A computer program that improves a netlist of logic nodes and physical placement for an IC. The program (a) identifies critical nodes based on delay information calculated from the physical placement. Then the program (b) selects a set of critical nodes and optimally collapses their critical fan-ins and part of the non-critical fan-ins based on their Boolean relationship, which, includes at least one critical node. After that, the program (c) remaps the collapsed sub-netlist by covering its subject graph with an optimal pattern graph, and dynamically estimates and updates the fanout loads. The program returns to step (b) if the remapped sub-netlist is unacceptable, and returns to step (a) after updating the delay information and coordinates of newly mapped gates if the remapped sub-netlist is acceptable. The program exits at step (a) when no more critical nodes are identified at step (a).

The present invention relates to the design of integrated circuits (ICs) using computer-aided design and computer-aided engineering programs (CAD/CAE). In particular, the present invention relates to CAD/CAE programs that optimize the design of an IC.
The design process for an integrated circuit (IC) is a process of transforming a specification for desired logic or analog functions to a physical or geometric arrangement for an IC die that can -perform the desired functions. Modern integrated circuits, particularly VLSI circuits, are very complex and various stages in the design process are automated using CAD/CAE software tools.
Typically, a technology mapping program will be used to convert a specification into an arrangement of library elements, such as gates, and interconnections. The output of the technology mapping process is a trial netlist which lists the library elements used and their interconnections, also called nodes. The technology mapping process is iterative and several trial netlists may be tried before an accepted netlist is found that has acceptable delays for each node based on a simplified delay calculation performed as part of the technology mapping. This simplified delay calculation, however, does not take into account the physical placement of the elements or interconnections.
Next, a physical placement program is used to specify geometric locations for each library element and also a geometric path for each interconnect. After a trial physical placement is made, a more complex delay calculation is made that takes into account the physical placement of the library elements and the interconnections. As the more complex delay calculation identifies critical nodes with excessive delays, the physical placement is iteratively repeated to reduce the delay to an acceptable amount. In some cases, the delay does not converge to an acceptable delay, and development activity returns to the technology mapping program to generate another accepted netlist to be tried by the physical placement program.
At the end of the process, an accepted netlist and global placement are created that may satisfy the delay requirements, however, because of the limitations of the simple delay calculations made in the technology mapping program, the netlist and global placement may not be optimized well for implementation as an IC.
A program is needed that will optimize the netlist and the global placement without, the limitations imposed by the simple delay calculations in the technology mapping used to generate the netlist.
Disclosed is a computer program that improves a netlist of logic nodes and physical placement for an IC. The program (a) identifies critical nodes based on delay information calculated from the physical placement. Then the program (b) selects a set of critical nodes and optimally collapses their critical fan-ins and part of the non-critical fan-ins based on their Boolean relationship, which includes at least one critical node. After that, the program (c) remaps the collapsed sub-netlist by covering its subject graph with an optimal pattern graph, and by dynamically estimating and updating the fanout loads. The program returns to step (b) if the remapped sub-netlist is unacceptable, and returns to step (a) after updating the delay information and coordinates of newly mapped gates if the remapped sub-netlist is acceptable. The program exits at step (a) when no more critical nodes are identified at step (a)

Netlist resynthesis program based on physical delay calculation


For programs selected as those whose label is to be created, a list of available templates is displayed on a arrangement processing screen 200 together with contents of EPG information acquired from an EPG information DB. The EPG information is displayed on a left screen 210 and the templates list is displayed on a right screen 220, so that one template desired to be applied is selected on the right screen 220, according to which template, one or a plurality of the EPG information pieces whose label is desired to be created is selected on the left screen 210. Templates 230, 240, 250, and 260 constitute a label set comprised of a plurality of labels, thus enabling creating labels by incorporating information pieces of specified items.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a label creating apparatus and a label creating program recorded in a computer-readable recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, hard disk recorder and DVD recorders have been widely used to make it further easier to video-recording a broadcast program and enjoy viewing it. In video-recording a desired broadcast program, reservation can be made also by acquiring information of that broadcast program by using an electronic program guide (EPG). Such an EPG has been transmitted with the same surface wave as that for broadcast programs and also provided to the Internet. Recently personal computer equipped with a TV tuner have also been used widely, to make it more common to receive broadcast programs through the Internet and video-record them by using a TV set.
However, as video-recording can be performed very easily, a vast amount of information is video-recorded, so that unless various broadcast programs video-recorded on various recording media are rearranged, such a problem occurs that a desired one of the broadcast programs cannot be reached later, thus making it impossible to enjoy convenience. To solve this problem, a label creating (producing) apparatus has been proposed which prints a label upon occurrence of such an event as video-recording reservation or playback and attaching it to the corresponding video-recording medium (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Publication No. 2003-134447).
This conventional label creating apparatus prepares a template of labels adapted to a recording medium such as a VHS tape or an 8-mm tape and pours broadcast program information acquired from the EPG etc. into this template, thereby creating a label. Then, at a specified timing (at a video-recording reservation, video-recording completion, playback, etc.), the created label is printed.
However, this conventional label creating apparatus has not accommodated a case where it is desired to create a plurality of labels collectively as referencing the broadcast program information after video-recording is finished. In particular, in a case where it is desired to create one set of multiple labels by appropriately arranging such items as titles, subtitles, and dates into these labels, they cannot be done so at a time.

Label creating apparatus and label creating program recorded in computer-readable recording medium


According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording head includes forming a microwave oscillator to cover a main pole and a side shield and also to cross at least a part of a side gap between the main pole and the side shield, and lapping the main pole, the side shield and the microwave oscillator in a height direction while monitoring an electric resistance between the main pole and the side shield.

In recent years, magnetic heads for vertical magnetic recording have been proposed in order to achieve a higher recording density, a larger capacity or miniaturization of the magnetic disk device. In such a magnetic head, the recording head comprises a main pole configured to produce a perpendicular magnetic field, a write shield arranged to interpose a write gap on a trailing side of the main pole and configured to close a magnetic path between a magnetic disk and itself, and a coil configured to allow magnetic flux to flow to the main pole. Further, a microwave-assist magnetic recording head has been proposed, in which a microwave oscillator (high frequency oscillator) is arranged between the main pole and the write shield (write gap).
As a method of manufacturing such a magnetic recording head, a self-aligning method has been proposed. In this method, a microwave oscillator is formed so as to cover a stepped portion of a main pole, and the microwave oscillator is divided into two regions utilizing the stepped portion. Then, one of these sections of the microwave oscillator, which is not located on the main pole is partially scraped to align the ends of the main pole and the microwave oscillator with each other.
However, with the above-described method, a distorted microwave oscillator is formed in the stepped section of the main pole, and the distorted portion remains in the end on a main-pole side of the stepped section. The distorted portion of the microwave oscillator causes degradation of radiation characteristics and therefore it is difficult to obtain excellent radiation characteristics of the microwave oscillator.

Method of manufacturing magnetic recording head


The invention relates to a process for the preparation of specific salts of 1-substituted 2,4-diaminobenzenes by catalytic hydrogenation of 1-substituted 2,4-dinitrobenzenes and addition of the reaction product obtained after the hydrogenation and separated from the catalyst to an aqueous solution of an acid.

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of salts of 1-substituted 2,4-diaminobenzenes by catalytic hydrogenation of the corresponding 1-substituted 2,4-dinitrobenzenes and conversion of the resulting reaction product, following removal of the catalyst, into the salt form.
Salts of 1-substituted 2,4-diaminobenzenes are used in many different areas. Their synthesis is therefore of particular importance. 2-(2',4'-diamino-diaminophenoxy)-ethanol and its salts are used, for example, according to DE-A-27 58 735 and DE-A-27 37 138, in oxidation dye compositions as the meta-component.
DE-A-27 58 735 describes the preparation of 2-(2',4'-diaminophenoxy)-ethanol by catalytic hydrogenation of 2-(2',4'-dinitrophenoxy)-ethanol. To remove the catalyst, the reaction mixture after the hydrogenation is filtered in the warmed state, and the filtrate is recovered. To prepare the dihydrochloride salt of 2-(2',4'-diaminophenoxy)-ethanol, an excess of hydrogen chloride gas is then introduced into the filtrate. However, this method produces a yield of only 78%. Reworking this process also shows that the product is produced in a deep violet color and contains considerable amounts of by-products and decomposition products, which is manifested in a purity of only 86%. Measurement of the degrees of transmission of a 0.1% strength solution of the product in water according to DIN 55945 gives the results T.sub.x =38.6, T.sub.y =26.4 and T.sub.z =30.9.
Particularly when the salts of the 1-substituted 2,4-diaminobenzenes, such as 2-(2',4'-diaminophenoxy)-ethanol, are used in the cosmetics sector, e.g., as precursor compounds in the field of hair cosmetics, the purity of the 1-substituted 2,4-diaminobenzenes is a decisive factor: even slight contamination by foreign substances is problematical for medicinal reasons (e.g., danger of triggering allergies).
The object of the present invention was therefore to provide a process with which salts of 1-substituted 2,4-diaminobenzenes and in particular of 2-(2',4'-diaminophenoxy)-ethanol can be obtained with low impurities and low undesired discoloration.

Process for the preparation of salts of 1-substituted 2,4-diaminobenzenes


Toxic metabolic products (e.g., ammonia) in water can be decomposed effectively by a close contact of ammonia with oxygen on the large surface area of plastic substrates in the biofilter tank according to the aquarium of the invention. In the conventional method, toxic metabolic products such as ammonia have been oxidized by blowing air into the water or zeolite and activated carbons have been used to absorb unwanted products but which absorbents are required to be replaced or cleaned frequently to remove clogged materials. In contrast, the plastic substrates in the aquarium of the invention does not require such frequent replacement or cleaning. The rearing tank is connected with the biofilter tank and the algae culture tank via the sump, which functions as a buffer to prevent any adversary effect on the aquatic environmental factors in the reading tank. The sump contains a large volume of water, which also serves to minimize a sudden change in culture conditions. These designs of the aquarium of the invention will also serve to minimize losses of cultured aquatic life forms on such occasion.

A fish and shellfish culture technique with recirculatory system may be found in the literature such as "Method of purifying water in fish and shellfish culture facility and device thereof" in Japanese Patent Publication KOKOKU No. 49-37679, in which carbon dioxide, one of toxic metabolic products of fish and shellfish is removed from water in a culture facility and oxygen is supplied to the water in such the ways that carbon dioxide is removed by blowing air into the water; and ammonia or inorganic materials dissolved in the water are absorbed by zeolite or activated carbon, and that oxygen-rich air is blown into the water for supplying oxygen.
There have been various methods of purifying water in a fish and/or shellfish culture. The conventional oxidative disintegration method, for example, intended to disintegrate materials dissolved in water by blowing oxygen into water, is not an effective way to remove unwanted materials because of an insufficient contact of the unwanted materials with oxygen. The absorption method, intended to absorb away unwanted materials dissolved in water using zeolite or activated carbon, has another problem in relation to its extended period of operation, because the materials of zeolite or activated carbon are susceptible to clogging, unless they are frequently replaced with fresh materials or cleaned. To remove unwanted organic and/or inorganic materials dissolved in water, especially ammonia, is the most imperative problem for maintaining water quality suitable for an aquaculture of any given species of organism.
In the conventional aquarium with recirculatory system for fish and/or shellfish culture, a culturing tank is directly connected to a water purifying facility. When an accident happens during the operation of the system, water quality can be immediately deteriorated to cause an adverse effect on the cultivated organisms, resulting frequently in the death of a majority of the organisms.
One of the objectives of the present invention is to solve aforementioned problems and to provide an aquarium with a closed water recirculatory system in which unwanted materials dissolved in water, especially ammonia, are effectively removed away from the system during an extended period of its operation and an entire aquarium system (culture facility, ibid) is arranged in such a way that an operational accident of the system does not immediately affect on water quality in the rearing tank.

Aquarium with closed water recirculatory system for culturing fish and shellfish


An example method for providing a flexible base structure for a portable shelter includes the steps of forming a continuous loop of a flexible material and attaching a plurality of rib intersections such as grommets at respective locations along the flexible loop. An alternative method for constructing a flexible base structure for a floorless portable shelter includes forming a continuous loop of a flexible material and arranging a plurality of openings at respective locations along the continuous loop. An embodiment of a base structure for supporting the ribs of a portable shelter includes a flexible loop and a plurality of rib intersections arranged along the flexible loop. Each of the plurality of rib intersections forms an opening for receiving a respective end of a rib that supports the portable shelter.

Outdoor portable shelters such as tents have been used to provide temporary shelter and protection from the sun, wind, precipitation, harsh temperatures, condensation, biting insects, and other outdoor elements for workers, equipment, and outdoor enthusiasts for many years. Aside from protecting an interior volume from the elements, modern day shelters should be quick to set-up and portable. To be portable, the temporary shelter should be lightweight so it is easily carried to a proposed site as well as easy to assemble and disassemble.
Most conventional tents are configured with a floor that is made of a heavier material than that used for the portions of the tent that will not be in contact with the ground. The weight of the heavier material used to construct the floor of these tents makes up a significant portion of the overall weight of the tent. The floor is often configured with loops at fixed locations along the perimeter of the tent for receiving a stake that sets or fixes the floor of the tent to the ground. These floors are often configured with additional hardware and or loops for locating and receiving an end of a flexible support rib. Once all the support ribs are flexed and set at their designated receiving ends in or near the perimeter of the floor, the upper panels of the tent can be supported from the ribs. Some conventional tents use sleeves formed or otherwise attached to the outer surface of the upper panels of material to suspend the tent. Other conventional tents use hooks connected to tabs or other extensions that are sewn to the upper panels of the tent to suspend the tent under the support ribs. Many of these conventional tents use a rain fly to further shelter the tent.
A rain fly protects the tent from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. In addition to protecting the tent from the sun, a rain fly provides an additional barrier in the rain and snow, can help keep sparks from a fire or wood stove away from the exterior surface of the tent and when set up correctly can provide an insulating layer when it is cold. Conventional rain flies are made from a relatively lightweight fabric made from man-made fibers (e.g., nylon, polyester) with canvas ties or other heavier fabrics used together with hook and loop fasteners for fixing the rain fly to support ribs. The fabric is often treated or coated with various waterproofing and fire resistant agents. When appropriate, a hole for a stove jack or vent will be formed with canvas or reinforced webbing.
Some outdoor enthusiasts prefer to travel with as little gear as possible. For example, some hikers and climbers when faced with transporting food, water, fuel, a sleeping bag and roll, a portable shelter and perhaps additional items including a community shelter for meeting, cooking, or other functions will elect to carry a relatively lightweight rain fly with the necessary support ribs rather than a conventional tent with a floor.
However, absent the orientation and resistance provided by a conventional tent with a floor, a lightweight rain fly or other lightweight portable shelter without a floor can be difficult if not impossible to set-up by oneself. Setup of a lightweight cover, such as a rain fly, is problematic for at least the reason that it is difficult to align and flex the various ribs into their desired orientation absent the footprint provided by the floor of the corresponding tent.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop an apparatus and various methods that overcome these shortcomings.

Flexible base structure for portable shelters


A container assembly configured for use in a high pressure process (HPP) includes a container defining a container cavity and a fitment assembly coupled to the container. The fitment assembly defines a passageway arranged in fluid communication with the container cavity. The fitment assembly further defines a chamber within the passageway isolated from the container cavity. A pressure relief mechanism is operably coupled to the fitment assembly to relieve pressure within the chamber.

The subject matter disclosed herein generally relates to the preparation of cold-pressed fresh juice and other liquids having an extended shelf-life achieved via high pressure processing, and more particularly, to various types of packaging for use with a high pressure process.
Foods and beverages have traditionally been preserved to prolong their shelf-life through the use of chemical and thermal treatment. Pasteurization via thermal treatments has been recognized as an effective means for inactivating microorganisms such as harmful pathogens that may exist in many unprocessed food and beverage products. If left unchecked, these microorganisms can not only cause premature food and beverage spoilage, but can also result in serious health problems, and sometimes death. Although heating food and beverages effectively reduces levels of microorganisms therein, such processing can alter the fresh and natural taste and flavor of the food and beverages while reducing the natural nutrients therein.
Non-thermal processing of foods, such as through a high pressure process ("HPP"), also referred to as high hydrostatic pressure processing or ultra-high pressure processing, is considered a more natural and equally effective means of processing than conventional thermal processing. HPP is used to pasteurize foods at elevated pressures of approximately 30,000 to 130,000 pounds per square inch ("psi") for a specified temperature and time. The pressure is applied through a pressure medium such as a liquid or a gas. Under these conditions, HPP has been found to be effective in inactivating many pathogenic microorganisms commonly found in foods. As compared to pasteurized liquids, HPP significantly reduces the process temperature and time, which results in foods with improved characteristics such as better retention of freshness, flavor, texture, color, and nutrients.
Due to the increased shelf-life of products processed through HPP, in some applications it may be advantageous to supply packaged products in a large format or in bulk, such as in a variety of sizes up to and exceeding 5 gallons. This packaging is typically a sealed bottle, bag, or other container formed from a plastic such as polyethylene terephthalate. However, due to the process conditions, such as the high-pressure treatment applied to the packaging and food or liquid, problems can arise. For example, the vacuum generated in the packaging via application of the ultra-high pressure may cause catastrophic damage to the packaging.

Container and fitment for use in high pressure processing


A multi-zone heating oven is disclosed. The multi-zone heating oven includes a plurality of in-line heating chambers, a conveyor system configured to convey objects between and into each chamber of the plurality of in-line heating chambers and a supply line for each of the plurality of in-line heating chambers. In addition, the multi-zone heating oven includes an exhaust system. The humidity in each chamber is set individually. Changes in the temperature and humidity that an object is subjected to are controlled by moving the object through the plurality of chambers.

Industrial ovens are devices with heating chambers that are used in a variety of industrial applications, including drying, curing, or baking components, parts or final products. Industrial ovens can be used for large or small volume applications. Components, parts or final products can be processed in batches or continuously with a conveyor line, and using a variety of temperature ranges, sizes and configurations.
Industrial ovens can be used in many different industrial processes, including chemical processing, food production, and electronics fabrication, where circuit boards are run through a conveyor oven to attach surface mount components.
A type of industrial oven is a humidity chamber or oven. Many humidity ovens can control humidity and temperature within their chambers. A conventional use for humidity ovens is environmental testing. As a part of such use, an important concern is with achieving critical endpoint humidity levels as opposed to controlling each humidity level (that an object is subjected to) from the beginning to the end of a process. Some conventional humidity ovens control humidity levels in a single chamber. In such cases, relative humidity data is used to adjust temperature and water levels over time. Other conventional industrial heating chambers, such as surface mount electronics reflow ovens (used for soldering) only provide temperature control. Commercial ovens, such as Smit™, BTU™, etc., provide high temperatures but do not provide humidity control.
As such, conventional humidity ovens have functional and design limitations that effect how they can be used. More specifically, their functional and design limitations can render them unsuitable for some advanced or specialized industrial applications that require the capacity to provide processing that strictly adheres to a specific temperature and humidity profile. Consequently, conventional humidity ovens can be unsatisfactory for use in some advanced or specialized industrial applications.

Multi-zone heating oven with a plurality of heating zones having individually controlled temperature humidity


A system for adjusting vehicle mirrors is disclosed and includes a memory device including at least one saved mirror position corresponding with an identified trailer. At least one vehicle mirror is movable to an extended trailering position that corresponds with the saved mirror position. The memory device is part of a controller that moves the vehicle mirror to the saved position responsive to an indication that an identified trailer is hitched to the vehicle.

Vehicles that are used to sometimes pull trailers can include an extendible side view mirror. The side view mirror is extended when the tow vehicle is towing a trailer to provide increased visibility of the trailer. When the trailer is unhitched, the side view mirror is returned to a non-extended position for normal vehicle operation. Each trailer has unique characteristics that can require different side mirror positioning. While the side view mirrors may be powered to the extended position, an operator may require significant time to properly adjust each of the mirrors. Moreover, in some instances, a vehicle operator may remember that the side view mirrors require adjustment only once driving down the road with the trailer hitched to the vehicle.
Automotive manufactures continue to seek improvements in vehicle operation with features that increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Automatic trailer detection and vehicle configuration


Application of wax to fruit, or groups of fruit in a conveyor system, can be controlled to optimize the protective and cosmetic effects of the wax application and to efficiently utilize the wax notwithstanding variations in size, texture, nature or number of the fruit, the type(s) of wax or the processing environment, by providing an intelligent wax controller. The wax controller has a camera which detects fruit passing through a field of view defined by an optical housing in which the camera is fixed. Particularly if the camera is a line-scan camera, two-dimensional pixel maps of the fruit passing through the viewing area are assembled and image processed to provide distinct pixel images even when the fruit are touching. The entire width of the conveyor belt is detected furing each detection time. The diameter of the fruit for each of the separated images is then determined, from which the total surface area of the fruit passing under the viewing area is computed. Based on this computation a plurality of variable stroke pujps and wax nozzles are each individually controlled at appropriate positions across the width of the conveyor system to apply the appropriate amount of wax to the fruit then passing under the wax applicator nozzles.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to apparatus and methods for applying wax or another substance to the surfaces of objects, and more particularly to the application of wax to citrus fruit on a conveyor system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is a well established procedure in the processing and sorting of fruit, and, in particular citrus fruit, to finish the fruit by applying a protective, preservative and cosmetically enhancing surface layer of wax or other material. Typically, the wax is applied to objects, or specifically to fruit, in a conveyor line by spraying a liquid wax onto the fruit as it is rotated on a brush bed conveyor and advanced to a packaging station.
However, applying the appropriate amount of wax to each run of fruit is often difficult to control if optimal results and efficient use of the wax is to be achieved. The optimum amount of wax varies according to the fruit size and variety of fruit to which the wax is applied, and also, to some extent, varies seasonally. The wax volume which must be sprayed onto the fruit also varies according to the speed of the fruit through the waxer. The efficiency of the wax application varies according to the distribution of fruit on the conveyor bed in the waxer and in particular with respect to the lateral distribution of the fruit as it travels underneath the spray nozzles. Further non-uniformity of wax application is experienced when the conveyor line, for any number of reasons, may be stopped.
The amount of wax which must be applied to the fruit varies according to the type of wax which is used. Fruit in the center of the waxer tends to move through the waxer faster than fruit on the sides, which also results in an uneven wax application. Changing the wax nozzles to accommodate this type of variation is often impractical. The droplet size distribution of the wax sprayed onto the fruit for a given nozzle is typically constant and it is difficult to vary the amount of wax applied to the fruit without changing nozzles. Still further, the quality and nature of the wax application will vary with the amount of brush wear in the underlying brush bed and also whether the brush bed was pre-loaded with wax prior to the fruit flow. Finally, the quality of the resulting wax application still further varies with the skin texture of the fruit.
All of these variables with respect to applying the wax to the fruit make it extremely difficult to obtain an efficient use of the wax and/or a high shine, uniform fruit pack-out. Therefore, what is needed is some type of apparatus and method in which each of these variables may be adjusted in order to provide both cost effective and efficient wax usage, high uniform wax applications and hence uniform shine in the fruit pack-out.

Controller and method for selectively controlling the amount of wax applied to fruit


A composition is disclosed, which comprises a hydroxyaromatic-aldehyde resole resin comprising an aldehyde and a hydroxyaromatic compound, modified with a urea-aldehyde condensate. The hydroxyaromatic-aldehyde resole resin is prepared without ammonia or a primary amine and the composition does not contain a triazone or a substituted triazone compound. The composition has improved premix stability, improved cure efficiency, comparable tensile strength, and lower volatiles than the hydroxyaromatic-aldehyde resole resin unmodified with a urea-aldehyde condensate. Also disclosed are articles prepared therefrom.

This disclosure relates to hydroxyaromatic-aldehyde resole resins, their preparation, use, and articles formed therefrom.
Hydroxyaromatic-aldehyde resole resins, and in particular phenol-formaldehyde resole resins, are of utility in a wide range of applications due to their excellent physical properties, including their durability, water resistance, bond strength, and the like, as well as their low cost and ease of manufacture and use. Phenol-formaldehyde resole resins have accordingly been used in the manufacture of products as diverse as laminates, consolidated wood products, and fiberglass insulation materials.
While a wide variety of hydroxyaromatic-aldehyde resole resins have been developed and are suitable for their intended purposes, environmental and industry standards demand ever-increasing improvement in both environmental compliance and physical properties of the resins. Reduction in aldehyde (particularly formaldehyde) emissions has proved particularly difficult without significantly adversely affecting the advantageous properties of the resins, cost, and/or manufacturing time. For example, formaldehyde scavengers such as urea, ammonia, melamine, various primary and secondary amines, dicyandiamide, and other amino-based modifications have been added to resoles. These are typically post-added to the resin or at the customers' plant, resulting in low efficiencies. Post-addition of urea can cause trimethylamine odors, which arises from incomplete reaction of urea. Post-addition of ammonia as a scavenger can lead to lower water dilutability, unwanted precure, and ammonia odor.
Other approaches to reduction of formaldehyde emissions include post-addition of a cyclic urea prepolymer, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,114,491, which is prepared utilizing ammonia or a primary amine and contains at least 20% triazone compounds. The triazone compounds being derived from the reaction of urea with formaldehyde and the ammonia or primary amine. The urea-aldehyde condensate of the present invention differs from that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,114,491 in that it is not prepared utilizing ammonia or a primary amine, and therefore does not contain triazone or a substituted triazone compounds.
A process of reacting a first amino-based scavenger under acidic conditions and a second amino-based scavenger at neutral or slightly basic conditions is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,108. A process requiring adding ammonia, preferably at the site of the resin manufacturer, before the addition of urea, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,562.
There nonetheless remains a need in the art for improved compositions for use as binders for the manufacture of insulation, for example fiberglass insulation. Such binders are typically low molecular weight, phenol-formaldehyde resoles together with formaldehyde scavengers, acid catalysts, and coupling agents. Acid cure has been favored in the art because it produces a glass fiber insulation having good strength and moisture resistance characteristics. The most common scavengers are chemical species containing a primary or secondary amine functionality, for example urea, ammonia, melamine, and dicyandiamide. When urea is used as the formaldehyde scavenger, the amount of urea added to the resin is referred to as the extension level, which is reported as a percent of the binder solids. Binder solids consist of phenol-formaldehyde resole resin solids and extender solids.
The addition of formaldehyde scavengers to a phenol-formaldehyde resole resin requires a finite period of time to achieve equilibrium with the free formaldehyde in the resin. The process of reaching this equilibrium is referred to as pre-reaction, and the time to reach the equilibrium is referred to as the pre-react time. Pre-react times vary with temperature and amine species. When urea is used, the pre-react times range from 4 to 16 hours depending on temperature. Use of urea can also adversely affect the mole ratio of formaldehyde to urea in the binder, which is optimally maintained between 0.8 and 1.2. If the extension level results in a formaldehyde-urea ratio of less than 0.8, the opacity increases significantly along with the ammonia emissions. If the extension level results in a formaldehyde-urea ratio greater than 1.2, formaldehyde emissions increase and the risk of precipitation of dimethylolurea is greatly increased.
There are other disadvantages to pre-reacting resins with urea prior to forming the binder. Because free formaldehyde improves the solubility of phenol-formaldehyde tetradimer, or methylene bis-(4-(2,6-dimethylolphenol)), in the resin, pre-reacting with urea will reduce the percent of free formaldehyde in the resin, hence reducing resin tetradimer solubility over time. Further, long pre-react times, as observed when urea is used as the formaldehyde scavenger, shorten the shelf life of the binder.
There is accordingly a need for hydroxyaromatic-aldehyde resole resins and methods that will lower phenol and aldehyde (particularly formaldehyde) emissions from phenol-formaldehyde resole resins while maintaining or improving premix stability, cure efficiency, and/or advantageous physical properties such as moisture resistance, tensile strength, and compression recovery.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Phenol-formaldehyde resole resins, method of manufacture, methods of use, and articles formed therefrom


A simulated fish skin impervious to the elements having the flexibility, shape, reflective quality, iridescence and other general features of the particular fish species desired prepared by sandwiching a thin, shiny material with an embossed surface between layers of a clear, flexible plastic joined together at the periphery of the fish skin representation. The structure can be made more lifelike by coloring in the appropriate areas with India inks or other suitable dye material.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the manufacture of a new product, artificial fish skin, to be used as the substitute for prepared whole natural bait fish or bait fish parts, or decorations attached to fishing lures. The product also finds utility as an item of fashion where the particular properties of the product are desired.
II. Prior Art
The prior art exhibits a large number of structures for fishing lures that are employed to simulate natural bait. The vast majority of these products are prepared to be rigid structures such as plugs, etc. U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,073 describes a flexible fishing lure. The essential feature of this product resides in the shape of the portion the inventor describes as the membrane portion and in the presence of the ridges in the periphery of the membrane portion of the structure. Other fishing lures that are more typical of the prior art include U.S. Pat. No. 3,540,144 to Gurka which describes a two-piece oval-shaped solid lure with an embossed insert therein. U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,625 to Castner describes another solid lure made of a transparent material that has spaced polarizing films embedded therein. U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,189 to Lilley, Jr., discloses a solid fishing lure that includes a photograph in the interior of the oval-shaped structure.


A web of linerless label stock having a recording layer on a top surface and an adhesive layer on a bottom surface is provided with registration marks printed onto the adhesive layer. The linerless label stock further includes perforation lines in correspondence with the registration marks. The spacing between adjacent ones of the registration marks may be selected to correspond with desired width of the linerless labels. To process the linerless label stock, the web of linerless label stock is first sent through a flexographic printing system where registration marks are applied to the adhesive layer at constant intervals. After the registration marks are applied, the web of label stock passes through a die station that perforates the web in correspondence with the registration marks. The web is then wound up into finished rolls to be placed on a thermal printer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to printer registration marks, and more specifically to a method for applying printer registration marks to linerless label stock.
2. Description of Related Art
Linerless media and labels are becoming increasingly popular in the label producing industry because of the many advantages over their linered counterparts. A linerless label stock is typically a continuous roll of direct thermal label or tag stock (e.g., paper, film, or combination) having a pressure sensitive (i.e., self-stick) adhesive on the backside without a silicone coated release liner. Linerless label stock is advantageous over traditional linered media since there is no release liner to dispose of, and as a result, a greater amount of media may be included in a same size roll as that of linered media. In view of the growing popularity of linerless media, methods to improve the production and throughput rates of linerless labels have become essential.
The linerless label stock is transported through a printing system including a printer such as a thermal transfer or direct thermal printer. In a thermal transfer printer, the linerless label stock is transferred through the print region of the printer along with a thermal transfer ribbon. The thermal transfer ribbon is impregnated with a thermally sensitive chemical that reacts in the presence of heat applied by print elements of the print region. The chemical is then transferred onto the linerless label stock in the form of printed indicia. In a direct thermal printer, the thermally sensitive chemical is impregnated directly into the linerless label stock, thereby eliminating the need for a separate thermal transfer ribbon. Both types of printing are collectively referred to herein as thermal printing. Under either method of thermal printing, the thermal printer creates the printed indicia by selectively controlling individual ones of the print elements. The printed indicia may take the form of individual labels provided on designated sections of the linerless label stock with a gap defined between adjacent ones of the labels.
Unlike linered labels that are pre-cut to size, the individual labels of linerless label stock must be separated after printing. Some printers for linerless media use an automatic rotary or guillotine type cutter knife mechanism to separate the labels from the continuous label stock. These cutter mechanisms can be costly and difficult to keep clean of adhesive residue. Other printers use a manual tear bar, which is a stationary blade that is used to cut the label stock by manually pulling the media across the tear bar. These tear bars do not always give a consistently clean tear across the label stock. Also, the tear bar may have a serrated knife that can pose a risk of serious injury to users of the printer. Thus, a preferred method to produce individual labels is to pre-cut a perforation line into the label stock. The perforation line allows for easy, clean separation of individual labels or tags. The perforation lines must be recognized by the printer so that the printed indicia can be aligned to the predetermined labels defined by the perforation lines without extending over the perforations lines. Thus, it is known to include printer registration marks onto a roll of linerless label stock disposed in correspondence with the perforation lines. The registration marks may be detected by optical sensors included within the printer used to print indicia upon the linerless label stock.
A known way to apply registration marks to linerless media is to print the marks onto the back of the label stock before the adhesive is applied to the label stock. Linerless media manufacturers typically apply the adhesive coating to large sheets of the media that are later cut down to the desired width dimensions of the linerless label stock and wound onto rolls or spindles. The adhesive coating equipment is generally large and expensive, and it is thus impractical for small scale label manufactures or printer end-users to perform. Another drawback of having registration marks pre-printed on the linerless media prior to applying the adhesive layer is that it limits the eventual printing of labels to the particular dimensions determined by the registration marks. An alternative method is to place registration marks on the facing surface of the label stock. This is undesirable because the registration marks have the potential to interfere with the printed indicia, such as barcodes, that are printed onto the labels. Thus, there is a need for a method to apply printer registration marks onto the backs of the linerless labels after the adhesive has been applied.
Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide a process for applying printer registration marks to linerless label stock so that the resulting labels can be produced in a fast, efficient manner. It is further an object of this invention to provide an economical process for applying printer registration marks onto linerless label stock.

Method for applying printer registration marks to linerless label stock


The invention relates to resonator structures of radio communication apparatus. According to the invention, a micromechanical switch and a resonator are realized in a single combined structure. Combination of switch and resonator structures allows the manufacture of very compact filter and resonator structures needed for multi-system mobile communication means.

The development of mobile telecommunications continues towards ever smaller and increasingly complicated handheld units. The development has recently lead to new requirements for handheld units, namely that the units should support several different standards and telecommunications systems. Supporting several different systems requires several sets of filters and other RF components in the RF parts of the handheld units. Despite this complexity, the size of a handheld unit should not increase as a result of such a wide support.
The RF filters used in prior art mobile phones are usually discrete surface acoustic wave (SAW) or ceramic filters. This approach has been adequate for single standard phones, but does not allow support of several telecommunications systems without increasing the size of a mobile phone.
Surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators typically have a structure similar to that shown in FIG. 1. Surface acoustic resonators utilize surface acoustic vibration modes of a solid surface, in which modes the vibration is confined to the surface of the solid, decaying quickly away from the surface. A SAW resonator typically comprises a piezoelectric layer 100, and two electrodes 122, 124. Various resonator structures such as filters are produced with SAW resonators. A SAW resonator has the advantage of having a very small size, but unfortunately cannot withstand high power levels.
It is known to construct thin film bulk acoustic wave resonators on semiconductor wafers, such as silicon (Si) or gallium arsenide (GaAs) wafers. For example, in an article entitled "Acoustic Bulk Wave Composite Resonators", Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 38, No. 3, pp. 125-127, Feb. 1, 1981, by K. M. Lakin and J. S. Wang, an acoustic bulk wave resonator is disclosed which comprises a thin film piezoelectric layers of zinc oxide (ZnO) sputtered over a thin membrane of silicon (Si). Further, in an article entitled "An Air-Gap Type Piezoelectric Composite Thin Film Resonator", 15 Proc. 39th Annual Symp. Freq. Control, pp. 361-366, 1985, by Hiroaki Satoh, Yasuo Ebata, Hitoshi Suzuki, and Choji Narahara, a bulk acoustic wave resonator having a bridge structure is disclosed.
FIG. 2 shows one example of a bulk acoustic wave resonator having a bridge structure. The structure comprises a membrane 130 deposited on a substrate 200. The resonator further comprises a bottom electrode 110 on the membrane, a piezoelectric layer 100, and a top electrode 120. A gap 210 is created between the membrane and the substrate by etching away a sacrificial layer. The gap serves as an acoustic isolator, essentially isolating the vibrating resonator structure from the substrate.
Bulk acoustic wave resonators are not yet in widespread use, partly due to the reason that feasible ways of combining such resonators with other circuitry have not been presented. However, BAW resonators have some advantages as compared to SAW resonators. For example, BAW structures have a better tolerance of high power levels.
Micromechanical devices are also presently under development. A micromechanical device is created typically on silicon substrates using deposition, patterning and etching techniques to create the desired structure. As an example, FIG. 3 illustrates the structure of a micromechanical switch. A micromechanical switch comprises a cantilever 400, contact pads 430 on the substrate 200 and a contacting bar 440 for creating a contact between the contact pads 430, and two electrodes 410, 420. The cantilever electrode 410 is formed on the cantilever and the substrate electrode 420 on the substrate. The contacting bar is formed at one end of the cantilever, and the other end of the cantilever is fixed to the substrate, preferably with a support 405 in order to raise the cantilever away from the substrate surface. The micromechanical switch is operated with a DC voltage coupled between the cantilever and substrate electrodes. The DC voltage creates an electrostatic force between the cantilever and substrate electrodes of the switch. The electrostatic force bends the cantilever, bringing the contacting bar into contact with the substrate contact pads 430. Various other micromechanical structures are disclosed in an article entitled "Ferroelectric Thin Films in Microelectromechanical Systems Applications", MRS Bulletin, Jul. 1996, pp. 59-65, by D. L. Polla and L. F. Francis, and references contained therein.

Piezoelectric resonator structures with a bending element performing a voltage controlled switching function


A speaker, a television provided with the speaker and a multimedia device are provided. The speaker includes a box body and a plurality of transducer units installed within the box body by means of parallel connection: front sound cavities of the plurality of transducer units are independent of each other, respectively; and the plurality of transducer units share one back sound cavity. The speaker possesses such advantages that it has a high sound pressure level output and a smaller power consumption, it is usable to reduce the back-cavity acoustic resistance, and it is usable to raise the lower frequency limit in the low frequency range.

With the development of modern society and the improvement of our living standards, the acoustic effect of televisions brings about more and more concern of consumers. How to design speakers on the condition of a limited size and to finally obtain acoustic effects of vigorousness and exquisiteness has become a critical point of competition of strength of manufactures increasingly.

Speaker, television provided with the speaker and multimedia device

BEIJING BOE MULTIMEDIA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A NB-IoT system and a preamble transmission method thereof are provided. The NB-IoT system includes a base station and a user equipment. The base station broadcasts a random access resource configuration. The random access resource configuration includes an NPRACH access intermitting setting. The NPRACH access intermitting setting allocates an NPRACH pause period and an NPDCCH. The user equipment receives the random access resource configuration, and transmits a preamble repeatedly in an NPRACH during a NPRACH transmission period according to the random access resource configuration. The base station detects the preamble in the NPRACH during the NPRACH transmission period, and transmits a random access feedback message in the NPDCCH during the NPRACH pause period. The user equipment receives the random access feedback message in the NPDCCH during the NPRACH pause period, and adjusts a transmission behavior of transmitting the preamble during the NPRACH transmission period.

The Internet of Things (IoT) communication is a kind of network technology that is being actively developed at present. With this technology, different devices can be connected in a network to communicate with and exchange data with each other. Most of the IoT communication technologies utilize an unlicensed band, so the security and communication quality cannot be ensured. Accordingly, the Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) that adopts a licensed band is advantageous.
Also because of its wide communication range, low power consumption, low computation complexity and low hardware cost, NB-IoT has become the IoT technology that are the most actively developed at present. Unfortunately, the existing NB-IoT technology still has the problem of unnecessary power consumption.
Specifically, in the NB-IoT system, usually a user equipment transmits a random access preamble repeatedly in a designated Narrowband Physical Random Access Channel (NPRACH) during a preset NPRACH transmission period.
However, if the base station that detects the random access preamble during the NPRACH transmission period is to transmit a random access response to the user equipment, the random access response cannot be received by the user equipment until the end of the NPRACH transmission period.
As a consequence, the user equipment unnecessarily transmits the random access preamble repeatedly during the time interval from the time when the random access preamble is detected by the base station to the end of the NPRACH transmission period to cause unnecessary power consumption. Accordingly, efforts have to be made in the art to overcome this problem.

Narrowband internet of things system and preamble transmission method thereof


Disclosed are orientable, heat setable, semi-crystalline copolyesters which have high glass transition temperatures. These copolyesters have high heat distortion temperatures along with excellent molding and film properties which makes them useful in packaging materials and molded parts. These copolyesters have repeat units from about 100 mol % 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, about 1-99 mol % terephthalic acid and about 99-1 mol % naphthalene dicarboxylic acid.

Polyesters that are crystalline and have high heat distortion temperatures along with other good molding and film properties are becoming more and more in demand in such applications as fibers, photographic film, computer boards and other applications that require a polymer to be crystalline, orientable, subject to heat-set and which can withstand high temperatures. A copolyester system which is crystalline, suitable for high temperature end use and has practical application in film, fibers and molded parts, and packaging has now been unexpectedly found.
Two patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,901,466 and 3,161,710, and Research Disclosure 29481 (October, 1988) mention copolyesters comprised of dimethylterephthalate, dimethyl 2,6-napthalene dicarboxylate and 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol. These patents and disclosure are concerned with polymers and copolymers of poly (1,4-cyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate) and copolymers thereof. They mention copolymers containing up to 50 mole percent 2,6-napthalene dicarboxylic acid, and there is no mention of isomer ratios in copolyesters of poly (1,4-cyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate) with dimethyl 2,6-napthalene dicarboxylate. Copolyesters containing from 1 to 99 mole percent 2,6-napthalene dicarboxylate or 1 to 99 mole percent of terephthalate and 0 to 100 mole percent cis isomer of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol and all copolyesters containing all cis/trans isomer ratios between 0 and 100 percent are presently of particular interest.

Orientable, heat setable semi-crystalline copolyesters


Even when a portion of the incident light plane of a solar cell array is shaded, drastic decrease of photoelectric output is prevented by connecting a plurality of unit cells in parallel and a plurality of such parallel circuits are connected in series to form a solar cell array in which a plurality of unit cells are arranged in rows and columns in the incident light plane of the solar cell such that at least one of the unit cells forming the parallel circuit is arranged in other rows or columns from those of other unit cells forming the parallel circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solar cell array and an electronic equipment having the solar cell array, and more particularly to a solar cell array capable of converting an input light such as sun light or artificial light to electricity and an electronic equipment such as a camera or a calculator having the solar cell array.
2. Related Background Art
A conventional solar cell array has a circuit configuration of a plurality of serially connected cell groups each having a plurality of parallelly connected unit cells. The solar cell array of such a circuit configuration has a planar arrangement of unit cells wherein the parallelly connected unit cells are arranged in rows (or columns) and the serially connected unit cells are arranged in columns (or rows).
For example, as shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 1, two unit cells 1-A and 1-C, and two unit cells 1-B and 1-D are respectively connected in parallel to form parallel circuits 11 and 12, and the two parallel circuits 11 and 12 are connected in series to form a two-terminal solar cell array 1. Namely, as shown in the arrangement diagram of FIG. 2, the unit cells 1-A and 1-C and the unit cells 1-B and 1-D are respectively arranged in rows, and the unit cells 1-A and 1-B and the unit cells 1-C and 1-D are respectively arranged in columns to form a solar cell array 1a. Thus, in the prior art, the individual unit cells shown in FIG. 1 are usually arranged such that the parallelly connected unit cells are arranged in the same row (or column) and the serially connected unit cells are arranged in the same column (or row).
Similarly, as shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 3, in a solar cell array 2 having pairs of unit cells 2-A and 2-D, 2-B and 2-E, and 2-C and 2-F connected in parallel and the three parallel circuits 21, 22, and 23 connected in series, the parallelly connected unit cells 2-A and 2-D, 2-B and 2-E, and 2-C and 2-F are arranged in respective rows (or columns), and the serially connected unit cells 2-A, 2-B and 2-C and 2-D, 2-E and 2-F are arranged in respective columns (or rows) to form a solar cell array 2a, as shown in the arrangement diagram of FIG. 4. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in a three-row-by-three-column (3.times.3) solar cell array 3, the parallelly connected unit cells are arranged in respective rows (or columns) and the serially connected unit cells are arranged in respective columns (or rows) to form a solar cell array 3a.
However, in the solar cell array of the above arrangement, problems of shading of the solar cell array or the impediment of the incident light to a portion of the solar cell array are encountered.
The shaded area is formed on the side opposite to a light source and it is projected onto the solar cell array to reduce the illumination light intensity on the incident plane of the solar cell.
The shaded area is frequently formed to extend longitudinally or laterally. In the prior art described above, when a row or column of the solar cell array is shaded so that the power generation ability of the unit cells of that row or column is drastically reduced, the overall current generated by the solar cell array drastically decreases. This effect is explained below.
For example, in FIGS. 1 and 2, when a row of solar cells is shaded so as to reduce the power generation ability of, e.g., the unit cells 1-A and 1-C, the unit cells 1-A and 1-C are placed in an off state and the overall current generated by the solar cell array 1a may decrease to a small value on the order of the leakage currents of the cells 1-A and 1-C.
Similarly, in FIGS. 3 and 4, when a row of solar cells is shaded so as to drastically reduce the power generation ability of, e.g., the unit cells 2-A and 2-D, the overall current generated by the solar cell array 2a may decrease to a small amount on the order of the leakage currents of the unit cells 2-A and 2-D.
Similarly, in FIGS. 5 and 6, when a row of solar cells is shaded so as to drastically reduce the power generation ability of, e.g., the unit cells 3-A, 3-D, and 3-G, the overall current generated by the solar cell array 3a may decrease to a small amount on the order of the leakage currents of the unit cells 3-A, 3-D, and 3-G.

Solar cell array and electronic equipment having the same


A user control assembly is provided for use on a vehicle having a processor, a steering wheel, and a plurality of vehicular systems controllable by the processor each having first and second adjustable features. The user control comprises a first button mounted on the steering wheel and coupled to the processor for selecting one of the plurality of vehicular systems, and first and second rotary dials mounted on the steering wheel and coupled to the processor for adjusting the first and second adjustable features associated with the selected system.

Vehicles are becoming increasingly equipped with a wide range of systems including features that may be adjusted by a user of the vehicle. Consider, for example, a vehicular audio system wherein a user (i.e., a driver or passenger) may be required to choose from multiple audio sources (e.g., CD, XM radio, FM radio, AM radio, onboard hard drive, an auxiliary source, etc.), and then from a plurality of features associated with the selected audio source (e.g., tracks for a particular CD, stations for FM radio, audio files for the onboard hard drive, etc.). At the same time, the user may be permitted to fine tune the audio system's tone balance (e.g., adjust the relative levels of bass, treble, mid-range tones, etc.), adjust the system's volume, and/or manipulate the appearance of the a display (e.g., time display for CD tracks, broadcast text display for radio, graphic equalizer display, backlight color, etc.).
To help manage the ever-growing number of vehicular systems and system features, interfaces have been developed that allow users to control multiple vehicular systems. One known user interface, referred to as a Driver Information Center (DIC), includes a plurality of buttons and a display (e.g., a liquid crystal display) capable of displaying several lines of characters. The DIC is typically disposed on the vehicle's center stack located between the driver seat and the front passenger seat so that the controls may be accessed by either the driver or a front passenger of the vehicle. To utilize such an interface, a user navigates through a tiered hierarchy of menus to view and select amongst various vehicular systems and system features. Tiered menu structures of this type can become relatively complex and often require that a user advance through several different levels of menus to locate a desired feature. Additionally, such menu structures may not permit the simultaneous display of multiple groups of system features.
It should thus be appreciated that it would be desirable to provide a user interface employing a relatively intuitive and shallow menu structure (i.e., comprising no or few tiers). It should also be appreciated that it would be desirable to provide a means for utilizing such a user interface, such as a user control assembly mounted on the steering wheel and thus readily accessible to the driver of a vehicle. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Vehicular interface including steering wheel control assembly


An electrophotographic photoreceptor is disclosed, comprising an electroconductive support having a light-sensitive layer containing a charge generating substance and a charge transporting substance, wherein said charge transporting substance is a 1,4-benzodithiafulvene derivative represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents a lower alkyl group, a benzyl group, a naphthyl group, or a phenyl group which may contain a substituent; R.sup.2 represents a phenyl group which may contain a substituent or an N-alkyl-substituted carbazole group; R.sup.3 represents a hydrogen atom or a phenyl group which may contain a substituent; R.sup.4 represents a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group, a hydroxyl group, or an alkoxy group or an aryloxy group represented by OR.sup.5 ; R.sup.5 represents a lower alkyl group, a benzyl group, or a phenyl group which may contain a substituent; and n represents an integer of 0 or 1.

In recent years, as electrophotographic photoreceptor materials there have been widely known inorganic photoconductive substances such as .alpha.-selenium, cadmium sulfide and .alpha.-silicon and organic photoconductive substances such as poly-N-vinylcarbazole and polyvinyl anthracene. However, these photoconductive substances have not a few disadvantages in price, properties and toxicity.
A mode has been often proposed which comprises allowing two functions of such photoconductive substances, i.e., generation of charges and transportation of charges thus generated to be performed by separate organic compounds in order to eliminate these disadvantages and provide a higher sensitivity. In this mode, it is expected that the lamination of a substance which exhibits a high charge carrier generation efficiency (charge generating substance) and a substance which exhibits a high capability of transporting charges (charge transporting substance) can provide a high-sensitivity electrophotographic photoreceptor. However, it is not always possible to simultaneously attain those various properties required for the electrophotographic photoreceptor, that is, high surface potential, high charge retention ability, high light sensitivity and little residual potential.
Thus, as charge transporting substances there have been recently proposed heterocyclic, arylamine, hydrazone and thioether compounds. As thioether compounds there have been proposed styrylthioether and 4-arylbutadienylthioether derivatives as disclosed in JP-A-1-140162 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") and styrylphenylthioether derivatives as disclosed in JP-A-62-134652.
However, any of electrophotographic photoreceptors comprising these thioether compounds as a charge transporting substance leaves to be desired in light sensitivity. The compounds as disclosed in JP-A-1-140162 are disadvantageous in that they can be difficultly dissolved in a binder polymer during the formation of a light-sensitive layer.
Thus, various electrophotographic photoreceptors comprising a function-separating type light-sensitive layer comprising a combination of a charge generating substance and a charge transporting substance have been proposed. However, any of these electrophotographic photoreceptors leaves to be desired in light sensitivity. Furthermore, these electrophotographic photoreceptors have practical disadvantages that when used repeatedly in accordance with an electrophotographic process, they are subject to reduction in the capability of recovering the original chargeability (light fatigue), rise in the residual potential or reduction in the life thereof. As electrophotographic mode copying machines and printers have recently showed a progress in printing speed and miniaturization, electrophotographic photoreceptors have been desired to exhibit a high-speed responce. However, no electrophotographic photoreceptors have satisfied these requirements.

Electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising a benzodithiafulvene derivative charge transport material


A method for coloring hair comprising sequentially treating the hair with a solution of water soluble ferric ion salt and with a carboxylic acid solution.

The separate use of some of the components involved in the present process is known in the hair dyeing field.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,128,232, Apr. 7, 1964 to Wilmsmann et al discloses dyestuff compositions containing an oxidation dyestuff and 3,4 diaminobenzoic acid or a salt thereof. The acid or salt serves as a toning agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,966, Oct. 1, 1974 to Barchas et al discloses coloring hair by applying a transition metal to the hair and then oxidizing the metal to form an insoluble oxide. Ferric salts are suitable sources of the transition metal.
Sagarin et al, Cosmetic Sciences and Technology (New York, 1957), pp. 515-524, discloses ferric chloride as a modifier for other metal dyes.
While these references disclose compositions which utilize components similar to those utilized in the present process they do not teach or suggest carrying out the process of the present invention.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an effective hair dyeing method.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods for obtaining a variety of hair colors.
These and other objectives will become readily apparent from the detailed description which follows.


A solution of cellulose in water and N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) containing 2 to 44% by weight cellulose is stabilized at 0.01 to 1%, preferably 0.1% H.sub.2 O.sub.2 and 0.01 to 2%, preferably 0.1% of an H.sub.2 O.sub.2 stabilizer, preferably oxalic acid or a salt thereof during formation of the solution and during heating to prevent discoloration of the cellulose and reduce the composition of NMMO.

It is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. 4,196,282, to dissolve cellulose in N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) and water. Such cellulose solutions contain 2 to 44% by weight cellulose and can be used, for example, for production of cellulose fibers in the viscose process or for the fabrication of other shaped bodies with a cellulosic composition. For this purpose the solution can be extruded into a precipitating bath from spinning nozzles or orifices, e.g. from spinnerets. The use of a mixture of NMMO and water as the solvent phase has a variety of advantages, of which the most important is that it permits substantially complete recirculation of the solvent so that environmental challenge is greatly reduced or eliminated.
With such solutions, however, a problem can arise. During the dissolution of the cellulose and/or on warming of the system, amines such as N-methylmorpholine and morpholine can form by the decomposition of the NMMO.
The formation of these amines should be avoided because NMMO is extremely expensive and, to the extent that N-methylmorpholine and morpholine form, the process becomes uneconomical. To minimize the decomposition of the NMMO or to hold the decomposition within tolerable limits, stabilizers may be added to the solution. In the past, however, stabilizing efforts have lead to segmentation of the solution requiring bleaching of the cellulose product or cleaning of the NMMO before reuse of the latter is possible.


A method for forming a semiconductor structure. A dielectric layer including adjacent first and second dielectric regions is formed on a substrate. The dielectric layer includes a curable material. The first dielectric region is cured. A portion of the second dielectric region is etched to form an opening and leave a remaining portion of the second dielectric region. After the etching step, the remaining portion of the second dielectric region is cured.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to a method for forming a semiconductor structure, and more particularly to a method for forming an opening in a dielectric layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the rapid reduction in dimensions of IC devices, the line pitch of interconnect is constantly decreasing. Because the RC delay effect gets more significant at reduced line pitch, SiO2 with a dielectric constant near 4.0 cannot be used as an IMD material in the interconnect structure. Therefore, low-k materials are widely used instead of SiO2 to reduce the parasitic capacitance, so as to inhibit the RC delay effect and the cross-talking effect and improve the operation speed. One of current low-k materials is a porous material having small voids or pores therein.

Method for forming semiconductor structure


Examples described herein relate to power distribution units (PDUs) with receptacles on one surface and branch rated circuit protection devices on an opposite surface. For example, a PDU includes a first surface including a plurality of receptacles to couple a plurality of electronic devices to the PDU. The PDU also includes a second surface, opposite the first surface, including a plurality of branch rated circuit protection devices associated with the plurality of receptacles.

Computing centers such as data centers generally include a large number of electronic devices. The electronic devices can be servers, switches, routers, storage systems, and the like. A rack may provide a standardized structure to support and mount the electronic devices. A power distribution unit (PDU) can also be mounted on the rack to provide electrical power to the electronic devices via a number of power receptacles on a surface of the PDU.

Power distribution units with receptacles on one surface and branch rated circuit protection devices on an opposite surface

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP


Speech recognition may be improved using data derived from an utterance. In some embodiments, audio data is received by a user device. Adaptation data may be retrieved from a data store accessible by the user device. The audio data and the adaptation data may be transmitted to a server device. The server device may use the audio data to calculate second adaptation data. The second adaptation data may be transmitted to the user device. Synchronously or asynchronously, the server device may perform speech recognition using the audio data and the second adaptation data and transmit speech recognition results back to the user device.

Speech models, such as environment models, language models and acoustic models may be used to facilitate speech recognition. For example, an environment model may indicate the noise characteristics of an operating environment. An acoustic model may be used to identify phonemes or other speech units present in an utterance. A language model may be used to convert the phonemes or other speech units identified by the acoustic model into words, phrases, and the like. Generally, people speak (and speech recognition devices operate) in a wide variety of environments and with a wide variety of speech patterns. For example, people speak with varying frequencies and/or vocal tract lengths. In addition, the environment in which a person speaks into a speech recognition device may introduce noise, such as an echo or wind. The acoustic models may be modeled to take into account particular vocal frequencies, vocal tract lengths, environmental noise, and the like. However, because the way people speak and the environment in which they are speaking may vary greatly, some captured audio data may not correspond correctly to the speech models.
In some cases, audio data captured by such a speech recognition device may be adjusted, for example via normalization or utilizing speech-related statistics, so that it corresponds more closely to the speech models. However, calculating such statistics may require a significant amount of audio data. In addition, each time a particular person speaks, the captured audio data may need to be adjusted in a similar manner. It is sometimes desired to produce speech recognition results as quickly as possible; however, having to calculate statistics in order to adjust the captured audio may increase the time needed to perform the speech recognition. Such calculations can lead to unacceptable delays by a speech recognition device.

Using adaptation data with cloud-based speech recognition


A method directs fuel-oxidant premix into a reaction zone through a first total premix inlet flow area, and causes the premix to combust and form a stable flame projecting into a process chamber through an outlet from the reaction zone. At a time when the process chamber has a temperature at or above an auto-ignition temperature of the fuel, the flame is blown off to initiate diffuse combustion in the process chamber without a stable flame. The flame is blown off by directing the premix into the reaction zone through a second total premix inlet flow area greater than the first total premix inlet flow area.

A furnace may have a process chamber in which a load is heated by products of combustion. The products of combustion are generated by reactants that are discharged from burners that fire into the process chamber. Each burner receives unignited streams of fuel and oxidant, and may have a reaction zone in which the fuel and oxidant are ignited and combust to form a flame. The reaction zone has an outlet through which the flame projects from the burner into the process chamber, and may be tapered at the outlet to stabilize the flame.
When the process chamber reaches an elevated temperature at or above an auto-ignition temperature of the fuel, it may be desirable to combust the reactants in a diffuse mode without a stabilized flame projecting from burner into the process chamber. A diffuse mode can be initiated by extinguishing the flame and continuing to discharge the reactants from the burner into the process chamber. As long as the process chamber has a temperature at or above an auto-ignition temperature of the fuel, the reactants will then ignite and combust in a diffuse mode in the process chamber.

Method and apparatus for diffuse combustion of premix


A water-proof connector including a male connector housing, and a female connector housing in which a sealing ring and a retaining member are fixed. A supporting elongate protrusion is formed on the bottom wall of the female connector housing, and an elongate slot is formed in the bottom wall of the retaining member for receiving the supporting protrusion of the female connector housing. When the retaining member is inserted into the female connector housing, the supporting protrusion directly supported the male connector housing, thus preventing relative movement of the male connector housing and the female connector housing. In another embodiment, a key is provided on an inner surface of the female connector housing and is forced into the elongate slot of the retaining member when the male and female connector housings are secured to each other. The width of the key is greater than that of the slot so that the retaining member expands outwardly against the walls of female connector housing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a water-proof connector which is mainly used for connection of wire harnesses in a motor vehicle.
2. Background
A conventional water-proof connector of this type, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, comprises a female connector housing a including a body portion a.sub.1 to which a sealing ring c and a retaining member d are fixed such that the sealing ring c is retained in position by the retaining member d.
In fitting a male connector housing b into the female connector housing a, a gap e is formed between the female connector housing a and the retaining member d, and a gap f is formed between the retaining member d and the male connector housing b. Therefore, while the male connector housing is being fitted into the female connector housing, and even after the former has been fitted into the latter, there is likely to be relative movement, or play, between the male and female connector housings. (See Japanese Utility Model Examined Publication Hei. 2-49657.)


An agricultural plow implement includes a number of upright supports, with each support supporting a shallow tillage V-shaped sweep blade. A mounting plate is attached to the rear of each upright support and a specially adapted ripper shank, with an attached deep penetrating ripper blade, is attachable to each plate via a pair of bolts which extend through respective mounting bores in the plate. One of the bolts in each pair is a pivot bolt which provides a pivot point about which the ripper shank can swing. The other bolt is a shear pin which is designed to shear off should the ripper blade encounter an obstruction which might otherwise bend or break the ripper blade and/or the ripper shank. The ripper shank is adjustable vertically relative to the sweep blade and the ripper shank can also be pivoted 180 degrees between operative and non-operative positions when it is desired to do a sweep operation without soil ripping.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to an agricultural implement which includes combination subsoil sweep blades and deep soil ripper blades and more particularly to such an implement in which each sweep and ripper blade is attached to a common upright support and where the ripper is vertically adjustable relative to the sweep blade.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently it has been customary, particularly in relatively low moisture crop cultivation operations, such as those performed in the American Great Plains, to perform low tillage or no tillage farming operations to promote continuous surface coverage to prevent wind and water soil erosion. To perform low tillage operations, relatively wide, V-shaped sweep blades have been developed which sweep along a path below the soil surface, at a shallow depth of, for example, 2" to 6". This insures that the top surface of the soil is relatively undisturbed, except for the passage of the supports upon which the sweeps are mounted. This provides weed control with a minimal amount of soil disturbance. At the same time, particularly after harvesting during dry soil conditions, it is necessary to periodically perform deep soil fracturing operations with soil rippers which extend to a depth of from 7" to 10", in order to loosen the hardpan soil to increase moisture absorption. This soil ripping or fracturing operation is usually performed either immediately before or after the sweep operation, which entails two complete passes with tractor and plow. Often these consecutive passes are made with the same implement, but with the sweep blades exchanged for ripper blades or vice versa. It is apparent that a big savings in both time and fuel requirements could be realized if the two operations could be performed simultaneously on the same pass. Furthermore, the use of a wide sweep plow blade, plowing the soil to a depth of 2" to 6", preceding a ripper plow blade, fracturing the soil to a depth of 7" to 10", allows the ripper to perform the fracturing operation with much less energy expenditure, thus providing an additional savings in fuel costs and/or allowing the plow to be pulled with a tractor of less horsepower.
A number of previous attempts have been made to combine sweeps and rippers in a single plow implement. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,335 to Walt, Jr., a V-shaped sweep blade is mounted on a first shank which positioned on an implement frame ahead of a second shank upon which is mounted a deep tillage tool or ripper. While this arrangement represents a substantial improvement in time and energy savings, it requires that a special implement frame be used which provides an area to mount two or three separate vertically oriented shanks arranged in tandem.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,681 to Symonds teaches a subsoil tine or ripper arranged beneath a sweep blade with both the tine and sweep blade attached to a single shank. However, the tine does not appear to be adjustable vertically relative to the sweep blade, and the entire implement is designed for making a single, narrow pass through a pine forest or the like. The sweep blade is apparently intended for cutting tree roots ahead of the tine.
It is clear then, that a need still exists for a combination sweep and ripper plow in which an existing plow implement frame can be adapted to have the sweep blade and the ripper blade attached to a common shank. The ripper blade should be adjustable vertically relative to the sweep blade and, preferably, the ripper blade should be readily movable to a non-operative position for sweep operations which do not require soil ripping.

Dual penetration combination sweep with ripper


An optical device, similar to binoculars, which includes, between the objective lens and the eyepiece a miniature screen displaying an image controlled by a computer, and an optical reflex device capable of superimposing the screen image on the image seen through the objective lens. The device also includes, selectively or cumulatively, a variable light attenuator and a light amplifier for night vision. The device can be used, in conjunction with a computer, to add further information on geographic positions, friends, enemies, infrared images, etc. into the scene seen through the binoculars.

The invention is a viewing device, particularly a viewing device which allows an image consisting, for example, of symbols such as geographic or any other symbols, to be superimposed on a first image of, for example, a natural scene.
The second image can be any image or an image of the scene observed, processed, for example, to produce an "infrared image" i.e. an image in which contrasts are determined by the temperature of the various elements in the scene.
In the prior art, scenes are observed through a telescope (the navy) or, more frequently, through binoculars, appreciated for the luminosity of the image produced.


A method and apparatus for measuring the characteristics of radio frequency energy in an industrial radio frequency processing system at a plurality of frequencies is disclosed. The method and apparatus measures the characteristics of radio energy using one detector.

In conventional applications involving plasma generation, it is often necessary to monitor the voltage, current, and the phase entering a plasma chamber from a power generator. Moreover, many conventional plasma generation applications involve the use of two or more power generators, wherein the power generators generate power at different frequencies. Typically, these conventional power generators will supply power at 2 MHz and 27 MHz.
In order to measure the voltage, current, and phase supplied to the chamber, it is often necessary to use a device known as a Radio Frequency (RF) probe. However, due to the size and cost of RF probes, it is desirable to use only one probe to measure the above parameters at different frequencies.


A non-invasive intracorporeal movement transducer for translating intracorporeal movement into a detectable pressure signal is described. The movement transducer includes a fluid-filled bubble with a rigid rear portion, and a semi-rigid, flexible forward portion which is placed against a patient's skin above the organ to be monitored. The rear portion of the bubble has a fluid duct which provides fluid communication to the interior, and tubing is connected between the duct and a pressure sensor which detects the pressure of fluid within the bubble. Self-adhering attachment means is associated with the rear portion of the bubble for affixing the bubble against the patient's skin. In one embodiment, the attachment means is a foam backing larger than the bubble, with adhesive on one side for adhering to the patient's skin and to the rear portion of the bubble. The backing holds the rigid rear plate substantially fixed in approximately parallel relation to the patient's skin surrounding the area covered by the bubble.

1. Field
The application relates to monitoring of internal organs, and more particularly to noninvasive detection of intracorporeal movement and pressure.
2. State of the Art
Intra-corporeal movement can be detected as changes in pressure of a pressure-sensitive detector mounted on the patient's skin over the organ to be monitored. One area in which such methods have been applied is that of preterm monitoring of uterine contractile activity in pregnant women. Uterine activity may be an important predictor of preterm labor (premature delivery) (R. Bell, Brit. J. Obstet. and Gyn. 90:884-887, 1983; Wood et al, Am. J. Obst. & Gynec. 91:396-402, 1965). Measurement of intrauterine pressure is also important for the diagnosis and treatment of difficult labor due to unusually large fetus, abnormal position of fetus, obstructed birth canal, or other factors (Smyth, Brit. J. Obstet. and Gyn. 64:59-66, 1957). A device for measuring intrauterine pressure is sometimes referred to as a tocotonometer or tocodynamometer.
A device for intrauterine pressure monitoring should be noninvasive, reliable, and sensitive to the pressure sought to be measured. It is especially desirable for such a device to be simple enough for a patient to use unassisted at home and comfortable enough to wear for extended periods, while still providing accurate results. It is further desirable that the device not be overly sensitive to motions of the patient which do not relate to uterine contraction.
Many prior intrauterine pressure monitoring devices require a belt which straps the pressure detecting device to the patient's abdomen. For example, devices described by Smyth (ibid) and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,373 to Tweed et al each have a flat guard ring with a plunger-like sensor disposed in the central opening of the ring. The guard ring must be pressed firmly against the abdomen by a belt or strap. The plunger is spring mounted and the displacement of the plunger relative to the guard ring reflects the pressure in the abdomen. Plunger displacement may be measured by a variety of types of displacement sensors.
Tocotonometers of this type have a number of disadvantages. For example, accuracy of the measurements depends upon proper placement of the transducer and upon belt tension. Respiratory movements are translated by the belt into pressure compressing the tocotonometer transducer and producing signals unrelated to abdominal contraction. Measurements are quantitative only with regard to the frequency and duration of the contraction, because the signal from the displacement sensor does not quantitatively reflect the strength of the contraction. Moreover, such devices are useless with obese patients.
Additionally, these devices are too uncomfortable for extended wear by many patients, and may shift due to patient movement thereby producing less accurate readings. The patient's movements are severely restricted, because the transducer must be removed in order for the patient to move any significant distance away from the attached monitor. When the transducer is removed and then replaced on the abdomen, the positioning of the transducer and tension with which it is attached are critical to obtaining repeatable and interpretable results, and must be performed by trained personnel. Even then the results are subject to variation.
Recently, Corometrics Medical Systems, Inc. of Wallingford, Conn. has introduced a guard ring tocotonometer which is purportedly maintained in position on the patient's abdomen with an adhesive baseplate. However, only the cover baseplate is disposable, not the sensor. Moreover, the discomfort occasioned by the plunger-type sensor is not alleviated. Finally, if the patient is to be moved from the vicinity of the monitor, the sensor must be removed and later replaced and readjusted to obtain proper readings.
Another type of device, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,615 to Hochberg, has a soft, fluid-filled bladder element which may be pressurized or internally-supported, depending upon the embodiment. A pressure monitor is disposed to detect changes in pressure in the fluid within the bladder due to the hardening of the abdomen during uterine contractions. This device also requires a belt or body stocking to hold the bladder with some pressure against the patient's abdomen, and is subject to problems similar to those outlined in regard to the guard ring tocotonometers of Smyth and Tweed et al.
Accordingly, a need remains for a non-invasive intra-corporeal movement detector which is attached to a pregnant patient's abdomen without a belt and which overcomes the above-enumerated disadvantages of previous tocotonometers.

Self-adhering noninvasive intracorporeal movement detector


A measurement structure is adapted for a curtain cutting machine, and the curtain cutting machine contains: a track, a slidable seat, a scale set, a cutting device, and a covering cover. The track includes a front segment and a rear segment, and the slidable seat is disposed on and slides along the track and includes a clamping apparatus. The scale set is secured on the track to indicate a position of the slidable seat, the cutting device is located adjacent to the front segment of the track and includes an opening, and the covering door is mounted between the cutting device and the track and moves between a first position and a second position. When the covering door slides to the first position, it stops the opening of the cutting device, and when the covering door slides to the second position, it opens the opening of the cutting device.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cutting structure and, more particularly, to a measurement structure which is adapted for a curtain cutting machine by which an extending length of a curtain is controlled to cut the curtain.
Description of the Prior Art
A curtain is applied to shield a window and to decorate a house/room, and it is produced in various sizes and is cut by a curtain cutting machine based on using requirements.
Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, a conventional curtain cutting machine contains a working table 10 on which a clamping apparatus 20, a cutting device 30, and a measuring device 40 are arranged. The cutting device 30 is disposed on and contacts with an outer surface of the clamping apparatus 20. The measuring device 40 is mounted on an outer surface of the cutting device 30 and includes a movable stop member 401 and a scale set 402 fixed on one side thereof. When cutting a curtain, the movable stop member 401 of the measuring device 40 is adjusted toward a desired cutting position relative to the scale set 402, one end of the curtain 50 extends through the clamping apparatus 20 to contact with the movable stop member 401 of the measuring device 40, and the clamping apparatus 20 clamps the curtain 50 so that the curtain 50 is cut by the cutting device 30, thus changing a width of the curtain 50.
However, when the one end of the curtain 50 contacts with the movable stop member 401 of the measuring device 40 and the clamping apparatus 20 clamps the curtain 50, the curtain 50 is interfered, and cut scraps get stuck between the cutting device 30 and the movable stop member 401 of the measuring device 40, so the cut scraps have to be removed manually or by using a tool. Furthermore, the measuring device 40 is mounted on the outer surface of the cutting device 30, so the conventional curtain cutting machine is too large to be fixed in a limited space.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.

Measurement structure adapted for curtain cutting machine


A phase regulated power supply is provided for converting alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) for powering a DC brushless motor, such as a fan. The power supply includes a full wave bridge rectifier and a driver circuit, which may be an IC chip, controlled by standard commutation circuitry. An output capacitor is connected electrically downstream to the switch for supplying a reduced DC ripple voltage to the motor load. The power supply preferably includes a line filter for removing input power surges. The speed of the motor may be varied by changing the values of bias resistors used with the driver circuit.

The present invention relates to a power supply for converting a line source alternating current (AC) to a reduced voltage direct current (DC). More particularly, the present invention relates to a phase regulated AC to DC power supply for powering a brushless DC motor.
Brushless DC motors are known to be both highly efficient and economical. Motors of this type are employed in a number of applications ranging from office equipment to industrial robotics. The home appliance market, however, has yet to take full advantage of the efficiency and cost savings inherent in brushless DC motors. For example, household refrigerators typically include AC motors to operate the compressor, condenser and evaporator, and these motors account for about 20% of the total energy consumed by an average household.
One solution to increase power efficiency in all household appliances using AC motors is to replace such motors with brushless DC motors. For example, if the AC evaporator and condenser motors in a refrigerator are replaced by DC motors the overall power efficiency increases 20%-30%. However, to operate DC motors from a standard 110 volt or 220 volt line source requires an AC to DC power supply. Conventional AC to DC power supplies include line regulated power supplies and switching power supplies. A disadvantage in using a line regulated power supply is that a bulky and expensive line frequency transformer is required. The large size of the power supply is clearly a disadvantage from the standpoint of space conservation, since the power supply cannot fit within the motor housing. While, switching power supplies are generally smaller in size, they include relatively expensive switching components.
Therefore, in response to the foregoing problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an AC to DC power supply which eliminates the need for a bulky transformer and is small enough to fit within the housing of a brushless DC motor.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an AC to DC power supply which does not utilize the expensive switching components found in prior art power supplies.