A panoramic camera has a camera housing rotatable about an axis of rotation that defines a viewpoint which points along a radial optical path that object rays traverse as the camera is rotated about its axis; a lens assembly having an optical path and a front nodal point mounted for rotation with the camera housing with the optical path of the lens offset from the radial optical path; a specular assembly including an object specular member along the radial optical path mounted for rotation with the housing that cooperates with the lens assembly for gathering object rays that traverse the radial optical path and for deviating them along the optical path of the lens assembly in such a way that the front nodal point of the lens subassembly virtually appears to lie on the axis of rotation thereby eliminating image smearing; and has different ambient light responsive controller embodiments operative either to continuously vary or to preset exposure, or to base exposure on a control sinewave whose phase is obtained either automatically via table look up of latitude or longitude coordinates or via GPS input or manually from a sun protractor and whose amplitude is obtained either automatically from the same information and/or manually by operator keypad input. Means are disclosed for allowing the selection of different near- and far-field object distances and for allowing framing (both vertical and angular) of the panoramic subject. In one embodiment, the specular assembly has object and lens mirrors that pivot between open and closed positions. Different embodiments have film or digital image recording devices.

Panoramic cameras are called upon to provide images over three hundred and sixty (360) degrees of selected near and far-field subjects in such a manner that the images recorded thereby are substantially free from smearing as the camera pans the subject and are neither underexposed nor overexposed given the way the ambient light illuminating the subject may vary at different angular positions about the three hundred and sixty degree pan. To provide the ability to select which vertical portion of the subject is to be recorded, provision should be made to allow for framing of the subject. To provide the ability to select the extent of the subject that is to be recorded, provision should be made to allow for the use of different field (or angle) of view lenses, such as fisheye, wide angle, normal and telephoto lenses. If, in addition, such a camera were portable, rugged, reliable, easy to use, inexpensive, compact, and lightweight, it would appeal both to amateur and professional photographers alike.
A periscope-type panorama camera that addresses the problem of image smearing is disclosed by McNeil in U.S. Pat. No. 2,794,379. It includes a cylindrical camera body having spaced apart top and bottom circularly shaped walls that are joined by a cylindrical side wall to provide a light tight enclosure. Film is wrapped along the inside of the cylindrical focal plane of the side wall and a film guide and an advance mechanism are provided to guide and advance the film about the cylindrical focal plane after each exposure.
The top wall is journaled for rotation within the cylindrical side wall and has a central post that is keyed to a motor driven axle located at the center of the cylindrical camera body. As the axle is turned by a motor or other mechanism, the top plate rotates about the axis of rotation of the axle relative to the cylindrical side wall.
A periscope assembly defining an optical axis is mounted for rotation with the rotatable top plate of the cylindrical camera body such that its optical axis is parallel to, radially displaced from and contained in a plane common to it and the central axis of rotation. The periscope includes a lens. First and second mirrors each to either side of the lens are adjustably aligned along the optical axis to place its nodal points on the axis of rotation for a given focal length and object distance.
The lens is mounted in an aperture provided in the top wall of the cylindrical camera body. The focal length of the lens is made equal to the radius of the cylindrical side wall of the camera body. The radius of the cylindrical side wall defines the focal length of the lens. For different focal lengths differently sized housings are required.
The first mirror of the periscope assembly (below the lens) is mounted at forty five degrees to the optical axis in the camera body so as to confront the rear nodal point of the lens and the cylindrical focal plane. Both the lens and the first mirror must be separately adjusted to align the virtual image of the rear nodal point on the axis of rotation. To do so, the first mirror is axially adjusted along the optical axis until it squarely confronts the cylindrical focal plane and is permanently keyed into position. The lens is then axially adjusted in its mounting aperture until the distance between its rear nodal point and the first mirror equals the distance by which the optical and rotational axes are displaced. These adjustments are laborious and time consuming and require that the cylindrical body be disassembled.
The second mirror of the periscope assembly (above the lens) in one embodiment is a roof prism that is mounted outside the camera body confronting both the front nodal point of the lens and the subject. The roof prism is required to reverse the image. In an alternative embodiment, a mirror is substituted for the roof prism and a relay lens is required to reverse the image. In either embodiment, the element is axially adjusted until the distance between it and the front nodal point of the lens is such that the virtual image of the front nodal point of the lens appears to lie on the axis of rotation.
To provide for different fields of view, differently sized mirrors and/or lenses would need to be implemented. The change in the size of the first mirror might require a different radial offset between the optical and rotational axes. Thus a different, specially constructed camera body would be required. The change in the focal length of the lens could also require a differently sized cylindrical side wall. Again, a specially constructed camera body would be required. The roof prism, or second mirror in the alternate embodiment, excludes a wide angle of view because the optical path is folded across the orientation of the exposure slit. For the mirror embodiment, where the relay lens is required to reverse the image, the angle of view is further limited because the combination of lenses excludes far off-axis rays.
No provision is made, or able to be made, for framing the subject. To provide for different object distances for a given focal length, the housing as well as the periscope assembly would need to be disassembled, and two adjustments made for the first mirror and a third adjustment made for the second mirror to re-effect the alignments of the virtual positions of the front and rear nodal points of the lens onto the actual axis of rotation. No provision is made for the effects of varying ambient lighting conditions as the camera pans the subject.
An underwater panoramic camera that addresses the problem of image smearing given an object distance and fixed focal length is disclosed by McNeil in U.S. Pat. No. 3,141,397. The camera includes a cylindrical camera body having circular top and bottom plates that are joined by an annular lens that constitutes the side wall of the cylindrical camera body. An arm having a radially extending lens barrel defining an optical axis on one side and a film guide and feed assembly on its other side is rotatably mounted in the cylindrical camera body such that as the lens barrel end of the arm is turned about the axis of rotation in one angular direction the film guide and feed assembly on the other side of the arm advances film in the opposite angular direction.
The in-line lens system, which includes the expensive and fragile annular lens of the cylindrical side wall of the camera body and the optical elements of the in-line lens barrel itself, provides a fixed focal length and a given object distance. To prevent smearing as the in-line barrel pans for a fixed focus and given object distance, the center of rotation of the arm is positioned so that the ratio of the eccentricities of the front and rear nodal points of the lens is made equal to the ratio of the object distance to the image distance.
There is, however, appreciable smearing for subjects at other object distances. To prevent smearing for subjects at other object distances, the housing needs to be disassembled and another in-line lens assembly with the proscribed center of rotation for each different given object distance installed. In addition, no provision is made, or able to be made, for changing the framing of the subject, and no provision is made, or able to be made, for changing the field of view.
The radial dimension of the cylindrical housing body depends on the fixed focal length of the lens. Different focal lengths would thus require different, specially manufactured housing bodies. No provision is made for the effects of varying ambient light as the camera pans.
An in-line panoramic camera with an off-axis lens that addresses the problem of image smearing is disclosed by Cummins in U.S. Pat. No. 3,311,038. The camera is like that of the '397 patent except that it has a stationary film guide and advance assembly defining an image surface and has an arcuate, cylindrical-segment lens that constitutes but a part of the side wall of the camera. As in the '397 patent, the in-line barrel lens is rotated about a preselected point (center of rotation) that is between the front and rear nodal points of the lens selected such that the ratio of the eccentricities of the front and rear nodal points is made equal to the ratio of the object distance to the image distance for a given object distance and focal length.
In one embodiment where the rear nodal point of the lens confronts the image surface, a pair of mirrors is provided therebetween that decreases the distance from the center of rotation of the arm of the in-line lens to the image surface by an amount that equals the eccentricity of the rear nodal point from the point of rotation of the lens, and in another embodiment where the front nodal point confronts the image surface, a prism is provided therebetween that increases the distance from the center of rotation of the arm to the focal surface by an amount that equals the eccentricity of the rear nodal point. In either embodiment, however, different, specially designed and manufactured lens assemblies need to be provided for different given object distances. The focal length of the lens is made equal to the radius of the stationary film guide and feed assembly. Different, specially constructed housing bodies are required for different focal lengths. No provision is made, nor is able to be made, for changing the field of view and/or the framing of the subject. No provision is made that accounts for the effects of varying ambient light conditions.
An in-line and fixed focus panoramic camera that addresses the problem of controlling exposure for the way the light varies about a panoramic subject is disclosed by Waroux in U.S. Pat. No. 3,246,588. In one embodiment, single panoramic images are provided and in another stereo panoramic images. In either embodiment, an in-line lens subassembly having a fixed focus and an optical axis is mounted for rotation with a camera housing with its optical axis offset from a stationary drum of a film guide and feed subassembly that is journaled for rotation about the axis of the camera housing. In either embodiment, no provision is made to take account of the blurring that results from the offset of the optical axis of the lens subassembly from the axis of rotation and no provision is made for framing, for different focal lengths and their correspondingly different fields (angle) of view, or for selectable near- and far-field object distances.
To control exposure, in one embodiment one of one or more cams having differently shaped profiles and/or a cam of variable profile is pre-selected to drive the camera housing about its axis of rotation with a speed that corresponds to the profile of the cam selected. In this embodiment, the cam that is pre-selected is the one that is judged best in the field to match the prevailing lighting conditions. In another embodiment, the cam that is selected is set to control the size of the diaphragm of the lens subassembly rather than the speed of rotation. Again, once selected, the way the diaphragm is varied with angle is pre-set. In a further embodiment, a light meter is used to change either the speed or the size of the diaphragm point-to-point.


