Methods of operating a robot comprised of a plurality of modules during reconfiguration, rearrangement to provide a support structure and internal manipulation, each module made of a cubic shape with six faces, each face including an arm for expansion and contraction with another module.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to systems and methods for controlling a self-reconfigurable robot.
2. Description of Related Art
Modular self-reconfigurable robots are a relatively new concept. A modular self-reconfigurable robot includes a plurality of identical modules that can attach and detach from one another to change the overall topology of the robot. Each module is a self-contained unit with its own processing, sensing and actuation systems. A modular self-reconfigurable robot can dynamically adapt its shape to suit the needs of the task at hand by manipulating the individual modules to individually move each module to a desired position. Such shapes are unlikely to be as effective for particular tasks as special purpose tools. However, a modular self-reconfigurable robot can respond to a wide range of tasks and unpredictable environments.
As indicated above, each module is identical. Thus, any individual module is no more critical than any other module. If any particular module breaks down, that module can easily be replaced by another module. Furthermore, because the modules are identical, manufacturing costs can be reduced through mass production.
However, modular, self-reconfigurable robots that are formed by a plurality of modules pose several interesting control challenges. Self-reconfiguration, or how to change shape automatically, is a new and thus little-researched problem. Decentralized control is a useful approach to this problem due to the large number of modules in a typical modular, self-reconfigurable robot and because each module is a self-contained unit with its own processing, sensing and actuation. Thus, distributed multi-agent control is particularly relevant.
The problem of self-reconfiguration is unique to metamorphic robots, i.e., robots which can change their shape according to a particular task. Ideally, reconfiguration should occur in a minimum number of steps to reduce the time for reconfiguration and to simplify the structure. Such an optimal solution to reconfiguration involves searching the space of all possible reconfiguration sequences for the optimal reconfiguration sequence. The amount of robot reconfigurations varies according to all of the possible arrangements for a set of connected modules, which grows exponentially with the number of modules. Therefore, for modular, self-reconfigurable robots with hundreds of modules or more, the number of possible reconfigurations thus increases the difficulty in finding the optimal solution.
A number of algorithms can be used to find near-optimal solutions for different modular, self-reconfigurable robot systems. These methods require determining and defining, before reconfiguration, a precise specification of the desired location of all the modules, a desired shape, and an identification of all the motions for the modules according to some criteria, such as minimizing the number of moves or the power consumption. However, in many practical applications, defining an exact target shape may not be suitable or even possible. Thus, such algorithms cannot be used when the nature of the environment or task is uncertain, for example, when grasping an object of unknown size or shape.
The invention provides a self-reconfigurable robot with a plurality of modules used to create a structure required to achieve a task.
This invention separately provides a self-reconfigurable robot having a plurality of modules where control of the modules can be expressed largely in terms of the local environment.
This invention separately provides systems and method where, for each module, agent-based control is used to achieve a suitable shape without needing to precisely specify the exact position of each module.
This invention separately provides a self-reconfigurable robot where agent-based architectures are well suited for decomposing control problems based on different physical characteristics at different scales.
This invention separately provides a self-reconfigurable robot where any stable structure that exhibits the desired properties is satisfactory, with no regard for the optimality of the result or for the resulting geometry.
In various exemplary embodiments, the systems and methods according to this invention provides a self-reconfigurable robot which comprises a plurality of modules. Each module is cubic in shape with each of the faces including an arm for expansion and contraction with another module and for communication with the another module.
In various exemplary embodiments, to control the plurality of modules in creating a snake configuration, a module is randomly chosen to emit a first scent along an axis of configuration and a second scent in a direction perpendicular to the axis, wherein the modules along the axis remain along the axis and propagate the second scent in the direction perpendicular to the axis and the other modules are controlled by the second scent to move toward the axis.
In various exemplary embodiments, to control the plurality of modules in creating a support structure, when a module receives a force greater than a predetermined value, the module sends a first scent along an axis, a second scent in a perpendicular direction from the axis, and thereafter forms a rigid support. The other modules then form a rigid support upon receipt of the first scent and propagate the second scent in the direction perpendicular to the axis while modules in receipt of the second scent expand toward the second scent.
In various exemplary embodiments, to internally manipulate an object within a plurality of module, a module in the direction of movement moves toward the module and the modules not in the direction of movement are moved away from the object, wherein the modules are moved into contact with the object and away from the object until the object is at a final location.
These and other features and advantages of this invention are described and are apparent from the detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according to this invention.


A process for silver coating superconducting ceramic powder by. (1) coating the superconducting ceramic powder particles with AgNO.sub.3 ; PA0 (2) melting the AgNO.sub.3 so that it wets and forms a uniform coating over the surfaces of the particles; and PA0 (3) decomposing the AgNO.sub.3 to form a thin, uniform coating of silver metal on the surfaces of the particles.. The product is a loose powder of the superconducting ceramic particles which are uniformly coated with silver metal. The powder can be cold worked (e.g., swaged, forged, etc.) to form superconducting structures such as rods or wires.

This invention relates to metal/ceramic composites and more particularly to silver metal-coated superconducting ceramic powders.
Since the advent of the new generation high Tc (.about.77.degree. K.) ceramic superconducting materials, prodigious efforts have been expended to fabricate same into usable wire form.
The relative metallurgical intractability of these ceramic compounds has been described as follows:
______________________________________ ". . . They are reactive, unstable, brittle, unable to support any significant stress; unable to be formed and reprocessed, and not easily joined. The powder form of the compound used as the raw material for the fabrication process is itself not easily produced with consistency." "There is a great deal of uncertainty about compositions and structures which superconduct (and remain superconducting after processing), but clearly, in the new materials, oxygen stoichiometry and oxygen partial pressure during processing are crucial. Attempts to combine these powders with metal-matrix support systems such as copper have been unsuccessful because elevated- temperature fabrication in the rich oxygen environment these powders require causes rapid oxidation of the metals and rapid degradation of the powder, including oxygen depletion of the superconducting lattice." [Murr, L.E. Hare, A.W., Eror, N.G. "Introducting: The Metal-Matrix High- Temperature Superconductor," Advanced Materials & Processes, Inc., Metal Progress 10/87.] ______________________________________
It would be desirable to provide a process by which intimate bonding of the superconductive ceramic particles with a suitable workable metal of good electrical conductivity is achieved while maintaining the superconductive properties of the ceramic.

Method for producing silver coated superconducting ceramic powder

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


In an apparatus for correcting a location of a vehicle, a satellite positioning unit mounted in the vehicle measures the location of the vehicle using navigation satellites. A locational trajectory generating unit generates a locational trajectory of the vehicle based on the location of the vehicle measured by the satellite positioning unit. A location correcting unit corrects the location of the vehicle based on the locational trajectory and map information stored in a map information storage. The location correcting unit, for each of the vehicle locations included in the locational trajectory, determines in which one of the lanes of the road the vehicle was traveling as the vehicle location was measured, and geometrically compares at least one traveled lane of the road acquired from the determination and the locational trajectory, and based on the comparison, calculates a locational correction amount of the location of the vehicle.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle location correction apparatus for determining a road on which a vehicle carrying the apparatus is traveling based on a detected location of the vehicle, and correcting the detected location of the vehicle to a proper location on the road.
Related Art
A known apparatus for correcting a location of a vehicle carrying the apparatus, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-41988, is configured to generate trajectory data using coordinates of the location measured by a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for a past predetermined period of time, compare the trajectory data and map data, and based on the comparison, estimate a road correlating to a movement trajectory of the GPS receiver as a road on which a vehicle carrying the apparatus is traveling. Such a road will be referred to as a traveled road.
The above known vehicle location correction apparatus is configured to estimate bias errors in location coordinates measured by the GPS receiver by comparing location coordinates of the trajectory data and the estimated traveled road, and using the estimated bias errors, correct the location coordinates of the vehicle measured by the GPS receiver (i.e., the location of the vehicle).
The above known vehicle location correction apparatus estimates a road that geometrically matches the movement trajectory of the GPS receiver to calculate the bias errors. With this configuration, the above vehicle location correction apparatus can correct the location of the vehicle onto the traveled road. However, in the case of the traveled road having multiple lanes, the apparatus is unable to determine which lane of the traveled road the vehicle is traveling in.
Thus, the above known vehicle location correction apparatus may not be able to provide adequate accuracy of a location of the vehicle carrying the apparatus, For instance, when the vehicle is automatically driven along a target trajectory generated by the apparatus, the vehicle can not always be driven in an optimal one of the multiple lanes.
In consideration of the foregoing, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to providing techniques for determining which lane of a road having multiple lanes a vehicle is traveling in and thereby more accurately correcting a location of the vehicle.

