A three terminal magnetic sensing device (TTM) having a trackwidth defined in a localized region by a patterned insulator, and methods of making the same, are disclosed. In one illustrative example, one or more first sensor layers (e.g. which includes a “base” layer) are formed over a collector substrate. A patterned insulator which defines a central opening exposing a top layer of the one or more first sensor layers is then formed. The central opening has a width for defining a trackwidth (TW) of the TTM. Next, one or more second sensor layers are formed over the top layer of the one or more first sensor layers through the central opening of the patterned insulator. The one or more second sensor layers may include a tunnel barrier layer formed in contact with the top layer of the one or more first sensor layers, as well as an “emitter” layer. Various embodiments and techniques are provided.

1. Field of the Technology
The present disclosure relates generally to three terminal magnetic sensors (TTMs) suitable for use in magnetic heads, and more specifically to a TTM having a trackwidth defined in a localized region by a patterned insulator and methods of making the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, magnetoresistive (MR) sensors have been used as read sensors in hard disk drives. An MR sensor detects magnetic field signals through the resistance changes of a read element, fabricated of a magnetic material, as a function of the strength and direction of magnetic flux being sensed by the read element. The conventional MR sensor, such as that used as a MR read head for reading data in magnetic recording disk drives, operates on the basis of the anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) effect of the bulk magnetic material, which is typically permalloy. A component of the read element resistance varies as the square of the cosine of the angle between the magnetization direction in the read element and the direction of sense current through the read element. Recorded data can be read from a magnetic medium, such as the disk in a disk drive, because the external field from the recorded magnetic medium (the signal field) causes a change in the direction of magnetization in the read element, which causes a change in resistance of the read element and a resulting change in the sensed current or voltage.
A three terminal magnetic (TTM) sensing device of a magnetic head may comprise a spin valve transistor (SVT), for example, which is a vertical spin injection device having electrons injected over a barrier layer into a free layer. The electrons undergo spin-dependent scattering, and those that are only weakly scattered retain sufficient energy to traverse a second barrier. The current over the second barrier is referred to as the magneto-current. Conventional SVTs are constructed using a traditional three-terminal framework having an "emitter-base-collector" structure of a bipolar transistor. SVTs further include a spin valve (SV) on a metallic base region, whereby the collector current is controlled by the magnetic state of the base region using spin-dependent scattering. Although the TTM may involve an SVT where both barrier layers are Schottky barriers, the TTM may alternatively incorporate a magnetic tunnel transistor (MTT) where one of the barrier layers is a Schottky barrier and the other barrier layer is a tunnel barrier, or a double junction structure where both barrier layers are tunnel barriers.
FIG. 1 illustrates TTM operation associated with a conventional SVT 100 which has a semiconductor emitter region 102, a semiconductor collector region 104, and a base region 106 which contains a spin valve. The semiconductors and magnetic materials used in SVT 100 may include an n-type silicon (Si) material for emitter 102 and collector 104, and a Ni80Fe20/Cu/Co spin valve for the region 106. Energy barriers, also referred to as Schottky barriers, are formed at the junctions between the metal base 106 and the semiconductors. It is desirable to obtain a high quality energy barrier at these junctions with good rectifying behavior. Therefore, thin layers of materials (e.g. platinum and gold) are oftentimes used at the emitter 102 and collector 104, respectively. Moreover, these thin layers separate the magnetic layers from the semiconductor materials.
A TTM operates when current is introduced between emitter region 102 and base region 106, denoted as IE in FIG. 1. This occurs when electrons are injected over the energy barrier and into base region 106 by biasing the emitter such that the electrons are traveling perpendicular to the layers of the spin valve. Because the electrons are injected over the energy barrier, they enter base region 106 as non-equilibrium hot electrons, whereby the hot-electron energy is typically in the range of 0.5 and 1.0 eV depending upon the selection of the metal/semiconductor combination. The energy and momentum distribution of the hot electrons change as the electrons move through base region 106 and are subjected to inelastic and elastic scattering. As such, electrons are prevented from entering collector region 104 if their energy is insufficient to overcome the energy barrier at the collector side. Moreover, the hot-electron momentum must match with the available states in the collector semiconductor to allow for the electrons to enter collector region 104. The collector current IC, which indicates the fraction of electrons collected in collector region 104, is dependent upon the scattering in base region 106 which is spin-dependent when base region 106 contains magnetic materials. Furthermore, an external applied magnetic field controls the total scattering rate which may, for example, change the relative magnetic alignment of the two ferromagnetic layers of the spin valve. The magnetocurrent (MC), which is the magnetic response of the TTM, can be represented by the change in collector current normalized to the minimum value as provided by the following formula: MC=[IPC−IAPC]/IAPC, where P and AP indicate the parallel and antiparallel state of the spin valve, respectively. Since these types of devices have small output currents due to the small differences between the two Schottky barrier heights of the semiconductor, MTT and double tunnel embodiments are generally preferred.
In FIG. 2, a cross-sectional view of a conventional TTM 200 of the MTT type is shown. TTM 200 of FIG. 2 has a base region 215, a semiconductor collector substrate 220 which is adjacent base region 215, an emitter region 205, and a barrier region 210 which separates emitter region 205 from base region 215. Base region 215, barrier region 210, and emitter region 205 form a sensor stack structure 201 of TTM 200. A first Schottky barrier 211 is formed at the interface between base region 215 and semiconductor collector substrate 220. Also, a second tunnel barrier 212 is formed within sensor stack structure 201 at the interface between emitter region 205 and base region 215 at barrier layer 210 in a single deposition step. An emitter conductive via 235 is formed adjacent emitter region 205 of sensor stack structure 201, a collector conductive via 236 is formed adjacent semiconductor collector substrate 220, and a base conductive via 234 is formed by etching the sensor stack layer structure down to base region 215. Insulator materials 250 surround the various structures of TTM 200.
In FIG. 3, a cross-sectional view of an alternative conventional TTM 300 of the SVT type is shown. TTM 300 of FIG. 3 has a base region 315, a semiconductor collector substrate 320 which is adjacent base region 315, an emitter region 305, and a barrier region 310 which separates emitter region 305 from base region 315. Base region 315, barrier region 310, and emitter region 305 form a sensor stack structure 301 of TTM 300. A first Schottky barrier 311 is formed at the interface between base region 315 and semiconductor collector substrate 320 to define the geometry of base region 315. Also, a second tunnel barrier 312 is formed at least partly over base region 315 at barrier layer 310 to therefore form emitter region 305 with an ex-situ process. An emitter conductive via 335 is formed adjacent emitter region 305 of sensor stack structure 301, and a collector conductive via 336 is formed adjacent semiconductor collector substrate 320. A base conductive via 334 is formed by etching the sensor stack structure down to base region 315. Insulator materials 350 surround the various structures of TTM 300.
Sensor stack structures are fragile and may be susceptible to damage due to ion bombardment and chemical exposure during manufacturing steps such as those used in the formation of conductive vias for connecting TTM base regions to their terminals. Metal layers involved in TTMs are generally within 5 nm and 10 nm thick, such that subtractive processes usually required to shape these devices can change the magnetic properties of the metal layers. Furthermore, in conventional TTMs 200 and 300 of FIGS. 2 and 3, base regions 215 and 315 are formed relatively longer than their respective emitter regions 205 and 305. This difference in length is necessary to facilitate the formation of base region conductive vias 234 and 334 while avoiding damage to sensor stack structures 201 and 301 associated with ion bombardment and chemical exposure. As a result, the trackwidths are unnecessarily large due to the relatively long length of the base regions. It is advantageous to form very thin and narrow base regions in TTMs for increased areal recording densities and smaller trackwidths.
Accordingly, there is a need to solve these and other problems so that TTMs may be suitable for use in magnetic heads and other devices.

Three terminal magnetic sensing device having a track width defined in a localized region by a patterned insulator and methods of making the same

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


In implementations of object animation using generative neural networks, one or more computing devices of a system implement an animation system for reproducing animation of an object in a digital video. A mesh of the object is obtained from a first frame of the digital video and a second frame of the digital video having the object is selected. Features of the object from the second frame are mapped to vertices of the mesh, and the mesh is warped based on the mapping. The warped mesh is rendered as an image by a neural renderer and compared to the object from the second frame to train a neural network. The rendered image is then refined by a generator of a generative adversarial network which includes a discriminator. The discriminator trains the generator to reproduce the object from the second frame as the refined image.

Digital animation systems are implemented by a computing device to support the process of making an object appear to move in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional environment. To do so, digital animation systems define how the object will move, appear, and interact with the object's environment. For example, animating an object to appear to walk on two legs requires definitions for the object's gait, speed, posture, etc.
Conventional techniques used to animate objects, however, rely on manual user interaction to define how the object will move, appear, and interact with the object's environment. Additionally, these definitions must be made for every object requiring animation. For example, if a first object is already animated to walk on two legs and if it was desirable to animate a second object to walk on two legs like the first object, then a user would be required to repeat all of the definitions used to animate the first object to walk on two legs in order to animate the second object to walk on two legs. The reason for this is because conventional digital animation systems have no mechanism for transferring animation from one object to another object. Additionally, conventional animation systems require manual user interaction to generate object animation, even very basic animation. These shortcomings cause animators significant frustration when undertaking the tedious task of animating an object to have features of another animated object. The shortcomings also add to the computational cost of digital animation by requiring computations to render animation definitions for every object requiring animation.

Object animation using generative neural networks


An apparatus which controls a video signal reproduced from a video compact disc to gradually fade in or out on a screen in a video disc reproducing system, is disclosed. When the video signals read out from the video disc are decoded by the MPEG video decoding section, the pulse signals are generated by the screen fade driving section responsive to both the control signal from the controlling section and the vertical synchronizing signal separated from the decoded video signal, and the restored luminance signal from the MPEG video decoding section is switched over according to the fade-in or fade-out operation by the screen fade driving section responsive to both the pulse signal and the switching control signal from the controlling section. While the decoded luminance signal is selectively provided from the screen fade driving section to the displaying equipment, the pictures fade in or out on the screen at the commencement or the end of the reproduction of the video signals. Consequently, since the pictures naturally and continuously appear and disappear on the screen, a viewer's spectral luminous efficacy is enhanced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus which controls a video signal reproduced from a video compact disc to gradually fade in or out on a screen and generate a screen fade effect in a video disc reproducing system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present, video compact discs (hereinafter, referred to as "video disc") are widely used as a disc-shaped information recording medium for recording video information of moving pictures and audio information. For example, video discs have video-song, i.e., karaoke, programs for video-song practice, movie programs, video and audio information of programs for learning foreign languages, which are recorded thereon after being processed by a data compression algorithm such as Moving Picture Experts Group (hereinafter, referred to as "MPEG") system.
FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram for showing the configuration of a conventional video disc reproducing system. As shown in FIG. 1, the video disc reproducing system such as a video disc player for reading out and reproducing the recorded information from the video disc, includes a spindle motor 20, an optical pickup 40, a servo controlling section 60, an amplifying section 80, a compact disc digital signal processing (hereinafter, referred to as "CD-DSP") section 100, a CD-ROM decoding section 120, a MPEG video decoding section 140, a digital to analog converting (hereinafter referred to as "DAC") section 160, a function setting section 180, and a controlling section 200.
Spindle motor 20 rotates a video disc 10 at a constant speed. Optical pickup 40 irradiates the laser beam onto video disc 10 and reads out video and audio signals in order to provide a read video and audio signal 41.
Amplifying section 80 amplifies read video and audio signal 41 from optical pickup 40 and provides an amplified video and audio signal 81. CD-DSP section 100 digitally signal-processes amplified video and audio signal 81 from amplifying section 80 into a serial data stream and provides a first signal-processed signal 101.
CD-ROM decoding section 120 CD-ROM-decodes first signal-processed signal 101 from CD-DSP section 100 into user data and provides a CD-ROM-decoded signal 121. MPEG video decoding section 140 decodes CD-ROM-decoded signal 121 from CD-ROM decoding section by a MPEG system and provides an MPEG-video-decoded signal 141 which corresponds to restored chrominance and luminance signals.
DAC section 160 converts MPEG-video-decoded signal 141 into an analog signal and provides RGB signal 161. Function setting section 180 is installed in a control panel as a part thereof or is formed as a remote control unit and sets a reproducing function of video and audio signals recorded on video disc 10, a stop function of the reproduction operation, or a selection operation for a video-song, in order to provide a function setting signal 181.
Controlling section 200 inputs function setting signal 181 from function setting section 180 and provides first, second, third and fourth control signals 201, 202, 203 and 204. Controlling section 200 applies first control signal 201 to servo controlling section 60 and controls the servo operation of servo controlling section 60. Controlling section 200 applies second control signal 202 to CD-DSP section 100 and controls the operation of CD-DSP section 100. Controlling section 200 applies third control signal 203 to CD-ROM decoding section 120 and controls the operation of CD-ROM decoding section 120. Controlling section 200 applies fourth control signal 204 to MPEG video decoding section 140 and controls the operation of MPEG video decoding section 140.
Servo controlling section 60 inputs first control signal 201 and provides first and second servo control signals 61 and 62. Servo controlling section 60 applies first servo control signal 61 to optical pick up 40 and servo controls the driving state of optical pickup 40. Servo controlling 60 applies second servo control signal 62 to spindle motor 20 and servo controls the driving state of spindle motor 20.
As described above, video signals which are read out from video disc 10 by optical pickup 40 are successively signal-processed and are finally outputted from DAC section 160 as RGB signal 161 while passing from amplifying section 80 to DAC section 160. RGB signal 161 is reproduced as a picture having high resolution by CRT (cathode-ray tube) equipment (not shown in FIG. 1).
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,443 (issued to Mogamiya et al.) discloses a still video apparatus including picture and sound fading in which a picture of an object and a sound respectively recorded on a recording medium as an electrical picture signal and a sound signal, are reproduced. The still video apparatus includes a picture reproducing device which reproduces the picture signal and the sound signal recorded on the recording medium, a picture fading device which fades the picture signal reproduced by the picture reproducing device, and a sound fading device which fades the sound signal reproduced by the picture reproducing device.
However, in the aforementioned video disc reproducing system, the picture suddenly appears on the screen at the beginning of the reproduction or disappears during the stopping of the reproduction. Consequently, since the spectral luminous efficacy decreases by half, a viewer tends to feel unnatural or strange.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,433 is restricted in application thereof to still video apparatuses such as still video cameras or still video players which record or reproduce an image of a picture and a sound as electrical signals (picture signals and sound signals) on and from a magnetic disc (video floppy).

Apparatus for generating a screen fade effect in a video disc reproducing system


Apparatus for self-clearing of clogs developed between adjacent ends of upstream and downstream conveyors adapted to carry products thereon in the course of transfer of the products past a gap defined between the conveyors. The apparatus comprises a shield disposed between the adjacent ends of the conveyors and adapted to cover less than all of the gap between the conveyors and having a proximal side edge disposed adjacent the end of the downstream conveyor, thereby defining an opening for the discharge of debris from the products being transferred between the conveyors through the opening. The shield is mounted for selected degrees of covering relationship to the gap between the conveyors. Means is provided for biasing the shield toward a position of maximal covering of the gap while permitting automatic movement of the shield toward a position of reduced covering of the gap as a function of the application of a force against said shield occasioned by the initiation of a clog by the products being transferred between the shield and the downstream conveyor.

In the manufacture of paper from wood, among the first steps are debarking the logs and conversion of the wood logs into chips which are subsequently cooked (digested) to commence the separation of the wood fibers from other components of the chips.
In a common sequence of operation, the logs are loaded with a crane from a storage yard to a debarking drum where at least a major portion of the bark is removed from each log and thereafter the debarked logs are discharged onto the conveying system to a chipper. This conveying operation to the chipper is commonly designed to spread the logs into loose bundles of two or three parallel aligned logs. These bundles are loaded onto a conveyor, one bundle behind another bundle, so that the bundles are fed consecutively to the chipper, thereby ensuring a smooth and continuous flow of logs into the chipper such that the chipper is efficiently utilized but does not become clogged. A clogged chipper commonly is shut down when a clog develops, with attendant loss of operating time and the cost of maintenance required to clear the clog.
Usually two chain conveyors, or occasionally belt conveyors, are employed in conveying the bundles of logs to a chipper. These two conveyors are directionally aligned with one another, the upstream end of the downstream conveyor terminating short of the downstream end of the upstream conveyor, thereby developing an open gap between these adjacent conveyor ends. The use of two conveyors permits, among other things, the development of a gap between the contiguous ends of the conveyors through which trash, such as pieces of bark, too small pieces of wood, and/or other undesirable materials to fall by gravity through the gap and be collected or transported to a remote site, to be used as fuel, for example.
In a log conveying system, a gap between conveyor ends may range from about 3 inches to about 10 inches in length (measured in the direction of movement of the conveyors) and will extend fully across the width of the conveyors.
As noted, the gap between the conveyor ends is desirable from the standpoint of allowing debris, mainly pieces of bark and occasionally some wood pieces, to be separated from the logs as they are moved to the chipper. However, the open gap between the adjacent ends of the two conveyors permits chunks of useable wood or even small or short logs to fall into the gap, rather than being transferred from the downstream to the upstream conveyor. These small or short logs in the gap tend to cause other debris to collect within the gap, resulting in the development of a clog within the gap. Such clogs commonly develop into a size and degree of compaction within the gap as to either overload one of both of the conveyor motors, stopping the conveyor(s) or to physically damage one or both of the conveyors, especially when employing the commonly used chain conveyors. Even if the clog does not halt the movement of the conveyors, it disrupts the desired even flow of logs to the chipper and/or can even cause dislodgement of one or more logs from the conveyor, among other possible disastrous results.
In certain mills which process smaller diameter logs, the loss of useful wood via the gap is exasperated, thus creating a problem in accommodating the desired functioning of the gap as a remover of debris while permitting usable wood pieces to be conveyed across the gap and into the chipper. Mere adjustment of the width of the gap between the conveyor ends is not feasible in that such requires movement of the conveyors toward or away from one another, a major time-consuming and costly operation.
Placing a shield within the gap to lessen the width of the gap also is unworkable in that mere reduction of the width of the gap increases the likelihood of a clog developing. One approach to this problem has been to install a fast driven roller within the gap with the intent that relatively larger pieces of wood will be propelled across the gap, while bark and smaller pieces of wood will merely fall through the gap. In one embodiment, this roller is mounted for vertical movement within the gap, but not permitted to move different lateral distances at each of its opposite ends. Thus, a piece of wood, for example, which is larger that the fixed open space defined between the roller and a conveyor end, can clog the gap. That is, there is no flexibility of lateral movement of the fixed roller, only up and down movement of the roller. In certain mills, the character of the bark debris changes with the season, for example, longer (stringy) bark strings may be present when processing Spring wood. During such times, it is desirable to have a wider gap to permit such debris to pass through the gap, rather than being conveyed to the chipper and without clogging developing within the gap.


A refrigerator having an apparatus for distributing a chilled air. The apparatus has an impeller for sucking and impelling the chilled air generated by an evaporator, a chilled air distributing member for properly distributing the chilled air impelled by the impeller into ducts communicated with a freezer and refrigerating compartments, and motors for driving the impeller and the chilled air distributing member. The chilled air distributing member is formed at a circumferential outer wall thereof with an opening so as to control an amount of the chilled air flowing into the ducts respectively when the member rotates. The refrigerator can effectively distribute a chilled air generated from an evaporator, thereby properly maintaining temperatures of the freezer and refrigerating compartments. Since the refrigerator has only one fan, an inner structure inside of a space section is simple so that the refrigerator can be easily produced and assembled.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly to a refrigerator which can effectively distribute a chilled air into a freezer compartment and a refrigerating compartment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, a refrigerator is a device for storing foodstuffs at a relatively low temperature in order to maintain a freshness of the foodstuff. The refrigerator comprises a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator. It is common knowledge that a working fluid called as a refrigerant circulates through a thermodynamic cycle. In such systems, a low pressure refrigerant is compressed by the compressor and leaves the compressor as a vapor with an elevated pressure, and then condenses in the condenser, resulting in a transfer of a heat to an environment surrounding the condenser. A high pressure liquid refrigerant then passes through the expansion valve in which some of the liquid refrigerant flashes into vapor. The remaining refrigerant is vaporized in the low pressure evaporator, resulting in a transfer of a heat to the evaporating refrigerant from the environment, thereby cooling a surrounding air. The chilled air generated at a periphery of the evaporator is blown into a freezer compartment by a fan. The refrigerant vapor is then drawn into the compressor, and the cycle begins again. In short, in the evaporator, the refrigerant absorbs a heat from the surroundings and, in the condenser, it gives a heat off.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional refrigerator 100.
As shown in FIG. 1, refrigerator 100 comprises a cabinet 110. Cabinet 110 is formed therein with a refrigerating compartment 130 for receiving foodstuffs which are to be maintained fresh at a relatively low temperature and a freezer compartment 120 for receiving foodstuffs which are to be maintained in a frozen state. Freezer compartment 120 is formed at a rear portion thereof with a space section 140 in which an evaporator 160 for generating a chilled air is installed. Freezer compartment 120 and space section 140 are divided by a wall section 150.
A compressor (not shown) is in stalled below refrigerating compartment 130 for compressing and circulating the refrigerant. The vapor-phase refrigerant with high pressure and high temperature which has passed through the compressor gives a heat to a surroundings in the condenser (not shown), and is condensed into liquid phase. The liquid-phase refrigerant then passes through the expansion valve(not shown) in which some of the liquid-phase refrigerant flashes into vapor. The remaining refrigerant is vaporized in the low pressure evaporator 160 installed at a predetermined position in space section 140, resulting in a transfer of a heat to the evaporating refrigerant from the environment, thereby cooling a surrounding air.
Wall section 150 is formed at an upper portion thereof with a first duct 155 for introducing the chilled air generated by the evaporator into freezer compartment 120. A first fan 180 driven by a first motor 182 is installed in space section 140 at a position corresponding to a position of first duct 155, for smoothly blowing a portion of the chilled air generated at a periphery of evaporator 160 into freezer compartment 120. The rest of the chilled air is blown by a second fan 184 driven by a second motor 186 and flows into refrigerating compartment 130 through a second duct 145 formed in a rear wall of cabinet 110.
The chilled air flown into refrigerating and freezer compartments 130 and 120 absorbs a heat from stored foodstuffs and returns to space section 140 through return passages 135 and 125 formed at a wall section 152 so as to be cooled again in the above-described manner.
In conventional refrigerator 100, a plurality of fans are required in order to blow the chilled air generated by evaporator 160 into first and second ducts 155 and 145 so that an inner structure of space section 140 is complicated. Also, a respective amount of the chilled air flowing into freezer and refrigerating compartments 120 and 130 cannot be controlled, so the temperatures of freezer and refrigerating compartments 120 and 130 are not properly maintained.
On the other hand, U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,092 issued to Kim et al. discloses a device for controlling an amount of a chilled air flowing into a refrigerating compartment by providing a control plate at a duct communicated with the refrigerating compartment. However, when the chilled air is flowing into the refrigerating compartment, the chilled air collides with the control plate so as to shift a position of the control plate, so the amount of the chilled air cannot be properly controlled.

Refrigerator having an apparatus for distributing a chilled air


A spin-valve magnetoresistive head having end parts of a free magnetic layer insensitive to an external magnetic field so as to improve sensitivity is provided. The spin-valve magnetoresistive head includes, at least on the terminal part sides, a lamination formed of a first antiferromagnetic layer, a soft magnetic layer, an antiparallel coupling intermediate layer, and a first free magnetic layer.

The present invention relates to spin-valve magnetoresistive heads, and more particularly to a pin-valve magnetoresistive head having on terminal sides laminations for applying a bias magnetic field to a free magnetic layer and a composite-type head and a drive using the same.
At present, an AMR (Anisotropic Magnetoresistive) device is most frequently used in a magnetic head mounted in a magnetic recording medium recording/reproduction apparatus such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). However, as recording density increases, a full-scale movement toward practical use of a spin-valve magnetoresistive magnetic head (hereinafter, an SVMR head) using a more sensitive SVMR (Spin-valve Magnetoresistive) film has started, and the commercial production of the SVMR head has begun.
A common SVMR head includes a basic lamination as shown in FIG. 1. A device part is formed of an SVMR film formed by layering an antiferromagnetic layer 102, a pinned magnetic layer 103, a nonmagnetic layer 104, and a free magnetic layer in the order described on a substrate 101. A width C of the device part serves as a magnetic sensitive part S for detecting a signal magnetic field Hsig from a magnetic recording medium such as a hard disk. The SVMR head has terminal parts T1A and T1B on both ends of the device part in the direction of the width C. In the terminal parts T1A and T1B, conductive electrode terminals 106A and 106B are provided on hard ferromagnetic layers 107A and 107B, for instance. The hard ferromagnetic layers 107A and 107B are magnetizing bias means for magnetizing the free magnetic layer 105 in the direction of an arrow (the direction of an axis of easy magnetization) from the terminal parts T1A and T1B.
FIG. 2 shows an SVMR head 200 of another type. The SVMR head 200 is of a type called a terminal overlay. A basic structure is equal to that of the SVMR head 100 shown in FIG. 1. An SVMR device part is formed by layering an antiferromagnetic layer 202, a pinned magnetic layer 203, a nonmagnetic layer 204, and a free magnetic layer 205 in the order described on a substrate 201. Hard ferromagnetic layers 207A and 207B are provided on the terminal part T2A and T2B sides. However, electrode terminals 206A and 206B of terminal parts T2A and T2B are formed on both ends of the device part so as to cover parts thereof. The overlay-type SVMR head 200 has the magnetic sensitive part S narrower than the device width C by the width of an overlay by the terminal parts T2A and T2B. Thus, the overlay-type SVMR head 200 is devised so that reading and reproduction can be performed even if the track width of the magnetic recording medium is narrowed as the magnetic recording density increases.
FIG. 3 shows yet another overlay-type SVMR head 300. An SVMR film is formed by layering an antiferromagnetic layer 302, a pinned magnetic layer 303, a nonmagnetic layer 304, and a free magnetic layer 305 in the order described on a substrate 301. Terminal parts T3A and T3B are formed by ferromagnetic layers 307A and 307B and terminal electrodes 306A and 306B covering both ends of the SVMR film. As the ferromagnetic layers 307A and 307B, single-layer hard ferromagnetic layers or single-layer antiferromagnetic layers are employed. A bias magnetic field to set the magnetization orientation of the free magnetic layer in the direction of an arrow is applied by a static magnetic field if the ferromagnetic layers 307A and 307B are the single-layer hard ferromagnetic layers, and by an exchange coupling magnetic field if the ferromagnetic layers 307A and 307B are the single-layer antiferromagnetic layers.
Unlike the above-described SVMR heads 100 and 200 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the SVMR head 300 shown in FIG. 3, the SVMR film formed of the antiferromagnetic layer 302, the pinned magnetic layer 303, the nonmagnetic layer 304, and the free magnetic layer 305 extends from the terminal part T3A side to the other terminal T3B side. However, a part reacting to an external magnetic field as the SVMR head 300 is a part between the terminal parts T3A and T3B. Therefore, in this specification, a part of an SVMR head which parts includes an SVMR film and magnetically senses the signal magnetic field Hsig is referred to as a device part. Further, parts on both sides of the device part which parts include conductive electrode terminals and, in some cases, lamination parts formed below the electrode terminals may be referred to as terminal parts.
The SVMR head 100 applies a bias magnetic field from the hard ferromagnetic layers 107A and 107B on the terminal part sides to the free magnetic layer 105. Therefore, such an uneven state is entered that the bias magnetic field from the hard ferromagnetic layers 107A and 107B is strong on both ends of the free magnetic layer 105 and weak in a center part thereof. Accordingly, it is difficult to make the free magnetic layer 105 to act as a single magnetic domain, thus, in some cases, preventing the signal magnetic field Hsig from the magnetic recording medium from being detected with sufficient sensitivity.
Further, leakage magnetic fields from the hard ferromagnetic layers 107A and 107B extend as far as the pinned magnetic layer 103. Therefore, there is a problem of an inclination of the magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer 103 that should be fixed parallel to the signal magnetic field Hsig.
Moreover, the SVMR head 100, in its production process, has the SVMR film formed by layering the antiferromagnetic layer 102, the pinned magnetic layer 103, the nonmagnetic layer 104, and the free magnetic layer 105 in the order described on the substrate 101, and, normally, is etched thereafter to have the device part of a given size. By this etching, nonmagnetic parts N, which have such disordered crystal states as to lose magnetism, are formed on both ends of the device part. The nonmagnetic parts N are also formed on both ends of the free magnetic layer 105 reacting to the signal magnetic layer Hsig. This causes a problem that the width of the device part for magnetic sensing becomes narrower than is designed and a problem that noises are generated.
The overlay-type SVMR head 200 shown in FIG. 2 has the device part formed by etching as the SVMR head 200 of FIG. 1. If the electrode terminals 206A and 206B are to be formed to exactly cover the above-described nonmagnetic parts N, the SVMR head 200 can be formed to maintain its sensitivity and have a narrower device width. However, it is very difficult to position the electrode terminals 206A and 206B exactly on the nonmagnetic parts N in the production process. Further, both ends of the free magnetic layer 205 which ends are overlaid with the electrode terminals 206A and 206B still functions as a free magnetic layer. Therefore, both ends of the free magnetic layer 205 react to the signal magnetic field Hsig, which may cause noise generation. Further, in the case of reading a hard disk having a narrow track width, these parts read adjacent tracks, thus causing so-called crosstalk to be generated.
Further, the overlay-type SVMR head 300 has the ferromagnetic layers 307A and 307B flatly contacting the free magnetic layers 305 to apply the strong bias magnetic field thereto from the terminal parts. However, if the ferromagnetic layers 307A and 307B are single-layer hard ferromagnetic layers, it is difficult to secure a sufficient thickness in the terminal parts. This prevents application of a bias magnetic field required for controlling the magnetization direction of the free magnetic layer 305, thus precluding the device part from being sensitive to the signal magnetic field Hsig.
On the other hand, if the ferromagnetic layers 307A and 307B are single-layer antiferromagnetic layers, the bias magnetic field is applied from the antiferromagnetic layers to the free magnetic layer 305 by the exchange coupling magnetic field. Normally, the bias magnetic field is in a range of approximately 100 to 400 Oe, and is caused by the signal magnetic field Hsig from the magnetic recording medium to rotate up to the free magnetic layer 305 existing in the terminal parts, thus causing noises to be generated.
A description will be given below in detail.
In this specification, a term xe2x80x9corientationxe2x80x9d is used to mean a given direction with an arrow or the like, and a term xe2x80x9cdirectionxe2x80x9d is used to mean the direction and a direction reverse thereto without considering the orientation.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a spin-valve magnetoresistive head (an SVMR head) in which the above-described disadvantages are eliminated and a magnetic recording medium drive having such a head mounted therein.
The above object of the present invention is achieved by a spin-valve magnetoresistive head having a device part and terminal parts provided to both ends of the device part, the spin-valve magnetoresistive head including a first free magnetic layer formed from one to the other of the terminal parts and a lamination in the terminal parts on the first free magnetic layer, the lamination including an antiparallel coupling intermediate layer, a soft magnetic layer, and a first antiferromagnetic layer, the antiparallel coupling intermediate layer having a function of making front and rear magnetization orientation of a magnetic layer contacting the antiparallel coupling intermediate layer substantially antiparallel, the first antiferromagnetic layer applying to the soft magnetic layer a bias magnetic field substantially perpendicular to a direction of an external magnetic field to be detected.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first antiferromagnetic layer applies the bias magnetic field to the soft magnetic layer in the terminal parts. A magnetization direction caused by the bias magnetic field is substantially perpendicular to a direction of a signal magnetic field Hsig from a magnetic recording medium. Here, being substantially perpendicular means being perpendicular or inclined within approximately xc2x110 degrees to the perpendicular state.
Further, the soft magnetic layer and the first free magnetic layer oppose each other with the antiparallel coupling intermediate layer being interposed therebetween in the terminal parts. The antiparallel coupling intermediate layer makes the magnetization orientations of the soft magnetic layer and the first free magnetic layer substantially antiparallel. Here, being substantially antiparallel means being parallel or inclined within xc2x110 degrees to the parallel state with a reverse magnetization orientation.
The soft magnetic layer and the first free magnetic layer are magnetically coupled to each other across the antiparallel coupling intermediate layer. That is, the magnetic fields of the soft magnetic layer and the first free magnetic layer come to draw one closed loop. On the other hand, the soft magnetic layer and the first free magnetic layer help each other against an external magnetic field to prevent their magnetization directions from being inclined.
In this SVMR head of the present invention, when the external magnetic field is zero, the magnetization direction of the first free magnetic layer is the same in the device part and in the terminal parts. On the other hand, when subjected to the signal magnetic field Hsig, the magnetization direction of the first free magnetic layer turns only in the device part. At this point, as previously described, the magnetization direction of the first free magnetic layer is insensitive in the terminal parts, being held by the soft magnetic layer and the antiparallel coupling intermediate layer. Accordingly, the magnetization of the first free magnetic layer is prevented from turning with respect to the signal magnetic field Hsig in the terminal parts.
A protection layer, an insulating layer, and/or a gap layer may be added to the above-described SVMR head as required.
Then, in the spin-valve magnetoresistive head, the antiparallel coupling intermediate layer may be preferably formed from the one to the other of the terminal parts through the device part, and a nonmagnetic layer, a pinned magnetic layer, and a second antiferromagnetic layer may be provided in an order described under the first free magnetic layer from a side thereof.
Further in the spin-valve magnetoresistive head, the antiparallel coupling intermediate layer and the soft magnetic layer may be preferably formed from the one to the other of the terminal parts through the device part, the soft magnetic layer may serve as a second free magnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic layer, a pinned magnetic layer, and a second antiferromagnetic layer may be provided in an order described under the first free magnetic layer from a side thereof.
Further in the spin-valve magnetoresistive head, the antiparallel coupling intermediate layer and the soft magnetic layer may be also preferably formed from the one to the other of the terminal parts, the soft magnetic layer may serve as a second free magnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic layer, a pinned magnetic layer, and a second antiferromagnetic layer maybe provided in an order described on the second free magnetic layer from a side thereof in the device part.
Further in the spin-valve magnetoresistive head, a nonmagnetic layer, a pinned magnetic layer, and a second antiferromagnetic layer may be preferably provided in an order described on the first free magnetic layer from a side thereof in the device part.
Further in the spin-valve magnetoresistive head, it is preferable that the first antiferromagnetic layer should have an exchange coupling magnetic field of 100 to 400 Oe with the soft magnetic layer or the second free magnetic layer. If the exchange coupling magnetic field falls within the range of 100 to 400 Oe, the first free magnetic layer can be magnetically fixed in a given direction through the antiparallel coupling intermediate layer in the terminal parts so as to be insensitive to the external magnetic field. On the other hand, the first free magnetic layer can be made to act as a single magnetic domain to be turned in the device part when the signal magnetic field Hsig is input.
Further in the spin-valve magnetoresistive head, it is preferable that the antiparallel coupling intermediate layer should include ruthenium.
Further, the present invention preferably includes a composite-type magnetic head having a magnetic head for reproduction and a magnetic head for recording, wherein the magnetic head for reproduction is a spin-valve magnetoresistive head including a device part, terminal parts provided to both ends of the device part, and a lamination including a first free magnetic layer formed from one to the other of the terminal parts, an antiparallel coupling intermediate layer in the terminal parts on the first free magnetic layer, a soft magnetic layer, and a first antiferromagnetic layer, the antiparallel coupling intermediate layer having a function of making front and rear magnetization orientation of a magnetic layer contacting the antiparallel coupling intermediate layer substantially parallel, the first antiferromagnetic layer applying to the soft magnetic layer a bias magnetic field substantially perpendicular to a direction of an external magnetic field to be detected.
Furthermore, the present invention preferably includes a magnetic recording medium drive including a magnetic recording medium and a composite-type magnetic head for recording and reproduction, the composite-type magnetic head opposing a surface of the magnetic recording medium, the magnetic recording medium drive including a spin-valve magnetoresistive head as a reproducing magnetic head part of the composite-type magnetic head, the spin-valve magnetoresistive head including a device part, terminal parts provided to both ends of the device part, and a lamination including a first free magnetic layer formed from one to the other of the terminal parts, an antiparallel coupling intermediate layer in the terminal parts on the first free magnetic layer, a soft magnetic layer, and a first antiferromagnetic layer, the antiparallel coupling intermediate layer having a function of making front and rear magnetization orientation of a magnetic layer contacting the antiparallel coupling intermediate layer substantially antiparallel, the first antiferromagnetic layer applying to the soft magnetic layer a bias magnetic field substantially perpendicular to a direction of an external magnetic field to be detected.

Spin-valve magnetoresistive head, and composite-type magnetic head and magnetic recording medium drive using the same


Each sheet of a stack of media is aligned with a fixed alignment surface prior to being fed towards a process station of a printer by a single pick roll. During the first portion of its cycle of operation, the sheet advancing force of the pick roll, which is offset from the axis or centerline of the sheet, exerts a torque on at least the uppermost sheet of the stack to have one of its sides engage the alignment surface if it is skewed. When the one side of the sheet is not engaging the alignment surface when the pick roll is initially energized, the uppermost sheet's leading edge engages a resilient projection of an insert of a rib, which is offset from the axis of the sheet but farther from the alignment surface than the pick roll. The skewed sheet pivots about the projection, which is formed of a high coefficient of friction material, extending beyond the surface of the rib. During the remainder of its energization, the pick roll advances the sheet towards the process station of the printer.

In a printer, it is desired for each sheet of media to be aligned as accurately as possible when it enters a print mechanism (process station) of the printer. In inkjet printers, this alignment has primarily been accomplished by employing two pick rolls feeding each sheet of media from a stack of sheets into a feed roll nip and then backing the fed sheet up to align it with the feed mechanism feeding the sheet through the feed roll nip to the print mechanism.
Another alignment arrangement in an inkjet printer has fed each sheet of media from the two pick rolls into counter-rotating rolls, which are reversed after the sheet is ready to be fed to the print mechanism. The counter-rotating rolls enable the sheet to straighten its leading edge to some extent before the directions of the counter-rotating rolls are reversed.
Each of these arrangements has used the two pick rolls to maintain each sheet of media as straight as possible as the condition in which it was loaded. These arrangements have utilized two edge guides for engaging the two sides of each sheet of the media with at least one of the two edge guides being adjustable. This has required the user to load a stack of sheets against one of the edge guides, usually permanently fixed, and have the other, adjustable edge guide bearing against the opposite side of the stack of sheets.
If the adjustable edge guide is not firmly engaged with the side of the stack of sheets by the user and the sides of the sheets of the stack are not in contact along their entire length with the fixed edge guide, then the sheet will be skewed when advanced by the two pick rolls from the stack. As a result, the sheet may enter the print mechanism in a skewed condition, notwithstanding the previously suggested skew correction arrangements, because of the adjustable guide not being firmly retained against the side of each sheet, for example.


In a speaker recognition system, a tree-structured reference pattern storing unit has first through M-th node stages each of which has nodes that respectively store a reference pattern of inhibiting speakers. The reference pattern of each node of (N-1)-th node stage represents acoustic features in the reference patterns of predetermined ones of the nodes of the N-th node stage. An analysis unit analyzes input speech and converts the input speech into feature vectors. A similarities calculating unit calculates similarities between the feature vectors and the reference patterns of all of the inhibiting speakers. An inhibiting speaker selecting unit sorts the similarities and selects a predetermined number of inhibiting speakers. The similarities calculating unit calculates the similarity of the node of the first node stage and calculates the similarities of ones of the nodes of the N-th node stage which are connected to a predetermined number of nodes of the (N-1)-th node stage, selected in an order based on highest similarities.

This invention relates to a speaker recognition system which selects inhibiting cohort reference patterns.
In a manner which will later be described more in detail, in conventional speaker recognition techniques, there is a problem that a recognition accuracy is decreased by such as differences of enrollment and test condition, for example, additive noise and line characteristics. In order to resolve this problem, a likelihood ratio normalizing method which uses inhibiting reference patterns is proposed by such as Higgins, Rosenberg, and Matsui. Concretely, there is, as a first document, "A. Higgins, L. Bahler, and J. Porter: "Speaker Verification Using Randomized Phrase Prompting", Digital Signal Processing, 1, pp. 89-106 (1991)". Also, there is, as a second document, "Aaron E. Rosenberg, Joel DeLong, Chin-Hui Lee, Biing-Hwang Juang, Frank K. Soong: "The Use of Cohort Normalized Scores for Speaker Verification", ICSLP92, pp. 599-602 (1992)". Also, there is, as a third document, "Tomoko Matsui, Sadaoki Furui: "Speaker Recognition Using Concatenated Phoneme Models", ICSLP92, pp. 603-606 (1992)".
Generally, in the likelihood ratio normalizing method, N inhibit speakers are selected in an order from a speaker having a voice that is the closest to a voice of a true speaker. Therein, normalization of the likelihood ratio is carried out by subtracting each of likelihood ratios of the inhibit speakers from a likelihood ratio of the true speaker when distances are calculated in times of verifying. Here, there is such as a maximum likelihood of the inhibiting speakers or an average likelihood of the inhibiting speakers as the likelihood ratios of the inhibiting speakers to be subtracted. Since various differences of environments in times of recording and verifying influence both of the likelihood of the true speaker and the inhibiting speaker, it is possible to remove the various differences of environments in times of recording and verifying by subtracting the likelihood of the inhibiting speaker from the likelihood of the true speaker.
As explained in detail in the second document, the method of Rosenberg uses the utterance of the true speaker in the time of recording in case of calculating similarities in selection of inhibiting reference patterns. Also, as explained in detail in the first and the third documents, the methods of Higgins and Matsui use the utterance of the true person in the time of verifying in case of calculating similarities in selection of inhibiting reference patterns.
However, since the method of Rosenberg selects inhibiting speakers at the time of recording, effect of normalization is decreased when the environments in times of recording and verifying are different. Also, since the methods of Higgins and Matsui calculate, at the time of verifying, similarities between each of the inhibiting reference patterns and the utterance of the true person, a large processing amount requires patterns of a large number of speakers to calculate the similarities of reference of the utterance of the true person. Therefore, the methods of Higgins and Matsui select the inhibiting speakers from a small number of speakers. In this case, it is very difficult to select accurate inhibiting speakers.

Tree structured cohort selection for speaker recognition system


An antenna device includes a power feed coil and a ring-shaped conductor arranged about an axis and a ring-shaped conductor including first and second edge end portions in an axial direction and a cavity inward from the first edge end portion. At least a portion of the cavity overlaps with a coil opening of the power feed coil when seen from the radial direction. The power feed coil causes electric field coupling, magnetic field coupling, and/or electromagnetic field coupling with the cavity. The ring-shaped conductor defines and functions as a booster antenna of the power feed coil. A substantial coil opening defining and functioning as an antenna is larger than that when only the power feed coil is provided, thus facilitating coupling with a communication partner-side antenna coil.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna device, and in particular, relates to an antenna device included in, for example, a wearable terminal. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a communication terminal apparatus, and in particular, relates to a communication terminal apparatus that is used as, for example, a wearable terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, various ring-shaped communication terminal apparatuses such as finger rings, arm rings, and wristwatches, which are directly wearable by a human, have been devised. The communication terminal apparatuses are so-called wearable terminals (Wearable Devices) and are information terminals that are not portable like smart phones and notebook computers and are used in a state of being attached to a human body.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-187653 discloses a communication terminal apparatus including an integrated circuit, a wireless tag-side antenna, and a reader/writer-side antenna in a pedestal portion of a finger ring. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 3-202997 discloses a bracelet-type communication terminal apparatus that is connected to a control circuit in a main body and makes non-contact data communication with two sheet-shaped coils embedded in a belt. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-93368 discloses a ring-type communication terminal apparatus that incorporates a linear conductor continuous in the circumferential direction in an arm and functions as an antenna.
However, in each of the configurations disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-187653 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 3-202997, an antenna coil is not formed in the overall small-sized communication terminal apparatus but is only formed in a portion of it and a coil opening of the antenna coil is therefore small. For this reason, a magnetic flux interlinking with a communication partner-side antenna coil is decreased and a communicable distance in a communication system is short. Furthermore, in the configuration disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-93368, the linear conductor functioning as the antenna is incorporated in the arm of the ring by winding it in the circumferential direction to increase the thickness of the communication terminal apparatus. Moreover, when the arm of the ring, which incorporates therein the linear conductor, is made of metal, the arm made of metal shields a magnetic field, resulting in significant lowering in antenna characteristics.

Antenna device and communication terminal apparatus


A three-dimensional display for characterizing red, green and blue components of a video signal combines the three components to form two pairs of combination signals, one pair combining the green and blue components and the other pair combining the green and red components. The two pairs of combination signals are input alternately to the inputs of a vector display device to provide a symmetrical display about an axis of symmetry where one half characterizes the blue component, the other half characterizes the red component, and both halves characterize the green component. A diamond-shaped graticule is displayed for each half of the symmetrical display to define a color gamut region for the red, green and blue components.

The present invention relates to vectorscope displays, and more particularly to a three-dimensional RGB component vector display in the form of a diamond to simplify the interpretation of the characteristics of respective color components, red (R), green (G) and blue (B).
The "Lightning" display, as incorporated into the WFM300 Waveform Monitor manufactured by Tektronix, Inc. of Wilsonville, Oregon, United States of America, is a method for measuring characteristics of a component color video signal having a luminance component and two color difference components, commonly referred to as Y, Pb and Pr. This display is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,094 issued Jan. 6, 1987 to Tran Thong entitled "Method and Apparatus for Measurement of Component Video Signal Characteristics Using an Oscilloscope." This display is formed by inputting one color component to one axis of a display and the luminance component to the other, and then inputting the other color component to the one axis and an inverted luminance component to the other on alternating lines of the active video portion of the video signal. This display, when driven by RGB color components is difficult to interpret. The Lightning display is designed for Y, Pb, Pr, and an RGB input is matrixed to Y, Pb, Pr. This difficulty in interpretation occurs since Y is composed of a combination of all three RGB components and delay or gain errors of any one component always affects Y and, therefore, the entire display. If the RGB components are not matrixed to Y, Pb, Pr, then the Lightning display is very confusing since there is no longer a direct relationship between the RGB input and the Y, Pb, Pr display axes. Also with a Y, Pb, Pr display the gamut limit boundaries are not clearly defined.
What is desired is an RGB component vector display that is easy to interpret and defines clear gamut limit boundaries.

Three-dimensional RGB component vector display


A mounting method and a mounting device are provided, which can mount an electric component with high reliability by using an adhesive. The mounting method includes thermocompression bonding an IC chip onto a wiring board by using an anisotropic conductive adhesive film. During the thermocompression bonding, a top region of the IC chip is pressed against the wiring board with a predetermined pressure, and a side region of the IC chip is pressed with a pressure smaller than the pressure applied to the top region of the IC chip. An elastomer having rubber hardness of 40 or more and 80 or less is used for a compression bonding portion of a thermocompression bonding head. The anistropic conductive adhesive film contains a binding resin having melting viscosity of 1.0×102 mPa·s or more and 1.0×105 mPa·s or less.

The present invention relates to a technology for mounting an electric component such as a semiconductor chip on a wiring board. More particularly, the present invention relates to a technology for mounting an electric component by using an adhesive.
In order to directly mount a bare chip on a wiring board such as a printed wiring board, a method is conventionally known which uses an anisotropic conductive adhesive film in which conductive particles are dispersed in a binder.
In the mounting method using the anisotropic conductive adhesive film, an IC chip is placed on a substrate with the anisotropic conductive adhesive film bonded thereto, and then the IC chip is pressed and heated with a flat bonding head formed of ceramic, metal, or the like, so as to cure the anisotropic conductive adhesive film. In this manner, mounting by thermocompression bonding is performed.
In the method using the bonding head formed of metal or the like for pressurization and heating, there is a problem that a heat applied to a fillet portion of the adhesive around the IC chip is insufficient during thermocompression bonding, thus lowering connection reliability. Moreover, there is also a problem that it is difficult to mount a plurality of IC chips.
Therefore, a technique has been proposed in recent years in order to overcome the above problems, in which thermocompression bonding of an IC chip is performed by using a thermocompression bonding head formed of an elastic material such as silicon rubber.
See, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-79611; and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-359264.
However, in the aforementioned conventional technique, a pressing force applied between a bump and a pattern which connect the IC chip and the substrate to each other is not sufficient. Thus, sufficient connection is not performed and it is not possible to ensure initial conduction resistance and connection reliability after aging.

Sony Chemical & Information Device Corporation


A valve actuation mechanism has a plurality of links. Each link has a proximal end and distal end, and the links are disposed adjacent a valve member. The actuation mechanism also has at least one roller connected to the distal ends of at least two links. The roller contacts a surface of the valve member. In addition, at least one pivot for each link is present in the valve, wherein each pivot is positioned on the proximal end of each of the plurality of links.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for the discharge of one or more fire extinguishing agent(s). More particularly, the invention relates to a valve opening mechanism suited to the rapid discharge of fire extinguishing agent(s) and other high mass flow applications.
The invention refers to an apparatus used to rapidly disperse extinguishing agents within a confined space such as the crew compartment of a military vehicle following a fire or explosion event. These automatic fire extinguishing systems (AFES) are deployed after the event has been detected, typically using high speed infrared (IR) and/or ultra violet (UV) sensors. The systems comprise a cylinder filled with extinguishing agent, a fast acting valve and nozzle which enables rapid and efficient deployment of agent throughout the vehicle.
The rapid discharge of a fire extinguishing agent into confined areas of vehicles subsequent to an incident (such as a fuel explosion) is known to suppress the adverse effects experienced by the personnel within the vehicle to survivable levels. Some of the criteria used to determine a survivable event include extinguishing the flame and preventing re-flashing; a reduction in temperature to prevent greater than second degree burns; and the realization of safe levels (i.e. levels up to which personnel can continue to carry out their duties) of overpressure, acid gas, oxygen and concentration of fire extinguishing agent within the vehicle.
A known apparatus for fire extinguishing in such circumstances comprises a generally cylindrical canister which contains a fire extinguishing agent which is pressurized by a gas such as nitrogen. The fire extinguishant agent must be applied rapidly. The outlet for the extinguishant from the canister is typically positioned at the base of the cylinder. A high rate discharge (HRD) valve is operated to allow the discharge of the extinguishing agent. The opening of the valve allows the nitrogen to expand, pushing the extinguishant between it and the valve out through the valve. The orientation of the canister and the location of the outlet in the cylinder allow a high proportion of the extinguishing agent to be discharged rapidly (because the extinguishing agent will be pushed out of the outlet by the nitrogen adjacent the extinguishing agent).
Existing HRD valves, following an actuation, are normally re-furbished away from the vehicle prior to re-use. In certain field conditions this causes logistical and cost issues as both the return of used suppressors and the supply of new or re-furbished hardware to the vehicle is required. In an attempt to minimize this inconvenience, a new design of the HRD valve is being disclosed that can, if required, be disposed of rather than re-furbished. The proposed modified valve may incorporate some common features to the existing valve such as outlet and pressure gauge locations but maintain system efficacy against the fire/explosion challenges.

High rate discharge (HRD) valve opening mechanism for a fire and explosion protection


A low resistance fuse apparatus and methods of manufacture includes a first intermediate insulation layer, a second intermediate insulation layer, and a free standing fuse element layer independently formed and fabricated from each of the first and second intermediate insulation layers, The fuse element layer includes first and second contact pads and a fusible link extending therebetween. The first and second intermediate insulation layers extend on opposite sides of the free standing fuse element layer and are laminated together with the fuse element layer therebetween.

This invention relates generally to fuses, and, more particularly, to fuses employing foil fuse elements.
Fuses are widely used as overcurrent protection devices to prevent costly damage to electrical circuits. Typically, fuse terminals or contacts form an electrical connection between an electrical power source and an electrical component or a combination of components arranged in an electrical circuit. One or more fusible links or elements, or a fuse element assembly, is connected between the fuse terminals or contacts, so that when electrical current through the fuse exceeds a predetermined threshold, the fusible elements melt, disintegrate, sever, or otherwise open the circuit associated with the fuse to prevent electrical component damage.
A proliferation of electronic devices in recent times has resulted in increased demands on fusing technology. For example, a conventional fuse includes a wire fuse element (or alternatively a stamped and/or shaped metal fuse element) encased in a glass cylinder or tube and suspended in air within the tube. The fuse element extends between conductive end caps attached to the tube for connection to an electrical circuit. However, when used with printed circuit boards in electronic applications, the fuses typically must be quite small, leading to manufacturing and installation difficulties for these types of fuses that increase manufacturing and assembly costs of the fused product.
Other types of fuses include a deposited metallization on a high temperature organic dielectric substrate (e.g. FR-4, phenolic or other polymer-based material) to form a fuse element for electronic applications. The fuse element may be vapor deposited, screen printed, electroplated or applied to the substrate using known techniques, and fuse element geometry may be varied by chemically etching or laser trimming the metallized layer forming the fuse element. However, during an overcurrent condition, these types of fuses tend to conduct heat from the fuse element into the substrate, thereby increasing a current rating of the fuse but also increasing electrical resistance of the fuse, which may undesirably affect low voltage electronic circuits. In addition, carbon tracking may occur when the fuse element is in close proximity to or is deposited directly on a dielectric substrate. Carbon tracking will not allow the fuse to fully clear or open the circuit as the fuse was intended.
Still other fuses employ a ceramic substrate with a printed thick film conductive material, such as a conductive ink, forming a shaped fuse element and conductive pads for connection to an electrical circuit. However, inability to control printing thickness and geometry can lead to unacceptable variation in fused devices. Also, the conductive material that forms the fuse element typically is fired at high temperatures so a high temperature ceramic substrate must be used. These substrates, however, tend to function as a heat sink in an overcurrent condition, drawing heat away from the fuse element and increasing electrical resistance of the fuse.
In many circuits high fuse resistance is detrimental to the functioning of active circuit components, and in certain applications voltage effects due to fuse resistance may render active circuit components inoperable.

Low resistance polymer matrix fuse apparatus and method


A three-dimensionally formed circuit sheet comprises a resin film and a circuit pattern formed of an electrically conductive paste on the resin film. The electrically conductive paste contains, as a binder, a resin that is three-dimensionally formable. The resin film and the circuit pattern are formed in a three-dimensional shape. A method for manufacturing the three-dimensionally formed circuit sheet is also provided. The method comprises forming a circuit pattern on a resin film using an electrically conductive paste by means of printing, wherein the electrically conductive paste contains a resin that is three-dimensionally formable, and press molding the resin film including the circuit pattern into a three-dimensional shape. Additionally, a three-dimensionally formed circuit component comprising a three-dimensionally formed circuit sheet and a base member and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed.

The present invention relates to a circuit sheet and the components thereof having a three-dimensional structure and a method for manufacturing the same. These circuit sheet and components are used in display panels or operation panels for household electrical appliances, and switching parts for mobile telephones, portable information devices, or interior parts of motor vehicles.
In such a three-dimensionally formed circuit sheet, circuit patterns has been conventionally formed on a three-dimensional film substrate by a photographic method (ultraviolet exposure method) or a plating method that are typically used for manufacturing printed wiring boards.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-319068 discloses a method for manufacturing a three-dimensionally formed circuit component using a photographic method. According to the manufacturing method, a photomask is formed using two-dimensional and three-dimensional masks, and a three-dimensionally formed substrate previously subjected to plating and resist treatments is prepared. Then, the three-dimensionally formed substrate is exposed and developed in a state wherein the photomask is in close contact with the three-dimensionally formed substrate, to form an electric-circuit pattern on the three-dimensionally formed substrate.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-129995 discloses a method for manufacturing a three-dimensionally formed circuit component using a plating method. According to the manufacturing method, a circuit pattern consisting of an electrically conductive layer is formed by printing on the surface of a flatly molded electrical insulating layer, followed by bending the molded electrical insulating layer into a three-dimensional shape. Then, a metal layer is formed on the electrically conductive layer by plating.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-36240 describes a transferring method for forming a circuit pattern by thermally transferring a film, on which a circuit pattern is formed of a copper foil or the like, onto a substrate.
However, the formation of a circuit sheet using photographic or plating methods requires a number of chemicals including an etchant and a plating solution in processing steps such as a step of roughing the surface of the resin. Since wastes from such chemicals cause significant damage to the global environment, environmental protection for a manufacturing process and the control of the used chemicals are complicated.
In the transferring method, a transfer film having a circuit pattern must be previously fabricated. In addition, since the transfer of the film onto the curved or corner portions of the substrate is difficult, the shape of the substrate on which a circuit can be formed is limited.
In the circuit component disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-36240, a resin film and a circuit pattern are three-dimensionally formed individually, and are integrated by laminating in a mold. In this case, a number of molding steps are required leading to increase in manufacturing costs.
The present invention has been devised for solving such conventional problems, and an objective of the present invention is to provide a three-dimensionally formed circuit sheet and components that can be manufactured through a simple process without breakage of circuit patterns, and a method for manufacturing the same.

Three-dimensionally formed circuit sheet, component and method for manufacturing the same


A pad is provided outside a pad block. The most appropriate position is determined for the pad which is connected to the pad block. The pad block is arranged to be most appropriate in position relative to the pad, and a coordinate of the pad block is determined to be used for interconnection of internal regions of the pad block.

Conventionally, various CAD tools, automatic design methods, etc. have been proposed on the mask pattern design of semiconductor integrated circuits. Especially, the design using an automatic lay-out tool is a main stream in the mask pattern design of semiconductor integrated circuits which are applied to a specific use called "ASIC", because the semiconductor integrated circuits are required to be delivered to customers in a short term.
A conventional automatic design process includes steps of sampling coordinates of the most appropriate positions for pads, determining an arrangement of pad blocks each including a pad, a transistor region and a logic circuit region, determining an arrangement of a pad, a transistor region, and a logic circuit region in each pad block, and interconnecting the pad, the transistor region, and the logic circuit region. In the pad block, the pad is connected to an inner lead of a lead frame, and to the transistor region including N and P channel transistors for providing an output buffer circuit which is driven by the logic circuit region, and the transistor and logic circuit regions are provided with power supply terminals and ground terminals.
In the coordinate sampling step, a coordinate of the most appropriate pad position is determined in consideration of a lead frame and a chip size. In the next step, a pad block is arranged, such that a center coordinate of a pad is coincided with the determined coordinate. Then, automatic arrangement and interconnection of the internal regions are carried out in each pad block in accordance with coordinates of a pad block which is arranged at the preceding step.
However, the conventional automatic design process has a disadvantage in that a pad can not be provided at a corner region of a semiconductor chip having an area smaller than that for accommodating a designed pad block, because a pad is designed to be positioned in a pad block. In such a case, a pad which is positioned in a pad block is manually shifted to the corner region of the semiconductor chip under the condition that the pad block is provided proximate to the corner region, and interconnection is completed among the internal regions of the pad block, and the shifted pad is manually connected to the original pad block.

Process for lay-out of a semiconductor integrated circuit


The present invention relates to a vehicle seat having a seat part and a backrest, wherein the seat part and the backrest can be adjusted relative to one another by an adjustment mechanism, wherein a base plate which holds the adjustment mechanism is provided, wherein the base plate has at least two passage openings through which the base plate is connected to the seat part by fasteners, wherein one of the passage openings is in the form of an elongate hole.

The invention relates to a vehicle seat having a seat part and a backrest, as well as a vehicle having such a seat.
A vehicle seat generally comprises a backrest for supporting the back of a vehicle occupant sitting on the vehicle seat in the normal position. The backrest is able to be adjusted by means of an adjustment mechanism relative to the seat part of the vehicle seat into a position which is comfortable for the vehicle occupant. The backrest may also be provided with a head restraint which is arranged in a rigid or relatively pivotable manner with regard to the backrest.
Generally, the adjustment mechanism is arranged on a base plate which is fastened by means of a screw connection to the seat part. The base plate and the seat part in each case generally have at least two passage openings which are arranged adjacent to one another in an approximately horizontal plane and into which fastening means engage.
In the event of rear-end collisions in which a vehicle strikes against the rear of a vehicle which is stationary or moving slowly, the inertia of the vehicle occupants relative to the vehicle seat leads to acceleration of the vehicle occupants in the relevant vehicles, potentially resulting in severe injuries of the cervical spine (so-called whiplash injury) when there is no support of the head.
It is known from the prior art to provide head restraints which are intended, for example, to retain the head when it moves backwards. In this case, the resilience of the head restraint or the mounting thereof may result in said head restraint or the mounting thereof pivoting forward and then rearward. This rebound is undesirable.


This invention relates to a real time signal analyzer that can produce time domain data and frequency domain data at the substantial same time and in real time, securing the simultaneousness between them, and can analyze them with changing the setting of the center frequency and the signal analysis span arbitrarily in low cost configuration. The apparatus has frequency conversion means 14 and 16 for shifting the frequency of input time domain data according to a selectable center frequency data and for decimating them according to a selectable decimation coefficient, a FFT processor 18 for FFT processing the output data of the frequency conversion means in real time, a delay means 28 for delaying the output data of the frequency conversion means for a predetermined time, a frequency domain data memory means 32 for storing the FFT processed frequency domain data from the FFT processor, a time domain data memory means 36 for storing the delayed time domain data read out from the delay means, and feedback means 30 and 38 for feeding the data read out from the time domain data memory means back to the frequency conversion means instead of the input time domain data.

The present invention relates to a signal analyzer that can analyze a signal in real time. More particularly, it relates to a real time signal analyzer that can produce time domain data and frequency domain data at substantially the same time and in real time, securing the coincidence between them, and can analyze them with resetting the center frequency and the signal analysis span arbitrarily in low cost configuration.
A real time FFT analyzer is a measurement apparatus that continuously transforms a signal under test by the process in real time without dead time in order to extract the frequency domain component from the signal to analyze it. FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of a conventional FFT analyzer that provides such a real time process. An ADC (analog to digital converter) 10 converts a signal under test into a digital signal and then an IQ separator 12 separates it into the I (In-Phase) component and the Q (Quadrature-Phase) component. A digital mixer 14 provides a frequency shift process to the I component data and the Q component data according to a center frequency data and a decimation filter 16 provides a decimation process to these data according to a, selectable decimation coefficient. The decimation coefficient is defined as the ratio of the element number of the input data to that of the output data of the decimation filter 16. The value of the decimation coefficient data is decided depending on the setting of the data analysis span of the analyzer. An FFT processor 18, transforms the decimated time domain data, for example, 1024 points of the time domain data as one frame, into frequency domain data by the FFT. (Fast Fourier Transform) process. The decimation filter 16 has a data buffer (not shown) in the output portion, for sequential storage of one frame of data, and the data are written in this data buffer sequentially and continuously. The FFT processor 18 can complete the FFT process of the previous frame during the storage of the new data into the data buffer that allows the real time FFT analysis of the data. A memory 20 stores the output data of the FFT processor 18 sequentially. A trigger circuit 22 can set a trigger condition to the data in the memory 20. If the trigger condition is satisfied, the trigger circuit 22 outputs a trigger signal to read out the data that qualify the trigger condition from the memory 20. A CPU 24 controls the whole of the real time analyzer. The data read out from the memory 20 are sent to a display circuit (not shown) to display them on a display screen (not shown). This real time FFT analyzer can extract spectrum (or frequency component) data in real time without dead time and can capture an event occurrence that meets an arbitrary trigger condition for record and display.
It is necessary for the described real time FFT analyzer to set a center frequency and a signal analysis span, but it would be difficult to set these condition properly at the beginning if, especially, a signal under test has a transient variation or an incidental fluctuation. In such a case, it is desirable to set a wider analysis span at first and analyze and display the signal, and then to reset the center frequency and the analysis span any analyze the signal again to get a magnified display of a remarkable point of the signal component. Such a process, however, has been realized in a CPU by software before so that it requires plenty of time for the second data analysis and display process. Therefore there was such an attempt as further provides a zoom processor 26 (FIG. 3) specialized for zoom processing in order to make the signal process fast, but this leads the system to a complicate one and then cost up.
Besides, when it conducts the signal analysis and the signal display after changing the center frequency and the analysis span and if the signal is transient or incidental, it is impossible for the conventional signal analyzer as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 to trace the original event accurately even if it acquires and analyzes the signal again.
Therefore what is desired is to provide a real time signal analyzer that can provide a low cost signal analysis with resetting the center frequency and the analysis span.
What is further desired is to provide a real time signal analyzer that allows any times of resetting of the center frequency and the analysis span even if the signal has a transient variation or an incidental fluctuation.
What is further desired is to provide a real time signal analyzer that produces time and frequency domain data at substantially the same time, having time correspondence and securing the coincidence between them, and can analyze them with resetting the center frequency and the analysis span.
A real time signal analyzer according to the present invention has a frequency conversion means for decimating input time domain data according to a selectable decimation coefficient, an FFT processor for transforming the output data of the frequency conversion means by the FFT process in real time, a delay means for delaying the output data of the frequency conversion means for a predetermined time, a frequency domain data memory means for storing the FFT processed frequency domain data from the FFT processor, a time domain data memory means for storing the delayed time domain data read out from the delay means, and a feedback means for feeding the data read out from the time domain data memory means back to the frequency conversion means instead of said input time domain data.
The delay means provides a predetermined delay time to the time domain data that makes the frequency domain data in the frequency domain data memory means and the time domain data in the time domain data memory means have time correspondence. It provides a repetitive FFT analysis according to the most suitable center frequency or decimation coefficient by means of feeding the time domain data from the time domain data memory means back to the frequency conversion means.


A method of installing a driver for a plug and play device is provided, wherein the plug and play device includes a main function device and a storage device meeting a standard specification. The storage device stores a driver required by the main function device. The main function device and storage device may be connected to the host in two different ways after the plug and play device is installed to the host. The first way is to connect the two devices to the host simultaneously. The host loads a built-in standard driver for the storage device from the host to access the storage device, and then loads the driver required by the main function device from the storage device to gain freely access to the main function device. The second way is to connect the storage device to the host, and to cause the host to copy the main function device driver from the storage device to the host's storage device (e.g., a disk drive). Next, the main function device is connected to the host. At this time, the host can directly load the copied driver for the main function device and retrieve the device accordingly.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of installing a driver, and more particularly to a method of installing a driver for a plug and play (PNP) device.
2. Description of the Related Art
The computer industry has seen a great deal of progress. In order to let peripheral devices be easily connected, PNP peripherals play important roles. Almost all hardware devices (e.g., printers, scanners, modems, and display cards) have a PNP configuration. Most peripherals are not standard devices automatically supported by the host. Hardware devices sold to users must include drivers stored on optical or magnetic disks that users can install in order to be able to use their hardware devices. During the installation, the user has to instruct the host to retrieve the driver that is stored on the optical diskto complete. The installation of the PNP device is convenient when used with a driver stored on optical or magnetic disks, but the hardware device will not work if the driver disk is lost. For example, the trend of users assembling their own computer is growing, and the operation system (OS) of a host may be changed frequently. When the operation system is changed, the drivers for each peripheral device have to be reinstalled. If the disk containing the driver is lost, the hardware will not. The user may back up all of the drivers for all the hardware devices on the hard disk, but this may take up a large amount of hard disk space and cannot be considered a proper storage method.

Method of installing a plug and play device driver


The present invention provides a method of gel-casting WC—Co cemented carbide powder, where the resulting gelled body can be of complex shape and has a high green density, a good homogeneity and sufficiently good mechanical properties for the gelled body to be demolded and dried without significant shape-distortions and cracking. The method relates to the forming of a gelled body through the gelling of an aqueous slurry of WC—Co cemented carbide powder with good dispersion characteristics, where the gelling is achieved by the temperature induced polymerization reaction between a monomer and a cross-linker, catalyzed by a free-radical initiator. By further subjecting the body to drying, heating, and sintering, a dense cemented carbide body is obtained.

This invention relates generally to gel-casting and more particularly to gel-casting of well dispersed aqueous slurry mixtures of powders for WC—Co cemented carbides with high solids loading.
Cemented carbide is a class of materials used in applications where, e.g., high wear resistance is desired. Products of cemented carbide includes inserts for turning, milling or hole making, as well as solid carbide drills, cutting blades and dies used for, e.g., wire drawing. The geometry of the mentioned products can be more or less complex. Different methods exist for forming cemented carbide powders into complex shapes. The methods include processing steps where the powder is by some means transformed to a powder compact, followed by a heat treatment during which the compact forms a solid cemented carbide body. Machining of a solid cemented carbide body to desired shape and dimension is time consuming and expensive and does not always offer enough flexibility. Kingery et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,688 discloses a method wherein a refractory powder is mixed with a paraffin binder at a temperature where the binder is liquid, and the resulting mixture is cast into a mold of the desired shape. The viscosities of these mixtures are often such that significant pressure is needed in order to fill the cavity of the mold. The molds are therefore often made of a wear resistant material which makes them time consuming and expensive to manufacture. It would be of great interest if a cemented carbide mixture could be made with such viscosity that the mixture could be cast in a mold made of a material cheap to manufacture. One method of forming complex shapes of cemented carbide powder is gel-casting. The process involves the transition of a system from a liquid suspension into a solid, where the liquid has a viscosity suitable for casting at low applied pressures.
Different organic systems for gel-casting exist, using, e.g., starch gelling, denaturing of proteins or polymerization, Sigmund, Bell and Bergström, "Novel Powder-Processing Methods for Advanced ceramics", J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 83, 1557, 2,000.
In the case of polymerization, the gel-casting process comprises adding to a powder slurry a polymerizing system, and by subjecting the resulting mixture to, e.g., an increase in temperature, such that the components of the polymerizing system undergo a transition to a solid gel.
Golibersuch, U.S. Pat. No. 2,698,232, discloses casting of thixotropic slurries of cemented carbide and polymerizable agents in organic solvent. The solidification or the hardening of the slurries is controlled by the formation of a gel of the soluble polymerizable agents, e.g., unsaturated polyesters and vinyl derivatives. The polymerization is initiated by the addition of a catalyst and increasing temperature. Golibersuch discloses casting mixtures containing 38-41.5% by volume of cemented carbide powder.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,194, Janney describes a method for gel-casting ceramic powders in organic solvent. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,028,362 and 5,145,908, Janney and Omatete disclose the gel-casting of ceramic particles in aqueous solvent, using as the polymerizing vehicle at least one monofunctional monomer and at least one difunctional monomer; the functional groups of these monomers being selected from vinyl or allyl groups. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,279 Walls et al disclose a method for forming a gel-cast body of inorganic powder, specifically ceramic powders, without the use of a cross-linking agent, in an aqueous solution. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,299, Janney and Walls disclose the use of a plasticizer for improved drying behavior and machinability when gel-casting an inorganic powder using a monomer system.
A critical parameter in gel-casting is the solids loading. A higher solids loading means less segregation of powder in the slurry; a higher density and strength of the green body; less risk of drying cracks when the part is dried; and less shrinkage, thus less form and dimension distortions during sintering. A solids loading of at least 50% by volume is desired, Janney et al., "Development of Low-Toxicity Gelcasting Systems, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 81, 581, 1998. Optimal gel-casting systems are characterized by a high solids loading and a low viscosity of the slurry. Since the low viscosity is necessary to make the mixture easy to handle and to cast into a mold before gelling, the dispersion of the slurry is a critical issue. For ceramic applications, several dispersants are commercially available and their use is relatively straight-forward.
In the case of WC—Co cemented carbide powders, Bergström and Laarz, US 2002/010219 describe how the surface chemistry of the WC and Co particles makes cemented carbide powders difficult to disperse in polar solvents. In aqueous solution, the WC particles will be covered by an acidic surface oxide, WO3, whereas CoO at the Co-particle surfaces is alkaline. They disclose the use of a cationic polyelectrolyte, polyethyleneimine (PEI), as a dispersant for the fabrication of well dispersed aqueous or ethanol based slurries of cemented carbide powders, which gives a significant decrease of the slurry viscosity as compared to formerly known techniques.
Compared to ethanol based slurries, aqueous slurries present the advantages of being easier to handle since there is no risk of explosions, as well as being environmentally harmless.
However, as the polymerizing system, as well as dispersed slurries of WC—Co cemented carbide powder, consist of several different components, which can interact with each other in different ways, this can lead to unwanted mixture characteristics as well as an obstruction of the gelling process or an unsatisfying gel quality. When applied to aqueous slurries of WC—Co cemented carbide powders, the polymerizing systems suggested by the above mentioned documents either fail to gel or give gels of insufficient mechanical strength. Premature gelling, making the process very difficult to control, is another problem related to such interactions.

Method of gel-casting a cemented carbide body slurry and gelled body