during charging or other processes. A tray having multiple docking areas is configured to accommodate flying machines for transport and docking. The docking areas may, but need not, include passageways which may accommodate charging stations. For example, a storage enclosure may be configured to house one or more trays, configured to interface to corresponding charging surfaces. Protective layers and vibration dampening features may be used to soften impacts during storage and transport. A charging station may include electrical terminals, recesses, and locating features for docking a flying machine.

For a battery-operated flying machine, a separate charger is typically provided and used for charging the battery. The charging process is a manually operated process. For example, a user may need to physically remove the battery from a flying machine, physically connect the battery to a charger, and connect the charger to a power source. Once the battery is charged, the battery needs to be physically disconnected from the charger and reconnected to the flying machine.
Containers such as hard cases and soft packs are available for storing and transporting flying machines. The containers are typically configured to store a single flying machine and may also be configured to store accessories such as extra rotors, an extra battery, a controller for controlling the flying machine, and a charger. In some containers, it may be possible to store two flying machines.
When using multiple flying machines, a user typically uses multiple containers, where each container stores one or two flying machines. The user needs to manually unpack the containers and separately position each of the flying machines for use. When done, the user needs to manually recharge the batteries and manually repack each flying machine into a corresponding container. This is a time-consuming process, particularly when using a large number of flying machines. There is therefore a need for systems and methods to simplify the charging and use of multiple flying machines.
Flying machines, sometimes in large numbers, have been used to create visual displays and performances. For example, flying machines have been programmed to follow particular flight paths in a coordinated light show in the sky. The programming and setup of the flying machines for such performances is a manual and tedious process.
Accordingly, the present disclosure discloses improved systems and methods for charging, storing, and using flying machines.

Charging system and tray for flying machines


A broadcast augmentation computing system comprises a logic machine and a storage machine. The storage machine holds instructions executable by the logic machine to receive dynamically-updating state information reported by an application providing an interactive virtual event. The dynamically-updating state information at least indicates positions of avatars and objects within a virtual environment of the interactive virtual event, such positions being generated by the application. Based at least on the state information, a plurality of insights for review by a broadcaster are identified. Based on one or more relevance filtering parameters, the plurality of insights is filtered to identify insights as relevant for the current state of the application. The relevant insights are presented to the broadcaster for deliver to one or more viewers of a broadcast of the interactive virtual event.

Interactive virtual events (e.g., video games) can include any number of players interacting with each other within a virtual environment using player-controlled avatars (visually perceptible player-controlled objects in the virtual environment). Such events often take the form of competitions, in which two or more players or teams compete against each other to achieve an objective. Such events have become a popular form of entertainment for millions of fans and viewers, who may attend local events in person and/or watch from home via the Internet.


An internal combustion engine has a fuel delivering device with a high-pressure pump which conveys fuel into a fuel reservoir, and a volume flow control valve that is assigned to the high-pressure pump. A control difference (FUP_DIF) is determined from a difference between a predefined fuel pressure (FUP_SP) and a detected fuel pressure (FUP_AV). The control difference (FUP_DIF) is fed to a controller that encompasses at least one integral portion (I_CTRL). A corrective value (COR) for an error value of a fuel flow rate is determined in accordance with the integral portion (I_CTRL) of the controller if a sum of the integral portion (I_CTRL) exceeds a given threshold value during a predefined mode of operation of the internal combustion engine. In addition, an actuating signal (PWM) for the volume flow control valve is generated according to a controller value (FUEL_MASS_FB_CTRL) and the corrective value (COR).

High demands are made on internal combustion engines, in particular in motor vehicles. Pollutant emissions are subject to legal regulations and the customer requests a low fuel consumption, a safe and reliable operation and low maintenance costs. In order to fulfill the requirements, a reliable operation of the fuel delivering device is necessary.

Method for controlling a fuel delivery device on an internal combustion engine


Apparatus and methods for forming improved airlaid fibrous articles are disclosed. Airlaying apparatus is provided which permits at least two types of fibrous materials to be defiberized and transported to a single airlaying apparatus. In a most preferred embodiment, a drum-type airlaying drum having a plurality of deposition cavities is provided. By controlling the airflow and pressure differential, selective placement of each type of fibrous material within a cavity is achieved. Also disclosed are improved deposition cavities which permit multiple materials to be airlaid and retained in position by providing a foraminous surface on at least a portion of the cavity sidewall. Most preferably, a hydrophobic fiber layer is formed and a layer of absorbent fiber is deposited within the first layer; the present invention permits a clear demarcation between the fiber types. Also disclosed is improved apparatus for removing airlaid articles from deposition cavities, using a precisely controlled airstream. Improved methods of making airlaid articles by regulating process parameters and using the improved apparatus of the present invention are also disclosed.

