An electric wire insulator and support bracket for metal fence posts having a cylindrical bracket arm slotted along its length to receive and be mounted on a flange of a steel fence post. Tie holes are located at each side of the slot for positioning a tie member for securing the bracket to the post. Wire retention slots are located in each end of the arm for supporting electric fence wires and retention pins confine the wires in the slots.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a support bracket for attaching an electric fence wire to metal posts such as in garden, yard or field fencing. More specifically the bracket constitutes an electric insulator for supporting the electric wire spaced from the metal fence posts and cooperates with a flange on the metal fence posts for supporting the bracket and electrical wire.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has become common practice in ranch, farm and orchard fencing to utilize some form of electrically charged wire to discourage and/or restrain livestock or game from access to certain areas or to protect vegetation. The electrically charged wire system may be utilized either as the sole barrier or, quite commonly, in combination with non-charged barriers such as field fencing. In most instances steel fence posts are the most economical means of fence support because of their indestructibility and because they are easily installed, removed and are reusable. The following are examples of insulator support brackets of various designs which have been utilized in conjunction with the steel fence posts to support electric wires.
U.S. Pat. No. Patentee 2,429,857 Verner 2,445,009 Strauss et al 3,572,639 Shettif 3,652,780 Wilson 3,908,964 Leiblich 4,905,968 Eby et al 5,085,409 Teixeira
Most of these brackets are made of dielectric materials such as rubber or plastic with the bracket being attachable directly to the fence post or to some appendage attached to the post to provide support. Some problems encountered with prior art support brackets include the close proximity with which the electric wire is held to the steel post. The electrical system is subjected to arcing and grounding under severe field conditions such as the accumulation of debris or extremely wet or moist atmospheric conditions. Brackets made of lightweight plastics which "snap" on to the posts are especially vulnerable because of material fatigue and deterioration causing the brackets to dislodge from the post or to be broken by contact with animals. Other drawbacks such as the complexity and expense of an intricately designed bracket which may be either difficult to install and/or not reusable.

Electric wire insulator and support bracket for metal fence posts


An interconnector-electrochemical reaction unit cell composite body including an electrochemical reaction unit cell, and an interconnector which has a first through hole defining a fuel gas flow channel and which is disposed on the side toward an anode of the electrochemical reaction unit cell. The interconnector includes a coating forming a first surface of the interconnector opposite the anode. The coating includes a first coating and a second coating a having reduction resistance higher than that of the first coating. The first coating forms a first surface region which is a portion of the first surface of the interconnector and which is located away from the first through hole. The second coating forms a second surface region which is a portion of the first surface of the interconnector, which surrounds the first through hole, and which is located between the first coating and the first through hole.

A known type of a fuel cell for generating electricity by utilizing electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen is a solid oxide fuel cell (hereinafter may be referred to as "SOFC") which includes electrolyte layers containing a solid oxide. In general, an SOFC is used in the form of a fuel cell stack including a plurality of interconnector-fuel cell unit cell composite bodies (hereinafter may be referred to simply as "composite bodies") that are disposed in a predetermined direction (hereinafter referred to as a "first direction"). Each composite body includes a unit cell of a fuel cell (hereinafter may be referred to simply as a "unit cell") and an interconnector. The unit cell includes an electrolyte layer, a cathode, and an anode such that the cathode and the anode face each other in the first direction and the electrolyte layer intervenes between these electrodes. The interconnector is disposed on the anode side of the unit cell and has a through hole defining a fuel gas flow channel.
In a known technique relating to such a fuel cell stack, a sealing member forming the aforementioned fuel gas flow channel is disposed between a surface (hereinafter referred to as a "first surface") of the interconnector of a first composite body (the first surface is opposite the surface of the interconnector facing the anode) and a second composite body disposed so as to face the first surface, thereby sealing a cathode chamber facing the cathode of the second composite body (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
In another known technique, a coating is formed on the first surface of an interconnector opposite the surface facing the anode for preventing diffusion of Cr (chromium) contained in the interconnector (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Interconnector-electrochemical reaction single cell composite body, and electrochemical reaction cell stack


A skin-stiffener transition assembly (1) with a skin (4) and two L-shaped fiber-reinforced fabric preforms (2, 3) for a flange and a composite gusset filler (5) integrated between said skin (4) and said two L-shaped fiber-reinforced fabric preforms (2, 3). The skin (4) comprises two separate skin layers (7, 8) and the flange comprises a flange layer (6), each of said skin layers (7, 8) and said flange layer (6) being provided with cut outs (9, 10) along one side. Said skin layers (7, 8) and the flange layer (6) are attached to the composite gusset filler (5) with at least one of its cut-outs (9, 10) to one side of the essentially polygonal cross section of the composite gusset filler (5) and with at least one of its adjacent cut-outs (9, 10) to another side of the essentially polygonal cross section of the composite gusset filler (5). The present invention relates as well to a method of manufacture of said skin-stiffener transition assembly (1) and to applications of said skin-stiffener transition assembly (1).

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a skin-stiffener transition assembly and to a method of manufacture of said skin-stiffener transition assembly. The present invention relates as well to applications of said skin-stiffener transition assembly.
(2) Description of Related Art
Fiber composite spars or skin-stiffener transitions are made by binding two "C" channels together to form a web with flanges. The channels may comprise a plurality of plies of fiber fabrics either in dry state or pre-impregnated with resin. When the channels are joined at the webs, an interstice or so-called interstice occurs along the flange because of these radii. Typically a gusset filler fills the interstice.
The skin-stiffener transitions are sensitive towards loads pulling off the flanges from the skin and/or sensitive towards impacts against the flanges.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 6,562,436 (A1) discloses a laminated composite (multi-ply) radius filler includes a plurality of woven fabric reinforced plies cut to fill a radius gap (including, if appropriate, intentional overfill) to increase absolute strength, to increase specific strength, or to reduce cost by reducing cracking and distortion in the radius of a composite assembly. The present invention also describes the method of manufacture and method of use for such laminated composite radius filler.
The document U.S. Ser. No. 2009/0317587 A1 discloses a composite stiffener fabricated using preforms of laminated, unidirectional composite tape. The stiffener includes a void that is reinforced by a filler wrapped with a structural adhesive. The surfaces of the preforms surrounding the void include a layer of composite fabric which is bonded to the filler by the adhesive, thereby increasing the toughness of stiffeners around the void and improving pull-off strength of the stiffener.
The document EP 0339 223 A1 discloses a fabric for making a constructional part, especially a hardened resin-saturated constructional part, the fabric consisting of an industrial yarn, such as particularly aramid fiber, carbon fiber, ceramic fiber or glass fiber, and proposes, in order to increase the proportion of reinforcing textile structure, that the fabric consists of two warp systems, of which the second serves for forming folds fastened to the first warp system at both ends, as seen in cross-section, the two warp systems being connected to one another at the fold ends by means of fixing wefts. The textile structure can advantageously be produced in one piece; there is no need for a multi-part construction making it more expensive.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,655 A discloses a joint for aircraft wing skins which have previously been connected to support substructures by rivets or other mechanical fasteners which create stress points and leakage points when aircraft wings are filled with fuel. Interleaved plies of a composite fabric are used to mechanically interlock the wing skin and support substructure. The structural integrity of the connection joint between wing skin and support substructure is increased.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 3,185,605 A discloses laminates of glass cloth, felted fibers, knitted cloth, parallel threads or paper, bonded with cold-setting or thermosetting resin made with selected areas left unbonded by interleaving the layers in those areas, or parts thereof adjacent to the areas to be bonded, with sheets, e.g. of polyvinyl chloride or polythene, incompatible with the resin and holding them under pressure during impregnation of the layers with, and curing of, the resin. The unbonded layers may later be interleaved or otherwise combined with the layers of other laminates to make shaped articles.

