The liquid crystal display device of the present invention comprises a liquid crystal layer of a nematic liquid crystal having positive dielectric anisotropy and including a chiral material, the liquid crystal layer being interposed between a pair of substrates with transparent electrodes each having an aligning layer which are arranged substantially in parallel to provide a twist angle of 160.degree.-300.degree., a driving means to apply a voltage across the electrodes attached to the substrates which interpose the liquid crystal layer, a pair of polarizing plates arranged outside the liquid crystal layer, and at least one birefringent plate provided between the liquid crystal layer and the polarizing plate at at least one side of the liquid crystal layer, wherein the product .DELTA.n.sub.1 .multidot.d, of the anisotropy of refractive index .DELTA.n, of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer and the thickness d, of the liquid crystal layer is in a range of 0.4-1.5 .mu.m, and three main refractive indices n.sub.x, n.sub.y and n.sub.z of the birefringent plate are in a relation of n.sub.x .gtoreq.n.sub.z >n.sub.y where n.sub.x and n.sub.y respectively represent the refractive indices in the direction of film plane of the birefringent plate (provided n.sub.x >n.sub.y) and n.sub.z represents the refractive index in the direction of film thickness of the birefringent plate.

A super twist device has been known to obtain a high density dot matrix display by increasing a twist angle of liquid crystal molecules between electrodes to thereby cause a steep change in transmittance vs. voltage curve (T. J. Scheffer and J. Nehring, Appl., Phys., Lett. 45 (10) 1021-1023 (1984)).
In the above-mentioned technique, however, the value of the product .DELTA.n.multidot.d of the birefringence .DELTA.n of liquid crystal molecules in a liquid crystal display device and the thickness d of the liquid crystal layer was substantially in a range of 0.8-1.2 .mu.m (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10720/1985), and a good contrast ratio could not be obtained unless a specified combination of hue such as yellowish green and dark blue, bluish purple and pale yellow and so on was used as a display color.
In the conventional liquid crystal display device, it was impossible to obtain a multicolor display or a fullcolor display by combining it with a multicolor filter because the conventional technique could not provide a monochrome (black and white) display.
On the other hand, there was proposed a system which utilized the similar system and was obtainable a display close to a monochrome display by determining the product .DELTA.n.multidot.d of the birefringence of the liquid crystal and the thickness to be small as about 0.6 .mu.m (M. Schadt et al, Appl. Phys. Lett. 50 (5), 1987, p. 236).
However, the proposed system had such disadvantages that it was dark; the greatest contrast ratio is not so large and the display had a bluish color so that clearness in display was poor.
There was proposed a system to realize a liquid crystal display device capable of displaying a monochrome display and having a high contrast ratio that two liquid crystal cells which have opposite helical sense each other are placed on one another wherein a voltage is applied to either cell and the other cell is merely used as an optical compensation plate (Report of Television Association 11 (27), p. 79, (1987) by Okumura et al., J. J. A. P., 26 (11), L1784 (1987) by Kato et al). However, the proposed system has such drawbacks that the matching of the product .DELTA.n.multidot.d between the two overlaid cells was very severe, hence, it was difficult to improve yield and the characteristic feature to produce a thin and light liquid crystal cell was sacrificed because it was necessary to overlay two liquid crystal cells.
Further, there was a proposal that a film stacked type liquid crystal display device for a monochrome display wherein one of the two overlaid cells was replaced by a uniaxial birefringent film (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 271415/1988).
As the above-mentioned uniaxial birefringent film, a uniaxial birefringent film having the optical axis in its film plane is generally used. Namely, the generally used uniaxial birefringent film has a nature of n.sub.x >n.sub.y =n.sub.z wherein n.sub.x, n.sub.y and n.sub.z represent three main refractive indices where n.sub.x and n.sub.y represent the refractive indices in the direction of film plane (provided n.sub.x >n.sub.y) and n.sub.z represents the refractive index in the direction of film thickness.
In the film stacked type liquid crystal display device of the above-mentioned system which used the uniaxial birefringent film having the optical axis in its film plane in order to effect the compensation of the liquid crystal cell, it had disadvantages that a display was colored when it was viewed from an oblique direction, or black and white tones are inversed. Accordingly, it was difficult to produce, with high yield, a liquid crystal display device which has high brightness, good black and white characteristic and a wide viewing angle.
The liquid crystal display device having a bright, black and white display and having a wide viewing angle can realize a monocolor, a multicolor or fullcolor display as that realized by a conventional 90.degree.-twisted twist nematic (TN) device by forming a color filter at the inside or the outside of the cell in addition that it can be easily viewed without causing coloring. Accordingly, great expansion of a market can be expected due to the feature of thin, light and low power consumption. Therefore, liquid crystal display devices capable of producing with high yield monochrome display elements having a bright display, a wide viewing angle and a high contrast have been expected.

Liquid crystal display device with biaxial birefringent plates and light shielding film


A casket lid includes a lid member having an underside and a dish assembly covering a first section of the underside of the lid member. The dish assembly includes a first cover member having a flap and a covering section, the flap being mounted to the lid member and the covering section extending over the flap and the first section of the underside of the lid member. The dish assembly can have a first panel extending over a first section of the underside of the lid member and having a first edge. The casket lid can include an insertion member defining an insertion groove and positioned on one of the underside of the lid member and a second panel of the dish assembly, the first edge of the first panel being inserted into the insertion groove.

1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to burial or cremation caskets and, more particularly, to the interior structure of casket lids.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Caskets or coffins traditionally include a body container to which is pivoted a lid or a cap. During viewing of the deceased in the casket, the cap is pivoted to its open position to permit relatives, loved ones, acquaintances, and the like to view the deceased. During this time the underside of the casket lid is visible. It is thus desirable to trim the underside of the lid with a decorative trim. This is usually accomplished with the installation of a dish assembly into the underside of the cap.
The dish assembly generally includes a center panel surrounded by a frame. The frame portion is commonly referred as "puffing". The term puffing generally describes the raised and curved look of this frame portion.
Casket lids are first manufactured and then a dish assembly is mounted to the underside of the casket lid. In the past, the installation of the dish assembly to the underside of a casket lid has been a relatively difficult, time consuming, and expensive procedure. One of the prior techniques for this task was to fasten the dish assembly on the casket lid with fasteners such as staples and nails and cover the fasteners thereafter with small furnish strips or with any other material known by one skilled in the art.

Fournitures Funéraires Victoriaville Inc.


