The invention includes methods and products which use contact adhesives to secure separate sheets of multiple ply documents to form finished documents, such as integrated letters and envelopes, billing statements, invoices, etc. Sheet material for production of completed documents having plural plies is disclosed, the production of which includes the steps of providing a continuous web of material having sequential parts therealong, the sequential parts including a first part having a first and a second surface and a second part adjacent to the first part having a third and a fourth surface. Contact adhesive is applied to at least the first and second parts in patterns which preclude adhesive contact and bonding of adjacent facing surfaces of the first and second parts when the web is interfolded and the first and second parts are in registry but which permit adhesive contact and bonding of the first and second parts when separated and sequentially stacked.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the printing and/or fabricating of sheets, and more particularly to a means for applying contact adhesive to the stock prior to the printing process in order to preclude the premature adhesion of adjacent sheets together prior to the printing process. The present invention enables the user to print and assemble such sheet stock (paper, etc.) using an adhesive which bonds with itself upon contact, rather than requiring the specialized equipment for heating, moistening, or applying pressure to a different type of adhesive to join the forms together. Yet, the patterns of applied adhesive to not allow facing or adjacent sheets to bond together prior to the printing process and the subsequent collating and assembly of the sheets.
2. Background and Related Art
The use of plural sheets for various business and other forms and documents has evolved to become a common procedure. Such forms often provide an original and one or more copies which are distributed to various parties, according to the accounting, tracking, or other system being used. Often, one sheet is folded to form an outer envelope, with a second (or additional) sheet(s) assembled therewith and folded therein. Accordingly, various printing, collating, and processing machines have been developed in order to enable businesses to construct, print, and distribute such multiple sheet forms and documents as required.
One common point required by all such documents, is some means of securing the various sheets together. This has in the past been accomplished by some type of adhesive which requires some actuation means (heat, pressure, moisture), or by mechanically crimping the individual sheets together. All of these sheet assembly means require some additional costly equipment over and above the printing, collating, folding, and bursting (document separating) equipment required for the production of such forms and documents.
An adhesive which would allow the individual sheets to be secured together automatically during the printing or collating process would be ideal, as the forms could be produced at considerably less cost by eliminating the need for an additional costly machine to supply the heat, pressure, moisture, or mechanical action required to secure the sheets together. The concept of using such a contact adhesive applied to the facing surfaces of a document to secure them together has been raised in the past. However, it has to this point proven unworkable, as the application of such adhesive prior to the printing process, causes the sheets to be bonded together prior to their being run through separate printing processes (e.g., document and cover sheet or envelope, etc.) and thus to be unusable for multiple sheet forms.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for some means of applying a contact adhesive, i.e., an adhesive which bonds automatically to an identical adhesive material applied to another article, to one or both sides of plural sheets of material, in a pattern or patterns which preclude contact between contact adhesive material on facing sheet surfaces of in-registry sheets. Yet, the contact adhesive matters should provide for the adhesion of selected sheets from different stock supplies, or non-adjacent sheets in the same stack or supply, as desired in order to secure the various sheets of a given form together automatically, thus saving the cost of specialized equipment serving to actuate other types of glues. A discussion of the prior art relating to the present invention, and its differences from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,016 issued on Jul. 7, 1981 to William R. Wakeman et al. describes an Envelope Assembly wherein identical patterns of a contact adhesive material are applied to facing surfaces of a multiple ply document. Some of the contact adhesive extends inwardly from the borders of the sheets, to grip an internal sheet therebetween to preclude its movement within the envelope formed by the outer sheets. Wakeman et al. are silent regarding the means used to keep the two outer sheets from sticking together prior to assembly, while they are stacked together in storage prior to the printing and assembly process. It would appear that the continuous feed sheets would require an additional adhesive application machine immediately prior to the assembly of the sheets. The present invention provides a non-congruent adhesive pattern for facing surfaces prior to printing, thus allowing the sheets to have the contact adhesive applied prior to printing and yet preclude the adhesion of the facing surfaces of adjacent sheets together during storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,391 issued on Apr. 19, 1988 to Robert F. Wiseman describes a Temporarily And Permanently Sealable Envelope Or The Like, wherein the flap of the envelope has two different types of adhesive applied thereto. The primary adhesive is a moisture activated glue, which provides a permanent seal when activated. A secondary tab includes an adhesive which secures to an adjacent surface by means of light pressure, as in a Post-It note or the like. This is not a traditional contact adhesive as defined in the present disclosure, as this adhesive does not require an identical adhesive material on the opposite surface to which it is to be secured. Moreover, Wiseman provides a release sheet to cover his adhesive tab until adhesion is desired. No means of precluding adhesion of the facing surfaces by means of offsetting the contact adhesive patterns is disclosed, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,860 issued on Apr. 4, 1989 to Ruth Shapiro describes a Fragrance Releasing Envelope wherein a temporary adhesive includes microencapsulated fragrance mixed therein. Separating the temporary adhesive portions to open the envelope, ruptures the micro capsules and releases the fragrance. The envelope is sealed prior to use, with an end flap remaining open for the insertion of a card or other article into the envelope. This end flap is sealed using moisture activated adhesive, not a contact adhesive. No means is provided by Shapiro to preclude the stocking of the two temporary adhesive portions together before such adhesion is desired, as in the alternatingly staggered or offset contact adhesive patterns of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,864 issued on Aug. 28, 1990 to David Dicker describes a One-Piece Mailer And Apparatus For Folding Same, using moisture activated glue along the lateral edges of the blank. Dicker notes the disadvantages of heat activated adhesives in non-impact printers (e.g., laser), wherein a great deal of heat is generated during the printing process. This can cause such glues to be activated, which can damage the printer as well as destroying the article being printed. The contact adhesives used in the carrying out of the present invention are safe for use in such printers, as any heat will tend to reduce their surface tack and thus further preclude any chance that they may adhere weakly to some other article than an identical area of contact adhesive. Dicker further recognizes the problem with preapplication of contact adhesive along the edges of such envelope blanks, as he addresses only adhesives activated by some active agent (moisture, heat, etc.). The present invention precludes any requirement for the costly and complex moisture dispensing apparatus of the Dicker disclosure, and is adaptable to the construction of envelopes similar to the envelope of the Dicker patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,203 issued on Feb. 2, 1993 to Raymond W. Sanders describes a Multiple Purpose Certified Mail Envelope Assembly, wherein one panel of the envelope is provided in a continuous feed web and separate second panels and return receipt cards are glued to each of the first panels. A moisture activated glue is used, as identical patterns of contact adhesive applied to one surface of the panels in an interfolded continuous feed web, would result in the alternating facing surfaces having the contact adhesive thereon, becoming stuck together during storage before processing and assembly into completed envelopes. The present invention, comprising alternating staggered patterns of contact adhesive application, could be applied to the Sanders envelope assembly to preclude the need for complex and costly moisture application equipment for moisture activated adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,430 issued on Sep. 13, 1994 to George Baxter describes Non-Impact Printing Of Business Forms From Continuous Webs Having Adhesive Coatings, wherein a continuous rolled web has alternating segmented glue lines applied laterally to the opposite surfaces thereof. The continuous web sheet forms the central sheet of a three ply sandwich of sheets, with the other two sheets being coated continuously along the glue lines. The purpose of the alternating segmented glue lines of the Baxter patent is similar to that of the present contact adhesive patterns, but as the individual sheets comprising the continuous web never contact one another with their corresponding surfaces (i.e., front surface to front surface, or back to back, as in interfolded sheets), Baxter provides only for different patterns on opposite surfaces of the sheet. The Baxter glue patterns are identical over each segment on the front surface thereof, and identical over each segment on the back surface thereof, since in rolled web material only the front surface of one layer is in contact with the rear surface of the next overlying layer. The same surfaces (i.e., the first or front surface) of each segment never contact one another, as in interfolded sheets. Thus, the Baxter adhesive patterns on opposite surfaces are never in registry with one another, where the adhesive patterns one embodiment of the present invention are in alternating registry with one another on every other segment or sheet of an interfolded continuous web or in a stack of separate sheets. Accordingly, if one were to take the rolled web of Baxter and stack the individual sheets in an interfolded stack, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, each of the facing first and opposite second surfaces would adhere to one another, due to their identical adhesive patterns, creating a solid mass of inseparable sheets. On the other hand, if the Baxter segments were separated and stacked with each front surface in contact with the back surface of an adjacent sheet (i.e, all sheets facing in the same direction), then none of the sheets could be adhered to any other sheet having the same orientation. Also, Baxter describes the use of heat or pressure activated adhesives, rather than the contact adhesive used in the present invention. The present invention precludes contact between adhesive areas on identical surfaces of adjacent segments of interfolded continuous sheets, by providing alternating adhesive patterns on every other segment unlike the identical pattern over the same surface provided by Baxter. The present invention is also applicable to stacks of separate sheets, unlike the Baxter adhesive pattern.