A semiconductor device includes memory cells each of which include a plurality of groups of an anti-fuse and a transistor connected in series; a capacitor including first and second electrodes, with the first electrode connected to a bit line of the memory cell; a first switch connected between the bit line and a power source; a second switch connected between the power source and the second electrode of the capacitor; and a third switch connected between the second electrode of the capacitor and a ground. A specific memory cell is selected out of the memory cells, and a superposed supply voltage is applied through the capacitor to the anti-fuse of the specific memory by turning on and/or off the first through third switches, so that a storage of information in the memory cell can be performed.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more specifically, it relates to a semiconductor device having an anti-fuse, in which a dielectric breakdown of the anti-fuse makes it conductive to perform a storage of information.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Recently, an anti-fuse has often been used as a component of a memory cell of a PROM or as an element for closing a circuit (e.g., "Dielectric Based Anti-fuse for Logic and Memory IC", IEDM 88, pp 786-789). The anti-fuse includes an insulating film and electrodes holding it therebetween, and the anti-fuse is subjected to a dielectric breakdown to become irreversibly conductive when a specified programming voltage V.sub.p is applied between the electrodes. This enables the memory cell of the PROM to store information (program), and it also leads to a closing of the circuit.
There are some known anti-fuse elements; for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,205 discloses an anti-fuse element under the title of "ELECTRICALLY-PROGRAMMABLE LOW-IMPEDANCE ANTI-FUSE ELEMENT".
An ordinary operating voltage (supply voltage) V.sub.cc is set to a value smaller than the programming voltage V.sub.p so that the anti-fuse is not broken down in the programming and may not be broken down during the PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory) reading operation or during the operation of the circuit. For this reason, conventionally, there arises the problem that in programming the programming voltage V.sub.p must be supplied from the outside.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device capable of storing information without supplying the programming voltage from the outside in some way.

Anti-fuse memory device with switched capacitor setting method


A polyphasic multi-coil generator includes a driveshaft, at least first and second rotors rigidly mounted on the driveshaft so as to simultaneously synchronously rotate with rotation of the driveshaft, and at least one stator sandwiched between the first and second rotors. The stator has an aperture through which the driveshaft is rotatably journalled. A stator array on the stator has an equally circumferentially spaced-apart array of electrically conductive coils mounted to the stator in a first angular orientation about the driveshaft. The rotors and the stator lie in substantially parallel planes. The first and second rotors have, respectively, first and second rotor arrays.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of generators, and more particularly, it relates to a generator having polyphasic multiple coils in staged staggered arrays.
2. Background of the Invention
Conventional electric motors employ magnetic forces to produce either rotational or linear motion. Electric motors operate on the principle that when a conductor, which carries a current, is located in the magnetic field, a magnetic force is exerted upon the conductor resulting in movement. Conventional generators operate through the movement of magnetic fields thereby producing a current in a conductor situated within the magnetic fields. As a result of the relationship between conventional motors and generators, conventional generator technologies have focused mainly on modifying electric motor designs, for example, by reversing the operation of an electric motor.
In a conventional design for an electric motor, adding an electrical current to the coils of an induction system creates a force through the interaction of the magnetic fields and the conducting wire. The force rotates a shaft. Conventional electric generator design is the opposite. By rotating the shaft, an electric current is created in the conductor coils. However the electric current will continue to oppose the force rotating the shaft. This resistance will continue to grow as the speed of the shaft is increased, thus reducing the efficiency of the generator. In a generator where a wire is coiled around a soft iron core (ferromagnetic), a magnet may be drawn by the coil and a current will be produced in the coil wire. However, the system would not create an efficient generator due to the physical reality that it takes more energy to pull the magnet away from the soft iron core of the coil than would be created in the form of electricity by the passing of the magnet.
As a result, there is a need for a generator wherein the magnetic drag may be substantially reduced such that there is little resistance while the magnets are being drawn away from the coils. Furthermore, there is a need for a generator that minimizes the impact of the magnetic drag produced on the generator. In the prior art, Applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,484 which issued to Huss on Nov. 7, 1989 for an Alternating Current Generator and Method of Angularly Adjusting the Relative Positions of Rotors Thereof. Huss describes an actuator for angularly adjusting a pair of rotors relative to each other about a common axis, the invention being described as solving a problem with voltage control as generator load varies where the output voltage of a dual permanent magnet generator is described as being controlled by shifting the two rotors in and out of phase.
Applicant also is aware of U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,263 which issued Aug. 13, 1985 to Avery for Electric D.C. Motors with a Plurality of Units, Each Including a Permanent Magnet Field Device and a Wound Armature for Producing Poles. In that reference, Avery discloses an electric motor having spaced stators enclosing respective rotors on a common shaft wherein circumferential, spaced permanent magnets are mounted on the rotors and the stator windings are angularly offset with respect to adjacent stators slots so that cogging that occurs as the magnets pass a stator slot are out of phase and thus substantially cancelled out.
Applicant is also aware of U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,745 which issued to Lux on Oct. 6, 1984 for a Disc Rotor Permanent Magnet Generator. Lux discloses mounting an array of magnets on a rotor so as to pass the magnets between inner and outer stator coils. The inner and outer stators each have a plurality of coils so that for each revolution of the rotor more magnets pass by more coils than in what are described, as standard prior art generators having only an outer coil-carrying stator with fewer, more spaced apart magnets.
Applicant is also aware of U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,031 which issued Wharton on Dec. 8, 1981 for a Rotary Electrical Machine. Wharton purports to address the problem wherein a generator's use of permanent magnet rotors gives rise to difficulties in regulating output voltage under varying external load and shaft speed and so describes a servo control of the relative positions of the permanent magnets by providing a rotor having a plurality of first circumferentially spaced permanent magnet pole pieces and a plurality of second circumferentially spaced permanent magnet pole pieces, where the servo causes relative movement between the first and second pole pieces, a stator winding surrounding the rotor.
Furthermore, while existing generator systems are relatively efficient at converting mechanical to electrical energy, these existing systems have a narrow "efficient" operational range, and lack the specific power density required to maximize usefulness for many applications. Existing systems have only one "sweet spot" or one mode of efficient operation. As a result, these technologies are challenged to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy efficiently when the prime-mover energy source is continuously changing.
The "sweet spot" for many typical systems is about 1800 rpm. At this speed the generator can efficiently process kinetic energy into electricity, but at speeds outside this optimal range these systems cannot adapt and therefore either the energy collection system (i.e., turbine) or signal processing circuitry must compensate. The methods for compensation are many, and may simply be the turning of turbine blades away from the wind (furling or pitching) to slow the rotor, or gearing mechanisms to compensate when wind speeds are below the generators optimal operating range. These methods all waste energy in an effort to match a constantly changing energy source with a generator looking for a predictable and constant prime-mover.
Therefore these conventional generators have an inability to maintain a high coefficient of performance due to a limited operating range. Extensive efforts have been made to expand the turbine's ability to cope with excessive energy (when wind energy exceeds the threshold) through mechanical shedding of energy (i.e., wasted output). Conversely, in those cases where input energy is below the threshold, current generators either fail to operate, or they operate inefficiently (i.e., wasted input). Most of the efforts to date have focused on either mechanical input buffers (gear boxes) or electronic output buffers (controls), but the cost has been high, both in terms of development costs & complexities as well as inefficiencies and increased operations costs.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A conveyor slat (10) includes a top (12) two laterally spaced apart sidewalls (22, 24), two bottom flanges (26, 28) projecting laterally inwardly from lower portions of the sidewalls (22,24), and a channel space (CS) that is vertically between the top (12) and the bottom flanges (26, 28) and horizontally between the sidewalls (22, 24). A reinforcement insert (38) is positioned within the channel space (CS). The reinforcement insert (38) comprises an elongated body (38) having a top (40), two opposite sidewalls (42, 44) depending from the top (40), a longitudinal channel (45) in the top (40), and an opening (46) in the top communicating with the longitudinal channel (45). The insert (38) is shaped and dimensioned to fit within the channel space (CS) of the conveyor slat (10), horizontally between the two sidewalls (22, 24) of the conveyor slat (10) and vertically between the top (12) and the bottom flanges (26, 28) of the conveyor slat (10). The insert (38) is positioned within the channel space (CS) in the conveyor slat (10). Then, an adhesive is injected through the opening (46) in the top (40) of the insert (38), into the longitudinal channel (45) in the top of the insert. The shallow channel (45) provides for optimum thickness of an adhesive layer. The presence of the sidewalls (42, 44) eliminate the need for clamps to clamp the insert (38) to the conveyor slat (10) while gluing the two together. After the insert (38) is secured to the conveyor slat (10), holes are drilled in the conveyor slat top (12) and the insert top (40) to receive screw fasteners used for securing the reinforced conveyor slat (10, 38) to a connector member (CM) that is attached to the drive beam (48).

