The present invention relates to a method for operating a semiconductor memory apparatus, comprising: transmitting a command instruction, particularly a write instruction and/or a read instruction, to the semiconductor memory apparatus; transmitting a data signal to and/or from the semiconductor memory apparatus; and transmitting a data clock signal is transmitted for the purpose of latching the data signal; wherein the preamble (P), which is the number of clock cycles between the first edge of the data clock signal (WQDS) and the first bit (D0) of the data signal (DQ), can be set. The invention also relates to a semiconductor memory system comprising a semiconductor memory apparatus and a processor unit configured to perform the method.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for operating a semiconductor memory apparatus and to a semiconductor memory system.
2. Description of the Related Art
For the operation of semiconductor memory apparatuses, a predetermined latency is provided between the application of a write or read instruction and the actual transmission of the data bits. The latency indicates how many clock cycles after the application of the write or read instruction the actual transmission of the data bits takes place. The latency indicates the period of time (i.e. the number of clock cycles) between application of the command (write or read) and the transmission of the first data bit. In addition, a predetermined preamble is provided, which indicates how many clock cycles elapse between the first edge of a data clock signal and the first transmitted bit of the data signal.

Semiconductor memory system with a variable and settable preamble f


In metallocene complexes of a metal of transition group IV, V or VI of the Periodic Table, at least one substituted or unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl radical is bound to an element of group III of the Periodic Table which is in turn a constituent of a bridge between this cyclopentadienyl radical and the metal atom and bears an organonitrogen, organophosphorus or organosulfur group as sole further substituent.

The present invention relates to metallocene complexes of metals of transition group IV, V or VI of the Periodic Table, in which at least one substituted or unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl radical is bound to an element of group III of the Periodic Table which is in turn a constituent of a bridge between this cyclopentadienyl radical and the metal atom and bears an organonitrogen, organophosphorus or organosulfur group as sole further substituent.
Metallocene catalysts are gaining increasing importance in the polymerization of xcex1-olefins. Metallocene catalysts are particularly advantageous for the copolymerization of ethylene with higher xcex1-olefins since they result in particularly uniform incorporation of comonomer into the copolymer. Among metallocene catalysts, bridged metallocene complexes have attracted particular interest since they generally give a higher productivity than do the unbridged complexes, result in particularly good incorporation of comonomer and are also, for example, suitable for preparing highly isotactic polypropylene.
Bridge metallocene complexes in which the cyclopentadienyl radicals are joined by SiMe2 or C2H4 bridges have been known for a long time. Such metallocene compounds are described, for example, in EP-A-336 128.
Apart from metallocene complexes in which the cyclopentadienyl radicals are bridged via silicon or carbon atoms, bridged metallocenes in which one or more boron atoms perform the bridging function are also known. Thus, for example, boron-bridged metallocene complexes in which the boron atom bears an alkyl or aryl substituent are known (J. Organomet. Chem., 1997, 536-537, 361). However, the preparation of these metallocene complexes is very complicated; nothing is known about polymerizations using these complexes.
DE-19 539 650 likewise describes bridged metallocene complexes in which boron, inter alia, may be present as bridge member. The boron atoms having a bridging function may be substituted by various radicals such as alkyl, aryl, benzyl and halogens and also by alkoxy or hydroxy groups. Once again, nothing is known about the polymerization behavior of such metallocene complexes.
Organometallics, 1997, 16, 4546, describes boron-bridged metallocenes in which the bridging boron atom is substituted by a vinyl group and is additionally coordinated by a Lewis base. However, the yields in the synthesis of these complexes are very poor and the polymerization of ethylene proceeds unsatisfactorily and leads only to low molecular weight polymer.
EP-A-0 628 566 describes bridged metallocene complexes whose generic formula nominates carbon, silicon, tin, germanium, aluminum, nitrogen, phosphorus and also boron as bridging atoms and in which the bridging atoms may be substituted by many substituents among which the dialkylamino group is mentioned. However, metallocene complexes having an amino-substituted boron bridge are not explicitly mentioned at any point, nor are properties of such complexes described.
The boron-bridged metallocene complexes known from the prior art are mostly difficult to prepare and do not offer, of offer only to a very restricted extent, the opportunity of influencing the electronic conditions in the cyclopentadienyl groups by means of electron-donating substituents on the boron atom and thus making it possible to influence the catalytic activity of the complexes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide metallocene complexes which no longer have the disadvantages described, are simple to prepare and, in particular, offer the opportunity of influencing the electronic conditions on the cyclopentadienyl radicals.
We have found that this object is achieved by the metallocene complexes mentioned at the outset. Furthermore, we have found a process for preparing such metallocene complexes and the use of the metallocene complexes as catalyst components for the homopolymerization and copolymerization of C2-C10-xcex1-olefins.
As element of group III of the Periodic Table, particular mentioned may be made of boron and aluminum, with boron being particularly preferred.
Among the substituents which can act as the sole further substituent which occupies the third valence of the element of group III of the Periodic Table in addition to the bonds to a cyclopentadienyl radical and the other constituents of the bridge, particular mention may be made of organonitrogen, organophosphorus or organosulfur groups which, in addition to these heteroatoms, comprise up to 20 carbon atoms and up to 4 silicon atoms.
The metallocene complexes of the present invention may contain 1 or 2 cyclopentadienyl radicals. Preference is given to metallocene complexes of the formula I
where the variables have the following meanings:
M is a metal atom of transition group IV, V or VI of the Periodic Table,
D is an element of group III of the Periodic Table,
R1,R2,R3,R4 are each hydrogen, C1- to C10-alkyl, 5-7-membered cycloalkyl which may in turn bear a C1-C10-alkyl group as substituent, C6- to C15-aryl or arylalkyl, where two adjacent radicals R1 to R4 may also form 5-7-membered cyclic groups which may in turn bear C1-C10-alkyl groups or SiR63 groups as substituents or include further fused-on ring systems,
R5 is hydrogen, C1-C10-alkyl, C6-C15-aryl or -arylalkyl or C1-C10-trialkylsilyl,
R6 is C1-C4-alkyl,
m is the number of the transition group of the metal atom M minus 2,
n is 2 when X1 is nitrogen or phosphorus and is 1 when X1 is sulfur,
X1 is nitrogen, phosphorus or sulfur,
X2 is hydrogen, C1-C10-hydrocarbyl, N(C1-C15-hydrocarbyl)2 or halogen,
A is a radical
xe2x80x83or a radical which is coordinated to M via an oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen or phosphorus atom.
Suitable metal atoms M are, in particular, the elements of transition group IV of the Periodic Table, i.e. titanium, zirconium and hafnium, with titanium and zirconium being preferred and zirconium being particularly preferred.
The cyclopentadienyl groups in formula I may be substituted or unsubstituted. Among the substituted metallocene complexes, those which are substituted by C1-C4-alkyl groups display particularly advantageous properties. Possible alkyl substituents are, for example, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl and n-butyl. The cyclopentadienyl radicals can be monosubstituted or polysubstituted, with monosubstituted and disubstituted cyclopentadienyl radicals having been found to be particularly advantageous. Preference is also given to cyclopentadienyl radicals in which 2 adjacent radicals R1 to R4 are joined to form 5- to 7-membered cyclic groups. Examples which may be mentioned are cyclopentadienyl groups derived from indenyl, tetrahydroindenyl, benzindenyl or fluorenyl, with these ring systems in turn being able to be substituted by C1-C10-alkyl groups or by trialkylsilyl groups.
In the metallocene complexes of the present invention having 2 cyclopentadienyl units, the bridging atom of the element of group III of the Periodic Table is directly bound to these two cyclopentadienyl units.
Among these dicyclopentadienyl complexes, particular preference is given to metallocene complexes in which
A is a radical
In the case of monocyclopentadienyl complexes, on the other hand, the radical A is not a cyclopentadienyl radical but rather a radical which is coordinated to M via an oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen or phosphorus atom. Possible groups A are, in particular, the following atoms or groups: xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94NR9xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94PR9xe2x80x94 and uncharged 2-electron donor ligands such as xe2x80x94OR9, xe2x80x94SR9, xe2x80x94NR92 or xe2x80x94PR92. In these formulae, R9 is hydrogen or an alkyl, aryl, silyl, halogenated alkyl or halogenated aryl group having up to 10 carbon atoms. Particular preference is given to metallocene complexes in which A is a group
xe2x80x94ZR72xe2x80x94NR8xe2x80x94
in which
Z is silicon or carbon and
R7,R8 are hydrogen, silyl, alkyl, aryl or combinations of these radicals having up to 10 carbon or silicon atoms.
Examples of radicals R7 and R8 are, in particular, hydrogen, trimethylsilyl, methyl, tert-butyl and ethyl. Z is preferably a carbon atom.
In the metallocene complexes of the present invention, the bridging atom of the element of group III of the Periodic Table, which in itself has Lewis acid character, is substituted by a compound having Lewis base character. Due to its electron donor function, the Lewis base substituent influences the electronic conditions on the cyclopentadienyl radical and thus also the electronic environment of the metal atom. The Lewis base substituent can be bound to the bridging atom of the element of group III of the Periodic Table via a nitrogen, phosphorus or sulfur atom, with substituents having a nitrogen atom being particularly preferred. The atom X1 can bear either hydrogen, C1-C10-alkyl groups or C1-C10-trialkylsilyl groups. Suitable alkyl groups are, in particular, C1-C4-alkyl groups and very particularly methyl or ethyl groups.
The central atom M is substituted not only by the ligands mentioned but also by ligands X2. Suitable ligands X2 are, in particular, lower alkyl groups such as methyl and ethyl, but X2 is preferably halogen, particularly preferably chlorine.
The metallocene complexes of the present invention can be prepared in various ways. In the case of compounds having a bridging boron atom, for example, a method which has been found to be advantageous for preparing such metallocene complexes is to react a compound R5nX1xe2x80x94BY2 (II), where Y is halogen, with a compound
where Mxe2x80x2 is an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal, in the presence of a metal alkyl and then to allow the reaction product to react with an M halide compound and finally with an oxidant.
In formula (II), Y is preferably chlorine. The preparation of compounds of the formula (II) is described, for example, in Angew. Chem. 1964, 76, 499. The synthesis of the metallocene complexes of the present invention according to the above-described process is particularly simple and can be carried out in only one reaction vessel. The metal alkyl serves as deprotonating reagent; preference is given to using alkali metal alkyls or alkaline earth metal alkyls, in particular butyllithium. Suitable M halide compounds are, for example, titanium trichloride derivatives, particularly preferably titanium trichloride tris(THF) adduct. As oxidant in the final oxidation reaction, it is possible to use, for example, lead dichloride. After filtration of the reaction mixture, the metallocene complex can be isolated from the solution.
The metallocene complexes of the present invention can be used as catalyst components for the homopolymerization and copolymerization of C2-C10-xcex1-olefins. To carry out the polymerization, it is generally necessary to convert the metallocene complexes into a cationic complex by means of suitable compounds capable of forming metalloceniuim ions. Possible compounds capable of forming metallocenium ions are, for example, aluminoxanes, preferably ones having a degree of oligomerization of from 3 to 40, particularly preferably from 5 to 30.
Apart from aluminoxanes, further cation-forming compounds are, in particular, borane and borate compounds which are a noncoordinating anion or can be converted into such an anion and form an ion pair with the metallocenium complex. Suitable reagents of this type for activating the metallocene complexes are well known to those skilled in the art and are described, for example, in EP-B1-0468537.
Particularly for polymerizations in the gas phase and in suspension, it may be necessary to apply the metallocene complexes and possibly the activating reagents to support materials. Such support materials and methods of applying catalyst complexes to supports are well known to those skilled in the art. Suitable support materials are, in particular, inorganic oxides such as silica gel, aluminum oxide or magnesium salts.
The above-described catalyst systems make it possible to prepare polyolefins, in particular polymers of 1-alkenes. For the purposes of the present invention, these are homopolymers and copolymers of C2-C10-alk-1-enes, with preferred monomers being ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 1-pentene and 1-hexene. These catalyst systems are particularly useful for polymerizing ethylene with 1-butene or 1-hexene.
As polymerization processes, it is possible to employ all known processes, i.e., for example, gas-phase processes, suspension processes or polymerization processes in solution.
When used for the polymerization of ethylene and the copolymerization of ethylene with other xcex1-olefins, the metallocene complexes of the present invention display good polymerization activity and lead to polymers having a relatively high molecular weight. The following examples illustrate the invention.