A power supply for powering an electrical load, the electrical load generating load characteristic data that determines a power supply characteristic to be provided to the electrical load from the power supply, the power supply comprising a voltage regulator for generating an output voltage to be provided as the input voltage for powering the electrical load, the voltage regulator being responsive to a reference signal for setting a characteristic of the power supply, and a control circuit for generating the reference signal for the regulator, the control circuit being responsive to the load characteristic data from the electrical load and to a selection input for selecting the type of electrical load from a plurality of electrical load types, whereby the selection input determines the type of electrical load to enable the load characteristic data to be evaluated by the control circuit to generate the reference signal for the regulator.

The present invention relates to power supplies, and in particular, to power supplies for providing low voltage, high current power to such devices as portable computers such as notebook and laptop computers.
Multi-phase buck converter switching power supplies are now in use for providing low voltage, high current, high efficiency power supplies for such applications as portable computers, for example, laptops and notebook computers.
The present invention relates to a power supply wherein the output voltage or other power supply characteristic, for example, over voltage protection limit, can be set depending on load characteristic data, such as digital voltage data codes known as VID codes received from the load microprocessor being powered by the power supply. In particular, the various microprocessor manufacturers, such as Intel, AMD etc., provide tables of the voltage power inputs for their microprocessors depending on operating conditions. The microprocessor issues voltage identification (VID) codes which contain digital bits that specify the input voltage required at a particular instant, depending on the processor activity. This enables the processor to conserve energy when the load requirements are low and receive more power when requirements are high. Each manufacturer uses different VID codes and the VID codes may be different for different processor chips made by the same manufacturer.
In the past, power supplies for computer systems required dedicated power supplies capable of interpreting the VID codes for a particular processor. However, these power supplies were not capable of interpreting the VID codes for processors other than the processor for which they were designed.

Method and apparatus for customizing of a power supply based on load characteristic data


An image forming apparatus prevents heat in an in-body copy receiving portion from reaching a bottom face of a scanner portion disposed above the in-body copy receiving portion. The image forming apparatus includes an in-body copy receiving portion, a scanner portion, and an air blow portion. The in-body copy receiving portion includes a copy receiving tray to stack image-formed sheets thereon. The in-body copy receiving portion is disposed in the image forming apparatus. The scanner portion reads a document. The scanner portion is disposed above the in-body copy receiving portion. The air blow portion generates airflow between a maximum sheet loadable position on the copy receiving tray and the scanner portion so as to flow along a bottom face of the scanner portion.

Some electro-photographic image forming apparatuses include a copy receiving tray in their bodies for she purposes such as smaller footprint. In such an electro-photographic image forming apparatus, image-formed sheets passing through a fixing portion are output to an in-body copy receiving tray in a main body of the apparatus.
Since such sheets output to the in-body copy receiving tray are stacked on the tray before heat applied to the sheets at the fixing portion is dissipated sufficiently, the temperature of the air around the copy receiving tray increases. Such heated air remains in the main body of the apparatus and heats a bottom face of a scanner disposed above the copy receiving tray in the main body to increase the temperature in the scanner. Such temperature rise in the scanner adversely affects the operation of the scanner. Such a problem remarkably occurs when an inner finisher is provided in the main body of the apparatus or a plurality of paper copy receiving trays are provided in the main body.
To cope with this, disclosed is an image forming apparatus provided with an intake fan in the vicinity of an copy receiving tray in the main body thereof so as to absorb heat from the sheets stacked on the copy receiving tray and let the air out of the main body of the apparatus (see Patent Literature 1, for example).


A technique for rasterizing a line having a predetermined width and slope, including the step of providing stored data associated with predetermined slopes and widths of lines, such data including information indicative of raster data for portions of lines of the predetermined slopes and widths. The stored data associated with the slope and width of the line to be rasterized is accessed, and raster data for one of predetermined portions of the line to be rasterized is generated from the accessed data, wherein the predetermined portions collectively form the line to be rasterized. The generated raster data is copied to a bitmap memory, and the steps of generating and copying raster data are repeated until the entire line has been rasterized.

The disclosed invention generally relates to vector to raster converters for raster type plotters, printers, cathode ray tube displays, and other display systems which utilize rasterized data, and is more particularly directed to an efficient, high-speed vector to raster conversion technique which utilizes look-up tables for raster data.
As is well known, a raster display system, such as an electrostatic printer or a video display, provides images by printing or illuminating selected ones of addressable dots or pixels arranged in rows and columns called a raster matrix. Display data for each pixel (e.g., printed or blank) must be provided, and can be stored, for example, in a bitmap memory where the display information for each pixel is located at a predetermined memory location. That is, a given pixel data is associated with the pixel identified by the address where the pixel data is stored. For example, an 8-bit byte might represent the data for 8 contiguous pixels in a row of the raster for a one color display.
Plot information for plotters is often represented by a plurality of line segments, where each line segment is represented by a vector which identifies the characteristics of the line segment, such as start location, slope, and length. For example, plot data can be entered in a computer plotting system by using a computer graphics language, similar to entering a computer program. From the entered plot data, appropriate software generates vectors representing the plot, which are stored. It should be readily appreciated that vector data requires considerably less storage than the corresponding raster data.
For raster plotters, vector information must be converted to raster data. Depending on the system utilized, such conversion can be performed prior to printing of the plot or while the plot is being printed. For several reasons, many systems perform the conversion while printing. The printer would otherwise be idle if vector to raster conversion had to be completed prior to plotting, and vector data can be processed to provide usable raster data that can be plotted while vector-to-raster conversion takes place. Moreover, the amount of data storage required for storing raster data for an entire plot can be very large.
Known techniques for vector to raster conversion include what are known as digital difference analysis (DDA), major-axis Breshenham, and minor-axis Breshenham techniques. Descriptions of DDA and major-axis Breshenham techniques can be found in textbooks on computer graphics, such as Fundamentals of Interactive Computer Graphics, Foley and van Dam, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1982. Background information on the minor-axis Bresenham algorithm can be found in Run Length Slices for Incremental Lines, J.E. Bresenham et al., IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 22, No. 8B.
The DDA technique computes the coordinates of the next pixel on the line from the coordinates of the current pixel and the slope m according to: EQU m=(Y2-Y1)/(X2-X1) EQU X[i+1]=X[i]+1 EQU Y[i+1]=Y[i]+m
The pixel at coordinates (X[i+1], ROUND(Y[i+1])), where ROUND identifies the rounding operation, is then chosen to represent the line. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that fixed-point arithmetic must be performed to track the Y coordinate and that the rounding operation is time consuming.
The major-axis Bresenham algorithm avoids these difficulties by using only integer arithmetic. Instead of using a fixed-point accumulator to track the Y coordinate, the algorithm maintains an integer decision variable whose arithmetic sign indicates which of candidate pixels at (X[i+1],Y[i] and (X[i+1],Y[i]+1) should be selected.
Both DDA and the major-axis Bresenham algorithm step along the major axis of the line and generate the raster image one pixel at a time. Bresenham revised his major-axis algorithm to step along the minor axis of the vector and generate the raster image in RUNs of pixels, where a RUN comprises adjacent pixels on the same raster row or column. For shallowly sloped vectors (i.e., vectors with RUNs of many pixels) this technique is more efficient. As the slope of the line approaches one, however, the RUN length (i.e., the number of pixels in a RUN) also approaches one, and the performance of the minor-axis algorithm degenerates to the performance of the major-axis algorithm.
With known vector to raster conversion techniques, throughput is a consideration in that the speed of the plotter might exceed the speed of conversion. Complexity of known techniques is a further consideration.


