By irradiating a light beam between recording tracks of the magneto-optical recording medium, the magnetic anisotropy of at least one layer selected from the group consisting of the domain wall displacement layer and the recording layer formed between the recording tracks can be made lower than that of said layers on the recording tracks, and a bias magnetic field is applied at least between recording tracks while a light beam is radiated. Because of this, initialization of a medium may be conducted simultaneously.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magneto-optical recording medium used for recording or reproducing information, a method for producing the same, and an apparatus for producing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a repeatedly rewritable recording medium having a high density, a magneto-optical recording medium and a recording/reproducing apparatus for recording a minute domain onto a magnetic thin film with thermal energy of laser light, and reproducing a signal using a magneto-optical effect are being developed actively. In such a magneto-optical recording medium, when the diameter and interval of recording bits (domains for recording) become smaller with respect to the diameter of a light beam focused onto the medium, reproduction characteristics are degraded. This is caused as follows: an adjacent recording bit enters the diameter of a light beam focused onto an intended recording bit, which makes it difficult to reproduce information from individual recording bits separately.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, attempts have been made to enhance a recording density by modifying the configuration of a recording medium and a reproducing method. For example, a super-resolution system, a domain wall displacement detection (DWDD) reproducing system using the displacement of a domain wall, and the like have been proposed. Herein, a DWDD reproducing system disclosed in JP6(1997)-290496 A will be described with reference to FIG. 9.
In a magneto-optical recording medium shown in FIG. 9, a reproducing layer (domain wall displacement layer) 91, an intermediate layer (switching layer) 92, and a recording layer 93 that constitute magnetic layers 90 are exchange-coupled to each other, and a minute recording domain of the recording layer 93 is enlarged in the reproducing layer 91, whereby an amplitude of a reproducing signal is increased, making it possible to conduct high-density recording. Arrows represent the sublattice magnetization directions of transition metal in each layer. In each layer, a domain wall 94 is formed between domains in which magnetization directions are opposite to each other. A region 95 of the intermediate layer 92 reaches a temperature equal to or higher than a Curie temperature due to the irradiation with laser light for reproduction, whereby a magnetic order is lost.
The conditions desired for the above-mentioned magneto-optical recording medium are summarized by the following four points:
(1) The magneto-optical recording medium has the recording layer 93 that holds minute domains stably in a range from a room temperature to a reproducing temperature.
(2) Even when the magneto-optical recording medium is heated to the vicinity of a Curie temperature of the intermediate layer 92, the reproducing layer 91, the intermediate layer 92, and the recording layer 93 are exchange-coupled to each other.
(3) When the intermediate layer 92 reaches a temperature exceeding its Curie temperature so as to lose its magnetic order, exchange coupling between the recording layer 93 and the reproducing layer 91 is cut off.
(4) The domain wall coercive force of the reproducing layer 91 is small, and a domain wall energy gradient is caused by a temperature gradient. Therefore, in a region of the reproducing layer 91 where exchange coupling is cut off by the intermediate layer 92, the domain wall 94 is displaced from a position transferred from a domain of the recording layer 93. As a result, the magnetization in this region is aligned in the same direction, and an interval (recording mark length) between the magnetic walls 94 of the recording layer 93 is enlarged.
In FIG. 9, when the magneto-optical recording medium is moved (rotated in the case of a disk) in the right direction on the drawing surface while laser light is radiated thereto, due to the high linear velocity of the medium, the position at which a film temperature becomes maximum is placed on the backward side from the center of a beam spot in a traveling direction (left direction on the drawing surface) thereof. A domain wall energy density "sgr"1 in the reproducing layer 91 generally decreases with an increase in temperature to become 0 at a temperature equal to or higher than a Curie temperature. Therefore, in the presence of a temperature gradient, the domain wall energy density "sgr"1 is decreased toward a higher temperature side.
Herein, a force F1 represented by the following expression acts on a domain wall present at a position xe2x80x9cxxe2x80x9d in a medium movement direction (circumferential direction of a disk).
xe2x80x83F1∞xe2x88x92d"sgr"1/dx
The force F1 acts so as to displace a domain wall in a direction of lower domain wall energy. In the reproducing layer 91, a domain wall coercive force is smaller and a domain wall mobility is larger compared with those of the other magnetic layers. Therefore, when exchange coupling from the intermediate layer 92 is cut off, a domain wall is displaced very rapidly in a direction of lower domain wall energy due to the force F1.
Referring to FIG. 9, in a region of the medium before being irradiated with laser light (e.g., a region at a room temperature), three magnetic layers are exchange-coupled to each other, and domains recorded in the recording layer 93 are transferred to the reproducing layer 91. In this state, the domain walls 94 are present between domains having magnetization directions opposite to each other in each layer. In the region 95 that reaches a temperature equal to or higher than the Curie temperature of the intermediate layer 92 due to the irradiation with laser light, magnetization of the intermediate layer 92 is lost, and the exchange coupling between the reproducing layer 91 and the recording layer 93 is cut off. Therefore, a force for holding a domain wall is lost in the reproducing layer 91, and a domain wall is displaced to a higher temperature side due to the force F1 applied to the domain wall. At this time, a domain wall displacement speed is sufficiently higher than that of the medium movement speed. Thus, a domain larger than a domain stored in the recording layer 93 is transferred to the reproducing layer 91.
In a magneto-optical recording medium using the DWDD reproducing system, for the purpose of displacing a domain wall easily, the following is proposed: guide grooves having a rectangular cross-section are formed on a substrate so that domain walls are not generated on the side of the recording tracks, whereby the respective tracks are separated by the grooves. However, even if guide grooves having a rectangular cross-section are formed, films actually are accumulated to some degree in stepped portions, and magnetic layers are connected to each other. As a result, magnetic separation cannot be conducted completely, which inhibits the displacement of a domain wall.
The magneto-optical recording medium of the present invention includes a substrate and a multi-layer film formed on the substrate, the multi-layer film including a first dielectric layer, a domain wall displacement layer, a switching layer, a recording layer, and a second dielectric layer in this order from the substrate side, a Curie temperature of the switching layer being lower than those of the domain wall displacement layer and the recording layer, a domain wall in the domain wall displacement layer being displaced to a higher temperature side in a region that reaches a temperature equal to or higher than a Curie temperature of the switching layer due to irradiation with a light beam for reproduction. In the magneto-optical recording medium of the present invention, the magnetic anisotropy of at least one layer selected from the group consisting of the domain wall displacement layer and the recording layer formed between recording tracks is made lower than that of said layers on the recording tracks, and magnetization of at least one magnetic layer selected from the group consisting of the domain wall displacement layer, the switching layer, and the recording layer is aligned in a predetermined direction in a region that is a half or more of a track width in a track width direction in at least a part of the recording tracks.
In the above-mentioned magneto-optical recording medium, it is preferable that magnetization of at least the recording layer is aligned in the predetermined direction.
Furthermore, it is preferable that magnetization is aligned perpendicularly to a film surface on the recording tracks, and that magnetization is aligned in parallel with a film surface (in a film surface direction) between the recording tracks. When magnetization is aligned in a film surface direction between the recording tracks, a domain wall displacement speed on the recording tracks can be increased. It further is preferable that magnetization is aligned in an extension direction of the recording tracks therebetween. In such an alignment, a leakage magnetic field in a radial direction can be decreased, and a shielding effect between the recording tracks can be increased.
In the above-mentioned magneto-optical recording medium, magnetization may be aligned in the predetermined direction on all the recording tracks, and alignment directions of magnetization on the recording tracks may be varied depending upon the recording tracks. In the latter case, it is preferable that the alignment directions are reversed at each track (at each recording track), or that the alignment directions are reversed at every other recording track. This is because an influence of a leakage magnetic field further is reduced.
Although not particularly limited, when the present invention is applied to a magneto-optical recording medium in which a pit and a groove are embossed on a substrate, and a track pitch of the recording tracks is 0.9 xcexcm or less, satisfactory results are obtained. Furthermore, the present invention is suitable for a magneto-optical recording medium in which the recording track is composed of segments containing a pit region and a data region, wobble pits for sampling servo are formed in the pit region, grooves and lands are formed in the data region, and the grooves are used as recording tracks.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a method of the present invention for producing a magneto-optical recording medium having the above-mentioned configuration includes: irradiating a light beam between the recording tracks of the magneto-optical recording medium, thereby making the magnetic anisotropy of at least one layer selected from the group consisting of the domain wall displacement layer and the recording layer formed between the recording tracks lower than that of said layers on the recording tracks; and applying a bias magnetic field while irradiating the light beam at least between the recording tracks.
According to the production method of the present invention, because of the application of a bias magnetic field, the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy between recording tracks can be reduced effectively, and a magnetic interaction with respect to the recording track can be decreased. Furthermore, the application of a bias magnetic field also can be used for initializing recording tracks. More specifically, magnetization of the recording layer may be aligned in a predetermined direction in a width direction in at least a part of the recording tracks by applying a bias magnetic field.
In the above-mentioned production method, specifically, a light beam focused to be smaller than a light beam for reproduction may be radiated between the recording tracks.
In the above-mentioned production method, it is preferable that a bias magnetic field is applied perpendicularly to a film surface. In this case, an application direction of a bias magnetic field may be the same between all the recording tracks. However, when the application direction is reversed at each recording track or at every other recording track, an effect of a leakage magnetic field can be reduced. In the above-mentioned production method, a bias magnetic field may be applied in an extension direction of the recording tracks in parallel with a film surface.
In the above-mentioned production method, a bias magnetic field to be applied may be 150 Oe or more. Furthermore, a light beam focused by an objective lens with a numerical aperture of 0.65 or more may be radiated between the recording tracks.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, an apparatus for producing a magneto-optical recording medium having the above-mentioned configuration is provided. The production apparatus includes a light beam irradiation apparatus for irradiating a light beam between recording tracks of the magneto-optical recording medium; a magnetic field application apparatus for applying a bias magnetic field at least between the recording tracks while irradiating the light beam; and a magnetic field control apparatus for changing a direction of the bias magnetic field.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying figures.