The ongoing research into the chemistry of absorbent materials, particularly fibrous materials such as cellulose, has yielded significant gains in the affectivity of absorbent products. Improvements in the absorptivity, fluid retention and other characteristics which affect user comfort, such as decreased stiffness, have all been realized. Additionally, it has been found that certain absorptive materials may be treated on line to render them hydrophobic or fluid repellent to some extent. Most absorbent products have at least one major surface which is exposed to a fluid flow or a collection of fluid. Hydrophobic materials may be combined with absorbent materials to provide a structure which absorbs and retains fluids, while preventing exudation of the retained fluids from the lateral sides of the pad, or by providing a layer which prevents the fluid from completely traversing the pad from the absorbing major surface to another surface.
Along with advanced materials and improved absorbent article structures comes the concomitant need for advanced manufacturing techniques. This is particularly true regarding items such as sanitary napkins, disposable diapers, wound dressings and the like, which are produced in necessarily extremely high volumes. In many instances, the materials which comprise such absorbent articles are manufactured in sheet form. In other instances, the materials may be in pellets or randomly sized pieces, however, they are usually not initially comprised of individual fibers. Accordingly, apparatus and methods have been developed whereby the starting materials are ground or otherwise physically impacted to render the material into a fibrous state, this process is known as "defiberizing". For example, wood pulp may be defiberized in a conventional hammermill, disk mill or lickerin. The defiberized material is then readily formed into absorbent articles having a high level of consistency.
It has been found that an efficient way of handling defiberized material for mass producing absorbent articles is by creating an air-entrained stream of the defiberized material. Using this technique, the material may be efficiently transported and handled in high speed production machinery. Air-entrained defiberized material may be formed into absorbent pads or the like by passing the airstream through a foraminous surface; if the foramen are of the proper size, the defiberized material is deposited thereon, this process is know as "airlaying". Most typically, apparatus may be constructed which comprises an air entrainment system which delivers a stream of fibers to a rotating drum. Disposed on the periphery of the drum are a series of foraminous cavities or molds, usually substantially in the shape of the desired article. In certain cases, however, the periphery is a continuous foraminous surface, allowing the production of a continuous airlaid sheet. Fibers are then airlaid on the foraminous surface; in some instances, if the cavity is overfilled, the excess is removed by passing the cavity in close proximity of a rotating brush, a process known as "scarfing". By regulating the internal pressure of the drum, relative to the pressure of the air-entrained stream, the density of the deposited fibers can be controlled. Additionally, in certain apparatus a positive pressure is created in portions of the drum, allowing the airlaid articles to be ejected for further processing.
An air-drum type apparatus for forming fibrous pads from a sheet of fibrous material is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,957--Savich. The apparatus described therein consists of a means for defiberizing a sheet of fibrous material and providing a stream of air-entrained fibers to a rotating drum. A series of foraminous cavities are disposed on the periphery of the drum, into which the air-entrained fibers are introduced, producing an airlaid article in the shape of the recess. Savich teaches the forming of the article in a curved recess and ejecting the airlaid article onto a flat vacuum conveyer, thereby providing an article with one curved side and one flat side. The pressure differential between the vacuum conveyor and the rotating drum is sufficient to compress the airlaid article into an article having a relatively greater basis weight.
Another example of airlaying apparatus is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,441--Stemmler, which discloses apparatus for the manufacture of absorbent pads shaped to fit the body. As discussed above, it is sometimes desireable to produce absorbent articles comprised of two or more materials. Stemmler teaches the use of what is essentially a series of two separate, identical forming machines connected by a transfer wheel. An air-entrained fiber stream is created from a cellulose web using separate apparatus attached to each machine. The first machine has a hollow drum having recesses into which a stream of air-entrained fibers is carried. The air-entrained fibers are deposited to form a first component layer of the absorbent article. The first layer of the article is then transferred to the second machine where the second layer of the article has been formed using a second stream of fibers. The two layers are pressed together by a transfer drum which transports the resulting two-layer article to be further compressed and ejected. Thus, Stemmler teaches the formation of a two layer article, each layer of which may be comprised of a different fibrous material. The reference teaches the placing of a first airlaid layer and a second airlaid layer of substantially the same shape and surface area atop one another, and compressing the layers to form an absorbent article.
An apparatus which incorporates apparatus for defiberizing a web of compressed material and forming the resulting fluff into absorbent pads is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,966--Johnson, et al. (Johnson I). A hammermill creates fluff, which is drawn by a vacuum shroud through insert molds which form the fluff into a desired shape. The molds are arrayed on a circular drum; any overfill is removed and recycled as each mold exits the drum. The molds illustrated are straight-sided and have a foraminous bottom surface, beneath which is disposed structure for controlling the airstream carrying the fibers.
The use of multiple streams of air-entrained fibers is taught by British Patent Application No. 2,191,793. The disclosure is primarily directed toward splitting streams of air-entrained fibers in a clump free manner. Such split streams are used to form absorbent articles having a central core of super absorbent, overlaid by a larger layer of fibers. It is important to keep the materials used for deposition free of clumps or other irregularities in order to assure a consistent product and an uninterrupted, continuous manufacturing process. The British reference teaches the use of two separate drum-type airlaying apparatus. In one of the airlaying drums, the air-entrained fibers are mixed with a superabsorbent prior to deposition in order to form the superabsorbent core. Separate pad layers produced by each airlaying apparatus are joined by compressing one atop the other using conveyor belts and other transfer apparatus external to the airlaying machines.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,708--Feist discloses apparatus for making airlaid articles of non-uniform thickness. The device disclosed therein is a drum-type airlaying apparatus for making discrete absorbent fibrous articles of airlaid matter. Feist utilizes a rotating deposition drum having a plurality of article formation cavities disposed in circumferentially spaced relation about the periphery of the deposition drum. Each of the cavities has a foraminous bottom wall. By providing means for directing air-entrained fibers toward the periphery of the drum and means for vacuum drawing the entrainment air through the foraminous bottom walls and exhausting it from the apparatus, discrete absorbent articles are obtained. The improvement provided by Feist consists of directing the stream of fibers substantially radially toward the drum, thus assuring deposition on the bottom of the forming cavity. Feist also teaches exhausting the entrainment air through substantially empty additional cavities disposed upstream from the cavity into which the fibers are being deposited.
In addition to airlaying apparatus generally, the control of the impinging air-entrained stream of fibers has been usefully exploited. It has been found that it is easier to regulate the deposition of airlaid fibers by regulating open area of the foraminous deposition surface and, concurrently or separately, regulating the pressure and/or velocity at or near the point of deposition. In this regard, it has been found that a variety of screens or baffles may be used to achieve certain useful conditions when such apparatus are placed beneath the foraminous deposition surface, that is, when the deposition surface is disposed between the impinging airstream and the regulating apparatus.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,056--Lee et al. discloses apparatus for continuously making an airlaid fibrous web having a patterned basis weight distribution. The contoured web produced has alternately spaced relatively high basis weight and relatively low basis weight regions. Lee et al. teaches the use of air flow modulating means which can be adjusted to produce a range of pressure differentials across the foraminous bottom surface of the recess into which air-entrained fibers are introduced.
Also, West German Patent DE 3 5 08 344 A1 discloses a web forming assembly for use in a drum-type airlaying apparatus. A series of apertures are disposed along the bottom surface of the assembly, which is contoured to produce a pad having a central portion of a somewhat greater thickness than the remainder of the article formed. The cavities in the deposition drum are subdivided into a number of zones, each zone having a separate, regulated vacuum line. The device disclosed permits the production of airlaid articles of uniform quality having a varying thickness.
An apparatus and process having airflow regulating means is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,647--Enloe et al. (Enloe I). The improvement of Enloe I lies providing apparatus for the formation of laid fibrous articles having a non-stepwise gradation in basis weight. Enloe I teaches the use of a concave forming surface bounded by angled walls, whereby the laid fibrous article is readily removable from a foraminous forming surface. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of Enloe I, the foramen are located on both the bottom and the sides of the recess into which the air-entrained fibers are laid.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,258--Enloe (Enloe II) discloses apparatus for forming of airlaid fibrous webs. The webs disclosed have tailored absorbency zones, wherein certain areas have a higher basis weight, and therefore a higher absorbency. Enloe II teaches depositing air-entrained fibers on a foraminous web forming structure. A gas flow regulating means using apertures provides a selected pattern of gas flow resulting in a web forming assembly which creates a desired distribution of fiber basis weight across the formed web.
Finally, European Patent Application No. 85300626.0 (publication no. 151033 ) discloses methods and improved apparatus for making discrete airlaid absorbent articles. A drum-type apparatus is disclosed, having a series of cavities which have foraminous bottom walls. As shown in FIG. 2, the foraminous bottom wall is preferably a contoured mesh structure, having a relatively uniform distribution of the foramen. The airlaid articles are then further processed after deposition. The articles are compacted a predetermined amount and then ejected, the compaction means is shown as comprising a lugged wheel in gear-like engagement with the cavities of the airlaying drum.
Also known in the art is the separation of fluff components. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,552--Johnson (Johnson II) discloses an instrument for separating out any one or more of the components of any given sample of fluff. As pointed out by the reference, "fluff" is a collection of wood pulp fibers which, if recycled, during a production process may also include bits of reclamation waste, such as plastic or other materials. Although Johnson II is primarily directed toward testing apparatus for determining the composition of a sample of fluff, one of ordinary skill is also taught how to construct apparatus which can separate out any one or more of the components of the fluff. To accomplish this result, fluff is agitated by compressed air and loose fibers are separated and drawn through a sieve by a vacuum, while the non-fiber portions of the fluff are left in an agitation chamber. The fibers are caught in a sieve, while the highly defiberized, broken fibers are caught later downstream in a filter.
Thus, although several variations of airlaying apparatus and deposition control are known, it would be desireable to provide apparatus capable of continuously depositing two or more materials in selected areas of a product. At present, such constructions are limited to placing a first layer atop a second layer and compacting the resulting assembly. Such a construction is not preferred, however. In the case of many absorbent articles, such as those combining absorbent and repellent fibers. It would be further desireable that apparatus be constructed which required only a reduced the cost and complexity of the airlaying equipment, while still allowing two or more materials to be continuously deposited. Finally, such apparatus would ideally be flexible to the extent that the characteristics of the product and the geometry of the areas in which materials are selectively deposited may be easily changed.

