The ethylene/.alpha.-olefin/7-methyl-1,6-octadiene copolymer rubber of the invention is a random copolymer rubber prepared using a Group IVB transition metal type catalyst containing a specific zirconium catalyst component, and in this copolymer rubber, a molar ratio of ethylene to .alpha.-olefin, a diene content, an intrinsic viscosity [.eta.], an intensity ratio D of T.alpha..beta. to T.alpha..alpha. in a .sup.13 C-NMR spectrum of said copolymer rubber, a B value which is a measure of distribution of each monomer and a glass transition temperature are all within specific ranges. The rubber composition of the invention comprises the above-mentioned random copolymer rubber and a conjugated diene rubber. The random copolymer rubber has high stereoregularity, narrow composition distribution and excellent low-temperature flexibility, and shows extremely high covulcanizability with the conjugated diene rubber. In addition, this random copolymer rubber is excellent in weathering resistance, ozone resistance and thermal aging resistance.

Ethylene/propylene rubbers (EPM) or ethylene/propylene /diene rubbers (EPDM) are excellent in weathering resistance, ozone resistance and thermal aging resistance, because they have no double bond in a main chain of the molecular structure. Owing to these excellent properties, the ethylene/propylene/diene rubbers have been widely used for various automotive parts where static force is applied, such as weatherstripping, channel for door glass run and radiator hose.
On the other hand, for most of automotive parts requiring mechanical strength against dynamic force, such as tire, rubber vibration insulator and wiper blade, there have been used conjugated diene rubbers having double bond in a main chain of the molecular structure, such as NR, SBR, IR and BR, and blends thereof.
By the way, in accordance with high performance of automobiles in recent years, it has been eagerly desired to improve thermal aging resistance and weathering resistance of automotive parts.
However, the conjugated diene rubbers are poor in heat resistance and weathering resistance though they are excellent in dynamic mechanical characteristics (dynamic fatigue resistance), whereas EPDM is bad in dynamic mechanical characteristics though it is excellent in weathering resistance, ozone resistance and thermal aging resistance.
On that connection, studies on various blends of EPDM and the conjugated diene rubbers have been made by blending EPDM with the conjugated diene rubber to exhibit advantages of these materials.
Techniques with respect to the blends of EPDM and the conjugated diene rubbers in the above studies are listed in "Japanese Rubber Institute Bulletin, 51,685" by Yasuhiro Oda and Masashi Aoshima, 1978. In this bulletin are introduced as blending means (1) polysulfide vulcanization, (2) peroxide vulcanization, (3) use of prevulcanized EPDM, (4) use of EPDM having a high iodine value, (5) use of halogenated EPDM, and (6) use of an accelerator having a long chain alkyl group.
However, any of those means has no practical effect, and almost no product has been produced yet utilizing those means. The reason is that a vulcanization speed of the conventional EPDM is extremely slow as compared with the conjugated diene rubber. That is, because of the slow vulcanization speed of EPDM, a mixture of EPDM and the conjugated diene rubber is insufficient in mutual vulcanization between EPDM and the conjugated diene rubber, and hence mechanical strength of the mixture is deteriorated.
Accordingly, in order to obtain a rubber composition having advantages of both the conjugated diene rubber and EPDM, there has been eagerly desired the advent of a polymer not only showing low-temperature flexibility of the same level as that of the conjugated diene rubber and heat resistance and weathering resistance of the same levels as those of EPDM but also having an extremely high vulcanization speed.
Copolymerization of ethylene with .alpha.-olefin (e.g., propylene) and 7-methyl-1,6-octadiene (also referred to as "MOD" hereinafter) in the presence of a catalyst comprising a vanadium compound which has been conventionally used for preparing an ethylene/propylene/non-conjugated diene copolymer rubber has been tried, but it is impossible to industrially copolymerize these olefins because activities of the catalysts are markedly deteriorated.
Further, a copolymer of ethylene, .alpha.-olefin (e.g., propylene) and MOD obtained by using a catalyst comprising a titanium compound which has been conventionally used for preparing polyethylene or polypropylene has a wide composition distribution and poor vulcanization properties. Moreover, this copolymer can be difficultly prepared in a homogeneous solution because a copolymer having high ethylene content is precipitated during the preparation of the copolymer.
As prior art, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2(1990)-51512 discloses an unsaturated ethylene/.alpha.-olefin random copolymer whose vulcanization speed is higher as compared with conventional unsaturated ethylene/.alpha.-olefin random copolymers. The unsaturated ethylene/.alpha.-olefin random copolymer disclosed in this publication is a random copolymer derived from ethylene, .alpha.-olefin of 3 to 12 carbon atoms and a non-conjugated diene compound represented by the following formula [I]and characterized in that:
1) a number-average molecular weight is in the range of 3,000 to 500,000 in terms of polystyrene;
2) a weight-average molecular weight is in the range of 6,000 to 5,000,000 in terms of polystyrene;
3) a content of the non-conjugated diene compound is not less than 3 in terms of iodine value; and
4) a bonding ratio of ethylene to .alpha.-olefin is 5-90/95-10 (molar ratio). ##STR1## wherein n is an integer of 2 to 10, R.sup.1 is an alkyl group of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are the same or different from each other and are each independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group of 1 to 8 carbon atoms.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2(1990)-64111 discloses a process for preparing an EPDM elastomer of low crystallinity and high molecular weight using a catalyst formed from a metallocene compound of titanium, zirconium or hafnium and aluminoxane.
However, the above-mentioned publications do not disclose any ethylene/.alpha.-olefin/7-methyl-1,6-octadiene copolymer rubber having a narrow composition distribution and excellent low-temperature flexibility.
In the light of the foregoing, the present inventors have earnestly studied catalysts, and found that ethylene, .alpha.-olefin and 7-methyl-1,6-octadiene can be copolymerized with high activities when a Group IVB transition metal catalyst containing a specific zirconium catalyst component is used. In the present invention, ethylene is copolymerized with .alpha.-olefin (e.g., propylene) and MOD in the presence of a specific Group IVB transition metal catalyst.
Further, the present inventors have studied on co-catalysts, and found that the copolymer obtained by copolymerizing ethylene, .alpha.-olefin (e.g., propylene) and MOD in the presence of a catalyst system wherein an organoaluminum oxycompound is used as a co-catalyst in combination with a Group IVB transition metal catalyst such as zirconium compound has a narrow composition distribution and excellent low-temperature flexibility. Furthermore, they have also found that when the above-mentioned copolymer is covulcanized with a conjugated diene rubber, this copolymer exhibits excellent covulcanizability with the conjugated diene rubber, and that this copolymer provides a composition capable of forming a vulcanized rubber which is excellent in weathering resistance, ozone resistance, thermal aging resistance and low-temperature flexibility without being deteriorated in the high mechanical characteristics, abrasion resistance and dynamic fatigue resistance inherently belonging to the conjugated diene rubber such as natural rubber (NR), styrene/butadiene rubber (SBR), isoprene rubber (IR) or butadiene rubber (BR).
Thus, the present invention has been accomplished.

Ethylene/alpha-olefin/7-methyl-1,6-octadiene copolymer rubber and composition of the same


Silicon nitride is etched employing a composition containing a fluoride containing compound, certain organic solvents, and water.

In the fabrication of microelectronic components, a number of the steps involved, for instance, in preparing integrated circuit chips and the packaging for the chips (articles to which the chips are attached and protected), are etching processes. Accordingly, over the years, a number of vastly different types of etching processes to remove material, sometimes in selective areas, have been developed and are utilized to varying degrees. Moreover, the steps of etching different layers which constitute, for instance, the finished integrated circuit chip are among the most critical and crucial steps.
One method widely employed for etching is to overlay the surface to be etched with a suitable mask and then immerse the surface and mask in a chemical solution which attacks the surface to be etched, while leaving the mask intact and while only etching other materials of the article to at most, a minimum extent.
In many structures, a silicon nitride layer exists on top or beneath a silicon dioxide layer and it becomes necessary to etch the silicon nitride without overetching the silicon dioxide. The ability to use a fluoride such as hydrogen fluoride in such situation presents a problem since hydrogen fluoride etches silicon dioxide at a much faster rate than it does silicon nitride. It would therefore be desirable to provide an etching procedure that achieves excellent removal of the silicon nitride and especially a procedure that exhibits an etching rate for silicon nitride that is at least as fast as the rate for silicon dioxide.

International Business Machines Corporation


Methods of forming spacers on sidewalls of features of semiconductor devices and structures thereof are disclosed. A preferred embodiment comprises a semiconductor device including a workpiece and at least one feature disposed over the workpiece. A first spacer is disposed on the sidewalls of the at least one feature, the first spacer comprising a first material. A first liner is disposed over the first spacer and over a portion of the workpiece proximate the first spacer, the first liner comprising the first material. A second spacer is disposed over the first liner, the second spacer comprising a second material. A second liner is disposed over the second spacer, the second liner comprising the first material.

Semiconductor devices are used in a variety of electronic applications, such as personal computers, cell phones, digital cameras, and other electronic equipment, as examples. Semiconductor devices are typically fabricated by sequentially depositing insulating (or dielectric) layers, conductive layers, and semiconductive layers of material over a semiconductor substrate, and patterning the various layers using lithography to form circuit components and elements thereon.
A transistor is an element that is utilized extensively in semiconductor devices. There may be millions of transistors on a single integrated circuit (IC), for example. A common type of transistor used in semiconductor device fabrication is a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), as an example. Transistors of semiconductor devices are typically formed by depositing a gate dielectric material over a substrate, and depositing a gate material over the gate dielectric material. The gate material and the gate dielectric material are patterned using lithography techniques, and dopants are implanted into the substrate proximate the gate and gate dielectric to form source and drain regions.
Sidewall spacers are typically formed on the sidewalls of the gate and gate dielectric, either before, after, or both before and after the dopants are implanted into the substrate. Sidewall spacers typically comprise silicon nitride, and are usually formed by depositing a layer of silicon nitride over the gate, gate dielectric, and exposed portions of the substrate, and etching the layer of silicon nitride to remove the layer of silicon nitride from the top surface of the gate, and from over the top surface of the substrate, yet leaving the silicon nitride disposed on the sidewalls of the gate and gate dielectric, forming a nitride spacer.
Controlling the thickness and width of nitride sidewall spacers is difficult. Forming uniform sidewall spacers across a surface of a semiconductor device is a key factor in obtaining uniform device performance in some applications.
Thus, what are needed in the art are improved methods of forming insulating spacers for features of semiconductor devices.

Methods of fabricating semiconductor devices and structures thereof


A process for preparing polyaspartic acid salt by bringing solid polysuccinimide and solid alkali metal hydroxide or alkaline earth metal hydroxide into reactive contact to form solid polyaspartate metal salt. The salt is granular and free-flowing.

This invention relates to polyaspartic acid salt and more particularly to a process to form such salt.
Polyaspartic acid (PAA) salt is prepared by thermally polycondensing L-aspartic acid, optionally in the presence of acid catalyst, to form polysuccinimide (PSI) (sometimes interchangeably called anhydropolyaspartic acid or polyanhydroaspartic acid) and then reacting the PSI with aqueous alkali metal hydroxide to form a solution of PAA metal salt. This salt solution is industrially important for many uses such as a lubricant in metalworking applications or a corrosion inhibitor as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,971,724 and 5,401,428 to Kalota et al. The cost to ship salt to distant users could be significantly reduced if the water of solution was absent. Unfortunately, as the salt solution is dehydrated, a thick, viscous, gummy mass forms having the consistency of glue which is quite difficult to handle. Therefore, to the best of applicant's knowledge, heretofore such PAA polymer salt has been used in aqueous solution.


In a spinning process for producing a yarn, fiber material in the form of at least one sliver is opened to a fibrous veil consisting of single fibers, and is deposited on an air-permeable suctioned collecting surface. The speed of the fibrous veil transported on the collecting surface is preferably not higher than the speed of the drawn off yarn. Before reaching the yarn formation line located on the collecting surface, the fibrous veil is divided into a plurality of fiber accumulations and thereby pre-twisted to strands. The position and travelling direction of the strands on the collecting surface is defined by guiding edges of suction slits. The individual strands are guided off transversely to the yarn formation line, whereby the extent of the pre-twist and the extent of the transport force is determined by the angle of the strands to the yarn formation line. Pre-twisted strands are wound around each other along the yarn formation line so that a type of ply-twisted yarn arises.

This application claims the priority of German application 196 32 742.3 filed in Germany on Aug. 14, 1996, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a spinning process for producing a yarn in which slivers opened to single fibers are fed in the form of a fibrous veil to an air-permeable and suctioned collecting surface, and are then transported along a transport path by means of the collecting surface to a yarn formation line and from there are withdrawn transversely to the transport direction of the collecting surface as a yarn having a twist at a speed which at least approximates the transport speed of the collecting surface.
In the case of a spinning process of this kind (U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,813), the relation of the above named speeds to one another should prevent a crinkling of the fibers along the yarn formation line. Due to the high withdrawal speed, the dwelling time of the arising yarn tip in the yarn formation line is extremely short, so that the twist is not sufficiently imparted. This disadvantage is not improved by the separate twist-giving elements arranged downstream. There is the risk that the continually renewed tip of the formed yarn hangs from the withdrawn yarn or that at least thin spots occur in the yarn.
It is already known (CS patent 263 761) that a plurality of curved suction slits are arranged in circumferential direction to the collecting surface, by means of which suction slits the single fibers fed to the yarn formation line are divided into groups and fed to the yarn formation line at a favorable angle. In this case, however, a purely friction spinning process is involved, in which the single fibers are fed so at such speed to the yarn formation line that an undesirable crinkling takes place in the yarn formation area.
It is an object of the present invention to improve a process of the above mentioned type, in which the single fibers arriving at the yarn formation line are not crinkled, in such a way that a hanging of the arising yarn tip from the yarn is avoided.
This object has been achieved in accordance with the present invention in that the fibrous veil is gathered together into a plurality of strands along the transport path on the collecting surface, which strands receive a pre-twist before they reach the yarn formation line and which strands are united at the yarn formation line with the other strands and integrated in the forming yarn.
The pre-twist occurring in the strands before they reach the yarn formation line is achieved by means of lateral rolling of the fibrous veil which is divided into fiber strands during the transport on the collecting surface. It is hereby necessary to feed the strands at a certain angle to the yarn formation line, so that a motion component arises in yarn withdrawal direction, by means of which the twist is inserted into the strands. The other component extending in the direction of the collecting surface ensures a transport force of the single fibers so that the longitudinal tension is reduced, and a hanging down of the plurality of yarn tips is, in the present case, avoided. The size of the angle determines the extent of the twist and the level of the transport force. The single yarn tip known already from the prior art spinning process is divided into a plurality of yarn tips, each of which is provided with a pre-twist and which projects into the collecting surface. While the single fibers are already integrated into the strands, the strands are in turn wound into a kind of ply-twisted yarn, while the yarn is withdrawn along the yarn formation line. The formed yarn, with sufficient degree of strength, is marked by a particularly large cross sectional volume.
In one embodiment of the present invention it is provided that single fibers forming the fibrous veil are accelerated when they impact on the collecting surface. The single fibers are thus stretched and parallelized immediately after obtaining the open end necessary for the spinning process.
It is particularly purposeful when the fibrous veil is transported to the collecting surface directly after the fiber material has been opened to single fibers. The single fibers are then subjected to a mechanically controlled transport before they are accelerated too much by the opening device, for example a rotating opening roller. By taking up the single fibers during a phase of relatively low speed, the withdrawal speed of the arising yarn can be thereby reduced, and thus the risk of a hanging of the yarn tips can be avoided to a great extent.
The fibrous veil is advantageously formed of a plurality of fed slivers, preferably spaced from each other. The fibrous veil already contains the amount of single fibers required for the subsequent yarn cross section. Due to the distances between the slivers, they are more easily allocated to strands.
It can be favorable when the first strand in withdrawal direction of the yarn is fed more single fibers than the other strands. By means thereof, the outermost newly arising end of the yarn becomes blunter, which increases the stability of the structure of the arising yarn.
In certain circumstances it can be advantageous when the yarn formed at the yarn formation line is pressed by means of clamping to the collecting surface. Even at high withdrawal speeds, the twist is more securely imparted, and the yarn receives already in its formation phase a certain strengthening.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, it is provided that the twist imparted to the arising yarn is applied in a plurality of stages. A certain pre-consolidation is achieved in the formation stage, and in the final stage a definite twist is subsequently imparted. The nature of the finished yarn can be influenced by varying the extent of the pre-twist and the end twist.
Individual strands may be fed to the yarn formation line at varying angles. The extent of the twist and transport force is thus different in each strand, according to the desired nature of the finished yarn. It can be provided to arrange a sliver of a different fiber material to each strand.
For the purpose of the present invention, the strands are fed into the yarn formation line over a gently rounded transition point. A gradual transition from the thrust phase to the withdrawal phase results hereby, without tension differences occurring.
It is provided according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention that predominantly outer fibers are fed with the last strand in the withdrawal direction of the yarn. The last strand is then at a somewhat larger distance from the other strands, so the twisting of the forming yarn is almost already completed when the outer fibers are fed thereto. A softer outer yarn layer results, with a softer "grip" to the yarn.
In order to divide the fibrous veil into strands, the collecting surface is formed for the purpose of the present invention by the circumferential surface of a suction roller, in whose interior a suction insert is arranged which defines the transport path and the yarn formation line, which suction insert comprises suction slits which serve to divide the fibrous veil into strands, which suction slits end with an inclined guiding edge in withdrawal direction of the yarn in a main suction slit which defines the yarn formation line. Tests have shown that the strands follow the contour of the suction slits without difficulty.
The suction slits can be formed tapering in transport direction. This facilitates the dividing of the fibrous veil into strands, whereby the arriving single fibers are all gathered together funnel-like and more or less joined in one line.
The suction slits can begin downstream of a section of the transport path, starting with an initial suction zone extending over the entire effective width of the collecting surface. This has the advantage in that the fed slivers can be closely adjacent to one another or that, if required, a single, very wide sliver can be fed in.
Advantageously the main suction slit is more strongly suctioned than the suction slits arranged to the strands. The twist is thus applied more securely to the forming yarn in the yarn formation line.
The angle of inclination of the guiding edges of the suction slits can increase in transport direction. This means that at first the transport force prevails in the forming strands when the sliver is still very loose, and that subsequently the degree of twist is increased when the longitudinal tension in the strands increases.


The apparatus acquires acceleration data in time series at a fixed position of a tire while a vehicle having the tire is traveling on a road surface, obtains a spectrum of the acceleration by subjecting the acquired time series acceleration data to frequency analysis, and detects a peak value of the spectrum of the acceleration in a frequency range of 500 Hz-1500 Hz. The apparatus evaluates a degree of a safety in traveling of the vehicle according to the detected peak value. The acceleration data is acquired by an acceleration sensor mounted on the fixed position of the tire.

The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for evaluating a degree of a safety in traveling of a vehicle.
It is important for a driver to know the traveling condition of a motor vehicle that he is driving. It is particularly important for the driver to know a degree of a safety in traveling (i.e., traveling safety) of the motor vehicle. In this description, "traveling safety" is used to represent a degree of driving easiness and/or driving safety of a vehicle. A degree of traveling safety of a vehicle corresponds to a degree of slipping between a tire of the vehicle and a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling. In general, the larger the degree of slipping between the tire of the vehicle and the road surface, the lower the degree of driving easiness and/or driving safety of the vehicle in driving, and the higher the difficulty in driving the vehicle. Therefore, the larger the degree of slipping between the tire of the vehicle and the road surface, the lower the traveling safety of the vehicle. Conventionally, as an attempt for enabling a driver to know the degree of traveling safety of a vehicle that the driver is driving, various methods and apparatuses have been proposed.
For example, if a certain amount of cornering force and lateral force is applied to a vehicle during traveling, slipping occurs in a contact region between a tire and a road surface. If the degree of slipping increases to a relatively high level, driving (controlling) of the vehicle to which the tire is mounted becomes difficult. Therefore, the degree of slipping significantly relates to the traveling safety of the vehicle. JP 5-332889 A discloses an apparatus that measures a tire squeal sound by a microphone provided in the vicinity of a tire of a vehicle, estimates the contact condition of the tire against the road surface, based on the measured squeal sound, and generates an alarm to the driver according to the estimated contact condition. In this description, "squeal sound" means a sound having a frequency in the range of about 500 Hz to 1500 Hz, generated from a tire vibrating due to slippage between the tire and the road surface, as described in JP 5-332889 A. The squeal sound is generated due to tire vibration which occurs depending on the condition of contact between the tire and the road surface.
JP 2002-340863 A and JP 2003-182476 A, each propose a method and apparatus for evaluating the traveling condition of a tire based on the tire vibration that occurs depending on the contact condition of the tire and the road surface. JP 2002-340863 A discloses, as described in Paragraph 0014 of JP 2002-340863 A, a method and apparatus for determining a road surface condition, uses, as a reference, a frequency spectrum of acceleration data and a frequency spectrum of sound pressure that are obtained inside a tire when the vehicle is traveling at a constant speed on a dry road, so that a road condition is determined by detecting deviation from the reference frequency spectrum in a specific frequency during traveling. JP 2002-340863 A uses a frequency spectrum of an acceleration signal generated on a tire in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle to evaluate a road surface condition. JP 2003-182476 A discloses an apparatus for estimating a road surface condition and tire traveling condition aiming for improving the traveling safety of a vehicle. In the method proposed in JP 2003-182476 A, as described in Paragraph 0004 of JP 2003-182476 A, the condition of the road surface with which the tire is made in contact is accurately estimated under a constant traveling condition without any special action such as braking or steering. As described in Paragraph 0005 of JP 2003-182476 A, the method described in JP 2003-182476 A has been invented by noting the fact that the vibration level in a frequency spectrum of vibrations obtained by subjecting the vibrations in the circumferential direction or in the width direction of the tire during traveling to frequency analysis characteristically changes depending on the condition of a road surface with which the tire is made in contact, or the fault status of the tire. The invention described in JP 2003-182476 A, acquires information of vibrations of a wheel or suspension as the information that represent vibrations of the tire. The acquired vibrations are subjected to frequency analysis to obtain a frequency spectrum. Based on the vibration level in a specific frequency range of the obtained frequency spectrum, the road surface condition during traveling (mainly, coefficient of friction between road surface and tire) and the traveling condition (e.g., inflation pressure, wearing status, fault status) of the tire are estimated.

Apparatus and method for evaluating a degree of a safety in traveling of a vehicle


A plurality of contact members are held by an insulator in two rows. The contact members include first contacts and second contacts in each of the two rows. Each of the first and the second contacts has a contacting portion to be connected to a mating contact and a terminal portion to be connected to a connection object. The terminal portions of the first contacts are collectively arranged in a predetermined row. The second contacts in one and the other of the two rows are inverted in position from each other. The terminal portions of the second contacts in one and the other of the two rows are arranged on one and the other sides of the predetermined row, respectively.

This invention relates to a connector comprising a plurality of contact members and, in particular, to a connector in which contacting portions and terminal portions of contacts are different in arrangement from each other.
A typical connector comprises an insulator and a plurality of contact members held by the insulator. Each of the contact members has a contacting portion to be connected to a mating contact and a terminal portion to be connected to a board as a connection object. The terminal portion is connected to the board, for example, by soldering the terminal portion to the board or by inserting the terminal portion into a through hole formed in the board. In this connection, the terminal portions are desired to have a large pitch as compared with the contacting portions.
Various techniques for pitch conversion of the terminal portions of the contacts are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publications (JP-A) Nos. H8-162187, 2002-151187, and 2002-334748. These techniques are effective in a connector in which contacting portions of contacts are arranged in a grid-like pattern. However, in case where the contacting portions are arranged in two rows and shifted by a half pitch between the two rows, i.e., in case where the contacting portions are arranged in a staggered pattern, no merit is achieved by these techniques.

Connector in which terminal portions can easily be arranged at a large pitch

Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Limited


A rear suspension system for supporting dirigible rear wheels of a vehicle consists of left and right rear suspensions each of which includes first and second links which are connected for rotation to the rear wheel support in different positions at their outer ends and to the vehicle body in different positions at their inner ends and a damper which is connected to the vehicle body at its upper end and to the first links at its lower end. The dampers of the left and right rear suspensions are inclined to the corresponding first links so that they transmits force to the first links to generate moments about instantaneous centers of turn of the respective rear wheel supports. The moments are substantially equal to each other and are directed in opposite directions when the rear wheels are held in the straight ahead position. The first and second links are arranged so that the sum of the moments becomes positive as the rear wheels are turned when a moment in the direction of turn of the rear wheels is defined to be positive and a moment in the reverse direction is defined to be negative.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a suspension system for dirigible rear wheels, and more particularly to a rear suspension system for a vehicle in which the rear wheels are dirigible.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been known a four-wheel steered vehicle in which the rear wheels are turned in response to turning of the front wheels. When the front wheel turning system and the rear wheel turning system are mechanically connected, the effort required to turn the steering wheel is larger than when only the front wheels are turned in response to turning of the steering wheel.
Generally such a four-wheel steered vehicle is provided with a centering spring mechanism as disclosed, for instance, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63(1988)31880. The centering spring mechanism is provided on a relay rod which connects the left and right rear wheels and is displaced in the transverse direction of the vehicle body to turn the rear wheels, and, in case of failure in the control system of the rear wheel turning system, the force which is transmitted to the relay rods to turn the rear wheels is released and the relay rod is returned to the neutral position, where the rear wheels are held in the straight ahead position, and held there by the centering mechanism. Accordingly, normally the relay rod must be displaced to turn the rear wheels overcoming the force of the centering spring mechanism, which further adds to the effort required to turn the steering wheel.
In the case where a power cylinder mechanism is provided to assist in displacement of the relay rod, the power cylinder mechanism must be large in order to overcome the force of the centering spring mechanism, which adds to the overall size of the rear wheel turning mechanism and complicates the structure of the same.

Suspension system for dirigible rear wheels


A method of reducing nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) in compression ignition engine emissions. The method includes monitoring at least one engine sensor that generates a signal in response to at least one engine operating condition, and adjusting at least one engine control parameter in response to the signal such that in-cylinder spacial distribution of equivalence ratio and temperature is substantially maintained to an operating region. The operating region corresponds to a set of equivalence ratio with respect to temperature values that are substantially outside regions supportive of NOx and PM formation. The temperature values are greater than 1650 K, and the equivalence ratio values are greater than 0.5.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) in a compression ignition engine.
2. Background Art
Internal combustion engines, and in particular, compression ignition (or diesel) engines have a wide variety of applications including passenger vehicles, marine vessels, earth-moving and construction equipment, stationary generators, and on-highway trucks, among others. Such applications typically have a variety (e.g., light, medium, and heavy) of operating conditions (i.e., engine modes).
When the temperature of the engine combustion chamber exceeds a particular temperature in relation to the air/fuel equivalence ratio, oxides of nitrogen (i.e., nitrogen oxides, NOx) and particulate matter (PM) may be generated as byproducts of the combustion process. NOx and PM are generally considered undesirable pollutants and, in particular, are typically believed to be factors in the formation of smog.
Referring to FIG. 1, a diagram 10 illustrating published data indicating local temperature and local equivalence ratios that are known to promote formation of NOx (i.e., region 106) and PM (i.e., region 104) in diesel engines is shown. The diagram 10 further shows a Low Temperature High Equivalence Ratio Combustion region (LTHE) 12, and a Low Temperature Low Equivalence Ratio region (LTLE) 14. The LTHE region 12 is characterized by in-cylinder temperatures in the range of 1000 K to 1650 K, and combustion equivalence ratios in the range of 0 to 8. The LTLE region 14 is characterized by in-cylinder temperatures in the range of 1000 K to 2000 K, and combustion equivalence ratios in the range of 0 to 0.5. Conventional approaches to limiting the formation of NOx and PM have focused on operating the engine within regions 12 or 14, or a combination of regions 12 and 14. While an engine operating within either the LTHE 12 or LTLE 14 regions may produce low NOx and PM emissions, such operation has the deficiency of limiting the engine to light load applications. Furthermore, operating within regions 12 or 14 may also produce excessive penalties in fuel consumption and in hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a system and method for reducing the formation of NOx and PM for compression ignition combustion engines that reduces or overcomes the deficiencies of conventional approaches.

System and method for reducing compression ignition engine emissions


A method for manufacturing a micromechanical component made of a first material, the first material being a material that can become at least partially amorphous, the method including: a) providing a mold made of a second material, the mold including a cavity forming the negative of the micromechanical component; b) providing the first material and forming the first material in the cavity of the mold, the first material having undergone, at a latest at a time of the forming, treatment allowing the first material to become at least partially amorphous; c) separating the micromechanical component thus formed from the mold.

Various methods are known for making micromechanical components. In fact, the latter may be made by micromachining or die stamping or by injection molding.
The use of methods of micromachining or of die stamping may also be envisaged for making amorphous metal parts.
However, an advantageous solution consists of casting the amorphous metal part directly, so that the final geometry, or a geometry close to the final geometry, requiring little finishing, is obtained by casting. The absence of a crystalline structure means that the properties of the amorphous metal part (in particular the mechanical properties, hardness and polishability) do not depend on the method of manufacture. This is a major advantage relative to the traditional polycrystalline metals, for which the raw castings have lower properties compared to forgings.
However, there are certain drawbacks when making micromechanical components with very small thicknesses (0.5 to 2 mm).
A first problem arises from the cooling of the mold. This drawback may comprise two aspects. A first aspect is that cooling must not be too slow, as there is then a risk of partial or complete crystallization and therefore loss of the properties of amorphous metals. For certain micromechanical components or certain packaging components, the presence of a single crystallite may be prohibitive for reasons of mechanical properties or visual appearance, since such crystallites will inevitably become visible during the finishing steps. It is therefore essential to have sufficiently rapid cooling during casting to guarantee that the part is amorphous. For this reason, the molds are made of metal, for example of steel or copper, allowing rapid abstraction of heat. Depending on the capacity of the selected alloy to become amorphous, with this method it is possible to obtain parts with a thickness of the order of 10 mm.
The second aspect to consider arises because cooling must not be too quick, as there is a risk of solidification before the mold cavity is completely filled. Now, with molds made of metal such as copper or steel, the thermal energy is quickly dispersed, leading to a risk of premature solidification. These two contradictory aspects mean the following compromise: the thickness of the castings must be neither too small (risk of solidification before complete filling of the cavity), nor too great (risk of crystallization). That is why this method is conventionally limited to parts with a thickness between about 2 and 10 mm.
A second drawback is a problem of forming. This problem of forming arises from the small size of the mold and of the cavity for the micromechanical component being made. For certain geometries, especially recessed geometries, which cannot be ejected from the mold, it may be necessary to add inserts in the mold, which must be removed after forming, and are lost. For complex shapes, the cost of these inserts and of the additional operations associated with them may become very high, making the method unusable industrially.
Another advantageous solution consists of making use of the forming properties of amorphous metals. In fact, amorphous metals have the particular characteristic of softening while remaining amorphous in a given temperature range [Tg−Tx] for each alloy, which is not very high, as these temperatures Tg and Tx are not very high. This then allows fine and precise geometries to be reproduced very accurately as the viscosity of the alloy decreases considerably and it can easily be deformed so as to reproduce all the details of a mold.
However, for making micromechanical components with very small thicknesses (0.5 to 2 mm), production of suitable molds is also very complex and presents the same limitations as in casting.
Moreover, at a temperature between Tg and Tx, there is limited time available before the alloy undergoes crystallization. If the geometry has many complex aspects with small thicknesses, the time required for complete filling of the mold may be greater than the time available, leading to partial or complete crystallization of the part and loss of its mechanical properties in particular.
A similar technique that is known is LIGA technology. LIGA consists of three main processing steps; lithography, electroforming and molding. There are two main LIGA manufacturing technologies, the X-ray LIGA technique, which uses X-rays produced by a synchrotron to create structures having a high aspect ratio, and the UV LIGA technique, a more accessible method that uses ultraviolet light to create structures having low aspect ratios.
The notable features of LIGA structures manufactured by the X-ray method comprise:                high aspect ratios, of the order of 100:1;        parallel side walls with a flank angle of the order of 89.95°;        smooth side walls with δ=10 nm, suitable for optical mirrors;        structural heights from tens of micrometers to a few millimeters;        structural details of the order of micrometers over distances of centimeters.
X-ray LIGA is a microengineering manufacturing technique developed at the beginning of the 1980s. In this method, a photoresistive polymer that is sensitive to X-rays, typically PMMA (poly(methyl methacrylate)), bound to an electrically conducting substrate, is exposed to parallel beams of high-energy X-rays from a synchrotron radiation source through a mask partly covered with an X-ray absorbing material. Chemical removal of the exposed (or unexposed) areas of the photoresistive polymer allows a three-dimensional structure to be obtained, which can be filled by electrodeposition of metal. The resin is removed chemically to produce a metal mold insert. The mold insert can be used for producing polymer or ceramic parts by injection molding.
The main advantage of the LIGA technique is the accuracy obtained using X-ray lithography (DXRL). This technique can produce microstructures having high aspect ratios and great accuracy, to be manufactured in a variety of materials (metals, plastics and ceramics).
The UV LIGA technique uses an inexpensive source of ultraviolet light, such as a mercury lamp, for exposing a photoresistive polymer, typically SU-8. Since heating and transmission are not a problem in optical masks, a simple chromium mask may be substituted for the sophisticated X-ray mask technique. These simplifications make the UV LIGA technique much less expensive and more accessible than its X-ray homolog. However, the UV LIGA technique is not as effective for producing precision molds and is therefore used when costs must be kept low and when very high aspect ratios are not required.
The drawback of such a method is that it is does not allow simple production of three-dimensional parts. It is in fact possible to manufacture three-dimensional parts by the LIGA method but it requires several successive iterations of photolithography and electrodeposition.
Moreover, the LIGA method presents a problem regarding the choice of materials. Two materials are in fact required: a material for the substrate and a material that is to be deposited. The material for the substrate must be photo-structurable, so that plaster or zircon cannot be used. For the deposited material, it must be possible to deposit it by electroforming, so that metallic materials are the only conceivable materials. Now, such materials generally have thermal characteristics such that they ensure good thermal dissipation and therefore good cooling. For an amorphous metal alloy formed in the LIGA mold, this capacity for good dissipation of thermal energy would make hardening too quick and would therefore prevent good formation of the parts.
Finally, the LIGA method for making the mold is of a nature such as to limit the possible geometries, since a three-dimensional mold of this kind would require layer-by-layer manufacture.

Method for manufacturing an amorphous metal part

The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd


Methods of encoding and decoding a multi-channel audio signal and apparatuses for encoding and decoding a multi-channel audio signal are provided. The apparatus for decoding a multi-channel audio signal includes an unpacking extracting which extracts a pilot and data regarding a quantized CLD between a pair of channels of the plurality of channels from the bitstream, a differential decoding unit which restores a quantized CLD by adding the extracted pilot to the extracted data, and an inverse quantization unit which inversely quantizes the restored quantized CLD using a quantization table that considers the location properties of the pair of channels. The methods of encoding and decoding a multi-channel audio signal and the apparatuses for encoding and decoding a multi-channel audio signal can enable an efficient encoding/decoding by reducing the number of quantization bits required.

Recently, various digital audio coding techniques have been developed, and an increasing number of products regarding digital audio coding have been commercialized. Also, various multi-channel audio coding techniques based on psychoacoustic models have been developed and are currently being standardized.
Psychoacoustic models are established based on how humans perceive sounds, for example, based on the facts that a weaker sound becomes inaudible in the presence of a louder sound and that the human ear can nominally hear sounds in the range of 20-20,000 Hz. By using such psychoacoustic models, it is possible to effectively reduce the amount of data by removing unnecessary audio signals during the coding of the data.
Conventionally, a bitstream of a multi-channel audio signal is generated by performing fixed quantization that simply involves the use of a single quantization table on data to be encoded. As a result, the bitrate increases.

Method and apparatus for encoding/decoding multi-channel audio signal


A remote keyless entry system particularly suited for preventing access to unauthorized individuals by securely encrypting messages transmitted from a remote transmitter to a receiver. A unique encryption algorithm is used to generate a multibit message having a pseudorandom number, key code and transmitter identification code (ID) encrypted within. The encryption algorithm generates said multibit message as a function of a pseudorandom number generator, a fixed key code table, ID and a switch, e.g., command, code. A receiver can decrypt the message to obtain the switch code and will respond thereto only if the message originated from an authorized transmitter, i.e., if the received pseudorandom number, key code and ID match those stored within the receiver.

The prior art is replete with various remote keyless entry systems typically used for remotely actuating door locks in vehicles or opening garage doors. Typically, these systems are comprised of a remote transmitter that uses an RF or IR signal to transmit a multibit message comprised of a command code and an identification code (ID), e.g., an authorization code, and a receiver that responds to this command code when its ID matches the transmitted ID. Such systems are susceptible to pirating apparatus, i.e., scanners, that rapidly scan through all available IDs until a receiver grants them access. In response, entry systems have been designed to penalize wrong transmissions by not accepting additional transmissions for a time period. Other pirating apparatus, i.e., grabbers, capture, i.e., receive and store, the transmitted signal and then later retransmit this captured signal to obtain unauthorized access to a vehicle or garage. In response, entry systems have been designed in which an algorithm in the transmitter causes its authorization code to change, i.e., hop, each transmission. The receiver then uses an identical algorithm to authenticate each received authorization code.

Securely encrypted remote keyless entry system


A shaft is mounted on side walls of a rocker arm, extending through a central cavity of the rocker arm. A bearing is located within the cavity of the rocker arm, positioned over the shaft. A yoke member adapted for mounting on the internal combustion engine has a curved portion enclosing a portion of the outer circumference of the bearing such that the bearing supports the rocker arm when the yoke mount rocker arm assembly is mounted on the internal combustion engine.

This invention relates generally to a rocker arm and rocker arm mounting arrangement for use in an internal combustion engine.
Typical rocker arm mounting arrangements incorporate a bolt which goes through the approximate center of the rocker arm in the same basic plane as the rocker arm motion, intersecting the axis defining the rotation of the rocker arm. The bolt also goes through the shaft positioned within the rocker arm bearing, thereby requiring two separate bearings, one on each side of the bolt.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present devices and methods. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.


A transition metal compound represented by the general formula (2) or (3) described below, a catalyst component for olefin polymerization comprising said transition metal compound, a catalyst component for olefin polymerization using said transition metal compound and (C) and/or (D) described below, and a process for producing an olefinic polymer wherein olefins are homopolymerized or olefins are copolymerized with other olefins and/or other polymerizable unsaturated compound using said catalyst for olefin polymerization.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transition metal compound useful as a catalyst component for olefin polymerization, a catalyst for olefin polymerization and a process for producing an olefinic polymer. In more particular, the present invention relates to a new transition metal compound being able to be easily synthesized, a catalyst component for olefin polymerization comprising said transition metal compound, a catalyst for olefin polymerization exhibiting a high polymerization activity in polymerization of the olefin using said transition metal compound, and a process for efficiently producing an olefinic homopolymer and copolymer using said catalyst component for olefin polymerization.
2. Description of the Related Art
Reports concerning the polymerization of olefins such as ethylene, propylene and the like using a nickel and palladium compound as the transition metal component of a catalyst have been widely known. For example, a process using a complex containing a phosphorane compound as a ligand is reported in 1) U. Klabunbe, S. D. Ittel, Journal of Molecular Catalysis, Vol. 41(1987), 123; U. Klabunbe, R. Mulhaupt, A. H. Janowicz, J. Calabrese and S. D. Ittel, Journal of Polymer Science, A, Polymer Chemistry, Vol. 25(1987), 1989; U. Klabunbe, T. H. Tulip, D. C. Roe and S. D. Ittel, Journal of Organometallic Chemistry Vol. 334(1987), 141, and 2) W. Keim, R. Appel, A. Storeck, C. Kruger and R. Goddard, Angewandte Chemie International Edition in English, Vol. 26(1987), 1012, or 3) H. Nakazawa, S. Igai and K. Imaoka, Japanese Patent Publication (Unexamined) Hei 8-143623. A process using a nickel complex having a chelate type Nxe2x80x94O ligand is reported in S. Y. Desjardins, K. J. Cavell, J. L. Hoare, B. W. Skelton, A. N. Sobolev, A. H. White and W. Keim, Journal of Organometallic Chemistry Vol.544(1997), 163, and a process using a complex having a diimine type ligand prepared by glyoxal, a diketone and acenaphthene quinone with various kind of substituted aniline compounds in 5) L. K. Johnson, C. M. Killian and M. Brookhart, Journal of American Chemical Society, Vol.117(1995), 6414; L. K. Johnson, S. Mecking and M. Brookhart, Journal of American Chemical Society, Vol.118(1996), 267; C. M. Killian, D. J. Tempel, L. K. Johnson and M. Brookhart, Journal of American Chemical Society, Vol. 118 (1996), 11664 and WO 96/23010.
WO 96/23010 describes in Example 205 that an oligomer is obtained by contacting ethylene with a catalyst using a complex of 2,2xe2x80x2-isopropylidenebis[(4s)-4-methyl-2-oxazoline]nickel bromide and methylaluminoxane.
However, these catalysts have been not always satisfied from the viewpoint of polymerization activity in olefin polymerization.
From the above-mentioned circumstances, the subject to be solved by the present invention, namely, the object of the present invention is to provide a new transition metal compound being able to be easily synthesized and useful as a catalyst component for olefin polymerization, a catalyst component for olefin polymerization comprising said transition metal compound, a catalyst for olefin polymerization exhibiting a high polymerization activity in polymerization of the olefin using said transition metal compound, and a process for efficiently producing an olefinic homopolymer and copolymer using said catalyst component for olefin polymerization.
The present invention relates to a transition metal compound represented by the following formula (2) or (3), a catalyst component for olefin polymerization comprising said transition metal compound, a catalyst for olefin polymerization using said transition metal compound and (C) and/or (D) described below, a catalyst for olefin polymerization using (A), (B), and (C) and/or (D) described below, and a process for producing an olefinic polymer wherein olefins are homopolymerized or olefins are copolymerized with other olefins and/or other polymerizable unsaturated compound using any one of catalysts for olefin polymerization.
M represents a nickel atom, a palladium atom, a cobalt atom, a rhodium atom or a ruthenium atom, and J represents a coordinating compound, respectively in the general formula (2) or (3). N represents a nitrogen atom and O represents an oxygen atom. Each of R1, R2 and R3 independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an aralkyloxy group, or a cyano group, all of R1s, all of R2s and all of R3s may be the same or different respectively, and they may be arbitrarily bonded to form a ring. Provided that all of R1s are not hydrogen atoms at the same time. The symbol xe2x80x9cnxe2x80x9d represents an integer satisfying an equation, 0xe2x89xa6nxe2x89xa65. Each of T1 and T2 independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an aralkyloxy group, a sulfonyloxy group or a substituted silyl group. T1 and T2 may be arbitrarily bonded to form a ring. (A); a bisoxazoline compound represented by the general formula (1) described below,
N represents a nitrogen atom and O represents an oxygen atom. Each of R1, R2 and R3 independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an aralkyloxy group, or a cyano group, all of R1s, all of R2s and all of R3s may be the same or different respectively, and they may be arbitrarily bonded to form a ring. Provided that all of R1s are not hydrogen atoms at the same time. The symbol xe2x80x9cnxe2x80x9d represents an integer satisfying an equation, 0xe2x89xa6nxe2x89xa65.
(B); a compound of nickel, palladium, cobalt, rhodium or ruthenium.
(C) one or more of aluminum compounds selected from (C1)-(C3) described below:
(C1); an organoaluminum compound represented by the general formula, E1aAlZ3-a,
(C2); a cyclic aluminoxane having a structure represented by the-general formula, {xe2x80x94Al(E2)xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94}b,
(C3); a linear aluminoxane having a structure represented by the general formula, E3{xe2x80x94Al(E3)xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94}cAlE32,
(wherein each of E1, E2 and E3 is a hydrocarbon group, and all of E1s, all of E2s and all of E3s may be the same or different. Z represents a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom and all of Zs may be the same or different. The symbol xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d represents a numeral satisfying an equation, 0xe2x89xa6axe2x89xa63, b represents a numeral of 2 or more, and c represents an integer of 1 or more).
(D) a boron compound of any one of (D1)-(D3) described below:
(D1); a boron compound represented by the general formula, BQ1Q2Q3,
(D2); a boron compound represented by the general formula, G30(BQ1Q2Q3Q4 )xe2x88x92,
(D3); a boron compound represented by the general formula, (Lxe2x80x94H)+(BQ1Q2Q3Q4)xe2x88x92,
(wherein B is a tri-valent boron atom, Q1,2, Q3 and Q4 respectively are a halogen atom, an alkyl group, a halogenated alkyl group, a substituted silyl group, an alkoxy group or a di-substituted amino group and they may be the same or different G+ is an inorganic or organic cation. L is a neutral Lewis base and (L-H)+ is a Brxcfx86nsted acid).

Transition metal compound, catalyst component for olefin polymerization, catalyst for olefin polymerization, and process for producing olefinic polymer

Abstract: (C); A specific aluminum compound

Abstract: (D); A specific boron compound.


A unit for cushioning and at least partially absorbing shock motions for use with marine or water equipment whereby wave and water motion is absorbed to eliminate shock wave effects. The unit includes a tension spring device extensible upon movement of the marine device for which cushioning is desired with the extension being to a limited amount and thereafter provide tight line or direct connection for uses such as retrieving an anchor or pulling in a moored boat. The unit is useable in anchoring boats and other objects in various desired positions where the desired effect is a smooth ride upon the water surface.

Anyone that has dealt with anchoring of boats and the like is well aware of the wave effect that is generated in even relatively calm waters. It is a primary aspect of the applicants' invention to provide a unit to absorb wave effects and cushion an anchored article while, should the water be particularly rough, allowing a comfortable at-anchor ride to the occupants of the boat.
In utilizing a fishing boat in relatively rough water the occupants very often are tossed about by even relatively calm seas and with applicants' device a cushioning effect to such action is provided. With a fishing boat such water turbulence will often cause lifting of the anchor upon rising of the boat and therefore loss of fishing location. With the applicants' unit such anchor shifting is substantially eliminated.
When being used as an anchor cushioning unit, applicants' biasing element extension limiting aspect of his invention provides a means for lifting an anchor from the bottom and actually provides a dual line to the anchor. The extension limiting unit serves as a positive and direct connection to the anchor upon full extension of the biasing member.
When utilizing the device in under water situations an additional aspect of hydraulic cushioning is obtained by the entrance and exhaust of water.
In determining prior art, applicant has searched the United States Patent Office records and has found various inventions directed to water motion reducing devices. Such patents include patents to Siero, U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,039; Fiesse, U.S. Pat. No. 887,931; Duncanson, U.S. Pat. No. 682,536; Stone, U.S. Pat. No. 593,788; Bollinger, U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,817; a second patent to Duncanson, U.S. Pat. No. 957,315; Ciccone, U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,309 and Strain, U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,681.
Primarily most of these patents, with the exception of Bollinger, include compression spring devices. Obviously the utilization of a compression spring may result in the same actions and does give a positive connection to, for example, an anchor when the spring is completely compressed. Applicant's device does not include such a compression unit but rather relies on an extension biasing member and the benefits thereof are felt to be patentably distinct from compression units.
The Bollinger patent does not include a concentric type housing as provided by the applicants' unit which being concentric, allows for a piston-cylinder action accommodating water flows as a shock absorber along with the spring arrangement.
Applicants have also searched the commercially available art and have not found any devices that afford the same benefits as those in the unit of the applicants'.
It is therefore an object of the applicants' invention to provide a wave motion suppression or elimination device incorporating an extension spring therein and combining therewith a piston-cylinder cushioning effect.
It is a further object of the applicants' invention to provide a wave motion absorbing or cancellation device which includes an extension spring housed within a pair of concentrically arranged elements with an extension limiting member contained therein such that upon full extension of the extensions spring, a positive connection between a floating article and a stationary article is provided to assist in movement of either of the units.
It is a further object of the applicants' invention to provide a water exposed piston-cylinder arrangement wherein an extension spring is provided between a water containing piston and cylinder to combine a hydraulic cushioning effect with a mechanical biasing element cushioning effect to substantially reduce or cancel wave actions upon a floating article.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from a considereation of the accompanying drawings and description.


The disclosure relates to using discoverable peer-to-peer (P2P) services to remotely “onboard” headless devices over a Wi-Fi network. In particular, an onboardee device may enter an onboarding mode in which the onboardee device becomes a Wi-Fi access point (AP) and an onboarder device connected to a private Wi-Fi network may discover the onboardee device and establish a secured session to engage with the P2P services running thereon. The first time that the onboarder device and the onboardee device engage with one another, the secured session may be established based on a key exchange that uses a well-known secret (e.g., a default passphrase), which may be immediately changed to a shared secret. The onboarder device may then transfer an onboarding configuration to the onboardee device, which may be instructed to validate the onboarding configuration and connect to the Wi-Fi network prior to entering the connected mode.

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computers and computer networks that use a standard Internet protocol suite (e.g., the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP)) to communicate with each other. The Internet of Things (IoT) is based on the idea that everyday objects, not just computers and computer networks, can be readable, recognizable, locatable, addressable, and controllable via an IoT communications network (e.g., an ad-hoc system or the Internet).
A number of market trends are driving development of IoT devices. For example, increasing energy costs are driving governments' strategic investments in smart grids and support for future consumption, such as for electric vehicles and public charging stations. Increasing health care costs and aging populations are driving development for remote/connected health care and fitness services. A technological revolution in the home is driving development for new "smart" services, including consolidation by service providers marketing 'N' play (e.g., data, voice, video, security, energy management, etc.) and expanding home networks. Buildings are getting smarter and more convenient as a means to reduce operational costs for enterprise facilities.
There are a number of key applications for the IoT. For example, in the area of smart grids and energy management, utility companies can optimize delivery of energy to homes and businesses while customers can better manage energy usage. In the area of home and building automation, smart homes and buildings can have centralized control over virtually any device or system in the home or office, from appliances to plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) security systems. In the field of asset tracking, enterprises, hospitals, factories, and other large organizations can accurately track the locations of high-value equipment, patients, vehicles, and so on. In the area of health and wellness, doctors can remotely monitor patients' health while people can track the progress of fitness routines.
Accordingly, in the near future, increasing development in IoT technologies will lead to numerous IoT devices surrounding a user at home, in vehicles, at work, and many other locations. As more and more devices become network-aware, problems that relate to configuring devices to access wireless networks will therefore become more acute. In particular, existing mechanisms to configure devices to access wireless networks tend to suffer from various drawbacks and limitations, which include a complex user experience, insufficient reliability, and security vulnerabilities, among other things. For example, configuring devices to access infrastructure-mode Wi-Fi networks and other similar wireless networks typically requires association and authentication of the device. In certain cases, a process called "onboarding" may be used to accomplish the secure admission to the wireless network, wherein onboarding may allow thin client devices, headless devices, and other devices that may presumably lack a friendly user interface to learn sufficient information about the destination wireless network to accomplish the admission and authentication processes required to join the wireless network. However, mechanisms that are currently used to configure or "onboard" a device tend to focus on two general methods, which both suffer from various drawbacks and limitations. More particularly, one current mechanism used to configure or onboard a device focuses on an out-of-band conveyance in which network configuration information is conveyed using some mechanism other than the wireless network itself (e.g., flashing lights, sounds, a camera scanning a quick response code, etc.). The other mechanism currently used to configure or onboard devices involves having the devices negotiate over the destination wireless network itself (e.g., according to the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) standard). However, as noted above, these mechanisms tend to be complex, unreliable, and/or insecure.

Using discoverable peer-to-peer services to allow remote onboarding of headless devices over a Wi-Fi network


Side plates (4) each include a base portion (41), in contact with fins (11), and side wall portions (42) extending from the base portion (41) in the direction Y in which tubes (10) are stacked. The side wall portions (42) are formed with a bent deforming portion (421) to facilitate extension/shrinkage, of the side wall portions (42), in the longitudinal direction (X) of the tubes (10). The base portion (41) is formed with a pair of hooks (411) extending toward the surface of the bent deforming portion (421) in opposed relation to the base portion (41). In the case where the base portion (41) tends to be displaced, the hooks (411) come into contact with the bent deforming portion (421) to thereby suppress or prevent the displacement of the base portion (41).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between fluids, which is effectively applicable to an intercooler for cooling the air (supercharged air) introduced into an internal combustion engine, for example, and is supercharged for combustion.
2. Description of the Related Art
The conventional heat exchanger, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, is configured of a multiplicity of tubes 10 and a multiplicity of corrugated fins 11 stacked alternately with each other to make up a core unit 1. Also, tanks 2, 3 are arranged at the two ends in the longitudinal direction X of the tubes in the core unit 1, and side plates 4 are arranged at the two ends in the direction Y in which the tubes are stacked in the core unit 1.
This heat exchanger is assembled in such a manner that the component parts of the heat exchanger are assembled provisionally into a predetermined heat exchanger structure, after which the provisional assembly of the heat exchanger structure is fastened with wires from outside of the side plates 4 thereby to hold the state of the provisional assembly. Next, this provisional assembly is introduced into a brazing furnace and heated to the melting point of the brazing material thereby to braze the joints of the component parts of the assembly integrally with each other.
The side plates 4 have the function to hold the corrugated fins 11 located at the two ends in the stacking direction Y of the tubes and secure the brazed state between the corrugated fins 11 and the tubes 10.
In the case where this heat exchanger is used as an intercooler, and especially in a large diesel engine, a large temperature difference is generated between the tubes 10 and the side plates 4 due to the temperature of the supercharged air which has been increased to meet recently strengthened exhaust gas control requirements. The resulting difference of thermal expansion generates a large stress at the tube root (the joint between the tubes 10 and the tanks 2, 3) thereby often causing breakage of the tubes 10.
In view of this, the conventional heat exchanger has, in order to prevent the breakage of the tubes 10 due to the difference of thermal expansion, a slit 43 formed in the base portion 41 of each side plate 4 and a bent deforming portion 421 formed on each side wall portion 42 of the side plate 4 so that the side plates 4 are extended in accordance with the extension of the tubes 10 (for example, see the specification of European Patent Application Publication No. 1001241).
The conventional heat exchanger described above, however, has a gap between the base portion 41 and the bent deforming portion 421 in the direction Y in which the tubes are stacked. At the time of assembly before the integrating brazing process, therefore, the base portion 41 is liable to be displaced and the side plates 4 are easily twisted, thereby leading to the problem of buckling of the corrugated fins 11 and a dimensional error of the core unit assembly.

Displacement prevention device for the side plate of a heat exchanger


A method for transmitting signaling and control information for wavelength-division multiplex networks for optical, fiber-bound information transfer in digitized form, the signaling and control information being transmitted via the same optical channel, particularly with the same wavelength, as the useful information, but being encoded and decoded independently thereof, with the result that the control and signaling information can also be accessed independently of the useful information. The use of a time-division multiplex method allowing the different encoding of useful information and control information makes it possible considerably to reduce the technical complexity of passive optical network elements with regard to the routing of the signaling and control information. This method permits the simple, low-cost and transparent transmission of signaling and control information in the optical WDM network.

The present invention relates to a method for transmitting signaling and control information for wavelength-division multiplex (WDM) networks for use in optical, fiber-bound information transfer in digitized form.
Various methods are known from the field of transmission technology for transmitting a plurality of independent signals in order to transfer data, speech, text or images over a common medium. This can be achieved in that the useful information underlying the signals differs with regard to its timing slot, frequency or coding. Frequently, it is necessary for so-called signaling and control information (overhead information) to be transmitted in addition to the useful information. Such overhead information can be used to control the participating network elements, to identify the transmitted signals or to determine the transmission quality. Using conventional digital transmission methods, such as PDH and SDH time-division multiplex methods, overhead information can be easily transmitted in addition to the useful information by employing time slots reserved for this purpose. Methods of this kind can be implemented at very low cost using electronic digital technology.
In optical transmission technology, it is known for a plurality of signals to be transmitted via a common medium, the optical fiber, in that, prior to optical modulation, a plurality of signals are multiplexed using conventional transmission technology means . The disadvantage of this method is that the individual signals or the overhead information that is contained cannot be accessed using optical methods. Only after it has been converted back into an electrical signal can the overhead information be read and the individual partial signals be routed independently of each other.
Much more universal is the use, tested in initial reference systems, of an optical frequency- or wavelength-division multiplex method, in which the useful information is modulated with the aid of lasers having different transmission frequencies. Consequently, it is possible using simple, passive optical filters to select the signals transmitted via an optical fiber in accordance with their frequency. With the aid of such a wavelength-division multiplex (WDM) network, it is possible for the individual signals to be transmitted transparently with regard to their coding. Therefore, many signals differently encoded in different terminal equipment facilities (TE) can be transferred simultaneously via a transmission link, as long as they differ with respect to the wavelength used.
Not yet implemented satisfactorily for WDM networks is the overhead channel for the transmission of signaling and control information. When optically transmitting WDM signals, it is not possible according to the present state of the art for the overhead information, for example using PCM or SDH techniques, to be transmitted together with the useful information. The reason this fails is that—in contrast to the fixed frame structure of such electronic transmission systems - any encoding methods at all are permitted in the WDM network for the useful signal. Another aspect, however, is the absence of powerful digital components for optical signal processing. Consequently, consideration is presently being given to switching a separate overhead channel with its own carrier frequency through the WDM network. What is problematic about this approach is that the overhead information is transmitted independently of the useful information. This means that it is just as difficult to detect frequency-selective faults as it is to detect the incorrect routing of a useful signal. Furthermore, passive optical coupling elements pose the potential problem of superposition of two overhead signals. The technical outlay required to solve this problem bears no relationship to the low cost of such elements.
The present invention relates to networks used for the optical, fiber-bound transfer of digitized information. Characteristic of a wavelength-division multiplex (WDM) network is the fact that useful information can be transmitted in the form of signals, independently of each other, via one fiber, by making use of different optical wavelengths. In this context, purely optical methods based on the different wavelengths of the signals can be used to route the useful information in network elements in different ways.
In the technical implementation of a transmission network, it is necessary that not only the useful information be transmitted via the medium, but the signaling and control information, referred to as "overhead", as well. For this, one knows of several possible approaches for use in an optical WDM network. These are elucidated briefly in the following:
From Chawki, M J, Tholey, V Le Gac I: Management protocol of a reconfigurable WDW ring network using SDH overhead bytes; OFC 96 Technical Digest FD3, it is known to reserve additional transmission capacity for the signaling and control information when encoding the useful information. The optical WDM network is able to access this reserved bandwidth in that the useful signal is decoded and the signaling and control information is added or read out. However, this method requires a substantial technical outlay. Each accessing of the overhead information requires a conversion between the optical and electrical encoding of the complete useful signal. If the optical WDM network is used by different kinds of terminals (TE) having different encoding variants, then a corresponding number of different techniques for accessing the overhead information must be implemented in parallel.
The Draft Recommendation ITU-T G.MCS Geneva June, 1996 proposes that the signaling and control information be transmitted in a separate control channel, via the same or a different medium. S. Johansson: Transport Network Involving a Reconfigurable WDM Layer, Journal of Lightwave Technology 14 (1996) 6, pp.].:1341-1349 proposes that the signaling and control information be transmitted using so-called pilot tones, in an unused frequency range of the fiber. However, there are some desirable functionalities that cannot be implemented with either of these methods. For example, the transmission quality for the basic channel cannot be inferred from the transmission quality of the overhead information. In addition, not all configuration errors, such as mixing-up of channels, are able to be detected through the separate transfer of the control and signaling information.

Method for transmitting overhead information for wavelength division multiplex networks for fibre-optic information transmission


A hemodialysis catheter assembly adapted for use in a subcutaneous tunneling procedure incorporates a mechanism for securing the catheter hub member to the elongated catheter, and to provide the requisite fluid communication between fluid passages within the hub and the catheter lumens within the catheter. The catheter hub member may be connected to the elongated catheter after implantation of the catheter via a subcutaneous tunneling procedure.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure is directed to a catheter assembly, and, in particular, relates to a catheter system adapted for use in a subcutaneous tunneling catheterization procedure. The present disclosure further relates to catheter hubs or housing mechanisms which are selectively attachable to an elongated catheter tube either prior, to or subsequent to, implantation of the catheter tube during a hemodialysis procedure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Catheters are flexible medical instruments intended for the withdrawal and introduction of fluids relative to body cavities, ducts, and vessels. Catheter instrumentation may have particular application in a hemodialysis procedure where blood is withdrawn from a blood vessel for treatment, and subsequently returned to the blood vessel for circulation. Known hemodialysis catheters include multiple lumens, such as dual lumen or triple-lumen catheters, permitting bi-directional fluid flow within the catheter whereby one lumen is dedicated for withdrawal of blood and the other lumen is dedicated for returning the treated blood to the vessel. During an exemplary hemodialysis procedure, a multiple lumen catheter is inserted into a body and blood is withdrawn through an arterial lumen of the catheter. The removed blood is directed to a hemodialysis unit which dialyzes, or purifies, the blood to remove waste, and toxins. The dialyzed blood is returned to the patient through a venous lumen of the catheter.
Various techniques are employed for the insertion of hemodialysis catheters including, e.g., with the use of guidewires, introduction stylets or the like. Some of these known techniques include subcutaneous tunneling methodologies where a subcutaneous tunnel is formed between two spaced openings in the skin with the use of a trocar or the like. One catheter end is introduced through an entry site or venotomy site for routing into, e.g., the jugular vein and routed to the heart. The trailing or proximal end is advanced through the subcutaneous tissue to exit a second exit opening adjacent the sternum of the patient beneath the venotomy site. Once the proximal end of the catheter is exposed, a catheter hub with extension tubes is fluidly connected to the catheter. One subcutaneous technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,897 to Twardowski et al., the contents of which is incorporated herein by its entirety.

Catheter system with attachable catheter hub


The invention concerns a procedure for selectively connecting a status detection device--from a group of such devices based on different physical action principles, in particular belt buckle status detection, and seat occupation detection, within a passive safety system for motor vehicles, in particular an airbag system, and/or a belt pretensioning system,--to the signal input of a control unit, using a single wire connection, by causing the control unit to activate an appropriate current/voltage supply in accordance with the physical action principle, and by appropriately processing the signals generated by the status detection device, which signals will then be fed to the control unit for evaluation. Furthermore, an interface circuit is specified for implementing the procedure according to the invention.

The invention concerns a procedure for connecting a status detection device of a passive safety system for motor vehicles to a control unit.
Motor vehicles are increasingly equipped with safety systems such as airbag systems, belt tensioning systems, and rollbar systems. As these systems are all critical to safety, the requirements with regard to their reliability are particularly stringent. It is important here that the status detection devices of add-on units for these safety systems--such as, for example, passenger seat occupation detection and belt buckle status detection--operate safely and provide reliable status information, in this way ensuring a sufficient degree of protection for vehicle occupants in the event of an accident.
Thus it is known that a micro-mechanical belt contact switch is used for belt buckle status detection; however, this switch has minor defects with regard to its reliability. Therefore, in order to improve such belt buckle status detection, devices--preferably Hall sensors--were developed which operate without contact and thus also without any wear.
However, if automotive manufacturers transitionally use systems featuring micro-mechanical belt contact switches as well as Hall sensors, these systems require different methods respective processing of the signals containing the status information in order to enable these signals to be evaluated by the control unit of the safety system.

Procedure for connecting a status detection device of a passive safety system for motor vehicles to a control unit


A light transmitting circuit of a light wave length multiplexing apparatus comprises a LD module 2 including a semi-conductor laser device, a temperature control circuit 3 and a driving current generating circuit for providing the semi-conductor laser device with a driving current. A temperature control circuit 3 generates a temperature error signal, when the difference between a temperature monitor signal and a temperature set signal is too great, that is, while the wave length is not normal. The temperature error signal is input to a LD driver 1, a bias circuit 4 or a light amplifier 6, and the light output signal stops. The light transmitting circuit has no influence on the output signal of the light transmitting circuit of a remaining wavelength for the light wave length multiplexing operation, when the temperature of the semi-conductor laser device differs significantly the temperature set value because of the set-up process or a failure.

The present invention relates to a light transmitting apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a light transmitting circuit in a wavelength multiplexing communication system.
A light wavelength multiplexing transmitting system was recently developed, and research to put the system to practical use is progressing. This system uses a light wavelength multiplexer to multiplex and transmit more than two light signals.
In the light wavelength multiplexing transmission system, it is necessary that two adjacent wavelengths .lambda.1 and .lambda.2 in more than two light signals are separated from each other. If the two adjacent wavelengths .lambda.1 and .lambda.2 coincide with each other or are extremely close to each other, it is not possible to separate the two signals, and this situation affects the signal transmitting and receiving operation.
It is necessary to control each transmission wavelength to a set value. The oscillation wavelength of a semi-conductor laser device varies on the basis of the temperature of the device, which is approximately the same as ambient temperature. Therefore, the conventional light transmitting circuit is provided with a LD (laser diode) driver for receiving a data signal to be transmitted and outputting a driving current to drive a semi-conductor laser device, a LD module for (a) outputting a light signal based on the driving current input from this LD driver and also (b) receiving an input of a temperature control signal to thereby change a temperature and (c) outputting the temperature as a temperature monitor signal; and a temperature control circuit for comparing a temperature set signal input from an external portion with the temperature monitor signal input from the LD module thereby to output the temperature control signal.
A light transmitting circuit which has different oscillation wavelengths is obtained by setting the temperature set signal in the temperature control circuit such that the oscillation wavelength is different for each light transmitting circuit.
This conventional light transmitting circuit usually sends out a light signal having a wavelength based on the temperature set signal. However, the temperature within the LD module is typically different from the set temperature right after a set-up operation such as turning on a power supply. This causes a problem in that a wavelength different from the wave length based on the temperature set signal is sent out. For example, when a light transmitting circuit A was already set up, if another light transmitting circuit B is set up later, there is a possibility that the other transmitting apparatus B may temporarily send out the signal having the wavelength of the light transmitting circuit A, until the wavelength of the light transmitting circuit B becomes stable.


A hydrostatic thrust bearing includes several bearing bushings and support bushings with axial spacer sleeves and radial flanges. Pairs of pressure surfaces to which oil can be admitted are arranged one behind the other in load application direction. The pressure surfaces of each pair of pressure surfaces are arranged frontally opposite each other. The thickness of the radial flanges of the bearing bushings is smaller than the radial flanges of the support bushings. The wall thickness of the spacer sleeves of the bearing bushings increases from bearing bushing to bearing bushing. The wall thickness of the spacer sleeves of the support bushings decreases in the same direction from support bushing to support bushing. Oil-conducting bores in the radial flanges of the support bushings ensure a uniform temperature level of the bearing bushings and support bushings.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hydrostatic thrust bearing. The thrust bearing has at least two pairs of pressure surfaces to which oil can be applied and which are arranged spaced-apart one behind the other in the direction of load application. Each pair of pressure surfaces includes two pressure surfaces which are located frontally opposite each other, wherein one of the pressure surfaces is provided on an end face of an outwardly directed radial flange of a bearing bushing mounted on a shaft, while the other of the pressure surfaces is located on the end face of an inwardly directed radial flange of a support bushing on an abutment side. The bearing bushings are provided with axial spacer sleeves which are directed in one direction and the support bushings are provided with axial spacer sleeves which are directed in the opposite direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hydrostatic thrust bearings have a high load-bearing capacity and provide an operation which is almost entirely free of wear. In addition, contrary to hydrodynamic bearings, thrust bearings make possible an operation at low rates of rotation while the friction is negligibly small. Additional important features are high stiffness and low play.
Although hydrostatic thrust bearings must be supplied with pressure oil, they are preferred over roller-type bearings, particularly if a high power density at low wear is required. This is the case, for example, in bearings of machine tools, but also in the manufacture of heavy machinery where the bearings are not easily accessible and, therefore, can only be exchanged by means of expensive operations. Consequently, hydrostatic thrust bearings are frequently integrated in the drives of double-worm extruders. In these extruders, the thrust bearings primarily serve to absorb the axial pressures resulting from the extrusion process.
The load-bearing capacity of a hydrostatic thrust bearing depends on the size of the pressure surfaces and on the pressure in the foil cushion between the pressure surfaces. Consequently, there are in principle two possibilities for increasing the load-bearing capacity of thrust bearings. One possibility is to increase the oil pressure in the system and the other possibility is seen in increasing the size of the pressure surfaces. In view of the fact that the increase of the oil pressure is limited by the technology of the available hydraulic systems, increasing the size of the pressure surfaces is the only feasible possibility. However, the size of the pressure surfaces cannot also be increased indefinitely because of practical requirements, for example, in the case of shafts which are arranged parallel to each other, the radial dimension of the thrust bearing is inevitably subject to spatial limitations.
It is apparent from the above that another solution is to arrange several pairs of pressure surfaces spaced apart one behind the other in the direction of axial load application of the thrust bearings. However, this means that it must be ensured that the total load is distributed proportionally in accordance with the sizes of the individual pressure surfaces in order to avoid pressure differences between the various oil cushions. Consequently, it must be ensured that the thicknesses of the oil cushions, i.e., the gaps between oppositely located pressure surfaces of pairs of pressure surfaces, are the same in all pairs of pressure surfaces of a thrust bearing.
When using the manufacturing technologies available at present, this requirement cannot be met without significant problems when manufacturing a thrust bearing. Additional difficulties result from operationally caused different thermal and elastic deformations in the individual bearing stages, with the result that the axial spacings between the pressure surfaces of a pair of pressure surfaces vary in radial direction.
German Offenlegunsschrift 21 13 250 discloses a proposal in which the above-mentioned problems are to be solved by means of a manufacturing solution by appropriate tolerances of the gap widths of the pairs of pressure surfaces arranged one behind the other in the direction of load application of a thrust bearing. For this purpose, it is proposed to differentiate the support widths of the sliding surfaces of bearing bushings arranged one behind the other on a shaft relative to the constant support widths of the sliding surfaces of the support bushings on the abutment side, so that bearing gaps with different sizes are provided.
However, the proposal of German Offenlegungsschrift 21 13 250 has various disadvantages. One disadvantage is the fact that it is not possible to achieve a compensation between the radially inner gap width and the radially outer gap width of each pair of pressure surfaces. Another disadvantage is the fact that different gap widths in the partial load range make it necessary to use loss-producing throttles in the oil supplied to the individual pairs of pressure surfaces or oil cushions, so that discharge of the oil through the gap with the greatest width is avoided. Moreover, the proposed differentiation of the support widths requires such narrow tolerances in the micrometer range of the axial length of a pressure stage formed by a bearing bushing and a support bushing which cannot be achieved with economically acceptable costs. Also, the known proposal does not take into consideration differing temperatures of the bearing bushings and the support bushings, so that deformation differences cannot be avoided. Finally, deformation differences can also result from the use of materials having different thermal expansions.

Jahnel-Kestermann Getriebewerke Bochum GmbH