A high-resolution synthetic aperture telescope system includes a primary mirror which is a section of the aperture to be synthesized; and a device for rotating the primary mirror section through a number of angular positions about the aperture being synthesized to obtain a plurality of component images of an object, at least one from each of the positions.

The most general technique for high-resolution imaging using interferometric methods is to partially fill the entrance pupil of the optical system with a two-dimensional array of collectors, and then combine their signals coherently such that an image of the source is constructed. In this way, the diffraction limited resolution of the full-sized entrance pupil can be approached or equalled. This is the approach used with the Very Large Array in Socorro, New Mexico, and with other image-forming radio interferometers used in the field of radio astronomy. In other environments such as space-borne applications, this approach would require a two-dimensional support structure spanning the desired entrance pupil in order to position the various collectors. This structure would have to be extremely rigid, or, alternatively, the positions of the collectors would have to be monitored continuously using, for instance, a network of auxiliary interferometers. These positional measurements would be used to correct the placement and orientation of the collectors, or to compensate for the optical path length errors from each collector. These requirements would be particularly stringent for instruments working at shorter wavelengths, such as the visible range. In any case, the accuracy and rigidity of the support structure would be compromised by the fact that, for any sizable entrance pupil, the structure would have to be unfolded or erected after being launched into orbit.
The problem is pronounced in space applications where the optical system must typically be packaged, at least during transport, in a generally elongated cylindrical volume from which the telescope is erected once orbit is achieved. The difficulty is in obtaining an accurate, large aperture telescope which can be packaged and transported in a much smaller volume than normally required for the full aperture configuration.

High-resolution synthetic aperture telescope system


The present disclosure disclosed a method of forming the buffer layer in the LTPS products. The method comprises the following steps: heating the substrate to make the alkali metal ions diffuse to the surface of the glass; washing the substrate by acid to remove the alkali metal ions on the surface of the glass; forming the buffer layer on the glass which has been heated and washed by acid, wherein the material of the buffer layer is SiOx. The method of the present disclosure based on the design of the single buffer layer, it can greatly promote the capacity and can economize the gas. Furthermore, it can avoid the cross contamination of the different layers so as to promote characteristic of the element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to the technology of producing the LTPS products, more specifically, to a method of forming the buffer layer in the LTPS products.
2. Description of the Related Art
The process of forming buffer layer of triple structure in Low Temperature Poly-silicon ("LTPS", hereinafter) products generally includes the following features:
The metal ions existing on the surface of the glass are mainly metal ions in Group I/II: K, Na, Ca, Mg, Ba and so on.
After the test of SIMS (secondary ion mass spectroscopy), the effect of utilizing the different insulating layer to separate the metal ions are that as follows:
when SiNx is used as the insulating layer, all the metal ions can be effectively separated to less than 1015 by a 500 Å SiNx insulating layer;
when just SiO2 is used as the insulating layer, Ca, Ng, Ba can be effectively separated to less than 1015 by a 800 Å SiO2 insulating layer; however, the effect of separating the K ions and Na ions is poor that a 3000 Å of insulating layer is necessary to separate K ions and Na ions to less than 1015.
Metal ions on the surface of the glass will affect the performance of component devices. Hence, generally, it is necessary to use the insulating layer as the buffer layer for separating the metal ions in positive channel type Thin Film Transistor ("TFT", hereinafter).
SiNx is not as good as SiO2 when contacting with photoresist/glass, it is easy to peel off. However, the effect of separating metal ions by SiO2 is not as good as SiNx. Hence, presently, the method most widely used is to use the SiO2/SiNx/SiO2 triple structure 6 according to FIG. 1. However, the triple structure will cause the defects of too many layers (which cause poor feature of components), too many processes (which reduces the capacity) and high film thickness (which increases the cost of manufacturing).
A related art has disclosed a method for manufacturing an insulating layer in an MIM (metal-insulator-metal) capacitor, wherein, ethyl orthosilicate and ozone gas are heat reacted on a lower electrode plate of the MIM capacitor to form a silicon dioxide insulating layer. With the adoption of the method, a silicon dioxide insulator is manufactured by a deposition method without containing plasma auxiliary enhancement on a lower metal pole plate of the MIM capacitor manufactured by the conventional method, an upper metal pole plate of the MIM capacitor is continuously manufactured by the conventional method after the insulator is formed, and finally the MIM capacitor is formed. In the method, the preparation method is simplified, and the MIM capacitor adopting the insulating layer has higher performances on breakdown voltage, leakage current, and the like.
Another related art uses the process of Al thin film deposition, linkage, ion implantation and bonding heat treatment to prepare the substrate in SOI structure with the buried layer of two or the multiple layer chosen from aluminum nitride, alumina, or AIN, Al2O3, Si3N4 or SiO2. The manufacturing steps are that as follows: depositing Al thin film on the wafer; realizing the transfusion of the layer by the linkage process; forming the buried layer by N ions or O ions implantation.
Another related art has disclosed a buffer layer and method of forming the buffer layer, the method including forming a high-k dielectric layer; forming a titanium nitride layer over the high-k dielectric layer; forming a silicon layer on the titanium nitride layer; annealing the silicon layer in the titanium nitride layer to form an annealed silicon layer and forming an n-metal over the high-k dielectric layer. Consequently, it did not solve the problem of the cross contamination in LTPS.

Method of forming the buffer layer in the LTPS products

EVERDISPLAY OPTRONICS (SHANGHAI) LIMITED


An automatic sheet stack loading mechanism of a paper sheet feeding apparatus has a main lift for supporting a stack of sheets to be fed thereon. The main lift is incrementally moved upwardly to place the uppermost sheet of the stack at a predetermined height position with respect to a sheet separator disposed over the stack and operating to separate the sheets one by one from the stack. When the stack of sheets is consumed considerably, parallel horizontal spits are inserted under the stack from both transverse sides of the stack thereby to support the load of the stack and to enable the main lift to be lowered to receive a new stack of the sheets. The insertion of the spits in the transverse direction of the stack is advantageous in that the central portion of the sheets of the stack along the direction of feed of the sheets is maintained at constant height irrespective of downward deflection of the spits so that adjustment in position of the sheet separator is not required.

The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus for a printing press, a punching machine or the like, for feeding sheets of paper one at a time from a stack of the sheets to a printing or punching unit, and more particularly to an automatic mechanism for loading a new stack of sheets.
A typical conventional paper sheet feeding apparatus comprises a main lift for elevating a pallet upon which is placed a stack of paper sheets to be fed to a printing press, a punching machine or the like. A sheet separator is installed over the stack of sheets which has been elevated to a predetermined position, to separate the uppermost sheet one by one. When the sheets of the stack have been fed considerably, a new stack of sheets must be loaded. In the known art, the loading of a new stack is carried out by manually inserting a plurality of parallel spits under the old stack of sheets, which has been consumed considerably, to support the old stack from below, and the main lift is lowered to receive the new stack of sheets thereon. The parallel spits are supported in cantilever fashion by an auxiliary lift.
The lowered main lift supporting the new stack of sheets thereon is then elevated until the uppermost sheet of the new stack is brought into abutment with the undersides of the spits. Thereafter, the spits are retracted so that the old stack which has been supported by the spits is placed on the new stack.
In the conventional paper sheet feeding apparatus described above, the spits extend and are advanced and retracted in the direction of feed of the sheets. When these spits are supporting the old stack, they deflect downwardly due to the load of the stack. It will be understood that the downward deflection of the spits is increased toward the tip ends thereof since the spits are supported by the auxiliary lift in cantilever fashion. This is undesirable because the stack of sheets supported by the spits are caused to have an upper surface inclined downwardly in the direction of feed of the sheets, as the surface extends from its position over the proximal ends of the spits to its position over the tip ends thereof, and because the sheet separator fixed at a predetermined position over the stack of sheets has different relative position relative to the uppermost sheet of the stack in the direction of feed the sheets. It will be apparent that this affects adversely to the sheet separating function of the sheet separator as well as to the sheet feeding operation, as will be described hereinafter in more detail, and that this necessitates readjustment of the position of the sheet separator as well as skill of the operator during the operation of the sheet feeding apparatus.
The present invention was made to solve the above and other problems encountered in the conventional sheet feeding apparatus and has for its object to provide an automatic sheet stack loading mechanism of a sheet feeding apparatus wherein the downward deflection of the stack of sheets does not adversely affect the sheet separating and feeding operation.

Automatic sheet stack loading mechanism of sheet feeding apparatus


A color cathode-ray tube having a face glass (1) coated with a plurality of phosphors (6B, 6G, 6R) different in luminescent color, the face glass (1) containing a colorant imparting a selective characteristic for absorbing light in the wavelength regions between the luminescent wavelength regions of the phosphors, (6B, 6G, 6R) and a colorant suppressing the light transmittance in the visible region, wherein the light transmittances in the luminescent wavelength regions shorter than the highest-visibility wavelength region are at least about 5% lower than the light transmittance in the highest-visibility region, while the light transmittances in the luminescent wavelength regions longer than the highest-visibility wavelength region is higher than the light transmittance in the highest-visibility region.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a color cathode-ray tube mainly for multicolor display of characters and graphics.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, glasses that are used as face plates for cathode-ray tubes are classified into a clear face whose light transmittance in the visible region is 75% or above, a gray face with a light transmittance of 60-75%, and a tint face with a light transmittance of 60% or below. That is, these types of glass are classified by light transmittance.
Heretofore, in the case of color cathode-ray tubes, there has been a tendency to attach more importance to brightness than to contrast. For this reason, the gray face or clear face, which is superior in light transmittance, has been frequently used. On the other hand, in order to absorb ambient light and increase contrast, it is advantageous to use the tint glass, which is low in light transmittance. However, the optical output of color cathode-ray tubes is not generally so strong as to provide sufficient light even if the light transmittance of the glass is lowered. Therefore, it is usual practice to use the clear face or gray face, which is high in light transmittance. In this case, a black matrix type construction is employed.
The curve F1 shown in FIG. 1 indicates the light transmittance-wavelength characteristic of the usual clear face, and F2 indicates the light transmittance-wavelength characteristic of the gray face. It is understood from FIG. 1 that the face plates made of these glasses have substantially flat transmittance characteristics in the visible region.
On the other hand, cathode-ray tubes for color display used to display characters and graphics are very small in light emitting surface area as compared with cathode-ray tubes which are generally used in color television. Therefore, contrast becomes a very important factor, and it is preferable to make the color of the face surface blacker. Thus, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,683, it is proposed to provide light wavelength selectivity in the light transmittance characteristic of the face plate by adding 0.3-1.5% by weight of a rare earth metal such as neodymium when glass is melted for production of the face plate.
FIG. 2 shows the light transmittance-wavelength characteristic of a 10 mm thick glass sheet having about 1% by weight of neodymium in the form of Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3 incorporated therein. As is clear from FIG. 2, this glass has large light absorption bands in wavelength regions of about 570-590 nm and 510-530 nm. The light absorption bands in these regions are in the wavelength regions corresponding to the valleys of the emission spectrums of usual red, green and blue phosphors. Therefore, the face plate made of this glass well transmits light in the light emitting wavelength region of each of the red, green and blue fluorescent bodies and well absorbs light in the other wavelength regions. As a result, the contrast of the picture can be improved without decreasing brightness so much, and it is considered possible to greatly increase the chromaticity of each of the primary colors red, green and blue for the purpose of the filter effect of these light absorbing bodies.
Thus, on the basis of this technique, improvements in face glass have been made to provide a cathode-ray tube capable of producing a more easily visible picture. That is, it has been tried to increase contrast while suppressing the light transmittance in the visible region by adding slight amounts of such colorants as chromium, nickel and cobalt in the form of Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 amounting to 100 ppm, NiO amounting to 100 ppm, and Co.sub.3 O.sub.4 amounting to 8-9 ppm. The glass containing such colorants has a characteristic as indicated by a curve A in FIG. 3. Thus, it has become possible to provide a color cathode-ray tube which is excellent in contrast and which is easy to watch.
However, this color cathode-ray tube is excellent in contrast, when combined with phosphors of relatively short persistence called P 22 in the EIA Standard and used for ordinary color television (for example, red=Y.sub.2 O.sub.2 S:Eu, green=ZnS:Au, Cu, Al, blue=ZnS:Ag), has performance excellent in both brightness and contrast. However, in the case of color display, since the picture is almost a stationary one, the flicker becomes a serious problem depending upon the recurrency frequency and quality of the displayed picture. For this reason, for color display use, the often used phosphors which emit green and red light, excluding blue, causing a relatively unobtrusive flicker, are of the long persistence nature, including Zn.sub.2 SiO.sub.4 :MnAs and (ZnMg).sub.3 (Po.sub.4).sub.2 :Mn. Of these, green Zn.sub.2 SiO.sub.4 and MnAs, which are called P 39 in the EIA Standard, have been improved in accordance with recent increasing demands, achieving a degree of brightness which, though not satisfactory, is almost practical. However, concerning red, the light emitting efficiency is low and there is no phosphor which provides sufficient brightness, so that it has been usual practice to use a method of increasing irradiation electron beams to bring them closer to practical brightness, if only to some extent: nevertheless, problems remain as to such points as degradation of the focus characteristics and brightness life of phosphors due to their use under large currents.


Source-collector modules for use with EUV lithography systems are disclosed, wherein the source-collector modules employ a laser-produced plasma EUV radiation source and a grazing-incidence collector. The EUV radiation source is generated by first forming an under-dense plasma, and then irradiating the under-dense plasma with infrared radiation of sufficient intensity to create a final EUV-emitting plasma. The grazing incidence collector can include a grating configured to prevent infrared radiation from reaching the intermediate focus. Use of debris mitigation devices preserves the longevity of operation of the source-collector modules.

Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) involves using EUV radiation (typically 13.5 nm+/−2%) generated by an EUV radiation source to irradiate a reflective patterned mask to transfer the pattern onto a photoresist layer supported by a silicon wafer. The use of the small wavelengths associated with EUV radiation allows for the minimum feature size of the imaged pattern to also be small, i.e., as small as 15 nm and below.
There has been a significant effort to create a source collector module (SoCoMo) based on a laser-produced plasma (LPP) with a multilayer coated collector (MCC), which reflects 13.5-nm light at nearly normal incidence angles and so is sometimes called a normal-incident collector (NIC) mirror. The LPP-MCC SoCoMo has proven to be a highly problematic source-collector solution on the path to developing a commercially viable extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system (tool), which is required to deliver high power (i.e., hundreds of watts of EUV radiation at 13.5 nm+/−2%) to an intermediate focus (IF).
The conventional LPP-MCC approach to creating an EUVL SoCoMo suffers from multiple problems: First, there is the vulnerability of the MCC. The LPP plasma environment can severely limit the lifetime and reliability of the MCC. Second, the power delivered from the LPP source to the IF aperture is inadequate. Third, the laser infrared (IR) radiation reflected from the LPP source can be collected by the MCC and delivered to the IF aperture, causing severe problems to downstream optics and lithography components.
To date, the LPP-MCC SoCoMo has proven unreliable because of the vulnerability of the MCC to the high-power EUV source environment. In particular, the multilayer coatings have proven problematic because they quickly degrade because of mixing of the multilayer coating caused by fast ions from the LPP source, and because their performance is also adversely affected by the deposition of tin (Sn) from tin vapor from the LPP source. A very thin Sn layer on the MCC (e.g., 5 nm thick) can drastically reduce the MCC's performance, and such a thin Sn layer can form in less than 1 minute during system operation.
In this regard, attempts to increase the LPP source power increases the risk to the MCC. In addition to the vulnerability of the MCC, another problem of the LPP-driven EUV source is the production of significant amounts of reflected laser light, which can be collected and directed to the intermediate focus, causing problems at the illuminator, the reticle and the wafer. In this regard, attempts to increase the LPP source power also increase the production of reflected IR and associated problems.
These problems have led to an LPP operational situation in which protecting the MCC has become the highest priority. As a result, it has become highly problematic to optimize the LPP-MCC SoCoMo to achieve the required high-power performance and reduce the collection of reflected laser light under commercially viable operating conditions for EUV lithography.
It would be advantageous to eliminate the vulnerability of the MCC as a design constraint in the SoCoMo and thereby increase reliability and allow for the optimization of the LPP source (including reduced collection of reflected laser light) for the high-throughput operation needed for a commercially viable EUV lithography system.

Source-collector modules for EUV lithography employing a GIC mirror and a LPP source


An exhaust gas recirculation valve assembly for controlling the recirculation of exhaust gas in an internal combustion engine has an electrically operated valve member that meters flow of exhaust gas through an exhaust gas chamber. A valve member has a valve stem extending to an actuator which is isolated from the base housing the exhaust gas, and the valve is surrounded by a pair of spring-biased seals that seal openings around the valve stem into the actuator and the exhaust gas chamber. The seal closing the actuator opening has an inverted, cup-shaped configuration which encloses the valve stem between the actuator and the base thereby preventing impingement thereon of contaminants which could be carried into the actuator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exhaust gas recirculation valve assembly for controlling recirculation of exhaust gas in an internal combustion engine and, more particularly, to an exhaust gas recirculation valve assembly having valve stem seals configured to protect the shaft-seal interface from contamination.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Electrically actuated exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve assemblies generally require isolation of the actuator assembly from the exhaust gas to assure proper operation. Separation of the actuator from the base comes the need to prevent contamination, by foreign substances present in the engine compartment environment, of the actuator and the valve stem, which extends between the two components. Electrically actuated EGR assemblies heretofore proposed utilize a pair of spring-biased, disc-shaped seals around the openings where the valve stem enters the actuator, and the exhaust gas chamber. This configuration allows lateral movement of the seal to compensate for potential misalignment between the solenoid coil and the base. Such a configuration provides minimal protection to the valve stem which extends between the actuator and the base cover.

Exhaust gas recirculation valve assembly


The present disclosure discloses methods and systems providing a secure scanning. A method includes receiving a document for scanning, by a multi-function device, wherein the multi-function device is configured with an identity key, wherein the multi-function device is enabled with a secure scanning feature. An image data corresponding to the document is generated. A scanned document corresponding to the image data is generated. Then, content of the scanned document is encoded with the identity key of the multi-function device, to secure the content in the scanned document, wherein the content of the scanned document is accessible only at a device having the identity key. The device can be the same multi-function device that encodes the content of the scanned document. The device can be a different multi-function device but configured with the same identity as of the multi-function device.

Multi-functional devices (MFD's), copiers, printers, scanners, fax machines, and other digital imaging processing systems, often include a scanning functionality that permits a user to scan paper documents, and send them electronically to e-mail recipients, network folders, FTP servers, and other MFDs on the network. Currently, these devices provide password-based secure scanning feature. In the password-based secure scanning feature, a user sets a password for his scanned document and uses the set password to access the scanned document. However, password protection technology offers less data protection and still there is a possibility that confidential data can be leaked. For example, the scanned output can be misused if the user shares the password with another user or if the password is hacked. In this manner, confidential data gets leaked out. In today's time, where data is of utmost important for every user, organization, or industry, there is a need for efficient methods and systems for protecting scanned documents.

Multi-function device and method for secure scanning


The present invention provides a highly reliable spectral module. When light L1 proceeding to a spectroscopic unit (4) passes through a light transmitting hole (50) in the spectral module (1) in accordance with the present invention, only the light having passed through a light entrance side unit (51) formed such as to become narrower toward a substrate (2) and entered a light exit side unit (52) formed such as to oppose a bottom face (51b) of the light entrance side unit (51) is emitted from a light exit opening (52a). Therefore, stray light M incident on a side face (51c) or bottom face (51b) of the light entrance side unit (51) is reflected to the side opposite to the light exit side unit (52) and thus is inhibited from entering the light exit side unit (52). Therefore, the reliability of the spectral module (1) can be improved.

As conventional spectral modules, those described in Patent Literatures 1 to 3 have been known, for example. Patent Literature 1 discloses a spectral module comprising a support which transmits light therethrough, an entrance slit for letting the light enter the support, a concave diffraction grating which spectrally resolves and reflects the light having entered the support, and a diode for detecting the light spectrally resolved and reflected by the concave diffraction grating.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Spectral module and method for manufacturing spectral module


A heat transfer medium liquid circulation flow channel having a first heat exchange unit exchanging heat to a second heat exchange unit is provided, and a fixed amount of first heat transfer medium liquid circulates therein. A feed pipe couples heat source holding second heat transfer medium liquid having temperature difference from the first medium liquid to the heat transfer medium liquid circulation flow channel. The feed pipe is coupled to an inlet end side of the first heat exchange unit and a discharge pipe is coupled to an outlet end side thereof. A necessary amount of second medium liquid is supplied to the inlet end side via the feed pipe so that a detected temperature of the first medium liquid in the outlet end maintains required set temperature. The same amount of the first medium liquid as the supplied second medium liquid is discharged out of the discharge pipe.

One example of a heat exchange device utilizing an earth thermal as a heat source is described in patent document 1 and patent document 2. These heat exchange devices are configured to utilize as the heat source the earth thermal which is kept at a fixed temperature (for example, about 15° C. in Fukui prefecture) throughout the year. A heat exchange device a according to the patent document 1 is structured, as shown in FIG. 18, such that a heat transfer medium liquid c is stored in a heat exchange storage tank b formed by covering an inner wall portion of a hole portion provided by excavating the ground to a required depth with a closed-end cylindrical casing. Further, a first tube body f is coupled to one end portion e of a heat exchange unit d which can radiate heat in a heat exchange region where a heat radiation is required, or absorb heat in a heat exchange region where a heat absorption is required, and a second tube body h is coupled to the other end portion g of the heat exchange unit d. An end portion j of the first tube body f and an end portion k of the second tube body h are both arranged within the heat exchange storage tank b at a required interval, a lower end opening m of the first tube body f is positioned upward and a lower end opening p of the second tube body h is positioned downward. Further, by driving a pump q arranged at an intermediate required position of the first tube body f or the second tube body h, the heat transfer medium liquid c within the heat exchange storage tank b is sent to the heat exchange unit d, and the heat transfer medium liquid c is returned from the heat exchange unit d into the heat exchange storage tank b.
More specifically, a circulation flow channel r in which the heat transfer medium liquid c circulates in the heat exchange storage tank b and the heat exchange unit d is formed, and the heat transfer medium liquid c circulates in the circulation flow channel r by driving the pump q. A direction of this circulation can be switched by a flow channel switching device i employing a three-way valve, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19.
Taking into consideration the fact that the temperature of the heat transfer medium liquid within the underground buried heat exchange storage tank b is higher in its upper portion s and lower in its lower portion t, the heat transfer medium liquid c having the high temperature is supplied to the heat exchange unit d and the heat transfer medium liquid c is returned into the heat exchange storage tank b from the lower end opening p positioned below by using the lower end opening m positioned above as an inflow port on the basis of the driving of the pump q during the winter season as shown in FIG. 18. In an opposite manner, during the summer season, as shown in FIG. 19, the heat transfer medium liquid c having the low temperature within the heat exchange storage tank b is supplied to the heat exchange unit d by using the lower end opening p positioned below as an inflow port and the heat transfer medium liquid c is returned into the heat exchange storage tank b by using the lower end opening m positioned above as an outflow port.
Further, the patent document 1 describes that a cooling and heating operation of the building is carried out in the heat exchange unit d. FIGS. 18 to 19 show a case where the heat exchange device a having the structure mentioned above is applied for constructing a water-cooled type heat pump cooling and heating device (hereinafter, refer also to as a cooling and heating device) v.
When heating the load side by the cooling and heating device v, the heat transfer medium liquid c from which the earth thermal is absorbed via a wall portion w in the heat exchange storage tank b is carried to a first heat exchanger a1 serving as an evaporation unit of a heat pump y by the driving of the pump q as shown in FIG. 18. In the first heat exchanger a1, the heat is radiated from the carried heat transfer medium liquid c to the low-temperature and low-pressure heat pump heat medium passing through the expansion valve b1, so that the temperature of the heat pump heat medium is increased. After the heat pump heat medium is compressed by a compressor a3 so as to be temperature increased, the heat is exchanged between the heat pump heat medium and the air in the load side c1 by a second heat exchanger d1 serving as a condensation unit installed in the load side c1, and is radiated to the load side c1 so that the load side c1 can be heated.
In an opposite manner, when the load side c1 is cooled during the summer season, the heat of the air in the load side c1 is absorbed by the heat medium in the heat absorption tube of the second heat exchanger d1, the heat medium is compressed by the compressor a3, and the heat is thereafter radiated into the heat transfer medium liquid c by the first heat exchanger a1 serving as the condensation unit. The heat transfer medium liquid c absorbing heat is carried to the heat exchange storage tank b by the pressure of the pump q, is heat radiated into the ground via the wall portion w thereof by the heat exchange storage tank b, and is thereafter returned to the first heat exchanger a1.
Next, a description will be given of a problem in the cooling and heating device v. In the following description, an annual average temperature of the earth thermal is specified as 15° C. as a matter of convenience. In the cooling and heating device v, a circulation volume of the heat transfer medium liquid c circulating in the circulation flow channel r is defined to a predetermined amount. If the heat transfer medium liquid less than the predetermined amount is injected, the heat transfer medium liquid only passes through a part within the heat exchange unit d, so that a predetermined efficiency of heat exchange can not be achieved. As a result, it is necessary to always circulate a predetermined amount of heat transfer medium liquid c within the heat exchange storage tank b.
However, the heat transfer medium liquid c within the heat exchange storage tank b may have a temperature which is unnecessarily beyond a liquid temperature which the cooling and heating device v requires or may have a temperature which is unnecessarily below the liquid temperature.
For example, in the case where the cooling and heating device v is used for heating, it is assumed that the predetermined circulation volume required by the cooling and heating device v is 20 L/min, the necessary liquid temperature of the inlet end f1 of the heat exchange unit d is 5° C., and the liquid temperature of the outlet end g1 thereof is 0° C. In this case, by setting the temperature of the heat transfer medium liquid c within the heat exchange storage tank b heated by the earth thermal to 15° C. in spite of 5° C. of the necessary liquid temperature, the heat transfer medium liquid c is returned into the heat exchange storage tank b without using up the thermal energy contained in the heat transfer medium liquid c when the heat transfer medium liquid c having the temperature of 15° C. is supplied to the heat exchange unit d. As a result, the temperature of the returned heat transfer medium liquid c comes to 10° C. if the thermal energy is not wastefully discharged during the circulation of the heat transfer medium liquid c in the circulation flow channel r.
As mentioned above, since the annual average temperature of the earth thermal is 15° C., a temperature difference between the temperature of the heat transfer medium liquid c returned to the heat exchange storage tank b and the temperature of the earth thermal is 5° C. In the meantime, the greater the temperature difference is between the heat transfer medium liquid c within the heat exchange storage tank b and the earth thermal is, the higher the efficiency of heat exchange is between the both. On the assumption that the temperature of the heat transfer medium liquid within the heat exchange storage tank b is 0° C. which is the lowest temperature mentioned above, the temperature difference in relation to the earth thermal comes to 15° C. As a result, it is possible to improve the efficiency of heat exchange between the heat transfer medium liquid c within the heat exchange storage tank b and the earth thermal. However, there have been conventionally a problem that the efficiency of heat exchange is not good.
In addition, the supply of the heat transfer medium liquid c having the unnecessarily high temperature to the heat exchange unit d as mentioned above causes the wasteful discharge of the thermal energy which is heat stored in the heat transfer medium c of the heat exchange storage tank b. As mentioned above, the conventional cooling and heating device v has been an uneconomical cooling and heating device which is not good in the heat efficiency as a whole.
Further, even in the case where the temperature of the heat transfer medium liquid c within the heat exchange storage tank b comes down to 5° C. due to progress of circulation of the heat transfer medium liquid c, the cooling and heating device v comes close to the predetermined temperature in its load side when a fixed time has passed after the actuation of the cooling and heating device v. Therefore, the amount of heat exchange may be reduced in the heat exchange unit d in comparison with the starting time. As a result, the same event as mentioned above has occurred. More specifically, even if the necessary liquid temperature in the heat exchange unit d is 5° C. at the starting time, the amount of heat exchange in the heat exchange unit d becomes at least better when the load side c1 becomes warmer to some extent. Therefore, the necessary liquid temperature may come to 1° C. If the heat transfer medium liquid having the liquid temperature of 5° C. is supplied to the necessary liquid temperature of 1° C. as mentioned above, the temperature difference between the heat transfer medium liquid c returned to the heat exchange storage tank b and the earth thermal becomes smaller accordingly, thereby generating the problem that the efficiency of heat exchange is not good between the heat transfer medium liquid c and the earth thermal.
Further, when the cooling and heating device v is used for cooling, it is assumed that the predetermined circulation volume required by the cooling and heating device v is set to 20 L/min, the necessary liquid temperature of the inlet end f1 of the heat exchange unit d is set to 30° C., and the liquid temperature of the outlet end g1 thereof is 35° C. In this case, the temperature of the heat transfer medium liquid c within the heat exchange storage tank b cooled by the earth thermal is 15° C. while the necessary liquid temperature is 30° C. Therefore, when the heat transfer medium liquid c having the temperature of 15° C. is supplied to the heat exchange unit d, the heat transfer medium liquid c is returned into the heat exchange storage tank b without using up the thermal energy contained in the heat transfer medium liquid c. As a result, the temperature of the returned heat transfer medium liquid c comes to 20° C. if the thermal energy is not wastefully discharged during the circulation of the heat transfer medium liquid c in the circulation flow channel r.
Since the annual average temperature of the earth thermal is 15° C. as mentioned above, the temperature difference between the heat transfer medium liquid c returned to the heat exchange storage tank b and the earth thermal comes to 5° C. In the meantime, the greater the temperature difference is between the heat transfer medium liquid c within the heat transfer medium liquid storage tank b and the earth thermal, the higher the efficiency of heat exchange is between the both as mentioned above. On the assumption that the temperature of the heat transfer medium liquid c within the heat exchange storage tank b is 35° C. which is the highest temperature mentioned above, the temperature difference in relation to the earth thermal comes to 20° C. As a result, it is possible to improve the efficiency of heat exchange between the heat transfer medium liquid c within the heat exchange storage tank b and the earth thermal. However, there have been conventionally the problem that the efficiency of heat exchange is not good.
In addition, the supply of the heat transfer medium liquid c having the unnecessarily low temperature to the heat exchange unit d as mentioned above causes the wasteful discharge of the thermal energy which is heat stored in the heat transfer medium c of the heat exchange storage tank b. As mentioned above, the conventional cooling and heating device v has been an uneconomical cooling and heating device which is not good in the heat efficiency as a whole.
Further, even in the case where the temperature of the heat transfer medium liquid c within the heat exchange storage tank b comes up to 30° C. due to progress of circulation of the heat transfer medium liquid c, the cooling and heating device v comes close to the predetermined temperature in its load side when a fixed time has passed after the actuation of the cooling and heating device v. Therefore, the amount of heat exchange may be reduced in the heat exchange unit d in comparison with the starting time. As a result, the same event as mentioned above has occurred. More specifically, even if the necessary liquid temperature in the heat exchange unit d is 30° C. at the starting time, the amount of heat exchange in the heat exchange unit d becomes at least better when the load side becomes cooler to some extent. Therefore, the necessary liquid temperature may come to 34° C. If the heat transfer medium liquid having the liquid temperature of 30° C. is supplied to the necessary liquid temperature of 34° C. as mentioned above, the temperature difference between the heat transfer medium liquid c returned to the heat exchange storage tank b and the earth thermal becomes smaller accordingly, thereby generating the problem that the efficiency of heat exchange is not good between the heat transfer medium liquid c and the earth thermal.
Further, a heat exchange device a according to the patent document 2 is provided with a tube body p1 in which the heat transfer medium liquid c flows, for example, as shown in FIG. 20, and is structured such that a pump q1 for circulating the heat transfer medium liquid c in the tube body p1 is interposed in the tube body p1. The tube body p1 is provided with an earth thermal exchanging tube unit r1 which is buried in the ground, and a heat absorption and radiation unit s1 which can radiate heat in a heat exchange region where the heat radiation is required and can absorb heat in a heat exchange region where the heat absorption is required. The earth thermal exchanging tube unit r1 is structured such as to be provided with a U-shaped tube unit which is long in a vertical direction, and the U-shaped tube unit is housed in a vertical hole formed by excavating the ground in the vertical direction so as to extend in the vertical direction, and is set to a buried state in the ground.
According to the heat exchange device a mentioned above, the transfer of heat occurs from a surrounding ground u1 having a relatively higher temperature to the earth thermal exchanging tube unit r1 during the winter season, and the heat transfer medium liquid is temperature increased in a process that the heat transfer medium liquid passes through the earth thermal exchanging tube unit r1. Further, in the heat exchange region where the heat radiation is required, the heat is radiated in the heat absorption and radiation tube unit s1, and the heat transfer medium liquid c flowing in the heat absorption and radiation tube unit s1 is cooled. Further, during the summer season, the heat transfer medium liquid c flowing in the heat absorption and radiation tube unit s1 is temperature increased in the heat exchange region where the heat absorption is required. Further, the potential heat of the heat transfer medium liquid moves to the surrounding ground u1 and the heat transfer medium liquid is cooled in a process of passing through the earth thermal exchanging tube unit r1.
Further, the patent document 2 describes that the cooling and heating operation of the building is carried out in the heat absorption and radiation tube unit s1 in the same manner as in the patent document 1. A problem generated by applying the heat exchange device a having the structure mentioned above for constructing the cooling and heating device is the same as that described in the patent document 1.

Method of controlling heat exchange device, heat exchange device, and water-cooled type heat pump device


Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and computer readable media for a converged mechanism for protecting data. In a particular embodiment, a method provides identifying a level of importance for a plurality of data items and tracking changes to the plurality of data items. The method further provides aggregating the changes based on the level of importance and logging the aggregated changes.

There exist many different methods for protecting data from loss. These methods include synchronous replication, Continuous Data Protection (CDP), backup, and archiving to name a few. Each of these methods may be implemented individually on specified data sets and each provides a different level of protection. Thus, applying one of these protection methods to a large data set that includes data having different levels of importance may result in some of that data being over or under protected.


This application describes a method of making a super-hard article that includes a super-hard structure bonded to a substrate. The super-hard structure generally includes a sintered plurality of super-hard grains made from cubic boron nitride. The method generally includes providing raw material powder suitable for sintering the super-hard structure; combining the raw material powder with an organic binder material in a liquid medium to form a paste; providing a substrate assembly having a formation surface area configured for forming a boundary of the super-hard structure, the substrate having a recess coterminous with the formation surface area; extruding the paste into contact with the formation surface area to provide a paste assembly; and heat treating and/or sintering the paste assembly to remove the binder material and provide a pre-sinter assembly.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,235,211 discloses a method of making functionally engineered composite wear surfaces provided on cutting elements used with rotary cone rock bits. The method includes applying a conformable material mixture to an interface surface of the cutting element to provide a green state material layer. The material mixture can be pre-formed into a part shaped to fit over the interface surface. The applied material mixture is pressurised under conditions of elevated temperature to consolidate and sinter the material mixture, thereby forming the wear resistant surface, in a manner that avoids unwanted material migration between the applied material mixture and substrate.
There is a need for composite articles comprising super-hard material, particularly but not exclusively for use as pre-form bodies for making machine tools, wear-resistant components and pick tools for pavement milling or mining; and for relatively efficient methods for making them.


The present inventors have discovered that serine acetyltransferase (SAT) is essential for plant growth. Specifically, the inhibition of SAT gene expression in plant seedlings results in reduced growth and altered pigmentation. Thus, SAT is useful as a target for the identification of herbicides. Accordingly, the present invention provides methods for the identification of herbicides by measuring the activity of an SAT in the presence and absence of a compound, wherein an alteration of SAT activity in the presence of the compound indicates the compound as a candidate for a herbicide.

The invention relates generally to plant molecular biology. In particular, the invention relates to methods for the identification of herbicides.
The traditional approach to herbicide development may be characterized as xe2x80x9cspray and prayxe2x80x9d. Chemicals produced in milligram or greater quantity are sprayed on plants and then plant growth is monitored. While this strategy has resulted in the identification of commercially important herbicides, cost, efficacy and safety challenge the future productivity of the xe2x80x9cspray and prayxe2x80x9d method. Accordingly, there is a need to identify herbicide targets so that compound libraries can be screened for herbicidal activity in higher through-put in vitro or cell-based assays. Inhibitors of these targets can then be selected and confirmed as having herbicidal activity in conventional herbicide assays.
Cysteine biosynthesis in plants plays a key role in the sulfur cycle in nature. Cysteine is incorporated into proteins and glutathione or serves as the sulfur donor of methionine and sulfur-containing secondary products in plants. Serine acetyltransferase (SAT) plays a regulatory role in the biosynthesis of cysteine by its property of feedback inhibition by cysteine in bacteria and certain plants. Serine acetyltransferase (EC 184.108.40.206) catalyzes the formation of O-acetyl-L-serine (OAS) from acetyl-CoA and L-serine. The final step of cysteine biosynthesis is the formation of L-cysteine from the substrates O-acetyl-L-serine and sulfide by cysteine synthase (CS).
Three cDNA clones encoding SAT isoforms (SAT-c, SAT-p and SAT-m) have been isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana. SAT-c is localized in the cytosol while SAT-p and SAT-m are localized in the chloroplasts and mitochondria respectively. In the case of SAT-c, its activity has been shown to be feedback-inhibited by a low concentration of cysteine (Noji et al. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273:32739-32745). SAT has two different protein-protein interaction domains. An SAT-SAT domain for homomerization, and also a SAT-CS domain located on the C-terminal portion of the protein for heteromerization. When associated in a complex with CS, SAT has been shown to be activated resulting in higher Vmax and substrate affinities. The bound CS is also inactivated by this interaction. The resulting product, OAS, then must diffuse out of the complex to be acted upon by free CS and sulfide to form cysteine. The complex itself is stabilized by sulfide (inactivating CS), but OAS helps dissociate the complex (activating CS). Hence, not only is SAT regulated by the formation of cysteine, it is also regulated by protein interactions and additional substrate-product interactions (Wirtz et al. (2001) Eur. J. Biochem. 268:686-693).
The present invention discloses SAT as a target for the evaluation of plant growth regulators, especially herbicide compounds, in plants.
The present inventors have discovered that antisense expression of a SAT cDNA in Arabidopsis causes reduced growth and altered pigmentation. Thus, the present inventors have discovered that SAT is essential for normal plant development and growth, and is useful as a target for the identification of herbicides. Accordingly, in one embodiment the present invention provides methods for the identification of compounds that inhibit SAT expression or activity, comprising: contacting a candidate compound with a SAT and detecting the presence or absence of binding between the compound and the SAT, wherein binding between the compound and the SAT indicates the compound as a herbicide target. In another embodiment of the invention, methods are provided for the identification of compounds that inhibit SAT enzyme activity, comprising: contacting a SAT polypeptide with acetyl-CoA and L-serine in the presence and absence of a compound or contacting a SAT polypeptide with O-acetyl-L-serine and CoA in the presence and absence of a compound; and determining a change in concentration for at least one of acetyl-CoA, L-serine, O-acetyl-L-serine and/or CoA in the presence and absence of the compound, wherein a change in the concentration for any of acetyl-CoA, L-serine, O-acetyl-L-serine and/or CoA indicates that the compound is a candidate herbicide.

Methods for the identification of inhibitors of serine acetyltransferase activity in plants


An inventive torque detection device includes: a magnetic circuit forming member having a tubular magnet provided at a first rotating body, and a magnetic ring that is located circumferentially of the tubular magnet and rotated together with a second rotating body connected to the first rotating body; a magnetic flux collecting ring part for collecting a generated magnetic flux; a detection part for detecting, based on a density of the collected magnetic flux, a torque applied to the first or second rotating body; and a molded body that is molded at an outer circumferential portion of the first rotating body, and is joined to longitudinal both sides of the tubular magnet so as to fix the tubular magnet to the first rotating body. A molding pressure, generated when the tubular magnet is molded, is applied in the longitudinal direction of the tubular magnet.

The present invention relates to a torque detection device for detecting a torque applied to a rotating body.
An exemplary torque detection device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-69994 (which will be hereinafter simply called "conventional example"), for example. The torque detection device according to the conventional example includes: a magnetic circuit forming member having a tubular magnet provided at either one of input and output shafts connected via a torsion bar, and a magnetic ring that is located circumferentially of the tubular magnet and rotated together with the other one of the input and output shafts; a magnetic flux collecting ring part for collecting a magnetic flux generated by the magnetic circuit forming member; and a detection part for detecting, based on the density of the magnetic flux collected by the magnetic flux collecting ring part, a torque applied to the input shaft or the output shaft.
The torque detection device constructed in this manner is incorporated into an electric power steering apparatus for a vehicle. The electric power steering apparatus includes: an input shaft connected to a steering wheel; a housing for accommodating and supporting the input shaft; an electric motor connected to an output shaft via a deceleration mechanism; and a control unit which is connected to a circuit for driving the electric motor and a detection part, and in which a microprocessor is used. And the apparatus is constructed so that the detection part detects, due to a torsion generated in a torsion bar, a rotational torque applied to the input shaft by the steering of the steering wheel, and the electric motor is driven and controlled based on the detected torque.
The tubular magnet according to the conventional example is provided by sintering ferrite powder into a tubular shape. However, when the sintered tubular magnet is externally fitted and fixed to the input shaft, a crack is likely to occur due to a radial inner pressure generated at an inner circumferential portion of the tubular magnet. To cope with this, according to the conventional example, the tubular magnet is molded with a synthetic resin material in advance, and the molded tubular magnet is externally fitted and fixed to a knurled portion of the input shaft, which is located at its outer circumferential portion, thereby preventing a crack during the assembly of the tubular magnet.


A method of reinforcing a structural support, includes applying a reinforcement system comprising an AR-glass fibrous layer embedded in an inorganic matrix to the structural support. The AR-glass fibrous layer has a sizing applied thereon, and a resinous coating applied is applied over the sizing. The inorganic matrix is adherent to the resinous coating and the resinous coating is adherent to the sizing.

Walls, columns and other structures constructed of materials such as concrete or cement paste, brick or masonry units, and the like are widely used as support structures. Tunnels, building structural supports, bridge supports, freeway overpass supports and parking structure supports are just a few of the many uses for these cementitious structural supports. These supports may exist in a wide variety of shapes with circular, square and rectangular cross-sections being the most common. However, numerous other cross-sectional shapes have been used, including regular polygonal shapes and irregular cross-sections. The size of structural supports also varies greatly depending upon the intended use. Structural supports having heights and lengths exceeding 50 feet are commonly used in various applications.
It is common practice to reinforce concrete structural supports with steel rods, mesh, or bars. The steel reinforcement provides a great deal of added structural strength (e.g., compression, tensile, flexural and/or shear-resistance) to the support, but there have been numerous incidents of structural failure of these supports when subjected to asymmetric loads and horizontal displacement generated during earthquakes or explosions. Concrete structures, while adequate in compression, are subject to cracking, collapse, and partial loss due to stresses associated with earthquakes, explosions, land subsidence and overloading. Structural failure of such structures can have devastating consequences. Accordingly, there is a continuing need to enhance the ability of reinforced and unreinforced concrete and cement structural supports to withstand the asymmetric loads and horizontal displacements which are applied during an earthquake or explosion.
One way of increasing the structural integrity of support structures is to include additional metal reinforcement prior to forming the structural support. Other design features may be incorporated into the support structure fabrication in order to increase its resistance to asymmetric loading or horizontal displacement. However, there are hundreds of thousands of existing structural supports located in earthquake prone areas, which do not have adequate metal reinforcement or structural design to withstand high degrees of asymmetric loading or horizontal displacement. Accordingly, there is a need to provide a simple, efficient and relatively inexpensive system for reinforcing such existing structural supports to prevent or reduce the likelihood of failure during an earthquake or explosion.
One approach to reinforcing cementitious structures, such as concrete columns, is to wrap the exterior surface of the structure with a composite reinforcement layer, or fabric reinforced plastic (FRP). In U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,527 to Isley, Jr., a composite reinforcement layer having at least one fabric layer located within a resin matrix is wrapped around the exterior surface of a concrete column. The fabric layer has first and second parallel selvedges that extend around the circumferential outer surface of the column in a direction substantially perpendicular to the column axis. Preferred fibers disclosed by Isley include ones made from glass, polyaramid, graphite, silica, quartz, carbon, ceramic and polyethylene. Suitable resins suggested by this patent include polyester, epoxy, polyamide, bismaleimide, vinylester, urethanes, and polyurea, with epoxy-based resins being preferred.
Another approach to reinforcing a cementitious structural support is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,588 to Watanabe, et al. This patent discloses using an FRP to reinforce a structural support by forming a primer layer on the surface of the support structure, forming, if necessary, a putty layer on the primer layer, applying an impregnating resin on the primer layer (or putty layer) before, after or, before and after, cladding with fiber sheets to allow the resin to penetrate into the spaces in the fiber sheets, followed by curing the resin, the primer, putty and impregnating resin. The primer, putty and impregnating resin of this reference all include a resin composition. The disclosed fiber sheets may include carbon, aramid or glass fibers. The asserted advantage of the reinforcement structure of this patent is increased adherence of the reinforcement to the surface of the structural support.
Reinforcing FRP systems such as those described above can often be flammable, toxic and difficult to handle during application. They also provide, after curing, poor fire resistance, poor bonding to the concrete or brick being reinforced, and poor water/air permeability, resulting in the creation of moisture accumulation. Additionally, they are fairly expensive and tend to delaminate upon failure.
A repair or reinforcement system for existing support structures or for new construction support structures is needed.

Inorganic matrix-fabric system and method

Saint-Gobain Technical Fabrics Canada, Ltd.


With respect to correcting of a forward movement course of the underground excavator, the control apparatus is so constructed that a positional deviation of the pilot head (20) relative to an excavation planned value is obtained on the basis of detecting of the existent position assumed by the pilot head (20) and the excavation angle correcting means (S1, S2, 21, 23, 41, 71, 72, 73, 80) is provided for automatically correcting an excavating angle of the excavating head (10) on the basis of the positional deviation so as to allow controlling to be achieved automatically. With respect to controlling of start and stop of excavating operation to be performed by the underground excavator, an arrangement is made such that controlling is semiautomatically achieved using the commanding means (74) disposed in the start pit (SH) to issue commands indicative of start and stop of propelling operation of the propelling jack (40) in response to proper manual handling performed by an operator (M) staying on the bottom of the start pit (SH).

Generally, an iron-mole class underground excavator, a tunnel excavating machine or the like is operated such that a position where it is installed in the underground is measured using a laser beam in order to perform excavating operation as planned. However, it has been found that a conventional excavator of the above-mentioned type has a drawback that it is considerably difficult to measure the position using laser beam, because when a tunnel is excavated to bury a water piping, a gas piping or the like in the underground, a number of pipes having a very small diameter (e.g. a diameter of about 100 mm) are successively used during excavating operation and moreover the excavating operation is often performed while following a curved course. Namely, as far as an underground excavator of the type using pipes having a very small diameter to perform excavating operation is employed, it is difficult to reserve an optical passage through which a laser beam is propagated (because hydraulic hoses, electric cables and a variety of supporting means are accommodated in the form of a crowded assembly in the interior of a piping having a very small diameter, resulting in a sufficient space for allowing a laser beam to be propagated through the optical passage failing to be reserved in the piping. Even if such an optical passage can be reserved in the piping, it is practically impossible that the underground excavator performs excavating operation using a laser beam while following a curved course, because a laser beam is propagated only through a straight optical passage.
In recent years, in view of the foregoing drawback, a method of measuring a position where an underground excavator is installed in the underground, using a magnetic field in place of a laser beam has been already proposed and put in practical use for the purpose of excavating a tunnel using pipes having a very small diameter for the underground excavator.
FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a conventional method of measuring a position where an underground excavator is placed in the underground, utilizing a magnetic field. A hitherto employed method of excavating a tunnel using the underground excavator will be described below with reference to FIG. 5.
In the drawing, reference characters EP designate a ground surface, reference characters SH refer to a start pit, reference characters EH refer to a target pit, reference numeral 10 refers to an excavating head for the underground excavator, reference numeral 20 refers to a pilot head for the underground excavator, reference numeral 21 refers to a hydraulic motor accommodated in the pilot head 20 to adjust a turning angle of the excavating head 10, reference numeral 22 refers to a magnetic field generating element accommodated also in the pilot head 20 to generate a magnetic field extending in the form of a sprayed water stream, reference numeral 23 refers to an inclination measuring instrument accommodated also in the pilot head 20 to detect an inclination of the pilot head 20 relative to a horizontally extending plane, reference numerals 30 (30a, 30b, 30c) refer to a number of rod pipes adapted to be successively connected to the rear end of the pilot head 20 one after another, reference numeral 40 refers to a propelling jack for propelling the excavating head 10 and the pilot head 20 toward the target pit EH by allowing the rod pipes 30 to be successively displaced in the forward direction, reference numeral 41 refers to a propelled distance detector disposed at a suitable location on the propelling jack 40 to detect a propelled distance as measured from the start pit SH to the pilot head 20 based on the number of used rod pipes 30, reference numeral 50 refers to a main control board installed on the ground, reference numeral 51 refers to a handling board on the main control board 50, reference numeral 52 refers to a hydraulic power source mounted in the main control board 50 to feed a required quantity of hydraulic power to the hydraulic motor 21, reference numeral 53 refers to a sender accommodated in the main control board 50 to feed a required quantity of electric power to the magnetic field generating element 22 for the purpose of generating the magnetic field, and reference numeral 60 refers to a magnetic field generating source searcher for measuring a position where the pilot head 20 is placed in the underground, as viewed in the transverse direction by searching for the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating element 22 on the ground surface EP as shown in the drawing.
Referring to FIG. 5, according to the conventional method, the underground excavator is operated in cooperation of an operator M1 standing on the ground for handling the main control board 50 mounted thereon with an operator M2 staying on the bottom of the start pit SH to connect a rod pipe 30 to the rear end of the pilot head 20 or disconnect it therefrom.
For example, propelling of the underground excavator is performed by way of the following steps.
first step: The operator M1 standing on the ground stops operation of the underground excavator by handling the main control board 50 installed on the ground.
second step: The operator M2 staying in the start pit SH confirms by a sign given by the operator M1 or in a visual manner that operation of the underground excavator has been stopped.
third step: The operator M2 successively connects rod pipes 30 to the rear end of the pilot head 20 of the underground excavator one after another.
fourth step: The operator M1 confirms by a sign given by the operator M2 or in a visual manner that successive connection of the rod pipes 30 to to the pilot head 20 has been completed.
fifth step: The operator M1 handles the main control board 50 for the underground excavator so as to allow the latter to be propelled to excavate a tunnel. It should be noted that a propelled distance corresponds to a length of all the connected rod pipes 30.
After excavating operation has been completed by way of the above-mentioned steps, it returns to the first step again.
Incidentally, when a position as viewed in the transverse direction where the underground excavator is placed in the underground is to be measured, measurement of the position is achieved by searching for a sprayed water-shaped magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating element 22 received in the pilot head 20 on the ground surface using the magnetic field generating source searcher 60. In addition, the position as viewed in the vertical direction is calculated in the handling board 51 on the basis of an output from the inclination measuring instruments 23 and an output from the propelled distance detector 41 so that results derived from the calculation are displayed on a display DP on the main control board 50. In response to information on the above position, the operator M1 corrects a forward movement course of the underground excavator (particularly, pilot head 20) by adjusting a turning angle of the excavating head 10 via the hydraulic motor 21 (of which driving is controlled by properly handling the handling board 51).
As described above, to practice the conventional method, operations for exchanging signs between two cooperators and visually confirming the current state of the underground excavator are required particularly during the steps 2 and 4. However, exchanging of signs between two cooperators and visual confirmation as mentioned above have the following problems.
(1) In a case where a sign is exchanged between two cooperators via voice, there arises such a situation that the voice serving as a sign can be heard by them with much difficulties due to noisy sound generated by the power source for the underground excavator (e.g. hydraulic pump, electric motor) as well as noisy sound generated by the surrounding traffic. Indeed, since the start pit usually has a depth more than 4 m, vocal communication between an operator on the ground and an operator in the pit can be achieved only with much difficulties.
(2) In a case where a sign is exchanged between two cooperators by their hands or using a sign board, structural articles arranged in the interior of the pit or above the pit for the purpose of assuring their safety provide an obstacle for the field of view. Further, with a deep pit used, a see-through can be hardly attained between the ground and the bottom of the pit, causing confirmation of a sign via their hands or sign boards carried by them to be achieved with much difficulties.
(3) Visual confirmation of the current state of the underground excavator is unreliable, because there does not exist any communication between cooperators on both locations.
The above-mentioned problems (1) to (3) are very dangerous for the cooperators, because they do not remain within the range where excavating operation can be easily performed and moveover if incorrect confirmation is made, there is a danger that human body's accident takes place due to an occurrence of unintentional movement of the underground excavator during connecting or disconnecting operation performed for the rod pipes by the operator staying in the pit.
The present invention has been made with the foregoing problems (1) to (3) in mind and its object resides in providing an apparatus for controlling an underground excavator which assures that the problems are completely obviated and improved workability and protection of the operator staying in the pit from dangerous circumstances are achieved.

Apparatus for controlling underground excavator


By temperature gradient detection it is determined for the liquid combustion chamber auxiliary heater for motor vehicles, whether e.g. a flame blow-off has taken place, which has to be interpreted as a malfunction and hwich necessitates the discontinuation of fuel supply. Alternatively, it might merely show the switching from a high setting to a low setting. In the latter case a temperature drop to a lower operation temperature occurs also. However, the temperature drop is not as steep as in the case of a flame blow-off. At certain points in time t.sub.1 the target temperature for a point in time t.sub.2 is calculated by the detected temperature according to a certain algorithm having specific device properties as parameters. At this point in time the calculated target temperature is checked for errors.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to heaters and, in particular, to a new and useful heater for motor vehicles which can be operated on several power settings.
Such heaters are used as auxiliary heaters or heaters which are in action when the car is not running. Such heaters include e.g. separate heating or add-on heaters in buses, trucks, soil moving vehicles and similar vehicles, and also in automobiles. There are various types of such heaters including heaters using either water or air as the heating medium; other criteria are type and setting of the heater, there are e.g. vaporizing burners, pressure pulverizers and rotary atomizing burners. Another distinguishing factor is the kind of ignition, e.g. by means of a spark plug or a glow plug.
There are certain rules and regulations for the operation of such a heater. One of these regulations is that once the burner has started, and, in particular, after the beginning of the fuel transport, the flame has to burn within 180 seconds. Another regulation requires that if the flame dies during stationary operation, the absence of the flame has to be recognized within 240 seconds so that the fuel supply can be stopped in time to avoid the flow of a large amount of fuel into the burner chamber which represents a potential source of danger.
The above regulations for the operation of the burner necessitate a direct or an indirect flame control. A direct flame control is e.g. achieved by means of an optical sensor, e.g. a photo-transistor delivering an output signal as long as it is illuminated by the bright flame. In some cases, however, it is not possible to install an optical sensor inside the burner chamber. In this case a thermo-element which is not arranged inside the burner chamber, but on the outside of the burner chamber wall or on the heat exchanger could be used. A prerequisite for the use of such a thermoelement is that it will react relatively fast, and therefore, that the burner chamber wall or the heat exchanger wall has good conductive properties, i.e. it is not thermally inert.
The use of thermo-elements on the outside of the burner chamber wall or the heat exchanger wall is problematic in cast metal heat exchangers, which are usually made of aluminum. In these heat exchangers the temperature on the outside of the burner chamber wall or the heat exchanger wall changes only relatively slowly. Up until now a bi-metal switch has been used which opens (or closes) upon starting of the heater once a certain temperature is exceeded and thus indicates the lighting of a flame. When the temperature falls below a certain second point, the bi-metal switch closes (opens) to indicate the absence of the flame. Such bi-metal switches are relatively safe. They are adjusted during the production of the heaters for the respective heater types in dependence on the speed with which temperature changes occur on the outside wall of the burner chamber or the heat exchanger.
The use of these two-position switches, which react relatively slowly, is problematic in heaters which can work on several, e.g. on two power settings. For, if the heater is switched from a relatively high setting to a lower setting, this is followed by a relatively large drop in temperature upon which the temperature is maintained at to a relatively low level. The relatively low temperature level at the "LOW" setting is so low that upon the flame blow-off from the "HIGH" setting the temperature is not reached within the required four minutes. Possibly the low temperature level is even below the switch-temperature for flame recognition.
German patent No. 35 17 953 A1 describes a heater with a control device for the heat setting. The temperature gradient between two temperature thresholds for the heating of the heat exchange medium is determined for control of the heater. The arrangement detects how long it takes the heat exchange medium to be heated up between a first and a second temperature threshold. This period of heating up is compared to a specific set value and, depending on the result of the comparison various ranges of control are passed through. This kind of control is not suitable for a flame control which is capable of registering that the ignition has failed and which can also register a flame blow-off during normal operation.

Heater for motor vehicles which can be operated on several power settings


A light source having first and second LEDs and a phosphor layer that converts light generated by the first LED is disclosed. The first LED emits light at a first wavelength. The layer of phosphor is illuminated by the first LED, the phosphor being excited by light of the first wavelength to convert light of the first wavelength to a band of wavelengths having wavelengths between the first wavelength and a second wavelength. The second LED emits light at a third wavelength that is greater than the first wavelength. The phosphor is not substantially excited by light of the third wavelength. The combined light from the phosphor, and first and second LEDs is perceived as being white by a human observer.

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are attractive candidates for replacing conventional light sources such as incandescent lamps and fluorescent light sources. LEDs have substantially higher light conversion efficiencies than incandescent lamps and longer lifetimes than both types of conventional light sources. In addition, some types of LEDs now have higher conversion efficiencies than fluorescent light sources and still higher conversion efficiencies have been demonstrated in the laboratory. Finally, LEDs require lower voltages than fluorescent lamps, and hence, are better suited for applications in which the light source must be powered from a low-voltage source such as a battery or an internal computer DC power source.
Unfortunately, LEDs produce light in a relatively narrow spectral band. To replace conventional lighting systems, LED-based sources that generate light that appears to be "white" to a human observer are required. In addition to appearing white when viewed directly by user, the light source must also have a good color-rendering index so that the generated spectrum allows the user to view a colored object or scene and see the colors of the objects. The ability to accurately perceive the color of an illuminated scene is referred to as the color-rendering index of the light source. A light source with three narrow spectral bands at the red, green, and blue wavelengths looks white to a person viewing the light source, but has a very poor color-rendering index, since an object that reflects light at wavelengths between the spectral band will have a distorted color presentation. To provide a good color-rendering index, the light source must provide light at all wavelengths.
Phosphor conversion of light generated by an LED can be utilized to provide a white light source that has an adequate color-rendering index. A light source that appears to be white and that has a conversion efficiency comparable to that of fluorescent light sources can be constructed from a blue LED that is covered with a layer of phosphor that converts a portion of the blue light to a broad band of yellow light. Such light sources will be referred to as "phosphor-converted" light sources in the following discussion. If the ratio of blue to yellow light is chosen correctly, the resultant light source appears white to a human observer.
The color-rendering index of such yellow phosphor-converted light sources is significantly less than that provided by an incandescent bulb. In particular, the spectrum from this type of phosphor-converted light source has insufficient intensity in the red portion of the optical spectrum to provide a color rendering index that is as good as that provided by an incandescent bulb. As a result, in some applications, a red LED is added to the yellow-phosphor converted light source to improve the color-rendering index. In addition, the ratio of the red light to the blue light from the blue LED can be adjusted to provide a "warm" white light source in such two LED light sources.
The efficiency of a light source is defined to be the fraction of the electrical energy consumed by the light source that is converted to light in the region of the optical spectrum to which the human eye is sensitive. The overall efficiency of a phosphor-converted light source is determined by the efficiency with which the LED converts electricity to light and the efficiency with which the LED light is down-converted to light in the portion of the spectrum to which the eye is sensitive. When blue light is converted to light at longer wavelengths, the difference in energy between the blue photons and the longer wavelength photons is lost in the form of heat. For a blue to yellow conversion, the loss is a significant fraction of the energy. In addition, the yellow phosphors that are used in many applications also convert a significant fraction of the blue light to wavelengths that are greater than 630 nm. The sensitivity of the human eye to light in this region is small, and hence, this energy is, in effect, wasted.

Phosphor converted light source having an additional LED to provide long wavelength light


Two horizontal holes are processed at the end face of a movable pillar of a load measuring cell in a block shape. A power-point spring is formed between the horizontal holes, and the internal side faces of the horizontal holes constitute the internal end faces of supporting-point springs. Further, from above or below the load measuring cell, a vertical hole is processed so that the supporting-point springs are separated by the vertical hole extending in a vertical direction and are formed on both side faces in the longitudinal direction of load measuring cell.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electronic balance, and particularly to an electronic balance which is provided with a Roverbal mechanism (also called as a parallel guide), generates an electromagnetic force to eliminate displacement of a displaced portion due to a measuring load, and detects the measuring load from the generated electromagnetic force.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an electronic balance, generally, electromagnetic force is generated against the displacement of a sensor mechanism body due to measuring load, and the measuring load is measured on the basis of the electromagnetic force required for the displacement to be zero. As the sensor mechanism body in such electronic balance, a mechanism body provided with what is called a Roverbal mechanism is employed, in which a movable pillar supporting a measuring pan on which a measuring load is placed is supported on a fixed pillar by two beams parallel to each other each of which provided with flexible portions at both ends (refer to JP-A-2002-148105 and JP-A-2004-28750). The provision of the Roverbal mechanism prevents the measuring pan from tilting due to the measuring load, and restricts the displacement of the measuring pan or the movable pillar due to the measuring load in a vertical direction. Thus, the load detecting error due to the position of the measuring load placed on the measuring pan can be eliminated, thereby permitting the measurement with high accuracy.
FIG. 3A shows a side view of a load measuring cell 20 machined from a unit block which is employed as the above sensor mechanism body. FIG. 3B shows a top view thereof in which a measuring pan 29 is not shown. FIG. 3C shows a partial sectional view of an electromagnetic force generating device 30. As seen from these figures, the load measuring cell 20 forms, from a unit block shape, flexible portions e and beams 23a, 23b which configures a Roverbal mechanism two-dimensionally with wire electric discharge machining, and a lever block 26 which connects to power-point springs 24a, 24b and a supporting-point spring 25. Also, in the load measuring cell 20 as shown in FIG. 3B, widths in x-direction of the power-point springs 24a, 24b and the supporting-point spring 25 are narrowed by forming spot facings 27 on both side portions in a longitudinal direction of the load measuring cell 20. Thus the mechanical sensitivity is improved. As shown in FIG. 3A, the measuring pan 29 is fixedly attached to the upper end of a movable pillar 28 of the load measuring cell 20. A lever 31 with a force coil 30a of the electromagnetic force generating device 30 fixed at its one end is screwed on both sides of the lever block 26. This load measuring cell 20 has features such as that it can reduce the number of components and provide a high reproducibility of temperature characteristic.
The electronic balance in the related art is constructed as described above, but has the following problem. The lever block 26 is likely to vibrate according to the vibration in a width direction (or x-direction as shown in FIG. 3B) of the load measuring cell 20, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the movable direction of the lever block 26. Accordingly, indicated value is varied for temporary vibration, and an error is generated continuously for steady vibration. Further, it was difficult to arrange the power point and the supporting point in their ideal shape, and implement the mechanical sensitivity in an optimum design.

Electronic balance having a vibration reducing mechanism


A surface-wave filter in which the acoustic wavepath is reflected in order to reduce the substrate size necessary. The reflections are chosen so that interference due to temperature effects is excluded. The use of filters of this kind as partial filters in a combined filter enables cross-talk to be further reduced.

The present invention relates to a reflector filter operating with surface acoustic waves, having an input transducer, an output transducer and having reflector structures which are effective connected in series for the path of surface acoustic waves between input transducer and output transducer and which deflect the direction of the acoustic waves several times between input transducer and output transducer.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,484,160 and 4,520,330 disclose a surface-wave reflector filter, known as RAC filter, having an input transducer, an output transducer and two reflector structures which, with reflector fingers positioned obliquely, face each other (lying next to one another) in such a way that an acoustic wave proceeding into one reflector is deflected by approximately 90.degree. and proceeds into the other reflector and is fed by the latter again with an approximately 90.degree. change of direction to the output transducer. A filter of this type is suitable for providing a time period. The finger structures of the aforesaid reflectors can be weighted and/or dispersive in accordance with the desired transmission function. In particular, finger displacement weighting, finger omission weighting and finger rotation can be provided as finger weighting. Such a known reflector filter has two acoustic tracks, namely one track with the input transducer and one reflector, and the second track extending parallel thereto with the other reflector and the output transducer. The tracks coincide with the respective main wave propagation direction of the transducer associated with the track in question.
The disadvantages of a reflector filter of this type are a certain temperature dependency of the angle accuracy of the reflection, to be precise even in the case of a substrate made of quartz, and a certain Mount of transmission losses. However, a reflector filter of this type requires only a minimum size substrate, since for reasons of stability the width of an oblong substrate plate in question here could not be made optimally small for example, for an in-line arrangement, taking only the space requirement for the structure into consideration. The selectivity of such a filter is essentially determined by the effective acoustic length of the reflectors.
Filter structures are described in European reference EP-A-0 032 313 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,154) which have in each case reduced temperature sensitivity despite the angled acoustic path. Provided there for this purpose in each case is a trio of reflectors with alteration of the angle of the acoustic path. It is important for there filter structures that the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection of the wave are the same for the middle reflector of this trio. There are no requirements with respect to the magnitude of the respective change of direction, which are at least approximately, 90.degree..
Embodiments of multi-track reflector filters with multi-strip couplers are stated in IEEE Trans. Ultrasonics, Vol. 35 (1988), pages 61 ff. A further embodiment stated therein provides for a filter having input transducer, output transducer and two reflector structures which are arranged in-line with one another. There are two mutually independent paths of the acoustic wave between the input transducer and the output transducer. Inserted in each of these paths is only one reflector for acute-angled reflection of the one wave in each case. Temperature compensation of the reflection angle is not provided.

Surface acoustic wave reflector filter having z-shaped propagation paths


A corrosion resistant waste-water disposal or chemical injection screen is fabricated from extruded, double cold pilgered N06625 or N07716 nickel alloy in a standard oilfield tubular length. After providing each end with a premium thread for a box and a pin end, and slotting the body of the well screen with slits no wider than 0.015 inches and no longer than 2.5 inches, the well screen is ready for deployment in a well. Other types of oilfield tubulars in standard OCTG lengths could be fabricated in the manner described herein.

The oil and gas industry has long sought seamless oilfield tubulars in standard sizes that can resist corrosion found in deep hot and sour wells. It would be useful and desirable to have corrosion resistant tubulars from which downhole tools and assemblies might be fabricated. Significant resources have been devoted to fabrication of such tubulars from high nickel content alloys, such as N06625, N10276 and N07716.
Any number of United States patents has been issued describing the beneficial aspects of Ni alloys in sour oil and gas applications. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,846 to Hibner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,684 to Igarashi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,210 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,211 to Kudo et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,245,698 to Berkowitz et al. Other United States patents have been issued for other combinations of alloying elements including U.S. Pat. No. 6,730,264 to Cao, U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,594 to Frank et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,523 to Culling, U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,661 to Culling, U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,091 to Culling, most of which sought to decrease the percentage of Ni in the combination because of the high price of this scarce raw material. Other United States patents have issued for various heat treatment processes, which seek to establish the desired physical characteristics of the material. These include U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,932 to Cao et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,638,373 to Pike Jr. et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,928 to Smith, Jr. et al.
The corrosion resistance and physical characteristics desired for oilfield tubulars make extrusion of readily machinable tubulars difficult to accomplish. So far as known to applicant, no one has previously created a oilfield corrosion resistant seamless tubular from N06625 or N07716 nickel alloys in standard oilfield lengths; and, specifically, no one has created a waste water and drilling fluid injection screen from such alloys for use in wells to permit disposal of the produced water, or other waste products, back into the formation from which it came or to inject chemicals to pressurize the formation to aid in production or any applications where fluids or semi-solids are to be injected into or withdrawn from a down hole environment. All references will use the Uniform Numbering System method of designation of the alloy composition as prescribed by ASTM and SAE.
Although the corrosion resistant properties of nickel alloys are well known, the cost and difficulty of manufacturing seamless oilfield standard length tubulars has long been deemed insurmountable. One method of accomplishing this might be the drilling of nickel alloy bar, then cold pilgering the resultant tubular, to achieve the lengths required. While this might be possible with a portion of the teachings of this application, because of the resultant waste from the drilling process, no one would rationally try to fabricate oilfield tubulars in this manner. Applicant has overcome all of these obstacles to fashion a seamless oilfield length tubular that can be used to fabricate an injection screen for a deep hot and sour environment.
The present application contains the description of a process for making these seamless oilfield tubulars in standard lengths having both the physical characteristics of corrosion resistance and high strength required for service in deep oil and gas wells, which can be machined within high tolerances needed for modern complex down hole mechanical devices. Standard oilfield or OCTG lengths vary within narrow ranges for the two most commonly used standard oil field lengths designated the R2 which is 28-32 feet in length, and the R3 which is 38-43 feet in length. The alloy used in this method works well under both conditions and is therefore well suited to oil and gas field use. The fabrication of nickel alloys in these standard lengths has not been readily accomplished. Previous attempts to do so have resulted in tubulars so difficult to machine, most have stopped trying to do so. Having fabricated a machinable oilfield tubular out of nickel alloy as described herein, the completion of the tubular by machining can be readily accomplished.
Well screens, which have long been used to either drain or inject fluids into a well bore, are a pertinent example. The technology for the manufacture of such screens has long recognized the need to create slots, such as by cutting, which provided keystone apertures tapered in cross section. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,207,808, issued 12 Dec. 1916. Often, these keystone slots are made by cutting the surface, then compressing the exterior surface to close the slot at its exterior edge to form a lip. See also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,652,208, issued 13 Dec. 1927, and 2,358,873, issued 26 Sep. 1944.
Modern developments seek to improve these old methods of creating uniform spacing in the slots in smaller widths. Slots having widths between 0.015 and 0.025 inches, while for many applications preferred widths would require uniform slots of approximately 0.005 to 0.007 inches to prevent the ingress of sand particles into the tubular screen. A number of more recent patents seek to create a uniform exterior lip to each slit by a variety of techniques. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,112,570, issued 5 Sep. 2000; 6,898,957, issued 31 May 2005; 7,069,657, issued 4 Jul. 2006; 7,073,366, issued 11 Jul. 2006.
The techniques for making well screens with these high nickel alloy have not been successful because of the work hardening properties of these nickel alloys which makes the finished product less capable of standing up to the rigors of the deep well applications. Improper machining can lead to early stress fractures and catastrophic failures in these types of wells. Accordingly, applicant has developed a fabrication process that permits the tools, such as these screens, to be fashioned with the finished product having the physical characteristics to withstand the harsh well environment in which they are intended to be placed.

Method of fabrication of corrosion resistant oil field tubulars


Non-toxic aqueous compositions are provided having antibacterial activity. Specifically, the invention provides aqueous alkyl glycoside or saccharide alkyl ester compositions which meet the antimicrobial effectiveness test criteria set forth in USP 31 <51> in preventing growth of specified bacteria and fungi.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to non-toxic compositions providing antibacterial activity, and more specifically to aqueous compositions including alkyl glycosides and/or saccharide alkyl esters that prevent bacterial or fungal growth in therapeutic compositions and which meet the antimicrobial effectiveness test criteria set forth in USP 31 <51>.
2. Background Information
Therapeutic agents are often combined with various surfactants. Yet, surfactants are frequently irritating to the skin and other tissues, including mucosal membranes such as those found in the nose, mouth, eye, vagina, rectum, esophagus, intestinal tract, and the like. Many surfactants also cause proteins to denature, thus destroying their biological activity. Another serious limitation to the development and use of such agents is the ability to deliver them safely, non-invasively, efficiently and stably to the site of action. Therefore, an ideal enhancing surfactant will stabilize the therapeutic agent, be non-toxic and non-irritable to the skin or mucosal surfaces, have antibacterial activity, and enhance the passage or absorption of the therapeutic agent through various membrane barriers without damaging the structural integrity and biological function of the membrane and increase bioavailability of the agent.

Antibacterial compositions for drug administration


Provided are graphene-based nanopore and nanostructure devices, which devices may include an insulating layer disposed atop the graphene, which can be in a planar shape or nanostructured into a ribbon or other shapes, containing a single graphene layer or several layers. Graphene layers and nanostructures can be placed nearby horizontally or stacked vertically. Also provided are related methods of fabricating and processing such devices and also methods of using such devices in macromolecular analysis.

Nanopore-bearing membranes are an emerging technology for DNA, RNA, protein (or other macromolecule) analysis; such devices are used to analyze biological molecules by observing a signal related to macromolecular passage through the nanopore. Such devices, however, suffer from signal noise, sufficient speed, and other shortcomings. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved nanopore devices and related methods of using such devices.

Graphene-based nanopore and nanostructure devices and methods for macromolecular analysis

The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania