An improved electrical terminal having a tri-beam construction is adapted to be received in an electrical connector housing and includes two retention beams which provide high normal retention forces to a conventional male pin contact slidably disposed therebetween. A third beam is disposed substantially parallel to the two retention beams and constitutes a contact beam which provides a standard normal force and a contact surface which is selectively gold plated on a contact interface region defined thereon. The contact interface region defines an area in which the male pin contact and the electrical terminal establish an electrical connection. The connector beam is offset from the retention beams so as to define a space in which the male pin contact is retained.

Electrical contacts and terminals have long been used to terminate and connect a variety of pins which carry electrical power or signals. A number of electrical terminal configurations are known and used in the art, including sockets, spring-like tines and flexible spring-arms. The present invention is directed to electrical terminals of a "tuning fork" configuration, which are generally known in the art.
Certain tuning fork configurations have been developed for use in various connector structures. In applications subject to high vibration or shock forces, a terminal with high retention forces is required to prevent detachment of a mating contact during operation. The tuning fork design is advantageous because the outward deflection of a pair of retention beams upon insertion of a mating pin contact creates a good contact force between the terminal and the inserted contact pin. However, electrical terminals of the tuning fork type configuration are not without certain disadvantages. A male contact pin which is retained by the fork design may have rough connection surfaces due to shearing during die stamping of the pin. The contact faces of the two retention beams of the tuning fork terminal likewise are sheared edges of material produced during a stamping operation and therefore have a comparatively rough surface finish. The interface between these rough surfaces creates a poor electrical contact between the pin and the terminal and an increased possibility of damage to the terminal and the contact during repeated mating cycles.
There have been numerous attempts to overcome the problems inherent in conventional tuning fork designs. For example, a terminal shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,361 has a receptacle having a pair of opposing cantilever legs with a resilient cantilever leg centered therebetween. The center leg makes connection with one side of a mating pin while the other two legs contact the other side of the mating pin. The two opposing legs will deflect outwardly upon insertion of a pin therebetween, thus assuring satisfactory contact forces are being applied so as retain such pin. The opposing legs and the center leg are offset from a cable engaging portion, significantly adding to the space occupied by the terminal. None of the legs which receive a mating pin is coated with a conductive material which would facilitate electrical connection between the terminal and the pin.
A similar prior art design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,972. This type of terminal is referred to as a "clip-on lead". A clip-on lead has an elongated shaft suitable for electrical connection, the upper end of which widens into a pair of fork-like bracing members. A front spring member protrudes normal to the bracing members and curves into a plane which is parallel to that of the bracing members. Both the rear bracing members and the front spring member are soldered to a substrate received therebetween. As a result, the lead is much harder to separate from the substrate, a characteristic that is highly desirable in high shock/high vibration environments. However, the protrusion of the elongated shaft from a rear surface of the substrate significantly increases the electrical length from the substrate to a PC board, adversely affecting the performance of a high frequency circuit.
A problem inherent in the above described configurations is that the high normal force exerted by the beams can also damage the contact area, leading to premature failure of the connector system. Additionally, if the contact surfaces of the forks are plated or otherwise covered in a conductive material such as gold, the combination of high retention forces and rough material edges causes damage to the covering, resulting in lower operational life and correspondingly higher production and maintenance costs.
An alternative tuning fork terminal configuration is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,097. This patent provides for a female electrical terminal having a pair of flexible beams constituting a contact member and extending in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the flexible beams. The contacting surfaces of each flexible beam has a coating layer of gold or tin. The deflection of the contact beams in this configuration is predetermined before assembly, thereby enabling high contact precision after assembly. The deflection of the flexible beams is limited by the guiding beam and is independent of the introduction of a conventional male pin contact. In use, the high and constant contact pressure protects against corrosion of the contact areas and provides integrity of a transmitted signal in cases of vibration or impact. However, this connector, like the other connector designs, makes it very difficult to deposit gold selectively onto the contact area. This means the entire ends of the beams must be immersion plated, a process which results in high gold consumption and correspondingly high manufacturing costs.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an electrical terminal that provides a high retention force without reducing the operating life of the terminal.

IDC socket contact with high retention force


Sub-pixel processing of image data representing a dataform, such as a 2D bar code, enables reading of dataforms including more data/smaller elements, without costly increases in sensor and memory capacity. Whole pixel processing is employed for pixel-per-element resolutions of two or better. Sub-pixel cell edge transition location in image data is enhanced by use of a dynamically implemented noise margin applied with bands of gray scale values designated within the envelope of applicable gray scale maximum and minimum values. Sub-pixel cell edge transition location employs selection of transition segments (subject to the noise margin) and determination of a dynamic threshold for each relevant transition segment. The intersection of the threshold and the transition segment is then indicative of the location of the cell edge transition along a sampling line crossing the dataform. The process is repeated for successive cell edges along image data sampling lines and for additional sampling lines crossing successive rows of dataform elements. Run length data representing cell edge transition locations is constructed and usable for dataform decoding.

The applications and uses of bar codes and matrix codes are well known and increasing. Bar codes and matrix codes are forms of "dataforms", which for purposes of the invention are defined to include all arrangements whereby data is fixed in some form of machine readable copy. Thus, dataforms include one and two dimensional bar codes, matrix codes and graphic codes, as well as words and numbers and other symbols, which may be printed or etched on any suitable medium. Dataforms are utilized to encode information which may be recovered for further use in a variety of manners. For example, a printed bar code may be optically scanned to derive reflectance values which are digitized, stored in buffer memory and subsequently decoded to recover the data encoded in the bar code.
Regardless of the particular type of dataform, an image is typically acquired and stored as pixel values for further processing. An image of a bar code or other dataform existing as a graphic image can be acquired by use of a CCD scanner, laser scanner, sensor array or other suitable arrangement which is capable of distinguishing between different levels of illumination reflected from the dataform. In a bar code for example, the graphic image generally comprises cells of contrasting reflectivity (e.g., black bar type elements printed on a white background, with white spaces between the bars). In the stored image the pixel values thus represent illumination level changes of reflected light ("light" being defined as encompassing the entire electromagnetic spectrum for present purposes). The illumination level changes may typically be stored as pixel values in an image buffer memory or other storage medium in bit map or other form which, while representative of pixel values for an image, may utilize any appropriate data storage format.
For dataform readers, the resolution capability, and thereby the cost of the scanning device or other sensor, as well as the data storage medium, are directly dependent upon the resolution required in the overall decoding process. On a basic level, the resolution characterizing both the pixel data image acquisition and storage must be adequate to permit detection of the position of the smallest image element of interest in the dataform. For present purposes, the bars or other elements utilized in encoding of a dataform are termed "cells" and the smallest image element of interest is termed a "module". The narrowest cell or bar of a bar code will thus be one module wide. If, for example, the width of a module is many times larger than the size of a pixel within the acquired pixel image, it will be appreciated that such module width will be represented by many pixels and its position will be correspondingly easy to detect. Thus, the resolution, which may be measured in pixels-per-module, will be related to the minimum cell width. Conversely, it should be also recognized that if a module dimension is smaller than the size of one pixel in the pixel data image, it will not be possible to detect cell positions with accuracy adequate to enable reliable recovery of data encoded in the dataform. As the size of the smallest image element or cell of interest can be very small within complex dataforms such as 2D bar codes and matrix codes, there is a need to detect the precise location of cell edge transitions with accuracy adequate to enable reliable recovery of all data encoded in the dataform. At the same time, there is a conflicting need to avoid the cost, size and power requirements of higher resolution imaging devices, storage devices, etc.
In the present state of the art, there typically is a requirement that the width of a cell must be no smaller than the dimension represented by two side-by-side pixels in the pixel image. This is another way of expressing a current state of the art standard for bar code decoding, which holds that detecting of a bar code or other dataform requires, at minimum, at least two pixels-per-cell along one axis. This state of the art minimum requirement is further discussed and illustrated in application Ser. No. 08/245,613 filed May 19, 1995, and commonly assigned herewith. FIG. 1A, shows bar code cells and the pixels size relationship for a few pixels within an overall image. The individual pixels may be in any lateral positioning relationship with the bar code cells, and the provision of at least two pixels-per-cell enables determination of the relative cell positions adequately for decoding. For the two-dimensional case (as for cells of a matrix code dataform, wherein both lateral and vertical positioning of square cells are employed for encoding data) detecting typically requires, on a consistent basis, a resolution of at least two pixels-per-cell along two perpendicular axes, which equates to four pixels-per-cell, as illustrated in FIG. 1B. To achieve the desired decoding resolution, the storage or memory medium must have at least the same resolution capability of storing at least two pixels-per-cell for one axis and four pixels-per-cell for the 2D case. These standards, together with the overall size and the image cell content of a complete dataform to be decoded, determine the overall size, resolution and cost of the sensor unit and storage medium necessary to acquire and store the pixel data image. As a result, as dataforms increase in complexity even larger sensor and storage capacity is required. There is thus a need for reliable methods of locating dataform cell edges which are usable with image resolutions better than two pixels-per-cell along one axis in the dataform. Such methods can save both sensor and storage cost and capacity.
An important consideration is the effect of noise on achievable resolution in reading and decoding dataforms. As is known, spurious effects relating to printing or surface variations in a dataform, or to lens, sensor or other optical variations, as well as to electrical signal variations, typically introduce variations in recorded gray scale values. As a practical matter, in the presence of noise each gray scale value may be distorted by being changed to a higher or lower value. If image data stored in memory for a particular dataform were known to include noise variations to a specific maximum magnitude, spurious results could be excluded by ignoring all gray scale value variations smaller than a noise threshold or margin determined in view of such specific maximum magnitude. However, the stored image data may also include valid dataform information represented by small gray scale value differentials. By setting a noise margin adequate to avoid effects of the noise, valid dataform information would, therefore, be lost with the noise. Such loss of dataform information will be reflected as a loss of resolution, limiting the processing of fine detail in dataform reading and decoding. There is thus a need for improved dataform operation to increase achievable resolution in the presence of noise.
Existing edge detection methods available for use in dataform readers rely upon a variety of approaches to locate the edge transitions of cells within the dataform. Commonly used methods employ fixed threshold, residual (original signal minus a low-pass filtered version of the signal) or other algorithms such as Laplacian or Gaussian algorithms to locate the signal transitions. The fixed threshold technique is limited in detection of edges when the contrast of narrow bar code patterns is reduced by convolution and sampling effects introduced during image capture. Other algorithms are similarly not efficient when implemented digitally and may be limited to the at least two pixels-per-cell resolution requirement along an axis. The other techniques in general require filtering operations which in turn require excessive multiplication or other processing operations. There may also be limitations as to the permissible range of cell width variations, due in part to the use of a fixed set of filter parameters which can not readily be changed. The result is to limit one or more of achievable resolution, efficiency of operation and flexibility of performance of available dataform decoders.
In view of the foregoing, objects of the present invention are to provide improved methods of locating dataform cell edge transitions which are characterized by one or more of the following capabilities:
higher resolution performance in the presence of noise; PA1 improved sub-pixel resolution for location of dataform cell edge transitions with reduced imaging and storage resolution requirements; PA1 selective application of a noise margin to image data represented within different gray scale ranges; PA1 automatic determination of a noise margin; PA1 automatic selection of sub-pixel image processing on an as-required basis; and PA1 use of whole-pixel image processing when sub-pixel processing is not required for dataform decoding.