Skin-stiffener transition assembly, method of manufacture and application of said skin-stiffener transition assembly


An electric stapler comprises an enclosure, a motor, a power transmission device, a working arm pivotally attached to the enclosure, a magazine receiving a plurality of staples and a clinching assembly. A guide device is mounted upon the working arm and rotating therewith. The guide device defines a guideway therein. The magazine is slidably engaged with the working arm. The clinching assembly combines a blade support and a blade, both received in the guideway of the guide device and movable therein. The blade support is engaged with the lever. The power transmission device transmits power and torque from the motor to the clinching assembly. The guide device is mounted upon the working arm and rotates therewith, the blade support slides in the guideway and simultaneously rotates with the guide device, thereby no interferences between the blade support and guide device occurs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a stapler for binding sheets of paper placed one upon another by driving staples therethrough, and more particularly, the present invention relates to an electric stapler.
2. Background of the Invention
Stapler for attaching, for example, sheets of paper together is a necessary tool in the modern office. Manually operated staplers are in widespread use largely due to their modest price and outstanding reliability. However, some force is required to operate a manual stapler, especially when driving a staple through a thick stack of paper. To use a manual stapler, it must first be conveniently positioned on a table or desk so that the user can orient his hand and arm to exert sufficient force to drive the staple. Alternatively, the stapler can be grasped in the hand and squeezed between the fingers and palm to drive the staple. Either way requires that the stapler itself be repeatedly handled and/or moved, creating unnecessary and time-consuming operations. Moreover, due to the unstable force from the user, staple jamming often occurs. Electrically powered staplers eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages associated with manual staplers. Electrically powered staplers are more convenient and stable to use, jam less often, and are simpler to clean should jamming occur. Electrically powered staplers can be located in any convenient place such as on a desk or table, or far enough away from the user so as not to clutter his or her workspace and yet within easy reach to allow the user to extend a stack of paper into the stapler to effect attachment of the sheets in the stack.
Such electrical staplers are not without their problems. A disadvantage of electric staplers is that they are often larger than manual staplers and require electricity to operate. Electric staplers further have to be installed near a socket-outlet rendering their use inconvenient.
A typical electric stapler comprises an enclosure with a platform, an electric motor received in the enclosure, a power transmission device driven by the motor, a magazine receiving a plurality of staples, a clincher engaging a blade driven by the power transmission device to clinch the staples on the clincher, and a switch controlling the motor.
The typical electric stapler further comprises a guide device defining a guideway. The guideway of the guide device restricts the blade to reciprocally move up and down in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the clincher on a platform. Accordingly, the typical electric stapler requires more space to allow the magazine to move up and down when stapling. The additional space increases the size of the stapler. In addition, assembly errors may adversely impact the combination of the blade and the magazine and increase the friction among the blade, the magazine, and the guide device. When this occurs, more power may be required to overcome the increase in friction when stapling. In light of the foregoing, there is a need to improve the typical electric stapler.


A nasal insert includes a housing having a circumferential wall defining an interior passage. The wall has a longitudinal gap extending along a length thereof, with an outer peripheral dimension of the housing being adjustable by varying the gap. A valve is in communication with the interior passage and limits a fluid flow through the interior passage in at least one direction. In another embodiment, a nasal insert includes a user interface having a tubular housing defining an interior cavity open at opposite ends. An exterior surface of the housing is adapted to interface with a nasal vestibule of a user. A base is received in the interior cavity of the housing and includes an exit port. A cap is connected to the base and has an input port. A valve member is disposed in an interior passage defined by at least one of the cap and base, with the valve member being moveably received in the interior passage. Methods of using and assembling the nasal inserts also are provided.

There are a wide variety of different diseases and physiological disorders associated with breathing, including sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and snoring, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (CPOD), bronchitis, asthma and others. Many of these diseases and disorders may be treated by modifying the respiratory cycle.
For example, various oral or dental devices, such as the mandibular advancement device (MAD), have been developed for sleep apnea, and may be effective for treatment of mild sleep apnea, especially for patients that sleep on their back or stomach, and may improve airflow for patients with severe sleep apnea. These types of oral/dental devices may not be as effective, however, as continuous positive airway pressure devices (CPAP). Moreover, oral/dental devices are typically expensive, and may be associated with various side effects, including nighttime pain, dry lips, tooth discomfort, rearrangement in tooth and jaw positions, and excessive salivation, one or more of which may lead to reduced patient compliance.
CPAP devices will effectively control sleep apnea, but patient compliance may again be low, due for example to the discomfort of, and claustrophobic feeling associated with, the mask, pressure of the device, noise associated with the machine, entanglement of tubes, etc.
Other devices, as disclosed for example and without limitation in U.S. Pat. No. 7,735,491 to Doshi, U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,179 to Pedley and WO 2007/134458 to Robitaille, have been developed to treat sleep apnea and other respiratory disease and disorders by interfacing with the nasal passage of the user. Many of these types of nasal insert devices, however, may be difficult to properly install and/or use, for example requiring screwing of the device into the nasal passageway. In other systems, a holdfast, which secures the device to the user, may be external to the user, leading to lower levels of comfort and compliance. Conversely, internal holdfast systems may have a limited size variance, leading to such devices being either too tight or too loose, and/or adversely affecting the comfort level of the device and the associated compliance. Indeed, internal holdfast systems are often intended to create a tight seal with the nasal passageway, which may limit the population associated with any particular device.

Nasal insert and cannula and methods for the use thereof


A substrate-free semiconducting sheet has an array of semiconducting elements dispersed in a matrix material. The matrix material is bonded to the edge surfaces of the semiconducting elements and the substrate-free semiconducting sheet is substantially the same thickness as the semiconducting elements.

The need exists for large area semiconducting devices such as displays, solar panels, and general illumination sources. High performance semiconducting devices, however, typically require wafer based processing. This is due to the need for epitaxial processes, which require single-crystal growth substrates. While amorphous and polycrystalline processes have been developed for the growth of semiconducting materials on glass and metals, in all cases some compromise in device performance is required. Even in the case of organic semiconducting devices, such as organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic solar cells and electronic devices, high performance devices are typically formed via vapor processes within controlled atmospheres. The highest performance devices still benefit from batch based approaches. The need therefore exists for methods in which individual semiconductor elements, which are made using more standard semiconductor processes, can be reassembled into larger devices. In many cases, only a portion of the surface area needs to be covered with the semiconducting elements. This is especially true in the case of displays and general illumination sources. In general lighting applications, brightness levels less than 3000 foot-Lamberts (ftL) are typically preferred and in display applications typical brightness levels of 100 to 200 ftL are used. In many cases, the ability to use the extra surface area for interconnections, addressing elements, conversion materials, energy storage, and a black matrix for enhanced contrast is desirable. In the case of solar applications, the ability to incorporate a concentrator is also advantageous. In many cases the combination of multiple functionalities is desirable (e.g. light emitting diode, solar cell, charge storage, etc.).
While several authors have disclosed methods arraying a variety of semiconducting elements onto a variety of substrate materials, the methods still require a substrate. Carroll in U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,193 and Baker in U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,617 both disclose an array of embedded light emitting diode (LED) chips within a transparent body. Daniels et al in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,052,924, 7,217,956, 7,259,030, and 7,294,961 disclose the use of a roll-to-roll process and a lamination process to interconnect LEDs and solar cells via transparent conductive sheets. In these cases, some type of supporting substrate is required. The ability to stack, repair, and thermally cool the semiconducting elements is hindered by this approach. In addition, the physical separation and optical properties of the laminating films limit how effectively light can be extracted or impinged on the semiconducting elements. More specifically, high quality displays require contrast enhancement techniques that do not lend themselves to this type of processing. Solar applications involving concentrators are also adversely impacted by this approach.
It would be desirable to create a semiconducting sheet in which a variety of flake-like or chip-like semiconducting elements are arrayed within the sheet such that the thickness of these flake-like or chip-like semiconducting elements is substantially the same as the thickness of the semiconducting sheet. It would also be desirable to create a sheet of semiconducting elements such that interconnections and multiple layers can be formed after the sheet is made. In addition, it would be desirable to incorporate additional functions such as embedded interconnections, a black matrix for contrast enhancement, wavelength conversion materials, charge storage, addressing means, power conversion, and bias control within the surrounding matrix between semiconducting elements and on the semiconducting elements themselves. In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/221,304, which is herein incorporated by reference, Zimmerman et al disclose a method of forming a freestanding, substrate-free epitaxial LED chip based on laser liftoff of thick gallium nitride (GaN) from a sapphire wafer. The resulting epitaxial chip ranges from about 10 microns to over 50 microns in thickness, which is substantially thicker than devices grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). It would be desirable to use such chips to create a semiconducting sheet. By comparison, the plastic film industry routinely handles films from about 9 microns to 100 s of microns in thickness. Aluminum foils with thicknesses down to a few microns are found in virtually every kitchen.


A suspension thrust bearing for use with a suspension spring in an automotive suspension strut of a vehicle. The suspension thrust bearing provides a bearing having upper and lower annular bearing members in relative rotation to each other, and having upper and lower bearing surfaces, respectively, disposed in confronting alignment with each other. The lower bearing surface has a contour shaped to axially receive an upper end of the suspension spring. The upper bearing surface is shaped to be axially received by a support block attached to a body of the vehicle. The suspension thrust bearing includes an upper isolator made of resilient material and fixed to the upper bearing surface such that the upper isolator fits between the upper annular bearing member and support block.