Magneto-optical recording medium, and method and apparatus for producing the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A liquid crystal display structure is provided. The liquid crystal display structure includes a liquid crystal panel and a backlight module. The liquid crystal panel has a liquid crystal layer including photo-polymerizable monomers. The backlight module has a light emitting unit for emitting an output light. A difference between the smallest value of the spectrum interval of the output light and the largest value of the absorption spectrum interval of the photo-polymerizable monomer in the liquid crystal layer is larger than or equal to 40 nm.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a liquid crystal display structure. More particularly, this invention relates to a liquid crystal display structure used in a polymer stabilized alignment (PSA) liquid crystal display (LCD) to improve the image sticking effect.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Using the polymer stabilized alignment (PSA) technique in liquid crystal displays has the advantages of decreasing light leakage, improving contrast, reducing cost, and increasing transmittance. The PSA technique refers to mixing cross-linkable monomers into liquid crystals and applying voltage to liquid crystal cells to align the liquid crystals as well as the monomers mixed in the liquid crystals. Then, the monomers are cured by ultraviolet (UV) light to become cross-linked and have a particular pre-tilt angle so as to control the alignment ability of the liquid crystal and accordingly, the function of bumps can be replaced. Therefore, the dark state light leakage induced by bumps in multi-domain vertical alignment mode (MVA mode) can be reduced and the contrast can be improved.
Using UV light to cross-link the monomers mixed in the liquid crystals is time-consuming. Hence, various factors including insufficient curing time could result in uncross-linked monomers in the liquid crystals. Theses monomers may be cured by the light emitted from the backlight such as the cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) to become cross-linked and have a different pre-tilt angle resulting in the image sticking effect. Therefore, the LCD using the PSA technique is still improvable. At present, an attempt to reduce the image sticking effect is to fully cross-link the monomers mixed in the liquid crystals during the LCD manufacturing process. To achieve this goal, the percentage of the monomers mixed in the liquid crystals is decreased to as less as possible. However, this approach leads to a complicated process and substantially increases the manufacturing time.


A transmitting entity performs spatial processing on data symbols for each subband with an eigenmode matrix, a steering matrix, or an identity matrix to obtain spatially processed symbols for the subband. The data symbols may be sent on orthogonal spatial channels with the eigenmode matrix, on different spatial channels with the steering matrix, or from different transmit antennas with the identity matrix. The transmitting entity further performs beamforming on the spatially processed symbols, in the frequency domain or time domain, prior to transmission from the multiple transmit antennas. A receiving entity performs the complementary processing to recover the data symbols sent by the transmitting entity. The receiving entity may derive a spatial filter matrix for each subband based on a MIMO channel response matrix for that subband and perform receiver spatial processing for the subband with the spatial filter matrix.

1. Field
The present invention relates generally to communication, and more specifically to data transmission in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system that utilizes orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM).
2. Background
A MIMO system employs multiple (T) transmit antennas at a transmitting entity and multiple (R) receive antennas at a receiving entity for data transmission. A MIMO channel formed by the T transmit antennas and R receive antennas may be decomposed into S spatial channels, where S≦min {T, R}. The S spatial channels may be used to transmit data in parallel to achieve higher throughput and/or redundantly to achieve greater reliability.
OFDM is a multi-carrier modulation technique that effectively partitions the overall system bandwidth into multiple (K) orthogonal frequency subbands. These subbands are also referred to as tones, subcarriers, bins, and frequency channels. With OFDM, each subband is associated with a respective subcarrier that may be modulated with data.
A MIMO-OFDM system is a MIMO system that utilizes OFDM. The MIMO-OFDM system has S spatial channels for each of the K subbands. Each spatial channel of each subband may be called a "transmission channel". Each transmission channel may experience various deleterious channel conditions such as, e.g., fading, multipath, and interference effects. The transmission channels for the MIMO channel may also experience different channel conditions and may achieve different signal-to-noise-and-interference ratios (SNRs). The SNR of each transmission channel determines its transmission capacity, which is typically quantified by a particular data rate that may be reliably transmitted on the transmission channel. For a time variant wireless channel, the channel conditions change over time and the SNR of each transmission channel also changes over time. The different SNRs for different transmission channels plus the time varying nature of the SNR for each transmission channel make it challenging to efficiently transmit data in a MIMO system.
If the transmitting entity has knowledge of the channel condition, then it may transmit data in a manner to more fully utilize the capacity of each transmission channel. However, if the transmitting entity does not know the channel condition, then it may need to transmit data at a low rate so that the data transmission can be reliably decoded by the receiving entity even with the worst-case channel condition. Performance would then be dictated by the expected worst-case channel condition, which is highly undesirable.
There is therefore a need in the art for techniques to more efficiently transmit data in a MIMO-OFDM system, especially when the channel condition is not known by the transmitting entity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Continuous beamforming for a MIMO-OFDM system


A cleaning apparatus and a cleaning method wherein cleaning and drying can be carried out in the same cleaning apparatus without the risk of reverse contamination of the cleaned object after the drying process. The cleaning apparatus includes a supporting device for supporting an object to be cleaned, and a cleaning cup surrounding the supporting device to prevent splashing of a cleaning liquid. The cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning device for cleaning an inner wall of the cleaning cup with a cleaning liquid.

The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus and a cleaning method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus and cleaning method suitable for cleaning of substrates requiring a high degree of cleanliness, such as semiconductor substrates, glass substrates, and liquid crystal panels.
With the progress of the technology to fabricate high-integration semiconductor devices in recent years, circuit wiring patterns or interconnections on semiconductor substrates have been becoming small and fine, and distances between wiring patterns have also been decreasing. In the processing of semiconductor substrates, such particles as fine semiconductor particles, dust particles, and crystalline protrusions may adhere to the substrate surface. If particles larger than the distances between wiring patterns remain on the substrate surface, problems such as short-circuiting between wiring patterns occur. Accordingly, particles that may be present on the substrate surface have to be satisfactorily smaller than the distances between wiring patterns. These circumstances also apply to the processing of glass substrates used for masks or the like and the processing of substrates such as liquid crystal panels. In compliance with these demands, a cleaning technique for removing even finer particles, i.e. submicron-level particles, from semiconductor substrates or the like is needed.
The semiconductor substrate is polished in order to make the substrate surface flat. There are publicly known methods of cleaning the polished semiconductor substrate. One of the known cleaning methods is scrub cleaning wherein a rotating substrate is supplied with a cleaning liquid, and while doing so, the substrate is rubbed with a cleaning member comprising a brush, a sponge or the like, thereby the substrate is cleaned. Another known cleaning method is spray cleaning wherein a cleaning liquid is sprayed toward a rotating substrate under the application of ultrasonic vibrational energy or high pressure. The substrate after the completion of the cleaning process is dried, for example, by spinning.
A conventional cleaning apparatus for performing the above-described cleaning process has a supporting device for supporting the substrate, a cleaning cup surrounds the periphery of the supporting device to prevent contamination of the outside of the cleaning cup, which might otherwise be caused by a cleaning liquid splashed by the centrifugal force induced by the rotation of the substrate. The cleaning apparatus further has a cleaning vessel covering the periphery of the cleaning cup.
When the substrate is cleaned by using two different kinds of chemical liquids, two units of cleaning apparatus, i.e. a primary cleaning apparatus and a secondary cleaning apparatus, are juxtaposed with each other. In the primary cleaning apparatus, cleaning using one chemical liquid is carried out. Thereafter, cleaning using the other chemical liquid is performed in the secondary cleaning apparatus. Next, rinsing using pure water is carried out in the secondary cleaning apparatus. Further, drying (e.g. spin drying) is performed in the secondary cleaning apparatus. Thereafter, the substrate is taken out of the secondary cleaning apparatus.
However, when the drying process for the substrate after the secondary cleaning process is carried out in the secondary cleaning apparatus, the substrate may be affected by reverse contamination. Here, the "reverse contamination" means that the cleaned semiconductor substrate is recontaminated with a by-product or the like. That is, when an alkaline chemical (e.g. NH4OH) is used for the chemical liquid cleaning in the primary cleaning apparatus and an acidic chemical (e.g. DHF) is used for the chemical liquid cleaning in the secondary cleaning apparatus, for example, the alkali attached to the substrate transferred into the secondary cleaning apparatus reacts with the newly supplied acid to form the by-product [e.g. NH4OH+HF→H2O+NH4F (by-product)]. The by-product adheres to and accumulates on the cleaning cup in the secondary cleaning apparatus and also to the interior of the cleaning vessel therein. The substrate in the secondary cleaning apparatus is rinsed with pure water subsequently. Therefore, the chemical liquids and the by-product are removed from the substrate. However, the by-product and the chemical liquids attached to and accumulated on the inner wall of the cleaning cup and the inner wall of the cleaning vessel, etc. remain attached thereto. Therefore, the remaining by-product and chemical liquids are whirled up by an air flow induced when the substrate is spin-dried, and adhere to the rinsed substrate. In this way, reverse contamination of the substrate occurs (i.e. defects increase).
The above-described problems may be solved by providing a drying apparatus independently in addition to the primary and secondary cleaning apparatuses to dry the rinsed substrate in the contamination-free drying apparatus. However, the use of this method leads to an increase in the installation area due to an increase in size of the system caused by the addition of another processing unit (i.e. a total of three processing units). In addition, the transfer control of the substrate between the three processing units becomes complicated, resulting in a reduction in the transfer throughput.