Sub-pixel dataform reader with dynamic noise margins


Embodiments of a system and methods for skin detection and pose determination of a hand in an image are generally described herein. A method for may include detecting skin pixels in an image using a multi-layer skin filter and classifying the skin pixels into a set of foreground skin pixels and a set of background skin pixels. The method may include storing information about the set of background skin pixels in a persistent memory. The method may include determining a set of features from the set of foreground skin pixels, and clustering features from the set of features to create a set of hand pose descriptors. The method may include determining a set of candidate hand pose region descriptors and a set of candidate hand pose contour descriptors that match the set of hand pose descriptors and detecting a valid hand pose using the sets of candidate descriptors.

Image-based solutions for gesture recognition or hand pose detections are becoming more sophisticated every year. Current solutions include using global color models to detect skin. An issue with this solution may include a high error rate. Other solutions for detecting hand poses use trained regression models. A drawback of trained regression models is the large amount of resources expended, time needed, or difficulty in training the models. Still other approaches include using skin information to directly detect hand poses. This approach may not work with all skin colors and may require significant resources or time.

Multi-layer skin detection and fused hand pose matching


A robotic manufacturing system may include multiple robots for transporting materials between a series of stages in a manufacturing process. To provide enhanced efficiency, each of these robots may independently operate according to a reverse process flow, cyclical schedule of operation.

Modern manufacturing systems often use robots to automate processes. These robotic systems can provide a number of benefits, such as increased production and precision. In semiconductor manufacturing, robotic systems enable the fabrication of sophisticated electronic devices. Because of the costs associated with semiconductor manufacturing systems and the value of the resulting products, a key goal of these systems is the maximization of throughput.

Scheduling multi-robot processing systems


A navigational tool is disclosed for traversing information units stored in a memory of a computer system. The computer system has a monitor and a control device and operates according to a computer application program. The navigational tool has three modules. The first module independently tracks a path traversed by the computer system under the control of the application program through the memory which generates and organizes a sequence of nodes into a hierarchical representation of the path followed by the computer system through the memory. The second module displays the sequence of nodes on the monitor simultaneously with the display generated by the application program. The sequence of nodes is continuously and automatically updated as the computer system traverses the memory. The control device is used to select any one of the sequence of nodes displayed on the monitor. The third module uses this selection to redirect traversal of the computer system to the level of the memory represented by the selected node.

Modern computer systems are utilized by users to perform specific tasks or to solve specific problems. Typically, the computer system is programmed to perform these tasks or solve these problems. Such a program is referred to as an application program. Application programs may include data base programs, multimedia knowledge base programs, word processing programs and spread sheet programs. Application programs provide a user with an interface to enable the user of the application program to communicate with the program, for example, to give commands to execute instructions and access information stored in memory. Examples of user interfaces include pulldown menus, highlighted command prompts, graphical icons and identifiable commands. An application program may include its own user interface or take advantage of another program that provides a user interface to be used in conjunction with the application program.
User interfaces may allow a user to access stored information in various ways. One method is to provide, on request, a list of all the topics or files available for use in conjunction with the application program. These topics or files may be listed in a certain order, for example, alphabetical order or order of creation. The user can then select which topic or file the user desires to access. A refinement of this method is to list only those topics or files in a subcategory specified by the user of the application program.
Another approach is to create a hierarchical structure containing menus and the information to be accessed. The user is shown on a computer screen a main menu of choices, each with sub-menus, which allows the user to move through the hierarchical menu/data structure until the relevant topic or file is displayed. For example, an application program may provide users with access to a knowledge base by displaying a main menu listing the broad topics covered by the knowledge base. Each broad topic then has a sub-menu listing more specific topics. The listings in a sub-menu may include further sub-menus or, if the topic is sufficiently refined, the information itself. When the desired topic is reached, the monitor will display a screen with the information on that topic. Where the information on the topic comprises more than one screen, the user is able to access that information using interface commands such as "page down" or "next" commands. The displayed topic, in addition to displaying information, may provide further choices to access subtopics of that topic. Often, the user also has the option of accessing a general index or a previous topic or menu from any displayed topic. For example, if a user is accessing information on a certain topic and wishes to access information about a more specific or less specific topic mentioned in the information currently displayed, the user has the capability of being able to instantly retrieve such information by giving the relevant command or series of commands.
Information which is accessed in a hierarchical fashion can be described as having a main menu at the top of the hierarchy, with nodes at a next level representing the various choices available from the main menu. Each node can be referred to as a sub-menu (having further nodes) or a series of units of information where each unit is displayed as required on a section of the computer screen (called a window). Certain units of information may also enable a user to choose other nodes in the hierarchy with related information.
The units of information may be screens of knowledge taken from a knowledge base, comprising text, graphics, animation, audio, and video.
A problem users encounter when utilizing a hierarchial data structure to access information in complex systems is tracking where in the hierarchy the information currently displayed is located. When a user is confused about his or her location in the structure, the user is unable to take full advantage of accessing more specific or less specific or related information, because the user cannot determine what information is available for review and how that information can be accessed. The user may have the option of accessing a general alphabetical index or returning to the main menu and accessing the information by moving to the desired information through the hierarchical structure, but doing so is inefficient and is not an effective use of the data structure. The advantage of having related information accessable from the display is lost if the user must keep leaving the hierachical data structure to access the related information. The user must leave the screen of information to access the index and then return to the hierachical data structure to access further information. If the user must keep leaving the hierachical structure to find and access related data, the advantage of using the hierachical data structure is lost. Further, the user may wish to return to a screen previously displayed containing more general information or a screen higher than the current screen in the data structure hierarchy. If the user is unsure of the name of the screen or where that screen is located relative to the current screen of information, this will be a difficult task to accomplish. Even if the user remembers such information, returning to that screen often involves the user having to give a complex series of instructions.
Specialized high level languages and software applications have attempted to address the foregoing problems encountered by users by designing suitable user interfaces that allow a user to see the structure of the information or access information in non-sequential way. One such type of user interface involves instructions that cause a listing of the file names or screen names available to the user and describing which of those the user has previously accessed to be displayed on the screen. This system, however, does not provide a representation to the user showing the hierarchical structure of the information and the path by which the user has progressed through this hierarchy. The user is unable to determine from such a listing where the current screen of information is located in the hierarchy.
A second type of user interface designed to address the foregoing problem involves displaying miniature representations of the screens that the user has accessed in the past in the order that the user has accessed them. The user can then see the sequence of screens viewed prior to the current screen of information and can decide to return to a previous screen by selecting that screen using an input-output device such as a mouse. The miniature representations are displayed on a separate screen generally replacing the current screen of information. This type of user interface also does not show the hierarchical structure of the information being accessed. All screens are displayed in a linear fashion and the user has no knowledge of the level in the hierarchy at which each miniature screen is located or the level of one screen of information in relation to other screens.
A third type of user interface available, often used in accessing a knowledge base, is the use of a back-track icon that allows a user to retrace previous steps through the knowledge base. The user chooses the back-track icon which then causes the screen of information previous to that which the user is currently accessing to be displayed. Through the repetitive use of the back-track icon, a user can then retrace the steps taken through the knowledge base until the required screen is displayed. However, this method does not provide a visual display of the hierarchical structure of the information that is available. The user at any particular stage of operation would be unsure where in the hierarchy the current screen of information is located. Access to any prior screen of information can not be done instantaneously as all intermediate screens must be traversed.
When using a separate application program, such as a knowledge base described above, accessing the record of the user's path through the information structure generally requires leaving the knowledge base, accessing the record of the user's path and then returning to the knowledge base to obtain the further required information.
A further type of interface available is a "map" showing the structure of the whole, or a portion, of the knowledge base or file system. A disadvantage of using the map is that the user must leave the current location in the knowledge base or file system to view the map. The map replaces the information the user was accessing. The user must then return to the knowledge base or file system to obtain further information. Moreover, if the knowledge base or file system is complex, the map is either too large to fit on one screen, or if modified to do so, is not sufficiently detailed to be helpful to the user in accessing all the information.
Previous user interfaces do not continuously display where the user is located in a hierarchical information structure with that display also providing direct access capability to other parts of the hierarchical information structure.
In those cases where a record of the user's sequence through the information structure is maintained, the record is not continuously and automatically updated allowing the user to carry on, at the same time, the operation of the application program. Where such a record is maintained, it must be specially accessed and the record does not give information as to the hierarchical structure of the information.

