Portable personal water purifier with a microdischarge array sealed with a radiation emitter, preferably Xel, slightly above atmospheric or water pressure in a closely-configured treatment chamber. Each array is a polyimide film separating a copper layer or mesh cathode surface from a conductor pattern of nickel anodes at UV pixel via sites, juxtaposed in effective purifying range of all the water. In a canteen embodiment, the array is presented as a divider in the water chamber, or at its sides. In a continuous-flow embodiment, the array is presented as a spiral flow-through packet between input and output connections axial to a cylindrical water jacket. Battery or plug power is provided, along with any desired input filter. Two microdischarge arrays are preferably sealed in a twin-pack about a set of stiffener rods, extending outward for re-assembly in sockets after cleaning. Other separation assurance devices are spiral and chain separators.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for treating fluids with radiation, and particularly relates to a portable personal water purification system.
(2) Description of Related Art
A portable water purification system that can rapidly eliminate microbiological contaminants from suspect water sources is attractive for both military and commercial sectors. Such a system enables soldiers, outdoorsmen, and other persons who lack access to clean water to reduce or eliminate the need to transport water for the trip. The requirements for such a system include: low cost, light weight, low power consumption, ruggedness, high water flow rate, durability, and, of course, ability to produce water meeting drinking standards such as the Tri-service standard described in TB Med 577. Current water purification technologies suffer from limitations that have impeded their implementation in a low-cost, portable configuration. We address key barriers to the development of such a portable water purification system through the use of a novel, low-power, flexible ultraviolet (UV) light source for rapid disinfection of microbiological contaminants including bacteria, protozoan cysts, and viruses.
Many technologies for water purification have been developed, including mechanical filtration, distillation, reverse osmosis, UV disinfection, chlorination, and ozonation. Each of these technologies suffers from major limitations that have diminished their adoption for portable water purification. In many cases, the technologies effective to meet the requirements in some areas outlined above are severely limited for meeting other requirements. For example, reverse osmosis (RO), is very effective at removal of pathogens in water, is light weight and requires no power consumption. However, reverse osmosis is an extremely slow process, can be costly, and is not rugged in that its effectiveness can be compromised by membrane rupture.
We present a novel, low-power, water purification system that incorporates a flexible microdischarge array as a source for UV disinfection. Such arrays are attractive as a large-area flexible sheet UV light source for germicidal applications due to their ruggedness, conformability, low manufacturing cost, and efficiency. In addition, they can be tailored to deliver the exact spectrum required for disinfection (200-300 nm with a peak at 254 nm) and can operate using nontoxic alternatives to mercury, such as XeI. We integrate the flexible microdischarge array into a water purification system that will enable removal of bacteria to 6 logs, protozoan cysts to 3 logs, and viruses to 4 logs. The disinfection system is lightweight (<18 oz.), performs at high speed (>1 liter/min), and produces at least 150 liters of potable water prior to maintenance. Finally, we incorporate mechanical prefilters to assist in removal of turbidity and toxic contaminants.


Processes for providing a durable glass dielectric layer on an electrically conductive substrate are disclosed. Also disclosed are electrostatic chucks made by the process that include an electrically conductive substrate coated with a layer of glass having a composition that includes 60 wt. % to 80 wt. % SiO.sub.2.

Electrostatic chucks (ESCs) are gaining popularity in the semiconductor wafer processing industry because they offer a variety of advantages over mechanical or vacuum chucks. Unlike vacuum chucks, electrostatic chucks are ideally suited for use in vacuum environments. As compared with mechanical chucks, ESCs have fewer moving parts, eliminate front side coverage of the wafer, and lessen risk of particle contamination. Ideally, ESCs offer the potential for rapid and strong clamping and declamping of semiconductor wafers over a range of temperatures without bowing or warping the wafer.
Although ESCs can have multiple structural configurations, they generally require a surface dielectric layer covering an electrode. A variety of dielectric coatings have been proposed for use in ESCs, including alumina (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,413,360 to Atari et al., 5,384,681 to Kitabayashi and 5,207,437 to Barnes et al.), silica (see, e.g., Barnes et al.), silicon nitride (see, e.g., Atari et al.), tantalum oxide, diamond (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,856 to Liporace), polyimide and polytetrafluoroethylene.
One of the challenges in ESC manufacture is the ability to reproducibly prepare dielectric coatings on metal electrodes that are durable and perform well over a range of temperatures and electric fields. Some glass or glass-ceramic compositions are known for making coatings on metal surfaces; however, the dielectric properties of these coatings and/or their compatibility in ESCs are not disclosed.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,271 to Schittenhelm et al. discloses steel substrates coated with electrically insulating coatings of a fusible material comprising about 43-47 wt. % B.sub.2 O.sub.3, 29-33 wt. % CaO, 10-15 wt. % SiO.sub.2, 7-10 wt. % Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and 1-2 wt. % MgO.
JP 60-103190 discloses borosilicate coated metal articles that are particularly suited for use as electronic components. Table 1 of this reference summarizes four examples in which aluminum substrates were coated with varying amounts of SiO.sub.2 (5-53%), B.sub.2 O.sub.3 (10.5-19%), Na.sub.2 O (0.0-4.2%), Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 (0.0-15.0%), ZnO (1.5-20%), BaO (0.0-18%) and/or other oxides. Stainless steel is another substrate disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,521 to Fu et al. discloses borosilicate glass compositions suitable as protective coatings for metal substrates, such as non-pickled steel substrates. The compositions according to Fu et al. comprise 49.1-56.2% SiO.sub.2 and 6.6-14.8% B.sub.2 O.sub.3. Dielectric properties of the coating are not disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,937 to Bayer et al. discloses a method of bonding metal parts with a glass adhesive, such as a glass adhesive comprising about 38 parts SiO.sub.2, 57 parts B.sub.2 O.sub.3, 5 parts Na.sub.2 O and 2 parts Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3. Combinations of glass and metal are selected so that the glass has a coefficient of expansion less than, or not appreciably greater than, that of the metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,379,942 to Davis discloses barium-borate glass compositions suitable for use as capacitor dielectrics that comprise stacks of interleaved metal and glass layers. The barium-borate glasses include about 25-35 wt. % BaO, 5-10 wt. % SiO.sub.2 and 1-6 wt. % Al.sub.2 O.sub.3. Davis teaches that the composition must comprise some amount of TiO.sub.2 because it improves chemical durability and maintains a low viscosity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,824 to Leonard et al. discloses a method for enameling ferrous objects, such as steel, with a dielectric borosilicate coating including about 16-45 wt. % SiO.sub.2, 10-26 wt. % B.sub.2 O.sub.3 and 2-20 wt. % BaO and/or CaO. Leonard et al. teaches that the coating must comprise at least 5 wt. % of an adhesion promoting oxide, of which at least 1 wt. % must be cupric oxide.
The preparation of dielectric surface coatings for ESCs is complicated by factors including: stresses and porosity that are likely to form in coatings prepared from glass or ceramic green sheets (see, for example, Bang and Lu, "Constrained-Film Sintering of a Borosilicate Glass: In Situ Measurement of Film Stresses," J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 78(3), pgs. 813-815, 1995; Bang and Lu, "Densification Kinetics of Glass Films Constrained on Rigid Substrates," J. Mater. Res., 10(5), pgs. 1321-1326, 1995; and Choe et al., "Constrained-film Sintering of a Gold Circuit Paste," J. Mater. Res., 10(4), pgs. 986-994, 1995), and mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients (or linear coefficients of expansion). Unlike free films, and to a lesser extent sandwiched films, the exposed dielectric films on ESCs experience stresses that may lead to cracking or peeling of the dielectric layer. Further hazards for the ESC are exposure to reactive gases during processing of the semiconductor wafers, and chemical reaction with the silicon wafer. In addition, problems may arise from crystal growth or phase changes that may occur both in firing the coating on the ESC electrode as well as during temperature cycling during use of the ESC. Similarly, repeated electric field cycling during ESC clamping and declamping operations may degrade the coating. It has been reported that grain boundaries are critical sites at the clamping surface of the ESC. See Watanabe et al., "Electrostatic Charge Distribution in the Dielectric Layer of Alumina Electrostatic Chuck," J. Mater. Science 29, pgs. 3510-3516, 1994. Thus, the type and distribution of grain boundaries in the dielectric coating are another important consideration in the design of the ESC coatings. In summary, the myriad of complex and interrelated factors make the task of providing dielectric coatings for ESCs both challenging and unpredictable.

Process for providing a glass dielectric layer on an electrically conductive substrate and electrostatic chucks made by the process

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.


A thin-walled guide wire tube is fixedly and sealably attached to both a proximal section and a distal section of a balloon angioplasty catheter. A stent is co-axially mounted onto the inflatable balloon of the balloon angioplasty catheter. Because the guide wire tube forms an inner liner for the balloon angioplasty catheter, the fluid inflation lumen of the catheter is sealed so the inflation liquid that pressurizes the balloon will not leak as it would be if there were no “inner liner” and the balloon angioplasty catheter were attached to the guide wire itself. By not having a traditional inner shaft through which a conventional guide wire slides, the deflated balloon on which the stent is mounted can have a reduced diameter.

