Embodiments provide an optical sensor head and method of making an optical sensor head. In some cases the sensor head can be used as a fluorometric sensor to measure concentrations of substances within a liquid sample of interest. The sensor head includes a light source window and a detector window that transmit light between the sensor head and an analytical area. In some cases the windows include a ball lens positioned within a channel such that the ball lens and the channel create a seal between the interior and exterior of the sensor head.

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to optical measuring devices for testing a liquid sample, and more particularly to fluorometric sensors and fluorometers for determining and monitoring the concentration of one or more substances in a liquid sample.
In cleaning and antimicrobial operations, commercial users (e.g., restaurants, hotels, food and beverage plants, grocery stores, etc.) rely upon the concentration of the cleaning or antimicrobial product to make the product work effectively. Failure of a cleaning or antimicrobial product to work effectively (due to concentration issues) can cause a commercial user to perceive the product as lower quality. End consumers may also perceive the commercial user as providing inferior services. In addition, commercial users may be investigated and/or sanctioned by government regulatory and health agencies. Accordingly, there is a need for a system that can determine if the concentration of a product is within a specified concentration range. The same may be true for other applications, such as water care, pest control, beverage and bottling operations, packaging operations, and the like.
One method of monitoring the concentration of a product relies on monitoring the fluorescence of the product that occurs when the sample (and the product within the sample) is exposed to a predetermined wavelength of light. For example, compounds within the product or a fluorescent tracer added to the product may fluoresce when exposed to certain wavelengths of light. The concentration of the product can then be determined using a fluorometer that measures the fluorescence of the compounds and calculates the concentration of the chemical based on the measured fluorescence.
Fluorometric spectroscopy concerns the detection of fluorescent light emitted by a sample of interest. It involves using a beam of light, usually ultraviolet (UV) light, that excites the electrons in molecules of certain compounds in the sample and causes them to emit light of a lower energy (i.e., to "fluoresce"). There are several types of fluorometers for measuring emitted fluorescence. Fluorometers generally have of a source of excitation radiant energy, an excitation wavelength selector, a sample cell to contain the sample material, an emission wavelength selector, a detector with signal processor and a readout device. Filter fluorometers use optical filters to isolate the incident light and fluorescent light. Spectrofluorometers use diffraction grating monochromators to isolate the incident light and fluorescent light.


The vertical injection molding machine is provided with an electric servomotor which moves an injection drive unit up and down accompanying the rotation of a driven pulley via a ball screw mechanism, a timing belt by which the drive force of the electric servomotor is transmitted, and a driven pulley on which the timing belt is rotated, wherein an arc groove is formed on the driven pulley, and an election pin is provided which is inserted to the arc groove of the driven pulley when the timing belt is disconnected. When the election pin is inserted to the arc groove, the tip of the election pin applies pressure on an inclined portion by means of elastic force of a spring, slowing the rotational speed of the driven pulley and stopping the injection drive unit by an inner wall surface of the slowed driven pulley colliding with the ejection pin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vertical injection molding machine for molding parts by opening and closing a mold in the vertical direction, and specifically relates to a vertical injection molding machine capable of preventing components movable in the up-down direction provided on the vertical injection molding machine from falling due to their own weight.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, a two-station vertical injection molding machine has been used where two lower molds attached to a turn table are moved by rotating the turn table respectively to a position opposing to a single upper mold to allow opening and closing of the mold, and opening and closing the mold in the vertical direction. In such vertical injection molding machine for clamping the upper mold with multiple lower molds, a fabrication method is adopted for integrally molding a metallic insert component with resin, where a metallic component used for insert molding is assembled to the lower mold arranged on the opposite side of the lower mold subjected to mold clamping during the mold clamping process for molding parts, and after the component is assembled, the turn table is rotated to a given position to subject the lower mold having the metallic component assembled thereto and the upper mold to mold clamping, wherein injection and filling of molten resin to a cavity of the clamped mold is performed by lowering an injection unit arranged above the upper mold and having an injection nozzle attached to a tip (lower end) of the injection unit to the upper mold, and in that state, injection and filling of molten resin to the mold cavity is carried out by driving an injection screw. The driving of the injection screw is performed using a drive source such as a motor via a pulley, a drive belt or the like.
Regarding the prior art technique mentioned above, patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-105185) discloses a vertical injection molding machine, wherein patent document 1 provides a vertical injection molding machine having a toggle-type mold clamping device that drives a movable platen in a direction for opening and closing a mold with respect to a fixed platen using an electric motor as the drive source, wherein a driven pulley attached to a ball screw for driving the toggle-type mold clamping device is prevented from rotating inversely by having projections of a stopper engage with the teeth of the driven pulley so as to prevent the movable platen from falling.
Patent document 2 (Japanese Patent No. 3953395) discloses an art of engaging claws of a stopper with the teeth of a driven pulley having teeth so as to prevent rotation of an output shaft when power supply to an electric motor is stopped in a molded object take-out machine.
Patent document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-189088) discloses an elevator emergency brake device, wherein an elevator in a stopped state can be prevented from moving due to abnormality by having an engagement member engage with an opening formed on a sheave rotated by the up-down movement of the elevator.
The vertical injection molding machine disclosed in patent document 1 teaches an art for preventing a movable platen from falling when the timing belt is disconnected, but normally, the timing belt is not disconnected when the vertical injection molding machine is at a stopped state and often disconnected when the timing belt is rotated along with the operation of the vertical injection molding machine and a large load is applied on the timing belt, so that if the timing belt is disconnected when the driven pulley rotated around the timing belt is rotated, the attempt to speedily engage the projection on the stopper to the teeth of the driven pulley will cause the stopper to be snapped by the rotation of the driven pulley and it will not be possible to promptly prevent the movable platen from falling by the stopping of rotation, whereas patent document 2 discloses an art of reliably preventing movement of the pulley by engaging a stopper to the pulley in the stopped state when the device is stopped by shutting down power supply, but similar to patent document 1, it is difficult to have the stopper engage with the teeth on the outer circumference of the pulley while the pulley is rotating.
The art disclosed in patent document 3 relates to inserting an engagement member to the opening of a sheave at a stopped state so as to reliably prevent the sheave from moving, but for example, in order to engage an engagement member to the sheave during rotation, the impact caused when the engagement member contacts the sheave may damage the engagement member, a member retaining the engagement member, the sheave or a member retaining the sheave, and since the diameter of the opening of the sheave is greater than the diameter of the engagement member, it is substantially difficult to retain the sheave in the static state.
The vertical injection molding machine where the mold is opened and closed in the vertical direction has a mold open/close mechanism for moving a movable mold up and down with respect to a fixed mold, an injection drive unit capable of up-down movement which is moved downward when injecting and filling molten resin to a cavity of the mold, and an injection unit capable of up-down movement which is equipped with the injection drive unit and lowered when performing nozzle touch, wherein since these components fall by their own weight when the operation of the vertical injection molding machine is stopped, they may disturb or cause injury of operators and the like during maintenance and checkup of the vertical injection molding machine.


A 32-bit mode operation for a typical 64-bit ECC memory subsystem. In 32-bit mode, each data block will have an 8-bit ECC value, which is consistent with ECC values generated for 64-bit data. This is achieved by prefixing the data with 32 zeroes. When reading out data, memory faults can be corrected and detected using ECC techniques on a zero prefixed data block that is read out of the memory. This allows a memory subsystem to be optimized for bandwidth and latency depending upon this application.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to computer systems design and development. More specifically, the invention relates to the design of memories and memory subsystems for use in computer systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
In servers and systems that are not by nature servers, but operate in a server capacity, reliability has often been the controlling issue. Now, with increased load by more complex applications and more numerous client base, performance has also become an issue. To solve the performance problem in servers, separate intelligent I/O (Input/Output) systems have been developed which specifically address certain specific performance and reliability issues with regard to various server functions. Intelligent I/O includes the use of an I/O processor (IOP) separate from the host processor which performs many of the I/O functions of the computer system so that the host processor is freed from the incessant slowdown due I/O interrupts and other mechanisms which burden applications running on the host processor.
Two I/O functions that may be offloaded to the IOP include the RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) algorithm and networking packet assembly and disassembly. To handle these and other functions, the IOP is always accompanied by a local memory. For instance, such a local memory could act as the disk cache upon which the parity image for the RAID algorithm is stored and updated. The I/O subsystem's local memory must be designed such that it minimizes latency and can handle the throughput required for various applications. Further, the memory configuration is best if utilizing standard readily available memory components so that the cost is not increased by the need to introduce special size/configuration memory components into the system.
Due to the differences in what is required from the local I/O memory, however, it is often impossible to choose a configuration of memory that will be optimal for all potential I/O functions. Specifically in this regard, the use of memories equipped with Error Correction Code (ECC) mechanisms demands certain specific design constraints. ECC-capable memory is utilized since it allows for the detecting of double bit errors (two bits are incorrect within a transfer block) and for correcting a single bit error, and thus provides improved reliability over parity memory (which has the capability of detecting but not correcting single bit errors and no capability with regard to double bit errors). ECC however is currently implemented for systems that have 64-bit wide data busses. Sixty-four-bit ECC uses operations such as hashing to generate an 8-bit value which may help detect an error for the 64 bits in each data block. Thus, the entire memory bus would have a bandwidth of 72 bits, which, being a multiple of 4, may be readily assembled since memory modules are currently manufactured as in widths of 4, 8, 16 and 32 bits.
However, having a 64-bit architecture may impose a burden upon I/O functions that prefer a lower cost over performance. To have the reliability advantage of ECC and the optimization of 32-bit architectures useful for certain I/O functions, it would be desirable to generate the hamming code for 32-bit data. By definition, a hamming code generated for 32 bits of data is less than 6 bits wide. Thus, a total memory width of N bits, where N is not a multiple of 8 or 4 would be needed. This is inconvenient to assemble since N is not a multiple of 4 or 8. In certain I/O processors that desire a 32-bit implementation as well as a hamming code, it would be advantageous to still generate an 8-bit hamming code so that both 64 bit and 32 bit data busses can be supported by the memory architecture. The 40 bits resultant from 32-bit data and an 8-bit Hamming code would allow for convenient assemblage since 40-bit memory modules are industry standards. Further, in intelligent I/O systems where both a 32-bit mode and 64-bit mode are available (so that design is more flexible based on the I/O function), it would be desirable to have ECC reliability without increasing the complexity of the addressing implicit in each mode.