Computer user interface navigational tool


A clothes and accessories fitting method, a display system and a computer-readable recording medium thereof are provided, where the method is applicable to a display system having an image capturing device and a screen and includes the following steps. Images of a user wearing a first apparel appearing in front of the screen are continuously or intermittently captured by using the image capturing device. When a first image of the user in a particular pose is determined to be included in the images, the first image is shot by using the image capturing device. A foreground region and a background region in the first image are segmented, and the background region is processed to generate a processed background region. A first preview image is generated according to the foreground region and the processed background region and displayed on the screen.

While a consumer is buying clothes or accessories at a physical store, he/she would normally need to try them on repeatedly to select the most satisfying pieces. However, the consumer may not only feel time-consuming and tedious, but may also occupy a fitting room for a considerable amount of time. One prior art has proposed a virtual clothes fitting product which captures an image of the user by using a camera and adds virtual clothes onto the captured image. The image of the virtual clothes under such simulated environment may not match with the figure of the user and may look unreal. Further, after such repeated fitting, with the lack of functions for the user to compare visual differences among multiple sets of clothes at the same time, users can only select more appropriate pieces by memory.
As information technology has been incorporated into many aspects in our daily life, a significant trend has been towards the development of smart products. Hence, to incorporate the existing products into physical stores for interactive fitting and comparison has become a way to optimize life experiences for the consumer.

Clothes and accessories fitting method, display system and computer-readable recording medium thereof


A shock absorber includes a cylinder sealingly containing oil, and a piston coupled with a piston rod and inserted in the cylinder. The shock absorber generates a damping force by controlling an oil flow generated according to a movement of the piston with use of a damping force generation mechanism. A separator tube is externally disposed around the cylinder. The oil is transmitted into the damping force generation mechanism via a branch tube integrally formed on a cylindrical sidewall of the separator tube. The branch tube is formed on the cylindrical sidewall of the separator tube by burring processing. Both sides of a proximal portion of the branch tube in a circumferential direction of the cylindrical sidewall of the separator tube are pressed from an interior to concave an inner circumferential surface radially outwardly, thereby forming recesses.

The present invention relates to a shock absorber capable of generating a damping force by controlling a flow of hydraulic fluid in a cylinder during a stroke of a piston rod, a tube provided with a branch tube capable of being used for the shock absorber, and a method for making them.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Public Disclosure No. H11-159563 discusses a tubular shock absorber mounted on a suspension apparatus of a vehicle such as an automobile. This shock absorber has a triple tube structure including a cylinder, an outer tube disposed around the cylinder, and a cylindrical member (a separator tube) disposed between the cylinder and the outer tube. An annular passage is defined between the cylinder and the cylindrical member. Further, the cylindrical member is configured as a tube provided with a branch tube by including an integrally formed branch tube, which cylindrically protrudes from a side wall of the cylindrical member radially outwardly while being in communication with the annular passage.
The shock absorber disclosed in the above-described Japanese Patent Application Public Disclosure No. H11-159563 uses the branch tube integrally formed at the side wall of the cylindrical member as a passage of hydraulic fluid. According to this configuration, the cylindrical member and the branch tube have to have a sufficient pressure resistance against the hydraulic fluid, which is supposed to be highly pressurized. Further, the cylindrical member also has to have a sufficient fatigue strength because the cylindrical member is supposed to repeatedly receive a load due to a pressure change according to a stroke change of the piston rod between an extension side and a compression side. Then, while satisfying these strength-related requirements, the wall thickness is desired to be thinned to reduce the weight of the shock absorber.

Tube provided with branch tube, shock absorber, and method for making them


Controllable refueling drogues and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment includes a fuel delivery device having a deployable portion configured to be deployed overboard an aircraft during aerial refueling. The deployable portion can include at least a portion of a flexible fuel line, a drogue coupled to the flexible fuel line, and an actuatable device operatively coupled to at least one of the drogue and the fuel line. The deployable portion can further include a guidance system that is operatively coupled to the actuatable device and that includes instructions to direct the operation of the actuatable device and move the drogue during flight.

In-flight refueling (or air-to-air refueling) is an important method for extending the range of aircraft traveling long distances over areas having no feasible landing or refueling points. Although in-flight refueling is a relatively common operation, especially for military aircraft, the aircraft to be refueled (e.g., the receiver aircraft) must be precisely positioned relative to the tanker aircraft in order to provide safe engagement while the fuel is dispensed to the receiver aircraft. The requirement for precise relative spatial positioning of the two rapidly moving aircraft makes in-flight refueling a challenging operation.
There are currently two primary systems for in-flight refueling. One is a hose and drogue system, which includes a refueling hose having a drogue disposed at one end. The hose and drogue are trailed behind the tanker aircraft once the tanker aircraft is on station. The pilot of the receiver aircraft then flies the receiver aircraft to intercept and couple with the drogue for refueling. Another existing system is a boom refueling system. The boom refueling system typically includes a rigid boom extending from the tanker aircraft, with a probe and nozzle at its distal end. The boom also includes airfoils controlled by a boom operator stationed on the refueling aircraft. The airfoils allow the boom operator to actively maneuver the boom with respect to the receiver aircraft, which flies in a fixed refueling position below and aft of the tanker aircraft.
One approach to addressing the challenge associated with precisely positioning the tanker aircraft relative to the receiver aircraft is to automate the positioning process. For example, one existing arrangement for boom refueling systems includes cameras housed in the tanker aircraft to determine the distance between the receiver aircraft and the tip of a refueling boom carried by the tanker aircraft. The system can then be used to automatically control the position of the boom to mate with a corresponding refueling receptacle of the receiver aircraft. The system can be configured to allow the boom operator to take control of the movement of the boom, for example, if the automatic system malfunctions or if for any reason the refueling boom must be directed away from the receiver aircraft. However, the applicability of this system has been limited to certain boom-outfitted tanker aircraft and can in some cases significantly impact the cost of such aircraft.


A safety switch with an electronic programmable system including a group of two single-contact relays connected in series, associated with a matching element, a proximity element associated with a support element, magnetic sensors to check the contact status of each of the two relays, two calculation units connected to an exit to the magnetic sensors through the relative control signal connectors and to one entry by a common connector and a magnet associated with the proximity element, with the checking of the status of the relays being managed by the calculation units and taking place by sending a fixed number of fixed-frequency pulse width modulation pulses to the magnetic sensors of each of the single-contact relays and through the connectors and checking the return of the same pulses through the common connector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention refers to a safety switch with an electronic programmable system.
More particularly, the present invention refers to a safety switch with an electronic programmable system being particularly but not exclusively useful anytime that the need to be sure that an element reaches a certain position with respect to another one arises, such as for the bolts of lift doors.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that in various applications it is necessary to be sure that an element reaches a predefined position with respect to another one before the subsequent event takes place. One of these applications is the control of the bolts of lift doors wherein their opening and/or closing must take place safely according to the provisions ruling the security classes.
In order to meet these safety requirements, mechanical devices provided with electric or electromechanical sensors interacting with the opening devices of the doors are generally known and used. In particular, for safety reasons, the bolt of the lift doors is associated with the lift cabin operator and it is mechanically operated.
Even though these devices achieve the purpose, they are not free from drawbacks such as the manufacturing complexity due to the interaction needed between the electrical and the mechanical devices, the installation difficulty due to the restricted spaces available, the physical calibration needed of the various component in order to assure the correct interaction among the above-mentioned devices.