In a single screw compressor, gates (51) of gate rotors (50) are to be engaged with spiral grooves (41) of a screw rotor (40). In each spiral groove (41) of the screw rotor (40), an area extending from a start point of the spiral groove (41) to a position in a compression stroke is a suction-side portion (45), and the remaining portion (portion up to a terminal point of the spiral groove (41)) is a discharge-side portion (46). In the discharge-side portion (46), a clearance between a wall surface (42, 43, 44) therein and the gate (51) is substantially “0 (zero).” A clearance between the wall surface (42, 43, 44) in the suction-side portion (45) and the gate (51) is wider than that between the wall surface (42, 43, 44) in the discharge-side portion (46) and the gate (51), and is gradually narrowed from the start point toward the terminal point in the spiral groove (41).

Conventionally, single screw compressors have been used as compressors for compressing refrigerant or air. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a single screw compressor including a single screw rotor and two gate rotors.
Such a single screw compressor will be described. The screw rotor is formed in an approximately cylindrical shape, and a plurality of spiral grooves are formed in an outer circumference thereof. The gate rotors are formed in an approximately flat plate-like shape, and are arranged on sides of the screw rotor. A plurality of rectangular plate-like gates are radially provided in the gate rotor. The gate rotor is installed with its rotation axis being perpendicular to a rotation axis of the screw rotor, and the gate is to be engaged with the spiral groove of the screw rotor.
In the single screw compressor, the screw rotor and the gate rotors are accommodated in a casing, and the spiral groove of the screw rotor, the gate of the gate rotor, and an inner wall surface of the casing define a compression chamber. When rotatably driving the screw rotor by an electric motor, etc., the gate rotors rotate in response to the rotation of the screw rotor. Subsequently, the gate of the gate rotor relatively moves from a start point (end portion on a suction side) toward a terminal point (end portion on a discharge side) in the spiral groove with which the gate is engaged, thereby gradually reducing the volume of the completely-closed compression chamber. Consequently, fluid in the compression chamber is compressed.


In one embodiment, a method and system is provided for detecting target materials using a combination of stroboscopic signal amplification and Raman spectroscopy techniques.

Explosives and other controlled substances, such as drugs, have become major societal problems. Increasingly, terrorist acts using explosives are becoming a problem not only for countries in the Middle East but also for Western countries in other parts of the world. Explosives constitute a weapon used by terrorists and insurgents, and may be hidden in a myriad of devices; however, it is typically difficult for a person handling explosives to avoid contamination after coming into contact with an explosive or explosive device because explosives readily adhere to surfaces.
In addition to explosives, drug abuse has been a longstanding problem for Western countries and consumes large amounts of law enforcement resources each year. Canines, metal detectors, and "sniffer" detectors have been used at various locations, such as airports, border crossings, and the like, to detect explosive devices and illegal drugs. These measures have had mixed success.
Another measure that has been employed to detect contraband substances has been to collect loose particles from surfaces or skin with a vacuum cleaner or a swipe. The swipe or the particles collected by the vacuum are then heated to release the vaporizable material for analysis. This approach is in routine use at airports throughout the world for screening airline passengers. An example of such a system is the Barringer™ Ion Scan System™; however, this technique has drawbacks. For example, the use of swipes or particle vacuums is an intermittent process, which requires manual intervention between the sampling and analysis. This is a time consuming approach that is inherently slow.
Previously disclosed devices for volatilizing certain substances for detection include a high-energy apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,895,804. The content of U.S. Pat. No. 6,895,804 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The landmine detection apparatus of the '804 patent applies a relatively high amount of energy to the sample target that is generally intended to be soil. To provide the requisite energy, the radiation source of the '804 patent is powered by a relatively high amount of energy, and therefore, is limiting in its ability to serve as a self-contained backpack unit, handheld device, or other relatively compact portable device. In addition, high-energy strobes are slow to recharge, utilize kilowatts of energy to power, and are heavy as a self-contained unit that includes a power source.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,828,795, incorporated herein by reference, suggests use of an ion mobility spectrometer with a heat source, but energy levels have not been provided. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0007119 A1, related to the '795 patent, is also incorporated herein by reference. The '795 patent discloses using an electrostatic precipitator to take out particulates, presumably to keep them out of the ion mobility spectrometer.
Typical trace explosive detectors employing vapor and/or particle analyses rely on an interval-based analysis that requires discrete and separate steps for (1) sampling and (2) detection. The combination of these two steps may take anywhere from 15 to 60 seconds, or more. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide an apparatus for sampling multiple target surfaces while the detector is processing the sampled information.
There is a need for a field-portable, enhanced Trace Explosive Detection System (eTEDS) that can provide, relative to existing eTEDS systems, improved signal enhancement, detect target substances in near-real-time, use relatively low levels of power for each measurement, and/or can withstand rough handling during normal operations.

Methods for employing stroboscopic signal amplification and surface enhanced raman spectroscopy for enhanced trace chemical detection


A method controlling the afterpressure variation with time of an injection-moulding machine. A process computer controlling a hydraulic pressure drive of the injection-moulding machine stores a given reference afterpressure variation with time. Upon a variation of the moulding mass temperature Tm and/or of the tool temperature Tf, a new afterpressure variation with time is calculated. The time data samples corresponding to the reference temperature values and the reference afterpressure values, respectively, are then determined.

The invention relates to a method of controlling the afterpressure variation with time of an injection-moulding machine comprising a plastification and moulding unit, which has a worm operated by a hydraulic pressure drive for transporting the plastified moulding mass into an injection nozzle, and a moulding tool arranged before the injection nozzle for producing a moulding, as well as a process computer which controls the hydraulic pressure drive, which stores a given selectable reference after-pressure variation with time and calculates the temperature values associated therewith and which calculates a new afterpressure variation with time upon variation of a moulding mass temperature Tm measured before the injection nozzle and/or of the tool temperature Tf measured in the moulding tool.
During injection-moulding, the pulverulent or granulated moulding mass is plastified by heating with the aid of a heating means arranged at the worm housing and is pressed during the mould filling stage (mould filling time) into the moulding tool by axial displacement of the worm in the direction of the injection nozzle. When the moulding tool has been completely filled with the moulding mass, the latter is solidified by cooling. After the mould filling stage, the afterpressure stage begins (after-pressure time), in which the pressure produced by the hydraulic pressure drive decreases continuously to the normal pressure. As far as possible, during this stage, no moulding mass will then flow out of the tool and into the tool, respectively. After the afterpressure stage, the demoulding stage begins (demoulding time), in which the tool is opened and the moulding is ejected. At the same time, the worm is moved away from the injection nozzle.
The method mentioned in the opening paragraph of controlling the afterpressure variation with time of an inject on-moulding machine is known from the publication "Prozessrechnereinsatz beim Spritzgiessen" by Dr. Ing. Matzke in "Technischwissenschaftlicher Bericht des Instituts fur Kunststoffverarbeitung an der Rheinisch-Westfalischen Technischen Hochschule Aachen". This method, which is designated as PVT optimization, avoids material movements during the afterpressure stage. The afterpressure time is then calculated for given nominal value of the specific volume at the normal pressure (1 bar). The calculation of the afterpressure time takes place by means of a simplified formula derived from the well known heat conduction equation. The calculated afterpressure time is subdivided into equidistant time sections. Subsequently, at each time data sample the corresponding temperature value is calculated. The afterpressure time can then be determined from a formula establishing a relationship between the specific volume, the pressure and the temperature in the moulding. The calculated temperature and pressure values apply to a given moulding mass temperature and a given tool temperature.
When the moulding mass temperature and/or the tool temperature are varied, a new afterpressure time is calculated. Subsequently, this afterpressure time is subdivided into equidistant time sections and at each time data sample a new temperature value is determined. A new pressure value can then be calculated. The known method comprises a large number of calculation steps so that with the use of a process computer commercially available, when the temperature of the moulding mass or of the tool is varied, an afterpressure variation can be effected not during the proceeding or the next injection-moulding cycle, but only during the nextsubsequent injection-moulding cycle.