Reciprocating slat conveyors comprise a plurality of elongated conveyor slats that are disposed side-by-side and are divided into "sets" and "groups." A typical conveyor includes three sets "1," "2," "3" and at least eight groups. Each group includes a slat from set "1" next to a slat from set "2" that is next to a slat from set "3." All of the set "1" slats are connected to a first transverse drive beam. All of the set "2" slats are connected to a second transverse drive beam. All of the set "3" slats are connected to a third transverse drive beam. Each of the transverse drive beams is connected to a separate hydraulic drive unit. The hydraulic drive units are operated in unison to move the three transverse drive beams, and hence all of the slats, in unison, in a first direction for conveying a load. Then the drive units are operated one at a time in the opposite direction to retract the transverse drive beams one at a time and, hence, retract the conveyor slats one set at a time. Example prior art reciprocating slat conveyors are disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,893, granted Jun. 7, 1988, to Raymond Keith Foster, and entitled Drive/Frame Assembly For A Reciprocating Floor, and by U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,054, granted Sep. 27, 1994, also to Raymond Keith Foster, and entitled Ball Block For Mounting Linear Motor.
Prior art conveyor slats are constructed from both plastic and metal. A fiber reinforced plastic slat, formed by pultrusion, is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,672, granted Mar. 17, 1998 to Raymond Keith Foster, and entitled Pultruded Conveyor Slat And Pultrusion Method. Example aluminum slats are disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,929, granted Nov. 22, 1988, to Raymond Keith Foster and entitled Bearing System For Reciprocating Floor Conveyor. Example structural plastic slats are disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,222, granted Sep. 5, 1995, to Raymond Keith Foster, and entitled Plastic Floor Slat For Reciprocating Conveyor, and by U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,798, granted Apr. 12, 1994, to Arthur L. Wilkins, and entitled Reciprocating Floor Conveyor For Coptic Materials. In the prior art conveyors, the slats are removably connected to the transverse drive beams by use of screw fasteners which extend through the conveyor slats and screw into connector members on the transverse drive beams. A principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved connection between the conveyor slats and the transverse drive beams. The conveyor slat connectors of the present invention are especially useful for connecting plastic or composite conveyor slats to metal connectors.

Conveyor slat connection to a drive beam


A rolling pin including a core, a silicone-containing jacket over the core defining a rolling surface. The jacket may be of such length and so positioned on the core as to define end regions of the jacket extending beyond the ends of the core; the jacket end regions being folded inward over the ends of the core; a cap securing to the core each folded inward end region of the jacket. A handle may be at each end of the core.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a rolling pin, and more particularly to a rolling pin which uses the non-stick properties of silicone on an exterior jacket of the rolling pin.
2. Background Art
The most important use of a rolling pin is for rolling dough for making pastries, etc. It is vital that the dough does not stick to the pin when rolling. Dough sticking to the pin has the following disadvantages. (1) It takes more time to complete the job and therefore is less efficient. (2) Before and during rolling, flour must be added to the dough and rubbed on the pin to help prevent the dough from sticking. This changes the texture of the dough. (3) When the dough sticks to the pin and needs to be removed, the weight distribution of the dough becomes inconsistent, thereby creating uneven thickness and therefore uneven temperature when baking, so that some parts become more crisp than others.
It would be desirable to develop an improved rolling pin which avoids these disadvantages and allows dough to be rolled more easily than previously.


A vehicle seating assembly includes a seatback having a panel movable to a reclined position and a cushion slidably coupled with the panel to slide down in the reclined position. A base is pivotally supporting the panel and has a concave portion. A seat has a bottom portion slidably coupled with the concave portion for sliding the seat to an upward angle when the panel moves to the reclined position.

It is common for vehicles to include seating assemblies that have seatbacks capable of moving to reclined positions. Typically, upon moving to the reclined position, the seat portion of the seating assembly generally remains stationary and the seatback portion pivots rearward, requiring ample area behind the seating assembly for moving to the reclined position. Accordingly, seating assemblies capable of moving to reclined positions are located in a front row or mid row of seating, not in rear rows of seating due to space constraints. In addition, it is desired to maximize useable space in all vehicle seat locations, as vehicles are increasingly being reduced in size to decrease vehicle weight and increase vehicle efficiency.


A computer migrates to the same remote controller, from among a plurality of remote virtual computers at a remote site, two or more remote virtual computers belonging to a group configured from remote virtual computers with similar remote copy patterns. In the remote controller, these two or more remote virtual computers and remote virtual computers with dissimilar remote copy patterns do not reside.

The present invention generally relates to remote copying and power saving.
A remote copy system, which is configured from a plurality of storage controllers and a plurality of storage devices at a local site, and a plurality of storage controllers and a plurality of storage devices at a remote site, is known (Hereinafter, the storage controllers and storage devices at the local site will be referred to as the "local controller" and the "local storage device", and the storage controllers and storage devices at the remote site will be referred to as the "remote controller" and the "remote storage device".).
In the remote copy system, the local controller reads out data from the local storage device and transfers this data to the remote controller, and the remote controller receives the data from the local controller, and writes the received data to the remote storage device. In other words, data stored in the local storage device is remote copied to the remote storage device.
Data to be remote copied, for example, includes data that configures a snapshot. The local controller, for example, acquires a still image of a file system at a certain point in time as a snapshot. The local controller can manage a plurality of generations of snapshots (that is, still images of a plurality of points in time).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Number 2007-193451 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1) discloses technology that remote copies data that configures a snapshot.
It is preferable to reduce the power consumption of the remote copy system. As one method for achieving this, a method that puts the local controller and/or the remote controller in a power-saving mode when not carrying out processing related to a remote copy can be considered. However, since there is normally no way of telling when the local controller will receive an access command (a write command or read command) from a higher-level device, it is probably not preferable to put the local controller in the power-saving mode even if the local controller is not engaged in remote copy-related processing. Accordingly, putting the remote controller in the power-saving mode (for example, a state in which the power is turned OFF) while not carrying out remote copy-related processing (receiving data, or writing received data) is considered.
Meanwhile, for example, a remote copy system in which a plurality of virtual computers operate in the local controller and the remote controller can be considered. In this case, the exchange of remote copy-targeted data is carried out between virtual computers (hereinafter, a virtual computer running on the local controller will be referred to as the "local virtual computer" and a virtual computer running on the remote controller will be referred to as the "remote virtual computer".).
When a plurality of remote virtual computers exists in a certain remote controller or a remote controller group, for example, even if a certain remote virtual computer is in a non-operating mode (is not engaged in processing related to a remote copy), if another remote virtual computer is in an operating mode (is engaged in processing related to a remote copy), it is not possible to put this certain remote controller in the power-saving mode. Further, for example, for a remote controller in the power-saving mode, if a certain remote virtual computer does not have to be in the operation mode but another remote virtual computer does have to be in the operating mode, this remote controller will have to be released from the power-saving mode.

Remote copy system and remote site power saving method


The container for storing a desiccant material includes a flexible housing having a front panel, a back panel, a sealed end, and an opened end. The side edges of the front panel attach to side edges of the back panel so as to form a sleeve. An insert member mounted within the sleeve forms a first chamber and a second chamber. The desiccant material is stored in the first chamber, and water absorbed from the atmosphere is collected in the second chamber. A drain connects the first chamber and the second chamber through the insert member. The top of the first chamber can have a lid member and vapor permeable membrane for exposing the desiccant material of the first chamber to the atmosphere. A retractable hook in the lid member supports the container when hanging. The container is foldable and flexible for convenient storage for re-use or disposal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container for storing a desiccant material. More particularly, the present invention relates to desiccant container with a chamber to store the desiccant material and a separate chamber to hold water collected by the desiccant material. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a desiccant container that is flexible and collapsible.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
Hygroscopic substances can absorb water and water vapor to maintain a dry environment. A desiccant or desiccant material is a well known hygroscopic substance used to absorb water and water vapor in enclosed spaces. For a small space, such as a medicine bottle, a packet of silica gel absorbs moisture to maintain the integrity of pills stored in the bottle. For a large space, such as a basement room of a house, a package of calcium sulfate can be suspended in the air within the room to reduce humidity in the atmosphere of the room. Other desiccants include activated charcoal, and calcium chloride.
The basic container for desiccant includes a housing and a vapor permeable membrane. The housing and membrane hold the desiccant in place, while the membrane exposes the desiccant to moisture in the atmosphere. The desiccant collects water, while remaining contained in the housing. The housing allows placement of the desiccant in various locations within the room or other enclosed space. There are known containers, such as jars to set upon counters and pouches to hang from a horizontal closet rod.
Many simple versions of a desiccant container are known. U.S. Pat. No. 2,592,162, issued to Luce on Apr. 8, 1952, discloses a hanging container for desiccant material suspended in the air. U.S. Pat. No. 3,142,830, issued to Esposito et al on Jul. 28, 1964, describes a container with an indicator for saturation of the desiccant material inside the container. The container is a traditional model for setting on a counter or shelf. Various specialized containers are disclosed for limited applications, such as air flow through a motor vehicle air conditioning system and coatings for packaging.
More recent publications related to specialized desiccant containers. U.S. Publication No. 20130269293, published for Dowling on Oct. 17, 2013, describes a container for protein powder in a sealed jar. U.S. Publication No. 20130213828, published for Chatterjee et al on Aug. 22, 2013, discloses another specialized pill bottle with an attached structure to hold desiccant material.
Every desiccant container must still account for the collection of water. Some desiccants absorb and expand in volume, so the volume of the housing must accommodate this transformation of the desiccant. Other desiccants condense the water vapor into water and require a separate housing to store the water. The condensed water must be funneled away so that the desiccant can continue to collect. Furthermore, disposable desiccant can be expensive with purchasing new containers every time. For re-useable desiccant containers, the ability to maintain the capacity of the desiccant to absorb and removal of the water from the container are important considerations. The storage of a desiccant container for limited seasonal use can also affect the structure and form of the container.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container to house desiccant in a flexible pouch.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container with separate compartments for desiccant and water storage.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container with a drainage connection to a water storage compartment.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container that is reuseable.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container that is collapsible.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container with a collapsible permeable membrane.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container with removable perforated opening.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a desiccant container with an attachment for hanging the container.
These and other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specifications and appended claims.