Methods and apparatus for selective placement of fibrous material in formed fibrous articles


Gasification systems and associated processes are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a gasification process includes simultaneously supplying a carbonaceous material and steam to a gasifier, the gasifier containing a liquid volume containing at least about 10% by weight of iron oxide (FexOy where x and y are positive integers). The gasification process also includes performing a gasification reaction between the carbonaceous material and steam in the liquid volume, facilitating the gasification reaction with the iron oxide in the liquid volume, and producing a gas from the gasification reaction, the gas containing carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2).

Gasification processes generally include reacting a carbonaceous feed material (e.g., coal, petroleum, or biomass) with oxygen and/or steam to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The resulting carbon monoxide and hydrogen mixture is commonly called "synthesis gas" or "syngas."
Syngas can have many industrial applications. For example, syngas may be burned directly in internal combustion engines for generating electricity or driving machinery. In another example, syngas may be used to produce methanol and hydrogen, which in turn may be converted into other useful industrial compounds. Syngas may also be converted into liquid synthetic fuels (e.g., diesel, gasoline, etc.) via the Fischer-Tropsch process and/or other syngas-to-liquid processes.
Conventional gasification systems include fixed-bed gasifiers, fluidized-bed gasifiers, or entrained-flow gasifiers. In fixed-bed gasifiers, the feed material forms a fixed bed through which a gasification agent (e.g., steam, oxygen, and/or air) flows in either a counter-current or co-current flow configuration. In fluidized-bed gasifiers, the feed material does not form a fixed bed but instead is fluidized in steam, oxygen, and/or air. In entrained-flow gasifiers, the carbonaceous feed material is first pulverized and then gasified with oxygen or air in a co-current flow configuration.
The foregoing types of gasifiers suffer from certain operational drawbacks. For example, fixed-bed gasifiers typically require the carbonaceous feed material to have high mechanical strength and be noncaking in order to form a permeable bed. As a result, certain feed materials may not be processed in fixed-bed gasifiers. The conversion efficiencies of fluidized-bed gasifiers may be low due to elutriation of the carbonaceous feed material. Further, entrained-flow gasifiers typically may not be economically operated at small scales and may require an increased amount of oxygen compared to other types of gasifiers. The increased requirement for oxygen can increase the energy consumption of the overall entrained-flow gasification process, resulting in a lower energy efficiency. Accordingly, certain improvements in gasification systems and processes are needed.


Embodiments described herein provide a skin penetrating device and method for the subcutaneous delivery of therapeutic agents in solid form. One embodiment provides such a device comprising an elongated shaft having proximal and distal ends and a skin penetrating element detachably coupled to the shaft. At least a portion of the penetrating element is fabricated from a solid form therapeutic agent composition that dissolves in body tissue and is absorbed into the blood stream so as to produce a therapeutic effect. The penetrating element has shape for penetrating and lodging beneath the skin when inserted through the skin by force applied from the shaft. The penetrating element is configured to detach from the shaft when the shaft is pulled away from the skin so as to leave the element in place beneath the skin where it is absorbed by body tissue and the therapeutic agent is released.

Both oral and intravenous forms of drug delivery have a number of limitations. Oral delivery limitations include toxicity, poor absorption and varying concentrations over time. Intravenous limitations include the requirement to mix and store the drug in liquid form as well as the use of sterile technique. These can be particularly problematic in third world countries where adequate refrigeration and sterile needles are not readily available limiting shelf life and exposing the patient to infection. Thus, there is a need for improved methods of drug delivery which can extend shelf life and are more easily used in settings lacking refrigeration or sterile medical supplies.

Skin penetrating device and method for subcutaneous solid drug delivery


A “running range normalization” method includes computing running estimates of the range of values of features useful for voice activity detection (VAD) and normalizing the features by mapping them to a desired range. Running range normalization includes computation of running estimates of the minimum and maximum values of VAD features and normalizing the feature values by mapping the original range to a desired range. Smoothing coefficients are optionally selected to directionally bias a rate of change of at least one of the running estimates of the minimum and maximum values. The normalized VAD feature parameters are used to train a machine learning algorithm to detect voice activity and to use the trained machine learning algorithm to isolate or enhance the speech component of the audio data.

Voice activity detectors have long been used to enhance speech in audio signals and for a variety of other purposes including speech recognition or recognition of a particular speaker's voice.
Conventionally, voice activity detectors have relied upon fuzzy rules or heuristics in conjunction with features such as energy levels and zero-crossing rates to make a determination as to whether or not an audio signal includes speech. In some cases, the thresholds employed by conventional voice activity detectors are dependent upon the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of an audio signal, making it difficult to choose appropriate thresholds. In addition, while conventional voice activity detectors work well under conditions where an audio signal has a high SNR, they are less reliable when the SNR of the audio signal is low.
Some voice activity detectors have been improved by the use of machine learning techniques, such as neural networks, which typically combine several mediocre voice activity detection (VAD) features to provide a more accurate voice activity estimate. (The term "neural network," as used herein, may also refer to other machine learning techniques, such as support vector machines, decision trees, logistic regression, statistical classifiers, etc.) While these improved voice activity detectors work well with the audio signals that are used to train them, they are typically less reliable when applied to audio signals that have been obtained from different environments, that include different types of noise or that include a different amount of reverberation than the audio signals that were used to train the voice activity detectors.
A technique known as "feature normalization" has been used to improve the robustness with which a voice activity detector may be used in evaluating audio signals with a variety of different characteristics. In Mean-Variance Normalization (MVN), for example, the means and the variances of each element of the feature vectors are normalized to zero and one, respectively. In addition to improving robustness to different data sets, feature normalization implicitly provides information about how the current time frame compares to previous frames. For example, if an unnormalized feature in a given isolated frame of data has a value of 0.1, that may provide little information about whether this frame corresponds to speech or not, especially if we don't know the SNR. However, if the feature has been normalized based on the long-term statistics of the recording, it provides additional context about how this frame compares to the overall signal.
However, traditional feature normalization techniques such as MVN are typically very sensitive to the percentage of an audio signal that corresponds to speech (i.e., the percentage of time that a person is speaking). If the online speech data during runtime has a significantly different percentage of speech than the data that was used to train the neural network, the mean values of the VAD features will be shifted correspondingly, producing misleading results. Accordingly, improvements are sought in voice activity detection and feature normalization.

Neural network voice activity detection employing running range normalization


Desk top items with LEDs also include USB-unit(s) or USB-module(s) and, optionally, additional outlet-units, to supply power to other electric or digital devices such as a smart phone or digital data device.

