Read disturb due to hot electron injection is reduced in a 3D memory device by controlling the magnitude and timing of word line and select gate ramp down voltages at the end of a sensing operation. In an example read operation, a predefined subset of word lines includes source-side and drain-side word lines. For the predefined subset of word lines, word line voltages are ramped down before the voltages of the select gates are ramped down. Subsequently, for a remaining subset of word lines, word line voltages are ramped down, but no later than the ramping down of the voltages of the select gates. The timing of the ramp down of the selected word line depends on whether it is among the predefined subset or the remaining subset. The predefined subset can include a number of adjacent or non-adjacent word lines.

The present technology relates to a memory device and to techniques for operating a memory device.
Recently, ultra high density storage devices have been proposed using a three-dimensional (3D) stacked memory structure. One example of a 3D memory structure is the Bit Cost Scalable (BiCS) architecture which comprises a stack of alternating conductive and dielectric layers. A memory hole is formed in the stack and a NAND string is then formed by filling the memory hole with materials including a charge-trapping layer. A straight NAND string extends in one memory hole, while a pipe- or U-shaped NAND string (P-BiCS) includes a pair of vertical columns of memory cells which extend in two memory holes and which are joined by a bottom back gate. Control gates of the memory cells and of select gate transistors are provided by the conductive layers.
However, various challenges are presented in operating such memory devices.
In a comparative sensing operation, FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F, 10G and 10H, depicts plots, versus time, of a selected word line voltage, an unselected word line voltage, a selected SGD select gate voltage, a selected SGS select gate voltage, an unselected SGD select gate voltage, an unselected SGS select gate voltage, a bit line voltage and a source line voltage, respectively.
In the first sensing operation of FIG. 9A, FIGS. 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D, 11E, 11F, 11G and 11H, depicts plots, versus time, of a selected word line voltage, an unselected word line voltage, a selected SGD select gate voltage, a selected SGS select gate voltage, an unselected SGD select gate voltage, an unselected SGS select gate voltage, a bit line voltage and a source line voltage, respectively.
In the second and third sensing operation of FIG. 9B, FIGS. 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E, 12F, 12G and 12H, depicts plots, versus time, of a selected word line voltage, an unselected word line voltage, a selected SGD select gate voltage, a selected SGS select gate voltage, an unselected SGD select gate voltage, an unselected SGS select gate voltage, a bit line voltage and a source line voltage, respectively.
In the fourth sensing operation of FIG. 9C, FIGS. 13A, 13B, 13C, 13D, 13E, 13F, 13G and 13H, depicts plots, versus time, of a selected word line voltage, an unselected word line voltage, a selected SGD select gate voltage, a selected SGS select gate voltage, an unselected SGD select gate voltage, an unselected SGS select gate voltage, a bit line voltage and a source line voltage, respectively.
FIG. 14A depicts a plot of a channel voltage (Vch) of a NAND string versus channel position, in a physical model of a NAND string in which a channel portion under a selected word line is non-conductive.
FIG. 14B depicts a plot of Vch versus channel position when the word line voltages are ramped down concurrently with select gates, resulting in a large channel gradient which causes read disturb, consistent with the physical model of FIG. 14A.
FIG. 14C depicts a plot of Vch versus channel position, in a physical model of a NAND string having trapped electrons in a sensing operation.
FIG. 14D depicts a plot of Vch versus channel position, when a ramp down of the word line voltages occurs before the ramp down of the select gates, allowing electrons to escape from the channel.
FIG. 15A depicts a plot of Vch versus channel position, where memory cells in the erased state are between a selected memory cell and the driven end of a NAND string, allowing a voltage at the driven end to extend up to a channel portion of the selected memory cell, resulting in a large channel gradient.
FIG. 15B depicts a plot of Vch versus channel position, where a memory cell in the C state is between a selected memory cell and the driven end of a NAND string, preventing a voltage at the driven end from extending up to a channel portion of the selected memory cell, resulting in a smaller channel gradient compared to FIG. 15A.
FIG. 15C depicts a plot of Vch versus channel position before the word line voltages are ramped down in a sensing operation, where Vth=5 V and Vwl_sel=8 V for a memory cell connected to the selected word line, as a contrast to FIG. 14A in which Vwl_sel=3 V.
FIG. 15D follows FIG. 15C and depicts Vch versus channel position when voltages of a predefined subset of adjacent edge word lines are ramped down together according to the 2nd sensing operation of FIG. 12A-12H.
FIG. 15E follows FIG. 15C, and is an alternative to FIG. 15D, where voltages of a predefined subset of non-adjacent edge word lines are ramped down together according to the 2nd sensing operation of FIG. 12A-12H.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Reducing hot electron injection type of read disturb in 3D non-volatile memory for edge word lines


A sonic nozzle is disclosed that is positioned between an evaporator and compressor in an air conditioning system. The sonic nozzle limits refrigerant flow rate to that allowed by sonic velocity at a throat area of the sonic nozzle. The sonic nozzle may have a by-pass flow area that allows for less pressure drop at lower flow rates where the by-pass flow area is sealed off at a predetermined pressure drop to force all flow through the sonic nozzle. Another embodiment that is disclosed features a thermally actuated suction throttling valve that is attached to a sonic nozzle. A power element of the throttling valve contains thermally active fluid, such as water, when frozen activates a piston member into the throat portion of the sonic nozzle to restrict fluid flow.

Automotive and light commercial air conditioning systems generally use either a piston type or a scroll compressor. In operation, the scroll compressor differs from the piston compressor in that the volumetric efficiency of the scroll compressor goes up as rotational speed is increased while the volumetric efficiency of the piston compressor goes down as rotational speed is increased. Accordingly, the scroll compressor produces very high head pressures when a vehicle is accelerated in hot ambient temperature. Thus, the high side pressure switch may trip, causing system cooling performance to suffer.
While the piston compressor may produce 30,000 BTU/hr at high rotational speeds, the scroll compressor may produce 50,000 BTU/hr. Air conditioning systems that incorporate a suction accumulator aggravate the challenges with the scroll compressors due to violent boiling of the accumulator refrigerant when suction pressure is suddenly dropped by the scroll pumping capacity on acceleration of the vehicle. This results a greater mass flow rate to the compressor as compared to a thermostatic expansion valve system with no accumulator. While a suction throttling valve may solve this problem, most are cost prohibited and complex to install.
Sonic nozzles have been used for years in fluid flow measurement. At flow rates below sonic, the nozzle can recover up to 94% of pressure loss. In comparison, a square edge orifice recovers only 12% of pressure loss. Pressure recovery is essential as each 1.0 psi drop in suction plumbing reduces capacity by approximately 1%. A ¼ inch diameter square edged orifice may produce a 7 psi drop at a given flow rate while the sonic nozzle may be 1 psi at similar flow and throat size.

Refrigeration compressor capacity limiting device


An IC card which is facilitated in circuit configuration and program-development as well as a communication system which is improved in characteristics such as the rate of communication and the distance of communication. An IC card 10 comprises an antenna 22a for receiving an electromagnetic wave for supplying electric power, an antenna 22b for receiving an electromagnetic wave for data, a rectifying circuit 11 with a capacitor 6 to rectify the received electromagnetic wave to get electric power, a power source circuit 12 for supplying a power source voltage to an internal circuit of the IC card 10 by the use of the electric power obtained, a detecting circuit 13 for detecting a component of data from the received electromagnetic wave, a modulating/demodulating circuit 14 for demodulating the received data and modulating data to be transmitted, an oscillation circuit 1 for generating a clock signal CP to be supplied into internal circuits, and a semiconductor device such as a micro-computer and memories, not shown, for processing and storing the data obtained.