Stents are well known devices for placement in vessels of the human body to obtain and maintain patency of that vessel. The greatest use for stents has been for placement within a stenosis in a coronary artery. When a stent is used for treating a coronary artery stenosis, it has always been necessary to first place a guide wire through the stenosis. The next step in the stenting procedure is typically to pre-dilate the stenosis with a balloon angioplasty catheter that is advanced over that guide wire. The balloon angioplasty catheter is then removed and a stent delivery system that includes the stent is advanced over the guide wire and the stent is then deployed at the site of the dilated stenosis.
Recent improvements in the design of stent delivery systems have made it possible to eliminate the step of pre-dilatation for the treatment of many classes of stenoses. The delivery of a stent to the site of a stenosis without pre-dilatation has been given the name "direct stenting". However, even with direct stenting, a guide wire is still required as a precursor to advancing the stent delivery system over that guide wire to place the stent at the site of a stenosis. Placing the guide wire requires additional procedure time and additional cost for the procedure.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,660, Fischell et al. describe a stent delivery system with a fixed guide wire that is not steerable. This fixed, not steerable, guide wire system will not be as capable for rapid delivery of the stent through the tortuous coronary arteries as stent delivery systems that are advanced over a steerable guide wire.

Stent delivery system using a steerable guide wire


The invention features human CD11 recombinant or synthetic peptide capable of inhibiting a CD11/CD18-mediated immune response, a purified DNA encoding a human CD11b peptide, soluble heterodimeric molecules composed of a CD11 peptide and a CD18 peptide, and a method of controlling any phagocyte-mediated tissue damage such as that associated with reduced perfusion of heart tissue during acute cardiac insufficiency.

This invention relates to controlling cellular immune/inflammatory responses, particularly phagocyte-mediated tissue injury and inflammation.
Circulating phagocytic white blood cells are an important component of the cellular acute inflammatory response. It is believed that a number of important biological functions such as chemotaxis, immune adherence (homotypic cell adhesion or aggregation), adhesion to endothelium, phagocytosis, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, superoxide, and lysosomal enzyme release are mediated by a family of leukocyte surface glycoprotein adhesion receptors known as .beta..sub.2 integrins or the CD11/CD18 complex. Arnaout et al., Blood 75:1037 (1990). Inherited deficiency of CD11/CD18 impairs leukocyte adhesion-dependent inflammatory functions and predisposes to life-threatening bacterial infections. Dana et al., J. Clin. Invest. 73:153 (1983); Arnaout et al., J. Clin. Invest. 74:1291 (1984).
The CD11/CD18 family consists of three heterodimeric surface glycoproteins, each with a distinct .alpha. subunit (CD11a, CD11b or CD11c) non-covalently associated with a common .beta. subunit (CD18). The divalent cations Ca.sup.+2 and Mg.sup.2+ are essential in the stabilization and function of the .alpha..beta. (CD11/CD18) complex.
The .beta.2 integrins are expressed only on leukocytes. While CD11a/CD18 (also known as LFA-1, TA-1) is expressed on all leukocytes, CD11b/CD18 and CD11c/CD18 (also known as LeuM5 or p150,95) are expressed primarily on monocytes, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, macrophages and natural killer cells CD11c/CD18 is also expressed on certain lymphocytes. Arnaout, Blood 75:1037 (1990).
CD11a/CD18, and not CD11b/CD18 or CD11c/CD18, is expressed on B- and T-lymphocytes; accordingly CD11a/CD18 plays a role in mitogen-, antigen-, and alloantigen- induced proliferation, T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity, lymphocyte aggregation, and Ig production. In contrast, all three CD11/CD18 molecules are important for monocyte/macrophage and granulocyte adhesion-dependent functions.
It is believed that CD11b/CD18 and CD11c/CD18 mediate enhanced adhesiveness of activated phagocytes through quantitative and qualitative changes in these proteins on the surface of activated cells. For example, in granulocytes, these proteins are translocated from intracellular storage pools present in secondary and tertiary granules. Arnaout et al., J. Clin. Invest. 74:1291 (1984); Arnaout et al., New Eng. J. Med. 312:457 (1985); Todd et al., J. Clin. Invest. 74:1280 (1984).
CD11b/CD18 is also known as complement receptor type 3 (CR3), Mol, Mac-1 or MAM. See, Arnaout et al., J. Clin. Invest. 72:171 (1983), and references cited therein; Dana et al., J. Immunol. 137:3259 (1986); Wallis et al., J. Immunol. 135:2323 (1985); Arnaout et al., New Eng. J. Med. 312:457 (1985); Dana et al., J. Clin. Invest. 73:153 (1984); and Beatty et al., J. Immunol. 131:2913 (1983). Like all .beta.2 integrins, CD11b/CD18 consists of two non-covalently associated subunits. Kishimoto et al., Cell 48:681 (1987); Law et al., EMBO J. 6:915 (1987); Arnaout et al. J. Clin. Invest. 72:171 (1983). The .alpha. subunit of CD11b/CD18 has an apparent molecular mass of 155-165 kD and associates non-covalently with a .beta. subunit, CD18, of apparent molecular mass 95 kD. Todd et al., Hybridoma 1:329 (1982).
Monoclonal antibodies have been used to identify at least two distinct functional domains of CD11b/CD18, one mediating homotypic and heterotypic adhesion and the other mediating binding to the complement C3 fragment (iC3b), the major C3 opsonin in vivo. Dana et al., J. Immunol. 137:3259 (1986).
Law et al., EMBO J. 6:915 (1987) and Kishimoto et al., Cell 48:681 (1987) disclose the nucleotide sequence of human CD18. Arnaout et al., J. Cell Biol. 106:2153 (1988); Corbi et al., J. Biol. Chem. 263:12403 (1988); and Hickstein et al., Proc. Nat'l. Acad. Sci. USA 86:275 (1989) disclose the nucleotide sequence of human CD11b. Larson et al., J. Cell. Biol. 108:703 (1989) disclose the nucleotide sequence of CD11a. Corbi et al., EMBO J. 6:4023 (1987) disclose the nucleotide sequence of CD11c.
Cosgrove et al. (Proc. Nat'l. Acad. Sci. USA 83:752, 1986) report a human genomic clone which produces "a molecule(s)" reactive with monoclonal antibodies to CD11b.
Sastre et al. (Proc. Nat'l. Acad. Sci. USA 83:5644, 1986) report a mouse genomic clone coding for an amino-terminal partial exon of murine CD11b. Pytela et al., EMBO J. 7:1371 (1988) report a cDNA sequence of murine CD11b.
Simpson et al., J. Clin. Invest. 81:624 (1988) disclose that a monoclonal antibody (904) directed to an adhesion-promoting domain of CD11b (Dana et al., J. Immunol. 137:3259, 1986) reduces the extent of cardiac damage in dogs associated with myocardial infarction, presumably by limiting reperfusion injury. Vedder et al. (J. Clin. Invest. 81:939, 1988) similarly found that a monoclonal antibody directed against CD18 subunit of CD11b/CD18 reduced organ injury and improved survival from hemorrhagic shock in rabbits. In animal models, anti-CD11/CD18 antibodies have been shown to have protective effects in shock, frostbite, burns, cerebral edema, onset of diabetes mellitus (Hutchings et al., Nature 348:639, 1990) and transplant rejection. Reviewed in Carlos et al., Immunol. Rev. 114:5 (1990).

Controlling cellular immune/inflammatory responses with .beta.2 integrins


In an electrically conductive lead adapted for implantation in a human or animal body, and a method for making such a lead, a drug-dispensing member is disposed at a distal end portion of the lead, at which an electrode member is disposed that is adapted to emit and/or sense electrical signals associated with medical therapy. The drug-dispensing member has a configuration so that, after implantation, the amount of drug released into the body per time unit is automatically controlled to smoothly vary with time from al larger amount to a smaller amount in accordance with a predetermined relationship of the amount of drug released as a function of time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to leads which are electrically conductive and which are suitable to be implanted in a human or animal body. Such leads may for example be used to conduct electrical stimulation pulses from an implanted heart stimulating device to the heart of said human or animal body. Leads may, however, also be used in connection with other kinds of medical devices. Preferably the heart electrode leads are adapted to be insertable via the vascular system into the human or animal heart. Such heart electrode leads are particularly suitable for intracardial stimulation of the heart with the help of an implantable pacemaker or defibrillator. The invention concerns both a lead as such and a method of producing a lead.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A large number of different leads are known in the art. A lead normally has a proximal end portion to be connected to a device, for example a heart-stimulating device, and a distal end portion that is to be positioned at a predetermined position in the body, usually in or at the heart. A heart electrode lead may be unipolar or bipolar. A unipolar lead has only one single electrode member usually arranged at the tip of the distal end portion of the lead. A bipolar lead has two electric poles. Also this kind of electrode lead usually has one electrode member located at the tip at the distal end portion of the lead. The lead has at least one electric conductor, which extends from the proximal end portion to the electrode member at the distal end portion.
For example in the case of a lead for a heart stimulating device, it is known that when a lead has been implanted into or at the heart, the stimulation threshold is higher during a certain time after the implantation and then becomes lower. It is also known that this stimulation threshold may be lowered by providing a drug, such as a steroid, at the distal end portion of the lead. The drug is arranged such that it will be dispensed to the surrounding body tissue over a period of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,837 describes the use of a coating including a drug [is provided] on an electrode member of titanium nitride.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,661 describes different leads with helical fixation members. A drug impregnated matrix, preferably of a biocompatible silicon adhesive, is positioned in a cavity at the distal end portion of the lead.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,992 also describes a lead with a helical fixation member. A plug made of a polymer with a drug is located in a cavity at the distal end portion of the lead.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,007 discloses a lead with a helical fixation member. A cylindrical plug fabricated of a silicon-based polymer incorporating an anti-inflammatory drug is positioned in a cavity at the distal end portion of the lead. The fixation helix may also be provided with a groove along which the drug may be released.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,848 describes a lead with a helical fixation means. A release device made of a polymer and incorporating a drug is provided in a cavity at the distal end portion of the lead,
U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,680 describes a sintered metal electrode member located at the distal end of the lead. In a cavity inside of this electrode member a polymer impregnated with a drug is positioned.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,642 describes a lead with a porous sintered metal electrode member located at the distal end portion of the lead. In a cavity inside of the electrode member, a drug is retained in a solid plug or a powder wherein the drug is compounded with an appropriate molecular sieve material.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,482 discloses a lead with an electrode member positioned at the distal end portion of the lead. The electrode member has an interior cavity and a bore extending between the interior cavity and the exterior surface of the electrode member. A matrix member with a drug is positioned in the interior cavity. The exterior surface of the electrode member is coated with a wetting agent with the same drug as in the matrix. Also the bore is filled with a wetting agent with the same drug as in the matrix. According to this document, a tiered delivery of the drug is achieved, where the drug on the exterior surface and in the bore elutes within approximately a 24 hour period and the drug in the matrix elutes for a much longer term measured in months or years.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,612 describes a cardiac pacing lead that includes a porous element tip electrode that can be loaded with a drug that will be eluted upon implantation. One or several matrices can be housed in a recess behind the tip electrode for continuous drug elution.
European Application 334 306 describes a transdermal adhesive for diminishing release of active substances.