This application is having subject matter in common with the inventor's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/117,227, filed on May 30, 2011, and entitled "Universal module of USB-unit or Outlet-units for electric or digital data device(s)."
This application also has subject matter in common with the inventor's U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/502,661, 12/292,580, 12/566,322, 11/498,874, 11/527,629, 12/622,000, 12/624,621, which disclose a sealed-unit with uniform dimensions and shape to fit into the same uniformly dimensioned compartment so that the universal sealed-unit can fit into a variety of LED light devices. The sealed unit(s) disclosed in these applications share the following features:    a. The sealed-unit(s) has uniform dimensions to fit into the uniform compartment of any kind of LED light device.    b. The sealed-unit(s) has passed all related safety standards and received a laboratory's safety certification so that it can be used with other LED light device's parts and accessories which may or may not meet the safety standard passed by the said sealed-unit(s).    c. The sealed-unit(s) can be any individually salable unit because it has passed all related safety requirements and standards. The other parts or accessories may or may not be just decorative or have other functions to make the LED light device more valuable.
The current invention utilizes the sealed-unit concept in the following manner:
(1) The current invention utilizes the concept disclosed in the above-cited applications of providing a sealed-unit that has passed all the relevant safety standards but applies the concept to other electric device(s) which are not limited to an LED light device. The concept may be applied to an LED light device, power strip device, wall outlet device, surge protection device, wall adaptor device, charging device(s), smart phone related device(s), computer related device(s), and other consumer electric device(s).
(2) The sealed-unit may be in the form of a USB-unit or outlet-unit rather than the previously disclosed LED-unit, battery-pack, or prong-means.
(3) The USB-unit or outlet-unit both may be arranged to supply power from these units to a variety of electric devices to keep the electric device(s) in good power condition for people to use.
(4) The USB-unit or outlet-unit may each include its own related circuit-means, conductive-means, contact-means, receiving-means, output-ends, input-ends, electric parts and accessories to supply electric power from a prong-cable means or USB-cable means to a receiving-means for supplying power to a variety of electric device(s).
(5) The current invention offers a universal design for the USB-unit or outlet-unit with the most compact size to enable each of the USB-unit and outlet-unit or any combination of USB-units and/or outlet-units to form a desired module that fits into all kinds of electric device(s), including an LED light device, wall outlet, wall outlet adaptor, power strips, surge protector, communication device, computer device, consumer electric device, smart phone device, panel computer device, etc.
(6) Once the USB-unit or outlet-unit has passed all related safety standards and has its own issued certification, the finished electric device in which it is used does not need to get an additional safety certification related to USB-units or outlet-units.
(7) The modules of the current invention can utilize any combination of suitable USB-unit or outlet-unit parts, such as a conductive wire, conductive plate, conductive means, contact-means, prong-cable means, USB-cable means, prong-means, resilient conductive means, printed circuit means, flexible circuit means, related electric parts and accessories, fixing means, positioning means, and/or installation means to enable the module, outlet-unit, or USB-unit to pass the safety standard and get the relevant safety certification and be added onto another electric device.
(8) The module of the current invention may have different specifications, such as:
1 USB-unit with 1 USB-port,
1 USB-unit with 2 USB-ports+1 outlet-unit,
1 USB-unit with 2 USB-ports+2 outlet-units,
1 outlet-unit.
or
any combination of USB-units and outlet-units that still permits a standard module to fit into different electric device(s) as needed.
(9) The module can also have the following different specifications:
2 USB ports having different current outputs including 500 ma, 1 Amp, 1.1 Amp, and/or 2.2 Amps to enable the 2 USB-ports to charge different electric devices such as an iPhone™, which needs to have 1 Amp, and an iPad™, which requires 2.1 Amps. If people want to charge 1 iPhone™+1 iPad™ at the same time, at least 3.1 Amps will be needed, which will be very expensive. If people want to charge the 1 iPhone™ or 1 iPad™ at different times, the standard module can be 1 port 1 Amp+1 port 1.1 Amp=2.1 Amps total, and the cost will be cheaper. If people want to charge only 1 iPhone™, only need 1 USB-unit with 1 port which has only 1 Amp is needed for the most economical product. Hence, the module of the invention should not be limited to only one specification.
(10) Because the standard module, outlet-unit or USB-unit is a sealed-unit that has its own issued safety certification and that can fit into the uniform compartment of any other electric device, there is no need to file, for each different electric devices, a UL, ETL, or CSA safety certification, which saves a lot of time for tooling, development, and safety testing for each different electric device. This will reduce a lot of R&D, development, tooling, safety certification time and fees.
The copending application entitled "Universal module of USB-unit or Outlet-unit for electric or digital data device," U.S. Ser. No. 13/117,227, discloses a simple arrangement for enabling "Desk Top items with LED means having USB-unit(s) or USB-module(s) to charge a variety of electric or digital data device(s)," which does not require a universal module because some of the desk top items with LED means have plenty of room/space to accommodate a larger size of USB-unit(s) or USB-module(s) and reduce the cost for related electric components, parts, or accessories to make the items more cost attractive to the consumer. The USB-unit(s) is an electric charging unit which has a USB-female receiving means (also known as a USB port) to receive a USB-male prong (also known as a USB plug) to deliver electric power from the USB-female receiving means to the other device's USB-male prong. The preferred USB-female receiving means gets power from a power source and uses circuit means to convert the input electric power to output electric power having a desired waveform, voltage, and current flow or amperage (A or ma) to enable the USB-male means to supply power to other electric or digital device(s).
The USB-module(s) described in the copending application is an electric charging module which has at least one USB-female receiving means but also has a number of receiving means selected from an outlet-female receiving means (also known as an outlet or outlet port), USB-female receiving means, an adaptor's female receiving means (also known as an adaptor port), or any conventional female receiving means or ports to form a single body which has more than one USB-female receiving means to offer the same or different electric power though the different female receiving means within the one body. The USB-module connects with a power source and circuit-means to offer a desired waveform, voltage, and current (A or ma) to charge other device(s) when the female receiving means relates to the male prong means of each style of the connect-means.
To enable people to easily reach, touch, operate, or manage the desk top items, the USB-unit(s) or USB-module(s) are installed on or within the item or a substrate(s). The items may be positioned at a location where people will stay for a period, such as a desk, table, bed, chair, land, grass, or wherever else people work, rest, or take a nap. For example, people use a computer, laptop computer, iPhone™, iPad™, or iCloud™ on a substrate(s), location, or place such as a table, desk, bed, laptop stand, laptop supporter, laptop cushion or any similar surface(s) which allows people to work, sleep, or lay down for a period of time while charging other electric or digital data device(s).
In all such places where people will stay for period of time, the nearby desk top items with LED means and built-in USB-units easily offer electric power to all other electric or digital data device(s), so people do not need to bend the body to find a power source under the table, which normally is farther away than the desk top items having LED means. Hence, this arrangement offers good convenience for people while they work, rest, or even take a nap, so that they can easily use the USB-unit(s) or USB-module of the desk top items with LED means to charge their small phone, computer, iPad™, or any other electric or digital data device(s) while they work, rest, sleep or take a nap.
It is desirable for the universal module of the USB-unit(s) or outlet-unit(s) described in the copending application to be made as small as possible so that it can fit into as many applications' limited housing size as possible and therefore really meet the goal of universal applicability. On the other hand, the smallest, slimmest, or most compact size of the USB-unit(s), outlet-unit(s), or USB-module is too expensive. For example, the APPLE™ iPhone™'s or iPad™'s USB-unit, which is very small in size, needs to use a relatively expensive, high power transformer or inverter to achieve a very short time to fully charge the other electric or digital data device(s). This problem can be resolved if, in order to get the USB-3.0 standard 2.1 amp output from the USB-unit(s), the size of some electric components, parts, or accessories such as transformer or inverter, or other same-function electric parts, or accessories can be increased by placing it in a desk top item with sufficient space, thereby obtaining the same big power output at a substantially lower cost to let the consumer save pocket money. Suitable desk top items to which a universal module, USB-unit, or outlet-unit can be added include a desk lamp, desk top clock, desk top radio, desk top fan, desk top lighting, reading light, wall reading light, head lighting, book light, electric picture display, night light with AC to DC power source or adaptor with prong and wire means, projection light with AC to DC power source or adaptors with prong and wire means, electric candle set with AC to DC power source or adaptors with prong and wire means, or any LED device that can serve as a desk top item as described herein and that can accommodate a USB-unit or USB-ports designed only for charging purposes rather than delivery of digital data. The desk top items can provide function(s), performance, and effects(s) including, by way of example, generation of light beams and projection of images such as time images, as well as serving as a source of illumination, music, power, electric signals, photos, and digital signals for sound, light, music, smell or any conventional market-available devices that people will keep on for a period of time sufficient to also enable charging of other electric or digital data device(s).

