There is provided a mobile terminal with a camera, such as a smart phone, capable of controlling the functions of a remote screen and content displayed on the remote screen. The mobile terminal defines a remote screen area in an image obtained by capturing the remote screen, receives remote screen resource information, and performs screen mapping between the remote screen area and the remote screen using the remote screen resource information. If it receives a user input signal related to the remote screen area, the mobile terminal generates event information for controlling an object based on the results of the screen mapping, and transmits the event information to a remote apparatus with the remote screen. The remote apparatus processes the event information and controls the object.

1. Field
The following description relates to an apparatus for remotely controlling content on the screen of a device, such as a TV, a PC, a notebook, etc., using a smart phone.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, there are different kinds of devices such as a PC, a mobile phone, a TV, etc. They provide different services, such as web data search, call services, multimedia services, etc., depending on their intrinsic functions and content. However, due to the development of a smart phone and a smart TV, various kinds of content that were provided only by desktop computers are able to be consumed through smart mobile devices. In particular, a smart phone allows a user to receive his or her desired service or to do his or her works anytime, anywhere since the user can always carry the smart phone. Also, smart devices provide users with various kinds of services, such as music, video, news, etc., and connect to other smart devices through a network to offer interactive services.
Recently, as desktop computers, smart TVs, and smart phones can handle various kinds of content, content sharing is required gradually and also especially has drawn attention to home network and Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) technology. However, the technologies are focused on sharing of multimedia content such as music, images, video, or the like. The reason is that multimedia content is preferred content that can be controlled through a simple user interface. However, as a web browser is installed in many smart devices, multimedia, additional information (description, advertisement, games, a messenger, etc.), as well as applications allow users to be used. Therefore, a diversity of web content that can be displayed on the screen of a smart device is increasing. Accordingly, in order to select desired content among various kinds of web content, and share and move the selected content, there is substantial demand for improvement of a user interface.
The main differences of the iPhone and android phones from conventional smart phones are that the iPhone and android phones have an App store and a user interface allowing users to easily and conveniently use content in their mobile phones. In particular, a multi-touch interface allows users to easily zoom in/out or move content of a mobile phone. Recently, researches in technology for easily using three-Dimensional (3D) content-1 based on recognition of multi-touch gestures are also being conducted.
Generally, the multi-touch interface has been applied to a smart phone, a smart pad, and a notebook. Applying the multi-touch interface to an electronic device with a large screen, such as a smart TV, a projector, an electronic display board, etc., is not economical due to high manufacturing costs. In many cases, since such an electronic device with a large screen is remotely controlled, a simple button-type interface such as a remote controller has been used to control the functions of the electronic device. However, as a smart TV allows a web browser to display more various kinds of content on its screen and control more various applications, an integrated remote controller for dealing with such content and applications is needed. Furthermore, in the conventional remote controller, a functional extension of the remote controller was inevitably accompanied by addition of buttons or combinations of button inputs. That is, it will be difficult for a user to handle the controller when functions are added and the structure of the controller is complex. In order to overcome this problem, various technologies, such as an apparatus for recognizing a user's gestures using a camera, an apparatus for location detection using a laser pointer, a method of adding a mouse pad to a remote controller, etc., have been developed. However, these technologies are also quite costly.
An example of such conventional technology is disclosed in Korean Laid-open Patent Application No. 10-2006-0125735, entitled "Universal Remote Control Device with Touch Screen", and laid-open on Dec. 6, 2006.

Method and apparatus for controlling content on remote screen


A first integrated circuit (IC) has an adjustable delay circuit and a first interface circuit. A first clock signal is provided to the adjustable delay circuit to produce a delayed clock signal provided to the first interface circuit. A second IC has a supply voltage sense circuit and a second interface circuit that transfers data with the first IC. The supply voltage sense circuit provides a noise signal to the first IC that is indicative of noise in a supply voltage of the second IC. The adjustable delay circuit adjusts a delay of the delayed clock signal based on the noise signal. In other embodiments, edge-colored clock signals reduce the effects of high frequency jitter in the transmission of data between integrated circuits (ICs) by making the high frequency jitter common between the ICs. In other embodiments, a supply voltage is used to generate clocks signals on multiple ICs.

Integrated circuit device clocking, such as the clock architectures in synchronous memory systems, provides a clock signal that is distributed to and throughout integrated circuit devices internally. As the clock signal is transmitted through clock buffers, the clock signal is affected by power supply noise on the power supply voltage received by the clock buffer. Power supply noise (PSN) can cause power supply induced jitter (PSIJ) in the clock signal as it is buffered. PSIJ in a clock signal that times the transmission of read data from a memory device may have an adverse effect when a controller device captures the read data with its clock signal.

Techniques for adjusting clock signals to compensate for noise


The substrate processing apparatus comprises at least one chemical liquid bath for processing the substrate with a chemical liquid, and a multi-function processing bath for performing at least two of chemical liquid processing, cleaning with water and drying on the substrate which is processed with a chemical liquid within the chemical liquid bath.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for dipping a thin plate-like substrate (hereinafter referred to simply as "substrate"), such as a semiconductor wafer and a glass plate for a liquid crystal display, into a processing liquid and for performing various types of processing, such as cleaning, on a surface of the substrate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional substrate processing apparatuses include a multiple-bath type processing apparatus for dipping a substrate sequentially into a plurality of processing baths each having only one function and for performing a series of treatments on the substrate, and a single-bath type processing apparatus for performing a series of treatments on a substrate which is put into only one bath which performs multiple functions while sequentially filling the bath with a processing liquid such as a chemical liquid and deionized water.
More specifically, the former multiple-bath type processing apparatus comprises one or more chemical processing baths for processing a substrate using one type of chemical liquid and one or more water cleaning baths. Through a plurality of steps of dipping a substrate sequentially into these baths in a predetermined order, contaminants at a surface of the substrate are removed, an oxide film at the surface of the substrate is etched, a resist film is removed, etc.
While a transport robot is used to transport a substrate sequentially to the respective baths during such steps, since a handling part of the transport robot holds a substrate which has just been processed with a chemical liquid or water, water or the chemical liquid adheres to the handling part. To deal with this, the substrate processing apparatus as described above comprises an exclusive cleaning part for cleaning and drying the handling part carrying water or the chemical liquid after a substrate is transferred.
On the other hand, the latter single-bath type processing apparatus comprises only one processing bath which is capable of performing both processing using a chemical liquid and cleaning with water. A chemical liquid and deionized water are alternately supplied in a predetermined order while holding a substrate within this only one processing bath, whereby contaminants at a surface of the substrate are removed, an oxide film at the surface of the substrate is etched, a resist film is removed, etc.
However, since transportation of a substrate from one bath to another is essential to the former apparatus, insufficient cleaning is likely to occur such as adhesion of particles and growth of an unnecessary film. Further, since it is necessary to dispose a number of processing baths, the size of the entire substrate processing apparatus inevitably increases.
In addition, since the former apparatus comprises the exclusive cleaning part for cleaning and drying the handling part of the transport robot, a foot space of the substrate processing apparatus increases. Further, since the former apparatus frequently requires the step of cleaning and drying the handling part, a throughput during processing of a substrate degrades. Still further, in the case of such an apparatus which directly holds a plurality of substrates with the handling part for simultaneous processing of the plurality of substrates, or in the case of such an apparatus which houses a plurality of substrates into a carrier and holds the carrier, it is difficult to perfectly clean and dry the handling part, and therefore, the substrates are likely to get contaminated by chemical liquid, etc. remaining on the handling port Beside, in the case of such an apparatus in which a lifter is disposed to each processing bath and a substrate is held inside and outside each processing bath, since the transport robot does not include a vertical movement mechanism and it is therefore necessary to dispose a mechanism for vertically moving the exclusive cleaning part for the handling part, the structure of the exclusive cleaning part becomes complex.
Meanwhile, although the latter apparatus does not have such problems as above with the former apparatus, since a step of replacing a chemical liquid within a bath with deionized water and thereafter replacing deionized water with other chemical liquid is essential in the latter apparatus, it takes time to adjust a temperature and hence a throughput becomes extremely low during processing which requires to use a chemical liquid at a high temperature or processing which requires to use a chemical liquid which demands fine adjustment of a temperature. Further, it takes time to adjust the density of a chemical liquid within a bath to a predetermined density and hence a throughput becomes extremely low during processing which requires to use a chemical liquid which has a high density.