This invention relates to methods for manufacturing large PTFE parts by compression molding followed by sintering. The method comprises layering modified and unmodified PTFE in a mold, and compressing the layers to form a preform part. Once the preform parts are formed, they are assembled such that the areas of preform parts which are to be bonded together are the modified PTFE sections. The parts are then sintered and the modified PTFE sections bond together creating a strong, durable, bond.

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document and its figures contain material subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing PTFE preform parts and finished articles. More particularly this invention relates to compression molding of granular PTFE followed by sintering to produce articles of a size and length not possible utilizing conventional PTFE molds or presses.
PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) is commonly used for industrial applications such as gaskets, fittings, valve bodies, diaphragms and other applications where a non-reactive or low friction surface is needed. It has a wide range of operating temperatures and is extremely chemical resistant.
Small PTFE parts are manufactured through a compression molding process by disposing granular PTFE in a mold and compressing it under pressure to fuse the particles together. A limitation to this process is the size requirements of the press. The presses are quite expensive and generally larger presses are even more expensive. In typical PTFE compaction a 3-1 compaction ratio is necessary to achieve the desired product. For small parts, such as a 12 inch long tube, a three foot press with a 5 foot clearance will suffice. However, if the desired part is 60 inches in length, a 15 foot press with a 25 foot clearance would be necessary. While 60 inch and larger parts are often needed, presses of this size are not readily available, if at all.
One method to circumvent the need for an unmanageably large press is to manufacture the large part in pieces and thermally fuse the pieces together. Unfortunately, this cannot be accomplished with standard PTFE. Standard PTFE cannot be thermally fused with any degree of success. The finished product would be brittle at the joints and would break apart easily.
A modified PTFE which is susceptible to thermal fusing could be used instead of conventional PTFE. In this process, individual pieces of modified PTFE are compression molded and then sintered together. However, modified PTFE will become more lubricious in the oven during sintering and become distorted and unable to finish to the dimensions required. Furthermore, a large article comprised of modified PTFE would not be able to hold up to its own weight during sintering and may collapse. Thus, a part comprised of modified PTFE will not maintain its shape in the oven, while an unmodified PTFE part will not fully bond and be brittle at the seams. Using either method has proven unpractical for manufacturing large seamless articles out of PTFE.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to have a method of manufacturing a PTFE containing part which can be made in segments and thermally fused together without losing desirable properties of the PTFE.
A first embodiment of the method of the present invention comprises, disposing a first layer of a modified PTFE resin into a mold cavity, exposing the first layer to a first pressure, disposing a second layer of an unmodified PTFE resin into the mold cavity, and exposing the first and second layers to a second pressure, such that the second pressure is higher than the first pressure.
In another embodiment of the present invention the method further comprises disposing a third layer of modified PTFE resin in the mold cavity and applying a third pressure wherein the third pressure is higher than the first pressure or the second pressure. Large articles may be formed by manufacturing more than one preform, assembling the preforms so that the first modified layer of one preform contacts the first or third modified layer of another platform, and sintering the assembly.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a PTFE article is presented comprising, manufacturing a PTFE preform by disposing a first layer of a modified PTFE resin into a mold cavity, exposing the first layer to a first pressure, disposing a second layer of an unmodified PTFE resin into the mold cavity, exposing the first and second layers to a second pressure, optionally disposing a third layer of modified PTFE resin into the mold cavity and exposing the first, second and third layers to a third pressure. Then placing the preform parts adjacent to one another such that the layer of modified resin of one part is contacting the layer of modified resin of the other part, and sintering the parts together form a single article.
A feature and advantage of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing articles of a size, length and shape that heretofore was not possible due to machinery limitations.
Another feature and advantage of the present invention is a method for producing large PTFE articles which are strong and seamless.
Another feature and advantage of the present invention is a method for bonding PTFE pieces without creating weak or brittle seams or joints.
Another feature and advantage of the present invention is a method for sintering PTFE pieces without loosing their shape during the sintering process.
Another feature and advantage of the present invention is a method for manufacturing large, net or near net PTFE articles.
These and other aspects of the subject invention and the method of using the same will become more readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings described herein below.

Method of manufacturing a PTFE preform using thermal fusion


The invention relates to a method of measuring the eccentricity of a waveguide embedded in a cylindrical connector pin. The optical center of the end face of the waveguide is introduced into the mechanical axis of rotation of a distance sensor scanning the outer surface of the connector pin. Subsequently, the eccentricity of the waveguide is determined from the measuring values obtained during the relative rotation of the distance sensor along the outer surface of the connector pin.