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,410 issued on Nov. 22, 1994 to Leo Lombardo describes a Business Form With Transfer Tape And Repositional Adhesive, comprising a three ply document attachable to an appliance or other article. The document is assembled with permanent adhesive along the common periphery, with a pressure activated adhesive and machine therefor being described. Lombardo requires an adhesive which requires some activation means, as the adhesive lines are all in exact registry. The temporary adhesive means requires a release sheet, thus adding to the cost of the assembly. Lombardo is silent as to the possibility of using contact adhesive, and staggering the positions of the adhesive on the sheets in order to preclude their adhering together prior to final assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,532 issued on May 9, 1995 to James M. Raby describes ID Cards For Impact And Non-Impact Printers, wherein a rolled web of sheet material is used as a backing for the adhesively removable attachment of ID cards thereto. Raby does not disclose any means for preventing the rolled material from adhering to itself, but only one surface is disclosed with any adhesive thereon. It would appear that if this surface were folded over on itself, as in interfolded sheets, the adhesive would cause the faces to stick together. However, Raby is not concerned with this.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,223 issued on Oct. 31, 1995 to Heinz Focke et al. describes a Process For Coating Glue Spot Rows And Strips Onto Longitudinally Extending Blanks For Hinge-Lid Packs And Blanks Produced Thereby. The glue is provided on only one surface of the blank, and no means is provided to alternate the glue pattern to prevent facing contact glued panels from adhering to one another, as in the present invention. This is not important to Focke et al., as the glue is applied to the blanks during the manufacture of the packs, rather than beforehand, as in the present invention. Focke et al. are silent as to the type of glue used, but contact adhesive, as used in the present invention, would not work in the Focke et al. pack as no corresponding adhesive is applied to mating surfaces thereof, as would be required for a contact adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,255 issued on Nov. 4, 1995 to John Schildmeyer describes a Folded Business Form With Return Envelope, comprising a specially folded continuous feed sheet which is glued along the edges thereof to form the finished document. Contact adhesives cannot be used in the construction of the Schildmeyer form, as three of the four sections of each sheet segment used to form each document, have peripheral glue lines in registry with one another. Thus, adjacent sheets, or sections of sheets, would adhere to one another when stored in an interfolded stack if contact adhesive were to be used. The glue pattern used by Schildmeyer is identical on each document; no stagger is provided to preclude the gluing together of adjacent forms.
British Patent Publication No. 1,325,802 published on Aug. 8, 1973 describes Improvements Relating To The Sealing Of Waxes Fibreboard Containers, wherein a hot melt type glue is used to seal the container. The invention does not relate to contact adhesives, as the glue is only applied to points on one surface of the major flaps of the container in its flat, unfolded state. No mating adhesive is applied to the corresponding contact points on the minor flaps, to which the major flaps are sealed using the hot melt glue. The art of fiberboard containers is considerably removed from the printing of multiple ply documents, and such container blanks are not interfolded together as is the paper or other sheet material incorporating the present adhesive pattern invention.
Finally, British Patent Publication No. 2,225,766 published on Jun. 13, 1990 describes Self-Adhesive Label Strips wherein the labels are provided in a continuous sheet on a backing sheet having peripheral sprocket feed holes for a tractor feed printer. The invention is an incomplete separation between each of the labels, thus preventing label from starting to peel from the backing sheet as it is processed through the printer, due to its connection with the adjoining labels on each side. The labels are secured to the backing sheet by a releasable adhesive, rather than being permanently bonded by contact adhesive, as used in the present invention. As the adhesive is captured between the backing sheet and the label, it is not exposed and thus the sheet cannot adhere to itself if it is interfolded. No relationship is seen to the present invention.
In addition to the above, the present inventor is aware of various different forms supplied by different manufacturers, and equipment for processing such forms. An example is the Transkrit InfoSeal(trademark) system, which is used with equipment produced by the Pitney Bowes Company. This system uses a remoistenable (water activated) adhesive to seal the various forms provided, and requires a special folder or burster to be used with the system, which is capable of applying moisture to the glue. While a conventional folder may cost around $300 and up, a specialized device to apply moisture to such forms using remoistenable glue will cost on the order of $8,000 to $30,000. The present invention of contact adhesive patterns, when applied to forms typically processed in these machines, eliminates need for specialized and costly moisture applicators for such remoistenable glues, while still assuring that the forms will remain separated until they are deliberately assembled in final form.
Other systems which are used in the industry are the Moore Business Forms Sealermate(trademark) and Standard Register ThermoBond(trademark), both of which utilize heat activated adhesives. The equipment required to heat the pre-applied adhesive is quite costly ranging from $8,000 and up. Also, the heat activated glues used in such equipment are toxic.
An alternative is pressure activated glues, as used in the Moore Business Forms and Uarco Pressure Seal systems. Again, the systems require additional specialized and costly equipment, on the order of $8,000 and up just to seal the forms.
Some systems use a specialized machine to apply a liquid glue to the forms during the folding and sealing process, rather than using forms which have had the adhesive pre-applied. An example of such equipment is made by Uarco, under the name Glue Seal(trademark), and costs on the order of $30,000. Another device serving to apply the glue at the time of folding and sealing the documents is sold under the name GluFold(trademark), is quite costly to purchase and maintain, with initial purchase costs ranging from $45,000 to $75,000.
In addition, forms pre-manufactured as mailing pieces prior to being printed with variable information by computer, such as Poser Business Forms, xe2x80x9cFast Tab(trademark)xe2x80x9d, Moore Business Forms"" xe2x80x9cSpeedimailer(trademark)xe2x80x9d and others are manufactured at the factory as a mailing piece with a face sheet as part xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d with a carbon spot on the back of part xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d to image the name and address only on the face sheet of part xe2x80x9c2xe2x80x9d (face of outgoing envelope). Insert(s) require at least one more ply. This type of product cannot be produced as a 1-part form. The part xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d (face) sheet is decollated; since, in many cases, its sole purpose is to image the impact printer of the name and address to part xe2x80x9c2xe2x80x9d (face of out-going envelope), this type of pre-manufactured mailing piece is typically 3-10 times as expensive to produce, requires carbon, carbon spot(s), or carbonless paper, requires numerous coating and collating operations and often special papers. Since the image of the outgoing envelope must be a carbon copy impression of some kind, it is often weak and will smear. The bar code, if smeared, will be cause the mailing piece to be rejected at the post office. The pre-manufactured mailing piece ordinarily must be printed-on from a computer impact printer, and cannot be printed-on by an ink jet or laser printer.
The reason so many different systems have been developed is that, to this point, no suitable means has been developed to provide for the application of a contact adhesive to such forms, thereby allowing the forms to be sealed together without need for additional equipment or pre-manufactured mailers, while still precluding the adhesion of the forms to one another in their stored state prior to printing and collating. The present invention provides for the application of self-adhering contact glues to sheets and forms prior to their printing and use, and may be used with virtually any of the printing, collating, folding, and bursting equipment of any of the above manufacturers without need for additional costly gluing equipment.
None of the above art, taken singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide improved contact adhesive patterns for sheet stock, precluding adhesion of facing sheets while in storage.
It is another object of the invention to provide staggered or offset contact adhesive patterns on like surfaces of alternating sheets of material in an interfolded stack, so that adhesive material from one sheet is not in registry or contact with adhesive material from the facing sheet in the stack.
It is a further object of the invention to provide identical adhesive patterns on every other sheet, so that alternating sheets in a stack may be secured together, either in an interfolded stack or in a stack of separate sheets, and to provide means for differentiating different patterns from one another, by color or other means.
An additional object of the invention is to provide identical adhesive patterns on different stacks of sheets, so that corresponding sheets in a first stack may be secured to like sheets in a second stack.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a means of forming multiple ply documents and forms comprising but not limited to letters, statements, and other similar printed matter, using the present contact adhesive patterns.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method of forming such multiple ply documents wherein the need for such equipment as gluing and sealing devices, is obviated.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
The invention according to a preferred embodiment includes methods and products which use contact adhesives to secure separate sheets of multiple ply documents together to form finished documents, such as integrated letters and envelopes, billing statements, invoices, etc. Sheet material for production of completed documents having plural plies is disclosed, the production of which includes the steps of providing a continuous web of material having sequential parts therealong, the sequential parts including a first part having a first and a second surface and a second part adjacent to the first part having a third and a fourth surface. Contact adhesive is applied to at least the first and second parts in patterns which preclude adhesive contact and bonding of adjacent facing surfaces of the first and second parts when the web is interfolded and the first and second parts are in registry but which permit adhesive contact and bonding of the first and second parts when separated and sequentially stacked.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