A wear strip assembly for a slat in a reciprocating conveyor system. The wear strip assembly includes a wear block underneath the end of the slat and wear strip member that covers the end of the slat. The slat is sandwiched between these two members, thus providing the end of the slat with protection as it reciprocates back and forth on the exit or off-load end of the conveyor system.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,006,828 (owned by Keith Manufacturing Co. of Madras, Oreg.) describes a reciprocating floor slat conveyor system that has a series of moving floor slats spaced apart by fixed slats. This is one of many configurations for conveyor systems of this type. In the '828 patent, as an example, the reciprocating slat has an inverted "V" shape with a "peak" at the top of the reciprocating slat. Some conveyor figurations have a more "flat" profile, with one slat immediately adjacent the next—which creates a more or less uniform load bearing floor. Either configuration is capable of conveying a load via reciprocating movement of the slats.
Different slat configurations are often linked to the type of load the conveyor system is designed to handle. These systems are often built into truck trailers, or the like, and used to unload bulk materials in lieu of a hydraulic lift.
A reciprocating floor conveyor built into a trailer, as an example, will "inch" the load off the trailer's back-end. This is usually done by moving all of the reciprocating floor slats outward at the same time (relative to the end of the trailer), thus moving the entire load a short distance; and then sequentially retracting a lesser number of slats that have insufficient friction with the load to pull the load back during the retraction sequence. Systems of this kind were described in the '828 patent, as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. Re35,022; 5,350,054; 6,409,009; and 5,044,870; all of which are incorporated herein by reference, as teaching examples, for the purpose of providing an underlying disclosure of the typical workings of reciprocating slat conveyor systems.
The present invention relates to what happens at the very end of the reciprocating floor slat as the load falls out of the trailer. This is a high-wear area for reasons that would be known in the art. The present invention provides improved protection for the ends of the floor slats.

Wear strip assembly for reciprocating conveyor


Methods and apparatus for determining biological effects of environmental sounds are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a sound characteristic analyzer to identify a sound event based on audio data in an environment. The example apparatus includes a physiological data analyzer to identify a physiological event based on physiological response data collected from a user exposed to the sound event in the environment. The example apparatus includes a correlation identifier to identify a correlation between the sound event and the physiological event and a report generator to generate a report based on the correlation.

An individual is exposed to many different environmental sounds on a daily basis, including, for example, sounds generated by traffic, machines, music playing, people talking, etc. Some of the sounds the individual encounters in an environment are sustained. For example, an individual working in a factory is exposed to sounds generated by machinery for an extended period of time over the work day. Other sounds are sudden, such as a loud explosion when the individual walks by a construction site. Exposure to different sounds affects an individual physiologically and psychologically.
The figures are not to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.


A method for displaying, on a matrix screen composed of pixels disposed along K lines and M columns, images having Q grey levels G.sub.j, 0.ltoreq.j.ltoreq.Q-1. Pixels are scanned and to display a given grey level, a mixed number of black and white states of the pixels are displayed. The number of white states and the number of black states required to display a given grey level are calculated based on a number of sub-frames N used to display the grey scale image and the number of different grey scales Q. This assigns a black state or a white state to each of the addressing phase indices. The addressing phase indices are then selected according to predetermined rules and the states of the pixels in each sub-frame vary within a sub-frame displaying a given grey scale by keeping the number of black and white pixels of the sub-frame as constant as possible.

The present invention is applicable to any type of known matrix screen which functions via transmission or emission and more particularly to passive multiplexed liquid crystal screens making it possible to display on each pixel one of two states to be denoted for the sake of convenience by one black state and one white state.
It is also known that the addressing of matrix screens comprising K lines and M columns is effected via the successive scanning of different lines. For a time equal to the line time Tl, one line l is "open" by applying a voltage VL. During this period, the M image data signals are addressed onto the M columns in the form of voltages, for example in the case of liquid crystals .+-.VC. The pixel situated at the intersection of the line l and the column m is thus excited by a potential difference VL.+-.VC which, depending on its location with respect to the switching threshold of the liquid crystal of the screen, renders it transparent (white state) or opaque (black state).
Such screens are well known and are described in detail in the documents EP-A-0 092 181 and EP-A-0 032 362.
More specifically, the present invention concerns the problem of writing on such screens a certain number Q of shades or levels of grey Gj on a black and white or colored image.
The obtaining of a shade of grey Gj on a specific pixel may up until now only result in the display on this pixel of a sequence comprising a certain number of white and black states, the perception of the resultant grey being clearly proportional to the ratio of the number of these states of one category and of the other; this perception may result in either an interpolation due to the functioning of the device itself (in the case of liquid crystals) or in the visual phenomenon which makes use of the persistance of retinal impressions. The levels of grey Gj thus defined are generally speaking "equidistant", that is, it is possible to move from one to the other discontinuously by adding or subtracting a black state or white state in the display sequences. So as to inscribe levels of greys, it is necessary to superimpose several black and white states on each pixel, which involves scanning the screen several times during successive sub-frames and relating to a given image. As for the frames, this scanning takes place line by line. The state of the art is this respect is clearly demonstrated by the document entitled "Conference Records of the 1985 International Display Research Conference, San Diego, Calif., 15-17 Oct. 1985, pages 213 to 220", as well as by the documents EP-A-0 219 479 and FR-A-88 12 810 of 30 Sep. 1988.
All the methods of the prior art briefly mentioned above making it possible to display such shades of greys do nevertheless have to various degrees a certain number of drawbacks not fully resolved to date and which may be denoted under the term of "coupling" signifying in fact that the displaying of a specific pixel of such a screen is not completely independent of the displaying of adjacent pixels. These drawbacks are well-known to experts in this field and are described in detail in the document relating to "Proceedings of the SID Conference" held at Las Vegas in May 1990, pages 412 to 415.
First of all, a coupling exists between the various pixels of a given column for the following reason: when a specific pixel of this column is excited, the data signal applied in the form of voltage steps .+-.VC to the column in question arrives at the same time at all the other pixels of this column which do not correspond to lines selected at this moment. In other words, this results in obtaining stray signals which disturb the instantaneous state of these other pixels. More precisely, the coupling between the pixels of a given column mainly depends on the number of black to white transitions present in the column in question. In other words, this drawback is that much more marked when the number of passages from black to white in the pixels of a given column is high.
This defect is a defect inherent in the addressing principle of the screen itself. Coupling depends on the image displayed, which is totally random as regards the successions of white and black pixels. In fact, in all the grey display methods of the prior art mentioned earlier, the scanning method randomly brings about successions of white and blacks to the various pixels according to the various image addressing phases. Accordingly, this results in a temporal correlation or interaction between the method for scanning the screen and the image needed to be displayed on it, which thus may randomly accentuate the actual defects of the screen without offering any possible recourse.

Method for displaying images comprising Q levels of grey on a matrix screen


Manual valve operators having a locking device are described. An example manual operator includes a lever rotatably coupled to a locking plate and has a handle that pivots between a first position to prevent rotation of the lever relative to the locking plate and a second position to enable rotation of the lever relative to the locking plate. A lockout member is removably coupled to the handle. The handle has an aperture to receive at least a portion of the lockout member. The lockout member engages a portion of the lever to prevent the handle from pivoting between the first and second positions to prevent rotation of the lever relative to the locking plate when the lockout member is coupled to the handle.

Fluid process systems typically use valves such as, for example, rotary valves to control the flow of process fluids. Rotary valves typically include a flow control member disposed in a fluid path and rotatably coupled to a body of the rotary valve via a shaft. A portion of the shaft extending from the rotary valve is operatively coupled to an actuator (e.g., a manual actuator or operator, etc.), which operates the flow control member. For example, a manual actuator or operator includes a lever or lever arm to couple the manual actuator or operator to a valve shaft. The lever may be rotated between a first position and a second position to move the flow control member (e.g., a disk, a ball, etc.) of the valve to a desired angular position to achieve a desired fluid flow through the rotary valve.
Some regulatory organizations (e.g., the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)) have established safety or lockout procedures to prevent unintentional or unauthorized operation of equipment used for processing, for example, hazardous fluids. Typically, such standards require a valve to be locked in a closed position (e.g., temporarily rendered inoperative) via, for example, a safety or lockout device to prevent unintentional or unauthorized actuation of the valve actuator (e.g., a lever of a manual actuator). The safety or lockout devices are to prevent operation of the valve until the lockout device is removed. For example, lockout or safety devices are often used to ensure that a lever of a manual operator will not actuate during maintenance or repair of the valve. Such lockout or safety devices prevent unauthorized or unintentional rotation of the lever and, thus, prevent unauthorized or unintentional rotation of the flow control member of a valve.
Some known rotary valves include lockout devices integrally formed with the valve. However, such integrally formed lockout devices often involve a complex arrangement of components to achieve a lockout condition. Some other known rotary valves are implemented with lockout devices that involve additional components that are to be coupled to a lever of a rotary valve. For example, one known lockout device includes a housing to engage a lever and a sleeve that is slidably coupled to the housing. The sleeve includes a plurality of apertures to align with corresponding apertures of the housing so that a locking device may be removably coupled to the sleeve and the housing via the apertures to prevent removal of the housing and the sleeve from the lever. However, such known valves having integrated lockout devices and/or known lockout devices having additional components require additional manufacturing, more complex valve assemblies, and increased manufacturing costs.