As a general rule, a motor vehicle suspension system comprises a suspension strut supporting an axle and a vehicle wheel. A suspension thrust bearing is disposed in an upper portion of the suspension strut, opposite to the wheel and the ground, and between a suspension spring and an upper support block attached to the vehicle chassis.
The suspension thrust bearing includes at least one rolling bearing.
The suspension thrust bearing enables transmission of axial forces between the spring and the body of the vehicle and, in the meantime, allows relative angular movement between the spring, which is mobile in rotation, and the fixed support block attached to the body.
To this end, the spring is supported by a spring seat provided on the suspension thrust bearing. More precisely, the suspension thrust bearing comprises a lower bearing surface that axially rests on ending coils of the spring. The spring seat may also comprise a tubular axial surface to support radial deformations and to ensure the spring centering.
However, shocks and vibrations exerted by the spring during the use of vehicle can damage the suspension thrust bearing.


A method for database management is disclosed. The method may include receiving an algorithm from a user. Based on the algorithm, a hierarchical dataflow graph (hDFG) may be generated. The method may further include generating an architecture for a chip based on the hDFG. The architecture for a chip may retrieve a data table from a database. The data table may be associated with the architecture for a chip. Finally, the algorithm may be executed against the data table, such that an action included in the algorithm is performed.

The data revolution is being fueled by advances in several areas, including databases, high-performance computer architecture, and machine learning. Databases, more than ever before, are capable of storing tremendous amounts of data. Machine learning algorithms, among other things, are able to quickly identify correlations that would take humans days, if not weeks. Further, the computer architecture, where these databases are housed and on which the machine learning algorithms are performed, has grown increasingly powerful and efficient.
Despite these advances, implementing machine learning algorithms against larger databases has proven timely and manually intensive. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method and system for generating an architecture capable of efficiently executing a machine learning algorithm against large databases.

Methods and systems for integrating machine learning/analytics accelerators and relational database systems


A method for attaching a biomolecule having a plurality of carboxyl groups to an aminated solid surface by reacting the biomolecule with a carbodiimide to effect an activation of the carboxyl groups of the biomolecule, reacting the carbodiimide activated biomolecule with the solid surface to covalently bind the biomolecule to the aminated solid surface, and then selectively restoring carboxyl groups to the biomolecule. The selective restoration of carboxyl groups can be carried out by mild hydrolysis and restores the functionality of the biomolecule. The method is "selective" since the bonds between the biomolecule and the aminated solid surface remain intact.

This invention relates to the enhancement of the biocompatibility of various surfaces by binding biomolecules containing carboxyl groups to aminated surfaces.
Medical devices which serve as substitute blood vessels, synthetic and intraocular lenses, electrodes, catheters and the like in and on the body or as extracorporeal devices intended to be connected to the body to assist in surgery or dialysis are well known. However, the use of such biomaterials in medical devices can stimulate adverse body responses, including rapid thrombogenic action. Various plasma proteins play a role in initiating platelet and fibrin deposition on plastic surfaces. These actions lead to vascular constriction to hinder blood flow, and the inflammatory reaction that follows can lead to the loss of function of the medical device.
A "biomaterial" may be defined as a material that is substantially insoluble in body fluids and that is designed and constructed to be placed in or onto the body or to contact fluid of the body. Ideally, a biomaterial will not induce undesirable reactions in the body such as blood clotting, tissue death, tumor formation, allergic reaction, foreign body reaction (rejection) or inflammatory reaction; will have the physical properties such as strength, elasticity, permeability and flexibility required to function for the intended purpose; can be purified, fabricated and sterilized easily; will substantially maintain its physical properties and function during the time that it remains implanted in or in contact with the body
As used herein, the solid surface of a biomaterial is characterized as "biocompatible" if it is capable of functioning or existing in contact with biological fluid and/or tissue of a living organism with a net beneficial effect on the living organism. Long term biocompatibility is desired for the purpose of reducing disturbance of the host organism. One approach to improved biocompatibility for biomaterials is to attach various "biomolecules" such as growth factors, antimicrobial agents, antithrombogenic agents, and cell attachment proteins to the surface of the material.
A number of approaches have been suggested to attach such biomolecules. One such approach is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,564 to Solomon et al. in which an antithrombogenic agent is bonded to a solid polyurethane polymer support. A polymeric amine such as polyvinyl amine, or a polyalkyleneamine is first covalently bonded to the polyurethane substrate to provide an aminated surface. Then, an antithrombogenic agent is covalently bonded to the aminated substrate. The antithrombogenic agent is covalently bonded by first activating the antithrombogenic agent with a carbodiimide and then reacting it with the aminated surface of the substrate material. However, in Funahashi et al. "Preparation of Three Types of Heparin-Sepharose and Their Binding Activities to Thrombin and Antithrombin III" Analytical Biochemistry 126, 414-421 (1982), it was noted that by using the carbodiimide to bind an antithrombogenic agent (e.g. heparin) for an affinity chromatography support, that the carboxyl groups which provide the biomolecule with much of its bioactivity had reacted with the carbodiimide, thereby substantially reducing antithrombin III uptake.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a biocompatible surface having active, covalently bonded biomolecules thereon.
It is also an object of the present invention to covalently attach biomolecules having carboxyl groups to aminated surfaces while retaining their bioactivity.
It is also an object of the present invention to preserve the bioactivity of biomolecules attached by the use of a carbodiimide.

Method for improving the biocompatibility of solid surfaces


The structure of the invention serves to support mirrors defining a reflective channel, which can dynamically be reciprocally widened and narrowed, as in a two-beam interferometer. It is effectively divided, by pivot points on an intermedial axis, into two opposite portions of equal mass, thus affording to the structure immunization against translational forces transmitted through those points. The opposite portions also have their centers of gravity remotely located, so as to generate a counteracting torque in response to moments of rotational inertia transmitted through the pivot points. In the structure, integrally formed planar pieces are assembled to provide contiguous elongate elements and an interposed connecting web element, a plurality of which web elements produce a flexure joint.