32-bit mode for a 64-bit ECC capable memory subsystem


In a method for operating a dishwasher, a desorption process of a reversibly dehydratable dry material of a sorption-drying system is initiated at least at times. A parameter that influences the desorption process is hereby evaluated for determining an instant for performing the desorption process.

The invention relates to a method for operating a dishwasher, in particular a domestic dishwasher.
Dishwashers having what are termed sorption-drying systems for exothermally drying items to be washed that have been cleaned are known from DE 103 53 774 A1, DE 103 53 775 A1, and DE 10 2005 004 096 A1. During a partial program step of the dishwasher's respective dishwashing program "Dry" for drying washed items, moist air is therein ducted from the dishwasher's interior space serving as a washing container through a sorption container by means of a fan and moisture removed from the ducted-through air by the reversibly dehydratable dry material located in the sorption container. The reversibly dehydratable dry material is heated to very high temperatures for regenerating, which is to say desorbing the drying material. Water stored in said drying material thereby exits in the form of hot water vapor and is ducted into the washing container by an air current produced by means of the fan. Liquid and/or washed items that are located in the washing container as well as the air in the washing container can be heated thereby. A sorption-drying system of this kind has proved highly advantageous for drying crockery in a quiet, energy-saving manner.


A modular package provides physical protection from shock, crushing and vibration. The modular package is reusable and expandable to fit a variety of sizes of printed circuit boards. In one embodiment, the package has an electrically conductive exterior and provides a faraday shield to protect the printed circuit board from damage by electrical fields.

A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to transport packaging for printed circuit boards and electronic components.
B. Related Art
Printed circuit boards carrying electronic components are used in a wide variety of applications. For example, printed circuit boards are commonly used in computers, medical equipment, communication devices and copiers. In many applications, the printed circuit boards are handled as field replaceable units (FRUs). In other words, when a component on a printed circuit board fails, a service engineer or a user will replace the entire printed circuit board at the equipment site rather than attempt to repair or replace the failing component. As a consequence of this system, spare or replacement boards are commonly transported to and/or from the site. Printed circuit boards carrying electronic components may also need to be transported for other reasons, such as assembly of a device or for use as an installable option.
One problem with the transportation of printed circuit boards and other electronic components is that they can be relatively fragile and subject to transport damage. To prevent damage, the boards or components are typically placed in a first package which provides protection from electrostatic fields. In instances where the board or component will be shipped, the package is further placed in a second package to protect the board or component from shock, crushing and vibration.

Printed circuit board carrier and reusable transport packaging


Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can determine at least one event generated by a content player while accessing a content item. Event information describing the at least one event can be provided to a finite-state machine being used to manage events generated by the content player. The finite-state machine is in a first state. The finite-state machine can be transitioned from the first state to a second state in response to provision of the event information. One or more actions associated with the second state can be performed based at least in part on transitioning the finite-state machine to the second state.

Under conventional approaches, software programs (or applications) can generate various events. For example, a software program may generate events that can be used to diagnose or troubleshoot errors. In another example, a software program may generate events that describe operations performed by a given user. For example, a software-based content player (e.g., video player) may generate events when a user interacts with the content player to access content.

Systems and methods for managing software events


An electronic educational toy designed to teach letters, words and numbers and stimulate the development of a child""s mind using audio feedback, the educational toy including an enclosure enclosing a processor, a data storage medium and a speaker and having a substantially flat surface, at least a portion of which comprises a work platform on which a child manipulates and places an object.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an educational system for teaching children language and/or arithmetic, and in particular to a system where a child arranges one or more computer-recognizable characters on a working platform to spell words or provide a mathematical result in response to computer generated questions or prompts, the system then indicating whether the words or mathematical result is correct.
2. Description of the Related Art
As computers continue to grow faster and smarter and smaller, they have become omnipresent, reaching people of all shapes and sizes. Nevertheless, there remains one unchanging constant: in order for the computer to provide the information or operate as desired, some type of data must be provided to the computer. From punchcards in the late 60""s and 70""s to teletypes of the 70""s and 80""s to CRTs of the 80""s and to mouses and keyboards of today, there always remains a way for the user to enter data into the computer.
There has been one segment of the population that has largely been excluded from the computer revolution, the young child. This is true primarily for two reasons. First, young children have not yet developed the metal capabilities or the motor skills to interact well with conventional computers, which require data to be entered, for example via the key board or mouse, in a fixed format. Secondly, young children are interested and entertained by simple sensory input, and the vast resources offered by conventional computers are generally too advanced to be of interest to them.
One simple sensory input of great interest to children is the sense of touch. It is why young children are commonly more interested in the box or wrapping of a gift than the actual gift contained therein. Several games have been developed which indulge a child""s sense of touch, such as for example those including building blocks. Some such tactile systems also include letters in an attempt to educate a child while they are using the blocks. However, such tactile systems are ineffective without adult instruction as to what the letters represent. Moreover, the inventors of the present invention are unaware of any such tactile systems that work in combination with the vast resources provided by a computer.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an easy to use, safe and fun computer data entry device for children.
It is a further object of the present invention to make learning enjoyable for children by providing an educational system including tactile blocks that may be handled by a child indulges a child""s enjoyment of.
It is another object of the present invention to combine a tactile educational system with the vast resources provided by a computer.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for educating children, which may be used by a child without the aid or presence of an adult, and which may be used by a child at his or her own pace.
These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention, which takes advantage of the fact that children enjoy the tactile feel of small hand-held blocks in combination with a system to teach them language and/or arithmetic. According to the invention, a working platform has a surface for receiving a plurality of blocks, which blocks include characters on one or more surfaces thereof. When a block is placed on the working platform, the platform is capable of recognizing the location of the block, and the identification of the block.
The blocks are designed to look and feel like the spelling blocks that are typically found on the market todayxe2x80x94i.e., they may be made of wood or plastic and easily fit into young child""s hand; they-have big, bright letters or pictures or symbols etched or displayed in a variety of colors on one or more of the surfaces of the blocks.
Preferably, each block includes directly beneath the surface an identification device for each character on the block that is capable of transmitting a signal uniquely representative of the character. When a particular block is placed on the working platform in a particular location, a sensor associated with that location detects the identification of the block.
The working platform includes a data processing device such as a computer, and digital circuitry that receives as an input the location and the identification of the detected block. The digital circuitry converts this information into a computer usable form and sends it via a data line into the computer.

