A dozing system that enables automatic control for all kinds of soil properties and less frequently requires manual control intervention. The system is designed such that the blade is lifted or lowered at a start of excavation in dozing operation in an automatic drive mode such that the actual cutting angle .theta. of a blade detected by an actual cutting angle detector becomes coincident with a target cutting angle (maximum cutting angle) .theta..sub.0 preset by a target cutting angle setting device.

There has been practically used a load control system for bulldozers that performs load control to make the actual tractive force of the vehicle body coincide with a preset target tractive force, in other words, to make the load on the blade constant in order to reduce the burden imposed on the operator who manipulates the blade of the bulldozer during dozing operation.
The above load control system, however, reveals the inability to stably control the load because the blade often takes an abrupt action for example when excavation starts or when one drive mode is switched to another. The inventors have made an attempt to solve this problem and proposed a load control system for bulldozers in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-54374(1995) according to which if there is a difference between the actual tractive force and a target tractive force at a start of excavation in an automatic drive mode, the target tractive force is gradually increased or decreased thereby to eliminate the abrupt action of the blade.
The load control system disclosed in the above publication has the problem that when a blade control is carried out during excavation of soft soil, the blade suddenly cuts into the ground so that the load control and therefore the smooth excavation are hampered. Also, the system cannot control the blade to properly cut into the ground at a start of excavation of hard soil. In such situations, there arises a need for the intervention of manual control by the operator (manual control intervention), which has been an obstacle to the introduction of automatic control.
The invention is directed to overcoming the above problems and one of the objects of the invention is therefore to provide a dozing system for use in a bulldozer, which enables the application of automatic control to excavation of all types of soil properties and reduces the frequency of manual control intervention.

Dozing system for controlling a cutting angle of a bulldozer blade during dozing operation


The invention concerns a component enclosure for an agricultural work vehicle having a combustion engine, an exhaust gas aftertreatment device for discharging and aftertreatment of the exhaust gas, a driver's cabin, and an access facility to access the driver's cabin. The access facility forms an enclosure for a component of the exhaust gas aftertreatment device.

Currently available agricultural work machines, such as for example, tractors, combine harvesters, or also construction machines, must increasingly comply with strict exhaust gas norms, or will have to comply with them in the future. The result of this is that the exhaust gas aftertreatment devices to be installed are increasingly complex and, furthermore, require a larger space in and on the vehicle. Therefore, for example, soot particle filters, alone or in combination with NOx-reducing catalysts, are installed as components of these exhaust gas aftertreatment devices. At least one of these components is often positioned laterally on the machine before the A-pillar of the cabin. Here, problems may arise with regard to the installation space, since the front fenders, the access steps to the cabin, or the holders of a front loader are likewise situated in this area. Also, the result may be a restriction of the field of vision of the operator of the work machine. In particular, problems with heat radiation in the direction of the operator of the machine are possible with so-called open drivers' cabins. Thus, it is desired to provide an optimized enclosure and location of a component of an exhaust gas aftertreatment device.


An image reading apparatus includes a casing having a side panel which has a cassette loading slot defined therein for loading a cassette therein. A stimulable phosphor sheet stored in the cassette loaded in the cassette loading slot is removed from the cassette and fed vertically downwardly along a first vertical feed path. Radiation image information recorded in the stimulable phosphor sheet is read by a reader. Thereafter, the stimulable phosphor sheet is stored back into the cassette, which is then delivered toward a cassette unloading slot by a sliding displacement mechanism. The stimulable phosphor sheet is removed again from the cassette, and fed along a second vertical feed path for an eraser to erase remaining radiation image information from the stimulable phosphor sheet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus for reading radiation image information recorded on a radiation image recording medium that is held in a cassette and thereafter erasing radiation image information remaining on the radiation image recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has heretofore been known an image reading apparatus employing a stimulable phosphor sheet which, when exposed to an applied radiation, stores part of the energy of the radiation, and, when subsequently exposed to applied stimulating rays such as visible light, emits light in proportion to the stored energy of the radiation.
The image reading apparatus includes a cassette loader for loading a cassette storing a stimulable phosphor sheet which records therein radiation image information of a subject such as a human body, a reader for applying stimulating light to the stimulable phosphor sheet removed from the cassette to read the radiation image information from the stimulable phosphor sheet, and an eraser for applying erasing light to the stimulable phosphor panel from which the radiation image information has been read to erase remaining radiation image information from the stimulable phosphor sheet. The removed stimulable phosphor sheet from which the remaining radiation image information has been erased is returned into the cassette and then discharged, while being stored in the cassette, out of the image reading apparatus to be used again.
One such image recording apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-160817. According to the disclosed image recording apparatus, a plate holder for holding a stimulable phosphor plate is disposed substantially vertically in the image recording apparatus, and a reader for reading radiation image information and an eraser for erasing remaining radiation image information are disposed in parallel with each other in confronting relation to the plate holder. The stimulable phosphor plate is fed along the plate holder to a position facing the reader, in which the reader reads the radiation image information recorded in the stimulable phosphor plate. Thereafter, the stimulable phosphor plate is delivered to a position facing the eraser, in which the eraser erases the remaining radiation image information from the stimulable phosphor plate.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-156716 discloses an image reading apparatus having a cassette inserter and discharger which is inclined at a certain angle on a side panel of an apparatus casing. When a cassette is loaded in the cassette inserter and discharger, a frame of the cassette is removed, and an exposed stimulable phosphor sheet stored in the cassette is fed by a feed means into the apparatus casing. Thereafter, the stimulable phosphor sheet is fed vertically upwardly by an auxiliary scanning means disposed in the apparatus casing. A reading means that is disposed along the auxiliary scanning means then reads radiation image information recorded in the stimulable phosphor sheet. Remaining radiation image information is subsequently erased from the stimulable phosphor sheet by an erasing means that is disposed below the reading means.
In the image reading apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-160817 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-156716, the reader for reading radiation image information and the eraser for erasing remaining radiation image information are vertically disposed in parallel with each other, and the stimulable phosphor plate or sheet is fed vertically along the reader and the eraser. Therefore, the stimulable phosphor plate or sheet needs to be fed along a long vertical feed path in the apparatus casing, which necessarily makes the image reading apparatus large in vertical dimension.
There has been a demand in the art for quick and efficient processes for reading and erasing radiation image information from stimulable phosphor sheets in image reading apparatus.