Manual valve operators having a lockout device


A distributed optical fiber sensor uses a Brillouin scattering phenomenon to avoid manual adjustment and to measure strain and/or temperature with high accuracy and high spatial resolution. A stepwise optical light source generates an optical pulse having a stepwise distribution of intensity to increase toward the center, and a continuous light source generates continuous light on. The optical pulse is incident on a sensing optical fiber as probe light and the continuous light is incident as pump light to cause a Brillouin scattering phenomenon between the probe light and the pump light. A Brillouin time domain detector determines a Brillouin loss or gain spectrum from the light emerging from the sensing optical fiber and attributed to the Brillouin scattering phenomenon, and measures strain in and/or temperature of the sensing optical fiber in the longitudinal direction thereof based on the determined Brillouin loss or gain spectrum.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a distributed optical fiber sensor capable of measuring strain and/or temperature in longitudinal direction with high accuracy and high spatial resolution using an optical fiber as a sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A method based on a Brillouin scattering phenomenon occurring in an optical fiber is known as a technology for measuring strains and temperatures. In this method, the optical fiber is used as a medium for detecting strain and/or temperature in an environment where the optical fiber is placed.
The Brillouin scattering phenomenon is such a phenomenon that, when two light rays having different frequencies pass each other in an optical fiber, power transfers via acoustic phonons in the optical fiber from the light having a higher frequency to the one having a lower frequency. If νd denotes a frequency difference between two light waves passing each other, the transferring power is proportional to a Brillouin gain spectrum BSg(νd) approximately defined by Equation 1:BSg(νd)=1/(1+(2(νd−νb)/Δνb)2)  Equation 1where νb is Brillouin frequency shift and Δνb is called Brillouin gain line width (full width at half maximum), these being parameters characterizing the Brillouin gain spectrum BSg(νd).
The Brillouin frequency shift νb is given by Equation 2:νb=2nva/λ  Equation 2where n is refractive index of the optical fiber, va is sound velocity in the optical fiber and λ wavelength of light incident on the optical fiber.
Since the sound velocity va depends on the strain and temperature of the optical fiber, the strain and/or temperature can be measured by measuring the Brillouin frequency shift νb.
Accordingly, Brillouin gain spectra at the respective parts of the optical fiber may be measured in order to measure a strain distribution and/or a temperature distribution of the optical fiber in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber. In order to attain a high spatial resolution, the lengths of these parts need to be shortened.
FIG. 24 are diagrams showing the construction of a distributed optical fiber sensor and a probe light according to a background art, wherein FIG. 24A is a block diagram showing the construction of the distributed optical fiber sensor according to the background art, FIG. 24B is a chart showing first probe light and FIG. 24C is a chart showing second probe light. FIG. 25 is a chart showing Brillouin loss/gain spectra, wherein horizontal axis represents frequency and vertical axis represents loss/gain.
In FIG. 24, the distributed optical fiber sensor 500 according to the background art is provided with a probe light source 501, an optical coupler 502, a sensing optical fiber 503, a pump light source 504 and a detector 505.
The probe light source 501 generates an optical pulse shown in FIG. 24B and emits the generated optical pulse as probe light. The probe light emitted from the probe light source 501 is incident on one end of the sensing optical fiber 503 via the optical coupler 502. The sensing optical fiber 503 is an optical fiber for detecting strain and/or temperature in an environment where this optical fiber is placed and used as a sensor. The pump light source 504 generates continuous light having a frequency lower than that of the probe light and emits the generated continuous light (CW light) as pump light. The pump light emitted from the pump light source 504 is incident on the other end of the sensing optical fiber 503. In the sensing optical fiber 503, the probe light and the pump light cause a Brillouin scattering phenomenon, and light attributed to this Brillouin scattering phenomenon is incident on the detector 505 via the optical coupler 502. The distributed optical fiber sensor 500 measures the intensity of the light attributed to the Brillouin scattering phenomenon frequency by frequency in a time domain while successively changing the frequency of the pump light or the probe light, determines Brillouin gain spectra BSg(νd) in the respective parts along the longitudinal direction of the sensing optical fiber 503, and determines a strain distribution and/or temperature distribution along the sensing optical fiber 503.
Although the method for determining the strain and/or temperature from the Brillouin gain spectrum BSg(νd) is described above, strain and/or temperature can be similarly determined using a Brillouin loss spectrum BSl(νd) instead of the Brillouin gain spectrum BSg(νd) by setting the frequency of the pump light to be higher than that of the probe light.
The spatial resolution of this distributed optical fiber sensor 500 is restricted by the width of the optical pulse used for the measurement. Specifically, if vg[m/s] denotes velocity of the light in the optical fiber, spatial resolution Δz is vgTp/2 [m] in a measurement using an optical pulse whose width is Tp[s]. More specifically, in normally used ordinary optical fibers in which the velocity of light slightly differs depending on the materials of the optical fibers, a Brillouin gain spectrum BSg(νd) or a Brillouin loss spectrum BLg(νd) (hereinafter, abbreviated as a "Brillouin loss/gain spectrum BSl/g(νd)) is represented by a Lorenz (Lorentzain) curve (curve "a" shown in FIG. 25) up to the optical pulse width of 30 ns. If the optical pulse width is shortened to be below 30 ns, this results in a broadband curve (curve "b" shown in FIG. 25) to lose a peak in the vicinity of a mean frequency, thereby taking a moderate shape. Thus, the spatial resolution Δz becomes about 2 to 3 m. Although the optical pulse having a short width is necessary to improve the spatial resolution, the spectral width of the optical pulse becomes wider in this case, with the result that strain measurement accuracy becomes poor. Therefore, it has been difficult to measure strain and/or temperature distributions with high spatial resolution (of, e.g. 1 m or less) with high accuracy (of, e.g. 200μ∈), and there has been a demand to measure strain and/or temperature distributions with high accuracy and high spatial resolution.
Accordingly, as disclosed, for example, in the following documents 1 to 3, the probe light source 501 causes an optical pulse having a specified light intensity As2 to be incident on the sensing optical fiber 503 while causing continuous light (leakage light) having a weak light intensity Cs2 to be incident thereon as shown in FIG. 24C, whereby the Brillouin loss/gain spectra BSl/g(νd) substantially approximate to Lorenz curves having very steep peaks substantially at mean frequencies so that the mean frequencies can be clearly recognized as shown by the curve "a" in FIG. 25. In this way, it is known to measure strain and/or temperature with high accuracy and high spatial resolution.
Here, the Lorenz curve is generally expressed by Equation 3 that is a Lorenz function g(x):g(x)=1/πa/(a2+(x−a)2)  Equation 3Document 1
X. Bao and A. Brown, M. DeMerchant, J. Smith, "Characterization of the Brillouin-loss spectrum of single mode fibers by use of very short (<10-ns) pulses", OPTICS LETTERS, Vol. 24, No. 8, Apr. 15, 1999
Document 2
V. Lecoeuche, D. J. Webb, C. N. Pannell and D. A. Jackson, "Transient response in High-resolution Brillouin-based distributed sensing using probe pulses shorter than the acoustic relaxation time", OPTICS LETTERS, Vol. 25, No. 3, Feb. 1, 2000.
Document 3
Shahraam Afshar V., Graham A. Ferrier, Xiaoyi Bao, and Liang Chen, "Effect of the finite extinction ratio of an electro-optic modulator on the performance of distributed probe-pump Brillouin sensor systems", OPTICS LETTERS, Vol. 28, No. 16, Aug. 15, 2003.
Since the setting of the light intensity Cs2 of the leakage light depends on the length of the sensing optical fiber, it has been necessary to manually make a fine adjustment in conformity with the length of the sensing optical fiber every time a measurement is conducted. Thus, if the distributed optical fiber sensor is an industrial product, a user needs to make this difficult manual adjustment, which has hindered the productization of distributed optical fiber sensors as industrial products.
In document 2, authors confirmed the phenomenon disclosed in document 1 by means of simulation, but shed no light in terms of theoretical analysis. Document 2 shed no light on the cause of being able to measure strain and/or temperature with high accuracy and high spatial resolution by causing an optical pulse having a specified light intensity to be incident on the sensing optical fiber while causing continuous light (leakage light) having a weak light intensity to be incident thereon. Thus, it was not clear how physical quantities of the continuous light having the weak light intensity and the optical pulse having the specified light intensity should be adjusted in order to measure strain and/or temperature with high accuracy and high spatial resolution.
Further, with the distributed optical fiber sensor according to the background art, it has been difficult to sense minute strains equal to or below 200μ∈ if strains are equally distributed in a wide range (e.g. 25-fold or more than the set spatial resolution).