Contact adhesive patterns for sheet stock precluding adhesion of facing sheets in storage


A system and method for forming a filter media support system with multiple locking mechanisms. The support system comprises two or more interlocking rows of support blocks. One or more slides and one or more guides protrude from the side walls of the blocks. Each guide is conformed to receive one slide from a neighboring block, forming a first locking joint. The side walls also comprise one or more nubs and one or more recesses. Each nub is conformed to fit within one recess of a neighboring block, forming a second locking joint. In one embodiment, the method for assembling the support system comprises aligning a slide of a first support block with a guide of a second support block. The slide of the first support block is vertically moved into the guide of the second support block. Force is applied so that the nubs are flexed within the recesses.

Water, wastewater, and industrial filtration units typically have an underdrain system for supporting filter media and spacing the filter media apart from the bottom of the filter. The underdrain system provides support for the filter media, collects the filtered water that passes through the media and uniformly distributes backwash water, backwash air, or a combination of both, across the filter.
Formations of support blocks are often used to construct the underdrain system. The support blocks may be made of pre-cast concrete blocks or concrete filled plastic jacketed blocks. The high-strength concrete blocks are placed side-by-side and end-to-end in the bottom of the filter to form a "false bottom." The blocks provide support for the filter media and are shaped to collect the filtered water that passes through the media.
In operation, a media filter will periodically require cleaning by backwashing the filter. In addition to shaping for collection, the blocks have conduits, commonly known as laterals, to allow for the passage of air or water used as a backwash. Problems can occur during backwash because the upward pressure of the air and/or water against the blocks is too forceful. Sometimes the pressure can fall within a range of 2 psi to 6 psi. Such strong pressure tends to dislocate the blocks, a process known as uplift. When uplift occurs, filter media drops onto the pipes and damages the infrastructure. Repairing such damage is costly. In addition, the costs of emptying the filter and realigning the blocks are also expensive. The process is labor intensive and requires substantial downtime of the filter. As a consequence, there is a need for a support system that resists uplift as well as side movements.
Existing systems for filter media support rely on the weight of the blocks to prevent block movement, use grout to fill the gaps between the blocks or use side rails to align the blocks side-to-side in the filter basin. Other systems use a series of modular, interconnected air duct blocks such that the interiors of separate air duct blocks are in fluid communication with one another to supply backwash gas through a single source of gas supply. These underdrain block designs offer only a limited amount of backwash stability and some are difficult to assemble. Because stability in the support system is important to avoid damage to the infrastructure, there is a need for an improved underdrain system that is easily assembled and will limit the movement of the underdrain blocks during backwash procedures in both the vertical and horizontal directions.
Definitions
For the purposes of this invention, a guide is defined as a device for steadying or directing the motion of a slide.
For the purposes of this invention, a slide is defined as an extension that is steered by one or more parts within which it slides.
For the purpose of this invention, a nub is defined as a protuberance projecting from a surface.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for interlocking support blocks


The axial distance between opposing conductors of a capacitance pressure transducer can depend, in part, upon the thickness of a seal that is disposed between a housing and a diaphragm of the capacitance pressure transducer. The present invention utilizes spacer elements and sealing beads to form a seal that is disposed between the housing and the diaphragm of a capacitance pressure transducer. The sealing beads have a melting temperature that is lower than the melting temperature of the spacer elements. The sealing beads are melted so that they flow around and surround the unmelted spacer elements. Upon solidifying, the sealing beads and the spacer elements thus form the seal. The thickness of the seal can be established accurately and uniformly by controlling the height of the spacer elements. By utilizing a seal that has an accurate and uniform thickness, the opposing conductors of the capacitance pressure transducer can be accurately positioned and oriented in relationship to each other during the manufacturing process.

The present invention relates to capacitive pressure transducers. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved method for forming a seal between a housing and a diaphragm of a capacitive pressure transducer.
FIG. 1A depicts a cross-sectional side view of an assembled prior art capacitive pressure transducer assembly 10. FIG. 1B is an exploded view of the upper housing 40, diaphragm 56 and lower housing 60 of FIG. 1A. Briefly, capacitive pressure transducer assembly 10 includes a body that defines an interior cavity. A relatively thin, flexible diaphragm 56 divides the interior cavity into a first sealed interior chamber 52 and a second sealed interior chamber 54. As will be discussed in greater detail below, diaphragm 56 is mounted so that it flexes, moves, or deforms, in response to pressure differentials in chambers 52 and 54. Transducer assembly 10 provides a parameter that is indicative of the amount of diaphragm flexure and this parameter is therefore indirectly indicative of the differential pressure between chambers 52 and 54. The parameter provided by transducer assembly 10 indicative of the differential pressure is the electrical capacitance between diaphragm 56 and one or more conductors disposed on an upper housing 40.
Capacitive pressure transducer assembly 10 includes a ceramic upper housing 40, a ceramic diaphragm 56 and a ceramic lower housing 60. The upper housing 40, which generally has a circular shape when viewed from the top, defines an upper face 41, a central lower face 47, an annular shoulder 42 that has a lower face 42a and an annular channel 43 that is located between the central lower face 47 and the annular shoulder 42. Lower face 42a of the annular shoulder 42 is substantially co-planar with central lower face 47. The upper housing further includes a pressure tube 44 that defines a central aperture (or passageway) 48 that extends through the housing 40 from the upper side to the lower side. A metallic conductor 46 is disposed on a center portion of the lower face 47.
The diaphragm 56 is generally a circular thin diaphragm that has an upper face 57 and an opposite, lower, face 59. A metallic conductor 58 is disposed on a center portion of upper face 57 of the diaphragm 56. The diaphragm 56 and the upper housing 40 are arranged so that the conductor 46 of the upper housing 40 is disposed opposite to the conductor 58 of the diaphragm 56. Diaphragm 56 is coupled to the upper housing 40 by an air-tight seal (or joint) 70, which is discussed in more detail below. The seal 70 is located between the lower face 42a of the annular shoulder 42 of the upper housing 40 and a corresponding annular portion of face 57 of diaphragm 56. When sealed, the upper housing 40, seal 70 and diaphragm 56 define a reference chamber 52. Aperture 48 of the pressure tube 44 provides an inlet or entry way into reference chamber 52.
The lower housing 60, which generally has a circular shape, defines a central opening 64 and an upwardly projecting annular shoulder 62 that has an upper face 62a. The upper face 62a of shoulder 62 of the lower housing 60 is coupled to a corresponding portion of lower face 59 of diaphragm 56 by an air-tight seal (or joint) 76. Seal 76 can be deposited and fabricated in a manner similar to that of seal 70. When sealed, the lower housing 60, seal 76 and face 59 of the diaphragm 56 define a process chamber 54.
A pressure tube 66 having an inlet passageway 68 is coupled to the lower housing 60 so that the inlet passageway 68 is aligned with the opening 64 of the lower housing 60. Accordingly, the process chamber 54 is in fluid communication, via opening 64 and inlet passageway 68, with an external environment. In operation, the capacitive pressure transducer assembly 10 measures the pressure of this external environment.
Conductors 46 and 58 of the capacitive pressure transducer assembly 10 form parallel plates of a variable capacitor C. As is well known, C=Aεrε0/d, where C is the capacitance between two parallel plates, A is the common area between the plates, ε0 is the permittivity of a vacuum, εr is the relative permittivity of the material separating the plates (e.g., εr=1 for vacuum), and d is the axial distance between the plates (i.e., the distance between the plates measured along an axis normal to the plates). So, the capacitance provided by capacitor C is a function of the axial distance between conductor 46 and conductor 58. As the diaphragm 56 moves or flexes up and down, in response to changes in the pressure differential between chambers 52 and 54, the capacitance provided by capacitor C also changes. At any instant in time, the capacitance provided by capacitor C is indicative of the instantaneous differential pressure between chambers 52 and 54. Known electrical circuits (e.g., a "tank" circuit characterized by a resonant frequency that is a function of the capacitance provided by capacitor C) may be used to measure the capacitance provided by capacitor C and to provide an electrical signal representative of the differential pressure. Conductors 46, 58 can be comprised of a wide variety of conductive materials such as gold or copper, for example, and can be fabricated via known thin and thick film processes or other known fabrication methods. When thin film processes are utilized, conductors 46, 48 may have thicknesses of about 1 μm, for example.