The invention relates to a method of measuring the eccentricity of a waveguide embedded in a cylindrical connector pin.
In waveguide connector pairs the end faces of waveguides to be coupled must be fixedly and centrically embedded in cylindrical connector pins. The optical axes of the coupled waveguides should preferably be in exact alignment (compare DE-AS 2,159,327 which corresponds substantially to U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,388 issued Apr. 2, 1974). Since the outer surface of the connector serves as a reference surface for aligning the connector pair, the eccentricity of, for example, a monomode waveguide should be less than 0.5 .mu.m if sufficiently small connector attenuations are to be achieved. An accuracy of at least 100 nm should be observed in inspection measurements. Relative to the diameter of the connector sleeve of approximately 1.25 mm, this is a relative accuracy of 8.times.10.sup.-5.
Known measuring method for measuring the eccentricity of the core of a waveguide relative to its outer cladding surface (for example as described in "Image Sharing Technique", "Fiber Optic Bulletin No. 10 of the Vickers Instruments, 1984") are not suitable for this purpose.
One object of the invention is to provide a measuring method of the type described in the opening paragraph i.e. a method for measuring the eccentricity of a waveguide embedded in a cylindrical connector pin, and to provide a suitable measuring device.
This object is achieved in a method wherein the optical center of the end face of the waveguide is introduced into the mechanical axis of rotation of a distance sensor scanning the outer surface of the connector pin and subsequently the eccentricity of the waveguide is determined form the measuring values obtained during the relative rotation of the distance sensors along the outer surface of the connector pin.
A condition for achieving the desired accuracy is that the relative rotation of the distance sensor about the circumference of the connector pin is effected by means of high-precision bearings. Commercially available shape measuring machines suitable for the purpose described in the present invention have rotational spindles whose eccentricity is less than 40 nm.
Mechanical feelers as well as optically operating devices of known types of suitable as distance sensors. Suitable devices of sufficient measuring accuracy in the nm range are commercially available.
According to the invention a multitude of values measured along the circumference of the connector pin is taken into account for determining the eccentricity of the waveguide so that irregularities of the connector surface do not invalidate the measuring value.
The optical center--generally the center of the end face of a waveguide core--should be introduced into the mechanical axis of rotation with great accuracy, namely with an offset of possibly less than 10 nm. This is preferably accomplished by means of optical adjusting methods in which the light passage between the waveguide arranged in the connector pin and a sensor waveguide arranged substantially coaxially thereto--or reversely--serves as a criterion for achieving the target position. Such adjusting methods are generally known for adjusting two waveguides to be connected.
Very sensitive methods of this type as described in DE-PS 2626243 are particularly suitable.
In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, opposite the end face of the connector pin, a light source or light receiver is arranged which rotates eccentrically around the mechanical axis of rotation, and the connector pin is moved into such a position that a minimum is reached for the fluctuating part of the light energy, which light energy is coupled by the light transmitter into the waveguide or by the waveguide into the light receiver, and which light energy fluctuates in dependence upon the angle of rotation.
However, in an especially preferred embodiment, opposite the end face of the waveguide arranged in the connector pin, a light transmitter or a light receiver is arranged fixedly and eccentrically relative to the mechanical axis of rotation and the connector pin, which is arranged on a mount rotatable about the mechanical axis of rotation, is aligned in such a way that a minimum is reached for the fluctuating part of the light energy coupled by the light transmitter into the waveguide or by the waveguide into the light receiver. This light energy fluctuates in dependence upon the angle of rotation when rotating said pin.
Preferably, the radiation from the light transmitter or to the light receiver is directed via a sensor waveguide to the waveguide arranged in the connector pin. The direction of receiving or transmitting light can then be fixed in a uniform manner, resulting in a narrow light beam.
A possible angle offset of the optical axis of the waveguide relative to the center line of the connector pin can be measured in hat the beam axis of the sensor waveguide is inclined relative to the mechanical axis of rotation and in that the direction of the axis of the connector pin is positioned in such an angle relative to the mechanical axis of rotation that a minimum value is reached for the part of the coupled-in light energy which is dependent on the angle of rotation.
Since in general both the eccentricity and also the angle offset of the waveguide must be measured, it is preferred to move the connector pin axially parallel to the mechanical axis of rotation until a minimum is reached for the part of the coupled in light energy which is dependent on the angle of rotation and to subsequently move the angle position of the connector pin relative to the mechanical axis of rotation while maintaining the position of its end face, preferably, this is accomplished in such a way that substantially the value "zero" is reached for the part of the coupled-in light energy which is dependent on the angle of rotation.
Preferred arrangements for performing the method according to the invention comprise a mount that is rotatable about a mechanical axis of rotation and devices by which a distance sensor scanning the outer surface of the connector pin is rotatable about the mechanical axis of rotation relative to the connector pin. In such arrangements, preferably the connector pin is clamped in a mount arranged on a rotary table which is rotatable about the mechanical axis of rotation and is axially parallel movable relative thereto. Preferably, a sensor waveguide is fixedly connected to the bearing housing of the rotatory table in such a way that its optical axis is eccentric relative to the mechanical axis of rotation of the rotary table and the distance sensor is secured to the bearing housing. In this preferred arrangement also preferably the axis of the sensor waveguide is inclined relative to the mechanical axis of rotation and means are provided for changing the angle of the axial direction of the connector pin.
An alternative method which is particularly suitable for test measurements is characterized in that the connector pin is rotated around its geometrical central axis; a sensor waveguide is arranged substantially axially parallel opposite the end face of the waveguide to be measured, such that its optical axis is offset relative to the mechanical axis of rotation of the connector pin; and the fluctuation amplitude of the light energy coupled by the waveguide to be measured into the sensor waveguide, or conversely, is measured.

Method of measuring the eccentricity of a waveguide embedded in a cylindrical connector pin


A radar system includes: a processing device arranged to generate a plurality of phase shifting digital signals; a plurality of transmitting devices for generating an RF beam according to the plurality of phase shifting digital signals during a first mode; a plurality of first receiving devices for generating a plurality of first digital signals according to a plurality of first incoming signals, respectively, during a second mode; and a plurality of second receiving devices for generating a plurality of second digital signals according to a plurality of second incoming signals, respectively, during the second mode. The processing device is further arranged to distinguish a first object and a second object when the RF beam hits the first object and the second object, and the first object and the second object have a same radial speed and are located at a same range.

A radar system is developed for determining the range, angle, or velocity of objects by emitting radio waves and receiving the returned echo. The radar system may be controlled to mechanically rotate to scan for a wide-angle area. The mechanical rotating radar system may require large amounts of power in order to respond rapidly enough to deal with large numbers of targets. The mechanical errors and failures associated with mechanically scanned antennas is another disadvantages of the mechanical rotating radar system. Moreover, with the mechanical rotating systems, the radar system inevitably occupies a large installing area. Therefore, providing a novel radar system to solve the above mentioned problems is highly desirable in this field.

Radar system and related method of scanning remote objects


Herein is disclosed a multichip reference logging system comprising a control circuit, configured to generate a reference signal; a first chip, configured to generate a first operations log, the first chip further comprising a first reference circuit, configured to receive the reference signal and to create a first reference event in response to the received reference signal; a memory associated with the first chip, configured to store the first reference event within the first operations log; a second chip, configured to generate a second operations log, the second chip further comprising a second reference circuit, configured to receive the reference signal and to create a second reference event in response to the received reference signal; and a memory associated with the second chip, configured to store the second reference event within the second operations log.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems ("ADAS") are systems to automate or improve portions of the driving experience. It is known to create redundant and independent ADAS systems within a motor vehicle. These ADAS systems may be controlled and/or monitored by a security controller. Where one of the independent ADAS systems generates an error, the security controller may reach certain corresponding security decisions.
To understand and improve the ADAS systems, it is necessary to collect and analyze processor operation tracing information from the redundant and independent ADAS chips for debugging on a tracing host. Debugging requires correlation of traces from redundant systems. Because each system has its own oscillator with an individual start up time, individual frequencies, and/or temperature, the systems are not synchronous, and therefore it can be difficult to correlate the tracing entries for debugging.

Multichip reference logging synchronization


Novel methods of electronically modulating magnetic fields are described. The basic principle of the instant invention is based on the well known Meissner Effect. A superconducting element is placed within a magnetic field whose strength is much less than the critical field of the superconductor. The field flux is excluded out of the superconducting medium. When the superconductor is now forced into its mixed or normal phase by external means, the magnetic field around it is modified and thus modulation of that field near the superconductor surface is possible. Three distinct methods of modulating magnetic fields on the surfaces of superconductors are detailed and some applications disclosed.

Magnetic fields are generally the result of either an electrical current flowing in a wire or emanate from a permanently or intermittently (an electromagnet) magnetized magnet. In both cases the morphology of the field is fixed, and only in fields that are generated by a current including electromagnets) can the intensity of the field be modulated.
If it is necessary to modulate a magnetic field, including its topology, one can revert in the current art to the mechanical rearrangement of existing field bearing devices, a cumbersome and limiting technique. Thus the concept of electronically modulating magnetic fields and their topology has remained foreign to the prior art.
The subject of the instant invention are devices that facilitate morphological and intensity modulation of magnetic fields by essentially electronic means.
I have found that it is possible to regulate magnetic fields without resorting to mechanical manipulation of fixed magnetic field forming devices by using superconducting elements that can be driven in and out of their superconducting phases either completely or partially (namely driven into the mixed state).
I have further developed a variety of devices in which the heart of the device is a superconducting element that can be switched in and out of the superconducting phase, with the result that a fixed magnetic field in which the said superconducting element is placed, is modulated at will, at least in the immediate vicinity of said element, by the modulation of the superconducting element magnetization.
I have also established that, as a rule, the use of a flat superconducting element is preferred, and that certain applications require the modulation of magnetic fields on such flat surfaces.

Electronic modulation of magnetic fields


An ink jet recording method includes discharging a first ink composition onto a recording medium using a recording head, in which the first ink composition includes a coloring material, an alkane diol with 4 or more to 8 or fewer carbon atoms, a water-soluble solvent, and water; the recording head discharges the first ink composition using a piezoelectric element, and has a resolution per unit length of 200 dpi or more, and the recording medium has an absorbing layer on the surface thereof, in which a nonpolar component of a surface free energy of the absorbing layer is 20 mN/m or lower.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording method and a recorded matter.
2. Related Art
There is demand for an ink with a low viscosity in ink jet methods in which ink is discharged as minute droplets. On the other hand, because it is necessary to prevent bleeding of the ink on a recording medium, an ink jet ink that includes a penetrant is used (for example, refer to JP-A-2001-187850).
However, in the recording method used in the related art, it is difficult to form an image at high speeds while sufficiently preventing bleeding of the ink depending on the type of medium.

Ink jet recording method and recorded matter


The present invention provides a compound represented by formula (I):

It has been made clear in the past that the male hormone androgen plays an important role in prostate cancer, benign prostatic hypertrophy, male pattern baldness, sexual precociousness, common acne, seborrhea and hypertrichosis. For example, it is known that persons who have been castrated and persons suffering from sexual gland failure almost never develop prostate cancer or benign prostatic hypertrophy.
For example, cyproterone acetate, chlormadinone acetate, flutamide, bicalutamide and the like are used as anti-androgen agents, i.e., androgen receptor antagonists. These anti-androgen agents show an effect in many cases such as drug therapy in prostate cancer, and constitute important treatment drugs in this area. Furthermore, it is known that cyproterone acetate suppresses the occurrence of baldness and the progression of acne in teenagers. Furthermore, in females, cyproterone acetate is used in the treatment of androgenization and hair loss. Flutamide and bicalutamide are used as prostate cancer treatment agents.
However, as problems encountered in these anti-androgen agents, it is known that even if the anti-androgen agents are effective, the disease recurs in almost all cases in two to five years, and in such cases, androgen resistance appears.
Furthermore, it has been reported that hydroxyflutamide, which is the active form of flutamide, causes an increase in androgen receptor transcription activity at a concentration of 10 μmol/L. Moreover, the hydroxyflutamide concentration in the blood in prostate cancer patients treated with flutamide is several μmol/L. However, it has been reported that this concentration reaches a concentration at which hydroxyflutamide shows an agonist effect (see Non-patent Document 1).
Furthermore, it has been reported that there is an increase in the weight of the prostate gland when cyproterone acetate and chlormadinone acetate are continuously administered to castrated rats for two weeks (see Non-patent Document 2). Moreover, in regard to flutamide and bicalutamide, there are also reports of side effects such as liver toxicity and the like. Accordingly, there is a demand for an anti-androgen agent which has a sufficient antagonistic effect, and in which these problems have been solved.
Meanwhile, the compounds represented by the following formula described in Japanese Patent Application No. 4-308579 A (Patent Document 1) and the corresponding European Patent Application No 494819 A (Patent Document 2) are known as phenylimidazolidines that show anti-androgen activity.
[Formula 1]

Furthermore, the compounds represented by the following formula described in Japanese Patent Application No. 10-510845 A (Patent Document 3) and the corresponding International Patent Publication WO 97/00071 (Patent Document 4) are known as substituted phenylimidazolidines that show anti-androgen activity.
[Formula 2]

However, the compounds likewise do not constitute means for solving the problems of existing anti-androgen agents.
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application No. 4-308579 A
[Patent Document 2]
European Patent Application No 494819 A
[Patent Document 3]
Japanese Patent Application No. 10-510845 A
[Patent Document 4]
International Patent Publication WO 97/00071
[Non-Patent Document 1]
J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 270, pp. 19998-20003, 1995
[Non-Patent Document 2]
Journal of the Endocrine Society of Japan, Vol. 66, pp. 597-606, 1990

Abstract: [Formula 1]

Abstract: wherein n is an integer selected from 1 to 20, and R1 and R2, which may be the same or different, each represent a hydrogen atom, or a linear or branched C1-C6 alkyl group, or a salt, a prodrug or a solvate thereof, as well as a drug, a pharmaceutical composition containing the compound, and the like.


A Log-Likelihood Ratio (LLR) combining method and apparatus for Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) in a wireless communication system for reducing a number of the LLR bits of previous packet stored for LLR combining are provided. The LLR combining apparatus includes an LLR combiner for combining a first LLR of a currently received packet and a second LLR of a previously received packet, an LLR buffer for storing the second LLR and a first packet exponent for recovering the second LLR in the same size as the first LLR, and an HARQ controller for determining whether the currently received packet is a retransmission packet or an initial transmission packet, and for controlling the LLR combiner to generate a third LLR by combining the first and second LLRs for the retransmission packet and to bypass the initial transmission packet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communications. More particularly, the present invention relates to a Log-Likelihood Ratio (LLR) combining method and apparatus for Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) in a wireless communication system for reducing a number of LLR bits of a previous packet stored for LLR combining.
2. Description of the Related Art
Next generation communication systems support new technologies to secure high quality and high speed communication. A wireless communication system has a high link error rate and limited resources for error correction as compared to its wire link counterpart. Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) is a technique that improves link performance in a resource-constrained wireless communication environment.
The HARQ technique is an error control technique that combines Automatic Repeat Request as an error control technique on a data link layer and channel coding as another error control technique on a physical layer. The HARQ technique reduces a number of retransmissions, thereby increasing system throughput and transmission efficiency. Typically, the HARQ technique is effective when the channel condition is time-varying and thus a modulation scheme of a transmitter is not adaptive to the channel condition.
Two types of HARQ techniques are Chase Combining and Incremental Redundancy. In Chase Combining, the decoder combines the retransmitted packets with an original packet erroneously transmitted in a previous transmission. In Incremental Redundancy, additional redundant information is transmitted in each retransmission to increase a channel coding gain. When retransmission is requested by the receiver the decoder combines previously stored data with retransmitted data before decoding, thereby improving decoding performance. With the application of the HARQ technique, a number of retransmission requests of the receiver decreases, resulting in improvement of the link efficiency.
Therefore, a need exists for an LLR combining method and apparatus for HARQ in a wireless communication system with improved transmission signal estimation and resource utilization.

LLR combining method and apparatus for HARQ in wireless communication system


A shackle element, a method of making a shackle element, a hook and a rod connector. The shackle element (18) is used for fastening a hook (12), or respectively a rod connector, on a fixation rod (10). The shackle element (18) forms a groove with a lateral opening for inserting the fixation rod (10). The groove is delimited by a groove bottom (18.1) and two lateral walls (18.2, 18.3). After mounting the groove bottom (18.1) encloses the fixation rod (10) over an angle of 180xc2x0 plus a partial angle. The lateral walls are arranged under a small angle; their distance increases with growing distance from the groove bottom so that the lateral opening is large enough for introducing the rod. The lateral walls are intended to be pushed together by means of a screw device (20.1, 20.2) for clamping the fixation rod (10). The groove bottom (18.1) encloses the fixation rod (10) over an angle of 180xc2x0 plus a partial angle. The hook (12) has the shackle element (18) and a hook element (16), which grips a laterally extending portion (1) of a spine of a patient underneath or from above. The rod connector (32) has the shackle element (18) and a clamping device (34) for a transverse rod (10.1), which is oriented transversely in respect to the fixation rod (10). The hook (12) and the rod connector (32), along with fixation rods (10) and transverse rods (10.1), are employed as parts of internal orthopedic fixation devices.

The invention relates to a shackle element, to a method for making a shackle element, a hook with a shackle element and a rode connector with a shackle element.
Hooks and rod connectors are employed in orthopedic medicine for patients who, for example because of spondylosis, temporarily or permanently require an internal fixation device. Within the framework of the present specification, the term hook is intended to include all such hooks, for example pedicle hooks, lamina hooks, lumbar hooks and transversal hooks, wherein the latter are employed as safety hooks, for example for pedicle hooks. By means of internal fixation device it is attempted for the patient to be free of symptoms, even though it must be accepted that his mobility is restricted. In general, one fixation rod per side of the body and essentially extending in the direction of the spine is provided, wherein each fixation rod is equipped with at least two hooks. The two fixation rods are coupled with each other by approximately horizontally extending transverse rods, which are also identified as transverse connectors, wherein respectively one rod connector is used for the mutual connection of the fixation rod and transverse rod.
The hook has an actual hook element, which from the back grips a laterally extending portion of the spine from underneath or above, and a shackle element produced integrally with the hook element, which is used for receiving and fastening the fixation rod.
The rod connectors have a clamping device for fastening on the transverse rod, and a shackle element for clamping the fixation rod, wherein the clamping device for the transverse rod can be designed the same as or differently from the shackle element for the fixation rod.
The shackle element which is essentially designed the same for the hook and the rod connector, forms a groove extending in the direction of the fixation rod, having a groove bottom and two laterally connected lateral walls. When affixing the internal fixation device the process is such, for example, that the required hooks per body side are attached, then the fixation rod with the rod connectors is introduced laterally into the groove formed by the shackle element, thereafter the transverse rods are attached and fixed in place, and finally the hooks and rod connectors are definitely fixed in place on the fixation rod.
A perfect mutual connection between the hooks, or respectively the rod connectors, and the fixation rod is of decisive importance for the perfect functioning of such an internal fixation device. This connection cannot be permitted to become loose either by the effects of heat or by mechanical stresses, and the creation of abrasion particles must be prevented.
In connection with a known hook, the shackle element is designed in such a way that a screw is screwed into a lateral wall of the groove which is embodied to be flat, because of which the front of the screw bolt is pressed on the fixation rod, so that the fixation rod is squeezed, or respectively clamped, between the screw bolt and the opposite lateral wall. It is obvious that such fastening is unsatisfactory. On the one hand, the fixation rod can be displaced comparatively easily along the flat lateral wall transversely in respect to its longitudinal axis and, on the other hand, a very high pressure is exerted at the place of the practically only point-like contact between the screw bolt and the fixation rod, which favors the creation of abrasion particles.
In connection with another known hook, whose shackle element corresponds to that of the prior art mentioned at the outset, this shackle element forms a groove with a groove bottom which is semicircular in cross section and which continues on both sides into lateral walls which are parallel to each other. Here, too, fastening is provided by a screw acting on the surface of the fixation rod. The extension of the longitudinal axis of the screw does not lead radially through the respective cross section of the fixation rod, but in the direction of a secant of this cross section, namely in the area of the half of the cross section not in contact with the groove bottom. An improvement in comparison with the first described known hook is achieved, because a displacement of the fixation rod transversely to its longitudinal direction is prevented by means of the screw, which in respect to the fixation rod is eccentrically arranged. But, as already mentioned, in connection with this hook fastening of the fixation rod in the fastening element is also provided by means of a screw whose front is pressed directly on the fixation rod, which can lead to the creation of abrasion particles.
In summary, it can be stated that no shackle elements for hooks and rod connectors are known which are designed in such a way that a connection, which is perfect in every way, with the fixation rod is assured.
It is therefore the object of the invention to
improve the shackle element of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that the mentioned disadvantages are avoided,
propose a method for making the shackle element;
propose an improved hook and
propose an improved rod connector.
These objects are attained in accordance with the invention by the features of the independent claims. Dependent claims define preferred embodiments of the shackle element, of the method for making the shackle element, and of the of the hook.
The novel shackle element is embodied in such a way that it forms a groove, whose groove bottom in cross section not only extends along an arc with an angle of 180xc2x0 but also along an additional narrow partial angle, so that the fixation rod is enclosed by the groove bottom over more than half its circumference. When making the shackle element, the two lateral walls adjacent the groove in general are first parallel, whereby the distance between them is less than the diameter of the fixation rod. Then the walls are spread apart from each other, so that there is a small angle between them and their minimum distance at the place where they meet the groove is slightly larger than the diameter of the rod. This allows for easy transverse mounting of the rod. Then the clamping of the fixation rod in the shackle element by means of the screw device takes place by squeezing the two lateral walls of the groove again towards each other. As a result a displacement of the fixation rod transversely in respect to its axis is prevented by the novel shape of the groove, and the force exerted during the clamping of the fixation rod acts along a considerable surface, so that large point-like stresses which might lead to fissures are avoided.
As already mentioned the shackle element may be constructed such that the distance of the lateral walls from each other is slightly less than the diameter of the groove, or respectively of the fixation rod, so that the lateral walls directly follow the opening of the groove bottom. However, it would also be possible to select the distance of the lateral walls from each other corresponding to the diameter of the groove bottom, or respectively of the fixation rod, wherein the lateral walls then would start at a lesser distance from the opening of the groove bottom.
The screw device is preferably designed in such a way that the one of the lateral walls of the groove has an interior screw thread, and the other of the lateral walls of the groove has a through bore. For clamping the two lateral walls together, a cap screw or a screw bolt with a nut is screwed through the through bore into the interior screw thread.
Two requirements must be considered when determining the screw-in depth, or respectively the number of the screwed-in screw turns: on the one hand, the shackle element should have the lowest possible volume in order to minimize muscle problems for the patients, on the other hand, a certain screw-in depth must be provided in order to achieve a sufficient rigidity of the screw connection. It has therefore been found to be advantageous to design the lateral wall with the interior screw thread thicker in the direction of the longitudinal thread axis than the lateral wall provided with the through bore.
In order to secure the screw connection also without the use of an additional securing element, the exterior surface of the lateral wall provided with the through bore, against which the screw cap of the cap screw or the nut rest in the assembled state, can have one, or possibly several small protrusions, which are compressed when the screw connection is tightened and therefore exert a resilient counter-pressure on the screw cap or the nut, so that the screw connection is secure against being loosened.
It was shown to be advantageous, in particular as an aid in assembly, to fix the distance of the longitudinal thread axis from the center of the circle, which can be drawn in the groove bottom, or respectively from the longitudinal axis of the fixation rod, in such a way, that it corresponds to the sum of the radii of the mentioned circle which can be drawn in, and of the screw bolt, the latter preferably being without threads in this area. Because of this the fixation rods acts as a guide for the screw while it is being screwed in, and in the assembled state the screw bolt rests against the fixation rod.
Besides a shackle element in accordance with the invention, the hook of the invention has an actual hook element, which is intended to extend underneath or over an essentially laterally extending portion of the spine of a patient.
In accordance with the use of the hook, the actual hook element is designed in such a way, that the hook is a pedicle, lamina, lumbar or transversal hook, and embodiments of all hooks which can be used on the right side as well as on the left side are produced in straight as well as in angled variants.
Besides a shackle element in accordance with the invention, the rod connector of the invention has a clamping device for a transverse rod.
The hook, or respectively the rod connector, is intended to be used, together with a fixation rod on which it is fastened by means of the screw device, as a portion of an internal orthopedic fixation device, wherein the lateral walls of the shackle element, whose distance from each other generally is slightly less than the diameter of the fixation rod, are spread apart by plastic deformation prior to inserting the fixation rod, preferably already when the hook is made
Then, in the course of tightening the screw device, the lateral walls are elastically, and possible also plastically deformed.
For the purpose of preventing tension elements, all components of the internal fixation device, i.e. the hooks, the screw device and the fixation rod, are preferably made of the identical material, wherein titanium-niobium alloys have been shown to be particularly advantageous.
Further properties and advantages of the invention will be extensively described by means of exemplary embodiments, making reference to the drawings.

Shackle element for clamping a fixation rod, a method for making a shackle element, a hook with a shackle element and a rode connector with a shackle element


A system for performing graphics processing is disclosed. A dependency graph comprising interconnected nodes is accessed. Each node has output attributes and the dependency graph receives input attributes. A first list is accessed, which includes a dirty status for each dirty output attribute of the dependency graph. A second list is accessed, which associates one of the input attributes with output attributes that are affected by the one input attribute. A third list is accessed, which associates one of the output attributes with output attributes that affect the one output attribute. An evaluation request for a requested output attribute is received. A set of output attributes are selected for evaluation based on being specified in the first list as dirty and being specified in the third list as associated with the requested output attribute. The set of output attributes are evaluated.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to computer-generated animation and, more specifically, to optimizing the evaluation of a dependency graph for computer-generated animation.
2. Related Art
Media productions typically use dependency graphs to render, animate, or otherwise describe a scene in an animation. The dependency graphs can include a system of interconnected nodes that perform computations on input data, such as input attributes, and produce output data, such as output attributes. A node may have multiple input attributes and multiple output attributes, as well as other attributes.
As media productions create more realistic animations, the complexity and the number of nodes in the dependency graphs used to support these animations also increase. As a result, the time and computational resources required to evaluate these dependency graphs also typically increase. Accordingly, there is a need to optimize the evaluation of dependency graphs.


A Thermal Luminescence Water Monitor system and method for real-time remote sensing and identification of chemical and biological materials (CBMs) in a liquid source, comprising an irradiation component having a microwave radiation source tuned to water""s vibration-rotation exciting energy, a glass cell for holding a liquid sample contained within a sealed chamber for its irradiation and concomitant liberation of thermal luminescence, a spectrometer analysis component for collecting and processing thermal luminescence emissions, a neural network component for filtering thermal luminescence difference-spectra components and pattern recognition of predetermined CBMs to determine their presence in the liquid source.

The invention concerns a remote sensing system and method for identification of chemical and biological materials dissolved in liquids that uses microwave radiation to stimulate thermal luminescence of contaminants to develop a fingerprint absorption profile of these contaminants.
This invention relates to a system for remotely sensing and identifying contaminants in liquids, by using microwave irradiation to stimulate thermal luminescence of contaminants and a combination of spectroscopy and neural network technologies to classify their fingerprint spectra.
Liquid quality analysis systems and methods for identification of contaminants are well known. For example, detection and classification of chemical impurities in a water source are required by most municipal, industrial, and military operations. Accurate real-time detection and classification of hazardous pollutants in waste water discharges and water supplies are necessary for timely mitigation of hazards by any combination of process modification, purification, or rejection of its use or consumption, e.g., when the presence of a particular contaminant is known, specific remedial measures may then be implemented.
One technique for measuring volatile substances in liquids is the xe2x80x9cpurge and trapxe2x80x9d method. In this technique organics are captured by passing the output of a sparging (bubbling) of an inert gas through a sample volume of the liquid being tested through a trap. This can be a lengthy process, especially if a gas chromatograph is used to measure the various concentrations of contaminants. Gas chromatography is also a maintenance-intensive technique. Doyle, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,194, describe a sparging-infrared (IR) liquid analyzing system which overcomes these drawbacks but still requires that a mechanism be provided for an inert gas to be bubbled through a sample volume of the liquid being analyzed and a condenser be provided between the sparging vessel and the IR gas cell to reduce water vapor interference with measurements. Their approach is complex.
Another sparging technique, developed by the Du Pont Corporation, sprays a water sample through a volume of inert gas. This approach requires collecting and recirculating the sprayed sample through the spraying process step until all the gas is saturated and consequently implementations of the technique perform in less than real-time. Further, this technique does not address the overlap of water vapor absorption bands with contaminant absorption bands and therefore cannot be used to detect many solutes, although it met Du Pont""s needs.
Such liquid quality analysis systems and devices are not completely satisfactory and, in practice, are complex to operate and maintain, do not provide remote, real-time contamination identification, and can be inapplicable to a large number of possible solutes.
The present Applicants have devised, embodied, and tested this invention to overcome these shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain further advantages.
The present invention achieves a system and method that provide ongoing remote sampling and analysis of liquid quality in real-time, directly from the liquid source and that accurately identifies chemical and biological materials (CBMs) dissolved in the liquid.
In addition, the present invention achieves a system and method that are accurate and reliable for specific expected contaminants.
The present invention provides a real-time pseudo-active remote sensing system and associated method that learn the features of expected contaminants of liquid sources to be monitored by using a neural network that incorporates the features of these specific anticipated contaminants in advance of monitoring activities. The neural network is then used to match the features of detected contaminants with the features already learned.
In a particular embodiment, called a Thermal Luminescence Water Monitor or TLWM, a water-solute sample is drawn and held in a cell structure designed with an infrared transmission window. The cell structure is coupled to a magnetron or klystron source for generating an energetic microwave beam. Analysis to identify dissolved materials, such as chemical agents and other hazardous organic compounds, is accomplished using this cell structure and the method of the present invention, in which microwave light irradiates the liquid-solute sample along the length of the cylindrical glass cell through the cell wall. The water-solute media rises in temperature during this microwave irradiation, due to absorption of the microwave energy, while concomitantly emitting increasing levels of thermal luminescence through the cell""s infrared window to a sensor. The TLWM and method are pseudo-active technology in that the external microwave radiation source that heats the water sample is itself required to be outside the bandwidth of the sensor""s photosensitive detector element.
More particularly, when the liquid being monitored is water, the TLWM and method embodiment of the present invention irradiates the water-solute contained in the sample cell with microwave energy of about 2.45 GHz, with 2.45 GHz being preferred. This frequency is the intense water molecular vibration-rotation absorption line, which excites the water molecules into a strong vibration-rotation state. The microwave source can be operated in pulsed or continuous-wave modes. This coupling of microwave energy into the water molecule is partly converted into heat energy. The manifestation of thermal emissions emitted by the heated sample in the 700-1400 cmxe2x88x921 middle infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrumis the detection principal of the TLWM and method. This middle infrared region of emissions is the fingerprint region where most organic contaminants of interest possess unique spectra. It is also the detection bandwidth of the system and method of the present invention.
In an exemplary embodiment of the system and method of the present invention, a Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer is employed as a sensor device which is positioned to intercept the thermal luminescence emitted from the glass cell and to direct the thermal luminescence flux to a Michelson interferometer as its scanning component. That is, the FT-IR spectrometer collects the concomitant broad middle infrared emissions given off by the irradiated sample and then focuses it onto a photoconductive chip where the radiant thermal luminescent light is converted to interferogram temporal voltage waveforms that represent summed constructive and destructive frequencies of the collected thermal luminescence light. The interferogram is subsequently transformed, by a fast Fourier Transform operation, into an infrared Graybody spectrum that resembles a Gaussian-like profile.
Contiguous sets of these Graybody spectra are grouped as the liquid-solute sample rises in temperature, due to absorption of the irradiating microwave beam. The adjacent spectra collected when the heating rate is maximum, i.e., when             ∂                                   2                        T                    ∂              t        2              =  0
where
T=temperature of the sample
t=microwave irradiation time
are isolated, subtracted, and pre-processed by computer algorithms for submission to a neural network.
Pluralities of interferograms/spectra are acquired/pre-processed in this manner during a period of microwave irradiation. The system and method of the present invention thus measure a thermal luminescence difference-spectrum during an irradiation interval associated with a peak heating rate (or state of maximum thermal luminescence flux) and analyze the resulting spectral information to identify contaminants through their fingerprint absorption profiles. For this analysis, the system and method of one embodiment of the present invention employ a neural network to perform pattern recognition on the spectra of thermal luminescence collected by the sensor device. The neural network employed acts as a filter, i.e., it is trained to recognize spectral patterns of any-of-N contaminants or their hydrolysis (water sample) or/photo-fragmented products in the sensor""s processed spectra outputs.
Once the neural network filter of this embodiment has matched a specific spectral pattern of absorption bands in the middle infrared region optical bandwidth of the sensor, the associated contaminant is identified.
Those skilled in the practice of FT-IR spectroscopy typically search for a structure of a particular molecular species by interrogating specific absorption bands correlating vibrational modes of atom groups comprising the molecular compound. The precise location (energy or frequency) and strength (amplitude) of the fundamental bands, i.e., the collective vibrations of primary atom groups, is often referred to as the fingerprint spectrum of the compound.
Using the present invention, thermal luminescence difference-spectra given off by a liquid sample are measured during an irradiation interval associated with a peak heating rate (or a state of maximum thermal luminescence flux). From these difference-spectra measurements, the absorption bands of the solute and the molecular identification of the contaminants in the sample are correlated. This is the detection technique employed by the system and method of the present invention, i.e., to radiometrically detect the molecular fingerprint spectra of contaminants in solution or to expose the absorption band features of the contaminant or its solute products carried in the thermal luminescence flux released from the liquid sample. If the contaminant compound hydrolyzes or photo-fragments when subjected to the microwave energy, the spectral search in thermal luminescence is conducted for the contaminant""s associated fragmented and/or hydrolyzed product molecules. If the contaminant is inert, the spectral search is done on the intact contaminant molecular spectrum.
The system and method according to the invention allow attainment of the following advantages:
to reduce complexity of liquid quality analysis systems and methods;
to remotely sense liquid quality in real-time; and
to increase accuracy of identification of contaminants.
This leads to improvements in the responsiveness and maintainability of the systems themselves resulting in improved liquid quality analyses which, in turn, leads to improvements in the timeliness and appropriateness of detection and response to liquid contamination. Overall the level of liquid quality is enhanced by the improvements flowing from the current invention.

Thermal luminescence liquid monitoring system and method

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


The invention relates to a method and a system for regenerating a failed storage node from one or more storage nodes storing an original file and also reconstructing the said original file. The method involves encoding the file segments using a XOR operation, decoding the encoded file segment using the XOR operation and regenerating the failed node by using the storage nodes which are in active position. The regenerated file segments are further written to a new storage node.

In today's world the techniques have become advance in terms of storing data by proposing different models for storing a large amount of data efficiently and economically. In a traditional network storage system, lots of data storage devices are present which includes hard drives, memory card etc. While storing data, reliability is a major concern in large distributed systems. Although replication is the simplest way of achieving reliability, coding based techniques are also been used.
Many such methods and systems for regeneration of failed nodes storing data have been proposed. One such method and system (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/326,880) relates to a technology in which data blocks are coded into erasure coded blocks in a two-staged, two-level processing operation. In a first processing stage, original blocks are coded into a first level of output data blocks including one or more parity blocks. In the second stage, the first level blocks are partitioned into groups, and these groups are used to generate a second level of parity blocks. The blocks are maintained among a plurality of storage nodes. Recovery of a failed block is accomplished by accessing only the other data blocks associated with the failed data block's coding group. Although, the technique is capable of regenerating the failed node but it involves additional computational complexity. Also the systematic repair is possible but it is difficult to achieve the exact repair for the redundant nodes.
Therefore, there is need for a system and method to provide an exact regeneration of the storage node by using a few operations which results in reduced computational complexity.

System and method for exact regeneration of a failed node in a distributed storage system


The present disclosure describes antenna mounts. An antenna mount may include a base, a main pole coupled to or integral with the base and extending upwardly from the base, a cross-support pole coupled to a top end of the main pole and oriented perpendicular relative to the main pole, and at least one mounting pole coupled to or integral with the cross-support pole and extending upwardly from the cross-support pole. Each mounting pole may be configured to secure an antenna to the antenna mount. The antenna mount may be configured to be installed and stand adjacent to or flush against an exterior wall of a building and carry the load weight of the antennas to and through the base of the antenna mount to a ground surface and away from the exterior wall of the building. Antenna mount assemblies are also provided.

Currently, different types of 5G small cell antennas 10, 10′, 10″ may be mounted on the exterior wall of a building 12 (see, e.g., FIGS. 1A-1C). However, the exterior wall may not always be able to support the weight load of the antenna(s) 10, 10′, 10″ because the construction material (i.e., stucco, faux brick, paneling, granite, hollow walls, etc.) cannot provide the support needed. This requires an installer to penetrate into a structural member within the wall or penetrate through both walls of the exterior to properly support the load of the antenna 10, 10′, 10″, which can increase installation costs and can result in damage to the exterior wall. Other roadblocks during installation may arise, such as obtaining public right-of-way permits and/or facing leasing issues prohibiting penetration into the exterior of a building 12.


An object is to provide a disc-molding mold which can increase the degree of transfer of a pattern of a stamper to thereby improve quality of molded products, as well as a molded product and a molding machine. In the vicinity of the outer peripheral edges of first and second disc-shaped members, the cooling capacity of the medium flow passage of the stamper-side disc-shaped member is made lower than the cooling capacity of the medium flow passage of the non-stamper-side disc-shaped member. On the stamper side, the quantity of heat radiated from the outer peripheral edge of the stamper-side disc-shaped member to the outside of the disc-molding mold can be reduced, whereby over-cooling of the stamper-side disc-shaped member can be prevented. As a result, a local deterioration in the degree of transfer, which would otherwise occur in the vicinity of the outer peripheral edge of the cavity space (C), can be prevented, and thus the degree of transfer of the fine pattern can be improved over the entire cavity space (C) As a result, quality of molded products can be improved.

Conventionally, in a molding machine, such as an injection molding machine, for molding a product such as a disc substrate, resin melted within a heating cylinder is charged into a cavity space in a disc-molding mold, and is then cooled and hardened in the cavity space so as to obtain a disc substrate.
For such a molding process, the above-mentioned injection molding machine includes the disc-molding mold consisting of a stationary mold assembly and a movable mold assembly; an injection apparatus for charging resin into a cavity space; and a mold clamp apparatus for bringing the movable mold assembly into contact with the stationary mold assembly and separating the movable mold assembly from the stationary mold assembly. The mold clamp apparatus is operated so as to advance and retract the movable mold assembly to thereby close, clamp, and open the disc-molding mold. When the mold is clamped, a cavity space is formed between a mirror-surface disc of the stationary mold assembly and a mirror-surface disc of the movable mold assembly.
The injection apparatus includes a heating cylinder; an injection nozzle attached to a front end of the heating cylinder; and a screw disposed in the heating cylinder so that the screw can rotate and can advance and retract.
In a metering step, the screw is rotated, whereby resin is melted and accumulated in front of the screw, and the screw is retracted accordingly. During this period, the disc-molding mold is closed and clamped. Subsequently, in an injection step, the screw is advanced, whereby the resin accumulated in front of the screw is injected from the injection nozzle and charged into the cavity space. In a cooling step, the resin in the cavity space is cooled, and hole punching is performed, whereby a disc substrate is completed. Subsequently, the mold is opened, and the disc substrate is removed.
A stamper is attached to the stationary mirror-surface disc. Upon charging of the resin into the cavity space, a fine pattern of pits formed on the stamper is transferred to the resin, whereby an uneven surface is formed as an information surface of the disc substrate.
Meanwhile, a sprue is formed in a stationary-side sprue bush, and a front end of the sprue forms a gate serving as an inlet for resin to be charged into the cavity space. Resin passes through the sprue and the gate, and enters the cavity space, where the resin flows radially outward.
Therefore, a temperature gradient is formed in the cavity space, whereby the temperature of resin increases toward the gate and decreases toward the outer peripheral edge. As a result, the degree of transfer of the pattern of the stamper increases toward the gate and decreases toward the outer peripheral edge.
In view of the above, in the stationary mirror-surface disc, the distance between a medium flow passage for temperature control and a surface of the mirror-surface disc increases from the gate toward the outer peripheral edge, whereby a gradient is imparted to the cooling capacity of the temperature control in such a manner that the cooling capacity increases toward the gate and decreases toward the outer peripheral edge, whereby generation of a temperature gradient within the cavity space is suppressed.
However, in the conventional disc-molding mold, generation of a temperature gradient within the cavity space is suppressed; however, since the outer peripheral edge portion of the cavity space is located in the vicinity of the peripheral edge of the disc-molding mold, a large quantity of heat is radiated therefrom to the outside of the disc-molding mold, whereby the outer peripheral edge portion of the cavity space is cooled excessively.
As a result, the degree of transfer locally decreases in the vicinity of the outer peripheral edge of the cavity space, and quality of disc substrates is deteriorated.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems in the conventional disc-molding mold and to provide a disc-molding mold which can increase the degree of transfer of a pattern of a stamper to thereby improve quality of molded products, as well as a molded product and a molding machine.

Disc-molding mold, molded product, molding machine and disk-shaped member


In a variable lift valve operating system for an internal combustion engine, an actuator for rotatably driving a control shaft of a variable lift mechanism is mounted on an engine body. The actuator includes an electric motor, a deceleration mechanism, a transmission mechanism interposed between the control shaft and the deceleration mechanism, and a default mechanism. A deceleration mechanism accommodation part for accommodating the deceleration mechanism and a default mechanism accommodation part for accommodating the default mechanism are formed in a casing of the actuator so as to sandwich therebetween a thermally vulnerable part which is directly connected to the control shaft. Therefore, it is possible to enhance the degree of freedom of amounting position of the actuator while heat damage is prevented from generating in the thermally vulnerable part of the actuator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a variable lift valve operating system for an internal combustion engine comprising: an engine valve; a variable lift mechanism capable of changing a lift amount of the engine valve; and an actuator which is mounted on an engine body to rotatably drive a control shaft of the variable lift mechanism and which includes: an electric motor; a deceleration mechanism which decelerates output of the electric motor; a transmission mechanism interposed between the control shaft and the deceleration mechanism; and a default mechanism capable of rotatably biasing the control shaft to a position where a lift amount of the engine valve becomes a predetermined lift amount when the electric motor is not energized.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-42642 discloses an engine valve system, in which an actuator mounted on an engine body so as to drive a control shaft includes an electric motor, a screw shaft rotatably driven by the electric motor, and a nut that is connected to one end portion of a lever whose other end portion is fixed to the control shaft and that is threadedly fitted onto the screw shaft.
It is desirable that some of the components of the actuator of such a variable lift operating system be made of a synthetic resin for reduction in weight and friction, and that sensors whose characteristics change in accordance with the ambient temperature be mounted to the actuator, but the synthetic resin components and the sensors are vulnerable to heat. Meanwhile, since the actuator is mounted on the engine body, the actuator is exposed to rearward-blowing wind of a radiator or radiation heat from an exhaust system of the internal combustion engine depending on the mounting position of the actuator to the engine main body, so that the degree of freedom of the mounting position of the actuator using the thermally vulnerable parts is lowered.

Variable lift valve operating system for internal combustion engine


Provided is a test module that tests a device under test, comprising a pattern generating section that generates a test pattern supplied to the device under test and an expected value pattern corresponding to the test pattern, based on a pattern program; an output pattern acquiring section that acquires an output pattern output by the device under test in response to the test pattern; a comparing section that compares the output pattern output and the expected value pattern; a fail counter that counts the number of times the comparing section indicates a mismatch between the output pattern and the expected value pattern; and a control section that controls operation of the fail counter according to control instructions in the pattern program.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a test module and a test method. In particular, the present invention relates to a test module and a test method that can read, at high-speed, the number of fails accumulated for each channel and measured at any intervals.
2. Related Art
Patent Document 1, for example, describes a test apparatus that can decrease testing time for a memory under test that has a repair block for every region. This test apparatus includes a pattern generator that generates a test pattern or the like to be supplied to the memory under test; a logic comparator that compares (i) an output signal output from the memory under test in response to the test pattern to (ii) an expected value signal, and outputs fail data if the output signal does not match the expected value signal; and a plurality of fail counters that count the pieces of fail data for the output signal from the memory under test.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-012253
A conventional test apparatus includes a plurality of fail counters for counting the number of fails, as described above. However, the fail counts by the fail counters are acquired in a pattern burst containing a plurality of continuous test patterns and the values of the fail counters are read after the pattern burst is finished, thereby obtaining the number of fails in this pattern burst. Accordingly, in order to obtain the number of fails in each test pattern, the data in a fail memory that records the presence of fails in time sequence is used. For example, the number of fails in a certain test pattern can be obtained by reading the data from the fail memory corresponding to this test pattern and processing the read data using a data processing apparatus operating according to software. Since the reading and processing of the fail data happens after the testing, the overall testing time is increased.
Furthermore, when calculating the error rate for each test pattern, it is necessary to know the number of patterns undergoing logic comparison. If the data stored in the fail memory is processed after the testing to calculate the error rate, it is necessary to store all of the data of the logic comparisons in the fail memory, thereby increasing the capacity needed for the fail memory. In other words, the sampling intervals of the logic comparisons depend on the capacity of the fail memory, resulting in long sampling intervals if the fail memory has low capacity.

Test module and a test method for reading a number of fails for a device under test (DUT)


A multi-cylinder 2 cycle engine having n cylinders has fuel injected and ignited at (n-1).times.360/n crank angle intervals. This induces the situation wherein combustions occur in each cylinder at n-1 cycle intervals. This provides at least one piston stroke for each cylinder during in which no combustion takes place and fresh air is pumped through the combustion chamber in a manner to scavenge residual combustion gases therefrom.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a two stroke engine and more specifically to a load responsive fuel supply control arrangement for a multi-cylinder two stroke engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
JU-A-64-11337 discloses a two cycle engine wherein all of the cylinders are used during high load operation and during low speed/low load modes of operation fuel supply to a selected number of cylinders is cut-off.
During the mode of operation wherein a number of cylinders are deactivated, the blow down effect induced by the exhausting of the combustion gases the amount of fresh air which is inducted into the active cylinders is increased as compared with the amount which is inducted into the deactivated cylinders. Due to this increase in fresh air induction, the amount of fuel which is injected also increases. Accordingly, the ignition and combustion characteristics tend to be maintained.
Further, as a number of cylinders are deactivated the amount of torque which is produced by the engine tends to be reduced. As a result, the throttle valve opening degree is increased and the amount of fresh air which inducted into the active cylinders and the amount of residual combustion gas which tends to be retained in said cylinders tends to be reduced. Accordingly, reliable ignition and stable low load engine operation is achieved.
However, with this type of arrangement, at the time the deactivated cylinders are re-activated, the change to full cylinder operation induces a sudden marked increase in engine torque. Further, during the partial cylinder mode, as the active cylinders are each supplied with fuel every two cycles of the engine, combustion gasses tends not to be adequately exhausted from the combustion chambers and results in the deterioration of the combustion process.

Control arrangement for multi-cylinder two cycle engine


There are provided firstly a fuel cap which irrespective of its type has a structure that there is no transpiration of gasoline vapor until the cap is fully open and secondly particularly a bayonet-type fuel cap which has a structure that there is no eruption of fuel under a pressure difference between a internal pressure of the tank and atmospheric pressure. In each case the fuel cap consists of a closure 3 fitting into the opening of a filler neck 4 and a handle 2 integral with the closure 3, and an upper seal ring 10 and a lower seal ring 1 for sealing the filler neck 4 are each fitted individually to the closure 3 positionally apart from the other.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fuel cap, for closing the opening of a filler neck connected to a fuel tank of automobiles, consists of a closure fitting into the opening of a filler neck and a handle integral with this closure.
2. Prior Art
To close the opening of a filler neck connected to a fuel tank of automobiles, a fuel cap is attached to the opening of a filler neck. The basic purpose of this fuel cap is to be removable easily as necessary for refilling while preventing what fuel of the tank leak out through the filler neck. Because of a seal ring is often used, to block any gaps between the fuel cap and the inner wall of the filler neck and thus to close the filler neck completely when the fuel cap is closed. Normally, a fuel cap comprises of a closure fitting into the opening of a filler neck and a handle integral with this closure, and a seal ring is applied to the closure.
Fuel caps are to be classified roughly in bayonet-type and screw-type. With a bayonet-type fuel cap, the closure is disengaged from the filler neck by the handle being turned through approximately 90xc2x0; thus opening and closing are easy. With a screw-type fuel cap, on the other hand, the handle is rotated through more than 360xc2x0 to unscrew the closure from the filler neck, and an ample sealing effect with respect to leaking out of fuel is obtained when the cap is closed.
In recent years, the view over environmental pollution becomes severe, and reductions of which not only in exhaust gas but also in gasoline vapor transpiring into the atmosphere from fuel (gasoline) have been demanded. On this viewpoint, the opening time of a fuel cap (from the beginning of opening to the fully opened) or the closing time (from the beginning of closing to the fully closed) are regarded as problems. For instance, in the case of the screw-type fuel cap, improvements to the problem of that, because the closing time and opening time are both long, the time for which gasoline vapor is allowed to transpire is to be longer, have been required.
On the other hand, with a bayonet-type fuel cap, it is favorable that the closing time and the opening time are both shorter than a screw-type fuel cap by reason of the turning range of the closure is narrow. However, by reason of the turning range of the closure is narrow, there is in apprehension of opening that the closure turns in reverse under the impact of an accident, and the sealing effect is deteriorative when lateral load impressed compared to a screw-type fuel cap. In addition, the advantage of easy opening and closing includes problem of that is possible to erupt fuel under a differential pressure between the internal pressure of the tank and atmospheric pressure. These shortcomings of bayonet-type fuel cap are good reasons for drawing that screw-type cap has been seen more often in the market in recent years.
A number of technologies for solving or ameliorating this problem associated with bayonet-type fuel cap has been proposed. Such proposals are found in, for example, the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,480,055 and 5,794,806. In these, to prevent opening of the closure even under the impact of an accident, the turning range of the closure is set over 90xc2x0 to 360xc2x0 (normally 180xc2x0), and the handle idles to the closure within a range of fixed angle (about 90xc2x0) as from the beginning of opening (the idling range is called xe2x80x98lost motionxe2x80x99). However, the problem of which is possible to erupt fuel under a differential pressure between the internal pressure of the tank and atmospheric pressure has not been solved.
Accordingly, the present inventors conducted an investigation to find a structure, firstly, of which is not to transpire gasoline vapor while the fuel cap is opening, and secondly, a structure with a bayonet-type fuel cap, of which is not to erupt fuel under a differential pressure between the internal pressure of the tank and atmospheric pressure. In other words, the points of what should be achieved on a fuel cap are; (1) in the case of a screw-type fuel cap, the structure of which prevent to transpire gasoline vapor until the cap is fully opened while utilizing advantage of high sealing effect, and which is to secure a sealing effect even when the closure turns under an accidental impact; and (2) in the case of a bayonet-type fuel cap, the structure of which is to prevent eruption of fuel caused by a differential pressure between inside and outside of the tank and which is to secure a sealing effect even when the closure turns under an accidental impact; and furthermore, (3) the structure of which is to raise sealing effect when the fuel cap is closed and to reduce or prevent transpiration of gasoline vapor as normal state.
The present invention provides a fuel cap, for closing the opening of a filler neck connected to a fuel tank of automobiles, consists of a closure fitting into the opening of a filler neck and a handle integral with the closure, and mounts the upper and the lower seal rings individually on the closure at positionally apart from the other. The focus of the present invention is to raise sealing effect, and by using a plurality of seal rings, it is achieved to reduce or prevent gasoline vapor transpiring through the seal rings (rubbers).
The upper seal ring and the lower seal ring provide unequal sealing effects; the upper seal ring provides a high sealing effect when the fuel cap is closed as well as a seal ring used in prior arts, and the lower seal ring have a structure (cross-sectional shape) and a positional relationship to a filler neck in order to secure a sealing effect while opening or closing of a fuel cap.
As a structure (cross-sectional shape) for contributing to secure a sealing effect, the lower seal ring whose working differs from a seal ring used in prior arts, is to be a cross-sectional shape which consists of a ring base part fitted to the closure; an umbrella-shaped part provided extending with downward pitch from the ring base part toward the inner wall of the filler neck; and an elastic support part, provided at the edge of the umbrella-shaped part, for pressing against the inner wall of the filler neck. In other words, the cross-sectional shape of the lower seal ring consists of an added lip part provided extending with downward pitch from the elastic support part toward the closure. Moreover, the lower seal ring, to obtain a positional relationship to the filler neck properly, is provided by pressure welding to the contact surface which is formed as a substantially vertical cylindrical side face with a concentric and a substantially same diameter as the lower seal ring on the inside of the filler neck, at range scale of from the fully closed position up to when the closure is completely pulled out so as to be removed from the filler neck. For example, in the case of closing a fuel cap by screwing the closure into the filler neck, the contact surface is formed as a substantially vertical cylindrical side face with a concentric and a substantially same diameter as internal threads on the inside of the filler neck; due to the lower seal ring is force to pass through the internal thread of which is formed inside of the filler neck.
This lower seal ring provides a sealing effect with pressure welding of the elastic support part to the inner wall of the filler neck, i.e. the contact surface. Besides, (a) there is no deterioration in sealing effect with pressure welding of the elastic support part to the inner wall of the filler neck when the closure leans under impact from outside. Even if the elastic support part were to detach from the inner wall of the filler neck, the portion of pressure welding to the inner wall of the filler neck is settled between the elastic support part and the lip part. Moreover, the passage of gasoline vapor and fuel is physically blocked as well as sealing effect; even (b) when an internal pressure of the tank greater than atmospheric pressure acts from the inside, or (c) when fuel almost erupts under the internal pressure of the tank, the pressure of gasoline vapor or fuel pushes open the umbrella-shaped part from below, and the portion of pressure welding to the inner wall of the filler neck is settled between the elastic support part and the lip part. The lower seal ring is also available as being a check-valve.
In the case of that the present invention is applied to a screw-type fuel cap, the structure of the upper seal ring and the lower seal ring mounts individually on the closure at positionally apart from the other so that the upper seal ring is ordered unsealing state after the beginning of which the closure is rotated, the lower ring is ordered unsealing state on the verge of the closure is deviated from the opening of a filler neck. In the case of that the present invention is applied to a bayonet-type fuel cap, the structure of the upper seal ring and the lower seal ring mounts individually on the closure at positionally apart from the other so that the upper seal ring is ordered unsealing state after the beginning of which the closure is rotated, the lower ring is ordered unsealing state on the verge of the closure is deviated from the opening of a filler neck. In a screw-type fuel cap, the outer diameter is assignable by which the lower seal ring comprises the outer diameter passing through the internal thread on the inner wall of the filler neck wherein screwing the external thread on the closure, and also comprises the outer diameter pressing contact with the inner wall of the filler neck below the internal thread.
Of course, the invention is also applicable to a bayonet-type fuel cap (of an improved type) wherein there is no lost motion in the closing direction but a predetermined angle of lost motion within the turning range in the opening direction, thereby, the issue of fuel erupting under internal pressure of the tank is resolvable. In this bayonet-type fuel cap, the outer diameter of the lower seal ring is assignable by which the lower seal ring comprises the outer diameter passing through the engagement ring on the inner wall of the filler neck wherein engaging the engagement projection on the closure, and also comprises the outer diameter pressing contact with the inner wall of the filler neck below the engagement ring.
The lower seal ring is favorable to conform to these outer diameter conditions and to be the cross-sectional shape consisting of a ring base part, an umbrella-shaped part, an elastic support part and a lip part as mentioned above, and to set an optimum detached locational relationship to the upper seal ring by the relationship of contact surface which is formed in the filler neck.