In recent years, a proximity type IC card, hereinafter abbreviatedly called as "the IC card" has being brought into usage, which is capable of confirming and updating data contained therein without manually passing through a card reader at a card gate or the like, whenever it is used. Such card, called as "a radio-frequency tag" is used as a card tag in an application such as coupon tickets for skiing-ground rifts, coupon or commuter tickets for trains or buses, inventory management, and so on.
The IC card of this kind has a structure as shown in FIG. 4, wherein in (a) of FIG. 4 is a perspective view viewed from the above and in (b) of FIG. 4 a perspective view viewed from the side. As shown in the figure, a fixing resin 34 has a thickness of approximately 0.5 to 2.0 mm to incorporate to fix therein a substrate 31 which has semiconductor devices and discrete electronic parts previously mounted thereon and an antenna 32 formed spiral in the form of a coil. The fixing resin 34 has a surface patched with a film 33, which is formed of polyethylene-terephthalate, or PET, or the like to a thickness of approximately 0.1 mm to have a given mark assigned previously. The substrate 31 has a wiring pattern formed beforehand by printing to allow mounting thereon a semiconductor device such as a micro-computer and memories as well as discrete electronic components involving resistors, capacitors, etc. The antenna 32, serving for transmission and reception of an electromagnetic waves, constitutes a tuning circuit in association with a capacitor forming a resonant circuit.
FIG. 5 shows a general example of a communication system utilizing an IC card. The communication system of FIG. 5 comprises an IC card 10a having an independent data and a card-gate apparatus 20a, which apparatus serves to transmit an electromagnetic wave to supply electric power to the IC card 10a, as well as perform transmission and reception of data. The IC card 10a comprises an antenna 22a for receiving an electromagnetic wave, a rectifying circuit 11 with a capacitor 6 to rectify the received electromagnetic wave for creation of electric power, a power source circuit 12 for supplying an internal circuit of the IC card 10a with power source voltage created from the obtained electric power, a wave-detecting circuit 13 for detecting a data component from the received electromagnetic wave, a modulating/demodulating circuit 14 for demodulating the received data and modulating data to be transmitted, an oscillating circuit 1 for generating a clock signal CP to be supplied into internal circuits, a control circuit formed by a micro-computer and memories, not shown, respectively for processing and storing the obtained data.
On the other hand, the card-gate apparatus 20a comprises a modulating circuit 14a for modulating an electric power signal and a data signal to be transmitted to the IC card 10a, an antenna 22f for transmitting electromagnetic waves for carrying them, an antenna 22g for receiving an electromagnetic wave from the IC card 10a, a detecting circuit 13b for detecting a data component of the received electromagnetic wave from the IC card 10a, a demodulating circuit 14d for demodulating the detected data, and a control circuit 15a for processing the demodulated data to permit the card-gate apparatus, not shown, to perform control depending on the result of data processing. The control circuit 15a comprises a semiconductor device such as a micro-computer and memories, whereas the card-gate apparatus is constituted by a gate device for controlling passage, a guiding display, and so on.
Conventionally, there have been oscillator circuits, which are incorporated into the IC card 10a, such as CR oscillator circuits and ring oscillator circuits, which are easy to configure for integration for a semiconductor device without using components such as ceramic-quartz oscillators and inductance elements. These circuits were often used by incorporation within a semiconductor device. There is shown as an example in FIG. 6 a ring oscillating circuit 9 of a CMOS structure having odd numbers of signal inverters 9m, wherein m=1-n: n is a positive odd number, of such as NAND circuits and inverter circuits. These signal inverters have their input and output terminals for connection of tandem in the form of a ring. The signal inverters 9m have delaying capacitors 3m, respectively, connected to output terminals thereof. The inverter 9n is connected for supply a signal to one input terminal of a NAND 9.sub.1 as well as to an input terminal of an inverter 6 whose output terminal is connected to supply a clock signal CP to other circuitry, not shown, where it can be used as a reference clock for a semiconductor device. The other input terminal of the NAND 9.sub.1 is connected to be supplied with a control signal S for enabling control of commencement and halt of oscillation.
In the meanwhile, ring oscillating circuits, CR oscillating circuits, etc. as stated above were used without problem in devices such as toys, where close precision is not necessary for oscillation frequency. However, they were difficult to use as a device for a card-gate system utilizing an IC card of the proximity type, due to reasons as discussed below.
That is, there is a demand for relatively close precision in oscillation characteristics in a card-gate system utilizing a proximity type IC card, due to the necessity of matching in timing of data transmission and reception between an IC card and a card-gate apparatus. However, an IC card has solely a power source where an electromagnetic wave transmitted from a card-gate apparatus, etc. is received and rectified therein to charge electricity on a capacitor, so that the voltage of the power source is apt to vary depending on the distance from the card-gate apparatus or a state of data reception. The variation of power source voltage causes variation in drivability of each signal inverter, so that each capacitor is changed of its charging or discharging current to vary delay time among the signal inverters, thereby resulting in variation in oscillation frequency. The drivability of each signal inverter also is readily varied by change of temperature or variation of device characteristics incurred through fabrication of a semiconductor device. Thus, oscillation frequency is further varied.
In this manner, the oscillation frequency is varied by various factors. As a consequence, the median oscillation frequency was conventionally controlled by altering the size or the number of transistors involved in a signal inverter, or otherwise vary the size of capacitors to alter the capacitance value. These alterations, however, is impractically troublesome because it necessitates a change of masking or the like used during fabrication of a semiconductor device.
As for oscillating circuits built-in semiconductor devices, there were also no techniques to suppress the variation of oscillation frequency, but for limiting such condition as power source voltage and temperature to meet the frequency-precision requirement.
Incidentally, the usage of external component parts such as discrete oscillators is expected to readily improve the frequency precision. However, it is still difficult to adopt, because an IC card as a product has a limitation in its thickness, the external-part mounting makes the substrate area large, the increased number of pins becomes necessary for packaging, the cost is raised by additional expensive cost, including control cost, for external parts.
It is therefore the object of the invention to form within a semiconductor device an oscillation circuit for presenting an oscillation frequency, which is relatively precise over a wide range of power source voltage and temperature and easy to alter, thereby facilitating the provision of a semiconductor device with less external parts used.
The communication system utilizing an IC card will then be explained briefly based on an example of a general use with reference to FIG. 5. A battery as a power source or the like is not incorporated in the IC card 10a. Consequently, an electric power necessitated by the IC card 10a is given by an electromagnetic wave having a frequency ranging from several hundreds of kilo-hertz to several mega-hertz, which wave is received by the antenna 22a of the IC card 10a upon passing by near the card-gate apparatus provided at a skiing-ground rift gate, etc. The received wave is rectified by the rectifying circuit 11, followed by charging on a capacitor or the like for obtaining necessitated electric power. Only while electric power is sufficient, a given level of power-source voltage is generated by the power source circuit 12, which is supplied to the internal circuit of the IC card 10a for reception, processing, and transmission of data.
The above stated communication system enables the content of data to be confirmed through reciprocal communication through electromagnetic waves without contacting between the IC card 10a and the card-gate apparatus 20a. This eliminates the necessity as required in the conventional magnet-type card of such as taking the card out of a pocket and opening a vehicular window for passing the card through a card-gate apparatus whenever-going through a gate, thereby shortening examination time period with relieved congestion at the gate. Owing to such conveniences, the proximity IC card and the communication system are expected to be in wider use in applications, such as confirming fees on expressways, from now on.
In the conventional IC card, however, communication is possible only while electric power can be supplied after being sufficiently stored on a capacitor through rectification of the received electromagnetic wave. Hence, there is present a problem that the rate of communication cannot be increased because of the necessity of frequent repetition of charging electricity each time the stored electric power becomes insufficient. Another problem lies in that the communication distance cannot be taken longer for a shorter charging time period, because the longer the communication distance the longer duration is necessary for charging electricity. Further, there is left other problem that the antenna of the IC card is used common for getting electric power as well as transmitting/receiving data so that the switching-over between the electric-power reception and the data transmission/reception must be performed depending on a situation. To this end, the IC card is complicate in its internal circuit together with a program thereof, thus extending a development term.
Moreover, ring oscillating circuits, CR oscillating circuits, etc. as stated above were used without problem in devices such as toys, where close precision is not necessary for oscillation frequency. However, they were difficult to use as a device for a card-gate system utilizing an IC card of the proximity type, due to reasons as discussed below.
That is, there is a demand for relatively close precision in oscillation characteristics in a card-gate system utilizing a proximity type IC card, due to the necessity of matching in timing of data transmission and reception between an IC card and a card-gate apparatus. However, an IC card has solely a power source where an electromagnetic wave transmitted from a card-gate apparatus, etc. is received and rectified therein to charge electricity on a capacitor, so that the voltage of the power source is apt to vary depending on the distance from the card-gate apparatus or a state of data reception. The variation of power source voltage causes variation in drivability of each signal inverter, so that each capacitor is changed of its charging or discharging current to vary delay time among the signal inverters, thereby resulting in variation in oscillation frequency. The drivability of each signal inverter also is readily varied by change of temperature or variation of device characteristics incurred through fabrication of a semiconductor device. Thus, oscillation frequency is further varied.
In this manner, the oscillation frequency is varied by various factors. As a consequence, the median oscillation frequency was conventionally controlled by altering the size or the number of transistors involved in a signal inverter, or otherwise vary the size of capacitors to alter the capacitance value. These alterations, however, is impractically troublesome because it necessitates a change of masking or the like used during fabrication of a semiconductor device.
As for oscillating circuits built-in semiconductor devices, there were also no techniques to suppress the variation of oscillation frequency, but for limiting such condition as power source voltage and temperature to meet the frequency-precision requirement.
Incidentally, the usage of external component parts such as discrete oscillators is expected to readily improve the frequency precision. However, it is still difficult to adopt, because an IC card as a product has a limitation in its thickness, the external-part mounting makes the substrate area large, the increased number of pins becomes necessary for packaging, the cost is raised by additional expensive cost, including control cost, for external parts.
It is therefore the object to provide an IC card which is easy to develop of a circuit configuration and a program, as well as a communication system having characteristics improved of communication rate, communication distance, etc.
It is another object to form within a semiconductor device an oscillation circuit for presenting an oscillation frequency, which is relatively precise over a wide range of power source voltage and temperature and easy to alter, thereby facilitating the provision of a semiconductor device with less external parts used.

