An apparatus is disclosed for communication of data signals in a current-encoded format. The apparatus includes a first logic block and a second logic block. The first logic block includes a first voltage-mode logic (VML) circuit configured to provide a first voltage-encoded binary signal and an encoder circuit configured to convert the voltage-encoded binary signal to a current-encoded binary signal. The second logic block includes a decoder circuit configured to receive the current-encoded binary signal from the first logic block and convert the current-encoded binary signal to a second voltage-encoded binary signal. The logic states encoded by the second voltage-encoded binary signal are equal to the logic states encoded by the first voltage-encoded binary signal. The second logic block also includes a second VML circuit coupled to the decoder circuit and configured to receive and process the second voltage-encoded binary signal.

In electronic circuits, the value of a binary data signal is often represented by one of two respective voltage levels including a high voltage (e.g., logic 1) and a low voltage (e.g., logic 0). For ease of reference, such representation of data signals may be referred to as voltage-encoded binary signals. Inverters and/or drivers may be used to transmit voltage-encoded binary signals between circuits. The inverters and/or drivers assist to pull a signal line up or down to a rail-to-rail voltage used to represent the binary signal. However, inverters and/or drivers may consume a significant amount of power during operation. Furthermore, a significant amount of time is required to change the voltage levels of a signal line (e.g., from the logical 0 voltage to the logical 1 voltage). For ease of reference, the time required to change a signal from one encoded value to a different encoded value may be referred to as signaling delay.


A display device and a display method using magnetic particles are disclosed. The display method includes: applying a first magnetic field to a plurality of particles in a state where the plurality of particles having a magnetic property and a certain color are dispersed in a solvent so that the plurality of particles are aligned in a direction parallel to a direction of the first magnetic field, and thus a plurality of particle chains are formed; and applying a second magnetic field to at least a part of the formed plurality of particle chains so that at least a part of the plurality of particle chains moves in a direction close to a display surface in an area to which the second magnetic field is applied, and thus the certain color is displayed on the display surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a display method, a film and a display device using magnetic particles, and specifically to a display method, a film and a display device using magnetic particles by: applying a first magnetic field to particles having a magnetic property dispersed in a solvent so that particles are aligned in a direction parallel to a direction of the first magnetic field, and thus particle chains are formed; applying a second magnetic field to the formed particle chains so that the particle chains move in a direction close to a display surface; and changing a strength or a direction of the second magnetic field or applying a third magnetic field in an opposite direction of the second magnetic field so that the particle chains move away from the display surface, and thus the intensity and the color of the information displayed through the display surface is adjusted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A magnetic board using magnetic powder or a magnetic field is widely used as a writing tool for child since it has no color or no waste. As an example of the conventional art, it has been disclosed that magnetic particles are dispersed in a colored fluid and are filled in a structural body having barriers, and then a magnetic field is partially applied using a magnetic pen on the top of the structural body so that the magnetic particles move to display certain information, or a magnetic field in an opposite direction is applied using a magnetic plate movable in a lower portion of the structural body so that the information displayed by the magnetic particles are entirely erased.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a device for displaying according to the conventional art. With reference to FIG. 1, the color of particles 110 may be displayed by applying a magnetic field with a magnet 130 positioned on the top of the device for displaying and moving the particles 110 in a solvent 120 to the upper portion (that is, in case of writing), and the color of particles 110 may not be displayed by entirely applying a magnetic field in an opposite direction with a magnet 140 positioned on the lower portion of the device for displaying and movable from side to side and moving the particles 110 in a solvent 120 to the lower portion (that is, in case of erasing).
However, according to the conventional art, it is difficult to partially erase displayed information, adjust intensity or color of the displayed information, and manufacture the device for displaying to be thin and flexible.
Accordingly, the inventors of the present invention have developed a display method, a film, and a display device using magnetic particles by applying a first magnetic field to magnetic particles dispersed in a solvent so that the particles are aligned in a direction parallel to a direction of the first magnetic field to form particle chains, applying a second magnetic field to the formed particle chains so that the particle chains move in a direction close to the display surface, and changing an intensity or direction of the second magnetic field or applying a third magnetic field in an opposite direction to the second magnetic field so that the particle chains move away from the display surface to display the color of the particles through the display surface, and the inventors have conceived various modifications using the same.

Display method, film and display device using magnetic particles


Transdermal administration of olanzapine and pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts thereof is described. The method involves treating an individual suffering from or susceptible to psychosis, acute mania or mild anxiety states, particularly those afflicted with schizophrenia or schizophreniform illnesses, by administering olanzapine or a salt thereof through the skin or mucosal tissue, for a time period and at an administration rate effective to alleviate the symptoms of the disease. Pharmaceutical formulations and drug delivery systems for administering olanzapine are provided as well.

The delivery of drugs through the skin provides many advantages; primarily, such a means of delivery is a comfortable, convenient and noninvasive way of administering drugs. The variable rates of absorption and metabolism encountered in oral treatment are avoided, and other inherent inconveniences--e.g., gastro-intestinal irritation and the like--are eliminated as well. Transdermal drug delivery also makes possible a high degree of control over blood concentrations of any particular drug.
Skin is a structurally complex, relatively thick membrane. Molecules moving from the environment into and through intact skin must first penetrate the stratum corneum. They must then penetrate the viable epidermis, the papillary dermis, and the capillary walls into the blood stream or lymph channels. To be so absorbed, molecules must overcome a different resistance to penetration in each type of tissue. Transport across the skin membrane is thus a complex phenomenon. However, it is the cells of the stratum corneum which present the primary barrier to absorption of topical compositions or transdermally administered drugs. The stratum corneum is a thin layer of dense, highly keratinized cells approximately 10-15 microns thick over most of the body. It is believed to be the high degree of keratinization within these cells as well as their dense packing which creates in most cases a substantially impermeable barrier to drug penetration.
Relatively recent advances in transdermal drug delivery have enabled effective administration of a variety of drugs through the skin. These advances include the development of a number of skin penetration enhancing agents, or "permeation enhancers," to increase skin permeability, as well as non-chemical modes for facilitating transdermal delivery, e.g., the use of iontophoresis, electroporation or ultrasound. Nevertheless, the number of drugs that can be safely and effectively administered through the skin, without concomitant problems such as irritation or sensitization, remains limited.
The present invention is directed to the transdermal administration of 2-methyl-10-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)-4H-thieno2,3-b!1,5!benzodiazepine, also known as "olanzapine." The drug is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,382 to Chakrabarti et al., issued Jul. 20, 1993, and assigned to Lilly Industries Limited. Reference may be had thereto for any information concerning methods for synthesizing or using olanzapine not explicitly included herein. ##STR1##


A single focus lens module includes a mechanical shutter taking lens assembly and there are front lens shutter module, taking lens and holder from the object side to the image side. The taking lens is connected to the holder by threading. The front taking lens assembly is connected the taking lens. The focus of the taking lens can be adjusted to a proper position by threads and the shutter module is then assembled. By this arrangement, the structure of the single focus lens module can be simplified and the precision of the assembly is improved.

Parts for a conventional single focus lens module for digital camera from the object side to the image side are (1) photo taking lens which includes a mechanical shutter; (2) lens holder assembly which includes focus adjusting mechanism; (3) electronic photo taking assembly wherein the light sensor can be CCD or CMOS. The mechanical shutter is activated by mechanical interaction and electronic transferring action with the circuit board, so that the orientation of the shutter has to be set and cannot be rotated about the optical axis of the lens. In order to make the images formed on the light sensor and obtain a better quality image, a focus adjusting mechanism that is able to move linearly is connected to the lens holder so as to prevent the photo taking lens from rotating. Nevertheless, there are shortcomings as follows:                1. In order to allow the lens to move back and forth, gaps exist between parts of the focus adjusting mechanism. Tolerances are accumulated between the parts between the photo taking lens and the light sensor. The number of the parts is increased, the accumulated tolerances are severe so that the optical axis is not perpendicular to the light sensor and the image tilts.        2. Mechanical shutter body is located in the photo taking lens so that the photo taking lens has to be assembled from two sides of the shutter. This makes the optical axis be slightly different and the quality of the image is reduced.        3. Mechanical shutter body is located in the photo taking lens and is activated by an actuator. In order not to interrupt the actuator and the focus adjusting mechanism, the actuator is arranged in front of the aperture stop and this arrangement makes the whole lens module to be too thick.


A semiconductor device manufacturing method includes: forming a sidewall spacer on a sidewall surface of a gate electrode; forming a pair of second conductive type source and drain regions in an active region; covering top surfaces of a semiconductor layer, a device isolation region, the sidewall spacer and the gate electrode with a metal film; reducing resistance of the source and drain regions and the gate electrode partially by making the metal film react with the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode; and removing an unreacted portion of the metal film and the sidewall spacer simultaneously by using an etchant which readily etches the unreacted portion of the metal film and the sidewall spacer while hardly etching the device isolation region, resistance-reduced portions of the gate electrode and resistance-reduced portions of the source and drain regions.