Safety switch with an electronic programmable system


A voluntary opening prosthetic split hook terminal device is provided with an adjustable pinch force, functional grasping contours and illumination capabilities. Embodiments of the present invention include a tensioning mechanism that permits adjustment of the tension of a spring member to increase or decrease the pinching force of the device. The tensioning mechanism may be repositioned among multiple positions to vary the tension in a spring member. Movement of the tensioning mechanism utilizes principles of mechanical leverage in a way such that the force applied by the spring member does not need to be directly opposed in order to reposition the tensioning mechanism and the tensioning device will automatically lock into a selected position. Additional embodiments include digits with dual internal edges and logarithmic spiral contours for enhanced grasping of objects. Still further embodiments include illumination for functional and aesthetic purposes.

A number of prosthetic devices have been developed to assist upper-body amputees, i.e., persons who have lost all or a portion of an upper limb. Although there is a significant need for such devices, many prosthetic devices (artificial arms and/or hands) suffer from poor performance and design.
One type of prosthetic device commonly used is a "body-powered" system. In a body powered system the wearer controls the system using muscles in his or her body, most commonly muscles of the shoulder and neck. Within the realm of body-powered prostheses, there are two primary families of prehensors, differing primarily in their principle of operation. A prehensor, also known as a "gripper" or an "end-effector," is a mechanical prosthetic terminal device used by an upper-body amputee to serve as a replacement for the hand. Voluntary opening (VO) prehensors typically include two or more gripping digits (mechanical fingers) that are held or biased against each other by a spring or one or more custom elastic bands. The user moves the digits apart prior to gripping an object by pulling on a control cable connected to the user's shoulder and neck through a harness. When the user relaxes or eases the tension on the control cable, the digits close on the object to be held and grasp the object. In essence, voluntary opening prehensors are spring loaded clamps that can be opened at will by the user. Therefore, with a voluntary opening prehensor, the wearer's grip on the object is passive and the wearer is not required to expend energy while gripping an object. Unfortunately, since gripping an object with a voluntary opening prehensor is passive, the user has limited, if any, control over the amount of force exerted on the object. Gripping forces needed to lift heavy objects are excessive for small, lightweight or fragile objects. Conversely, the correct gripping force needed to grasp a light object will usually be inadequate for heavier objects. U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,017 issued to Brown et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,386 issued to Scribner disclose voluntary opening prehensors.
Split hook terminal devices (TDs) are one type of VO prehensor because the grasping digits move apart, or open, as the user increases tension in the control cable. Custom elastic bands or springs affixed to the terminal device cause the device to close and effect grasp as cable tension is reduced, identical in principle to a spring-loaded clamp. Many users who desire increased gripping forces install large numbers of elastic bands to generate high pinch force. While pinch force is increased, substantially larger cable tension is required to cycle or open the terminal device to affect grasp. Repetitive actuation of TDs equipped with excessive bands has been strongly implicated in repetitive stress injuries among upper-extremity amputees in addition to causing excessive equipment wear. Similarly, users may offset a portion of the maximum pinch force by sustaining a counter level of cable tension. While reduced pinch force is achieved, prolonged exposure to the sustained cable tension aggravates repetitive stress injuries. Moreover, the elastic bands typically installed in commercially available TDs are specialized, short, powerful bands that are known in the orthotics and prosthetics industry as being notoriously difficult to install, particularly for amputees. Current commercial VO TDs do not lend themselves to readily changing the number of active bands and, therefore, there is no simple or effective way to easily adjust pinch force as needed or desired.
One example of a VO TD with an adjustable tensioning mechanism is German Patent DE901583. A device is shown in which a metal coil spring extends between two digits. One end of the coil spring is attached to a movable digit and the opposite end of the spring is attached to an adjustment mechanism for altering the location where the spring is attached to the fixed digit. The adjustment mechanism permits the spring to be positioned at a number of different locations on the fixed digit that are all equally spaced from the point at which the spring is connected to the movable digit. The tension in the spring does not change between positions. The adjustment mechanism includes a pin (k) which fits in a pin slot (n) to secure the adjustment mechanism to the fixed digit. Each position provides a different pin slot for locating the pin and securing the position of the adjustment mechanism. The closer the pin location is to the pivot point of the movable digit, the less pinch force is applied by the movable digit. This system has numerous drawbacks including the fact that in order to adjust the position of the coil spring, the pin (k) must be grasped and pulled from the pin hole (n) in a direction directly opposite the force applied by the spring. The adjustment mechanism must then be moved to a new position and the pin inserted into the new pin slot. This requires relatively high strength and dexterity. Further, the coil spring extends across the area in which an object may be grasped, possibly interfering with grasping of an object or damaging the object as a result of the metal spring rubbing against the grasped object.

Prosthetic split hook terminal device with adjustable pinch force, functional grasping contours and illumination


The invention relates to a button lithium ion battery, a preparation method thereof, and a method of producing a lithium ion cell composite flat sheet, wherein the button lithium ion battery comprises a battery housing, a cell accommodated in the battery housing and an electrolyte filled in the battery housing; the cell is formed by winding a composite flat sheet in which a first separator, a positive piece, a second separator and a negative piece are sequentially stacked and hot-laminated to form an integrated structure. The cell of the button lithium ion battery is formed by winding a composite flat sheet, so that winding efficiency can be improved, and misalignment can be avoided; moreover, chances of hand contact can be reduced, the influence of dust and water vapor can be avoided, and the quality of the lithium battery can be improved to the maximum extent.

The steel housing button lithium ion battery has wide-spread use. The popularization of the wireless Bluetooth headset has witnessed a rapid increase of the steel housing button lithium ion battery which is now on hot sales. However, typically in the conventional method of preparing lithium batteries, a lug is welded to a foil-free area of a pole piece, an insulator tape is pasted and cut into sections of pieces required by the winding process. In the conventional lithium battery preparation, the pole pieces and the separators manufactured by a piece-making machine are usually required to be placed on a winding device, and then the positive piece, the negative piece and the separators are wound together. Misalignment is likely to occur since the positive piece, the negative piece and two layers of the separators are wound together and may cause quality issues; moreover, chances of hand contact are increased, dust, water vapor and the like are easily caused to influence the quality of the lithium battery; furthermore, a low winding efficiency leads to increased labor costs. In the relevant art, a cylindrical cell is formed in a lamination mode, which is vulnerable to risks such as low-voltage short circuit caused by piece burrs and the like; moreover, unpredictable risks are likely to occur due to misalignment, and this lamination mode features a low production efficiency.

Button lithium ion battery, preparation method thereof and preparation method of lithium ion cell composite flat sheet

Jiangxi BetterPower New Energy Co., Ltd.


The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for measuring, setting and controlling longitudinal and lateral register as well as parallelness of the printing register in a multicolor printing machine. To reduce waste, the longitudinal and circumferential register is sensed on a print web (D) at one side and parallelness of the print images among one another is determined at the opposite other side. To this end an independent second measuring device is preferably used. The data obtained are used for automatically controlling the printing register in lateral and circumferential direction as well as print parallelness.

In multicolor printing machines, an accurate overprint of the individual subimages must be ensured, each subimage being formed of one color.
Printing machines are equipped with means permitting a shifting of the individual images in such a way that they occupy the respectively desired position. An automatic control of this operation is achieved with register control means. However, the image is translationally moved in its position relative to the other subimages in circumferential and lateral direction, which creates a positioning error.
In roll type printing series machines, a further flaw is observed that is superposed on the above-mentioned positioning error. This flaw is due to the fact that a material web is not conveyed in an exactly straight way through a printing unit for different reasons. For instance, when a printing material web is thinner at one side than at the other side, the web is pulled through the printing unit at one side only. This has the effect that, although the printing operation is carried out in an accurate position for selected positions, it is not performed in edge parallelism with the preceding print.
It is therefore standard practice, for instance in an intaglio printing machine, to guide the web in front of each printing unit over a feed roller which can be changed in its axial position relative to the axis of the plate cylinder or the imaginary printing line. With a suitably inclined position of the roller axis, this has the effect that an edge-parallel print with respect to the pre-print or an edge-parallel entry into the printing unit is now achieved.
In the formerly known methods for adjusting the feed roller, each printing unit is equipped with a manually adjustable feed roller for compensating for tolerances that might be due to the material to be printed or due to the setting of the printing machine.
This roller is imperative for the reasons explained above and is positioned in front of the printing cylinder in the printing unit. The parallelness of the pre-print is adjusted by inclination of the roller.
The parallelness of the print is basically adjusted or set during production by the printing machine. The visual control is normally carried out through a web monitoring system, which is usually installed after the last printing unit.
It is determined through this visual control whether in various printing units the feed roller has to be adjusted. In practice, the feed roller must be corrected in almost every printing unit to achieve perfect parallelness.
However, an exact manual adjustment in accordance with the flaw size is very difficult to perform and is normally not immediately successful. Hence, the feed roller must be corrected several times before achieving adequate parallelness. This adjusting process is very time-consuming and is prolonged by the fact that the printing machine must travel long distances between the place of displacement and the position for monitoring the result. Hence, waste is produced during this relatively long period of time. Since today's modern printing machines have eight to ten or even more printing units as a rule, and since a correction of the feed rollers may be required within each roll or after the rolls have been changed, the non-detection of inadequate parallelness is tantamount to a significant lack of quality which leads to a considerable amount of waste, and a considerable amount of time is additionally needed for a manual correction, which produces additional waste.
What is needed, therefore, is a method and an apparatus for measuring, setting or controlling longitudinal and lateral register as well as parallelness of the printing register in a multicolor printing machine, whereby the necessary setting work can be simplified and shortened and the amount of waste can thus be minimized.