A high-strength, high-toughness martensitic stainless steel sheet has a chemical composition comprising, in mass percent, more than 0.03 to 0.15% of C, 0.2-2.0% of Si, not more than 1.0% of Mn, not more than 0.06% of P, not more than 0.006% of S, 2.0-5.0% of Ni, 14.0-17.0% of Cr, more than 0.03 to 0.10% of N, 0.0010-0.0070% of B, and the balance of Fe and unavoidable impurities and has an A value of not less than xe2x88x921.8, where A value=30(C+N)xe2x88x921.5Si+0.5Mn+Nixe2x88x921.3Cr+11.8. The suitability of the steel sheet as a gasket material is enhanced by producing it to include not less than 85 vol % of martensite phase and to have a spring bending elastic limit Kb0.1 after application of tensile strain of 0.1% of not less than 700 N/mm2. Edge cracking during cold rolling is inhibited by conducting cold rolling after subjecting the hot-rolled sheet to 600-800 xc2x0 C.xc3x9710 hr or less intermediate annealing to impart a steel hardness of not greater than Hv 380.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a high-strength, high-toughness martensitic stainless steel sheet suitable for use in various types of springs, metal gaskets, metal masks, flapper valves, steel belts and the like, a method of inhibiting cold-rolled steel sheet edge cracking during production thereof, and a method of producing the steel sheet.
2. Background Art
Stainless steels conventionally used in metal gaskets, metal masks, and other applications demanding high strength include the following:
(A) Stainless steels work-hardened by cold rolling austenitic stainless steels such as SUS301 and SUS304. Stainless steels of this type utilize the hardness of cold-rolling-induced martensite per se. The asbestos gaskets long used in automobile and motorcycle engines are currently being replaced by metal gaskets employing stainless steel of this type.
(B) Precipitation-hardened stainless steels as typified by SUS630. Stainless steels of this type are low in hardness and excellent in workability before aging and exhibit high hardness owing to precipitation hardening after aging. They are also characterized by high resistance to weld softening. Stainless steel of this type are therefore used extensively for springs and steel belts that require welding. The assignee has developed stainless steels of this type with improved toughness and torsional properties (Japanese Patent Publication JPA No.Hei 7-157850 (1995) and JPA No.Hei 8-74006 (1996)).
(C) Quench-hardened stainless steels having high strength in the annealed state or after skin-pass rolling at a reduction ratio of several percent. Stainless steels of this type achieve high strength by utilizing martensite formed during quenching from the temperature region of austenite phase, or austenite phase+ferrite phase, to normal room temperature. These stainless steels do not require expensive precipitation hardening elements and can be produced with relatively few production steps. They are therefore relatively inexpensive in terms of both raw material cost and production cost. Stainless steels of this type developed by the assignee include the low-carbon martensitic stainless steel for steel belts described in Japanese Patent Publication JPB No.Sho 51-31085 (1976) and the high-ductility, high-strength multiphase structure stainless steel with small in-plane anisotropy described in Japanese Patent Publication JPA No.Sho 63-7338 (1988).
These prior-art stainless steels have the following drawbacks:
The type (A) work-hardened stainless steels require considerably strong cold working in order to form the large amount of martensite needed to attain high-level strength and spring properties. Since martensite is not readily formed at high working temperature, moreover, the cold working must be conducted at low speed to avoid steel temperature increase. Productivity is therefore low. In addition, the amount of martensite generation induced by the working is very sensitive to the austenite stability of the steel. This means that just a slight shift in steel composition makes the amount of martensite generated deviate from the desired constant value, even under a constant amount of cold working. The properties of the product therefore tend to vary.
As explained further later, a stainless steel to be used for cylinder head gaskets, which require high air-tightness, needs superb spring property. Consider, for example, the spring bending elastic limit Kb of a type (A) stainless steel such as SUS301 or SUS304, even if the strength of the stainless steel is increased to a high level by cold working, the Kb0.1 value after imparting a tensile strain of 0.1% is only about 650 N/mm2 at best. Better spring property than this is hard to achieve. Aging is sometimes used for imparting outstanding spring property to a metastable austenitic stainless steel. It has been found, however, that in applications to cylinder gaskets and the like, whose bead portion may come under compressive stress exceeding the steel""s elastic limit, the spring property maintained after deformation during use in such a case increases with higher spring property of the steel before aging. In other words, the stainless steel should preferably already have excellent spring property before aging and impartation of excellent spring property for the first time by aging is not advisable. Given the present state of the art, therefore, an attempt to boost the performance of stainless steels of this type for use in metal gaskets is unlikely to be successful.
The type (B) precipitation-hardened stainless steels must contain age-hardening elements such as Cu, Al, Ti and Mo. The generally high price of these elements raises the starting material cost. In addition, the need for an aging furnace makes the initial outlay for equipment enormous. Production cost is also high owing to the numerous production processes required.
The type (C) quench-hardened stainless steels are generally lower in strength than the type (A) and (B) stainless steels. An attempt to enhance strength by skin-pass rolling or inclusion of large amounts of C or N is apt to degrade toughness. Achieving a high level of strength as well as good toughness in the type (C) steels is therefore no easy matter. As far as the inventors are aware, no type (C) stainless steel that succeeds on both counts has been made available.
The inventors conducted an extensive study in search of a method enabling low-cost production of a stainless steel excellent in spring property and exhibiting both high strength and toughness. As a result, it was concluded that the type (C) quench-hardened stainless steels still had room for development. A first object of the present invention is therefore to provide a type (C) quench-hardened stainless steel that possesses high strength comparable to SUS301, a typical type (A) work-hardened stainless steel, and further exhibits excellent toughness and spring property capable of meeting the increasingly severe requirements for use in metal gaskets.
The properties required of a stainless steel for use in metal gaskets are particularly demanding. The steel is required to have excellent fatigue property so it can stand up under the high temperature, high pressure, harsh vibration, and repeated temperature and pressure changes peculiar to engines. It must also have excellent shape-retaining property (shape freezing property) so that after being precision-machined to a shape for optimum sealing performance it can retain this shape without change even under the aforesaid severe use environment. While excellent resistance to permanent set can be considered essential for a stainless steel to achieve excellent in fatigue property and shape freezing property, no type (C) stainless steel excellent in resistance to permanent set has yet been developed, wherein the permanent set means a permanent shape change which has been occurred in the usage of the material as a spring or gasket under compressive load, and can be evaluated for instance by specified fatigue test as described in Example 4 hereinafter. A second object of the present invention is therefore to provide a stainless steel sheet having the foregoing properties desirable for use in metal gaskets.
The inventors further discovered that production of a stainless steel sheet enhanced in strength from the foregoing perspective encountered previously unexperienced problems that needed to be solved. Specifically, trouble was encountered during cold rolling. When the rolling loads required during cold rolling were compared between such improved stainless steel sheet in accordance with the present invention and a conventional quench-hardened stainless steel sheet, the rolling load required by the improved stainless steel sheet was markedly greater in proportion to its higher strength. In addition, the improved steel sheet tended to experience edge cracking. Edge cracking must be avoided by all means because it not only degrades product quality but also poses a safety issue during steel sheet production. When edge cracking having an effect on later processing steps arises, the only alternative is to cut away the edge portions of the steel sheet by the width of the cracked region using a trimmer or the like. This trimming adds another step to the production process and lowers production yield. It therefore leads to a large increase in production cost. A third object of the invention is therefore to provide a method of markedly inhibiting cold-rolled steel sheet edge cracking in the production of a stainless steel sheet having high strength comparable to SUS301 and also excellent in toughness and spring property.
Regarding the matensitic stainless steels classified under the aforesaid type (C) quench-hardened stainless steels, the inventors learned through the research that by regulating C, N and Ni content and further controlling amount of xcex4 ferrite and amount of residual austenite there can be obtained a high-strength steel that is superior to a conventional quench-hardened stainless steel in strength, toughness and spring property, superior to a work-hardened stainless steel in productivity and uniformity of product properties, and cheaper than a precipitation-hardened stainless steel.