Apparatus for correcting vehicle location


A method is provided for detecting not fully set coatings and liquid or smearing impurities on a surface, in which in a first step a film is pressed onto a surface of a coating using a predefined press-on pressure, the film having a relative motion with respect to the surface of the coating, thereafter the film is pulled off the surface of the coating and finally it is determined whether impurities are adhering to the film. A device is also provided for performing the method, including at least one film, which may be pressed against a surface to be tested, at least one press-on roller having a surface by which the film is pressed against the coating, and at least one device for determining whether there are impurities adhering to the film.

Measuring instruments are often mounted in a contacting manner for testing chemical, mechanical, and optical properties of surfaces, for example, of lacquers. These include, for example, color and brightness measuring instruments, layer thickness measuring instruments, and hardness measuring instruments.
If a coating is applied to a substrate which is not fully set, the measuring head may contact the coating when mounting the measuring instrument. This causes the measuring head to become contaminated; further measurements may be distorted and the contamination may be entrained onto subsequent substrates. The measuring instrument may even become irreparably damaged. If the measuring head has contacted a not fully set coating, the measuring head must be cleaned. Reasons for not fully set coatings may include, for example, unoptimized formulations, incorrect hardening conditions, or interference in the hardening systems.
Furthermore, it is also possible that surfaces become glued together or contaminated during handling and storage of the objects. Contaminations may also occur due to handling systems or storage systems such as shelves or racks and the like.
Common damage patterns of insufficiently set coatings include, for example, liquid coating material, soft or smearing surfaces, or a solid, hardened film over soft or liquid coating material. The coating material, the surface, or the solid, hardened film may or may not be adhesive.
To test the drying state of a lacquer, generally simple, manual methods are used in the lab. For example, glass beads are spread onto the surface or, pursuant to DIN 53150, paper having a defined weight is pressed onto the surface. It is tested whether it is possible to remove the beads or the paper without damaging the coating or using excessive force. The damage to the coating is verified by a visual check.
In another method generally used in the lab, the surface of the coating is scratched using a fingernail, and the possibly occurring damage pattern is evaluated, for example, using scrapers or via color transfer onto the finger or by detaching a film from the coating. A solid film over liquid or soft, not fully set material may thus also be detected. This is important in particular in the case of lacquers which are set in the presence of UV radiation.
The disadvantage of the above tests is, however, that they are not easily automated; in addition, they are inaccurate and depend on the tester. In many cases, only a rough estimation of "OK" or "not OK" is carried out.

Method for detecting impurities on a surface


In an over-loading prevention device including a hydraulic pump, a control valve, and a control lever, a discharge-quantity control unit performs constant-torque control which decreases a discharge quantity in proportion to an increase in a discharge pressure in the pump to control an input torque of the pump uniformly. An operation-state detection unit detects an actuation state of the control lever. A control unit outputs a control signal that sets the pump input torque to a minimum torque according to the constant-torque control, to the discharge-quantity control unit when the control lever is operated over a predetermined speed, and subsequently changes a level of the control signal to a maximum torque according to the constant-torque control in accordance with a predetermined control pattern to raise the pump input torque.

There is known a hydraulic-pump driving system controlling device as shown in FIG. 7, which is a conventional over-loading prevention device of construction machinery.
In the hydraulic-pump driving system controlling device of FIG. 7, a variable-capacity hydraulic pump (main pump) 2 which is driven by an engine (internal-combustion engine) 1, and a pilot pump 3 are provided. A discharge outlet of the variable capacity hydraulic pump 2 communicates with a control valve 4 which controls supply and exhaust of hydraulic pressure from the variable capacity hydraulic pump 2 to a hydraulic actuator which is not illustrated.
In the hydraulic-pump driving system controlling device of FIG. 7, pilot ports 4a which are provided at both ends of the control valve 4 respectively communicate with a pilot-pressure discharge outlet of a control lever 6 via a pilot-pressure introducing line 5. A pilot pressure from the pilot pump 3 is introduced into the control lever 6 via the line which is not illustrated, and the introduced pressure is used as a pilot pressure to operate the control valve 4.
Moreover, the discharge outlet of the variable capacity hydraulic pump 2 communicates with a hydraulic pressure inlet of a regulator (discharge-quantity control unit) 7 via a line 13. The variable capacity hydraulic pump 2 supplies a discharge pressure to the regulator 7 to decrease the discharge quantity in proportion to an increase in the discharge pressure. Thus, the variable capacity hydraulic pump 2 is operated by performing a constant-torque control (or constant-horsepower control) which controls the input torque uniformly so that the input torque may not exceed an engine torque.
Moreover, the variable capacity hydraulic pump 2 is operated by performing a flow control which increases or decreases the discharge quantity in accordance with the control input of the control lever 6. FIG. 8 shows the constant-horsepower control which is performed in the hydraulic-pump driving system controlling device of FIG. 7, and the constant-horsepower curves (in H mode and L-mode) are indicated.
If a hydraulic excavator including a hydraulic actuator is considered as a typical construction machinery, various construction operations, including heavy-load digging, light-load digging, finishing, etc. are performed using the hydraulic excavator.
In order to control the input torque of the variable capacity hydraulic pump 2 so that an optimal input torque for one of the various construction operations may be selected, the hydraulic-pump driving system controlling device of FIG. 7 is provided with a mode selector switch 8, a controller (control unit) 9, and an electromagnetic inverse-proportion valve (input torque control unit) 10. The mode selector switch 8 outputs an external signal. The controller 9 receives this external signal from the mode selector switch 8 and outputs a torque setting signal. The electromagnetic inverse-proportion valve 10 receives this torque setting signal from the controller 9 and outputs a secondary pressure Pf.
The mode selector switch 8, the controller 9, and the electromagnetic inverse-proportion valve 10 mentioned above constitute an operation-mode selector circuit. The secondary pressure Pf from the electromagnetic inverse-proportion valve 10 is supplied to the regulator 7, and as shown in FIG. 8, the input torque of the variable capacity hydraulic pump 2 is changed between Tmax and Tmin, and the input torque is set to an input torque value between Tmax and Tmin according to the level of the external signal from the mode selector switch 8.
FIG. 9 is a time chart for explaining the respective characteristics of the parts of the hydraulic-pump driving system controlling device of FIG. 7 when usual digging is performed using a hydraulic excavator as construction machinery and the constant-horsepower control is set in the H mode.
If sudden actuation of the control lever 6 is performed as shown in FIGS. 9 (a) and (b), the discharge quantity Q of the variable capacity hydraulic pump 2 begins to increase. Simultaneously, in order to operate the hydraulic actuator, starting pressure occurs, and the discharge pressure P of the variable capacity hydraulic pump 2 increases rapidly to P1 (see FIG. 9 (c)).
When the constant-horsepower control is set in the H mode, in order to control uniformly the input torque of the variable capacity hydraulic pump 2, the secondary pressure Pf of the electromagnetic inverse-proportion valve 10 is set to the predetermined value Pf1 (see FIG. 9 (f)).
Since the constant-horsepower control set in the H mode cannot respond to the sudden rise to the discharge pressure P1 at this time, while the discharge pressure P of the variable capacity hydraulic pump 2 increases quickly, the input torque T of the variable capacity hydraulic pump 2 exceeds the torque when the engine speed N is at the nominal-speed N0, and it is set to T1 (see FIG. 9 (d)).
As a result, the engine speed N of the engine 1 falls to the engine speed N1 at which the torque is balanced, and the pump discharge quantity Q temporarily falls with this lowering (lag down) of the engine speed (see FIGS. 9 (e) and (b)).
Once the hydraulic actuator operates, the sliding state of the respective parts changes from static friction to dynamic friction and the pump discharge pressure P falls to P2. The input torque T of the variable capacity hydraulic pump 2 also falls to Tmax and the pump discharge quantity Q increases to Q1, thereby returning to the control state of the constant-horsepower control.
However, while the engine speed is falling, controlling the engine 1 to increase the fuel injection quantity is performed in order to return the engine-speed N to the nominal speed N0. As shown in FIGS. 9 (e) and (g), the control to increase the lowered engine-speed N back to the nominal speed N0 is performed by increasing the fuel injection quantity q of the engine 1 from q1 to q2 at the time of lowering of the engine speed. By increasing the fuel injection quantity q from q1 to q2, the fuel injection quantity equivalent to the shaded portion F indicated in FIG. 9 (g) will be a cause of increase in the fuel consumption of the engine 1.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-76670 discloses an engine lag-down prevention device of construction machinery which is known as a conventional over-loading prevention device of construction machinery. This engine lag-down prevention device includes a main pump which is driven by an engine, a torque control valve which adjusts a maximum pump torque of the main pump, a hydraulic actuator which is driven by a hydraulic pressure supplied from the main pump, and an operation device which operates the hydraulic actuator.
Moreover, in the engine lag-down prevention device, a torque control unit is arranged. This torque control unit is arranged to control the torque control valve to gradually increase the hydraulic pump torque based on a predetermined torque increasing rate with the progress of time from the end of a predetermined torque holding time for which the low pump torque is held, immediately after the operation device is operated from the non-operating state.
Since the engine lag-down prevention device of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-76670 is arranged so that the hydraulic-pump torque is increased gradually by the torque control unit, the load acting on the engine can be reduced even after the end of the predetermined torque holding time. Accordingly, the engine lag-down after the end of the predetermined torque holding time can be reduced to a small amount.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-76670

Over-loading prevention device of construction machinery

Sumitomo (S.H.I.) Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.