Drug dispensing medical electrode lead and method for making same


Data defining one or more graphic objects, such as buildings and vegetation, are automatically generated in a repeatable manner within each of a plurality of visual tiles of a simulated space. A seed is determined for a tile as a function of a location of the tile in the space. The seed is used to pseudo-randomly determine visually apparent characteristics of the graphic objects, such as position, height, and texture. A tile is preferably characterized by one or a combination of texture classes, such as vegetated and urban. Any tile can be associated with an annotation that specifies other characteristics of an object, such as its footprint, or of a sub-area within which objects will be depicted in the tile and rendered with the randomly determined characteristics. For multi-class tiles, the annotations are used to mask automatically generated graphic objects from undesired portions of the tile.

Computer simulations, such as computer games and other applications that include a virtual environment, often include background scenery to enhance the simulation. It is common to utilize simple color patterns and/or other texture data to represent a terrain or other background. Such background is often repetitively tiled while a simulated character, or other element, moves about relative to the background in the simulation. Typically, these simple backgrounds are only two-dimensional (2D), and are not very realistic. However, some 2D backgrounds have complex textures and may be designed to be computationally efficient in covering a large area in a simulated virtual environment.
To increase the realism of a simulation, three-dimensional (3D) scenery objects are sometimes used instead of, or in addition to, 2D backgrounds. For example, it is common to include 3D buildings, walls, vegetation, and other scenery objects in computer games. To provide even more realism, a well-known or easily recognized scenery object, such as a landmark building, may be mapped to a specific location within the simulated environment corresponding to the location of the real object in the environment. With this technique, some simulations are able to provide very detailed scenery objects, but because of the labor involved, the detail is confined within a relatively limited area. For instance, some automobile racing games include very detailed scenery objects that correspond to real buildings, traffic signs, trees, and other objects along some selected streets of cities in which auto races are held.
However, even with foreseeable increases in processor speeds and storage sizes, it is impractical to define, store, and render a specific scenery object for every corresponding real object over a wide area, such as an entire metropolitan area. The problem becomes even more significant when the simulated environment includes the entire Earth. Thus, in prior art simulated virtual environments, 3D scenery objects are often used to simulate specific landmarks in a few limited areas, while 2D terrain background is typically used in the remaining larger areas of the simulation. For example, as indicated above, it is common to provide 3D simulations of specific landmark buildings in the center of a metropolitan area, and use 2D terrain background in the outskirts of the metropolitan area.
However, it would generally be desirable to provide more realistic 3D scenery everywhere within a simulated environment. One method that has been employed in the prior art is to enhance the 2D terrain background with topographical data, thereby creating the appearance of a 3D terrain, such as mountainous areas. Although an improvement, topographical data typically provides only a smoothed representation of a continuous region, such as uninhabited, hilly areas. Smoothing is not well suited for realistically depicting individual scenery objects, such as buildings, individual trees or other vegetation, and other discrete objects.
Another method used in the prior art simply adds 3D scenery objects that do not correspond to any real objects. Exact replication of a real object is thus not usually necessary, or even possible. In many cases, it is sufficient to provide scenery objects that appear realistic, but do not necessarily represent real objects. For example, it is often sufficient to simulate buildings, vegetation, and other 3D scenery objects in the outskirts of a simulated metropolitan area without replicating those objects in the outskirts of the real metropolitan area. Similarly, where real objects cannot be replicated, such as in games on fictitious worlds, it is necessary to simulate scenery objects independently. For example, vegetation and terrain objects that do not replicate reality can appear realistic in a simulation of dinosaurs, or a simulation of a fictitious planet, even though there is no corresponding real object to reference.
For such cases, some alternatives are available. One alternative is to populate the scenery with objects stored in a library. A variety of library objects can be randomly or programmatically selected and rendered at various locations in the simulation. Another alternative is to dynamically generate scenery objects based on stored parameters, such as building height, width, and depth. The scenery objects can be randomly or programmatically generated and rendered at various locations in the simulation.
However, rendering scenery objects at various locations does not take advantage of the repetitive efficiencies of a 2D background. Instead, each scenery object is typically created in the simulation independent of, or layered atop the 2D background. In particular, a scenery object may be selected from a library or generated from parameters and placed at a specific position independent of an underlying 2D background. Alternatively, a scenery object may be selected from a library or generated from parameters based on the type of 2D background that has been applied. For example, if an urban 2D background is to be used, then more buildings than trees may be selected or generated and placed over the 2D background. The specific locations of objects may be predetermined, determined from a stored pattern, randomly determined, or programmatically determined. However, without further detailed knowledge of the content of the 2D background, unexpected results can occur. For instance, a building might be placed so that it overlies a road in the 2D background.
Existing systems that automatically generate 3D scenery objects also typically do not enable a user to control how the 3D scenery objects are provided. There are scenery editors available, but these editors normally require a user to define a scenery object offline. Offline scenery editors do not enable dynamically changing a scenery object so as to provide a variety of similar scenery objects for use in other locations in a simulated environment while a simulation program is running. Instead of requiring a designer to manually create each object that is placed at a specific position in a simulated environment, it would instead be preferable to enable a user to simply set parameters that control how a variety of scenery objects are dynamically created for use in the simulated environment. (Note that the terms "designer" and "user" are used interchangeably herein.)
It would also be desirable to enable a user to annotate 2D backgrounds to define appropriate locations for dynamically created scenery objects. For example, it would be desirable to annotate aerial photos to indicate where real buildings exist, and let the simulation automatically generate a variety of appropriate realistic buildings that will appear at those annotated locations. This approach is needed to make the scenery appear realistic, because the result will correspond to the actual terrain, but will not require the user to exactly replicate buildings at each location at which they appear in the computer simulation.
An important application for such an approach is in creating realistic terrain over which aircraft fly in a flight simulator program. An initial use of this concept thus occurred as part of Microsoft Corporation's FLIGHT SIMULATOR 2002™ product, which was publicly disclosed in 2001. Subsequently, others appear to have recognized the value of automatically generating a variety of scenery objects that are related to the underlying 2D terrain texture in a simulated environment and have released similar products. For example, a freeware product called TERRAMODELS, produced by Sofflang Software and Allen Kriesman, Inc., reportedly generates scenery objects to populate the background landscape in a flight simulator program called FLY II™, which is sold by Terminal Reality, Inc. However, this concept was apparently not used in the prior art.