Two-beam interferometer spectrometers are well known in the art. Most of the modern spectrometer designs, including the Michelson interferometer spectrometer, are described in Griffiths and DeHaseth, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer, John Wiley & Sons, NY, Chapter 4, 121-165 (1986).
The Michelson interferometer functions by dividing an incident beam of electromagnetic radiation into two separate beams at a beamsplitter, each of which beams is caused to travel along a different optical path; one of the beams is usually directed along a reference path having a fixed optical length, while the other is simultaneously directed along a path of variable length. A retroreflecting element, such as a plane mirror, a cube corner, or a "cats eye" reflector, is placed in the optical path of each bean to return it to the beamsplitter, where the beams recombine to form a single exit beam. The optical path length variations which is typically achieved by moving one of the retroreflectors, causes the combined exit beam to be amplitude modulated due to interference between the recombining beams. By converting the interferogram so obtained into an electrical signal, and by then analyzing that signal in a known manner, the spectrum or intensity of the input radiation can, after suitable calibration, be derived as a function of frequency.
More particularly, when such an interferometer is employed in a Fourier transform spectrometer, the exit beam is focused upon a photoconductive detector to produce the electrical interferogram signal. If a sample is so placed that the modulated beam passes through it prior to impinging upon the detector, the analysis performed can determine the absorption spectrum of the sample; other placements of the sample, and other of its characteristics, can be employed and obtained as well.
in those instances in which the optical path length through the interferometer is varied by displacement of a retroreflecting element along the optical axis of the beam, it will be appreciated that the maximum resolution attainable with the instrument is directly related to the maximum path difference that can be produced; i.e., to the maximum longitudinal displacement that is attained by moving the retroreflecting element. Because Michelson interferometers rely upon the wave interference that occurs when the two beams recombine at the beamsplitter, an important factor in determining the quality of such a device is the degree to which the optical elements remain aligned during path-length variation. Accordingly, longitudinal displacement of the moving mirror must be effected with extreme accuracy over the entire range of its travel: i.e., the moving mirror must in most cases remain aligned to within a small fraction of the wavelength of incident light, over a longitudinal displacement of several centimeters. Any irregularity in the mirror guide path, such as might cause even slight tilting of a plane mirror, will lead to significant distortion in the interferogram produced. It is of course well known that substitution of cube-corner and cats-eye retroreflectors for plane mirrors can essentially eliminate such distortion problems; but it is known as well that the use of those elements also entails certain inherent drawbacks.
Precision air bearings and the like have been employed in modern interferometers in an effort to satisfy the extreme accuracy requirements to which movable mirror guides are subject. Such systems are however quite expensive, and moreover they require a supply of pressurized gas for operation. Electronic control systems, with feedback to automatic positioners, have also utilized as a means for dynamically maintaining mirror alignment; satisfactory self-aligning systems are however difficult to design, and they tend to be relatively large and expensive.
In view of these drawbacks, substantial effort has been devoted to the development of high-quality interferometers that do not rely upon precision bearings or electronic alignment control systems. One approach taken utilizes a tiltable reflector assembly consisting of a pair of parallel, confronting mirrors, rather than a longitudinally displaced retroreflector. As an ostensible improvement thereupon, U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,502, issued on Apr. 10, 1990, teaches a twin-arm interferometer spectrometer having a tiltable reflector assembly by which the optical path lengths of both interferometer beams are varied simultaneously, thereby achieving a desired total path difference by a much smaller rotation of the paired mirrors then would otherwise be required. Such a design affords the advantage of insensitivity to linear movement of the optical element (i.e., only angular displacements will change the path length); moreover, rotating bearings are generally easier and less expensive to produce than are longitudinal or linear ones.
Also of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,762, issued May 17, 1983, which provides a two-beam interferometer for Fourier spectroscopy in which a rigid pendulum arm is used to mount moving cube corner retroreflectors. The pendulous movement (arcuate oscillation) enables accurate optical path-length variation to be produced in a smoothly guided motion, and the cube corner retroreflectors render the optical system unaffected by the resultant tilt; this avoids the disadvantages for Fourier spectroscopy that are inherent in the deviation from strict linearity that characterizes such pendulous motion.
So-called "porch swing" mounting arrangements are also known in the art, in which structural elements, supported at four pivot points, form a parallelogram by which a mirror, mounted at right angles to one side of the parallelogram, can be translated along an axis that is perpendicular to the mirror's plane. While such designs can provide inexpensive systems in which mounted mirrors are constrained to linear motion, due to the relatively large displacement distances that were deemed necessary they have not herefore been considered practical for use in instruments in which high resolutions are to be realized.
Pervading all of the foregoing considerations is the need to effectively isolate the mirror-supporting interferometer structure from extraneous forces, which would tend to produce aberrant distortions of the structure, and to thereby introduce inaccuracies into the optical measurements made; such forces will normally arise from environmental vibrational effects, and can of course be of a rotational or translational nature. Considerations of manufacturing cost and feasibility are, needless to say, also of primary importance.
Accordingly, it is a broad object of the present invention to provide a novel structure for the dynamic support of reflective elements, in which a high degree of immunization against environmental vibration and other extraneous forces is afforded.
A more specific object is to provide such a structure in which immunization may be afforded against rotational as well as translational forces.
Other objects of the invention are to provide such structure in which a plurality of reflective elements are incorporated, and to provide, more particularly, a two-beam interferometer utilizing such structure.
Yet another object is to provide a novel structure having the foregoing features and advantages, fabricated from a plurality of unitary planar pieces, each integrally formed to provide, in assembly with the others, contiguous rigid members and interposed flexible joints.
Still further objects of the invention are to provide a novel structure, and an interferometer incorporating the same, having the foregoing features and advantages and which are, in addition, of relatively incomplex design and construction, and hence of relatively facile and inexpensive manufacture.

Structure for the dynamic support of a reflective element and interferometer comprising the same


The present invention encompasses both a method and an apparatus for fabricating a multiple beam semiconductor laser array, wherein the laser includes a plurality of semiconductor laser dies affixed in a linear fashion to a supporting heatsink. Accurate alignment of the lasers and control of interlaser spacing is achieved through the use of alignment structures formed on the mounting surface of the heatsink. Once assembled, the alignment structures remain in an abutting relationship with the ridge waveguides present on each of the semiconductor lasers. The method not only enables the accurate placement of the laser diodes relative to one another so as to reduce interlaser spacing error, but also eliminates the need for multiple-step alignment operations to produce the multiple diode laser array.

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for producing a multiple diode semiconductor laser array having accurate interlaser spacings on the order of less than 100 .mu.m. Such an array may be incorporated in numerous devices including flying spot scanners (commonly referred to as raster output scanners (ROSs)). A flying spot scanner typically has a reflective multifaceted polygon mirror that is rotated about its central axis to repeatedly sweep one or more intensity modulated beams of light across a photosensitive recording medium in a linear or fast-scanning direction. Printers employing multiple intensity-modulated beams are referred to as multibeam or multispot printers. The multispot lasers are considered to be an enabling technology for high speed printers operating at resolutions of about 600 spots per inch (spi) or greater. The present invention includes multiple laser dies bonded to a heatsink in a linear array to provide the multibeam output capability for a ROS. Furthermore, the relative spacing between the laser emitting regions of the laser dies is accurately controlled by alignment means between the heatsink and the laser dies.
Heretofore, the desirability of a multiple beam semiconductor laser arrays has been recognized. Designs intended to achieve close spacing of the emitted laser beams are known, of which the following disclosures which may be relevant:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,387
Patentee: Kitamura
Issued: Jul. 12, 1983
U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,571
Patentee: Kitamura
Issued: Sep. 13, 1983
U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,761
Patentee: Kitamura
Issued: Dec. 13, 1983
U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,422
Patentee: Kitamura
Issued: Oct. 2, 1984
U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,391
Patentee: Stoffel et al.
Issued: Sep. 1, 1987
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,018
Patentee: Stoffel et al.
Issued: Dec. 8, 1987
U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,667
Patentee: Blonder et al.
Issued: Apr. 3, 1990
U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,077
Patentee: Drake et al.
Issued: Mar. 12, 1991
The relevant portions of the foregoing patents, hereby incorporated by reference for their teachings, may be briefly summarized as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,387 teaches a beam recording apparatus including a semiconductor array laser light source having a plurality of light beam emitting points, a condensing optical system, an image rotator, and a rotatable polygon mirror for deflecting the light beams to the surface of a photosensitive drum. High density recording is enabled by controlling the angle of incidence, and therefore the interbeam spacing, of the outermost beams at the surface of the photosensitive drum.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,571 describes a multibeam recording apparatus comprising a scanner for scanning a recording medium with a plurality of light beams and a beam detector. The scanner employs a laser array light source having a plural number of semiconductor lasers arranged in a row. The beam detector utilizes a screen plate with a detection aperture which is smaller than the inter-beam spacing to individually detect each of the plural beams.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,761 discloses a recording apparatus having plural dots arranged inclined to the scanning direction in order to increase the dot or scanning density. The phase difference caused by such inclination of a semiconductor laser array is compensated for using delay circuitry to generate a delay in the driving signals for the plural laser beams in accordance with the offset caused by the inclination.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,422 describes an optical scanning apparatus having a light source consisting of an array of aligned light sources. The beams from the light sources are collimated and deflected to sweep across a single photoreceptor. The beams are also displaced from each other in the cross-scan direction so that multiple lines can be scanned simultaneously across the photoreceptor. An object of U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,422 is to reduce variations in pitch by closely spacing individual lasers within the laser array in a compact structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,391 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,018 teach a method and apparatus, respectively, for the fabrication of long, full width arrays of reading or writing elements from a plurality of smaller arrays. An alignment tool, having array aligning formations thereon, is utilized to align the smaller arrays by having the aligning formations contact an array aligning formation present on the smaller array. The illustrated embodiment utilizes pins present on the surface of the alignment tool to mate with V-grooves on the smaller array.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,667 discloses a laser light source for use with optical communications. More specifically, the laser is a Bragg-reflector type laser which is aligned, via a V-groove etched in a supporting substrate, with an optical fiber. Vertical and lateral alignment is achieved by the selectively etched rail and groove features, while the remaining degree of freedom is used to abut the laser active portion against the Bragg-reflector portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,077 teaches a method of fabricating a coplanar array from a plurality of short scanning subunits for reading and writing images. Fabrication is accomplished using an alignment fixture having a patterned thick film layer on a surface thereof. The subunits, having correspondingly keyed strips on a surface thereof so that when placed in contact with the alignment fixture the subunits are maintained in an abutting relationship. Subsequently, the subunits are adhesively attached to a structural member which is placed in contact with an opposite surface, thereby forming a coplanar array.
An object of the present invention, therefore, is to enable the assembly of an array of individual semiconductor lasers, each of which may have different characteristics. For example, each of the lasers may have a different wavelength, polarization or other characteristic which makes it difficult to fabricate such an array monolithically.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a multiple diode laser array comprising: a heatsink, a plurality of laser diodes, each including a wafer having a series of epitaxially grown layers deposited upon a surface thereof to form an emitter, and a ridge-shaped waveguide defining the position of the emitter, and alignment means, disposed at preset intervals along a planar surface of said heatsink and adapted to associate with the waveguides of said plurality of laser diodes, for controlling the spacing of said laser diodes with respect to one another to assure accurate spacing of the emitters therein.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a single diode laser including a wafer portion having a series of epitaxially grown layers deposited upon a surface thereof to form a p-n junction emitter and a waveguide present on the surface of the wafer to define the position of the emitter, the single diode laser being adapted to be assembled adjacent to like single diode lasers to provide a multiple diode array. The array further comprises a heatsink alignment means, disposed at along a planar surface of said heatsink, for controlling the location of said laser diodes, said alignment means being adapted to remain in an abutting relationship with the waveguides of the laser diodes so that a predetermined spacing between the emitters of adjacent laser diodes is accurately maintained, and means for permanently affixing the laser diodes to the heatsink.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of fabricating an array of multiple diode lasers, each laser having a raised waveguide on a surface thereof which defines the location of light emitting regions thereon. The method comprising the steps of:
1) forming a plurality of parallel alignment structures on a surface of a heatsink, said alignment structures being spaced apart from one another while extending in a substantially parallel direction, thereby forming elongated recesses therebetween;
2) placing the lasers on said heatsink so that the lasers are maintained in a predetermined spaced-apart arrangement by an abutting contact region between a surface of the raised waveguide and a surface of the alignment structure; and
3) permanently affixing said laser diodes to said heatsink.