A steel wire for a cold-formed spring according to the present invention contains a prescribed chemical component composition, wherein: a martensitic transformation start temperature MS1 shown by the following expression (1) is in the range from 280° C. to 380° C.; the austenite grain size number N of austenite grains is No. 12 or more; the grain boundary share of carbide precipitated along the austenite grain boundaries is 50% or less; the amount of retained austenite after austenitized and tempered is 20 vol. % or less; and the tensile strength is 2,000 MPa or more;MS1=550−361[C]−39[Mn]−20[Cr]  (1),

(i) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to: a steel wire for a spring useful as a material for a cold-formed spring used as a suspension spring for an automobile or the like, in particular a steel wire for a spring having both the air-durability and corrosion resistance which are considered to be important characteristics of a spring; and a method useful for producing the steel wire for a spring.
(ii) Description of the Related Art
A cold-formed spring is mainly used as a suspension spring for an automobile and the chemical compositions of steels for springs used as the materials for the springs are stipulated by JIS G3565 to G3567, G4801 and others. In the event of producing a cold-formed spring from such a steel for a spring, a hot-rolled wire rod produced from such a steel for a spring is drawn to a prescribed wire diameter, thus a steel wire is produced and thereafter subjected to oil tempering treatment (austenitizing and tempering treatment), and successively the steel wire is cold-formed into a spring.
A cold-formed spring produced as stated above is required to reduce the size and weight thereof for the reduction of fuel consumption and, as a part of the requirement, a spring of a higher stress is desired and a high-strength steel wire for a spring of 2,000 MPa or more in tensile strength after austenitized and tempered is demanded. In general however, the defect susceptibility of a spring tends to increase as the strength thereof increases and, in the case of a suspension spring used under a corrosive environment in particular, the corrosion fatigue life deteriorates and thus there is fear that breakage occurs at an early stage. It is estimated that the corrosion fatigue life deteriorates because corrosion pits on a surface act as the origins of stress concentration and the generation and propagation of fatigue cracks are accelerated. Therefore, excellent corrosion resistance is a characteristic important for a suspension spring.
In order to adapt to the requirement of higher stress as stated above, various technologies have been studied. As such a means, a method of lowering the tempering temperature at oil tempering treatment (for example, about 400° C.) and thus increasing tensile strength has sometimes been adopted. However, by the method, the toughness and ductility of a steel wire lower, breakage and cracks of the spring material wire are caused during cold-forming, and spring formability is hindered. Further, even when the C content in a steel for a spring is increased and thus tensile strength is increased, still not only toughness and ductility deteriorate and thus spring formability is hindered but also corrosion resistance deteriorates, and the quality as a suspension spring for an automobile cannot be secured.
In contrast, a means of adding great amounts of alloying elements such as Ni, Cu, Cr, Si, etc. and thus improving corrosion resistance is also considered. However, when such a means is adopted, not only the cost of a steel material increases, but also the hardenability of the steel increases, thereby the proportion of martensite and bainite structures in the structure after hot-rolling increases, resultantly toughness and ductility are lowered, and drawbacks such as breakage of the wire during subsequent cold-drawing are caused.
As stated above, to realize a steel wire having both the characteristics of high tensile strength and good corrosion resistance is in a difficult situation at the present day. Then, various technologies have been proposed in order to improve such problems. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,508,002 and 5,846,344 propose a means of: controlling the combination of components so that an FP value stipulated by the following expression (5) may be in the range from 2.5 to 4.5; thereby inhibiting martensite and bainite structures after hot-rolling; and resultantly inhibiting the deterioration of formability caused by the addition of alloying elements. Such a means is a technology which: is based on the addition of alloying elements which improve corrosion resistance; and further improves the corrosion resistance by reforming the austenitized and tempered structure. However, the improvement of corrosion resistance by the technology is limited.FP=(0.23[C]+0.1)×(0.7[Si]+1)×(3.5[Mn]+1)×(2.2[Cr]+1)×(0.4[Ni]+1)×(3[Mo]+1)  (5),where [C], [Si], [Mn], [Cr], [Ni] and [Mo] represent the contents (mass %) of C, Si, Mn, Cr, Ni and Mo, respectively.
Further, Japanese Patent No. 3429258 discloses a means of attaining both high tensile strength and good corrosion resistance by controlling the content of Cr to 0.25% or less and further controlling the contents of Cr, Cu and Ni so as to satisfy the relationship stipulated by the following expression (6). However, even by the technology, steel material component design has to be carried out within a regulated range of chemical component compositions and thus the improvement of corrosion resistance is limited.[Cr]≦([Cu]+[Ni])/2  (6),where [Cr], [Cu] and [Ni] represent the contents (mass %) of Cr, Cu and Ni, respectively.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,763 proposes a technology of improving formability by controlling the amount of retained austenite (retained γ) to 6 vol. % or less and thus reducing the induced transformation of the retained austenite during the cold-forming of a spring. However, the technology is basically aimed at the improvement of formability and does not take the improvement of corrosion resistance into consideration at all.
In the meantime, it is known that a method of fining austenite grains is also useful as a means for inhibiting the deterioration of toughness, ductility and resistance to hydrogen embrittlement accompanying the increase of the strength of a steel for a spring. As such a means for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,267 discloses a method for fractionizing the sizes and structures of carbide and nitride in order to improve resistance to hydrogen embrittlement. However, even when the technology is adopted, the size of austenite grains is limited to No. 11 in austenite grain size number and the improvement of corrosion resistance is limited accordingly.

Steel wire for cold-formed spring excellent in corrosion resistance and method for producing the same

Abstract: where [C], [Mn] and [Cr] represent the contents (mass %) of C, Mn and Cr, respectively. Such a steel wire can: secure hot-rolling formability and subsequent drawability while aiming at higher strength and higher stress; moreover exhibit excellent corrosion resistance; and obtain a spring (mainly a suspension spring for an automobile) excellent also in fatigue strength which is a basic required characteristic.


The present invention generally relates to oral hygiene. In particular, embodiments of the invention relate to a multi-headed toothbrush and method for brushing teeth.

A known apparatus to brush teeth with multiple brush heads described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,454A involves the use of a three-headed brush that enables the user to accomplish brushing of all exposed sides of the user's teeth simultaneously. Disadvantageously, the rigid nature of such multi-headed brushes as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,454A, do not conform to tooth and gum structures of different anatomical sizes and qualities, causing suboptimal pressure on teeth and gums.
Inventions in the prior art include a variety of improvements to the basic toothbrush such as a three-headed brush that touches three tooth faces simultaneously (U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,454A) to shorten the necessary brushing time by 3 times. Additionally, the invention disclosed in US 20120279002 A1, is a toothbrush that incorporates sonic oscillation technology to aid in the removal of plaque without a back and forth motion. No inventions in the prior art eliminate the problems of pinching the bodies of the mouth and gums while enabling the transmittal of sonic energy motion to a multi-headed toothbrush.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A total artificial heart for placement inside a living body comprising right and left ventricle enclosures, wherein each ventricle includes an exterior wall formed of (i) contacting wall structure and (ii) noncontacting wall structure which collectively enclose an interior volume comprised of a blood chamber and a pumping chamber. The contacting wall structure of each ventricle enclosure is configured for intercontacting relationship wherein the contacting walls of the respective ventricles form a septum which structurally separates the interior volume of the right ventricle from the interior volume of the left ventricle. The noncontacting wall structure comprises the remaining exterior wall of each ventricle enclosure. A fluid drive motor capable of reversible flow is positioned within and circumscribed by the septum and includes a flow channel therethrough which communicates between the respective pumping chambers of the right and left ventricle enclosures. A pumping fluid is contained within the pumping chambers and is responsive to the fluid drive motor to be reversibly transferred between the pumping chambers of the right and left ventricle to enlarge and contract the blood chamber and thereby simulate natural pumping action of the heart.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to total artificial hearts (TAH) which are self contained for permanent emplacement within a living being for total replacement of a natural heart. More particularly, this invention relates to a TAH which utilizes a hydraulic pumping system with a small, reversible pump to actuate pumping action.
2. Prior Art
Despite the climbing mortality rate of persons who die annually because of the limited supply of heart transplants, there are currently no commercial artificial hearts available for patient use. It is estimated that 35,000 people per year in the United States alone need a replacement for the irreparable natural heart. Because only 2,000 donor hearts are available on the average, the vast majority (33,000) of these heart patients will die. By 1995, it is estimated that the target population for circulation support devices will be 60,300. Artificial Heart, Institute of Medicine, Jul. 23, 1991 (advance copy).
Numerous patents have been issued which offer various technologies intended to address this critical need. These technologies extend from ventricle assist devices to the fully self contained TAH. U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,796 issued to the present applicant in 1979 introduced the concept of a permanent electrohydraulic heart capable of being implanted within a living body with pumping support being provided by a reversible, electric impeller motor. The theory of operation for this device was to place the motor at the base of the TAH and reversibly transfer hydraulic pumping fluid between respective pumping chambers of the left and right ventricles. The motor was situated below the blood chambers and was separated by means of channels.
Current commercial artificial heart devices are limited to air driven hearts whose cost approaches $100,000 per TAH and supporting air drive system, not counting associated medical fees for emplacement. Because of this high cost, each consideration of use of a TAH remains primarily a financial issue. Until such costs can be contained, it is apparent that artificial hearts will remain a theoretical solution to a real life problem.
Numerous problems encumbered the intended success of the electrohydraulic heart invented by Jarvik and issued to the present applicant in the patent referenced above. The capacity of the motor was limited by its conventional design. Such design features included the concept of a central rotating shaft with attached impeller blades radiating outward from this shaft. The shaft was rotated by a brushless DC motor in a conventional manner. Fluid flow was advanced through an annular channel in a reversible manner, based on the direction of shaft rotation.
Response time of the hydraulic fluid was not optimal. This was perhaps a byproduct of several design features. For example, the annular channel configuration imposed a substantial amount of surface area and frictional drag on the transferring fluid between pumping chambers of the respective ventricles. In addition to the drag induced by the large surface area of the flow channel within the motor, there was further drag developed by the substantial distance of travel required of the fluid as it moved from one pumping chamber to the other. This was a byproduct of the placement of the pump below the pumping chambers providing a flow channel to direct the flow between the left and right ventricles. Separate wall structure was provided below the septum to isolate the pump motor and define the described flow channel. Such a tortuous path for fluid movement which is being directionally reversed as much as 120 times per minute posed a major obstacle to confidence in the long term survivability of the TAH.
What is needed is a greatly simplified hydraulic fluid transfer system which optimizes rates of fluid transfer and minimizes drag, without perpetuating the former high cost of production and emplacement.