Desktop item with LED means has USB-unit(s) or USB-module to charge other electric or digital data device(s)


A liquid active substance-containing membrane having an anisotropic structure comprising (a) a polymeric cellular layer containing a myriad of minute closed cells and septa thereof and (b) a dense thin layer covering the surface of the cellular layer, wherein the minute cells contain therein a liquid active substance having a limited solubility in the polymer at normal temperature. The membrane of the present invention can be advantageously used to release a liquid active substance such as pheromones and pesticides at a substantially constant, controlled rate over a long period of time.

There are several known articles used to release an active substance in a controlled manner. Such articles are usually made up of a carrier layer and a control layer as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,335. The carrier layer contains an active substance dissolved therein. The control layer, which covers the carrier layer, controls the permeation or diffusion of the active substance so that the active substance is released into the surrounding atmosphere at a substantially constant rate. When the active substance is a liquid, the carrier layer is prepared by uniformly dissolving the active substance in a polymer which is highly miscible with the active substance. Thus, the prepared carrier layer is covered by the control layer comprising a polymer which is less miscible with the active substance.
However, the above articles are disadvantageous in that the solubility of the active substance in the polymer used as the carrier layer is limited. Thus, it is usually difficult to have the carrier layer contain more than 30 wt % of the active substance. If a liquid active substance is dissolved in the polymer in an amount greater than 30 wt %, the polymer cannot form a solid matrix. Therefore, the content of the active substance in such articles is usually limited to about 10 wt %.
In order to overcome the above-disclosed disadvantage, a carrier layer which is composed of an open-cell porous polymer membrane and an active substance absorbed in the membrane has been used.
However, the above carrier layer is disadvantageous in that the surface of the carrier layer is made wet by the active substance. This makes it difficult to form a control layer thereon. Therefore, the carrier layer is usually enclosed in a membrane body which serves as the control layer. However, the use of membrane body is disadvantageous since it requires additional production steps which increases the cost of the articles.

Membrane containing a liquid active substance and process for the production of same


An integrated circuit (1) is provided with function modules (2) which comprise a central processing unit (4) for treating data and executing a program and a cache memory (5). Until now, it was complicated and costly to ensure the manipulation security of the modules. The function modules (2) comprise an encoding unit (6) for data encoding and decoding.

Arrangements comprising integrated circuits of the type described above are found today in almost all articles of daily use comprising integrated electronics. Devices for electronic data processing, communication or for recording data have provisions which restrict the read, write or modification access to the data depending on the type of data processed. This is intended to protect data against public accessibility or manipulation. It is particularly in the field of the future generation of tachographs, the digital tachograph, that protection of recorded data against manipulation is of the highest significance.
Previous manipulation-protected systems with high security requirements normally consist of a number of discrete assemblies to which different functions are allocated, for example a central processing unit, an encryption unit and various memories are in each case normally an independent unit which is connected to the other units. The requirement of having a number of assemblies and assembling them and matching them to one another is associated with high costs in the series production.

Arrangement comprising an integrated circuit


Apparatus of removing condensate generated by a plurality of evaporator coils of a vehicular rooftop air conditioning unit. The unit further includes a condenser enclosure in which two opposed end walls are formed by a pair of condenser coils. A condenser fan is mounted for rotation in an opening in the top wall of the enclosure and is axially aligned along the central axis of the enclosure along with the fan motor which is suspended inside the enclosure beneath the fan. A slinger dish is mounted on the motor shaft beneath the motor in close proximity with the floor of the enclosure. The floor, in turn, slopes inwardly from all sides toward the center of the enclosure and condensate generated by the evaporator coils of the unit is channeled into the enclosure and collected in a recess beneath the motor. The slinger dish is arranged to draw condensate that is collected in the floor recess and distribute the condensate over the surfaces of the two condenser coils whereby the condensate is carried out of the unit in the form of a vapor.

This invention relates to a low profile air conditioning unit for installation upon the roof of a vehicle and, in particular, upon the rooftop of a passenger bus.
Rooftop air conditioners have been installed upon buses and the like for a number of years. Typically, both the condenser and the evaporator sections of the unit are mounted outside the passenger compartment of the vehicle upon the roof. Conditioned air from the unit is passed into the vehicle through an opening in the roof and return air is passed back into the unit through a second roof opening. The compressor servicing the unit is generally located in the engine compartment of the vehicle and is driven directly from the engine. Refrigerant lines are passed back from the engine compartment to the rooftop unit through the interior of the vehicle. These interior lines can pose a constant danger due to the lines leaking or sweating.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,833 there is disclosed a rooftop air conditioning unit for a motor vehicle that utilizes an electrical driven compressor that is contained along with an inverter in the rooftop unit. Power to the unit is provided by a generator that is driven directly from the engine of the vehicle. In this arrangement the refrigerant lines passing between the engine compartment and the air conditioning unit are eliminated thus avoiding any danger of the lines leaking or sweating inside the vehicle. However, the removal of condensate from the rooftop unit itself still poses a problem.
A window air conditioner is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,580 in which an axial flow condenser fan is mounted with the condenser coil and the compressor in the outdoor section of the unit. The evaporator coil is contained in the indoor section of the unit. A cone shaped condensate slinger is connected to the condenser fan motor and is arranged to throw condensate generated by the indoor evaporate coil against the outdoor condenser coil. A portion of the condensate that contacts the heated surfaces of the condenser coil is evaporated to improve the efficiency of the unit. The remaining condensate is collected in the condenser pan and is permitted to drain as moisture to the outdoors discharges from the unit as a vapor in the cooling air stream.
Many rooftop air conditioning units that are mounted on buses or recreational vehicles simple drain the condensate from the evaporator over the roof of the vehicle or multiple drain lines requiring costly installation and maintenance. The moisture, over a period of time forms an unsightly stain on the vehicles finish and films the window surfaces reducing the drivers visibility and thus posing a potential hazard. Attempts to incorporate more effective condensate removal systems for these types of roof top units invariably produce an increase in the height of the unit which, in turn, increase the amount of drag acting on the vehicle as it moves through the air.
It is a primary object of the present invention to improve rooftop air conditioning units for vehicles and, in particular, for buses, recreational vehicles and the like.
It is a further object of the present invention to more efficiently remove condensate from a rooftop air conditioning unit of a motor vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an effective way of removing condensate from a rooftop air conditioning unit that contains multiple evaporator coils and condenser coils.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an efficient condensate removal system for a rooftop air conditioning unit for a bus or the like without having to increase the height and size of the unit.
Yet another object of the present invention is to remove condensate from the rooftop air conditioning unit of a bus in a clean and an aesthetically pleasing manor.
Yet another object is to eliminate installation and maintenance of condensate hoses and connections.
These and other objects of the present invention are provided by a rooftop air conditioning unit that includes multiple evaporator coils and condenser coils. An enclosure is mounted adjacent to the evaporator section of the unit that contains a pair of vertical side walls and a pair of opposed condenser coils that form the end walls of the enclosure. The enclosure further includes a bottom wall and a top wall that has an opening for housing a condenser fan. The fan is connected to the drive shaft of a fan motor which is suspended inside the enclosure. The drive shaft of the motor is aligned along the central axis of the enclosure and a slinger dish is mounted beneath the motor and is secured to the shaft. The bottom wall of the enclosure slopes inwardly for the side wall and end walls of the enclosure toward the central axis of the enclosure. Condensate generated by the evaporator coils is conducted into the enclosure and collects in the center of the enclosure beneath the slinger dish. The slinger dish opens upwardly towards the motor and contains a suction port for the drawing condensate collected in the center of the enclosure into the dish. A series of distribution ports direct the condensate over the inside surface of the dish and the condensate is then broadcast outwardly over the surfaces of the two condenser coils. The condenser coil are placed at an acute angle with regard to the central axis of the enclosure to considerable reduce the height of the unit. Preferably, each coil forms an angle of between 40xc2x0 and 50xc2x0 with the central axis of the enclosure.