A gearbox includes a housing including a lubricant reservoir, at least one gear system arranged in the housing, at least one lubricant delivery passage operable to direct a flow of lubricant from a lubricant reservoir onto the at least one gear system, at least one lubricant return passage operable to guide the flow of lubricant to the lubricant reservoir, and a lubricant-out sensor fluidically connected to the at least one lubricant return passage. The lubricant-out sensor is operable to detect a non-pressure based parameter of the lubricant.

Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of aircraft and, more particularly, to a system and method for detecting a lubricant-out condition in an aircraft gearbox.
Aircraft includes a number of systems that promote proper flight conditions. Failure of such a system may lead to an undesirable or unplanned landing. Accordingly, manufactures design aircraft with a capability to maintain flight for a period of time following a system failure. The period of time may vary for particular aircraft. Military aircraft should be capable of sustained safe flight for a period of time following a ballistic impact to the system.

System and method for detecting a lubricant-out condition in an aircraft gearbox


Approaches for spacer chamfering in a replacement metal gate (RMG) device are provided. Specifically, a semiconductor device is provided with a set of fins formed from a substrate; a silicon-based layer conformally deposited over the set of fins; an etch-stop layer (e.g., titanium nitride (TiN)) formed over the silicon-based layer, the etch-stop layer being selective to at least one of: silicon, oxide, and nitride; a set of RMG structures formed over the substrate; a set of spacers formed along each of the set of RMG structures, wherein a vertical layer of material from each of the set of spacers is removed selective to the etch-stop layer. By chamfering each sidewall spacer, a wider area for subsequent work-function (WF) metal deposition is provided. Meanwhile, each transistor channel region is covered by the etch-stop layer (e.g., TiN), which maintains the original gate critical dimension during reactive ion etching.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to the field of semiconductors, and more particularly, to approaches for spacer chamfering for a replacement metal gate (RMG) device.
2. Related Art
A typical integrated circuit (IC) chip includes a stack of several levels or sequentially formed layers of shapes. Each layer is stacked or overlaid on a prior layer and patterned to form the shapes that define devices (e.g., fin field effect transistors (FinFETs)) and connect the devices into circuits. In a typical state of the art complementary insulated gate FinFET process, such as what is normally referred to as CMOS, layers are formed on a wafer to form the devices on a surface of the wafer. Further, the surface may be the surface of a silicon layer on a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer. A simple FinFET includes a gate layer rectangle on a silicon island formed from the silicon surface layer. Each of these layers of shapes, also known as mask levels or layers, may be created or printed optically through well known photolithographic masking, developing and level definition, e.g., etching, implanting, deposition, etc.
Silicon based FinFETs have been successfully fabricated using conventional MOSFET technology. A typical FinFET is fabricated on a substrate with an overlying insulating layer with a thin 'fin' extending from the substrate, for example, etched into a silicon layer of the substrate. The channel of the FET is formed in this vertical fin. A single or double gate is provided over the fin(s). A double gate is beneficial in that there is a gate on both sides of the channel allowing gate control of the channel from both sides. Further advantages of FinFETs include reducing the short channel effect and higher current flow. Other FinFET architectures may include three or more effective gates.
As FinFETs continue to shrink in size (e.g., 10 nm and beyond), a work-function metal chamfering process is necessary to achieve a desired threshold voltage (Vth). However, the nominal gate conductor (PC) critical dimension (CD) is challenging for the chamfering process and subsequent metal fill process at this device size. Prior art approaches have attempted to widen the spacer using a spacer inner etch (i.e., a poly pull back) for a portion of the spacer.
This is shown in FIG. 1 in which prior art device 10 comprises a set of finFETs 12 formed over a substrate 14 and a source trench isolation (STI) material 16. Spacers 18 are formed along each FinFET 12. As demonstrated in prior art device 10 of FIG. 2, a half poly pull back is performed to remove polysilicon 20 and a portion of spacers 18. However, this approach suffers from a number of drawbacks. First, this process is difficult to control because the polysilicon reactive ion etch (RIE) must be controlled by time, which produces poor uniformity within the wafer and negatively influences yield. Second, a poly overetch may lead to fin damage, which degrades overall device performance. Third, this approach only widens the spacer above each finFET 12, but does not widen the region below the fin to maintain the gate CD, which is critical for work-function metal deposition.

Spacer chamfering for a replacement metal gate device


In a radar apparatus, a radar device emits a transmission wave to a periphery of a vehicle and detects a reflected wave of the transmission wave through a window part. As a member for restricting or reducing adhesion of dirt and foreign materials to the window part, an air duct is provided to apply air toward the window part. An air outlet portion of the air duct is open at a periphery of the window part and has a passage area smaller than that of an air inlet portion, which opens to a vehicle forward direction. While the vehicle is running, air is blown from the air outlet portion to flow along the window part at high speed after its pressure is increased in the air duct. Thus, dirt and materials adhering or adhered to the window part is effectively blown off.

A radar apparatus, which emits a transmission wave to a periphery and detects a reflected wave through a transparent window, is for example employed to a laser radar apparatus for a vehicle to detect a distance between the vehicle and an object existing around the vehicle. In such a laser radar apparatus, if dirt such as mud, oil, raindrops, snow or insects adheres to the window, detection accuracy is likely to deteriorate.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-211108 discloses a scanning-type laser radar apparatus capable of detecting the degree of dirt adhered to the transparent window. Specifically, a laser light is reflected and scattered by a scattering plate provided at one of left and right ends of the apparatus. A laser light, which is reflected and scattered into the inside from a transparent window by dirt adhered to an outside of the transparent window, is received by a photodetector. When the amount of the received light is more than a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the amount of dirt adhered to the transparent window is more than an allowable amount. Although the apparatus can detect the dirt, it is necessary to remove the dirt every time the dirt is detected.


