A laminated ceramic capacitor has multiple layered dielectric ceramic layers of a dielectric ceramic constituted by primary phase grains whose primary component is BaTiO3, secondary phase grains containing at least Re (Re represents at least one of Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb, and Y), Ba, and Ti, and grain boundary phase containing at least one of B and Li or both; and internal electrodes which are made of Cu or Cu alloy. When a thickness of the dielectric ceramic layer is given by t, and when grain sizes at cumulative 20%, cumulative 50%, and cumulative 95% points of a cumulative count distribution of the primary phase grains are given by D20, D50, and D95, respectively, D20≦D50×70%, D50≦t/4, D95≦t/2, and CV value ((standard deviation between D20 and D95)/D50)<40% are satisfied.

Laminated ceramic capacitors produced by simultaneous sintering of dielectric ceramic composition and internal electrodes have been developed in recent years as compact, large-capacity capacitor elements. Traditional dielectric ceramic compositions have high sintering temperatures of 1150° C. to 1400° C. and therefore nickel (Ni) or nickel alloy that withstands high temperatures has been used as the leading electrode material for simultaneous sintering with internal electrodes. However, nickel is a rare metal and as the demand for rare metals is expected to grow and prices of rare metals escalate in recent years, alternative technologies are drawing attention, and there is a growing demand for replacing internal electrodes using nickel (hereinafter also referred to as "Ni") with internal electrodes using copper (hereinafter also referred to as "Cu") or other metal whose bullion is cheaper.
However, since copper has a melting point of 1085° C., which is lower than the melting point of nickel, use of copper in internal electrodes requires sintering to be implemented at 1030° C. or preferably 1000° C. or below, which gives rise to a problem, or specifically a need for dielectric material for laminated ceramic capacitors that can demonstrate sufficient characteristics even when sintered at temperatures lower than the temperatures traditionally used.
In light of the aforementioned situations, the inventors of the present invention studied with the purpose of obtaining a laminated ceramic capacitor which can be sintered at 1030° C. or preferably 1000° C. or below in a reducing ambience, which does not contain lead (Pb) or bismuth (Bi) in its dielectric ceramic layers, and which has a dielectric constant of 2000 or more, X7R temperature characteristics of dielectric constant and high-temperature stress longevity traits equivalent to conventional laminated ceramic capacitors with Ni internal electrodes, and discovered conditions for Ba/Ti ratio, composition ratio of rare earths as auxiliary components, and MnO composition ratio, for a dielectric ceramic composition whose primary component is a BaTiO3 compound. Based on the above, the inventors of the present invention propose a laminated ceramic capacitor having: multiple dielectric ceramic layers; internal electrodes which are formed between the dielectric ceramic layers in a manner opposing each other and led out alternately to different end faces; and external electrodes which are formed on both end faces of the dielectric ceramic layers and connected electrically to the internal electrodes; wherein such laminated ceramic capacitor is characterized in that: the dielectric ceramic layer is a sintered compact constituted by a primary component expressed by ABO3+aRe2O3+bMnO (where ABO3 is a perovskite dielectric mainly constituted by BaTiO3, Re2O3 represents at least one type of metal oxide selected from La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and Y, and a and b represent mol numbers relative to 100 mol of ABO3) in the ranges of 1.000≦A/B≦1.035, 0.05≦a≦0.75, and 0.25≦b≦2.0, as well as auxiliary components that include at least one type of element selected from B, Li, and Si for a total of 0.16 to 1.6 parts by mass in equivalent B2O3, Li2O, and SiO2, respectively; and that the internal electrodes are constituted by Cu or Cu alloy (Patent Literature 1).
The inventors of the present invention also proposed that, with a laminated ceramic capacitor whose internal electrodes are constituted by Cu or Cu alloy, X7R or X8R temperature characteristics can be achieved by obtaining its dielectric ceramic as a sintered compact of perovskite dielectric material primarily constituted by BaTiO3, comprised of grains whose average diameter is 400 nm or less in a section view as well as grain boundaries (Patent Literature 2), where examples illustrate mixtures of MnO as a starting material for sintered compact, with B2O3, Li2O, and SiO2, as additive rare earth oxides and sintering auxiliaries.
Furthermore, the inventors of the present invention discovered that, with a dielectric ceramic composition constituted by a primary component constituted by BaTiO3 as well as auxiliary components constituted by Re, Mn, V, Mo, Cu, B, Li, Ca, and Sr, the total content of V and Mo, in addition to the contents of Re, Mn, B, and Li, would affect the life characteristics of the laminated ceramic capacitor using internal electrodes whose primary component is Cu, and proposed a dielectric ceramic composition characterized in that it is expressed by BaTiO3+aRe2O3+bMnO+cV2O5+dMoO3+eCuO+fB2O3+gLi2O+xSrO+yCaO (where Re represents at least one type of element selected from Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb, and Y, and a to h represent mol numbers relative to 100 mol of the primary component constituted by BaTiO3) and, when the mol ratio of (Ba+Sr+Ca)/Ti contained in the dielectric ceramic composition is given by m, 0.10≦a≦0.50, 0.20≦b≦0.80, 0≦c≦0.12, 0≦d≦0.07, 0.04≦c+d≦0.12, 0≦e≦1.00, 0.50≦f≦2.00, 0.6≦(100 (m−1)+2g)/2f≦1.3, 0.5≦100 (m−1)/2g≦5.1, 0≦x≦1.5, and 0≦y≦1.5 are satisfied (Patent Literature 3).
In the meantime, thinning of dielectric ceramic layers constituting laminated ceramic capacitors is being examined as one effective means for meeting the required size reduction and capacity increase, and various proposals have been presented regarding design for reliability after thinning For example, Patent Literature 4 describes mixing crushed material powder and uncrushed material powder at an appropriate ratio to obtain a structure where one peak appears in an area of less than one-quarter of the layer thickness and another in an area of more than that, in order to achieve both high dielectric constant and high electrical insulation property even when the layer is made as thin as less than 1 μm. In addition, Patent Literature 5 adopts a structural method whereby the number of grains per layer is reduced and limited to facilitate diffusion of Mn and V across the grain boundaries, to permit layer thickness reduction and achieve good longevity traits. Furthermore, Patent Literature 6 achieves both layer thickness reduction to less than 1 μm and good longevity traits at the same time by containing a Li compound as a sintering auxiliary and adjusting the average grain size Rg [μm] of the dielectric ceramic to 0.06<Rg<0.17 and its standard deviation σg [μm] to σg<0.75, while Patent Literature 7 adopts a method whereby a compound having the same composition as the secondary phase is mixed into the dielectric material before sintering, to suppress excessive generation of the secondary phase, so that generation of the secondary phase, which can cause the reliability to drop, can be limited. With this method, the size of the secondary phase is limited to one-third or less of the thickness of the dielectric. In addition, Patent Literature 8 describes that temperature characteristics of capacitance, dielectric breakdown voltage, and high-temperature load longevity could be improved with a thin-layer structure by separating the M4R6O(SiO4)6 crystal phase (M represents at least one type of alkali earth metal) at the grain boundary layers sandwiched between two primary phase grains constituted by BaTiO3, as well as at the triple points. Furthermore in Patent Literature 9, it was found that separation of excessive Ba, Si, and other alkali earth metals at the triple points as noncrystalline substances was lowering the reliability. Accordingly, at least 80% of the cross-section area at triple points was kept to 8 nm or below, and crystalline oxide grains containing Ba, Ti, and Si were separated into the dielectric ceramic layers instead, to achieve high reliability with this thin-layer structure.


A differential amplifying circuit capable of reducing amplitude-difference deviation over a full range of grayscale voltages inclusive of voltages in the vicinity of power-supply voltage includes first and second differential pairs of mutually different polarities, in which the outputs of the differential pairs are coupled by a coupling stage. One of the first and second differential pairs receives an input signal from an input terminal and a feedback signal from an output terminal at a pair of inputs thereof, and the other differential pair receives reference signals (which may be of the same voltage), which have voltage levels that set the other differential pair transistors to an on-state, at a pair of inputs of the other differential pair.