Condensate removal system rooftop air conditioner


The invention relates to an arrangement of electronic semiconductor components on a carrier system for treating the semiconductor components with a liquid medium. A semiconductor component is detachably mounted on the carrier system with the active side thereof in such a way that the arrangement comprises a gap at least in the edge region and partially between the semiconductor components and the carrier system. The aim of the invention is to provide a detachable arrangement of electronic semiconductor components on a mechanically stable carrier system for safely handling the semiconductor components during the production process, wherein the capillarity of the gap between the semiconductor components and the carrier system is reduced in a controlled manner, thus preventing the damaging effect of a liquid medium seeping into the gap. To this end, the surface of the carrier system is shaped in such a way that the gap is widened along the entire edge region thereof.

The arrangement of an electronic semiconductor component with the active side downward (face down) on a carrier system, so that there is at least in certain portions an edge between the semiconductor component and the carrier system in a way corresponding to the topography of the semiconductor component, is very frequently encountered in semiconductor technology. A gap may be required for technical process-related reasons and the medium flowing around the gap is chosen such that the gap is optimally filled under the influence of its capillary action, such as, for example, for the underfilling of the electronic semiconductor component in flip-chip technology.
Alternatively, the capillary action of the gap may lead to undesired flowing of the liquid medium under the semiconductor component. In any event, it is known that the capillary action depends on the width of the gap and the surface tension of the liquid medium as its material-typical property.
The flowing of a medium, in particular an etching medium, under the semiconductor component is to be prevented, since in the case of face-down mounting of the semiconductor component it can lead to undefined etching of its active side and, as a result, damage or even destruction of the electronic component.
This aspect is becoming increasingly significant in thin-wafer technology, since ever larger wafers are being produced at ever lower cost and in an ever thinner form, and ever greater requirements have to be met with respect to safe handling of the thin wafers as products. This requires the development of carrier technologies that allow safe handling of the thin wafers during production.
The handling of the electronic semiconductor components, in this case in the wafer array, on a carrier system leads to the active side of the electronic semiconductor components being influenced in the way described, in particular during wafer thinning by grinding in the presence of an abrasive liquid medium and by wet-chemical back etching of the wafer, the components being located within the gap in the face-down arrangement of the wafers on the carrier system and likewise exposed to the aggressive media as a result of the capillary action of the gap.
In the past, the damage to the semiconductor components has been minimized by frequent changing of the carrier system or by the thin wafers being handled for a short time, which however leads to a special effort being required and to increased costs, also on account of the susceptibility of the thin wafers to fracture.
A further possibility for protecting the active side of wafers from the aggressive media is at present to attach an adhesive film to this side. However, the film material drastically limits the temperature range that is available for the further process, generally to below 100° C. A further major disadvantage of this method is that the requirement to remove the film again requires the thin wafer to be of a certain thickness, which must be great enough to withstand the mechanical forces during the detachment of the film. This condition currently restricts the thickness of the thin wafers to about 100 μm. However, future technologies require far smaller wafer and component thicknesses.

Treatment of a substrate with a liquid medium


A method of controlling shutdown of processes on equipment powered through a UPS comprises: providing a graphical display system and a graphical pointing device; displaying on the graphical display system a graphic having a time access and a process access; arranging along the process access indicia of one or more processes to be shutdown; for at least one of the one or more processes, displaying a time bar extending from a start point along the time access to an end point along the time access; and controlling one of the start point and the end point of the time bar with the pointing device, whereby shutdown of the at least one process is controlled according to the times of the start point and the end point of the time bar.

The invention relates generally to control systems for power supply devices, and more particularly, to software control systems used in connection with an Uninterruptitible Power Supply (UPS) system.
There are numerous types of Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems for supplying backup alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power to electrical loads. These UPS systems generally use batteries or types of other energy storage devices that supply such power when a main power supply (e.g., line power) is not available. For example, backup power is provided when power from an AC source performs outside acceptable limits or fails altogether. These UPS systems are controlled by computer systems including hardware and software components.
These UPS systems generally use one or more energy storage devices configured to provide backup power for a definite, finite period of time determined by the capacity of the energy storage device or devices and the magnitude of the load, that is, the amount of power consumed over time by equipment whose power requirements are met by the UPS. These UPS systems allow normal system operation to proceed for some period of time, but then control software in the UPS system and associated UPS system hardware begins to force the equipment whose power they are supplying to shutdown in a controlled manner before the capacity of the UPS is reached. Because different UPS applications have different requirements with respect to system availability, system reliability, robustness of the shutdown process, etc., it is desirable to tailor the shutdown of each process running on equipment powered by the UPS to meet various requirements. Also, some processes (e.g., a database manager running on a computer) must shutdown before others (e.g., the operating system on the computer). Such UPS systems accurately estimate a remaining time period that the UPS system can supply backup power. All of the shutdown processes must complete within the estimated time to avoid data loss or other problems.
Conventional software control systems used to configure the shutdown process of UPS systems such as described above employ a tabular user interface for configuring the shutdown parameters corresponding to each process running on each piece of equipment whose power is supplied by the UPS system. The table is displayed to an operator on a computer display device, allowing the operator to enter into the displayed table processes whose shutdown is to be controlled, along with desired shutdown parameters. Changes to parameters are made as changes to text entries in the table.
The table may be generally configured to have a list of processes along the left edge, followed by columns for setting process shutdown start and end times. The times made be stated relative to beginning of the shutdown process, and may be stated as delay and duration values, rather then start and end times, if desired.
Configuring the shutdown process using the conventional user interface can be a difficult and confusing one for some UPS operators. In some situations, the tabular format does not make as clear to the operator as may be desired, the ramifications of various changes. Operators may be left without a full understanding of when processes would begin to shutdown or conclude shutting down, when computer operating systems would shutdown and when the UPS system itself would turn off or enter a hibernation mode.