The present invention, generally speaking, provides for bandwidth switching of a PLL in a simple, effective manner. In accordance with one embodiment, a phase lock loop includes a controlled oscillator responsive to a control voltage for producing an output signal of some output frequency; a comparator responsive to a feedback signal derived from the output signal and to a reference signal for producing at least one error signal; a charge pump circuit including multiple pairs of unidirectional current sources (or, alternatively, multiple bidirectional current sources); a control circuit responsive to a control signal for activating one or more pairs of unidirectional current sources, at the same time deactivating one or more pairs of unidirectional current sources; and a loop filter responsive to the multiple pairs of unidirectional current sources for producing the control voltage governing the output frequency. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a phase lock loop includes a controlled oscillator responsive to a control voltage for producing an output signal of some output frequency; a comparator responsive to a feedback signal derived from the output signal and to a reference signal for producing at least one error signal; a charge pump circuit coupled to a loop filter at at least one circuit node, the loop filter being responsive to at least the charge pump circuit for producing the control voltage; a logic driver coupled to said circuit node through a resistor; and a control circuit responsive to at least one control signal for controlling a state of the logic driver. Preferably, the logic driver is a tri-state device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to phase lock loops, more particularly to phase lock loops having both a wide-band mode and a narrow-band mode of operation.
2. State of the Art
Practically all modern signal generators and radio communications equipment use digital frequency synthesizers based on the phase-locked loop (PLL). The realization of the PLL in an integrated circuit has led to the widespread adoption of inexpensive frequency synthesizers. In its application to frequency synthesis (as opposed to signal detection), the input signal-to-noise ratio of the PLL is high, and the PLL serves to lock the output frequency on a multiple of the input frequency.
A PLL consists generally of three parts: a reference frequency input portion, a loop filter portion, and a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) portion. The reference frequency portion includes a phase comparator and may include a frequency divider (which may be programmable). The phase comparator compares an output signal of the PLL with the reference frequency itself or the reference frequency divided down, thereby producing an error signal. The loop filter filters the error signal to produce a control signal that is applied to the VCO. During proper operation, the control signal drives the VCO in the proper direction so as to cause the error signal to be driven to zero or nearly zero.
PLLs generally operate in two different modes: acquisition during which the PLL locks onto a particular frequency, and tracking, during which the PLL ensures that it remains locked. Both fast acquisition and accurate tracking are important design objectives. Unfortunately, these design objectives are, in general, conflicting. For fast acquisition, a wide loop bandwidth is desired. For accurate tracking, in the presence of modulation, a narrow loop bandwidth is desired. The disparity between the desired bandwidths in the two modes may be considerable. In cellular applications, for example, when changing channels, a wide loop bandwidth is desired to accomplish the frequency change as quickly as possible. When operating on a single channel, voice data having low frequency content is modulated onto a carrier signal. The PLL attempts in effect to cancel the modulation, which appears to the PLL as frequency drift. To accomplish slow modulation, therefore, a very narrow loop bandwidth is desired, such that the modulation is accomplished outside the PLL bandwidth.
One proposal, xe2x80x9cA Fast Locking Scheme for PLL Frequency Synthesizersxe2x80x9d, National Semiconductor Application Note 1000 (1995), has been to, in narrow-band mode, open the loop entirely during short modulation bursts and to close the loop when modulation is not applied. This approach assumes that, if the loop is opened for only short periods at a time, the drift that may occur during open-loop operation will not be substantial. This solution may be acceptable under certain limited conditions but is not generally applicable.
In the case of a current-mode charge pump loop filter, the required change in current gain is proportional to the square of the required change in bandwidth. Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, a portion of a PLL is shown, including a loop filter 101 and a VCO 111. A charge pump 105 has a first xe2x80x9cpump-upxe2x80x9d current source 107 connected to inject current into circuit node A, and a second xe2x80x9cpump-downxe2x80x9d current source 109 connected to withdraw current from the same node. The pump-up current source 107 is connected to a positive supply voltage V+, and the pump-down current source 109 is connected to a negative supply voltage Vxe2x88x92. Besides the charge pump 105, there is also connected to node A a capacitor C1 connected to ground and the series combination of a resistor R1 and capacitor C2, connected to ground. A tuning voltage VT is produced at node A and is input to the VCO 111 to control the frequency of oscillation of the VCO.
The loop bandwidth of the circuit of FIG. 1 may be changed by changing the values of one or both of the capacitors (C1, C2), such that they charge more slowly or more quickly. Changing the values of the capacitors usually requires some form of switching. However, it is also important not to disturb the charge on the capacitors. Switching usually introduces undesirable transients. A preferable way of changing the loop bandwidth, then, is to vary the magnitude of the currents supplied by the current sources (107, 109). To switch from wide to narrow bandwidth, for example, instead of switching in additional capacitors to make the capacitance larger, the current gain would be altered to make the currents smaller.
One known circuit that follows the foregoing approach is shown in FIG. 2 and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,831,483, incorporated herein by reference. The VCO 1 is supplied with a control signal Vc to produce an oscillation signal fo having an oscillation frequency that corresponds to the supplied control signal Vc. The variable frequency-divider 2 is supplied with the oscillation signal fo to produce a frequency-divided signal fv, while the reference signal generator 3 generates a reference signal fr. The frequency-phase comparator 4 is supplied with the frequency-divided signal fv and the reference signal fr to compare frequency/phases between both signals. The frequency-phase comparator 4 outputs a corresponding error signal, up signal or down signal, as a result of the comparison. The charge pump 10 supplies a charge pump signal cp to the loop filter 6 in response to input of the error signal. In other words, the charge pump 10 supplies the loop filter 6 with a charge output when the up signal is active or a discharge output when the down signal is active. The loop filter 6 integrates and smooth the received charge pump signal cp to produce the control signal Vc. The output of the loop filter 6, i.e., the control signal Vc, is fed back to the VCO 1, thus forming the PLL.
When changing frequency, the current-flow control circuit 11 increases the amount of charge/discharge current flow of the charge pump 10 to raise the loop gain, so that the pull-in time (lock-up time) is shortened. After changing the frequency, it reduces the output current of the charge pump 10 so as to secure a stable circuit action.
The foregoing general type of PLL circuit is susceptible to many different realizations. The present invention relates to particularly advantageous realizations of the same.
The present invention, generally speaking, provides for bandwidth switching of a PLL in a simple, effective manner. In accordance with one embodiment, a phase lock loop includes a controlled oscillator responsive to a control voltage for producing an output signal of some output frequency; a comparator responsive to a feedback signal derived from the output signal and to a reference signal for producing at least one error signal; a charge pump circuit including multiple pairs of unidirectional current sources (or, alternatively, multiple bidirectional current sources); a control circuit responsive to a control signal for activating one or more pairs of unidirectional current sources, at the same time deactivating one or more pairs of unidirectional current sources; and a loop filter responsive to the multiple pairs of unidirectional current sources for producing the control voltage governing the output frequency. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a phase lock loop includes a controlled oscillator responsive to a control voltage for producing an output signal of some output frequency; a comparator responsive to a feedback signal derived from the output signal and to a reference signal for producing at least one error signal; a charge pump circuit coupled to a loop filter at at least one circuit node, the loop filter being responsive to at least the charge pump circuit for producing the control voltage; a logic driver coupled to said circuit node through a resistor; and a control circuit responsive to at least one control signal for controlling a state of the logic driver. Preferably, the logic driver is a tri-state device.


A turbulent flow estimation apparatus and method provides for the measurement of turbulent flow through the introduction of particles which characterize the flow, the detection of extents of turbulent flow regions, the assignment of a plurality of primitive shapes to those turbulent flow regions, and the assignment of individual characteristics to each of the primitive shapes of the estimate, including center location, rotational velocity of the primitive shape, identification of the rotational axis of the primitive shape, and the temporal trajectory of the primitive shapes.

Turbulent flow is problematic to model because of its typically random and time-variant behavior, as well as the non-linear trajectories of flow and turbulent components of flow. A prior art method of describing flow is to divide the flow components into laminar flow regions and turbulent flow regions, where the turbulent flow is characterized by Reynolds number, the ratio of momentum forces to viscous forces. It is desired to provide a model for turbulent flow, and additionally desired to provide a memory-efficient description for the estimation of turbulent flow.

Apparatus and method for estimating and modeling turbulent flow


An apparatus for admitting metered quantities of a pressurized liquid into successive containers, such as cans or bottles, has a housing which stores a supply of pressurized liquid and carries one or more combined container sealing and centering units. Each such unit has a vertically reciprocable at least partially elastomeric tubular member movable between a lower end position and an upper end position. The external surface of the annular upper end portion of the tubular member sealingly engages a cylindrical internal surface which surrounds the outlet of the housing when the tubular member assumes its lower end position, and an end face of the annular lower end portion of the tubular member is then in sealing engagement with the open top of a container to be filled. The open lower end of a conduit for compressed gas is located at the upper end of the passage within the tubular member to ensure that the upper end portion of the tubular member can be expanded into sealing engagement with the internal surface. The tubular member and the housing define an annular clearance in the upper end position of the tubular member so that the latter can be readily cleaned from the inside and from the outside.