Liquid crystal display devices (LCDs) characterized by their thin design, light weight and low power consumption have come into widespread use in recent years and are utilized in the display units of mobile devices such as portable telephones (mobile telephones or cellular telephones), PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) and laptop personal computers. Recently, however, liquid crystal display devices have come to be provided with large-size screens and techniques for dealing with moving pictures have become more advanced, thus making it possible to realize not only mobile applications but also stay-at-home large-screen display devices and large-screen liquid crystal televisions. Liquid crystal display devices of an active matrix driving system which is capable of presenting a high-definition display are being utilized as these liquid crystal displays devices.
The typical configuration of an active-matrix liquid crystal display device will be described with reference to FIG. 11. The principal components connected to one pixel of a liquid crystal display unit are illustrated schematically by equivalent circuits in FIG. 11.
In general, a display unit 960 of an active-matrix liquid crystal display device comprises a semiconductor substrate on which transparent pixel electrodes 964 and thin-film transistors (TFTs) 963 are laid out in the form of a matrix (e.g., 1280×3 pixel columns×1024 pixels rows in the case of a color SXGA panel); an opposing substrate on the entire surface of which a single transparent electrode 967 is formed; and a liquid crystal material sealed between these two substrates arranged to oppose each other. The liquid crystal has capacitance and forms a capacitor 965 between the pixel electrodes 964 and electrode 967. Further, an auxiliary capacitor 966 for assisting the capacitance of the liquid crystal is provided.
In the above-described liquid crystal display device, the TFT 963, which has a switching function, is turned on and off under the control of a scan signal. When the TFT 963 is on, a grayscale signal voltage that corresponds to a video data signal is applied to the pixel electrode 964, and the transmittance of the liquid crystal changes owing to a potential difference between each pixel electrode 964 and opposing-substrate electrode 967. This potential difference is held by the liquid crystal capacitance 965 and auxiliary capacitor 966 for a fixed period of time even after the TFT 963 is turned off, as a result of which an image is displayed.
Data lines 962 that send a plurality of level voltages (grayscale signal voltages) applied to pixel electrodes 964 and scan lines 961 that send the scan signal are wired on the semiconductor substrate in the form of a grid (the data lines are 1280×3 in number and the scan lines are 1024 in number in the case of the above-mentioned color SXGA panel). The scan line 961 and data line 962 constitute a large capacitive load owing to the capacitance produced at the intersection of these lines and capacitance, etc., of the liquid crystal sandwiched between the opposing-substrate electrodes.
It should be noted that the scan signal is supplied to the scan line 961 by a gate driver 970, and that the supply of grayscale signal voltage to each pixel electrode 964 is performed by a data driver 980 via the data line 962. Further, the gate driver 970 and data driver 980 are controlled by a display controller (not shown), a required clock CLK, control signals and power-supply voltage, etc., are supplied from the display controller, and video data is supplied from the display controller 940 to the data driver 980. At the present time, video is principally digital data.
Rewriting of one screen of data is carried out over one frame ( 1/60 of a second), data is selected successively every pixel row (every line) by each scan line, and a grayscale signal voltage is supplied from each data line within the selection interval.
Although the gate driver 970 need only supply at least a bi-level scan signal, it is required that the data driver 980 drive the data lines by grayscale signal voltages of multiple levels that conform to the number of gray levels of the grayscale. To this end, the data driver 980 has a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) comprising a decoder for converting video data to a grayscale signal voltage and an operational amplifier for amplifying the grayscale signal voltage and outputting the amplified signal to the data line 962.
Progress is being made in raising the image quality (increasing the number of colors) in mobile telephone terminals, notebook personal computers, monitors and liquid crystal TV, etc. There is now growing demand for video data of at least six bits per each of R, G, B (260,000 colors) and even eight bits or more per each of R, G, B (26,800,000 colors). For this reason, a data driver that outputs a grayscale signal voltage corresponding to multiple-bit video data is required to provide a highly accurate output voltage conforming to the gray level along with a multiple-level grayscale voltage output.
In order to prevent degradation of the liquid crystal, the data driver is such that AC drive in which positive and negative voltages are applied alternatingly is performed with respect to voltage VCOM (see FIG. 11) of the opposing substrate electrode of the liquid crystal panel. The data driver therefore outputs grayscale voltage signals for positive-polarity and negative-polarity drive.
FIG. 12A is a diagram illustrating the relationship between applied voltage and transmittance in normally white liquid crystal. FIG. 12B is a diagram illustrating the relationship between grayscale levels of a liquid crystal device that drives liquid crystal having the characteristic of FIG. 12A and the output voltage of a data driver (voltage applied to the liquid crystal). With normally white liquid crystal, the transmittance of the liquid crystal declines as the voltage applied to the liquid crystal is increased. The output voltage of the data driver in case of positive polarity drive ranges from VCOM, which corresponds to the grayscale level 255 (eight bits), to high-side power-supply voltage VDD corresponding to grayscale level 0. In case of negative polarity drive, the output voltage of the data driver ranges from VCOM corresponding to level 255 to low-side power-supply voltage VSS corresponding to grayscale level 0. It is required that the data driver provide a highly accurate voltage output over the negative and positive-polarity output voltage range VSS to VDD.
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the typical configuration of a differential amplifying circuit having a positive-polarity drive amplifier and a negative-polarity drive amplifier. As shown in FIG. 13, the differential amplifying circuit includes a changeover switch SW91 for switching an input terminal Vin between the input of a positive-polarity drive amplifier 910 and the input of a negative-polarity drive amplifier 920, and a changeover switch SW92 for switching an output terminal Vout between the output of the positive-polarity drive amplifier 910 and the output of the negative-polarity drive amplifier 920.
The positive-polarity drive amplifier 910 includes N-channel MOS transistors (referred to as "NMOS transistors") MN91 and MN92 having their sources coupled together and constructing a first differential pair; a constant current source I91 connected between the coupled sources of the NMOS transistors MN91 and MN92 and low-side power supply VSS; and P-channel MOS transistors (referred to as "PMOS transistors") MP93 and MP94 connected between drains of the NMOS transistors MN91 and MN92 and high-side power supply VDD and constructing a current mirror. The gates (a pair of inputs) of the NMOS transistors MN91 and MN92 are connected to the changeover switch SW92 on the output side and to the changeover switch SW91 on the input side, respectively.
The negative-polarity drive amplifier 920 includes PMOS transistors MP91 and MP92 having their sources coupled together and constructing a second differential pair; a constant current source I92 connected between the coupled sources of the PMOS transistors MP91 and MP92 and high-side power supply VDD; and NMOS transistors MN93 and MN94 connected between drains of the PMOS transistors MP91 and MP92 and low-side power supply VSS and constructing a current mirror. The gates (a pair of inputs) of the PMOS transistors MP91 and MP92 are connected to the changeover switch SW92 on the output side and to the changeover switch SW91 on the input side, respectively.
In AC drive for applying positive and negative voltages alternatingly with respect to voltage VCOM of the opposing substrate electrode (see 967 in FIG. 11), the positive-polarity drive amplifier 910 and negative-polarity drive amplifier 920 are connected between the input terminal Vin and output terminal Vout alternatingly, thereby driving the data lines of the liquid crystal display panel.
However, when drive is performed separately by the positive-polarity drive amplifier 910 and negative-polarity drive amplifier 920 in positive-polarity and negative-polarity AC drive, as in the circuit arrangement illustrated in FIG. 13, a variation in the characteristics of the transistors causes an increase in a deviation (referred to as "amplitude-difference deviation") between the driver outputs which is the difference in amplitudes between the positive-polarity output and negative-polarity output at the same grayscale level. Consequently, luminance unevenness, etc., occurs in the panel surface and image quality declines. This problem will be described below with reference to FIG. 9.
When viewed in terms of one cycle of positive-polarity and negative-polarity AC drive, luminance will take on a value approximately the same as the expected value if the amplitude difference between the positive-polarity and negative-polarity outputs at the same grayscale level does not change [see (A) of FIG. 9]. That is, if the deviation between the driver outputs which is the difference in amplitudes between the positive-polarity output and negative-polarity output at the same grayscale level is small, luminance at the same grayscale level will be uniform over the surface of the panel and the image quality will be high.
On the other hand, if the amplitude-difference deviation is large, the luminances of the positive-polarity output and negative-polarity output at the same grayscale level develop a variation on the panel surface and image quality declines.
At (B) and (C) of FIG. 9, the directions of an offset (output offset voltage) on positive and negative sides are the same. If the value of the offset is represented by ΔV, the average luminance of one cycle will be the same as the expected value [(A) of FIG. 9]. That is, in case of (B) of FIG. 9, since the offset voltage ΔV on the positive side is a positive value and the potential difference between the positive-polarity output and VCOM increases, there is a rise in luminance. On the negative side, however, since the offset voltage ΔV is a positive value and the potential difference between the negative-polarity output and VCOM decreases, there is a decline in luminance. As a result, the average luminance of one cycle is the same as the expected value because the positive and negative sides cancel each other out.
By contrast, at (D) and (E) of FIG. 9, the directions of the offset on the positive and negative sides are opposite. Consequently, the average luminance of one cycle rises in (D) and declines in (E) in comparison with the expected value. This causes luminance unevenness. More specifically, in case of (D) of FIG. 9, the offset voltage ΔV on the positive side is a positive value and there is a rise in luminance, and the offset voltage ΔV on the negative side is a negative value and there is a rise in luminance; hence, the average luminance of one cycle rises. In case of (E) of FIG. 9, the offset voltage ΔV on the positive side is a negative value and there is a decline in luminance, and the offset voltage ΔV on the negative side is a positive value and there is a decline in luminance; hence, the average luminance of one cycle declines.
Since the differential amplifying circuit described with reference to FIG. 13 is driven by amplifiers of different polarities, namely positive and negative, the direction of the offset ΔV will not necessarily be the same in the positive- and negative-polarity drive amplifiers. This means that the states illustrated at (D) and (E) of FIG. 9 may occur.
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the circuit arrangement of a conventional differential amplifier disclosed in Patent Document 1, which is cited below. As shown in FIG. 14, the differential amplifier can be considered upon being divided into an input stage 810, intermediate stage 820 and final stage 830.
The input stage 810 includes PMOS transistors MP80, MP81 and MP82 and NMOS transistors MN80, NMN81 and MN82.
The intermediate stage 820 includes PMOS transistors MP83, MP84, MP85, MP86, MP87 and MP88 and NMOS transistors MN83, NMN84, MN85, MN86, MN87 and MN88.
The final stage 830 includes a PMOS transistor MP89 and an NMOS transistor MN89.
The amplifier further includes phase compensating capacitors C81 and C82 between the intermediate stage 820 and the final stage 830.
The PMOS transistors MP81 and MP82 have their sources coupled together and construct a P-channel differential pair. The PMOS transistor MP80 is connected between this P-channel differential pair and a positive power supply VDD. The PMOS transistor MP80 has a source connected to the positive power supply VDD, a drain connected to the coupled sources of PMOS transistors MP81 and MP82 and a gate connected to a constant voltage source terminal BP81. The PMOS transistor MP80 acts as a constant current source.
The NMOS transistors MN81 and MN82 have their sources coupled together and construct an N-channel differential pair. The NMOS transistor MN80 is connected between this N-channel differential pair and a negative power supply VSS. The NMOS transistor MN80 has a source connected to the negative power supply VSS, a drain connected to the coupled sources of NMOS transistors MN81 and MN82 and a gate connected to a constant voltage source terminal BN81. The NMOS transistor MN80 acts as a constant current source.
The gate of the PMOS transistor MP81 and the gate of the NMOS transistor MN81 are connected to an input terminal INN. The gate of the PMOS transistor MP82 and the gate of the NMOS transistor MN82 are connected to an input terminal INP.
The drain of the PMOS transistor MP81 is connected to a node C of connection between the drain of the NMOS transistor MN83 and the source of the NMOS transistor MN85 in the intermediate stage 820.
The drain of the PMOS transistor MP82 is connected to a node D of connection between the drain of the NMOS transistor MN84 and the source of the NMOS transistor MN86.
The drain of the NMOS transistor MN81 is connected to a node A of connection between the drain of the PMOS transistor MP83 and the source of the PMOS transistor MP85.
The drain of the NMOS transistor MN82 is connected to a node B of connection between the drain of the PMOS transistor MP84 and the source of the PMOS transistor MP86.
The PMOS transistors MP83 and MP84 have their sources coupled together and their gates coupled together, and the coupled sources are connected to the positive power supply VDD. The drains of the PMOS transistors MP83 and MP84 are connected to the nodes A and B, respectively.
The PMOS transistor MP85 has its source connected to the node A and its drain connected to the coupled gates of the PMOS transistors MP83 and MP84, the source of the PMOS transistor MP87 and the drain of the NMOS transistor MN87.
The PMOS transistor MP86 has its source connected to the node B and its drain to the source of PMOS transistor MP88, the drain of NMOS transistor MN88 and the gate of the PMOS transistor MP89.
The gates of the PMOS transistors MP85 and MP86 are coupled together and connected to a constant voltage source terminal BP82.
The NMOS transistors MN83 and MN84 have their sources coupled together and their gates coupled together, and the coupled sources are connected to the negative power supply VSS.
The drains of the NMOS transistors MN83 and MN84 are connected to the nodes C and D, respectively.
The NMOS transistor MN85 has its source connected to the node C and its drain connected to the coupled gates of the NMOS transistors MN83 and MN84, the source of the NMOS transistor MN87 and the drain of the PMOS transistor MP87. The NMOS transistor MN86 has its source connected to the node D and its drain connected to the source of the NMOS transistor MN88, the drain of the PMOS transistor MP88 and the gate of the NMOS transistor MN89. The gates of the NMOS transistors MN85 and MN86 are coupled together and connected to a constant voltage source terminal BN82.
The PMOS transistor MP87 has its gate connected to a constant voltage source terminal BP83, it source connected to the drain of the PMOS transistor MP85 and its drain connected to the drain of the NMOS transistor MN85.
The NMOS transistor MN87 has its gate connected to a constant voltage source terminal BN83, its source connected to the drain of the NMOS transistor MN85 and its drain connected to the drain of the PMOS transistor MP85.
The PMOS transistor MP87 and NMOS transistor MN87 act as floating constant current sources.
The PMOS transistor MP88 has its gate connected to a constant voltage source terminal BP84, its source connected to the drain of the PMOS transistor MP86 and its drain connected to the drain of the NMOS transistor MN86.
The NMOS transistor MN88 has its gate connected to a constant voltage source terminal BN84, its source connected to the drain of the NMOS transistor MN86 and its drain connected to the drain of the PMOS transistor MP86.
The PMOS transistor MP88 and NMOS transistor MN88 act as floating constant current sources.
The PMOS transistor MP89 is an output transistor having a source connected to the positive power supply VDD, a gate connected to the source of the PMOS transistor MP88 and a drain connected to the output terminal OUT.
The NMOS transistor MN89 is an output transistor having a source connected to the negative power supply VSS, a gate connected to the source of the NMOS transistor MN88 and a drain connected to the output terminal OUT.
The phase compensating capacitor C81 has a first end connected to the node B and a second terminal connected to the output terminal OUT. The phase compensating capacitor C82 has a first end connected to the node D and a second terminal connected to the output terminal OUT.
The differential amplifier illustrated in FIG. 14 is a so-called "rail-to-rail amplifier" (a full-range amplifier). The input stage 810 is a differential stage obtained by bundling the PMOS-transistor differential pair and the NMOS-transistor differential pair in order to implement the rail-to-rail capability. Accordingly, it is necessary to couple the outputs of the PMOS-transistor differential pair and the outputs of the NMOS-transistor differential pair.
The outputs of the differential stage, therefore, are connected to the nodes A, B, C and D of a so-called folded-cascode connection. By virtue of this connection, the outputs of the PMOS-transistor differential pair and NMOS-transistor differential pair are coupled in terms of current.
According to this arrangement, the NMOS-transistor differential pair operates within an input-signal voltage range in which the PMOS-transistor differential pair does not operate.
Conversely, the PMOS-transistor differential pair operates within an input-signal voltage range in which the NMOS-transistor differential pair does not operate. As a result, it is possible to obtain an input stage that operates in the full input range of power supply voltages.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-A-6-326529 (FIG. 1)
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2001-34234A (FIG. 5)
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2002-43944A (FIGS. 2 and 3)
[Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2005-130332A (FIGS. 1 and 26)
The conventional differential amplifying circuit described above with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14 has a certain problem, which is set forth below. The description of this problem is based upon the results of analysis by the present inventor.
FIG. 10A is a diagram useful in describing the amplitude-difference deviation (the deviation between the driver outputs which is the difference in amplitudes between the positive-polarity output and negative-polarity output at the same grayscale level) of a data driver that uses the circuit of FIG. 13 as an output buffer. If the positive-polarity side and negative-polarity side are driven by separate amplifiers (see FIG. 13) in each output buffer, each driver output will take on any of the states shown at (B) to (E) of FIG. 9 owing to a variation in the characteristics of the transistors.
The amplitude-difference deviation therefore is very large across all grayscale levels. This means that luminance will vary (in display of the same grayscale level) across the surface of the panel (from data line to data line).
FIG. 10B is a diagram useful in describing the amplitude-difference deviation of a data driver that uses the circuit of FIG. 14 as an output buffer. If the positive-polarity side and negative-polarity side both are driven by a rail-to-rail amplifier in each output buffer, then, even though there is a variation in the transistor characteristics, the only states obtained are those at (B) and (C) of FIG. 9 in which the directions of positive-polarity and negative-polarity offsets agree owing to interaction between the P- and N-channel differential pairs in the grayscale region in which the P- and N-channel differential pairs both operate.
Consequently, there is little amplitude-difference deviation and image quality is excellent except near the grayscale level of 0.
However, in the vicinity of the 0 grayscale level, e.g., in a case where the voltage of the input signal is near VDD, the PMOS differential pair (MP81, MP82) turns off. On the other hand, in a case where the voltage of the input signal is near VSS, the NMOS differential pair (MN81, MN82) turns off. As a consequence, interaction between the PMOS differential pair and NMOS differential pair does not occur and the arbitrary states shown at (B) to (E) of FIG. 9 are the result. The result is a large amplitude-difference deviation in the vicinity of the 0 grayscale level [see FIG. 10B]. Even in the circuit of FIG. 14, therefore, luminance becomes non-uniform across the panel surface when a display near the 0 grayscale level is presented.
Although the case described above is one in which a normally white liquid crystal is driven, a similar problem occurs even in a case where a normally black liquid crystal is driven. That is, with a normally black liquid crystal, the characteristics of normally white liquid crystal shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B are reversed and the transmittance of the liquid crystal rises as the voltage applied to the liquid crystal is increased. Further, the driver for driving a normally black liquid crystal delivers a voltage output in the vicinity of the power-supply voltages VDD and VSS near the maximum grayscale level (255). Accordingly, there is a need to realize a differential amplifying circuit that suppresses amplitude-difference deviation over the full range of grayscale levels even in the vicinity of the power-supply voltages.

Differential amplifier, data driver and display device


Systems and methods are provided for an automotive drive system using an absolute position sensor for field-oriented control of an induction motor. An automotive drive system comprises an induction motor having a rotor, and a position sensor coupled to the induction motor. The position sensor is configured to sense an absolute angular position of the rotor. A processor may be coupled to the position sensor and configured to determine a relative angular position of the rotor based on a difference between the absolute angular position and an initial angular position obtained when the induction motor is started. A controller may be coupled to the induction motor and the processor and configured to provide field-oriented control of the induction motor based on the relative angular position of the rotor.

In recent years, advances in technology, as well as ever evolving tastes in style, have led to substantial changes in the design of automobiles. One of the changes involves the power usage and complexity of the various electrical systems within automobiles, particularly alternative fuel vehicles, such as hybrid, electric, and fuel cell vehicles. Many of these vehicles use electric motors to provide traction power to the vehicle.
For induction motors, the speed of the rotor and the speed of the rotating magnetic field in the stator must be different, a concept known as slip, in order to induce current. In order to operate the induction motor at its highest efficiency, the slip is controlled using feedback control loops. In conventional control systems, as the rotor speed increases, the rotor approaches a base speed (or rated speed), where the voltage across the motor terminals reaches a value at which no more current can be provided to the motor. In order to operate the motor at higher speeds than the base speed, a technique known as flux weakening, controlled by non-torque generating current is employed.
Accordingly, field-oriented control methods have been developed to control the torque generating current supplied to the induction motor separately from the non-torque generating current. These methods use the relative position and speed of the rotor to maintain a desired relationship between the stator flux and rotor flux. The non-torque generating current is adjusted based on the speed of the rotor and the flux characteristics of the induction motor. By compensating for the undesired flux, field-oriented control can be used to improve efficiency, the motor transient response, and tracking of the torque command at speeds higher than the base speed. As a result of the improved performance, induction motors and drive systems may be appropriately sized for an application, thereby lowering cost and improving overall efficiency.
Most field-oriented control methods for induction motors utilize incremental encoders to measure the relative position and speed of the rotor. Typically, these encoders are either magnetic or optical. For automotive environments, packaging space is often at a premium and the encoders are often exposed to demanding environmental conditions. For example, the operating temperature may range from −40° C. to 150° C., which exceeds the operating temperature ratings for most optical encoders. While magnetic encoders may be able to tolerate automotive temperatures, they often cannot sustain operation when exposed to vibration forces and frequencies encountered in automotive applications. Furthermore, in order to achieve high-levels of accuracy, magnetic encoders must be implemented in a large physical size, which is undesirable from a packaging and automotive design perspective.

Absolute position sensor for field-oriented control of an induction motor


An MRI apparatus includes, a generating unit configured to generate radio frequency pulses applied in a pulse sequence; a sequence control unit configured to apply a radio frequency pulse related to acquisition of an image signal and a corrective radio frequency pulse during execution of one TR of a pulse sequence; and a calculation unit configured to measure the corrective radio frequency pulse and calculate a correction value for the radio frequency pulse. Based on the correction value, the generating unit corrects a radio frequency pulse related to acquisition of an image signal to be applied during a following TR later than a TR during which the corrective radio frequency pulse is measured.

In recent years, medical imaging apparatuses (hereinafter referred to as modality apparatuses), which can collect various information about a patient less invasively, have become indispensable in health-care settings. Among others, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus, which involves no radiation exposure and surpasses other modality apparatus in tissue contrast resolution, has come to be used in many medical institutions. The MRI apparatus is an imaging apparatus which excites nuclear spins of a patient placed in a static magnetic field with radio frequency (RF) pulses at Larmor frequency and thereby generates an image by reconstructing a magnetic resonance signal generated from the patient as a result of the excitation. To acquire a high-contrast image with an MRI apparatus, it is necessary to tilt the nuclear spins of the patient at a desired angle by application of the radio frequency pulses. The tilt is referred to as a flip angle and magnitude of the radio frequency pulse is expressed by the flip angle. That is, to acquire a high-contrast image, accurate radio frequency pulses need to be outputted from the MRI apparatus.
The radio frequency pulses applied by the MRI apparatus is used as energy to give a tilt to the nuclear spins and other part is used as thermal energy to heat the patient and raise temperature of the patient. Thus, in the use of the MRI apparatus, from the standpoint of safety, a specific absorption ratio (SAR) has been defined as energy absorbed per unit mass of the patient and an upper limit of SAR, i.e., a safety standard value of SAR, has been prescribed as an IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standard (IEC 60601-2-33). More specifically, SAR (unit: W/kg) is defined as energy of the radio frequency pulses absorbed by 1 kg of living tissue, and upper limits of average SAR over arbitrary 10 seconds and average SAR over the most recent 6 minutes have been prescribed for each imaging site such as the whole body or the head. In order to carry out imaging such that the SAR will satisfy the safety standard value, the radio frequency pulses applied to the patient have to be accurate.
Thus, an MRI apparatus is provided which predicts an SAR value based on imaging conditions and optimizes a sequence of imaging protocols so as to optimize the safety standard value.
However, to carry out SAR-based safety management strictly, it is necessary to calculate the SAR value accurately. Thus, an MRI apparatus is provided which accurately calculates the SAR by directly measuring an electric current flowing through a transmitter coil by means of a scan performed prior to an examination of the patient and known as a prescan and calculating electric power used on the patient, based on the measured electric current. Furthermore, an MRI apparatus is provided which calculates an amount of power consumption from coefficients of a region, bed position, or the like by taking into consideration an amount of loss of the radio frequency pulses actually emitted to the patient, predicts the SAR value based on the calculated value, and thereby modifies imaging conditions.
In this way, techniques are provided which accurately calculate SAR values by calculating the energy emitted to the patient.
The techniques described above can calculate more accurate SAR values and strictly carry out SAR-based safety management. However, it is not known whether or not the radio frequency pulses are outputted as set out in imaging conditions, and if radio frequency pulses actually outputted are much stronger than the setting, the SAR value increases greatly, which could have resulted in a need to change the set imaging conditions. Also, even if the SAR value is measured accurately, there is a problem in that desired image contrast is not available if the radio frequency pulses are not applied at set power.
Radio frequency pulses are outputted in a pulse manner multiple times in one examination and the outputted radio frequency pulses fluctuate in real time due to heating, load changes, aging degradation, and the like of elements used in an amplifier and transmitter coil and the like of a radio frequency pulse transmission circuit. That is, actual output could deviate in real time from radio frequency pulse output expected at a time of imaging condition setting. Such deviation could cause imaging to be performed at an output higher than predicted SAR value, requiring time and effort to change the set imaging conditions, or could cause imaging to be performed at an output lower than set radio frequency pulses, making it impossible to obtain desired image contrast. Consequently, in an examination using an MRI apparatus, it is necessary that the SAR value is measured correctly and that the radio frequency pulses are applied to the patient at an output as set out in imaging conditions.
Thus, there is a demand for an MRI apparatus which can apply more accurate radio frequency pulses to the patient.

MRI Apparatus with RF corrected each TR interval


Provided herein are methods of catalytic hydrosilylation, including triggerable methods, using metal-ligand complexes as catalysts, characterized by formula MLxDy; wherein: M is a metal; x is equal to the oxidation state of M; each D is independently a neutral coordinating ligand; y is zero or an integer selected from the range of 1 to 4; and each L is independently a mono-anionic ligand. L may be a η1,η2-β,β-disubstituted-ω-alkenyl ligand.

The fabrication of conformal films such as metals, metal oxides, metal nitrides, and other metal-containing substances is becoming increasingly important in the microelectronics industry, as device feature sizes continue to become smaller. In particular, thin films of insulators and conductors need to be conformally deposited inside narrow, deep holes and trenches, in order to serve as wires, diffusion barriers, adhesion layers, encapsulating layers, and other functions. Physical vapor deposition (PVD) methods such as evaporation and sputtering are currently used to deposit such films, but the high sticking coefficients of the PVD flux leads to "line of sight" depositions that cannot afford conformal coatings in very small features. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD), on the other hand, often affords conformal films owing to the smaller surface reaction probabilities of CVD precursors, which enables the precursors to reach the bottoms of deep features.
In CVD, a precursor or set of precursors that contain the desired elements is vaporized and passed over a hot substrate. Subsequent decomposition of the precursor, sometimes in the presence of a reactant gas, affords thin films of the desired material on the substrate. A variant of CVD is known as atomic layer deposition (ALD); in this method, two or more reactant gases are passed alternately over the heated substrate, with intervening evacuation steps. The precursors used in CVD and ALD processes should be volatile enough to be deliverable to the substrate, and thermally stable enough to be storable at (and preferably slightly above) room temperature for long periods. Decomposition reactions on the substrate surface should also occur to give a film with the desired composition, and should afford reaction byproducts that are volatile and thus can be swept away without leaving contaminants in the film.
Thin films of metals or metal-containing solid materials are very useful as protective coatings, conductive materials in microelectronics, catalysts, data storage media, and other applications owing to their outstanding properties. For example, because of their high melting point, high strength, and resistance to corrosion, platinum and platinum alloys can withstand the abrasive action of molten glass and thus are used in glass molding components (Fisher, Platinum Metal Reviews 1992, 36, 14-25). Co—Cr—Pt thin films, which have perpendicular magnetic coercivities, Hc(⊥), greater than 5000 Oe are used in data storage (Keitoku et al., Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 2001, 235, 34-39). Due to its high melting point (2447° C.) and resistance to chemical attack, iridium coatings are used for crucibles for the synthesis of high purity metal oxide single crystals (Wu et al., Johnson Matthey Technology Review 2017, 61(1), 16-28). Palladium and platinum are widely used in electronics applications because of their high electrical conductivities and durability. Ruthenium metal has a low bulk resistivity (7.1 μΩ·cm), a high work function (4.7 eV), and low solid solubility with strong adhesion to Cu, making it an attractive barrier metal and seed layer for Cu electroplating (Keitoku et al., Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 2001, 235, 34-39; Wu et al., Johnson Matthey Technology Review 2017, 61, 16-28; and Austin et al., Chemistry of Materials 2017, 29, 1107-1115).
As seen in PVD of other materials, PVD of metals or metal-containing solid materials has limited ability to provide conformal coatings inside holes and trenches with high aspect ratios, although it works well for coatings on flat surfaces. For example, deposition of Co—Cr—Pt alloy thin films by magnetron sputtering has been reported (Keitoku et al., Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 2001, 235, 34-39).
CVD and ALD methods for depositing films of metals or metal-containing solid materials have been reported. However, the precursors employed generally suffer from one or more shortcomings, such as low volatility, inappropriate decomposition temperature, air sensitivity, or generation of hazardous byproducts. In addition, many thin films of late transition metals suffer from excess carbon impurities in the films. For example, the most widely used Pt CVD and ALD precursor, (MeCp)PtMe3 is an air sensitive solid which leaves carbon impurities in the Pt film if no reactive gas is used. Carrying out the depositions in the presence of a reactive gas such as O2 or H2 reduces the carbon impurities, but film oxidation and/or gas phase precipitation become problematic (Thurier et al., Coordination Chemistry Reviews 2008, 252, 155-169; Schneider, et al., Chemical Vapor Deposition 2007, 13, 389-395; Maudez, et al., Chemical Vapor Deposition 2014, 20, 59-68).
One CVD precursor of particular relevance to the invention below is cis-bis(pent-4-en-1-yl)platinum (Tagge, C. D.; Simpson, R. D.; Bergman, R. G.; Hostetler, M. J.; Girolami, G. S.; Nuzzo, R. G., "Synthesis of a novel volatile platinum complex for use in CVD and a study of the mechanism of its thermal decomposition in solution." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 2634-2643). This compound is an air and moisture-stable, low melting (40-41° C.), volatile solid. Unfortunately, it is not particularly robust thermally: it decomposes within 2 weeks at room temperature with formation of pentadienes and pentenes, owing to its susceptibility to beta-hydrogen elimination. This compound affords films that contain Pt under appropriate CVD conditions, but it would be far more useful if it could be stored indefinitely at room temperature.
Provided herein are new volatile complexes and associated methods, which address these and other challenges, for the deposition of metals and other solids, such as metal oxides (MOx), metal nitrides (MNx), metal carbides (MCx), metal borides (MBx) and other binary and higher-order phases of superior quality and performance characteristics.

Metal complexes for depositing films and method of making and using the same

The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois


A GmAPD FPA having increased tolerance optical overstress includes a limit resistor that is monolithically integrated into each pixel in the FPA, and which limits the magnitude of the current entering the read out integrated circuit.

There is a potential for saturation or loss of functionality in GmAPD FPAs due to incoming high-intensity optical signals. These high-intensity signals can generate, in the GmAPD, excessively large currents, which are then injected into the read-out integrated circuit (ROIC). These large currents may result in corruption of data from the FPA or possibly result in damage to the sensor. It is desirable to avoid these effects, collectively referred to as "optical overstress," through elements of the FPA design.
FIG. 1 depicts a circuit model for pixel 100 of a prior-art GmAPD FPA. In the context of a photodiode FPA, such as a GmAPD FPA, the term "pixel" collectively references (i) a single photodiode in the array thereof and (ii) a unit cell of the read-out integrated circuit, at a minimum. Thus, pixel 100 includes GmAPD 102 (of an array thereof referred to as a photodiode array or "PDA") and ROIC unit cell 108.
The circuit model of the GmAPD 102 includes intrinsic instantaneous series resistance "RS(t)," breakdown voltage "VB," diode capacitance "CD," and switch "S" to emulate the spontaneous avalanche breakdown process in the GmAPD. See, Haitz, R. H. "Model for the Electrical Behavior of a Microplasma" J. Appl. Phys. 35, 1370 (1964). ROIC unit cell 108 includes arm transistor 110, disarm transistor 112, and sense transistor 114.
GmAPD 102 is armed by externally applied voltage "VHI," with accompanying low-impedance load resistance RL. Voltage VHI is set as follows:VHI=VB+excess bias VEX  (1)
where: VEX<5 volts
The source of the excess bias is disconnected after a user-defined "arm" time.
Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, detection of an optical signal, and its corresponding avalanche, at time t=t0, corresponds to the closing of switch S. At this time, voltage V between nodes 104 and 106 in FIG. 1 begins dropping from VHI and current I begins increasing to IA:IA=((VHI−VB)/RS(t))  (2)
When sense transistor 114 in ROIC unit cell 108 detects that the voltage has dropped to quench voltage VQ, disarm transistor 112 turns "on," reducing the voltage across GmAPD 102 to VLO, as depicted in FIG. 2A, where:VLO=VHI−5 volts  (3)
As the voltage is reduced below breakdown voltage VB, switch S opens again and the current drops from steady-state value I0 back to zero, as depicted in FIG. 2B. At this point, GmAPD 102 can be re-armed with arm transistor 110 after a user-defined hold-off time. This approach, called "active quenching," enables much greater control over the functionality of a GmAPD in comparison with a "passive quenching" scheme, in which the disarming and re-arming occur automatically in accordance with behavior set by a single "quench" resistor in place of ROIC unit cell 108.
The initial spike in current I to IA scales with optical intensity in the presence of a very large optical signal due to Rs(t) decreasing when an excess of free carriers are generated within the diode. High magnitudes of this peak current ultimately cause the issues attributed to "optical overstress" upon injection into ROIC unit cell 108. As this problem is relatively unique to GmAPD FPAs due to the high impedance necessary at the ROIC input for detection of avalanche events, to the inventors' knowledge, it has not been addressed in the prior art.

Geiger-mode focal plane array with monolithically integrated resistors


A thrust reverser system of a nacelle is provided. The thrust reverser system may include a pressure shell, a blocker door, and a drag link. The blocker door may be pivotably coupled to the pressure shell. The drag link may include a first segment pivotably coupled to a second segment and a third segment pivotably coupled to the second segment and the blocker door.

Gas turbine engine systems for modern aircraft often include a thrust reverser incorporated into a nacelle. The thrust reverser may redirect the flow of air through the nacelle in order to apply a reverse thrust to the aircraft. One style of thrust reverser includes a translating sleeve. The translating sleeve may translate aft to deploy blocker doors into the bypass air duct of a nacelle. The blocker doors may redirect air in the bypass air duct outward though a series of cascades which then turn the air forward, producing reverse thrust. The blocker doors may be hinged to the translating sleeve and may be coupled to the inner fixed structure via a drag link. As the translating sleeve translates aft, the drag link may pull the blocker doors inward, pivoting them into the bypass air duct. Connecting the drag link to a translating sleeve and a stationary body may present challenges since each body responds differently to structural flight loads. Furthermore, the presence of the drag link in the airflow of the inner duct creates aerodynamic drag and a decrement to aircraft performance.


In an electric actuator having inner component parts thereof inclusive of a motor 1 covered with a cover main body 10, the cover main body 10 having a coating (protection) function serves as a manually operating part and is equipped with a mechanism for switching between electrical and manual operations. A fixing structure for connecting and fixing an electrical actuator 40 and a rotary valve 23 includes an annular one-way clutch structure 25 at one of the opposite fixing positions, and includes an annular face part 6 disposed at the other of the opposite fixing positions. The annular face part 6 is inserted into the one-way clutch structure 25, thereby restraining the actuator and valve from being rotated in one circumferential direction.

The present invention relates to an electric actuator mounted on a rotary valve, such as a ball valve, butterfly valve, etc., and to a fixing structure for detachably attaching the electric actuator to the rotary valve through a single touching action, which structure is applicable to a fixing structure for machine parts.
Actuators of this type are generally adapted to automatically open and close a valve with a structure in which a motor-driving shaft provided inside the actuator and a valve stem are connected directly or through a clutch mechanism. During power breakdown or in case of emergency, however, manual operation to open and close the valve is required.
Manual operation has heretofore been performed through a method of attaching a separate, manually operating shaft to a clutch mechanism, a method of projecting a motor-driving shaft from the upper or lower part of an actuator cover and using a tool to manually operate the projecting part of the motor-driving shaft, or a method of forming a hole in a motor-driving shaft and a projection on a valve stem, or vice versa, and inserting a tool into the hole to perform manual operation (see JP-A SHO 60-16074 (UM) and JP-A SHO 61-177266 (UM), for example).
On the other hand, there is a case where a valve or an actuator is generally provided with a flange or tapping seat as means for mounting the actuator on and connecting it to the shaft-mounting portion of the valve, and the actuator and shaft-mounting portion are fastened to each other with bolts or other such means (see JP-A SHO 54-92437 (UM), for example).
However, the conventional manually operating mechanisms for electrically operated actuators are complicated in structure and are large-sized in overall shape, and the manual operation is generally made using a tool to deteriorate operability. Therefore, demand is raised for development of electrically operated actuators that can solve the aforementioned problems. Since holes for bolts formed in a flange of an actuator of this type or valve have a slightly larger diameter than the bolt outside diameter in view of a fitting tolerance in relation to the bolts, when the bolts are loosened in attaching the actuator to or detaching it from the valve, there is a possibility of the actuator being shift by the amount of a gap between the bolts and the bolt holes. This fails to securely maintain the completely closed state when a rotary valve is required to completely close, resulting in a malfunction of the valve. In addition, when the flange is to be tapped, this requires an additional tapping work and necessitates a space for rotating and loosening the bolts in attaching or detaching the actuator and an operation tool, such as a wrench, screwdriver or other such means. Therefore, demand is also raised at the same time for development of a fixing configuration in the electrically operated actuator that can solve these problems.
The present invention has been developed in view of this state of affairs, and its object is to inexpensively provide a compact, electrically operated actuator simple in structure, light in weight and safe in operation. Another object is to provide an electrically operated actuator attachable to and detachable from a rotary valve by a single operation, and a fixing configuration for the actuator. A further object is to provide a fixing configuration for firmly fixing an electrically operated actuator with the rotational direction and axial direction of a rotary valve restrained, and a compact fixing structure capable of firmly fixing an electrically operated actuator with ease and applicable also to mechanical parts.
To attain the above objects, the present invention provides an electric actuator having inner component parts thereof inclusive of a motor covered by a cover main body. The cover main body has a coating (protection) function and serves as a manually operating part, and is equipped with a mechanism for switching between electrical and manual operations.
In the electric actuator of the invention, the cover main body is cylindrical and is provided on a disk-shaped base body on which the inner component parts inclusive of the motor are mounted, and the cover main body is made of a synthetic resin and has an outer face formed integrally with a fastening curved face so that the cover main body is capable of being gripped.
In the electric actuator of the invention, the switching mechanism comprises a fastening pin, an apex of which is elastically energized outward in a lateral part of a base body, and a fastening groove of an annular projection disposed on an inner peripheral face of the cover main body, the apex being separably fastened to the fastening groove. The annular projection is inserted into an annular groove formed in the lateral part of the base body to prevent the cover main body from being moved in a vertical direction relative to the base body.
In the electric actuator of the invention, the motor has a fastening projection, and the cover main body has a fastening depression formed on an inner peripheral face thereof, whereby an electrically operable state of the motor is established by causing the fastening projection to be engaged with the fastening depression and causing the apex of the fastening pin to be engaged with the fastening groove of the annular projection. The fastening projection of the motor is fixed in the fastening depression formed on the inner peripheral face of the cover main body, and the apex of the fastening pin engaged with the fastening groove of the annular projection is depressed to cancel the state of engagement, thereby rendering the cover main body manually rotatable in conjunction with the motor and parts attached to the motor.
In the electric actuator of the invention, the motor has a drive shaft to which a valve opening plate is fixed. The valve opening plate has a surface to which a display part is applied, the cover main body has an inspection window disposed therein, and the indicating part is adapted to be visually observed through the inspection window. The base body has an opening display piece fixed thereto, and the display part of the valve opening plate is positioned below the opening display piece to enable display on the opening display piece to be visually observed through the inspection window in the cover main body during manual operation of the electric actuator.
The electric actuator of the invention further comprises an interlock switch adapted to effect automatic interruption of supply of electricity to the motor during manual operation of the electric actuator. The interlock switch is disposed on the base body and has a working piece, the cover main body has a depression or a projection disposed on the inner peripheral face thereof, and the working piece is adapted to contact the depression or projection to induce operation of the interlock switch in consequence of rotation of the cover main body.
In the present invention, while an annular clutch is disposed in a gear tube of a rotary valve, the drive shaft of a motor having the lower end connected to the stem of the rotary valve is inserted into a fitting tube of a base body and, at the same time, the fitting tube is inserted into the clutch so as to restrain the rotation of the rotary valve and actuator.
In the invention, the clutch restrains the rotation of the rotary valve and actuator in one direction, and a stopper part disposed on the lateral face of the gear tube is made to collide with a colliding face formed on the base body of the actuator so as to restrain the rotation of the rotary valve and actuator in the other direction. In addition, a stopper pin mechanism disposed in the base body is fastened to the lower surface of a stopper part to prohibit the rotary valve and electric actuator from producing relative motion in the vertical direction.
According to the present invention, therefore, the cover main body manifests a coating (protection) function for ordinary actuators as well as a function of protecting inner parts of the actuator and preventing invasion of water, dust and the like. Furthermore, when gripped, the cover main body has a function of a handle for readily performing manual operation. Moreover, switching between electric and manual operations can be attained. For these reasons, it is possible to reduce the cost to a great extent and, since piping and assembling works or maintenance can be enhanced, further reduction in cost can be attained.
A conventional manual operation mechanism requires a large operation force because the manual operation is performed against the motor gear. However, according to the manual operation mechanism of the present invention, manual operation can be performed with a small operation force because the motor made integral with the drive shaft is manually operated via the cover main body.
Further, according to the present invention, an interlock mechanism actuates during manual operation of the actuator to prevent the motor from driving, thereby enabling risk prevention to provide an actuator excellent in safety.
Further, according to the present invention, the annular clutch mechanism is used to prevent the actuator from moving in the rotation direction, and the stopper pin mechanism is used to prevent the actuator from being extracted. Thus, the electric actuator can easily be attached or detached with one stroke.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fixing structure for an electric actuator, wherein an annular one-way clutch structure is disposed at a fixing position for the rotary valve that is one of the constituent members. An annular face part is disposed at a fixing position for the electric actuator that is the other constituent member, and is inserted into the one-way clutch structure, thereby restraining the pair of constituent members from rotating one circumferential direction.
The invention further provides a fixing structure wherein the annular one-way clutch structure has a roller clutch structure, another fixing structure having a fastening mechanism provided on the rotary valve and electric actuator for restraining the rotation of the one-way clutch structure and restraining the opposite rotation thereof, and still another fixing structure using a stopper pin mechanism to restrain the rotary valve and electric actuator from moving in the axial direction.
According to the present invention, therefore, it is possible to reliably restrain the rotation direction when the constituent members are to be fixed, without a possibility of producing any deviation in the rotation direction. Moreover, since the number of processing and assembling steps is small, the cost can be reduced.
Furthermore, since the annular one-way clutch structure has a roller clutch structure, the overall structure can be made compact.
Thus, the compact, inexpensive structure is used to reliably restrain the rotation direction and axial direction, and the fixing operation can be effected with extreme ease.
Even for a pair of constituent members to which a rotation force is imparted, such as a fixing structure for a rotary valve and an electric actuator, it is possible to easily perform fixation in the rotation direction and vertical (axial) direction.
When applying this fixing structure to an electric actuator mounted on a rotary valve, the attachment and detachment thereof are easy to perform without the use of any tool. Moreover, the completely closing function in the rotary valve can be attained over a lone period of time. In addition, this fixing structure is applicable as fixing means for mechanical parts, thus attaining a wide range of applications.

Electric actuator and fixing structure of the actuator


A multi-purpose vehicle includes a frame, two aligned seats, an engine, a first generator driven by the engine, and a second generator driven by the engine. The frame includes two side frame portions, a base connected between the side frame portions, and two seat supports disposed on the base for supporting the seats, respectively. The second generator is disposed on the base and under one of the seats for supplying electricity to external electrical appliances.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a multi-purpose vehicle, and more particularly to a multi-purpose vehicle capable of supplying electricity to external electrical appliances.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional multi-purpose vehicle 100 (such as a golf cart or a farm vehicle) includes a generator driven by an engine to supply electricity to components of the multi-purpose vehicle 100, for example, vehicle lamps.
However, external electrical appliances are usually carried by the user, and are used on the multi-purpose vehicle 100. Ina situation where the external electrical appliances are used on the multi-purpose vehicle 100, it is necessary to prepare an additional generator for supplying electricity to the external electrical appliances, thereby resulting in inconvenience during use of the multi-purpose vehicle 100.

Multi-purpose vehicle capable of supplying electricity to external electrical appliances


A tracking device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a memory storing instructions; and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to: acquire tracking information regarding a tracking indicating a movement of a person in a monitoring region; determine one or more feature points on the tracking in the monitoring region based on the tracking information; determine one or more sections of the tracking according to the feature points determined; and analyze the tracking information for each section of the tracking determined.

In stores such as convenience stores and drugstores, monitoring cameras are provided in general. A system using a video captured by the camera has been developed.
A system that tracks a traffic line of a person in a store, generates tracking information of the person, and outputs the generated information on the basis of a video. A user, for example, a store clerk uses the tracking information output by the system, for example, to improve a goods display method in the store.
Tracking information of a person is acquired by using various existing units. In the related art, for example, units for detecting or recognizing a person from a video, units using tag information, units using an infrared laser, or the like are adopted.

Object tracking device by analyzing an image, object tracking tracking method by analyzing an image, recording medium, and object tracking tracking system by analyzing an image


A method of constructing upholstered furniture is provided using unitary ends which are covered with molded polymeric foam cushions. The construction method saves time and reduces the cost of the finished furniture while allowing relatively unskilled workers to produce top quality furniture in an efficient manner.

The invention herein pertains to a method of furniture construction and particularly to the construction of upholstered furniture as is mass produced commercially.
Labor and material costs have escalated in recent years causing increased economic pressure on virtually all manufacturing operations. Nowhere can this pressure be felt more strongly than in the furniture industries such as in the manufacture of upholstered furniture. Manufacturers are constantly seeking ways to automate production and to reduce costs. Unfortunately some manufacturers, not being able to meet today""s challenges have closed their doors.
The manufacture and assembly of upholstered furniture has always required the skill of competent workers since flexible fabrics and rigid frames must be joined in a seamless manner providing a functional yet aesthetically pleasing piece for the consumer. Talented upholsters that once permeated the furniture industry are for the most part gone, requiring manufacturing operations to automate, out source, and inspect the finished products at a greater degree than ever before. With the influx into the country of foreign manufactured furniture, retail stores have become increasingly price and quality conscious, once again placing pressure on domestic manufacturers to deliver flaw-free products, sometimes under stringent time schedules. Upholstered furniture such as chairs and sofas are conventionally formed from wooden frames or substructures which are built of various wooden components fastened together and precovered by manually forming planar foam cushions therearound. The planar foam cushions are then stapled and hand trimmed to provide the structure for an outer decorative fabric and other ornamental features in the completion phase. More recently, ends have been cut from single plywood sheets and polyfoam sheets have been sawed to form a groove or cavity into which the ends are slid. The ends have arms with straight top surfaces and the cavities are also linear to accommodate the arm top surfaces.
As would be understood, the construction of individual furniture frame parts, such as ends, backs, legs or the like require much time and effort and oftentimes such components are rejected as being out of specification. Additionally, the manual forming of cushion material around wooden substructures has also caused problems, due to lack of uniformity standards of individual workers and due to the speed required to meet production demands. Linear top arm surfaces are often undesirable for sophisticated furniture purchasers.
Thus, with the problems and disadvantages of current upholstered furniture manufacturing methods well documented, the present invention was conceived and one of its objectives is to provide furniture construction with the least possible number of different parts required in the substructure or frame, but which has interesting contours.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a furniture construction method which utilizes unitary ends cut from single, conventional plywood sheets with arcuate arm top surfaces.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide molded polymeric foam components having arcuate cavities to complement the arm top surfaces which can be easily mounted thereto.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing furniture whereby relatively unskilled persons can construct an upholstered furniture piece with an arcuate arm in a quick and efficient manner.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide furniture construction which is uniform and inexpensive to manufacture.
Various other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as a more detailed description is set forth below.
The aforesaid and other objectives are realized by providing a furniture construction method of producing furniture in which unitary ends of chairs, sofas or the like are formed from for example, standard plywood sheets cut with an arcuate arm top surface. The furniture end which defines an arm along its top surface is then covered with a preformed polymeric cushion having a cavity which is shaped to complement the shape of the arm top surface and is secured thereto by staples or other standard fasteners. The end, which is uniformly cut does not vary in shape or thickness and is easily covered with the polymeric foam which has been molded to rigid tolerances. After the foam cushions are applied, opposing ends are joined with dowel pins into back and seat support members and the assembly is then completed as is usual in furniture manufacturing operations including the addition of legs, springs, covering with suitable fabrics and the addition of seat and back cushions and the like. The furniture construction method as described greatly increases the ability of a relatively unskilled laborer to produce upholstered furniture having arcuate arms of a top quality in an efficient and economical manner.


The wireless radio-frequency identification (RFID) picocellular system includes a central control station optically coupled to one or more electrical-optical (E-O) access point devices that generate the individual picocells. The central control station includes service units that provide conventional wireless cellular services, and further includes one or more RFID reader units. The E-O access point devices are adapted to receive electromagnetic RFID tag signals from RFID tags within the associated picocell and transmit optical RFID tag signals to the central control station, which converts the optical RFID tag signals to electrical RFID tag signals, which are then received by the one or more RFID reader units. The system allows for large numbers of RFID tags in the picocellular coverage area to be quickly read and the information stored. The relatively small size of picocells allows for high-precision locating and position tracking of items without the need for manually scanning RFID tags with an RFID reader.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wireless communication systems, and particularly to wireless picocellular communication systems and radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems.
2. Technical Background
Wireless communication is rapidly growing, with ever-increasing demands for high-speed mobile data communication. As an example, so-called "wireless fidelity" or "WiFi" systems and wireless local area networks (WLANs) are being deployed in many different types of areas (coffee shops, airports, libraries, etc.). Wireless communication systems communicate with wireless devices called "clients," which must reside within the wireless range or "cell coverage area" in order to communicate with the access point device.
Wireless Picocellular Systems
One approach to deploying a wireless communication system involves the use of "picocells," which are radio-frequency (RF) coverage areas having a radius in the range from about a few meters up to about 20 meters. Because the picocell covers a small area, there are typically only few users (clients) per picocell. This allows for minimizing the amount of RF bandwidth shared among the wireless system users. Also, picocells allow for selective wireless coverage in small regions that otherwise would have poor signal strength when covered by larger cells created by conventional base stations.
Picocells are created by and centered around a wireless access point device that includes an RF transmitter/receiver operably connected to an antenna. The size of a given picocell is determined by the amount of RF power transmitted by the access point device, the receiver sensitivity, antenna gain and the RF environment, as well as by the RF transmitter/receiver sensitivity of the wireless client device. Client devices usually have a fixed RF receive sensitivity, so that the above-mentioned properties of the access point device determine the picocell size.
Combining a number of access point devices creates an array of picocells that cover an area called a "picocellular coverage area." A closely packed picocellular array provides high-data-throughput over the picocellular coverage area.
Radio-Frequency Identification
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is a remote recognition technique that utilizes RFID tags having information stored therein. The stored information is retrievable via RF communication between the RFID tag and an RFID tag reader. The typical RFID system utilizes an RFID reader (e.g., hand-held) that when brought sufficiently close to an RFID tag is able to read an RFID tag signal emitted by the tag. RFID systems are used for inventory management and product tracking in a variety of different industries, as well as in libraries and hospitals.
There are three main types of RFID tags. The first type is a passive RFID tag that has a microcircuit (typically, a digital memory chip) with no internal power supply. A passive RFID tag is powered by an incoming RF signal from the RFID tag reader. The RF signal provides enough power for the microcircuit to transmit the information stored in the RFID tag to the RFID reader via an electromagnetic RF tag signal.
The second type of RFID tag is semi-passive, and includes a microchip plus a small power supply so that RFID tag can generate a stronger RF tag signal, leading to a greater read range. The third type of RFID tag is active and, like the semi-passive type tag, has its own power supply. Active RFID tags generate an outgoing RF tag signal and can respond to RF signal queries from the RF tag reader, or periodically generate their own outgoing RF tag signal.
Implementing an RFID system that covers a relatively large area (e.g., an entire office building) and that track many items with high-resolution usually requires deploying a large number of RFID tag readers and connecting them to a central computer that can process the data received from the RFID tags. Reading the RFID tags is accomplished, for example, by people physically carrying RFID tag readers over the premises and interrogating each RFID tag. This conventional approach to RFID is equipment-intensive and labor-intensive, and tends to be expensive to implement and maintain.

Wireless picocellular RFID systems and methods


An improved method and apparatus for removing moisture from a wet material. The apparatus is of the type having: an elongated trough having at least one level for containing the material, the trough having an upward open portion, a downward closed portion, a feed end for receiving the material and a delivery end for discharge of the material; means, associated with the trough, for conveying the material contained in the trough from the feed end to the delivery end; a heat plate for generating a radiant heat mounted along substantially the entire length of the open portion of each level of the trough such that the material conveyed in each level of the trough is exposed to the radiant heat in order that a portion of the moisture in the material may be evaporated; means, operatively connected to the heat plate, for controlling the temperature of the heat plate in order that the radiant heat is generated in a controlled manner such that a desired temperature of the material throughout each level of the trough may be maintained; and means, associated with the trough, for collecting the moisture evaporated by the radiant heat. The heat plate is preferably electrically heated. The method for removing moisture from the wet material is performed by using the apparatus.

Many types of wet particulate materials or industrials products must have their moisture content reduced in order to render the materials commercially useful or capable of economic transportation and storage, or to prevent their deterioration. The type of wet materials which may require such drying include industrial waste or sewage sludge, pulp sludge, various slurries, grains, cereals, organic and inorganic fibres and pulps and chemical waste. Given increasingly stringent environmental standards and regulations, the drying, or removal of a portion of the moisture, of the wet materials is preferably accomplished in a relatively environmentally safe manner by reducing the pollutants released to the environment as a result of the drying process.
In the case of grain or cereal crops, rain or damp weather at harvest time may prevent natural drying in the field and result in deterioration and possible rotting of the crops. The commercial value of the crop may be preserved by quickly drying the crop to allow for its safe transportation and storage. However, the crop must be dried without damaging the grain or cereal. In addition, the moisture removed from the crop is preferably recycled and returned to the environment without the addition of any harmful pollutants to the environment.
Similar drying processes may also be required for the byproducts or wastes produced by industrial processes. These industrial byproducts often contain chemicals or other harmful materials which tend to pollute the environment, but which must be disposed of in some fashion. Such industrial byproducts are often in the form of fine inorganic and organic particles suspended or otherwise diffused in water and are known as sludges or slurries. Examples of sources of such sludges or slurries include pulp and paper mills, sewage treatment plants, chemical plants and other food processing or industrial operations. In addition to disposal problems, these industrial byproducts are often difficult and costly to handle and transport due to their high liquid or moisture content. Thus dehydration of these materials, by removing the excess moisture, is required. Preferably, the dehydration is conducted in a manner rendering both the removed moisture and the dehydrated material relatively environmentally friendly as compared to the initial industrial byproduct. In addition, in many cases, the dehydration of the industrial byproducts will sterilize the harmful or toxic substances contained in them and render them commercially valuable as, for example, a fertilizer.
Drying of these types of wet materials, and removal of their excess moisture, may be accomplished mechanically through the use of belt presses, centrifuges, filters and holding ponds for settling and separation over time. Mechanical drying typically removes only a limited portion of the moisture content and does not affect any pollutants contained in the resulting processed materials.
Another method previously utilized for drying these wet materials involves indirect heating using furnaces, kilns, burners, ovens, and the like. Indirect heating typically involves blowing hot air produced by the furnace, or other indirect heating apparatus, across the wet material. Although the volume of moisture contained in the wet material is reduced, many of the pollutants are released into the vapour produced by the heat which may in turn become mixed with the flue gases and released to the atmosphere. In addition, the furnace is typically heated by means of combustion resulting in the further release of polluted flue gases into the atmosphere. Finally, the temperature of the wet material during the drying process is often difficult to control and may result in burning of the dehydrated material, rendering it of limited commercial value. As a result, the dehydrated material may need to be incinerated.
A further method for drying the wet materials involves using a combination of radiant heat and hot air produced through the combustion of heating oil or gas. Flame burners are used to produce the radiant heat. The exhaust gases from the flame burners produce the hot air for the indirect heating. The hot air is not in direct contact with the material, but rather, is blown through a casing in a trough conveying the material and through the hollow axles of auger shafts moving the material through the trough. One example showing this combination of radiant heat and combustion gases to dry sewage sludge is shown in PCT Application No. PCT/CA90/00074 to Schmidt et. al. published Sep. 7, 1990.
Several disadvantages may arise from applying an indirect heat to the wet material through the circulation of combustion exhaust gases. The temperature of the material through the entire drying process and apparatus may be difficult to control. In particular, the temperature of the exhaust gases from the flame burners, distributed throughout the apparatus, may be constant regardless of the moisture level in the material at any particular point in the apparatus and regardless of the particular stage of dehydration of the material. It is therefore difficult to control the heat gradient as the material is dehydrated, which may result in burning. As well, difficulty in controlling the temperature of the exhaust gases may result in overheating of the apparatus and burning of the material.
The use of exhaust gases to indirectly heat the material, and attempts to better control the temperature of the exhaust gases, have resulted in relatively complicated apparatuses incorporating equipment such as: fire boxes for combustion; jacketed pipes, troughs and augers to convey the hot exhaust gases; and complicated water cooling systems involving water injection apparatus for reducing the temperature of the hot exhaust gases circulated through the drying apparatus. The use of these types of relatively complicated equipment may result in greater maintenance and repair problems.
Finally, combustion of oil and gas produces exhaust gases containing pollutants which may be harmful to the environment and which may require treatment prior to their discharge. For example, the exhaust gases may contain sulfuric acid. In addition to being a pollutant, sulfuric acid tends to corrode any surface it comes into contact with. Therefore, corrosion may become a problem within the areas of the apparatus circulating the exhaust gases, such as the jacketed pipes, troughs and augers.
There is therefore a need in the industry for a method and an apparatus for removing moisture from a wet material in a relatively environmentally safe manner, without damaging the material, by applying heat in a relatively precisely controlled manner. In addition, the apparatus should preferably be relatively simple to construct and maintain as compared to previously known drying apparatuses.

Apparatus for removing moisture from a wet material using a radiant heat source


A device for fine-machining a peripheral workpiece surface which is arranged eccentrically in relation to a workpiece axis of a workpiece, in particular of a pin bearing of a crankshaft, includes a rotary drive device for rotatably driving the workpiece about the workpiece axis, a pressing device for pressing a fine-machining tool against the peripheral workpiece surface, and a bearing device for supporting the pressing device on a frame. The device further includes a force application device which applies deceleration and/or acceleration forces on a bearing member of the bearing device, with the bearing member moving back and forth between two reversal positions when the workpiece rotates.

The present invention relates to a device for fine-machining a peripheral workpiece surface that is located eccentrically in relation to a workpiece axis of a workpiece, in particular a pin bearing of a crankshaft.
It would be desirable and advantageous to address this problem and to provide a device, which allows fine-machining a workpiece that satisfies stringent quality requirements and which is at the same time more economical than prior-art devices.

Device for fine-machining a peripheral workpiece surface located eccentrically in relation to a workpiece axis of a workpiece


A computer method and system for changing a shape type of a graphic data object. A first shape type is obtained through user selection and a graphic data object is created having graphic characteristics as predefined and/or as designated by the user. When so desired by the user, a second shape type is obtained through user selection. The graphic data object is then modified to have the second shape type while maintaining the other graphic characteristics. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second shape types are selected via a mouse through which the user positions the cursor on a shape type menu. To initially define the appearance of the graphic data object having the first shape type, graphic characteristics are obtained from the user, including color, fill pattern, border and size. The shape type of the graphic data object can be changed by re-selecting a new shape type from the shape type menu. The graphic data object is then redefined and displayed having the new shape type and maintaining the other graphic characteristics as originally selected.

Computer systems are currently available which provide users with various computer graphics capabilities. For example, with these systems, users can create shapes in the form of graphic data objects by operating various user input devices. Such devices include a mouse, a pen, or any other functionally equivalent positioning device.
In many of these computer systems, shapes are created and drawn on a display as a result of user selection of a shape type from a number of predefined shape types provided. Upon selection of the desired shape type, the user operates the user input device to select the location, vertices, etc. to create the shape desired.
In some such computer graphics systems, the user can designate various graphic characteristics such as a fill pattern, color, border, attached text, size, etc., for a created shape. By so designating these graphic characteristics, the user is able to create highly descriptive shapes, where desired.
It is sometimes desirable, however, for the user to change the shape type of an object without changing the other graphic characteristics already designated for that object. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the user can initially choose a triangle from a display 100, by operating a user positioning device to position a cursor on a shape type menu 102, within the triangle selection box 104. The triangle can then be sized and positioned by specifying defining points, such as vertices, of the triangle.
Upon choosing the triangle, the user can designate graphic characteristics of the triangle, such as, color, border, attached text, size, etc. In FIG. 2, an example of the result of such a designation is illustrated. In this example, the graphic data object displayed is a triangle 200, which corresponds to user selection of a solid, red fill pattern 202, a white border 204 and white attached text 206, spelling "STOP."
Upon creation of such a graphic data object, the user may decide that, although the other graphic characteristics selected are acceptable, the graphic data object could be improved by having a different shape type. For example, upon reflection, it may occur to the user that, even though the red color, white border and attached text are much to be desired, the triangle 200 would be more appropriately represented as an octagon.
Conventionally, however, it has not been possible to obtain such a shape type change without completely recreating the graphic data object. That is, to provide an octagon having all other graphic characteristics possessed by the triangle 200, a user would have to first select an octagon shape type, and then again designate each of the graphic characteristics desired, this time for the new octagon shape type selected. However, to resort to such a largely repetitive action is relatively time-consuming in light of the fact that all other of the desired graphic characteristics have already been designated.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a method and means of changing the shape type of a graphic data object without changing other graphic characteristics of the graphic data object.

Method and system for changing a shape type while maintaining existing graphic characteristics