Electrohydraulic heart with septum mounted pump


A combined data/power coupling device includes a chassis having first and second powering device connectors and a powered device connector each coupled to a data/power coupling subsystem. The data/power coupling subsystem configures each of the first and second powering device connectors to receive power from at least one powering device, configures the first powering device connector to receive data from the at least one powering device, and provides data and power received via the first powering device connector to a powered device via the powered device connector. When the data/power coupling subsystem determines that data and power are not available via the first powering device connector, it configures the second powering device connector to receive data from the at least one powering device, and provides data and power received via the second powering device connector to the powered device via the powered device connector.

The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to providing combined data and power to an information handling system with high availability.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling systems such as, for example, switch devices and/or other networking devices known in the art, may be configured to provide both data and power over the same cable to a computing device connected to any one of their ports. For example, Power over Ethernet (PoE) "powering" devices are configured to transmit both data and power via a port, over a cable connected to that port, and to a PoE "powered" computing device connected to that cable. However, because conventional PoE powering devices transmit data and power over a single port and cable to any particular PoE powered device, those PoE powered devices may become unavailable when the PoE powering device, its port, and/or the cable that connects it to that port experience issues. For example, the cable may become unplugged or damaged, the port may "go down" due to misconfiguration, the PoE powering device may lose power or be brought down for maintenance, the PoE powering device may stop powering the port when power resources are relatively low and the port has relatively low priority, and/or due to other issues known in the art. Many PoE powered devices are used for real-time data operations (e.g., PoE cameras, PoE phones, PoE wireless access points, PoE clocks, etc.), and due to the nature of conventional networks and the distances between data sources and data collection points (as well as vulnerabilities in-between them), the loss of such real-time data (and historical data) is often unrecoverable. As such, PoE systems may not be utilized with computing devices in networks that require 100% uptime for their PoE powered devices.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a high availability combined data/power provisioning system that addresses the issues discussed above.

High availability combined data/power provisioning system


A liquid resin, which is the Michael addition product of an amine-terminated aminoamide thermoplastic polymer with one or more polyol ester compounds having at least one (meth)acrylate group, wherein the amine-terminated aminoamide thermoplastic polymer contains a bisphenol or novolac segment to provide increased hardness and improved flow of radiation-curable compositions incorporating such resins, methods of printing using such compositions and articles printed with such compositions.

Cyclic compounds from the reaction of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether with amines, O Svein, O G Tjugum; Acta Chemica Scandinavica (1970), 24(7), 2397-23404 describes a small cyclic molecule, which contains no terminal secondary amine groups and is not acrylate functional.
WO 97/38022 (Henkel) Radiation curable rheology modifiers, describes a composition which contains both acrylate functional epoxy compounds and a polyamide resin. The polyamide resin is derived from dimer acid that is not terminally acid or amine functional and therefore takes no part in the reaction with the epoxy compound. The end result is a physical blend of an epoxy acrylate and a thermoplastic polyamide resin.
WO 2007/030643 (Sun Chemical) Acrylated polyamide containing printing inks, discloses printing inks containing an acrylate modified amino amide resin which is the Michael addition product of an acrylate monomer and an amino amide polymer. The amine terminated amino amide polymer intermediate is the reaction product of dimer acid and piperazine with 1-25% of a monofunctional fatty acid that reduces the molecular weight and tendency of the polymer to cause ink misting.
WO 2006/067639 (Sun Chemical) Acrylated polyamides, their preparation and use, discloses a radiation-curable acrylate modified amino amide resin which is the reaction product of an acrylate monomer and an amine terminated amino amide polymer made from dimer acid and piperazine.
WO 03/028992 (Cognis) Radiation curable compositions with enhanced adhesion, describes compositions where the polymer is an amine terminated polyamide based on dimer acid and a difunctional amine which is subsequently acrylated by a monomer using the Michael addition reaction. The monomer itself is typically the reaction product of butane diol diglycidyl ether with acrylic acid. The use of diglycidyl ether compounds in this invention is only as a reactant with acrylic acid and the epoxy groups do not directly react with the amine group of the polyamide resin.
US 2007/0142492 (XEROX Corp.) Radiation curable inks, describes the use of a curable epoxy polyamide composite gellant based on the reaction of a bisphenol A diglycidyl ether resin with a polyether polyamide and lauric acid. In this case, the polyether polyamide materials being used are acid functional, giving an epoxy terminated polymer gellant which is acrylated using acrylic acid.
EP 0 381 354 (Union Camp) Radiation curable amino amide acrylate polymers, discloses a method for bonding based on the use of an acrylate modified amino amide resin. The amine terminated thermoplastic polymer intermediate is a reaction product of dimer acid and a difunctional amine. This intermediate is reacted with an acrylate monomer to give an acrylate functional product.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,952,071 (Raychem) Curable adhesive system, discloses a two component curable adhesive comprising such as bisphenol A diglycidyl ether or an epoxy novolac reacted with an amine terminal polyamide resin. No acrylate chemistry or UV drying process is involved in this invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,316,517 (Cognis) Radiation polymerisable composition, flushing and grinding vehicle containing same, describes a formulation including a rheology modifying (RM) resin whereby, as quoted at column 5, lines 56 to 60: "The RM resins listed above comprise the reaction product of a diepoxide and an acid component which includes an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or reactive derivatives thereof reacted in the presence of a polyamide derived from a polymerised fatty acid.". There is no disclosure of the formation of an amine-terminated aminoamide thermoplastic polymer nor the reaction product of reacting such an of such an amine-terminated aminoamide thermoplastic polymer with a polyol ester having at least one (meth)acrylate group.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,371 (Union Camp) Adhesive of amine terminated piperazine containing polyamide and epoxy resin, describes a two component curable adhesive composition comprising an epoxy compound such as an epoxy novolac and an amine terminated polyamide resin. No acrylate chemistry or UV drying process is involved in this invention.


A thin film disk and a disk drive using the thin film disk are described. The disk has a thin film magnetic layer composed of small acicular grains having an average aspect ratio greater than one which results in improved recording performance. The development of the acicularity is aided through the crystal structure having anisotropic inplane stress with a radial stress being less than a tangential stress. The preferred magnetic material is an alloy cobalt which includes a glass forming material such as boron, boron oxide, silicon, silicon oxide, carbon, phosphorus, etc. The typical hcp unit cells form acicular grains with a tendency for the C-axis to be orthogonal to a long axis of the acicular grains. Preferably the C-axis of the grains is oriented along the circumferential direction of the disk. Preferably the underlayer is sputtered deposited using negative bias.

The thin film magnetic recording disk in a conventional drive assembly typically consists of a substrate, an underlayer consisting of a thin film of chromium (Cr) or a Cr alloy, a cobalt-based ferromagnetic alloy deposited on the underlayer, and a protective overcoat over the magnetic layer. The word "magnetic" will be used to mean ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, ferrimagnetic or any other magnetic material suitable for magnetic recording. A variety of disk substrates such as NiP-coated AlMg, glass, glass ceramic, glassy carbon, etc., have been used. The microstructural parameters of the magnetic layer, i.e., crystallographic preferred orientation (PO), grain size, anisotropy and magnetic exchange decoupling between the grains, play key roles in the recording characteristics of the disk. The Cr underlayer is mainly used to control such microstructural parameters as the PO, the unit cell size and grain size of the cobalt-based magnetic alloy.
One variation of the layer structure described above uses a very thin seed layer on a non-metallic substrate to establish an appropriate nucleation base for the underlayer. Various materials have been used or proposed for seed layers, for example, Al, Cr, Ni.sub.3 P, Ta, C, W, FeAl and NiAl. Laughlin, et al., have described use of an NiAl seed layer followed by a Cr underlayer and a CoCrPt magnetic layer. The NiAl seed layer with the Cr underlayer was said to induce the [1010] texture in the magnetic layer. (See "The Control and Characterization of the Crystallographic Texture of Longitudinal Thin Film Recording Media," IEEE Trans. Magnetic. 32(5) Sept. 1996, p.3632).
The PO of the various materials forming the layers on the disk, as discussed herein, is not necessarily an exclusive orientation which may be found in the material, but is merely the most prominent orientation. When the Cr underlayer is sputter deposited at a sufficiently elevated temperature on a NiP-coated AlMg substrate a [200] PO is usually formed. This PO promotes the epitaxial growth of [1120] PO of the hexagonal close-packed (hcp) cobalt (Co) alloy, and thereby improves the magnetic performance of the disk. The [1120] PO refers to a film of hexagonal structure whose (1120) planes are predominantly parallel to the surface of the film. (Likewise the [1010] PO refers to a film of hexagonal structure whose (1010) planes are predominantly parallel to the surface of the film).
Various designs of thin film disks with laminated magnetic layers are known. The typical laminated magnetic layers are cobalt alloys separated by a thin layer of nonmagnetic material such as Cr or Cr alloy. Although the multiple magnetic layers in laminated disks are all typically composed of the same alloy, different materials can be used.
Since longitudinal recording requires that the C-axis be sufficiently oriented in the plane of the substrate, the range of thin film structures which might otherwise be used is restricted. Some QB alloys have certain advantages as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,173, so it is useful to find ways to overcome the PO problem. The '173 patent describes special sputtering conditions which are useful in depositing QB on an AlMg/NiP substrate to pull the C-axis more strongly into the plane of the substrate. The desired orientation of the QB in the '173 patent is [1120] PO in which the C-axis is sufficiently confined in the plane of the substrate to be suitable for longitudinal recording. One of the conditions in the '173 method is approximately 300 volts of negative bias on the substrate during sputtering of the Cr underlayer.
The topography of the surface on which a thin film is deposited can have a significant effect on the way the film nucleates and grows and also upon its characteristics. So called circumferential texture on magnetic disks has been commonly used to influence the inplane magnetic anisotropy for a wide range of magnetic alloys. For longitudinal recording it is sometimes useful to have a higher coercivity (Hc) in the circumferential direction than in the radial direction. The ratio of the circumferential Hc to the radial Hc is called the orientation ratio (OR). For example, Kneller U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,225 states that he was able to obtain uniaxial magnetic anisotropy (i.e. OR>1) using circumferential texture with an amorphous SmCo alloy. Others have shown similar effects with body-centered cubic (bcc) alloys. (See Arnoldussen, et al., "Obliquely Evaporated Iron-Cobalt and Iron-Cobalt-Chromium Thin Film Recording Media," IEEE Trans. Magnetic., vol. Mag-20, No.5, Sept. 1984, p.821). Current disks typically use hexagonal close packed (hcp) cobalt alloys and most (but not all) circumferentially textured disks have an OR>1.
There are potentially conflicting views on the mechanisms behind the relationship between anisotropy and circumferential texture. Arnoldussen, et al., attributed the anisotropy of their disks to an enhancement of shape anisotropy. Others have claimed to have found that there is a preferential alignment of the C-axes of the hcp crystals parallel to the texture lines, but others have failed to find any such alignment. For example, Miyamoto, et al. in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,501, filed in Japan on Dec. 21, 1989, appear to claim to have obtained some degree of preferential C-axis alignment along circumferential texture lines using CoCr(X) alloys where X is Ta, Nb, Pt, Pd, Ni, Zr, W, Mo or Hf. On the other hand, using a CoCrTa/Cr thin film circumferential textured disk Kawamoto and Hikami claim to have determined that magnetostriction was the mechanism underlying the anisotropy and that they saw no preferred crystallographic orientation in the plane of the disk. (A. Kawamoto and F. Hikami, "Magnetic anisotropy of sputtered media induced by textured substrate", J.Appl.Phys. 69(8), Apr. 15, 1991).
One factor contributing to shape anisotropy is the acicularity and orientation of the magnetic grains which in Cr/Co(X) disks are influenced by the underlayer grains. In the prior art elongated grains or particles of magnetic material have been used to control the "easy axis" of magnetization by aligning the long axis of the particles with the desired easy axis. Needle-like magnetic particles have been used to achieve in-plane anisotropy in particulate coated disks for several decades. The needle-like magnetic particles can be mixed with a liquid organic binder and poured onto the substrate in the presence of a magnetic field to orient the particles with the long axis in the plane of the disk and along the circumferential direction. This technique is obviously inapplicable to thin film disks. On thin film disks any acicularity of the grains must be inherent in the growth during the deposition process. Teng and Ballard claimed to have observed acicular magnetic grains on thin film disks (Cr/CoCr and Cr/CoNi) with the longer axis substantially aligned with the circumferential texture grooves and attributed the measured anisotropy to this. (E. Teng and N. Ballard, "Anisotropy Induced Signal Waveform Modulation of DC Magnetron Sputtered Thin Films Disks", IEEE Trans.Mag., vol.MAG-22, No.5, Sept.1986). However, it is not clear from Teng and Ballard's experimental procedure how the elongated grains were created and their result may have been due to hidden or unknown parameters. On typical current thin film disks the grains of the hcp magnetic material grow in an essentially cylindrical shape. It is also possible for the grains to grow in random irregular shapes which have no net acicularity.
The surfaces of the substrates have tended to become smoother as the areal density has increased. In 1984 Arnoldussen, et al. used circumferential texture of approximately 50 nm peak-to-valley. Present disks typically will have a peak-to-valley less than 10 nm. A 10 nm texture appears mirror-like to the untrained eye. Special polishing equipment is necessary to achieve circumferential texture this fine such as is described in Jones, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,809.
Various oxides and nitrides are suggested as dopants for a thin film magnetic layer in Shimizu, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,547. Silicon oxide, silicon nitride or boron nitride among others are suggested for alloying with CoPtCr to increase the coercivity and signal to noise ratio.

Thin film disk with acicular magnetic grains

International Business Machines Corporation


A data transfer control device and a relay device which are suitable for use in the home network environment. For a case of controlling transfer of information data to a receiving node connected with a first physical network from a transmitting node connected with a second physical network, there is provided a data transfer control device connected with the second physical network which has: an establishing unit for establishing a channel in the second physical network for transmitting the information data; a reserving unit for reserving a communication path for transferring the information data transmitted through that channel to another data transfer control device belonging to the first physical network and/or the receiving node; and a commanding unit for commanding the transmitting node to transmit the information data through that channel, by using a protocol depending oh the second physical network.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network system for constructing a home network environment, and more particularly, to a data transfer control device, a relay device, and a control device suitable for use in the home network environment.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, there is a rapid trend for digitalizing electronic instruments as exemplified by the term "multi-media", and this trend is already noticeable in the office environment.
More specifically, in terms of hardware, this trend has been materialized in forms of introduction of PCs, digitalization of OA devices and formation of networks among them. Also, in terms of software, this trend has been expanding to cover the basic functions of hosts (which are progressively light-sized and transferred to PCs), the application software such as the word-processing software, the spreadsheet software, etc., and the Internet application such as the WWW.
The similar trend can also be seen in the home environment. Namely, even in the home environment, this trend for digitalization has been steadily progressed in forms of digitalization of AV devices (DVD, digital VTR, digital video camera, etc.), digitalization of broadcasting, and Internet access such as OCN.
Similarly as in a case of the office environment, this trend is expected to progress toward the formation of networks in future. Namely, it is expected that the technologies of various fields such as information processing, communication and broadcasting will be unified by the digitalization, and inter-mixed with each other by the formation of networks.
There are many candidates for the network technologies in this direction. For example, the Ethernet has overwhelming records of the actual use in the office environment and is probably the most promising candidate even for the home PC network. Also, the ATM is another serious contender because of the general consensus among the infra-structure constructors (telephone companies, CATV companies, etc.) to keep constructing the infra-structures based on this technology in view of the advantageous characteristics of the ATM such as its fast, real-time, and wide bandwidth properties.
In addition to these candidates, the network technology (bus technology) called IEEE 1394 has been attracting much attention recently. This IEEE 1394 has several remarkable characteristics such as its fast, real-time (QOS guaranteed), and plug-and-play properties, so that there is a high expectation especially among the AV industries on the IEEE 1394 as the most promising candidate for a future scheme for inter-connecting digital AV devices. This vogue has also instigated much interests to the IEEE 1394 from the computer industries as well.
In the initial phase, it is expected that the inter-connection of the home use digital devices will be realized by these various network technologies in conjunction with the spread of the home use digital devices, depending on preferences and demands of the users, and in this way prototype digital networks will be gradually built up inside each home.
In the second phase, there will be demands for inter-connecting these digital networks together. For example, there will be a desire to inter-connect an AV device connected to the 1394 network of a guest room on the first floor with another AV device connected to the 1394 network of a private room on the second floor in order to realize the dubbing or the cooperative operation between these AV devices.
However, in order to meet the expected demands of this second phase, the following problems must be addressed and resolved.
For now, it is highly likely that many AV devices will appear as dedicated 1394 terminals. This is because the infra-structures such as the Internet and B-ISDN are not yet fully developed so far so that it is presently rather difficult to develop any AV device that presupposes the availability of these infra-structures.
On the other hand, as these infra-structures come to be fully developed, it is expected that AV devices compatible with the Internet or B-ISDN will appear, but then it would be difficult to inter-connect such AV devices with the by then existing dedicated 1394 terminals. In addition, in such a case, only those terminals which are connected to the same 1394 as the dedicated 1394 AV devices would be capable of exchanging AV data and it would be impossible to exchange data with nodes which are connected to networks other than 1394 or nodes which are far distanced.

Data transfer control device, relay device and control device suitable for home network environment


A method is disclosed of a heterogeneous image sensor array comprising more than one image sensor structures that are interconnected. The final image sensor array image output for each image sensor structure or pixel is computed using single image sensor structure output data or output data from more than one image sensor structures. The heterogeneous array exhibits complexity, cost, power consumption, device yields and reliability benefits when compared to other image sensor array structures.