Method, logic arrangement or program employ trunking identifiers to assign primary trunking connection between a switch pair.

Loop network topologies such as Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) networks are currently starting to use switch technologies in order to improve bandwidth by taking advantage of the capabilities that spatial reuse can give. In order to do this, trunking is used, where trunking is an extra connection, that allows multiple Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) to use the same FC-AL for data transfer simultaneously; where the switch uses different trunks for different I/O paths, one for each HBA. This concept of inter-switch trunking is well-known in the art and need not be further described here.
The current switch technology is not directly capable of appreciating (or assigning primary and secondary roles to) the trunks to be used dynamically, but rather needs the assignment to be appreciated for it. Herein lies a problem, where the switch technology needs to be informed of the nature of each trunk, such that it can perform this task.
This can be achieved today by assigning certain characteristics to each possible connection. This, however, creates the problem that the nature of the connection is determined in advance rather than determined at the time of connection. Errors in the cabling can therefore cause the trunking to fail, which is very undesirable.
Another alternative is to have a manual appreciation after the cables are assigned. This, however, relies on accurate understanding of the cabled system and as such is prone to operator error and also adds another step in the process where FC-AL does not normally need such a step.
Techniques such as choosing the 'first connection' as the primary and the 'second connection' as the secondary are flawed, as the way in which this rule may cause the network to behave is dependent both upon time and switch behaviour, which may not be deterministic.

Method, logic arrangement and program for assigning a primary trunk

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention generally provides personal health management devices, and corresponding systems and methods. The personal health management device generally include an electronic controller and at least one memory device which cooperate to store at least temporarily weight management data for managing the weight of at least one user, such as a user's weight, a user's body fat percentage, exercise data, food consumption data, or a combination thereof, obtained from at least one component for obtaining such data, such as a keypad, a body fat percentage sensor for measuring a user's body fat percentage, a scale for measuring a user's weight, an exercise machine, a food scale, etc, and a communications unit for communicating the data obtained to a healthcare provider for monitoring progress with respect to a weight management program over a communications network.

The present invention relates generally to an interactive weight management device, method and system. This application incorporates by reference the entire disclosures of application Ser. No. 09/975,097, titled MEDICAL MONITORING DEVICE AND SYSTEM, filed Oct. 11, 2001, application Ser. No. 60/562,876, titled MEDICAL MONITORING SYSTEM, filed Apr. 16, 2004, application Ser. No. 60/487,471, titled MEDICAL MONITORING/CONSUMABLES TRACKING DEVICE, filed Jul.15, 2003, and application Ser. No: 10/892,520, titled MEDICAL MONITORING/CONSUMABLES TRACKING DEVICE, filed Jul. 15, 2004.
In developed countries, there is much interest in personal health and fitness, however as countries become industrialized there is a trend towards a sedentary lifestyle. Currently, there are an estimated 1.7 billion people in the world that are considered overweight or obese, including more than half of all Americans, Canadians, Australians and Britons. By overweight, it is meant that the subject has exceeded acceptable weight range and/or percent body fat generally considered as healthy determined by factors including, but not necessarily limited to age, height, sex, and body type. Being overweight or obese contributes in development of certain conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and other breathing problems, some forms of cancer, high blood cholesterol, and psychological disorders such as depression. In one poll, more than half of American consumers said they have dieted or are currently dieting. Americans spend $33 billion annually on the numerous weight-loss products and services available to consumers, yet more than half of the United States population is overweight.

Personal health management device, method and system


The method forms a layered-open-network polishing pad useful for polishing at least one of magnetic, semiconductor and optical substrates. Exposing a first and second polymer sheet or film of a curable polymer to an energy source creates an exposure pattern in the first and second polymer sheet, the exposure pattern having elongated sections exposed to the energy source. Then removing polymer from the exposed first and second polymer sheets to forms elongated channels through the first and second polymer sheets in a channel pattern that corresponds to the exposure pattern. Attaching the first and second polymer sheets forms a polishing pad, the patterns of the first and second polymer sheets cross wherein the first polymer sheet supports the second polymer sheet and the elongated channels from the first and second polymer sheets connect and to form the layered-open-network polishing pad.

The present invention relates to polishing pads for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). In particular relates to methods of forming open-network polishing pads useful for polishing magnetic, optical or semiconductor substrates.
Multi-layer semiconductor wafers having integrated circuits fabricated thereon must be polished to provide a smooth and flat wafer surface. This polishing is necessary to provide a flat surface for subsequent layers and prevent the exaggerated structural distortions that would occur in the absence of polishing. Semiconductor manufacturers accomplish this through multiple CMP operations where a chemical active slurry or abrasive-free polishing solution interacts with a rotating polishing pad to smooth or planarize a wafer's surface.
The single greatest problem associated with the CMP operation is often wafer scratching. Certain polishing pads can interact with foreign materials that result in gouging or scratching of the wafer. For example, this interaction with foreign material can result in chatter marks in hard materials such as, TEOS dielectrics. For purposes of this specification, TEOS represents the hard glass-like dielectric formed from the decomposition of tetraethyloxysilicates. This damage to the dielectric can result in wafer defects and lower wafer yield. Another scratching issue associated with CMP operations is the damaging of nonferrous interconnects, such as copper interconnects. If the pad scratches too deep into the interconnect line, the resistance of the line increases to a point where the semiconductor will not function properly. In extreme cases, polishing creates mega-scratches that can result in the scrapping of an entire wafer.
Although all stiff pads do not have high wafer scratching rates, scratching tends to increase with a polishing pad's stiffness or modulus. Over the years, polishing pad manufacturers have traveled multiple avenues in search of soft pads with low defectivity rates. These attempts have focused on composition and manufacturing technique to improve defectivity. Although pad manufacturers continue to improve defectivity, industry demands for low defectivity continue to outstrip the state-of-the-art polishing pads. Cook et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,579, describe a photocuring process for making soft pads. This process applied a liquid photocurable polymer to a solid polymer sheet and exposed the photocurable polymer to light for curing or crosslinking selected land areas as defined through a photomask or in a direct pattern. Direct patterns include for example, direct laser UV light, such as computer to screen technologies. After exposing the pad through a photomask or direct pattern, water washed away the unexposed polymer to form grooves. Although these pads contained solid polymer base layers that facilitate planarization, the pads lacked the compressibility necessary for reducing defects in the most demanding applications. Furthermore, these pads failed to provide sufficient polishing uniformity for demanding CMP applications. In particular, the pads were subject to premature failure due to water absorption that resulted in polishing pads having severe dimensional instability.
Another avenue for decreasing defectivity is to vary a polishing pad's physical properties. For example, increasing a polishing pad's surface asperities that interact with the substrate surface or contact area can lower defects. Increasing the contact area lowers defects by lowering the average polishing downforce on the substrate surface. Although this sounds simple in principle, it often remains a difficult objective. For example it is possible to manufacture pads with a combination of polymeric microspheres and coagulated polyurethane to achieve an optimum balance of surface area with sufficient texture as to not jeopardize polishing rate. Alternatively, woven structures can have large surface interactions with substrates surfaces, but these structures often lack a consistent cross-section for uniform polishing.
In addition to low defectivity, the polishing pad must also have thermal stability for consistent polishing performance with minor temperature shifts. Typically, polishing pads become softer with increased temperatures. But the softening of the pad often results in lowered removal rates. Thus, the polishing pad's physical properties should show minimal temperature related deterioration.
There is an ongoing industry desire for polishing pads that provide an improved combination of planarization, removal rate and defectivity. In addition, there remains a demand for a polishing pad that provides these properties in a polishing pad with ultra-low defectivity. Finally, there remains a demand for soft texture-containing polishing pads that have the dimensional stability to survive in demanding polishing conditions without an undue deterioration in polishing properties.

Method of forming layered-open-network polishing pads


High refractive index copolymers with reduced tack are disclosed. The copolymers, which are particularly suitable for use as ophthalmic device materials, comprise a benzhydryl methacrylate or benzhydryl methacrylate derivative monomer.