Method and apparatus for the positioning of laser diodes


An ignition apparatus includes a high voltage (HV) terminal formed of stamped sheet metal configured to be disposed in a secondary winding spool, and to which a high voltage end of the secondary winding is attached and soldered. The ignition apparatus further includes an electrically conductive cup configured to surround the high voltage terminal when the secondary winding spool is inserted in the case. The high voltage terminal has one end that comes into engagement with an inner annular surface of the cup. The cup includes an annular sidewall that extends axially up to a winding flange where a HV end of the secondary winding exits a winding bay thereby surrunding the exiting HV secondary winding wire. The cup provides for a reduced electric field concentration.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an ignition apparatus for developing a spark firing voltage that is applied to one or more spark plugs of an internal combustion engine.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
Ignition coils are known for use in connection with an internal combustion engine such as an automobile engine, and which include a primary winding, a secondary winding, and a magnetic circuit. The magnetic circuit conventionally may comprise a cylindrical-shaped, central core extending along an axis, located radially inwardly of the primary and secondary windings and magnetically coupled thereto. The components are contained in a case formed of electrical insulating material, with an outer core or shield located outside of the case. One end of the secondary winding is conventionally configured to produce a relatively high voltage when a primary current through the primary winding is interrupted. In a common configuration, insulating resin or the like is introduced into the gap between the secondary winding and the case for insulating purposes. The high voltage end is coupled to a spark plug, as known, that is arranged to generate a discharge spark responsive to the high voltage. It is further known to provide relatively slender ignition coil configuration that is adapted for mounting directly above the spark plugxe2x80x94commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9cpencilxe2x80x9d coil.
One problem in the design of ignition coils, particularly pencil coils, involves a relatively high electrical field concentration at a location where the high voltage end of the secondary winding is terminated to a high voltage (HV) secondary terminal associated to a secondary winding spool. The relatively high electrical field concentration may be magnified by any burr, sharp edge, or solder icicle that may be formed on the terminal.
In addition, to connect the high voltage end of the secondary winding to the HV secondary terminal, the wire end must leave a so-called winding bay (i.e., the winding surface on the spool between upper and lower flanges). Outside the winding bay, the secondary winding wire creates a high density electric field therearound. As a consequence, the increased electrical field concentration, over time, may result in an electrical tree or dendrite forming off of the secondary winding, which may propagate through the insulating resin. After the dendrite grows far enough, for example toward ground potential (i.e., through the resin and case to the shield), the high voltage secondary winding will short to ground and the ignition coil will fail.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,208,231 issued to Oosuka et al. entitled xe2x80x9cSTICK-TYPE IGNITION COIL HAVING IMPROVED STRUCTURE AGAINST CRACK OR DIELECTRIC DISCHARGE,xe2x80x9d discloses an ignition coil wherein a high voltage end of the secondary coil is electrically connected to a dummy coil, which is then electrically connected to a terminal plate. A high voltage connector configured for connection to a spark plug is then connected to the terminal plate. Oosuka et al. disclose the contention that since the secondary coil and the terminal plate are electrically connected through not a single connection but rather through the dummy coil, the surface area of the electrically connected portion between the secondary coil and the terminal plate is enlarged so as to avoid the concentration of electrical field. However, Oosuka et al. still disclose that the high voltage end of the dummy coil is electrically connected to the terminal plate by fusing or soldering. Additionally, the secondary winding wire as it leaves the winding bay still presents a relatively thin profile, wherein a high electric field is maintained. Accordingly, it is believed that the same problems described above continue to exist in the design of Oosuka et al.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved ignition apparatus that minimizes or eliminates one or more of the problems as set forth above.
An object of the present invention is to solve one or more of the problems as set forth above. An ignition apparatus according to the present invention overcomes shortcomings of conventional ignition apparatus by including an electrically conductive cup absent of sharp edges, burrs, or the like, which makes contact with a portion of a high voltage terminal. The cup also surrounds the high voltage terminal and the secondary winding wire as it exits the winding bay (i.e., it extends, in an axial direction, up to a lower winding flange). Because the cup is at the same voltage potential as the high voltage terminal, there will not be an electric field concentration in and around the area of the high voltage terminal. Additionally, since the cup extends up to the winding flange, the secondary connection wire is also surrounded, reducing the electric field in that region. The reduction in electric field concentration reduces or eliminates formation of dendrites which, as described in the Background, may over time result in ignition coil failures.
An ignition apparatus according to the present invention comprises a central core having a main axis, and primary and secondary windings outwardly of the central core. The secondary winding is wound on a secondary winding spool having a winding surface and at least one flange. The flange is provided to cooperate with the winding surface to receive the secondary winding. A high voltage end of the secondary winding is connected to a high voltage terminal located away from the winding surface. According to the invention, a cup formed of metal material engages the high voltage terminal on an inner surface thereof. The cup is configured to be contacted by a connector assembly that is itself suitable for connection to a spark plug. The cup surrounds the HV terminal, and, significantly, extends axially up to the winding flange also surrounding the secondary winding wire as it exits the winding surface. The cup being free of sharp edges and the like, as well as surrounding the secondary winding wire, reduces electrical field concentrations.
A method of making an ignition apparatus including the aforementioned conductive cup is also presented.

Ignition apparatus having feature for shielding the HV terminal


An underframe structure of a railcar capable of reducing a deformation amount of a cross beam supporting an underfloor equipment upon underfloor fire. The underframe structure of the railcar includes an underframe having a pair of side sills extending in a railcar longitudinal direction and a cross beam arranged between the side sills and extending in a railcar width direction, a structural floor provided on an upper surface of the underframe, and an underfloor equipment suspended down in a center part in the railcar width direction of the cross beam. The underframe structure includes a passenger cabin floor provided on an upper side of the structural floor, the passenger cabin floor forming a lower surface of a passenger cabin S, and floor receiving members supporting the passenger cabin floor and extending in the railcar longitudinal direction between the structural floor and the passenger cabin floor.

A railcar generally has a underframe structure in which side sills are provided in a rail direction, i.e., a railcar longitudinal direction, and a plurality of cross beams for combining the side sills in a cross sleeper direction, i.e., a railcar width direction, are provided. As shown in Patent Literature 1, an underfloor equipement such as a main transformer is suspended down in a center part in the railcar width direction of the cross beams by suspended bolts.


A land grid array socket and a microelectronic assembly including the socket. The socket comprises: a housing; an array of through-contacts on the housing; a solder ball standoff element on a PCB side of the housing; and a seating plane standoff element on a package side of the housing, the seating plane standoff element being aligned with the solder ball standoff element to form a loading force support element therewith.