Electronic educational toy appliance teaching letters words and numbers


A method is provided for protecting a medical instrument and other articles adapted to be inserted into and removed for re-use from a human or animal body. A temporary coating of an oxidation-resistant material is applied to the instrument or part thereof to protect the instrument or part thereof over at least one sterilizing or disinfecting cycle. A suitable applicator for the coating includes a support medium loaded with the oxidation-resistant material

The present invention relates to sterilization- or disinfection-resistant coatings for endoscopes and similar medical apparatus which require sterilization or disinfection between uses.
Endoscopes and other reusable medical devices designed for insertion into the human or animal body generally require sterilization or disinfection between uses. Traditionally, sterilization or disinfection of medical equipment is achieved by autoclaving, i.e., by exposing the equipment to steam at high temperature and pressure. While this method is effective, it is often unsuitable for complex and relatively delicate apparatus, such as endoscopes, which may include components that are not heat-resistant. In order to solve this problem, it has been proposed to use organic sterilizing solutions such as glutaraldehyde at ambient temperatures. However, glutaraldehyde has limited sterilizing activity, especially in relation to bacterial spores, and can also cause allergic reactions in staff.
A recent improvement has been the use of sterilizing solutions, which are oxidizing in nature, such as peracetic acid and chlorine dioxide, among others. A number of recently-developed oxidizing, sterilizing or disinfecting solutions may be produced, for example by way of electrochemical processing of aqueous salt solutions, as disclosed for example in GB 2316090A. These solutions, such as sold under the Sterilox(trademark) trademark, are produced by electrochemical cells comprising an anode chamber and a cathode chamber separated by a permeable membrane, and include oxidized chlorine species, such as hypochlorous acid, as sterilizing agents. Such solutions are highly effective in their sterilizing action, but are more aggressive than, for example, glutaraldehyde and can attack the plastics and similar components which are used in the construction of endoscopes and the like. The mechanism of degradation is unknown but may involve hydrolysis and/or oxidation.
Traditional chemicals used for disinfection require specialist handling, extensive fume extraction, and the spent material requires specialist disposal. They also have typical sterilization cycles of up to one hour. In contrast, the oxidizing sterilizing solutions, such as Sterilox(trademark) solution, have a much shorter recommended contact time, are non-toxic, non-sensitizing, do not need extraction and can be disposed of safely into mains drainage. In other words, these solutions show advantages in terms of potency, speed of use, safety of use and environmental impact over traditional chemicals used to sterilize endoscopes.
However, it has been found that, under certain conditions of sterilization or disinfection using these oxidizing solutions, the lacquer covering of some flexible endoscopes can suffer surface degradation, especially of the patient insertion tube and/or light guide. The polymer surface absorbs water and becomes tacky, which can result in poorer,handling characteristics for medical staff.
UK Patent Application No. GB 2353954A describes a coating process developed by the Applicant to protect medical instruments such as endoscopes. The process involves coating a polycarbonate-based polyurethane material, in particular by spraying, onto the lacquer to minimize and substantially reduce the degradation of the lacquer when instruments are disinfected using oxidizing solutions.
Despite the success of the coating, there are still some problems associated with the coating method. For example, the coating may only be applied by trained operatives in specially constructed clean environments with extraction and curing facilities. This means that hospitals tend to send their endoscopes away for at least 72 hours to be coated and, consequently, this has adverse effects on the management of operations within a hospital ward. For those countries where the coating process is not available, the endoscopes must be sent abroad, thereby significantly increasing the period for which the hospital must cope without the endoscope.
Although the chemical coatings described in GB 2353954A have shown good compatibility with sterilizing solutions, such as Sterilox(trademark) solution, both in the actual use and in accelerated tests, endoscopes tend to be handled and cleaned differently in each hospital. In some cases, the detergents used can be very Aggressive to these coatings and the handling and cleaning procedures may, in some instances, damage the coating.
In view of the above, Applicant has sought to develop a method and a coating to substantially eliminate the degradation of lacquer on medical instruments, such as endoscopes and overcome the problems associated with the method described in GB 2353954A.
Accordingly, in one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of protecting a medical instrument or part thereof, adapted to be inserted into and removed for re-use from a human or animal body, against an oxidizing sterilizing or disinfecting solution by applying a coating of an oxidation-resistant material, characterized in that the instrument or part thereof is coated with a temporary coating which protects the instrument or part thereof over at least one sterilizing or disinfecting cycle.
The temporary coating must be sufficiently durable to withstand at least one sterilizing or disinfecting cycle. If applied prior to manual cleaning of the instrument, the coating should be resistant to the process of brushing with detergent. In order to be certain that the instrument or part thereof is adequately protected against the oxidizing solution, a fresh coating of the oxidation-resistant material is preferably applied before every sterilizing or disinfecting cycle. In this way, personnel responsible for maintaining and preparing the medical instruments for use are not required to keep and consult records of the number of sterilizing cycles an instrument has been subjected to before deciding whether to apply a further coating. In practice, however, an instrument or part thereof may only require coating after, say, every five to ten sterilizing or disinfecting cycles in order to maintain the desired protective shield. The frequency of application will depend on the material of construction of the instrument, the detergents used, the type of disinfectant and the duration of the disinfection cycle.
The application of a temporary coating should be such that the coating may be applied without the need for complicated, numerous or lengthy procedures. Ideally, the oxidation-resistant material may be applied to the instrument or part thereof by wiping, but may also be applied by any appropriate method such as brushing, dipping or spraying.
Such a method of application is quick, requires no expertise and may be carried out by a user, such as a nurse, within the environs of a hospital. Furthermore, the instrument may be ready for sterilization within minutes of being coated thereby minimising the time that an instrument cannot be used.
Preferably, the method involves wiping the instrument or part thereof with a support medium, such as a cloth or pad, loaded with the oxidation-resistant material. It is advantageous if the support medium is saturated with the material to ensure that sufficient material is applied.
To minimize the introduction of bacteria, microbes and the like, it is further preferred if the support medium and oxidation resistant materials are sterile.
From another aspect, the invention also encompasses an applicator for applying a temporary coating of an oxidation-resistant material to a medical instrument or part thereof, the instrument or part thereof being adapted to be inserted into and removed for re-use from a human or animal body, wherein the applicator comprises a support medium loaded with the oxidation-resistant material.
Advantageously, the applicator is packaged in a sealed wrapping, thereby preventing the premature evaporation of any diluent and maintaining the sterility of the applicator.
The Applicant has found that polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is particularly suited to this application. However, it will be appreciated that other suitable compounds, compositions and materials may be used. Advantages of using PTFE are that its application is relatively non-toxic and non-hazardous, the procedure may take place in a hospital and takes less than five minutes per article.
While the oxidation-resistant material may be applied in the form of a wax or oil, for example, the material may be also applied in a diluent, for example as an emulsion or dispersion. It is advantageous if the diluent is capable of evaporating to leave a substantially dry coating within about 10 minutes from application. In this way, the time needed to coat and re-coat an instrument is minimized. A further advantage is seen if diluent has a boiling point no greater than the boiling point of water so that the coating may be air-dried or dried by the application of a short burst of heat.
In particular, the Applicant has found that PTFE may be applied as a suspension in an appropriate diluent such as isopropanol or water. An example of a suitable suspension is commercially available under the trademark Microcoat and supplied in the UK by Holscot Industrial Linings.
The method may also include polishing the coated instrument to remove excess oxidation-resistant material and to ensure even and complete coverage of the coating after the material has been applied and, if the material is applied in a diluent, after drying.
The application of a temporary protective coating to endoscopes and the like which are disinfected in oxidizing solutions, such as Sterilox(trademark) solution, substantially reduces or eliminates damage to the surface of the flexible endoscope tubes, does not change the clinical performance of the endoscope and does not increase the risk to the patient as a consequence of the clinical procedure.
From a further aspect, the invention encompasses the use of polytetrafluoroethylene as a temporary oxidation-resistant coating on a medical instrument or part thereof adapted to be inserted into and removed for re-use from a human or animal body.
According to a yet further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medical instrument or part thereof adapted to be inserted into and removed for re-use from a human or animal body, characterized in that the instrument or part thereof has a temporary coating of polytetrafluoroethylene.

Sterilox Technologies International Limited


A strain relief member (22) adapted for securing a multi-conductor cable (28) to a connector (20) to provide strain relief to terminations of the conductors (26) of the multi-conductor cable (28) to respective contacts (24) in the connector (20) when the strain relief is secured to the connector. The strain relief member (22) has a U-shaped portion (34) having a bight (36) and two legs (38,40) extending therefrom. The legs (38,40) have securing means (44) thereon adapted to secure the strain relief member (22) to the connector (20). The bight (36) has a tab (58) extending therefrom having an insulation support ferrule (56) integral therewith. The ferrule (56) is adapted to be crimped about the cable (28) such that when the connector (20) is terminated to the cable (28) and the strain relief member (22) is secured to the connector (20) with the ferrule (56) crimped about the cable (28), forces transmitted along the cable (28) are transferred to the connector (20) through the strain relief member (22) and are thereby prevented from being transmitted to the conductor-to-contact terminations.

This invention relates to electrical connectors terminable to a cable and in particular to a secondary cable strain relief to prevent forces applied to the cable from being transmitted to the conductor-to-contact terminations. It is well known in the prior art to provide connectors terminable to a cable with structure to provide strain relief to conductor-to-cable terminations. The strain relief prevents forces applied to the cable from being transmitted to the conductor-to-contact terminations. The strain relief typically secures the cable to the housing in which the conductor-to-cable terminations are made such that any forces transmitted through the cable are then transferred to the connector housing rather than to the conductor terminations.
When a strain relief is designed into a connector, it is designed to withstand a predetermined force before failing. When the connector application subjects the strain relief to forces in excess of the design force, supplemental strain relief is necessitated.

Electrical connector having a secondary cable strain relief and a strain relief member therefor


A fuel filter of an internal combustion engine has a filter housing with a housing base body of cast metal and at least one lid. Screws are provided for attaching the at least one lid to the housing base body. A lid seal seals the at least one lid relative to the housing base body. The housing base body has screw receptacles for the screws and a seal seat for the lid seal. The screws are self-tapping screws. The screw receptacles and the seal seat are formed by casting technology without after machining.