Method of controlling the afterpressure variation with time of an injection-moulding machine


An analyzer for separating ions according to their time of flight comprising two opposing ion mirrors abutting at a first plane, each mirror comprising inner and outer field-defining electrode systems elongated along an analyzer axis, the outer field-defining electrode system surrounding the inner field-defining electrode system. The outer field-defining electrode system of one mirror comprises two sections, the sections abutting at a second plane, comprising a first section between the first plane and the second plane, and a second section adjacent to the first section. The first section has at least a portion which extends radially from the analyzer axis a greater extent than an adjacent portion of the second section at the second plane. The outer field-defining electrode system comprises an exit port and the analyzer comprises a detector located downstream of the exit port.

Time-of-flight mass spectrometers are widely used to determine the mass to charge ratio of charged particles on the basis of their flight time along a path. The charged particles, usually ions, are emitted from a pulsed source in the form of a packet, and are directed along a prescribed flight path through an evacuated space to impinge upon or pass through a detector. (Herein ions will be used as an example of charged particles.) In its simplest form, the path follows a straight line and in this case ions leaving the source with a constant kinetic energy reach the detector after a time which depends upon their mass to charge ratio, more massive ions being slower. The difference in flight times between ions of different mass-to-charge ratio depends upon the length of the flight path, amongst other things; longer flight paths increasing the time difference, which leads to an increase in mass resolution. When high mass resolution is required it is therefore desirable to increase the flight path length. However, increases in a simple linear path length lead to an enlarged instrument size, increasing manufacturing cost and require more laboratory space to house the instrument.
Various solutions have been proposed to increase the path length whilst maintaining a practical instrument size, by utilising more complex flight paths. Many examples of charged particle mirrors or reflectors have been described, as have electric and magnetic sectors, some examples of which are given by H. Wollnik and M. Przewloka in the Journal of Mass Spectrometry and Ion Processes, 96 (1990) 267-274, and G. Weiss in U.S. Pat. No. 6,828,553. In some cases two opposing reflectors or mirrors direct charged particles repeatedly back and forth between the reflectors or mirrors; offset reflectors or mirrors cause ions to follow a folded path; sectors direct ions around in a ring or a figure of "8" racetrack. Herein the terms reflector and mirror are used interchangeably and both refer to ion mirrors or ion reflectors unless otherwise stated. Many such configurations have been studied and will be known to those skilled in the art.
Electrostatic trapping is also well known and a class of traps utilise orbital trapping. Orbital electrostatic trapping was demonstrated by K. H. Kingdon (Phys. Rev. 21 (1923) 408) in a trap comprising an outer electrode structure and an inner electrode structure, the outer structure surrounding the inner. Ions orbit about the inner electrode structure in the region between the inner and outer electrode structures.
A type of orbital electrostatic trap utilising opposing linear fields which result in harmonic ion oscillations in the direction of an analyzer axis is used in the Orbitrap™ mass analyzer, of A. A. Makarov (U.S. Pat. No. 5,886,346 and Anal. Chem. 72 (2000) 1156). A single spindle-like inner electrode structure is surrounded by an outer electrode structure of barrel-like form.
C. Köster (Int. J. Mass Spectrom. Volume 287, Issues 1-3, pages 114-118 (2009)) describes harmonic ion trapping in structures comprising a plurality of inner electrodes all surrounded by an outer electrode structure.
However these prior art electrostatic traps in which ions orbit around inner electrodes and/or the analyzer axis as so described have not been used to function as time of flight mass spectrometers as ions spread out around the inner electrode(s) with ions of the same mass to charge ratio forming rings. Ejection of such rings to a detector cannot be accomplished easily without disrupting other rings of ions within the trap and means to sequentially eject ions of increasing or decreasing mass to charge ratio so as to produce a spectrum were not provided.
Patent SU1716922 describes a two-reflection TOF analyzer comprising opposing mirrors elongated along an analyzer axis. The mirrors comprise concentric cylinders and ion motion in a direction parallel to the analyzer axis is not harmonic. Ions enter the analyzer through an aperture set inside the diameter of an outer cylindrical electrode and follow a helical trajectory of constant radius about an inner cylindrical electrode before emerging from an exit aperture and impinging upon a detector. In this apparatus the entrance aperture is set into the analyzer structure at the radius at which ions are to circulate. The same or a further aperture is also set into the analyzer structure at the radius at which ions are to circulate to enable ions to leave the analyzer. The presence of the inset apertures would otherwise distort the field within the analyzer and to prevent this, field correction electrodes must be incorporated into the analyzer. As described, these introduced obstacles on the path of the ions and the fringe field correction was not perfect, resulting in a reduction in sensitivity and resolution of the spectrometer. Most importantly, the presence of fringe field correction electrodes limited the number of oscillations to just one full oscillation (one back and one forward pass).
Against this background, the present invention has been made.
A brief glossary of terms used herein for the invention is provided below for convenience; a fuller explanation of the terms is provided at relevant places elsewhere in the description.
Analyzer electrical field (also termed herein analyzer field): The electric field within the analyzer volume between the inner and outer field-defining electrode systems of the mirrors, which is created by the application of potentials to the field-defining electrode systems. The main analyzer field is the analyzer field in which the charged particles move along one or more main flight paths.
Analyzer volume: The volume between the inner and outer field-defining electrode systems of the two mirrors. The analyzer volume does not extend to any volume within the inner field-defining electrode system, nor to any volume outside the inner surface of the outer field-defining electrode system.
Angle of orbital motion: The angle subtended in the arcuate direction as the orbit progresses.
Arcuate direction: The angular direction around the longitudinal analyzer axis z. FIG. 1 shows the respective directions of the analyzer axis z, the radial direction r and the arcuate direction ø, which thus can be seen as cylindrical coordinates.
Arcuate focusing: Focusing of the charged particles in the arcuate direction so as to constrain their divergence in that direction.
Asymmetric mirrors: Opposing mirrors that differ either in their physical characteristics (size and/or shape for example) or in their electrical characteristics or both so as to produce asymmetric opposing electrical fields.
Beam: The train of charged particles or packets of charged particles some or all of which are to be separated.
Belt electrode assembly: A belt-shaped electrode assembly extending at least partially around the analyzer axis z.
Charged particle accelerator: Any device that changes either the velocity of the charged particles, or their total kinetic energy either increasing it or decreasing it.
Charged particle deflectors: Any device that deflects the beam.
Detector: All components required to produce a measurable signal from an incoming charged particle beam.
Ejector: One or more components for ejecting the charged particles from the main flight path and optionally out of the analyzer volume.
Entry port: portal through which ions pass on joining a main flight path. The portal may be within the analyzer volume or at the boundary of the analyzer volume.
Equator, or equatorial position of the analyzer: The mid-point between the two mirrors along the analyzer axis z, i.e. the point of minimum absolute electrical field strength in the direction of the analyzer axis z within the analyzer volume.
Exit port: portal through which ions pass on leaving a main flight path as they proceed to leave the analyzer volume. The portal may be within the analyzer volume or at the boundary of the analyzer volume.
Field-defining electrode systems: Electrodes that, when electrically biased, generate, or contribute to the generation of, or inhibit distortion of the analyzer field within the analyzer volume.
Injector: One or more components for injecting the charged particles onto the main flight path through the analyzer.
Main flight path: The stable trajectory that is followed by the charged particles for the majority of the time that the particles are being separated. The main flight path is followed predominantly under the influence of the main analyzer field. There may be a plurality of main flight paths.
m/z: Mass to charge ratio
Receiver: Any charged particle device that forms all or part of a detector or device for further processing of the charged particles.

Method of mass separating ions and mass separator


A cab (8) is provided with a cab box (13) in which a space between each of pillars (14 to 18) is covered by each of surfaces (13A to 13F) and the inside becomes an operator's room (13G) and a door (24) mounted on the left intermediate pillar (16). On a rear surface portion (14D) of the left front pillar (14), a protruding portion (23A1) of a mounting plate (23A) is provided in a state protruding to the door (24) side. On a mounting opening (24E) on the inner surface side of the door (24), a door holding member (28) engaged with an engaging member (23) and holding the door (24) at a closed position is provided. On the door (24), a retreating recessed portion (29) for avoiding interference with the protruding portion (23A1) of the mounting plate (23A) is provided on the front side from the door holding member (28).

In general, hydraulic excavators as construction machines include a small-sized hydraulic excavator called a mini excavator suitable for a work on a small work site, and this small-sized hydraulic excavator is formed having a small upper revolving structure so as to be suitable for running and works on a small site.
Here, the small-sized hydraulic excavator is composed of an automotive lower traveling structure, the upper revolving structure rotatably mounted on the lower traveling structure and having a cab provided on a revolving frame forming a support structural body, and a working mechanism provided on the front side in a front-rear direction of the upper revolving structure capable of moving upward/downward.
On the other hand, the cab of the hydraulic excavator has five pillars provided extending in the vertical direction while being located on the left front, right front, left intermediate, left rear, and right rear and the cab has a cab box in which a space between each pillar is covered by a front surface, a left front side surface, a left rear side surface, a right side surface, a rear surface, and a top surface and the inside becomes an operator's room. In this cab box, a door is provided having a rear end portion rotatable in the front-rear direction by using the left intermediate pillar as a fulcrum in order to open/close an entrance way between the left front pillar and the left intermediate pillar.
Moreover, an engaging member is mounted on the rear surface portion of the left front pillar. This engaging member is composed of a mounting plate mounted on an intermediate portion in a height direction of the rear surface portion and a substantially U-shaped engaging ring provided protruding rearward from the mounting plate. Here, the engaging member is mounted on the left front pillar by screwing the mounting plate with the rear surface portion.
In this case, a door holding member engaged with the engaging ring and holding the door at a closed position is provided on the front end side of the door corresponding to the engaging member when the door is rotationally moved in a closing direction (Patent Document 1).

Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.


Provided is a manufacturing method for a glass article, including a melting step of generating molten glass (Gm) in a melting furnace (1), the melting furnace (1) being configured to heat the molten glass (Gm) through application of a current with an electrode (11) mounted to a bottom wall part (10).

A manufacturing method for a glass article, such as a sheet glass, includes a melting step of obtaining molten glass. In the melting step, the molten glass is heated with an electrode mounted to a bottom wall part of a melting furnace through application of a current in some cases (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).

Method for manufacturing glass article, and melting furnace


The present invention generally relates to a liquid crystal panel using a thin film transistor and a manufacturing method thereof, and more specifically to a liquid crystal panel using a thin film transistor and a manufacturing method thereof for improving an opening ratio by forming a storage capacitor under a channel. The present invention has suggested a method for effectively contacting an upper electrode for forming a capacitor with a lower electrode since the storage capacitor is located under the channel. Compared to a prior art in which one of storage capacitor electrodes is formed side by side with a channel of a thin film transistor, capacitor electrodes formed according to the present invention are located near to a substrate, thereby forming contact electrodes in many times without forming them one time.

Generally, while images are displayed on each pixel of an LCD panel using a thin film transistor for displaying with three primary colors such as R (red), G (green), and B (blue) colors, light leakage may occur among the pixels, influencing other pixels. As a result, sharpness may deteriorate. To solve the above problem, black matrices which cut off the light leakage while cutting off light to increase pixel sharpness are disposed among the pixels, thereby increasing sharpness of a screen. Besides, when light is incoming to a channel part of the thin film transistor, the channel part of the thin film transistor creates an optical current, causing a leakage current. The leakage current can be suppressed by locating black matrices in upper and lower parts of the thin film transistor.
However, if black matrix areas get wider, brightness may deteriorate even though screen sharpness increases. An opening ratio refers to a ratio occupied by a part for transmitting light on the entire screen of the liquid crystal display using the thin film transistor, and the opening ratio is an important factor when determining performance of the LCD panel. As a certain area gets increased, the opening ratio gets reduced.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a lower substrate of an LCD panel using a poly silicon thin film transistor by prior art. Referring to FIG. 1, the lower substrate of the LCD panel using the thin film transistor forms black matrices (2) by depositing and patterning an opaque film on a transparent substrate (1), deposits a first interlayer insulting film (3) on the transparent substrate (1) and the black matrices (2), and forms an active layer (4) consisting of a semiconductor film by depositing and patterning the semiconductor film on the insulating film (3). In addition, a gate insulating film (5) is deposited on the active layer (4). Contact holes contacted with the black matrices (2) are formed by opening the first interlayer insulating film (3) and the gate insulating film (5), and a first connection electrode (18) is formed by injecting a conductive material into the contact holes and patterning them. Also, a gate electrode (6) and a capacitor upper electrode (6′) are formed by depositing and patterning the conductive material on the gate insulating film (5). At this time, the first connection electrode (18), the gate electrode (6), and the capacitor upper electrode (6′) are made of the same material. Then, impurities are injected into the active layer (4) through an ion injection process after forming the gate electrode (6), and the active layer (4) is activated.
A second interlayer insulating film (7) is deposited on the first connection electrode (18), the gate electrode (6), the capacitor upper electrode (6′), and the gate insulating film (5). The capacitor upper electrode (6′), the gate insulating film, and the active layer configure a storage capacitor for maintaining data transmitted to a liquid crystal cell for a certain time.
Contact holes connected to the first connection electrode (18) and the capacitor upper electrode (6′), respectively, are comprised by opening a predetermined area of the second interlayer insulating film (7). Contact holes contacted with the active layer are formed by opening predetermined areas of the second interlayer insulating film and the gate insulating film at an interval of the gate electrode. By filling the formed contact holes with a metal material, a first common electrode (19) connected with the first connection electrode (18), a source electrode (8) contacted with a source area of the active layer, a drain electrode (8′) contacted with a drain area of the active layer, and a second common electrode (14) contacted with the capacitor upper electrode (6′) are formed, respectively.
A third interlayer insulating film (9) for covering the first common electrode (19), the source electrode (8), the drain electrode (8′), the second connection electrode (14), and the second interlayer insulating film (7) is deposited and planarized. Contact holes connected with the drain electrode (8′) and the second common electrode (14), respectively, are formed by opening a predetermined area of the planarized third interlayer insulating film (9), while forming a second connection electrode (10) connected with the drain electrode (8′) by filling the contact holes with a conductive metal and an upper black matrix (12) filled with a light cutoff material while being patterned.
Next, contact holes contacted with the second connection electrode (10) are formed after depositing and planarizing a fourth interlayer insulating film on the upper black matrix (12), the second connection electrode (10), and the third interlayer insulating film (9). Finally, a pixel electrode (14) is formed by depositing and patterning a transparent conductive film such as ITO to complete the manufacturing process.
However, even though the LCD panel using the poly silicon thin film transistor configured like above has many strong points, there still exist several problems to be solved. For instance, in a prior LCD element using a poly silicon thin film transistor, a big size of storage capacitor should be made to improve a capacity of the storage capacitor. In this case, the storage capacity has a problem of deteriorating an opening ratio of a screen by cutting off light of a backlight as well as black matrices, resulting in a deterioration of the opening ratio.
Particularly, since a recent LCD element using a poly silicon thin film transistor has a gradually reduced pixel size to realize miniaturization and high resolution, the size of the storage capacitor may exert a severe affect upon an opening ratio of the LCD element.

Liquid crystal panel using thin film transistor and manufacturing methods of the same


A gap setting tool for setting a gap between a pair of panels includes a first body portion, a second body portion, and a pin having a predetermined diameter. The first body portion, the second body portion, and the pin are movable relative to one another. One of the panels is fixed and the other panel is movably mounted adjacent thereto. The body portions are operable to be attached to respective ones of the pair of panels, such as by vacuum cups or the like, and drawn toward one another with the pin in the gap until the panels contact the pin.

The present invention relates generally to assembly tools and methods, in particular, to a tool for setting a gap between a pair of body panels, such as in an automotive assembly plant.
A gap is typically set between a pair of automotive body panels by fixing one of the panels, and then fixing the other of the panels while placing a tool between adjacent edges of the panels to set a gap therebetween. Prior art methods for gapping a pair of panels include the use of multiple human operators, wherein one operator gaps with a manual gap block and holds the loose panel while the other operator secures the loose panel. Another use of multiple operators includes an installer securing the loose panel as close as possible and finesse operators further down the assembly line subsequently adjusting any discrepant gaps.
Another more recent method of gapping a pair of panels is performed by a single operator who places a block or tool into the gap, uses a manually operated mechanism or a hip/knee to hold the panel in place, pushes the two panels together, and then secures the loose panel. The single operator methods, in particular, often experience failed results and cause problems in attempting to produce repeatable gaps within tolerances. Another problem compounding the issue of gapping panels is that there is no easy way to read gaps on panels with large radii.
It is desirable, therefore, to provide an apparatus and a method for setting a gap between a pair of panels to improve fits and to eliminate operator variation from the gap setting process.

Gap setting tool and method of operating same


A medical device is disclosed which may include the use of nanopaper. The medical device may be provided in the form of a balloon catheter wherein the nanopaper is mounted about an electrode and into which an electrically conductive solution is dispersed. An elastomeric sheath may then be provided about the nanopaper. Actuation of the electrode may cause generation of microbubbles causing the nanopaper to expand.