High refractive index acrylic materials are known for use in intraocular lenses (IOLs). For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,892 discloses high refractive index acrylic materials suitable for use as IOL materials. The materials are foldable and thus capable of being inserted through small incisions. These acrylic materials contain, as principal components, two aryl acrylic monomers.
Soft acrylic materials can be tacky. It is generally desirable to reduce the amount of surface tack in materials intended for use as a foldable intraocular lens. Tacky materials can be difficult to handle and unfold. Approaches to eliminate tack include surface treatments, such as the plasma gas treatments described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,774. Other approaches include the use of components or additives, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,241,766; 6,245,106; 7,585,900; and 7,714,039.

High refractive index ophthalmic device materials with reduced tack


An improved system for attaching devices to the distal end of endoscopic instruments is described. An attachment adapter comprises a distal stop, such as a complete or partial loop or cylinder, which limits the penetration of an endoscope into the adapter. The adapter has at least one flange protruding proximally along the endoscope. The adapter is secured on the endoscope by a securing means, which compresses the flange or flanges sufficiently to provide a friction fit. The flexibility of the inventive adapter system allows the adapter to work reliably with endoscopes that are used, damaged or repaired. The adapter may further provide a slit or window allowing viewing of the vessel wall by a lens on an endoscope, thereby improving the operator's ability to understand the location of the endoscope during operation. The adapter may carry any of a variety of devices, including devices for closing a surgical incision, or treating or manipulating tissue. Improvements are described in a number of areas to allow more flexible pairing of particular endoscopes or endoscopic instruments with devices to be carried on their exteriors, while maintaining a tightly locked position of the external device on the carrier.