The invention relates to improvements in socalled counterpressure type container filling apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus of the type disclosed in commonly owned copending patent application Ser. No. 07/568,273 filed Aug. 15, 1990 by Manfred Mette for "Apparatus for filling bottles and the like", in commonly owned copending patent application Ser. No. 07/675,428 filed Mar. 26, 1991 by Jacek Walusiak for "Apparatus for admitting metered quantities of liquid into bottles or other containers", and in commonly owned copending patent application Ser. No. 07/687,453 filed Apr. 18, 1991 by Manfred Mette for "Apparatus for filling bottles with a liquid".
Apparatus of the character to which the present invention pertains employ so-called container centering and sealing units which are mounted at the underside of a preferably rotary vessel or tank for a supply of liquid to be dispensed and for a supply of a compressed gaseous fluid, such as carbon dioxide gas. The vessel has outlets, one for each combined centering and sealing unit, to discharge metered quantities of liquid into containers while the open tops of such containers are properly engaged by the respective units. Gas conveying conduits are provided to admit compressed gas into the containers prior to admission of a liquid (such as a carbonated beverage) and to permit evacuation of gas from containers in the course of the filling step. The mode of operation is preferably such that the pressure in a container (such as a bottle or a can) can be maintained above atmospheric pressure upon completion of the filling step. As a rule, the combined centering and sealing units are installed at the underside or around the circumference of a tank which is indexible or is continuously rotatable about a substantially vertical axis and confines a supply of pressurized liquid, normally a body of liquid beneath a cushion of compressed gas. The manner in which the conduits are connected with the tank so that they can receive compressed gas from or can admit compressed gas into the aforementioned cushion is described in the above-identified copending applications to which reference may be had, if necessary. The flow of gaseous fluid in the conduits is or can be controlled by suitable valves.
Each combined centering and sealing unit is or can be provided with, or can be connected to, a liquid metering chamber and can carry or cooperates with various moving, actuating, sealing and/or other devices which become operative during selected stages of each container filling operation.
The centering operation can be carried out by tulip-shaped centering elements which engage the open tops of containers to be filled with a liquid and seal the open tops from the atmosphere in the course of the pressurizing and filling steps. The centering elements can constitute fixedly mounted parts of the respective combined centering and sealing units; this can be seen by referring, for example, to published German patent application No. 37 17 256. A container to be filled is lifted from below toward engagement with the stationary centering element of the respective combined sealing and centering unit and is pressed against a washer or another sealing element with a force which suffices to ensure adequate sealing of the container from the atmosphere until after completion of the filling operation. It is also known to lower the centering element onto the open top of a container below it, i.e., while the level of the empty container remains at least substantially unchanged. Each combined sealing and centering unit then comprises means for raising and lowering the respective centering element which latter is mounted on the casing of the respective unit. A drawback of those apparatus which employ vertically movable centering elements is that each unit must be provided with seals which are engaged by mobile parts so that the wear upon the seals is extensive, especially if such seals are utilized in the combined centering and sealing units of a modern container filling apparatus which is designed to fill large or very large numbers of containers per unit of time. Another drawback of such apparatus is that the cost of each combined centering and sealing unit is very high, and this is attributable in part to the need for accurate guide means which serve to confine the mobile centering element of each unit to reciprocatory movements along accurately determined paths, i.e., with a minimum of stray movement.
A drawback which is common to all presently known container filling apparatus of the above outlined character is that it is difficult to gain access to the centering and/or other elements or components of the combined centering and sealing units. Thus, it is necessary to dismantle the apparatus whenever the operators decide that the aforementioned units or certain parts of such units require a thorough cleaning or rinsing, e.g., prior to conversion of the apparatus for the filling of containers with a different liquid. Since a modern container filling apparatus normally comprises a very large number of combined centering and sealing units, even a partial dismantling of each such unit prior to a cleaning operation and reassembly of such units upon completion of a cleaning operation takes up much time with attendant considerable losses in output. In many instances, dismantling and reassembly of combined centering and sealing units must be carried out by skilled workers.

Counterpressure type container filling apparatus


A vehicle drive device that includes a case forming a first accommodating space that accommodates a speed change device and a second accommodating space that accommodates a rotary electric machine; an storage that is disposed under the first accommodating space and stores oil; a hydraulic pump including a suction that suctions the oil from the oil storage; a first oil passage that supplies the oil discharged by the hydraulic pump to the speed change device as hydraulic oil; a second oil passage that supplies the oil discharged by the hydraulic pump to the rotary electric machine as cooling oil; and a third oil passage that returns the oil supplied to the rotary electric machine, from the second accommodating space to the oil storage, by allowing the oil to flow in a direction from the second accommodating space toward the first accommodating space.

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle drive device including an oil passage that supplies oil discharged by a hydraulic pump, which suctions oil from an oil storing portion, to a rotary electric machine as cooling oil, and an oil passage that returns the oil supplied to the rotary electric machine to the oil storing portion.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-190425 discloses a configuration in which a clutch chamber [5] is disposed on the vehicle front side of a transmission chamber [4], and oil is returned from the clutch chamber [5] to the transmission chamber [4] through an oil passage opening [8] formed in an intermediate wall [6] disposed between the clutch chamber [5] and the transmission chamber [4], Further, in the configuration disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-190425, in order to reduce the amount of oil that flows back from the transmission chamber [4] to the clutch chamber [5] during sudden braking of the vehicle, a flap valve [9] that allows the flow of oil to the transmission chamber [4] and blocks or interferes with the flow of oil to the clutch chamber [5] is provided at the oil passage opening [8]. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 04-219561 discloses a valve body [26a] that is similar to the flap valve [9] of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-190425 although the direction in which oil is allowed to flow is opposite to that of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-190425 in the vehicle front-rear direction.
In the configuration of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-190425, due to the positional relationship between a pivot axis [10] of the flap valve [9] and a stopper [12], not only during braking of the vehicle but also during normal travel (for example, when the vehicle is traveling straight at a constant speed), the flap valve [9] opens the oil passage opening [8] with a pressing force toward the vehicle rear side which is applied to the flap valve [9] by the oil flowing from the clutch chamber [5] to the transmission chamber [4], so that oil is returned to the transmission chamber [4]. That is, the flow of oil toward the transmission chamber [4] is interfered with by the amount of the pressing force that presses the flap valve [9]. For example, when the vehicle is traveling on a descending slope, a force in the direction of closing the oil passage opening [8] is applied to the flap valve [9] due to gravitational acceleration, so that the flap valve [9] is not easily opened, which makes this issue more prominent. However, this issue is not particularly recognized in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-190425.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-95389 discloses a vehicle drive device including a first oil passage that supplies oil discharged by a hydraulic pump, which suctions oil from an oil storing portion, to a speed change device as hydraulic oil, a second oil passage that supplies the oil discharged by the hydraulic pump to a rotary electric machine as a cooling oil, and a third oil passage that returns the oil supplied to the rotary electric machine to the oil storing portion. In the configuration of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-95389, a discharge oil passage [AD] that returns the oil supplied to the rotary electric machine [MG] to a first oil storing portion [U1] is provided as the third oil passage, and a flow restricting mechanism [100] for reducing the amount of oil that flows back through the discharge oil passage [AD] during sudden braking of the vehicle is provided. Referring to paragraph 0076 in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-95389 and FIG. 5, etc., the flow restricting mechanism [100] for reducing the amount of oil that flows back through the discharge oil passage [AD] is formed with a structure in which a second opening portion [AEo] on the upstream side of the discharge oil passage [AD] is located above a first opening portion [ADo] on the downstream side. In the configuration disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-95389, in order to enhance the effect of reducing back flow of oil, a valve [6] that switches from a closed state to an open state in accordance with a hydraulic pressure from the side opposite to the first oil storing portion [U1] is provided as the flow restricting mechanism [100] in the discharge oil passage [AD] as illustrated in FIG. 7 of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-95389. However, in this configuration, as in the configuration of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-190425, not only during braking of the vehicle but also during normal travel, the oil flow to the first oil storing portion [U1] through the third oil passage is interfered with.


An image recording apparatus wherein a laser diode which is disposed on a focal point of a micro Fresnel lens emits a laser beam and the laser beam is collimated by the Fresnel lens and scanned on a photosensitive drum by a polygonal mirror and an f.theta. optical system. A change in temperature of the laser diode does not result in such serious defocus as to cause practical problems.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus, and more particularly to an image recording apparatus wherein a laser beam emitted from a laser diode writes an image on a recording medium.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, in an electrophotographic laser printer, a laser beam optical scanning system has been using a laser diode as a light source. A laser beam emitted from the laser diode is a light diffused within a certain angle, and a convergent lens (a collimator lens) is disposed in front of the laser diode so as to change the diffused light into a parallel pencil of rays or a convergent pencil of rays.
Recently, a micro Fresnel lens has been developed. The micro Fresnel lens has a pattern of concentric circles pitched by microns on a sawtooth surface, and zones among the circles are alternatively transparent and opaque. The micro Fresnel lens uses refraction and diffraction. When a parallel pencil of rays enters the micro Fresnel lens, the rays are bent at the alternatively transparent and opaque zones, and the parallel pencil of rays are changed into a convergent pencil of rays. When the Fresnel lens receives a divergent pencil of rays emitted from its focal point, the Fresnel lens changes the divergent pencil of rays into a parallel pencil of rays.
The micro Fresnel lens can be used in the optical scanning system as a collimator lens. However, in this case, when the wavelength of the laser beam emitted from the laser diode changes, the optical scanning system changes its performance, thereby causing defocus. More specifically, since the Fresnel lens uses diffraction, its focal length changes with a change in the wavelength of the laser beam. The size of a beam spot on an image surface (on a surface of a photosensitive drum) changes according to the focal length of the Fresnel lens. Therefore when the wavelength of the laser beam changes, a finished image will be deteriorated.
The wavelength of the laser beam emitted from the laser diode changes according to the temperature of the laser diode. Main factors of changing the temperature of the laser diode is heat radiated from the light emitting portion of the laser diode itself and a change in temperature in the circumstances. Especially when the laser diode is turned on, the laser diode may be so heated that the wavelength of the laser beam emitted therefrom is changed remarkably.

Image recording apparatus with a laser optical unit


Modular fence, consisting of wire-mesh panels (1) and tubular fixing posts (3), which are anchored at the bottom into the ground or into a supporting base. The panels (1) have horizontally shaped features (6) of a depth approximately equal to the diameter or width of the posts (6). These posts are fitted snugly between the rods of the shaped features and of the non-shaped regions, between two consecutive vertical rods.

The present invention relates to a modular fence, of the type comprised of mesh panels, usually based on electrically welded metal wires, and of tubular support posts which are fixed at the bottom into the ground or into supporting bases.
Fences of the type mentioned are widely used in forming enclosures, which may be fixed as well as removable.
Panels of which these fences are comprised generally consist of two series of rods which intersect perpendicularly and the intersecting rods are joined together by electrical welds at the points of intersection. The mesh can be mounted in a rectangular frame formed from metal sectional bars, for example. Two of the parallel sides of the frame have means enabling joining the sides together and to the support posts. For example, see EP 0808969. These types of panels are expensive, because they include the peripheral frame.
A metal fence known from Spanish Utility Model 9301333 is formed of panels which are mounted on vertical stanchions based on L-shaped sectional bars. The long leg of these sectional bars has flanges on its inner surface for anchoring the meshes. Moreover, this leg has orifices pierced vertically into it. When the fence is set up, the adjacent vertical stanchions of consecutive panels are joined together by the long leg of the L, with the orifices facing each other in order that fixing screws may pass through. This system requires prior operations for fixing of the mesh to the vertical sectional bars and, subsequently, requires connection between sectional bars by means of screws. The cost of the fence is high, due to both the forming of the panels and the operations for joining consecutive panels together.
Mesh-based panels are also known, which are made up as set out above, and in which the mesh has horizontally extending shaped depressions which make it possible to insert the vertical posts between the ends of the horizontal wires, outside the extreme vertical wires, with the horizontal wires being welded to the posts. This construction requires the mesh to be joined to the vertical posts by welding, which also increases the costs of manufacture and limits the composition of the fence, so that the mesh and posts are made up as a single piece.
The object of the present invention is to eliminate the problems mentioned, in a fence of the type set out at the beginning, in which the panels and support posts constitute independent elements and in which the panels are formed only by a mesh, which comprises two perpendicular series of wires, joined together by welding at their points of intersection.
A further object of the invention is to provide a fence in which the connecting or fixing of the mesh-based panels to the vertical support posts can be carried out rapidly and simply, without complicated joining operations.
The fence of the invention, as noted above, is comprised of mesh panels and tubular fixing posts.
In accordance with the invention, the mesh panels have horizontally extending shaped depressions, depressed to a depth, approximately equal to the width of the fixing posts. These posts are inserted snugly between the horizontal rods of the depressions and of the non-shaped, non-depressed horizontally extending regions, and in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal rods, and between two consecutive vertical rods.
The two consecutive vertical rods between which a fixing post is inserted are separated from each other by a distance equal to the width of the posts.
With this construction, the vertical tubular posts are inserted snugly between the horizontal rods of the shaped depressions and the non-shaped regions and between the above-mentioned two consecutive vertical rods.
The mesh panels may be bounded at their vertical edges by the two extreme vertical rods, and the horizontal rods will terminate at these extreme rods. On the other hand, all the vertical rods can be shaped apart an equal distance from each other, corresponding to the width of the parts, such that in forming the fence, each panel can be mounted on one, two or more posts, taking up intermediate or extreme positions on the panel.
The mesh panels include at least two horizontally shaped features, each of them close to one of the horizontal edges of the panel.
Also preferably, the horizontally shaped features will be of a height greater than the separation between two consecutive horizontal rods.
In forming a fence, the meshes belonging to consecutive panels can be connected together by means of clips comprised of channeled pieces with a C-shaped profile, partially closed, dimensioned to embrace the two adjacent extreme vertical rods of two consecutive panels. The walls of these C-shaped pieces have two opposed intermediate transverse cut-outs, of a width sufficient for being coupled onto two aligned horizontal rods, one on each side, and belonging to the two consecutive panels.
As is traditional with this type of fence, the vertical tubular columns are closed off by a cap-shaped upper cover. In accordance with the invention, this cap has an aperture in its side wall, cutting across the cap, parallel and adjacent the bottom of the cap. Coincident with the cap a flange projects all along the length of the cap and in extension of the bottom of the cap. The flange forms a channel that is turned towards the aperture and is separated from the lower edge of the channel by a distance greater than the diameter of the rods which make up the meshes of the panels.
This channel can be coupled around the upper horizontal rod of the panel, with freedom to rotate on that rod. This serves as an anchoring or fastening element between the mesh and the post.
The walls of the cover which are perpendicular to the above-mentioned aperture have curving projections on their inner surface which projections can be inserted into opposable orifices in the walls of the tubular posts, when the cover is coupled onto the post. The projections can define locking devices, which may or may not be releasable.
The mesh panels can be finished off, both at their top and their bottom, by an arched longitudinal stretch, which is turned towards the same side as the horizontally extending shaped depressions of the panel and is of slightly greater width than the depth of the depressions. This accommodates the corresponding end of the metal posts and, in the case of the upper end, also accommodates the anchoring cover of the post. The arched stretch is bounded by horizontal rods. The above-mentioned cover is anchored to one of the rods. This arched stretch is preferably of approximately semicircular profile, substantially equal in diameter to the width of the cover which closes off the anchor posts.


In a gas measuring probe assembly having a gas sensing device located within a tubular housing positioned within a gas environment to be monitored, a tubular calibration gas flow pattern is established within the tubular housing substantially parallel to the walls of the tubular housing to sweep the monitored gas environment from the tubular housing and expose the gas sensing device to a calibration gas mixture substantially free of the monitored gas environment. This technique permits the in situ calibration of gas detectors, and is especially useful in calibrating stack gas monitoring probes.

The requirement for removing gas detectors from heated, corrosive industrial environments for the purposes of periodic calibration of the gas sensing device is a disadvantage associated with conventional in situ gas probes of the type described in copending patent application Ser. No. 247,368, entitled "Improved Gas Measuring Probe For Industrial Applications", filed Apr. 25, 1972 and U.S. Pat.No. 3,928,161 entitled "Improved Gas Measuring Probe For Industrial Applications", issued Dec. 23, 1975, the latter being a divisional application of the former, and both being assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
The tedious task of removing a gas detector from a heated and sometimes dangerous environment, coupled with the loss of the probe as an in situ gas monitoring device during the remote calibration activity clearly identifies a need for a practical technique to permit in situ calibration of gas detectors.

Technique for in situ calibration of a gas detector


A safety mirror for cycles which includes a stem having a reduced diameter or breakaway portion lying adjacent the mounting portion of the stem and remote from the mirror head. The reduced diameter or breakaway portion preferably lies closely adjacent the upper surface of the locking nut.

The present invention relates generally to safety devices, and more particularly, to a specially constructed rear view mirror adapted for use on motorcycles and related vehicles.
The continuing concern with vehicle safety has now expanded to the point that there is a substantial and continuing interest in the safety of not only automobiles, but also motorcycles and related vehicles. Along these lines, significant efforts have been made to improve the so-called "crossworthiness" of motorcycles and the like vehicles, so as to avoid injury to the operator or passengers thereon.
While it is well known that motorcycles are in some respects safer than automobiles, insofar as they possess favorable potential for rapid maneuvering, and particularly, rapid braking, there is no question that motorcycles, in other respects, present safety hazards that are much greater than those associated with automobiles. In certain classes of motorcycle accidents, it has been found that motorcycle operators who might otherwise have been uninjured, or not injured seriously, have in fact been injured, and in some cases seriously, by contact with certain parts of the motorcycle itself. For example, it is generally accepted that, upon colliding with a fixed object, a motorcycle has a tendency to rotate upward and forwardly from the rear, tending to throw the passenger forward along or just over the gas tank, and ultimately, over the handlebars.
Certain constructions of safety devices have been made which take account of this problem, including the construction of windshields described in my patent application Ser. No. 685,707, filed May 12, 1976 now Pat. No. 4,082,345. This windshield construction is intended to avoid serious injuries to a motorcycle operator in a collision, where the rider is propelled forward and into contact with one or more of the braces which serve to hold the windshield in place.
A hazard of a similar kind exists with respect to motorcycle rear view mirrors which, in most if not all states, are required by law to be installed on motorcycles. While such mirrors are advantageous for their primary purpose, that is, to provide visibility to the rear of the motorcycle, such mirrors also present an injury hazard to a rider who may be thrown forward against and partially over such mirrors. In certain cases, a rider who might otherwise have escaped injury has been injured by receiving a blow in the face, eyes, shoulders, abdomen, or the like from a mirror mounted on the handlebars.
In automobiles, certain suggestions for breakaway or pivotable type mirror constructions have been made, and a certain number of these proposals have met with some success. However, the situation presented in automobiles and motorcycles are significantly different in at least several important respects.
First, a motorcycle mirror is almost always mounted in the wind stream of the vehicle, that is, it is mounted on the handlebars near the hand grips and extends either upwardly or upwardly and outwardly therefrom so that it provides a path of sight over the shoulders of the operator and to the rear thereof. As a result of being disposed in the air stream of the vehicle, a motorcycle mirror may not be loosely or pivotally mounted as can permissibly be the case with an automobile rear view mirror. Motorcycle mirrors, in normal use, are subjected to wind forces which may approach and even exceed velocities of 70-80 miles per hour or more. Accordingly, the concept of a pivotally mounted mirror has not proven generally successful for use with motorcycles subjected to reasonable speeds in traffic.
Another situation which is peculiar to many, if not all motorcycles, is the presence of vibration on a level which is much greater than that imposed upon an automobile.
For example, an automobile's mirror is commonly mounted on the windshield, dashboard, or headliner of the automobile. These parrts are isolated from the engine by rubber engine mounts, body mounts, and the like. Moreover, automobile engines are commonly well-balanced six and eight cylinder engines.
Motorcycles, on the other hand, often have the handlebars fastened directly to the frame just above the front wheel. Accordingly, wheel imbalance as well as engine vibration is transmitted quite directly to the handlebars and to the mirrors mounted thereon. In motorcycles of single and twin cylinder configurations, as well as a certain number of three and four cylinder motorcycles, engine vibrations are a common problem.
The extent of this problem is further aggravated because of the wide range of engine speed often encountered by small displacement engines. For example, it is not uncommon for ordinary motorcycle engines in completely stock condition to be adapted to operate at speeds up to 9,000 to 10,000 rpm or more. Consequently, loose or pivotal mounting of either the motorcycle mirror or the portion which in turn mounts the mirror to the handlebar simply does not prove satisfactory in use.
Those attempts which have been made to mount the mirror loosely so that it would be pushed out of the way in the event of an accident have failed for at least one and commonly two reasons. In the first place, loose mounting of the mirror invariably results in the mirror moving to a position in which it fails to serve its intended purpose. Secondly, as is most commonly the case, the mirror is in turn mounted on an assembly which includes means for mounting the clutch lever and the front brake lever. In those modern motorcycles, using hydraulic disc front brakes, the hydraulic reservoir is also mounted on the mirror mounting apparatus. Consequently, loose mounting of this entire subassembly with respect to the handlebar would be exceptionally dangerous from the standpoint of permitting the brake lever to rotate out of the position in which the driver is accustomed to find it. Also, such rotation raises the problem of moving the hydraulic controls for the front brake into an inoperative position. Accordingly, the mirror mounts have customarily been affixed quite rigidly to the handlebars, but such mounting, in the event of an accident creates a serious problem.
Other suggestions have been made in the prior art concerning safety mirror construction, at least one of which involves providing an area of weakness or reduced cross section within the threaded portion of the mirror mount. However, a solution of this sort is not practical for motorcycle applications. This is because, in use, motorcycle mirrors are commonly loosened from their locking nuts so as to be rotatable to an alternate position for loading and unloading the motorcycle, and for moving it into and out of storage and service areas. Consequently, the nut locking the mirror in place is locked and unlocked frequently. Moreover, because of the problems of vibration and wind force, it is customary to tighten the lock nut down with considerable force. Experienced motorcycle mechanics and riders periodically check the lock nuts on the mirrors to insure that they are sufficiently tight so that the mirror does not loosen in use and become worthless when it might be needed.
Therefore, constructing the threaded area of the mirror stem with a breakaway or cutdown portion is not satisfactory, since this would reduce the strength of the mirror where substantial strength is most needed.
In the design of a new motorcycle mirror embodying the safety feature referred to above, it is also possible to incorporate another desirable concept, namely, the production of a single mirror which will act as either a left- or right-handed mirror.
A problem which confronts accessory manufacturers and dealers is the need to stock both left- and right-handed mirrors for motorcycles. This need is particularly disadvantageous when there is no predetermined demand for either right- or left-handed mirrors, and no indication that the demand for one style or the other will predominate over any period of time or under any particular set of circumstances. Accordingly, an advantageous mirror is one which may be installed on either the left or right hand side of the motorcycle without compromising its ability to extend upwardly and outwardly from a mounting point on the handlebar end so as to provide both sturdy and convenient mounting and good visibility.
As is the case with auto parts, significant economy of manufacturing and stocking can be achieved if a single part can be adapted to both right and left hand locations.
In prior art motorcycle mirrors, whether or not purportedly safety mirrors, the mirror head has been mounted to the remote end of the stem by a swivel joint located generally centrally and toward the lower portion of the front surface of the rearview mirror. As a consequence, mirrors which are designed so as to extend both upwardly and outwardly, and to have their head portion affixed to the stem on the front surface of the mirror are not interchangeable as right and left hand mirrors.
Accordingly, distributors and manufacturers must make right and left hand mirrors and dealers and distributors must stock right and left hand mirrors. An advantage to one form of mirror made according to the present invention is that the same mirror may be made to serve both right and left hand installations even though the stem extends both upwardly and then upwardly and outwardly. This is accomplished by placing a pivot ball and socket or other pivot type joint in a sidewall portion of the mirror which is intentionally designated to have a head with a measurably forwardly extending sidewall portion. When the mirror is moved from a left to a right hand installation, or vice versa, the mirror head is merely rotated about its horixontal axis.
Bearing in mind the foregoing disadvantages of prior art mirrors and the failure to solve the problem of an economical but safe motorcycle mirror adapted to be highly useful even under adverse conditions, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved motorcycle safety mirror.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a breakaway type mirror in which the mounting portion will separate from the mirror head and stem upon impact of a predetermined force.
A still further object is to provide a motorcycle safety mirror which will be sturdy and reliable in use, but which is constructed so as to break away upon receipt of a sharp blow under impact.
Another object is to provide a motorcycle which includes a zone or area of weakness at a predetermined point, but which does not compromise its strength for purposes of a firm mounting.
Another object is to provide a motorcycle safety mirror which is compatible with existing mounting units.
A still further object is to provide a motorcycle mirror which can be locked in place using significant torque but which will readily be broken upon impact of a predetermined magnitude.
Another object is to provide a motorcycle mirror having a stem with a groove of a diameter less than that of the root diameter of the threaded end of the mirror stem, and which may in one embodiment include relatively sharp inner margins for concentrating stresses in this area.
Another object is to provide a motorcycle safety mirror having a head, an elongated stem, a threaded end portion adapted to cooperate with the locking nut thereon, and in which a groove providing a breakaway or weakened zone is provided just above the upper surface of the lock nut when the mirror is in the normal position of use.
A still further object is to provide a motorcycle mirror wherein the stem, preferably a breakaway type stem, enters the mirror head assembly from the side so as to permit favorable positioning of the mirror and, preferably to permit the mirror to be positioned so that the same mirror can be used for both right and left hand sides of the motorcycle.
A still further object is to provide a mirror which is mounted so as to have the head portion thereof pivotally mounted to one end of the stem in a manner such that the mirror can rotate about a substantially horizontal axis with the mirror preferably having a ball and socket mounting to provide this feature.
The foregoing objects and advantages are achieved in practice by providing a mirror which in the normal position of use includes a stem having a threaded lower end portion received within a mounting bracket, a lock nut engaged with the threads and securing the stem to the mounting bracket, a zone of reduced cross section just above the top of the lock nut, and a mirror head disposed at the top of the stem and mounted for pivotal movement thereon.
Other objects are achieved by providing a motorcycle mirror constructed and arranged so that the head portion includes a stem receiving portion extending generally perpendicular to the plane of the reflective surface so that the mirror can be rotatable about a horizontal axis and thus made to serve as either a right- or left-handed mirror.
The manner in which these and other objects and other advantages of the invention are achieved in practice will become more clearly apparent when reference is made to the accompanying detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention set forth by way of example, and shown in the accompanying drawings where like reference numbers indicate corresponding parts throughout.


A tension mooring system for a floating structure such as a drilling or production platform having a plurality of permanent mooring lines extending upwardly from a plurality of bottom anchors and terminating below the water level and having buoys connected to the upper ends thereof with sufficient buoyancy to maintain the upper end of the mooring lines in a generally vertical posture, replaceable mooring lines connecting from the buoys to the floating structure, the upper position of the permanent mooring lines being preselected to be below a highly corrosive area of the air-sea interface, and a pulling mechanism on the replaceable mooring lines to impart a preselected tension to the mooring lines, the bottom anchors being pre-positioned by drilling and cementing or driving piling through templates. The method of establishing a tension mooring system for a floating structure including the steps of placing a plurality of drilling templates on the bottom at the desired mooring site, drilling and cementing or driving anchor piles through the templates, lowering permanent mooring lines, remotely connecting them to the templates, connecting replaceable mooring lines from the floating structure to the buoys secured to the upper end of the permanent mooring lines, and tensioning the mooring lines to a preselected level.

Mooring systems for floating structures have been proposed which include a plurality of mooring lines anchored to the bottom and connected at their upper ends to the floating structure and extending in substantially parallel relationship to each other with the buoyancy of the floating structure being used to maintain the mooring lines under a preselected tension. In this form of mooring system, the floating structure is held substantially level and horizontal movement away from a preselected site introduces forces in the mooring lines urging the structure toward its equilibrium position.
It has been suggested to utilize templates on the bottom for multiple drilling and for making production connections. Also, it is well known to have guide lines extending from such drilling template and landing bases to the surface of the water to allow equipment to be lowered into proper position on the template. Still further it has been previously known that floats may be secured to guide lines at a point below the water surface to allow a vessel to disconnect from the lines and later relocate the lines by sonar and manually recover them. Others have further suggested that the use of buoyant members to support mooring lines at intermediate positions below the surface of the water. Additionally others have disclosed a buoy or a riser pipe and a line connecting to a secondary buoy or the surface to allow disconnecting from the riser pipe during a storm and relocation of the surface buoy.
Still further it has been disclosed that a mooring cable may be connected to a buoy and a rope or steel cable connecting from the buoy to the floating structure. The buoy surrounds and maintains the upper end of the mooring cable at or near the water surface.
It has been previously suggested that the anchor system for a tension moored drilling and production platform could be set by the platform when it is delivered to the drilling site. This notion is best applied when gravity anchors are to be used instead of piling and has been previously disclosed in a Ray U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,957, of common assignment with the instant patent. However, gravity anchors are large and heavy structures which represent additional complication and expense in the fabrication of a platform in order that it be capable of setting such structures. This complication is worthwhile for a mobile platform which is intended to be moved frequently during its lifetime. In the case of a more permanent installation, however, it is more economical and timely to utilize anchor piling which can be placed while the drilling or production platform is being constructed. Thus, the anchorage system is ready for connection to the platform when said platform is delivered to the intended site. In this manner valuable time is saved in platform installation and drilling and production of a petroleum reservoir can begin more quickly.
Corrosion of mooring lines is a primary consideration in the use of tension moored platforms because the mooring lines are primary structural elements under considerable tension. Failure of the mooring lines may represent a costly delay to the drilling and production activities and may even result in damage to the floating platform. Such a failure may result from loss of strength of the mooring lines as corrosion reduces their available cross sectional area. It is well known that the most corrosive environment for mooring cables is near the interface between sea and air, commonly referred to as the splash zone. Here water is highly oxygenated from mixing due to wind and wave action. Furthermore, constant wave action erodes the oxides away from the metallic surface exposing new metal to be attacked by corrosion. Protective coatings can be used on mooring lines within the splash zone as long as said lines require no handling or manipulation. Where handling is required, however, the coating is soon destroyed which renders the remaining coating essentially useless.

Method of and apparatus for mooring a floating structure


A magnetic recording head includes a first pole having multiple magnetic layers separated by multiple gap layers. The multiple magnetic layers make up a write pole which produces a first hard axis field and a first auxiliary pole that produces a first auxiliary field that opposes the first hard axis field resulting in a reduced net hard axis field. The write pole and the first auxiliary pole are separated by a first gap layer made of a material that is less magnetically conducting than the write pole and the first auxiliary pole. The write pole is located upstream from the first auxiliary pole relative to a perpendicular magnetic recording medium. A portion of the first auxiliary pole exists in a region between a surface of the perpendicular magnetic recording medium and five microns from a surface of the perpendicular magnetic recording medium.

A magnetic recording head generally includes two portions: a writer portion for storing encoded information on a magnetic recording medium, such as a disk or tape, and a reader portion for retrieving recorded information from the medium. In the case of perpendicular recording, the writer portion typically includes a single writing pole and one or more return poles. The standard configuration has a single return pole situated upstream of the write pole.
The poles are made of magnetic material and are separated from each other at the recording surface by a non-magnetic, or poorly magnetic, gap layer. Current flowing through conductive coils is generally used to create magnetic flux that is carried through the writing pole. This creates a magnetic field at the magnetic medium, setting its magnetization and encoding information for later retrieval by the reader. The flux returns to the writer through one or more return poles.
Diagrams showing the configuration of a magnetic recording write head in a disk drive and a tape drive are shown, respectively, in FIGS. 1a and 1b. The axes labeled X, Y, Z depict the relative directions of downstream, across-track, and above-head surface.
The magnetic field emanating from the write head into the medium is distributed at various angles relative to the medium surface. The medium easy axis (or anisotropy) direction is the direction of lower energy and therefore preferred direction of magnetization. The easy axis is designed to be uniform and typically in the direction perpendicular to the medium surface for perpendicular recording (or vertical recording).
Directions perpendicular to the easy axis are typically considered the hard axis direction. The write field at the medium produced by the write head is in the easy axis direction for some portions of the write field and may contain hard axis components in other portions of the write field. Hard axis fields during writing are an issue in perpendicular recording.

Magnetic recording head having a first pole for generating an easy axis field and an auxiliary pole for generating a first auxiliary hard axis field that opposes an initial hard axis field


A method of forming a metal insulating layer of a semiconductor device relieves stress due to differential thermal expansion between insulating sub-layers by rounding off sharp edges formed between the sub-layers. A first metal insulating sub-layer is formed over a metal interconnection layer pattern. The first metal insulating sub-layer has sharp profiles due to a step height difference in the metal interconnection layer pattern. The first metal insulating sub-layer is wet etched to round off the sharp profiles. A second metal insulating sub-layer is formed over the first metal insulating sub-layer.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a method of forming a metal insulating layer of a related semiconductor device and its problems.
Referring to FIG. 1, a metal interconnection layer pattern 120 exposes a part of the insulating layer 110 formed over a semiconductor substrate 100. A first metal insulating sub-layer 131 and a second metal insulating sub-layer 132 are sequentially laminated over the exposed surface of the insulating layer 110 and the metal interconnection layer pattern to form a metal insulating layer 130. The first metal insulating sub-layer 131 is formed of a high density plasma (HDP) oxide layer having a high gap filling performance. The second metal insulating sub-layer 132 is formed of a plasma enhanced-tetra ethyl ortho silicate (PE-TEOS) oxide layer. A first protective insulation sub-layer 141 for protecting a metal insulating layer and a chip and a second protective insulating sub-layer 142 are deposited over the metal insulating layer to form a protective insulating layer 140. The first protective insulating sub-layer 141 is an oxide layer and a second protective insulating sub-layer 142 is a nitride layer.
In the related method of forming the metal insulating layer, the first metal insulating sub-layer 131 is formed by repeating deposition and etching. Due to the step difference caused by the metal interconnection layer pattern 120, the top edges of the first metal insulating sub-layer 131 have sharp profiles as denoted by A in the drawing. Therefore, stress is caused by differing thermal expansion coefficients of the metal interconnection layer pattern 120 and the insulating layers in a subsequent thermal process. The stress can cause severe problems in the boundaries between the insulating layers because the top edges of the first metal insulating sub-layer 131 are sharp. As an example, when the thermally-induced stress reaches a threshold value, the top edges of the first metal insulating sub-layer 131 are cracked. In a severe example, the protective insulating layer 140 is also cracked so that the reliability of a device is significantly degraded.

Method of manufacturing metal insulating layer in semiconductor device


An open-bit semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of memory cell arrays, wherein half of the memory cells in the memory cell array and half of the memory cells in the adjacent memory cell array store therein complementary data. The memory device further includes a pair of reference cell arrays sandwiching therebetween the memory cell arrays for supplying reference data for reading data from the memory cells in the adjacent memory cells. The reference cell array includes a plurality reference bit lines each connected to reference cells in number smaller than the number of memory cells connected to the bit line, and yet has a resistance and a capacitance equivalent to the resistance and the capacitance of the bit lines.

1. (a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device having a reference cell and, more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device suited for improving an open-bit semiconductor memory device.
2. (b) Description of the Related Art
An open-bit semiconductor memory device includes a sense amplifier which amplifies a potential difference between a pair of complementary bit lines disposed in different memory cell arrays in a read operation. FIG. 9 shows a conventional open-bit semiconductor device, which includes a plurality (k+1) of memory cell arrays 11 including zero-th to k-th memory cell arrays consecutively arranged from the left toward right in the drawing, a plurality (k) of sense amplifier arrays 13 each disposed between adjacent two of the memory cell arrays 11.
Each memory cell array 11 includes a plurality (2×(m+1)) of bit lines BL (BLT or BLN) extending in the column direction, and a plurality (n+1) of word lines WL extending in the row direction. Memory cells 21 are disposed in number 2×(m+1)×(n+1) at respective intersections of the bit lines BL and the word lines WL. Each memory cell 21 includes a single transistor and an associated single capacitor.
Each sense amplifier array 13 disposed between adjacent two of the memory cell arrays 11 includes sense amplifiers 24 in number (m+1). Each sense amplifier 24 receives a signal from a bit line BLN of one of the adjacent two of the memory cell arrays and a signal from a bit line BLT of the other of the adjacent two of the memory cell arrays, amplifies the potential differences between the bit lines BLN and BLT, and sets one of the bit lines BLN and BLT having a higher potential at a high level and the other of the bit lines having a lower potential at a low level.
FIG. 10 shows a timing chart of the memory device of FIG. 9 during a read operation. It is assumed in the following description that the sense amplifiers 24 in the 1st sense amplifier array 13 reads the data delivered from a memory cell in the 1st memory cell array 11, which is disposed next to the leftmost (zero-th) memory cell array 11.
In the read operation of the semiconductor memory device, a high level of a transfer control signal TG is input to the gates of transfer gate transistors (not shown), thereby connecting the sense amplifiers 24 to respective bit lines BLT of the zero-th memory cell array 11 and respective bit lines BLN of the 1st memory cell array 11, which are subjected to equalizing for balancing of the voltages at a bit-line balancing voltage VHVD.
To read the data, a word line for the selected memory cell is activated to a high level (VPP level) in the 1st memory cell array 11, whereby memory cells 21 connected to the bit lines BLN are selected in the 1st memory cell array 11. At the same time, a word line WL of the zero-th memory cell array connected to the memory cells having data complementary with the data stored in the memory cells in the 1st memory cell array 11 are also activated at the VPP level, whereby the memory cells 21 connected to the bit lines BLT in the zero-th memory cell array 11 are also selected.
After the word lines WL are activated, the data stored in the corresponding memory cells 21 are delivered to the bit lines BLT in the zero-th memory cell array 11 and to the bit lines BLN in the 1st memory cell array 11. Since these delivered data are complementary data as described above, the bit lines BLT and the corresponding bit lines BLN have respective potential differences therebetween due to the read data.
Subsequently, a sense-amplifier activating signal SE is activated to a peripheral-circuit source voltage VPERI, and thus the sense amplifiers 24 in the 1st sense amplifier array 13 start for operation. These sense amplifiers 24 amplify the respective potential differences between the bit lines BLN in the 1st memory cell array 11 and the bit lines BLT in the zero-th memory cell array 11, setting the bit lines having higher potentials at a high level (VDL level) and the bit lines having lower potentials at a low level (GND level).
After the potential differences between the bit lines are amplified, the data corresponding to the respective levels are stored again in the memory cells 21 in the 1st and zero-th memory cell arrays 11. Subsequently, the selected word lines WL are inactivated, whereby the memory cells 21 in the 1st and zero-th memory cell arrays 11 are disconnected from the respective bit lines BLN and BLT. The sense-amplifier activating signal SE is then inactivated to a low level, stopping the read operation by the sense amplifier 24 and then balancing the bit lines BLT and BLN to the bit-line balancing voltage VHVD.
As described above, upon a read operation for reading data is from a selected memory cell connected to a bit line BLN in a memory cell array, the sense amplifier uses data stored in another memory cell connected to a bit line BLT in the adjacent memory cell array as a reference data. Similarly, upon a read operation for reading data from a selected memory cell connected to a bit line BLT, the sense amplifier uses data stored in another memory cell connected to a bit line BLN as a reference data.
The use of a pair of bit lines BLN and BLT having similar line resistance and similar line capacitance and precharged to the same potential allows the sense amplifier to read the data substantially without the influence of noise. The use of data in the reference memory cell having the data complementary with the data of the selected memory cell increases the noise margin in the differential potential to improve the read accuracy.
It is to be noted that the sense amplifiers 24 are disposed for every other bit lines BLT or BLN in the adjacent two memory cell arrays 11, and thus the zero-th memory cell array 11 and the k-th memory cell array 11 include memory cells 21 which are not connected to the sense amplifiers 24. These memory cells 21 are shown by dots in FIG. 9 and the number of these memory cells 21 corresponds to half the memory cells in each memory cell array 11, which incurs waste of resources.
In addition, if the zero-th and k-th memory cell arrays 11 are to be used only as reference cell arrays, all the memory cells in these reference cell arrays never contribute the data storage. Thus, it is desired to reduce the scale of the reference cell arrays to thereby reduce the occupied area of the semiconductor memory device as a whole. In this case, although the memory cells shown by dots in the zero-th and k-th memory cell arrays may be omitted, any of the other memory cells cannot be omitted in the reference cell arrays because both the bit lines BLT and BLN connected to the sense amplifier should have the same length and the same number of memory cells connected thereto in view of an accurate read operation.

Semiconductor memory device having a reference cell


An analyzer resource receives call information about outbound phone calls from multiple phone numbers to target phone numbers in a phone network. The analyzer resource analyzes the call information to detect likely unwanted call activity. Based on the analyzing, the analyzer resource produces a list of phone numbers from which one or more entities originate unwanted calls to the subscribers in the phone network.

It is well known that conventional phone systems assign a phone number to each phone device in a phone network. To place a call to a target phone device, one dials the phone number assigned to the target phone device. The phone service provider receives the call request and initiates a call alert in the phone network to the target phone device.
During the call alert, the target phone typically rings to indicate occurrence of an incoming call. If the target phone device goes unanswered, the calling party may end the attempt to reach the target phone device or the caller alert period may time out. If the user of the target phone device accepts the incoming call (i.e., answers the phone), a two-way communication link is established between the calling party and target phone device.
Most phone numbers are publicly available to telemarketers unless the subscriber requests the phone number to be unlisted. Telemarketers typically make calls to publicly available phone numbers to sell products and/or services. In most instances, telemarketer calls are annoying to recipients. Unfortunately, if a phone number is registered as unlisted, friends of the subscriber cannot easily obtain the phone number of the subscriber. Thus, there is a tradeoff between making a phone number publicly available (potentially inviting telemarketing calls) and registering the phone number as being unlisted (preventing legitimate persons from obtaining a phone number).
Because receiving calls from telemarketers is so annoying, attempts have been made to reduce the amount of unwanted telemarketer calls to phone subscribers. For example, the government has set up a so-called Do Not Call (DNC) list. One can register their phone number on the Do Not Call list to provide notification that a subscriber assigned the phone number does not wish to receiving telemarketing calls to the registered phone number. In theory, the telemarketers should not make calls to the phone numbers on the Do Not Call list. However, in reality, the telemarketers often call without regard to the wishes of the receiving parties not to receive unsolicited phone calls. This is particularly disturbing because the DNC list does not serve the intended purposes of reducing or eliminating telemarketing calls.

Generation of phone number lists and call filtering


A horn loudspeaker has an opening formed in a wall of a horn, and a tubular duct is provided along the horn and communicated with the opening. The length L of the duct is expressed as, L.perspectiveto.c/4fr-0.4d where c is a velocity of sound, fr is a frequency a sound pressure of which is to be reduced, and d is an inner diameter of the duct.

In the horn loudspeaker, the sound waves generated by the diaphragm are gathered at a throat of the horn so as to increase sound pressure, and thereafter, propagate along the horn. Aerial resistance in the horn exerts on the diaphragm so that radiation resistance is increased, thereby improving the transmission efficiency of the speaker.
The horn loudspeaker is advantageous in that it has a high energy conversion efficiency. Hence, it is applied for various purposes such as for a home hi-fi system and a commercial public address system.
The horn loudspeaker may be sorted into a parabolic horn speaker, conical horn speaker, exponential horn speaker and hyperbolic horn speaker, each of which differs from one another in increasing rate of the cross-sectional areas of the horn.
As an example of the horn loudspeaker, a conventional exponential horn loudspeaker is described with reference to FIGS. 8a and 8b which schematically shown a basic horn speaker and an equivalent circuit of the mechanical system of the speaker. The horn speaker has a horn having a throat at an apex thereof. For the ease of explanation, the length of the horn is considered to be infinite. Opposite to the throat is disposed a diaphragm connected to a converter for converting electrical energy to sound energy. In the figure, SO is an area(m.sup.2) of the diaphragm, S1 is an area(m.sup.2) of the throat, mo is a total mass(kg) of a diaphragm device, Cm is a compliance(m/n) of a suspension of the diaphragm, and Cm' is a compliance(m/n) of air in a space between the diaphragm and the throat.
An acoustic impedance Zr for unit area(Ns/m.sup.3) is expressed as EQU Zr=rr+jXr
where rr is a radiation resistance(Ns/m.sup.3) and Xr is a radiation reactance(Ns/m.sup.3) for unit area. The radiation resistance rr is further expressed as ##EQU1## where ZO is a specific acoustic impedance(Ns/m.sup.3) and mx is a flare constant of the horn. The radiation reactance Zr is expressed as EQU Xr=ZO(m/2k)
FIG. 9 shows a frequency response of the radiation impedance. The radiation resistance for unit area represents a rate of energy propagating from the throat to the mouth of the horn to the entire energy.
In the conventional horn speaker, there is a problem that for good sound reproduction at low frequencies, group delay characteristics are deteriorated, and vice versa.
FIG. 10 show a relaxation time .tau. relative to acoustic impedance. The relaxation time .tau. which is expressed as .tau..sub.2 Zr/rr shows a transient response of the horn. That is, when the relaxation time .tau. is increased, both the rise and fall of the frequency is delayed. In a low frequency range, the transient response becomes insufficient. Therefore, the sound in the transient state in the low frequency range is strengthened, thereby deadening the sound. As a result, the sound quality is deteriorated.
In addition, the sound source of the horn speaker is unstable. More particularly, a phase constant in the horn is expressed as ##EQU2## A wavelength .lambda.h(m) in the horn is expressed as ##EQU3## where fc is a cutoff frequency(Hz). When a given frequency f coincides with the cutoff frequency fc(f=fc), the wavelength .lambda.h is infinitely increased, so that the sound source moves.
FIG. 11 shows a ratio .lambda.h/.lambda. between the horn wavelength .lambda.h and the free space wavelength .lambda.. The graph indicates that the position of the sound source moves, particularly in a range where the frequency f is approximate the cutoff frequency fc.
Moreover, due to the relationship between a directional frequency response and energy characteristics, a peak appears in sound pressure frequency response, which means deterioration in smooth sound quality.


A method for responding to a command sequence includes receiving a signal from a host carrying a plurality of commands in the command sequence, detecting a non-consecutive clock associated with a start of a current command in the command sequence, and generating a control signal in an active state to indicate detection of the non-consecutive clock.

Conventional data buffers in memory systems contain decision feedback equalizers (DFE) that correct for inter-symbol interference in streams of data bits. Sometimes a stream of the data bits is targeted for a single memory device in the memory system. Other times, different parts of the stream are targeted for different memory devices. When a stream targets multiple memory devices, buffers in the DFE circuitry can retain unwanted old parts of the stream when the stream changes to a new target. The old parts cause margin degradation for the received data. The incorrect buffering is commonly due to sequential but non-consecutive commands associated with the different targets.
It would be desirable to implement a method and/or apparatus for command sequence response in a memory data buffer.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Command sequence response in a memory data buffer


A vibration control pedestal and an installation method thereof are disclosed, including a method for reducing particles and vibrations while moving equipment, including semiconductor equipment, from one vibration control pedestal to another. The vibration control pedestal includes an equipment support body having at least two equipment support cells. A cell connection unit passes through side surfaces of the equipment support cells and connects the equipment support cells to each other. A bottom structure installed under the equipment support body braces the equipment support body.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vibration control pedestal and an installation method thereof, and more particularly, to a vibration control pedestal for semiconductor equipment used to install semiconductor equipment and an installation method thereof.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, a plurality of semiconductor equipment for performing unit processes such as a photolithography process, an etching process, a thin film deposition process, and so on, are used in a semiconductor manufacturing line for processing a wafer and manufacturing a semiconductor device.
Since most semiconductor equipment involves precise processes, they are very sensitive to vibrations or other environmental effects transmitted from the exterior. For example, photolithography equipment, which is used for performing intricate photolithography processes, requires significant precision when transferring a semiconductor circuit pattern drawn on a photo mask substrate onto a wafer. It is for this reason that photolithography equipment is especially sensitive to vibrations transmitted from the exterior.
When semiconductor equipment, including the photolithography equipment, is installed in a semiconductor manufacturing line, the semiconductor equipment is commonly installed on a vibration control pedestal for partially absorbing and attenuating external vibrations, rather than being directly installed on a bottom surface of the semiconductor manufacturing line. In other words, the vibration control pedestal is previously installed at a particular position; and then, the semiconductor equipment is installed on the vibration control pedestal.
The conventional vibration control pedestal installed at the semiconductor manufacturing line supports single manufacturing equipment using a single body structure that is not disassembled. Therefore, when the semiconductor equipment is moved, it is impossible to move the already installed vibration control pedestal due to its size and structure. Eventually, when the semiconductor equipment is moved, the already installed vibration control pedestal is dismantled, and a new vibration control pedestal is installed at a position proximate to where the semiconductor equipment is re-installed. In this case, particles and vibrations may be generated in the semiconductor manufacturing line due to dismantlement of the vibration control pedestal, which negatively affects the semiconductor manufacturing environment. Furthermore, installation of a new vibration control pedestal incurs additional costs and can be a time consuming operation. Accordingly, a need remains for an improved vibration control pedestal and installation method.

Vibration control pedestal and installation method thereof


A pixel includes an organic light emitting diode (OLED) having a cathode electrode coupled to a second power source, a first transistor having a first electrode coupled to a first power source, the first transistor being configured to control a magnitude of a current supplied from the first power source to the second power source via the OLED in accordance with a data signal, and a plurality of second transistors serially coupled between a gate electrode of the first transistor and a power source line, the second transistors being configured to be turned on when a second scan signal is supplied to a second scan line, wherein a common node between the second transistors is electrically coupled to the first electrode or a second electrode of the first transistor.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a pixel and an organic light emitting display using the same, and more particularly, to a pixel capable of displaying an image having substantially uniform brightness and an organic light emitting display using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, various types flat panel displays (FPD) that are capable of reducing weight and volume that are disadvantages of cathode ray tubes (CRT) have been developed. The types of FPDs include liquid crystal displays (LCD), field emission displays (FED), plasma display panels (PDP), and organic light emitting displays.
Among the FPDs, the organic light emitting displays display images using organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) that generate light by the re-combination of electrons and holes. The organic light emitting display has high response speed and can be driven with low power consumption.
Generally, an organic light emitting display includes a plurality of data lines, scan lines, and a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix at crossing regions of the scan lines and the data lines. The pixels commonly include organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and driving transistors for controlling the amount of a current that flows to (or through) the OLEDs. The pixels generate light having a brightness level (e.g., a predetermined brightness level) while supplying currents from the driving transistors to the OLEDs to correspond to data signals.

Pixel and organic light emitting display using the same


A method and apparatus for detecting problems in a rotating machine is disclosed. The method and apparatus include creating a definition of the rotating machine using a plurality of templates that specify components and functional characteristics of the components. In addition, the method and apparatus include identifying a plurality of sensors configured to provide operational data related to the rotating machine and defining a plurality of problem rules including logical expressions by which machine faults are deduced from specified portions of the operational data. Further, the method and apparatus include performing an analysis of operation of the rotating machine, the analysis including acquiring actual operational data from the plurality of sensors and applying the problem rules and templates to the operational data to detect faults in the rotating machine and in response thereto generating an indication when a fault is detected.

The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for monitoring the operation of rotating machines, such as compressors and pumps in heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. In particular, the invention relates to apparatus and methods that monitor vibration of such rotating machines.
Rotating machines have a wide variety of applications. For example, motors drive compressors and pumps in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems found in most buildings. Inevitably such machinery develops various mechanical problems with time. Bearings wear, cracks and other deformations develop, and the rotating components become unbalanced. Initially such faults merely reduce the efficiency and performance of the machine. However, if not remedied in time, the faults can progress in magnitude to a point at which the machine fails to operate or causes damage to other components. A relatively inexpensive and simple repair if made early in the fault progression can prevent more serious and expensive subsequent repairs.
Therefore, it is desirable to detect and locate malfunctioning components as early as possible. In addition, it is desirable to detect such faults without interfering with normal machine operation. Taking a machine out of service to perform diagnostic operations may be undesirable and inefficient. Furthermore, the onset of many defects often is not apparent without extensively dismantling the machine. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a system that is capable of continuously monitoring machines and automatically diagnosing faults without interfering with the normal operational procedures.
Fault analysis of rotating machinery is based on interpreting specific data values. For vibration analysis, these values may include peaks of the frequency spectrum, the energy over a specified frequency band, or a direct input value, such as the operating load of the machine at the time when the measurements were made. FIG. 4 illustrates some of these values, including peaks in the frequency spectrum. Vibrations produced by rotating machinery are a result of the physical characteristics of a particular machine. Consequently, the extraction of fundamental frequencies and their amplitudes for various components is important in determining the condition of a machine. The amplitudes of the vibrations produced and the combination of different vibrations can be interpreted to determine the condition of a machine. Furthermore, since numerous machines have the same physical characteristic (i.e., the same manufacturer and model), they often are expected to produce similar vibrations. Therefore, information about a first machine may be useful in analyzing a second machine.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a system that allows an end-user to create general templates that capture the analytical knowledge of the user as well as incorporate vibration spectra collected from instrumentation of various machines in order to serve as a basis for an overall vibration analysis. In addition, since vibration analysis can often be quite complex, it would also be advantageous to provide an effective method of defining, organizing, and arranging rules and templates used in the overall vibration analysis.

Extensions to dynamically configurable process for diagnosing faults in rotating machines