Fuel filters of internal combustion engines, in particular in the automotive field, include a filter housing with a housing base body and at least one lid. Frequently, the housing base body is comprised of cast metal, in particular die cast aluminum or the like. The mechanically less loaded lid may be comprised of plastic material and is screwed by means of screws to the housing base body. Between the lid and the housing base body a lid seal is arranged in order to make the mounted filter housing fuel-tight in operation.
According to the prior art, the cast metal blank of the housing base body is mechanically processed (machined) at least in the area of the screw receptacles for the lid screws and at the sealing seat of the lid seal. A thread is cut into the screw receptacles. The seal seat is turned to size for which purpose material allowance of approximately 1 mm is required on the cast blank. The step of chip-producing after machining of the cast blank requires cost-intensive working steps. The material allowance in the area of the surfaces to be machined increase the material costs. The finished fuel filters are subject to high requirements in particular with respect to cleanliness as a protection from foreign bodies in the fuel path. After the machining step (cutting), there is therefore an intensive rinsing process required for cleaning the machined housing base body; this represents an undesirable and significant cost factor.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to further develop a fuel filter of the aforementioned kind such that the requirements with regard to clean components can be fulfilled with simple means and high processing safety.

Fuel filter of an internal combustion engine


An automatic door opening arrangement for motor vehicles includes a sensor system for detection of objects in a predetermined region adjacent to a vehicle and a computing unit for at least one door which indicates entry of an object into the predetermined region. The automatic door opening arrangement prevents, as reliably as possible, injury of persons and/or damage to obstacles or to the door itself upon opening of the door, since the sensor system determines the height of an object located in the predetermined region relative to a given reference coordinate system.

This invention relates to automatic door opening arrangements for motor vehicles having sensors for detection of objects in the vicinity of a vehicle door.
Automatic door opening arrangements of this type permit a vehicle door to be opened upon demand only as far as permitted by any obstacles detected in the door opening region by the sensors on a motor vehicle, for example, which is equipped with the door opening arrangement. Such arrangements allow objects constituting stationary obstacles to opening of the door to be detected before or upon opening of the door so that damage to the door or to the obstacle located in the vicinity of the door can be avoided. In addition, accidents involving obstacles or persons moving into the region of swinging motion of the door can be avoided.
A conventional automatic door opening arrangement is disclosed, for example, in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 195 33 804 which provides an auxiliary holding device for limiting the angle of the opening of the door, utilizing a sensor which detects objects without contact and which is mounted on the outer edge of the door opposite from the pivot axis edge of the door. When the sensor reaches a specified distance from an object near the vehicle during opening of the door, the sensor triggers the auxiliary holding device almost instantaneously, causing it to lock. Although the distance from a neighboring vehicle can be determined by the sensor mounted on the rear edge of the door, this does not permit reliable detection of the adjacent region covered by the opening of the door or of the traffic activity approaching the door.
German Offenlegungsschrift No. 195 37 619 discloses an arrangement for monitoring the traffic spacing of a motor vehicle which has at least one traffic spacing sensor for detecting an object approaching the vehicle and an associated signaling system responsive to the approach of an object which prevents, impedes or blocks the opening of at least one door of the vehicle, and/or indicates the approach by a signaling system. In that arrangement, the traffic spacing sensor is designed and mounted to monitor essentially the traffic situation behind the vehicle. Reliable monitoring of traffic activity that is encountered by an opening door opening cannot always be assured with that arrangement.
In the arrangement disclosed in that reference, the device that indicates entry of an object into the protected region may constitute a warning device or a device to prevent, impede or block opening of the door.


A NAND-based flash memory device and a method of its operation that extends the life of the device by reducing the number of unnecessary write cycles to the device. The memory device includes blocks, pages contained by each of the blocks, and a page abstraction layer containing a look-up table for translating logical page numbers into physical page numbers. A certain number of the pages in at least one of the blocks is preferably reserved so as not to be used in default data storage mode but instead used to shuffle data within the at least one block using a dynamic page address scheme, whereby data are dynamically moved from one page to an empty page in the same block using dynamic page mapping.

The present invention generally relates to memory devices, and more particularly to a technique for extending the life of a NAND-based flash memory device by reducing the number of unnecessary write cycles to the device.
Solid state drives comprising NAND-based flash memory are rapidly evolving to become the non-volatile memory of choice in desktop and high-performance computing. Despite the advantage in access time over non-volatile memory as it is used in the case of rotatable media such as hard disk drives, a notable disadvantage of NAND flash memory is that data cannot be simply overwritten. This limitation of flash memory is caused by the fact that individual bits can only be altered from 1 to 0 but not vice-versa. Consequently, before any rewriting of data, the entire content of a page must be erased by programming all cells to 1. In addition, pages within a block of NAND flash memory are statically mapped, that is, each page within a block has a unique address that cannot be changed. If data are written to NAND flash memory, they are typically written over multiples of physical blocks using the same page address in each block. If any page must be updated, it must be written to the same page address but the fact that it is impossible to overwrite the existing page means that it must be written to a different block and subsequently, the logical to physical block mapping must be updated. The change in logical block mapping, in turn, means that all contents within the block that was altered must be moved to the new block corresponding to the logical block address.
In a scenario like that described above, the consequence is that the write efficiency is extremely low for small files. For example, in typical architectures employing 128 pages of 4 KB in each block, rewriting a single 4 KB file fragment requires the re-writing of all 128 pages within the block, depending on how many pages in the respective block contain data. If a target block previously contained data, the block must first be erased prior to the re-writing operation. Consequently, rewriting 128 files of 4KB file fragments can require up to 128 erase and write cycles for each single file instead of a single file update.
Every programming cycle of NAND flash memory entails the injection of electrons into the floating gate through quantum-mechanical tunneling through the tunneling oxide of the NAND cell. Likewise, every erase cycle entails the removal of electrons from the floating gate through tunneling in the reverse direction. Over time, the tunneling oxide degrades and exhibits broken atomic bonds that can trap electrons. As a result, the tunnel oxide becomes electrically negative, causing a shift in programming/erase speed in which the programming operation becomes faster whereas the erasing operation becomes slower. Because of this build up of charge as a factor of the number of erase/write cycles, the number of cycles for each NAND cell is finite and, consequently, the number of cycles (endurance) of a NAND flash memory device is also finite.
The problem arising from the static mapping of pages within a NAND block is well documented and several ways have been proposed to alleviate the issue. Primarily, these issues include intelligent management of data to keep the number of program cycles to a minimum, with the view "that the best write is the one that does not happen." In other words, valid strategies are that intermediate data and meta-data referring to the actual data are typically processed on the level of the system memory, and the final data are then sent to the drive where they are cached in the drive's cache or buffer. Once the data in the buffer reach a certain size, they are combined to a logically coherent set of data and then written in one sweep to the flash memory array, typically using all channels available. This type of write-combining eliminates a large part of small random writes, but it is only one step to better management of NAND flash memory blocks. Another strategy uses a RAM-disk wherein all data are exclusively written to memory and only on system shut-off are committed to a NAND flash-based solid state drive. Those optimizations are primarily implemented on the level of the operating system or on the drive architecture/firmware.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No 2008/0288713 to Lee et al. discloses a somewhat different approach by copying heavily accessed data to a separate volatile memory which uses dynamic page mapping, and only the final data are committed to a NAND flash memory. This type of approach is optimized on the basis of temporal locality for data base management systems. None of the mentioned approaches, however, addresses the fundamental issue arising from the static page mapping of NAND blocks.
In view of the above, it can be appreciated that an ongoing limitation of NAND-based flash memory is that individual memory cells cannot be rewritten and, because of static page mapping, single page updates require an entire block featuring the modified page to be rewritten to an empty block. In view of their finite number of cycles, there is an ongoing desire to minimize the number of program cycles of NAND flash memory devices.

Method and apparatus for reducing write cycles in NAND-based flash memory devices


A system for pumping laser sustained plasma and enhancing one or more selected wavelengths of output illumination generated by the laser sustained plasma is disclosed. In embodiments, the system includes one or more pump modules configured to generate pump illumination for the laser sustained plasma and one or more enhancing illumination sources configured to generate enhancing illumination at one or more selected wavelengths. The pump illumination may be directed along one or more pump illumination paths that are non-collinear to an output illumination path of the output illumination. The enhancing illumination may be directed along an illumination path that is collinear to the output illumination path of the output illumination so that the enhancing illumination is combined with the output illumination, thereby enhancing the output illumination at the one or more selected wavelengths.