Diaphragm 56 is often made from aluminum oxide. Other ceramic materials, such as glass ceramic monocrystalline oxide materials, however, may also be used. Capacitance sensors having ceramic components are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,920,015 and 6,122,976.
In operation, capacitive pressure transducer assembly 10 is normally used as an absolute pressure transducer. In this form, reference chamber 52 is normally first evacuated by applying a vacuum pump (not shown) to pressure tube 44. After reference chamber 52 has been evacuated, tube 44 is then sealed to maintain the vacuum in chamber 52. A "getter" may also be connected to tube 44 so as to maintain the vacuum in reference chamber 52 over long periods of time. This creates a "reference" pressure in chamber 52. Although a vacuum is a convenient reference pressure, other reference pressures can be used. After the reference pressure has been established in chamber 52, the pressure tube 66 is then connected to a source of fluid (not shown) to permit measurement of the pressure of that fluid. Coupling the pressure tube 66 in this fashion delivers the fluid, the pressure of which is to be measured, to process chamber 54 (and to the lower face 59 of the diaphragm 56). The center of diaphragm 56 moves or flexes up or down in response to the differential pressure between chamber 52 and 54 thereby changing the capacitance of capacitor C. Since the instantaneous capacitance of capacitors C is indicative of the position of the diaphragm 56, transducer assembly 10 permits measurement of the pressure in chamber 54 relative to the known pressure in chamber 52.
Transducer assembly 10 can of course also be used as a differential pressure transducer. In this form, pressure tube 44 is connected to a first source of fluid (not shown) and pressure tube 66 is connected to a second source of fluid (not shown). Transducer assembly 10 then permits measurement of the difference between the pressures of the two fluids. Alternatively, reference chamber 52 can be maintained at atmospheric pressure to provide a "gauge" transducer.
As noted above, changes in the differential pressure between chambers 52, 54 cause diaphragm 56 to flex thereby changing the gap between conductor 46 and conductor 58. Measurement of changes in the gap permits measurement of the differential pressure. The gap, however, can also be affected by factors unrelated to pressure. For example, the gap can be affected by changes in temperature. Since the components of transducer assembly 10 can be made from a variety of different materials, each of which has its own characteristic coefficient of thermal expansion, temperature changes in the ambient environment can cause the diaphragm 56 to move closer to, or further away from, conductor 46. Fortunately, changes in the gap caused by temperature changes are characteristically different than changes in the gap caused by changes in differential pressure. To compensate for changes in the gap that are caused due to changes in the ambient temperature, it is known to include a second conductor (not shown) that is disposed adjacent to conductor 46 on the lower face 47 of the upper housing 40. In such an embodiment, conductors 46 and 58 form parallel plates of a variable capacitor C1 and conductor 58 and the second conductor form parallel plates of a variable capacitor C2. The two capacitors, C1 and C2, may be used by known methods to reduce the transducer's sensitivity to temperature changes.
The upper housing 40 is positioned so that the lower face 47, and any conductors disposed thereon, are disposed in a plane that is parallel to the plane defined by the conductor 58 (i.e., diaphragm 56) when the pressures in chambers 52, 54 are equal. As discussed above, the capacitance defined by the conductors 46, 58 depends upon the gap (i.e., axial distance) that exists between these opposing conductors. The gap, which is relatively small (e.g., on the order of 0.0004 inches (10–12 μm)), depends, in part, upon the thickness of the seal 70 and the shape and configuration of the upper housing 40 (e.g., the amount that lower face 42a is out of plane, i.e. offset, with lower face 47, if any).
A method for forming seals 70 and 76 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,976. In that method, a seal is formed by placing solid glass beads between two surfaces, applying a compression force between the two surfaces and then melting the sealing beads. Upon melting, the melted beads flow into the space between the two surfaces. Upon cooling, the flowed seal bead material forms a seal between the two surfaces.
FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the upper housing 40 of FIGS. 1A and 1B. In accordance with the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,976, glass particles are mixed with a binding agent(s) and a solvent(s) to form a paste material. The paste material is then deposited as a pattern of sealing beads 72 on a surface where the seal is to be formed, e.g., lower face 42a of shoulder 42 of the upper housing 40 and upper face 62a of shoulder 62 of the lower housing 60. The pattern of sealing beads 72 can be deposited and formed on the surface by utilizing suitable screen-printing or pad/brush printing deposition processes. As discussed in more detail below, the sealing beads 72 are deposited so that open channels 78 exist between the sealing beads 72. After the pattern of sealing bead (paste) 72 has been deposited on the surface, the sealing beads 72 are subjected to a drying process, a "burn-off" process and then a prefusion/sintering process. In each subsequent step, the sealing beads 72 are exposed to increasingly higher temperatures. For example, the sealing beads 72 may be heated to 100–150 degrees C. (Celsius) during the drying process, heated to 325–375 degrees C. during the burn-off process and heated to 490–500 degrees C. during the prefusion/sintering process. The deposited sealing beads (paste) 72 are hardened in the drying process so that they can resist handling. During the burn-off process, some of the solvents and binding agents are burned-out of the paste. If the burn-off process is not performed adequately, the seal may not be impermeable and also may be structurally inadequate. When the sealing beads 72 have been sufficiently degassed (burned-off), the temperature is further increased to perform the prefusion/sintering step. During the prefusion/sintering process, the glass particles that are present in a bead 72 fuse together. The beads 72, however, do not flow into the open channels 78 during the prefusion/sintering step. After the prefusion/sintering step, the sealing beads 72 are then allowed to cool. After cooling, the sealing beads 72 can then be mechanically worked, e.g. polished, so that the sealing beads have a desired height. In some applications, the desired height of the (unmelted) sealing beads 72 is established at about 20–24 μm, for example.
The pattern in which the beads 72 are deposited (shown in FIG. 2) affects the ability of the beads 72 to fully degas while the seal 70 (or seal 76) is being formed. To facilitate the degassing of the sealing beads 72, it can be advantageous to deposit the sealing beads 72 with channels 78 between the sealing beads 72. The dimensions of the cross-sections of the sealing beads 72 and the channels 78 that are disposed between them are chosen so that the desired degassing effect can be achieved. In one exemplary embodiment, the sealing beads 72 have a diameter of between 0.1–0.5 mm and the channels 78 have widths of about the same magnitude.
After the sealing beads 72 have been deposited and prepared on the lower face 42a and upper face 62a in the manner described above, the diaphragm 56 is aligned with the upper housing 40 so that the sealing beads 72 located on the lower face 42a come into contact with the sealing area of the upper face 57 of the diaphragm 56 and the lower housing 60 is aligned with the diaphragm 56 so that the sealing beads 72 located on the upper face 62a come into contact with the sealing area of the lower face 59 of the diaphragm 56. A compression force is then applied to the upper housing 40, diaphragm 56 and lower housing 60 in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the orientation of the diaphragm 56. A higher temperature (i.e., higher than that which was applied during the prefusion/sintering step) is then applied to melt the sealing beads 72. Upon melting, the sealing beads 72 flow to fill the voids (i.e., channels 78) that exist between the shoulder 42 of the upper housing 40 and the upper sealing area of the diaphragm 56 and between the shoulder 62 of the lower housing 60 and the lower sealing area of the diaphragm 56. Upon cooling, the sealing beads 72 thus form the air-tight seals 70, 76 which are located between the diaphragm 56 and the upper housing 40 and lower housing 60, respectively. To form a seal 70 (and seal 76) having a desired height (i.e., thickness) and area, the cross-sectional areas and heights of the unmelted sealing beads 72 is set so that the total volume of the sealing bead 72 material is sufficient to form the desired seal 70, i.e., the total volume of the sealing beads 72 is generally equal to the volume of the desired seal 70.
The performance characteristics of a capacitive pressure transducer can be adversely affected if the conductors of the capacitive pressure transducer cannot be accurately located and oriented relative to each other. For example, if the gap between opposing conductors 46, 58 is not established in a controlled manner with tight dimensional tolerances, the capacitive pressure transducer may have unacceptable performance characteristics. Further, if the gap can not be consistently controlled, it may be difficult to produce large numbers of transducers that all have the same performance characteristics.
The sealing method described above does not necessarily insure that the formed seal 70 has an accurate and constant thickness. For example, the seal 70 may be too thick or too thin if an excessive or insufficient amount of sealing bead 72 material is used to form the seal 70. Also, the thickness of the seal 70 may not be constant if the compression force that is applied between the upper housing 40 and the diaphragm 56 during the melting and cooling steps is not uniform.
A need therefore exists for a method of accurately forming a seal between a housing and a diaphragm of a capacitive pressure transducer.