Method and apparatus for measuring, setting and controlling longitudinal and lateral register as well as parallelness of the printing register in a multicolor printing machine


The invention includes a vaccine and sera for treatment of Mystery Swine Disease (MSD), a method for producing the vaccine, methods for diagnosis of MSD, a viral agent that will mimic xe2x80x9cmystery swine diseasexe2x80x9d and antibodies to the viral agent useful in diagnosis and treatment of MSD. The serum contains mammalian antibodies which are effective in treating MSD.

Since 1987, the swine-producing industry has been subjected to a devastating epidemic of an unknown disease, often referred to as xe2x80x9cMystery Swine Diseasexe2x80x9d [MSD, more recently referred to as xe2x80x9cSwine Infertility and Respiratory Syndrome (SIRS)], because researchers have been unable to identify the causative agent. MSD has affected hundreds of thousands of swine throughout North America and Europe.
Once one pig is infected with MSD, that one pig can spread the MSD to an entire herd within three to seven days. From 1987 to 1991, the swine industry has lost millions of dollars in revenue as a result of MSD. A recent study estimates that MSD causes a financial loss between $250 and $500 per inventoried sow.
MSD causes multiple symptoms in swine. The first symptom of MSD in a breeding herd of swine is usually anorexia and mild pyrexia. In addition, the herd animals may exhibit bluish discolorations in their skin, especially in their ears, teats, snout, and the frontal portions of their necks and shoulders. The affected skin may become irreparably damaged. However, the most devastating symptom of MSD is the reproductive failure that occurs in a breeding herd of swine. MSD causes sows to bear stillborn piglets; undersized, weak piglets with respiratory distress; or piglets which die before they are weaned. Other reproductive symptoms caused by MSD include early farrowing of piglets, a decrease in conception rates, failure in some sows to cycle, and a reduction in the total number of piglets found in a litter. It has been estimated that the number of pigs lost from reproductive failure is about 10 to 15 percent of the annual production of pigs.
Research has been directed toward isolating the causative agent of MSD. A number of potential bacterial pathogens have been isolated. However, the types of potential bacterial pathogens have varied between swine- producing farms. Viral investigation has included fluorescent antibody examination, electron microscopic investigation, and serology. These methods have failed to locate the causative agent of MSD. As a result, no one has yet developed a vaccine which can be used to treat MSD in the swine population.
Therefore, it is an objective of the invention to provide a vaccine and sera which, when administered to a breeding swine herd, will reduce the presence of MSD in their population. Another object is to provide a method of treating a population of swine with the vaccine to eradicate MSD from the swine population. Yet another object is to provide a method for diagnosis of MSD.
These and other objects are achieved by the present invention which is directed to a vaccine and sera for prevention and treatment of mystery swine disease and to a method for its diagnosis in swine.
The vaccine is derived from an infectious agent that will infect swine with mystery swine disease (MSD). The infectious agent is obtained from an inoculum of processed tissue of swine infected with the disease, preferably lung tissue. Preferably, the infectious agent is the product of an in vitro mammalian cell culture such as a simian cell line infected with the inoculum of the infected swine tissue. Preferably, the inoculum contains biological particles no greater than about 1.0 micron in size, more preferably 0.5 micron, most preferably no greater than 0.2 micron. It is also preferable that the inoculum has been neutralized with antibodies to common swine diseases.
According to the present invention, a tissue homogenate obtained from piglets in SIRS-affected herds consistently reproduced the respiratory and reproductive forms of SIRS when intranasally inoculated in gnotobiotic piglets and pregnant sows. Gnotobiotic piglets so inoculated with-either unfiltered or filtered (0.45, 0.22, or 0.1 xcexcm) inoculum became anorectic and developed microscopic lung lesions similar to lesions seen in SIRS-affected herds. The same inoculum also caused reproductive effects identical to those seen in SIRS-affected herds. A viral agent has been recovered from the tissue homogenate. The viral agent causes a disease that mimics SIRS in piglets and pregnant sows. The viral agent has not yet been classified. However, the viral agent is a fastidious, non-hemagglutinating enveloped RNA virus. A viral agent causing SIRS has been deposited on Jul. 18, 1991 with the American Type Culture Collection 12301 Parklawn Dr. Rockville, Md. 20852 under the accession number ATCC VR-2332.
The serum for treatment of infected swine carries mammalian antibodies to the MSD. It is obtained from the blood plasma of a mammal (non-swine and swine) pre-treated with the above-described infectious agent.
Alternatively, the serum is formulated from monoclonal antibodies to MSD produced by hybridoma methods. The method for diagnosis of MSD is based upon the use of immunospecific antibodies for MSD. The method calls for combination of a filtered homogenate of a lung biopsy sample or a biopsy sample or similar samples (homogenate or biopsy) from other tissue and the immunospecific antibodies followed by application of a known detection technique for the conjugate formed by this combination. Immobilization or precipitation of the conjugate and application of such detection techniques as ELISA; RIA; Southern, Northern, Western Blots and the like will diagnose MSD.
According to the present invention, therapeutic and diagnostic methods employing antibodies to MSD involve monoclonal antibodies (e.g., IgG or IgM) to the above-described fastidious, non-hemagglutinating enveloped RNA virus. Exemplary antibodies include SDOW 12 and SDOW 17, deposited with the American Type Culture Collection on Mar. 27, 1992 with accession numbers HB 10996 and HB 10997, respectively).

Method for detecting swine infertility and respiratory virus


Strobe signals are coupled to a phase detector which compares rising and falling edges of the respective strobe signals. If the phase detector determines that there is a mismatch, it outputs an UP or DOWN control signal to a control circuit. The control circuit then transmits the UP or DOWN control signal to edge adjusting circuits connected to each strobe and data stream between the flip flop and pre-driver. The edge adjusting then adds a delay to each respective strobe and data stream which incrementally compensates for the mismatch created by PVT variations. The process is repeated until the high and low data outputs are effectively matched, thereby maximizing the data eye.

In a conventional data output method for a strobed memory device, data streams are synchronized with one or more strobe signals. Internal data streams are latched to at least one flip-flop for output and are targeted to fire by one or more clock cycles. A pre-driver buffers the output data signals and a large sized main-driver sends the output data signals off chip.
A data window or eye represents the time between the rising and falling edges of the strobe signals. Ideally, an output data-eye will show the complementary rising and falling edges of the data streams to be well balanced. However, in many cases, there can be a mismatch between the rising and falling edges which narrows the data eye. This is undesirable because it limits the amount of time the data is valid.
This mismatch in high and low data propagation times is due to the different physical and electrical characteristics of PMOS and NMOS transistors over variations in process, voltage and temperature (PVT). These variations cannot be removed or completely compensated for over all PVT variations. As clock frequency increases, the mismatch between PMOS and NMOS transistor response becomes even more pronounced.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a conventional data output circuit is shown. FIG. 1 shows a plurality of data input streams 100-0, 100-1, . . . 100-N, a plurality of flip flops 101-0, 101-1, . . . 101-N, a plurality of pre-drivers 102-0, 102-1, . . . 102-N, a plurality of main drivers 103-0, 103-1, . . . 103-N, and a plurality of data output streams 105-0, 105-1, . . . 105-N. Each data input stream 100-0, 100-1, . . . 100-N is input into a respective flip flop 101-0, 101-1, . . . 101-N, each of which outputs to a respective pre-driver 102-0, 102-1, . . . 102-N. Each pre-driver 102-0, 102-1, . . . 102-N outputs to a respective main driver 103-0, 103-1, . . . 103-N, which outputs a data output stream 105-0, 105-1, . . . 105-N.
FIG. 1 also shows high-low toggling data 110 (such as a data strobe), a clock signal 130, and two additional flip flops 111, 112, pre-drivers 112, 122, and main drivers 113, 123, which produce complementary strobe signals S, S#. High-low toggling data 110 is input into flip flops 111, 121. The toggling data is inverted at the input of flip-flop 121 to produce an output signal which is complementary to an output signal of flip-flop 111. The flip-flops 111, 121 output the complementary signals to the inputs of respective pre-drivers 112, 122. Pre-drivers 112, 122 output to the inputs of respective main drivers 113, 123, which output respective complementary strobe signals S, S#. All flip flops 101-0, 101-1, . . . 101-N, 111, 112 are configured to fire responsive to the clock signal 130.
In many cases only one strobe signal S is needed to manage the data streams 105-0, 105-1, . . . 105-N. As a result, the complementary strobe S# circuitry 121, 122, 123 is often omitted.
Under ideal conditions, the rising and falling edges of the strobe signals are matched, as shown in FIG. 2(a). However, as discussed above, PVT variations affect PMOS and NMOS transistors differently. Many times, the edges are skewed as shown in FIGS. 2(b) and 2(c), reducing the data window or eye. As a result data output efficiency is reduced.
There is a need and desire for a method of reliably balancing high and low data outputs in a strobed data circuit, e.g., a memory circuit, so as to maximize the usable data eye. Similarly, there is a need and desire for reliably compensating for an existing mismatch in high and low data outputs.