A solid ink jet image forming apparatus includes a printing unit which fires melted solid ink onto an image on a printing medium for printing, and an ink supplying unit which contains solid ink in a lateral direction of the printing unit. In the case where the solid ink jet image forming apparatus includes a scanning unit reading an image from a document, a user can simply and easily load the solid ink without moving the scanning unit, so that the solid ink jet image forming apparatus has improved installation stability and a compact size.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a solid ink jet image forming apparatus that forms an image by melting solid ink and firing the melted ink onto a printing medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, image forming apparatuses print an image onto a printing medium, such as paper or OHP (overhead projector) film. Examples of image forming apparatuses include printers, copiers, and facsimile machines, along with multi-function apparatuses which combine the functions of these devices. Image forming apparatuses are classified in various ways, such as, for example, as an electrophotographic type image forming apparatuses, ink jet type image forming apparatuses, dye sublimation type image forming apparatuses, etc. In the ink jet type image forming apparatus, an ink jet image forming apparatus that forms an image by melting solid ink and firing the melted ink onto a printing medium is called a "solid ink jet image forming apparatus."
The solid ink is manufactured by mixing resin with ink and forming a block which has a predetermined size. The solid ink is in a solid state at room temperature and converts to a liquid state when heated. The solid ink jet image forming apparatus includes an ink supplying unit which contains solid ink and which melts the solid ink to supply the melted ink for printing, and a printing unit which receives the melted ink from the ink supplying unit and which fires the melted ink onto a printing medium to form an image.
A conventional method for loading the solid ink will now be described. A media output tray disposed on an upper portion of an image forming apparatus receives the printing media after printing. The media output tray includes a door which opens an ink supplying unit. The ink supplying unit is exposed to the outside by opening the door upward after removing the printing media from the media output tray. Then, solid ink is inserted into the exposed ink supplying unit.
If the image forming apparatus is a multifunction apparatus with a scanner function, the image forming apparatus includes a scanning unit, an ink supplying unit, and a printing unit. Generally, the image forming apparatus is opened by rotating the scanning unit. If a door is provided between the scanning unit and the ink supplying unit, the scanning unit is rotated to expose the door and then the door is opened to insert solid ink into the ink supplying unit.
For convenience, a wide area of the top of the image forming apparatus should be exposed to load the solid ink. After the solid ink is inserted, the door is closed for printing. The above-described solid ink loading method should be improved to make the process of loading solid ink into the image forming apparatus more simple for users. Furthermore, foreign substances may fall into the image forming apparatus when the door is opened.
Furthermore, since the addition of the ink supplying unit increases the size of the image forming apparatus, the packing size of the image forming apparatus increases, causing a corresponding increase in physical distribution costs. Therefore, an ink supplying unit and an image forming apparatus with reduced sizes are desirable.
The scanning unit includes a flat glass plate to place a document on, an image sensor disposed under the flat glass to scan the document, and a driving unit which moves the image sensor. The scanning unit considerably increases the weight of the image forming apparatus. Generally, a hinge is provided in a top corner of the image forming apparatus to rotate the scanning unit. When the scanning unit is rotated to insert the solid ink, the center of mass of the scanning unit moves in the direction approaching the outside of the printing unit, thereby increasing the possibility of damage to the image forming apparatus due to overturning of the image forming apparatus.


The present invention relates to the use of oil-in-water emulsions to clean machines and parts of plants in the production of pulp, paper, paper board, and cardboard and to prevent impurities of adhesives and adherent resins to those units.. The emulsion comprises as component of the oil phase at least one of the following substances:. 1. a saturated or unsaturated, open-chain or cyclic, normal or isomeric hydrocarbon with 8-30 carbon atoms PA0 2. a saturated or unsaturated fatty alcohol, a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid, a fatty acid monoalkylester, a fatty acid amide or a fatty acid monoalkylamide of a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid, all of the compounds mentioned under 2. having 8 to 30 carbon atoms PA0 3. a mono- or polyester of a saturated or unsaturated, mono- or multivalent carboxylic acid with 2 to 30 carbon atoms and polyols, with the exception of polyethylene glycols PA0 4. a polyamide of saturated or unsaturated fatty acids with 8 to 30 carbon atoms and aliphatic polyamides with two to six nitrogen atoms PA0 5. an acyclic, preferably monocyclic and/or bicyclic terpene, in particular a terpene hydrocarbon and/or a terpene alcohol and/or PA0 6. a polyoxyalkylene compound based on alkylene oxides.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of agents in the treatment of machines for the manufacture of pulp, paper, and cardboard to clean these units of adherent impurities of natural resins and/or synthetic polymers and to prevent soiling of these units by such impurities.
2. Description of the Background
In the production of pulp and paper suitable measures are required to prevent agglomeration and deposition of resin portions of wood, adhesive portions from waste paper, and plastics portions in the recycling of latex-coated waste paper, in order to avoid disturbances in production and impairment of the pulp or paper quality.
According to EP 517 360 A1 inhibiting mixtures of surfactants and solvents, preferably fatty alkanolamides, ethoxylated compounds, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and orange-terpenes, are added to the pulp suspension in an amount of 1-200 ppm. However, the agents such used are insufficiently effective; for this reason the manufacturing process must frequently be interrupted to clean machine parts, in particular the wire and press section; according to EP 178 340 B1 only limonene is used as solvent.
According to EP 235 01 5 A1 and EP 599 440 A1 resin sedimentations may be prevented by cationic polymers based on epichlorohydrin and amines, or by simultaneously using nonionic surfactants.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,491 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,582,461 describe copolymers and dicyandiamide-formaldehyde condensates whose effectiveness is also based on the interaction with anionic resin components in the pulp suspension. The ionogenic components are neutralized and dispersed, or already existing deposits are redispersed, without restricting the activity of cationic retention agents, as in the case of anionic dispersion agents.
However, the applicability of dispersing agents in closed-circuit water cycles is limited since the dispersed resin portions are not completely bound to the anionic pulp fibers and then discharged, therefore they remain in the industrial process water to an increasing extent.
Because deposits of tacky materials cannot sufficiently be prevented from depositing in papermaking machines, it is proposed in EP 359 590 B1 to lay on the device surfaces an aqueous solution of cationic polymers together with a water-soluble, nonionic or cationic surfactant.
A similar application with selective treatment of wires and felts in papermaking machines is carried out according to the "Daraspray-conception" which is described by T. Hattich, T. Hassler, and G. Corbel in "Wochenblatt fur Papierfabrikation" 122, 1994, pages 644-648.
The disadvantages of this method are characterized by the fact that the forming coating layer depends on the equilibrium concentrations of the water-soluble components in the system, and that the brown-colored, elastic structure of the protective film becomes hard and brittle in case of insufficient moisture. Another disadvantage results from the very specific dosage of several components which is sometimes necessary to form the coating.
Furthermore, EP 550 230 A1 proposes to clean the felts of the press section by using fatty acid imidazolines; and according to EP 647 737 A1 these compounds are used together with ethoxylated nonylphenols and special sulfonates to prevent depositions of polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin resins in felts. EP 0 648 820 A2 describes compositions which are used to remove toners from paper surfaces, adhesive residues from plastics, to peel plastics coatings, and to cleanse metal surfaces from cutting oil residues or color pencil marks, as well as to remove PVC-portions secured by means of adhesives. In this connection, concentrated oil-in-water emulsions having a nonaqueous phase portion of 8-90%-wt. are used that comprise various kinds of organic compounds, such as dicarboxylic acid diester, and which are used under partial application of ultrasound and further aids (unwoven fabric strips) in the temperature range of 5.degree.-70.degree. C., i.e. partially under additional heating of the cleaner, during the cleaning operation. The emulsions additionally comprise solvents, such as isopropanol, toluene, benzyl alcohol, methyl ethyl ketone, N-methyl-pyrrolidone, di- and triethylene glycol dimethyl ether, and 3-methyl-3-methoxy butanol, which limit the application of these emulsions in closed systems for reasons of occupational safety and health hazard.
However, particularly in papermaking using waste paper, the inhibitory action of these known agents is insufficient, since tacky components of the recycling raw material, in particular at temperatures above 50.degree. C., are still deposited as finely dispersed system in the pulp suspension, first in dissolved state and then in the form of agglomerates (stickies) on the surface of the machines, in particular wires, felts, cylinders, and guide rolls. This affects the paper quality by formation of stains and holes; the production process is disturbed by breaking of the pulp or paper webs; and there are disturbances in the drainage of the pulp suspension, in sheet formation due to decreased water permeability and water absorption of the wires or felts, as well as in drying due to reduced heat transfer.
Since the described auxiliary agents are insufficiently effective, it is still necessary at present to clean the stopped or slowed-down pulp and paper machines with chemicals which are sprayed, for instance, and rinsed off with water together with the dirt particles after a certain period. Moreover, it is known to clean wires in continuous, separate wire-cleaning plants wherein cleaning is not always satisfactory, too. Other methods avoid these disadvantages by using wire materials specially coated with Teflon or other plastic materials; however, these are mechanically vulnerable and costly.
Moreover, the use of specific oil-in-water emulsions as microbicide substitute in papermaking is known from DE 43 40 665 A1.
Accordingly there was the object to eliminate the disadvantages described in detail above, and in particular to find agents for this purpose which, when used in the manufacture of pulp, paper, and cardboard using waste paper to treat pulp, paper and cardboard-making machines, are suitable to clean the machinery from adherent agglomerates of synthetic polymers and natural resins and/or to prevent adherence of these substances on surfaces of the machines.

Use of agents in the manufacture of pulp and paper


A method for removing sidewall spacers. The method includes: (a) forming a gate stack on a substrate; after (a), (b) forming dielectric spacers on sidewalls of the gate stack; after (b), (c) forming a dielectric sacrificial layer over the substrate and on the gate stack where the substrate and the gate stack are not covered by the spacers; and after (c), (d) removing the sacrificial layer and the spacers in a etch process by etching the sacrificial layer until the spacers are exposed and thereafter simultaneously etching the sacrificial layer and the spacers until the sacrificial layer and the spacers are removed. Methods for spacer removal from PFETs when a stress layer is formed over the NFETs are also disclosed.

Sidewall spacers are used in the fabrication of complementary Metal Oxide (CMOS) transistors in order to self-align implantation source/drains and metal silicide contacts. By providing a bilaterally symmetric offset from the edge of the gate, through a sidewall spacer, one can achieve symmetric source and drain implant profiles. Also simultaneous metallization of the gate, source and drain while the extension region remains protected by the dielectric spacer. However, sidewall spacers do not serve any functional role after formation of the source/drains and metal silicide contacts and they are increasingly viewed as undesirable vestigial features that may adversely effect further fabrication. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a spacer removal process.

International Business Machines Corporation


A conformal coherent wideband antenna coupled IR detector array included a plurality of unit cells each having a dimension that includes an antenna for focusing radiation onto an absorber element sized less than the dimension. In one embodiment, the absorber element may be formed of a mercury cadmium telluride alloy. According to a further embodiment, the antenna array may be fabricated using sub-wavelength fabrication processes.

This application generally relates to IR detectors, and in particular, to a nano-antenna coupled IR detector array.
Imaging systems typically use an array of detectors to generate an image of a target. Each individual detector element measures the intensity of energy (such as infrared or visible light) incident upon the detector element, and is used to form one pixel of the output image.
Present infrared (IR) detection systems employ bulky, complex, opto-mechanical systems using incoherent, direct detection IR arrays that require cryogenic cooling. Size, mass, power and packaging constraints of sensors impact platforms and ultimately limits performance. Complexity increases cost and reduces reliability.
GaN and GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) technologies have been considered for broad band long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) response. However, the quantum efficiency at 10 μm for these systems is significantly low as they require extrinsic doping.

Nano-antenna for wideband coherent conformal IR detector arrays


Disclosed is a system for quickly and easily installing end-of-line termination devices at the end of alarm system signal circuits. The termination devices in this invention are both variable and integral to the housing of the alarm system devices. Each alarm system device is constructed with a receptacle at the point of protection, in which may be placed a cartridge, jumper, or similar device on-site to terminate the communication signal. The various embodiments of the invention include a set of devices at discrete values or a variable device to complete each protection loop.

This invention concerns systems such as burglar, fire alarm, and access control systems, and similar systems, in which peripheral devices are connected to a control panel for monitoring, and the peripheral is terminated with an End-of-Line (EOL) component, which is usually, but not always, a resistor. The EOL component, or termination device, varies both in type and value based on the control panel manufacturers' selections.
In the prior art, an electrician or device installer must manually connect the termination device to the circuit, either by soldering or by connection to a set of electrical terminals or by some other means. This process is tedious, because each termination device must be individually selected and manually installed at remote locations, and as a result many installers simply install the EOL component at the panel, largely defeating its purpose. Hand-installed devices have a tendency to fail, and faulty EOL termination at the panel can cause false alarms on the system or render the protection loop useless by failing to report an alarm state that is present.
Most alarm system faults due to faulty wiring occur in one of two ways: either there is a short circuit on the system because faulty wiring makes contact with grounded components, producing a "short circuit fault", or the contact between system components is broken, resulting in an "open circuit" fault on the system. Both faults are problematic, as most alarm systems see "open circuit" faults as triggered false alarms, while "short circuit" faults can cause an actual alarm to go unreported if the terminating device is installed in the wrong position, i.e. at the control panel.
It is possible to pre-install termination devices within the peripheral devices, but because termination devices vary greatly by manufacturer, it is usually necessary to special-order these devices, which can cause delays and added cost to a project.
The present invention consists of a simpler method of installing termination devices on security system protection loops, reducing the potential for both errors and delays in the process of installing EOL components in such systems.

Integral variable termination for alarm system devices


An optical pointing device and a control method thereof are provided. The optical pointing device includes: an illumination unit for illuminating light on a working surface, and generating light in a predetermined code in response to a code signal; a control unit for detecting an image on the working surface to calculate a movement value, outputting movement information in response to an input signal inputted from the outside and the calculated movement value, intermittently outputting a code generation signal, and turning off the illumination unit when the optical pointing device is separated from the working surface in response to a determination signal; and a determination unit for outputting the code signal in response to the code generation signal, detecting light in the predetermined code to thus determine whether or not the optical pointing device is separated from the working surface, and outputting the determination signal depending on the determination result. Therefore, a glaring phenomenon generated when the optical pointing device is turned upside down can be prevented, and unnecessary power consumption can also be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical pointing device, and more specifically, to an optical pointing device and control method thereof capable of preventing light from glaring out from an illumination unit when the optical pointing device is separated from working surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical mouse is a peripheral input/output device of a computer that radiates light onto a surface across which it moves and receives light reflected from the surface to output movement information of the optical mouse. In general, the optical mouse is used on top of a flat working surface facing downward so that light radiated from the optical mouse is not directly visible to a user, but when the optical mouse is turned upside down, light output from the optical mouse is directly visible to the user and a glaring phenomenon may occur.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional optical mouse, including a control unit 10, an input unit 20, and an illumination unit 30. The control unit 10 includes an image information output unit 11 including an image sensor 11-1 and a converter 11-2, a movement value calculation unit 12, and a communication unit 13. A lens of FIG. 1 refers to an optical structure that transmits light reflected from the working surface under the mouse to the image sensor. In addition, a dotted line of FIG. 1 indicates a direction in which light radiated from the illumination unit 30 is inputted to the image sensor 11-1.
A function of each block shown in FIG. 1 will be described below.
The control unit 10 detects an image on the working surface to calculate a movement value, receives signals from the input unit 20, and outputs of the calculated movement value and the input unit signals to an external device such as a computer.
The image information output unit 11 detects the image on the working surface and outputs image information on the detected image. The image sensor 11-1 receives light reflected from the working surface through the lens to detect image data and output an analog signal corresponding to the detected image data. The converter 11-2 converts the analog signal of the image sensor 11-1 into image information that is digital data and outputs the converted information.
The movement value calculation unit 12 calculates and outputs the movement value using the image information inputted from the converter 11-2 and outputs a control signal for controlling the illumination unit 30 in response to a state of the optical mouse 1 and a signal inputted from the communication unit 13.
The communication unit 13 receives signals corresponding to information inputted through the input unit 20 (e.g., an operation state of a button or a movement of a scroll device) and outputs the input unit signals and signals from an external device such as a computer to the movement value calculation unit 12, and outputs the movement information and the input unit signals to the external device such as a computer in response to the movement value inputted from the movement value calculation unit 12 and the input signal inputted from the input unit 20. The input unit 20, which may include buttons or scroll devices, outputs the input signal in response to manipulation by a user. The illumination unit 30 turns on or off in response to an illumination signal inputted from the movement value calculation unit 12 and radiates light onto the working surface when turned on. The illumination unit 30, which is used as a light source, may include a light emitting diode and a driving circuit to turn on or off the light emitting diode.
FIG. 2 is a state diagram for explaining operation of the conventional optical mouse shown in FIG. 1. Operation of the conventional optical mouse shown in FIG. 1 will be described below with reference to FIG. 2.
The conventional optical mouse has an active state in which the illumination unit 30 is turned on for most of the time and a movement value is calculated depending on the operation state of the optical mouse, an inactive state in which the light source is turned off for most of the time and turned on periodically to determine whether or not the optical mouse moves, and an idle state in which the light source remains in the off state.
As long as the optical mouse moves in the active state, it remains the active state (S1). However, when there is no movement of the optical mouse for a predetermined time in the active state, the optical mouse converts into the inactive state (S2). When there is no movement of the optical mouse in the inactive state, the optical mouse remains in the inactive state (S3). However, when movement of the optical mouse is detected, the optical mouse converts into the active state (S4). When there is no movement of the optical mouse for a predetermined time in the inactive state, the optical mouse converts into the idle state (S5). In the idle state, movement of the optical mouse is not detected, however when the input signal is generated by manipulation of the input unit, such as buttons, i.e., the input unit 20, the optical mouse converts into the active state (S6).
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a method of controlling the illumination unit 30 in the conventional mouse shown in FIG. 1, in which FIGS. 3A and 3B show methods of controlling the illumination unit 30 in an active unit and in an inactive unit, respectively.
A method of controlling the illumination unit 30 in the conventional optical mouse will be described below with reference to FIG. 3.
In the active state (FIG. 3A), the illumination unit 30 turns on periodically with a predetermined first period T1. In the inactive state (FIG. 3B), the illumination unit 30 turns on periodically with a predetermined second period T2. The second period T2 is set to be longer than the first period T1.
In other words, the optical mouse calculates the movement value while turning the light source on relatively frequently in the active state (FIG. 3A), and determines whether or not the optical mouse moves while turning on the optical mouse relatively infrequently in the inactive state (FIG. 3B).
However, for the conventional optical mouse shown in FIG. 1, while the optical mouse is in the active state (FIG. 3A) or the inactive state (FIG. 3B), when the user turns the optical mouse upside down, light may glare out from the illumination unit 30. In addition, since the illumination unit 30 is unnecessarily turned on, power is unnecessarily consumed.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a conventional optical mouse with which the glaring phenomenon can be prevented, including a control unit 10, an input unit 20, an illumination unit 31, and a detection unit 40. The control unit 10 includes an information output unit 11 including an image sensor 11-1 and a converter 11-2, a movement value calculation unit 12, and a communication unit 13, and the detection unit 40 includes a sensor and a light emitting diode (LED). In FIG. 4, a dotted line indicates a direction in which light radiated from the illumination unit 31 is inputted to the image sensor 11-1.
A function of each block shown in FIG. 4 will be described below.
Functions of the control unit 10 and the input unit 20 are the same as described in FIG. 1.
The detection unit 40 radiates light using the light emitting diode (LED) and detects the light using the sensor to determine whether or not the optical mouse is separated from the working surface, and outputs a detection signal depending on the determination result. In other words, when the optical mouse is on the working surface, light radiated from the light emitting diode (LED) is reflected and detected with the sensor, and when the optical mouse is separated from the working surface, light radiated from the light emitting diode (LED) is not detected. Therefore, whether or not the optical mouse is separated from the working surface can be determined by whether or not light is detected with the sensor.
The illumination unit 31 turns on or off in response to the illumination signal inputted from the movement value calculation unit 12 of the control unit 10 and the detection signal inputted from the detection unit 40.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram for explaining operation of the illumination unit 31 of the conventional optical mouse shown in FIG. 4, including a resistor R1, a light emitting diode (LED), and two driving circuits DR1 and DR2 which may include a resistor R2 and a transistor TR1 and a resistor R3 and a transistor TR2, respectively.
A function and operation of each block shown in FIG. 5 is described below.
The driving circuits DR1 and DR2 turn on or off, respectively, in response to an illumination signal inputted from the movement value calculation unit 12 or a detection signal inputted from the sensor of the detection unit 40, to thus turn the light emitting diode (LED) on or off. The two driving circuits DR1 and DR2 are connected in series so that if one of them turns off, the light emitting diode (LED) turns off.
In other words, when the optical mouse is on the working surface, the sensor of the detection unit 40 outputs the detection signal with a high level, to thus turn on the driving circuit DR2. The light emitting diode LED then turns on or off in response to the illumination signal inputted from the movement value calculation unit 12. However, when the optical mouse is separated from the working surface, the sensor of the detection unit 40 outputs a detection signal with a low level, to thus turn off the driving circuit DR2. The light emitting diode (LED) then turns off, irrespective of operation of the movement value calculation unit 12.
However, for the conventional optical mouse shown in FIG. 4, if the optical mouse is turned upside down and light which is not radiated from the light emitting diode (LED) is inputted from the outside of the optical mouse to the sensor, it can be mistakenly determined that the optical mouse is on the working surface. In addition, since a separate light emitting diode (LED) is added to the detection unit 40 together with the illumination unit 31 for the control unit 10, power consumption is increased and extra parts are required. In addition, with two driving circuits as shown in FIG. 5, cost is further increased and a circuit is complicated.

Optical mouse that detects working surface using code included in illuminated light and control method thereof


A memory device including a plurality of word lines, a plurality of bit lines, at least four control lines and a plurality of memory cells is provided. The bit lines are disposed in a perpendicular direction of the word lines. Each memory cell is disposed at an intersection of one of the word lines and one of the bit lines, and every four sequential memory cells having a common word line are connected to the four control lines respectively. In addition, in each of the memory cells, the control line thereof is disposed between the bit line thereof and the word line thereof, and is parallel to the bit line thereof, wherein each of the memory cell is provided as a bit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory device and an operation method thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a memory device for reducing an area of the memory device and enhancing an operation speed of the memory device and an operation method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, the basic structure of metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor has been broadly adopted in a variety of memory devices such as static random access memory (SRAM) or dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device. As the development of the semiconductor technology advances for increasing the integration of the semiconductor devices, the line width of the semiconductor device must be reduced. However, a variety of problems arise as the size of the cell of the memory device is reduced.
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of a conventional MOS transistor. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional MOS transistor 100 includes a substrate 102, an oxide layer 104, a gate 106, a source 108 and a drain 110. For an N-type MOS (NMOS) transistor, the substrate 102 includes a P-type substrate and the source 108 and the drain 110 are doped with N-type dopants. Alternatively, for a P-type MOS (PMOS) transistor, the substrate 102 includes a N-type substrate and the source 108 and the drain 110 are doped with P-type dopants. In general, the source 108 and the drain 110 are doped by thermal diffusion method or ion implantation method. The oxide layer 104 includes such as silicon oxide SiO2, and the gate 106 includes metal. As shown in FIG. 1, the voltages applied to the substrate 102, the gate 106, the source 108 and the drain 110 are represented as Vsub, Vg, Vs and Vd respectively.
Hereinafter, the operation of the MOS transistor illustrated in FIG. 1 will be described. Referring to FIG. 1, it is assumed that the MOS transistor 100 is an NMOS transistor. When the gate voltage Vg≦0, even though the source voltage Vs or the drain Voltage Vd is not zero, the current between the source 108 and the drain 110 is extremely small and can be ignored. Therefore, the source 108 and the drain 110 is regarded as being isolated, and thus the NMOS transistor is turned off. When the gate voltage Vg>0 and larger than the threshold voltage Vt, the junction between the oxide layer 104 and the substrate 102 is strongly inverted to be an N-type channel. Therefore, the source 108 and the drain 110 are conducted, and thus the current between the source 108 and the drain 110 is not equal to zero, therefore the NMOS transistor is turned on.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a memory cell of a conventional DRAM device. Referring to FIG. 2, a memory cell 200 includes an NMOS transistor 202, a capacitor 204, a bit line B and a word line W. The gate of the NMOS transistor 202 is connected to the word line W, the source of the NMOS transistor 202 is connected to the bit line B, and the drain of the NMOS transistor 202 is connected to the capacitor 204.
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of the memory cell of the DRAM device shown in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 3, the gate 306 of the NMOS transistor 202 is connected to the word line W, the source 308 of the NMOS transistor 202 is connected to the bit line B, and the drain 310 of the NMOS transistor 202 is connected to the capacitor 204. In addition, the substrate 302 is a P-type substrate, and the source 308 and the drain 310 are dopes with N-type dopants.
As the line width of the memory device is reduced, the channel length between the source and the drain (e.g., the distance L1 shown in FIG. 1 or the distance L2 shown in FIG. 3) is also correspondingly reduced leading to a short channel effect due to reduction in the threshold voltage Vt and increase in the sub-threshold current. In addition, the shorting of channel length also leads to generation of hot electron effect due to increase in the electric field between the source and the drain. Therefore, the amount of the carriers in the channel near the drain is increased, and thus an electrical breakdown effect may be generated in the MOS transistor. Thus, generally the channel length has to be long enough to prevent a punch through effect. Accordingly, as the size of the MOS transistor or the memory device is minimized, the conventional design thereof is not applicable.


An apparatus and method provides prediction of BER for an interface between ICs, such as a processor and a memory device, without using special test equipment. A known data pattern or PRBS is transmitted to a receiver, which compares the received data values with expected data values to determine if a bit error has occurred in an embodiment of the present invention. A center of data eye and the edge of the data eye are sampled (over sampled) in order to determine if a bit error has occurred in an alternate embodiment of the present invention. A first counter is used to count the total number of bits sampled and the second counter is used to count the number of errors that occurred in the total number of bits sampled.

Testing ICs, and in particular the interface between ICs is typically performed by specialized test equipment. The use of specialized test equipment increases manufacturing cost, complexity and time.
A test often performed on ICs or an apparatus including multiple ICs by specialized test equipment includes obtaining a bit error rate ("BER") for an IC or an interface between ICs.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a method and/or apparatus for predicting or estimating a BER for an IC or an interface between ICs without using specialized test equipment.

Method and apparatus for estimating random jitter (RJ) and deterministic jitter (DJ) from bit error rate (BER)


Each of front and rear side walls of a first member of a tank main body of each header tank of an evaporator has protrusions provided at longitudinal opposite ends thereof and projecting outward in the vertical direction. Front and rear outward projecting walls of a third member are cut away at the longitudinal opposite ends. The third member has protrusions provided at the longitudinal opposite ends of each of the front and rear side walls. Each protrusion is overlappingly located on the inner side of the corresponding protrusion of the first member, and is brazed thereto. Each engagement claw of each end member has a first portion brazed to the outer surface of the corresponding protrusion of the first member, and a second portion bent inward in the front-rear direction such that it engages with the corresponding protrusion, and its distal end is located inward of the outer surface.

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger which is suitably used as an evaporator of a car air conditioner, which is a refrigeration cycle to be mounted on an automobile, for example.
In this specification and appended claims, the downstream side (a direction represented by arrow X in the drawings) of an air flow through air-passing clearances between adjacent heat exchange tubes will be referred to as the "front," and the opposite side as the "rear." Further, the upper, lower, left-hand, and right-hand sides of FIG. 2 will be referred to as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right," respectively.
The present applicant has proposed a heat exchanger which is used as an evaporator and which satisfies the requirements for reduction in size and weight and higher performance (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2009-97776). The heat exchanger includes a heat exchange core section including a plurality of heat exchange tubes disposed such that their longitudinal direction coincides with the vertical direction, and header tanks disposed on the upper and lower sides of the heat exchange core section such that their longitudinal direction coincides with the direction of the row (arrangement direction) of the heat exchange tubes. Each header tank is composed of a tank main body which is open at opposite ends thereof, and end members which are brazed to the opposite ends of the tank main body so as to close the openings at the opposite ends. The tank main body of each header tank is composed of a first member which forms a portion of the tank main body on the side toward the heat exchange core section and to which the heat exchange tubes are connected, a second member which forms the remaining portion of the tank main body, and a third member which is disposed between the first member and the second member and is brazed to these members and which has a partition portion for vertically dividing the interior of the header tank into two spaces. The first member and the second member have, at each of front and rear side edges thereof, vertical wall portions which partially overlap each other as viewed from the front side and which are provided such that each vertical wall portion of the second member is located on the inner side of the corresponding vertical wall portion of the first member with a gap formed therebetween. The third member has, at each of the front and rear side edges thereof, a vertical wall portion which is disposed in the gap between the corresponding vertical wall portions of the first and second members and is brazed to the vertical wall portions, and a horizontal wall portion which is provided at the distal end of the vertical portion and projects outward in the front-rear direction and to which the distal end of the corresponding vertical wall portion of the first member is brazed. Each of the end members of each header tank has engagement claws which project toward the longitudinal center of the header tank and which are brazed to the tank main body in a state in which the engagement claws are engaged with the tank main body.
In the heat exchanger disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, each header tank has two header sections which are juxtaposed in the air flow direction and whose longitudinal direction coincides with the longitudinal direction of the header tank. A heat exchange tube group composed of a plurality of heat exchange tubes disposed at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the header tank is provided between each of the header sections of the upper header tank and a corresponding one of the header sections of the lower header tank. Upper end portions of the heat exchange tubes of the heat exchange tube groups are connected to the corresponding header sections of the upper header tank, and lower end portions of the heat exchange tubes of the heat exchange tube groups are connected to the corresponding header sections of the lower header tank. Each header section is formed by brazing caps to opposite ends of a tubular body which is open at the opposite ends, to thereby close the openings at the opposite ends of the tubular body. A refrigerant inlet is provided in one of the caps of the leeward header section of the upper header tank, and a refrigerant outlet is provided in the cap of the windward header section of the upper header tank, the cap being located at the end where the refrigerant inlet is provided.
The heat exchanger disclosed in the above-mentioned publication is manufactured by brazing all the components together in a furnace in a state in which all the components are assembled and provisionally fixed by an appropriate jig.
However, the heat exchanger disclosed in the above-mentioned publication has a possibility that, when the provisionally fixed assembly of all the components is placed in the brazing furnace during the manufacture of the heat exchanger, the end members may come off the combination of the first to third members which constitute the tank main body of the header tank.
In order to solve such a problem, the present applicant has proposed an improved heat exchanger (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2011-64379). In the improved heat exchanger, the first member of the tank main body of each header tank has, at each of the longitudinal opposite ends of each vertical wall portion, a protrusion which extends straight from the vertical wall portion toward the side opposite the heat exchange tubes. The engagement claws of each end member of the header tank has first and second portions. The first portion extends, along the edge of the protrusion opposite the heat exchange tubes and beyond the protrusion, toward the longitudinal center of the tank main body. The second portion projects from the distal end of the first portion toward the heat exchange tubes, and comes into engagement with the edge of the protrusion of the first member located on the side toward the longitudinal center of the header tank. According to the heat exchanger disclosed in the second publication, it is possible to prevent the end members from coming off the tank main body to the outer side with respect to the longitudinal direction thereof when the provisionally fixed assembly of all the components is placed in the brazing furnace during the manufacture of the heat exchanger.
However, the heat exchanger disclosed in the second publication has a possibility that, when the provisionally fixed assembly of all the components is placed in the brazing furnace during the manufacture of the heat exchanger, the first to third members which constitute the tank main body of the header tank positionally shift because of an insufficient force for restraining the combination of the first to third members from the front and rear sides.


Thin films exhibiting second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties, as well as materials and methods for producing such films, are provided. The films are formed by depositing, on a substrate, alternate layers of a polyelectrolyte and a low molecular weight chromophore. The chromophore contains an electrophilic group that reacts with a previously deposited polyelectrolyte, and ionizable groups which present absorption sites for the next polyelectrolyte layer. The films find application in, for example, electro-optic modulators and frequency doubling devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to thin films that exhibit second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties. In particular, the invention provides materials and methods for producing such films by forming, on a substrate, alternate layers of a polymer and a low molecular weight chromophore.
2. Background of the Invention
Materials that exhibit second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties are key components in electrooptic modulators and frequency-doubling devices. [1] Second-harmonic generation (SHG), in which incident light at one frequency is converted into light at twice that frequency, is one example of second-order NLO phenomena and is often used as an experimental probe of the second-order susceptibility χ(2). A material must have a non-centrosymmetric structure to possess a nonzero χ(2). Electrooptic modulators have traditionally employed ferroelectric inorganic crystals, such as lithium niobate or potassium dihydrogen phosphate, which are formed at high temperatures. However, organic NLO materials offer several advantages in performance, such as higher nonlinear susceptibilities, higher modulation rates, and potentially lower device fabrication costs.[2] Organic films exhibiting nonzero χ(2) values have been fabricated using a variety of methods, including electric field poling, [3] Langmuir—Blodgett (LB) films, [4] and covalent self-assembly. [5] Both poled polymer systems and LB films have been made with non-centrosymmetric structures that exhibit relatively high values for χ(2), but poor temporal or mechanical stability restrict their potential applications.[6] Deposition processes using reactive silane compounds require organic solvents and high temperatures.[5]
There is a large and growing body of literature on the use of layer-by-layer (LBL) methods for fabricating nanostructured films for a variety of applications. The LBL technique, which relies on purely electrostatic interactions, was first developed by Iler [7] and further elaborated upon by Decher et al.[8] Several research groups have demonstrated that the NLO films made by this technique have greater thermal and temporal stability than poled polymer systems.[9] A related approach that could be employed to fabricate NLO materials involves the use of low-molecular-weight dye molecules and polymers as film constituents. Yamada et al. made films of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) and Erichrome Black T that exhibited an SHG intensity that increased only for the first five bilayers and then reached a plateau.[10] Koetse et al. [18] experimented with films grown with polyamines and reactive dyes but found that there was no polar order within the film layers. The authors indicate that the SHG signal they observed most likely originated from the dye molecules at the surface of the support. Other research groups have found that ionic interactions alone are not sufficient for constructing LBL films with low-molecular-weight chromophores.[11]
It would be of great benefit to have available stable NLO films with the large number of bilayers needed for electrooptic devices, and methods for their production. Further, it would be of benefit to have available a combination of low-molecular-weight cluomophoric molecules and polymers that could be used to construct such films.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Polar ordering of reactive chromophores in layer-by-layer nonlinear optical materials

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.


An electric generator using imploding plasma dynamics for generating electric energy from fuel energy, which includes a substantially cylindrical vortex chamber bounded by a cylindrical chamber wall having an axis, an inward curved fuel inlet end wall, and an opposite inward curved exhaust end wall; a shroud surrounding the vortex chamber forming an air space between the chamber wall and the shroud; at least one air inlet entering the air space at an angle tangential to the air space; air compressor means fluidly communicating with the air inlet for injecting air into the air space; fuel-air mixture injection means disposed in the fuel inlet end wall; a mixing chamber in the fuel-air mixture injection means for mixing fuel with the air fluidly communicatng with the air space; a plasma expansion cone having an inlet fluidly communicating with the mixing chamber for receiving fuel-air mixture from the mixing chamber; ignition means in the plasma expansion cone for igniting the fuel-air mixture, and forming at least one imploding plasma vortex in the vortex chamber; and electric energy take-off means connected with the vortex chamber for taking off electric energy generated by the imploding plasma vortex.

The use of a fast moving mass of gas plasma for the purpose of generating electric power is known from magneto hydrodynamic technology. In the known technology of hydrodynamics a gas plasma of high-temperature ionized gas is driven at high velocity through a magnetic field so that an electromotive force is generated by the moving gas plasma and tapped off at electrodes in the plasma.
The technology of magneto hydrodynamics has never been developed to the point wherein it has become commerically successful, due to the fact that the gas plasma exiting the magnetic field still contains a considerable amount of thermal energy that is not converted into electric power.
The instant invention overcomes this drawback by means of a different approach to converting the hot gas plasma to electric energy, which utilizes a principle of a vortex formed in the gas plasma, and more particularly a principle of so-called imploding plasma vortex dynamics in the following disclosure termed "Imploding Plasma Dynamics", wherein the plasma is in continuous contact with the electrodes until they have released the major part of its kinetic energey,


A press head drive cylinder control having a force sensing, force signal providing load cell on the drive cylinder of a glass molding press. The glass molding press having a base, a mold table rotatably mounted on the base, a plurality of mold positions on the table for locating from one to a plurality of molds thereon, at least one mold at a mold position, a press head, a press head tower, and a press head drive cylinder supporting the press head and being reciprocally mounted on the press head tower for movement of the press head to and from a mold aligned at a molding station. The press head drive cylinder control responds to force signals from the load cell to control the press head drive cylinder location, movement, and pressing force, during glass molding.

This invention relates to apparatus and methods for the molding of glass, such as glass molding presses and methods for the formation of television and computer faceplates. More particularly, this invention relates to the mechanisms and methods by which such presses are controlled.
A desirable machine for the production of glass products from gobs includes a vertically reciprocable ram or plunger which is movable to a molding position with an underlying mold. Glass is introduced to the mold as a gob while the ram is raised. The ram is then extended downward to the gob and mold, pressing the glass against the mold. Once the glass solidifies sufficiently, the ram is raised. A table carrying the mold is indexed to carry the mold to new workstations, while successive molds are successively indexed under the ram.
Increased speeds of production are highly desirable. In 1976, Lynch Corporation, then of Anderson, Ind., introduced a control system for operating the ram of glass molding machines which substantially advanced the art of such machines. This control, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,187 issued on Apr. 27, 1976, provided for rapid lowering of the ram to the mold, and numerous other advantages. Hydraulic circuitry was employed, and production speed was substantially improved.
In 1988, Owens-Illinois Television Products, Inc., of Toledo, Ohio, now called Techneglas, patented and disclosed another control. This control maintained the Lynch concept of rapid lowering of the ram to the mold. It added ram movement causing a spike of ram pressure as the ram contacted the gob in the mold. This ram pressure spike was employed as a signal to cause a controller to reduce pressure linearly to a final pressing pressure. The spike, linear reduction, and final pressing pressure are as shown along the "Down Ram Pressure" line of FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,976, in the region of time from 4.8 to 7.5 seconds, as charted. Oilgear Company of Milwaukee, Wis., was the recognized supplier of the servo control of the system.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,953,187 and 4,723,976 are incorporated by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,001 issued Nov. 19, 1985 is also incorporated by reference.

Apparatus and process for molding of glass


A delivery device as disclosed herein includes an article, a cradle, and a reservoir. The cradle which supports the article includes a wicking protrusion and is adapted to engage with the article. The reservoir contains a volatile medium and is adapted to engage with the cradle. The volatile medium is in fluid communication with the wicking extension. The delivery device can include a wide variety of articles, including decorative articles, functional articles, and substance-containing articles such as fragrance diffusers, which benefit from their union with the porous emanator.

A number of methods exist for dispensing a volatile fragrance material into the air in order to create a pleasant indoor fragrance experience and/or for the purpose of counteracting or neutralizing offensive odors. Previous methods utilizing vessels made from porous materials such as ceramic, have been used as a means to provide fragrance dispersion. Typically, these products are offered with a pre-measured amount of fragrance which is simply poured into the vessel in order to initiate activation. Migration of the fluid fragrance into the absorbent vessel completes the process. A glazing on the outside of the vessel protects surfaces from unwanted exposure to the fragrance.
Previously, there have been devices created to combine various technologies with candles, saturated papers, gels of varying compositions, and liquid wick diffusers. Some of such devices have been created for distributing fragrance. The units employing these varying methodologies are generally singularly-purposed, stand-alone devices devoted to the sole purpose of fragrance dispersal.
Most commonly the candle has been used as a heat source to evaporate the volatiles from gels, liquids, waxes on absorbent substrates that are positioned above the flame or in close proximity to it. Although being effective to an extent, these devices also suffer from being fully functional only while the candle is lit.
Gels, although continuous in their odor producing capabilities, have frequently lacked a sustainable fragrance intensity that is consistent throughout their functional lives. The performance profile for gels typically generates good fragrance awareness early; however, this odor awareness dissipates quickly to imperceptible levels shortly after activation. This inconsistent performance by gels has been a significant drawback to their success in the marketplace.
Both candles and gels offer economic methodologies for use as fragrance dispersion mediums and if their performances could be improved, a much wider acceptance of the forms of air freshening would be achieved.
Candles, while offering a relatively inexpensive means to achieve fragrance dispersion, exhibit limitations preventing them from effectively operating in a continuous manner. The volatilization of fugitive fragrance materials occurs primarily when the candle is lit and the candle composition is melted to create a molten pool. The elevated temperature that occurs in this pool hastens the diffusion of the volatiles into the surrounding environment. Very little fragrance is emitted from the candle when it is not lit, only that which is available from any of the candle's exposed surfaces.
Candles are generally not continuously operational throughout their lifetimes. This is largely because of the safety concern created by having an unsupervised open flame. In addition, the continuous operation would greatly reduce the functional life of the candle. In the case of creating a continuous indoor fragrance experience, the intermittent operation of the candle does not allow for the sufficient release of volatiles to create a seamless fragrance impression.
There remains a need in the art to combine a device intended to diffuse compositions of volatile mixtures and to integrate this form into a device capable of supporting either fragranced or non-fragranced articles. Accordingly, there is a need and desire for a dual-functioning volatile medium delivery system capable of emitting volatile mediums, for example a fragrance, in addition to providing an article that benefits from a union with the porous emanator.


The invention provides a transfer technique by which the dimensional precision of a thin-film device is not deteriorated, even if the device is produced by transferring a fine structure or a thin-film circuit layer onto a substrate with an inferior shape-stability. The method includes: forming a fine structure or a thin-film circuit layer on a first substrate using a photolithographic patterning process; shifting the fine structure or the thin-film circuit layer from the first substrate onto a second substrate, or shifting the fine structure or the thin-film circuit layer from the first substrate onto the second substrate via a third substrate; and forming a thin-film pattern on the fine structure or the thin-film circuit layer shifted onto the second substrate by a non-photolithographic method.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing a thin-film device using a transferring technique by which a thin-film circuit layer or a fine structure formed on an element-formation substrate is transferred onto another substrate.
2. Description of Related Art
For related art devices, such as liquid-crystal displays (LCD), organic EL displays, etc., it may be desirable to use a plastic substrate as a base so that the devices are prevented from being broken when they are deformed or dropped, or so that the cost of the devices is reduced.
However, manufacturing thin-film transistors for use in a panel display device, etc., includes a process which is carried out at a relatively high temperature. Thus, problems occur in that plastic substrates or circuit elements, such as organic EL elements, cannot be used in the above-mentioned process.
The Applicant of the present invention invented a related art transfer technique for producing a thin-film device, by which a semiconductor device is formed on a heat resistant substrate by a semiconductor manufacturing technique including a high temperature semiconductor process, and an element-formation layer having the semiconductor device formed therein is released, and then bonded to a plastic substrate. For example, such release and transfer techniques are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-12529, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-12530, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-12531. Thus, the formation of a thin-film device is realized by transferring, to a plastic substrate, a thin-film circuit layer of a thin-film transistor, etc., produced in a high temperature process using the above-described release-transfer technique.

Method of producing thin-film device, electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus


Drill bit cutter structure and means of mounting said cutter structure relative to a drill bit for drilling earth formations is described in which the cutter structure provides diverse rotational orientation of the cutting element about at least one axis relative to the drill bit. The cutter structure generally includes a bearing surface associated with the drill bit, a supporting member articulable with the bearing surface to provide diverse orientation thereof, and a cutting element secured to said supporting member.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to drill bits used in earth formation coring and drilling. Specifically, this invention relates to a drill bit cutter structure and mounting system which provides for selectable orientation of the cutting element relative to the formation.
2. State of the Art
Numerous types and configurations of drill bits are used for drilling and coring of earth formations. The design of a drill bit used in any particular application is generally dictated by the type of formation or type of drilling which is to be done. Further, the type of drilling dictates the type of cutting element which is used in association with the drill bit.
A commonly used drill bit, termed a rotary drag bit, is one which includes stationary cutters, secured to the face or profile of the drill bit. Such stationary cutters typically comprise a substantial planar, synthetic diamond cutting element attached to a carrier, sometimes referred to as a cylinder or stud, by means of a backing or supporting layer or substrate. Non-planar cutting elements, such as convex, concave, "dome" shaped, as well as polyhedral natural and synthetic diamonds are also employed, however, with various configurations of carriers. The cutting element includes a diamond layer or surface secured during manufacture of the cutting element to a supporting layer or substrate, which is in turn secured to the cylinder, or stud or otherwise configured carrier. The diamond layer may have a chamfered or rounded cutting edge, as employed in the art to minimize cutter damage during the initial portion of the drilling operation before the cutter is worn significantly. Both the supporting layer and carrier are usually made of a hard material such as tungsten carbide.
In drill bits of the type described, a plurality of carriers are embedded in the face of the drill bit in preformed openings sized to receive the carriers. Alternatively, the carrier may be embedded in the drill bit face during formation of the bit body of a matrix-body drill bit, as widely employed in the art. This technique is particularly common with cylindrical carriers. The particular position which each carrier assumes when inserted or otherwise fixed in the drill bit face determines the angle of cut which will be achieved by the cutting element's diamond layer on the formation being drilled. That is, the side rake, which may be used to refer to the angle of rotation the cutting element relative an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drill bit in relation to a radial line extending through the cutter, and the back rake, which may be used to refer to the angle of the cutting element relative to the vertical axis of the drill bit, are determined by the fixed orientation of the carrier in the drill bit face. It should be noted in passing that the term "back rake" is a term of art and may be a misnomer in certain instances, such as when a cutting surface is forwardly, or "positively" raked, rather than backwardly, or "negatively" raked or inclined. Therefore, as used herein the term "back rake" may refer to either a negative or positive incline of the cutting surface. Similarly, in drill bits which do not employ carriers, cutters may be embedded in the drill bit face in preformed openings, the angle of which determine the rakes or orientation of the cutter.
The characteristics of the formation to be drilled are in large part determinative of the necessary side rake and back rake of the cutters. For example, tougher formations may require a drill bit having cutters with a more negative back rake to prevent cutter damage. A softer formation permits a more positive rake, but not too positive or aggressive as the bit may then stall. Stated another way, the degree of cutter backrake may be used to control torque experienced by the bit and the cutters. Therefore, the characteristics of the formation are assessed prior to drilling and a drill bit is designed with preformed openings drilled or otherwise formed in desired locations in the bit face at angles corresponding to the desired angles that the cutting elements should assume to produce the desired cuts.
The limited ability to adjust the carriers or cutters embedded in the drill bit of prior art systems necessarily limits the amount of positioning or adjustment which can be attained to accurately establish a desired cutting angle with respect to side rake and back rake. The number of cutters which can be placed for desired effect is also severely limited, as the carrier elements tend to mutually interfere, preventing many otherwise desirable cutter groupings. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a cutter structure and system for mounting the cutter which provides variable location and orientation of the cutting element relative to, but independent of, the orientation of the carrier or the drill bit.

Drill bit cutter mounting system providing selectable orientation of the cutting element