In a digital printer a developer element is provided that inks charge images on a charge image carrier with toner. A feed system is provided to apply liquid developer with the toner onto the developer element. The cleaning unit is provided with a cleaning element to clean off residual liquid developer remaining on the developer element after the development of the charge images. A scraping unit rests on the cleaning element made up of a double blade arranged in a blade mount. The double blade provides a cleaning blade and a sealing blade that together form a blade chamber that is filled with fluid. The cleaning blade has at least one row of holes adjacent to a blade edge of the cleaning blade.

The disclosure concerns a digital printer for printing to a recording medium with toner particles that are applied with the aid of a liquid developer, in particular a high-speed printer for printing to web-shaped or sheet-shaped recording media.
In such digital printers, a latent charge image of a charge image carrier is inked by means of electrophoresis, with the aid of a liquid developer. The toner image that is created in such a manner is transferred indirectly (via a transfer element) or directly to the recording medium. The liquid developer has toner particles and carrier fluid in a desired ratio. Mineral oil is advantageously used as carrier fluid. In order to provide the toner particles with an electrostatic charge, charge carrier substances are added to the liquid developer. Further additives are additionally added, for example, in order to achieve the desired viscosity or a desired drying behavior of the liquid developer.
Such digital printers have long been known, for example from DE 10 2010 015 985 A1, DE 10 2008 048 256 A1 or DE 10 2009 060 334 A1.
To ink the charge images on the charge image carrier, liquid developer is directed past the charge image carrier by a developer station. The developer station has a developer element (for example a developer roller) that directs the liquid developer past the charge image carrier; a feed system that feeds the liquid developer to the developer roller; and a cleaning unit that cleans off the residual liquid developer remaining on the developer roller after the inking of the charge images on the charge image carrier. The cleaning unit provides, for example, a cleaning roller that removes the residual liquid developer from the developer roller. An electric field thereby exists between developer roller and cleaning roller that promotes the transfer of the residual liquid developer, for example. The residual liquid developer can be scraped off the cleaning roller by a blade. No residual toner should thereby remain on the cleaning roller, since otherwise this could arrive at the developer roller again.
Developer stations with such cleaning units are known from the documents DE 10 2010 008 211 A1, DE 10 2004 032 922 A1 or DE 10 2009 005 371 A1, for example. Furthermore, given a rotation printing machine (DE 299 18 488 U1) it is known to arrange a cleaning blade system at a coating roller, which cleaning blade system comprises a working blade and a sealing blade, wherein the chamber that is thereby formed is filled with a cleaning fluid via which the coating roller is cleaned of contaminants. An ultrasonic vibration system in the chamber assists with the cleaning.

Digital printer for printing to a recording medium


A device containing an MTA, executing a connection deletion method, determines that a connection at one of its endpoints may be abandoned after a predetermined amount of time after an on-hook event following a first call. If the MTA determines that the CMS it is coupled to has begun managing a new, or second, call, the MTA, sends a message to the CMTS it is coupled to requesting deletion of the first call, and the resources associated with it. The MTA also sends a message to the CMS requesting deletion of the connection at the endpoint of the MTA device.

The PacketCable standard defines mechanisms via the Network-based Call Signaling (NCS) specification for detecting connections to an E-MTA that have become stale. However, the mechanisms are only defined for use by the Call Management Server ("CMS"). Furthermore, these mechanisms do not always operate in practice, either because of system 'glitches' or because a network operator has disabled the feature.
FIG. 1 illustrates a system 2 for providing telephony services, for example, from a plurality of user interface devices 4A-4n. The user device, which may include, for example, E-MTA devices, provide one or more ports to plug a traditional telephone device into. Each port, including its physical and logical aspects, may be referred to as an endpoint. User devices 4 couple to a cable modem termination system ("CMTS") 6 via a hybrid fiber coaxial network ("HFC") 8, as may be implemented by a cable services provider, sometimes referred to as a multiple services provider ("MSO"). CMTS 6 typically couples to CMS 10 via an IP network, for example the internet, over a network 12, such as, for example, an Ethernet protocol network. The dashed lines between CMS 10 and user devices represent a logical connection but not necessarily a physical connection. This logical connection passes messages over HFC 8 and IP network 12 so that CMS 10 and user devices 4 are essentially in communication.
A "stale" connection is defined as a connection that remains to an endpoint of an E-MTA after the user has gone on-hook and no longer serves a useful purpose. Even though a user has 'hung up' a telephony by placing the handset on hook or by, for example, pressing an 'off' button on an electronic (typically cordless) telephone, when the telephony device is coupled to a user device, such as, for example, a media terminal adaptor ("MTA") or E-MTA ("embedded MTA") may still maintain a connection between itself and a CMTS. A management network device, for example a CMS, may receive information that a telephony device coupled to an MTA or E-MTA (for purposes herein, MTA and E-MTA are used interchangeably) is in an on-hook condition and then issue a message to the E-MTA and the CMTS that the connection is deleted. When the E-MTA and the CMTS receive their respective messages that the connection is deleted, the resources, i.e., bandwidth, that were previously allocated for the call are released for use by other applications and/or other user devices.
However, occasionally, the CMS does not properly process the information that the telephony device is on-hook, and thus fails to instruct the CMTS to delete the connection. This may occur due to a 'bug' or 'glitch' in the operating software of the CMTS or E-MTA device. The CMS may also fail to delete the connection if it is programmed to maintain a connection a certain amount of time after an on-hook condition m case a just-terminated call was a 911 call or call to a similar emergency/safety-related endpoint. Although the CMS may be programmed to instruct the CMTS and E-MTA to delete the call and release resources, for a variety of reasons the CMS may not generate and send an instruction to do so. Since the CMS is typically not directly coupled to ac given E-MTA, and the E-MTA is where a user causes an on-hook condition, the CMS lose track of the need to delete the call because it is involved in other network operations, it loses power or is other wise prevented from performing its functions, or, as discussed above, an error in the software occurs.
Therefore, there is a need for a method for detecting and removing at a user device user device, a stale connection to an E-MTA.

Method and system for identifying and removing stale connections on a user device


An apparatus for driving a voice coil actuator of a camera and a method thereof are provided. The driving apparatus performs input shaping based on a resonance frequency of a voice coil actuator and damping of vibration in the voice coil actuator to generate a control signal using a shaping signal as an initial input from an unshaped control signal, and thereby drives the voice coil actuator using the control signal subjected to input shaping. The shaping signal is provided to remove the resonance of the voice coil actuator, and may be a pure shaping signal, such as a multi-step shaping signal or a toggle shaping signal, or a convoluted shaping signal obtained by convoluting such pure shaping signals. The driving apparatus may significantly reduce residual vibration and may enhance an auto-focus function of the voice actuator using input shaping control based on damping.

A camera module commonly used in a mobile device, such as a cell phone, is provided with a voice coil actuator and moves a lens by driving the voice coil actuator to change its position, thereby performing auto-focusing on a particular object.
The voice coil actuator is a motor that is developed based on the fact that a vibration plate of a speaker moves back and forth when a force caused by the Fleming's left hand rule between a voice current flowing through a voice coil of the speaker and a magnetic force produced by a permanent magnet. As compared with a DC motor or a stepping motor which rotates, since the voice coil actuator reciprocates linearly over a short distance, it can be widely used for precise tracking or focusing.
The above-mentioned voice coil actuator includes a large coil (L; inductor) component. However, the inductor (L) component of the voice coil actuator exhibits high resonance response characteristics due to its own resonance frequency and causes residual vibration during operation, so that there are problems in that an auto-focus function of the camera may be affected or a malfunction is caused.
To address the aforesaid problems, KR 10-0968851 B1 provides an input shaping control technique capable of enhancing an auto-focus function of a camera by reducing undesired residual vibration.
However, the aforesaid input shaping control method does not consider damping, which may exist in any type in reality, the effect of reducing residual vibration is limited.

Apparatus for driving voice coil actuator of camera and method thereof


A panel mount electrical connector assembly for mounting on a panel of an instrument, includes a pair of specific screws, a traditional connector unit, and an insulative outer housing. Each of the specific screws has a front head exposed out of the outer housing for being driven, and a rear head movably restricted within the outer housing from being removed out thereby movably building the screws in the connector assembly without possibility of loss. The panel is defined with a plurality of cutouts each divided into a wide region and a narrow region communicated with each other. In assembly, the front heads of the screws of the connector assembly removably enter through the wide regions of the corresponding cutouts of the panel, firstly. Then, the front heads are successively moved along but restricted from being removed out the narrow regions of the same cutouts thereby firmly, conveniently and speedily securing the electrical connector assembly to the panel as long as driving the screws in.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly, and particularity to a panel mount connector electrical assembly for securing to a panel of an electric instrument.
2. The Prior Art
In conventional connector assemblies mounted to a panel of an electric instrument like a computer chassis, a first type connector as introduced in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,820,180, 4,988,308, 5,017,151, 5,049,092, 5,249,982, 5,514,000, 5,525,074, 5,575,673, 5,632,648, 5,766,041, 5,895,289, 5,931,688 and RE 34,430 presents the claw-like or sealed securement of the connector to the panel. However, the process of interference-fitting the connector through an opening defined on the panel may have the claw/seal permanently deformed in fitting dimension. The incorrect/change of fitting tolerance may loose the securement of the connector to the panel. A mating action of an external connector may forcedly push the connector assembly out of the panel, consequently.
A second type connector as introduced in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,678,259, 5,228,865, 5,254,010, 5,709,569, 5,772,471, 5,924,877, and Des. 415,106 presents the direct-screwed securement of the connector to the panel for enhancement of the retention. However, the manual pre-alignment among several different screwed holes defined on the connector assembly, the mating connector and the panel, and the usage of the external and separate screws easily causes the securement of the connector inconvenient and time-consuming.
A third type connector as introduced in U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,035 presents two lugs 8a, 8b for pre-alignment of the connector with the panel before being screwed thereto. However, it is anticipated that its corresponding mating connector must be a specific one additionally installed with two screws. Other common mating connectors without additional screws are not suitable for the third type connector. Also, the screws solely driven inside the mating connector are possibly lost in delivery because of the removability of the screws from the mating connector.

Panel mount electrical connector assembly


A door module has a water barrier for positioning between the interior surface of a vehicle door exterior panel and the door interior trim panel comprising a sheet of semi-rigid water impervious material having an inner face and an outer face. A permanent pressure sensitive adhesive bead is applied around the periphery of the inner face of the water barrier and is further defined as located inwardly of any openings for mounting the vehicle door exterior panel and the door interior trim panel together. The water barrier further comprises an access opening having a permanent welded hinged opening cover the opening cover having a permanently tacky re-sealable adhesive bead located around the periphery of the non-welded edges.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the formation of a modular trim panel and water shield. More particularly the present invention relates to the formation of a modular trim panel having a water shield which provides a re-sealable access port for the assembly and connection of various door components thorough the water shield and trim panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
A door for an automotive vehicle typically comprises an exterior panel which is formed of an outer, generally curved, exterior sheet of metal or plastic. The exterior panel conforms to the exterior surface of the body of the vehicle. An inner surface is formed on the panel by a metal sheet whose edges are peripherally secured to the outer sheet. The inner sheet, typically, is formed with a large central opening for access to a cavity provided between the sheets within the exterior door panel. A slot is formed at the upper edges of the two sheets for receiving a sheet of glass. The glass sheet may be lowered into the cavity between the sheets for opening the window, or it may be raised upwardly for closing the window. Alternatively, the glass by be immovably fixed in the window opening with only its lower portion extending downwardly towards the cavity.
Usually, various door components are positioned within the cavity. These components may include a window regulator mechanism for manually raising and lowering the window or, a powered mechanism for raising and lowering the window by an electrical motor and drive system, and locking mechanisms for the door, door handle components, side view mirror attachment and adjustment components, etc.
After the exterior door panel is assembled with its various internal components, it is common to cover its interior surface that is, the inner sheet exposed inner surface, with a trim panel. The trim panel usually is made of plastic sheet material that is of a size and shape to overlap and cover the interior surface of the exterior door panel. The trim panel may be formed of a thermoplastic material or a cloth type of material or a combination of both materials. Typically, the trim panel is molded or otherwise formed with a contoured or irregular surface that includes depressions, bosses, curved areas and other such surface irregularities. Such irregularities are commonly used for design or appearance purposes for receiving and accommodating door components. For example, door components such as interior lock controls, controls for operating a motor powered raising and lowering mechanism for the window, radio speakers and arm rests. Usually the peripheral edge of the trim panel is secured to the interior surface of the door panel by mechanical fasteners that can be disengaged so that the trim panel may be manually removed for providing access to the door components located with the cavity of the exterior door panel or located within the depressions or spaces formed in the trim panel.
When the door panel includes a moveable window which may be raised up or lowered, sealing strips or gaskets are typically used to seal against the window and prevent water, that is rain water, wash water, or melted snow, or ice from entering the slot within which the window is arranged. Such water would otherwise flow into the cavities or spaces in the exterior door panel or the trim panel. However, such seals or gaskets sometimes leak because of surface wear or irregularities caused by movements of the window glass or by weathering due to changes in temperature and in sunlight. To enable that water to escape from the door, it is common to provide drain holes at the lower edge of the exterior panel. However, it is also necessary to protect the trim panel, and the devices mounted on the trim panel, from water which enters into the door. Hence, it is common to provide a water barrier between the interior surface of the door panel and the trim panel outer surface which is adjacent to the door panel interior surface. The water barrier or water shield commonly is formed of a relatively thin flexible, water impervious plastic sheet which is cut to the size and shape necessary for covering the respective surfaces. Usually the sheet is adhered to one or both of the adjacent door panels or trim panels surfaces. Typically, pressure sensitive adhesive is applied upon the peripheral edge portions of the water shield sheet so that the sheet may be pressed against and, therefore, adhered to the interior surface of the door panel before the trim panel is applied over it and secured to the door panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,852 issued Jul. 2, 2002 to Koa et al. teaches a water shield that is part of a preassembled module comprising a water barrier, sound attenuating barrier and trim panel for mounting on the inner panel of a vehicle door. The water barrier film has a provision for opening a top portion for connecting door components during assembly and for repair.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,197,403 issued Mar. 6, 2001 to Brown et al. teaches a water barrier film to which is permanently bonded a compressible sound deadening foam having a pre-shaped surface for accepting door components. The barrier film being a compressible sound deadening foam created and bonded using injection molds specific to each door configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,882 issued Jun. 20, 2000 to Szerdahelyi et al teaches a rigid water impervious molded inner panel insert having the door components such as electric motors mounted on the dry side of the inner panel which is mounted to the inner panel of the door. A trim panel is then attached over the door inner panel and molded inner panel insert.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,002 issued May 18, 1999 to Emerling et al teaches a water barrier sheet that is installed with an adhesive bead around the water barrier sheet periphery after all the door components have been installed and connected.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,015 issued Nov. 18, 1997 to Patterson et al. teaches a water seal liner for a vehicle door formed with a plurality of pockets which are slit to provide access through the water seal liner for components needed to operate the door mechanisms. The pockets providing an awning-like surface over the openings to help prevent water migration through the water seal liner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,144 issued Dec. 17, 1996 to Hisano teaches an inner door panel molded of rigid water impermeable material and having mounting recesses for mounting equipment to operate the door components such as windows, door locks, audio speakers and wiring harnesses. The door trim panel is then mounted over the inner door panel which has been mounted to the inner door.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,343 issued Jan. 9, 1996 to Bradac teaches a flat plastic film water barrier having awning-like coverings over attachment holes where attachment means pass through for allowing the door and trim panel to be mounted together.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,627 issued May 13, 1986 to Isaksen et al teaches a flat plastic film water barrier using a permanently tacky adhesive material to mount the water barrier film onto an inner door panel.
The present invention provides advantages and alternatives over the prior art by providing a permanent adhesive seal between the water barrier and the trim panel while maintaining a re-sealable access opening for connecting door components through the water barrier. In addition, the water barrier and trim panel can be pre-fabricated as a module for mounting as a unit on a door panel.
The present invention in one preferred embodiment thus advantageously provides a water barrier and trim panel module for mounting on a vehicle door comprising: forming a water barrier of a sheet of water impervious material, with the sheet having an inner and outer face, to a size and shape, and having openings for connecting door components there through, to fit onto the door mating face of a trim panel, an access opening, and an access opening cover having a welded hinge along one edge for assembling the door components through the water barrier and the trim panel; providing a pressure sensitive permanent adhesive bead around the periphery of the water barrier inward of openings corresponding to mechanical fastener attachment means locations on the inner face of the water barrier, providing a pressure sensitive permanent adhesive bead around the periphery of the openings for passage of door components and door component connecting means through the water barrier and trim panel; providing a permanently tacky pressure sensitive adhesive bead around the non-welded hinge edges of the access opening cover for the sealing and unsealing of said access opening cover for assembly and repair of the door components and component connecting means; and pressing the water barrier against the exterior surface of the trim panel to engage the adhesive material on the water barrier periphery forming a water barrier and trim panel module for mounting on a door panel.
Another preferred embodiment thus advantageously provides a water barrier and trim panel module for mounting on a vehicle door comprising: forming a water barrier of a sheet of water impervious material, with the sheet having an inner and outer face, to a size and shape, and having openings for connecting door components there through, to fit onto the door mating face of a trim panel, and access opening, and an access opening cover having a welded hinge along one edge fro assembling the door components through the water barrier and the trim panel; providing a pressure sensitive permanent adhesive bead around the periphery of the openings for passage of door components and door component connecting means through the water barrier and trim panel; providing a permanently tacky pressure sensitive adhesive bead around the non-welded hinge edges of the access opening cover for the sealing and unsealing of said access opening cover for assembly and repair of the door components and component connecting means; providing a pressure sensitive permanent adhesive bead within a channel around the periphery of the exterior surface of the trim panel inward of openings corresponding to mechanical fastener attachment means locations; and pressing the water barrier against the exterior surface of the trim panel to engage the adhesive material on the exterior surface of the trim panel forming a water barrier and trim panel module for mounting on a door panel.


A method for generating a new set of MRI images of a region of a recipient in which an implanted medical device having magnetic properties is located. The method includes scanning a plurality of scan slices of the recipient with an MRI machine set at a first fat shift direction to generate a first set of MRI images and rescanning the plurality of scan slices with a fat shift direction different than the first fat shift direction to obtain a second set of MRI images. At least one of the MRI images of the first set and the second set including an artifact resulting from the implanted medical device. The method further includes comparing respective artifacts of the MRI images of the first and second sets, and selecting one of the compared MRI images based on the distortion to the respective MRI image created by the respective artifact.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and more particularly, to reducing distortion in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) images of a recipient caused by the presence of a implantable medical device in the recipient.
2. Related Art
Various implants can be implanted into a recipient to provide a medical benefit. Such implants may range from, on the one hand, passive devices such as screws that are utilized to adhere bones together to, on the other hand, active implants, such as, for example, hearing prostheses such as cochlear implants that perform an active function such as stimulating the cochlea of a recipient to enhance hearing. Other exemplary active devices include devices for regulating hormones or regulating cardiac activity.
A range of active implantable medical devices apply electrical energy to tissue of a recipient to stimulate that tissue. Examples of such implants include pacemakers, auditory brain stem implants (ABI), functional electrical stimulators and cochlear implants. Other implantable medical devices perform other functions such as monitoring various functions of the recipient's body such as glucose level, and others can be used to administer drugs internally.
A cochlear implant allows for electrical stimulating signals to be applied to the auditory nerve of a recipient, causing the brain to perceive a hearing sensation approximating the natural hearing sensation, thereby enhancing hearing. These stimulating signals may be applied by an array of electrodes implanted into the recipient's cochlea.
The electrode array is connected to a stimulator that generates the electrical signals for delivery to the electrode array. The stimulator in turn is operationally connected to a sound processor (which may be implanted in the recipient, or which may be located externally to the recipient, communication with the stimulator being via a transcutaneous inductance link) which is in signal communication with a microphone. The microphone receives audio signals from the environment. The sound processor processes these signals to generate control signals for the stimulator.
It is not uncommon for a recipient of an implantable medical device to undergo subsequent medical treatment or investigations related to the implantable medical device or the recipient's condition. Certain post-operative investigations utilize Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
MRI relies on the application of a strong magnetic field to a recipient's body to generate images of tissue and bone structure. The magnetic field aligns protons (hydrogen atoms) within the recipient's body. These atoms are then be excited into resonance by an applied RF field. When the RF field is removed, the atoms release energy as they exit their excited state. This release of energy is detected by a receiver and utilized to create an MRI image.
The presence of materials within the applied magnetic field which have a magnetic property may distort the magnetic field, causing artifacts in the resulting MRI image. Such artifacts may obscure features, resulting in misdiagnosis of the patients' conditions such as, for example, tumors, that are not able to be resolved in the image due to the distortion.
For example, a cochlear implant may contain a transformer which includes a small quantity of ferromagnetic material. Other materials such as the housing and/or the electronics of the stimulator/receiver of the cochlear implant have an adverse effect.
The human body has a magnetic permeability similar to that of water. Implantable medical devices such as cochlear implants typically have components with permeability different to that of water (e.g., transformer cores, housings, etc.). In the past, designers of implantable medical devices have attempted to address this problem by designing the medical device implant with a minimum of ferromagnetic materials. Alternatively, designers utilized additional components made from materials having low magnetic permeability to counterbalance components made from materials having high magnetic permeability. Some designs rely upon devices having ferromagnetic components that are removable through a minor medical procedure prior to undergoing an MRI scan.

MRI image distortion reduction for MRI images of a recipient having an implantable medical device


A safety and support garment that is worn by a user to assist the user in climbing a tree and then maintaining either a standing or sitting position in the tree. The garment includes a girdle with leg holes through which the user extends his or her legs and pulls the garment up around the waist. A rigid seat is secured to the girdle and is positioned around the user's lower back while the user is on the ground to provide lumbar support, and then is positioned to serve as a seat when the user is in a tree. In addition, ropes of adjustable lengths are attached to the girdle as support and safety ropes for encircling the tree while allowing the user to freely move completely around the tree. Suspenders or an additional harness may also be attached to the girdle for additional support and comfort.

The invention relates generally to situations where a user wishes to position himself or herself safely for an extended period of time in a tree or on another vertical support for a better view of the surrounding area. More particularly, the invention relates to a safety and support garment which allows the user to comfortably be positioned in a vertical position either in a sitting or standing position with the ability to easily move completely around the tree.
Hunters and photographers frequently want to be positioned above the ground so as to obtain a better view of the surrounding territory while being out of the view of wildlife that is being hunted or photographed. Climbing or platform tree stands are well known for assisting a person in maintaining a position in a tree above the ground with the hands free to operate a camera, use a bow and arrow, rifle, shotgun, etc. Although most of the known tree stands provide some support for the user, they do not provide any security from falling and they restrict the mobility of the user while in the tree. Moreover, they are bulky to carry and difficult to install. Also, climbing tree stands that are commercially available can only be used with branch-less, straight trees that are of a specific diameter. Known platform stands require the user to carry the stand up the tree and secure it to the tree in a selected spot. Both types of stands demand that the user have considerable strength and agility, and neither stand secures the user to the tree, the user is placed in a vulnerable and unsafe position. Moreover, being of metal, these known stands are noisy to carry and install making them not well suited for hunting because they will frighten the game being hunted. Whether hunting or photographing, it is necessary to have both hands free, and it also highly desirable to be able to move completely around the tree quickly, easily and safely. Moreover, hunters and photographers often wait extended periods of time for the wildlife to appear in the area. Comfort and fatigue therefore become a factor. In addition, any garment or device designed to assist the hunter or photographer preferably should be easy to use, quiet and not bulky, and be easily carried or worn while on the ground without restricting the mobility of the user who must sometimes walk long distances to get to the desired secluded area.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a garment that will provide support and safety while assisting the user in climbing a tree and maintaining a position in the tree over an extended period of time.
It is the further object of the invention to provide a safety and support garment that provides comfort and safety by securing the user to the tree while providing versatility so that the user can position himself or herself anywhere around the tree and move from one position to another quickly and easily.
It is another object of the invention to provide a support and safety garment that can be worn on the ground with comfort and without in any way restricting the mobility of the user.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a safety and support garment that when worn on the ground provides lumbar support to the user and provides a ready seat to the user to insulate the user from cold or wet ground, for example.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a support and safety garment that is easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and which has a long useable life.
These and other objects and features of the invention will become more evident from the detailed description and accompanying drawings which fully disclose all the features and uses for the invention.

Safety and support garment for use in tree stand


To realize high reliability and a long-term stabilized power supply (long lifetime) in the connection between a power supply terminal and a power supply land on a circuit board. A motor for generating vibration comprising a vibration generating mechanism having a rotating shaft attached with a weight, a housing case for accommodating at least a part of the aforementioned vibration generating mechanism, and a pair of power supply terminals protruding from the aforementioned housing for electrically connecting the power supply terminal to a power supply land by making the terminal elastically in contact with the power supply land of a power source side circuit board to be mounted in a housing of a portable apparatus and for supplying power to the aforementioned vibration generating mechanism, wherein each of a bending point and an action point of a movable portion of the power supply terminal movable in the direction in which the aforementioned power supply terminal contacts the aforementioned power supply land is arranged in a plane that includes a center of gravity of vibrational motion of the aforementioned motor for generating vibration and is almost perpendicular to the rotating axis of the aforementioned weight.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for generating vibration that is mainly mounted in a portable apparatus (including such electronic devices as a mobile phone, a PHS, a small wireless communications device, and other various portable information communications terminals) to perform a soundless alarm function, specifically to a power supply mechanism for a power supply land of a circuit board of a power source side in a housing of a portable apparatus and for the aforementioned motor for generating vibration held by the housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
A sudden incoming ring tone of a portable apparatus may sometimes disturb others in, for example, a quiet public space such as an art gallery and a concert hall with many people in a room for important commercial negotiations or conferences. Therefore, a wireless alarm function using a device for generating vibration to report an incoming signal with sensible vibration is mounted in various portable apparatuses.
The devices for generating vibration can mainly be classified into two types from the viewpoint of structures. One of these is a so-called motor for generating vibration using a small motor (hereafter briefly referred to as a vibration motor, as required), and the other is a multi-functional device equipped with both sound and buzzer functions of a speaker drive type in which a magnetic circuit section is reciprocated by low frequency signals (hereafter briefly referred to as a vibration actuator, as required).
In the case of the aforementioned vibration motor, a portable apparatus such as a mobile phone is vibrated by providing a rotating shaft driven by the motor with a weight having an eccentric center of gravity or with a deflecting member to utilize an unequal load due to centrifugal force caused by eccentric rotation of the weight etc. having an eccentric center of gravity during rotor operation. As such various portable apparatuses are used more popularly, the percentage of apparatuses equipped with such mechanism and frequency of using such mechanism are increasing day by day.
Similarly, the aforementioned vibration actuator equipped with both the vibration generating function of the magnetic circuit section by low frequency signals and the sounding function within a human voice range can realize highly efficient use of installation space because of adoption of a flat type multifunctional integral part and is more widely used corresponding to each application. Especially recent mobile phones and PHSs, which have become popular and of which the size is greatly reduced, are efficiently equipped with these two types of devices for generating vibration in their limited mounting spaces in the housings.
In these portable apparatuses, a power supply method from a power source (mainly circuit board) to a main unit of a device for generating vibration is improved day by day. For example, instead of a conventional connecting method such as using a soldered lead wire or a connector, a structure having a combination of an elastic pressing body and a leaf spring-like power supply terminal or a structure having a power supply terminal directly connected to a circuit board by soldering are newly examined.
For instance, a power supply terminal structure shown in FIG. 12 is conventionally used as a method in which the aforementioned vibration motor can be built into a main unit of a portable apparatus (hereafter briefly referred to as an apparatus main unit, as required) in relatively few man-hours for assembly and which enables a direct power supply from a circuit board to a motor main unit.
Power supply terminals 104 shown in FIG. 12 are arranged on a terminal block 105 on which an end of a housing case 103 of a vibration motor 101 having a weight 106 is to be mounted and comprises leaf springs, one end of each of which is soldered to the terminal at a connecting portion 104e and in which a part of each strip plate extending from the aforementioned terminal 105 to a contact portion 104d is bent at a bending portion 104b.
The contact portion 104d at a forward end of a movable portion 104c of the power supply terminal 104 is pressed onto a power supply land 55 of a circuit board 50 provided in the apparatus main unit by allowing the power supply terminal 104 to be elastically deformed at this bending portion 104b. In addition, there is a method in which an elastic spring body 130g is arranged between the power supply terminal 104 and a housing case 103 as a part of a holder 130 covering the aforementioned housing case 103 and is combined with a housing of the apparatus main unit to press the contact portion 104d of the power supply terminal 104 onto the power supply land 55 utilizing the interaction between the rubber elasticity of a convex section of the aforementioned elastic pressing body 130g and leaf spring elasticity of the aforementioned power supply terminal 104 as shown in FIG. 12 (B) The following references are examples of related art discussed above:
Japanese Patent Laid-Open publication number 2000-78790,
International Patent Publication number WO99/23801, and
Japanese Patent Laid-Open publication number 2001-95200.
Further, there is a power supply terminal structure having, for example, a coil spring-like portion that is made by winding a wire rod having spring elasticity as a power supply terminal structure similarly functioning as the aforementioned leaf spring terminal as shown in FIG. 15, although the shape is apparently different from the leaf spring terminals. The following reference is an example of related art discussed above:
Japanese Patent Laid-Open publication number 2002-44904.
Furthermore, a power supply terminal structure using a coil spring made by winding a wire rod having spring elasticity has conventionally been designed for vibration motors. The following reference is an example of related art discussed above:
Japanese Patent Laid-Open publication number 11-136327.

Namiki Seimitsu Houseki Kabuhsiki Kaisha


Relating to electronic components, the present disclosure provides a method for welding a gold-silicon eutectic chip, and a transistor. The method for welding a gold-silicon eutectic chip includes: electroplating a gold layer with a thickness smaller than or equal to 1 micron on surfaces of a chip carrier; bonding multiple gold protrusions on the gold layer in a welding region; and rubbing a chip in the welding region at a eutectic temperature to form a welding layer. The transistor includes a chip, a chip carrier, and a middle layer connecting the chip and the chip carrier, where the welding middle layer is a welding layer obtained by using the above welding method. The present disclosure reduces an amount of gold in use and lowers a cost of gold-silicon eutectic welding to a relatively large extent, and, accordingly, cuts down the cost of a transistor.

Generally, a physical connection between a chip of a power semiconductor and a chip carrier is implemented in a manner of gold-silicon eutectic welding. A specific implementation process is: as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a gold layer is first electroplated on surfaces of a metal-material chip carrier 21; a chip 23 with a silicon substrate is then rubbed in a welding region 22 on the chip carrier 21 at a temperature above a gold-silicon eutectic temperature (363 degrees Celsius (° C.)); a liquid gold-silicon alloy is formed after gold-silicon reaction; and a gold-silicon alloy layer 24 formed after the liquid gold-silicon alloy is cooled implements a physical connection between the chip 23 and the chip carrier 21.
However, in order to achieve a proper connection between the chip and the chip carrier, it is generally required that the gold layer plated on the chip carrier be at least 2.5 microns in thickness. Further, as is limited by electroplating techniques, the chip carrier usually can only be plated with gold as a whole. That is, all outer surfaces (including a top surface 211, a side surface 212, and a bottom surface 213, which are shown in FIG. 2) of the chip carrier are plated with gold simultaneously. For current electroplating techniques, it is hard to plate only one surface of the chip carrier with gold, or plate the welding region 22 partially with gold. However, an area of the welding region only accounts for a few percent of an area of all the outer surfaces of the chip carrier, and a gold plating cost is calculated based on a gold plating area (a sum of areas of six surfaces of a cube), and therefore a cost of the chip carrier is high. In addition, as the gold price keeps rising, the cost of the chip carrier will also keep rising. Therefore, a cost of applying gold-silicon eutectic welding to power electronic products will be higher and higher.
Therefore, it is necessary for those skilled in the art to provide a welding method, which further reduces the cost of gold-silicon eutectic welding on the premise of ensuring a proper connection between a chip and a chip carrier.

Method for welding gold-silicon eutectic chip, and transistor