Through further studies regarding optimization for metal gasket applications in particular, it is found that imparting a metallic structure composed of not less than 85 vol % martensite phase in the quenched state, in addition to regulating C, N and Ni content, is very effective for improving the fatigue property of a type (C) steel. As a result of repeated experimentation, it is discovered that it is highly effective for improvement of resistance to permanent set during metal gasket use for the steel to exhibit a high spring bending elastic limit after being imparted with a certain amount of strain. Specifically, it was found that a metal gasket steel capable of satisfying today""s demanding requirements could be obtained when a test specimen imparted with 0.1% tensile strain was made to have a spring bending elastic limit Kb0.1 measured in conformity with JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) H 3130 of not less than 700 N/mm2. The inventors additionally ascertained that occurrence of microcracks during bead formation can be effectively suppressed by regulating composition and production conditions to regulate uniform elongation or tensile strength to an appropriate level.
Another clear finding is that in order to markedly suppress edge cracking during cold rolling of such a steel it is highly important to 1) reduce the degree of surface roughening at the steel sheet edge portions to the absolute minimum during hot rolling, 2) hold down steel sheet hardness before cold rolling, and 3) suppress grain boundary precipitation of carbides and nitrides during intermediate annealing conducted before cold rolling. For achieving point 1), it was found to be effective to incorporate an appropriate amount of B as an alloying component and to regulate the composition so as to keep the amount of xcex4 ferrite below a certain level. For achieving points 2) and 3), it was found to be effective to strictly control the conditions of the intermediate annealing conducted before cold rolling.
The present invention was accomplished based on the foregoing new knowledge.
Specifically, in a first aspect, the invention provides a high-strength, high-toughness martensitic stainless steel sheet having a chemical composition comprising, in mass percent, more than 0.03 to 0.15% of C, 0.2-2.0% of Si, not more than 1.0% of Mn, not more than 0.06% of P, not more than 0.006% of S, 2.0-5.0% of Ni, 14.0-17.0% of Cr, more than 0.03 to 0.10% of N, 0.0010-0.0070% of B, and the balance of Fe and unavoidable impurities and having an A value defined by Equation (1) of not less than minus(xe2x88x92)1.8:
A value=30(C+N)xe2x88x921.5Si+0.5Mn+Nixe2x88x921.3Cr+11.8xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1),
provided that each element symbol on the right side of Equation (1) is replaced by a value representing the content of the element in mass percent.
xe2x80x9cSteel sheetxe2x80x9d as termed with respect to the present invention is defined to include xe2x80x9csteel strip.xe2x80x9d
In a second aspect of the invention, the steel sheet according to the first aspect is a high-strength, high-toughness martensitic stainless steel sheet whose edges at opposite lateral extremities of the steel sheet are edges formed by cold rolling that have no edge cracks of a length greater than 1 mm.
In a third aspect, the invention provides a high-strength, high-toughness martensitic stainless steel sheet for metal gaskets comprising, in mass percent, more than 0.03 to 0.15% of C, 0.2-2.0% of Si, not more than 1.0% of Mn, not more than 0.06% of P, not more than 0.006% of S, 2.0-5.0% of Ni, 14.0-17.0% of Cr, more than 0.03 to 0.10% of N, 0.0010-0.0070% of B, and the balance of Fe and unavoidable impurities and including not less than 85 vol % martensite phase, a test specimen of which imparted with a nominal tensile strain of 0.1% exhibits a spring bending elastic limit Kb0.1 measured in conformity with JIS H 3130 of not less than 700 N/mm2.
Kb0.1 is the spring bending elastic limit when permanent deflection is 0.1 mm in the moment-type test according to JIS H 3130.
In a fourth aspect of the invention, the steel sheet according to the third aspect further comprises one or both of Mo and Cu at a total of not less than 2.0 mass percent.
In a fifth aspect of the invention, the steel sheet according the third or fourth aspect has a chemical composition wherein A value defined by Equation (1) above is not less than xe2x88x921.8.
In a sixth aspect of the invention, the steel sheet according to any of the third to fifth aspects has a uniform elongation of not less than 0.3%.
In a seventh aspect of the invention, the steel sheet according to any of the third to sixth aspects has a tensile strength of 1,400-1,700 N/mm2.
In an eighth aspect, the invention provides a method of inhibiting cold-rolled steel sheet edge cracking of a high-strength, high-toughness martensitic stainless steel sheet, which method is applied with respect to a hot-rolled steel sheet of matensitic stainless steel having a chemical composition comprising, in mass percent, more than 0.03 to 0.15% of C, 0.2-2.0% of Si, not more than 1.0% of Mn, not more than 0.06% of P, not more than 0.006% of S, 2.0-5.0% of Ni, 14.0-17.0% of Cr, more than 0.03 to 0.10% of N, 0.0010-0.0070% of B, and the balance of Fe and unavoidable impurities and having an A value defined by Equation (1) below of not less than xe2x88x921.8:
A value=30(C+N)xe2x88x921.5Si+0.5Mn+Nixe2x88x921.3Cr+11.8xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1),
and comprises a step of subjecting the sheet to a single cycle or multiple repeated cycles of a process (intermediate annealing and cold rolling process) consisting of intermediate-annealing the sheet at a soaking temperature of 600-800xc2x0 C. for a soaking period of not more than 10 hr to adjust steel hardness to Vickers hardness (Hv) of not greater than 380, followed by cold rolling.
Conceptually, xe2x80x9csoaking temperaturexe2x80x9d means the constant temperature maintained by the steel sheet once its temperature has become uniform in the thickness direction in the course of temperature rise during heating. Actually, however, accurate determination of this temperature is difficult. As the steel sheet temperature approaches the furnace temperature, moreover, the rate of temperature increase slows to such an extent as to reach a metallurgical state that is substantially no different from that of the temperature being uniform in the direction of sheet thickness. In this invention, therefore, the soaking temperature is defined as: average of temperature T1 (xc2x0 C.) and temperature T2 (xc2x0 C.), i.e., temperature (T1+T2)/2, where T1 (xc2x0 C.) is the steel sheet surface temperature when, in the course of temperature increase during steel sheet heating, the rate of temperature increase at the steel sheet surface becomes not greater than 2xc2x0 C./sec and T2 (xc2x0 C.) is the ultimate steel sheet surface temperature reached thereafter prior to the start of cooling. The steel sheet surface temperature can be measured by, for instance, a thermocouple spot welded on the steel sheet surface.
Conceptually, xe2x80x9csoaking periodxe2x80x9d means the time period during which the steel sheet maintains a constant temperature once its temperature has become uniform in the thickness direction in the course of temperature rise during heating. In this invention, however, the soaking period is defined as: period between the time point at which, in the course of temperature increase during steel sheet heating, the rate of temperature increase at the steel sheet surface becomes not greater than 2xc2x0 C./sec and the time point at the start of cooling. xe2x80x9cSoaking period of not more than 10 hrxe2x80x9d is defined to include the case in which cooling starts as soon as the rate of temperature increase at the steel sheet surface becomes not greater than 2xc2x0 C./sec (zero-second soaking).
A ninth aspect of the invention provides a method according to the eighth aspect, wherein, in addition to adjusting steel hardness after intermediate annealing to Vickers hardness (Hv) of not greater than 380, the soaking temperature is a temperature in a range of x (xc2x0 C.) satisfying Z valuexe2x89xa6380 in Equation (2):
Z value=61Cxe2x88x926Sixe2x88x927Mnxe2x88x921.3Nixe2x88x924Crxe2x88x9236Nxe2x88x927.927xc3x9710xe2x88x926x3+1.854xc3x9710xe2x88x922x2xe2x88x9213.74x+3663xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(2),
provided that each element symbol on the right side of Equation (2) is replaced by a value representing the content of the element in mass percent and x is soaking temperature (unit: xc2x0 C.).
A tenth aspect of the invention provides a method according to the eighth or ninth aspect, wherein the intermediate annealing soaking period in each cycle of the intermediate annealing and cold rolling process is not greater than 300 sec.
An eleventh aspect of the invention provides a method according to any of the eighth to tenth aspects, wherein the cold rolling reduction ratio in each cycle of the intermediate annealing and cold rolling process is not greater than 85%. When multiple repeated cycles of the intermediate annealing and cold rolling process are conducted, the cold rolling reduction ratio is made not greater than 85% in every cycle. However, the cold rolling reduction ratio need not be the same in every cycle.
A twelfth aspect of the invention provides a method of producing a high-strength, high-toughness martensitic stainless steel sheet while inhibiting cold-rolled steel sheet edge cracking, which method comprises subjecting a cold-rolled sheet produced according to and having undergone the intermediate annealing and cold rolling process of the method of any of the eighth to eleventh aspects to finish annealing at a soaking temperature of 950-1,050xc2x0 C. for a soaking period of not greater than 300 sec, without first subjecting it to trimming of edges at opposite lateral extremities.
The finish annealing here is annealing imparted at the end of the process for producing a steel sheet exhibiting high strength, high toughness and excellent spring property. The soaking temperature and soaking period are defined in the same manner as in the earlier intermediate annealing. The finish annealing also includes the case of zero-second-soaking.
A thirteenth aspect of the invention provides a method according to the twelfth aspect, wherein skin-pass rolling is effected at a reduction ratio of 1-10% after the finish annealing.

High-strength, high-toughness martensitic stainless steel sheet


The present invention is a method and apparatus that creates a physical model of image formation and performs a random phasor sum representation of the physical model to create the probabilistic model. The physical model incorporates imaging system characteristics, gross shape and microstructure. The phasor sum representation results from a linear model of the imaging system characteristics as characterized by a point spread function. Tissue microstructure is characterized by multiple discrete scatterers distributed across a surface of the gross shape. Each discrete scatterer contributes a phasor to the phasor sum representation. The image model is formed using image pixel-based statistics. Amplitude mean, amplitude variance and a ratio of amplitude mean to standard deviation is computed at each image pixel. Based on the computations, each pixel is classified as Rayleigh or Gaussian and assigned a density function. A data likelihood is constructed as a product of the assigned density functions.

Necessary in the art of image modeling is an accurate, physically-based, computationally feasible probabilistic model for ultrasonic images. Model-based image analysis has become increasingly popular and successful to the analysis of object shape in images. Traditional approaches, usually termed pattern or object recognition, typically involve building a pattern or object from features extracted by "processing" the image. In the model-based approach, shape is modeled rigorously then inferred using an image model. Shape can be inferred in a Bayesian setting by combining a probabilistic prior model describing variation of the shape with a data likelihood (i.e., a probabilistic model describing observations of the shape). The physics of the imaging system are incorporated using the data likelihood. Model-based approaches can provide insight and understanding regarding the process of image formation and its connection to underlying structure, thereby forming a solid foundation for inference of structural patterns in image data.
Shape is represented in ultrasound as the result of complex interactions at the microstructural level, producing a mix of speckle texture and coherent echoes. Application of model-based techniques, therefore, require a probabilistic model unique to ultrasound that accurately represents shape in terms of these interactions. Previous ultrasound applications of model-based approaches to shape analysis have been minimal and have used simplistic data models (e.g., Rayleigh with a constant parameter over a given contour). Previous applications have shown some success with simple shape models, although only in high contrast images. Because previous applications are not physically-based, the results are not extendable to other image analysis problems and little intuition or insight is developed for representing and understanding the relation between the data and the underlying shape.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an accurate, physically-based, computationally-feasible probabilistic model for ultrasonic images incorporating shape, microstructure and system characteristics.

Physically-based, probabilistic model for ultrasonic images incorporating shape, microstructure and system characteristics


An auxiliary voltage generating unit for a radio frequency switch includes a first input and a second input respectively configured to receive a first control signal and a second control signal, wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are configured to control which one of a plurality of paths in the radio frequency switch is enabled, and at least one output, configured to output an auxiliary voltage, derived from at least one of the first control signal or the second control signal, that is used to operate the radio frequency switch. The auxiliary voltage may be a bias voltage and/or a voltage used to power an inverter used to enable a selected branch as an isolation branch or shunt branch.

Radio frequency (RF) switches are important building blocks in many wired and wireless communication systems. RF switches are found in many different communication devices such as cellular telephones, wireless pagers, wireless infrastructure equipment, satellite communications equipment, and cable television equipment. As is well known, the performance of RF switches may be characterized by one of any number operating performance parameters including insertion loss and switch isolation. Performance parameters are often tightly coupled, and any one parameter can be emphasized in the design of RF switch components at the expense of others. Other characteristics that are important in RF switch design include ease and degree (or level) of integration of the RF switch, complexity, yield, return loss and, of course, cost of manufacture.
FIG. 5 shows a pseudomorphic High Electron Mobility Transistor (pHEMT) RF switch 500 according to the prior art. Switch 500 includes an RF common (RFC) input node 501 and two RF output nodes RF1 (502), RF2 (503). Coupling/DC blocking capacitors are also shown at each of the nodes 501-503 but are ignored for purposes of the instant description. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that such capacitors impede the passage of DC current, yet do not appreciably impact an AC signal.
As further shown, several transistors M51, M52, M53, and M54 are arranged to effect RF communication between RFC 501 and RF1 502, or between RFC 501 and RF2 503. Specifically, M51 is arranged between RFC 501 and RF1 502, M52 is arranged between RF1 502 and ground, M53 is arranged between RFC 501 and RF2 503, and M54 is arranged between RF2 503 and ground. Each of the transistors M51-M54 includes by-pass resistors (which are not labeled with reference numerals) connected between respective drain and source terminals.
Two control voltages VC1 and VC2 applied, respectively, to the gates of M51 and M53 control which path (RFC to RF1 or RFC to RF2) will be taken by an RF AC signal input at RFC 501. In the configuration shown, VC1 is 3.3V, which turns M51 on. VC2 is 0V, which turns M53 off. In this configuration the RF path is configured to be RFC to RF1. M52 and M54 operate to enable either an isolation branch or a shunt branch depending on which path (RFC to RF1 or RFC to RF2) is selected. That is, when VC1 is high (3.3V), VC1B (the control voltage applied to the gate of M52) is controlled to be low, e.g., 0V. With VC1B low, M52 is off thereby isolating the path between RFC 501 and RF1 502. Meanwhile, VC2B is set high thus turning M54 on and creating an AC signal shunt path between output node RF2 503 and ground to ensure that no signal (or very little) is present at RF2 503, when RF2 503 is not selected to output the AC signal received at RFC 501. The several control voltages VC1, and VC2 are applied via respective resistors (which are also not labeled with reference numerals).
For high power operation for the switch shown in FIG. 5, the voltage of node 525 must be high enough to not only make control switch M51 forward biased with a positive Vgs over drive (VC1—"the voltage at node 525) to reduce turn-on insertion loss, but also to maintain sufficient reverse bias of control switch M53 (0—"voltage at node 525") to avoid turn-on during high power voltage swings.
For a depletion pHEMT device, threshold voltage (Vth) is about −1V. Due to the relatively large leakage current in a pHEMT device, two back-to-back diodes 520, 521 form a Kirchoff Voltage Law (KVL) node. Specifically, with VC1=3.3 voltage volts, the drop across diode 520 is approximately 0.7V, which causes a voltage of 2.6V to be present at node 525. With a voltage of 2.6V at node 525, Vgs for M52 (which is reversed biased) is 0V-2.6V, or −2.6V. The point here is that as a result of the leakage current, node 525 is set at 2.6V which is suitable for handling high power RF switch operations, and as a result, no auxiliary biasing is needed to support a high power RF switch implemented with pHEMT devices.
Unlike pHEMT device-based RF switches, silicon-based RF switches permit much less leakage current. As such, silicon-based RF switches operating in high power scenarios require special biasing circuitry and voltages to operate properly. There is accordingly a need to provide cost effective ways of providing such biasing circuitry and voltages in silicon-based RF switching devices.

Apparatus and method for obtaining auxiliary voltage from control signals


The invention relates to a force-measurement cell for insertion in a bore of a pin, the cell comprising a bushing:                having a generally cylindrical tubular wall with an outside surface adapted to extend against an inside surface of the bore in the pin; and        within which there extends at least one sensor suitable for measuring at least one parameter representative of the stresses to which the wall is subjected.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,096 discloses connection pins fitted with strain gauges for installing in the end fittings of two elements for interconnection in order to measure the force to which said elements are subjected when one of them is loaded and stresses the connection pin.
In particular, in the field of aircraft brakes, it is known to fit strain gauges to the dog for taking up torque from a brake or to the connection pin for connecting a bar to take up torque from the associated brake in order to determine the shear force to which the dog is subjected or to which the pin is subjected during braking, and thus measure the braking torque developed by said brake.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,060 discloses a ring fitted with strain gauges that is installed in one of the fittings that receive the connection pin of the bar for taking up the torque of the associated brake. The ring has a special shape that leads to measurable deformation of its wall under the effect of a load stressing the connection pin.
With both of those techniques, the wide variety of brake sizes leads to the pins or the rings being dimensioned specifically for each brake.

Force-measurement cell and a connection pin fitted with such a cell

Abstract: The invention also relates to a pin provided with such a force-measurement cell.


This invention provides a primer composition comprising the following (A), (B), (C) and (D) components:    (A) a saturated hydrocarbon polymer having at least one alkenyl group per molecule,    (B) a silane coupling agent,    (C) a polyvalent alkoxysilane and/or a condensation product thereof, and    (D) an organoaluminum compound and/or an organotitanium compound.

A curable resin (also known as an addition type curable composition) in which a saturated hydrocarbon polymer containing at least one alkenyl group within its molecule is crosslinked with a curing agent having two or more silicon-bound hydrogen atoms per molecule has been disclosed in Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-2-75644 and Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-3-181565, for instance. The cured product derived from such a composition (which artifact is also known as an addition type cured product) has excellent weather resistance, high heat resistance and low moisture permeability and, therefore, is expected to find application in a broad spectrum of end uses.
Particularly when an addition type curable composition comprising a saturated hydrocarbon polymer is used as a coating or dipping agent or a sealant for various substrates, it must have a high adhesiveness for the various substrates. The known technology of imparting adhesiveness to such an addition type curable composition comprising a saturated hydrocarbon polymer involves addition of various adhesion-improving agents to an addition type curable composition. By way of illustration, Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-4-185687 discloses a technique comprising adding a silane coupling agent to an addition type curable composition; Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-08-134165 discloses a technique comprising adding a nitrogen-containing epoxy compound and a silane coupling agent; Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-08-134165 discloses a technique comprising adding an isocyanate-containing compound and a silane coupling agent; Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-09-316293 and Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-10-204222 disclose a technology comprising adding a silane coupling agent, an alkoxysilane condensate and an organoaluminum and/or organotitanium compound. These techniques have the disadvantage, inter alia, that, depending on the kind of silane coupling agent, a retardation of cure may take place.