Systems, methods and devices for communicating comprise one or more of a computer-readable media, a computer, a satellite communication device and a mobile device, wherein the at least one of a computer-readable media, a computer, a satellite communication device and a mobile device to perform at least one of supplying data as input communication symbols to an encoder, which converts the input communication symbols into transmittable waveforms having a head function and a tail function, which are different. A transmitter transmits transmittable waveforms over a communication channel, which is received by a receiver, then demodulated and output communication symbols carrying the data to at least one of a user, a secondary computer-readable media, a secondary computer, a secondary satellite communication device and a secondary mobile device.

The following generalizations of Euler' s formula are known in the art:
                                          f            m                                          (            t            )                          =                              e                          t              ·                              cos                                                  (                                                            2                                              1                        -                        m                                                                                π                                    )                                                                                e                          i              ·              t              ·                              sin                                                  (                                                            2                                              1                        -                        m                                                                                π                                    )                                                                                (        1        )                                                      f            m                                          (            t            )                          =                  e                      ti                          (                              2                                  2                  -                  m                                            )                                                          (        2        )
In these equations, i is the imaginary constant equal to √{square root over (−1)}, t is the time parameter, and m has the effect of varying the geometry of the curve. m=2 corresponds to a complex circle, as the above reduce to the Euler term eti. Known telecommunication signaling techniques such as the Quadrature Amplitude Modulation technique ("QAM technique") are based on complex circles. Values of m>2 correspond to complex spirals of increasingly rapid growth, and increasingly lower frequency.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and systems for transmitting and receiving data using non-periodic functions


A magnetic property measuring system may include a stage configured to load a sample and to rotate the sample about a rotation axis such that the stage rotates the sample by a rotation angle, the rotation axis extending normal to a top surface of the sample. The magnetic property measuring system may further include a polarizer having a first polarization axis, and an analyzer having a second polarization axis. The polarizer and the analyzer may enable the first and second polarization axes to be independently rotated based on the rotation angle of the sample.

The present disclosure relates to magnetic property measuring systems, magnetic property measuring methods, and methods of fabricating magnetic memory devices using the same, and in particular, to system for and methods of measuring magnetic properties of magnetic tunnel junctions using a magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) and methods of fabricating magnetic memory devices using the same.
With increasing demand for electronic devices with increased speed and/or reduced power consumption, there is a requirement for semiconductor memory devices with faster operating speeds and/or lower operating voltages. Magnetic memory devices have been suggested to satisfy such requirements. A magnetic memory device may include a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) pattern. A magnetic tunnel junction pattern may include two magnetic elements and an insulating layer interposed therebetween. A resistance value of the magnetic tunnel junction pattern may be determined based on magnetization directions of the two magnetic elements. For example, when the two magnetic elements have antiparallel magnetization directions, the magnetic tunnel junction pattern may have a high resistance value, and when the two magnetic elements have parallel magnetization directions, the magnetic tunnel junction pattern may have a low resistance value. The difference in resistance value may be used to write or read data to or from the magnetic tunnel junction pattern.
In the case where the two magnetic elements each have a magnetization direction perpendicular to an interface between the insulating layer and the magnetic element, the magnetic tunnel junction pattern may be referred to as a perpendicular-type magnetic tunnel junction pattern. A polar magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) measuring system may be used to measure a perpendicular magnetic property of the perpendicular-type magnetic tunnel junction pattern.

Magnetic property measuring systems, methods of measuring magnetic property, and methods of fabricating magnetic memory devices using the same


To analyze content of a subterranean structure, electric field measurements at plural source-receiver azimuths in a predefined range are received. Total magnetic field measurements are also received at plural source-receiver azimuths in the predefined range. The electric field measurements and the total magnetic field measurements are provided to an analysis module to enable determination of electrical resistivity anisotropy of the subterranean structure.

A controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) survey technique can be used to perform a survey of a subterranean structure for identifying elements of interest, such as hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs, gas injection zones, thin carbonate or salt layers, fresh-water aquifers, and so forth. With CSEM surveying, an electromagnetic (EM) transmitter is used to generate EM signals. In the marine survey context, EM receivers can be deployed on a water bottom surface, such as a sea floor, within an area of interest to make measurements from which information about the subterranean structure can be derived. The EM receivers may include a number of sensors for detecting any combination of electric fields, electric currents, and magnetic fields.
In some implementations of CSEM surveying, a polarized electric or magnetic dipole source is used to excite an EM signal which propagates through the subterranean structure and is perturbed by geologic variations to depths of several kilometers. Spatially-distributed, multi-component, broadband EM receivers can record the EM energy that has been perturbed by the geologic variations.
Subsurface electrical resistivity anisotropy can affect the accuracy of measurements recorded using conventional CSEM surveying techniques. Subsurface electrical resistivity anisotropy is an effect that causes resistivity in the subsurface to be strongly dependent upon the direction of electrical current flow used to make measurements. The most dominant form of electrical resistivity anisotropy is vertical transverse isotropy (VTI), in which the vertical electrical resistivity can be much larger than the horizontal electrical resistivity.
One traditional technique of determining electrical resistivity anisotropy is by recording inline and offline (i.e., broadside) component electrical and magnetic field data. Inline data refers to data acquired when the EM receiver dipole is aligned along the same axis as the EM source dipole (in other words, the dipoles of the source and receiver are co-axial) and both are aligned with the tow direction. Offline (or broadside) data refers to data acquired when the EM receiver dipole axis is parallel to the EM source dipole axis, but located off axis (dipoles are co-planar), while both axes of the source dipole and receiver dipole are aligned parallel to the tow direction. Having to obtain EM data in both the inline and offline directions means that one or more EM sources would have to be towed first in the inline direction and then in the offline direction, which is time consuming and adds complexity to the surveying technique.

Providing measurements to enable determination of electrical resistivity anisotropy of a subterranean structure


An image forming device includes: a photosensitive drum; a first roller; a second roller; an intermediate transfer belt; a transfer roller; a cleaner; a waste toner accommodating portion; and a paper guide. The intermediate transfer belt is looped around the first roller and the second roller to circularly move in a moving direction. The intermediate transfer belt contacts the photosensitive drum. The transfer roller is disposed opposite to the first roller with respect to the intermediate transfer belt. The cleaner collects waste toner on the intermediate transfer belt. The cleaner is disposed upstream of the photosensitive drum in the moving direction and downstream of the transfer roller in the moving direction. The waste toner accommodating portion accommodates the waste toner collected by the cleaner. The paper guide guides a recording medium and disposed between the cleaner and the waste toner accommodating portion.