A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) apparatus and a method of forming a conductive thin film using the same are disclosed. According to the present invention of a PEALD apparatus and a method, a process gas inlet tube and a process gas outlet tube are installed symmetrically and concentrically with respect to a substrate, thereby allowing the process gas to flow uniformly, evenly and smoothly over the substrate, thereby forming a thin film uniformly over the substrate. A uniquely designed showerhead assembly provides not only reduces the volume of the reactor space, but also allows the process gases to flow uniformly, evenly and smoothly throughout the reation space area and reduces the volume of the reaction space, and the smaller volume makes it easier and fast to change the process gases for sequential and repeated process operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) apparatus and method of forming a thin film using the same. Particularly, the present invention relates to a PEALD apparatus and method of forming a thin film using the same, whereby a thin film is formed to an atomic layer thickness by periodically supplying time-divisional (sequential) combination of process gases to a reactor, during which plasma is generated adequately and synchronously with process gases on top of a substrate in order to accelerate the process reaction and facilitate more efficient reaction.
2. Description of the Related Art
As semiconductor integration technologies advance, process methods for depositing a thin film uniformly and conformally become increasingly important. Here, the thin film may be an insulator or a conductor. Thin film deposition methods are largely categorized into two types: chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD). In a CVD, gas phase materials generally react over the top surface of a substrate heated to a temperature of 100–1,000 degree. C., whereby a compound produced as a result of such reaction is deposited on the top surface of the substrate. On the other hand, the PVD method such as sputtering deposition or simply sputtering, are widely used, whereby the process takes place also in a vacuum state in a reactor. When a gas such as Ar gas as an example is supplied to a reactor, the Ar gas becomes positively ionized by a plasma and attracted to a target located inside the reactor. As the ionized Ar atoms get closer to the target, they get accelerated further and as the ionized and accelerated Ar atoms strike the target, the material of the target is scattered and deposited on the surface of a substrate, wherein the material of the target is deposited on the surface of a substrate without a chemical or structural change.
The advantage of a PVD is to make it possible to deposit an alloy or an insulator. Nonetheless the less CVD is more widely used since CVD has advantages over PVD, causing less damage to substrates on which a thin film is deposited, offering low thin film deposition cost, and capability of thin film deposition.
However, as the density of semiconductor devices recently continues to increase from micrometers to nanometers, conventional CVD methods do not perform satisfactorily in forming a thin film uniformly in thickness in nano scale on a substrate or achieving an excellent step coverage. In particular, in case of high aspect ratio, in turn large step difference, such as contact holes, vias or trenches, of small dimensions than micrometer (micron), difficulty exists in forming a thin film having uniform composition regardless of high aspect ratios in various patterns such as contacts, via holes or trenches over the entire surface of the substrate.
Unlike conventional CVD method, where all process gases are simultaneously supplied (in flow) or removed (outflow). In ALD method each atomic layer of thin film is formed by repeating the thin film deposition process by avoiding the direct contact of process gases on the substrate surface and by replacing the process gases rapidly and sequentially within the process gas cycles. This new method of forming thin films is being developed and used.
When the aforementioned atomic Layer Deposition method is used, the deposition takes place only by the material that is adsorbed on the surface of a substrate, i.e., only by the chemical molecule that contains the elements for forming a thin film, whereby a thin film is formed uniformly over the entire surface of a substrate regardless of the quantity of the process gas because the amount of adsorption is on the surface of a substrate is limited by the thickness of a mono layer. Therefore, a uniform thickness of thin film can be formed regardless of the location of the areas of high aspect ratio, in turn, large step difference, and even a thin film with the level of thickness of several nano meters can be formed, and also the thickness of the thin film can be controlled by adjusting the time-divisional combinations of the steps of the formation processes. Furthermore, it is possible to control the thickness of the thin film being formed because the thickness of the thin film formed by deposition during the process gas supply cycle is almost constant.
According to the conventional ALD method described above, in order to avoid mixing of gas materials in a gas phase supplied to a reactor in a time-division mode, remaining deposition gas or reaction gas molecules excluding those adsorbed on the substrate surface among deposition gas or reaction gas supplied to the reactor should be removed, for which the processes of vacuum evacuating the deposition gas or reactant gas from the reactor for several seconds or purging those gas out of the reactor by feeding an inert gas such as Argon gas, must be included in the cycle of gas supply and evacuation thereof.
Accordingly, use of a conventional CVD equipment, in which supply and removal of process gases cannot be made at a fast rate at the speed within several seconds, may increase the deposition time required for obtaining a thin film of a desired thickness because the longer time needed for replacing the process gas. Increased deposition time reduces the number of wafers to be processed per unit time by one equipment, thereby increasing the processing cost. As the deposition time increases, the number of wafers that can be processed with each equipment decreases, thereby, the cost of process increases. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the deposition time in order to utilize ALD methods for producing semiconductor products using ALD methods.
FIGS. 1a and 1b show two schematic structure of a conventional chemical vapor deposition apparatus.
Referring to FIG. 1a as a first prior art of an Atomic Layer Deposition(ALD), at the top part of a reactor 100 gas inlet tube 120 that supplies process gases including deposition gas, reactant gas, purge gas is located, and on the side of the reactor 100, a gas outlet tube 122 for discharging the process gases from the reactor 100 is located. Inside the reactor 100, a substrate carrier 116 is located on which a substrate 110 is loaded. Inside the reactor 100, a showerhead 112 is located and at the top and in the middle of the showerhead 112, the process gas inlet tube 120 is connected. In the lower part of the reactor 100, a substrate carrier driver 118 is mounted. This substrate carrier driver 118 moves the substrate carrier 116 up and down in order to load and unload a substrate onto and out of the substrate carrier 116. This substrate carrier 116 is linked to the substrate carrier driver 118.
The process gas inside the reaction chamber 114 travels through the space between the reactor 100 and the substrate carrier 116 and then exhausted through the gas outlet tube 122. In this prior art, the gas outlet tube 122 and the gas inlet tube 120 are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the substrate 110, that is, the gas flow is imbalanced, thereby the flow of the process gas is biased towards the gas outlet tube 122.
Therefore, when a thin film is deposited on a substrate 110, if the flow of process gas is shifted forwards one side within the reaction chamber 114, the process gas is supplied unevenly over a substrate 110, thereby there is a tendency of forming a thinner film over a substrate 110 where there is less supply of process gas.
Accordingly, in order to minimize the imbalanced flow of process gas in the reactor 100, either the gas outlet tube must be preferably moved away from the substrate 110 or a means of even flow of process gas over the substrate 110 or the outflow tube 122 must preferably be relocated in such a way that the condition of flow of process gas over the substrate 110 is satisfied. However, the gas outlet tube 122 is relocated away from the substrate 110, the volume of the reaction chamber 114 increases, thereby the process cost increases due to the fact that the amount of gas for the same process step increases, and furthermore there is a difficulty of increased process time for supplying and removing gases or replacing process gases for the process of sequentially supplying various types of process gases. Therefore, the process time increases for processing ALD(Atomic Layer Deposition) method.
Further, in the example of this prior art, the substrate carrier 116 and the substrate carrier driver 118 are exposed to the process gas that is exhausted through the gas outlet tube 122, thereby undesirable thin film is deposited on or around the aforementioned parts. Later such undesirably deposited layer of thin film becomes not only the cause of undesirable micro-particles(contaminants) detrimental to the subsequent processing steps, but also the cause of potentially erratic operation of the parts inside the reaction chamber 114.
The second prior art shown in FIG. 1b, is to solve the problems in the first prior art shown in FIG. 1a as described above, and in FIG. 1b, the gas outlet tube 222 is positioned in the lower part of the middle of the reactor 200 so that the gas inlet tube 220 and the gas outlet tube 222 are arranged symmetrically. Specifically, referring to the schematic drawing of the second prior art as shown in FIG. 1b, unlike in FIG. 1a, the flow of process gas in the reaction chamber 214 is symmetric and even over the substrate 210, but the substrate carrier 216 and the substrate carrier drive 218 are still exposed to the process gas. Also, the volume of the reaction chamber can not be reduced significantly enough, in order to reduce the processing time for ALD processes. This is because the substrate carrier driver 218 still requires a certain minimum volume for moving the substrate carrier for normal operation of loading and unloading a substrate.
FIG. 2 is a timing sequence illustrating the process of conventional ALD process method. The vertical axis represents the process gas volume and the horizontal axis represents the processing time.
Referring to FIG. 2, the ALD process cycle is in the sequence of supply of first source gas 310→purge 312→supply of second source gas 314→purge 312. At the purge stage, the source gas supplied to the reaction chamber is removed either by evacuating the reaction chamber using a vacuum pump or by feeding an inert purge gas into the reaction chamber.
In the conventional ALD process, in case that the source gases react with each other easily, even a small amount of residual source gases may cause the undesirable generation of particles(contaminants), and therefore, it may be necessary to extend the time of purging. On the other hard, in case that the source gases react slowly, and as a result the processing time becomes longer, then the time for supplying the source gases may have to be lengthened, thereby the deposition time becomes longer.
Therefore, in order to solve these problems described above, the invertors of the present invention recently disclosed in KR0273473 a plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition method(PEALD), that improves the reactivity, reduces the purging time and thus improves the deposition rate, and as a result, improves the productivity of the deposition apparatus.
The difference between the plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition method and the aforementioned conventional ALD is a faster deposition rate even though source gases with low reactivity are used.
In the conventional ALD method aforementioned, when the source gases with low reaction rate are used, there is a slow reaction on the substrate, thereby, there may be a problem of lack of deposition of thin film.
However, the plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition method disclosed here increases the deposition reaction rate by generating radicals and ions with high reactivity by using a plasma, thereby these radicals and ions actively participate in the reaction process.
As an example of an apparatus that is suitable for processing using conventional ALD method, especially, the plasma enhanced ALD method has been disclosed in the patent application KR99-23078, "Chemical Deposition Reactor", which invention reduces the volume of the reaction chamber, provides a means of even flow of the source gases when these gases supplied, and removed through the gas inlet tube and the gas outlet tube, respectively, flows over the substrate, and provided a means of generating a plasma. However, when this apparatus is used for forming a conductive thin film, a plasma may not be generated because of the fact that two electrodes used for applying RF power for plasma generation are electrically shorted due to the formation of a conductive thin film, and therefore, a conductive thin film may not be formed by using this apparatus along with the plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition method disclosed in the present invention.

Plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) equipment and method of forming a conducting thin film using the same thereof


An aspect includes a low slope electrode device, including: at least one electrode; at least one container at least partially enclosing the at least one electrode and having at least one ion sensitive region; an external buffer container having at least one separating element that separates said at least one ion sensitive region into: a first ion sensitive area separating an internal buffer solution bathing the at least one electrode and an external sample solution; and a second ion sensitive area separating the internal buffer solution bathing the at least one electrode and an external buffer solution; wherein the at least one separating element, the first ion sensitive area, and the second ion sensitive area establish a charge flow circuit. Other aspects are described and claimed.

The subject matter described herein relates generally to devices and methods for the measurement of a specific ion activity or concentration in solution based on potentiometric sensors (potential difference or voltage based measuring). An example of such measuring is use of a pH meter to determine the pH of a solution.
In a potentiometric measuring system, meter circuitry is designed to use readings of relative voltage, as sensed through measuring and reference electrodes, to calculate an ion concentration (hydrogen ion concentration in the case of pH metering). Typically, a voltage is sensed by an electrode measuring half cell and a voltage is sensed by a reference half cell that are electrically connected to a suitable measuring meter (meter circuitry). It is well known that hydrogen ion concentration in a given sample solution can be measured with such a pH measuring system.
In a conventional set up, reference electrodes (for example Ag/AgCl electrodes) are used together with measuring electrodes in a complete cell. These reference electrodes and measuring electrodes may be used in concert to determine ion concentration in a sample (for example, pH or another ion). The reference electrode is designed in order to maintain its potential as constant as possible throughout the measuring process. In contrast, the measuring electrode is designed such that its potential is a function of the concentration of the ion being tested. Constancy of the reference electrode's potential has been achieved by the presence of a saturated electrolyte salt bridge or junction. The reference electrolyte leaks slowly through the junction. The relative potential difference between the reference and measuring electrodes may be used to calculate the concentration of the ion in the sample, and may be displayed on a millivolt (mV) instrument (potentiometer).
The potential of a complete cell may be represented by:ECell=Emeas−(Eref+Ej)where Emeas, Eref, and Ej are the potentials of the measuring electrode, the reference electrode and the junction.
The electrode half cells (reference and measuring) are electrically connected to a pH meter circuitry to produce measurements in millivolts. The millivolt readings can be used to represent hydrogen ion activity in the solution being measured. Such conventional systems and the parts thereof are well known to those skilled in the art and are available in the commercial marketplace from various manufacturers such as Hach Company of Loveland, Colo. Thus, when the description set forth herein references examples referring to conventional components such as pH glass, it is intended to mean a conventional component such as pH glass of the type which is sold in the commercial marketplace by Hach Company of Loveland, Colo.