Angioplasty procedures are well known within the medical community. During such a procedure, a catheter is navigated through a lumen of the human body to a site needing expansion. For example, a distal portion of a catheter containing a deflated balloon is directed to an area of an artery that is substantially blocked, and that can be enlarged upon expansion of the balloon.
Balloon catheters include pneumatically and hydraulically actuated catheters. Traditionally, catheters have employed hydraulic means of expansion. A balloon catheter may be manufactured from an elastomeric conduit with an enlarged diameter portion thereof forming a balloon. Upon the balloon reaching the procedure site, pressurized fluid is directed through the conduit and to the balloon so as to enlarge the diameter of the balloon, thereby imparting force against the interior walls of the lumen and thus expanding the blocked area. In order to minimize the entrance diameter of the puncture hole through the skin into the arterial system and thereby decrease the time for healing, as well as the amount of scar tissue after healing, it is desirable to be able to reduce the diameter of the balloon catheter system while non-pressurized.
Currently such angioplasty catheters are made using either compliant or non-compliant elastomeric material. Due to the necessity of being able to use high forces to open up blocked arteries, fluid pressures used to actuate the balloon can be very high (more than 20 atmosphere). With a compliant balloon material, this requires very thick elastomeric materials to be used. Thick compliant materials can withstand such high pressures, and adequately retract into their original dimension to allow for retraction through the lumen, however, their thickness is counter to the desire of having non-expanded small dimensions. Non-compliant balloon materials can be constructed having thinner balloon wall dimensions, but use of such materials generally entails balloon folding for size reduction when not expanded.
Moreover, both compliant as well as non-compliant balloon materials generally have to be hydraulically actuated, therefore one has to provide a fluid access lumen through the complete catheter system. The walls of such an access lumen have to be sufficiently strong to withstand the pressure, but this design demand is in contrast to the use of highly flexible, thin catheter systems that allow for optimization of push and track without bursting.
A further downside of hydraulic balloon actuation is the risk of balloon leakage. Leaks can originate during expansion in calcified lesions. As the creation of leaks will prevent further expansion, this can lead to very serious situations, for example, with a balloon expanded stent procedure, this can lead to a partially-deployed, and thus unstable, stent. As a result, the catheter often has a thick and bulky shaft-like construction. For most applications, small diameters and high flexibility are of great importance. For example, with neurological procedures, or procedures within the lower extremities having mostly torturous vessels, such fluid-driven elastomeric catheters and their relatively large diameters, are simply unusable. Further complicating matters is the fact that such balloon constructions can only be made to a certain minimum diameter, thus preventing usage in such lumens, as well as lumens which have been reduced to a small diameter due to a condition requiring the angioplasty. Especially challenging is the use of current balloon catheters when stenting a bifurcation. Bifurcation generally involves using two balloons in parallel, doubling the space requirements.
Medical device needs are not limited to balloon catheters. The rapid increase of use and importance of implantable medical devices, e.g., stents, in cardiology and other medical fields calls for new and improved methods and devices for delivery and retrieval of such implants. New and improved means of drug delivery allowing more precise and controlled release of pharmaceuticals are also sought.
With the miniaturization and increase in complexity and functionality of medical devices, there exists a need for improved micro-actuation technologies. Existing electro-active materials that are appropriate for use in medical device actuators include electro-active polymers (EAPs), electroactive ceramics (EACs) and shape memory alloys (SMAs). However, each of these technologies has significant limitations. While having the ability to induce strains that are as high as two orders of magnitude greater than the movements generally possible with the relatively rigid and fragile EACs, EAPs have relatively low actuator forces and mechanical energy density; some EAPs also show a lack of robustness. SMAs are fairly rigid, only have strains that reach 8%, and they do not have full reversal action.
Collectively, the current failings of balloon catheters and other medical devices, as well as the limitations of actuators appropriate for use in such devices, reveals the need for novel medical devices incorporating new actuator technologies.


The invention relates to a method for more precisely characterizing an electrical system by impedance spectrometry. The method consists of applying an input signal to the electrical system that comprises a sequence of sinusoidal perturbations, so as to scan a primary series (A) of frequencies; measuring an output signal of the electrical system in response to the input signal for each of the applied perturbations; and estimating a characteristic size of the impedance of the electrical system for each of the applied perturbations; wherein the perturbations of the sequence are applied so as to scan, turn by turn, a plurality of sub-series (A1, . . . , An) of frequencies resulting from the primary series (A), each sub-series of the plurality being interlaced with at least one other sub-series of the same plurality.

Impedance spectroscopy is a characterization technique used in many technical fields.
As an illustration, impedance spectroscopy is used in the fields of corrosion, for example to estimate the corrosion rate of a metal piece, electrodeposition, or determining a state of health of an electrochemical device such as a fuel cell.
In the latter case, the impedance spectroscopy technique can be used to detect the engorgement and drainage of a fuel cell, as described in the article by Fouquet et al. entitled "Model based PEM fuel cell state-of-health monitoring via ac impedance measurements" and published in 2006 in the Journal of Power Sources, 159, 905-913.
As shown in FIG. 1, a current ie is applied to the cell 1, which has a sequence of sinusoidal perturbations around a polarization point (FIG. 2). The current ie is applied by an active load 2 delivering a direct current on which said perturbations are superimposed. The frequency thereof is controlled by an impedance analysis device 3. The perturbations have a low amplitude and scan a large frequency range.
The voltage in response to these perturbations is measured at the terminals of the cell. The impedance analyzer 3 gives the evolution in a Nyquist plane of the imaginary part of the impedance as a function of its real part.
The perturbations are traditionally applied so as to scan a large frequency range, going from high frequencies to low frequencies, the frequencies being spaced apart logarithmically. The frequency range can go from several millihertz to several tens of kilohertz.
Thus, the high-frequency part is scanned very quickly, while for the low frequencies, the measurement time becomes non-negligible. For example, a second is sufficient to go from 10 kHz to 500 Hz with about one hundred points per decade, while several minutes are necessary for measurements of frequencies below 1 Hz.
The exploitation of the experimental data requires that the cell remain stable for the time it takes to apply said perturbations, i.e. the average value of the polarization current and that of the response voltage remain constant over time.
However, this hypothesis cannot be verified, in particular during deteriorations or temporary failures of the electrical system. As an example, the drainage and engorgement of a PEM-type fuel cell make the cell unstable, which makes it impossible to exploit the impedance measurement.
The current impedance spectroscopy technique has the drawback of not making it possible to directly identify, during scanning of the frequency range, a change in the stability condition of the electrical system.

Method for characterizing an electrical system by impedance spectroscopy

Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique


Separate anchor members (1, 1', 1", 1'", 40, 60, 70, 80, 80', 80") are secured at regularly spaced locations to a rope or line (L) to which a net (N) is to be coupled. The anchor members carry separate connectors (11, 11', 11", 11'", 50, 65, 65', 12'") which, in turn, are adapted to be connected to the net. The connectors can have closed loops (14, 15, 14', 15') to be threaded through a selvage portion of the net and interwoven with the loops of connectors of the adjacent anchor members.

Known gill nets have a top corkline consisting of a rope carrying spaced floats, a bottom lead line, usually a rope with internal weights, and a central net or web. The traditional method of "hanging" the net, i.e., coupling it at the top and bottom to the corkline and lead line, respectively, is by use of separate hanging cords which are threaded through the selvages of the net. The hanging cords are tied manually to the corkline and lead line at spaced locations.
The completed setup or shackel of gill net can be large. For example, for salmon fishing in the Bristol Bay area of Alaska the completed shackel can be 50 fathoms (76.2 meters) long and 5 to 10 fathoms (7.6 to 15.2 meters) deep. The web itself can be rolled or folded to compact condition, but the lead line and particularly the corkline are bulky.
The mesh size of the web desired depends on the size and species of the fish to be caught. Again using the example of salmon fishing in Bristol Bay, different webs may be desired for reds (sockeye), pinks (chum), silvers (Coho) and kings (Chinook). Changing webs on short notice, such as before the next tide change, may result in a greatly increased catch.
Government regulations and storage space may limit the number of complete shackels available on board, and fishing may be conducted in an area remote from shore storage or even from a tender where additional shackels might be kept. There also is substantial additional expense in acquiring, maintaining and storing additional shackels for the purpose of having webs of different mesh size conveniently available, as compared to hanging different webs from the same corkline and lead line.
For known hanging systems, it is a complicated and time-consuming process to uncouple a web from its corkline and lead line and rehang a new web. In addition, damage can occur to the corkline, web or lead line even when such process is performed by an experienced worker. Further, the time lost in changing webs can be extremely frustrating to a fisherman, particularly considering the shorter fishing seasons that can be imposed by the government.


A transmission that reduces the difference of rotational speed when engaging a main shaft-side sprocket and a main shaft-outer shaft, in a low-speed traveling mode. When shifting from first gear to neutral in the transmission, a dog on a drive gear is engaged with a dog hole in a main shaft-side sprocket, engagement between a dog on a driven gear for first gear and a dog hole in a driven gear is released, and then a first clutch and a second clutch are disconnected with the drive gear and the main shaft-side sprocket being engaged.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle transmission mounted on a vehicle that moves forward and rearward.
Description of Related Art
Heretofore, there has been known a vehicle that can carry out a low-speed traveling mode where the vehicle is moved forward or rearward at low speed, in addition to a normal traveling mode. In the low-speed traveling mode, the vehicle can be moved forward and rearward with a simple operation of a controller.
In Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-72612, the applicant has proposed a vehicle equipped with DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) having a main shaft provided with a train of multiple drive gears, and a counter shaft provided with a train of multiple driven gears meshing with the train of drive gears. The main shaft and the counter shaft are arranged parallel to each other.
A main shaft-side sprocket and a counter shaft-side sprocket are respectively provided on the main shaft and the counter shaft in a relatively rotatable manner, and a reverse travel chain is wound around the sprockets.
The main shaft is configured of a main shaft-inner shaft including the main shaft-side sprocket, and a main shaft-outer shaft arranged coaxially with and radially outward of the main shaft-inner shaft. The main shaft-outer shaft can rotate integrally with or separate from the main shaft-side sprocket arranged on the main shaft-inner shaft. Additionally, a first clutch and a second clutch, which connect and disconnect an engine and a transmission, are provided respectively on one end sides of the main shaft-inner shaft and the main shaft-outer shaft.
In the above-described vehicle transmission, the vehicle cannot move forward or rearward if it is in the neutral state, i.e., if the clutches are disconnected. However, since there is residual oil in the clutches, clutch capacity is generated by the residual oil even when the clutches are disconnected. Hence, the clutches are connected spuriously, so that the main shaft-inner shaft and the main shaft-outer shaft may be rotated slightly by an output-side plate.
As a result, when each of the main shaft-inner shaft and the main shaft-outer shaft is rotating at 1000 rpm, for example, rotation of the main shaft-inner shaft is transmitted in the order of: the main shaft-inner shaft, drive gear for first gear, driven gear for first gear, counter shaft-side sprocket, reverse travel chain, and main shaft-side sprocket. In this case, if the gear ratio between the drive gear for first gear and the driven gear for first gear is 2, and the gear ratio between the sprockets is 1, the main shaft-side sprocket rotates at 500 rpm in the opposite direction of the main shaft-inner shaft and main shaft-outer shaft (−500 rpm).
That is, the difference of rotational speed between the main shaft-side sprocket, and the main shaft-inner shaft and main shaft-outer shaft is 1500 rpm (1000 rpm−(−500 rpm)=1500 rpm).
Accordingly, if the vehicle is to be moved forward or rearward at low speed by engaging the main shaft-outer shaft with the main shaft-side sprocket and causing them to rotate integrally in a low-speed traveling mode, the main shaft-side sprocket and the main shaft-outer shaft need to be engaged with a difference of rotational speed of 1500 rpm. This enlarges the shock at the time of engaging of the main shaft-side sprocket and the main shaft-outer shaft, and the shock makes a large noise.