Recently, to improve an operating speed of a field effect transistor (FET) or to increase a driving current thereof, various attempts have been made to apply a stress to a channel of the FET. By applying the stress to the channel, the mobility of charges in the channel can be improved, as compared to the case without applying a stress. This technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 2007-49166 (Patent document 1) or in X. Chen et al., "Stress Proximity Technique for Performance Improvement with Dual Stress Liner at 45 nm Technology and Beyond", 2006 Symposium on VLSI Technology Digest of Technical Papers (Non-patent Document 1).
Further, Patent Document 1 or Non-patent Document 1 discloses a technique referred to as a "Stress Proximity Technique (SPT)" as a way to apply the stress to the channel efficiently. The SPT involves covering top surfaces of source and drain regions and a gate electrode of a FET with a member called a stress liner after removing a pair of sidewall spacers formed on both sides opposite sidewall surfaces of the gate electrode. By removing the sidewall spacers, the stress liner can be positioned more proximal to the channel, whereby a more efficient application of the stress to the channel is enabled.
The sidewall spacers in Patent Document 1 are made of silicon nitride (SiN) or boron silicate glass (BSG) (see paragraph 0017). SiN is removed by using a phosphoric acid based etchant, and BSG is removed by using a fluoric acid based etchant. However, the phosphoric acid based etchant dissolves a silicide layer, and the fluoric acid based etchant dissolves a silicon oxide based film, especially, a device isolation region. The silicide layer is a layer which functions to reduce the resistance of the source and drain regions or the gate electrode. If unevenness in the thickness of the silicide layer is caused as a result of the dissolution of the silicide layer, it would be difficult to obtain a desired transistor characteristic stably and reproducibly even if the transistor works. The device isolation region is a film which separates the source and drain regions of the transistor. If the device isolation region is etched, a circuit failure such as a short between transistors would be caused.
Further, to obtain the desired transistor characteristic stably and reproducibly or to minimize the etching of the device isolation region, the manufacturing process needs to be controlled strictly, and this requirement may be met at the expense of a yield of integrated circuits or a throughput thereof.
Though it is desirable to remove the sidewall spacers selectively against the device isolation region, the gate electrode and the silicide layer, this technique cannot be realized with a conventionally known material. That is, mass production by the SPT under current conditions is still difficult to realize.
Further, Non-patent Document 1 does not disclose anything about the material for the sidewall spacers.

Method for manufacturing semiconductor device


A micromechanical sensor is described that includes: a substrate; a first functional layer that is situated on the substrate; a second functional layer that is situated on the first functional layer and that includes movable micromechanical structures; a cavity in the substrate that is situated below the movable mechanical structures; and a vertical trench structure that surrounds the movable micromechanical structures of the second functional layer and extends into the substrate down to the cavity.

Micromechanical inertial sensors for measuring acceleration and rotation rate are mass-produced for various applications in the automotive and consumer sectors. Present inertial sensors are sensitive to externally coupled mechanical stress, which may disadvantageously reduce their accuracy.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,170,140 provides a structure that allows extensive stress decoupling. However, the manufacture requires a costly layer transfer process.
A so-called silicon-on-nothing (SON) substrate that includes a cavity in the substrate, and a method for manufacturing a diaphragm are known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,893,928 and from I. Mizushima, T. Sato, S. Taniguchi, Y. Tsunashima, "Empty-space-in-silicon technique for fabricating a silicon-on-nothing structure," Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 77, No. 20, Nov. 13, 2000.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,843,025 provides surface micromechanical methods for manufacturing diaphragms.
A principle of stress decoupling trenches for micromechanical components is also known from German Published Patent Application No. 10 2014 210 945.

Micromechanical sensor that includes a stress decoupling structure


A leash that allows any individual to control a pulling dog without risking injury or walking in an unsafe manner. The disclosed leash maximizes body mechanics and basic pulley/lever principles to achieve more strength. The leash comprises a cuff that preferably wraps around a user's arm above the elbow. Attached to the cuff are a few feet of leash material that freely runs through an O-ring and ends in a handle. Attached to the O-ring are another few feet of leash ending with a clip that can go to a dog collar. When the dog pulls, the user pulls the handle. The resulting force goes through the O-ring, which acts as a pulley and on to the arm cuff and back of the arm, utilizing stronger shoulder and back muscles. Therefore the user is able to pull back with a lot more force than is obtainable with a typical leash.

There are many dogs that pull very strongly for various reasons when walked, and owners that frequently struggle to gain control. At times this results in various injuries or owners giving up their otherwise likable dogs. Even medium sized dogs can produce a strong pulling force that can overwhelm children and adults that are not a matching size, weight, or strength. This is not a new problem and various methods have been used to address the challenge.
To prevent the leash from breaking, leashes have been produced in which the material is stronger, such as doubling the thickness of nylon webbing or using leather instead of nylon. These solutions prevent the strong dog from breaking the material but do not address the issue of easier control.
One method of control includes using a choke collar. As the name implies, when the leash is pulled, the collar chokes the dog and the dog stops pulling in order to reduce the sensation. Choke collars can include chain, leather, and various spiked materials. Many owners feel this is harmful to the dog and do not consider it an option.
Some solutions use a harness instead of a collar on the dog. The leash used is the same but the harness is a series of straps that result in pulling the dog from underneath instead of on top. This does reduce the pulling since dogs respond quicker. The challenge with these harnesses is the difficulty in putting on a complex series of straps and buckles each time the owner wants to use it. They also stretch out with time. Harness type products are where most of the commercial efforts have been made to reduce dogs from excessive pulling.
Retractable leashes designed for larger dogs are another option. These have a heavier duty mechanism for the larger breeds but do not reduce the excessive pulling and will not retract under force. The mechanism will also break since the line or webbing has to be thin enough to retract and can foul the inner workings.
Other solutions include additional hand loops for shorter grabs on the leash, various ways to create a spring type leash where a device can expand and pull back, or leashes that are designed for active children, which may include a harness. There are also leashes with a simple attachment to the waist. None of these solutions are a practical and consistent method to control a dog under a variety of conditions with minimal impact to the dog or human.
Training a dog not to pull at all is one of the best solutions; however, many owners do not spend the time or money necessary to train and see significant results.
The traditional, simple, well-known type of leash is made either of nylon webbing usually one-inch diameter or leather with a loop at one end and a clip on the other. If the user holds the loop like a handle and there is a strong pulling force, much of the force is being held only by the fingers. It is recommended that a user put his/her hand through the loop and grip the leash. That transfers most of the force to the back of the hand and the wrist, followed by a much lesser extent, the arm and shoulder. This method of holding the leash does not give sufficient control over a strong pulling dog. Injuries to the wrist, dislocations of the shoulder and falls resulting in injury have been known to occur.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to use a person's natural body mechanics to maximize the human pulling force on any animal. The present invention accomplishes this by using a different method of design and attachment of the leash to the human body.


A connector structure includes a connector shell, and incorporates a cable reel, an encoder, and a turn-indicator system and a lighting system. The connector shell has an axis, and is configured to be joined with a steering shaft having an axis. The connector shell includes a cylindrical section fitted around the steering shaft in a freely rotatable manner, and a receptacle section which includes a shoulder portion extending outwardly from one end of the cylindrical section, a peripheral sidewall portion, and first and second parting strip portions symmetrically provided with respect to the axis of the connector shell, thereby forming, inside the receptacle section, a central zone between the first and second parting strip portions, a first peripheral zone between the peripheral sidewall portion and the first parting strip portion, and a second peripheral zone between the peripheral sidewall portion and the second parting strip portion. The cable reel is then mounted and fixed in the central zone of the receptacle section. The turn-indicator system and the lighting system are mounted and fixed, respectively, in the first peripheral zone of the receptacle section and the second peripheral zone thereof. The connector structure further includes a shell lid which includes a top wall with a center hole and an external sidewall. The center hole is configured to receive the main axis of a steering wheel in a freely rotatable manner, and the top wall and the external sidewall cover the connector shell.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally pertains to a connector structure incorporating a cable reel and combined switch systems, suitably used in automobiles and other motor vehicles. Such a connector structure is mounted on or around a steering shaft of a vehicle. The general purpose of the present invention is to provide a connector device for the steering shaft, which is configured such that it can be mounted simply by assembling unit modules.
2. Description of Background Information
A known steering shaft includes a main shaft body, around which is provided a connector structure including a cable reel, combination switches, a cancel cam, a main scale, an encoder, and the like. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a mobile body portion 5 of the cable reel 1 is fixed to the bottom end of a steering wheel via means forming a lobe (not shown in the figures). A fixed body portion 2 of the cable reel 1, to which the mobile body portion 5 is fitted in a freely rotatable manner, is then fitted on a combination switch body 3, the latter being in turn fixed to a steering column 4. One side of the combination switch body 3 is provided with a turn-indicator unit (winker or blinker unit) 7, which includes a housing 7a storing circuit elements 7b such as a turn signal-indicator switch (winker or blinker switch), and a turn signal lever 7c. The other side of the combination switch body 3 is provided with a lighting unit 8, which includes a housing 8a storing circuit elements 8b such as a lighting switch, and a lighting lever 8c.
A space is formed between the combination switch body 3 and a steering shaft 9, located beneath the cable reel 1. Inside this space, the cancel cam 10 is fixed to the steering shaft 9, while the encoder (steering angle sensor) 11 is fixed to the steering column 4.
The cable reel 1 is in the form of a hollow torus defined by the fixed body portion 2 and the mobile body portion 5. The cable reel 1 can thus contain a flat cable 6 stored in a spiral. One end of the flat cable 6 is fixed to the fixed body portion 2, while the other end is fixed to the mobile body portion 5, so that the signals passing through the flat cable can be transmitted to outside. When the steering wheel is turned, the mobile body portion 5 is rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise correspondingly, and the flat cable 6 is likewise wound or unwound in the cable reel.
According to the above conception known in the prior art, the connector devices constituting a connector structure are mounted one by one around the steering shaft along the vehicle""s production line. As a result, these devices are prone to be mounted askew relative to their intended positions with respect to the main axis of the steering shaft. Likewise, because the connector devices such as a turn indicator unit 7, a lighting unit 8, a cable reel 1, a cancel cam 10 and an encoder 11, are mounted individually, they must be prepared as individual units prior to assembling. Each connector device thus requires an individual housing and fixing means (e.g. bolts) or the like. The number of required spare parts is thus augmented.
In the above-mentioned prior art, each connector device is stored in an independent housing, and the cable reel 1 is mounted into the combination switch body 3. Because of this construction, the dimensions of the connector structure are made greater and larger as a whole. As a result, its weight is also increased. Moreover, the connector devices are usually manufactured by different manufacturers. Accordingly, when the connector device are being assembled, a certain degree of clearance must be provided between them, and an otherwise unnecessary space must be envisaged. The connector structure is thus made even larger.
In view of these problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector structure in unitary modules, so that they can be mounted together on a production line and installed without misfitting with respect to their intended positions relative to the steering shaft axis. Another object is to reduce the number of necessary construction parts and assembly steps. Yet another object is to prevent the connector structure from scaling up and increasing weight by altering the relative position where the cable reel is mounted.
To this end, there is provided a connector structure incorporating a cable reel and switch system, the connector structure including a connector shell having an axis, and configured to be joined with a steering shaft having an axis, so that both axes can be joined.
The connector shell includes a cylindrical section, with two end portions, fitting around the steering shaft in a freely rotatable manner. The connector shell further includes a receptacle section including a shoulder portion enlarging from one end portion of the cylindrical section, a peripheral sidewall portion, and first and second parting strip portions symmetrically provided with respect to the axis of the connector shell, thereby forming, inside the receptacle section, a central zone between the first and second parting strip portions, a first peripheral zone between the peripheral sidewall portion of the receptacle section and the first parting strip portion, and a second peripheral zone between the peripheral sidewall portion of the receptacle section and the second parting strip portion.
The cable reel is then fitted and fixed in the central zone of the receptacle section.
The switch system includes at least a turn-indicator system and a lighting system, respectively fitted and fixed in the first peripheral zone of the receptacle portion and the second peripheral zone thereof.
Preferably, the cable reel includes a mobile body portion including a top wall and an internal sidewall, and the top wall includes a cancel cam formed unitarily and in one piece therewith.
Preferably yet, the cable reel includes a mobile body portion including a top wall and an internal sidewall with projecting portions, the projecting portions being fixed with a main scale, and the cable reel further includes a fixed body portion including a bottom wall and an external sidewall. The latter defines a third peripheral zone together with the peripheral sidewall portion of the receptacle section in a zone biased from said first and second peripheral zones around the axis of the connector shell, and the third peripheral zone contains an encoder, such that the encoder can detect the steering angle of the main scale.
Suitably, the connector structure further includes a shell lid which includes a top wall with a center hole and an external sidewall. The center hole is adapted to be passed through with the main axis of a steering wheel in a freely rotatable manner, and the top wall and the external sidewall cover the connector shell.
Preferably, the shell lid can also serve as a steering column cover.
As understood from the above, the connector shell is constructed substantially concentrically with respect to the main axis of the steering shaft. As the cable reel, turn-indicator system and lighting system are contained in such a connector shell, they are prevented from being biased from the predetermined positions when they are mounted around the main axis of the steering shaft. Further, the bottom end of the cylindrical section includes a flange portion which fixes to the steering column, so that the mounting site is limited to only one position. Accordingly, the mounting steps in the assembly line for automobiles can be reduced.
As the turn-indicator and lighting systems are stored in the connector shell, they are not required to be protected in separate housings. Further, the functional parts for these systems are stored as a whole in the connector shell. This can thus obviate the need for a space normally required for the separate housings. In addition, the cable reel is inserted into the central zone between the first and second parting strip portions. Accordingly, the height and horizontal size of the integrated connector structure can be reduced, and the entire structure becomes more compact. Furthermore, combination switches such as a turn-indicator system or a lighting system are not required to be protected in separate housings. Functional parts can thus be easily modified in or added to the above systems.
In the prior art connector structure, the connector devices, to be incorporated into the connector structure, are often supplied by different manufacturers. In such a case, a certain degree of clearance between different connector devices must be provided. In the inventive connector structure, such a clearance is no longer required, so that the corresponding space, otherwise necessary, can be eliminated. As a result, the connector structure can further be miniaturized.
The top area of the mobile body portion of the cable reel, which is contained in the connector shell, is provided with a cancel cam, while the bottom area thereof is provided with a main scale. Further, an encoder is provided in the peripheral zone formed between the cable reel and the peripheral sidewall portion of the connector shell. The position of the main scale can then be detected by the encoder. Typically, the peripheral zone where the encoder is installed is arranged in a position perpendicular to the axis linking the peripheral zones where the turn-indicator system and the lighting systems are located respectively.

Connector structure incorporating a cable reel and combined switch systems


A tray for loading and ejecting a disk into and out of a disk drive includes a step wall structure that defines a positioning area for receiving the disk and a clamping arrangement used to hold the disk during loading and unloading when the disk drive is in a vertical position. The clamping arrangement is made up of a clamping device biased by an elastic member so as to apply a radial force to the disk and urge the disk against the step wall. The clamping device includes a flexible mortise slot that engages a pillar extending from the tray to latch the clamping device and thereby disable the clamping device when the disk drive is horizontally positioned.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk loading device, particularly, to a disk loading device for an optical disk drive which is used to vertically install the optical disk (upright in one side).
2. Description of the Prior Art
In present optical data storage systems, various mediums or an optical disk can be used to store digital information. For example, 5.25 inch optical disks are used in standard optical disk systems, which optical disks may or may not be installed within a protective caddy. If said optical disk is not fixed within a protective caddy, the optical disk must be manually loaded onto an optical disk driver's tray by an operator, and then the optical disk is carried to a predetermined position by a driving device. The optical disk loading device is well known to persons skilled in the computer field.
At the present time, as computers are used in various fields, the computer may be installed horizontally or vertically, wherein peripheral devices in the computer must be fit to operate vertically (upright in one side). In prior optical disk loading devices, a linkage optical disk tray may insert into or remove from an insertion port of the optical disk driver, and another rotary pan which allows an optical disk to rotate thereon is installed on the spindle motor of said system. Said rotary pan contains a magnet, and a clamping piece having a yoke therein arranged above the spindle. After the optical disk is positioned for reading data, the iron piece on the center of the optical disk is pulled by said magnet, thereby fixing the optical disk on the tray in the required position for rotating. However, the conventional linkage tray has no clamping force for holding the optical disks, for example, when the conventional optical disk drive, such as CD player, LD, CD-ROM, etc. are installed horizontally. During loading and unloading operation (i. e. when the optical disk is moved from the insertion port into the optical disk drive and then is loaded onto the spindle rotary pan, and when the optical disk is unloaded from the spindle rotary pan and then is pushed into the insertion port), when using the conventional optical disk drive installed horizontally, the optical disk remains on the prior linkage optical disk tray by the force of gravity and is moved parallelly with said base and horizontally toward the rotary pan position. While the optical disk drive is vertically (upright in one side) installed for use in the conventional design, the optical disk can not be supported by the tray and will be separated from the tray due to gravity, thus, the optical disk can not be loaded or unloaded using the optical disk drive.
A prior art for successfully loading and unloading optical disks when used to vertically install the optical disk driver is shown in FIG. 1. In the prior art, the linkage optical disk tray uses projecting ribs 100A on the periphery of the positioning area of an optical disk 30 for preventing the optical disk 30 from tilting. In the technology of such optical disk tray, the optical disk will be loaded into the optical disk driver installed vertically (upright in one side) so that the optical disk will not slide. However, as the optical disk is only supported by the projecting ribs 100A, it will probably vibrate during loading and unloading operations and thus may be in an unsteady condition and be inserted at a slant into the optical disk driver (not vertically). This will induce uncertainly in positioning the optical disk on the predetermined position of the rotary pan. Furthermore, if the optical disk tray has projecting ribs, regardless of how the optical disk is installed vertically (upright in one side) or horizontally, when the optical disk is located on the optical disk tray, a smaller angle is needed to transfer the rim of said optical disk inside the structure of the projecting rib. This is troublesome for an operator. Therefore, the disadvantage of the prior art is that the optical disk can not be steadily loaded into the preset position of the rotary pan.
THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED BY THE PRESENT INVENTION
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to overcome the problem which causes unsuccessful loading and unloading of the optical disk so that the present invention may be steadily loaded into a predetermined position on the rotary pan during loading and unloading operations, and when the optical disk driver is installed horizontally, the optical disk tray of the present invention also provides as easy loading and unloading as that of the conventional art.

Disk loading device for an optical disk driver


A multi-fluid heat exchanger having separate fluid flow paths for two fluid streams to be heated or cooled by a third fluid stream includes first and second elongated, parallel tubular headers (10, 12), having opposed ends (14), generally uniformly spaced elongated tube slots (16) in each of the headers (10, 12) with the tube slots (16) in one header (10) facing-and aligned with the tube slots (16) and the other header (12), a plurality of flattened tubes (20) extending between the headers (10, 12) and having ends (22) received in aligned ones of the tube slots (16), one tube slot (24) in each header being unoccupied by any of the flattened tubes (20), the one tube slots (24) being aligned with each other and located at a predetermined location between the ends (14) of the headers (10, 12) and between two groups (A, B) of the flattened tubes (20) so there are two groups of the flattened tubes (20) on each side of the one tube slot (24), a pair of baffles (30) in each header (10, 12) with one on each side of the one tube slot (24) and fins (26, 32) extend between and are in heat transfer relation with at least the adjacent tubes (20) in each of the groups (A, B).

Multi-fluid heat exchangers such as two or dual fluid heat exchangers have been known for a considerable period of time. One typical usage for such heat exchangers is in vehicular applications for cooling two different heat exchange fluids. However, they may also be used in other applications wherein one or both of the two fluids may be heated by a third fluid as well.
An early example of such a system intended for vehicular use is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,948,929 to Mac Pherson, issued Feb. 27, 1934. The Mac Pherson patent describes a dual fluid heat exchanger wherein part of the heat exchanger is used as a radiator to cool engine coolant while the remainder of the heat exchanger is utilized to cool a completely different type of fluid, namely, lubricating oil for an internal combustion engine.
A more recent example is found in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,176 to Marsais, granted May 28, 2002. In the Marsais patent, one fluid being cooled is a refrigerant for a vehicular air conditioning system while the other fluid is transmission lubricating oil.
In such systems, it is necessary to prevent intermingling of the two fluids being heated and/or cooled to prevent possible malfunction of the systems in which the systems are used. It is also highly desirable that such heat exchangers be of low volume and low weight, particularly when used in vehicular systems. Low volume minimizes spacial constraints on designers, allowing them to design aerodynamically "slippery" vehicles for enhanced fuel efficiency. Similarly, minimal weight also will improve fuel efficiency in a vehicle.
It is also highly desirable that such heat exchangers be inexpensive to fabricate and, in many instances, it is highly desirable to provide thermal isolation between that section of the heat exchanger dealing with one heat exchange fluid and the other section of the heat exchanger dealing with the second heat exchange fluid.
To achieve these goals, the above identified Marsais patent utilizes a heat exchanger employing tubular headers with a line tube receiving slots which in turn receive flattened tubes. Serpentine fins extend between adjacent ones of the tubes and are bonded thereto.
In one embodiment, to provide thermal isolation between the two sides of the heat exchanger, one of the tubes is a "dead tube" meaning that neither heat exchange fluid passes through it. In the headers, the dead tube is isolated, at each end, by two baffles which minimize heat transmission between the fluids in the headers. The present of the dead tube also minimizes heat transfer between the tubes via the fins customarily found in such heat exchangers.
One perceived difficulty in the fabrication of such a dual fluid heat exchanger resides in the possibility that if the heat exchanger is brazed during the fabrication process, the elevation of temperature may act upon gas within the dead tube and confined therein by the baffles, causing such gas to build up pressure and possibly cause minute leaks at the interface of one or more of the baffles and the corresponding header. If such leaks occur in baffles on opposite sides of the dead tube, the possibility of cross contamination exists. Moreover, there is no means by which any fluid that might leak into the space between the baffle can be readily discharged to avoid cross contamination.

Multi-fluid heat exchanger and method of making same


A method of operating an automotive-type engine at part loads by eliminating engine throttling altogether and controlling the intake flow by heating the intake air and utilizing variable late or early intake valve closings.

Most commercially available automotive engines use fixed lift and duration intake and exhaust valve events. As a result, there is a compromise between the best fuel economy, emission control and engine power conditions.
Potentially better fuel economy, emission control and engine output benefits can be realized and particularly at part load conditions if the engine pumping losses are eliminated or minimized. This can be realized by using unthrottled operation coupled with a phase shifting of the intake valve event from a normal schedule to close within a range of either early or late in the engine cycle as a function of the mass of charge to be trapped, and heating the intake air to compensate for a reduction in compression end temperature that results from phase shifting of the intake valve.

Unthrottled engine operation with a heated air cycle


A welding process may be configured to convert a substrate into a welded substrate by applying a process solvent to the substrate, wherein the process solvent interrupts one or more intermolecular force between one or more component in the substrate. The substrate may be configured as a natural fiber, such as cellulose, hemicelluloses, and silk. The process solvent may be configured as an ionic-liquid based solvent and the welded substrate may be a congealed network after the process solvent has been adequately swollen and/or mobilized the substrate. A welding process may be configured such that individual fibers of a substrate are not fully dissolved such that material in the fiber core may be left in the native state by controlling process variables. The welding process fibers may have a tenacity 10% or 20% greater or a diameter 25% less than that of a cellulosic-based yarn substrate.

Synthetic polymers such as polystyrene are routinely welded using solvents such as dichloromethane. Ionic liquids (e.g., 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate) can dissolve natural fiber biopolymers (e.g., cellulose and silk) without derivatization. Natural fiber welding is a process by which biopolymer fibers are fused in a manner roughly analogous to traditional plastic welding.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,202,379, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, one type of process solvent that may be used for partially dissolving a natural fiber for structural and chemical modifications is ionic liquid-based solvents. This patent discloses basic principles developed using bench top equipment and materials. However, among various other things, this patent fails to disclose processes and apparatuses for making composite materials at a commercial scale.
There are examples of natural fibers biopolymer solutions that are cast into molds to create a desired generally two-dimensional shape. In these cases, the biopolymer is fully dissolved so that the original structure is disrupted and biopolymers are denatured. By contrast, with fiber welding, the fiber interior (the core of each individual fiber) is intentionally left in its native state. This is advantageous because the final structure composed of biopolymers retains some of the original material properties for creating robust materials from biopolymers such as silk, cellulose, chitin, chitosan, other polysaccharides and combinations thereof.
Traditional methods of using biopolymer solutions are also disadvantaged in that there is a physical limit to how much polymer can be dissolved in solution. For example, solutions that are 10% by mass cotton (cellulose) with 90% by mass ionic liquid solvent are viscous and difficult to handle, even at elevated temperatures. The fiber welding process allows fiber bundles to be manipulated into the desired shape before welding commences. The use and handling of natural fibers often grants control over the engineering of the final product that is not possible for solution-based technologies.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONElement NumberElement Description (FIGS. 1 & 2)Substrate feed zone1Process solvent application zone2Process temperature/pressure zone3Process solvent recovery zone4Drying zone5Welded substrate collection zone6Solvent collection zone7Solvent recycling8Mixed gas collection9Mixed gas recycling10Element Description (FIGS. 3A-xx)Natural fiber substrate10Swollen natural fiber substrate 11, 112Welded substrate12Functional material20Bonded functional material21Entrapped functional material22IL-based process solvent30Process solvent/functional material mixture32Welded fiber40, 42Polymer53Injector60Substrate input61Process solvent input62Application interface63Substrate outlet64Tray70Substrate groove72First plate82Second plate84
Before the present methods and apparatuses are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the methods and apparatuses are not limited to specific methods, specific components, or to particular implementations. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments/aspects only and is not intended to be limiting.
As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from "about" one particular value, and/or to "about" another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent "about," it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint.
"Optional" or "optionally" means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.
"Aspect" when referring to a method, apparatus, and/or component thereof does not mean that limitation, functionality, component etc. referred to as an aspect is required, but rather that it is one part of a particular illustrative disclosure and not limiting to the scope of the method, apparatus, and/or component thereof unless so indicated in the following claims.
Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the word "comprise" and variations of the word, such as "comprising" and "comprises," means "including but not limited to," and is not intended to exclude, for example, other components, integers or steps. "Exemplary" means "an example of" and is not intended to convey an indication of a preferred or ideal embodiment. "Such as" is not used in a restrictive sense, but for explanatory purposes.
Disclosed are components that can be used to perform the disclosed methods and apparatuses. These and other components are disclosed herein, and it is understood that when combinations, subsets, interactions, groups, etc. of these components are disclosed that while specific reference of each various individual and collective combinations and permutation of these may not be explicitly disclosed, each is specifically contemplated and described herein, for all methods and apparatuses. This applies to all aspects of this application including, but not limited to, steps in disclosed methods. Thus, if there are a variety of additional steps that can be performed it is understood that each of these additional steps can be performed with any specific embodiment or combination of embodiments of the disclosed methods.
The present methods and apparatuses may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of preferred aspects and the examples included therein and to the Figures and their previous and following description. Corresponding terms may be used interchangeably when referring to generalities of configuration and/or corresponding components, aspects, features, functionality, methods and/or materials of construction, etc. those terms.
It is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The present disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that phraseology and terminology used herein with reference to device or element orientation (such as, for example, terms like "front", "back", "up", "down", "top", "bottom", and the like) are only used to simplify description, and do not alone indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation. In addition, terms such as "first", "second", and "third" are used herein and in the appended claims for purposes of description and are not intended to indicate or imply relative importance or significance.

Methods, processes, and apparatuses for producing welded substrates


Described herein is a method and system that provides symptom based and context sensitive knowledgebase management during a remote management session with a connected device. Knowledgebase profiles are generated that are linked to symptoms and device metrics and knowledgebase search rules are set that are linked to the symptoms, and specific device metrics. The knowledgebase management system provides a remote support technician with the support information instantly during a remote management session based on the symptom described by an end user and an assessment of the connected device state in order to aid in the troubleshooting of the issue and assist in the transfer of the knowledge.

When an end user or subscriber calls in with an issue for a connected device, a remote support technician uses various cumbersome internal and external online resources in order to narrow down and troubleshoot the end user's issue. This exercise is usually very time consuming, increases the support call handling time and may frequently result in end user (customer) dissatisfaction. Unsatisfactory end user support calls usually result in repeat calls for the same issue thus increasing the overall cost of end user support.

Generating storyboard for a knowledge base in virtual mobile management


A system for allocating memory for execution of computational tasks in an embedded device is described. The system uses a single stack to store the runtime memory for an executing task, and the context for selected suspended tasks, pointers are dynamically set to indicate top of stack locations for the tasks, and context locations for suspended tasks. The amount of memory in the stack is optimized during run time to use the least memory necessary.

Many modern devices make use of embedded computing, which gives to the devices the ability to optimize their performance, react to their environment, accept instructions and report data, among other things. Embedded computing implies that one or more numerical processors are used in the device, to give it the ability to process data and instructions. Together with the processor often are included memory devices to store data, and various types of input and output interfaces used to exchange data with sensors, with an external processor, etc.
A large market exists for embedded computing devices in the transportation field, and in particular in the automotive field. These devices are used to support all aspects of vehicle operations, ranging from the simple control of power windows and timers to sophisticated engine control systems, traction control and anti-lock brake systems. Until recently devices like these were relatively rare and unsophisticated in the automotive field, however consumers more recently have come to expect modern vehicles to incorporate these "smart" systems. The trend for the future is to develop even more of these smart devices to improve the safety, fuel efficiency and performance of modern automobiles.
One drawback of using embedded computing devices is that the processor and all associated components have to be included in the device. Thus additional memory, sensors, power supply, and any other resources required by the processor to carry out its function have to be packaged with the embedded device. This tends to increase the cost and size of the device, which may increase unacceptably the overall cost of the vehicle. It is therefore important to minimize the amount of resources required to obtain the desired functionality. This can be accomplished by using less expensive resources, or by more efficiently utilizing the available resources of the device. In particular, both cost and size of the device may be reduced by controlling the amount of memory required by the processor to carry out its tasks. Less memory required results in fewer, less expensive memory cards, memory chips or storage devices, which impacts favorably on both the ultimate cost and the size of the device.


The invention comprises a flexible parts feeding system which can feed a large number of different types of parts to a manipulator. The system comprises a vibrating platform, a conveyor belt, a series of guides to assist in positioning and orienting parts, a vision based system for determining the orientation of a part in the staging area, and computer programming for instructing the manipulator to grasp the part if it is properly oriented in the staging area. The vibratory amplitude and speed, the speed of the conveyor belts, the positioning of the guides and the part signature of the vision system are all programmable responsive to the part which is to be fed.

Automated flexible assembly systems (FAS) are capable of being programmed to assemble several different products on a single assembly line with minimal equipment changes. For manufacturers who produce several different products in volumes too small to justify the expense of having a separate assembly line for each product, FASs are more economical than traditional manual or dedicated automated production methods. FASs allow a manufacturer to produce several different products in limited volumes with essentially the same amount of equipment that would be necessary to produce a single product in high production volumes. Flexible assembly systems are also advantageous over dedicated automated systems because when a product is updated or redesigned, a FAS typically can be modified to produce the new, redesigned product with minimal or no equipment changes.
In accordance with the above described characteristics, FASs require parts feeding systems which can feed a variety of different parts on command in proper orientation, position and spacing to the part manipulator (such as a robotic arm or machine tool). The most common type of flexible parts feeder is the vibratory bowl feeder. A vibratory bowl feeder comprises a cylindrical container with a spiral track or groove extending from the floor of the container to the top rim. The entire assembly is motivated by a helical vibration which tends to convey the parts up the spiral track. Disposed along the path of the spiral track are one or more guides, for example, a height bar, which tend to orient the part in the desired orientation or, if the part cannot be properly oriented, will not let the part continue up the track. A part which cannot pass through the guide will eventually fall from the track back to the bottom of the cylindrical container and start its way back up the track again, possibly in an orientation which can pass through the guide or guides. Conventional bowl feeders must be custom tooled to a single part, or a small number of parts which are substantially identical in size and shape and are, therefore, inappropriate for FAS use.
Flexible parts feeding systems have been developed for FASs utilizing the bowl feeder type of system. Such systems are described, for instance, in Maul G. P., Goodrich, J. L., A Methodology for Developing Programmable Parts Feeders, IIE Trans., v. 15, no. 4, 1983, and Suzuki, T., Kohno, M., The Flexible Parts Feeder Which Helps A Robot Assemble Automatically, Assembly Automation, v.1, no. 2, 1981.
Other flexible parts feeding systems have been designed using conveyor belts or linear vibratory tracks rather than the spiral shaped tracks found in bowl feeders. Zenger, D., Dewhurst, P., Automatic Handling Of Parts For Robot Assembly, Annals of CIRP, v. 33, no. 1, 184 and Cowart N. A., et al., Programmable Assembly Research, Technology Transfer To Industry-Phase II, Westinghouse R & D Center, ISP 78-18773, Pittsburgh 1981, describe systems which use simple interchangeable mechanisms to customize a conveyor to reject parts not in a particular orientation. In these systems, an optical sensor is mounted at the end of a conveyor and checks the orientation of each part as it passes under the sensor by comparing its optical signature with a sample signature stored in memory. Some of these types of systems use linear vibration to urge the parts along the track in the desired direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,376, issued to Herndon et al., discloses an automated parts feeding mechanism which utilizes visual monitoring to determine the location and orientation of parts. In this device, a feed plate having multiple parts thereon is vibrated to urge the parts along its top surface and a counter rotating brush is positioned above the vibrating plate to help separate the parts. The parts are transported to a viewing section where a camera takes a video image of each part. The image is computer analyzed to determine the location and orientation of the part. If the part is appropriately positioned and oriented a manipulator is controlled to pick up the part whereupon the part can be assembled to the product or further worked on.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved parts feeding system for a flexible assembly system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatically reconfigurable parts feeding system that can be adapted to feed parts of a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatically reconfigurable parts feeding system that can be adapted to feed parts of a wide variety of shapes and sizes without the need for manual intervention or changing of parts of the feeding system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a parts feeding system which can rapidly change the parts being fed through the system.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a parts feeding system which utilizes vision based parts inspection to improve reliability.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a parts feeding system which requires a minimal amount of hardware.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a parts feeding system having vision based part orientation determination which simultaneously obtains two different views of the part.
It is one more object of the present invention to provide a vision based parts feeding system which can be programmed to measure a region of interest in one view based on information obtained from another view.

Programmable reconfigurable parts feeder


A device for dispensing a dental material comprises a compartment for the dental material, a piston for extruding the dental material from the compartment, and a spindle drive for moving the piston and the compartment relative to one another. The spindle drive comprises first and second threads which are operable for moving the piston. The first thread has a first pitch and the second thread has a different second pitch. In one embodiment, the invention may provide a relatively inexpensive and reliable dental dispensing device.

In dentistry a variety of devices are available which allow for preparation and/or application of dental materials in a dentist's practice. In particular for preparation of materials that are typically used at larger amounts, like for example dental impression materials, devices have been developed that provide for automatic dispensing from packages and/or for mixing of such materials. An exemplary device for mixing and dispensing a dental impression material is for example available under the designation 3M™ ESPE™ Pentamix™ from 3M ESPE AG, Germany. Typically such a device allows for two material components to be simultaneously supplied from a package through a mixer where they are mixed. Often the devices provide for continuously extruding the components through a mixer, where the components are mixed as the components flow through the mixer and released from an outlet.
The devices further typically have a motor driven piston for extruding the material from a container. A variety of different drive concepts have been proposed for driving the piston at a relatively high force as it may be required for appropriately dispensing the dental material.
For example EP 1 700 639 discloses a device for dispensing a flowable substance. The device comprises at least one force transmitting member (for example a push-pull chain) adapted to transmit a pushing force in a direction toward or opposite the substance and which can be gathered non-linearly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,052 discloses an electrically driven dispensing appliance having an electric drive which acts via drive screws on thrust plates for dispensing material from cartridges. The drive screws are axially stationary and are in action relationship with a slide bearing said thrust plates. The electric drive comprises a first gear motor for a drive under high load during advance and relief, and a second motor for the drive under lower load during the retracting and fast advance motions.
Although there is a variety of devices on the market which provide for automatic mixing and dispensing there is still a desire to minimize costs for manufacturing of such devices and for providing the devices with maximized reliability.


A method of finding a driving strength and a record medium accessible by a computer to store a program thereof are provided. The method is adapted to find the driving strength of an output pin of a target cell. Wherein, the driving strength of the output pin of the target cell is provided from the driving strength of a corresponding last level device. In this method, at least one candidate standard cell is searched in a standard cell library according to the last level device. Then, the driving strength of the target cell is interpolated between the driving strengths of the candidate standard cells to obtain the driving strength of the output pin of the target cell.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of finding a driving strength, and particularly to a method of finding an output driving strength of a target cell, such as an intellectual property cell, from a mixed-signal integrated circuit, and a record medium accessible by a computer program to execute the method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the trend of high density of integrated circuits and time-to-market products, how to develop a cost-effective integrated circuit in a shortest time becomes an essential topic. Design reuse is one approach to solve the issue. In other words, various designed/laid-out circuits are reused and assembled by application specific integrated circuits (ASIC). Accordingly, development of chip products can be accomplished in a shortest time. The aforesaid repeatedly used designed/laid-out circuit is called an intellectual property (IP) cell.
Before using IP cells to design integrated circuits, the output driving strength of the cells are needed by the IC designers. Generally, driving strengths of output pins of a cell are represented by maximum load capacitances. Cell attributes including the output driving strengths of standard cells (maximum load capacitances), are recorded in a standard cell library. Normally, the best, the typical, and the worst driving strengths of each standard cell can be found in the best, the typical, and the worst standard cell libraries, respectively.
For cells not included in the standard cell library, a SPICE model or other simulation software must be used to analyze the target cell for obtaining the driving strengths of the output pins, including the bi-directional pins, of the target cell. If the target cell which is going to be simulated is very complicated, the required time for simulation will exponentially and dramatically increase. For example, the HSPICE software provided by Synopsys Co. simulates the timing delay of the phase locked loop (PLL) may take 4-5 days and Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) may take 3+ weeks. Moreover, in order to find the driving strengths of the cell, the SPICE needs executing more steps and will be very time consuming, such as several months. The length of execution time grows exponentially is called Non-Polynimial (NP) problem. Accordingly, the use of the SPICE simulation software to analyze the driving strengths of the target cell, such as the IP cell, wastes a lot of time and becomes impractical.

Method of finding driving strength and computer accessible record medium to store program thereof


A rotor for an alternator mounted on a vehicle comprises first and second claw-pole members formed of magnetic material and mounted on a shaft rotatable about an axis. The first and second claw-pole members have at least one first axially extending claw section and at least one second axially extending claw section respectively. The at least one first and second axially extending claw sections have a first side face and a second side face respectively. A field coil is disposed between the first and second claw-pole members. A permanent magnet is disposed between the first and said second side faces and is polarized in a direction which prevents magnetic flux leakage between the at least one first and second axially extending claw sections. The rotor has a space formed between the permanent magnet and at least one of the first and second side faces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a rotor of an alternator mounted on a vehicle. More specifically, the invention relates to a magnetic-field rotor having Lundell-type pole cores.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a known technique for improving the output of an alternator mounted on a vehicle, there has been disclosed an "alternator for motor vehicle" in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-85045. That is, there is such an alternator for a motor vehicle which has a magnetic-field rotor using Lundell-type pole cores, in which a permanent magnet is disposed between pole core claws to increase the effective magnetic flux which contributes to the generation of electric energy, thereby improving output power.
The rotor of the above-described alternator for a motor vehicle, however, has a problem in that since air passage between the claws of the pole core is interrupted, permanent magnets and field coils will become heated with heat generated mainly at the field coils themselves. If the temperature of the permanent magnet rises, the magnetic force decreases, resulting in a lowered effect of prevention of magnetic flux leakage between the claws of the pole cores. Furthermore, with the rise of the magnetic coil temperature, line resistance increases and accordingly, the electric current that flows will decrease, reducing the magnetic flux and consequently the output power.

Cooling rotor for an alternator mounted on vehicle


Systems and methods for imaging a volume-of-interest, which may include an object or point of interest to be analyzed in a display of three-dimensional data.

In some fields, it is useful to model objects in two or three dimensions. Modeling such objects proves useful in a variety of applications. For example, modeling the subsurface structure of a portion of the earth's crust is useful for finding oil deposits, locating fault lines and in other geological applications. Similarly, modeling human body parts is useful for medical training exercises, diagnoses, performing remote surgery or for other medical applications. The foregoing objects are exemplary only, and other fields may likewise find utility in modeling objects.
In the field of earth sciences, seismic sounding is used for exploring the subterranean geology of an earth formation. An underground explosion excites seismic waves, similar to low-frequency sound waves that travel below the surface of the earth and are detected by seismographs. The seismographs record the time of arrival of seismic waves, both direct and reflected. Knowing the time and place of the explosion, the time of travel of the waves through the interior can be calculated and used to measure the velocity of the waves in the interior. A similar technique can be used for offshore oil and gas exploration. In offshore exploration, a ship tows a sound source and underwater hydrophones. Low frequency, (e.g., 50 Hz) sound waves are generated by, for example, a pneumatic device that works like a balloon burst. The sounds bounce off rock layers below the sea floor and are picked up by the hydrophones. In either application, subsurface sedimentary structures that trap oil, such as faults and domes are mapped by the reflective waves.
In the medical field, a computerized axial topography (CAT) scanner or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device is used to collect information from inside some specific area of a person's body. Such modeling can be used to explore various attributes within an area of interest (for example, pressure or temperature).
The data is collected and processed to produce three-dimensional volume data sets. A three-dimensional volume data set, for example, may be made up of "voxels" or volume elements, whereby each voxel may be identified by the x, y, z coordinates of one of its eight corners or its center. Each voxel also represents a numeric data value (attribute) associated with some measured or calculated physical property at a particular location. Examples of geological seismic data values include amplitude, phase, frequency, and semblance. Different data values are stored in different three-dimensional volume data sets, wherein each three-dimensional volume data set represents a different data value.
Graphical displays allow for the visualization of vast amounts of data, such as three-dimensional volume data, in a graphical representation. However, displays of large quantities of data may create a cluttered image or an image in which a particular object or point of interest is partially obscured by undesirable data objects. There is therefore, a need to restrict the data displayed to a volume containing the object or point of interest.
One conventional solution requires the selective deletion of particular objects that are blocking the view of an object or point of interest or cluttering the display of the data. There are disadvantages associated with this solution, which include significant time consumption and the required deletion of an entire object instead of just that portion of the object that is outside the volume-of-interest. A more efficient and selective technique is needed, which will allow the selective removal of all undesirable objects, or portions thereof, outside the display of a particular volume-of-interest without having to individually select and remove each displayed object in its entirety.
Another approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,765,570, which is assigned to Landmark Graphics Corporation and incorporated herein by reference (the "570 patent"). This patent describes a system and method for analyzing and imaging three-dimensional volume data sets using a three-dimensional sampling probe. The sampling probe can be created, shaped, and moved interactively by the user within a three-dimensional volume data set. As the sampling probe changes shape, size or location in response to user input, an image representing an intersection of the sampling probe and the three-dimensional volume data set is re-drawn at a rate sufficiently fast to be perceived in real-time by the user. In this manner, the user can achieve real-time interactivity by limiting the display of the three-dimensional volume data set to an image of an intersection of the sampling probe and the three-dimensional volume data set.
Although the '570 patent describes a method for limiting the display of a three-dimensional data set, the sampling probe is created in a default shape, size and location upon instantiation. As a result, the sampling probe must be manipulated to surround only an object or point of interest. The sampling probe, upon instantiation, may therefore, often include extraneous information or an image of only part of the object or point of interest. Manipulation of the probe shape, size and location to achieve a desired volume-of-interest containing the object or point of interest necessarily entails additional time consumption, which leads to inefficiency in producing a clear image of the object or point of interest. Further, the '570 patent fails to describe or disclose how to move an object or point of interest within the three-dimensional volume data set while it is surrounded by the sampling probe.
As such, there is a need for automatically imaging a volume-of-interest comprising an object or point of interest in a display of three-dimensional data, by reducing extraneous three-dimensional data in the display rather than adjusting the volume-of-interest. Further, there is a need for maintaining a volume-of-interest relative to the object or point of interest if the object or point of interest needs to be moved.


A probe for a surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectrometer includes a member of optically transmissive material for receiving the excitation radiation from a laser and for carrying the radiation emitted from a specimen to a detector. An end of the member for placing against the specimen has a coating that produces surface enhancement of the specimen during Raman scattering spectroscopic analysis. Specifically the coating is formed by a first layer of microparticles on the member and a metal layer over the first layer. The first layer may form a microstructure surface over which a metal layer is applied. Alternatively the coating may be a material containing microparticles of a metal. An optional layer of a material may be applied to the metal layer to concentrate onto the probe compounds of analytical interest onto the probe.

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for non-invasive techniques to detect diseases and for drug testing, to Raman spectroscopy and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy.
Normal Raman spectroscopy relates to the scattering of light from a gas, liquid or solid with a shift in wavelength from that of the usually monochromatic incident radiation. Upon irradiation of a molecule with light in biological applications, the incident radiation having a frequency .nu. should produce scattered radiation, the most intense part of which has unchanged frequency. In addition, if the polarization of a molecule changes as it rotates or vibrates, there are spectral lines of much lesser intensity at frequencies .nu..+-..nu..sub.k, where .nu..sub.k is the molecular frequency of rotation or vibration.
Laser-induced fluorescence techniques have been used for cancer diagnosis. Normal Raman spectroscopy (NRS) also has been suggested as an alternate biomedical diagnostic tool since the Raman signals can provide complementary spectral information. However, Raman spectroscopy has several limitations. Intensity of the Raman signal is intrinsically weak and interference from the fluorescence signal is a major problem for the weak signals. In addition weak Raman signals often require sophisticated Fourier transform processing which requires relatively expensive equipment. The requirement of high-power lasers, present potential hazards for in vivo measurements, even with Fourier transform processing.
Fleischmann et al. first reported strongly enhanced Raman scattering from pyridine molecules adsorbed on silver electrode surfaces that had been roughened electrochemically by oxidation-reduction cycles (Chem. Phys. Lett. 26, 163, 1974). This increase in Raman signal, originally attributed to a high surface density produced by the roughening of the surface of electrodes, was later identified by Jeanmaire and Van Duyne (J. Electroanal. Chem. 84, 1, 1977) and independently by Albrecht and Creighton (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 99, 5215, 1977) as a direct result of a surface enhancement process, hence the term surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect. In spite of extensive basic research in the 1970's, SERS started to become a useful and practical analytical technique only in the mid-1980's. Vo-Dinh and coworkers first reported the general applicability of SERS as an analytical technique for a variety of chemicals including several homocyclic and heterocyclic polyaromatic compounds on cellulose-based substrates covered with silver-coated microspheres, (T. Vo-Dinh, Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, in Chemical Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds, Wiley, New York, 1989; and T. Vo-Dinh, Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, in Photonic Probes of Surfaces, Elsevier, New York, 1995). The origin of the enormous Raman enhancement appears to come from the results of several electromagnetic and chemical mechanisms. The observed Raman scattering signals for the adsorbed molecules were found to be more than a million times larger than those expected from gas phase molecules or from non-adsorbed compounds. These enormous enhancement factors, which help compensate for the normally weak Raman scattering process, open new horizons to the Raman technique.
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) techniques enhance the Raman signal up to 10.sup.8 fold. Extensive efforts have been devoted to determining and investigating sources of that enhancement. There are at least two major types of mechanisms that contribute to the SERS effect: a) an electromagnetic effect associated with large local fields caused by electromagnetic resonances occurring near metal surface structures, and b) a chemical effect involving a scattering process associated with chemical interactions between the molecule ans the metal surface.
Although SERS techniques have been used for biochemical analysis, there has been no previous works on SERS-based techniques and instrument for in situ and in vivo biomedical diagnosis and drug testing. Perhaps this is because there are several problems associated with the use of SERS in biomedical applications. Until now, the SERS approaches, which use electrode systems or silver sol media, involve only in vitro samples and do not allow in vivo analysis.

Surface-enhanced raman medical probes and system for disease diagnosis and drug testing

Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation


A digital watermark may be applied to digital image data to produce watermarked digital image data. A transformation may be applied to the watermarked digital image data to produce transformed watermarked digital image data. The transformation may approximate the inverse of a transformation that represents distortion caused by transmission through a print-scan channel.

This invention relates generally to the field of printed document security, and more particularly to image data processing for the purpose of watermarking printed images.
It has been proposed to include watermark data in digital image data so that resulting printed images contain watermarks. The purpose of the watermarks may be to authenticate the printed images. That is, for example, fragile watermarks may be placed in original images to allow copies to be distinguished from originals; or robust watermarks may be placed in original images to allow the source of first or later generation copies to be ascertained. However, the process of printing an image and then scanning the printed image to retrieve the watermark results in scanned image data that is distorted relative to the original image data used in generating the printed image. This distortion in the "channel" by which the scanned image data is obtained from the original image data may compromise detection or other processing applied to the watermark in the scanned image data.

Watermarking method with print-scan compensation


Semantic zoom techniques are described. In one or more implementations, techniques are described that may be utilized by a user to navigate to content of interest. These techniques may also include a variety of different features, such as to support semantic swaps and zooming “in” and “out.” These techniques may also include a variety of different input features, such as to support gestures, cursor-control device, and keyboard inputs. A variety of other features are also supported as further described in the detailed description and figures.

Users have access to an ever increasing variety of content. Additionally, the amount of content that is available to a user is ever increasing. For example, a user may access a variety of different documents at work, a multitude of songs at home, story a variety of photos on a mobile phone, and so on.
However, traditional techniques that were employed by computing devices to navigate through this content may become overburdened when confronted with the sheer amount of content that even a casual user may access in a typical day. Therefore, it may be difficult for the user to locate content of interest, which may lead to user frustration and hinder the user's perception and use of the computing device.


Electronic systems and methods automatically monitor a presence, absence, and change of circuit protectors at specified locations in an electrical system. Circuit protectors may be automatically detected and correlated with specific circuit protection holders as they are installed and replaced in the electrical system. Determinations may be made regarding whether the installation or replacement is proper or improper for optimal protection of the electrical system.

The field of the invention relates generally to circuit protection components, and more specifically to monitoring systems and methods for ensuring correct installation of circuit protectors such as fuses.
Electrical systems typically include a number of circuit protection devices that protect electrical circuitry, equipment, and components from damage. Overcurrent protection devices, for example, are constructed to physically open or interrupt a circuit path and isolate electrical components from damage upon the occurrence of specified overcurrent conditions in the circuit. Known circuit protection devices include devices such as fuses, circuit breakers, and limiters, which may address overcurrent, overload, and short circuit conditions in an electrical system, and other switching devices. As the size and complexity of electrical systems increase, the number of associated circuit protection devices also typically increases. Managing a complex electrical system having a large number of circuit protectors is challenging. Circuit protectors of various types and ratings may be involved in the electrical system at various locations. Ensuring that the proper type and rating of the circuit protectors are correctly installed, serviced and maintained in the electrical system presents practical challenges.

Circuit protector monitoring and management systems and methods


The present invention includes compositions and methods of treating a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, the formation having at least one fracture, by contacting the fracture with a composition that includes a solvent and a nonionic fluorinated polymeric surfactant, wherein the composition interacts with at least a portion of the proppants in the fracture.

Various approaches have been tried to increase the hydrocarbon production of low-permeability wells (e.g., oil and gas wells). One approach, for example, involves a fracturing and propping operation (e.g., prior to, or simultaneously with, a gravel packing operation) to increase the permeability of the hydrocarbon-bearing geological formation adjacent to the wellbore. The resulting propped fracture can be measured to determine how easily fluids (e.g., oil and gas) can flow through the propped fracture (i.e., conductivity).
In some cases, fracturing operations are carried out with aqueous fracturing fluids, often resulting in water being left behind in the fracture. Typically, such water is reduced or removed via a clean-up operation.
While these approaches have been found useful to increase hydrocarbon production, it may be desirable in some instances, for example, to increase the conductivity of a propped fracture, particularly when at least one of brine or condensate is present in the fracture.

Method for treating a fractured formation with a non-ionic fluorinated polymeric surfactant

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System


A quick clamping device includes a main body adapted to be mounted on a mold holder, a clamp piece including first and second arm sections and pivoted to the main body between the first and second arm sections, a wedge body mounted movably on the main body below the second arm section, and a driving unit connected to the wedge body. The first arm section has a press end adapted to clamp a mold unit against the mold holder. The wedge body is movable between a first position, in which the wedge body lifts the second arm section so as to move downward the press end toward the mold unit, and a second position, in which the wedge body moves away from the first position.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a clamping device for a mold unit, more particularly to a clamping device that can quickly clamp a mold unit against a mold holder.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional injection-molding machine 10 is shown to include an injection unit 12 mounted on one side of a platform 11 of the machine 10, and a mold support 13 mounted on the other side of the platform 11. The mold support 13 includes a stationary mold holder 131, a fixed seat 132 mounted opposite to the stationary mold holder 131, a plurality of parallel guide rods 133 disposed between the stationary mold holder 131 and the fixed seat 132, a movable mold holder 134 mounted slidably on the guide rods 133, and a hydraulic cylinder 16 connected to the fixed seat 132 and the movable mold holder 134. The stationary and movable mold holders 131, 134 have confronting surfaces connected respectively to first and second mold units 151, 152 using a plurality of bolts 14. The first and second mold units 151, 152 cooperate to form a mold set 15 so as to proceed with an injection molding operation.
Although the aforementioned mold support 13 can achieve its intended purpose, in actual use, since the mold units 151, 152 are fixed to the mold holders 131, 134 through the bolts 14, the following disadvantages are encountered:
1. The operation for tightening the bolts 14 is time-consuming.
2. An operator has to exert a relatively large force to tighten the bolts 14.
Another conventional device (not shown) for mounting the mold units 151, 152 on the mold holders 131, 134 includes a plurality of hydraulic die clamps (not shown) provided on each of the stationary and movable mold holders 131, 134. Each of the hydraulic die clamps includes a hydraulic cylinder, a pivot seat, and a lever-type clamp piece connected pivotally to the pivot seat. Through the action of the hydraulic cylinder on the clamp piece, the first and second molding units 151, 152 are clamped, respectively. However, because this kind of conventional clamping device uses the hydraulic cylinder, the following disadvantages are encountered:
1. Increase in auxiliary parts, such as a pump, a control unit, a pressure sensor, a hydraulic pipeline, connectors, etc.
2. Price is expensive.


A pocket door mounting system allows a pocket door to be easily leveled or adjusted after installation in a door opening. The system is installed in a level position in the area of a structural header. At each end of the system is a standard bracket or brackets which attach to vertical framing members on either side of the door opening. At one end of the system is an adjustment assembly having a vertically oriented adjustment screw. Raising or lowering the adjustment screw adjusts the pitch of the system relative to the door opening.

A pocket door is a type of door most commonly used in residential construction which opens by sliding along a track into a pocket enclosed within a wall. The door may likewise be closed by sliding it out of the wall pocket and across a doorway opening. When in the open position, the pocket door is hidden within the wall pocket and as such makes a more efficient use of available space than conventional hinged doors which swing into and take up space within rooms they are opened into.
A door opening for receiving a pocket door is ordinarily bounded by a frame header above and on either side by what are known as trimmers to those skilled in the art. Pocket door mounting systems commonly embody a track fastened directly to the frame header of the door opening. This track extends along the top of the door opening and into the wall pocket. One or more roller assemblies, from which hang the pocket door, ride along this track. In operation, the door suspended from the roller assembly is free to move in and out of the pocket in order to close and open the door.
When the door is fully open and residing within the wall pocket, the edge of the door should be flush with a jamb on the side of the door opening nearest to the wall pocket. The door should be flush with the jamb for the door's full height, top to bottom. Likewise, when the door is suspended from the track in the closed position, the edge of the door should fit neatly against the opposite trimmer or door jamb, top to bottom. Thus, necessary for a neat installation of the pocket door are these two conditions of having the edge of the door flush with the door trim when the door is open and having the edge of the door neatly fit against the jamb when the door is closed. In addition, if the pocket door is out of square with the door opening, it may have the additional problem of not being able to smoothly move along the track, or it might fail to clear the floor as it opens or closes.
As frequently occurs with the installation of job-hung pocket doors, it may not be possible to ensure the pocket door will remain completely square in the door opening as time passes. A particular difficulty arises with mechanical changes in the timber of the frame itself. The frame header in particular has been known to shrink as it dries bringing the pocket door out of square with the door opening.
Pocket doors are difficult to install in a manner which does not lead to the problems discussed above. The difficulty is compounded by the fact that a framing crew usually installs the pocket door mounting system and a separate finish crew installs the door itself. Heretofore, to correct a misalignment of the pocket door it has been necessary in practice to remove and reinstall the door jamb and trim in a complex and difficult operation.


A real-time video radiation exposure monitoring system comprising a Geiger-Müeller meter and a video camera linked to a computer programmed to display video images from the camera simultaneously with data from the Geiger-Müeller meter. A radio modem provides wireless data communications between the Geiger-Müeller and the computer. One aspect of the invention is a retrofit of a conventional Geiger-Müeller meter to include a microcontroller with internal A/D converter enabling the meter to output instantaneous measurements in RS-232 serial format.

This invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring radiation exposure, and more particularly to real-time radiation exposure monitoring systems and methods.
The mission of health physicists in regard to radiation workers is to make their radiation exposure "as low as reasonably achievable", a Nuclear Regulatory Commission primary radiation protection philosophy known by the acronym "ALARA", without interfering with the workers' normal job performance. However, in order to accomplish this, the health physicist must first be able to recognize the radiation intensity. Regular survey for radioactive contaminants in a radiation facility using a survey meter is not only a judicious health physics practice, but is also required by Nuclear Regulatory Commission licenses and federal regulations. Failure to perform appropriate surveys can have serious repercussions.
A number of approaches and instruments have been developed and used throughout the years with the goal of locating radioactive sources and quantifying the corresponding radiation exposure. The most common type of radiation detector is a Geiger-Müeller (GM) survey meter, also called a Geiger counter. A conventional GM meter is a handheld meter with a radiation detection probe and an analog display without any means for recording radiation measurements. Thus, if a record is desired, an operator must manually record meter readings on paper or other media. Such readings, of course, do not indicate the position or orientation of the meter with respect to any radiation source, nor do they reveal any information concerning work activities near the radiation source that may have been a factor contributing to a given exposure level. Conventional GM meters and similar instruments are therefore not as useful as they might be to health physicists attempting to obtain an accurate assessment of workplace exposure during performance of (normal) job tasks, and yet such equipment is the mainstay for health physicists in the accomplishment of their mission.
In recent years, in other contexts, the use of real-time instrumentation has been combined with the use of video to perform exposure assessments, e.g., assessments of exposure to air contaminants as described, for example, by James D. McGlothlin et al. in "Dust Control by Ergonomic Design," Proceedings IXth International Conference on Production Research, 687–694 (1987), and by Michael G. Gressel et al. in "Video Exposure Monitoring—A Means of Studying Sources of Occupational Air Contaminant Exposure, Part I—Video Exposure Monitoring Techniques," Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene 8(4): 334–338 (1993). Despite such existing air monitoring methods, those in the radiation safety field have heretofore been forced to rely on relatively basic equipment and time-consuming techniques for assessing radiation exposure, and have thereby been hampered in their ability to develop effective strategies for reducing workplace exposure to radiation.

Real-time video radiation exposure monitoring system