Photography is the process of making pictures by means of the action of light. Light is the commonly used term for electromagnetic radiation in a frequency range that is visible to the human eye. Light patterns reflected or emitted from objects are recorded by an image sensor through a timed exposure. Image sensors can be chemical in nature, such as photographic film, or solid state in nature, such as the CCD and CMOS image sensors employed by digital still and video cameras.
Digital cameras have a series of lenses that focus light to create an image of a scene. But instead of focusing this light onto a piece of film, as in traditional cameras, it focuses it onto the image sensor which converts the electromagnetic radiation of the light into an electrical charge. The image sensor is said to be a picture element, or a 'pixel.' The electrical charge indicates a relative intensity of the electromagnetic radiation as perceived by the image sensor, and generally is used to associate a light intensity value with the pixel.
FIG. 1 illustrates several components that may be included in one possible implementation 10 by which a natural scene is captured to form an electronic image. System 10 includes a signal source 100 and a signal processing chain that includes integrator 110, analog to digital converter (ADC) 120 and digital signal processor (DSP) 130.
The output of integrator 110, VOUT, is input to ADC 120. ADC 120 performs the analog to digital conversion function. The analog to digital conversion function is well known in the art. The analog signal VOUT that is present at the input of ADC 120 is converted into signal VD that is present at the output of ADC 120. VD can assume one of a set of discrete levels usually but not always measured in units of volts. By way of example another unit of measure for the output of ADC 120 can be amperes.
By way of example signal source 100 could be a light intensity sensor that is used in a timed application, such as in a digital camera application where the sensor is exposed to the incoming light for a specific duration of time that is commonly referred to as the exposure time. The integrator 110 then serves the function of integrating the responses of sensor 100 caused by all photons received during the exposure time into one output value to be read out at the end of the exposure time. By way of example the integrator 110 output value could be a voltage measured in units of volts.
FIG. 2 is a simplified illustration of a potential image sensor structure block diagram. Signal source 1000 is a light sensor that by way of example could be a photodiode. Component 1040 is a simple integrator that by way of example could be a capacitor. The input to the integrator is the output of signal source 1000. Integrator 1040 is reset by switch 1050 which is in the closed position prior to starting the integration process. The ability to rapidly reset the state of integrator 1040 is an important aspect of the image sensor operation. At the start of the integration process switch 1050 opens and the voltage across integrator 1040 begins to change in response to the input signal originating from signal source 1000. At the end of the integration process switch 1030 closes and integrator output 1060, VOUT, is sampled. FIG. 2 is an illustrative diagram and the implementation of other similar image sensor structures with identical functionality is well known to one skilled in the art.
In an alternative and equivalent mode of operation of the simplified image sensor structure block diagram of FIG. 2 the integrator embodied by way of example by capacitor 1040 is reset by switch 1050 to a high voltage V+ or POWER instead of to V− or GROUND. At the start of the integration process switch 1050 opens and the voltage across integrator 1040 begins to change in response to the input signal originating from signal source 1000. At the end of the integration process switch 1030 closes and integrator output 1060, VOUT, is sampled.
The simplified block diagram of an image sensor structure illustrated in FIG. 2 by way of example is subject to some performance limitations. One such limitation, the dynamic range, is described here by way of example together with an explanation that gives insight into its causes. The integrator output 1060, VOUT, cannot in general exceed the upper limit imposed by the available power supply voltage. Power supply voltages are decreasing in state-of-the-art equipment due to stringent power consumption requirements. Integrator output 1060 cannot exceed the power supply voltage and will saturate if the integrator output signal attempts to build up after reaching the power supply voltage level.
Saturation occurs when the output voltage reaches the available power supply voltage and is unable to respond to further changes in the input signal. Signal saturation causes system performance degradation. FIGS. 3A through 3C illustrate potential distortions at the output of a pixel structure consisting of light sensor 100 and integrator 110 due to the dynamic range limitation of the photosensitive element structure and more specifically of the integrator structure. They also illustrate potential distortions at the output of light sensor 1000 and integrator output 1060 due to the dynamic range limitations. Segment (a) of FIG. 3(a) illustrates the linear increase of integrator 110 output in response to a constant input signal of different level. It also illustrates the linear increase of integrator output 1060 in response to a constant input signal of different level. The image sensor structure will perform well for the range of input light intensities that give rise to the linear output of segment (a); the image sensor structure will not perform well for the range of input light intensities that give rise to the saturated output of segment (b).
The integrator output response is indicative of limited dynamic range. As illustrated in FIG. 3(a) one version of the embodiment of the image sensor of FIG. 2 will render well shadow detail but will fail to render highlight detail. It is possible to shift the response as illustrated in FIGS. 3(b) and 3(c). In FIGS. 3(b) and 3(c) the dynamic range of the image sensor remains the same but the response characteristic is shifted. The response characteristic of FIG. 3(b) loses shadow and highlight detail but retains good midrange response. The response characteristic of FIG. 3(c) looses shadow detail and partial midrange detail in order to maintain good highlight detail.
FIG. 4A illustrates the histogram of the pixel intensities of an overexposed image capture where a multitude of image sensors that were exposed to the image were driven into saturation. As seen in FIG. 4A the maximum image sensor structure output value is '255' and the units used are the ADC 120 output corresponding to the image sensor output voltage. The light intensity caused many light sensors 100 to output a value that saturated the integrator 110 as the exposure progressed during the exposure period. The maximum (saturated) value of the output of integrator 110 caused the ADC to generate the output code '255' which is the maximum output code for an 8-bit ADC. The image capture will be of lower than optimal quality due to the inability of those image sensors subject to high intensity light inputs to achieve a sufficiently high output level.
The distortion illustrated in the histogram of FIG. 4A corresponds to the individual pixel distortion. A lower exposure time would have caused the outputs of the image sensors subject to high intensity light inputs to register an output level below 255 and avoid the high end distortion but would have prevented the image sensors subject to low intensity light inputs to remain at an output level value of 0 and not register the light intensity details contained in the shadows and other low light image segments.
FIG. 4B illustrates the histogram of the pixel intensities of an underexposed image capture where a multitude of image sensors were not exposed to sufficient light to achieve a minimum output value above '0'. As seen in FIG. 14B the minimum image sensor structure output value is '0'. The units refer to the ADC 120 output levels corresponding to individual image sensor structures. The light intensity received at the image sensor caused many individual light sensors 100 to output a value that failed to cause integrator 110 to output a sufficiently high value to cause a minimal ADC output code above '0' as the exposure progressed during the exposure period. The image capture will be of lower than optimal quality due to the inability of those image sensors subject to low intensity light inputs to generate a sufficiently high response level. The distortion illustrated in the histogram of FIG. 4B corresponds to the individual pixel distortion. A longer exposure would have caused the outputs of the individual image sensors subject to low intensity light inputs to register an above '0' output and avoid the low end distortion but would have also caused the image sensors structures subject to high intensity light inputs to saturate at a '255' output value and not register the light intensity details contained in the highlights and other bright light image segments.
FIG. 5A illustrates the response of yet another of the two or more solid-state image sensor structures used to build the heterogeneous image sensor disclosed in this patent application. The extended dynamic range of the solid-state image sensor structure is sufficient to produce an image sensor response over the full range of electromagnetic radiation intensity impinging upon the image sensor structure. This enables the solid-state image sensor structure to capture sufficient charges in the darkest portion while avoiding the saturation affects in the brightness portions of the image to be captured. The net effect it is faithful reproduction of the image to be captured regardless of whether the light from the darkest segment or the light from the brightest segment of the scene to be captured is impinging upon the image sensor. FIG. 5B illustrates the histogram of the pixel intensities of a correctly exposed image capture where all image sensor outputs are within the dynamic range of the 8-bit ADC that is '0' to '255'.
Integrator saturation before the end of the exposure period is a limiting factor in the dynamic range of an image sensor structure. Solutions to the integrator saturation problem have been published. The feature the published solutions have in common is the monitoring of the integrator output to detect the onset of saturation condition at which time the integrator is discharged and the event is recorded.
By way of example of such solutions Mazzucco discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 6,407,610 methods to prevent saturation of the integrator output. The prevention methods consist of sensing the onset of saturation and resetting (discharging) the integrator or changing the direction of integration when the onset of saturation is sensed. An external circuit records all such events. At the end of the integration period the effective full range of the integration is reconstructed from the number of recorded reset events and from the final integrator output voltage. A similar approach is disclosed by Merill in U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,713.
All such solutions have in common the need to compensate for the dynamic range limitation inherent to the native image sensor structure. These solutions require the introduction of additional circuit elements into the image sensor structure in order to perform the functions outlined in the disclosures.
These solutions have in common the independent operation of each image sensor with respect to other image sensors and the need to incorporate the additional circuit elements into each image sensor capable of extended dynamic range performance. The introduction of the additional circuit elements causes complexity, cost and power consumption to increase while the device yields and reliability decrease.

System and method for high dynamic range image sensor sensitive array


A tubular steel golf shaft comprising a grip section, a tapered mid-section and a tip section. A loading zone is selectively formed along a portion of the shaft, preferably in the tapered mid-section, comprising a continuous series of closely spaced micro-steps, or reductions in diameter, each of which are less than 0.5 inches in length. Each micro-step section, in the direction from the grip section toward the tip section comprises a first peak which descends to valley and then ascends to a second peak. The diameter of the first peak is greater than the diameter of the second peak. A method of manufacturing the golf shaft is also disclosed.