Communication system including a dual passive antenna configuration


An automated retail facility and system with accompanying methods comprising customer interfacing modules, payment receiving modules, product storage and distribution modules, and computer components in communication with device actors that automate connected components of the facility and system in an Internet of Things configuration. The configuration advantageously allows for remote operation of that facility, while maintaining required levels of customer service and supervisory actions within the facility, as needed. To service the system remotely or on location, a handheld inventory management device and inventory management vehicle are provided. To enhance available services, an automatic package receiver/distributor service module is integrated in some embodiments.

Product dispensing machines offer convenience to consumers by providing one or more types of goods or products. The type(s) of goods or products available at any given vending machine are generally based on consumer demand and location. The convenience of these devices lies in the speed of transaction, which is facilitated by an automated process (mechanical dispensing without human cashier) and being in a physical proximity to usual consumer traffic. However, there is no available customer service for such devices if an error occurs in a transaction.
The selection of goods and products available at retail brick-and-mortar store fronts follows the same criteria as that of vending machines. So-called "convenience stores" provide faster transactions for certain consumable goods by offering limited selections in smaller spaces than larger retail grocers or other retail stores. In 1937, Clarence Saunders sought to build on the vending machine model with his automated grocery store, The Keedoozle (see U.S. Pat. No. 2,820,591), which expanded product selection to grocery items and provided a savings in labor and other costs compared to the traditional grocery store. This in turn allowed a cost-savings benefit for the consumer. The brick-and-mortar Keedoozle also offered limited customer service with a cashier onsite. However, the Keedoozle still presented the same hassles and inconveniences for modern consumers that exist with all brick-and-mortar stores.
The inventor addressed some of these problems in U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,139 (Rivalto), which is incorporated herein by reference. The automated drive-up retail facility disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,139 provided a leap forward in automated vending facilities. The original Rivalto automated drive-up retail facility remains in service to this day by providing the convenience of a cashier-less vending machine with the customer expectations of a retail goods selection for a convenient store-type location in an urban setting. However, combining such goods in an automated manner presents many challenges for the efficient automated dispensing of certain types of goods without an employee being physically located at the facility.
The inventor also addressed systems for automoated package pickup and delivery in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,997 (Rivalto), which is incorporated herein by reference.
There is a need in the field for an improved automated retail facility that addresses the foregoing and other challenges.


An endoscopic puncture needle including a flexible outer sheath, a flexible inner sheath advanceably and retreatably inserted through the outer sheath, and a needle element formed at the distal end of the inner sheath, in which the inner sheath is made of a metallic pipe.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an endoscopic puncture needle to be introduced into a body cavity through a channel of an endoscope for aspiration biopsy, injection or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
An endoscopic puncture needle of this type is used to make puncture by utilizing a channel of an endoscope, for example, for a biopsy of a tissue in a body cavity. The puncture needle comprises an outer sheath capable of being inserted through the channel of the endoscope, an inner sheath advanceably and retreatably inserted through the outer sheath, and a rigid needle element secured to the distal end of the inner sheath.
When an ultrasonic endoscope is used to stick the needle into a deep-positioned organ, such as the spleen, through a wall of an alimentary canal, such as the stomach and the duodenum, to examine a tissue, the needle element must have a puncture length sufficient to reach the tissue to be examined. Further, since the exit of the channel of the ultrasonic endoscope is positioned at one side of the field of view of the ultrasonic endoscope, the needle element must protrude obliquely toward the organ being observed via an ultrasonic tomography image, so that the protruding amount of the needle element should be large, thus the needle element is required to be as long as possible.
On the other hand, the length of the relatively rigid needle element is limited since the needle element must be advanced and retreated smoothly without being damaged through the relatively small channel of the endoscope when the endoscope is bent.
Under the circumstances, in conventional structures, the needle element tends to have a puncture length insufficient to reach the tissue to be examined. Even if the needle element has a sufficient puncture length, since the needle element connected to the distal end of the inner sheath is long, both of the outer and inner sheaths tend to be incapable of advancing and retreating through the channel when the endoscope is bent and when an treating instrument upheaving member is stood up. Thus, it is possible that a sure puncture operation is not performed.
Further, when an ultrasonic endoscope is used to puncture a deep-positioned organ, such as the spleen, through a wall of an alimentary canal, such as the stomach and the duodenum, to examine a tissue, a force capable of secure puncture of the deep-positioned organ through the alimentary canal must be transmitted to the distal end of the puncture needle. Moreover, the needle element must be advanced and retreated smoothly without being damaged through the channel of the endoscope when the endoscope is bent.
However, in conventional structures, the inner sheath is made of a flexible tube. Therefore, when the inner tube is pushed in to stick the needle element into a deep-positioned tissue, it is possible that the inner sheath made of the flexible tube is flexed within the outer sheath and that the force is not completely transmitted to the distal end of the puncture needle, thus sure puncture may not be accomplished.


Two parts (120, 160) can be mated and secured from relative movement in three different orthogonal directions or planes by the use of a novel, two piece, plastic fastener structure. The snap fastener has an integral interlocking tab (170) that serves to constrain the movement in a third direction or plane. The snap fastener additionally consists of an operative component (110) and a securing component (150). The operative component has a resilient member (112) that deforms to receive a catch member (152) on the securing component when the operative component and the securing component are snapped or mated together. One of the two components contains an opening (180), while the other contains a body portion shaped more or less like a tab or tongue which is capable of being inserted within the opening when the two components are mated. When so inserted, the relative movement of the two components is restricted in three directions, without the use of a remotely located securing means.

Traditionally, when snap fits are used to secure two pieces or devices together, two or more snap fits are used, along with some sort of alignment means situated somewhere on the two parts, remote from the snap fits. This is because all prior art snap fits only constrain the movement of the two parts relative to one another in one direction, or two directions at most. That is, the snap fit restricts the relative movement of the two pieces in only the X or Z direction, or at most, in both the X and Z directions, but never in all three possible directions (X, Y, and Z). Because of this, a traditional snap fit can be easily undone simply by moving one or both of the individual pieces in a direction normal to the direction in which the snap fit was actuated. Thus, designers have been forced to employ an additional securing means, such as retainer pins, cams, pivots, hinges, etc. at a location that is remote from the snap fit, or to employ two or more snap fits. Clearly, this creates a number of undesirable design constraints on products. As an example, portable electronic devices, such as two-way radios and telephones, often have removable battery packages for supplying power. In many such configurations, a removable battery package is secured to a host electronic device by a latch system. The latch system ordinarily includes a portion situated on the battery package, and a portion situated on the host device that mate together to secure the battery package to the host device. When a user removes the battery package from the host device for whatever reason, the electrical terminals of the battery package are exposed, and can be inadvertently connected together by a metal object. THIS is not desirable, as shorting the positive and negative terminals of the battery causes rapid heating of the battery and the metal object, and has occasionally led to melting of nearby objects, or even worse, a fire could occur. One means of preventing this has been to provide a cover for the terminals that can be snapped onto the battery package using the same latch system as employed on the host device. Unfortunately, conventional-art latches and snap fits have required an additional securing means, as these snap fits only constrain the relative movement of the two objects in one or two directions. Thus, unless the two objects are somehow constrained from moving in a third direction, even the tightest of snap fits can be easily undone by simply moving the two members in the unconstrained direction. Thus, in order to secure the cover to the battery, an additional constraining means has to be located remotely from the snap fit latch. The astute reader will appreciate that this causes the cover to be larger than necessary, thus increasing the size and cost of the cover, both of which are undesirable.
Thus, a need exists for fasteners of a type as herein described which can be inexpensively manufactured and which may be easily and conveniently released as desired.


A method of lubricating and cooling a hydrodynamic plain bearing for a rotating element comprises the steps of supplying fresh, cold lubricant under pressure from a pressure chamber arranged upstream of a fixed gliding plane to a lubricating gap between the fixed gliding plane and the rotating element, the supply of fresh, cold lubricant being so controlled that an effective lubricating wedge is formed between the rotating element and the fixed gliding plane. The pressure chamber is connected to a decompression chamber predominantly filled with gas and arranged upstream of the pressure chamber by a mixing conduit, used, hot lubricant adhering to the rotating element is moved to the decompression chamber, and a portion of the used, hot lubricant is removed from the decompression chamber while the remaining portion of the used, hot lubricant flows from the decompression chamber into the mixing conduit and is mixed with fresh, cold lubricant flowing countercurrently in the mixing conduit whence the mixture is pressed into the decompression chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of lubricating and cooling a hydrodynamic plain bearing for a rotating element, which bearing has at least one fixed gliding plane, and a pressure chamber and a decompression chamber are arranged upstream of the gliding plane, wherein a fresh, cold lubricant is supplied under pressure from the pressure chamber to a lubricating gap between the rotating element and the fixed gliding plane at an entry end, the lubricant supply being so controlled that a sufficient lubrication wedge is created between the rotating element and the gliding plane, and used, hot lubricant is removed therefrom at a discharge end of the gliding plane and is conducted from the lubricating gap into the decompression chamber, any hot lubricant adhering to the rotating element being partially moved into the decompression chamber and fresh, cold lubricant being supplied under pressure from the pressure chamber in a subsequent lubricating gap.
This invention also relates to a plain bearing with fixed gliding surfaces for a rotating element, such as a cylindrical shaft or a pressure disc, with means for supplying the fresh, cool lubricant under pressure.
The invention deals with plain bearings for rotating elements gliding in the bearing at high speeds, such as gas and steam turbines, turbo-compressors and turbo-gears connected therewith. The plain bearings of the present invention are designed for rotating elements gliding at high speeds in the bearings, in a chamber filled predominantly with gas, for example a gearbox or bearing box of a turbo engine filled predominantly with gas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,932, particularly FIG. 12, to provide a hydrodynamic journal bearing for large machines, such as turbines and generators. The load-bearing lower part of the bearing extends over and angle of about 160°. The upper half of the bearing is not subjected to any load, and there is a half-moon-shaped space between the shaft and the inner surface of the bearing. This bearing has three gliding segments arranged between two grooves associated with each gliding segment. In this arrangement, the foremost groove, in the direction of rotation of the shaft, constitutes the pressure groove and the groove at the end of the gliding segment constitutes the decompression chamber. Fresh lubricant is pressed under pressure from the pressure groove into the space between the rotating shaft and the gliding segment and is taken along by the rotating shaft to the decompression groove. The used, hot lubricant is removed from the decompression groove. The pressure groove of the gliding segment downstream of the decompression chamber, in the direction of rotation of the shaft, is spaced from the preceding decompression chamber, the spacing being sufficient to prevent lubricant from the pressure groove to flow into the adjacent decompression chamber. The pressure and decompression grooves are flat and fully filled with lubricant. Therefore, the entire inner surface of the bearing is filled with lubricant, i.e. all the pockets and grooves of the bearing. In such a flooded bearing, the lubricant exchange proceeds in a mixing chamber, as is shown in accompanying FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrating the state of the art.
The journal bearing disclosed in this patent is completely covered by the lubricant and has a relatively high loss factor, the losses of such lubricated bearings rising with proportionally with the surface covered by the lubricant.
Known bearings for shafts rotating at high speeds include the offset-half structure, the double-offset structure, the hybrid bearing, the so-called lemon play bearing, the multiple-plane bearing with two to five sliding planes, and the axial bearing with wedge planes for one or two rotational directions.
In the offset-half bearing structure, an upper gliding plane is offset horizontally from a lower gliding plane by a predetermined distance so that the shaft circumference contacts the bearing along two different lines. The two gliding planes are coaxially offset relative to each other and to the axis of the shaft. In the double-offset bearing structure, the two gliding planes are offset relative to each other horizontally as well as vertically. In both structures, the lubricating gap forms a wedge tapering in the direction of rotation of the shaft.
In the hybrid bearing, a lower fixed gliding plane is combined with an oppositely positioned pivotal gliding plane.
The so-called lemon play bearing is a variation of the multiple-plane bearing.

Hydrodynamic plain bearing and method of lubricating and cooling the bearing


An electrical connector includes: an insulative housing having a base and a tongue; an upper and lower rows of contacts secured to the housing and exposed respectively to an upper and lower surfaces of the tongue; a shielding shell enclosing the insulative housing, the shielding shell having a pair of holes; and a metallic shield attached to the shielding shell, the metallic shield having a main part, the main part having a pair of spring tangs extending rearward through the pair of shielding shell holes, respectively; wherein the metallic shield main part is spaced a distance from the shielding shell.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector including a shielding shell having a pair of holes and an outer metallic shield having a pair of spring tangs extending through the pair of holes, respectively, and more particularly to an improved arrangement to improve mechanical property of the spring tang.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 9,762,009 discloses provision of spring tangs on shielding shells or outer metallic shield. U.S. Pat. No. 9,496,653 discloses lengthening of such spring tang by way of a meandering design. U.S. Pat. No. 9,653,850 discloses an electrical connector including a shielding shell having a pair of holes and an outer metallic shield having a pair of spring tangs extending through the pair of holes, respectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,653,850 discloses an electrical connector including a shielding shell having a pair of holes and an outer metallic shield having a pair of spring tangs extending through the pair of holes, respectively.

Electrical connector having a shielding shell and a metallic shield with lengthened spring tangs


A servo control of an optical disk apparatus increases a suppression degree of an iterative learning control system, against a frequency disturbance of integer multiple of rotation frequency in a predetermined rotation phase range including a range, in which a servo deviation is detected, of the rotation phase.

The present invention relates to an optical disk apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information in and/or from an optical disk.
As one of the causes of a servo follow-up deviation in the optical disk apparatus, a periodic disturbance is included therein, which is caused by rotating the optical disk. There has been a method that makes a servo gain high to increase an allowable disturbance amount, as one of the methods for enhancing a follow-up performance against the periodic disturbance.
In contrast, JP-A-2001-84620 has disclosed that "It is necessary to raise a cutoff frequency since a servo band is more broadened when a reproduction speed of DVD is made high. For example, an oscillation is inevitable when a resonance appears by setting the cutoff frequency to 10 kHz."
As another method of enhancing the follow-up performance against the periodic disturbance, the iterative learning control has been known beforehand.
JP-A-11-213403 has discloses a technique that detects a vibration equal to or greater than a predetermined value in which the vibration is added externally to an optical disk apparatus, discontinues an operation that increases a gain of a rotational frequency range in the optical disk in accordance with the detected signal, and increases an entire servo band of a servo control.
JP-A-8-77589 has disclosed a technique that varies a learning level of a iterative learning control, and turns down the learning level thereof when a track correlation is weak.
JP-A-2001-126421 has discloses the iterative learning control that provides a configuration including an adder that adds an output signal of a filter to a position error signal (PES), which is not delayed, to output to a delay memory device as a new inner state signal.
On the other hand, it is known that there is a component so called deviation, other than an eccentricity/surface run-out component as the periodic disturbance component occurred at a time of rotating the optical disk. U.S. patent application Publication No. 2007/0183284 has disclosed that "In the case of optical disk having a guide groove, a defective portion (deviation) in a groove shape is sometimes included by causing a deterioration of disk stamper, a disk forming defect, etc. A wide band inherent noise component is mixed in a groove reflected signal at an outer circumference portion of the disk in particular, when the above-mentioned disk is rotated in high operation speed."
Further, JP-A-2003-67951 has disclosed a method that calculates a defect zone, decreases a loop gain of the servo control in the calculated defect zone to turn down the cutoff frequency, and turns up the loop gain in other than the defect zone to make the cutoff frequency high.


An aspect of the invention provides an optical pickup in which an optical axis is not displaced even if ambient temperature is changed. The optical pickup of the invention has an optical unit and an optical pickup case. The optical unit has a lens member having an optical axis, and the optical axis of the lens member is offset to one side from the center of the optical unit. The optical pickup case holds the optical unit from both sides. A thermal expansion amount of the optical unit is absorbed by compression amounts of a first adhesive and a second adhesive such that the optical axis of the lens member is not displaced when the optical unit is thermal expanded.

In the optical pickup, a laser beam is focused on a recording surface of the optical disk, and the laser beam is detected from the recording surface of the optical disk. The optical pickup is formed by a combination of optical elements such as a laser, a mirror, a lens and a photodetector. For an optical axis of the optical element, position accuracy and inclination accuracy which affect aberration of the laser beam are important in the reading and writing operations.
In the optical pickup, an optical pickup case having high stiffness is used to maintain the position accuracy and inclination accuracy of the optical element. The optical element is directly fixed to the optical pickup case with an adhesive, or the optical element is fixed to the optical pickup case with the adhesive while held by a holding member. In fixing the optical element with the adhesive, unlike the fixing with a screw, it is not necessary to provide a space for a screw threaded portion, so that the adhesive is suitable to the fixing of the small components such as the optical element.
However, curing, contraction, and swelling are generated in the adhesive as time advances or by a change in ambient temperature. Therefore, sometimes the position and inclination are displaced in the optical element.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-197718 discloses a method of bonding the optical element at horizontally symmetrical positions in order to avoid the problem caused by the adhesive. Therefore, the displacements of the position and inclination can be decreased in the optical element, even if the expansion or contraction is generated in the adhesive.
In the optical pickup, sometimes an aberration correction element is mounted to correct unevenness of a thickness of a protective layer and a large spherical aberration generated by a layer jump of a multi-layered recording disk.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-91847 discloses an aberration correction element including a lens moving mechanism which moves a lens. The lens moving mechanism includes a drive motor, a guide shaft, and a lens holding member for holding the lens. Therefore, the aberration correction element is much larger than other optical elements in weight and size. As with other optical elements, it is also necessary that the aberration correction element be mounted in the optical pickup case with high accuracy.
In the optical element in which the drive motor, the guide shaft, the holding member for holding the lens are provided around the lens, like the aberration correction element, it is difficult that the lens is arranged in the center position of the optical component. Therefore, usually the lens is attached while offset from the center position of the optical component.
In such structures, the change in ambient temperature easily causes the displacements of the position and inclination of the lens. When the optical axis is displaced by the displacements of the position or inclination of the lens, the aberration is generated in a spot of the laser beam focused on the recording layer of the optical disk, which results in the problem that high-density recording is hardly performed.

Optical pickup having thermal expansion compensation


A pumping system is capable of handling a paper pulp suspension of medium consistency (e.g. about 8-15% solids consistency) utilizing a conventional centrifugal pump. A conventional pump system capable of handling 3-8% consistency pulp may be retrofit to handle 8-15% consistency pulp. A tube with vanes, and having an open end, extends through the inlet to the pump so that there is a small clearance between the vanes and the inlet, and so that the open end is adjacent but spaced from the hub of the pump impeller. A gas passage extends from the hollow interior of the tube to an area remote from the pump. The tube is rotated in a direction of rotation opposite to the direction of rotation of the pump impeller, and at a speed sufficient to fluidize pulp of about 8-15% consistency, and to force the pulp toward the pump. Gas which collects at the pump impeller is withdrawn through the tube and a gas passage in a shaft connected to the tube, and for that purpose a vacuum pump may be utilized.

Especially in the pulp and paper field, it is highly desirable to be able to pump suspensions having a medium consistency, e.g. about 8-15% solids. In the pulp and paper art, this is typically accomplished utilizing a degassing pump having an impeller of a centrifugal pump rotating at a speed sufficient to effect fluidization. Such a degassing pump is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,193. While such pumps are successful, there are many installations today where it is difficult or impractical to retrofit such a pump.
According to the present invention, a pumping system and method are provided that allow an ordinary paper pulp stock pump, designed for handling stock of about 3-8% consistency, to pump medium consistency pulp as well. The system according to the invention may be retrofit, although under some circumstances it is even desirable to provide a complete system according to the invention in new installations. The pumping system according to the invention does not in any way affect the mounting, speed of operation, or any other parameters of the ordinary stock pump, but merely provides additional elements that are not connected to, although they operatively interact with, the ordinary centrifugal stock pump, to alloW it to pump medium consistency suspensions.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a pumping system for suspensions is provided which comprises the following elements: (a) A centrifugal pump having a housing containing an impeller, the impeller having a hub and blades. (b) Means for rotating the impeller about an impeller axis, in a first direction of rotation. (c) Means defining an inlet to the housing, and an outlet from the housing, for suspension being pumped. (d) A vaned tubular element having an open end. (e) Means for mounting the tubular element for rotation about an axis generally in line with the impeller axis, and so that the open end extends through the inlet so that it is positioned adjacent, but spaced from, the hub. And, (f) means for rotating the tube about its axis in a second direction of rotation, opposite the first direction.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a pumping system is provided specifically for pumping suspensions having a solids content of about 8-15%. The pumping system comprises: (a) A centrifugal pump having a housing containing an impeller, the impeller having a hub and blades. (b) Means for rotating the impeller about an impeller axis, in a first direction of rotation. (c) Means defining an inlet to the housing, and an outlet from the housing, for suspension being pumped. (d) A vaned tubular element having an open end. (e) Means for mounting the tubular element for rotation about an axis generally in line with the impeller axis, and so that the open end extends through the inlet so that it is positioned adjacent, but spaced from, the hub. (f) Means for rotating the tube about its axis at a velocity sufficient to fluidize the suspension of consistency about 8-15%. (g) The means defining the inlet comprising a throat, the throat, tube, and vanes on the tube dimensioned so that there is a narrow clearance between the vanes and the throat to facilitate fluidization of the suspension by the tube. The means (e) and (f) comprise a shaft with a gas passage operatively communicating with the hollow interior of the tube, and (h) means are provided for withdrawing gas from the tube and gas passage. The means (h) may include a vacuum pump.
Preferably the centrifugal pump consists essentially of the housing and impeller, being devoid of gas withdrawal means. Also, the system is ideally mounted in a generally vertically disposed vessel for containing the suspension, the pump being disposed adjacent the bottom of the vessel and all of the elements of the pump system being mounted so that the impeller axis is generally horizontal.
According to a method of the present invention, it is possible to pump a suspension of cellulosic fibrous material (paper pulp) having a consistency of about 8-15% utilizing the apparatus earlier described. The method comprises the steps of: (a) Feeding the cellulosic fibrous material suspension at a consistency of 8-15% toward the inlet to the pump housing. (b) Rotating the tube at a velocity sufficient to cause the suspension to be fluidized and to be forced toWard the pump impeller. (c) Rotating the pump impeller to effect discharge of the suspension from the pump outlet. And, the further step (d) of withdrawing gas from adjacent the impeller. Step (d) preferably consists essentially of the step of causing gas to flow through the tube to be discharged at a position remote from the impeller, and steps (b) and (c) are practiced to cause the impeller to rotate in the direction opposite the direction of rotation of the tube.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of retrofitting a centrifugal pumping system capable of handling cellulosic fibrous material suspension having a consistency of about 3-8%, so that it is capable of pumping a suspension having a consistency of up to about 15%. The method comprises the steps of: (a) Mounting a vaned hollow tube so that it extends through the inlet to the centrifugal pump, with an open end of the tube mounted adjacent, but spaced from, the hub of the impeller, and with the tube vanes having a small clearance between them and the inlet to the housing, and mounting the tube so that it is rotatable about an axis generally coincident with the impeller axis. (b) Rotating the tube in a direction of rotation opposite to the direction of rotation of the impeller, and at a speed sufficient to fluidize pulp suspension having a consistency of up to about 15% and to force the suspension toward the pump impeller. And, (c) withdrawing gas that may collect at the impeller through the tube to be discharged from the pumping system.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a system and method for pumping medium consistency paper pulp suspensions, or the like, utilizing an ordinary centrifugal stock pump. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.

Pump with separate fluidizing vaned shaft adjacent impeller


A game system includes: a manipulating unit to be manipulated by a player; a storage unit for storing program and data required to execute a game; an executing unit for executing the game based on a manipulation of the manipulating unit and storage contents in the storage unit; an interrupting unit for interrupting a progress of the game when the game being executed reaches a predetermined progress level; an requesting unit for requesting the player to input information to release the interruption of the game in response to the interruption of the game by the interrupting unit; and a managing unit for comparing the manipulation of the manipulating unit responsive to the request by the requesting unit with a releasing condition of the interruption which is stored in the storage unit in advance, for permitting the progress of the game ahead of the point of the interruption if the manipulation satisfying the releasing condition is performed and for inhibiting the progress of the game ahead of the point of the interruption if the manipulation satisfying the releasing condition is not performed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer game system and a storage medium for use with the game system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is known a computer game system which requests a player to input a password when he plays the game from the start or when he continues playing the game from the position where he suspended the game last time. In the game system of this kind, the game software notifies the password to the player according to the game completion degree or the player himself sets the password when suspending the game. Therefore, the player naturally knows the password which is required to restart and continue the game, and hence he can voluntarily go ahead in the game.
By the way, as appreciated from an example of a serial TV story or a serial publication, the compulsory interruption of the story makes the watchers or the readers wait for the next story and has an effect to keep on attracting the interests of the watchers or the readers, thereby booming the story and the publication. Applying this phenomenon to the game requires distributing a single game as a plurality of separate products (titles), and it requires a very complicated and troublesome management of manufacturing and distribution. In the above-mentioned conventional game system, the progress of the game is controlled by the player himself, and hence the game cannot be compulsorily interrupted by the software side to stop the progress of the player and make him wait.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a game system and a storage medium for use therewith, which can limit the player""s voluntary game progress and make the player wait, thereby attracting the interests of the players for a long time.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a game system including: a manipulating unit to be manipulated by a player; a storage unit for storing program and data required to execute a game; an executing unit for executing the game based on a manipulation of the manipulating unit and storage contents in the storage unit; an interrupting unit for interrupting a progress of the game when the game being executed reaches a predetermined progress level; an requesting unit for requesting the player to input information to release the interruption of the game in response to the interruption of the game by the interrupting unit; and a managing unit for comparing the manipulation of the manipulating unit responsive to the request by the requesting unit with a releasing condition of the interruption which is stored in the storage unit in advance, for permitting the progress of the game ahead of the point of the interruption if the manipulation satisfying the releasing condition is performed and for inhibiting the progress of the game ahead of the point of the interruption if the manipulation satisfying the releasing condition is not performed.
In accordance with the game system thus configured, the progress of the game is interrupted if the game reaches the predetermined progress level, and the input needed to release the interruption is requested to the player. By this request, the player knows that the game is interrupted and that the releasing of the interruption requires a specific manipulation. If the player performs an appropriate manipulation, the interruption of the game is released and the player can restart the game. If the manipulation by the player is not appropriate, the game interruption cannot be released. The supplier of the game software does not notify the necessary manipulation during the progress of the game, but may periodically notify the player of the necessary manipulation via various media such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio, telephone and/or the internet. Thus, the voluntary game progress by the player is restricted and they are forced to stop playing the game until they knows the necessary manipulation via those media. As a result, the interests of the players may be reliably kept attracted to the game for a long time with a single game title.
Preferably, the game system may further include a saving unit for saving data corresponding to the progress level of the game by the point of the interruption, after the managing unit inhibits the progress of the game ahead of the point of the interruption. By this, the data by the time of the interruption may be safely saved.
In a preferred embodiment, the managing unit may be enabled when executing the game ahead of the point of the interruption based on the data saved by the saving unit. By this, the interruption is maintained even if the game is restated based on the saved data.
In another preferred embodiment, a plurality of levels may be set as the predetermined progress levels of the game, and the managing unit may inhibit the progress of the game ahead of the point of the interruption and permit the execution of the game within the progress levels prior to the progress level corresponding to the point of the interruption, if the manipulation satisfying the releasing condition is not performed. Therefore, even if the interruption is not released yet, the events prior to the interrupted point may be freely executed. The predetermined progress level of the game may be set on the basis of an achieved position in the game, or on the basis of a playing time of the game.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium for storing a game program readable by a computer game system to perform the processes of: an interrupting process for interrupting a progress of a game when the game being executed reaches a predetermined progress level; an requesting process for requesting a player to input information to release an interruption of the game in response to the interruption of the game by the interrupting process; and a managing process for comparing a manipulation by the player responsive to the request by the requesting process with a releasing condition of the interruption which is stored in advance, for permitting the progress of the game ahead of the point of the interruption if the manipulation satisfying the releasing condition is performed and for inhibiting the progress of the game ahead of the point of the interruption if the manipulation satisfying the releasing condition is not performed.
In accordance with the storage medium, the game system can execute the appropriate interruption and releasing of the interruption by reading the content of the storage medium by the game system.
The nature, utility, and further features of this invention will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description with respect to preferred embodiment of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings briefly described below.

Game system and computer readable storage medium carrying game program


A device for measuring rotary motion, preferably the rotational speed of the vehicle wheels, has a signal generator ring mounted on a wheel bearing outer ring which rotates with the wheel. A protective housing is mounted to a stationary member and surrounds the signal generator ring. A sensor which is snug-fittingly accommodated in a holder is fixed onto the stationary member by way of a flange on the protective housing. The holder holds and retains the sensor in the predetermined position on the periphery of the signal generator ring.

Measuring rotary motions and, in particular, the speed and the rotational behavior of the individual vehicle wheels is of great importance in connection with automotive vehicle control systems such as systems for anti-lock control brake systems (hereinafter ABS), traction slip control, and suspension control, etc. Sensors for these types of applications must be durable, reliable, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble, easy to diagnose, replace, and maintain.
There already exists a multitude of sensor types and sensor designs. Commercially available vehicles with electronically controlled anti-lock and traction slip control systems are primarily with inductive wheel sensors. These sensors are arranged on the periphery of a toothed disk rotating with the wheel. Inductive sensors generate a magnetic field.
As the toothed disk moves past the sensor, the magnetic field is modulated and a voltage is induced inside a coil within the sensor. The frequency and amplitude of the voltage allows measurements of rotary motion. As a rule, however, only the frequency or change in frequency is evaluated for determining the wheel speed.
Sensors of this type are relatively expensive and intricate. They require precise adjustment as a certain air gap must be maintained. The electric connection, the mechanical strength of the wires and the screening, the soiling and damaging of the toothed disks, corrosion, penetration of humidity etc. provide problems. Maintaining the necessary space requirements between the sensor and the toothed disk likewise often creates problems.
There are also known so-called wheel bearing sensors where the sensor and the pulse generator ring or the toothed disk are integrated into the wheel bearing. Thus the space constraints on the bearing style sensor size are highly demanding. Moreover, advantages are associated with bearing style sensors with regard to the expenditure of manufacture and assembly. A disadvantage is the poor accessibility of the built-in sensor which complicates sensor repair or replacement.
It is an object of this invention to overcome the disadvantages of known bearing style speed sensors for measuring rotary motions and to develop a measuring device characterized above all by a simple structure as well as by a comparatively small expenditure in terms of manufacture and assembly. Dismantling or replacing the sensor for purposes of checking or repair is made relatively easy.
This object is obtained by designing a sensor in the form of a plug or plug-like component and the sensor holder is designed in the form of a stationary sensor-accommodating housing which accommodates the sensor, positions the sensor at the signal generator ring, and keeps it in this position.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sensor is held in the sensor-accommodating housing by a snug fit, press fit, click-in mechanism, by a plug connection or by a similar measure. This allows the sensor to be assembled and dismantled with minimal effort.
Preferably, the sensor-accommodating housing has a recess at the point where the sensor will interact with the signal generator ring so that, for instance, a small air gap can be adjusted between the sensor or the pole shoe of a sensor and the passing teeth of a toothed disk (which serves as signal generator ring). With a closed housing the material thereof is selected so that the passage of the field lines whose change is evaluated for measuring the rotary motion will be minimally obstructed.
The present inventive measuring device allows a particularly advantageous design in the form of an active or passive wheel bearing sensor. In this case, the signal generator ring consists of evenly distributed teeth or corresponding recesses, arranged at or on a wheel bearing ring (e.g. on an outer ring of a wheel bearing which rotates with the wheel). The sensor holder is preferably mounted on the stationary wheel axle by means of a lateral flange, a corresponding ring, a disk or the like.
In a further embodiment of the present wheel bearing sensor, a stationary protective housing is provided which partially or completely surrounds the signal generator ring and which houses the sensor-accommodating housing and which, by way of a lateral flange or the like, is connected with the stationary wheel axle or a stationary part of the wheel support or wheel bearing such as the inner ring of the bearing.
In the present invention the plug-like structure of the sensor will prove particularly favorable because the sensor is easily mounted and dismantled on the wheel bearing despite the typical space constraints.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the sensor is shaped in the form of an oblong body (such as that of a pin) with a round, an angular rounded cross-section or in the form of a corresponding pin with a stepped cross-section. These structures promote the insertion and dismantling of the sensor in the sensor-accommodating housing.
According to this invention, the sensor can be positioned either parallel to the axis of rotation or wheel bearing axis or at an acute angle with regard to the same. This enables an optimal adaptation to the available space.
Another essential advantage of a wheel bearing sensor constructed in accordance with this invention consists in that the sensor will, at most, have a minimal influence on the construction of the bearing. This enables the same bearing design to be used both with and without a speed sensor which, for instance, will have a favorable influence on the manufacturing cost of the vehicle because only one bearing design needs to be stocked.
The plug-type design of the sensor of the present invention enables a permanent connection between the connecting cable and the sensor. No coupling is needed which, at the wheel, would require a special high reliability and, hence, an expensive construction because of the vibrations ensuing at the wheel. If a plug coupling is convenient, it will be possible to relocate the same to a safe spot remote from the wheel bearing sensor.

Rotary motion measuring device with a rotating signal generator ring and a stationary snugly fitted sensor with a protective housing around the generator ring


A negative electrode for a lithium ion secondary battery, which has high energy density and which can suppress a crease (form change) of a negative electrode active material layer and a negative electrode current collector caused by the expansion and contraction occurring along with the quick charging and discharging and also suppress the falloff of the negative electrode active material layer after the quick charging and discharging cycle, and a lithium ion secondary battery using the negative electrode. The negative electrode for a lithium ion secondary battery and the lithium ion secondary battery include: a negative electrode active material including 5% or more of silicon or silicon oxide; a binder that is polyacrylate whose carboxylic groups at terminals of side chains of polyacrylic acid are cross-linked with magnesium or alkaline earth metal; and a negative electrode current collector.

A lithium ion secondary battery is lighter in weight and has higher capacity than a nickel-cadmium battery, a nickel hydrogen battery, and the like. For this reason, the lithium ion secondary batteries have been widely used as a power supply for mobile electronic appliances. The lithium ion secondary battery is also a strong candidate for a power supply to be mounted on hybrid automobiles and electric automobiles. With the size reduction and higher sophistication of the mobile electronic appliances in recent years, the lithium ion secondary battery used for the power supply is expected to have higher capacity.
In view of the above, an alloy-based negative electrode material including silicon and silicon oxide has attracted attention. Silicon can electrochemically intercalate and deintercalate lithium ions. Silicon enables the charging and discharging with much higher capacity than graphite. In particular, it is known that silicon exhibits a theoretical discharging capacity of 4,210 mAh/g, which is 11 times as high as that of graphite.
However, when silicon or a silicon compound is used as a negative electrode active material, the expansion and contraction of an electrode caused by the intercalation and deintercalation of lithium ions along with the charging and discharging are remarkably larger than those in the case of using graphite as a negative electrode active material. Therefore, in the lithium ion secondary battery using an alloy-based negative electrode material of silicon or the like as the negative electrode active material, the negative electrode active material layer expands or contracts due to the repetition of the charging and discharging. This applies a large stress on the negative electrode.
This may result in problems that the crack occurs in the negative electrode active material layer formed on a negative electrode current collector, and the negative electrode active material layer and the negative electrode current collector are separated. As a result, the conductive path is blocked between the negative electrode active material and the negative electrode active material and between the negative electrode active material and the negative electrode current collector. This leads to the lower cycle characteristic of the lithium ion secondary battery.
In view of the above problem, Patent Literature 1 suggests to use the polyacrylic resin, which has a predetermined mechanical characteristic, as the negative electrode binder in order to improve the adhesion between the negative electrode active material layer and the negative electrode current collector and to suppress the volume expansion of the negative electrode. Since the polyacrylic resin can use water as the solvent, the polyacrylic resin has advantages that the environmental burden in the fabrication is small and the cost can be suppressed.
In general, as the adhesion between the negative electrode active material layer and the negative electrode current collector is higher, the falloff of the negative electrode active material layer in the charging/discharging cycle is small. The deterioration is therefore suppressed. For this reason, the resin with higher adhesion is more preferable. However, too high adhesion between the polyacrylic acid and the negative electrode current collector is a problem.
In the negative electrode including the negative electrode active material with the large expansion and contraction such as silicon, too high adhesion between the binder and the negative electrode current collector causes the stress from the expansion and contraction of the negative electrode active material to be applied to the negative electrode current collector in the quick charging/discharging. This produces the irreversible form change of the negative electrode, i.e., a crease.
The quick charging/discharging in this specification refers to the charging and discharging at a current density of 10 C or more. Note that 1 C is the current value at which, when a battery cell with a nominal capacity is charged at a constant current, the charging is completed in an hour.

Negative electrode for lithium ion secondary battery, and lithium ion secondary battery using the same


Methods and systems for installing an electrical power source in an electrical device can include positioning the electrical power source in a device-charging position associated with a first charge path that has a nonzero electrical resistivity, maintaining the electrical power source in the device-charging position for a nonzero time with a mechanism, and moving the electrical power source from the device-charging position to an installed position associated with a second charge path that has less resistivity than the first nonzero electrical resistivity. Devices can include a mechanism and the first and second charge paths, the mechanism configured to move a power source from a device-charging position to an installed position over a nonzero time.

Electric vehicles have been developed for a wide variety of personal and industrial tasks including personal transportation, commercial transportation, entertainment, and industrial applications. One example of an electric vehicle that has become commonplace is the remote-controlled or semi-autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). UAVs may have significant applications in personal use (e.g., for entertainment) but may also have significant commercial applications as platforms for videography, for moving inventory in supply chain facilities, or even for carrying parcels in commercial delivery. As operational requirements of UAVs have increased, power requirements have also increased, leading to a need to repeatedly swap out the power source or battery in order to minimize nonoperational time. The internal electronics of a UAV, however, can be sensitive to an initial current spike that may occur when a new power source is substituted for a depleted supply. Conventional techniques for minimizing the detrimental impacts of swapping power supplies include electronic pre-charge circuits that limit the magnitude of the initial current spike. Existing electronic pre-charge circuits can malfunction and add weight and cost.

Mechanically controlled pre-charge system


An optical recording medium is provided. The optical recording medium includes at least a reflective film and a cover layer on a substrate; main data by a combination of pit and land are recorded on the substrate; a write-once recording is made to be possible on the reflective film by irradiating a laser light; sub-data are recorded by a mark that is formed by the irradiation of laser light for the write-once recording with respect to the reflective film; a reproducing signal level at portion where said mark is formed increases for the land of specified length; the mark by which the reproduced level decreases at the portion where the mark is formed is formed for an optical disc recording medium manufactured by physical copy; the reflective film is composed of an Ag-alloy film of Ag100-xXx(0<x<100); and the X is selected from Ti, W, Ta, V, Mo, Nb and Zr.

The present application relates to an optical recording medium, especially to an optical recording medium by which a detection or rejection of an illegal replica-version can be performed effectively.
An optical disc as an optical recording medium, especially a ROM (Read Only Memory) disc of playback-only is widely used in the world as a package-media, because a lot of replica substrate can be produced from one stumper in the short time by an injection forming of plastic.
For example, a CD (Compact Disc), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) and the like are common in the market as the ROM disc that music, picture and the like are recorded to.
From the past, on the basis of the ROM disc that is sold as a package-media, a disc of replica-version (so-called pirate's version) that copied the recorded data illegally is produced and, that causes a problem of the infringement of the copyright.
As for the disc of pirate's version, generally, a stumper is produced by a mastering process on the basis of a signal reproduced from a normal version disc and thereby producing the disc of replica-version.
Alternatively, it is produced by copying the signal reproduced from the normal version disc, to a recordable disc.
In order to prevent the production of the disc of pirate's version, varieties of methods are proposed and developed. As one of methods, for example, a method by which different identity information is added to each disc is known. A system in which a reproducing apparatus side reads out the identity information of the disc and transmits this to an outside server apparatus via a network can be configured by using the method by which different identity information is added to each disc, like this. By using such system, for example, because the same identity information is detected voluminously by aforesaid server apparatus when the disc of pirate's version are produced and sold, the presence of the discs of pirate's version can be detected. Further, by specifying a reproducing apparatus which transmitted the detected identity information, there is a possibility to be able to specify a seller of pirate's version.
However, even if the identity information that becomes unique is added to each disc, like this, that it is recorded by a method by which the reproduction or copying may not be performed easily by a driving apparatus sold in the market is useful for the protection of the copyright.
Then, a mark of aforesaid identity information is formed on a reflective film of the disc and a very small change of the reflection ratio is given, a method in which the recording is performed by using that is proposed (for example, reference to Patent document 1).
In a disc described in this patent document 1, main data (data of contents, control information or the like) are recorded by a combination of pit and land, and also sub-data (identity information) other than the main data are recorded by forming a mark that gives a very small change of the reflectance to the reflective film on a specified pit and land.
The recording of the mark for the aforesaid reflective film is performed by a laser irradiation whose power is higher than a laser power of the time of reproducing. At this time, the change of the reflectance is made to be very small so that it may not give an influence to the reproducing of main data that are recorded by the combination of pit and land. More specifically, it is done such that the sub-data are not reproduced by the usual reproducing action of the main data.
Then, another reproducing system is provided, and many portions where such very small change of the reflectance is given in the reproducing signal of main data are sampled by sampling, and for example, by obtaining an integrated value of these, the reproduction of this sub-data itself is performed.
In this case, at a recording apparatus side and reproducing apparatus side of the sub-data, the position where the mark as the sub-data is formed is determined by the predetermined specified algorithm. By means of this, the normal reproducing apparatus can specify the position where the mark was recorded by the same algorithm as the one that was used when recording, thereby being able to reproduce the identity information as the sub-data correctly.
And now, it was assumed that the pirate's version disc is produced from the reproducing signal of the ROM disc of normal version, but there is a method, as another method, in which a stumper is made by copying a physical shape of substrate of the ROM disc, as it is.
Specifically, first, shapes of pits and lands that were formed on the substrate are exposed by separating the cover layer and reflective film of the normal version disc from the substrate, and this exposed concavity/convexity is copied physically, thereby copying the contents recorded on the disc and, this is the method.
The disc described in the aforesaid patent document 1 is the one which records the identity information of the individual disc by the mark formed to the reflective film. According to this, by the method of the physical copy which needs to remove the cover layer and reflective film from the aforesaid substrate, the mark (identity information) formed to the reflective film may not be copied, therefore it is conceivable that the production of the pirate's version disc may be protected.
However, practically, the record of the mark to the reflective film is performed by the irradiation of the comparatively high power laser, therefore, at the time of recording the intended mark, it may cause problems such as: the temperature of this recording portion increases, thereby causing local thermal expansion to the disc's substrate; the transformation corresponding to the mark is caused to the substrate itself and the like.
Consequently, the mark to be formed only to the reflective film may be copied to the substrate physically, and by copying this substrate physically, the main data and also sub-data may be copied.
It is explained with respect to this copy with reference to next FIG. 24.
FIG. 24A is a sectional structure of an optical disc 100 in which a mark was formed to a reflective film as doing like the above.
This optical disc 100 is formed with reflective film 102 and cover layer 103 at least on a substrate 101. Then, the concave/convex sectional shape formed between the substrate 101 and the reflective film 102 is the portion where main data is recorded by the combination of pit and land.
Also, as is mentioned above, the mark as sub-data is recorded to the reflection layer on the specified pit or land, as shown with numeral X. In the figure, an example in which the mark (X) is recorded to the reflective film 102 on the specified land is shown.
In addition, as for the naming of land in this description, the shaped portion that is optically near to the source of light by which the light is inputted to the concave/convex surface, in the concave/convex surface on the optical recording medium of the optical disc or the like, namely the shaped portion that is the convexity toward the light incident side is called "Land".
In this case, as is mentioned above, at the time of recording of the mark as the sub-data, because the comparative high power laser is irradiated to the reflective film 102, there is possibility that the transformation by the thermal expansion according to the increase of temperature is caused at the portion (X) where the mark is formed. According to this transformation, the hollow of the concave shape is copied to the surface that touches the reflective film 102 of the substrate 101. Consequently, in this case, when the cover layer 103 and the reflective film 102 are removed and the substrate 101 is exposed, it becomes the one in which the concave shape corresponding to the mark that is formed only to the reflective layer 102 was copied to the surface of the substrate 101, as is shown in FIG. 24B.
The concave shaped portion that was copied like this becomes portions where the reflective rate decreases slightly in comparison with the other land portions. Consequently, in a replica substrate to which the concave shape of such substrate 101 is copied as it is and made, it becomes the one that reproduced the mark as sub-data as it is.
Then, when the reflective film and the cover layer are stacked and formed on such replica substrate in the same process as the usual manufacturing process, the pirate's version disc where the main data and sub-data that were recorded on the normal version disc were completely copied may be manufactured.
Patent document 1: Japanese registered patent No. 3454410.
On the other hand, previously, by a Japanese patent application No. 2005-205439 (patent application according to claim of priority on the basis of a Japanese patent application 2005-30272), applicants proposed a reproduction apparatus, reproducing method, recording method, recording method, manufacturing method of optical disc and an optical disc recording medium. By means of those, the reproduction that differs from the normal version of polarity inversion or the like is performed to the so-called pirate's version's optical recording medium by the unauthorized replica, even if copy protection or physical copy of sub-data for detection occurred, as is mentioned above.


A desktop organizer including a curvilinear support having an integral locking groove including at least one retaining slot and an attachment means formed contiguous to the support and aligned with the at least one retaining slot is disclosed. The desktop organizer further includes a flexible back deformable into an arc having geometry complimentary to the curvilinear support and at least one retaining tab formed integrally on an edge adjacent to the locking groove, wherein the at least one retaining tab is aligned with the at least one retaining slot. The retaining tab is formed to have an attachment slot aligned with the attachment means. The desktop organizer includes at least one support leg having a base and an arcuate portion, wherein the arcuate portion has a fixed end and a moveable end. The support leg further includes an attachment member arranged on the moveable end distal to the fixed and, the attachment end arranged to engage the attachment means through the attachment slot.

The desks and workspace of office workers are often cluttered with papers, periodicals, notes and other assorted office paraphernalia making organization and efficiency difficult, if not impossible. It is well known to provide a desktop support for books or magazine reading including a mechanism for holding pages open without the need for constant attention from the reader.
An exemplary embodiment of such a known desktop support is disclosed by Portis Jr., et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,102 and entitled "Book or Magazine Reading Support." The disclosed organizer includes V-shaped brackets having a long-arm and a short-arm, each arm including a slot. The slots configured to engage a corresponding pair of slots in a back board such that a ledge, arranged perpendicular to the plane of the back board, is arranged to support reading material. The V-shaped brackets may be arranged in a low mode position by engaging the slot of the short arms with the slots on the back board, or a high mode position by engaging the slots in the long arms. The apex of the V-shaped brackets constructed in the manner disclosed occupies the desk area adjacent to the user which, in turn, limits the workspace available on the desktop.
Known desktop organizers typically include a flat, planar back board positioned at an acute angle, relative to the surface of the desktop, to facilitate easy review of the supported documents. Generally, known organizers, as discussed above, do not provide for any additional storage or note holding area or otherwise increase the organization or the available workspace. In fact, known organizers or reading supports are typically centered on the surface of the desk or workspace when in use, thereby limiting the amount of available workspace.


A low speed adjusting sheave effects varying ratios according to RPM and tension of an associated belt. The sheave structures include end caps resiliently biasing frusto-conical flanges into communication with one another to position a drive belt therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to sheave apparatus, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved tri-lobe sheave wherein the same is arranged to effect varying ratios and orientation of drive and driven belts between cooperating flanges of the sheave structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The centering and alignment of cooperating flanges relative to sheave structure has in the prior art been of a costly and complex construction. The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by providing for cooperating flanges in a sheave organization to effect spreading of the cooperating flanges to accommodate a drive belt therebetween in accordance to speed of the belt structure mounted within the sheave structure.
Prior art sheave apparatus has been set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,425 to Williams wherein an adjustable door flange sheave includes spring biased flanges cooperating relative to one another to accommodate variations of speed of a sheave structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,247 to Baer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,995 to Niskin., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,498 to Deleu, et al. are further examples of adjustable sheave structure of the prior art.
Accordingly, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new and improved tri-lobe sheave as set forth by the instant invention which addresses both the problems of ease of use as well as effectiveness in construction in maintaining the sheave apparatus in a fixed orientation relative to a shaft member directed coaxially therethrough and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


An apparatus and method for controlling a cooling fan of a battery of a vehicle are provided. The apparatus includes a motor controller that drives a cooling fan motor of the battery based on information regarding control conditions of the cooling fan motor, and requests a backup process of a control of the cooling fan motor when an error in CAN communication by a CAN communicator or an error of the vehicle occurs. A backup processor then compensates for an output signal of the cooling fan based on at least one of an air conditioner pressure transducer (APT) output value, a vehicle speed, and a cooled water temperature and transmits the compensated output signal of the cooling fan to the motor controller.

A battery cooling system of an eco-friendly vehicle such as a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, or the like is operated to cool a battery at a predetermined temperature to maintain the battery at optimal performance. A battery cooling system according to the related art has a structure in which a cooling fan relay connected to an auxiliary battery power supply, a motor driving controller, and the like are integrated in a cooling fan motor controller.
Particularly, a battery management system (BMS) is connected to the relay and the motor driving controller of the cooling fan motor controller via a wire. Therefore, when the wire is disconnected, it is impossible to perform an ON/OPP control for the relay and it is impossible to transmit a speed control signal (e.g., a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal) to the motor driving controller. In addition, when the relay of the cooling fan motor controller is turned on/off in a normal state, noise may occur. An expensive rotation speed sensor of printed circuit board (PCB) type configured to sense motor speed is separately mounted in the cooling fan motor controller, which causes an increase in cost for manufacturing the battery cooling system.

Apparatus and method for controlling cooling fan of battery of vehicle


A method, apparatus, and system are directed toward overlaying a cluster of nodes over peers in a peer-to-peer network using a peer identification and communication mechanism. A string based name for a resource in a peer-to-peer network is received and is used to generate a unique identifier using a secure hash algorithm. An advertisement specifying at least one address associated with the resource is associated with the unique identifier. The advertisement is broadcasted. The unique identifier and/or the resource in the peer-to-peer network is associated with a resource in the cluster. A network packet may be addressed to the resource in the cluster by the unique identifier. The network packet may be routed to the address associated with the resource in the cluster using an Open System Interconnection (OSI) Level 2 or above protocol.

Clustering of computer systems is becoming an increasingly popular way for enterprises and large businesses to ensure greater availability to multiple users. Different types of clusters have evolved, including high availability clusters, high performance clusters, load balanced clusters, and the like. Example of clustering systems include the Veritas™ Cluster Server, HP™ Serviceguard, and/or Microsoft™ Cluster Server.
Clusters are a class of coupled distributed systems that provide high availability for applications typically by using hardware redundancy to recover from single points of failure. Clusters typically include multiple nodes that interact with each other to provide users with various applications and system resources and may appear to the user as a single entity. Each node typically runs a local operating system kernel.
In the event of a hardware or software failure, the cluster automatically restarts applications on the same node or "fails over" (e.g., restarts applications on a different node) the applications in order to keep applications available to clients of the cluster. Conventionally, the cluster software is responsible for managing the identification of the nodes of the cluster, the starting/restarting applications on one or more nodes of the cluster, or the like.
While clusters provide high performance and availability, their management may be complex, and they may be tied to a specific communication infrastructure. Moreover, clusters may not be able to interoperate because they may use different communication infrastructures, for example. It is with respect to this consideration and others that the current invention is directed.

Method and apparatus for encoding and mapping of virtual addresses for clusters


A method for making easily openable foil packages. The method comprises the step of forming a longitudinal seam and a transverse seam intersecting with each other, thereby providing grip surfaces which, when pulled apart, break the seal. The apparatus for forming the seam comprises bifurcated tool elements which come together in two orthogonal steps. The package so formed by the apparatus operating in accordance with the method is also novel.

Foil packages often have the characteristic that the user has difficulties opening them. Notches and nominal break points are of help only in rare cases, and scissors or other tools are not always at hand. In some instances protruding tabs are built into the seam to aid in opening the package.
The attempts to facilitate and ease the opening of foil packages have not universally reduced the frustration often felt when attempting to open such a package. In some instances those attempts to make the package readily openable have served to weaken the seal itself, before it is to be opened.