Flexible endoscopes are axially elongate instruments that are navigable through natural body lumens of a patient for remotely evaluating and/or treating a variety of ailments. Endoscopes have viewing capability provided by fiber optic elements that transmit images along their length to the medical care provider. Endoscopes may be specifically configured in length, diameter, flexibility and lumen configuration to navigate to specific treatment areas in the body and conduct specific procedures. Such a specifically configured endoscope may be known by a specific or functional name, for example as a laparoscope, duodenoscope, colonoscope, sigmoidoscope, bronchoscope or urethroscope.
In combination with remote viewing capability, endoscopes are frequently configured to provide a working channel through which shaft mounted tools and medical instruments may be navigated and remotely operated. More recently, flexible endoscopes have also been used to deliver devices, medications or coatings to internal sites.
The outer diameter of flexible endoscopes varies depending on style and intended function. For example, a flexible endoscope typically used in gastric procedures, having a single instrument channel, can have a nominal diameter ranging from under 10 mm to over 12 mm (e.g., the Olympus XGIF-Q160Y9 single channel endoscope), while a dual instrument channel endoscope may range in diameter from under 12 mm to 15 mm or larger, (e.g. the Olympus GIF2T160). There is no absolute gauge or completely standard set of sizes in the industry at present. The particular endoscope for a given procedure is selected by the physician, and may vary depending on procedure and cost related factors. Hence, the geometric size of an instrument which may be used in a specific procedure is generally impossible to predict.
Moreover, endoscopes are typically constructed of wall-forming parts that are interconnecting but flexible, and a fluid-impermeable coating, typically of plastic reinforced with fabric. The resulting instruments are complex and expensive, and so they are normally re-used, after cleaning and sterilization. These procedures can alter the diameter, and especially the shape, of the instrument in general and especially of the distal tip zone, which is the area of highest articulation and wear.
To accommodate multiple functions within a single instrument construct, there are typically a number of different discrete functional elements bundled within the instrument. Such elements of a typical flexible endoscopic instrument include visualization systems, such as an optical fiber light source and a fiber bundle visualization system with a terminal lens; one or two passages for other functions, such as drug delivery or tissue manipulation; insufflation channels for injecting air or gasses into the body cavity; multiple control wires for distal tip articulation; and fluid channels to direct fluid across the visual imaging lens to remove to flush debrief or tissue which may occlude it. Endoscopic design is very configuration specific, for in order to accommodate these multiple functions in an articulating tip, an endoscope will typically need to have these features arrayed in a pattern which can be best visualized and understood by thinking of the endoscope as being composed of a number of wedges, like a sliced pizza, each with a different function, flowing axially.
As a result, most current endoscopes have their viewing optics, and often their illuminating optics, in an off-center location. Often, no one feature of a multifunctional flexible endoscopic instrument is located on the direct central axis of the instrument. In fact, it may be advantageous to not have any feature aligned with the instrument centerline of the distal tip feature, to allow stabilizing the device with a tension wire secured at the axis centerline to the distal end of the articulating portion. This feature location method is one effective way to apply a tension to lock together the various nesting or articulating elements of the endoscope, while still allowing multiple degrees of freedom to move a discrete distal portion of the device by use of control wires located in an axial array running along the outer circumference of the instrument. This layout of features is well known and documented in endoscope designs. In particular, as documented in many endoscopic products with off axis optics, and as generally represented by the Olympus XGIF-Q160Y9 and Olympus GIF2T160 instruments, an imaging lens at the distal tip of the flexible endoscopic instrument will usually not be positioned on the center axis of the instrument itself but rather located at an offset position with respect to the centerline of the instrument.
These geometries require adaptations to perform other functions of the endoscope, and in particular favor mounting components on the outside of the endoscope tip. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,204,804 to Zirps et al. describes a mounting adapter for releaseably securing accessories, tools, or medical instruments to the distal end of an endoscope. The adapter is most compatible with endoscopic accessories that have a cylindrical mounting surface, and is positioned over a length of the distal end of an endoscope. The Zirps et al adaptor is provided in two components to support both ends of a cylindrical accessory on the endoscope surface. This adapter holds the accessory on the endoscope shaft by frictional engagement, and is configured to maintain the accessory concentric with the shaft along its length. The adapter also is configured to mount an accessory on a wide range of commercially available endoscopes, and to do this, it requires a number of different and distinct sizes of adaptor, typically provided together in a kit, to cover a wide range of instrument size and variation. Even with multiple sizes of insert, the actual diameter adaptability has a narrow range—for example, a range of from 10 to 11.3 mm, with three different diameters of adapter, is cited.
This particular adapter is ideally most suited to securing an attachment to a smooth, cylindrically concentric endoscopic instrument (such as a rigid laparoscope with an imaging lens located centrally), because it uses a series of multiple compressing fingers radially emanating from an axially located and axially centered ring feature, and is secured by a second closed perimeter concentric locking collar. Such mechanisms are known in the art, and as commonly used in the machine tool industry are known as "collets". The holding system presented in the No. 7,204,804 Zirps et al patent is a collet type of holding system and is described in Wikipedia and other Machine Tool and Woodworking descriptive glossaries as follows:                "A collet is a holding device—specifically, a subtype of chuck—that forms a collar around the object to be held and exerts a strong clamping force on the object when it is tightened via a tapered outer collar. It may be used to hold a work piece or a tool. Generally, a collet chuck, considered as a unit, consists of a tapered receiving sleeve (often integral with the machine spindle), the collet proper (usually made of spring steel), which is inserted into the receiving sleeve, and (often) a cap that screws over the collet, clamping it via another taper."
Collet based systems require, by their design and function, the geometrical property that the centerline axes of "the machine spindle", "the collar around the object", "the outer collar" and "a work piece or a tool" as described in the above definition be co-axial. The use of a collet design requires that the article or tool grasping system typically be comprised of at least two or more finger-like entities arrayed as an even number of axial symmetric finger-like entities placed as matching pairs or an odd number of symmetric shaped finger like entities, evenly radially arrayed about a diameter which are then diametrically compressed in unison by a second cylindrical embodiment moving (slideably) in an axial direction to engage the article to be secured which in this art is an endoscope. Such uniform radial compressions systems using multiple finger-like gripping features are highly advantageous where the concentric, coaxial alignment of the engaging system and the article to be secured must be maintained (such as high speed spinning of a cutting tool in a hand drill or machine tool spindle for example). Similar features and attributes as described by No. 7,204,804 Zirps et al are used to align the axis of the article to be secured (the device attached to the 'collet' system of Zirps) with the central axis of the positioning instrument (the endoscope) thus providing coaxial positioning.
For the purposes of this application the geometric definition of a cylinder from the Encyclopedia Britannica is hereby cited (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/148295/cylinder).
"In geometry, a surface of revolution that is traced by a straight line (the generatrix) that always moves parallel to itself or some fixed line or direction (the axis). The path, to be definite, is directed along a curve (the directrix), along which the line always glides. In a right circular cylinder, the directrix is a circle. The axis of this cylinder is a line through the centre of the circle, the line being perpendicular to the plane of the circle. In an oblique circular cylinder, the angle that the axis makes with the circle is other than 90°. The directrix of a cylinder need not be a circle, and if the cylinder is right, planes parallel to the plane of the directrix that intersect the cylinder produce intersections that take the shape of the directrix. For such a plane, if the directrix is an ellipse, the intersection is an ellipse. The generatrix of a cylinder is assumed to be infinite in length; the cylinder so generated, therefore, extends infinitely in both directions of its axis. A finite cylinder has a finite base, the surface enclosed by the directrix, and a finite length of generatrix, called an element."
A number of tissue-closing devices in the current art describe mounting and securing techniques for positioning of a securing device on an endoscope. Such embodiments typically use cap-like distal mounts and elastomeric securing rings. Examples include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,320,630 and 5,462,559 to Ahmed, U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,940 to Chu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,416 to Tolkoff, U.S. Pat. No. 6,974,466 to Ahmed et al, U.S. Pat. No. 7,214,231 to Tolkoff and U.S. Pat. No. 7,189,247 Zirps et. al. These patents describe a class of ligator band products currently in the marketplace. These references also describe the design and application of various endoscope-based or endoscope-mounted delivery systems and means for securing them to the end of an endoscope. These delivery systems are used to locate and place a tissue-closing embodiment during a surgical procedure, and typically comprise an elastic annular loop or ring feature which grips the endoscopic instrument's outer diameter circumferentially at a location near its distal end, with the ring-like loop being coupled to a rigid cap-like member located distally of the endoscopic instrument distal end. These embodiments are mounted sealably on the endoscope tip, and held in place by the radial compressive force of the elastic member on the instrument gripping the endoscopic instrument with a uniform compressive force and providing general coaxial alignment. Such designs are well known in the art and typically create a central chamber distal to the endoscope tip inside the cap, such that vacuum energy applied through an instrument channel can draw tissue into the central chamber for the mounted device to secure.
Another type of tissue closing embodiment is exemplified by a serpentine closure device which is carried on the outside of the distal tip of a delivery tube (which may be an endoscope), and which is deployed by pushing the device off of the end of the tube. This type of tissue closing device delivered on the end of an endoscope is described by US patents to Durgin et al, including U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,548, U.S. Pat. No. 6,849,078, U.S. Pat. No. 7,211,101, U.S. Pat. No. 7,001,398 and US 2006/0135989. The placement device used in positioning this embodiment also has a cap mounted on the external end of the endoscopic instrument, functioning essentially as described above in band ligation technology.
Another type of device and its delivery are described in commonly-owned pending applications US 2007/0225762 and US 2007/0270752. These applications describe a tissue closure device comprising a superelastic torsion ring with stabilizing and tissue-piercing projections, which can be carried either on the inside or outside of an endoscope or tubular member, and a device for facilitating its delivery. Positioning on the inside of an endoscope distal end or introducer tube is preferred, and is advantageous to prevent interaction of the closure device with tissue during transport, site location and manipulation.
Figures and descriptions within the present application describe the integration of the commonly-owned pending application tissue closing device into the present invention with a specific and unique geometry to enable effective safe and secure delivery of tissue closing fasteners by an endoscopic instrument.
All described prior art embodiments known including the above described commonly-owned pending applications US 2007/0225762 and US 2007/0270752 and co-pending U.S. application No. 61/199,606 have followed the basic design principle of using a flexible, closed perimeter, generally cylindrical adapter to align concentric and co-axial the delivery device or attachment device center axis with the endoscopic instrument center axis, and then, in some cases, applying a component for providing some form of direct or indirect radial compression forces to effect a vacuum seal and a secure the device position. Such devices are portrayed as having a closed perimeter, i.e. a hollow cylinder forming by a complete circle. This art further describes a sealable chamber created by the coupling of the distal device carrier to the endoscopic instrument, which is located distal to the endoscopes' most distal feature, such that vacuum energy can be applied to draw tissue into the defined chamber. Alternatively, graspers or any type of tissue manipulation means may be employed to draw tissue in said chamber to effect a closure
All of the instruments used in the above-cited art for locating and positioning the described devices can be described as "endoscopic instruments", and in this application, the word "endoscope" or "endoscopic" will refer to the entire class of endoscopic and laparoscopic instruments, including other surgical instruments intended to be used to remotely manipulate tissue in a surgical procedure, unless stated otherwise.
While it is feasible to design an externally-mounted device for a particular endoscope in its original condition, for example a 10 mm endoscope, it can be very difficult to use such a system on endoscopes which have repeatedly been resterilized or repaired. The distal end of such endoscopes can become somewhat non-circular with use, and the fabric-based outer sheath can loosen. As a result, it is hard to get an externally-mounted device to slide onto a used endoscope, and yet remain in a tightly locked state during the conduct of a medical procedure. Elastic mountings that are tight enough for new endoscopes may not fit onto old endoscopes, while mountings that will fit can be too loose for stable positioning during procedures. Even with an appropriate diameter, the externally-mounted device may rock or tilt when being inserted or removed, and there is a risk of detachment of the device from the endoscope while in the body. While in principle a dedicated endoscopic instrument or a unique sized device can be provided for every endoscopic procedure and significant variant thereof, in practice this is a significant increase in expense in an already expensive field, and is not a preferred solution to the problem of fit and security.
Moreover, a coaxial "collet" type of system, as described by U.S. Pat. No. 7,204,804 Zirps et al., is not very adaptable, and requires a number of exchangeable parts to be tried before a particular endoscope can be used with a particular adapter. This is not a desirable situation during surgery. The coaxial "collet" systems represented by U.S. Pat. No. 7,204,804 Zirps et al., while an improvement in instrument grip over a pure elastic ring or similar embodiment, for example as represented by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,320,630 and 5,462,559 to Ahmed, still are limiting in that the range of locking variability of the "collet" device is limited by the amount of radial compression the locking collar can attain on the collet "fingers" over a fixed axial length of travel.
The prior art embodiments are also further limiting in their effect on the visual field of view once mounted. As described above, the visual lens is typically not centered on the centerline of the endoscopic instrument. Such off axis lens placement, combined with a cap on the instrument projecting more distal to the instrument distal tip, creates a limiting effect called "tunnel vision", due to looking through a tube where the walls constrict the field of view to a narrow central aperture. U.S. Pat. No. 7,189,247 Zirps et. al. has attempted to address this field of view problem by providing an extendable and retractable feature holding devices to be deployed. It is still utilizing the basic endoscopic instrument coaxial "collet" or elastic boot mounting principles previously discussed.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,189,247 Zirps et. al. clearly describes a portion of the delivery system which has operator controlled axial movement. The practice of operating the extending mechanism to create space that allows tissue to be drawn into a chamber for fastener attachment can lead to some confusion by the operator as instrument position of the distal tip (device length) along with field of view and focal distance of the optical system is changing device during actuation. This mechanism requires operator interaction and activation for proper function and result. When space within the body cavity is limited such extension movement needed may not execute fully or may cause trauma or inadvertent loss of distal tip location. As such, the requirement for movement of the instrument distal tip thus changing the working length when in the body cavity to generate a "tissue cavity" as a required by U.S. Pat. No. 7,189,247 Zirps et. al. is therefore a distinct disadvantage.
There is a need for visualization to be improved with endoscopes carrying adapters. There is a need for a reduction in the complexity and time of mounting tissue closure devices to endoscopic instruments. There is a need for any endoscopic mounted device to be positioned and locked quickly, easily and securely to the distal tip of the endoscope regardless of instrument size, and there is a further need for such an endoscopic mounted device to hold firmly and ensure a fixed instrument axial working length.
Endoscopes are purposefully designed with an extremely wide angle lens to provide the clinician with as much view of the tissue and surrounding environs as possible. In the delivery of bands, clips and the like, in order to provide that wide view, the endoscopic instrument should in principle be located distally and matched to the device distal tip. In practice this is not usually feasible, because with many closure devices described in the art, tissue needs to be drawn into a center zone of the deployment housing, to where the endoscope is located, to provide an effective closure. As a generalized well known procedure technique with a successful history of application and therapeutic result, it is a preferred clinical method. Therefore, the endoscopic instrument must be positioned some distance proximal to the overall distal tip of the delivery device when actively engaging tissue for the purpose of effecting tissue manipulation or closure and therefore in that configuration or use the endoscope has a limited field of view.
The preferred embodiment of the invention is designed to meet the expressed need for improved field of visualization, reliability ease of use and reduced complexity, adaptability to wide range of endoscopic instruments as compared with current art. The novel features and functionality of the invention include several improvements over the art.
One aspect of the invention is to provide improved mounting means, to allow more flexible pairing of particular endoscopes or endoscopic instruments with devices to be carried on their exteriors, while maintaining a tightly locked position of the external device on the instrument.
In another aspect, the invention provides the ability to mount such devices onto instruments where the distal portions of the instrument may have a highly variable geometry within the mounting area. Such geometry may include highly conical features, convolutions, or tapered configurations on the endoscope, therefore requiring such an adapting capability to sufficiently engage the instrument.
In another aspect, the invention provides the ability of the mounting device itself to easily adapt to a wide range of endoscopic instruments using a single universal mounting system, thus providing the clinician with the capability of changing an endoscopic instrument size within a procedure without needing to have multiple matching adapters to mount on such instruments.
In another aspect, the invention provides a clinician with an improved wide angle viewing capability in order to attain true peripheral visualization capability even after the mounting of an adapter onto the endoscopic instrument.
In another aspect, the adapter is diametrically flexible and compliant yet axially rigid, and thereby can engage a wide range of instruments and instrument shapes. The invention further provides mechanisms, geometric relations, and securing systems to allow a lateral offset of the axis of the adapter from the axis of the endoscope. This may be accomplished by the use of features, singly or in combination, selected without limitation from device stops, non-symmetrical geometries, non-closed cross-section geometrical constructs, isotropic and non isotropic materials configured into non-isotropic geometrical shapes, and combinations of closed and non closed perimeter feature geometry.
The geometric properties and flexible fitting capability of the adapter enables a wide range of endoscopic instruments to be located and secured by a single embodiment design, which may assume numerous possible configurations and orientations. In particular, the endoscopic visual lens, known in the art to be located off the centerline axis of the endoscope instrument, may be purposefully rotated and aligned with features of the invention intended to enhance and expand the visual field of view compared to prior art. This adaptive feature enables a wide range of devices, instrument guides, medicaments, delivery apparatus and the like to be integrated into the attachments of the invention, and thereby to be mounted, controlled, positioned and delivered using a single size embodiment device, thereby creating an endoscopic instrument with multifunctional capability and a wide angle field of view. A system for accomplishing this is described and claimed herein.

Adapter for attaching devices to endoscopes


In a fishing reel of the type in which the spool for receiving the fishing ine is caused to move to and fro in the direction of its winding axis in response to a cam drive for driving a spindle attached to the spool, the cam drive including a guide part with a guide slot into which projects an eccentrically mounted cam stud, the guide slot is in the form of an elongated S in order to impart an acceleration to the spool at its reversing points, and thereby prevent formation of bulges at the sides of the spool during winding. The locations in the guide slot corresponding to reversing points of the spool are offset from a center line of the guide slots along a longitudinal axis of the slot in a direction perpendicular to the stroke direction, resulting in the above-described acceleration and also having the effect of increasing displacement of the cam drive mechanism in the stroke direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a fishing reel of the type including a spool for receiving the fishing line, the spool being moved to and fro in the direction of its winding axis (spool travel) by means of a cam drive, the cam drive including a gear, a cam stud eccentrically mounted on the gear, a guide plate mounted to the spool via a spindle, shaft, or the like, and a guide slot in the guide plate for engagement with the rotating cam stud to drive the spindle or shaft to and fro in its longitudinal direction.
2. Description of Related Art
A straight guide slot was offered in previously known designs for the above type of fishing reel. While such a design has been found practical for narrow spools, if the width of the spool must be made larger to permit more fishing line to be wound onto the same diameter of spool core, outwardly projecting bulges may form at the two end zones of the line winding because of changes in spool speed caused as the spool approaches the reversing positions of the spool travel path. The width must be further enlarged if the spool core diameter is to be made larger without thereby enlarging the spool diameter, i.e., the diameter of the outer line winding, because otherwise the line capacity would be decreased. The bulge formation takes place as the travel or stroke speed drops down to zero at the cam stud reversing positions, i.e., at the end positions of the reciprocating spool stroke, because the amount of line wound per unit time by the winding flange of the fishing line onto the spool will not decrease but remain constant, regardless of which position the spool assumes in the travel direction. When the fishing line plus bait is cast, the bulge causes the problem of "clinging", i.e., the line cast from the spool drags along adjacent line turns. This leads to the so-called wig formation as the excess line dragged along by clinging hangs loose and tangles. In turn, this leads to delicate casting, subject to interference.
To avert the above drawbacks, a fishing line was proposed in FIG. 4 of the German Gebrauchsmuster 70 06 743, in which the reciprocating spool assembly includes a cam drive guide slot curved in such a way that the stroke speed of the guide part increases at the reversing positions of the stroke path and at least partly drops at the side positions approximately half-way between the two reversing positions along the circular path of the cam stud so that the backward and forward stroke speeds of the guide part are nearly equal at the half-way positions. According to the description of the Gebrauchsmuster 70 06 743, a uniformly oscillating stroke, and thereby the desired rectilinear contour of the fishing line, is achieved. The guide slot provided for this purpose has a figure-8 curve, but the insides of the 8 do not touch and are spaced apart.
The figure-8 design suffers from a large axial play of the cam stud in the guide slot when at the end positions. Self-locking of the cam stud in the guide slot arises at these side positions or points. As a result, the cam stud jams and warps in the guide slot, and the force exerted by the drive gear on the cam stud when it is in the side positions cannot be converted into a corresponding motion of the guide slot and hence of the travel. In other words, at the guide slot side positions, axial play prevents continuity of the motion sequence for the cam stud in the slot. Accordingly, this previously known device is not practical. Other drawbacks are bulk and a comparatively slight travel.
The German Gebrauchsmuster 70 07 657 discloses a fishing reel as initially discussed herein in relation to the state of the art, with a rectilinear guide slot. In the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 of this document 70 07 657, a drive gear with an eccentric stud engages a rectilinear guide slot of an intermediate part in the form of a travel or stroke converter. This stroke converter in turn consists of a guide slot in the shape of a slight S and is entered by a pin of the spool spindle. Accordingly, the controlling force from the drive gear must be converted by means of two guide slots into a corresponding stroke of the spool spindle.
Drawbacks of this arrangement include friction along the two guide slots, which may lead to jamming and locking the system, high device complexity resulting in increased cost, and bulkiness resulting from use of an intermediate part. Therefore, the design of FIGS. 3 and 4 of the German Gebrauchsmuster 70 07 657 is disadvantageous in comparison with a device wherein a single guide slot is provided in a single guide part affixed to the spool spindle. While a fishing-line reel with the line-drum remaining fixed is known from the German patent 917,528, the reel does not include an angled slot guide and only serves the specific function of allowing rotation the drive crank in one direction. Disadvantageously, the speed of the forward and backward spool strokes are different. This device precludes achieving neat and uniform winding contours.

Fishing reels with a spool receiving the fishing line

D.A.M. Deutsche Angelgerate Manufaktur Hellmuth Kuntze GmbH & Co. KG


A magnetic platform is provided and includes a patterned array of discrete magnetic elements positioned on a substrate, a plurality of first electromagnets for creating a first magnetic field substantially in the plane of the substrate, an electromagnetic coil for creating a second magnetic field substantially perpendicular to the plane of the substrate, and a control device for controlling the application of the magnetic fields. Processes for manipulating, transporting, separating and sorting micro-or nano-scale particles and biomolecules are also described.

This disclosure relates to magnetic array platforms that provide trapping, manipulation, and transport of individual micro- or nano-scale particles such as cells, viruses, DNA, proteins, and other biomolecules.
Historically, sorting technologies have focused on gross physical characteristics, such as particle size or density, or utilized some affinity interaction, such as receptor-ligand interactions or reactions with immunologic targets.
Electromagnetic response properties have also been utilized for particle sorting and characterization. For example, dielectrophoretic separators utilize non-uniform DC or AC electric fields for separation of particles. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,200, Pethig et al., entitled "Apparatus for Separating By Dielectrophoresis."
Coherent light has been used to trap and manipulate particles. One of the earliest workers in the field was Ashkin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,550 entitled "Apparatuses for Trapping and Accelerating Neutral Particles" which disclosed systems for trapping and containing particles through radiation pressure. Lasers generating coherent optical radiation were the preferred source of optical pressure.
Other particle manipulation techniques include the use of atomic force microscopy (AFM) or magnetic force microscopy (MFM). An AFM uses a cantilever, sometimes with a receptor attached to the cantilever tip, to identify and manipulate a single cell or protein on a surface by stretching the cell in an out-of-plane direction. Similarly, an MFM utilizes a magnetic field to manipulate and stretch a cell or protein with a magnetic bead attached thereto in an out-of-plane direction.
The sorting of individual cells or micro- or nano-scale particles is an old problem, whether attempting to isolate a single cell or particle, or identifying a specific sub-population of cells or particles that behave differently or have different properties than the rest of the population. While instruments and techniques exist to enable cells or particles to be seen, manipulation of single cells or particles, or groups of them within a larger population, has been problematic.
As noted above, one traditional method of cell manipulation involves laser capture in which cells can be trapped using a laser beam. However, such systems are slow, laser power intensive, and the process cannot be automated to isolate and manipulate large cell populations. Another traditional method, atomic force microscopy, can be used to identify and manipulate a single cell. However, it cannot be used to isolate and manipulate a population of cells.
Accordingly, the need still exists for a technique which can isolate, sort, and manipulate individual biomolecules, including cells, proteins, and peptides and then can readily manipulate the biomolecules for testing, or to separate them from a heterogeneous population. Desirably, such a technique would be able to manipulate thousands or tens of thousands of biomolecules within a short period of time.

Magnetic platforms for biomolecule trappings, manipulations, and sorting


A vehicle for travel on snow or water consisting of an elongated main member having a top and a bottom surface with a venturi effect. First and second runners extend lengthwise and downwardly along opposed edges of the bottom surface from a point spaced rearwardly of the front end of the member to a point spaced forwardly of the rear end of the member. The runners and bottom surface define the venturi section that tapers inwardly to a narrow throat in the vicinity of the middle of the member and then tapers outwardly. Elongated side cuts are provided to the elongated outside surfaces of the board, the side cuts creating a surface which is narrower in width between the front and the back of the surface.

Current surfaces for vehicles, such as snowboards, have several disadvantages. Firstly, they are difficult to control and turn. Their flat and/or convex bottom make these boards controllable only with precision balance and use of substantial upper body strength. Even when known boards are handled by an expert, well-conditioned rider, they still may not maneuver with precision.
Known boards also lack speed. This is because their flat and convex bottoms have a substantial area which creates friction and drag.
Similarly, the water engaging surface of a hull for water vehicles is also not as efficient dynamically and from a stability viewpoint, as possible.
There is a need to provide an improved dynamic fluid engaging surface for use on snow, ice and water.

Dynamic fluid engaging surface for vehicles


A motorcycle tire has a tire body with a running surface and a tire tread. A plurality of main grooves are formed in the tire tread which form a plurality of tread blocks. The main grooves extend at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the tire. Three mutually parallel, narrow longitudinal grooves are forme in the tire tread which extend around the tire body. The longitudinal grooves are formed symmetrically about the longitudinal axis and they intersect at least some of the main grooves. The longitudinal grooves have a depth which is approximately 70 to 100% of the main grooves.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a motorcycle tire with a tread in which tread grooves are cut transversely or obliquely relative to the circumferential direction and in which the grooves define corresponding profile blocks between them.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, rolling surfaces or tread surfaces of motorcycle tires were provided with encompassing grooves, the depth of which was approximately equal to their width. Such relatively wide and deep encompassing grooves, however, caused a relatively low leaning stiffness in the tires, so that sufficient driving stability in the high-speed range was no longer assured. Also, a low axial stiffness of the tread resulted, which impaired the transfer of transverse forces between the motorcycle and the road surface.
The conditions were then improved with a tire tread with a strongly transversely oriented tread design, as described in European non-prosecuted, published application EP-A-0 145 009. That tread, however, was still provided with a center groove. The tire of that publication was much superior with respect to the above-described, previously conventional groove treads as concerned their drive stability and force transfer characteristics.
A further step in improving the leaning drive stiffness and the transferability for braking forces and lateral forces was a tread which did not include any encompassing grooves or circumferentially oriented groove segments. That tire is described in brochures of the firm Metzeler Reifen GmbH under the name "ME 1 Front", for instance. In many respects, that tread provides virtually perfect drive characteristics.
There are motorcycles, however, which have a tendency to jitter or shimmy. Such handle jitter is usually due to the frame structure, the geometry and the load distribution. The effect is observed in a velocity range of between 40 and 80 km/h (25-50 mph). Handle jitter is a motorcycle-typical oscillation of the steering system about the steering axis at a frequency of about 7 Hz.

Motorcycle tire with narrow longitudinal grooves


A process including bonding a first device wafer to a handle wafer by an intermediate bonding oxide layer and thinning the device wafer to not greater than 7 mils. An epitaxial device layer of under 1 mil may be added. Device formation steps are performed on a first surface of the first device wafer. This is followed by removing the handle wafer to produce a resulting wafer having substantially the thickness of the first device layer. To produce a silicon on insulator (SOI), a third device wafer is bonded to the first surface of the first device wafer by the intermediate oxide layer and the third wafer is thinned to not greater than 40 microns. The first and third device wafers form the resulting SOI wafer.

The invention relates generally to integrated circuits with thin device areas and more specifically to an improved method of making ultra-thin wafers.
The formation of thin device areas is generally produced in the prior art by epitaxially depositing the device area on a substrate, applying a handling wafer to the epitaxially layer and then removing the original substrate. The ultimate wafer includes the thickness of the handle as well as the epitaxial layer. The epitaxial layer is generally in the range of 5 to 25 microns and the handle is in the range of 19 to 24 mils. The processing to remove the original substrate affects the quality of the surface of the epitaxial layer in which the devices are to be formed. Also the planarity of the surface may be affected. In some applications, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,730, the epitaxial layer may have other layers and handles applied thereto and the original handle removed. In this specific patent, both surfaces of the epitaxial layer have been treated in the process and thereby increase possible quality control of the device surfaces as well as planarity.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of fabricating ultra-thin wafers without modification of the surface of the device layer in which devices are to be formed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of fabricating ultra-thin wafers in a thickness not greater than 7 mils.
These and other objects are obtained by bonding a first device wafer to a handle wafer by an intermediate oxide layer and thinning the first device wafer to not greater than 7 mils in thickness above the oxide layer. Device formation steps are performed in an epitaxial layer deposited on the first device wafer. This is followed by removing the handle wafer with an etch which stops on the intermediate oxide layer to produce a resulting wafer having substantially the thickness of the first wafer. In addition to the device forming steps, device isolation steps are also performed between the bonding and the removing of the handle steps. To produce a silicon on insulator (SOI), the handle wafer and first device wafer (not greater than 7 mils thick) is oxidized to form an intermediate oxide layer and a third device wafer is then bonded to the surface of the first device wafer. This intermediate oxide layer forms part of the isolation layer of the resulting wafer after removal of the handle wafer. The device formation steps are then formed in the surface of the third device wafer. Lateral isolation can then be formed by introducing impurities for lateral junction isolation or the third device wafer can be etched to form lateral dielectric isolation by air or by filling with dielectric material. Alternatively, oxygen implantation may be performed on the first device wafer to produce the horizontal dielectric oxide layer. Any of the isolation techniques may also be performed on the first device wafer without the use of a third device wafer. The handle wafer is removed by grinding a substantial portion of the thickness of the handle wafer and etching the remaining portion of the handle wafer using the first bonding oxide layer as an etching stop.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Manufacturing ultra-thin wafer using a handle wafer


A memory cell with a recessed gate includes a semiconductor substrate, a shallow trench isolation, an active region, a gate electrode, a halogen-doped dielectric layer and at least a capacitor. The shallow trench isolation is disposed in the semiconductor substrate in order to define the active region. A source region and a drain region are respectively disposed on each end of the active region along a first direction. A gate trench is formed in the semiconductor substrate between the source region and the drain region, wherein the gate trench includes a sidewall portion and a curved-bottom surface. The curved-bottom surface has a convex profile when viewed from a cross-sectional view taken along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The gate electrode is disposed in the gate trench and the halogen-doped dielectric layer is disposed between the gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of memory devices with recesses gate structures, and more particularly to a memory cell with a halogen-doped dielectric layer and a fabrication method thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For years the trend in the memory industry as well as the semiconductor industry has been to scale down the size of memory cells in order to increase the integration level and thus the memory capacity of DRAM chips. In a DRAM cell with a recessed gate, the current leakage caused by a capacitor is often reduced or avoided thanks to a relatively long channel length beneath the recessed gate. Therefore, more and more DRAM cells are equipped with recessed gates rather than with a conventional planar gate structure due to their superior performances.
In general, the DRAM cells with a recessed gate include a transistor device and a charge storage device. More precisely, the transistor device includes a pair of source/drain regions, a recessed gate and a carrier channel inside a semiconductor substrate. The charge storage device is often a capacitor used to store charges. During the operation of the DRAM cell, a bias voltage is applied to the gate electrode inside the recessed gate, which enables charges to flow along the carrier channel between the source/drain regions. The charges flow in and are stored in the corresponding capacitor. However, due to limitations in fabrication technologies, many defects are formed in the gate dielectric layer on the bottom of the recessed gate. More precisely, these defects are caused by dangling bonds being located on the surface of the oxide layer and/or at oxide layer/semiconductor substrate interface. Under these conditions, several current paths are created by these defects, leading charges to be released from the capacitor unusually, which is obviously bad for the data retention time of the DRAM device.
Therefore, there is still a need to provide an improved memory cell with a recessed gate and a fabrication method thereof that reduces the defects caused by dangling bonds and enhances the performance and reliability of the corresponding memory device.