A hydraulic drive system has a consumer of hydraulic power connected to a pressure medium source, e.g., a hydraulic motor 1. The consumer can be actuated by a control valve 4 throttling in intermediate positions; its width of opening is determined by a pressure difference formed at the control valve 4. The pressure difference is derived from a control pressure to be prescribed and the load pressure of the consumer. The consumer can thus be driven with a definite power or a definite torque. To limit the movement speed of the consumer, it is proposed to reduce the control pressure as a function of the speed of movement. The control pressure is present in a control pressure line 7 or 8, which empty at a charging space of the control valve 4, active in the opening direction. A drain line 16 branches from the control pressure line 7 or 8, in which a multiway valve spring-loaded in the closing direction and throttling in intermediate positions is located. It is in working connection with a measuring device that detects the movement speed of the consumer by measuring the volume stream and which is formed of a restrictor 12 located in a line 5 or 6 between the pressure medium source and the consumer, and the line 13, 14 that branch off upstream and downstream.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a hydraulic drive system with a consumer of hydraulic power connected to a pressure medium source and which is actuatable by means of a throttling control valve throttling in intermediate position, the opening width of which is determined by a power difference derived from a prescribed control signal and the load pressure of the consumer and is created at the control valve.
2. Description of the Art
Such a drive system is known from the DE-OS 31 46 561, where the control signal is formed by a control pressure. In contrast to the otherwise conventional drive system in which the opening width of the control valve is determined exclusively by the level of the control pressure and thus a definite volume stream of pressure medium and a definite movement speed of the consumer are prescribed, in a drive system of this type the pressure medium flows to the consumer with a quite specific pressure or a specific pressure difference on the consumer side, such that the consumer is moved with an accordingly prescribed force or a prescribed torque. Such a drive system can be used for both translatory and rotatory consumers. The drive system is designed so that the force or torque is maintained essentially constant: With decreasing loading of the consumer and thus a dropping load pressure the opening width of the control valve is enlarged due to the constant control pressure to a degree that the load pressure is again brought to the original level due to the volume stream thus increased and the originally set pressure difference is again achieved. However, the movement speed of the consumer is thus increased. An increase in the movement speed can also occur, for example, also if the consumer described is connected to a pump adjustable in stroke volume, which handles one or more additional consumers. Now if the first consumer is operated under a definite load pressure with a fully open control valve, i.e., with the maximum intended movement speed, where the pump pressure is greater by a given amount than the load pressure and if it further increases due to a corresponding loading of a second consumer, the movement speed of the first consumer would exceed the maximum intended value. One shortcoming of the drive system described consists in the fact that apart from speed losses due to friction, the movement speed of the consumer is not limited. This can result in excessive r.p.m.'s in a consumer designed as a hydraulic motor and to destruction of the hydraulic motor.


A computer-implemented method includes managing function calls between a plurality of nodes and a super node of a rack system having a distributed operating system (OS). The OS includes a plurality of functions divided into first class and a second class, and each of the plurality of nodes excludes functions in the second class. Managing the function calls includes detecting a call to a first function on a first node of the plurality of nodes. It is determined that the first function belongs to the second class of functions and is not available on the first node. The call to the first function is routed to the super node, responsive to determining that the first function belongs to the second class, where the super node includes code for the functions in the second class.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to rack systems and, more specifically, to distributed operating system functions for nodes in a rack.
Conventional rack systems incorporate servers in communication with one another. For example, a rack system can include twenty to forty servers. Future rack systems, however, may incorporate thousands of servers. Each server in a rack system can run virtual machines, which behave as nodes within the rack system. Thus, a server may include multiple virtual machines, which can communicate with one another by way of the server. Analogously, a rack can include multiple servers in communication with one another.
An operating system is a form of software that manages a computer's hardware and software resources, and enables the hardware and software to communicate. In a rack system including many servers, each server and each virtual machine on each server operates independently in some respects and thus has its own operating system.

Distributed operating system functions for nodes in a rack

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A semiconductor light-receiving device and its manufacturing method are provided which are capable of suppressing dark current and deterioration. Semiconductor crystals were sequentially grown over an n-type InP substrate, including an n-type InP buffer layer, an undoped GaInAs light absorption layer, an undoped InP diffusion buffer layer, and a p-type InP window layer. Next, a first mesa was formed by removing a part from the p-type InP window layer to the n-type InP buffer layer with a Br-based etchant having low etching selectivity, so as to form a sloped “normal” mesa structure. Next, a second mesa having a smaller diameter than the first mesa was formed by dry etching, by precisely removing a part from the p-type InP window layer to a certain mid position of the undoped InP diffusion buffer layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor light-receiving device and a manufacturing method thereof, and particularly to a technique for suppressing dark current and deterioration.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, mesa-shaped semiconductor right-receiving devices have been in frequent use because they are easy to manufacture.
For example, in a conventional mesa photodiode (hereinafter "photodiode" will be referred to as PD), the mesa structure is formed by removing the part around the light-receiving portion, from a p-type semiconductor layer on the surface side to an n-type semiconductor layer on the substrate side, including an i-type light absorption layer. Furthermore, with this structure as a first mesa, a second mesa is formed by removing part of the material such that the mesa diameter of the p-type semiconductor layer and the mesa diameter of an upper part of the light absorption layer are smaller than the mesa diameter of the main part of the light absorption layer. By this, the depletion region in the light absorption layer is not exposed in the first mesa surface, and dark current and device capacitance are reduced (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-332178 (1992), which is hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1). For such a PD, it is clear that a similar operation is achieved when the p and n conductivity types are used in a reverse manner.
Also, in a mesa avalanche photodiode (hereinafter "avalanche photodiode" will be referred to as APD), the area around the light-receiving portion is removed with a slope, including an n-type semiconductor layer on the surface side, a light absorption layer, and a pn junction surface of an avalanche multiplication layer under the light absorption layer, resulting in a sloped "normal" mesa structure in which the avalanche multiplication layer is larger than the light absorption layer (for example, see Hiroo Yonezu, "Optical Communication Device Engineering (Hikari Thuushin Soshi Kougaku)", Kougaku Tosho, p. 398 (FIGS. 7, 6), p. 419 (FIGS. 7, 18), 1984 (S. 59), which is hereinafter referred to as Non-Patent Document 1). With such an APD, it is clear that dark current and device capacitance can be reduced by forming a second mesa so that the mesa diameter of the n-type semiconductor layer is smaller than the mesa diameter of the light absorption layer, in a way similar to the formation of the PD of Patent Document 1. It is also clear that a similar operation is achieved when the p and n conductivity types are used in a reverse manner. When the avalanche multiplication layer is provided above the light absorption layer, the APD is shaped in a sloped "reverse" mesa so that the avalanche multiplication layer is larger, because it is preferable that the ionization rate of the carriers, i.e. electrons or holes, injected from the light absorption layer be higher than that of the other.
Also, planar light-receiving devices are in frequent use because they are highly stable. For example, in a conventional pseudo planar light-receiving device, the planar structure is achieved by forming a trench to isolate the light-receiving portion of a p-type semiconductor layer on the surface side, or by removing the part around the light-receiving portion (for example, see International Publication WO 2006/123410, which is hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 2).
With such semiconductor light-receiving devices, during the process of semiconductor crystal growth, the dopant used to give conductivity to the conductive semiconductor layer on the surface side thermally diffuses into the light absorption layer, and thus gives conductivity also to the light absorption layer. The presence of the conductive region diffused into the light absorption layer causes expansion of the depletion region occurring in the light absorption layer, and it is therefore necessary to remove the conductive region diffused into the light absorption layer so that the depletion region will not be exposed in the first mesa surface at all. As a result, the depletion region is exposed in the side surface of the second mesa, resulting in increased dark current.
Furthermore, the depletion region is exposed in the first mesa side surface and the second mesa top surface in the light absorption layer that has a small band gap, and therefore the device deteriorates from the exposed portion and fails to offer reliability. In particular, the deterioration from the mesa interface is especially serious in the case of APDs that involve generation of high electric fields.

Semiconductor light-receiving device and manufacturing method thereof


Embodiments include a computer-readable medium embodying program code comprising code for receiving input defining a plurality of cells and a logical relationship between the cells, each cell representing a master screen of an application under development. Additional code for associating an asset with a cell, and code for storing a hyper-wireframe data structure identifying the plurality of cells, the logical relationship between the cells, and the asset may be included. The cells may be part of a hyper-wireframe embodied in a data structure alongside a plurality of assets and a target characteristic value of an intended target of the application under development. An application may determine whether to enable or disable an editing feature of an editing application based on the asset and the target characteristic value. Additionally or alternatively, permission data associated with assets may be used to enable or disable the editing feature.

When software is developed, it is not unusual for more time to be spent determining how to implement the software than is spent actually implementing the software. For instance, to develop an application, use cases, objectives, and specific requirements may be determined for one or more distinct platforms. Then, modeling, flowcharts, wireframes, and mock-ups are developed. Mockups can be verified against objectives and platform requirements before implementation finally begins. In the midst of this activity, documentation for the project is developed, which may be a formidable task in and of itself due to last-minute changes in implementation.
Such challenges may be multiplied when a project is intended to develop one application for multiple "targets," i.e. for multiple different devices, platforms, embedded hardware systems, operating systems, or otherwise for implementation with different enabling applications or execution environments.

Methods and systems for application development


A system for making a recipe for each of manufacturing tools used to manufacture products includes a merging unit merging product information for the products and process information for each of manufacturing processes used for the products to make intermediate recipe data, and a making unit making the recipe for each of the manufacturing tools by merging information of the intermediate recipe data and information of a basic recipe including information of parameters, which specify operations of the manufacturing tools and are commonly set in the manufacturing processes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic recipe making system and an automatic recipe making program for a manufacturing tool used to manufacture products, and a method for manufacturing products by using a recipe.
2. Description of the Related Art
Parameters used to specify operations of a manufacturing tool in respective manufacturing processes are specified. A set of those parameters is referred to as a 'recipe'. Products are manufactured using a manufacturing tool for which parameters have been set based on a recipe. Many parameters are set to correspond to a plurality of manufacturing tools used for respective manufacturing processes, thereby making a recipe. In addition, even if manufacturing tools are used for the same manufacturing process, the kinds of parameters, coordinate systems, and unit systems for parameters for respective manufacturing tools are often different from one another due to different manufacturers and models. This is required for making recipes for respective manufacturing tools. Consequently, problems occur, such as a long time to input parameters for making recipes and input errors. If a recipe includes erroneously input data, inappropriate parameter settings are used for manufacturing products, resulting in undesired product characteristics.
On the other hand, recipes may be modified to improve product characteristics and yield. When different people are in charge of respective manufacturing tools, a recipe is modified for each manufacturing tool, even though the manufacturing tools are for the same model. Since such modified data and technical know-how are not shared thereamong, results of recipe modification are not reflected in a recipe for the same model of another manufacturing tool. Furthermore, there has been a problem in that modified information is unavailable for making a recipe for a newly developed product.

System and program for making recipe and method for manufacturing products by using recipe


A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag is embedded on a surgical instrument and a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader is provided on a surgical robot to allow identification of the attached surgical instrument. The RFID tag includes an RFID circuit assembly, a first pot core half, and a first toroidal wire coil that fits within the first pot core half and is electrically coupled to the RFID circuit assembly to modulate received radio frequency (RF) energy. The RFID reader includes an RFID transceiver circuit, a second pot core half, and a second toroidal wire coil that fits within the second pot core half and is electrically coupled to the transceiver circuit to transmit RF energy and receive modulated RF energy from the first wire coil only when the first pot core half is substantially aligned with and proximate to the second pot core half.

1. Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of radio frequency identification (RFID), and more specifically, to radio frequency identification of RFID tags that are located close to an RFID receiver while rejecting RFID tags that are slightly further away.
2. Background
Robotic surgical systems allow surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgery using endoscopic instruments that are controlled by robotic manipulators. Such systems may allow a more intuitive use of the instruments by translating camera views and surgeon hand movements to correspond to what the surgeon would expect in an open surgery.
Typically a robotic surgical system provides a small number of robotic manipulators, perhaps three or four, to which a variety of surgical instruments may be attached. The surgical instruments may be changed during the course of a surgery. The robotic manipulators are typically wrapped with a sterile drape that provides a sterile barrier between the robotic manipulators and the attached surgical instruments.
The robotic surgical system may need to know the identity of the attached instruments so the system can provide the appropriate translation of the camera views and surgeon hand movements. The system may provide information about the identity of the attached instruments to the surgeon to maintain awareness of the current configuration of the system. In some cases, the instruments may be capable of attachment in more than one orientation. The robotic surgical system may need to know the orientation of the attached instruments so the system can provide the appropriate translation of the camera views and surgeon hand movements.
It would be desirable to provide identification of a surgical instrument attached to a surgical robot and separated by a sterile barrier. It would also be desirable to provide the orientation of the surgical instrument.

Identification of surgical instrument attached to surgical robot


Methods and apparatus for a multi-waveform wireless sensor network based on widely distributed sensor nodes operating in wireless local area networks and gateway connection to an operations center via wide area network protocol. The scaleable network consists of a tiered structure of sensor nodes within wireless local area networks using an ad hoc protocol to form the network and at least one gateway node within each LAN to provide a link to an operations center. The sensor network can be used to detect and track Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high-yield Explosive events.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Multi-Waveform Wireless Sensor Nodes that can be deployed to provide a nationwide sensor network.
2. Description of the Related Art
As background, the following U.S. patents and published patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference as is fully set forth herein: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,584,146; 6,181,734; 20030158954; 20030050055; 20020099854; 20030154262; 20030061344; 20020144537; 20030114986; and 20030085348.
Security concerns have resulted in a major effort to develop pre-event and post-event response plans in case of an attack. Any such response plan depends on getting real-time information from sensors around the point of attack to detect and track safety conditions. The prior art sensors that detect and track Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high-yield Explosive (CBRNE) are large and expensive so they cannot be widely distributed in a cost effective manner. Further, event detection is heavily dependent on the detection characteristics of the sensors. Further, most existing CBRNE sensors are limited in detection range and can only be deployed in a limited number of high traffic choke points. A limited number of detection points or nodes make detection difficult and the high cost of the nodes makes wide deployment financially prohibitive. Recent sensor research has resulted in reducing sensor size and cost so that a nationwide sensor network for pre- and post-event monitoring and reporting is now feasible. However, these new sensors need a reliable wireless network to process and distribute sensor data to central operation centers for monitoring and control.
Thus, there is a need to develop cost effective sensors with a reliable wireless data network for collaborative detection, location, assessment, and tracking of threats. A low cost, wireless network with long battery life that is capable of being deployed in many different environments can achieve such a solution. A complete wireless sensor network includes access points, or gateways, into existing data infrastructure for reachback communications to command and control centers.

Method and apparatus for multi-waveform wireless sensor network


Increased yield of optical elements from cubic crystal rods, such as made of calcium fluoride, is made possible by orienting the optical elements for supporting the propagation of light along one of the <1 1 2>, <1 2 1>, or < 2 1 1> alternative crystal axis, which extend perpendicular to a main <1 1 1> crystal axis. A cleave is taken through the crystal rod along a primary crystal plane {1 1 1} normal to the <1 1 1> main axis. One of the <1 1 2>, <1 2 1>, or < 2 1 1> alternative crystal axes is located by optical inspection and indicated on the crystal rod with an orientation label. Additional cuts are taken parallel to the {1 1 1} primary crystal plane to divide the crystal rod into disks each containing a portion of the orientation label. The disks can be cut again and sides formed perpendicular to the {1 1 1} primary crystal plane with regard to the orientation labels for forming optical elements, such as prisms, oriented for supporting the propagation of polarized light along one of the <1 1 2>, <1 2 1>, and < 2 1 1 > alternative crystal axes.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to cubic crystalline optical elements, particularly calcium fluoride, in forms such as prisms for propagating highly collimated, linearly polarized light along predetermined crystal axes and to the manufacture and use of such cubic crystalline optical elements.
2. Description of Related Art
The short-wavelength high-photon-energy content of deep ultraviolet (UV) light (wavelengths between approximately 120 nanometers and 250 nanometers) significantly limits the number of materials capable of transmitting ultraviolet light and amplifies weaknesses in the limited number of materials that do transmit such ultraviolet light. Most ordinary optical materials are either insufficiently transmissive or subject to breakdown by absorption.
Calcium fluoride (CaF2) is among the optical materials capable of transmitting deep UV light. Despite calcium fluoride's highly symmetric cubic crystalline structure, calcium fluoride exhibits intrinsic birefringence at the short wavelengths. Different polarization components of the ultraviolet light experience different refractive indices depending upon both the direction of polarization and the direction of propagation of the light through the crystal material. A description of the nature of the intrinsic birefringence in calcium fluoride crystals is found in a paper by John Burnett, Zachary Levine, Eric Shirley, and John Bruning entitled "Symmetry of spatial-dispersion-induced birefringence and its implications for CaF2 ultraviolet optics", Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers, J. Microlith., Microfab., Microsyst. p. 213-224, October 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
There are 14 crystal axes, which can be referenced according to Miller indicies, along which deep ultraviolet light can be propagated through calcium fluoride crystals without encountering intrinsic birefringence effects. These include propagations in both directions along the three cube axes (i.e., the family of <1 0 0> directions) and along the four cube body diagonals (i.e., the family of <1 1 1> directions, referred to herein as the <1 1 1> main axis). The <1 1 1> main axis is a normal to the natural {1 1 1} cleavage plane of calcium fluoride crystals, referred to herein as the {1 1 1} primary plane. The {1 1 1} primary plane is the plane along which the crystal tends to break first when struck. Optical elements made from calcium fluoride crystals are generally oriented for propagation of light along the <1 1 1> main axis, because the natural cleavage of calcium fluoride crystals presents planar surfaces normal to the crystal's <1 1 1> main axis.
Prisms for use in the deep UV are frequently cut out of calcium fluoride crystals grown in rod form with either ordered or randomly oriented crystal axes. One end of the rods is cleaved along the {1 1 1} primary plane (normal to the <1 1 1> main axis) to provide a basis for prism orientation. The sides of the oriented rods are cut and polished to form slabs. A line of prisms are traced on the slab, and the slab is further cleaved for orienting each of the prisms to support the propagation of light along the <1 1 1> main axis of the crystal.
The crystal rods are expensive to manufacture, considerable waste is associated with the formation of the slabs, and a separate cleave is generally required for each prism. A higher yield from these rods would be desirable.

Increased yield of cubic crystalline optical elements by crystal orientation


An ice making and storing system which may be mounted in a refrigeration appliance. The ice making and storing system includes an ice making mechanism, a removable ice storage receptacle positioned adjacent to the ice making mechanism, an insulated cover for the ice making mechanism with a portion engageable with the ice storage receptacle to provide a thermally tight seal between the cover and the ice storage receptacle.

Ice making and storing systems are known, particularly those used in refrigeration appliances. U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,624 discloses an ice making system which includes an ice bucket disposed beneath the icemaker. The ice bucket includes a window for viewing the quantity of accumulated ice in the bucket. U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,259 discloses a removable ice bucket with an upper body formed from a clear plastic material such that the quantity of ice pieces stored within the ice bucket can be visually determined.
U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2005/0201194 discloses a refrigerator with a water and ice dispenser that has an ice chute air seal. U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2006/0086130 is directed to an ice and water dispenser having an insulated cover to substantially enclose an icemaker. Another insulated cover substantially encloses an ice cube storage bin and an ice dispenser. U.S. Pat. No. 3,746,204 discloses a hollow, double walled ice bucket.
It would be an improvement in the art if there were provided an ice making and storing system which provides insulation for the ice maker and allows easy removal of the ice storage receptacle, yet also permits insulation of the storage receptacle and viewing of the ice level in the storage receptacle.


A method including: providing collinear first and second lines in a mask layer over a substrate, the first line having at one end a first line end and having a first line body adjacent the first line end, and the second line having at one end a second line end and having a second line body adjacent the second line end; measuring line widths of the first line body and the second line body; locating effective line end positions for the first line end based on the line width of the first line body and for the second line end based on the line width of the second line body; and measuring a distance between the effective line end positions, as an effective line end spacing.

In semiconductor technologies, critical-dimension (CD) variations can be introduced when a pre-designed feature is transferred from a photomask to a photoresist layer coated on a semiconductor wafer using a photolithography process, and then from the photoresist layer to the semiconductor wafer using an etching process. CD variation introduced from the etching processing (etching bias) may depend on the thickness and profile of the photoresist layer, and varies from line body to line end. However, the current CD measurements of line end spacing do not fully address the above etch bias effect, and thus provide inaccurate prediction for optical proximity correction (OPC) technology.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A glove including a palm portion formed of flexible material. The palm portion has at least one support area. The support area having a plurality of ball shaped elements.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a support surface for use in a riding glove, more specifically, for padding in a bicycle/motorcycle riding glove that can be worn on the hand of a user for contacting a handle bar while riding.
2. Description of the Related Art
Existing cycling gloves typically are made of leather, vinyl and nylon and include a Velcro® closure for securing the glove to the hand. Many gloves include cushion members or padding on the palm area of the hand. The padding is usually made of foam or gel enclosed between the layers of the palm of the glove.
The disadvantages of existing padding in cycling gloves is that the cushion members are constructed to be very soft (in the range of hardness on the Shore OO scale) and become easily compressed between the user's hands and the handlebars of the bicycle. The cushion offers no support and thus often causes numbness in the hands and fingers of the rider and over time possible nerve damage to the rider's hands. Numbness may typically be caused by the pressure generated on the hand by the handle bars while riding. Additionally, the handlebars compress and deform the padding because of the small contact area of the handlebar on the glove. This further deteriorates the ability of the glove to protect the hand from the handlebars. Particularly, the handlebars of most bicycles are round metal or carbon fiber bars. The handlebars may be covered with a foam or cushion tape or elastic handlegrips that attempt to reduce the hardness of the bar with respect to the rider's hands. However, the use of cushioning on the bar or glove is not a successful solution, as evidenced by the high number of riders that experience continued numbness/tingling in the hands and or fingers during and after riding. Accordingly, a long-standing problem for cyclists is the problem of numbness/tingling in the hands and fingers when riding for extended periods of time.


The present invention provides a nickel-zinc battery of an inside-out structure, that is, a battery comprising a positive electrode containing beta-type nickel oxyhydroxide and a negative electrode containing zinc and having a similar structure to an alkali manganese battery, in which the beta-type nickel oxyhydroxide consists of substantially spherical particles, mean particle size of which is within a range from 19 μm to a maximum of 40 μm, the bulk density of which is within a range from 1.6 g/cm3 to a maximum of 2.2 g/cm3, tap density of which is within a range from 2.2 g/cm3 to a maximum of 2.7 g/cm3, specific surface area which based on BET method is within a range from 3 m2/g to a maximum of 50 m2/g, and the positive electrode of the nickel zinc battery contains graphite powder, where the weight ratio of graphite powder against a total weight of the positive electrode is defined within a range from 4% to a maximum of 8%.

The present invention relates to beta-type nickel oxyhydroxide and a method of producing thereof, and yet, also relates to a positive electrode active material composed of beta-type nickel oxyhydroxide. Further, the present invention relates to a nickel-zinc battery incorporating a positive electrode comprising beta-type nickel oxyhydroxide as a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode comprising zinc as a negative electrode active material.
In recent years, compact-size portable electronic apparatuses, especially portable game players, digital cameras and digital video-camera recorders, or the like, have been propagated very significantly. It is expected that these compact-size portable electronic apparatus will be propagated furthermore from now on, and thus, demand for compact-size battery serving as a power-supply source for these compact-size portable electronic apparatuses will also be promoted quickly. Generally, any of those compact-size portable electronic apparatuses utilizes a high operating voltage and requires a large amount of current, and thus, a usable power source must be distinguished in discharge characteristic under heavy load.
Of those batteries satisfying the above requirements, such a alkaline-manganese battery has already been propagated most widely, which comprises manganese dioxide for composing the positive electrode and zinc for the negative electrode, and yet, it also comprises highly concentrated alkaline aqueous solution for composing electrolytic solution. Inasmuch as manganese dioxide and zinc are respectively inexpensive, and yet, because of high energy density per weight, not only for the power-supply source of compact-size portable electronic apparatuses, but the alkaline-manganese battery is also utilized extensively.
Considering further utility for compact-size portable electronic apparatuses and in order to further improve discharge characteristic under heavy load, a wide variety of improvements have been achieved in a range from battery material to the composition of battery itself. However, in the above alkaline-manganese battery, inasmuch as a positive electrode active material comprising manganese dioxide performs discharge based on homogeneous solid-phase chemical reaction, as a result of discharge, voltage gradually lowers whereby drawing such a discharge curve of downward-sloping. Because of this, in such a compact-size portable electronic apparatus requiring a high voltage and a large amount of current, basically, discharge performance of the alkaline-manganese battery can hardly suffice practical need, and yet, despite of a variety of improvements thus far effected, duration of actually operable capacity of such a compact-size portable electronic apparatus has thus been extended by a negligible extent. Further, any of the modern compact-size portable electronic apparatuses is apt to perform own operation with a relatively higher voltage and a greater amount of current in the initial stage of distribution in the market. To deal with this tendency, it is imperative that such a battery compatible with a newer model of any of compact-size portable electronic apparatuses and capable of preserving distinguished durability to heavy load be provided as essential requirements.
To suffice the above requirements, a nickel-zinc battery has thus been proposed. The nickel-zinc battery comprises its positive electrode comprising nickel oxyhydroxide and its negative electrode comprising zinc, which contains such an operating voltage and durability to heavy load respectively being higher than those of the above alkaline-manganese battery. On the other hand, nickel oxyhydroxide as a positive electrode active material easily generates oxygen and a large amount of self-discharge as problems to solve. As a method for solving these problems, for example, the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. HEISEI-10-214621 (1998) proposes such a nickel-zinc battery having an "insideout" type structure with a less amount of self-discharge by utilizing gamma-type nickel oxyhydroxide (γ-NiOOH) for composing a positive electrode active material.
Such a battery utilizing the above-cited gamma-type nickel oxyhydroxide has a small amount of self-discharge, and has higher operating potential than that of an alkaline manganese battery. However, it is a problem that such a battery cannot have large discharge capacity because the above gamma-type nickel oxyhydroxide has relatively low density.

Positive electrode material and nickel-zinc battery