Laser sustained plasmas (LSPs) are used as broadband light sources in a variety of applications including wafer inspection and metrology. Some of the existing LSP illumination systems may experience difficulty in meeting specific power/radiance requirements for metrology and inspection applications. For example, LSP illumination systems may have limited brightness in broadband red and infrared (IR) spectral ranges. Brightness of LSP sources in the red and IR spectral ranges is limited by black-body emission limit. The black-body IR emission does not increase much with plasma temperature, leading to spectral radiance that struggles to exceed about 0.2 W/mm2/srad/nm in most practical cases, while the spectral radiance in ultraviolet (UV) ranges may exceed about 2 W/mm2/srad/nm. The plasma radiance is even lower in deeper IR ranges. Moreover, for most gases used in LSP, absorptivity in the IR range is higher than in the visible (VIS) to UV spectral ranges. When trying to achieve higher radiance in VIS to UV ranges, the gas density is increased to increase emissivity. Plasma absorptivity in the IR reaches the black-body limit very quickly (especially on the absorption lines) and colder plasma periphery absorbs emission from a hotter core, leading to an effective limit on the plasma radiance in the IR range corresponding to lower temperatures than the plasma core.
Some LSP illumination systems are also impeded by limited spectral width of the laser sources. When laser sources are used, their radiance can be very high and not limited by black body. However, the laser sources are narrow-band and cannot be used in applications where broadband is preferable. Similarly, only a few laser wavelengths are available in the VIS-UV-DUV spectral ranges.
Furthermore, imbalance of spectral radiance can occur in LSP illumination systems that employ combined illumination from LSP and laser sources. In some versions, light collection from the plasma can be designed to occur collinearly with the pump laser. In this case, the laser wavelengths that are transmitted through LSP are added to the collected spectrum to form a narrowband line corresponding to the spectral radiance contributed by the laser source. However, for the pump powers required to sustain the plasma and for typical plasma transmission of about 20% for most absorptive cases, the spectral radiance of the transmitted laser radiation exceeds plasma radiance by orders of magnitude. In order to make the plasma brighter, higher pump power is required and the balance of spectral brightness is never achieved.
There is a need for improved LSP technologies to generate broadband illumination that meets power/radiance requirements at all applicable spectral ranges.

System and method for pumping laser sustained plasma and enhancing selected wavelengths of output illumination


A process for recycling a silicone compound wherein the silicone compound is decomposed by employing an alkyl carbonate and a compound containing active hydrogen group in the presence of a catalyst, and silicone monomers and/or silicone oligomers are recovered from the decomposed silicone compound. Silicone monomers and/or silicone oligomers are produced without producing any byproduct, and no step for removal by separation is needed in an after process, and therefore the implementation is easy.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for recycling silicone compounds.
(2) Description of the Related Art
The recycling of scrapped plastics is a global demand and a variety of resins have been tried to be recycled in response to the demand. As one of these trials, the recycling of silicone resins has been tried from many standpoints of view.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Heisei 9-176364, proposed was a process in which silicone resins were decomposed into monomers or oligomers, which can be recycled, by using orthocarboxylic ester compounds, compounds containing active hydrogen group, and catalysts.
The above process is good since the process can be put into practice under a relatively mild condition and at a relatively low cost. However, the process produces an unwanted byproduct through the hydrolysis of orthocarboxylic ester, for example, methyl formate when methyl orthoformate is used as the orthocarboxylic ester. Since monomers or oligomers containing the orthocarboxylic ester can not be used as they are, the separation of orthocarboxylic ester (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Heisei 9-7779) has been needed in an after process. Therefore, the above process has not been practical and resulted in an obstruction to the implementation on an industrial scale.

Process for recycling silicone compounds


Supplies used with the machine include sheets with holes at intervals, first plastic strips having flexible studs at the same intervals and second strips having holes at the same intervals. The outside surface of said second strip is formed with grooves to receive the bent excess lengths of the studs. The machine has a platen supporting the sheets and a bridge supporting the second strip. The first strip is installed with the studs through the holes in the sheets and second strip. A rotating cam shaft first pulls a pressure bar against the top of the first strip to compress the sheets between the strips with a pre-determined pressure. Mounted on the cam shaft is a drum cam having a pair of grooves which receive cam followers extending from horizontally reciprocating carriages. Each carriage has a pair of bending rollers which have a path of movement immediately below the bottom surface of the second strip. Continued rotation of the cam shaft after compression of the strips is completed causes the carriages to move toward the center of the machine, the rollers bending the excess stud lengths at right angles and into the grooves.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new and improved apparatus using plastic bookbinding strips wherein the male strip has flexible studs which fit through holes in the sheets to be bound and also through holes in the female binding strip. Longitudinally extending from each hole in the female strip is a groove. When the strips have been compressed together with the sheets therebetween, the ends of the studs projecting beyond the female strip are bent at approximately 90.degree. angles so that the studs snap into the grooves in the underside of the female strip, thereby binding the book. Such strips are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,700 and particularly FIGS. 23-25.
The apparatus described in this application is a modification of a machine illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,783 for PUNCHING AND BINDING MACHINE. The latter machine was designed for use with thermoplastic strips wherein the excess stud length was cut off and heads formed on the ends of the cut off strips to bind the sheets in a book. Many of the features of this machine are incorporated in the present machine, as hereinafter described.
2. Description of Related Art
Binding strips using flexible studs are now commonly used. However, commercialization of such studs has heretofore been confined primarily to manual compression of the strips with the paper therebetween and manual bending of the excess stud lengths into the grooves. Mechanisms for bending the studs are shown in the aforesaid U.S. applications, Ser. Nos. 07/313,248 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,157 and 07/360,880. The present invention provides a desk top machine in which a motor driven paper punch may be incorporated and wherein the compression of the strips and the bending of the studs are mechanically accomplished either with the use of an electric motor or a manually actuated lever.

Machine for bookbinding using flexible strips


A marine drive is provided with a large volume anode, about 30 cubic inches, for galvanic protection. The anode (230) is a brick-like block member tapered along each of its height, width and length dimensions. The drive housing has an anode-mounting section (232) extending rearwardly therefrom and has a downwardly opening cavity (234) of substantially the same shape and volume as the anode, and receiving the anode in nested flush relation.

The invention relates to a marine drive, and more particularly to a sacrificial anode.
The invention arose during development efforts directed toward a surfacing marine drive enabling increased top end boat speed, though the invention is not limited thereto. Surfacing drives are known in the art, for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,334, column 3, lines 35+.
Sacrificial anodes for galvanic protection of marine drives are also known in the art.
The present invention provides an improved anode and anode-mounting structure.


Apparatus and methods for generating a shutter-time compensated high spatial resolution (HR) image output by enhancing lower spatial resolution (LR) video images with information obtained from higher spatial resolution still images which are temporally decimated. Super-resolved images and LR SAD information is generated from the LR images and used for directing the extracting of information from the temporally decimated HR images to enhance the spatial resolution of the LR images in a blending process. By way of example blending can comprise: motion estimation, motion compensation of a temporally displaced HR still images and a super-resolved (SR) image input, transformation (e.g., DCT), generating motion error output, blending motion compensated images in response to LR motion error information; inverse-transformation into a shutter-time compensated HR video image output. Accordingly, a more cost effective solution is taught for obtaining a desired shutter time and video resolution.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to the creation of high resolution video, and more particularly to the merging of low-resolution video with temporally decimated high-resolution still images to create a high-resolution video output.
2. Description of Related Art
The creation of apparatus and methods for simplifying creation of high definition (high resolution) content has become increasingly important. In particular this importance is especially profound in view of recent changes which make high definition video content the standard for video streams.
Conventional mechanisms for generating high-resolution content require the use of imaging systems that have a pixel resolution equivalent to the desired resolution of the output video. It will be recognized that although this produces a desirable video output stream with a minimum of artifacts, it represents a high-cost solution which is not suitable for all applications.
Recently, work has been put forth toward combining multiple lower-resolution images into frames of a higher-resolution image stream or video. These techniques have shown some promise, yet suffer from a number of shortcomings. In creating the higher-definition images, noise by way of high frequency artifacts, are often introduced into the video. In some cases, the artifacts introduced can be as annoying to a viewer as watching the original low-resolution video.
Accordingly, a method is needed for producing low noise, high spatial definition video, without the need of video equipment whose native resolution equals that of the desired output. The present invention fulfills that need, as well as others, and overcomes deficiencies of previously proposed solutions.