Method of producing balanced data output


The method and system for providing a magnetic element are disclosed. The method and system include providing a magnetic element stack that includes a plurality of layers and depositing a stop layer on the magnetic element stack. The method and system also include providing a dielectric antireflective coating (DARC) layer on the stop layer, forming a single layer mask for defining the magnetic element on a portion of the DARC layer, and removing a remaining portion of the DARC layer not covered by the single layer mask. The portion of the DARC layer covers a portion of the stop layer. The method further includes removing a remaining portion of the stop layer and defining the magnetic element using at least the portion of stop layer as a mask.

FIG. 1 depicts a conventional method 10 for providing a conventional magnetic element, such as magnetoresistive elements used in read transducers. FIGS. 2-3 depict the conventional magnetic element during fabrication. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the layers for the conventional magnetic element are deposited, via step 12. For a conventional tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) stack that may be used in a read transducer, step 12 may include depositing a pinning layer such as an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer, a pinned layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a free layer. The pinned and free layers are typically ferromagnetic or synthetic antiferromagnetic layers including two ferromagnetic layers separated by a nonmagnetic, conductive layer. For a conventional TMR stack, the nonmagnetic spacer layer is an insulator, such as Al2O3, crystalline MgO, and/or titanium oxide, that provides a tunneling barrier.
A conventional undercut bilayer structure is provided on the conventional magnetic element layers, via step 14. FIG. 2 depicts the conventional magnetic element layers 20 and the conventional undercut bilayer structure 30. The conventional magnetic element layers 20 include an AFM layer 22, a pinned layer 24, an insulating, nonmagnetic spacer layer 26, and a free layer 28. Other layers, such as seed or capping layers, might also be used. The conventional undercut bilayer structure 30 includes two layers 32 and 34. The lower layer is typically a PMGI layer 32, while the upper layer is typically a photoresist layer 34. The PMGI layer 32 is narrower than the photoresist layer 34 to provide the undercut 36.
The pattern provided by the conventional undercut bilayer structure 30 is transferred to the underlying magnetic element layers 20, via step 16. In step 16, therefore, the magnetic element is defined. FIG. 3 depicts the conventional magnetic element 20′ that has been formed prior to removal of the conventional undercut bilayer structure 30. The conventional magnetic element 20′ has been defined from the layers 22′, 24′, 26′, and 28′.
Processing is completed for the conventional magnetic element 20′ and the conventional device in which the conventional magnetic element 20′ resides, via step 18. Step 18 includes lifting off the conventional undercut bilayer structure 30, which exposes the underlying conventional magnetic element 20′. Step 18 may also include providing subsequent layers and processing steps. For example, insulating layers, hard bias layers, fillers, and contacts to the conventional magnetic element 20′ may be provided in step 18. Typically, these layers are provided prior to lift-off of the conventional undercut bi-layer structure 30 so that the conventional undercut bi-layer structure 30 can act as a mask for the conventional magnetic element 20′. Thus, the conventional magnetic element 20′ in a conventional device, such as a read transducer and/or merged head, may be formed.
Although the conventional method 10 and the conventional magnetic element 20′ can function, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the trend in magnetic recording technology is toward higher densities and smaller sizes. Thus, the critical dimensions in write or read heads are currently below those in semiconductor processing. Further, as sizes shrink to provide areal densities above 120 Gb/in2, the lift-off performed in step 18 becomes more difficult. For printed critical dimensions of the photoresist layer 34 below 0.1 micrometer, it is difficult to provide a small enough the PMGI layer 32 to generate a sufficient undercut for lift-off. For example, the undercut 36 must typically be greater than at least 0.03 micrometer for complete liftoff of the conventional undercut bilayer structure 30. This means that the PMGI layer 32 is only 0.04 micrometers in width for a 0.1 micrometer photoresist layer 34. For smaller geometries having critical dimensions of less than 0.1 micrometer, the PMGI layer 32 may become too thin to support the photoresist layer 34, causing the conventional undercut bilayer structure 30 to collapse. Thus, transfer of the pattern of the conventional undercut bilayer structure 30 to the conventional magnetic element 20′ and liftoff of the conventional undercut bilayer structure 30 become difficult. For areal densities of 200 Gb/in2 and track widths of 0.08 micrometer or less, the conventional method 10 and conventional undercut bilayer structure 30 may be incapable of fabricating the conventional magnetic element 20′.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for providing a magnetic element having smaller critical dimensions.

Method and system for providing a smaller critical dimension magnetic element utilizing a single layer mask


A system and method for detecting bubbles in a lithographic immersion medium and for controlling a lithographic process based at least in part on the detection of bubbles is provided. A bubble monitoring component emits an incident beam that passes through the immersion medium and is incident upon a substrate to produce a reflected and/or diffracted beam(s). The reflected and/or diffracted beam(s) is received by one or more optical detectors. The presence or absence of bubbles can be derived from information extracted by scatterometry from the reflected and/or diffracted beams. A process control component interacts with a positioning component and an optical exposure component to alter a lithographic process based at least in part on the results of the scatterometry.

In the semiconductor industry, there is a continuing trend toward higher device densities. To achieve these high device densities there have been, and continue to be, efforts toward scaling down device dimensions (e.g., at sub-micron levels) on semiconductor wafers. In order to accomplish such densities, smaller feature sizes and more precise feature shapes are required. This may include width and spacing of interconnecting lines, spacing and diameter of contact holes, and surface geometry, such as corners and edges, of various features. The dimensions of and between such small features can be referred to as critical dimensions (CDs). Reducing CDs and reproducing more accurate CDs facilitates achieving higher device densities.
High resolution lithographic processes are used to achieve small features. In general, lithography refers to processes for pattern transfer between various media. In lithography for integrated circuit fabrication, a silicon slice, the wafer, is coated uniformly with a radiation-sensitive film, the photoresist. The film is selectively exposed with radiation (e.g., optical light, x-ray, electron beam, etc.) through an intervening master template (e.g., mask, reticle, etc.) forming a particular pattern (e.g., patterned resist). Dependent upon coating type, exposed areas of the coating become either more or less soluble than unexposed areas in a particular solvent developer. More soluble areas are removed with the developer in a developing step, while less soluble areas remain on the silicon wafer to form a patterned coating. The pattern corresponds to either the image of the mask or its negative. The patterned resist is used in further processing of the silicon wafer.
The achievement of smaller critical dimensions is related to the resolution of the lithographic system. In particular, resolution can be defined as:resolution=kλ/NA where k is a lithographic constant, λ is an exposure radiation wavelength, and NA is a numerical aperture. Numerical aperture is defined as a lens's ability to gather diffracted light and resolve fine details onto a substrate. Numerical aperture can be derived as follows:NA=n sin αwhere n is a refractive index and 2α is an angle of acceptance of a lens. Refractive index is defined as a ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in a particular medium.
From the above relationships, it can be seen that resolution can be increased by increasing refractive index and/or decreasing lithographic constant. Efforts to increase resolution and thereby reduce critical dimensions can be accomplished by several approaches. One approach involves the reduction in wavelength of the exposure radiation such as is achieved by moving from mercury g-line (436 nm), to excimer laser (193 nm), and further to 157 nm and extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) wavelengths. A second approach involves the utilization of resolution enhancement techniques such as phase-shifting masks. The use of phase shifting masks and off-axis illumination techniques have led to a reduction in the lithographic constant from about 0.6 to about 0.4. Finally, a third approach increases the numerical aperture through improvements in optical designs, manufacturing techniques, and metrology. Such improvements have lead to increases in numerical aperture from approximately 0.35 to greater than 0.7.
Immersion lithography provides another approach for increasing the resolution of an optical lithographic system and thereby achieving smaller critical dimensions. In immersion lithography, the gap between a substrate (e.g., wafer or reticle) and a final optical component (e.g., lens) is filled with an immersion medium which has a higher refractive index than the refractive index of air. Utilizing an immersion medium with a refractive index greater than that of air (approximately 1) increases numerical aperture. Increasing numerical aperture increases the resolution of an optical lithography system and thereby facilitates achievement of smaller critical dimensions. Furthermore, utilization of an immersion medium can decrease an effective wavelength of an exposure radiation propagating within the immersion medium without changing exposure sources, lasers, lens materials, etc.
Currently, immersion lithography is limited by various characteristics of immersion mediums and the immersion lithographic process. One significant problem encountered in immersion lithography is that most photoresists release gas upon exposure. Such released gases can form bubbles in the immersion medium. These bubbles can interfere with the exposure radiation resulting in scattered exposure light and potential processing defects in a substrate. Systems and methods which can detect bubbles in the immersion medium and accordingly alter processing can significantly improve the efficacy of immersion lithography systems and processes.

In-situ defect monitor and control system for immersion medium in immersion lithography


The present invention provides a water-in-oil emulsified sunscreen cosmetic containing the following (a) through (e):

As shown in Patent Document 1, water-in-oil emulsified sunscreen cosmetics that contain an ultraviolet scattering agent are well known.
However, since Patent Document 1 is a water-in-oil emulsified composition, as many water-in-oil emulsified sunscreen cosmetics are, it has advantages such as good spreadability and superior water resistance; and, Patent Document 1 discloses a sunscreen cosmetic that can achieve a high SPF value without blending in a large amount of an ultraviolet scattering agent, which would cause squeakiness and/or white haze. However, Patent Document 1 still does not provide a water-in-oil emulsified sunscreen cosmetic into which a large amount of an ultraviolet scattering agent can be blended. That is, it is avoiding the technical issue of blending in a large amount of an ultraviolet scattering agent and, in view of the texture, the blend ratio of the ultraviolet scattering agent is limited to 5 wt % or less. Since the blend ratio of the ultraviolet scattering agent is limited, a sufficient amount of the ultraviolet absorbent needs to be blended in.
Also, Patent Document 2 discloses an oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsified sunscreen cosmetic comprising (a) isodecyl neopentanoate, (b) an ultraviolet absorbent, (c) an ultraviolet scattering agent, and (d) a silicone oil, and it mentions that (c) ingredient is zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. The object of the invention of Patent Document 2 is to provide a sunscreen cosmetic that sufficiently manifests the superior ultraviolet blocking effect of the ultraviolet absorbent and the ultraviolet scattering agent, is absorbed well into the skin and devoid of stickiness, i.e., has superior texture, and that is easy to remove from the skin after use (good washability).
Patent Document 3 discloses a water-in-oil emulsified sunscreen cosmetic characteristically comprising (a) a specific hydrophobized zinc oxide powder, (b) volatile silicone, (c) a polyoxyalkylene-modified organopolysiloxane, and (d) water for the purpose of providing an emulsified sunscreen having superior texture by reducing stickiness due to the presence of the hydrophobized powder by stably blending, as an ultraviolet scattering agent, hydrophobized powder having the prominent effect of low oil absorption and a low apparent specific volume. And, it states that, for the hydrophobic powder for the ultraviolet scattering agent, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are used but that zinc oxide, which has a lower refractive index, is being used more in recent years for transparency at the time of application.
On the other hand, Patent Document 4 discloses a water-in-oil or oil-in-water sunscreen cosmetic that does not contain the ultraviolet scattering agent composed of zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide for the purpose of providing a sunscreen cosmetic that makes it easy to remove staining from the secondary adhesion on clothing.

Water-in oil emulsified sunscreen cosmetic

Abstract: (a) hydrophobized zinc oxide and hydrophobized titanium dioxide: 10-30 wt %;

Abstract: (b) lipophilic nonionic surfactant: 0.5-5 wt %;

Abstract: (c) one, two or more oil components selected from a group consisting of di(phytosteryl/2-octyldodecyl)N-lauroyl-L-glutamate, phytosteryl macadamiate, and cholesteryl macadamiate: 1-5 wt %;

Abstract: (d) volatile silicone oil and/or hydrocarbon oil: 10-40 wt %; and

Abstract: (e) water: 5-30 wt %.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to improve the poor texture due to a large blend ratio of the ultraviolet scattering agent powder and the poor washability due to the presence of the ultraviolet scattering agent powder in a water-in-oil emulsified sunscreen cosmetic into which hydrophobized zinc oxide and hydrophobized titanium dioxide are blended as ultraviolet scattering agent powder.


A probability game having multiple game pieces with areas which are covered with a removable concealer and contain a number of void and/or win areas. The game is controlled by player-made choices with respect to selecting areas to uncover on the game pieces that are potential winners.

Recently, lotteries have been used worldwide as a way to generate revenue for state and local governments. Typically, these lotteries use "dedicated" tickets, or game pieces. That is, the ticket is either solely a winning ticket or a losing ticket. The player removes all the material, such as latex, covering a portion of the ticket to determine if the ticket is either an instant loser or an instant winner. Since the lotteries are for profit enterprises, there are many more losing tickets than winning ones. Therefore, dedicated games are more often instant lose games than instant win games. Nevertheless, they are very popular.
Currently, dedicated game pieces rely solely on imaginative graphics, colors and themes to stimulate customer sales. A drawback to using dedicated game pieces is that they provide little variation in the play style. Without skill one need only remove the covering material to determine if the game piece is a winner or a loser. Since the style of play is so repetitive, player burnout has become an increasing problem. Recently there has been interest in other forms of game play which might rekindle customer interest.
Traditional lottery games rely on scratch off game pieces which are seeded before distribution in order to control the number of potential winners. A mix of winners to losers is prearranged by the customer. Once offered for sale to the public, the results of the lottery are predictable with an amount set aside to cover the winning game pieces. This amount is referred to as the prize purse or prize liability.
Because the number of winners is tightly controlled, the sponsor is given great psychological comfort. After all, if the number of game pieces is limited, then only that number of winners can be redeemed and no more. As a practical matter, games of this nature actually redeem at less than the maximum redemption amount since all of the game pieces are not sold, not played correctly, or invalidated in some manner.
There is another way to control the number of prizes awarded which uses the laws of probability. Such a game is commonly referred to as a probability game. Prior art probability games involve a game in which each game ticket is a potential winner. Each game piece includes a number of scratch off play areas concealing win or other symbols. To play the game, an individual removes the concealing material covering a specified number of the play areas to reveal the symbols beneath them. The player then determines whether the combination of revealed symbols results in a winner. A winning game piece may exist where all of the symbols are the same, add up to, or represent a winning combination. Each game piece includes at least one such winning combination, which contributes to the probability game's popularity.
The operation of the laws of probability control the number of players who successfully find a part of or the entire combination of symbols which produce the winning result. For instance, the probability of successfully locating the one location on a game piece which contains a winning symbol is greater if the player is allowed a number of chances rather than only one.
Probability games, however, poses some potential problems. The most significant of these problems is that of excessive prize purse liability. Although highly unlikely, every game piece has the potential of being redeemed. This could lead to massive redemption and uncontrolled amounts of prize liability. That is, every player could select the same numbers in a single game and all could claim a prize. This is not the same as in a game like Keno where the prize is pari-mutual and distributed among all claimants. In a probability game, the prizes are not pari-mutual and the sponsor would have to pay off at the stated amount for all the prizes redeemed. This is potentially very troubling.
Each probability game has two types of prize purse liability associated with it. The first type of prize purse liability is the amount of liability that is predicted to occur if the laws of probability operate as expected. This is referred to herein as the expected prize purse. But because of the chance of an unusual redemption coincidence, an allowance must be made for the highly unlikely event of massive redemption as described above. This is referred to as the maximum redemption liability. The maximum redemption liability is the amount of prize sufficient to cover all the game pieces if played to the maximum value and redeemed. This may be a very large number. It is common for lottery games to have five to ten million game pieces. If everyone had a potential prize value of 100 dollars, regardless of how remote the chances that all will be redeemed, the maximum redemption liability would be 1 billion dollars. It is not practical to set aside such a vast amount of money.
To cover the potential maximum redemption liability, the credit of the sponsor could be a bank against which these claims could be made. This is similar to the banking operations of a casino in Nevada or Atlantic City. In games such as roulette or craps, any outcome is possible. The number of winners and the amount of their winnings, although predictable to some certainty based upon the probability, cannot be guaranteed. A limit is therefore established to minimize the amounts won, no matter the outcome. This limit is further guaranteed by a bank backed by the credit of the casino. State lotteries do not allow for such banking to occur. States, when establishing lotteries, do not intend to authorize gamblimg houses and cannot run an unsecured lottery similiar to one of a gambling house.
The potential large liability may make such a game uninsurable. Insurance underwriters do not wish to indemnify the prize purse when the liability is potentially uncontrolled. Because of these difficulties, the development and deployment of probability games has been slow.
Another problem associated with probability games is fraud and involves a situation where a player removes the covering material from more than the number allowed by the game. For instance, where a player is allowed six attempts to find the winning areas and instead takes seven or eight. Although this problem would seem apparently easy to handle due to the apparently clear violation of the rules, the redemption of the tickets is typically handled by clerks. These clerks must be able to determine the value of a ticket, particularly because the tickets are not like those of dedicated games, which are either clearly winners or clearly losers. A probability game ticket could be much harder to read and may lead to mistakes by clerks. Therefore, what is desired is a way to handle fraudulent play while eliminating potential mistakes by clerks.
Game pieces are usually verified and authenticated by the use of an encrypted alphanumeric bar code. The code often appears twice on a ticket, once printed so that it is visible to the human eye and once printed and concealed on the game piece, via, for example, latex removable scratch off coating. Various methods have been used to make game piece redemption simple and secure. In simple form, authentication takes place when a bar code scanner reads the code printed in the clear and a clerk compares the code to the number that is concealed.
The currently most successful authentication procedure is a double encryption process in which a code is printed on the back of the game piece and an encrypted code placed under the latex on the playing side. After the game has been played, the playing side code number is revealed and a key code is entered by, for instance, a clerk which triggers an algorithm that matches the scanned number to (in the case of a valid ticket) the one printed under the latex. The success of the authentication assumes that the clerk enters the key numbers correctly and follows proper redemption procedures.
In a dedicated game, since each game piece is dedicated in value (i.e., has only one possible value), the decoded game piece number can be matched in a database and the value displayed for the clerk. The game piece can then be redeemed and the number removed from the data base to prevent further attempts at redemption for that particular piece.
Again, the weak link in this system is the clerk who enters the key code. If the clerk is clumsy, inefficient or busy, several attempts might be necessary to verify the piece. If the clerk is dishonest, he can misinform the client and attempt to suborn the game piece for himself. This has prompted manufacturers to find a more efficient and secure method of game piece verification and redemption.
Apart from the potential for human error and unscrupulous behavior, this authentication process is relatively secure. However, there is also a need to have the game pieces scored (i.e., the amount of winning determined), as well as authenticated. What is needed is a way to automate the entire process (both authentication and scoring) without requiring clerk involvement. Once such automation is achieved, more complicated games could be produced.
The present invention provides for a probability game that controls prize liability while accommodating the practical problems of player fraud and clerk mismanagement. The present invention also provides for automating the process of authentication and scoring.


A circuit arrangement for reversing a magnetic field, in which an oscillator has a coil connected in parallel with a capacitor. First and second diodes are connected oppositely-poled in a series circuit, which is connected in parallel with the coil and capacitor of said oscillator. A first electronic controlled switch is connected in parallel with the first diode for bypassing this diode, whereas a second electronic controlled switch is connected in parallel with the second diode for bypassing thereof. Energy is supplied to the oscillator whenever the capacitor discharges. The junction of the series connected diodes is connected to the junction of the series-connected switches.

The invention concerns circuitry for reversing field. Also see related U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,229,902 and 5,220,467
Circuitry of this kind is employed in magneto-optical recording and playback equipment for example to reverse the magnetism in the magnetic layer of a magneto-optical recording medium.
Magneto-optical disks are one known form of magneto-optical medium They have a transparent layer with a magneto-optical layer behind it. Information can be stored on and read from the latter. How information is stored on and read from a magneto-optical disk will now be described.
A laser beam focused on the disk heats the magneto-optical layer to a temperature in the vicinity of its Curie point. It is usually sufficient to heat the layer to approximately its compensation point, which is below the Curie point Behind the focal point on the disk is an electromagnet that magnetizes the area heated by the laser beam in one or the other direction. When the laser beam is turned off, the heated area will cool to below the compensation point again, and the magnetic direction established by the electromagnet will be retained, "freezing in." Individual bits are accordingly stored in domains of different magnetic direction, one corresponding to a logical ONE and the other to a logical ZERO.
The data are read out by exploiting the Kerr effect. The plane of polarization of a linearly polarized beam of light is rotated at a measurable angle when the beam if reflected by a magnetized mirror. The plane will be rotated right or left depending on the mirror's direction of magnetization. Since, however, the individual domains on the disk act like magnetized mirrors, the plane of polarization of any beam scanning the disk will be rotated right or left at a measurable angle.
From the rotation of the plane of polarization of the beam of light reflected from the disk, an optical pick-up can determine whether the bit being scanned is a ONE or a ZERO.
One known approach to magnetizing a magneto-optical layer in one direction or the other involves circuitry with a coil behind the magneto-optical disk that acts like an electromagnet. The coil is large enough to reverse the magnetism of the total area scanned by the optical pick-up. This area is, depending on the type of recording and playback equipment for example either a strip that is either radial or in the form of an arc of a circle and extends from the edge to the center of the disk. Since the field must attain a certain minimal strength over the total strip in order to reverse the strip's magnetism, the cross-section and hence the inductivity of the coil must be relatively large.
In another known approach, the coil is secured to the optical pick-up and can for example be wound around the pick-up's objective lens. Since the coil in this version is displaced along with the pick-up along the disk's information-storage tracks by a tracking circuit, a smaller cross-section and lower inductivity will generate an equivalent minimal field strength because it is not a radial or arc-shaped strip but only a small and for example circular area with the almost punctual laser spot as a center in the magneto-optical layer that is being magnetically reversed.

Magneto-optical recording circuitry for reversing a magnetic field


A developing roller is adapted to carry a developer on its surface and come in contact with or close to a photoconductor drum having an electrostatic latent image borne on its surface whereby the developer is supplied to the drum to visualize the latent image. The developing roller includes a highly conductive shaft and an elastic layer with conductivity formed around the shaft. The elastic layer is surface treated so as to have a resin component which contains a urea resin and/or melamine resin. The roller satisfies log(R.sub.2 /R.sub.1).ltoreq.4.5 wherein the untreated roller has a resistance R.sub.1 and the roller with the resin component has a resistance R.sub.2. The developing roller does not contaminate the photoconductor drum and ensures that images of quality are reproduced without a density variation and background fog over a long time.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a developing roller and apparatus for use in electrophotographic and electrostatic recording machines such as copiers and printers for developing an electrostatic latent image with a developer such as a one-component developer for visualization. More particularly, it relates to a developing roller and apparatus which is improved in anti-staining so that acceptable images can be produced in a stable manner over a long term.
2. Prior Art
In conjunction with prior art electrophotographic and electrostatic recording machines such as copiers and printers, one typical developing method is an impression developing method as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,152,012 and 3,731,146. This developing method visualizes electrostatic latent images by supplying a non-magnetic one-component developer to a photoconductor drum bearing a latent image, thereby adhering the developer to the latent image. Since the impression developing method eliminates a need for magnetic material, the apparatus can be simple and compact and color toner can be used.
More particularly, the impression developing method is by bringing a developing roller carrying a toner or non-magnetic one-component developer in contact with a latent image holder or photoconductor drum bearing an electrostatic latent image, thereby adhering the toner to the latent image. The developing roller must be formed of an elastic material having electrical conductivity.
Referring to FIG. 2, the impression developing method is briefly described. A developing roller 1 having a conductive elastomer layer is placed between a toner feed roller 4 for feeding a toner 6 and a photoconductor drum 5 having an electrostatic latent image borne thereon. Upon rotation of the developing roller 1, photoconductor drum 5, and toner feed roller 4 in the directions shown by arrows, the toner 6 is fed from the feed roller 5 onto the surface of the developing roller 1 and 15 regulated into a uniform thin layer by a doctor blade 7. The thin layer of toner is then delivered from the developing roller 1 to the photoconductor drum 5 to adhere to the latent image whereby the latent image is developed into a visible toner image. The toner image is finally transferred from the photoconductor drum 5 to a record medium, typically paper in a transfer section 8. Also included is a cleaning section 9 having a cleaning blade 10 for scraping off the toner left on the photoconductor drum 5 after the transfer step.
During rotation, the developing roller 1 must maintain close contact with the photoconductor drum 5. The conventional developing roller 1 is of a structure having a conductive elastic layer 3 around a shaft 2 as shown in FIG. 1. The shaft 2 is of a highly conductive material, typically metal. The conductive elastic layer 3 is formed of a conductive elastomer in the form of an elastic rubber such as silicone rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR), and ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPDM) or a sponge such as urethane foam, with a suitable conductive agent being blended therein.
However, the prior art developing rollers had the following problems resulting from the properties of elastic layers used therein.
(1) Where the developing roller is formed of an elastic rubber such as silicone rubber, NBR and EPDM having a low hardness enough to achieve tight contact, the photoconductor drum can be contaminated therewith.
(2) Where a spongy body such as urethane foam is used to form the elastic layer, toner can penetrate into pores in the elastic layer. As the penetrating toner accumulates on long-term use, the roller becomes harder and electrical charging of toner becomes inefficient, resulting in a drop of image quality. This tendency is also found when the roller has a surface receptive to toner deposits.
(3) Where the developing roller has a single elastic layer, it creates a greater burden between the developing blade and the photoconductor because of a very large coefficient of friction on its surface. This leads to uneven toner transfer and driving jitter, both resulting in defective images. Also in the developing roller with a single elastic layer, charging of toner on the roller does not show a quick rise and the roller surface is readily contaminated with toner. This often invites fogging due to poor charging of toner and a loss of print density. A substantial drop of print quality occurs after long-term continuous printing.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a developing roller which has a relatively low hardness enough to ensure tight contact and does not contaminate the photoconductor drum so that images of quality free of density variation and background fog can be consistently produced over a long term without a drop of quality. Another object of the present invention is to provide a developing apparatus using such a developing roller.

Developing roller and developing apparatus