A conventional steel golf shaft can be described as a tapered tube comprising three main sections: a grip section, a mid-section and a tip section.
The grip section comprises a parallel (in cross-section) tube with typical sizes ranging from 0.560 to 0.625 of an inch in diameter. During the club assembly process the grip section is cut to length prior to being covered in a rubber or leather grip that the player will hold.
The mid-section is the tapered part of the shaft. This section can comprise either a series of discrete steps or reductions in diameter, a constant or "smooth" plain taper, or a combination of both. The rate at which the diameter is reduced in this section is directly related to the overall stiffness of the shaft.
The tip section is generally parallel, and approximately 0.370 of an inch in diameter, and can vary in length depending on the stiffness requirements and the length of the club. In general, the tip section of a shaft is the longest for a driver and the shortest for a wedge. The diameter of the tip section is directly related to the shaft stiffness and playability. The larger the diameter the stiffer the shaft will play; conversely the smaller the diameter the softer or more flexible the shaft will play. When designing golf shafts the relationship between the length and diameters of both the tip and grip sections determines the overall playing characteristics of the shaft.
In addition to the outer geometry, the wall thickness of the shaft is also tightly controlled and has a significant influence on the overall performance of the shaft. Wall thickness is directly related to the overall weight of the shaft and can be manipulated to change both the bending stiffness and balance point of the shaft.
An exemplary conventional "stepped" steel golf shaft is illustrated in FIG. 1. Starting from the upper end of the mid-section adjacent the grip end, the exemplary steel golf shaft may have a first series of four reductions of 0.020 of an inch each, spaced approximately 1.75 inches apart, and a second series of ten reductions of 0.015 of an inch each, spaced approximately 1.5 inches apart.
The diameter reductions are achieved through the use of a plurality of step dies each further reducing the diameter along the shaft from the butt end to the tip end. Due to limitations of both the process and material, step tapers are generally limited to diameter reductions equal to or greater than 0.010 of an inch and cannot be spaced consistently and reliably at less than about 0.50 of an inch apart.
The taper steps are generally located along the mid-section of the shaft in a manner and location that achieves specific flexural characteristics of the shaft.
In an optional secondary swage process, these steps can be blended into the overall taper of the shaft so that the individual taper steps are no longer visible.
As explained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,133, the conventional taper press operation consists of a process whereby a steel tube is pushed through a series of support bushings and then into a forming die of a smaller diameter. When removed from the die, the formed part of the tube maintains the smaller diameter. This operation is repeated on a rotary taper press machine that can place a series of steps on one shaft. The taper press operation is a very consistent and reliable method of forming diameter drops of between 0.010″ and 0.025″. However, it has limited use when forming smaller reductions in diameter as the reduced forming loads can allow the tube to be pulled to one side resulting in a non-concentric half step. Due to the limited number of forming barrels there is also a limit to the number of steps that can be formed, which negates the possibility of forming a series of very small steps in an efficient manner.
As noted above, it is also known within the golf industry to use a swaging process to form so-called plain taper or "stepless" steel golf shafts. The swaging process works by forcing a pre-formed or blank tube into a set of half dies that are rotated while opening and closing at very high speed. The dies themselves have the final form cut into their working surfaces, so that when the dies are closed they form a cavity to which the tube conforms. Shafts formed via the swaging process provide a generally constant taper rate that result in a shaft having a smooth or "featureless" appearance.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a steel golf shaft having a loading zone that is selectively positioned along the length of the shaft and formed by a plurality of closely spaced "micro-steps," or drops in diameter, that modify the bending and playing characteristics of the shaft in a variety of predictable ways. In addition, it is a further object of the present invention to provide a unique process for producing such a golf shaft.

Golf shaft and method of manufacturing same


In one embodiment, the sealing apparatus includes a mandrel having at least two portions, a first portion having a seal ring disposed on an exterior surface and a second portion without a seal ring disposed on an exterior surface. In one embodiment, the seal ring is disposed around the first portion. In another embodiment, the burst and collapse integrity of the first portion is substantially the same as the second portion.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a downhole seal arrangement. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to seal stem arrangement for reconnecting with a tubular.
2. Description of the Related Art
During the life of a well, an operator may decide to reconnect to a liner. One method is to insert a tie back string having a seal stem at a lower end for establishing pressure integrity with a liner. FIG. 1 shows a seal stem disposed inside a polish bore receptacle 3 ("PBR") of the liner. The seal stem includes a mandrel 10 and three assemblies 11, 12, 13 of Chevron-type seal rings disposed on a reduced diameter portion of the mandrel 10. Each assembly 11, 12, 13 includes upper and lower travel stops 14, 16 attached to the mandrel 10. Two stacks of oppositely facing Chevron-type seal rings 21, 23 are disposed between the travel stops 14, 16. As shown, a stack of upwardly oriented seal rings 21 and a stack of downwardly oriented seal rings 22 are disposed on each side of an o-ring 23. Each stack may include as many as twenty seal rings 21, 22 to provide adequate sealing with the PBR. The Chevron seal rings 21, 22 are oriented in opposite directions to seal against differential pressures in either direction.
One of the drawbacks of this design is a reduced diameter portion 8 is created to accommodate the seal assemblies 11, 12, 13. The reduced diameter portion 8 decreases the burst and collapse integrity of the mandrel 10. Another drawback is one or more of the seals may roll off the seal stem during insertion, removal, or circulation.
There is a need, therefore, for a seal arrangement that does not require a compromise of the integrity of the seal stem. There is also a need for a seal stem for reconnecting with a tubular without concerns of the seal rolling off the seal stem.


The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for delivery of reactants to a substrate processing chamber. An electronically controlled valve assembly is provided for rapid delivery of pulses of reactants to the chamber. The valve assembly comprises a valve body having a valve seat, and at least one gas inlet and one gas outlet below the seat. The piston is selectively movable within the valve body to open and close the valve. In order to actuate the valve assembly, current is sent to a solenoid coil within the valve body. The solenoid coil generates a magnetic field that acts on an adjacent magnetic member. The solenoid coil, magnetic member and piston are arranged such that relative movement of the coil and magnetic member cause the piston to be moved relative to the valve seat.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and apparatus for delivery of one or more reactants to a substrate processing chamber. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to a valve assembly for rapid delivery of pulses of one or more reactants to a substrate processing chamber.
2. Description of the Related Art
Reliably producing sub-micron and smaller features is one of the key technologies for the next generation of very large scale integration (VLSI) and ultra large scale integration (ULSI) of semiconductor devices. However, as the fringes of circuit technology are pressed, the shrinking dimensions of interconnects in VLSI and ULSI technology have placed additional demands on the processing capabilities. The multilevel interconnects that lie at the heart of this technology require precise processing of high aspect ratio features, such as vias and other interconnects. Reliable filling of the interconnects is important to VLSI and ULSI success and to the continued effort to increase circuit density and quality of individual substrates.
As circuit densities increase, the widths of vias, contacts, and other features, as well as the dielectric materials between them, decrease to sub-micron dimensions (e.g., less than 0.20 micrometers or less), whereas the thickness of the dielectric layers remains substantially constant, with the result that the aspect ratios for the features, i.e., their height divided by width, increase. Many traditional deposition processes have difficulty filling sub-micron structures where the aspect ratio exceeds 4:1, and particularly where the aspect ratio exceeds 10:1. Therefore, there is a need for technology that provides for the formation of substantially void-free and seam-free sub-micron features having high aspect ratios.
Atomic layer deposition is one deposition technique being explored for the deposition of material layers into high aspect ratio vias. An atomic layer deposition (ALD) process is a cyclical deposition method that is generally used for depositing ultra-thin layers (e.g., mono-layers) over features of semiconductor devices having a high aspect ratio.
One example of atomic layer deposition comprises the sequential introduction of pulses of gases. The ALD process utilizes a chemisorption phenomenon to deposit mono-layers of reactive precursor molecules. During the ALD process, reactive precursors are injected, in the form of pulsed gases, into a deposition chamber in a predetermined cyclical order. Each injection of a precursor provides a new atomic layer on the substrate that is additive to or combines with the previously deposited layers. Injections of individual precursor gases generally are separated by injections of a purge gas. In some instances, the purge gas may be flown continuously into the deposition chamber. The purge gas generally comprises an inert gas, such as argon (Ar), helium (He) and the like, or a mixture thereof. During the ALD process, the deposition chamber is also continuously evacuated to reduce the gas phase reactions between the precursors.
By way of example, during an ALD operation a first cycle for the sequential introduction of pulses of gases may comprise a pulse of a first reactant gas, followed by a pulse of a purge gas and/or a pump evacuation, followed by a pulse of a second reactant gas, and followed by a pulse of a purge gas and/or a pump evacuation. The term "gas" as used herein is defined to include a single gas or a plurality of gases. Sequential introduction of separate pulses of the first reactant and the second reactant may result in the alternating self-limiting adsorption of monolayers of the reactants on the surface of the substrate, thus forming a thin layer of material for each cycle. The cycle may be repeated to a desired thickness of the deposited material.
Various problems exist with current gas delivery apparatuses used to perform atomic layer deposition. Examples include slow delivery of reactants, generation of particles, and/or failure over time of components of the gas delivery apparatuses. Therefore, there is a need for new apparatuses and methods to perform gas delivery, such as during an ALD procedure.