Merging video with time-decimated high-resolution imagery to form high-resolution video frames


A cooling device includes a cooling roller having a dual tube structure including an inner tube disposed inside an outer tube, an outside flow passage and an inside flow passage in which a cooling medium flows, and an opening that allows the outside flow passage to communicate with the inside flow passage, a cooling medium transport unit, and a rotating tube joint unit mounted to one end side of the cooling roller. One end of the outer tube is coaxially rotatably fitted to a first fitting section of the rotating tube joint unit. One end of the inner tube is coaxially fitted into and rotatably or fixedly supported to a second fitting section of the rotating tube joint unit, and the other end is coaxially fitted into and rotatably or fixedly supported to a fitting section on the other end of the outer tube.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cooling device that cools down a sheet-like member used in an image forming device such as a printer, a facsimile, and a copy machine, and an image forming device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming devices that form a toner image on a paper that is a sheet-like member using an electrophotography technique and gets the toner image through a heat fixing device to melt and fuse a toner have been known. Generally, the temperature of the heat fixing device depends on a type of a toner or a paper or a paper transport speed but is controlled to be set to a temperature of about 180° C. to 200° C. to quickly fuse the toner. A surface temperature of the paper after passing through the heat fixing device depends on a heat capacity (e.g., specific heat or density) of the paper but has a high temperature of, for example, about 100° C. to 130° C. Since a melting temperature of the toner is lower, at a point in time directly after passing through the heat fixing device, the toner is in a slightly softened state and is in an adhesive state for a while until the paper is cooled down. Thus, when an image output operation is continuously repeated and papers having passed through the heat fixing device are stacked on a discharge paper receiving unit, if the toner on the paper is not sufficiently hardened but in a soft state, the toner on the paper may be attached to another paper, so that a so-called blocking phenomenon may be caused, remarkably degrading the image quality.
In an image forming device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2006-003819, a cooling device with a cooling roller that is rotatably supported to a bracket through a bearing and comes in contact with a paper to cool down the paper while transporting the paper is disposed at a down stream side of a heat fixing device in a paper transport direction. The paper having passed through the heat fixing device is cooled down by the cooling roller of the cooling device, so that the toner on the paper is also cooled down and hardened, thereby preventing the occurrence of the blocking phenomenon. The cooling roller has a tubular structure. A cooling liquid flows inside the cooling roller from one end side to the other end side in a longitudinal direction of the cooling roller, and so the cooling roller raised in temperature by depriving heat from the paper is cooled down by the cooling liquid.
In a configuration in which the cooling liquid flows inside the cooling roller from one end side to the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the cooling roller, a rotary joint connecting a pump for feeding the cooling liquid with the cooling roller through a tube needs to be disposed at both ends of the cooling roller, which may lead to a large-sized image forming device. For this reason, as illustrated in FIG. 54, a cooling device in which a rotary joint 135 is disposed at one side of the cooling roller 122 is used. Therefore, compared to the case where the rotary joint 135 is disposed at both ends of the cooling roller 122, the size of the image forming device can be prevented from being increased.
The cooling roller has a dual tube structure in which an inner tube is disposed inside an outer tube, and an outside flow passage that allows the cooling liquid to flow through a space between the outer tube and the inner tube and an inside flow passage that allows the cooling liquids to flow inside the inner tube are formed. The cooling liquid flows in the outside flow passage and the inside flow passage from one end side to the other end side in the axial direction of the cooling roller and deprives the paper of heat, so that the cooling roller having a high temperature is cooled down by the cooling liquid. Since the cooling roller has the dual tube structure, the cooling liquid flowing through the outer flow passage can be cooled down as the cooling liquid flowing through the inner flow passage receives heat of the cooling liquid, heated by heat from the cooling roller, flowing through the outer flow passage, whereby the cooling performance of the cooling roller can be increased. In the configuration in which the cooling liquid flows through the outside flow passage and the inside flow passage inside the cooling roller from one end side to the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the cooling roller, a rotary joint connecting a pump for feeding the cooling liquid with the cooling roller through a tube is mounted to both ends of the cooling roller.
The cooling roller 122 illustrated in FIG. 54 has a dual tube structure in which an inner tube 122b is disposed inside an outer tube 122a, and an outside flow passage that allows the cooling liquid to flow through a space between the outer tube 122a and the inner tube 122b and an inside flow passage that allows the cooling liquid to flow inside the inner tube 122b are formed. The cooling roller 122 is rotatably supported to a bracket 134 of the cooling device through bearings 140 and 141. An opening 122m is formed in an end section of the inner tube 122b at the rotary joint 135 side, and an opening 122k allowing the outside flow passage to communicate with the inside flow passage is formed in an end section of the inner tube 122b at a side opposite to the rotary joint 135 side. The cooling liquid is fed to the inside of the rotary joint 135 through a feed port formed in the rotary joint 135, passes through the outside flow passage, and flows into the inside of the inner tube 122b through the opening 122k. The cooling liquid flowing into the inside of the inner tube 122b passes through the inner tube 122b, is drained to the outside of the inner tube 122b through the opening 122m, and is drained from a drain port formed in the rotary joint 135.
In the cooling roller 122 illustrated in FIG. 54, the inner tube 122b is supported to the rotary joint 135 in a cantilever state. For this reason, a free end of the inner tube 122b easily vibrates by the flow of the cooling liquid fed to the inside of the outer tube 122a. The vibration is transmitted from the inner tube 122b to the rotary joint 135, so that the rotary joint 135 vibrates. Further, since the outer tube 122a and the rotary joint 135 are screw-coupled by screws thereof and fixed, rattling is harsh, so that axis misalignment between the outer tube 122a and the rotary joint 135 is likely to occur. If axis misalignment between the outer tube 122a and the rotary joint 135 occurs, the rotary joint 135 vibrates due to eccentricity when the outer tube 122a rotates.
If the rotary joint 135 vibrates, a load is applied to a coupling section between the outer tube 122a and the rotary joint 135, and thus there occurs a problem in that durability is lowered, and the cooling liquid leaks from the coupling section. Further, the vibration of the rotary joint 135 is transmitted to the outer tube 122a, and rotation accuracy of the outer tube 122a is lowered. Therefore, there occurs a problem in that the sheet-like member is not properly transported.
The inventors of the present application conducted an experiment in a state in which the cooling device in which the rotary joint is mounted to both ends of the cooling roller is mounted in the image forming device that performs image forming at a high speed. At this time, a phenomenon that the rotary joint vibrates occurred. If the rotary joint vibrates, a load is applied to the coupling section between the outer tube and the rotary joint, and thus there occurs a problem in that durability is lowered, and the cooling liquid leaks from the coupling section. Further, the vibration of the rotary joint is transmitted to the outer tube, and the rotation accuracy of the outer tube is lowered. Therefore, there occurs a problem in that the sheet-like member is not properly transported.
As a result of repetitively doing research with all their heart, the inventors of the present application found out that the rotary joint vibrates due to the following reasons. If the outer tube and the rotary joint are screw-coupled by screws thereof and fixed, rattling is harsh, so that axis misalignment between the outer tube and the rotary joint is likely to occur. Further, if the inner tube and the rotary joint are screw-coupled by screws thereof and fixed, rattling is harsh, so that axis misalignment between the inner tube and the rotary joint is likely to occur. If axis misalignment occurs between the inner tube and the rotary joint, axis misalignment occurs between the rotary joint mounted to the one end side of the inner tube and the rotary joint mounted to the other end side. Then, axis misalignment also occurs between the outer tube and the rotary joints. Accordingly, it was found out that axis misalignment occurred between the outer tube and the rotary joints causes eccentricity when the outer tube rotates, vibrating the rotary joint.
Meantime, as an image forming process speed of the image forming device of the electrophotography type increases, the image forming device of the electrophotography type started to be used for the purpose of continuously performing an image forming process (a printing process) over a long time (for example, several days) by continuously passing a recoding medium such as a paper, as in a printing process. The image forming device of the electrophotography type can perform an image forming process of 100 to 120 pieces of A4-size papers per minute and thus is called as a high speed machine. If the cooling roller rotates to satisfy high speed printing of 100 to 120 pieces per minute, the above-described problem resulting from vibration of the rotary joint becomes remarkable. That is, as the cooling roller rotates at a high speed, a burden of the coupling section between the outer tube and the rotary joint increases, so that there is a possibility that the cooling liquid will leak or the vibration of the rotary joint will influence image forming.


Passive circuit elements are formed at surfaces of two integrated circuit wafers. The passive circuit elements are utilized to align the two integrated circuit wafers to form an integrated circuit wafer stack.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to alignment structures formed on a plurality of wafers configured to be aligned to form a multichip stack in a single package.
2. Description of the Related Art
As consumer demand increases for smaller multifunction devices, manufacturers face significant challenges to integrate different semiconductor technologies on a single die. Multichip packages have become increasingly popular to increase device density and to combine traditionally incompatible technologies, such as logic, memory, and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). For example, as cell phones include more functions, such as personal entertainment systems, manufacturers look for ways to integrate multiple technologies, such as SRAM, DRAM, flash, logic, analog, and radio frequency, into one relatively thin package.
Multichip packages also address some of the limitations that have arisen with respect to high density scaling. In multichip packages the dies may be aligned and bonded at the wafer level or as individual die. Each of the dies to be included in a multichip package is formed on a single wafer based on a particular technology. For example, one die may be manufactured to be a processor using one process technology and then packaged with a MEMS sensor, which was separately manufactured on another wafer using different process technology.
These vertically stacked chips formed from multiple die offer improved density and performance. The challenges to integrate traditionally incompatible processes on a single wafer are avoided by forming incompatible technologies on individual wafers and packaging them in the single package.

Using backside passive elements for multilevel 3D wafers alignment applications

International Business Machines Corporation


A flushable catheter device has an outer tube with a first distal end opening to be introduced into a blood vessel and defining a first lumen. An inner tube is disposed in the first lumen with a second distal end opening proximally spaced from the first distal end opening and defining a second lumen. A space axially disposed between the end openings defines an outflow/inflow inhibiting portion which inhibits a flow of fluid out from the first lumen into the into the vessel as a result of a perfusion of a flushing fluid being supplied through the first lumen and into the second lumen.

The present invention relates to a catheter and a catheter device.
In the related art, a catheter device, which collects blood by inserting a distal end of a catheter into a blood vessel, is known. There are cases where air or a residue of blood or the like is present inside a catheter, and if blood is collected by using such a catheter, air or a residue inside the catheter flows into a blood vessel sometimes. Therefore, it is desirable that air and a residue are removed by performing flushing in which a catheter is cleaned with a flushing liquid such as a physiological salt solution, before blood is collected.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,658 discloses a catheter device in which blood is collected via a catheter and air or a residue of blood or the like inside the catheter can be removed by flushing the catheter.
When a catheter is flushed, a flushing liquid is supplied in a direction toward a distal end of the catheter inserted into a blood vessel. On the other hand, when blood is collected, aspiration is performed from the distal end toward a proximal end, which is the opposite direction. Therefore, a fluid passing through the catheter flows in directions opposite to each other between a case of flushing and a case of collecting blood. In this manner, due to a fluid moving back and forth inside the catheter, there are cases where a residue such as air inside a catheter could flow out into a blood vessel.
In addition, when a catheter is flushed, for example, there are cases where a large amount of a flushing liquid is supplied to the inside of the catheter in order to remove a residue of blood or the like which is less likely to be removed and has adhered to an inner wall of the catheter. Accordingly, there is a possibility that a large amount of a flushing liquid will flow out into a blood vessel and an undesirable load injected to a patient will increase.


Provided is a washing machine. The washing machine includes an outer tub, an inner tub, and a pulsator. The pulsator includes a base and a plurality of ribs. The ribs include an upper surface and a side surface. The upper surface extends from the hub to an outer side along a radial direction to meet a circumference of the base. The side surface declines from the upper surface to the base. The side surface includes a first side surface and a second side surface. The first side surface has a boundary with an inner side of the base. The boundary radially diverges outward in a circumference direction. The second side surface extends from the first side surface along the circumference of the base and the upper surface.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more particularly, to a washing machine with better washing performance achieved through improving the circulating motion of laundry.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the term "washing machine" denotes any of various apparatuses that remove contaminants from laundry through chemical effects of detergent and physical action such as wash water turbulence.
A typical washing machine includes an outer tub in which wash water is filled, an inner tub that is rotatably provided within the outer tub to hold laundry, and a pulsator that rotates within the inner tub.
In such a typical washing machine, because wash water turbulence is generated in the direction of pulsator rotation, the movement of laundry is also induced in a horizontal circulating motion according to the direction of pulsator rotation, and a comparatively slight vertical circulating motion of laundry is generated within the inner tub.
Accordingly, washing of laundry is not performed three-dimensionally, laundry cannot uniformly contact the pulsator, and washing performance is compromised.


Provided is a matrix converter including a power converter, a commutation controller, and a compensator. The power converter includes a plurality of bidirectional switches. The commutation controller performs one of a three-step commutation operation and a four-step commutation operation by the bidirectional switches as a switch source and the bidirectional switches as a switch destination when an input terminal to be connected to an output terminal is switched by on/off control of the bidirectional switches. The compensator compensates for an output voltage error generated when the input terminal to be connected to the output terminal is switched, based on a potential difference before and after the switching of the input terminal to be connected to the output terminal, an output current of the output terminal, and capacitance between input and output terminals of unidirectional switches.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments disclosed herein relate to a matrix converter and a control method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A matrix converter includes a plurality of bidirectional switches for connecting an AC power source and a load, and controls those bidirectional switches for direct switching of phase voltages of the AC power source so as to output an arbitrary voltage and frequency to the load.
In the matrix converter, the phases of the AC power source to be connected to the load are switched by the bidirectional switches by controlling each of a plurality of unidirectional switches constructing the bidirectional switch to be turned on and off separately in a predetermined order (this series of switching operation is referred to as a commutation operation). By this commutation operation, a short circuit between the phases of the AC power source, an open output phase of the matrix converter, or the like can be prevented (see, for example, International Patent W02008/108147A).
However, a parasitic capacitance exists as a capacitance between an input terminal and an output terminal of the unidirectional switches constructing the bidirectional switch (when a snubber capacitor is connected between the input and output terminals, the capacitance between the input and output terminals is the parasitic capacitance plus a capacitance of the snubber capacitor). This parasitic capacitance causes distortion of output voltage or output current, and hence drive performance of the matrix converter may be deteriorated.
One aspect of the embodiment is made in view of the above description, and it is an object thereof to provide a matrix converter and a control method therefor, which can reduce the distortion of output voltage or output current due to the parasitic capacitance.

Matrix converter having a plurality of bidirectional switches for a commutation operation and control method therefor


A semiconductor device includes a voltage generation circuit configured to generate a specific voltage; a first terminal configured to output the specific voltage; a second terminal configured to receive a temperature sensitive voltage; an analog/digital conversion circuit configured to convert the specific voltage and the temperature sensitive voltage to digital values; a storage unit configured to store the specific voltage and the temperature sensitive voltage; and a third terminal configured to transmit the specific voltage and the temperature sensitive voltage to an external semiconductor device.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor element and a semiconductor device. In particular, the present invention relates to a semiconductor element having a specific configuration and a semiconductor device including the semiconductor element.
In a conventional semiconductor device including a conventional semiconductor element, there is a time when it is necessary to increase an allowable limit of an electrical current (an allowable electrical current) to be flown in the semiconductor element. As an example of such a conventional semiconductor device includes an electro-static discharge (ESD) protection circuit that protect an electrical circuitry from an electro-static discharge (ESD). In general, the ESD protection circuit is formed of a diode. The ESD circuit may be designed to increase the allowable electrical current to be flow through the diode (a p-n connection), so that it is possible to discharge a surge electrical current with a high peak value outside the conventional semiconductor device.
FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of an ESD protection circuit 120 disposed in a semiconductor integrated circuit 100 as the conventional semiconductor device.
As shown in FIG. 5, the ESD protection circuit 120 is composed of static electricity protection elements ESD1 and ESD2 using diodes. More specifically, the static electricity protection element ESD1 is connected between an input terminal PAD and a positive power source VDD, and the static electricity protection element ESD2 is connected between the input terminal PAS and ground (GND), respectively. Further, the input terminal PAD is connected to an inner circuit 112 of the semiconductor integrated circuit 100. More specifically, the input terminal PAD is connected to a transistor MN of the inner circuit 112 as shown in FIG. 5. It should be noted that, in addition to the input terminal PAD, the ESD protection circuit 120 may disposed at a location necessary for the static electricity protection such as an output terminal, a power source wiring, and the like.
Patent Reference has disclosed a static electricity protection element composed of a diode having a rectangular shape, and a size of the diode is determined based on the allowable static electricity (the allowable ESD). For example, when it is necessary to achieve the allowable ESD of 2,000 V according to a human body model method (HBM method), the diode needs to have a size that is not damaged when an electrical current of 1.33 A flows through the diode according to the TDR-TLP measurement method.
In the HBM method, the allowable static electricity is measured in a discharge model that a human body contacts with a semiconductor. Further, in the TDR-TLP measurement method, a rectangular wave is applied to a measurement subject. Then, an oscilloscope is used to observe and analyze a reflection wave from the measurement subject, so that an operational characteristic of the measurement subject upon applying the ESD.
Patent Reference: Japanese Patent Publication No. 08-181334
In general, it has been known that the allowable electrical current passing through the diode is proportional to a length of a p-type region facing an n-type region in the diode (that is, a length of a portion of the diode functioning as the p-n connection, also referred to as a circumferential length in the following description). For example, it is assumed that, when the diode has the circumferential length of 10 μm, the diode has the allowable electrical current of 0.1 A. In order for the diode to have the allowable electrical current of 1.33 A, it is necessary for the diode to have the circumferential length of 133 μm (=10 μm×(1.33 A/0.1 A)).
More specifically, with the diode disclosed in Patent Reference as an example, the circumferential length will be explained in more detail. According to Patent Reference, the static electricity protection element is composed of a diode 200, that is, a Zener diode, as the static electricity protection element.
FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) are schematic views showing a configuration of the diode 200 as the static electricity protection element. More specifically, FIG. 6(a) is a schematic plan view showing the diode 200, and FIG. 6(b) is a schematic sectional view showing the diode 200 taken along a line C-C′ in FIG. 6(a).
As shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b), the diode 200 includes a P-type substrate 201; an N-type well 202 formed in the P-type substrate; and a P-type high concentration diffusion layer 203 and an N-type high concentration diffusion layer 204 formed in the N-type well 202. Further, the P-type high concentration diffusion layer 203 is separated from the N-type high concentration diffusion layer 204 with an element separation oxide film 205 in between. The P-type high concentration diffusion layer 203 is formed in a rectangular shape, and the N-type high concentration diffusion layer 204 is formed in a ring shape surrounding a circumference of the P-type high concentration diffusion layer 203 formed in a rectangular shape.
In the static electricity protection element disclosed in Patent Reference, as one of methods of defining the circumferential length, the circumferential length of the diode 200 may be defined as a length of an outer circumference of the P-type high concentration diffusion layer 203 formed in a rectangular shape (represented with a hidden line in FIG. 6(a)). According to this definition, in order for the diode 200 to have the allowable electrical current of 1.33 A, it is necessary for the P-type high concentration diffusion layer 203 to have the circumferential length of 133 μm.
As described above, the allowable electrical current of the diode is determined by the circumferential length. Further, in order to reduce the size of the semiconductor device, it is necessary to reduce the size of the diode as much as possible. Accordingly, when it is necessary to increase the allowable electrical current of the diode, especially the diode as the static electricity protection element, it is necessary to increase the circumferential length thereof as much as possible while restricting the size of the diode as a whole.
As described above, the static electricity protection element disclosed in Patent Reference, the P-type high concentration diffusion layer 203 is formed in a rectangular shape (or an island shape), and the N-type high concentration diffusion layer 204 is formed in a ring shape surrounding the circumference of the P-type high concentration diffusion layer 203 formed in a rectangular shape. Accordingly, it is difficult to reduce the circumferential length of the N-type high concentration diffusion layer 204. As a result, it is difficult to reduce the side of the diode 200, thereby increasing the side of the ESD protection circuit.
In view of the problems of the conventional semiconductor element described above, a subject of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor element and a semiconductor device capable of reducing a size thereof while maintaining the allowable electrical current at a high level.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.

Semiconductor element and semiconductor device


A server device includes: a storage unit that, upon receiving content storage instruction information from a mobile terminal via a packet forwarding device in a mobile network and a content stream or content file, stores the content stream or content file; a virtual client unit that, upon receiving content reproduction instruction information from the mobile terminal, reads, decodes and reproduces a content stream or content file stored in the storage unit to generate display screen data; and an encoder unit that transmits an encoding result obtained by compression-encoding part or all of the display screen data as a packet to the packet forwarding device.

It is expected that new services utilizing high-speed and high-capacity networks will be provided in the near future as the development of high-speed and high-capacity mobile networks progresses due to the introduction of LTE (Long Term Evolution) and EPC (Evolved Packet Core) technologies.
Patent Literature 1 describes a thin client system that can be used in both local and remote environments with simple configurations.
Further, Patent Literature 2 describes a method that optimizes a rate control scheme by exchanging signaling information in a mobile network.
Further, Patent Literature 3 describes a color image data transfer system having optimal display quality and a rendering ability that correspond to a network load changing moment to moment in a screen transfer system thin client.
Further, Patent Literature 4 describes a client device that enables a thin client terminal to store image data downloaded from a server device with sufficient image quality and browse the image data offline.    PTL 1:    Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP2007-310508A    PTL 2:    Japanese Patent Kohyo Publication No. JP2006-521029A    PTL 3:    Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP2008-234389A    PTL 4:    Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP2009-246758A

Remote mobile communication system, server device, and remote mobile communication system control method


To suppress torque variation including various frequency components, a lot of measuring and adjusting operations are necessary, and this takes much time and trouble. An electronic apparatus includes a selection unit configured to select, on the basis of a threshold value relating to speed variation of the mechanism and threshold values relating to a plurality of frequencies that constitute the speed variation, a frequency to be measured and a frequency to be suppressed, from the plurality of frequencies, a generation unit configured to generate a periodic signal including the frequency to be suppressed that is selected by the selection unit, and an acquisition unit configured to output the periodic signal generated by the generation unit to the control unit and to acquire a parameter relating to the frequency included in the periodic signal.

Inkjet recording apparatuses and image reading apparatuses are known as electronic apparatuses including motor control devices for driving motors. An inkjet recording apparatus scans a recording head by driving force of a motor, and an image reading apparatus scans a reading unit by driving force of a motor.
Driving force of the motor includes a so-called torque ripple (cogging torque). The torque ripple is transmitted to a carriage via a timing belt. While the moving speed of the carriage is controlled, for example, using a speed profile prepared beforehand, it is changed by the influence of the torque ripple. The cycle of occurrence of the torque ripple is determined by the structure of the motor. To remove the influence of the torque ripple, a feed forward (FF) control method for adding a signal for suppressing the torque ripples has been proposed.
In a recording apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-178334, positions where torque variation occurs are measured by speed variation of a carriage, a correction table for correcting a speed driving command is generated, and the carriage is driven according to the correction table. In the correction table, a driving command value is set at a low value when the speed detected by an encoder is higher than a target speed, and at a high value when the detected speed is lower than the target speed.
However, the waveform of the torque ripple includes torque variation having various frequency components, and the frequency components are influenced by one another. Further, there are individual differences in the magnitude of the torque variation including the frequency components among electronic apparatuses even when the electronic apparatuses are of the same type. Therefore, even if the technique of the above publication is applied, it is necessary to perform many measuring and adjusting operations in order to suppress torque variation containing various frequency components, and this takes much time and trouble.


The present invention provides a radiation curing composition comprising (a): a siloxane resin, (b): a photoacid generator or photobase generator, and (c): a solvent capable of dissolving component (a), and (d): a curing acceleration catalyst.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiation curable composition, a storing method thereof, a forming method of a cured film, a patterning method, an use of a pattern, electronic components and an optical waveguide.
2. Related Background of the Invention
As insulating films for use in LSIs and PDPs there have conventionally been used SiO2 films formed by CVD methods, and organic SOG (Spin On Glass) or inorganic SOG films formed by coating methods, because of their excellent heat resistance and electrical reliability. With insulating films of the prior art, however, it is impossible to directly form wiring grooves or contact holes, and usually a photoresist is patterned on the insulating film, followed by either dry etching with plasma or wet etching with a chemical solution, after which the film is subjected to a resist removal step or washing step to form a pattern. On the other hand, imparting photosensitive properties to an insulating film material with excellent heat resistance, electrical reliability and transparency eliminates the need for the resist material required in the steps mentioned above, thereby allowing the plasma dry etching, chemical solution wet etching, resist removal and washing steps to be omitted.
In recent years there have been proposed radiation curing polysiloxane materials with excellent heat resistance, electrical reliability and transparency. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-148895 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-24696 there are disclosed photosensitive resin compositions comprising an alkali-soluble siloxane polymer, a photoacid generator and a solvent, from which the water and catalyst have been removed. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-181069 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-72502 disclose photosensitive polysilazane compositions comprising polysilazane and a photoacid generator. Also, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-288364 discloses a radiation curable composition comprising a hydrolyzable silane compound, a photoacid generator and an acid diffusion controller.

Radiation curable composition, storing method thereof, forming method of cured film, patterning method, use of pattern, electronic components and optical waveguide


The present invention relates to a nano-scale flash memory device having a saddle structure, and a fabrication method thereof. Particularly, the invention relates to a highly integrated, high-performance flash memory device having a saddle structure for improving the scaling-down characteristic and performance of the MOS-based flash memory device. According to the invention, a portion of an insulating film around a recessed channel is selectively removed to expose the surface and sides of the recessed channel. A tunneling insulating film is formed on the exposed surface and sides of the recessed channel. On the resulting structure, a floating electrode, an inter-electrode insulating film and a control electrode are formed, thus fabricating the device. Particularly when the floating electrode is made of an insulating nitride film or pluralities of nano-scale dots, an excellent memory device can be made without using an additional mask. According to the invention, the scaling-down characteristic of the device is excellent, and current drive capability can be greatly increased since a channel through which current can flow is formed on the surface and sides of the recessed channel. Also, the ability of the control electrode to control the channel can be enhanced, so that memory write/erase characteristics can be improved.

Recently, flash memory has been rapidly increasing in demand in household and portable electronic devices and is highly marketable, and thus is expected to exceed the existing DRAM market around the year 2007. Also, there is a continued need for memory devices having high integration density and fast write/erase time.
The existing flash memory devices are devices having a channel formed on a silicon surface. These devices seem to reach a limit between 45-60 nm technologies depending on memory types (NOR type or NAND type), and they require a device structure which has high performance and integration density and is compatible with the existing processes.
Problems with the existing flash memory devices include: a short channel effect resulting from a decrease in gate length; the cross-talk between cells, resulting from a reduction in the interval between the cells; an increase in threshold voltage distribution, resulting from a decrease in channel area and a decrease in the area of a floating electrode; and the maintenance of thick floating electrode to maintain a coupling ratio of 0.6-0.65 or more. One of the methods capable of solving these problems is to recess a channel region.

Saddle type flash memory device and fabrication method thereof

Kyungpook National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation