Provided is a carbon dioxide adsorbent with which large quantities of carbon dioxide can be adsorbed and removed even under conditions having low carbon dioxide concentrations such as when under subatmospheric pressure or when under an environment having a carbon dioxide partial pressure of less than atmospheric pressure, said carbon dioxide adsorbent exhibiting excellent adsorption activity. A carbon dioxide adsorbent including at least a ZSM-5 zeolite including barium (Ba) or strontium (Sr) is characterized in that the ZSM-5 zeolite includes M-O-M bonds (M being Ba or Sr, and O being oxygen). The M-O-M bonds interact strongly with carbon dioxide, and thus carbon dioxide can be adsorbed effectively and in large volumes even under conditions having low carbon dioxide concentrations.

Absorbents that can absorb carbon dioxide have been used in various fields, for example, for concentration of carbon dioxide by PSA method and for absorption of carbon dioxide contained in the combustion exhaust gases from electric power plants. Examples of the carbon dioxide absorbents used for such purposes include activated carbon, various synthetic zeolites such as synthetic zeolite 13X, and the like.
For absorption of carbon dioxide, proposed was a zeolite-based carbon dioxide absorbent wherein 2 to 80 equivalent % of the cations thereof were replaced with Ba ions, which was prepared by immersing an zeolite in an aqueous solution containing a water-soluble Ba salt (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This material is a material suited for concentration and separation of carbon dioxide by PSA method and it is designed to have a larger ratio of carbon dioxide- to nitrogen-absorbing capacity. The zeolite used is, for example, a Na-A zeolite.
Alternatively as an absorbent for absorption of hydrocarbons in the exhaust gases from internal-combustion engines, proposed were zeolite-based hydrocarbon absorbents carrying at least one metal component selected from Ag, Cu, Ni, Zn, Ba, and Mg on the surface (see, for example, Patent Document 2). It is described that ZSM-5, mordenite, or Y zeolite carrying an Ag component at an ion exchange rate of 10% or more is particularly favorable for increase of desorption temperature.
Also proposed was a zeolite-based chlorine gas absorbent containing an alkali metal or alkali-earth metal (see, for example, Patent Document 3). In particular, it is an absorbent used for concentration and separation of chlorine gas by PSA method and, for example, Y or 13X zeolite ion-exchanged with Ca, Ba, or Li ions.


A hydrostatic power steering system is provided of the type including a steering control unit (3) operated by an input such as a steering wheel (1) to control flow from a source (8) to a steering cylinder (7). The source is operated in response to an electrical signal from a controller (82), controlled by a sensed pressure at a pressure detection port (64). The pressure at the port (64) is communicated from the main fluid path of the steering control unit (3), downstream of the fluid meter (18) when the spool (21) and sleeve (22) are relatively displaced. In systems in which the system reservoir (R) is at an elevated ("regulated tank") pressure, the pressure detection circuit is drained through a variable orifice (70) to a drain port (66), which is in communication with a sump (S) maintained at substantially atmospheric pressure. As a result, the steering system responds at a lower steering pressure, and the initial steering is smoother.

This application claims priority, under 35 U.S.C. 119, of earlier-filed Japanese Application No. 63973/1992, filed Mar. 19, 1992.
The present invention relates to hydraulic power steering systems, and more particularly, to such a system including a steering control valve having an input detection device.
Conventional hydraulic power steering systems are already well known to those skilled in the art, and are illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,034,419 and 5,020,618, both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference.
The typical hydraulic power steering system includes a steering control unit having directional control valving, comprising a spool and a sleeve, operated by an input such as a steering wheel. A steering cylinder is connected to the steering control unit through right and left hydraulic lines. A source supplies pressurized fluid for the steering cylinder through a hydraulic line connected to the steering control unit. The steering unit includes a housing having inlet and outlet ports and right and left control fluid ports, and a fluid meter having internally and externally-toothed members. The directional control valving controls fluid communication between the various ports and the fluid meter.
In the application of many such hydraulic power steering systems, it is especially desirable to be able to detect the torque being applied to the input to the steering unit, i.e., the torque being applied to the input shaft which connects the steering wheel to the spool of the directional valving. Typically, it is necessary that the detection of the input torque be fairly accurate.
In order to meet such requirements, those skilled in the art have developed various system modifications requiring parts to be added to the steering control unit. This results in additional complication and cost of the overall system. Those skilled in the art have also attempted to perform torque or input detection by sensing the pressure at the inlet port of the steering control valve. However, this is typically not accurate enough because of variations in the pump discharge pressure and the amount of opening of the control orifices in the steering valve.

Hydraulic power steering system with input detection capability


A vibration sensor is secured to an object whose vibrations are to be sensed, and includes a vibration plate capable of resonating at one of first resonance frequencies within a specific high frequency region of the frequencies at which the object can vibrate. A vibration element capable of resonating at one of second resonance frequencies within a specific low frequency region of the frequencies at which the object can vibrate is connected to the vibration plate so that the vibration resulting from the resonance of the vibration element is transmitted to the vibration plate. Further, a piezoelectric transducer element is fixed to the vibration plate, and is able to generate an electric signal in response to the stress applied by the vibration plate when this plate vibrates. Thus, it is possible, with a single sensor, to sense both vibrations composed of relatively high frequency components and vibrations composed of relatively low frequency components.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vibration sensor and, more specifically, to a vibration sensor for sensing vibrations that is used in a security system of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A security system installed in a vehicle, such as an automobile, includes a motion sensor and a shock sensor, which together constitute a vibration sensor apparatus. The motion sensor is adapted to sense a vibration which is composed of a relatively low frequency component and which may be caused when, for instance, a person gets in or out of the vehicle. The shock sensor is adapted to sense a vibration composed of a relatively high frequency component and which may be caused when, for instance, the body of the vehicle is hit, or when the door, the trunk, the bonnet, etc. of the vehicle is opened by force.
However, it is difficult to reduce the size of a security system if it includes a vibration sensor apparatus consisting of a motion sensor and a shock sensor. For this reason, it is desirable that a vibration sensor apparatus for use in a security system of a vehicle consist of a single sensor, and yet be capable of sensing both vibrations composed of high frequency components and vibrations composed of low frequency components. In other words, such a vibration sensor apparatus is desired to be able to sense vibrations of not more than 10 Hz in order to detect a motion with respect to the vehicle, and also able to sense vibrations of from 100 to seven hundred Hz in order to detect a shock applied to the vehicle.


A system and method for controlling the state of charge of an energy storage system examines a number of parameters to determine if a target state of charge should be adjusted. Parameters related to one or more of: a target life span of the energy storage system, driving habits of a vehicle operator, or environmental conditions are examined. The target state of charge is changed from a predetermined baseline target state of charge when the parameter values meet predetermined conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for controlling a state of charge for an energy storage system.
2. Background Art
With the ever increasing need to produce vehicles that are more fuel efficient, hybrid electric vehicles (HEV's) have provided an improvement in fuel economy over many conventional vehicles that utilize only an internal combustion engine to drive the vehicle. One of the primary advantages of an HEV is that it allows the vehicle to be powered by one or more electric motors under certain operating conditions. For example, if the speed of the vehicle is relatively moderate, and the battery or other electrical power sources sufficiently charged, the engine may be shut off, and the vehicle powered exclusively by the electric motors. As operating conditions change, the engine may be started to provide additional power, and if needed, operate a generator to charge the battery.
In order to ensure that the battery has enough power to perform desired functions—e.g., operate a generator to start the engine, or provide power to a motor to provide torque to the vehicle wheels—a state of charge of the battery is maintained within a predetermined range. For example, if the state of charge drops below a certain value, the engine may be started to drive a generator to charge the battery. Operation of the engine consumes fossil fuel, and produces undesirable emissions.
Conversely, if the state of charge rises above a certain level, additional charging may be undesirable. In such a case, additional charging of the battery is rejected. Therefore, if the vehicle is slowed or stopped—a situation that may typically call for the capture of regenerative braking energy—the vehicle's friction brakes may be used so that the battery is not overcharged. This is inefficient, as the energy available from the braking operation is lost.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method for controlling the state of charge of an energy storage system, such as a battery, so that it is allowed to drop below some predetermined baseline if it is known or contemplated that charging operations will be occurring. Similarly, it would be desirable for the system and method to allow the state of charge to rise above the baseline if it is known or contemplated that the stored energy will be used.

System and method for controlling a state of charge of an energy storage system


The present invention relates to an improved approach for the treatment of microbial infections in mammals. Specifically, the invention provides methods and reagents for expressing in mammalian cells proteins that have anti-microbial activity. The invention provides both genes which have been modified to allow expression and preferably secretion of active protein in desired mammalian cells or tissues, and methods of introducing such modified genes into desired mammalian cells and/or tissues. Most specifically, genes encode anti-staphylococcal proteins are delivered to mammalian cells and/or tissues by methods of gene delivery, including gene therapy and the production of transgenic animals, for the treatment of mastitis in ruminant animals.

Bovine staphylococcal mastitis is a frequent problem for the dairy industry, and leads to estimated annual economic losses of $184 per cow per year. This corresponds to a U.S. total of $1.7 billion per year for milk producers and milk processors. These losses arise from reduced milk yield, reduced compositional quality, lower product quality and increased veterinary cost.
Mastitis is transmitted from cow to cow at milking time. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a major pathogen that infects both humans and animals, and that accounts for 15 to 30% of intramammary infection cows. Staphylococcus infections are often characterized by their persistence and their deleterious effects on milk production and quality. Current therapies and preventative treatments for staphylococcal mastitis rely heavily on sterilization techniques, selective culling of animals with chronic recurring mastitis, and the use of β-lactam antibiotics such as cepharin and penicillin derivatives (Bramley, et al., J. Dairy Res., Craven, et al., J. Dairy Res., 51:513–523, 1984). Also, numerous attempts have been made to develop vaccines, but none have stood the test of time (Derbyshire and Smith, Res. Vet. Sci. 109:559, 1969; Nelson L. et al., Flem. Vet. J., 62 Suppl., 1:111; Rainard et al., Flem. Vet. J. 62 Suppl., 1:141; Watson et al., Proc. Int. Symp. Bovine Mastitis Indianapolis, 73). Although sterilization techniques and the use of antibiotics have had a positive impact on dairy animal health and milk production, the prognosis for the elimination of S. aureus infection is poor, with often less than a 15% cure rate. This problem may be attributable to incomplete penetration of the antibiotics and/or sequestration of the bacteria within the host cells, leading to a relapse of the infection once treatment has ended (Craven and Anderson, supra). The widespread use of antibiotics in dairy animals is also of great concern to the consumer. One problem is accidental exposure of the consumer to the antibiotic drug that can induce a strong immune response and result in anaphylaxis. A second concern is that the overuse of antibiotics selects for microorganisms that are resistant to the antibiotic. Many S. aureus strains have already acquired resistance to commonly used antibiotics such as ampicillin and penicillin. Such prevalent problems have made it necessary to discard milk for period up to 96 hours after antibiotic treatment of an animal, resulting in an enormous waste of milk product and cost to milk producers.
There is a need for the development of an improved approach to treating mastitis infections.


An ozone generating system and an ozone generating method producing ozone at a high concentration and operating at high efficiency, in which a raw material gas with no nitrogen added and mainly containing oxygen is used. The amount of generation of NOX by-product is null. A raw material gas not containing nitrogen and mainly containing oxygen is supplied to an ozone generator, an AC voltage is applied to produce discharge light having a wavelength of 428 nm to 620 nm, a catalytic material containing a photocatalytic material with a band gap energy of 2.0 eV to 2.9 eV is provided on an electrode or a dielectric in a discharge region, gas pressure is kept at 0.1 MPa to 0.4 MPa, and ozone is generated.

In the prior art, following various techniques are developed.
According to patent document 1, in an ozone generator system, a raw material gas is supplied from a first raw material supply system for supplying a specified flow rate from an oxygen cylinder with a purity of 99.995% or higher, and from a second raw material supply system for supplying a specified flow rate of second raw material gas (nitrogen, helium, argon, or carbon dioxide) with a purity of 99.99% or higher, a high AC voltage is applied between electrodes, silent discharge (dielectric barrier discharge) is caused between the electrodes through a dielectric, and the raw material gas is transformed into an ozone gas. It is disclosed that although the cause of a time-varying reduction phenomenon of ozone concentration is not clear, the time-varying reduction phenomenon exists in the ozone gas once generated by the generator under high purity oxygen, and as means for suppressing the time-varying reduction, it is effective to add a nitrogen gas or the like to the high purity oxygen.
Patent document 2 discloses that a mixture ratio of an oxygen gas as a raw material gas of an ozone apparatus to a nitrogen gas is set in a range of from 1:0.0002 (200 ppm) to 0.0033 (3300 ppm). FIG. 2 of the patent document 2 shows a characteristic of the amount of addition of nitrogen gas and the concentration of ozone obtained by the ozone generator system, and as the amount of addition of nitrogen at which sufficient ozone concentration (about 100 g/m3 or more) is obtained, the mixture ratio is set to 1:0.0002. In order to suppress the amount of generation of nitrogen oxide as a reaction poisonous substance from the generator to be small, the mixture ratio is set to 1:0.0033 or less. It is disclosed that when the oxygen raw material gas in which the amount of addition of nitrogen is 100 ppm or less is used, the ozone concentration of 20 g/m3 (9333 ppm) is merely obtained, and the ozone concentration which is ⅙ or less of the ozone concentration of 120 g/m3 (56000 ppm) at the time of a nitrogen additive rate of 3300 ppm is merely obtained. Besides, in the specification, it is disclosed that although an argon gas, instead of the nitrogen gas, is added to the high purity oxygen, the ozone concentration of about 20 g/m3 (9333 ppm) is merely obtained independently of an argon mixture ratio, and the argon gas does not have an effect to raise the ozone concentration.
Besides, according to patent document 3, in an ozone generator system, a TiO2 film is formed on a discharge surface of a dielectric. Instead of the addition of high purity nitrogen gas, titanium oxide having a metal element ratio of 10 wt % is coated on the discharge surface of the dielectric in the generator.
Besides, in patent document 4, it is proposed that in an ozone apparatus which can obtain a maximum ozone concentration of 180 g/m3, the amount of addition of nitrogen is made 0.01% to 0.5% in order to suppress the time-varying reduction of ozone concentration.
In the prior art, with respect to the mechanism of generating the ozone gas by silent discharge, it is said that the generation is carried out by following reaction equations.e+O22O+e (dissociation of oxygen)  R1;O+O2+MO3+M  R2;
(ozone generation based on triple collision by oxygen atom and oxygen molecule)e+O3O+O2+e (electron collision decomposition)  R3;O3+heat TO+O2 (heat decomposition)  R4;O3+NO2+N1(decomposition of ozone by impurity)  R5;
Incidentally, N1 denotes what is different from N.
The generation of the ozone gas is such that the oxygen molecule is dissociated into the oxygen atoms in R1, and the ozone is generated based on the triple collision by the oxygen atom and the oxygen molecule in R2.
As the decomposition of the generated ozone, the electron collision decomposition of R3, the heat decomposition of R4, the decomposition of ozone by the impurity of R5, or the like is conceivable.
As the ozone gas which can be extracted from the generator, the ozone gas is obtained according to the balance state of the reaction equations of R1 to R5. That is, the ozone gas can be extracted by a following equation.extracted ozone=(R1*R2)−(R3+R4+R5+ . . . )
Besides, in the prior art, it is stated that in the case of the high purity oxygen, with respect to the ozone generated by the ozone generation mechanism, since the ozone concentration is reduced with the passage of time during the operation, the nitrogen gas is added to the raw material gas, or TiO2 as the photocatalyst is applied to the discharge electrode surface, so that a following reaction occurs, and the time-varying reduction of the ozone concentration is prevented.O3*+N2O3O3*+TiO2O3
Patent document 1, patent document 2 and patent document 3 are for stably obtaining the ozone concentration at a relatively low ozone concentration of about 120 g/m3.
Incidentally, in the respective conventional techniques, different phenomena as set forth below are described. Although patent document 1 discloses that a gas of helium, argon, or carbon dioxide is also effective as a gas other than the nitrogen gas addition, patent document 2 discloses that in the case of the high purity oxygen, the argon gas is not effective.
Although patent document 1 discloses that the amount of addition of the second raw material gas is made 10000 ppm to 100000 ppm, patent document 2 discloses 200 ppm to 2300 ppm which is different.
Patent document 1 discloses that in the high purity oxygen, the concentration is reduced by the operation for about one hour, while patent document 3 discloses the concentration reduction after the operation for about 7 hours, which is different.
Besides, patent document 1 discloses at column 6, line 49 to column 7, line 2 that as an ozone concentration immediately after the start of the operation, data is shown in FIG. 6 in which an ozone concentration of only 75 g/m3 is obtained at a time of a percentage content of 0 vol %, while FIG. 5 shows that an ozone concentration immediately after the start of the operation in high purity oxygen is a maximum concentration of 143.5 g/m3 (see Table 3). The two experimental data indicate quite different values and phenomena, and exhibit very unclear facts.
As stated above, in the conventional technique in which with respect to the ozone generated in the apparatus, the nitrogen gas or the like is added to the oxygen gas in order to suppress the time-varying reduction of the ozone concentration, the results and effects vary according to the conditions, and although an experimental verification was made for patent document 1, patent document 2, and patent document 3, patent document 1 and patent document 3 could not be substantiated, and it turned out that the addition of a single noble gas (helium, neon, argon, xenon, etc.) other than nitrogen was ineffective.
Both patent document 1 and patent document 4 disclose that the reduction of the ozone concentration is the time-varying reduction, however, it is disclosed that when it is once reduced, it does not return to the original ozone concentration. From the recitation that the concentration does not return to the original ozone concentration, it can not be judged to be the time-varying reduction, and the role of the addition of nitrogen is not clear.
Further, when the nitrogen is added at an additive rate of approximately 0.15% (1500 ppm) or more, in addition to the ozone gas, a large amount of NOX by-product gas such as N2O5 or N2O is generated by the silent discharge.N2O5+H2O2HNO3OH+NO2+MHNO3+M
Besides, when a large amount of NOX by-product is produced, a nitric acid (HNO3) cluster (vapor) is generated by the reaction of the NOX gas component and moisture contained in the raw material gas, and the ozonized gas is extracted in such a state that a trace amount of NOX gas and nitric acid cluster, together with oxygen and ozone gas, are mixed. When the amount of the trace amount of nitric acid cluster contained is several hundred ppm or more, there are problems that rust of chromium oxide or the like is deposited by nitric acid on the inner surface of a stainless pipe as an ozone gas outlet pipe, a metal impurity is mixed into a clean ozone gas, the metal impurity in a reaction gas for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus has a bad influence on the manufacture of a semiconductor, and the trace amount of the generated nitric acid cluster has a bad influence as a reaction poisonous substance on "an etching process of a silicon oxide film by ozone" or "ozone water washing of a wafer or the like" of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
In the ozone apparatus of the conventional technique, the concentration of the extracted ozone is low, and in order to extract ozone with a high concentration of 200 g/m3 or more, there is only a method of increasing the nitrogen additive rate or a method of decreasing the gas flow rate. In the method of increasing the nitrogen additive rate, as described above, there is a problem that the by-product gas of NOX is increased.
Besides, when the gas flow rate is decreased, there are problems that the amount of ozone generation is extremely lowered, and production efficiency on the side of using the ozone becomes worse.
Further, in the newest "etching apparatus of an oxide film by ozone" or "ozone water washing of a wafer or the like", a high ozone concentration of 200 g/m3 or more is needed, and with respect to the amount of ozone generation, there is a request for an ozone apparatus having an ozone capacity of several tens g/h or more on an economically viable basis in production on the user side. Further, in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, an apparatus which produces less reaction poisonous material, such as nitric acid, has been needed.
Besides, although a trace amount, about 1%, of N2 gas is added in order to increase the generation efficiency of an ozone gas, the N2 gas is transformed into NOX or nitric acid cluster (vapor) by discharge in the generator.
Thus, in the discharge space (discharge region), as the gas flow velocity becomes low, or the injected discharge power becomes high, the amount of generation of NOX as the nitrogen oxide is increased, and therefore, there are problems that the ozone generation efficiency is lowered, and the concentration of the extracted ozone is reduced.
Next, as specific main production apparatuses using high concentration ozone gas and products obtained by the production apparatuses, the following are enumerated.
TABLE 1Main production apparatus using ozone gas and productsfield of productionapparatusobtained productfunctionchemical vaporsemiconductorconductive thin filmdeposition apparatus,insulating thin filmALD thin film depositiondielectric thin filmapparatussemiconductor thin filmcapacitorhigh dielectric constantthin filmflat panelconductive tin filminsulating thin filmdielectric thin filmsemiconductor thin filmsolar cellconductive thin filminsulating thin filmdielectric thin filmsemiconductor thin filmmagnetic tapehigh magnetic thin filmsuperconductingsuperconducting thin filmthin filmozone condensingultra highozone condensationapparatusconcentration ozonegaspulp bleaching apparatuspaperozone bleaching
FIG. 24 shows an example of a conventional chemical vapor deposition apparatus (that is, CVD apparatus: Chemical Vapor Deposition) for forming a thin film by using a high concentration ozone gas or an ALD thin film deposition apparatus (Atomic Layer Deposition).
In FIG. 24, reference numeral 600 denotes a CVD apparatus or an ALD deposition apparatus apparatus to obtain a metal vapor by laser ablation; 601, a laser apparatus; 602, a laser beam diaphragm lens; 603, a chamber; 604, a beam inlet port; 607, a beam inlet window; 605a, an ozone gas inlet port; 605b, a noble gas inlet port; 606, a gas exhaust port; 608, a table for a processed material; 610, a processed material (semiconductor wafer, etc.); 612, a stand; 611, a metal target material for a thin film of noble metal such as platinum, ruthenium or palladium; A3000, an ozone gas supply system; and 618, a vacuum apparatus. Incidentally, 10A denotes a noble gas cylinder; 617, a vacuum valve; and 619, exhaust.
In the conventional CVD apparatus or the ALD thin film deposition apparatus, a gas of mixture of an oxygen gas from an oxygen gas cylinder 10 and a nitrogen gas from a nitrogen cylinder 10B in a range of about 0.01 to 1% with respect to the oxygen gas is supplied to an ozone generator system A300, a high concentration ozone gas is generated in the ozone generator system, the high concentration ozone gas is inputted to the CVD apparatus or the ALD thin film deposition apparatus, and an oxidation reaction process of ozone is performed. The operation of the apparatus is such that the processed material 610 is mounted on the processed material table 608, vacuum drawing is performed by the vacuum apparatus 618, and moisture or the like adhered to the surface of the processed material 610 is removed. Subsequently, an ozone gas of about 100 g/m3 is introduced into the chamber 603 in a negative pressure state, the temperature is raised up to several hundred degrees by a heater in the processed material table 608 and a temperature adjustment part 609, a carbon compound, moisture, hydrogen compound and the like adsorbed on the surface of the processed material 610 are subjected to a thermal reaction process by the ozone gas, and a cleaning process of the surface of the processed material 610 is performed (0. cleaning step).
At a next step, in the evacuated chamber 603, a pulse laser beam 613 having intense energy is focused on and is made to impinge on the thin film target material 611 as the thin film material in the chamber from the laser apparatus 601 mounted outside, so that a metal vapor 615 is released by local heating from the thin film target material 611 into the chamber, the low pressure metal vapor is made to fill it, and metal particles of the order of from submicron to several microns are deposited onto a surface at an atomic layer level by the temperature control of the processed material mounted on the processed material table 608 (1. deposit step). With respect to the metal deposited onto the surface of the processed material at the atomic layer level, a high concentration ozone gas of about 300 g/m3 in a negative pressure state is introduced into the chamber, the temperature is raised up to several hundred decrees by the heater in the processed material table 608 and the temperature adjustment part 609, and the deposited metal is transformed into metal oxide (2. ozone oxidation reaction step).
At a final step, in a state where the inside of the chamber is made to be filled with a noble gas as an inert gas, or the like, a heat treatment at a specified temperature is performed by the heater in the processed material table 608 and the temperature adjustment part 60, and the metal oxide is made an effective metal oxide crystal (3. annealing step). The above steps of 1. deposit step→2. ozone oxidation reaction step→3. annealing step are repeated until the deposited thin film comes to have a desired thickness, and the thin film effective in function is formed. Although the process of forming a thin film such as a semiconductor includes, in addition to the above steps, various complicated steps such as a doping step, an etching step, and a resist peeling step, they are omitted here.
As products using thin films, there are a capacitor mounted on a board of an electronic apparatus, a semiconductor element, a flat panel as a display part of a television, a solar battery cell used for a solar battery, a superconducting thin film element, and a magnetic storage tape.
In the thin films used for these products, reduction in film thickness is required for purposes as follows:
i) improvement in integration
ii) reduction in cost of element
iii) improvement in function
iv) reduction in electric power.
In order to realize products having achieved the objects as stated above, with respect to requested performance of a thin film itself, one having following functions is required.
(1) semiconductor thin film
(2) insulating thin film
(3) oxide metal thin film
(4) ferroelectric thin film for a capacitor or a semiconductor,
(5) ferromagnetic thin film for magnetic recording
(6) thin film as an optical material for a photoelectric device
(7) superconducting thin film
As the semiconductor thin film of (1), there is a silicon oxide thin film. As the insulating thin film of (2), attention is given to a thin film of ZrO2, HfO2, or Ln2O3 excellent in insulation. As the oxide metal thin film of (3), there is RuO2 or SrRuO3 instead of platinum and copper. As the ferroelectric thin film of (4), there is Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3 or (BaxSr1-x)TiO3 for a nonvolatile memory. As the ferromagnetic thin film of (5), there is Y3Fe5O12. As the thin film as the optical material of (6), attention is given to a high speed optical switching function of LiNbO3 or the like, and attention is given also to a thin film as a waveguide. As the superconducting thin film of (7), there is a metal oxide such as YBa2CuO7.
Any of these thin films are obtained by crystal growth of metal oxide of noble metal as transition metal of Group IV, or GroupIII-V under a specific environment. In order to obtain these metal oxides, there is required a thin film realized by only high thermodynamic oxidation capacity (oxidation comparable to high pressure oxygen corresponding to a pressure of 1018 atmospheres in an equivalent oxygen partial pressure) of the ozone gas, and it can be hardly realized unless the ozone gas is used.
A conventional CVD apparatus and an ALD thin film deposition apparatus to obtain a metal oxide thin film having the high function as stated above have problems as set forth below.
i) Performance quality of the thin film is poor.
ii) Performance of the thin film is uneven.
iii) Deposition speed of the thin film is low.
As the cause of i) and ii), a metal impurity, a carbon impurity, a nitrogen impurity, hydrogen, or moisture is mixed at respective steps in the apparatus, and there are problems of the insulation of the thin film element, the increase of leak current, the fluctuation of performance, the deterioration of mechanical adhesion of the thin film itself, and the like.
In a conventional ozone gas condensing apparatus using a high concentration ozone gas, a high concentration ozone gas obtained from an ozone generator system is made to pass through a tank filled with silica gel cooled to about −60° C. to −100° C. to form liquefied ozone, and it is made to be adsorbed (adsorption step) by the filling silica gel, and then, the adsorbed liquefied ozone is heated up to approximately a room temperature, a carrier gas such as oxygen is made to flow through the tank filled with the silica gel or the like, the liquefied ozone is evaporated (desorption step), and the super-high concentration ozone gas higher than the high concentration ozone gas obtained from the ozone generator system is obtained. In this ozone condensing apparatus, when an impurity such as nitrogen or nitrogen oxide (NOX) is contained in the ozone gas, not only the ozone gas, but also NOX contained in the gas is liquefied, and the adsorbed NOX is not desorbed in the desorption step but is accumulated on the silica gel, and there is a problem that the condensing ability of the condensing apparatus is lowered.
In conventional bleaching of pulp, chlorine bleaching has been the mainstream. However, at the time of pulp bleaching, since an organochlorine compound such as harmful dioxin is discharged, there occurs a problem from the viewpoint of environment, and attention is given to an ozone bleaching apparatus which has bleaching ability and does not discharge a harmful material. However, a large ozone apparatus is hard to realize, and there has been a fear that since nitrogen oxide is contained in the ozone gas, a pipe is broken due to corrosion of the pulp bleaching apparatus, and pulp fibers are damaged. Besides, in the case where nitrogen gas is not added to the ozone generator system, a sufficient amount of ozone generation is not obtained, and there have been problems that the ozone generator system becomes large, electric power consumption becomes large, and an economical merit of the ozone bleaching apparatus is lost.
Patent document 1: JP-B-6-21010 (pages 1 to 4, FIG. 1)
Patent document 2: Japanese Patent No. 2641956 (pages 1 to 4, FIGS. 2 to 3)
Patent document 3: JP-A-11-21110
Patent document 4: Japanese Patent No. 2587860

Ozone generator system and ozone generating method

Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation


A dispensing canister-add-on-component assembly, comprising a dispensing canister comprising a substantially cylindrical container having a closed end and an open end, said open end of the container being equipped by means of a ferrule with a dispensing means; a substantially cylindrical add-on component; said component being positioned adjacent to the closed end of the container to form a generally cylindrical canister-component sub-assembly having an interface between the canister and add-on component.

Metered dose dispensers, in particular pressurized metered dose dispensers, have had a major role in for example the treatment of asthma and other conditions since they were introduced nearly half a century ago. Moreover, the use of metered dose medicinal dispensers is becoming an increasingly important method of administering medicaments to a patient e.g. to the lung, nasal and/or buccal cavities or sublingually.
The medicament is generally formulated with suitable propellant and if appropriate other components and charged into a container, e.g. an aerosol vial. The container is typically fitted by means of a ferrule with a dispensing means, such a valve, in particular a metered dose valve, comprising an elongate outlet member (e.g. a valve stem) movable between closed and discharged positions, to provide a dispensing canister. The dispensing canister is typically used in conjunction with an actuator, typically having a patient port, for example a mouthpiece or a port adapted for nasal use. The actuator typically comprises a support block having a socket adapted to receive the outlet member of the dispensing means and an orifice having open communication with the socket and the patient port. The container and the support block are reciprocally movable relative to each other to allow the outlet member to move to its discharge position during the operation or firing of the device, thereby dispensing a dose. The adaptor also typically includes an elongate or generally cylindrical portion extending opposite the support block and providing a chamber to house at least a portion of the container. To facilitate locating and supporting the proper alignment of the container within the chamber, typically the chamber is provided with one or more ribs. There are many critical design features of the actuator and the dispensing canister, in particular in relation to one another, in order to achieve the necessary and/or desirable medicinal dispensing performance. For example, for metered dose inhalers, the design of the airflow passage through the actuator entraining the spray is taken into account to facilitate the provision of the required and/or desired and/or consistent in vitro dose delivery and respirable fraction.
A difficulty arising from use of metered dose medicinal devices is that the patient often cannot precisely determine the amount of medicament in the container at any given time. In extreme cases, a patient, possibly in an emergency situation and requiring an immediate dose of medicament, may find that the container will not dispense a dose because its contents have already been exhausted.
A number of dose counters, as an add-on component for metered dose medicinal products to be mounted onto the closed end of the container of the dispensing canister, have been proposed, e.g. in WO 95/26769, WO 95/08484, WO 96/03172, WO 96/39337, WO 99/57019, U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,163 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,007.

Metered dose dispensers and assemblies therefor


In an upper mount portion, a steering central axis related to a steering force of a steering handle and a vibration central axis related to a torque reaction force of an engine are configured to be shifted back and forth. A mount member is formed such that a spring constant related to the vibration central axis is smaller than a spring constant related to the steering central axis.

Usually, an outboard motor is mounted to a transom of a ship via a swivel bracket. In this case, the outboard motor is rotatably mounted to the swivel bracket. For example, a steering handle with a throttle grip to adjust engine output at a distal end typically extends from a front lower portion of an engine forward. Horizontally steering this steering handle changes a direction of the entire outboard motor, thus ensuring the steering of a ship.
There has been provided a mounting structure for an outboard motor, for example, like the following outboard motor according to Patent Document 1. A drive shaft housing, which includes a drive shaft in an internal exhaust passage, is disposed below an engine. The drive shaft housing is rotatable supported to a rotating support portion of a swivel bracket. A resilient body is mounted to an outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft housing. A handle bracket to support a base of the steering handle is mounted to an outer peripheral surface of this resilient body. A bracket cover to which the swivel bracket is mounted is slidably mounted to an outer peripheral surface of the handle bracket via a bush. This mounting structure reduces a transmission of engine vibrations to the steering handle side and a ship side by the resilient body.
An outboard motor according to Patent Document 2 includes a resilient member interposed between a steering handle and an engine side. This resilient member is configured to be freely vibratable in a clearance between the steering handle and the engine side. The outboard motor further includes an abutting portion, which can be brought into abutment with the engine side, on a steering handle side. This mounting structure minimizes vibrations transmitted from the engine to the steering handle.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-347696    Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 11-189199
Conventionally, as described above, a steering function and a vibration damping function are obtained by a mount shape, approximately cylindrical shape, of the resilient body or the resilient member. In this case, a spring constant in a rotation direction of the resilient body is generally preferable to be large in terms of the steering function. In terms of the vibration damping function, the spring constant is generally preferable to be small. Reducing the spring constant of the mount (resilient body) to reduce vibrations causes a problem of making responsiveness or operational feeling of the steering worse. Thus, a balance between the functions conflicting in the approximately cylindrical mount shape needs to be considered. Therefore, achieving further improvement both in the vibration damping function and the steering performance is not easy.


A current measurement apparatus includes: a current sensing element generating a signal according to a current to be measured; a current measurement means measuring an amount of the current to be measured from the signal outputted from the current sensing element; a communication unit receiving system information from at least one upper-level controller; a correction amount calculation unit calculating information on an amount of a corrected current based on the amount of the current to be measured and the system information; and a measurement operation unit outputting the information on the amount of the corrected current to the at least one upper-level controller.

Among current measurement apparatuses, there is a hall sensor type current measurement apparatus having a hall element installed in an air gap of a C-shaped magnetic core to measure a voltage generated in the hall element, thereby detecting a strength of a magnetic field. FIG. 1 illustrates a current measurement element of the current measurement apparatus.
In the current measurement apparatus, the magnetic core is excited by a magnetomotive force generated by a current to be measured, and the hall element installed in the air gap of the magnetic core measures a magnetic flux density in the form of a voltage proportional to the current to be measured.
The magnetic core basically has hysteresis characteristics between the current to be measured and the magnetic flux density induced thereform. FIGS. 2A and 2B each illustrate an example of a hysteresis characteristic curve of the magnetic core.
Conventionally, an amount of the current to be measured is measured from a voltage value outputted from the hall element using a simple circuit, with a problem in that it is not possible to reduce a current measurement error that occurs due to the hysteresis characteristics of the magnetic core.

Apparatus and a method of current measurement with compensation capability based on system information


A fuel cell module includes a first area where an exhaust gas combustor and a start-up combustor are provided, an annular second area disposed around the first area where a heat exchanger is provided, an annular third area disposed around the second area where a reformer is provided, and an annular fourth area disposed around the third area where an evaporator is provided. A stress absorber for absorbing heat stress is provided in at least one of the first area, the second area, the third area, and the fourth area.

Typically, a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) employs a solid electrolyte made of an ion-conductive oxide such as stabilized zirconia. The electrolyte is interposed between an anode and a cathode to form an electrolyte electrode assembly (hereinafter also referred to as an MEA). The electrolyte electrode assembly is interposed between separators. During use thereof, generally, a predetermined number of the electrolyte electrode assemblies and the separators are stacked together to form a fuel cell stack.
As a system including this type of fuel cell stack, for example, the fuel cell battery disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-236980 (hereinafter referred to as conventional technique 1) is known. As shown in FIG. 14, the fuel cell battery includes a fuel cell stack 1a, and a heat insulating sleeve 2a provided at one end of the fuel cell stack 1a. A reaction device 4a is provided in the heat insulating sleeve 2a. The reaction device 4a includes a heat exchanger 3a.
In the reaction device 4a, as a treatment for a liquid fuel, partial oxidation reforming, which does not use water, is performed. After the liquid fuel is evaporated by an exhaust gas, the liquid fuel passes through a feeding point 5a, which forms part of the heat exchanger 3a. The fuel contacts an oxygen carrier gas heated by the exhaust gas to induce partial oxidation reforming, and thereafter, the fuel is supplied to the fuel cell stack 1a.
Further, as shown in FIG. 15, the solid oxide fuel cell disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2010-504607 (PCT) (hereinafter referred to as conventional technique 2) has a heat exchanger 2b including a cell core 1b. The heat exchanger 2b heats air at the cathode utilizing waste heat.
Further, as shown in FIG. 16, the fuel cell system disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-288434 (hereinafter referred to as conventional technique 3) includes a first area 1c having a vertically extending columnar shape, and an annular second area 2c disposed around the first area 1c, an annular third area 3c disposed around the second area 2c, and an annular fourth area 4c disposed around the third area 3c.
A burner 5c is provided in the first area 1c, and a reforming pipe 6c is provided in the second area 2c. A water evaporator 7c is provided in the third area 3c, and a CO shift converter 8c is provided in the fourth area 4c.


An electronic apparatus breaks a stream of recorded sound into discrete segments. The apparatus randomizes the order of the sound segments and will allow the sound segments to be re-ordered to their original order or to some desired order. The apparatus allows re-ordering of the sub-segments of a sound segment to create additional sounds (i.e. playing a sound segment backwards). The apparatus includes a control that will record and playback individual or groups of sound segments. A memory or skills game can be played in which the object is to re-assemble the sound segments to some determined order in a limited or unlimited amount of time. Levels of difficulty can be changed to make the game more challenging. The apparatus allows a player to create silly and entertaining stories by arranging the sound segments in some order and then playing some or all of them back to the player.

A variety of games, toys and puzzles are known in the prior art which teach and entertain through the use of speech and sounds. Some toys pose problems concerning math, spelling, sentence structure and other topics. An existing toy, "The story book" made available by Mattel Toys, Inc. allows a player to create funny stories using a menu of sentence fragments.
The following United States Patents disclose systems believed representative of the prior art: U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,144, issued Oct. 4, 1966, U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,288, issued Sep. 30, 1975, U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,710, issued Apr. 27, 1982, U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,985, issued Oct. 21, 1986, U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,086, issued Mar. 3, 1987, U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,185, issued Jun. 26, 1990, U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,495, issued Apr. 23, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,658, issued Aug. 13, 1991, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,447, issued September 8, 1992.
What these prior art toys and other devices all have in common is their limited flexibility concerning the topics they cover, how much of a topic can be covered, how many languages and dialects are used to communicate what is covered, and how these topics can be used in an entertaining or instructional game or puzzle format.


Provided is a recording paper having a feeling of plain paper suitable for ink jet recording with water-base ink, with the recording paper having in both machine and cross directions an irreversible shrinkage factor of from -0.10% to +0.10% when it is put under an environment that the relative humidity thereof is changed from 35% to 90% and further changed to 35%.

In recent years, copying machines and printers using an electrophotographic or ink jet recording method have undergone remarkable improvements in performance. Specifically, they have made spectacular progress in not only copying and printing speeds but also image qualities, particularly in full-color copying and printing arts. However, recording apparatus, such as copying machines and printers of the aforementioned type, cannot fully achieve their excellent performances unless they match well with recording paper used therein.
In accordance with an ink jet recording method, the recording is generally carried out using water base ink, and so it has drawbacks of being inferior in drying speed of ink and suffering from ripple generation on the recording paper surface after printing.
For the recording paper applied to an ink jet recording system, therefore, it is required to have not only properties of ensuring high-speed drying of ink, providing recorded images of high optical density and causing neither overflowing nor feathering of ink but also a property of causing no ripple on the recording paper after absorption of ink. The generation of ripple and curl in an ink jet recording paper vary in their behaviors according to the ink absorption characteristics which the recording paper has, the surface tension and the permeability of ink used for the recording, the size of ink drops jetted, the amount of ink driven into the recording paper, the recorded area and so on. Further, their behaviors just after printing differ from those after spontaneous drying of the printed ink.
In order to reduce rippling and curling troubles occurring just after printing, various arts are disclosed. As for the ripples caused on the so-called pigment-coated ink jet recording paper, for instance, the method of preventing the ripple generation by the use of a raw paper having excellent dimensional stability is disclosed in Japanese Tokkai Sho 62-95285 (The term "Tokkai" as used herein means an "unexamined published patent application"). Further, Japanese Tokkai Hei 6-171206 pays special attention to a moisture change in the recording paper, and discloses the method of giving a particular treatment to the back side of a recording paper. Since the rippling and curling troubles occur due to expansion of paper upon recording, the point aimed at by both of those methods consists in securing the dimensional stability of a recording paper. In other words, the arts cited above intend the ripple generation problem to be solved by using a dimensionally stable paper and by giving a dimensional stability improving treatment to a recording paper, respectively.
As for the curl and ripple generation after spontaneous drying of printed ink, on the other hand, ink jet recording papers have not yet had substantial improvements therein. In a case where the undulation and the curling of a recording paper are smoothened out by half compulsion, e.g., with a decurler or the like, as disclosed in Japanese Tokkai Hei 7-186519, such distortion of the recording paper disappears seemingly, but the distortion still remains inside the recording paper. Accordingly, the distortion emerges into the paper surface when the recording paper is allowed to stand in such an environment as to change the moisture therein. Thus, such a half compulsory smoothening cannot dissolve the distortion in a substantial sense.
There are many reports on the curl of a general recording paper. In particular, the reversible curl have been analyzed in detail (e.g., in Kami Pa Gikyo Shi, Vol. 39, No. 10; ibid., Vol. 41, No. 4; ibid. , Vol. 43, No. 7). The reversible curl signifies the curl appearing in relatively high reproductivity when the environment of a recording paper is repeatedly changed in humidity, and the theoretical analysis thereof has been well in progress. As a result thereof, for instance, it has turned out that the so-called heat curl of an electrophotographic transfer paper, namely the curl after thermal fixation, can be controlled by restricting a paper's shrinkage factor to a specified range, wherein the shrinkage factor is defined as a shrinkage factor which the paper has on the last dehumidifying cycle when it undergoes three cycles of specified changes in environmental humidity to make reversible expansion and shrinkage cycles (Japanese Tokkai Hei 5-34155).
The irreversible curl, on the other hand, generates during the first cycle of changes in humidity, and the curl generating in the course of humidity change to the higher side is irreversible in particular. Far from being well analyzed, it is the present condition that the irreversible curl is hardly recognized yet.


One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that controls rippling caused by optical proximity correction during an optical lithography process for manufacturing an integrated circuit. During operation, the system selects an evaluation point for a given segment, wherein the given segment is located on an edge in the layout of the integrated circuit. The system also selects a supplemental evaluation point for the given segment. Next, the system computes a deviation from a target location for the given segment at the evaluation point. The system also computes a supplemental deviation at the supplemental evaluation point. Next, the system adjusts a bias for the given segment, if necessary, based upon the deviation at the evaluation point. The system also calculates a ripple for the given segment based upon the deviation at the evaluation point and the supplemental deviation at the supplemental evaluation point. If this ripple exceeds a threshold value, the system performs a ripple control operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the process of designing and fabricating semiconductor chips. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and an apparatus for controlling rippling during an optical proximity correction (OPC) process, wherein the OPC process compensates for optical effects that arise during the semiconductor fabrication process.
2. Related Art
Recent advances in integrated circuit technology have largely been accomplished by decreasing the feature size of circuit elements on a semiconductor chip. As the feature size of these circuit elements continues to decrease, circuit designers are forced to deal with problems that arise as a consequence of the optical lithography process that is typically used to manufacture integrated circuits. This optical lithography process begins with the formation of a photoresist layer on the surface of a semiconductor wafer. A mask composed of opaque regions, which are formed of chrome, and light-transmissive clear regions, which are generally formed of quartz, is then positioned over this photo resist layer coated wafer. (Note that the term xe2x80x9cmaskxe2x80x9d as used in this specification is meant to include the term xe2x80x9creticle.xe2x80x9d) Light is then shone on the mask from a visible light source, an ultraviolet light source, or more generally some other type of electromagnetic radiation together with suitably adapted masks and lithography equipment.
This light is reduced and focused through an optical system that contains a number of lenses, filters and mirrors. The light passes through the clear regions of the mask and exposes the underlying photoresist layer. At the same time, the light is blocked by opaque regions of the mask, leaving underlying portions of the photoresist layer unexposed.
The exposed photoresist layer is then developed, through chemical removal of either the exposed or non-exposed regions of the photoresist layer. The end result is a semiconductor wafer with a photoresist layer having a desired pattern. This pattern can then be used for etching underlying regions of the wafer.
One problem that arises during the optical lithography process is xe2x80x9cline end shorteningxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cpullbackxe2x80x9d. For example, the upper portion of FIG. 1 illustrates a design of a transistor with a polysilicon line 102, running from left to right, that forms a gate region used to electrically couple an upper diffusion region with a lower diffusion region. The lower portion of FIG. 1 illustrates a printed image that results from the design. Note that polysilicon line 102 has been narrowed using optical phase shifting in order to improve the performance of the transistor by reducing the resistance through the gate region.
Also note that because of optical effects and resist pullback there is a significant amount of line end shortening. This line end shortening is due to optical effects that cause the light to expose more of the resist under a line end than under other portions of the line.
In order to compensate for line end shortening, designers often add additional features, such as xe2x80x9chammer heads,xe2x80x9d onto line ends (see top portion of FIG. 2). The upper portion of FIG. 2 illustrates a transistor with a polysilicon line 202, running from left to right, which forms a gate region used to electrically couple an upper diffusion region with a lower diffusion region. A hammer head 204 is included on the end of polysilicon line 202 to compensate for the line end shortening. As is illustrated in the bottom portion of FIG. 2, these additional features can effectively compensate for line end shortening in some situations.
These additional features are typically added to a layout automatically during a process known as optical proximity correction (OPC). For example, FIG. 3 illustrates line end geometry 302 (solid line) prior to OPC and the resulting corrected line end geometry 304 after OPC (dashed line). Note that the corrected line end geometry 304 includes regions with a positive edge bias in which the size of the original geometry 302 is increased, as well as regions of negative edge bias in which the size of the original geometry 302 is decreased.
During the OPC process, edges in the layout are divided into segments at dissection points. Next, the system selects an evaluation point for each segment and then produces a bias for each segment so that a simulated image of the segment matches the target image for the segment at the evaluation point. Referring to FIG. 4, biases are introduced for each segment to produce a layout represented by the dashed line. This layout produces a simulated image represented by the curved line. Note that this simulated image matches the target image at evaluation points 402-404. However, this simulated image has ripples which cause large critical dimension variations in between the evaluation points.
Circuit designers presently deal with rippling by manually adjusting dissection points, evaluation points and segment biases. This manual process is time-consuming and may not be applied consistently to all portions of the layout.
What is needed is a method and an apparatus that automatically controls rippling during the OPC process.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that controls rippling caused by optical proximity correction during an optical lithography process for manufacturing an integrated circuit. During operation, the system selects an evaluation point for a given segment, wherein the given segment is located on an edge in the layout of the integrated circuit. The system also selects at least one supplemental evaluation point for the given segment. Next, the system computes a deviation from a target location for the given segment at the evaluation point. The system also computes a supplemental deviation at the supplemental evaluation point. Next, the system adjusts a bias for the given segment, if necessary, based upon the deviation at the evaluation point. The system also calculates a ripple for the given segment based upon the deviation at the evaluation point and the supplemental deviation at the supplemental evaluation point. If this ripple exceeds a threshold value, the system performs a ripple control operation.
In a variation on this embodiment, the system adjusts the bias, if necessary, and performs the ripple control operation, if necessary, for each segment that is part of the layout of the integrated circuit.
In a variation on this embodiment, prior to selecting the evaluation point for the given segment, the system dissects edges in the layout into segments for optical proximity correction purposes.
In a variation on this embodiment, performing the ripple control operation involves performing a refinement operation. This refinement operation involves: selecting additional dissection points for the edge that cause the given segment to be divided into multiple segments; selecting additional evaluation points for the multiple segments; and selecting additional supplemental evaluation points for the multiple segments. The refinement operation also involves adjusting the bias, if necessary, and performing the ripple control operation, if necessary, for each of the multiple segments.
In a variation on this embodiment, selecting additional evaluation points involves using supplemental evaluation points as the additional evaluation points.
In a variation on this embodiment, performing the ripple control operation involves performing a regeneration operation. This regeneration operation involves changing the location of dissection points for the edge to cause the edge to be divided into a different set of segments. It also involves adjusting the bias, if necessary, and performing the ripple control operation, if necessary, for each segment in the different set of segments. Note that changing the location of the dissection points for the edge can involve swapping dissection points and evaluation points.
In a variation on this embodiment, performing the ripple control operation involves controlling the bias for the given segment so that the ripple for the given segment does not exceed the threshold value, wherein as a consequence of controlling the bias a critical dimension for the given segment may not meet specification.
In a variation on this embodiment, computing the deviation for the given segment involves using a model-based technique for computing the deviation.
One embodiment of the present invention produces a system for controlling rippling caused by optical proximity correction during an optical lithography process used in manufacturing an integrated circuit. During operation, the system selects a first evaluation point and one or more additional evaluation points for a given segment, wherein the given segment is located on an edge in the layout of the integrated circuit. Next, the system computes a first deviation from a target location for the given segment at the first evaluation point. The system also computes a second deviation at the second evaluation point. Next, the system adjusts a bias for the given segment, if necessary, based upon multiple deviations at multiple evaluation points, including the first deviation at the first evaluation point and the second deviation at the second evaluation point.
In a variation on this embodiment, both the first evaluation point and the second evaluation point are located on the given segment.
In a variation on this embodiment, the additional evaluation points are located on the given segment or on neighboring segments.
In a variation on this embodiment, the system adjusts the bias, if necessary, for each segment that is part of the layout.
In a variation on this embodiment, the system uses a model-based technique for computing the first deviation and the second deviation.

Method and apparatus for controlling rippling during optical proximity correction


The technology described in this document can be embodied in a method for capturing an image. The method includes generating a first control signal configured to cause a rolling shutter camera to capture an image of a subject over a first time period. The method also includes generating, at a first time point during the first time period, a second control signal configured to set a multi-spectral illumination source at a first intensity level. The multi-spectral illumination source is configured to illuminate the subject. The method further includes generating, at a second time point during the first time period, a third control signal configured to set the multi-spectral illumination source at a second intensity level that is less than the first intensity level. A portion of the image captured by the rolling shutter camera between the first and second time points includes a target feature associated with the subject.

Systems incorporating a biometric identification technology such as face recognition or iris recognition often include a camera that captures an image of a user and may include a light-emitting diode (LED) light. The LED light can be used to provide sufficient lighting to capture the image of the user. The captured image is then processed to authenticate the user using the biometric identification technology.

Capturing images using sub-frame illumination


A fluid ejection device comprises a substrate having a first surface; a fluid ejector formed over the first surface; and a cover layer defining a firing chamber formed about the fluid ejector, and defining a nozzle over the firing chamber. The cover layer is formed by at least two SU8 layers.

The present invention relates to fluid ejection devices, and more particularly to a plurality of barrier layers in a fluid ejection device.
Various inkjet printing arrangements are known in the art and include both thermally actuated printheads and mechanically actuated printheads. Thermal actuated printheads tend to use resistive elements or the like to achieve ink expulsion, while mechanically actuated printheads tend to use piezoelectric transducers or the like.
A representative thermal inkjet printhead has a plurality of thin film resistors provided on a semiconductor substrate. A barrier layer is deposited over thin film layers on the substrate. The barrier layer defines firing chambers about each of the resistors, an orifice corresponding to each resistor, and an entrance or fluid channel to each firing chamber. Often, ink is provided through a slot in the substrate and flows through the fluid channel defined by the nozzle layer to the firing chamber. Actuation of a heater resistor by a xe2x80x9cfire signalxe2x80x9d causes ink in the corresponding firing chamber to be heated and expelled through the corresponding orifice.
Continued adhesion between the nozzle layer and the thin film layers is desired. With printhead substrate dies, especially those that are larger-sized or that have high aspect ratios, unwanted warpage, and thus nozzle layer delamination, may occur due to mechanical or thermal stresses. For example, often, the nozzle layer has a different coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the semiconductor substrate. The thermal stresses may lead to delamination of the nozzle layer, or other thin film layers, ultimately leading to ink leakage and/or electrical shorts. In an additional example, when the dies on the assembled wafer are separated, delamination may occur. In additional and/or alternative examples, the nozzle layer can undergo stresses due to nozzle layer shrinkage after curing of the layer, structural adhesive shrinkage during assembly of the nozzle layer, handling of the device, and thermal cycling of the fluid ejection device.
A fluid ejection device comprises a substrate having a first surface; a fluid ejector formed over the first surface; and a cover layer defining a firing chamber formed about the fluid ejector, and defining a nozzle over the firing chamber. The cover layer is formed by at least two SU8 layers.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, LP.


Navigation information can be generated from compressed and packetized MPEG streams, and the navigation information then placed in a separate navigation file that can be accessed to permit navigation functions to be performed during decompression and playback of the MPEG stream. An authoring tool may be used to parse the MPEG stream and generate the navigation data. The navigation data may then be used to select individual start points, different audio channels, special effects, etc., during playback.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains generally to computers. In particular, it pertains to navigation in digitized video and/or audio data streams.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many digitized moving picture systems use the well-known protocols and formats developed by the Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG), so that these protocols and formats have come to be generically referred to as MPEG. Various versions have been developed, referred to as MPEG-1, MPEG-2, etc. In an MPEG system, compressed video and audio data is packetized into elementary streams wrapped inside packet headers containing information necessary to decompress the individual streams during playback. These individual audio and video elementary streams can be further assembled, or multiplexed, into a single stream with timing information in the packet headers that identifies when in a presentation the contents of each packet should be presented. In this way, video packets can be synchronized with audio packets during playback. MPEG systems use two basic types of multiplexed streams: Program Streams (PS), which are targeted primarily for storage media, and Transport Streams (TS), which are targeted primarily for transmission and the potentially higher error rate associated with data transmission.
On the encoder side of an MPEG system, audio and video are separately compressed and packetized, and a multiplexer then combines the individual packets into a PS or TS. On the decoder side, the packets are retrieved from the stream by a demultiplexer, individual packets are depacketized and decompressed, and synchronization between audio and video is achieved by using the appropriate fields in the PS or TS headers. Decoding is typically performed on the fly as the audio/video is being played back. Because the packets are time-stamped, the playback can be manipulated to perform such functions as: moving directly to specified portions of the audio and/or video presentation, pausing, playing only audio or only video, playing audio in different languages, etc., while maintaining the proper synchronization. These and similar functions are collectively referred to as navigation. Generating navigation data for an MPEG stream is conventionally done during the encoding operation, and is placed into the MPEG stream in the form of navigation packets. Generating navigation data after the MPEG stream has been created is typically very difficult, and this function is therefore unavailable to anyone that handles the MPEG stream after encoding.


Molds for press molding an optical element of glass are disclosed. Proposed are: (1) A mold contains oxygen at the interface between a mold base of the mold and a carbon film formed at least on the molding surface of the mold base with an oxygen amount of 0-10 atom % and with the interface of a width of 0-500 .ANG., (2) a mold subjected to carbon ion injection at least on the molding surface of the mold base, and (3) a mold subjected to ion injection during or after formation of a carbon film at least on the molding surface of the mold base material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mold for producing a glass optical element such as a lens or a prism by press molding of a glass material.
2. Related Background Art
The lens production technology using press molding of glass material without a polishing process has enabled simple and inexpensive production of lenses, without relying on the complex steps required in the conventional technology, and has recently been employed not only in the production of lenses but also prisms and other glass optical elements.
The properties required for the mold employed in such press molding of the glass optical elements include excellent hardness, heat resistance, releasing property and mirror smoothness. For the material constituting such mold, there have been various proposals including metals, ceramics and materials coated therewith. For example, the Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 49-51112 proposes 13Cr martensite steel, the Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 52-45613 proposes SiC and Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, the Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 60-246230 proposes an ultra hard alloy coated with a precious metal, the Japanese Patent Laid-open Application Nos. 61-183134, 61-281030 and 1-301864 propose a thin diamond film or a diamond-state carbon film, and the Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 64-83529 proposes a material coated with a hard carbon film.
However, 13Cr martensite steel has the drawbacks of being easily oxidized, and coloration of the glass due to Fe diffusion therein at a high temperature. SiC and Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 are generally regarded as not being oxidized, but are still oxidized at a high temperature, thus forming a SiO.sub.2 film on the surface and causing glass fusion thereto. Also, they have a drawback that the shaping of the mold itself is extremely difficult because of the high hardness. The material coated with the precious metal does not easily cause glass fusion, but is easily damaged or deformed because it is extremely soft.
The mold employing the diamond thin film, the diamond-like carbon (DLC) film, the hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) film or the hard carbon film shows satisfactory separation between the mold and the glass and does not cause glass fusion, but may result in an unsatisfactory molding performance due to the partial peeling of such film, after several hundred molding operations. These reasons are considered as follows:
(1) The above-mentioned films have a very large compression stress, and are peeled or cracked as a result of the stress release, caused by the rapid heating and rapid cooling in the molding process. Similar phenomena result from the thermal stress caused by the thermal cycles and the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients of the base material and the film constituting the mold; (2) In certain base materials of the mold, the film may not be formed locally or may be locally thinner depending on the surface state. For example, in a sintered material of WC-Co, SiC or Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, voids of particles or pores in sintering are unavoidable, so that the polished surface contains holes of several microns or larger. If a film is formed on such surface, it may not be formed or may become extremely thin in such holes. Consequently, such locations may induce formation of peeling or crack since the adhesion strength or mechanical strength of the film become extremely low in such locations; (3) The sintering material in the sintered material, as represented by Co in WC-Co, forms an alloy by diffusion with said film. Such portion causes glass fusion in the molding operation, thus generating a precipitate by reaction with the glass components and deteriorating the durability of the mold.
As explained above, the mold for optical elements, excellent in molding property, durability and economical property has not been realized.


The present invention relates to a golf club having a hollow head and to a golf club head die to cast such a hollow golf club head. The golf club head of this invention has a hollowly formed head and a golf club shaft which is inserted through this hollow part. Further, in the golf club head die of the present invention, a shaft hole pin is arranged through the insert core, and its one end is inserted into the positioning hole formed in one of divided die members. Still further, in the golf club head die of this invention, after casting of the head body, the insert core piece at the center is removed through the opening in the sole and the other insert core pieces around it are moved to the position of this removed insert core piece to be removed through the opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf club provided with a hollow head and to a die for golf club head to cast a hollow golf club head.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, hollow club heads made of metals were manufactured by precision casting called lost wax process which uses wax material, or the method disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open Print No. 61-33970, where a hollow head body is formed by joining three pieces into one.
However, in this method disclosed in Utility Model Application Laid-open Print No. 61-33970, a divided piece is provided with a fixed pipe for shaft mounting resulting in heavy weight, and division into three pieces cause errors during manufacturing process, for example, in the position of shaft hole in relation with the face, which impedes providing of precise golf club head.
In conventional lost wax method, it was relatively difficult to obtain a uniform head and to position a shaft hole with high precision.
Further, in conventional golf clubs made of metal materials, the golf shafts were inserted through the neck to heel of the head body. However, since the path for golf shaft insertion was formed as a solid part, it was quite difficult to improve precision of shaft hole position, and to reduce the club weight.


A method for calibration is controlled using measurement technology of at least one device unit of a device system which includes a monitor for image processing and a standard light device. The monitor is calibrated, and the luminance is measured at the calibrated monitor and at a standard light device. The actual value of the luminance at the standard light device is compared with the value for the luminance of the monitor. If there is a difference, the standard light device receives a control signal to change the brightness or the contrast. This regulation is continued until no difference exists between the measured actual value at the standard light device and the reference value stored in the memory of the evaluation unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for calibration, controlled by means of measurement technology, of at least one device unit of a device system, particularly a standard light device in color management workflow. Such methods are primarily used in device systems used in the graphics and photography industry.
2. The Prior Art
It is currently a common method in the graphics industry to calibrate or profile high-quality image processing monitors with measurement technology support. In order to be able to provide samples of color proof prints (proofs) with the image on the calibrated monitor, with binding colors, a standard light device is required according to ISO 3664:2000/ISO 12646 for a said device system, which offers standardized light conditions and corresponds to the illumination intensity of the luminance on the monitor. However, the luminance on the monitor varies from one monitor model to another, and can lie between 80 and 240 cd/m2.
Accordingly, it is necessary to be able to adjust the standard light device in terms of its illumination intensity. Therefore, visual inspections and changes by means of slide regulators are performed on the standard light device, in other words it is adjusted by hand, and this is time-consuming and, in particular, inaccurate.

Method for calibration, controlled by means of measurement technology, of at least one device unit of a device system, particularly a standard light device in color management workflow

Just Normlicht GmbH Vertrieb + Produktion


A method for transmitting a spread spectrum radar signal stores a plurality of spread sequences. Further, an elevation of a vehicle is measured by the method. Based on the measured elevation of the vehicle, the method selects at least one spread sequence of the plurality of spread sequences, and transmits a spread spectrum radar signal based on the selected at least one spread sequence. Additionally, the method may measure a travel direction of the vehicle, and then select at least one spread sequence based on the measured elevation of the vehicle and the measured travel direction of the vehicle.

In order to prevent collisions that may occur while driving a vehicle such as a car, a radar device that is capable of detecting obstacles in the vicinity (e.g., pedestrians, other vehicles, etc.) may be mounted on the vehicle. If an obstacle near the vehicle is detected, the radar device of the vehicle provides detection information on the obstacle to a driver. In response, the driver may appropriately control the vehicle, for example, by stopping the vehicle. Additionally, a control device of the vehicle may receive the detection information on the obstacle from the radar device and automatically control the vehicle without manual operation of the driver.
A radar device for such vehicles may be implemented with a pulse radar, a FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) radar, a spread spectrum radar, or the like. Among these radars, the pulse radar is defective in that, due to high power transmission, it is difficult to detect an object at close ranges and achieve high resolution. Also, the FMCW radar is defective in that, due to continuous signal transmission, interference with other radar signals may occur. On the other hand, the spread spectrum radar, which may use a PN (Pseudo-Noise) sequence or the like as a spectrum spread sequence, is advantageous in that it is possible to achieve a high resolution and suppress frequency interference.
However, if the spread sequence that is used in one spread spectrum radar device mounted on a vehicle is identical to the spread sequence that is used in another spread spectrum radar device mounted on another vehicle, interference may occur between such spread spectrum radar devices. For example, if spread spectrum radar devices that are mounted, respectively, on a vehicle travelling on the road on the ground and another vehicle travelling on an overpass road (or an underground road) use an identical spread sequence, interference may occur between radar signals transmitted from the spread spectrum radar devices, which may lead to errors in detecting obstacles. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent interference between radar signals transmitted from radar devices, which are mounted on vehicles travelling on roads of different heights.

Method and apparatus for determining spread sequence for generating spread spectrum radar signal


An intramedullary nail system for reducing and fixing fractures in long bones includes an elongated intramedullary nail having radial portals about the circumference. Tang assemblies are slidably telescoped inside the nail with resilient tangs which are deployed through the portals to interlock the nail and the portions of the bone.

The present invention generally relates to an intramedullary nail system for reducing and fixing bone portions across a fracture therebetween providing a means of fixation through the use of tangs, screws or a combination of both.
In its most basic construct bones are formed of a relatively soft, spongy cancellous material surrounded by a much harder cortex. The cancellous bone yields under relatively low loading, while the much more dense cortical bone supports much higher loading. There have been a number of techniques used historically for treatment of fractures of the femur, humerus or tibia (referred to as the long bones). In early parts of this century, patients were merely placed in bed-or in traction for prolonged periods, frequently resulting in deformity or death.
In the 1930s, the Smith-Peterson nail was introduced. This device was inserted into the intramedullary canal of the femur resulting in immediate fixation of hip fractures, early mobilization of the patient, and a lower morbidity and mortality. A number of nails have been introduced for intramedullary fracture fixation of long bones, including the Jewett Nail and Enders Nail.
Later intramedullary nails increased in diameter and surgeons/inventors began to experiment with cross section designs and radii of curvature along the nail""s length. Since the femur curves slightly along its length, it was preferred that the nails have a similar long radius of curvature of, for example 50 inches. These nails were inserted down the entire length of the femoral canal to provide a basis for the construct. Fixation methods for certain types of fractures often required the nail to bear a portion of the patient""s weight during the recovery period. Threaded wires, standard bone screws or cannulated bone screws were then inserted through or along side the nail and into the outer cortex to provide enough fixation and rotational stability to bear weight during recovery.
As these intramedullary nails became longer other problems occurred. In longer nails the distal tip of the nail tends to rotate out of plane which forces the surgeon to target the distal screw holes using fluoroscopy by a method commonly known as xe2x80x9cfree-handingxe2x80x9d. Under this technique the surgeon utilizes fluoroscopic images in search of perfectly circular screw holes. Once found a mark is made on the patient, an incision is made and a pathway cleared to the cortical bone. A dimple is placed on the lateral cortex to reduce xe2x80x9cdrill walkingxe2x80x9d and the hole is then drilled and a screw inserted. Adjustments to this procedure are quite common; even to those skilled in the art of free handing.
Numerous patents, both domestic and foreign, have been granted citing devices which reduce the complications associated with distal screw targeting. The methods of accomplishing this task are varied, but the results are the same: Very few of the ideas have been developed and marketed as useful products. The majority of surgeons still return to free handing because there is a perceived time savings. Therefore, external methods for distal screw targeting have not gained favor.
Newer devices and inventions explored additions to the nail to eliminate the need to locate the distal screw holes and improve the fixation. These newer devices are commonly classified as xe2x80x9cexpanding devicesxe2x80x9d and expand in size after placement to fill the intramedullary cavity. In the early 1980s, the Brooker-Wills Nail came on the scene and others soon followed. Freedland, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,632,101, 4,862,883 and 4,721,103, Chemello, U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,264, and Davis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,103, describe methods of fixation which provide points which contact the internal cortical wall. In these patents a mechanism is actuated deploying arms or anchor blades through the cancellous bone to contact the inner cortical wall. These methods are complex and the arms are difficult to retract should the nail or lag screw assembly requires extraction. These arms do not deploy through the cortical bone.
Other expanding devices provide surface contact with the internal cortical wall resulting in a wedge effect. Kurth, U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,930, Raftopoulos, U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,539, and Aginski, U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,512, among others have described mechanisms which deploy or expand with a molly bolt concept. These methods are complex and the devices are difficult to retract should the nail require extraction. Neither do these devices deploy through the cortical bone.
Bolesky, U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,717, was the first to discuss engagement within the cortical wall. However, Bolesky""s invention does not address controlled penetration into the wall and required permanent implantation of the actuation rod. In addition, Bolesky does not address the fundamental problem of the actuation rod""s protrusion extramedullarly into the surrounding musculature.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,976,139 and 6,183,474B1, Bramlet et al describe a surgical anchor which has deployable tangs. These tangs are simple in design, internally positioned, yet easily deployed into, and if desired through, cortical bone providing improved purchase for compression of a proximal femur fracture, especially in osteogenic bone. These tangs are just as easily retracted should the device require explantation.
The intramedullary nail system according to this invention is especially suitable for installation within the medullary canal of a fractured long bone, such as a femur, humerus, or tibia and subsequently interlocking the nail and bone thereby preventing axial translation and axial rotation.
The intramedullary nail is, preferably, roughly circular in cross section and elongated although any number of cross sectional shapes may be used. The nail is, preferably, cannulated and anatomically curved to fit the shape of a bone.
The cannulated intramedullary nail allows passage of one or more anchoring tang assemblies. These anchoring tang assemblies are inserted from the proximal end and telescoped through the axial bore towards the distal end by a insertion/deployment/retraction instrument. An alternate embodiment has a retracted tang mounted on a tang assembly that is permanently placed within the intramedullary nail and is deployed and retracted by the above mentioned instrument.
The proximal end of the nail contains a securing arrangement for a tool for driving and extracting the nail. The tool advantageously cooperates with a slot in the proximal end of the nail so that the desired angular disposition of the nail is indicated and easily maintained during insertion of the nail.
When the intramedullary nail is placed into position, the anchoring tang assembly is actuated to deploy the tangs outwardly from their stowed position through the portals and into the cortical bone. The interlocking of the intramedullary nail to the cortical shell of the long bone may be achieved, at least once, using at least one screw or at least one tang assembly. In the preferred embodiment, several tang assemblies would be positioned longitudinally within the nail based on the fracture location and the surgeon""s assessment for proper fixation. The tangs are deployed to any desired position thereby achieving a desired fixation and rotation prevention based upon the quality of the bone. Should the system require additional load carrying capability, cortical screws may be placed to further secure the nail with the surrounding bone.
The anchoring tang assembly contains arcuate shaped tangs that are permanently attached to the tang assembly body. These tangs are initially formed into a prescribed position for storage. As the assembly is actuated, the tangs deploy and are formed into their final shape through interaction with the portal in the nail.
The end cap preferably contains a coating of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) within the threads. This provides constant positive engagement between the end cap external threads and the intramedullary nail internal threads preventing loosening of the end cap due to bodily forces.
Should the situation arise in which the surgeon requires removal of the intramedullary system, the tangs are completely reversible. The end cap is removed and the tang assembly insertion/deployment/retraction instrument is inserted through the axial bore. When the first tang assembly is encountered, a force is exerted on the instrument against the tang body causing the body to move longitudinally resulting in the tangs engaging the portal and pulling away from the bone and returning inside the nail. Once the tangs are completely inside the axial bore, the tang assembly is free to slide within the intramedullary nail. Force is continually applied, to the instrument, telescoping the instrument and tang assembly further along the nail until another tang assembly is encountered. The first tang assembly will xe2x80x9cnestxe2x80x9d with the second tang assembly. Upon continued pressure, the entire assemblage telescopes through the axial bore until the last tang assembly has been retracted and rests against the bottom of the axial bore of the intramedullary nail. The nail can then be extracted from the bone.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the intramedullary nail system is combined into a kit which includes several intramedullary nails of differing lengths and/or diameters and/or shapes, each having an axial bore, radial bores and portals which allow passage of different sized locking screws and anchoring tangs through the nails into the surrounding bone. The intramedullary nails have a distal end and a proximal end with internal threads in the proximal end. Several like-sized end caps are provided in the kit, each with external threads to cooperate with the internal threads in the proximal ends of the nails. Different sized tang assemblies are in the kit for selective telescoping movement through like-sized axial bores of the several nails. The tang assemblies may differ in diameter and/or in the length of the tangs carried by the tang assemblies. Also in the kit are several different sized cortical screws for use in conjunction with the nails. One or more insertion/deployment/retraction instruments are provided in the kit to manipulate the tang assemblies in the axial bore of a nail to deploy the tangs through the portals into a bone. The instrument is of a length that it may be manipulated at the proximal end of the nail to deploy or retract tangs at the distal end of the nail. The kit allows the surgeon flexibility in selecting the proper nail system for the fracture presented by the patient. The entire kit may be sterilized and presented in the operating room or some choices may be made earlier as to the elements to be used in a particular situation.
Finally, once the intramedullary nail is locked into the bone a condition known as stress shielding is typically inherent in the bone. As the bone heals these stresses need to be relieved. The bone can heal in a pre-stressed condition and refracture at a later date or the nail rotates with respect to the bone and repeated loading causes screw failure.
Clearly a need exists for a system that offers the ease of insertion and superior performance of existing intramedullary nails while minimizing the surgical insult to the human body and eliminates the need for distal screw targeting. Such a system would include a simple, effective and controllable fixation device which allows greater purchase of the bony fragments, provides a means of rotational stability in the femoral shaft, and offers to minimize, if not eliminate the need for additional distal incisions to locate and place locking screws. This system would be designed to allow the surgeon a choice of penetration distance within the femoral shaft and fixation based upon the injuries presented and the desired level of treatment. Finally, this system would allow explantation to occur as easily as implantation.


A bipolar coagulator includes a connector pin having an offset therein to provide a strong electrical connection between the pin and the conductor. The bipolar coagulator comprises an insulative housing extending along a longitudinal axis from a tip to a connector end. A coaxial conductor having an inner conductor and an outer conductor is disposed within the housing along the longitudinal axis of the housing. The inner conductor includes a terminal portion that protrudes from the outer conductor and has an offset therein to space the terminal portion from the longitudinal axis of the housing. A first connector pin is electrically coupled to the terminal portion of the inner conductor. A second connector pin is electrically coupled to the outer conductor along the longitudinal axis of the housing. The second connector includes an offset therein to space the pin portion from the longitudinal axis of the housing and from the first connector pin.

Bipolar coaxial coagulators are used to coagulate tissue during, for example, eye surgery. A bipolar coaxial coagulator includes coaxial inner and outer conductors separated by an insulating material. A pair of connector pins is electrically coupled to the inner and outer conductors and extends from the housing for connection to a socket of an electrosurgical generator.
A difficulty with bipolar coaxial coagulators has been to electrically connect the coaxial conductors to the spaced connector pins. An exemplary bipolar coagulator is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,002. In this device, the outer conductor includes an offset portion at one end. An opening is ground in the bend of the offset portion. The inner conductor is inserted through this opening. The inner conductor also includes an offset portion at one end. Connector pins are attached to the inner and outer conductors near the offset portions. It has been found, however, that the opening ground in the bend of the offset portion of the outer conductor creates a weakened section in the outer conductor, which may lead to premature failure of the coagulator.

Bipolar coaxial coagulator having offset connector pin