Method of forming a seal between a housing and a diaphragm of a capacitance sensor


An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit and a fixing process managing system. The fixing process managing system, including a mode switchover unit, controls a time mode and a temperature mode for heating a fixing member. In the time mode, the fixing unit is determined to be ready for a fixing process when a given time elapses after activation of the image forming apparatus. In the temperature mode, the fixing unit is determined to be ready for a fixing process when a temperature of the fixing member attains a given reference temperature after activation of the image forming apparatus. The mode switchover unit selects between the temperature mode and the time mode. The fixing process managing system selects the temperature mode instead of the time mode when a supply amount of electrical power to the fixing unit is determined to be below a required electrical power supply level.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to a fixing unit of an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a method of controlling a warming-up time of a fixing unit of the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Background Art
Image forming apparatuses using electrophotography may record an image on a recording medium using a procedure like the following: A rotating photoconductor, such as a photoconductor drum or a photoconductor belt, is charged by a charger; an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoconductor by directing light onto the photoconductor; the electrostatic latent image is developed as a toner image by a development unit; the toner image is transferred to a recording medium (e.g., sheet, film, etc.) directly, or indirectly via an intermediate transfer member; the toner image is fixed on the recording medium by a fixing unit.
Such a fixing unit may include a fixing member and a pressing member setting a fixing nip therebetween, in which the pressing member presses against the heated fixing member. The recording medium is passed through the fixing nip to melt the toner with heat and fix the toner on the recording medium with pressure. The fixing member may be a fixing roller or a fixing belt provided with a heat source, such as a halogen heater or an induced heating coil (IH coil), used for heating the fixing member. The fixing roller may include the heat source inside the roller. The fixing belt may include the heat source in a roller used for extending the fixing belt, or around the fixing belt.
To save energy, the heat source may be de-energized (e.g., power supply is OFF) during a standby time (i.e., when an image forming process is not conducted). When the image forming process is resumed, the heat source is energized (e.g., power supply is ON) to heat the fixing member to a desired fixing temperature to prevent a fixing failure. Fixing process can be conducted most effectively at the desired fixing temperature.
The time required for heating the fixing member to the desired fixing temperature may be referred as a warming-up time. The warming-up time may be determined by a temperature mode, which determines a time that the fixing process can be conducted effectively based on a detection of actual temperature of the fixing member.
FIG. 1 shows example time-to-temperature profiles of the fixing member relative to the warming-up time for the fixing member. For example, in case of a line "a" of FIG. 1, the temperature of the fixing member reaches a designed fixing temperature Tf (e.g., 180 degrees Celcius) at a time tw (e.g., 30 seconds), and then it is determined that the fixing process can be conducted effectively at the time "tw" and after, and the power supply to the heat source is stopped.
However, a user may feel inconvenience and frustration with such a configuration using the temperature mode because the warming-up time may fluctuate in a given time range. For example, the warming-up time may fluctuate in a time range L as shown by a dot line "b" and a dot line "c" of FIG. 1.
In light of such fluctuation of the warming-up time using the temperature mode, a time mode may be employed for determining that the fixing process can be conducted effectively. In the time mode, it is determined that the fixing process can be conducted when the given time tw (e.g., 30 seconds) elapses after energizing the fixing member. Accordingly, in the time mode, the warming-up time can be set to a substantially constant value. Such warming-up time set by the time mode may be described as a feature of a product like "This machine can be ready for printing in a waiting time of "xx" seconds." Although a fixing temperature of the fixing member may vary when the time mode is employed, such variation of the fixing temperature may not become a problem and the warming-up time can be set to a constant value.
Such conventional art can be found in JP-2005-345989-A, JP-3350315-B, JP-S62-70886-A, and JP-2004-240250-A, for example.
However, the time mode may have some drawbacks in some cases. For example, if the heat source is not supplied with enough electric power from a power source, the temperature of the fixing member may not reach the designed fixing temperature Tf at the warming-up time tw set by the time mode (see the broken line d of FIG. 1). Such a situation may occur when an input voltage to the heat source for some reason decreases. Because the time mode determines a start of fixing process using the time tw (see FIG. 1), the temperature of the fixing member may follow a temperature profile of the broken line "d" until "tw" and then the dotted line "e" when a sheet is fed to the fixing unit. Then the temperature of the fixing member becomes lower than a minimum fixing temperature Tm (e.g., 155 degrees Celcius), and thereby a fixing failure may occur.
There are several instances in which the heat source of the image forming apparatus might not get enough power to warm up the fixing member to the designated fixing temperature, such as when peripheral units are connected to the image forming apparatus or when the image forming apparatus needs to undergo an image adjustment operation. Both cases are described in detail below.
In general, the image forming apparatus may be connected to one or more peripheral units (e.g., a finisher, n automatic document feeder), and the image forming apparatus and the peripheral unit may be powered by a single power source. In such a system configuration, activation of the fixing unit may be conducted simultaneously with initialization of the peripheral unit, wherein the initialization may include resetting of a moving part to its home position in the peripheral unit, for example.
Accordingly, electrical power sufficient for the fixing process may not be supplied to the heat source from the single power source because the same single power source needs to supply electrical power used for initialization of the peripheral unit, by which the heat source may not generate sufficient heat energy for heating the fixing member. Accordingly, if the time mode is employed for the image forming apparatus that is connected to the peripheral unit, the temperature of the fixing member may not be increased to the desired fixing temperature using the time mode, by which a fixing failure may occur.
Further, an image forming apparatus may need an image adjustment operation when the image forming apparatus is activated after leaving the image forming apparatus in an un-used condition for a given time period or when a sensor value read by an environment sensor changes greatly because imaging condition (e.g., toner concentration, image writing timing) may change. To maintain an image quality at a higher quality level, the image adjustment operation (e.g., image concentration adjustment operation, color-position displacement correction of image forming engine) may be conducted when the image forming apparatus is activated. Accordingly, electrical power sufficient for the fixing process may not be supplied to the heat source from the single power source because the same single power source need to supply electrical power used for the image adjustment operation, by which the heat source may not generate sufficient heat energy for heating the fixing member. Accordingly, if the time mode is employed for the image forming apparatus which needs the image adjustment operation, the temperature of the fixing member may not be increased to the desired fixing temperature, by which a fixing failure may occur.

Image forming apparatus, and method of controlling warming-up time of image forming apparatus


A method, user equipment, base station and system for determining a component carrier scheduled in cross-carrier scheduling. The method for determining the scheduled component carrier includes: a user equipment (UE) detects scheduling information sent by a base station in a first dedicated searching space corresponding to a scheduling component carrier, the first dedicated searching space includes at least one candidate physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) (101); detecting at least one candidate physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) to obtain a current physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) which belongs to the user equipment (UE) (102); determining a scheduled component carrier corresponding to the current physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) according to the location of the current physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and the carried carrier indicator field (CIF) value thereof (103).

Resources of a system in the LTE-R8 are divided into a two-dimension gird in the time and frequency domains, where the smallest resource unit in the time domain is an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol, and the smallest resource unit in the frequency domain is a sub-carrier. In the LTE-R8 standard, there is a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) in which Downlink Control Information (DCI) can be transmitted. In across-carrier scheduling, a User Equipment (UE) in a cell has to listen to a PDCCH for system information and scheduling information, where the scheduling information can signal to the UE where to receive and how to process downlink data transmitted over a scheduled component carrier.
In the LTE-R8 system, the scheduling information can be transmitted in first several OFDM symbols of a frame, and these several OFDM symbols logically used to transmit the scheduling information can be divided into several Control Channel Elements (CCEs). CCEs are the smallest resource units of which the DCI is constituted, and the number of CCEs of which the DCI is constituted is referred to the aggregation level of a PDCCH. A possible of the aggregation level of a PDCCH is 1, 2, 4 or 8, that is, a piece of integral DCI can be consisted of 1, 2, 4 or 8 CCEs.
A User Equipment (UE) is typically provided with a corresponding PDCCH search space at a specific aggregation level, and if across-carrier scheduling is adopted in the case of carrier aggregation, then the UE has to detect scheduling information of a different scheduled component carrier over the same scheduling component carrier. Thus in across-carrier scheduling, an eNB (base station) will transmit both control information of the scheduling component carrier and other control information of the scheduled component carrier to the UE over the scheduling component carrier. Thus the eNB has to divide CCEs of the scheduling component carrier into search spaces of different component carriers for concurrent transmission of scheduling information corresponding to the different component carriers. Also in order to prevent any confusion between the scheduling information of the different component carriers of the same user equipment, a Carrier Indicator Field (CIF) of 3 bits has to be further added preceding the DCI to distinguish among the different component carriers.
In the prior art the length of a CIF is 3 bits, and the value represented by the CIF identifies uniquely another component carrier scheduled by the current scheduling component carrier. Since the CIF is specified in the LTE-R10 as 3 bits ranging from 0 to 7, only 8 different component carriers in total can be represented by the CIF. Stated otherwise, when the UE determines a component carrier and subsequently receives data borne over the component carrier by calculating the CIF as in the prior art, the process can be performed only on 8 component carriers, but the UE can not determine a larger number of component carriers and subsequently receive data thereof; and furthermore there may be a relative waste of system resource because the different component carriers are characterized by the 3 bits all the time
In summary, how to determine a larger number of component carriers and correspondingly, for a base station, how to transmit scheduling information of a scheduled component carrier to a UE when there are a larger number of component carriers, and furthermore how to characterize the different component carriers while conserving the system resource are respective technical problems highly desired to be addressed.

Method, user equipment, base station and system for determining component carrier scheduled in cross-carrier scheduling


A super high-speed sequential column decoder generates a high-speed successive output signals by using a pipe lining method and is operated irrespective of an applied speed of an external input clock signal, in a burst operation of a clock synchronous memory. The super high-speed sequential column decoder includes: a column address decoding portion which receives column address signals, decodes the column address signals, and transmits decoding signals to input terminals of a driving portion; and a pipeline-type column counter portion which has as many unit counters as burst-lengths, wherein, the unit counters receives the decoding signal as an input and sequentially generating column decoder signals. As a result, the super high-speed sequential column decoder freely adjusts a time delay, reduces a pulse width of the predecoding signals of an external column address, and thus drives the sequential column decoder signals at a high-speed frequency. In addition, the super high-speed sequential column decoder is operated irrespective of a speed of an external clock signal, thereby increasing the effectiveness of use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a super high-speed sequential column decoder which adjusts a delay degree during a burst operation in a clock synchronous memory. More particularly, it relates to a super high-speed sequential column decoder which generates high-speed successive output signals by using a pipe lining method, and is, thus, operated irrespective of an applied speed of an external input clock signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, when a synchronous memory synchronized by an external input clock signal performs a burst operation, each column decoder's output is generated with an always synchronized clock signal. Accordingly, the time from an external clock signal to a column decoder output, which loads a bit-line data of a bit-line sense amplifier on a data bus line, becomes longer, wherein a bottle neck phenomenon occurs in the high-speed operation.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a conventional column decoder in which a burst-length is set to `4`.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional column decoder includes:
a column address decoding portion 100 which receives a plurality of predecoding signals of a column address as an input, decodes the signals, and transmits a plurality of decoding signals S0-S3 to a driving portion 200; and a driving portion 200 which receives the decoding signals S0-S3 as an input, is synchronized by a clock signal, and generates a plurality of column decoding signals CDijk.sub.-- 0-CDijk.sub.-- 3.
The column address decoding portion 100 includes:
three-input NAND gates NAND1-NAND4 which receive predecoding signals YAi.sub.-- 0-YAi.sub.-- 3 of a column address as a first input, and receive predecoding signals YAj.sub.-- n and YAk.sub.-- n of another column address as second and third inputs; and a plurality of buffering inverters I1-I8 which are connected to output nodes of the NAND gates NAND1-NAND4.
The driving portion 200 includes a plurality of inverters I9-I12 which receive the output signals S0-S3 of the column address decoding portion 100.
Although the present invention employs a structure used for a case of a burst-length `4` as an example, it can embody other case of burst-length `2` and `8`, and a full page case of a burst-length `16` by using the same structure.
The signals YAi.sub.-- 0-YAi.sub.-- 3 which are input signals of the above column decoder can be an external input column address, and may be a predecoding signal of a column address generated by an internal counter.
However, since the signals YAi.sub.-- 0-YAi.sub.-- 3 are generated after being synchronized by a clock signal, their output signals CDijk.sub.-- 0-CDijk.sub.-- 3 are generated after being synchronized by the clock signal. Accordingly, a memory performing a sequential burst operation has a time limit in a high-speed burst operation.
FIG. 2 is a timing diagram of a burst operation of a conventional clock synchronous memory. Referring to FIG. 2, (a)CLK indicates an external input clock signal, (b)int.sub.-- CLK indicates a clock signal generated in the inside of the conventional clock synchronous memory, (c)Y-ADDR indicates a column address signal, and (d)CDijk.sub.-- 0-CDijk.sub.-- 3 indicate each output signal of a column decoder.
In addition, i, j, and k indicate a predecoding combination of addresses.
As shown in FIG. 2, when performing a sequential burst operation, the conventional column decoder is synchronized by an external clock signal CLK, and sequentially generates four column decoder signals CDijk.sub.-- 0-CDijk.sub.-- 3 because of a burst-length `4`. Therefore, as a frequency of the external clock signal CLK rises, a time delay problem in a mutual communication line according to a circuit configuration or fabrication technique for producing the column decoder signal becomes serious.

Super high-speed sequential column decoder

Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.


An ultrasound device for therapeutic and aesthetic treatment is disclosed. Different types of hand probes used with the device produce different effects within biological tissues. The device can operate at low frequencies of around 20 KHz to 100 KHz. The device can be operated in continuous mode or pulsed mode with different duty cycles. Software and hardware is used to control power output of the hand probes; treatment time; to perform diagnostics of the hand probes; and to shut off ultrasound emissions in the case of abnormal or incorrect functioning of the hand probes.

Ultrasonic energy is a powerful generator of biological effects. There are three primary benefits to ultrasound. The first is the speeding up of the healing process from an increase in blood flow in a treated area. The second is a decrease in pain from reduction of swelling and edema. The third is gentle massage of muscles tendons and/or ligaments in a treated area because no strain is added and any scar tissue is softened.
Therapeutic ultrasound provides two main effects: thermal and non-thermal. Thermal effects are due to the absorption of the sound waves. Non thermal effects are from cavitation, microstreaming and acoustic streaming. Cavitational effects result from the vibration of tissue causing microscopic bubbles to form, which transmit vibrations in a way that directly stimulates cell membranes. This physical stimulation appears to enhance the cell-repair effects of the inflammatory response. Therapeutic applications of ultrasonic heating utilize longer durations of heating with unfocused beams, or utilize higher intensity than diagnostic ultrasound. The use of unfocused heating, for example in physical therapy to treat highly absorbing tissues such as bone or tendon, can be moderated to produce enhanced healing without injury.
Ultrasound is applied using a transducer or hand probe that is in direct contact with the patient's skin. Gel is used on the surfaces of the head of the hand probe to reduce friction and assist transmission of the ultrasonic waves. Therapeutic ultrasound in physical therapy is alternating compression and rarefaction of sound waves with a frequency of >20,000 cycles/second. Therapeutic ultrasound frequency used is generally 0.7 to 3.3 MHz.
Maximum energy absorption in soft tissue occurs from 2 to 5 cm. Intensity decreases as the waves penetrate deeper.
Conditions for which ultrasound may be used for treatment include the following examples: ligament sprains, muscle strains, tendonitis, joint inflammation, plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia, facet irritation, impingement syndrome, bursitis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and scar tissue adhesion.
Study has shown that ultrasound helps in enhancing the metabolic activities of cells, thus helping in tissue repair, especially in soft tissue injuries.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,431,704 to Babaev et al. and titled Apparatus and Method for the Treatment of Tissue with Ultrasound Energy by Direct Contact, discloses an apparatus and method for the treatment of tissue, such as hard and soft tissues, wounds, tumors, muscles, and cartilage, through the direct contact of ultrasound energy. See Abstract. Ultrasound energy is delivered to a target area through direct contact with an ultrasound tip. Ultrasound energy is also delivered through direct contact with a coupling medium. The ultrasound tip is specially designed to comprise of a cavity area for controlled fragmentation and the simultaneous sonication of a target area. The specially designed ultrasound tip allows for ultrasound energy to focus on a target area. The ultrasound apparatus may be moved in a variety of different directions during the treatment of tissue.
U.S. Patent Appln. Publn. No. 20070299369 also to Babaev et al. and titled Ultrasound Wound Care Device and Method, discloses an ultrasound device and method for treating wounds. The ultrasound wound care device comprises a generator, an ultrasound transducer, an ultrasound horn, and a cavitation chamber. The device may further comprise a fluid, non-atomized, coupling medium. Ultrasound titled Low- and Mid-Frequency Ultrasound Device with Enhanced Cavitation Effect in Combination with Radial In-Depth Skin Therapy, discloses a device for treatment of subcutaneous fat cells, specifically to a device that uses low- and mid-frequency ultrasound waves in combination with radial deep skin therapy. A low- and mid-frequency focused ultrasound device for cavitation in combination with radial deep therapy that comprises a handle (1), a fastening ring (3), a bell-shaped housing (2), an ultrasound source and a vacuum pump, characterized in that low-frequency ultrasound cavitation therapy is performed simultaneously with vacuum therapy with a skin fold, and additionally characterized in that excess gel is removed via a filtration system in the handle.

Low frequency ultrasound device with computer-controlled monitoring


A method for selectively depositing an amorphous silicon film on a substrate comprising a metallic nitride surface and a metallic oxide surface is disclosed. The method may include; providing a substrate within a reaction chamber, heating the substrate to a deposition temperature, contacting the substrate with silicon iodide precursor, and selectively depositing the amorphous silicon film on the metallic nitride surface relative to the metallic oxide surface. Semiconductor device structures including an amorphous silicon film deposited by selective deposition methods are also disclosed.

In some applications it may be desirable to deposit an amorphous silicon film only on certain areas of a substrate. Typically, such discriminating results are achieved by depositing a continuous amorphous silicon film and subsequently patterning the amorphous silicon film using lithography and etch steps. Such lithography and etch processes may be time consuming and expensive, and do not offer the precision required for many applications. A possible solution is the use of selective deposition processes, whereby a film of material may be deposited only in the desired areas thereby eliminating the need for subsequent patterning steps. For example, selective deposition processes may take a number of forms, including, but not limited to, selective dielectric deposition on dielectric surfaces (DoD), selective dielectric on metallic surfaces (DoM), selective metal deposition on dielectric surfaces, and selective metal deposition on metallic surfaces (MoM).
Selective amorphous silicon deposition is of interest for providing methods for depositing amorphous silicon films without the need for complex patterning and etch steps. A common method for producing a substrate including selective amorphous silicon films may comprise a blanket deposition of the amorphous silicon film over the entire surface of the substrate, covering the amorphous silicon films with a patterned etch mask utilizing photolithography processes, and subsequently exposing the substrate to an etchant to remove the exposed regions of the amorphous silicon film not covered by the etch mask. However, such processes for the formation of patterned amorphous silicon films are complex, time consuming, cost prohibitive, and such processes only become more complex as device feature size decreases at advanced technology nodes.
Accordingly, methods are desired for selectively depositing an amorphous silicon film and particularly methods for selectively deposited an amorphous silicon film on a metallic nitride surface relative to a metallic oxide surface.

Methods for selectively depositing an amorphous silicon film on a substrate


Apparatus and methods for stabilizing soils and other granular materials at the site at which they are located. The apparatus includes a platform, fixed or mobile at a contamination site, carrying a hopper for receiving contaminated material to be stabilized including additives as required, a mixer for introducing additives to the material connected to the hopper, a mechanism for transporting contaminated granular materials from an adjacent contaminated site to the mixer, at least one mold having at least one movable wall, a harmonic compactor to form a uniformly dense, solid compacted preform body, and a discharge station for handling or holding the preform. Where desired or required an air dryer, thermal curing chamber or sintering furnace may be used to dry and/or fuse the preform into a final block. The method includes the steps of introducing a contaminated soil mixture, or other granular material, into a mold having at least one movable wall, applying an appropriate pneumatic preload force to the material in the mold, repetitively accelerating the mold in vibration followed by repetitive impact forces up to, but not exceeding the yield strength of the binding material with the lowest yield strength in the mixture to form a solid preform, removing the preform and allowing it to air dry, or subjecting it to low temperature cure or sintering to stabilize the material contained therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to stabilization of soil and other granular materials, and more particularly to containment of and prevention of leaching of hazardous materials from such granular materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many techniques have been proposed or tried for eliminating or at least containing hazardous waste materials, such as heavy metals, organic compounds and other toxic or hazardous materials. from contaminated soil and from other granular material. When such toxic or hazardous materials migrate into the soil they are even more difficult and expensive to eliminate or contain. For example, wastes generated at countless mineral mining operations have historically been discharged to the local environment and are only now, as a part of the Super Fund operation, being assessed for the extent and impact of their contamination upon the soil and environment. For example, only now is waste generated at facilities such as the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River, Hanford, Washington sites and Rocky Flats, Colorado nuclear trigger production plant during the cold war being retained and to some extent remediated in temporary storage facilities. Some of these storage facilities have in the past unintentionally or unknowingly produced radioactive and/or heavy metal contamination of the underlying soils. As a result, these soils must be dealt with in a manner to render such contamination benign.
For the most part current efforts to clean up these sites and other historically identified hazardous waste sites around the country and around the world have primarily involved excavation and removal of the contaminated soils to a different location for burial in lined pits, or in remote caves, or in sealed drums. However, such efforts do not eliminate the problem, but only temporarily transfer it to someplace else. More permanent solutions have been primarily directed to high toxicity wastes and volume reduction techniques to make the storage considerations more manageable.
Proposals for stabilization of hazardous materials almost all include some concentration of the soils to reduce their volume. The resultant concentrate can then be stabilized via methods such as mixing with concrete or other binding material, or vitrification via combining the concentrate with silica sand and then heating the mixture at sufficiently high temperature in a furnace to cause vitrification of the mixture. These methods have a relatively high energy cost compared to simple burial or drum containment. However, the long term stability of the vitrified material is more predictable and reliable than burial or containment.
Excavation and transport of contaminated soils to a suitable burial facility or toxic waste concentrating facility for treatment is also very costly and labor intensive. Consequently there remains a need for a cost effective and energy efficient method for stabilizing soils contaminated with hazardous material in a manner such that the soil is rendered effectively harmless without the need for transport or concentration. There is also a need for an energy efficient and cost effective apparatus and method for stabilizing hazardous materials such as low level radioactivity or heavy metal contaminated soils or toxic chemical contaminated mine tailings, preferably in a form that either eliminates leaching of the hazardous material or reduces them to an acceptable level.

Apparatus and method for compacting and stabilizing granular materials containing hazardous materials


Asynchronous mobile communication system, and method for implementing a system information broadcasting function in an asynchronous mobile communication system. Upon reception of a system information renewal message from a radio network controller, a base station stores RSIMs generated by all information block segments and scheduling parameters in the message, and then calculates a first transmission time point of each of RSIMs. The base station then forms a queue of the RSIMs according to a queuing algorithm set for the RSIMs. At the end, the base station transmits the RSIM to the air when the transmission time point of a first element of the queue is the same with the current time point at every 20 ms intervals. Therefore, the processing time and the use of memory in the channel card of the base station can be optimized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for implementing a system information broadcasting function in an asynchronous mobile communication system.
2. Background of the Related Art
The IMT-2000, a next generation mobile communication system, is required to assure global use in system design as well as system compatibility with a stationary network, and a high quality service. The IMT-2000 system is also required to assure a global roaming service, and to have an open system for easy introduction of future technologies and different applications thereto. Moreover, the IMT-2000 system is required to have a modular system to be ready for development to a more complicated system to cope with future service increases.
In general, a system information broadcasting in the asynchronous IMT-2000 system is implemented as follows.
When a RNC (Radio Network Controller) transmits system information to a base station through a system information update message in NBAP (Node B Application Protocol), the base station transmits the RSIM (RRC System Information Message) generated by system information contained in the system information update message to the air repeatedly according to a scheduling parameter defined in a RRC (Radio Resource Control layer). The system information in the asynchronous IMT-2000 system has one master information block, 2 scheduling blocks, and 19 system information blocks. The information blocks represent different system information, and a user equipment reads one of the system information block depending on its own status, a waiting range, and kind of a transmission channel which belongs to a base station the system information is transmitted therefrom. The RNC segments the master information block and the system information blocks to the first segment(short), a subsequent segment, the last segment(short), and a complete IB, and transmits to the base station through the system information update message. When the base station receives system information update message, the base station generates RSIMs using system information segment and scheduling parameter. Most of all, one RSIM is generated for one system information segment, but in some case, one RSIM consists of several system information segments. When the RSIM is smaller than 256 bits, a padding bit is added to the segment. A data unit obtained from the segmentation of the master information block (MIB) and the system information blocks (SIBs) is called an information block segment (IB segment). The base station transmits one RSIM to air at 20 ms intervals through a primary common control physical channel. FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram showing a relation between the system information block and the IB segment.
Each RSIM has 256 bits. In FIG. 1, because each of RSIM generated by the master information block, a first system information block, a second system information block, a third system information block, a fourth system information block, a seventh system information block, an eleventh system information block, and a twelfth system information block has a size not exceeding a size of one BCH (Broadcasting Channel) transmission block, each of them has only one segment. On the other hand, each of RSIM generated by a fifth system information block, and a sixth system information block in FIG. 1 has a size exceeding 3 BCH transmission blocks, each of the blocks is segmented into four segments.
As parameters for fixing a scheduling time of the system information, IB_REP, and SEG_POS are included. The IB_REP is a parameter representing intervals the system information blocks are transmitted to the air, and SEG_POS is a parameter representing a location of each system information block segment within a transmission period. As a value of the IB_REP for the master information block, 8 is assigned in a frequency division duplex mode, and, as a value of the SEG_POS for the master information block, 0 is assigned in the frequency division duplex mode. Other than the master information block, the IB_REP values for the system information blocks are given differently for different system information blocks, and the SEG_POS values are given differently for different information block segments. In other words, though system information block segments in the same system information block have the same IB_REP values, the system information block segments in the same system information block have different SEG_POS values. Table 1 shows one example of the IB_REP values and the SEG_POS values. Referring to FIG. 1, it can be known that segments in the same system information block have the same IB_REP values. FIG. 1A shows MIB includes IB_REP and SEG_POS. For ease of illustration, these parameters are not shown in the SIBs.
TABLE 1IBSegmentIB_REPSEG_POSIBSegmentIB_REPSEG_POSMIBSEG1 80SIB6SEG16414SIB1SEG1322SIB6SEG26422SIB2SEG1644SIB6SEG36426SIB3SEG1325SIB6SEG46430SIB4SEG16410SIB7SEG16434SIB5SEG16412 SIB11SEG16436SIB5SEG26418 SIB12SEG16442SIB5SEG36420SIB5SEG46428
The base station determines whether RSIM is transmitted to the air or not presently with reference to the IB_REP value and the SEG_POS value of the RSIM.
The base station (Node B) has an SFN counter for each cell. The SFN counter increases by 1 for every 10 ms in a count range of 0–4095 timer count. The SFN counter counts the SFN as '0' when 10 ms is passed after a time point the SFN is 4095. The following equation (1) expresses a relation of SFNtx, a time point each of the RSIMs is transmitted to the air, and the IB_REP and SEG_POS, the parameters of the RSIMs.SFNtx % SIB_REP=SEG_POS  (1),That is, the base station implements scheduling of the system information block segments by a method in which the base station transmits the system information block segments to the air according to the equation (1). If there are several system information segments where are transmitted at same time, they consist of a RSIM.
The scheduling is a mechanism in which the system information block segments are transmitted to the air at different intervals by preset parameters. The equation (1) may be expressed as the following equation (2).SFNtx=IB—REP*n+SEG—POS, (0≦n≦M)  (2)
Where, the unexplained symbol 'M' represents a greatest value satisfying IB_REP*n<4096.
In summary, upon reception of the system information update message from the RNC, the base station is required to transmit respective RSIM generated by system information block segments at time points of the SFNtx values calculated by using the parameters of the IB_REP value and the SEG_POS value to the air, periodically.
By summarizing the foregoing steps, a process for implementing a system information broadcasting by the base station will be explained.
At first, upon reception of a system information update message from the RNC, the base station makes RSIM using information block segments and scheduling parameters, the base station stores all RSIMs of the master information block, scheduling block and the system information blocks, and the scheduling parameters of IB_REP and SEG_POS in a memory of the base station. Then, the base station searches the memory for a RSIM having scheduling parameters meeting the equation (1) for the SFN of the time point at every 20 ms, and transmits the RSIM to the air. The system information is information required to be transmitted always as far as the base station is in operation. Therefore, at the worst case, it is required to calculate the SFNtx for all the information block segments during the foregoing process by using the scheduling parameters at every 20 ms based on the equation (1), to require too much processing time for picking up a pertinent information block segment.

Method for implementing system information broadcasting function in asynchronous mobile communication system


For connecting a card, a card connector includes a connector body for receiving the card and an ejecting mechanism adapted to eject the card. The ejecting mechanism includes an ejecting member to be moved together with the card and a cam coupled to the connector body for controlling movement of the ejecting member. The ejecting member includes an ejecting member body guided by the connector body, a cam follower connected to the ejecting member body and guided by the cam, and a locking portion connected to the ejecting member body and displaceable between a first position where movement of the card is locked and a second position where movement of the card is unlocked. The connector body has a receiving portion for maintaining the locking portion at the first position where the ejecting member is located at a specific position.

This invention relates to card connector for use in connecting a card and, in particular, to a push-push type card connector capable of inserting a card into the connector and ejecting the card from the connector by repeating a pushing operation.
Japanese patent (JP-B) No. 3407194 discloses a card connector of the type. The card connector comprises an insulator, a plurality of contacts, a movable plate mounted to the insulator, and a coil spring continuously urging the movable plate in a card ejecting direction. The movable plate has an elastic guide pin. The guide pin has an end portion which serves as a cam follower guided by a cam mechanism formed on the insulator. When a card is inserted into the connector, a forward end of the card is brought into contact with a card contacting portion of the movable plate. When the card is further inserted inward, the movable plate is moved and locked by the cam mechanism. Simultaneously, a plurality of pads formed on the card are electrically contacted with the contacts. When the card is again pushed inward in the connector, the movable plate is moved in the ejecting direction by an urging force of the coil spring to eject the card from the connector. Thus, the movable plate serves as an ejecting member.
However, the above-mentioned card connector does not have means for preventing the card from jumping out. Therefore, the card may unintentionally be jumped out from the connector.
Japanese Patent (JP-B) No. 3248068 discloses another card connector of the type. The card connector has a slider which serves as an ejecting member. The slider is provided with a locking portion which comprises a spring member as a separate component having a protrusion for preventing the card from jumping out.
However, the spring member is a separate component separate from the slider so that the number of components is increased.

Card connector having an ejecting member with which a cam follower and a locking member are integrally coupled

Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Limited


A printer includes a feeding portion, a guide portion, and a processor. The processor determines whether a roll sheet in the printer is an inward facing roll sheet or an outward facing roll sheet. When the roll sheet is the inward facing roll sheet, the processor controls the feeding portion to move the downstream-side end portion of the print medium from the cutting position to an upstream side in the feed direction than the upstream end portion before the printing. And the processor controls the printing portion to start printing. When the roll sheet is the outward facing roll sheet, the processor controls the printing portion to start printing in a state in which a downstream-side end portion of the print medium in the feed direction is positioned further to a downstream side in the feed direction than an upstream-side end portion of the guide portion in the feed direction.

The present disclosure relates to a printer that prints on a long sheet-shaped print medium.
A printer is known that is capable of printing on a long sheet-shaped print medium to which a release paper is adhered using an adhesive applied on a back surface of the print medium. The printer holds a roll sheet, which is wound with a print surface of the print medium facing an inner peripheral side, in a holder, and removably houses the roll sheet inside a housing. The printer causes a platen roller to be driven so as to pull out the print medium from the holder and feed the print medium, and prints characters, graphics, etc. on the print medium using a thermal head. The printed print medium is cut into a desired length by a cutting mechanism. The cutting mechanism is disposed further to the downstream side than the thermal head in a feed direction. The cut printed print medium is discharged to the outside from a discharge outlet.
A printer is known in which after the discharge of the printed print medium is complete, the printer is caused to stand by while a leading end portion of the print medium is disposed on a feed guide of the cutting mechanism. At the time of the next printing, a print start position of the print medium is moved back to a position of the thermal head, and then, printing is performed.
Meanwhile, when the above-described roll sheet is used that is wound with the print surface facing the inner peripheral side, the printed print medium retains an effect generated when it has been wound and held, which tends to cause the print surface to warp inward. Thus, when a print medium using a relatively weak adhesive is used, as time elapses, there is a possibility that an edge portion of the print medium may curl up on an adhering surface. In this case, by using a roll sheet that is wound with the print surface facing an outer peripheral side, it is possible to inhibit the edge portion of the print medium from curling up on the adhering surface due to the tendency of the print surface of the print medium to warp outward.


An apparatus and method are disclosed for attaching a capacitor cover or other enclosure to a motor shell without welding studs to the motor shell or drilling holes in the motor shell. The apparatus includes a motor shell having mounting tabs integrally formed from the frame band which forms the motor shell. The tabs can be formed by punching or cutting tabs in the frame band. The tabs can be configured for mating with apertures in the enclosure and can receive a threaded nut or can be bent or crimped to secure the enclosure in place. The method of attaching an enclosure to the motor shell comprises the steps of forming tabs from the frame band, inserting the tabs through apertures in the enclosure and bending, crimping or threading a nut on the tabs. In this manner, an enclosure can be attached to a motor shell without welding studs to the motor shell and without drilling holes in the motor shell.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to motor shells or motor housings having separate enclosures attached thereto. In particular, this invention relates to motor shells having mounting tabs for use in mounting a separate enclosure to the motor shell and to a method of mounting an enclosure to a motor shell using mounting tabs integrally formed from the same piece of material which forms the motor shell.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Electric motors are used in a vast number of applications for converting electrical energy into mechanical motion. It is well known in the art to encase an electric motor in a shell or housing to protect the internal components of the motor from physical damage or interference. In many instances, a capacitor or other element must be electrically connected to the electric motor to ensure optimum performance. In those instances, the electrical element is external to the motor shell and is encased in its own enclosure. However, because the motor and the external element are sold as a single unit, the enclosure which encases the external element is typically secured to the outer surface of the motor shell. For example, it is common for an electric motor to have a capacitor cover attached to the outer surface of the motor shell to protect and support a capacitor which is electrically connected to the electric motor.
A motor shell is usually formed from a rectangular piece of material known in the art as a frame band. The frame band is usually made of a metallic material and is rigid to provide protection to the internal motor and insulate the moving components of the motor from external interference. Frame bands can be manufactured in large quantities through well known manufacturing processes. After they are manufactured, frame bands are usually stored in large quantities until they are needed to form motor shells. Because the frame bands are flat, relatively thin pieces of material they can be stored by stacking one on top of another thereby allowing storage of numerous frame bands in less space than that needed for preformed motor shells.
When needed to manufacture motor shells, the frame bands are formed into a cylindrical shape by well known manufacturing processes and the ends of the rectangular bands are welded together. The interior of the motor shell is hollow to allow the placement of a motor, such as a stator and rotor assembly, therein. After the motor is inserted into the motor shell, end caps are usually placed on the ends of the motor shell to complete the assembly.
After completion of the motor shell assembly, it is usually necessary to electrically couple a capacitor or other external element to the electric motor to enhance the motor's operating characteristics. This is usually accomplished by attaching the element to electric leads from the motor which protrude through holes in one of the end caps or through openings in the motor shell. Because the external element is exterior to the motor shell, a separate enclosure is usually required to protect and support the external element. In addition, electrical motors are packaged and sold with the external element as one unit, therefore, it is common to secure the enclosure to the motor shell.
Unfortunately, prior art devices and methods used in attaching an enclosure to a motor shell are inefficient, costly, and require additional manufacturing process steps to prepare the motor shell for attachment of the enclosure. In addition, the additional manufacturing steps occasionally damage the internal workings of the electric motor. When such damage occurs, additional costs are incurred due to the time and manpower required to restore the motors to their original condition.
One prior art method which is used to prepare a motor shell for attachment to an enclosure is to weld threaded studs to the external surface of the motor shell. The threaded studs are usually welded onto the outer surface of the motor shell after the formation of the motor shell into its cylindrical shape from the frame band. This requires an additional manufacturing step which cannot be incorporated into the manufacturing process of the frame bands. If bolts or studs were attached to the frame bands during the manufacturing process, the ease with which the frame bands are stored is diminished. Furthermore, the location and size of the studs or holes are determined by the type and size of the enclosure. The studs provide a projection from the outer surface of the motor shell onto which the enclosure, such as a capacitor cover, can be secured. The enclosures have flanges with apertures therein for receiving the studs. Nuts are usually threaded onto the studs after the enclosure is installed on the studs to hold the enclosure firmly in place.
Another prior art method for attaching an enclosure to a motor shell is to drill holes into the motor shell which correspond to the apertures in the enclosure flanges. Self-tapping screws or bolts can then be used to secure the enclosure in place on the motor shell. The screws are inserted through the apertures in the enclosure flanges and into the drilled holes in the motor shell. Although drilling holes in the motor shell could be performed when manufacturing the frame band, it is common to delay the drilling until the motor shell is formed into the cylindrical shape and even after the stator assembly is inserted into the motor shell. This process accommodates the use of many different types and sizes of enclosures which may not be determined until after the type of motor is determined. For example, the same size frame band can be used for a variety of different types of motors. Although the motors may be of the same size and therefore fit into the same size motor shell, different characteristics of the motor may call for different external elements for the particular motor. Due to the different characteristics of the external elements, such as size and placement, different types and sizes of enclosures must be used. Therefore, by waiting until the motor is placed into the motor shell, one can then determine the type and size of the external enclosure which is required and thereby determine the location of the holes to be drilled. Because different sizes and types of external elements can be used with a particular motor shell, it is impractical to always manufacture the frame bands with predrilled holes for threaded fasteners therein because too many holes would have to be drilled to accommodate all of the different types and sizes of enclosures.
Unfortunately, drilling holes into the motor shell after the motor is placed therein may cause damage to the motor. For example, it is not uncommon for the drill to displace or damage the stator teeth. The displacement of the stator teeth forces the teeth into the central bore of the stator assembly where the teeth may strike the rotor. Because the space between the stator teeth and the external surface of the rotor is extremely small, any extension of the stator teeth into the central bore of the stator assembly could cause the motor to fail. When this occurs, alternative procedures are required to repair the damaged motor. One such process, known as rollerizing, adds additional steps in the manufacturing process thereby adding to the cost. In addition, the damage is sometime so extensive that even the additional procedures are incapable of adequately repairing the motor.
As discussed above, the prior art devices and methods are inefficient, costly and tend to damage the motors thereby requiring additional work and expense. What is needed is a device and method that allow quick, reliable attachment of an enclosure, such as a capacitor cover to a motor shell without the problems of the prior art. Such a device and method would preferably require little change to the existing manufacturing processes and procedures and accommodate various different types and sizes of enclosures. In addition, the method should facilitate the attachment of an enclosure to a motor shell without requiring drilling or welding and without damaging the internal workings of a motor.