Various types of conventional integrated circuit (IC) sockets for attaching IC packages are known. Each of the IC packages has a large number of contacts that are arranged in a matrix-like array. The IC packages may be classified as pin grid array (PGA) packages, ball grid array (BGA) packages, or land grid array (LGA) packages depending on the shape of an electric contact portion of the contacts. The contacts in each of the IC packages are brought into contact with corresponding contacts arranged in a housing of the socket to establish electrical connections therebetween. The mating of the contacts in the IC package with the corresponding contacts in the socket typically causes a large contact pressure to be exerted on the socket by the loading mechanism loading force. Various socket configurations are known to provide the socket with sufficient strength to prevent deformation of the same.
FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional of a portion of a prior art LGA socket 100 mounted onto a PCB 101 by way of an array 103 of solder balls. Hereinafter, a "portion" of the socket will be referred to as "socket," it being understood that only a portion of the socket being described has been shown. A LGA package 102 is shown as having a package substrate 116 and being mounted onto the PCB 101 by way of the socket 100 by being fixed and seated within the socket. The socket 100 includes a housing 104 having a solder ball standoff element 106 and a package seating plane standoff element 108 at a side thereof. The socket 100 further includes conductive through-portions 113 extending therethrough to outer contacts 112 on the PCB side thereof. The socket 100 further includes on its package side inner flexible contacts 114 contacting corresponding LGA lands. The combination of through-portions 113, outer contacts 112 and inner contacts 114 make up the socket through-contacts 115 as shown. A vertical load VL is shown acting onto a loading point of the package substrate. Reaction forces RF act on each of the solder ball standoff element 106 and seating plane standoff element 108 to counterbalance the VL. High risk areas of the socket 100 and package 102 for material yielding are indicated in FIG. 1 by way of star-shaped indicators.
To prevent deformation of a housing of a LGA socket when a large force is exerted in a vertical direction, such as VL shown in FIG. 1, a pair of metal reinforcements may be provided according to one prior art solution. The metal reinforcements clamp the LGA package and the socket fitted with the LGA package together from opposite sides (from both front and back surface sides) of a printed circuit board to which the socket is fitted. The metal reinforcements may include a loading plate or heat sink disposed on the LGA package and a board restraint plate disposed under a mount board. A screw may be passed through the loading plate or heat sink and the board restraint plate at each corner thereof and may be tightened by a nut to prevent deformation of the socket. The printed circuit board has apertures on a periphery thereof for accommodating the screws. This configuration, however, requires a larger footprint on the printed circuit board than that actually occupied by the socket itself. Thus, the socket size is large, a large number of parts, such as, screws, are required, and assembly is complicated.
According to another prior art solution, the LGA package and the socket may be disposed between a heat sink and a printed circuit board, and the socket is directly screwed to the printed circuit board. In this configuration, however, the printed circuit board is susceptible to warping.
Additionally, according to yet another prior art solution, a lever may be used to connect and maintain electrical connections between contacts of an IC package and corresponding contacts of a socket. The lever may be adapted to be engaged with a protrusion or elastic interlocking element integrally formed with a resin housing of the socket. The lever may be locked by the protrusion or elastic interlocking element to hold the electrical connections between the contacts. Since the protrusion or the elastic interlocking element is made of resin, the protrusion or the elastic interlocking element is apt to wear out due to friction with the lever during operation of the lever. The socket, therefore, is not durable. Forming the protrusion or the interlocking element as a separate metal member, on the other hand, increases the number of parts and the manufacturing costs.
Further, if the housing of the socket deforms when the LGA package is pressed by a cover member to form electrical connections between the contacts, the electrical contact array may become warped and deteriorate the electrical connections between the contacts. A force applied to the lever for actuation will also not efficiently be transferred.
Related prior art solutions for strengthening a LGA socket may include (1) increasing the stiffness of the package by increasing the IHS step thickness, (2) increasing package stiffness, (3) increasing the socket housing thickness, or (4) adding a metal frame onto the socket. However, the first three solutions go against market needs to minimize package and/or socket size, and the fourth solution adds significant cost to the package.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements in the drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Where considered appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the drawings to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.


The present application discloses a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device comprises an SOI substrate; a semiconductor fin formed on the SOI substrate, the semiconductor fin having a first side and a second side which are opposite to each other and stand upward on a surface of the SOI substrate, and a trench which is opened at a central portion of the second side and opposite to the first side; a channel region formed in the fin and being between the first side and the trench at the second side; source and drain regions formed in the fin and sandwiching the channel region; and a gate stack formed on the SOI substrate and being adjacent to the first side of the fin, wherein the gate stack comprises a first gate dielectric extending away from the first side and being adjacent to the channel region, a first conductor layer extending away from the first side and being adjacent to the first gate dielectric, a second gate dielectric extending away from the first side and being adjacent laterally to one side of the first conductor layer, and a second conductor layer extending away from the first side and being adjacent laterally to one side of the second gate dielectric. The embodiments of the invention can be applied in manufacturing an FinFET.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same, in particular, to an FinFET formed on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate and used as a non-volatile memory cell (NVM).
2. Description of Prior Art
One important trend in the integrated circuits is scaling down of metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) so as to achieve a high integration degree of devices and reduce a cost of manufacture. However, it is well known that a short channel effect occurs with a reduced size of the MOSFET. When the size of the MOSFET is scaled down, a gate of the MOSFET has a smaller effective length and actually controls fewer charges in a depletion region when a gate voltage is applied. Consequently, the MOSFET has a reduced threshold voltage with a reduced channel length.
A conventional planar MOSFET has a tri-layer structure including a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer, and a gate dielectric sandwiched therebetween. A channel region is provided in the semiconductor layer below the gate electrode, and source/drain regions are provided in the semiconductor layer adjacent to and at two opposing sides of the channel region. A silicide layer may be provided on the source/drain regions and then coupled with source/drain electrodes through vias so as to reduce a parasitic resistance or a parasitic capacitance of the device. The planar MOSFET suffers from the short channel effect and has a threshold voltage fluctuating with variation of the channel length.
To suppress the short channel effect, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,802 Chenming Hu et al. disclose an FinFET formed on an SOI substrate, comprising a channel region provided in a central portion of a semiconductor fin, and source/drain regions provided at two ends of the semiconductor fin. A gate electrode is provided at both sides of the channel region and surrounds the latter to provide for example a double gate FinFET. Inversion channels are induced at both sides of the fin. The channel region in the fin has a small thickness so that the whole channel region is controlled by the gate, as a result of which, the short channel effect is suppressed.
However, in a conventional FinFET, a gate is provided between and extends parallel to source/drain regions. Since the distance between the source/drain region and the gate is typically so small that capacitive coupling is introduced therebetween, the resultant device has a large parasitic capacitance.
Moreover, the capacitive coupling between the source/drain region and the gate limits the freedom of device design. For example, if one attempts to reduce a parasitic resistance, a thickness of the source/drain region may have to be increased. However, the source/drain region having a larger thickness also means an increased coupling area between the source/drain region and the gate, which in turn causes an increased parasitic capacitance, or vice versa. Thus, one skilled person in the art can not reduce both of the parasitic resistance and the parasitic capacitance in a conventional FinFET.
Consequently, the conventional FinFET has a delay due to a large value of the time constant RC and thus has a low switching speed.
The inventor proposed an NVM using an FinFET in U.S. Pat. No. 7,087,952, in which each FinFET has a control gate at one side of a semiconductor fin and a floating gate at the other side of the semiconductor fin. In such a floating-gate type memory device, charges tunnel from a substrate through a first gate dielectric layer to a floating gate, and are stored in the floating gate. The charges remain even in a case that the memory device is not powered. The amount of charges determines a threshold voltage (Vth) of the FinFET, due to which, a logic 1 and a logic 0 can be distinguished from each other.
The inventor proposed another NVM using an FinFET in U.S. Pat. No. 7,619,276, in which each FinFET has a floating gate at one side of a semiconductor fin, and two control gates at both sides of the semiconductor fin. The control gates have lengths larger than that of the floating gate in a direction along which the fin extends.
However, those problems in the conventional FinFET can still be found in the NVM using an FinFET. Due to the capacitive coupling between the source/drain region and the gate, NVM has a low access speed.

Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same

Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences


A valve having a valve packing removal device attached thereto is disclosed. The valve may include a valve plug reciprocally disposed within the valve housing and connected to a sliding stem. The packing may be provided about the valve stem to ensure or minimize leakage of regulated fluid from the valve. A sleeve may have a diameter less than a bore in which the packing is disposed and may be connected to the valve stem such that when the valve stem is sufficiently pulled from the valve, the sleeve engages the packing and pulls the packing from the valve.

Valves are commonly used to control the flow characteristics of a fluid. A conventional valve includes a valve body defining an inlet, an outlet, and a fluid flow path extending between the inlet and the outlet. A throttling element, such as a valve plug, is disposed in the path to control fluid flow. A stem connects the valve plug to an actuator, which moves the valve plug into and out of the flow path. The valve plug can be positioned between fully opened and fully closed positions to control the flow rate of the fluid through the control valve.
In such devices, a stem or other element is connected to the control element and extends from the valve body. The stem or other element is then connected to a typical actuator such as a spring and diaphragm actuator for movement of the stem, and thus the control element. The actuator typically receives control signals which dictate when the actuator moves the stem, as well as how much the stem is moved. While effective, the fact that an element extends from the housing allows for a passageway to exist between the fluid being regulated through the valve and the outside of the valve housing. It is therefore necessary to tightly seal the element against such leakage. This is particularly true when leakage of the fluid flowing through the valve presents a safety hazard or loss of the fluid is otherwise undesirable.
Accordingly, seals, typically referred to as packing, are integrated into the control valve to seal about the movable element or valve stem. In the case of a sliding stem valve, such packing is typically assembled from a stack of disks or washers. The packing is placed under constant load about the stem by a packing spring and packing flange with the packing flange being secured to the valve by fasteners or bolts. The packing spring supplies a constant spring force to load the packing, placing it in contact with the valve stem and thereby forming a fluid seal. The packing is generally comprised of an elastomer, graphite, or a combination of both. Continual operation of the valve causes degradation of the packing and an eventual failure of the fluid seal. It is therefore necessary to periodically change the packing to maintain the seal.
Certain difficulties however are encountered when removing the packing from such a sliding stem valve. The cylindrical opening around the valve stem is typically referred to as a packing box, and after prolonged usage, the packing provided within the packing box, particularly when used in a corrosive environment, becomes essentially a blind hold requiring the packing to be dug or otherwise physically extricated from the packing box. This in turn can cause damage to the stem or the packing box bore which will result either in less than an optimal seal being created when the new packing is inserted, or will require additional machining to make sure that the stem and packing box are of correct dimension and tolerance after removal. Alternatively, special tools can be designed for removing the packing, but again damage to the stem and bore can occur, and such special tools necessarily result in an added expense in maintaining the valve.


Provided is a plasma display panel (PDP). The PDP includes a first substrate; a second substrate disposed parallel to the first substrate; partition walls disposed between the first and second substrates and for defining discharge cells in which gas discharge occurs; phosphor layers, each phosphor layer disposed in one of the discharge cells and formed by coating any one of red, green, and blue phosphors; and discharge electrodes for provoking gas discharge. In a unit pixel including three discharge cells in which respectively different phosphor layers are disposed, a pair of discharge electrodes, which cause gas discharge, are disposed such that the discharge electrodes cross the respective discharge cells positioned in the unit pixel, and the area in which the discharge electrodes cross at least one discharge cell is different from the area in which the discharge electrodes cross the other discharge cells.

1. Field of the Invention
The present embodiments relate to a plasma display panel (PDP), and more particularly, to a PDP that keeps up high brightness and has improved color temperature.
2. Description of the Related Art
A PDP is a flat panel display (FPD) that produces an image using gas discharge and has lately attracted much attention because it can be thinned out and embody a high-quality large screen with a wide angular field.
PDPs includes a first substrate and a second substrate, which are spaced apart from each other opposite each other, partition walls, which serve to define discharge cells in which gas discharge occurs between the first and second substrates, a discharge gas, which is filled in the discharge cells to induce discharge, phosphor layers, which are coated on inner surfaces of the discharge cells, and electrodes between which a voltage is applied. In a PDP, discharge arises in the discharge cells due to a direct-current (DC) or alternating-current (AC) voltage applied between the electrodes, creating ultraviolet rays which excite phosphors of the phosphor layers. Thus, the phosphor layers emit visible rays to create an image.
For a conventional PDP, each of the discharge cells includes a phosphor layer formed of any one of red(R), green(G), or blue(B) phosphors (hereinafter, RGB phosphors). The phosphor layers are obtained by sequentially coating RGB phosphors one after another in serial discharge cells.
Three serial discharge cells (specifically, a discharge cell including an R phosphor layer, a discharge cell including a G phosphor layer, and a discharge cell including a B phosphor layer) interact with one another, thus forming a unit pixel.
A brightness ratio of RGB phosphors is typically known as about 28:62:10, and the color temperature of a peak generated in the unit pixel is about 8,000 K.
Generally, the larger the deviation in brightness ratio among the RGB phosphors becomes, the lower the color temperature becomes.
In this case, color temperature is a term that literally represents how hot or cold the color is. The color temperature is typically adjustable in the range of 6,500 to 9,300 K. Here, K is named after W. Thomas Kelvin (1824-1907) and refers to absolute temperature. As the numerical value of color temperature increases, color becomes brighter, colder, and bluer. Inversely, as the numerical value of color temperature decreases, color becomes warmer and redder. Although color temperature is a matter of individual preference, it is known that most people prefer high color temperature (i.e., blue color).
However, in the conventional PDP, a B phosphor has a much lower brightness ratio than R and G phosphors. Therefore, it is necessary to lower the brightness of the R and G phosphors in order to adjust color temperature to most consumers' preference. As a result, the entire brightness of the PDP is degraded.