A vehicle cooler includes a radiator, a condenser, and an air guide bridging from a top surface of the radiator over a top surface of the condenser. The air guide includes a body part including a first base face placed on the top surface of the condenser, a second base face placed on the top surface of the radiator, and a standing wall extending in a height direction of a vehicle for coupling the first base face and the second base face. The standing wall faces a front surface of the radiator with respect to a forward-rearward direction of the vehicle, and includes air holes for guiding outside air to the radiator.

An automobile includes, in a front portion, a power unit chamber including power units (e.g., an engine, a motor) for generating driving power. The power unit chamber further includes a vehicle cooler in addition to the power units. The vehicle cooler includes, for example, a radiator for cooling a coolant of the engine and a condenser for cooling a high pressure refrigerant for air conditioner. Typically, the condenser having a lower temperature than the radiator is disposed in front of the radiator in a vehicle.
To prevent the hot air generated around the power units from flowing forward of the condenser and the radiator, a component called an air guide is proposed to surround the condenser and the radiator.
Patent Document 1, for example, discloses an air guide for a vehicle, including an upper air guide disposed above a condenser and a radiator, and side air guides disposed on sides of the condenser and the radiator. In Patent Document 1, the top surface of the condenser t and the top surface of the radiator are located at the same height, and the upper air guide having a substantially planar shape, is disposed to bridge over these two top surfaces. This upper air guide prevents hot air generated around the power units from flowing into the forward portion of the condenser and the like.


An exhaust gas control apparatus includes an oxidation catalyst, a compact oxidation catalyst having a smaller cross section than that of an engine exhaust passage, a fuel supply valve, a glow plug, and an electronic control unit. The control modes for the exhaust gas control apparatus include a first control mode where the fuel is supplied from the fuel supply valve, heated by the glow plug, and ignited, a second control mode where the fuel is supplied from the fuel supply valve, and heated by the glow plug but is not ignited, and a third control mode where the fuel is supplied from the fuel supply valve and the glow plug does not provide heating. The electronic control unit selects the first or third control mode in the operation region where ignition is possible, and selects the second or third control mode in the operation region where ignition is not possible.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an exhaust gas control apparatus for an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In internal combustion engines such as diesel engines and gasoline engines, fuel is burned in an engine body, and exhaust gas that contains pollutants is discharged from the engine body. Examples of noxious pollutants include carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbon (HC), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM).
The internal combustion engine is provided with an exhaust gas processing device that purifies the exhaust gas. Examples of the exhaust gas processing device include an oxidation catalyst that oxidizes carbon monoxide, etc., a NOx storage catalyst that removes nitrogen oxide, and a particulate filter that removes particulate matter.
Published Japanese Translation of PCT application No 8-509044 describes an apparatus that decreases the pollutants that are emitted from an automobile engine. This apparatus includes a fuel supply device and a fuel line that is controlled by a valve used to supply low ignition temperature fuel into an exhaust gas discharge line connected to the engine. The apparatus is provided with an air pump, and the air pump supplies combustion air into the exhaust gas discharge line through an air line.
In the apparatus, particulate pollutants in the exhaust gas flow are burned in an exhaust pipe at a position upstream of a particulate filter that removes the particulate pollutants. As a result, the useful life of the particulate filter is prolonged.
An exhaust gas processing device fulfills its function when an appropriate operating condition, for example, a condition for the temperature or a condition for the amount of reductant is satisfied. When the exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine needs to be purified, the operating conditions should be satisfied in a short time.
In the apparatus described in Published Japanese Translation of PCT application No. 8-509044, a flame is provided in the exhaust pipe to heat a catalyst provided downstream of the position where the flame is provided. In this apparatus, in order to provide a flame, the air is introduced into the exhaust pipe through the air line to supply oxygen into the exhaust pipe. When the air is not introduced into the exhaust pipe through the air line, if the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas is high, it is possible to provide a flame. However, if the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas is low, it is not possible to provide a flame. If it is not possible to provide a flame in the exhaust pipe, the temperature of the catalyst provided downstream of the position where a flame is supposed to be provided is not increased in a short time. As a result, it may take a long time to satisfy the appropriate operating condition for the catalyst.
When a flame is not provided in the exhaust pipe, if, for example, the temperature of an oxidation catalyst is lower than the activation temperature, the oxidation catalyst may be heated by the exhaust gas to achieve the activation temperature. However, preferably, the temperature of the oxidation catalyst is increased in a shorter time. If the temperature of the oxidation catalyst is equal to or higher than the activation temperature, the temperature of the oxidation catalyst may be increased by the heat that is generated by oxidation reaction, which occurs in the oxidation catalyst using the reductant contained in the exhaust gas. In this case as well, preferably, a larger amount of reductant is supplied to the oxidation catalyst to increase the temperature of the oxidation catalyst in a shorter time.

Exhaust gas control apparatus for internal combustion engine


The disclosure provides a system and method for identifying a set of ERP tasks performed by the ERP system when it is functional and for identifying a set of Interim Business Processes (IBPs) associated with ERP tasks. The method includes creating a set of IBP data capture tools Another step is assigning an IBP data capture tool to each IBP optionally using an IBP data main coordinating tool. Another step is identifying a set of responsibility centers in the business entity. Another step is providing an access link to each responsibility center to the IBP data capture tool and sending a notice to each responsibility center to begin capturing data at a predetermined time. Another step is receiving the IBP data from the IBP data capture tools optionally using the IBP data main coordinating tool, and storing the IBP data received optionally using the IBP data main coordinating tool.

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is an integrated computer-based system used within a company, or other business entity, to record transactions, share information, and manage internal and external resources at the company. A typical ERP system has a software architecture. A general goal of the ERP system is to facilitate the flow of information between all the business functions within the operational boundaries of the company. Another general goal of the ERP system is to consolidate all the business operations throughout the company into a uniform and company-wide ERP system environment.
An ERP system might reside on a centralized server, or it can be distributed across modular hardware and software units which provide services and communicate on, for example, a local area network. Generally, the ERP system is built around a centralized ERP system database and typically utilizes a common computing platform. A distributed ERP system design allows a company to assemble modules, possibly from different vendors, without the need for placing multiple implementations of complex, expensive computer hardware and software systems within areas of the company which will not utilize their full capacity. However, this distributed type of ERP system design may also increase the likelihood of a partial ERP system failure at one or more of the individual modules.
In an implementation of a new ERP system, such as in the replacement of an old ERP system, a company often seeks the help of an ERP system vendor or a third-party consulting firm because of the complexities involved in the transition steps needed to carry out the implementation or replacement. Generally, in the replacement of an old ERP system with a new ERP system, the new ERP system and the old ERP system are not run concurrently during the transition due to the cost of collecting and processing data in dual systems and the risks relating to data integrity which are inherent in running two ERP systems simultaneously. The process of transitioning between ERP systems ordinarily takes a period of multiple days in length. This period is often referred to as an ERP "black-out" period. However, during an ERP black-out period, a company can still have a need to operate and, as such, generate business data which may be lost or otherwise jeopardized due to the lack of a functioning ERP system during the ERP blackout period.
A similar situation can arise if an ERP system at a company is temporarily incapacitated or otherwise becomes inaccessible to a company. This type of circumstance can occur when the ERP system at a company breaks down due to a system failure, a security breach, or some other intervening circumstance. This type of black-out period can be short in time or of a longer length. Despite the circumstances by which an ERP system is temporarily non-functional, the business needs to be able to perform its business functions during the black-out period. Also, data generated by a company during any type of ERP black-out period needs to be preserved. Furthermore, this business data needs to be incorporated into the ERP database of the company ERP system once it becomes functional again. Or in a related circumstance that occurs in a transition between an old ERP system and a new ERP system which replaces it, the business data generated during the black-out period needs to be migrated into the ERP database for access by the new ERP system.