Low slope pH electrode with charge transfer component


A packaged aerosol foaming skin cleanser can include a multiphase skin cleansing composition; a foaming agent including a hydrofluoroolefin, a hydrochlorofluoroolefin, or a combination thereof; and a package.

Foaming skin cleansers are becoming a popular form among consumers who like the ability to use the product as dispensed without too much extra work to produce a lather themselves. Foaming cleansers can be through the use of a manual foamer, like a pump, or an aerosol foamer through the use of a foaming agent and/or propellant. The introduction of a foaming agent can impact the cleansing composition being dispensed as it is intermingled with the cleansing composition. Interactions between the foaming agent and the composition can have a detrimental effect on the composition. As such, there is a need for foaming agents which have less interaction with one or more components in a cleanser.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A cylinder lock plug that utilizes an axially moving sidebar. The sidebar is displaced axially by a key positioning mechanism on the blade of a uniquely configured key. Also on the key are unique short grooves on the lateral sides of the key blade running substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the key blade. The short grooves are configured complementary to an inner surface of the axially moving sidebar. Only the properly configured key can receive the sidebar as the key is turned to rotate the cylinder lock plug and the short grooves receive the inner surface. The invention is meant to be used with additional locking mechanisms, such as, for example, tumblers.

The present invention relates generally to cylinder locks, and more particularly to cylinder locks that use a complementary configured key and sidebar in conjunction with conventional lock mechanisms, such as tumblers. The sidebar is positioned at a precise axial position by a key positioning mechanism on the key, wherein the sidebar can engage grooves on the side of the key blade. This positioning facilitates the shifting of the sidebar from a locked position to an unlocked position and the key can rotate the cylinder plug.
Cylinder locks for locking doors and other similar structures are well known in the art. Typically these cylinder locks include a cylinder shell, cylinder plug located within the cylinder shell and tumblers extending there through. Further, a locking member, such as a deadbolt, rotates with the cylinder plug to lock or unlock the door, cabinet or other structure.
WO93/09317 (Prunbauer) describes a lock and a key system that utilizes a sidebar mechanism to prevent a cylinder from rotating, but is silent on the axial movement of the sidebar. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,287 (Prunbauer) is directed to a key, but discloses a system similar to Prunbauer WO093/09317.
German Patent DE2828343, issued to Perkut, discloses yet another key and lock system that uses tumblers to match up with the key ridges and further discloses a ball to use with the sidebar to facilitate rotation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,566, issued to Brandt, discloses a lock that has an axially sliding member at the back of the plug, as a secondary locking mechanism, used in conjunction with conventional tumblers.
Further, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,477,875 and 6,945,082, both issued to Field et al., disclose a lock system that combines an axially sliding member operated by a contact tab integrally formed on a key, to facilitate release of the separate sidebar.
Notwithstanding the prior art, there still remains a need for a lock and key system that, among other things, combines the functions of an axially sliding member and a sidebar. Benefits of such a system include minimizing of moving parts, preferably making lock breakdown less likely, and increasing security of the lock itself.

Cylinder lock with an axially moving sidebar


A mass notification system including one or more alarms for notification of two or more emergency classes. Each alarm can include a lens, a strobe for illuminating the lens with a first light color during activation of the strobe, and a light source such as a light emitting diode for illuminating the lens with a second light color different from the first light color during activation of the light source. During activation of the lens with the light source, the lens appears to be the color emitted by the light source. The alarm can be configured to notify occupants of a first emergency class by activating only the strobe and to notify occupants of a second emergency class by activating both the strobe and the light source. An alarm configured to provide notification of two or more emergency classes can thus use a single lens and a single strobe.

In recent years, the field of mass notification has developed in response to the threat of terrorist attacks on civilian and government facilities, the threat of violence on school and university campuses, the danger afforded by natural and/or man-made hazards, and other events that require the emergency management of a large group of people.
Regardless of the type of emergency, authorities must be able to communicate quickly and clearly with all people who are or may be affected by the emergency. A mass notification system provides this capability and permits real-time information to be disseminated to all people in the immediate vicinity of a building or larger geographic area during and after an emergency using graphical information, textual information, visible signaling, audible signaling, intelligible voice communications, and the like. When properly designed and implemented, a mass notification system can save lives.
In the United States, the field of mass notification is addressed/regulated by entities that include, but are not limited to, the Department of Defense (DoD), the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA). For example, OSHA 1910.165 requires employers that use an alarm system to provide warning for necessary emergency action as called in the emergency action plan or reaction time for safe escape of employees from the work place, the immediate work area, or both. As another example, Annex E of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 72 provides requirements for the application, installation, location, performance and maintenance of a mass notification system ("MNS"). As yet another example, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Outdoor Public Alerting System Guide (December 2004) advocates, "using voice technology to address all natural and man-made hazards, including acts of terrorism and requires that all warning systems be operable in the absence of AC supply power."
Systems configured to integrate mass notification capability to an existing notification system such as a fire system are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,013,755, which is commonly assigned herewith and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes the use of a white strobe to indicate a fire emergency in which occupants must evacuate and an amber strobe to indicate a mass notification in which occupants must await instructions.

Mass notification alarm and system with programmable color output

UTC FIRE & SECURITY AMERICAS CORPORATION, INC.


An improved hinge mechanism for use with a portable computing device is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a hinge mechanism includes a first gear and a first deformable braking mechanism that is coupled to the first gear. The first deformable braking mechanism is substantially axially aligned with the first gear along a first axis. The hinge mechanism also includes a second gear that engages the first gear during rotation of the first gear, as well as a second braking mechanism. The second braking mechanism is arranged to be substantially axially aligned with the second gear along a second axis. The second braking mechanism contacts the first deformable braking mechanism to cause the first deformable braking mechanism to deform during rotation of the first gear. Finally, the hinge mechanism includes a linking mechanism that allows a constant distance to be maintained between the first axis and the second axis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hinge mechanisms. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hinge mechanism which is suitable for use in a portable computing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of personal computers is widespread, and is rapidly becoming even more prevalent. As advances in technology enable the size of personal computers to decrease, the use of portable computers such as notebook, or laptop, computers and notepad computers is increasing. The portability of notebook computers and notepad computers enables a user to keep his or her computer readily accessible such that computing resources are effectively always at hand.
Many portable computers are configured such that a display screen of the computer pivots, or rotates, with respect to the base of the computer. FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a portable computer or, more specifically, a notebook computer 102. Notebook computer 102 includes a rotating, or hinging, section 106 and a fixed section 110. Rotating section 106 typically includes a display screen 114, while fixed section 110 often includes an input/output device such as a keyboard 118. fixed section 110 also houses a central processing unit and other computer hardware not shown).
Hinges 122 are used to allow rotating section 106 to rotate with respect to fixed action 110. As shown, rotating section 106 is "open" at approximately a 90 degree angle measured with respect to fixed section 110. The configuration of hinges 122 may be such that rotating section 106 is constrained to rotation within a certain range. Alternatively, in some cases, certain physical configurations of hinges 122 may enable a large range of rotation which may extend up to approximately 360 degrees.
Enabling rotating section 106 to rotate up to approximately 360 degrees with respect to fixed section 110 provides a user with the flexibility to place rotating section 106 in a variety of different orientations with respect to fixed section 110. For example, the user may allow rotating section 106 and fixed section 110 to both lie essentially flat on a planar surface. The user may also orient rotating section 106 or, more specifically, display screen 114, to face in the opposite direction from fixed section 110. Such an orientation may be desirable when notebook computer 102 is intended for use as a presentation device.
In order for rotating section 106 to be able to rotate and to hold a desired position at a given angle of rotation, hinges 122 typically include, or are associated with, brakes. The brakes, which are typically either spring-based or gear-based, as will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2a-2c, are used to effectively "lock" hinges 122 in place. Hinges 122 are locked into place to prevent rotation when no torque, or rotational force, is applied to hinges 122 or, more generally, to either rotating section 106 or fixed section 110.
FIG. 2a is a diagrammatic representation of a conventional flat spring hinge that is used in notebook and notepad computers. Flat spring hinge 202 includes an axle 204 which is used to couple a rotating section, e.g., rotating section 106 of FIG. 1, to a fixed section, e.g., fixed section 110 of FIG. 1. Axle 204 is arranged to couple the rotating section to the fixed section and to effectively serve as the axis of rotation of the rotating section with respect to the fixed section, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Flat spring hinge 202 also includes a spring 208 that is effectively a friction spring. In other words, spring 208 provides the friction necessary to hold axle 204 in place once a rotational force is removed from axle 204. The friction provided by spring 208 basically enables spring 208 to clamp axle 204. In general, the shape, or configuration, of spring 208 may vary widely.
Flat spring hinge 202 typically does not support rotation of up to 360 degrees. That is, flat spring hinge 202 does not provide for 360 degree hinging. Since axle 204 provides only a single rotational axis that is shared by both a fixed section and a rotating section, configuring the fixed section and the rotating section to support 360 degree rotation is difficult, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
Further, flat spring hinge 202 requires a relatively large amount of space to accommodate axle 204 and spring 208. As a result, the housings associated with fixed and rotating sections must also be relatively large in order to accommodate flat spring hinge 202. Since minimizing the size and the weight of notebook computers and other portable computing apparatus is generally desirable to enhance their portability, having a relatively large housing is usually not desirable.
Due to relatively high stresses that are experienced by flat spring hinge 202, flat spring hinge 202 is typically fabricated from metal. Hence, since housings in a notebook computer are often formed from plastic, flat spring hinge 202 may not be directly integrated into the housings. Therefore, manufacturing processes associated with fabricating notebook computers or, more specifically, coupling flat spring hinge 202 to both a rotating section and a fixed section, may be time-consuming.
Springs used in spring hinges often take on a variety of different configurations, as mentioned above. For example, a spring hinge may be a spring coil hinge that includes a coiled spring. FIG. 2b is a diagrammatic representation of a conventional spring coil hinge that is used in notebook computers. A spring coil hinge 212 is similar to flat spring hinge 202, as described above with respect to FIG. 2a Spring coil hinge 212 includes an axle 214 which is used to couple a rotating section to fixed section, and to serve as the axis of rotation of the rotating section with respect to the fixed section. Spring coil hinge 212 also includes a coiled spring 218 which provides the friction necessary to hold axle 214 in place once a rotational force is removed from axle 214. The friction provided by coiled spring 218 enables spring 218 to clamp axle 214.
Like flat spring hinge 202 of FIG. 2a, spring coil hinge 212 also does not typically support rotation of up to 360 degrees, due at least in part to the fact that axle 214 provides only a single rotational axis that is shared by both a fixed section and a rotating section. In addition, the space requirements of spring coil hinge 212 are comparable to those of flat spring hinge 202 of FIG. 2a. In other words, a relatively large amount of space to accommodate axle 214 and spring 218. Hence, the housings associated with fixed and rotating sections must also be relatively large in order to accommodate spring coil hinge 212.
In some portable computing apparatus, hinges which include deformable gears are used to allow a rotating section of the computing apparatus to rotate up to approximately 360 degrees with respect to a fixed section of the computing apparatus. FIG. 2c is a diagrammatic partial-view representation of a elastomeric gear mechanism that is used as part of a hinge for a portable computing apparatus. A first elastomeric gear 224, which may be axially coupled to a rotating section of a computing apparatus, includes teeth 226 that are effectively arranged to engage teeth 230 on a second elastomeric gear 228 that may be axially coupled to a fixed section of a computing apparatus. In general, one of first elastomeric gear 224 and second elastomeric gear 228 is fixed, e.g., second elastomeric gear 228 may be fixed while first elastomeric gear 224 rotates around second elastomeric gear 228. When a rotational force is applied to cause a rotating section to rotate with respect to a fixed section, teeth 226 engage teeth 230 to rotate first elastomeric gear 224 with respect to second elastomeric gear 228.
Once a rotational force is removed, the elastomeric properties of first elastomeric gear 224 and second elastomeric gear 228 cause them to deform against each other. As a result, friction is effectively created between first elastomeric gear 224 and second elastomeric gear 228 or, more specifically, teeth 226 and teeth 230. Hence, the rotated position of first elastomeric gear 224 is maintained until a rotational force is applied to rotate first elastomeric gear 224 with respect to second elastomeric gear 228.
While the use of elastomeric gears has been shown to be effective for providing up to approximately 360 degrees of hinging, machining elastomeric gears may be difficult. Elastomeric gears, e.g., rubber gears, may be difficult to accurately machine, as elastomeric materials are likely to deform while being machined. By way of example, deformation of elastomeric gears while teeth are being created along the circumference of the gears may cause the teeth to be inaccurately formed. As a result, when two elastomeric gears with defective teeth engage each other, they may not be able to accurately maintain a rotated position. Further, accurately machine teeth on deformable gears may be expensive.
Therefore, what is desired is a readily manufacturable hinge apparatus which allows for a wide range of rotation. Specifically, what is desired is an efficiently manufactured hinge apparatus that is suitable for use in a portable computing device and provides for a full, ie., up to approximately 360 degrees, range of rotation.

Dual axis hinge apparatus with braking mechanism


A microscope including an objective having a focal plane in a sample space, and an autofocus device comprising a light modulator for generating a luminous modulation object that is intensity-modulated periodically along one direction, an autofocus illumination optical unit that images the modulation object such that its image arises in the sample space, an autofocus camera, an autofocus imaging optical unit that images the image of the modulation object in the sample space onto the autofocus camera, a control device, which receives signals of the autofocus camera and determines an intensity distribution of the image of the modulation object and generates a focus control signal therefrom. The control device determines an intensity distribution of the image of a luminous comparison object imaged by the optical unit to correct the intensity distribution of the image of the modulation object with regard to reflectivity variations in the sample space.

A microscope according to the preamble and an autofocus method according to the preamble are known from WO 2007/144197 A1. This describes an autofocus device which images a modulation object that is intensity-modulated periodically along one direction into the sample and generates an autofocus signal from the image of the modulation object. Similar microscopes are found in DE 102006027836 A1 and DE 102007055530 A1.
This approach achieves very good autofocus properties, but occasionally has problems when the reflective properties of the sample vary locally, because then the image of the modulation object can be distorted by the reflection variations of the sample. In the worst case, the image of the modulation object can be altered by the object image so radically that an autofocus signal can no longer be generated.
DE 19537376 A1 uses two patterns from periodic grids, phase-shifted by 180°, in different focal planes. The patterns serve to determine direction for the autofocusing.
DE 102008005355 A1 describes the effect a reflectivity jump has on the AF contrast signal. To thereby avoid negative influences, a defocusing of the projected grating structures is proposed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,722, differently defocused grating images are subtracted from each other.

Autofocus method for microscope and microscope comprising autofocus device


A stamp-making apparatus is provided in which a transparent presser plate is arranged such that the presser plate is parallel with a stamp-making object material, an ink ribbon having a stamp image formed thereon is urged against the stamp-making object material via the presser plate, and exposure of the stamp-making object material to light is carried out via the ink ribbon as a mask. A ribbon feeder rolls out an ink ribbon wound around one end portion thereof to a position facing the stamp-making object material, and then rolls up the ink ribbon around another end portion thereof. A relative translation of the presser plate and the stamp-making object material is made toward each other by moving at least one of the presser plate and the stamp-making object material to thereby urge the ink ribbon against the stamp-making object material. A guide guides the ink ribbon when the ink ribbon is fed, to space between the presser plate and the stamp-making object material. Tension of the ink ribbon is regulated in a manner linked to operation of the relative translation of the presser plate and the stamp-making object material made toward each other.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a stamp-making apparatus for making a stamp big printing an image forming a stamp impression of the stamp on an ink ribbon, and exposing a stamp-making object material mounted in the stamp-making apparatus to ultraviolet rays irradiated through the mask of the ink ribbon, as well as to a function changeover mechanism for switching between functions of printing, exposure, etc., of the stamp-making apparatus, an exposure system forming a source of exposure light to which a stamp-making object material is exposed, and a stamp object material-detecting device therefor.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, a stamp-making apparatus of the above-mentioned kind includes a supply reel for rolling out an ink ribbon therefrom and a take-up reel for taking up the ink ribbon therein, as well as a presser plate for pressing the ink ribbon against a stamp body as a stamp-making object material from which a stamp is made, with she presser plate and the stamp body being arranged on opposite sides of a feed path of the ink ribbon in a manner facing toward each other. On upstream and downstream sides of the stamp body and the presser plate, a pair of rollers are provided for guiding the ink ribbon to a feed path between the stamp body and the presser plate such that the ink ribbon is fed in parallel with the stamp body and the presser plate. When exposure of the stamp body to light is conducted, the ink ribbon is stopped in a position in which a portion of the ink ribbon on which an image of a stamp impression (stamp image) is formed faces toward the stamp body, and then a translating mechanism, not shown, operates to move the presser plate forward to the stamp body and then the exposure of the stamp body is carried out (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 6-278350).
As a light source for exposure, a self-heating hot-cathode tube, i.e. a so-called semi-hot tube is used. To detect expiration of the service life or failure of the self-heating hot-cathode tube, a pair of overtemperature cutouts are provided on electrode portions at opposite ends of the self-heating hot-cathode tube such that they each extend along a longitudinal axis of the same. That is, the overtemperature cutouts each having a column shape are provided such that they are brought into contact with the self-heating hot-cathode tube in parallel therewith.
Further, in a stamp-making object material-detecting apparatus of the above-mentioned kind, a stamp body (stamp-making object material) is mounted in a pocket of a stamp-making apparatus from above such that it lies on its side with a stamp surface to be formed facing in a forward direction, and a state of the stamp body being mounted in the pocket is detected by a sensor or a switch provided at the bottom of the pocket of the stamp-making apparatus.
In a conventional stamp-making apparatus, when the feed path of an ink ribbon is long, it is required to feed the ink ribbon while applying a predetermined level of tension thereto so as to prevent the ink ribbon from becoming loose. In particular, if the ink ribbon is fed with the width of a ribbon surface extending perpendicularly, i.e. on its side on a horizontal plane, the ink ribbon can fall off a feed roller or the like when it becomes loose, and therefore it is necessary to feed the ink ribbon in a strongly stretched state to avoid jamming. However, the ink ribbon is thin, and made of material having no rigidity, so that if the ribbon is sent in a strongly stretched state, vertical wrinkles are formed crosswise to the direction of feed of the ink ribbon.
On the other hand, if exposure of the stamp-making object material to light is carried out using the ink ribbon as a mask, reproducibility of the exposure is degraded due to diffusion of light unless the ink ribbon is brought into intimate contact with the stamp-making object material. Therefore, it is considered best to urge the ink ribbon against the stamp-making object material by means of a transparent presser plate. However, if a tensioned ink ribbon is simply urged against the stamp-making object material, exposure is effected with vertical wrinkles formed on the ink ribbon and the stamp image being deformed due to elongation of the ink ribbon. Inversely, if the ink ribbon is made loose during exposure, position of the stamp image on the ink ribbon with respect to the stamp-making object material is displaced.
Further, in a conventional stamp-making apparatus, if a print head for printing, the presser plate for exposure or the like is moved in an electrical manner by the use of electrical means such an electric motor, the apparatus becomes complicated not only in construction but also in the method of control, which increases the manufacturing costs of the stamp-making apparatus. Therefore, it is preferred that the print head and the presser plate should be directly moved in a mechanical manner, from the viewpoint of cost and reliability of the movement of these members. However, if operating members are provided for moving these members, respectively, the manner of operating these operating members becomes complicated and wrong operations are liable to occur.
Further, in this kind of the stamp-making apparatus, exposure to ultraviolet rays is carried out, and hence it is necessary to hold the stamp-making object material in an unmovable manner in carrying out the exposure and prevent invasion of dust to an exposure block. To this end, it is preferred that the apparatus is provided with a mounting block for receiving the stamp-making object material therein with a lid for opening and closing the mounting block. However, if the lid has a simple opening and closing structure, the lid can be opened by mistake during exposure, to undesirably allow ultraviolet rays to leak to the outside. Further, if the lid is opened during printing, the ink ribbon is jammed.
The semi-hot tube forming part of the exposure system is small-sized and has a preheating circuit simple in circuit configuration compared with a hot-cathode tube which is large in diameter and has a preheating circuit complicated in circuit configuration. The semi-hot tube generates sufficient quantity of light compared with a cold-cathode tube which generates insufficient quantity of light. Therefore, the semi-hot tube is very useful for a luminescent tube installed in electronic devices and required to generate a substantial quantity of light. If an abnormality-detecting device is provided on such a semi-hot tube, in a conventional manner, such that overtemperature cutouts extend along the tube in a line contact manner, more heat readily dissipates from the semi-hot tube to the overtemperature cutouts when the semi-hot tube starts to be energized, resulting in a delayed production of sufficient quantity of light.
On the other hand, in the case of a conventional stamp-making object material-detecting device, if stamp bodies (stamp-making object materials) which are different in shape are mounted, some of them can be spaced from the bottom of the pocket, which causes a sensor or a switch for detecting the stamp bodies to operate in an inaccurate manner. On the other hand, if the stamp bodies are mounted in the pocket such that L-hey are pressed against the bottom of the pocket, the position of the stamp-forming surface is varied among the stamp bodies.

Stamp-making apparatus, as well as function changeover mechanism, exposure system and stamp-making object material-detecting device therefor


A water-soluble lithium salt is added as a tracer substance along with a water treatment chemical to water to be treated. The concentration of lithium ions is electrochemically or optically measured using a lithium ion sensitive substance, so as to perform concentration control of the water treatment chemical added to water to be treated. An ion selective electrode, ion selective field effect transistor, or ion optode may be employed to perform the electrochemical or optical measurement using a lithium ion sensitive substance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling concentration of a water treatment chemical (a water treating chemical agent or a chemical additive to a water system) within water of a recirculating water system such as a cooling water system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Process water such as industrial water serves a significant role in many industries. Process water is often used in a recirculating water system, which may typically be a boiler water system or an open or closed recirculating cooling water system. For treating water used in such a recirculating water system, various water treatment chemicals (chemical agents) are employed to prevent problems such as corrosion, scale, and slime attributable to by water. In general, water treating chemical agents may include a corrosion inhibitor, dispersant, scale inhibitor, antimicrobial, and slime control agent (biofouling inhibitor).
In order to perform appropriate water treatment by making use of the effectiveness of these various chemical agents and to allow the effectiveness to sustain, it is necessary to precisely determine the concentration of the chemical agents at given positions and times, so as to execute appropriate control of the concentration.
However, measurement of concentration within water to be treated is impossible for some chemicals, depending on the type of the chemical. Further, although the measurement may be possible by colorimetry, turbidimetry, or other quantitative analysis methods, procedures for these methods may be complicated or require a long time such that the methods are impractical for plant operation control. Accordingly, when using a water treatment chemical for which concentration measurement is impossible or difficult, concentration control may be performed using, as a tracer, a substance that allows easy concentration measurement. By using a tracer substance, concentration of a chemical agent within water to be treated can be indirectly but quickly measured even when concentration measurement of the chemical agent itself is impossible or difficult. Conventional methods for measuring the concentration of a water treatment chemical using a tracer substance may be categorized by the type of tracer substance. Major examples of the tracer methods are fluorescent tracer method, pigment tracer method, bromine tracer method, iodine tracer method, potassium tracer method, and lithium tracer method.
It is generally desired that a substance used as a tracer fulfill many conditions as listed below. (1) The substance does not exist in process service water such as industrial water, or the amount of its presence in water is a negligibly trace amount. (2) The substance is chemically stable. (3) The substance is not easily decomposed by microorganisms. (4) The substance is substantially harmless from a pollution prevention perspective. (5) The substance does not generate insoluble matters or scale by reacting with salts dissolved in process water such as industrial water. (6) The substance does not corrode the metal materials of the piping and other components of the water system. (7) The quantitative analysis of the substance is possible without being interfered by dissolved salts. (8) The quantitative analysis can be performed precisely and quickly.
Among the conventional methods for measuring concentration of a water treatment chemical, a fluorescent tracer method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 2-115697, while a pigment tracer method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-334255. According to these methods, many of the organic substances employed as the tracer tend to degenerate by the influence of light, heat, oxidants, pH, and the like within the recirculated water such as boiler water or cooling water (especially cooling water in an open recirculating system). Consequently, measurements as a function of time of the tracer concentration tends to a decrease irrespective of the water treatment chemical concentration, resulting in the problem that the tracer concentration cannot be correctly converted into the water treatment chemical concentration. Further, the recirculated water including water treatment chemicals in addition to the tracer may contain, at varying degrees, a light-absorbing substance or a fluorescent substance generated due to fouling such as sludge. As a result, measurements must be made taking into account the interferences from those matters.
As another conventional method for measuring concentration of a water treatment chemical, a method using bromide ion or iodide ion as the tracer is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 4-296651. This publication describes using titration and ion electrode method for quick and simple measurement of bromine or iodine, and using ion chromatography when requiring high sensitivity or simultaneous measurement of other anions. However, procedures for titration are complicated, and it would be very difficult to automate titration analysis. Real-time concentration control by titration is therefore impossible at the present. Further, bromide ion electrode method and iodide ion electrode method are disadvantageous in their poor selectivity with respect to other anions and the susceptibility to interferences from impurities contained in the cooling water. Ion chromatography requires a large-scale instrument, as well as a long time from the point when sample water is collected to the point when a measurement result can be obtained, so that real-time concentration control is impossible.
A potassium tracer method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 4-296652. This publication suggests use of an ion electrode method as the quick and simple measurement method. However, a certain amount of potassium ion is originally included in the raw water of the cooling water. The potassium tracer method is therefore susceptible to influences from fluctuations in the concentration of potassium included in the raw water supplied as the make-up water for the cooling water.
A lithium tracer method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 51-111388. This method requires performing atomic absorption spectrometry, which involves using a large-scale instrument. Further, because a long time is required from the point when sample water is collected to the point when a measurement result can be obtained, real-time concentration control is impossible.

Method and apparatus for controlling concentration of water treatment chemicals


The present invention is directed to a kit for rendering a glass surface water repellent. This invention is particularly directed to a kit for coating a windshield of a vehicle to render the windshield water repellent.

Coating compositions comprising perfluorocarbonsilane, such as perfluoroalkylalkyl silane, perfluoroalkylalkyl trichlorosilane can be used to treat a glass surface, such as the surface of a windshield of a vehicle or windows, to render it water repellent.
The perfluoroalkylalkylsilane or perfluoroalkylalkyltrichlorosilane based water repellents provide good water repellency on glass surfaces due to the high reactivity between the silane and the hydroxyl groups on the glass surface. However, they have limited durability and resistance to weathering and abrasion. They are also sensitive to trace amount of water during production and storage. Examples of perfluoroalkylalkyl silane or perfluoroalkylalkyl trichlorosilane based water repellents are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,523,162, and 5,523,161. To overcome the water sensitivity and to impart resistance to weathering and abrasion, additional components, such as hydrolysable silanes that are capable of hydrolysis to silica gel, are required in the perfluoroalkylalkylsilane or perfluoroalkylalkyltrichlorosilane based water repellents as described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,161. In addition, water drops on the surface treated with those silanes are not readily sliding off.
It is therefore still needed for a water repellent that is easy to produce and store, having good durability and improved water sliding property.

Durable automotive windshield coating and the use thereof


A clustered superscalar processor for reducing the miss rate of a register cache and reducing the possibility of miss penalties. The processor checks before storing an instruction in an instruction window whether there is a data dependency relationship between the instruction that will be stored in the instruction window and a previous instruction stored in the instruction window. When there is a data dependency relationship, the execution result of the previous instruction of one cluster is communicated to a register cache of another cluster that executes the instruction having a data dependency relationship with the previous instruction.

The present invention relates to a processor, and more particularly, to a clustered superscalar processor and a method for controlling communication between clusters in a clustered superscalar processor.
In the prior art, for example, S. Palacharla, N. P. Jouppi, and J. E. Smith, "Complexity-Effective Superscalar Processors," Proceedings of 24th International Symposium on Computer Architecture, pp. 206-218, June 1997 describes a clustered superscalar processor for solving problems that arise when executing instructions in parallel to improve the performance of a processor. The technique for clustering a superscalar processor is a technique that divides functional units, which execute instructions, and instruction windows, which temporarily store instructions, into a plurality of groups referred to as clusters. Each cluster includes a functional unit, an instruction window, and a register file for storing the execution result of a calculation. Execution results of the functional units, which are included in every cluster, are written to the register files, which are included in every cluster. Thus, the register files included in each cluster hold the same contents. FIG. 1 shows a clustered superscalar processor 100 of the prior art.
When processing instructions, the processor 100 first stores instructions from a main memory (not shown) in a instruction cache 110. A fetch unit 120 reads the instructions from the instruction cache 110 and provides the instructions to a decoder 130. The decoder 130 decodes the instructions. A steering unit 140 analyzes data dependency relationship in each instruction and allocates the instructions, in accordance with the dependency relationship, to instruction windows 151 and 161 of the clusters 150 and 160. Instructions satisfying the data dependency relationship are read from the instruction windows 151 and 161, and data used to execute the instructions is read from the register files 152 and 162. Functional units 153, 154, 163, and 164 use the read data to execute the instructions. The execution results of the instructions are written to the register files 152 and 162. During the execution of the instructions, data is read from the main memory or a data cache 170 when necessary.
When the execution result of an instruction executed by the functional units 153, 154, 163, and 164 is used in an immediately subsequent instruction, the execution result is transferred to a subsequent instruction before the execution result is written to the register files 152 and 162. The transfer path of the execution result is hereafter referred to as a bypass route. The bypass route is configured by intra-cluster bypasses CIB, formed inside clusters, and an inter-cluster bypass CBB, formed between clusters.
In this manner, by clustering a superscalar processor, the quantity of functional units in each cluster may be reduced in comparison to a superscalar processor that is not clustered. The reduction in the quantity of the functional units shortens the wire length for the intra-cluster bypass routes and reduces wire delays.
However, in a clustered processor, the size of the register file required in each cluster is substantially the same as that of a register file in a processor that is not clustered. Thus, the wire length and wire delay of the register file are not shortened. J. L. Cruz, A. Gonzalez, M. Valero, and N. P. Tophan, "Multiple-Banked Register File Architectures", Proceedings of 27th International Symposium on Computer Architecture, pp. 316-325, June 2000 describes a hierarchical register file as an example of a technique for eliminating delay of the register file. FIG. 2 shows a processor 200 incorporated in a hierarchical register file. The hierarchical register file is configured by a register cache RC (upper level register file) and a main register file (lower level register file). The register cache RC is incorporated in a data path. The capacity of the register cache RC is smaller than that of the main register file MRF, and the register cache RC may be accessed at high speeds. The main register file MRF holds every calculation result of functional units 251 to 254. The register cache RC holds some of the values of the main register file MRF.
When a value necessary for an instruction exists in a register cache RC, the functional units 251, 252, 253, and 254 access the register cache RC to retrieve a register value within a shorter access time than when accessing the main register file MRF. When a necessary value does not exist in the register cache RC, the functional units 251, 252, 253, and 254 retrieve a register value only after the register value is transferred from the main register file MRF to the register cache RC. This requires a long access time.
A state in which the data requested by the processor exists in the register cache RC is referred to as a hit, and a state in which it does not exist in the register cache RC is referred to as a miss. Further, the percentage in which the accessed data is found in the register cache RC is referred to as a hit rate, and the percentage in which the accessed data is not found in the register cache RC is referred to as a miss rate. The time required to access the register cache RC is referred to as hit time. The reference time required to access the main register file MRF is referred to as a miss penalty.
The register RC is small and fast. Thus, the hit time (e.g., one clock cycle) is shorter than the access time of the register file prior to hierarchization.
To further reduce the access time of the register file, the above-described hierarchical register file and the clustered superscalar processor may be combined. More specifically, the main register file MRF shown in FIG. 1 is added to the processor 100 shown in FIG. 1, and the register files 152 and 162 of the clusters 150 and 160 are changed to the register cache RC. However, incorporation of the above hierarchical register file in the clustered superscalar processor would lead to the problems described below.
In the prior art method, the execution result of an instruction is written to the register cache RC of every cluster. The register cache RC can hold only some of the values of the main register file MRF. Thus, to effectively use the register cache RC, it is preferred that only the register values necessary for the instruction executed prior to the present instruction be held. It is known that the execution result of an instruction is referred to only in a small number of calculations. Accordingly, among the execution results copied for each cluster, only some are referred to. The remaining execution results that are not referred to consume the memory area of the register cache in an unnecessary manner. This increases the possibility of deletion of useful register values that are stored in the register cache RC and have the possibility of being referred to. This increases the miss rate of the register cache RC, and the miss penalty lowers the performance.

Clustered superscalar processor with communication control between clusters

National University Corporation Nagoya University


A luminescent device including an upper electrode layer, a lower electrode layer and an active layer provided between these electrode layers, the device having such a structure that at least one electrode layer of the upper electrode layer and the lower electrode layer is provided in an in-plane direction of the active layer being divided into plural electrodes, current is injected into plural different regions of the active layer by the plural electrodes to cause emission in plural luminescent regions, and light emitted from one luminescent region of the plural luminescent regions enters in another luminescent region and exits. The device further includes a light receiving portion for detecting light that is emitted from one luminescent region of the plural luminescent regions and does not go through another luminescent region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a luminescent device, an optical coherence tomographic imaging apparatus provided with the luminescent device and a control method of the luminescent device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, attention has been attracted to a super luminescent diode (hereinafter abbreviated as SLD) that is a luminescent device.
The SLD mixedly uses both stimulated and amplified light and spontaneously emitted light unlike a semiconductor laser by which light with high output and very narrow spectral width is oscillated with a low injection current by using stimulated amplification and further resonating the light and unlike an LED which utilizes spontaneously emitted light and is wide in radiation angle.
A feature of this SLD resides in that the output is high compared with the LED and a wide spectrum half width compared with the semiconductor laser is obtained by constructing it so as not to undergo resonation even in a highly current-injected state. The SLD is widely applied to many uses such as a spectroscope, a length measuring machine, a refractive index distribution measuring device, a tomographic imaging apparatus and a light source for excitation by making good use of such a feature.
When such an SLD is used in the above-described application devices and the optical output and spectral form thereof are controlled, a method in which SLD light to be used is split and detected and a method in which light from an exit face opposite to a face to utilize SLD light used is detected and controlled are considered.
In the present specification, the light which does not undergo resonation even in a highly current-injected state and is stimulated and amplified is called SLD light.
Even in light emitted from the same active layer region, a spontaneously emitted light component and an SLD light component are present. In the present specification, these are separately described.
Specific examples of a position of a detector regarding control of SLD light are illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8B. FIG. 8A illustrates a construction that SLD light 806 emitted from an SLD device 805 whose upper electrode is a single electrode structure is branched by means of a branching mirror 802. The SLD light 806 is divided into SLD light 803 to be used and light 804 entering in a detector 811, and a current injection amount to the upper electrode is controlled on the basis of a signal detected in the detector 811, whereby the optical output and spectral form of the SLD light are adjusted.
In FIG. 8B, SLD light 807 emitted from the side opposing an exit side of the SLD light 806 is detected in a detector 812, and a current injection amount to the upper electrode is controlled on the basis of a signal detected in the detector 812, whereby the optical output and spectral form of the SLD light are adjusted.
On the other hand, as described in A. T. Semenov, V. R. Shidlovski, D. A. Jakson, R. willsch and W. Ecke, "Spectral control in multisection AlGaAs SQW super luminescent diodes at 800 nm" ELECTRONICS LETTERS, Vol. 32, No. 3, p. 255 (1996) (Non Patent Literature 1), an attempt to use plural upper electrodes and independently control current injection amounts to the respective electrodes is made for realizing higher output and wider spectrum half width at the same time.
Here, the structure described in Non Patent Literature 1 is described with reference to FIG. 9A. An SLD device is composed of a ridge waveguide structure and an AlGaAs heterostructure having an 8 nm thick quantum well active layer (not illustrated).
In addition, the device has three upper electrodes 901, 902 and 902 each having a length of 500 μm. Among these electrodes, an upper electrode close to the side of an exit face of SLD light 906 is the first electrode 901. An electrode located at the center is the second electrode 902, and an electrode arranged on the side of another exit face 905 is the third electrode 903. In this Literature, current is applied to only the first electrode 901 and the second electrode 902, and the third electrode 903 is used as a light absorbing region without applying current (in other words, the end face 905 neither exits light not reflects light). FIG. 9B shows optical outputs and spectrum half widths of the SLD light 906 when current is injected into the respective upper electrodes. It is understood that the values of the optical outputs and spectrum half widths are greatly varied according to the amount of the current injected into the respective upper electrodes 901 and 902.
In addition, in Non Patent Literature 1, spectral forms under conditions (i) to (iv) are illustrated in FIG. 2, it is disclosed that the spectral form is also greatly varied according to the amount of the current injected into the respective electrodes.
However, the prior art structure described in Non Patent Literature 1 involves the following problems.
That is to say, in the case of the SLD having the plural upper electrode structure described in Non Patent Literature 1, it is difficult to take the same method as in a single electrode structure for respectively determining optimum amounts of the current injected into the plural upper electrodes to control both optical output and spectral form.
For example, when a case where a method of branching SLD light to be used and using a part thereof for monitoring (corresponding to FIG. 8A) is applied to the plural electrode structure is supposed, the following problem is caused.
Since the spectral form greatly vary due to a difference between the amounts of the current injected into the respective electrodes as described above, it is necessary to monitor not only the output of the SLD exiting light, but also the spectral form, so that the detector 811 is required to have a function as a spectrum analyzer, and at the same time it takes a time to exactly reset all current amounts injected into the plural electrodes when driving conditions deviate from initially set values due to some cause.
In addition, when a method of monitoring SLD light exiting from a face opposite to a face to use the SLD light (corresponding to FIG. 8B) is supposed, the following problem is caused.
Since carrier densities of respective electrodes are different when plural electrodes are used, the spectrum of stimulated and emitted light also has a distribution in a waveguide direction. Accordingly, since the same optical output and spectral form as the SLD light used are not obtained from the opposite exit face, exact feedback cannot be conducted even when the SLD light exiting from the opposite face is monitored.

Luminescent device, optical coherence tomographic imaging apparatus provided with the luminescent device and control method of the luminescent device


A pattern forming method includes: disposing a portion of a first nozzle group composed of a plurality of first nozzles arranged in a first direction and a portion of a second nozzle group composed of a plurality of second nozzles arranged in the first direction so as to overlap each other as viewed in a second direction; and ejecting a droplet from each of a plurality of selected nozzles of the first nozzles and a plurality of selected nozzles of the second nozzles to a substrate that moves in the second direction relative to the first nozzles and the second nozzles to form a pattern on the substrate. A droplet is ejected from each of a plurality of the first nozzles selected in an area of the first nozzle group overlapped with the second nozzle group as viewed in the second direction and each of the plurality of second nozzles located between each adjacent pair of the selected first nozzles as viewed in the second direction is selected to eject a droplet.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method of forming a pattern, to a droplet ejecting device, and to an electro-optic device.
2. Related Art
A liquid crystal display device includes a rubbing-processed oriented film on an inner side surface of a substrate to which liquid crystal is filled to specify the alignment state of liquid crystal molecules. In the production process of oriented films, an ink-jet method using a droplet ejecting device is employed to increase productivity and reduce a production cost.
The droplet ejecting device includes an ejecting head which relatively moves with respect to the substrate and a plurality of nozzles that are arrayed in one direction of the ejecting head. The droplet ejecting device causes a nozzle it has selected to eject a droplet, while relatively moving the ejecting head and the substrate along the main scanning direction. Next, the droplet ejecting device form an oriented film by drawing a pattern composed of a liquid body along the main scanning direction of the substrate and drying the pattern.
Meanwhile, the ink-jet method as described above ejects a droplet toward the entire range of a film pattern. Accordingly, when the size of the film pattern increases, a new line of the scan path of the ejecting head must be created for a plurality of times. At this time, a droplet ejected by a preceding scan starts drying earlier than a droplet ejected by a subsequent scan. As a result, a difference in flowability is generated between a liquid body corresponding to the preceding scan path and a liquid body corresponding to the subsequent scan path, and thus stripe-like difference in the film thickness which is consecutive in the main scanning direction (referred to, hereinafter, as simply a stripe unevenness) is formed in the boundary between the scan paths.
Therefore, for the ink-jet method, proposals for resolving stripe unevenness as described above have been conventionally made. Arts disclosed in JP-A-2004-255335 and JP-A-2005-95835 dispose a plurality of ejecting heads along a direction which intersects with the main scanning direction. Each droplet ejecting device scans the substrate toward the plurality of ejecting heads only once, and eject droplets from a plurality of ejecting heads toward the substantially entire substrate. This eliminates new line scanning of the ejecting head, and thereby resolving stripe unevenness caused by new line scanning.
The ejecting head as described above is generally formed into a rectangle extending along the direction in which nozzles are arrayed. The ejecting head has a dead space where nozzles cannot be arrayed at the end portion in the alignment direction thereof. Examples of the dead space include a space for input terminals for driving an actuator and a space for securing machining accuracy of nozzles. In the case where such ejecting heads are provided in parallel along the direction in which the ejecting heads are arrayed, the ejecting heads cannot eject droplets on the scan path of each dead space. As a result, new line scanning is necessary for a plurality of times.
The arts disclosed in JP-A-2004-255335 and JP-A-2005-95835 dispose the ejecting heads in a staggered-like manner and a step-like manner, and dispose a part of each of nozzle lines of adjacent ejecting heads in the scanning direction of each dead space. This enables overlapping the scan path of the dead space with the scan path of the nozzle line, thereby enabling eliminating new line scanning caused by a dead space.
However, the arts in JP-A-2004-255335 and JP-A-2005-95835 dispose each of the nozzle lines in the main scanning direction or the reverse main scanning direction of the adjacent nozzle lines. Accordingly, a time difference in ejection timing of a droplet is generated at the boundary between the scan paths of the adjacent nozzle lines. Since the size of the droplet that strikes the substrate is from several ng to several tens of ng, the time difference in such ejection timing makes a large difference in a dried state. As a result, in the arts disclosed in JP-A-2004-255335 and JP-A-2005-95835, stripe unevenness is generated at the boundary between the adjacent ejecting heads, and whereby display quality of the liquid crystal display device is deteriorated.

Pattern forming method, droplet ejecting device, and electro-optic device


An ink-based digital printing dampening fluid delivery system useful for printing with an ink-based digital printing system, the ink-based digital printing system having an imaging member is provided. The dampening fluid delivery system includes a supply chamber, a supply channel and a particularly-configured vapor mixing chamber. The vapor mixing chamber is in fluid communication with the supply chamber. The vapor mixing chamber interfaces with the supply chamber by way of a plurality of equally spaced, angled, small-diameter vapor exit ports for providing dampening fluid to be entrained in a flow of air provided to carry a uniform mass fraction distribution of the dampening fluid to be deposited on a reimageable surface of the imaging member.

Conventional lithographic printing techniques cannot accommodate true high-speed variable data printing processes in which images to be printed change from impression to impression, for example, as enabled by digital printing systems. The lithography process is often relied upon, however, because it provides very high quality printing due to the quality and color gamut of the inks used. Lithographic inks are also less expensive than other inks, toners, and many other types of printing or marking materials.
Ink-based digital printing as discussed in this disclosure uses a variable data digital lithography printing system, or digital offset printing system. A "variable data digital lithography system" is an image forming system that is configured for lithographic printing using lithographic inks and based on digital image data, which may be variable from one image to the next. "Variable data lithography printing," or "digital ink-based printing," or "digital offset printing" are terms that may be generally interchangeably employed to refer to the processes of lithographic printing of variable image data for producing images on a wide latitude of image receiving media substrates, the images being changeable with each subsequent rendering of an image on a substrate in an image forming process.
For example, a digital offset printing process may include transferring radiation-curable ink onto a portion of a fluorosilicone-containing imaging member surface that has been selectively coated with a dampening fluid layer according to variable image data. The ink is then cured and transferred from the reimageable surface of the imaging member to an image receiving media substrate such as paper, plastic, or metal on which the image is printed. The reimageable surface of the imaging member may be then cleaned and used to form a succeeding image that is different than the preceding image, based on the variable image data. Ink-based digital printing systems are variable data lithography systems configured for digital lithographic printing that may include an imaging member having a reimageable surface layer, such as a silicone-containing surface layer.
Systems may include a dampening fluid metering system for applying dampening fluid to the reimageable surface layer, and an imaging system for laser-patterning the layer of dampening fluid according to image data. The dampening fluid layer is patterned by the imaging system to form a dampening fluid pattern on a surface of the imaging member based on variable data. The imaging member is then inked to form an inked image based on the dampening fluid pattern. The inked image may be partially cured as appropriate to adjust a rheology of the ink forming the inked image. The inked image may them be transferred to a printable image receiving media substrate. An objective is to achieve a transfer efficiency exceeding 95%. The reimageable surface of the imaging member from which the inked image is transferred is cleaned to remove residual ink and dampening fluid from the reimageable surface in preparation for forming a further image that may be different from a previous image, or based on different image data than the image data used to form the previous image. Such systems are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/095,714 ("714 Application"), entitled "Variable Data Lithography System," filed on Apr. 27, 2011, by Timothy Stowe et al., which is commonly assigned, and the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Mixing apparatus and systems for dampening fluid vapor deposition systems useful for ink-based digital printing


A method of inspecting switching time with fluid control valve used for inspecting operating time to turn-on or turn-off a valve door of a fluid control valve is disclosed. The method comprises following steps: firstly provide an inspector with a counting unit, a timer, a first limited switch and a second limited switch. The counting unit electrically connects to the timer and a pneumatic module of fluid control valve, the first limited switch and second limited switch connect to the timer, and the first limited switch contacts the rod of the fluid control valve rod. Then, input basic data of corresponding fluid control valve, which comprises operating conditions of the fluid control valve. Next, activate the pneumatic module and start to time, and the axial shift generated by the rod of the fluid control valve triggers the second limited switch to stop timing. Lastly, record and display operating time.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inspecting method, in particular relates to a used for an inspecting method for inspecting turn-on or turn-off time of a fluid control valve.
Description of Prior Art
The fluid control valve is a control device used in fluid line piping. The basic function is interconnecting or switching the fluids in the piping, adjusting the flowing direction, pressure and flow rate of the fluid so as to assure the piping system operates normally.
The fluid control valve controls whether the fluids flows in the piping and the flow rate via turn-on and turn-off the valve door. Nonetheless, the operating time as the fluid control valve turning-on or turning-off affects the flowing efficiencies of the fluids in the piping. Accordingly, it is desired to provide an effective method for inspecting the flowing behaviors.

Method of inspecting switching time with fluid control valve


A sizing agent for carbon fibers which comprises, as the indispensable ingredients, an epoxy resin having a viscosity of more than 1,000 P but up to 20,000 P at 50 .degree. C. and a urethane compound prepared from a polyol having an oxyalkylene unit with a polyisocyanate.

The present invention relates to a sizing agent for carbon fibers and the carbon fibers treated with this agent. In particular, the present invention relates to a stable and homegeneous aqueous epoxy resin dispersion and carbon fibers treated with this dispersion and having a high flexibility and excellent moldability and physical properties.
Since, in general, an epoxy resin is widely used as a matrix resin of carbon fiber reinforced composite materials, the epoxy resin itself has been often used also as the sizing agent for carbon fibers. It was generally difficult to disperse the epoxy resin in water to form a stable and homogeneous dispersion in the prior art, since this resin is generally hydrophobic. Therefore, in an earlier stage of the industrialization of the technique of producing carbon fibers, a solution of the resin in an organic solvent such as methyl ethyl ketone was used, as such, as the sizing agent. Since, however, organic solvents are apt to cause fire hazard and are toxic, it has been eagerly demanded to provide an aqueous dispersion of the epoxy resin from the viewpoint of safety and hygiene.
As for the process for dispersing the epoxy resin in water, Japanese patent application Kokai publication No. 57-171767 proposed a process which comprises adding a diglycidyl ether/bisphenol A epoxy resin and a resin composition containing other epoxy resin which is solid at room temperature to water. Unfavorably, however, carbon fibers treated with this aqueous epoxy resin dispersion containing an epoxy resin of a viscosty as low as about 10 to 10.sup.3 poise (at 50 .degree. C.) were apt to be opened by a strong friction in the winding and unwinding steps and a molding process of a filament winding to undergo fluffing and yarn breakage to thereby impair their physical properties, because of the above epoxy resin have a viscosity of as low as about 10 to 1000 poise at 50 .degree. C. When the viscosity of this dispersion was increased, the stability of the dispersion was reduced correspondingly and uniform application of the dispersion to the carbon fibers became difficult unfavorably.
Japanese patent application Kokai publication No. 58-13781 proposed an aqueous dispersion containing a quaternary ammonium base-containing polyurethane resin and an epoxy to be used as the sizing agent for carbon fibers. However, since the sized carbon fibers with this dispersion are rather hard, soft-typed sizing agent is desired especially in a croth-making use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,906 disclosed a high molecular weight completely theremoplastic polyurethane resin as the sizing agent for treating carbon fibers. However, this sizing agent has a drawback of impairing a working environment because of being in use by dissolving it an organic solvent.
Further, some of plastics reinforced by the carbon fiber treated with the sizing agent has an unsatisfactory mechanical property, because the agent is poorly compatible with a thermosetting matrix resin such as cured epoxy resin and has no reactive group with the matrix resin.

Sizing agent for carbon fiber and carbon fiber treated with said sizing agent


Fiber cement felts of the present invention include: a top fabric layer that includes fine machine direction yarns and fine cross machine direction yarns interwoven with the fine machine direction yarns; a bottom fabric layer underlying the top fabric layer that includes coarse machine direction yarns and coarse cross machine direction yarns interwoven with the coarse machine direction yarns; and a batt layer attached to and overlying the top fabric layer. Preferably, the top fabric layer is heat bonded to the bottom fabric layer. It is also preferred that the fiber cement felt of the present invention include a second batt layer that underlies the bottom fabric layer. In this multiple layer structure, the felt can have higher tenacity, improved resistance to blinding and compaction, and a reduced tendency to mark a fiber cement sheet during its formation.

Fiber cement is a well-known material employed in many building materials, such as siding, roofing and interior components, as well as pipes, particularly for waste water transport. Fiber cement typically comprises a mixture of cement (i.e., lime, silica and alumina), clay, a thickener, inorganic fillers such as calcium carbonate, and one or more fibrous materials. In the past, asbestos was commonly included as the fibrous material (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,043 to Gazzard et al.); because of the well-documented problems asbestos presents, now fiber cement typically includes a natural or synthetic fiber, such as acrylic, aramid, polyvinyl alcohol, polypropylene, cellulose or cotton. Fiber cement is popular for the aforementioned applications because of its combination of strength, rigidity, impact resistance, hydrolytic stability, and low thermal expansion/contraction coefficient.
To be used in siding or roofing components, fiber cement is often formed in sheets or tubes that can be used "as is" or later cut or otherwise fashioned into a desired shape. One technique of forming fiber cement articles (known as the Hatschek process) involves creating an aqueous fiber cement slurry of the components described above, depositing the slurry as a thin sheet or web on a porous fabric belt, and conveying the slurry over and through a series of rollers to flatten and shape the slurry. As the slurry is conveyed, moisture contained therein drains through openings in the fabric. Moisture removal is typically augmented by the application of vacuum to the slurry through the fabric (usually via a suction box located beneath the porous fabric). After passing through a set of press rolls, the fiber cement web can be dried and cut into individual sheets, collected on a collection cylinder for subsequent unrolling and cutting into individual sheets, or collected as a series of overlying layers on a collecting cylinder that ultimately forms a fiber cement tube.
The porous fabric used to support the slurry as moisture is removed is typically woven from very coarse (between about 2500 and 3000 dtex) polyamide yarns. Most commonly, the yarns are woven in a "plain weave" pattern, although other patterns, such as twills and satins, have also been used. Once they are woven, the yarns are covered on the "sheet side" of the fabric (i.e., the side of the fabric that contacts the fiber cement slurry) with a batt layer; on some occasions, the "machine side" of the fabric (i.e., the side of the fabric that does not contact the slurry directly) is also covered with a batt layer. The batt layer assists in the "pick-up" of the slurry from a vat or other container for processing. Because of the presence of the batt layer(s), the fabric is typically referred to as a fiber cement "felt."
Coarse yarns have been employed in fiber cement felts because of the severe conditions the felt experiences during processing. For example, fiber cement felts are typically exposed to high load conditions by the forming machine. Also, there can be significant variations in tension over the felt length on the fiber cement machine, as tension may vary from as low as 2 kilopounds/cm after the forming roll to as high as 15 kilopounds/cm over suction boxes. As a result, coarse yarns having high "tenacity" and resilience have been employed. However, because the yarns are coarse, such felts have a tendency to mark the surface of the fiber cement product formed thereon, sometimes to a sufficient degree that smoothing of the surface in a subsequent operation may be required. Further, fiber cement felts are prone to "blinding" (the filling of the openings in the fabric mesh with fiber cement slurry) and typically must be cleaned frequently and may be removed (depending on machine conditions such as speed and load) after as little as one week. Also, such felts tend to suffer significant "compaction" (the tendency of the felt to decrease in thickness) with use. Compaction is detrimental to operation in that, as the felt decreases in thickness, the pressure exerted on the fiber cement by the pressing rolls can decrease, thereby altering the surface characteristics as well as overall physical properties of the sheet. Also, some compaction may be localized, with the result that the fiber cement can have areas of different thickness. Accordingly, compacted felts are typically replaced.

Fabric for forming fiber cement articles