Memory cell having a recessed gate and manufacturing method thereof

Hwa-Ya Technology Park Kueishan, Taoyuan


Disclosed is a composition containing copper particles and organic solvents, in which the organic solvents include a first organic solvent having a vapor pressure at 20° C. of 200 Pa or more and 20 kPa or less, and a second organic solvent having a vapor pressure at 20° C. of 0.5 Pa or more and less than 200 Pa.

As a method of forming a metal pattern, a so-called printed electronics method including a forming step of a layer including a metal on a base material by ink jet printing, screen printing, or the like with a conductive material such as an ink, a paste, and the like including particles of a metal such as copper and the like; and a conductorizing step of sintering the metal particles by heating the conductive material to express conductivity is known (see, for example, Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2).
In recent years, attention has been focused on molded interconnect devices (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "MID") from the viewpoint of reducing size and weight of wirings. MID is a member in which a wiring is directly formed on a molded article. According to an MID forming technique, a structure in which a wiring is formed in a dead space of a device, a structure in which a harness is removed, and the like can be manufactured, and thus, it is possible to achieve a reduction in the weight of a vehicle-mounted member, a reduction in the size of a smartphone, and the like. In general, as the MID forming technique, a laser direct structuring method (hereinafter sometimes referred to as an "LDS method") is known. However, the LDS method has suffered from problems such as a use of a resin containing a special catalyst, a large environmental load of electroless plating, and the like, and accordingly, there is a limit to devices to which the LDS method can be applied. For this reason, an aerosol jet printing method which enables formation of a wiring by directly printing a conductive material, in particular, a conductive material containing copper particles, which is excellent in terms of cost, on a molded article has attracted attention.

Composition containing organic solvents with different vapor pressures, conductor made from composition, method for manufacturing conductor, and structure comprising conductor


A compartment for a transportation device is provided. The compartment may include a one-piece basin, an inflatable wall member, and multi-directional support arms to attach the basin within the transportation device. The one-piece basin may fit through an opening in the transportation device. Methods of installation for installing the compartment within the transportation device are also provided.

The present application relates generally to compartments within transportation devices, such as to an overhead rest compartment within an aircraft.
The compartments within transportation devices are sometimes made of a multitude of large, attached, separate parts. For instance, an overhead rest compartment within an aircraft may be made of several large honeycomb panels that are assembled together to form large assemblies. These assemblies are typically larger than the transportation device entry door and must be seperated and brought through the door of the aircraft as smaller pieces, and then subsequently attached together within the aircraft, utilizing a large number of fasteners and brackets, in order to form the compartment. These compartments are sometimes supported by a multitude of axial, tension, tie-rods which may need to be configured in particular orientations in order to transfer forces to the skin and/or frame of the transportation device.
Utilizing a multitude of attached, separate parts to form the compartment may require additional attachment parts which may lead to increased cost, increased labor, increased time, increased likelihood of break-down, increased difficulty in assemblying the compartment, increased weight, and/or to additional problems. Moreover, the use of axial, tension, tie-rods to support the compartments may similarly lead to excess parts, inefficiency in space, increased time, increased labor, increased cost, increased break-down, and increased problems associated with assemblying the compartment, amongst additional types of problems.
A compartment, support arm, and/or method of installation is needed which may solve one or more problems in one or more of the existing compartments, support arms, and/or methods of installation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

One-piece basin for a compartment of a transportation device


A calibratable analog-to-digital converter system with a split analog-to-digital converter architecture including N Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs) each configured to convert the same analog input signal into a digital signal. Calibration logic is responsive to the digital signals output by the N ADCs and is configured to calibrate each of the ADCs based on the digital signals output by each ADC.

The many versions of analog-to-digital converters function to convert an analog input signal into a digital output signal by sampling the analog input signal at a sample rate and providing a digital representation of each sample to a specific resolution. 16 bit resolution analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) with 1 Ms/s sample rates are known.
Although each specific ADC architecture has its own inherent functionality regarding how the ADC decides what digital value is assigned to a specific sample of the input analog signal, all ADCs require calibration due to non-linearities, offsets, and/or gain and other errors. At the factory, an ADC can be calibrated in the rather straightforward manner by injecting a known analog input signal into the ADC and adjusting the ADC until the desired digital signal is output. But, for example, if a given ADC output is adjusted to be more linear at the factory, non-linearities and other errors can still result when the ADC is placed into service due to a variety of factors including changes in operating conditions such as temperature.
Thus, those skilled in the art have devised self calibrating ADCs and numerous ADC calibration techniques are known in the art. The following references are included herein by this reference: I. Galton, "Digital Cancellation of D/A Converter Noise in Pipelined A/D Converters," IEEE Trans. Circ. Syst. II, pp. 185-196, March 2000; B. Murmann and B. E. Boser, "A 12b 75 MS/s Pipelined ADC using Open-Loop Residue Amplification," ISSCC Dig. Tech. Papers, pp. 328-329, February 2003; H. Liu et al., "A 15b 20 MS/s CMOS Pipelined ADC with Digital Background Calibration," ISSCC Dig. Tech. Papers, pp. 454-455, February 2004; K. Nair and R. Haijani, "A 96 dB SFDR 50 MS/s Digitally Enhanced CMOS Pipelined A/D Converter," ISSCC Dig. Tech. Papers, pp. 456-457, February 2004; S. Ryu et al., "A 14b-Linear Capacitor Self-Trimming Pipelined ADC," ISSCC Dig. Tech. Papers, pp. 464-465, February 2004; and H.-S. Lee, "A 12-b 600 ks/s digitally self-calibrated pipelined algorithmic ADC," IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, pp. 509-515, April 1994.
Some calibration techniques are non-deterministic and therefore slow since if there are 2N bits, then 22N samples are required to complete calibration. Indeed, calibration can take minutes or even as long as an hour using non-deterministic calibration techniques. During this time, the ADC is not performing its desired function of accurately converting the analog input signal into a digital signal.
Moreover, some calibration techniques are carried out in analog circuitry as opposed to digital circuitry which is problematic because of the added complexity of analog circuitry and the desirability of maintaining a purely digital system especially in CMOS implementations.
Other ADC calibration techniques function in the foreground rather than in the background. If calibration occurs in the foreground, the ADC is taken off line during calibration and the ADC does not, during calibration, perform its intended function of converting the analog input signal into a digital output signal.
Indeed, one study of the prior art reveals that no presently known ADC calibration technique is deterministic, digital (in the sense of adding no analog complexity), and also occurs in the background.
Other problems facing ADC designers are limited die area, limited power availability, and noise. That is, any viable ADC architecture and calibration scheme would limit the amount of die area occupied, the power consumed, and the noise introduced.

Calibratable analog-to-digital converter system


A system and method for controlling the speed of an engine includes determining a desired engine power output and engine speed, and determining whether the desired engine speed is within one of a number of predetermined engine speed ranges. It is then determined whether a noise-vibration level for the vehicle is within a target range when it is determined that the desired engine speed is within one of the predetermined engine speed ranges. The noise-vibration level is a function of at least one of a corresponding vibration level for one or more vehicle mechanical systems, and a noise level for the passenger compartment for the engine operating at the desired engine speed. The engine is then controlled at the desired engine speed when the determined noise-vibration level is within a target range, and it is determined that the desired engine speed is within one of the predetermined engine speed ranges.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for controlling the speed of an engine in a vehicle.
2. Background Art
The operation of an engine in a vehicle can, at times, create undesirable noise and vibrations that detract from vehicle passenger comfort. This may be particularly true if the engine is allowed to operate at a frequency that is at or near the resonant frequency of a mechanical component or system within the vehicle. When this occurs, the vibrations in the mechanical system caused by the engine can increase significantly. To address this problem, at least one known vehicle predetermines allowable engine idle speeds such that the frequency of engine operation at these speeds will not match the resonant frequency of any of a chosen number of vehicle mechanical components and systems. In such a case, the allowable engine idle speed is a static value that is not adjusted in light of changing vehicle operating conditions.
One vehicle operating condition that may be of particular concern with regard to noise and vibration is the charging of a high voltage battery in a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). When the high voltage battery in an HEV is charged, it effectively applies an extra load to the engine—this is known as lugging. When lugging occurs, certain vibration modes in the vehicle may be excited, and in general, noise and vibration levels in the passenger compartment may be amplified. Conventional engine idle control systems do not adequately address this issue, in that charging the high voltage battery can cause the engine to create undesirably high vibrations and noise even when the frequency is outside the resonant frequency range of the vehicle mechanical systems.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method for controlling the speed of an engine that not only consider the resonant frequencies of various vehicle mechanical systems, but also consider noise and vibration when determining the engine speed.

System and method for controlling speed of an engine