Plasma display panel with high brightness and improved color temperature


An illumination device is provided of the type arranged at the front which is of low power consumption and of high recognisability both when the illumination is turned on and when illumination is turned off. An illumination device arranged at the front face of an illuminated object has a light-guide plate forming a transparent flat plate shape and formed with point-form optical extraction structures on its surface or in a position facing this surface, and a light source arranged opposite and end face of this light-guide plate. The light source is for example a point light source. The optical extraction structures are for example pillar-shaped projections and these are arranged two-dimensionally. The function is provided that, when this illumination device is arranged at the front of the illuminated body, rays are projected on to the illuminated body and rays reflected by the illuminated body are transmitted with scarcely any dispersion. There is also provided a function of transmitting external light with scarcely any dispersion of rays reflected by the illuminated body when the illumination is not turned on. A point light source such as a light emitting diode (LED) or electric light bulb can be employed and low power consumption can easily be achieved.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an illumination device and display device using this wherein a light-guide plate is arranged at the front face of an illuminated object and this illuminated object is two-dimensionally surface-illuminated, and more particularly relates to an illumination device and display device using this wherein properties such as illumination function, recognisability, contrast and energy-saving that are based on the optical diffusion characteristic of this light-guide plate are greatly improved.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, various types of illumination device are employed that exhibit the function of surface illumination in respect of a display device that requires planar illumination, such as a liquid crystal display device.
For example there is known a display device that is arranged at the back face of the object to be illuminated, such as a liquid crystal display panel; normally such an illumination device is arranged to be constantly lit. An illumination device is also known mounted on a liquid crystal display device having a reflective function. In the case of such an illumination device, a reflective plate is arranged at the back face of the liquid crystal display panel and the device is employed by illumination provided by external light. Furthermore, an illumination device is also known that is arranged together with a semi-transparent reflective plate at the back face of a liquid crystal display panel; this illumination device is used for reflection when the environment is brighter and to provide back lighting illumination when the environment is dark (for such devices, for example Early Japanese Patent Publication No. SHO.57-049271, Early Japanese Patent Publication No. SH0.57-054926 and Early Japanese Patent Publication No. SH0.58-095780 may be referred to).
However, conventional illumination devices having solely an illumination function suffered from the problem that power consumption in order to keep the light source constantly lit was large; for example, they could not be used over a long time to provide illumination for portable equipment. Also, in the case where a conventional display device having solely a reflective function was mounted on a liquid crystal display device or the like, there was the problem that contrast of the display screen was low, making it impossible to employ them in a dark environment. Furthermore, illumination devices that are employed with a semi-transparent reflective plate inevitably have the problem that the display is dark both when used with reflection and when used with back lit illumination; this technique represents an unsatisfactory compromise and has not become popular at all.
In these circumstances there has recently been proposed for example in Early Japanese Patent Publication No. H.6-324331 an illumination device that is arranged at the front face of a display device such as a liquid crystal display device. The illumination device of this proposal is incorporated in a thin liquid crystal display device and has the object of ensuring high contrast of illumination both when lit and when not lit. Specifically, a thin illumination device is arranged at the top face (front face) of a liquid crystal display and a reflective plate is arranged at the back face of the liquid crystal display. The illumination device comprises a light-guide plate and a light source that is arranged at the end face of this light-guide plate or in its vicinity. At the optical output face of the light-guide plate, there is formed an indented shape comprising faces practically parallel with this face and faces approximately perpendicular thereto. The indented shape may be formed for example of a plurality of ribs or projections of cylindrical or prismatic shape.
However, the illumination devices arranged at the front face of these publications are adapted to light sources of rod or linear shape. For such light sources, fluorescent tubes, which are of high light-emitting efficiency are generally employed; however, fluorescent tubes need power of at least a certain level and suffer from the problem that their power consumption cannot be reduced below this. Also, if point light sources such as LEDs or electric light bulbs were employed, there was the problem that, since the lines of intersection at the root sections forming the ribs or prismatic projections and optical output faces are straight lines, the quality of illumination tends to be adversely affected by regular reflection. Furthermore, in the case of point light sources, there was the problem that unevenness of brightness could not be eliminated by one-dimensional distribution control of the pattern of the projections. Also, illumination devices arranged at the front face in this way were subject to the problem of being easily affected by external damage to the light-guide plate, causing light to be emitted by dispersive reflection of optical flux from such damaged portions, lowering the contrast of the illuminated object such as the liquid crystal display when lit.
Also, with such illumination devices of the type that were arranged at the front face, since the light source is arranged at the end face of the light-guide plate, a space needs to be provided at the end of the light-guide plate sufficient to screen the light source from the observer; if they are employed as illumination for a liquid crystal display or the like, a border is therefore necessary around the periphery of the display area. This resulted in waste of space and imposed considerable design limitations.
In one aspect, the present invention was made in order to solve the various problems of a conventional illumination device as described above.
An object of the present invention is to provide an illumination device using a point light source of low power consumption and high quality, and a display device such as a liquid crystal display device using this.
Also, a further object of the present invention is to provide an illumination device of low power consumption and high quality by employing as light source a light emitting diode (LED), and a display device such as a liquid crystal display device using this. Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an illumination device whereby illumination can be achieved without loss of reflective function and a display device such as a notice board device or liquid crystal display device using this, and a device such as an electronic device or mobile telephone using this liquid crystal display device.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an illumination device with little deterioration of illumination function by low-cost, convenient means, and a display device such as a liquid crystal display device with little deterioration of display quality.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an illumination device whereby rays of light can be efficiently directed into the interior of a light-guide plate from a light source positioned remote from the light-guide plate end, which is space-saving, and has excellent design characteristics, a display device such as a liquid crystal display device, and a device such as an electronic device or mobile telephone using this liquid crystal display device.
Furthermore, from the point of view of display devices in which an illumination device is mounted, in view of conventional reflective type liquid crystal display devices for the aforesaid display devices, it is an object to provide various types of electronic device such as liquid crystal display devices, portable telephone devices; timepieces, cameras or data terminal devices wherein the production of a bright line which is annoying to the observer can be prevented, wherein unevenness of brightness can be eliminated, which are of a type in which power consumption can be reduced and furthermore which afford an illumination function of high quality.
Furthermore, conventionally, notice board devices having an illumination function were of a construction in which a casing was provided whose front face was covered by transparent glass and wherein a notice was illuminated by arranging a light source at the front edge of the notice. Also, they were of a construction in which the person viewing them could not directly see the light source due to an optical screening section, also serving as a casing, in front of the light source.
However, conventional notice board devices suffered from the problem that they had to be of sufficient thickness in order for the entire notice to be illuminated, and that the difference of illumination was large at locations remote from the vicinity of the light source.
Also, in a further aspect relating to a display device, an object of the present invention is to provide a notice board device wherein such problems are solved and which is of small thickness and wherein the uniformity of illuminance is high.
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, in one aspect thereof, the present invention provides an illumination device arranged at the front face of an illuminated object, comprising a light-guide plate of transparent flat plate form formed with point-form optical extraction structures on its surface on at a position facing this surface, and a light source arranged facing the end face of this light-guide plate. Suitably the light source is a point light source. Also for example the optical extraction structures are distributed relatively sparsely in the vicinity of the point light source and progressively more densely going away from the point light source. Further, a rod-shaped optical diffuser may be provided arranged between the end face of the light-guide plate and the point light source. For example a milky white transparent body in which optical diffusing material is dispersed may be employed as the rod-shaped diffuser. Also for example a transparent body formed with optical extraction shapes may be employed as the rod-shaped optical diffuser. As an example, rib-shaped projections may be provided as the optical extraction structures on the optical output face facing the illuminated object of the light-guide plate. Further, pillar-shaped projections may be provided as the optical extraction structures on the optical output face facing the illuminated object of the light-guide plate. Also, as a further aspect, in a liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal display and an illumination device arranged at the front face of this liquid crystal display, the illumination device comprises a light-guide plate forming a transparent flat plate shape and formed with point-form optical extraction structures on its surface or at a position facing this surface, and a point light source arranged facing the end face of this light-guide plate.
Further, as another aspect, there is provided a display device arranged at the front face of an illuminated object comprising a light-guide plate formed of transparent plate shape and formed at its surface with projections or concavities for optical diffusion having an inclined surface of under about 30xc2x0 with respect to this surface, and a light source arranged opposite the end face of this light-guide plate. In this case, a reflecting member can be arranged adjacent the other end face of the light-guide plate apart from the end face where the light source is arranged. Also, a reflecting member may be arranged so as to cover this light source and the end face of the light-guide plate where the light source is arranged.
Also, as a further aspect of an illumination device according to the present invention, in an illumination device wherein optical flux from a light source is transmitted in one direction practically orthogonal to the plate face direction and that is provided with a light-guide plate that delivers this optical flux as illumination from a face in this one direction, a sheet-form transparent member is arranged facing the face of the light-guide plate on the opposite side to this one direction.
As another aspect there is further provided; in an illumination device arranged at the front face of an illuminated object, a light-guide plate formed with optical extraction structures at its surface and constituting a transparent sheet-shaped member, and a light emitting diode (LED) arranged integrally with an end face of this light-guide plate. Suitably, the optical extraction structures are distributed relatively sparsely in the vicinity of the light emitting diode and progressively more densely going away from the light emitting diode. Also, pillar-shaped projections could be provided as the optical extraction structures on a face facing the illuminated object of the light-guide plate. Concave shapes or convex-shaped projections could be provided as the optical extraction structures on a face opposite to the face facing the illuminated object of the light-guide plate. Also as a further aspect, in an illumination device arranged at the front face of an illuminated object, there are provided a light-guide plate formed with optical extraction structures at at least one face of the transparent flat plate, a light source arranged at a position remote from the same planar position as this light-guide plate, and means for converting that convert the direction of the rays from this light source so that they are guided into the optical input face of the light-guide plate.
Yet further, in an aspect of the present invention relating to a display device, as one mode thereof, in a liquid crystal display device of the reflective type wherein at least a front light is arranged at the top face and a polarisation separating plate is arranged at the bottom face, this front light comprises a light-guide plate comprising a flat transparent plate formed with a plurality of point-form optical extraction elements in its surface, and a point light source arranged facing the end face of this light-guide plate. For example these optical extraction structures may be distributed relatively sparsely in the vicinity of the light source and progressively more densely going away from the light source. Also suitably a rod-shaped optical diffuser is provided arranged at the end face of the light-guide plate and the point light source is arranged at the end of this rod-shaped optical diffuser. Also suitably pillar-shaped projections are provided as the optical extraction structures on a face facing the illuminated object of the light-guide plate. Furthermore, concave shapes or convex shapes could be provided as optical extraction structures on the face on the opposite side to the face facing the illuminated object of the light-guide plate.
In yet a further aspect of a display device according to the present invention, in a notice board device having an illumination function, a transparent plate is arranged at the front face of the notice and a function of planar illumination of this notice is conferred on this transparent plate.

Illumination device and display device using it


A recording apparatus includes: a recording unit for performing a recording onto a recording paper; a paper feeder roller for feeding the recording paper to a recording position of the recording unit; a conveyor for conveying the recording paper in association with the recording by the recording unit; a drive source for driving the conveyor; and a control unit for moving the paper feeder roller from an operation position to a retreat position using the drive power of the drive source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for recording characters and images on a recording paper, and more particularly, it relates to a feeder system of a recording apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automatic operation for a paper feeder system in a recording apparatus such as a printer or a copier has been introduced before. Previously, the following series of operations are carried out automatically: a recording paper is pulled out sheet by sheet from a paper cassette; the pulled out paper is guided to a recording position; and after completion of recording the printed recording paper is withdrawn onto a paper withdrawal tray. It is necessary to provide paper feeder and withdrawal rollers, and a drive source for driving the rollers into rotation so as to attain such automatic operations. In this case, if the paper feeder and withdrawal rollers are driven into rotation during the operation of the recording unit, or if the rollers are in contact with the recording paper, the printing quality of the images, characters and the like formed by recording unit onto the recording paper is degraded. Therefore, in order to avoid such problems, it is necessary to set the paper feeder and withdrawal rollers apart from the recording paper during the recording operation, which results in a necessity for a drive source for removing the rollers from the recording paper.
As above, if such automatic paper feeder operations are considered, the apparatus may easily become complicated and bulky, and problems in the reliability of the apparatus may readily arise.

Recording apparatus with improved sheet feeding