Capturing and processing data generated in an ERP interim phase


A fuel cell system has a flooding elimination mode as one of available operation modes of fuel cells and includes a drive controller. When the ambient temperature of the fuel cell system is not higher than a preset first temperature, the drive controller causes the fuel cells to be driven in the flooding elimination mode. When the ambient temperature of the fuel cell system is not lower than a preset second temperature that is higher than the first temperature, the drive controller prohibits the fuel cells from being driven in the flooding elimination mode. On the occasion of input of a checkup instruction of the fuel cells, the drive controller causes the fuel cells to be driven in the flooding elimination mode, independently of the ambient temperature. This arrangement effectively improves the user's convenience at the checkup time of the fuel cell system having the operation mode for eliminating the state of flooding.

During power generation, water is generated in fuel cells through electrochemical reaction of hydrogen with oxygen, hereafter the water thus generated may be referred to as 'generated water'. For example, in a vehicle equipped with fuel cells, the fuel cells may be expected to start in a subfreezing environment. In this case, the generated water remaining in the fuel cells may be frozen to interrupt the smooth supply of fuel. This may lead to failure of power generation.
In a fuel cell system including fuel cells, one proposed technique drives the fuel cells in a heat retention mode in response to the user's selection in order to prevent the generated water from being frozen and stops the operation of the fuel cells in the heat retention mode when the ambient temperature reaches a sufficiently high level (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-108832, No. 2005-317211, No. 2007-95655, and No. 2006-79864).
The generated water that is not frozen but is accumulated in the vicinity of electrolyte membranes, this phenomenon is generally called 'flooding', may still interrupt the smooth supply of fuel and lower the performance of the fuel cells. In such cases, water content control may be performed to regulate the water content in the electrolyte membranes included in the fuel cells during operation of the fuel cells. A scavenging process may also be performed to remove the generated water remaining in the fuel cells in a stop state of the fuel cells. The fuel cells may be driven in the heat retention mode described above. The operation of the fuel cells in the heat retention mode prevents the generated water from being liquefied and thereby eliminates the state of flooding. Any of such flooding elimination processes requires the additional power consumption and thereby worsens the fuel consumption rate. Under the condition of the high ambient temperature, there is a low probability of the occurrence of flooding. The flooding elimination process is thus often forced to stop at the high ambient temperature. The freeze of the generated water is the phenomenon resulting from the occurrence of flooding. The process of preventing the freeze is thus equivalent to the flooding elimination process.
Even under the condition of the high ambient temperature, the operation of the fuel cells in the heat retention mode or the scavenging process and the water content control may be required in certain circumstances. For example, in the event of a failure arising in the fuel cells, it is desirable to drive the fuel cell system in the heat retention mode with the view to identifying the cause of the failure. The operation of the fuel cells in the heat retention mode can exclude the flooding as a possible cause of the failure. When there is still a failure in the fuel cells driven in the heat retention mode, the cause of the failure can be identified as a reason other than the flooding, for example, the occurrence of some cracking.


An inkjet recording apparatus 100 makes a record on a web 1, including a line head 10 disposed on the side of a recording surface 1a of the web 1, guiding rollers 2 that guide the web 1, and a suction mechanism 20 disposed on the side of a non-recording surface 1b of the web 1, wherein, during travelling of the web 1, the line head 10 makes a record on the recording surface 1a of the web 1, and the suction mechanism 20 secures the non-recording surface 1b of the web 1.

An inkjet recording apparatus is used in various fields since it can record desired patterns such as designs or letters, easily and precisely.
In recent years, along with a refinement of patterns or improvement of expressiveness, it has also been required to further improve the quality of a recorded object obtained by the inkjet recording apparatus.
By the way, in the inkjet recording apparatus, it is desired in view of production efficiency that a web travels at as high a speed as possible, but high-speed travelling of the web inevitably causes the web to flap. In addition, there is the disadvantage that the degree of flapping increases with a longer distance between guide rollers that guide the web, and the quality of the recorded object decreases accordingly. Therefore, methods for inhibiting flapping of the web have been considered.
For example, an inkjet recording apparatus is known in which a sheet path opposite a nozzle face of each inkjet head is formed by two guide rollers located upstream and downstream of a travelling direction of a sheet and respective upstream and downstream ends of a nozzle width region of each inkjet head in the travelling direction of the sheet are positioned within between the upstream and downstream guide rollers beyond contact points at which the sheet comes into rolling contact with the upstream and downstream guide rollers (for example, see a patent document 1). In such an inkjet recording apparatus, the ends are positioned illimitably close to the contact points, by which flapping of the sheet is prevented.


To waveform data is applied not only a predetermined data compression processing but also a processing for further reducing the value of waveform data in accordance with a weight coefficient, which processing is performed at least at one stage selected from a stage before the data compression processing is performed, a stage when the data compression processing is being performed and a stage after the data compression processing has been completed. Data compression can thereby be performed to a further degree. A control for changing the rate of reduction or for not changing such rate at all can be made in a simple manner merely by changing the weight coefficient without changing the predetermined data compression processing system. Waveform sample data or tone control data consisting of multiple samples may be divided into plural sections each consisting of plural samples and a maximum value of effective bit number of sample data for each section may be detected. These sample data may be adjusted, for each section, to have a bit number corresponding to the detected maximum value for each section and the bit-number-adjusted sample data may be stored in a memory. Memory elements necessary for effective bits of data only are thereby occupied and unnecessary memory elements are not occupied and, therefore, saving of memory capacity and effective use of a memory can be realized.

This invention relates to a method for compressing waveform data and a device therefore and a device for reproducing waveform data which are available for use in an electronic musical instrument or other tone generation device or a sound signal processing device.
This invention further relates to a method for compressing various waveform data such as a tone source waveform, sound signal waveform or control signal waveform and further relates to a method for compressing various digital data used for tone generation or tone control.
As a method for producing a tone source waveform in an electronic musical instrument, there is a method of sampling and storing a tone which has been actually acoustically sounded by, e.g., a natural musical instrument (e.g., Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 54-161313, 62-89093 and 62-94896 etc.). Such external tone sampling system is advantageous in that a tone waveform of a high quality which is equivalent to tone of a natural musical instrument can be obtained but it requires a waveform memory of a large capacity, it must deal with a large amount of waveform data.
For simplifying a memory and circuits and devices relating to the memory, compression of waveform data has been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,996 which corresponds to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 62-242993 discloses storing of tone waveform data which is compressed by the linear prediction method (LPC). Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 1-45078 discloses expressing and storing waveform sample data in a floating-point representation consisting of a mantissa section and an exponent section. It is also known that data compression is performed using not only the PCM coding system but other coding systems such as DPCM, ADPCM and delta modulation as a data coding system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,577 also discloses a waveform data compression technique.
In the prior art waveform data compression technique, however, waveform data is compressed simply in accordance with a predetermined compression processing resulting in a uniform data compression. It is therefore difficult in the prior art technique to further perform data compression and particularly to perform data compression to a further degree in only a section of a waveform or to perform data compression in different degrees in different sections of a waveform. It is sometimes desired to perform data compression in a different manner in different sections of a waveform in such a manner that, for example, a normal data compression is performed in a section such as an attack portion in which accuracy of waveform should be secured and data compression is performed to a further degree in a section in which accuracy of waveform may be sacrificed. It is not possible to achieve such data compression performed in a different manner depending upon a section of a waveform.
In a data memory device using such data compression method as well as a data memory device storing data of the conventional PCM coding system, data is stored in one-to-one relation in each individual memory address and data length (data size, i.e., a bit number constituting one data) of data to be stored is fixed to a constant value. It is normal, for example, that one data is stored with a data length of 16 bits in an address of 16 bits. There is a special case where an address of 16 bits, for example, is divided into two sections each having 8 bits and two different 8-bit data are stored in the divided address sections. In this case also, data to be stored is of a fixed bit length of 8 bits.
As described above, in the prior art technique, data is stored with a fixed bit length and, therefore, a memory element is wasted in the case of storing data whose effective bit number is shorter than the fixed bit length. In a case, for example, where tone waveform data is to be stored in a manner to cover a maximum amplitude value with a fixed bit length of 16 bits, there occurs a case where the effective bit number is only two or three bits at a sample point of a small amplitude value and, therefore, a memory element for 13 bits or 14 bits per one address is wasted. The number of such memory elements wasted in the above described manner amounts, when totalled, to a number which cannot be neglected and, as a whole, constitutes a factor which prevents an efficient use of the memory device and also prevents reduction of the size of the entire circuitry and reduction of the manufacturing cost.
Japanese Laid open Patent Publication No. Hei 3-180896 (corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/623,129) discloses storing tone data in a memory in the form of data with a variable bit length. In this technique, however, it is not disclosed what specific method or means should be employed to produce data of variable bit length.

Method of and device for compressing and reproducing waveform data


An apparatus for checking an inductor includes a detector outputting a detection signal including information corresponding to a parallel resistance component of a checking target inductor; and a determiner receiving the detection signal and determining whether the checking target inductor is satisfactory based on a magnitude of the parallel resistance component.

Inductors are widely used in various devices as basic electric/electronic devices. Recently, according to the trend for higher performance and slimness of the devices, an inductor, as an element mounted on a device, is required to have a high degree of reliability. Therefore, it is very important to check characteristics of such an inductor, such as deterioration of the inductor, before being delivered to a customer or mounted on an actual product.

Apparatus and method for checking inductor