There is known, as a color laser printer of an electrophotographic type, a tandem-type color laser printer provided with a plurality of photosensitive drums arranged in parallel in correspondence with toners of four colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black.
As such a tandem-type color laser printer, there is proposed a configuration in which a plurality of photosensitive drums are arranged in parallel above a belt unit having an endless intermediate transfer belt and are brought into contact with the intermediate transfer belt from above.
In the proposed configuration, the belt unit further includes a plurality of primary transfer rollers, a secondary transfer roller, and a cleaning unit.
The primary transfer rollers are arranged opposite to the corresponding photosensitive drums across the intermediate transfer belt. The secondary transfer roller is arranged on the downstream side relative to the downstream most primary transfer roller in the traveling direction of the intermediate transfer belt. The cleaning unit is arranged between the secondary transfer roller and the upstream most primary transfer roller in the traveling direction of the intermediate transfer belt.
When the intermediate transfer belt starts to travel in an image-forming operation, developer images of respective colors carried on the surfaces of the photosensitive drums are sequentially primary-transferred from the photosensitive drums onto the intermediate transfer belt. As a result, a color developer image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt. Thereafter, when the color developer image on the traveling intermediate transfer belt has reached a position opposite to the secondary transfer roller, a paper sheet is supplied between the secondary transfer roller and the intermediate transfer belt. As a result, the color developer image is secondary-transferred onto the paper sheet. The paper sheet onto which the color developer image has been formed is conveyed to a fixing unit, followed by fixing of the color developer image onto the paper sheet.
After completion of the secondary transfer of the color developer image onto the paper sheet, transfer residual toner remains on the peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt. When the transfer residual toner remaining on the surface of the traveling intermediate transfer belt has reached to a position opposite to the cleaning unit, the transfer residual toner is collected by the cleaning unit. The toner can also remain on the peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt when a patch test is performed. The cleaning unit is configured to collect not only the transfer residual toner but also residual toner generated by the patch test.

Image forming device provided with cleaner, waste toner accommodating portion, and paper guide disposed between cleaner and waste toner accommodating portion


A vertically mountable semiconductor device assembly including a semiconductor device and a mechanism for attaching the semiconductor device to a carrier substrate. The semiconductor device has each of its bond pads disposed proximate a single edge thereof. Preferably, at least a portion of the semiconductor device is exposed. An alignment device is attached to a carrier substrate. A mounting element on the vertically mountable semiconductor device package engages the alignment device to interconnect the semiconductor device and the alignment device. Preferably, the alignment device secures the vertically mountable semiconductor device package perpendicular relative to the carrier substrate. The distance between the bond pads and corresponding terminals on the carrier substrate is very small in order to reduce impedance. The vertically mountable semiconductor device package may also be readily user-upgradable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vertically mountable semiconductor device packages. More specifically, the present invention relates to minimally packaged semiconductor devices which are vertically attached to a carrier substrate. Preferably, the present invention also relates to user-upgradable surface mount packages.
2. Background of Related Art
Vertical surface mount packages are known in the art. When compared with traditional, horizontally mountable semiconductor device packages and horizontally oriented multi-chip packages, many vertical surface mount packages consume less area on a circuit board or other carrier substrate than a horizontally mounted package of the same size. Many vertical surface mount packages may also have a superior ability to transfer heat than conventional horizontally mountable semiconductor device packages and horizontally oriented multi-chip packages. Thus, the semiconductor industry is finding that vertical surface mount packages offer advantages over their traditional, horizontally mountable counterparts.
Various vertical surface mount packages are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,794 (the "'794 patent"), issued to Warren M. Farnworth on Nov. 22, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,304 (the "'304 patent"), issued to Kouija Hara and Jun Tanabe on Aug. 22, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,289, issued to Yooung D. Kweon and Min C. An on Sep. 12, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,815, issued to Norio Taniguchi et al. on Sep. 19, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,019, issued to Tetsuya Ueda et al. on Jan. 7, 1997; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,760, issued to Toru Ishikawa on Jun. 3, 1997.
Some designs of vertical surface mount packages include wire bonded leads to operatively connect a semiconductor device to a circuit board which tend to increase the inductance and decrease the overall speed with which the device conducts electrical signals. The use of permanent wire bonds is necessary to electrically connect many such semiconductor devices to the circuit boards while the semiconductor devices are typically adhesively attached to the circuit board to be supported thereon, thereby preventing the vertical surface mount package from being readily user-upgradable.
Electrical connections may also be made between many types of electronic devices and a circuit board by means of sockets. For example, sockets are commonly employed to establish and maintain an electrical connection between a mother board and a daughter board, such as a single in-line memory module (SIMM). Exemplary devices are found in the following U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,612, issued to Roger L. Thrush on Nov. 1, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,825, issued to Iosif Korsunsky et al. on Feb. 26, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,675, issued to Iosif Korsunsky on May 11, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,403, issued to Gregory J. Smith et al. on Sep. 14, 1993; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,078, issued to Nai H. Lwee and David J. Dutkowsky on Oct. 26, 1993. Each of the foregoing patents discloses the use of contacts within the socket which resiliently engage contacts on the daughter board to establish an electrical connection between the daughter board and the mother board.
However, none of those devices disclose the use of a socket for removably mounting a minimally packaged semiconductor device to a circuit board. The circuitry of a daughter board and the typical use of wire bonding to attach a semiconductor device thereto each tend to increase the inductance of such devices. Some socket-mountable daughter boards include more than one semiconductor device permanently attached thereto. Thus, such devices are not readily user-upgradable.
What is needed is a low impedance, vertically mountable semiconductor device package which has improved heat transferability and is readily user-upgradable.

Vertical surface mount assembly and methods


A ladder shoe that comprises a ladder rail attachment portion which attaches to a ladder rail of a ladder. The ladder shoe is also comprised of a base. The base comprises an elongate portion having a first side and a second side, a first edge and a second edge, a top face and a bottom face. The top face is attached to the ladder rail attachment portion. The base is also preferably comprised of a foot pad. Additionally, the base is comprised of a blade portion extending from the first edge. Moreover, the base is comprised of a first flange portion extending from said bottom face and integrally connected therewith. There is a second flange portion extending from the bottom face and integrally connected thereto. Additionally, the base comprises a third flange portion extending from the bottom face and integrally connected thereto; and a fourth flange portion extending from the bottom face integrally connected thereto. The elongate portion and first and second and third and fourth flange portions are one continuous piece. The first and second and third and fourth flange portions form a pocket in which the footpad is held along the bottom face and sides of the footpad are protected. The hook portion of the first flange portion faces the hook portion of the second flange portion and holds the footpad. The elongate portion, first flange, second flange and blade portion are one continuous piece. The first and second flanges are disposed such that they retain the foot pad along the bottom face. The present invention also pertains to the base itself.

Ladder shoes are used to provide increased stability to a ladder during use. The shoes typically have a flat portion with a foot pad which engages a flat support surface such as a road, driveway, floor, etc. The shoes also have a blade portion which extend in parallel with the flat portion such that when the ladder shoes are in a position where the blade portion aligns with the ladder rail, the blade portion can penetrate a relatively softer support surface, such as dirt or grass to better anchor the ladder. Heretofore, ladders did not have the blade portion part of a one-piece base for the ladder that also had a pocket which held and protected the foot pad.


Techniques for enhancing content on a mobile device are described. A method may include monitoring an input component for the mobile device and detecting a first control directive from the input component, the first control directive to instruct selection of a content portion from a user interface of a first application executing on the mobile device. The method may continue by receiving a second control directive to select the content portion; performing an operation on the selected content portion by a second application different from the first application; and presenting results of the operation on a display of the mobile device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

There is an ever-increasing amount of data available to computer users, and an increasing number of services that perform various operations on the data. Using these services, however, often interrupts the continuity of the user experience. Further, the use of some of these services may be restricted to data accessible to the service within one application. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present improvements have been needed.